Text 7.14 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 7.14]

OṂ MAHĀŚŪNYATĀJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ
OṂ MAHĀDARŚAJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ
OṂ MAHĀPRATYAVEKṢANAJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ
OṂ MAHĀSAMATĀJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ
OṂ MAHĀKṚTYUPASTHĀNAJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ [14]...

Commentary:

[i. The first confers empowerment through the five pristine cognitions, washing away stains. (It comments on Ch. 7.14):]

OṂ MAHĀŚŪNYATĀJÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ means "I am the identity which is the essential nature of indestructible reality, the great pristine cognition of emptiness".^[1] And when (the words of this mantra) are similarly combined (with the other pristine cognitions. ĀDARŚA indicates the mirror-like pristine cognition. PRATYAVEKṢANA indicates the pristine cognition of discernment, SAMATĀ indicates the pristine cognition of sameness, and KṚTYUPASTHĀNA indicates the pristine cognition of assiduous accomplishment. JÑĀNA VAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO/HAṂ means "I am the Identity which is the essential nature of the indestructible reality or pristine cognition". The significance of this empowerment is that, at this juncture, (the deities) are alternately crowned (by) the lords of their respective enlightened families, a full finger-span in size.

The Tantra of the Penetrating Magical Net (NGB. Vol. 15) accordingly says:

The active Akṣobya and his female consort
Are depicted with the seal (or gesture)
Of (the enlightened family)
Of the holder of indestructible reality
As are Maitreya and Kṣitigarbha.
The others have their own seals.
Yamāntaka is explained to be the permanence (of this family).
And the great sage (Śatakratu)
Who is a holder of indestructible reality,
Is most glorious because he is peerless.

In this context, you may ask. should Vairocana not be the central deity by whom (the deities) are crowned? Akṣobhya who symbolises the buddha-mind of the Tathāgata family is however correct. This is because, in relation to Akṣobhya, in this context (of the Tathāgata family), Vairocana symbolises the buddha-body. Here all the deities are crowned by the five Tathāgatas.^[2]

[ii. Secondly, there are the mantras through which power is introduced, and blessing conferred by the five enlightened families. (It comments on Ch. 7.15):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.e., a synonym for dharmadhātujñāna.

[2]:

This appears to contradict the statement made above, p. 390, that Vairocana is the buddha-mind of the tathāgata family and Akṣobhya the buddha-mind of the vajra-family. A more logical reading would therefore be: rdo-rje'i thugs-su mtshon-pas...