TREASURY OF THE BUDDHIST SCIENCES SERIES

Editor-in-Chief: Robert A.F. Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University

Executive Editor: Thomas F. Yarnall, Columbia University

Series Committee: Daniel Aitken, David Kittelstrom, Tim McNeill, Robert A.F. Thurman, Christian K. Wedemeyer, Thomas F. Yarnall

Editorial Board: Ryuichi Abé, Jay Garfield, David Gray, Laura Harrington, Thupten Jinpa, Joseph Loizzo, Gary Tubb, Vesna Wallace, Christian Wedemeyer, Chun-fang Yu

The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series is copublished by the American Institute of Buddhist Studies and Wisdom Publications in association with the Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies and Tibet House US.

The American Institute of Buddhist Studies (AIBS) established the Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series to provide authoritative translations, studies, and editions of the texts of the Tibetan Tengyur (bstan ’gyur) and its associated literature. The Tibetan Tengyur is a vast collection of over 4,000 classical Indian Buddhist scientific treatises (śāstra) written in Sanskrit by over 700 authors from the first millennium CE, now preserved mainly in systematic 7th–12th century Tibetan translation. Its topics span all of India’s “outer” arts and sciences, including linguistics, medicine, astronomy, socio-political theory, ethics, art, and so on, as well as all of her “inner” arts and sciences such as philosophy, psychology (“mind science”), meditation, and yoga.

THE DALAI LAMA

Message

The foremost scholars of the holy land of India were based for many centuries at Nālandā Monastic University. Their deep and vast study and practice explored the creative potential of the human mind with the aim of eliminating suffering and making life truly joyful and worthwhile. They composed numerous excellent and meaningful texts. I regularly recollect the kindness of these immaculate scholars and aspire to follow them with unflinching faith. At the present time, when there is great emphasis on scientific and technological progress, it is extremely important that those of us who follow the Buddha should rely on a sound understanding of his teaching, for which the great works of the renowned Nālandā scholars provide an indispensable basis.

In their outward conduct the great scholars of Nālandā observed ethical discipline that followed the Pāli tradition, in their internal practice they emphasized the awakening mind of bodhichitta, enlightened altruism, and in secret they practised tantra. The Buddhist culture that flourished in Tibet can rightly be seen to derive from the pure tradition of Nālandā, which comprises the most complete presentation of the Buddhist teachings. As for me personally, I consider myself a practitioner of the Nālandā tradition of wisdom. Masters of Nālandā such as Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Āryāsaṅga, Dharmakīrti, Chandrakīrti, and Śāntideva wrote the scriptures that we Tibetan Buddhists study and practice. They are all my gurus. When I read their books and reflect upon their names, I feel a connection with them.

The works of these Nālandā masters are presently preserved in the collection of their writings that in Tibetan translation we call the Tengyur (bstan ’gyur). It took teams of Indian masters and great Tibetan translators over four centuries to accomplish the historic task of translating them into Tibetan. Most of these books were later lost in their Sanskrit originals, and relatively few were translated into Chinese. Therefore, the Tengyur is truly one of Tibet’s most precious treasures, a mine of understanding that we have preserved in Tibet for the benefit of the whole world.

Keeping all this in mind I am very happy to encourage a long-term project of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, originally established by the late Venerable Mongolian Geshe Wangyal and now at the Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies, and Tibet House US, to translate the Tengyur into English and other modern languages, and to publish the many works in a collection called The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences. When I recently visited Columbia University, I joked that it would take those currently working at the Institute at least three “reincarnations” to complete the task; it surely will require the intelligent and creative efforts of generations of translators from every tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, in the spirit of the scholars of Nālandā, although we may hope that using computers may help complete the work more quickly. As it grows, the Treasury series will serve as an invaluable reference library of the Buddhist Sciences and Arts. This collection of literature has been of immeasurable benefit to us Tibetans over the centuries, so we are very happy to share it with all the people of the world. As someone who has been personally inspired by the works it contains, I firmly believe that the methods for cultivating wisdom and compassion originally developed in India and described in these books preserved in Tibetan translation will be of great benefit to many scholars, philosophers, and scientists, as well as ordinary people.

I wish the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Columbia Center for Buddhist Studies and Tibet House US every success and pray that this ambitious and far-reaching project to create The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences will be accomplished according to plan. I also request others, who may be interested, to extend whatever assistance they can, financial or otherwise, to help ensure the success of this historic project.

May 15, 2007

THE VAJRA ROSARY TANTRA (Śrī Vajramālā Tantra) is one of the most significant and detailed tantras attributed to the Buddha, in his emanation as Vajradhara. It instructs a practitioner how to overcome the 108 energies and their related instinctual conceptions that circulate in the subtle body and mind and drive continued rebirth in cyclic existence, in order to attain the freedom of enlightenment. One of the explanatory tantras of the Buddhist Esoteric Community (Guhyasamāja) Tantra, its unexcelled yoga tantric system is among the most advanced systems described in Tibetan Buddhist literature. It mainly focuses on the final stage of Buddhist tantric practice, the perfection stage, by means of which a person is said actually to become a buddha.

There is no more authoritative endorsement than that of the great Tibetan renaissance scholar, Lama Tsong Khapa, who strongly recommended the Vajra Rosary Tantra as follows: “Nāgārjuna, in condensing the perfection stage into the five stages, follows this tantra; he also follows it regarding the creation stage three samādhis, four yogas, thirty-two deities, and so forth. . . . It explains the many stages of creation and dissolution of the body in terms of the channel structure, wind energy movement, and enlightenment-spirit substance as a factor in the decisive ascertainment of the internal and external life-energy controls for bringing forth the four voids and the magic body, depending on . . . the hidden discipline of desire and of the vajra recitation . . . and the limitless ways for the dawning of realization. . . . It seems that such excellent elucidation is rarely seen.”

This work is gratefully dedicated to

“The dream-like virtues that bring happiness and joy to ordinary and extraordinary beings”

The Lama Chöpa Prayer,

Based on the Vajra Rosary

Contents

Series Editor’s Preface

Author’s Preface/Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Typographical Conventions

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

Prologue

The Legendary Origin of the Vajra Rosary

The Historical Setting of the Tibetan Vajra Rosary

Yeshe Ö, Rinchen Zangpo, and Atīsha in Western Tibet

Zhiwa Ö

Mantrakalasha

Translations of the Vajra Rosary

Alaṁkakalasha, Tengpa Lotsawa, and Alaṁka’s Commentary

The Vajra Rosary as an Evolving Text

The Teachings of the Vajra Rosary and Alaṁka’s Commentary

1.  The Setting and the Eighty-Two Questions

2.  The Guru-Disciple Relationship

3.  The Meaning of “Vajra Rosary” and “Esoteric Community”

4.  Nonconceptuality

5.  The Four Consecrations and Tantric Consort Yoga

6.  Hermeneutics Within the Vajra Rosary

7.  The Four Ecstasies and the Four Moments

8.  Secrecy

9.  The 108 Energy-Winds and Corresponding Conceptualities

10.  Overcoming the Conceptual Energies

11.  Engagement of the Senses in the Tantric Way

12.  Emptiness in the Vajra Rosary Yogic System

13.  Great Bliss and Its Relation to Emptiness

14.  The Yoga of Vajra Recitation and Opening the Heart Knot

15.  Sound and Mantra

16.  The Three Drops, Three Nose Tips, and Three Main Channels

17.  Yogic Time

18.  Birth and Death from the Subtle Body Perspective

19.  The Chakras and the Channels

20.  The Buddha Clans

21.  The Body Mandala

22.  The Three Luminances

23.  Etymology as Esoteric Instruction

24.  The Five Stages and (Two Systems of) Six Yogas of the Perfection Stage

25.  The Forty-Nine and the Six Yogas of the Creation Stage and the Twenty Rituals

26.  The Inner Offering

27.  Peaceful and Terrifying Activities

28.  The Conclusion of the Tantra

PART TWO: ANNOTATED ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Title Page

1.  The Setting of the Tantra: Invocation, Questions, and Activities of the Students, Etc.

2.  On the Examination of the Teacher and Student, and on Consecration

3.  Analyzing the Name “Vajra Rosary”

4.  The Special Elucidation of the Word “Community”

5.  The Teaching of the Meaning of Emptiness

6.  The Opening of the Drop and Achieving the Supreme Yoga

7.  The Explanation of the Word “Nāda”

8.  The Complete Demonstration of the Provision of the Great Secret

9.  Defining the Word “Vow”

10.  Determining the Meaning of the Commitment

11.  Determining the Meaning of Mere Sound

12.  Explaining the Reality of Energy

13.  Explaining the Term “Great Bliss”

14.  Explaining the Union of the Vajra and the Lotus

15.  Explaining the Reality of Mantra

16.  Teaching the Process of Counting the Energies

17.  Situating the Channel Chakras

18.  Summary of the Channels of the Yogic Body

19.  Detailed Explanation of the Characteristics of the Moments

20.  Analyzing the Characteristics of Ecstasy

21.  Analyzing the Three Drops

22.  Explaining the Essence of the Three Bodies

23.  Determining the Commitment of the Three Realities

24.  Determining the Three Nose Tips

25.  Teaching the Words of Emptiness

26.  Defining the Divine Intuition Body

27.  Setting Forth the Goddesses in the Order of the Four Chakras

28.  Arising and Disappearing

29.  Producing Ecstasy

30.  The Armor Defining the Down-Flowing Channels

31.  Ascertaining the Three Intermediate Channels

32.  Taking Birth as a Person Made of Energy

33.  The Consumption of Vitality by the Process of the Energies

34.  The Gathering of the Ḍākinīs

35.  Cutting Off the Conceptual Energies

36.  The Characteristics of Nonconceptuality

37.  Practicing the Disappearance of the Channels

38.  Meditating on the Six Chakras

39.  Time and the Measure of Time

40.  The Fruit of the Secret

41.  Explaining the Meaning of the Reality Realm

42.  The Explanation of Vajra

43.  Summarizing the Meanings of the Various Families

44.  The Detailed Analysis of the Seal

45.  The Aggregates, the Sense Media, Etc.

46.  Ascertaining the Meaning of the Great Seal

47.  The Analysis of Experiences

48.  The Meaning of the Word “AHAṀ”

49.  Analyzing the Characteristics of Emptiness

50.  The Character Creating Vajra Rosary Emptiness

51.  Explaining Night and Day in Detail

52.  Explaining the Vowels and Consonants in Detail

53.  Explaining Twilight in Detail

54.  The Extensive Actions of the Twenty Rituals

55.  Teaching the Reason for and the Result of the Twenty Rituals

56.  Analyzing the Ritual of the Inner Essence Offering

57.  The Character of the Goddess

58.  Teaching the First Word, “EVAṀ,” and Its Reasoning

59.  Explaining the First Words, “EVAṀ MAYĀ”

60.  The Internal-Natured Fire Offering

61.  The Ritual of Drinking the Five Elixirs

62.  The Communal Circle Rite — Mingling with the Yoginīs

63.  The Explanation of the Secret Words

64.  The Mandala of Body, Speech, and Mind

65.  Defining “Buddha,” “Holy Dharma,” “Sangha,” Etc.

66.  Teaching the Results of the Actions of Peace, Etc.

67.  The Eight Attainments of Fierce and Peaceful Recitations, Etc.

68.  The Epitome of All Attainments

Colophon

APPENDIX, GLOSSARIES, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, ENDNOTES, AND INDEXES

Appendix

The 108 Energy-Winds and Conceptualities

Glossaries

English–Tibetan Glossary

Tibetan–English Glossary

Endnotes

Selected Bibliographies

Modern Sources

Sūtras and Tantras

Other Sanskrit and Tibetan Sources

Indexes

Index of Canonical Authors Cited

Index of Canonical Texts Cited

General Index

Series Editor’s Preface

This Treasury series is dedicated to making available in English and other languages the entire Tengyur (bstan ’gyur), the precious collection of originally Sanskrit scientific treatises and commentarial works preserved in Tibetan translations. In executing this huge task, it is impossible not to include certain scriptural works from the Kangyur (bka’ ’gyur) collection, works considered by traditional scholars to have been authored or specifically commissioned by the Shakyamuni Buddha himself. The present Vajra Rosary Tantra is from the Kangyur, yet is presented as an “explanatory tantra,” a kind of auto-commentary on the famous unexcelled yoga father tantra, the Esoteric Community Tantra, authored by the Buddha in his Vajradhara tantric embodiment. It has the added distinction of being considered by later adepts and commentators to provide essential commentary on the mother tantra category of unexcelled yoga tantras, such as the Chakrasaṁvara, the Hevajra, and the Kālachakra.

Dr. David R. Kittay, Ph.D., J.D., deserves the highest praise for his enormous effort in studying, translating, and consulting with expert scholars and experienced adepts of the tradition to produce a groundbreaking study and translation of this important work. In the process he expanded the range of his study to include other important works in the Esoteric Community literature, translating also the Vajra Rosary commentary by Alaṁkakalasha, the other key extant explanatory tantras of the Noble Tradition of Nāgārjuna and Āryadeva — including the Inquiry of the Four Goddesses, the Revelation of the Intention, the Vajra Intuition Compendium, and the Later Tantra (Uttaratantra) — as well as Tsong Khapa’s lengthy commentaries on the Four Goddesses and Vajra Intuition Compendium, and also Tsong Khapa’s own Precious Sprout, in addition to participating in our large-scale group project to translate the Esoteric Community itself, along with its master commentary, Chandrakīrti’s Illuminating Lamp. All these works are forthcoming, but even before finalization and publication, the overall body of completed drafts done by Dr. Kittay has been integral to the accuracy and clarity of his translation and exposition.

The great commentator-practitioner Tsong Khapa (1357–1419) specially appreciated the Esoteric Community and its extensive literature, due to the way in which it embedded the wisdom and technology of its teaching in a matrix of texts, the root and explanatory tantras themselves, and then the various adepts’ practical works — their contemplative performance scripts and personal instructions — spelling out the nuances of the meditative practices, and then finally the verbal teachings of personal teachers with whom a practitioner or a scholar must consult (perhaps a sound scholar must be at least a participant observer, or even a practitioner to some degree) to understand what this tradition of advanced, abstruse, and extraordinary depth psychology and transformational cultivation of the human mind and body is really about.

I congratulate Dr. Kittay for his great scholarly and intellectual achievement in producing this book, maintaining his focus through many years of strenuous labor and unrelenting critical insight. I also congratulate and add my sincere thanks to Dr. Lobsang Jamspal, who gave generous and skilled assistance in unraveling the many complexities of the text. I also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the international group of fine scholars Dr. Kittay remembers and thanks for their skilled assistance, and a special acknowledgment of the labor of love and skill given by Thomas Yarnall, our designer, meticulous scholarly colleague, and executive editor. Great thanks also to the diligent and capable editorial and creative staff of our copublisher, Wisdom Publications.

Robert A.F. Thurman (Ari Genyen Tenzin Chotrag)

Editor-in-Chief, Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences

Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies

Director, Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies

President, American Institute of Buddhist Studies & Tibet House US

August 3, 2017 CE, Tibetan Dharma Chakra Day

Tibetan Royal Year 2144, Year of the Fire Bird

Author’s Preface/Acknowledgments

The Vajra Rosary Tantra is an esoteric teaching of Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. It is mainly concerned with the second and final stage of Buddhist tantric practice, the perfection stage, through which a person actually becomes a buddha.

With my mentor, Ladakhi Lama and Columbia University Professor Emeritus Dr. Lozang Jamspal, I read the Vajra Rosary over a period of several years, and also read much of the Tantra and its main commentary, by Alaṁkakalasha, with my friend, advisor, and guide Professor “Tenzin” Bob “Kālachakra” Thurman, who then read over my translation, making many good suggestions. I then reworked the translation with Alaṁkakalasha’s Commentary and, in the many instances where the text or translation raised a question, checked the Tibetan text (included now in the companion epublication for readers of Tibetan at wisdomexperience.org) against the Pedurma variants, the Stok Palace recension, and the text that Alaṁkakalasha quotes from in his word commentary, as well as Sanskrit fragments of the text that I could find, which are included as notes to the translation.

When I first started studying with Dr. Jamspal many years ago, I asked him, “What is Dharma?” He thought for a few seconds, and said, “Benefit others.” I’ve not heard a better definition, nor can I imagine a better example of how the Dharma can be lived. I can’t begin to thank Jamspal lags for his many years of teaching me by word and example.

Tenzin Thurman devoted many hours to this project, sharing his deep knowledge of the commentarial tradition and the literature, his expertise and experience in translation, his personal reflections, and his immense good humor. We shared many adventures along the way. Bob introduced me to Jamspal lags, then guided my learning and and teaching at Columbia. Kālachakra’s (my name for Bob) devotion to his students inside and outside Columbia and to spreading the Dharma is extraordinary, as is his insight and energy. His brilliance is reflected on these pages.

I was blessed to visit with the late Kyabje Denma Lochö Rinpoche in Atlanta, New York, and Dharamsala; he opened the gates to the Esoteric Community to me and patiently answered many of my questions about the Vajra Rosary text and the Esoteric Community system. I was also lucky enough to meet several times with Ganden Tripa Kyabje Rizong Rinpoche, who gave a reading transmission of the text, and, aware of the mismatch between the text and the translator, said we would continue the work in future lives. I appreciate the encouragement, gentleness, and humor in this remark. Geshe Lobsang Negi of Drepung Loseling Monastic College and Emory University was also instrumental in my studies, and I benefited greatly from teachings and consecrations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, His Holiness Sakya Trizin, Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche.

I am deeply grateful to all of these teachers, to their teachers, and to the tradition that fostered them. Given the advanced subject matters of this text, which discusses experiential physical/mental states that are the fruit of intense practices honed over many generations or even lifetimes by expert psychonauts, there are bound to be significant gaps and misunderstandings here due to the inexperience and limitations of this “compiler.” However, we must start somewhere and hope that future scholar/practitioner-yogis will make corrections and improvements. Despite the assistance I received on translating and understanding this extraordinary text, the mistakes are mine alone, the product of my own lack of evolution, lack of understanding of the text, and failure to fully receive and understand the guidance of my mentors.

I also thank my many friends and fellow faculty members at Columbia: Paul Hackett, a source of wisdom, scholarly assistance, and friendship over many years, and Chris Kelley, Roy Tzohar, Tom Yarnall, Kaia Fischer, Natalie Hauptmann, Megan Mook, John Campbell, Annie Bien, Joe McClellan, Joe Loizzo, Gary Tubb, and Tenzin Norbu, as well as Courtney Bender, Rachel McDermott, Gray Tuttle, and Bernard Faure. And I thank and remember fondly Gene Smith, who was very helpful to me in the initial stages of this project, and was so helpful to so many in our field. Thanks go also to Leslie Kriesel and Jensine Andresen for their initial copyediting; to AIBS executive editor Tom Yarnall for his editorial contributions and oversight; and to Ben Gleason, Gretchen Gordon, Julia Gaviria, Gopa Campbell, Kestrel Slocombe, and Daniel Aitken from Wisdom Publications for their careful final proofing, and for their professionalism and expertise in bringing this study to publication.

I thank my immediate parents in this life, Rhoda and William Kittay. How wonderful they were. My children, Leigh, Bear, Eric, and Katiyana, have been my inspiration, and I thank my grandson Theo Lehrman for our illuminating discussions of shes sgrib and nyon sgrib and look forward to these discussions with his brother Miles Lehrman, and with Kuma Kittay, and their siblings to come.

Finally, I thank Jan, my Periwinkle, as true as true can be, for sharing her life with me and being, as Jamspal lags says, “very diligent,” the least of her many virtues.

David R. Kittay

New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA

Losar, March 16, 2018

Abbreviations

Alaṁka | Alaṁkakalasha
BIL | Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp (by Tsong Khapa)
CMP | Caryā-melāpaka-pradīpa (by Āryadeva).         (see Wedemeyer 1999)
GST | Guhya-samāja-tantra
MW | Monier-Williams (1990)
PK | Pañca-krama (by Nāgārjuna)
PU | Pradīpa-uddyotana (by Chandrakīrti)
PU Annotations | Supplementary Annotations . . .         (by Tsong Khapa; 1999)
Skt. | Sanskrit
TBRC | Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center
Tib. | Tibetan
Tōh. | Tōhoku
VR | Vajra Rosary

Typographical Conventions

To facilitate pronunciation for the nonspecialist, we have strived to present Sanskrit and Tibetan names (and some terms) in a phonetic form. Toward this end, while we generally have kept conventional diacritics for Sanskrit names, we have added an h to convey certain sounds (so ś, ṣ, and c are often rendered as sh, ṣh [or sh], and ch respectively), and have occasionally omitted retroflex underdots. For Sanskrit terms that have entered the English lexicon (such as “nirvana” or “mandala”), we use no diacritical marks. In more technical contexts (Sanskrit text titles, notes, bibliographies, appendixes, and so on) we use full standard diacritical conventions for Sanskrit, and Wylie transliterations for Tibetan.

Part One

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Prologue

The Vajra Rosary¹ is one of the key scriptural teachings of Buddha Vajradhara in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. It describes how one becomes a fully enlightened buddha and what practices one engages in to accomplish that goal. It is probably the most significant and detailed teaching attributed to the Buddha instructing a practitioner how to overcome the energy-winds and their related mental conceptions that circulate in the subtle body and mind, leading most of us to continued rebirth in cyclic existence. Overcoming these energies and achieving freedom is accomplished, and the Tantra describes how, beginning by practicing the vajra recitation of the perfection stage. There, one meditates deeply on those energies and conceptions, both of which number 108, and then draws one’s energies into the central channel of the subtle body where they are overcome forever by the nonconceptual blissful energy of the wisdom of seeing that they never intrinsically existed in the first place. This subtle body and the mental wisdom to work with it must be developed through the preparatory practices of the Buddhist path — renunciation, ethics, and wisdom, the six perfections, the practice of compassion, the wisdom of emptiness, and the creation stage of Buddhist tantra — and in reliance on qualified and expert teachers.

The Vajra Rosary is one of the “explanatory tantras” of the Buddhist Esoteric Community (Guhyasamāja) unexcelled yoga tantric system, the most complete of the four systems of tantra described in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist literature. It is found in the Tibetan Kangyur, the collection of works attributed to Shākyamuni Buddha that were translated into Tibetan from Sanskrit mainly in the last part of the first millennium, and compiled by the Tibetan scholar Butön in the fourteenth century. Despite the importance of the Esoteric Community system in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, and the Vajra Rosary in particular, except for relatively brief quotes included in translations of other works, until now the Vajra Rosary has not been translated into English or any other Western language.²

At the beginning of the first chapter of the Tantra, the Bodhisattva Vajrapāni poses eighty-two questions to the tantric Buddha Vajradhara, principally about the perfection stage of tantric yoga. The perfection stage (also called the completion stage), is the second of the two main stages of tantric practice, the final stage actually leading to buddhahood. The first stage is the creation (or generation) stage, where, among other things, the practitioner imagines what he or she will be doing later in the perfection stage.³

The answers to Vajrapāni’s questions are given in sixty-eight chapters, which include detailed discussion of yogic meditation and practice involving primarily the first of the five levels of the perfection stage, that of vajra recitation that leads to “speech isolation,”⁴ but spanning all of the levels up to the stage of integration (or communion), i.e., buddhahood. One of the Tantra’s specialties is describing how to open the heart chakra’s “knot” or nerve complex, the key to all of the higher stages. It also describes how to name and move the subtle neural energies in meditation and how those energies manifest during the cycles of life and death. It describes, among many other things: the consecrations of the perfection stage; “great bliss,” the four ecstasies, and how they are produced through yoga; the use of mantras; the Esoteric Community body mandala of thirty-two deities; the uniting of the various subtle body channels; the six yogas of the perfection stage; the twenty rituals of the creation stage; and the crucial role of emptiness and dependent arising (or relativity) in the overall system.

The leading exponents of the Esoteric Community tradition, Nāgārjuna, Chandrakīrti, and, later, Tsong Khapa, divide the perfection stage into five stages: speech isolation, mind isolation, illusory body, clear light, and communion; and there is at least fifteen hundred years of literature on the practices for attaining these states. Most of these texts follow the Vajra Rosary, and it may be the most or among the most cited texts on the subject. In his masterwork on the perfection stage, the Brilliantly Illuminating Lamp of the Five Stages (rim lnga rab tu gsal ba’i sgron me [BIL]), Tsong Khapa praised the Vajra Rosary:

The savior Nāgārjuna, in condensing the perfection stage into the five stages, follows this tantra, and also follows this tantra in the three samadhis, the four yogas, the thirty-two deities, etc., in the creation stage. Therefore, when His Holiness [Nāgārjuna] in the Condensed [Sādhana] becomes an [alchemical] churner, he “churns the ocean of the hidden waters of the Esoteric Community with the churning stick of the Vajra Rosary.” . . . It seems that such an excellent elucidation is rarely seen.⁵

In the English language literature, the Vajra Rosary is known primarily for its explication of the initial “forty syllables” of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra⁶ and for being the source of the famous Lama Chöpa, or Guru Puja, prayer,⁷ known by many Tibetans by heart and practiced daily in Geluk monasteries. Significant as they are, these aspects of the Vajra Rosary comprise a small part of its import. The text is a veritable encyclopedia of perfection stage tantric practice and tantric ritual, widely quoted in later commentarial works and described as a system not found anywhere else.⁸

In Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, the Esoteric Community or Guhyasamāja tantric system is commonly known as the “king of tantras.”⁹ According to Khedrup Jey, “Without relying on its path there is no way to attain supreme enlightenment.”¹⁰ Although many tantras say that they reveal things found in no other tantra, it is generally acknowledged that the Esoteric Community system is explained in more detail than other tantric systems, and those other systems and their exegetes often look to the Esoteric Community literature to explain tantric theory and practice not addressed elsewhere.¹¹

The Esoteric Community system consists of a Root Tantra and a number of Explanatory Tantras (vyākhyā or ākhyā tantra; bshad rgyud), of which the Vajra Rosary is one.¹² Tibetan scholars consider that there are two main Esoteric Community traditions, the Jñānapāda tradition (ye shes zhab lugs), named after Buddhashrījñānapāda (ca. 900? CE) and the Ārya or “noble” tradition, so called after Ārya Nāgārjuna, who is often given the epithet “noble one.” Indeed, the efficacy and importance of the explanatory tantras as a bridge between the deeply coded Esoteric Community Root Tantra and the personal instructions of the guru is a hallmark of the noble tradition.¹³

I have not found a complete or even partially complete Sanskrit text of the Vajra Rosary. However, fragments of the original Sanskrit are found in the commentarial literature. For example, the “forty verses” explaining the initial forty syllables of the Esoteric Community Tantra and some other verses, including most of chapter 64 of the Vajra Rosary, are quoted in Chandrakīrti’s Illuminating Lamp (Pradīpoddyotana [PU]); there are some brief quotations in Āryadeva’s Lamp That Integrates the Practices (Caryāmelāpakapradīpa [CMP]); and some parts of the Vajra Rosary’s chapter 68 are parallel to chapter 4 of Nāgārjuna’s Five Stages (Pañcakrama [PK]).

As of Tsong Khapa’s time, there were a number of translations of the Vajra Rosary into Tibetan, the latest of which appears to date from the eleventh century.¹⁴ The one I have translated from Tibetan was translated from the Sanskrit by Sujana Shrījñāna and Zhiwa Ö.¹⁵

Although the Vajra Rosary is widely quoted and cited, the noble tradition commentaries that elucidate one particular text of the Community literature often focus on Chandrakīrti’s PU¹⁶ instead. In the Tengyur there is just one direct commentary on the Vajra Rosary, by Alaṁkakalasha, whom I will affectionately call Alaṁka.¹⁷ His Commentary is incomplete, covering only the first forty-five of the Vajra Rosary’s sixty-eight chapters.¹⁸ It is written in the pañjika style, and thus comments on all of the words and phrases of the root text, as well as providing more general explanations of the subject matter.¹⁹ The Commentary itself was translated into Tibetan by Alaṁka and Teng Lotsawa, AKA Tsultrim Jungney (1107–90). According to Tsong Khapa, Alaṁkakalasha’s Commentary is reliable in that it “does accord with the noble father and sons [tradition].”²⁰

The Legendary Origin of the Vajra Rosary

The Vajra Rosary itself and Alaṁka’s Commentary reflect the traditional Buddhist view that Buddha himself taught tantra in general and the Vajra Rosary in particular.²¹ Alaṁka explains, in accord with the more or less standard tantric account of Buddha’s enlightenment,²² that Prince Sarvārthasiddha, the pre-enlightenment name for Buddha Shākyamuni,²³ was entranced in “an erroneous ‘space pervading’ concentration”²⁴ on the bank of a river:

Thinking to himself, “This is enlightenment,” he remained in that state. Then, from the so-called buddha fields of Abhirati, Akanishtha, Ratnasambhava, Sukhāvatī, and Kusumavatī,²⁵ [the buddhas of the ten directions] came and exhorted Prince Sarvārthasiddha, saying, “this concentration is impure,” etc. Then he rejected that mistaken concentration. Then he saw the sky teeming with all the transcendent lords.

He prostrated, saying, Om sarva tathāgata kāya vāk citta pranamena vajra bandhanam karomi,²⁶ and, first circumambulating, supplicated those lords to teach the concentration of the actuality of unerroneous reality. Then those lords, having first emanated the great seal mandala and performed the preparatory ritual for disciples, mentally resolved on the enlightenment spirit and, having conferred consecration through the four consecrations together with the preliminary practices divided into the four consecrations, the pledges and the vow of giving, having given individual instruction on the stages wherein are taught the three concentrations, the hundred clans classification, and the five stages, those transcendent lords departed to their own buddha fields.

Then, the Lord Lion of the Shākyas, because of his sharp faculties of esoteric knowledge as taught to him by previous lords, completely awakened at midnight, overcame Māra before dawn, [and] left for Tushita Heaven.²⁷

Then, as Alaṁka tells it, Buddha emanated the thirty-two Esoteric Community deities from his body²⁸ and taught the 25,000-verse version, now lost, of the Esoteric Community Tantra. He also taught a briefer version, also lost, of 1,800 lines in eighteen chapters,²⁹ and subsequently taught a number of other tantras, culminating in his teaching of the Vajra Rosary Tantra (which is referred to as the Short Vajra Rosary Tantra) and the other explanatory tantras that we have today:

After that, for the benefit of the living beings of the merchant (vaiśya) class, who have great attachment and hatred and small obscuration, [while] mainly teaching the four consecrations to the Tushita gods, he taught the Gathering in Two Stages and the Esoteric Community Tantra. After that, in the Western Mountains of Oddiyana, the Lord [Buddha Vajradhara], in the form of glorious Vajrasattva, principally in order to control the ten directional protector [gods] by means of the ten terrific [buddhas], taught the two tantras: the Vajra Rosary in twelve thousand lines and the Shorter Vajra Rosary. Then, the Lord, having prayed to [all] the transcendent [buddhas], in the form of glorious Vajrasattva, on the snow-covered mount [Himalaya], taught the Revelation of the Intention Tantra³⁰ among human beings.

After that, the Lord, who was supplicated by the four goddesses on the peak of the Vindhya Mountains, taught the Inquiry of the Four Goddesses Tantra.³¹ Then, on the banks of the Ganges, he taught separately the major and minor [versions of] the Vajra Intuition Compendium Tantra.³² After that, having relied on living beings connected with the outcaste (caṇḍala) class, the greatest of the great in desire and hatred and the smallest of the small in delusion, the Lord, in a saintly state, dividing the major and minor [versions of the] glorious Chakrasamvara [Tantra], principally taught the two stages [to those in] the pure abodes [of the form realm], mainly the four consecrations, together with the four explanatory tantras that mainly emphasize intuition, and did not teach, because it was not required there, the specification of the places of the four tantras.

After that, for the purpose of training the four devils in Magadha in this very India,³³ he taught the teaching of the glorious Hevajra Tantra, together with its major and minor explanatory tantras. Likewise, there, he did not teach the specification of the various places, etc.,³⁴ because it was not necessary. Because of this, having great compassion, there, on top of the peak of Western Oddiyana, the Lord taught from among the five classes of tantra the Small Vajra Rosary Tantra, teaching that which has as its essence the sixty-eight chapters and the eighty-two questions and answers.³⁵

Alaṁka gives two versions of the timing of the teaching of the oral personal instructions and the root, branch,³⁶ and explanatory tantras: one that they were taught respectively in each of the four ages (yuga) and another that they were all taught by the Buddha during this age immediately after the teaching of the brief version of the Esoteric Community Tantra.³⁷ Alaṁka says of the latter, “This view is also agreeable.”³⁸ Alaṁka’s ambidexterity in this regard is consistent with writings by Tibetan historians, in particular those writing about the noble tradition, who were well aware of the historiographical difficulties they confronted and that the traditional accounts were a solution to the more pressing problem of the legitimacy of revelation.³⁹ Alaṁka’s easy acceptance of the alternative accounts coincides with Christian Wedemeyer’s conclusion that “to them, the problem was not a problem.”⁴⁰

The Historical Setting of the Tibetan Vajra Rosary

Yeshe Ö, Rinchen Zangpo, and Atīsha in Western Tibet

Buddhism had traditionally first appeared in Tibet in 233 CE, but the first major transmission, the “earlier diffusion” (snga dar), took place during the reign of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo during the first half of the seventh century CE.⁴¹ Buddhism continued to spread in Tibet, mainly among the upper classes, during the reigns of the subsequent kings, including Trisong Detsen in the latter part of the eighth century and Tri Ralpachen in the first part of the ninth, and many monasteries were established under royal patronage. Tradition has it that Tri Ralpachen was so enamored of Buddhism that he neglected his official duties and alienated various factions, leading to his assassination and replacement by King Lang Darma in 838, reputedly an enemy of Buddhism who destroyed Buddhist images and texts and was himself assassinated.⁴²

Lang Darma’s demise was followed by a period of political instability in Central Tibet, traditionally characterized as a “dark age.”⁴³ However, despite the confusion in that locale, interest in and patronage for Buddhism remained strong in Eastern and Western Tibet, setting the stage for the phyi dar, “later diffusion” of Buddhism, catalyzed in Western Tibet by the sending of twenty-one young Tibetan monks to India, two of whom returned in 978 CE with scriptures and some Indian scholars. One of those two young monks was Rinchen Zangpo, who was eventually joined in Western Tibet by Atīsha, the great Indian scholar and abbot from Vikramashila Monastery. The authority who sent the twenty-one monks and thus was responsible for the initiation of the later diffusion was King Tsenpo Korey, who renounced his throne and became the royal monk Yeshe Ö.⁴⁴ Subsequently, Yeshe Ö’s grandnephew, the royal monk Jangchub Ö, succeded in inviting Atīsha to Western Tibet, where the scholar stayed for a few years before departing for Central Tibet.

Tradition holds that although they were sponsored by Yeshe Ö and his successors in Western Tibet, Rinchen Zangpo and Atīsha were the catalysts of the second diffusion and were primarily responsible for reforming Buddhism at that time.⁴⁵ The Western accounts of Snellgrove, Kapstein, and Davidson put less emphasis on the importance of the Rinchen Zangpo and Atīsha, stressing the earlier penetration of Buddhism,⁴⁶ the importance of the Eastern Vinaya monks,⁴⁷ or that the later diffusion was a “pan-Tibetan phenomenon,” respectively.⁴⁸ However, as shown by The History of Western Tibet (mnga’ ris rgyal rabs), written by Ngawang Drakpa, a direct student of Tsong Khapa, in 1497, there is little doubt that Yeshe Ö, along with Rinchen Zangpo and Atīsha, was a key figure in the Western Tibetan Buddhist Renaissance.⁴⁹

Yeshe Ö sent delegations to Kashmir to search for the Tattvasaṁgraha or Compendium of Principles, the Esoteric Community Tantra, and the Mañjushrīnāmasaṁgīti or Chanting the Names of Mañjushrī.⁵⁰ Yeshe Ö is also famous on account of his 986 CE royal Proclamation, a sweeping restatement of Mahāyāna doctrines and condemnation of certain tantric practices of the time.⁵¹ The Proclamation starts with a short summary of Buddhist teaching, summarizing the three vehicles of the disciples, hermit buddhas, and bodhisattvas. Then Yeshe Ö gets right to the point: “You tantrists, who live in villages, have no connection with these three ways.”⁵² He continues:

Imprisoned in the dirt of the five kinds of sensual objects and women,

It is astonishing to say that “we are Dharmakāya.”

False doctrine called Dzogchen is flourishing in Tibet.

The views of this doctrine are mistaken.

Heretical tantras, pretending to be Buddhist, are also spread in Tibet.

As “sexual rite” has become popular the different classes of people are mixed.

By offering faeces and urine,

Semen and menses to pure divinities,

Alas! you will be reborn in a mire of rotting corpses.

By way of retribution for indulging your lust in your “sexual rite,”

Alas! You will be reborn as a uterine worm.

You worship the Three Jewels with flesh, blood and urine,

Ignorant of “enigmatic” terminology you practise the rite literally,

A Mahāyanist such as this will surely be reborn as a demon.

What a strange Buddhist adhering to such practices!

If these practices, like yours, bring about buddhahood,

Then hunters, fishermen, butchers and prostitutes,

Would surely have attained Enlightenment by now.⁵³

However, as we shall see, every one of these practices is reflected in the Vajra Rosary, translated by Zhiwa Ö and Sujana Shrījñāna (who, as discussed below, may have been Atīsha himself).⁵⁴

Zhiwa Ö

Zhiwa Ö, the first translator in the Western Tibetan royal family, was the grandnephew of King Yeshe Ö. His father was Hla De, the son of Yeshe Ö’s younger brother, Song De. Zhiwa Ö was the younger brother of Jangchub Ö, the latter famous for his efforts in inviting Atīsha to Tibet. Like his older brother, possibly following the tradition started by Yeshe Ö that the younger sons become monastics so as not to challenge the oldest brother’s secular authority, Zhiwa Ö became a monk. However, after taking vows it seems that Zhiwa Ö retained a good deal of temporal authority, and he is described in the colophons to the Vajra Rosary and his other translations as “King of Tibet,” bod kyi lha btsan po, the title used by the early Tibetan kings.⁵⁵ Like Yeshe Ö, Zhiwa Ö was the author of a Proclamation, in which he listed a large number of tantric texts as Tibetan in origin or otherwise inauthentic and not conducive to liberation.⁵⁶

As noted by Samten Karmay in his study of Zhiwa Ö’s Proclamation: “The important role that Pho-brang Zhi-ba-’od played in re-establishing Buddhism in Tibet in the second half of the 11th century has rather been neglected by Tibetan Buddhist historians and consequently by Western writers on the history of Tibetan Buddhism.”⁵⁷ One tradition recounted by Ngawang Drakpa attributes Yeshe Ö’s accomplishments and very birth to a prior incarnation of Zhiwa Ö:

During the time when Chos was discarded, after 47 generations [of rulers], the incarnated . . . King Srong nge was born, like a second Pun.ta.ri.ka flower, as a son in the line of the protectors (kings). It is said that, owing to Zhi.ba.’od’s previous prayers and the power of his compassion, the incarnation of the divine race of Byang.chub sems.dpa’-s, the manifestation of the king of kings on earth, who abandoned worldly life in order to protect human beings, bla.ma Byang.chub sems.dpa’ Ye.shes.’od was born to emancipate human beings in these very mNga’.ris.stod//⁵⁸

While Yeshe Ö and Zhiwa Ö, along with Atīsha, have sometimes been characterized as part of a “neoconservative” reaction to tantra,⁵⁹ as shown in the table below, the time elapsed between the birth of Yeshe Ö and the death of Zhiwa Ö is 164 years, and that between Yeshe Ö’s Proclamation and that of Zhiwa Ö 106 years.

As also shown in the table below, Yeshe Ö’s Proclamation was issued twenty-nine years before Zhiwa Ö was born. Particularly given Atīsha’s deep involvement with tantra and Zhiwa Ö’s sponsorship and translation (perhaps with Atīsha) of the Vajra Rosary with its numerous explicit antinomian practices, the applicability of such labels is questionable.

According to the History of Western Tibet, it was Zhiwa Ö who heard about the Vajra Rosary, searched for it, and then sent out his own teacher, Mantrakalasha, with four hundred measures (zho) of gold to find it.⁶⁰ Mantrakalasha found the Vajra Rosary somewhere “in the direction of Oddiyana,” i.e., Kashmir or the Swat Valley,⁶¹ and brought it back to Zhiwa Ö, who then translated it with the Indian pandit Sujana Shrījñāna.⁶²

In addition to the Vajra Rosary, Zhiwa Ö translated the Śrīparamādyatantramantra-kalpakhaṇḍa (Dpal mchog dang po’i sngags) (Tōh. 488); with Mantrakalasha, the Dpal mchog dang po’i rgya cher bshad (a commentary on the Śrīparamādyatantramantrakalpakhaṇḍa);⁶³ the Sahajamaṇḍalatryāloka (Lhan cig skyes pa’i dkyil ’khor gsum gsal) (Tōh. 1539); with Guṇāshrībhadra, the Tattvasaṁgrahakārika; the Kalāpalaghuvṛttiśiṣyahitānāma, probably the earliest translation into Tibetan of a Sanskrit grammar; and, with Mantrakalasha, he revised the Paramādiṭīkā (Dpal mchog dang po’i rgya cher bshad pa) (Tōh. 2512).⁶⁴ With Atīsha, he translated the Dpal mchog rtsa ’grel and sponsored the translations of several other works.⁶⁵ At or near the same time he was translating the Vajra Rosary, Zhiwa Ö translated the Kālachakra Tantra with the Kashmiri pandit Dha na ta la.⁶⁶ Gö Lotsawa adds that Zhiwa Ö “was a scholar in all the sciences of Buddhist and heretical doctrines.”⁶⁷

In 1076, Zhiwa Ö presided over an extraordinary gathering of Buddhist scholars and translators at the temple of Tho ling, the center of learning in Western Tibet, and issued his Proclamation in 1092.⁶⁸ ⁶⁹ Because its interpretation may bear on the question of the authenticity of the Vajra Rosary or Zhiwa Ö’s beliefs about the correct application of tantric doctrine and practice, his Proclamation merits close attention.⁷⁰ It is mainly a listing of seventy-two “translations” and groups of works or texts with commentaries, with relatively little explanation. The Proclamation begins by stating immediately after a short introductory paragraph: “The tantras (mentioned below), their commentaries and performance scripts, old and new, composed in the guise of the Word of the Buddha and claiming to be of Indian origin, were written by the Tibetans themselves and are as follows.”⁷¹ He then lists most of the works and adds:

SELECTED CHRONOLOGY OF WESTERN TIBET PHYI DAR* (AGES)**

* Compiled from Ngawang Drakpa, Chattopadhyaya 1999, Roerich 1978, Butön 1999, Kapstein 2006, and Davidson 2005.

** YO — Yeshe Ö; RZ — Rinchen Zangpo; A — Atīsha; JO — Jangchub Ö; ZO — Zhiwa Ö.

None of these provides perfect means, and since they do not help in attaining buddhahood, no one should take them as a path or even resort to them. Those who have taken vows as monks must observe their monastic rules, and (when) they take up the practice of the mantra vehicle, they should make efforts to observe the vows of the tantras belonging to the class of action, art, yoga, and even the Esoteric Community, etc., without breaking their monastic vows.

Although the tantras belonging to the group of the mother tantras (ma rgyud) are excellent, they nevertheless cause many monks to break their monastic vows as a result of not knowing the implications of certain terminologies. Because of this, there is nothing wrong even if they are not practised at all.

In particular, the theories of the great perfection are mixed up with those of the outsiders’ doctrines. So if one practises these, one will be led into evil rebirths. Since they thus obstruct one from attaining enlightenment, under no circumstances are they suitable for practice.⁷²

Rather than being a conservative across-the-board condemnation of tantra or even of certain antinomian tantric practices, the Proclamation seems aimed at keeping genuine Indian tantric practices and scriptures separate from adulterated Tibetan creations or modifications (which Zhiwa Ö may have viewed as the “New Age” tantra of his time) and at reconciling monastic vows with tantric practice. Indeed, Zhiwa Ö’s position on monks keeping their monastic vows in tantric practice is similar to Atīsha’s.⁷³

Mantrakalasha

Zhiwa Ö’s “own Indian master Mantrakalasha”⁷⁴ was, according to the Nyingma edition of the Derge Kangyur/Tengyur, the translator of Tōh. 488 (with Zhiwa Ö),⁷⁵ Tōh. 1247,⁷⁶ Tōh. 1784,⁷⁷ Tōh. 1842,⁷⁸ and Tōh. 2512 (filling in missing portions with Zhiwa Ö),⁷⁹ all of which appear to be tantric works. According to the Gting skyes rnying ma rgyud, another collaboration of Zhiwa Ö and Mantrakalasha was the King of Mahāyāna Realization, the “Glorious Primordial Excellence.”⁸⁰

Mantrakalasha was also the translator of Shrī Lakshmī’s Pañcakrama-ṭīkā-kramārtha-prakāshikā, which, according to Alex Wayman, was the only commentary he could find other than the PU that quotes the famous forty verses from the Vajra Rosary’s chapter 59.⁸¹ Wayman notes that Mantrakalasha’s translation of four of the forty verses is identical to that of the PU, and on that basis concludes that Mantrakalasha, who Wayman guesses lived in the twelfth century, had memorized the verses. Karmay’s research establishing that Mantrakalasha was Zhiwa Ö’s teacher provides an earlier date for Mantrakalasha and a different basis for explaining the identical Tibetan translation: that Mantrakalasha was on the scene when his student Zhiwa Ö translated it.

According to the Nyingma Catalogue,⁸² the colophon of the Śrī-guhyasamājatantrasya tantraṭīkā-nāma, a commentary on the Further Tantra (Uttaratantra), the eighteenth chapter of the Esoteric Community Tantra, attributed to Nāgārjuna (Tōh. 1784A), considered to be an explanatory tantra, states that its translator, Mantrakalasha, was the son of Tārakalasha and the grandson of Kumārakalasha.⁸³ Kumārakalasha was at Tho-ling, where he translated the Mañjushrīmūlatantra by order of Zhiwa Ö’s older brother, Jangchub Ö.⁸⁴

As we have seen, according to Ngawang Drakpa, Mantrakalasha obtained the text of the Vajra Rosary from Oddiyana. Discussing the various editions of the Vajra Rosary, Tsong Khapa refers to “the Indian book of Paṇḍita Mantrakalasha,” so evidently there may have been an extant Sanskrit text as late as the early fifteenth century.⁸⁵ Mantrakalasha was thus deeply familiar with Zhiwa Ö’s translation of the Vajra Rosary; indeed, he may have been a participant in it, or at least might have been consulted by Zhiwa Ö. One also wonders if the Mantrigakalasha whom Ngawang Drakpa states was sent by Zhiwa Ö to Oddiyana to find and then purchase the text of the Vajra Rosary was the same person. Roberto Vitali equates the two in his index, but gives no explanation.⁸⁶ I think this is a fair conclusion, and places Mantrakalasha at the heart of the Tibetan Vajra Rosary.

Translations of the Vajra Rosary

Although I have been working mainly with the Lhasa recension of the Vajra Rosary together with the Pedurma edition and the Stok Palace text, various sources attest to other translations and revisions. Alaṁka’s Commentary appears to be based on a different translation, and Alaṁka clearly had different versions of the Vajra Rosary text in front of him, as noted by his quoting different versions as alternative readings.⁸⁷ Tsong Khapa, in his BIL, a summary of perfection stage practice as presented in various texts, noted a number of translations of the Vajra Rosary circulating during his time, including the “old translations.”⁸⁸

The colophon to the Lhasa Kangyur version of the Vajra Rosary states:

Translated, edited, and finalized by the Indian Abbot Sujana Shrījñāna and great text translator, monk Zhiwa Ö, the King of Tibet, in the temple of Tho-ling, dpa med lhun gyis grub pa, the sanctuary [of Yeshe Ö], the center of the earth.⁸⁹

The index in the Nyingma Catalogue lists Sujana Shrījñāna only with respect to the Vajra Rosary; he is not listed as the translator of any other works in the Kangyur or Tengyur.

It is possible that the colophon’s “Indian Abbot” is Atīsha, whose ordained name is usually mentioned as Dīpaṁkara Shrījñāna (Tib. Mar me mdzad dpal ye shes).⁹⁰ Sujana can simply mean “a good or virtuous or kind or benevolent person.”⁹¹ While this would be a unique appellation for Atīsha, one not found in the Tengyur,⁹² it is a possibility, since none of the historical sources I have reviewed refer to a “Sujana Shrījñāna,” and Atīsha and Zhiwa Ö were together in Tho ling from 1042 to 1046,⁹³ and, according to the History of Western Tibet, Zhiwa Ö and Atīsha “together translated . . . many major and minor esoteric and exoteric works.”⁹⁴ In 1042, Atīsha was eighty-six and Zhiwa Ö twenty-seven years old. It is curious that I have not found any references to Atīsha in connection with the Vajra Rosary, but the colophon does refer to “the Indian abbot [mkhan po] Sujana Srījñāna.” Alaka Chattopadhyaya reports that the post that Atīsha had at Vikramashila was in fact “abbot” (mkhan po), and Atīsha is listed as mkhan po in various colophons.⁹⁵ However, there were other Indian abbots who were at Tho ling at the time who were also denominated as mkhan pos: Shraddhākaravarman is referred to as mkhan po in the Derge colophon to the Abhibodhikramopadeśa, Tōh. 1806; and Mantrakalasha himself is referred to as mkhan po in the Śrīparamādyamantrakalpakhaṇḍa, Tōh. 488.⁹⁶ So it is possible, but not conclusive, that Ngawang Drakpa’s reference to “this lama” for whom Zhiwa Ö “acted as lo.tsa.ba [translator]” of the Vajra Rosary was not Mantrakalasha as Vitali assumed, but Atīsha himself.⁹⁷

In his BIL, Tsong Khapa refers once to “the Zhi Ba Ö translation revised by Dar Ma brTson ’Grus.”⁹⁸ No one by that name is found as a translator in the Nyingma Catalogue, but Darma Tsöndru is Marpa’s name, so it is possible that this refers to him.⁹⁹ In addition, in several places in the BIL, Tsong Khapa refers to the “Chag translation” of the Vajra Rosary.¹⁰⁰

Zhang Lotsawa is identified by Gö Lotsawa as having translated the Vajra Rosary. According to Gö, Zhang’s birth name was Purpa Kyab, and from an early age he obtained numerous tantric teachings in many lineages from more than seventy teachers. Zhang journeyed to India and Nepal, where he studied Sanskrit grammar and logic with the mahāpaṇḍita Ratnarakshita.¹⁰¹ Gö writes: “He made many translations, including that of the rDo-rje ’phreṅ-ba [Vajra Rosary] and other texts, as well as composed many hidden precepts, etc.,”¹⁰² and notes that, of his many visions, “when he was translating the ’Phreṅ-ba (rDo-rje ’phreṅ-ba) [Vajra Rosary] wonderful signs were observed.”¹⁰³ According to Gö, Zhang died in 1237 CE, which means that his translation postdated that of Zhiwa Ö, suggesting that he was unaware of Zhiwa Ö’s translation or considered it inaccurate or incomplete.

Butön reports that Tropu Lotsawa Jampay Pal, “the translator of Tho phu,” translated the Vajra Rosary, among many other tantric and non-tantric works.¹⁰⁴According to Butön, Jampay Pal worked with the Kashmiri pandita Buddhashrījñāna, which suggests that this could be one of the “old translations” referred to by Tsong Khapa.¹⁰⁵ However, Gö Lotsawa identifies Tropu Lotsawa as Jampa Pal, also known as Tsultrim Sherab (1173–1225 or 1236), the primary interpreter for the Great Pandit Shakyashrī during the latter’s stay in Tibet, beginning in 1204 CE.¹⁰⁶ In his notes on the Vajra Rosary, Tsong Khapa refers to a translation by Rā: “in the translation of Zhiwa Ö there is the phrase ‘nāma iti,’ but there is no nāma in the translations of Rā and Dharma Btson ’grus.”¹⁰⁷ He also refers to the translator “Rva.”¹⁰⁸

While it is possible that Tsong Khapa’s reference to the “old translations” is to the Nyingma corpus, I have not found them there, although more research remains to be done. This reference may be to handwritten manuscripts that were discarded or lost after translations were made with woodblock printing.¹⁰⁹ David Snellgrove notes that Tibetan script had been in use since about 630 CE and suggests that translations of Indian works were attempted earlier than Shāntarakshita’s coming to Tibet in 767,¹¹⁰ so it is possible that that is the time period to which Tsong Khapa is referring.

Alaṁkakalasha, Tengpa Lotsawa, and Alaṁka’s Commentary

It is clear that Alaṁkakalasha based his Commentary on a Sanskrit text — and, possibly, on translations other than Zhiwa Ö’s — because of the significant differences between Zhiwa Ö’s translation and the Vajra Rosary as it is quoted in the Commentary. That Alaṁka was translating from Sanskrit is clear when reviewing aspects of the Tibetan that are easily understood only if the material is back-translated into Sanskrit.¹¹¹ This cannot be a matter of corruption or transcription errors due to the many substantive differences and use of Tibetan synonyms in the respective versions. The Commentary’s first chapter makes clear that Alaṁka had a text that appeared to encompass the entire Tantra, because he comments on all eighty-two questions and quotes from all the later chapters of the Tantra, including the last, 68, a preview of what is to come.

Perhaps because the Commentary was never completed, there is no general colophon at the end of the text. Rather, a colophon appears at the end of each chapter. At the end of the first three chapters, the Commentary states: “Composed by A langka ka la sha de ba.” At the end of the sixth through twenty-second chapters,¹¹² “Composed by Pandita A langka ka la sha.” At the end of the twenty-third through thirty-ninth chapters, “Composed by Pandita A laṁ ka ka la sha.” At the end of the fortieth chapter, the spelling changes back to A langka ka la sha; then at the end of the forty-first through forty-fifth chapters, to A laṁ ka ka la sha. Only at the end of the forty-fifth chapter is there any reference to a Tibetan translator: “Translated by Stengs pa lo tsā ba up to half of the forty-fifth chapter.”¹¹³

According to Gö Lotsawa Shönu Pal, Alaṁka’s co-translator, Tengpa Lotsawa, was born in 1107 CE.¹¹⁴ At the age of six, Teng Lo had a vision of a country, which many years later he recognized to be India. At the age of ten, “he recited some mantras of Achala and was able to cure the ailments of others by blowing on the patient.” He had a troubled home life and became a monk at age fifteen. After receiving full ordination, he wanted to go to India, and he earned money for the trip, twelve golden zho, by copying two volumes of the Śatasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. He finally reached India, and “when he reached Diṅ-ri, Ārya Avalokiteśvara, in the guise of an old man, showed him the road.” Teng Lo studied in Maghada under Tsami Sangye Drakpa. He returned to Tibet, then went again to India, where he studied sutra and tantra under thirteen scholars.¹¹⁵ Then, writes Gö:

After extensive study in India, Stengs pa invited the paṇḍita Alaṁkadeva (Alaṁkāradeva), a descendant of the Kasmirian Trilocana (sPyan gsum-pa, a famous grammarian). . . . He made numerous translations and revised existing translations: . . . the Kālacakramūlatantra (Dus-’khor rtsa-rgyud, probably the Kālacakra-nāma-tantrarāja, Kg. rgyud-’bum, No. 362), and the Cycle of Nāgārjuna (the Guhyasamāja), according to the method of the paṇḍita Alaṁkāradeva. At that time he spent five years in India. Then having again come to India, he studied for three years the Mahāvibhāśā (Bye-brag bśad-pa chen-po; there exists a report that half of the Bye-brag bsad-pahad been translated during the reign of Khri-sroṅ lde-btsan). He brought to Tibet the Sanskrit text of this book. After that he and Alaṁkāradeva translated it, but after finishing two thirds of the text, the paṇḍita passed away.

Instead of a funeral rite, they held a great religious assembly of forty-eight religious chairs. In general, he possessed a clear vision of the mandala of the sixty-two deities of the Saṁvara parivāra, and of many dharmapālas. He became the teacher of great scholars, such as Gro-luṅ-pa chen po and others, and the Master of the Doctrine. He passed away at the age of eighty-four.¹¹⁶

Recalling Tsong Khapa’s reference to “the commentary made by the pandit Alamkadeva or Alakakalasha on the explanatory tantra Vajra Rosary up to the middle of the forty-fourth chapter,”¹¹⁷ and considering the partnership between Tengpa Lotsawa and the Indian pandit, it appears that Alaṁkakalasha, Alamkadeva, and Alamkāradeva are the same person. Indeed, the Derge recension has Alangkakalashadeva (in the Tibetan, a langka ka la sha de ba), and Peking and Snarthang have Alaṁkadeva (in the Tibetan, a lam ka de ba).¹¹⁸ Panchen Sönam Drakpa describes Alaṁkakalasha as “Alaṁkakalasha, Alaṁkara-upādhyāya, or Prajñākaragupta of Vikramaśīla, circa 1200 AD, contemporary with Kālacakra-pāda the elder,”¹¹⁹ and he is listed in the bibliography as “Alaṁkārakalaśa,” so it appears that this pandit is known by at least six names.¹²⁰ With Nyima Drak, he is the translator of Nāgabodhi’s Kramāntarbhāvanopadeśa-nāma-prakaraṣa,¹²¹ a commentary on the Pañcakrama. The Nyingma Catalogue lists Alaṁkakalasha as the translator of the VR Commentary, Tōh. 1795, and the Kramāntarbhāvanopadeśa-nāma-prakaraṣa, Tōh. 1812; Alaṁkadeva as translator of the Ucchuṣmajambhalsādhana-nāma, Tōh. 3743, the Bhagavatyāmnāyānusāriṇi, Tōh. 3811, and the Haribhaṭṭajātakamāla, Tōh. 4152; Alaṁkāradeva as translator of the Vinayasūtravṛttyabhidānasvavyākhyāna-nāma, Tōh. 4119; and Prajñākaragupta (Shes rab ’byung gnas sbas pa) as the translator of the Pramāṇavārttikālaṁkāra, Tōh. 4221, and the Sahāvalambanirṇaya-nāma, Tōh. 4255. There is also an Alakakalaśa who is the commentator on the Yoginīsanjaratantram. The (Hindi) introduction to that work states that there is no indication that Alakakalaśa and our commentator Alaṁkakalasha were not different persons,¹²² and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives seeks further information on whether these mahāpaṇḍitas were in fact the same person. There may be good reason to think so based on the style of the two commentaries. Both authors have colophons at the end of each chapter, in much the same wording. And the introduction to each succeeding chapter is in the same style.

Gö Lotsawa’s history, referring to “the Cycle of Nāgārjuna (the Guhyasamāja), according to the method of the paṇḍita Alaṁkāradeva,” suggests that there may have been more commentaries by Alaṁkakalasha on the Esoteric Community, and even an overall system.¹²³

The Vajra Rosary as an Evolving Text

Does the Vajra Rosary appear to be a unitary text, or is it better thought of as an anthology? Although all of his conclusions do not seem to be well taken, Matsunaga Yukei’s insight that the terminology of chapter 68, at least in the Tibetan translation, was somewhat different than that of the preceding chapters does have some validity.¹²⁴ But chapter 68 is hardly the only place where the Vajra Rosary shows stylistic variation. Indeed, the same topics are covered in different chapters of the Vajra Rosary, and there are a number of internal inconsistencies.

For example, while chapter 62 states that ejaculation is “faulty conduct”¹²⁵ and that the guru “should . . . control the vajra, just as is delightful to the deities,”¹²⁶ i.e., control release and not reach orgasm, chapter 54 refers to “whatever conventional enlightenment spirit actually falls into the yoginī.”¹²⁷ Chapter 6 exclusively employs the mantra HŪṀ HOḤ for vajra recitation, while chapters 15 and 22 use OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ.¹²⁸ Chapter 14 is a discussion of the various meanings of “vajra” and “lotus,” while chapter 42 discusses the meaning of “vajra.” Chapter 62 returns to a description, seen in chapter 44, of the five types of yoginīs from the five buddha clans, how they look, and what the proper signals and responses are. Chapters 2 and 65 both contain fairly detailed descriptions of the qualities of the good guru. Chapter 2 says the disciple should offer his “wife, sister, or daughter” to the guru (and Alaṁka indicates that this means what it says),¹²⁹ while chapter 44 says that “wife” is a woman with a mole, “sister” is a washerwoman, and “daughter” is a dancer.¹³⁰ Chapter 54 describes the same second and third consecrations as chapter 2, as does chapter 62, and the descriptions are somewhat different. Chapter 5 discusses emptiness in a general way, but later chapter 49 returns to the subject, correlating it with the sixteen emptinesses almost identical to those set out in Chandrakīrti’s Introduction to the Middle Way.¹³¹ There are other examples.

However, the consistent theme of the Tantra is vajra recitation and its context, starting with the naming of the energy-winds and conceptualities in chapter 3 and continuing through the key chapters 6, 12, 22, and 23 on the practice of vajra recitation, and throughout the text. Overall, the VR’s text is symmetrical, with praises found in chapter 1 and at the end of chapter 68, and between the first and the last chapters there are sequences of chapters that seem to follow one from the other, relating to the same subject matter, but there are a number of exceptions where subjects appear to be out of sequence. The following groupings of chapters make thematic sense: chapters 9 and 10 relating to the vow and the commitment; 17 and 18 relating to the chakras and the channels; 19 and 20 on the moments and the ecstasies; 21–25 concentrating on vajra recitation practice, including the crucial connection with emptiness in 25; 26–41 relating to the chakras, the channels, and cutting off conceptuality; 42–48 explaining terms; 49 and 50 relating to emptiness; 51–53 describing the luminances; 54 and 55 detailing the twenty rituals and their meaning; 56 and 57 on the role of yogic bliss; 58 and 59 deriving the meaning of the entire perfection stage from the syllables EVAM and EVAM MAYĀ, etc.; 60 and 61 on the inner offering; 62 and 63 relating to the communal circle (gaṇacakra); and 66 and 67 on mundane powers (siddhi).

On the other hand, the placement of some material seems rather random: the naming of the energies and conceptualities in chapter 3; the discussion of emptiness in 5; the hermeneutical exposition of vajra and lotus in 14; and there is Matsunaga’s critique of 68. Another factor to consider is that the chapters vary widely in length and style; some are tremendously detailed and lengthy, others are short and general; and, as shown above, chapters on related topics are not usually sequential. Another thing to consider is that chapter 32 of the Vajra Rosary uses the Yogāchāra terms “fundamental consciousness” (ālayavijñāna) and “addicted mind” (kliṣṭamanas),¹³² and their respective schema not adopted by the Madhyamakas, yet chapter 49 sets forth the sixteen emptinesses in virtually the same form as the great Madhyamaka Chandrakīrti.¹³³ And the Vajra Rosary explicitly says in some chapters that it is following the mahāyoga tantras and in others that it is adhering to the yoginī tantras.

Finally, in discussing the transmission of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra and noting that “having been transmitted via the Compiler Vajrapāni or Mañjushrī, it came into the world of people,”¹³⁴ Alaṁka refers to the existence of a “compiler” or “collector” (sdud pa po), which, though often Vajrapani himself, could be implying a compendium.

It would be of great interest to compare the various chapters in the original Sanskrit to find differences in style and meter and the like. Perhaps someday, hopefully soon, we will find Mantrakalasha’s “Indian book.” Lacking that and just considering the Tibetan text as we have it, on balance, the Vajra Rosary appears to be a cogent and consistent text on the theory and practice of vajra recitation and related matters, albeit with some inconsistencies. Answering the questions of whether the text evolved over time or was dictated or written at one time and whether it is the product of contributions by a number of different authors or compilers or only one will have to await further evidence.

Does it matter? Would drawing the conclusion that the Vajra Rosary is a collection of teachings given at different times and places be contrary to Buddhist tradition? I think not. In the world of people, things do not always go in a straight line: this is the first noble truth. Perhaps that is why Alaṁka, describing how the explanatory tantras could be taught as directly conflicting with another view supported by the root scripture, says, “This view is also agreeable.”¹³⁵

The Teachings of the Vajra Rosary and Alaṁka’s Commentary

The Vajra Rosary’s teachings are extensive and interwoven. The text fills 104 dpe cha folios; Alaṁka’s commentary is twice as long. Material on various topics is found in different chapters, and most of the material relates various aspects of the perfection stage, although the Vajra Rosary’s longest chapter covers the “twenty rituals” of the creation stage.

1. The Setting and the Eighty-Two Questions

¹³⁶

The first chapter of the Vajra Rosary, entitled “The Setting of the Tantra: Invocation, Questions, and Activities of the Students, Etc.,” describes the scope of the Vajra Rosary as taught by Vajradhara, the tantric form of Buddha. The setting of the teaching and the description of the audience’s initial reaction of amazement to the teaching is followed by eighty-two questions, mainly about perfection stage yoga propounded by the bodhisattva Vajrapāni, the interlocutor throughout the Tantra.¹³⁷ After chapter 2, which discusses the teacher, the student, and the initiatory consecrations, which are not the subject of any of the initial questions, the balance of the Vajra Rosary responds to these questions. Thus the questions present a topical index to the Tantra, and perusing them gives an overview of its subject matter, although they do not always convey the entire meaning of what is discussed in the particular chapter responding to them.¹³⁸ For example, the first question, “What of the name Vajra Rosary?” is answered in the third chapter, but that chapter also contains a listing of the names of all of the 108 energies and all 108 conceptualities related to them, a key part of the Tantra. According to Tsong Khapa, the answers to the eighty-two questions “explain most of the meaning of the [Esoteric] Community.”¹³⁹

The opening sentence of this first chapter is nearly identical to that of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra, depicting Buddha as “dwelling in the vaginas of the vajra queens, the essence of the body, speech and mind of all the transcendent lords,” with the additional language “with clear realization through the immeasurable great seal,”¹⁴⁰ meaning, according to Alaṁka, “the formless nature of clear light speech” “taught to the bodhisattva who does vajra recitation,”¹⁴¹ the first of the five stages of the perfection stage set forth in chapter 68 of the Vajra Rosary and in Nāgārjuna’s Five Stages. As Buddha was teaching the Vajra Rosary, he, the vajra queens, and “zillions of great bodhisattvas” were all engaged in realizing the great seal, their lotus faces “supremely delighted” with the bliss of nonduality associated with the three luminances, which Alaṁka notes as connoting the stage of mind isolation.¹⁴² Singled out in this gathering are thirty-two bodhisattvas whom Alaṁka identifies as the thirty-two deities of the Esoteric Community Akshobhya mandala. Smiling at the retinue, Buddha enters the Vajra Rosary samadhi¹⁴³ and radiates a great matrix of light rays from all of his pores, putting many of the attendees into the state of nondual union of Vajradhara, causing them to be completely overwhelmed. Buddha then emanates from his “vajra path”¹⁴⁴ a rosary of vajras that enters the crown chakras of the bodhisattvas, causing them to experience great bliss. Praising the Buddha at length, they think to themselves that they should ask him about the meaning of this vajra rosary. Reading their minds, Buddha abandons his dispassionate, ordinary form and, emitting his own consort from his secret vajra, embraces her. The bodhisattvas, “amazed, their eyes opened wide, and they looked like they were in a painting, speechless.”¹⁴⁵ Buddha then says OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ and emits the Esoteric Community mandala deities. Vajrapāni’s eighty-two questions conclude the chapter, the answers to which are “not spoken of anywhere in the action, performance, or yoga tantras.”¹⁴⁶

Alaṁka’s lengthy commentary begins with an account of the Buddha’s tantric enlightenment and his tantric teachings,¹⁴⁷ including the teaching “in the western mountains of Oddiyana”¹⁴⁸ of the “small” or “shorter” Vajra Rosary Tantra, a condensation of the Vajra Rosary in twelve thousand lines, presumably lost: “The Lord, in the form of glorious Vajrasattva, principally in order to control the ten directional protectors by means of the ten terrific [buddhas], taught the two tantras: the Vajra Rosary in twelve thousand lines and the Shorter Vajra Rosary.”¹⁴⁹ After this, the Buddha taught the version of the Vajra Rosary, the Short Vajra Rosary Tantra that has come down to us. Alaṁka gives two versions of the timing of the teaching of the oral personal instructions and the root, branch,¹⁵⁰ and explanatory tantras: one that they were respectively taught in the four ages or yugas and another that they were all taught by the Buddha during this age immediately after the teaching of the brief version of the Esoteric Community Tantra.¹⁵¹ This is where Alaṁka says of the latter, “This view is also agreeable.”¹⁵²

Alaṁka’s account of the setting of the tantra and elucidation of his hermeneutic scheme, illustrated by detailed commentary on the first words of the Vajra Rosary, is followed by his word commentary, which is approximately twice as long as the tantra itself, although it only covers forty-three chapters and part of the forty-fourth, out of sixty-eight. At the beginning of the word commentary, Alaṁka describes the hermeneutic scheme he is employing, which can be seen at work in his commentary on the Vajra Rosary’s opening verse, Evam mayā śrūtam. . . .¹⁵³ Alaṁka applies a tripartite interpretive scheme consisting of necessary introductory words, condensed meaning, and subsidiary meanings, constituted by four types of explanations,¹⁵⁴ literal, general, secret, and ultimate, and an analysis based on the internal and external meaning, yielding six categories.¹⁵⁵ Alaṁka refers to these as the “six parameters” (mtha’ drug), and his scheme is similar to the six-parameter/four-procedure system of the PU consisting of literal, general, secret, ultimate, external, and internal.¹⁵⁶

Alaṁka explains:

As for that [principal meaning], first Vajrapāni and Mañjushrī, the compilers of the Vajra Rosary Tantra, having in mind all of the meanings of tantra, having another framework for the introduction, spoke the first words, “These words,” etc. For this there are three meanings: the necessary words of introduction; the condensed meaning of the introduction; and its subsidiary meaning. As for that [introduction], first, the teaching to the distinguished audience has the nature of putting the person who is the listener at ease, cultivating the command of the Lord, and attaining trustworthy personal teachings. [Second,] the so-called condensed meaning has the five perfections. Those are: By “these words,” etc., [means] that to be taught is perfect; “I heard,” etc., [means] a brief explanation of the perfect retinue; “On a certain occasion,” etc., [means] the perfect time; “The Lord,” etc., is the perfect teacher; and “Was dwelling in the vaginas of the vajra queens, the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all transcendent lords,” etc., refers to the perfect place.

[Third], there are two types of subsidiary meanings: the first is the four types of explanation; the second is the division of explanations by nature of being internal or external. [First,] as for [the four types of explanation], in explaining the literal meaning, it is explained by the five types of perfections. By the divisions of suchness [truth body], moon [beatific body], seed [syllable], and body [mandala], the Lord dwelled in the measureless mansion said to be “perfect.” Following the explanations of the six parameters, you will know and understand.¹⁵⁷

Alaṁka follows this with detailed explanations of the external and internal explanations. The external refers mainly to explanations of sutra and creation stage tantra and the internal to the perfection stage.¹⁵⁸

2. The Guru-Disciple Relationship

Many chapters of the Vajra Rosary conclude with the statement “One should realize this from the guru,” emphasizing the crucial importance of personal instructions from the teacher. Several of the chapters detail the guru-disciple relationship and the qualifications that each should have.

At the outset of chapter 2, titled “On the Examination of the Teacher and Student, and on Consecration,” admonishing Vajrapāni to listen well, before answering the actual eighty-two questions from the first chapter, Buddha Vajradhara¹⁵⁹ addresses the subjects of the tantric teacher, student, and consecration. This is the process by which the student is authorized to practice tantra, crucial to avoid both the guru and student going to the “great unbearable hell.”¹⁶⁰ The tantric master is described as one who “has attained consecration and knows reality, has genius and a compassionate nature; profound, magnificent, and immaculate, he abjures harm and violence,”¹⁶¹ and also the student who would be a proper vessel for the teachings is described, repeating the well-known admonition that both the master and student first examine each other for twelve years “just as one tests a jewel by rubbing and gold by burning.”¹⁶² Once the teacher has been found, the student should venerate and serve him with great respect.

A more detailed discussion of the qualities of the guru is found in chapter 65. The guru, who has all of the six perfections,¹⁶³ secretly delights in the practices of the Esoteric Community but behaves externally like a mendicant disciple, and gives disciples personal instructions step by step.¹⁶⁴ Many other good qualities are described: he is “guileless and has abandoned those with bad attitudes” and has “a mind [set] on liberating sentient beings.”¹⁶⁵ He is an expert in all tantric practices and is able “to bestow the secret consecration with perfect wisdom and compassion, not fearing the personal instructions of tantra.”¹⁶⁶ In chapter 66, the disciple is admonished not to spit, speak boldly, watch gambling, and the like, or to step over the guru’s shadow. Before the guru, the disciple should appear “fearfully, with clasped palms . . . pledging to give all possessions, shy and looking down.”¹⁶⁷

3. The Meaning of “Vajra Rosary” and “Esoteric Community”

At the beginning of the third chapter, entitled “Analyzing the Name ‘Vajra Rosary,’” Buddha answers the first of Vajrapāni’s questions, “What about the name Vajra Rosary?” explaining that the name also refers to the “thirteenth stage, the genuine state of the fourth ecstasy, the ecstasy of universal emptiness.”¹⁶⁸ This thirteenth stage is presumably that referred to in the second chapter as corresponding with the third consecration, the wisdom-intuition¹⁶⁹ consecration, referred to as “true union.”¹⁷⁰ Alaṁka explains that this state of the four ecstasies is what is referred to in the mahāyoga tantras as manifest enlightenment and the state of communion and in the yoginī tantras as innate or orgasmic ecstasy, reflecting the status of the Vajra Rosary as common to both branches of tantra.

Some translators call this tantra the Vajra Garland rather than the Vajra Rosary, and, indeed, ’phreng ba (and its Sanskrit equivalent, māla or mālā) can mean “garland” as well as “rosary.” I have chosen “Rosary” in light of the discussion in the Tantra itself as to the meaning of ’phreng ba. In explaining the name “Vajra Rosary,” the Tantra states that the “vajra” in “Vajra Rosary” “pierce[s] all thought constructions” and that “the continua of those rosaries, vajras of enlightenment spirit, are called ‘vajra’ because they are indestructible,” and Alaṁka explains that “the continua of those rosaries” refers to the drops of enlightenment spirit of the tantric practitioner with a vajra body.¹⁷¹ This suggests a māla (’phreng ba) of vajra or diamond drops, more like a rosary than a garland, the latter mainly associated in English and in Indian literature and culture with a floral wreath. The discussion of the name of the Tantra leads into the principal task of the chapter, the naming of the “more than 108” energy-winds or energies and their corresponding thought constructions, which is the Tantra’s particular unique focus. And, though not mentioned explicitly in the Tantra or by Alaṁka, this is the most compelling reason of all to choose “Rosary” — the path to enlightenment is built on overcoming the 108 energy-winds and conceptualities, the number of beads on the ancient Indo-Tibetan Buddhist rosary!

The meaning of Guhyasamāja, Esoteric Community, is discussed in chapter 4. It is called “community” because it involves integrating, mingling or mixing (’dres pa) during tantric consort or sexual yoga “when the two secret channels perfectly join and touch,” resulting in the blazing of or furor fire, awakening the channels and filling them with enlightenment spirit from the crown chakra.¹⁷² This makes the body, speech, and mind of the yogi/nī become “of one nature”; the elements becoming “singular in taste.” “Then, the enlightenment spirit melts from all the places, becoming a single oneness, and then the [central] channel, the fruition of the one, becomes singular in taste. That is declared to be ‘integrated.’”¹⁷³

Alaṁka explains that “community” also includes the integrating of the perfection (literally, the vajra) of body, speech, and mind that is embodied in the tantric Buddha, Vajradhara; the mixing of the vajra with the secret lotus, “the lotus of the goddess,” referring to the sexual organs, “just like when the external sun rises it opens the lake-born lotus”;¹⁷⁴ and the mixing of the various buddhas, bodhisattvas, consorts, deities, and emanations of the Buddha’s body described in the setting of the Tantra in chapter 1. Integrating here also refers to the creation stage practice of meditating on the three concentrations.¹⁷⁵ In his commentary on chapter 4, Alaṁka states that “community” also refers to the vajra recitation mantric practice of placing Sanskrit syllables on the petals of each wheel and explains in detail how this is done.¹⁷⁶ In addition, it refers to the stage of tantra.¹⁷⁷

4. Nonconceptuality

The term “nonconceptual” (nirvikalpa, rnam par mi rtog, rnam rtog med pa) is used thirty-three times in the Vajra Rosary. Nonconceptuality is deployed as a synonym for emptiness¹⁷⁸ and used to describe the fourth ecstasy, orgasmic or innate ecstasy, occurring when the enlightenment spirit dissolves into the navel chakra, “having been born in the great bliss [crown] chakra.”¹⁷⁹ When one engages in tantric sexual yogic practices, it is done not in a state of ordinary sexual conceptual fantasy and the like, but “nonconceptually”¹⁸⁰ the yogi/nī having consumed all of the conceptual energies.¹⁸¹ Chapter 62, concerning the communal circle (gaṇacakra), states that in the tantric sexual ritual of wisdom and method, one performs nonconceptually, leading one to achieve the supreme attainment.¹⁸² The text describes as “true yoga” the part of the practice of vajra recitation where the yogi/nī counts the 108 conceptual energies in the “supreme practice of nonconceptuality.”¹⁸³ When the enlightenment spirit overflows from the crown chakra, it goes to the wind chakra between the eyebrows, where it is held by the yogi/nī in a state of “nonconceptuality.”¹⁸⁴ When the “great nonconceptual energies” flow through the central channel, overcoming the conceptual energies, “nonconceptual bliss [will be] achieved through the reality of mantra.”¹⁸⁵ Achieving the state of nonconceptuality is crucial: “Whoever achieves nonconceptuality always effects all actions and becomes an expert.”¹⁸⁶

Chapter 36 is entitled “The Characteristics of Nonconceptuality.” There the Tantra explains that one who knows when the nonconceptual energy arises will attain the state of Vajrasattva. This nonconceptual energy and its corresponding mental state “abandons all duality,” and one is “free from the state of meditation and non-meditation.”¹⁸⁷ Nonconceptuality is also characteristic of the self-consecration or the illusory body, the third of the five stages of the perfection phase of tantra.¹⁸⁸

The great seal itself, the object of tantric practice and in particular that described in the Vajra Rosary, is nonconceptuality: “The seal of the intuition of the transcendent lords is the state of nonconceptuality, the abode of indestructible Vajrasattva, the great bliss of nonconceptuality, naked, like sky.”¹⁸⁹ The Vajra Rosary has a number of different practices designed to accomplish this. One method is that the yogi/nī finds a peaceful place, by a riverbank or a tree at a crossroads, or where three roads come together, and there repeats the mantra of the Vajra Rosary, OṀ VAJRAMĀLE ĀḤ HŪṀ PHAT SVĀHĀ, one million times,¹⁹⁰ causing the conceptual energy-winds to be cut off and thatness to clear away the mind’s conceptuality.¹⁹¹ One who meditates in this way, reversing the energy-winds and abandoning conceptuality, becoming “the actuality of extremely pure sky,”¹⁹² can gain “direct realization in one instant.”¹⁹³

5. The Four Consecrations and Tantric Consort Yoga

In chapter 2, Buddha describes the four consecrations required for perfection stage practice. The four consecrations have fourteen stages, eleven for the first and one each for the second, third, and fourth, to be given at proper times during the lunar month. The required consort is described as a woman between sixteen and twenty years old, herself empowered, with a special faith in tantra. “Otherwise there will be no success; one will be far from attainment.”¹⁹⁴

To begin, the student should offer “an especially tender woman, wife, sister, or daughter”¹⁹⁵ to the guru, and should make valuable material offerings to him.¹⁹⁶ Then the guru makes love¹⁹⁷ to the “mother seal”¹⁹⁸ offered, and the student puts the enlightenment spirit of the guru¹⁹⁹ into his mouth by joining his thumb and ring finger, which engenders great bliss in the student.²⁰⁰ The student mentally places the syllable HŪṀ PHAT at the tip of his penis and shakes it, producing ecstasies. The consort, considered the vajra queen, exclaims “How blissful!” and she is handed to the student. The text states: “The yogi will not attain buddhahood by any other means.”²⁰¹

Chapter 8 describes the increasingly blissful states of ecstasy as being born in the crown chakra and dissolving in the navel chakra, although the Tantra subsequently describes in much greater detail the “reverse” generation of the ecstasies, as well as the “forward” method. It states that tantric consort yoga, “the equal union of vajra and lotus,” while causing the reality of energy “to be held in the central channel” through the placing of mantras at the tips of the sexual organs,²⁰² “bestows all bliss.”²⁰³ All of this is only to be practiced pursuant to the personal instructions of the “good guru.”²⁰⁴

Chapter 9 concerns itself with the various levels of meaning of the vows necessary to protect the practice. The first aspect of the tantric vow, which Alaṁka denotes as conventional, is not emitting semen, one of the main connotations of “the spirit of enlightenment” as used in this and other tantras.²⁰⁵ The yogi/nī is warned not to consort with a long list of various unworthy persons, hypocrites, nihilists, greedy monastics, etc., “even for a finger snap,”²⁰⁶ to beware childish seductive consorts, and not to reveal tantric ritual implements or yogic practice even to the tantric guru,²⁰⁷ let alone anyone else.

Chapter 44, the last full chapter Alaṁka commented upon, discusses in detail the various types of “seals,” categorized in the Tantra as reality,²⁰⁸ action, commitment, and “great seal.”²⁰⁹ Most of the discussion has to do with the female “action seal,” who is the tantric consort practicing with the yogi. First, however, the Tantra discusses the “outer” meaning of “seal.” First is the seal of karma: that “because of an inconceivable collection of mutual dependencies,”²¹⁰ “through the definitive ripening of karma one lives as if completely sealed.”²¹¹ Next, briefly mentioned, is the “seal of reality,” which is that “all things, not having intrinsic existence, are naturally sealed.”²¹² The “commitment seal” is that of the inseparable wisdom and compassion of the bodhisattvas, which benefits others,²¹³ “spontaneously manifested by the power of prayer,” purifying the buddha field.²¹⁴ Finally, the “great seal” is “the nature of that which lacks inherent existence.”²¹⁵

Turning to the “secret” meaning, the Tantra discusses the “action seal,” i.e., the tantric consort, who assists in “producing fitness [in the yogi] in the sphere of the innate or orgasmic.”²¹⁶ The tantric guru shows by example the conduct of the third consecration.²¹⁷ The “reality seal” in this context is the yogi himself experiencing sexual union with the consort, with the accompanying state of “the intuition of that reality.”²¹⁸ The “commitment seal” here refers to the tantric consort: “He finds a wisdom woman, gentle in speech, wide-eyed, a mother’s daughter, adorned with beauty and youth.”²¹⁹ The “great seal” of secret meaning is the nonconceptual state of great bliss-emptiness intuition attained by the yogi as a result of practicing yoga with the tantric consort.²²⁰

Like the perfections, there are six kinds of seals, as shown in Table 1 below. To the extent that the Vajra Rosary is to be construed as an entirety, the nomenclature of the seals here, “wife,” “sister,” “daughter,” etc., suggests that the references in chapters 2 and 54 to offering them to the guru in connection with the second consecration were not meant to be taken literally, and that the consort with the guru is not a close relative of the disciple, but a fellow practitioner. Alaṁka explains why the different yoginīs are given family names: “‘The washerwoman is called sister’ because she resembles that very one, by increasing white dharma”;²²¹ “‘The moled woman is known as wife’ because she is the cause of bliss in every way, causing [the yogi] to experience thatness, the antidote of all conceptualities”;²²² and “The mother-in-law is called ‘untouchable’ because by working the furor fire (tummo), she is the essence of giving birth.”²²³ The chapter concludes that the state of the seal “is in the sphere of the yoginī tantras.”²²⁴

The second, secret, and third, wisdom-intuition, consecrations are described in detail as the nineteenth and last of the twenty rituals in chapter 54. In the nineteenth ritual, “consecration,” the vajra master gives the disciples the four kinds of initiatory consecrations for the creation stage, starting with the vase consecration, and then gives the perfection stage consecrations. The disciple meditates on the consciousness aggregate as Akshobhya, and the guru gives him “a crown ornament for consecration to accomplish benefit for living beings”;²²⁵ on Ratnasambhava as the source of good qualities and gets a crown ornament of silk and flowers on his head; on Amitābha and the guru places a vajra in his hand; on Amoghasiddhi in the form of a sword; on the form aggregate as Vairochana and receives the name consecration; and, holding the vajra and bell, he is Vajrasattva, and receives the master consecration. Then the guru gives the disciple a vajra name²²⁶ and encourages him or her in bodhisattva conduct, and calls the disciple Vajrasattva. During this phase, the guru tells the disciple that he or she is “bestow[ing] vajra practice, the actual state of the five intuitions, by which the eggshell of ignorance is opened.”²²⁷ The vajra master gives the irreversible consecration and then, visualizing the disciples as the various deities in the mandala, the great vajra consecration.²²⁸

TABLE 1: THE SEALS

* VR 63B–64A, ch. 44, vv. 12–24. Alaṁka 218A–219B.

The stage is now set for the special creation stage consecrations that precede perfection stage attainments: “There is nothing that cannot be done by a yogi who knows reality. Great hero . . . engage in the five sense pleasures, knowing [everything] as like illusion, a dream, all things arising from relativity. Knowing everything as like a reflection, create peerless benefits for sentient beings!”²²⁹ The disciple who wishes this consecration prostrates to the guru, saying, “Just as you are, Great Soul, make me just like that!”²³⁰ In a charnel ground, at midnight, with one “specially liberated by the mantric vehicle . . . a fortunate woman . . . declared to the the seal,”²³¹ the master gives the secret consecration: “Whatever conventional enlightenment spirit actually falls into [vagina of] the yoginī . . . the disciple, free from conceptual thought, should taste.”²³² The vajra master says: “Just as Vajradhara in the past empowered the children of the victor, so will I empower you, children, with the liquid spirit of the enlightenment spirit!”²³³

Then the disciple asks for the wisdom-intuition consecration, and “then, the great-natured guru truly blesses the seal in order that the supreme be achieved. After that, he gives her to the disciple,” and she “bestows limitless bliss.”²³⁴ The Tantra is explicit about these activities.²³⁵

The Tantra also specifies here that without the wisdom-intuition consecration, “not knowing the personal instruction in this, the meditation on the creation stage, rejecting this knowledge, one will not become enlightened.”²³⁶ This practice should be done in stages: “The vajra yogi and yoginī should know it step by step.”²³⁷ Finally, the disciple requests that the supreme state be bestowed on him and that all sentient beings attain whatever they wish.²³⁸

The locus for most, if not all of the sexual yogic practices is the communal circle (gaṇacakra) of yogis and yoginīs and the vajra master, where various rituals take place, described in detail in chapter 62. This is described as “the supreme ritual . . . by which the supreme attainment of the conqueror’s children results from its spiritual offerings.”²³⁹ The yoginīs engaging in the practice should be equally adept in method and intuition, and should not be more than twenty-five years old.²⁴⁰ In a beautiful place, at midnight, a flower mandala is made, offerings are given, and one meditates that all things are equal: “One who finds a contradiction between scripture and worldly experience should not enter.”²⁴¹ The vajra master sits in the center and the other yogis and yoginīs take their respective places in the mandala, and one relates to all of them as the mandala deities.²⁴² One should observe proper conduct, not talking, arguing, spitting, laughing, spreading legs, etc., or dancing or singing.²⁴³ Inner and outer offerings are made, and the second, secret consecration is accomplished: “One should taste the hero and yoginī in succession with the tip of one’s own tongue,”²⁴⁴ as is the third, the wisdom-intuition consecration.²⁴⁵ If any “wicked ḍākinīs” come to the communal circle, they should be welcomed, but only the vajra master should speak to them.²⁴⁶

All these activities should be done by the vajra master; if he is not present, the Vajra Assistant will do, and if there is no Vajra Assistant, anyone can preside, acting as Vajrasattva.²⁴⁷ The presiding one “should summon again and again yoginīs of various types,” and he might commit the fault of ejaculating.²⁴⁸ At this point, if the practitioner wishes to offer his “mother, sister, or daughter,” he should do so, at which time the guru “should . . . control the vajra, just as is delightful to the deities,”²⁴⁹ and it is reiterated that he is to control release and not reach ordinary orgasm.

The balance of chapter 62 returns to a description, already seen in chapter 44, of the five types of yoginīs from the five buddha clans, how they look, and what the proper signals and responses are. For example, the yoginī from the Amitābha clan has a face “glowing with light, round, smooth and beautiful, and long-eyebrowed.”²⁵⁰ She shows the yogi the lotus gesture, and he responds with the tortoise.²⁵¹ Chapter 63 is a glossary for the secret language to be used by the yogis and yoginīs at the gaṇacakra. One hundred one terms are defined, covering ritual objects, sexual yoga, impure body substances, common words such as “hungry” and “buy,” caste and subcaste (jati) terms, body parts, and times of day.²⁵²

6. Hermeneutics Within the Vajra Rosary

But what does it mean? This is the central question when encountering the Vajra Rosary, any religious text, or, for that matter, any text and, indeed, experience itself. To answer this question in depth calls upon an understanding not only of the text and its subject matter or the thing that is being experienced, but also of the reader or experiencer who is interpreting what is written or experienced.²⁵³ At its deepest level, the perfection of hermeneutics, the science or art of interpretation, is indistinguishable from enlightenment, and hermeneutics can be a powerful yoga.²⁵⁴ The practice of hermeneutics can cut through and overcome biases, preconceptions, and conceptuality, and, like emptiness itself, can foster a deep sense of connection and compassion.²⁵⁵

Hermeneutics is central to Buddhism, not only because Buddhism’s subject matter itself emphasizes understanding and self-reflection, but also because the Buddha encountered a plethora of students during his lengthy teaching career to whom he adapted his Dharma teachings. In addition, these teachings were transmitted orally during the long period prior to the creation of written scripture, and the number of canonical scriptures ascribed to Buddha exploded with the emergence of the Mahāyāna movement, giving rise to innumerable interpretive issues.

Thus, for example, which of the many views found in Buddhist scripture is correct? Final? Is there a “self,” as taught in many sutras, or is there no self, as taught in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras? Should sense pleasures be avoided, as stressed in the Discipline (Vinaya), or embraced, as stressed in the Vajra Rosary and other tantras? These issues arose at the outset in Buddhism, in the earliest writings, “raising a very unique case within the history of religions, wherein the founder of a religion is himself aware of exegetical and hermeneutical difficulties regarding his own doctrines.”²⁵⁶ The distinction between interpretable texts (neyārtha, drang don) and definitive texts (nītārtha, nges don) is found very early in the Mahāyāna sutras.²⁵⁷ The Bodhisattvabhūmi discusses why the bodhisattva should rely on definitive sutras,²⁵⁸ and the hermeneutic discussion explodes with texts like the Saṁdhinirmocana Sūtra. One of Tsong Khapa’s major works, the Essence of True Eloquence, drang nges legs bshad snying po, deals almost exclusively with hermeneutics.²⁵⁹

Complicating the effort to determine meaning is the primacy in the Buddha’s teaching method mentioned above as adapted to particular students and situations and the emphasis in Buddhism generally on the skillful means or artfulness (upāyakauśalya, thab mkhas nyid) to be employed in helping beings. If teachings are geared to the nature and capacities of the student, since students vary so dramatically in circumstances and needs, there will be significantly different teachings for different students. This is “the first principle of Buddhist hermeneutics: a teaching is directed in all cases to listeners at a particular stage of spiritual development.”²⁶⁰ Indeed, one could make the argument that upāya, art, means, or method, is the ultimate principle in Buddhism.²⁶¹

Buddhist tantric hermeneutics has been treated as a special case by both Indian and Tibetan exegetes and by Western commentators. Unlike in exoteric hermeneutics, where the principal issue is whether a textual reading is interpretable or definitive,²⁶² esoteric hermeneutics encompasses an even more complex approach. Within the Indo-Tibetan tradition, there are different hermeneutic schemes set out in various tantras and commentaries for each of the four types of tantras: action, performance, yoga, and unexcelled yoga.²⁶³ For unexcelled yoga tantras such as the Esoteric Community and its explanatory tantras, including the Vajra Rosary, the leading commentary on hermeneutics is Chandrakīrti’s PU, which expands on the “seven-ornament” system introduced in the Esoteric Community explanatory tantra Vajra Intuition Compendium.²⁶⁴ This hermeneutic system is inherently polysemous, setting forth a hierarchy of meanings for persons of different levels of understanding.

The Vajra Rosary plays consistently with different levels of hermeneutic awareness. At the outset, after watching Buddha’s magical displays and emanation of the Esoteric Community mandala, the very first observation of the gathered bodhisattvas is “Oh my! Great Vajra Clan! You teach the meaning of the Vajra Rosary!”²⁶⁵ Vajrapāni’s first question to Buddha Vajradhara is: “Please permit me to ask a little about the secret of all buddhas, the concentrated meaning of all tantras. . . . Please teach me the hidden meaning of tantric yoga!”²⁶⁶ Buddha’s response is unequivocally hermeneutical: “The answers to [your] questions, the supreme secret, not spoken of anywhere in the action, performance, or yoga tantras, I will explain clearly and definitively.”²⁶⁷ The very notion of an “explanatory tantra” in the noble tradition system is hermeneutic, as shown throughout the Vajra Rosary: “The Vajra Rosary’s clear meaning is buried deep in the tantras.”²⁶⁸ Throughout the Tantra, Buddha Vajradhara makes statements like this: “The very explicit reality of mantra, the supreme secret reality, I haven’t taught to anyone. Because of the thought that no one deserved it, I hid [it] in all the tantras. But now I’ll teach, so listen!”

A good illustration of the playful self-awareness in the Vajra Rosary of the hermeneutic polysemy involved in its explanations are the levels of interpretation of the “union of vajra and lotus,” explicitly laid out in chapter 14, summarized in Table 2.

TABLE 2: VAJRA AND LOTUS (CH. 14)

| Vajra | Lotus
1. | Energy discerning A | Eight-petaled heart chakra
2. | Energy overcoming the eight consciousnesses | The eight conventional consciousnesses*
3. | Compassion | Emptiness
4. | Light rays of the vajra “sun” | Lotus that opens to them
5. | Enlightenment spirit | Crown chakra
6. | Speech of the teacher | Listening of the student
7. | Serenity (ṡamata, zhi gnas) | Insight (vipassana, lhag thong)
8. | Great bliss in the mouth of the yoginī | The mouth of the student
9. | Lingam | Yoginī’s vagina
10. | The 72,000 channels | The channel through which the enlightenment spirit descends
11. | Vajra seat above the moon mandala | Yourself as Vajradhara
12. | The supreme consecration** | The disciple
13. | The syllable VAM | The syllable E***

* VR 26B, ch. 14, vv. 2–3. The eight conventional consciousnesses (the six sense consciousnesses plus the addicted and foundational) engaging in cyclic life are overcome and united by the energy vajra.

** The Tibetan here, dbang bskur, literally “bestowing power,” obviously supports the term “empowerment”; however, this is a translation of the Sanskrit abhiśeka, from the root sic, to sprinkle in the sense of anointment. See, e.g., Onians 2001 at 164. I use both “consecration,” probably cognate with abhiśeka, and “empowerment” to describe particular initiatory rituals depending on the context, but, particularly given our sensitivity to power relationships, we should be aware that both are loaded terms for us, as they may have been for the Indians and Tibetans.

*** VR ch. 14, vv. 2–18.

So here are thirteen different explanations of the same words, “vajra” and “lotus” — and, as discussed below, these are not all of the possible meanings of those terms.

In his commentary on this chapter, Alaṁka notes that the first four explanations in Table 2 above are from “having followed the mahāyoga tantra in the four modes of meaning.”²⁶⁹ Although he does not say which is which, following his (and the PU’s) four-mode scheme, the literal meaning would be 2, where, for ordinary people, “the eight conventional consciousnesses . . . engage in the three realms”;²⁷⁰ the general would be 3, with the doctrines of compassion and emptiness directed primarily at exoteric Buddhists, and practitioners of the lower tantras and the creation stage of the unexcelled yoga tantras; the secret would be 4, as Alaṁka says, “in order to teach the explanation of that with the nature of intense passion”;²⁷¹ and the ultimate meaning would be 1, with the vajra “discerning the letter A,” which Alaṁka states “is ultimate, the vajra of the aspect of emptiness.”²⁷²

Alaṁka then explains that 4–8 in Table 2 are the four modes following the yoginī tantras.²⁷³ Here, 5, “enlightenment spirit” and the “crown wheel,” would be the ultimate meaning because they are the causes of the higher stages of the enlightenment process in the perfection stage; 6’s “speech of the guru” and “listening of the disciple” would be the literal meaning;²⁷⁴ 7’s “serenity” and “insight,” directed toward exoteric Buddhists, would be the general meaning; and 8’s vajra “in the lotus face of the yoginī” and lotus as “the mouth of the disciple,” references to the secret consecration, is the secret meaning.

The balance of the Vajra Rosary’s explanations of the meaning of vajra and lotus are, per Alaṁka, drawn from both the mahāyoga and yoginī tantras, i.e., they are common to both.²⁷⁵ Although Alaṁka doesn’t state that 9–13 are concordant with the four modes, they certainly can be read that way: 9, the lingam and the yoginī’s vagina constituting the secret meaning; 10, the channels, focusing primarily on the first of the five perfection stages, vajra recitation, and 11, the seat above the moon mandala with oneself as Vajradhara, referring to the creation stage, being the general meaning; 12, “the supreme consecration,” “the cause of perfect reality,” constituting the ultimate meaning, as made clear by Alaṁka’s statement that “‘perfect reality’ [means] in natural clear light having the character of exact realization”;²⁷⁶ and 13, the syllables E and VAṀ constituting the literal meaning, “‘E is stated as lotus’ because the shape of the E letter is like the lotus of a goddess, and ‘VAṀ is the vajra’ because it is the first seed [syllable, i.e., VA] of vajra.”²⁷⁷

Alaṁka also engages in an interpretable/definitive hermeneutic analysis that closely corresponds to that of the PU of most of the thirty-two deities in the noble tradition Esoteric Community mandala, with the definitive meaning referencing the higher of the five stages, particularly that of clear light and the ecstasies, and the interpretive meaning more geared to the creation stage and more dualistic conceptuality. For example, in discussing the names of various of the terrifics, Alaṁka explains,

“Yamantakṛt” [means] the Terminator of Yama. “Yama” is a hell being. [Yamantaka] is called that because he is the terminator of concentration through great anger. [This is] the interpretable meaning. “Yama” is ignorance. [Yamantaka] is called that because he purifies [ignorance] through the actuality of clear light. [This is] the definitive meaning. “Prajñāntakṛt” [means] Knowledge Terminator. “Prajñāntaka” is called that because by eliminating knowledge he terminates addiction. [This is] the interpretable meaning. Because of his nature of completely transforming the active consciousnesses, he is “knowledge,” [and] because he “perfects” by entering clear light, he is the Knowledge Terminator. [This is] the definitive meaning. “Padmāntakṛt” is the Lotus Terminator. By being untainted by the addictions like a lotus is untainted by [muddy] water, because of terminating them, he is called that. [This is] the interpretive meaning. “Padma” is the place of birth. “Anta” is the middle. Because of [its] making [kṛt] bliss for him, Padmāntakṛt. [This is] the definitive meaning.²⁷⁸

In chapter 41 of the Vajra Rosary, Buddha Vajradhara defines and discusses the “reality realm,” the dharmadhātu. This is defined as the unseen element pervading all things, “just as sesame oil is in a sesame seed, and just as fire is in wood.”²⁷⁹ It is not even seen by ordinary people “because it is covered by adventitious stains.”²⁸⁰ The reality realm is only seen by the meditator on the two stages who practices the yoga of emptiness intuition, meaning “emptiness intuition characterized by body isolation that serves as the antidote to subject and object [duality].”²⁸¹ Seen in this way, “all things are explained as a vagina (bhaga),” and the “sphere” of reality as enlightenment spirit.²⁸²

And in chapter 42, the Vajra Rosary again explains the term vajra. With the nature of the five Buddha intuitions, “it dissolves into the five [main] channels, i.e., the lalanā, rasanā, avadhūti, devadatta, and dhanujit.”²⁸³ The seed syllables that produce the vajra are located according to the Tantra “in the center of the navel lotus,”²⁸⁴ and according to Alaṁka “in the center of the jewel.”²⁸⁵ Alaṁka says that this is “in a triangle within an eight-petaled lotus, in the shape of a vajra” and explains that the Tantra’s “located in the center” means located within the secret place nose tip.²⁸⁶

Like the description of the bhaga in the preceding chapter, vajra has several layers of meaning. One is that of a drop of enlightenment spirit,²⁸⁷ “the place of the commitment,”²⁸⁸ referring to “those who abide in the commitment because of abiding in the characteristic of the thought of equanimity regarding the outer seal [i.e., consort].”²⁸⁹ Another is “formless,”²⁹⁰ “because ultimately, it is natureless, form, etc. is absurd.”²⁹¹ And it is the basis of Vajrasattva²⁹² “because it is natural clear light, the support of Vajradhara.”²⁹³ For the yogi/nī, bhaga (vagina) and vajra (phallus) have all of these meanings, in addition to those described in Vajra Rosary chapter 14 set out in Table 2 above.

Chapter 46, only six verses in length, describes “the definitive meaning of the great seal.” Following on and going beyond the previous chapter’s description of the body mandala, the great seal is “the seal, the intuition of the transcendent lords,” “the state of nonconceptuality.”²⁹⁴ Thus, “self-aware yogi/nīs [have] abandoned the imagined aspects of the aggregates, elements, and sense media.”²⁹⁵ Not only that, such yogi/nīs “abandon meditation, the meditated upon, meditative equipoise, and the two stages.”²⁹⁶

In chapter 60, the perfection stage teachings of the Vajra Rosary are analogized to the traditional Vedic homa, or fire offering.²⁹⁷ It is the “internal by nature” that “is the supreme fire offering”:²⁹⁸ “The seed of instinctual conceptuality, the kindling of the five aggregates and great yogic intuition fire.”²⁹⁹ In order to make the offering, the two sexual organs unite, fanning the fire in the center of the navel chakra.³⁰⁰ This “fills up with butter,” i.e., enlightenment spirit melting from the crown chakra, with HAṀ as the “small ladle” used in the offering act (puja), the penis as the “large ladle,” and “the vagina . . . as the hearth.”³⁰¹ Completing the analogy, “the aggregates become the sacrificial firewood; the butter is explained as enlightenment spirit.”³⁰² This internal offering satisfies the deities of the body, constituting “the unexcelled divine commitment.”³⁰³

Similar to its analysis of vajra and lotus in chapter 14, in chapter 65, the Vajra Rosary associates the Three Jewels with aspects of tantra as shown in Table 3:

TABLE 3: THE TANTRIC THREE JEWELS

Buddha | Dharma | Sangha
mind | speech | body
HŪṀ | ĀḤ | [OṀ]*
avadhūti | lalanā | rasanā
formless realm | pure form realm | desire realm
sambhogakāya | dharmakāya | nirmaṇakāya
luminance (āloka) | imminence (ālokopalabdha) | radiance (alokābhāsa)**

* Presumably OṀ stands for the Sangha here, but the corresponding verse doesn’t appear in the VR, and this chapter was not commented on by Alaṁka.

** R 95B, ch. 65, vv. 2–9.

In my previous work, Interpreting the Vajra Rosary: Truth and Method Meets Wisdom and Method,³⁰⁴ I took the question of the conventional, conceptual meaning or meanings of the Vajra Rosary for today’s reader, constructing a provisonal algorithm³⁰⁵ designed to draw out assumptions about meaning and quantify them in order to further the discussion of — not determine — the process of interpretation. The components of the algorithm, each weighted, were the text’s (1) literal meaning; (2) intellectual historical context/authorial intent; (3) relation to Umberto Eco’s “model reader”; (4) interpretations in prior commentaries or discourse; (5) function as discussed in Daniel Dennett’s “The Interpretation of Texts, People, and Other Artifacts,”³⁰⁶ and (6) role in its society’s power relations, with a seventh component to correct for the bias and preconceptions of the reader herself. Discussing all of these factors in detail, I came to a conclusion that I will not repeat here, inasmuch as the first step in the reader determining the meaning is to engage with the text and form her own opinions, the present task, and then to engage in the hermeneutic yoga of which the algorithm is merely a facilitator.

7. The Four Ecstasies and the Four Moments

Closely related to tantric consort yoga are the four ecstasies, already mentioned above, and the four “moments.” Chapter 19 is a very short summary of the four moments of sexual yoga: Variety,³⁰⁷ Ripening,³⁰⁸ Triumph,³⁰⁹ and Beyond Characteristics.³¹⁰ Variety is the various types of kissing and foreplay; Ripening is when the bliss in the channels reaches the throat; Triumph is “innate” or “orgasmic”³¹¹ intuition, with “the character of a vajra rosary, the formless moment, complete manifest enlightenment”; and Beyond Characteristics is “the formless moment, complete manifest enlightenment, when the semen passes, emerging from the channels.”³¹² The chapter ends with the statement that “the four intuitions and the four emptinesses are realized from the four moments.”³¹³ Because he notes that the next chapter addresses these same topics, Alaṁka has little to say about this chapter.³¹⁴

Chapter 20 focuses on an analysis of the four ecstasies, “not clearly expressed in other tantras,”³¹⁵ in the forward and reverse order, and here we also have a more detailed description of the four moments. The four forward ecstasies are: ecstasy [crown to throat],³¹⁶ supreme ecstasy [throat to heart],³¹⁷ transcendent ecstasy [heart to navel],³¹⁸ and innate or orgasmic ecstasy [navel to jewel].³¹⁹ In the “reverse method,” ecstasy returns to the navel chakra; supreme ecstasy to the heart; transcendent ecstasy to the throat; and innate or orgasmic ecstasy to the crown chakra. Alaṁka explains that this starts with the support of the letter A in the navel chakra and ends with the innate in the crown chakra “because in it there is the indestructible shape of the syllable HA.”³²⁰ There is a forward method where the ecstasy starts in the crown chakra with the melting of the enlightenment spirit there by the intuition fire,³²¹ and the more intense ecstasies experienced in the throat, heart, and navel chakras, respectively.³²² Alaṁka specifies in more detail the places where the ecstasies are experienced:

Great bliss in the crown chakra means the thirty-two petals at the end point of the wind chakra. “It is explained as ecstasy” because through the force of being stirred up by the fire of intuition the element of enlightenment spirit causes melting, moving [down] from it. “It” means after that. “The enjoyment [chakra, at the throat]” refers to supreme ecstasy at the end point of the fire chakra on the sixteen petals of the enjoyment [throat] chakra because enlightenment spirit pervades all the branches slightly at the end point of the place of overflowing from the throat. “Transcendent [ecstasy] abides in the heart chakra” refers to the actuality of the eight channels [in] the reality [or Dharma] chakra [at the heart], because by achieving that through [the flowing of] enlightenment spirit, you know [it] as the reality of [both] passion and dispassion. Here also you should realize the state of common and yogic transcendent ecstasy from the mouth of the guru. “Innate [ecstasy] in the emanation chakra [at the navel]” means that you should realize the opportunity for innate ecstasy by achieving from the emanation chakra up to the secret place. You should know about that by meditating on actual orgasms through the force of the personal instructions of the guru.³²³

Then the four moments are described in somewhat greater detail and correlated with the four ecstasies, first in the context of the “forward method.”³²⁴ Variety is the experience of “looking, attracting, . . . and kissing on the mouth,”³²⁵ and causes ecstasy. “Ripening” is (all in the context of tantric consort yoga) when the two sexual organs meet and cause the fire in the navel chakra (tummo) to melt the enlightenment spirit in the crown chakra, overcoming conceptuality and giving rise to supreme ecstasy³²⁶ and being the cause a little later of innate or orgasmic ecstasy,³²⁷ centered in the heart chakra.³²⁸ The instant of overcoming is identified with the throat chakra and transcendent ecstasy, where the entire central channel is experienced as undifferentiated, as the enlightenment spirit falls straight down from the crown, unimpeded.³²⁹ The instant free from or beyond characteristics, associated with innate ecstasy, is the “peaceful state of great bliss,”³³⁰ explained by Alaṁka as “free from the characteristics of the three other [ecstasies], abandoning passion and dispassion.”³³¹

The Tantra then explains the “reverse method,”³³² stating that after the vajra recitation practices manipulating the energy-winds explained in chapter 12, the rising stream up the chakras, from the navel to the crown chakra, is the cause of achievement of the yogi/nī. In this method, ecstasy and variety are associated with the navel chakra; supreme ecstasy and ripening with the heart chakra, which is also stated to be “the supreme basis of all emptiness accomplished by the yogi/nī”;³³³ transcendent ecstasy and overcoming with the throat chakra; and innate ecstasy and the moment beyond characteristics with the crown chakra.

As described in detail in chapter 27, yoginī deities sit within the channels.³³⁴ By arousing them through tantric consort yoga, retaining enlightenment spirit, one experiences the instant of being free from characteristics, and a great awakening with the nature of the sixteen emptinesses.³³⁵

8. Secrecy

The meaning of the Vajra Rosary should not be revealed in any way.³³⁶ Tantric practice and aspects of it are described as “the supreme secret reality,” “hid[den] in the tantras,”³³⁷ “the supreme secret.”³³⁸ Disciples are admonished not to reveal tantric ritual implements to those who have not promised to adhere to the commitments of tantric practice, and not to disclose the activities of tantric yogic practice to monks remaining “in the vow,” presumably that of celibacy, or even to the tantric guru,³³⁹ let alone anyone else.³⁴⁰ And one who reveals personal instructions to unsuitable disciples “will go to the Howling Hell!”³⁴¹

Concrete expression of how this concealed knowledge was intended to remain secret is seen in the instruction regarding the crucial mantras for vajra recitation, HŪṀ HO and OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ, which are not explicitly stated but rather elliptically described in terms of Sanskrit grammar. For example, OṀ is described as follows: “First, write the first letter [A],³⁴² having the fifth vowel [U],³⁴³ having the last part of the last the group [Ṁ].³⁴⁴ It is expressed as the seed of the body.”³⁴⁵ The other mantras are similarly described.

9. The 108 Energy-Winds and Corresponding Conceptualities

Chapter 3 of the Vajra Rosary names 108 “energy-winds” or “energies” (rlung) (in some translations, “winds”) and a similar number of “conceptualities” or “thought constructions” (rnam par rtog pa rnams). While, as noted by Tsong Khapa below, it is possible though not proven that they are manifestations of the ten main and auxiliary energies well known in the Buddhist tantric tradition, these 108 energies are not taught in contemporary tantric colleges.³⁴⁶ As noted by Jamgön Kongtrul, the Vajra Rosary is the leading scriptural source for the locations and characteristics of these 108 energies and their corresponding conceptualities, and the methods for riding them to enlightenment:

The Vajra [Rosary] Tantra teaches that those who know the wind [or breath] yogas go beyond saṃsāra and reach buddhahood. If [energy-]winds and thoughts are let loose and pursued, they will keep us circling in saṃsāra and suffering. If we know how to bind their vital points, the [energy-]winds themselves will succeed in being the remedy that severs saṃsāra because karmic [energy-]winds will be purified into wisdom.³⁴⁷

These energy-winds, whose locations and characteristics are explained by Alaṁka, consist of the ten main energies, nine of which (minus the pervading energy, which manifests only at death) are found in each of the six chakras, making fifty-four, “moving both day and night,”³⁴⁸ resulting in 108.³⁴⁹ In Tsong Khapa’s time, at the beginning of the fifteenth century, some three hundred years after Alaṁka wrote or dictated his commentary, there were a number of differing interpretations of these 108 energies and how to characterize them, summarized by Tsong Khapa in his Brilliantly Illuminating Lamp:

If one wonders, “well, do the hundred and eight wind-energies taught in the Vajra Rosary, called ‘sender,’ ‘holder,’ etc. (btang bzung) include the ten wind-energies or not?” Some Tibetan scholars say that there are ten synonyms for each of the ten wind-energies and eight names for them in common. However the Vajra Rosary Commentary states:

Except for the pervasive energy wind, which lacks (specific) activity and circulates throughout the body, each of the other nine wind-energies circulates in each of the six chakras, emanation, dharma, fire, beatific, wind, and great bliss, giving fifty-four in the day and fifty-four at night, giving one hundred and eight. There, the life-energy wind circulates from the centers of the six chakras, and each of the eight wind-energies, from evacuative to ultra-moving, circulates in the petals of the four [main chakras], not counting the fire and wind chakras. The fire chakra under the beatific chakra is taught as three-petaled and the wind chakra at the brow as six-petaled. Thus the former has eight [sites], the three knots relative to the central channel, the channels of the right and left breasts, and the [channels in the] three petals; and the latter has eight [sites] also, including the six petals and the two channels of the right and left brows: in those [sixteen], the other eight wind-energies circulate.

In a different translation of the Tantra, it is taught that there are fifty-four from midday to midnight and fifty-four from midnight to midday; but this does not appear in the translation of the commentary.

As it seems that the hundred and eight is explained as derived from nine wind-energies circulating in six chakras, the previous explanation disagrees with the tantra. If each of the nine wind-energies such as vitalizing and evacuative circulates in each of the six chakras, if (they also?) circulate in others, then it is still necessary to explain the system of deriving the hundred (and eight) count; and if (they) do not circulate (elsewhere), it is incorrect, as (an energy wind) circulating from the navel to the nostrils must circulate through the heart and throat centers etc.

Furthermore, the Discourse quoted in the Commentary as:

Beginning from the half session, having the nature of nine in the six chakras, until the very end of the half session . . .

also does not seem to be correct. Whatever the case, though it seems to be the meaning of that tantra that the hundred and eight wind-energies are not non-included in the ten wind-energies, as it also seems difficult to posit the pattern of circulation as each of nine wind-energies in order in each of six chakras, we must still investigate this (question).³⁵⁰

The Vajra Rosary gives these energy-winds colloquial names, describing in many cases how these energies, which the Tantra calls “conceptual” energies, grasp objects,³⁵¹ beginning with the sending/holding energy-wind just mentioned by Tsong Khapa, the one-hundred-million energy-wind, and the intoxicated, stupid, cooling, itching, mucus, and axe energy-winds, etc. We only have the Tibetan for these names (except for the few that are Sanskrit words in the Vajra Rosary or Commentary, transliterated into the Tibetan), so the Sanskrit equivalents given in the notes to this translation are speculative.

Back-translating into Sanskrit, however, yields insights. For example, Alaṁka comments that “the ‘one-hundred-million [Tib. dung phyur] energy’ is supported by the extreme power channel. ‘Realized by A and RA,’ [it is called] one-hundred-million; the two energies are the evacuative energy-winds.”³⁵² One-hundred-million seems a strange name for an energy-wind when compared with the names of the others; however, “realized by A and RA” could be rendered in Sanskrit as arbuda (/bud being an alternate root for /budh and /bund, meaning known or realized), and arbuda is also Sanskrit for “one-hundred-million, so the Tibetan translator chose the numerical meaning out of several; and, in addition, AṀ and RAṀ are the seed syllables for Amitābha and Ratnasambhava, respectively, referring to two of the channels of the heart chakra.³⁵³ And making things potentially even richer in meaning, arbuda also is the Sanskrit name of one of the eight cold hells of Buddhist cosmology, the “Blistering” Cold Hell.

The merging of these energy-winds into the fundamental vitality (srog, prāṇa) energy is how we move from life to life, and the overcoming of these energies, also referred to as conceptual energies, is how we approach buddhahood in the practice of vajra recitation.³⁵⁴

In accordance with the oft-quoted metaphor that the subtle body energies are the mounts of the subtle mind conceptualities, which ride upon the energy-winds, chapter 3 concludes with the naming of these conceptualities. In the endnotes to the translation of chapter 3, Alaṁka expains each one briefly but precisely. Some of the conceptualities are drawn from the well-known 51 mental factors (sems byung, caitta) but there is very little overlap with the 80 instinctual natures (rang bzhin rnams) that dissolve at death as consciousness leaves, and that dawn in the reincarnation process from the three luminances that precede consciousness in the development of the elemental body. These 108 conceptualities, and the meditation on them and the energy-winds that bear them, are crucial elements of the vajra recitation practices that are the heart of the Vajra Rosary, and, although they will ultimately be left behind as the yogi/nī brings her energy-winds from the left and right channels into the central channel, they are referred to in the crucial sixth, twelfth, and twenty-second chapters of the Tantra, and in Alaṁka’s accompanying commentary.

Alaṁka also specifically describes which of the channels within the chakras support the particular energies, and the Tantra names these channels in chapter 17 and there and elsewhere instructs how to meditate on them,³⁵⁵ stressing the importance thereof:

One should know from the guru’s speech

The true order of the channels.

The aggregates, etc., do not arise without ascertaining

The order of the channels; and without the aggregates,

The yogi/nī cannot achieve the great intuition.³⁵⁶

Below, in Table 4, is an excerpt from the full table that is the Appendix to this translation, showing the first nine energy-winds, their channel locations, types, and corresponding conceptualities. There is some variation between the Lhasa Vajra Rosary and Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra, apparent in the following summary of the energies and the corresponding conceptualities that ride on them. Although the Tantra and Alaṁka specify 108 conceptualities, given the textual variations one could derive more or less of them. However, at least in the initial energies and conceptualities, the relationships seem to make sense: the sending/holding energy carrying desire; the Blistering Cold Hell arbuda energy with hatred or aversion; the drunk energy with delusion, and so forth. As the list goes on, the chances of variance from what was originally intended increases, which may explain why at a certain point the correspondence between the energy-winds and conceptualities seems much less clear. In addition, there are two conceptualities, longing desire (brkam chags) and sleep (gnyid) that are repeated (both in respect of the heart chakra) in Alaṁka’s account. In deriving the 108 conceptualities (since Alaṁka tells us that 108 means 108!), I have had to make a determination as to which differences between the texts were variations from one original conceptuality and which were in fact different conceptualities. In doing so, I was guided, I must confess, by the principle of congruence between the named character of the energy-wind and the named character of the conceptuality, which undoubtedly has influenced the outcome. However, I have not altered the order in which the energies and conceptualities are presented in the Vajra Rosary and by Alaṁka.

What is not indicated in Table 4 or the Appendix is the precise location of each channel within the chakra specified by Alaṁka for each energy-wind, other than the vitality energy, which originates in the center of each of the six chakras. Like Tsong Khapa, unsurprisingly, I have not found any description of this in the Tantra, the Commentary, or elsewhere. But, particularly because of the importance of “108” as a prime feature and, indeed, the reason for the very name of the Tantra, I can hazard a few guesses, as follows, using as an example the bottom part of Table 4, the flow of the energy-winds and conceptualities in the heart chakra during the day. I stress that this is not verified by scripture or experience, although practice does have a way of creating experience.³⁵⁷

The piercing flesh energy, as the vitality energy, flows from the center of the heart chakra. The horrible energy, as the evacuative energy, since that energy is the province of Ratnasambhava, would be the southern petal or channel of the heart chakra, great jewel, since that is where Ratnasambhava sits in the Esoteric Community mandala, and, additionally, the jewel is the symbol of Ratnasambhava. Similarly, the drunken argument energy, as the metabolic energy, should be flowing northern channel of the heart chakra since the metabolic energy is the province of Amogasiddhi, and he sits in the north in the mandala, and the drunk with desire energy should be in the western petal since the ascending energy is the province of Amitābha and that is where he sits. But there is a problem: the name of the channel associated with the metabolic energy is great lotus, and the lotus is the symbol of Amitābha, while the name of the channel associated with the ascending energy is great vajra, and the vajra is the symbol of Amogasiddhi, so these seem to be reversed or transposed in some fashion. Given the logic pervading Buddhist thought in general, I would speculate that the order of the channels is counter-clockwise and sequential so that the main energy to follow the Ratnasambhava evacuative energy would be the Amitābha ascending energy, followed by the Amogasiddhi metabolic energy. As for the five branch energies, following the same speculative logic, it is possible that the up-moving energy would be in the place of Vairocana, whose pervading energy is not included here as it only activates at death, and then the others circulate from there: the per-moving in the southeast; the co-moving in the southwest; the sur-moving in the northwest; and the ultra-moving in the northeast.

While this speculative accounting accounts for the center and eight channels of the heart chakra, the other main chakras, navel, throat, and crown, have 64, 16, and 32 channels, respectively. However, since all those are multiples of eight, and branch out from eight internal channels (which in turn branch out from four), one could follow these internal channels and the channels that branch out from them in meditating on each energy-wind named and its corresponding conceptuality. This leaves the wind and fire chakras, which between them have nine channels, but I will leave that to future scholars and yogis and for now will follow Tsong Khapa in saying that “we must still investigate this question.”

10. Overcoming the Conceptual Energies

A very significant part of the Vajra Rosary is devoted to the techniques and explanations of meditating on the 108 energy-winds and conceptualities in order to reverse them, taking a significant step toward buddhahood. Overcoming and eliminating these energy-winds and conceptualities through vajra recitation is central to the approach of the Vajra Rosary to enlightenment itself, and is emphasized right after naming the energy-winds in verse 23 of chapter 3 (“At midnight, from the supreme space, nonconceptuality arises, overcoming the instinctual natures of energy”) to the final substantive verses of the Tantra in chapter 68:

Again the vitality energy rises

As the various evolutionary energies,

And consciousnesses together with them

Again dwell in the three worlds.

From that, there is karma

And from that, there is birth.

And from that, lust, etc., the instincts, //61//

And from that, once again, death and birth.

Thus it is just like a turning wheel.

As before, vajra recitation, etc.,

In stages, splits it open. //62//

Throughout the Tantra’s crucial instructions on opening the heart chakra, enabling one to proceed through the five stages of the perfection stage, the elimination and transformation of these energy-winds and conceptualities are referenced. In chapter 6, the normal flow of these energy-winds is described, and then the yoga of mantra employing two of these energies to loosen then open the knots of the heart chakra. The yoga of sound in chapter 7 (verse 7) “relies on the reality of energy.” The commitment of “eating,” described in chapter 10 (verse 10), is for “one who knows the reality of energy-wind, staying in the state without conceptual thought.” As explained in detail in chapter 12, meditation on the energies is the preparatory stage of the first of Nāgārjuna’s five stages, vajra recitation, which reverses and overcomes the conceptual energy-winds, the conceptualities, and conceptuality itself, leading to the first of the five stages, speech isolation. Alaṁka explains that meditation on these energies is in the context of the personal instructions given in chapter 12 and elsewhere in the Tantra:

In the beginning, relying on the five stages, the stage of counting, etc., by meditating on the nature of the drops and the thatness of energy-wind, relying on the thatnesses of mantra, the three types of yoga up to half of each meditation session each, indentifying the exact sequence of the three drops, and later on, having definitively joined the energy-winds existing with the syllable A in the stage of entering and arising, by meditating on the nature of the drop as reality, having identified the subtle wind, you will live for an eon or a thousand eons.”³⁵⁸

Chapter 16 is entitled, “Teaching the Process of Counting the Energies,” referring explicitly to the 108 energy-winds, and naming many of them as it traces how they rise and fall in the life of ordinary people, and that (in verses 31 and 32) the yogi practices “the yoga of melting energies” to create the vajra body. It explains how the vitality energy is, initially, contrary to what may be thought in the world, in the secret anus, the energy center between the perineum and the tip of the penis,³⁵⁹ or, as Alaṁka notes, the womb or womb channel.³⁶⁰ The energy of this center is inherently nonconceptual, and is the original energy in the production of living beings from the between (bar do), generating consciousness in the process leading to birth, “fainting”³⁶¹ in the move from clear light to the other empties, then to the production of the elements, aggregates, sense media, instinctual natures, etc.³⁶²

TABLE 4: THE FIRST NINE OF THE 108 ENERGY-WINDS AND CONCEPTUALITIES*

* The complete table of the 108 energy-winds and potentially corresponding conceptualities is set forth in the Appendix.

Chapter 17 describes and names the channels in the chakras through which the energies flow, and chapter 22 teaches the yogas of the vitality and evacuative energy-winds, saying (in verse 26) how “the realized yogi/nī, because of the great nonconceptual wonder of stopping all the energy-winds, realizes the reality of creation, and noting that “whoever conquers the 108 energy-winds has the lineage to always increase.” Chapter 25, discussing emptiness, explains (in verse 3) that the “easing of the conceptual energies is explained to be emptiness.” Chapter 32, “Taking Birth as a Person Made of Energy,” describes in detail the waxing and waning of the various energy-winds from conception to birth, and chapter 33, from birth to death.

Commenting on chapter 35, whose title is “Cutting Off the Conceptual Energies,” Alaṁka says that the energies to be eliminated are “conceptual,” “in that they are conceptualities of desire, etc., produced by the force of the 108 energies.”³⁶³ As the Tantra itself says, “Those energies are conceptuality.”³⁶⁴ Practicing this yoga, “one makes everything the actuality of emptiness,”³⁶⁵ “because it serves as the cause of the reality of natural clear light through the force of meditating on the two stages.”³⁶⁶

The conceptual energies having been eliminated, chapter 36 discusses the rising of the “great energy of nonconceptuality,”³⁶⁷ “formless energy,”³⁶⁸ “the cause of manifesting the reality of the form of supremely natural clear light,”³⁶⁹ which is the cause of Vajrasattva, whom one becomes on the last of the five perfection stages, integration or communion.³⁷⁰ Once the conceptual energies are abandoned, “one abandons all duality” precisely “because one is free of those energies.”³⁷¹ With the arising of this nonconceptual energy, one is free from all of the channel knots³⁷² and from drops of enlightenment spirit and the sound that occurs when the enlightenment spirit falls.³⁷³

Penultimately, recalling the importance of the energy-winds in the last substantive verses of the Tantra, in chapter 50 (verses 7–8), the yogi/nī retreats to a peaceful place where s/he repeats the special mantra of the Vajra Rosary, OṀ VAJRAMĀLE ĀḤ HŪṀ PHAT SVĀHĀ, one million times so that “the energy-winds are robbed by thatness, clearing away the mind’s conceptuality.”

11. Engagement of the Senses in the Tantric Way

Chapter 9 discusses how the yogi/nī’s sense powers “enter and completely fill the [sense] objects.” Alaṁka explains that this is actually a form of withholding engagement of the ordinary sense powers because here the movement is by the bodhisattva, for example, Kshitigarbha, the eye sense power, toward the visual object goddess, Rūpavajrā, etc.³⁷⁴ Thus, yogic engagement with sense objects in the tantric way is not inconsistent with the standard Buddhist vows, such as found in the vinaya, to refrain from engagement with sense objects. But this is no ordinary engagement. Rather, the yogi/nī engages them “in empty, nondual illusion, by the bliss experienced in the wisdom-intuition consecration.”³⁷⁵

12. Emptiness in the Vajra Rosary Yogic System

The word “emptiness” is used 112 times in the Tantra. It is the principal subject of chapters 5, 25, 49, and 50, but is referenced throughout.

The subject of chapter 5 is the nature of emptiness and its connection with the yoga of the Vajra Rosary. In a word, the understanding of emptiness is indispensable to the yogic path charted by the Tantra and at the same time is its ultimate goal.³⁷⁶ Chapter 5’s presentation of emptiness stresses the selfless nature of persons and things, and “has left behind the reifications of self, life, reincarnation, humanity, Manu and his progeny, agent and experiencer, knower, and creator.”³⁷⁷

Because the Vajra Rosary predates some of the finer distinctions later drawn among Buddhist tenet systems, elements of Yogāchāra idealism are mentioned later in the text, such as the “foundational consciousness” (ālayavijñāna), along with Madhyamaka or Centrist philosophy, including many elements of what is now regarded generally as the “highest” system, Prāsaṅgika Madhyamaka or Dialectical Centrism. For example, in chapter 5, Buddha notes that while emptiness is “free from the meaning of expressing and expressed, mere names alone are also self-arisen, supremely wonderful,” and adds that “I am perfectly explaining it by conventional expression.”³⁷⁸ The notion of conventional reality being purely nominal is a hallmark of Madhyamaka. On the other hand, great bliss, which the Tantra equates with emptiness, “is explained as reflexive or apperceptive knowledge (rang rig pa).”³⁷⁹ This self-awareness of consciousness, a prime feature of Dzogchen and Yogāchāra-Svātantrika thought, is rejected by the Madhyamakas.³⁸⁰

Emptiness is not described in a vacuum, but is taught in order to link it to and stress its importance in the practices of the perfection stage yoga. Indeed, chapter 5 begins with the statement that “truly knowledge of reality — suchness, nonconceptuality, the unique selfless nature of the self, persons, and things, emptiness, reflexive awareness, always present as the nature of all — is realized by yoga alone.”³⁸¹

In chapter 25, the Tantra explains “the words of emptiness,” referring to “the characteristic of emptiness-intuition,”³⁸² probably a reference to śunyatā jñāna, “emptiness-intuition,” from the mantra OṀ ŚUNYATĀ JÑĀNA VAJRA SVABHĀVA ĀTMAKO ‘HAM³⁸³ found in chapter 3 of the Root Tantra and in the various Esoteric Community prayers and practices performed to the present day. Here, it is specified at the outset that emptiness intuition abides “in the body, always remaining as the nature of everything.”³⁸⁴ Emptiness is “the characteristic that illumines all things.”³⁸⁵ Alaṁka explains that emptiness is the “true reality”³⁸⁶ applying to everything, even to the key event of the nonconceptual energies entering the central channel.³⁸⁷ Indeed, “emptiness is the actuality of the central channel,” and of Akshobhya, who abides there, “the actuality of the energy of clear light.”³⁸⁸ The other part of “emptiness intuition,” “intuition,” is “great bliss, filled with enlightenment spirit.”³⁸⁹ The buddha field of emptiness is Sukhāvatī and the buddha field of bliss is Amitāyus; emptiness is Vajradhātvīshvarī and intuition Vajradhara; the left main channel, lalanā, is emptiness and the right, rasanā, is intuition.³⁹⁰ The union of these is the last of the five stages, integration or communion.³⁹¹

Chapter 49 contains an extensive discussion of emptiness. The yogi/nī who knows the formulation of the sixteen³⁹² emptinesses, the main subject of this chapter, “will know emptiness.”³⁹³ Emptiness is “the inner nature of all things, the antidote to conceptuality and the purification of wrong view.”³⁹⁴ The sixteen divisions of emptiness here are almost identical to those found in Chandrakīrti’s Introduction to the Middle Way, as shown in Table 5.³⁹⁵

The reason “one analyzes emptiness” is “because it is the remedy for the instincts.”³⁹⁶

Chapter 50, rather cryptic, continues focusing on the importance of emptiness, “pervading the six chakras since it dwells in the center of all things.”³⁹⁷ “Inseparable from the conventional, emptiness is ultimate reality.”³⁹⁸ The Tantra explains that “the vajra rosary is like that,” reflecting the title of the chapter: “The Character of Creating Vajra Rosary Emptiness.” With this foundation, the Tantra describes “the support of life energy” as “a blue body, three faces, three eyes and six excellent arms,”³⁹⁹ i.e., Akshobhya, the central figure of the noble tradition’s favored Guhyasamāja mandala, arising from HŪṀ and the vajra clan. “He cuts off and causes to dissolve the energies that agitate conceptual thoughts. He clears away the harmful ones, cutting off all dualism,” resulting in “great magical illusion, great emptiness, the marvelous place of the Buddha.”⁴⁰⁰

TABLE 5: EMPTINESS

VR Emptiness Type* | VR Description | Chandra Emptiness Type**
1.  Inner | Remedy for conceptuality, and correction of errors | 1.  Inner
2.  Outer | Free from focusing on outer objects | 2.  Outer
3.  Inner and outer | Without “outer,” no conception of “inner” | 3.  Inner and outer
4.  Great | Being free from the habitat world | 5.  Immensity
5.  Intuition by which one sees things as empty | Later causes contemplation in perfect mirror intuition | 14.  Of defining attributes
6.  Emptiness of the emptiness of nonthings | The opposite of VR (4) | 4.  Emptiness of emptiness
7.  Ultimate | Knowing in the ultimate a false thing | 6.  Emptiness of the ultimate (i.e., of nirvana)
8.  Compounded *** | Engaging in the character of one’s own conceptuality | 7.  Compounded
9.  Uncompounded | Abandoning thing and nonthing | 8.  Uncompounded
10.  Extreme **** | Prayer for the benefit of sentient beings not perceived as joyful for one’s self | 15.  Of the unobservable
11.  Beyond extremes | Abandoning conceptuality | 9.  Beyond extremes (extreme positions)
12.  Beginningless and endless | Prayer for worldly beings | 10.  Beginningless and endless
13.  Nonrelinquishing | The self naturally purified of the stain of passion | 11.  Of what should not be spurned
14.  Of self-identity | The marks and signs of his form body | 12.  Of essential nature
15.  Of all things | Emptiness of the wings of enlightenment, lacking arrogance in practice | 13.  Of all phenomena
16.  Of nonthings | The very nonperception of emptiness, a nonthing is emptiness | 16.  Of nonthings

* VR 66B–67B, ch. 49, vv. 2–13.

** Chandrakīrti 2002, 93–96; Chandrakīrti 1988, 284–315. Translations of the types of Chandra’s emptinesses are taken from Chandrakīrti 2002.

*** ’dus byas stong pa nyid. VR 67A, ch. 49, v. 6.

**** shin tu stong pa nyid. VR 67A, ch. 49, v. 7.

13. Great Bliss and Its Relation to Emptiness

“Great bliss” (bde ba chen po), used ninety-two times in the Tantra, is a form of ecstasy that is both a cause and a byproduct of perfection stage yogic practices, and of enlightenment itself. It is what was experienced by the vajra queens in whose lotuses⁴⁰¹ Buddha resided at the outset of the Tantra, and what overcame the bodhisattvas as they listened to Buddha.⁴⁰² At one level of tantric hermeneutic, great bliss is referred to as the “state of Vajrasattva,” sattva, hero, referring to the holding of conventional enlightenment spirit at the tip of the vajra during sexual yoga.⁴⁰³ At another level, great bliss also refers to the abandoning of dualities of all kinds, manifesting the state of emptiness. These two levels are intimately connected because great bliss overcomes conceptuality, enabling the yogi/nī to realize emptiness.

Thus, in chapter 13, entitled “Great Bliss,” which explains the term “great bliss,” it is described as intimately connected with and in fact as being emptiness, realizing the promise of the Heart Sutra’s “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form”:⁴⁰⁴ “Emptiness, great emptiness, extreme emptiness, and the supreme supreme, universal emptiness, the abode devoid of anything other than emptiness, it is of the nature of the five skies.”⁴⁰⁵

Alaṁka explains:

“[Great bliss] liberates from all addiction” because, after the attainment of clear light mind, the illusory body avoids the conception of the aggregates. “It enters into every pleasure” because, in the stage of manifest enlightenment with the nature of outer and inner, the cause of natural clear light, it attains completely. “Empty” because of being empty of the nature of being, free from attachment to the thirty-two, who serve as the instincts.⁴⁰⁶ “Extraordinary emptiness” because of being of the nature of abandoning the forty groups of natures as previously [stated]. “Great emptiness” because of abandoning the seven groups of natures. “Of supreme” [means] because of the clear light mind, it becomes supreme. “Universal emptiness” is the form of natural clear light. It is “the abode of emptiness” because it has the nature of communion. “Of the nature of the five skies” [means] the five aggregates, because they are of the very nature of emptiness. “Unseverable” because you can’t reject your own nature as being artificial. “Indestructible” because one is unable to analyze it in terms of adventitious addictions, etc. “Unchanging” because it is not harmed by conceptuality.⁴⁰⁷

Great bliss is the stream that flows through the five major energy channels of the subtle body⁴⁰⁸ and manifests in each of the three bodies of a buddha.⁴⁰⁹ The discussion in chapter 13 concludes with the clear statement that great bliss is achieved not through outer methods, even by the creation stage of tantra,⁴¹⁰ meaning it is to be achieved “only through yoga, not by conceptuality with the nature of thought,”⁴¹¹ meaning, according to Alaṁka, “by the actuality of concentration having the nature of method and wisdom . . . thoroughly pacifying conceptuality.”⁴¹²

14. The Yoga of Vajra Recitation and Opening the Heart Knot

Vajra recitation is the yogic technique that leads to the first of the five levels of the perfection stage, speech isolation. The Vajra Rosary is regarded in the tradition as the ur-text on this subject.

This yoga of energy and mantra, specifically the opening of the threefold knot in the center of the heart wheel through the practice of the two-syllable mantra, HŪṀ HO, taking the name of “sound” and “drop” and located in the heart and center of the eyebrows respectively, is the subject of the Tantra’s lengthy sixth and twelfth chapters, and is also described in chapters 34 and 41.⁴¹³ The Vajra Rosary states that if the HŪṀ HO mantra is repeated for six months under the proper circumstances, the yogi/nī will open the heart drop and, without doubt, become enlightened.⁴¹⁴

Above the heart knot is the vitality energy, and below is the evacuative energy. When the knot is tightened, as in normal life, the vitality energy moves in the heart center in the form of the five main energies⁴¹⁵ in the five channels of the heart chakra.⁴¹⁶ When that energy meets the navel knot, it moves in five channels there,⁴¹⁷ and the five “branch” energies⁴¹⁸ move out into the lower part of the body. When the channels of the navel, then heart, and then throat chakras are agitated by the energy-winds, a person produces great ignorance, hatred, and lust, respectively. When the channels of the crown chakra are agitated, all of the channels fill with enlightenment spirit. Then when the conceptualities corresponding with the various energies overcome the vitality energy at the heart center, the energies go down into the tip of the vajra, facing downward. But rather than going downward, the navel chakra energies of ignorance mix with those of the heart chakra characterized by attachment, and, in a kind of tantric version of the twelve links of dependent arising, produce consciousness and the sense powers, leading to a strengthening of the instinct associated with conception, leading to repeated rebirth in cyclic life.⁴¹⁹

The only way to overcome this karmic process is to open the heart center through meditational effort, merging the vitality and evacuative energies in the heart center’s indestructible drop,⁴²⁰ leading to the five intuitions and the five clairvoyances, and mundane and transmundane attainments. This, says the Vajra Rosary, is the only method: only “the reality of mantra”⁴²¹ and not ritual, activities, negation, the ecstasies, or even meditation leads to buddhahood.

The Vajra Rosary describes just how to do this, in an isolated place, in the proper posture, and having achieved body isolation,⁴²² prefaced with the warning that nothing will be accomplished without personal instructions from the guru. Using the various groups of Sanskrit vowels and consonants, the vajrin elliptically describes the mantra HŪṀ HO in such a way that one not versed in Sanskrit would be unable to figure it out. After first meditating on the indestructible drop at the heart center, combining these sounds with inhalation and exhalation, “reducing effort little by little,”⁴²³ leads to the opening of the heart knot.⁴²⁴ Tsong Khapa says,

[It is] the point that is the greatest secret of secrets, hidden within other tantras. So [while I] explain this, you should listen. Within all three of those [the heart, throat, and crown wheels], the definitive meaning HŪṀ syllable, the seed of the heart, is the master merger within the dhūti channel [central chamber] of the released heart channel knot. Why? The release of the heart channel knot is the freedom from mental constructions. It is the supreme of causes of cutting off [the instinctual constructs], because, unless you hold the energies there without moving, those energies become the chief thing that moves the constructs to obscure and deprive [you of accomplishments].⁴²⁵

This can be achieved in six months’ constant practice.⁴²⁶

Chapter 12 sets forth a more detailed explanation of the Vajra Rosary’s system of practice of vajra recitation. In his discussion of vajra recitation in his BIL, one of a handful of texts that are part of today’s tantric college curriculum, Tsong Khapa relies most heavily on the Vajra Rosary and the vajra recitation practice described in chapter 12 is widely quoted in tantric literature.⁴²⁷ Alaṁka notes, quoting the Ṡrī-Herukābhyudaya-nāma,⁴²⁸ that the practice of mantra (e.g., as briefly discussed in chapter 11) must be mastered before taking on the reality of the energies, consisting mainly of “meditat[ing] on the five or ten kinds of energy-winds and . . . causing [them] to be identified precisely.”⁴²⁹

The chapter begins with a discussion of the necessity of knowing the three main drops⁴³⁰ that are the subject of perfection stage meditative concentration, and concentrates thereafter on the light ray drop, also known as the “wind drop,” located at the tip of the conventional nose. This drop should be meditated upon as being the size of a mustard seed, and serves as the cause of clear light speech.⁴³¹ In it are compressed the five types of energy, which have the nature of the five buddhas and corresponding colors and elements, as summarized by Alaṁka.

The energy-winds should be conceptually counted in accord with 21,600 breaths per day, in eight meditation sessions, four during the day and four at night, divided among the various energies/buddhas and the four elements.⁴³² This is done initially for twenty-seven days. The process is then reversed, so the conceptualities that ride on the energies are eliminated and only the energies remain. The Tantra describes how the various correspondences among energy, buddha, intuition, etc., are put into practice, and Alaṁka expands upon the description. He explains that “one should know the five types of energy as manifest enlightenment in five aspects through the purification of the five intuitions,”⁴³³ and explains how the practice is done:

In the first session of the day, red-colored light rays move from abiding in the fire mandala at the throat through the right nostril. In the second session, blue-colored light rays move from abiding in the wind mandala at the navel through the left nostril. In the third session of the day in the afternoon, golden-colored light rays move from abiding in the secret lotus earth mandala through both nostrils. In the fourth session, white-colored light rays slowly move from the water mandala that abides in the heart lotus through both nostrils. Similarly, in the night also.⁴³⁴

Further practice instructions are given in Alaṁka’s glossing of the text, along with particulars regarding time measurement. The yogi/nī practicing this text will achieve speech isolation.

Chapter 15 continues the detailed explanation of vajra recitation, referred to as “the reality of mantra,”⁴³⁵ in more depth, this time via the three-syllable mantra OṀ ĀH HŪṀ rather than HŪṀ HOH, as stated in the sixth chapter.⁴³⁶ The practice involves identifying, inhalation, holding, and exhalation with the three syllables in connection with the meditation described above in chapter 12,⁴³⁷ but Alaṁka notes that the ultimate focus of the practice is on the heart drop.⁴³⁸ The recitation is not outer but internal: there is no sound. The mantra is nondual with the energies and the mandala deities, and should be repeated with perfect concentration and equanimity.⁴³⁹ The personal instructions of the teacher to the student are crucial here.⁴⁴⁰

TABLE 6: THE FIVE MAIN ENERGIES

* Amoghasiddhi.

** Based on Alaṁka (84B–85A, 90A). At one point in the chapter, when these parallels are first presented, Alaṁka (90A) reverses the assignments given here of the discriminative and accomplishing intuitive wisdoms, giving the former to Amoghasiddhi and the latter to Amitābha. Indeed, later in the chapter, Alaṁka (91B–92A) reverts to the version given above, which is fairly standard in Buddhist tantric practice.

