Chapter 4 - Cyclical Array of the Garland of Syllables

Then all the Tathāgatas became of a single Intention, and, in the expanse of indestructible reality which is a mode of great sameness, without straying from the contemplation that all things are primordial Buddha-hood, the so-called "cyclical garland of syllables", through which all things abide simply as nominal syllables, emerged from the indestructible Buddha-body, speech and mind. [1]

ĀḤ The steadfast white syllable A
Emanates tiny syllables A
Which radiate and fill the ten directions.
It (re-)absorbs them, and yet remains constant.
Without increase or decrease.
From it, the nominal clusters (of consonants)
All then radiate and blaze forth.
They are emanated and reabsorbed in the same way. [2]
This is the causal basis of pristine cognition
Through which the accomplishments
Of indestructible reality firmly emerge. [3]
A KA KHA GA GHA ṄA
CA CHA JA JHA ÑA
ṬA ṬHA ḌA ḌHA ṆA
TA THA DA DHA NA
PA PHA BA BHA MA
YA VA RA LA
ŚA ṢA SA HA KṢA
I Ī U Ū
E AI O AU [4]

By the emergence of these (syllables), the infinite ten directions of the six world-systems vibrated in six ways, further vibrated, and absolutely vibrated, whereafter all things became mere nominal characteristics. Ho! [5]

Then all the Tathāgatas uttered this meaningful expression. [6]

The syllable A does not objectively refer
To emptiness, non-emptiness, or even to their middle ground.
According to all Buddhas, all things are merely names,
Abiding in the garland of syllables itself. [7]

The syllable A itself, which diversely appears.
Subsumes all things in forty-two
Consonantal and vocalic syllables, beginning with KA—
The manifestly perfect king itself is ascertained. [8]

Astonishing, wondrous and amazing
Is the great miraculous ability.
Or the forty-five syllables
In which all names and words
Are apprehended, without exception.
They propound and reveal great diverse meanings. [9]

Without substantiality, the nature of the syllables, the mind.
Is selflessness, free from extremes and without objective referent.
Yet through a diversity of shapes, colours and names
It emanates and reveals its display in all ways. [10]

Emerging in the ten directions and four times.
The body, speech and mind of the Being of Pristine Cognition,
Which comprise forty-five maṇḍalas.
Are perfected in the syllables from the initial one to KṢA. [11]

The nature of mind is the syllable.
The syllable is without substantial existence. [12]

This nature without objective referent, diverse.
Comprises the great wheels of Buddha-body, speech and mind.
Body, speech and mind summon forth this great miracle
Which is wondrous and amazing. [13]

Written in the expanse by the expanse.
The so-called syllables are thus described: [14]

The initial punctuation mark is the unerring path.
The final punctuation dots are discriminative awareness
Through which names are applied.
The punctuation stroke is great skillful means
Which demarcates phrases. [15]

The syllable A is the uncreated real nature. [16]

ṬHA is the indestructible reality of magical emanation.
ṬA is the apparitional magical emanation.
ḌA is the wish-fulfilling magical emanation.
ḌHA is the pure magical emanation.
ṆA is the absolute magical emanation. [17]

THA is the manifestly perfect net.
TA is the secure net.
DA is the illuminating net.
DHA is the embracing net.
NA is the absolute net. [18]

KA is the supreme buddha-mind of buddha-eye.
KHA is the supreme buddha-mind of buddha-ear.
GA is the supreme buddha-mind of buddha-nose.
GHA is the supreme buddha-mind of buddha-tongue.
ṄA is the buddha-mind, yet also the destroyer. [19]

CA is the supreme buddha-body of buddha-eye.
CHA is the supreme buddha-body of buddha-ear.
JA is the supreme buddha-body of buddha-nose.
JHA is the supreme buddha-body of buddha-tongue.
ÑA is the buddha-body, yet also the destroyer. [20]

PA is the supreme buddha-speech of buddha-eye.
PHA is the supreme buddha-speech of buddha-ear.
BA is the supreme buddha-speech of buddha-nose.
BHA is the supreme buddha-speech of buddha-tongue.
MA is the buddha-speech, yet also the destroyer. [21]

YA is pure with respect to creation.
VA is pure with respect to abiding.
RA is pure with respect to destruction.
LA is pure with respect to emptiness.
ŚA is pure with respect to eternalism.
ṢA is the absence of nihilism.
SA is free from extremes and without self.
HA is Itself without sign. [22]

KṢA is the spirituality of pristine cognition, the buddha-mind.
I is for the gods, numerous as atomic particles.
Ī is for the antigods, numerous as atomic particles.
U is for the human beings, numerous as atomic particles.
Ū is for the animals, numerous as atomic particles.
E is for the tormented spirits, numerous as atomic particles.
AI is for the denizens of hell, numerous as atomic particles. [23]

O is the destroyer of all.
AU is the destructor of all. [24]

This great cyclical mass of syllables
Subsumes the garlands of body, speech and mind.

—So they said. Aho! [25]

Then this secret description of these very maṇḍalas, where the assembled host of Tathāgatas and their queens are without duality, emerged from the indestructible body, speech, mind, attributes, and activities. [26]

Aho! This wheel is a Joyous cloud of
Skillful means and discriminative awareness.
It is the causal basis of the provision of enlightened mind.
Its result is the maturation and accomplishment of the conquerors.
These wondrous forty-two consonantal syllables.
Not compounded by nature.
Are the compounded indestructible reality
Which discloses the maṇḍalas.
Their commitment to do so is not transgressed—
Dependent are they on the great force
of their accumulated causes and conditions.

Aho! Such are the words of secret indestructible reality which emerged. [27]

At these words, all the Tathāgatas were transformed into the wheel of syllables. This completes the fourth chapter from the Secret Nucleus Definitive With Respect To The Real, entitled the Cyclical Array of the Garland of Syllables. [28]