Text 4.23 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 4.23]

KṢA is the spirituality of pristine cognition, the buddha-mind.
I is for the gods, numerous as atomic particles.
Ī is for the anti-gods, numerous as atomic particles.
U is for the human beings, numerous as atomic particles.
Ū is for the animals, numerous as atomic particles.
E is for the tormented spirits, numerous as atomic particles.
AI is for the denizens of hell, numerous as atomic particles. [23] ...

[Tibetan]

kṣa-ni ye-shes thugs-kyi thugs /
i-ni rdul-snyed lha-rnams-su /
ī-ni rdul-snyed lha-ma-yin /
u-ni rdul-snyed mi-rnams-su /
ū-ni rdul-snyed byol-song-rnams /
e-ni rdul-snyed yi-dvags-su /
ai-ni rdul-snyed dmyal-ba-rnams / [23]

Commentary:

[iv. The syllable of pristine cognition and those of the six sages (comment on Ch. 4.23):]

KṢA (KṢA-ni) is the syllable of the male consort Samantabhadra who is the spirituality (thugs)^[1] of (kyi) pure self-manifesting pristine cognition (ye-shes), the buddha-mind (thugs) or naturally present pristine cognition, through which the cessation of reality (chos-nyid zad-pa) is approached.^[2]

As to the six sages: I (I-ni) is (the syllable of) Śakra who grants instruction for (su) all the gods (lha-rnams) by emanating divine sages, numerous as the atomic particles (rdul-snyed) of oceanic world-systems in as many domains of the gods. Similarly, Ī (Ī-ni) is that of Vemacitra, the sage for the antigods (lha-ma-yin), numerous as atomic particles (rdul-snyed). U (U-ni) is that of Śākyamuni for the human beings (mi-rnams-su), numerous as atomic particles (rdul-snyed), Ū (Ū-ni) is that of Sthirasiṃha, the sage for the animals (byol-song-rnams), numerous as atomic particles (rdul-snyed). E (E-ni) is that of Jvālamukha, (the sage) for the tormented spirits (yi-dvags-su). numerous as atomic particles (rdul-snyed). AI (AI-ni) is the syllable of the oxheaded Yama who grants Instruction for the denizens of hell (dmyal-ba rnams), numerous as atomic particles (rdul-snyed). These six syllables indeed release sreat spirituality, which enters into or assumes the voice of Brahmā.

[v. The syllables of the protector of the state and the wrathful deities (comment on Ch. 4.24):]

[Read next page]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa, p. 200.6, Interprets thugs (Ch. 4, section 23) as thugs-rje.

[2]:

For an explanation of chos-nyid zad-pa. which is the last of the four visionary appearances (snang-ba bzhi) in thod-rgal, see below, pp. 1029, 1034.