Text 3.17 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 3.17]

The Buddhas do not pass Into (final) nirvāṇa.
Their doctrines also do not decline.
In order to instruct the ignorant
Through acts of maturation.
They emerge and then demonstrate
The passing into nirvāṇa. [17] ...

[Tibetan]

sangs-rgyas mya-ngan yong mi-'da' /
chos-kyang nub-par mi-'gyur-te /
ma-rig smin-mdzad 'dul-ba'i phyir /
byung-nas mya-ngan 'da'-bar ston / [17]

Commentary:

[Teaching that although the teachers and teachings do not change, for the sake of those to be trained they instruct each according to his or her needs]

The Buddhas (sangs-rgyas) in whom the two kinds of benefit are spontaneously present and who have progressed to the conclusive goal, such as Samantabhadra, reside at all times without conjunction or disjunction with respect to the three buddha-bodies. Thus, they do not pass into final nirvāṇa (mya-ngan yongs mi-'da'). All their doctrines (chos) of excellent teaching also do not decline (kyang nub-par mi-'gyur-te) because they abide in a nature which does not change throughout the three times.

Accordingly the Sūtra of Supreme Golden Light (T. 556-7) says:

The buddhas do not pass into final nirvāṇa.
Their doctrines also do not decline.

The nature of the three buddha-bodies abides constantly and continuously, as is stated in the Sūtra of the Three Buddha-Bodies (T. 283):

The body of reality is the constancy of the essence itself.
The body of perfect rapture is the constancy of its continuum.
And the emanational body is the constancy of its uninterrupted nature.

And in the Supreme Continuum of the Greater Vehicle (T. 4024):

Because the lord of the doctrine.
Subduer of the demon of death.
Is without Independent existence.
He is constantly the protector of the world.

And in the Introduction to the Madhyamaka (T. 3861):

The fields and bodies are radiant like the Wishing-tree;^[1]
They are non-conceptual in the manner of the Wish-fulfilling Gem.
They constantly remain to engage in the world
Until living beings have been liberated.

Now the majority of texts hold the body of reality and the body of perfect rapture to be constant; and as for the emanational body, they hold it to be constant only in terms of its reality, which transcends the dichotomy of permanence and impermanence. This is because its appearances which manifest before living beings in the manner of the moon reflected in water do not exist with independent characteristics in the presence of those to be trained. in this way, the three buddha-bodies are without conjunction or disjunction and do not essentially change. However, spontaneously present emanations do come forth from that disposition in the manner of (Śākyamuni who performed) twelve deeds.

In order to instruct the ('dul-ba'i phyir) sentient beings who are ignorant (ma-rig) of the abiding nature through acts of maturation (smin-mdzad) and liberation,^[2] the emanational bodies emerge (byung) in conformity with individual perception, and then (nas), after performing acts of benefit, demonstrate the passing into nirvāṇa (mya-ngan 'da'-bar ston).

It says in the Supreme Continuum of the Greater Vehicle (T. 4024):

Emerging as the seed (of enlightenment)
Within those to be instructed.
As the skillful means which grant instruction.
As the actual training of the seed
Within those to be instructed.
In the (appropriate) places and at (appropriate) times.
The pervasive lord emanates constantly and spontaneously.

And according to the Sūtra of Supreme Golden Light (T. 556-7):

The buddhas, inconceivable transcendent lords,
Tathāgatas and constant buddha-bodies
Reveal the diverse forms of their array
In order to benefit sentient beings.

[The fourth, (teaching that the natural Secret Nucleus is the emanational basis of all vehicles, comments on Ch. 3, 18):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

sic! zhi-sku. Cf. NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 2, p. 66a: zhing-sku.

[2]:

Maturation (smin-pa) and liberation (sgrol) are synonyms respectively for the conferral of empowerment (dbang-bskur) and esoteric instructions (man-ngag).