This section describing the practice is followed by verses emphasizing study with and offerings to the guru, and, after consecration, the drawing of the mandala with “a pencil made from human bone, [on] a ground of blazing jewels, or the well-spread ashes of a charnel ground.”⁴⁴¹ Having made offerings, one should then recite the incomparable mantra, OṀ ĀḢ HŪṀ, which is not stated as such either in the Tantra or by Alaṁka, but is described elliptically in terms of the Sanskrit vowels and consonants.⁴⁴²

Chapter 34 explains another aspect of the practice of vajra recitation, the yoga of the “gathering of the ḍākinīs” in the stage of tantra, where “the conceptions of object and subject are again gathered there [in the navel] by compassion, thus incinerating all fetters, like butterflies [drawn to the flame].”⁴⁴³ The key aspect here is the overcoming of conceptuality, and particularly that of the aggregates, accomplished by the blazing of the ḍākinīs in the navel chakra.⁴⁴⁴ This is done by using the techniques of vajra recitation described in chapter 12.⁴⁴⁵

Chapter 22 discusses how, by meditating on the syllable HŪṀ in vajra recitation, the yogi/nī withdraws the energies into the central channel, going on to achieve instant enlightenment. The description of the essential subtle body components starts with the navel and heart chakras, described as having sixty-four and eight petals, respectively, and facing upward and downward and embodying the evacuative and vitality energies, respectively, “as if kissing,”⁴⁴⁶ looking “like a basket.”⁴⁴⁷ They produce ordinary conceptions and the instinctual natures, and are associated with the two main side channels: the lalanā, the left channel, is associated with body, Vairochana, and the vitality energy; and the rasanā, the right channel, with speech, Amitābha, and the evacuative energy.⁴⁴⁸

The avadhūti, the central channel, is supreme and nonconceptual, located between the two side channels. If one overcomes the energies “through the method outlined in the third chapter,”⁴⁴⁹ and one’s awareness abides in the central channel, one will “achieve complete manifest enlightenment in a single moment.”⁴⁵⁰ The method for achieving this starts with the meditation of calm abiding, followed by creation stage practice in which one seals the nine sense orifices. Then one mentally and single-pointedly merges the mantra HŪṀ with the inhalation, holding, and exhalation of the breath through the cycle of 21,600 daily breaths.⁴⁵¹ “After [mentally] repeating for one month, in a supremely unbroken continuity, one will then attain in one instant.”⁴⁵² To do this, merging HŪṀ with the cycle of breath, one looks up from the navel chakra, called here the “secret lotus,” to the opening in the center of the heart chakra above. This practice opens the knots there and, reversing the upward and downward vitality and evacuative conceptual energy-winds moving in the side channels (lalanā and rasanā), those energies enter the central channel.⁴⁵³ The resulting “great nonconceptual energy”⁴⁵⁴ that is then produced in the central channel cuts off the instinctual conceptions of body and speech flowing in the two side channels and opens the energy in the wind chakra between the eyebrows.⁴⁵⁵ This is the culmination of vajra recitation, and it produces intense and constant ecstasy in the yogi/nī, who appears to all as energetic and joyful, “in thoughts of constant ecstasy, the face seen by all as bronzed and beautiful, and ecstatic.”⁴⁵⁶

15. Sound and Mantra

Key to vajra recitation and many other aspects of tantric practice are sound and mantra. The first discussion of sound in the Tantra is found in chapter 7, and although the syllable does not appear in the chapter, Alaṁka explains that the primary sound referred to is the syllable A, which has the nature of clear light like the flax (atasa) flower and the intuition fire, and is located in both ordinary beings and yogi/nīs in the center of the navel chakra.⁴⁵⁷ Indestructible, sound is the foundational consciousness and, when aroused by the mantra HOḤ, awakens the fire chakra.⁴⁵⁸

In chapter 11, the Vajra Rosary returns in greater depth to the subject of sound, principally to that of the syllable HŪṀ, described as “mere sound,” abiding in the hollow of the lotus, i.e., the eight channels of the heart chakra, and the syllable A, residing in the navel chakra. In one of many delightful etymologies pervading the (to this point) lost Sanskrit text, which makes little or no sense in the Tibetan, Alaṁka notes:

“Mere sound” is “ada” [Sanskrit for] eating. Na [means] the negative [of that]. [So] what is not eaten is nāda. That very thing alone is mere nāda [sound]. “Because it is more subtle than the measure of an atom,” [mere sound is] a preceptor who creates the rosary of ecstatic light.⁴⁵⁹

Although superficially discussing sound, the text is laden with deeper esoteric meaning. The Tantra states that this mere sound, the syllable A, “dissolves in the state of great emptiness, the transparent state of great bliss.”⁴⁶⁰ Alaṁka notes that this means “having the nature of universal emptiness, the actuality of natural clear light, which is perceived at the end of emptiness, extreme emptiness, and great emptiness.”⁴⁶¹ As summarized by the Fourteenth (current) Dalai Lama:

[T]here are four such levels, called the four empties. “Empties” does not refer to the emptiness of inherent existence. These four empties are so called because of their being empty or devoid of the subtle energy that serves as the basis of the coarser levels of consciousness.

When the levels of conceptuality — which are specified as being of eighty different types — cease, then the four empties begin, and within the four empties the latter ones are more subtle than the earlier ones; thus the most subtle is called the “all empty.” Why is it called the all empty? Because the earlier levels of subtle consciousness have ceased. The earlier levels are called “the vivid white appearance,” “the vivid red or orange increase of appearance,” and “the vivid black near-attainment.” The all-empty level is called “the mind of clear light,” which for us is the ground of all mental life.⁴⁶²

Here we can see how the Vajra Rosary’s poetic rendering, unpacked by Alaṁka, remains at the center of current advanced Buddhist tantric practice.

While chapter 6 introduced the vajra recitation practice of reciting the mantra HŪṀ HO,⁴⁶³ in chapter 22, dicussed above, the Vajra Rosary discusses in detail the derivation and character of the better known three-syllable mantra, OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ, described as the “essence” or “heart of body, speech, and mind”⁴⁶⁴ because, Alaṁka explains, “it reverses the impurities of body, etc., because of the continuum with the pure body, etc.”⁴⁶⁵

The first part of the mantra, OṀ, vajra body, itself consists of three syllables, A, U, and Ṁ. The first part of OṀ, the syllable A, is in the center of the heart chakra and goes up to the wind chakra between the eyebrows. It is the vitality energy, nondual and nonconceptual, and pervades up to part of the crown chakra as well, and is the supreme letter because as the element of space it underlies all expression, and thus awakens the throat chakra, the chakra of speech.⁴⁶⁶ A also embodies the meaning of the formless realm, “because by the power of the syllable A one accomplishes the four meditative absorptions . . . or,” says Alaṁka, “because the four formless absorptions are epitomized by the four chakras.”⁴⁶⁷

The syllable U is located in the throat chakra, luminous and blazing, and extends up to the top of the crown chakra. Going from the throat chakra up to the crown chakra, it embodies the form realm, with its seventeen divine levels constituted by the four concentrations inasmuch as “in enjoying the six tastes,” explains Alaṁka, “by meditating on the form of the deities, realizing that they lack intrinsic nature, one is free from the passion of desire, which is called the ‘form realm.’”⁴⁶⁸

The last part of OṀ, the syllable Ṁ, is located in the crown chakra and is a drop of enlightenment spirit, “the seed of great bliss,” “completely filled with luminosity, like a moon mandala.”⁴⁶⁹ Its height is twelve finger widths upward from the throat chakra extending to a point four finger widths above the crown chakra, and it embodies the twenty places of the desire realm.⁴⁷⁰

So, when one knows the meaning of the syllable OṀ, one awakens all three realms, but as pure, in the nature of Vairochana, who is the purity of the form aggregate “because of the emptiness, in ultimate reality, of the actuality of the three realms.”⁴⁷¹ The activities associated with OṀ involve the breath emerging from the two nostrils having the nature of the vitality and evacuative energies and the blood and semen moving in the lower part of the body causing fire to blaze in the wind and crown chakras.⁴⁷²

The next syllable of the three-syllable mantra is ĀḤ, the seed syllable of speech, in the nature of Amitābha, located in the middle of the throat, red in color, purifying the form realm.⁴⁷³ Like OṀ, ĀḤ consists of three parts: short A and short A, which combine to form a long Ā, and Ḥ. The short A syllables were explained previously in the discussion of A-U-Ṁ, or OṀ, as the vitality energy extending from the heart chakra to the wind chakra, and is synonymous with shūnyatā jñāna, emptiness intuition.⁴⁷⁴ The syllable Ḥ, without any vowel, consists of the vitality and evacuative energies.⁴⁷⁵

The last syllable of the three-syllable mantra is HŪṀ, the seed syllable of mind, and the essence of Akshobhya, located at the heart. Like OṀ and ĀḤ, HŪṀ also consists of three parts; here, H, Ū, and Ṁ. H is the evacuative energy, located inside the perineum; Ū is the pervading energy, located in the center of the throat chakra; Ṁ is the vitality energy, located in the wind chakra.⁴⁷⁶

Vajrapāni then asks which of the three, OṀ, ĀḤ, or HŪṀ, Vairochana, Amitābha, or Akshobhya, is the main one, and the answer is unequivocal: “The heart seed is the Lord,”⁴⁷⁷ the syllable HŪṀ in the heart of Akshobhya, “because all things rely on mind,”⁴⁷⁸ which gives rise in conjunction with the arising of the two principal energies, vitality and evacuative, to the 108 instinctual conceptions. These give rise to cyclic life on the occasion of misknowledge; but this can be reversed by a yogi/nī who properly practices meditation on the breath, stopping the ten main energy-winds and the 108 conceptualities,⁴⁷⁹ those energies and conceptualities being the ones described in chapter 3.

16. The Three Drops, Three Nose Tips, and Three Main Channels

Chapter 21 begins the discussion of the analysis of and practices concerning the “three drops”: the “substance” drop located at the tip of the penis or vagina; the “mantric drop” located at the center of the heart chakra; and the “wind” or “light” drop located at the tip of the conventional nose. The context here is vajra recitation culminating in speech isolation, and the more general observations set the stage for the more detailed teachings of the following chapters.

As a result of perfection stage practices, the enlightenment spirit from the crown chakra flows through all the channels. At the moment of the holding of the flowing energy at the tip of the penis and vagina, that is, at the substance drop, the yogi/nī meditates on the mantra KSHMĪ⁴⁸⁰ at the tip of the penis,⁴⁸¹ which at this point is in contact with the palate, explained by Alaṁka to mean the “lower” palate, “the very long channel in the middle of the vagina.”⁴⁸² This “causes the attainment of supreme yoga, the supreme basis of all bliss.”⁴⁸³

As for the mantric drop at the center of the heart chakra, the yogi/nī places HŪṀ there and meditates on it, with its five parts having the nature of the five main energies.⁴⁸⁴ When this is done, “everything has the nature of emptiness,”⁴⁸⁵ and the yogi/HŪṀ syllable is “free from the range of conceptuality, liberated from all duality.”⁴⁸⁶

The wind or light ray drop is meditated on by the yogi/nī by visualizing it at the tip of the conventional nose on the face, illuminated with five colors symbolizing the five intuitions, repeating the syllable OṀ while counting the energies.⁴⁸⁷ Alaṁka explains that the light ray drop is also called the wind drop because it has “the form⁴⁸⁸ of collecting the five energies,” and that this is “‘supreme yoga’ because it serves as the cause of one-pointed mind.”⁴⁸⁹ Meditation on the three drops brings about the five intuitions and various powers. Alaṁka notes that, dividing the drops into body, speech, and mind, the body drop is the wind or light ray drop, which should be meditated upon by the yogi/nī whose main problem is delusion;⁴⁹⁰ the speech drop is the substance or genital drop, for the passionate yogi/nī; and the mind drop is the mantric drop at the heart, for the predominantly angry yogi/nī.⁴⁹¹

The Tantra then addresses the subject of the three main channels of the subtle body, the left, lalanā, right, rasanā, and central, avadhūti, describing how they are interwoven, and their association with moon, sun, and fire and body, speech, and mind, respectively, and how they form knots at the chakras, “in the fashion of a line of lambs [roped together].”⁴⁹² The three drops, substance, mantric, and wind, are also interwoven and mutually dependent. So, as Alaṁka explains, the substance drop, which consists of enlightenment spirit or semen, enters into the other two drops. The mantric drop, which is the syllable HŪṀ at the heart, incorporates the other two drops because HŪṀ also has the nature of the five energies that constitute the wind drop and the enlightenment spirit of the substance drop. And the wind drop is “not made outside the mantric and substance drops.”⁴⁹³ The chapter ends with what Alaṁka explains is an alternative version of the three drops: positing the intuition hero, the vajra hero, and the commitment hero as the wind, substance, and mantric drops, respectively.⁴⁹⁴

Chapter 24 is closely related to chapter 21’s description of the three drops, although the focus is on the three “nose tips”: “secret,” “heart,” and “face.” The context is the practice of vajra recitation. Alaṁka notes that the yogi/nī should meditate on each drop individually.⁴⁹⁵ The “secret” or “navel” nose tip is located at the emanation or navel chakra extending to the end of the “channel” or genital chakras, “the hub of the vajra and lotus channels,”⁴⁹⁶ where the substance drop is located. Meditation on the secret nose tip “caus[es] bestowal of mental bliss on those overcome by intense lust,”⁴⁹⁷ producing great bliss everywhere. The meditation is practiced by holding enlightenment spirit at the tip of the penis or vagina,⁴⁹⁸ as the case may be, which produces the fourth, most intense, of the ecstasies, innate or orgasmic ecstasy.⁴⁹⁹ Tailoring the practice to the particular condition of the yogi or yoginī, the tantra concludes its discussion of the secret nose by stating that meditation on this drop “will be known as supreme yoga only by the single-minded greatly passionate.”⁵⁰⁰ Alaṁka describes “one with a greatly lustful mind” not as a person whose general condition or mindset is lustful, but “whoever is single-minded on the object of great passion.”⁵⁰¹

The “heart” or “central” nose tip is the eight petals of the heart chakra, which is used to meditate on “the mind of hatred,”⁵⁰² not necessarily that of someone with an anger management problem, but, Alaṁka notes, the mind “of those having the lineage of hatred,”⁵⁰³ referring to the Akshobhya thirty-two-deity mandala of the Esoteric Community Noble Tradition. Meditating on this nose tip produces intuition arising as the sound of mantra⁵⁰⁴ (in the form of the syllable A, according to Alaṁka)⁵⁰⁵ and purifies hatred, creating peace.⁵⁰⁶ The three main channels, left, right, and central (lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūti, called “moon,” “sun,” and “fire,” respectively)⁵⁰⁷ converge on the “face” nose tip, at the conventional nose, where the light or clear light drop is located. This drop is ordinarily suppressed by delusion, which is overcome by concentration on this nose tip. The clear light drop should be thought of by the yogi/nī as being the “commitment hero,” because of embodying the five energies and intuitions of the five buddhas.⁵⁰⁸

In order to enter the clear light drop,⁵⁰⁹ one meditates on the five primary energies arising through the breath moving in and out of the nostrils, as follows. In the first of the daily eight sessions,⁵¹⁰ one meditates on the ascending energy moving from the right nostril, red, the fire element, in the form of Amitābha; in the second, on the metabolic energy moving from the left nostril, green-yellow, the wind element, in the form of Amoghasiddi; in the third, on the evacuative energy⁵¹¹ moving strongly from both nostrils, pure yellow, the earth element, in the form of Ratnasambhava; and in the fourth, on the vitality energy slowly moving from both nostrils, “pure crystal” in color, the water element, in the form of Akshobhya.⁵¹² The last energy, the pervading, only circulates from the nostrils at death.⁵¹³

After noting how meditation on the clear light drop can be used for the accomplishment of various mundane attainments,⁵¹⁴ the Tantra reiterates that the three drops serve to liberate people controlled by anger, lust, or delusion, as the case may be,⁵¹⁵ and instructs the yogi/nī to retreat to “a pleasant place, adorned by flowers and water, on a mountaintop, apart from people,”⁵¹⁶ and meditate.

17. Yogic Time

The focus of chapter 16 is on the counting of the energies pursuant to the mahāyoga tantras, i.e., the Esoteric Community, without which one is doomed to wander in the three worlds. The “supreme yoga” can be achieved by one mastering the vitality energy, the “nature of all,”⁵¹⁷ described by Alaṁka as “the intrinsic nature of the most subtle particles,” “a form of emptiness.”⁵¹⁸ The guru’s instructions here are critical. In order to focus on these very subtle energies and to measure the various sessions of meditation on the energies, the yogi/nī must be able to discern various periods of time, from the gross (“the energies are like the six seasons of the year”)⁵¹⁹ to the extremely subtle (“the rising of bliss takes three split seconds”).⁵²⁰ These periods may differ, depending on whether they are “outer” (external) or “inner” (internal) — that is, whether they are functions of ordinary life, the seasons, and the clock, on the one hand, or of subjective meditative experience, “sensed [only] by yogi/nīs,”⁵²¹ on the other. The time periods in Table 7 are defined in this chapter of the Tantra and Alaṁka’s Commentary.⁵²² ⁵²³

TABLE 7: YOGIC TIME

Season (outer) | = | Approximately 60 days
(24-hour) Day (outer) | = | 60 (24-minute) hours [chu tsod, dbyu gu, or tsa sha ka]
1 (24-minute) “Hour” | = | 60 seconds [chu srang]
6 inhalation/exhalation* | = | 1 tsa sha
1 inhalation/exhalation | = | 6 moments (skad cig ma)
1 moment | = | 1 finger snap
1 moment | = | 3 instants (thang)
1 instant | = | 1 turning of a mustard seed in the hand
1 instant | = | 3 inner breaths
1 inner breath | = | A flash, a wink of an eye
A flash, a wink | = | 3 tsams
1 tsam | = | A clap of the hands
1 tsam | = | 3 arisings of bliss
3 arisings of bliss | = | The migration of the drop
4 hours (outer) | = | 1 moment of clear light (inner)**

* Taking one round of inhalation and exhalation as one unit.

** VR 30A–30B, ch. 16 vv. 1–13; Alaṁka 114B–116A

The context for this exposition of subtle periods of time is the perfection stage practice of sexual union, where the yogi and yoginī experience the rising of bliss resulting from the migration of the drop to the tips of their sexual organs in “three split seconds (tsam).” The process of this extremely subtle, intense practice is terrifying, even for the blissful yogi,⁵²⁴ who fears the abyss or emission,⁵²⁵ “the moment of doubt when he falls from a mountain peak.”⁵²⁶ This is the practical methodology for the union of bliss and the meditation on emptiness. Moreover, counting time is itself ecstatic; in each of the three times, past, present, and future, there are three parts, and those also are divisible: “To the extent one counts that much, thought becomes empty [and] nondual; one will attain supreme yoga.”⁵²⁷

Chapter 39 is about time, external and internal. In order to do the yoga of counting the energies, one must know the characteristics of time.⁵²⁸ The Tantra gives a number of examples of “good” and “bad” times, such as the golden age versus the present time of contention, but also characterizes times found in yogic practice.⁵²⁹ Of the four ecstasies, the first, “ecstasy,” second, “great ecstasy,” and fourth, “innate ecstasy” are “good times,” but the third, “transcendent ecstasy” or “free from ecstasy,” is a “bad time.”⁵³⁰ This is because, according to Alaṁka, while ecstasy and great ecstasy are “merely a little bliss” and “greater than that, the direct cause of the lineage tantra,” respectively, and innate ecstasy is “metaphorical in nature,” “free from ecstasy is explained as a bad time because it is the essence of losing bliss, and has a dispassionate nature, together with conceptuality.”⁵³¹ Inhaling and holding the breath are good times, while exhaling is a bad time.⁵³²

“Inconceivable time,”⁵³³ the “fourth moment” discussed in chapters 19, 20, and 39, that of “free from characteristics,”⁵³⁴ is expressed in the Tantra as “one time,” as in its beginning words, “This is just what I heard at that one time.” In this moment time is unitary, and one abandons great bliss as well as “intuition consciousness,”⁵³⁵ explained by Alaṁka as both kinds of the spirit of enlightenment.⁵³⁶ This fourth moment of inconceivable time is “free from expressed and expressing”⁵³⁷ because it is “free from the [third ecstasy], free from ecstasy together with the conceptuality of free from ecstasy.”⁵³⁸ One is “definitively liberated from passion and dispassion” “because one is free from emptiness and extreme emptiness”; one “abandons the state of great bliss” because one “is free from great emptiness.”⁵³⁹ The fourth moment is “the genuine basis of the great seal,” “because it has the nature of universal emptiness.”⁵⁴⁰

18. Birth and Death from the Subtle Body Perspective

Chapter 16, according to Alaṁka taking the perspective of the mahāyoga tantras,⁵⁴¹ is the first of several discussions in the Vajra Rosary of both ordinary birth and death from the perspective of the subtle body’s energies and how the yogi/nī overcomes this. The death or dissolution process commences when the evacuative energy⁵⁴² stirs up the addicted mind and becomes more powerful, causing the contraction of the sense media because the energies that function coterminously with them become weaker.⁵⁴³ Then the evacuative energy is consumed and the metabolic energy becomes preeminent, followed by the consumption of the metabolic energy as the aggregates contract and sounds are heard, with the ascending energy rising in power and the further contraction of the aggregates. Next, as actual death occurs, the vitality energy overcomes the ascending energy, as well as the pervading and subtle energies, obscuring consciousness in the moment of the discarding of the dead person’s aggregates as the vitality energy (here called the sending/holding energy), and mixes a little with energy in the bardo or between state.⁵⁴⁴ At this point, due to previous karmic instincts, one faints, although the yogi/nī meditating on the two stages, or on the thatness of mantra and energy, or on the six inhalations and exhalations may be able to avoid this.⁵⁴⁵ The vitality energy then dissolves, along with consciousness, demonstrating, says Alaṁka, the identity of the two.⁵⁴⁶

The Tantra then discusses how the yogi/nī may avoid ordinary death by attaining a vajra body. First, given the short lifespan of people in this time, the yogi/nī is advised to achieve longevity. Then, in terms of the actual internal practice, the yogi/nī is instructed to assume the meditation posture, touch the tongue to the middle of the palate, and silently repeat mantra to melt the enlightenment spirit, “drinking” or experiencing this elixir “by applying the flowing evacuative energy.”⁵⁴⁷ The yogi recites mantra one-pointedly in this way for the third session of the night, 12–2 a.m., making the vajra body. The mantra for this purpose is elliptically indicated in the Tantra, and spelled out by Alaṁka, as GAḤ.⁵⁴⁸ The external practice involves preparation of an elixir, which is fairly exactly described, in a vessel of particular composition, which should be imbibed at bedtime while saying the appropriate mantras. Doing this for six months will result in the arising of the vajra body in the yogi, for whom there is long life, no disease, and no shortage of attractive consorts.⁵⁴⁹

Chapter 32 continues the discussion of the subtle biology of rebirth and birth: how the ten main energies arise and develop before and at conception, in the embryo and as the person matures. The person seeking rebirth thinks he knows the “opportune time” and place.⁵⁵⁰ The text from Alaṁka adds, “[But], it is deceiving.”⁵⁵¹ In the bardo or between consciousness, the fundamental consciousness (ālayavijñāna), which goes from life to life, includes the instincts from previous karma constituting the addicted mentality (kliṣṭamanas), “like a sleeping snake.”⁵⁵² There, the person-to-be mistakenly sees other forms⁵⁵³ as a result of the activity of the vitality energy, which is “like a shadow” for the bardo being.⁵⁵⁴

At conception, consciousness is born from the mixing of the fundamental consciousness and addicted mentality from the bardo with the semen and ovum. The fundamental consciousness carries the instincts. In the first month, the addicted mind takes the form of a fish; in the second, mixed with the mother’s blood, the vitality energy splits into two, upper and lower, life energy and evacuative, and the embryo has the form of a tortoise; in the third, as a mass of evacuative energy dries up, the ascending energy comes into existence and the fetus looks like a wild pig; in the fourth month, the ascending energy faces downward and the pervading energy arises, the fetus in the form of a lion; in the fifth month, the fetus’s blood and semen having increased, the metabolic energy arises, in the form of fire, and the equalizing and pervading energies radiate, causing the body to move and completing the formation of the five aggregates; in the sixth month, the pervading energy produces the dragon energy and the earth element produces the two eyes;⁵⁵⁵ in the seventh month, the dragon energy produces the tortoise energy and the water element produces the ear hole;⁵⁵⁶ in the eighth month, fire creates the nostrils and the tortoise energy produces the lizard energy, which causes one to have a sense of self-awareness; in the ninth month, the wind element produces the sensation of taste and touch, and the lizard energy produces the devadatta energy; and in the tenth month, the devadatta energy produces the dhanujit energy, which gathers all of the energies.⁵⁵⁷

The above discussion concerns ordinary beings; in the context of a buddha manifesting an emanation body, the ten months of fetal development are the ten knowledges and ten bodhisattva stages.⁵⁵⁸ In this case, the Tantra says, “the child becomes a perfect buddha.”⁵⁵⁹

Following chapter 32’s discussion of the subtle biology of birth and growth, chapter 33 presents the subtle biology of death: how the ten main energies transform and are consumed at the end of life. As the energies arose, they disappear, “like the setting of the sun.”⁵⁶⁰ After ten years,⁵⁶¹ the intoxicated by arrogance energy overcomes⁵⁶² the dhanujit energy,⁵⁶³ increasing blood and flesh in the child; after another ten years (at age twenty), the expanding water energy (a form of the metabolic energy)⁵⁶⁴ arises, increasing semen and fat in the young person, overcoming the devadatta branch energy. At age thirty, the water of expansion energy (a form of the ascending energy) arises, overcoming the branch lizard energy, causing the increase of fire and wind. At age forty, the great sending/holding energy (the vitality energy) overcomes the branch tortoise energy. At this point the vitality and dragon (ascending)⁵⁶⁵ energies are both powerful, so they coexist. By age fifty, however, the blind, sending/holding, and great power energies overcome the dragon energy in stages. By age sixty, the arrogance and intoxication energy (evacuative)⁵⁶⁶ has overcome the sending/holding vitality energy, causing the increase of blood and flesh. By age seventy, the intoxicated water energy completely overcomes the vitality and ascending energies, and fat and saliva increase. By age eighty, the vitality energy again arises and consumes the ascending energy, causing fire and wind to increase. The Vajra Rosary says that at this point, due to the transformation of the vitality energy, “great enjoyment increases.”⁵⁶⁷ But then, by age ninety, the body becomes heavy because the pervading energy starts to go, and the water and wind elements in the body start to mix. Finally, by the age of one hundred years, one’s vitality is exhausted, and you die.⁵⁶⁸

19. The Chakras and the Channels

The focus of chapter 17 is the description of the six chakras according to the yoginī tantras:⁵⁶⁹ great bliss (crown); wind (between the eyebrows); enjoyment (throat); fire (between throat and heart); reality or dharma (heart); and emanation (navel). In the six chakras there are all together 129⁵⁷⁰ channels, as follows: great bliss — thirty-two; wind — six; enjoyment — sixteen; fire — three; reality — eight; emanation — sixty-four. The Tantra names each of these channels, much as it had named the energies and conceptualities in chapter 3, and Alaṁka discusses the names of the channels of the navel and heart chakras, but not the others.⁵⁷¹ Some additional attention is given to a description of the wind chakra at the forehead and fire chakra below the throat.⁵⁷² Because these chakra channels are the basis for the yogi/nī’s body, it is crucial that they be identified and meditated on: “Without ascertaining the stages of the channels, without the aggregates (of the body), the yogi/nī cannot achieve great intuition.”⁵⁷³ The channels should be meditated on as having the form of deities, who are named in chapter 27 of the Tantra.

The Vajra Rosary then moves to the process of the functioning of the channels in perfection stage practice, in the bardo following the yogi/nī’s death and in the creation of a buddha. First, the production of enlightenment spirit in tantric consort yogic practice is described, with the blazing of fire, i.e., tummo, in the navel and fire chakras, which causes the falling of great bliss/female hormonal fluid and enlightenment spirit in the left and right main channels, respectively.⁵⁷⁴ The Tantra then describes the role the main channels play in the bardo, when the former yogi/nī, now in the between, under the influence of previous karma and the wish to emanate, conceives lust for the mother, resulting in the arising of the seed of the new person and the resultant birth. Finally, however, as Alaṁka makes clear, the internal holding of enlightenment spirit during highest-level perfection stage tantric consort yoga creates supreme intuition and supreme bliss, and the channels do not arise.⁵⁷⁵

The subject of chapter 18 is the enumeration of the channels within the chakras, their emanation and expansion, and their dissolution. The total number of channels within the body is derived by taking the eight groups of letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, multiplying them by the three of the four main chakras other than the crown chakra to yield twenty-four, multiplying again by the trio of body, speech, and mind, yielding seventy-two, then multiplying again by one thousand, amounting to a total of seventy-two thousand,⁵⁷⁶ whose nature is the letter A, objective reality.⁵⁷⁷ In the “deity stage,” presumably the creation stage, the yogi/nī visualizes each of the channels as deities, in the nature of action consorts.⁵⁷⁸ The chapter then transitions to a discussion of thirty-two channels, in the crown chakra and also by multiplying the eight principal channels of the four main chakras. This also relates to the yogic practice of analyzing the eight collections of consciousness in eight sessions, and to the thirty-two Sanskrit letters.⁵⁷⁹

Chapter 27 names and describes the goddesses who embody the channels in the chakras: sixty-four in the navel chakra, eight in the heart, sixteen in the throat, and thirty-two in the crown chakra.⁵⁸⁰ The names have the same colloquial flavor as found in the names of the channels and conceptualities described in chapter 3. All of the goddesses have three faces and six arms and sit in the half-lotus bodhisattva posture,⁵⁸¹ and each is a member of one of the five buddha clans, explained by Alaṁka as having the symbolic attribution or purification embodied in that clan.⁵⁸² Only fifty-six goddesses are named in the navel chakra; to obtain the total of sixty-four to correspond to the number of channels, the Tantra says “the count is always increased by eight.”⁵⁸³ They hold various implements whose significance is explained by Alaṁka: various vajras in their right hand, along with a wheel and a jewel, and in the left hand blue lotus flowers and a sword. They are smiling,⁵⁸⁴ which causes bliss to increase, with Amoghasiddhi on their crowns,⁵⁸⁵ and are of different colors, depending on their buddha clan.⁵⁸⁶ Putting the name of each goddess in the three-syllable mantra,⁵⁸⁷ one makes offerings to each, causing them “to make [them] bestow the reality of desire,”⁵⁸⁸ the character of a buddha.⁵⁸⁹

Corresponding with the channels in and the center of the heart lotus, nine goddesses sit in the heart chakra, also with three faces and six hands, in the bodhisattva posture, blue in complexion, three-eyed, fangs slightly bared,⁵⁹⁰ with vajra, wheel, and jewel in the right hand and sword, lotus, and bell in the left. The sixteen goddesses of the channels in the throat chakra have a lotus, wheel, and vajra in their right hand and sword, bell, and jewel in their left and are red in color, sitting on sun disks.⁵⁹¹ The thirty-two goddesses of the crown chakra channels are white and sit on moon disks. With peaceful expressions, they carry a wheel, hook, and vajra in their right and a lotus, lasso, and jewel in their left hand. They are dancing and have Vairochana on their crowns.⁵⁹² One offers the mantras of each of the goddesses in all four chakras in a similar fashion. They are delighted by the offerings made to them, and “intoxicated” by the sexual union of the yogi and yoginī.⁵⁹³

Chapter 28 follows chapter 27 closely and concerns the channel goddesses, explaining when and how the deities arise in the channels, which are “the supreme yoga of the channels . . . the source of all attainments,”⁵⁹⁴ embodying the tantric way of using desire to engage the world. The arising of the deities follows from the sense media engaging with sense objects as a result of previous karmic instincts, which wakes them up.⁵⁹⁵ Without the stirring of these previous instincts and the sense media engaging in sense objects, “the channels will not arise” and “the deities, for that reason, will not truly awaken.”⁵⁹⁶ Consonant with this, “actual bliss” “in the middle of the heart center” is achieved “through the form of the grasped and the grasping” of the sense and mental powers and their objects.⁵⁹⁷

In chapter 29, more detail is given about the channels and chakras, in the context of producing ecstasy according to the yoginī tantras. The cause of ecstasy relates to the sixteen “intermediate” channels (mtshams kyi rtsa), so called because they emanate from the center of the chakra in the intermediate directions,⁵⁹⁸ four of which are located in each of the four main four chakras.⁵⁹⁹Alaṁka says that “just as the lotus is pervaded by the subtle essence of [its] sinews, so the intermediate channels are pervaded by the ecstasies, etc.”⁶⁰⁰

Chapter 30 continues the discussion of the channels, but primarily focusing on the three main channels in the “stable vajra body,”⁶⁰¹ which refers here to the third of the five perfection stages, illusory body.⁶⁰² Energy flows through the 1,024 channels in the form of “blood,” “sun,” or, per Alaṁka, rdul, rajas, or “energy.”⁶⁰³ Enlightenment spirit flows in the left main channel; blood and sun flow in the right; and when the energy moves in the central channel, one will experience it as fire.⁶⁰⁴ The yogi/nī practices the stage of “spreading” (spro ba) the three channels, developing them in eight sessions, and reaches the ecstatic awareness of 72,000 channels.⁶⁰⁵ Then the yogi/nī practices making the three main channels, lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūti, become one.⁶⁰⁶ It is difficult to do this; “abandoning the sound drop is the secret foundation of all bliss,” harking back to chapter 23’s description of the dissolution of the syllable HŪṀ, as Alaṁka notes that the sound drop consists “of substance and echo.”⁶⁰⁷

In chapter 31, the Tantra explains the three “intermediate channels,” referring to the three main channels as they pass through the crown chakra.⁶⁰⁸ Practicing deity intuition, mantra, and the yoga of analyzing the conceptual energy-winds,⁶⁰⁹ one unites the purities of mind, speech, and body, and has the bliss of the triple-hero practice.⁶¹⁰ Like the roots of a tree, the three main channels in the crown chakra anchor the 72,000 channels of the body and the aggregates and elements.⁶¹¹ Their purification, “resulting from seeing the nature of the three channels, becomes the three doors of liberation: emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.”⁶¹²

The three channels unite in the heart chakra, “because it is the place of the mind located in the heart lotus,”⁶¹³ and become one, manifested as three in yogic perception as the purities of the falling of blood, semen, and fire in the body.⁶¹⁴ When they unite, “they have the character of an eclipse; when applied a little, the character of a partial eclipse.”⁶¹⁵ These are the signs of ordinary death.⁶¹⁶ “For liberation from birth and death, one should definitively know the three channels as the main one,” the central channel.⁶¹⁷ The yogi/nī knows this from the extensive yoginī tantras.⁶¹⁸

Chapter 37 focuses on the disappearance of the channels. The channels arise when the sense powers are joined with the sense objects,⁶¹⁹ “produced by the union of mental engagement and energy-wind.”⁶²⁰ This gives rise to the instinctual natures⁶²¹ and the 108 conceptual energies and the constant return to the cycle of birth, old age, sickness, and death.⁶²² The way to break the cycle is by de-reifying the sense powers and their objects through the intuition that purifies them of their “thingness.”⁶²³ This is accomplished by understanding that things are “devoid of any ultimate nature” through the standard techniques of meditating on emptiness, such as “[neither] one [nor] many,” the diamond slivers, etc.⁶²⁴ When one does this, the channels disappear.⁶²⁵

Chapter 42 describes how the vajra, with the nature of the five buddha intuitions, “dissolves into the five channels,” which Alaṁka explains are the lalanā, rasanā, avadhūti, devadatta, and dhanujit.⁶²⁶ These channels have the nature of the five intuitions and of purifying the five elements,⁶²⁷ and are expressed by the seed syllables AM, RAM, LAM, BAM, and YAM.⁶²⁸

In chapter 47, the Tantra refers to the eight rasas, “moods,” famous in Sanskrit literature since the Nātyaśastra,⁶²⁹ but in the context of the particular channels that produce certain effects in the yogi/nī, associated with the eight moods discussed in the literature. The next-to-last verse of the chapter says that “knowing as the moods of erotic, etc., awakens the process described above,”⁶³⁰ in which the yogi/nī experiences the effects of trembling, etc. When the partial arrogance channel⁶³¹ is filled in the context of the ecstasies, the yogi/nī trembles, the erotic mood.⁶³² The destruction by arrogance channel⁶³³ causes the body hairs of the abdomen to stand up, showing what might be the terrifying mood.⁶³⁴ The nasara channel⁶³⁵ causes the burning of the abdomen, which produces floating, which could be associated with the humorous mood.⁶³⁶ Development of the tortoise channel⁶³⁷ causes the changing of colors, which could be associated with the marveling mood.⁶³⁸ Development of the great head channel⁶³⁹ causes fainting and pain, suggesting the mood of revulsion.⁶⁴⁰ Opening the great ’ur ’ur channel⁶⁴¹ makes one’s hair stand on end, the mood of terror. Developing the great ecstasy channel⁶⁴² “causes tears to drip,” consistent with the compassionate mood. And opening the great intoxication channel,⁶⁴³ which causes the vitality energy to dissolve, leading one to “experience trance, no-mind, and great bliss,”⁶⁴⁴ would be the last of the eight moods, the heroic.⁶⁴⁵

Chapter 57 is focused on the body, but from the point of view of the yoginī tantras, where the channels are the goddesses, “pervaded by bliss, expressed as the [male] deities.”⁶⁴⁶ The four moments of ecstasy and sexual activity from flirting to orgasm are explained as goddesses, as is the external consort, the yoginī, who rouses the channels of the body.⁶⁴⁷

20. The Buddha Clans

In chapter 43, the Tantra discusses the various buddha clans, starting with the five main ones in the Root Tantra,⁶⁴⁸ “in order to afford access to the element of living beings who are pervaded by the five addictions.”⁶⁴⁹ The Vajra Rosary then notes that they are also divided into one hundred clans, but all can be expressed as Vajrasattva. There are countless ways of enumerating the clans in accord with the various addictions and inclinations of sentient beings.⁶⁵⁰ There are as many buddhas as there are channels, which, during the perfection stage, are reduced from 72,000 in stages by dividing by the one hundred clans and the twenty-four places until there are the three main channels that merge into the central channel, which then dissolves into clear light great bliss.⁶⁵¹

21. The Body Mandala

In both the creation and perfection stages the yogi/nī imagines his or her body in the form of a deity or deities and then transforms their body into a mansion containing all of the Esoteric Community deities, here numbered thirty-two. Chapter 18 discusses the thirty-two deities of the Esoteric Community body mandala, the mandala of the creation stage, and how the process of dissolution of the yogi/nī’s body mandala proceeds, with the sense media bodhisattvas such as Kshitigarbha absorbing into the corresponding sense object goddesses such as Rūpavajrā and the elemental goddesses such as Lochanā dissolving into their corresponding buddha, such as Vairochana, as Alaṁka explains, “because the objective reality is not different from the phenomena.”⁶⁵² The five buddhas themselves dissolve into the three vajras of body, speech, and mind,⁶⁵³ and then into the singular reality/bliss.⁶⁵⁴ Here the Vajra Rosary also further describes dissolution as proceeding “into mere letter,” which Alaṁka explains means “the mere form of experience, your own mind,” then into “the drop,” explained as “inexpressibility, with the nature of subtlety and knowing,” then into “sound,” meaning “natural clear light that is like resonating sound,” then into “clear light,” explained as “the thatness of emptiness that is free from all elaboration,”⁶⁵⁵ and synonymous with “stainless enlightenment spirit, the great peace of Vajrasattva, wonderful nondual intuition, the bliss of the fourth consecration and the supreme state of the four ecstasies.”⁶⁵⁶

Chapter 45 summarizes in part the body mandala of the Esoteric Community Noble Tradition, but only places a few of the thirty-two deities at particular parts of the body. The five aggregates are the five buddhas: form is the “Victor of Victors,” JINAJIK (Vairochana); consciousness the “Vajra Holder,” VAJRADHṚK (Akshobhya); sensation the “Jewel Holder,” RATNADHṚK (Ratnasambhava); perception “Crossing over from Cyclic Existence,” AROLIK (Amitābha); and compositional factors the “Intuition Holder,” PRAJÑĀDHṚK (Amoghasiddhi).⁶⁵⁷ The elements are: earth as “Ignorance Ecstasy,” MOHARATĪ (Lochanā); water as “Hatred Ecstasy,” DVESHARATĪ (Māmakī); fire as “Passion Ecstasy,” RĀGARATĪ (Pāṇḍaravāsinī); wind as “Vajra Ecstasy,” VAJRARATĪ (Tāra); and space as Vajradhatuishvarī.⁶⁵⁸ The five sense goddesses are: form as Rūpavajrā; sound, Shabdavajrā; scent, Gandhavajrā; taste, Rasavajrā; touch as Sparshavajrā; and space as Vajradhatvishvarī. The sense media are the bodhisattvas: the eyes are Kshitigarbha; ears, Vajrapāni; nose, Ākāshagarbha; tongue, Lokeshvara; body, Avaranaviskambini; mind, Samantabhadra; and the channels as Maitreya. Supreme intuition is Mañjushrī, and “the entities of the body”⁶⁵⁹ are the ten terrifics.⁶⁶⁰

In chapter 64, the body mandala of Esoteric Community practice is described in detail, with the deities of the noble tradition mandala placed on the body of the guru. As the Fourteenth Dalai Lama writes:

The origins of the instructions on the Lama Choepa (guru yoga) practice are traced back to the explanatory tantra called Vajramāla, in which the visualization of the mandala deities on the guru’s body as explained according to Guhyasamaja and Heruka has great merit and advantages.⁶⁶¹

The five male and four female buddhas are described as sitting in the various aggregates and elements, respectively.⁶⁶² The bodhisattvas are placed on the sense organs, with Mañjughosha placed on the mental faculty and Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin “on the lump with the nature of the four elements.”⁶⁶³ The terrifics are placed at the root of the hands, shoulders, mouth, secret place, knees, top of the head, and bottom of the feet.⁶⁶⁴ The beginning of the chapter explains that the enlightenment spirit in the thirty-two channels in the crown chakra constitutes the body mandala;⁶⁶⁵ the division of the parts of the letters forms the speech mandala, with twenty-seven members;⁶⁶⁶ and the distinguishing of “the instincts of desire,” etc., is the mind mandala, with twenty-eight parts.⁶⁶⁷

Chapter 68 also describes how the yogi/nī’s body transforms into the measureless mansion, very similar to the performance script (sādhana) in use today, with parts of the yogi/nī’s body corresponding to, or becoming, the parts of the mansion, e.g., “the shins, thighs, biceps, and forearms are explained as the eight pillars, eye consciousness as the mirrors,”⁶⁶⁸ with the mind “stated as the central lotus, the conceptual energy as the perfect support.”⁶⁶⁹ The parts of the human body are analyzed in terms of their corresponding elements and buddha clans,⁶⁷⁰ and then various places in ancient India are put in correspondence with parts of the yogi/nī’s body.⁶⁷¹

22. The Three Luminances

In ordinary death, first the coarse body dissolves (earth, water, fire, wind, then consciousness); then the subtle body dissolves, and a trained yogi/nī can perceive the so-called three luminances: luminance (āloka, snang ba), radiance (ālokābhāsa, snang ba mched pa), and imminence (ālokopalabdha, snang ba nye bar thob pa or nyer thob). These states are employed by the yogi/nī, particularly in mind isolation, as part of the overcoming and reversal of the most subtle instincts and propensities, the elimination of which is necessary to approach buddhahood.⁶⁷²

Chapter 51, entitled “Explaining Night and Day in Detail,” is short, profound, and not really about the night or the day.⁶⁷³ The first verse says, “One should know the night,” says the Vajra Lord, “as wisdom.” And, “When one has dissolved all the elements, they go, and the aspect of the night becomes as a moon — The moon character of nirvana.”⁶⁷⁴ This refers to the yogic process of attaining liberation through the steps of dissolution that are practiced in the creation stage, then actually done in the perfection stage, where the elements and corresponding deities are dissolved, followed by the dissolution of the subtle body into luminance, whose subjectivity is described as a moonlit night sky, radiance or sunlight, imminence or complete darkness, followed by clear light.⁶⁷⁵ The moon can also refer to the beatific body (sambhogakāya), a body made of energy, in which the yogi/nī arises after simulated or real death and from which, out of compassion, she or he will emanate in the forms of buddhas, etc.⁶⁷⁶

The second verse points out that there are two types of wisdom — here referring to enlightenment — ”conventional and ultimate,” and that “one should know conventional [truths] as objects of knowledge,” reminding us not to get carried away with worldly truths. That being said, the Tantra tells us that “ultimate [wisdom] abandons tangible objects,” which refers to the beatific body, in which form the yogi/nī/buddha cannot interact with ordinary beings and things. Blissful as that state may be, the Vajra Rosary says, there is a problem: “And that bliss of freedom from tangible objects is supreme bliss, hard to attain.”

The solution is found in the third verse: “The day is explained as means,” completing the wisdom/skillful or artful means pairing. “At that time the real thing is born: the sun.”⁶⁷⁷ Lest there be any doubt to whom this refers, the Tantra adds, “He always becomes the Lord of the bhaga.”⁶⁷⁸ So, as means, the yogi/buddha arises from the beatific body into the emanation body, and is born in human form as a buddha and can now interact with the world.

The interaction between the moon, beatific body, and the sun, emanation body, is explained by the fourth verse: “The worldly aspect becomes the sun. From the sun, the moon is born.” This refers to the crucial fact that all evolution takes place in the world, where “touch” is indeed found, where the teachings of a buddha can be heard and give rise to the evolution of others who practice the perfection stage, attain liberation, then emanate to continue the cycle. The moon and the sun, the Tantra says, are in reality nondual. “But, in order to blaze, he becomes the sun.”⁶⁷⁹

Finally, again lest we be carried away into thinking that any of this has any inherent super-reality and isn’t entirely empty, in the last verse of the chapter the Tantra says: “The ultimate that is the object of analysis and the body that is free from passion, supremely subtle, invisible and empty, the peaceful state of clear light, really are not located anywhere.”⁶⁸⁰

The next chapter, 52, is concerned with “Explaining the Vowels and Consonants in Detail,” but here the Tantra is not talking about grammar. Rather, the vowels are luminance⁶⁸¹ and the consonants radiance, “produced from the clear light state.”⁶⁸² “From the secret joining of these two,⁶⁸³ great bliss is produced in the center, ‘the vowel-consonant commitment.’”⁶⁸⁴ Although the Vajra Rosary provides no further details on this practice, Tsong Khapa notes that “you will achieve the clear light of retention . . . with the yoga of the subtle vowels and consonants abiding in the navel channel.”⁶⁸⁵

Having described the “night and day” in chapter 51 as luminance and radiance, respectively, in chapter 53 the Tantra turns to “twilight” or the “interval” (mtshams). The context here is the very final stages of the enlightenment process, particularly the fourth of the five stages, manifest enlightenment (abhisaṁbodhi).⁶⁸⁶

The twilight is the very instant, so subtle as to be “inconceivable,”⁶⁸⁷ before manifest enlightenment. It is “free from light and nonlight,”⁶⁸⁸ i.e., it is visible and invisible, apparent and nonapparent. It arises from the intuition vajra,⁶⁸⁹ “the supremely peaceful place at the peak of the knot, like the core of a pea.”⁶⁹⁰ Though the twilight is not going completely to the end,⁶⁹¹ it is this instant — “twilight” or the “interval” — that “purifies cyclic life”⁶⁹² and, in particular, purifies the consummate sense experience of union with “Vajradhara’s queen,” as it purifies the interval between this life and the next one for any sentient being.⁶⁹³

“Deathlessly born from the vajra and lotus,” i.e., from tantric consort yoga, “moon and the sun perfectly commingled,” mixing with luminance and radiance and “abiding in the center,” with the left and right main channels.⁶⁹⁴ Because at this stage the “Night Lord,” i.e., enlightenment spirit, arises, “the upper state,” perhaps referring to the vitality energy remaining at the peak of the knot, “remains.”⁶⁹⁵

23. Etymology as Esoteric Instruction

The Vajra Rosary is most well known, via the PU, for its etymological analysis of the first forty syllables of the Tantra, which are almost the same as the Esoteric Community Root Tantra. That is not, however, the only place where the Tantra employs this technique.

In chapter 48, the Tantra explores the esoteric meanings of the word ahaṁ, Sanskrit for “I,” another of the Vajra Rosary’s many ways to liberation: “Whoever perfectly knows the support of the word ‘I’ exhausts the fetters of the wheel of A HAṀ, the character of the fetters of cyclic life.”⁶⁹⁶

A, “supreme among all things,”⁶⁹⁷ “best among emanation bodies, expert in accomplishing all goals, it is the exhalation of the transcendent lords.”⁶⁹⁸ HAṀ “dwell[s] in the body but does not produce the body . . . abandon[ing] all forms . . . the reality of the truth body.”⁶⁹⁹ It is “the out-breath of Vajradhara’s mind, free from accomplishing any goals.”⁷⁰⁰ HAṀ is located at the hairline, and “shines a thousand rays of light,” coming from A at the navel.⁷⁰¹ A is the vitality energy and HAṀ the evacuative.⁷⁰² When A and HAṀ come together, there is cyclic life, which is therefore known as “A HAṀ.”⁷⁰³ Yet, “dwelling free from conceptuality, A HAṀ is not located anywhere.”⁷⁰⁴

Chapters 58 and 59 explain the first words of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra. Chapter 58 starts with the first word, EVAṀ, Sanskrit for “This is just what” or “Thus,” as in “Thus have I heard,” the beginning words of many tantras and sutras.⁷⁰⁵ Starting with the classic sutra definition, E is explained as emptiness, VAṀ as compassion.⁷⁰⁶ Moving to the tantric sphere, the union of E and VAṀ yields a “drop,” the product of “miraculous supreme yoga.”⁷⁰⁷ E is Buddha and VAṀ the Dharma seal; E is the support, the lotus or vagina, and VAṀ the supported, the vajra or penis.⁷⁰⁸ In E, the “secret realm of space or the lotus triangular vagina,” sits VAṀ, Vajrasattva, who also represents Yamāntaka, Heruka, Kālachakra, the Primordial Buddha, and so on.⁷⁰⁹ “For whomever there is no such reality” — the reality of E and VAṀ — the Tantra concludes here, “there is no reality at all.”⁷¹⁰

Chapter 59, due to its exegesis in Chandrakīrti’s PU,⁷¹¹ is the most famous part of the Vajra Rosary, and the only chapter, at least to my present knowledge, for which we have a significant portion in Sanskrit. Here, the Tantra explains the first forty syllables of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra: Evaṁ mayā śrutam ekasmin samaye bhagavān sarvatathāgata kāya vāk citta hṛdayavajrayoṣidbhageṣu vijahāra, “This is just what I heard at that one time. The Lord was dwelling in the vaginas of the vajra queens, the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all the transcendent lords.”⁷¹² The verses explain the full range of perfection and creation stage practice in the Esoteric Community system.

It was not for nothing that Alex Wayman subtitled his book on the subject The Arcane Lore of the Forty Verses, because without the guidance of commentary, they are indeed difficult to understand.⁷¹³ Here the difficulties of translating are most manifest. In many cases, the Tibetan verse is lyrical and not particularly grammatical. Although we have the PU version, or at least a PU version, of the Sanskrit, it is difficult to give the PU Sanskrit version of the Vajra Rosary verses in chapter 59 priority over the Tibetan translation because, even though the Vajra Rosary was expressed (in written or oral form) in Sanskrit before it was translated into Tibetan, the eleventh-century translators and the fourteenth-century commentators like Tsong Khapa probably had many more versions of the Sanskrit than we do. Thus, even though my intent here is to represent the Vajra Rosary as much as possible as it was found by Mantrakalasha for Zhiwa Ö without later (perhaps apologetic) commentary, the commentary is very helpful in making sense of the verses. However, we must remember that it is commentary from hundreds of years after the recovery of the text, and does not necessarily reflect the principal meaning intended by the author(s).

Each of the Sanskrit verses corresponding to the forty syllables has the syllable in question in the first word of the commentary, a fine mnemonic device.⁷¹⁴ The first syllable, E, is “holy intuition, the nature of the moment of aversion,”⁷¹⁵ recalling the third ecstasy, transcendent ecstasy, and the moment of overcoming, described in chapter 20 of the Vajra Rosary. In his detailed interwoven commentary on the PU (“PU Annotations”) Tsong Khapa notes that this refers to the first stage of the dissolution of the subtle body, luminance, and in particular to the thirty-three instinctual natures associated with aversion.⁷¹⁶ The second syllable, VAṀ, refers to “[artful] method” or “[skillful] means” (thabs, upāya), the “consciousness that is clear radiance, like erect bamboo . . . giving rise to lust,”⁷¹⁷ explained by the PU and Tsong Khapa as the second stage of subtle body dissolution, when the forty instinctual natures associated with attachment become predominant after the dissolution of those of aversion.⁷¹⁸

MA, the third syllable of the nidāna, expresses ignorance, “the very root of great knowledge,”⁷¹⁹ which Tsong Khapa explains is the third of the subtle body dissolutions, or, going in reverse from clear light in the birth process, the first step in reincarnation, imminence, with its seven instinctual natures.⁷²⁰ Going in reverse toward birth, the other luminances, radiance and luminance, arise in turn. YĀ describes luminance, “the name of that first of the three consciousnesses of migrators,” which transforms into “great emptiness,” i.e., imminence, and then into “clear light.”⁷²¹ SHRŪ again equates the three subtle consciousnesses of luminance, radiance, and imminence with the root of the instinctual natures of all sentient beings.⁷²² TAM represents the rise of the energies in the reverse order, that of birth, that grasps the five sensory objects of each luminance.⁷²³

E is the great element of energy, which is the mount of the three luminance consciousnesses and propels them as they take the form of the instinctual natures, as explained in more detail in chapter 32 of the Vajra Rosary.⁷²⁴ KA continues the description of the progress of the embryo, with consciousness combining with the four elements.⁷²⁵ SMIN stands for the five elements becoming the five aggregates, SA for the five intuitions, and MA for the five sense media.⁷²⁶

What appears to be a description of dissolution of the subtle body followed by reincarnation of the subtle followed by the gross body is now followed by a reference to vitality control, prāṇāyāma, in the verse on YE, which, assuming there is a carefully scripted order to these verses,⁷²⁷ would be the key to understanding the sequence up to this point as being one of yogic practice, of simulated dissolution.⁷²⁸ YE describes the practice of vitality control, done in conjunction with the silent recitation of OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ.⁷²⁹

BHA⁷³⁰ represents how, from the three luminances,⁷³¹ the instinctual natures again arise, and depending on virtuous or nonvirtuous karma, birth in a good or bad state follows.⁷³² GA identifies the five aggregates with the five buddhas and the “five types of manifest enlightenment.”⁷³³ With VĀN, “one with the three natural intuitions” knows the four elements as the four elemental goddesses, Lochanā, etc., “bestowing the buddha enlightenment.”⁷³⁴ SA represents the bodies of the transcendent lords, and the bodhisattvas associated with the six sense media, Kshitigharba, etc., in the Esoteric Community mandala and body mandala.⁷³⁵ RVA describes the ten terrifics in their places in the mandala and body mandala,⁷³⁶ and TA makes the crucial point that “the different gods and goddesses do not exist, yet are taught for the sake of living beings.”⁷³⁷

Thus, with THĀ the yogi/nī, experiencing the three luminances, should contemplate all kinds of sense objects.⁷³⁸ With GA the sense powers of the yogi/nī go to their respective objects, both being “mere luminance,”⁷³⁹ the experience of which, according to Tsong Khapa, is “just the mere bliss void inseparable intuition of the three luminances.”⁷⁴⁰ Logically following from this, with TA, when the sense power reaches its object, the yogi/nī should make an offering.⁷⁴¹ KĀ states that in the creation stage⁷⁴² the three buddha bodies, Dharmakāya truth body, Sambhogakāya beatific body, and Nirmānakāya emanation body are taught as different, but in the perfection stage “they transform into one.”⁷⁴³ YA represents the purification of those seemingly different and conventionally true characteristics of the body of a buddha (per Tsong Khapa’s PU Annotations, the illusory body)⁷⁴⁴ through immersion in the clear light consciousness of the perfection stage.⁷⁴⁵ This purified illusory body, “the very object of the path of words,” i.e., mantra or vajra recitation, as VĀK, has “the nature of intuition” and “in order to benefit sentient beings, manifests just like a rainbow.”⁷⁴⁶ With CIT, the correspondences of the three luminances are explored: luminance as mind (citta, sems), intuition, and emptiness; radiance as mental function (caitasika, sems byung) and great emptiness; and imminence as ignorance and transcendent emptiness.⁷⁴⁷ And TA explains that the yogi/nī, knowing the nature of the three luminances and the instinctual natures abandoned with each, should then engage in the “conduct” (caryā, spyod pa)⁷⁴⁸ and thus will attain the vajra body.⁷⁴⁹

HṚ (in Tibetan, HRI) describes the emanation body, in which the Transcendent Lord “lives conventionally . . . practicing desire just as he wishes,”⁷⁵⁰ and with DA, “one will practice by taking up with force the perfection of the buddhas.”⁷⁵¹ Similarly, with YA, the “prince of yogis can do whatever he wants without obstruction,” always remaining entranced by the “yoga of non-entrancement.”⁷⁵² With VA, “by uniting vajra and lotus, one knows the parts of the three intuitions,⁷⁵³ . . . and always lives in bliss,”⁷⁵⁴ and in JRA, “by illusion-like concentration, one plays with everything.”⁷⁵⁵ YO is, not surprisingly, for yoga,⁷⁵⁶ particularly, according to the PU, the yoga of the illusory body.⁷⁵⁷ SHĪ because one has also accomplished the cessations, abandoning activity and nonactivity.⁷⁵⁸ Here the Lhasa Vajra Rosary adds the syllable BHE, lacking in the PU, which assimilates it to the discussion of SHĪD, stating that “just as the lotus is untainted by mud, one’s reality will not be corrupted.”⁷⁵⁹

BHA concerns itself with the yogin as a member of a buddha clan: “The great soul engages with the intuition body in all worldly realms.”⁷⁶⁰ GE states that the yogi/nī’s home is “space itself,” where “by entrancement in great bliss, s/he always plays in reality,” and SHU explains that the conventions of twilight, day, and night luminances are used to express the three intuitive wisdoms.⁷⁶¹ These verses show the yogi/nī, in the state of integration or communion, reentering the world of beings and conventional truth. There, with VI, the yogi/nī along with ordinary people uses conventional names that arise from the three intuitive wisdoms; with JA, experiences the betweens of birth, death, and after-death, all of which is really the energy of mind; with HA, experiences the various moods and mantra and tantra; and, finally, with RA, experiences self-consecration, with the form of natural clear light.⁷⁶²

24. The Five Stages and (Two Systems of) Six Yogas of the Perfection Stage

According to the seminal commentary of the noble tradition, The Five Stages, the five stages of the perfection stage are: (1) the vajra recitation stage (vajrajāpa, rdo rje bzlas pa), leading to speech isolation (vag-viveka, ngag dben ba’i); (2) the universally pure stage (sarvaśuddhiviśuddhi, thams cad dag cing rnam par dag pa), leading to mind isolation (citta-viveka, sems dben); (3) the self-consecration stage (svādhiṣṭāna, bdag la byin brlab), leading to the illusory body (māyākāya, sgyu lus); (4) the supremely secret bliss manifest enlightenment stage (parama-rahasya-sukhābhisambodhi-krama), leading to manifest enlightenment (abhisaṁbhodi, mngon par byang chub); and (5) communion (yuganaddha-krama, zung du ’jug pa). A variety of synonyms for these stages are used in the literature.⁷⁶³ According to Tsong Khapa, “the noble [Nāgārjuna] makes the perfection stage into five stages, taking the vajra recitation as the first, which follows the system in the final chapter of the explanatory tantra Vajra Rosary.”⁷⁶⁴

The six yogas, described in the Esoteric Community Further Tantra,⁷⁶⁵ are ancient, almost the same as those in the Maitrī Upaniṣad:⁷⁶⁶ (1) withdrawal (pratyāhāra, so sor sdud); (2) contemplation (dhyāna, bsam gtan); (3) vitality control (prāṇāyāma, srog rtsol); (4) retention (dhāraṇā, dzin pa); (5) recollection (anusmṛti, rjes su dran); and (6) concentration (samādhi, ting nge ’dzin). The five stages and the six yogas are two ways of conceptualizing steps toward the inconceivable. The Vajra Rosary discusses both schema.⁷⁶⁷ Since these stages and yogas encompass the entire perfection stage, in a sense, most of the Tantra concerns them. Here, however, I will only discuss the more explicit references or clear or probable applicability of these stages and yogas.

Chapter 10 is concerned itself with the many levels of the tantric commitment of “eating,” which is interpreted in terms of each of the five stages. There are many levels of meaning here. “Eating” refers to the inner offering of the creation stage,⁷⁶⁸ as well as that of the student ingesting enlightenment spirit during the second, “secret” consecration, where the student eats from the “lotus vessel.” In the perfection stage, the yogi/nī “eats” the 108 conceptual energies described in chapter 3, Alaṁka explains, referring to the state of vajra recitation whose aim is speech isolation.⁷⁶⁹ He then “perfectly unites with the three [types of] consorts,”⁷⁷⁰ which Alaṁka explains refers to both the three kinds of consorts and the three luminances, leading to the yogi/nī eating “in the vessel explained as the great seal,”⁷⁷¹ which Alaṁka explains refers to clear light and mind isolation, reversing the instinctual natures.⁷⁷² ⁷⁷³ The commitment continues with the yogi/nī performing the commitments of self-consecration and the illusory body, and the last two of the five stages, manifest enlightenment and communion, as well as commitments of both the mahāyoga and yoginī tantras. Throughout, the yogi/nī “drinks compassion,”⁷⁷⁴ in that, explains Alaṁka, he does not “abandon . . . the mind [inclined] toward the benefit of sentient beings.”⁷⁷⁵

Chapter 15 of the Tantra states that the practice of vajra recitation is part of the “three yogas,”⁷⁷⁶ which Alaṁka identifies as part of each stage of tantra: in the creation stage, beginner yoga, supreme mandala triumph, and supreme evolutionary triumph, together with the division of the hundred clans,⁷⁷⁷ all part of the Esoteric Community performance sequence (sādhana), which result in body isolation, the first of the six stages⁷⁷⁸ described by Alaṁka; in vajra recitation, the inhalation, holding, and exhalation with the three syllables, leading to the first of the five stages of the perfection stage, speech isolation; the second stage, luminance, radiance, and imminence, leading to the third, mind isolation; the fourth, the bodies of truth, enjoyment, and emanation in connection with the illusory body; the fifth, “the result of which is the voiding of conventional truth”⁷⁷⁹ in the stage of manifest enlightenment, and emptiness, great emptiness, and extreme emptiness, leading to the natural clear light of universal emptiness; and in the final stage of perfection, communion, the yogas of cause, effect, and nonduality.⁷⁸⁰

Throughout the perfection stage, emptiness and compassion are paramount: “emptiness and compassion indivisible — the definition of knowing the meaning of mantra.”⁷⁸¹ Alaṁka explains that “wisdom and compassion are of just one nature in the respective six stages.”⁷⁸² Unpacking the terse verse of the Tantra, Alaṁka explains the essence of the perfection stage and its stages:

“Having the characteristics of the perfection stage” [means] complete knowledge of the letter A, which illustrates natural, primordial, unborn objective reality. “Without support” because you abandon the support characteristic of the deity generated in the creation stage. “Nonobjectifying” because, relying on the stage of vajra recitation, you abandon the entering, arising, and emerging [breaths]. “Not inherently real” [means that] through the stage of mental purification you realize the natures and luminances as lacking inherent reality. [In] “Supreme of supreme,” “[of] supreme” because of the characteristics of the trio of luminance, etc. . . . “Nonexistent” because in the stage of self-consecration you abandon the means of expression. “Formless” because in the stage of manifest enlightenment you abandon all forms, coarse and subtle. “Unchanging” because by lacking all conceptions of difference you have the very form of union. “Supreme of the great” because in the path of no more learning you are also quite supreme.⁷⁸³

Chapter 23 explains the “commitment of the three realities,” which appears to refer to the practices of the body mandala and body isolation, mantra and speech isolation, and then to the reality of the balance of the perfection stage from mind isolation to integration or communion,⁷⁸⁴ although those terms are not used here.⁷⁸⁵ Rather, the Tantra at this point refers to “self, mantra, etc.,”⁷⁸⁶ and the Commentary to “self, mantra, and intuition.”⁷⁸⁷

The first, the commitment of “self,” describes the Esoteric Community body mandala of the noble tradition in detail: the five buddhas, Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, Amoghasiddi, and Akshobhya, are the five aggregates of form or matter, sensation, discrimination, emotion, and consciousness, with their respective mantras, JINAJIK, RATNADHṚK, ĀROLIK, PRAJÑĀDHṚK, and VAJRADHṚK;⁷⁸⁸ the four female buddha consorts, Lochanā, Māmakī, Pandaravāsinī, and Tārā, are the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, with their respective mantras, MOHARATĪ, DVESHARATĪ, RĀGARATĪ, and VAJRARATĪ; the five form goddesses, Rūpavajrā, Shabdavajrā, Gandhavajrā, Rasavajrā, and Sparshavajrā,⁷⁸⁹ are the five sense objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch; the eight bodhisattvas, Kshitigarbha, Vajrapāni, Ākāshagarbha, Lokeshvara, Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin, Mañjushrī, Maitreya, and Samantabhadra, are respectively the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, and mental consciousnesses, the body’s sinews (and the sphere of instincts), and the individual channels (“the supreme basis of all bliss, with the nature of all things”);⁷⁹⁰ and the ten terrifics, Yamāntakṛt, Prajñāntakṛt, Padmāntakṛt, Vighnāntakṛt, Takkirāja, Achala, Nīladanda, Mahābala, Sumbha[rāja], and Ushnīshacakravartin, are, according to Alaṁka,⁷⁹¹ respectively, the right hand, left hand, mouth, penis tip, left shoulder, right shoulder, right shin, left shin, soles of the two feet, and top of the head, and they each embody one of the ten knowledges.

Body isolation is related closely to the perfection of divine pride, and Alaṁka notes here that “‘the reality of the self’ [means] the actuality of the lords, Vairochana, etc., who exist precisely as the reality of the completely imaginary five aggregates.”⁷⁹² Similarly, the Tantra says that Lochanā embodies “delusion . . . expressed as ecstasy.”⁷⁹³ Alaṁka elucidates: “Having thought that ‘delusion is expressed as purity,’ whoever has ecstasy for Vairochana, the purity of delusion, ‘is Lochanā’ because she appears as the lack of intrinsic nature in [even] a part of the earth element.”⁷⁹⁴ Many of the deities are described as “delighting” in their own nature or as embodying “pleasure,”⁷⁹⁵ consonant with Tsong Khapa’s explanation that “great bliss itself is the definitive meaning deity, and meditating as sealed by that is the great art that isolates one from notions of ordinariness.”⁷⁹⁶ Next, the Tantra discusses mantra, speech isolation, differentiating between various forms of mantra such as “snake,” in the form of the A syllable, “headless,” meaning without OṀ at the beginning, or “tail-less,” lacking SVĀ HĀ at the end. Alaṁka explicitly connects the meanings of these mantras with the first chapter of the Root Tantra,⁷⁹⁷ which describes the emanation of the thirty-two mandala deities.⁷⁹⁸

The last subject of the chapter is intuition, “abandoning all duality, all sense faculties uniting; all things are as a body of singularity, completely abandoning the concept of speech.”⁷⁹⁹ Here the yogi/nī goes beyond the “empties” of luminance, radiance, and imminence, which are analogous to the stages of death following the cessation of breathing and bodily functions (what we would call clinical death) where the instinctual conceptions dissolve into the state of clear light. This is the state denominated as mind isolation in the five stages system. The Tantra describes the yogic visualization of the dissolution process, which becomes actual in the perfection stage: the mantra OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ dissolves, OṀ into the drop or dot at its top, then into the A of ĀḤ; ĀḤ into the visarga, the two dots at the end, then into the HŪṀ, and HŪṀ into HAM (i.e., the vowels at the bottom disappear), HAM into the bindu or drop at the top, the dot into sound,⁸⁰⁰ the sound into “mere sound,”⁸⁰¹ mere sound into “supreme sky,” and supreme sky into clear light.⁸⁰² This state gathers all of the stages, as well as all outer objects and the ten main energies. The yogi/nī who accomplishes this becomes a buddha, a Vajradhara, an Heruka, a Kālachakra.

The subject of the brief chapter 26 is the third of the five stages, which this chapter calls “self-consecration,”⁸⁰³ also known as the stage of the illusory or magic body, called here “the divine intuition body.” The main point is “abandoning ordinary conceptuality,”⁸⁰⁴ to know that the body is, in reality, a palace of deities.⁸⁰⁵ Through identifying the chakras with the six buddhas (including Vajradhara) and the other inhabitants of the Akshobhya Esoteric Community mandala, one purifies the addictions, poisons, and aggregates, cutting the knot of cyclic life.⁸⁰⁶ Following the procedures discussed in chapter 23, one places mantras of the deities at the various points of the body, and so identifying the body, one abides in the stage of self-consecration, enjoying the five sense objects in both the creation and perfection stages.⁸⁰⁷ Doing so, one should ignore external deities and counting mantras⁸⁰⁸ and achieve “illusion-like concentration,”⁸⁰⁹ the defining characteristic of self-consecration.

The major theme of chapter 38 is the correlation of the six chakras to the “six yogas” of the perfection stage.⁸¹⁰ In addition, although the chapter is entitled “Meditating on the Six Chakras,” much of it describes the emptiness that pervades them, a fundamental basis for any such meditation. At the outset, the channels of the six major chakras are elliptically enumerated.⁸¹¹ The wind chakra has six “spokes,”⁸¹² the fire three, the navel sixty-four, the throat sixteen, and the crown thirty-two.

The first chakra to be described is the wind chakra, located between the eyebrows.⁸¹³ But immediately we are reminded of the crucial fact of the emptiness of the objects of perfection stage practice: “Like [the hidden part] of the half moon, emptiness abides in the wind chakra.”⁸¹⁴ This is so, explains Alaṁka, “because it lacks intrinsic existence in ultimate reality,”⁸¹⁵ and so it appears as a “great illusion, the mother of migrants”⁸¹⁶ Alaṁka explains that it “produces beings in cyclic existence as if from enlightenment spirit.”⁸¹⁷ It is “not in the sphere of the experts,” including, according to Alaṁka, perfection stage practitioners.⁸¹⁸

Emptiness also pervades the fire chakra,⁸¹⁹ located below the throat chakra, “because it exists within as empty by nature.”⁸²⁰ The chakra arises as a drop from the syllable HAṀ and pervades all, “because it pervades the entire body, which becomes warm.”⁸²¹ It is “unelaborated,”⁸²² and thus “abandons vowels and consonants.”⁸²³ It increases bliss.⁸²⁴

The emptiness within the navel chakra has “the state of indestructible sound,”⁸²⁵ “moving like a snake’s tongue,”⁸²⁶ and “lacks form.”⁸²⁷ The syllable HŪṀ in the heart chakra “abides as mere sound,” “like an echo,”⁸²⁸ “free from passion and passionlessness, without activity and location.”⁸²⁹ Emptiness is in the enjoyment chakra, “as the supreme aspect of the unbound.”⁸³⁰ Supreme, it has the form of the syllable OṀ, and “has the nature of dependent arising because of having the nature of cause and effect.”⁸³¹ In the chakra of great bliss, in the head, it has the form of the syllable HA, the actuality of the spirit of enlightenment.⁸³² “Peaceful, fearless, and inexpressible,”⁸³³ it transcends characteristics “because it is expressed free from the forms of the syllables HA and A.”⁸³⁴ And “it transcends the sphere of speech because of being in the innate bliss that arises from it.”⁸³⁵

As for the major theme here, at the outset of the chapter, the Tantra says: “Practice just according to the character of the exalted state of the six yogas, relying on one’s desired [yoga] branch.”⁸³⁶ As explained in chapter 18 of the Esoteric Community Root Tantra, also more commonly known as the Further Tantra (rgyud phyima), the six yogas of the perfection stage are: (1) withdrawal (so sor sdud, pratyāhāra); (2) absorption (bsam gtan, dhyāna); (3) vitality control (srog rtsol, prāṇāyāma); (4) retention (dzin pa, dhāraṇā); (5) recollection (rjes su dran, anusmṛti); and (6) concentration (ting ’dzin, samādhi).⁸³⁷ As noted there, “Practicing the six branches of service, you will supremely attain. Otherwise, when you practice, the supreme accomplishment will not arise.”⁸³⁸ Though as stated above, the six yogas are centered on technique, they are associated with certain of the five stages: withdrawal and contemplation with body isolation; vitality control with speech isolation; retention with clear light; and recollection and concentration with integration or communion.⁸³⁹

Alaṁka mentions the connection of the six yogas to the six chakras but does not go into detail, and in discussing the chakras makes no explicit connection to any of the yogas.⁸⁴⁰ He says, commenting on the first verse of the chapter:

“Furthermore” [means] as before. It is connected with “The characteristics of the state of the six yogas.” The state of the six yogas and the character of the chakras are connected to “Listen to the explanation,” [meaning] to the thorough explanation through the actuality of the unerring view. If someone asks how, in response to that he says “exactly,” [meaning] through the actuality of the unerring view. “Whatever yoga” [means] by abandoning the sequence. “The branch that supports what you wish for” [means] the support of beings through whatever they wish for.⁸⁴¹

The idea of a correspondence between the chakras and the six yogas is supported by the somewhat unorthodox order in which the chakras are discussed, starting with wind, then fire, the going upward from the navel chakra.⁸⁴² I think that the correspondence could be like this, as explained below:

TABLE 8: CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE CHAKRAS AND THE SIX YOGAS

Yoga | Chakra
1. withdrawal (pratyāhāra) | wind (between eyebrows)
2. contemplation (dhyāna) | fire (between heart and throat)
3. vitality control (prāṇāyāma) | emanation (navel)
4. retention (dhāraṇā) | reality (heart)
5. recollection (anusmṛti) | enjoyment (throat)
6. concentration (samādhi) | great bliss (crown)

In withdrawal, one withdraws the sense powers from the sense objects,⁸⁴³ so the Tantra’s reference in the verses on the wind chakra to “appearing like a water moon” and “great illusion” seem consonant with the yoga of withdrawal. Contemplation has five components: conception, discernment, ecstasy, bliss, and single-pointed mind.⁸⁴⁴ The Vajra Rosary notes that the emptiness in the fire chakra, the second one discussed, “increases bliss.”⁸⁴⁵ “Bliss” and “ecstasy” are two of the five components of the second of the six yogas, contemplation, and, in fact, Alaṁka remarks that the Tantra’s “increases bliss” refers to the “two types of great bliss.”⁸⁴⁶ The verses on the fire chakra conclude with “Because all three worlds are made into one, it is the Creator.”⁸⁴⁷ It may be no coincidence that Nāropa, in his Commentary on a Short Teaching on Consecrations, discussing the fifth stage of contemplation, says, “Because concepts of form, etc., have been pacified, there is ‘pacification’ appearing vividly as the three realms. This is the sole and ultimate emptiness.”⁸⁴⁸

Thus the third chakra discussed, the emanation or navel chakra, should correspond to vitality control or vajra recitation. In fact, the Tantra describes the chakra as “having the state of indestructible sound,”⁸⁴⁹ and, as we have seen in prior chapters concerning the practice of vajra recitation, “it is free from counting.”⁸⁵⁰ Moreover, the next verse on the heart chakra, which should leave the third yoga, vitality control, and correspond to the fourth of the six yogas, retention, in fact says just that: “It abandons vitality control.”⁸⁵¹ In addition, the vase breathing techniques for igniting furor fire (gtum mo), which are part of the stage of vajra recitation, take place right at the navel chakra.⁸⁵²

Retention, the fourth of the six yogas, logically corresponds to the heart chakra, the fourth of the sixth chakras as described by the Vajra Rosary. The Further Tantra states: “Imagining your own mantra at the heart, placing the life-energy in the form of a drop . . . is explained as being retention.”⁸⁵³ The fifth of the six yogas, recollection, should be associated with the enjoyment chakra in the throat. And again, this is borne out by the second verse on that chakra, which refers to “the taste of liquor.”⁸⁵⁴ The quality of the crown chakra, the sixth chakra described in the Tantra, is “supremely abiding,”⁸⁵⁵ which is just what one would expect for the last and highest of the six yogas, concentration.

The title of chapter 40 is “The Fruit of the Secret,” which, Alaṁka explains, refers to the latter of the five stages, manifest enlightenment⁸⁵⁶ and communion,⁸⁵⁷ and in particular to the great seal. Not known to creation-stage yogi/nīs,⁸⁵⁸ this state is supremely peaceful and nonconceptual,⁸⁵⁹ “because it lacks the conceptions of self and other.”⁸⁶⁰ It is the “great” seal “because it bestows great ecstasy.”⁸⁶¹ It is attained “because of communion through vajra-like concentration.”⁸⁶² Although this state is “the epitome of mahāyoga,”⁸⁶³ “one learns the wonderful supreme essence from the yoginī tantras, causing the taste of great intuition to descend.”⁸⁶⁴ This is most likely a reference to the furor fire tummo practices common to all tantras,⁸⁶⁵ but particularly emphasized in the practice of the mother or yoginī tantras.⁸⁶⁶ This and similar statements establish the Vajra Rosary as a “common” tantra, i.e., basis of practice for father tantras such as the Esoteric Community and Yamāntaka and for mother tantras such as Heruka and Vajrayoginī.⁸⁶⁷

Having abandoned conceptuality, meditating and what is meditated on, attachment and detachment, in these stages one is even “‘free from abandoning,’ because [these stages] are superior to the stage of vajra recitation.”⁸⁶⁸ “‘One surpasses the state of all things,’ ‘all things’ [meaning] luminance, etc.” “because [these stages] are especially nobler than the stage of mental purification.”⁸⁶⁹ “‘One abandons the three worlds’ . . . free of [even] the conception of the three worlds as in the nature of an illusion” “because one is free from the stage of self-consecration.”⁸⁷⁰ And “Abandoning passion and dispassion,”⁸⁷¹ “because one is free of the stage of consort and concentration.”⁸⁷² Here, “one abides in the great commitment,” “the aspect of communion.”⁸⁷³

Chapter 68, the last chapter of the Vajra Rosary, titled “The Epitome of All Attainments,” summarizes the five stages, details the body mandala and other correspondences of the Esoteric Community noble tradition deities, describes the arising and destruction of the energies, and ends with the great host praising Buddha Vajradhara for the teaching of the Vajra Rosary and receiving final instructions from the Buddha.⁸⁷⁴

The epitome of all attainments is the supreme intuition of all buddhas.⁸⁷⁵ This is described in terms of the fourth consecration, which follows the three signs of luminance, radiance, and imminence, at which time the intelligent yogi/nī sees reality.⁸⁷⁶ The three luminances cause the five clairvoyances and, in that sense, are all like the day. However, on another hermeneutic level, the three luminances correspond to parts of the day: luminance as part of the night; radiance as the day; and imminence as the dawn; but on yet another level of meaning, the ultimate meaning, they have nothing to do with the times of day, but cause the abandoning of the conceptual energies.⁸⁷⁷ The abandoning of these energies is “instant enlightenment” (skad cig mngon byang chub), “one instant of emptiness,” beyond conceptuality, the “supreme instant.”⁸⁷⁸ The yogi attains bodily stability by holding enlightenment spirit at the tip of the vajra, applies it to energy, and then, using the mantra HŪṀ HO, brings the enlightenment spirit upward.⁸⁷⁹

“Communion” or “integration” (zung du ’jug pa), the fifth and final of the five stages, makes possible the attainment of the vajra seal and is attained by merging the creation and perfection stages, rejecting the duality of samsara and nirvana, or mixing conventional and ultimate reality.⁸⁸⁰ Before that, there is the first stage, vajra recitation, where “knowing the characteristics of energy, one cuts the winds of conceptuality.” Then there is the second stage, referred to here as “perception of mind” (sems la dmigs pa). Then the third stage, self-consecration (bdag la byin brlab), where the eight attainments are accomplished, is followed by the fourth stage, where one knows the division of the luminances, “manifest enlightenment” (mngon par byang chub). Then there is the final stage of communion, where there is the “gathering of all attainments.” This stage, the Tantra says, “the yogi/nī will accomplish in this very life without any doubt” by “entering into nonconceptuality through the concentration of communion in the great attainment of the great seal.”⁸⁸¹

25. The Forty-Nine and the Six Yogas of the Creation Stage and the Twenty Rituals

Although concentrated on the perfection stage, perhaps because the final stage of communion sees the creation and perfection stages as nondual, the Vajra Rosary does teach aspects of the creation stage. Indeed, its longest chapter, 54, concerns creation stage rituals.

In chapter 35, in the context of the overall structure for cutting off the conceptual energies, the key to advancement to buddhahood, the Tantra sets out the forty-nine divisions of tantric yoga in six main categories that the Vajra Rosary calls the “six yogas.”⁸⁸² These are somewhat but not completely sequential in terms of practice, and most of them are incorporated into Tsong Khapa’s long Esoteric Community sādhana in use today. The Tantra notes that the creation stage in general creates direct perception in the yogi/nī.⁸⁸³

For these purposes, the six yogas appear to be:⁸⁸⁴ (1) the “first yoga,” with its fifteen divisions, including meditating on the mandala, mantra, and the vital points, and preconditions for all of this such as stabilizing meditation, clearing obstacles, and meditating on emptiness;⁸⁸⁵ (2) anuyoga, with five aspects;⁸⁸⁶ (3) atiyoga, with four;⁸⁸⁷ (4) mahāyoga, with six;⁸⁸⁸ and the great accomplishment branch of mahāyoga, with four;⁸⁸⁹ accomplishment, with three;⁸⁹⁰ (5) supreme mandala triumph, with five;⁸⁹¹ and (6) supreme evolutionary triumph, with twelve.⁸⁹²

After that, the yogi/nī meditates on the perfection stage, in particular vajra recitation on the mantric drop and the wind chakra,⁸⁹³ perhaps referring to the recitation of HŪṀ HO to open the heart knot described in chapter 6, which is “taught in sequence” and “serves as the cause of clear light speech.”⁸⁹⁴ Meditation on the reality of energy and mantra overcomes the conceptual energies, which inhere “in the actualities of the 108 instinctual natures.”⁸⁹⁵ This is done by counting the 21,600 daily breaths, each of which has “the three energies that enter, abide and rise,” OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ, “in the manner of a water wheel by day and night.”⁸⁹⁶ Such a meditator “will no doubt achieve supreme intuition.”⁸⁹⁷

Chapter 54 is an extensive and detailed discussion of creation stage rituals, which are still practiced today. This is the longest chapter of the Vajra Rosary, and, perhaps reminding us that the peak is supported by the entire mountain, the Vajra Rosary brings us down the slopes a bit to the “twenty rituals” of the creation stage.

The twenty rituals are: (1) preliminary service; (2) purifying the land; (3) banishing spirits; (4) occupying the land; (5) inspecting the thread line; (6) consecration; (7) banishing obstacles; (8) making the mandala thread line clear; (9) placing the dagger; (10) consecrating the vessel; (11) consecration of the lords; (12) bathing; (13) purifying; (14) making offerings; (15) consecration of the offerings; (16) the ritual cake; (17) consecration of the disciples; (18) the fire offering specified in the ritual; (19) consecration; and (20) requesting [the deities] to go.⁸⁹⁸ The nineteenth and twentieth rituals have been discussed above in the context of the four consecrations and tantric consort yogas.

The first ritual, “preliminary service,” involves the clearing away of obstacles by “the shaking of a finger warning the devils,” the rituals of anuyoga, and the recitation of the twenty-four-syllable mantra of Vishkambini ten thousand times, followed by ten thousand recitations of the three-letter mantra, OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ.⁸⁹⁹ “Purifying the land,” the second ritual, means selecting the place to practice, “isolated from people . . . near water . . . not too close or too far from a village” and “far from the king’s palace.” There one should sweep the ground.⁹⁰⁰

Then one engages in the third ritual, “banishing spirits,” occupying the ground by making a teak dagger,⁹⁰¹ washing it while reciting the three-syllable and the hundred-syllable mantras, and then digging with it a certain distance or until one reaches groundwater (or one does this mentally); then one lets the spirit who lives there go, reciting the mantra OṀ MAHĀ KRO DHA DZWA LĀRKA HŪṀ PHAT and also visualizing it on one’s palms placed together, then strikes the palms on the ground, adding other mantras, and offers the ghost or spirit the ritual cake (bāli, torma).⁹⁰²

Next the vajra master “occupies the ground,” the fourth ritual, “with equanimity and without discomfort,” by making the ground smooth and “smearing [it] with the five types,” i.e., cow dung, urine, milk, butter, and yogurt.⁹⁰³ Then, preparatory to the drawing of the mandala, the master performs the fifth of the twenty rituals, laying out the “thread line,” which sets the dimensions of the mandala to be drawn,⁹⁰⁴ and then the sixth, in which the vajra master consecrates the mandala design after placing relics or jewels there, by repeating the three-syllable mantra with PHAT and SVĀ HĀ 108 times, together with other mantras, and washing with foot water on the thread line.⁹⁰⁵ The seventh ritual, the “banishing of obstacles,” is done by placing the words SUṀBHA, NISUMBHA, GRIHNĀ GṚHNĀPAYA, etc., in the primary directions on the mandala.

In the eighth ritual, “making the mandala thread line clear,” the mandala is described in detail, with Akshobhya in the center and Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi in the east, south, west, and north, respectively, and the elemental goddesses Lochanā, etc., in the intermediate directions starting with the southeast, on the various variegated lotuses, sun, and moon seats.⁹⁰⁶ The bodhisattvas sit two each in the four directions, and the sense goddesses and terrifics are also placed in the mandala. All have three faces and six arms, and the various hand implements are described, as is the environment, symbolizing the divine mansion, as the outer rings. In short, the thirty-two-deity Guhyasamāja mandala is fully described,⁹⁰⁷ which is “the reflection of one’s own body.”⁹⁰⁸

In the ninth ritual, “placing the dagger,” one “summons the wicked ones” and “strikes with the dagger.” The dagger’s three points are marked with OṀ, ĀḤ and HŪṀ, and then it is placed in the prime and intermediate directions; various mantras, including that of Ushnishacakravartin, are said; and, at the end, one strikes with the dagger.⁹⁰⁹

The tenth and eleventh rituals are the “consecration of the vessels” and “of the five [buddha] lords.” For the consecration of the vessels, ten vessels or six made of pure jewels are filled with the five medicines, the five fruits, etc., adorned with jewels and jasmine, and filled with water and saffron, musk, camphor, and sandalwood. The vessels are consecrated by saying the mantras of each of the five buddhas and inviting them from the realm of Akanishta with light ray hooks to enter the vessel, which one lifts up.⁹¹⁰ Then one emanates the four elemental goddesses, making offerings to each while saying mantras, and to Yamāntaka and the other deities. Then one finishes by saying the essence, hundred-syllable, and three-syllable mantras and, visualizing oneself as the deity, offers the contents of the vessels.⁹¹¹

For “consecration of the lords,” one visualizes the deities of the Esoteric Community mandala⁹¹² in the measureless mansion in Akanishta heaven “embracing their own reflection bodies,”⁹¹³ light rays emanating from them. The master and the disciple say mantras, and the deities are invited to descend into the practitioners. Offerings are made to the outer deities; then “having made [oneself into] the deity, one should make offerings to oneself,” “having divine pride.”⁹¹⁴ The deities are consecrated by the smoke of the vessel from camphor and agru, and more mantras are spoken. At this point, “one should see the supreme mandala in all its detail.”⁹¹⁵

Then one performs the twelfth ritual, “bathing,” by pouring milk and other substances over the mirror reflections of the deities, “just as with a newborn.”⁹¹⁶ Then one “purifies,” the thirteenth ritual, by visualizing Vajrasattva, burning mustard seeds, and making the lotus-turning mudra as one gives up the addictions.⁹¹⁷ One then does the fourteenth ritual of “making offerings,” saying the appropriate mantras and making the appropriate hand gestures,⁹¹⁸ followed by the fifteenth, the “consecration of the offerings,” done by saying mantras, followed by making prostrations.⁹¹⁹ This is followed by the sixteenth ritual of the torma ritual cake, blessed with offerings and given to pacify ghosts, accompanied by the saying of “the ten terrifying mantras”⁹²⁰ and concluding with the burning of sesame and additional mantras, all specified in the Tantra.

Following all of this, the disciples themselves are prepared to be consecrated, the seventeenth ritual. The vajra master does this by washing them with various substances, “cleansing the stains of mind,” sprinkling water, “purifying the stain of karma,” placing the respective bodhisattvas on the sense faculties, establishing the body mandala, with the appropriate mantras. Then a thread is tied around the left arm of the disciples, flowers are scattered on them, other rituals are done, and a dagger is thrown; the disciples sleep that night in whatever direction it falls. At dawn the master interprets the dreams of the disciples, torma ritual cakes are given, and the disciples ask the master for the teachings.⁹²¹ The guru explains “what is to be done and not done.”⁹²²

The disciple then visualizes himself as the vajra master and requests consecration. He or she says: “Here, in the ocean of cyclic life, full of crocodiles and sea monsters of addictions, and waves stirred up by evolutionary winds, alas, I drown, O Ocean of Compassion, alas, I am drowning . . . Grant me refuge!”⁹²³ The guru gives the disciple “elixir” and tells him to protect it. The elixir is made from, among other things, feces, urine, and “the female cloth soaked with great blood, smeared with blood and semen, mixed with myrrh.” This is put in a vessel for the disciple, so he doesn’t forget this secret blend. The disciple drinks the elixir.⁹²⁴ Then Vajradhara, “filled with the scent of burning the incense,” as a result of the eighteenth ritual, “the fire offering according to the rite,” descends into the disciples as the guru says the mantra OṀ TISHTHA MAHĀ KRODHA ĀVESHAYA HŪṀ.⁹²⁵

The next chapter, 55, explains the meaning of the main rituals set out in the preceding chapter. The preliminary rituals up to consecration are related to the eight mundane spiritual accomplishments. One also practices the first five of the six perfections: giving, ethics, patience, effort, meditation on offerings to the Buddha, and concentration. The sixth perfection, intuition, is attained through the wisdom-intuition consecration with the consort: “Through the wisdom-intuition consecration, one perfects transcendent wisdom, abiding in the Esoteric [Community], etc., the causal reason being the passionate person.”⁹²⁶ The sensual enjoyment of the secret and wisdom-intuition consecrations is transformed “by the cause of equalizing intuition,” so that “when one offers with faith to the guru, the result is the state of Vajrasattva.”⁹²⁷ The creation stage consecrations of water and the name consecration are “for the purification of the five intuitions,” and that of nonreversal is “for the purification of the thoughts of sentient beings.”⁹²⁸ So powerful are these tantric practices that “the subtlest color particle of the mandala is equal to the worship of all the transcendent lords,” because it is “the cycle of result.”⁹²⁹ “One attains consecration, the extremely pure reality realm, and, by the wisdom-intuition [consecration], attains the very essence of reality.”⁹³⁰

Despite the description of matters pertaining to the creation stage that occupy part, albeit a small one, of the Vajra Rosary, the Tantra is clear that such practices are preparatory only and will not in themselves lead the practitioner to enlightenment. Passages such as the following are found in several places: “You don’t need vows, you don’t need fire offerings, you don’t need rosaries; you don’t need counting. You don’t need to distinguish the creation stage. You don’t need the so-called austerities, etc. By mantra yoga alone, the guru’s oral tradition, and by direct practice for six months, the supreme exaltation will be achieved.”⁹³¹

26. The Inner Offering

In chapter 56, the Tantra explains the ritual of the inner offering, which “is the stage of the ritual of worshipping the body in nondual equalizing yoga.”⁹³² Here, rather than engaging in the worship of external things such as statues or mandalas, “one should always worship the [Three] Jewels, etc., [and] the five lords, with shit and piss.”⁹³³ But it is the mind vajra that is “chief,” and the mind vajra is the subject of all offerings, inner and outer.⁹³⁴

Here, as elsewhere, the understanding of emptiness and relativity is crucial: “The mind vajra itself is chief, [but] that mind also is nonexistent because its character is emptiness. Emptiness likewise is formless, so everything is just like space.”⁹³⁵ So, one is instructed to “worship the three channels,” realizing that “nothing exists other than mind.”⁹³⁶ Because of this, one is not lacking anything for practice: “Oneself abides as the nature of the mind of Vajrasattva; the unexcelled deity embodiment is nothing other than mental” so should “always offer one’s own unique body.”⁹³⁷

So the yogi/nī practices, indeed lives, as perceiving “the five pure clans,” but “discern[ing] them as one clan.”⁹³⁸ When one’s visual sense power engages, “having summoned Rūpavajrā, one should make offerings to Kshitigarbha,” and so on with each of the sense powers, including the mental sense power, where “summoning Dharmadhātuvajra, one makes offerings to Mañjuvajra.”⁹³⁹ At the same time, however, “outer, inner, and also both are not perceived,”⁹⁴⁰ and thus “Giving up distinguishing wanting and not wanting . . . one should never say that a yogi/nī is ‘fortunate’ or ‘unfortunate.’”⁹⁴¹

The inner offerings to the mind vajra take various forms: when engaged in desires and sense objects, one offers them to oneself; the “flower of perfect ecstasy” of the vajra sun and lotus are also so offered; conceptuality, like incense, is “totally incinerated by the furor fire” and offered to the mind vajra; as the vajra enters the lotus, one offers the indestructible sound of the yogi/nī, then one offers “the light rays of mantra, like the clear light of a blazing lamp.”⁹⁴² In short, “whatever one is enjoying here, relying on all the senses, these are all the mind vajra.”⁹⁴³

In chapter 61, the ritual of “drinking the five elixirs” associated with the five buddha clans is described, the elixirs being Vairochana — shit; Akshobhya — piss; Amoghasiddhi — meat; Amitābha — semen; and Ratnasambhava — blood.⁹⁴⁴ They are mixed with the semen and hormonal fluid of the practitioner and consort, and other more conventional ingredients, and eaten by the practitioner and his co-practitioners, then friends and servants.

To practice the ritual the yogi is instructed to build a house in a wilderness, with a secret underground room.⁹⁴⁵ The practitioner, who “abandons passion and dispassion,” and consort purify themselves by eating fruit, etc., and repeating the Sumbharāja mantra 100,000 times,⁹⁴⁶ then the practitioner repeats OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ for one month.⁹⁴⁷ The consort is young, sexy, and beautiful, “without craving, but with a lustful mind . . . beautifully joyful, free of conceptions, very learned.” “The practitioner should love her just as long as it takes for semen to arise.”⁹⁴⁸ The male and female sexual fluids are put into a “lotus vessel”⁹⁴⁹ and left for seven days. Then bull, horse, dog, cow, and human meats are added to the lotus vessel, and OṀ ĀḤ HŪṀ is said for twenty-one days.⁹⁵⁰ Then the ingredients are placed in a sandalwood vessel on which is the mantra JAḤ HŪṀ BAṀ HOḤ, and then more conventional substances, goat milk, sesame oil, butter, and sugar are added.⁹⁵¹ Pills are made from the mixture, which is left to dry in the shade. They should be consumed “with [one’s] vajra brothers and sisters, yoginīs and relatives, [and] after a month, [with your] friends and servants.”⁹⁵² From this practice various attainments will be achieved, including “complete realization of the great seal.”⁹⁵³

27. Peaceful and Terrifying Activities

In addition to the supermundane attainment of enlightenment, the Tantra describes a more worldly aspect of ritual practice, the “mundane” siddhis. These are of two kinds, peaceful and terrifying, and are discussed in chapters 66 and 67.⁹⁵⁴ According to chapter 66, peaceful and extensive activities are those of ordinary ritual; the others are not. The Tantra’s instructions for the four activities can be summarized as in Table 9.

TABLE 9: PEACEFUL AND TERRIFYING ACTIVITIES

The Tantra also specifies the intermediate directions for certain fierce activities: killing in the southeast; anger in the southwest; punishing in the northwest; and hypnotizing in the northeast.⁹⁵⁵

Chapter 67 specifies how to perform four “fierce recitations” of the terrifics: Yamāntaka for controlling and expelling; Aparājita for exorcising ghosts and putting out fires; and Hayagrīva for neutralizing poison. These should be performed in “a fearsome charnel ground, a terrifying, terrifying place, smeared with the blood of a human skull.”⁹⁵⁶ The form to be practiced is to be drawn with a mixture of semen and menstrual blood, and should be “clear and scary.”⁹⁵⁷

For Yamāntaka, the Tantra gives the mantra for controlling and summoning, then specifies a procedure for expelling. For this, while reciting a different mantra, one makes a potion of seeds, salt, mustard, poison, datura juice, and blood to draw a wind mandala marked with vajras. In the center, one writes the name of whatever it is one wants to accomplish, and one practices constantly for seven days.⁹⁵⁸ For Aparājita, placing one’s hands on the head of the person to be cured, one visualizes two sun disks on which there are HŪṀs, and reciting the mantra, one visualizes the two suns in the heart of the one to be exorcised burning up the ghost.⁹⁵⁹

For Hayagrīva, one visualizes the person to be cured as a triple-stacked wisdom being on a moon disk at one’s heart, visualizing light rays from the wisdom being filling up the body of the afflicted person. This blazing expels the poison. Then one visualizes one’s right hand as a moon on which is written HAṀ, says a mantra, and then visualize “an unbroken stream of water” pushing the poison down from the patient’s head and out of his feet. Then one says a longer mantra, also specified in the Tantra, and adds, “Please dispel the poison, etc., from so and so, HŪṀ.”⁹⁶⁰ The chapter ends with “Having followed the Root Tantra, one should know the rest in detail,” a reference to the Esoteric Community Root Tantra, chapters 14 and 15. There, the procedures are given in greater detail than in the Vajra Rosary, but with no lengthy mantras.⁹⁶¹

28. The Conclusion of the Tantra

At the end of chapter 68, after describing the body mandala and explaining the correspondences between the five main energies and places in the body and buddha clans,⁹⁶² and how the energies are destroyed and then arise again in the life cycle,⁹⁶³ the assembled offer praise and thanks for the teaching, ending with “Thus to you, who live not in space, unelaborated and unsullied, commanding a mind equal to space, we bow to and praise you, the imperceivable!”⁹⁶⁴

The Tantra ends with the command that the commitment of the Vajra Rosary should be practiced at all times, continuously, and that the ten terrifics should be pacified with offerings of ritual cakes and mantras, which echoes Alaṁka’s statements (or is the source for them) that the Vajra Rosary in twelve thousand lines and the shorter Vajra Rosary were taught “in the form of glorious Vajrasattva, principally for using the ten terrific buddhas to control the ten directional protectors.”⁹⁶⁵ The last substantive verse of the Tantra states: “In order to care for sentient beings, having manifested various emanations, Vajrasattva will stay present [with them], at all times, day and night.”⁹⁶⁶

The colophon states: “Translated, edited and finalized by the Indian Abbot Sujana Shrījñāna and the great text translator, monk Zhiwa Ö, the King of Tibet, in the glorious, incomparable, and spontaneously perfect temple of Tho-ling, the sanctuary, the center of the earth,” bringing this marvelous work to an end.

Part Two

ANNOTATED ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Title Page

In Sanskrit: Śrī-vajramālābhidhāna-mahāyoga-tantra-sarva-tantra-hṛdaya-rahasya-vibhedakam-iti.

In Tibetan: rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud dpal rdo rje phreng ba mngon par bjod pa rgyud thams cad kyi snying po gsang ba rnam par phye ba zhes bya ba.

[In English: The Declaration of the Glorious Vajra Rosary Mahāyoga Tantra Disclosing the Secret Heart of All Tantras.]

I pay homage to the noble youthful Mañjushrī.

I pay homage to great Vairochana Buddha.

I pay homage to glorious Vajraḍaka.

I pay homage to the Three Jewels.

1. The Setting of the Tantra: Invocation, Questions, and Activities of the Students, Etc.

⁹⁶⁷

Just this is what I heard at that one time: The Divine Lord was dwelling, with clear realization through the infinite great seal, in the vaginas of the vajra queens, the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all transcendent lords.⁹⁶⁸ ⁹⁶⁹ All of them, together with zillions of bodhisattvas associated with the immeasurable vajra clans, were engaged in the activity of manifesting the realization of the great seal. [Their face] lotuses were supremely blossoming with the ecstasy of the experience of nondual great bliss. Confronting the reality of nonconceptual intuition by seeing and experiencing all things just as they are, they were fully expert in the power of the unexcelled pledge of Vajradhara.

Those such as Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samayavajra,⁹⁷⁰ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Dveshavajra,⁹⁷¹ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Rāgavajra,⁹⁷² Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Karmavajra,⁹⁷³ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Jñānavajra,⁹⁷⁴ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Kshitivajra,⁹⁷⁵ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Abvajra,⁹⁷⁶ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Agnivajra,⁹⁷⁷ and Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vāyuvajra⁹⁷⁸ were in the lead, and there were also seventy-two thousand bodhisattvas associated with the great pledge clan, and, further, associated with the great clan there were also zillions more bodhisattvas: Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Khagatā,⁹⁷⁹ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ākāshavijṛmbhitā,⁹⁸⁰ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ākāshacandra,⁹⁸¹ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ākāshoshnīsha,⁹⁸² Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Samdhyāvimuktī,⁹⁸³ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrasattva,⁹⁸⁴ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajragarbha,⁹⁸⁵ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajramati,⁹⁸⁶ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrapāni, Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrarājā,⁹⁸⁷ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrasamaya,⁹⁸⁸ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajradharma,⁹⁸⁹ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajrabhoga,⁹⁹⁰ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Vajramūrdhan,⁹⁹¹ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Prakāravimardana,⁹⁹² Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Nirvikalposhnisha,⁹⁹³ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Nirvikalpashabda,⁹⁹⁴ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Nirvikalpadharma,⁹⁹⁵ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Nirvikalpasamaya,⁹⁹⁶ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ānandavajra,⁹⁹⁷ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Paramānandavajra,⁹⁹⁸ Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Citrānandavajra,⁹⁹⁹ and Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sahajavajra;¹⁰⁰⁰ and also countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas, all intensely devoted to the vajra vehicle, sat [there] together.

Meanwhile, the Lord, perfectly having turned the wheel of Dharma, consummated the buddha deeds, and collected the stores of merit and intuition, facing his retinue with a magnificent smile. Then, gazing upon the vast retinues of bodhisattva saviors, in order to make them suitably receptive, entrancing himself in the samadhi “the vajra rosary vehicle of manifest enlightenment,”¹⁰⁰¹ the Lord sat there radiating a great network of light rays from all of his pores. And when that great network of light rays touched those bodhisattva saviors, they felt a supreme ecstasy, just the same as that of the Lord Great Vajradhara, with his experience of union with nonduality. And then those bodhisattva saviors, feeling [such] ecstasy, bliss, and supreme delight, fainted dead away.¹⁰⁰² Then again, also at that time, the great network of light rays was gathered back into the Lord’s mid-brow urna hair tuft.

Then, that great collected [mass of] light rays burst forth from [Buddha Vajradhara’s] vajra path¹⁰⁰³ in the form of goad hooks and touched those totally unconscious [bodhisattva saviors], and penetrated through [their] vajra paths up [their central channels reaching] to their crown nerve chakras as a virtual rosary of vajras remaining there. Once again the bodhisattva saviors steadily experienced great bliss; and, the great [network of] light rays [that had been in their crown nerve chakras] radiated forth from the channel hub chamber at their heart centers, which experienced great bliss just by their expression of the vajra syllable HŪṀ, and each bodhisattva savior was set upon his or her respective seat.¹⁰⁰⁴ Then, those [bodhisattva saviors], as if coming up from deep under water, felt a great joy, and, having experienced the Lord’s greatly wondrous magical display, their eyes [opened] wide and shining, truly celebrated the Lord with a single voice:

“O Lord! You extended orgasmic ecstasy

And turned [all experience] into its unique taste!

O Lord! It is supreme refreshment!

Beyond the range of the path of speech! //1//

“Like the Lord’s experience of joy,

All three worlds are truly bliss!

Eyma!!¹⁰⁰⁵ Orgasmic ambrosia!

Enjoying [its] taste¹⁰⁰⁶ births great compassion! //2//

“O Lord! Light up life’s purpose

For every living being!

You open up the universal seal,

The single taste of the three realities! //3//

“O Lord! Delighted in great yoga,

Cutting all fetters!

O Lord, you act in great delight;

Surely you make beings fortunate! //4//

“Eyma!! The Vajra Vehicle is bliss!

Please bestow intense ecstasy and joy!

Eyma!! You made mantra blossom!

O champion of the state of self-arising!¹⁰⁰⁷ //5//

“Eyma!! You taught the imperceivable,

The very profound Dharma!

Eyma!! Great Vajradhara, the prime one,

Very secret Lord of Secrets! //6//

“Eyma!! Supremely enlightened!

Eyma!! Abandoning elaborations

And clarifying the meaning of truth,

Illuminated by the lamp of the vehicle! //7//

“O Savior! May we by your kindness

Achieve the state of Vajrasattva!

O Savior! We went down the wrong path;

You put us on the perfect path! //8//

“O Savior! We are lost in darkness;

You make us attain the light of intuitive wisdom!

O Sun of the vajra commitment!

You show us the meaning of the great seal! //9//

“O Lord! We prostrate to and praise you,

Essence of the great seal of compassion!

O sky of nondual delight, we prostrate,

We bow down to you, moon of delight!” //10//

Praising the Lord with these verses and more, they gathered together again. Desiring to ask about the nature of the very subtle state of the “declaration of the Vajra Rosary,” they were delighted, and, wanting to listen with one-pointed minds to that delightful speech, with hair [standing] on end and with bated breath, they paid homage to the Lord again and again, and each sat on his own seat, eagerly anticipating.

The Lord knew the thought processes of minds like theirs. And then, entering into the entrancement of the “realization of the Vajra Rosary,” he emitted his own consort from [his] secret vajra. Abandoning dispassionate form¹⁰⁰⁸ and taking on an erotic appearance,¹⁰⁰⁹ etc., he united with his consort. Furthermore, when they [the bodhisattvas] again saw [the Lord] looking like that, they were amazed, their eyes opened wide, and they looked like they were in a painting, speechless, and the retinues [of bodhisattvas] stayed right there.

Then the Lord, urged on by his consort¹⁰¹⁰ and dispensing with¹⁰¹¹ the great seal yoga, from his own body, speech, and mind expressed OṀ AH HŪṀ, the essence of the clan of the vajra queen. Then, instantly, just after he said these words, all the transcendent lords, consorts, and fierce kings were emitted from the hair pores of the Lord.¹⁰¹² Having been emitted, each was sitting in his or her own seat on the eastern, etc., sides of the Divine. Some were in the form of Vairochana; some were in the form of Ratnasambhava; some were in the form of Amitābha; and some were in the form of Sumbharāja and Ushnīshacakravartin and the [rest of the] victors. Then the Lord sat for a little while, not saying anything. Then all the bodhisattvas, speaking in one voice, made this pronouncement:

“Eyma! Great vajra clan!

You teach the meaning of the Vajra Rosary!¹⁰¹³

Eyma! You illuminate the vajra vehicle,

Teaching the meaning of the reality sphere!” //11//

Saying that three times, they prostrated to the great Vajradhara and sat down.

Then, at that time, in that moment, in a second, in a flash, having witnessed that gathering of the great, vast retinue of savior bodhisattvas, Vajrapāni prostrated to the Lord and said these words:

“O Lord! God¹⁰¹⁴ of the intuition vajra!

Abiding within the secret lotus!

Lord of the great vow yoga!

From your compassion, listen to my words! //12//

“The buddhas of the fortunate eon,

Desiring intensely the vajra vehicle,

[And] these bodhisattva saviors

Are present with bodies prostrate. //13//

“I pray that future sentient beings

Of the time of the five degenerations,

Having little diligence and little merit,

With many bad views¹⁰¹⁵ and short life spans,

Attain the supreme state! //14//

“May those buddha children

And future sentient beings

Thus quickly be perfectly liberated

From cyclic life! //15//

“To the principal one, great Lord Vajradhara,

I pray in this way.

O Thou, Chief of Beings,

By your grace I seek supreme reality. //16//

“Please permit me to ask a little

About the secret of all buddhas,

The concentrated meaning of all tantras,

The two unexcelled stages,

The realization of the Vajra Rosary!

I beseech you — teach me perfection stage yoga! //17//

“In the glorious [Esoteric] Community [Root Tantra],

In the unexcelled yoga tantra,

What terminology did the Great Sage [use in order to teach]

The eighty-four thousand divisions of the Dharma?”¹⁰¹⁶ //18//

Saying these words, he sat down in front [of Buddha] and, having prostrated, [said,]

“O Great Intuition Lord,

Vajrasattva, Guru of beings! //19//

“You attained the state

Of the three realities,

One taste with the three vajras.

Please teach me the hidden meaning of tantric yoga! //20//

[1]¹⁰¹⁷ “What of the name ‘Vajra Rosary’?

[2] What is the ‘Community’? [3] What is emptiness?

[4] What is the division of the drops?

[5] What is the sound? [6] The secret?

[7] The commitment? //21//

[8] “What is the vow? [9] The mere sound?

[10] The reality of wind? [11] Great bliss?

[12] What about the union of vajra and lotus?

[13] What of the yogi/nī of the reality of mantra?

[14] In how many energies and [15] chakras

Does the yogi/nī abide? //22//

[16] “What are the channels in the yogic body?

[17] The moments of variety, etc.?

[18] The four ecstasies,

[19] And the ‘drops’ of substance, mantra, and energy-wind? //23//

[20] “The three syllables? [21] And the three realities?

[22] Similarly, the three nose tips?

[23] The emptiness intuition of the body?

[24] And how then do the deities remain [there]? //24//

[25] “What are their names?

[26] How, O Savior, do they arise and disappear?

[27] Please describe clearly

The genuine creation of the ecstasies! //25//

[28] “The previously taught channels, how do they

Always move in the vajra body?

[29] These three intermediate channels,

How are they said to be important? //26//

[30] “How do the energies arise

[31] And, O Master, how do they dissolve?

[32] As for that, O Master, how does one perfectly achieve

Merging [the channels] into the ḍākinī, [33] cutting off the winds of conceptuality? //27//

[34] “How does [the mind] arise as nonconceptual?

[35] How do the channels disappear?

[36] And how does one undertake the six practices? //28//

[37] “What are the characteristics of time?¹⁰¹⁸

[38] Also, what is the result of the secret?

[39] What is the reality sphere, [40] the vajra,

[41] And the division of the clans? //29//

[42] “How many are the divisions of seals?

[43] What are the aggregates, etc., and the sense media?

[44] What about the name ‘great seal’? //30//

[45] “Where do the division of tastes and

[46] The sound of self abide?

[47] Where does the summary of the types of emptiness

[48] And emptiness [itself] arise? //31//

[49] “What is day and what is night?

[50] What are the symbols of vowels and consonants?

[51] [And] of the emerging of twilight? //32//

[52] “As for preliminary practices, etc.,

Mentioned in the tantras, and the actions of the twenty rituals,

[53] What is the reason [for them] and what are [their] results?

[54] How did you declare the offering ritual? //33//

[55] “Similarly, how did you describe

The nature and name of the goddess?

[56] What about ‘Thus I, etc.’

Stated at the beginning of the Tantra?

[57] How did ‘These words,’ etc., the beginning words, become so extensively elaborated? //34//

[58] “What about the inner essence fire offering?

[59] What did you say about the eating of the five elixirs,

[60] The assembly of the host of yoginīs,¹⁰¹⁹

[61] Similarly, the secret symbols

[62] And the mandalas of the vajra

Of body, speech, and mind? //35//

[63] “How do you explain the names of Buddha,

Holy Dharma, and Sangha?

[64–67] What is the explanation of guru, teacher,

preceptor, and Vajradhara? //36//

[68] “What good qualities should a student have

To be a vessel for the yoga tantra?

[69] How many are the divisions of practice?

[70] What are the results like? //37//

“What is peace, increase, power?

Similarly, what is killing, expelling, and transfixing?

And what is to be performed?

[71] What are the fierce activities? And mantric verses?

O Savior, what is the recitation of the fearsome one? //38//

[72] “When you accomplish the eight attainments,

How do you get the five clairvoyances?

[73] Yogi/nīs seeing reality,

[74] Enlightenment in an instant, //39//

[75] “The stable body and agelessness.

[76] Through taking elixirs,

[77] The practice of alchemy,

[78] And the great attainment of the vajra seal,

O World Guru, how are these accomplished? //40//

[79] “The body mansion, what is the nature of that?

How do the places, etc., abide in it?

[80] What are the characteristics of the Lord of Dissolving

[81] And enjoyment, [82] and energy?

How would they subside?” //41//

Thus, when Vajrapāni finished

Asking the questions,

He prostrated with palms joined

And sat down before the World Guru. //42//

Then the Master said to Vajrasattva,

The Protector of Beings speaking in verse,

In a sweet deep divine voice:

“Well done!” //43//

2. On the Examination of the Teacher and Student, and on Consecration

¹⁰²⁰

Then the Vajra Lord spoke out,

The World Savior who declares reality,

Called out to Vajrapāni:

“To definitively answer [such] true questions, //1//

“To summarize the essential meaning,

The questions you have put,

All things hard to discern —

O Vajra God, great Lord of Secrets — //2//

“The answers to [your] questions,

The supreme secret, not spoken of anywhere

In the action, performance, or yoga tantras,

The supreme reality — O Vajra God —

I will explain clearly and definitively.” //3//

In an instant, his eyes flashed

And he showed the supreme miracle.

Filled with compassion, he spoke these words.

“Therefore, you should listen well!” //4//

Then Vajrapāni requested the Lord to moisten [his] heart with compassion and to resolve all doubts. And [the Lord] gave the explanation, using words [to teach] the supremely secret:

“Consecration is essential,

[For] all attainments to endure.

I will explain the exact meaning.

So, above all truly listen! //5//

“When at the outset the brilliant disciple

[Is given] genuine consecration,

Then s/he becomes a vessel

Of the yoga of the perfection stage. //6//

“Lacking genuine consecration,

Even if a practitioner knows the meaning of tantra,

Both master and disciple

Will go to a great unbearable hell! //7//

“So the true guru, with immense respect,

You should venerate and serve.

Consecration attained, s/he knows reality,

Has genius and a compassionate nature.

Profound, magnificent, and immaculate,

S/he abjures harm and violence. //8//

“S/he is fortunate, perfect in body,

Adorned with the signs and marks.

S/he delights only in the great passion,

And abandons jealousy toward [its] objects. //9//

“Mindful and always delighted,

Born from the womb of the yoginī,

With sole conviction in the vajra vehicle,

S/he turns away from the fundamental vehicle.¹⁰²¹

The disciple should serve [such a] guru

With these and similar good qualities. //10//

“[The disciple], having found a true guru,

Then the faults natural in a disciple

Having been purified, understood, and matured,

Comes to possess the same good intuitive wisdom. /11//

“Just as one tests a jewel by rubbing

And gold by burning,

Similarly, [the guru] tests the disciple

For twelve years. //12//

“Thus, in that way, at all times,

They mutually examine each other;

Otherwise, obstructions will arise,

Destroy attainments, and bring suffering. //13//

“Just as mantra destroys poison,

So mantra is a virtue-making elixir.

Therefore, with every effort,

Having known the mantra student, //14//

“The guru [gives] consecration, etc.,

For spiritual attainment, the exact goal,

And thus the anointed student,

Though impure, becomes pure.” //15//

[At that moment] Vajrapāni asked

The great bliss Vajrasattva,¹⁰²²

“In tantra, why is consecration

Said to be so essential?” //16//

Omniscient Vajrasattva,

Resolving all doubt,

By [his] expertise in reality,

Described to Vajrapāni

Its precise meaning. //17//

“I will truly explain, so listen!

Of the kinds of consecration,

The first is the main one,

The second has the name of ‘secret,’

The third is total union, and

The fourth is of supreme meaning.¹⁰²³ //18//

“The main one has eleven divisions,

The twelfth is the secret one,

The thirteenth is true union,¹⁰²⁴

And the fourteenth is ultimate reality.

Each consecration is a specific stage.¹⁰²⁵ //19//

“One should understand of consecrations,

Three kinds are causal, and the fourth is the result;

I permeate every one [of them]

With the stages of the ecstasies, etc. //20//

“On the third date of the waning¹⁰²⁶ moon

And, similarly, on the tenth and fourteenth,

The guru gives consecration with proper rites

On the disciple with good qualities. //21//

“A slim-bodied sixteen-year-old,¹⁰²⁷

Adorned in form and fortune, dark blue,¹⁰²⁸ wide-eyed,¹⁰²⁹

With true faith, a compassionate mind,

A sweet voice, who was [previously] consecrated,

And has special faith in yoga tantra. //22//

“Or else, a twenty-year-old,¹⁰³⁰

Who brings blissful experience of joy.

Otherwise there will be no success;

One will be far from attainment. //23//

“One should offer

Such an especially tender woman,

Whether wife, or sister, or even daughter,

With great faith, to the guru.¹⁰³¹ //24//

“Having offered various kinds of gold, jewels,

Cloth, and garlands of flowers,

Seated in front of the guru,

The student says these words: //25//

“‘O Lord! Beginning from today,

Please accept me as a servant!

Please accept me offering my whole self!’

Having pleased [him] by such things,

He should offer the guru all his being.

Since the guru is Vajradhara, worship the guru! //26//

“Then, the Lady, the mother seal,¹⁰³²

Is perfectly offered, then should be loved.¹⁰³³

What emerges from making love

Is for the fortunate [one’s] mouth.¹⁰³⁴ //27//

“One should truly enjoy that,

Joining thumb and ring finger;

The intuition [that drink] produces

Is the self-aware great bliss.¹⁰³⁵ //28//

“Exhaling¹⁰³⁶ and inhaling being one taste,

One should make offerings with intense joy.

Placing the mantra HŪṀ PHAT on the jewel’s door,

One should shake the vajra and, properly,

The ecstasies will arise at that instant. //29//

“With her mind ecstatic,

The Vajra Queen cries, ‘How blissful!’

And she is placed in the hands of the student.

These words are clearly stated. //30//

“Such¹⁰³⁷ practice of lotus offering done,

The sublime face of EVAṀ,¹⁰³⁸

Goddess Vajradhātvishvarī herself,

Enters the heart of this [disciple]. //31//

“The yogi will not attain buddhahood

By any other means!

That extremely subtle reality

Is realized [only] by the great bliss yogi. //32//

“One should rely [on this] with intense effort!

Because the sign of orgasmic ecstasy

Is the main consecration,

One achieves everything exactly.” //33//¹⁰³⁹

3. Analyzing the Name “Vajra Rosary”

[The Lord continued:]

“Now, listen further to this!

The Vajra Rosary’s clear meaning

Is buried deep in the tantras,

So don’t mention [these] questions to others! //1//

“The name ‘Vajra Rosary’

Also is the thirteenth ground,¹⁰⁴⁰

The genuine state of the fourth ecstasy,

The ecstasy of universal emptiness.¹⁰⁴¹ //2//

“It is beyond the realms of speech,

Free of all duality.

It is the state of all fortunate yogis,

The pure realm of the yoginīs. //3//

“Emptiness, intuition, and vajra

Are explained as the ‘Vajra Rosary.’

Emptiness is the secret vajra

[And] the lotus channel is Vajradhātvishvarī.¹⁰⁴² //4//

“Intuition is supreme great bliss,

Wondrous innate ecstasy!

The vajra is well known

To pierce all thought constructions. //5//

“The continua of those rosaries,

Vajras of enlightenment spirit,

Are called ‘vajra’ because they are indestructible.

Hidden in all [other] tantras,

It should not be revealed in any way.¹⁰⁴³ //6//

“Well known as breath,¹⁰⁴⁴

The continuum of the rosary cannot be broken.

With the nature of overflowing ecstasy

It causes the piercing of all the conceptual energies,

[But] cannot be penetrated by energy. //7//

“By day and by night, more than one hundred and eight energies

Of the nature of thought construction

Also arise and perish, divided as follows —

So, listen to the names of the energies!¹⁰⁴⁵ //8//

“Sending/holding,¹⁰⁴⁶ arbuda,¹⁰⁴⁷

Intoxicating,¹⁰⁴⁸ bad mind,¹⁰⁴⁹

Cooling,¹⁰⁵⁰, itching,¹⁰⁵¹

Mucus,¹⁰⁵² and axe,¹⁰⁵³ //9//

“Particle,¹⁰⁵⁴ crocodile¹⁰⁵⁵ piercing flesh,¹⁰⁵⁶

Horrible¹⁰⁵⁷ drinking bout,¹⁰⁵⁸

Drunk with desire,¹⁰⁵⁹ sinew,¹⁰⁶⁰ child,¹⁰⁶¹

Producing variety,¹⁰⁶² and bowing,¹⁰⁶³ //10//

“Pride,¹⁰⁶⁴ drum,¹⁰⁶⁵ sounding,¹⁰⁶⁶

God of wind,¹⁰⁶⁷ piercing essence,¹⁰⁶⁸

Fire,¹⁰⁶⁹ time,¹⁰⁷⁰ servant,¹⁰⁷¹ vajra,¹⁰⁷²

Supreme giving,¹⁰⁷³ and mango,¹⁰⁷⁴ //11//

“Bee,¹⁰⁷⁵ moonlight,¹⁰⁷⁶ kāmboja,¹⁰⁷⁷

Dreadlocks,¹⁰⁷⁸ black mustard,¹⁰⁷⁹

Well spread,¹⁰⁸⁰ time,¹⁰⁸¹ summoning,¹⁰⁸²

Sinful,¹⁰⁸³ and rogue,¹⁰⁸⁴ //12//

“Tight,¹⁰⁸⁵ throat,¹⁰⁸⁶ totally clear,¹⁰⁸⁷

Supreme giving,¹⁰⁸⁸ madness inducing,¹⁰⁸⁹

Ocean of pride,¹⁰⁹⁰ ganesha,¹⁰⁹¹

Chameleon,¹⁰⁹² and earth mind,¹⁰⁹³ //13//

“Good path,¹⁰⁹⁴ supremely born,¹⁰⁹⁵

Stainless,¹⁰⁹⁶ child,¹⁰⁹⁷ sun,¹⁰⁹⁸

Elucidation,¹⁰⁹⁹ pressing sun,¹¹⁰⁰

Powerful,¹¹⁰¹ roar,¹¹⁰² and time,¹¹⁰³ //14//

“Vow,¹¹⁰⁴ frog,¹¹⁰⁵ bee,¹¹⁰⁶

Dog,¹¹⁰⁷ marked,¹¹⁰⁸

Plow,¹¹⁰⁹ hunch-backed,¹¹¹⁰

Straight,¹¹¹¹ earth,¹¹¹² and earth mother,¹¹¹³ //15//

“Brahmin,¹¹¹⁴ place becoming nose,¹¹¹⁵

Mamo clan,¹¹¹⁶ moving tongue,¹¹¹⁷

Not speaking,¹¹¹⁸ drumbeat cloud,¹¹¹⁹

Husband,¹¹²⁰ and wide-eyed,¹¹²¹ //16//

“Stainless,¹¹²² kashyapa, white lily,¹¹²³

Various lips,¹¹²⁴ level eye,¹¹²⁵

Beautiful,¹¹²⁶ dharma staff,¹¹²⁷

All beings,¹¹²⁸ heart,¹¹²⁹ and firm,¹¹³⁰ //17//

“Food call,¹¹³¹ donkey,¹¹³² lazy,¹¹³³

Yelling,¹¹³⁴ great sound,¹¹³⁵ powerful playing,¹¹³⁶

Ruling servant channel,¹¹³⁷ dishonest,¹¹³⁸

Principal,¹¹³⁹ ever loved,¹¹⁴⁰ //18//

“Lightning rosary,¹¹⁴¹ delighting,¹¹⁴²

Exhaling,¹¹⁴³ ruby,¹¹⁴⁴ tongue,¹¹⁴⁵

Super-bliss,¹¹⁴⁶ uduṁvara [flower],¹¹⁴⁷

Stupid,¹¹⁴⁸ lotus turning,¹¹⁴⁹ //19//

“Battle-axe,¹¹⁵⁰ and peacock energies.¹¹⁵¹

O Vajra Lord! Thus I have taught

The names of the energies.” //20//

[Vajrapāni again asked:]

“O Lord! To analyze the places

Of the energies inquired of,

Good sir! Whence do they arise

And spread about?” //21//

The Vajra Lord¹¹⁵² spoke:

“The characteristics of the places¹¹⁵³ of the energies

Are those of the energy-wind pervading the six chakras.

The heart chakra, always existing,¹¹⁵⁴

Pervades migrant beings with ‘vitality.’ //22//

“At midnight,¹¹⁵⁵ from the supreme space,¹¹⁵⁶

Nonconceptuality arises,

Overcoming the instinctual natures of the energy-winds.

That energy moves in a ninefold way,

Standing in the places of the dharma chakra //23//

“From midnight on,

With ninefold nature in the six chakras.

At the end of mid-day,

The energies are caused to rise. //24//

“Starting from mid-day,

The six chakras have a ninefold nature.

At midnight

The energies clearly move, //25//

“And, because they are in different places,

They go as various thought constructions.

Having analyzed those conceptualities,¹¹⁵⁷

I will recount their names. //26//

“Desire,¹¹⁵⁸ hatred,¹¹⁵⁹ and delusion,¹¹⁶⁰

Arrogance,¹¹⁶¹ pride,¹¹⁶² obsession,¹¹⁶³

Jealousy,¹¹⁶⁴ fury,¹¹⁶⁵ and miserliness,¹¹⁶⁶

Dishonesty,¹¹⁶⁷ deceit,¹¹⁶⁸ and disfigured,¹¹⁶⁹ //27//

“Excitement,¹¹⁷⁰ longing desire,¹¹⁷¹

Sloth,¹¹⁷² doubt,¹¹⁷³ egotism,¹¹⁷⁴

Joy,¹¹⁷⁵ detachment,¹¹⁷⁶ haughtiness,¹¹⁷⁷

Hidden,¹¹⁷⁸ craving,¹¹⁷⁹ and instinct,¹¹⁸⁰ //28//

“Deceit,¹¹⁸¹ delusion,¹¹⁸² great desire,¹¹⁸³

Debate,¹¹⁸⁴ amusement,¹¹⁸⁵ shameless,¹¹⁸⁶

Haughty hypocrisy,¹¹⁸⁷ totally tormented,¹¹⁸⁸

Mood,¹¹⁸⁹ agitation,¹¹⁹⁰ and non-introspective,¹¹⁹¹ //29//

“Inanimate,¹¹⁹² false pride,¹¹⁹³

Regret,¹¹⁹⁴ unabashed,¹¹⁹⁵

Disrespectful,¹¹⁹⁶ lacking confidence,¹¹⁹⁷

Low-minded,¹¹⁹⁸ shameless,¹¹⁹⁹ and fettered;¹²⁰⁰ //30//

“Shamed,¹²⁰¹ embarrassed,¹²⁰²

Not giving up,¹²⁰³ suffering,¹²⁰⁴

Dualistic mind,¹²⁰⁵ not conceited,¹²⁰⁶

Concentrated,¹²⁰⁷ doubtful,¹²⁰⁸ and weary,¹²⁰⁹ //31//

“Power,¹²¹⁰ fake hero,¹²¹¹

Thinking mind,¹²¹²

Fainting,¹²¹³ melting,¹²¹⁴ wild,¹²¹⁵

Deceitful,¹²¹⁶ level,¹²¹⁷ and drunk,¹²¹⁸ //32//

“Unknowing,¹²¹⁹ conscientious,¹²²⁰

Bad rebirth,¹²²¹ weak,¹²²²

Unhappy,¹²²³ investigation,¹²²⁴

Anxiety,¹²²⁵ trembling, lethargy,¹²²⁶ and sloth;¹²²⁷ //33//

“Longing Desire,¹²²⁸ playful,¹²²⁹ and crane,¹²³⁰

Harmful,¹²³¹ lazy,¹²³² distracted,¹²³³

Thinking,¹²³⁴ analysis,¹²³⁵ depressed,¹²³⁶

Concealing reality,¹²³⁷ ¹²³⁸ and meaningful,¹²³⁹ //34//

“Bestowing,¹²⁴⁰ desiring joy,¹²⁴¹

Fearful,¹²⁴² trembling,¹²⁴³

Subtle,¹²⁴⁴ clear,¹²⁴⁵ very clear,¹²⁴⁶

Messing up,¹²⁴⁷ connecting,¹²⁴⁸ and

Reality of conceptions;¹²⁴⁹ //35//

“Tortoise,¹²⁵⁰ insatiable,¹²⁵¹ harmful,¹²⁵²

Unclear,¹²⁵³ attractive,¹²⁵⁴

Placeless,¹²⁵⁵ garrulous,¹²⁵⁶ selfhood,¹²⁵⁷ personhood,¹²⁵⁸

Wonderment,¹²⁵⁹ joy,¹²⁶⁰ and bad being.¹²⁶¹ //36//

“Attracted to cyclic life, with its three sufferings,

The reality of the lower [states],

The natural instinct energies,

Always one hundred plus eight,

Move constantly, day and night.” //37//

4. The Special Elucidation of the Word “Community”

¹²⁶²

Now, the Sun of the Three Vajras,

Opened the secret [heart] lotus,

And, dwelling in the state of great bliss,

Declared the meaning of the supreme “Community.” //1//

“The ‘community’ is explained as ‘integrated.’

I will explain integration to you.

The four chakras are undifferentiated,

Just as mantra is joined together according to ritual.¹²⁶³ //2//

“When the hero joins with the yoginī,

Their two secret channels

Perfectly join and touch.

At that time, space¹²⁶⁴ expands. //3//

“From space, wind arises; thereby fire blazes up,

Opening the seventy-two thousand channels;¹²⁶⁵

And the energy pervades the great bliss chakra

In the supreme state of universal bliss. //4//

“The enlightenment spirit of great bliss

Melts and comes to rest in the [central] channel.

Because the three vajras become of one nature,

The realms become singular in taste.

The aggregates are fully terminated;

In the process of revitalizing,¹²⁶⁶

The energies produce the ecstasies. //5//

“Then, enlightenment spirit melts from all the places,

Becoming a single oneness,

And the [central] channel, the fruition of the one,

Becomes singular in taste —

That is declared to be ‘integrated.’ //6//

“Terminating all conceptuality

Truly produces the great bliss

That had been hidden

In the aggregates, elements, senses, and their objects. //7//

“Revitalizing in the singularity of tastes

Is the integration of the community,

The secret supreme reality,

Declared the Vajrasattva state.” //8//

5. The Teaching of the Meaning of Emptiness

¹²⁶⁷

“Next, moreover, listen to reality!

The meaning of emptiness is very vast.

Emptiness pervades within

And is the reality of all things. //1//

“Truly knowledge of reality —

Suchness, nonconceptuality,

The unique selfless nature

Of the self, persons, and things,

Emptiness, reflexive awareness,

Always present as the nature of all —

Is realized by yoga alone. //2//

“Not the province of the logicians,

The epitome of all things

Is expressed as the six chakras. //3//

“Then, pervasive also within,

It expands well the channel chakras;

Subtle, it permeates the sky,

Its peaceful nature pervading. //4//

“It is nonperceivable and nonsupporting,

Formless, without addictions,

Nonconceptual, supremely peaceful,

Natureless and stainless,

Nondual and without activity,

Having abandoned subject and object. //5//

“Transcending time and comparison,

Free from the domain of speech,

Its ultimate reality is expressed

Precisely by all things. //6//

“Free from being and nonbeing,

Freed from the world of good and evil,

It is entirely unobscured,

Supremely pervading, just like space.

Things are born just as they are:

That is declared to be suchness. //7//

“Not coming from anywhere

And not going anywhere,

Only from delusion and mistakes

Does it seem to be projecting. //8//

“Abandoning happiness and suffering,

Not sullied by lust, hate, and so forth,

Free from errors and mistakes,¹²⁶⁸

Concept-free and stainless, //9//

“It has left behind the reifications

Of self, life, reincarnation,

Humanity, and, likewise, persons,

Manu and his progeny,

Agent and experiencer,

Knower and creator. //10//

“Not obscured by the aggregates,

Sense media and elements, etc.,

[Or] consciousness and subjectivity —

Supremely subtle, it abides in space supreme.

Thus, everything is the meaning of emptiness. //11//

“Free from the meaning of expressing and expressed,

Mere names alone are also

Self-arisen, supremely wonderful.

I am perfectly explaining it

As conventional expression.¹²⁶⁹ //12//

“As extremely subtle self-awareness,

There is no seeing that reality;

Its nature is natural self-knowing,

Not as another confronted object —

And is explained as self-awareness.

The state of all things is peace. //13//

“Logicians misled by conceptuality,

Deluded by ignorance,

Do not know the ultimate

And grasp at convention like an enemy’s treasure.¹²⁷⁰

Without knowing the supreme intuition,

Those logicians advocate emptiness. //14//

“The yogi/nī contemplates this yoga,

Practices it with supreme subtlety.

S/he truly abandons perfect emptiness, the great space,

Knower and knowable. //15//

“Free from forms of conceptuality,

Expressed within in the chakra of emptiness.

Within the innermost recesses of the six chakras

Of the body with the nature of the five aggregates

Like the [sixteen] digits of the half-moon,

Emptiness abides in the wind chakra. //16//

“Neither half nor full,

Just as the instincts are like water moons,¹²⁷¹

[And] the wind chakra is explained as vitality

Arising at the instant of midnight,

So one who truly meditates on it as such

Meditates on emptiness. //17//

“With the yoga of ultimate nonduality

Or by joining cause and effect,

One meditates on [what appears as] inherently existing,

But with the ultimate as its essence.

Meditating on the conventional just like that,

One will overcome the life cycle. //18//

“Just as sesame oil is present in a sesame seed

But isn’t visible,

So emptiness is present in the body,

But can’t be seen because of being covered up.

Knowing this from instructions of the guru,

One knows reality and abandons the conventional.”¹²⁷² //19//

6. The Opening of the Drop and Achieving the Supreme Yoga

¹²⁷³

[The Vajra Lord continued:]

“Then listen and I will explain further.

The opening of the drop is unexcelled.

Worldly people, lacking the opening of the drop,

Revolve again and again through the life cycle. //1//

“The drop located at the hair tuft between the eyebrows

Is perfectly explained as energy-wind.

Opening [it] by the truth of mantra,

The yogi/nī unties the [channel] knot —

Knowing the truth of energy

Is the practice that opens it superbly. //2//

“Further, those ignorant of that practice

Experience unclearly [or] mistakenly

That which, by the yoga of energy and mantra,

Transcends examples of expressed and expressible.

As they lack concentration in meditation,

Their buddha[hood] is difficult to attain. //3//

“By the kindness of the yoginī,

[This teaching] remains in the lineage,

Transmitted face to face.”

Again, Vajradhara asked the Great Bliss Lord: //4//

“Savior of migrant beings, I pray you teach

[How] one who knows the supreme yoga

With the know-how of the opening of the drop

Causes the knot to open through practice. //5//

“[Then], this migrant of the three realms

[Would] swiftly reach supreme attainment.”

The vajra holder having submitted his request

To the Vajra Lord, the [Lord] did declare: //6//

“This very supreme secret is nowhere clearly stated —

So, about that opening of the drop, listen to what I’ll explain. //7//

“The intuition vajra always resides

In the space in the lotus bud of the heart.¹²⁷⁴

Flanking [it] above and below

Dwell the great vitalizing and evacuative energies. //8//

“As for that [bud], it is bound by three knots

In the center, difficult to open.

Thereby it is made supreme and dominating,

So one cannot surmount [it]. //9//

“Dominated by that [binding], [the energy-winds] again move

In five ways: vitalizing, evacuating,

ascending, pervading, and metabolizing,¹²⁷⁵

Constantly [flowing] from the five tips,¹²⁷⁶ //10//

“They truly rely on the five channels,¹²⁷⁷

Inflated, developed, crazy,

Drinking, and friend —

One should know these as the five channels. //11//

“The great energy is called ‘vitality’ —

Clearly pervasive beneath the [intuition] vajra,

Though it is also centered in the upper vitalizing [energy],

It moves to the space realm in the hub of the vajra. //12//

“Having triumphed by meeting the navel knot,

It moves in five ways in the five points at the tips —

Crescent moon, [body] mole,¹²⁷⁸ serving, dewlap,¹²⁷⁹ and liver —

These are the names of the five channels. //13//

“From the five channels, the energies that move [are]:

Nāga, kurma, kṛkalasa, devadatta, and dhanujit.

In that way, together with those tips,

When they go to the lower part of the body, //14//

“The channels of the emanation [navel] chakra

Are stimulated again and again.

Being stimulated, they expand,

And great delusion dominates. //15//

“Above that, by being stirred up,

The channels located in the dharma [heart] chakra

[And] all those channels together with them

Are dominated by the force of hatred. //16//

“Because they have stimulated [those energies] above,

Wonder arises in the supreme enjoyment [throat] chakra,

And those channels together with it

Are dominated by the force of great lust. //17//

“Because they have stimulated [those energies], above,

The great bliss head crown chakra

And all those channels together with it

Are filled with the enlightenment spirit, //18//

“Making the conceptualities flow

From all of the various openings,

The upper [conceptual energy-winds] going downward.

Overcoming the vitalizing energy,¹²⁸⁰

They enter the tip of the vajra facing downward.¹²⁸¹ //19//

“But they don’t go down;

The wheel of the knot of ignorance,

The energy-wind that is the chariot of consciousness,

Merging with the instincts, becomes the four

Consciousnesses of eye, ear, and, similarly, nose and tongue. //20//

“Arising from the four tips,

The instincts merge with consciousness,

And consciousness together with the sense powers

Strongly develops [the realm of] objects. //21//

“Again, from that very path,

Engaged by this exact process,

By connecting with that substantiality,

In the moment of using consciousness,

Its instinctiveness increases. //22//

“Mistaken, from the cycle of samsara,

Consciousness, thus trained by instincts,

Moves into the experience of karma.

And by uniting with vitality energy,

It keeps being deluded in the three realms. //23//

“The actor experiences¹²⁸² the effect of karma;

Otherwise there would be no cyclic life.

Therefore, to conquer [such] cyclic life,

Discern clearly the state of the drop. //24//

“Make great effort in realization,

Unknowing the other misknowings.¹²⁸³

Further, when one has opened that central knot,

Attainments come to be,

[And] the yogi/nī attains yoga. //25//

“Having attained the five intuitions,

One attains the five clairvoyances, and

Having attained the supreme secret,

The good-hearted one stays [happily] just like that. //26//

“You don’t need a rosary; you don’t need meditation.

You don’t need activities; you don’t need cessation.

Only by the single truth of mantra is truly perfect buddhahood attained.

Here there’s no mention of the distinctions

Of action, Dharma, and commitment consorts. //27//

“Not by the distinguishing of the chakras,

Likewise, not by the ecstasies, etc.

But by the truth of mantra will one achieve

The brilliant state of the great seal. //28//

“The emptiness intuition vajra,¹²⁸⁴

The reality of nondual bliss,

And the opening of the secret drop,

And the great bliss that attains the yoga, //29//

“Breaking open the eggshell of ignorance,

Destroying the mountain of the [wrong] view

Of the transitory collection,

And attaining the great seal

Are declared the supreme performance. //30//

“Through the sure practice of the truth of mantra,

One will realize clarity of lineage and [its] components

From the kindness of the yoginī

And the instructions of the guru. //31//

“Whoever recites [mantra] without personal instructions

Makes the mind deluded [about] the king of mantras.

That one will only have difficulties;

Churning water won’t make butter. //32//

“Likewise, someone could,

Without personal instruction,

Recite a mantra for the duration of his lifetime,

Yet would not attain even an iota of its fruit. //33//

“Some ignorant person,

Wishing to go across

To the far shore of the four oceans,

Doesn’t even ask, ‘Where’s the path?’ //34//

“Thus is the nature that drives [them].

Likewise, the practitioner who lacks

The personal instructions that create great ecstasy,

Even though an expert, [gets] no result. //35//

“Such a practitioner gets angry,

And at the moment hate arises,

Results are gone, and he goes to Howling Hell.

Therefore, with every effort and with faith,

Learn personal instructions from the guru’s tradition. //36//

“Wherefore, infused by the tradition’s transmission,

And abiding by the procedures of the lineage,

By striving according to the speech of yoginī and guru,

One should learn supreme reality —

Traditional transmission of mantra’s personal instructions.” //37//

Hearing that, Vajrapāni,

To eliminate all doubts,

Prostrated to great bliss Vajrasattva

And asked: //38//

“Whoever learns your teaching

Of supreme reality, will instantly attain

The Lord’s royal mantra

Of unexcelled attainment!” //39//

Then the blessed Vajra Lord declared:

“The very clear truth of mantra,

The supremely secret reality,

I haven’t taught to anyone;

Thinking no one deserved it,

I have hidden [it] in all the tantras. //40//

“But now I’ll teach it, so listen!

By practicing the mantra conduct,

The unexcelled king of mantras,

One will quickly gain attainment. //41//

“First, draw the last of the USHMA group [H],¹²⁸⁵

Adorned with the sixth vowel [Ū],¹²⁸⁶

Endowed with the end of the last of the groups [Ṁ],¹²⁸⁷

With the part that lacks a vowel¹²⁸⁸ [HŪṀ]. //42//

“At the end of USHMA [H],

With this ninth vowel,¹²⁸⁹

With the sound of supreme visarga at the end [HOḤ] —

[This] one should choose as the principal mantra. //43//

“Thus the name of two syllables

Is the wonderful mantra sign.

To abandon all grasping,

They take the name of sound and drop,¹²⁹⁰

Differentiated as the two energies,

One causes the opening of the knot of ignorance. //44//

“Whoever repeats for six months

The cause of the supreme great seal,

The two supremely peaceful syllables,

The desired aim of the personally instructed,

Will achieve the brilliant state of the sound of the drop,

Causing him to accomplish all desired goals. //45//

“[In] a divine place, isolated from people,

Free of any disturbing sounds,

Unhindered, fortunate, happy, //46//

“[In] a pleasure grove¹²⁹¹ of great bliss,

Enjoying the five sense pleasures,

The main mantra will be accomplished.

Here, I’m telling more, so listen! //47//

“While sitting in a house

In a posture of great bliss,¹²⁹²

The supreme achievement will arise.

The practitioner sits on the seat of bliss,

Placing his eyes on the tip of the nose. //48//

“One places the nose in line with the navel.¹²⁹³

Leveling the shoulders and touching tongue to palate,

The teeth and the lips placed comfortably,

One relaxes the inhalation and exhalation of breath,

Reducing effort little by little, exhaling, inhaling, just like that. //49//

“Sitting well in the vajra position,

In that way, with the seal,¹²⁹⁴

One constantly recites the two syllables.¹²⁹⁵

By the opening of the drop, there is great bliss,

And the supreme yoga is attained in six months, no doubt. //50//

“This is the first: the stream of the channels.

The stainless state of the avadhūti [channel],

The great intuition reality of energy

Is the cause of Vajrasattva.¹²⁹⁶ //51//

“Pill, sword, zombie,

King, eye medicine, alchemy,

Army paralyzing, and [walking] through walls,

The supreme state of the scientist, //52//

“Invisibility, seeing treasure,

Shape-shifting at will,

X-ray vision, alchemy,

Conquering poison, entering fire,¹²⁹⁷ //53//

“And the five superpowers and five intuitions

Will be achieved, and in this way,

The state of enlightenment

Is instantaneously [achieved]. //54//

“Giving up asceticism,

Having perfect wisdom and compassion,

Supported by great bliss as taught,

You don’t need vows, you don’t need fire offerings,

You don’t need rosaries, you don’t need counting.

You don’t need to distinguish the creation stage,

You don’t need the so-called austerities, etc. //55//

“By the mantra yoga alone,¹²⁹⁸

The guru’s oral tradition,

And by direct practice for six months,

The supreme exaltation will be achieved.”¹²⁹⁹ //56//

7. The Explanation of the Word “Nāda”

¹³⁰⁰

“Now then, further, listen to reality!

Whoever understands the meaning

Of the unexcelled sound

Will get attainment in this very life. //1//

“Sound is also said to be indestructible,

[Having] the nature of stainless clear light.

It is liberated from all forms,

Abiding in the navel emanation [chakra]. //2//

“Subtle as a snake’s tongue,¹³⁰¹

[It is] wonderful nondual intuition

It is the father and mother as Creator — ¹³⁰²

Precious as Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Ishvara, and Shiva.¹³⁰³ //3//

Without letter and without mass,¹³⁰⁴

Having abandoned arisal and annihilation,¹³⁰⁵

Freed from time and notions.

Birthless, inexhaustible, amazing. //4//

“Attraction to all clinging, etc., abandoned,

Without remainder, supreme of supreme,

Free of [the extreme of] peace,¹³⁰⁶

It abides in the center of all things.¹³⁰⁷ //5//

“Without conception and support,

It is called the all-foundation;

[Yet] with respect to their addicted minds,

It causes awakening [even] of fools. //6//

“The unexcelled exaltation attained

By the supreme nondual yoga,

Nondual, supremely brilliant,

It truly relies on the reality of energy. //7//

“Aroused by the letter HOḤ,

It awakens the fire chakra.¹³⁰⁸

The meaning of the state of such a sound

Truly stands in the speech of the guru.” //8//

8. The Complete Demonstration of the Provision of the Great Secret

¹³⁰⁹

“Then, moreover, listen, as I explain

The unexcelled secret meaning.

The secret is said to be the ‘bhaga.’¹³¹⁰

And just that bhaga is the reality source. //1//

“The basis of the state of great bliss,

The cause of producing ecstasy,

It is the state of Vajrasattva,¹³¹¹

The clear nature of the five intuitions. //2//

“It is great intuition, without elaboration,

Abandoning all conceptuality.

