Text 20.5 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 20.5]

In the supreme maṇḍala of feast-offerings
In the shape of the syllable VAṂ,
(The Mantrin) should make offerings
With an attitude of attachment
To the resplendent and enormous blaze.
Even indestructible speech will be subjugated. [5]

[Tibetan]

vaṃ-gi tshogs-kyi dkyil-'khor mchog /
'bar-ba gzi-brjid lhun-chen-la /
chags-pa'i yid-kyis mchod-sbyin-bya /
rdo-rje gsung-yang dbang-du 'gyur / [5]

Commentary:

[ii. The rite of subjugation also has three sections. Among them the first is the rite of the burning fire (which comments on Ch. 20.5):]

In this case the hearth is symbolised by the shape of the syllable VAṂ (vaṃ-gyi) and drawn as a semi-circle. The supreme maṇḍala of the feast-offerings (tshogs-kyi dkyil-'khor mchog) conveys and entirely corresponds to the characteristic nature of the hearth and the central and peripheral deities.^[1] In it the fire of the hearth and Agni, the fire-god, are present in the subjugating form of an Intense blaze ('bar-ba), resplendent (gzi-brjid) and enormous (lhun-chen) in stature. The Mantrin should make offerings (mchod-sbyin-bya) to (la) it with an attitude of attachment (chags-pa'i yid-kyis) for the victim, offering to the fire those sacraments corresponding to the rite of subjugation.^[2] Thereby, even (yang) Amitābha, the one of indestructible speech (rdo-rje gsung) will be subjugated (dbang-du-'gyur).

[The second is the rite of the stabbing kīla (which comments on Ch. 20.6):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On the rite of subjugation and its hearth, shaped as a semi-circle in the manner of the Sanskrit syllayle VAṂ, see also above, p. 784.

[2]:

The sacraments of this rite are enumerated above, pp. 784-785. Cf. Lo-chen, op. cit.. p. 4311.