Text 4.15 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 4.15]

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] ...

[Tibetan]

mgo-ni ma-nor lam-yin-te /
tig-ni shes-rab ming-du smra /
shad-ni thabs-chen tshigs-su gcod / [15]

Commentary:

[Detailed and Distinct Exegesis of the Syllables in Conjunction with their Respective Deities (189.1-202.2)]

The second section (of the exegesis of the meaning of the words—see p. 558) is a detailed and distinct exegesis (of these syllables) in conjunction with their respective deities. It has three parts, namely: a general teaching on the meaning of the (first) three syllables; a detailed exegesis on the meaning of the forty-two syllables; and a synopsis.

[i. General Teaching on the Meaning of the First Three Syllables (189.2-191.5):]

[This (comments on Ch. 4.15):]

The initial punctuation mark (mgo-ni) which precedes the syllables is drawn in the shape of a staff (ber-ka-ris) and exemplified by the nose-shaped syllable I.^[1] It is the unerring (ma-nor) indestructible reality of buddha-mind which reveals the meaning of skillful means and discriminative awareness without duality. in the manner of a wagon-driver, it activates the path (lam) because it is the leading or Initial (mark) which precedes all the syllables of the texts and so forth.

The final punctuation dots (tig) or tsheg which accompany each syllable resemble the eyes of Maheśvara, as in the syllable AḤ. They are the nature of nirvāṇa in which signs are quiescent, the discriminative awareness (shes-rab) indicative of the indestructible reality of inexpressible buddha-speech which does not abide in the two extremes. The form of that syllable AḤ conveys the sense of the perfection of discriminative awareness, and its action is one through which names are (ming-du) differentiated and applied (smra) to objects. If each syllable A were not demarcated (by the dots), no consonantal syllables, demarcated by a single vowel, would be formed: and if these were not formed the names of objects such as "pillar” and "vase" would not be formed. Therefore in this context the action (of the dots) is to form the names of different objects.

The punctuation stroke (shad-ni) which accompanies the syllables, shaped like the syllable A in the form of a straight arrow (I), is the great (chen) miracle of skillful means (thabs), the indestructible reality of buddha-body which indicates that living beings are protected by great spirituality. its action is one which demarcates phrases (tshigs-su gcod) out of distinct syllables.

In this context, there are those blind to all the meanings of the well-structured treatises, thoroughly ignorant of the nature of the textual traditions of the Sūtras and Tantras, who profess this to be an imperfect mode (of explanation), saying, "It is incorrect for you to speak of the initial punctuation mark, the punctuation dots and stroke. Because they are absent in the Sanskrit books they were created by the Tibetans". It should be explained (in response to this argument) that, although you were born in Tibet, you have not seen the texts of the great Tibetan piṭakas: and even though you have been to India, you have not thoroughly studied the well-composed (Indian) treatises or seen the books preserved in different provinces, according to each of which these (three punctuation features) are authentic. The accuracy of this statement is also to be pinpointed to some extent by literary transmissions:

It says in the Sūtra Requested by Śrīdatta (T. 77):

The initial punctuation mark indicates the beginning.
As the head-letter, it should be elegantly drawn.
Because it is at the head of the syllables
It is said to be in front.
In the design of a staff.

And in the Sūtra at the Invitation of Bimbisāra (T. 289):

The first of the syllables is a dot.
Among the forty-two syllables.
The unerring path is the punctuation dot.
Thus one who knows the path
Arrives at the syllables from that dot.

And in the Sūtra Requested by Ugra (T. 63):

The punctuation point gives form to words.
By syllabic conjunction names are applied
And the essential meaning is easily examined.
So it is that it is called the punctuation point or dot.

And in the Holy Ornament (P. 4735):

Because they gather (syllables) together.
The points are punctuation dots
Which apply names by drawing dispersed (syllables) together.
When these have the action of a full stop^[2]
They appear in form of the punctuation stroke.

And in the Sūtra Requested by Subāhu (T. 805):

Without neglecting the four vowels I U E O (gug-skyed) and the anusvāra circle (klad-skor), or the final punctuation dots (visarga)...

Thus, such genuine transmitted precepts have indeed been passed down in Tibet.

