Guhyagarbha Tantra (with Commentary)

by Gyurme Dorje | 1987 | 304,894 words

The English translation of the Guhyagarbha Tantra, including Longchenpa's commentary from the 14th century. The whole work is presented as a critical investigation into the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, of which the Guhyagarbhatantra is it's principle text. It contains twenty-two chapters teaching the essence and practice of Mahayoga, which s...

Text 2.15 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 2.15]

Emaho! From the nucleus of the Sugata
Individual conceptual thoughts are emanated by deeds.
There are diverse corporeal forms, raptures.
Abodes, sufferings and so forth—
The possessor and the possessed are differentiated. [15] ...

[Tibetan]

e-ma-ho bde-gshegs snying-po-las / rang-gi rnam-rtog las-kyis sprul / sna-tshogs lus-dang longs-spyod-dang / gnas-dang sdug-bsngal la-sogs-pa / bdag-dang bdag-gir so-sor 'dzin / [15]

Commentary:

Emaho! (e-ma-ho) is exclaimed out of loving kindness. Bewilderment. then, has emerged from (las) the disposition of the nucleus of the sugata (bde-gshegs snying-po), the original abiding nature or inwardly radiant mind-as-such. The nucleus of the Sugata is that which abides as the essence of inwardly radiant mind-as-such, the three buddha-bodies without conjunction or disjunction.

It says in the Sūtra the King of Contemplation (T. 127):

Pure, clear. Inwardly radiant,
Undisturbed and uncompounded
Is the nucleus of the Sugata,
The reality which primordlally abides.

In the Extensive Magical Net (NGB. Vol. 14) too, it is referred to as the ground of all that is uncompounded and genuine:

It is not the ground of all conceptual thoughts.
But the genuine ground, without independent existence.
This is called the expanse of reality.
It is the pristine cognition of the real nature.

And in the Sūtra of the Bounteous Array (T. 110):

The ground of all diverse levels
Is indeed the nucleus of the Sugata.
This nucleus was revealed by the Sugata
In the term”ground-of-all”.

All living beings are pervaded by this same (nucleus), as is said in the King Of Contemplation (T. 127):

Living beings are entirely pervaded
By the nucleus of the sugata.

And also in the Supreme Continuum of the Greater Vehicle (T. 4024):

All sentient beings are always endowed
With the nucleus of the Buddha
Because the perfect Buddha-body is diffused.
Because they are Indivisible from just what is.
And because they belong to the Buddha-family.

When bewilderment occurs through any conditions, the conceptual thoughts (rnam-rtog) of individual (rang) sentient beings arise of their own accord. Thus, these great citadels of saṃsāra are emanated (sprul) in the manner of self-manifesting dreams by (kyis) causally effective deeds (las). There are corporeal forms (lus-dang) of diverse (sna-tshogs) living beings including the gods, the raptures (longs-spyod-dang) which they desire, their abodes (gnas-dang) including the celestial realms, their respective joys and sufferings (sdug-bsngal), and so forth (la-sogs-pa) which manifoldly appear. Living beings apprehend the concept “I” as a possessor (bdag) and (dang) concepts such as “my things” as the possessed (bdag-gir). These are differentiated (so-sor 'dzin) within the subject-object dichotomy, so that beings are never liberated from saṃsāra.

[iii The truth without bondage and liberation which is not bypassed from the moment when bewilderment appears (109.6-110.5):]

[The third teaches that there is neither bondage nor liberation from the very moment when bewilderment appears.—It comments on Ch. 2.16:]

[Read next page]

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: