notes to chapter three c 255 families: Amoghasiddhi is the lord of the sword (ral gri, khaḍga) or action family (las kyi rigs, karmakula); Ratnasambhava, lord of the jewel (rin po che, ratna) family; Amitabha, lord of the lotus (pad ma, padma) family; Vairochana, lord of the wheel (’khor lo, cakra) family; and Vajrasattva and Akshobhya, lords of the vajra (rdo rje, vajra) family The lord who crowns a particular deity may differ from one tantra to the next and in some cases not be one of the buddhas of the five families In the Sadhana of the Glorious Guhyasamaja of the Marpa Tradition, Kongtrul describes Guhyasamaja as being crowned by white Vajradhara in union with his consort, white Vajradhatvishvari Akshobhya, the central figure of the mandala created in the womb, is crowned by Vajrasattva as the lord of the family; and Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi are crowned by Akshobhya As for their consorts, Lochana is crowned by Vairochana; Mamaki, by Akshobhya; Pandara, by Amitabha; and Tara, by Amoghasiddhi As for the bodhisattvas, Maitri and Kshitigarbha are crowned by Vairochana; Vajrapani and Khagarbha, by Ratnasambhava; Lokeshvara and Manjushri, by Amitabha; and Sarvanivaranavishkambhin and Samantabhadra, by Amoghasiddhi As for the wrathful deities, Yamantaka is crowned by Vairochana; Prajnantaka, by Ratnasambhava; Padmantaka, by Amitabha; Vighnantaka, by Vajrasattva; Achala, by Vairochana; Takkiraja, by Ratnashri; Niladanda, by Vajradharma; Mahabala, by Amoghasiddhi; and Ushnisha and Sumbharaja, by Akshobhya (a summary of ff 14a2-19b3) In the specific case of the Kalachakra, for the retinue deities, the color of the deity indicates the family and therefore the lord For a black or blue deity, the lord would be Amoghasiddhi; for a red deity, Ratnasambhava; for a white, Amitabha; for a yellow, Vairochana; and for a green, Akshobhya See Kedrup Norzang Gyatso’s Detailed Elucidation of the Kalachakra Tantra, ff 180b6-182b7 63 The tenth chapter of the Guhyasamaja Tantra is called Exhortation of the Minds of All Transcendent Ones (de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi thugs bskul ba) This chapter explains the practice to exhort the mind or “essence” of the deities, which is intended for yogins who have gained experience through the elaborate, unelaborate, and extremely unelaborate tantric activities but have not yet attained powers (Chandrakirti’s Illuminating Lamp, Toh 1785, vol Ha, f 70b1) As to the meaning of “essence” (snying po), Nagarjuna explains that all mantras represent all buddhas Their essence (snying po) is that of pristine-awareness beings The essence of a pristine-awareness being is a contemplation-being (in the form of a syllable) To “exhort” that essence means to “steal” their power (Tantric Commentary on the Glorious Guhyasamaja Tantra, Toh 1784, vol Sa, f 142a7-b1) The contemplation-beings are the three syllables om, ah, and hum, which represent awakened body, speech, and mind, respectively According to Nagarjuna, the three syllables, which can overpower the effects of wrathful mantras, contain the essence of all kinds of mantras Thus, om, ah, and hum form the mantra that “exhorts the essence.” The procedure for such exhortation consists of several steps of visualization, which the practitioner undertakes for a certain period of time These steps are alluded to in the root tantra and elucidated in the commentaries 64 The tantric conduct of the phase of creation (bskyed rim pa’i spyod pa) refers in general to the entire practice of this phase Here, however, it specifically refers to the application of methods to enhance realization in order to gain powers once the main 256 C not es to chapter th r ee aspect of the creation phase has been accomplished These methods consist primarily of enjoying sense pleasures while remaining in a state of contemplation One engages in the three forms of conduct, namely, the elaborate (spros bcas), unelaborate (spros med ), and very unelaborate (shin tu spros med ) (see Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge: Systems of Buddhist Tantra, English translation, p 489, n 39); and if those not bring success, the fierce rite (drag shul gyi sbyor ba), which compels the deity to bestow mundane powers and the supreme power of awakening This fierce rite is explained in Nagarjuna’s Tantric Commentary on the Glorious Guhyasamaja Tantra (Toh 1784), vol Sa, f 314a1-4 See also Dipamkarabhadra’s Large Commentary on the Lamp of All Secrets (Toh 1787), vol Ha, ff 227b3-233a5 65 Here, Kongtrul is referring to miscellaneous activation rites (las) based on pristine awareness These stem from four basic