The malign disputations (mentioned above) are the controversies of those who depreciate (the teaching), totally ensnared by the unbearable darkness of jealousy. Since their comments actually have no foundation (in the texts) they do not even merit rejection at this juncture.

The Ascertainment of Valid Cognition (T. 4211) appropriately says:

Because the erroneous paths are inconclusive
They should not be elaborated here.

However, (this statement of mine) has been set forth in order to clarify certain doubts to some extent. Those (erroneous) ideas naturally occur because the intellect is more foolish than Māra and the extremists who debated with the Transcendent Lord, than malicious guard-dogs who even inflicted pain on a universal monarch, or than the cowherds who scorned the nature of the Omniscient One. The Intellect Indeed conforms with the saying, "The herdsman is worse than the beast!"^[3]

[Exegesis on the Meaning of the Forty-Two Syllables (191.5-201.6):]

The second, (the exegesis on the meaning of the forty-two syllables), includes an overview and interlinear commentary.

The former (191.5-197.3) has three parts: the implication of (the syllables) being out of order; an explanation of the symbolic meaning of their names; and a description of the glow (of the deities) which arises (from these syllables).

[i. As to the first:]

Although in this chapter of the text the sequence of the syllables appears to be somewhat out of order, the present sequence does refer to the abiding nature of the respective deities. Now, the Initial syllable A is the nature of emptiness, the expanse of reality or Samantabhadri; and the syllable KṢA, which follows those of the four female gatekeepers, is the essence of appearance, the pristine cognition or Samantabhadra. These two are the glowing male and female consorts Samantabhadra (dangs-kyi kun-bzang yab-yum). Here they are not said to be in union, but they are explained to be the first and the last (of the deities in the maṇḍala), with the exception of the six sages. The purpose is to reveal that the self-manifesting buddha-bodies of perfect rapture are a display which arises from the disposition of Samantabhadra, the very ground where appearance and emptiness are without duality. Now mind-as-such or the inner radiance of the ground is the original Samantabhadra, the conclusive ground of liberation. Its apparitional and emptiness aspects are respectively the glowing male and female consorts Samantabhadra, in this way the body of perfect rapture is revealed to arise, manifest in and of itself, from the disposition of inner radiance, the body of reality.

The seed-syllables of the male & female consorts of the five enlightened families are then revealed because, from the disposition of reality, the male and female consorts of the five enlightened families, pure and self-manifesting, abide within the maṇḍala in the manner of rainbow colours.

Then the seed-syllables of the four inner male spiritual warriors are revealed in order to indicate that the four male spiritual warriors of buddha-mind arise from the mental energy of these deities. Then the seed-syllable of Yamāntaka is revealed from the glow of these four male spiritual warriors of buddha-mind in order to illustrate that through their apparition they subdue the obscuration of the knowable, which clings to the mind defiled by conflicting emotions. Then, the seed-syllables of their consorts are revealed, illustrating that the four objects which are the perceptual range of these spiritual warriors appear as their respective female consorts. Then Mahābala appears from the energy of these (consorts) and his seed-syllable is revealed in order to illustrate that they subdue the obscuration of conflicting emotions, which clings to these four objects of appearance.

Furthermore, from the energy of the buddha-speech of the five basic enlightened families, the four spiritual warriors of buddha-speech appear and reveal their seed-syllables. Then, Hayagrīva arises and reveals his seed-syllable to illustrate that obscurations of speech are subdued by this buddha-speech. The four female spiritual warriors of time who are the apparitional objects appraised by these (male spiritual warriors) also appear throughout the four times as unobscured buddha-speech, so that the seed-syllables of these four female consorts are revealed. Then, the seed-syllables of the four female gatekeepers are revealed because the four female gatekeepers also appear, illustrating that the nature of these (female spiritual warriors) transcends the stains of the four extremes.^[4]

Then, as previously indicated, there is the syllable KṢA which reveals that all these apparitional images arise from the disposition of Samantabhadra.

