Text 1.3 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 1.3]

... In the abode of Akaniṣṭha, without extremes or centre, on the radiant wheel of pristine cognitions that is the limitless ground, there is his celestial palace, blazing forth with Jewels of pristine cognition, completely uninterrupted throughout the ten directions of space, fashioned as a square because it is vast in measureless enlightened attributes, and adorned with projecting bays of precious gems which are the superior pristine cognition. Its spire is the pristine cognition central to all, in which all maṇḍalas of the buddhas of the ten directions and four times without exception are not distinct from one another and are of a single essence. This inconceivable pristine cognition is extraordinary in its different details of shape, colour and so forth, which form the precious gems of pristine cognition. The palace is superior and immeasurable in extent, [3] ...

[Tibetan]

'og-min-gyi gnas-mtha'-dang dbus-med-pa-na / gzhi tshad-med-pa'i ye-shes-kyi 'khor-lo gsal-ba-la / ye-shes rin-po-che 'bar-ba'i gzhal-yas-khang / rgya-phyogs-bcur yongs-su ma-chad-pa/ yon-tan dpag-tu med-pa rgyas-pa'i phyir gru-bzhir gyur-pa/ lhag-pa'i ye-shes rin-po-che'i glo-'bur-gyis mdzes-pa / rtse-mo phyogs-bcu dus-bzhi'i sangs-rgyas-kyi dkyil-'khor ma-lus-pa thams-cad / so-so ma-yin ngo-bo-nyid gcig-pa'i ye-shes kun-tu 'khyil-pa / ye-shes bsam-gyis mi-khyab pa / ye-shes rin-po-che'i dbyibs-dang kha-dog la-sogs-pa rnam-pa tha-dad-pa'i bye-brag-dang khyad-par-du gyur-pa / 'pags-pa / tshad dpag-tu med-pa / [3]

Commentary:

The abode of Akaniṣṭha ('og-min-gyi gnas) where the buddha-body of perfect rapture resides is inconceivable as space, without (med-pa) being limited by extremes or centre (mtha'-dang dbus), because there is no other (field) higher than this buddha-field of the Bounteous Array, supreme among all appearances. It is without the ten directions including apex or zenith and base or nadir. In (na) that limitless (tshad-med-pa) self-manifesting location the ground (gzhi) is not a spatial dimension to which one can objectively refer. It is naturally radiant (gsal-ba) as a wheel ('khor-lo). distinct with four spokes and axle, of five colours which symbolise that the five conflicting emotions are cut off by the unimpeded energy of pristine cognitions (ye-shes-kyi) beginning with the mirrorlike one. These are respectively blue, white, yellow. red and green in nature. Thereupon (la)...

ii. The second concerning the celestial palace (comments on Ch. 1, 3): There is the celestial palace (gzhal-yas-khang) which is great because its essence, attributes, dimensions and so forth cannot be intellectually appraised, blazing forth with ('bar-ba'i) the infinite light and sun-like brilliance of jewels (rin-po-che) in which all that is desired is spontaneously present because it is materialised from the glow of the five pristine cognitions (ye-shes). The dimensions of this palace are conclusively unchanging throughout the ten directions of space (rgya-phyogs-bcur), and so equal to space, completely uninterrupted (yongs-su ma-chad-pa), because the Buddha-body, speech and mind, the inexhaustible wheels of adornment, are inconceivable.

In shape, it is fashioned as a square (gru-bzhir gyur-pa) because it is (phyir) utterly vast (rgyas-pa-'i) in measureless enlightened attributes (yon-tan dpag-tu med-pa) such as the eighteen distinct properties of the buddhas, the consummation of the material elements, and subjugation through charisma.

Now the eighteen distinct properties of the Buddhas (aṣṭadaśadvenikadharma) are that the Buddha-body, speech and mind are without bewilderment, noise, forgetfulness, unbalanced mind, different cognitions, and equanimity which does not make distinctions—six; that they do not degenerate in their devotion, perseverence, recollection, contemplation, discriminative awareness or liberation—six; that the activities of their body, speech and mind precede pristine cognition and pursue pristine cognition—three; and that they enter into the perception of pristine cognition which is unobstructed and unimpeded with respect to past, present and future—three; making eighteen in all.^[1]

Accordingly the Ornament of the Sūtras of the Greater Vehicle (T. 4020) says:

Obeisance to you, the Guru
Of conduct and realisation.
Of pristine cognition and enlightened activity.
And of all pious attendants and self-centred Buddhas.

The ten consummations of the material elements (zad-par bcu) are those of earth, water, fire, air, blueness, yellowness, redness, whiteness, space, and consciousness. These ten attributes, which are impervious to water and so forth, are perfect in their ability because independence is obtained with respect to the inner sensory bases and activity fields.^[2]

The eight kinds of subjugation by charisma (zil-gnon brgyad) comprise the two charismatic subjugations of all external form, sentient and non-sentient, which occur because inner forms are perceived; the two charismatic subjugations of external forms, sentient and non-sentient, which occur because their inner formlessness is perceived; and the (four) diffusions of lightrays which are the charismatic subjugation of all external colours—blue, yellow, red and white—which occur because their inner beauty is appreciated: making eight in all. The (perception of) inner form, formlessness, and the appreciation of beauty correspond respectively to the three approaches to liberation, beginning with emptiness.^[3]

The celestial palace on its four sides is adorned with (gyis mdzes-pa) quadrangular projecting bays of precious gems (rin-po-che'i glo-bur), formed of crystal, gold, ruby and emerald, which are to symbolise the real nature or superior pristine cognition (lhag-pa'i ye-shes), so called because the four conclusive kinds of pristine cognition beginning with the mirror-like one are the doctrines of the buddhas alone and are not found elsewhere.^[4]

Now the mirror-like pristine cognition pacifies the signs of the dynamic subject-object dichotomy, and is the basis from which the other three pristine cognitions arise.

