Introduction 3.2.3: The Beneficial Attributes which have been Proclaimed

[Introduction (3): Empowerment and Its Result—(B). The Entry and Empowerment of the Student (in the maṇḍala)—(3): The beneficial attributes which have been proclaimed along with the rites which conclude the feast (offerings)]

[The third aspect (of the entry and empowerment of the student) concerns the beneficial attributes which have been proclaimed along with the rites which conclude the empowerment feast.]

1. The beneficial attributes of empowerment:

It has five parts, among which the first concerns the beneficial attributes of empowerment. This also has four subdivisions, namely, instatement among the conquerors' children, nonregression into the lower vehicles, temporal proximity (of one's goal), and the obtaining of prophetic declarations.

Concerning instatement among the conquerors’ children: Starting from the time when one obtains empowerment, one is regarded as a child of the buddhas. in this lifetime one's desire will he accomplished, and in the next, the celestial realms and liberation will be attained. The continuity of all evil existences will be Interrupted.

It says accordingly (Ch. 10, 10):

Henceforth you will become a son of the Conqueror,
Will be without all evil existences.
Will have the excellent happiness of longevity.
And become a master of celestial realms and liberation.

Concerning (the benefit of) non-regression into the lower vehicles, it says in the Indestructible Peak (T. 480):

As long as one has not obtained the eighth level,
One will fear the lower vehicles.
Whoever enters into and abides in
This most secret vehicle
Is on the level of the conquerors’ sons.^[1]

Concerning temporal proximity (of the goal), the same text says:

That which others attain in sixteen lifetimes.^[2]
Will be obtained in this very lifetime.
Though you would obtain this level of the conquerors’ sons,
How will you do so
Without resorting to the secret maṇḍala?
Similarly, those with conviction in the vehicle
Endowed with indestructible reality
Who actually persevere
In this birth and in all births.
Will, at the conclusion of sixteen births.
Obtain the Buddha-hood of quiescence.
Though you may obtain this level of the conquerors’ sons.
Without entering the secret vehicle.
You will experience two “countless aeons”.
And not become transformed within sixteen lives.

And also in the Secret Treasury of Tantra (rgyud gsang-mdzod):

When genuine empowerment is granted and possessed,
The empowerment will take effect from lifetime to lifetime.
Within seven births even one who is not accomplished
Will obtain accomplishment.^[3]

Concerning the obtaining of prophetic declarations, the Tantra of Buddhasamāyoga (T. 366-367) says:

Once the student has indeed entered the maṇḍala,
And once the supreme offerings have been accepted.
The empowerment of the indestructible name is conferred.
This declares prophetically that the student
Will become a tathāgata.
Until the nucleus of enlightenment (is obtained)
Through unity with these seals.
That one is well known by his indestructible name,
And then will indeed attain Buddha-hood.^[4]

Now, although the enlightened attributes of those who have obtained the levels (of realisation) and those who have obtained empowerment are dissimilar in their miraculous abilities and so forth, this empowerment is a profound path because it draws one near to the attainment of Buddha-hood.^[5]

2. The defects of one who has not obtained empowerment:

The second part (see p. 804) concerns the defects of one who has not obtained empowerment:

This text (Ch. 10, 8) accordingly says:

Those who begin to study and so forth.
Without pleasing the master
And without obtaining empowerment
Will have no result, and will be lost.

And in the Kriyātantras, it says:^[6]

If one recites the secret mantra of mine
Without cultivating the enlightened mind
And entering into the maṇḍala,
That one will be ruined.

3. The pleasing of the Guru:

The third part concerns the pleasing of the guru, on which subject the Sūtra Which Gathers all Intentions (T. 829) says:

In all ways one should particularly please him.
Introducing; polite speech at the beginning
With the words “genuine guru and spiritual benefactor”.

