Commentary 3.1: The Recognition of the Maṇḍala

[As for the recognition of the significance of this chapter: It has three sections, namely, the recognition of the maṇḍala, the recognition of Rudra, and the recognition of (appropriate) times and teachers.]

The first section has two aspects of which the former sets forth the following argument: The maṇḍala of the wrathful deities in this chapter must be either natural or emanational.^[1] in the former case, it would contradict the explanation that the maṇḍala is emanated for the sake of those to be trained; and in the latter case it would contradict the explanation, according to this chapter which is entitled The Natural Mandala of Wrathful Deities, that they are self-manifesting in Akaniṣṭha.

The latter is a clear exegesis in response to that (argument): Samantabhadra abides primordially as the maṇḍala of wrathful deities, and it is from his self-manifesting nature that these (deities) accordingly appear. This is proven by the use of the very term "natural maṇḍala". The emanational display (of this maṇḍala) should be known as the basis through which it apparitionally arises in the perception of those to be trained. Described as such, the explanation is consistent.

It is not that there are persons with independent characteristics to be trained by a maṇḍala of emanations which also has independent characteristics. Rather, this emanation is like a magic show or spectacle.

Although (this explanation) is consistent from the standpoint of the teacher (Samantabhadra), in the minds of sentient beings these (malignant) species such as (Rudra) are illustratively trained in the above manner; just as before an artefact is created, an illustration of it is designed.

Now, when that natural maṇḍala manifests in and of itself from the expanse, there is a self-manifesting display of pristine cognition which appears. It abides in the crown-centre as the maṇḍala of Blood-Drinkers, and through its energy these (emanations) are spontaneously manifested of their own accord. They thence appear as such in the world-systems of those to be trained, just as the moon in space appears (reflected) in a vessel of water.

This movement from the self-manifestation of the peaceful and wrathful deities to one of extraneous appearance resembles that of the (Buddha-body of) perfect rapture from which the emanational body appears, in the manner of the moon reflected in water.

As is said in the Ornament of the Sutras of the Greater Vehicle (T. 4020):^[2]

These respectively resemble the forms
Of the moon in water and in the sky.

This passage indicates that in the sky of the Buddha-body of reality, there is the moon of the Buddha-body of perfect rapture which appears as the (reflected) emanational body within the water of those to be trained.

Nor is it the case that the aforementioned natural expression of the peaceful deities subsequently turns into that of the wrathful deities. They (both) abide primordially and spontaneously, and are not differentiated in a temporal sense. But when the meaningful expanse which abides as such is set forth in texts of expressive words these (peaceful and wrathful maṇḍalas) cannot be revealed simultaneously. This is why they are taught successively and the term "emanational" is used.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tibetan rang-bzhin yin-nam sprul-pa yin. The former is the self-manifest sambhogakāya in wrathful form, and the latter is the extraneously manifest nirmāṇakāya.

[2]:

Cf. the explanation in NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 3, pp. 95b-106b, including a similar quotation from kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa's shing-rta chen-mo.

[3]:

Cf., Ch. 4, pp. 581, 592, where the final syllable AU is said to represent the "glow of the peaceful deities which appears as the wrathful deities" because both peaceful and wrathful maṇḍalas are equally represented by the jarland of syllables.