Supremely subtle, after transcendent ecstasy,

Orgasmic ecstasy stays the lord of all.¹³¹² //3//

“Present in the moment of transcendent ecstasy, etc.,

Is the subtle, true enlightening spirit,

Nourishing as a benefit to life,

Staying [balanced] like a weighing scale. //4//

“Timeless, nonconceptual,

Empty, birthless, deathless,

It dissolves in the emanation chakra

And is born in the great bliss chakra. //5//

“Inconceivable, peaceful,

Passion-free, unborn in all migrations,

The equal union of vajra and lotus

Causes the bestowal of every bliss. //6//

“By knowing the reality of energy,

One causes it to be held in the channel center.¹³¹³

That which is experienced as born there

Is well known as ‘the secret.’¹³¹⁴ //7//

“That very thing is the supreme of secrets,

Standing especially in the guru’s speech.

In the process of mutual transmission —

Know it from the good guru’s speech.” //8//

9. Defining the Word “Vow”

¹³¹⁵

“Then, moreover, listen as I explain

The reality of the meaning of ‘vow.’

The cause of keeping the vow

Is called ‘the spirit of enlightenment.’

Holding the mind at the tip of the vajra

Is well known as its keeping. //1//

“When the senses engage their objects

And continuously abide there,

That is explained as keeping the vow

And keeping the commitment. //2//

“Do not associate with those

Who are unruly, hypocritical, deceitful,

Stupid, furious, dishonest,

Faithless, or speculative sophists; //3//

“With those [just] technically holding vows,

With monastics obsessed by wealth,

With those who reject reality

Or don’t know the ultimate; //4//

“With nihilists, the unethical, gossipers, or liars —

Do not ask them questions, etc.,

And do not associate with them

Even for a finger snap. //5//

“As for the action consort, even if charming,

If s/he is a childish person,

Don’t perform the commitment with them,

Or it will ruin the yoga. //6//

“When one creates [it], stay in the center of the commitment

And do not engage in the vow

Relying [merely] on a lotus vessel seal, etc.,¹³¹⁶

Or enthralled with [mundane] lust.¹³¹⁷ //7//

“One should never reveal the vessel,

The hand-drum, chopper knife,

Book, or counting rosary

To others who lack the commitment.

And do not show to ordained monastics,

The acts of yoga conduct, etc.,

Or the personal instructions. //8//

“One should not show the painted icon, etc.;

[And] who performs the conduct with the vow,

Should not even tell the guru, let alone others.¹³¹⁸ //9//

“Whenever senses engage their objects,

By binding them there,¹³¹⁹

One intensely engages conventional reality

As nondual emptiness and illusion. //10//

“As for the bliss that one has experienced

In the wisdom-intuition consecration, etc.,

By recalling [that] great bliss,

The senses withdraw from their objects. //11//

“Surely abandon praising one’s self,

Belittling others, being a know-it-all, etc.

I just explained the true vow

Of the genius, the Vajra Lord. //12//

“A yogi always must always guard

Such a commitment,¹³²⁰ etc.

Otherwise, one will ruin the yoga.¹³²¹ //13//

“The yoga-endowed vajri, in order to attain,

Should always hide even from the guru¹³²²

The rosary, crown,

Bone ornaments, bracelets,

Books, meditation drawings,

Skull, etc., [and] the yoginī. //14//

“One should not pronounce the mantra out loud

Or even make visible the movement of the lips.

Voiced only slightly in the throat —

Thus recite the mantra king.

The peerless accomplishment comes from secrecy —

Therefore, it is explained as a vow. //15//

“Even if he has great wealth, one not a [proper] vessel

Is said in the tantra to be a problem.

The guru should strive to abandon such,

For the sake of the unexcelled attainment. //16//

“One who teaches the supreme, amazing instructions

To unsuitable disciples, driven by greed

For food, drink, robes, and great wealth,

Though he knows the yoga in this life,

Will go to Howling Hell!”//17//

10. Determining the Meaning of the Commitment

¹³²³

“Then, furthermore, listen to reality.

The meaning of the commitment is unexcelled.

Now¹³²⁴ I’ll explain the meaning

Of the commitment of eating.¹³²⁵ //1//

“The reality taught as eating

Is expressed as the five elixirs.¹³²⁶

When the reality of energy is applied,

They melt into the one taste.¹³²⁷

Having again gone upward from the vajra path,

They all are consumed in oneness.¹³²⁸ //2//

“By the commitment of body, speech, and mind,

The three realities, the yogi in constant practice

Consumes as a single taste [both] whatever happens,

And the bliss experienced in the four chakras.¹³²⁹ //3//

“The supreme reality of enlightenment spirit

Dissolves in the state of great bliss;

Melted by the reality of energy,

Eating is the excellent meditation.¹³³⁰ //4//

“The yogi always drinks compassion

From the bottom of the skull bowl,

The great bliss

Of the bodhisattva.¹³³¹ //5//

“He pours [it] into the secret lotus, the supreme vessel.

Relying on that, one realizes what eating is.¹³³²

Mentally causing the drinking of elixirs¹³³³

Is tasting the substance of the five elixirs —

Such eating is [that of] Vajradhara. //6//

“Elephant, horse, dog, cow,¹³³⁴ human — ¹³³⁵

Mixing enlightenment spirit with blood,¹³³⁶

One should eat it in that moment. //7//

“That is called the ‘five elixirs.’

With gross and subtle thought construction,

The vajra holder always eats

Of the vessel bright in emptiness. //8//

“Transcendent emptiness intuition

Is the bliss of the third ecstasy.

The vajra holder always eats

In the vessel of orgasmic [bliss] —

Abiding in the state of great bliss.¹³³⁷ //9//

“All the concept[-driving] energies

Are eaten in the good vessel of the reality of peace

By one who knows the reality of energy,

Staying in the state without conceptual thought. //10//

“Perfectly uniting [with] the three consorts,

One who knows the reality of yoga

Eats in the vessel taught as the great seal.¹³³⁸ //11//

“Abiding in the state of vitality control,

Gross and subtle thought constructions

Confuse meditation and non-meditation;

Yet in the vessel of the great vitality, conceptless,

One eats in the vessel of the dawn of great intuition.¹³³⁹ //12//

“The mass of seeds of the net of concepts

Is the kindling for the aggregates in the good vessel.

When they are ripened¹³⁴⁰ by the fire of great intuition,

One eats by realizing the reality of mantra.¹³⁴¹ //13//

“By the lineage¹³⁴² of the power

Of the great terrifiers of the four devils,¹³⁴³

The practitioner, well entranced in equanimity,

Always eats in the vessel of yoga.¹³⁴⁴ //14//

“Eating the unexcelled

Three drops of wind, mantra, and substance

In the vessel of the indestructible state

Is transcendent yoga. //15//

“Being entranced [in] great intuition,

Unequaled emptiness intuition,

[Made] supreme by the vessel of compassion —

Drink and always drink! //16//

“The joining of the vajra and lotus

Is explained as ‘the seal commitment.’

The one in the fortunate vessel

Produces supreme thatness. //17//

“The yogi who drinks, delighted,

Will achieve the goal of the great seal,

The supreme reality that is to be accomplished,

Orgasmic yet free from addiction. //18//

“I have not explained such commitments, etc.,

Definitively anywhere else.

The supreme exaltation of Vajrasattva

Is clearly realized from the speech of the guru.” //19//

11. Determining the Meaning of Mere Sound

¹³⁴⁵

“Then, furthermore, I will explain, so listen!

I will explain the meaning of mere sound.¹³⁴⁶

Whoever knows just that

Achieves the state of no transmigration. //1//

“In the hollow of the lotus of the dharma chakra

Mere sound truly abides.¹³⁴⁷

It is without desire, invisible,

Nondual, and taintless, //2//

“Incomparable, immobile,

It has no foundation and no roof.

Lord of gods, supreme intuition

Giving up exhaling and inhaling. //3//

“Lord god of yogis, such is hard to find:

Supreme peace, great bliss, supreme in form,

Deathlessly supreme, with natural relativity,

As if intoxicated from tasting wine,

Having supremely gone within; //4//

“Likewise, it is the abode of all forms,

The support of knowing the reality of mantra,

The place of realizing of one’s own experience.” //5//

Then Vajrasattva asked the unexcelled teacher:

“O Blessed Lord, knower of the peace of reality,

Can one attain thatness by merely understanding

The analysis of the reality of mantra?” //6//

Then the Vajri spoke:

“The unexcelled reality of mantra,

Superb, subtlety more superb,

Great intuition and great bliss, //7//

“The supreme quintessence of the essence,

Listen as I thoroughly explain!

The nonmigrating secret state,

Hidden in all the tantras, //8//

“Truly remains as mere sound,

[As] the supreme reality of the navel chakra.

It dissolves in the center of great emptiness

As the transparent state of great bliss. //9//

“Nondual, fearless, peaceful,

Imperceptible and unconventional.

When one applies nondual concentration,

The reality of mantra is utterly transparent. //10//

“It is beginningless and peaceful,

Thing and no-thing, [with] a principal nature

Of emptiness and compassion indivisible,

The nature of the spirit of enlightenment. //11//

“Initially, meditate on emptiness.

Rely supremely on the peaceful state of nonperception,

A pleasant state of unreality, concept free,

Incomparable emptiness intuition,

The continuum of enlightenment spirit.¹³⁴⁸ //12//

“From the syllable HŪṀ truly arises

Greatly wonderful yogic intuition.

The three realities mean the single taste,

The transparent¹³⁴⁹ state of the central channel. //13//

“By the yoga of orgasmic ecstasy,¹³⁵⁰

One abandons entering, etc.

The exaltation of great bliss

Is the stainless enlightenment spirit. //14//

“The moment of variety is indivisible,

Free from the melody of the nature of expression.

By the continuity of always abiding, however,

The enlightenment spirit descends. //15//

“Achieve by the yoga of mantra

The mere unborn, peaceful drop.

By engaging in the mantra conduct,¹³⁵¹

Supreme intuition is self-known.” //16//

12. Explaining the Reality of Energy

¹³⁵²

[The Divine Lord continued to explain:]

“Then, listen, as I explain the ultimate,

The supreme reality of energy-wind!

The yogi/nī who meditates on energy¹³⁵³

Will reach attainments quickly. //1//

“The wind drop is great intuition;

Being subtle, both are the clear state.

The inexhaustible yoga of nonduality,

The delight that makes all attainments. //2//

“Birthless, ubiquitous, peaceful,

Pervading all embodied beings,

Invincible, empty, inconceivable —

It abides eternally as the nature of all. //3//

“By yogic meditation and concentration,

One knows the real nature of one’s own drops,

The place where things become as one,

The cause of the reality of mantra. //4//

“Liberated from all instincts,

It invites total bliss omniscience.

One should visualize the light ray drop

As supreme reality at the tip of the nose.¹³⁵⁴ //5//

“Truly applying vitality control

Gives the count of conceptualities;

The fortunate one has the nature of five intuitions.

And the rites¹³⁵⁵ of the five buddhas,

In the form of applying the five jewels,

Are just the nature of the five elements.¹³⁵⁶ //6//

“First are the actual physical gestures,

With the character of repeating the count of speech.

The mind is attracted to the great yoga,

The inexhaustible state of meditation. //7//

“One counts the mass of breaths,

Analyzing [them] as types of energy,

Realizing the different locations,

[And] the different times of the channels. //8//

“Reversing the energies and

Abandoning them with their conceptualities —

Thus, in sum, [these] six things

Are expressed in ‘inhale and exhale.’ //9//

“First, one becomes certain

That there is thus a count of

Twenty-one thousand, six hundred

Inhalations and exhalations in a day and night. //10//

“Applying that count up to twenty-seven days

The state of achieving that number

[Is reached,] counting over and over. //11//

“Discerning the limits of times,

Then one continuously repeats as follows:

During the measure of each session,

One should examine vitality and control,

Definitively apprehending¹³⁵⁷

The count of twenty-seven hundred. //12//

“Having fully clearly divided [the count]

Over twenty-seven days,

Differentiating the four chakras,

One defines the day and the night.¹³⁵⁸ //13//

“After that, by controlling the location,

One examines [them] separately

By moving through the channel chakras.

One should practice the channel chakras

By the yoga of definite retention,

Making certain of inhalation and exhalation.¹³⁵⁹ //14//

“From the twenty-seventh day,

By analysis of those channel chakras,

One should examine the state of the changing

Of location, by differentiating locations. //15//

“As for locations, by discerning [them] individually,

The one hundred and eight [energies] move intensely,

And there is supreme nonconceptual union.

Naturally abandoning conceptions, in the nature of all things,

The hundred and eight [energies] move intensely. //16//

“This is true yoga, supreme, and the yogi/nī

Who meditates on the characteristics [of the energies]

For twenty-seven days abiding in that way,

Such is his own nature — a yogi/nī with concepts.¹³⁶⁰ //17//

“Those [concepts] reversed by yoga,

Great energy, thought-free,

Moves through the channel chakras.

Having accomplished that, [both] the reversal

And all addictions are ascertained by the yogi/nī —

Such is the ultimate reality //18//

“In twenty-seven days,

By the yoga of the beginner,

The genius should meditate through reversal. //19//

“Then, those [energies] ceased,

By the force of true yoga,

The concepts of vitality and control completely abandoned,

The reality of energy moves —

Meditate on this supreme yoga!¹³⁶¹ //20//

“By supreme nondual yoga,

In [another] twenty-seven days,

Relying on the reality of energy,

Mistaken yoga is corrected. //21//

“For that, with single-pointed mind,

Through nonconceptual reality,

The supreme yoga of the reality of energy

Comes clear with true control. //22//

“Like making a mansion:

First, one purifies the ground.

Upon it, eliminating obstacles,

One purifies the site. //23//

“The genius [should desire]

Such a pleasant, lucky mansion,

And likewise, should meditate on the reality of energy,

[Made] supreme by the yoga conduct. //24//

“Entering trance as before,

By the yoga of vitality control,

One should meditate [with] yogic awareness,

The great intuition of supreme yoga.

First, the reality of energy,

Next, the reality of mantra becomes clear. //25//

“There, supreme light rays of energy,

The five colors of great illumination,

The nature of the five transcendent lords,

The very reality of the five aggregates, //26//

“Purifies the five intuitions,

Causing [them] to move as the five energies.

The characteristic of the reality of the five forms

Of manifest enlightenment is the supreme state. //27//

“The supreme reality [at the] tip of the nose,

The very essence of the five energies,

Is explained as the ‘wind drop,’

Also illuminating perfect reality. //28//

“The mustard seed at the nose

Is also taught in other tantras.

And that mustard seed¹³⁶² [at the] nose tip

Is the sign of vitality control.

Abiding in vitality control,

Meditate on the five lights as buddhas. //29//

“From the upper nose emerge

The four forms [of breath]:

Right, left, both, and slowly moving,

Explained as being internal time.¹³⁶³ //30//

“In the time of a half-session,¹³⁶⁴ [they] are taught

To be going and coming¹³⁶⁵ at the lotuses

Of the throat, heart, navel, and secret [chakras],

And are taught as abiding sequentially. //31//

“The element emerging from the right [nostril]

Is the sphere of fire itself,

Red in color and brilliant,

The movement of the Lotus Lord.¹³⁶⁶ //32//

“The element emerging from the left

Is the sphere of wind,

Seen as yellow-green,

The movement of the Action Lord. //33//

“The element arising from both [nostrils],

Is the sphere of earth,

Seen as golden in color,

The movement of the Great Jewel Lord. //34//

“The slow and immobile element

Is the sphere of water [itself],

Seen as like a pure crystal,

The movement of the Vajra Lord. //35//

“The energy that abides throughout the body

Engaging in all activities —

Is really Vairochana,

Emerging in the body at death.¹³⁶⁷ //36//

“This clarity of the reality of energy-wind,

Has the nature of the five intuitions.

It is no place for the inexperienced yogi/nī,

And not known by sophists.¹³⁶⁸ //37//

“Illuminating all of the attainments,

Accomplishing the reality of all yogas,

Illuminating the exaltation of all reality,

Encompassing the goal of all yoga, //38//

“The clear state of Vajrasattva

Always remains as the nature of everything.

Supreme reality, being extremely subtle,

It is realized from the mouth of the guru.” //39//

13. Explaining the Term “Great Bliss”

¹³⁶⁹

“Next, listen to what else I will explain!

The clear state of great bliss,¹³⁷⁰

The indestructible state of Vajrasattva,

As it is self-knowing, supreme of supreme,

Devoid of conceptual description,

Is proclaimed ‘great bliss.’ //1//

“During the time of orgasmic [ecstasy],

Subject and object are let go,

Pleasure and pain are given up,

One transcends even nondual peace;¹³⁷¹

The natural essence of all things

Is proclaimed ‘great bliss.’ //2//

“It is the actual five vajra intuitions,

With the nature of the five buddhas,¹³⁷²

The stream that flows from the five channels,¹³⁷³

Manifesting the state of vajra emptiness. //3//

“Unreal and unsupported,

Nondual, free from all things,

Abandoning partlessness and parts,¹³⁷⁴

It always delivers from all concepts. //4//

“Without migration and peaceful,

Uncontaminated, it manifests all blisses.

It liberates from all addictions,

Entering into every pleasure. //5//

“Emptiness, great emptiness,¹³⁷⁵ extreme emptiness,

And the supreme supreme, universal¹³⁷⁶ emptiness,

The abode devoid of anything other than emptiness,¹³⁷⁷

It is of the nature of the five skies. //6//

“Its nature unseverable and unchanging,

It is unburned and supremely penetrating.

Supreme intuition of the five buddhas,

Its nature is proclaimed as ‘vajra.’ //7//

“Perfectly mixing compassion and yoga,

This supremely productive bliss,

All three realities in one taste,

Abandons expression and the expressible. //8//

“Located in the great bliss [crown] chakra,

Not in the province of the senses,

By supreme, nondual yoga,

It is the sole nature of the fourth ecstasy,¹³⁷⁸ //9//

“Attained by the stages of the four chakras,

Manifesting the state of the four yogas,

Completely filled with the five emptinesses,

Negated by the four components, //10//

“Holding [enlightenment spirit] at the tip of the vajra

Is what determines the ‘mind hero.’

What is filled with the parts of the five spaces¹³⁷⁹

Is called Vajrasattva. //11//

“That very thing is the state of great bliss,

That fourth pervades all the ecstasies.

Produced [from] the union of the hero and yoginī,

It is indestructible, giving up all distinctions.

Its actuality is ultimate reality. //12//

“It is known as one’s own sensation,

Not the province of others outside,

Incomparable, hard to signify,

And truly abides in one’s own mind,

Proclaimed as ‘introspective knowledge.’ //13//

“Like the great ecstasy with a young woman,

It is experienced as supremely clear.

Reality is supreme and transcendent.

‘Supreme’ [means] all of the sages, etc.,

The exaltation of brilliant conceptuality.¹³⁸⁰ //14//

“It is supreme and great bliss,

One characteristic in three realities,

Liberated from existence and nonexistence. //15//

“Realize that the nature of bliss naturally liberates from the suffering of cyclic existence.

Mind is natural peace, free from the nature of analyzing duality and nonduality,

Cutting away the stated addictions, free from all worldly imaginations,

Natural truth, isolating thoughts of knowing and known abandoned,

Ultimate, ubiquitous, supreme peace, the excellence that grants the reality of the world’s bliss —

[Its] time is proclaimed ‘the end of time,’ and the ‘fourth time union.’ //16//

“Abandoning erroneous thoughts about cyclic life,

And abandoning the achievement of nirvana,

The experience of equality is greatly intoxicating,

Having the character of equalizing intuition. //17//

“What is grasped at are ‘objects’;

All of them, visible form, etc.,

The graspers are the sense consciousnesses

Of the nature of eye, etc. //18//

“Free from them and supremely subtle,

Is intuition, [whose] nature is all-bliss.

Liberated from all suffering,

Abandoning the grasped and the grasping. //19//

“The blissful mind is peacefulness.

Liberated from the characteristic

Of cyclic life’s suffering, one is fearless

[In] unlocated nirvana! //20//

“With the nature of great emptiness intuition,

Cyclic suffering does not arise,

[But,] because in peace one creates compassion,

One does not stay in the bliss of nirvana. //21//

“The intuition of the disciple is peace itself;

And for the rhino [buddha],¹³⁸¹ supreme nonduality.

[But] great bliss is apart from their notion of bliss;

Since they are satisfied, the time of supreme ecstasy

Is called ‘the disciples’ intuition.’ //22//

“Ecstasy free from that extreme,

The nirvana of the self-enlightened,¹³⁸²

Is nondual intuition and peace,

Made distinctive by bliss. //23//

“It is great intuition that knows phenomena,

Causing the holding of enlightenment spirit.

The state of the exaltation of great bliss,

Of the bliss in all the channels —

The reality that has that nature

Is called ‘great bliss.’ //24//

“That is only [achieved] through yoga,

Not [by] conceptuality, with the nature of thought,

Not by propitiation, recitation, or fire offerings,

Not by concentration, energy restraint, activities, or rosaries,

And not by meditation on the creation stage, //25//

“[But only] through the somewhat peaceful consecration,

It will be achieved from the mouth of the holy guru.

The total engagement with all the yoginīs

Is the intuition of the supreme, the great bliss.” //26//

14. Explaining the Union of the Vajra and the Lotus

¹³⁸³

“Next, I will explain still more, so listen!

Through¹³⁸⁴ the equal union of vajra and lotus,

The yogi/nī in this very life

Will have the true attainment. //1//

“[What is] indestructible is called ‘vajra,’

Well known as energy.

Manifesting the syllable A with yogic intuition

Always bestowing excellence. //2//

“Its support, the heart lotus,

Is adorned by eight petals.

The dharma chakra, the fortunate one,

Always abides as the nature of everything. //3//

“The eight conventional consciousnesses

Are produced on its petals;

Truly supporting the eye [consciousness], etc.,

They engage [things] in the three realms. //4//

“The energy vajra that overcomes these

Is called Vighnāntakṛt.

The consciousnesses and whatever is on them

Are called ‘the world protectors.’ //5//

“The world deities abide,

Pervading all three worlds.

And all the protectors also abide

As the result of [grasping at] sense-objects, etc. //6//

“[The eight consciousnesses] are truly united by energy,

They are called ‘vajra and lotus.’

One should know the vajra as compassion

And the lotus as emptiness —

Their union is known as the supreme. //7//

“[In] the equal union of vajra and lotus

The vajra is called ‘sun,’

Its nature a mass of light rays.

What opens to them is called ‘lotus.’

The vajra and lotus joining

Is known as supreme yoga. //8//

“Enlightenment spirit also becomes the vajra,

The crown chakra, the lotus.

The supreme union of it in that¹³⁸⁵

Is amazing! //9//

“The speech of the guru is called ‘vajra.’

In the place of the lotus is

The receptacle of hearing of the good disciple.

Their union also manifests as supreme. //10//

“Serenity is called ‘lotus,’

And insight in it is the ‘vajra.’

When yoga unifies these two,

By meditation one sees reality. //11//

“Abiding in the lotus face of the yoginī,

The vajra is unexcelled great bliss.

The lotus is the face of the good disciple,

Vessel for the meaning of the personal instructions.

Those two with the nature of all yoga

Make visible the meaning of true reality. //12//

“Of the genius, free from conceptual thoughts

The vajra is called the ‘phallus,’¹³⁸⁶

And the thought-free genius calls the lotus ‘vagina.’¹³⁸⁷

With the yoginī moistened by commitment,

Those two perfectly unite as one entity,

Causing the vision of nondual intuition. //13//

“The seventy-two thousand channels are ‘vajra’;

The channel where enlightenment spirit descends,¹³⁸⁸

Well known as ‘lotus.’

Total union [there] produces ecstasy. //14//

“Also the seat of ecstasy is ‘vajra,’

The self-knowing¹³⁸⁹ Vajradhara is ‘lotus.’

The equal union of those two there

Manifests the state of buddha intuition. //15//

“The supreme consecration is ‘vajra,’

The good disciple vessel is ‘lotus,’

Supreme true union of those two

Is the cause of true reality.¹³⁹⁰ //16//

“E is called ‘lotus,’

The syllable VAṀ, ‘vajra,’

The indestructible reality drop.

Uniting those two is the supreme wonder.¹³⁹¹ //17//

“Thus is known supreme union —

The vow of the vajra and lotus vessel

Is fully known through the personal instructions

Of the yoginī, and the kindness of the guru.” //18//

15. Explaining the Reality of Mantra

¹³⁹²

“Listen, vajri, as I explain

The supreme intuition of the reality of mantra.

By engaging in the mantra conduct,

One will achieve attainments quickly. //1//

“One should do repetition of mantra memorized,¹³⁹³

As the vajras of body, speech, and mind.¹³⁹⁴

Thereby one will quickly achieve attainment,

Perfecting the reality of energy. //2//

“The peaceful state of the vajra seal,

The goal of the vow of the great seal,

And the great intuition of supreme reality

Are taught to be the reality of mantra. //3//

“The lucid state of nonobjectifying,

The definitive cause of Vajrasattva,

Is manifested by all good qualities of mantra,

The vow of body, speech, and mind. //4//

“Producing that reality is supreme intuition,

Gathering the meaning of all reality.

Supremely clear in the heart-center lotus,

That very thing is unexcelled intuition. //5//

“Repeating this for six months,

One will become accomplished;

Otherwise not.

The art of supreme yoga is well known to the yogi/nī. //6//

“What is proclaimed as ‘nonobjectified,’

Pronounced to be the ultimate,

Is the nondual repetition of mantras

Analyzed as the snake, etc.¹³⁹⁵

Yet the three indestructible realities

Concentrate the ultimate reality of mantra. //7//

“The attainment of [vajra] repetition is incomparable.

If one recites with true equanimity,

It becomes the incomparable attainment.

It is the brilliant clarity of the state of purity —

One who knows this is the guru of the world. //8//

“The meaning of mantra, the reality of mantra,

The traditional transmission of mantra instructions,

And the inexplicit personal instructions of mantra —

Who knows these is the guru of the world.” //9//

Then Vajrapāni,¹³⁹⁶ having prostrated

Again and again to the omniscient

Guru of beings, urgently asked,

“What is the definition of mantra? //10//

“O Lord, [its] name, meaning, and nature,

How are they made clear?

What is the meaning of the vow of mantra,

And of the instructions on the reality of mantra?” //11//

Then the Vajra Lord spoke:

“Listen and I will explain

The very essence of the result of the three yogas

As characterized by nondual intuition

And the supreme meaning and name of mantra. //12//

“Essence gathers the meaning of essence,¹³⁹⁷

Beginningless and peaceful,

The principal nature of the existent and the nonexistent

Is emptiness and compassion indivisible —

The definition of knowing the meaning of mantra. //13//

“Addictionless and unmanifested,

Lacking intrinsic nature, supreme of supreme,

Nameless and natureless, supreme great lack of form,

Abandoning all dualities, //14//

“Truly causing increase of bliss,

Increasing the bliss of the fortunate,

Knowing all and free from parts,

Nondual intuition yoga is born! //15//

“That reality is ultimate; also that reality

Is none other than the suchness of thatness!

That reality is the state of Vajradhara,

The very nature of the five intuitions. //16//

“All-pervading, ubiquitous emptiness,

The total conquest of all addictions.

Taintless, stainless joy,

The supreme state of self-awareness! //17//

“The primal deity, extra-delighted,

Enlarges the five clans.¹³⁹⁸

By the personal instructions specifying the places,

One should gather [them] by opening the chakras. //18//

“How are the channels said to be applied to the throat, heart-center, and palate?

Similarly, how are the rites to be performed,

The peaceful, etc., in stages?

What about the attainments and intuition,

And the character of experience? //19//

“How is [one’s] nature perfected?

What are the different streams?

What is the practice according to the clans?

What is the result? //20//

“One should learn with great effort what truly abides

Through the tradition of the gurus

Of perfect form, etc. —

The stages of the seal of true contemplation. //21//

“With gold, brocaded garments,

Various jewels of the finest quality,

Countless servants and laborers,

With faith and devotion and such, //22//

“With whatever the teacher likes, things rare to find,

For that guru who shows the meaning of mantra,

One should completely fulfill his intentions.

Having made prostrations, then, the mantri,

Perfectly understanding, [achieves] the goal of the result. //23//

“A pencil made from human bone

And a ground of blazing jewels,

Or the well-spread ashes from a charnel ground,

Will bestow attainment! //24//

“Having first taken consecration,¹³⁹⁹

Make a mandala before one’s self.

Present an offering cake for Vignāntakṛt,

As if in a great temple.

One should collect the incomparable mantra

That brings accomplishments of body, speech, and mind. //25//

“First, write the first letter,¹⁴⁰⁰

Having the fifth vowel,¹⁴⁰¹

Having the last part of the last group.¹⁴⁰²

It is expressed as the seed of the body. //26//

“The beginning letter is doubled,¹⁴⁰³

The UṠMA part [at the end];¹⁴⁰⁴

Thus collect the incomparable mantra,

The speech vajra, the supreme essence. //27//

“The [last] part of UṠMA,¹⁴⁰⁵

Having the sixth vowel,¹⁴⁰⁶

With the last part of the last group¹⁴⁰⁷

Manifests the state of the mind vajra. //28//

“The three commitments of body, speech, and mind

Cause [one] to attain the three worlds.

The supreme reality of the yogi/nī,

The unexcelled mantra collection —

Those very things cause all attainments.

Concentrating the meaning of all mantras

Is the entire vajra vehicle. //29//

“It is the supreme yoga of all adepts on this earth,

With its creatures and environment:

Unexcelled intuition yoga —

The essence of Vajrasattva. //30//

“The supreme [part] of unexcelled intuition

Is repeating the mantra, according to personal instruction.

For the sake of attainment, act according to scripture,

And become its magnificent attainment. //31//

“Knowing mantra in this very life,

Taught to be great intuition,

The great yoga of body, speech and mind,

Illuminating mantra, incomparable,

Causes the enjoyment of all desires.

One who always holds mantra in the throat

Knows true reality. //32//

“Causing the accomplishment even of all conceptualities,

Entering into all mandalas,

And knowing all commitments,

The good-hearted achieves even the three worlds.” //33//

16. Teaching the Process of Counting the Energies

¹⁴⁰⁸

“Now I will explain further, so listen!

The unexcelled stage of counting,

The stage of the energy-winds

Just as they abide. //1//

“One who attains [this] is fortunate.

Vitality energy abides as the nature of all —

One who really knows [this]

Achieves supreme yoga. //2//

“One who does not know the nature of energy

Wanders in the three worlds.

One who, moreover, gains familiarity [with it],

[Carries] the lineage of knowing unexcelled yoga. //3//

“The characteristics of the seasons

Are like the characteristics of the energies.

Having summarized, I should explain

What is clear in the Cloud Glory.¹⁴⁰⁹ //4//

“In short, there are six times,

Well known as the seasons.

It is the time of two conjunctions;¹⁴¹⁰

That time is sixty days. //5//

“When one defines day and night

They are well known as ‘one day.’

There are sixty hours¹⁴¹¹ in one day and night.

Similarly, a dbyu gu is a tsa sha.¹⁴¹² //6//

A tsa sha is well known¹⁴¹³ as the time

Of six exhalations and inhalations.

In six seconds, there is one [external] breath.

Its measure is the snapping of one’s fingers. //7//

“In one moment¹⁴¹⁴ there are three instants.¹⁴¹⁵

They are the mere turning of a mustard seed.

For three [internal] breaths there is one instant.

That one instant is a flash.¹⁴¹⁶ //8//

“In three instants is the blinking of an eye.

Further, as for the eye, the blink of an eye

Is in the space of three split seconds.

The space is a hand clap. //9//

“The rising of bliss takes three split seconds.

That is the migration of the drop.

The mantri abides in bliss in the three [split seconds],

Said to be fearing emission.¹⁴¹⁷ //10//

“It is explained as fearing the three times.

Time is subtle, with the nature of an instant,¹⁴¹⁸

With the character

Of past, present, and future. //11//

“The past is said to be three moments,

The present is also three moments, and

The future is explained as three moments.

In [each of] those, there are also three moments. //12//

“Thus, there are parts of the three moments.

From those, there are three parts;

From those, a part.

To the extent one counts that much,

Thought becomes empty [and] nondual;

One will attain supreme yoga. //13//

“The abode of the vitality energy is unexcelled.

Free from conceptions of direction and time,¹⁴¹⁹

One abandons reasoning and characteristics.

One’s vitality energy arises and dissolves,

The epitome of nonduality. //14//

“I should explain further, so listen!

When the vitality energy is arising or dissolving,

One realizes the moments, etc.

But when it is completely unpacified,

The abode of the vitality energy,

Is not known as the state of liberation.¹⁴²⁰ //15//

“Abiding in the center of anus [and] secret [place],

[Its] name is ‘unproduced great part.’¹⁴²¹

Moreover, free from consciousness,

The intuition body is selfless.

What is produced there is the supreme of the supreme,

Called the supreme of living beings. //16//

“It manifests the actuality of consciousness.

First, it actualizes the production of reifications

Upon the four [physical] elements.¹⁴²²

At that time, it dissolves in its own place.¹⁴²³ //17//

“From consciousness, wind is born.

From that, fire will arise;

From fire, water will arise.

From that, earth is truly produced.

From these [elements] the aggregates arise,

After that, the sense media, and from that,

The natural instincts of consciousness.¹⁴²⁴ //18//

“The process of those one hundred and eight [energy-winds],

Just as they arise, just as they abide,

They dissolve, the being’s natural instincts.¹⁴²⁵

The great energy ‘producing arrogance,’¹⁴²⁶

Stirs up the addicted mind¹⁴²⁷

And, gaining power, expands,¹⁴²⁸

Causing the withdrawal of the sense media. //19//

“From that, the ‘water arrogance energy,’

Since it consumes the ‘producing arrogance’ [energy],¹⁴²⁹

Causes the aggregates to be withdrawn,¹⁴³⁰

Causing the great body gradually to resound.

Then the ‘partial arrogance [energy] arises,¹⁴³¹

Making the water arrogance [energy] withdraw.¹⁴³² //20//

“The elements also withdraw in precise stages.

From that will arise the ‘sending/holding energy,’¹⁴³³

Consuming the partial arrogance [energy].¹⁴³⁴ //21//

“Then it contracts [all] the energies,

Obscuring the subtle pervading energies.

From that, the intolerable sending/holding [energy]

Obscures consciousness instantaneously.¹⁴³⁵ //22//

“Once obscured, then consciousness also

Passes out and becomes insensate,

Causing the sense media to be obscured,

(Leaving only) pure intuition, supreme of the supreme.

Then the vitality [energy] dissolves

In coordination with the consciousness.¹⁴³⁶ //23//

“The supreme reality is thus explained;

The dissolving and arising of vitality —

Its full and exact understanding

Arises in the order of the guru lineage. //24//

“I will also further explain the reason

For attaining the vajra body,

For the attainment of the deathless state.

One who achieves the supreme immortal body

Is the vessel of all excellent qualities. //25//

“Due to beings’ short life span,

They are unable to attain the immortal state.

Thus, with all possible effort,

One should achieve immortality.” //26//

[Then] the Lord Savior, Supreme Intuition,

Yogin of Reality Transcendent,

Vajrasattva [as Vajrapāni] bowed and asked:

“As for the reasoning for immortality,

How does one truly attain it?”¹⁴³⁷ //27//

Then the Vajra Lord declared:

“The exalted state where all acts get done

Is the great yoga of deathlessness,

Where the true reality is ascertained. //28//

“A short-lived being has no way to attain.

Therefore the excellent yogi/nīs

[Hold] longevity to be a virtue.

For that, first the supremely intelligent yogi/nī

Must attain the inner nature.¹⁴³⁸ //29//

“Touching the tongue to the middle of the palate,

Repeat the thatness word.

Having struck the spiritual hero pose,

One should recollect the perfect yoga.¹⁴³⁹ //30//

“Moving the breath at the tip of the nose,¹⁴⁴⁰

One should clearly shut the mouth.

When the moon comes to the place of the palate,¹⁴⁴¹

It melts by the mantra yoga.

The yoga master should always drink

By the yoga of the melting energies. //31//

“At the end of the midnight session,

In one session without stopping,

The yogi/nī recites mantra,

And the vajra body will be created. //32//

“To arouse the vitality of the practitioner,

Always repeat, without losing the components,¹⁴⁴²

The third of the second group,¹⁴⁴³

Including the vowel.¹⁴⁴⁴ //33//

“Also, one should always use the substance,

Creating with the stages of the five realities.

When one completes the recitation,

Never will the elements stain the body.¹⁴⁴⁵ //34//

“One holds the vessel made of five metals

Until sunrise, pouring into it always enlightenment spirit

Of ovum and semen —

Supreme substance, the sevenfold elixir.¹⁴⁴⁶ //35//

“Drinking the substance at bedtime

Increases [one’s] life span.

Then one should repeat the king of mantras —

OṀ ĀH HŪṀ — seven times. //36//

“One should mark one’s right hand¹⁴⁴⁷ with a flag,

Cover the good vessel, purify it three times

With the mantra of one hundred syllables — ¹⁴⁴⁸

So always carry, fill, and sip the maiden’s substance. //37//

“Also, give such food, making equal parts — buttered rice,

Beans, sunflowers, goat milk, sugar, and sesame.

With intense faith,¹⁴⁴⁹ make fire offerings.

Then, at bedtime, give to eat,

Eat the unexcelled!¹⁴⁵⁰ //38//

“Thus knowing the ritual through reasoning,

Don’t tell anyone about it!

[The ritual] will quickly bestow attainment

On the subtle one, all as before. //39//

“Doing this for six months,

One will arise in a vajra body.

One should use¹⁴⁵¹ elixirs and alchemy with great effort,

Unequaled [for] controlling the life span. //40//

“For the practitioner who attains the great seal,

There is no old age, worm disease, drowsiness,

Stupidity, dry lung, energy or bile disease, etc., //41//

“No inner or goiter disease, pox, hemorrhoids,

Itching, smallpox, leprosy, or syphilis.

He has a glorious smoke-white lotus body,

Shining like a golden river. //42//

“He always attracts supreme intuition women.

The goddesses have great fondness for [elixirs]

[And so] the yoginīs make [him] a mind hero — ¹⁴⁵²

[His] natural body ever saluted and given offerings.” //43//

17. Situating the Channel Chakras

¹⁴⁵³

“Then, further, listen to the summary

Of the number and places of the channels,

Distinguished precisely by the number of chakras,

Supremely wonderful. //1//

“For the six chakras, there are sixteen supports,

[Being] the divine mansion in the body —

I will explain them by summarizing

According to [particular] yoga and location. //2//

“The channel located at the wind chakra¹⁴⁵⁴

Is a six-petaled energy coursing in space.

Three-petaled is explained as the fire chakra,¹⁴⁵⁵

[Its] three channel places arising in stages.

Likewise, the enjoyment chakra¹⁴⁵⁶ is rightly stated

As having sixteen channels. //3//

“The eight channels located in the dharma chakra¹⁴⁵⁷

Pervade everything.

Likewise, also, the emanation chakra

Is stated as arising in sixty-four [channels].¹⁴⁵⁸ //4//

“Thirty-two channels are stated as arising

In the great chakra of great bliss.¹⁴⁵⁹

Thus, in sum, the order is also rightly stated

As constituting one hundred and twenty-nine¹⁴⁶⁰ channels. //5//

“Again elsewhere, in detail, the seventy-two thousand

Channels are analyzed according to their locations,

Stated in the Definitively Stated Hundred Thousand.¹⁴⁶¹

The quintessence is stated in the Shorter Tantra¹⁴⁶²

Or in this very one. //6//

“The wind chakra is located between the eyebrows:

Countless, coiling, excruciating,

No good,¹⁴⁶³ firm, and authentic

Are the characteristics of its six short channels. //7/

“Holding, nonconceptual, and full

The three channeled triangular fire chakra

Is stated as being below the throat.¹⁴⁶⁴

Its three are [also] stainless, clear, and fierce. //8//

“[The channels of the navel emanation chakra

are called:]

[1] Truly forceful¹⁴⁶⁵ and [2] very forceful,

[3] Very good and [4] becoming good,

[5] Great power¹⁴⁶⁶ and [6] great unbearable,¹⁴⁶⁷

[7] Great beauty and [8] great born in front, //9//

“[9] Arrogance sign and [10] arrogance part,

[11] Arrogance water and [12] arrogance intoxicant,

[13] Arrogance and [14] arrogance stimulant,

[15] Arrogance moisture and [16] holding arrogance,¹⁴⁶⁸ //10//

“[17] Rough, [18] sky born, and [19] rude,¹⁴⁶⁹

[20] Breathing discomfort, [21] itching, and [22] ḍākinī,

[23] Bird limb, [24] crow face,

[25] Endless appetite, [26] noisy, //11//

“[27] Smelly, [28] striking, and [29] dusting,

[30] Melody, [31] melody producing, and [32] cloud,

[33] Tunnel vision and [34] continuous moving,

[35] Main moment, [36] unborn moment, //12//

“[37] Facing backward and [38] stick,

[39] stick pride and [40] decrepit,

[41] Joint belly and [42] joint word,¹⁴⁷⁰

[43] Joint measure and [44] other tamer,¹⁴⁷¹ //13//

“[45] Joint place and [46] joint face,

[47] Joint light and [48] joint tether,¹⁴⁷²

[49] Making tame, [50] animal,¹⁴⁷³ and [51] radiance,

[52] Stainless and [53] taming pride, //14//

“[54] Water-hung belly, [55] water-hung passion,

[56] Hanging garland, half-hung garland, [57] bee,

[58] Child, [59] child bestower, [60] questioning,¹⁴⁷⁴

[61] Leaf, [62] throat of leaf, //15//

“[63] Supreme mother, and [64] very illuminating.

Thus are stated the sixty-four channels,

Located in the navel emanation chakra,

All filled up with the supreme elixir. //16//

“Great jewel, great lotus, great vajra, great strength,

Great head, great sound, great ecstasy, great drunkenness — ¹⁴⁷⁵

These eight in the center of the dharma chakra

Truly stay on the lotus of the heart center. //17//

“Enjoyment and enjoyment granter,

Sun, going, bright, and lucky,

Meditation and ash face,

Food giver, food, and hunger, //18//

“Elixir, sour taste, fearsome taste,

Taste, and crane —

These, sixteen in number, are so named,

Located on the enjoyment [throat] chakra. //19//

“Above that, in reasoned order, [are the great bliss crown chakra channels]:

Passionate, lustful woman,

Vitality body, moon drinker, moon giver,

Treasury, desireless, speech, kusha grass, //20//

“Flesh, charnel ground, mountain, purity,

Human, corpse, parrot,

That having dual tastes,

Long battle cry, wine giver, elixir, //21//

“Conch possessor, conch, ear,

Poisonous eye, poisonous nose,

Arrogance lord, arrogance, thirst,

Faint arrogance, wondrous arrogance, //22//

“Smooth, and support of the host —

These are stated to be the thirty-two [channels]

Of the chakra of great bliss,

Which bestows the supreme ecstasy.¹⁴⁷⁶ //23//

“Subtle and extremely subtle to the touch,

Having given up object-subject [dualism],

One’s self being of the nature of great bliss,

One serves to give it to others as well. //24//

“Thus, one should know from the guru’s speech

The true order of the channels.

The aggregates, etc., do not arise without ascertaining

The order of the channels; and without the aggregates,

The yogi/nī cannot achieve the great intuition. //25//

“The body with the nature of the five aggregates

Is well known as the five ḍākas;¹⁴⁷⁷ the same thing

Becomes five intuitions, [transforming] the five elements.

Thus, with all effort, one should know the channel chakras. //26//

“Just as a tree grows quickly in the midst of water

And fruit, etc., comes forth from it,

So this [knowledge] will give [its fruit] —

Of this there is no doubt. //27//

“Likewise, the aggregates are like a tree,

Having grown through the water of the channels;

Increasing, they bestow the real fruit of omniscience.

One should meditate on the nature of the channels

As being in actuality forms of deities. //28//

“From the meeting of the two banners of texture,¹⁴⁷⁸

When the vajra gets there, the fire truly blazes.

Then, in the middle of the fire chakra,

The lotuses called chakras¹⁴⁷⁹ will open gradually.¹⁴⁸⁰ //29//

“At this, enlightenment spirit falls from the channel

[Creating] the great bliss [in the navel emanation chakra],¹⁴⁸¹

And one truly achieves the essence of emanation,

Having condensed [it] into a single entity. //30//

“It flows down the sun and moon [channels],

And also in the center of the royal vaginal chakra,

Where it abides in the form of a weighing scale.¹⁴⁸²

Known also as the single cause,

Those two [have] two kinds of effects. //31//

“The right [channel] emerges in the sun form¹⁴⁸³

And the left [channel] in the moon form.¹⁴⁸⁴

When the right sun becomes [ovum] blood, it is bliss. //32//

“When the left moon becomes clear,

The bliss is [white], like a jasmine flower.

The fire that incorporates those two

Truly abides as the seven branches. //33//

“At the time of the hundred paths [in the between],¹⁴⁸⁵

When the prior energy-consciousness becomes mistaken,

One abides equably in the space of the father,

And then one falls under the power of lust. //34//

“The secret place is the channel possessing the mark of the moon.

When fire and sun arise, driven by extreme lust,

One supremely desires only passion.

[In] the face of vajra and lotus mingled,

One enters [with] the energy of the father’s face. //35//

“At that time, one arises in the seed,

And from the seed, a living being arises.

Thus, one truly arises from the channels,

Born as a wondrous fruit. //36//

“That same thing is also enlightenment spirit.

Held, it compresses the vitality energy,

Attaining supreme intuition and supreme reality,

The great marvel of supreme bliss,

The yoga of intuitive wisdom,

Superbliss unexcelled.” //37//

18. Summary of the Channels of the Yogic Body

¹⁴⁸⁶

“Now I must explain further.

The respective channels in the yogic body

Are always truly created

According to the order of clans. //1//

“This is not stated clearly

To those who gave up faith.

[This] is not clearly spoken of anywhere

To people who lack the good fortune. //2//

“[But now] in this time of the five degenerations,

For those beings desiring to be made vessels

Of swift spiritual attainment, I will truly explain

The spontaneous wonderful intuition. //3//

“I will perfectly explain the channels through which

Enlightenment spirit clearly flows,

Thirty-two in the great bliss chakra

Of the body of the yogi/nī. //4//¹⁴⁸⁷

“Now, I will explain the characteristics

Of that place of great bliss; one should know these

In order, by the ka,¹⁴⁸⁸ ca, ṭa, ta, and pa groups,

And ya, ra, la, wa, ṣa, śa, and sa. //5//

“When one compresses these,

They go into one unit.¹⁴⁸⁹

Moreover, having dissolved into enlightenment spirit,

One knows the supreme intuition of peace. //6//

“Having abandoned all conceptions,

[It is] the supreme basis of all bliss,

Abandoning the knower and the known,

Always remaining as the nature of all. //7//

“From that, by division into three wheels

And from division into eight channels,

Tripling with body, speech, and mind mantras,

[The channels] manifest as seventy-two. //8//

“They naturally proliferate individually,

Each dividing into a thousand —

Thus the count of the channels

Comes to seventy-two thousand. //9//

“Dividing into the three elements

Of wind, bile, and phlegm, wheel into wheel,

There are twenty-four thousand,

Following the definitive personal instructions

Of the mahāyoga tantras. //10//

“One should know from the mouth of the guru,

By differentiating each channel,

The characteristics of the stage of divinity,

The supreme reality of seal[-consort] yoga. //11//

“Then, devotedly uniting, fully relying on each other,

Again, from the thirty-two channels located

At the great bliss channel chakra, they reach seventy-two

And so become Chakrasaṁvara.¹⁴⁹⁰ //12//

“The principal channels of each chakra

Manifest in multiples of eight.

The ‘supreme’ channels of the yogic body,

By discerning the thirty-two syllables,¹⁴⁹¹

The ‘miraculous thirty-two,’

The chief yogi/nī always attains. //13//

“Protecting the aggregates,

Elements, objects, and the gates

Of the sense powers,

The luminous thirty-two-fold mandala¹⁴⁹² is supreme. //14//

“Also within the body mansion truly dwell

The transcendent lords, the [buddha] goddesses,

The form, etc., [goddesses], the [bodhisattva] princes,

And the ten terrifics, in supreme reality. //15//

“Further, the terrifics merge into

The bodhisattva princes, and disappear;¹⁴⁹³

The bodhisattva princes melt into

The goddesses of form, etc.; //16//

“The earth [goddess], etc., [all] of them

[Melt] into the five transcendent lords;

Who go, melting into the vajras

Of body, speech, and mind.¹⁴⁹⁴ //17//

“Going, melting into singular reality bliss,

Liberated from object and subject,

The supreme support of all bliss. //18//

“Further, again, from [this] experience alone,

One melts into just a letter,

The mere letter melts into just a drop,

The drop again melts into sound,

And sound into clear light.

The perfect state of clear light

Has the characteristic of emanating and withdrawing.¹⁴⁹⁵ //19//

“Consciousness, the reality realm,

Ultimate reality, great bliss,

Delivered from subject-object [duality],

Stainless enlightenment spirit, //20//

“The great peace of Vajrasattva,

Wonderful nondual intuition,

The bliss of the fourth consecration,

The supreme exaltation of the fourth ecstasy — //21//

“By these particular names, etc.,

The supreme state is declared,

Distinguished in emanating and withdrawing

According to these exact stages. //22//

“Thus should one understand,

From the guru [and] the lineage,

The meaning of the creation and perfection stages,

Characterized by the peace of nonduality.” //23//

19. Detailed Explanation of the Characteristics of the Moments

¹⁴⁹⁶

“Then again, there is more to explain —

The characteristics of the perfect system,

The nature of the moments [such as] variety, etc. —

Listen carefully to that very thing! //1//

“The four moments¹⁴⁹⁷ are declared to be:

Variety, ripening, overcoming,

And characteristic-free.

Distinguishing [them], I will explain further. //2//

“I will analyze the moments of those types

Asserted as variety:¹⁴⁹⁸ erotically enticing,¹⁴⁹⁹

Embracing,¹⁵⁰⁰ kissing,¹⁵⁰¹ sucking,¹⁵⁰² fondling breasts,¹⁵⁰³

Making goose bumps,¹⁵⁰⁴ biting [and] scratching,¹⁵⁰⁵

Swaying,¹⁵⁰⁶ needling,¹⁵⁰⁷ elbowing/kneeing,¹⁵⁰⁸ etc.,

Are types of the moments of variety.¹⁵⁰⁹ //3//

“When one expands the bliss of the body

[In] the seventy-two thousand channels,

Whatever has reached the throat [chakra]

Is the moment of ‘ripening.’¹⁵¹⁰ //4//

“Orgasmic primal intuition

Has the character of a vajra rosary;

It is the formless moment,

Complete manifest enlightenment. //5//

“When the semen passes, emerging from the channels,

It is the moment of freedom from form.

The four primal intuitions and the four emptinesses

Are realized through the four moments.” //6//

20. Analyzing the Characteristics of Ecstasy

¹⁵¹¹

“Now, further, the characteristics

Of the four ecstasies will be explained

In emergent and reverse order,

According to the exact procedure. //1//

“The bliss of ecstasy is first;

Supreme ecstasy is second;

Transcendent ecstasy is third,

And the fourth is explained as orgasmic. //2//

“In the reverse method, it is stated that

Ecstasy occurs in the emanation [navel] chakra;

Supreme ecstasy in the dharma [heart] chakra;

Transcendent ecstasy in the enjoyment [throat] chakra;

And orgasmic ecstasy [in the] great bliss [crown] chakra. //3//

“After that, I will explain the forward sequence,

With ecstasy stated in the crown great bliss chakra;

Supreme ecstasy in the enjoyment chakra;

Transcendent ecstasy occurring in the dharma chakra;

And orgasmic ecstasy known in the emanation chakra. //4//

“Knowing the experience of the ecstasy of looking,

Attracting, as well as signaling

And kissing on the mouth,

Is the characteristic of variety. //5//

“Similarly, for the excellent yogi and yoginī,

Tugging on hair¹⁵¹² and placing the vajra in the lotus

Is the supreme¹⁵¹³ moment of the ground of experience.

That very moment is called ‘ripening.’

One knows that very thing as the cause. //6//

“Abiding in extreme clarity in the middle of the channel,

The furor fire again overcomes conceptuality.

It causes the supreme part

Of the chakra of great bliss to melt. //7//

“The experience of transcendent ecstasy

Has the character of the moment of overcoming.

In it is the nature of one taste,

Relying on the continuity of one channel. //8//

“The peaceful state of great bliss

Has the character of the orgasmic,

The moment free from characteristics,¹⁵¹⁴

The excellent, marvelous speech of bliss, //9//

“Following the [teaching of] the reality of energy-wind,¹⁵¹⁵

The stream moving upward,¹⁵¹⁶

Causing achievement by the yogi. //10//

“As for that, the emanation chakra

Is known as ‘ecstasy.’

The perfect support of all bliss

Is said to be the moment of variety. //11//

“Above that, the dharma chakra is the supreme basis

Of all emptiness accomplished by the yogi.

The experience is supreme ecstasy,

Having the character of the moment of ripening. //12//

“Then, the enjoyment chakra,

In the moment of moving up,

The experience of transcendent ccstasy,

The moment characterized as overcoming. //13//

“The moment with the character

Of attaining the chakra of great bliss

Is the experience of orgasmic ecstasy,

The moment free from characteristics. //14//

“From arousing the great space of all three channels,¹⁵¹⁷

The perfect form of the host of yoginīs,¹⁵¹⁸

The great yogi experiences

The single characteristic of uniform taste,¹⁵¹⁹

Going moreover to the absence of [any] characteristic. //15//

“One experiences the great awakening

With the nature of the sixteen emptinesses,¹⁵²⁰

The indestructible state of great bliss,

The abode of nondual Vajrasattva. //16//

“This analysis of the ecstasies

Is not clearly stated in other [tantras].

One should understand [this]

By the kindness of the yoginīs,

And from the lineage of the gurus.” //17//

21. Analyzing the Three Drops

¹⁵²¹

“Now listen as I explain further!

The three drops are unexcelled.

Mere knowledge of them

Becomes a yogic attainment. //1//

“Totally flowing in all the channels,

The enlightenment spirit melts

At the moment of holding the vitality energy

At the tips of the vajra and the lotus. //2//

“The application of stimulation of the palate¹⁵²²

And the application of the mantra KSHMĪ

Causes the attainment of supreme yoga,

The supreme basis of all bliss. //3//

“From placing HŪṀ in the central [channel],

In the hub of the lotus of the heart center,

The supreme reality of the dharma chakra,

[Comes] peace, the nature of universal emptiness,¹⁵²³

Liberated from things and nothings,

Defender of the body of thatness.¹⁵²⁴ //4//

“Freed from direction, location, and time,

Above and below are abandoned.

Abiding mind-free in its own nature,

The trap of speech is abandoned. //5//

“It [i.e., HŪṀ] is free from continuity and signs,

And free from the domain of concepts.

Liberated from all duality,

Supreme eternal peace.¹⁵²⁵ //6//

“One should totally meditate

With the yoga focusing on the tip of the nose,

The supreme yoga of the energy drop,¹⁵²⁶

With its great illumination of the five colors;

And the yogi/nī should repeat

The syllable OṀ,¹⁵²⁷ the supreme mantra. //7//

“As before,¹⁵²⁸ this brings the five intuitions,¹⁵²⁹

And likewise peace, etc.,

Of the character of gradually [removing] the instincts.¹⁵³⁰ //8//

“Divided into body, speech, and mind,

These three channels are supreme.

Coming together and dividing,

They mutually interweave.¹⁵³¹ //9//

“The substance drop incorporates

The two drops of mantra and energy;

The mantra drop, supreme reality,

[Incorporates] two drops, light and substance. //10//

“Further, the energy drop incorporates two drops

With the nature of mantra and substance —

[All this] is truly known by the yogi/nī. //11//

“‘The trio of channels of moon, sun, and fire,’

Called lalanā, rasanā, and avadhutī,

With their natures of body, speech, and mind,

Are well known as those very ones. //12//

“Pervading above and below,

In the pattern of a twisted line of lambs,¹⁵³²

Pervading all the channels, located

In the order of true personal instruction. //13//

“Thus, yoga is supremely subtle,

Abandoning knowing and knowable.

[It is] the basis of all attainments,

The great wonderful mahāyoga. //14//

“Not by purification, not by recitation,

Not by rosary, not by cessation,

Not by counting, not by time, not by fire offerings,

Causing neither escape nor cessation;¹⁵³³

The peaceful state of great intuition

Is realized only through [this] yoga. //15//

“Meditating on the five clairvoyances,

And also the five supreme intuitions

And the three drops — with such supreme yoga,

One will truly accomplish pacifying and the other activities. //16//

“The characteristics of emptiness intuition

Are declared to be ‘the intuition hero,’

‘Vajrasattva,’ and ‘the commitment hero.’

This analysis of their number and location

Should be known from the guru lineage.” //17//

22. Explaining the Essence of the Three Bodies

¹⁵³⁴

[Then, the Vajra Lord continued:]

“Now listen, further, to reality —

The supreme state of the three thatnesses,

The essence of vajra body, speech, and mind

With the nature of the commitment. //1//

“I will also explain the three syllables,

The essence of body, speech, and mind.

I’ll reveal it — listen! I’ll explain it exactly. //2//

“OṀ has been perfectly explained

As the essence of vajra body:¹⁵³⁵

As three: ‘the syllable A,

The syllable U, and the syllable Ṁ.’ //3//

“A,¹⁵³⁶ in the lotus of the heart chakra,

Pervades up to the wind chakra.

The great unobstructed energy

Is called “vitality,” collecting all [energies].

Partless and free from parts,

Located in the middle of thing and nonthing,¹⁵³⁷

Pervading up to the part of the chakra that is the drop.¹⁵³⁸ //4//

“It is the supreme syllable of the space element,¹⁵³⁹

Place of the meaning of all mantras.

Awakening all mantras, helping all mantras,

It awakens the chakra of speech. //5//

“It is actually the basis of the three times,

Governing all the elements,

The uncontaminated place of no increase,

Seed of enlightenment, great bliss,

Truly explained as the formless realm,

Epitomizing the meaning of the four chakras. //6//

“U abides in the enjoyment chakra.

Like fire and sun,¹⁵⁴⁰

Pervading from the end of the throat

To the end of the crown, //7//

“The body of radiance

Is known as the ‘form realm,’

With the nature of seventeen abodes. //8//

“Explained as the great bliss chakra,

The syllable Ṁ is just a drop,

Situated in the crown of ecstasy,

Starting at a point four fingers from the end,¹⁵⁴¹

Similar to the form of a moon.¹⁵⁴² //9//

“The peaceful state of great bliss,

Pervader of all channels,

State of the indestructible body,

It is explained as the ‘desire realm,’

Collected into twenty abodes. //10//

“Thus, the energies are collected in the places

Of the three channels of energy.

When one knows the symbol OṀ,

One awakens the three realms.

Vairochana is the cause of having the nature

Of proliferating the material form of beings. //11//

“The two energies of conceptuality¹⁵⁴³

Emerge from the nostrils.

Moving hidden in both sun and moon,

Fire blazes at the peak.¹⁵⁴⁴

Between the brows is the vitality energy.

Though it is one, it is taught as three.¹⁵⁴⁵ //12//

“Determining the three thatnesses,

Peaceful, pervading the three realms,

Expanding the generative seed [syllables],

The letter A¹⁵⁴⁶ is supreme intuition,

The supreme essence of the vajra of speech. //13//

“The two As and the syllable HAṀ

Become long, divided into three,

Epitomizing the meaning of the reality realm. //14//

“The letter ĀḢ¹⁵⁴⁷ was already explained.

The second one¹⁵⁴⁸ also is the vitality energy,

Having the name ‘emptiness intuition,’

Classified as two, vitality and effort,¹⁵⁴⁹

Bringing together objects and [sense] powers. //15//

“The basis mind and the addicted mentality

Are the essence of subject and object.

Becoming one entity,

They are the supreme expression of vajra speech.¹⁵⁵⁰ //16//

“A from the lotus of the dharma chakra¹⁵⁵¹

Becomes the syllable A at the throat,

Comprised of the vitality energy,

The evacuative energy, and the syllable H.¹⁵⁵² //17//

“Remaining bound in the middle of the throat,

One clearly expresses AHAṀ from the mouth.

The white crane¹⁵⁵³ of the taste descending

Is called ‘sour.’

Being summoned, it always pervades,

Burning up the form realm. //18//

“H and the letter Ū,

They and the letter M [make] three;

From the foot to the top of the head,

They epitomize the meaning of the four chakras.

HA is the energy named ‘evacuative,’

Located between the anus [and] the secret [place]. //19//

“The letter Ū¹⁵⁵⁴ is the pervading energy,¹⁵⁵⁵

Located in the lotus of the throat.

The letter Ṁ is the vitality energy

In the wind chakra [in] the forehead. //20//

“In the heart center, they become one,

Expressed as the heart seed,

The Akshobhya essence, black in color,

Having the name of the formless realm.

The essence of vajra body, speech, and mind

Is explained as three.” //21//

Again, Vajrapāni put [his] palms together and asked the Omniscient One:

“As you have well bestowed

The meaning of the mantras of the three vajras

And the analysis of their locations,

Who is the lord at the head of these?

Say exactly who the principal one is!” //22//

The Lord spoke again:

“The principal one is great Vajradhara.¹⁵⁵⁶

Your question concerns the hidden meaning,

The supreme secret of secrets,

Not mentioned in any of the tantras.

I’ll elucidate it, and you better listen! //23//

“The seed [syllable] of mind¹⁵⁵⁷ is the Lord,

The nonconceptual [one] within it all.

Because of that, the main one eclipses

And, likewise, appropriates the others,¹⁵⁵⁸

And penetrates the two energy-winds of conceptuality¹⁵⁵⁹

Throughout the whole body, //24//

“Which move from the nostrils,

Always emerging in the body,

Causing them to pervade by force

The path of the life cycle¹⁵⁶⁰ of six migrations. //25//

“Third, the realized yogi/nī,¹⁵⁶¹

Because of the great nonconceptual wonder

Of stopping all the energy-winds,

Realizes the reality of creation. //26//

“I will explain with true reasoning

The stopping of all the energies

In the center of the emanation and dharma chakras,

Which this Tantra explains as two lotuses. //27//

“The two have sixty-four and eight petals,

[Respectively] facing upward and downward;

They furthermore abide as if kissing,

Causing the vitality and evacuative [energies] to flow. //28//

“Those conceptual ones

Are clearly stated as the two energies.

The two essences of body and speech

Are the lalanā and rasanā [channels]. //29//

“The place of the supreme avadhūti

Is between those two, supreme of the supreme,

The energy of the nonconceptual energy,

Always flowing, spreading everywhere.

Whoever achieves nonconceptuality¹⁵⁶²

Always accomplishes all activities and becomes an expert. //30//

“As for the specific nature of energy,

Whoever conquers the hundred and eight energies

Has the lineage to always increase;

The childish yogi/nī¹⁵⁶³ does not know [this]. //31//

“This Tantra states that such a one

Achieves complete manifest enlightenment in a single moment.¹⁵⁶⁴

When one achieves that moment,

That moment is declared as supreme. //32//

“Furthermore, I will discuss the method,

How that is to be achieved.

First of all, the great yogi/nī

Meditates on quiescence with a good mind. //33//

“Practicing the creation stage,

One makes the seal of the terrifics

In the nine orifices of the senses —

Everything is conventionally real. //34//

“Reciting HŪṀ is incomparable.

After [mentally] reciting for one month

In a supremely unbroken continuity,

One will then attain in one instant. //35//

“Thus, one recites,

Proceeding looking upward at the heart center lotus.

Then, from the kiss with the secret lotus,

Having severed the two conceptual energies, one proceeds.¹⁵⁶⁵ //36//

“The great nonconceptual energy,

Cutting off the vajras of body and speech,¹⁵⁶⁶

Bestows the nonconceptual bliss

Achieved through the reality of mantra. //37//

“Abiding in the stream of the avadhūti,¹⁵⁶⁷

Having opened the energy between the eyebrows,

The ecstasy that causes that attainment

Continually arises, inexhaustible,

Free from attachment, etc., peaceful —

It is the self-knowing great bliss. //38//

“Here I must explain the signs

Of the yogi/nī who has achieved [this] mantra:

Here, shaking, sweating, with hair standing on end,¹⁵⁶⁸

In thoughts of constant ecstasy, face seen by all

As bronzed and beautiful, and ecstatic. //39//

“Duplication and omission in counting, etc.,

Mundane concerns, and other such situations

Will not damage in the slightest

The mantra reality of [such] a yogi/nī.” //40//

23. Determining the Commitment of the Three Realities

¹⁵⁶⁹

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Now further, listen as I teach!

I will teach the words of the three realities,

Divided¹⁵⁷⁰ into self, mantra, etc.,

[In] proper stages.¹⁵⁷¹ //1//

“The self-reality¹⁵⁷² is the supreme yoga,

The cause of Vajrasattva himself,

The self that is the nature of all buddhas,

The sole body of all buddhas.¹⁵⁷³ //2//

“The state of omniscience, taken as unclear,

Is made clear through the divisions of the clans.

The character of [each of] the aggregates

Takes the form of one of the five clans. //3//

“Being analyzed as subtle, coarse, etc.,

With the characteristics of obstructive or nonobstructive,

The phenomenon of the four great elements

Is stated to be the form aggregate.

That is the actuality of Vairochana,

The cause of taking delight in¹⁵⁷⁴ all of them. //4//

“Knowing pleasure and pain as supreme peace,

Cold and hot as the supreme of the supreme,

Is explained as the sensation aggregate;

The character of Ratnasambhava,

The nature of radiating the transcendent lord. //5//

“Elephant, donkey, jackal, horse, deer, pig,

Father, mother, and other relatives,

Friend and kinsman,¹⁵⁷⁵ etc. —

The true knowing of these

Characterizes the discrimination aggregate,

The transcendent lord, Amitābha,

Totally clarifying all elaborations,¹⁵⁷⁶

Knowing the distinctions of beings. //7//

“The fruits of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions,

[Or of actions] termed¹⁵⁷⁷ to be neutral,

Are explained as the creation [aggregate],

Its nature, the enthusiasm of Amoghasiddhi. //8//

“Cyclic life, things and nonthings, etc.,

With the nature of generating conceptual thoughts,

Consciousness is the consciousness [aggregate],

Having the nature of the delight of Akshobhya.

If one thus understands the aggregates,

One comes to know the scriptures and the lineage.¹⁵⁷⁸ //9//

“One knows the appropriate mantras, in order:

JINAJIK, RATNADHṚK, AROLIK,

PRAJÑĀDHṚK, and VAJRADHṚK.¹⁵⁷⁹ //10//

“The four [goddesses,] Lochanā, etc., are considered

To be the three realms,

Differentiated as the four [qualities,] such as hardness,

Designated as the earth element,

Expressing delusion as ecstasy,¹⁵⁸⁰

Well known as Lochanā.¹⁵⁸¹ //11//

“Melting, urine, tears, semen, etc.,

Rely on the special substance

Known as the water element,

With the nature of Māmakī. //12//

“Heat, digestion, food and drink,

And radiating energy

Should all be known as the fire element,

Having the nature of the delight of Pāṇḍaravāsinī. //13//

“Increasing exhalation and inhalation,¹⁵⁸²

Supreme mass of energy-winds,

Extending and retracting,

Functioning above and below —

This is known as the wind element,

With the nature of the delight of Tārā. //14//

“Thus the four elements are known as supreme yoga:

MOHARATI, DVESHARATI,

RĀGARATI, [and] VAJRARATI.¹⁵⁸³

These respective mantras are manifest in the rite.¹⁵⁸⁴ //15//

“Through the supreme yoga one knows

The mass of objects, matter, etc.,

As the character of the matter of the goddess,

With only emptiness as its sole cause.¹⁵⁸⁵ //16//

“By the distinctions of blue, yellow, etc.,

And by the forms of long and short,

[One recognizes] Rūpavajrā,

With the nature of outer objects. //17//

“One should recognize the sounds

Of kettle drum, cymbal, finger cymbals, big cymbals,

[And] likewise, ear drum, lute, praise and blame,

As Shabdavajrā, grasped as

The supreme nature awakening consciousness. //18//

“One should recognize foul scents,

Good scents, and the best combined scents

As Gandhavajrā,

The bright red grasping consciousness. //19//

“One recognizes being divided

Into having the six excellent tastes

Such as salty, bitter, etc., as Rasavajrā,¹⁵⁸⁶

The form that is grasped completely. //20//

“By the differences of smooth and rough,

One knows that very thing as touch,

In the state of Sparshavajrā,

The form that grasps the principal one.¹⁵⁸⁷ //21//

“Depending on the sense power of the eye, etc.,

The eight collections of consciousness

Are known respectively

As the eight bodhisattvas. //22//

“The two eyes are said to be Kshitigarbha,¹⁵⁸⁸

The wonderful bodhisattva,

Delighting in his own nature

In all kinds of forms, etc.¹⁵⁸⁹ //23//

“All forms of sound,

In whatever fitting individual aspect —

Auditory consciousness —

Is explained as Vajrapāni. //24//

“Enjoying particular scents,

Knowing each one individually,

One recognizes the character of olfactory consciousness

As Ākāshagarbha. //25//

“Enjoying particular tastes,

Differentiating each one in order,

One recognizes the character of gustatory consciousness

As Lokeshvara. //26//

“Enjoying particular textures,

Each one respectively,

One recognizes the character of tactile consciousness

As Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin. //27//

“Enjoying particular mental experiences,

Differentiating each one respectively,

Is called ‘mental consciousness,’

With the name of Mañjushrī. //28//

“Perfectly uniting all the sinews,

Differentiating each one respectively,

Having the nature of the sphere of the instincts —

One recognizes Maitreya. //29//

“Having the character of the individual channels,

The supreme basis of all bliss,

With the nature of all things

Is explained as Samantabhadra. //30//

“Thus, the supreme eight groups of consciousness

Are unexcelled perfect reality.

The consciousnesses of the visual and similar

Sense faculties have the nature of seeing form, etc. //31//

“Shins, shoulders, backs of hands, and the two doors,

The characteristics of the ten knowledges —

All of them are recognized as the pervaders: //32//

“Yamāntakṛt, Prajñāntakṛt,

Padmāntakṛt, Vighnāntakṛt, Ḍakkirāja,

Achala, Nilaṇḍaṇḍa, Mahābala,

Sumbha[rāja], and Ushṇishacakravartin. //33//

“Thus, by differentiating their locations,

Completely illuminated by the three intuitions,

Having become as one actuality,

The support of perfect thatness reality,

One will know reality according to the rite

From the speech of the guru. //34//

“The reality of mantra is supreme yoga,

Increasing well the great intuition.

Birthless, uncontaminated, indistinct,

Unchanging and unobscured,

Nondual, fearless, and peaceful,

It is the supreme state of great bliss. //35//

“As for differentiating snake, compressed,

Endless, and headless [mantras],

[When starting with] OṀ

And [ending with] HŪṀ PHAT SVĀHĀ,

[A mantra] is called a ‘snake,’¹⁵⁹⁰

With the form and the good qualities

Of [the deity’s] own name. //36//

“With a name characterized as compression,

OṀ and so forth do not have feet,

Having the name of ‘endless.’

Having the ending ‘SVĀ HĀ,’

But lacking OṀ is explained as ‘headless.’

Everything but OṀ is explained as ‘headless.’ //37//

“Thus, knowing the character

Of the unexcelled reality of mantra,

Following the [Esoteric Community] Root Tantra,¹⁵⁹¹

One should know the vast meaning of this. //38//

“The reality of intuition is supreme yoga.

Abandoning all duality, all sense faculties uniting;

All things are as a body of singularity,

Completely abandoning the concept of speech. //39//

“When one has the nature of self-consecration,

Abandoning all the luminances,¹⁵⁹²

[Clear light] pervades everything, miraculous,

The supreme yoga of reflexive knowing. //40//

“[With] the character of the four moments,

Partless, ubiquitous, and pervading,

Not known by childish yogi/nīs

And not known conventionally —

Its own ultimate nature! //41//

“The divisions of the perfection stage

And the reality of mantra are very clear.

Meditate on the syllable OṀ¹⁵⁹³ dissolving into the drop

At the end of that very one. //42//

“The drop also dissolves into A;

A into the mere H at the end;¹⁵⁹⁴

And H also into the syllable HŪṀ.

The syllable Ū into HAṀ.

The syllable HAṀ also [dissolves].¹⁵⁹⁵ //43//

“The letter Ṁ¹⁵⁹⁶ is merely a drop.

The drop also dissolves into sound;

The sound into mere sound;

Mere sound into supreme sky. //44//

“That also dissolves into the clear light.

As for the clear exaltation¹⁵⁹⁷ of the clear light,

It is the extremely pure reality realm,

Where the supreme nondual intuition

Totally awakens and fully dawns. //45//

“Free from the activities of speech,

It abandons all duality.

The sole basis of the five aggregates,

Perfectly deploying the five elements. //46//

“Isolating the group of eight consciousnesses,

The six outer sense objects gathered in,

[And] the ten energies collecting the ten intuitions —

Thus all the characteristics are gathered in. //47//

“Whoever lives by the yoga of total delight

Gets all the attainments of the three worlds.

He is glorious, fortunate, all-increasing —

That vajri is Vajrasattva, //48//

“Divine Vajrabhairava,

Heruka, and Kālachakra,

Primal Buddha, and the great sage

Samantabhadra, and Mañjushrī. //49//

“With the nature of delighting in every kind of thing,

One is the basis of a host of various good qualities.

The yoga of delighting in everything

Is the stainless mahāyoga. //50//

“That luminous reality intuition,

Nonconceptual and nonlocal,

Is explained as ‘going to the reality realm,’

Defining the creation and perfection stages. //51//

“Like eight thousand hair tips,

Clear light being extremely clear,

By analyzing by reference and reason,

Understand [them] from the lineage guru. //52//

“Such is the three reality commitment,

Born from the succession of the oral lineage,

The supreme intuition of the secret,

The supreme moment defined as the fourth.”¹⁵⁹⁸ //53//

24. Determining the Three Nose Tips

¹⁵⁹⁹

[Then, the Vajra Lord continued:]

“Then listen and I will truly explain!

The names of the three nose tips

Are ‘secret,’ ‘heart center,’ [and] ‘face’;

All three are clear in the Tantra.¹⁶⁰⁰

The process of the yogi/nī’s meditation

Is through the analysis of the three chakras. //1//

“Causing bestowal of mental bliss

On those overcome by intense lust;

Applying the reality of energy-wind

Awakens the channel chakras. //2//

“Great bliss being totally produced,

The three realms becoming of one taste,

According to ritual, one should summon¹⁶⁰¹ and control

The great bliss of the enlightenment spirit.¹⁶⁰² //3//

“The definition of the orgasmic moment¹⁶⁰³

Is that one should hold [it] at the tip of the vajra.

That very thing is the great bliss,

With the nature of the five intuitions,

All conceptuality abandoned. //4//

“The substance drop at the secret nose tip¹⁶⁰⁴

With the nature of being truly held

By the single-minded greatly passionate

Should be known as the supreme yoga. //5//

“Next arising¹⁶⁰⁵ in the channel chakra

With its sixty-four lotus petals,

Its hub is explained to be its ‘nose,’¹⁶⁰⁶

As in the secret [chakra], it bestows all bliss. //6//

“Of the eight-petaled lotus heart-center [chakra]

The hub is also called ‘the nose’;

Meditate [there] on the mind of hate itself,

The intuition mind that burns the secret mantra,

The cause that makes for true delight,

All the conceptualities of speech abandoned. //7//

“Great wonder, supreme intuition

Always arises as the sound¹⁶⁰⁷ of mantra.

Nonconceptual great bliss, joined

With concentration, becomes supreme bliss.

Getting the personal instructions, one happily¹⁶⁰⁸ triumphs,

Swiftly mastering anger;

[This] is the sole cause of the reality of peace.¹⁶⁰⁹ //8//

“Pervading from the center of the three paths,

The trio of moon, sun, and fire

Is explained as the ‘face nose,’¹⁶¹⁰

Defining the place of the energies. //9//

“And the great intuition that is located there

Is the great drop suppressed by delusion.¹⁶¹¹

Concentration conquers the supreme delusion,

Abandoning all [reified] things. //10//

“Manifesting the nature of the five intuitions,

Relying on the five thatnesses,

Its clear light just the drop —

One should meditate on [such] supreme yoga,¹⁶¹²

Relying on the face nose tip,

Overcoming the ocean of delusion. //11//

“That very [drop] is truly explained

As being named the ‘commitment hero,’

The commitment of all the buddhas,

With the character of the five intuitions. //12//

“Those skilled in yoga¹⁶¹³

Overcome the darkness of delusion.

The nature of conceptual omniscience

Abides¹⁶¹⁴ as the clans of the five buddhas.¹⁶¹⁵ //13//

“Emerging from the nostrils of the nose tip,

The five energy-winds truly ascend,

Always becoming active in the body,

Emerging from that aperture,

Moving in the conventional nose tip. //14//

“There are four types of movement:

Left, right, both, and slow.¹⁶¹⁶

The element arising from the right [nostril]

Is the fire disc itself;

Its good red color is the movement

Of the Lotus Savior.¹⁶¹⁷ //15//

“The element that emerges from the left

Mixes with the plane of wind,

Appearing as pure yellow-green,

The movement of the Action Savior.¹⁶¹⁸ //16//

“The element emerging from both [nostrils]

Appearing as a yellow color,

Is the plane of the powerful earth,¹⁶¹⁹

The movement of the Great Jewel Savior.¹⁶²⁰ //17//

“The element that is slow and not moving,

Appearing as pure crystal,

This is the water plane,

The movement of the Vajra Savior.¹⁶²¹ //18//

“[The element] truly emerging from all the elements,¹⁶²²

Holding both habitat and inhabitants,

The nature of Vairochana,

Emerges [only] at the termination of death.¹⁶²³ //19//

“Always repeat in even contemplation

Those four mandalas,¹⁶²⁴

Counting the recitations of mantras,

Constantly repeating, day and night.¹⁶²⁵ //20//

“Thus, meditate on the energy at the nose tip¹⁶²⁶

As having [all the] five colors.

By the yoga of supreme nonduality,

The mass of light rays is stainless;

Thereby one attains the activities of peace, etc.

By practicing in stages, one will attain,

And go forth as Vajrasattva.”¹⁶²⁷ //21//

Then Vajrapāni asked Vajrasattva, the Savior of migrant beings:

“I [still] have some doubts

About the system of the three drops.

I prostrate reverently at your feet;

O Terminator of the cyclic life, please clarify! //22//

“When meditating on the three drops,

Substance, mantra, and likewise wind,

Does the yogi/nī meditate [upon them]

All as a single thing, or one by one?

O Chief, on this, cut off all doubt!” //23//

The Lord Vajrasattva spoke:

“To benefit those migrant beings

Long under the control of great passion,

Who put their faith [only]¹⁶²⁸ in the three worlds,

The substance drop is taught. //24//

“In order quickly to liberate

Those people with savage bodies

Under the control of anger,

The mantra drop¹⁶²⁹ is taught. //25//

“For those utterly confounded by great delusion,

Weary¹⁶³⁰ from the ocean of cyclic life,

For them to attain the result of eight attainments,

An ocean of intuition, the energy drop is taught.¹⁶³¹ //26//

“Thus, as for the delight of true reality,

One should contemplate and practice

The true three drops exactly like this

In order to attain in this very life

And purify all obscurations. //27//

“With a single-pointed mind,

In a pleasant place adorned

By flowers, fruits, and water,

In solitude upon a mountaintop,

One should strive to achieve the three intuitions

And gather together all attainments.” //28//

25. Teaching the Words of Emptiness

¹⁶³²

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen further as I truly explain

The characteristic of emptiness intuition,

The supreme reality located in the body,

Always remaining the nature of everything. //1//

“The characteristic that illumines all things

Is accepted as emptiness.

From it, there is great bliss intuition

The utter purity of clear light.¹⁶³³ //2//

“Wherefore, the entry [of nonconceptual energies]

Into the avadhūti channel, accepted as true emptiness,

Cuts off all thoughts

Appearing as the conceptuality of things.¹⁶³⁴

Such easing of the conceptual energies

Is explained to be emptiness. //3//

“The world realm of great chief Akshobhya

Is this very thing:

The ground that always stands there,

With the name of ‘vitality intuition,’

The great formless fierce one,

With the character of natural peace.¹⁶³⁵ //4//

“For him, intuition is great bliss,

Filled with enlightenment spirit,¹⁶³⁶

Abiding in the state of great bliss reality,

Perfect intuition as enlightenment spirit. //5//

“That word and similar names

Only express great bliss,

Endowed with a single substance,

Expressed as emptiness intuition. //6//

“It is taught to be the Sukhāvatī,

The sign of attaining virtuous bliss.

Abiding happily in that way

Is expressed as Sukhāvatī. //7//

“It is the buddhaverse of Amitāyus,¹⁶³⁷

The supreme basis of all bliss.

Enlightenment spirit is Amitāyus,

And the light born, arising from him,

Is known as Amitābha,

The supreme basis of all bliss. //8//

“Emptiness is Vajradhātvīshvarī¹⁶³⁸

Intuition is Jñānavajreshvara.¹⁶³⁹

Their very equal union

Is expressed as ‘emptiness intuition.’ //9//

“The intuition lotus is the lalanā,

Having the flow of the ovum sun,

And, further, known as emptiness,

All duality abandoned. //10//

“The art vajra is the rasanā,

The flowing of the semen moon,

Taught to be the supreme intuition,

The supreme state of great bliss. //11//

“The supreme union of those two, known

As emptiness intuition inexhaustible.

The full moon and the reality

Are known from the mouth of the yoginī.” //12//

26. Defining the Divine Intuition Body

¹⁶⁴⁰

[Then, the Vajra Lord continued:]

“Then listen as I further explain!

The body is the place of emptiness.

One is supreme who knows the body

As the palace of all the deities. //1//

“Enjoyment, reality, and emanation,

The support of the great bliss,

Are also explained to be chakras.

Thus, the respective stages alway truly abide.¹⁶⁴¹ //2//

“The lord of dissolving and enjoying

Is supremely nondual with the deity,

The support of the state of perfect nature.¹⁶⁴² //3//

“Because of the state of great intuition,

The perfect support of great bliss,

Through the states of great anger, great ignorance,

Great envy, [great] passion, great wrath, and supreme form,

One definitely cuts the knot of cyclic life. //4//

“Differentiating earth and water,

Likewise fire, wind, and space,

Form, sound, and likewise smell,

Taste, textures, and mental objects; //5//

“The reality sphere, good eye, and the ear,

Nose, tongue, and body consciousness

Object [mentality], the fundamental consciousness,

And the addictive mentality,¹⁶⁴³ //6//

“Faith, effort, memory,

Concentration and intuition [faculties],

Faith power, effort power, and memory power,

Concentration power, and unexcelled intuition power, //7//

“By truly knowing [them] in [their] respective places,

They are manifested as the deities of the body. //8//

“Differentiating the names as before,

By the process of differentiating [their] mantras,

By the yoga of placing¹⁶⁴⁴ the mantras,

Differentiating their respective places, //9//

“Having ascertained by personal instructions

The different correct places

By the constant goddess yoga,

One abides in the state of self-consecration,

Enjoying the five desires,

Offering them with effort. //10//

“Do not bow down to outer gods

Made of stone, wood, and earth,

In that very stage of self-consecration.

Elsewhere in the three worlds, nothing

Is reality yoga [more] supreme

Than self-consecration unobstructed. //11//

“Not counting up external things

Such as stages of mantra and mudra,

The yogi, achieving thatness,

Striving supremely toward the yoginī,

Should claim the consecration —

And such defines the art of self-consecration.” //12//

27. Setting Forth the Goddesses in the Order of the Four Chakras

¹⁶⁴⁵

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then further, I will explain

The names of the goddesses

Differentiating the four chakras,

And counting the order of the channels. //1//

“Differentiating the clans

Into action, vajra, lotus, wheel, etc.,

They truly dwell according to the order

Of the four different channel chakras.¹⁶⁴⁶ //2//

“Here, also within the five clans,

Lies the supreme experience of thatness.

It dwells pervading all experiences of sensation.

Born from one’s own clan in the emanation [chakra],

These goddesses truly dwell:¹⁶⁴⁷ //3//

“Vedhanī,¹⁶⁴⁸ Chandikā,¹⁶⁴⁹ Sattvī,¹⁶⁵⁰ Karmamuktī,¹⁶⁵¹

Priyamanī,¹⁶⁵² Yantrī,¹⁶⁵³ Shuddhī,¹⁶⁵⁴

And Saṁyaksattvabuddhā;¹⁶⁵⁵ //4//

“Prakarshā,¹⁶⁵⁶ Mā,¹⁶⁵⁷ Manoramā,¹⁶⁵⁸

Siddhā,¹⁶⁵⁹ Nirmitasāra,¹⁶⁶⁰ Shabdā,¹⁶⁶¹

Koshadhara,¹⁶⁶² Deveshvarī,¹⁶⁶³

Kesarā,¹⁶⁶⁴ Padmā,¹⁶⁶⁵ and Vimalā;¹⁶⁶⁶ //5//

“Vāyutantrakarī,¹⁶⁶⁷ Bhadrī,¹⁶⁶⁸ Kākāsyā,¹⁶⁶⁹ Nidrānī,¹⁶⁷⁰

Avardhanī,¹⁶⁷¹ and Shyāma-Kālarātrī;¹⁶⁷² //6//

Shekharavijayī,¹⁶⁷³ Kalpabhadravardhanī,¹⁶⁷⁴

Naranjanā,¹⁶⁷⁵ Shvānāsyā,¹⁶⁷⁶ Rāginī,¹⁶⁷⁷ Nandinī,¹⁶⁷⁸

Shobhanī,¹⁶⁷⁹ Vīryavardhanī,¹⁶⁸⁰ and Sītā;¹⁶⁸¹ //7//

“Pañchāmṛtavardhanī,¹⁶⁸² Sākshāt,¹⁶⁸³ Parājayā,¹⁶⁸⁴ Ativīryā,¹⁶⁸⁵

Pañchapadminī,¹⁶⁸⁶ Icchā,¹⁶⁸⁷

Māyā,¹⁶⁸⁸ Hidyanjamā,¹⁶⁸⁹ and Maitrayanī;¹⁶⁹⁰ //8//

“Amlā,¹⁶⁹¹ Madyaishvarī,¹⁶⁹²

Mahāsahā,¹⁶⁹³ Karmakalpabhadrā,¹⁶⁹⁴

Sukusumā,¹⁶⁹⁵ Visha,¹⁶⁹⁶ Mohanī,¹⁶⁹⁷

Upamukhī,¹⁶⁹⁸ and Trishulālaṁkarī;¹⁶⁹⁹ //9//

“Shubhā,¹⁷⁰⁰ Shyāmakshobhinī,¹⁷⁰¹

Sadāpūtigamdhī,¹⁷⁰² Nāṭyanī,¹⁷⁰³

Mṛgākshī,¹⁷⁰⁴ Rāganandinī,¹⁷⁰⁵ and Chitramohalīlā;¹⁷⁰⁶ //10//

“Sītā,¹⁷⁰⁷ Trailokyanī,¹⁷⁰⁸

Kuṇapabhandī,¹⁷⁰⁹ Vimalā,¹⁷¹⁰ and Gamānurūpī.¹⁷¹¹

These cloaked ones truly dwell,

Their count always increased by eight.¹⁷¹² //11//

“[They have] stainless three faces and six arms

Differentiated as the seals of [their] clan.

They are well adorned with weapons,

With vajra crosses in their right hands, //12//

“Their left [hands] elegant with blue lotuses,

Other right [hands] with wheel and jewel,

Likewise, sword and triangle in the other two lefts. //13//

“They sit well in heroine posture.¹⁷¹³

The faces are green, three-eyed,

With Amoghasiddhi crowns.

The faces are meditative, smiling,

Causing all-bliss to expand. //14//

“By manifesting each one’s name,

Augmented with the three syllables,¹⁷¹⁴

Truly offer with mantras also,

To make them bestow the reality of desire. //15//

“[Now,] these [other] deities truly dwell

In the center of the eight channels of the reality chakra.¹⁷¹⁵

One should know [them] as Vajradhātvīshvarī,¹⁷¹⁶

Lāmā,¹⁷¹⁷ Vajramudrā,¹⁷¹⁸ Mahāvīryā,¹⁷¹⁹ //16//

“Vajranāṭyā,¹⁷²⁰ Vajramukhā,¹⁷²¹

Vajradharmā,¹⁷²² Suvajrā,¹⁷²³ and Vajravāditā.¹⁷²⁴

They are naturally nine in the reality chakra. //17//

“[Their] form is three-faced and six-handed;

They sit well in the heroine posture.

They hold vajra, wheel, and jewel

In their right hands, //18//

“And they hold in their left hands

The unexcelled sword, lotus, and bell;

Blue in complexion, three-eyed,

They slightly grind their fangs.

Augmenting with three syllables each one’s name,¹⁷²⁵

Make offerings to them with mantra. //19//

“These [next] deities sit in the middle

Of the lotus of the sixteen petals

Of the enjoyment chakra.¹⁷²⁶ //20//

“Padmatārā,¹⁷²⁷ Puṇḍarīkā,¹⁷²⁸ Padmakumudavardhanī,¹⁷²⁹

Padmākshī,¹⁷³⁰ Padmoshṇīshā,¹⁷³¹ Padmamālinī,¹⁷³²

And Padmajā,¹⁷³³ //21//

“Padmāsanā,¹⁷³⁴ and Padmajālinī.¹⁷³⁵

Similarly, Padmaprabhā,¹⁷³⁶ Padmanetrinī,¹⁷³⁷ Supadminī,¹⁷³⁸

Padmāntarsthanī,¹⁷³⁹ Padmotpadā,¹⁷⁴⁰

Padmakhesarī,¹⁷⁴¹ and Padminī.¹⁷⁴²

Thus these are perfectly explained. //22//

“They have three faces and six arms;

They sit well in the hero posture.

In their right [hands], they brandish

A lotus, a wheel, and a vajra; //23//

“In their left [hands], they play

With a sword, a bell, and a jewel.

Their three eyes shine,

[And they are] red in color like a red lotus. //24//

“They sit on a sun disk in the hero posture.

With the three syllables and their own names,

Their mantra is unexcelled. //25//

“The [next] goddesses always sit

On the thirty-two-petaled lotus

In the chakra of great bliss:¹⁷⁴³

Prabuddhāvīryavānī,¹⁷⁴⁴ //26//

“Chakravegā,¹⁷⁴⁵ Vajravān,¹⁷⁴⁶ Ratnatārā,¹⁷⁴⁷

Padmāgni,¹⁷⁴⁸ Chitrakarmā,¹⁷⁴⁹ Moharatī,¹⁷⁵⁰

Dveshavajrānandarāgā,¹⁷⁵¹ //27//

“Vajrakarmarāgā,¹⁷⁵² Rūpavajrā,¹⁷⁵³

Shabdavajrā,¹⁷⁵⁴ Rasavajrā,¹⁷⁵⁵

Sparshavajrā,¹⁷⁵⁶ Dharmadhātvī,¹⁷⁵⁷

Netraprabhā,¹⁷⁵⁸ and Kapālaghosha;¹⁷⁵⁹ //28//

“Nāsālokā,¹⁷⁶⁰ Rasaratī,¹⁷⁶¹ Kāyādhvajā,¹⁷⁶²

Manoratī,¹⁷⁶³ Dhātavānī,¹⁷⁶⁴ Hetupravahatī,¹⁷⁶⁵

And Yamadhvaṁsamativiseshanī;¹⁷⁶⁶ //29//

“Vivardhanī,¹⁷⁶⁷ Padmashikhordhvasthā,¹⁷⁶⁸

Sarvavighnadhvaṁsanī,¹⁷⁶⁹ Guptatalā,¹⁷⁷⁰

Nīlaṇdaṇḍā,¹⁷⁷¹ Atidṛdhā,¹⁷⁷² Mahābalā,¹⁷⁷³

Svayaṁbhavī,¹⁷⁷⁴ and Chakroshnīshā.¹⁷⁷⁵ //30//

“Thus, arising in the middle of the channels,

Again the goddesses have three faces and six arms;

With increasing bliss, they sit on moon disks. //31//

“Stainless, the color of a white lotus,

[With] three peaceful faces [and] three eyes,

They carry a wheel, a hook, and a vajra,

Respectively, in the[ir] right hands. //32//

“Likewise, in the[ir] three left hands,

[With] a lotus, a noose, and a jewel,

They are blooming, throwing, and dancing,

Shining like white lotuses. //33//

“They hold Vairochana on [their] crowns;

Their mantras are their own names

And the three syllables in sequence.

They manifest supreme thatness. //34//

“The vow of body, speech, and mind

Is the supreme of such vows,

The supreme reality of the goddesses

Who dwell in the body, always sleeping.¹⁷⁷⁶ //35//

“Served the enjoyments of the five desires,

They are truly delighted by such offerings.

Intoxicated by the bliss of vajra and lotus,

The supreme state of Vajrasattva,

Being pleased, again they give healing.

They will accomplish the activities

Of peace, etc. — of this there is no doubt. //36//

“Conduct of contemplation, yoga, etc.,

Activities of mantra, shape, etc.,

Are unnecessary, when just a tidbit

Truly born from the instructions of the guru is supreme.

Therefore, one should please the vajra master

With one’s effort and attainments.” //37//

28. Arising and Disappearing

¹⁷⁷⁷

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then, moreover, I must explain

The definition of arising and disappearing.

The supreme yoga of the channels

Is the source of all attainments. //1//

“Turning the mind from objects before one,

One will not go there.¹⁷⁷⁸

When one stays within the inherited instincts,

The sense powers will come very clearly.

Because of this, they become aroused. //2//

“They remain in order within the channels.

Having awakened through [such] arousal,

The goddesses themselves¹⁷⁷⁹ [arise] from the chakra.¹⁷⁸⁰

And that is described as the process of arising. //3//

“I must also explain disappearing.

Objects also lack substance;¹⁷⁸¹

When one mentally engages with them,

They remain elsewhere.¹⁷⁸² //4//

“If the instincts are not awakened,

The channels will not arise,

And the deities, for that reason,

Will not truly awaken. //5//

“Actual bliss is in the middle of the heart center;

The clear light of the buddha sun [is achieved]

Through the form of object and the subject.

These are the twelve light rays: //6//

“Increasing light, light ray,

radiant, clear, blazing, and blazing light —

Relying on the eye [sense power], etc.;

They perceive outer forms, etc. //7//

“Illuminating darkness, light, shining,

clear beauty, clear light, and clear sun —

These are types of outer form, etc.;

These six are accepted below. //8//

“Whatever goddesses arise,

They arise as the intuition sun.

Furthermore, when again they disappear,

They supremely disappear. //9//

“One should know the state of

Arisings and disappearings as supreme.

Rousing well the great yoga

Is the vow of the Buddha Sun. //10//

“This is the supreme reality of yoga,

Defined as arising and disappearing.

Following the secret vajra,

One should know [it] from the guru lineage.” //11//

29. Producing Ecstasy

¹⁷⁸³

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then further listen, as I must explain!

He who truly knows the characteristics

Of generating ecstasy

[Attains] the supreme state of Vajrasattva. //1//

“As for that, in terms of the channel chakras,

Again by expanding and reducing¹⁷⁸⁴

One truly practices the four chakras,

[Making] more than one hundred and twenty channels.¹⁷⁸⁵ //2//

“Also the order of the intermediate channels

Depends on the sixteen channels.¹⁷⁸⁶

Always pervaded by four times four,

These are the stages of ecstasy. //3//

“Incorporating the element of water,

Like the subtle stalk of the lotus,

Having pervaded [themselves] with that,

The [channels] cause increase of great bliss. //4//

“By division of the individual chakras,

The letter HA has four parts.

The very subtle part always pervades,

Remaining in the pattern of support. //5//

“From the division of the four stages,

One will attain by differentiating sixteen stages.

By the marvelous nature of the Rosary,

One will attain the state of the single taste. //6//

“Through experiencing the individual stages,

Through the application of various waters

Gradually, like the water of an ocean,

The four ecstasies are expressed as

The time of the wheel of the four unions.¹⁷⁸⁷

Through the practice of the yoginī tantras

One will accomplish the supreme state.” //7//

30. The Armor Defining the Down-Flowing Channels

¹⁷⁸⁸

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then further, truly listen, as I explain!

In the adamantine stable body

There is a constant stream of channels.

Listen as I surely explain its reality. //1//

“The ever miraculous channels,

Twenty-four thousand [in number],

Known to be flowing with enlightenment spirit,

They increase all bliss. //2//

“The ever miraculous channels,

Twenty-four thousand [in number],

Known to be flowing with [ovum] blood,¹⁷⁸⁹

Naturally transport the sun. //3//

“The ever miraculous channels,

Twenty-four thousand [in number],

Are known as flowing with energies

From the Great Ocean Tantra.¹⁷⁹⁰ //4//

“By analyzing the places of the body,

The[se three sets] are stated as twenty-four.

The lords of melting and enjoyment,

Numbering seventy-two. //5//

“Each has a thousand wheels.

Eliminating the melting and enjoying lords

But including the main one

Gives the number of places. //6//

“Again summarizing: in living beings,

The three are divided into eights.

By the division of day and night,

And through the application

Of the moments of sessions,

One should know the channels

As going internally from full to full. //7//

“[In] the left flows enlightenment spirit moon,

[In] the right ovum blood sun.

When the energy moves in the central one,

One should know [it] as the awakening of fire. //8//

“The names are lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūti.

Through the practice of spreading them

By each stage, each has eight sessions. //9//

“The third one goes as twenty-four.

Due to the lords of melting and enjoying,

In stages the count is seventy-two.

Again, by the practice of spreading those, //10//

“By dividing each into a thousand,

It always becomes seventy-two thousand.

Again, by practice,

The main three become one. //11//

“At first, it is hard for the yogi/nī to know

That subtle one, supremely inconceivable.

Abandoning the sound drop

Is the secret foundation of all bliss. //12//

“I have explained the character

Of the support of vitality

As the lord of the reality realm

And the channel of time.¹⁷⁹¹

From the yoginī tantras, one should know

The one with the state of one taste.” //13//

31. Ascertaining the Three Intermediate Channels

¹⁷⁹²

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then further listen, as I explain

About the reality of the intermediate channels.

Whoever knows the binding and arising of the channels

Experiences supreme ecstasy. //1//

“Illuminating the intuition of the deity,

Truly joining in the mantra of the deity, and

Ascertaining the meaning of the deity yoga — ¹⁷⁹³

The stainless practice of the three realities

Instantly unites the nature of the three.¹⁷⁹⁴ //2//

“Pervading¹⁷⁹⁵ and subtle in the three worlds,

The perfect support of the entire body,

One should know the intuition hero,

Vajrasattva, on whose account

The commitment hero¹⁷⁹⁶ is blissful,

As the supreme yoga. //3//

“Wonderful pervading reality,

Supreme, more supreme, and subtle,

Original, inexhaustible intuition,

Enlightenment spirit flows down in thirty-two channels,¹⁷⁹⁷

Supremely expanding all of them. //4//

“Located in the great bliss [crown] chakra,

The nature of all parts is [that of] the root.

The three channels are in the middle of that,

Also explained as the main ones. //5//

“Moon, sun, and fire move,¹⁷⁹⁸

Pervading all the elements.¹⁷⁹⁹

Just as some of the roots of a tree

Remain firmly in the ground //6//

“And the trunk, branches, leaves, and buds

Pervade everywhere,

A person endowed in the head

Pervades supremely the host of

Aggregates, elements, and the like. //7//

“The actual three doors of liberation

Bind the three realities; desire, hate, and delusion

Are the three divisions of the characteristics

Of the [instinctual] natures. //8//

“Three kinds of natures of commitments

Are also night, day, and twilight;

The nature of the commitments

Of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

Are divided into three. //9//

“And the vajra of the emptiness intuition

[Has] the characteristics of those very three types.

The characteristics of the three yogas

Are causal, fruitional, and environmental. //10//

“The three worlds include the three divisions

Of wind, phlegm, and bile,

Having the characteristics of the three worlds:

The desire, form, and formless realms. //11//

“The three roots and one fruit go

From [their] respective places to the heart chakra.¹⁸⁰⁰

They are manifested as three emanations,

With the nature of body, speech, and mind. //12//

“When [the three main channels are] joined there [in the heart chakra]

They have the character of an eclipse.

Applied a little, the character of a partial eclipse.

Because of that, when the vitality energy is overcome,

This is the character of death. //13//

“As for the principal channels,

One should ‘ascertain them as the three’ —

The yogi/nī clearly should understand

From the extensive yoginī tantras.” //14//

32. Taking Birth as a Person Made of Energy

¹⁸⁰¹

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen as I explain further!

As for the character of the production of energy,

When one seeks the opportune time,¹⁸⁰²

One [will] truly know [it] just as it is.¹⁸⁰³ //1//

“The mind with addictive instincts

Sees other forms as [having] their own essence.

Not knowing its object as [merely] consciousness,

It is deluded by what is only energy. //2//

“Having summoned the fundamental consciousness,

The instincts engage themselves within it;

The instincts thus hold the consciousnesses

By the process of mixing with them. //3//

“Clothed in the internal instincts,

When one enters into the womb channel

During the time of conception,

The drop melts with vajra semen and ovum. //4//

“They come to mingle, and consciousness

Then arises from the fundamental consciousness.

Just as one gets drunk with the taste of wine,

The fundamental consciousness’ instinct

Gives birth to the continuity of consciousness. //5//

“The addictive mind, the vitality energy itself,

Truly goes into [the drop] in a single moment.

And at the time of its [first] migration

It takes the form of a fish. //6//

“In the time of the second [month],

Again mixed with ovum blood,

By division into upper and lower,

The vitality energy becomes two; [of which]

The evacuative energy, going and coming,

Has the form of a tortoise. //7//

“Then, in the third [month of] migration,

When the ovum and semen are consumed,

The mass of the evacuative energies

Dry up, and the ascending energy arises;

Facing upward, it abides,

With a body like a wild boar. //8//

“Further, in the fourth [month of] migration,

Smeared with ovum and semen,

The summoned ascending energy

Proceeds by facing downward.

Also, in the form of a lion,

The pervading energy radiates. //9//

“Then, in the fifth [month of] migration,

The ovum and semen having increased,

The metabolic energy having stirred,

It gradually proceeds in the form of fire. //10//

“Metabolic [and] pervading energies radiate,

Whereby [the body] moves and stirs;

And when the five aggregates are complete —

Thus he again spoke about these things. //11//

“In the time of the sixth [month of] migration,

The earth element and the two eyes

And the pervading energy radiate the nāga energy,

Increasing the phenomenon of energy. //12//

“Then, in the seventh [month of] migration,

The water element and the ear¹⁸⁰⁴ hole are formed.

The nāga energy radiates the tortoise energy,

And they expand nondually. //13//

“Then, in the eighth [month of] migration,

The fire [element] opens up the nostrils;

The tortoise energy radiates the lizard energy,

Causing one to know one’s own nature. //14//

“Then, in the ninth [month of] migration,

The wind element and the taste sensation

And the great lizard energy

Cause expansion of the devadatta energy. //15//

“Then, in the tenth [month of] migration,

The devadatta energy

Radiates the dhanujit [energy],¹⁸⁰⁵

With the nature of gathering all the energies. //16//

“In the middle of the ninth [month], the pervading element¹⁸⁰⁶

Has the nature of subtlety and nonobstructedness;

In the hollows of the channels, sinews, and intestines,

Causing the development of the nine doors, //17//

“Holding the supreme sensation of the body

In the nature of a single touch.

The good clear light truly abides

In the sky of supreme awakening.¹⁸⁰⁷ //18//

“The ten intuitions of the buddhas

Should be explained in just that way.

The ten [monthly] migrations, the ten stages,

Are understood by their [natural] order. //19//

“The mother is the transcendent wisdom,

The vagina is declared to be the great seal.

The child becomes a truly perfect buddha,

Knowing everything and seeing it all. //20//

“The head hair being shaved,

One wears the red robe of the womb.

The glorious one joins palms together,

And salutes, crown of head touching ground. //21//

“One carries the thirty-two signs

And is adorned with the eighty marks.

One arouses the great intuition,

Attaining functions, possessing liberation. //22//

“The great hero/ine lacks conceptual thought,

Destroying [one’s own] creative flesh.

The five elixirs being great intuition,

One always tastes the five elixirs. //23//

“Abandoning all things,

The yogi/nī practices like a lion.

This supreme reality is secret:

Not to be stated anywhere at all.

One should know from the guru lineage

The ascertainment of the energies of birth.” //24//

33. The Consumption of Vitality by the Process of the Energies

¹⁸⁰⁸

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Next, I must further explain —

How one truly knows the supreme

Disappearance of the energies,

And the nature of the moment of death. //1//

“Here and there [the energies] assemble,

Dissolving in stages as when arising.

The energies begin to go¹⁸⁰⁹ hither and thither,

Like the setting of the sun. //2//

“After ten years have gone by,¹⁸¹⁰

The mad arrogance energy is produced,¹⁸¹¹

Having consumed the dhanujit energy,

Like Rāhu [eating] the moon in stages. //3//

“After that, ten years gone [further],

The ‘arrogance water’ energy will be born,

Consuming the devadatta energy.

The stage of energy is as before. //4//

“Further, after another ten years gone,

The arrogance water energy is produced,

Consuming the lizard energy. //5//

“Then another ten years passes.

By the stages produced from the years,

The great sending/holding energy

Consumes the tortoise energy. //6//

“The nāga and the great sending/holding energies,

Since they are equal in strength and radiance,

After another ten years goes by, cannot cause harm.

Because strength and ability are equal,

Which could harm which? //7//

“Being unable to do [this], [again] ten [years] pass.

The ‘getting the blind,’ sending/holding,

And great strength [energies]

Consume the nāga energy in stages. //8//

“Another ten years go by;

Blood and flesh increase.

The stage of the mad arrogance [energy]

Consumes the sending/holding energy. //9//

“After another ten years gone,

The mad water energy is stimulated,

And fat and saliva increase,

Consuming the sending/holding

[And] nāga [energies]. //10//

“Then another ten [years] pass. In one,

The sending/holding energy arises,

Consuming the crazy time [energy],

Causing the increase of fire and wind. //11//

“After that sending/holding energy is transformed,

Great enjoyment will increase.

Then, another ten years having passed,

Energy makes the expanded body heavy. //12//

“Another ten years pass in the stage

Of the mingling of water and wind

From the process of pervasion and obscuration.

Nonexistent as a plantain fruit,

One becomes nothing, along with the root,

By the final ripening of karma. //13//

“Thus, by the ten stages [of death],

[In] another [few] months or days,

Life becomes shortened.

One should know that one’s vitality ends.

One must know in greater detail

From the Gathering of the Ḍākinīs Tantra.”¹⁸¹² //14//

34. The Gathering of the Ḍākinīs

¹⁸¹³

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen as I explain further!

The great characteristic is the supreme intuition,

The supreme yoga of the gathering of the ḍākinīs,

Collecting the essential meaning with the essence.¹⁸¹⁴ //1//

“Wherefore, the gathering by the ḍākinīs

Is called The Ḍākinī Gathering.

They always sit in the center of the navel;

[Their] light is equal to a thousand suns,

Overcoming all conceptuality. //2//

“As it arises, the conceptuality of aggregates

Is burned up, [leaving] an unobtructed body,

And the conceptuality of the vajra realm¹⁸¹⁵

Is naturally gathered again. //3//

“The conceptions of subject and object

Are again gathered there by compassion,

Thus incinerating all the fetters,

Like a butterfly [drawn to the flame]. //4//

“By the application of the reality of energy,

By application of the mantric body,

There is, again, no doubt —

Mere conceptuality will be incinerated. //5//

“From The Ḍākinī Gathering Tantra,

When one knows the process of supreme yoga,

In the vast intuition of the ḍākinīs

One will know the yoga of service.” //6//

35. Cutting Off the Conceptual Energies

¹⁸¹⁶

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen as I explain further:

[How] to cut off the conceptual energy-winds,

[Which] move intensely day and night,

One hundred and eight within consciousness.¹⁸¹⁷ //1//

“Since those energies are the cause

Of cutting off conceptuality,

Such a yoga is supremely peaceful,

Giving the experience of universal emptiness. //2//

“If one doubts, first the six yogas,¹⁸¹⁸

Knowing yoga,¹⁸¹⁹ one supremely practices,¹⁸²⁰

And then should recite very extensively

The vowel-less letter H. //3//

“Thus the overcoming of the knot,

Bestows the birth of bliss;¹⁸²¹

By that one instantly destroys

All conceptuality. //4//

“Yoga, anuyoga,

atiyoga, and mahāyoga

Have eighteen divisions.¹⁸²²

One should meditate on the primal yoga. //5//

“There are seventeen [divisions]

Of anuyoga, etc.¹⁸²³

After that, there is the

Supreme mandala triumph;

Supreme yoga, with five divisions;

And then the evolutionary triumph,

With its twelve yoga divisions. //6//

“The creation stage is composed

Of forty-nine divisions.

It is the yoga of causing

Direct experience. //7//

“Then comes the supreme stage of vajra repetition,

As a branch of perfection stage yoga,

Causing the conquest of conceptuality

In the unexcelled thatness of the subtle. //8//

“The intelligent yogi/nī¹⁸²⁴ meditates

According to procedure as before.

Cutting the fetters of cyclic life,

The great yoga is great intuition.¹⁸²⁵ //9//

“Surely meditating, truly,

One comes to destroy conceptual energies.

By repetition following the meaning,

Single-minded in insubstantiality,

Focusing clearly on stable emptiness, //10//

“One definitely stabilizes the meditation.

The practitioner who truly meditates on

The unexcelled stage of vajra repetition

Will achieve supreme intuition through such stages.

Of this there is no doubt.” //11//

36. The Characteristics of Nonconceptuality

¹⁸²⁶

“Then listen as I explain still more.

When the nonconceptual energy arises,

One knows it will attain the good state

Of the reality of Vajrasattva. //1//

“The great energy of nonconceptuality

Abandons all duality.

Oneself becomes the nature of all things,

Free from states of meditation and non-meditation.¹⁸²⁷ //2//

“It is the great intuition of mahāyoga,

Unlocated and stainless;

All subtle parts remain in the center,

Having abandoned the sound drop.¹⁸²⁸ //3//

“Ubiquitous and peaceful,

Solely the nature of self-consecration,

Free from character and characterized,

The conceptual instincts abandoned. //4//

“It abandons the path of words and books,

Of meditation and that meditated upon.

With the character of emptiness intuition,

It abandons [all kinds of] formal conduct,

Such as the pair of forms of mantra and mudra. //5//

“One should not read even the action,

Performance, or yoga tantras.

The great mahāyoga tantra

Is the supreme pledge to be explained. //6//

“It is right to explain at the outset

According to procedures and personal instructions;

Knowing how to follow such a process

Is the supreme state of the guru lineage.” //7//

37. Practicing the Disappearance of the Channels

¹⁸²⁹

Thereupon, the Vajra-holder spoke:

“Listen as I explain the thatness of the yoga

Of the disappearance of the channels. //1//

“[With] true joining of objects and senses,

The channels also will arise;

Having arisen, by proceeding as before,

There is the unexcelled stage of creation. //2//

“Due to that arising of conceptuality,

Through that process exceeding one hundred and eight,¹⁸³⁰

Birth, old age, sickness,

And death will again return. //3//

“Due to the reality of the intuition

Purified by the insubstantiality of objects,¹⁸³¹

And due to engagement with that reality,

Since objects really lack all substance

The sense powers do not arise.¹⁸³² //4//

“In that way, they¹⁸³³ intertwine with one another,

Both things and nonthings being emptiness.

Then all the channels will disappear,

Relying on the process of the chakras.¹⁸³⁴ //5//

“From contracting them,¹⁸³⁵ there is peace.

All seventy-two thousand

Will become the channel wheels;

Such being thatness, all parts are filled within. //6//

“It is said that through the yoga

Of meditating on emptiness,

One will definitely know the reality of objects —

The reason vajra conquers [all].”¹⁸³⁶ //7//

38. Meditating on the Six Chakras

¹⁸³⁷

[Then the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then, listen as I explain further!

Practice just according to the character

Of the exalted state of the six yogas,¹⁸³⁸

Relying on one’s desired [yoga] branch.¹⁸³⁹ //1//

“Six spokes;¹⁸⁴⁰ and half of that;

Likewise, eight times eight is more;

Eight times two; and eight times four.¹⁸⁴¹

Thus, the yoga is clear by counting. //2//

“Like [the hidden] part of a half moon,

Emptiness abides in the wind chakra.

Neither half nor full,

It appears like a water moon. //3//

“Great illusion is the mother of migrants;

With the character of supporting everything,¹⁸⁴²

The wind chakra is explained as ‘vitality.’

It is not in the sphere of experts. //4//

“The fire chakra is pervaded by emptiness

In the middle, like a drop.

Unchanging,¹⁸⁴³ going everywhere,

Self-arising, pervading all, //5//

“It increases bliss.

It abandons vowels and consonants.

Because all three worlds are made one,

It is the Creator.¹⁸⁴⁴ //6//

“Having the state of indestructible sound,¹⁸⁴⁵

It abandons all forms.

It moves like a snake’s tongue,

Neither grandfather¹⁸⁴⁶ nor Brahmā, etc.,

Nor fearless, nor immobile. //7//

“It is not a letter or a word.

It abandons the collection of elements.

It is number-free, inexhaustible, birthless,

Abiding in the navel emanation chakra. //8//

“Abiding in the center of the dharma chakra,

As mere sound, it is free from stain,

Free from passion and passionlessness,

Without activity and location. //9//

“Incomparable and nonabiding,

It abandons vitality control,

Supreme intuition of the Lord of Gods —

It is hard to find such a thing. //10//

“Supremely present in the enjoyment chakra

As the supreme aspect of the unbound,

Supremely incorporating [everything],

It is truly present throughout all forms. //11//

“Naturally interdependent,

It is like being drunk with the taste of liquor.

The entirety of primal excellence,

It abides within all things. //12//

“It abides supremely first and last,

Lacking character and nonapparent,

Every characteristic transcended,

Peaceful, fearless, inexpressible;

It naturally experiences its own nature.

It dwells in the great bliss chakra.

It is obtained from the guru lineage. //13//

“Thus, the great distinctive intuition,

One’s own nature as six consciousnesses.

Perfectly applying [these] above and below¹⁸⁴⁷

Is widely proclaimed to be ‘yoga.’” //14//

39. Time and the Measure of Time

¹⁸⁴⁸

Thereupon, the Vajra Lord spoke:

“To know the yoga of binding up

The characteristics of time

Is the unexcelled yoga of counting. //1//

“Time is explained as ‘measure of time.’¹⁸⁴⁹

The states of thinking and non-thinking¹⁸⁵⁰

Truly exist in the two kinds,

A good time and a bad time. //2//

“Emerging from the nostrils of the nose,

Always arising from the outer door,

Gathering in¹⁸⁵¹ is declared a ‘good time,’

And exhaling is asserted as a ‘bad time.’¹⁸⁵² //3//

“Anything other than a bad time is superior;

The supreme good time is one’s own.¹⁸⁵³

The golden age, the third age,

And the second age are good times.

The time of contention is a bad time.

Thus are stated the characters of the times. //4//

“Ecstasy, supreme ecstasy,

And orgasmic ecstasy are good times;

Transcendent ecstasy is a bad time.¹⁸⁵⁴

Thus are explained the characters of the times. //5//

“The times of entering¹⁸⁵⁵ and abiding¹⁸⁵⁶

Are well known as good times.

Expelling¹⁸⁵⁷ is also a bad time.

Thus is the character of time.¹⁸⁵⁸ //6//

“Time is all the elements,

The supreme state of uniform equality.

Intuition abandoning consciousness,

Time is expressed as one. //7//

“The character of the fourth moment

Is free from elaborations of things and nonthings,

Liberated from expressed and expressing,

It is described as ‘one time.’¹⁸⁵⁹ //8//

“It is definitively liberated

From passion and dispassion.

It abandons the state of great bliss.

The genuine basis of the great seal,

It is called the ‘one time.’ //9//

“Without characteristics, without appearance,

It abandons the yoga of counting.

What I explain as the time of thatness

One should know from the guru lineage.” //10//

40. The Fruit of the Secret

¹⁸⁶⁰

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then, listen, as I must further explain

The supreme fruit of the secret,

Whereby [yogi/nīs] go to supreme attainment,

The true basis of the great seal.¹⁸⁶¹ //1//

“The secret is said to be ‘hidden’;

And childish yogi/nīs don’t know [it].

Or its name is ‘the fourth consecration,’

The stages according to the oral lineage,

The great intuition of supreme peace,

All conceptuality abandoned.¹⁸⁶² //2//

“The attainment of the Great Seal

Is the epitome of mahāyoga,

The supremely wonderful reality

One learns from the yoginī tantra,

The descent of the taste of great intuition,

Having the excellence of great thatness. //3//

“One’s own nature is Vajrasattva,

The stage of dwelling in the supreme sky;

It causes the increase of the blisses,

Transcending the state of great bliss. //4//

“Free from knowing and the knowable,

One abandons meditating and the meditated on,

Devoid of the activities of mantra and tantra,

Abandoning all conceptual imaginings, //5//

“Clear in the state of all things.

A person of the form of the three worlds,

Abandoning passion and dispassion,

One abides in the great commitment.

The countless three worlds are really one,

The tantra of uniqueness of attainment. //6//

“Thus clear is the fruition of the secret,

Not spoken as another, anywhere else.

The supreme intuition of the supreme yoga

Should be known from the yoginī tantra.” //7//

41. Explaining the Meaning of the Reality Realm

¹⁸⁶³

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“The state of the reality realm is supreme.

The element pervading all things¹⁸⁶⁴

Is expressed as ‘the reality realm.’ //1//

“All-pervading, supremely subtle,

Going everywhere, always arising. Endowed with

The five aggregates, the five elements,

Objects, [sense] media, and consciousnesses —

All things are explained as endowed with these.

Arise, O God of Secrets! //2//

“The element located in the center of these

Pervades yet is not an object to engage

[The mind of individuals].¹⁸⁶⁵

Just as sesame oil is in a sesame seed,

And just as fire is in the wood,

Likewise, it pervades all things but is not seen. //3//

“Like sky, it is stainless,

The supreme basis of all things.

Though pervaded by subject-object conceptions,

It is not perceived [among them].¹⁸⁶⁶

With the yoga of emptiness intuition,

The yogi/nī sees clearly. //4//

“The reality realm is called ‘bhaga’ [fortune].

The bhaga [vagina] is also a jewel casket.

Because of that, whoever possesses

The excellence of divinity, etc.,

Is called [the possessor of] bhaga.¹⁸⁶⁷ //5//

“Bhaga is explained as being in all things,¹⁸⁶⁸

And the realm is stated to be enlightenment spirit.

The cause of migrants of the three realms

Is explained as bhaga.

Through actual true practice,

The realm truly abides like a water moon. //6//

“Know reality as the singular ultimate.

Like myrobalan placed on the palm of the hand,

So supreme reality appears.

Self-knowing, very stainless,

Having exhausted things and nonthings,

One always appears seeing reality. //7//

“It is the clear state of the reality realm.

Thus I have explained it very extensively.

Free from object and subject,

[This] practice-free intuition is a wonder!” //8//

42. The Explanation of Vajra

¹⁸⁶⁹

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“The supreme character of the vajra —

Listen as I explain its meaning;

I will explain it correctly! //1//

“Vajra is described as ‘indestructible.’¹⁸⁷⁰

It relies on the space of the five channels,

The supreme nature of the five intuitions,¹⁸⁷¹

The actual nature of the five prongs. //2//

“The form of the parts of the channels,

[Of] earth, water, and likewise fire,

Wind and space itself —

One should know from the guru lineage. //3//

“The five channels are expressed by the seeds

AṀ, RAṀ, LAṀ, VAṀ, and YAṀ.

One should know them with diligence,

The character of vajra birth.¹⁸⁷² //4//

“Dwelling in the center of the hub of the lotus,¹⁸⁷³

It is taught to be a drop, unmoving,

Knowing, the place of commitment.

Filled up with the supreme elixir.

It has all forms, but is formless —

That is universally known as vajra. //5//

“It has the nature of the five intuitions —

Mirroring, equalizing, individuating,

All-accomplishing,

And perfect reality realm. //6//

“Known as the actuality of those,

The vajra is one’s own supreme experience,

Dwelling in the great space, peaceful,

Nonconceptual, and unaddicted,

The true basis of Vajrasattva —

To be known from the guru lineage.” //7//

43. Summarizing the Meanings of the Various Families

¹⁸⁷⁴

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“As for the concise point of the clan divisions —

At that time, the clans are of five types,

As clearly stated in the Root Tantra

Through analyzing the yoga of emanation,

The great yoga commitment. //1//

“The ultimate division known in tantra

Is truly stated¹⁸⁷⁵ [as] collected from reality,

And yet also stated as split into a hundred clans. //2//

“By the yoga of elaborating various [deities],

They [all] are expressed as Vajrasattva,

Whereby one sees his form

As just like a variegated jewel. //3//

“Due to the details of beings’ various wishes

And their various inclinations,

The World Guru, to deliver them,

Suppresses their various addictions, //4//

“Wherefore, from the treatises,

The reality of emanating variety

With countless different types,

By deploying countless different [clans], //5//

“He states in other tantras,

The differentiability of the ultimate clan

According to beings’ particular inclinations,

Once collected, becoming again divided. //6//

“According to the order of the channel chakras,

There are seventy-two thousand.

In those, there are thirty-six thousand,

Concerning bodily substances and places, etc. //7//

“But from that division of the order

There are twenty-four thousand.

Later, what is best [divided] by one hundred

Gathers into seventy-two, sixty-four, or thirty-six, //8//

“Also from that twenty-four, also thirty, and nine,

From that five, and therefore three

Even gathered into three, they are just one. //9//

“By the practice of the perfection stage,

They go by mixing with one another

Further, in the state of clear light.

The great bliss of nonconceptuality

Is the stainless intuition of nonduality,

The supreme nature of the reality realm.” //10//

44. The Detailed Analysis of the Seal

¹⁸⁷⁶

Then the Vajra Lord declared:

“The division of the seals is unexcelled,

Defined as reality, action,

Commitment, and great seals. //1//¹⁸⁷⁷

“Through definite ripening of karma

One lives as if completely sealed,

Whatever the karma,

Its fruition will be just the same. //2//

“All things lack intrinsic reality

And so are naturally sealed.¹⁸⁷⁸

Commitment, the substance of one’s qualities,

Is sealed by the buddha heirs. //3//

“Emptiness and compassion being inseparable,

Purification of the buddha field

Is the commitment of the transcendent lords,

Through their purifying deeds. //4//

“The nature of that lacking intrinsic reality

Is expressed as the ‘great seal.’

Knowing an action seal,

A mantri gets action.¹⁸⁷⁹ //5//

“When the guru gives the wisdom consecration

As the sign of true vision [of the seal],

He compassionately illuminates

The meaning of the reality of Vajrasattva.¹⁸⁸⁰ //6//

“Thus having gained certainty,

One is certain from reality itself — ¹⁸⁸¹

Such is the intuition of that reality

And such the nature of the yoginī. //7//

“The sage passionate for the commitment,¹⁸⁸²

The reality of energy gone beyond,

Learned in the meaning of the glorious Community,

Finds a wisdom woman, gentle in speech,

Wide-eyed, a mother’s daughter,

Adorned with beauty and youth. //8//

“Thus he attains in union with the seal,

According to the yogic commitment;

And when he achieves thatness,

That is the character of the great seal. //9//

“Thatness is the state of great bliss,

Fully abandoning conceptuality.

Emptiness is stainless intuition,

The clear state of the reality realm. //10//

“Then further, I must explain

The unexcelled analysis of the seals.

Analyzed according to clans and perfections,

Seals are truly explained as six. //11//

“In the order of the goddesses

And YAṀ, RAṀ, LAṀ, BAṀ, AṀ, HAṀ,

The process of offering is of one taste;

One should always make offerings. //12//

“The yogi himself, in order to attain,

Should play and stay [with] low-caste women,

Washerwomen, women with moles, dancers,

Charnel women, and brahmin women. //13//

“The washerwoman is born from the jewel clan,

The low-caste woman from the lotus clan;

Likewise, the dancer [from] the action clan,

And the charnel woman [from] the wheel clan; //14//

“The woman with moles is [from] the vajra clan,

And the brahmin woman is the intuition seal,¹⁸⁸³

Expressed as the clan of Vajrasattva.

These are the [seals of the] six clans. //15//

“The brahmin woman is the mother,

And the washerwoman is called sister.

The dancer is known as daughter;

The mole woman is known as wife. //16//

“The undertaker woman is the new wife;

The low-caste woman is mother-in-law.

By the procedure of intuition and art,

One should express [them] nonconceptually.¹⁸⁸⁴ //17//

“Whereby, when one becomes concept-free,

In all attainments, at all times,

The mind having become like a mother,

It is truly explained as a virgin sister. //18//

“One should know the body as daughter,

And vitality energy manifests as wife.

The new wife¹⁸⁸⁵ is the evacuative energy,

And the central [channel] energy

Is expressed as the mother-in-law. //19//

“The ‘mother’ is the arrogance peak part,¹⁸⁸⁶

The casket of buddha jewels;

The ‘sister’ is the showering semen channel,

Located in the place of the crown; //20//

“And the ‘daughter’ is the blood flow channel,

Taking up more than half of [the crown chakra].¹⁸⁸⁷

The ‘wife’ is the channel of urine flow,

Located in the middle of that very one.

The ‘mistress’ is the channel of dripping tears, //21//

“‘Mother’ is truly explained as earth;

The water element is called ‘sister’;

Fire should be known as ‘daughter’;

Wind is well known as ‘wife’;

Space is explained as ‘mistress,’

And great space as the ‘mother-in-law.’ //22//

“Because she is sweet, ‘mother’;

Sour is expressed as ‘sister’;

Bitter is well known as ‘daughter’;

And salty as the ‘wife.’¹⁸⁸⁸ //23//

“Astringent should be known as ‘mother-in-law’;

Spicy is well known as ‘mistress.’

These should be loved with effort —

Who desires attainment¹⁸⁸⁹ should serve [them].¹⁸⁹⁰ //24//

“This analysis of the action seal

The supreme one, relying on their good qualities,

Engages in the thought of that commitment,

[And] the great bliss of the great seal. //25//

“The state of Vajrasattva is peace,

Supreme intuition, unexcelled —

Such illuminates the state of the seals,

The sphere of the yoginī tantras.” //26//

45. The Aggregates, the Sense Media, Etc.

¹⁸⁹¹

[Then, the Vajra Lord spoke:]

“Then further, I will also explain

The character of aggregates and sense media.

Victor of Victors¹⁸⁹² is explained as ‘form’;

Vajra Holder¹⁸⁹³ as consciousness; //1//

“Jewel Holder¹⁸⁹⁴ as sensation,

Transcending Cyclic Existence¹⁸⁹⁵ is called perception,

And Wisdom Holder¹⁸⁹⁶ is creation;

Thus the aggregates are stated.¹⁸⁹⁷ //2//

“Earth is explained as Moharatī;¹⁸⁹⁸

Likewise, water as Dvesharatī;¹⁸⁹⁹

Fire as Rāgaratī;¹⁹⁰⁰

Likewise, wind as Vajraratī;¹⁹⁰¹

And space as Vajradhātvishvarī. //3//

“Form is explained as Rūpavajrā,

Sound as Shabdavajrā,

Scent as Gandhavajrā,

And taste as Rasavajrā. //4//

“Texture becomes Sparshavajrā,

And [space], Vajradhātvishvarī;

The two eyes are expressed as Kshitigarbha,

The ears as Vajrapāni,

The nose as Ākāshagarbha, //5//

“The tongue as Lokeshvara,

And the body as Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin.

The mind is expressed as Samantabhadra

And the channels as Maitreya. //6//

“Supreme intuition, as Mañjushrī,

Is explained as pervading everywhere.

Likewise, the functions of the body

Are explained as the ten terrifics. //7//

“Thus is stated the body mandala,

The aggregates, etc., [and] sense media, etc.

The supreme nondual yogi/nī

Should know it from the guru lineage.” //8//

46. Ascertaining the Meaning of the Great Seal

“Then, further, I must explain

The nature of the meaning of the great seal.

The result of mahāyoga is peace,

The concentrated meaning of great intuition.¹⁹⁰² //1//

“The great good fortune of great bliss

Has the nature of the great supreme taste.

The great magical illusion is extremely subtle.

The great of the great is the great vast. //2//

“The seal, the transcendent lord intuition,

Is the state of nonconceptuality,

The abode of indestructible Vajrasattva,

The great bliss of nonconceptuality,

Naked, like sky. //3//

“Realityless, groundless, nondual, selfless,

Inexpressible — self-aware yogi/nīs,

Having abandoned the imagined aspects

Of aggregates, elements, and sense media. //4//

“Abandoning meditation, the meditated upon,

Meditative equipoise, and the two stages;

Consciousness free from intuition,

They abandon mantra, repetition, and service. //5//

“Going beyond the place of all things,

They invite the great intuition;

One should know that here is great attainment,

The great seal, unexcelled.” //6//

47. The Analysis of Experiences

Then the Vajra Lord declared:

“The yogi/nī who knows the analysis

Of the nature of the moods

Will also come to know

The great yogas, great in intuition. //1//

“From all these yogas, one arises yawning,

Shaking, passionate,¹⁹⁰³ hair raised, floating,¹⁹⁰⁴

Flushing, weeping, melting, and courageous:

These are the eight moods.¹⁹⁰⁵ //2//

“When ecstasy [fills] the hollow-arrogance channel,¹⁹⁰⁶

Shaking is produced.¹⁹⁰⁷

When the inflated-water channel¹⁹⁰⁸ is roused,

The dusty passion is produced. //3//

“Likewise, the hollow-inflated-distraction channel

Causes the rising of the hairs.¹⁹⁰⁹

Likewise, the hollow rasanā¹⁹¹⁰ channel

Causes words to be stammered.¹⁹¹¹ //4//

“When the great-tortoise channel expands,

It causes a flushed complexion.

When the great-head channel expands,

It causes fainting, followed by pain. //5//

“When the great-ur-ur channel opens,¹⁹¹²

It makes the body hairs stand on end.

When the great-ecstasy channel expands,

Its hollow causes tears to drip. //6//

“When the great-madness channel opens,

It causes the dissolving of the vitality.

One faints into mindless great bliss;

Then one loses awareness.

Knowing [these] as the erotic mood, etc.,

Awakens the process as explained above. //7//

“JA HŪṀ BAM HOḤ, and likewise,

A LA LA LA LA HO — compelled with these mantras,

[The channels] expand, and one can know their specific type.

Such is the continuum of classifying them.” //8//

48. The Meaning of the Word “AHAṀ”

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“Whoever truly knows

The support of the word ‘I’ (ahaṁ),

The nature of life’s bondage,

Totally terminates the bonds of the wheel

Of AHAṀ,¹⁹¹³ [and so] is liberated. //1//

“Supreme among all things,

‘A’ dwells particularly in all bodies,¹⁹¹⁴

Possessing supremacy over all forms,

Called ‘all-pervading, omniscient, unending,

Unobstructed spiritual power,’¹⁹¹⁵ //2//

“Simultaneously arising.

It is neither existence nor the peak of existence,

Nor [the immeasurable] love [realm].

Best among emanation bodies,

Expert in accomplishing all goals —

It is the exhalation of the transcendent lords. //3//

“HAṀ is free from things;

Dwelling in the body, but not produced from the body,

Beyond the senses, it is not clear,

It abandons all forms.¹⁹¹⁶ //4//

“Liberated from things and nonthings,

Wherever it dwells surpassingly,

All things vanish

And it is the reality of the truth body. //5//

“Mind, it is Vajradhara’s exhalation,

Free from accomplishing any goals,

[Its] empty reality is nirvana,

The very reality of the intuition body. //6//

“Freed from expressing and expressed,

It is also known as the syllable HAṀ.

AHAṀ pervades everything, everywhere,

Always abiding as the nature of all. //7//

“AHAṀ especially abides as the ground

That pervades all things.

The person lacking AHAṀ

Is like a tree whose root is cut. //8//

“HAṀ truly stands at the hairline,

And A [stands] at the navel.

Here it is taught that from A [comes] HAṀ,

Which shines a thousand light rays, called ‘moon.’ //9//

“Here, one also relies on the name of A,

Well known as the support of HAṀ.

A is taught to be the vitality energy.

Likewise, the evacuative energy is called ‘HAṀ.’ //10//

“These two becoming one cause the life-cycle,

[Which] therefore is known as ‘AHAṀ.’

Dwelling free from conceptuality,

AHAṀ is not located anywhere. //11//

“As for others, some also [say] about this

That it is ultimately imperceptible.

Such [I teach], as the [Vajra-] Egoist,

What is hard to find in all the tantras.” //12//

49. Analyzing the Characteristics of Emptiness

Then the Vajra Lord declared:

“The yogi/nī who knows

The summary of the analysis of emptiness

Will come to know emptiness [itself]. //1//

“Because it is the remedy of disharmony,

Emptiness meditation is universally taught.

[1] The inner nature of things¹⁹¹⁷

Is the remedy for conceptuality

And the correction of errors. //2//

[2] “The outer is claimed to be emptiness.¹⁹¹⁸

[3] Free from focusing on outer [objects],

There is also no conceptualizing

Of inner and also outer things.

Here is taught outer and inner emptiness. //3//

[4] “Freedom from the habitat world

Is pronounced to be great emptiness.

[5] The intuition that sees [things] as empty

Is also declared to be emptiness,

Because it later causes the realization

Of the perfect mirror intuition. //4//

[6] “The opposite side of that is empty:

Empty of the emptiness of nonthings.

[7] Knowing the falsity of things in the ultimate

Is the emptiness of the ultimate

Because of the nonperception of virtue

Of giving, etc., as constructed. //5//

[8] “Engaging the character of one’s conceptuality

Is taught as compounded emptiness.

[9] True enlightenment is uncompounded.

Reason is also not perceived;

Abandonment of thing and nonthing

Is declared uncompounded emptiness. //6//

[10] “Prayer, etc., for the benefit of sentient beings,

Not perceived as joyful for one’s self, etc.,

Is taught to be extreme emptiness.

[11] Abandoning all conceptuality

Is called emptiness gone beyond extremes. //7//

[12] “That very prayer itself for beings

In worlds without beginning or end,

Expressed without any arrogance,

Is emptiness of no beginning and no end. //8//

[13] “Not perceived in nirvana,

The nonempty nature of virtue,

Explained as ‘pretension free,’

Is the nonrelinquishing emptiness. //9//

[14] “The self naturally purified

Of the stain of passions, etc.,

Such is declared pretension free,

Revealed as the emptiness of nature. //10//

“The marks and signs, etc.,

The good qualities of the [buddha] form body,

Not perceived in others,

[Is] the emptiness of self-identity. //11//

[15] “The dharmas of the wings of enlightenment,

Also without any pretension in practice,

Are taught as the emptiness of all things. //12//

[16] “As for the self and things produced,

The supremacy of nonreification of things,

Cutting away all the bonds,

Is taught as the emptiness of nonthings. //13//

“The emptiness as stated previously,

Thus known as nonphenomenal,

Again, [its] very imperceptibility

Is accepted as the emptiness of nothing. //14//

“Thus analyzing emptiness, again,

Because it is the remedy for the instincts,

The causal remedy [for] resistant tendencies,

One should understand it from the guru lineage.” //15//

50. The Character Creating Vajra Rosary Emptiness

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“Emptiness is the cause of birth,

The actual experience of formlessness.

It pervades all bodies and is

The natural body of the five aggregates. //1//

“It pervades the six chakras,

Since it dwells in the center of all things.

It is not far away, nor is it nearby.

Inseparable from the conventional,

Emptiness is ultimate reality —

Such is the teaching of the Vajra Rosary. //2//

“As for the character of the vitality support,

It is a blue body, three-faced, each three-eyed,

With six¹⁹¹⁹ excellent arms, rights holding in order

Vajra, wheel, and jewel;¹⁹²⁰ lefts, bell and lotus,

And brandishing a very sharp sword. //3//

“Arising from vowels and consonants,

He sits on a moon and sun seat,

On a variegated, blossoming lotus

In the bodhisattva cross-legged posture. //4//

“He arises from the full seed syllable HŪṀ

And from the clan of the great vajra.

He cuts off and causes to dissolve

The energy-winds that agitate conceptual thoughts. //5//

“He clears away the harmful ones,

Cutting off all dualism.

Great magical illusion, great emptiness,

The marvelous place of the Buddha —

Bestows the fruition of buddhahood. //6//

“One should express the mantra of this:

OM and VAJRA MĀLE,

Likewise, secondly, ĀḤ and HŪṀ,

Perfectly endowed with PHAT and SVĀHĀ. //7//

“Collecting the supreme mantra is unexcelled,

The energy-winds are robbed by thatness,

Clearing away the mind’s conceptuality. //8//

“[In] a peaceful place, [by] a riverbank,

[By] a tree, [at] a crossroad,

Or, where three roads come together,

Clearly repeat [the mantra] a million times. //9//

“Thus one goes to supreme attainment

By the yoga of the perfection stage.

Its good qualities will clearly arise —

[Such] peace, etc., does not require effort. //10//

“Direct realization in one instant:

One knows that very thing as the excellent clan.

This procedure of the Lone Hero

Brings about the Lone Heroine herself. //11//

“One who meditates on the character of that,

The yogi/nī abandoning conceptuality,

The actuality of the extremely pure sky,

Goes to one’s own supreme attainment.” //12//

51. Explaining Night and Day in Detail

Then the Vajra Lord declared:

“One should know the night as wisdom.

When one has dissolved all the elements, they go,

And the aspect of night becomes as a moon — ¹⁹²¹

The lunar character of nirvana. //1//

“One should know ‘the two types of wisdom,’

The conventional and the ultimate.

One should know conventional [truths] as knowable,

While ultimate [truth] eludes the tangible,

And that bliss of freedom from the tangible

Is supreme bliss, hard to attain. //2//

“Further, the day is explained as artful means,

Artful means serving as the day.

And then from things, the sun is born,

Always becoming the Bhagavān Lord. //3//

“The life-cycle aspect becomes the sun;

From the sun, the moon is born;

From that, nonduality is explained as reality —

In order to blaze, he becomes the Sun. //4//

“The ultimate that is the object of analysis

And the body that is free from passion,

Supremely subtle, invisible and empty,

The peaceful state of clear light,

Really are not located anywhere.” //5//

52. Explaining the Vowels and Consonants in Detail

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“The commitment of the vowels and consonants,

Is intended for the children of the victor,

Not stated in other tantras. //1//

“The character of luminance,

Produced from the clear light state

Endowed with the thirty-three consonants,

Expands the mandala of the consonants, //2//

“The state of radiance¹⁹²²

Arising from luminance, inexhaustible,

Endowed with the sixteen vowels,

Expands the mandala of the vowels.¹⁹²³ //3//

“From the secret joining of these two,

Great bliss is produced in the center,

‘The vowel-consonant commitment,’

Specified through this intentional expression.

Its supreme subtle intuition

One should know from the guru lineage.” //4//

53. Explaining Twilight in Detail

¹⁹²⁴

“Then listen as I further explain:

The character of twilight is unexcelled.

The interval free from light and nonlight

Arises from the intuition vajra.¹⁹²⁵ //1//

“Located in the center, merged with nonduality,

Defilement and pollution abandoned,

It is deathlessly born from vajra and lotus,

Moon and sun perfectly commingled. //2//

“Not going completely to the end,

Purifying cyclic life without [any] interval,¹⁹²⁶

Its own reality the supreme form —

[Its] subtle character is inconceivable. //3//

“The interval of all sentient beings

Is explained as the supremely pure arising

Of Vajradhara’s Queen,

Abandoning transcendent ecstasy, etc. //4//

“It is the supremely peaceful place at the peak of the knot,

Like the core of a pea,

Since the Night Lord arises [there],

The upper state remains. //5//

“It perfectly remains in four aspects:

Sometimes as the intrinsic reality of the drop;

Sometimes abandoning the beginning, etc.;

Sometimes, moreover, as the imperceptible,

And since it has its own nature,

For that reason, it is inexpressible.” //6//

54. The Extensive Actions of the Twenty Rituals

Then the Vajra Lord spoke:

“The mere names of the twenty forms

Are explained as the ritual acts of the masters.

To develop well the mantra yoga: //1//

[1] “Preliminary service, [2] purifying the land,

[3] Banishing spirits, [4] occupying the land,

[5] Inspecting the thread line, [6] consecration, //2//

[7] “Banishing obstructors, likewise,

[8] Making distinct the mandala thread line,

[9] Truly planting the dagger,

[10] Consecrating the vessel, //3//

[11] “Consecrating the lords,

[12] Bathing, [13] purifying, [14] making offerings,

[15] Dedication, [16] giving the sacrificial cake,

[17] Consecrating the disciples, //4//

[18] “The fire offering according to procedure,

[19] Conferring consecration,

[20] And requesting [the deities] to go.

Such are the twenty ritual acts —

Whoever knows them is a world guru.

A vajra-holding mendicant should perform [them]. //5//

“The threat gesture at the devils is supreme;

Being absorbed in repeating the three letters

Is the intense liberation of the vajra vehicle. //6//

“For one who [practices] the peaceful [activities], etc.,

[Liberation] always dwells in the palm [of her hand].

By those perfect procedures,

The supreme rite should be performed. //7//

“One should undertake the rites, etc.,

Of yoga and anuyoga, etc.,

And one should recite ten thousand times

The essence mantra of Vighnāntakṛt,

The supreme twenty-four syllables.¹⁹²⁷ //8//

“First the wise properly [do this practice],

To eliminate all obstructors.

[This] is explained as ‘preliminary service.’ //9/

“After that, when one repeats wholeheartedly

The three letters ten thousand times,

It bestows the attainment of all one wishes for,

Causing the attainments of the disciples. //10//

“One sweeps [the ground], isolated from people,

Occupying land, in proximity to water.

One should begin neither too close

Nor too far from a village, //11//

“[On] gentle land, without [wild] beasts,

Far from the royal palace, from home and market crowds;

Or¹⁹²⁸ in the presence of an image of the Bliss Lord.¹⁹²⁹

On [one’s] fingers one should set the Bliss Lord’s mantra.¹⁹³⁰ //12//

“Having made a dagger of teak,

One cubit¹⁹³¹ and four fingers in length,

One washes it with the water of the three syllables.

With the hundred-syllable mantra seven times //13//

“And with the three-letter [mantra], one digs

To [where one reaches] groundwater,

Or [to the depth of] two and one-half cubits;

Or else, one purifies using [only] the mind. //14//

“One should enter while letting go

The spirit who is living there —

[Reciting] OṀ MAHĀKRODHA JVALĀRKA,

Well endowed with HŪṀ PHAT at the end.

Thus, one should banish the spirits,

Visualizing the mantra on the palms of one’s hands. //15//

“Striking the palms three times on the ground,

Recite the mantra, saying UDGATA twice.

Say SARVABHŪTA GRAHA UDGATA,

With the three syllables¹⁹³² at the end. //16//

“That is explained as VAJRA SATĀVE.¹⁹³³

Having given the torma recommended

As all-purpose in [ritual] acts,

Encourage [them] to go.

And after fully occupying the ground,

The vajra master should begin [the rite]. //17//

“Without burning¹⁹³⁴ or having to purify,¹⁹³⁵

With equanimity and without discomfort,

The wise one should also make [the ground]

Even and smooth like a mirror. //18//

“One should smear [the ground] with the five kinds¹⁹³⁶

Of cow products, such as dung, etc.,

And after smearing, to cleanse,

The master, with a terrifying body

And the Mañjuvajra mandala,¹⁹³⁷ //19//

“With the form of supreme Achala,

With triply braided soft cotton or hemp

Purified with the three syllabes,

Equalizes everything with the thread line. //20//

“Having made part [of the ground] into a square,

The vajri should hold in four corners

Three cubits by three cubits.

He should abandon the fault of covering

The part of the string in its center. //21//

“He should place relics or jewels [there].

Having purified well, one blesses [the ground],

Truly putting three syllables, SVĀHĀ after,

Into the middle of the PHAT.

One should also repeat this mantra very clearly

One hundred and eight [times]. //22//

“Then, having drawn the Brahma [base]line,¹⁹³⁸

One should repeat the hundred-syllable [mantra].