Then, from the energy of the buddha-body of these deities, the six sages appear in their respective world-systems and their seed-syllables are revealed. Illustrating that their emanational nature is endowed with excellent enlightened activities. The seed-syllable of Amṛtakuṇḍalin is then revealed because he appears from the glowing enlightened activity of the central deity, from whose nature of buddha-body this enlightened activity arises. Then, in order that the Buddha-field of the wrathful deities might be self-manifestingly revealed from the glow of all these (deities), the seed-syllable of Buddha Heruka is finally revealed as its essence, illustrated by the syllable AUṂ.

[ii. As for the explanation of the symbolic meaning of the syllables:]

The symbolic meanings of the "uncreated nature" and of the "buddha-mind" describe respectively the female & male consorts Samantabhadra (kun-bzang yab-yum). From their disposition of the expanse or uncreated mind-as-such and of pristine cognition which reveals naturally present unimpeded spirituality, the maṇḍalas are understood to have their arising ground. The male consorts of the five enlightened families are (symbolically) described by the term "Magical" (sgyu-'phrul); for they reveal the magical nature of skillful means according to which the five self-manifesting components are inherently pure. The five female consorts are (symbolically) described by the term "Net" (dra-ba), illustrating that they are associated with nondual discriminative awareness, and revealing the five elements to be pure in the expanse. The four inner male spiritual warriors are (symbolically) described by the term”buddha-mind” (thugs). Illustrating that the nature of consciousness is purity. The four female spiritual warriors who are their objects are (symbolically) described by the term "buddha-body” (sku). Illustrating that the apparitional objects which arise to the sense-organs and coarsely appear are Inherently pure. The four outer male spiritual warriors are (symbolically) described by the term "buddha-speech” (gsung). Illustrating that the sense-organs are clear and the selves which are conceived are inherently pure. The four female spiritual warriors of time are (symbolically) described by the term "pure” (dag-pa). Illustrating that all the four times are inherently pure—transcending existence, nonexistence, eternalism and nihilism. The four male gatekeepers are (symbolically) referred to by the term "destroyer" ('jig-pa). They symbolise the subjugation and Inherent purity of the four kinds of Māra and their disputations, i.e. the nature of conflicting emotion which apprehends substances and signs. The four female gatekeepers are (symbolically) depicted by terms which mean "reality" (chos-nyid),^[5] illustrating that the benefit of living beings is spontaneously accomplished through the primordially pure immeasurables, and that the possessor subject, possessed objects, and the apprehension of signs are inherently pure. The six sages are (symbolically) described by the term "numerous as atomic particles" (rdul-snyed), illustrating that they accomplish spontaneous acts of benefit in limitless worlds through countless emanations, and that the propensities of the six classes of living: beings are inherently pure. Then, the nature of the wrathful deities is (symbolically) described by the term "destructor of all" (thams-cad zhig-pa), illustrating that arrogant beings to be trained are disciplined and apparitional objects are pure in pristine cognition.

[iii. As for the glow (of the deities) who arise (from these syllables):]

In the self-manifesting spontaneous Bounteous Array of the buddhas, the central deity's visage is beheld from whatever direction (of the maṇḍala) it is perceived. in the eastern direction there are the male and female consorts Akṣobhya with their six-deity maṇḍala which comprises the four encircling (spiritual warriors) Kṣitigarbha, Maitreya, Lāsyā, and Dhūpā, with the gatekeepers Yamāntaka and Aṅkuśā further to the east. In the southern direction there are the male and female consorts Ratnasambhava with their six deity maṇḍala which comprises the four encircling (spiritual warriors) Avalokiteśvara, Nivāraṇaviṣkambhin, Mālyā, and Puṣpā, with (the gatekeepers) Mahābala and Pāśā further to the south. In the western direction there are the male and female consorts Amitābha with their six-deity maṇḍala which comprises the four encircling (spiritual warriors) Ākāśagarbha, Samantabhadra, Gītā and Ālokā, with (the gatekeepers) Hayagrīva and Sphoṭā further to the west. In the northern direction there are the male and female consorts Amoghasiddhi with their six-deity maṇḍala which comprises the four encircling (spiritual warriors) Vajrapāṇi, Mañjuśrī, Nartī and Gandhā, with (the gatekeepers) Amṛtakuṇḍalin and Gaṇṭhā further to the north.

From the glow of natural radiance in these six-fold maṇḍalas it is held that the Buddha-fields of the wrathful deities and of the countless emanations of the six sages become present in the zenith and nadir respectively, in a continuous perpetual cycle, emanating in a self-manifesting manner in all world-systems.