Regarding the way in which he is to be pleased, the same text also says:

There are eight requirements for pleasing
Which are perfectly offered to the genuine one:
Faith without sorrow and fatigue.
Flexibility without obstinacy and pride,
Material concern (zang-zing) without avarice,
Respect without doubt,
Honesty and directness without basis in deceit,
Independence of mind without loquacity,
Discriminative awareness without delusion.
And superior mind without stains—
These eight are perfectly offered to the genuine one.

Now one should not disregard the injunctions of the Guru, and one should do whatever is asked.

The same text also says:

The burnt offerings associated with the maṇḍala and so forth,
The accepting of students, and the teaching of doctrine
Are not begun without authorisation.
These are inappropriate activities
Except for one who is a genuine object (of refuge).
To act on behalf of others,
One should not enjoy possessions,
But offer them all to the genuine one.
It is Inappropriate in the presence of a genuine one
To study under even a genuine one’s student.

If one were freely to enjoy the possessions of the Guru, that would be a defect. As the same text says:

The wretch who possesses
The requisites of a genuine one
But distributes them to another,
Will Indeed make the latter destitute.
Without genuine sustenance,
And deprived of great rapture,
That one will fall into the desolation of famine.

Now after one has been taken Into the following of the Guru, one should be respectful:

After accepting someone as a genuine (Guru),
Whether or not he is certainly genuine,
How can one who has disregarded injunctions be authorised.
If one is ensnared in this way,
One will proceed to the Indestructible Hell,^[7]
And endure great unbearable suffering.

And in the Flash of Splendour (T. 830):

Even when lacking in enlightened attributes.
If a Guru is abandoned after being accepted,
One has contempt for the masters of everyone.
One depreciates the Buddhas of the three times.
And has indescribable defects.

Briefly, the defects (of such misconduct) would be immeasurable.

The Sequence of Indestructible Activity (P. 4720) also says:

The mighty lord who has become a field of accomplishment^[8]
Has the characteristics of all buddhas.
One who does not please him with endeavour
Is obscured for aeons and separated from bliss
By darkness and the like.
The paths including those
Of skillful means and discriminative awareness
Become exceedingly remote.
The transmissions of the sugatas
Endowed with ability, power and grace.
Are similar to gemstones, oceans and space,
And should be accepted with degrees of reverence
Even by great bodhisattvas of the tenth level
Because their ability and power are not deceptive.

4. The Commitments which are to be Guarded:

The fourth part (see p. 804) concerns the commitments which are to be guarded:

It is said in the Sūtra of All-Gathering Awareness (t. 831):

One who has thoroughly perfected the empowerments
Should guard against violations
Of all basic and ancillary commitments.
Supreme accomplishment will thereby be obtained.^[9]

5. The Activities of the Feast-offering:

The fifth part concerns the activities of the feast-offering:

This (Secret Nucleus, Ch. 9.18) says:

Then this supreme son of the enlightened family
Offers the kingdom and his own body,
His children, wife, and riches.
Which are most dear and pleasant to his mind.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The eighth bodhisattva level (Acala) is held to be that from which regression is impossible. See also below, pp. 964-968.

[2]:

On this subsumption in one lifetime of the attainments of Kriyātantra, which generally are said to be acquired in sixteen lifetimes, see below, pp. 810-811, 853-854.

[3]:

Accomplishment is also said to occur within seven lifetimes through Kriyātantra. See NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 4, pp. 153a, 215b.

[4]:

The name empowerment (rdo-rje ming-gi dbang) is known in Caryātantra. See NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 'i, p. 216a; and for biographical examples of its prophetic application, see Book 2, Pt. 5, PP. 434, 437, 445.

[5]:

This empowerment is clearly seen as an entrance into the path which leads to the desired level.

[6]:

N. L.

[7]:

Tibetan rdo-rje dmyal-ba (Avīci), the lowest level of saṃsāra. See Sgam.po.pa, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. pp. 56-57.

[8]:

Tibetan dngos-grub zhing-gyur dbang-phyug-ni.

[9]:

On the enumerations of basic and ancillary commitments, see below. Ch. 19.