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 5.4 (Commentary)
[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 5.4]
Nectar will be produced and extracted.
Removing the four hundred and four ailments.
Rapture will emerge, evil existences will be purified.
And the metamorphosis of all things will be accomplished. [4] ...[Tibetan]
bdud-rtsi 'gyur-zhing 'byung-ba-dang /
bzhi-brgya rtsa-bzhi'i nad-sel-zhing /
longs-spyod 'byung-zhing ngan-song-sbyong /
ci-yang gzhan-du 'gyur-ba 'grub / [4]
Commentary:
When the mirror-like pristine cognition is accomplished, nectar (bdud-rtsir). which is a medication for the relief of living beings, will even be produced ('gyur) from all that is poisonous; and (zhing) it will be extracted ('byung-ba-dang) for the benefit of oneself and others, thereby removing (sel-zhing) all the four hundred-and-four ailments (bzhi-brgya rtsa-bzhi'i nad) and causing happiness.
Concerning the four-hundred-and-four ailments, Caraka says (in the Carakasaṃhitā):
One-hundred-and-one are ailments caused by imaginary spirits,
One-hundred-and-one are ailments caused by immediate conditions,
One-hundred-and-one are basic ailments
Which will be compounded in the future.
And one-hundred-and-one are naturally caused by past deeds.
Alternatively, it is explained that the four categories of wind, bile, phlegm, and their combination each possesses one hundred and one types (of ailment).[1]
When the pristine cognition of sameness is accomplished, the rapture (longs-spyod) of the celestial treasure-store, which does not know exhaustion because anything desired may be extracted from space, will spontaneously emerge ('byung-zhing) and fulfil hopes, surpassing the raptures of gods and humans. When the pristine cognition of reality's expanse is accomplished, the obscurations covering the minds of all living beings within the evil existences (ngan-song) will be purified (sbyong). and they will be established in celestial bliss. When the pristine cognition of discernment and the pristine cognition of accomplishment are accomplished, the miracle of the metamorphosis (gzhan-du 'gyur-ba) of all things (ci-yang) and their appearances will be accomplished ('grub). This is because there are miraculous abilities to make the apparitional invisible and the invisible apparent, to interchange the actual appearance assumed by an object—as when fire is turned into water and earth revealed as space, to subjugate others, to resurrect the dead, and so forth.
The Pagoda of Precious Gems (T. 45-93) accordingly says:
The perpetual range and also the miraculous abilities of mind.
That are accomplished in contemplation, are inconceivable;
The attributes of sacramental substances, medicines,
Mantras and gemstones too are inconceivable;
The temporal conjunction[2] and auspicious power
Of planets and stars are also inconceivable;
And the perceptual range of empowered Bodhisattvas
And the Tathāgatas is indeed Inconceivable.
[The second aspect (comments on Ch. 5.5):]
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Footnotes and references:
[1]:
"ailments caused by imaginary spirits" (kun-brtags gdon-gyi nad), "ailments caused by immediate conditions" (phral-byung rkyen-gyi nad), "future ailments" ('byung-dus gzhi-yi nad), and "past ailments" (rang-bzhin sngon-gyi nad). On these ailments and their combinations of rlung, mkhris-pa, and bad-kan, see Rechung Rinpoche, Tibetan Medicine. Ch. 2, section 12; also below. Ch. 15, note 43.
[2]:
Tibetan dus-kyi 'khyud-sbyar.