It says in the Tantra of the Precious Gems of Pristine Cognition (ye-shes rin-po-che'i rgyud):

In the Buddha-field of the Bounteous Array
The self-manifesting Buddha-body of perfect rapture
Is surrounded by six retinues of six (deities).
It emanates continuously as the maṇḍala of wrathful deities
And as the countless sages, who are its glow.
Similarly, it constantly abides in living beings.

Within sentient beings also. (these deities) are held to be sustained in the heart-centre and in the crown-centre.

The Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon (NGB. Vol. 9) says:

In the precious celestial palace of the heart
The bodies of the peaceful deities are perfectly present.
And in each Individual crown centre
They radiate as the bodies of the wrathful deities.
The glowing buddha-bodies are inconceivable.

Subsequently, during the bar-do or intermediate state, these buddha-bodies arise sequentially in their maṇḍala-clusters over five days of meditative concentration.^[6]

It is said in the Intention of the Nucleus of Esoteric Instructions (man-ngag snying-gi dgongs-pa):

During the bar-do, the buddha-body arises along with its six (maṇḍala-clusters).

Now, this tantra-text (the Secret Nucleus) is said to belong to to the secret Great Perfection which reveals mind and pristine cognition to be self-manifesting. Because the higher teachings are gathered together within it, one may appropriately consider it in accordance with the Cycle of the Seminal Point (thig-le'i skor) which belongs to the Great Perfection.^[7] The present account set forth herein has been compiled from the great writings of the esoteric instructions which were composed by the great master Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra as the means for attaining the peaceful and wrathful deities.^[8] This overview is most secret and precious. It is the conclusive intention of this Tantra-text.

[The interlinear commentary (concerning the forty-two syllables—197.3-201.6) is as follows:]

Although there is no contradiction when (the syllables) are classified as before according to their respective phonetic categories, (here) they are actually explained out of order with the result that it is not easy for the expositor to explain them and it is hard for the listener to understand them. The sequence of the syllables should therefore be revealed in five stages: the syllable of the expanse along with those of the male & female consorts of the five enlightened families: the syllables of the Inner spiritual warriors along with their gatekeepers; the syllables of the outer spiritual warriors along with their gatekeepers; the syllable of pristine cognition along with those of the sages; and the syllables of the protectors of the gates with those of the wrathful deities.

[i. The first has three aspects, namely, the syllable of Samantabhadrī the expanse, the syllables of the male consorts of the five enlightened families, and the syllables of their female consorts. The first (comments on Ch. 4.16):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On this initial punctuation mark, see Lo-chen Dharmaśrī, gsang-bdag dgongs-rgyan. p. 154, where three aspects are considered—its symbolic representation in the shape of a staff, its purpose which is to illustrate the non-dual pristine cognition, and its action which resembles a pathway in that it precedes all the syllables.

[2]:

Tibetan gcod-par byed-pa'i las-can.

[3]:

Tibetan phyugs-pas-kyang phyugs yin.

[4]:

The four extremes of eternalism, nihilism, selfhood, and substance. See below, pp. 590-591.

[5]:

Among these symbolic appellations of the deities, "reality” (chos-nyid) indicates the emptiness behind phenomena rather than its appearances. See above, pp. 138-139. notes 40, 43.

[6]:

This after-death experience of the chos-nyid bar-do is discussed in e.g., the translations of the bar-do thos-grol, which Indicates that the five days correspond to the deities of the five enlightened families. See above, p. 129, note 1, and also below. Ch. 13, PP. 1039-1040.

[7]:

I.e. the thod-rgal instructions of rdzogs-pa chen-po, which fuse together all instructions of Mahāyoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga. See below. Ch. 13, pp. 1022-1044.

[8]:

in particular these instructions refer to Padmasambhava’s mkha'-'gro snying-thig and Vimalamitra’s bi-ma snying-thig contained in kLong-chen Rab-'byams-pa’s own compilation, the snying-thig ya-bzhi (vols. 2-3 and 7-9 respectively), as well as to their Mahāyoga based commentaries in Peking bsTan-'gyur. Vol. 83.