Text 11.14 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 11.14]

The primordial uncreated real nature
Appears as a magical apparition.
In the manner of an optical illusion.
Although all rites of sexual union and "liberation” have been performed.
They have not been performed, even to the extent of an atomic particle. [14]

[Tibetan]

ye-nas skye-med de-bzhin-nyid /
sgyu-mar snang-ba mig-yor tshul /
sbyor-sgrol bya-ba kun-byas-kyang /
rdul-cha tsam-yang byas-pa-med / [14]

Commentary:

[The third aspect (of the particular exegesis of the maṇḍala in which the rites of sexual union and "liberation" are indivisible—see p. 899) concerns the maṇḍala of magical pristine cognition untainted by defects with respect to rites of sexual union and "liberation". (It comments on Ch. 11.14):]

Ultimately, the abiding nature of all things is the primordial (ye-nas) original uncreated real nature (skye-med de-bzhin-nyid), on which the Sūtra of the Lamp of Precious Jewels (T. 145) says:

All things are uncreated.
And eternally resemble space.

And the Sūtra of the Non-Emergence of All Things (T. 180):

Whosoever sees that there is no Buddha.
No doctrine of the Buddha.
And never sentient beings.
And whosoever knows the reality
Which resembles space.
Will swiftly become a superior being.

From the very moment of its relative appearance, in the manner of an optical illusion (mig-yor tshul) which is not (objectively) recognised, (this reality) diversely appears (snang-ba) through conditions and without independent existence as a magical apparition (sgyu-mar), just as the forms of a horse. ox. man or woman arise in place of a twig or a small stone.

It says in the Sūtra of the Ornament Pristine Cognition’s Appearance (t. 100):

Just as forms which have materialised
As a magical apparition
Are not created and do not come into being.
The diversity of phenomena similarly
Is not created and does not come into being.

So it is that because all things are primordially pure and of the nature of a magical apparition, the rites of sexual union and "liberation" too are primordially pure. Although all the rites of sexual union and "liberation" have been performed (sbyor-sgrol bya-ba kun-byas kyang) by the Yogin who understands this nature of magical apparition, from the very moment of their performance, (rites of) sexual union and "liberation" generated by defects which accumulate (world-forming) deeds, and possessing Inherent characteristics, have not (med) actually been performed (byas-pa), even to the extent of an (tsham-yang) indivisible atomic particle (rdul-cha). This is because there is no subjective attachment.

It also says in the Extensive Pristine Cognition (ye-shes rgyas-pa):

One who is learned in skillful means
Should perform (the rites)
In the manner of magicians
Whose emanational magical apparitions
Are untainted by any defect
Compounded of virtue and non-virtue.

And in the Verse Summation of the Transcendental Perfection of Discriminative Awareness (T. 13):

Although in (the view of) ordinary beings.
One may cut off many millions of heads.
One who knows well that all beings are emanations.
Is Indeed without fear.

And in the Yogatantras:

Even if one slays all sentient beings.
One is untainted by sins.

When sin emerges with inherent characteristics there must also be inherent characteristics of attachment to its true existence, but here there is established to be no degeneration owing to the absence of substantial existence and the transformation of perception, just as in the case of a madman who is without subjective apprehension.

This is known from the following passages of the Root Sūtra of the Vinaya (T. 4117):

Dreams are non-existent in a similar manner.
Their fruit is itself uncompounded.

And:

There is no degeneration
For those who are mad and mentally disturbed.

And:

When the perception of the central consciousness
Is itself transformed...

In this context too, the rites of sexual union and "liberation" are realised to be dream-like and without substantial existence, the perception is transformed into that of a deity, and there is no defect because, as in the case of a madman, there is no attachment to true existence.^[1]

[The Maṇḍala of the Displayed Feast Offerings (402.1-416.2)]

The second part (of the exegesis of this chapter—see p. 896) concerns the maṇḍala of the displayed feast-offerings. It includes an overview and an interlinear commentary.

[Overview of the Mandala of Feast-Offerings (402.1-408.1):]

There are three parts: characteristic nature, classification, and the skillful means through which the maṇḍala of feast-offerings is to be performed.

i. As to the first: The (Tibetan) term tshogs-kyi 'khor-lo or "maṇḍala of feast-offerings" is derived from (the Sanskrit) gaṇacakra. its characteristic nature is that there is a feast or assembly (tshogs) of the extraordinary supports, persons, and Implements associated with the deliberate practice of the secret mantras.