activations, namely, pacification or appeasement (zhi ba), enriching (rgyas), dominating (dbang), and fierce (drag) The implementation of the powers means to make use of the major and minor powers (dngos grub, siddhi) accrued from the tantric practice, such as the eight powers (see below, Chapter 4, n 10) 66 The Jnanapada tradition ( ye shes zhabs lugs), headed by and named after Buddhashrijnana ( Jnanapada), is based on a commentarial system that includes a number of his works such as the Sadhana called Samantabhadra (Toh 1855), on the subject of the phase of creation; and the Oral Teachings of Manjushri (Toh 1853) and Vital Essence of Liberation (Toh 1859), on the phase of completion Of Jnanapada’s students, Dipamkarabhadra wrote the Rite of the Mandala of Guhyasamaja (Toh 1865) on the ritual of the phase of creation; and Vitapada wrote lengthy commentaries on the works of Buddhajnanapada Abhayakaragupta is said to have adhered to this tradition (Wayman’s Yoga of the Guhyasamaja Tantra, pp 94-95) Buddhashrijnana was born in the city of Takshashila in the region of Khabi He lived around the time the thirty-seventh Tibetan king, Mé Aktsom, ascended the throne An extremely learned brahmin teacher, Buddhashrijnana developed great faith in the teachings of the Buddha and entered Nalanda Monastic University to become a monk in the mahasangika order At that time he was given the name Buddhashrijnana With the guidance of Haribhadra, an expert on the Transcendent Wisdom (prajnaparamita) scriptures, he studied the hinayana and mahayana systems, and at the request of Gunamitra, composed many works, including a commentary on the Condensed Transcendent Wisdom Scripture With a longing to study tantra, Buddhashrijnana traveled to Oddiyana where he received teachings on both its outer and inner aspects from the master Lalitavajra and the yogini Guneru, and readily achieved a deep state of contemplation Later, Buddhashrijnana met the extraordinary master Palitapada, from whom he requested transmission of the Guhyasamaja, and remained to study with him for seven years During this time he came to hear the tantra eighteen times However, Buddhashrijnana was not able to grasp the true nature of reality and so left for Bodhgaya and settled in a grove called Kuva, where he practiced the tantra for many months At the end of his retreat he received a prophecy in a vision indicating that Manjushri would dispel his obscurations Buddhashrijnana set off in the direction of the Five-Peaked Mountain in China to search for Manjushri On his way, through a series of bizarre yet auspicious events, he notes to chapter three c 257 came to meet his most significant master, who appeared to be an eccentric old monk After several trials Buddhashrijnana was initiated and taught the Oral Teachings of Manjushri As a result, his mind became vast as the sky and he realized the profound nature of all phenomena It is said that the old monk was actually Manjushrimitra, a disciple of Garab Dorjé With the intention to enhance his realization through cultivating the phases of creation and completion, he traveled to a place called Dharma Seedling where he attracted many students and scholars to whom he imparted the teachings of Manjushri Moreover, he composed fourteen texts in accordance with the Oral Teachings of Manjushri His former teacher Palitapada also requested his instructions and attained the highest realization by relying on them After some time, Buddhashrijnana returned to the area of Bodhgaya, made himself a grass hut, and settled there King Dharmapala (who reigned between 770 and 810), who had come to Bodhgaya to make offerings, developed an unshakeable faith in the master, asked for initiation, and offered himself as his subject Buddhashrijnana lived for more than eighty years and died during the reign of Dharmapala Among his disciples were also some Tibetan masters of the Nyingma tradition, including Sangyé Sangwa and Sangyé Shiwa The Jnanapada tradition spread widely throughout both India and Tibet It was known to a limited extent during the first propagation of Buddhism in Tibet with the translation of Prashantamitra’s commentaries and other texts During the later propagation the tradition flourished due to the works of the great translators Rinchen Zangpo, Nyan Lotsawa Darma Drak, Nyok Lotsawa Yönten Drak, Lotsawa Yeshé Gyaltsen, and others 67 Vitapada explains that these steps are considered to be minor (chung ngu) because they focus on only one deity (i.e., the male deity) and because their power over opposing elements is weak since they not evoke perfect pristine awareness They are called branches ( yan lag) because they are not complete