The same text (Ornament of Sūtras of the Greater Vehicle, 9.68-73) says:

The mirror-like pristine cognition is unmoving.
The three pristine cognitions which depend on it
Are exclusively those of sameness.
Particular discernment and of accomplishment.

Sameness is that which does not abide in the extremes of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa:

That which abides dynamically and at peace
Is held to be the pristine cognition of sameness.

Particular discernment knows all objects of knowledge distinctly:

The pristine cognition of particular discernment
Ever unimpeded with regard to all that is knowable.
Is solely like a treasure store
Of the contemplations and the dhāraṇīs.

The pristine cognition of accomplishment enters into enlightened activity which corresponds to the fortune of those who require training:

The pristine cognition of accomplishment
Is diversified in all realms.
Through measureless unthinkable emanations
It acts on behalf of all sentient beings.

Such pristine cognitions are Indeed revealed in the maṇḍala as a symbol of the single essence. in order to Illustrate that there are five pristine cognitions which derive from each of the five basic pristine cognitions, the term “quadrangular projecting bay” also (implicitly) indicates the five-layered walls (of the palace) which naturally express the five pristine cognitions, and which from the Inside respectively combine the colours blue, green, red. yellow, and white.

The spire (rtse-mo) of the celestial palace, bulbous as a vase, illustrates the pristine cognition of reality's expanse. It is a symbol of the great pristine cognition (ye-shes) central to all (kun-tu 'khyil-pa) throughout the four times, in which, as previously explained, all maṇḍalas (dkyil-'khor thams-cad) of the indestructible body, speech, mind, attributes and activities of (kyi) all the buddhas of the ten directions and four times (phyogs-bcu dus-bzhi'i sangs-rgyas) without exception (ma-lus-pa) are not distinguished from one another (so-so ma-yin) in their natural expression, and are of a single essence (ngo-bo-nyid gcig-pa'i).

Now this celestial palace is also revealed to be not one finite thing, but immeasurable. It possesses this Inconceivable pristine cognition (ye-shes bsam-gyis mi-khyab-pa) because each (of the five) pristine cognitions is fivefold, and within these twenty-five a further fivefold subdivision is also distinguished. To symbolise this. the colour of the celestial palace also radiates distinctly the colours of all the countless celestial palaces of its four directions and central area, which derive from the basic celestial palace, conforming respectively in shape and colour, which form the precious gems of pristine cognition (ye-shes rin-po-che'i dbyibs-dang kha-dog). Both the shapes of these (palaces)—square in the centre, crescent in the east, and so forth (la-sogs-pa), and their colours—white, yellow and so forth (la-sogs-pa) are not blurred in their different details rnam-pa tha-dad-pa'i bye-brag), but extraordinary (khyad-par-du gyur-pa) in an inconceivable array.^[5]

The palace la superior ('phags-pa)^[6] in particular to those attributes which appear to pious attendants, self-centred buddhas and Bodhisattvas; and it is immeasurable in (dpag-tu med-pa) the extent (tshad) of its field, shapes, colours and so forth.

iii. The third, concerning the excellent array, comprises both the excellent array of the ornaments (of the celestial palace) and the excellent array of its thrones.

[The former (comments on Ch. 1.4)]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mahāvyutpatti nos. 135-153. See also NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 2, p. 60b, and Ibid., glossary of enumerations.

[2]:

On these consummations of the elements, which are Indicative of accomplishment in the rdzogs-pa chen-po. see below, Ch. 5. pp. 608-609, 619-621; Ch. 13, 1008-1009. For a biographical account of the effect of such practices, see the life of rBa-sgom in NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 4, pp. 193-195.

[3]:

Compare this enumeration of zil-gnon brgyad with that of rnam-par thar-pa brgyad, below, p. 381. In terms of the realisation of rdzogs-chen. inner form (nang-gzugs) corresponds to emptiness (śūnyatā), formlessness (gzugs-med) corresponds to signlessness (animitta), and the appreciation of beauty (sdug-par mos-pa) to aspirationlessness (apraṇihita). On these three “approaches to liberation” see below, pp. 378-380, and in the context of the causal vehicles, see also NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 3, passim.

[4]:

For an illustration of the vimāna according to the Māyājāla. see opposite p. 374. In this symbolism of the four projecting bays, the central dharmadhātujñāna is not included since it itself is represented by the spire. See p. 376.

[5]:

The five shapes are square, round, triangular, crescentshaped, and bindu-shaped. The five colours are white, blue, yellow, red and green.

[6]:

For an alternative readins, see above, p. 263, note 6.