It is said in the Tantra which Comprises the Supreme Path of the Means Which Clearly Reveal All-Positive Pristine Cognition (NGB. Vol.3):

The feast-offerings of supports, persons and implements
Are said to be assembled through great, secret skillful means.

[ii. As for its classification, there are three sections: The actual classification: the sequence of ritual activity; and the purpose for which feast-offerings are to be performed.]

On the first of these, it is stated in the Sequence of Indestructible Activity (P. 4720):

An assembly comprised entirely of intimate persons
Is called the feast-offering
Of a congregation of Yogins:
The complete enjoyment of their possessions
Is explained to be the feast-offering
Of blissful enjoyment;
The gathering of all deities and oath-bound ones
Is explained to be the feast-offering
Of a great congregation;
The continual perfection of the two kinds of provision
Is certainly considered to be
The great feast-offering

So it is that the feast offerings are of four kinds, namely: the feast-offering which is a gathering of fortunate beings; the feast-offering of the Implements which they possess; the feastoffering of the deities of accomplishment; and the feast-offering of merit and pristine cognition.^[2]

The first refers to the assembly in pairs of the male and female yogins who possess the commitments: and It illustrates the nature of skillful means and discriminative awareness. Now, when this occurs in a small gathering, there are either only the male and female consorts who represent the central deities, the three pairs who represent the nature of buddha-body, speech and mind, or the five pairs who indicate the five enlightened families, i.e. two, six, or ten (individuals) altogether. in the intermediate gathering the yogins equal in number the hundred deities of the maṇḍala, and in the large gathering there is a great multitude over and above these.

Accordingly it says in the Secret Tantra (gsang-rgyud):

In the small gathering they number two, six, or ten.
In the intermediate one they equal the deities
Of the maṇḍala in their number,
And in the large one they form a great multitude.

Now, there are also appropriate feast-offerings in which manifold male and female Yogins are not coupled together. These are called either the feast of the male spiritual warriors or the banquet of the female spiritual warriors.^[3]

The second (kind of feast-offering) refers to all the implements, outer, inner and secret. in particular, meat and ale are the sacraments of skillful means and discriminative awareness, which it is improper to be without.^[4]

The same text says:

Ale and meat with nectar
Are the sacraments of accomplishment,
Which it is improper to be without.
To eat and drink there are
Grains, mineral elixirs, fruits,
And all desired things.

These are also adorned by many cloud-masses of song, dance and music.

The third (kind of feast-offering) refers to all the maṇḍalas of supporting (buddha-body) and supported (pristine cognition), and to the oceanic throngs of the oath-bound (protectors), in which the central deity is surrounded by a retinue, i.e., those of the actual Buddha-bodies, the flower clusters which are visually created as the deities, and all those who are Invited through contemplation to the field of merit.

The fourth (kind of feast-offering) refers to the two continuous provisions. During the performance of the maṇḍala of feast-offerings in particular, the provision of merit Includes all the deliberate practices and appearances associated with the creation stage of skillful means, and the provision of pristine cognition Includes the realisation and meditations of the profound uncreated (disposition) subsumed in the perfection stage of discriminative awareness.^[5]

The second section (of this classification) concerns the sequence of ritual activity. It comprises both the sequences for the peaceful deities and for the wrathful deities.

As to the former: During the feast offering of the peaceful deities, the yogins, assuming the guise and hand-implements of the peaceful deities and possessing the symbols of the deities on whom their flowers have landed, enter into the assembly hall. Thereat, the four male gatekeepers including Yamāntaka are seated by the gate of the assembly hall. (The yogins) raise a single finger to symbolise their entreaty: "May we enter!"; at which (the gatekeepers) raise two fingers in reply, which is to say, "Come in!" Having gone within, the master of ceremonies (las-kyi rdo-rje) raises his hands in the gesture of the three-pronged vajra to symbolise the question, "What is your enlightened family?", at which in response they reveal the gesture or seal of the central deity belonging to the enlightened family on which their flowers have landed.^[6]

Then they make obeisance to the master of indestructible reality, and, in accordance with the sequence of empowerment, are given the vase-empowerment with the lay-vows, the secret empowerment with the novitiate, the empowerment of discriminating pristine cognition with the vows of a monk, and the (empowerment of) the Great Perfection with the status of a sthavira.^[7]

The Yogins then take their seats in an orderly manner, either forming a single row for each of the four enlightened families in the four directions of the central deity, or having placed symbolic hand-emblems such as the wheel and vajra at the head of the row to indicate the rows of the maṇḍala of the five enlightened families which are situated to the right, left and their mid-points. The ritual is then completed.