in themselves, each being a branch of the others, and all are necessary for the procedure to be complete Since they bring about the attainment of the resultant vajra-holder, they are known as “result” (Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, f 151a4-5) 68 Here, the causal vajra-holder refers to the deity created initially through the five awakenings; and the resultant vajra-holder, the Guhyasamaja who, upon the request made by the four goddesses, manifests again from the vital-essence form See next note Sertok Lozang Tsultrim explains that owing to the passion caused by the entrance of the syllable or other symbol that represents the intermediate-state being, the deity melts into the form of vital essence The deity is then urged by the songs of the four deities, Lochana and others, to reappear Creation is performed in one of two ways: creation in three steps (by means of syllables and so forth); and creation by means of the five awakenings (This description of the melting of the deity is in the context of the contemplation of initial union According to the explanation in Nagarjuna’s Brief Sadhana [Toh 1796], the melting that takes place in the supremely victorious mandala is not caused by the entrance of the intermediate-state being but by one’s entering luminous clarity) (Sertok Lozang Tsultrim’s Presentation of the Stages and Paths of the Indestructible Way, p 99) 258 C not es to chapter th r ee 69 In the practice of this system of Guhyasamaja, the mind of the intermediate-state being (bar srid ) is imagined as the three luminous syllables om, ah, hum It is this mind that, through the process of supreme familiarization, will arise as the resultant vajra-holder The three syllables, enclosed between two red ho syllables, are imagined to enter one’s mouth from the space in front, to flow downward through the vajra, and to enter the lotus of the consort Due to the great passion of the consort, the five syllables melt into red light This light causes oneself and the consort to melt into a moon seat of seminal fluid It is at this point that the four goddesses urge one to arise as the resultant vajra-holder for the benefit of beings Imagining oneself in the form of the resultant vajra-holder, one says the mantra specified in the instructions This set of steps is known as “what produces a minor result that is concordant with the cause” or “the minor branch of familiarization” (a summary of Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, ff 145b6-148b2) 70 Consecration of the sense fields (skye mched byin gyis brlabs pa) consists in the creation of deities in the sense organs To perform this, at each eye one visualizes a white syllable kshim on a moon, which transforms into a wheel marked with the same syllable at its center Light radiating from the wheel transforms all buddhas of the universe into forms of Ksitigarbha (resembling Vairochana), who are then absorbed into both eyes, transforming the wheel into the deity Similarly, at each ear is imagined a black syllable dzim, which transforms into a vajra and that into Vajrapani (resembling Akshobhya); at each nostril, a yellow syllable kham, which transforms into a jewel and that into Khagarbha (resembling Ratnasambhava); at the center of the tongue, a red syllable gam, which turns into a lotus and that into Lokeshvara (resembling Amitabha); at the center of the forehead, a green syllable ksham, which turns into a sword and that into Sarvanivaranavishkambhin (resembling Amoghasiddhi); and at the navel, a white syllable sam, which turns into a vajra and that into Samantabhadra (resembling Vajrasattva) All of the organs thereby become omniscient This set of steps is known as “what produces a minor result related to the resultant senses” or “the minor branch of near attainment” (a summary of Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, ff 148b3-149a3) 71 For this branch, one visualizes at one’s heart a moon with a syllable hum, which transforms into a vajra marked by that syllable The vajra and syllable transform into Akshobhya, Vajra Mind, with the same syllable at the heart Akshobhya is of the nature of the great seal, the dimension of reality inclusive of all the qualities of immaculate pristine awareness, from mindfulness to omniscience At the throat is visualized ah on a moon, which transforms into a lotus marked by that syllable Then, the lotus and syllable transform into Amitabha, Vajra Speech, with the same syllable on a moon at the heart Amitabha is of the nature of the seal of the teachings, the enjoyment dimension of awakening adorned with the major and minor signs, who shares the enjoyment of the teachings