Text 12.3 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 12.3]

By the seal which absorbs and emanates
The dance steps and gesticulations.
One sinks down or traverses the sky. [3]

[Tibetan]

bro-gar 'du-'phro-i phyag-rgya-yis /
'dzul-lam nam-mkhar 'gro-bar 'gyur / [3]

Commentary:

[ii. The latter (the extensive explanation) has five sections, among which (the first) comprises the contemplation of dance-steps and gesticulations along with its beneficial attributes. (It comments on Ch. 12.3):]

This contemplation visually creates the five limbs of the body including the head as the maṇḍala of the five enlightened families. The location is venerated as the nature of the indestructible ground, and the house as a pure Buddha-field, adorned with the celestial palace of the deity. in that disposition which absorbs and emanates ('du-'phro'i) the diverse seals including the dance-steps (bro) of the feet and gesticulations (gar) of the hands, and in which the form of the deity, indivisible from the Magical Net, is known to be without true inherent existence, all movements and postures (of the body) and configurations of the hands do not transgress the nature of the deity. Therefore, all activities connected with dance-steps and gesticulations whatsoever are expressed in the term "seal" (phyag-rgya); and this seal is held to include the stretching and contracting of the fingers.^[1]

As for its beneficial attributes: By (yis) such activity, one sinks down ('dzul) within the earth and overpowers those mudrās who are nāginīs below the earth by passing unimpededly through mountains and rocks, or one unimpededly traverses ('gro-bar 'gyur) the sky (lam nam-mkhar) above in the manner of a bird, and so comes to overpower the gods, antigods and so forth.

[The second, concerning the seal of songs, (comments on Ch. 12.4):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This first section concerns the sealing of the body with the dance-movements and hand-gestures of the respective deities, on which, see above. Ch. 8.