Secondly there is (the sequence) for the wrathful deities which, one should know to be similar.

In a maṇḍala of feast offering which includes both the peaceful and wrathful deities together, the male and female Yogins who represent the peaceful deities are seated on the right of the master of indestructible reality, and those representing the wrathful deities are on the left. It is also best if the numbers of male and female Yogins are equal.

The third section (of this classification) concerns the purpose for which (the feast-offering) is to be performed. This is to be known in accordance with the details of the four rites: When the yogins are those who would repair their commitments and purify obscurations, the feast offering is fulfilled for the purpose of pacification. When their purpose is to increase the lifespan or possessions. it is enrichment. For overpowering and summoning it is subjugation: and for the eradication of impediments and malignant beings and so forth it is wrath. (The feast offerings) are thus endowed in order that the desired purpose of these different rites might be attained.

iii. The third aspect (of the overview of the maṇḍala of displayed feast-offerings) is the skillful means through which the feast offerings are to be performed. It has five aspects.

The first concerns the preparation of the supports and implements: In that location, during the night and so forth, beside the maṇḍala of the deities which is either drawn on cloth or arrayed with heaps of coloured powders, the assistants (of the feast) should prepare the outer, inner and secret offerings, all the implements which have been obtained for the feast-offering, and the pills of nectar which form the inner offering.

The second is the entreaty that transformation may occur in the course of the Yoga:^[8] All the male and female yogins are seated in rows and then the master of ceremonies (las-kyi rdo-rje) makes obeisance, scatters flowers, and bows, joining the sleeves of his ceremonial robe together at the knees.

He should make obeisance, slowly reciting the following words:^[9]

Ho! By the natural, immeasurable spirituality of glorious Samantabhadra, may such and such a guru and holder of indestructible reality who is present for the sake of living beings, acting as the central deity, direct his intention towards these great mighty lords of yoga. Although all things are primordially awakened in the nature of the Great Perfection, may he direct his intention towards the world-systems of living beings who pervade all the ten directions of the six worlds through the power of ignorance. Through his display of great spirituality, we beseech him to abide in yoga through profound contemplation in the maṇḍala of natural spontaneous presence.

The third concerns the creation of the maṇḍala of deities: Then the offering-cake (gtor-ma) is offered to the impediments, which are expelled to the frontiers of the oceanic (maṇḍala).^[10] A boundary is delineated, comprising perimeters of fire, mountains, blazing weapons, and the ten wrathful deities.^[11] Then, the maṇḍala of deities is radiantly visualised in the previously manner, and it should be pleased with offerings until actually pleased. The offerings of the feast should then be purified by incense, multiplied and transformed in the appropriate manner.^[12] An offering compounded from the five meats and five nectars is then consecrated and offered in a broad and vast skull-container.^[13]

The fourth concerns the enjoyment (of those offerings): It is visualised that there are five seeds representing the male spiritual warriors and five seeds representing the female spiritual warriors on the solar and lunar disks (= fingers) in the palms of the two hands, and that, derived therefrom, there are ten male and female deities of the feast offering (tshogs-kyi lha yab-yum bcu) who spread forth their offering clouds of the five desired attributes. It is visualised that they make contact with the food and drink, and consequently are pleased. Then, offerings should be made to the deities of the components, sensory bases and activity fields (i.e. the assembled yogins themselves).

The master of ceremonies again makes obeisance, and distributes the sacraments of skillful means and discriminative awareness with the lotus seal or gesture,^[14] saying:^[15]

HŪṂ! Direct your intention, great spiritual heroes.
These are excellent things!
Do not have doubts regarding the things that are gathered.
Think of Brahmans, dogs and outcastes as identical
In nature, and enjoy them.

In response, the recipients also form the lotus gesture or seal, and accept and enjoy the offerings, saying:^[16]

OṂ! I make obeisance to the real nature.
The body of reality of the Sugatas,
Where the subject-object dichotomy is abandoned.
And desire and other such stains are absent.
ALALAHO!

In the rows of the assembled feast-offering, one should not cling to the true existence of disputation, clamour, common appearances and so forth. Indeed one should perceive satisfaction, delight, and an absence of subjective clinging, so that body, speech and mind respectively become deity, mantra and reality.

