270 C not es to ch apter th r ee and resident deities; passion and emanation of the deities of the retinue; initiation; tasting of nectar; offering; and praise See Durjayachandra’s Commentary on Difficult Points [of the Hevajra Tantra] (Toh 1185), vol Ga, f 47a6-7; and Durjayachandra’s Sadhana called Six Branches (Toh 1239), vol Nya, ff 122-130 105 Although the Tengyur contains only a few works of liturgy composed by Jalandhara, he seems to have been an exceptional master and a main link in the instruction lineages of the practices with a consort and the practice of luminous clarity (’od gsal ) He first became a disciple of Lvabapa who advised him to go to Oddiyana to seek the guidance of the “middle” Indrabhuti (there were three), this one a student of Saroruha There, he was also instructed by Lakshminkara and Kachapada Soon after, he had a vision of the mandala of Heruka, and after being initiated by many dakinis, attained the highest realization Subsequent to that, he performed extraordinary activities in order to awaken others His main disciple was undoubtedly the learned and accomplished Krishnacharya See Taranatha’s Histories of the Masters of the Seven Transmissions 106 The terms defining this eightfold sequence (skabs brgyad ) are borrowed from the nontantric parts of Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realization (Toh 3786), which highlights the hidden meaning of the transcendent wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) discourses These are called “eight themes” (dngos po brgyad, asta padārtha), presented in this order: knowledge of all aspects (rnam mkhyen, sarvajñāna), knowledge of the paths (lam shes, mārgajñāna), knowledge of the bases ( gzhi shes, vastujñāna), the yoga of the manifestation of all aspects in their entirety (rnam kun mngon rdzogs kyi sbyor ba, sarvākarabhisaṃbodha), the peak yoga (rtse mo’i sbyor ba, mūrdhaprayoga), the sequential yoga (mthar gyis sbyor ba, anupurvaprayoga), the instantaneous yoga (skad cig ma’i sbyor ba, kṣaṇikaprayoga), and the resultant dimension of reality (’bras bu chos sku, phalamdharmakāya) The first three are “objects” to be known; the next four, the yogas to apply; and the last, the result to be attained The first, knowledge of all aspects (see next paragraph concerning the meaning of “aspects”), is the direct realization that all aspects are primordially devoid of inherent existence The second, knowledge of the paths, is the realization present in the mind of an exalted bodhisattva who has awakened in himself or herself the paths of the proclaimers, solitary realizers, and bodhisattvas The third, knowledge of the bases, is the realization that abides neither in perfect peace nor in cyclic existence and that is in contrast to adherence to knowables and the path and result as inherently existent The fourth, the yoga of the manifestation of all aspects in their entirety, is the contemplation of the three knowledges (the first three themes) as lacking inherent existence cultivated on the path of preparation with the aim of gaining mastery of them The fifth, the peak yoga, is the contemplation in which one becomes perfectly familiarized with the three knowledges as lacking any inherent existence cultivated on the path of preparation with the aim of attaining the reality dimension of awakening The sixth, the sequential yoga, is the contemplation in which one becomes perfectly familiarized with the three knowledges as lacking inherent existence carried out with the immediate aim of attaining the instantaneous yoga and the ultimate aim of attaining the reality dimension of awakening The seventh, the instantaneous yoga, is the contemplation in which one becomes perfectly familiarized with the three knowledges as lacking inherent existence, carried out on the last moment before awakening with notes to chapter three c 271 the aim of attaining the reality dimension of awakening The eighth, the yoga of the resultant dimension of reality, is the result of the four yogas that have as their objects the three knowledges (the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh yogas) Each of these themes has a number of elucidating topics, for a total of seventy topics, such as the resolve to awaken, the teaching of the universal way, etc., which constitute the knowledge of all aspects This set of seventy is what is meant by “all aspects” in the first theme, the knowledge of all aspects See Mikyö Dorjé’s Commentary on Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realizations, ff 37b6-39b1 The text in which Jalandhara presents this framework is the Vajra Lamp: A Brief and Correct Explanation of the Hevajra Sadhana (Toh 1237, vol Nya, ff 73-96) This