After that, one should scatter a rain of flowers

While pronouncing mantras, //23//

“Saying OṀ and AMOGHAPADMO.

And likewise, later on,

VASUDHARIDHARA twice,

[Then] DHARAṆI MAṆḌALI HŪṀ. //24//

“One should purify with the hundred-syllable mantra

And by washing with foot-wash water

The thread line up to three times,

[One] should strike the line with the three syllables.¹⁹³⁹ //25//

“The vajri should again truly strike

The true thread line at the boundaries

Of the four corners and the four doors,

Beginning in the east, then the north,

Then as far as the south and the west,

And in the intermediate quarters. //26//

“One should measure with a plumb line

The intermediate [direction] of the southeast

And the intermediate [direction] of the northwest,

And make straight lines [between] the four corners, //27//

“Three concentric circles, four doors,

Beautified with three vajra rosaries.

One should strike the two Brahma lines.¹⁹⁴⁰

From that, Indra’s Palace, a perfect line in all respects,

The clear dwelling place of all the victors. //28//

“There one draws the science holder.

Moreover, by applying substances or actions,¹⁹⁴¹

Jewel powder or flowers of five different colors,

In proper order, one should draw

The symbolic hand gestures, etc. //29//

“As for the clan of Akshobhya

[In] complexion, symbolic hand gestures, etc.,

One should place [them] in the center.

And dividing the respective complexions

Of JINAJIK,¹⁹⁴² RATNADHṚK,¹⁹⁴³

AROLIK,¹⁹⁴⁴ and PRAJÑĀDHṚK,¹⁹⁴⁵

One should arrange [them] in the east, etc. //30//

“One should properly place

MOHARATĪ, DVESHARATĪ,

RĀGARATĪ, and VAJRARATĪ,¹⁹⁴⁶ respectively,

In the quarters of fire, etc. //31//

“Seven are on variegated lotus and moon seats;

Two others are on [lotus and] sun [seats],

Delighting in the retinue, with DVESHARATĪ,

Adorned with a row of pillars. //32//

“With three faces and six arms,

In the left they hold the sword of wisdom.

They should offer to the center of the mandala

Exactly the forms and shapes [described here]. //33//

“Place RŪPAVAJRĀ, etc.,

In the outer parts of the quarter directions,

On the [door] ledge in the east, etc.

Entirely visualize Maitreya and Kshitigarbha,

Mañjushrī and Vajrapāni in the south,

And Akāshagharba and Lokeshvara in the west. //34//

“Place Sarvanīvaraṇa and Samantabhadra in the north.

Each has three faces and six hands,

Carrying a sword in the lefts. //35//

“Vajrapāni sits on a stainless sun disc.

For the goddesses, there are moon seats.

All [seats] appear above a variegated lotus. //36//

“Place the symbolic hand gestures, etc.,

Arising from the clan of Vairochana.

Place Yamāntaka, etc., in the east and other doors. //37//

“Each with three faces and six hands,

Likewise holding swords in the lefts,

Achala, etc., are in the quarter [directions],

With the actual nature of Yamāntaka, etc. //38//

“They have three faces and six hands.

One should think of swords in their lefts,

Because the left is the nature of intuition.

Likewise, the sword is stated to be in the left. //39//

“Likewise, place Sumbha and Ushnīsha

Below and above.

The terrifics are sitting on sun discs,

Likewise, [on] variegated lotus seats. //40//

“Similarly, place a figure

Symbolizing a mace, etc.,

Likewise, place five drawings

Of the pure transcendent lords. //41//

“There, a garland of blazing vajras

Completely encircles the two walls.

[On the eaves are] nets of jewels and yak tails,

[Outside the walls are] [offering] goddess ledges,

And pillars uphold porticos marked with [Dharma] wheels,

Adorned [on ether side] with deer. //42//

“Umbrellas, victory standards, banners, etc.,

Are to be adorned with yak tails, mirrors, etc. —

And the buddhas truly inhabit [such a palace]. //43//

“The mandala of the supreme teacher

Is the mirror reflection of one’s own body.

As for the ritual acts of the vajra teacher:

Having previously banished the obstructors, //44//

“One should place at the eastern door

The words SUṀBHA and NISUṀBHA,

With OṀ first, the wonderful part,

With two HŪṀs and PHAT at the end. //45//

“The intelligent one should place in the south

OṀ and ‘GṚHNA GṚHNA,’

With two HŪṀs and a PHAT at the end.

And one should radiate in the west

OṀ and two GṚHNAPAYAs,

With two HŪṀs and PHAT at the end. //46//

“After that, one also places in the north

OṀ ĀNAYA HO BHAGAVĀN

And VIDYĀRĀJA,

With two HŪṀs and PHAT at the end. //47//

“Thereby having summoned the wicked ones,

Then the tantrika should plant the daggers;

Fashioned out of khadira wood,

The daggers measure twelve finger-widths,

[Their] three edges marked with the three syllables. //48//

“Repeating one by one the hundred syllables,

Having purified [them] with mantric water,

One should plant [them] in the directions and quarters. //49//

“[Saying] OṀ and the GHA syllable twice,

Likewise, two times GHĀTAYA,

SARVADUSHTHAṀ PHAT,

And likewise, two times KĪLAYA, //50//

“SARVA PĀPAṀ PHAT, and three times HŪṀ,

VAJRA KĪLAYA, VAJRADHARA AJÑĀPAYATI,

KĀYVĀKCHITTAVAJRA KĪLAYA HŪṀ PHAT,

Those syllables at the end, plant the dagger. //51//

“OṀ and VAJRA MUDGARA

VAJRA KĪLĀYA ĀKOTAYA,¹⁹⁴⁷

With two HŪṀs and PHAT [at the] end:

One should pronounce this mantra and plant the dagger. //52//

“The vajra penetrating the obstructors, etc.,

[Has the] aim of banishing [them].

By vajra wall, net of arrows above, vajra cross below,

And by the mantras of Ushnīsha and Sumbha. //53//

“Through the ritual process of consecration,

Using ten or six pure¹⁹⁴⁸ vessels made of jewels,

Fill [them] up with the five medicines,

The five fruits, the five grains, etc. //54//

“Adorn [the vessels] with the five jewels

And the five leaves of jasmine, etc.

Fill them with saffron, musk, camphor,

And sandalwood waters, and offer them flowers, etc. //55//

“Consecrate each with the mantra of each one.

[Say] the mantras, VAJRADHṚK,

JINAJIK, RATNADHṚK,

ĀROLIK, and likewise PRAJÑĀDHṚK. //56//

“By light rays in the form of goad hooks,

[Invite the deities] from the realm of Akanishtha.

Having consecrated the vessels oneself,

Having invited them, let them be there. //57//

“Then emanate the form of the goddesses.

And after that, one should place the others.

Then, one recites OṀ, and RU RU SPHU RU,

Then, clearly JVALATISHTHA. //58//

“Likewise, one recites IDHĀ LOCHANI

SARVĀRTHA SĀDHANE SVĀHA.

Completing the form of Lochanā,

One should offer into the center of the vessel,¹⁹⁴⁹ //59//

“OṀ, and SHAṀKARE,

Then also, SHĀNTAṀ KURU

And, likewise, GHUTI GHUTI,

And GHUTINE, GHUTINE,

And GHĀTAYA twice,

Saying the mantra SVĀHĀ at the end.

One should offer in the center of the vessel,

Completing the form of Māmakī. //60//

“[Say] OṀ and KAṬA VIKAṬE

NIKAṬE, KAṬAṀKAṬE,

KAROṬA VĪRYE SVĀHĀ —

Completing the form of Pāṇḍaravāsinī,

One should make offerings in the center of the vessel. //61//

“Place OM and TĀRE

TUTTĀRĀ TURE SVĀHĀ.

Having completed the form of Tārā,

One should make offerings in the center of the vessel. //62//

“For Yamāntaka and the others,

[Do] the all-purpose acts in one:

OṀ NAMAḤ SAMANTA

KĀYAVĀKCHITTAVAJRA

NĀMNAMAḤ VAJRA KRODHĀYA

MAHĀ DESHTAKAṬA BHAIRAVĀYA

ASI MUSALA PARASHU PĀSHA HASTĀYA

OṀ AMṚTAKUṆḌALI KHA KHA KHĀHI KHĀHI

TISHṬHA TISHṬHA BANDHA BANDHA

HANA HANA DAHA DAHA

GARJA GARJAVISPHOṬAYA VISPHOṬAYA

SARVA VIGHNĀṆVINĀYAKĀN

MAHĀ GAṆAPATI JĪVITĀNTAKARĀYA

HŪṀ PHAT SVĀ HĀ. //63//

“Say this mantra up to seven times,

It being the all-purpose [mantra].

Having recited it as the essence mantra

One should offer to the god of the clan. //64//

“With the hundred-syllable mantra.

One should meditate seven times.

Also recite the three syllables,

In the order of one hundred and eight.¹⁹⁵⁰

Then, with the yoga of one’s own deity,

One should offer the vessel of holy offerings. //65//

“Then, having covered the incense pot,

Smoking with camphor and eaglewood,

One should consecrate

Each one’s mantra there in turn. //66//

“In the form¹⁹⁵¹ of three faces and six arms,

Complexions like the sky free from clouds,

[Their] hands like [their] bodies,

Embracing their own vision bodies,¹⁹⁵²

Arisen from¹⁹⁵³ vowels and consonants,¹⁹⁵⁴

They sit on variegated lotus seats. //67/

“Sitting in the center of a measureless mansion

In the realm of the delightful Akanishtha field,

Together with the mandala retinue,

With the five-buddha crown ornaments,

One visualizes [them], with light rays emanating. //68//

“The Master having said the mantra,

One should invite [them] with five colored goad hooks.

Saying, EHYEHI and BHAGAVĀN,¹⁹⁵⁵

SAMAYAṀ ANUSMARA

TISHṬHA twice, and SAMAYAṀ.

Then ANUSMARA twice, //69//

“[Then] vajra body, speech, and mind,¹⁹⁵⁶

And at the end, SVĀHĀ three times.

One should invite Mañjuvajra.

Invited to the middle of the mandala,

With the mandala residents,¹⁹⁵⁷

Each is seated on his or her own particular seat,

And one should truly make offerings. //70//

“Making offerings with divine flowers,

To each with his or her own respective mantras,

One should worship the supreme circle.

‘I, named so and so,¹⁹⁵⁸ by applying whatever things,

Bow down to this, the city of the reality realm,

And make offerings to this mandala. //71//

“‘Thinking of me with love, O Lord,

Please accept this offering!’

OṀ SARVATATHĀGATĀNĀM

PŪJOPASTHĀNAYA

ĀTMANĀM NI RYĀ TA YĀ MI.

The guru pronounces the three letters. //72//

“Having made [oneself into] the deity,

Then one should make offerings to oneself,

Pronouncing, OM SARVA

TATHĀGATA PŪJA VAJRA

SVABHĀVA¹⁹⁵⁹ ĀTMAKO’HAM. //73//

“Having created one’s own deity pride,

One should worship the created mothers,¹⁹⁶⁰

Harmful ones,¹⁹⁶¹ and the sinless,¹⁹⁶²

[And] the god of the mandala,

Who arises from the clan of great hatred.¹⁹⁶³ //74//

“After that, one should consecrate the deities,

Captivating, dressed in various divine garments.

[The vessel] of incense with camphor and eaglewood¹⁹⁶⁴

Purified by mantra, one should cover it. //75//

“Pronouncing OṀ, and TISHṬHA VAJRA HOḤ,

One should invest the mandala [with the deities],

The intelligent one pronouncing OṀ

And SPARA VAJRA HOḤ. //76//

“Scooping up the flowers [and] scattering [them],

One should cause the deities there to stay,

And one should see the supreme mandala

Truly possessing all of its detail. //77//

“Having meditated on the images of the lords

With the good natures of the five clans,

One bathes [them] in mirrors, etc.,¹⁹⁶⁵

And likewise with substances¹⁹⁶⁶ and milk, etc.

[One says,] ‘Just as if offering a newborn a bath

Likewise, I offer a bath [for] all the transcendent lords.’ //78//

“One’s crown ornament is Vajrasattva;

In its center the three syllables are entwined.

One should pronounce SVĀHĀ at the end,

Knowing the rite of the truth of the act.

After that, one should offer the prepared cake. //79//

“One should pronounce the mantra

OṀ SARVA ĀVARANA SHUDDHA

SARVA PĀPAM and VISHUDDHA

VAJRA HŪṀ PHAT, with SVĀHĀ at the end. //80//

“Having [made] the gesture of the circling PHAṀ,¹⁹⁶⁷

And having burnt white mustard seeds,

One should dispel the addictions, destroying them

With the holding and circling gesture. //81//

“Then, according to the rite, make good offerings;

One should offer the lord

Cymbals and song, etc.,

Pronouncing the respective mantras for each [offering]: //82//

“OṀ SARVA TATHĀGATA PUSHPA

PŪJAMEGHA, and SAMUDRA

And SPHARAṆA SAMAYA

And SHRĪYE ĀḤ HŪṀ. //83//

“Each substance has its own name,

The aforementioned form, etc.,

Which should be pronounced according to the rite,

[With] the elegant gestures of Vajrasattva. //84//

“The vajra teacher knows the ritual procedure;

With these mantras, one should perform consecration.

One should recite OṀ, and SUPRATISHṬHA,

And VAJRA SVĀHĀ at the end. //85//

“Having placed the three syllables,

The essence of body, speech, and mind,

One should make a rain of flowers.

The teacher, with the group of disciples,

Being summoned by song,

Awakened, should make prostrations. //86//

“‘I, the yogi/nī, lord of all acts, make the offering cake,

The accomplishment of all goals.’

Pure and skilled in ritual acts,

With ritually appropriate elegant movements, //87//

“Offering with flowers, etc., wine, and various meats,

And likewise sweet milk, cooked rice, ground puri,

Puri bread, many ground peas, and pure water

In ten vessels filled with water. //88//

“By pronouncing the ten ferocious mantras

According the previous ritual,

All spirits being in the center of that,

One gives an offering cake of great wonder. //89//

“In accordance with the previous ritual,

Burning sesame with particular food,

The intelligent one should recite the mantras —

This accomplishes all goals. //90//

“OṀ BRAHMA DEVATĀ SARVA

INDRA DASHA LOKARAKSHAKA

NĀGA GANDHARVA KUṀBHĀṆḌA

YAKSHA BHŪTA GAṆĀ TATHĀPRETA UD¹⁹⁶⁸ GATA

PISHĀCHI APASMARA //91//

“ḌĀKINĪ GRAHĀ¹⁹⁶⁹ VIGHNĀN MĀKSHIGANĀH

SARVA TATHĀGATA

AGNI MĀRA GRAHĀ

OM JO BHAKSHA

MAHĀ TEJA MANUSHYA NAMA¹⁹⁷⁰

VIHIṀSAKA MUDRĀ¹⁹⁷¹ MANTRA

ADHIDHOBYAH¹⁹⁷² CHA //92//

“GRAHĀ NAKSHATRA MANUSHA

IMAM BALIM PRAGṚHNANTUM¹⁹⁷³

SIDDHIMME PRAYACCHANTU ME

SANDHA SATYAMANESHU KARAMESHU

SATSAHAYA BHAVANTU CHE

DHĀNA DHĀNA SUPARAṆAÑCHA //93//

“DHAḌĀNTU MAMA TOSHĪTA ITI

UPĀTRAṆA¹⁹⁷⁴ TROSHAṆI

SATVĀTA NĀMA NASHAYANTU¹⁹⁷⁵ CHE.

First OM, and ĀH HŪṀ PHAT, at the end SVĀ HĀ,

Accomplishing all actions. //94//

“Thus reciting this mantra in the vessel,

Sporting as Vajrasattva,

One consecrates the disciples

Adorned with the good qualities and characters. //95//

“One washes [them]¹⁹⁷⁶ with the water

Of sandalwood, camphor, and musk,

Holding the water of faith,

Cleansing the stains of the mind. //96//

“Letting go of all possessions,

Wearing clean clothing

As an offering, having made a multistoried house

With decorated textile curtains all around, //97//

“Perfectly endowed with the three syllables,

The vajri sprinkles in front

The mantra water seven times,

Purifying the stain born from karma. //98//

“Then one places Kshitigarbha, etc., on [one’s] eyes, etc.

Touching each sense faculty with the two middle fingers,¹⁹⁷⁷

One should pronounce the mantra and bless [them]

By the yoga of the body mandala, //99//

“Reciting OṀ and CHAKSHU CHAKSHU¹⁹⁷⁸

And SAMANTA and CHAKSHU.¹⁹⁷⁹

One pronounces this mantra

MAITRI SATVA LOCHANE¹⁹⁸⁰

SARVĀRTHASĀDHANI,

With SVĀHĀ at the end. //100//

“One puts the thumb and middle finger together;

Having applied foot-bath water to the feet,

One should repeat that mantra three times,

Touching the disciples’ eyes with the thumb mudra.¹⁹⁸¹ //101//

“Having said the hundred-syllable mantra

Three times for the thread of one cubit and four fingers,

The lasso and the noose one should purify

With water for washing the feet. //102//

“Wrapping the thread around three times and tying [it]

On the left arm with a knot of three vajras,

One should say this mantra three times. //103//

“OṀ and LOCHANE, YATATVATTAṀ SAṀPRATAṀ,

MAṀ, and the word BHAVISHYANTI,¹⁹⁸²

RAṀ and RATNATRAYĀYA SIDDHINANI DADASHA

YASVĀ HĀ, [ending] this mantra,

Recite this unexcelled vehicle seven times. //104//

“Scatter flowers on the disciples.

Then Vajradhara should make

A triangle by measuring twelve finger-widths.¹⁹⁸³

Meditating on a blessing with the three syllables,¹⁹⁸⁴

One should entrust [her] to the hand of the disciple. //105//

“Having repeated the mantra

OṀ and PRATIVAJRA

And SAMANTA and ĪSHVARI,

Ending in ĀH HŪṀ SVĀHĀ,

The disciple should throw [the thread] away. //106//

“Seeing whatever direction the dagger falls,

The master and disciples

Should sleep

Facing that direction. //107//

“At dawn, [the disciples] ask the true guru

About all the meanings of what was seen [in their dreams].

Having focused on that, as for the fire offering,

By division into peaceful, etc.,

One should perform it as an all-purpose rite,

Or in order to pacify the obstructors. //108//

“Vajrasattva, with elegant gestures,

According to the yoga or the ritual procedure,

As before, here again, should offer the cake

In order to eradicate the obstructors. //109//

“Then the supplicating disciple,

Infused with the compassion of the vajra teacher,

Having put his palms together,

Stands before [the guru], and makes prostrations [, saying]: //110//

“‘O Great Joyous One, you, my teacher,

O you master, I pray you please consider [me]!

The teaching of the way of great enlightenment:

O great savior, please bestow it upon me! //111//

“‘Please bestow upon me that very commitment,

And also bestow upon me the vows!¹⁹⁸⁵

O savior, please grant me entrance

Into the supreme city of great liberation!’

Then the guru declares to him [or her]

What is to be done and not to be done: //112//

“‘Beings are laid down by the thread of evolution,

Shaped by the process of spreading colored dust.

Such beings are [in fact] a mandala,

Pure by intrinsic nature and nondual.’ //113//

“First, visualize the vajra master himself

As yoga lord of the mandala.

After seeing the disciple as similar in nature,

One should accomplish everything.

After that, the disciple should make the request

To¹⁹⁸⁶ the good guru, to receive consecration: //114//

“‘Here, in the ocean of cyclic life,

Full of the crocodiles and sea monsters of addictions,

And waves stirred up by evolutionary winds,

Alas, I drown, O, Ocean of Compassion! //115//

“‘My eyes veiled by the cataract of ignorance,

Completely dominated by addictions,

Save me from fear of pleasure and pain!¹⁹⁸⁷

O, Ocean of Compassion, grant me refuge!’ //116//

“Hearing such words, the vajri,

[His] heart overflowing with compassion,

Declares to the disciple:

‘You, child, from this time onward,

Rely on¹⁹⁸⁸ the Vajrayana system!

Uphold the supreme yoga;

Live the conduct of Vajrasattva. //117//

“‘You, child, this is elixir — guard it!

If you do not guard it, you will burn!

If you guard [it], you will achieve all attainments!’ //118//

“The wind that dispels all addictions —

OṀ and PAÑCHĀMṚTA

UDAKA and ĀḤ HŪṀ ṬHA — ¹⁹⁸⁹

The disciple should drink the five elixirs,

The miraculous vajra intuition. //119//

“Mindful of the secret, since [otherwise]

Faults arise and fall on the vajra disciple,

Great waste and wastewater, etc.,

The female cloth soaked with great blood, //120//

“Smeared with blood and semen, mixed with myrrh,¹⁹⁹⁰

And preta fire,

Should be put in a lotus vessel,

There everything should be put together. //121//

“The Fierce One with the nature of three vajras,

Standing with the pose of right [leg] extended —

The Vajradhara consecration, the disciple being infused

With the perfume of the great miracle incense,

Would descend [upon them], there is no doubt.¹⁹⁹¹ //122//

“OṀ TISHṬHA MAHĀ KRODHA

Likewise, ĀVESHAYA HŪṀ —

The yogi/nī pronounces this mantra

And [the deity] clearly descends into the disciple. //123//

“VAJRASATTVA HIMAHE

VIDYĀRĀJĀYA VṚDYĀMAHE —

Thus again with this mantra

The disciple is consecrated. //124//

“One’s own body, intrinsically pure,

When one sees this supreme mandala,

The perfect basis of transcendent lords,

Goddesses, and bodhisattvas, //125//

“The supreme secret pervaded by the fierce ones,

The embodiment of Vajrasattva,

The external and internal mandalas,

He should show both to [the disciple]. //126//

“Once again, the disciple requests:

‘Please confer upon me consecration!’

To take the victorious vase [consecration],

In the good lotus vessel, //127//

“In the middle of that, the good-hearted one

Visualizes Akshobhya arising from a vajra HŪṀ.

And again arising, being summoned by the light rays

Of his very own seed of intuition,

Again he visualizes the intuition hero. //128//

“[In] the supreme form of Akshobhya,

As the very reality of Akshobhya,

He meditates as the aggregate of consciousness.

Infused with compassion, the vajra master

Places [his] hand on the head of the disciple. //129//

“Then he recites OṀ MAHĀSATTVA,

And likewise, ĪSHVARA TRAṀ

And ABHISHIÑCHAMI SVĀHĀ.

OṀ SARVA TATHĀGATA ABHISHEKA

SAMAYA SHRĪYE ĀḤ HŪṀ. //130//

“From the depth of the water, for the disciple,

In order to confer the crown consecration — [the Master says,]

‘O Three-World King, filled with compassion,

I will give a crown ornament

To accomplish the benefit of all beings.’ //131//

“Having meditated on Ratnasambhava,

The source of the virtues of Vajrasattva,

Who arises from the seed syllable TRAṀ,

He should give for the head of the disciple

A crown ornament made from decorated silk. //132//

“OṀ SARVA TATHĀGATA

RATNA MUKUṬA¹⁹⁹²

And similar words [as in the previous consecration],

PŪJAYA ATISHṬHA and ĀḤ HŪṀ —

And, having pronounced this mantra,

He should bestow flowers on the [disciple’s] head. //133//

“For the vajra consecration of the disciple,

One once again supplicates the guru.

[The guru says,] ‘I bestow the discipline of the vajra,

The natural state of the five intuitions,

By which the eggshell of ignorance is opened. By what I have done, you will achieve intuition.’ //134//

“From HRIḤ on a perfect lotus,

Visualize the form of Amitābha.

[The guru] puts a vajra in the [disciple’s] right hand

And pronounces these words to the disciple: //135//

“‘Today I should consecrate you.

This is the one who is all those buddhas.

Relying on the discipline of Samantabhadra,

Take this vajra for the sake of good attainment.’ //136//

“Arising from KAṀ is a sword,

Amoghasiddhi’s own actuality,

Upheld in an elegant gesture of the disciple’s left hand,

Pronounced after the sound of the bell of all buddhas. //137//

“You should always uphold [it],

The basis of the victor of supreme enlightenment.

From holding vajra and bell, one actually is Vajrasattva.

Full of intrinsically good qualities,

This is the yoga of a master. //138//

“Placing [his] hand on the head of the disciple,

As the very essence of Vairochana,

The vajra holder [bestows] the name consecration.

One meditates on the form aggregate. //139//

“‘OṀ SARVA TATHĀGATA, So and so

VAJRASATTVAṀ

ABHISHIÑCHAMI SVĀHĀ’ //140//

“From the first, water, to the final name [consecration],

The pure perfection of the five aggregates,

One comes to know as the supreme consecration.

I will explain the great miracle. //141//

“One will attain the five consecrations,¹⁹⁹³

This purity of the five buddhas,

And by dispelling ignorance,

One will attain the five intuitions. //142//

“Then he gives the mantra consecration,

Fulfilling the wishes of the disciple of Vajrasattva.

‘I will give the supreme Intuition Consecration

Of mantra, bestowing spiritual attainments.’ //143//

“Then the six-syllable mantra

Having PHAṬ SVĀHĀ at the end,

The three syllables.

[When the disciple’s] mouth is filled with commitments,

Purified by the body of mantra,

[This] is pronounced by the guru. //144//

“In order for the guru to give attainments,

One should always uphold this, the supreme intuition

Of the essence of all buddhas,

Epitomizing all buddhas. //145//

“Then, with regard to the disciple’s discipline-conduct:

In order to purify his conduct

In accordance with his specific dispositions,

The Chief of Compassion [declares] to the aspirant:

‘I will give the vow of the conduct,

The art of accomplishing the benefit of beings.’ //146//

“Then he should purify by mantra as before,

The book, conch, arrow, bow, sword, wheel, etc.,

Placing [them] one by one in the hand of the disciple. //147//

“‘This is the discipline of the Samantabhadra conduct,

Purifying a variety of thoughts.

You should always uphold [it]

To benefit all sentient beings.’ //148//

“OM SARVA TATHĀGATA

Likewise, DHĪṬARATVA and

DHĀRYAMI and ĀḤ HŪṀ,

Thus one should place this mantra. //149//

“Then, in order to achieve the prophecy,

The faithful one [says] to the guru:

‘Now please prophesy for me

My entry into the buddha clan!’

‘I must prophesy you to be the god of the clan:

You are Amoghavajra.’ //150//

Then the disciple, wanting encouragement,

[Says] in the presence of the guru:

‘O perfect Savior, encourage me

To be firm in the bodhisattva discipline.’ //151//

“Then, holding in the left hand the vajra

And the end of the Dharma cloth,

Bestowing the fear-not gesture with the right,

He performs the supreme encouragement:

‘I declare you the Lord of Vajra Speech,

Vajrasattva, the supreme rank of all buddhas. //152//

“‘You are the great king of the three realms,

The lord source of glorious virtues,

Conqueror over powers of devils —

You dwell in the supreme city!’ //153//

“Then, for the disciples wishing for benefits,

He should give the irreversible consecration.

‘O Vajrasattva, please bestow upon me

The great irreversible consecration!’ //154//

“Then, the lord of vajra intuition,

With the light rays of the intuition hero,

Invites the five buddhas, etc.,

And the circle of goddesses arises in order, //155//

“Carrying vases in their hands, filled with intuition water,

Transcendent lords Vajradhara,

JINAJIK, RATNADHṚK,

AROLIK, and PRAJÑĀDHṚK, respectively; //156//

“MOHARATĪ, DVESHARATĪ,

RĀGARATĪ, and VAJRARATĪ, etc.,

YAMĀNTAKA, PRAJÑĀNTAKA,

PADMĀNTAKA, VIGHNĀNTAKA —

With complete consecration, he visualizes

All [these] as the vajra disciples. //157//

“‘I give the great vajra of consecration

[To those] honored by all in the three realms,

Arisen from the source of the three secrets,

To all [who will become] buddhas.’ //158//

“Then the transcendent lords, goddesses,

[And] terrifics occupy their own positions,

And meditating on Mañjushrī, adorned with vajras,

[The guru] places [the disciple, saying],

OṀ SUPRATISHṬHA VAJRA SVĀHĀ. //159//

“The good-hearted one, having pronounced the mantra,

Scatters flowers on the disciples.

Then they offer flowers, etc.,

The disciple mandala being like a wheel.

Then the guru, infused with compassion,

Gives the permission to the disciples: //160//

“‘There is nothing at all that cannot be performed

By the yogi/nī who knows reality.

Great hero, with your gracious kindness,

Now, engage in the five sense pleasures, //161//

“‘Knowing [everything] as like illusion, a dream,

Things arising from relativity,

Knowing [everything] as a like a reflection,

Create peerless benefits for sentient beings!’ //162//

“Disciples who have done [these] duties

Should practice whatever makes them happy.

Then should offer the payment to the guru,

Praise him and make complete prostrations

Together with all good people. //163//

“Then, aspiring [to become] an Esoteric [Community] guru,

Look down and kiss [the guru’s feet], [saying,]

‘Just as you are, Great Soul,

Make me just like that!’ //164//

“Then, selected as action or dharma [seal], etc.,

Arisen from [whichever of] the five clans

Specially liberated by the mantric vehicle,

A fortunate woman is declared to be the seal. //165//

“Having gone into a charnel ground,

Devoid of people, at midnight,

The virtue of the vajra master arises,

Infused with great compassion. //166//

“In that way, whatever conventional enlightenment spirit

Truly falls into the [vagina of the] yoginī,

The epitome of all buddhas of unexcelled nature

Arising from the union with the seal, however one gets [it] —

He should consecrate with that secret [substance, saying:] //167//

“‘This is the great commitment

Of all buddhas,

Arising as the elixir essence of all five elements —

Taste it with great bliss!’ //168//

“The disciple, free from conceptual thought,

Should taste what is left in the lotus.

[And the master says,] ‘Just as Vajradhara in the past

Consecrated the children of the victor,

So should I consecrate, children,

With the liquid of the enlightenment spirit!’ //169//

“Then, for the wisdom consecration,

The guru gathers all spiritual attainment

For the disciples who seek the goal.

‘Please bestow consecration on me!’ //170//

“Then, the great-souled guru

Truly blesses the seal,

In order that the supreme should be achieved;

After that, he gives [her] to the disciple. //171//

“This great seal goddess

Bestows limitless bliss.

The son, having received all that,

Should make an unexcelled offering. //172//

“Then, ‘I bestow for the sake of attainment,

The supreme reality of the goddess’ intuition.

The goal desired is the supreme attainment

Of that wisdom intuition.’ //173//

“The goddess commands him:

‘So, unexcelled heroic son,

You, hero, how do you like it?

Can you eat the enlightenment spirit?’ //174//

“That perfect one says, ‘Certainly!

Whatever you wish!’ and such.

‘As the supreme commitment is so declared,

O Goddess, why couldn’t I?’ //175//

“Then the goddess is pleased.

Loosening her hair, taking off her clothes,

And opening up [her] pure lotus, she says,

‘BHAÑJA MOKSHA HOḤ!’¹⁹⁹⁴

Abiding in the middle of the vagina lotus

Is the channel that totally moves the bliss.

Urging it with [the] finger, create its joy. //176//

“You should play also with [your] tongue,

To create orgasmic bliss.

When you use this very good science,

Having experienced the supreme bliss,

You should taste it with the descending bliss. //177//

“Then, the divine lady, having been pleased,

Says the mantra BHAÑJA MOKSHA,

Places [her] left foot on [one’s] head,

[And], with her command, teaches perfect reality://178//

“‘Starting today until [you reach]

The heart of enlightenment,

You, son, must create unexcelled benefits

For sentient beings, as if in a dream!’ //179//

“Not knowing the personal instruction

In this, the meditation on the creation stage,

Rejecting this knowledge,

One will not become enlightened by any other art. //180//

“The son practices the discipline

Of the knowledge woman,

The supreme of the supreme of disciplines.

Such as this is supreme enlightenment;

The vajra yogi and yoginī

Should totally understand [it] step by step. //181//

“‘Relying on the state of Vajrasattva,

Please bestow the supreme state on me.

Manifest as the result of all concentration,

Wishing whatever is desired for all beings,

I request unexcelled spiritual attainment!

In order that you¹⁹⁹⁵ might return again,

Please go to your own homes — VAJRA MUḤ!’ //182//

“Then, give the leftover offering cake.

The procedure for those arising

Beyond the [defense] perimeter is:

UCCHISHṬĀ KSHETRAPALA

ATI CHAKRA UCHIṬṬA

SUBHOJAṀ NĀṀVIVA twice,

BHAKSHA twice, and SARVASIDDHIṀ

PRAYACCHA ME,¹⁹⁹⁶

And OṀ first, and after ĀḤ HŪṀ PHAT SVĀHĀ;

[Thus] one should recite.¹⁹⁹⁷ //183//

“Holding the vajra and the bell,

One stands in the position of left leg spread out.

The nature of the victor over the three realms

And the nature of the vajra master,

Is the nature of the victor over the three realms. //184//

“Thus from the twenty ritual procedures

I teach the nature of the creation stage.

Understanding its manifold reality,

Be consecrated by a virtuous guru.” //185//

55. Teaching the Reason for and the Result of the Twenty Rituals

[Then the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then, I must explain more, so listen!

As for its reason and result,

Acts are taught in the twenty rites.”

[Said Vajrapāni,]

“What is the reasoning of the Great Lord?

What will be its result?

O Great of the Great, what do you say?” //1//

Then [again] the Vajra Lord spoke:

“As for the reason and effect of actions

And of the preliminary service,

The causal reason is the eight worldly attainments. //2//

“In order to eliminate stinginess, etc.,

One meditates offerings to the Buddha,

And one perfects generosity, ethics,

Patience, effort, and contemplation. //3//

“Through the wisdom-intuition consecration,

One perfects transcendent wisdom,

Abiding in the Esoteric [Community], etc.,

The causal reason being the passionate person. //4//

“Through events of enjoyment,

By the cause of equalizing intuition,

When one offers with faith to the guru,

The result is the state of Vajrasattva. //5//

“The completion of the water, etc., [and] name [consecrations]

Is for the purification of the five intuitions,

Because of the [tantric] conduct,

The end of the irreversible¹⁹⁹⁸

Is for the purification of the thoughts of sentient beings.

The end of the wisdom vow, etc.,

Is to teach bliss by example. //6//

“The subtlest color particle of the mandala

Is equal to the worship of all the transcendent lords.

In that way, engage in the cycle of result.

By worshipping all buddhas,

All evolutionary veils will be purified.¹⁹⁹⁹ //7//

“One attains consecration,

The extremely pure reality realm,

And, by the wisdom-intuition [consecration],

Attains the very essence of reality. //8//

“The guru also achieves

The supreme state of that offering.

Thus, soon one will achieve

The supreme vow of pure conduct.” //9//

56. Analyzing the Ritual of the Inner Essence Offering

Then said Vajrasattva:

“The unexcelled offering ritual is the stage

Of the ritual for the worship of the body

In nondual equalizing yoga.

One should not prostrate to a body

Of stone, wood, earth, or gold. //1//

“One should never make dedications,

Mandalas, or fire sacrifices.

One should always worship

The [Three] Jewels, etc., [and] the five lords

With shit and piss.²⁰⁰⁰

Therefore, one should devote oneself to that!²⁰⁰¹ //2//

“The mind vajra itself is chief,

[But] that mind also is nonexistent,

Because its character is emptiness.

Emptiness likewise is formless,

So everything is just like space. //3//

“Thus one should make consciousness pure

And one should worship the three channels;²⁰⁰²

Since all is of the nature of the mind.

Nothing exists other than the mind. //4//

“One’s own self abides in the nature

Of the mind of Vajrasattva;

The unexcelled deity embodiment

Is nothing other than mental. //5//

“Therefore, investigating thus,

Always offer one’s own unique body.

Always engaging with the five pure clans,

One discerns [them] as one clan. //6//

“Giving up distinguishing wanting and not wanting,

Drinking and not drinking,

One should never say

That a yogi/nī is ‘fortunate’ or ‘unfortunate.’ //7//

“Just as there are blue, etc., seal forms,

There are three kinds of materiality.

Having summoned Rūpavajrā,

One should make offerings to Kshitigarbha. //8//

“Authentic song, inexpressible melody,

Likewise, there are also three kinds of sound.

Having truly summoned Shabdavajrā,

One makes offerings to Vajrapāni. //9//

“Camphor, eaglewood, and cinnamon,

Likewise, there are three kinds of scents;

Having truly summoned Gandhavajrā,

One makes offerings to Ākāshagarbha. //10//

“Kissing and sucking, and the six tastes,

Likewise, there are six kinds;

Having truly summoned Rasavajrā,

One makes offerings to Lokeshvara. //11//

“Joining vajra and lotus, smearing and embracing,

There are three kinds:

Having truly summoned Sparshavajrā,

One makes offerings to [Sarvanīvaraṇa]viṣhkambhin. //12//

“All of these are external reality,

Examined and also unexamined.

Having truly summoned Dharmadhātuvajrā,

One makes offerings to Mañjuvajra. //13//

“Likewise, outer, inner, and also both

Are not perceived,

And, having made form into three [kinds],

One should make offerings to the deities. //14//

“The five objects definitely abiding,

Definitely arise as the five continua [of sentient beings];

In dreams possessing energies

One should engage in the five desires.²⁰⁰³ //15//

“Through whatever senses and whatever path,

The practitioner will achieve the object;

One should offer all of these things

To please the great compassionate one. //16//

“Through the flower of true ecstasy

Arise the vajra, sun, and lotus.

One offers flowers to oneself,

The supreme triple-vajra commitment. //17//

“The way of thinking has no location,

And thus offer what is totally incinerated

By the furor fire

As incense to the mind vajra. //18//

“The vajra truly enters the lotus, etc.;

This occurs in stages.

The indestructible sound of the yogi/nī

Should be offered to the mind vajra. //19//

“Truly arising from the syllable HŪṀ,

The very brilliant light rays of mantra,

The true light of a blazing lamp

Should be offered to the mind vajra. //20//

“The great bliss abiding in space

Awakens the enlightenment spirit,

And, anointed with that very thing,

One should make offerings to the mind vajra. //21//

“Whatever one is enjoying here,

Truly relying on all the senses,

These are all the mind vajra,

To be offered in the vessel of eating. //22//

“The variety of laughing, flirting, and playing

Pleases the mind —

Offer it to the mind vajra

And to the doors of liberation.” //23//

57. The Character of the Goddess

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“Those who realize the bliss of yoga —

The supreme character of the goddess —

Through the reality of the channel distinctions

Should always play with the body,

Taught to be [made of] its deities. //1//

“The body all-erotic that dances,

Always ecstatic with all the blisses,

Is wholly pervaded by great bliss,

Truly pronounced to be the [male] deities.²⁰⁰⁴ //2//

“The moments of ecstasy, supreme ecstasy,

Transcendent and orgasmic [ecstasies],

Arising and entertaining,

Intense flirting, fainting, and arousing:

These are taught to be the goddesses. //3//

“When manifesting externally,

She becomes the perfect union,

Rousing the channels of the body,

Thus taught to be the yoginī.” //4//

58. Teaching the First Word, “EVAṀ,” and Its Reasoning

Then the Vajra Lord spoke:

“‘EVAṀ’ has two syllables.

E is explained as emptiness, and likewise

VAṀ is explained as compassion. //1//

“And the drop arising from the union of those two

Is the miraculous supreme yoga.

E VAṀ, the two, are the Buddha

And, in short, the dharma seal.²⁰⁰⁵ //2//

“O Great King! Two seals²⁰⁰⁶ are stated

At the beginning of the tantras.

E has the character of the vagina,

To be known as the lotus support. //3//

“The supported²⁰⁰⁷ is declared to be the vajra;

The steady one is the form of the drop

With Vajradhara staying on it,

Manifesting the variety of emanations. //4//

“The place of the basis of all blisses

Is the great bliss Vajrasattva.

In the E, the secret realm of space,

Or the lotus triangular vagina.

[There] the yogi sits on a lion throne,

Supremely manifesting the miraculous. //5//

“Vajrasattva, the VAṀ vajra, is the sign

Of the great god Yamāntaka,

Of Heruka and Kālachakra,

And the Ādibuddha, etc. //6//

“EVAṀ is the seal of the transcendent lords,

Expressed as nondual bliss supreme,

Emptiness and compassion indivisible,

In which reality is proclaimed. //7//

“In that, the seal of the transcendent lords

Is the symbol of nondual intuition,

Declared in the introduction of all tantras,

The epitome of the meaning of all tantras. //8//

“Inseparable emptiness and compassion

Is proclaimed to be reality,

The two syllables E and VAṀ.

For whomever there is no such reality,

There is no reality at all. //9//

“Whoever fully knows that reality

Shines brightly like refined gold,

And understands the reality that explains the tantra

And lives the mantra conduct. //10//

“Thus ascertaining the meaning of EVAṀ,

This supreme reality

The dharma seal [of its] two syllables —

Thus truly teach the beginning word.” //11//

59. Explaining the First Words, “EVAṀ MAYĀ”

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen, as I explain further!

Who truly understands

The vast meaning of EVAṀ, etc.,

Will truly realize the thatness of reality. //1//

“E: E is holy wisdom,²⁰⁰⁸ the nature²⁰⁰⁹

Of the moment of aversion,²⁰¹⁰ etc.,

The thorough knowledge of the three worlds.

This is taught to be the root.²⁰¹¹ //2//

“VAṀ: The consciousness²⁰¹² that is clear radiance,²⁰¹³

A beautiful tree like erect bamboo,

Giving rise to lust, etc.;

Is called ‘[artful] method.’²⁰¹⁴ //3//

“MA: The very root of great knowledge,²⁰¹⁵

Ignorance is [its] opposite.²⁰¹⁶

This arises from ignorance;

Therefore the luminances arise.²⁰¹⁷ //4//

“YĀ: The name of that first of the three

Consciousnesses of migrators, is luminance,

Which transforms into great emptiness,

Also going into clear light.²⁰¹⁸ //5//

“SHRU: The three consciousnesses heard of here,²⁰¹⁹

With the character of the three luminances

[Finds] the root of the instinctual natures

Of the entire realm of sentient beings,²⁰²⁰ ²⁰²¹ //6//

“TAM: This is the energies asserting themselves,

Causing the grasping of the [sense] object luminance of each [object].

The consciousness possessed of energy

Will abide in beings everywhere.²⁰²² //7//

“E: This is the great element of energy-wind,

The mount of the three consciousnesses.

By that [energy], the instinctual natures

Will move accordingly.²⁰²³ //8//

“KA: Consciousness,²⁰²⁴ having taken up

The hard earth element, water,

And likewise fire and wind,

Will be born in a place in the triple world.²⁰²⁵ //9//

“SMIN:²⁰²⁶ This, with the character of the creation [aggregate],

Arises as the five aggregates,

Becoming form, sensation, perception,

Creations, and consciousness.²⁰²⁷ //10//

“SA: Equanimity, individuation,

Accomplishing activity,

Mirror, and reality sphere —

These are the five intuitions.²⁰²⁸ //11//

“MA: The mental sense medium,

Eye and, similarly, ear, nose,

And body [sense media] —

These are the sense media that emerge.²⁰²⁹ //12//

“YE: Whenever three-realm sentient beings

Rely on [the yoga of] vitality and control,

Reciting [out loud] the king of secret mantras ignorantly,

They abandon the meditative reading.²⁰³⁰ //13//

“BHA: From this again arises²⁰³¹

The instincts of passion, dispassion, etc.,

From them, virtuous and nonvirtuous action,

And from them arises birth.²⁰³² //14//

“GA: The aggregates that arise [in] the migrations

Are of the nature of the five buddhas.

They are activated with the name of

‘The five types of manifest enlightenment.’²⁰³³ //15//

“VĀN: Wind, water, fire, and earth,

Lochanā, etc., are the four,

To be known by one with the three natural intuitions²⁰³⁴

As bestowing the buddha enlightenment.²⁰³⁵ //16//

“SA: All, of the bodies of the transcendent lords

Are sealed with the four seals.

In the nature of the eye, etc.,

Are the bodhisattvas Kshitigarbha, etc.²⁰³⁶ //17//

“RVA: One should discern as shoulders [and] limbs

The great, powerful king of terrifics,

Who are ecstatic in their dance

In the cardinal and quarter directions.²⁰³⁷ //18//

“TA: Arising from this or that clan,

The different gods and goddesses

Do not exist, yet are taught

For the sake of living beings.²⁰³⁸ //19//

“THĀ: From this, the yogi/nī who sees nondually

From beholding the three intuitions²⁰³⁹

Should contemplate the lower, medium,

And superior sense objects.²⁰⁴⁰ //20//

“GA: While each sense power goes by itself

To its own object, whatever the sphere

Of engagement of [that] sense power,

Each one is merely luminance.²⁰⁴¹ //21//

“TA: By the path of that sense power,

The practitioner reaches the object.

Likewise, without saying anything else,²⁰⁴²

One should make offerings to give satisfaction.²⁰⁴³ //22//

“KĀ: The Protector truly teaches²⁰⁴⁴

The three bodies as different;

[Yet] through the union of the perfection stage,

They transform into one.²⁰⁴⁵ //23//

“YA: The characteristics of a buddha body,

Declared to be conventional truth,

Become purified in clear light

Through the unions of the perfection stage.²⁰⁴⁶ //24//

“VĀK: This very object of the path of words,²⁰⁴⁷

The principal [buddha] with a body with the nature of intuition,

In order to²⁰⁴⁸ benefit sentient beings,

Manifests just like a rainbow.²⁰⁴⁹ //25//

“CIT: Mind, mental function, and ignorance

Are also expressed as intuition, art, and imminence,

[And also] emptiness, extreme emptiness,

And great emptiness.²⁰⁵⁰ //26//

“TA: When one knows to distinguish instincts and luminances,

Then one should engage in the conduct

Abandoning the evolutionary body;

One will attain the vajra body itself.²⁰⁵¹ //27//

“HṚ: Establishing the practice in one’s heart

To benefit worldly beings,

The Transcendent Lord lives conventionally as an emanation body,

Practicing desire just as he wishes.²⁰⁵² //28//

“DA: Like a supreme wish-granting jewel,

One will bestow all wishes.

One will practice by taking up with force

The perfection of the buddhas.²⁰⁵³ //29//

“YA: Prince of yogis, whatever one wants

One can do without obstruction.

By one’s yoga of non-entrancement

One will always live entranced.²⁰⁵⁴ //30//

“VA: By uniting vajra and lotus,

One knows the parts of the three intuitions.

Whether the mind is tainted or untainted,

There one always lives with bliss.²⁰⁵⁵ //31//

“JRA: By the illusion-like concentration,

One plays with everything;

While performing the buddha deeds,

One lives based on the definitive end.²⁰⁵⁶ //32//

“YO: One’s self becomes yoga,

Extreme yoga and great yoga,

As the vajri and the ḍākinī

Are themselves that very yoga.²⁰⁵⁷ //33//

“SHĪD: Because one has accomplished the cessations

And abandoned activity and inactivity,²⁰⁵⁸

Just as the lotus is not tainted by the mud,

One’s reality will not be corrupted.²⁰⁵⁹ //34//

“BHA: By totally possessing the eight qualities,

All beings become the clan.

The great soul engages with the intuition body

In all worldly realms.²⁰⁶⁰ //35//

“GE: Whatever the principal [yogi/nī] practices,

His/her home is space itself.

By entrancement in great bliss

S/he always plays in reality.²⁰⁶¹ //36//

“SHU: Here, the categories of luminance,

Twilight, day, and night,

Are used as mundane conventions

In order to see the three intuitions.²⁰⁶² //37//

“VI: The various conventional names

Are designated by worldly people,

Which, divided into three paths,²⁰⁶³

Arise from the three intuitions.²⁰⁶⁴ //38//

“JA: Living in the betweens of existence,

And birth, endurance, and destruction,

However designated by the world,

One projects the energy of mind.²⁰⁶⁵ //39//

“HĀ: Laughing and dancing,

Being in the nine moods of the theater,

The thought of mantra and consort:

These are the conduct of Vajrasattva.²⁰⁶⁶ //40//

“RA: Except for the great self-consecration,

There is no other great jewel in this world.

Like a jewel burnished by the fire,

It has the form of natural clear light.²⁰⁶⁷ //41//

“[Thus] elucidating the meaning of the supreme

Declaration of the first words, EVAṀ, etc.,

As for the concise explanation of the reality

Of the Root Tantra of the Esoteric Community — //42//

“One [should] understand it in the proper stages,

Knowing the reality of the practitioner

From the character of supreme intuition,

Not declared clearly anywhere else. //43//

“Through this [perfection] stage, the yogi/nī

Is sealed in the Glorious Community.

Thus, by this sequence one can understand it,

And so create benefit for all sentient beings.” //44//

60. The Internal-Natured Fire Offering

[Then the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen, as I explain further:

The supreme fire offering is internal by nature,

By which will be dissolved

The elements moving within. //1//

“The seed of instinctual conceptuality,²⁰⁶⁸

The kindling of the five aggregates,

And the great yogic intuition fire

Always will make a wonderful fire offering.²⁰⁶⁹ //2//

“The mere sound present in the center of the navel

Is the secret lotus of mere outer sound;

There, the energy of one’s own continuum

Totally incites one’s fire — //3//

“And the true union of the two organs.

Blazing brightly with radiant energy,

And when filling the secret lotus up with butter,

That is called a vessel. //4//

“HAṀ is called the small ladle;

The vajra is pronounced to be the large ladle;

The vagina is said to be the hearth;

And the five senses the substances to burn. //5//

“The aggregates are the sacrificial firewood;

The butter is explained to be enlightenment spirit.

From the dark of the moon to the full moon,

For as long as one performs [it],

Invite [them] to come.

The stove is declared the mere drop;

And the large ladle never ejects. //6//

“One should always satisfy

With the fire offering

Buddha Moharatī, etc., Rūpavajrā, etc.,

The bodhisattvas and the ten terrifics. //7//

“Whatever is offered to Vajrasattva

Also is termed the large offering ladle.

With mantra truly endowed with HŪṀ PHAT,

One offers, pouring into the fire according to the rite. //8//

“When the body places are delighted by that,

It is the unexcelled divine commitment.

Having thus bestowed the attainments,

Whatever one’s mind desired,

This fire sacrifice is declared supreme,

Granting the fruition of all attainments.” //9//

61. The Ritual of Drinking the Five Elixirs

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“Drinking the five elixirs

Is the supreme reality

That makes all attainments. //1//

“The respective clans, Vairochana, Akshobhya,

Amoghasiddhi, Amitābha,

And Ratnadhvaja,²⁰⁷⁰

[Have] the character of the five elixirs.²⁰⁷¹ //2//

“Blood is the Great Jewel Lord; semen, Amitābha;

Likewise, Amoghasiddhi is flesh;

And likewise, Akshobhya is piss.²⁰⁷²

Shit²⁰⁷³ is explained as Vairochana —

These are the five supreme elixirs! //3//

“[In] a pleasant wilderness, away from people,

Abandoning the thorn of sound, build a house;

The house should be two stories, with a door. //4//

“One should make one story underground

And the other above it.

The other one should make secret,

So the worldly know only one. //5//

“The practitioner fully knows reality.

He knows mantra, with a magnificent mind,

Firm, compassionate, and skilled;

He abandons jealousy toward objects. //6//

“These are the virtues of the chief practitioner,

And the same is the best practitioner friend;

One abandons passion and dispassion,

Energetic, without passionate craving, brave,

Free of fury, learned, and optimistic. //7//

“First, both bodies²⁰⁷⁴ must be purified by fruit, etc.

Then after that the mantri/nī should recite

The summoning of Suṁbharāja

One hundred thousand times. //8//

“OṀ SUṀBHA NISUṀBHA HŪṀ HŪṀ PHAT

OṀ GṚHA GṚHNA HŪṀ HŪṀ PHAT

OM GṚHNĀPAYA GṚHNĀPAYA HŪṀ HŪṀ PHAT

OM ĀNAYAHO BHAGAVĀN

VIDYĀRĀJA HŪṀ HŪṀ PHAT. //9//

“Then the practitioner should silently repeat

The three syllables for a month.

In a certain instant, one will see in a dream

Samantabhadra, chief of beings. //10//

“From him one receives a high command:

‘You must serve a supreme young girl,

Creating incomparable benefit for sentient beings.’

Thus, such a one [becomes] Vajradhara. //11//

“A fortunate girl, wide-eyed,

Adorned with beauty and youth,

Without craving, but with a lustful mind,

Intoxicatingly charming, grace in motion, //12//

“With swelling breasts, bluish in complexion,

Beautifully joyful, free of conceptions, very learned —

The practitioner should love her just as long

As it takes for semen to arise. //13//

“Then, having taken what comes forth

From both her face and her lotus,

One should place [them] in that lotus vessel,

[Waiting] seven days as an auspicious sign. //14//

“In the second and third spring months,

Bull, horse, dog, cow, and human [meats],

Having taken them from the place of birth,

Likewise, there, in gradual order, //15//

“There, in that very lotus vessel,

One should keep [them] for seven days.

One should repeat the three-syllable mantra

For twenty-one days. //16//

“Without companions, [in] an isolated place,

One should place [them] in the lotus vessel

Made from good sandalwood, inscribed

With the mantra JAḤ HŪṀ BAṀ HOḤ. //17//

“Having brewed in equal parts

Goat milk, sesame oil,

Melted butter, and white sugar,

Placing them together in a vessel, mix [them]. //18//

“The wise one should make pills

With the mere measurement of a juniper pit.

Having dried [them] in shadow,

One should make them gradually and eat [them]. //19//

“Eat together with [one’s] vajra brothers and sisters,

Yoginīs, and relatives,

[And] after a month,

[With] friends and servants. //20//

“One starts on the eighth, tenth, or fourteenth day

Of the waning fortnight of the lunar month —

One should make a ritual cake then,

Unexcelled [as being effective] in all activities. //21//

“From that again, attainments are produced;

One achieves without needing effort

Complete realization of the great seal,

Vast attainments and the peaceful, etc.

Learning the reality of the energies,

One will achieve the sky conduct itself.” //22//

62. The Communal Circle Rite — Mingling with the Yoginīs

[Then spoke the Vajra Lord:]

“Then listen as I further explain!

The communal circle²⁰⁷⁵ is the supreme ritual,

By which the supreme attainment of the conqueror’s children

Results from its spiritual offerings. //1//

“One who perfectly abides,

Merged with yoga in order to achieve,

Knows the signs of that seal consort,

Engages with her and the commitment.²⁰⁷⁶ //2//

“Those assembled are most supreme,

So are called ‘the communal circle.’

All live in the commitment,

Abandoning all conceptual notions. //3//

“Devoted to the guru, living the commitment,

Adorned with the virtues of letting go, etc.,

If they are not obstructors of ‘artful method,’

[They should] enter the communal circle. //4//

“Otherwise, faults would arise,

One would not attain even in the circle;

For the intuition is equal to the artful method,

And the companion [should be] good and very wise. //5//

“Having abandoned [any of those companions],

Who are more than twenty-five years old,

If there is only one of [both]

Artful means and discriminating wisdom,

There will be no benefit.²⁰⁷⁷ //6//

“First, in a beautiful and pleasant [place],

One should make a flower mandala.

Entrancing oneself in concentration,

One should make a real variety of offerings. //7//

“Offer all things to the principal [mandala deity]

As if he were Vajrasattva [himself].

After making the communal circle offering,

With the emergent and reversal mandala, //8//

“With faith, one meditates with a view

Of equanimity about all things —

One who finds a contradiction between scripture

And worldly experience should not enter. //9//

“Furthermore, it is stated in the treatises

That at midnight one should summon

The master protector, make offerings,

And make requests [of him] as he takes [his] seat. //10//

“As for the seat, it should truly have

The great seal of Vajrasattva.

The vajra master himself sits

In the center of the wheel of knowledge.

As for the other mandala ones,

One should properly place them in the circle

Acknowledging [them] as the mandala beings. //11//

“In the communal circle one should at no time

Tell tales, argue, or, similarly, prove one’s points,

Spit, laugh, spread out one’s legs, etc.,

Or get up again and again. //12//

“The host [aware] of the signs of seals

Should act and know how to act,

And mindfully should not dance and sing

In the communal circle. //13//

“One should offer to the principal [deity]

In a supreme vessel, a one-piece [skull]

Of good characteristics, [or], lacking that,

A three-section [skull bowl],

An offering of various flowers. //14//

“Filling [it] up with divine wine, etc.,

Give it well focused in trance.

For the assembly, fill well with flowers

A separate vessel for each [member]. //15//

“First, give the great ritual cake,

Endowed with good food, etc., as before.

Whoever loses [his] ecstasies

Should not imbibe such things. //16//

“Having prostrated again and again,

One should drink from the binding gesture,²⁰⁷⁸

Then truly purify all the food

That is to be purified, etc. //17//

“With OṀ and ĀḤ and HŪṀ

One should purify, magnify, and realize;

Saffron, sandalwood, hero,²⁰⁷⁹ snow, and musk,

These are the five purifying elixirs.

One should always use this food. //18//

“Employing the thumb and the ring finger,

One should taste the hero and the yoginī in order

With the tip of one’s own tongue;

At all times one focuses the mind

On the mouth in the center of the lotus,

And should make the unexcelled offering! //19//

“In the middle of the lotus bud

Is said to be the seat of the heroes.

If the hero doesn’t know the character

Of a genuine hero,

There will be no fruition in that communal circle

That prays for all attainments. //20//

“Whoever truly practices the outer and inner nature

[In] little stages like that

Will have perfectly attained,

Bestowing the fruition of the communal circle. //21//

“One who mingles with the yoginīs

Should listen to what I will elucidate.

When some wicked ḍākinīs come forth

In order to attract attention,

At that time, the practitioner

Should not even speak to them²⁰⁸⁰ //22//

“And should not answer even with one word;

[But] should welcome [her] or make a gesture.

If anyone should speak to her a little

It should be the master himself. //23//

“Again, all activities should be truly done

By the acting vajra assistant.

Wherefore, if there are no other vajra assistants,

Anyone [can serve] as Vajrasattva. //24//

“He should summon again and again

Yoginīs of various types.

In conduct he should not deceive them;

A master should act like a hero. //25//

“Faulty conduct will cause

His body to fall;²⁰⁸¹

[Instead,] giving rise to great ecstasy,

Under command, one should engage in the [communal] dance. //26//

“He should, moreover, control the vajra,

Just as is delightful to the deities.

If one should wish to offer

Mother, sister, or daughter, //27//

“By the rite of intuition [and] artful method,

One should perform²⁰⁸² nonconceptually,

And one will achieve supreme attainment.

Of this there is no doubt. //28//

“Take the leftover ritual cake,

Go to a great wilderness [and] throw it away.

And one should pronounce the mantra, KSHMIM

UCCHISHṬHA KSHETRAPĀLĀYA SVĀHĀ.²⁰⁸³ //29//

“Again, if one sees a yoginī

Performing [something] there,

One should recognize her, thus,

As having the supreme characteristics of a yogi[nī].²⁰⁸⁴ //30//

“Her face is glowing with light,

It is round, smooth, and beautiful,

And long-eyebrowed, and so is known

As coming from the Amitābha clan.

She shows the lotus gesture —

The tortoise gesture is the response. //31//

“Moist²⁰⁸⁵-lipped, with broad almond eyes,

Golden-complected, an enchantress,

On her brow three lines, reaching [her] hairline,

She listens well to the news

Of those who died in battle. //32//

“If one sees this kind of ḍākinī,

One should show her the spear gesture.

She draws in her left leg

And shows you the dancing [gesture]. //33//

“Having turned around [her] left leg,

One should show her the responding gesture.

She delights in a variety of dresses,

As she comes from the Ratnasambhava clan. //34//

“If one see signs of such a kind

As black skin and black clothing,

Curly hair tied with a silk ribbon,

An outline of a bow in [her] forehead, //35//

“Her mind always agile, famed as a ‘mamo’ [demon],

One should show her the bell gesture,

As she shows her gesture with her left —

Know she comes from the Akshobhya clan. //36//

“Supreme of beings, who comes at night,

Short, round-bellied, white-complected,

With shapely calves, very beautiful —

One should know [her] as an earth mover.

The conch gesture is the response,

As she comes from the Vairochana clan. //37//

“Wide-eyed, thick-browed,

Hair on all [her] limbs,

Blue [complected], red-eyed,

Limbs thin, arms long, //38//

She is well known as a ḍākinī,

Coming from the Amoghasiddhi clan.

If one sees one like her, the banner gesture

And the left gesture are the responses. //39//

Thus, having understood with effort,

The wise having gone out at night,

One should not fear her in the slightest,

[But] on account of [all of] this,

One should worship that very one!” //40//

63. The Explanation of the Secret Words

²⁰⁸⁶

“Then listen, as I further explain!

The explanation of the secret words

In places such as the vajra places,

The yoginīs coming from all clans, //1//

“The commitment of night meetings,

Words like these,

And similar secrets —

With a faithful mind, listen as I explain. //2//

“SAṀPOTAKAṀ is drinking wine,

VRIRAṀ SHARU is to clearly express,

NILANAPATRAṀ²⁰⁸⁷ is a skull,²⁰⁸⁸

And KULAṀ is a human-bone adornment. //3//

“KUNDURAṀ is truly using desire,

CHHADRUṀ is eating the six tastes,

SAṀPUTAṀ²⁰⁸⁹ is uniting the two organs,

ALOKAṀ is the name of existence.²⁰⁹⁰ //4//

“SHARIMGAKAṀ is knowing you are lucky,

CHATRAKAṀ is called unlucky,

TUṀSHAṀRAṀ is knowing you are melting,

MṚGAMATRAṀ is the name for musk. //5//

“CHANDRAMA is explained as blood,

GANAṀ is known as shit,

GHANAṀ is explained as great meat,

NIJAṀ expresses dhatura. //6//

“BHASANAṀ is explained as water,

PAKSHAṀ is explained as a limb,

SHUPA is expressed for good,

HO is known as satisfied. //7//

“MARGA is expressed as hunger,

GHṚTAṀ is explained as path, and

KHYOMAGAṀNAṀ is the other side.

KAMAYA means Do it! //8//

“NAGARAṀ means one’s own body,

VATAKA means buy,

AJAṀYA means fire,

SHAKHAṀ means eat. //9//

“RAGMA ḤDOR means ritual procedure,

SHATAKAṀ means eat.

Such things are expressed as mantra.

SHARAṀ means roast dog meat. //10//

“RAṀ BA KA is explained as guru,

KAYA here means kṣatriya,

RAGAṀ is explained as vaiṣya,

VERAṀ means śūdra. //111//

“CHABAṀ means untouchable,

SHARAṀ means having a mole,

BHAVACHAKRAṀ is shoemaker,

KHADKOM is explained as cremator. //12//

“SAMANTRA means king,

MIRAṀMAYI is expressed for long,

BHARAHA is explained as full,

And one should say VIMKHYA for pig. //13//

“BALAṀ means fish,

DINAMRA is explained as goat,

NAGTUṀ is explained as fire offering,

MARTAAHNA means bird. //14//

“HIRAPHYU means flower,

SHADRULLAṀ incense,

MĀLATRI is explained as scent,

SHAKU is explained as butter lamp. //15//

“KASHIKAṀ is explained as clothing,

KESARA means face,

PAṀTRAṀ means forehead,

MALA is well-known as eyebrow. //16//

“KOVALYAṀ is known as eye,

A DAR means teeth,

PALLAVO is known as lips,

PASHA is known as throat. //17//

“HŪṀ is explained as shoulders,

AGURO means arms,

SOSORU is explained as hand,

SHRIPANGLE means breast. //18//

“JATAṀPHALAṀ means arms,

DALNAṀ means navel,

PADMAJA is the secret place path,

KATAṀVAKAṀ the two thighs. //19//

“BESAṀ is explained as shin,

TSWAGANA is expressed for foot,

BARA AKAKESAR is perfectly explained as nails. //20//

“As for PADMAGARNIGA, light,

SHAKRAKUSULAṀ as bed,

SHAGTU is expressed for son,

NALANIRNALAM is without teacher. //21//

“GOVAGSHMA is expressed for all paths,

SAGARAṀ is explained as old,

SA LAṀ means delicious taste,

AKSHO RAṀ RIM is explained as not tasty. //22//

“MRĪ GAṀ is explained as not speaking,

PA GO LA MU DAṀ is singing,

MITRA is expressed for dancing,

SHAPTA is explained as putting on airs. //23//

“SPARSHA is well known as noose,

RASA²⁰⁹¹ is bringing food to the dancer,

RUPAṀ is a mountain peak,

TVANEHA is explained as killing. //24//

“PĀRĀVATA is expressed for dying,

TAMALĀKOSEMA as country.

PHALAṀ is expressed for city,

PRANA is explained as village. //25//

“THYANYA is explained as life,

KURUTARA is expressed for skill,

NAYANA means consciousness,

ABHINAVAṀ is explained as placing. //26//

“RUDHIRA is expressed for embracing,

KUMURA is explained as day,

KANNYA is well known as night,

DASA is explained as half a day,

And DAPI is known as part of the night.” //27//

64. The Mandala of Body, Speech, and Mind

[Thus spoke the Vajra Lord:]

“Then, listen, as I will further explain!

As for the mandala of body, speech, and mind,

The body [mandala] is located at the head;

Its thirty-two [channels] flow with enlightenment spirit. //1//

“Distinguishing each, one should recognize the body wheel.

By distinguishing the syllable models,

One can recognize the place as speech. //2//

“Distinguishing the instincts of desire, etc.,

One can recognize the mind mandala.²⁰⁹²

O great spiritual hero, listen

To my teaching of body, speech, and mind!²⁰⁹³ //3//

“In the body of this vajra master

The bodies of the victors are situated in order.

First, the body vajra sits in the form aggregate.²⁰⁹⁴ //4//

“Then the space vajra sits in the sensation aggregate.

The lord’s speech vajra sits

In the discrimination aggregate.²⁰⁹⁵ //5//

“The action vajra sits in the motivation aggregate.

The lord’s mind vajra sits

In the consciousness aggregate.²⁰⁹⁶ //6//

“Also in the earth element, his flesh, etc.,

Sits the divine lady Lochanā.

In the water element, blood, etc.,

Sits the divine lady Māmakī.²⁰⁹⁷ //7//

“In the fire element, heat, etc.,

Sits the divine lady Pāṇḍaravāsinī.

In the wind element, movement, etc.,²⁰⁹⁸

Sits the divine lady Tārā.²⁰⁹⁹ //8//

“On the two eye organs

Is the Transcendent Lord Kshitigarbha.

On the two ear organs

Is the transcendent lord Vajrapāni.²¹⁰⁰ //9//

“On his two nostrils

Is the Transcendent Lord Ākāshagarbha.²¹⁰¹

The Transcendent Lord Lokeshvara

Sits on his tongue.²¹⁰² ²¹⁰³ //10//

“On his mental faculty

Sits the Transcendent Lord Mañjughosha.

On the four-element lump designated as body

Sits the Transcendent Lord Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin.²¹⁰⁴ //11//

“In all the body’s joints

Sits the Transcendent Lord Samantabhadra.

In all the body’s sinews

Sits the Transcendent Lord Maitreya.²¹⁰⁵ //12//

“On the root of the right hand

Is the Transcendent Lord Yamāntaka.

On the root of the left hand

Is the Transcendent Lord Aparājita.²¹⁰⁶ //13//

“Sitting on the mouth lotus

Is the Transcendent Lord Hayagrīva.

Sitting in the secret place

Is the Transcendent Lord Amṛtakuṇḍalinī.²¹⁰⁷ //14//

“Sitting on the right shoulder

Is the Transcendent Lord Achala.

Sitting on the left shoulder

Is the Transcendent Lord Takkirāja.²¹⁰⁸ //15//

“Sitting on the right knee

Is the Transcendent Lord Nīladaṇḍa.

Sitting on the left knee

Is the Transcendent Lord Mahābala.²¹⁰⁹ //16//

“Sitting on top of his head

Is the Transcendent Lord Cakravartin.

Sitting below [his] feet

Is the Transcendent Lord Sumba.²¹¹⁰ //17//

“All of the transcendent lords sit here

In his entire body,

Called ‘the body mandala,’

The body of Vajrasattva himself.²¹¹¹ //18//

“By distinguishing Vajrasattva,

This entire perfect buddha,

As entirely buddha bodies,

The yogi/nī will quickly attain nirvana in this life,²¹¹² //19//

“As he totally bestows all virtue upon one.

Thus, all victors sit

In the vajra master’s body.

If one beholds [this], hey, it’s meaningful!²¹¹³ //20//

The great spiritual hero of later times²¹¹⁴

Thus relies on the guru with effort,

With divine goods of offering

[Provided] by all sentient beings.²¹¹⁵ //21//

“Then, meaningfully seeing,

The bodhisattva great in fame,

Having prostrated with joy and rejoicing,

Sheds tears for the Divine Lord,

Present in the mandala of speech and mind.²¹¹⁶ //22//

“Having said ‘Well done,’

The lord says the following:

‘A, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, ḷi,

And e, ai, o, au, aṁ, aḥ,

The so-called vowels, //23//

‘The groups of ka, ca, ṭa, ta, pa,

And ya, ra, la, wa, ṣa,²¹¹⁷ and ha —

Recognize the mandala of speech.’

Having emitted all [the sounds of] speech,

[Corresponding to] the instincts of desire, etc.,

Total twenty-eight in number.²¹¹⁸ //24//

By expanding well the mandala of mind,

One will know the glorious supreme actions.

Thus the [Secret] Community yogi/nīs

Expand the supremely miraculous

Supreme commitment of the three vajras.

The Lord of Attainments truly understands. //25//

65. Defining “Buddha,” “Holy Dharma,” “Sangha,” Etc.

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“Gathering all the characteristics

Of Buddha, Holy Dharma, and Sangha,

The guru, teacher, and master,

Vajradhara and the disciple, //1//

“[One’s] stainless mind becomes a buddha,

One truly declares speech, which is the Dharma,

One makes [one’s] body into the Sangha,

The place of the host of bodhisattvas.²¹¹⁹ //2//

“Buddha is explained as the syllable HŪṀ,

[Dharma] speech is expressed as the syllable ĀḤ,

Sangha is the syllable OṀ,

Naturally radiating everywhere. //3//

“Buddha becomes the avadhūti channel,

Dharma is pronounced the lalanā channel,

The Sangha is pronounced the rasanā channel —

[Such are] the characteristics af these three. //4//

“The formless realm becomes the Buddha,

The form realm becomes the Dharma,

And, likewise, the desire realm the Sangha —

Such are the supreme characteristics of the three realms. //5//

“None other than one’s own life

Becomes the essence in the three realms.

Illusory are the three realms of energy.

One sees [them] as if dreaming a dream. //6//

“Alone one will quickly see that the nature

Of the three realms is only like that.

Having been blessed just like that,

One will quickly gain attainments. //7//

“Buddha is the beatific body,

The Holy Dharma is the truth body,

The Sangha becomes the emanation body;

Such is the nature of the three bodies. //8//

“Luminance is the body of the Buddha,

The Dharma is luminance-imminence,

And the Sangha becomes luminance-radiance —

Such are the characters of the three luminances. //9//

“Expert in the peaceful, etc., activities,

Knowledgeable about the components of mantra and yoga,

Learned in the actions of the twenty rites —

Such is pronounced to be the guru.²¹²⁰ //10//

“In general, ethically pure, generous,

Supremely patient and diligent,

Meditatively focused day and night,

Skilled in intuition and the arts —

With such a host of good qualities,

Such a guru is a glorious master. //11//

“Internally, he delights in the Esoteric Community,

Externally, he behaves like a mendicant disciple,

Persistently teaching disciples

With personal instructions step by step —

Such a one is declared a teacher. //12//

“Speaking such words, doing such things,

Who teaches and has others teach the many concepts,

The mandalas, rites with holy aims, the three luminances,

And the ultimate yoga conduct — such is a master.²¹²¹ //13//

“He knows the ten realities, activities in the mandala, etc.,

Is able to gather disciples and give the secret consecration,

Endowed with perfect wisdom and compassion,

Not fearing the personal instructions of tantra, //14//

“Perfectly endowed with the profound and the vast,

He is a supreme second Vajrasattva.

Skilled in refuting and benefiting,

He is explained to be a Vajradhara.²¹²² //15//

“Faithful and also respectful to the guru,

He always is found in virtuous activities.

He is nondual and also guileless,

And has abandoned those with bad attitudes. //16//

“Learned in many scriptures,²¹²³ having abandoned killing and violence,

With a mind [set] on delivering sentient beings,

He is perfectly endowed with constant diligence.

He has [all of] these [qualities], and more. //17//

“One should certainly know such a one

To be a good disciple of great faith

Who is endowed with

Emptiness and compassion inseparable. //18//

“He meditates on unexcelled supreme activity,

The stages, etc., of mantra and yoga,

The purity of the five intuitions, the nature of the five buddhas,

[And], by the five manifest enlightenments,

On the characteristics of the three luminances

And the three bodies: truth, beatitude, and emanation, //19//

“The characteristics of the good qualities of great bliss,

And the division of the ecstasies, etc.,

Likewise, the delights²¹²⁴ of the charming one, etc. //20//

“He engages, remains in, and arises from

Yoga, anuyoga, atiyoga, and mahāyoga,

First by gathering short practice,

Then the supreme mandala triumph,

The supreme evolutionary triumph. //21//

“The tantra in which perfection stage yoga,

The two blisses and the two consolations, etc.,

Are extensively explained is called a mahāyoga tantra.²¹²⁵ //22//

“A tantra of such good qualities is the support and vessel

Of the supreme good qualities of learning, etc.

It is adorned with all the signs, and //23//

“Just as one should not pour

The milk of a lion into an earthen vessel,

Likewise, one shouldn’t give a mahāyoga tantra

To [those] who are not [proper] vessels. //24//

“If he explains the personal instructions

To one not a [proper] vessel, the student will instantly die;

This and [his] future lives will be lost

And the Master will lose [his] attainments. //25//

66. Teaching the Results of the Actions of Peace, Etc.

Then spoke the Vajra Lord:

“As for engaging in the activities of a disciple,

Also [for] the peaceful, etc., activities,

One [performs] mantra and yoga gradually. //1//

“Using shoes, umbrellas, crowns, and betel nuts,

Spitting out lumps of mucus and saliva, etc.,

Spreading legs apart,²¹²⁶ //2//

“Looking at others, speaking boldly, having pride of wealth,

Egotism, watching gambling, etc., speaking carelessly,

Stepping over the guru’s shadow,

The multitude of those and similar faults —

One should abandon in the presence of the guru.²¹²⁷ //3//

“Fearfully, with clasped palms, receiving instruction

With hands on crown, pledging to give all possessions,

Shy and looking down, the disciple

Should stand before the guru. //4//

“If they wish supreme attainment,

The disciples should behave like that, etc., before the guru;

The commitment [and] vow have been explained above. //5//

“These are the behaviors of the disciples.

The peaceful, etc., activities for them

Are suitable to be taught by the guru.

I will briefly explain this.²¹²⁸ //6//

“The elements of ordinary ritual, peaceful and expansive,

One should perform on the waxing moon.

The rites of power and ferocity,

One should undertake on the waning moon. //7//

“For peaceful [rites], face north,

Similarly, for expansive [rites], look east.

Fierce rites, [look to] the south side,

For activities of power, look to the west. //8//

“For killing, [toward] the fire direction,²¹²⁹

For rites of anger, [toward] the truthless,²¹³⁰

For banishing from places, the wind direction,²¹³¹

For petrifying, the direction of the powerful.²¹³² //9//

“White is the color of peace;

For expansiveness, use yellow;

For power and summoning, red;

The black color is for killing. //10//

“For peaceful [activities], a loving mind,

For expansive, an ecstatic mind,

For power, a lustful mind,

For killing, a ferocious mind. //11//

“For peaceful [rites], usually act at dawn;

Likewise, for expansive, act in the morning.

For power and fierce activities, at noon and midnight. //12//

“Thus I have correctly explained

The definitions stated in the mantric tantras,

So the intelligent one should perform,

According to the proper procedure,

The eight attainments of peace, etc. //13//

67. The Eight Attainments of Fierce and Peaceful Recitations, Etc.

[Then, the Vajra Lord declared:]

“Then listen as I further explain!²¹³³

The characteristic of reciting fierce [mantras]

Explains the attainments of yoga;

One will succeed, there is no doubt. //1//

“By reciting with a terrifying mind

The so-called ‘fierce recitation,’²¹³⁴

Or by employing the fierce kings’ mantra,

One should know that fierce recitation

Bestows the fruit of the eight attainments. //2//

“In a fearsome charnel ground,

A terrifying, terrifying place,

Smeared with the blood of a human skull,

One takes the character of the unwoundable one. //3/

“Mixing human semen and ovum blood,

The form of the target there is to be drawn,

Distinct, fearsome, and terrifying. //4//

“As for the one stomping with an extended left leg,

In the three times [of day], up to seven days,

One should recite this mantra of Yamāntaka

As the cause of attainment: //5//

“NAMAḤ SAMANTAKĀYAVĀKCHITTAVAJRANĀṀ

OṀ KHA KHA KHĀHI KHĀHI SARVADUSHṬA

SATTVADAMAKA ASIMUSALA PARASHUPĀSHA HASTA //6//

“KHADGA VĀMATARACHANI HASHṬHA

CHATURMUKHA CHATURBHUJA

SHATACHARANAĀGACCHA ĀGACCHA

SARVA DUSHTA PRANĀ APAHĀRINE //7//

“MAHĀVIGHNAM GHĀTAKA

VIKRITE ĀNĀM SARVABHŪTA

BHAYAMKARA ATTA ATTA HĀSA NĀDINE

VYĀGHRACARMMANI PĀSANA KURU KURU

SARVAKARMANI //8//

“CCHINDA CCHINDA SARVA MANTRAM

BHINDA BHINDA PARAMUDRĀNA

ĀKARSHAYA ĀKARSHAYA SARVABHŪTĀM

MATHA MATHA NIRMATHA NIRMATHA

SARVA DUSHTANA //9//

“PRAVESHAYAPRAVESHAYAMANDALAMADHYE

VAIBASHĀTAJĪVITA ANTAKARA KURU KURU

HANA HANA DAHA DAHA PACA PACA

MĀVILAMPA MĀVILAMPA //10//

“SAMAYAMANUSMARAHŪM HŪM TARJAYA

BHEGANAM PHAT PHATSPHOTAYA SPHOTAYA

KĀRA KĀRA SARVA ĀNANA VARIVĪPŪRĀYA

HEHE BHAGAVĀN BAM KIṀ CIRĀYASINA

NAMAḤ SARVARTHASĀDHAYAHŪM PHAT SVĀHĀ. //11//

“First, this fierce recitation is excellent

For controlling and summoning;

I will explain banishing. //12//

“Reciting the second fierce terrifier

[While] mixing with the index finger

Seeds, salt, mustard, poison, datura juice, and blood, //13//

“One should draw a wind mandala

[On] so-called cemetery cloth,

Supreme like a half moon.

One should mark the two sides with a vajra. //14//

“In the center of that draw the name of the target;

Then, standing, extending [one’s] left leg,

One should recite this mantra. //15//

“Having summoned as before

The name of the target, in the middle of the night

One should practice constantly for seven days. //16//

“NAMAḤ SAMANTAKĀYAVAKCITTAVAJRANĀM

NAMO VAJRA KHRODHĀYA MAHĀDAMSHTROT-

KATABHAIRAVĀYA ASIMUSALA PARASHUPĀ-

SHAHASTĀYA //17//

“OM AMṚTAKUNDALI KHA KHA KHĀHI KHĀHI

TISHṬHA TISHṬHABANDHA BANDHA

HANA HANA DAHA DAHA

GṚJA GṚJA SPHOTA SPHOTA

VISPHOTAYA VISPHOTAYA

SARVA VIGHNĀNVINĀYAKĀN MAHĀGAṆAPATI

JĪVITA ANTAKARAYA HŪM PHAT SVĀHĀ //18//

“This mantra is the pacifying rite,

Performed in order to banish evil beings. //19//

“As for Aparājita, having recited

The third fierce one, pacifying fire and snakes,

One should visualize two HŪṀs on two sun [discs]

On [one’s] two hands. //20//

“With two hands on the head

Of the one to be cured,

Scratching and entering into him,²¹³⁵

One should visualize those two [suns]

In the heart of the one to be cured

As burning up the spirit. //21//

“I should explain the mantra

That terrifies fires and ghosts:

NAMAḤ SAMANTA

KĀYAVĀKCITTAVAJRANĀṀ

OM APARĀJĪTIRĪJI HŪM PHAT.

Please release so and so

From the spirit demon! //22//

“Listen and I will explain that fourth [ferocious mantra], DHṚḤ,

The mantra that dispels poison

By the recitation of the terrifier Hayagrīva,

Perfect, peerless excellence.

One visualizes the target [person]

As a triply nested spiritual hero,

With the intuition hero present

On a moon disc at the heart center. //23//

“Supremely visualize [Hayagrīva’s] light rays

Filling up the body of the target person.

There, by [light] blazing, the poison [is expelled].

Then visualize [one’s] right hand

And a moon adorned by HAṀ, //24//

“White in color; place it on [one’s] finger.

Thus, create [the instrument] for the practitioner.

Place HŪṀ DHṚJI KSHĪṀ SĀDHA,

Causing the accomplishing of all actions. //25//

“Meditate that, starting from the head of the target

Down to the tip of the foot, an unbroken stream of water

Sends the poison down in stages.

Here, as Hayagrīva, one should pronounce this mantra: //26//

“NAMAḤ SAMANTAKĀYAVĀKCITTAVAJRĀNĀM

OM HŪM HŪM HŪM TARULA VIRULA

SARVAVISHA GHĀTAKA TAKA

JVALITI VISPHULINGA //27//

“ATTA ATTAHĀSA NĀDA SAHITA

KASA RISA HO PATAM ADDE

VAJRA KHURA GHATANA

CATA PASU DHATA LANISHVA

SAMARUTA UTKSHIPTA DHARANI DHARA //28//

“VISHANA ATTAHĀSA APARIMITA VALAPARĀKRAMA

ARYA GANA BHITABUDDHA BUDDHA

HAYAGRĪVA KHA KHA CCHINDA CCHINDA

ĀVESHAYA SARVA GRAHESHVA

APRATIHATO BHAVA //29//

“VAJRA DAṀSHTI KIṀ CIRAYASI

IDAṀ DUSHTAGRAHAṀ DAṀSHTA

SARVAṀ PĀDHUNA DHUNA

MATHA MATHA MARDA MARDA

BUDDHA DHARMA RADHA

BUDDHA DHARMA SAṀGHA

ANUJÑĀNAKĀṀ KURU SVĀHĀ. //30//

“Please dispel the poison, etc.,

From so and so HŪṀ —

And intertwine the mantra.

Having followed the Root Tantra,

One should know the rest in detail.”²¹³⁶ //31//

68. The Epitome of All Attainments

“Now furthermore I will explain:

The epitome of all attainments

Is the supreme intuition of all buddhas,

The quality of attainment, etc. //1//

“Kshitigharba, Vajrapāni, Mañjushrī, Vishkambhini,

And Maitreya — these five intertwine with the three syllables.

They consecrate the channel chakras

As eye and ear, mind and body. //2//

“The three signs are like the day,

Causing the attainment of the five clairvoyances.²¹³⁷

Through the fourth consecration,

The intelligent one perceives reality.²¹³⁸ //3//

“Luminance serves as part of the night;

The day is radiance; twilight is imminence.

Thus, the characteristics of luminance, etc.,

Are not night, and are neither twilight nor day,

[But] cause the abandoning of the conceptual energies.²¹³⁹ //4//

“It is instant enlightenment;

[Its] character is called momentary.²¹⁴⁰

Whether arising at the end or at the beginning,

Whether arising not in the center or in the center, //5//

“Whether arising not at the end or at the end,

All of these are spoken of as one instant of emptiness,

Not going or coming anywhere, inexhaustible,

Not increasing, and not nothing. //6//

“It has a modest form, and is immodest,²¹⁴¹

Not stationary, and not going quickly,

Free from all conventions of existence and nonexistence,

It has the form neither of merit nor of demerit. //7//

“Not being the lord of merit or demerit,

It becomes supreme. All these are stated

As one instant of emptiness,

Manifest enlightenment in an instant.

This characteristic is the supreme instant. //8//

“Holding the enlightenment spirit

At the tip of the vajra is stability of body.

By that [stability], that very enlightenment spirit

Is applied to the reality of energy. //9//

“Therefore the suitable one makes [it go] above.

Not aging without a doubt,²¹⁴² knowing HŪṀ and HO

Respectively, holding increases [it] above. //10//

“The five elixirs explained above

Are called elixirs.²¹⁴³

By this, one will accomplish

Turning iron into gold.²¹⁴⁴ //11//

“The vajra seal is the great attainment,

Accomplished through communion.²¹⁴⁵

The practice of the creation stage and the perfection stage —

Wherever those two become one is called ‘communion.’ //12//

“By always rejecting samsara and nirvana as two,

Whenever they become one thing,

That is explained as ‘communion.’ //13//

“Conventional and ultimate

Are always free from duality.

Whenever they are merged,

That is explained as ‘communion.’ //14//

“By practicing vajra repetition,

Knowing the characteristics of energy,

One cuts the winds of conceptuality,

One will attain perception of mind. //15//

“By the stage of self-consecration,

The eight attainments will be accomplished.

Knowing the categories of the light, etc.,

One will attain the stage of manifest enlightenment. //16//

“Abiding in the state of communion,

Gathering all attainments by means of yoga,

The yogi/nī will accomplish

In this very life, without a doubt! //17//

“Entering into nonconceptuality,

By the concentration of communion

In the great attainment of the Great Seal,

Of this attainment, there is no doubt. //18//

“The body transforms into a measureless mansion

Supported by all the buddhas,²¹⁴⁶

Divided into four sides,

Front and back, right and left. //19//

“Divided into upper and lower,

It is explained as four doors.

The shape of the four nose tips

Should be expressed as four arches. //20//

“The decorations are explained as the intestines,

The half nets become the sinews,

The part [of the enlightenment spirit], the half moon,

The vase is known as the belly. //21//

“The shins, thighs, biceps, and forearms

Are explained as the eight pillars,

Eye consciousness as the mirrors, etc.,

Auditory consciousness as cymbals, //22//

“Olfactory consciousness as garlands of flowers,

The [wall-vent] jeweled bricks as the gustatory consciousness,

The tactile consciousness as the cloth banners,

And the mental consciousness as the deer. //23//

“The eyes as wheel symbols,

The ears, crossed vajras,

The nose as a silk banner,

The tongue is stated to be a bell. //24//

“The pure yak-tail whisks

Are explained as the body’s totality.

The mind is stated to be the central lotus,

The conceptual energy as the perfect support. //25//

“The five pure intuitions are expressed as five lines,

The five pure aggregates are divided into five pure colors.

Cultivate these as a measureless mansion. //26//

“First, should know [how] to practice.

The five manifest enlightenments are one’s own essence,

Divided into clans, expressed as an outer place,

The pure mandala. //27//

“The nature of the four elements is one’s own self,

In short, the form aggregate.

The form aggregates and visual consciousness

Are explained as Kshitigharba,

The outer [form sense objects] as Rūpavajrā. //28//

“Maitreya sits in the center of the sinews,

Likewise, the two terrific kings in east and south²¹⁴⁷

Are explained as the mirror intuition,

Pure Vairochana. //29//

“Pleasure, pain, fear, and disgust

Are asserted as the character of sensation.

Sensation is the water element,

The outer [auditory sense objects] are explained as Shabdavajrā,

And the ear as Vajrapāni. //30//

“The two clans mix, Gandhavajrā becomes

The outer [olfactory sense objects];

The olfactory consciousness, Ākāshagarbha.

The two terrifics²¹⁴⁸ are consciousness. //31//

“Equality is Ratnasambhava, and the discrimination

Of things and nonthings has the character

Of subsequent memory of the previous one.

The discrimination aggregate is the fire element,

And the outer [olfactory sense objects] are Gandhavajrā, //32//

“And gustatory consciousness is Savior Lokeshvara.

The two terrific kings, [west and northeast,]

Are of discriminating intuition,

Arising from the clan of Amitābha. //33//

“Through virtuous and nonvirtuous actions,

The instincts have the character of volitional creations.²¹⁴⁹

Mental creation is the element of wind.

The outer [gustatory sense objects] are Rasavajrā,

And the tactile consciousness is Vishkambhini.²¹⁵⁰ //34//

“Samantabhadra sits in the middle

Of the gaps of the joints.

Similarly, two terrific kings,

The intensive-activity-accomplishing intuition,

Come from the clan of Amoghasiddhi. //35//

“The nature of all things is pronounced

To be the consciousness characterized by intuition;

Consciousness is the element of space,

And mental consciousness is Mañjuvajra.

Likewise, two of the terrific kings

Are the extremely pure reality realm,

Coming from the clan of Akshobhya. //36//

“These five types of manifest enlightenment

Dwell in the measureless mansion.

I will explain them respectively,

By analyzing [their] elements. //37//

“The essence of hair, bone, shit, and spit

Is of the nature of earth, Vairochana.

The essence of body hair, pus, humors,²¹⁵¹ and nails²¹⁵²

Is known as the element of water.

One should recognize [them] as the support

Of the clan of the nature of Ratnasambhava. //38//

“The essence of teeth, skin, and flesh²¹⁵³

Is pronounced the element of fire,

To be known as distinguished

As the clan and the nature of Amitābha. //39//

“The essence of the flesh of sinews and ribs, etc.,

Is [the element of] energy, and Amoghasiddhi.

The essence of waste, intestines,²¹⁵⁴ and bile

Is known as the element of space. //40//

“The nature and essence of Akshobhya

Is the five consciousnesses,

Recognizing in each [of them] the emanation

Of the five types [as subtypes], one by one. //41//

“The five aggregates of the transcendent lords,

Divided into substances of an internal nature,

Are expressed as flesh, channel, sinew,

Flesh bit, brain, and cerebrum, //42//

“Bone marrow, intestine, kidney, heart, abdomen,

Lung, spleen, bladder, anus, stomach, intestines, //43//

“Body fat, lymph fluid, pus, blood, bile, phlegm,

Mucus, hair, beard, nails, body hair, skin,

Arm, ankle, limbs, etc., fontanel, and shoulder —

One should recognize [them] in succession. //44//

“In summarizing, I should explain

The analysis of the places

Of the pure measureless mansion.

Pulīra is known as the [fore-]head,²¹⁵⁵ //45//

“The crown as Jālandhara,

The right ear as Udyana,

The back of the crown as Arbuda,

The left ear as Godāvari, //46//

“The center of the brows as Rāmeṡvari,

The two eyes as Devakoṭi,

The shoulder channels as Mālawa,

The two armpits as Kāmarūpa,

The breasts as Oḍe. //47//

“One knows Kosala as the belly button,

The ear channels as Tresaku,

The mouth lotus as Kalingka.

The throat is expressed as Lampakara.

One should know the heart as Kānchir. //48//

“One knows the Himalaya as the genitals,

The sex organ²¹⁵⁶ as Gṛhadeva,

The rectum as Pretapuri,

The two thighs as Suvarnadvipa. //49//

“The two calves as Saurashṭhra,

The top of the foot as Sindhu country,

The fingers [and four smaller toes] as Nagara,

The two thumbs and big toes as Marur,

And the soles as Kulutā. //50//

“Thus one should know the purity of the places,

The purity of the ten [bodhisattva] stages

And their endowment with reality,

And the lord of dissolving and enjoying.²¹⁵⁷

By the particular [stages] of entering, etc.,

Gradually, [one becomes] Vajrasattva. //51//

“Now, further, I will explain

The supreme characteristics of the energies.

The vitality energy dwells in the heart,

Born from the particular clan of Akshobhya.²¹⁵⁸ //52//

“The evacuative energy dwells in the crotch,

Born from the particular of Ratnasambhava.

The ascending energy dwells at the end of the throat,

Of the nature of Amitābha. //53//

“Fire and the metabolic energy dwell at the navel,

Of the nature of Amoghasiddhi.

The pervading energy dwells in all the limbs,

Consecrated by Vairochana. //54//

“From the stream of the sense doors

This continuity of vitality control

Flows at all times,

Explained as vitality. //55//

“Vitality, wind, waste, and, likewise, semen, etc. —

The yogi/nī should always know

These downward-carrying ones

As the evacuative energy. //56//

“Laughing, eating, licking, drinking, sucking,

And whatever is always metabolized

Is pronounced to be the metabolic [energy]. //57//

“Ascending and gathering,

Eating, tasting, etc.,

Joined with consciousness,

One should know as ascending energy activities. //58//

“Pervading, holding itself, likewise,

Going and returning, etc.,

Because of pervading all the joints,

Is explained as the pervading energy. //59//

“I explained the characteristics of energies.

Now I will describe their destruction.²¹⁵⁹

As before, the emitting and retracting [energies], etc.,

Cause damage to each other,²¹⁶⁰ one harming the other.

By the nature of gaining strength, one melts into another. //60//

“Just as the moon is caught by a planet,

The energies gradually decrease.

Like before, higher and higher,

They dissolve into themselves;

Emitting and retracting, they rise again.

Just as [something] burned by fire becomes nothing,

[The energy-winds], when not moving, dissolve. //61//

“Again the vitality energy rises

As the various evolutionary energies,

And consciousnesses together with them

Again dwell in the three worlds.

From that, there is karma

And from that, there is birth.

And from that, lust, etc., the instincts, //62//

“And from that, once again, death and birth.

Thus it is just like a turning wheel.

As before, vajra recitation, etc.,

In stages, splits it open. //63//

“Then all the great spiritual heroes,

With a spoonful of eye medicine,

Dispelled the blindness of the totally mistaken,

Seeing true reality itself. //64//

“Then, prostrating again and again,

With eyes full of tears,

Circumambulating the lord three times,

They genuinely praised Vajradhara: //65//

“‘E MAO! Omnipresent Lord of all,

Attaining equality with space!

E MAO! Three-reality commitment,

You give the teaching of the miracle supreme! //66//

“‘Liberating [us] from the three realms,

The actuality of the reality realm,

Unsullied by the passions,

We bow to you, the imperceivable! //67//

“‘Not relying on aggregates, elements, or sense media,

Liberated from [both] cyclic life and nirvana,

We bow to and praise you, the imperceivable! //68//

“‘Thus to you, who live not in space,

Unelaborated and unsullied,

Commanding a mind equal to space,

We bow to and praise you, the imperceivable!’” //69//

Then the body of the Lord

Became triumphant over the three worlds,

And shook up these three worlds,

Causing a triumph over the devils. //70//

Reigning over the gods of the three worlds,

Among all of the ten terrifics, the principal,

Emperor over the three worlds,

Issued a proclamation like this: //71//

“In whatever part of the earth,

This, the Mahāyoga Commitment Tantra,

Proclaimed as the Vajra Rosary,

Should be practiced at all times,

And you should do it continuously yourself! //72//

“As for the activities of the ten terrifics,

Always use their ritual daggers

In order to protect against all interferences.

There in that kingdom

One should offer a ritual cake to them

With a rosary of mantras to each one! //73//

“In order to care for sentient beings,

Having manifested various emanations,

Vajrasattva will stay present [with them]

At all times, day and night!” //74//

The Opening of the Secret Essence of All Tantras, from the Manifest Realization of the Mahāyoga Tantra, the Glorious Vajra Rosary, is complete.

Colophon

Translated, edited and finalized by the Indian abbot Sujana Shrījñāna and the great text translator, monk Zhiwa Ö, the King of Tibet, in the glorious, incomparable, and spontaneously perfect temple of Tho-ling, the sanctuary [of Yeshe Ö], the center of the earth.²¹⁶¹

Translated from Tibetan by the beginner David “Komodo” Kittay with the guidance of the learned professor Lozang Jamspal, and edited by the great scholar Robert “Tenzin” Thurman, at the Center for Buddhist Studies, in the marvelous confines of Columbia University.

APPENDIX, GLOSSARIES, ENDNOTES, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, AND INDEXES

APPENDIX

The 108 Energy-Winds and Conceptualities

* Per Alaṁka/VR. In both unless otherwise specified.

** Per Alaṁka.

*** Per Alaṁka.

**** Per Alaṁka/VR. In both unless otherwise specified.

GLOSSARIES

English–Tibetan Glossary

ENGLISH | TIBETAN
abode | gnas
action | las
action consort | las kyi phyag rgya
action seal | las kyi phyag rgya
activity | bya ba
actuality | ngo bo nyid, rang bzhin, ngo bo
addicted | nyon mongs pa
afflicted | nyon mongs pa
aggregate | phung po
aim | don
all empty | thams cad stong pa
anger | zhe sdang
art | thabs
ascending [energy-wind or energy] | gyen rgyu, steng du rgyu ba
attainment | dngos grub, grub
bardo being | srid pa bar ma pa
basis, state | gnas, gzhi
beginner | las dang po pa
being | ’gro ba
bell | dril bu
between being | srid pa bar ma pa
birth | skye ba
birthless, unproduced, unarisen | skye ba med pa
blessed or consecrated | byin gyis brlabs pa
Bliss Lord | bde bar gshegs pa
bodhisattva | byang chub sems dpa’
body | gzugs, lus, sku
body isolation | lus rnam par dben pa; lus dben
body vajra | sku rdo rje
branch energy-winds or energies | yan lag gi rlung
breath | dbugs
Buddha or buddha | sangs rgyas
buddha field or buddhaverse | sangs rgyas kyi zhing
buddhahood | sangs rgyas nyid
chameleon [energy-wind or energy] | rtsangs pa’i rlung
characteristic, nature | mtshan nyid
charnel ground | dur khrod
chief | gtso bo
child | byis pa
childish | byis pa
clairvoyance | mngon par shes pa
clan | rigs
clear light | ’od gsal
coarse | rags pa
collection | tshogs
commitment | dam tshig
commitment hero | dam tshig sems dpa’
communion | zung du ’brel pa, zung du ’jug pa, zung ’jug
community | ’dus pa
compassion | snying rje
concentration | ting nge ’dzin
contemplation | bsam gtan
concept | rnam par rtog pa, rnam rtog, rtog pa
conceptuality | rnam par rtog pa, rnam rtog, rtog pa
condition | rkyen
conduct | spyod pa
conqueror | bcom ldan ’das
consciousness | rnam par shes pa
consecration | dbang, dbang bskur ba
consort | phyag rgya
continuum | rgyud, rgyun
conventional | kun rdzob, tha snyad
conventional reality | kun rdzob, kun rdzob bden pa, tha snyad
conventional truth | kun rdzob, kun rdzob bden pa, tha snyad
creation stage | bskyed pa’i rim pa, bskyed rim
crown protrusion | gtsug gtor
cyclic existence | ’khor ba, srid pa
cyclic life | ’khor ba, srid pa
ḍākinī | mkha’ ’gro ma
deceitful | sgyu
deceptive | g.yo
definitive meaning | nges pa’i don
delighting in | spro ba
delusion | gti mug
dependent arising | rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba, rten ’brel
desire | ’dod chags
devadatta [energy-wind or energy] | lhas byin gyi rlung
dhanujit [energy-wind or energy] | nor las rgyal gyi rlung
dharma | chos
Dialectical Centrist | dbu ma thal ’gyur ba
discernment | ’du shes
disciple | nyan thos
discipline | brtul zhugs
divine | lha
Divine Lord | bcom ldan ’das
divinity | lha
Dogmatist Centrist | dbu ma rang rgyud pa
dragon [energy-wind or energy] | klu’i rlung
dream | rmi lam, gnyid log pa
dreamlike | rmi lam lta bu, rmi lam dang ’dra ba
drop | thig le
dual | gnyis pa
duty | bya ba
dwelling | gnas
earth | sa
ecstasy | dga’ ba
effect | ’bras bu
effort | brtson pa, brtson ’grus
eight great attainments | grub pa chen po brgyad
elaboration, radiating | spro ba, spros pa
element, realm | khams
elixir | bdud rtsi
emanating | spro ba, spros pa
emanation body | sprul pa’i sku, sprul sku
embracing | ’khyud pa
emptiness | stong pa nyid
empty | stong pa
energy | rlung
energy-wind | rlung
enjoyment | longs spyod
enlightenment | byang chub
enlightenment spirit | byang chub [kyi] sems, byang sems
eon | bskal pa
equalizing wisdom | mnyam pa nyid kyi ye shes
Esoteric Community | gsang ba ’dus pa, gsang ’dus
ethics | tshul khrims
evacuative [energy-wind or energy] | thur du sel ba; thur sel
evolution | las
evolutionary action | las
examined | brtags
exhalation | dbugs ’byin pa, dbugs ’byung ba
exhaling | byung
explanatory tantra | bshad rgyud; bshad pa’i rgyud
extreme emptiness | shin tu stong pa
faith | dad pa
family | rigs
fire | me
five elixirs | bdud rtsi lnga
five stages | go rims rnam pa lnga
flavor | ro
fools | bem po rnams
force | dbang, stobs
form | gzugs
formless | gzugs med pa
four ecstasies | dga’ ba bzhi
four empties | stong pa rnam pa bzhi, stong pa bzhi
four-mode scheme | tshul rnam pa bzhi
fruit | ’bras bu
function | bya ba
furor fire | gtum mo
generation stage | bskyed pa’i rim pa, bskyed rim
genuine | don
giving | sbyin pa
glorious | dpal
god | lha
goddess | lha mo
great bliss | bde ba chen po
great compassion | snying rje chen po
great emptiness | stong pa chen po
great seal | phyag rgya chen po; phyag chen
Guhyasamāja | gsang ba ’dus pa, gsang ’dus
guru | bla ma, slob dpon
habitat | rten
hatred | zhe sdang
hour (60 or 64 in a day and night) | chu tshod
ignorance | ma rig pa
illusion | rgyu ma
illusory body | sgyu lus. sgyu ma’i sku
imminence | nyer thob
inanimate | bem po, bems po
indestructible | mi phyed pa, mi shigs pa
indestructible drop | mi shigs pa’i thig le
indivisible | dbyer med, mi phyed pa
inhaling | rngub
insensate | bem por
inseparable | mi phyed pa, dbyer med
instinct | bag chags
instinctual nature | rang bzhin
integration | ’dres pa, zung du ’jug pa, zung du ’brel pa, zung ’jug
intention | dgongs pa
interdependent | rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba, rten ’brel
interpretable meaning | drang ba’i don
interval | mtshams
intuition | ye shes
intuition consort | ye shes kyi phyag rgya
intuition hero | ye shes sems dpa’
intuitive wisdom | ye shes
isolated | dben pa
Kālachakra | dus ’khor
karma | las
know, knower, knowledge | shes pa
learned | bslab pa
letter | yi ge
light ray | ’od zer
logician | rtog ge pa
Lord of Secrets | gsang ba’i bdag po
lord | bdag po, gtso bo
luminance | snang ba
luminance-imminence | snang ba nye bar thob pa, snang ba thob pa
luminance-radiance | snang ba mched pa
luminosity | ’od gsal, snang ba
lust | chags pa, ’dod chags
Madhyamaka | dbu ma pa
magic body | sgyu lus; sgyu ma’i sku
magical | sgyu ma lta bu, sgyu ma ’dra
mahasattva | sems dpa’ chen po
Mahāyāna | theg pa chen po; theg chen
main one | gtso bo
mandala | dkyil ’khor
manifest enlightenment | mngon par byang chub
mantra | sngags
mantric body | sngags kyi lus
mantrin | sngags pa
mass | tshogs, bem po
master | bla ma, slob dpon
meaning | don
means | thabs
measureless mansion | gzhal yas khang
meditate | bsgom pa, bsgoms pa, sgom pa
meditation | ting nge ’dzin, bsam gtan, bsgom pa
mentality | sems, yid
mentor | bla ma, slob dpon
metabolic [energy-wind or energy] | mnyam gnas rlung
mind | sems, yid
mind isolation | sems rnam par dben pa; sems dben
mirror-like intuition | me long lta bu’i ye shes
misknowledge | ma rig pa
mood | ro
moving [energy-wind or energy] | rnam par rgyu ba
mudra | phyag rgya
nature | ngo bo nyid, rang bzhin, ngo bo
nirvana | mya ngan las ’das pa
nonconceptual | rnam par rtog pa med pa
nondual | gnyis med
nonthing | dngos med, dngos po med pa
nonvirtuous | mi dge ba
object | don
obscuration | sgrib pa
ordinary person | so so’i skye bo
orgasmic, innate | lhan cig skyes pa
orgasmic ecstasy | lhan cig skyes dga’ ba
orgasmic great bliss | bde chen lhan skyes
para-moving [energy-wind or energy] | rab tu rgyu ba
passion, passionate | ’dod chags
peace | zhi ba
perception | ’du shes
perfect buddha | rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas
Perfection of Wisdom | shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa; sher phyin
perfection stage | rdzogs pa’i rim pa, rdzogs rim
per-moving [energy-wind or energy] | yang dag par rgyu ba
person | skye bo
personal instruction | man ngag
pervading [energy-wind or energy] | khyab byed
play | rol mo
power | dbang, stobs
practice | spyod pa
Prasaṅgika Madhyamaka | dbu ma thal ’gyur ba
principal | gtso bo
provisional | drang ba’i don
radiance [brightness] | snang ba, kun du snang ba
radiance [luminance] | mched pa
radiating | spro ba, spros pa
reality | chos nyid, ngo bo nyid, rang bzhin, ngo bo, de kho na nyid, de nyid
reality sphere | chos kyi dbyings
realization | rtogs pa
recalling | dran pa
recitation | bzlas pa
recollecting | dran pa
recollection | rjes su dran; rjes dran
reflection | gzugs brnyan
reflexive awareness | rang rig, rang gi ye shes
relativity | rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba, rten ’brel
result | ’bras bu
ritual | cho ga
root tantra | rtsa rgyud; rtsa ba’i rgyud
sādhana | sgrub pa’i thabs
samsara | ’khor ba, srid pa
seal | phyag rgya
self, selfhood | bdag, bdag nyid
self-awareness | rang rig, rang gi ye shes
self-knowing | rang rig, rang gi ye shes
semen | byang chub [kyi] sems, byang sems
sensation | tshor ba
sense medium | skye mched
sentient being | sems can
session | thun
sin | sdig pa
six branches | yan lag drug
six limbs | yan lag drug
skillful means | thabs
sky | nam mkha’
sleep | gnyid
sound | sgra
space | nam mkha’
speech isolation | ngag rnam par dben pa; ngag dben
stage | rim, sa
state | sa
striving | brtson pa, brtson ’grus
subtle | phra ba, zhib
subtle yoga | phra mo’i rnal ’byor
suchness | de bzhin nyid
support | gzhi, rten
supreme ecstasy | mchog tu dga’ ba, mchog dga’
sutra | mdo, mdo de
Svatantrika Madhyamaka | dbu ma rang rgyud pa
syllable | yi ge
tantra | rgyud
taste | ro
teacher | ston pa, bla ma, slob dpon
teaching | bstan pa
thatness | de kho na nyid, de nyid
thing | chos, dngos po
thought construction | rnam par rtog pa, rnam rtog, rtog pa
three empties | stong pa gsum
three luminances | snang ba gsum
three realms | khams gsum
three times | dus gsum
three vehicles | theg pa gsum
three worlds | ’jig rten gsum
tortoise [energy-wind or energy] | rus sbal gyi rlung
trained | bslab pa
transcendent | ’jig rten las ’das pa
transcendent ecstasy | bral dga’. bral ba’i dga’ ba
Transcendent Lord | de bzhin gshegs pa
triangle | chos ’byung
truth | bden pa
truth body | chos kyi sku, chos sku
twilight | mtshams
two [sexual] organs | dbang po gnyis
two truths | bden pa gnyis
ultimate | mthar thug pa
ultimate [truth] | don dam pa
ultimate truth | don dam pa’i bden pa
ultra-moving [energy-wind or energy] | nges par rgyu ba
unelaborated | spros pa med pa
unexcelled | bla na med pa
unexcelled tantra | bla na med pa’i rgyud
universal empty | thams cad stong pa
vajra | rdo rje
vajra body | rdo rje lus
vajra master | rdo rje slob dpon
vajra recitation | rdo rje bzlas pa
vajra vehicle | rdo rje theg pa
vehicle | theg pa
virtue | dge ba
virtue, virtuous | dge ba
vitality [energy or energy-wind] | srog, srog ’dzin
vitality control | srog dang rtsol ba, srog rtsol
water bubble | chu’i chu bur
water moon | chu zla
wind | rlung
wind chakra | rlung gi ’khor lo
wind element | rlung gi khams
wisdom | shes rab
wisdom-intuition consecration | shes rab dang ye shes kyi dbang bskur ba
word | sgra
yoginī | rnal ’byor ma

Tibetan–English Glossary

TIBETAN | ENGLISH
’bras bu | effect, fruit, result
’dod chags | desire, lust
’dres pa | integration, mixing
’du byed | creation [aggregate]
’du shes | discernment, perception
’dus pa | community
’gro ba | being
’jig rten gsum | three worlds
’jig rten las ’das pa | transcendent
’khor ba | cyclic life, cyclic existence, samsara
’khor lo drug | the six chakras
’khyud pa | embracing
’od gsal | clear light, luminosity
’od zer | light ray
bag chags | instinct
bcom ldan, bcom ldan ’das | Divine Lord, Lord, Conqueror
bdag, bdag nyid | nature, self, selfhood
bdag po | lord
bde ba chen po | great bliss
bde bar gshegs pa | Bliss Lord
bde chen lhan skyes | orgasmic great bliss
bden pa | truth
bden pa gnyis | the two truths
bdud rtsi | elixir
bdud rtsi lnga | five elixirs
bem po | inanimate
bem po rnams | fools
bem por | insensate
bems po | inanimate
bla ma | guru, mentor, teacher
bla na med pa | unexcelled
bla na med pa’i rgyud | unexcelled tantra
bral ba’i dga’ ba | transcendent ecstasy
bral dga’ | transcendent ecstasy
brtags | examined
brtson ’grus | effort, striving
brtson pa | effort, striving
brtul zhugs | discipline
bsam gtan | concentration, contemplation, meditation
bsgom pa | meditate
bshad rgyud | explanatory tantra
bskal pa | eon
bskyed pa | creation
bskyed rim | creation or generation stage
bslab pa | learned, trained
bstan pa | teaching
bya ba | activity, duty, function
byang chub | enlightenment
byang chub [kyi] sems | enlightenment spirit, semen
byang chub sems dpa’ | bodhisattva
byin gyis brlabs pa | blessed, consecrated
byis pa | child, childish
byung | exhaling
bzlas pa | recitation
chags pa | attatchment, passion
cho ga | ritual
chos | dharma, thing
chos ’byung | triangle
chos kyi dbyings | reality sphere
chos nyid | reality
chos sku | truth body
chu tshod | hour (60 or 64 in a day and night)
chu zla | water moon
chu’i chu bur | water bubble
dad pa | faith
dam tshig | commitment
dam tshig sems dpa’ | commitment hero
dbang | consecration, force, power
dbang bskur ba | consecration
dbang po gnyis | two [sexual] organs
dben pa | isolated
dbu ma pa | Madhyamaka, Centrist
dbu ma rang rgyud pa | Dogmatist Centrist, Svatantrika
dbu ma thal ’gyur ba | Dialectical Centrist, Prasaṅgika Madhyamaka
dbugs | breath
dbugs ’byin pa | exhalation
dbugs ’byung ba | exhalation
dbyer med | indivisible
de bzhin gshegs pa | Transcendent Lord
de bzhin nyid | suchness
de kho na nyid | reality, thatness
de nyid | reality, thatness
dga’ ba | ecstasy
dga’ ba bzhi | four ecstasies
dge ba | virtue
dgongs pa | intention
dkyil ’khor | mandala
dngos grub | attainment
dngos med | nonthing
dngos po | thing
don | aim, genuine, meaning, object
don dam pa | ultimate
don dam pa’i bden pa | ultimate truth
dpal | glorious
dran pa | recalling, recollecting
drang ba’i don | interpretable or provisional meaning
dril bu | bell
dur khrod | charnel ground
dus ’khor | Kālachakra
dus gsum | three times
g.yo | deceptive
gnas | dwelling, abode
gnas | basis, state
gnyid | sleep
gnyis med | nondual
gnyis pa | dual
gnyis su med pa | nondual
go rims rnam pa lnga | five stages
grub pa chen po brgyad | eight great attainments
gsang ba ’dus pa | Esoteric Community, Guhyasamāja
gsang ba’i bdag po | Lord of Secrets
gti mug | delusion
gtso | chief, lord, main one, principal
gtsug gtor | crown protrusion
gtum mo | furor fire
gyen rgyu | ascending [energy-wind or energy]
gzhal yas khang | measureless mansion
gzhi | basis
gzugs | body, form
gzugs brnyan | reflection
gzugs med pa | formless
khams | element, realm
khams gsum | three realms
khyab byed [rlung] | pervading [energy-wind or energy]
klu’i rlung | dragon [energy-wind or energy]
kun rdzob [kyi] | concealing reality, conventional, conventional reality
las | action, evolution, evolutionary action, karma
las dang po pa | beginner
las kyi phyag rgya | action consort, action seal
lha | divine, divinity, god
lha mo | goddess
lhan cig skyes dga’ ba | orgasmic ecstasy
lhan cig skyes pa | orgasmic, innate
lhas byin gyi rlung | devadatta [energy-wind or energy]
longs spyod | enjoyment
lus | body
lus dben | body isolation
ma rig pa | ignorance, misknowledge
man ngag | personal instruction
mched pa | radiance
mchog dga’ | supreme ecstasy
mdo, mdo de | Sutra
me | fire
me long lta bu’i ye shes | mirror-like intuition, mirror-like intuitive wisdom
mi dge ba | nonvirtuous
mi phyed pa | indestructible, indivisible, inseparable
mi shigs pa’i thig le | indestructible drop
mkha’ ’gro ma | ḍākinī
mngon par byang chub | manifest enlightenment
mngon par shes pa | clairvoyance
mnyam gnas rlung | metabolic [energy-wind or energy]
mnyam pa nyid kyi ye shes | equalizing intuitive wisdom
mthar thug pa | ultimate
mtshams | interval, twilight
mtshan nyid | characteristic, nature
mya ngan las ’das pa | nirvana
nam mkha’ | sky, space
ngag dben | speech isolation
nges pa’i don | definitive meaning
nges par rgyu ba [rlung] | ultra-moving [energy or energy-wind]
ngo bo nyid, rang bzhin, ngo bo | actuality, nature, reality
nor las rgyal gyi rlung | dhanujit [energy-wind or energy]
nyan thos | disciple
nyer thob | imminence
nyon mongs pa | addicted, addiction; afflicted, affliction
phra ba, zhib | subtle
phra mo’i rnal ’byor | subtle yoga
phung po | aggregate
phyag rgya | consort, mudra, seal
phyag rgya chen po; phyag chen | great seal
rab tu rgyu ba | para-moving [energy-wind or energy]
rags pa | coarse
rang ’byung | self-arising
rang bzhin | instinctual nature or nature
rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba | clear light by nature, natural clear light
rang rig, rang gi ye shes | self-awareness, self-knowing, reflexive awareness
rdo rje | vajra
rdo rje bzlas pa | vajra recitation
rdo rje lus | vajra body
rdo rje slob dpon | vajra master
rdo rje theg pa | vajra vehicle
rdzogs pa’i rim pa, rdzogs rim | perfection stage
rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas | perfect buddha
rgyu ma | illusion
rgyud | continuity, continuum, tantra
rgyun, rgyud | continuum, tantra
rigs | clan, family
rjes su dran; rjes dran | recollection
rkyen | condition
rlung | energy, energy-wind, wind
rlung bcu | the ten energy-winds
rlung gi ’khor lo | wind chakra
rlung gi khams | wind element
rmi lam, gnyid log pa | dream
rmi lam lta bu, rmi lam dang ’dra ba | dreamlike, like a dream
rnal ’byor ma | yoginī
rnam par rgyu ba | moving [energy-wind or energy]
rnam par rtog pa, rnam rtog | concept, conceptuality, thought construction
rnam par rtog pa med pa | nonconceptual
rnam par shes pa | consciousness
rngub | inhaling
ro | flavor, mood, taste
rol mo | play
rten | habitat, support
rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba | dependent arising, interdependent, relativity
rtog ge pa | logician
rtog pa | concept, conceptuality, thought construction
rtogs pa | realization
rtsa rgyud, rtsa ba’i rgyud | root tantra
rtsangs pa’i rlung | chameleon [energy-wind or energy]
rus sbal gyi rlung | tortoise [energy or energy-wind]
sa | earth, stage, state
sangs rgyas | Buddha, buddha
sangs rgyas kyi zhing | buddha field or buddhaverse
sangs rgyas nyid | buddhahood
sbyin pa | giving
sdig pa | sin
sems, yid | mind, mentality
sems can | sentient being
sems dpa’ chen po | mahasattva
sems rnam par dben pa; sems dben | mind isolation
sgra | sound, word
sgrib pa | obscuration
sgrub pa’i thabs | sādhana
sgyu | deceitful
sgyu lus, sgyu ma’i sku | illusory body, magic body
sgyu ma lta bu, sgyu ma ’dra | magical
shes pa | know, knower, knowledge
shes rab | wisdom
shes rab dang ye shes kyi dbang bskur ba | wisdom-intuition consecration
shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa, sher phyin | perfection of wisdom
shes rab kyi ye shes | wisdom of knowledge, wisdom through knowledge
shin tu stong pa | extreme emptiness
sku | body
sku rdo rje | body vajra
skye ba | birth
skye ba med pa | birthless, unarisen, unproduced
skye bo | person, being
skye mched | sense medium
slob dpon | guru, master, mentor, teacher
snang ba | luminance
snang ba gsum, snang ba gsum po | three luminances
snang ba mched pa | luminance-radiance or radiance
snang ba nye bar thob pa, snang ba thob pa | imminence or luminance-imminence
sngags | mantra
sngags kyi lus | mantric body
sngags pa | mantrin
snying rje | compassion
snying rje chen po | great compassion
so so’i skye bo | ordinary person
spro ba, ’byung ba | delighting in, emanating, emitting, radiating,
spros pa | elaboration, radiating
spros pa med pa | unelaborated
spros pa med pa’i spyod pa | unelaborated
sprul pa’i sku, sprul sku | emanation body
spyod pa | conduct, practice
srid pa | cyclic life, existence, samsara
srid pa bar ma pa | bardo being, between being
srog dang rtsol ba | vitality control
srog rtsol | vitality control
srog, srog ’dzin | vitality [energy or energy-wind]
stobs | force, strength
ston pa | teacher
stong pa | empty
stong pa chen po | great emptiness
stong pa gsum | three empties
stong pa nyid | emptiness
stong pa rnam pa bzhi | four empties
tha snyad | convention, conventional
thabs | means, art, skillful means
thams cad stong pa | all empty, universal empty
theg pa | vehicle
theg pa chen po, theg chen | Mahāyāna
theg pa gsum | three vehicles
thig le | drop
thun | session
thur du sel ba, thur sel | evacuative [energy-wind or energy]
ting nge ’dzin | concentration, meditation
tshogs | collection, mass
tshor ba | sensation
tshul khrims | ethics
tshul rnam pa bzhi | four-mode scheme
yan lag drug | six branches, six limbs
yan lag gi rlung lnga | five branch energies or energy-winds
yang dag par rgyu ba | per-moving [energy-wind or energy]
ye shes | intuition or intuitive wisdom
ye shes kyi phyag rgya | intuition consort
ye shes lnga | the five intuitions or intuitive wisdoms
ye shes sems dpa’ | intuition hero
yi ge | letter, syllable
yid | mentality, mind
zhe sdang | anger, hatred
zhi ba | peace
zung du ’brel pa, zung du ’jug pa | communion, integration

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Endnotes

1.  The VR’s full title is Opening the Secret Essence of All Tantras: The Clear Expression of the Great Yoga Tantra, the Glorious Vajra Rosary; in Sanskrit Śrī-vajramāla-abhidhāna-mahāyoga-tantra-sarvatantrahṛdaya-rahasya-vibhaṁga ; in Tibetan rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud dpal rdo rje phreng ba mngon par brjod pa rgyud thams cad kyi snying po gsang ba rnam par phye ba . Tōh. 445, ca. 208a–277b. In Sanskrit, māla and mālā both can mean “rosary”; in choosing māla here, I am following the Tibetan transliterations in the title of the Tantra and of Alaṁkakalasha’s Commentary . The Explanatory Tantra Vajra Rosary should be distinguished from the Vajra Rosary of Mandala Rituals by Abhayākaragupta ( dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga rdo rje ’phreng ba zhes bya ba ; vajrāvalināmamaṇḍalavidhi ; Tōh. 3140), which, like the Vajra Rosary Tantra , is also commonly called the rdo rje ’phreng ba .

As will be seen below, the Sanskrit word vajra, Tibetan rdo rje, has a number of related meanings, including “clear light of the void,” “diamond,” “thunderbolt,” and “indestructible,” as well as connoting the tantric path and the male sexual organ. For this reason, and given the multiple meanings that are sometimes intended in the Tantra, I am leaving the Sanskrit vajra in the title, so “Vajra Rosary,” although one could easily translate the Tantra’s title as Diamond Rosary like the familiar Diamond Cutter Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra or Diamond Sūtra from the Sanskrit Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra.

2.  Unlike the GST, the VR was apparently not translated into Chinese. Tsong Khapa refers to an “Indian book of Paṇḍita Mantrakalasha” of the VR, appearing to refer to a Sanskrit version extant at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Tsong Khapa 2010, 62.

3.  Although, ultimately, these two stages become one. VR ch. 68, v. 12. The focused observation that characterizes the creation stage bears certain similarities to modern scientific theories. See, e.g., J. Wheeler, “Information, Physics, Quantum: The Search for Links.”

Citations to chapter and verse of the VR are to the Lhasa recension of the Tantra, now freely available online, in the Wisdom Publications reading room. The division of the verses is my own, based on the flow of the text and on the divisions in subject matter made in Alaṁkakalasha’s Commentary, and do not appear in the Tibetan block print. So the Lhasa VR’s Tibetan can be accessed through the online Appendix, while the Tibetan from the Commentary is given in the footnotes. Where I have found a portion of the text in Sanskrit, that will appear in the notes to the translation.

4.  So called because at this point, ordinary speech is isolated from its ordinary appearance and the energy that is the source of speech from its ordinary flow. Lodö 1995, 54.

5.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 64–65. Tsong Khapa elaborated:

Thus his [Nāgārjuna’s] statement about finding the art of the practice of the Community was not just referring to the creation stage. It explains the many stages of creation and dissolution of the body in terms of the channel structure, wind-energy movement, and enlightenment-spirit substance as a factor in the decisive ascertainment of the internal and external life-energy controls for bringing forth the four voids and the magic body, depending on the life-energy controls of the outer seal of the hidden discipline of desire and of the vajra repetition, and so on. Beyond those two techniques, it further explains the limitless ways for the dawning of realization, etc. It also declares many things such as the scheme of consecrations for attaining receptivity for the path condensed into twenty rites, the schemes for condensing the creation stage, and the determinations of the sequence of the two stages. Especially, the sixth chapter explains the keys for the life-energy-control vajra repetition to open up the knot of the heart channels, and the twenty-second chapter section, which collects the definitive meaning mantras of the three syllables, explains how the unraveling of the heart-channel knot is the supreme unraveling of a channel knot of all the wheels [of channels]. It seems that such excellent elucidation is rarely seen.

6.  evam mayā śrutam ekasmin samaye bhagavān sarvatathāgatakāyavākcitta hṛdaya vajrayoṣidbhageṣu vijahāra ; Just this is what I heard at that one time: The Lord was dwelling, [with clear realization through the infinite great seal], in the vaginas of the Vajra Queens, the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all transcendent lords. VR 2A.

7.  T. Gyatso 1988, 11.

8.  As described by Panchen Sönam Drakpa in his Overview of Buddhist Tantra :

The special theme of the Garland of Vajras [VR] is to reveal and clarify the hidden meaning of the 40 introductory syllables of the [Esoteric Community] Root Tantra. The remaining chapters all amplify this basic theme as well as teaching 20 rituals for the consecration and 49 “suchnesses” for the generation stage, together with six yogas, four yogas, and three meditative stabilizations. For the perfection stage, the Root Tantra is explained by means of five stages, and this is the particular way in which the Garland of Vajras teaches the root Tantra. Such a system is not found elsewhere. (57)

9.  See, e.g ., Smṛtijñānakırti, Commentary on the King of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamāja Tantra ( Śrı-guhyasamāja-tantra-rāja-vṛtti ; rgyud kyi rgyal po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i ’grel pa ), Tōh. 1914; Ānandagarbha, Extensive Commentary on the Great King of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamāja Tantra ( Śrī guhyasamāja mahātantra raja ṭikā ; rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgya cher ’grel pa ), P. 4787; Tsong Khapa, Extensive Explanation of the King of All Tantras, Guhyasamāja, a Supplementary Commentary of Annotations Revealing the Actual Meaning of the Words of [Chandrakīrti ’ s] “ Illuminating Lamp ” ( ’byed pa’i mchan gyi yang ’grel rgyud thams cad kyi rgyal po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa sgron ma gsal ba’i tshig don ji bzhin). Another reason for the appellation “king of tantras” is that the Esoteric Community is the only system to have explanatory tantras that are themselves revelations of the Buddha. Thurman 1988, 129, 133.

10.  E.g., Lodö 1995, xvi, quoting Khedrup Je’s Ocean of Attainments of the Generation Stage ( bskyed rim dngos grub rgya mtsho ); Lessing 1968, 8.

11.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 65. For example, the crucial tantric practice of the union of bliss and emptiness, implicit in much tantric literature, is explicit in the VR: “The characteristic that illumines all things is accepted as emptiness. From it, there is great bliss intuition . . . That word and similar names only express great bliss, endowed with a single substance, expressed as emptiness intuition.” VR 47B, ch. 25, vv. 2, 6. Indeed, the present Dalai Lama’s book on the Lama Chöpa , which, as mentioned above, is based on the VR, is entitled The Union of Bliss and Emptiness . T. Gyatso 1988.

12.  See, e.g., Lodö 1995, 8; Wedemeyer 2007, 7. In the noble tradition system, the other explanatory tantras are considered to be the Further Tantra or Uttaratantra, Tōh. 443 (ch. 18 of the GST, Tōh. 442); the Four Goddess Dialogue ( Caturdevīparipṛcchā ), Tōh. 446; the Revelation of the Intention ( Saṁdhivyākaraṇa ), Tōh. 444; and the Vajra Intuition Compendium ( Vajrajñānasamuccaya ), Tōh. 447. Lozang Jamspal’s and my translations of these other explanatory tantras, with Tsong Khapa’s lengthy commentaries on the Inquiry of the Four Goddesses and the Vajra Intuition Compendium , are in draft form, and will hopefully be forthcoming in the near future. Outside of the noble tradition, depending on the commentator, the number of explanatory tantras varies from four to nine. Nāgārjuna’s Piṇḍikrita Sādhana , according to the present Dalai Lama, “expounds the main theme of the Guhyasamaja Root Tantra based on the interpretation of the Explanatory Tantra Vajra Rosary .” T. Gyatso 1988, 13.

13.  Wedemeyer 2007, 6.

14.  In his BIL, Tsong Khapa mentions the Zhiwa Ö translation (Tsong Khapa 2010, 62), the Zhiwa Ö translation edited by Darma Tsöndru, the translation by Sujana Shrījñāna and Zhiwa Ö, the “old translations” of the VR (and the CMP) (232), and, referring to a verse concerning the vitality energy, noting that there are “many different translations” of the verse “in other translations of the VR and in [other texts] where it is cited” (258).

15.  Tōh. 445. I have translated the Lhasa recension of the VR, with some references to the Derge and Stok Palace versions, and to the Pedurma edition. I have also noted below in many cases where the text that Alaṁkakalasha was commenting on differs significantly from the Zhiwa Ö version, and, on many occasions, from all of the Pedurma recensions.

16.  Panchen Sönam Drakpa lists six commentaries on the PU. Drakpa 1996, 61.

17.  Commentary on the Profound Meaning: A Detailed Commentary on the Great Mahāyoga Tantra, the Glorious Vajra Rosary ( Śrī vajramālā mahāyoga tantra ṭīkā gambhīrārtha dīpikā nāma; rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud dpal rdo rje phreng ba’i rgya cher ’brel pa zab mo’i don gyi ’grel pa zhes bya ba ). Tōh. 1795.

18.  When editing the Derge Tengyur, Situ Panchen Chökyi Jungney (Chökyi Jungnay, 1699 or 1700–1774) noted in his own notes, dkar chag , that he was still looking for the rest of Alaṁka’s Commentary and that it goes to 202 dpe cha pages, but only gives commentary up to the forty-seventh chapter of the VR. He was still looking for the rest. Personal communication with Gene Smith, July 5, 2005. As noted below, the Blue Annals says that Alaṁka died after translating two-thirds of the “Mahāvibhāśā (Bye-brag bshad-pa chen-po).” If that text is this Commentary, we have an explanation for its being cut off in the middle. See Roerich 1978, 1053–54.

19.  Farrow 1992, viii–ix.

20.  BIL, 83.

21.  VR 1B–8B, ch. 1; Alaṁka 1B–4A.

22.  See, e.g., Lessing and Wayman 1968, 37 (“‘You cannot become a Manifest Complete Buddha by this samādhi alone.’ ‘Then, how shall I do it?’ he implored them. Thereupon all the Buddhas of the ten directions summoned the daughter of the gods Tilottamā and bestowed concretely the third consecration, the Insight-Knowledge Consecration”).

23.  See, e.g ., Lessing and Wayman 1968, 27.

24.  This may refer to the first of the four formless trances, infinite space, with respect to which Lati Rinpoche notes: “The object of observation is the mental aggregates of the meditator, ‘limitless space’ means that for the meditator’s mind, space pervades everywhere” (1997, 114). There is nothing per se “wrong” with this concentration, which, along with the other three formless trances, is not exclusively Buddhist. See Wynne 2009. Here, though, Buddha mistook it for enlightenment.

25.  The pure lands of Akshobhya, Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi, respectively, although Akanishṭha can also refer to the highest of the sixteen form realms.

26.  “I perform vajra praise by bowing down to the body, speech, and mind of all buddhas.”

27.  Alaṁka (1B–2B): ’di nyid ni byang chub bo snyam du dgongs nas gnas par gyur to/ de nas mngon par dga’ ba dang/ ’og min dang/ rin chen ’byung gnas dang/ bde ba can dang/ me tog ldan pa zhes bya ba’i sangs rgya kyi zhing rnams nas byon te/ rgyal bu don thams cad grub pa de nyid la/ bsam gtan ’di ni rnam dag min/ zhes bya ba la sogs pas bskul bas de nas phyin ci log gi bsam gtan de dor bar gyur to/ de’i rjes su bar snang la de bzhin gshesgs pa thams cad gyis yongs su gang bar rnam par gzigs nas/ ’oṁ sarba ta thā ga ta kā ya wāk tsitta pra ṇa me na badzra bandha naṁ ka ro mi zhes bya ba phyag ’tshal ba dang bskor ba sngon du ’gro bas phyin ci ma log pa’i de kho na nyid kyi ngo bo’i ting nge ’dzin bstan pa’i don du bcom ldan ’das de rnams nyid la gsol ba btab par gyur to/ de nas bcom ldan ’das de rnams kyis phyag rgya chen po’i dkyil ’khor sprul pa sngon du ’gro bas slob ma lta gon la gnas pa dang/ byang chub tu sems bskyed pa dang/ dbang bskur bzhi dang/ dam tshig dang sdom pa sbyin pa sngon du ’gro bas rab tu dbye ba dang bcas pa’i dbang bskur bzhi pa rnams kyis dbang bskur nas/ ting nge ’dzin gsum dang/ rigs brgya rab tu dbye ba dang/ rim pa lnga bstan pa’i rim pa man ngag nye bar bstan nas/ de bzhin gshegs pa de rnams rang rang gi sangs rgyas kyi zhing du nye bar gshegs par gyur to/ de nas bcom ldan ’das shākya seng ge sngon bcom ldan ’das rnams kyis bstan pa’i man ngag gi dbang po rnon po nyid kyi phyir/ mngon du mdzad nas nam phyed na mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas te tho rangs kyi dus su mdud bcom par mdzad nas dga’ ldan gyi gnas su gshegs te/  . . .

(Unless otherwise indicated, all references to dpe cha numbering for Alaṁka’s Commentary refer to the Derge recension.) Tsong Khapa says this account is contradicted by the PK and the CMP, which say that only the clear light and communion personal instructions were given. Tsong Khapa 2010, 482.

28.  Alaṁka 2B.

29.  That the surviving Tantra is a much shorter version of the original lost tantra is a common trope in the Buddhist literature.

30.  Saṁdhivyākaraṇa-nāma-tantra; dgongs pa lung bstan pa zhes bya ba’i rgyud , Tōh. 444. Complete English translation by the author with Dr. Lozang Jamspal forthcoming.

31.  Caturdevī-paripṛcchā; lha mo bzhis yongs su zhus pa , Tōh. 446. Complete English translation, with Tsong Khapa’s extensive commentary, by the author with Dr. Lozang Jamspal, forthcoming.

32.  Vajrajñāna-samuccaya-nāma-tantra; ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa zhes bya ba’i rgyud , Tōh. 447. Complete English translation, with Tsong Khapa’s extensive commentary, by the author with Dr. Lozang Jamspal, forthcoming. The colophon to the text preserved in Tibetan attests to its actually being only the second chapter of a text by that name. The chapter preserved in Tibetan translation is the “Great Bliss” chapter ( bde ba chen po’i le’u ). So, “major and minor” may refer to different, fuller texts. Thanks to Paul Hackett for this reference.

33.  This may be a reference to Alaṁka’s locale at the time he wrote or dictated the Commentary .

34.  Here Alaṁka emphasizes that the VR is unique among the tantras for its differentiation of the “places” in the subtle body, which is the primary subject matter of chapters 3 and 17.

35.  Alaṁka (3B–4A): de’i rjes su ’dod chags dang zhe sdang che zhing/ gti mug chung ba’i rje’u rigs kyi sems can rnams la brten nas dga ldan gyi lha rnams la gtso bor dbang bzhi ston pa/ rim pa gnyis kyis bsdu pa dang/ gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgyud bstan par mdzad do/ de’i rjes su ’u rgyan du nub kyi ri la bcom ldan ’das dpal rdo rje sems dpa’i gzugs kyis khro bo bcu’i sgo nas gtso bor phyogs skyong bcu ’dul ba’i phyir/ rdo rje phreng bas tong phrag bcu gnyis pa dang rdo rje phreng ba nyung ngu’i rgyud gnyis bstan par mdzad do/ de’i rjes su de bzhin gshegs pa la gsol ba ’debs pa ’ i bcom ldan ’das kyis dpal ldan rdo rje sems dpa’i gzugs kyis kha ba can gyi ri la mi rnams kyi nang du dpal dgongs pa lung bstan gyi rgyud bstan par mdzad do/ de’i rjes su lha mo bzhis gsol ba btab pa’i bcom ldan ’das kyis ri bo ’bigs byed kyi rtse mo la dpal lha mo bzhis zhus kyi rgyud bstan par mdzad do/ de’i rjes su ganggā ’ i ’gram du dpal ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa’i rgyud chen po dang chung ngu’i dbye bas bstan par mdzad do/ de’i rjes su ’dod chags dang zhe sdang chen po’i chen po gti mug chung zhing chung ba’i gdo pa’i rigs dang ’brel pa’i sems can rnams la brten nas/ bcom ldan ’das dpal ’khor lo bde mchog chen po dang chung ngu’i rgyud kyi dbye bas rim pa gnyis gtsor bor ston pa dang/ gtso bor dbang bzhi ston pa dang/ shes rab gtso bor gyur pa’i bshad pa’i rgyud bzhi dang bcas pa gnas gtsang ma ’phags pa’i gnas su bstan par mdzad de/ rgyud bzhi po’i gnas kyi rnam par dbye ba ’dir mi dgos pa’i phyir ma bstan to/ de’i rjes su ’dzam bu’i gling ’di nyid du ma ga dhār bdud bzhi ’dul ba’i don du dpal dgyes pa’i rdo rje’i rgyud bstan pa chen po dang chung ngu’i rgyud bshad pa’i rgyud dang bcas pa bstan par mdzad do/ de’i yang gnas kyi rnam par dbye ba la sogs pa mi dgos pa’i phyir ’dir ma bstan to/ de’i phyir ’dir rgyud sde lnga’i nang nas bcom ldan ’das thugs rje chen po dang ldan pas ’ur gyan du nub kyi ri la rdo rje phreng ba’i rgyud chung ngu bstan par mdzad de/ le’u drug cu rtse brgyad kyi bdag nyid can drib a dang lan brgyad cu rtsa gnyis kyi bdag nyid can bstan par mdzad do/ ’di yang brjod par bya ba’i rim pa gnyis ni gtso ba’i don to//

Tsong Khapa says that Alaṁka’s relation of different tantras for different castes is wrong. Tsong Khapa 1977, 155–56. In defense of Alaṁka, however, I think that he is merely accounting for the original motivation for Buddha’s teaching the various tantras rather than saying, as Tsong Khapa may be assuming for his own didactic purposes, that the various tantras are suitable for practice by the various castes. David Gray notes that “Buddhist authors such as Alaṁkakalasha were surely aware of the orthodox Vedic formulations, and their correlation of the tantras to the social classes can be seen as an attempt to re-map the social structure in such a way that the brahman’s [sic] privileged position is undermined . . . These attempts probably failed to have much effect in India, but that does not make them less subversive” (2001, 354–59).

36.  According to Longchenpa, a “branch” tantra focuses on one of the ten “essentials” of tantra: outlook, meditation, behavior, consecration, mandala, charismatic activity, commitments, capacities, worship, and mantras, while a root tantra encompasses all of them; an explanatory tantra expands upon and clarifies them. Longchenpa 2000, 2.

37.  Alaṁka (3A): de yang sdud pa po phyag na rdo rje’am dpal gyis brgyud nas mi’i ’jig rten du ’ongs so/ de la rdzogs ldan dang gsum ldan dang gnyis ldan dang rtsod pa can gyi dus su zhal gyi gdams ngag dang rtsa ba’i rgyud dang yan lag gi rgyud dang bshad pa’i rgyud la sogs pa la ’jug pa zhes bya ba ni kha cig smra’o/ gzhan dag ni rtsod pa’i dus ’di nyid du sems can thams cad rjes su gzung ba’i phyir nyung ngu’i rtsa ba’i rgyud bstan pa’i de ma thag tu bcom ldan ’das kyis yan lag gi rgyud dang bshad pa’i rgyud la sogs pa bstan zhes zer ro//

38.  Alaṁka (3A): phyogs ’di yang ’ongs pa yin te// Wedemeyer quotes Tāranātha’s unambiguous statement that the noble tradition literature attributed to Nāgārjuna and the PU attributed to Chandrakīrti “were not spread” and “were not composed and spread” during their lifetimes, but were propagated by a certain Nāgabodhi who preserved the teachings until late in the first millennium. Wedemeyer 2007, 19–20.

39.  Wedemeyer 2007, 17.

40.  Wedemeyer 2007, 17.

41.  Powers 1995, 126.

42.  See generally Butön 1999, 182–203.

43.  Powers 1995, 133–37. A detailed account of this period can be found in Davidson 2005, 61–83.

44.  Tibetan history is no exception to reimagining in light of subsequent events and politics. Davidson’s work in examining what he contends is the retrospectively granted preeminence of events and persons in Western Tibet, as contrasted with Kham (2005, 112–15), and Samten Karmay’s 2001 essay in which he concludes that King Lang Darma “personally remained Buddhist and during his reign Buddhism certainly continued to flourish” (Karmay 2005, 29), are examples of scholarship on this subject.

45.  See, e.g., Tsong Khapa 2000, 42.

46.  Snellgrove 2002, 473.

47.  Davidson 2005, 84–116.

48.  Kapstein 2006, 95.

49.  Vitali 1996, 89–95. Vitali notes that the manuscript he translated was incomplete, and the “original ornate title is lost” (89).

50.  Weinberger 2003, 313.

51.  For a description of these practices, see Davidson 2005, 78–79.

52.  Karmay 1998, 9. Karmay did not find the text of the bka’ shog. His translation is derived from the polemical response of the Nyingma Sok Dokpa Lodrö Galtsen (1552–1624) and is annotated with the latter’s commentary disputing many of the passages of the bka’ shog.

53.  Karmay 1998, 10–12 (internal footnotes omitted). Vitali points out that Sok Dokpa’s statement that Yeshe Ö did not oppose Dzogchen was correct, and that Karmay’s translation of the passage and his dismissive interpretation of the Proclamation “led Tibetologists in the past to see Yeshe Ö as a bigot. I believe that the real sense of the bka’ shog as a pledge to avoid dubious practices in favour of a correct interpretation of the tantras has been overlooked” (1996, 230 n. 328). Karmay’s study of Zhiwa Ö’s Proclamation is very comprehensive as to Zhiwa Ö ’s background and the information contained in the various colophons to the Zhiwa Ö translations, but Karmay did not have access to Nga dbang grags pa’s History of Western Tibet , a rich source.

54.  There remains the significant hermeneutic question of whether the description of the various practices found in the VR was intended to be — or, whatever the intention, should be — taken literally. As discussed below, the text of the Tantra and the Commentary suggests that certain, though not all, of these practices were intended for performance and were not strictly symbolic or intended simply for shock value. I have written about the hermeneutics of the VR and Buddhist Tantra elsewhere and about the importance of multivalence as a guiding principle in the interpretation of tantric literature (Kittay 2011). In many ways, hermeneutics is a key part of tantric practice and Buddhism itself. The parsing of one’s own cultural and personal conceptions and biases in order to ascend what we may call the “hermeneutic helix” is essential to understanding any experience, not to mention a text like the VR .

55.  VR 105B, Colophon. Zhiwa Ö‘s access to the royal treasury described by Nga dbang grags pa would support the view that he was the king, or very close to it. See Karmay 1998, 17–18.

56.  However, Sakya Pandita, who is the first source chronologically to mention the Proclamation , uses the verb zer to describe it, suggesting at least some measure of hearsay, if not skepticism. Karmay 1980, 11.

57.  Karmay 1998, 17. (Footnote omitted; emphasis added.)

58.  Vitali 1996, 108 (emphasis supplied); Ngawang Drakpa, 51–52. Vitali does not comment on this passage. In the context of the History of Western Tibet this statement is surprising, because, although Yeshe Ö, Jangchub Ö, and Zhiwa Ö are clearly the heroes of the narrative, there is nothing suggesting that Zhiwa Ö had this kind of preeminence. And, there is an issue of timing, since Yeshe Ö was sixty-eight years old when Zhiwa Ö was born. Thus “Zhi ba ’od’s previous prayers” must refer to a prior incarnation, or a previous person with the same name. I believe the former is the case, as I cannot find any reference to another person in the lineage with that name, although the possibility cannot be discarded given the paucity of the records and therefore our knowledge of the period. Immediately following the life histories of the three, Ngawang Drakpa states:

To Ye.shes.’od, who had the moral strength of renunciation; to pho.brang Byang.chub.’od, who was the holder of the treasure of philosophical views (lta) and practice (spyod); to Zhi.ba.’od, who bowed to the greatness of masters possessing compassion, to the mes.dbon.gsum Tibetans pay homage.

Vitali 1996, 120–21; Ngawang Drakpa 68.

59.  See, e.g., Davidson 2005, 151–54 (section on “The Invention of Neoconservative Orthodoxy”).

60.  Paying for texts was not unheard of in this venue. Drogmi offered 500 ounces of gold to Gayādhara for the lam ’bras . Stearns 2001, 90–91.

61.  For most purposes connected with Buddhist tantric texts, “India” meant Kashmir. David Snellgrove notes that the “India” to which Songtsen Gampo sent Tönmi Sambhota is usually understood as Kashmir (2002, 386, 416). Sok Dokpa states (Vitali 1996, 187 n. 264):

Furthermore, as regards the new translations [made] during bstan.pa phyis.dar [sic], the lands Kha.che [and] Bal.po were the main centres of translation [during the times of] Na.ra, Mai.tri, Shanti and [later] Dam.pa rGya.gar [and] Jo.bo.rje. As [the focus of these activities] reached O.rgyan, master pan.chen-s achieved [important] results [there].

