Text 6.25-26 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 6.25-26]

Aho!
Without reference in terms of the object of reference
And the subject of reference, inestimable and inconceivable.
The maṇḍalas of pristine cognition or intrinsic awareness
Are diverse and inexpressible.
Without the pervasive subject-object dichotomy
Throughout sameness and variety.
The expanse is pervaded.
The maṇḍalas, primordially and universally radiant,
Are emanated but not conceptually elaborated.
Ho!
—Such were the secret words of indestructible reality which emerged. [25] This completes the sixth chapter from the Secret Nucleus Definitive With Respect To The Real, entitled Emanation of the Maṇḍala. [26] ...

[Tibetan]

a-ho /
dmigs-bya dmigs-byed mi-dmigs dpag-med bsam-mi-khyab /
ye-shes rang-rig dkyil-'khor sna-tshogs brjod-mi-lang /
mnyam-dang mi-mnyam kun-khyab khyab-med khyab-pa'i dbyings /
ye-nas kun-gsal dkyil-'khor rnam-'phro spros-pa-med /
ho /
—zhes rdo-rje gsang-ba'i tshig-tu'o / [25] gsang-ba'i snying-po de-kho-na-nyid nges-pa-las dkyil-'khor spros-pa'i le'u-ste drug-pa'o / [26]

Commentary:

[The latter (comments on Ch. 6.25):]

Aho! (A-ho) is exclaimed because the wondrous display of the self-manifesting maṇḍala of contemplation is revealed without straying from the expanse. The object of reference (dmigs-bya) is the naturally pure phenomena, and the subject of reference (dmigs-byed) is the intelligence purified of suddenly arisen imagination. That which is without reference in terms of (mi-dmigs) them is simply non-dual pristine cognition, the essence of these two. It is the ultimate nature, inestimable (dpag-med) by the intellect, the inconceivable (bsam mi-khyab) maṇḍala of the natural ground.

The maṇḍalas of pristine cognition or intrinsic awareness (ye-shes rang-rig dkyil-'khor) in which, preceded by the three modes of contemplation, one meditates on the nature of visually created deities in the manner of the moon's reflection in water, are diverse (sna-tshogs) in form and inexpressible (brjod mi-lang). After this meditation, one becomes equipoised in the expanse (dbyings) or the real, without apprehending it as merely the creation and perfection stages. This is the reality pervaded (khyab-pa'i) by the Great Perfection, the originally pure reality or nature without (med) the pervasive subject-object dichotomy (khyab-khyab). It is present throughout (kun) the sameness (mnyam) where saṃsāra’s nature abides in reality and (dang) the variety (mi-mnyam) of nirvāṇa’s (apparitions) which are quiescent of reference. Such is the maṇḍala of the path in which the creation and perfection stages are attained.

Finally, after this experiential cultivation when the result directly reaches the ground, the maṇḍalas (dkyil-'khor) of the a diversified emanational body emerge from the maṇḍala of the unimpeded Buddha-body of perfect rapture which primordially (ye-nas) appears and is universally radiant (kun-gsal). They are emanated (mam-'phro) so that the two kinds of benefit are spontaneously performed for the sake of living beings. But whether these two Buddha-bodies are emanated or not, the buddha-body of reality abides in a nature which is not conceptually elaborated (spros-pa med) from the moment of its ostensible appearance. Ho! (ho) is exclaimed because the sky-like reality is wondrously revealed.

Such were (zhes) the secret words of indestructible reality (rdo-rje gsang-ba'i tshig-tu'o) which emerged.

This same synopsis also refers to the ground, path and result individually. (With respect to the ground: Mind-as-such, primordially without reference in terms of the dualistic nature of the object of reference and the subject of reference or intellect is inestimable and inconceivable. in its disposition of inner radiance the maṇḍalas of pristine cognition or intrinsic awareness primordially abide. diverse and inexpressible. Indeed, their natural sameness, pervasive throughout the sameness of reality and the variety of apparitional reality, is an expanse that is greatly pervasive, without the pervasive subject-object dichotomy. The maṇḍalas, primordially and universally radiant, are emanated in great spontaneity for the sake of all living beings. But they are not conceptually elaborated. Ho! is exclaimed on account of this wondrous nature.

Now, this real nature is the all-pervasive essence, as is said in the Buddhasamāyoga Tantra (T. 366-367):

All the infinite objects
Of the spacious expanse
Are the sameness and variety of reality’s expanse.
Glorious in the expanse of total space,
Vajrasattva is ever present.

With respect to the path: The essence that is without reference in terms of both the object of reference or contemplation and the subject of reference or one’s own intelligence comprises the contemplation of the real nature, the contemplation of universal appearances, which is inestimable in compassion, and the contemplation of the causal basis, from whose compassionate disposition. Inconceivable mind-as-such emerges. Therefrom are derived the maṇḍalas of pristine cognition or intrinsic awareness which are diverse and inexpressible. Having meditated in this

way, all things become emptiness because they are the same in mind-as-such, they become appearance or variety which is differently and visually created, and they become the expanse which is pervasive, without the pervasive subject-object dichotomy, throughout its uncreated essence. From that disposition, primordially and universally radiant, many maṇḍalas are emanated through the process of emanation & absorption, but they are actually known in a disposition that is not conceptually elaborated.

It is said in the Hidden Seminal Point of the Moon (T. 447):

The actuality of all spiritual warriors
Is Vajrasattva, bliss supreme.
The aspects of this actuality
Are present in all ways and in all things.

Then, when (this synopsis) is explained according to the result: Reality is without reference in terms of the object of reference and the subject of reference, inestimable and Inconceivable. From its disposition, the maṇḍalas of self-manifesting pristine cognition or intrinsic awareness are diverse, inexpressible and radiant. Their essence is the expanse without the pervasive subject-object dichotomy. the reality pervasive throughout the sameness and variety of their array. From that buddha-body of perfect rapture, primordially and universally radiant, the maṇḍalas of the emanational body are emanated, but they are not conceptually elaborated from the expanse itself, and they do not change, in the manner of the moon when reflected in water. Thus, the reality in which the three Buddha-bodies are without conjunction or disjunction is wondrously revealed. Here, there is a sameness with respect to the buddhas who appear as such and sentient beings, who are also actually uncreated.

It says in the Sūtra of the Arrayed Bouquet (Gaṇḍavyūha, T. 44):^[1]

Those who well abide in natural sameness
With respect to self and Buddhas.
And are dynamic and non-acquisitive
Become the Tathāgatas.

This completes (-'o) the exegesis of the sixth chapter (le'u ste drug-pa) from (las) the secret Nucleus (gsang-ba'i snying-po) of contemplation Definitive with respect to the (nges-pa) self-manifesting Real (de-kho-na-nyid), entitled Emanation of the Mandala (spros-pa'i dkyil-'khor) of natural contemplation.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. above p. 392, note 73. The present passage reads de-bzhin gshegs-pa.