text is an extraordinary explanation of the Sadhana of the Glorious Hevajra (Toh 1218, vol Nya, ff 1-7) composed by Saroruha (Saroruhavajra), also known as Padmavajra Jalandhara uses this terminology to refer to various steps in the phase of creation Each of these steps he calls an “awakening” (byang chub pa) The order of the first and third is the reverse of the order in IOK, that is to say, the first in Vajra Lamp is knowledge of all aspects; the second, knowledge of the paths; and the third, knowledge of the bases The eight consecutive awakenings according to Jalandhara are delineated as follows: The first includes the steps beginning with the meditation on emptiness, generation of the disks of the elements, up to the manifestation of the celestial palace These steps constitute the awakening by means of knowledge of all aspects (thams cad mkhyen pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa) (Vajra Lamp, f 81a6) The second, comprising the steps from the creation of the multicolored lotus in the center of the mandala, which is the seat of the main deity, up to the full manifestation of the causal Vajradhara and of the deities of the retinue, is the awakening by means of knowledge of the paths (lam shes pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa) The third, comprising the steps of contemplation beginning with the entrance of the mind of the intermediate being into Hevajra up to the emanation of the deities created in the wombs of Hevajra’s consorts, is the awakening by means of knowledge of all aspects (rnam pa thams cad shes pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa), i.e., knowledge of the bases ( gzhi shes) (ibid., f 88a6) The fourth, the invitation of the pristine-awareness deities and the total merging of these into the pledge deities, is the awakening by means of the manifestation of all aspects in their entirety (rnam pa kun mngon rdzogs mngon par byang chub pa) The fifth, the steps of initiation, sealing with the lord of the family, and receiving offerings and praise from the goddesses, is the awakening of the peak yoga (rtse mo’i mngon par byang chub pa) (ibid., f 89a6-7) The sixth, the step of tasting the nectar, is the awakening by means of realization of the sequential yoga (mthar gyis gnas pa’i mngon rtogs) (ibid., f 89b4) The seventh, the spontaneous arising as a white Hevajra with one face and two arms, performed after the step of effecting the benefit of sentient beings, is the awakening by means of the instantaneous yoga (skad cig ma gcig la mngon par byang chub pa) (ibid., f 90a7) The eighth, entering the state of luminous clarity subsequent to the spontaneous arising, is the awakening by means of the dimension of reality (chos kyi sku mngon par byang chub pa) (ibid., f 91b1) The steps of contemplation in these sequential awakenings are outlined below in this chapter in the section entitled “An Alternative Framework.” See below, Chapter 3, n 116, for clarification on why Jalandhara uses these terms for the contemplative steps of the creation phase 272 C not es to chapter th r ee 107 Omniscient Lord of Dharma (Chos rje kun mkhyen) is the title of Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (Shes rab rgyal mtshan) (1292-1361), a renowned master of the Jonang school, who originally belonged to the Sakya school At the age of thirty-one, he traveled to Jonang where he received Kalachakra initiation and teaching from Ketsun Yönten Gyatso (mKhas btsun yon tan rgya mtsho) and from that time was considered a Jonangpa He wrote numerous works and thereby propagated the tenets of that school He had two of his main disciples, Mati Panchen, also known as Sazang (Sa bzang), and Lotsawa Lodrö Pal (Lo tsa ba blo gros dpal), revise the Tibetan translation of the Kalachakra Tantra and Pundarika’s Stainless Light When he was thirtyfive, he became the abbot of Jonang 108 See above, Chapter 3, n 77 109 For the yoga of the vital essence and subtle yoga, see above, Chapter 3, n 82 110 Tsami Lotsawa Sangyé Trak (Tsa mi lo tsa ba sangs rgyas grags) was a disciple of the Indian Kalachakrapada and contemporary of Abhayakaragupta who, like himself, was a disciple of Bodhibhadra He taught Abhayakara the Stainless Light He is credited with a translation of Pundarika’s Stainless Light into Tibetan (See The Blue Annals, trans Roerich, pp 761, 795-6, 837.) He is the only Tibetan to have served as abbot of Nalanda 111 Gyalwa Rangjung Dorjé (rGyal ba rang ’byung rdo rje), the Third Karmapa (12841339), is an important reference figure in Kongtrul’s works The Karma Kagyu school’s style of approach to the tantras can undoubtedly be traced to him He received the Tsami transmission of the Kalachakra, as