Vitali concludes: “Two phases have thus to be distinguished: the first in Bal.po and Kha.che from the time of Na.ro.pa until that of Dam.pa rGya.gar, and the second in O.rgyan during a less clearly defined period. Sog.bzlog.pa presumably wished to mean that the diffusion of what was known in Tibet as snags.gsar.ma went from Bal.po and Kha.che to O.rgyan.” That Mantrakalasha went first to Kha.che in search of the VR, then found it in Oḍḍiyana (O rgyan) may shed some light on this. For a detailed picture of Kashmir in the ninth to twelfth centuries, see Hartzell 1997, 492–556.

62.  Because it is the primary source, and apparently was not known to Samten Karmay when he completed his studies, Roberto Vitali’s translation of the History of Western Tibet ’s description of the life and deeds of Zhiwa Ö bears quoting in full:

[Byang.chub.’od’s] younger brother Srong.lde was ordained in the fire male monkey year [1056 CE. Vitali 1996, 118 n. 80] [and] was given the name Zhi.ba.’od. He was forty-one [at that time]. He survived thirty-four years after his elder brother’s (i.e., Byang.chub.’od’s) death. At that time (i.e., at the time of his ordination), since, jointly with his nephew mnga’.bdag rTse.lde, he decided to follow the tradition of the noble deed of their extraordinary ancestors and to disseminate the teachings in an enduring way, he worked at translations of dam.pa’i Chos [holy Dharma], and together they established receptacles of the triple jewel. As he had previously invited many Tibetan masters, he paid his respects to them. As he received many teachings, in order to transfer excellent virtue to all human beings, he perfected an unlimited amount of merit and wisdom. Furthermore, he made the three ril.ba-s of the ’jam.ri of the dBu.trse in Tho.gling and a golden mchod.rten with a ’khor.lo at Shing.sgra’i rtse.mo.

In the ’og.khang (“ground floor”), he made the complete cycle of gods of the ’Jam.dpal mtshan.brjod dkyil.’khor and, in the bar.khang (“middle floor”), the statue of rje btsun ’Jam.dbyangs chen.po the size of lha.bla.ma’s own body, the statue of ’jam.dpal smra.ba’i rgyal.po, studded with all kinds of jewels, which was made at mkhar.sgra (i.e., Shing.sgra mkhar) in the style of Central India, seventy-four clay statues and many minor dkyil.’khor-s; [all these] were placed in [Tho.ling] gSer.khang. In the dBu.rtse, he made the complete Bun.rig rtsa.ba’i (“root”) dkyil.’khor, the assembly of gods of the Rigs.kyi gzhon.nu.ma’i dkyil.’khor, which were of clay. Masons; carpenters; plasterers of the walls; painters of the murals; sculptors in clay; casters in gold, iron, and copper alloys; all together 223 [artists] and their assistants were gathered to [work on] the ’og.khang. In the sheep year, [1067 CE. Vitali 1996, 119 n. 85] the foundations were planned and laid. In the monkey year, [1068 CE. Vitali 1996, 119 n. 86] the walls and roof were raised. In the bird year, [1069 CE. Vitali 1996, 119 n. 87] the clay statues were made. In the dog year, [1070 CE. Vitali 1996, 119 n. 88] the murals were painted. In the pig year, [1071 CE. Vitali 1996, 119 n. 89] the great painting of the [gods’] faces was accomplished. The name ’jam.dpal rnam.’phrul bla.med ’Dzam.gling.rgyan was given [to the gSer.khang]. As for gsung.rten, all the works he translated, and the long, middle, and short versions of Yum, were written in gold. The jewel in the crown of ’Dzam.gling, the supreme of all learned masters, Dznya.na.shi.mi.tra, the great master A.ti.sha.shri.mi.tra and De.wa.dznya and the great master of Kha.che Ra.han.ta and the great master Gag.tra.ka, [and] many rGya.gar and Kha.che pan.di.ta-s were invited. He (Zhi ba ’od) gave to the great master A.ti.sha in particular a full bre of gold [dust]. As this bla.ma (Zhi ba ’od) was the translator, they together translated dPal.mchog rtsa.’grel; Bud.dha.tsa.ri cha.’grel; Tshad.ma; De.ko.na.nyid bsdus.pa ’grel and tig (ti.ka); Tshad.ma.rgyan ’grel and tig.ka (ti.ka) [and] many major and minor esoteric and exoteric works. As he thought of translating rDo.rje ’phreng.ba, which was a secret Tantra (gsang.sngags) [only] transmitted orally (bshad.rgyud) [in mNga’.ris.stod], he sent [someone] to search for it above Kha.che of India (Kha.che thod, i.e., somewhere in the mountainous area overlooking the Vale), [but] it was not found. Later, he provided Man.triga.ka.la.sha with four hundred zho of gold. The latter was sent to search for [rDo.rje ’phreng.ba], [and] found it in the direction of dBu.rgyan. As [Zhiwa Ö] acted as lo.tsa.ba for this bla.ma (Man.triga.ka.la.sha), the work was translated and he [thus] performed many great deeds.//

He established the means of support for the forty monks of the dbu.sde (“monastic community”) at Sang.dar. He established [the grant of] thirty [measures] of supplies in favour of Tsha.tsa.sgang chos.skor in Pu.hrang. He completed [supplying] innumerable implements for these [temples].

At that time, he summoned pan.di.ta-s from rGya.gar and Kha.che, and Blo.ldan shes.rab, sGrang.ti Dar.ma snying.po, dBus.gTsang.gi dge.bshes and Byang.chub ye.shes, altogether 121 [masters] including their own disciples. Zhang.zhung.ba rGyal.ba shes.rab was invited [together with] all the dge.bshes-s and mkhas.btsun-s from Pu.hrang, Gu.ge and Mar.yul. For three years (lo.gsum.du), the wheel of Buddhism was turned in Gu.ge. Moreover, since he invited A.ti.sha himself and lo.tsa.ba-s and dge.ba’i bshes gnyen-s, he was the patron of the translations. He was a recipient of religious teachings, a donor, a maker of religious books, gtsug.lag.khang-s and mchod.rten-s; he allocated public funds for each member of the dbu.sde-s (“monastic communities”), innumerable [deeds were performed by him]. Bla.ma Zhi.ba’od was a great patron of offerings to the teachings and the holders of [those] teachings. As he personally carried the banner of the teachings, he safeguarded Buddhism for forty-four years and died in the iron female hare year [1111 CE].

Vitali 1996, 120 n. 94; 118–20 (footnotes and parentheticals containing Tibetan equivalents omitted unless otherwise indicated). Vitali translates bshad rgyud as “[only] transmitted orally [in mNga’.ris.stod].” However, bshad rgyud is usually translated, and I think should be translated here, as simply referring to the nomenclature of “explanatory tantra.”

63.  Karmay, vol. 72, no. 3335. See Karmay 1998, 21, which refers to the Tibetan bka’ ’gyur , the Tibetan Tripitaka (Japanese reproduction of the Peking edition, Tokyo, Suzuki Foundation, 1955–61).

64.  According to the Nyingma Edition of the sDe-ge bKa’-’gyur/ bsTan-’gyur , Zhiwa Ö was the translator of Tōh. 445, 488, 1539, 2512, 4266, and 4284.

65.  Butön, 217; Roerich 1978, 37; Karmay 1998, 22–29; Vitali 1996, 107–21; Ngawang Drakpa 51–68. Ngawang Drakpa’s History of Western Tibet, completed in 1497 CE (Vitali 1996, 95), is the most detailed primary source on the lives of Yeshe Ö, Jangchub Ö, and Zhiwa Ö. Being a history of Mnga’ ris , as contrasted with Butön’s more general overview of the history of Buddhism in India and Tibet, it is much more detailed than Butön’s, although the focus is on the royal family and not on important figures such as Atīsha or Rinchen Zangpo. The Blue Annals to some degree relies on Butön (Roerich 1978 at viii), although there were other sources Gö relied on, such as his “main source,” the Red Annals ( deb ther dmar po or ’tshal pa’i deb ther ). Roerich 1978. Karmay (1980, 28) relies principally on the Blue Annals and on Khatog Tsewang Norbu’s rgyal ba’i bstan pa rin po che byang phyogs su byung ba’i rtsa la bod rje lha bstan po’i gdung rabs tshig nyung don gsal yid kyi me long , written in 1745 (this work is contained in the Collected Works of Ka thog tshe dbang nor bu , H.P. 1977, vol. 4, no. 156).

66.  Vitali writes:

Zhi.ba.’od’s translation of rDo.rje ’phreng.ba is associated by Nyang.ral chos.’byung with a newly translated version of Dus.’khor made by Zhi.ba.’od with Kha.che pandita Dha.na.ta.la (p. 465 lines 16–17: “Zhi.ba’od.kyis Kha.che pan.di.ta Dha.na.ta.la spyan.drangs.nas Dus.’khor bsgyur/ skad.gsar bcad byas/ rDo.rje ’phreng.ba bsgyur,” “As Zhi.ba’od invited Kha.che pan.di.ta Dha.na.tal.la, Dus.’khor was translated by adopting a new lexicon. rDo.rje ’phreng.ba was [also] translated”). This version of the Kalachakra is not mentioned in mNga’.ris rgyal.rabs. (Vitali 1996, 319 n. 494)

67.  Roerich 1976, 244.

68.  Karmay surmises that Tho ling had “the character of the later Tibetan great monasteries,” and that even if Zhiwa Ö were not acting as king, “it would not be far-fetched to assume that [Zhiwa Ö] exercised a certain amount of politico-religious power over the religious establishments of his ancestors.” Karmay 1998, 18.

69.  The Proclamation itself recites that it was composed in the water monkey year ( chu sprel ), which would have been 1032 or 1092 CE . Karmay 1998, 29–30. Initially, Karmay surmised that 1032 was the year, but he revised his opinion in light of evidence (contradicting the Blue Annals’ failure to mention Zhiwa Ö in connection with the 1076 CE chos ’khor, “Religious Council of the Fire Dragon”) that Zhiwa Ö was in fact the patron, along with King Tse De, of the chos ’khor, and because the Proclamation stresses the tradition of the Bka’ gdams pa, which did not exist before the coming of Atīsha in 1042. Karmay 1998, 30. Karmay references the account of Lo tsā ba blo ldan shes rab, which he interprets as being a contemporary record of the chos ’khor of 1076.

70.  While I have not found any question raised in the Tibetan literature concerning the authenticity of the VR, as discussed below, Yukei Matsunaga partially raises the issue in connection with the Tantra ’s chapter 68. See n. 123, below.

71.  Karmay 1998, 31.

72.  Karmay 1998, 37.

73.  Atīsha 1997, 158 (“Those observing pure conduct should not take the secret and wisdom initiations”).

74.  Karmay 1998, 21.

75.  dpal mchog dang po’i snags kyi rtog pa’i dum bu zhes bya ba, Śrī paramādya mantra kalpakhaṭika nāma, Section of the Glorious Supreme Primordial Mantra Realization . According to the Nyingma Catalogue , the Derge colophon states that Rinchen Zangpo was unable to find the complete text, which was later found and translated; that the translation was done at Tho ling; and that the Blue Annals (p. 354) states that Zhiwa Ö worked with many lo tsa ba s and paṇḍita s to translate and fill in the missing portions of the Śrī paramādya Tantra . According to Weinberger, the Śrī paramādhya mantra kalpakhaṇḍa nāma that Zhiwa Ö and Mantrakalasha translated was part of a single textual tradition with the dpal mchog dang po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i rtog pa’i rgyal pa, Śrī paramādya nāma māhāyanakalparaya , Tōh. 487, translated by Rinchen Zangpo and Shraddhākaravarman, and together the two constitute, per Butön, a concordant tantra for the root text of the yoga tantra corpus, the Compendium of Principles Tantra . Weinberger 2003, 92–132. Weinberger contends that the Esoteric Community was the next phase in the development of tantra after the Compendium of Principles .

76.  lhan cig skyes pa’i rnal ’byor dam pa’i ’grel pa snying po rab tu gsal bar byed pa zhes bya ba, Sahajasadyoga vṛtti garbhaprakāśa nāma , Clarifying the Essence: The Commentary on the Holy Sahaja Yoga , a commentary of the Sahajayogakrama , Tōh. 1246.

77.  Nāgārjuna’s dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgyud kyi rgyud ’grel zhes bya ba, Śrīguhyasamājatantrasyatantratīkā-nāma , Tantric Commentary of the Glorious Esoteric Community Tantra .

78.  Lakshmī’s commentary on Nāgārjuna’s Five Stages, rim pa lnga’i don gsal bar byed pa zhes bya ba, Pañcakrama vṛttārthavirocana nāma , Clarifying the Meaning of the Five Stages .

79.  Ānandagarbha’s dpal mchog dang po’i rgya cher bshad pa, Śrī paramādi ṭīkā , which is a commentary on the Śrīparamādyanāmamahāyānakalparāja , Tōh. 487, originally translated by Shraddhākaravarman, Kamalagupta, and Rinchen Zangpo.

80.  Vol. 17, Tk. 243. See Tibetan and Himalayan Digital Library, www.thdl.org/xml/ngb/showNgb.php?doc=Tk.243.bib.xml&mode=tst&l=3v4t . According to THDL (per Steven Weinberger, editor of this portion): “The fourteenth-century Tibetan polymath bu ston rin chen grub (1290–1364) explains in his yoga tantra history (rnal ’byor rgyud kyi rgya mtshor ’jug pa’i gru gzings) that the Indians [Shraddhākaravarman and Kamalagupta] and the Tibetan Rinchen Zangpo translated this text, but the translation was incomplete because parts of the Indian text were illegible and the latter part of the second section as well as the third and fourth sections of the text were missing. After Rinchen Zangpo died, an Indian text was obtained from the Kashmir region, and the Indian scholar [Mantrakalasha] and the Tibetan Prince Zhiwa Ö filled in the missing gaps and translated the text from the second section on (that is, from chapter 13 on).” This is the same story as the Nyingma Catalogue gives for Ānandagarbha’s dpal mchog dang po’i rgya cher bshad pa. See n. 75, above.

81.  Wayman 1977, 120.

82.  Vol. 46, text 1784, fol. 1203, p. 413.

83.  The colophon states: rgya gar gyi mkhan po shrī tā ra ka la sha’i sras pandi ta ku mā raka la sha’i dbon po mantra ka la sha zhes bya ba nyid kyis bsgyur cing gtan la phab pa’o/. dbon po can mean grandson, nephew, or attendant, so the precise relation is unclear. If this was in fact the case, one wonders whether Alaṁkakalasha had any connection to this lineage. Kalaśa means pot, used in various Indian Buddhist and non-Buddhist religious rites, but could also refer to the Kalasha people of what is present-day Chitral in northern Pakistan and Nuristan in Afghanistan, i.e., Oḍdiyāna.

84.  Roerich 1978, x n.4.

85.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 62 (“Thus, though there appear to be many such variations, the chapter divisions of the translation by Sujana Shrījñāna and Zhiwa Öd and the Indian book of Paṇḍita Mantrakalasha seem to be correct.”). Whether Tsong Khapa was referring to a Sanskrit version of the Tantra , or a composition of Mantrakalasha, or was confusing Mantrakalasha with Alaṁkakalasha is intriguing, and unclear.

86.  Vitali 1996, 613.

87.  For example, in his commentary on VR ch. 13, Alaṁka (96B) notes, “‘The essence of that’ is the nature of ecstasy, etc., because of pervading them. As it is said: ‘Or, the nature of all of them.’ Or, some [versions of] the text say, ‘It is not the nature of that.’” de’i ngo bo zhes bya ba ni dga’ ba la sogs pa’i rang bzhin te/ de rnams la khyab byed nyid kyi phyir ro/ ji skad du/ yang na thams cad kun bdag nyid/ des gsungs so/ yang na de’i ngo bo ma yin pa zhes gzhung kha cig las ’byung ste//

88.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 232.

89.  VR 105A–B. The Lhasa Tibetan reads thugs dam sa’i snying po tho ling snying pod pal dpe med lhun gyis grub pa’i gtsug lag khang du rgya gar gyi mkhan po su dza na shrī dznyā na dang sgra sgyur gyi lo tstsha ba chen po bod kyi lha btsan po bla ma dge slong zhi ba ’ i ’od kyi zhal snga nas bsgyur cing zhus te gtan la phab pa.

90.  Chattopadhyaya 1967, 31. According to the Pedurma edition of the VR, Yunglo, Lithang, and Peking have the name as śo jñāna (Tib. sho dznyā na ) rather than śrī jñāna (Tib. shrī dznyā na ) . I haven’t found any reference to such a person.

91.  Monier-Williams 1990, 1223.

92.  Chattopadhyaya 1967, 32.

93.  See Selected Chronology of Western Tibet Phyi da , p. 13.

94.  Vitali 1996, 118–20.

95.  Vitali 1996, 33.

96.  The colophon reads, in relevant part, thugs dam sa’ i snying po tho ling du/ rgya gar gyi mkhan po paṇ ḍi ta mkhas pa chen po mantra kā la sha dang.

97.  See Ngawang Drakpa’s description quoted at n. 62, above. In particular,

He (Zhi ba ’od) gave to the great master A.ti.sha in particular a full bre of gold [dust]. As this bla.ma (Zhi ba ’od) was the translator, they together translated dPal.mchog rtsa.’grel; Bud.dha.tsa.ri cha.’grel; Tshad.ma; De.ko.na.nyid bsdus.pa ’grel and tig (ti.ka); Tshad.ma.rgyan ’grel and tig.ka (ti.ka) [and] many major and minor esoteric and exoteric works. As he thought of translating rDo.rje ’phreng.ba, which was a secret Tantra (gsang.sngags) [only] transmitted orally (bshad.rgyud) [in mNga’.ris.stod], he sent [someone] to search for it above Kha.che of India (Kha.che thod, i.e., somewhere in the mountainous area overlooking the Vale), [but] it was not found. Later, he provided Man.triga.ka.la.sha with four hundred zho of gold. The latter was sent to search for [rDo.rje ’phreng.ba], [and] found it in the direction of dBu.rgyan. As [Zhiwa Ö] acted as lo.tsa.ba for this bla.ma (Man.triga.ka.la.sha), the work was translated and he [thus] performed many great deeds.

Given the context, it is arguable that Vitali’s parenthetical reference to Mantrakalasha should have been to Atīsha. Ronald Davidson advises that, given the paucity of our knowledge of what was happening at this time, the shaky reliability of Tibetan sources, and the plethora of similar names, it is better to assume that Sujana Shrījñāna was a separate person, and not Atīsha. Personal communication, February 16, 2011.

98.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 27.

99.  Marpa is listed in the index of the Nyingma Catalogue as the reviser of the translation of Nāropa’s Śrī devīkālī sādhana , Tōh. 1781, and his Śrī cakrasaṁvara vikurvaṇa caturviṁśatideśapramāṇa śāsana , and the co-translator of Rājaputra Meghavegin’s Vajrapāṇyanalajihva vṛtti muktāvali nāma , Tōh. 2185, Bhagavad vajrapāṇyanalajihva guhyasaṁveśa sādhana nāma , Tōh. 2186, and Vajrapāṇyanalajihvapuras sarakalpa yogacaryā mārgāṣṭaka nāma , Tōh. 2188. But the Catalogue indicates that Marpa was the translator of the Śrī-jñānavajra-samuccaya-tantra; dpal ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa , the Intuition Vajra Compendium Tantra , Tōh. 450, which is one of the Esoteric Community ’s explanatory tantras. Marpa is a key figure in the Esoteric Community transmission, holding many lineages. Panchen Sönam Drakpa 1996, 63–64.

100.  See Tsong Khapa 2010, 235, 259, 260.

101.  Roerich 1978, 447.

102.  Roerich 1978, 448.

103.  Roerich 1978, 447.

104.  Butön 1999, 227–28.

105.  See Tsong Khapa 2010, 235, 259, 260.

106.  Butön was in the direct lineage of Tropu Lotsawa (Roerich 1978, 711), within several generations.

107.  Tsong Khapa, Notes , 1A.

108.  Tsong Khapa, Notes , 1A.

109.  Lozang Jamspal doubts that Tsong Khapa would have been referring to the Rnying ma rgyud, as to do so would have been too controversial. Personal communication, 2006.

110.  Snellgrove 2002, 440.

111.  E.g., Alaṁka (45A): The name of the Tib. dung phyur “one hundred million” energy as “realized by A and RA” is hard to understand unless Alaṁka was translating the Skt. arbuda , “one hundred million,” which can indeed also mean “awakened by A and RA”; Alaṁka (83B): “energy drop,” etc., “because of having [Skt. ra ] the state of knowing [Skt. cit ], [it is] a drop [Skt. citra ]”) rlung gi thig le zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ rig pa’i ngang tshul can gyi phyir thig le’o//

112.  There is no colophon or apparent ending for chapters 4 and 5.

113.  Alaṁka (220A): le’u bzhi bcu rtsa lnga pa’i phyed bar du stengs pa lo tsā bas bsgyur ba’o //

114.  Roerich 1978, 1052.

115.  Roerich 1978, 1052–53. Gendun Chöpel noted that many of the Indian manuscripts preserved at Ngor have the Sanskrit version of Steng lo’s name, Shīlākara, written on them (as a mark of ownership).

116.  Roerich 1978, 1053–54.

117.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 44. As noted, the Tengyur commentary goes up to the forty-fifth chapter. Tengpa Lotsawa’s colophon, in which he says he translated Alaṁkakalasha’s commentary up to half of the forty-fifth chapter, suggests: (1) Alaṁkakalasha may have completed the Commentary , but it was only partly translated; and/or (2) Tsong Khapa erred in saying that the Commentary ran to the middle of the forty-fourth chapter or Tsong Khapa was using a different translation, now lost, that was a chapter short on the translation.

118.  See, e.g., Alaṁka 33B.

119.  Drakpa 108.

120.  “Alaṁkāra” is listed in the Nyingma Catalogue as the author of the Ten Principles of Suchness ( de kho nyid bcu pa; Daśatattva , Tōh. 1895), but there is no indication that is person is Alaṁkakalasha.

121.  Tōh. 1812.

122.  Alaṁkakalasha 1998, 23.

123.  In his Source of the Ocean of Deeds , Jamgön Amey Zhab notes that the Esoteric Community in India had seven commentarial traditions: Superiors (Ārya); Buddhashrījñānapāda (Jñānapāda); Shantipa; Lalitavajra; Smṛṭijñānakırti; Āndagarbha; and Kālachakra-Guhyasamāja. Amey Zhab 1985, 198–201. Further research would hopefully determine the lineage of the “method of Alamkāradeva.”

124.  In his oft-cited short article, “A Doubt to Authority of the Guhyasamāja-Ākhyāna-Tantras,” Matsunaga asserted that the VR’s chapter 68 had taken the three verses from chapter 4 of the PK, and therefore had been added to the VR only after the composition of chapter 4 of the PK, and that the first chapter of the PK had been added after chapter 68 of the VR had been added. Matsunaga 1967, 843–44. Based on this, he concluded:

Why were such additions repeated so often? We may say it was because the school wanted to increase the authority of the Pancakrama. The system of “Five orders” of the Pancakrama is found neither in the Guhyasamaja-tantra nor in the first 67 chapters of the Vajramala-tantra. But it was necessary for the Pancakrama to have its authority in the Tantra. Then the scholars of the Saint school added the 68th chapter which is closely connected with the system of “Five orders” to the 67 chapters, of the Vajramala-tantra which are the basis of the Pindikrita-sadhana, but not of the Pancakrama. And, moreover they interpolated into the Vajra-japa-krama some verses which they pretended to be the quotation from the Vajramala-tantra with a view to empowering the Pancakrama by the authority of the Akhyana-tantra.

I have written elsewhere that I think that Matsunaga’s contentions are not well taken for a number of reasons, principally that his conclusion is based on the Tibetan texts when these were originally Sanskrit texts and that the first sixty-seven chapters of the VR in fact do refer to the PK’s five orders or stages. (Kittay 2011, 177–85).

125.  VR 91A–91B, ch. 62, v. 26.

126.  VR 91B, ch. 62, v. 27.

127.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 167.

128.  Tsong Khapa discusses the fact that the VR contains two methods, concluding they are both effective for combining the vitality and evacuative energies in the heart center. Tsong Khapa 2010, 315–17

129.  Alaṁka (40A): “‘Daughter’ [means] female child. ‘Wife’ [means] one’s own wife. ‘Or girl’ [means] sister’s daughter. ‘Sister’ [means] one’s own sister. ‘One should offer’ [means] one should give.” bu mo zhes bya ba ni bu mo’o/ chung ma yang zhes bya ba ni rang gi chung ma’o/ bu mo’am zhes bya ba ni srung mo’i bu mo’o/ srung mo’am zhes bya ba nib dag nyid kyi srung mo’o/ dbul bar bya zhes bya ba ni sbyin par bya ba ’ o//

130.  VR 63B–64A, ch. 44, vv. 12–24. Alaṁka 218A–219B.

131.  One could make an argument here, similar to Matsunaga’s about chapter 68, that chapter 49 was inserted into the VR to validate the PU, also attributed to Chandrakīrti. This would be complicated by the fact that the PU quotes the VR fairly extensively, and has a famous commentary on VR chapter 59, the famous “forty verses.”

132.  VR 54A, ch. 32, vv. 3, 5. One can find numerous statements to the effect that the Yogāchāra view permeates tantra. Guy Newland’s observation is fairly typical: “That the mind has great power over objects, and is intimately involved with them, is a vital message of the Mind Only system. Another name for the Mind Only system is the Yogic Practice system ( yogācāra ). This name points to the fact that Mind Only ideas probably derive, in part, from the experiences of advanced meditators.” (1999, 48) David Snellgrove speculates that the strong influence of Yogāchāra in Dunhuang may be related to the effort of Hsüan-tsang, whose main purpose in visiting India was to bring back Yogāchāra texts. Snellgrove 2002, 457 n. 136.

133.  The presence of Yogāchāra terminology gave rise to an hermeneutic issue when Madhyamakas like Tsong Khapa were called upon to interpret the VR. As noted by Wayman, Tsong Khapa states in his commentary on the Vajrajñānasamuccaya : “The ‘ ālaya ’ and ‘ kliṣṭamanas ’ mentioned in this Tantra (the Vajramāla ) are the same terms explained in other texts but have different meanings” (1977, 203). Wayman theorizes that what Tsong Khapa meant is that these Yogāchāra terms do not refer to the fundamental consciousness and so on but to imminence, radiance, and luminance. Wayman asserts that the ālayavijñyāna should be interpreted as imminence or near-attainment, the stage directly following clear light in the incarnation process (and preceding it in the death process) characterized by the inner sign of pitch darkness and total loss of awareness. In that same work, A Detailed Commentary on the Intuition Vajra Compendium, An Explanatory Tantra of the Glorious Guhyasamāja (dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i bshad pa’i rgyud ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa) (14B) — as noted in more detail in n. 489 below — Tsong Khapa refutes the existence of the ālayavijñāna as conceived of by the Yogāchārins, arguing that it is no different from mental consciousness and should be interpreted as “a mind that understands and is clear.” de’i phyir yid kyi shes pa las ngo bo tha dad pa’i kun gzhi mi bzhed pas/ kun gzhi zhes gsungs pa ni/ spyir sems rig cing gsal tsam la kun gzhir bzhag pa dang/ khyad par du yid kyi shes pa la yin te/

134.  Alaṁka (3A): de yang sdud pa po phyag na rdo rje’i’am ’jam pal gyis brgud nas . . . // (Following Peking and Narthang.)

135.  Alaṁka (3A): phyogs ’di yang ’ongs pa yin te/

136.  The full title of the Tantra is given in Sanskrit as Śrī-vajramālabhidhānamahāyoga-tantra-sarva-tantra-hridaya-rahasya-vibhedakam-iti , “Opening the Secret Heart of All Tantras: The Great Yoga Tantra, the Clear Expression of the Glorious VR.” This is followed by homage to Mañjushrī, Vairochana, Vajraḍākinī, and the Three Jewels. VR 1B.

137.  VR 6B–8B, ch. 1, vv. 13–35.

138.  There are sixty-eight chapters and eighty-two questions; chapters 1 and 2 are not responsive to any of the questions but cover preliminaries, the setting of the Tantra and consecration, respectively.

139.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 63.

140.  Fremantle translated the opening sentence of the Root Tantra as “Thus have I heard: Once the Blessed One was dwelling in the vagina of the Vajra consort of the Essence of the Body, Speech and Mind of all the tathāgatas.” Skt. Evaṁ mayā śrutam ekasmin samaye bhagavān sarvatathāgatakāyavākcitta-hṛdayavajrayoṣidbhageṣu vijahāra (1978, 117). In choosing the singular of bhaga , Fremantle was following the Tibetan bhaga la rather than the Sanskrit bhageṣu , the locative plural (114–15). Bhaga has a number of meanings in keeping with the polysemy of tantric writing: “victory” and “lucky,” as well as “vagina.” The principal commentary on the Esoteric Community , Chandrakirti’s PU, states: “His Vajra Queen is intuition. Since that very thing conquers the state of defilement it is called ‘ bhaga .’” De’i rdo rje btsun mo ni shes rab ste/ de nyid ni nyon mongs pa rnams ’joms pas na bha ga ’ o / N:10a. Tasya vajrayoṣit prajñā / saiva bhagaṁ kleśabhañjanāt . B:132.

141.  Alaṁka (7A): phyag rgya chen po’i mngon par rtogs pa zhes bya ba la/ phyag rgya chen po ni ngag ’od gsal ba’i rang bzhin rnam pa med pa . . . rdo rje bzlas pa mngon du byed pa’i byang chub sems dpa’ la bstan to//

142.  Alaṁka (7B):

Nondual means experiencing of that aspect of clear light mind — great bliss — permeating all beings endowed with minds completely free from grasping pairs. From the point of view of the three intuitions, luminance, etc., by that knowledge “delighted” means a particular kind of bliss. . . . “By this” means by transcendent isolation of mind.

gnis su med pa’i bde ba chen po zhes gsungs te/ gnyis med ni gzung ’dzin dang rnam par bral bar sems can thams cad la khyab pa bde ba chen po sems ’od gsal ba’i rnam pa de’i nyams su myong ba ni/ snang ba la sogs pa ye shes gsum gyi sgo nas rig pa des dgyes pa ni khyad par can gyi bde ba’o// . . . ’dis ni sems rnam par dben pa’i pha rol tu phin pa rnams kyi bya ba’i tha tsig go//

143.  Alaṁka (11A–B) describes this “ Vajra Rosary ” samadhi in some detail:

Vajra is the clear light attained through the stage of manifest enlightenment that is the intention of the mahāyoga tantras. In the yogini tantras, however, the intention is the experiencing of the actual orgasmic [ecstasy]. Both are similar in also [having] the nature of the thirteen stages. As it is said, “by the beginner’s [learner’s] union” [of experiencing the illusory body and clear light together, the penultimate stage of the path before buddhahood]. By stopping the 160-fold collection of instincts, the VR is the continuum that experiences the three intuitions that have the characteristics of emptiness, extreme emptiness, and great emptiness. That very thing is manifest enlightenment because it terminates all conceptuality with the singular reality of the truth body. It is the method [by which] he entered into one-pointed mental concentration on [that] particular occasion “by the means having the character of concentration and consort.” The VR of the intuition of the emptiness of other is emptiness, the secret vajra channel and lotus channel. The intuition that is to be attained from the perfect joining of the two is supreme, a type of conventional mind, the substance drop that is orgasmically produced. That very thing is a vajra because it pierces all conceptuality. Its rosary is the continuum of enlightenment spirit.

rdo rje ni mngon par byang chub pa’i rim pas thob par bya ba’i ’od gsal ba ste/ rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud kyi dgongs pa so/ rnal ’byar ma’ rgyud kyi dgongs pas kyang don gyi lhan cig skyes pa nyams su myong ba’o/ gnyis ka ltar yang sa bcu gsum pa’i sa’i ngo bo ji skad du/ dang po’i las kyi sbyor ba yis/ zhes gsungs so/ rdo rje phreng ba ni bag chags su gtogs pa rang bzhin gyi tsogs brgya dang drug cu ’gags pas stong pa dang shin tu stong pa dang/ stong pa chen po’i mtshan nyid can gyi ye shes gsum nyams su myong ba’i rgyun no/ de nyid ni mngon par byan chub pa ste/ gcig tu chos kyi sku’i ngo bo nyid kyis rnam par trog pa thams cad zad par byed pa’i phyir ro/ de nyid ni tshul te ting nge ’dzin dang phyag rgya’i mtshan nyid can gyi thabs kyis de skad ces bya ba’i ting nge ’dzin la sems rtse gcig tu byed pa’i gnas skabs kyi khyad par la snyoms par zhugs nas so/ gzhan gyi stong pa nyid kyi ye shes kyi rdo rje phreng ba ste/ de la stong pa nyid ni gsang ba’i rdo rje’i rtsa dang padma’i rtsa’o/ ye shes de ni gnyis po yang dag par sbyar ba las thob par bya ba mchog kun rdzob kyi sems kyi rnam pa rdzas kyi thig le dang lhan cig skyes pa’o/ de nyid ni rdo rje ste rnam par rtog pa thams cad ’bigs par byed pa’i phyir ro/ de’i phreng ba ni byang chub sems kyi rgyun no// The 160-fold collection of instincts refers to the 80 instincts or instinctual natures flowing in the day and the night. See Wayman 1977, 185.

144.  Rdo rje’i lam. VR 4B, ch. 1, prior to v. 1.

145.  VR 5B, ch. 1, prior to v. 11.

146.  VR 8A, ch. 2, v. 2.

147.  Alaṁka (2B–4A) describes many tantras of various classes, respectively taught for the benefit of various castes, including the GST and its explanatory tantras.

148.  Alaṁka (4A): u rgyan du nub kyi ri la/

149.  Alaṁka (3B–4A): bcom ldan ’das dpal rdo rje semms dpa’i gzugs kyi khro bo bcu’i sgo nas gtso bor phyogs skyong bcu ’dul ba’i phyir/ rdo rje phreng bas tong phrog bcu gnyis pa dang rdo rje phreng ba nyung ngu’i rgyud gnis bstan par mdzad do//

150.  Alaṁka (4A): ’dir rgyud sde lnga’i nang nas bcom ldan ’das thugs rje chen po dang ldan pas u rgyan du nub kyi ri la rdo rje phreng ba’i rgyud chung ngu bstan par mdzad de// Note that Alaṁka distinguishes between what I call the “shorter,” nyung ngu , VR, presumably lost, and what I call the “short,” chung , VR that is translated here.

151.  Alaṁka (3A):

Furthermore, having been transmitted via the compiler, Vajrapāṇi or Mañjushrī, it came into the world of people. As for that, some say that he “engaged in oral personal instructions, the Root Tantra, the branch tantras, and the explanatory tantras” during the time of strife having all or three or two of them. Others say that, during this very time of strife, in order to look after all living beings, immediately on teaching the short Root Tantra, the Conqueror taught the branch and explanatory tantras, etc.

de yang sdud pa po phyag na rdo rje’am dpal gyis brgyud nas mi’i ’jig rten du ’ongs so/ de la rdzogs ldan dang gsum ldan dang gnyis ldan dang rtsod pa can gyi dus su zhal gyi gdams ngag dang rtsa ba’i rgyud dang yan lag gi rgyud dang bshad pa’i rgyud la sogs pa la ’jug pa zhes bya ba ni kha cig smra’o/ gzhan dag ni rtsod pa’i dus ’di nyid du sems can thams cad rjes su gzung ba’i phyir nyung ngu’i rtsa ba’i rgyud bstan pa’i de ma thag tu bcom ldan ’das kyis yan lag gi rgyud dang bshad pa’i rgyud la sogs pa bstan zhes zer ro/ phyogs ’di yang ’ongs pa yin te//

152.  See n. 151, above. This kind of ambidexterity apparently didn’t bother Tāranātha either, who stated unambiguously that the noble tradition literature attributed to Nāgārjuna and the PU attributed to Chandrakīrti “were not spread” and “were not composed and spread” during their lifetimes, but were propagated by a Nāgabodhi who preserved the teachings until late in the first millennium. Wedemeyer 2007, 19–20.

153.  Alaṁka 4A–7A.

154.  Alaṁka (4B): bshad pa rnam pa bzhi/

155.  Alaṁka 4A–4B.

156.  See R. Thurman, “Vajra Hermeneutics,” in Lopez 1988.

157.  Alaṁka (4A–5A): de la dang po rdo rje phreng ba’i rgyud sdud pa po phyag na rdo rje’am ’jam dpal rgyud kyi don ma lus pa thugs la nye bar bzhag nas ngag dang po gleng zhi ngag gi rnam grangs gzhan dang dan pa ’di skad ces bya ba la sogs pa gsungs so/ ’di la don gsum ste/ gleng gzhi’i ngag gi dgos pa dang/ gleng gzhi’i bsdud pa’i don dang de nyid kyi yan lag gi don to/ de la dang po nyan pa po’i skye bo la dbugs dbyung ba bskyed pa dang/ bcom ldan ’das kyi bka’ yongs su bskyang ba dang/ yid ches pa’i gdams ngag thob pas bdag nyid khyad par du ’phags pa’i nyan pa por ston pa nyid do/ bsdus don zhes bya ba ni phun sum tshogs pa lnga dang ldan pa ste/ de la ’di skad ces bya ba la sogs pas bstan pa’i bya ba phun sum tshogs pa’o/ bdag gis thos pa zhes bya ba la sogs pas ni ’khor phun sum tshogs pa mdor bstan pa’o/ dus gcig na zhes bya ba la sogs pas ni dus phun sum tshogs pa’o/ bcom ldang ’das zhes bya ba la sogs pas ni ston pa po phun sum tshogs pa’o/ de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku dang gsung dang thugs kyi snying po rdo rje btsun mo’i bha ga rnams la bzhugs te/ zhes bya ba la sogs pas ni gnas phun sum tshogs pa gsungs so// de la yan lag gi don rnam pa gnyis te/ dang po ni bshad pa rnam pa bzhi dang/ gnyis pa ni phyi dang nang gi bdag nyid kyis bshad pa’i dbye ba’o/ de la yi ge’i don bshad pa’i skabs su phun sum tshogs pa rnam pa lngas bshad par bya ste/ de bzhin nyid dang zla ba dang/ sa bon dang/ lus kyi dbye bas bcom ldan ’das dzogs pa’i ji skad du gsungs pa’i gzhal yas khang gi nang du bzhugs pa ni/ mtha drug gi bshad pa’i rjes su ’brangs nas shes par bya zhing rtogs par bya’o//

158.  Alaṁka 5A–7A.

159.  Over the course of the tantra, Buddha is sometimes referred to as “Vajradhara,” “The Vajra Lord,” “Vajrasattva,” the “Vajrin,” etc.

160.  VR 8B, ch. 2, v. 7.

161.  VR 8B, ch. 2, v. 8.

162.  VR 8B–9A, ch. 2, vv. 9–11; Alaṁka 36B.

163.  VR 96A, ch. 65, v. 11.

164.  VR 96A, ch. 65, v. 12.

165.  VR 96B, ch. 65, vv. 16–17.

166.  VR 96B, ch. 65, v. 14.

167.  VR 97B, ch. 66, vv. 2–4.

168.  VR 10B, ch. 3, v. 2.

169.  shes rab ye shes dbang bskur. See VR 19B, Ch. 9, v. 11. I am translating shes rab , Skt. prajñā , as “wisdom,” concordant with the traditional perfection of wisdom for Prajñāpāramitā, Tib. shes rab kyi pha rol du phyin pa , and ye shes, Skt. jñāna , as “intuition,” “intuitive wisdom,” or “primal intuition,” according with the sense of the Tibetan ye, “primordial.” “Intuition” is chosen here to emphasize the nonconceptual nature of ye shes , particularly apt given the VR’s emphasis on nonconceptuality and the overcoming of the conceptual energies in vajra repetition.

170.  VR 9B, ch. 2, v. 18.

171.  VR 43A, ch. 3, vv. 5–6. Alaṁka (43B) explains: “In order to explain the word vajra, [the Tantra ] says, ‘The vajra, moreover, [pierces] thought constructions’ because it overcomes the 160-fold accumulation of instinctual natures. Well-known [means] expressed. Moreover, it means that it is ‘transformed by the force of two types of the spirit of enlightenment.’ ‘The continua of those rosaries’ [refers] to the drops of enlightenment spirit. If someone asks what kind, in response to that he says ‘of the spirit of enlightenment,’ [meaning] the conventional [kind]. If someone says to what is it connected, in response to that he says, ‘the vajrin,’ ‘vajrin’ meaning ‘those with the vajra body with the nature of requesting all the transcendents.’” rdo rje’i sgra bshad pa’i phyir/ rdo rje de yang rnam rtog rnams/ zhes gsungs te/ rang bzhin gyi tshogs brgya drug cu po rnams bcom pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ yongs su grags pa ni brjod pa’o/ de yang rnam pa gnyis kyi byang chub kyi sems kyi stobs kyis ’gyur zhes bya ba’i don to/ phreng ba de rnams kyi yang rgyun/ zhes bya ba ni byang chub kyi sems kyi thig le rnams so/ gang gis she na/ de’i phyir byang chub sems kyi zhes gsungs te/ kun rdzob kyi’o/ gang dang ’brel pa zhe na/ de’i phyir rdo rje can zhes gsungs te/ rdo rje can zhes bya ba ni de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad zhu ba’i bdag nyid can rdo rje’i sku can rnams zhes bya ba’i tha tshig go//

172.  VR 12B, ch. 4, vv. 3–5.

173.  VR 12B–13A, ch. 4, vv. 5–6.

174.  Alaṁka (53A): gsang snying pad ma kha ’byed pa/ zhes gsungs te/ gsang ba ni sba bar bya ba’o/ pad ma ni lha mo’i pad ma ste/ de rtogs par byed pa ni rab tu sad par byed pa ste/ rdo rje las spros pa’i ’od zer gyi tshogs kyis zhes bya ba’i don to/ ji ltar phyi rol du nyi ma shar bas mtsho skyes kha ’byed par ’gyur ro/ de bzhin du bcom ldan ’das kyi nyi ma’i ’od zer rnams kyis gsang ba’i chu skyes kha ’byed par ’gyur zhes rtogs par bya’o//

175.  Alaṁka 53B–54A. “The branch of the three concentrations includes yoga, atiyoga, anuyoga, and mahāyoga, etc . ” (Alaṁka 53B) ting nge ’dzin gsum gyi yan lag ni rnal ’byor dang/ rjes su rnal ’byor dang/ shin tu rnal ’byor dang/ rnal ’byor chen po la sogs pa rnams/

176.  Alaṁka 54B.

177.  Alaṁka 54A and VR 12B, ch. 4, v. 3.

178.  VR 12B, ch. 4, v. 3 and Alaṁka 54B.

179.  VR 18B, ch. 8, v. 5.

180.  VR 63A, ch. 44, v. 17.

181.  VR 20B, ch. 10, v. 10.

182.  VR 91B, ch. 62, v. 28.

183.  VR 23A–B, chapter 12, vv. 16, 22.

184.  VR 33A, ch. 17, v. 8; Alaṁka 125B.

185.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 37.

186.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 30.

187.  VR 58A, ch. 36, v. 2.

188.  VR 58A, ch. 36, v. 4.

189.  VR 64B–65A, ch. 46, v. 3.

190.  VR 68A, ch. 50, vv. 7–9.

191.  VR 68A, ch. 50, vv. 5–8.

192.  VR 68A, ch. 50, v. 12.

193.  VR 68A, ch. 50, v. 11.

194.  VR 9B, ch. 2, v. 23.

195.  VR 9B, ch. 2, v. 24. To the extent that the VR should be construed as a whole, chapter 44 suggests that this is not meant to be taken literally; that the reference is to code words for yoginīs with various characteristics.

196.  VR 9B, ch. 2, vv. 25–26.

197.  Given the context and the various activities described in this chapter, I am translating bsten pa here as “makes love.” Alaṁka (41A) states:

“He should make love with,” means “he should make love” in meditative absorption with that one. The rest is that it is “the master” [who does this]. “From lovemaking” [means], the sound of great bliss having summoned all the Buddhas, they enter from the crown aperture, visualized as melting within, and “whatever is produced” by the union of vajra and lotus is the enlightenment spirit [semen] in the form of all transcendents, that “falls” into the mouth of the disciple, meaning “into the mouth of the fortunate one.”

bsten par bya zhes bya ba ni de nyid la snyoms par ’jug pas bsten par bya zhes bya ba’i don to/ slob dpon gyis zhes bya ba’i lhag ma’o/ bsten pa las ni zhes bya ba nib de ba chen po’i sgras de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad bkug nas tshangs pa’i bu ga nas zhugs te/ nang du zhu bar bsams la rdo rje dang yang dag pa sbyor bas skye ba gang zhig de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi rnam pa’i byang chub kyi sems de slob ma’i khar dbab pa ni skal bzangs kha la ni zhes bya ba’ o//

198.  Because Alaṁka’s (40B) version of this part of the Tantra just has “seal,” phyag rgya , phyi nas phyag rgya bsten par bya, and is missing the “mother,” yum , that is found in the Lhasa VR, it is unclear from the text whether the woman offered, with whom the guru makes love, is one of the women referred to above who are offered to the guru. Here, “mother” may be an indication of gender or respect, or might have been added to keep the meter in the Tibetan; it probably does not refer to the disciple’s actual mother. But, unfortunately, because Alaṁka’s version is missing the term, he has no explanation for it.

199.  Given that this is not ordinary sexual activity, and that ejaculation is a “fault” in the practice, VR 91A–91B, ch. 62, v. 26, this does not appear to refer to postorgasm ejaculate, but to a substance generated prior to that. But see VR 80B, ch. 54, vv. 167–169; Onians 2001, 173–77. But the Tantra is not consistent on this point. See n. 235 below.

200.  VR 9B, ch. 2, vv. 27–28.

201.  VR 10A, ch. 2, v. 32. For an extended discussion of these practices, see Onians 2001, 173–77. The GST specifies that the yogi “should begin all yogas with the union of the two organs, for this is the unbreakable sacred law of all siddhis.” Fremantle 1971, 98.

202.  Alaṁka (69B):

“By holding the reality of energy” [means] in the space of the vajra and lotus. “Cause to hold” [means] placing the seed [syllables of] BYA and DHYE [on the tip of the vajra and lotus, respectively], or the process of “pressing with the foot [on the] ground,” or by the force of holding the energy directly.

rlung gi de nyid ’dzin pa yis/ zhes bya ba ni rdo rje dang pad ma’i nam mkha’ la’o/ ’dzin par byed ces bya ba ni/ bya dhye’i sa bon bkod pa’am/ sa ni rkang pas mnan byas zhes bya ba’i rim pa’am/ dngos su rlung bzhung ba’i stobs kyis so//

203.  VR 18B–19A, ch. 8, v. 6.

204.  VR 19A, ch. 9, v. 8.

205.  VR 19A, ch. 9, v. 1.

206.  VR 19A, ch. 9, v. 5.

207.  VR 19B, ch. 9, v. 9. Alaṁka (72A) specifies that the guru referred to in the Tantra refers in fact to the tantric guru bestowing the consecration. bla ma la yang zhes bya ba ni dbang bskur ba dang rgyud bshad pa la’o// While this seems curious, the main point here is to keep the practice secret.

208.  Tib. chos .

209.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 1.

210.  Alaṁka (216A): ’bras bus zhes bya ba ni bde sdug la sogs pa nyams su myong ba’i mtshan nyid do/ rgyas btab lta bur gnas zyes bya ba ni rten cing ’brel par ’byung ba’i tshogs pa bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i phyir te/ spyod yul las ’das pa’i phyir ro//

211.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v.2.

212.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 3.

213.  VR 62B, ch. 44, vv. 3–4; Alaṁka 216A–B.

214.  Alaṁka (216B): smon lam gyi stobs kyis lhun gyis grub pa’i phyir ro//

215.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 5.

216.  Alaṁka (216B): las rung thob pa skye zhes bya ba ni lhan cig skyes pa’i yul la las su rung ba nyid bskyed pa’i phyir//

217.  Alaṁka (217A): “the characteristic of showing exactly by example,” ji ltar dpes mtshon mtshan nyid ni /

218.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 7; Alaṁka 217A.

219.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 8.

220.  VR 62B, ch. 44, v. 9.

221.  Alaṁka (219A): khrus mkhan mo ni srung mor brjod/ ces bya ba ni dkar po’i chos rnam par ’phel bas de nyid la rjes su mthun pa dang bcas pa’i phyir ro//

222.  Alaṁka (219A): sme sha can ni chung mar rab tug rags/ zhes bya ba ni rnam par trog pa thams cad kyi gnyen po de kho nan yid nyams su myong bar byed pa nyid kyis thams can du bde ba’i rgyu nyid kyi phyir ro//

223.  Alaṁka (219A): sgyug mo gdol pa mo zhes bya ba ni gtum mo’o las byed pas skyed byed ma’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro// Alaṁka gives additional examples as well.

224.  VR 64A, ch. 44, v. 26.

225.  VR 77B–78A, ch. 54, vv. 128–31.

226.  VR 79B, ch. 54, v. 139–41.

227.  VR 77B–78A, ch. 54, v. 134.

228.  VR 79B, ch. 54, vv. 154, 160.

229.  VR 80A, ch. 54, vv. 161–162.

230.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 164.

231.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 165.

232.  VR 80B, ch. 54, vv. 167–69. Contrary to the suggestion in n. 201 above, this does suggest ejaculation, as contrasted with the statement that ejaculation is a “fault” in chapter 62. VR 91A–91B, ch. 62, vv. 25–26.

233.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 169.

234.  VR 80B, ch. 54, vv. 170–71.

235.  See, e.g., VR 80B–81A, ch. 54, vv. 174–179.

236.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 180.

237.  VR 80B, ch. 54, v. 181.

238.  VR 81B, ch. 54, v. 182.

239.  VR 89B, ch. 62, v. 1.

240.  VR 90A, ch. 62, vv. 5–6.

241.  VR 90A, ch. 62, vv. 7–9.

242.  VR 90A, ch. 62, v. 11.

243.  VR 90, ch. 62, vv. 12–13.

244.  VR 91A, ch. 62, v. 19.

245.  That is how I am interpreting verse 20’s “In the middle of the lotus bud is said to be the seat of the heroes.” VR 91A, ch. 62, v. 20.

246.  VR 91A, ch. 62, vv. 22–23.

247.  VR 91A, ch. 62, v. 24.

248.  VR 91A–91B, ch. 62, vv. 25–26.

249.  VR 91B, ch. 62, v. 27.

250.  VR 91B, ch. 62, v. 31.

251.  VR 91B, ch. 63, v. 32.

252.  VR 92B–93B, ch. 62, vv. 3–41.

253.  See generally H. Gadamer 1975.

254.  As stated in the Elucidation of Intention Tantra :

Please explain the holy vajra of intention,

The intuitive wisdom of all the transcendent lords,

The unexcelled spirit of enlightenment,

O Blessed One, the secret.

dgongs pa’i rdo rje dam pa ni/

de bzhin gshegs pa kun ye shes/

byang chub sems ni bla med pa/

gsang ba bcom ldan bshad du gsol/

(Saṃdhivyākaraṇa-nāma-tantra; dgongs pa lung bstan pa zhes bya ba’i rgyud, Tōh. 444, Stok Palace, Rgyud, vol. Ca, 107A, 3–4.)

255.  I call this “hermeneutic yoga” and teach a course on it at Columbia, “Interpreting Buddhist Yoga: Hermeneutics East, West, Quantum.” It is a powerful technique for exploring the nature of mind and emptiness, as well as one’s own self-constructs and psychological, biological, and cultural predispositions and biases.

256.  Katz 1984, 192, citing Thurman 1978, 22. For this proposition, Katz cites the Brahmajāla Sūtta , addressing the question of how to interpret the claims of other Indian religions, and Buddha’s discussion with Ānanda in the Saṁyutta Nikāya , in which he explains to Ānanda why he has taught Vacchogotta that there is indeed a self.

257.  See, e.g., Lamotte 1988, 11.

258.  See Katz 1984, 194.

259.  See Thurman 1984.

260.  Katz 1994, 5. The sole exception to this notion is where the intended audience would benefit from a categorical, nonprovisional presentation of doctrine, philosophy, or institutions, which of course is not an exception at all.

261.  See generally Kittay 2005 for a presentation of this argument for “ultimate upāya .” Alexis Sanderson asserts that, generally, Buddhist tantra is a borrowing from Śaiva sources (Sanderson 2009). Whether or not this is historically true, nothing would have been more upāyic than doing so. Indeed, Alaṁka notes that the VR’s count of the chakras refers to “the nature of counting the chakras known from the systems of others because it is explained in most cases as due to sentient beings living with faith in that.” 24A ( gzhan gyi grub pa’i mtha’ las grags pa’i ’khor lo rnams kyi grangs kyi ngo bo de la mos pa’i sems can rnams ). One of Sanderson’s arguments is that “the requirement that candidates enter a state of possession ( āveṡaḥ ) at the time of their initiation . . . is the hallmark of initiation in the Ṡaiva Kaula systems, setting them apart from all others [fn. omitted]” (133). However, that such states spontaneously arise during initiation as the result of good meditation (personal communication with H.E. Rizong Rinpoche, May 29, 2005) seems to support Ruegg’s argument that many of these elements are pan-Indian rather than strictly arising within one tradition or the other. See Ruegg 2008.

262.  Thurman 1984, 253. Tsong Khapa aligns these in the Madhyamaka tradition with ultimate and conventional realities, respectively (257–58).

263.  Kongtrul 2005 has a good summary of these at 279–300.

264.  Vajrajñānasamuccaya , Tōh. 447. The seven ornaments as set forth in the PU are:

1. The five preliminaries (upodghāta): the tantra’s (1) name; (2) audience; (3) author; (4) size; and (5) purpose.

2. The four methods (nyāya) of or becoming a buddha in accord with Śākyamuni’s biography, respectively expressed for the dispassionate and the passionate disciple: (1) lineage, being born as a human, or, for the passionate, generating one’s self in the lineage of the five buddha families; (2) basis, i.e., becoming a renunciant, or recognizing that the buddhas in union are all of one family; (3) definitive word, i.e., following the Vinaya precepts, or accepting the tantric vows, including pure conduct in the union of vajra and lotus; and (4) means, i.e., meditation, or using great bliss in the path of desire.

3. The six parameters (koṭi): (1) interpretable meaning, generally relating to the creation stage; (2) definitive meaning, generally relating to the completion stage; (3) ulterior statement, for the sharpest disciples, e.g., “slay living creatures” as meaning “block karmic energies”; (4) standard statement, for disciples of lower faculties, to teach them the creation stage; (5) literal speech, concerning the three lower tantras; and (6) symbolic speech, the use of words coined specially for tantric practice, as found in chapter 63 of the VR.

4. The four procedures (naya) of interpretation (vyākhyā): (1) literal meaning, for ordinary people; (2) general meaning, for exoteric Buddhists, lower Tantra practitioners, and creation stage yogi/nīs; (3) concealed meaning, involving practices of the yogi and yoginī involving sexual desire, and involving vajra repetition and speech isolation, the three luminances of mind isolation, and the illusory body, i.e., the first, second, and third of the PK’s five stages; and (4) ultimate meaning, relating to the fourth and fifth stages of clear light and integration or communion.

5. The two forms, of public (satravyākhyāna) and individual (śiṣyākhyāna) teachings.

6. The five persons (pañcapudgala), from the superior jewel-like disciple to the more challenged sandalwood; and

7. Performance (sādhana) of the two truths, in the context of the illusory body and integration or communion.

Kongtrul 2007, 279–91; Campbell 2009.

265.  VR ch. 1, v. 11 (emphasis added).

266.  VR ch. 1, vv. 17, 20 (emphasis added).

267.  VR ch. 2, v. 3 (emphasis added).

268.  VR ch. 3, v. 1 (emphasis added).

269.  Alaṁka (102B): don rnam pa bzhis rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud kyi rjes su ’brangs nas/

270.  VR ch. 14, v 4.

271.  Alaṁka (102A): rjes su chags pa’i ngo bon yid kyis de’i bshad pa bstan pa’i phyir//

272.  Alaṁka (101A): yi ge a ni phye bay is/ zhes bya ba ni don dam pa ni stong pa nyid kyi rnam pa’i rdo rje’o//

273.  Alaṁka 103B.

274.  Alaṁka 102B.

275.  Alaṁka 103B.

276.  Alaṁka (104B): de nyid kyis zhes bya ba ni ji lta ba bzhin du rtog pa’i mtshan nyid can rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba la’o//

277.  Alaṁka (104B): e ni pad ma zhes gsungs te/ zhes bya ba ni lha mo’i chu skyes la e yig gi rnam pa’i dbyigs dang ldan pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ yi ge bam ni rdo rje nyid/ ces bya ba ni rdo rje’i dang po sa bon nyid kyi phyir ro//

278.  Alaṁka (160B): gshin rje mthar byed ces bya ba gsungs te/ gshin rje mthar byed do/ gshin rje ni dmyal ba’o/ de la khro ba chen pos ting nge ’dzin gyi ngo bos mthar byed pas na de skad ces bya’o/ drang ba’i don to/ gshin rje ni ma rig pa’o/ de las ’od gsal gyi ngo bos mthar byed pas na de skad ces bya ste/ nges pa’i don to/ shes rab mthar byed ces bya ba ni shes rab mthar byed do/ shes rab rnam par bcad pas nyon mongs pa mthar byed pas na de skad ces bya ste/ drang ba’i don to/ ’jug pa’i rnam par shes pa yongs su ’gyur ba’i bdag nyid kyi phyir shes rab bo/ de la ’od gsal ba zhugs pas mthar byed pa’i phyir shes rab mthar byed do/ nges pa’i don to/ padma mthar byed ces bya ba ni padma mthar byed do/ chu yis mi gos pa’i padma ltar nyon mongs pas ma gos par gyur pas de rnams mthar byed pas na de skad ces bya ste/ drang ba’i don to/ padma ni skye gnas so/ mthar ni dbus te/ de la bde ba byed pas na padma mthar byed de/ nges pa’i don to//

279.  VR 61A, ch. 41, v. 3.

280.  Alaṁka (210B): glo bur ba’i dri mas gyogs pa’i phyir ro//

281.  Alaṁka (211A): gzung ba dang ’dzin pa’ i gnyen por gyur pa’i stong pa nyid kyi ye shes lus rnam par dben pa’i mtshan nyid de//

282.  VR 61A, ch. 41, v. 6. Cf. Steppenwolf 1968, “Born to Be Wild” (“Take the world in a love embrace, fire all of your guns at once, and explode into space”). Well, maybe don’t fire. VR 91B, ch. 62, v. 27. See notes 201 and 235 above.

283.  la la nā dang ra sa nā dang a wa dhū tī dang lha sbyin dang nor rgyal gyi mtshan nyid can gyi rtsa lnga’i ram mkha’ la thim pa ni. . . . // I am following Alaṁka (212B) here, who has thim pa , “dissolves”; the Lhasa VR has brten , “relies on,” VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 2, but the meaning is similar.

284.  VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 4.

285.  Alaṁka 212B.

286.  Alaṁka (212B): da ni bya ba’i sgo nas khams kyi ngo bon yid ni/ nor bu’i lte bar zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ nang du chos ’byung gi rnam pa la’o/ phyi ni pad ma ’dab ma brgyad pa’i ngo bo rdo rje’i dbyibs can la’o/ dbus gnas pa zhes bya ba ni gsang ba’i sna rtse’i nang du gnas pa’i phyir ro// Recalling that in chapter 24 the secret nose tip was described as extending from the navel chakra to the end of the central channel at the tip of the vajra or lotus, there is no conflict here (Alaṁka 166A).

287.  Alaṁka 212B–213A.

288.  VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 5.

289.  Alaṁka (213A): phyi rol pa’i phyag rgya dang ro mnyam pa’i rtog pa’i mtshan nyid la gnas pas na dam tshig la gnas pa rnams so//

290.  VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 5.

291.  Alaṁka (213A): don dam par rang bzhin med pa nyid kyis [following Peking and Narthang’s kyis instead of Derge’s kyi ] rnam pa la sogs pa mi ’thad pa’i phyir ro//

292.  VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 7.

293.  Alaṁka (213B): rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’ rnam pa rdo rje ’chang chen ’po ’ i rten no//

294.  VR 64B, ch. 46, v. 3.

295.  VR 65A, ch. 46, v. 4.

296.  VR 65A, ch. 46, v. 5.

297.  See generally Y. Bentor 2000 for an excellent discussion of the interiorization of the fire offering in India and Tibet. There, however, the focus is on the Śrī-Vajraḍāka Tantra and commentarial works. Bentor subdivides interior fire rituals into five categories: (1) based on inner heat and the subtle body; (2) offerings of great bliss performed with a consort; (3) food ritual; (4) mental; and (5) offerings of wisdom, which destroy ignorance, noting that “no single Tibetan work I have consulted recounts all five of these categories in a straightforward manner” (596 and n. 10). Arguably, the VR presents all five, although the food ritual may be a stretch, with the sole reference to food being that “the secret lotus fills up with butter.” VR 88A, ch. 60, v. 4.

298.  VR 87B, ch. 60, v. 1.

299.  VR 87B, ch. 60, v. 2.

300.  VR 87B, ch. 60, v. 3.

301.  VR 87B, ch. 60, vv. 4–5.

302.  VR 87B, ch. 60, v. 6.

303.  VR 87B, ch. 60, vv. 6–9.

304.  Kittay 2011.

305.  The thinking behind the formulation of an algorithm was and is that asking the question “How Much?” is a powerful method of fostering dialogue among different views, be those views religious or political. It is a way in the present context of getting beyond the dogmatism of those who, for instance, assert that Buddhist tantra was all about power and financial gain versus those who assert that Buddhist tantra is purely spiritual. I said more about this in my talk at TEDx, Black Rock City, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4bkrnjz2Do .

306.  Dennett 1990.

307.  rnam pa sna tshogs .

308.  rnam par smin.

309.  rnam par ’joms.

310.  mtshan nyid bral.

311.  Tib. lhan cig skyes pa or Skt. sahaja mean “born together,” therefore “innate” or, in the sexual context, where the two organs are together, “orgasmic.”

312.  VR 36B–37A, ch. 19, vv. 3–6. The Tibetan is na li las byung shu kra ’das/ rnam pa dang bral skad cig go// The cited verses have na li , with no deviation in the Pedurma or in Stok Palace which, in the context, appears to mean channels, so this could have been nāḍī , “channel,” in the Sanskrit. Alaṁka does not comment on these verses.

313.  VR 37A, ch. 19, v. 6.

314.  Alaṁka (136A). Tsong Khapa (2010, 62) notes that the demarcation between chapters 19 and 20 differs in the various translations of the VR.

315.  VR 38A, ch. 20, v. 17.

316.  Tib. dga’ ; Skt. ānanda .

317.  Tib. mchog tu dga’ ; Skt. paramānanda .

318.  Tib. dga’ bral , lit. “free from ecstasy”; Skt. viramānanda , lit. “the end of ecstasy” or “cessation of ecstasy.”

319.  Tib. lhan cig skyes pa dga’ , Skt. sahajānanda . Explaining these, Alaṁka (136B) quotes the Hevajra Tantra : “Slight bliss is Ecstasy/ Supreme Ecstasy is more than that/ Transcendent Ecstasy is free from passion/ The fourth is free from these.” cung zad bde ba dga’ ba ste/ mchog tu dga’ ba de las lhag/ dga’ bral chags pa bral ’gyur te/ bzhi pa ’di rnams dang ni bral/

320.  Alaṁka (137A): de la ha yig ha dbyibs mi shigs pa yod ’pa’i phyir dang/

321.  Alaṁka 137A.

322.  VR 37A–B, ch. 20, vv. 3–4.

323.  Alaṁka (137A–B): bde chen ’khor lo’i spyi bo la/ zhes bya ba ni ’dab ma sum cu rtsa gnyis pa rlung gi ’khor lo’i mthar thug pa la’o/ de ni dga’ bar bshad pa yin/ zhes bya ba ni ye shes kyi mes gdungs pa’i stobs kyis zhu bar byed pa’i byang chub kyi sems kyi khams de las ’pho ba’i phyir ro/ de ni zhes bya ba ni de’i rjes la’o/ longs spyod ces bya ba ni longs spyod kyi ’khor lo ’dab ma bcu drug la me’i ’khor lo’i mthar thug par mchog dga’o/ mgrin pa las lhag pa’i gnas kyi mthar thug par cung zad yan lag thams cad la byang chub kyi sems kyis khyab pa’i phyir ro/ dga’ bral chos kyi khor lor gnas zhes bya ba ni rtsa brgyad kyi ngo bo chos kyi ’khor lo ste byang chub kyi sems kyis de ’thob pas chags pa dang chags bral dga’ la de nyid du rig pa’i phyir ro/ ’dir yang tha mal pa’i dang rnal ’byor pa’i dga’ bral gyi gnas skabs bla ma’i zhal las rtogs par bya’o/ de nyid la bla ma’i man ngag gi stobs kyis don gyi lhan cig skyes pa bsgoms pas shes par bya’o// I am translating don gyi lhan cig skyes pa here as “actual orgasm”; see Hopkins 1988, 253–58.

324.  Alaṁka (137B): lugs las ’byung ba’i rim/

325.  VR 37B, ch. 20, v. 5.

326.  VR 37B, ch. 20, vv. 6–7. Alaṁka (137B) also mentions “tugging hair” here.

327.  Alaṁka 137B–138A.

328.  VR 37B, ch. 20, v. 12.

329.  VR 37B, ch. 20, v. 8; Alaṁka 138A.

330.  VR 37B, ch. 20, v. 9.

331.  Alaṁka (138A): “The moment free from characteristics” because it is free from the characteristics of the three other occasions of that [i.e., the three other ecstasies]. As it is said, “Free from the characteristics of the three others, abandoning passion and dispassion.” mtshan nyid dang bral skad cig des bya ba ni de las gzhan pa’i gnas skabs gsum gyi mthan nyid dang bral ba’i phyir ro/ ji skad du/ mtshan nyid bral ba gsum las gzhan/ chags dang dhags bral rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba gsungs so// Alaṁka appears to be quoting the Mandala Ritual of the Arising of Glorious Heruka , dpal he ru ka ’byung ba shes bya ba ’ i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga ; Śrī-herukabhūta-nāma-maṇḍalavidhi , Tōh. 1261, 323A, although this quote appears in a number of texts.

332.  lugs las bzlog pa’i rim. Alaṁka 138B.

333.  VR 37B, ch. 20, v. 12.

334.  Either of the three main channels, center, left, and right, following the Lhasa VR, 38A, ch. 20, v. 15, or the chakra channels of the four or six main chakras, following Alaṁka’s (139A) version of the Tantra : “‘The great space of all the channels,’ [meaning] in the actual cavities of space of the four chakras or the six chakras.” rtsa rnams kun gyi nam mkha’ che/ zhes gsungs te/ ’khor lo bzhi rnams sam ’khor lo drug gi rtsa’i nam mkha’ khong stong gi ngo bo ’a’o//

335.  VR 38A, ch. 20, v. 16. This can be interpreted to be the significance of the “sixteen-year-old girl” referred to in chapter 2, above.

336.  VR 10B, ch. 3, v. 6. In May 2005, in light of the Dalai Lama’s statements that translating authoritative tantric texts was permissible (see, e.g., T. Gyatso 1977, 17), I asked H.E. Rizong Rinpoche whether it was permissible to translate the Vajra Rosary into English. At first, Rinpoche said that the Vajra Rosary contained things that were stated indirectly because they were secret, but then that it might be an exception. He then thought about it, and said that since it had been translated into Tibetan, and existed in Tibetan, there was no reason why it couldn’t be translated into English. In his The Economics of Ecstasy, John Urban wrote that undergoing initiation in an esoteric tradition requiring secrecy would compound the academic author’s “epistemological and ethical double bind . . . a hundredfold” (Urban 2001, 15–19). Many of the methodological problems identified by Urban are obviated by the Buddhist tradition’s modification of its attitude toward secrecy, although in the end the interpretation of requirements of secrecy is a hermeneutical problem that can be resolved by the interpreter alone.

337.  VR 16B, ch. 6, v. 40.

338.  VR 19A, ch. 8, v. 8.

339.  See Alaṁka (72A), “‘even to the guru’ [means] to the one explaining the consecration and tantra,” bla ma la yang zhes bya ba ni dbang bskur ba dang rgyud bshad pa la’o// specifying that tantric practices should even be kept secret from the guru who bestows the consecration and explains tantra.

340.  VR 19B, ch. 9, vv. 8–9.

341.  VR 20A, ch. 9, v. 17.

342.  I.e., “ a. ”

343.  I.e., “ u, ” so “ au ,” equivalent to “ o. ”

344.  I.e., anusvāra , making “ OṀ .”

345.  VR 29A, ch. 15, v. 26.

346.  Denma Lochö Rinpoche, personal communication, October 7, 2008, and July 18, 2009.

347.  Rangjung Dorje 2014, xxii.

348.  VR 11B, ch. 3, vv. 22–26. Alaṁka (44A–B) explains:

“[Vajra repetition] causes the piercing of all of the conceptual energy-winds,” meaning that the breath that is produced by the count of the [six] chakras causes the division into divisions by dividing up all 108 energy-winds, in the stage of the thatness of energy-wind and mantra. . . . He says, “Certainly by day and by night, more than one-hundred eight clearly [arise and perish]”; these are the personal instructions. Here, initially, the Lord states the division of the winds according to the aggregates and the [sense] powers as the ten winds from the Vajra Door Mahāyoga Tantra: “Vitality, evacuative, metabolic, ascending, and pervading; serpent, tortoise, lizard, devadatta and dhanujit.” In this way, positing the tenth energy-wind as “pervading,” which is free from activity, there will [only] be nine [others] that pervade the entire body. . . . Thus, by counting nine energies to be abandoned of the six chakras to be explained, makes fifty-four in a day. Combining the night [breaths] with that one, it becomes “one-hundred eight.”

rnam rtog rlung kun ’bigs par byed/ ces bya ba ni ’khor lo’i grangs kyis skyes pa’i dbugs ni rlung thams cad brgya rtsa brgyad kyi dbye bas phye ba rnams la ’byed pa byed pa ni/ rlung dang sngags kyi de kho na nyid kyi rim pas zhes bya ba’i don to/ . . . nyin dang mtshan mo nges par ni/ brgya dang brgyad lhag gsal bar yang/ zhes gsungs te/ ’dir gdams ngag ni ’di yin te/ ’dir re zhig bcom ldan ’das kyis phung po dang dbang po’i rlung gi dbye bas rdo rje’i sgo zhes bya ba rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud las rlung bcu po gsungs pa/ ji skad du/ srog dang thur sel mnyam gnas dang/ gyen rgyu khyab byed ces bya dang/ klu dang rus sbal rtsangs pa dang lha sbyin dang ni nor rgyal lo/ zhes gsungs so/ de ltar na khyab byed ces bya ba’i rlung bcu pa bzhag nas dgu po yod par ’gyur te/ gang gi phyir ce bya ba dang bral ba dang/ lus thams cad la khyab par byed pa’o/ . . . de ltar ’di spangs pa’i dbugs dgu ’chad par ’gyur ba’i ’khor lo drug gu grangs kyis nyin par lnga bcu rtsa bzhi ’byung bar ’gyur ro/ mtshan mo yang de nyid de gnyis ka bsdus nas brgya rtsa brgyad du ’gyur zhes so/ Tsong Khapa notes these names as well (Tsong Khapa 2010, 225–226), as does Patanjali, with respect to the five main energy-winds. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Ballantyne 1995), ch. 3, vv. 39–40, 86.

349.  Adding the pervading energy would make “more than 108.” VR 12B, ch. 3, v. 37.

350.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 226–27.

351.  Alaṁka (44B) notes that “the 108 energy-winds of the nature of conceptuality” arise “by the power of the energies in grasping the objects of consciousness.” rnam rtog rang bzhin rlung rnams ni/ zhes bya ba ni rlung gi dbang gis rnam par shes pa’i yul rnams ’dzin pas/ See also Abhidharmakośa ch. 2, v. 33: “Proud, haughty, and arrogant are [how] they are attracted to their own phenomena, [how] they touch the mind.” nga rgyal khengs pa rgyags pa ni/ rang gi chos la chags pa yi/ sems ni yongs su gtugs pa’o//

352.  Alaṁka (45A): dung phyur zhes bya ba ni shin tu shugs kyi rtsa la brten nas a dang ra [per Peking and Narthang; Derge has ri ] dag gis rtogs pa zhes bya ba ni dung phyur te /

353.  In VR ch. 42, v. 4, AṀ and RAṀ are described as the seed syllables of two of the five, presumably main, channels of the heart chakra. See also VR ch. 17, v. 17, giving the Tibetan names of the heart chakra channels, and Alaṁka 127B, commenting that those are the seed syllables of Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, Amogasiddhi, Vairochana, Lochanā, Nairatmya, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Tārā, respectively.

354.  In glossing chapter 3, Alaṁka (50A) explains that [the vitality energy] “overcomes energy-wind” because, having abandoned the other energy-winds, it remains. Or, by meditation on the thatness of energy-wind, one overcomes the energies. “Moves in a nine-fold way” [means] that very one, vitality energy, that arises from the navel. rlung ni ’joms par byed ces bya ba ni rlung gzhan yongs su spangs nas gnas pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ yang na rlung gi de kho na nyid bsgoms pas rlung gzhan rnams ’joms par byed pa’o/ dgu’i rnam par rgyu zhes bya ba ni de nyid lte ba nas ’byung ba’i srog ni rlung ngo/

355.  For example, Alaṁka (53B–54A) explains how in meditation various mantras are placed on the petals of the chakras. For example:

[T]he emanation chakra has sixty-four petals, the sixteen vowels divided by art and wisdom, making two divisions out of them, becoming thirty-two vowels. For the thirty-four consonants one eliminates RA and KSHA so one has thirty-two. One should place these on the emanation chakra. Similarly, the syllable in center of dharma chakra is the syllable HŪṀ. One should place BRŪ ṀĀṀ JRĪṀ and KHAṀ on the petals, and LAṀ MAṀ PAṀ and TAṀ in the intermediate directions. In the enjoyment chakra, one should place sixteen vowels on sixteen petals. Or else according to Krishnacharya, one puts the OṀ letter in the middle, [and] in the four cardinal directions one makes “A I U and E.” In center of the thirty-two petals of the great bliss chakra, [place] the syllable HAṀ, which is indestructible. Double the vowels to put on petals, [making] thirty-two. [Then] on the left and right channels as appropriate [you put] twelve vowels with their looking upward, and with the twenty-four of the consonants such as KA, there are two sides turning around. With the anusvāra above them one should meditate.

sprul pa’i ’khor lo ni rtsa ’dab ma drug cu rtsa bzhi pa’i bdag nyid can la dbyang yig bcu drug la thabs dang shes rab kyi dbye bas rnam pa gnyis su dbye ba byas nas dbyangs yig sum cu rtsa gnyis su ’gyur ro/ ka la sogs pa gsal byed sum cu rtsa bzhi la ra dang ksha gnyis spangs nas sum cu gnyis gzung bar bya ste/ de rnams ni sprul pa’i ’khor lo la dgod par bya’o/ de bzhin du chos kyi ’khor lo’i dbus su yi ge HŪṀ yig go/ ’dab ma rnams la BRŪṀ ĀṀ JRĪṀ KHAṀ ngo/ mtshams rnams su LAṀ MAṀ PAṀ TAṀ zhes dgod pa bya’o/ longs spyod kyi ’khor lo’i ’dab ma bcu drug las dbyangs yi bcu drug po dgod par bya’o/ yang na nag po spyod pa pa’i bzhid kyi dbus su OṀ yig go/ phyogs kyi rtsa ’dab ma bzhi la A I U E zhes bya’o/ bde ba chen po’i ’khor lo rtsa ’dab ma sum cu rtsa gnyis kyi dbus la HAṀ yig gzhom du med pa’o/ ’dab ma rnams la ā li nyis ’gyur sum cu rtsa gnyis so/ g.yon pa dan g.yas pa’i rtsa la ji ltar rigs par byangs bcu gnyis po rnams kha gyen du blta bas ka la sogs pa’i gsal byed nyi shu rtsa bzhi pos logs gnyis la bskor ba byas nas/ de rnams kyi steng du ma’i yi ge thig le’i ngo bhtos bsgom par bya’o//

356.  VR ch. 17, v. 25.

357.  See Wallace 2007, 82–83.

358.  Alaṁka (44B): dang po nyid du rim pa lnga la brten nas/ grangs la sogs pa’i rim pa rlung gi de kho na nyid du thig le’i ngo bo bsgom pas/ sngags kyi de kho na nyid dag ni thun phyed phyed kyi bar du rnal ’byor rnam pa gsum la ltos nas/ thig le gsum po rim pa bzhin du nye bar mtshon par byas nas/ phyi nas ’jug pa dang ldang ba dag la rim pa de nyid kyi A yig gi rnam pas gnas pa’i rlung la nges par sbyar nas de nyid du thig le’i ngo bo bsgoms pas/ rlung phra mo’i nye bar mtshon nas de nyid du bskal pa’am bskal pa stong gi bar du gnas par bya zhes bya ba’o//

359.  VR 30B–31A, ch. 16, vv. 14–17.

360.  Alaṁka (117A):

[Interpreted] otherwise, the “secret anus” abides in the center, which is connected with wisdom, it abides in the center of the triangle. “[Its] name is [‘]unproduced[’]” [means] it is unproduced, because it is the antidote to all conceptuality. “Great part” because it is the support of the actuality of being marked by the full moon with the nature of the womb channel. “That also” [refers to] the channel of the triangle. “Is free from consciousness” [means that] since it is never associated with that, [it has] the nature of an inanimate thing.

gzhan dag ni bshang sgo gsang ba zhes bya ba ni shes rab dang ’brel pa’i dbus su gnas pa ni/ chos ’byung gi dbus su gnas pa’o/ ming ni ma skyes zhes bya ba ni ma skyes pa zhes bya ba rnam par rtog pa thams cad kyi cha chen po’i ri bong gis mtshan pa’i ngo bo’i rten gyi phyir ro/ de yang zhes bya ba ni chos ’byung gi rtsa’o/ rnam shes dang bral ba zhes bya ba ni rtag tu de dang lhan cig ma ’grogs pas bems po’i rang bzhin no//

361.  Alaṁka (117B): brgyal bar’gyur/

362.  Alaṁka 117B–118A. The role of the energies in the birth process is discussed in greater detail in VR chapter 32, and in the dissolution or death process in chapter 33.

363.  Alaṁka (198A): “‘Those energies are conceptual’ [refers to] the sending/holding [energy], etc., spoken of in the third chapter. ‘Those and the conceptualities’ [refers to] the conceptualities of desire, etc., produced by the force of energy.” rlung rnams de rnams rnam rtog ni/ zhes bya ba ni le’u gsum par gsungs pa’i btang bzung ba la sogs pa rnams kyi’o/ de rnams dang rnam rtog ni zhes bya ba ni rlung gi stobs kyis skyes pa’i ’dod chags la sogs pa’i rnam par rtog pa rnams la’o// Note that “desire” is the conceptuality in row 1 corresponding to the sending/holding energy-wind.

364.  VR 57A, ch. 35, v. 2.

365.  Ibid.

366.  Alaṁka (198A): thams cad stong pa’i ngo bo nyid/ ces bya ba ni rim gnyis bsgom pa’i stobs kyis rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i de kho na nyid kyi rgyur gyur pa’i phyir ro//

367.  VR 57B–58A, ch. 36, v. 2.

368.  Alaṁka (200B): rnam pa med pa’i rlung gi rlung/

369.  Alaṁka (200B) mchog tu rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i rnam pa’i de kho na nyid mngon du byed pa’i rgyu/

370.  Alaṁka 200B.

371.  Alaṁka (201A): gnyis pa thams cad rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba ni rnam rtog gi rlung dang bral ba’i phyir ro//

372.  Alaṁka 201A.

373.  Alaṁka 201B.

374.  Alaṁka (70B): “By the very activity of not moving toward the sense objects or by the reasoning to be described later, objects and object possessors are not established, and form is the actuality of Rūpavajrā, etc.” yul rnams la mi rgyu ba bya ba nyid kyis sam ’chad par ’gyur ba’i rigs pas yul dang yul can ma grub pa dang/ gzugs rdo rje ma la sogs pa’i ngo bo’o//

375.  VR 19B, ch. 9, v. 10.

376.  Although chapter 1 of Alaṁka’s Commentary discusses the second question of “What is emptiness,” in the much longer and detailed word commentary section it omits the Tantra ’s chapter 5, and resumes in the middle of chapter 6. Alaṁka 23A.

377.  VR 13B, ch. 5, v. 10.

378.  VR 14A, ch. 5, v. 12.

379.  VR 25A, ch. 13, v. 13.

380.  See Williams 2000, xiii.

381.  VR 13B, ch. 5, v. 2.

382.  VR 47B, ch. 25, v. 1.

383.  OṀ, emptiness-intuition, of the nature of vajra, that is me!

384.  VR 47B, ch. 25, v. 1.

385.  VR 47B, ch. 25, v. 2.

386.  Alaṁka (171B): stong pa nyid ces bya ba ni/ chos nyid la ’dod do//

387.  Alaṁka (171B): stong pa nyid zhes bya ba ni a wa dhū tī’i ngo ba/

388.  Alaṁka 172A:

If someone asks what it is, in response to that he says, “Akshobhya,” because the mind vajra is unable to be moved by the conceptions of the addictions. If someone asks how, in response to that he says, “The great main one,” “great” [meaning] the chief in the realm of beings, the sovereign. “There” [means] in the emptiness which is the nature of the central channel. “Always” [means] at all times. “The ground that remains” is the support. “This one” [refers to] Lord Akshobhya. If someone asks how, in response to that he says, “Having the name of vitality intuition,” [meaning] the actuality of the energy of clear light.

gang gi zhe na/ de’i phyir mi bskyod pa zhes bya ba gsungs te/ thugs kyi rdo rje ste/ nyon mongs pa’i rnam par rtog pa rnams kyis bskyod par mi nus pa’i phyir ro/ ji tha bu zhe na/ de’i phyir gtso bo chen po zhes bya ba gsungs te/ chen po ni sems can gyi khams la gtso bo ste mnga’ bdag go/ der ni zhes bya ba ni/ a wa dhū tī’i ngo bo’i stong pa nyid la’o/ rtag tu zhes bya ba ni dus thams cad du’o/ bzhugs pa’i sa zhes bya ba ni rten no/ ’di la zhes bya ba ni bcom ldan ’das mi bskyod pa’o/ ji lta bu zhe na/ de’i phyir srog gi ye shes ming can de/ zhes gsungs te/ ’od gsal ba’i rlung gi ngo bo ste/

389.  VR 47B, ch. 25, v. 5. As explained by Alaṁka (172A):

Now, in order to extensively teach the word of intuition, he says “intuition,” etc. “That very thing” is that emptiness, in the nature of the central channel. “Great bliss” is the very nature of ultimate great bliss, and “Filled with enlightenment spirit” [means] filled with the moon of conventional enlightenment spirit.

da ni ye shes kyi tshig rgyas par bstan pa’i phyir/ ye shes zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ de nyid ces bya ba ni stong pa nyid de ni/ a wa dhū tī’i ngo bo la’o/ bde chen zhes bya ba ni/ don dam pa’i bde ba chen po’i ngo bo nyid dang/ byang chub sems kyis gang ba nyid/ ces bya ba ni kun rdzob pa’i byang chub sems kyi zla bas gang ba nyid do//

390.  VR 47B–48A, ch. 25, vv. 7–10; Alaṁka 172B–173B.

391.  Alaṁka (173A): “‘Them’ [refers to] great Vajradhara and Vajradhātvīśvarī. ‘Uniting’ [means] having the characteristic of entering into the meditative equipoise of one taste. ‘Expressed as the emptiness vajra’ is shown by the words of emptiness and vajra, because it is communion.” de dag nyid ces bya ba ni rdo rje ’chang chen po dang/ rdo rje dbyings kyi dbang phyug ma dag la’o/ sbyor ba zhes bya ba ni ro gcig pa’i rnam par snyoms par ’jug pa’i mtshan nyid can no/ stong nyid ye shes zhes ni brjod/ ces bya ba ni stong pa nyid dang ye shes kyi tshig gis bstan pa yin te/ zung ’jug nyid kyi phyir/

392.  Dolpopa, quoting the VR, discusses eighteen emptinesses, but, unfortunately, doesn’t explain how. Dolpopa 2006, 346. Alaṁka (201B) in chapter 36 also refers to eighteen emptinesses.

393.  VR 66B, ch. 49, v. 1.

394.  VR 66B, ch. 49, v. 2.

395.  Comparing VR 66B–67B, ch. 49, vv. 2–13, with Chandrakīrti 2002, 93–96, 314–23 (Mipham’s Commentary), ch. VI, vv. 180–201. Like the Large Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom (see E. Conze 1975, 14–48), Chandrakīrti lists twenty emptinesses, explaining that four, which appear to be the last four, were used by Buddha in summarizing when speaking in brief. Chandrakīrti 2002, 93, v. 180. In this respect, the VR may call into question David Snellgrove’s assertion that in the “earlier period,” the Prasaṅgika school “seems to be scarcely known” (2002, 439), although whether this is true depends on when this particular portion of the VR appeared. See discussion at chapter 2 .

396.  VR 67B, ch. 49, v. 15.

397.  VR 67B, ch. 50, v. 2.

398.  Ibid.

399.  VR 67B, ch. 50, v. 3.

400.  VR 68A, ch. 50, vv. 5–6.

401.  VR 2A, prior to v. 1.

402.  Ibid.

403.  Alaṁka (93B):

“The indestructible state of Vajrasattva,” etc., [meaning] the vajra with the nature of the five channels, the essence of the five intuitions. As for that, the sattva in Vajrasattva] [refers to] the property of holding the conventional enlightenment spirit, “Vajrasattva” is the word for the actuality of that, the sound or state, because of being free from different divisions.

rdor sems go ’phang mi byed pa/ zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ ye shes lnga’i ngo bo rtsa lnga’i rang bzhin can gyi rdo rje ste/ de la sems ni kun rdzob byang chub sems ’dzin pa’i bdag nyid rdo rje sems dpa’ de’i ngo bo’i tshig ni sgra’am gnas te/ dbye ba tha dad pa dang bral ba’i phyir ro// See also Alaṁka 96A.

404.  Indeed, the current fourteenth Dalai Lama’s book on the bla ma mchod pa , the Guru Puja prayer, based in large part on the VR, is entitled The Union of Bliss and Emptiness . T. Gyatso 1988.

405.  VR 25A, ch. 13, v. 6.

406.  Usually, these instincts are numbered at 33, 40, and 7, respectively. Alaṁka has 32 here rather than 33.

407.  Alaṁka (95A): nyon mongs kun las rnam grol ba/ zhes bya ba ni sems kyi ’od gsal ba thob pa’i rjes la sgyu ma’i rang bzhin gyis lus phung pa’i rnam par rtog pa las log pa’i phyir dang/ bden pa’i rnam par rtog pa log pa’o/ bde ba thams cad la ’jug pa/ zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i rgyu phyi dang nang gi bdag nyid can gyi mngon par byang chub pa’i rim gyis nye bar thob pa’i phyir ro/ stong dang zhes bya ba ni bag chags su gyur pa sum cu rtsa gnyis kyi chags bral gyi rang bzhin gyis stong pa’i phyir ro/ shin tu stong pa zhes bya ba ni sngar bzhin rang bzhin gyi tshogs bzhi bcu spangs pa’i bdag nyid kyi phyir ro/ stong pa chen po dang zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyi tshogs bdun spangs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ mchog gi zhes bya ba ni sems kyi ’od gsal las mchog ste/ mchog tu gyur pa’o/ thams cad stong pa zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i rnam pa’o/ stong pa’i gnas zhes bya ba ni zung ’jug gi bdag nyid kyi phyir ro/ nam mkha’ lnga’i ngo bo nyid kyi zhes bya ba ni phung po lnga stong pa nyid kyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ mi chod ces bya ba ni rang gi rang bzhin ni ma bcos pas mi ’dor ba’i phyir ro/ mi phyed pa zhes bya ba ni glo bur ba’i nyon mongs pa la sogs pa rnams kyis dbye bar mi nus pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ mi ’gyur ba zhes bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa rnams kyis mi gnod pa nyid kyi phyir ro/

408.  Alaṁka (94B): rtsa ni lnga las ’bab pa’i rgyun/ zhes bya ba ni/ la la nā dang/ ra sa nā dang a ba dhū tī dang/ lhas sbyin dang nor rgyal ni ’bab pa’i phyir ro/

409.  Alaṁka (94B) commenting on VR 25A: “Having the nature of the five vajra intuitions” refers to the truth body, dharmakāya ; “having the nature of the five buddhas” to the enjoyment or beatific body, sambhogakāya ; and “the stream falling from the five channels” to the emanation body, nirmaṇakāya ( de ltar na rdo rje ye shes lnga’i dngos po zhes bya ba la sogs pas ni chos kyi sku’i ngo bo nyid bstan to/ sangs rgys lnga bdag rang bzhin can/ zhes bya ba ni longs spyod rdzogs pa’i sku’i ngo bo nyid bstan to/ rtsa ni lnga las ’bab pa’i rgyun/ zhes bya ba ni sprul pa’i ngo bo nyid bstan to// ).

410.  VR 26A, ch. 13, v. 26.

411.  Ibid.

412.  Alaṁka (100A): ting nge ’dzin gyi bgo bo nyid dang thabs dang shes rab kyi badg nyid can gyis so/ . . . rtog pa nye br zhi ba’i ng bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

413.  According to Alaṁka (61B), HŪṀ is the vitality energy, and HO the evacuative energy ( srog dang thur sel gyi rlung gnyis HŪṀ HO ). Alaṁka (60A) explains that HŪṀ, “sound,” is to be meditated in the center of the heart knot and HO, “drop,” in the center of the eyebrows ( yi ge gnyis po ’di nyid sgra’i thig le’i ming byas la zhes bya ba ni thig le ni smin ma’i dbus su gnyis pa’i rlung gi rnam pa’i ho yig go/ sgra zhes bya ba ni snying ga’i mdud pa’i steng du huṁ yig go ). Personal instructions are key here, as stressed in the VR, Alaṁka’s Commentary , and Buddhist tantric teachings in general.

414.  VR 17A, 17B, ch. 6, vv. 45, 50.

415.  Vitality, evacuative, ascending, metabolic, and pervading. For a description of these “root” winds, see K. Gyatso 2002, 26–27.

416.  Inflated, developed, crazy, drinking, and friend. Lati Rinpoche writes:

Initially, five channels of the heart form simultaneously — the central, right and left channels as well as the triple circle of the east [front] and the desirous one of the south [right].

The channel-wheel at the heart is composed of the central, right and left channels, around which are eight petals or spokes — four at the cardinal directions and four at the intermediate directions.

After that, three channels form simultaneously — the Free of Knots channel that abides with [and behind] the central channel, the Household One of the west [back], and the Fiery One of the north [left]. These are called the eight channels that initially form at the heart [not to be confused with the eight channel-petals of the heart]. (Lati Rinpoche and Denma Lochö Rinpoche 1983, 64). VR ch. 17 names those latter eight channels of the heart in verse 17.

417.  Crescent moon, mole [on the body], serving, dewlap, and liver. VR 15A, ch. 6, v. 13.

418.  Nāga , kurma , kṛkalasa , devadatta , and dhanujit . VR 15A, ch. 6, v. 14.

419.  VR 15A–15B, ch. 6, vv. 8–24. Alaṁka’s Commentary resumes at this point, so, at least in the Derge and Narthang recensions consulted, there is no commentary on chapter 6 up to here.

420.  See Tsong Khapa 2010, 310–25. Tsong Khapa (313) says, referring to the VR, “Here, what is not clearly stated in any other Tantra, the extremely secret point, is this yoga of opening the channel-knot of the heart center by the vajra repetition.”

421.  VR 16A, ch. 6, v. 27.

422.  Tsong Khapa explains:

Further, [the body isolation must be attained as] the prerequisite of speech isolation; because, since speech isolation is the special mantra repetition of the perfection stage, if that [deity] body is not present in the deity meditation of the reciter, the potency of that repetition will not develop. Further, [since speech isolation aims] to cause the wind-energies to collect and dissolve in the distinctive place of wind-energy contraction, the dhūti channel in the center of the heart complex, by the reason that in general such contraction is very easy when preceded by [body isolation’s] initial generation of bliss from contracting and dissolving into the central channel and is difficult when not so preceded, the order [of the two isolations] is so [determined]. This is because, as the VR states that the releasing of the channel knot in the dhūti at the heart complex is harder than the releasing of the other channel knots, first contracting [the wind-energies] into the central channel in other locations is easier than doing so at the heart complex.

Tsong Khapa 2010, 221–22.

423.  VR 17B, ch. 6, v. 49. Tsong Khapa explains that before doing the yoga of breath with respect to the heart center, one must stabilize one’s meditation on the indestructible drop itself: “[F]irst you must stabilize a constant and unchanging meditative indestructible, and after that you can practice vajra repetition.” Tsong Khapa 2010, 290.

424.  Tsong Khapa states:

Thus, the VR sixth chapter expresses the need for opening the heart center channel knot, that, if you open that with the reality of mantra, you will achieve the superknowledges of sword and pill, etc., and the great seal accomplishment, that the reality of mantra is the repetition combining HŪṀ and HO with inhalation and exhalation, and that if you practice it for six months, you will certainly achieve (accomplishments).

Here, you might wonder, “Well, is it the teaching of reality that the vajra repetition of the two syllables opens the channel knot? Or is it the vajra repetition of the three syllables?”

Therefore, both the two-letter and three-letter vajra repetition are undoubtedly intended by the (VR) Tantra to open the channel knot. As for how to open it, from the same text:

Having named the sound HŪṀ and the drop HOḤ,

By opening with the two winds

You cause the opening of the ignorance-knot.

For example, just as when the chamber of a bamboo is blocked, putting a long spoon in there and pulling it in and out opens it up, the inhalation and exhalation of the wind also opens up the knot] like that.

The same (text) states:

The being who is lacking the A HAṀ

Is like a tree whose root is cut.

If you lack the knowledge of the definitive meaning of A HAṀ, it is like having the root [of your practice] cut off. [It continues]:

A is explained as the life-energy energy,

And likewise the evacuative wind is said to be HAṀ.

As for those two becoming one,

That is renowned as A HAṀ.

That is what is stated [in the Vajra Rosary Tantra]. This method merges the vitalizing and evacuative winds in the home of the heart center indestructible.

Tsong Khapa 2010, 315–17 (footnotes and page references omitted).

425.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 320–21.

426.  VR 17A, ch. 6, v. 45. Alaṁka (56B) notes that “one causes the cutting of the knot, the characteristic of the knot which is opening the drop, ‘by meditating for six months.’” thig le’i dbye ba’i mdud pa’i mtshan nyid mdud pa gcod par byed pa ste/ zla ba drug tu bsgoms pas zhes bya ba’i don to//

427.  The late Denma Lochö Rinpoche said that inasmuch as the VR is not part of the tantric college curriculum, it is not studied and that one should therefore stick closely to its text. Personal communication, October 7, 2008, and July 18, 2009. Apparently though, as late as the fourteenth century, consecrations into the VR were still being given. Roerich 1978, 320.

428.  Tōh. 374, 13B.

429.  Alaṁka (83B): rlung bsgoms na zhes bya ba ni rlung ni rnam pa lnga’am rnam pa bcu sgom par byed cing nye bar mtshon par byed pas na/ . As noted in the discussion of chapter 3, above, and shown in Table 4, the 108 energies appear to be composed of variants of the four main (excluding the pervading energy) and five branch energies, although according to Tsong Khapa the issue is not free from doubt “and we must still investigate this.” Tsong Khapa 2010, 227.

430.  “Drop,” Tib. thig le , Skt. citra (the first definition given by Lokesh Chandra for thig le ) is etymologized by Alaṁka (83B) as follows: “‘energy drop,’ etc., because of having [Skt. ra ] the state of knowing [Skt. cit ], [it is] a drop [Skt. citra ].” rlung gi thig le zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ rig pa’i ngang tshul can gyi phyir thig le’o//

431.  Alaṁka (84A): de nyid mchog ces bya ba ni mchog gi ngo bo de nyid ni/ ngag gi ’od gsal ba’i bdag nyid la rgyur gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ bsam par bya zhes bya ba ni yungs kar gyi ’bras bu’i tshad tsam du bsam par bya’o/ ’od zer thig le zhes bya ba ni rlung lnga nye bar bsdus pa’i rnam pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ /

432.  The VR text here says “four chakras [or wheels],” ’khor lo bzhi , (VR 23A), ch. 12, v. 13, but Alaṁka (86B) notes that here this means fire, wind, earth, and water. ’khor lo bzhi’i dbye bas zhes bya ba ni me dang rlung dang sa dang chu’i dbye bas so// For an account of how this is done, see Tsong Khapa 2010, 227–36; Wayman 1977, 219–20.

433.  Alaṁka (90A): de dang ’dra ba nyid kyis rlung rnam pa lnga po rnams ye shes lnga’i rnam par dag pas rnam pa lngas mngon par byang chub par shes par bya’o//

434.  Alaṁka (90B): nyi ma’i thun dang po la me’i dkyil ’khor mgrin par gnas pa las g.yas pa’i sna bug las kha dog dmar ba’i ’od zer gyis rgyu’o/ thun gnis pa la rlung gi dkyil ’khor lte ba la gnas pa las/ g.yon pa’i sna bug nas ’od zer sngon po’i kha dog gis rgyu’o/ nyi ma gung gi rjes la thun gsum pa la sa’i dkyil ’khor gsang ba’i padma la gnas pa las/ ’od zer kha dog ser po sna bug gnyis ka nas rgyu’o/ thun bzhi pa la snying ga’i padmar gnas pa’i chu’i dkyil ’khor las ’od zer kha dog dkar po sna bug gnyis ka nas dal gyis rgyu bar byed do/ . mtshan mo la yang de bzhin du’o // See also Rangjung Dorje 2014, 270–75, for the Third Karmapa’s and Jamgön Kongtrul’s commentary on this method.

435.  Snags kyi de nyid or snags kyi de kho na nyid , Skt. tattva . VR ch. 15 (title) and vv. 1, 3 (VR 27B–28A).

436.  Tsong Khapa notes that “both the two-letter and three-letter vajra repetition are undoubtedly intended by the [VR] Tantra to open the channel knot.” Tsong Khapa 2010, 315–17.

437.  Alaṁka (105A): “One should practice” [means] regarding the three types of breaths with the characteristics of entering, abiding and arising. “Regarding them” [means] by identifying [them] with the process of the three syllables.” sbyar bar bya zhes bya ba ni ’jug pa dang/ gnas pa dang/ ldang ba’i mtshan nyid can gyi dbugs rnam pa gsum la’o/ de rnams la ni yi ge gsum gyi rim pas nye bar mtshon pas so// Alaṁka explains that repetition of OṀ ĀḢ HŪṀ should be done in the context of the practices explained in chapter 12: “[In] ‘Similarly, one should perform the activities,’ the ‘similar activities’ to be done are that one should perform the activities of perceiving the breath for half of a half session in the mandalas of fire and so forth,” de bzhin du ni las rnams bya/ zhes gsungs te/ de bzhin du ni las rnams bya ba ni me’i dkyil ’khor la sogs pa rnams la thun phyed phyed kyi bar du dbugs gzung bas dbang du bya ba la sogs pa’i las bsgrub par bya’o// , meaning that one should visualize the breath as Pāṇḍaravāsinī, etc.

438.  Alaṁka (106A): If someone asks about the place where the thatness of mantra is to be meditated, in response he says “on the supreme lotus of the heart,” [meaning] in the vacuole center of the lotus that is located in the heart ( de lta bu’i sngags kyi de kho na nyid gnas gang du bsgom par bya zhe na/ de’i phyir snying ga’i padma mchog tu zhes gsungs te/ snying gar gnas pa’i padma kha sbyar ba’i dbus su’o// )

439.  VR 28A, ch. 15, v. 8; Alaṁka 106B.

440.  VR 28A, ch. 15, v. 9; Alaṁka 107A.

441.  VR 29A, ch. 15, v. 24.

442.  For example, HŪṀ is described as follows: “The [last] part of UṠMA [the last line of syllables, ṣa, śa, sa , [and] ha ], having the sixth vowel [ a , ā , i , ī , u , ū ] . . ., with the last part of the last group [ anusvara , ṁ ], manifests the state of the mind vajra.” VR 29B, ch. 15, v. 28. See Alaṁka 112A.

443.  VR 56B–57A, ch. 34, v. 4.

444.  Alaṁka (197A): For the purpose of the perfection [stage], by the force of overcoming the form of the stick syllable A in the place of the navel chakra ( sprul pa’i ’khor lor gnas ’ai A yig shad kyi rnam pa bcom pa’i stobs kyis rdzogs pa’i phyir ro/ ).

445.  Alaṁka 197B. This chapter also concludes with the statement that “in the vast intuition of the ḍākinīs, one will know the yoga of service.” VR 57A, ch. 34, v. 6. See Lessing and Wayman 1980, 200 n. 36 (“By service, Mkhas grub rje has already indicated that he means the four members of muttering [i.e., vajra repetition]”).

446.  VR 41A, ch. 22, v. 28.

447.  Alaṁka (150B): de dag za ma tog bzhin gnas/ zhes bya ba ni za ma tog gi tshul khrims gyi steng dang ’og tu kha sbyar ba’i rigs pa gnas pa’o//

The Lhasa VR has slar yang kha sbyor tshul khrims du gnas, 41A (Alaṁka has de dag za ma tog bzhin gnas). This seems to be an error substituting tshul khrims, “ethics,” for tshul du, “in the mode” or “as if”; I am reading tshul du here.

448.  VR 41A, ch. 22, v. 29; Alaṁka 150B: “‘The two essences of body and speech’ are the vitality and evacuative [energies] because they are the essences of the two letters, the very actualities of Vairochana and Amitābha.” sku dang gsung gi snying po gnyis zhes bya ba ni srog dang thur sel dag go/ yi ge gnyis kyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir/ rnam par snang mdzad dang snang ba mtha’ yas kyi ngo bo nyid do//

449.  Alaṁka (151A): I.e., the meditational analyzing of each energy and its name and character as set forth in chapter 3 in the context of that chapter’s statement that “at midnight, from the supreme space, nonconceptuality arises, overcoming the instinctual energy-winds.” rnam rtog med pa mtshan phyed na/ ram mkha’ mchog las shar nas ni/ rlung gi rang bzhin ’joms par byed/ VR 1B, ch. 3, v. 23.

450.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 32.

451.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 34; Alaṁka 151B: “Having united the three aspects of entering, abiding and rising up [inhalation, holding the breath and exhalation] in the singular HŪM, one should display the wheel of breath . . . counting 21,600 breaths day and night.” HŪṀ gcig nyid la rnam pa gsum du ’jug pa dang/ gnas pa dang ldang ba rnams la sbyar nas dbugs kyi ’khor lo mtshon par bya’o . . . nyin mtshan du nyi khri chig stong drug brgya’i dbugs kyi grangs kyis so//

452.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 35.

453.  Alaṁka (152A–B):

“When it is recited” [means] by joining the syllable HŪṀ to the inhalation, etc. “Because of which” [means] because of which cause. “[To] the heart lotus” means [to] the lotus of the dharma [heart] chakra. “Looking up, [the energy] goes” [means] it goes to the upper side by opening the aperture [at the top] of the basket [formed by the upward-arching 64 channels of the navel chakra and the 8 downward-arching channels of the heart chakra, see VR ch. 22, vv. 27–28, Alaṁka 150B], opening the obstruction. Because of that very thing, he says, “It goes,” [meaning] it will go. “Then, from the secret lotus” [means] from the actuality of the emanation chakra, the secret lotus. “Opening” is expressed as the removing of the binding of the [bottleneck of the basket]. “The two conceptual energies” are the vitality and Evacuative energies. “Then” [means] after opening the mouth [at the top] of the basket. “Having cut [them] off [reading Alaṁka’s bcad rather than the VR’s bcas], they proceed” means that, having reversed the upper and lower movement, [the energies] enter the central [channel], meaning that “everything becomes of one taste.”

de ni bzlas byas na zhes bya ba ni HŪṀ yig de ’jug pa la sogs pa rnams las sbyar bar gyur pas gang gi phyir zhes bya ba ni rgyu gang gi phyir ro/ snying ga’i padma zhes bya ba ni chos kyi ’khor lo’i padma’o/ steng bltas ’gro zhes bya ba ni za ma tog la kha phye bas steng gi phyogs su ’gro ba ste kha bkag phye bar ’gyur ro/ de nyid kyi phyir ’gro zhes gsungs te/ ’gro bar ’gyur ro/ de nas gsang ba’i padma las/ zhes bya ba ni gsang ba’i padma sprul pa’i ’khor lo’i ngo bo de las so/ phye ba zhes bya ba ni za ma tog bcings pa bzlog par brjod pa’o/ rnam par trog pa’i rlung gnyis ni zhes bya ba ni srog dang thur sel gyi rlung gnyis kyi ngo bo’o/ de nas zhes bya ba ni za ma tog kha phye ba’i rjes la/ rnam par bcad nas ’gro zhes bya ba ni steng dang ’og gi rgyu ba bzlog nas dbu mar zhungs te/ ro gcig par ’gyur zhes bya ba’i don to//

454.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 37.

455.  VR 41B, ch. 22, v. 38; Alaṁka (152A–B):

“By the reality of mantra” [means] by meditating on HŪM, as stated above. “Abiding in the stream of the avadhutī” [means] reversing the movement of the left and right [channels], because of the very existence of the movement [of the energies within] the central [channel]. “In between the eyebrows” [means] the place of the wind chakra. “Having opened by energy” [means] discerning the nature of the drop. “Attaining this” [means] one will attain entering the central [channel]. “By the ecstasy that caused attainment” [refers] to having the nature of a special ecstasy. “Inexhaustible” [means] constantly ecstatic. “Always arising” [means] as long as one is in cyclic existence. “Free from attachment and so forth” because it has the nature of reversing the group of one hundred eight ordinary [conceptions] [described in chapter 3].

sngags kyi de nyid kyis ni zhes bya ba ni sngon du gsungs pa’i HŪṀ bsgoms pas so/ a ba dhū tī’i rgyun la gnas/ zhes bya ba ni g.yon dang g.yas pa’i rgyu ba bzlog nas dbus ma’i rgyu ba’i gnas pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ smin dbus zhes bya ba ni rlung gi ’khor lo’i gnas so/ rlung gis phye byas la zhes bya ba ni thig le’i ngo bo ’byed pa’o/ ’di thob ces bya ba ni dbus mar ’jug pa ’thob pa’o/ thob byas dga’ bas ni zhes bya ni dga’ ba’i bye brag gi bdag nyid can no/ mi zad pa zhes bya ba ni dga’ ba rtag pas so/ rtag tu ’char zhing zhes bya ba ni ji srid ’khor bar gnas kyi bar du’o/ chags sogs bral zhing zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyi tshogs brgya rtsa brgyad bzlog pa’i bdag nyid kyi phyir ro//

456.  VR 41B, ch. 20, v. 39.

457.  Alaṁka (65B): “‘The nature of clear light’ because it is clear light like the atasa flower. Further, it has the nature of the primordial intuition fire. ‘Manifest’ because it is even experienced by ordinary beings through the actuality of heat in the center of the navel.” rang bzhin ’od gsal zhes bya ba ni a ta se’i me tog dang ’dra ba nyid kyis ’od gsal ba’i phyir ro/ de yang ye shes kyi me’i ngo bo nyid do/ gsal ba nyid ces bya ba ni lte ba’i dbus su dro ba’i ngo bos tha mal pa rnams kyis kyang nyams su myong ba nyid kyi phyir ro//

458.  VR 18A–B, ch. 7, vv. 6, 8.

459.  Alaṁka (79A): sgra tsam zhes bya ba ni a ta zhes bya ba ni bza’ ba la’o/ nani bgegs par byed pa’o/ bza’ ba ma yin pa ni nā da ste/ de nyid gcig tu ni nā da tsam mo/ rdul phra rab tsam gyi tshad las kyang phra ba nyid kyi phyir ro zhes bya ba ni dga’ ba’i ’od kyi phreng ba byed pa’i mkhan po’o//

460.  VR 21B, ch. 11, v. 9.

461.  Alaṁka (81A): thams cad stong pa’i rang bzhin/ rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i ngo bo ste/ stong pa dang shin tu stong pa dang stong pa chen po rnams kyi mthar nye bar dmigs pa’o//

462.  Mitchell and Wiseman 1997, 173.

463.  Quite the opposite of ho-hum.

464.  sku gsum thugs kyi snying po . VR 39B, ch. 22, v. 1; Alaṁka 144B.

465.  Alaṁka (144B): yi ge gsum ni zhes bya ba ni oṁ yig la sogs pa gsum mo/ sku gsung thugs kyi snying po zhes bya ba ni ma dag pa’i sku la sogs pa gsum bzlog nas/ rnam par dag pa’i lus la sogs pa rnams la rgyud nyid kyi phyir ro//

466.  VR 39B, ch. 22, vv. 4–5; Alaṁka 145A.

467.  VR 39B, ch. 22, v. 6; Alaṁka (145B): gzugs med khams su yang dag bshad/ ces bya ba ni a yig gi dbang gis snyoms par ’jug pa bzhi yongs su grub pa’i pyir ro/ ’khor lo bzhi yi don bsdus pa/ zhes bya ba ni sprul pa la sogs pa’i ’khor lo bzhi’i don ni don dam pa’i rnam pa’i ngo bos bsdus pa’o/ yang na gzugs med khams kyi bye brag ’dis brjod par bya ste/ gzugs med pa’i snyoms par ’jug pa bzhi po ’khor lo bzhis bsdus pa’i phyir ro// For a comprehensive discussion of the four formless trances and the four concentrations, see generally Lati and Denma Lochö Rinpoche, 1983.

468.  VR ch. 22, vv. 7–8. Alaṁka (145B–146A): gzugs kyi khams zhes bya ba ni ro drug gi longs spyod la lha’i rnam pa bsgoms pas rang bzhin med par shes pas ’dod pa’i ’dod chags dang bral nas gzugs kyi khams zhes bya bar brjod pa’o//

469.  Alaṁka (146A): bde chen ’khor lo zhes byar gnas/ yi ge ma ni zhes bya ba ni bde ba chen po’i sa bon nyid kyi phyir ro/ . . . zla ba’i gzugs dang ’dra ba yi/ zhes bya ba ni ’od gsal ba nyid kyis yongs su snang bas zla ba’i dkyil ’khor dang ’dra ba’o//

470.  VR ch. 22, vv. 9–10. Alaṁka (146A): oṁ yig ces bya ba ni don gyis stong pa’i yid kyi rang bzhin no/ sku rdo rje’i zhes bya ba ni sku stong pa nyid kyi ngo bo rnam par snang mdzad kyi rang bzhin no//

471.  Alaṁka (146B): spro ba’i bdag nyid ni de’i rnam par dag pa zhes bya ba’i don to/ khams gsum gyi ngo bo ni don dam par ni stong pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

472.  VR 40A, ch. 22, vv. 11–12.

473.  Alaṁka (148A): mgrin pa’i dbus na gnas pa bcings/ zhes gsungs te/ mgrin pa’i gnas . . . gzugs kyi khams ni zhes bya ba ni de rnam par dag pa’i ngo bo’o/ dmar chen po zhes bya ba ni snang ba mtha’ yas kyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir  . . .

474.  Alaṁka (147A): stong nyid ye shes ming can de/ Alaṁka discusses the meaning of the VR’s statements in ch. 22, v. 15 that the first syllable A, the vitality energy, is “classified as two, vitality and effort [ srog dang rtsol ba , presumably prāṇāyāma ], bringing together [sense] objects and [sense] powers,” in which I think he is saying that although one energy, it appears to be two, with objective characteristics brought about through the instincts in the fundamental consciousness generating a subjective consciousness through interaction with the addicted mentality. Alaṁka (147B): srog dang rtsol ba gnyis su rigs/ zhes bya ba ni rlung gnyis so/ de bsdus zhes bya ba ni rigs pa ste/ gzung ba dang ’dzin pa dngos po’i mtshan nyid can gyis so/ yul dang dbang po bsdus pa yi/ zhes bya ba ni yul dang dbang po bsdus pas yul dang dbang po bsdus pa’o// He explains:

However, if someone asks how the [sense] powers and the [sense] objects are brought together, [he says] “The fundamental [consciousness alayavijñāna] and the addicted mentality [kliṣṭomanovijñāna]” meaning that in the absence of any external objects, by the force of the fundamental consciousness and its instincts, there is a perception with the form of objects divided into blue and so forth. For the addicted mentality and the [sense] powers, having relied on the form of that appearance, there is the appearance of a subject. Relying on that, there are two paths of vitality and exertion. On account of that very thing he says, “Are the very essence of object and subject,” [meaning that,] perceiving a single consciousness as objects and subjects, they appear through the actuality of the two energies. “They become one entity” [means that] having the characteristics of the two energies of vitality and exertion, they are imagined as one.

’o na ji ltar yul dang dbang po bsdus she na/ kun gzhi dang ni nyon mongs yid/ ces gsungs te/ phyi rol gyi don med pa la kun gzhi rnam par shes pa nyid de dang de’i bag chags kyi stobs kyis sngon po la sogs pa’i dbye bas snang ba nyid de gzung ba’i rnam pas so/ nyon mongs pa can gyi yid dang/ dbang po rnams la de’i snang ba’i rnam pa la brten nas ’dzin pa’i rnam pa snang ba’o/ de la brten pa ni srog dang rtsol gyi lam gnyis so/ de nyid kyi phyir/ gzung dang ’dzin pa’i ngo bo nyid/ des gsungs so/ rnam par shes pa gcig nyid la gzung ba dang ’dzin pa dag dmigs nas rlung gnyis kyi ngo bos rab tu snang ba zhes bya ba’i don to/ ngo bo gcig tu gyur nas ni/ zhes bya ba ni rlung gnyis srog dang rtsol ba’i mtshan nyid can gcig tu brtags nas so// In his commentary on the explanatory tantra Intuition Vajra Compendium (Jñānavajrasamuccaya), (Derge 12A–14B) Tsong Khapa refutes the Yogāchāra view of the fundamental consciousness and addicted mentality in detail, specifically arguing that in the VR, “the name is similar but the meaning is not” and that the Yogāchāra terms used in the VR and other tantras are interpretable in meaning, rgyud ’dir kun gzhi dang nyon yid ces gsungs pa ni gzhung gzhan nas bshad pa dang ming ’dra yang don mi ’dra ste/ (13A), so that “the addicted mentality is when the addicted instincts grasp consciousness” nyon yid ces pa’i bag chags dang ’dres pa’i rnam shes [mngal du ’jug par bshad pa’i kun gzhi zhes pa ni kun byang gi chos kun gyi rtsa bar gsungs pa’i yid kyi shes pa yin gyi/] (13B), and, “There is no fundamental consciousness that is of a different nature from mental consciousness; therefore in general a mind that understands and is clear is called the fundamental consciousness; the generality of a mind’s inherently existing is rejected.” de’i phyir yid kyi shes pa las ngo bo tha dad pa’i kun gzhi mi bzhed pas zhes gsungs pa ni/ spyir sems rig cing gsal tsam la kun gzhir bzhag pa dang/ khyad par du yid kyi shes pa la yin te/ (14B).

475.  VR 40B, ch. 22, v. 17.

476.  VR 40B, ch. 22, vv. 19–21.

477.  VR 41A, ch. 22, v. 24.

478.  Alaṁka (149B): thugs kyi sa bon zhes bya ba ni HŪṀ gi yi ge mi bskyod pa’i sa bon nyid la’o/ de nyid la thams cad kyi nang nas gtso bo nyid do/ chos thams cad sems la rag las pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

479.  Alaṁka (150A): rlung rnams thams cad ’gog pas na/ zhes bya ba ni rlung bcu ’og pa dang rnam par rtog pa brgya rtsa brgyad ’gags pas so//

480.  Tsong Khapa quotes the VR and Alaṁka’s Commentary as specifying KSHMAṀ here. Tsong Khapa 2010, 280.

481.  Alaṁka (140A): KSHMĪ sngags kyi sbyor ba yis/ zhes bya ba ni rdo rje’i rtse mor bsgoms pas so//

482.  Alaṁka (140B): rlung gi gzung ba’i skad cig la/ zhes bya ba ni rlung ni srog gi rlung ste/ rnal ’byor mchog gis thob par byed/ ces bya ba dang ’brel to/ gzhan yang thabs gang gis rdzas kyi thig le gzung bar bya zhe na/ de’i phyir/ rkan la yi ge’i sbyor ba dang/ zhes gsungs te/ rkan ni chos ’byung gi dbus su shin tu ring ba’i rtsa’i ngo bo’o//

483.  VR 38A, ch. 21, vv. 2–3; Alaṁka 140A–B. According to Tsong Khapa, this may be done using either an action (actual) or intuition (imagined) consort. Tsong Khapa 2010, 280.

484.  Alaṁka (141A): di ni sngags kyi thig ler bshad/ ces bya ba ni snying ga’i gnas su rlung lnga’i bdag nyid cha lnga pa bsgoms pas so//

485.  VR 38B, ch. 21, v. 4.

486.  VR 38B, ch. 21, v. 6.

487.  Alaṁka (141A–B) has A instead of OṀ, explaining that the A to be repeated is “the form of the letter A that is all forms because there is nothing outside of it.” However, the Lhasa VR is consistent on this, stating in the chapter following this one that “OṀ has been explained as the essence of vajra body.” VR 39B, ch. 22, v. 3. The Derge, Stok, and Narthang recensions of the VR also have OṀ; however, all of the recensions of Alaṁka have A. Alaṁka as well as the VR primarily associates A with speech rather than form. See, e.g., Alaṁka 147A: “‘The letter A is supreme intuition’ because it purifies speech.” Complicating matters is that OṀ is composed of three letters, the first of which is A. See VR 39B, ch. 22, v. 3; Alaṁka 111B. This is probably not a difference in practice; Alaṁka must have been reading a text or texts of the VR, now lost to us (or not yet recovered) that had A in place of OṀ. Tsong Khapa does not address the matter in the BIL; indeed, the version of the VR he quotes avoids the issue entirely: rather than specifying OṀ or A, the line simply says, “The yogi should repeat the supreme mantra of such a kind” (’di lta bu yi sngags kyi mchog/ rnal ’byor pa yis bzlas par bya). Tsong Khapa 2010 at 284.

488.  Following Peking’s and Narthang’s rnam pa , “form,” rather than Derge’s rim pa , “stage” or “process.”

489.  Alaṁka (141A): ’od zer gyi thig le bstan pa’i phyir/ rlung gi thig le zhes bya ba gsungs te/ rlung lnga bsdus pa’i rim pa’o/ rnal ’byor mchog ces bya ba ni/ sems rtse gcig pa’i rgyur gyur pa’i phyir ro//

490.  Tsong Khapa (2010, 285) says that in this context, “delusion” refers to the yogi whose passion and hatred is equal, and that, in general, the Esoteric Community “ is taught for the sake of the person who has lust for the union of the two organs.”

491.  Alaṁka (142A):

Or, the body drop, for the yogi/nī who has the character of delusion, is the actuality of the light ray drop; the actuality of the substance drop, which is the speech drop, is for the yogi/nī with a passionate character; [and] the mind drop, the actuality of the mantra drop, is for the yogi/nī with the character of anger.

yang na lus kyi thig le ni gti mug gi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos nas ’od zer gyi thig le’i ngo bo’o/ ngag gi thig le’i rdzas kyi thig le’i ngo bo ’dod chags kyi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos pas so/ sems kyi thig le sngags kyi thig le’i ngo bo zhe sdang gi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos pas so// Tsong Khapa (2010, 285) notes that, while the meditation on the heart center is preeminent, it is crucial for each yogi to meditate on each of the three drops.

492.  VR 38B, ch. 21, vv. 9, 12–13.

493.  VR 38B, ch. 21, vv. 9–11. Alaṁka (142A): “‘Further, the wind drop also’ [refers to] the light ray drop. ‘Has the nature of the mantra and substance [drops]’ [means] it incorporates the mantra and substance drops, as above. As for that, also, it is not made outside the mantra and substance [drops].” slar yang rlung gi thig le yang/ zhes bya ba ni ’od zer gyi thig le’o/ sngags dang rdzas kyi bdag nyid can/ zhes bya ba ni rdzas dang sngags kyi thig le dag nang du bsdus pa zhes bya ba ni snga ma zhin no/ de la yang sngags dang rdzas phyi rol du ma byas pa nyis kyi phyir ro//

494.  VR 39A, ch. 21, v. 17; Alaṁka 144A.

495.  Alaṁka (170A): thig le gsum gyis sgom pa po/ rnal ’byor pa gcig nyid dam ni/ yang na rnal ’byor so sor bsgom/ zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor pa so so yin nam zhes bya ba’o//

496.  Alaṁka (166A):

“Explained as the nose tip at the navel of that” [means] the navel in the center of the emanation chakra and that which is located in the secret chakra, the hub of the vajra and lotus channels. “Explained as the nose tip” [means] expressed as the tip of the secret nose. For that very reason, he says “secret” [because] it has the name of secret. It bestows all bliss.

de yi lte ba sna rtser bshad/ ces bya ba ni sprul pa’i ’khor lo’i dbus kyi lte ba dang de dang nye bar gsang ba’i ’khor lor gnas pa’i rdo rje dang padma’i rtsa’i lte ba’o/ sna rtser bshad ces bya ba ni gsang ba’i sna rtser brjod pa’o/ de nyid kyi phyir gsang ba zhes bya ba gsungs te/ gsang ba’i ming can no/ bde ba thams cad ster bar byed pa’o//

497.  VR 45B, ch. 24, v. 2.

498.  In its description of the “secret nose tip,” the VR text refers only to vajra, VR 45B, ch. 24, v. 4, but Alaṁka (166A) notes that “the tip of the lotus is also suitable.” rdo rje’i rtse’am padma’i sna rtser yang rung ste/

499.  VR 45B, ch. 24, v.4.

500.  VR 45B, ch. 24, v.5.

501.  Alaṁka (166A): chags pa chen po’i yul la sems gcig pu gang rnams la yod pa de la de skad ces bya’o// This supports Tsong Khapa’s (2010, 285) statement, noted above, that it is crucial for each yogi to meditate on each of the three drops.

502.  VR 45B, ch. 24, v. 7.

503.  Alaṁka (166B): zhe sdang nyid kyi sems ni zhes bya ba gsungs te/ zhe sdang gi rigs can rnams kyi’o//

504.  VR 45B–46A, ch. 24, vv. 7–8, referring as well to the nature of the mantric drop that is located at the heart center.

505.  Alaṁka (166B): nā da ni zhes bya ba ni a yig gi rnam pa’o//

506.  For Tsong Khapa’s discussion of how to meditate on the mantric drop, heavily relying on the VR, see Tsong Khapa 2010, 287–93.

507.  VR 46A, ch. 24, v. 9; Alaṁka (166B–167A): nyi ma zla ba me dang gsum/ zhes bya ba gsungs te la la nā dang ra sa nā dang/ a wa dhū tī’i ngo bo ste/ khams gsum po ’bab par byed pa’i phyir ro//

508.  Alaṁka (167B): de’i bdag nyid can ’od zer gyi thig le ste/ rlung lnga po rnams ni de bzhin gshegs pa lnga’i bdag nyid kyi phyir ro//

509.  Alaṁka (168A) notes at the outset of this discussion, “in order to discuss the perspective of entering the light ray drop” ’od zer gyi thig le ’jug pa’i sgo nas brjod pa’i phyir , meaning that what follows is a part of the vajra repetition meditation practice.

510.  See Alaṁka 168A. Given that there are 21,600 breaths in each 24-hour day, Alaṁka (169A): “each of the four day and four night sessions has 2,700 breaths. One meditates ‘constantly, the entire day and night.’” rtag tu zhes bya ba ni nyin mtshan rtag tu’o//

511.  The Tantra does not explicitly identify which elemental mandalas and colors are identified with which energy. Alaṁka (168B) identifies the Amitābha fire element with the ascending energy and the Amoghasiddi wind element with the metabolic energy, but makes not specific link to the others. In his detailed discussion of this practice in the BIL, Tsong Khapa outlines the correspondences with the other energies indicated above and gives greater detail on the practice, which involves meditating on the primary buddha energy with the other goddess-elemental elements, so, e.g., the red Amitābha ascending energy emanating from the left nostril is meditated on with the four elemental energies of Pāṇḍaravāsinī, Tārā, Lochanā, and Māmakī, in that order, which, influenced by the fire mandala, appear as red, reddish green, reddish white, and reddish yellow, respectively. See Tsong Khapa 2010 at 234.

512.  VR 46A–B, ch. 24, vv. 14–20; Alaṁka 168A–169B.

513.  VR 46B, ch. 24, v. 19; Alaṁka 169A. There are other positions taken on this; Tsong Khapa agrees with the VR and Alaṁka. Tsong Khapa 2010 at 232.

514.  VR 46B, ch. 24, v. 21; Alaṁka 169A–B.

515.  Here, unlike earlier in the chapter, except for Alaṁka’s (170A–B) reference to the “lineage of passion,” it does sound like at least Alaṁka understands the Tantra to be referring to general dominant character traits rather than particular tantric practice lineages. (E.g. “Sentient beings with the behavior of anger.” sems can zhe sdang gi spyod pa can rnams la’o//)

516.  VR 47A, ch. 24, v. 28.

517.  VR 30A, v, vv. 1–2.

518.  Alaṁka (113B): srog ni rdul phra rab rang gi ngo bo’o// . . . . rnal ’byor mchog ni zhes bya ba ni srog stong pa nyid kyi rnam pa’o//

519.  Alaṁka (114A): “Spring, summer, rainy season, autumn, early winter, and late winter, approximately sixty days each.” dpyid dang/ sos ka dang/ kbyar ga dang/ ston dang/ dgun stod dang/ dgun smad kyi dbye bas so//

520.  VR 30A, ch. 16, v. 10. Āryadeva writes: “If you wonder, ‘How does gnosis [intuitive wisdom] emerge in a moment?’ It means it appears for one moment ( skad cig ), one instant ( thang cig ), a mere trice ( yud tsam ), the blink of an eye ( mig btsums ), or a mere hand-clap ( thal mo brdabs pa tsam ) . . . Hence, upon entering into the subtle element, the Luminances fluctuate for a moment, an instant, a mere trice, the blink of an eye, or a hand-clap. Then, one will experience the instinctual natures in a moment, an instant, a mere trice, the blink of an eye, or a hand-clap.” Wedemeyer 1999, 289; Wedemeyer 2007, 157.

521.  Alaṁka (115B): “‘Subtle, with the characteristic of momentariness’ means that it is not in the ken of ordinary people, [but] is a very brief portion of time sensed [only] by yogi/nīs.” phra ba ni skad cig mtshan nyid ces bya ba ni shin tu thung ba’i dus kyi cha’i rang bzhin rnal ’byor pa rnams kyis reg par bya bas so so’i skye bo’i yul ma yin zhes bya ba’i don to//

522.  All time periods are “outer” unless otherwise indicated.

523.  Other tantric systems present somewhat differing definitions and systems. For example, Tsong Khapa notes that other systems posit sixty-four rather than the VR’s sixty hours in a day. Tsong Khapa 2010 at 246.

524.  And presumably yoginī, although the text has the masculine “mantrin,” sngags pa .

525.  The VR text has rab ’gyed , “emanation,” “opening,” or, per Lozang Jamspal, “emission,” while Alaṁka’s (115A) version of the Tantra has g.yang sa , “abyss.” VR 30B.

526.  Alaṁka (115A): “‘This is expressed as fear of the abyss,’ the nature of the mantrin himself, fearing the abyss, the moment of doubt when he falls from a mountain peak, etc.” ’di ni g.yang sa ’jigs par brjod/ ces bya ba ni sngags pa rang gi ngo bo ni g.yang sa ’jigs pa’o/ ri’i rtse mo la sogs pa las ltung ba las dogs pa skad cig ma’i ngo bo’o//  . . . This metaphor is also found in last verse of the CMP and also identically in the PK, albeit in a different context:

If someone falls from the peak of the king of mountains,

Even if they don’t want to plummet, they will.

If one gains the beneficial verbal transmission by the grace of the guru,

Even if they don’t want to be liberated, they will be. (Wedemeyer 2007, 331)

527.  VR 30B, ch. 16, v. 13.

528.  VR 59B, ch. 39, v. 1; Alaṁka 206A.

529.  VR 59B, ch. 39, v. 4.

530.  VR 59B, ch. 39, v. 5.

531.  Alaṁka (207A): dga’ ba dang mchog tu dga’ ba dang zhes bya ba gsungs te/ cung zad tsam gyi [following Peking and Narthang’s gyi instead of Derge’s gyis ] bde ba dang/ de las lhag pa’i ngo bo brgyud pa’i rgyud [Peking and Narthang. have rgyud pa’i rgyu] dang dngos kyi rgyu’i ngo bo’o/ lhan cig skyes pa zhes bya ba ni dpe’i ngo bo la’o/ dus bzang ste zhes bya ba ni gsum po de rnams dus bzang po’i sgras brjod par bya ba ste/ gong nas gong du bde ba ’phel ba ’bras bu dang bcas pa’i phyir ro/ bral dgar bshad pa dus ngan ni/ bde ba nyams pa’i ngo bo nyid dang/ chags bral gyi bdag nyid can nyid dang/ rtog pa [Peking and Narthang. have rtogs , “realization,” instead of Derge’s rtog, “conceptuality”] dang bcas pa’i phyir ro//

532.  VR 59B, ch. 39, v. 6.

533.  Alaṁka 207A.

534.  See VR 36B–37A, ch. 19, vv. 3–6.

535.  VR 60A, ch. 39, vv. 7–9; Alaṁka (207B): “‘Abandoning intuition consciousness’ [refers to] the character of the metaphorical orgasmic; ‘consciousness’ has the character of the genuine orgasmic. ‘Free from those’ means truly abandoning [them]. ‘One time’ is the nature of time as inconceivability.” ye shes rnam shes rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba ni yi shes ni dpe’i lhan cig skyes pa’i mtshan nyid do/ rnam shes ni don gyi lhan cig skyes pa’i mtshan nyid do/ de dag dang bral ba ni rnam par spangs pa’o/ dus gcig ces bya ba ni bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i dus kyi rang bzhin no//

536.  Alaṁka (207A): de’i yan lag byang chub kyi sems gnyis kyi rjes sus’brangs nas bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i dus kyi ngo bo ni /

537.  VR 60A, ch. 39, v. 8.

538.  Alaṁka (207B): bzhi pa skad cig mtshan nyid ni/ zhes bya ba ni lhan cig skyes pa’i rnam pa’o/ brjod bya rjod byed las grol ba/ zhes bya ba ni dga’ bral dang bral ba’i phyir dang/ dga’ bral ni rtog pa dang bcas pa’i phyir ro//

539.  Alaṁka (207B): chags dang chags bral nges grol ba/ zhes bya ba gsungs te/ stong pa dang shin tu stong pa dag dang bral ba’i phyir ro// . . . bde ba chen pa’i go ’phang spangs/ zhes bya ba ni stong pa chen po dang bral ba’i phyir ro//

540.  VR 60A, ch. 39, vv. 8–9; Alaṁka (207B): phyag rgya chen po’i mtshan nyid can gyi gzhi ni rten te/ thams cad stong pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

541.  Alaṁka 124A: de ltar le’u bcu drug pos rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud kyi rjes su ’brangs nas/

542.  Called the “producing arrogance” energy, rgyags pa bskyed pa , VR 31A, in the Tantra . Alaṁka (118B–119A) explains that this refers to the evacuative energy, noting that it arises after the death signs of moon and sun, rgyags pa bskyed pa’I rlung chen po zhes bya ba gsungs te/ zla ba dang nyi ma’i ’chi ltas byung ba’i rjes la’o/ rgyags pa bskyed pa zhes bya ba ni thur sel gyi rlung gi ngo bo’o// and explains the rest of the energies in this section on dissolution in a similar way. Rgyags pa , Skt. madā , could also be translated as “mental inflation” or even as “inflation” more generally.

543.  Alaṁka (118B): skye mched dang lhan cig par ’gyur ba’i rlung lnga por stobs chung bar byas nas/ rim gyis za bar byed ces bya ba’i don to//

544.  Alaṁka (118B–119A):

“It causes obscuration” because of mixing a little with energy in the between. From that, from the unbearable sending/holding [energy]” [means] the actuality of the vitality energy. “Fierce” because it consumes the pervasive energy. “Consciousness” [means] the between consciousness. “Obscures” [means] “cause to pervade.” “Moment” [means] from the moment of discarding the aggregates of this [person].

sgrib par byed ces bya ba ni bar ma dor rlung dang lhan cig cung zad ’dres pa’i phyir ro/ de las kyang mi bzad btang bzung las zhes bya ba ni srog gi rlung gi ngo bo’o/ drag shal zhes bya ba ni khyab byed kyi rlung za ba’i phyir ro/ rnam shes zhes bya ba ni bar ma do’i rnam par shes pa’o/ sgrib par byed ces bya ba ni khyab par byed ces pa’o/ skad cig ces bya ba ni ’dii bar ma do’i rnam par shes pa’o/ sgrib par byed ces bya ba ni khyab par byed ces pa’o/ skad cig ces bya ba ni ’di ba’i phung po dor ba’i skad cig ma las so//

545.  This is suggested by Alaṁka’s Commentary , but not by the text of either his or the Lhasa recension of the Tantra . Given Alaṁka’s commentary, Dag pa’i cha ni sgrib par byed, one can speculate that the Tibetan should have been sgrub pa , rendering the verse as “accomplishing the pure part” rather than sgrib pa , “obscuring” it. The Lhasa VR reads skye mched cha ni sgrib par byed/ dag pa ’ i ye shes mchog gi mchog/ , “It obscures part of the sense bases. It is the intuition of purity, supreme of supreme.” VR 31A, ch. 16, v. 23; Alaṁka 119A.

546.  Alaṁka (119A): rnam shes dang ni mtshungs pa ldan/ zhes bya ba ni srog gi rlung rnam par shes pa’i chos nyid la sbyar ba’i phyir ro//

547.  This is an advanced practice, because the evacuative energy cannot flow to the throat without the heart knot being significantly loosened, which only happens in the stages of speech and mind isolation.

548.  VR 32A, ch. 16, v. 33; Alaṁka (121A): “‘At the end of the middle of the night,’ [meaning] after midnight. ‘During one session’ [means] completing the third session . . . stabilizing the vajra body . . . Thus one has ‘GAH.’” mtshan phyed kyi dus tshod mthar zhes bya ba gsungs te/ mtshan phyed kyi rjes la’o/ ji srid thun gcig ces bya ba ni thun gsum po rdzogs pa’o . . . rdo rje’i lus ni byed pa po/ zhes bya ba ni lus brtan par byed pa zhes bya ba’i don to/ . . . de ltar na gah zhes bya bar ’gyur ro//

549.  VR 32B, ch. 16, v. 43; Alaṁka 123A–124B.

550.  VR 54A, ch. 32, v. 1.

551.  Alaṁka (190A): yongs su slu byed yin zhes bya ba ni/

552.  Alaṁka (190A): kun gzhi’i rnam shes zhes bya ba ni bag chags kyi rten sprul pa gnyid log pa lta bu’o// It is also necessary to keep in mind Tsong Khapa‘s admonition here that fundamental consciousness and addicted mentality as used in these tantras have meanings different from those terms as used in Yogāchāra thought. See n. 489 above.

553.  Alaṁka (190A): “Like someone being carried in a palanquin [or in a stagecoach] who can’t get a good view of the outside.” des mi shes pa ni khyogs kyi bzhon pa ltar mya ngan la sogs pas bsgribs pa’i phyir ro//

554.  VR 54A, ch. 32, v. 1; Alaṁka (190A): rlung tsam zhes bya ba ni grib ma lta bu nyid kyis mtshan nyid kyi gzugs dang bral ba’i phyir ro// There are significant variations between the Kangyur’s and Alaṁka’s texts here, but the overall meaning is consistent.

555.  See Alaṁka 192A.

556.  I am following Alaṁka’s rna bug dong , “ear hole [and] canal,” rather than the VR’s sna bug , “nostril,” because the next month refers to the nose and because in the Esoteric Community system generally, the ears and hearing are associated with the water element and the nose and smelling with fire. See Alaṁka 192A.

557.  VR 54B–55A, ch. 32, vv. 6–16; Alaṁka 191A–193A.

558.  VR 55A, ch. 32, v. 18; Alaṁka 193A.

559.  VR 55B, ch. 32, v. 19.

560.  VR 55B, ch. 33, v. 2.

561.  Alaṁka (194B) notes that the external one year is one day internally. phyi rol gyi lo gcig gi nang nyin zhag gis bsdus pa’i phyir ro//

562.  Alaṁka (194B): i.e., “makes it unable to do any activity.” mi nus pa sgrub par byed pa’o/

563.  The dhanujit is the last energy to arise in the development of the fetus. VR 55A, ch. 32, v. 16.

564.  Alaṁka 195A.

565.  Alaṁka 195B.

566.  Ibid.

567.  VR 56B, ch. 33, v. 12. Something to look forward to, although the Tantra ’s text, according to Alaṁka (196A), says nothing about increasing but does say that the octogenarian “‘has the pride of enjoyment’ because with the aspect of gathering the energies, he is proud.” longs spyod nga rgyal bcas zhes bya ba ni rlung thams cad nye bar bsdu ba’i rnam pas de nga rgyal dang bcas pa’o /

568.  The chapter ends by saying that one should know this in detail “from the Gathering of the Ḍākinīs Tantra ,” which is the name of the next chapter of the VR. This may suggest that it was added at some point, although Alaṁka 196A–B notes that this merely refers to “yoginī tantras that discuss that.” This could also be a reference to the Ḍakiṇijālasaṁvarasarvabuddhasamāyoga , found in the mahāyoga section of the rnying ma rgyud ’bum . See Eastman 1983, 3.

569.  Alaṁka 124A: da ni rnal ’byor ma’i rgyud kyi rjes su ’brangs nas dri ba’i lan gdab pa brjod pa’i phyir ro//

570.  The Tantra says that these total “more than 131,” VR 33A, ch. 17, v. 5, but all of the Derge, Peking, and Narthang versions of the Commentary have 129 here, and the various numbers do in fact add up to 129. Alaṁka 124B–125A.

571.  See also the description in Tsong Khapa’s Great Stages of Mantra , Sngags rim chen mo. Wayman 1977, 205–6.

572.  VR 33A, ch. 17, vv. 7–8.

573.  VR 34A, ch. 17, v. 25.

574.  See Alaṁka (130A–B):

“The vaginal chakra” [means that] the two channels abide like a balancing scale when you are connected with the yogini in the center of the lotus chakra. When both are brought together, you abide in the mode of a jewel sack. If that is the case, someone asks, from what do the three channels connected with art and wisdom arise? In response to that he says “As one cause,” because the central channel transcends all conceptuality.

skyes gnas ’khor lo’i dbus su yang/ zhes bya ba ni bsgrub par bya ba dang sgrub par byed pa gnyis phrad pa’i dus su’o/ skye gnas ’khor lo ni padma’i dkyil ’khor gyi dbus su rnal ’byor ma dang ’brel pa’i rtsa gnyis srang bu’i rnam par gnas pa’o/ gnyis ka ’dus pas za ma tog gi tshul du gnas pa’o/ gal te de ltar yin na thabs shes rab dang ’brel pa’i rtsa gsum po gang las ’byung zhe na/ de’i phyir rgyu gcig tu zhes bya ba gsungs te/ rtsa dbus ma rnam par rtog pa thams cad las ’das pa’i phyir//

575.  VR 35A, ch. 17, v. 37; Alaṁka 131A–B. Alaṁka (131A–B) explains:

Thus having discussed the arising of the channels through the actuality of the merging of the seeds, in order to discuss the nonarising of the channels through the nonarising of enlightenment spirit, he says, “That very thing is also enlightenment spirit,” [meaning] produced from the true union of both [sex organs]. “You hold [it]” in the three ways explained earlier. “Gathering the vitality” [means] gathering the vitality in the form of enlightenment spirit, placing it internally. When done like that, “supreme intuition” is [in] orgasmic form. “Supreme reality” is implicitly orgasmic in nature. “Supreme bliss” is the nature of the great seal. “Great miracle” [because] one who attains buddhahood by the power of engaging in passon is wonderful.

de ltar sa bon ’dres pa’i ngo bos rtsha ’byung ba brjod nas/ byang chub kyi sems mi ’chor bas rtsa rnams mi ’byung ba brjod pa’i phyir/ de nyid byang chub sems kyang ni/ zhes bya ba gsungs te/ gnyis ka yang dag par sbyar ba las skyes pa’o/ ’dzin pa’i zhes bya ba ni sngar bshad pa’i rnam pa gsum gyis so/ srog ni bsdus pa’o zhes yba ba ni srog ni byang chub kyi sems kyi rnam pa la bsdus pa ni/ nang nyid du bzhag par gyur pa’o/ de ltar byas par gyur pa la ye shes mchog dang zhes bya ba ni lhan cig skyes pa’i rnam pa’o/ de nyid mchog ces bya ba ni don gyis lhan cig skyes pa’i ngo bo’o/ mchog tu bde zhes bya ba ni phyag rgya chen po’i ngo bo’o/ rmad byung che zhes bya ba ni ’dod chags kyi spyod pa’i stobs kyis sangs rgyas nyid thob pa de ni ngo mtshar ba’o//

576.  VR 35B, ch. 18, vv. 1–9; Alaṁka 132B–133A.

577.  Alaṁka (132B): “As for ‘The groups A, Ka, Ca, Ṭa, Ta, and Pa, they are six in number. [In] ‘Ya, Ra, La, Wa, Śha Ṣha, Sa’ there are two groups, by dividing into the Ya group and the Śha group. Thus, there are eight. ‘You should know by family’ [means] you should realize [them] as the very actuality of the gathering of all the collections of dharmas.” a ka ca ṭa ta pa sde tshan dang zhes bya ba ni drug gi grangs so/ ya ra la wa śa ṣa sa zhes bya ni ya’i sde tshan dang/ śa’i sde tshan gyi dbye bas sde tshan gnyis te/ de ltar na brgyad do/ rigs pas shes par bya zhes bya ba ni chos kyi phung po ma lus pa bsdus pa’i ngo bo nyid du rtogs par bya’o//

578.  Alaṁka (133A): “‘Moreover’ [means] the eight groups. ‘Having merged, they go’ [means] having gathered inside, they go. ‘Into one’ [means] the actuality of the letter A. ‘Just the letter’ [means] it illustrates objective reality.” slar yang zyes bya ba ni sde tshan brgyad po rnams so/ bsdus nas ’gro zhes bya ba ni khong su bsdus nas ’gro ba’o/ gcig tu zhes bya ba ni A yig gi ngo bo’o/ yi gi tsam zhes bya ba ni chos nyid mtshan par byed pa’o//

579.  Alaṁka 133B. Some of the Commentary is missing for this discussion, or Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra did not contain it.

