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...
Introduction 2.2: Making of offerings to the Maṇḍala
[This part (see p. 771) concerns the making of offerings to (the maṇḍala).]
It has three sections among which the first concerns the common offerings: According to the traditions of the outer mantras oneself is present in the maṇḍala of deities as a spiritual warrior of activity, emerging from the heart-centre of the central deity. The acts which one should then perform include prostrations, offerings, eulogies, confession, the receiving of accomplishments, and prayers of aspiration. One should know that these are also the indivisible essence because they are simply a display of mind.[1]
The second concerns the uncommon offerings: In the manner of the gods of Nirmāṇarata who enjoy rapture of their own emanation,[2] goddesses endowed with desired attributes issue forth from the heart-centres of the deities and are visualised making offerings to them. All the ten directions are visualised as pure Buddha-fields and the inconceivable offering-cloud of Samantabhadra is emanated—a great uninterrupted and spontaneous offering of all excellent desires including: clouds of songs, verses, and music which are displayed with ornaments of great rapture. The offerings should be made in the manner of deities at play with deities.
The third concerns the unsurpassed offerings, including in this context: the presentation of the non-dual offerings associated with the paths of sexual union and “liberation”, the offering of nectar which is a sacrament of the commitments, the offerins in sons of the seals of pristine cognition, and the offerings in praise of the Great Joyous One (Samantabhadra), which are mentioned above and below.[3]
In particular, after the nectar (has been offered), a maṇḍala is visually created, the size of a mustard seed, in a lotus-courtyard symbolic of sexual union with the female consort, actual or imaginary, who possesses the (appropriate) marks.[4] Then the maṇḍala equal to the confines of space is invited from Akaniṣṭha and it dissolves therein. An offering should then be made through the bliss of the display (of “seminal enlightened mind”). This is the sacrament of offering which is offered with supreme bliss to its object, i.e. the supreme bliss of the buddhas. in this way, the resultant pristine cognition or supreme bliss which is the Intention of the buddhas is actualised from the present moment, making this therefore supreme among all the provisions of merit and pristine cognition.[5]
Then, there is the sequence of recitation: Light, emanating from the syllables in the heart-centres of the deities, makes contact with the Infinite sentient beings of celestial expanse, in such a way that it is visualised to purify all their obscurations and so forth through the succession of the four rites. The sentient beings should recite the mantras of these different deities, transforming themselves into the syllables and vanishing into the heart-centres (of the deities) until they have received an injunction from the central deity.
Alternatively, the garland of mantras thoroughly permeates the bodily form of the different deities and from their secret centres it emits supremely blissful enveloping rays of light, which make contact with sentient beings in such a way that obscurations are purified. (Sentient beings) should persevere in one-pointed recitation of the mantra of the basic deity and the seed-syllables alone of the retinue, transforming themselves into the nature of the deities and reabsorbing themselves in the heart-centre.
No precise number (of recitations) has been specified in this context, but it is held that recitation should continue until one becomes accomplished. in general it is claimed that ritual service should be performed with a number (of recitations) which amounts to ten million for the central deity and ten thousand for each of the retinue. Therefore one should also follow that custom in (the practice of) this (Secret Nucleus).[6]
Now in order not to transgress the maṇḍala of deities, one should visualise it at all times during and after sessions of meditation. During this disposition, one should be meditatively equipoised, recollecting the meaning of the four seals and the abiding nature of the natural Great Perfection. Then, after dedicating the merit for the sake of sentient beings one should arise (from that session) and freely perform activities on the path of conduct, with the volition that all phenomenal existence becomes the deities, celestial palace and Buddha-field.[7]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
As indicated above, p. 775, this is held to be the dharmakāya, in the form of rig-pa'i kun-tu bzang-po.
[2]:
[3]:
See especially below, Chs. 11-12, 18.
[4]:
On these appropriate marks of a female consort, see below. Ch. 11, pp. 900-907.
[5]:
On puṇvasambhāra and jñānasambhāra, see above p. 468.
[6]:
See above. Ch. 5, p. 619. The difference in number of recitations could be explained by the distinction between "ritual service" (sevā) and signs of accomplishment derived from the complete rites of attainment (sādhana). See also below. Ch. 11, pp. 946-948, on the appropriate times and dates for these rites.