with bodhisattvas on the ten stages of awakening At the head is visualized the syllable om on a moon, which transforms into a wheel marked by that syllable The wheel and syllable transform into Vairochana, Vajra Body, with the same syllable at the heart Vairochana is of the nature of the action seal, the manifest dimension of awakening, who fulfills the wishes of beings Light emanating from the three syllables at the hearts of the three deities carries goddesses such as Vajra of Forms who make notes to chapter three c 259 offerings to all the awakened beings of the universe and request that one be consecrated as awakened body, voice, and mind Then, from the heart, throat, and crown of the head of every buddha are emanated the deities of Vajra Mind, Vajra Speech, and Vajra Body These deities are absorbed into one’s three gateways and become indivisible from them In this way, one receives the consecrations Since these steps lead to attainment of the manifest dimension of awakening, and so forth, they constitute what is called “the branch of attainment.” With attainment of the manifest dimension, and so forth, comes the capacity to ripen and liberate sentient beings, an attainment known as “the result related to a person’s activity.” Since these steps serve as the cause of that attainment, the set of steps is known as “what produces the minor result of the person’s activity” or “the minor branch of attainment” (a summary of Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, ff 149a3-150a7) Vitapada explains that the “lords of all” (thams cad kyi bdag po), which represent the indestructible states of the awakened bodies, voices, and minds, are devoid of the conceptual characteristics of apprehended and apprehender and, like space, pervade everything That possibly is the reason why they are called “lords of all.” See Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, f 150b1 72 The three-beings placement refers to the configuration of the pledge-being, contemplation-being, and pristine-awareness being At this point, one visualizes a moon disk in the area of the heart with the specified syllable above it That transforms into the deity’s insignia, which transforms into the pristine-awareness being, in a form like that of the pledge-being, the deity in whose form one imagines oneself At the heart of the pristine-awareness being, one visualizes a syllable on a moon that transforms into the insignia marked by that syllable Light radiating from the insignia and syllable summons all the buddhas Thus urged, the buddhas emanate light rays whose tips bear goddesses, Lochana and others, holding vases and singing auspicious words The goddesses pour water on one’s head, thereby conferring initiation (dbang bskur) The water overflowing from the top of the head becomes Akshobhya, the lord of the family, resting on the crown of one’s head This is the sealing (rgyas gdab) In the previous branch, there is attainment of the three dimensions of awakening (sku gsum) but not initiation These steps empower one as a monarch of the teachings whose influence encompasses the three worlds and are therefore known as “great attainment.” Through the initiation, impurities are removed and, as the stainless result of that purification, the lord of the family manifests Thus, the set of steps is known as “what produces the minor stainless result,” or “the minor branch of great attainment” (a summary of Vitapada’s Explanation of the Sadhana of the Four Branches, called Samantabhadri, Toh 1872, vol Ni, ff 150a7-151a3) 73 The central female deity is visualized in the minor branches but not as the main focus In the intermediate branches, the consort (rig ma) becomes the special focus of purification Vitapada explains that first the consort is created in the same manner as the central male deity: one visualizes a moon seat in front of oneself with the three syllables above it All buddhas are invited and then absorbed into the three syllables, whereupon another moon appears above the first, and so forth Thus, through the ... conduct, namely, the elaborate (spros bcas), unelaborate (spros med ), and very unelaborate (shin tu spros med ) (see Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge: Systems of Buddhist Tantra, English translation,... (Toh 1855), on the subject of the phase of creation; and the Oral Teachings of Manjushri (Toh 1853) and Vital Essence of Liberation (Toh 1859), on the phase of completion Of Jnanapada’s students,... one of two ways: creation in three steps (by means of syllables and so forth); and creation by means of the five awakenings (This description of the melting of the deity is in the context of the