580.  See Hartzell 1997, 348, for the names of the chakra channel goddesses from the Ḍākārṇava-mahā-yoginī-tantra-rāja .

581.  Alaṁka (178A): “Because of the nondifferentiation of the purity of the conventional and the ultimate.” kun rdzob dang don dam pa rnam par dag pa’i tha mi dad pas so//

582.  Alaṁka (177A): For example, the “action” clan is that of “Amoghasiddhi, the symbolic attribution of the intuition of accomplishing activities.” las dang zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ las kyi sgros ni bya ba grub pa’i ye shes rnam par dag pa’i ngo bo don yod grub pa’i rigs so// Id. Alaṁka (177B): The goddesses of the navel chakra are of Amoghasiddhi’s action clan “because [they have] the very essence of activity with the character of what is to be achieved and the means for achieving.” las kyi rigs las skyes zhes bya ba ni don yod grub pa’i rigs can te/ bsgrub bya dang sgrub byed kyi mtshan nyid can las kyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

583.  VR 49B, ch. 27, v. 11.

584.  Alaṁka (178A): “‘Smiling’ because [their] sole reality is peacefulness and because they look at conventional things in amazement.” zhal rnams bzhad pa zhes bya ba ni nye bar zhi ba’i ngo bo gcig pa’i phyir dang/ kun rdzob kyi chos la rnam par blta bar ngo mtshar ba dang bcas pa’i phyir ro//

585.  VR 49B, ch. 27, vv. 12–14

586.  Alaṁka 177B.

587.  E.g., OṀ BEDHANI ĀḤ HŪṀ. Alaṁka 178A.

588.  VR 49B, ch. 27, v. 15.

589.  Alaṁka (178B) has “to make [them] manifest,” gsal mdzad, rather than the Lhasa VR’s “to make [them] bestow,” stsol mdzad, desire, commenting, “‘Making [them] manifest the reality of desire’ [means] the thatness of the character of practicing the form aspect of desire, etc., one having the character of a buddha.” ’dod pa de nyid rab gsal mdzad/ ces bya ba ni ’dod pa’i sgo gzugs la sogs par nye bar longs spyod pa’i mtshan nyid kyi de kho na nyid ni sangs rgyas kyi mtshan nyid can la’o//

590.  With the ferocity of lust, sgeg pa’i khro bo nyid kyi phyir, says Alaṁka (179A).

591.  Alaṁka (179B): “‘Sun disks’ because of causing incineration by being the very antidote for conceptualization. nyi ma’i dkyil ’khor zhes bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa’i gnyen pa nyid kyis sred par byed pa nyid kyi phyir ro// I am following Peking and Narthang’s sreg pa , “incinerate,” rather than Derge’s sred pa , “crave” or “desire.” In this context, desire being the antidote for conceptualization also makes sense.

592.  Alaṁka (179B) explains the rationale for the first three names of the crown chakra goddesses, then says that the rest are as in the Tantra .

593.  VR 51A, ch. 27, v. 36; Alaṁka (180B): rdo rje padma’i bde bas myos/ zhes gsungs te/ dbang po gnyis yang dag par sbyar bas so//

594.  VR 51A, ch. 28, v. 1.

595.  Alaṁka (181B) explains that engaging the sense objects “is because of approaching ( mngon par phyogs pa )” them, probably a reference to the sixth bodhisattva stage. Although the text of the Tantra in the Kangyur does not mention any particular yogic practice in this chapter, Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra has “From compressing the breath within,” which Alaṁka (181B) says means that “the energies are perfectly endowed with consciousness,” “‘compressing within’ [meaning] entering into the interior of the group [of channels].” bdugs ni nang du bsdus pa las zhes bya ba ni rlung rnam par shes pa dang yang dag par ldan pa’o/ nang du bsdus zhes bya ba ni tshogs pa’i nang du zhugs pas so// Here tsogs, “group” or “collection,” could refer to the channels or to the aggregates. It should be noted that the text of Alaṁka’s word commentary here differs significantly from Alaṁka’s quotation of the same in his earlier discussion, in chapter 1 of the Commentary, 25B, of the eighty-two questions in which the text is dbus ni nang du ’dus pa yin, “by gathering within the central [channel],” which augurs in favor of “group of channels.”

596.  VR 51B, ch. 28, v. 5.

597.  VR 51B, ch. 28, vv. 6–7.

598.  See Lati Rinpoche and Denma Lochö Rinpoche 1983, 64.

599.  VR 51B, ch. 28, v. 3; Alaṁka (183B): “In those very ones, four types of thread in each chakra” de rnams nyid la ’khor lo so so la snal ma rnam pa bzhi

600.  Alaṁka 183B, commenting on VR 52A, ch. 29, v. 4: “‘Like the thread of the lotus’ means that just as the lotus is pervaded by the sinews of its threads, the intermediate channels are pervaded by the ecstasies, etc.” padma’i snal ma lta bu yis/ zhes bya ba ni ji ltar padma snal ma’i rgyus pa rnams kyis khyab par byed pa de bzhin du dga’ ba la sogs pa rnams kyi mtshams kyi rtsa de rnams la khyab par byed pa’o//

601.  VR 52B, ch. 30, v. 1. Alaṁka (184B) says that this body is “hard, firm like a diamond,” and occurs during the perfection stage. rdo rje brtan pa’i lus kyis zhes bya ba gsungs te/ rdo rje bzhin du brtan pa no sra ba’o//

602.  The CMP uses the terminology “vajra body” in connection with body isolation. Wedemeyer 2007, 87, 170–74; however, the practices described there involve the three buddha clans becoming one rather than the three channels becoming merged in the central channel, described just below. Indeed, in the CMP, the student asks the Vajra Master how to reduce the three clans to one, and the master answers, interpreting the cryptic language of the Root Tantra , that this happens only after one transforms not only into the body vajra of body isolation but also into the speech and mind vajras (173), indicating that the three clans become one only after the three isolations, i.e., at the third stage of the illusory body.

603.  Alaṁka 185A: khrag ’bab par ni shes bya ba/ nyi ma ’bab pa’o/ nyi ma ’byung ba’i bdag nyid can/ zhes bya ba ni rdul ’bab pa’o//

604.  Alaṁka (185B) says that “‘what is known because of the movement of the energy-wind in the central [channel]” is the falling of fire when the nonconceptual energy-wind is in the place of the central [channel].” shes bya dbus su rlung rgyu bas zhes bya ba ni dbus kyi gnas su rnam par mi rtog pa’i rlung dang dus kyi me ’bab pa’o //

605.  VR 53A, ch. 30, vv. 9–11.

606.  VR 53A, ch. 30, v. 12; Alaṁka 185A–B.

607.  Alaṁka (186B): “The sound drop ‘has the character of supporting vitality’ and is ‘“explained as nearly black” because it is the essence of nonperceiving.’” nag po’i rtsar ni rnam par bshad/ ces bya ba ni mi dmigs pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro// Tsong Khapa 2010, 139, notes that “although such and such a treatise sometimes explains clearly ‘the art of injecting the rasanā and lalanā energies into the central channel,’ most of the explanations are usually unclear.”

608.  Alaṁka (188A): “The three channels located in the head [refers to] . . . the lalanā , etc.” rtsa gsum la ni zhes bya ba ni mgo bo la gnas pa’i la la nā la sogs pa gsum mo//

609.  Alaṁka (187A): “‘The intuition of the deity illumines’ means having the nature of actually ‘illuminating the transmundane innate.’ ‘Joined with the mantra that illumines’ means illumining by applying the syllable HŪṀ, the main one of all, because it is connected with the realization [following most of the Pedurma recensions, which have rtogs rather than Peking and Snarthang’s rtog] because by the factor of its realization it connects the three [main] energy-winds.’ ‘The definitive yoga of the deity’ means through analyzing the conceptual energies the deity is transmundane.” lha yi ye shes gsal bar byed/ ces bya ba ni ’jig rten las ’das pa’i lhan cig skyes pa gsal ba’i ngo bo nyid kyi bdag nyid can no/ gsal ba’i sngags su yang dag par sbyor zhes bya ba ni gsal ba ni thams cad kyi gtso bo hūṁ yig la yang dag par sbyar ba ni/ rlung gsum po la cha shas su yongs su rtog pas ’brel pa’i phyir ro/ lha yi rnal ’byor don nges pa/ zhes bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa’i rlung ’byed pas lha ni ’jig rten las ’das pa’o//

610.  VR 53B, ch. 31, vv. 2–3; Alaṁka (187B): “The ‘intuition hero’ is the complete ecstatic body, also called the enjoyment body, ‘the sole province of the yogi/nī’; Vajrasattva is the truth body; and on account of them, the ‘commitment hero,’ the emanation body, is blissful.” ye shes sems dpa’ zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor pa gcig pu’i spyod yul nyid kyis longs spyod rdzogs pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ rdo rje sems zhes bya ba ni chos kyi sku’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ dam tshig sems dpa’ ste zhes bya ba ni sprul pa’i sku’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ gang phyir bde zhes bya ba ni rnam pa gnyis kyis bde ba chen po’i rang bzhin no//

611.  VR 53B, ch. 31, vv. 6–7; Alaṁka (188A): shing gi rtsa ba ltar /

612.  Alaṁka (188B): de ni de’i rnam par dag pa brjod p’ai phyir/ de’i yan lag rang gi ngo bo ni/ rnam par thar pa’i sgo gsum dngos/ zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ de ma thag par bstan pa’i rtsa gsum po stong pa nyid dang/ mtshan ma med pa dang/ smon pa med pa’i rang bzhin te/ rtsa gsum pa’i ngo bo la dmigs nas rnam par thar pa’i sgo gsum ’grub pa’i phyir ro//

613.  Alaṁka (189A): chos kyi ’khor lor son zhes bya ba ni snying ga’i padma la gnas pa’i sems kyi gnas nyid kyi phyir ro//

614.  VR 53B, ch. 31, v. 12; Alaṁka 189A.

615.  VR 53B, ch. 31, v. 13.

616.  Alaṁka 189A–B.

617.  Alaṁka (189B): skye ba dang ’chi ba dang thar pa’i gnas skabs so/ gsum pa zhes bya ba ni rtse gsum gyi’o/ gtso bo nyid du yongs su shes pa’o//

618.  VR 53 B, v. 13.

619.  VR 58A, ch. 37, v. 2.

620.  Alaṁka (202B): yid la byed pa dang rlung dang yang dag par sbyor ba las skyes pa n i/ rab tu sad par gyur nas so//

621.  Ibid.

622.  VR 58B, ch. 37, v. 3.

623.  VR 58B, ch. 37, v. 4.

624.  yul rnams dngos po med pa yis/ zhes bya ba ni don dam par rang bzhin gyis dben pa yang dag par shes pas so/ de nyid kyi zhes bya ba ni gcig dang du ma la sogs pa’i rigs pa rnams kyis so/ Alaṁka (202B). As Chapter 37 concludes, “From the yoga of meditating emptiness, ‘you definitively know the reality of objects’; the reason vajra conquers all.” VR 58B, ch. 37, v. 7.

625.  VR 58B, ch. 37, v. 5; Alaṁka 203A. This is an apt perfection stage parallel to the common analogy used to explain the use of desire in tantra, that of wood-born insects eating the wood that sustains them. See, e.g., Yeshe 1987, 25.

626.  Alaṁka 212B: la la nā dang ra sa nā dang a wa dhū tī dang lhas sbyin dang nor rgyal gyi mtshan nyid can gyi rtsa lnga’i ram mkha’ la thim pa ni de’i bdag nyid can no// I am following Alaṁka here; the Lhasa VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 2 has “relies on,” brten, and the other Pedurma recensions rten, instead of Alaṁka’s “dissolves,” thim pa, but the meaning is similar.

627.  VR 61B, ch. 42, vv. 2–3; Alaṁka 212B.

628.  VR 61B, ch. 42, v. 4.

629.  VR 63B, ch. 47, vv. 1–8. See generally Hartzell 1997, 593–601, for a discussion of the importance of rasa in Tantra. Alex Wayman discusses the nine moods, a later development, in the context of Shrī Rāhuguptapāda’s Prakāśanāmaśrīhevajrasādhana and a work of Shrī Lakshmī applying the moods to tantric conduct, the erotic with the goddess Nairātmyā, the heroic in staying in a charnel ground, etc. Wayman 1977, 327–28. The nine moods are referred to in the VR’s famous discussion of the first words of the Tantra at VR 87A, ch. 59, v. 40 (“Laughing and dancing, being in the nine moods of the theater, and the thought of mantra and consort: These are the conduct of Vajrasattva”; rgod dang rtse mo byed pa dang/ gar gyi nyams dgur ldan pa dang/ sngags dang phyag gya rnam rtog pa/ rdo rje sems dpa’i spyod pa’o// ).

630.  VR 33B, ch. 17, v. 17.

631.  This is the tenth of the sixty-four channels in the navel chakra. VR 33A, ch. 17, v. 10.

632.  Tib. sgeg pa , Skt. ṣṛṅgāra . The correlation of the eight moods here is my own.

633.  I could not find a channel with this name.

634.  Tib. drag ul , Skt. raudra .

635.  I could not find a channel with this name.

636.  Tib. bshad gad , Skt. hāsya .

637.  Alex Wayman quotes a work of Ratnākarashānti, the Piṇḍikṛta-sādhanopāyikā-vṛtti-ratnāvali , PTT, vol. 62, p. 69–3, 4, that states sku rdo rje ni rus sbal gyi rtsa , “the body vajra is the tortoise channel,” which Wayman parenthetically indicates is “the right nāḍī , i.e., the rasanā , right main channel” (1991, 118). The tortoise energy is one of the five branch energies.

638.  Tib. rmad byung , Skt. adbhuta .

639.  One of the channels of the heart chakra. VR 33B, ch. 17, v. 17.

640.  Tib. mi sdug pa , Skt. bibhatsa .

641.  So called because it makes the sound “rrrrrrrr.” Lozang Jamspal, personal communication. This could be the great sound channel in the heart chakra. VR 33B, ch. 17, v. 17.

642.  This could refer to the intoxicated by great ecstasy channel in the heart chakra. VR 33B, ch. 17, v. 17. Alaṁka’s (127B) version of the Tantra has nyer dga’ chen po, “great delight,” for this channel.

643.  Alaṁka (127B): Another of the channels of the heart chakra.

644.  VR 65B, ch. 47, v. 7.

645.  Tib. dpa’ bo , Skt. vira .

646.  VR 84A, ch. 57, vv. 1–2.

647.  VR 84A, ch. 57, vv. 3–4.

648.  Noting that the first verse of chapter 43 says that the Root Tantra has five clans, Alaṁka (214A) — commenting on the next verse, which refers to a hundred clans — says that “‘in tantra’ means in the tantras classified as cause, effect, and means [tantras]” rgyud du zhes bya ba ni rgyu dang ’bras bu’i dang thabs kyi dbye bas rgyud kyi rnam pa la’o//

649.  Alaṁka (213B–214A): nyon mongs pa lngas khyab pa’i sems can gyi khams sbyor bar byed pa’i phyir// I believe the “element” here is the “reality realm” or dharmadhātu discussed in chapter 41. VR 61A, ch. 41, v. 3 (“The element pervading from the reality realm [ dharmadhātu ] is called the reality realm.” chos kyi dbyings nas khyab pa’i khams/ chos kyi dbyings kyis de la brjod/). In the Root Tantra , the five clans are emanated; see, e.g., Fremantle 1971, 75; ch. 13, vv. 30–42 (“Make the five buddhas approach the mandalas, then send them out by means of the five rays, and enlightenment will be attained; the emanation of all mantras is twofold, emanation and withdrawal should be done distinguishing among the three vajra bodies”). Fremantle notes that “‘twofold’ refers to the two stages, that of creation and that of realization; ‘emanation and withdrawal’ belong to the stage of creation” (159 n. 10).

650.  VR 62A, ch. 43, vv. 4–6.

651.  Alaṁka 214B–215B.

652.  Alaṁka (135A): de bzhin gshegs pa lnga la zhes bya ba ni sangs rgyas lnga la ste/ chos nyid chos rnams las tha dad pa med pa’i phyir ro//

653.  The five Buddha clans being dissolved into three; as Alaṁka (135A) notes, “Ratnasambhava being merged into the class of delusion” (i.e., Vairochana), “because delusion and pride are one” gti mug gi rigs la rin chen ’byung ldan nang du sdud pa’o/ gti mug dang nga rgyal dag gcig pa nyid kyi phyir ro// and “the clan of action (Amogasiddhi) is included in the clan of passion (Amitābha) [because the power of passion produces jealousy].” ’dod chags kyi rigs la las kyi rigs khongs su grogs pa’i phyir ro//

654.  VR 35A, ch. 18, v. 18.

655.  VR 35A, ch. 18, v. 19; Alaṁka 135A.

656.  VR 36B, ch. 18, vv. 20–21.

657.  VR 64A, ch. 45, vv. 1–2; Alaṁka 27B.

658.  VR 64A, ch. 45, v. 3; Alaṁka 27B.

659.  lus kyi chos rnams , VR 64A, ch. 45, v. 7.

660.  VR 64A, ch. 45, vv. 4–7; Alaṁka 27B.

661.  T. Gyatso 1988, 11.

662.  VR 94A, ch. 64, vv. 4–8.

663.  VR 94A–B, ch. 64, vv. 9–12.

664.  VR 94B, ch. 64, vv. 13–16.

665.  VR 93B–94A, ch. 64, vv. 1–2.

666.  Consisting of the vowels, a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, r̄, ḷ, ḹ, e, ai, and o, au, aṁ, aḥ, and the consonantal groups ka, ca, ṭa, ta, and pa, ya, ra, la, wa, ṣa (presumably standing for all three sibilants), and ha, for a total of twenty-seven. VR 94A, 95A, ch. 64, vv. 2, 22.

667.  VR 94A, 95A, ch. 64, vv. 3, 23.

668.  VR 101B, ch. 68, v. 22.

669.  VR 101B, ch. 68, v. 25. The entire description can be found at VR 101B–102B, ch. 68, vv. 19–36.

670.  VR 102B–103A, ch. 68, vv. 37–44.

671.  VR 103A–B, ch. 68, vv. 45–50.

672.  Much of Tsong Khapa’s lengthy Commentary on the Intuition Vajra Compendium, An Explanatory Tantra of the Glorious Guhyasamāja (dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i bshad pa’i rgyud ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa) is devoted to a discussion of these three luminances and clear light, which constitutes them (and everything else). He notes there, among many other wonderful things, that luminance has a great portion of the intuitive wisdom of emptiness and a little bliss; radiance has much bliss and a little emptiness; while imminence has much of both (3A of the Derge recension). A translation of this work by Lozang Jamspal and the author is forthcoming.

673.  Lacking Alaṁka’s Commentary but aided by other sources, what follows is my own interpretation of chapters 51–53.

674.  VR 68B, ch. 51, v. 1.

675.  In his discussion of uncommon synonyms, Tsong Khapa quotes the PK, in which intuition is imagined as a moon disc, and also notes that in the PK “luminance is the relative, radiance is the imaginary, and imminence is the perfect.” Tsong Khapa 2010, 359. Chapter 4, v. 17 of the PK states in the first verse, mtshan mo snang ba’i cha ste gsal ba’i nyi ma’i zer ’gyed snang ba mched pa yin , “the night is the part of luminance; the spread of sun rays is radiance.” Tōh. 1802. See Thurman 1995, 257.

676.  See, e.g., K. Gyatso 1982, 95–101.

677.  gang tse dngos las skes nyi ma . VR 68A, ch. 50, v. 3.

678.  The VR refers to the “buddha sun” in other places as well: 6A, ch. 1, v. 36 (only Alaṁka’s version has “sun”: “Oh Lord! Sun of the Intuition Vajra!”), Alaṁka 19B; VR 12B, ch. 4, v. 1 (“Sun of the three vajras”); VR 51B, ch. 28, v. 6 (“The clear light of the buddha sun”).

679.  de las gnyis med ngo bor bshad/ ’bar ba’i phyir ni nyi mar ’gyur . VR 68A, ch. 50, v. 4.

680.  VR 69A, ch. 51, v. 5.

681.  VR 69A, ch. 52, v. 3.

682.  VR 69A, ch. 52, v. 2. See also Tsong Khapa 2010, 293–94 (summarizing the Root Text of the Concise Five Stages , attributed to Nāropa, to the same effect).

683.  I.e., the joining of luminance and radiance. Because this chapter is preceded by the chapter on the night and the day, luminance and radiance, and followed by the chapter on the “interval” just preceding enlightenment, one wonders if the “joining” of luminance and radiance, manifested by the joining of the drop of white enlightenment spirit from the crown and the red female hormonal substance from below, is a reference to luminance-imminence, nyer thob , ālokopalabdha, usually characterized by utter darkness, a reference absent here.

684.  VR 69A, ch. 52, v. 4.

685.  Tsong Khapa ascribes this to Tathāgatavajra, but does not identify the work. Tsong Khapa 2010, 211.

686.  The basic meaning of mtsams is “junction” or “interval.” See Thurman 1995, 257. In the literature the three luminances have many synonyms, and the VR plays with several of these. However, I think that “twilight” is appropriate here given VR chapter 51’s description of luminance and radiance as night and day, and also because the reverse nyer thob that follows final mind isolation does not have the “fainting” that follows dissolution of the seven ignorance instincts, so that there would be no “interval” or “gap” there. Denma Lochö Rinpoche, personal communication.

I think that “junction” would be a close second here, and should be kept in mind throughout, given that the Sanskrit that was translated as mtshams in the PK is saṁdhyā, whose basic meaning is junction (but can also mean twilight), and that imminence occurs when the energies emanating from the crown chakra as Ushṇishachakravartin and from the soles of the lower limbs as Sumbharāja meet at the junction of the heart. Also, as noted by Tsong Khapa in his commentary on the Intuition Vajra Compendium, imminence occurs when great bliss and emptiness are joined in equal proportions. nyer thob ni bde stong cha mnyam por ’jug pas thabs shes gnyis snyoms par ’jug pa’i rnal ’byor ro. (3A) Tsong Khapa, Commentary on the Intuition Vajra Compendium. On occasion in this translation, depending on the context, I will use “junction” for mtshams. See n. 984.

The PK’s chapter 4, vv. 17–18, states:

The night is the part of luminance; the spreading of the sun’s rays is luminance-radiance;

and twilight is luminance-imminence; gradually one’s instinctual natures go away.

What is neither night nor day nor twilight is free of the instinctual natures.

It is explained by the guru as the moment of enlightenment, the object of the yog/nī.

The end of twilight goes beyond the entire mass of imperishable darkness and,

Here, the instant before the sun rises is explained as the stainless, perfect end.

The supreme master teaches outer enlightenment to the disciple, dispelling the darkness,

In an instant, he will achieve the unpolluted inner bliss of a buddha’s enlightenment.

mtshan mo snang ba’i cha ste gsal ba nyi ma’i zer ’gyed snang ba mched pa yin/

mtshams ni snang ba thob pa rang gi rang bzhin rnams kyis lan cig min par ’gro/

mtshan min nyin par ma yin mtshams min gang zhig rang bzhin rnams dang rnam bral ba/

de ni byang chub skad cig yin par bla ma mchog bshad rnal ’byor pa nyid yul//

mtshams kyi mtha’ ni ’jig min mun nag tshogs ni ma lus gang du ’das pa dang/

ji srid nyi ma ma shar skad cig ’dir ni dri med yang dag mtha’ ru bshad/

slob dpon mchog ni rab rib bral bas slob ma la ni phyi rol byang chub bstan/

nang gi bde ba rnyog bral sangs rgyas byang chub skad cig dag gis thob par ’gyur//

The Sanskrit is:

Āloko rātribhāgaḥ sphuṭaravikiraṇaḥ syād divālokabhāsaḥ saṁdhyālokopalabdhaḥ prakrtibhir asakṛd yujyate svābhir etat /

No rātrir nāpi saṁdhyā na ca bhavati divā yaḥ prakṛtyā vimuktaḥ sa syād bodhi[sattva]kṣaṇo’ yaṁ varagurukathito yo [30 A] ginām eva gamyaḥ

Naiçaṁ dhvantaṁ vinastaṁ vyapagatam akhilaṁ sāṁdhya-tejas yasmin bhāsvān nodeti yāvat kṣaṇa iha vimale darçayed bhūtakoṭim /

Çisyāyacāryamukhyo vinihatatimiro bāhyasambo-dhidṛsṭyā prāpnoty adhyātmasaukhyaṁ vyapagatakaluṣaṁ buddhabodhiṁ kṣaṇena. (La Vallée Poussin 1896, 42)

See also Thurman 1995, 257.

In his The Ultimate Personal Instruction: Explanation of the Stage of Manifest Enlightenment, man ngag gi mthar thug mngon par byang chub pa’i rim pa’i bshad pa rjes mdzad pa bzhugs so, Tsong Khapa, explaining this passage from the PK, says: “By ‘The night is the part of luminance; the spreading of the sun rays is luminance-radiance; and twilight is luminance-imminence; gradually one’s instinctual natures go away’ [and] by ‘What is neither night nor day nor twilight is free of the instinctual natures,’ [Nāgārjuna means that] it is the joining of the four emptinesses and the dawn.” des na mtshan mo snang ba’i cha ste gsal ba nyi ma’i zer gyid snang ba mched pa yin/ mtshams ni snang ba thob pa rang gi rang bzhin rnams kyis lan cig min par gro/ zhes pas dus tshigs gsum dang snang ba gsum sbyar la/ mtshan min nyin par ma yin mtshams ma yin/ zhes sogs kyis ni stong pa bzhi pa dang tho rans sbyar ba yin te// 436, 7B. Significantly, Tsong Khapa’s final observation in this text is that “this was done principally relying of the Vajra Rosary Explanatory Tantra.” ’di ni gtso cher bshad rgyud rdo rje phreng ba la brten nas mdzad pa’o.

Additionally, in the BIL, Tsong Khapa puts it, “The process of birth and death is caused by [energy] and the arisal of the four voids is during the period between the dissolving and arising of the energy mobilizing the natural instincts. Thus, the natural instincts are derived from the increased movement of the three luminances, and thus it is said that the three luminances are the root of the natural instincts of all beings” (2010, 256).

687.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 3.

688.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 1.

689.  The intuition vajra is “in the lotus bud of the heart, flanked by the vitality energy above and the evacuative energy below.” VR 15A, ch. 6, v. 8.

690.  VR 69A–B, ch. 53, v. 5.

691.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 3: “the interval, not going to the end,” mthar ni yang dag mi ’gro gang/

692.  Ibid. mtshams med ’khor ba dag par byed/

693.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 4.

694.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 2.

695.  VR 69A, ch. 53, v. 6.

696.  VR 65B, ch. 48, v. 1.

697.  VR 65B, ch. 48, v. 2.

698.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 3.

699.  VR 66A, ch. 48, vv. 4–5.

700.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 6.

701.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 9.

702.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 10.

703.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 11.

704.  VR 66A, ch. 48, v. 12.

705.  In translating evam māyā śrutam ekasmin samaye as “This is just what I heard at that one time” I am taking evam as indicating special particularity, as the repetition of evam in a plethora of Buddhist scriptures has given it a specific valence that “thus,” at least in today’s parlance, seems to be missing. Effective translation should reflect changing values and speech patterns within a given language culture, and should be inter-temporal as well as inter-cultural, above all, in this context, being a species of upāya.

706.  VR 84A–B, ch. 58, v. 1.

707.  VR 84B, ch. 58, v. 2. The VR says that “two seals are stated at the beginning of the tantras,” VR 84B, ch. 58, v. 3, and is “the epitome of the meaning of all tantras” (v. 8).

708.  VR 84B, ch. 58,vv. 3–4.

709.  VR 84B, ch. 58,vv. 5–6.

710.  VR 84B–85A, ch. 58, v. 10.

711.  The Sanskrit text of the VR as quoted in the PU is set out at Bahulkar 2009, 135–39.

712.  This chapter of the VR, as repeated and commented upon in the PU, is the subject of Alex Wayman’s Yoga of the Guhyasamājatantra: The Arcane Lore of Forty Verses (1991). Wayman sought to place the verses interpreting the nidāna syllables in the context of later commentary. In the spirit of the case study of the VR, my approach is different: understanding these verses in the overall context of the VR itself.

713.  Wayman notes that “repeated consideration of these forty verses with great labor of collecting commentarial materials for them, finally convinced me that they represent a sequence of yoga” (1991, 173). Wayman rejects the only grouping of the nidāna verses he found, that of Kumāra in his brief commentary, Ṭippaṇīhṛdayādarśa , and proposes his own. 175–80.

714.  For example, E — ekāro ; VAM — vaṁśas ; MA — mahāvidyā ; YĀ — yāti ; ŚRU — śrutaṁ ; TAM — tam ; E — eṣo ; KA — kaḥ ; SMIN — asmiṁś ; etc.

715.  VR 85A, ch. 59, v. 2.

716.  Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 39 ( E yig shes rab ces ’byung ba . . . shes rab dam pa snang ba mtshon par byed pa ste//’dod chags dang bral ba dang sogs pas chags bral bar ma nas phrag dog gi bar gyi ). For a list of these instinctual natures, see Wayman 1977, 185, and Wedemeyer 2007, 775–78. Note that according to Tsong Khapa, the eighty-one instinctual natures dissolve in the death process or forward method in the stage of the dissolution of consciousness, (after the four elements and before the subtle body dissolutions) and that we know that the thirty-three for aversion, forty for attachment, and seven for ignorance are associated with luminance, radiance, and imminence respectively only because in the reincarnation process the instinctual natures arise therein. Tsong Khapa, Vajra Intuition Commentary (Derge 23A): “From the birth of the three luminances in the reverse method, the activities of the realization of the nature of the three consciounesses appearing as an object will be experienced clearly. Relying on the cause of luminance, the thought constructions of the 80 instinctual natures will arise.” snang ba gsum lugs ldog tu skyes pa de nas rnam par shes pa gsum gyi rang bzhin gyi rtog pa yul du snang ba la rab tu spyod pa rnams gsal bar nyams su myong bar ’gyur te/ snang ba’i rgyu la brten nas rang bzhin brgyad cu’i rtog pa rnams ’byung bar ’gyur ro//

717.  VR 85A, ch. 59, v. 3.

718.  Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 39 ( ’dod chags dang la sogs pas zhen pa nas gya gyu’i bar gyi rang bzhin gyi rtog pa bzhi bcu rab tu bskyed pa’i nus pa dang ldan pa ste snang ba mched pa’i rnam par shes pa).

719.  VR 85A, ch. 59, v. 4.

720.  ’od gsal rang nyid kyi rtsa ba ni ma rig pa’o/ zhes sbrel bas nyer thob bstan te, “Through connecting [the verse], ‘The root of it, clear light, is ignorance,’ he teaches imminence.” Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 39.

721.  VR 85A, ch. 59, v. 5. Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 40.

722.  VR 85A–B, ch. 59, v. 6.

723.  VR 85B, ch. 59, v. 7. Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 40.

724.  VR 85B, ch. 59, v. 8. However, there is an important distinction. Although the PU and the PU Annotations (and Wayman, citing VR ch. 32) describe this “wind” as one of the four elements, i.e., wind, fire, water, and earth, chapter 32 describes it as the vitality energy. VR 54B, ch. 32, v. 6; Alaṁka 190A–B. The PU and the PU Annotations do not link the wind described here to the energies described in chapter 32. Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 40.

725.  VR 85B, ch. 59, v. 9.

726.  VR 85B, ch. 59, vv. 10–12.

727.  Wayman’s schema for the forty verses is as follows (1977, 178):

I. The Stage of Generation.

A. Evaṁ mayā śrutam | Yoga (= Sevā)
B. Ekasmin samaye | Anyuoga (= Upasādhana)
C. Bhagavān Sarva | Atiyoga (= Sādhana)
D. Tathāgata | Mahāyoga (= Mahāsādhana)

II. The Stage of Perfection.

E. Kāyavākcitta | Pratyāhāra and Dhyāna (= kāyaviveka)
| Prāṇāyāma (= Vajrajāpa)
| Dhāraṇā (= Cittavisuddhi and Svādhiṣṭhāna) — Sevā
F. Hṛdaya-vajrayoṣid | Anusmṛti (= Abhisaṁbodhi) —
| Upasādhana
G. Bhageṣu vijahāra | Samādhi (= Yuganaddha) —
| Sādhana and Mahāsādhana

One need not agree with all of Wayman’s conclusions, most of which are buttressed by commentarial works (see 180 for a list of the main ones used) to appreciate the value of his commentary as a teaching tool. Whether the author(s) of the VR intended these forty verses to be a complete guide to the practices leading to enlightenment is another, probably unanswerable, question; they certainly contain much of that path. While Wayman may not have been Indian or Tibetan (at least in his most recent life), his commentary deserves to be part of the literature and amply deserves and rewards study.

728.  Wayman analyzes evaṁ mayā śrutam ekasmin samaye as pertaining to the creation stage yoga practices of yoga and anuyoga (1991, 178). Up until YE, the description also pertains to ordinary life, death, and rebirth. Drawing on the BIL, Wayman notes the correspondences between the ordinary “basic time” and the extraordinary “path time” of the five stages of perfection as follows (Wayman 1977, 223):

Basic Time | Time of the Path
1. Inhalation and Exhalation | Diamond Muttering [Vajra Repetition]
2. Dissolution of the elements | Purification of the Mind [Mind Isolation]
3. Clear Light of Death | Personal Blessing [Illusory Body]
4. Intermediate State body | Revelation-Enlightenment [Manifest Enlightement]
5. Birth | Pair-united [Communion]

729.  VR 85B, ch. 59, v. 13.

730.  BHA in the PU Annotations, 42.

731.  At least that is how it is glossed in the PU Annotations : “The conceptual instinctive natures again arise from these three luminances,” snang ba gsum po ’di las rang bzhin gyi rtog pa rnams slar yang ’byung ba . Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 42.

732.  VR 85B, ch. 59, v. 14.

733.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 15.

734.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 16. The PU Annotations explains that one with the “nature of the three intuitions” is one who has experience “of the three, luminance, radiance and imminence, after engaging in meditative equipoise relying on the subtle mediation on the lower door,” ’og sgo’i phra mo bsgoms pa la brten nas mnyam gzhag tu snang mched thob gsum gyi ye shes bdag nyid can gsum , Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 42, i.e., mastering the subtle creation stage.

735.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 17.

736.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 18.

737.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 19.

738.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 20.

739.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 21.

740.  Snang ba gsum gyi ye shes kyi bde stong dbyer med pa tsam nyid do . Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 42.

741.  VR 86A, ch. 59, v. 22.

742.  Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 44.

743.  VR 86A–B, ch. 59, v. 23.

744.  Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 44 ( kun rdzob bden pa sgyu ma’i lus sur gsungs pa ).

745.  VR 86B, ch. 59, vv. 23–24. In his commentary on the culminating speech of Buddha in the Vajra Intuition Compendium , Tsong Khapa states:

The Blessed One spoke, “As long as one is not making benefit for sentient beings through the activities of pacifying, etc.,” one should equipoise on the great yoga, “the perfect state” of clear light, that is abiding. “If one sees sentient beings to be benefitted anywhere, at that time by the stage of” [Derge 65B] producing the illusory body of “self-consecration, one rises up from the perfect state” of clear light. Through pacifying, developing, dominating, and fierce [actions], pacifying the sicknesses and making the benefit of prosperity etc. of sentient beings one engages in the state of pure clear light. For practicing the integration of no more learning, one rises up from clear light. Again, engaging is merely being seen by others because all the buddhas are always in equipoise on clear light.

746.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 25.

747.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 26.

748.  Tsong Khapa says that the “conduct” meant here is that for attaining the illusory body as well as “learner’s communion,” but not that of “nonlearner’s communion.” Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 45.

749.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 27. Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 45.

750.  VR 86B, ch. 58, v. 28.

751.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 29.

752.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 30 .

753.  Per the PU and PU Annotations , luminance, radiance and imminence. Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 46.

754.  VR 86B, ch. 59, v. 31.

755.  VR 86B–87A, ch. 58, v. 32.

756.  VR 87A, ch. 58, v. 33.

757.  Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 46.

758.  VR 87A, ch. 58, v. 34.

759.  VR 87A, ch. 58. See Tsong Khapa , PU Annotations, 47.

760.  VR 87A, ch. 58, v. 35.

761.  VR 87A, ch. 58, vv. 36–37.

762.  VR 87A–B, ch. 58, vv. 38–41. Extensive further discussion of the nidāna verses is found in the PU, the PU Annotations , and Wayman 1977.

763.  See Wedemeyer 2007, 49–53.

764.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 157.

765.  I.e., chapter 18 of the GST, the Later Tantra ( Uttaratantra ), considered to be an explanatory tantra.

766.  Wayman 1977, 164.

767.  Tsong Khapa has an extensive discussion of the various Indian and Tibetan commentators who sought to reconcile the five stages with the six yogas. Tsong Khapa 2010, 159–78. Wayman equates prāṇāyāma with vajrajāpa ; dhāraṇā with sarvaśuddhiviśuddhi and svādhiṣṭhāna ; anusmṛti with abhisaṁbodhi ; and samādhi with yuganaddha (1977, 173).

768.  Alaṁka (75B) explains that each of the meats represents a commitment of one of the five buddhas:

It states “elephant” etc. because of the great size of the body like an elephant, the form of Vairochana. “Horse” because of going quickly, because of the essence of purifying the wind element, the form of Amoghasiddhi. “Dog” because of having a long tongue, the form of Amitābha. “Cow” the form of Ratnasambhava because it is known as wealth. “Human” because of having a consciousness like a person, the form of Akshobhya.

glang po zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ glang po ltar lus che ba nyid kyi phyir rnam par snang mdzad kyi ngo bo’o/ rta ni mgyogs par ’gro ba dang ’dra ba’i phyir/ rlung gi khams kyi rnam par dag pa’i ngo bo nyid kyis don yod grub pa’i ngo bo ’o/ khyi ni lje ring ba nyid kyi phyir snang ba mtha’ yas kyi ngo bo’o/ ba lang zhes bya ba ni rin chen ’byung ldan gyi ngo bo ste/ nor nyid du grags pa’i phyir ro/ mi zhes bya ba ni skyes pa rnams la rnam par shes pa dang bcas pa nyi kyis mi bskyod pa’i ngo bo ’o//

769.  Alaṁka 76B: rnam rtog rlung rnams zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ rnam rtog ni le’u gsum pa las bshad pa’i brgya rtsa brgyad kyi grangs te/

770.  VR 20B, ch. 10, v. 11.

771.  Ibid.

772.  In the CMP, Āryadeva refers to “the hundred and sixty instinctual natures.” Wedemeyer 1999, 349.

773.  Alaṁka 76B–77A.

774.  VR 20B, ch. 10, v. 5.

775.  Alaṁka (75B): de la snying rje btung ba ni/ zhes bya ba ni sems can gyi don la blo mi spang ba’i phyir ro//

776.  VR 28A, ch. 15, v. 12.

777.  Alaṁka 108A: rnal ’byor gsum gyi ’bras bu dag nyid ces bya ba ni gsum ni dang po’i rnal ’byor dang/ dkyil ’khor rgyal po mchog dang las rgyal po mchog gi mtshan nyid can dang rigs brgya’i dbye ba’i bdag nyid can rnams kyi ’bras bu ni lus rnam par dben pa ste/ In the supreme mandala triumph, the mandala absorbs the ordinary world; in the supreme evolutionary triumph, the mandala’s activity triumphs over normal worldly evolutionary actions; and in the hundred clans practice there is a deity in every part of the body, not just the body mandala. So here the subtle creation stage is merging into the beginning level of the perfection stage. See also Cozort 1986, 51; Lodö 1995, 42–45.

778.  See Alaṁka 108B. In this, Alaṁka is following the GST’s sixth chapter. See Tsong Khapa 2010 at 156. The commentarial schema in the noble tradition involves five stages, as in the PK. Indeed, the final chapter of the VR sets forth the five-stage schema. See Tsong Khapa 2010 at 157. Tsong Khapa explains that there is no contradiction here, since everyone is talking about the same process, differing only on whether to include some stages within others. Tsong Khapa 2010, 158.

779.  ‘ bras bu ni kun rdzob kyi bden pa rnam par dben pa’o. Alaṁka 108A.

780.  Alaṁka 108A.

781.  VR 28B, ch. 15, v. 13.

782.  Alaṁka 108B: ’stong nyid snying rje dbyer med pa/ zhes bya ba ni ji ltar rigs pa rim pa drug la shes rab dang snying rje bdag nyid gcig pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

783.  Alaṁka 108B–109A: rdzogs pa’i rim pa’i mtshan nyid can/ zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyi gdod ma nas ma skyes pa’i chos nyid mtshon par byed pa a yig gi rnam par yongs su shes pa’o/ rten pa med cing zhes bya ba ni bskyed pa’i rim pa las skyes pa’i lha’i mtshan nyid can rten spangs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ snang ba med ces bya ba ni rdo rje bzlas pa’i rim pa la brten nas ’jug pa dang gnas pa dang ldang ba spangs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ rang bzhin med pa zhes bya ba ni sems rnam par dag pa’i rim pas rang bzhin dang snang ba rnams la rang bzhin med par rtogs pa’o/ mchog gi mchog ces bya ba ni mchog ni snang ba la sogs pa gsum pa’i mtshan nyid las so/ mchog ni bzhi pa’i rnam pa’o/ med ces bya ba ni bdag byin gyis brlab pa’i rim pas rjod byed spangs pa’i phyir ro/ rnam pa med pa dang zhes bya ba ni mngon par byang chub pa’i rim pas rags pa dang phra ba’i rnam pa thams cad spangs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ ’gyur ba med pa’i zhes bya ba ni tha dad pa’i rnam par rtog pa ma lus pa thams cad med pas zung ’jug gi rnam pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ chen po’i mchog ces bya ba ni mi slob pa’i lam gyi rang bzhin nyid kyis shin tu yang mchog nyid kyi phyir ro/

784.  Alaṁka glosses the “three realities” as bdag dang sngags dang ye shes kyi de kho na nyid, “self, mantra, and intuitive wisdom,” (153A), and later, after a detailed description of the thirty-two body mandala deities, summarizes “self-reality” as ““the differentiation of the aggregates and elements in one’s own body,” bdag nyid kyi lus la phung po dang khams la sogs pa’i dbye ba (161A). He then describes the various mantras and summarizes “the reality of intuitive wisdom” as “the form of integration that results, the conventional and ultimate becoming of one taste,” ’bras bur gyur pa’i zung ’jug gi rnam pa ste/ kun rdzob dang don dam pa ro gcig par gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro (162A). As will be discussed in connection with chapter 68, infra , body isolation straddles the creation and perfection stages. In the BIL, Tsong Khapa quotes this chapter of the VR in his discussion of body isolation. Tsong Khapa 2010, 199.

785.  The commentary does refer to “body isolation” at the end of the discussion of the body mandala (Alaṁka 161A). It seems that the Tantra ’s reference to “intuition” here refers to the latter part of vajra repetition, after meditation on the energies, which culminates in mind isolation, and also to the final stages. Alaṁka (162B) does say at the outset of the discussion of “intuition” that “‘abandoning all the conceptualities of speech” means the actuality of prāṇāyāma , which would place it within the stage of speech isolation; ngag gi rnam rtog kun spangs pa/ zhes bya ba ni srog dang rtsol ba’i ngo bo ste ngag gi rtog pa thams cad las ’das pa snyam du byas na so // Tsong Khapa (2010, 384) notes that “the VR states often and explicitly how the mind isolation voids are generated from the perspective of the vajra repetition’s blocking the circulation of the energies.” However, later on, Alaṁka (162B) indicates that the Tantra is referring to clear light mind and to recollection ( rjes su dran pa, anusmṛti ). As noted by Wayman, Tsong Khapa’s commentary on the PK states: “ sgron ma rab gsal las sor bsam gñis sems dben daṅ/ srog rtsol rdor bzlas daṅ/ ḥdzin pa ḥod gsal daṅ/ rjes dran daṅ ting nge ḥdzin zung ḥjug tu ḥdus par bśad de / According to the Pradīpoddyotana , (among the six members) pratyāhāra and dhyāna are incorporated in secret state of mind ( citta-viveka ); prāṇāyāma in diamond muttering [vajra repetition] ( vajrajāpa ) (i.e., secret state of speech, vāg-viveka ); dhāraṇā in clear light; anusmṛti and samādhi in pair-united ( yuga-naddha )” (Wayman 1977, 167).

786.  VR 42A, ch. 23, v. 1.

787.  Alaṁka (153A): ji ltar zhe na/ de’i phyir bdag nyid sogs dbye bas zhes bya ba gsungs te/ sogs pa’i sgras ni sngags dang ye shes kyi de kho na nyid kyis bsdus pa’i rig par bya’o//

788.  Alaṁka explains the interpretable and definitive meanings of these mantras, 155A–B, and those of the elemental goddesses, 156A–B.

789.  The verse that should describe Sparshavajrā is missing from the Lhasa, Stok Palace, Derge, and Narthang recensions of the VR. Alaṁka’s (157B) version of the Tantra describes her, but does not name her: “By the division of smooth and rough, you know that very thing as touch, the form that is grasped for the main one.” Alaṁka (158A) does name her as Sparshavajrā in quoting the Sekoddeśa on this subject: rdo rje sems dpa’ dang ’khyud pa reg bya rdo rje ma/

790.  VR 44A, ch. 23, v. 30.

791.  The Tantra gives the body locations — only eight of them, without “upper” and “lower,” which are found in Alaṁka’s (160A) version — without specifying which terrific goes where. The places given here are according to Alaṁka’s quotation of the Sekoddeśa , Tōh. 361, which differs slightly from Alaṁka’s word commentary on the Tantra ’s verses 31 and 32 of this chapter.

792.  Alaṁka (153A): bdag gi de nyid ces bya ba ste/ kun du brtags pa phung po lnga’i tshogs kyi de nyid ni ji lta ba bzhin du gnas pa’i rnam par snang mdzad la sogs pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i ngo bo bdag gis de kho na nyid ces brjod do//

793.  VR 42B, ch. 23, v. 11.

794.  Alaṁka (155B): gti mug rnam par dag pa rnam par snang mdzad la dga’ ba gang la yod pa de snyom du bsams nas so/ de ni spyan du zhes bya ba ni sa’i khams la cha shas kyi rang bzhin med pa nyid kyi snang ba’i phyir ro//

795.  E.g., VR 42B, ch. 23, v. 4: “In that is the actuality of Vairochana, and the cause of taking delight in all of them” ( der ni rnam snang ngo bo dang/ thams cad spro bar byed pa’i rgyu ); VR 42B, ch. 23, v. 5: “The sensation aggregate, the character of Ratnasambhava, the nature of the pleasure of the transcendent lord” ( tshor ba’i phung por bshad/ rim chen ’byung ldan nyid kyi mtshan/ de bzhin gshegs pa’i spro ba’i bdag nyid ). Spro ba here is probably Skt. rati , “to delight in,” “to find pleasure in,” with a heavy connotation of sexual pleasure or desire. However, there is multivalence in the term, used throughout, which can mean either prapañca or rati , “emanate” or “radiate” on the one hand, or “pleasure” or “take delight in” on the other. The terms are related, with rati , the sexual urge, being a form of prapañca , proliferating, elaborating, emanating, or radiating out. In tantra these two are not so distinct, so the multivalent/ambivalent term is well employed here.

796.  Tsong Khapa 2010, 203.

797.  Alaṁka 162A.

798.  It seems as if this may be a key to the formation of mantras for the thirty-two deities, as in OṀ ĀḤ VAJRADHṚK HŪṀ PHAT SVĀ HĀ.

799.  VR 44B, ch. 23, v. 39.

800.  Alaṁka (163B) says this is “sound whose nature is an echo,” sgra yang zhes bya ba ni brag ca’i ngo bo’i sgra’o//

801.  Alaṁka (163B) says this is “in the emptiness of the actuality of perfect sound,” sgra tsam la na’o zhes bya ba ni/ sgra rdzogs pa’i ngo bo’i stong pa la’o//

802.  VR 44B, ch. 23, vv. 42–45. Wedemeyer, discussing the CMP, notes that the drop “dissolves either into voidness directly (as seemingly advocated here) or, often in contemporary practice, first into the nāḍa (traditionally, a subtle sound-energy, but understood in contemporary Tibet to refer to another graphical element looking like a squiggle on top of the drop) and then into voidness” (2007, 109). The VR dissolution practice described here, which is consistent with chapter 11’s statement that “whoever knows just that [mere sound] achieves the state of no rebirth,” VR 21B, ch. 11, v. 1, is thus closer to this “traditional” practice. Further research should be pursued here on possible correspondences with the Kashmir Shaiva tantras’ use of the concept of dhvani , defined by Monier-Williams as “empty sound without reality.” See, e.g., Muller-Ortega 1989, 118. (Abhināvagupta notes that “there always arises a spontaneous sound [ dhvani ] which is termed the supreme, the great Heart. That self-consciousness in the Heart in which the entire universe without remainder is dissolved, present at the beginning and at the end of perception of objects, is called in the authoritative texts the vibration [spaṇḍa] . . . For that vibration, which is a slight motion of a special kind, a unique vibrating light, is the wave of the ocean of consciousness, without which there is no consciousness at all.”)

803.  See VR 101A, ch. 68, v. 17, for a description of the third stage of self-consecration as such. See also Wedemeyer 2007, 243–52, for Āryadeva’s description of this stage in the CMP. Wedemeyer notes how crucial this stage is to “the techniques of engaging the world via a compassionate, omnipotent, divine emanation body” emphasized by the noble tradition (103). Here in the VR we have some of the “personal instructions” that the CMP’s Vajra Master urges the student to get at the end of the discussion of this stage. As a description of the body mansion, this chapter per Alaṁka (175B–176A) also applies to the creation stage, which sets the stage for the actual creation of the illusory body in the self-consecration stage. In this regard, one should keep in mind the VR’s later statement: “The practice of the creation stage and the perfection stage — wherever those two become one is called communion.” VR 101A, ch. 68, v. 12.

804.  Alaṁka (174A): mchog ces bya ba ni tha mal pa’i rnam par rtog pa spangs nas khyad par can gyi ngo bo zhes bya ba’i don to//

805.  VR 48A, ch. 26, v. 1.

806.  VR 48A, ch. 26, v. 4; Alaṁka 174B. The eight bodhisattvas stand for the eight consciousnesses, including the fundamental consciousness and the addicted mentality of Yogāchāra thought (VR 48B, ch. 26, v. 6), Alaṁka (175A) mentioning “joints of all limbs and the joints of all sinews stated as the duo of the fundamental consciousness ( kun gzhi ) and addicted mentality ( nyon mon pa can gyi yid ),” yan lag thams cad kyi tshigs dang rgys pa thams cad kyi tshigs kyi ngo bo kun gzhi dang/ nyon mongs pa can gyi yid gnyis . . . / from which I infer Samantabhadra and Maitreya, respectively. The ten terrifics are the reality of “faith, effort, memory, concentration, and intuition [faculties], faith power, effort power, memory power, concentration power, and intuition power,” VR 48A, ch. 26, v. 7, though Alaṁka (175B) does not specify which is which.

807.  Alaṁka 175B–176A.

808.  VR 48B, ch. 26, vv. 11–12.

809.  Alaṁka (176B): bdag la byin rlab pas rim de nyid/ ces bya ba ni sgyu ma lta bu’i ting nge ’dzin la gnas pa rnams kyis zhes bya ba’i don to//

810.  The six yogas relate to techniques, as contrasted with the five stages, which relate to attainment. Cozort 1986, 66.

811.  “Six spokes; half of that; similarly, eight times eight is more than it; eight times two; and eight times four.” VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 2.

812.  Here the channels are described as spokes because of their shape, e.g., rtsibs drug po zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs so/ de’i dbyibs can gyi rlung gi ’khor lo’o, “he says ‘six spokes and so forth,’ [referring to] the wind chakra with the shape of that.” Alaṁka 203B. In the first line of verse 2, in his word commentary Alaṁka has rtsibs , “spoke,” instead of rnam pa , “type.” VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 2.

813.  Alaṁka (204A).

814.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 3

815.  Alaṁka (204A): don dam par dngos po las rang bzhin med pa ’ i phyir /

816.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 4.

817.  Alaṁka (204A): ’gro ba’i ma zhes bya ba ni byang chub kyi sems nyid las ji ltar srid par ’gro ba bskyed pa’i phyir ro// “Mother of migrants” because it produces beings in cyclic existence as if from the enlightenment spirit.

818.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 4; Alaṁka (204A): “‘Even of the wise ones’ [means] of those who abide on the perfection stage; ‘not the sphere’ [means] not in the sphere.” ye shes can rnams kyi yang zhes bya ba ni rdzogs pa’i rim pa la gnas pa rnams kyi’o/ spyod yul min zhes bya ba ni spyod yul ma yin pa’o//

819.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 5.

820.  Alaṁka (204A): r ang bzhin gyis khong stong du yod pa’i phyir / which could also be translated, less philosophically, as “because it naturally exists as a cavity.”

821.  Alaṁka (204A): kun khyab ces bya ba ni dro bar gyur pa nyid kyi [following Peking and Narthang, rather than Derge’s kyis ] lus thams cad la khyab pa’o //

822.  Alaṁka (204A): spros pa med pa

823.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 6 .

824.  Ibid.

825.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 7. Alaṁka (204B) says: “‘indestructible sound [ nāda ]’ because it is in the form of the syllable A; sound [ nāda ] as it is like an echo.” mi shigs nā da’i zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ nā da zhes bya ba ni a yig gi rnam pa ste/ brag cha dang ’dra ba nyid kyi phhyir ro//

826.  Alaṁka (204B) has “A body that moves like a snake’s lightning tongue,” sbrul glog lce ltar gyo ba’i lus/

827.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 9.

828.  Alaṁka (204B): sgra tsam zhes bya ba ni brag cha dang ’dra ba’o//

829.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 9.

830.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 10.

831.  Alaṁka (205A) rten cing ’brel ’byug rang bzhin gyis/ zhes bya ba ni rgyu dang rkyen ni rang bzhin gyis so//

832.  Ibid.

833.  VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 13.

834.  Alaṁka (205B): mtshan nyid ’das zhes bya ba ni ha yig gi rnam pa dang de nyid a yig dang bral bas brjod par bya ba nyid kyi phyir ro//

835.  Ibid.

836.  VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 1: sbyor drug go ‘ phang mtshan nyid ni/ ji lta ji lta ba bzhin sbyor/ ji ltar ’dod pa’i yan lag brten//

837.  See Esoteric Community Further Tantra, rgyud phyima , Tōh. 443; Stok Palace 530B: so sor sdud dang bsam gtan dang/ srog rtsol de bzhin ’dzin pa dang/ rjes su dran dang ting ’dzin te/ sbyor ba’i yan lag drug tu bshad// See also Wayman 1977, 44–50. The Kālachakra tantric system also has the six yogas, albeit in a somewhat modified form. A fine discussion of the history of the six-branch or ṣaḍaṅga yoga is found in chapter 2 of Wallace 2004, starting with the six-phase yoga found in the Maitrī Upaniṣad , and comparing the variations of the six-phase yoga cited in Shaiva, Vaiṣhṇava, and Buddhist texts. The six yogas discussed here in connection with the perfection stage are also to be distinguished from the “six yogas” of the creation stage, yoga, anuyoga, atiyoga, mahāyoga , supreme mandala triumph , and evolutionary triumph , discussed in chapter 35 of the Tantra . VR 57A, ch. 35, vv. 3–7; Alaṁka 198A–199B.

838.  Tōh. 443; Stok Palace 530B: bsnyen pa yan lag drug gis ni/ byas pas sgrub pa mchog tu ’gyur/ gzhan du bsgrubs par gyur na ni/ dngos grub mchog ni ’byung mi ’gyur//

839.  Lodö 1995, 52.

840.  Indeed, with respect to what I think is a direct connection in the VR to the third yoga, vitality control, where the Tantra says, in the transition from the third chakra discussed (navel) to the heart chakra, “you abandon vitality control,” VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 10, Alaṁka (205A) merely says, “‘You abandon vitality control’ because of the reality of the stopping of energy.” srog dang rtsol ba rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba ni rlung ’gags pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro// However, with respect to the fire chakra, Alaṁka (204A) does note that “increasing great bliss” refers to “two kinds of great bliss,” bde ba yang dag ’phel bar byed/ ces bya ba ni bde ba chen po rnam pa gnyis ’phel bar byed pa’o// which may be a reference to ecstasy and bliss, two of the five components of meditative absorption. It is also possible that Alaṁka did not elucidate more connections between the descriptions of the six chakras and the six yogas because they were obvious to his audience, or perhaps because he wanted future scholars in a degenerate age to have to think for themselves.

841.  Alaṁka (203B): gzhan yang zhes bya ba ni snga ma bzhin du’o/ sbyor drug go ’phang mtshan nyid do/ zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ sbyor ba drug gi go ’phang dang/ ’khor lo rnams kyi ngo bo’i mtshan nyid ni/ phyin ci ma log pa’i ngo bos rnams par bshad kyis zhes bya ba ste bshad kyis nyin zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ ji ltar zhe na/ de’i phyir ji lta ba bzhin zhes bya ba gsungs te/ phyin ci ma log pa’i ngo bos so/ ji ltar sbyor zhes bya ba ni go rims yongs su spangs pas so/ ji ltar ’dod pa’i yan lag rten/ zhes bya ba ni ji ltar ’dod pas ’gro ba’i rten no/ In his commentary on the Vimalaprabhā ’s discussion of the six chakras in the Kālachakra system, in particular the verse that “due to the power of the spiritual mentor’s precepts, these givers of death [the wheels] bestow life and health,” Butön notes that this is “due to the six-phased yoga .” Wallace 2004, 73 n. 81.

842.  Although Alaṁka’s reference to “by whatever yoga,” meaning “abandoning the sequence” ( ji ltar sbyor zhes bya ba ni go rims yongs su spangs pas so// ) may suggest that if there is a correspondence between the six yogas and the six chakras, it is not in a particular order. VR 58A, ch. 38, v. 1; Alaṁka 203B.

843.  Further Tantra , Tōh. 443, Stok Palace 530B.

844.  Ibid., v. 144: rtog dang dpyod dang dga’ ba dang/ de bzhin bde ba nyid dang yang sems kyi rtse gcig nyid dag ste/ lnga po der ni bsam gtan bsdu//

845.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 6.

846.  Alaṁka (204A): bde ba yang dag ’phel bar byed/ ces bya ba ni bde ba chen po rnam pa gnyis ’phel bar byed pa’o//

847.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 6.

848.  Tōh. 1351, 246a5, quoted in K. Gyatso 2004, 468.

849.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 7.

850.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 8.

851.  VR 59A, ch. 38, v. 10.

852.  See, e.g., K. Gyatso 2004, 495.

853.  Tōh. 443, Stok Palace 531A.

854.  VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 7.

855.  VR 59B, ch. 38, v. 13.

856.  Alaṁka 209A.

857.  Alaṁka 208A.

858.  Alaṁka (209A): i.e., it is “devoid of the activities of mantra and tantra,” VR 60B, ch. 40, v. 5, because it lacks the meditation of seed syllables and moon discs etc. of the creation stage. sngags dang rgyud kyi bya bas stong/ zhes bya ba ni sngags ni sa bon gyi yi ge rnams so//

859.  VR 60B, ch. 40, v. 2.

860.  Alaṁka (208B): bdag dang gzhan gyi rnam par rtog pa med pa’i phyir ro//

861.  Ibid. phyag rgya chen po zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ dga’ ba chen po ster bar byed pas na phyag rgya chen po zhes bya ba’o//

862.  Ibid. rnal ’byor chen po’i don bsdus pa/ zhes bya ba ni rdo rje lta bu’i ting nge ’dzin gyi ngo bo nyid kyis zung du ’jug pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

863.  VR 60B, ch. 40, v. 3.

864.  Alaṁka (208B) explains: “Because it is realized from the Intuition Ḍākinī Tantra ” ( ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma’i rgyud las rtogs par bya ba nyid kyi phyir ). I have not been able to locate a tantra by that name, Jñānaḍākinītantra , which may mean that it is lost or that Alaṁka was referring generally to the yoginī tantras, which would be consistent with Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra , rnal ’byor ma yi zhal las rtogs , “realized from the mouth of the yoginī,” as compared with the Lhasa VR’s rnal ’byor ma rgyud las bslab pa , “learned from the tantra of the yoginī.”

865.  Cozort 1986, 72.

866.  Tsong Khapa 2010 at 216.

867.  This chapter also ends with the admonition that “one should know from the yoginī tantras the supreme intuition of the supreme yoga.” VR 60B, ch. 40, v. 7.

868.  Alaṁka (209A): spangs pa ni rnam par bral ba ste/ rdo rje’i bzlas pa’i rim pa las khyad par du ’phags pa nyi kyi phyir ro// The Lhasa VR does not have this verse.

869.  Alaṁka (209A): sems rnam par dag pa’i rim pas khyad par du ’phags pa’i phyir ro .

870.  Alaṁka (209A): i.e., the illusory magic body, bdag byin gyis brlab pa’i rim pa dang bral ba’i phyir ro

871.  VR 60B, ch. 40, v. 6.

872.  Alaṁka (209A): phyag rgya dang ting nge ’dzin gyi rim pa dang bral ba nyid kyi phyir chags bral rnam par spangs pa’o//

873.  Alaṁka (209A–B): dam tshig chen po la gnas pa/ zhes bya ba la/ dam tshig chen po ni zung du ’jug pa’i rnam pa ste//

874.  While Yukei Matsunaga asserts for textual reasons that this chapter was added later in order to provide a scriptural basis for the five stages of the PK, it is definitely noteworthy that the praise by the audience at the end of the chapter, symmetrical to that at the beginning of the Tantra , makes perfect sense in tying the Tantra together; the final praises are found neither in chapter 67, where one would expect them if it was the ending chapter of the work, nor in any other chapter. However, given that at least one Sanskrit version of the Tantra contained significant obliterations, it is possible that those missing portions contained the ending praises and that the existing chapter 68 was, as Matsunaga suggests, added later.

875.  VR 100A, ch. 68, v. 1.

876.  VR 100A, ch. 68, v. 3. This verse is preceded by a verse stating that Kshitigharba, Vajrapāṇi, Mañjushrī, Vishkambhini, and Maitreya consecrate the eye, etc., but this seems to be out of place. Verse 11 of the chapter refers to “the five elixirs explained above,” but, other than the five bodhisattvas named in verse 2, there is no “five” of anything, so perhaps these relate to verse 11’s statements that “the five elixirs explained above are called elixirs,” and are for “turning iron into gold.” VR 101A, ch. 68, v. 11. Or, the reference could be to prior chapters.

877.  VR 100B, ch. 68, vv. 3–4.

878.  VR 100B, ch. 68, vv. 5–8. Here the VR does not explicitly use the term “nonconceptual,” but describes it in contradictory terms, such as “It has a modest form and is immodest.”

879.  VR 100B–101A, ch. 68, vv. 9–10.

880.  VR 101A, ch. 68, vv. 11–14.

881.  VR 101A–B, ch. 68, vv. 15–18.

882.  VR 57A, ch. 35, v. 3; Alaṁka 198A. Ronald Davidson, relying on the Kṛṣṇayamāri-tantra and Alex Wayman’s discussion in his Yoga of the Guhyasamājatantra , notes that yoga, anuyoga, atiyoga, and mahāyoga are identified in some mahāyoga tantras as denoting various visualizations in the creation stage, but his description is at odds with the detailed description of the same given in the VR and by Alaṁka. Davidson 2005, 74.

883.  VR 57A, ch. 35, v. 7.

884.  Alaṁka (198A) names the six yogas as “first yoga, yoga, anuyoga, atiyoga, supreme mandala triumph, and supreme evolutionary triumph” ( de la rnal ’byor drug ni dang po’i rnal ’byor dang/ rnal ’byor dang/ rjes su rnal ’byor dang/ shin tu rnal ’byor gyi grangs kyis rnam pa bzhir rnam par bzhag nas/ de’i steng du dkyil ’khor rgyal po mchog dang/ las rgyal po mchog ces bya ba dag gis rnam pa drug go// ) but in his more detailed description, described below, does not specify what is included in “first yoga,” and adds a number of categories relating to mahāyoga . I am assuming what was intended was as enumerated, but could be wrong about this. Tsong Khapa, however, seems to agree: “Here, as for the six yogas: in the first application there are yoga, continuing yoga, and so on to make four; and then the mandala triumph and the evolution triumph to make six.” Tsong Khapa 2010, 97.

885.  According to Alaṁka (199A), the fifteen divisions of the first yoga are divided into “mandala” and “body,” as follows:

As for the secondary practices [’khor], in that there are ten types: (1) investigation of one’s own mind; (2) purification of the placing of mindfulness; (3) meditation on the four offerings and (4) the four abodes of Brahma; (5) perceiving in a particularly noble state; (6) expelling obstacles; (7) meditating on emptiness; (8) meditating on the stages of intuition; (9) meditating on the measureless mansion; and (10) meditating on the mandala of faith. For the body, there are five: (1) meditating on the ultimate mandala; (2) preliminary consecration of the mantra of emptiness; (3) rising from the ocean of intuition; (4) purifying the cyclic life of the intermediate state by opening the vital points; and (5) meditating the reality of the dharma sphere and teaching by mantra.

de la ’khor ni rnam pa bcu ste/ rang gi sems la so sor rtog pa dang/ dran pa nye bar gzhag pa’i rnam par dag pa dang/ mchod pa bzhi dang tshangs pa’i gnas bzhi bsgom pa dang/ gnas khyad par du ’phags pa la dmigs pa dang/ bgegs bskrad pa dang/ stong pa nyid bsgom pa dang/ ye shes kyi sa gzhi bsgom pa dang/ gzhal yas khang bsgom pa dang/ mos pa’i dkyil ’khor bsgom pa zhes bya’o/ lus la lnga ste/ don dam pa’i dkyil ’khor bsgom pa dang/ stong pa nyid kyi sngags byin gyis brlab pa sngon du ’gro bas/ ye shes rgya mtsho las ldang ba dang/ gdan gyi rnam par dbye bas bar do’i srid pa rnam par dag pa dang/ chos kyi dbyings kyi de kho na nyid bsgom pa dang sngags kyis bstan par bya ba’o//

886.  Alaṁka (199A) says these five are the “stages of manifest enlightenment.” This refers to the creation stage practice of generating symbols of the five buddhas from seed syllables: in the parlance of Wayman (1991, 229), the moon of Akshobhya; the red moon of Ratnasambhava; the seed syllable of Amitābha, the hand symbol of Amoghasiddhi; and the image of Vairochana.

887.  Alaṁka (199A): i.e., “(1) the aggregates, (2), elements, (3) sense media and (4) consecration of those.” shin tu rnal ’byor la rnam pa bzhi ste/ phung po dang/ khams dang/ skye mched dang/ de’i yan lag byin gyis brlab pa’i dbye bas so//

888.  Alaṁka (199A): i.e., “the blessings of (1) body, (2) speech, and (3) mind; and meditation on the (4) commitment hero, (5) intuition hero, and (6) concentration hero.” rnal ’byor chen po la drug ste/ lus ngag yid gsum byin gyis brlab pa dang/ dam tshig dang/ ye shes dang/ ting nge ’dzin ni sems dpa’ bsgom pa’i dbye bas so//

889.  Alaṁka (199A): i.e., “(1) dividing the consorts, (2) gathering them, (3) the initial joining of vajra and lotus, and (4) expressing the mantra of passion.” In the next chapter, Alaṁka (201A) says “It is mahāyoga because it is free from the creation stage yoga.” rnal ’byor chen po zhes bya ba ni bskyd pa’i rim pa’i rnal ’byor dang bral ba’i phyir ro// But then, just a page later in the Commentary Alaṁka (201B) says: “‘The great mahāyoga tantra’ is the Esoteric Community, etc., that teaches the two stages [i.e., generation and perfection].” rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud chen po/ zhes bya ba ni rim pa gnyis ston par mdzad pa’i dpal gsang ba ’dus pa la sogs pa’o//

890.  Alaṁka (199A): i.e., “(1) expressing the benefits of accomplishment, (2) the offering of bliss, and (3) being taught by the offering mantra.” sgrub pa la gsum ste/ sgrub pa’i phan yon brjod pa dang/ bde ba den po’i mchod pa dang/ mchod pa’i sngags kyis bstan par bya ba’o//

891.  Alaṁka (199A–B): i.e., “meditation on the body mandala of the creation stage, the envisioning of the body parts as composed of (1) buddhas, (2) consorts, (3) bodhisattvas, and (4) terrifics, followed by (5) meditation on the supreme mandala triumph.” rnal ’byor mchog la dbye ba lnga/ zhes bya ba ni de bzhin gshegs pa dang/ lhan cig spyod ma dang/ byang chub sems dpa’ dang/ khro bo’i spro ba’i dbye bas so//

892.  Alaṁka (199B): i.e.,

“(1) subtle yoga, (2) two types of repetition, (3) having performed the activities, melting, (4) summoning by the four goddesses, (5) arising, (6) having emerged, praising the five lords, (7) gathering the wheel of the mandala, (8) generating Vajrasattva by the stage of egg-born, (9) the ritual of nourishing the body, (10) tasting the elixir, (11) the ritual of outer eating, and (12) having requested [them] to go, sleeping.”

de las kyang zhes bya ba ni dkyil ’khor rgyal po mchog gi bsgoms pa’i rjes la’o/ de las kyang ni las rgyal mchog/ rnal ’byor dbye ba bcu gnyis po/ zhes bya ba ni phra mo’i rnal ’byor dang/ bzlas pa rnam pa gnyis dang/ bya ba byas nas zhu ba dang/ lha mo bzhis yang dag par bskul ba dang/ ldang ba dang/ bzhengs nas de bzhin gshegs pa lngas bstod pa dang/ dkyil ’khor gyi ’khor lo nye bar bsdu ba dang/ sgong skyes kyi rim pas rdo rje sems dpa’ bskyed pa dang/ lus gso ba’i cho ga dang/ bdud rtsi myang ba dang/ phyi rol gyi bza’ ba’i cho ga dang gshegs su gsol ba nas nyal ba’o//

Wayman 1977 has an extensive discussion of the “six yogas” (156–63, 344–48). See also Bentor, “Do the Tantras Embody What the Practitioners Actually Do”? (unpublished paper).

893.  Alaṁka (199B): rnal ’byor pa zhes bya ba ni sngags kyi theg pa sgom pa po’o/ rdo rje bzlas rim zhes bya ba ni rdo rje ltar khyer mi phyed pa’i rlung gi ’khor lo tsam gyis bsgrub par bya ba’i bzlas pa ni rdo rje’i bzlas pa’o//

894.  Alaṁka (199B): go rims bzhin du slob pa’o/ mchog ces bya ba ni ngag ’od gsal ba’i rgyur gyur pa’o//

895.  Alaṁka (199B): nam par rtog pa zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin brgya rtsa brgyad kyi ngo bo rnams la’o/ ’joms byed pa zhes bya ba ni khyad par du glog par byed pa’i bdag nyid can no// The reference here to the 108 instinctual natures is in contradistinction to the more common references to the 80 instinctual natures. Possibly, Alaṁka is using rang bzhin here to refer to the energy-winds or conceptualities, or perhaps to another system whereby the instinctual natures correspond to those. As mentioned elsewhere here, there is very little overlap between the 108 energy-winds and conceptualities and the 80 instinctual natures as used in the Vajra Rosary .

896.  Alaṁka (200A): don gyi rjes ’gro bzlas pa yis/ zhes bya ba ni gang zhig ’di ’jug pa dang gnas pa dang ldang ba’i bdag nyid can gyi rlung gsum po nyin mtshan du so chun rgyud mo’i rigs pas nyi khri chig stong drug brgya’i grangs kyis ’jug par byed pa de rnams kyi don gyi rjes su ’’gro ba ni/

897.  VR 57B, ch. 35, v. 11.

898.  VR 69B, ch. 54, vv. 2–5.

899.  VR 69B–70A, ch. 54, vv. 6–10.

900.  VR 69B–70A, ch. 54, vv. 11–12.

901.  See Mayer 1991: “Not only was the kīla known and used in India in some form or another, but that characteristic form that we now call the Tibetan-style phur-ba might also be of surprisingly orthodox Indian provenance, and this in turn implies that the allegedly ‘apocryphal’ texts describing it might also in fact be genuine translations from Sanskrit.”

902.  VR 70A, ch. 54, vv. 13–16.

903.  VR 70A, ch. 54, vv. 17–19. The drawing of the mandala is also described in the GST. See Fremantle 1979, 40, ch. 4, vv. 7–10.

904.  VR 70B, ch. 54, vv. 20–21.

905.  VR 71A, ch. 54, vv. 22–25.

906.  VR 71B–72A, ch. 54, vv. 28–32

907.  VR 71B–72A, ch. 54, vv. 30–43.

908.  VR 72A, ch. 54, v. 44.

909.  VR 72A–73A, ch. 54, vv. 48–53.

910.  VR 73A, ch. 54, vv. 54–57.

911.  VR 73A–B, ch. 54, vv. 58–64.

912.  Here, the mandala referred to is the Mañjuvajra nineteen-deity mandala rather than the Akshobhyavajra thirty-two-deity mandala. VR 74A, ch. 54, v. 70 (“One should invite Mañjuvajra. He sits on his own particular seat, invited to the middle of the mandala” ’jam pa’i rdo rje spyan drang bya/ dkyil ’khor dbus su spyan drang ba rang gi gdan gyi dbye ba la bzhugs). However, seven verses later the text refers to the Akshobhya thirty-two-deity mandala. VR 74B, ch. 54, v. 74 (“One should worship the mothers [i.e., goddesses], harmful ones [i.e., spirits], and the sinless [i.e., bodhisattvas], who are created [and] the lord of the mandala who arises from the clan of great hatred.” ji ltar bskyed pa’i yum rnams dang/ gnod byed kha na ma tho med/ zhe sdang chen po’i rigs las byung dkyil ’khor dbang phyug mchod bya zhing//).

913.  I.e., consorts. VR 74A, ch. 54, v. 67.

914.  VR 74B, ch. 54, v. 74.

915.  VR 74B, ch. 54, vv. 75–77.

916.  VR 74B, ch. 54, v. 78.

917.  VR 74B–75A, ch. 54, vv. 79–81.

918.  VR 75A, ch. 54, vv. 82–84.

919.  VR 75A, ch. 54, vv. 85–86.

920.  Presumably, the mantras of the ten terrifics. VR 75A–B, ch. 54, vv. 86–94.

921.  VR 75B–77A, ch. 54, vv. 95–112.

922.  VR 77A, ch. 54, v. 112.

923.  VR 77A, ch. 54, vv. 115–16.

924.  VR 77A–B, ch. 54, vv. 119–21.

925.  VR 77B, ch. 54, vv. 122–23. The nineteenth and twentieth rituals are discussed above in the context of consecration and the sexual yogas.

926.  VR 82A, ch. 55, v. 4.

927.  VR 82A, ch. 55, v. 5.

928.  VR 82A, ch. 55, v. 6.

929.  VR 82A, ch. 55, v. 7.

930.  VR 82A, ch. 55, v. 8.

931.  VR 17B–18A, ch. 6, vv. 55–56. See also, e.g., VR 26B, ch. 13, v. 26.

932.  VR 82B, ch. 56, v. 1.

933.  VR 82B, ch. 56, v. 2.

934.  Giving some credence to Christian Wedemeyer’s theory of connotative semiotics as applied to the five meats and elixirs of the inner offering. See Wedemeyer 2007b. However, as discussed elsewhere (Kittay 2011), the use of connotative semiotics is just one of a plethora of multivalent levels in tantric hermeneutics.

935.  VR 82B, ch. 56, v. 3.

936.  VR 82B, ch. 56, v. 4.

937.  VR 83A, ch. 56, vv. 5–6.

938.  VR 83A, ch. 56, v. 6.

939.  VR 83A–B, ch. 56, vv. 8–13.

940.  VR 83B, ch. 56, v. 14.

941.  VR 83A, ch. 56, v. 7.

942.  VR 83B, ch. 56, vv. 15–20.

943.  VR 83B–84A, ch. 56, v. 22.

944.  VR 88A–B, ch. 61, vv. 1–3.

945.  VR 88B, ch. 61, vv. 4–5.

946.  VR 88B, ch. 61, vv. 6–9.

947.  VR 88B–89A, ch. 61, v. 10.

948.  VR 89B, ch. 61, v. 11–13.

949.  Probably referring to the “lotus vessel” described in connection with the vase consecration described in verses 121 and 127 of chapter 54, VR 77B, particularly in view of verse 17’s instruction to place the ingredients “without companion . . . in the lotus vessel made from good sandalwood,” VR 89A, ch. 61, v. 17; however, “lotus vessel” is also used to mean “vagina” in the Tantra . See VR 19B, ch. 9, v. 7; VR 27B, ch. 14, v. 18, so it is also possible that the hormonal fluids are smeared on the vagina, then left for seven days(!), then what remains after seven days is added to the other ingredients.

950.  VR 89A, ch. 61, v. 16.

951.  VR 89A–B, ch. 61, vv. 17–18.

952.  VR 89B, ch. 61, vv. 19–20.

953.  VR 89B, ch. 61, v. 22.

954.  If Matsunaga 1964 is right, and chapter 68 was a later addition, then these two chapters would have ended the Tantra , which may make some sense stylistically. However, as noted above, chapter 68 as written does put a nice wrap on the Tantra from a literary perspective, ending with the praises with which it began.

955.  VR 97B–98A, ch. 66, vv. 5–12.

956.  VR 98B, ch. 67, v. 3.

957.  VR 98B, ch. 67, v. 4.

958.  VR 98B–99A, ch. 67, vv. 5–16.

959.  VR 99A–99B, ch. 67, vv. 20–21.

960.  VR 99B–100A, ch. 67, vv. 23–27.

961.  VR 100A, ch. 67, vv. 31. See Fremantle 1971, 88–110. The Root Tantra specifies, among many other things, that the ones “to be cast out or destroyed” include those who “speak ill of the Mahāyāna” (93–94).

962.  VR 103B–104A, ch. 68, vv. 52–59.

963.  VR 104A–104B, ch. 68, vv. 60–63.

964.  VR 104B, ch. 68, vv. 65–70.

965.  Alaṁka (4A): de’i rjes su ’u rgyan du nub kyi ri la bcom ldan ’das dpal rdo rje sems dpa’i gzugs kyis khro bo bcu’i sgo nas gtso bor phyogs skyong bcu ’dul ba’i phyir .

966.  VR 104B, ch. 68, v. 74.

967.  The chapter headings appear at the end of the chapter in the Tibetan. Here, they are placed at the beginning of each chapter, in accord with contemporary literary convention. The phrase “From The Clear Realization of the Glorious Vajra Rosary Mahāyoga Tantra ” is repeated with each chapter title; I have omitted it here except in the first and last chapters. The citation to the beginning of Alaṁka’s Commentary is given in a footnote to the title of each chapter of the VR . The Commentary for chapter 1 starts at 4B. Prior to that, Alaṁka gives the title, salutation, background, and setting of the Tantra. The title of the Tantra at the beginning differs slightly from that of the chapter headings and the colophon. At the beginning, abhidhāna and mngon par brjod pa is used; thereafter mngon par rtogs pa is used. Abhidhāna, in addition to the sense of “declaration,” used here, also has the sense of “compendium.” As discussed in the Introduction, although tradition holds that the Tantra was taught at one time by Buddha, the text we have does appear to be a compendium. However, given the textual variation and the possibility of scribal mistranscription, I am using “declaration” for mngon par brjod pa and “clear realization” for mngon par rtogs pa.

968.  ’di skad bdag gis thos pa dus gcig na bcom ldan ’das de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku dang gsun dang thugs kyi snying po rdo rje bdzun mo’i bha ga rnams la tsad med pa’i phyag rgya chen pos mngon par rtogs pas bzhugs te VR 2A. The opening of the GST is very similar: ’di skad bdag gis thos pa dus gcig na bcom ldan ’das de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku dang gsung dang thugs kyi snying po rdo rje btsun mo’i bhaga la bzhugs so . translated by the first Western translator of this text, Francesca Fremantle, as “Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in the vagina of the Vajra consort of the Essence of the Body, Speech and Mind of all the Transcendent Lords” (Fremantle 1971, 175). There were for the Indian and Tibetan exegetes of the Esoteric Community and are for us significant questions of hermeneutics, symbolism, literalism, and interpretation in general, which I will address in part in the context of the entire work. One should keep in mind the sophistication of Indian literary style at the time, and the multivalent meanings that pervade tantric literature consistent with the Buddhist doctrine of upāya , the skillful means used by teachers to reach students in ways appropriate to their levels of understanding.

969.  The verse numbers do not appear in the Tibetan. I have inserted them for ease of reference. Many, but not all, of the separations of verses follow Alaṁka’s topical divisions.

970.  “Pledge Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Amoghasiddhi (8A). This is somewhat unusual, as one might expect that Karmavajra in the next line would more naturally be Amoghasiddhi. Samayavajra might rather represent Vairochana or Vajrasattva. Unless otherwise indicated, the Sanskrit name equivalents for the Tibetan of the VR and Alaṁka’s Commentary given here are not attested to in any text of which I am aware.

971.  “Hatred Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Akshobhya (8A).

972.  “Passion Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Amitābha (8A).

973.  “Action Vajra,” although, as noted above, one might expect this to be Amoghasiddhi. Per Alaṁka, Vairochana (8A). Alaṁka has rtag pa’i rdo rje , “Permanent Vajra,” Shashvatavajra, plausibly Vairochana, while the Lhasa VR has rdo rje las , “Action Vajra.”

974.  “Intuition Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Ratnaṣambhava (8A).

975.  “Earth Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Lochanā (8B).

976.  “Water Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Māmaki (8B).

977.  “Fire Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Pāṇḍaravāsinī (8B).

978.  “Wind Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Tārā (8B).

979.  “Space Goer.” Per Alaṁka, Shabdavajrā (9A).

980.  “Expanding Space.” Per Alaṁka, Rūpavajrā (9A).

981.  “Space Scent.” Per Alaṁka, Gandhavajrā (9A). The Lhasa VR has candra corrected per Alaṁka to gandha. 3A.

982.  “Space Touch.” Per Alaṁka, Sparshavajrā (9B).

983.  “Definite liberation by junctions.” Alaṁka (9B) says, “In ‘definitely liberated by junctions,’ connection [ mtshams ] is taste perfectly endowed with visible form. From that, [‘]definitely liberated[’] because, when combined, it summons [concentration]; [so] definite liberation by connections is taste. This has the meaning of Rasavajrā. mtshams rnams kyis nges par grol ba zhes bya ba la mtshams ni gzugs dang yang dag par ldan pa’i ro ste/ de las nges par grol ba ni bsdus na ’gugs pa’i phyir mtshams rnams kyis nges par grol ba ni ro’o/ de nyid ro rdo rje ma zhes bya ba’i don to//

984.  “Vajra Hero.” Per Alaṁka, Samantabhadra (9B).

985.  “Vajra Essence.” Per Alaṁka, Kṣitigarbha (9B).

986.  “Vajra Intellect.” Per Alaṁka, Mañjushrī (9B).

987.  “Vajra King.” Per Alaṁka, Lokeshvara (9B).

988.  “Vajra Pledge.” Per Alaṁka, Vajrasamāya (9B). Given the order here, I suspect that this refers to Ākāshagarbha in the 32 deity Esoteric Community mandala. One terrific is unaccounted for here, Hayagrīva.

989.  “Vajra Dharma.” Per Alaṁka, Maitreya (10A).

990.  “Vajra Enjoyment.” Per Alaṁka, Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin (9B).

991.  “Vajra Crown.” Per Alaṁka, Ushṇishachakravartin (9B).

992.  “Ultra-Powerful Subduer.” Per Alaṁka, Yamāntaka (10A).

993.  “Nonconceptual Crown.” Per Alaṁka, Prajñāntakṛt (10A), also known in the Esoteric Community mandala as Aparajita.

994.  “Nonconceptual Sound.” Per Alaṁka, Padmāntakṛt (10A).

995.  “Nonconceptual Dharma.” Per Alaṁka, Vighnantakṛt (10A).

996.  “Nonconceptual Pledge.” Per Alaṁka, Achala (10A).

997.  “Ecstasy Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Takkirāja (10A).

998.  “Supreme Ecstasy Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Nīladaṇḍa (10A).

999.  “Variegated Ecstasy Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Mahābala (10B).

1000.  “Innate Vajra.” Per Alaṁka, Sumbharāja (10B).

1001.  See n. 145 above for a description of this “Vajra Rosary samadhi.”

1002.  There are a number of instances in various Mahāyāna and tantric texts, including the Lotus Sūtra and the Hevajra Tantra , where “hermeneutic shock is symbolized by fainting.” Katz 1984, 188.

1003.  Vajra is a common term for penis (as well as “adamantine,” “diamond,” and the tantric path in general) in this and other tantras.

1004.  Alaṁka explains (13B):

Thus having taught the gathering of the net of light rays, in order to describe the placing of the bodhisattvas on each one’s place, he says, “again,” [referring to] the net of light rays that entered into [their] crown nerve chakras “again radiated from the aperture at the center of the heart of each one,” [meaning] that they radiated in waves of radiance from the lotus, moon, and syllable HŪṀ located at the center of the central node of each one’s heart [chakra], radiating from the heart center of each one.

de ltar ’od zer gyi dra ba nye bar bsdu ba bstan nas byang chub sems dpa’ rnams la rang rang gi gnas su gnas par byed pa brjod pa’i phyir/ slar yang zhes bya ba gsungs te/ gtsug tor gyi ’khor lor zhugs pa’i ’od zer gyi dra ba slar yang rang gi snying ga’i lte ba’i bu ga nas spros te/ zhes bya ba ni rang gi snying ga’i lte ba’i bu ga ni dbus kyi gnas su padma dang zla ba dan hūṁ yig gis byin gyis brlabs pa des spros te/ rang gi snying ga’i dbus nas spros te/

1005.  Alaṁka (14B) glosses e ma’o as ngo mtshar : “Amazing!”

1006.  Alaṁka (14B) notes that the “taste” is that of ambrosia, “explained as a form of clear light mind like ambrosia.” bdud rtsi’i ro zhes bya ba ni bdud rtsi dang ’dra bar sems ’od gsal ba’i rnam pa brjod pa’o//

1007.  Alaṁka (15A–B) notes,

Summarizing prāṇāyāma, he says, “Oh my! You make mantra blossom!” — mantra being the form of the three syllables. Making it blossom is the actuality of applying [them] to the three breath-energies of entering, etc. That illustrates for the practitioner the self-arising state — the wheel of breath that abides in himself. The self-arising state is the practitioner. Or, the self-arising state is accomplished by a type of clear light because it teaches holding the actuality of clear light in that way.

srog dang rtsol ba’i nye bar bsdu ba ni/ e ma’o sngags ni rab rgyas pa’o/ zhes gsungs te/ sngags ni yi ge gsum gyi rnam pa’o/ de nyid rgyas pa ni ’jug pa la sogs pa’i rlung gsum la sbyor ba’i ngo bo’o/ des rang byung gi go ’phang ni rang nyid la gnas pa’i dbugs kyi ’khor lo sgrub pa po la mtshan pa ste/ rang byung gi go ’phang sgrub pa po’o/ yang na rang byung gi go ’phang ni ’od gsal ba’i rnam pas bsgrub pa de bzhin du sems kyi ’od gsal ba’i ngo bo ’dzin pa bstan pa’i phyir//

1008.  Alaṁka (17B): i.e., disrobing: Moreover, if someone asks what happened, he says, “The Lord abandoned dispassionate form,” “the Lord” meaning he himself. “Dispassionate form” means the clothing of Shākyamuni. “Abandoned” means that he made it invisible. de phyir bdag nyid kyis ’dod chags dang bral ba’i gzugs spangs nas zhes gsungs te/ bdag nyid kyis zhes bya ba ni rang gis so/ ’dod chags dang bral ba’i gzugs zhes bya ba ni shākya thub pa’i cha byad do/ spangs nas zhes bya ba ni mi snang bar byas nas so//

1009.  The nine “moods,” nyams , rasa , are: (1) sgeg pa , śṛngārā , erotic; (3) drag shul , raudra , terrifying; (2) dpa’ bo , vīra , heroic; (6) snying rje , kāruṇya , compassionate; (7) mi sdug pa , bibhatsa , revolting; (4) bzhad gad , hāsya , humorous; (5) rmad byung , adbhuta , marvelous; (8) ’jigs rung , bhayānaka , frightening; (9) zhi ba , śanta , peaceful. See Wayman 1977, 22, 327–28. Alaṁka (17A–B) explains that Buddha had all of these moods.

1010.  I am following Alaṁka (18A), who has the instrumental, rig mas , here, rather than rig ma .

1011.  Alaṁka (18A) has nye bar bsdus nas rather than the VR’s (in all recensions according to the Pedurma) dor nas. I take Alaṁka’s nye bar bsdus nas as “concluded” or “dissolved,” consistent with the VR’s “dispensed with” or “gave up,” dor nas. However, one could also translate nye bar bsdus nas as “culminated” or “concluded.” Alaṁka notes:

If someone asks what happened, he culminated [nye bar bsdus nas] the great seal yoga, meaning that in the preceding entrancement “he experienced the sign of entering into the natural clear light.” If someone asks from where, he says “from his vajra body, speech, and mind,” [meaning] in the exact order of the locations [of his] head, throat, and heart, or that it was expressed in speech when she touched each of the eight places of his body, arousing him mentally.

ci zhig bya nas she na/ de’i phyir phyag rgya chen po’i rnal ’byor nye bar bsdus nas snyoms par ’jug pa sngon du ’gro bas rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal bar zhugs pa’i mtshan nyid nyams su myong nas zhes bya ba’i don to/ gang las she na/ de’i phyir de nyid kyi sku gsung thugs rdo rje las zhes bya ba gsungs te/ mgo bo dang/ mgrin pa dang snying ga’i gnas rnams las rim pa ji lta ba bzhin du’o/ yang na nyid kyi sku las gnas brgyad du kun nas reg nas ngag gis de brjod pa’o/ sems kyis de bskul ba’o//

1012.  Alaṁka (18B) has both byung bar , “arose,” and the VR’s phyung bar , “emitted” or “cast out.”

1013.  This is the first instance where the Lhasa Vajra Rosary may refer to itself, but Alaṁka’s (19B) version does not, having rdo rje theg pa , “vajra vehicle,” instead of rdo rje phreng ba , “vajra rosary.”

1014.  The Lhasa VR has bcom ldan ’das ye shes rdor dbang phyug , translated above; Alaṁka (20A) has bcom ldan ye shes rdor nyi ma , “O Lord! Sun of the Intuition Vajra.”

1015.  Alaṁka (21A): i.e., “falling into the erroneous essentialist views of the extremists, etc., characterized by reification and repudiation [eternalism and nihilism].” sgro ’dogs pa dang skur ba ’debs pa’i mtshan nyid can mu stegs pa la sogs pa’i lta ba’i rang bzhin log par lta ba la ltung ba’i phyir ro// Both the Tantra and Alaṁka’s Commentary stress again and again the importance of the correct view of the empty nature of reality as crucial to any progress on the tantric path.

1016.  Alaṁka (22A): “Eighty-four thousand because of serving as the antidotes to the eighty-four thousand addictions.” brgyad khri bzhi stong ni nyon mongs pa brgyad khri bzhi stong gi gnyen por gyur pa’i phyir ro//

1017.  These bracketed numbers identify the numeric sequence of the questions identified by Alaṁka (23A–33A) in his Commentary .

1018.  Missing in Alaṁka (27A): But the thirty-eighth question refers to the preceding question about the “experience of inconceivable time,” bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i dus nyams su myong ba’i rjes la//

1019.  Unlike all of the preceding questions, Alaṁka (30A) does not quote this one verbatim, although he says that the ritual feast is the subject of the sixtieth question.

1020.  See Alaṁka 33B.

1021.  Following the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s nomenclature for theg pa dman , “lower vehicle,” or “Hīnayāna.”

1022.  Vajrapāṇi appears to be asking the Lord/Buddha/Vajrasattva, interchangeable here.

1023.  Alaṁka (38A):

“The first consecration is the main one” [refers to] the master’s consecration. Because it suitably purifies the body, it serves as the main one. “The second is not the main one” [refers to] the secret consecration. It is of the nature of purifying speech and therefore is not the main one, because speech is produced in reliance on the body. “Entrancement is the third” [refers to] [the] wisdom-intuition [consecration], because the disciple experiences his own great bliss preceded by entrancement in the consort. “The fourth is ultimate perfection” because it teaches ultimate reality and because it teaches the ultimate innate.

dang po’i dbang ni gtso bo ste/ zhes bya ba ni slob dpon gyi dbang ste/ lus rnam par dag par rung ba nyid kyi phyir gtso bor gyur pa’o/ gnyis pa gtso bo min zhes bya ba ni gsang ba’i dbang bskur ba ste/ ngag rnam par dag pa’i ngo bo nyid kyis gtso bo ma yin pa nyid kyi phyir dang/ lus la brten nas ngag bskyed pa’i phyir ro/ snyoms par ’jug pa gsum pa ste/ zhes bya ba ni shes rab ye shes te/ phyag rgya la snyoms par ’jug pa’i sngon du ’gro bas slob ma rang gi bde ba chen po nyams su myong ba nyid kyi phyir ro//

I believe that the “master’s consecration” here refers to the vase consecration given, as are all of the consecrations, by the vajra master.

1024.  A possible instance of the Commentary being back-translated into the Tantra : yang dag sbyor , part of the Commentary ’s explanation of the meaning of Alaṁka’s VR’s snyom par ’jug , is exactly what the Lhasa VR has instead of snyom par ’jug. VR 9B; Alaṁka 38A.

1025.  This verse is quoted in Yangchen 1995, 107. There are numerous correlations of the bodhisattva stages to tantric practice, including the Root Tantra ’s mention of ten stages, the BIL’s identification of the ten stages with the ten main energies, and the VR’s identification of the fourteen consecrations with fourteen stages. See Yangchen 1995, 107–24 .

1026.  Alaṁka (39A) has “waxing” moon, yar ngo , instead of the VR’s (9B) “waning” moon, mar ngo .

1027.  See also the CMP, ch. 10 (Wedemeyer 2007, 307–15), and Faure 1998, 50–54, regarding these practices.

1028.  Alaṁka (39B) highlights the shortcomings of reading this text solely literally:

“Sixteen years old,” representing four: the four branches of variety; the four of service etc.; the four harmonies etc., and the four ecstasies, because she becomes the cause for manifesting [these]. “Slim-bodied” because she has the perfect characteristics of a lady. As it is said: “slim-bodied,” etc. “Adorned with form and fortune” [means], as to form, naturally uncontrived; as to “fortune,” adorned with pleasant speech, etc.; [thus] very beautiful. “Dark” [means] in color, because she is of the clan of Akshobhya.

brgyad gnyis lo lon zhes gsungs te/ bzhi pa brdar byas pa sna tshogs pa’i yan lag bzhi dang bsnyen pa la sogs pa bzhi dang/ rgyu mthun pa la sogs pa bzhi dang/ dga’ ba la sogs pa bzhi mngon par gsal bar byed pa’i rgyu gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ lus phra zhes bya ni gtso mo’i mtshan nyid dang yang dag par ldan pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ ji skad du/ sngo bsangs zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ gzugs dang skal bzang zhes bya ba ni snyan par smra ba la sogs pas brgyan pa ste/ nye bar mdzes pa’o/ sngo bsangs zhes bya ba ni kha dog gis te/ mi bskyod pa’i rigs nyid kyi phyir ro//

1029.  See GST (Fremantle 1971), ch. 8, v. 6, mig yangs as “wide-eyed.”

1030.  The VR has “twenty,” nyi shu, while Alaṁka (40A) has bcu gnyis, ordinarily “twelve,” but which can also signify “two tens,” i.e., twenty. Alaṁka does seem to be referring to a “twelve-year-old,” but notes that “twelve years old” is “symbolic of the ringing of a bell for twelve years,” perhaps referring to twelve years of tantric practice, “because it will purify the eight groups of consciousness by the stage of the four emptinesses.” lo bcu gnyis lon pa’i dril bu’i sgras brdar byas pa ste/ stong pa nyid bzhi’i rim gyis rnam par shes pa’i tshogs brgyad rnam par dag par gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro// See GST, ch. 7, v. 36: “Taking a twelve-year-old girl whose mind is composed, distinguishing the practice of his family, he should worship with his seed” (Fremantle 1971, 49).

1031.  Alaṁka (40A); “‘Daughter’ [means] female child. ‘Wife’ [means] your own wife. ‘Or girl’ [means] sister’s daughter. ‘Sister’ [means] your own sister.” bu mo zhea bya ba ni bu mo’o/ chung ma yang zhes bya ba ni rang gi chung ma’o/ bu mo’am zhes bya ba ni sring mo’i bu mo’o/ sring mo’am zhes bya ba ni bdag nyid kyi sring mo’o// However, the VR also states: “The brahmin woman is called mother and the washerwoman sister. The dancer is known as daughter. The mole woman is known as wife. One should know the undertaker woman as the new wife, the low-caste woman as mother-in-law.” VR 63B, ch. 44, vv. 12–16.

1032.  Alaṁka (40B) has “‘Buddha’ or ‘Lord’ Seal,” bcom ldan ’das phyag rgya, while the VR (10A) has “Lady Mother Seal,” bcom ldan yum phyag rgya . Alaṁka (40B) notes, “‘Buddha’ [Seal] because of overcoming all conceptuality,” rnam par rtog pa thams cad ’joms pa’i phyir , underlining the purpose of the consecration.

1033.  The parallel text in the GST is: ṣoda śābdikāṁ prāpya yoṣitāṁ kāntisuprabhām/ gandhapuṣpākulikṛtvā tasya madhye tu kāmayet ; lo graṅs bcu drug lon pa ni/ dri daṅ me tog ḥphreṅ brgyan te/ yon tan ska rags māmakīr/ shes rab can gyis byin brlabs la/ de yi dbus su mnyes par bya , translated by Fremantle as “Taking a sixteen-year-old girl of radiant beauty, he should decorate the mandala with perfumes and flowers, and in the centre love her” (Fremantle 1971, 40, 202, 203). Hevajra Tantra , ch. 10, “Consecration,” v. 6: tāvad dhi sevyate mudrā yāvac chukravatī bhavet/ “The consort is served until her sexual fluids flow” [lit. until she possesses semen] (Farrow and Menon 1992, 121).

1034.  These two verses, 27 and 28, describe the second, “secret” consecration. See also Onians 2001, 173. Per the GST Further Tantra ( Esoteric Community , ch. 18, Derge 529A), the second initiation is described as follows:

Having taken that one, bestow the secret empowerment,

The mantrin gives to the pure disciple,

    Abiding in the center of the sphere of sky,

Endowed with urine and marrow,

The joining of vajra and lotus

Perfectly gathers all the vajrins.

By the vajra of body, speech, and mind,

All of them gather at the heart.

Having come out from the vajra path,

It should fall in the mouth of the disciple.

This is the supreme state of

Bestowing empowerment in all secret mantra.

1035.  Alaṁka (41A): “‘Self-aware’ because it transcends words and concepts. ‘Great bliss’ [means] by exhausting conceptuality, the nature of bliss that is particularly noble.” rang rig pa zhes bya ba ni sgra dang rnam par rtog pa las ’das pa’i phyir ro/ bde ba chen po zhes bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa zad par byed pa nyid kyis khyad par du ’phags pa’i bde ba’i ngo bo’o//

1036.  Verses 29–30 apply to the third, “wisdom-intuition” conscecration, although Alaṁka suggests that verse 30 applies to the fourth. Alaṁka’s (41A) text of the first two lines of verse 29 differs from that of the VR . Alaṁka has de rjes phyag rgyas gtad par bya/ srog dang rtsol ba mnyam sbyor bas/ so the full verse would be:

Afterward, the seal should be given over.

With vitality control [and union],

Having placed the mantra HŪṀ PHAT on the jewel’s door,

One should move the vajra.

The ecstasies arise at that instant.

Alaṁka (41B) summarizes the consecration at the end of his discussion, saying, “One should experience it for oneself,” rang gis nyams su myong bar bya/

1037.  Alaṁka (41B) says that this verse applies to the vow of conduct, after the fourth consecration.

1038.  Alaṁka’s (42A) version is missing EVAṀ.

1039.  Alaṁka (42B), ending his commentary on chapter 2, notes, “It is necessary not to abandon any tantric consorts!” phyag rgya thams cad spang bar mi bya ba’i dgos pa . . . //

1040.  I.e., buddhahood.

1041.  I.e. the meaning of the ecstasies is universal emptiness, described by Alaṁka (42B) as “free from all elaborations,” thams cad stong pa zhes bya ba ni spros pa thams cad dang bral ba nyid kyi phyir ro//

1042.  Alaṁka (43A–B): “The secret vajra becomes the branch of means; the water lily is the lotus of the goddess. Their channel is the avadhūti , the form of internal emptiness.” rdo rje gsang ba ni thabs kyi yan lag tu gyur pa’o/ chu skyes ni lha mo’i padma’o/ de dag gi rtsa ni nang du stong pa nyid kyi rnam pa a ba dhū tī’o//

1043.  Alaṁka’s (43B) text has a prior couplet in this verse: “Now moreover I will explain the genuine vow of the Vajra Rosary .” de ne gzhan yang rdo rje phrenng don sdom pa ni/ bshad par bya.

1044.  Alaṁka (44A): “‘Well known as breath’ because it has the nature of holding the three types of drops on the three types of nose tips.” de ni dbugs su yongs su grags/ zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor rnam pa gsum las ltos nas/ sna rtse rnam pa gsum la thig le rnam pa gsum ’dzin pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

1045.  Possible Sanskrit names of the energies are given in footnotes and in the Appendix, which sets out the energies, chakra and channel location, type of energy, and corresponding conceptualities. These energies and conceptualities are central in the VR’s method of vajra repetition, key to opening the heart chakra‘s knots and from there, attaining buddhahood. In addition, for the non-Sanskrit speaking yogi of the present or future it may be useful to know the energies and their corresponding conceptualities by their qualities, tracking the abhidharmic origin of the names embodying the qualities. This is particularly true for the conceptualities, which, after all, are specific concepts precisely because of their meanings. I think that this is less true (not completely untrue) of the goddesses, who are generally known in sadhana practice by their Sanskrit or Tibetan names.

1046.  gtang bzung, Skt. * mucilinda . Per Alaṁka (45A), the vitality energy. Mucilinda is the nāga who sheltered Buddha during his meditation under the bodhi tree.

1047.  dung phyur, Skt. arbuda. Per Alaṁka, this energy is “realized [ buda ] by A and RA,” a dang ra dag gis rtogs pa (following Peking and Narthang. which have ra rather than the Lhasa VR’s ri ) (45A). Per Lokesh Chandra, the Sanskrit for dung phyur , “100 million,” is arbuda , which was translated as “realized, rtogs ” for “ buda ” ( √bud being an alternate root for √ budh and √ bund ) “by A and R,” i.e., arbuda . Per Alaṁka (45A), this second energy is the Evacuative energy. Arbuda , however, is also one of the eight cold hells, “blistering,” in Buddhist cosmology. Particularly given that this second-listed energy corresponds with the second-listed conceptuality, hatred, in verse 27 of this chapter, its very possible that “100 million” and even Alaṁka’s interpretation are secondary to the primary meaning of “arbuda” or “blistering cold hell” energy.

1048.  myos pa, Skt. *māda. However, Alaṁka (45A) describes this energy as “supported by the very good channel, having equalized things that are eaten, because of activity that unifies like flowing water, the metabolic energy, which is the intoxicating [ myos byed ] energy.” zhin tu bzang ba’i rtsa la brten nas zos pa’i dngos po mnyam par byas nas chu’i rgyun ltar gcig tu byas pa’i las nyid kyi phyir myos byed kyi rlung gi mnyam gans kyi rlung ngo// This may suggest Skt. jagala , which Lokesh Chandra gives as the first definition of myos byed , ja meaning, among many other things, “eaten,” gāla meaning “flowing” per MW, suggesting that myos byed might have been the better translation.

1049.  blo ngan, Skt. durmati or *kubuddhi . In the Commentary Alaṁka (45A) has rtogs dka’ here in place of the Lhasa VR’s blo ngan , but either could be a translation of kubuddhi. Alaṁka’s “because of being realized with difficulty because it causes the compression of movement above, the ascending energy,” steng du ’gro ba sdud par byed pa’i phyir dka’ bas rtogs pas na/ rtogs dka’i rlung ni gyen rgy’i rlung ngo// also carries this sense of a “mind freeze.”

1050.  bsil byed, Skt. *shītakriyā. Probably an alternate name for the up-moving energy, alternatively called “dragon,” nāga in the VR — one of the five branch energies, ldang zhing rgyu ba, udvāha . See Tsong Khapa 2010, 225–26; CMP 164.

1051.  g.ya’ ba, Skt. *kaṇḍū .

1052.  ngar snabs, Skt. *shṛṅgkhāṇika .

1053.  sta re, Skt. * parashu or *kuṭhāraka.

1054.  gzegs pa (VR), zegs pa (Alaṁka), Skt. * kaṇā or *moṭaka. Here, while Alaṁka’s (45A) zegs pa could be translated as “falling,” zegs has the same basic meaning as gzegs , “particle” or “atom,” which is in all recensions of the VR in the Pedurma. This corresponds to the generosity of a miser, which is the corresponding conceptuality. Zegs also is used in the context of tattered clothing or rags, gos zegs po, which suggests miserliness, at least in a karmic way. Alaṁka comments that this energy-wind is “supported by the mark of arrogance channel, grasping the three types of tangible object, and because of fatigue it is the falling ( zegs pa ) [energy], the definitively moving energy.” rgyags pa’i rtags kyi rtsa la brten nas reg bya rnam pa gsum gzung nas/ yongs su ngal ba’i phyir zegs pa ni nges par rgyu ba’i rlung ngo//

1055.  The Lhasa VR prefixes chu srin (Skt. *makara) to dza sha , identifying the piercer as a “crocodile,” which is missing in Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra . It is also possible that this is a separate energy, the crocodile energy, that is missing in Alaṁka’s version or versions of the Tantra.

1056.  dza sha, Skt. *maṁsavedhana. Alaṁka (45B) notes: “Because of quickly entering the stamen of the dharma chakra, [it is called] piercing flesh, the vitality energy.” chos kyi ’khor lo’i ze’u ’bru la myur du ’jug pa’i phyir dza sha ste/ srog gi rlung nyid do//

1057.  rnam par gtsigs (VR), rnam par btsigs (Alaṁka), Skt. *utkaṭa or *subaddha. rnam par gtsigs means “clench,” but gtsigs , in addition to meaning “clench” or “clenched,” also has the connotation of “valued” or “important.” Alaṁka’s brtsigs (45B) means “build,” but could also be a scribal error or an alternative spelling for gtsigs. For gtsigs pa, Lokesh Chandra has utkaṭa, meaning, according to MW, “exceeding the usual measure,” “immense,” “gigantic,” “richly endowed with,” “excessive,” and the like, and udumbara, meaning a kind of worm or leprosy. For brtsigs Lokesh Chandra has dātavya (to be given or paid), premaṇīya (fit for exciting love), and vikaṭa, meaning, among other things, “huge” and “horrible.” Alaṁka (45B) explains that this wind “eliminat[es] the causing of the sensation of disgust toward excretions of wind, faeces, and urine” (rlung dang bshang gci rnam par brtsigs pa rnams la skyug bro ba ster bar byed pa zlog par byed pa nyid kyis/), which could be a reference to both meanings of gtsigs, valuing in the tantric way what is often the product of clenching. I would guess that the Sanskrit here could have been originally utkaṭa, and Alaṁka’s brtsigs may have resulted from utkaṭa being rendered as vikaṭa, whose meaning is similar to that of utkaṭa. With all of these variants and meanings, the choice of one English word to serve as the translation is challenging indeed. All in all, I think that “held” best serves the connotations of both the physical processes involved and how what is internal and ordinarily disgusting can become valued.

1058.  myos pa’i dus, Skt. *madhvala. Instead of the VR’s myos pa’i dus, “drinking bout,” Alaṁka has “drunken argument,” myos pa’i rtsod pa. Alaṁka’s (45B) gloss applies to both: “Because of the absence of conceptuality, the drunken argument [energy], the metabolic energy.” de’i rnam par rtog pa’i mi snang bar byas pas na myos pa rtsod pa ni mnyam gnas kyi rlung ngo//

1059.  ’dod myos , Skt. *madakāma or *kāmamuḍa, the latter found in MW, meaning “infatuated by lust.”

1060.  chu ba , Skt. *kaṇḍarā.

1061.  chu srin , Skt. *makara. Alaṁka (45B) has shi shu, Skt. ṣiṣu , “child,” instead of repeating VR’s chu srin , “crocodile.”

1062.  sna tshogs skyed, Skt. *viśeṣotpādaka .

1063.  ’dud pa, Skt. *namas . Alaṁka (45B) has sdud pa , Skt. *saṁgraha .

1064.  snyems, Skt. *māna .

1065.  rnga, Skt. *dundubhi . Alaṁka (45B) has this energy as the “ ta ,” which may be the sound of the drum.

1066.  sgra sgrogs, Skt. *rāvaṇa.

1067.  rlung lha, Skt. *vāyudeva or *marut . This deity is generally found in the northwest in the circle of protectors.

1068.  gnad ’bigs, Skt. *marmaṁścheda . Alaṁka (45B–46A) has gnad ni rnam ’bigs , similar in meaning.

1069.  me, Skt. *agni .

1070.  dus, Skt. *kala. Not in Alaṁka.

1071.  ci bgyi, Skt. *kimkara, lit. “What should I do?” Alaṁka (46A) has ci bgyid.

1072.  Alaṁka (46A) has rtsod pa, “argument,” and a ma ra, “ mango” energies here rather than Lhasa VR’s rdo rje , vajra. A ma ra could also be Sanskrit for “immortal,” which would obviate the potential duplication with the tsu ta energy below. See n. 1075 below.

1073.  mchog spyin, Skt. *varadāna.

1074.  tsu ta, Skt. *cuta . Alaṁka (46A) explains that this energy is “supported by the channel that circles three times in the middle of the anther of the enjoyment chakra, [and] because it enters the vitality energy as if dripping, [it is called] the dripping wind.” tsu ta zhes bya ba ni longs spyod kyi ’khor lo’i dbus su ze’u ’bru la gnas pa lan gsum bskor ba’i rtsa la brten nas/ srog gi rlung tsu ta bzhin du ’jug pas tsu ta’i rlung ngo// Dripping like a mango is an arresting image.

1075.  sbrang ma, Skt. *cañcari or *bhramara. Alaṁka (46A) has tsin tsi ri , the Sanskrit for “bee,” cañcari.

1076.  zla ba’i ’od. Skt. *chandraprabhā. Alaṁka (46A) has “upper moon,” zla ba’i thod , Skt. *kapālacandra.

1077.  kam po dza, Skt. *kamaboja. The uppermost of the sixteen “great kingdoms,” mahājanapada s, referred to in the Anguttārā Nikaya and Mahābharata.

1078.  ral pa can, Skt. *jaṭā .

1079.  yungs nag, Skt. *kṛṣṇasarṣapa. Alaṁka (46A) has sgra ma, “noisy woman,” Skt. *śabdavatā . However, Alaṁka glosses sgra ma as sgra can ma , which in the Peking and Snarthang recensions is sgra gcan ma. Sgra gcan is the demon Rāhu, invoked during eclipses, but I am unaware of any female form of Rāhu suggested by sgra gcan ma.

1080.  rab bkram, Skt. *prasuta. Alaṁka (46A–B) has keng rus ma, “skeletoness,” Skt. *kaṅgkāla.

1081.  dus, Skt. *kāla. Alaṁka (46B) has rus, “bone,” Skt. *asthi.

1082.  ’gugs, Skt. *samākāraṇa .

1083.  sdig pa, Skt. *pāpaka .

1084.  g.yon can, Skt. *dhūrtaka. Alaṁka (46B) has g.yon can sten , which could be rendered in Skt. as *dhūrtakeṇastambhita.

1085.  grims mo, Skt. *nipuṇa, or dṛḍhā. Alaṁka (46B) has bsil ba , “cool,” Skt. *śīta and mdzes par ’gro ba, “going beautifully,” Skt. *cārugacchati , here.

1086.  mgrin pa, Skt. *kaṇṭhī .

1087.  kun sel, Skt. *sarvaprakāśa. Alaṁka (46B) has thams cad ma, Skt. *sarvatra , here.

1088.  mchog ster ma, Skt. *varadā .

1089.  smyo byed, Skt. *unmada.

1090.  nga rgyal mtsho , Skt. *madāsaras. Alaṁka (46B) has nga rgyal tshom , Skt. *madākāṇḍa , “heap of pride.”

1091.  tshogs bdag, Skt. gaṇeśa.

1092.  rtsangs pa, Skt. * kṛkalāsa .

1093.  sa’i blo, Skt. * pṛthvīmanas.

1094.  thegs pa bzang, Skt. * suyāna .

1095.  mchog tu skyes, Skt. * sujāta . The channel in crown cakra identified by Alaṁka (47A) as supporting this energy is srog ’dzin pa’i rtsa, but the Tantra’s listing of the channels of the crown chakra in chapter 17, v. 20 has srog gi lus, “vitality body,” VR 34A, consonant with “life-force body” in Rangjung Dorje’s version of Tantra. Rangjung Dorje, 207.

1096.  dri med, Skt. *nirmala . Alaṁka (47A) has dri ma, Skt. *mala , “tainted.” The channel in crown cakra identified as supporting this energy is zla gdung, but the Tantra’s listing of the channels of the crown chakra in chapter 17, v. 20 has zla ’thung , “moon drinker, VR 34A, while Rangjung Dorje’s version of Tantra apparently had zla thung , “short moon.” Rangjung Dorje, 207.

1097.  phru gu, Skt. *śiśu . Alaṁka (47A) has glang chen phrug, Skt. *kalabha , “elephant child.” Similar to the dri med energy described in the above endnote, the channel in crown cakra identified as supporting this energy is zla gter, but the Tantra’s listing of the channels of the crown chakra in chapter 17, v. 20 has zla ster , “moon giver,” VR 34A, consonant with Rangjung Dorje’s version of Tantra. Rangjung Dorje, 207.

1098.  nyi ma, Skt. *sūrya .

1099.  gsal byed, Skt. *vyañjana .

1100.  Skt. *sūryanigraha.

1101.  bzhin stobs, Skt. *balavat . Alaṁka (47A) has stobs ster, Skt. baladāna, “bestowing strength.”

1102.  nga ro , Skt. *garjana . For the supporting channel, Alaṁka (47A) has shin tu alone, which suggests something is missing, and indeed VR ch. 17, v. 9 of the Tantra (VR 33A) has shin tu bzang, Skt. *sattama, “very good,” which is consistent with the name of this channel in the navel chakra that supports the intoxicated energy. Alaṁka 45A.

1103.  dus, Skt. *kāla .

1104.  sdom pa, Skt. *saṁvara . For the supporting channel, Alaṁka (47B) has sdom chen the same as the name of the energy it supports, while VR ch. 17, v. 9 of the Tantra (VR 33A) has stobs chen.

1105.  mchongs nas ’gro , Alaṁka (47B) adds ba , Skt. *maṇḍūka.

1106.  sbrang ma, Skt. *bhramara .

1107.  khyi, Skt. *kukura . Alaṁka (47B) has bskyod pa, Skt. *uccalita , “moving,” “setting out,” or “jumping up,” all of which suggest canine behavior.

1108.  mtshan ma, Skt. *nimitta. Alaṁka (47B) has ’phyan pa , Skt. paribhrama, “wandering.”

1109.  thong, Skt. *hala . Alaṁka (47B) has bsil, Skt. śīta , “cooling.”

1110.  skur po, Skt. *kubja . Alaṁka (47B) has sgur bo, which does not seem to have a different meaning. The supporting channel is given in Alaṁka as rin chen cod pan , “crown jewel,” but this is inconsistent with the VR’s rin chen chen po, “great jewel,” and the earlier name of this channel supporting the mad desire energy, and Callahan notes that Ngo-tro Rabjampa’s Precious Jeweled Garland of Eloquence says that rin chen cod pan, is incorrect. Rangjung Dorje 568–569, n. 253.

1111.  drang po, Skt. *ṛju.

1112.  sa, Skt. *pṛthivī.

1113.  sa la ’gro ma, Skt. *jagatīcara , *pṛthvīmātā , or *bhūmidevi . Alaṁka (47B) has sa la ’gro ba, Skt. *jagatīcara .

1114.  bram ze, Skt. *brāhmaṇa .

1115.  sna ’gyur gnas , Skt. *nāsikāvivartanasthāna , “The state of becoming a nose,” although G.yung and Peking have snang gyur gnas, Skt. *anubhavasthāna , “the state of experience.” Alaṁka (47B) has rnam ’gur gnas, Skt. *vikārasthāna , “state of attitude.”

1116.  ma mo’i rigs, Skt. *mātrkākula .

1117.  lce bskyod pa, Skt. *jihvacalana .

1118.  Skt. *tūṣṇīṁbhāva or *muni .

1119.  rnga sgra’i sprin, Skt. *meghagarjana.

1120.  dga’ bar byed , Skt. *ramaṇa .

1121.  mig yangs, Skt. *akṣiviśāla .

1122.  dri ma med, Skt. *nirmala . After this energy-wind, Alaṁka (48A) has ’od srungs, Skt. *kāśyapa , Pāli, kassapa buddha “Kāshyapa,” the third of the five buddhas of this eon, the one preceding Gautama Buddhas.

1123.  ne tso, Skt. *śuka .

1124.  sna tshogs mchu, Skt. *nānāuṣṭha .

1125.  mig mnyam, Skt. *samākṣi. Alaṁka (48A) has mi mnyam, Skt. *asama.

1126.  mdzes, Skt. *ruci .

1127.  chos kyi dbyig pa, Skt. *dharmadaṇḍa . Alaṁka (48A–B) has chos kyi srog shing, Skt. *dharmastambha.

1128.  ’gro kun, Skt. *sarvajagat . Alaṁka (48B) has kun du ‘gro, Skt. *viṣvagamana , “going everywhere.”

1129.  snying, Skt. *hṛdaya.

1130.  brtan pa, Skt. *sthira .

1131.  za bod. Skt. *aśanāhvāna. Alaṁka (48B) has za phod, Skt. *bhojanasamāste , “coping with food.”

1132.  bong bu, Skt. *khara .

1133.  snyom las, Skt. *ālasa.

1134.  kha gdangs rtsod pa can, Skt. *prasṛtānanavādatṛ prasṛtānanam, “ mouth wide open,” is found in the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra , ch. 5, v. 92. Shantideva 1995, 42.

1135.  sgra chen, Skt. *mahārava .

1136.  stob kyis rtse , Skt. *balakrīḍa. Alaṁka (48B) has rtsod pa can , Skt. yuktiyukta, “argumentative.”

1137.  rtsa bran dbang byed, Skt. *rājyasthasevikānāḍi .

1138.  g.yo sgyu can, Skt. *māyāśāṭhya .

1139.  gtso bo che, Skt. *pramukha. Alaṁka (48B) has rtsal po che, Skt. *śūra .

1140.  rtag tu dga’, Skt. *sadāpriya .

1141.  glog phreng, Skt . *vidyutamālā.

1142.  dga’ byed, Skt. *ramaṇa . Alaṁka (49A) has so sor rgyu ba, Skt. *pratyekapracāra ,

1143.  dbugs ’byung, Skt. *niḣśvāsana .

1144.  ra ga, Skt. *raṅgamānikya. Alaṁka (49A) has ral gu, Skt. bheda, “fissure.”

1145.  lce , Skt. *jihvā .

1146.  bde ba mchog, Skt. *saṁvara .

1147.  udumvara, Skt. uḍumbara.

1148.  blun po, Skt. *muḍha .

1149.  dra ba can ni pad ma bskor, Skt. *padmāvartanajāla .

1150.  dgra sta, Skt. *paraśu .

1151.  Skt. *mayūra. Broken down in this manner, there are 108 energies.

1152.  Tib. rdo rje dbang phyug

1153.  The Lhasa VR has kham , “element,” here, but Alaṁka and four of the Pedurma VR recensions have gnas, “place,” which makes more sense.

1154.  Alaṁka (49B) notes that “it is only the vitality energy” that pervades the six chakras, abiding in the heart chakra “together with consciousness,” “until the time of death.” khyab pa’i rlung zhes bya ba ni gcig pu nyid srog gi rlung gi rang bzhin no// chos kyi ’khor lo zhes bya ba ni snying ga’i gnas su rnam par shes pa dang lhan cig go/ rtag tu gnas zhes bya ba ni ’chi ba’i mthar thug pa’i bar du’o//

1155.  In glossing this and the next verse, Alaṁka has thun phyed , half a session, instead of mtshan phyed , midnight (although mtshan phyed is in Stok Palace and all the Pedurma recensions), raising the question of whether the same thing was intended here. If so, then the translation would be “In half a session, arising from the supreme sky, nonconceptuality arises,” which would track the practice described in VR chapter 12.

1156.  Per Alaṁka (50A), the center of the navel, lte ba’i dbus las so// who adds, “or, engaging in beginningless cyclic existence because of being born through the force of the mental continuum whose basis is emptiness.” yang na ’khor ba thog ma med pa nyid kyi ’jug pa la stong pa nyid kyi rten sems kyi rgyun gyi stobs kyis skye ba’i phyir ro//

1157.  Alaṁka (50B) explains that “because of the difference in place” means “because of the character with which they approach the grasping of objects. gnas kyi dbye ba yis zhes bya ba ni yul rnams ’dzin pa la mngon du phyogs pa’i mtshan nyid kyis so/ Presumably, given the familiar teaching that mind rides upon energy like a rider on a horse, these mental conceptualities correspond to the 108 energies.

1158.  ’dod chags, Skt. *rāga. Per Alaṁka (50B), desire is “an inclination in the mind toward an object not studied.” yul ma thos pa la yid la ’dun pa/

1159.  zhe sdang, Skt. *dveśa . Per Alaṁka (50B), hatred is “a mind without love.” byams pa med pa’i sems/

1160.  gti mug, Skt. *moha. Per Alaṁka (50B), delusion is “a mind not knowing the nature of things as they are.” ji lta ba bzhin du gnas pa’i dngos po’i rang bzhin shes pa dang bral ba nyid kyi sems/

1161.  rgyags, Skt. *madā. Alaṁka (50B) has rgyags pa. Per Alaṁka (50B), arrogance is “the existence of superiority when seeing an object.” sems la yul mthong bas mtho ba’i ngo bo/ One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262.

1162.  nga rgyal, Skt. *māna. Per Alaṁka (50B), pride is “thinking that ‘I am the attainer’ of a particularly noble thought (or per Peking and Snarthang, “realization,” rtogs ) that is not attained. rtog pa khyad par can ma thob pa la bdag gis thob po snyam pa/

1163.  mngon par zhen, Skt. *abhiniveśa. Per Alaṁka (50B), obsession is “a type of mental construction in thinking, ‘How will I attain a particularly noble thing?’” khyad par du ’phags pa’i dngos po bdag gis ji ltar thob par ’gyur snyam du sems kyi rtog pa’i rnam pa’o//

1164.  phrag dog, Skt. *īrṣyā. Per Alaṁka (50B), jealousy is “the seeing of perfection of others being mentally unbearable.” gzhan gyi phun sum tsogs pa mthong na sems la mi bzod pa nyid do// One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262.

1165.  khro ba, Skt. *krodha. Alaṁka (50B) has khro. Per Alaṁka (50B), fury is “attaining another mental state through the power of anger.” khong khro ba’i dbang gis sems la gnas skabs gzhan thob pa’o//

1166.  ser sna, Skt. *mātsarya. Per Alaṁka (50B), miserliness is “the mentality of not giving things.” dngos po mi gtong ba’i blo’o// One of the secondary afflictive mental powers.

1167.  g.yo , Skt. *śāṭhya. Per Alaṁka (50B), dishonesty is “hiding one’s own faults.” rang gi skyon sbed pa’o// One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262.

1168.  sgyu, Skt. *māyā. Deceit is one of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262. In place of “deceit,” Alaṁka (50B) has “laziness,” snyom las, Skt. *ālasa , another of the secondary afflictive mental factors, which Alaṁka describes as “mental ignorance, a thing inconsistent with effort.” sems kyis mi rig pa nyid brtson ’grus kyi mi mthun pa’i phyogs kyi chos so//

1169.  cha lugs ngan, Skt. *vikṛta. In place of “disfigured,” Alaṁka (50B) has “fearful,” nyam nga ba, Skt. *bhīta , Per Alaṁka (50B), “producing a tormented mind because of the experience of pain which has happened before.” sngon byas pa’i gnod pa nyams su myong bas sems gdung ba bskyed pa’o//

1170.  blo rgod pa , Skt. *auddhatya. Alaṁka (51A) has blo rgod , and describes excitement, one of the secondary afflictive mental factors (Hopkins 1983, 262) as “not proceeding towards the mental object.” sems dmigs pa la spro ba med pa’o//

1171.  brkam chags nyid, Skt. *kāma. Per Alaṁka (51A), longing desire is “a mental fixation on material necessities, etc.” sems mkho ba’i yo byad la sogs pa la zhen pa’o//

1172.  gnyid, Skt. *nidrā. Alaṁka (50B) has nyid , which he just glosses as nyid , “sloth.”

1173.  the tshom, Skt. *saṁdeha. Per Alaṁka (51A), doubt is “mental doubt.” yid la som nyi za ba’o//

1174.  ngar ’dzin, Skt. *ahaṁkāra. Per Alaṁka (51A), egotism is “the attribute of mental agitation due to slight realization.” bag tsam rtogs pa sems la rgod pa’i khyad par ro//

1175.  dga’, Skt. *nanda. Per Alaṁka (51A), joy is “an attribute of mental attachment closely connected with desire etc.” chags pa la sogs pa dang nye bar ’byel pa’i sems la chags pa’i khyad par ro//

1176.  chags bral, Skt. *virāga. Per Alaṁka (51A), detachment is “not being mentally depressed by seeing unpleasant things.” yid du mi ’ong ba’i dngos po mthong bas sems la dga’ ba med pa’o//

1177.  dregs pa, Skt. *avalipta. Per Alaṁka (51A), haughtiness is “the mental attribute that precedes pride.” nga rgyal sngon du ’gro ba’i sems kyi khyad par ro//

1178.  ’chab, Skt. *mrakṣa. One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262. Per Alaṁka (51A), hidden is “the mental state of not disclosing negativities.” sems la gnod pa mi brjod pa’i ngang tshul lo//

1179.  sred, Skt. *tṛṣṇā. Per Alaṁka (51A), craving is “the attribute of being obsessed with the existence of the self and enjoyment, etc.” bdag gi dngos po dang longs spyod la sogs pa la zhen pa’i khyad par ro//

1180.  bag chags, Skt. *vāsanā. Per Alaṁka (51A), instinct means “mentally tainted by subtle afflictions.” sems la nyon mongs pa phra mos gos par byed pa’o//

1181.  sgyu, Skt. *māyā . Per Alaṁka (51A), deceit is “having the mental state of deceiving others.” gzhan slu bar byed pa’i sems kyi gnas skabs can no//

1182.  rmongs, Skt. *moha. Per Alaṁka (51A), delusion is “filling particular objects with doubt and suffering.” khyad par can gyi yul la the tshom dang sdug bsngal gyis khengs pa nyid do// The Peking recension of Alaṁka has smongs , “pubic hair.”

1183.  ’dod chen, Skt. *nikāma . Per Alaṁka (51A), great desire is “is mind desiring to be in contact with the objects of pleasure etc.” longs spyod la sogs pa’i yul la reg par ’dod pa’i blo’o//

1184.  rtsod, Skt. *vivāda. Per Alaṁka (51A), to have the quality of debate is to have “expertise in non-negative things.” mi sdig pa’i dngos po la mkhas pa nyid do//

1185.  rtse ’jo, Skt. *līla . Per Alaṁka (51A), amusements are “physical or expressive activities distinguished by an unmoving mind.” sems g.yo ba med pa nyid kyi khyad par du ’phags pa’i lus ngag gi bya ba ’o//

1186.  spyi brtol, Skt. *dḥṛṣnu. Alaṁka (51A) has ’dun pa, Skt. chanda , “Aspiration,” one of the five determining mental factors (Hopkins 1983, 246) and notes (51A) that aspiration means “interest in an object.” yul la ’dun pa’o//

1187.  tshul ’chos dregs, Skt. *kuhanāmada. Here, Alaṁka (51A) has reg, Skt. sparśa, “contact,” one of the five omnipresent mental factors (Hopkins 1983, 239) and notes (51A) that “‘contact’ is produced particularly physically and mentally through a conception of mental domination, etc.” yid kyi rgyal srid la sogs pa’i rnam par rtog pas lus dang sems la khyad par du reg pa bskyed pa’o//

1188.  kun nas bdungs, Skt. *paritapta. Per Alaṁka (51A), “‘Tormented’ by seeing beautiful things.” kun nas gdungs pa zhes bya ba ni yid du ’ong ba mthong bas//

1189.  rnam ’gyur, Skt. *vikāra. Per Alaṁka (51A), for these purposes a mood is the “production of a momentary mental state inclined toward non-virtue.” yid mi dge ba la mngon par phyogs pas yid la ’dra ba’i skad cig ma’i bskyed pa’o//

1190.  ma zhi ba, Skt. *aśānta . Per Alaṁka (51A), agitation is characterized by “uncontrolled sense faculties.” dbang po nye bar ma bsdams pa’o//

1191.  shes bzhin med , Skt. *asaṁprajanya. Alaṁka has rlom pa nyid, Skt. *māna , “ presumptuous,” meaning “particularly extending to mental laziness.” Alaṁka (51A) sems la snyom las kyi khyad pa gyis khyab pa nyid do// Non-introspection and presumed superiority are fairly close in meaning.

1192.  bem po, Skt. *kanthyā . This conceptuality is missing from Alaṁka’s list (51A).

1193.  log pa’i nga rgyal , Skt. *mithyāmāna . Per Alaṁka (51A), having false pride is “thinking that ‘I’ will be the attainer of an unattainable special realization.” khyad par can gyi rtog pa ma thob pa la bdag gis thob po snyam du sems pa’o// This description is identical to Alaṁka’s description of pride, nga rgyal , above.

1194.  ’gyod , Skt. *kaukṛtya , one of the four changeable mental factors (Hopkins 1983, 267) described by Alaṁka (51A–B) as “regret later on about having a virtuous self.” bdag dang bcas pa’i dge ba la phyis ’gyod pa’o//

1195.  khrel ni med, Skt. *anapatrāpya . One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262. Here Alaṁka has khrel yod pa, Skt. apatrāpya , “abashed,” and explains (51B) that being abashed is “being afraid of [one’s own] missteps with respect to others.” gzhan la ltos nas kha na ma tho ba rnams la ’jigs pa nyid do//

1196.  gus pa med, Skt. nādara . Per Alaṁka (51B), being disrespectful is “disrespecting virtuous actions.” dge ba’i las la mi gus pa’o//

1197.  ches pa med, Skt. *nirmāna . Alaṁka (51B) has yid ches med, and notes that “lacking confidence” is “a mentality not supported by the higher realms and liberation.” mtho ris dang thar pa’i yul la sems mi brten pa’o//

1198.  blo dman, Skt. *parittabuddhi . Alaṁka (51B) has blo dman pa , “a mind not purified by wisdom.” shes rab la ma byang ba’o//

1199.  ngo tsha med, Skt. *alajjā . Per Alaṁka (51B), shamelessness is “a change in mind due to past experienced desire.” ’dod pa sngon du song bas sems kyi rnam par ’gyur ba’o//

1200.  ’ching, Skt. *bandha . Here Alaṁka (51B) has brlan pa nyid, Skt. *ārdra , “moist,” desribed by Alaṁka (51B) as “a mind with tenderness for children and spouse.” sems bu dnag chung ma la mnyes gshin pa’o//

1201.  ngo tsha shes , Skt. *lajjā. One of the eleven virtuous mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 248. Per Alaṁka (51B), shame is when “dwelling on yourself as an object, you become afraid of fearsome consequences. Because of your engagement with disturbing emotions, you say them to yourself over and over.” bdag nyid kyi yul la brten nas/ ’jigs pa la ’jigs par ’gyur ba’o/ nyon mongs pa dang yang dag par sbyor ba nyid kyis nyon mongs pa’i nang du klog pa’o//

1202.  ngo tsha, Skt. *hrī or *lajjin. Per Alaṁka (51B), embarassment is when, “seeing someone who is better than yourself, your self esteem collapses.” bdag nyid las lhag pa’i gang zag mthong nas rang nyid la mngon pa’i nga rgyal lhod pa nyid do//

1203.  mi ster ba or mi gter ba, Skt. *karmaśīla . The Peking and Snarthang recensions of Alaṁka’s Commentary have mi gter ba, “not cast away,” rather than the VR’s mi ster ba, which, in addition to its basic meaning of not giving or being retentive, can also have the sense of not conceding or giving up. This is also concordant with Alaṁka’s explanation of the term as meaning that “out of compassion you engage with discordant things.” (51B). So I think that the most appropriate translation here would be not giving up in the sense of persevering.

1204.  mya ngan , Skt. *śoka. Per Alaṁka (51B), “suffering is the mentality of a mind without love.” mdza’ bo dnag bral ba’i sems kyi bsam pa’o//

1205.  yid gnyis , Skt. *dvaitamanas . Per Alaṁka (51B), a dualistic mind “turns away from virtuous activities.” dge ba’i las la rgyab kyis phyogs pa’o//

1206.  rlom sems med , Skt. *acittamāna . Per Alaṁka (51B), to be in this nonconceited state is to be “mentally fixated on the countless beneficial actions done by others.” gzhan gyis byas pa’i phan pa la bgrang ba las ’das pa la sems la zhen pa’o//

1207.  bsgrims , Skt. *āvaraṇa . Alaṁka (51B) has bsgribs , Skt. *ekamanas , “concentrated,” which, per Alaṁka (51B), is “beginning to make efforts toward the reality of truth.” bden pa’i dngos po la ’bad pa byed par rtsom pa’o//

1208.  the tshom , Skt. *saṁdeha . Per Alaṁka (51B), doubt is “feeling two-minded.” yid kyis gnyis ka la reg pa’o//

1209.  ngal ba , Skt. *śrama . Per Alaṁka (51B), fatigue is where “the particular lack of enthusiasm in body and mind.” lus dang sems kyis mi spro ba’i bye brag go//

1210.  dbang, Skt. *vaśa . Per Alaṁka (51B), power here refers to “desire, etc., the external powers.” ’dod chags la sogs pa gzhan dbang ngo//

1211.  ’khrul pa’i snying stobs, Skt. *bhrāntibala . Alaṁka (51B) has ’khrul pa snying po stobs , explaining that the fake hero “is fake because he has the intent of denigrating others.” ’khrul pa snying po stobs zhes bya ba ni gzhan la skur ba ’debs pa’i dgongs pas ’khrul pa’o//

1212.  snyam sems , Skt. *cintanacitta. Alaṁka (51B) has dogs pa, Skt. *cakitaṁ , “suspicion,” which Alaṁka (51B) describes as, “without analyzing, being presumptuous in thinking about harm that was done that it was done by someone else.” ma brtags par sprad pa’i gnod pa la gzhan gyis de byas so snyam du mngon par rlom pa’o//

1213.  brgyal ba, Skt. *mūrchā . Per Alaṁka (51B), “also incapable of some physical and mental activities.” lus dang sems dag gis las ’ga’ zhig la yang nus pa med pa’o//

1214.  thim pa, Skt. *laya . Per Alaṁka (51B), “the mental perception of the state of moving downward.” sems la dmigs las ’og rgyu ngang tshul nyid do//

1215.  mi srun, Skt *adānta . Alaṁka (51B) has ’khrugs pa, Skt. *kṣubhita , “agitated,” here, not far in meaning from mi srun, “wild.” Per Alaṁka (51B), agitation is “the mental continuum that abandons compassion.” snying rjes spangs pa’i sems kyi rgyun nyid do//

1216.  gya gyu, Skt. *kauṭilya . Per Alaṁka (51B), deceit is “not showing mental phenomena to others.”

1217.  snyoms, Skt. *sama . Alaṁka (51B) has smin, which I am assuming is short for smin pa, “mature,” Skt. *vipāka , commenting that this is “cogitating about body and speech because of turning [the mind] toward karma done and not done.” las byas pa la yang ma byas pas phyogs pas lus dang ngag gi rnam par rig pa la spyod pa’o// “ Mature” in this context is not far from “level,” so it is possible that these are alternative translations into Tibetan from the same original Sanskrit.

1218.  myos pa, Skt. *mada. Alaṁka (52A) has rjes su dran pa , Skt. anusmṛti , “recollection,” here, “because of not forgetting a thing previously experienced.” sngar nyams su myong ba’i dngos po mi brjed pas so//

1219.  rig byed min, Skt. *avedayāna . Alaṁka (52A) has rig byed ma yin pa here, and comments that “unknowing” describes “the time of not knowing later about virtuous and nonvirtuous actions done in the first place, and the continuum of such.” dang po nyid du byas pa’i dge ba dang mi dge ba dag la phyis mi byed pa’i dus yang de lta bu’i rgyun no// I believe that the text should be mi rig byed instead of mi byed , and am translating it that way.

1220.  bag yod, Skt. *apramāda . Alaṁka (52A) has the opposite, bag med pa, Skt. *pramāda , “careless,” here. Bag yod, “careful,” is one of the virtous mental factors, and bag med , “careless,” is one of the secondary afflictive mental factors (Hopkins 1983, 248, 262)as to which Alaṁka notes that there “is no one point in the mind.” sems la rtse gcig pa nyid ma yin pa’o//

1221.  gnas ngan len, Skt. *dauṣṭhulyam . Per Alaṁka (52A), “A bad rebirth and similar types can be awakened by the power of the instincts produced previously.” sngon du byas pa’i bag chags kyi dbang gis de dang de’i rnam pa sad par rung ba nyid do//

1222.  nyam chung nyid, Skt. *durbala . Alaṁka (52A) has nyam chung here, and comments that weakness means that “because of having many addictions, etc., one can’t delight in virtous activities, etc.” nyon mongs pa mang ba la sogs pas dge ba la sogs pa’i bya ba rnams la mi spro ba’o//

1223.  yid mi bde, Skt. *duḥkhitacitta . Per Alaṁka (52A), unhappiness is “being agitated by mental suffering.” sems sdug bsngal gyis ’khrugs pa nyid do//

1224.  lhag par rtog, Skt. *vitarka , one of the four changeable mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 267. Alaṁka (52A) has rtog pa here. Per Alaṁka (52A), and notes that investigation “goes toward gross thought construction.” rnam par rtog pa rags pa la mngon du phyogs pa’o//

1225.  skrag, Skt. *trāsa . Per Alaṁka (52A), anxiety is that which, “having seen the thing that causes the production of fear, stays in the back of one’s mind.” ’jigs pa skyed par byed pa’i dngos po mthong nas de la sems rgyab kyis phyog pa nyid do//

1226.  rmugs, Skt. *styāna . One of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262. Per Alaṁka (52A), lethargy is “inactivity.” las su mi rung ba//

1227.  gnyid, Skt. *middha , one of the four changeable mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 267. Per Alaṁka (52A), “sloth” is “the very thing that is pervaded by laziness and moving toward sleep.” snyom las kyis yongs su khyab pa nyid la gnyid la mngon du phyogs pa’i dngos po nyid do//

1228.  brkam chags, Skt. *lolubha . Per Alaṁka (52A), longing desire is a “mentality that does not give up worldly goods, etc.” yo byad la sogs pa yongs su mi gtong ba’i blo’o//

1229.  rol pa, Skt. *līla . Alaṁka (52A) has rtse ba, which has a similar meaning, Alaṁka noting that “activities of body and speech preceded by a distracted mind is the essence of play.” yid gyeng ba sngon du ’gro ba can lus dang ngag gi bya ba rtse ba’i ngo bo’o//

1230.  khrung khrung, Skt. *baka or *krauñca. Per Alaṁka (52A), the crane represents “the occasion of mental contraction.” sems la bskum pa’i gnas skabs so//

1231.  ’tshe ba, Skt. *hiṁsā . Per Alaṁka (52A), harmful is “thinking about killing living beings.” srog chags rnams gsad pa la sems pa’o//

1232.  le lo, Skt. *ālasa . Per Alaṁka (52A), laziness is “engaging in the opposite of effort.” brtson ’grus kyi mi mthun pa’i phyogs dang lhan cig spyod pa’o//

1233.  yon po, Skt. *vakra. Alaṁka (52A) has g.yan pa nyid, but I suspect this should be g.yen pa nyid, Skt. *vikṣepa , “distraction,” one of the secondary afflictive mental factors. Hopkins 1983, 262. I suspect that the Lhasa VR’s yon po could be a variant of g.yen pa , and am translating it that way. However, all of the Pedurma recensions of the VR have yon po. Alaṁka (52A) says that this is a particular kind of illness. nad kyi bye brag go//

1234.  bsam, Skt. *cintā . Per Alaṁka (52A), thinking is “approaching, due to thinking about a definite thing as an object.” nges pa’i dngos po’i yul la bsam pas mngon par phyogs pa’o//

1235.  *spyod. Alaṁka (52A) has dpyod, Skt. *vichāra , “analysis,” one of the four changeable mental factors, and I am translating it that way, although again noting that all of the Pedurma recensions of the VR have spyod pa. Per Alaṁka (52A), “patience in cognition.” blos rnam pa dbye bar bzod pa’o//

1236.  zhum pa, Skt. *dīna . Per Alaṁka (52A), depression is “a type of lack of enthusiasm because of imagining nonexistent harm in light of harm perpetrated by others many times.” gzhan gyis gnod pa lan mang du byas pa la slar gnod pa ma grub pas de mthong bas sems la mi spro ba’i rnam pa’o//

1237.  kun dzob, Skt. *saṁvṛti . Per Alaṁka (52A), concealing is “hiding things from others because of the power of the shame about sinful things one has done.” rang gis byas pa’i sdig pa ngo tsha ba’i dbang gis gzhan la sbed pa’o//

1238.  de nyid, Skt. *tattva . Per Alaṁka (52A), “reality” is a part of the previous conceptuality, “concealing,” so kun rdzob de nyid, “concealing reality.”

1239.  don yod, Skt. *sākūta or *amogha . Per Alaṁka (52A), to have the conception of meaningfulness is “to be proud of the things one has done and their effects.” las byas pa la ’bras bu dang bcas par rlom pa’o//

1240.  ster, Skt. *dāna. Alaṁka (52A–B) has ster la dga’, Skt. *dānarati , “delighted by giving,” which, according to Alaṁka, refers to giving by others to one’s self, more like delighting in receiving, because “body and mind are unhappy because of little enjoyment.” longs spyod chung ba nyid kyis lus dang sems bde bar mi gnas pa nyid do//

1241.  dga’i ba’i ’dod pa, Skt. *sukharāga . Alaṁka (52B) has dga’ ba gcig pu ‘ dod pa, Skt. *sukhaikarāga , “desiring only joy,” noting that this is “aspiring for one’s own happiness.” bdag nyid bde ba la ’dun pa’o//

1242.  ’jigs, Skt. *bhītam . Per Alaṁka (52B), fear is “because of seeing a thing that is experienced,” nyams sus ma myong ba’i dngos po mthong bas so// as opposed to something imagined based on past experience like depression.

1243.  ’dar , Skt. *kampana . Per Alaṁka (52B), trembling is “trembling of the body caused by the force of the condition that has engendered fear.” ’jigs pa skyed par byed pa rkyen gyi stobs kyis lus ’dar ba’o//

1244.  phra dag nyid, Skt. *sūkṣma . Per Alaṁka (52B) subtle means “very small.” shin tu chung ba nyid do//

1245.  gsal, Skt. *prakāśa. Per Alaṁka (52B), to be in the clear is to have “a nimble mind.” sems yang ba nyid do//

1246.  rnam gsal, Skt *prakāśa . Per Alaṁka (52B), to be very clear is “to reveal to others the things in one’s own mind.” rang gi sems kyi chos rnams gzhan la ston pa’o//

1247.  lhad ’jug pa, Skt. *dūṣaya . Alaṁka (52B) has lhung ’jug pa, Skt. *sraṁs or bhraṁś, “falling,” “with pure intentions toward another, saying the wrong word.” sbyang ba nyid kyis gzhan la dgongs nas tshig gzhan brjod pa’o// The VR’s lhad ’jug pa has the sense of adulerating or distorting something, while Alaṁka’s lhung ’jug pa has the sense of falling, descending, or losing, while Alaṁka’s gloss has the sense of misspeaking. What these have in common and what I think may best express all of these meanings is “slip-up.”

1248.  ’brel, Skt. *sambandha . Alaṁka (52B) has the opposite, ma ’brel, Skt. *anabhisambandha , “unconnected,” glossed as “whatever is suitable to say.” ci yang rung ba smra ba nyid do//

1249.  rtog pa’i de nyid, Skt. *vikalpatattva . Per Alaṁka (52B), the reality of conceptuality is “fixation on the view of the transitory collection.” ’jig tshogs kyi lta bas mngon par zhen pa’o//

1250.  rus sbal, Skt. *kūrma . Alaṁka (52B) has dka’ ba’i khur, Skt. *duṣkarabhāra , “difficult burden,” which he describes as “great desire.” ’dod pa che ba nyid do// The large shell of the tortoise is indeed a difficult burden, so these may refer to the same conceptuality.

