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 9.22 (Commentary)
[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.22]
Alternatively, on a most level site
The maṇḍala should be a full cubit in dimension,
Or a full body-length in dimension,
Or three body lengths in dimension.
With kīlas, threads, colour powders.
And a pleasant assistant.
Beautified with robes and ornaments.
The excellent ritual in which the lines are pitched
Should be performed by the great learned one.
Twisting (the threads) together. [22][Tibetan]
yang-na sa-gzhi rab-mnyam-la /
dkyil-'khor khru-gang tshad-du bya /
yang-na lus-gang tshad-du-ste /
yang-na lus-ni gsum-gyi tshad /
phur-bu srad-bu tshon-phye-dang /
gos-rgyan mdzes-pa'i yid-'ong grogs /
thig-gdab cho-ga phun-sum-tshogs /
mkhas-ldan chen-pos bsgrims-te bya / [22]
Commentary:
[Drawing of the Mandala (349.6-353.6):]
The first of these also has three sections, namely, the rituals for the drawing of the small, intermediate, and large maṇḍalas.
[i. The drawing of the small maṇḍala (comments on Ch. 9.22):]
First there is the ritual connected with the site. Apart from those empowerments in the supreme maṇḍala, there is alternatively (yang-na) another method in which (the maṇḍala) is drawn on a most level (rab-mnyam-la) surface, in accordance with the ritual of the site (sa-gzhi). A site which has not formerly been purified does not subsequently become pure.
But one, who knows that (Ch. 2.2):
Earth and water are respectively Buddhalocanā and Māmakī and so forth, subsequently purifies the site by clearly visualising that it has been pure from the beginning.[1]
Secondly there is the actual drawing (of the small maṇḍala). The smallest form of the small maṇḍala (dkyil-'khor) of images should a be a full cubit in dimension (khru-gang tshad-du bya). Or (yang-na) the Intermediate form of the small (maṇḍala) should be a full body-length in dimension (lus-gang tshad-du ste), i.e. four cubits ('dom-gang). Or (yang-na) the large form of the small (maṇḍala) should be about three body-lengths in dimension (lus-ni gsum-gyi tshad). It is endowed with kīlas (phur-bu) of human bone and so forth, which include the Awesome Kīla ('gying-phur) of four inches in the middle of the maṇḍala and those of eighteen inches for guarding (the maṇḍala) from impediments;[2] with threads (srad-bu) of cotton, wool, lotus fibre, hair from a charnel ground and so forth, double the size of the maṇḍala, which are used to distinguish its sectors;[3] with coloured powders (tshon-phye) of five kinds and so forth, which form distinct colours to symbolise the different enlightened families; and (dang) with a sixteen year-old action seal (karmamudrā) or pleasant (yid-'ong) female assistant (grogs) who is beautified (mdzes-pa'i) with robes and (gos) fine ornaments (rgyan) in order that the rite might be attained.[4]
Then the assistant holds the ends of the threads, while the excellent ritual in which (-'i cho-ga phun-sum tshogs) both the line (thig) of pristine cognition and the line (thig) of action are pitched (gdab) should be performed (bya) by the master of indestructible reality, the great one (chen-pos) who is learned (mkhas-ldan) in the rites of the maṇḍala, twisting (bsgrims-te) (the threads) well together, without wavering in body or mind.[5]
[ii. The second section concerning the Intermediate (maṇḍala comments on Ch. 9.23):]
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Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Note that the author emphasises the rdzogs-pa chen-po view of an atemporal or primordial purification, even in the context of the external maṇḍala of coloured powders.
[2]:
Tibetan 'gying-phur sor-bzhi; bgegs-bsrung-ba'i don-du sor bco-brgyad-pa. On the term 'gying (also ging), a class of "liberating" spirits who protect the maṇḍala from impediments, see Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons of Tibet. pp. 278-280. The number four indicates the presence of the ging-chen sde-bzhi: while the number eighteen indicates the gsang-ba sgrol-ging bco-brgyad. on whom see also NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 5, P. 308.
[3]:
Tibetan khrun-du dkyil-'khor nyis-'gyur yod-pa. The double length threads are twisted together to form the ye-shes-kyi thig. See below, note 119.
[4]:
On the attributes of the karmamudrā. see below. Ch. 11, pp. 900-907. There are occasional incidents in NSTB, Book 2, Pts. 3-4, which describe the role of a female assistant in the drawing of these lines.