The Vows and Pledges of Secret Mantra 235 instead to continuously practice the ten virtues; and [11-14] to avoid the four root [downfalls] of forsaking the sacred teachings,101 giving up the awakening mind, being miserly [by refusing to give] spiritual instruction or material aid, and inflicting harm on others These fourteen all pertain to actions that should be avoided Specific pledges apply to each of the families of the Conduct Tantra and are taught in the different tantras of these families The points of conduct prescribed in these pledges must be observed; if one fails to so, the pledges must be restored The means of restoration of the pledges explained for the Action Tantra also apply to these pledges of the Conduct Tantra, as they for pledges of Yoga Tantra, which will be explained below Venerable Pema Karpo presents a distinct classification of the Conduct Tantra pledges Three pledges pertain to the training: (1) the vow of the “mind of entering” [assumed] in order to enter the great pledge; (2) the vow of the “abiding mind” once one has entered the great pledge; and (3) the vow of the “mind of involvement,” bringing others to the great pledge once one has mastered it.102 The fourteen pledges mentioned above are considered to be the fourteen root downfalls for practitioners who are renunciates The four root downfalls plus sexual misconduct, murder, theft, untruth, and wayward views are considered pledges applying to lay practitioners What is the difference between the shunning of the ten unvirtuous deeds in this context and the shunning of them by the proclaimers, solitary sages, worldly people, and non-Buddhists? The difference is significant, because proclaimers and solitary sages not possess [the special] skillful means and wisdom [taught in the Conduct Tantra].103 Worldly people and non-Buddhists observe [a wholesome conduct] induced by their grasping to the [self as] real On the other hand, practitioners who have formed awakening minds and are possessed of skill in means and wisdom are able to freely engage in wholesome forms of conduct with the understanding of the sameness of all things, without [this conduct] being induced by such grasping Pledges of Yoga Tantra [3'] This section has three parts: (1) the pledges of the five families taught in the explanatory tantras; (2) the two main sets of pledges (the pledges of the five classes of deities and the ten root downfalls) taught in the fundamental tantras; and (3) other enumerations of pledges in the explanatory tantras 236 Buddhist Ethics Pledges of the Five Families Taught in the Explanatory Tantras [a'] These pledges are presented in two parts: (1) a concise statement, and (2) a detailed explanation Concise Statement [i'] Yoga Tantra pledges consist of fourteen injunctions and fourteen prohibitions For the Yoga Tantra [pledges], earlier scholars condensed the main points of the extensive discussion in the Indestructible Peak, an explanatory tantra, into two groups of pledges: fourteen pledges prescribing what should be practiced [injunctions] and fourteen prescribing restraint [prohibitions] Detailed Explanation [ii'] These pledges are presented in two parts: (1) the fourteen injunctions, and (2) the fourteen prohibitions The Fourteen Injunctions [aa'] Injunctions related to the five families are to take refuge in the Three Jewels, commit oneself to the vajra, bell, and master, Practice the four generosities, uphold the three ways, and make offerings I have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, The Buddha, his teachings, and the community With these words, the vows are proclaimed Aspirants are then examined for their suitability to receive [initiation] Those found suitable enter the mandala and recite Just as the protectors throughout the three times up to and set all beings in the state of perfect peace 104 With the triple repetition of these phrases, the fourteen defeating transgressions are forsworn, and the fourteen branch [pledges] that are injunctions are fully assumed The mantric vows are thereby taken The Vows and Pledges of Secret Mantra 237 according to ritual, which is the way the pledges are first assumed These pledges taken in this way, the fourteen injunctions, are all condensed into the following pledges of the five families105: (1) To take refuge in the Three Jewels comprises the three pledges of the [transcendent] family of Vairochana; (2) To commit oneself to the vajra seal, the bell seal, and the [vajra] master are the three pledges of the vajra family [of Akshobhya]106; (3) To be generous with spiritual teachings, material things, protection, and love are the four pledges of the jewel family [of Ratnasambhava]; (4) To maintain the outer (Action and Conduct) tantras; the secret (Yoga) tantra; and the three spiritual ways [of the proclaimers, solitary sages, and bodhisattvas] are the three pledges of the lotus family [of Amitabha]; (5) To make offerings is the single pledge of the action family [of Amoghasiddhi] The correspondence of the pledges with these particular families can be explained as follows: Vairochana represents the family of the enlightened body of