Text 9.8 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.8]

The fire which has become a mouth.
Endowed with characteristics of shape and colour.
Is summoned forth into (the hearth)
And offerings of the four rites are excellently presented
With provisions of food, drink, and savouries. [8]

[Tibetan]

dbyibs-dang kha-dog mtshan-ldan-bar /
zhal-du gyur-pa'i me-bos-la /
bza'-btung bro-ba'i tshogs-rnams-kyis /
las-bzhi'i mchod-pa rab-tu sbyin / [8]

Commentary:

[An abbreviated teaching on the burnt offerings of the four rites:]

According to the sequence of the four rites, the hearth is endowed with (ldan-par) complete characteristics of (mtshan) different shapes (dbyibs)—round and so forth, and (dang) also colours (kha-dog) such as white. The supramundane deity of fire (me) is summoned forth (bos-la) and invited into the cavity where the nature of the fire god has become a mouth (zhal-du gyur-ba'i) to consume the offerings. Offerings are then made with provisions of food, drink and savouries (bza'-btung bro-ba'i tshogs-rnams-kyis) including curd porridge (zho-zan) and melted butter; and offerings of the four rites (las-bzhi mchod-pa) such as sesame oil for pacification and gemstones for enrichment, are to be excellently presented (rab-tu sbyin) in conjunction with their respective mantras and contemplations.^[1]

[The second section is a particular exegesis of the burnt offerings made to wrathful deities. (It comments on Ch. 9.9):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On the four rites of burnt offering, see above pp. 783-786, and below, pp. 1258-1264. Cf. Lo-chen Dharmaśrī, gsang-bdag dgongs-rgyan, pp. 262-263, who states that the words "where the nature of the fire-god has become a mouth to consume the offerings" are an epithet of Agni.