well as other transmissions, from Nyedo Kunga Döndrup (sNye mdo kun dga’ don grub) His works on Kalachakra, the transmissions of which are unbroken to the present time, include Compendium of Astronomical and Astrological Calculation on the World chapter of the root tantra; Profound Inner Reality on the Inner chapter; the Initiation and Sadhana on the Initiation and Accomplishment chapters; and Illumination of the Essence of the Three Yogas on the Wisdom chapter 112 Twelve aspects of the meaning of the truth (bden don rnam pa bcu gnyis): the purities or states free from the obscurations of the twelve links of dependent origination taught in the discourses of the Buddha, namely, ignorance (ma rig pa, avidyā), mental formations (’du byed, saṃskāra), consciousness (rnam shes, vijñāna), name and form (ming gzugs, nāmarūpa), six sense fields (skye mched drug, ṣaḍāyatana), contact (reg pa, sparśa), feeling (tshor ba, vedanā), craving (sred pa, tṛṣṇā), appropriation (len pa, upadāna), becoming (srid pa, bhava), birth (skye pa, jāti), old age and death (rga shi, jarāmaraṇam) See Pundarika’s Stainless Light (vol Tha), f 122b5-6 113 The identity of Rahulaguhya (sGra gcan gsang ba) is not clear The name Rahula is mentioned in Taranatha’s works on history but none with guhya ( gsang ba) appended His work on the Hevajra (see next note) may indicate that he is the same person as Rahulavajra, a student of Durjayachandra, who, together with Jalandhara, appears in the lineage of instructions on inner fire ( gtum mo) in Taranatha’s Histories of the Masters of the Seven Transmissions He is possibly the same person as Rahula (Rahula dhara) (sGra gcan ’dzin), author of works on the Hevajra such as Sadhana of the Single Hero (dPa’ gcig ma’i sgrub thabs) (Toh 1310) notes to chapter three c 273 114 This presentation of the contemplative steps in the phase of creation is found in Jalandhara’s Vajra Lamp: A Brief and Correct Explanation of the Hevajra Sadhana (Toh 1237), vol Nya, ff 73-96; and Rahulaguhya’s Sadhana of Hevajra called Luminous (Toh 1238), vol Nya, ff 96-126 Rahulaguhya clarifies and expands on some parts of Jalandhara’s Hevajra Sadhana 115 The thirty-two major marks of a great being (skyes bu chen po’i mtshan sum cu rtsa gnyis) are signs that characterize the physical body of a buddha See Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge: Myriad Worlds (English translation), p 270, n 60 116 The thirty-two steps are described as follows: (1) Circle of offerings (mchod pa’i ’khor lo): One meditates that light radiating from the syllable hum on a sun disk at one’s heart invites the mandala of Hevajra, the gurus, the buddhas, and the bodhisattvas One performs the outer, inner, and secret offering rites, and the offering of essential reality itself For the outer offering, one visualizes sixteen goddesses carrying various articles For the inner offering, one imagines that Chauri and the other deities of the mandala present secret pledge substances (dam tshig gi rdzas) The secret offering is that of the bliss arising from union (Rahulaguhya’s Sadhana of Hevajra called Luminous, Toh 1238, vol Nya, f 97a1) One imagines that from the state of bliss, deities are emanated and withdrawn One concludes with apology for one’s mistakes and failings, rejoicing in virtue, dedication, taking refuge, and forming the awakening mind that is the union of emptiness and compassion (a summary of Jalandhara’s Vajra Lamp: A Brief and Correct Explanation of the Hevajra Sadhana, Toh 1237, vol Nya, f 74a4-7; Rahulaguhya’s Sadhana of Hevajra called Luminous, Toh 1238, vol Nya, ff 96b4-97b3) (2) The four divine states (tshangs gnas bzhi): For this step, one contemplates the qualities of great love (byams pa chen po), great compassion (snying rje chen po), joy (dga’ ba), and equanimity (btang snyoms) (a summary of Jalandhara, f 74a7b3; Rahulaguhya, f 76b3-6) These contemplations are known as brahmaviharas, literally, “the abodes of Brahma,” because the development of these qualities without understanding of the illusory nature of things can cause one to be reborn in one of Brahma’s realms (3) The supreme (mchog): Immediately after the contemplations of the four divine states, one imagines that one’s ordinary body has vanished and meditates on the meaning of four syllables, shri he ru ka This is the contemplative step known as “the supreme” (a summary of Jalandhara, ff 74b3-75a1; Rahulaguhya, ff 97b698a2) Kongtrul writes that, in terms of literal meaning, shri denotes that which is wished for, or strived for: nondual pristine awareness, the state of the ultimate vehicle, the domain of familiarization He means cause (hetu), where “cause” signifies emptiness, in