the transcendent ones This physical dimension is the foundation for acquiring all good qualities of which taking refuge in the Three Jewels constitutes the root Akshobhya represents the family of enlightened mind, which is indivisible emptiness and compassion One commits oneself to these two aspects, which are symbolized by the vajra and bell, and to the vajra master who reveals their meaning Ratnasambhava represents the family of enlightened quality, which, like a wish-fulfilling jewel, provides the source of all that is desirable Likewise, the four kinds of generosity fulfill the hopes and desires [of all beings] Amitabha represents the family of enlightened speech from which originate the eighty-four thousand aspects of the teachings These eighty-four thousand aspects are all included in the three spiritual ways: the outer way [of proclaimers and solitary sages], the inner way [of bodhisattvas], and secret way [of mantric practitioners] 238 Buddhist Ethics Amoghasiddhi represents the family of marvelous activity, the essence of which is to venerate the buddhas and to work for the benefit of all beings Both of these tasks are accomplished by making offerings as much as possible The Fourteen Prohibitions [bb'] The prohibitions are not to forsake the Jewels and the awakening mind, Not disrespect the deity, mantra and seals, and master, not step over sacred objects, Not eat wrong foods, not divulge the secrets, not forsake mantra and seals, not harm others, not delight in the Individual Way, Not despair, not forsake the training, and not engage in what is unwholesome: These five families’ pledges are the main pledges taught in the explanatory tantras The fourteen pledges that are prohibitions are as follows: (1) Do not renounce the Three Jewels; (2) Do not forsake the awakening mind; (3) Do not disrespect deities; (4) Do not criticize mantra and seals107; (5) Do not disrespect the master; (6) Do not step over the master’s seat, etc., or over the weapons, ritual implements, or insignias of deities; (7) Do not eat the wrong food108; (8) Do not divulge the secret pristine awareness109; (9) Do not forsake the practice of mantra and seals110; (10) Do not harm others; (11) Do not delight in the Individual Way; (12) Do not be discouraged in the face of difficulties encountered in working for the benefit of others; (13) Do not forsake training in the six perfections; (14) Do not engage in what is unwholesome These prohibitions, which prescribe fourteen points of restraint, [together with the above injuctions,] are known as the pledges of the five families, and are the main pledges taught in the explanatory tantras The Vows and Pledges of Secret Mantra 239 Two Main Sets of Pledges Taught in the Fundamental Tantras [b'] The sets of pledges given in the Glorious Paramadya and other fundamental tantras should be learned from other sources In the interest of brevity, the pledges taught in the Summation of Essential Points,111 the Glorious Paramadya, and other fundamental tantras of this class will not be discussed at length here and should be learned from other sources However, we shall supplement the root verses with a few explanatory words The Summation of Essential Points gives the following set of pledges related to the five classes of deities: (1) The pledge of the transcendent family [of Vairochana] is to cultivate the two aspects of awakening mind and then earnestly work to augment them Thus, the pledge of the transcendent family is to be intensely compassionate by strengthening one’s mind of awakening, being affectionate, and uplifting others, etc., without succumbing to the discouragement felt by proclaimers who reject objects of desire, viewing them as sources of pain (2) The pledge of the vajra family [of Akshobhya] is to perform rites while feigning wrath in order to awaken malicious and untameable beings; (3) The pledge of the lotus family [of Amitabha] is to whatever is of benefit to others, manifesting as the great seal of the deity’s body, and the other [seals112], from within the understanding of emptiness, the ultimate [truth]; (4) The pledge of the jewel family [of Ratnasambhava] is to give away daily whatever material things, many or few, that others desire; (5) The pledge of the action family [of Amoghasiddhi] is naturally fulfilled in the altruistic nature of the activities [of the above four pledges] The Glorious Paramadya Tantra enumerates ten pledges to shun the following ten root downfalls: (1) To forsake the aspiring mind; (2) To forsake the venturing mind; ... bodhisattvas] are the three pledges of the lotus family [of Amitabha]; (5) To make offerings is the single pledge of the action family [of Amoghasiddhi] The correspondence of the pledges with these... into the following pledges of the five families1 05: (1) To take refuge in the Three Jewels comprises the three pledges of the [transcendent] family of Vairochana; (2) To commit oneself to the vajra... practitioners] 238 Buddhist Ethics Amoghasiddhi represents the family of marvelous activity, the essence of which is to venerate the buddhas and to work for the benefit of all beings Both of these tasks