Text 4.4 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 4.4]

A KA KHA GA GHA ṄA
CA CHA JA JHA ÑA
ṬA ṬHA ḌA ḌHA ṆA
TA THA DA DHA NA
PA PHA BA BHA MA
YA VA RA LA
ŚA ṢA SA HA KṢA
I Ī U Ū
E AI O AU [4] ...

[Tibetan]

a A ka kha ga g+ha nga /
tsa tsha dza dz+ha nya /
Ta Tha Da D+ha Na /
ta tha da d+ha na /
pa pha ba b+ha ma /
ya wa ra la /
sha Sha sa ha /
k+ShaH /
i I u U /
e e o au / [4]

Commentary:

[Emanation of the Cloud-Mass of Syllables 179.5-182.3:]

Secondly (see p. 558), the emanation of the cloud-mass of syllables includes both the emanation of the syllables and the wondrous extraordinary omens which appear.

[i. The former (comments on Ch. 4.4):]

(A) is the source of the syllables and their emanational basis. Therefore, it comes forth as a natural expression which emerges from within (the buddha-body). Just as all elemental forms arise as attributes of the great elements,^[1] all syllables indeed arise as attributes of the syllable A. Thus, the ground of speech is the syllable A.

However, through the conditions of speech, the syllable A is also enunciated as three basic (syllables). These Include I, which is formed by the upward contraction of the syllable A. and U, which is formed by its downward contraction.^[2] Thence, E is formed by the phonetic conjunction of A and I, and O is formed by the phonetic conjunction of A and U. The syllable Ṛ is formed by retroflexion (of A), and the syllable L is formed by lateral action.^[3] Each of these vowels is classified into long and short forms, so that there are fourteen vocalic syllables; or sixteen with the addition of the nasalised AṂ or anusvāra and the aspirated AḤ or visarga.

Now, (the velar consonants) emerge from the vase of the Buddha-throat: From the contact of this same syllable A with the throat (as a hard unaspirate), KA is formed. When that is slightly lower pitched (zhum) and cerebral contact is made (as a hard aspirate), KHA is formed. When slightly lower pitched than that (as a voiced unaspirate), GA is formed. When that makes contact with the chest (as a voiced aspirate), GHA is formed; and when nasal contact is made, ṄA is formed.

One should know that the other (classes of consonants) are also calculated in this sequence. The (palatal) syllables CA, CHA, JA, JHA, and ÑA emerge from the buddha-tongue through the contact of this syllable A with the hard palate and the blade of the tongue.^[4] The (retroflex) syllables ṬA, ṬHA, ḌA, ḌHA, and ṆA emerge from the tip of the buddha-tongue because they are cerebral (mūrdhānya) sounds derived from the contact of the syllable A with the edge of the palate close to the tip of the tongue.^[5] The (dental) syllables TA, THA, DA, DHA, and NA (KA) emerge from the tip of the buddha-tongue and the buddha-teeth because they derive from the contact of the syllable A with the tip of the tongue and the teeth. And, the (labial) syllables PA, PHA, BA, BHA, and MA emerge from the buddha-lips because they derive from the contact of the syllable A with the lips. The particular (alterations of pitch) within these classes are similar to those (of the velars), beginning with KA.

As to the remaining nine (consonants): (The semi-vowel) YA and (the sibilant) ŚA are classified as palatals according to their place of articulation. (The semi-vowel) VA is classified as labial. (The semi-vowel) RA and (the sibilant) ṢA are classified as cerebral (or retroflex). (The semivowel) LA and (the sibilant) SA are classified as dentals. The syllable HA is classified as velar; and the syllable KṢA is included within the velars and the cerebrals. Although they emerge (phonetically) from these (places of articulation), with reference to their emanational modes on behalf of those to be trained, YA emerges from the buddha-eye-brows, VA from the buddha-sides, RA from the buddha-hips, LA from the buddha-shoulders, ŚA from the buddha-heart, ṢA from the wheel-marked buddha-hands, SA from the buddha-navel, HA from the wheel-marked buddha-feet, and KṢA from the secret centre. in all these syllables the sound of A is pervasive, just as the melodious sound of a lute pervades all the tones of a lute—high & low, strong & weak.

Furthermore, the syllables I and Ī emerge from the two buddha-eyes, U and Ū from the two buddha-ears, E and AI from the two buddha-nostrils, and AUṂ, i.e. O and AU from the crown of the buddha-head.

[ii. The latter, concerning the wondrous extraordinary omens which appear, (comments on Ch. 4.5)]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The distinctive elemental properties of solidity, cohesion, combustion, movement end vacuity are held to derive respectively from the mahābhuta. the "great elements” of earth, water, fire, air and space. The mahābhuta are also identified with the pañcaskandha. See below, pp. 1001-1002.

[2]:

"upward contraction" (Tibetan bkug-pa) and "downward contraction" (Tibetan smad-pa).

[3]:

"retroflexion" (Tibetan bsgrim-pa) and "lateral action" (Tibetan glod-pa).

[4]:

"hard palate" (Tibetan rkan-gyi dbus) and "blade of the tongue" (Tibetan lce'i dkyil).

[5]:

Tibetan lce'i rtse-mor nye-ba rkan-gyi mthar.