that no phenomenon is born from itself, from another cause, from both itself and another, or from no cause Ru means form (rūpa), where “form” signifies absence of any abiding or perishable collection Ka means not abiding (kacita thista) in either of the two extremes of permanence or annihilation See Commentary on the Hevajra, f 117b1-6 (4) The innate (lhan cig skyes pa): One meditates that one’s impure body vanishes into the state of emptiness Then, in the center of a celestial palace, from the syllable vam, one instantly manifests as white Vajrasattva, peaceful in expression, 274 C not es to ch apter th r ee sitting crossed-legged, with one face and two arms: this is the innate Heruka (a summary of Jalandhara, f 74b4-6; Rahulaguhya, f 98a3-b7) Here, “the innate” (lhan cig skyes pa) refers to the simple form of the deity, appearing without consort (5) One’s favored deity (’dod pa’i lha): One visualizes at one’s heart the two syllables that transform into a sun disk marked with a syllable hum The syllable transforms into a black vajra with the same syllable in its center The vajra transforms into the terrifying form of Hevajra with eight faces, one’s favored deity, in the aspect of Embodiment of Aversion or Vajra Aversion (Zhe sdang rdo rje) This step is called the contemplation of “one’s favored deity” (a summary of Jalandhara, f 75a3-b1; Rahulaguhya, f 99a3-b1) (6) The circle of protection (srung ’khor): With Vajra Aversion visualized in one’s heart, one imagines that from the syllable at the heart of Vajra Aversion, ten wrathful deities (khro bo bcu) are emanated into the cardinal and intermediate directions One orders them to perform the appeasing form of activity, as well as other forms As a result, replicas of the ten wrathful deities emanate forth to draw in the obstructive forces and hand them over to the ten wrathful deities, who overpower them Then, one visualizes in front of oneself the two syllables that transform into a sun disk marked with a syllable This syllable transforms into a vajra-cross, which transforms into the vajra ground, fence, and tent, which prevent entry by obstructive forces These steps of contemplation comprise “the circle of protection” (a summary of Jalandhara, ff 75a3-76b3; Rahulaguhya, ff 99b1-100b4) (7) Emancipation (rnam thar): One recites the mantra that represents the very essence of all phenomena (oṃ śūnyatā jñāna vajra svabhāvātmako ’haṃ) and meditates on the emptiness nature of oneself and the universe This is the step of meditation on the total protection of emptiness called “being directed toward (or intent on) emptiness” (stong nyid la lhag par mos pa), or, in Kongtrul’s words, “emancipation,” in the sense of emptiness being the “gateway to emancipation” (a summary of Jalandhara, f 76b5-7; Rahulaguhya, f 100b6) (8) The charnel grounds (dur khrod ): One imagines that outside the celestial palace, situated in the cardinal and intermediate directions, are the eight charnel grounds: in the east, Violently Hostile (gTum drag); in the south, Terrifying Skulls (’Jigs byed thod pa can); in the west, Blazing Fiercely (’Bar ba ’khrug pa); in the north, Wild Thicket (Tshang tshing ’khrigs pa); in the northeast, Exquisite Grove (Phun tshogs nags tshal); in the southwest, Fearsome Darkness (Mun pa mi zad pa); in the southeast, Laughing Ha Ha (Ha dgod pa); and in the northwest, Sounding Kili Kili (Ki li ki li sgra sgrogs pa) Each charnel ground is characterized by different sets of elements, such as the tree, yaksha, guardian, naga, cloud, mountain, stupa, etc This is the contemplative step called “the charnel grounds” (a summary of Jalandhara, ff 77a1-78b2; Rahulaguhya, ff 102a2-b3) (9) The multi-storied celestial palace (khang brtsegs): One imagines that in the expanse of emptiness is a white tetrahedron, within which arise, in sequence, the tiered configurations of the four elements, beginning with wind These elements merge as one and manifest as a multi-storied celestial palace, the various parts of which symbolize the thirty-seven factors for awakening These steps comprise ... manifestation of the causal Vajradhara and of the deities of the retinue, is the awakening by means of knowledge of the paths (lam shes pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa) The third, comprising the steps of. .. entrance of the mind of the intermediate being into Hevajra up to the emanation of the deities created in the wombs of Hevajra’s consorts, is the awakening by means of knowledge of all aspects (rnam... buddha See Kongtrul’s Treasury of Knowledge: Myriad Worlds (English translation), p 270, n 60 116 The thirty-two steps are described as follows: (1 ) Circle of offerings (mchod pa’i ’khor lo):