Text 9.13 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.13]

When she (the karmamudrā) has radiance or is consecrated.
In the manner of the trichiliochosm absorbed in a mustard seed.
Offerings are made after inviting the maṇḍalas from the expanse.
And the supreme commitment of accomplishment
(Is obtained) once they have been pleased. [13]

[Tibetan]

gsal-ldan-ma'am byin-brlabs-la /
stong-gsum yungs-'bru gzug-tshul-du /
dbyings-nas dkyil-'khor spyan-drang-mchod /
mnyes-nas grub-pa'i dam-tshig mchog / [13]

Commentary:

[The actual offerings and a teaching on their beneficial attributes:]

When she (ma), the action seal (karmamudrā), has radiance (gsal-ldan) of contemplation, or ('am), if lacking that, is ritually consecrated (byin-brlabs-la) by a Yogin who visualises himself as the deity, consecrates her secret centre and so forth, the white and red pure-essences on the tip of her lotus, the size of mustard seeds, are visualised as the maṇḍala. This resembles the miraculous ability of sublime beings which can consecrate all world systems of the trichiliocosm (stong-gsum) to be absorbed (gzhug) or enclosed in a mustard seed (yungs-'brur). with the result that the trichiliocosm is not diminished and the mustard seed does not increase.^[1] In that manner (tshul-du). offerings are (mchod) to be made after inviting the (spyan-drangs) inestimable maṇḍalas (dkyil-'khor) of the conquerors and absorbing them into her "lotus-courtyard” from the expanse (dbyings-nas) of reality. without the supporting maṇḍala of her "lotus-courtyard" increasing or the being of pristine cognition (jñānasattva) decreasing. Aroused by the signs of this union, offerings should be made of the bliss that is displayed. Once the deities of the maṇḍala have been pleased (mnyes-nas) thereby, one is thought to have obtained the rank of the supreme commitment (dam-tshig mchog) of ('i) inconceivable great accomplishment (grub-pa). This (offering) is clearly described in the sequence of ritual service and attainment associated with the aforementioned four-inch maṇḍala array, prior to the entrance of the being of pristine cognition and the conferral of empowerment.^[2]

[The second, the beneficial attributes of that offering, are both provisional and conclusive.]

[The former are of two sorts, the first of which are those pleasing to all the buddhas. (It comments on Chapter 9.14):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 2, pp. 46b-47a, and Bhadracaryāpraṇidhānarāja, v. 3a: On the surface of a single atom; Are as many Buddhas as there are atoms.

[2]:

On this entrance and empowerment, see above, pp. 777ff., and below, pp. 829-834.