Guhyagarbha Tantra (with Commentary)

by Gyurme Dorje | 1987 | 304,894 words

The English translation of the Guhyagarbha Tantra, including Longchenpa's commentary from the 14th century. The whole work is presented as a critical investigation into the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, of which the Guhyagarbhatantra is it's principle text. It contains twenty-two chapters teaching the essence and practice of Mahayoga, which s...

Text 1.7 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 1.7]

... The Transcendent Lord was present as such in (the form of) the Tathāgata who is king of consciousness, the Tathāgata who is king of form, the Tathāgata who is king of feeling, the Tathāgata who is king of perception, and the Tathāgata who is king of habitual tendencies. All these too were resplendent in their (respective) colours—dark blue, white, yellow, scarlet, and green. [7] ...

[Tibetan]

bcom-ldan-'das de-bzhin gshegs-pa rnam-par shes-pa'i rgyal-po-dang / de-bzhin gshegs-pa gzugs-kyi rgyal-po-dang / de-bzhin gshegs-pa tshor-ba'i rgyal-po-dang / de-bzhin gshegs-pa 'du-shes-kyi rgyal-po-dang / de-bzhin gshegs-pa 'du-byed-kyi rgyal-po-dang / de-dag kun-kyang mthing-kha-dang / dkar-po-dang / ser-po-dang / le-brgan-dang / ljang-khu'i mdog-tu 'tsher-ba / [7]

Commentary:

[The Interlinear commentary (85.l-87.4) concerns both the central deities of the essential expanse, and their retinue which is not different in nature.]

[The first includes the male and female central deities, of which the section on the former (comments on Ch. 1.7):]

The Transcendent Lord (bcom-ldan-'das) was present as such in five forms, namely the Tathāgata (de-bzhin gshegs-pa) Vairocana who is king of consciousness (rnam-par gshegs-pa'i rgyal-po), the Tathāgata (de-bzhin gshegs-pa) Akṣobhya who is kins of form (gzugs-kyi rgyal-po), the Tathāgata (de-bzhin gshegs-pa) Ratnasambhava who is kins of feeling (tshor-ba'i rgyal-po), the Tathāgata (de-bzhin gshegs-pa) Amitābha who is kins of perception ('du-shes-kyi rgyal-po), and the Tathāgata (de-bzhin gshegs-pa) Amoghasiddhi who is kins of habitual tendencies ('du-byed-kyi rgyal-po). All these (de-dag kun) five enlightened families too (kyang) have their distinct body-colours: Vairocana is dark-blue (mthing-kha) because his mirror-like pristine cognition is unchanging. Akṣobhya is white (dkar-po) because the pristine cognition of reality's expanse is free from all stains. Ratnasambhava is yellow (gser-po) because his pristine cognition of sameness is endowed with many enlightened attributes of greatness. Amitābha is scarlet (le-brgan). i.e. red, because his pristine cognition of particular discernment hankers for the benefit of living beings; and Amoghasiddhi is green (ljang-gu) because his pristine cognition of accomplishment performs diverse acts of benefit for sentient beings. Radiant and resplendent in their (respective) colours (mdog-tu 'tsher-ba). the nature of the five enlightened families is dazzling and brilliantly clear.

[The section on the female central deities (comments on Ch. 1.8):]

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