Text 1.18 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 1.18]

... Is a wish-fulfilling gem or enlightened attribute of Buddha-body, speech, mind, attributes and activities. Where there is nothing to be dispelled. It itself is the abode of supreme indestructible reality. The inexhaustible wheel of adornment.—Such were the secret words of indestructible reality which emerged. [18] ...

[Tibetan]

sku-gsung-thugs-dang yon-tan 'phrin-las sel-med-pa-yi yon-tan yid-bzhin rin-po-che / mi-zad-par ldan-pa rgyan-gyi 'khor-lo rdo-rje mchog-gi gnas-nyid-do /—zhes rdo-rje gsang-ba'i tshig-tu'o / [18]

Commentary:

[The recognition of the reality through which it is present:]

This identity of buddha-body, speech, mind, attributes and activities (sku-gsung-thugs yon-tan phrin-las) where there is nothing to be dispelled (sel-med-pa-yi), not even the slightest defective blemish, is an inconceivably mighty wish-fulfilling gem (yid-bzhin rin-po-che) or excellent enlightened attribute (yon-tan). It itself is (nyid-do) the essence of supreme indestructible reality (rdo-rje mchog-gi) without conjunction or disjunction, a nature endowed with pristine cognition's inexhaustible (mi-zad-par) wheel of adornment (rgyan-gyi 'khor-lo), and the abode (gnas) of the buddha-body of perfect rapture.—Such were the secret words of indestructible reality (zhes rdo-rje gsang-ba'i tshig) of buddha-body, speech, and mind which merged (tu'o) concerning the natural expression of tantra.

There are some who ascribe this last passage to the compiler, but Incorrectly so because it is also extant in (the actual text of) this Tantra of the secret Nucleus of Indestructible Reality (rdo-rje gsang-ba'i snying-po'i rgyud, NGB. Vol. 14).

The bla-ma Rong-zom Paṇḍita further asserts with respect to this section that it refers to the maṇḍala of the real (de-bzhin-nyid), the maṇḍala of the expanse (dbyings), the maṇḍala of skillful means which holds sway (dbang-bsgyur), the maṇḍala of pristine cognition (ye-shes), the maṇḍala of spirituality (thugs-rje), the maṇḍala of the self-manifesting (rang-snang-ba), the maṇḍala of nature (nyid), the maṇḍala of contemplation (ting-'dzin), the maṇḍala of images (gzugs-brnyan), the maṇḍala of magical display (sgyu-ma), the maṇḍala of the pure (rnam-dag), and the maṇḍala that is radiant (gsal-ba). Now. because these are words of indestructible reality they are applicable in all contexts. However. this is not an occasion for the maṇḍalas of the path including the maṇḍalas of the three kinds of contemplation and of images to be revealed. It is rather an occasion for the self-manifesting and spontaneous maṇḍala of the buddhas to be revealed. Therefore (his explanation) is irrelevant.^[1]

There are also some who hold the introductory scene to be a (later) compilation. but they have not examined even a fraction of the text. Concernins the compilation of the introductory scene among the transmitted precepts of the Teacher, there are some who incorrectly claim that the introductory scene is the word of the compiler and that therefore the actual transmitted precepts commence from the beginning of the discourse onwards. However the words of this (introductory scene) are indeed transmitted precepts because (in this context) there is no difference between the compiler and the teacher. Furthermore, in the Tantra Which Purifies All Evil Destinies (T. 483) the maṇḍala is mostly described by the Lord of Secrets (Guhyapati Vajrapāṇi) and yet it too lies within the tantra-text.^[2]

This (present work) also conforms doctrinally with the Sūtra of Compassion’s White Lotus (T. 112) which says:

When I have passed into nirvāṇa, o monks!, if the transmitted precepts are compiled, let the discourse begin with the words Thus have I heard on a certain occasion.^[3]

[The conclusion comments on Ch. 1.19:]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Again kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa emphasises the Atiyoga interpretation, rejecting structures associated with the path in this context of the self-manifesting ground.

[2]:

See T. Skorupski, The Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatantra. Ch. 2, PP. 35ff.

[3]:

The precise format of the Introductory words expressed in this tantra-text of course has important differences, as has already been explained, pp. 336-349.