1251.  ngoms med, Skt. *atṛpta . Per Alaṁka (52B), insatiable means “moving toward the object again and again.” yang dang yang du yul la’dun pa’o//

1252.  gnod pa , Skt. *virodhana . Per Alaṁka (52B), harmful is having “the mentality of harming others.” gzhan la gnod pa ’jug pa’i sems so//

1253.  mi gsal ba, Skt. *avyakta . Per Alaṁka (52B), having a mind that lacks clarity “will not even bring out small virtues.” dge ba chung ba la yang mngon du gyur pa med pa nyid do//

1254.  yid du ’ong, Skt. *darśaniya . Per Alaṁka (52B), to be attractive is to be “undejected because of great enjoyment.” longs spyod che ba nyid kyis dma’ ba med pa nyid do//

1255.  gnas med, Skt. *asthāna . Per Alaṁka (52B), placeless is a “vascillating mind.” sems g.yo ba dan bcas pa’o//

1256.  mang du smra ba, Skt. *bahuvādin . Alaṁka (52B) has ’dod pa, Skt. *rāga , “desire,” which he glosses as “solely desiring to attain enjoyments not attained.” gcig tu ma thob pa’i longs spyod thob par ’dod pa’o//

1257.  bdag nyid, Skt. *tattva . Alaṁka (52B) has ngo mtshar, Skt. *āścarya , “amazing,” which he does not gloss. He might have considered ngo mtshar skye bu nyid was meant to be one conceptuality, along the lines of “amazing personage,” but more likely did not feel the need because two conceptualities later in his list he has ya mtshan, “wonderment,” which is basically the same thing. In addition, the ni dang at the end of the standard seven syllable verse indicates a conjunctive.

1258.  skye bu nyid, Skt. *puruṣatva . Per Alaṁka (52B), personhood is “egotism with pride.” ngar ’dzin pa nyid kyis nga rgyal dang bcas pa nyid do//

1259.  ya mtshan, Skt. *vismaya . Per Alaṁka (52B), wonderment “occurs because of hearing various stories and saying, ‘What is this?’” sna tshogs pa’i gram thos pas ’di ni ci zhig yin snyam du ngo mtshar du gyur pa’o//

1260.  dga’, Skt. *nanda. Alaṁka (52B) has chog, Skt. *parama , “supreme,” which he glosses as “a joyful mind, because of seeing the thing that is desired.” ’dod pa’i dngos po mthong bas yid dga’ ba’o// I am following Peking and Snarthang here; the others have chog, which makes less sense.

1261.  skyes bu ngan, Skt. *durjana . Per Alaṁka (52B), a bad person is “the opposite of a holy person.” skyes bu dam pa’i mi mthun pa’i phyogs so//

1262.  See Alaṁka 53A.

1263.  Alaṁka (53B) has “mantras are brought together as undifferentiated,” and adds, “That very thing is stated according to ritual. The union of the six chakras [and] mantra is expressed as ‘ The Community .’” sngags rnams dang lhan cig tha mi [Peking and Narthang. add dad ni , which I am following here] ’dus pa/ de nyid gsungs pa ni cho ga bzhin/ ’khor lo drug pa sngags sbyor ba/ ’dus pa zhes ni brjod pa yin/ This refers to the merger in the perfection stage of the chakras into one, the mantras into one, and the chakras and mantras together.

1264.  Alaṁka (54B): i.e., the space “located at the navel of the yoginīs.” rnam mkha’ zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor ma dag gi lte bar gnas pa’i nam mkha’ la’o//

1265.  Alaṁka’s Commentary ends here for this chapter, and continues midway through the VR’s chapter 6 at Lhasa 16A, for the verse starting with byed pol as kyi ’bras bur myong/ Narthang has the same gap, p. 120 of 498, l. 2. Numbered 116 in block print text. TBRC Narthang 1455=Sde 1795: W22704; vol. 3286, 1–498. According to the Pedurma edition, Peking and Cone have the same omission.

1266.  Reading ngal bso ba instead of ngal bso pa.

1267.  The commentary to this chapter is missing in all recensions of the Commentary of which I am aware, although in his commentary on chapter 1, Alaṁka (23A) does indicate that the second question is about emptiness, which seems to suggest that he did comment on this fifth chapter and on the next chapter (where his commentary starts in the middle of the chapter), but that section was lost.

1268.  Reading ’prul instead of ’khrul ; ’bral instead of ’brel , i.e., Skt. bhrama (“mistake, error”) and vibhrama (“serious mistake, error”), both from the past participle of bhranta . VR 13B.

1269.  The role and interpretation of conventional truth and its relationship to ultimate truth is discussed in a similar way in the The Revelation of the Intention Tantra , another of the Esoteric Community ’s explanatory tantras. As stated there:

As for the yoga of endless sky,

The aggregates etc., things that arise,

Are conceptualizations of body, speech and mind.

The aggregates etc., arising from the elements —

Truly apply these [conceptual things] to nonbeing.

From that, concentration will be born.

The practice of nondual concentration

Will become like an unbreakable vajra.

nam mkha’ mtha’ yas rnal ’byor ni/ phung po la sogs chos byung ba/ lus dang ngag sems kun rtog ni/ phung po sogs byung ’byung las gyur/ ’di dag dngos med yan dag sbyar/ de las ting ’dzin skye bar ’gyur/ ’di dag ting ’dzin gnyis med sbyor/ mi phyed rdo rje nyid du ’gyur/ Derge 105A–B (ch. 1)

This Dharma is amazing and astonishing.

Even the pure nonconceptuality

Just like equal to the sky

Is explained as conventional!

chos’di ngo mtshar rmad byung ste/ nam mkha’dang ni mtshungs pa yi/ mi rtog rnam par dag pa yang/ kun rdzob tu ni bshad par mdzad/ Derge 133A–B (ch. 9).

1270.  All recensions of the VR have “enemy,” dgra . Reading dgra as sgra , “word” would yield “grasping at the treasure of conventional words,” not that different.

1271.  I.e., the moon reflected in water.

1272.  Lozang Jamspal comments that meditation on emptiness doesn’t really exist; there is only meditation on emptiness because of the instincts, which themselves are illusory, like a water moon. When we apply cause and effect, we say reality “exists,” while from the ultimate point of view, it doesn’t. When we have both in our mind, we destroy cyclic existence. Once we meditate in accordance with this verse on both conventional and ultimate reality, then we abandon conventional reality as having any reality whatsoever, just as when the Buddha suggests we abandon the raft. Personal communication, April 15, 2008.

1273.  See Alaṁka 55A. Alaṁka’s Commentary is missing for VR 15A–B.

1274.  See Tsong Khapa 2010, 228–29.

1275.  For a description of these “root” wind-energies, see Tsong Khapa 2010, 225–226.

1276.  Per Lozang Jamspal, the tips of the energies are like chu sna , water nose, the leading edge of a flow of water. If you see this in the mountains, it’s a good omen. Personal communication, April 22, 2008.

1277.  For a description of the five channels, see Lati Rinpoche 1997, 64.

1278.  Sma as “[body] mole” per the suggestion of Lozang Jamspal. Personal communication, April 22, 2008.

1279.  The front of an ox’s throat.

1280.  Should be srog gis. Stok Palace has srog gi (176A).

1281.  These verses refer to the normal person and the process of birth. Alaṁka (55A) says as much when he comments on “The actor experiences the effects of karma” in this chapter’s verse 24 below: “Thus having taught the production of consciousness on the occasion of misknowledge, in order to express the summary of that, he says, ‘Because of that,’ etc., [meaning that] one wanders in cyclic life by the power of instincts for objects of such [a consciousness] mounted on the chariot of wind.” de ltar yongs su ma shes pa’i gnas skabs la rnam par rtog pa rab tu bskyed pa stan nas/ de’i nye bar bsdu ba brjod pa’i phyir/ de’i phyir zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ gang gi phyir rlung gi shing rta la zhon pa de dang de’i yul rnams kyi bag chags kyi dbang gis ’khor bar ’khor ro//

1282.  Derge Alaṁka Commentary resumes here, p. 673 in Lhasa bka’ ’gyur block print (55A).

1283.  Alaṁka (55B) explains:

“Unknowing the other misknowing” [refers to] the meditator on the thatness of mantra, [and] the meaning [is clear] “by the logic previously explained.” “Unknowing the other misknowings” refers to the perfection stage yogi/nī. “Other misknowing” is [believing in] the intrinsic existence of innate or composed things that do not exist, because in the creation stage meditation they have [already] been abandoned. If it is not thus, if someone asks what the other misknowings are, in response to that he says “the central knot,” [referring to] the five channels in the space in the center of the heart, within the five channels. “Knot” [means] the tying up that is naturally made. That very thing is expressed as “misknowing,” because, by the force of that, one fails to know the nature of energy and mind.

ma rig gzhan ni mi shes pa/ zhes bya ba ni sngags kyi de kho na nyid la sgom pa po ste/ sngar bshad pa’i rigs pas zhes bya ba’i don to/ ma rig gzhan ni mi shes pa/ zhes bya ba ni dzogs pa’i rim pa sgom pa po’i rnal ’byor pas so/ ma rig gzhan ni zhes bya ba ni lhan cig skyes pa’am mngon par ’dus byas pa’i ngo ba yod pa ma yin te/ de’i bskyed pa’i rim pa bsgoms pas/ de spangs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ gal te de ltar ma yin na/ ma rig pa gzhan gang yin zhe na/ de’i phyir dbus kyi mdud pa zhes gsungs te/ snying ga’i nam mkha’i dbus su rtsa lnga lnga’i nang du’o/ mdud pa zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyis grub pa’i ’ching ba’o/ de nyid ni ma rig pa zhes brjod/ de’i stobs kyis rlung dang sems kyi rang bzhin yongs su ma shes pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

Although it seems somewhat awkward given his attainment of the clairvoyances, etc., as a result of this practice that this yogi/nī does not “know” something, the yogi/nī “unknowing” these “other misknowings” makes sense given his or her nonconceptual state when the heart knot is opened.

1284.  Skt. śunyatā jñāna vajra , as in the sādhana’s oṁ śunyatā jñāna vajra svabhava atmako haṁ.

1285.  Ushma is the last row of the Sanskrit alphabet: sha, sha, sa, ha . See Panini 8.4.58.

1286.  a, ā, i, ī, u, ū.

1287.  That is, pa pha ba bha ma .

1288.  That is, anusvāra .

1289.  a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, e, ai, o (without the semivowels, r, rr, l, ll ).

1290.  Alaṁka (60A): “The drop is the syllable HO, which is a type of energy located at the center of the eyebrows. Sound is the syllable HŪṀ above the heart knot.” thig le ni smin ma’i dbus su gnas pa’i rlung gi rnam pa’i HO yig go/ sgra zhes bya ba ni snying ga’i mdud pa’i steng du HŪṀ yig go//

1291.  After “pleasure grove,” skyid mos tshal , Lhasa has “four,” bzhi , Stok Palace has “peaceful,” zhi , and Alaṁka has the emphatic or placeholding particle ni . I am following Alaṁka (61A) here.

1292.  Translating the VR’s phyag rgyas , usually “seal” or “[tantric] consort,” as “posture” in khyim du bde ba’i phyag rgyas gnas. In this I am following Alaṁka (61A):

“Seal” [means] a distinctive type of abiding in a state. “Listen” is calling to Vajrapāṇi. Because of [your meditation] posture in whatever kneeling position, you are in pain, or you think you are. Because of that, he says “the place of supreme bliss,” supreme [meaning] the place that is best and not commmon to others. “Ganges” [refers to] the posture.

phag rgyas zhes bya ba ni yul las gnas pa’i rnam pa khyad par ro/ nyon zhes bya ba ni phyag na rdo rje la bod pa’o/ ci tsog tsog pa’i ngo bo’i phyag rgya gang gis sdug bsngal du gnas pa’am snyam nas/ de’i phyir/ bde ba dam pa yi ni gnas zhes gsungs te/ dam pa ni gzhan dang thun mong ma yin pa’i gnas so/ gang gā’i zhes bya ba ni phyag rgya’o//

Here I am translating Alaṁkakalash’s tsog tsog po as “kneeling,” consonant with Alaṁka’s observation at 61B that “sitting well in the cross-legged bodhisattva posture [means] having abandoned the state of suffering of the full-lotus, etc., blissfully abiding in the half-lotus posture.” There could also be a suggestion here of sexual yogic practice, depending on the translation of tsog tsog po and phyag rgya. I could not find tsog tsog po in any dictionary, but, per Lokesh Chandra (176), tsog tsog pu is Skt. utkuṭuka, per MW sometimes utkutuka with the same meaning, “sitting upon the hams, squatting.” Related is utkuṭa, “lying stretched out on the back, lying with the face upward, sleeping with the head erect.” Per MW, utkutuka was used in Jayadeva’s Prasanna Rāghava (per Sujit Mukherjee, A Dictionary of Indian Literature, 13th c.) as meaning “amusing one’s self.” The parallel meaning of phyag rgya here could be “tantric consort.” Following this level of meaning, ci tsog tsog po’i ngo bo’i phyag rgya gang gis sdug bsngal du gnas pa’am snyam nas could be rendered as “you abide in, or think that you abide in, suffering [being a kind of sexual tension] because of the consort [actual or imagined] who is in the actuality of squatting [in yabyum].”

1293.  Alaṁka (61A) refers to both sna yi lte ba’i tshad du gnas and bzhag byas nas .

1294.  Alaṁka (61B) says that “seal” here means “abiding in a special [kind] of concentration.” bsam gtan gyi khyad par gyis gnas pa’o/ , but this could also refer to an action seal as described above.

1295.  Alaṁka (61B): HŪṀ, the vitality energy, and HO, the evacuative energy. srog dang thur sel gyi rlung gnyis hūṁ ho//

1296.  Alaṁka (62A) explains the details in his slightly different version, describing the practice with both the three-syllable mantra, OṀ AḢ HŪṀ, and the two-syllable mantra, HŪṀ HOḢ:

“The continuity of the channels above and below” [means that] the two channels move in the places of the right and left channels, having the nature of 12 chakras. By counting 900 breaths in each chakra in the day, [there is a total of] 1,800. Also it is the same for the night. “The clear state of the avadhūti” [means] the actuality of realization of the part of the energy that abides [there]. Having done [this] individually, 56 breaths for each chakra and [its] lower part, for the 12 chakras you would count [a total of] 675 [note: should be 672]. First, for the two energies that that one exhales and inhales, the mind is held at the door of the syllables HŪṀ and OṀ. After that, the mind is perfectly placed on those that have the count previously explained, the energy that abides moving in the central [channel]. After that, you place [your mind] on the letter A, with visualization of the letter A and the two dots. You should visualize especially the two dots [i.e. visarga] [and] also HŪṀ and HOḢ. Having engaged those three letters, you imagine the letter HŪṀ as one part; therefore there is the personal instruction: “You should merge the essence of energy in the drop into the place in the middle of the eyebrows.” If someone asks what the state of the avadhūti is, it states it is “brilliant” because it is realized by yogic perception. [It is] the “reality of energy,” because it has the nature of the activity of the three energies. “Great intuition,” because it generates it. “Vajrasattva” is the actuality of the stage of manifest enlightenment and communion. “Cause” [means] serves as cause, because of the particular nature of vajra repetition.

steng dang ’og dang rtsa yi rgyun/ zhes bya ba ni g.yon pa dang g.yas pa’i rtsa’i gnas su rtsa’i gnas su rtsa gnyis rab tu rgyu ba ni dkyil ’khor bcu gnyis kyi bdag nyid can te/ dkyil ’khor re re la dbugs dgu brya’i grangs kyis nyin mo la stong phrag bcu dang brdyad brgya’o/ de bzhin du mtshan mo la yang ngo/ a ba dhū tī’i gnas gsal ba zhes bya ba ni gnas pa’i rlung gi cha’i rtogs pa’i ngo bo ste/ dkyil ’khor re re zhing rkang pa dang bcas pa’i lnga bcu rtsa drug gi dbugs so sor byas nas dkyil ’khor bcu gnyis la drug brgya bdun cu rtsa lnga brtsi bar byas nas so/ dang por ldang ba dang ’jug pa’i rlung gnyis la HŪṀ dang OṀ gyi yi ge gnyis kyi sgo nas sems gzung bar bya ba ste/ de’i rjes la dbus ma rgyu ba gnas pa’i rlung sngar bshad pa’i grangs dang ldan pa rnams la sems yang dag par bzhag nas/ de’i rjes la A yig la gzhag go/ A yig kyang tshig drag gnyis la mos pas so/ tshig drag gnyis kyang HŪṀ dang HO yig gnyis la lhag par mos par bya’o/ yi ge gsum po de nyid la zhugs te HŪṀ yig kyang cha shas su brtags pas thig le smin ma’i dbus su gnas pa la rlung gi ngo bos bsdu bar bya’o zhes bya ba’i man ngag go/ a ba dhū tī’i go ’phang ji lta ba zhen na de’i phyir gsal ba’i zhes gsungs te/ rnal ’byor gyi mngon sum gyis rtogs pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ rlung gi de nyid ces bya ba ni rlung gsum gyi bya ba’i bdag nyid kyi phyir ro/ ye shes che zhes bya ba ni de skyed par byed pa’i phyir ro/ rdo rje sems dpa’ zhes bya ba ni mngon par byang chub pa dang zung du ’jug pa’i rim pa’i ngo bo’o/ rgyu zhes bya ba ni rgyur gyur pa ste/ rdo rje bzlas pa’i bye brag gi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

1297.  Lhasa has mi , but the other recensions have me, as does Alaṁka (64A). Alaṁka explains each of these attainments.

1298.  Alaṁka (64A): “Mantra” here refers to “having the nature of HŪṀ and HO.” sngags kyi de kho na nyid ces bya ba nyid HŪṀ dang HO’i bdag nyid can gyis so//

1299.  Alaṁka (65A): “Supreme” [meaning] “free from the characteristics of the creation stage.” mchog ces bya ba ni bskyed pa’i rim pa’i mtshan nyid dang bral ba’o//

1300.  See Alaṁka 65A.

1301.  Alaṁka (66A): “It has a tongue that is subtle as lightning [means] a tongue similar to lightning: a snake’s tongue” glog ltar phra ba’i lce can ni/ zhes bya ba ni glog dang ’dra b ’ ai lce ni sbrul gyi lce’o//

1302.  I.e., Vajradhara. Alaṁka (66A) explains: “Creator” is for Divine Lord Vajradhara. “By father and mother” [refers to] the result of the mastery of Vajradhara, who perfectly arises through the power of A syllable just explained, [due to which] the perception of the five creators in the world arises. skyed pa po zhes bya ba ni/ bcom ldan ’das rdo rje ’chang la’o/ pha dang mas zhes bya ba ni bshad ma thag pa’i A’i yi ge nyid kyi dbang gis de las yang dag par byung ba’i rdo rje ’chang gi bdag po rkyen gyis ’jig rten du byed pa po lnga’i snag ba ’byung ba’i phyir ro//

1303.  Alaṁka (66A) notes the ecumenical nature of this repetition to the “five creators well known in the theories of others,” gzhan gyi grub pa’i mtha’ las grags pa’i byed pa po lnga, quoting this passage:

As for opponents

Who stand on different reasons,

We do not despise them here,

As they are emanations of Vajrasattva.

pha rol rgol ba gang la la/ tha dad rtags kyis rnam par gnas/ de rnams ’dir ni smad bya min/ rdo rje sems dpa’i rnam ’phrul phyir// This passage is also quoted twice in Nāgārjuna’s Esoteric Communion Commentary, Tōh. 1784, 7B, 119B, which reads in the Derge: pha rol rgol ba gang yang rung/ rtags kyi dbye bas rnam gnas pa/ de dag yang ni smad mi bya/ rdo rje sems dpa’i sprul pa yin zhes ’byung ngo. Mantrakalasha was the translator of this work. It is also quoted in the PU, Tōh. 1785, 178A: pha rol rgol ba gang yang rung/ mtsan ma’i dbye bas gnas pa rnams/ de ’dir brnyas par mi bya ste/ rdo rje sems dpa’i rnam ’phrul yin// zhes gsungs pas so.

1304.  Alaṁka (66B) refers both to gong du bud med and gong bu med , indicating perhaps variant readings in his time.

1305.  Following the Lhasa VR’s (18A) ’byung ba chad pa rnam par spangs rather than Alaṁka’s (66B) ’byung ba’i tshogs ni rnam par spangs, “abandoning the host of elements.” Both could make sense; as Alaṁka (66B) notes, this section “expresses the teaching of ultimate reality,” de nyid kyi don dam pa’i ngo bo nyid bstan pa brjod pa’i phyir/

1306.  Following the original, zhi ba med , “lacking peace,” here in meaning avoiding dualistic or nihilistic peace. Alaṁka (66B) has zhi ba ni , “peaceful.”

1307.  Alaṁka (67A): “Because, having abandoned things, it is nonexistent.” chos rnams yongs su spangs nas mi gnas pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1308.  Alaṁka (67B) explains how the syllable HO in the wind chakra between the brows awakens the fire chakra betwen the heart and the throat:

“Aroused by the syllable HO” [means] perfectly aroused by the actuality of analyzing the syllable HO that abides in the wind chakra in the middle of the brows, because, being blocked from going up, it goes downward. “Purifying the fire chakra” [means] that it causes the awakening of the fire chakra that abides below the throat, by emanating above and below and and awakening the fire chakra, because it conquers all the conceptuality of the channel chakras.

HO yig gis ni bskul byas nas/ zhes bya ba ni smin ma’i dbus su rlung gi ’khor lo gnas pa’i yi ge HO thig le’i dbye ba ngo bos yang dag par bskul ba ste/ steng du ’gro ba bkag nas ’og tu ’gro ba’i phyir ro/ me yi ’khor lo rnam par sbyong/ zhes bya ba ni mgrin pa’i ’og tu gnas pa’i me’i ’khor lo rab tu sad par byed pa ste/ ’og dang steng sprul pa dang me’i ’khor lo rab tu sad pas rtsa’i ’khor lo ma lus pa’i rnam par rtog pa ’joms pa’i phyir ro//

1309.  See Alaṁka 68A.

1310.  Alaṁka (68A) notes the double meaning of bhaga here (“good fortune” and “vagina”), stating:

The secret is said to be “bhaga,” because of overcoming the addictions and because of not being taught to those who do not have the commitment. “The bhaga [vagina] is like a reality source” because it is the very place of the aggregates, elements, and sense media, because of [all] things being born from this.

gsang ba bha ga zhes ni gsungs/ zhes bya ba ste/ nyon mongs pa ’joms par byed pa’i phyir dang/ dam tshig dang mi ldan pa rnams la bstan par bya ba ma yin pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ bha ga chos ’byung de bzhin te/ zhes bya ba ni phung po dang khams dang skye mched bskyed pa’i gnas nyid kyi phyir ro/ chos rnams ’di las skyes pas na’o//

1311.  This alternative translation of the verse shows that the Commentary was translated from the Sanskrit genitive singular of Vajrasattva into prose in the usual way — rdo rje sems dpa’i — while the same Sanskrit form was translated into verse with an additional syllable, yi — rdo rje sems dpa’ yi , the extra syllable needed for the meter. Compare VR 18B with Alaṁka 68B.

1312.  Alaṁka (69A): “Because this fourth ecstasy ‘abides by pervading the [other] three ecstasies.’” dga’ ba gsum la khyab pa nyid kyis gnas pa’o// Quoting another source, Alaṁka (68B) explains:

The bliss of ecstasy is just a little;

Supreme ecstasy is better than that;

Transcendent ecstasy is free from attachment to ecstasy;

Then you should meditate on the fourth one.

dga’ ba’i bde ba cung zad tsam/ mchog tu dga’ ba de las lhag/ dga’ bral dga’ ba chags pa bral/ de nas bzhi pa bsgom par bya/

1313.  Alaṁka (69B) has here “By holding the reality of the energy,” rlung gi de nyid ’dzin pa yis , and explains:

“By holding the reality of energy wind” [means] in the space of the vajra and lotus. “Cause to hold” [means] placing the seed [syllables of] BYA and DHYE [on the tip of the vajra and lotus, respectively].

rdo rje dang padma’i nam mkha’ la’o/ ’dzin par byed ces bya ba ni/ BYA DHYE’i sa bon bkod pa/

1314.  Alaṁka (69B) notes that, “‘Is well known as the secret’ [means] existing because of the dripping by the syllables RA and HA, referring to the Sanskrit rahasya , ‘secret.’”

1315.  See Alaṁka 70A.

1316.  This may refer to a flawed type of consort, but Alaṁka’s VR (71B) has here “Showing the vessel and the seal,” snod dang phya rgya sogs bstan dang/ , which Alaṁka interprets as “showing the skull and staff to those not having the commitment; [‘]I myself, the powerful one,[’] etc., [said by the yogi/nī] for the purpose of impressing others,” i.e., referring to a flawed type of yogi/nī.

1317.  Alaṁka (71B) notes: skam dang ’brel pas ’jug pa dang/ zhes bya ba ni dam tshig la sogs pa la ste/ dad pas ni ma yin no// , which seems to support the translation of the verse above, positing skam dang ’brel pas as a kind of lack of faith. The Lhasa VR has brkam , “desire,” which would mean a mundane lust . Alaṁka’s (71A–B) version also makes some sense, but is grammatically problematic: “You should not engage in the commitment/ [With] hypocrites at the fringes of the commitment/ [Who] reveal the vessel and the seal/ And practice unenthusiastically.” de dang lhan cig dam tshig ni mi bya/ gdul dka’ dam tshig mthar gnas pa/ snod dang phyag rgya sogs bstan dang/ skam dang ’brel pas ’jug pa dang//

1318.  Perhaps this means to one’s exoteric guru, or that one shouldn’t brag to one’s tantric guru. Or, as Alaṁka notes with respect to verse 14, below, it means that one engaged in advanced perfection stage practices should not speak of them even to one’s tantric guru.

1319.  See GST (Fremantle 1971), ch. 7, vv. 9–14: “Always direct the mind towards form and the other sense-objects, for they are the secret essences of all the Buddhas gathered together.”

1320.  Alaṁka (73A) notes that the “commitment” means “in the ganachakra , etc.” dam tshig ces bya ba ni tshogs kyi ’khor lo la sogs pa la’o//

1321.  Reading nyams from Alaṁka (73A) rather than rnams from the Lhasa VR, 19B.

1322.  Alaṁka (73A) says bla ma la yang zhes bya ba ni rdo rje slob dpon la’o , “Even to the guru [means] to the Vajra Master.”

1323.  See Alaṁka 73A.

1324.  Reading per Alaṁka da instead of de .

1325.  See S. Katz 1978, 41 (“The great Flemish mystic, John Ruysbroeck [1293–1381], is thus able to express his experience in the fascinating expression ‘To eat and to be eaten! This is union!’”). Consider also the practice of communion as conceived by Catholics and Greek Orthodox: the actual ingesting of the deity, the blood and body of Christ.

1326.  Urine, feces, blood, semen, and marrow or brain. In the Esoteric Community , HŪṀ (center), BRUM (east), AM (south), JRIM (west) and KHAM (north), respectively.

1327.  Alaṁka (74B):

“Applying the reality of energy” [means] having overcome the energy by the six stages of counting, etc., previously [stated], by the force of the vitality and evacuative [energies]. “Melt” [means] melting the five elixirs that fall [from] the five types of channels. “One taste” [means] in the middle of the navel lotus.

rlung gi de nyid sbyor ba yis/ zhes bya ba ni sngon du grangs la sogs pa drug gi rim pas rlung las rgyal bar byas nas srog dang thur sel gyi stobs kyis so/ zhu nas zhes bya ba ni rtsa rnam pa lnga po ’bab pa’i bdud rtshi lnga zhu bar byas so/ ro gcig ces bya ba ni lte ba’i padma’i dbus su’o//

1328.  There are several variant readings here. See Alaṁka 74B.

1329.  Alaṁka (75A) indicates that the line rtag tu spyod pa , “always practices,” is an alternative reading for the bza’ bar bya, “should eat.”

1330.  Or, following Alaṁka (75A), through meditative equipoise on the spirit of enlightenment spread on the lotus of the goddess: “‘food’ [means] what is eaten; the remainder ‘that is spread on the lotus of the goddess.’ ‘Meditative equipoise’ has the meaning of not polluted by desire, etc., when taking the elixir.” bza’ ba ni bza’ bar bya ba ste/ lhamo’i padmar spros pa’i zhes bya ba ni lhag ma’o// This refers to the secret consecration, described in greater detail in chapters 2 and 54.

1331.  Consistent with the reference to the secret consecration, Alaṁka’s (75A) text, with ni for the VR’s dpa , has “Enlightenment spirit is great bliss.” He explains that “‘enlightenment spirit’ is the conventional type,” i.e., semen/ovum. byang chub sems ni zhes bya ba ni kun rdzob kyi rnam pa’o//

1332.  Alaṁka (75B) explains:

“When you rely [on that], it causes the realization of eating” [means] having exhorted by mantra, which becomes like that. “Drink [it] as being the nature of the five elixirs” [means] the actuality of the five elixirs. “Drink” [refers to] the elixir free from the characteristics of the outer elixirs. “Eating that” [means] that the tongue directly experiences the taste. “There” is in the lotus. The ‘vajra holder,’ [is so called] because of holding the ultimate and conventional vajra, the vajra holder.

brten na bza’ ba rab rtogs byed/ ces bya ba ni de lta bur gyur pa’i sngags kyis bskul nas so/ bdud rtsi lnga yi ngo bo’o/ ’thung zhes bya ba ni phyi rol gyi bdud rtsi’i mtshan nyid dang bral ba’i bcud kyis len to/ de za ba ni zhes bya ba ni dngos su lces rom yang bar bya ba ’o/ des zhes bya ba ni padma de la’o/ rdo rje ’dzin ces bya ba ni don dam dang kun rdzob kyi rdo rje ’dzin pas na rdo rje ’dzin pa’o//

1333.  Alaṁka’s Commentary does not mention this line, sems kyis bdud rtsi ’thung byed ni , VR 20B. See Alaṁka 75B.

1334.  Stok has ba glang .

1335.  Alaṁka (75B) assimilates the five meats to the five buddhas, e.g., “It states ‘elephant,’ etc., because of the great size of the body like an elephant, the form of Vairochana.” glang po zhes byaba la sogs pa gsungs te/ glang po ltar lus che ba nyid kyi phyir rnam par snang mdzad kyi ngo bo’o//

1336.  Or female hormonal essence, while the ovum is alive.

1337.  Alaṁka (76A) notes that verses seven and eight relate to the stage of mantra, i.e., vajra repetition and speech isolation (e.g., “‘By gross and subtle thought construction’ [means] one imagines with the characteristic of conceptuality the arrangement of mantras in the six chakras, connected with ‘food.’ This is the teaching of the stage of mantra”; rnam rtog dang ni kun rtog gis/ zhes bya ba ni ’khor lo drug po rnams las sngags dgod pa’i mtshan nyid rnam rtog gis brtags pa ste/ bza’ bar bya zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ ’dis ni sngags kyi rim pa bstan to// ), while this and the following verse (76A) relate to the stage of tantra (“transcendent emptiness intuition” has the meaning of “perfecting the meditation on the stage of tantra”; stong nyid ye shes pha rol ’gro/ zhes bya ba ni rgyud kyi rim pa bsgom pa’i mthar phyin pas zhes bya ba’i don to// )

1338.  Per Alaṁka (76B), this verse relates to the stage of mind isolation. “‘Perfectly unite’ [means] having the nature of the three intuitions of luminence, etc., connected with ‘eating.’” yang dag sbyor zhes bya ba ni snang ba la sogs pa’i ye shes gsum gyi bdag nyid can te/ bza’ zhes bya ba dang ’brel to//

1339.  Following Alaṁka’s (77A) text, ye shes cher ’char snod du bza/ rnam par mi rtog pa yis , which lines are not in the Lhasa VR . Alaṁka explains that this verse relates to the stage of self-consecration or illusory body:

“The dawn of great intuition” [means] the great intuition of the five colored light rays arising from the five light rays [arising] after the clear light. “Arises” [means] the illusory body arising from that. “In the vessel” because of the very nature of being perceived as having the nature of reversing all mistaken elaborations. “Eat” [means] made to disappear.

ye shes cher ’char snod du bza’/ zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ ye shes cher ’char zhes bya ba ni ’od gsal gyi rjes la ’od zer lnga las yang dag par byung ba’i ’od zer kha dog lnga’i ye shes chen po’o/ ’char zhes bya ba ni de las yang dag par byung ba’i sgyu ma’i lus so/ snod du zhes bya ba ni ’khrul pa’i spros pa thams cad rnam par bzlog pa’i bdag nyid can gzung ba’i bdag nyid kyi phyir ro/ bza’ zhes bya ba ni mi snang bar byas pa’o//

1340.  Following Alaṁka’s smin rather than the Lhasa VR’s min (77A).

1341.  Alaṁka (77A): “This verse teaches the stage of manifest enlightenment.”

1342.  Reading Alaṁka’s (77B) rigs pas rather than the VR’s (21A) rig pas .

1343.  Alaṁka (77B): i.e., “the aggregates, addictions, the Lord of Death, and the Son of Gods.”

1344.  Alaṁka (77B): This verse teaches the final stage, communion ( yuganaddha ).

1345.  See Alaṁka 78B.

1346.  Alaṁka (78B): “In the aspect of the syllable HŪṀ,” sgra ni HŪṀ yig gi rnam pa ste //

1347.  Alaṁka (79A) glosses a variant reading, “Mere sound, the final drop,” thig le’i mthar thug pa , though he also glosses the pada as it appears in the Lhasa recension.

1348.  This verse appears to go with the preceding four-line verse because in Alaṁka (81B) there is no de ltar . . . phyir preceding it, while there are such breaks for the preceding and subsequent verses.

1349.  According to Alaṁka (82A), “‘transparent’ because of perfecting by direct yogic perception,” gsal zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor gyi mngon sum gyis yongs su rdzogs pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1350.  From Alaṁka’s (82A) variant, lhan cig skyes dga’i sbyor ba yis, where the Lhasa VR has slar yang dga’ ba’i sbyor ba yis, “again by the yoga of ecstasy.” Alaṁka explains that this yoga, of the fourth ecstasy, goes beyond that of the first three ecstasies.

1351.  The last two padas are reversed in Alaṁka (82B–83A).

1352.  See Alaṁka 83A.

1353.  Alaṁka (83A–B): Meaning “caused to meditate on five or ten kinds of energies and through causing [them] to be identified precisely.” rlung ni rnam pa lnga’m rnam pa bcu sgom par byed cing nye bar mtshon par byed pas na/

1354.  Alaṁka (84A): i.e., “the conventional nose,” kun rdzob kyi sna’i rtse mor/

1355.  Alaṁka (84A) has “excellence,” mchog ni ; the Lhasa VR has “rites,” cho ga ni .

1356.  Alaṁka (84B) explains:

As it is said: the vitality [energy] is the mind vajra [Akshobhya]; evacuative is Ratnasambhava; the speech vajra is known as the ascending [energy]; metabolic is Karmavajradhara [Amoghasiddhi]; and pervading is known as Vairochana, the five pure buddhas. “The form of applying the five jewels” [means] by the divisions of crystal, sapphire, emerald, ruby, and gold. As it is said: “Vitality is black; evacuative yellow; red is ascending; like the sky, green here is expressed as “metabolic”; [and] pervading is asserted to be similar to the [white] night lotus. “Applying” because of serving as the cause of stopping the movement of the mind. “The mark of the nature of the five elements” [means] vitality [energy], the actuality of the purification of the water element. Evacuative [energy means] the actuality of the space element. Ascending [energy means] the actuality of the fire element. Metabolic [energy] is the nature of the wind element. Pervading [energy] is the nature of the earth element. As it is said: “The water element is expressed as ‘vitality,’ the evacuative, like sky; the ascending is expressed as fire; similarly, the equalizing, as wind; [and] the pervading is the earth element. [These are] the five pure elements.”

ji skad du/ srog ni sems kyi rdo rje ste/ thur sel rin chen ’byung ldan no/ gsung gi rdo rje gyen rgyur grags/ mnyam bcas las kyi rdo rje ’dzin/ khyab byed rnam par snang mdzad grags/ sangs rgyas lnga ni rnam dag pa’o/ zhes gsungs so/ rin chen lnga yi sbyor ba’i gzugs/ zhes bya ba ni shel dang/ indra nī la dang/ mar ga ta dang/ padma rā ga dang/ gser gyi dbye ba rnams kyis so/ ji skad du/ srog ni nag po thur sel ser po ste/ dmar po gyen rgyu nam mkha’ ltar ljang ba/ ’dir ni mnyam pa zhes bya brjod pa ste/ khyab byed kunda dang mnyam ’dod/ ces gsungs so/ sbyor ba yis zhes bya ba ni sems kyi rgyu ba ’gog pa’i rgyur gyur pa’i phyir ro// byung ba lnga yi bdag nyid mtshan/ zhes bya ba ni srog ni chu’i khams kyi rnam par dag pa’i ngo bo’o/ thur sel ni nam mkha’i khams kyi ngo bo’o/ gyen du rgyu ba ni me’i kham kyi ngo bo’o/ mnyam gnas ni rlung gi khams kyi rang bzhin no/ khyab byed ni sa’i kham kyi rang bzhin no/ ji skad du/ chu yi khams ni srog ces brjod/ thur sel nam mkha’ de bzhin te/ gyen rgyu me nyid du ni brjod/ mnyam gnas de bzhin du ni rlung/ khyab byed sa yi khams yin no/ khams lnga rnam par dag pa’o/ zhes gsungs so//

1357.  I am following Alaṁka (86B) here, who has nges par ni gzung byed , rather than the VR’s (23A) yang dag par ni nges gzung med , “without being perfectly definitive.” Alaṁka (86A) prefaces this discussion with a reference to “preoccupation with the count,” grangs ni rjes su sbyor ba yis /

1358.  Alaṁka (87A) explains that dividing means one counts the 2,700 breaths for each of the chakras of fire, wind, earth, and water for a total of 10,800 for the day and the same number for the night, yielding 21,600. dkyil ’khor re re la brgya phrag nyi shu rtsa bdun gyi dbugs kyi grangs kyis yong su gcod pa’i rnam pa des/ nyin zhag nyi shu rtsa bdun la/ zhes bya ba ni sngar bshad do/ ’khor lo bzhi’i dbye bas zhes bya ba ni me dang rlung dang sa dang chu’i dbye bas so/ nyin dang mtshan du zhes bya ba ni nyi ma la dkyil ’khor re re la so sor brgya phrag nyi shu rtsa bdun gyi grangs kyi dkyil ’khor bzhi la brgyad brgyas lhag pa’i stong phrag bcur ’gyur te/ mtshan mo la yang de tsam du ’gyur ro/ gnyis ka gcig tu bsdoms pas nyi khri chig stong drug brgyar ’gyur ro zhes bya ba ni ngag gi don to//

This and the next verse seem divided into six lines each by Alaṁka (86B–87A). Alaṁka’s Sanskrit Commentary on the Sanskrit Tantra should not necessarily be definitive as to division of the Tibetan text, but his division of units of meaning is certainly relevant here, and I generally accept it for the division of the Tibetan verses unless there is evidence to the contrary.

1359.  I am following Alaṁka (87A) here, who has “making certain of inhalation and exhalation,” ’byung dang rngub ba pa nges par ni , rather than the VR’s (23A) “without being certain of inhalation and exhalation,” ’byung dang rngup pa med par ni . Again, Alaṁka’s discussion of the context makes his quoted text in this instance seem to make sense as contrasted with that of the Lhasa VR.

1360.  Alaṁka (88A): “the nature of a ‘beginner yogi/nī,’” las dang po pa’i rnal ’byor pa//

1361.  In other words, first the beginner yogi/nī meditates on the energy-winds as conceptual, then, once this is mastered, as nonconceptual. This I believe is what Jamgön Kongtrul is referring to when he writes about the Vajra Rosary that “if we know how to bind their vital points, the winds themselves will succeed in being the remedy that severs saṁsāra because karmic winds will be purified into wisdom.” Rangjung Dorje 2014, xxii.

1362.  The Sanskrit text from here to the third-to-last paragraph of this chapter is quoted in Nāgārjuna’s PK, ch. 1, vv. 16–24, with verse 15 specifying the source:

15.  . . . asyâpi pratinirdeśam āha Vajramāla-nāmni vyākhyātantre/

16. nāsâgre sarṣapaṁ nāma prāṇâyāmasya kalpanā/

prānâyāma-sthitāh pañca raśmayo buddha-bhāvitāḥ//

17. ūrdhva-ghrāṇād viniḥkrānto vāma-dakṣiṇa dvandvataḥ/

stabdhaś cêti caturdhā syād vela tv ādhyātmikā smrtā//

18. kaṇṭha-hŗn-nābhi-guhyâbje gaty-āgatiṁ vinirdiśet/

vihared ardhayāmikāṁ paripāţyā yathā-kramam//

19. dakṣiṇān nirgato raśmir hutabhuṅ-mandalaṁ ca tat/

rakta-varṇam idaṁ vyaktaṁ Padmanātho ’tra devatā//

20. vāmād vinirgato raśmir vāyu-maṇḍala-saṁjñitaḥ/

harita-śyāma-saṁkāśaḥ Karmanātho ’tra devatā//

21. dvābhyāṁ vinirgato raśmiḥ pīta-varno mahā-dyutiḥ/

māhendra-maṇḍalaṁ caitad Ratnanātho ’tra devatā//

22. stabdho manda-pracāras tu sita-kundêndu-saṁnibhah/

mandalaṁ vārunaṁ caitad Vajranātho ’tra devatā//

23. sarva-dehânugo vāyuḥ sarva-ceṣţā-pravartakaḥ/

Vairocana-svabhāvo ’sau mrta-kāyād viniścaret//

24. vāyu-tattvam idaṁ vyaktaṁ pañca-jñāna-svabhāvakam/

tārkikā na prajānanti agamyaṁ bāla-yoginām// iti

(Footnotes omitted). Mimaki and Tomabechi, 1994, 3–4.

1363.  After quoting steng gi sna las , Alaṁka (91A) has ji ltar zhe na de’i phyir g.yon dang zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te , so presumably he had the VR text up to dal bar rgyu dang rnam bzhir ’gyur or something close to it.

1364.  A session is three hours, as Alaṁka (86B) notes that one full day (including day and night) has eight sessions, thun tshod so sor zhes bya ba ni ’jig rtenb pa la rab tu grags pa’i nyin mtshan gyi dbye ba brgyad . . . / so half a session would be 1.5 hours. In his BIL (246), Tsong Khapa notes:

Therefore, one should reconcile the “half-sessions” of the two Explanatory Tantras and the explanation of the Nondual Triumph [Tantra], which is quoted in the Five Stages. In this regard, Lakshmī, Kalden Drakpa, and Alaṁka[kalasha] [all] said [words to the effect] that there arise eight sessions in the measure of the process of wind-energies, sixteen half sessions, with eight hours in each session, and a half hour of clear light free of inhalation and exhalation in each session. Thus in one day, four hours of clear transparence arise, and if one holds the mind on the drop during [121b] that time, the mental one-pointedness with the nature of clear light is produced.

1365.  Alaṁka notes: “However, if someone asks about the method of making the energies that enter, abide, and arise go and come, there is no fault: having made the middle verse of ‘going and not going and coming’ disappear, it will make a summary that has two that are collected.” ’o na ’jug pa dang gnas pa dang ldang ba’i bdag nyid can kyi rlung rnams ji ltar ’gro ba dang ’ong ba gnyis byed par rigs she na/ ’di ni skyon med de ’gro ba dang mi ’gro ba dang ’ong ba dang zhes bya ba ni bar ma’i tshig mi snang bar byas nas/ sdud pa la gnyis ldan gyi bsdu ba bya’o/ (91A). In other words, the VR verse just refers to going and coming, ’gro ’ong ston (Lhasa VR, 24A), and omits the middle verse, “not going.” Presumably this refers to the more usual method of vajra repetition employing the kumbaka , the pause of the breath at AH, between the inhalation of OṀ and the exhalation of HŪṀ, in contrast to the HŪṀ HOḤ mantra described in Chapter 6 (in addition to the usual three-syllable method) of the Tantra .

1366.  See Wedemeyer 2007, 183. These verses are quoted in the CMP, but not quite as they appear here. Āryadeva has two previous verses not appearing here: “Born from the nostril orifice,/ Fixed [in] the five Buddha clans,/ The upward-motion of the five airs,/ Always courses in the body./ Moving [in] the superficial nose,/ [It is] issued forth from that door./ They are fourfold: Left and right and both and languid.” The text starting with this verse, as pointed out by Wedemeyer, is cited in the PK in Sanskrit (Wedemeyer 2007, 185 n. 31). The CMP, based on Mimeki and Tomabeki 1994, 4–5, edited by Wedemeyer, has the following for the Sanskrit text of verses 30 and 32–36, a preceding verse not found sequentially in the Lhasa VR or in Alaṁka, which seems to encompass parts of verses 26–28, and a concluding verse not found in the Lhasa VR or Alaṁka, which I will number 36A, which is where I believe it would fall (verse numbering is from my translation, and the Sanskrit and English translation of verses 26–28 and 36A from Wedemeyer 2007, 183–185, 375–377, with Wedemeyer’s footnotes to various differing editions omitted).

26–28. nāsikā-cchidra-saṁbhūtaḥ- pañca-buddha-kula-sthitaḥ/

pañca-vāyūdhva-saṁcāro dehe carati nityaśaḥ//

Born from the nostil orifice,

Fixed [in] the five buddha clans,

The upward-motion of the five airs

Always courses in the body.

30. saṁvṛti-ghrāna-saṁcāro dvārāt tasya viniḥsṛtaḥ/

vāma-dakṣiṇa-dvandvāś ca stabdhaś câite catur-vidhāḥ//

32. dakṣiṇāt pra saro dhātur vāyu-maṇḍalaṁ ca vai/

rakta-varṇam idaṁ vyaktaṁ padma-nāthasya saṁcaret//

33. vāmāc ca prasaro dhātur vāyu-maṇḍala-niḥsṛtaḥ/

harita-śyāma-saṁkāśaṁ karma-nāthasya saṁcaret//

34. dvandvasya prasaro dhātuḥ kanaka-varṇa-sannibhaḥ/

māhendra-maṇḍalaṁ câiva ratna-nāthasya saṁcaret//

35. stabdho na prasaro dhātuḥ kṣaṇād vāruṇa-maṇḍalam/

śuddha-sphaṭika-saṁkāśaṁ vajra-nāthasya saṁcaret//

36. sarva-dhātūn samuddhṛtya hy ādhārādheya-dhāritaḥ/

vairocana-mahākāyo maraṇānte viniścaret//

36A. catur-maṇḍalam etadd hi japen nityaṁ samāhitaḥ/

aho-rātraṁ sadā jāpyo mantriṇāṁ japa-saṁkhyayā//

One should always recite the[se] four maṇḍala[s]

Through meditative stabilization.

[They are] to be recited day and night always

By the count of the repetition of the mantra-practitioners.

1367.  Alaṁka (92A–B) explains, “The energy that abides in the entire body” [means] the fifth energy, the pervading energy, and is connected with. “They will arise in the death body.” “Of the entire body” [means] going all over the mass of sinews of the subtle body, abiding as the pervading [energy]. lus kun la gnas pa’i rlung zhes bya ba ni gang zhig lnga pa’i rlung ni khyab byed kyi rlung ste/ ’chi ba’i lus la ’byung bar ’gyur/ zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ lus kun gyi ni zhes bya ba ni lus kyi phra ba’i rgyus pa’i tshogs la rjes su ’gro ba ste/ khyab byed nyid du gnas pa’o/

1368.  Above portion quoted in PK, ends here.

1369.  See Alaṁka 93B.

1370.  Following Alaṁka’s (93B) bde ba chen po’i go ’phang gsal/ , instead of the Lhasa VR’s bde ba chen po’i gsal ba’i tshig/ (24B, ch. 13, v. 1). Alaṁka (93B) notes that this refers to the “great bliss that occasionally descends,” skabs su bab pa’i bde ba chen po /

1371.  Alaṁka (94A) explains:

“Abandon subject and object” because [one must] abandon the sense powers and sense objects. “Abandoning pleasure and pain” [refers to] completely pacifying the mind, the happiness that has the character of nirvana without remainder, [and] suffering that has the character of cyclic existence having the nature of the five aggregates; [one is] liberated from these. “Differentiating [Alaṁka has ’byed pa rather than the Lhasa VR’s bral ba] nondual peace” [means] free from nondual peace because of being particularly separate from [both] those having the intuition [and] joy of the disciple and those having the characteristic of being free from from nonduality and the intuition and joy of the self-enlightened ones.

gzung dang ’dzin pa rnam par sbangs/ zhes bya ba ni yul dang dbang po rnam par spangs pa’i phyir ro// bde dang sdug bsngal rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba ni sems nye bar zhi ba’i rnam par lhag ma med pa’i mya ngan las ’das pa’i mtshan nyid can gyi bde ba’o/ sdug bsngal ni phung po lnga’i bdag nyid can ’khor ba’i mtshan nyid do/ de dag las rnam par grol ba ni bral ba’o/ zhi ba gnyis med rnam par ’byed/ ces bya ba ni nyan thos kyi ye shes dga’ ba gnyis kyi bdag nyid can zhi ba dang/ gnyis su med pa dang rang sangs rgyas kyi ye shes dga’ bral gyi mtshan nyid can khyad par ’byed pas zhi ba gnyis med rnam par bral ba’o//

1372.  Alaṁka (94B) has both lnga yi and lnga bdag .

1373.  Per Alaṁka (94B), lalanā, rasanā, avadhūti, devadatta and dhanujit .

1374.  Alaṁka (95A) has both tha dad spangs and rnam par ’das , presumably from different versions of the VR he had in front of him.

1375.  Alaṁka (95A) discusses shin tu stong pa before stong pa chen po .

1376.  Reading thams cad with Alaṁka.

1377.  Alaṁka (95A) has no reference to other-emptiness, and analogizes the various emptinesses to luminance, etc., to clear light.

1378.  Following Alaṁka’s (96A) gloss, “the meaning of the nature of the fourth ecstasy, the orgasmic.” dga’ ba bzhi pa’i ngo bo lhan cig skyes pa zhes bya ba’i don to//

1379.  Alaṁka (96A): i.e. , “ the five channels connected with the vajra are filled with enlightenment spirit.” nam mkha’i cha yis gang zhes bya ba ni rtsa lnga’i ngo ba’i rdo rje dang ’brel pa’i nam mkha’ lnga’i cha ni nam mkha’i ngo bo nyid do/ gang zhes bya ba ni byang chub sems kyis so//

1380.  Perhaps this should be “clear away,” bsal, instead of “brilliant,” gsal , so it would read “the state [or exaltation] that clears away conceptions,” but all the recensions of the VR have gsal , and Alaṁka’s version of the VR is missing this line.

1381.  This verse, according to Alaṁka (99B), “refers to both disciples and pratyekabuddha s.” de dag ces bya ba ni nyan thos dang rang sangs rgyas la sogs pa rnams kyi’o//

1382.  Alaṁka (99B): i.e., “self-enlightened nirvana of the bodhisattva,” rang rgyal gyi rang bzhin byan chub kyi sems kyi mya ngan las ’das pa/

1383.  See Alaṁka 100B; GST, ch. 7 .

1384.  Following Alaṁka’s (101A) rdo rje padma mnyams sbyor bas /

1385.  Following Alaṁka (102B), who has de la de’i sbyor ba gang , instead of the Lhasa VR’s (27A) de la ’ang de yi sbyor ba gang . Alaṁka explains:

“In that” [means] in the lotus that has the characteristic of the chakra of great bliss. “Of it” means the spirit of enlightenment [reading byang chub sems for byang chub sems dpa’] of the conventional type. “Union” means any union with the character of forcefully holding the essence and energy or of the process of moving upward.

de la zhes pa ni bde ba chen pa’i ’khor lo’i mtshan nyid can gyi padma la’o/ sbyor ba gang zhes bya ba ni ’brel pa gang zhig ngo bo nyid dang rlung gzung ba’i stobs kyis sam gyen du rgyu ba’i rim pa’i mtshan nyid can no//

1386.  Tib. liṇga. VR 27A.

1387.  Tib. bhaga. VR 27A. Alaṁka (103B) notes that this meaning of vagina is bhaga is “because it overcomes lust etc.,” bha ga zhes bya ba ni ’dod chags la sogs pa bcom pa nyid kyis so , adverting to the familiar translation of the Sanskrit epithet for Buddha, bhagavān, as Tibetan bcom ldan ’das.

1388.  I.e., the lalanā . See Alaṁka 103B.

1389.  Alaṁka (104A) has “one’s self as Vajradhara is a lotus”: rang nyid rdo rje ’chang pad ma/ zhes bya ba ni rdo rje ’chang chen po’o//

1390.  Here following Alaṁka (104B): yang dag de nyid kyis rgyu /

1391.  Following Alaṁka’s (104B) version of the VR: de gnyis sbyor ba’i ngo mtshar mchog/

1392.  See Alaṁka 104B.

1393.  I.e., dhāraṇī.

1394.  I.e., according to the mantra of OṀ ĀH HŪṀ, as contrasted with the earlier discussion in chapter 6 of the mantra HŪṀ HOH.

1395.  Referring, perhaps, obliquely to the syllable Ā represented by the ĀḤ-stroke. Alaṁka (106A–B) comments:

[Called] “ultimate” [means] the nature of the syllable A, the thatness of mantra . . . All of the elaborations of speech are compressed within the syllable A. “By the classification of the stage of snake, etc.” [means] by the classification that includes a conventional snake, headless and tail-less.

de ni don dam par ni zhes bya ba ni a yig gi rang bzhin sngags kyi de kho nan yid do . . . ngag gi spros pa thams cad a yig ni nang du bsdus pa’o/ sbrul la sogs pa’i rim pa’i dbye bas kun rdzob tu sbrul dang mgo med pa dang mtha’ med pa dang btu ba’i dbye bas so//

This is further explained in Alaṁka 161B, commenting on ch. 23, v. 36.

1396.  Following Alaṁka here (108A); Lhasa VR has “Vajrasattva” (28A).

1397.  Alaṁka (108A–B) comments:

Essence means from the creation stage [forward]. “Said to be the meaning of essence” means, having pursued the perfection stage, on account of being free from elaboration, causing the effect of speech isolation.

snying po ni bskyed pa’i rim pa las so/ snying po’i don gsungs pa zhes bya ba ni/ rdzogs pa’i rim pa’i rjes su ’brangs nas spros pa dang bral ba’i phyir ngag rnam par dben par ’bras bu skyed par byed pa’o//

1398.  Following Alaṁka’s (109B) rigs lnga rnams ni rgyas par byed/ , rather than the VR’s (28B) “expands the group into parts,” cha yis tshogs rnams rgyas par byed /

1399.  Alaṁka (111A) notes that this refers to the four GST consecrations, gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgyud kyi rjes su ’brangs nas dbang bzhi bzung ste .

1400.  I.e., “ a. ”

1401.  I.e., “ u, ” so “ au, ” equivalent to “ o. ”

1402.  I.e., anusvāra , making “OṀ.”

1403.  I.e., “ ā. ”

1404.  I.e., śa, ṣa, sa, ha, i.e., “ĀḤ,” the ḥ being visarga .

1405.  I.e., “ ha. ”

1406.  I.e., “ ū .”

1407.  I.e., anusvāra .

1408.  See Alaṁka 113A.

1409.  I have not been able to find any scripture by this name. There are no variations in the Pedurma, although Alaṁka’s version has dpal thugs in place of sprin gyi dpal . However, I cannot find a scripture by that name either. The Tibetan is sprin gyi dpal las gsal ba gang/ mdor bsdus nas ni dus ni drug/ . . . .

1410.  Alaṁka (114B): “Meaning ‘two months’ time of the character of enjoying two solar mansions [i.e. constellations of the zodiac].” nyi ma’i khyim gnyis la longs spyod pa’i mtshan nyid can gyi zla ba gnyis kyi dus so/

1411.  Chu tshod . See Tsong Khapa 2010, 246 for a discussion of the VR system of sixty hours in a day versus sixty-four hours for other tantras.

1412.  See Table 7, “Yogic Time,” Introduction, p. 124.

1413.  This line, as chu tshod tsa sha ka zhes grags , appears at the end of the preceding verse in Alaṁka’s (114B) version.

1414.  Skad.

1415.  Thang.

1416.  Yud.

1417.  Per Alaṁka (115A), the migration of the drop means “the conventional drop through the perfect practice with the supreme yoginī,” mchog gi rnal ’byor ma dang yang dag par sbyor ba las thig le ne kun rdzob pa ste, accompanied by “‘fear of the abyss’ . . . like the mantri experiencing the moment of doubt when he falls from a mountain peak,” ’di ni yang sa ’jigs par brjod/ ces bya ba ni sngags pa rang gi ngo bo ni gyang sa ’jigs pa’o/ ri’i rtse mo la sogs pa las ltung ba las dogs pa skad cig ma’i ngo bo’o//

1418.  Alaṁka (115B) explains that this means that “it is not in the ken of ordinary people, [but] is a very brief portion of time sensed [only] by yogis,” shin tu thong ba’i dus kyi cha’i rang bzhin rnal ’byor pa rnams kyis reg par bya bas so/

1419.  Alaṁka (115B) has “transcending the counting of conceptualities,” rnam par rtog pa’i grangs las ’das/ I.e., even though counting these subtle objects is a type of conceptuality, it nevertheless eliminates dualistic conceptions of reality.

1420.  Alaṁka (116A–B) adds, “by the yogi/nī who wants liberation,” thar pa ’dod pa’i rnal ’byor pas .

1421.  Alaṁka (116B) explains:

“[Its] name is [‘]unproduced[’]” [means] it is called “unproduced” because it has abandoned birth and disintegration, and it emerges from all the elements of mind. From this everything is “born,” [meaning] made. As for “great part,” because it is a part and is also great, it is the great part. By the word “great,” he talks about this very abandoning of birth and disintegration. Whatever abides in the center of anus and the secret [place], causes the production of everything.

ming ni ma skyes zhes bya ba ni ma skyes pa zhes brjod pa ste/ skye ba dang ’jig pa spangs pa’i phyir dang/ sems kyi khams ma lus pa las ’byung bar ’gyur ba ste/ ’di las ma lus pa skyes pa zhes bya ba byas nas so/ cha chen po zhes bya ba ni chas yang yin las chen po yang yin pas na cha chen pa’o/ chen pa’i sgras ni skye ba dang ’jig pa spangs pa nyid ’di la gsungs te/ gang yang bshang sgo dang gsang ba’i dbus su gnas pa ste/ ji ltar ma lus pa skyed par byed cing//

Alternatively, Alaṁka (117A) explains:

“[Its] name is ‘unproduced’” [means] it is unproduced, because it is the antidote to all conceptuality. “Great part” because it is the support of the actuality of being marked by the full moon with the nature of the womb channel.

ming ni ma skyes zhes bya ba ni ma skyes pa zhes bya ba rnam par rtog pa thams cad kyi gnyen nyid kyi phyir to/ cha chen po zhes bya ba ni mngal gyi rtsa’i bdag nyid can nyid kyi cha chen po’i rin bong gis mtshan pa’i ngo bo’i rten gyi phyir ro//

1422.  Alaṁka (117B) notes that “the four elements” means “the four great elements in the context of the zygote, etc.” mer mer pa’i gnas skabs la sogs pa ’byung ba chen po bzhi la’o//

1423.  Alaṁka (117B): “Dissolving” here means “faints,” thim zhes bya ba brgyal bar ’gyur bar zhes bya ba’i don to// referring to the movement from clear light to imminence in the rebirth process.

1424.  Following Alaṁka (117B), who has de las rnam shes rang bzhin rnams , “the [instinctual] natures of consciousness,” rather than the Lhasa VR’s rang bzhing med , “natureless.”

1425.  I am following Alaṁka (118A) here, who has ji ltar skye ba de ltar gnas rather than the Lhasa VR’s ji ltar skye bo de yi gnas.

1426.  Could also be the “producing excrement” energy. Per Alaṁka (118A), the evacuative energy.

1427.  Following Alaṁka (118A) here, who has nyon mongs yid ni skul bar byed rather than the Lhasa VR ’ s nyon mongs yi ni ’das nas ni .

1428.  Again following Alaṁka’s (118B) version, stobs rather than the Lhasa VR’s sngags .

1429.  Per Alaṁka (118B), mnyam gnas , the metabolic energy.

1430.  Per Alaṁka (118B), thur sel gyi rlung , the evacuative energy.

1431.  Per Alaṁka (118B), gyen du rgyu ba’i rlung , the ascending energy.

1432.  See Alaṁka 118B.

1433.  Per Alaṁka (118B), the vitality energy.

1434.  Per Alaṁka (118B), the ascending energy.

1435.  Per Alaṁka (118B), the vitality energy.

1436.  Because, says Alaṁka (119A), the vitality energy is joined to the reality of consciousness. rnam shes dang ni mtshungs par ldan/ zhes bya ba ni srog gi rlung rnam par shes pa’i chos nyid la sbyar ba’i phyir ro// Alaṁka also notes that this is just a small part of this teaching, which will be explained more in chapter 34.

1437.  Alaṁka (120A) has “Immortality and reasoning, how do you achieve them?” ’chi ba med cing rigs par ni/ ji ltar yang dag thob par ’gyur// The Lhasa VR has “two immortalities,” ’chi ba med gnyis , which makes little sense here, but other recensions have “immortality [itself]” ’chi ba med nyid . All of the various VRs in the Pedurma have thim pa lags, “dissolve well,” while Alaṁka’s (120A) version, which I am following, has thob par ’gyur, “will achieve.”

1438.  Alaṁka’s (120B) “the virtuous minded yogi/nī,” dge ba yid ni rnal ’byor pa , supports this reading.

1439.  Alaṁka (121A): The Commentary states that “perfect yoga” refers to “a kind of shutting down of the engagement of the mind,” sems kyi ’jug pa ’gog pa’i rnam pa’o . This stanza is also quoted in Alaṁka 31B in discussing the mundane attainment of “paralyzing an army.”

1440.  I.e., the conventional nose. Alaṁka 121A. As for the method, Alaṁka (121A) states: “‘The breath not arising’ means having the nature of meditating the drop of clear light” dbugs ni mi ’byung zhes bya ba ni ’od zer gyi thig le bsgom pa’i bdag nyid can no/

1441.  Alaṁka (121A) explains:

“The moon arriving at the place of the palate” means enlightenment spirit in the aspect of a moon. “One should melt” means by applying the uvula. If someone asks how, it is stated as the “yoga of mantra,” the meaning that is “connected” “by the unbroken mantra.” [The enlightenment spirit] is melted by means of the uvula. “By wind yoga” means by applying the falling of the evacuative energy. “Drinks” means that one should experience elixir.

rkan gyi gnas son zla ba ni/ zhes bya ba ni byang chub kyi sems zla ba’i rnam pa’o/ bzhu bar bya zhes bya ba ni lce’u chung gi sbyor bas so/ ji ltar zhe na/ de’i phyir sngags kyi rnal ’byor zhes bya ba gsungs te/ ’chad par ’gyur ba’i sngags kyis zhes bya ba dang ’brel zhes bya ba’i don to/ lce’u chung gi sbyor bas zhu bar byas na so/ rlung gi rnal ’byor gyis zhes bya ba ni thur sel gyi rlung ’bab pa’i sbyor bas so/ btung zhes bya ba ni bdud rtsi myong bar bya ba’o//

See also Hartzell 1997, 582.

1442.  I.e., say it clearly.

1443.  I.e. , “ G .”

1444.  I.e., “GAH,” visarga , per Alaṁka 121B.

1445.  This and the next three stanzas are quoted in Alaṁka 32A in his chapter 6, as well as in his commentary on this chapter.

1446.  Alaṁka (122A) explains: “‘The blood of a young woman’ [means] that arising by itself from a woman. ‘Great bliss’ [means] together with the element of enlightenment spirit. ‘Poured’ [means] mixed.” btsun mo’i khrag dang zhes bya ba ni bud med kyi rang byung ngo/ bde ba che zhes bya ba ni byang chub sems kyi khams dang bcas pa’o/ blugs na zhes bya ba ni bsre bar byas na so//

1447.  Possibly meaning the trailokyavijaya mudra : “When the palms of the hand face outward the mudra is known as trailokyavijaya mudra (Tib. ’jig rten gsum las rnam par rgyal ba’i phyag rgya ), or mudra of ‘victory over the three worlds.’” Beer 2004, 153.

1448.  OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYAM ANUPĀLAYA . . . Alaṁka 122B.

1449.  Alaṁka (123A–B) has mos pa , which I have translated as “with intense faith” in light of the VR’s myos pa , “mad, crazy,” and in light of Alaṁka’s (123A) gloss “with fiercest effort,” shin tu yang brtson ’grus drag pos so .

1450.  Alaṁka (123A): “‘Eat it’ [means] the actuality of fusing [with it], one should eat it oneself. ‘Give to eat’ [means] also to others.” de ni bza’ dang zhes bya ba ni ’dres pa’i ngo bo bdag nyid kyis bza’ bar bya’o/ bza’ bar sbyin zhes bya ba ni gzhan dag la yang ngo//

1451.  Reading bsnyen rather than bstan.

1452.  Derge Alaṁka (124A) has sems par byed , but Peking and Narthang have “as hero,” dpar . Alaṁka glosses this as “good looking, comely,” yid du ’ong ba , which is consonant with the rest of the verse, with its reference to the “natural body.” Alaṁka could also have been referring to the practitioner yoginīs, which would be unusual in context, but not impossible since Alaṁka recognizes practitioner yogi/yoginīs male and female. All in all, though, the reading above makes the most sense to me.

1453.  See Alaṁka 124A.

1454.  The wind chakra is between the brows. See generally Rangjung Dorje 2014, 175–223, and Lati Rinpoche and Denma Lochö Rinpoche 1983, 31, for descriptions of the channels. The VR is the primary source for Rangjung Dorje.

1455.  Per Lati Rinpoche and Denma Lochö Rinpoche 1983, 31, between the neck and the heart.

1456.  Ibid., at the throat.

1457.  Ibid., at the heart.

1458.  Ibid., at the navel.

1459.  Ibid., the crown chakra.

1460.  Each of the Derge, Peking, and Narthang versions of the Commentary has one hundred twenty-nine here (125A).

1461.  This is the 100,000-Line Abhidhāna Tantra , the lost vast version of the Chakrasaṁvara , referred to in the Laghusaṁvara and the Abhidhānottara . See D. Gray 2007, 18. Alaṁka (125A) says that “in the Definitively Stated One Hundred Thousand means the Khasama Tantra [ Equal to Space Tantra , Tōh. 386],” nges par brjod pa ’bum sder zhes bya ba ni nam mkha’ dang mnyam pa’i rgyud du’o .

1462.  Presumably referring to the lost Shorter Vajra Rosary Tantra. See Alaṁka 3B–4A.

1463.  Alaṁka’s naming of the wind chakra channels differs from that of the VR. While the VR has dbye ba, “countless” or “ten million,” and ‘ kyil pa , “coils,” as the first two channels, alaṁka has rlung chen, “great wind” and the first channel and dbye ba ’khyil pa, “countless coils,” as the second. Alaṁka (125B) explains: “‘Countless coils’ because having been awakened by A and RA], it is countless; it faces backward. It is coiled because it proceeds to transform itself [that way], it is called countless coils. ‘Excruciating’ because it is fierce at the time of being stirred up by fire.” bye ba ’khyil pa zhes bya ba ni A dang RA dag gis sad par byed pas na bye ba ste/ rgyab kyis phyogs so/ de ’khyil pa ste yongs su gyur par ’gro bas na bye ba ’khyil pa’o/ mi bzad pa zhes bya ba ni mes bskul ba’i dus su drag pa’i phyir mi bzad pa’o// Alaṁka’s reference to A and RA suggests arbuda , the second energy described in Chapter 3. There, the Tibetan translation of what I presume was Sanskrit arbuda was dung phyur , meaning 100 million, which, perhaps not coincidentally, is a synonym for what we find here, bye ba . Arbuda can also mean 10 or 100 million; I am taking this as “countless,” Tib. bye ba , found in Alaṁka, Peking, and Narthang instead of Lhasa’s “open” or “divide,” dbye ba .

For the third channel of the wind chakra, Alaṁka (125B) and the VR have mi bzad pa, “excruciating,” and the Lhasa VR and most of the Pedurma recensions of the VR have mi bzang, “no good,” as the fourth channel, followed by brtan, “firm,” and mtshan nyid can, “authentic,” while Alaṁka has ’dzin pa, “holder,” rtog med, “nonconceptual,” and gang po, “full,” for the last three. Elizabeth Callahan suggests that Rangjung Dorje may have had a VR text or texts in the early fourteenth century with ming bzang, “good name.” Rangjung Dorje 2014, p. 568, n. 258.

1464.  Callahan points out that Rangjung Dorje apparently had an alternative VR text of this line reading rtsa gsum me dang yang dag ldan, “the three channels endowed with fire.” Rangjung Dorje 2014, pp. 210 and 568, n. 258. See Hartzell 1997, 348, for names of the channels from the Ḍākārṇavatantra ’s chapter 5.

1465.  Alaṁka (126A): “Because of the forceful falling of enlightenment spirit,” yang dag par byang chub kyi sems zhugs kyis ’bab pas na .

1466.  Alaṁka (126A): “Because it has great power in the going and coming of enlightenment spirit at the time of the processes of tantra [following Peking and Narthang’s rgyud ; Derge has rgyu , “causal”] and intuition,” rgyud dang ye shes kyi rim pa’i dus sub yang chub kyi semes ’gro ba dang ’ong ba la stobs chen po dang ldan pa’i phyir ro// , perhaps referring to the earlier and later stages of tantric practice, “tantra” or “causal” referring to earlier stages, “intuition” referring to the later stages.

1467.  Because of serving as the support of the intuition fire in the time of the stage of tantra. Alaṁka (126A): mi bzad [following Peking; Narthang has mi bzang, “not good”; Derge mi bzod, “Impatient”] che zhes bya ba ni rgyud kyi rim pa’i dus su ye shes kyi me’i rten du gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1468.  Alaṁka (126B) has ’chang .

1469.  Alaṁka (126B) has “elephant,” glang po .

1470.  Alaṁka (127A) has “joint head,” tshigs kyi mgo bo.

1471.  Alaṁka (127A) has “taming another,” pha rol gnon pa .

1472.  Lu gu rgyud — line to which lambs are fastened, Skt. śirinkala .

1473.  Alaṁka (127A) has “going to tame,” dul ’gro .

1474.  Derge Alaṁka (127A) has “going,” gro ba , but the Peking and Narthang recensions of Alaṁka have “heat,” dro ba .

1475.  Explained by Alaṁka (127B) to be the seed syllables of Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, Amoghasiddhi, Vairochana, Lochanā, Nairātmyā, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Tārā, respectively.

1476.  Alaṁka does not discuss the individual channels of the wind or fire chakras.

1477.  I.e., the five buddhas. For example, Alaṁka (128B):

Thus form is of the nature of the transcendent Vairochana and of the mirrorlike intuition, because ultimately the body is of the nature of a reflection. Sensation is of the actuality of Ratnasambhava, the nature of equalizing intuition, because the three types of sensation are one type, therefore equalizing.

de ltar gzugs ni de bzhin gshegs pa rnam pa snang mdzad kyi ngo bo nyid kyis me long lta bus ye shes kyi rang bzhin yin te/ don dam par lus ni gzugs brnyan gyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ tshor ba ni rin chen ’byung ldan gyi ngo bo nyid kyi phyir/ mnyam pa nyid kyi ye shes kyi rang bzhin te/ tshor ba rnam pa gsum po la rnam pa gcig pas mnyam pa’i phyir//

1478.  Per Alaṁka (129B): The Lhasa VR is somewhat different, but with a similar meaning: gnyis pa las rg bya gnis . When the vajra gets there, “from the two, there are two touches.” Alaṁka (129B) notes that the two banners touch, “in the lotus,” reg bya’i sgras ni padma la brjod de .

1479.  Alaṁka (129B) has “eye,” mig , instead of “name,” ming .

1480.  I.e., Alaṁka (129B): “[through] the process of mantra and tantra,” sngags dang rgyud kyi rim pa bshad do.

1481.  Alaṁka (129B): “Having [first] achieved [it] gradually in the center of the secret [genital] chakra.” gsang ba’i ’khor lo’i dbus su rim gyis thob par byas nas so//

1482.  Alaṁka (130A) explains: “‘The vaginal chakra’ [means that] the two channels abide like a balancing scale when one is connected with the yoginī in the center of the lotus chakra. When both are brought together, you abide in the mode of a jewel sack.” skye gnas ’khor lo ni padma’i dkyil ’khor gyi dbus su rnal ’byor ma dang ’brel pa’i rtsa gnis srang bu’i rnam par gnas pa’o/ gnyis ka ’dus pas za ma tog gi tshul du gangs pa’o//

1483.  Alaṁka (130A): i.e., “arising from the element of ovum blood.” khrag gi khams las byung ba

1484.  Alaṁka (130A): i.e., “producing the element of enlightenment spirit.” byang chub kyi sems kyi khams bskyed pa’o//

1485.  Alaṁka (130B): i.e., “after the time of death, ‘when you move around aimlessly,’ going for several days in the between [ bardo ].” brgya lam zhes bya ba ni shi ba’i srid pa’i rjes la rgyu mtshan med pa’i gang tshe ’gro bar ’gyur na zhes bya ba ni bar du nyi ma kha cig ’gro bar ’gyur te//

1486.  See Alaṁka 131B.

1487.  For Alaṁka’s alternative readings of this and the next verse, see Alaṁka 24A.

1488.  Reading ka for ga .

1489.  Per Alaṁka (132B), “‘Into one’ [means] of the nature of the syllable A . ” gcig tu zhes bya ba ni A yig gi ngo bo’o. Alaṁka’s VR text has “syllable,” yi ge , instead of the VR’s “unit” or “group,” sde tshan .

1490.  This verse of Alaṁka’s (133B) text does not appear to have had this reference to khor lo sdom par ’gyur , which can mean “bind” or “bound up in” “the chakra,” or “becoming the vow of the chakra,” or, as I have chosen given the context, particularly the preceding verse with its reference to “seal-consort yoga,” phyag rgya’i rnal ’byor , VR ( 35B), “become Chakrasaṁvara.”

1491.  Alaṁka (133B): i.e., “discerning by analyzing method and wisdom as sixteen [short and long] vowels.” dbyangs yig bcu drug thabs dang shes rab kyi dbye bas phye ba’o//

1492.  Alaṁka (134A), of the Esoteric Community :

The five buddhas in the five aggregates; the four goddesses of Lochanā, etc., in the four elements of earth, etc.; the five of Rūpavajrā, etc., in the [sense] objects; the eight bodhisattvas of Kṣitigarbha, etc., in the visual, etc., sense powers; [and] the “ten terrifics,” Yamāntaka, etc., in the limbs and small limbs of the body.

phung po lnga la ni sangs rgyas lnga’o/ sa la sogs pa’i khams bzhi la spyan ma la sogs pa lha mo bzhi’o/ yul rnams la ni gzungs rdo rje ma la sogs pa lnga’o/ mig la sogs pa’i dbang po lnga la sa’i snying po la sogs pa byang chub sems dpa’ brgyad do/ lus kyi yan lag dang nying lag la sogs pa la/ gzhin rje gshed la sogs pa’i khro bo bcu zhes bya ba ste/ sdud pas lha sum cu rtsa gnyis kyi bdag nyid kyi dkyil khor ro//

1493.  Alaṁka (134B) notes, “because the terrifics and the bodhisattvas are no different when it comes to benefiting others.” khro bo dang byang chub sems dpa’ da gzhan don la khyad par med pa’i phyir ro//

1494.  That is, the five transcendent lords are dissolved into the three clans, those of Vairochana, delusion, Amitābha, passion, and Akshobhya, anger. Alaṁka (134B): “Ratnasambhava is dissolved into the class of delusion, because delusion and pride are one. The clan of action [Amoghasiddhi] is included in the clan of passion, because the power of passion produces jealousy.” gti mug gi rigs la rin chen ’byung ldan nang du sdud pa’o/ gti mug dang nga rgyal dag gcig pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ ’dod chags kyi rigs la las kyi rigs khongs su gtogs pa’i phyir ro/ chags pa’i dbang gis phrog dog skye ba’i phyir ro//

1495.  Alaṁka (135A) explains:

“Further” [refers to] the actuality of Vajradhara. “From mere experience” [means] from your own mind. “The mere letter” [means] the mere form of experience, your own mind. The “mere letter” is the actuality of the syllable A, [and] is connected with “dissolves.” As for “The mere letter dissolves into the drop,” “the mere letter” is the actuality of the syllable A; “the drop” [means] into inexpressibility, with the nature of subtlety and knowing. “Moreover” [refers to] the actuality of the drop. “Into sound” [means] natural clear light, which is like resonating sound. “Having dissolved, it goes” [means] having contracted, it goes. “Mere sound” is even more subtle. “Into clear light” [means] into the thatness of emptiness that is free from all elaboration. “The state of clear light” is the actuality of clear light. “Perfectly” is [with] an unerring nature. “The characteristic of emanating and dissolving” because, by being free from the characteristic of the producing and destroying of one’s self, it is understood through the aspect of that particular thing.

de yang zhes bya ba ni rdo rje ’chang gi ngo bo’o/ nyams myong tsam las zhes bya ba ni rang gi sems kyis so/ yi ge tsam zhes bya ba ni nyams su myong ba’i rnam pa tsam rang gi sems so/ yi ge tsam ni A yig gi ngo bo ste/ thim par ’gyur zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ yi ge tsam ni thig ler thim/ zhes bya ba ni yi ge tsam ni A yig gi ngo bo’o/ thig le zhes bya ba ni phra ba dang rig pa’i ngang tshul can brjod du med pa la’o/ de yang zhes bya ba ni thig le’i ngo bo’o/ sgra la zhes bya ba ni brag ca’i sgra dang ’dra ba’i rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’o/ thim nas ’gro zhes bya ba ni bsdus nas ’gro ba’o/ sgra tsam zhes bya ba ni de bas kyang phra ba la’o/ ’od gsal ba la’o zhes bya ba ni spros pa thams cad dang bral ba’i stong pa nyid kyi de kho na nyid la’o/ ’od gsal go ’phang zhes bya ba ni ’od gsal gyi ngo bo’o/ yang dag par zhes bya ba ni phyin ci ma log pa’i ngo bo’o/ spro ba dang bsdus pa’i mtshan nyid do zhes bya ba ni rang gi bskyed pa dang ’jig pa’i mtshan nyid dang bral ba nyid kyis de dang de’i rnam pa nyid kyis rtogs pa’i phyir ro//

1496.  See Alaṁka 136A.

1497.  See Hartzell 1997, 918–20 for various Buddhist and Shaivite four moment schemes.

1498.  This list is virtually identical to that in the CMP. See CMP ch. 10 (Wedemeyer 1999, 343–44). The balance of this chapter is not commented on by Alaṁka (136A).

1499.  Ka ra na, karaṇa.

1500.  Āliṅgana.

1501.  Cumbana.

1502.  *Cūṣaṣa .

1503.  Kucagrahaṇa.

1504.  Pulakatāḍana. See CMP (Wedemeyer 1999, 344 n. 21).

1505.  Dasanakhadana. See CMP (Wedemeyer 1999, 344 n. 22). The CMP list at this point has mardana , “massaging” (Wedemeyer 1999, 344 n. 23). This is the only term missing from the VR, although the CMP listing goes on with: “shaking her strings of pearls, ringing with the sounds of bracelets, head-ornaments, and anklets, equipoised on object, sense-organ, vajra, lotus, art, gnosis, and knowable object, exhorting the vowels and consonants, and the three nāḍi” (344).

1506.  Dola.

1507.  CMP has sūci .

1508.  CMP has kūrpara.

1509.  See Caṇḍamahāroṣaṇa Tantra , ch. 6. George 1974, 116, 121.

1510.  Alaṁka does not comment on this verse to the end of the chapter.

1511.  See Alaṁka 136B.

1512.  Per Alaṁka (137B), whose text has “tugging on hair,” skra la ’dzin la , instead of the Lhasa VR’s “holding on to sound,” sgra la ’dzin pa .

1513.  Referring to supreme ecstasy.

1514.  The last sentence of verse nine, and verses ten and eleven are missing from the Lhasa VR, and have been reconstructed from the Commentary . For the third line, “The moment free from characteristics,” I am following Alaṁka’s (138A) mtshan nyis dang bral skad cig , which he explains is “the actuality of uncontrived experience,” ma bcos pa’i nyams su myong ba’i ngo bo o//

1515.  As discussed in the twelfth chapter. Alaṁka 138B.

1516.  Alaṁka (138B), “from the vajra path up to the chakra of great bliss.” rdo rje’i lam nas/ bde ba chen po’i ’khor lo’i bar du . . . /

1517.  Alaṁka (139A) has “all the channels” rather than “all three channels.”

1518.  Alaṁka (139A): i.e., the names of the channels described in chapter 27.

1519.  Alaṁka’s version of the VR has “great sphere,” yul chen po, here rather than the Lhasa VR’s “great yoga,” rnal ’byor chen pos . Alaṁka (139A) gives an etymological explanation of the Sanskrit gocara for yul , “object,” i.e., “ go meaning vajra and cara meaning the form of conventional enlightenment spirit [semen] in yogic conduct,” go ni rdo rje ste/ de la tsar a ni spyod pa la kun rdzob kyi byang chub sems kyi rnam pa’o // Alaṁka adds, “Because of retaining it, it is great,” de la ’dzin par byed pa’i phyir chen po’o.

1520.  Following Alaṁka (139B) here, who has “with the nature of the sixteen emptinesses,” stong nyid bcu drug bdag nyid can , instead of the Lhasa VR’s “with the nature of sixteen thousand,” stong ’phrag bcu drug bdag nyid do .

1521.  See Alaṁka 139B.

1522.  I.e., Alaṁka (140A): “the palate is the actuality of the very long channel in the center of the triangle,” rkan ni chos ’byung gi dbus su shin tu ring ba’i rtsa’i ngo bo’o// referring to the yoginī’s genital chakra. As Alaṁka says, “‘Application of the mantra KSHMĪ’ means by meditating at the tip of the vajra.” kshmī sngags kyi sbyor ba yis/ zhes bya ba ni rdo rje’i rtse mor bsgoms pas so//

1523.  Alaṁka (140B) notes that “‘the nature of universal emptiness’ means particularly in respect of mind; natural clear light is, ultimately, the mind itself.” thams cad stong pa nyid bdag nyid/ ces bya ba ni sems kyi khyad par la’o/ rang bzhing gyis ’od gsal ba ni/ don dam par sems nyid do/

1524.  Alaṁka’s (140B) version of the VR has “with an intuition body,” ye shes lu can, which he glosses as “because there is full achievement of [following Peking and Narthang’s kyi rather than Derge’s kyis ] the body whose nature is intuitive wisdom.” ye shes lus can zhes bya ba ni ye shes kyi rang bzhin gyi lus kyi nye bar thob pa’i phyir ro//

1525.  Alaṁka’s (141A) version adds here, “This is explained as the mantra drop, bestowing permanent attainment on the yogi/nīs,” ’di ni sngags kyi thig ler bshad/ rnal ’byor rnams kyi rtag pa’i dngos grub ster/ , which he explains as “in the place of the heart, meditating on the five parts with the nature of the five energies, relying on the yogi/nī of the clan of anger.” snying ga’i gnas su rlung lnga’i bdag nyid cha lnga pa bsgoms pas so/ zhe sdang gi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos pas so//

1526.  Alaṁka (141A) specifies that this refers to “the conventional nose tip.” kun rdzob kyi sna rser/ and notes that the “wind drop” and “light ray drop” are synonyms, the wind drop so-called because it is the stage of collecting the five energy-winds. de ltar sngags kyi thig le rgyas par bshad pa stan nas/ ’od zer gyi thig le bstan pa’i phyir/ rlung gi thig le zhes bya ba gsungs te/ rlung lnga bsdus pa’i rim pa’o/

1527.  Alaṁka (141A) has “the syllable A” rather than “OṀ,” which is found in all the Pedurma versions of the VR, explaining that “‘the supreme mantra, the syllable A’ is the form of the syllable A that is all forms because there is nothing outside of it.” a yig sngags kyi mchog ces bya ba ni rnam pa thams cad kyi A yig gi rnam pa’o/ de dang phyi rol pa nyid kyis de med pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1528.  Per Alaṁka (141B), referring to the ritual for analyzing the drops taught in chapter 6.

1529.  Alaṁka’s (141B) version of the VR adds here, “With their character of five clairvoyances,” mngon shes lnga yi mtshan nyid can /

1530.  Translating the Lhasa VR’s bag chags rim pa’i mtshan nyid ni as “of the character of [removing] the instincts gradually” informed by Alaṁka’s (141B) alternative rim pa’i mtshan nyid can thob par ’gyur , “attained with the characteristic of stages.”

1531.  This connects the three principal channels, lalanā , rasanā , and avadhutī , white, red, and blue, with body OṀ, speech AḤ, and mind HŪṀ. Alaṁka (141B–142A) explains:

“These,” [in “These three channels are supreme,” means] through the division of the three drops of body, etc., discussed earlier, stated as the actuality of the lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūti. As for that, you should also connect them to whichever [of the other] two of the body [channel], etc.: so the body channel [is where] blood flows; the speech channel [is where] semen flows; [and] the mind channel is where Rāhu flows because of causing the consumption of all conceptuality. Or, the body drop, for the yogi/nī of the clan of delusion, is the actuality of the light ray drop; the actuality of the substance drop, which is the speech drop, is for the yogi/nī with a passionate character; [and] the mind drop, the actuality of the mantra drop, is for the yogi/nī with the character of anger.

’di ni zhes bya ba ni sngon du gsungs pa’i thig le gsum sku la sogs pa’i dbye bas la la nā dang/ ra sa nā dang/ a ba dhū tī’i ngo bo gsungs so/ de la lus la sogs pa gnyis gang la yang ’brel par bya ste/ de la lus kyi rtsa ni khrag ’bab pa’o/ ngag gi rtsa ni khu ba ’bab pa’o/ sems kyi rtsa ni rnam par rtog pa thams cad za bar byed pas na sgra gcan ’bab pa’o/ yang na lus kyi thig le ni gti mug gi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos nas ’od zer gyi thig le’i ngo bo’o/ ngag gi thig le’i rdzas kyi thig le’i ngo bo ’dod chags kyi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos pas so/ sems kyi thig le sngags kyi thig le’i ngo bo zhe sdang gi rigs can gyi rnal ’byor pa la ltos pas so//

1532.  Referring, according to Alaṁka (142B), to the six knots in the central channel (three at the heart chakra and one each in the crown, throat, and navel chakras):

“In the fashion of a line of lambs” [means], desiring to discuss the knots in the central [channel], by dividing into above and below, they are differentiated, becoming six. As it is said, “Shit, piss, moon, sun, Rāhu, Kalāgni are the six channels,” etc.

so sor lu gu rgyud tshul zhes bya ba ni dbus su mdud pa brjod par ’dod pas steng dang ’og gi dbye bas tha dad pa’i phyir drug nyid du ’gyur ro/ ji skad du/ bshang gci zla ba nyi ma dang/ sgra gcan dus me’i rtsa rnams ni/ drug ces bya ba la sogs pa’o//

1533.  Alaṁka (143A) explains each of these. For example:

“Not by rosary” [means] there is no rosary of human bone, etc., because the natural achievement of prāṇāyāma is [your] rosary. “There is no holding,” [meaning] that it is unnecessary to hold the mind on the fabric diagram, because you are holding the three types of drops [on] the three nose tips. “There is no counting” [means] not of the nature of one hundred eight or a thousand, because you experience 21,600 breaths in one full day.

’phreng bas ma yin zhes bya ba ni mi rus kyi phreng ba la sogs pa ma yin no/ srog rtsol la rang bzhin gyis grub pa la phreng ba nyid kyi phyir ro/ ’dzin pa min zhes bya ba ni ras ris la sogs pa la sems ’dzin mi dgos te/ sna rtse rnam pa gsum thig le rnam pa gsum ’dzin pa’i phyir ro/ grangs min zhes bya ba ni brgya rtsa brgyad dam stong la sogs pa’i ngo bo ma yin te/ nyin zhag gcig la nyi khri chig stong drug brgya’i dbugs nyams su myong ba’i phyir ro//

1534.  See Alaṁka 144A.

1535.  Alaṁka (144B):

“The syllable OṀ” means the nature of a mind empty of intrinsic reality. “Of vajra body” [means] a body with the actuality of emptiness, the nature of Vairochana. “Perfectly explained as the very essence” means spoken as the actuality of the seed [syllable].

OṀ yig ces bya ba ni don gyis stong pa’i yid kyi rang bzhin no/ sku rdo rje’i zhes bya ba ni sku stong pa nyid kyi ngo bo rnam par snang mdzad kyi rang bzhin no/ snying po nyid du yang dad bshad/ ces bya ba ni sa bon gyi ngo bor gsungs so zhes bya ba’i don to//

1536.  Following Alaṁka’s (144B) A rather than the VR’s ĀḢ, since it is the combination of the three letters A-U-M as yielding OṀ that is being discussed.

1537.  Alaṁka’s (145A) version has “giving up the extremes,” mtha’ spangs pa , instead of “located in the middle,” dbus na gnas, commenting, “Because, ultimately, it lacks any intrinsic nature, and because, conventionally, it is known by itself. Having abandoned the two extremes, it is freedom.” dngos dang dngos med mtha’ spangs pa/ zhes bya ba ni don dam par rang bzhin med pa nyid kyi phyir dang/ kun rdzob tu yang rang rig par bya ba nyid kyi phyir mtha’ gnyis spangs pa ni bral ba’o//

1538.  Alaṁka (145A) states that this refers to “the part of the chakra of great bliss because it exists in the form of the letter HA, [thus] it infuses it.” thig le ’khor lo cha la khyab/ ces bya ba gsungs te/ bde ba chen po’i khor lo’i cha ni HA yig gi rnam pa la brten nas gnas pa’i phyir de la khyab pa’o / This refers perhaps to the inverted syllable HAM visualized in the crown chakra in perfection stage practices. See, e.g., Mullin 1997, 145.

1539.  Alaṁka (145A): “Because it abides in the center of the void.” stong pa’i dbus us gnas pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1540.  Alaṁka (145B): “A kind of clear light like fire and the sun.” me dang nyi ma ltar ’od gsal gyi rnam pa’o//

1541.  Alaṁka (146A):

“The measure of its height is twelve fingers, traversing the end by the measure of four fingers” [means that] its height from the speech [wheel] is twelve fingers. “Traverse” [means] goes beyond. “Located above” means located based on the measure of twelve fingers.

mtho gang tshad ni sor bcu gnyis/ mtha’ ni sor bzhi’i tshad tsam/ zhes bya ba ni ngag ste de las mtho gang tsam ni sor bcu gnis so/ steng du gnas zyes bya ba ni sor bcu gnyis kyi tsad tsam la brten nas gnas pa zhes bya ba’i don to/ steng du gnas zyes bya ba ni sor bcu gnyis kyi tsad tsam la brten nas gnas pa zhes bya ba’i don to//

1542.  Alaṁka (146A): “Completely filled with clear light, like a moon mandala.” ’od gsal ba nyid kyis yings su gnag bas zla ba’i dkyil ’khor dang ’dra ba’o//

1543.  Alaṁka 146B: i.e., “With the nature of vitality and evacuative, the two energies with the nature of conceptuality.” srog dang thur sel gyi bdag nyid do/ rnam par rtog pa’i rang bzhin gyi rlung gnyis so//

1544.  Alaṁka (147A) explains:

“Both sun [and] moon” [means that] blood and semen definitely emerge in the lower [part] of the body “as extremely pure.” “The duo” [means] “both,” two. “Perfect” [means] not incorrectly. “Moving within” [refers] to the two ascending energies and the moon and sun that move below; they move internally. “Perfectly hidden” [means] that they exist relying on [their] hidden nature jsut like that. [In] “Causing the fire to blaze,” “fire” because it is located in the chakra of enjoyment. “At the peak between the eyebrows” [means] the chakras of great bliss and wind.

nyi ma zla ba gnyis zhes bya ba ni lus kyi ’og tu khrag dang khu ba dag yongs su dag par ’byung zhes bya ba’o/ gnyis zhes bya ba la gnyi ga zhes bya ba ni gnyis so/ yang dag ces bya ba ni phyin ci ma log pa nyid kyis so/ gyen du rgyu ba’i rlung gnyis po dang/ ’og tu rgyu ba’i zla ba dang/ nyi ma dag la nang du rgyu ba zhes bya ba ni nang du rgyu ba’o/ yang dag sbas pa zhes bya ba ni ji lta ba bzhin du sbas pa’i ngo bo la brten nas gnas pa’o/ me ni ’bar byed ces bya ba ni me ni longs spyod kyi ’khor lo na gnas pa’i phyir ro/ rtse mo la smin ma’i dbus/ zhes bya ba ni bde ba chen po dang rlung gi ’khor lo’o//

1545.  I.e., A-U-Ṁ.

1546.  The Fourteenth Dalai Lama writes (T. Gyatso 2002, 174):

The letter A is a negative particle in Sanskrit. It indicates emptiness, which is the absence, or negation, of inherent existence. When the Magical Array Tantra says that “The perfect Buddhas arise from A,” this means that the Buddhas dawn from within the noumenal sphere of emptiness; or, put another way, the Buddhas dawn from meditating on the emptiness of inherent existence. Also, from the viewpoint of Highest Yoga Tantra, the letter A refers to the indestructible drop within which a Buddha body is achieved.

1547.  Following Alaṁka (147A) here, who has A rather than the Lhasa VR’s ĀḢ.

1548.  I.e., the second A.

1549.  I.e., the two aspects of the vitality energy: srog , which circulates in the upper body, and rtsol , circulating in the lower body. Alaṁka 146B.

1550.  Alaṁka (147A): i.e., “A, the seed syllable of Amitābha.” gsung gi rdo rje zhes bya ba ni snang ba mtha’ yas kyi sa bon no//

1551.  Alaṁka (148A) has A here and in the following line, which makes sense as the subject of this verse is the three components of ĀḢ, A-A-Ḣ.

1552.  Following Alaṁka’s (148A) topical break here, which puts the two energies and the letter H in this verse, and “bound” in the following paragraph teaching purification of these three syllables.

1553.  Possibly because this “kind of water fowl with a crooked shape,” gya gyu’i dbyibs can nyid kyi chu skyar gyi rnam pa, Alaṁka (148A), resembles the Sanskrit letter H as one “makes the shape of the three syllables into the actuality of the vitality and evacuative energies,” yi ge gsum gyi dbyibs srog dang thur sel gyi ngo bor byas nas zhes bya ba’i don to// The “sour” taste associated with the white crane of the syllable H may be a reference to the Crown Chakra Channel of flowing semen. See Table 6 above, which also makes sense, recalling the inverted H in the crown chakra, but here (as elsewhere) personal instructions are clearly necessary.

1554.  Following Alaṁka (148B) rather than the Lhasa VR’s ŪṀ.

1555.  I am following Alaṁka’s (148B) version of the VR that says that Ū is the ascending rather than the pervading energy, yi ge Ū ni gyen du rgyu ba’i , which makes sense since the pervading energy arises only at death, which does not seem to be the context here.

1556.  Alaṁka (149B): “‘Great Vajradhara’ is the actuality of natural clear light, because he holds the great vajra. ‘The principal one’ because he attains lordship of the three realms.” rdo rje ’chang ba che zhes bya ba ni rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal ba’i ngo bordo rje chen po ’chang ba’i phyir ro/ gtso bo zhes bya ba ni khams gsum pa’i bdag po nyid thob pa’i phyir ro//

1557.  Alaṁka (149B): i.e., HŪṀ, “because all things rely on the mind.” thugs kyi sa bon zhes bya ba ni HŪṀ gi yi ge mi bskyod pa’i sa bon nyid la’o/ de nyid la thams cad kyi nang nas gtso bo nyid do/ chos thams cad sems la rag las pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1558.  Alaṁka (149B): i.e., “OṀ and A, the seed syllables of speech and body.” gzhan rnams ni zhes bya ba ni ngag dang lus kyi sa bon rnams las so// Alaṁka (150A): “‘Appropriates’ is by meditating on the recollection of exhalation and inhalation, it appropriates, causing [them] to reverse.” phrog par byed ces bya na ni byung ba dang rngub pa rjes su dran pa bsgoms pas ’phro bar [I believe this should be ’phrog par ] byed pa ni rnam par zlog par byed pa ste//

1559.  Alaṁka (149B): i.e., “the vitality and evacuative energies.” rlung gnyis ni srog dang thur sel gyi bdag nyid can no//

1560.  Following Alaṁka’s (150A) “life cycle,” ’khor ba , rather than the Lhasa VR’s “wheel” or “chakra,” khor lo , although Alaṁka (150B) does note that “‘of the life cycle’ has the meaning of arising through the reasoning of a water wheel.” ’khor ba’i zhes bya ba ni zo chun khyud mo [reading khyud mo as part of zo chun khyud mo, “water wheel” instead of as written rgyud mo, mother tantra], although Alaṁka does note that the following verse “is in the context of explaining the yoginī tantras.” ’dir ni zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor ma’i rgyd bshad pa’i skabs su’o//

1561.  Alaṁka (150A): “‘Third’ [means] desiring to discuss the two that are other than the nature of the syllable HŪM. ‘The yogi/nī realizes’ [refers to] the sphere of the meditator on the two stages.” gsum pa zhes bya ba ni HŪṀ yig gi ngo bo de las gzhan pa’i gnyid brjod par ’dod nas so/ rnal ’byor pa yis rtogs zhes bya ba ni rim pa gnyis sgom pa po rnams kyi yul lo//

1562.  Alaṁka (151A) has rnal ’byor , “yoga,” in place of the Lhasa VR’s (41B) rnam rtog , “nonconceptuality,” but either makes sense. “‘Whoever achieves [this yoga]’ means perfectly attaining the central channel that moves the conceptual energies, the ‘yoga’ of the perfection stage meditator.” gang thob ces bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa’i rlung rgyu ba’i rtsa dbus ma yang dag par thob nas so/ rnal ’byor zhes bya ba ni rdzogs pa’i rim pa sgom pa po’o//

1563.  Alaṁka (151A):

“A childish yogi/nī” is childish because of not knowing the completion stage, but while also a yogi/nī, because of meditating solely on the creation stage, is a childish yogi/nī. Or, [‘]lineage[’] is connected with [‘]ignorant[’], [meaning] he is outside the method of direct intuition and inference.

rnal ’byor byis pa zhes bya ba ni byis pa ni rdzogs pa’i rim pa yongs su mi shes pas rnal ’byor yang yin te/ bskyed pa’i rim pa tsam bsgom pa’i phyir/ rnal ’byor byis pas so/ yang na rigs pa mi shes pa/ zhes bya ba dang ’brel to/ mngon sum dang rjes su dpag pa’i rigs pa las phyi rol du gyur pa’o//

1564.  Alaṁka (151A): “‘Complete enlightenment in a single moment’ [refers to] having the characteristic of attaining [enlightenment] activity in a single moment in the time of attaining the state of the avadhutī ; attaining manifest enlightenment, buddhahood.” skad cig gcig rdzogs mngon byang chub/ ces bya ba ni a ba dhū tī’i gnas skabs thob pa’i dus su skad cig gcig la bya ba rdzogs pa’i mtshan nyid can no/ mngon par byang chub pa ni sangs rgyas nyid thob pa’o//

1565.  Alaṁka (152A) explains:

“Thus one,” etc., “recites” [means] by joining the syllable HŪM to the inhalation, etc. “Thus” [means] because of which cause. “The heart lotus” is the lotus of the dharma chakra. “Looking upward, [the energy] goes” [means] it goes to the upper side by opening the mouth [at the top] of the basket, opening the obstruction. Because of that very thing, he says “It goes,” [meaning] it will go. “Then, from the secret lotus” [means] from the actuality of the emanation chakra, the secret lotus. “Opening” is expressed as the removing of the binding of the basket. “The two conceptual energies” are the vitality and evacuative energies. “Then” [means] after opening the mouth [at the top] of the basket. “Having cut [them] off, you proceed” [means that], having reversed reversed the upper and lower movement, you enter the central [channel], meaning that “[everything] becomes of one taste.

gang phyir de ni zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ de ni bzlas byas na zhes bya ba ni HŪṀ ang phyi’jug pa la sogs pa rnams la sbyar bar gyur pas gang gi phyir zhes bya ba ni rgyu gang gi phyir ro/ snying ga’i padma zhes bya ba ni chos kyi ’khor lo’i padma’o/ steng bltas ’gro zhes bya ba ni za ma tog la kha phye bas steng gi phyogs su ’gro ba ste kha bkag phye bar ’gyur ro/ de nyid kyi phyir ’gro zhes gsungs te/ ’gro bar ’gyur ro/ de nas gsang ba’i padma las zhes bya ba ni gsang ba’i padma sprul pa’i ’khor lo’i ngo bo de las so/ phye ba zhes bya ba ni za ma tog bcings pa bzlog par brjod pa’o/ rnam par rtog pa’i rlung gnyis ni/ zhes bya ba ni srog dang thur sel gyi rlung gnyis kyi ngo bo’o/ de nas zhes bya ba ni za ma tog kha phye ba’i rjes la/ rnam par bcad nas ’gro zhes bya ba ni steng dang ’og gi rgyu ba bzlog nas dbu mar zhugs te/ ro gcig par ’gyur zhes bya ba’i don to//

Tsong Khapa prefers the translation by Dharma Tsöndru that has the heart knots “destroyed . . . by gazing up.” See Tsong Khapa 2010, 324.

1566.  Alaṁka (152A):

“The great nonconceptual energy” [means] abiding with the nature of the avadhutī. “Having cut off by means of the three-body Vajra” [means] cutting off the natural instincts of body and speech, which arise from the two chakras having the nature of the vitality and evacuative [energies] that move in the two [side] channels.

rnam rtog med pa’i rlung chen po/ zhes bya ba gsungs te/ a ba dhū tī’i ngo bos gnas pa’o/ sku gsum rdo rjes bcad nas ni/ zhes bya ba ni rtsa gnyis kyi rgyu ba srog dang thur sel gyi bdag nyid can ’khor lo gnyis las byung ba’i lus dang ngag gi rang bzhin bcad nas so//

1567.  Alaṁka (152A):

“By the reality of mantra” [means] by meditating on HŪṀ, as stated above. “Abiding in the stream of the avadhutī” [means] reversing the movement of the left and right, because of the very existence of the movement of the central [channel]. “In between the eyebrows” [means] the place of the wind chakra. “Having opened by energy” [means] discerning the nature of the drop. “Attaining this” [means] you will attain entering the central [channel].

a ba dhū tī’i rgyun la gnas/ zhes bya ba ni gyon dang gyas pa’i rgyu ba bzlog nas dbus ma’i rgyu ba’i gnas pa nyis kyi phyir ro/ smin dbus zhes bya ba ni rlung gi ’khor lo’i gnas so/ rlung gis phye byas la zhes bya ba ni thig le’i ngo bo ’byed pa’o/ ’di thob ces bya ba ni dbus mar ’jug pa ’thob pa’o//

1568.  Alaṁka (152B) has ’dar , “trembling,” rather than ’dir , “here”; and rngul , “sweating,” rather than rdul , which, in addition to “particle” or “dust,” can also translate Skt. rajas , one of the three qualities, specifically “energy,” which could encompass trembling and shaking.

1569.  See Alaṁka 153A.

1570.  Taking Alaṁka’s (153A) “dividing,” dbye bas , instead of the Lhasa VR’s “doing,” byed pa .

1571.  Adding this last line, contained in Alaṁka’s (153A) version but not in the VR , ji lta ba bzhin rim pa rnams/

1572.  As explained by Alaṁka (153A), “‘Self-reality’ is the actuality of the lords, Vairochana, etc., who abide precisely as the reality of the completely imaginary collection of the five aggregates, called ‘the thatness of self.’” bdag gi de nyis ces bya ba ste/ kun du brtags pa phung po lnga’i tshogs kyi de nyid ni ji lta ba bzhin du gnas pa’i rnam par snang mdzad la sogs pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i ngo bo bdag dis de kho nan yid ces brjod do//

1573.  Alaṁka (153A) notes that “by really knowing that the actuality of the five lords is in the five aggregates, you achieve the supreme state.” phung po lnga rnams la de bzhin gshegs pa lnga’i ngo bo yongs su shes pas rdo rje sems dpa’i go ’phang thob pa’o//

1574.  Spro bar byed in thams cad spro bar byed pa’i rgyu could also mean “emanate” or “radiate.” And in these verses we also find spros , that has a similar meaning. The terms are related in Sanskrit as well as Tibetan, with rati , the sexual urge, being a form of prapañca , proliferating, elaborating, emanating, or radiating out. In Tantra, these two are not so distinct, so the multivalent/ambivalent term is well employed here. Nevertheless, the terms “delighting in” or “ecstasy for” could be used, as illustrative of the deeper meaning, a guide to the meditator’s state of mind during the “emanation” phases of the sādhana, the Supreme Mandala Triumph and the Evolutionary Triumph. It is also significant that rati is found in the very mantras for the elemental goddesses: Moharatī (“Delusion Delight”), etc. These and other mantras (without rati except in the case of the four elemental goddesses) are what are emanated from the meditator’s heart during the sādhana.

Indeed, in verse 15 of this chapter the focus is, according to Alaṁka, on the emanation phase of the sādhana, further illustrating the appropriateness of multivalence. Here, however, the translation “taking delight in” seems supported by the most natural reading of Alaṁka’s (153B) Commentary on the subject: “[In] ‘the cause of taking delight in all of them, [‘]all[’] because of taking delight in the orgasmic consort and servant consort, etc., that are connected to his own clan, [thus] the cause of taking delight in all of them.” thams cad spro bar byed pa’i rgyu/ zhes bya ba ste thams cad ni rang gi rigs dang ’brel pa’i lhan cig spyod ma dang/ rjes su spyod ma la sogs pa spro bar byed pas na thams cad spro bar byed pa’i rgyu’o// Note the use of la, “in,” here and in the next two quotes from Alaṁka (154B and 156B): “Because of that very thing, one has the nature of taking delight in those with the retinue of Amoghasiddhi,” de nyid kyi phyir don yod grub pa ’khor dang bcas pa la spro ba’irang bzhin can no//; and “‘MO HA’ [following Peking and Narthang. rather than Lhasa’s MO HA RA] being Vairochana, being what one calls that which exists wherever there is ecstasy for him,” mo ha ni rnam par snang mdzad do/ de la dga’ ba gang la yod pa de la de skad ces bya’o// Perhaps the point is that these mantras promote both emanation and ecstasy; that emanation without ecstasy or ecstasy without emanation are not the practice.

1575.  Reading snag instead of snang.

1576.  Or translating spros pa in spros pa kun nas gsal as Skt. samrati , “completely manifesting the pleasure of that,” putting this in parallel with the verses concerning the other four transcendent lords, as the type of ecstasy experienced.

1577.  Following Alaṁka’s (154B) “name” ( ming ), instead of “not” ( min ).

1578.  Here, according to Alaṁka (155A), the “lineage” is the mantric vehicle, while the “scriptures” refer to the Vaibaśika or Atomist system. rigs pa ni sngags kyi theg par grags pa’o/ lung ni bye brag smra ba’i lugs so grags pa ste/ , another example of upāya in the tantric context.

1579.  Alaṁka (155A):

Because of holding that, PRAJÑĀDRIK. [This is] the definitive meaning. “VAJRADRIK” [means] the five aspects illustrating manifest enlightenment, thus VAJRADRIK. [This is] the interpretive meaning. Because of causing the holding of the vajra with the nature of the two truths, VAJRADRIK. [This is] the definitive meaning.

PRADZNYĀ DHRIK ces bya baa ni/ so sor ’byed pa’i mtshan nyid can gyi shes rab ’dzin pas na PRADZNYĀ DHRIK go/ drang ba’i don to/ shes rab ni zla ba’i snang ba la sogs pa ste/ de ’dzin pas na PRADZNYĀ DHRIK ste/ nges pa’i don to/ BADZRA DHRIK ces bya ba ni/ rnam pa lngas mngon par byang chub pa mtshon par byed pas ni/ BADZRA DZNYĀ DHRIK go/ drang ba’i don to/ bden pa gnyis kyi bdag nyid kyis rdo rje ’dzin par byed pas na BADZRA DHRIK go/ nges pa’i don to//

1580.  Alaṁka (155B): “Having thought that ‘Ignorance is expressed as purity,’ whoever has ecstasy for Vairochana, the purity of delusion, ‘is Lochanā’ because she appears as the lack of intrinsic nature in [even] a part of the earth element.” gti mug dag la mngon par brjod/ ces bya ba ni gti mug rnam par dag pa rnam par snang mdzad la dga’ ba gang la yod pa de snyam du bsams nas so/ de ni spyan du zhes bya ba ni sa’i khams la cha shas kyi rang bzhing med pa nyid kyi snang ba’i phyir ro// Alaṁka (155B, 156A, and 156A) has similar explanations for the other sense goddesses, Māmakī “terminating completely the conceptual reality of a self in the water element,” chu’i khams su rnam par rtog pa la bdag gi de nyid yongs su zad par byed pa’i phyir mā ma kī/ ; Pāṇḍaravāsinī “because of causing the disappearance of conceptions in the element of fire,” me’i khams su rtog pa mi snang bar byed pa’i phyir/ ; and Tārā “because of liberating from the conceptuality of the wind element,” rlung gi khams kyi rnam par trog pa las sbrol bar byed pas na /. The Sanskrit for these goddesses tracks their descriptions: Lochanā, meaning “eye,” appears ; Māma, meaning “mine,” terminates the self ; Pāṇḍaravāsinī, meaning a “pale” or “white” dress, causes disappearance ; and Tārā, meaning “savior” or “liberator,” liberates .

1581.  I.e., MOHARATI (Skt. moha rati ).

1582.  Reading rngub for rdub .

1583.  Alaṁka (156B) explains these mantras in similar terms, with the interpretive meaning stressing ecstasy for the corresponding buddha by his consort (in the creation stage) and the definitive meaning emphasizing ecstasy in clear light (in the perfection stage). For example, “[In] ‘DVEṢARATI,’ DVEṢA is Akshobhya, [meaning] that which exists wherever there is ecstasy for him, DVEṢARATI. [This is] the interpetive meaning. The purification of hatred, existing wherever there is the ecstasy of clear light, is DVEṢARATI. [This is] the definitive meaning.” dve ṣa ra ti zhes bya ba ni dve sha ni mi bskyod pa’o/ de la dga’ ba gang la yod pa de ni/ dve sha ra ti ste/ drang ba’i don to/ zhe sdang gi rnam par dag pa ’od gsal la dga’ ba gang la yod pa de ni dve sha ra ti’o/ nges pa’i don to//

1584.  Alaṁka (156B) notes that the “ritual” means “following the emanation and two repetitions of the syllables with nature of the bodhisattvas during the time of the Supreme Mandala Triumph as before.” sngar bzhin du dyyil’ ’khor rgyal mchog gi dus su byang chub sems kyi ngo bo’i yi ge spros pa dang bzlas pa gnyis kyi rjes su ’brangs nas zhes bya ba’i don to //

1585.  Alaṁka (156B–157A):

“Supreme yoga” because of the actuality of the [sense] powers being of the nature of bodhisattvas and the [sense] objects having the characteristics of Rūpavajrā and so forth, together with the realization that [they] are of one taste. “With only emptiness as the sole cause” [means that] the cause is in clear light, meaning it “serves as the cause.” By meditatively equalizing both [deities and senses], you actualize the state of universal emptiness.

rnal ’byor mchog gi zhes bya ba ni byang chub sems dpa’i rang bzhin dbang pa rnams l yul gzugs rdo rje ma la sogs pa’i mtshan nyid can dang/ lhang cig tu ro mnyams pa’i rgogs pa’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ stong nyid gcig pu rgyu gcig pu/ zhes bya ba ni ’od gsal gcig pu nyid la rgyu ste/ rgyur gyur pa zhes bya ba’i don to/ gnyis ka dang snyoms par zhugs pas thams cad stong pa’i go ’phang mngon du byed pa’o//

1586.  Following Alaṁka here to get “Rasavajrā” rather than “Vajrarasa.”

1587.  This verse is missing from the Lhasa VR. The text is excerpted from Alaṁka 157B. The principal one in the Esoteric Community mandala is Akshobhya, whose partner is Sparshavajrā. This verse is missing from the Lhasa VR. The text is excerpted from Alaṁka 157B. Alaṁka (157B–158A) explains:

“The form that is grasped” is the corporeal sense power, because it serves as the object that purifies Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin. “For the main one” means that she herself is the form that is grasping Akshobhya, the form of the main one in the center, in order to embrace him. As it is said in the Sekoddeśa [Tōh. 361]: “Embracing Vajrasattva, she abides as Sparshavajra.”

gzung ba’i rnam pa zhes bya ba ni/ lus kyi dbang po ni/ sgrib pa thams cad rnam par sel ba rnam par dag pa’i yul du gyur pa nyid kyi phyir ro/ rang gi gtsho bo la zhes bya ba ni dbus kyi gtso bo’i rnam pa mi bskyod pa la rang nyid gzung ba’i rnam pa ste/ de dang ’khyad pa nyid kyi phyir/ zhes bya ba’i don to/ ji skad du/ mdor byas las/ rdo rje sems dpa’ dang ’khyad pa reg bya rdo rje ma ni gnas zhes bya ba’o//

Here, I am reading ’khyud pa in place of ’khyad pa, which does not appear in the dictionaries but does appear in the Śrīhevajrasādhana, dpal dgyes pa rdo rje’i sgrub thabs, Tōh. 1218, 2A, rang gi rig ma la ’khyad pa spyan gsum pa dbu skra kham pa gyen du ’greng ba, “embracing his consort, three-eyed, brown hair standing up on end.” Alternatively, ’khyad pa can be read as a variant of ’khyud pa, here used in a nominalized form.

1588.  Alaṁka (158A–B) links each of the sense media bodhisattvas with conceptuality and its antidotes in order to purify the sense faculties and their objects. So, for example, the object of Kṣitigarbha, the visual sense faculty, “is caused to arise as the great element of earth, etc. because it is understood as a conceptual characteristic,” de’i yul sa la sogs pa’i ’byung ba chen po skyed par byed cing/ rnam par rtog pa’i mtshan nyid du rtogs pa’i phyir/ ; the object of the auditory sense faculty, Vajrapāṇi, is “of the type that is grasped as ordinary conceptuality,” but “analyzing it, it becomes the antidote to the conception of this and that as distinct,” tha mal pa’i rnam par rtog pa yongs su zin pa’i rnam pa’o/ de nyid ni dbye ba ste/ khyad par la de dang de’i rnam par rtog pa’i gnyen pa’i phyir ro// ; and the olfactory sense faculty, Ākāshagarbha, “grasps the conceptuality of scent with emptiness,” “knowing that the nose that causes the grasping of scent is primordially birthless,” nam mkha’i snying po zhes bya ba ni dri’i rnam par rtog pa stong pa nyid kyis ’dzin pa’i phyir ro . . . dri ’dzin par byed pa’i sna la gdod ma nas skye ba med par shes pas/ Similar analyses are made for the other sense faculty bodhisattvas, as one focuses on the various kinds of tastes, touches, and mental experiences.

1589.  This verse is also missing from the Lhasa VR. The text is excerpted from Alaṁka (158A).

1590.  Referring per Alaṁka (106A–B) to the syllable Ā represented by the ĀḤ-stroke. See n. 1406, above. The CMP states that “one will only understand mantra reality by following the explanatory tantras. The mantras such as serpent [mantra] and so on, are those which emerge from the vowels and consonants.” Wedemeyer 1999, 265.

1591.  Alaṁka (162A): “By the reasoning stated in the first chapter of the Glorious Esoteric Community [Root Tantra], ” dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i le’u dang por gsungs pa’i rigs pas.

1592.  Alaṁka (162B) has “It is the very nature of all the luminances,” snang ba kun gyi ngo bo nyid/ instead of the Lhasa VR’s (44B) “It abandons all the luminances,” snang ba thams cad rnam par spangs/ Alaṁka explains: “The very nature of all the luminances” [means] having the form of clear light mind through the stage of the three intuitions of luminance, etc.” snang ba kun gyi ngo bo nyid/ ces bya ba ni snang ba la sogs pa’i ye shes gsum gyi rims gyis sems ’od gsal ba’i rnam pa can no// In either event, the subject is clear light mind, which both leaves behind snang ba , ched pa , and nyer thob , “luminance,” “radiance,” and “immanence,” and pervades them.

1593.  The Lhasa VR (44B) has A, but I am using Alaṁka’s (163A) OṀ. Alaṁka explains these dissolutions in terms of the three vajras of body, speech, and mind, starting with OṀ for body. This makes sense. In addition, there is no drop in the letter A, but there is in the syllable OṀ,

1594.  Alaṁka (163A): i.e., into the visarga , the two dots at the end of HAḢ.

1595.  The Lhasa VR has yi ge ham yang OṀ la thim , “the syllable HAṀ dissolves into OṀ,” while Alaṁka has merely yi ge ha yang , “The syllable HA also” (163A). The VR’s reuse of OṀ does not make sense here, so I have translated the verse in accordance without the Lhasa VR’s OṀ la thim , “dissolves into OṀ,” although, as shown, “dissolves” is certainly implied.

1596.  Alaṁka (163A) has “the letter M,” as contrasted with the Lhasa VR’s “the letter A.” I think Alaṁka is correct here, since the subject of the verse is the dissolving of H-Ū-M, and it is the sound M, represented by the dot at the top of the syllable, that appears as “merely a drop,” rather than A, which does not.

1597.  Alaṁka (163B) has “into the clear state of clear light” or “clearly the state of clear light,” ’od gsal go’ ’phang gsal por ni , instead of “the fourth state of clear light,” ’od gsal go ’phang bzhi .

1598.  Alaṁka (165A) glosses this as “a type of orgasmic [ecstasy], because it has the nature of the signless moment.” bzhi pa ye shes mtshan nyid do/ zhes pa ni lhan cig skyes pa’i rnam pa nyid kyi phyir dang/ mtshan nyid dang bral ba’i skad cig ma’i ngo bon yid kyi phyir ro//

1599.  See Alaṁka 165A.

1600.  Alaṁka (165A): i.e., “The GST.” gsum pa rgyud las zhes bya ba ni/ rtsa ba’i rgyud dpal gsang ba ’dus pa las so//

1601.  Alaṁka (165B): i.e., “hold by the force of the thatness of energy-wind.” dgug ces bya ba ni rlung gi de kho na nyid kyi stobs kyis bzung nas so//

1602.  Alaṁka (165B) notes that this refers to conventional enlightenment spirit ( kun rdzob kyi rnam pa ), i.e., semen.

1603.  Alaṁka (165B): “Having the character of customary orgasm.” dpe’i lhan cig skyes pa’i mtshan nyid can no//

1604.  Alaṁka (166A): i.e., “at the tip of the vajra; the tip of the lotus is also suitable.” rdo rje’i rtse ’am padma’i sna rtser yang rung ste//

1605.  Following Alaṁka’s (166A) ji skad ’byung, which he explains “is taught as stated in chapter 17.” le’u bcu bdun pa las/ ji skad du bstan pa’o//

1606.  Alaṁka (166A) explains: this refers to “the navel in the center of the emanation chakra and that located nearby in the secret chakra, the hub of the vajra and lotus channels.” de yi lte ba sna rtser bshad/ ces bya ba ni sprul pa’i ’khor lo’i dbus kyi lte ba dang/ de dang nye bar gsang ba’i ’khor lor gnas pa’i rdo rje dang padma’i rtsa’i lte ba’o//

1607.  Alaṁka (166B): “In the form of the letter A.” A yig gi rnam pa’o//

1608.  Following Alaṁka’s (166B) bde bar here.

1609.  Alaṁka 166B: The “sole cause of the reality of peace” “because that very thing is the sole cause, in the form of clear light reality unmixed with the instincts of the peaceful conceptual energies, manifestly turning toward it by the power of the drop.” zhi ba’i de nyid rgyu gcig ni zys bya ba gsungs te zhi ba’i rnam pa la rgyu gcig pa de nyid de thig le’i dbang gis de la mngon par phyogs pa’i phyir zhes bya ba’i don to//

1610.  Per Alaṁka (166B–167A), the trio refers to “the three main channels,” lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūti , and the “face nose” “means ‘the conventional nose tip.’” gdong gi sna ni zhes bya ba ni kun rdzob kyi sna rtse’o zhes byar zhes bya ba ni brjod pa’o/

1611.  Following Alaṁka (167A) here. the Lhasa VR would be translated “suppressed by the pearl [ mu tig ].” Alaṁka has “delusion” ( ti mug ).

1612.  Per Alaṁka (167B), “supreme yoga” “because it serves as the very cause of vajra repetition.” rdo rje bzlas pa’i rgyu [following Peking and Narthang’s “cause,” rgyu , rather than Derge’s “Tantra” rgyud ,] nyid du gyur pa’i phyir ro//

1613.  Alaṁka (167B): “Able to hold the clear light drop at the conventional nose tip.” kun rdzob kyi sna rtser ’od zer gyi thig le ’dzin par nus pa rnams kyi’o//

1614.  Alaṁka (168A) has gnas pa rather than the Lhasa VR’s gnas na.

1615.  In his Sngags rim chen mo , starting at dpe cha 470, TBRC, Gsungs ’bum , vol. Ga, Tsong Khapa comments on the last line of verse 13 through the end of verse 19.

1616.  Alaṁka (168A–B) explains:

“Left, right, and both,” [means] by the division of from the right, left, both, [and] slowly moving, those four movements of energy, having the meaning of “relying on the first session and so forth.” Thus, also from the first session, the energy of the fire mandala arises from the right nostril; in the second session the wind mandala arises from the left nostril; in the third session the earth mandala arises from both; in the fourth session the water mandala arises from both, falling slowly. At night it is also like that. Here also, from each mandala, from each nostril counting each of the four mandalas in pairs, by dividing into the right and so forth, you will realize [them] as different.

g.yon dang g.yas dang gnyis ka dang/ zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ g.yas pa dang g.yon pa dang gnyis ka dang nyid las dal bar rgyu ba’i dbyes bas rlung gi rgyu ba de rnams bzhi ste/ thun dang po la sogs la ltos nas zhes bya ba’i don to/ de ltar yang thun dang po las me’i dkyil ’khor gyi rlung sna bug g.yas pa nas ’byung bar ’gyur te/ thun gnyis pa la rlung gi dkyil ’khor sna bug g.yon pa las/ thun gsum pa las sa’i dkyil ’khor gnyis nas ’byung bar ’gyur te/ thun bzhi pa la gnyis ka dag las cu’i dkyil ’khor nas dal bar gyur pas ’bab ba’o/ mtshan mo la yang de zhin no/ ’dir yang dkyil ’khor re re nas/ dkyil ’khor bzhi’i cha cha’i grangs kyi sna bug re re nas g.yas pa la sogs pa’i dbye bas tha dad pa nyis du rtogs par bya’o//

1617.  Alaṁka (168B): i.e., This is the ascending energy: “‘Moving’ is that very Amitābha, with the form of ascending, thus moving.” rgyu ba’o zhes bya ba ni snang ba mtha’ yas nyid gyen du rgu ba’i rnam pas rgyu ba’o/ Verses 15 (starting with “The element arising from the right”) through 19 are quoted in Sanskrit in the PK, ch. 2, vv. 19–23:

19. Dakṣiṇād vinirgato raśmir hutabhuṅmaṇḍalaṁ ca tat/

Raktavarṇam idaṁ vyaktaṁ padmanātho ’tra devatā//

20. Vāmād vinirgato raśmir vāyumaṇḍalasaṁjñitaḥ/

Haritaśyāmasaṁkāśaḥ karmanātho ’tra devatā//

21. Dvābhyāṁ vinirgato raśmiḥ pītavarṇo mahādyutiḥ/

Mahendramaṇḍalaṁ caitad ratnanātho ’tra devātā//

22. Adho mandapracāras tu sitakundendusaṁnibhaḥ/

Maṇḍalaṁ vāruṇaṁ caitad vajranātho ’tra devatā//

23. Sarvadehānugo vāyuḥ sarvaceṣtāpravartakaḥ/

Vairocanasvabhāvo ’sau mṛtakāyād viniścaret//

See Wayman 1977, 72; Poussin 1896, 19.

1618.  Alaṁka (168B): i.e., Amoghasiddhi. “‘Element’ is the form of the metabolic energy.” khams zhes bya ba ni mnyam gnas kyi rlung gi rnam pa’o// This also applies, with the identical Tibetan description, to the verse below describing the earth element, Ratnasambhava. The last line of verse 16, “the movement of the Action Savior,” las kyi mgon po’i rgyu ba’o , and the first two lines of verse 17, “the element arising from both, appearing as pure yellow,” gnyis ka las ni ’byung ba’i khams/ gser gyi mdog tu snang ba ste , do not appear in the Lhasa VR, but appear in Alaṁka (168A): las kyi mgon po’i rgyu ba’o/ gnyis ka las ni ’byung ba’i khams/ gser gyi mdog tu snang ba ste//

1619.  Based on the literature, one would expect Ratnasambhava to be the water mandala, rather than the mandala of “great power.” Also, Akshobhya appearing as the water mandala is novel (at least for me); I would have expected him to be the space element.

1620.  Alaṁka (168B): i.e., “Ratnasambhava.”

1621.  Alaṁka (168B): i.e., Akshobhya, “because he is stable in emptiness, like a vajra.” mi bskyod pa ste/ rdo rje bzhin du stong pa nyid la bstan pa’i phyir ro//

1622.  Following Alaṁka (168B), who has “‘From all the elements,’ the nature of the four energies,” khams dun las ni zhes bya ba ni rlung bzhi’i rang bzhin no// , contrasted with the Lhasa VR (46B), which has “the three elements.”

1623.  Alaṁka (169A): “‘The nature of Vairochana’ because of pervading in material form. ‘The end of death’ because at the time of death it always lacks its activity; ‘arising’ means its activity.” rnam par snang mdzad rang bzhin te/ zhes bya ba ni gzugs la khyab par byed pa nyid kyis rnam par snang bas so/ ’chi ba’i mtha’ ni zhes bya ba ni/ rtag tu de’i las med pas ’chi ba’i dus su phyir ’byung ba nyid de’i bya ba zhes bya ba’i don to// In other words, as the energies cease their activity at the end of the death process, all that is left is material form, i.e., a corpse.

1624.  Instead of the VR’s “these four mandalas,” dkyil ’khor bzhi po de dag ni , Alaṁka (169A) has “one repeats the wheel of breath of the elements,” ’byung ba’i dbugs kyi ’khor lo zlos, noting that one should start by preceding it with the three syllables, ’byung ba’i dbugs kyi ’khor lo zlos zhes bya ba ni yi ge gsum sbyar ba sngon du ’gro bas/ nye bar mtshon par bya’o // In other words, start with OṀ ĀḢ HŪṀ.

1625.  Alaṁka (169A) “By the count of 21,600.” nyi khri chig stong drug brgya’i grangs kyis so/

1626.  Alaṁka (169A): “As the mere kernel of a mustard seed.” rnam par bsgom zhes bya ba ni yungs kar gyi ’bras bu tsam nyid kyis so//

1627.  Alaṁka (169B) explains that this is done “by the gradual practice of the mandala with the nature of holding [it] for the period of half of each session. As it is said, “In each mandala of fire, wind, great power [earth], and water, in the time of half of each session, two actions in each.” thun mtsams phyed phyed kyi dus ’dzin pa’i bdag nyid can gyi dkyil ’khor gyi rim pa’i sbyor bas zhes bya ba’i don to/ ji skad du/ me dang rlung dang dbang chen dang/ chu dang dkyil ’khor so so la/ thun ni phyed phyed dus su ni/ las ni gnyis gnyis rab tu gnas/ zhe gsungs so//

1628.  Alaṁka (170A) has “those who are weary,” gang zhig skyo ba , instead of the Pedurma VR’s (47A) skyob pa rnams . I am going with the VR here, reading it as “those who seek refuge in the three worlds,” i.e., “refugees,” who wrongly place their faith in worldly things, since they are helplessly driven by lust.

1629.  Alaṁka (170A): “In the form of the syllable HŪṀ at the nose tip of the heart.” snying ga’i sna rtse la HŪṀ yig gi rnam pa’o//

1630.  Here, in contrast to verse 24, above, given the context of the sentence, I am following Alaṁka (170A), who has skyo ba gang , “those who are tired,” rather than the VR’s skyob gang , “those who protect,” although either reading has its virtues.

1631.  Alaṁka (170B) explains that for those weary of cyclic existence with “depressed mindstreams,” gti mug chen pos sems kyi rgud mnan pa rnams kyi’ / vajra repetition on the wind or “light ray drop,” od zer gyi thig le , leading to the “characteristic of intuition,” [Alaṁka has “character,” mtshan nyid , rather than the Lhasa VR’s “ocean,” rgyam tsho ], is the remedy.

1632.  See Alaṁka 171A.

1633.  Following Alaṁka (171B), who has the instrumental sa at the end of od gsal ba ni rnam dag pa , and explains: “Through the utter purity of clear light transparence means that it purifies that by relying on the clear light through the power of the commitment seal,” dam tshig gi phyag rgya’i dbang gis ’od gsal la nye bar dmigs pas de’i sbyong bar byed pa zhes bya ba’i don to//

1634.  Here I am following Alaṁka’s version of the tantra rather than the Pedurma VR. Alaṁka (171B) explains that entry “into the avadhūti channel” expresses the emptiness of the nonconceptual energies entering into the avadhūti . A wa dhū tīr rnam par mi rtog pa’i rlung zhugs pa la stong pa nyid ces brjod do// And I am following Alaṁka’s version of the Tantra , which has chos rnams rnam rtog snang ba rather than the Pedurma’s hos rnams rnam rtog snang ba mched/ (except for Peking, which has mchod rather than mched ).

1635.  Following Alaṁka here, without the yi.

1636.  Following Alaṁka (172A) here, byang chub sems kyis gang ba nyid .

1637.  Following Alaṁka’s (172B) yin , instead of the Lhasa VR’s (47B) na .

1638.  As explained by Alaṁka (173A), “the consort of great Vajradhara.” rdo rje dbyings kyi dbang phyug ma rdo rje ’chang chen po’i yum mo/

1639.  I.e., Vajradhara. Alaṁka 173A.

1640.  See Alaṁka 174A.

1641.  Alternate readings indicated for this and the next verse are from Alaṁka’s (25A) introduction in his chapter 1. In the body of the Commentary , the first line of this verse reads (174B): “Enjoyment, etc.” longs spyod ces bya ba la sogs pa .

1642.  For this line in the body of the Commentary , Alaṁka (174B) has “By that perfect greatness, the state of entity,” des yang dag che dngos po’i go ’phang , which Alaṁka says is connected with “the conception of environment and inhabitants” rten dang brten pa’i rnam rtog .

1643.  I.e., Skt. alayavijñāna and kliṣṭomaṇovijñāna.

1644.  Per Alaṁka (175B), meaning the syllables OṀ and HŪṀ.

1645.  See Alaṁka 176B.

1646.  For variant readings of this and the preceding verse, see Alaṁka 25A.

1647.  Alaṁka’s Commentary omits the following section.

1648.  The names are given in Tibetan, e.g., mkhyen ma, “Intelligent” (VR 49A). The Sanskrit equivalents have not been verified.

1649.  gtum mo, “Hot.”

1650.  dpa’ mo, “Heroic.”

1651.  las sgrol ba, “Liberating Action.”

1652.  yid gcugs ma, “Pleasant Minded.”

1653.  ’khrul ’khor ma, “Mandala Artist.”

1654.  ’bud ma, “Clearing Off.”

1655.  snying stobs yang dag sangs rgys ma , “Perfectly Courageous Buddhess.”

1656.  rab , “Best.”

1657.  ma, “Mother.”

1658.  yid ’ong ma, “Beautiful.”

1659.  grub ma, “Accomplished.”

1660.  sprul ’tsho, “Living Emanation.”

1661.  sgra ma, “Sound.”

1662.  gter ’dzin, “Treaure Holder.”

1663.  lha yi dbang phyug ma, “Divine Goddess.”

1664.  gesar, “Stamen.”

1665.  padma, “Lotus.”

1666.  dri med ma, “Stainless.”

1667.  rlung gi lu gu rgyud byed ma, “Wind Chain Weaver.”

1668.  bzang mo, “Copper-Faced.”

1669.  khwa yi gtong, “Crow-Faced.”

1670.  gnyid log ma, “Sleeper.”

1671.  mi ’phel ma, “Not Increasing.”

1672.  ’phar ma sngo sangs dus mtshan ma, “Dark-Skinned Kālarātrī.”

1673.  rtse ’joms ma, “Pinnacle Conqueress.”

1674.  skal bzang ’phel, “Increasing Good Fortune.”

1675.  na ra dza na, “Naranjana,” the river on whose bank Buddha practiced austerities. Per Jamgön Khongtrul, “It is therefore acceptable to consider the banks of the Naranjana River as also being the dimension of reality devoid of conceptual characteristics.” Kongtrul 2005, 414 n. 43.

1676.  za gdong ma, “Dog-Faced.”

1677.  chags ma, “Passionate.”

1678.  dga’ ma, “Ecstatic.”

1679.  rnam skeg ma, “Charming.”

1680.  brtson ’grus ’phel, “Increasing Effort.”

1681.  dkar mo, “White.”

1682.  bdud rtsi lngs ni ’phel ba ma, “Increasing the Five Elixirs.”

1683.  dngos, “Real.”

1684.  ’bebs, “Descending.”

1685.  shin tu dpa’ mo, “Very Heroic.”

1686.  padma lnga, “Five-Lotused.”

1687.  ’dod ma, “Desired.”

1688.  sgyu ma, “Illusion.”

1689.  yid ’ong, “Pleasant.”

1690.  mdza’ mo, “Friendly.”

1691.  skyur, “Sour.”

1692.  chang gi dbang phyug, “Beer Goddess.”

1693.  mi bzad che, “Great Unbearable.”

1694.  las skal bzang, Good Fortunate Karma.”

1695.  me tog bzang mo, “Good Flower.”

1696.  gdug, “Poison.”

1697.  rmongs, “Deluded.”

1698.  steng gzigs zhal, “Face Upturned.”

1699.  rtse gsum mtshan, “Trident Adorned.”

1700.  mdzes ma, “Beautiful.”

1701.  ljang bskyod ma, “Green Moving.”

1702.  rtag bam ma, “Always Rotten.”

1703.  gar ma, “Dancer.”

1704.  ri dwags mig, “Doe-Eyed.”

1705.  chags dga’ ma, “Joyfully Passionate.”

1706.  sna tshogs rmongs par rol pa mo, “Variegated Delusory Sporting.”

1707.  dkar mo, “White.”

1708.  ’jig rten gsum pa mo, “Triple World.”

1709.  ro blan, “Corpse Binder.” Very speculative on my part, as ro could also be rasa , “taste.”

1710.  dri med, “Stainless.”

1711.  ’gro bstun ma, “Agreeable to Go.” This is also speculative.

1712.  Totaling sixty-four.

1713.  In a half lotus, with the right foot on left thigh. Alaṁka (178A) notes, “‘Sitting well in the cross-legged bodhisattva posture’ because of the non-differentiation of the purity of the conventional and the ultimate.” sems dpa’i skyil krung gis legs bzhugs/ zhes bya ba ni kun rdzob dang don dam pa rnam par dag pa’i tha mi dad pas so/

1714.  I.e., reciting, “OṀ ĀḤ [name of goddess, i.e., Vedhani] HŪṀ. Alaṁka 178A.

1715.  Alaṁka (178B) notes that this is the heart chakra, “which has nine channels because of wishing to express the stamen of the spokes in the center.” dhos kyi ’khor lo zhes bya ba ni snying ga’i gnas su’o/ dgu bdag nyid ces bya ba ni rtsa dgu’i bdag nyid can la dbus kyi lte ba’i ze’u ’bru brjod par ’dod pas so/

1716.  rdor dbyings dbang phyug, “Lady Vajra Sphere.”

1717.  lā ma, “Lady Guru.”

1718.  rdo rje phyag rgya, “Vajra Consort.”

1719.  stobs chen mo, “Great Power.”

1720.  rdo rje sgeg mo, “Vajra Dancer.”

1721.  rdo rje gdong, “Vajra Face.”

1722.  rdo rje chos ma, “Vajra Dharma.”

1723.  rdo rje bzang, “Good Vajra.”

1724.  rdo rje rol mo, “Vajra Music.”

1725.  See n. 1724.

1726.  The throat chakra.

1727.  padma’i sgrol ma, “Lotus Liberator.”

1728.  pad dkar mo, “White Lotus.”

1729.  padma ku mu da ’phel ma, “Increasing Water Lily Lotus.”

1730.  padma’i spyan, “Lotus Eye.”

1731.  pad gtsug phod, “Lotus Crown.”

1732.  padma’i phreng ba, “Lotus Rosary.”

1733.  pad skyes ma, “Lotus Birth.”

1734.  pad gdan, “Lotus Seat.”

1735.  padma’i dra ba ma, “Lotus Net.”

1736.  padma’i ’od, “Lotus Light.”

1737.  padma’i spyan, “Lotus Eye.” This is the same as the fourth goddess of this chakra.

1738.  pad bzang ma, “Good Lotus.”

1739.  padma’i nang bzhugs, “Sitting Inside Lotus.”

1740.  pad skyes ma, “Lotus Birth.”

1741.  padma’i ge sar, “Lotus Stamen.”

1742.  padma ma, “Lotus One.”

1743.  The crown chakra.

1744.  rab tu sad pa ’bad pa can, “Trying To Wake Up.” Alaṁka (179B) has rab tu sad pa khams ’bab pa can, “Rousing Falling Element,” commenting, “‘Rousing’ means causing the opening of the heart. ‘Having the Falling Element’ refers to having the dripping of enlightenment spirit.” rab tu sad pa zhes bya ba ni snying ga ’byed par byed pa’o/ khams ’bab pa can zhes bya ba ni byang chub kyi sems ’dzag pa can no/

1745.  khor lo’i shugs ma, “Forceful Wheel.”

1746.  rdo rje ldan, “Vajrī.”

1747.  rin chen sgrol ma, “Jewel Liberator.”

1748.  pad zhugs ma, “Fire Lotus.”

1749.  sna tshogs las ma, “Variety Actress.”

1750.  gti mug dga’, “ Delusional Ecstasy.”

1751.  zhe sdang rdo rje dga’ chags ma, “Craving the Ecstatic Anger Vajra.”

1752.  rdo rje las chags, “Passionate Vajra Actress.”

1753.  gzugs rdo rje, “Form Vajrī.”

1754.  sgra yi rdo rje, “Sound Vajrī.”

1755.  ro rdo rje, “Taste Vajrī.”

1756.  reg bya rdo rje, “Touch Vajrī.”

1757.  chos dbyings ma, “Reality Sphere.”

1758.  spyan ’od ma, “Eye Light.”

1759.  thod dbyans ma, “Skull Voice.”

1760.  sna yi snang ba, “Scent Luminance.”

1761.  ro dga’ ma, “Tasty Delight.”

1762.  sku yi rgyal mtshan, “Body Banner.”

1763.  yid dga’ ma, “Delightful Mind.”

1764.  khams bcas ma, “Elemental One.”

1765.  rgyu ’bab ma, “Cause of Falling.”

1766.  gshin rje ’joms pa’i blo, “Mental Yama Destroyer.”

1767.  bye brag rnam par rgyas ma, “Specially Expanding One.”

1768.  padma’i ral pa gyen du brdzes, “Lotus Hair on End.”

1769.  gegs rnams thams cad ’joms pa mo, “Destroyer of All Obstacles.”

1770.  sbas pa’i mthil, “Hidden Treasure.”

1771.  dbyug sngon ma, “Blue Stick.”

1772.  shin tu brtan ma, “Truly Firm.”

1773.  stobs chen ma, “Great Force.”

1774.  rang byung ma, “Self-Arising.”

1775.  ’khor lo’i gtsug, “Crown Peak.” Totaling thirty-two.

1776.  Per Alaṁka (180B), staying invisible within the channels, rtsa rnams kyi nang du mi gsal bas gnas pa’o//

1777.  See Alaṁka 181A.

1778.  All of the recensions of Alaṁka noted in the Derge critical edition have “go there,” der ni ’gro , instead of the Lhasa (and Stok Palace’s) VR’s “don’t go there,” der mi ’gro , but they also have “toward” la, instead of the VR’s “away from,” las , so the meaning is similar.

1779.  Following Alaṁka (182A) in using the plural, “goddesses,” although Alaṁka’s text has “perfect deities,” lha rnams yang dag , while the Lhasa VR has “also the goddess herself,” lha mo rang yang , so lha rnams yang dag ces bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ rtsa la yang dag par gnas pa’i rnams la’o// He says “perfect deities,” who abide perfectly in the channel[s].

1780.  For a variant reading from the beginning of this chapter to here, see also Alaṁka 25B.

1781.  Following Alaṁka’s (181B) “lack substance,” dngos po med , rather than the Lhasa VR’s (51B) “without lacking substance,” dngos bral med .

1782.  Alaṁka (181B): Because you turn to another object, yul gzhan la mngon par phyogs pas so//

1783.  See Alaṁka (183A).

1784.  I.e., Alaṁka (183B): “practicing in the expanded version of six chakras, or reducing them to four.”

1785.  Following Alaṁka (183B) here; the Pedurma VR uniformly has brgyad dang gnyis, 102.

1786.  See also Alaṁka (25B) for a variant reading of this and the prior verse.

1787.  Alaṁka (184A–B) has “wheel of time” or “ kālachakra, ” dus kyi khor lo , rather than the Tantra’s “time of the wheel,” khor lo’i dus , and says that “‘the wheel of time’ is through the example of internal time,” nang gi dus nye bar mtshon pas so//

1788.  See Alaṁka 184B.

1789.  I.e., female hormonal fluid.

1790.  Alaṁka (185A) says that this refers to the Vast as Sky Tantra , Akaśasamānatantra [?] or the great Vajra Rosary , presumably the twelve-thousand-line Vajra Rosary taught by Buddha at the same time as the Shorter Vajra Rosary, presumably this one. rgya chen rgyud las zhes bya ba ni ram mkha’ dang mnyam pa’i rgyud kyi rjes su ’brangs pa’am/ rdo rje phreng ba’i rgyud chen po’i rjes su ’brangs nas so/ See Alaṁka 4A: (“The Lord . . . taught the two tantras: the Vajra Rosary in twelve thousand lines and the Shorter Vajra Rosary ” bcom ldan ’das . . . rdo rje phreng ba stong phrag bcu gnyis pa dang rdo rje phreng ba nyung ngu’i rgyud gnyis bstan par mdzad do/

1791.  Alaṁka (186B) has “black channel,” which he explains as “because it has the nature of being imperceptible,” mi dmigs pa’i ngo bon yid kyi phyir , in contrast to the Lhasa VR’s (53A) “channel of time,” dus kyi rtsa .

1792.  See Alaṁka 186B.

1793.  Alaṁka (187A): “‘Illuminating the intuition of the deity’ means having the actual nature of illuminating the transmundane orgasmic’; ‘Truly joining with the mantra that illumines’ means truly joining in the syllable HŪṀ, the main one of all because of being connected with the realization [or conceptualization if one follows Peking’s or Snarthang’s rtog instead of the other recensions’ rtogs ] in part of the three energy-winds; and ‘Being certain of the meaning of deity yoga’ means that the deity, through analyzing the conceptual energy-winds, is transmundane.” lha yi ye shes gsal bar byed/ ces bya ba ni ’jig rten las ’das pa’i lhang cig skyes pa gsal ba’i ngo bo nyid kyi bdag nyid can no/ gsal ba’i sngags su yang dag par sbyor zhes bya ba ni gsal ba ni thams cad kyi gtso bo HŪṀ yig la yang dag par sbyar ba ni/ rlung gsum po la cha shes su yongs su rtogs pas ’brel pa’i phyir ro/ lha yi rnal ’byor don nges pa/ zhes bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa’i rlung ’byed pas lha ni ’jig rten las ’das pa’o/

1794.  Alaṁka (187A) has de nyid gsum rather than de gsum /

1795.  Alaṁka (187B) has khyab , “pervading,” which I am translating, rather than the Tantra’s khab, “needle.”

1796.  Alaṁka (187B): “Vajrasattva is the truth body; the intuition hero is the enjoyment or beatific body; and the commitment hero is the emanation body, the yogi/nī.” ye shes sems dpa’ zhes bya ba ni rnal ’byor pa gcig pu’i spyod yul nyid kyis longs spyod rdzogs pa’i no bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ rdo rje sems zhes bya ba ni chos kyi sku’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro/ dam tshig sems dpa’ ste zhes bya ba ni sprul pa’i sku’i ngo bo nyid kyi phyir ro//

1797.  Alaṁka (187B) notes (quoting a slightly different text) how enlightenment spirit can flow through the body, “in the teeth and nails for example, the thirty-two [channels of] enlightenment spirit,” sum cu rtsa gnyis byang chub ’bab/ ces bya ba gsungs te/ so dang sen mo la sogs pa byang chub kyi sems sum cu trsa gnyis po rnams la’o//

1798.  Alaṁka (188A): meaning “the descending of semen, [ovum blood], and Kalāgni .” khu ba dang khrag dang dus kyi me ’bab pa’o//, referring to the intertwining of the three main channels at the navel knot.