The fifth concerns the concluding rites: Afterwards, the residual torma is dispatched, and there should be performed songs of indestructible reality, glorious dancing, dedication (of merit) and the benediction.^[17]

Concerning the beneficial attributes of those (feast offerings) too, it says in the Indestructible Reality of the Magical Net (NGB. Vol. 15):

Among merits, the maṇḍala of feast-offerings is supreme.
All aspirations will be accomplished in this life.
Impediments and obstacles will be pacified.
And in the next life, one will obtain
(The level of) Samantabhadra,
The field of the awareness-holding conquerors.

Now, these offerings surpass those which are made according to the lower vehicles in three ways: Their object is the buddhas because it is they who radiate as the deities; their accomplishment is not ordinary because they are transformed into nectar; and their aspiration is without subjective attachment because reality is displayed. Therefore, this nature of skillful means is sublime through the extraordinary discriminative awareness of the vehicle of indestructible reality (vajrayāna).

[Interlinear Commentary (408.2-416.2):]

The interlinear commentary (on the maṇḍala of displayed feastofferings) comprises a brief teaching on the feast-offerings of Samantabhadra, and a detailed exegesis of their nature according to the different maṇḍalas.

[i. The first has two (gsum sic!) sections, the former concerning the nature (of the feast-offering) which is to be known. (It comments on Ch. 11.15):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The importance of realising the absence of inherent existence (niḥsvabhāvatā) with respect to the sbyor-sgrol practices is elaborated further in Ch. 19, pp. 1218-1220.

[2]:

tshogs rnam-pa bzhi-ni: skal-ldan 'dus-pa'i tshogs, 'byor-ldan yo-byad-kyi tshogs, dngos-grub Iha'i tshogs, and bsod-nams ye-shes-kyi tshogs.

[3]:

Tibetan dpa'-bo'i dga'-ston-dang dpa'-mo'i pson-mo.

[4]:

On these sacraments of meat (sha) and ale (chang). which are prohibited in Kriyātantra (NSTB. Book 1. Pt. 4. p. 214a) but required within the enumeration of five meats and five nectars according to Mahāyoga, see ibid.. p. 222a.

[5]:

“deliberate practices” (kun-tu spyod-pa).

[6]:

"gesture of the three-pronged vajra" (rdo-rje rtse-gsum-pa'i phyag-rgya). The master of ceremonies (karmācārya) who performs the practical functions of the empowerment is contrasted with the master of indestructible reality (vajrācārya) who presides over and actually confers the empowerment.

[7]:

On this fusion of the four abhiṣeka with the vinaya vows, see also NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 7. PP. 758-764. On the sthavira (gnas-brtan) and their affinity with the Bodhisattva vehicle, see NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 1, pp. 52-55; and J. Tate, The Sixteen Elders.

[8]:

Tibetan rnal-'byor-la gnas-phar gsol-gdab-pa.

[9]:

N.L.

[10]:

Tibetan bgegs-gtor are offering-cakes which remove impediments outside the maṇḍala. See e.g., the illustration in klong-chen snying-thig-gi gtor-ma'i dpe'u-ris, no. 236.

[11]:

On these perimeters of the maṇḍala. see figures 1 and 4, opposite p. 1324 and 1369 respectively; also the illustration of the vimāna opposite p. 374.

[12]:

Tibetan bsang-sbyangs spel-bsgyur ji-lta-ba-bzhin. This procedure is accompanied by visualisation and the recitation of mantras.

[13]:

Tibetan thod-pa'i snod. Sanskrit kapāla. On the purity of the five meats (sha-lnga) and five nectars (bdud-rsti lnga). see also above. Ch. 9, pp. 815 and note 91; and below. Ch. 19, pp. 1210-1211.

[14]:

"lotus seal or sesture" (padma'i phyag-rgya). The tshogs-kyi Iha yab-yum bcu are the offering Gods and Goddesses of the five senses visualised on the ten fingers.

[15]:

N.L. The significance of these verses is that they emphasise the purity of all conventionally impure substances, which are to be consumed as sacraments of the five meats and five nectars.

[16]:

N.L.

[17]:

On the offerins of the residual gtor-ma (lhag-ma) which is made in the course of the feast-offering, see below. Ch. 20 p. 1267. "songs of indestructible reality" (rdo-rje glu). "dedication of merit" (sngo-ba), "benediction" (bkra-shis brjod-pa).