Text 9.32 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.32]

The genuine accomplishment of empowered awareness
Will be achieved in six or twelve months.
Or in fourteen, or in sixteen.
Within sixteen lifespans (one will obtain)
The spontaneously perfect five Buddha-bodies. [32]

[Tibetan]

zhag-ni sum-cu phrag-drug-gam /
bcu-gnyis bcu-bzhi bcu-drug-gis /
dbang-bsgyur rigs-kyi dam-pa 'grub /
de-tshe bcu-drug tshun-chad-kyis /
sku-lnga lhun-gyis rdzogs-pa-ni /
ye-shes thig-le de-nyid-la / [32]

Commentary:

[The third section (of the result attained through the maṇḍala—is a description of the results accomplished by these skillful means. It comprises both provisional and conclusive results.]

[The former (comments on Ch. 9.32):]

The genuine accomplishment (dam-pa) of (-kyi) the awareness (rigs)-holder who is empowered (dbang-bsgyur) with control over the lifespan will be achieved ('grub) by those of highest acumen and perseverence within six months, or literally six times thirty days (zhag-ni sum-cu phrag-drug), or (gam) by those of mediocre acumen in twelve months (bcu-gnyis), or by those of inferior acumen in fourteen (bcu-bzhi). or even by the basest in sixteen (bcu-drug-gis).^[1]

Now, the term "genuine", in this context, does not describe those (accomplishments) possessed by the higher (awareness-holders) of the (great) seal and spontaneous presence. Why therefore is this (power over the lifespan) described as genuine? It is so-called because it surpasses (the accomplishment of the awareness-holder) of maturation and because it refers to the attainment of Buddha-hood in this very body, just as the term "supreme phenomenon” (mchog-chos) is employed to describe the supreme phenomenon on the path of connection.^[2]

Accordingly, the Sequence of the Path (P. 4736) also says:

Through accomplishments attained by the performance
Of feast-offerings, which conclude one's entry
Into the vision of truth.
Corruption of body, sensory bases and womb comes to an end.
One is transformed into the body of indestructible reality
And passes into nirvāṇa in the reality
Where awareness of the lifespan is discerned.
This is the level of the conquerors
Whereon the body is not relinquished.

On the basis of this attainment of power over the lifespan, one will obtain Buddha-hood in the number of years or time occupied by sixteen (bcu-drug) prolonged lifespans (de-tshe). Within (tshun-chad-kyis) sixteen such "births", one will obtain the spontaneously perfect (lhun-gyis rdzogs-pa-ni) Buddha-hood of the five buddha-bodies (sku-lnga).

It is held in certain mantra-texts that the (level of the) sky-farers will be traversed and Buddha-hood attained by means of a single body within a single lifespan, and that even if one loiters Buddha-hood will be obtained within seven births or in sixteen. Although this is indeed the case, here in the (tradition of the Secret Nucleus) one who has obtained power over the lifespan is capable of a single lifespan (which lasts) for one thousand six hundred years, and then obtains the status of an awarenes-holder of spontaneous presence. When the habitual impulses of the (normal) lifespan come to an end, the lifespan is prolonged through skillful means. Shortening the course of each century sixteen times in that way, one abides in a single body.^[3]

It says in the Extensive Magical Net (T. 834):

One abides for sixteen lifespans,
Shortening the course of each century.
And attains Buddha-hood
Without relinquishing the body.

And in the Indestructible Peak (T. 480):

At the conclusion of sixteen births
The Buddha-hood of quiescence will be obtained.

There are some who say that although there is a single lifespan, the reduction in the age of the body sixteen times is effected in the manner of resurrection from the dead, but they are refuted because Buddha-hood is said to be attained without relinquishing the body. In connection with the two (kinds of awareness-holder which are revealed) here, namely those of power over the lifespan and spontaneous presence, the (other) awareness-holders of maturation and the great seal are also implicitly indicated.^[4]

The latter concerns the conclusive result or the awareness-holder of spontaneous presence. It has three parts, namely: the accomplishment of self-manifesting buddha-body and pristine cognition in the spontaneous Bounteous Array; the presence of the inwardly radiant field of the body of reality which is the expanse of the real free from conceptual elaborations; and the reemergence of the emanational body in the world-systems of those to be trained.

[The first of these has two subdivisions. among which the former concerns the manifest awakening. (It comments on Ch. 9.33):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On this verse, see also below, pp. 1026-1027; NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, p. 105.

[2]:

"Genuine" (dam-pa) and "supreme phenomenon" (mchog-chos) are both technical terms, respectively indicating distinct steps in the mantra and sutra paths. On the latter term as an aspect of prayogamārga, see kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa, grub-mtha'i mdzod. pp. 142-146, also NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 3. p. 130.

[3]:

See also above, pp. 810-811.

[4]:

As explained, the two parts of section 32 refer to the tshe-dbang rig-'dzin and the lhun-grub rig-'dzin directly, whereas the rnam-smin rig-'dzin and phyag-chen rig-'dzin are implied. For an explanation of all four, see pp. 959-974.