1799.  I.e., Alaṁka (188A): “Pervading the four chakras, the actuality of the four great elements, because they don’t arise without them.” ’byung ba chen po bzhi’i ngo bo ’khor lo bzhi las khyab par byed pa ste/ de rnams med par de rnams mi ’byung ba’i phyir ro//

1800.  Alaṁka (189A): “Because it is the place of the mind.” sems kyi gnas nyid kyi phyir//

1801.  See Alaṁka 189B.

1802.  Alaṁka (190A): “Time refers here to both outer time, determined by the movements of the sun and the moon, and inner time, determined by the movement of breath.” phyi rol gyi zla ba dang nyi ma la sogs rgyu ba’i mtshan nid can dang/ nang gi bdag nyid can gyi dbugs dbyung ba dang ’jug pa’i mtshan nyid can la’o//

1803.  However, Alaṁka (190A) adds: “[But] it is deceiving,” yongs su slu byed yin  . . . /

1804.  Following Alaṁka (192A), who has “ear,” rna , rather than the Lhasa VR’s (55A) “nose,” sna .

1805.  I am following Alaṁka’s (193A) nor rgyal , “ dhanujit. ” As noted by Tsong Khapa, “The Vajra Rosary and Revelation of Intention use the same expressions for the first five, and for the latter five, nāga , kurma , kṛkalāsa , devadatta , and dhanujit (dragon, tortoise, chameleon, devadat , and dhanujit ); for this last one, some commentaries also call it dhanujit ( nor las rgyal )” (2010, 226).

1806.  Alaṁka (192B): “A type of energy-wind.” rlung gi rnam pa’o/

1807.  Following Alaṁka’s (193A) “awakening,” rab sad , rather than the VR’s “awakening the wall,” ra ba sad .

1808.  See Alaṁka 194A.

1809.  Following Alaṁka’s (194B) ’gro bar gyur , “go,” rather than the VR’s skye ba ni , “are born.”

1810.  Alaṁka (194B) notes that the external one year is one day internally.

1811.  Alaṁka (194B–195B) explains these energies in more familiar terms: dhanujit — definitively moving, nges par gyu ba [Alaṁka has rgyu , but I believe this is a scribal error]; drunk with arrogance — the evacuative energy causing the increase of blood and flesh, khrog dang sha ’phel ba’i rgyur gyur pa ; rgyags las myos pa yang gzhan ni ma yin te/ thur sel gyi rlung zhes bya ba’i don to/ ; arrogance water — the metabolic energy, increasing semen and greens, khu ba dang tsal ’phel bar byed pa ste/ mnyam gnas kyi ming gi rnam grangs so// ; lizard — completely descending, kun nas ’bab pa ni ming can no ; nāga — the ascending energy, gyen du rgyu ba’i rlung [should be gyu , as above]; sending/holding — the vitality energy, srog gi rlung , etc.

1812.  I.e., the next chapter of the VR.

1813.  See Alaṁka 196B.

1814.  Alaṁka (196B): “‘The essence’ is the creation stage and ‘the meaning of the essence’ the perfection stage.” snying pos ni bskyed pa’i rim pa’o/ snying po’ don bsdus pa zhes bya na ni rdzogs pa’i rim pa’i rnam pa’o//

1815.  Alaṁka (197A) says that the conceptuality of the aggregates “is in having the nature of the seed of the five buddhas,” lha mo bzhi’i sa bon kyi ngo ba , and that the conceptuality of the vajra realm is “the reality of the seed of the four goddesses,” lha mo bzh’ i sa bon gyi no bo’o// The reference point for all of this is the navel chakra.

1816.  See Alaṁka 197B.

1817.  Per Alaṁka (198A), “These conceptual energy-winds are those described in chapter 3, such as sending/holding etc.” rlung rnams de rnams rnam rtog ni/ zhes bya ba ni le’u gsum par gsungs pa’i btang bzung ba la sogs pa rnams kyi’o/ For a variant of these verses, see also Alaṁka 26A.

1818.  Per Alaṁka (198A), the creation stage. rnal ’byor drug ces bya ba ni bskyed pa’i rim pa . . ./

1819.  Per Alaṁka (198A), “‘Knowing yoga’ is knowing thoroughly the concentration of the creation stage.” rnal ’byor rig pas zhes bya ba ni bskyed pa’i rim pa’i ring nge ’dzin ni yongs su shes pa’o/

1820.  Alaṁka (198A) explains that “‘supremely” is because it becomes the cause of thatness with the character of body isolation. mchog tu zhes bya ba ni lus rnam par dben pa’i mtshan nyid can gyi de kho na nyid la rgyur gyur pa’i phyir ro/

1821.  Per Alaṁka (198A), “By reversing the conceptualities and energy-winds one attains bliss.” bde ba ster bar byed ces bya ba ni rnam par rtog pa dang rlung rnams bzlog pas bde ba thob par byed ces bya ba’o/

1822.  See Introduction n. 902–10, quoting Alaṁka (198B–199A).

1823.  I.e., including anuyoga, atiyoga, and mahāyoga. Alaṁka (199A).

1824.  Alaṁka (200A) “One expert in meditating the perfection stage,” rdzogs pa’i rim pa bsgom pa la mkhas pa’o .

1825.  Alaṁka (200A) notes: “‘Great intuition’ because it serves as the cause of the continuum of natural clear light. ‘Great yoga’ because it is more distinctively noble than the yoga of the creation stage” ye shes che zhes bya ba ni/ rang bzhin gyis ’od gsal bas brgyud pa rgyur gyur pa’i phyir ro/ rnal ’byor chen po zhes bya ba ni bskyed pa’i rim pa’i rnal ’byor las khyad pa du ’phags pa’i phyir ro//

1826.  See Alaṁka 200B.

1827.  For a variant reading, see Alaṁka 26B.

1828.  Alaṁka explains that “‘abandoning the sound drop’ means that one is “free from the energy-wind and sound drops located in the reality [heart] chakra.” thig le nā da rnam par spangs/ zhes bya ba ni rlung dang chos kyi ’khor lor gnas pa’i thig le nā da dag dang bral ba’o/

1829.  See Alaṁka 202A.

1830.  The conceptual energies described in chapter 3. Alaṁka (202B). brgya dang brgyad kyis zhes bya ba gsungs te/ le’u gsum pa gsungs pa’i cho gas so/

1831.  Lit. by their non-thing-ness, dngos po med pa yis. Lhasa VR 58B.

1832.  For a variant reading, see Alaṁka 26B.

1833.  Alaṁka (202B): “The sense powers and their objects.” dbang po dang yul yang dag par sbyor ba’i mtshan nyid can la’o//

1834.  Per Alaṁka (203A), the navel chakra . . . ’khor lo’i rim pa la ni brten/ zhes bya ba gsungs te/ sprul pa’i ’khor lo’i rim pas gnas/

1835.  Alaṁka (203A) has “From the disappearance of the consciousness of that, there is peace [reading rnams as rnam ],” de rnams shes nub pa las ni zhi .

1836.  Alaṁka (203A): “‘The reason vajra’ is the actuality of the five great syllogisms such as dependent arising, etc. Like a vajra, it overcomes the transitory collection like a mountain peak [over] all views.” rigs pa rdo rje zhes bya ba ni rten cing ’brel par ’byung ba la sogs pa gtan tshigs chen po lnga’i ngo bo’o/ rdo rje ltar ’jig tshogs la lta ba thams cad ri’i rtse mo ltar ’joms pa ni//

1837.  See Alaṁka 203A.

1838.  I.e., the six yogas of the perfection stage: (1) withdrawal ( so sor sdud, pratyāhāra ); (2) absorption (bsam gtan, dhyāna); (3) vitality control (srog rtsol, prāṇāyāma); (4) retention (dzin pa, dhāraṇā); (5) recollection (rjes su dran, anusmṛti); and (6) concentration (ting ’dzin, samādhi). See Esoteric Community Further Tantra, rgyud phyi ma, Tōh. 443, v. 141 (so sor sdud dang bsam gtan dang/ srog rtsol de bzhin ’dzin pa dang/ rjes su dran dang ting ’dzin te/ sbyor ba’i yan lag drug tu bshad//). See also Wayman 1977, 44–50. The Kalacakra tantric system also has the six yogas, albeit in a somewhat modified form. For an extensive discussion, also very helpful in understanding the Esoteric Community system, see N. Gyatso 2004, 391–584.

1839.  Alaṁka has the variant reading indicated at 26B in the question section, but in his commentary on chapter 38 has both, separated by a yang na .

1840.  I am following Alaṁka’s (203B) text here, which has “spoke,” rtsibs , instead of “type,” rnam pa . For a variant reading, see Alaṁka 26B.

1841.  Alaṁka (203B): i.e., the wind chakra has six channels; the fire three; the navel sixty-four; the throat sixteen, and the crown thirty-two.

1842.  Alaṁka (204A) Because it pervades the entire body. thams cad ces bya ba ni lus la’o//

1843.  Alaṁka (204A) has “in all letters,” yi ge kun la , instead of “unchanging,” mi ’gyur .

1844.  In the word commentary on the next verse, Alaṁka (204B) quotes the following (without indicating a source):

Brahma becomes the body vajra;

The speech vajra is great Shiva;

The mind vajra is Vajradhara,

That very one is wondrous Vishnu.

tshangs pa sku yi rdo rjer ’byur/ gsung gi rdo rje dbang phyug che/ thugs ni rdo rje ’dzin rgyal nyid/ de nyid khyab ’jug rdzu ’phrul ce/

1845.  Alaṁka (204B): “In the form of the syllable A, because it is like an echo.” mi shigs nā da’i zhes bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ nā da zhes bya ba ni A yig gi rnam pa ste brag ca dang ’dra ba nyid kyi phyir ro//

1846.  Following Alaṁka’s (204B) “grandfather,” mes po .

1847.  Alaṁka (205B): i.e., “with the shapes that exist in the upper and lower places in your own body.” Lus la steng dang ’og tu gnas pa’i dbyibs kyis so//

1848.  See Alaṁka 206A.

1849.  Alaṁka (206A): “‘Time’ is the time that makes the moon and the sun move” dus ni zla ba dang nyi ma rgyi bar byed pa’i dus te/ This line refers to external time.

1850.  Here I am following the Derge Alaṁka’s bsams dang bsam min ngo bo ni rather than the Lhasa VR’s bsam dang bsam bral rang dngos ni . Alaṁka (206A) explains: “It says, ‘The states of thinking and non-thinking’ because that is how they are experienced by yogi/nīs.” bsams dang bsam min ngo bo ni/ zhes bya ba gsungs te/ rnal ’byor pa rnams kyis nyams su myang bar bya ba nyid kyi phyir ro// This line refers to internal time.

1851.  I.e., inhaling. This could also be a reference not to ordinary breathing, but to Skt. kumbhaka , defined in Monier-Williams as “stopping the breath by shutting the mouth and closing the nostrils with the fingers of the right hand” (1990, 293).

1852.  In the first chapter of the Commentary , in the context of a brief discussion of the meaning of EVAM, Alaṁka (6B) quotes a similar verse; I am unsure if it is this verse of the Tantra or from some other source:

As it is said: From the two nostrils of the nose, [as for] the good time, the bad time, and the inconceivable time, coming [inhalation] is called the “good time,” going [exhalation] is called the “bad time.” It is said that “becoming as inconceivable, abandoning vitality and effort, abandoning exhalation and inhalation, liberated from going and coming, is expressed as ‘a certain occasion.’”

ji skad du/ bzang ba’i dus dang ngan pa’i dus/ bsam gyis mi khyab dus nyid dang/ sna yi bu ga gnyis nas ni/ ’ongs pa bsang pa’i dus zhes brjod/ song ba dus ngan zhes brjod do/ bsam gyis mi khyab de bzhin ’gyur/ srog dang rtsol ba rnam spangs pa/ ’byung dang ’jug pa spangs pa dang/ ’gro dang ’ong las rnam grol ba/ dus gcig ces ni brjod pa min/ zhes gsungs so/

The last line of the quote has “is not expressed” brjod pa min. I have speculated that “is not,” min, should be “is,” yin, and have translated it accordingly as “is expressed.” In his Commentary, Alaṁka (206B) has something rather different, “When vitality control falls evenly, it is a good time, reversing from the bad time.” srog dang rtsol ba gnyis mnyam pa ’bab gang du/ dus bzang dus ngan de las bzlogs pa’o//

1853.  I.e., having the leisure and opportunity to practice Dharma.

1854.  Alaṁka (207A) explains that this is because “of having the nature of losing bliss and the nature of being free from passion, and having conceptuality.” bde ba nyams pa’i ngo bo nyid dang/ chags bral gyi bdag nyid can nyid dang/ rtog pa dang bcas pa’i phyir ro //

1855.  I.e., inhaling.

1856.  I.e., holding.

1857.  I.e., exhaling.

1858.  Alaṁka (207A): “According to the system of the three breaths.”

1859.  I.e., the first words of the Tantra , “This is just what I heard at that one time . . .”

1860.  See Alaṁka 208A.

1861.  Following Alaṁka’s “form” or “base,” rten , rather than the Lhasa VR’s “serve,” bsten .

1862.  For variant readings of this and prior verse, see Alaṁka 27A.

1863.  See Alaṁka 209B.

1864.  Following Alaṁka’s (210A) chos kun dbus nas rather than the VR’s chos kyi dbyings nas.

1865.  Alaṁka (210B): “‘Pervading,’ because it is located in what is pervaded, with the nature of lacking elaboration, and not an object to engage because it is not in the realm of individual persons.” khyab cing zhes bya ba ni spros pa med pa’i bdag nyid gyis khyab bya rnams la gnas pa’i phyir ro/ spyod yul ma yin te zhes bya ba ni so so’i skye bo’i blo’i spyod yul ma yin pa nyid kyi phyir ro//

1866.  Alaṁka (210B): “Because it is covered by adventitious stains.” glo bur ba’i dri mas g.yogs pa’i phyir ro//

1867.  Playing on the well-known double meaning of bhaga , most famously in Buddha’s epithet, bhagavān , as “lucky one” or “one who got lucky.”

1868.  Alaṁka (211A): “Because it gives birth to things having the characteristics of the aggregates, etc., the bhaga is a triangle [ chos byung, which is literally chos — ‘things’ ’byung — ‘giving rise to’; translating the Skt. dharma udaya, dharmodaya , with the same two meanings].” chos ni phung po la sogs pa’i mtshan nyid can rnams skyed pa’i phyir te/ bha ga ni chos ’byung ngo//

1869.  See Alaṁka 212A.

1870.  Alaṁka (212A–B) interprets this to mean “It is said that you cannot break a vajra,” “because of the addiction of conceptuality you cannot open it, like an outer vajra [a diamond].” rdo rje mi phyed ces bya ba la sogs pa gsungs te/ rnam par rtog pa’i nyon mongs pas dbye bar mi nus pa’i phyir ro//

1871.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 27A.

1872.  I.e., the seed syllables. Alaṁka 212B. rdo rje skyed pa’i mtshan nyid ni/ zhes bya ba ni skyed pa’i sa bon zhes bya ba’i don to/

1873.  This is in the context of sexual yoga, bya ba’i sgo nas , Alaṁka (212B). Alaṁka has “Abiding in the center of the jewel,” nor bu lte bur , instead of the Pedurma VR’s “Abiding in the center of the lotus,” pad ma lte ba’i . Alaṁka (212B-213A) notes that “‘abiding in the center’ means abiding within the secret nose tip.” dbus gnas pa zhes bya ba ni gsang ba’i sna rtse’i nang du gnas pa’i phyir ro/ Here it is useful to recall Alaṁka’s earlier statement that the secret nose tip extends from the navel chakra to the end of the central channel at the tip of the vajra or lotus, Alaṁka (166A), and that, while in its description of the “secret nose tip,” the VR text refers only to vajra, VR 45B, ch. 24, v. 4, Alaṁka (166A) notes that “the tip of the lotus is also suitable.” rdo rje’i rtse’am padma’i sna rtser yang rung ste/

1874.  See Alaṁka 213B.

1875.  See Alaṁka 27B for variant readings of this and the prior verse.

1876.  See Alaṁka 215B.

1877.  For a variant reading, see also Alaṁka 27B.

1878.  This refers to the “reality seal” mentioned in the first verse. Alaṁka 216A.

1879.  Alaṁka (217A) has “a mantri [has] fitness of mind,” sngags kyis las su rung ba’i blo .

1880.  Alaṁka (217A) has “the characteristic of showing exactly by example,” ji ltar dpes mtshon mtshan nyid ni .

1881.  Alaṁka (217A) has “ascertaining the space of reality,” chos nyid ram mkha’ nges pa , which he explains as “penetrating,” nges pa zhes bya ba ni nges par ’byed pa ste , rather than the Lhasa VR’s “from the door of reality,” chos nyid sgo nas , but the reference to the yoginī’s bhaga is clear in either case.

1882.  Alaṁka (217A) has “one-pointed,” rtse gcig , instead of the Lhasa VR’s “absorbed in,” zhen la .

1883.  I.e., mother. Alaṁka 219A.

1884.  Alaṁka (219A) explains that this means either by “experiencing great bliss or by abandoning thoughts of difference” bde ba chen po nyams su myong ba’am/ tha dad pa’i rtog pa spangs pa nyid kyis so// What follows is the explanation of the seals from the perspective of “complete purity,” ma la sogs pa’i rnam par dag pa brjod pa’i phyir/

1885.  Or “mistress,” which may account for her taste as “spicy,” below.

1886.  A number of the channels of the navel and crown chakras have names containing rgyags, Skt. madā , “arrogance” or “mental inflation.” VR 33A–34A.

1887.  Alaṁka (219B) has spyi bo phyed phyed lhag par gnas, “taking up more than half of the crown [chakra],” which he glosses by “explained by dividing it into upper and lower and by the falling of blood. As it is said, ‘the channels of excrement, moon, sun, Rāhu, and the fire of time.’” steng dang ’og gi dbye bas bshad pa dang/ khrag ’bab pa’i phyir ro/ ji skad du/ bshang gci zla ba nyi ma dang/ sgra gcan dus kyi me yi rtsa/ zhes gsungs so/

1888.  The Narthang recension of Alaṁka ends here.

1889.  Alaṁka’s (220A) Commentary ends here, quoting “one who desires attainments should rely on [them],” dngos grub ’dod pas bsten par bya, without explaining the quote, suggesting that more was intended and either has been lost or was not completed.

1890.  The Derge recension of Alaṁka ends with commentary on this verse. The only further entry in the Commentary is the colophon to chapter 45, which suggests missing material.

1891.  See Alaṁka 219B.

1892.  Per Alaṁka chapter 1’s quotations from the VR in the context of the 82 questions, JINAJIK (27B), i.e., Vairochana.

1893.  Per Alaṁka (27B), VAJRADHṚK, i.e., Akshobhya.

1894.  Per Alaṁka (27B), RATNADHṚK, i.e., Ratnasambhava.

1895.  Per Alaṁka (27B), AROLAṀKA, i.e., Amitābha, who “crosses over” from his abode in the Western Paradise to help beings.

1896.  Per Alaṁka, PRAJÑĀDHṚK (27B), i.e., Amoghasiddhi.

1897.  For variant readings of this and prior verse, see also Alaṁka 27B.

1898.  Lit. “ignorance delight.”

1899.  Lit. “anger delight.”

1900.  Lit. “passion delight.”

1901.  Lit. “vajra delight.”

1902.  No variation per Alaṁka 27B.

1903.  Rdul , “dust,” sometimes is associated with passion; in the Sankhya system, rdul is rajas (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1904.  Reading lding for ldib .

1905.  These are put somewhat differently in Alaṁka’s (28A) discussion of the forty-fifth question put by Vajrapāṇi in the first chapter of the Commentary :

“The division of the tastes and” [means], in the time of engaging in the Great Seal, “the eight moods” of trembling, passion, hairs standing on end, breaking into song, shaking, changing the method, breaking down in tears and goodness. It becomes similar to “What are the divisions of the erotic mood?” The question on the subject of that is the forty-fifth.

phyag rgya chen po la ’jug pa’i dus su/ ’dar dang rdul dang ba spu langs/ dbyangs kyi dbye ba sprug pa dang/ lugs bsgyur mchi ma thim pa dang/ snying stobs nyams ni brgyad pa rnams/ zhes gsungs so/ de lta bur gyur pa’i sgeg pa’i nyams kyi dbye ba rnams ji lta bu zhes de’i yul la dri ba bzhi bcu rtsa lnga pa’o//

1906.  Alaṁka (118B): “The ascending energy-wind.”

1907.  See also Alaṁka 28A for a variant reading of this chapter to here.

1908.  The metabolic energy. Alaṁka 118B.

1909.  Reading lang or ldang , “rise,” for lngar , “as five” to be consistent with spu langs , two verses above.

1910.  Reading rasanā for nasara.

1911.  Following Stok Palace, which has ldip ba (220B, l. 4), rather than the Lhasa VR’s lding pa (65B).

1912.  This channel makes the sound “rrrrrr” (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1913.  Ahaṁ is “I” in Sanskrit.

1914.  For a variant reading up to this point of this verse and the prior verse, see Alaṁka 28A.

1915.  I.e., sattva , the best of the three guṇa s.

1916.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 28A.

1917.  Beginning here, the sixteen bracketed numbers designate the sixteen emptinesses. They are summarized in Table 5 of the Introduction.

1918.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 28A.

1919.  Following Alaṁka’s (28B) “six,” drug , instead of the Lhasa VR’s “vast,” rgya .

1920.  This differs from the Esoteric Community sādhana, which has vajra, wheel, and lotus in the right hands, and bell, jewel, and sword in the lefts. Thurman 1996, 223.

1921.  Here I am taking ’byung po , found in all the Pedurma recensions, usually “spirit” or “ghost” in Tibetan, as ’byung pa , “elements.” Both derive from the Skt. bhūta. Luminance follows the dissolution of the elements. For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 28B.

1922.  Luminance connects to the vowels and the moon-white color. Radiance connects to the consonants and the solar red color.

1923.  For a variant reading, see Alaṁka 28B.

1924.  See n. 703 above for a discussion of mtshams , “twilight” or “interval.”

1925.  Although all the VR Pedurmas have shes rab at this point, I am here following Alaṁka (29A), who has ye shes at this point (and indeed ye shes rdo rje is used in many places throughout the VR). The intuition vajra is discussed earlier in VR, chapter 6, v. 8.

1926.  For a variant reading of this chapter up to here, see Alaṁka 29A. Mtshams med also refers to the five acts of immediate retribution, i.e., going directly to hell without the interval of the bardo , so this line could also be translated “Purifying inexpiable hell [and] cyclic life.” Multivalence, however, is always the primary suspect here.

1927.  OṀ GHA GHA GHATAYA GHATAYA . . ., etc.

1928.  According to Lozang Jamspal: if one is practicing in one’s house, not in solitude (personal communication).

1929.  According to Lozang Jamspal, image or stupa (personal communication).

1930.  According to Lozang Jamspal, perhaps this is counting OM AH HŪṀ on the fingers in the Indian way (personal communication).

1931.  From the elbow to the end of one’s fingers.

1932.  HŪṀ HŪṀ PHAT or PHAT SVĀ HĀ.

1933.  Vajrasattva.

1934.  Reading tshwa sgo , “burning,” for tsha rgo , “salty.”

1935.  Reading ma bsal , “without having to purify,” for ma gsal , “unclear.”

1936.  I.e., of cow parts: Apte p. 587, col. 3: curds, clarified butter, ghee, urine, dung; p. 293: ba byung lnga are cow dung, urine, milk, butter, and yogurt.

1937.  I.e., the nineteen-deity mandala of the Jñānapada system.

1938.  Per Lozang Jamspal, the brahma line means in the middle (personal communication).

1939.  Per Lozang Jamspal, striking the line so it leaves a line of water and saying OṀ AH HŪṀ (personal communication).

1940.  Per Lozang Jamspal, east to west and south to north (personal communication).

1941.  I.e., per Lozang Jamspal, hand mudras in substitution of substances (personal communication).

1942.  Lit. “the conqueror of conquerors,” i.e., Vairochana.

1943.  Lit. “the jewel holder,” i.e., Ratnasambhava.

1944.  Lit. “the transcender of cyclic life,” i.e., Amitābha.

1945.  Lit. the “scientist” or “wisdom holder,” i.e., Amoghasiddhi.

1946.  Lit. “ignorance, hatred, lust, and vajra ecstasy.”

1947.  Lhasa VR has SA.

1948.  Reading dag , “pure,” for drag , “fierce.”

1949.  Reading bum pa for bum ba .

1950.  I.e., one hundred eight times.

1951.  Following Stok Palace’s rnam pa , “form,” p. 457, rather than Lhasa’s nam kha , “sky.”

1952.  I.e., their consorts.

1953.  Reading las for la sa .

1954.  Ignoring the tshig , reading las , “from,” rather than la sa , “ground to.” Lozang Jamspal points out that the vowels are considered to be female (personal communication).

1955.  “Oh Lord, come, come.”

1956.  I.e., OṀ AH HŪṀ, or KĀYAVĀKCHITTAVAJRA.

1957.  Following Stok Palace’s khor pa , “person of the mandala,” rather than Lhasa’s khor ba , “cyclic life.”

1958.  I.e., your own name.

1959.  Stok Palace has BA for Lhasa’s RBA, which makes sense for Skt. svabhāva .

1960.  I.e., goddesses.

1961.  I.e., terrifying deities.

1962.  I.e., bodhisattvas.

1963.  I.e., Akshobhya.

1964.  Agaru (eaglewood) is less prized than sandalwood; most prized is white sandalwood, then red, then agaru (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1965.  I.e., pouring water over the mirror reflection of the deities (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1966.  You bathe them with saffron and sugar, etc. (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1967.  The Lhasa text has PADMA, but PHAṀ makes more sense here.

1968.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has U.

1969.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has HĀ.

1970.  Stok Palace has MĀ NU SHĀ NĀ MA.

1971.  Lhasa VR has MU DRA.

1972.  Stok Palace has visarga , Lhasa VR does not.

1973.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has PRA GR.

1974.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has UP Ā TĀ NA.

1975.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has MA NA SHA YAN TU.

1976.  The disciples.

1977.  Per Lozang Jamspal, the ring and middle fingers (personal communication).

1978.  Per Stok; Lhasa VR has CHA KSHA.

1979.  This mantra is from Stok Palace, per Lozang Jamspal’s suggestion (personal communication).

1980.  Following Stok Palace’s LO CA NE rather than Lhasa VR’s LO CA NI.

1981.  Per Lozang Jamspal, the thumb sticking up from the fist (personal communication).

1982.  Per Stok Palace; Lhasa VR has SHU DDHE.

1983.  Measuring on the cord fingers on each side, making a triangle (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1984.  I.e., visualizing that a blessing is coming (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

1985.  Reading scol instead of scal .

1986.  Reading las rather than la.

1987.  I.e., the bliss of nirvana. See Lama Chöpa , v. 53, in T. Gyatso 1988.

1988.  Reading bsten for bstan .

1989.  Lhasa VR has tha ; phat may make more sense here.

1990.  Per Lozang Jamspal, myrrh would customarily be burned in a ritual at Likir Monastery to frighten spirits (personal communication).

1991.  Per Lozang Jamspal, the guru does the consecration, waving incense in front of the students (personal communication).

1992.  Stok Palace has mu ku ta , crown.

1993.  Water, crown, flower, vajra, and name.

1994.  I.e., “EAT LIBERATION!”

1995.  The intuition beings.

1996.  Abiding Field Protector, abiding beyond the [protection] wheel, very good food, very good food, eat, eat, and please give me attainments.

1997.  OṀ, then the body of the mantra, then ĀH HŪṀ PHAT SVĀHĀ.

1998.  Perhaps referring to the eighth or eighth through tenth of the ten bodhisattva stages or bhūmi s. See Powers 2004, 23.

1999.  For a variant reading of this paragraph, see Alaṁka 29B.

2000.  Taking Alaṁka’s (29B) “stone,” rdo , parallel to verse 1, rather than the Lhasa VR’s (82B) “vajra,” rdor.

2001.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 29B. The first verse in the chapter is identical in Alaṁka.

2002.  For a variant reading of these two lines, see Alaṁka 29B.

2003.  This verse is quoted in the Sanskrit CMP and differs somewhat from the Tibetan of both the Lhasa VR and the Derge cited by Wedemeyer (2007, 158 n. 28):

pañca-hṛdayam āśitya pañca-tantu-vinirgatam/

pañca-vāyu-samāyuktaṁ pañca-kāmopabhoga-kṛd iti//

Wedemeyer (2007, 354) translates this as:

In dependence on the five hearts,

Brought forth from the five continua,

Conjoined with the five airs,

[It is] the creator of the enjoyment of the five [objects of] desire.

The Tibetan of both the Derge and Lhasa is: yul ni lnga ni nges gnas te/ rgyud lngar nges par ’byung ba ni/ rmi lam rlung dang ldan pa ru/ ’dod pa lnga rnams spyod par byed// Derge rGyud, vol. Ca, 263a; Lhasa VR 103B.

2004.  For variant readings of this and previous paragraph, see Alaṁka 29B.

2005.  I.e., Buddha is conventional and the dharmamudra is ultimate.

2006.  A variant reading from beginning of chapter to here can be found at Alaṁka 30A.

2007.  Reading brten , “supported,” for rten , “support.”

2008.  For a variant reading of this verse and the preceding paragraph, see Alaṁka 30A.

2009.  Here the PU Annotations glosses “nature” as bdag nyid dam rang bzhin gyi rtog pa so gsum , “nature or the thirty-three instinctual natures” (79).

2010.  Here, following Tsong Khapa’s PU Annotations , I am translating Skt. virāma , Tib. ’dod chags bral , as “aversion,” referring to the thirty-three instinctual natures associated with luminance. Wayman 1977, 185–86; Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 79. See also Wedemeyer 2007, 775–76.

2011.  Skt. ekāropi sato prajñā virāmādikṣaṇātmikā/ etanmūlam vinirdiṣṭaṁ parijñānaṁ bhavatraye. Wayman 1977, 185; PU, ekā cāpi satī prajñā virāgādikṣaṇātmikā/ etanmūlaṁ vinirdiṣṭaṁ parijñānaṁ bhavatraye//

2012.  The PU Annotations has snang ba mched pa’i rnam par shes . 79.

2013.  The PU Annotations has snang ba gsal ba , Skt. per Lokesh Chandra as pratibhāsa ; the PU Annotations has snang ba mched pa , 79, “luminance-radiance”; PU has ālokābhāsa (Wayman 1977, 186).

2014.  Skt. vaṁsas tad bhavad ãbhāti rāgādriprasavānvitam/ ālokābhāsa-vijñānam upāya iti saṁjñitam (Wayman 1977, 186). PU, vaṁśas taṁbhavad ābhāti rāgādiprasavānvitam / ālokābhāsavijñānamupāyamiti saṁjñitam//

2015.  Per the PU Annotations , clear light. 79.

2016.  The PU version of the verse quoted in the PU Annotations has lugs las ldog pa’i ma rig pa’o , “the ignorance of the reverse method,” instead of the Lhasa VR’s ma rig pa ni bzlog pa yin , “the reverse (or opposite) of ignorance” or “reversing ignorance.” Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 80. Wayman has “In the reverse order, the great science is itself the root of nescience.” Wayman 1977, 187.

2017.  Skt. mahāvidyā svayaṁ mūlam avidyayā vilomataḥ/ avidyayā bhavec caitat tasmād ālokasaṁbhavaḥ. See Wayman 1977, 187. PU, mahāvidyā svayaṁ mūlaṁ avidyāyā vilomataḥ/ avidyāyā bhaveccaitat tasmād ālokasaṁbhavaḥ// The PU Annotations explains that in the reverse method, birth, clear light gives rise to imminence (the referent of “ignorance” in the VR and the PU), which in turn gives rise to radiance and luminance (80).

2018.  Skt. yāti vijñānam ādau tad ālokābhāsa-saṁjñitam/ tan mahāśūnyatāṁ yāti sā ca yāti prabhāsvaram . Wayman 1977, 190. PU, yāti vijñānamādau tadālokābhāsasaṁjñitam/ tanmahāśūnyatāṁ yāti sā ca yāti prabhāsvaram//

2019.  Following the PU Annotations ’s thos pa, “heard,” rather than the Lhasa VR’s thob pa, “attained.” Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 80.

2020.  Skt. śrutaṁ yad iha vijñānam ābhāsatrayalakṣaṇam/ prakṛtīnām idaṁ mūlaṁ sattvadhātor aśeṣataḥ . Wayman 1977, 192. PU, śrutaṁ yadiha vijñānam ābhāsatrayalakṣaṇam/ prakṛtīnām idaṁ mūlaṁ sattvadhātor aśeṣataḥ//

2021.  As Tsong Khapa puts it, “The process of birth and death is caused by energy, and the arisal of the four voids is during the period between the dissolving and arising of the energy mobilizing the natural instincts. Thus, the natural instincts are derived from the increased movement of the three luminances, and thus it is said that the three luminances are the root of the natural instincts of all beings” (2010, 256).

2022.  Skt. tam ekaikam arthābhāsaṁ vāyus saṁgṛhya dhārayet/ vāyuyuktaṁ ca vijñānaṁ śaśvaj jagati vartate , translated by Wayman as “The wind seizing, takes hold of that entity-light in each case, and vijñāna joined with vayū (wind) continually operates in the world of living beings.” Wayman 1977, 195. PU, tam ekaikam arthābhāsaṁ vāyuḥ saṁgṛhya dhārayet/ vāyuyuktaṁ ca vijñānaṁ śaśvaj jagati vartate//

All the Pedurma recensions except for Lithang and Cone have LAM at the beginning of the second couplet in the Sanskrit/third line in the Tibetan, but clearly there is no “LAṀ” following śrutam in the nidāna, and the PU and PU Annotations do not have it, but have the entire verse as part of the comment on TAṀ. Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 81.

2023.  Skt. eṣo vāyur mahādhātur vijñānatrayavāhanaḥ/ tebhyaḥ prakṛtayaḥ śaśvan nirgacchanti yathā yathā. Wayman 1977, 201. PU, eṣa vāyu rmahādhātur vijñānatrayavāhanaḥ/ tebhyaḥ prakṛtayaḥ śaśvan nirgacchanti yathā yathā// See Wedemeyer 1999 glossary, 404, and 293 n. 4.

2024.  The PU Annotations has rnam par shes pas , 82, rather than the Lhasa VR’s rnam par shes par (85B).

2025.  Skt. kaḥ khaṭidhātur āpaś ca tejo vāyus tathaiva ca/ upādāya tu vijñānaṁ jāyate tribhavālaye. Wayman 1977, 204. PU, kaḥkhaṭo dhātur āpaśca tejovāyustathāiva ca/ upādāya tu vijñānaṁ jāyate tribhavālaye//

2026.  This should be SMIN rather than the Lhasa VR’s SMI, and is so in the PU Annotations. Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations , 82.

2027.  Skt. asmiṁś ca pañca saṁbhūtāḥ skandhās saṁskṛtilakṣaṇāḥ/ rūpavin nāma saṁskārā vijñānaṁ caiva pañcamaṁ. Wayman 1977, 207; PU, asmiṁśca pañca saṁbhūtāḥ skandhāḥ saṁskṛtilakṣaṇāḥ/ rūpavinnāmasaṁskārā vijñānaṁ caiva pañcamam// The Tibetan lotsawa s apparently expanded the Sanskrit for the last half of the verse, which had saṁskārā stand in for the middle three of the five aggregates, vedanā, saṁjñā, and saṁskārā . See Wayman 1977, 207.

2028.  Skt. samatāpratyavekṣaṇā kṛtyānuṣṭhānam eva ca/ ādarśo dharmadhātuś ca asmin vijñānapañcakaḥ. Wayman 1977, 213. PU, samatā pratyavekṣā ca kṛtyānuṣṭhānameva ca/ ādarśo dharmadhātuśca asmin vijñānapañcakam//

2029.  Skt. manasāyatanaṁ caiva locane śravane tathā/ ghrāṇajihvā tataḥ kȳaś cety āyatanasaṁbhavaḥ. Wayman 1977, 215. PU, manasāyatanaścaiva locane śravaṇe tathā/ ghrāṇajihvā tataḥ kāya ityāyatanasaṁbhavaḥ//

2030.  Skt. ye vai traidhātuke sattvāḥ prāṇāyāma-samāśritāḥ/ mantrarājaṁ japanty ajñā dhyānādhyāpana-varjitāḥ. Wayman 1977, 217. Wayman has “miss the ‘mental reading’” (1977, 8). PU, ye vai traidhātuke sattvāḥ prāṇāyāmasamāśritāḥ/ mantrarājaṁ japanty ajñā dhyānādhyāyanavarjitāḥ// The Sanskrit is dhyānādhyāyanavarjitāḥ , which could also be instruction ( dhyānādhy-āpana ) in concentration, a tatpuruṣa .

2031.  The version in the PU Annotations has BHA/ ’byung ba’di las rang bzhin yang , “From this element, again the instinctual natures [arise]” (84).

2032.  Skt. bhaviny asmin prakṛtayo rāgārāgādikāḥ punaḥ/ tābhya(ḥ) śubhāśubhaṁ karma tato janma-samudbhava. Wayman 1977, 227. PU, bhavantyasmin prakṛtayo rāgārāgādikāḥ punaḥ/ tābhyaḥ śubhāśubhaṁ karma tato janmasamudbhavaḥ//

2033.  Skt. gatiḥ saṁbhavati skandhaḥ pañcabuddhātmakaḥ punaḥ/ pañcākārābhisaṁbodhir iti nāma pracoditaḥ. Wayman 1977, 228. PU, gatiḥ saṁbhavati skandhaḥ pañcabuddhātmakaḥ punaḥ/ pañcākārābhisaṁbodheriti nāma pracoditaḥ//

2034.  One who has experience “of the three, luminance, radiance, and imminence, after engaging in meditative equipoise relying on the subtle mediation on the lower door,” ’og sgo’i phra mo bsgoms pa la brten nas mnyam gzhag tu snang mched thob gsum gyi ye shes bdag nyid can gsum (Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations, 85), i.e., mastering the subtle creation stage.

2035.  Skt. vāyus tejo jalaṁ (bhūmir) locanādicatuṣṭayam/ jñānatrayātmakajñeyaṁ buddhabodhipradāyakam. Wayman 1977, 232. PU, vāyustejojalamurvī locanādi catuṣṭayam/ jñānatrayātmakaṁ jñeyaṁ buddho bodhipradāyakaḥ//

2036.  Skt. sarvatathāgataḥ kāyaś caturmudrayā mudritaḥ/ cakṣurādyātmanā tatra kṣitigarbhādijinaurasāḥ. Wayman 1977, 238. PU, sarvatāthāgataḥ kāyāścaturmudrāsamādṛtaḥ/ cakṣurādyātmanā tatra kṣitigarbhādi jinaurasāḥ//

2037.  Skt. arvanti ye tu tuṣṭā vai krodharājamahābalāḥ/ tān digvidik-svabhāveṣu bhujādyaṅgeṣu lakṣayet. Wayman 1977, 243. PU, arvanti ye tu duṣṭā vai krodharājamahābalāḥ/ tāṁ digvidikṣu bhāveṣu bhujādyaṅgeṣu lakṣayet//

2038.  Skt. tattatkulasamudbhūtā devā devyaḥ pṛtagvidhāḥ/ na te santi na tāḥ santi sattvārthaṁ pratidarśitā. Wayman 1977, 246. PU, tattaddeśasamudbhūtā devā devyaḥ pṛthagvidhāḥ/ na te santi na tāḥ santi sattvārthaṁ pratidarśitāḥ//

2039.  The Sanskrit has the ablative jñānatrayanirdaśanāt ; perhaps the Tibetan should have been mthong pas .

2040.  Skt. sthātavyaṁ viṣayeṣu asmād yoginādvayadarśinā/ hinamadhyapraṇīteṣu jñānatrayanidarśanāt. Wayman 1977, 251. PU, sthātavyaṁ viṣayeṣvasmād yoginādvayadarśinā/ hīnamadhyapraṇīteṣu jñānatrayanidarśanāt//

2041.  Skt. gacchann asty indriyas tat tat svayaṁ svaviṣayaṁ prati/ ābhāsamātrakaṁ tat tad yad yad indriyagocaram. Wayman 1977, 255. PU, gacchatve indriyaṁ tattat svayaṁ svaviṣayaṁ prati/ ābhāsamātrakaṁ tattad yad yad indriyagocaram//

2042.  The PU Annotations has de bzhin de rnams ma lus par , “completely . . . those Transcendent Lords,” 88, and the PU sakalaṁ , “completely,” Wayman 1977, 13, in place of the Lhasa VR’s de bzhin de las ma gsungs par , “not spoken.” The PU Annotations and PU are, not surprisingly, consistent, and would seem the better choice here, but the sense of the Lhasa VR is not that different, so I will go with the latter.

2043.  Skt. tattadindriyamārgeṇa viṣayaṁ prāpya sādhakaḥ/ tathāgatebhyas sakalaṁ prīṇanāya nivedayet. Wayman 1977, 257. PU, tattadindriyamārgeṇa viṣayaṁ prāpya sādhakaḥ/ tathāgatebhyaḥ sakalaṁ prīṇanāya nivedayet// The Sanskrit adds “to the Tathāgatas” to “to give satisfaction.”

2044.  In the creation stage. Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations , 89.

2045.  Skt. kāyatrayaṁ samuddiṣṭaṁ pṛthagbhāvena tāyinā/ ekākāraṁ punar yāti niṣpannakramayogataḥ. Wayman 1977, 261. PU, kāyatrayaṁ samuddiṣṭaṁ pṛthagbhāvena tāyinā/ ekākāraṁ punaryāti niṣpannakramayogataḥ//

2046.  Skt. yat satyaṁ saṁvṛtiḥ proktaṁ buddhānāṁ kāyalakṣaṇaṁ/ sa eṣo niṣpannayoga(ḥ) syāt prabhāsvaraviśuddheḥ. Wayman 1977, 267. PU, yatsatyaṁ saṁvṛteḥ proktaṁ buddhānāṁ kāyalakṣaṇam/ sa eṣa niṣpannayogaḥ syāt prabhāsvaraviśuddhitaḥ//

2047.  I.e., mantra.

2048.  Wayman notes that the Tibetan does not follow the Sanskrit of the PU, which has sarvasattvahitāc ca-apa , “apart from the benefit of all sentient beings” (1977, 270–71), but the Tibetan makes sense here, and it is likely that the translators of the VR into Tibetan had other Sanskrit texts at hand.

2049.  Skt. vākpathasyaiva viṣayaḥ kāyo jñānamayaḥ prabhuḥ/ sarvasattvahitārthāya dṛśyate śakracāpavat. Wayman 1977, 270. PU, vākpathasyaiva viṣayaḥ kāyo jñānamayaḥ prabhuḥ/ sarvasattvahitārthāya dṛśyate śakracāpavat//

2050.  Skt. cittaṁ caitiasikāvidyā prajñopāyopalabdhikaṁ/ śūnyātiśūnyamahāśūnyam iti cāpi pragīyate. Wayman 1977, 273. PU, cittaṁ caitasikāvidyā prajñopāyopalabdhikam/ śūnyātiśūnyamahāśūnyamiti cāpi pragīyate//

2051.  Skt. tataścaryāṁ prakurvita prakṛtyābhāsabhedavit/ karmakāyaṁ parityajya vajradehatvam āpnuyāt. Wayman 1977, 279. PU, tataścaryāṁ prakurvīta prakṛtyābhāsabhedavit/ karmakāyaṁ parityajya vajradehatvam āpnuyāt//

2052.  Skt. hṛdi kṛtvārthācaryāṁ vai laukikiṁ sa tathāgataḥ/ nirmāya saṁvṛtaṁ kāyaṁ kāmāṁś cared yathāyatham. Wayman 1977, 287. PU, hṛdi kṛtvārthacaryāṁ vai laukikīṁ sa tathāgataḥ/ nirmāya sāṁvṛtaṁ kāyaṁ kāmān bhuṅkte yathāyatham//

2053.  Skt. dadāti prārthitaṁ sarvaṁ cintāmaṇir ivāparam/ haṭha(ś) cāhṛtya kurute buddhānām api saṁpadam. Wayman 1977, 289. PU, dadāti prārthitaṁ sarvaṁ cintāmaṇir ivāparaḥ/ haṭhād āhṛtya bhuṅkte ca buddhānāmapi sampadaḥ//

2054.  Skt. yad yad indriyamārgatvam āyas tat tat svabhāvataḥ/ asamāhitayogena nityam eva samāhitaḥ. Wayman 1977, 293. PU, yad yadicchati yogendrastattat kuryādanāvṛtaḥ/ asamāhitayogena nityameva samāhitaḥ/ The CG states that the three knowledges are the three luminances. Ibid 294.

2055.  Skt. vajrapadmasamāyogāj jñānatrayavibhāgavit/ liptāliptamatis tatra sukhena viharet sadā. Wayman 1977, 294. PU, vajrapadma samāyogāj jñānatrayavibhāgavit| liptāliptamatis tatra sukhena viharet sadā//

2056.  Skt. jṛmbhate sarvabhāvātmā māyopamasamādhinā/ karoti buddhakṝtyāni sampradāyapadasthitaḥ. Wayman 1977, 296. PU, jṛmbhate sarvabhāvātmā māyopamasamādhinā/ karoti buddhakṛtyāni saṁpradāyapade sthitaḥ//

2057.  Skt. yogaś caivātiyogaś ca mahāyogaḥ svayaṁ bhavet/ vajrī ca ḍākinī caiva tayor yogaś ca yaḥ svayam. Wayman 1977, 298. PU, yogaścaivātiyogaśca mahāyogaḥ svayaṁ bhavet/ vajrī ca ḍākinī caiva tayoryogaśca yaḥ svayam//

2058.  The Lhasa VR has BHE here, which could be in error, as the Sanskrit would be yoṣīdbhebhageṣu rather than yoṣīdbhageṣu. However, perhaps the bhe is substituting for the d at the end of yoshīd (87A).

2059.  Skt. niṣiddham api kṛtvā vai kṛtyākṛtya-vivarjitaḥ/ na lipyate svabhāvajñaḥ padmapatram ivāmbhasā. Wayman 1977, 302. PU, niṣiddhamapi kṛtvā vai kṛtyākṛtyavivarjitaḥ/ na lipyate syabhāvajñaḥ padmapatramivāmbhasā//

2060.  Skt. bhavaty aṣṭaguṇaiś caryair upetaḥ sarvavit svayam/ vicarey jñānadehena lokadhātor aśeṣataḥ. Wayman 1977, 314. PU, bhavatyaṣṭaguṇaiscaryairupetaḥ sarvavit svayam/ vicarej jñānadehena lokadhāturaśeṣataḥ//

2061.  Skt. gehaṁ tasyāmbaraś caiva yatra sa carati prabhuḥ/ tatraiva ramate nityaṁ mahāsukhasamādhinā. Wayman 1977, 316. PU, gehastasyāmbaraṁ caiva yatra saṁcarate prabhuḥ/ tatraiva ramate nityaṁ mahāsukhasamādhinā//

2062.  Skt. eṣu evābhāsabhedeṣu sandhyā-rātri-diṇeṣu ca/ vyavahāraḥ kṛto loke jñānatrayanidarśanāt. Wayman 1977, 320. PU, eṣvevābhāsabhedeṣu sandhyārātridineṣu ca/ vyavahāraḥ kṛto loke jñānatrayanidarśanāt//

2063.  While the Lhasa and Narthang have lan gsum, “the three times,” the other recensions have lam gsum , the “three paths.”

2064.  Skt. vicitravyavahārāś ca laukikaiḥ parikalpitāḥ/ pathatrayavibhāgena jñānatrayasamudbhavāḥ. Wayman 1977, 324. PU, vicitravyavahārāśca laukikaiḥ parikalpitāḥ/ arthatrayavibhāgena jñānatrayasamudbhavāḥ//

2065.  Skt. janma ca sthitibhaṅgena antarābhavasaṁsthitiḥ/ yāvantyaḥ kalpanā loke cittavāyu-vijṛmbhitaḥ. Wayman 1977, 325. PU, janma ca sthitibhaṅgena antarābhavasaṁsthitiḥ/ yāvantyaḥ kalpanā loke cittavāyuvijṛmbhitam//

2066.  Here, the Lhasa and Narthang recensions differ from both the Sanskrit and other recensions in having in the first line rgod dang rtse mo byed pa dang , which could be translated as “getting turned on and getting to peak.” The rest of the other recensions other than Peking have dgod dang rtsed mo byed pa dang, “laughing and playing.” Peking has rgod dang rtsed mo, also “laughing and playing.” Wayman, 327. PU, hāsya-lāsyakriyāścaiva navanāṭyarasānvitāḥ/ mudrāmantra-vikalpāśca vajrasattvaviceṣṭitam//

2067.  Skt. ratnam anyam na cāstīha svādhiṣṭānād mahat/ prabhāsvaraviśuddhaṁ ced vahniśuddho maṇir yathā. Wayman 1977, 330. PU, ratnamanyanna cāstīha svādhiṣṭhānādṛte mahat/ prabhāsvaraviśuddhaṁ ced vahniśuddho maṇiryathā//

2068.  Stok Palace has rnam rtog, “conceptuality” or “conceptual consciousness,” vol. Ca, 239A, l. 6, instead of the Lhasa VR’s rnam rtag (87B).

2069.  For a variant reading of this chapter up to here, see Alaṁka 30A.

2070.  Reading rin chen rgyal mtshan as an alternative form of rin chen ’byung ldan , both indicating Ratnasambhava.

2071.  For a variant reading of this and preceding paragraph, see Alaṁka 30A–B.

2072.  Lit. vajra water.

2073.  Lit. great dirt.

2074.  I.e., the yogi/nī and consort.

2075.  Skt. gaṇacakra .

2076.  For a variant reading up to here and the preceding paragraph, see Alaṁka 30B.

2077.  I.e., you need both.

2078.  I.e., from your cupped palms (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

2079.  Tib. dpa’ bo , “hero,” is probably Skt. vīrya , which can also mean “semen.”

2080.  For a variant reading of this paragraph, see Alaṁka 30B.

2081.  I.e., experience orgasm. See Hartzell 1997, 932, quoting the Kālacakratantra : “When the wisdom consort’s dharma rises, i.e., when she has an orgasm, and the male initiate’s ‘pleasure’ ( sukham ) falls, i.e., when he ejaculates.”

2082.  Reading bstan as bsten , although bstan , “teaches” or “shows” as referring to the guru, also makes sense here.

2083.  “KSHMIM — I offer the leftovers to the field protector.”

2084.  Although the Tibetan has rnal ’byor pa , “yogi,” I think the context calls for rnal ’byor ma , “yoginī.”

2085.  Reading rlon for rlo.

2086.  See CMP (Wedemeyer 1999), B:62a–b, 300–301.

2087.  In the Lhasa VR, ni la na pa tram thod dang ; in Stok Palace, na li ni pa tram thod dang ; and, in Alaṁka, na lan pa tram thod pa dang .

2088.  The variant readings from Alaṁka for these three lines can be found at 30B.

2089.  Following Stok Palace’s sampuṭa , “coitus.”

2090.  Lozang Jamspal suggests this should be ali gang yod pa yi ming , meaning “whatever vowels are there, it is the name [of the person practicing]” (personal communication).

2091.  Reading rasa for ras .

2092.  For a variant reading of this chapter up to here, see Alaṁka 30B.

2093.  The PU Sanskrit for this verse is: samājikanaṁ niḥsandigdharthamavatāryate/ sṛṇutvaṁ mahasattva nanyacittena saṁsmaret/. The PU Tibetan for this verse differs somewhat from that of the Lhasa VR. It is rnam par phye bas ’dus pa’i don the tshom med pa la ’jug par bya ste/ sems kyis gzhan ni mi bsam par/ sems dpa’ chen pos mnyan par gyis, “One should engage without doubt in the meaning of the [Esoteric] Community. With the mind not thinking about anything else, the mahasattva should listen.” The Sanskrit for this and the following verses can be found in the PU in Bahulkar 2009, 150–52.

2094.  Skt.: vajrācāryasya kāye’smin kramaḥ kāyajinasthitiḥ/ prathamaṁ kāyavajreṇa rūpaskandhena saṁsthitaḥ//

2095.  anurāgaṇavajreṇa vedanāskandhe saṁsthitaḥ/ vāgvajreṇa bhagavān saṁjñāskandhena saṁsthitaḥ//

2096.  sarvapūjanavajreṇa saṁskāraskandhena saṁsthitaḥ/ cittavajreṇa bhagavān vijñānaskandha saṁsthitaḥ//

2097.  māṁsādi[ḥ] pṛthivīdhāturbhagavatī locanā sthitā/ śoṇitādirjaladhāturbhagavatī māmakī sthitā//

2098.  Reading bskyod pa for mi bskyod.

2099.  uṣṇāditejodhāturbhagavatī pāṇḍarāvāsinī sthitā/ preraṇādimaruddhātustārā bhagavatī sthitā//

2100.  netradvayendriyaṁ tasya kṣitigarbhastathāgataḥ/ śrotra dvayendriyaṁ tasya vajrapāṇistathagataḥ//

2101.  Or Gaganagañja.

2102.  Stok Palace reverses these, beginning with de yi .

2103.  ghrāṇasthitendriyaṁ tasya gaganagañjastathāgataḥ/ jihvāsthitamindriyaṁ tasya lokeśvarastathāgataḥ//

2104.  manasi sthitamindriyaṁ tasya māñjughoṣastathāgataḥ/ caturdhātumayaṁ piṇḍaṁ śariraṁ tu saṁjñitam// sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhitastathāgatastatra tiṣṭhati/

2105.  sarvasandhiśarīrasya samantabhadrastathāgataḥ// sarvasnāyuśarīrasya maitreyastathāgataḥ/

2106.  dakṣiṇe bhujamūle tu yamāntakastathāgataḥ/ vāme ca bhujamūle tu aparājitastathāgataḥ//

2107.  mukhapadme saṁtiṣṭhate hayagrīvastathāgataḥ/ guhyapradeśe tiṣṭhati amṛtakuṇḍalistathāgataḥ//

2108.  dakṣiṇavāhau tiṣṭhati acalo’sau tathāgataḥ/ vāmavāhau tiṣṭhati ṭakkirajastathāgataḥ//

2109.  dakṣiṇajānau ca tiṣṭhati nāladaṇḍastathāgataḥ/ vāme jānau ca tiṣṭhati mahābalatathāgataḥ//

2110.  svaśīrṣamūrghni tiṣṭhati cakravartī tathāgataḥ/ adhaḥ pāde ca tiṣṭhati sumbharājastathāgataḥ/

2111.  samastāḥ caiva kāye’smin sarvatathāgatāḥ sthitāḥ/ kāyamaṇḍalamityuktaṁ vajrācāryasya kāyikam/ . The PU has vajrācāryasya kāyikam and rdo rje slob dpon nyid kyi lus, “vajra master‘s body,” in place of the Lhasa VR’s rdo rje sems dpa,’ “Vajrasattva’s.”

2112.  ete sakalasaṁbuddhā[ḥ] samastā buddhakāyikaḥ/ praveśayanti nirvāṇaṁ vajrī saṁskṛtadeśanam// . The PU’s Tibetan text differs somewhat from that of the Lhasa VR, stating sangs rgyas rnams kyi sku rdzogs pa/ ’di dag ma lus rdzogs sangs rgyas/ rdo rjer legs byas bstan pa ni/ mya ngan ’das la ’jug par ’gyur/.

2113.  śīghraṁ nirvāsi bhagavan paripakvakueśalo bhava/ tasmād vajraguroḥ kāye jināḥ sarve pratiṣṭhitāḥ//

2114.  I.e., the degenerate age.

2115.  paścātatkālaṁ mahāsattva śṛṇu he amoghadarśaka/ sadā ca sarvasattvaiśca guruḥ sevyaḥ prayatnataḥ// . The Lhasa VR inserts lha yi mchod pa’i yo byad kyis , “with divine goods of offering,” not found in the PU text.

2116.  tathāmoghadarśanā mahābodhisattva mahāyaśāḥ/ tuṣṭāḥ pramuditā hṛṣṭa praṇamyāśrapatitāḥ//

2117.  Ṣa here presumably stands in for all three sibilants.

2118.  Counting the above as written, however, gives a total of twenty-seven.

2119.  This paragraph and the first two lines of the preceding one are identical to Alaṁka’s text (31A).

2120.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 31A.

2121.  For variant readings of this and the prior verse, see Alaṁka 31A.

2122.  This verse is identical with Alaṁka 31A.

2123.  For a variant reading of the five lines ending here, see Alaṁka 31B.

2124.  Nyams, rasa.

2125.  For a variant reading of this and the preceding line, see Alaṁka 31B.

2126.  For variant readings of this and the prior verse, see Alaṁka 31B.

2127.  This and the prior line are identical in Alaṁka 31B.

2128.  For a variant reading of this verse, see Alaṁka 31B.

2129.  The southeast.

2130.  The southwest.

2131.  The northwest.

2132.  The northeast.

2133.  Alaṁka agrees with Stok on bshad kyis .

2134.  For variant readings up to here and of the prior verse, see Alaṁka 32A.

2135.  Per Lozang Jamspal, this may mean that one scratches HŪṀ on his head (personal communication).

2136.  See GST, chs. 14, 15.

2137.  For a variant reading up to here in this chapter, see Alaṁka 32A.

2138.  These two lines are identical in Alaṁka 32A.

2139.  This verse and the first two lines of the next verse are parallel to PK ch. 4, vv. 17–18.

2140.  These two lines are identical in Alaṁka 32B.

2141.  I.e., conventional and ultimate (Lozang Jamspal, personal communication).

2142.  Variant readings for these two lines and the preceding paragraph are found at Alaṁka 32B.

2143.  These two lines are identical to Alaṁka 32B.

2144.  For a variant reading of these two lines, see Alaṁka 32B.

2145.  These two lines are identical to Alaṁka 32B.

2146.  For a variant reading of these two lines, see Alaṁka 32B.

2147.  Presumably Yamāntaka and Achala, although Achala is usually in the southeast (and Yamāntaka at the eastern gate) in the standard Arya Guhyasamāja mandala. See Wayman 1977, 123.

2148.  I believe referring to Hayagrīva and Nīladaṇḍa.

2149.  While one might expect ’du byed , “volition” or “compositional factors” or “emotion” here, Lhasa, Derge, Narthang, and Stok Palace all have ’du shes . If this is a scribal error, it would be evidence that these four versions come from a common source, and that the error occurred in the transmission of the Tibetan, rather than the Sanskrit, text. There is no mention of ’du byed ( saṁskāra ) in the VR.

2150.  This differs somewhat from the standard noble tradition viewpoint: Lokeshvara and Rasavajrā are taste and wind; Vishkambhini and Sparshavajrā are touch and skin. Chapter 22 also is missing a reference to Sparshavajrā where it seems there would be one, which would seem to indicate unity of text. On the other hand, chapter 45 refers to Sparshavajrā.

2151.  One text has gnas , another nag , so I am reading gnag , a fluid. Nye ba seems a misprint for nyes pa , an illness or humor, used in medical texts for nad , two of which are fluid humors.

2152.  sen mo , nail (finger or toe), seems out of place, but it appears in all of the Pedurma recensions.

2153.  Reading yi for dang .

2154.  Reading rgyu ma instead of repeated rgyus pa .

2155.  For a variant reading of these three lines, starting with de la , see Alaṁka 33A.

2156.  I.e., as male or female.

2157.  These two lines are identical in Alaṁka.

2158.  A variant reading of this verse is found in Alaṁka 33A.

2159.  Presumably should be ’jig , although both Lhasa and Stok have ’jigs .

2160.  For a variant reading of these four lines, see Alaṁka 33A.

2161.  Thugs dam sa’i snying po could also refer to a temple of “the yidam Kṣitigharba,” although there is no reference to such a temple in Tucci 1989 or Vitali 1999. The Nyingma Catalogue translates the colophon to the Śriparamādiṭīkā , Tōh. 488, also translated at Tholing by Zhiwa Ö and Mantrakalaśa, presumably identical to that of the VR, as “ Translated at the vihāra of dpal dpe-med lhun-gyis grub-pa at Tho-ling in the province of Gu-ge . ”

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SŪTRAS AND TANTRAS

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Esoteric Community Further Tantra (Uttaratantra; rgyud phyi ma). Tōh. 443, rgyud, vol. Ca, 148a6–157b7.

Esoteric Community Tantra (Sarvatathāgata-kāyavākcitta-rahasya-guhyasamāja-nāma-mahākalparāja; de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku gsung thugs kyi gsang chen gsang ba ’dus pa zhes bya ba brtag pa’i rgyal po chen po). Tōh. 442, rgyud, vol. vol. Ca, 90a1–148a6.

Glorious Supreme Prime (Śrī-paramādyamantra-kalpakhaṇḍa-nāma; dpal mchog dang po’i sngags kyi rtog pa’i dum bu zhes bya ba). Tōh. 488, rgyud, vol. Ta, 173a4–265b7.

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Secret Essence (Guhyagarbha; dpal gsang ba’i snying po). Tōh. 832.

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Vajra Rosary Tantra (Śrī-vajramāla-abhidāna-mahāyogatantra-sarvatantra-hṛdaya-rahasya-vibhaṅga-nāma; Rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud dpal rdo rje phreng ba mngon par brjod pa rgyud thams cad kyi snying po gsang ba rnam par phye ba zhes bya ba). Tōh. 445, rgyud, vol. Ca, 208a1–277b3. Lhasa 417, rgyud, Vol. Ca, 1b1–105b1. Pedurma vol. 81, 752–947.

OTHER SANSKRIT AND TIBETAN SOURCES

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Alaṁkakalasha. Vajra Rosary Commentary (Śrī-vajramāla-mahāyogatantra-ṭīkāgaṁbhīrārtha-dīpikā-nāma; rnal ’byor chen po’i rgyud dpal rdo rje phreng ba’i rgya cher ’grel pa zab mo’i don gyi ’grel pa zhes bya ba). Tōh. 1795, rgyud ’grel, vol. Gi, 1b1–220a7 Pedurma vol. 17, 539–1130..

———. Yoginīsañcāratantram with nibandha of Tathāgataraksita and upadeśānusārinīvyākhyā of Alakakalaśa. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1998.

Ānandagarbha. Extensive Commentary on the Great King of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamāja Tantra (Śrı-guhyasamāja-mahātantra-rāja-ṭikā; Rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgya cher ’grel pa), P. 4787.

Āryadeva. Lamp of Integrated Practices (Caryāmelāpaka-pradīpa; spyod pa bsdus pa’i sgron ma). Tōh. 1803, rgyud ’grel, vol. Nga, 57a2–106b7.

Chandrakīrti. Illuminating Lamp (Pradīpoddyotana-nāma-ṭīkā; sgron ma gsal bar byed pa zhes bya ba’i rgya cher bshad pa). Tōh. 1785, rgyud ’grel, vol. Ha, 1b1–201b2.

———. Introduction to the Middle Way (dbu ma la ’jug pa’i bshad pa zhes bya ba). Sarnath: Kargyud Relief and Protection Committee, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, 1988.

Dharmakīrti. Treatise on Validating Cognition (Pramāṇavārttikakārikā; tshad ma rnam ’grel gyi tshig le’ur byas pa). Tōh. 4210, tshad ma, vol. Ca, 94b1–151a7.

Nāgārjuna. Condensed Sādhana (Piṇḍīkṛtasādhana; sgrub pa’i thabs mdor byas pa). Tōh. 1796, rgyud ’grel, vol. Nga, 1b1–11a2.

———. Five Stages (PK) (Pañcakrama; rim pa lnga pa). Tōh. 1802, rgyud ’grel, vol. Nga, 45a5–57a1.

———. Pañcakrama. Sanskrit ed. See La Vallée Poussin, 1896.

———. Precious Rosary (Rājaparikathā-ratnāvali; rgyal po la gtam bya ba rin po che’i phreng ba). Tōh. 4158, spring yig, vol. Ge, 107a1–126a4.

Ngag dbang grags pa. Gu ge mkhan chen ngag dbang grags pas mzdad pa’i mnga’ ris rgyal rabs bzhugs lags so (The extremely rare and hitherto unknown History of the Royal Genealogies of Mnga’ ris, West Tibet, by Guge mkhan chen Ngag dbang grags pa, a direct disciple of Tsong kha pa, written in the fifteenth century): Dharamsala: Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of 1,000 Years of Tholing Temple, 1996.

Smṛtijñānakırti. Commentary on the King of Tantras, the Glorious Guhyasamāja Tantra (Śrı-guhyasamāja-tantra-rāja-vṛtti; Rgyud kyi rgyal po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i ’grel pa), Tōh. 1914, rgyud, vol. Phi, 155a1–217b2.

Tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa. rim pa lnga rab tu gsal ba’i sgron me. The Collected Works (gsuṅ ’bum) of Rje Tsoṅ-kha-pa Blo-bzaṅ-grags-pa, reproduced from an example of the old Bkra-śis-lhun-po redaction from the library of Klu ’khyil Monastery of Ladhakh by Ngawang Gelek Demo. New Delhi: Demo, 1975.

———. Supplementary Annotations Properly Disclosing the Words and Meaning of [Chandrakīrti’s] “Iluminating Lamp,” the Extensive Explanation of the King of All Tantras, the Esoteric Community (Rgyud thams cad kyi rgyal po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa sgron ma gsal ba’i tshig don ji bzhin ’byed pa’i mchan gyi yang ’grel), (Tsong Khapa, PU Annotations) in Rje tsong kha pa chen po’i gsung ’bum, vol. 4 (Nga–Ca) Kokonor: People’s Publishing House, mtsho sngon mi rigs pa khang (1999).

———. Extensive Explanation of the King of All Tantras, Guhyasamāja, a Supplementary Commentary of Annotations Revealing the Actual Meaning of the Words of [Chandrakīrti’s] “Illuminating Lamp” (’Byed pa’i mtshan gyi yang ’grel rgyud thams cad kyi rgyal po dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa sgron ma gsal ba’i tshig don ji bzhin, http://www.tbrc.org/#library_work_ViewInWIndow-W1KG1820%7CI1KG1828%7C1%7C1%7C1%7C956.

———. Notes on the Esoteric Community Explanatory Tantra Made by the Master Himself (“Vajra Rosary Notes”) (bshad rgyud rdo rje phreng ba’i zin bris rje nyid kyis gnang ba bzhugs so), gsung ’bum/_tsong kha pa/(bla brang par ma/) vol. 6, 173–84, http://www.tbrc.org/#library_work_ViewByOutline-O4CZ319829CTX2850%7CW22273.

———. The Ultimate Personal Instruction: Explanation of the Stage of Manifest Enlightenment (man ngag gi mthar thug mngon par byang chub pa’i rim pa’i bshad pa rjes mdzad pa bzhugs so), Tsong kha pa Collected Works, gsung ’bum, vol. 6, 429–54, http://www.tbrc.org/#library_work_ViewByOutlineO2CZ72092CZ7260%7CW635.

———. A Detailed Commentary on the Vajra Intuition Compendium, An Explanatory Tantra of the Glorious Guhyasamāja (dpal gsang ba ’dus pa’i bshad pa’i rgyud ye shes rdo rje kun las btus pa’i rgya cher bshad pa), in Rje tsong kha pa chen po’i gsung ’bum, vol. 4 (Nga–Ca) Kokonor: People’s Publishing House, mtsho sngon mi rigs pa khang (1999).

Indexes

Index of Canonical Authors Cited

INDIANS

Abhayākaragupta, 461

Abhināvagupta, 523

Alaka Chattopadhyaya, 13, 17, 472

Alaṁkakalasha, xv, xvii, xxi, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 105, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 461, 463, 464, 465, 466, 472, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 518, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559, 560, 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 601, 602, 606, 607, 608, 609

Ānandagarbha, 462, 471

Atīsha, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 470, 471, 473

Chandrakīrti, iii, xv, xxi, 4, 6, 21, 22, 36, 56, 57, 84, 462, 466, 475, 476, 478, 491

Kumārakalasha, 15

Mantrakalasha, 12, 15, 16, 17, 22, 85, 461, 468, 471, 472, 473, 556

Nāgabodhi, 20, 466, 478

Nāgārjuna, iii, xv, xxi, 4, 5, 6, 15, 19, 20, 24, 51, 88, 462, 463, 466, 471, 478, 516, 556, 562

Nāropa, 94, 473, 514

Patanjali, 489

Shraddhākaravarman, 17, 471, 472

Shrī Lakshmī, 15, 512

Smṛtijñānakırti, 462, 474

Sujana Shrījñāna, 6, 11, 12, 16, 105, 407, 463, 472, 473

Tāranātha, 466, 478

TIBETANS

Amey Zhab, 474

Butön, 3, 13, 17, 466, 470, 471, 473, 526

Dolpopa, 492

Gö Lotsawa Shönu Pal, 13, 17, 19, 20

Khedrup Je, 5, 463

Longchenpa, 466

Marpa, 17, 473

Ngawang Drakpa, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 467, 468, 470, 473

Panchen Sönam Drakpa, 20, 462, 463, 473

Sakya Pandita, 467

Situ Panchen, 467

Sok Dokpa, 467, 468

Tengpa Lotsawa, 18, 19, 20, 474

Tenzin Gyatso (Fourteenth Dalai Lama), iii, xviii, 65, 80, 462, 463, 487, 493, 513, 536, 577, 601

Tsong Khapa, xv, xvi, xxi, 4, 6, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, 35, 44, 45, 47, 49, 50, 53, 60, 61, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 91, 97, 412, 413, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 483, 486, 489, 494, 495, 496, 501, 502, 503, 504, 506, 507, 510, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 527, 528, 540, 553, 563, 567, 580, 585, 593, 602, 603, 604

Yangchen Gawai Lodö, 462, 463, 521, 526

Zhiwa Ö, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 85, 105, 407, 463, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 609

Index of Canonical Texts Cited

100,000-Line Abhidhāna Tantra, 196, 570

Abhibodhikramopadeśa (Tōh. 1806), 17

Abhidharmakośa, 489

Annotated Commentary (CG) (Tsong Khapa), 86, 519, 520, 602, 606

Blue Annals, 464, 470, 471

Bodhisattvabhūmi (Asaṅga), 35

Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages (BIL) (Tsong Khapa), xxi, 4, 16, 17, 61, 463, 464, 502, 503, 516, 519, 522, 537, 563

Commentary on a Short Teaching on Consecrations (Nāropa), 94

Commentary on the Profound Meaning (Tōh. 1795), 463

Condensed Sādhana (Piṇḍīkṛtasādhana) (Nāgārjuna), 4, 417

Elucidation of the Intention Tantra (Saṁdhivyākaraṇa), 463, 465, 483

Esoteric Community Further Tantra (Uttaratantra), 15, 88, 93, 95, 463, 525, 526, 538, 595

Esoteric Community Root Tantra (Tōh. 442), 5, 22, 24, 56, 79, 83, 84, 91, 93, 104, 116, 228, 289, 358, 393, 462, 463, 476, 478, 510, 512, 513, 532, 537, 584

Esoteric Community Tantra (Tōh. 1784A), xv, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 25, 471

Five Stages (PK) (Tōh. 1802, Nāgārjuna), 6, 24, 88, 462, 471, 474, 475, 484, 504, 514, 515, 516, 521, 522, 527, 562, 563, 564, 586, 608

Illuminating Lamp (Pradīpoddyotana) (PU) (Chandrakīrti), xvi, xxi, 6, 15, 25, 36, 38, 39, 83, 84, 85, 87, 462, 463, 466, 475, 476, 478, 483, 517, 518, 519, 520, 556, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608

Inquiry of the Four Goddesses (Caturdevīparipṛcchā) (Tōh.446), xv, 8, 463, 465

Introduction to the Middle Way (Chandrakīrti), 21, 56

Lamp That Integrates the Practices (Caryāmelāpakapradīpa) (CMP) (Āryadeva), xxi, 6, 53, 412, 413, 463, 465, 504, 510, 521, 523, 524, 537, 540, 563, 573, 574, 584, 601, 606

Mahāvibhāśā (Bye-brag bshad-pa chen-po), 19, 464

Nyingma Catalogue, 15, 16, 17, 20, 471, 472, 473, 474, 609

Ocean of Attainments of the Generation Stage (Khedrup Je), 463

Overview of Buddhist Tantra (Panchen Sönam Drakpa), 462

Piṇḍikrita Sādhana (Nāgārjuna), 463, 475

Scriptural Indication of the Intention Tantra (Tōh. 444), 463, 464, 483

Short Vajra Rosary Tantra, 7, 25

Shorter Vajra Rosary Tantra, 24, 25, 570

Source of the Ocean of Deeds (Jamgön Amey Zhab), 474

The Ultimate Personal Instruction: Explanation of the Stage of Manifest Enlightenment (Tsong Khapa), 516

Vajra Intuition Compendium Tantra (Vajrajñānasamuccaya) (Tōh. 447), xv, 8, 36, 463, 519

Vajra Rosary of Mandala Rituals (Tōh. 3140, Abhayākaragupta), 461

General Index

A

action tantra(s), 14, 24, 36, 121, 273

activities, 23, 33, 34, 44, 45, 60, 66, 73, 87, 93, 103, 111, 118, 135, 142, 170, 174, 213, 219, 229, 234, 247, 248, 278, 284, 316, 354, 357, 366, 370, 384, 385, 387, 388, 400, 403, 405, 435, 450, 466, 468, 480, 488, 491, 497, 507, 509, 517, 519, 521, 527, 529, 540, 546, 548, 549, 579, 586, 587

expansive, 388

fierce, 103, 118, 388

four, 103

of mantra, 248, 284, 527

peaceful, 103, 316, 384, 387, 388

terrifying, 103

aggregate(s), 40, 48, 54, 58, 62, 63, 72, 75, 77, 81, 92, 117, 133, 134, 136, 159, 189, 190, 198, 199, 203, 223, 224, 258, 269, 295, 296, 297, 355, 362, 379, 404, 435, 449, 455, 464, 488, 506, 510, 522, 529, 552, 557, 560, 593, 596

consciousness, 32, 224, 334, 379

emotion, 379

five, 40, 59, 73, 80, 86, 90, 91, 137, 168, 198, 229, 262, 285, 307, 336, 354, 361, 398, 401, 565, 572, 581, 603

material, 32, 66, 223, 336, 354, 379, 398

perception, 224, 379, 399

sensation, 223, 379, 523

Ākāśhagarbha, 80, 90, 226, 295, 346, 380, 399, 534, 583

anger, 39, 53, 69, 103, 232, 235, 241, 388, 412, 435, 460, 502, 504, 545, 573, 575, 598

anuyoga, 97, 98, 271, 273, 316, 386, 480, 519, 525, 528, 594

atiyoga, 97, 271, 386, 480, 518, 525, 528, 594

attainment(s) (siddhis), 30, 33, 58, 65, 76, 96, 97, 103, 119, 121, 123, 124, 142, 144, 145, 149, 155, 165, 170, 177, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 191, 193, 201, 213, 221, 230, 235, 248, 249, 284, 293, 294, 298, 316, 332, 335, 336, 340, 342, 362, 363, 366, 370, 382, 384, 386, 389, 395, 396, 397, 435, 452, 463, 476, 499, 524, 554, 556, 575, 598, 601

eight, 97, 188, 235, 343, 388, 389, 397, 438, 453

of the Great Seal, 97, 298, 397

mundane, 60, 69, 569

supreme, 29, 33, 140, 283, 283, 308, 340, 367, 371, 387

transmundane, 60, 103

yogic, 67, 211, 389, 397

B

between state (bardo), 72, 73, 75, 435, 459, 572, 599

bhaga, 40, 82, 151, 286, 476, 533, 557, 566, 596, 597

bliss, 22, 30, 31, 39, 42, 55, 56, 67, 68, 70, 71, 76, 77, 79, 80, 86, 87, 88, 91, 93, 94, 112, 113, 124, 125, 133, 146, 152, 154, 157, 165, 171, 172, 173, 174, 183, 188, 199, 202, 203, 204, 205, 207, 208, 211, 227, 231, 232, 238, 245, 247, 250, 253, 254, 257, 271, 278, 283, 309, 316, 340, 341, 344, 349, 351, 357, 386, 436, 449, 463, 476, 486, 493, 495, 503, 511, 514, 515, 526, 529, 538, 554, 558, 594, 596, 601

bestowal of, 33, 219

great, 4, 24, 29, 30, 31, 37, 42, 43, 45, 55, 56, 58, 59, 65, 66, 68, 71, 72, 74, 75, 79, 83, 87, 91, 93, 94, 111, 112, 116, 123, 125, 127, 129, 133, 134, 139, 141, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 151, 154, 157, 158, 161, 162, 163, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 178, 195, 197, 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 207, 208, 209, 216, 221, 228, 231, 232, 237, 238, 241, 246, 251, 257, 279, 282, 283, 290, 292, 294, 297, 300, 311, 340, 348, 349, 351, 358, 386, 440, 443, 449, 450, 463, 465, 476, 480, 484, 486, 489, 492, 515, 526, 536, 538, 559, 564, 565, 569, 574, 576, 577, 597

nonconceptual, 3, 29, 220, 290, 297

nondual, 24, 143, 352

orgasmic, 158, 341, 443, 450

supreme, 75, 82, 200, 227, 228, 232, 238, 309, 341, 433, 508, 554

bodhisattva stage(s), 74, 402, 509, 537, 601

bodhisattva(s), 10, 23, 24, 28, 31, 33, 35, 36, 55, 58, 79, 80, 81, 86, 90, 99, 100, 111, 112, 114, 115, 157, 203, 226, 333, 337, 355, 362, 382, 383, 436, 451, 524, 528, 529, 531, 534, 565, 572, 582, 583, 584, 600

posture of, 76, 307, 534, 554, 589

body mandala, 26, 40, 79, 80, 81, 86, 90, 96, 100, 104, 296, 330, 381, 521, 522, 529

Esoteric Community, 4, 79, 80, 86, 90

body mansion, 79, 81, 119, 195, 203, 397, 524

Brahmā, 149, 278, 318, 319, 328, 528, 595

breath, 45, 61, 63, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 84, 90, 91, 95, 97, 114, 128, 146, 166, 169, 188, 191, 196, 436, 452, 488, 495, 497, 498, 503, 509, 535, 539, 555, 562, 563, 569, 576, 587, 593, 595, 596

Buddha

clan(s), 21, 34, 76, 79, 81, 87, 102, 104, 337, 510, 513, 563, 564

consort(s), 24, 28, 90, 114, 582

field(s), 6, 7, 31, 56, 291, 436, 457

Buddha bodies, 86, 356, 381, 578

emanation body (nirmāṇakāya), 41, 74, 82, 84, 86, 87, 301, 357, 384, 439, 458, 493, 511, 524, 592

enjoyment body (sambhogakāya), 26, 41, 82, 86, 384, 493, 511, 592

truth body (dharmakāya), 10, 26, 41, 84, 86, 302, 384, 447, 451, 477, 493, 511, 592

C

Centrist (Madhyamaka), 22, 55, 438, 442, 444, 446, 451, 452, 475, 483

chakra(s), 22, 43, 46, 48, 49, 50, 54, 66, 68, 74, 75, 76, 77, 92, 93, 94, 95, 112, 116, 130, 133, 135, 137, 143, 151, 157, 167, 169, 172, 183, 195, 198, 199, 201, 202, 207, 208, 209, 215, 216, 218, 231, 232, 241, 243, 245, 249, 251, 275, 290, 395, 483, 487, 489, 496, 507, 509, 510, 534, 539, 552, 555, 557, 562, 565, 572, 574, 576, 578, 580, 590, 593

crown, 24, 28, 29, 30, 32, 37, 40, 42, 43, 44, 50, 60, 65, 66, 67, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, 92, 94, 95, 141, 172, 178, 197, 207, 216, 246, 257, 279, 294, 422, 433, 489, 509, 515, 542, 543, 570, 576, 577, 578, 590, 597

fire, 43, 46, 50, 64, 74, 75, 92, 94, 150, 195, 196, 199, 277, 416, 428, 526, 557, 571

heart, 4, 37, 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 74, 75, 76, 77, 93, 94, 95, 130, 141, 161, 169, 177, 195, 197, 207, 208, 211, 215, 217, 219, 232, 258, 259, 278, 414, 426, 489, 498, 512, 526, 539, 540, 544, 576, 579, 590, 594

lotus, 507, 572

navel, 29, 30, 40, 42, 43, 44, 50, 52, 60, 63, 64, 68, 74, 75, 76, 92, 93, 94, 95, 141, 149, 151, 162, 169, 195, 196, 197, 199, 207, 208, 219, 243, 278, 412, 424, 485, 489, 497, 498, 502, 509, 512, 526, 543, 576, 579, 585, 593, 594, 597

secret, 169, 502, 572, 585

six, 45, 46, 49, 56, 74, 92, 93, 130, 135, 137, 195, 277, 307, 449, 487, 488, 526, 544, 552, 560, 591

throat, 32, 43, 44, 50, 60, 66, 67, 74, 76, 92, 94, 95, 141, 169, 195, 197, 207, 208, 216, 245, 278, 418, 430, 489, 541, 577, 590

wind, 29, 42, 46, 50, 64, 65, 66, 67, 74, 75, 92, 94, 97, 137, 195, 196, 215, 218, 277, 420, 431, 448, 456, 498, 524, 557, 570, 571, 576, 577, 580, 595

channel(s) (nāḍī), 4, 22, 28, 32, 37, 38, 42, 43, 44, 47, 48, 49, 52, 54, 60, 63, 67, 68, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 91, 92, 112, 116, 117, 129, 133, 135, 139, 140, 141, 152, 166, 167, 174, 179, 183, 195, 196, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 205, 206, 208, 211, 212, 213, 216, 227, 231, 232, 243, 245, 247, 249, 251, 253, 254, 255, 257, 259, 263, 275, 276, 287, 290, 294, 296, 299, 300, 341, 349, 379, 395, 401, 412, 421, 432, 462, 486, 487, 490, 494, 495, 507, 508, 509, 510, 512, 524, 539, 540, 541, 543, 555, 557, 570, 571, 572, 574, 575, 576, 580, 590, 591, 592, 595, 597, 599

central (avadhūti), 3, 28, 29, 30, 32, 40, 41, 43, 46, 48, 56, 63, 64, 68, 69, 77, 78, 79, 112, 133, 134, 146, 163, 211, 212, 219, 221, 237, 254, 293, 383, 485, 487, 491, 492, 494, 495, 498, 499, 508, 510, 539, 555, 565, 575, 576, 579, 580, 585, 587, 597

crown chakra, 32, 50, 60, 74, 76, 77, 92, 141, 195, 197, 198, 202, 257, 433, 542, 543, 578, 597

fire chakra, 50, 74, 195, 196, 571

five, 40, 59, 60, 78, 140, 141, 171, 287, 493, 494, 553, 559, 565

heart, 60, 183, 495, 462

heart chakra, 43, 47, 49, 50, 59, 64, 74, 75, 77, 130, 141, 195, 245, 489, 498, 512

intermediate, 77, 117, 251, 257, 510

left (lalanā), 40, 41, 46, 48, 56, 63, 64, 68, 69, 75, 77, 78, 83, 199, 212, 219, 238, 254, 383, 487, 490, 494, 498, 510, 555, 565, 566, 575, 585

lotus, 49, 68, 127, 477, 485, 502, 585

navel chakra, 50, 60, 75, 83, 92, 195, 196, 197, 512, 543, 595, 597

right (rasanā), 40, 46, 48, 56, 63, 64, 68, 69, 75, 77, 78, 83, 199, 212, 219, 238, 254, 299, 383, 487, 490, 494, 498, 510, 512, 555, 565, 575, 585, 598

secret, 28, 133

sur-moving (devadatta), 40, 50, 53, 73, 74, 78, 141, 263, 265, 413, 415, 417, 419, 422, 423, 425, 427, 429, 431, 434, 438, 454, 488, 494, 565, 593

three, 67, 68, 69, 77, 78, 79, 102, 195, 196, 209, 212, 216, 258, 259, 345, 487, 494, 507, 510, 571, 574, 575, 585, 592

throat chakra, 32, 50, 60, 76, 92, 195, 205, 418, 595

ultra-moving (dhanujit), 40, 46, 50, 53, 73, 74, 78, 141, 263, 265, 413, 415, 417, 420, 422, 424, 425, 427, 429, 431, 433, 434, 438, 447, 455, 488, 494, 507, 565, 593

vajra, 49, 68, 477, 485, 502, 585

wind chakra, 92, 195, 570, 571, 595

womb, 51, 261, 490, 568

charnel ground(s), 33, 63, 104, 184, 198, 339, 389, 436, 452, 512

clear light, 4, 24, 38, 39, 40, 51, 54, 56, 58, 59, 61, 64, 65, 69, 70, 79, 80, 82, 83, 85, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 97, 102, 149, 203, 229, 230, 232, 237, 250, 263, 290, 309, 311, 353, 356, 358, 436, 449, 455, 461, 465, 476, 477, 484, 492, 499, 514, 518, 519, 520, 522, 535, 560, 563, 565, 568, 569, 573, 574, 577, 578, 582, 583, 584, 585, 587, 594, 602

commitment(s), 22, 31, 40, 41, 44, 51, 68, 69, 88, 89, 90, 96, 105, 116, 143, 153, 154, 155, 157, 159, 179, 185, 186, 213, 215, 223, 230, 233, 257, 258, 284, 287, 289, 291, 292, 294, 331, 336, 340, 341, 362, 367, 375, 387, 404, 436, 451, 466, 511, 520, 529, 557, 558, 592

seal, 31, 159, 587

triple vajra, 114, 347, 382

vowel-consonant, 83, 311

communion, 4, 27, 54, 56, 59, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 95, 96, 97, 396, 397, 437, 460, 462, 484, 492, 519, 520, 524, 555, 556, 559, 560

community, 28, 116, 133, 134, 292, 359, 382, 437, 449, 469

compassion, iv, 3, 8, 12, 26, 27, 35, 37, 63, 79, 82, 84, 89, 100, 113, 114, 115, 121, 122, 124, 147, 157, 159, 172, 174, 269, 292, 331, 332, 334, 337, 339, 347, 351, 364, 385, 437, 440, 458, 468, 524, 535, 548

emptiness and, 37, 38, 178

indivisibility of emptiness and, 89, 162, 183, 291, 352, 385

inseparability of wisdom and, 31, 89

completion stage, 4, 484, 579

concentration, 6, 7, 28, 39, 59, 61, 62, 66, 69, 87, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 101, 139, 162, 165, 174, 232, 242, 342, 357, 368, 397, 437, 450, 459, 464, 477, 480, 499, 524, 529, 534, 552, 555, 594, 595, 603

conception, conceptuality, 3, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 39, 40, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67, 71, 73, 74, 76, 84, 90, 92, 94, 95, 96, 102, 103, 117, 130, 132, 134, 137, 141, 149, 151, 166, 167, 173, 174, 186, 189, 202, 208, 216, 219, 231, 232, 237, 261, 269, 271, 272, 275, 283, 285, 292, 302, 303, 304, 308, 361, 364, 397, 411, 412, 414, 415, 428, 432, 437, 456, 467, 477, 489, 490, 491, 499, 505, 508, 522, 530, 538, 539, 540, 541, 545, 547, 550, 551, 557, 560, 565, 567, 568, 575, 577, 582, 583, 588, 593, 594, 596, 597, 606

instinctual, 40, 64, 67, 91, 361

nonconceptuality, 3, 28, 29, 31, 40, 50, 51, 54, 56, 63, 64, 65, 95, 97, 111, 117, 130, 135, 151, 167, 168, 196, 218, 219, 220, 230, 232, 237, 273, 288, 290, 293, 297, 371, 397, 421, 432, 443, 456, 479, 498, 510, 528, 534, 545, 552, 554, 562, 570, 579, 580, 587

conduct, iii, 21, 31, 34, 87, 154, 248, 273, 336, 344, 356, 358, 366, 370, 437, 458, 512, 520

bodhisattva, 33

of the disciple, 336, 337

mantra, 145, 163, 181, 352

pure, 344, 471, 484

of Vajradhara, 332

vow of, 337, 344, 539

yoga, 154, 168, 248, 385, 574

consciousness(es), 32, 37, 39, 47, 50, 51, 55, 60, 62, 65, 72, 73, 75, 80, 81, 85, 86, 90, 136, 141, 142, 177, 189, 190, 199, 203, 224, 225, 226, 261, 271, 282, 285, 295, 297, 334, 345, 353, 354, 378, 379, 399, 400, 403, 437, 456, 489, 490, 500, 501, 505, 506, 509, 517, 520, 524, 544, 553, 568, 594, 606

addicted (kliṣṭomanovijñāna), 22, 37, 72, 73, 150, 190, 217, 500, 501, 506, 524, 588

auditory, 90, 142, 226, 398

clear light, 58, 59, 65, 87, 476, 522, 535, 584

corporeal, 173

eight, 37, 38, 177, 178, 226, 227, 229, 524, 537

five, 400

fundamental (ālayavijñāna), 22, 55, 64, 73, 242, 261, 475, 476, 500, 501, 506, 524, 588

gustatory, 90, 142, 226, 242, 398, 399

intuition, 71, 400, 505

mental, 91, 227, 242, 398, 400, 476, 501

olfactory, 90, 142, 226, 242, 398, 399

six, 279

tactile, 91, 227, 242, 398, 399

three, 85, 353, 354, 517

visual, 81, 90, 142, 173, 177, 227, 398

consecration(s), xviii, 4, 7, 21, 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 63, 80, 88, 89, 90, 92, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, 175, 179, 184, 204, 228, 242, 273, 283, 315, 322, 327, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 338, 340, 344, 358, 395, 397, 437, 451, 462, 464, 466, 476, 481, 488, 496, 519, 524, 528, 529, 531, 536, 537, 538, 539, 560, 566, 601

crown, 334

four, 7, 8, 30, 98

intuition, 336

name, 32, 101, 336

secret, 27, 33, 34, 38, 88, 385, 536, 538, 559

vajra, 33, 179, 335

vase, 32, 334, 532, 537

water, 101, 344

wisdom, 291, 340

wisdom-intuition, 27, 31, 33, 34, 55, 101, 154, 343, 344, 448, 457, 536, 538

consonant(s), 60, 63, 83, 93, 117, 278, 307, 311, 325, 489, 490, 513, 574, 584, 599

creation stage, 3, 4, 5, 23, 26, 28, 32, 33, 38, 39, 59, 63, 75, 79, 81, 84, 86, 88, 89, 90, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98, 101, 147, 174, 204, 220, 230, 272, 275, 341, 342, 396, 437, 450, 461, 462, 484, 513, 518–19, 521, 522, 524, 525, 527, 528, 529, 533, 556, 566, 579, 582, 593, 594, 604

cyclic life (saṁsāra), 37, 45, 60, 67, 83, 84, 92, 96, 100, 115, 132, 142, 173, 174, 224, 234, 235, 241, 272, 313, 332, 396, 404, 437, 445, 449, 458, 528, 553, 562, 599, 600

D

dagger(s), 98, 99, 100, 315, 316, 322, 331

ritual, 98, 99, 405

ḍākinī(s), 34, 63, 117, 196, 267, 269, 270, 328, 357, 370, 372, 437, 454, 497, 507, 527, 605

daughter, 21, 30, 31, 32, 34, 124, 292, 293, 294, 371, 464, 475, 537, 538

death, 4, 12, 45, 47, 49, 50, 54, 69, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81, 82, 87, 91, 170, 234, 259, 265, 267, 275, 404, 468, 476, 490, 505, 516, 517, 519, 526, 544, 560, 564, 572, 578, 586, 587, 602

deity, 75, 77, 79, 90, 91, 99, 100, 102, 183, 228, 241, 257, 324, 326, 333, 346, 368, 369, 494, 510, 511, 521, 559, 592

delusion, 8, 48, 53, 68, 69, 91, 130, 131, 136, 141, 224, 232, 233, 235, 258, 412, 417, 438, 453, 502, 513, 545, 546, 573, 575, 581, 582, 585

Dharma, xvii, xviii, 31, 35, 41, 45, 62, 74, 84, 112, 113, 116, 118, 143, 258, 383, 384, 393, 438, 451, 468, 552, 596

disappearance, 74, 78, 117, 203, 249, 250, 265, 275, 560, 563, 582, 594

disciple, 7, 10, 21, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 37, 38, 44, 98, 100, 101, 122, 123, 124, 125, 155, 174, 178, 179, 315, 316, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 383, 384, 385, 387, 438, 455, 469, 480, 481, 484, 515, 536, 538, 565, 600

vajra, 333

dissolution, 72, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 91, 462, 490, 505, 514, 517, 519, 523, 584, 599

divine pride, 91, 100

dream, 33, 100, 331, 339, 341, 347, 364, 384, 438, 456

drop(s), 28, 51, 59, 60, 61, 62, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 80, 84, 91, 92, 93, 95, 116, 139, 142, 145, 163, 165, 179, 188, 203, 212, 215, 216, 229, 232, 233, 261, 262, 277, 287, 313, 351, 362, 438, 441, 454, 459, 474, 494, 495, 496, 499, 502, 523, 554, 555, 560, 563, 567, 569, 573, 575, 578, 580, 584, 585

of enlightenment spirit, 28, 40, 54, 66, 479, 514

mantra, 116, 159, 212, 235, 502, 575

mantric, 67, 68, 97, 503

opening of, 59, 139, 140, 143, 146, 496

secret, 143

sound, 77, 145, 254, 273, 510, 594

substance, 67, 68, 116, 159, 212, 231, 235, 477, 502, 575

three, 51, 61, 67, 68, 69, 159, 211, 213, 234, 235, 502, 503, 539, 575, 576

wind, 61, 67, 68, 116, 159, 165, 169, 212, 235, 502, 503, 575, 587

duality, 29, 40, 54, 67, 91, 96, 127, 173, 204, 212, 228, 229, 238, 273, 397

nonduality, 24, 55, 62, 65, 71, 80, 82, 89, 97, 101, 111, 112, 114, 135, 138, 143, 149, 150, 154, 161, 162, 165, 168, 171, 172, 173, 174, 179, 182, 183, 189, 204, 209, 228, 229, 234, 241, 263, 290, 296, 297, 309, 313, 332, 345, 352, 355, 385, 443, 453, 476, 552, 563, 565

E

ear, 73, 80, 142, 198, 225, 242, 263, 295, 354, 380, 395, 398, 399, 401, 507, 593

eat(ing), 64, 88, 89, 102, 118, 157, 158, 159, 193, 265, 341, 348, 365, 375, 376, 403, 511, 529, 540, 559, 560, 569, 601

eclipse, 78, 219, 259, 542

partial, 78, 259

ecstasies

four, 4, 27, 42, 43, 71, 80, 116, 207, 252, 440, 452, 537

ecstasy, 27, 29, 30, 42, 43, 58, 64, 68, 71, 77, 78, 80, 85, 91, 94, 95, 102, 111, 112, 113, 127, 128, 151, 158, 172, 174, 179, 204, 207, 208, 216, 221, 224, 251, 281, 299, 347, 349, 438, 452, 472, 486, 488, 499, 526, 534, 557, 558, 561, 565, 581, 582, 590

great, 71, 79, 144, 173, 197, 300, 371, 415, 427, 512

hatred, 80

ignorance, 80

orgasmic, 27, 29, 42, 43, 68, 112, 126, 151, 163, 171, 207, 209, 281, 349, 443, 454, 477, 565, 584

passion, 80

supreme, 42, 43, 44, 112, 174, 198, 207, 208, 257, 281, 349, 446, 454, 486, 534, 558, 574

transcendant, 42, 43, 44, 71, 85, 151, 207, 208, 281, 313, 349, 446, 450, 486, 558

vajra, 80, 179, 600

ejaculation, 21, 34, 481, 482, 606

element(s), 28, 32, 39, 47, 54, 61, 62, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 86, 90, 99, 134, 136, 169, 189, 190, 192, 202, 203, 216, 234, 258, 263, 278, 282, 285, 297, 309, 361, 400, 404, 439, 453, 503, 504, 513, 519, 522, 529, 544, 552, 557, 581, 586, 587, 591, 593, 599

earth, 32, 62, 69, 73, 80, 81, 90, 91, 129, 170, 189, 203, 224, 233, 241, 263, 287, 294, 295, 354, 355, 380, 400, 496, 518, 533, 561, 562, 572, 582, 583, 585, 586, 587

fire, 32, 62, 69, 73, 74, 80, 81, 90, 133, 169, 189, 225, 233, 241, 263, 266, 287, 294, 295, 319, 354, 355, 380, 399, 400, 496, 497, 503, 504, 507, 518, 533, 561, 562, 582, 585, 587

five, 78, 86, 166, 198, 229, 285, 340, 561

four, 61, 81, 86, 90, 99, 189, 223, 225, 380, 398, 503, 517, 518, 568, 572, 581

great space, 32, 294, 487

space, 32, 62, 66, 80, 133, 215, 241, 287, 294, 295, 400, 533, 561, 586

water, 32, 62, 69, 73, 74, 80, 81, 90, 133, 170, 189, 224, 234, 241, 251, 263, 266, 287, 294, 295, 354, 355, 380, 399, 400, 496, 507, 518, 533, 561, 582, 585, 586, 587

wind, 32, 62, 69, 73, 74, 80, 81, 90, 104, 133, 169, 189, 225, 233, 241, 263, 266, 287, 294, 295, 354, 355, 380, 391, 399, 448, 456, 496, 503, 518, 520, 533, 561, 562, 582, 585, 587

elixir(s), 72, 100, 101, 102, 118, 119, 123, 157, 158, 192, 193, 197, 198, 264, 287, 332, 333, 340, 363, 369, 396, 419, 439, 440, 450, 528, 529, 531, 559, 569, 589

embryo, 73, 86

emptiness, 3, 4, 21, 22, 27, 29, 35, 37, 38, 42, 44, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71, 72, 77, 78, 80, 84, 85, 87, 89, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 102, 116, 117, 127, 135, 136, 137, 138, 154, 158, 162, 172, 178, 183, 206, 208, 211, 225, 237, 238, 241, 271, 272, 275, 276, 277, 291, 292, 303, 304, 305, 307, 308, 345, 351, 352, 353, 356, 385, 395, 396, 439, 440, 458, 459, 463, 477, 483, 491, 492, 511, 514, 516, 523, 528, 537, 539, 545, 552, 553, 565, 573, 574, 576, 577, 583, 586, 587

and bliss, 31

and illusion, 154

intuition, 31, 39, 56, 66, 116, 143, 158, 159, 162, 174, 213, 217, 237, 238, 239, 258, 273, 285, 463, 491, 560

sixteen, 21, 22, 44, 209, 574, 599

union of bliss and, 463, 493, 515

vajra, 171

energy wind(s), 3, 21, 28, 29, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 60, 61, 67, 78, 116, 130, 139, 140, 141, 165, 170, 187, 190, 208, 219, 225, 231, 233, 308, 354, 403, 411, 412, 439, 456, 488, 489, 498, 510, 511, 530, 540, 543, 558, 575, 584, 592, 593, 594

ascending, 49, 53, 62, 69, 72, 73, 74, 140, 262, 402, 403, 412, 414, 415, 416, 418, 421, 423, 424, 426, 428, 430, 432, 434, 435, 453, 488, 494, 503, 540, 561, 568, 577, 578, 586, 593, 598

conceptual, 29, 46, 51, 64, 77, 141, 219, 271, 488, 562, 592, 593

devadatta (devadat), 53, 73, 74, 141, 263, 265, 413, 438, 454, 488, 494, 593

dhanujit, 53, 73, 74, 141, 263, 265, 413, 438, 455, 488, 494, 507, 593

evacuative, 45, 46, 47, 49, 53, 54, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 69, 72, 73, 74, 84, 140, 217, 218, 219, 262, 293, 302, 402, 403, 412, 414, 416, 418, 420, 422, 424, 426, 428, 430, 431, 433, 439, 459, 475, 488, 494, 495, 497, 498, 505, 506, 516, 539, 555, 559, 561, 568, 569, 577, 578, 579, 580, 593

five main, 44, 62, 489

five subordinate, 44

lizard (kṛkalāsa, chameleon), 53, 73, 74, 141, 263, 265, 413, 422, 436, 457, 488, 494, 593

metabolic, 49, 53, 62, 69, 72, 73, 74, 262, 402, 403, 412, 414, 416, 418, 421, 423, 424, 426, 428, 430, 432, 433, 443, 454, 488, 494, 503, 540, 541, 561, 568, 586, 593, 598

nonconceptual, 29, 54, 64, 219, 220, 273, 498, 510, 562

one hundred eight names, 28, 51, 52, 411

pervading, 45, 49, 62, 66, 69, 72, 73, 74, 130, 140, 190, 218, 262, 263, 402, 403, 444, 453, 488, 489, 494, 496, 561, 564, 578

piercing flesh, 49, 128, 414, 540

sending/holding, 47, 48, 52, 72, 74, 128, 190, 266, 412, 490, 491, 506, 593

tortoise (kurma), 53, 73, 74, 78, 132, 141, 262, 263, 266, 299, 413, 432, 446, 457, 488, 494, 512, 551, 593

up-moving (nāga, dragon), 49, 53, 73, 74, 412, 415, 416, 419, 421, 423, 424, 426, 429, 430, 432, 434, 438, 453, 540, 593

vitality, 32, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 79, 83, 84, 130, 140, 142, 187, 189, 190, 200, 211, 217, 218, 219, 259, 262, 293, 302, 402, 403, 412, 414, 416, 418, 420, 422, 424, 426, 428, 430, 431, 433, 447, 459, 463, 475, 488, 489, 494, 497, 498, 500, 506, 516, 518, 539, 540, 542, 544, 555, 559, 561, 568, 577, 578, 579, 580, 593

enlightenment spirit (bodhicitta), 7, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 54, 56, 58, 60, 66, 67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 77, 80, 81, 83, 88, 92, 93, 96, 128, 133, 134, 141, 153, 157, 158, 162, 163, 172, 174, 178, 179, 192, 199, 200, 201, 202, 204, 211, 231, 237, 238, 253, 254, 257, 286, 340, 341, 348, 362, 379, 396, 398, 439, 451, 462, 477, 479, 480, 483, 492, 493, 508, 514, 525, 559, 565, 569, 571, 572, 574, 585, 590, 592

enlightenment(s), 6, 11, 14, 24, 35, 45, 50, 57, 58, 82, 86, 101, 103, 147, 216, 304, 305, 331, 341, 355, 439, 451, 464, 513, 514, 515, 519, 579

instant, 30, 63, 96, 119, 144, 147, 220, 308, 395, 396, 504, 515, 579

manifest, 27, 42, 58, 61, 63, 83, 86, 88, 89, 80, 95, 97, 112, 169, 205, 220, 355, 385, 396, 397, 398, 400, 442, 454, 477, 516, 519, 529, 555, 560, 579, 582

outer, 515

process of, 28, 38, 83, 518

supreme, 5, 335, 342

equanimity, 40, 62, 98, 159, 182, 317, 354, 368

Esoteric Community (Guhyasamāja), xv, xvi, xviii, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 36, 39, 49, 56, 69, 70, 79, 80, 83, 84, 86, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 104, 116, 228, 358, 384, 439, 453, 462, 463, 471, 473, 474, 476, 502, 507, 525, 529, 533, 534, 538, 552, 559, 572, 583, 584, 595, 599, 607

ethics, ii, 3, 101, 343, 439, 459, 497

etymology, 64, 83, 496, 574

evolution, xviii, 50, 82, 100, 332, 344, 356, 403, 439, 454

triumph of, 89, 97, 272, 386, 521, 525, 528, 581

excrement, 100, 102, 103, 345, 375, 400, 541, 568, 597

exhalation(s), 60, 62, 63, 70, 71, 72, 84, 89, 125, 129, 146, 161, 166, 167, 188, 225, 281, 301, 302, 433, 439, 451, 452, 495, 498, 519, 555, 562, 563, 578, 596

existence

inherent, 31, 65, 138, 501, 577

explanatory tantra (vyākhyātantra) (genre), xv, xvi, 3, 5, 7, 8, 15, 20, 23, 25, 36, 80, 88, 439, 450, 461, 463, 466, 470, 473, 476, 477, 478, 501, 514, 516, 520, 552, 563, 584

eyebrow(s), 29, 34, 59, 64, 65, 74, 92, 94, 139, 196, 221, 371, 377, 420, 422, 433, 494, 498, 554, 555, 577, 580

F

faith, iii, 30, 101, 124, 144, 184, 192, 201, 235, 242, 329, 337, 344, 368, 375, 385, 439, 451, 483, 524, 528, 558, 569, 587

fetus, 73, 507

forty verses (nidāna), 5, 15, 84, 85, 475, 517, 518, 520, 603

freedom, 3, 60, 82, 206, 303, 309, 576

furor fire (tummo), 28, 31, 43, 75, 95, 102, 208, 347, 440, 453

G

Gandhavajrā, 80, 90, 226, 295, 346, 399, 533

Geluk tradition, 5

gesture(s) (mudra), 100, 166, 242, 273, 316, 319, 320, 327, 331, 335, 337, 369, 370, 372, 443, 455, 569, 600

lotus, 34, 371

lotus-turning, 100

thumb, 30, 125, 330, 369, 601

god(s)/goddess(es), xv, 7, 8, 28, 39, 86, 115, 118, 121, 125, 128, 161, 193, 203, 224, 225, 242, 243, 246, 247, 249, 250, 278, 285, 292, 320, 321, 324, 326, 333, 337, 338, 340, 341, 349, 352, 355, 405, 416, 440, 454, 463, 464, 468, 469, 512, 529, 531, 539, 559, 560, 572, 582, 588, 589, 591, 593, 600

chakra, 76, 243, 249, 509, 590

chakra channel, 75, 76, 79, 243, 509

elemental, 79, 86, 99, 503, 522, 581

form, 90, 203, 323

sense, 55, 79, 80, 99, 582

guru(s), iii, 5, 21, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38, 43, 44, 48, 60, 63, 70, 80, 100, 101, 116, 118, 119, 122, 123, 124, 125, 138, 143, 144, 147, 150, 152, 154, 155, 159, 170, 175, 178, 179, 182, 184, 190, 198, 202, 204, 209, 213, 228, 230, 248, 250, 264, 274, 279, 282, 287, 288, 289, 291, 296, 305, 311, 315, 326, 331, 332, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 342, 344, 367, 376, 381, 383, 384, 385, 387, 388, 440, 450, 458, 481, 488, 493, 505, 515, 558, 590, 601, 606

H

hatred, 7, 8, 48, 60, 69, 80, 130, 141, 326, 440, 460, 502, 531, 533, 540, 545, 582, 600

Hayagrīva, 104, 381, 392, 393, 534, 609

hell, 26, 39, 44, 47, 48, 122, 144, 155, 539, 540, 599

hermeneutics, 34, 35, 36, 467, 478, 483, 531, 533

esoteric and exoteric, 36

hero(es)/heroine(s), 33, 34, 58, 77, 79, 131, 133, 172, 264, 308, 339, 341, 369, 370, 467, 482, 512, 529, 535, 548, 570, 588, 589, 606

commitment, 68, 69, 213, 233, 257, 436, 451, 511, 529, 592

intuition, 68, 213, 257, 334, 338, 392, 441, 460, 511, 529, 592

mind, 172, 193

posture of, 191, 244, 245, 246

spiritual, 191, 379, 381, 392, 404

vajra, 68, 534

Heruka, 80, 84, 92, 95, 230, 352, 487

I

illusion, 33, 58, 87, 92, 94, 96, 277, 297, 308, 339, 357, 441, 456, 589

nondual, 55, 154

illusory body, 4, 29, 58, 77, 87, 88, 89, 441, 457, 477, 484, 510, 519, 520, 524, 560

immortal, 191, 417, 541, 568

India(n), ii, iii, iv, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 28, 36, 37, 81, 105, 407, 461, 466, 468, 469, 470, 472, 473, 474, 475, 483, 486, 518, 520, 530, 533, 555, 599

inhalation, 60, 62, 63, 70, 71, 72, 89, 125, 146, 161, 166, 167, 188, 225, 441, 456, 495, 498, 519, 555, 562, 563, 578, 579, 595, 596

instinct(s), 50, 56, 58, 60, 73, 77, 81, 91, 131, 137, 141, 142, 165, 189, 190, 212, 227, 249, 261, 273, 305, 355, 356, 379, 382, 399, 403, 416, 441, 449, 477, 493, 500, 501, 516, 546, 549, 553, 575, 580, 585, 602

ignorance, 514

karmic, 72, 73, 76

interval, 83, 313, 441, 455, 514, 516, 599

intuition body, 87, 92, 189, 241, 302, 357, 574

intuition(s) (jñāna), 8, 29, 31, 34, 40, 42, 48, 56, 57, 61, 62, 64, 68, 69, 71, 75, 77, 78, 80, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 95, 96, 98, 101, 111, 112, 116, 125, 127, 137, 146, 149, 151, 158, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 168, 172, 173, 174, 175, 177, 179, 181, 182, 183, 185, 189, 190, 191, 193, 198, 200, 201, 202, 204, 205, 206, 213, 217, 228, 229, 230, 232, 235, 237, 238, 241, 242, 250, 257, 264, 269, 270, 272, 273, 275, 278, 279, 282, 283, 284, 286, 290, 292, 293, 294, 296, 297, 298, 299, 302, 303, 311, 320, 334, 335, 336, 338, 340, 344, 352, 355, 356, 357, 359, 361, 367, 371, 384, 392, 395, 399, 400, 441, 443, 454, 460, 463, 476, 477, 479, 492, 497, 499, 501, 502, 505, 506, 508, 509, 510, 511, 514, 522, 524, 527, 528, 529, 555, 560, 565, 571, 574, 579, 587, 592, 594, 601

emptiness, 31, 39, 56, 66, 116, 143, 158, 159, 162, 174, 213, 217, 237, 238, 239, 258, 273, 285, 463, 491, 560

five, 33, 40, 60, 61, 67, 68, 69, 78, 86, 101, 142, 146, 151, 166, 169, 170, 183, 198, 212, 213, 231, 232, 233, 287, 288, 335, 336, 344, 354, 385, 398, 460, 493

four, 42

ten, 230, 263

three, 86, 87, 227, 235, 355, 357, 358, 476, 477, 519, 560, 584

vajra, xv, 8, 36, 83, 115, 140, 143, 171, 313, 333, 338, 463, 493, 516, 517, 519, 533, 536, 599

wisdom, 27, 31, 33, 34, 55, 101, 154, 340, 343, 344, 460, 536, 538

isolation(s)

body, 39, 60, 89, 90, 91, 93, 436, 454, 494, 495, 510, 522, 594

mind, 4, 24, 81, 88, 89, 90, 91, 443, 457, 484, 506, 514, 519, 522, 560

speech, 4, 51, 59, 62, 67, 88, 89, 90, 91, 93, 445, 455, 484, 494, 522, 560, 566

three, 510

void of conventional truth, 89

K

Kālachakra, xv, xvii, 13, 84, 92, 230, 352, 441, 452, 470, 474, 525, 526, 592

karma, 31, 50, 73, 75, 86, 100, 142, 267, 291, 329, 403, 441, 454, 548, 553, 589

killing, 103, 118, 378, 385, 388, 549

kiss, 42, 43, 63, 205, 207, 219, 220, 339, 346

knot(s), 46, 51, 59, 64, 68, 83, 92, 140, 142, 241, 271, 313, 494, 496, 553, 576

channel, 54, 60, 139, 462, 494, 495, 496

heart, 4, 51, 59, 60, 97, 494, 506, 539, 554, 580

ignorance, 141, 145, 495

navel, 59, 140, 592

opening of, 4, 51, 59, 60, 64, 97, 142, 145, 462, 495, 496, 539, 554

vajra, 330

Kṣhitigarbha, 55, 79, 80, 90, 102, 226, 295, 320, 330, 346, 355, 380

L

liberation, 11, 27, 33, 58, 67, 69, 71, 77, 78, 81, 82, 83, 115, 149, 165, 171, 173, 174, 189, 203, 211, 212, 235, 258, 264, 282, 301, 316, 332, 339, 348, 404, 505, 533, 534, 547, 565, 567, 582, 588, 590, 596, 601

three doors of, 77, 258

Lochanā, 79, 80, 86, 90, 91, 99, 224, 323, 355, 380, 489, 503, 533, 571, 572, 582

logician(s), 135, 137, 442, 457

Lokeshvara, 80, 90, 226, 296, 320, 346, 380, 399, 534, 609

longevity, 72, 191

lotus, 21, 22, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 49, 58, 64, 68, 76, 77, 83, 84, 87, 99, 100, 102, 111, 116, 125, 127, 129, 140, 152, 159, 161, 169, 177, 178, 179, 181, 193, 197, 199, 200, 208, 211, 215, 217, 219, 232, 233, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 251, 287, 293, 307, 313, 319, 320, 325, 335, 340, 341, 346, 347, 351, 357, 365, 369, 370, 371, 381, 401, 414, 423, 426, 434, 477, 480, 481, 482, 484, 485, 497, 502, 507, 510, 516, 529, 534, 538, 539, 554, 558, 559, 561, 565, 566, 571, 572, 574, 579, 585, 588, 590, 591, 597, 599

central, 81, 398

heart, 62, 76, 78, 133, 169, 177, 220, 498, 579

intuition, 238

navel, 40, 169, 559

secret, 28, 62, 64, 115, 158, 169, 220, 361, 486, 498, 579

throat, 169, 218

tip, 485, 503, 585, 597

lotus vessel, 88, 103, 154, 179, 333, 334, 365, 532

luminance consciousness(es)

imminence, 85, 475

luminance, 86, 353, 475

radiance, 85, 353, 475

three, 85, 86

luminance(s) (āloka), 22, 41, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 96, 97, 228, 311, 353, 354, 356, 358, 384, 395, 442, 458, 476, 504, 514, 515, 516, 517, 519, 520, 565, 584, 591, 599, 602, 604

imminence (ālokopalabdha), 41, 81, 82, 85, 87, 89, 91, 96, 384, 395, 441, 442, 455, 458, 475, 514, 515, 516, 517, 519, 520, 568, 584, 602, 604

radiance, red appearance (ālokābhāsa), 41, 81, 82, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 96, 311, 384, 395, 442, 444, 458, 475, 514, 515, 516, 517, 519, 520, 584, 599, 602, 604

three, 24, 47, 81, 86, 87, 89, 96, 354, 384, 385, 446, 458, 484, 514, 516, 517, 519, 602, 604, 605

M

Mahābala, 52, 91, 227, 247, 381, 412, 415, 424, 426, 534

Mahāyāna, 10, 15, 35, 442, 459, 532, 534

mahāyoga, 22, 27, 38, 70, 72, 89, 95, 97, 202, 213, 230, 271, 273, 274, 283, 297, 386, 405, 463, 477, 480, 488, 507, 518, 525, 528, 529, 532, 594

Maitreya, 80, 90, 227, 296, 320, 380, 395, 399, 524, 527, 534

Māmaki, 80, 90, 225, 323, 380, 504, 533, 582

mandala(s), xviii, 7, 19, 24, 33, 34, 49, 58, 62, 63, 79, 80, 91, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 184, 186, 203, 234, 311, 315, 317, 320, 321, 325, 326, 332, 334, 339, 344, 345, 368, 379, 382, 385, 398, 442, 452, 461, 466, 487, 497, 503, 513, 521, 528, 529, 530, 531, 538, 564, 585, 586, 587, 588, 599, 600, 609

body, 4, 26, 40, 79, 80, 81, 86, 90, 96, 100, 104, 296, 330, 381, 521, 522, 529

earth, 62, 585, 587

Esoteric Community, 4, 24, 36, 39, 49, 69, 80, 86, 92, 100, 534, 583

fire, 61, 504, 585, 587

moon, 37, 38, 66, 577

triumph, 89, 97, 272, 386, 521, 525, 528, 529, 581, 582

vajra, 58, 118

water, 62, 585, 586, 587

wind, 62, 104, 391, 585, 586, 587

Mañjughoṣha, 81, 380

Mañjushrī, 10, 22, 25, 80, 90, 109, 227, 230, 296, 320, 338, 395, 476, 478, 527, 534

Mañjuvajra, 102, 317, 325, 347, 400, 530, 531

mantra(s), 4, 14, 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 44, 51, 54, 56, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 69, 72, 73, 76, 77, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 113, 116, 123, 125, 133, 139, 143, 144, 145, 147, 155, 159, 161, 162, 163, 165, 168, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 192, 202, 211, 212, 215, 218, 220, 221, 223, 224, 225, 228, 229, 232, 234, 235, 242, 245, 246, 247, 248, 257, 273, 284, 297, 300, 308, 315, 316, 317, 318, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 333, 335, 336, 337, 339, 341, 347, 352, 355, 358, 362, 363, 365, 371, 376, 384, 385, 387, 389, 391, 392, 393, 405, 442, 458, 462, 466, 471, 488, 489, 495, 497, 498, 502, 507, 510, 512, 513, 522, 527, 528, 529, 531, 535, 538, 539, 552, 553, 555, 556, 559, 560, 563, 564, 566, 569, 572, 574, 575, 580, 581, 582, 584, 592, 601, 604

elemental goddess, 99, 522, 581

emanation of, 513

ferocious, 328, 392

recitation of, 44, 63, 65, 72, 87, 98, 234, 317, 324, 328, 329, 355, 389, 391

repetition of, 29, 54, 59, 72, 99, 181, 182, 318, 324, 330, 331, 494, 502, 564

three-syllable, 62, 65, 66, 76, 98, 99, 365, 555, 563

meat(s), 102, 103, 328, 365, 376, 520

five, 531, 559

meditation, ii, 4, 29, 33, 40, 47, 51, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 92, 97, 101, 139, 142, 155, 157, 158, 165, 166, 174, 178, 197, 231, 272, 273, 297, 303, 341, 431, 443, 450, 459, 466, 483, 484, 489, 494, 495, 502, 503, 522, 527, 528, 529, 539, 553, 554, 560

meditative equipoise, 40, 297, 492, 519, 559, 604

meditator, 39, 98, 464, 475, 553, 579, 581

mind

lustful, 69, 103, 364, 388

moments (of sexual yoga)

beyond triumph, 42, 44, 205, 208

four, 42, 43, 79, 205, 206, 229, 573

ripening, 42, 43, 44, 205, 208

triumph, 42, 205, 208

variety, 42, 205

monaster(ies)

Tho ling, 13, 15, 16, 17, 105, 407, 469, 470, 471, 609

monk(s), 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 44, 105, 407, 469

mood (rasa), 78, 79, 87, 88, 131, 299, 358, 419, 443, 456, 512, 535, 547, 598

compassionate, 79, 535

erotic, 78, 300, 535, 598

heroic, 78, 535

humorous, 78, 535

marveling, 78, 535

peaceful, 535

of revulsion, 79, 535

terrifying, 78, 535

of terror, 79, 535

moon, 26, 37, 38, 66, 68, 69, 76, 81, 82, 83, 92, 94, 99, 103, 104, 114, 124, 128, 137, 141, 191, 198, 199, 200, 212, 216, 217, 232, 239, 247, 254, 258, 265, 277, 286, 302, 307, 309, 313, 319, 320, 362, 388, 391, 392, 398, 403, 418, 423, 434, 447, 451, 490, 492, 494, 505, 514, 527, 529, 534, 537, 542, 543, 553, 568, 569, 576, 577, 593, 595, 597, 599

semen, 238

mouth, 30, 37, 38, 43, 81, 91, 125, 170, 175, 191, 202, 207, 217, 239, 336, 369, 381, 401, 480, 498, 527, 538, 544, 579, 595

mustard, 61, 70, 100, 104, 128, 169, 188, 327, 391, 419, 587

N

nature(s)

instinctual, 47, 50, 54, 63, 78, 85, 86, 87, 89, 97, 130, 258, 354, 441, 455, 477, 479, 504, 515, 516, 517, 521, 530, 568, 602, 603

intrinsic, 66, 70, 91, 183, 332, 576, 582

navel, 62, 63, 84, 146, 269, 302, 361, 377, 402, 489, 499, 502, 545, 552, 570, 585

night, 45, 61, 62, 72, 81, 82, 83, 87, 96, 98, 100, 105, 117, 128, 132, 166, 167, 187, 188, 234, 254, 258, 271, 309, 313, 358, 372, 373, 375, 378, 384, 395, 405, 477, 488, 498, 503, 506, 514, 515, 516, 555, 562, 563, 564, 585

mid-, 7, 33, 34, 46, 50, 103, 130, 137, 192, 339, 368, 388, 391, 498, 506, 544

nirvana, xxiii, 57, 81, 96, 173, 174, 302, 304, 309, 381, 396, 404, 443, 455, 565, 601

Noble Tradition, xv, 5, 6, 8, 36, 39, 58, 69, 80, 88, 90, 96, 463, 466, 478, 521, 524, 609

nose, 219, 220

nose tip(s), 69, 169, 231, 233, 234, 502

central, 69

conventional, 68, 69, 231, 233, 575, 585

four, 397

heart, 68, 69, 231, 587

secret, 40, 68, 231, 485, 503, 597

superficial, 522

three, 67, 116, 231, 539, 576

nostril, 46, 61, 62, 66, 69, 73, 169, 170, 216, 219, 233, 263, 281, 380, 503, 507, 563, 585, 595, 596

Nyingma (order, tradition, lama, etc.), 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 467, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 609

O

Oḍḍiyana, 7, 8, 12, 15, 16, 24, 468, 472

offering(s), 10, 30, 31, 33, 34, 40, 63, 76, 86, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 105, 118, 125, 184, 193, 242, 245, 247, 292, 315, 321, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 340, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 356, 362, 367, 368, 369, 382, 470, 486, 528, 529, 608

fire, 40, 98, 101, 118, 147, 174, 192, 213, 315, 331, 361, 377

inner, 22, 34, 41, 88, 101, 102, 345, 531

mantra, 529

orgasm, 21, 34, 43, 79, 587, 585, 606

ovum, 73, 192, 199, 238, 253, 254, 261, 262, 389, 559, 560, 572, 592

P

palate, 67, 72, 146, 183, 191, 211, 418, 569, 574

Pāṇḍaravāsinī, 80, 90, 225, 323, 380, 489, 497, 503, 533, 571, 582

passion, 38, 43, 57, 66, 69, 71, 80, 82, 93, 96, 101, 102, 122, 151, 197, 198, 200, 232, 235, 241, 278, 282, 284, 292, 299, 304, 309, 343, 355, 364, 404, 443, 451, 484, 486, 487, 502, 504, 513, 529, 533, 573, 575, 589, 590, 596, 598

path(s), 3, 5, 14, 24, 28, 55, 87, 90, 112, 113, 129, 142, 144, 157, 199, 219, 232, 273, 347, 356, 358, 376, 377, 378, 461, 462, 477, 484, 500, 518, 519, 534, 536, 605

vajra, 24, 112, 157, 538, 574

Pedurma, xvii, 16, 463, 472, 486, 511, 512, 535, 540, 544, 550, 552, 567, 568, 570, 575, 587, 591, 597, 599, 603, 609

penis, 30, 40, 51, 67, 68, 84, 91, 534

perfection stage, xvii, 3, 4, 5, 16, 22, 23, 24, 26, 30, 32, 33, 38, 40, 51, 54, 56, 58, 59, 61, 67, 71, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 115, 122, 204, 229, 230, 272, 290, 308, 356, 359, 386, 396, 444, 456, 462, 494, 510, 511, 521, 522, 524, 525, 552, 553, 558, 566, 577, 579, 582, 593, 594

five stages of, 4, 6, 7, 24, 29, 39, 51, 56, 83, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 440, 453, 462, 471, 519, 520, 524, 563

performance tantra(s), 24, 36, 121, 273, 467

perineum, 51, 66

personal instruction(s), xvi, 5, 8, 25, 26, 27, 30, 33, 43, 44, 51, 60, 62, 143, 144, 145, 154, 178, 179, 182, 183, 185, 202, 213, 232, 242, 274, 341, 384, 385, 386, 444, 454, 465, 478, 488, 494, 516, 524, 555, 578

pledge, 7, 111, 467, 534

supreme, 274

vajra, 533, 534

of Vajradhara, 111

poison, 92, 104, 123, 146, 198, 391, 392, 393, 589

polysemy, 36, 476

Proclamation (Zhiwa Ö), 11, 12, 13, 14, 467, 470, 471

protector(s), 12, 119, 178, 356, 368, 541, 601, 606

ten directional, 7, 25, 105

world, 129, 177

R

Rāhu, 265, 542, 575, 576, 597

Rasavajrā, 80, 90, 226, 246, 295, 346, 399, 534, 583, 609

rati, 523, 581

Ratnasambhava, 6, 32, 47, 49, 62, 69, 80, 90, 99, 102, 114, 224, 334, 372, 399, 400, 402, 464, 489, 513, 520, 523, 529, 533, 561, 571, 573, 586, 598, 600, 606

reality

conventional, 55, 154, 437, 453, 483, 553

ultimate, 56, 66, 92, 96, 124, 136, 167, 172, 182, 203, 307, 483, 536, 553, 557

realm(s)

desire, 41, 66, 216, 258, 383

form, 8, 41, 66, 87, 216, 217, 237, 258, 354, 357, 383, 464, 596

formless, 41, 66, 216, 218, 258, 383

object, 142

reality (dharmadhātu), 39, 101, 203, 217, 229, 230, 255, 285, 286, 288, 290, 292, 325, 344, 400, 404, 513

space, 84, 140, 351

speech, 127

three, 38, 66, 95, 140, 142, 177, 216, 217, 224, 231, 286, 338, 342, 354, 383, 384, 404, 446, 453, 578

vajra, 133, 269, 593

yogi/nī, 127

reincarnation, iv, 47, 55, 85, 86, 136, 517

relativity, 4, 33, 102, 161, 339, 445, 456

reverse method, 42, 43, 207, 517, 602

rhino [buddha] (pratyekabuddha), 174

ritual(s), 4, 5, 7, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 37, 44, 60, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 118, 133, 193, 231, 315, 317, 321, 322, 327, 328, 331, 342, 343, 345, 363, 367, 376, 388, 405, 445, 451, 461, 462, 486, 487, 529, 531, 536, 552, 575, 582, 601

cake (torma), 98, 100, 105, 317, 366, 369, 371, 405

rosary, 27, 28, 64, 128, 129, 142, 154, 155, 213, 432, 461, 576, 590

of mantras, 405

of vajras, 24, 42, 56, 112, 114, 115, 116, 205, 477, 534, 536

Rūpavajrā, 55, 79, 80, 90, 102, 225, 246, 295, 320, 346, 362, 398, 491, 533, 572, 583

S

sādhana, 5, 81, 89, 97, 445, 457, 463, 473, 475, 484, 512, 518, 539, 554, 581, 583, 599

samadhi, 5, 24, 88, 93, 94, 112, 464, 477, 518, 520, 522, 534, 595

sangha, 41, 118, 258, 383, 384

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣhkambhin, 81, 90, 227, 296, 346, 380, 534, 583

seal(s) (mudrā), 30, 31, 32, 33, 40, 63, 84, 113, 117, 125, 146, 184, 202, 244, 291, 292, 293, 294, 297, 340, 346, 351, 352, 355, 359, 367, 369, 445, 455, 481, 517, 538, 554, 555, 558, 572, 597

action, 31, 32, 291, 294, 339, 435, 454, 555

actual, 31, 291, 597

commitment, 31, 159, 587

great, 7, 24, 29, 31, 40, 72, 89, 95, 97, 103, 111, 114, 117, 143, 145, 158, 159, 181, 193, 264, 282, 283, 291, 292, 294, 297, 298, 340, 366, 368, 397, 440, 455, 462, 495, 508, 535, 598

intuition, 29, 293

lotus vessel, 154

outer, 40, 462

reality, 31, 597

of terrifics, 220

union with, 292, 340

universal, 113

vajra, 96, 119, 181, 396

secret bliss enlightenment, 88

seed syllable(s), 40, 47, 66, 78, 307, 334, 489, 527, 529, 571, 578, 597

self-awareness (rang rig), 36, 55, 73, 137, 183, 445, 455

semen, 10, 30, 32, 42, 66, 68, 73, 74, 78, 100, 102, 103, 104, 192, 206, 224, 238, 261, 262, 293, 333, 363, 365, 389, 402, 445, 451, 480, 538, 559, 574, 575, 577, 578, 585, 592, 593, 606

sense media, 40, 54, 72, 76, 77, 79, 80, 86, 117, 136, 189, 190, 285, 295, 296, 297, 354, 404, 529, 557, 583

body, 80, 296, 354, 583

channels, 80, 296

ears, 80, 295, 354, 583

eyes, 80, 295, 354, 583

five, 86

mind, 80, 296, 354, 583

nose, 80, 295, 354, 583

orifices, 63, 220

six, 86

tongue, 80, 296, 583

sense object(s), 55, 76, 77, 78, 79, 86, 94, 102, 178, 354, 355, 491, 500, 509, 558, 565, 572, 583

five, 90, 92

form, 86, 90, 398

mental, 226

scent, 90, 399

six, 230

smell, 226

sound, 90, 399

taste, 90, 399

touch, 90

sense pleasure(s), 33, 35, 145, 339

sense power(s), 55, 60, 78, 86, 94, 102, 142, 203, 217, 226, 249, 250, 275, 356, 488, 500, 565, 572, 582, 583, 594

auditory, 226, 583

corporeal, 583

mental, 102, 226

olfactory, 583

ordinary, 55

scent, 226

taste, 226, 584

touch, 226, 584

visual, 55, 102, 226, 584

of yogi/nī, 55, 86

sesame, 39, 100, 103, 138, 192, 285, 328, 365

seven ornament(s), 36, 483

sex, sexuality, 28, 29, 33, 34, 42, 58, 484, 486, 523, 531, 554, 555, 581, 597

sexual fluids, 103, 538

sexual intercourse, 31, 71, 76, 79, 481

sexual organs, 28, 30, 40, 43, 71, 447, 451, 461

sexual rite, 10, 11

sexual tension, 555

sexual union, 31, 71, 76

sexual urge, 523, 581

Shabdavajrā, 80, 90, 225, 246, 295, 346, 399, 533

Shākyamuni Buddha, xv, 3, 6, 535

Shiva, 149, 595

sister, 21, 30, 31, 32, 34, 103, 124, 293, 294, 365, 371, 475, 537, 538

sixteen, 21, 22, 30, 43, 44, 46, 56, 74, 76, 77, 92, 100, 137, 195, 197, 209, 245, 251, 252, 311, 464, 489, 537, 542, 563, 572, 574, 595, 599

skull, 104, 155, 157, 369, 375, 389, 558, 591

sound, xxiii, 51, 54, 59, 60, 62, 64, 69, 72, 77, 80, 90, 92, 116, 117, 128, 129, 145, 149, 150, 161, 162, 197, 203, 225, 226, 229, 232, 241, 254, 273, 478, 295, 335, 346, 347, 361, 363, 382, 415, 416, 427, 431, 445, 457, 480, 493, 494, 495, 504, 510, 512, 523, 525, 534, 541, 554, 560, 573, 574, 584, 588, 591, 594, 599

empty, 523

-energy, 523

indestructible, 64, 93, 95, 102, 278, 347, 525

spontaneous (dhvani), 523

Sparshavajrā, 80, 90, 226, 246, 295, 346, 522, 533, 583, 609

spirit(s), 98, 100, 104, 317, 328, 392, 531, 599, 601

banishment of, 98, 315, 317, 391

subtle body, 3, 4, 47, 59, 63, 68, 72, 81, 82, 85, 86, 465, 486, 517, 564

subtle creation stage, 519, 521, 604

suchness, 26, 56, 135, 136, 183, 446, 452, 462, 474

Sukhāvatī, 6, 56, 238

Suṁbharāja, 103, 114, 364, 515, 534

sun, 28, 37, 68, 69, 74, 76, 77, 82, 83, 99, 102, 104, 114, 129, 133, 178, 197, 199, 200, 212, 216, 217, 232, 238, 246, 250, 253, 254, 258, 265, 269, 307, 309, 313, 319, 320, 347, 391, 392, 423, 424, 430, 505, 509, 514, 515, 516, 536, 576, 577, 593, 595, 597

sūtra, 19, 26, 35, 84, 446, 454

T

Takkirāja, 91, 381, 534

tantric college, 44, 61, 496

Tāra, 80, 90, 225, 324, 380, 489, 503, 533, 571, 582

tathāgata(s), 7, 326, 327, 328, 334, 335, 336, 337, 476, 518, 604

Tengyur (bstan ’gyur), ii, iii, iv, xv, 6, 15, 16, 463, 474

terrific(s), 39, 80, 81, 86, 91, 99, 104, 105, 203, 220, 296, 320, 338, 355, 362, 399, 405, 523, 524, 529, 531, 534, 572

thatness, 29, 31, 51, 54, 72, 80, 159, 162, 183, 191, 211, 215, 217, 227, 232, 242, 243, 247, 272, 275, 276, 282, 283, 292, 308, 353, 446, 452, 488, 489, 497, 509, 553, 566, 573, 581, 584, 594

thought construction, 27, 28, 44, 127, 128, 130, 158, 446, 456, 457, 479, 517, 549, 560

Three Jewels, 11, 41, 102, 109, 345, 476

throat, 42, 43, 46, 50, 60, 61, 66, 74, 75, 76, 94, 95, 129, 155, 183, 185, 196, 197, 216, 217, 218, 377, 401, 402, 421, 506, 535, 553, 557, 570

truth(s)

conventional, 82, 87, 89, 309, 356, 437, 552

two, 447, 450, 484, 582

ultimate, 309, 447, 452, 552

twilight, 83, 87, 117, 258, 313, 358, 395, 447, 455, 514, 515, 516, 599

U

unexcelled yoga tantra(s), xv, 3, 36, 38, 116, 187, 447, 450

urine, 10, 11, 32, 98, 100, 224, 294, 538, 541, 559, 599

Uṣhṇīṣhacakravartin, 91, 99, 114, 227

V

vagina, 24, 26, 33, 37, 38, 40, 67, 68, 84, 111, 179, 199, 264, 286, 340, 341, 351, 361, 462, 476, 507, 532, 533, 557, 566, 572

Vairochana, 32, 62, 63, 66, 67, 76, 79, 80, 90, 91, 99, 102, 109, 114, 170, 216, 223, 234, 247, 320, 336, 363, 372, 399, 400, 402, 464, 476, 489, 497, 513, 520, 523, 529, 533, 560, 561, 571, 573, 576, 580, 581, 582, 586, 598, 600

Vajra Assistant, 34, 370

vajra body, 28, 51, 65, 72, 73, 77, 87, 117, 191, 192, 193, 215, 218, 325, 356, 447, 455, 479, 501, 506, 510, 535, 576

vajra master, 32, 33, 34, 98, 99, 100, 248, 317, 332, 334, 339, 342, 368, 379, 381, 447, 456, 510, 524, 537, 558, 608

Vajra Queen(s), 24, 26, 30, 58, 84, 111, 114, 125, 462, 476

vajra vehicle, 112, 113, 114, 115, 122, 185, 316, 447, 456, 536

vajra(s), 21, 24, 27, 28, 32, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 49, 76, 78, 79, 84, 104, 112, 114, 116, 117, 118, 125, 127, 128, 140, 172, 177, 178, 179, 181, 199, 203, 207, 220, 238, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 258, 261, 276, 287, 288, 307, 321, 322, 335, 337, 338, 342, 347, 351, 352, 361, 371, 379, 391, 398, 417, 447, 455, 461, 462, 477, 479, 483, 491, 493, 503, 533, 534, 538, 539, 541, 561, 565, 573, 574, 580, 581, 585, 586, 590, 594, 595, 596, 597, 599, 601

action, 379, 533

body, 28, 51, 65, 72, 73, 77, 87, 117, 191, 192, 193, 215, 218, 325, 356, 447, 455, 479, 501, 506, 510, 535, 576

clan of, 36, 58, 111, 114, 293

of consecration, 338

disciples of, 32, 33, 333, 335, 336, 338

energy, 37, 177

great, 49, 197, 307, 338, 414, 426, 578

holder of, 80, 140, 158, 275, 295, 315, 336, 559

indestructible, 27, 177, 287, 552, 596

intuition, 83, 115, 140, 143, 313, 473, 476, 501, 513, 514, 515, 516, 533, 536, 599

and lotus, 22, 30, 37, 38, 41, 68, 83, 87, 102, 116, 152, 159, 177, 178, 179, 200, 247, 313, 346, 357, 480, 481, 484, 485, 502, 529, 538, 558, 585

mind, 102, 185, 345, 347, 348, 379, 491, 497, 510, 511, 561, 594, 595

recitation of, 3, 4, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 38, 43, 44, 47, 50, 51, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 87, 88, 89, 90, 95, 96, 97, 403, 455

secret, 24, 114, 127, 250, 477, 539

speech, 217, 337

teacher of, 321, 327, 331

three, 79, 116, 133, 218, 319, 330, 333, 382, 513, 514, 584

tip, 58, 60, 96, 141, 153, 172, 211, 231, 396, 481, 485, 558, 574, 585, 597

worship of, 464

Vajradhara, xv, 3, 4, 7, 23, 24, 26, 28, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 56, 62, 83, 84, 92, 96, 101, 111, 112, 113, 115, 118, 125, 139, 158, 179, 183, 218, 302, 313, 322, 330, 333, 338, 340, 351, 364, 383, 385, 404, 479, 492, 556, 561, 566, 573, 578, 588, 595

Vajradhātvīshvarī, 56, 80, 125, 127, 238, 245, 295

Vajrapāṇi, 4, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36, 67, 80, 90, 111, 115, 119, 121, 123, 130, 144, 182, 191, 218, 226, 234, 295, 320, 343, 346, 380, 395, 399, 478, 527, 536, 554, 583, 598

Vajrasattva, 7, 8, 25, 29, 32, 33, 34, 40, 54, 58, 79, 80, 84, 100, 101, 102, 105, 111, 113, 116, 119, 123, 134, 144, 146, 151, 159, 161, 170, 171, 172, 181, 185, 191, 204, 209, 213, 223, 230, 234, 235, 247, 251, 257, 273, 283, 288, 289, 292, 293, 294, 297, 327, 329, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 342, 344, 345, 351, 352, 358, 362, 368, 370, 381, 385, 402, 405, 479, 493, 511, 512, 529, 533, 536, 555, 556, 557, 566, 569, 583, 592, 599, 608

visarga, 91, 145, 555, 567, 569, 584, 600

Viṣhṇu, 149, 595

vow(s), 7, 11, 14, 15, 22, 30, 44, 55, 101, 115, 116, 129, 147, 153, 154, 155, 179, 181, 182, 247, 250, 331, 387, 424, 539, 572

of conduct, 337, 539

of the Great Seal, 181

of pure conduct, 344, 484

wisdom, 344

vowel(s), 44, 60, 63, 66, 82, 83, 92, 93, 117, 145, 184, 185, 192, 271, 278, 307, 311, 325, 382, 489, 497, 513, 554, 572, 574, 584, 599, 600, 607

sixteen, 311, 489

W

wife, 21, 30, 31, 32, 124, 293, 294, 475, 537, 538

wisdom (prajñā), iii, iv, xvi, 3, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 41, 45, 55, 59, 62, 81, 82, 87, 89, 101, 104, 113, 122, 147, 154, 200, 264, 291, 292, 295, 309, 320, 340, 343, 344, 353, 368, 385, 439, 441, 444, 448, 454, 457, 458, 460, 461, 468, 471, 479, 483, 486, 489, 490, 492, 504, 508, 514, 522, 536, 538, 547, 562, 572, 574, 600, 606

wishlessness, 77

women, 10, 21, 30, 31, 32, 33, 124, 193, 198, 292, 293, 342, 419, 423, 424, 434, 481, 538, 542, 569

young, 30, 31, 173, 292, 569

Y

Yamāntaka, 39, 84, 95, 99, 104, 320, 324, 338, 352, 380, 389, 534, 572, 609

Yamāntakṛt, 39, 91

yoga tantra(s), xv, 24, 36, 38, 116, 118, 121, 124, 473, 461, 471, 476, 578

yoga(s), ii, 4, 5, 14, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 39, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 63, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 80, 83, 84, 87, 88, 89, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 101, 113, 114, 115, 116, 122, 135, 137, 213, 223, 225, 228, 229, 230, 232, 233, 234, 242, 248, 249, 250, 257, 258, 269, 270, 271, 272, 275, 276, 277, 279, 281, 282, 284, 285, 289, 299, 308, 315, 316, 324, 330, 331, 332, 335, 345, 349, 351, 354, 357, 367, 384, 385, 386, 387, 389, 397, 446, 455, 462, 471, 480, 481, 483, 494, 495, 497, 511, 517, 518, 519, 520, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 535, 552, 561, 569, 572, 574, 579, 582, 585, 592, 594, 595, 597

absorption, 66, 93, 480, 526, 595

breath control (prāṇāyāma), 86, 88, 93, 94, 95, 158, 166, 168, 169, 278, 402, 447, 459, 500, 518, 520, 522, 526, 535, 538, 576, 595, 596

concentration, 6, 7, 28, 39, 59, 61, 62, 66, 69, 87, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 101, 139, 162, 165, 174, 232, 242, 342, 357, 368, 397, 437, 450, 459, 464, 477, 480, 499, 524, 529, 534, 552, 555, 594, 595, 603

first, 97, 528

four, 5, 172, 462

great seal, 114, 535

nondual, 89, 97, 101, 138, 150, 165, 168, 172, 183, 234, 296, 345

recollection, 88, 93, 94, 95, 426, 444, 456, 595

retention, 83, 88, 93, 94, 95, 167, 595

sexual, 28, 29, 33, 34, 42, 58, 71, 76, 484, 531, 554, 597

six, 4, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 271, 277, 462, 520, 524, 525, 526, 528, 530, 594, 595

withdrawal, 88, 93, 94, 594

Yogāchāra, 22, 55, 475, 501, 506, 524

Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series

Tengyur Translation Initiative

A refereed series published by:

American Institute of Buddhist Studies | Wisdom Publications
Columbia University | 199 Elm Street
80 Claremont Avenue, Room 303 | Somerville, MA 02144
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In association with Columbia University’s Center for Buddhist Studies and Tibet House US.

Distributed by Wisdom Publications.

Copyright © 2020 by David R. Kittay

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kittay, David R., 1952– translator. | Jamspal, L., 1936– translator.

Title: The Vajra Rosary Tantra (Śrī vajramālā vyākhyā tantra): an explanatory tantra of the glorious king of tantras, the esoteric community tantra (Shrīguhyasamāja tantrarājā), with annotations and explanations from alaṁkakalasha’s commentary / Vajradhara; introduction and translation by David R. “Komodo” Kittay with Dr. Āchārya Lozang Jamspal.

Description: New York, New York: The American Institute of Buddhist Studies, 2020. | Series: Treasury of the Buddhist sciences | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other titles: Śrī vajramālā vyākhyā tantra

Identifiers: LCCN 2019040598 (print) | LCCN 2019040599 (ebook) | ISBN 9781949163148 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781949163155 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Alaṁkakalasha. | Tripiṭaka. Sūtrapiṭaka. Tantra. Guhyasamājatantra — Commentaries — Early works to 1800. | Tripiṭaka. Sūtrapiṭaka. Tantra. Guhyasamājatantra — Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Vajradhara (Buddhist deity)

Classification: LCC BQ2155 .V35 2020 (print) | LCC BQ2155 (ebook) | DDC 294.3/823 — dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019040598

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019040599

ISBN 978-1-949163-14-8 (hardcover)    ebook ISBN 978-1-949163-15-5

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Cover and interior design by Gopa&Ted2.