Chapter 15 - Cloud-like Emanation of the Natural Maṇḍala of Wrathful Deities

Then the identity of all the Tathāgatas, the essential nature of all the Buddhas, manifested as the maṇḍala of wrathful deities.[1] For what, one might ask, is this revealed? [2] Through conceptions which are deluded with respect to selfhood and manifest attachment to the imaginary, beings are separated from the genuine path. Without understanding the hidden secrets, one becomes manifestly attached to the concealed secrets, and then one is deluded with respect to causes and results. in consequence, [3] one is cast down by the harsh seeds of existence, and then one is born in the hottest of hells, which is unceasing. One is afflicted there by the excruciating sufferings of Intense heat, and at the very moment when one thinks, "Would that I might experience intense cold rather than this?", one is thoroughly numbed and utterly afflicted by severe pains which split (one's body) in the manner of a lotus flower. Such sufferings endured in the eight (hells) beginning with the hottest, and in the eight (hells) beginning with the coldest are connected with the world-systems and are experienced for twelve thousand great aeons. [4] Then that process of maturation comes to an end and one suffers pangs of hunger and thirst among the tormented spirits. Desirable objects become unpleasant, turn into diverse objects—poisonous and harsh, and they even become non-existant. Utterly emaciated and dry, one is born for six great aeons with body, limbs, and sense-organs which are unsatisfactory. [5]

Then, when that process of maturation of the coarse obscurations of past deeds has gradually diminished, and one is united with one's previous existence, as a tormented spirit, one becomes a great ogre who is most venomous and fierce. Such beings have one body with a hundred heads, and with diverse kinds of heads, or they have a hundred bodies with a single head. They have diverse kinds of bodies, with many limbs and diverse kinds of limbs. They bear diverse kinds of harmful hand-implements, and they have a multitude of retainers. They have diverse terrifying forms, and they bellow diverse kinds of terrifying roar. Their forms and roars, stench and bad breath cause all beings to panic in fear. With black vital energy, which is utterly terrifying, and with breath which is cold and hot they disturb the (chilio)cosms throughout the ten directions. They inflict four hundred and four kinds of disease: and they cause insanity and debility. Through these powers, they subjugate the Nāga domains, the realms of the antigods, the god-realms, and those of Brahmakāyika, Abhāsvara, Śubhakṛṭṣna [Śubhakṛtsna?], and Bṛhatphala downwards. [6]

Owing to the service which (Rudra), the (archetype of such beings), had performed in the past, the omniscient (Heruka) observed and then disciplined him through spirituality. [7]

In order that the Tathāgata, the Magical Net which is an indestructible array of greatness, might display the charisma of great pride which disciplines the lord of the three levels of existence within the ten directions of the six world-systems, this identity of the indestructible body, speech, and mind of all the Tathāgatas, the Transcendent Lord and Great Joyous One, became absorbed in the kingly contemplation of the Magical Net, which emanates as the great cloud of the maṇḍala of kingly wrathful deities. [8]

From the expanse of the reel, the great Krodhīśvarī emerged. With exclamation of "Hi, Hi!", and with a lustrous glow which is joyous, the jewel (penis) and the lotus (vagina) swelled, and then penetration occured through the joy of their non-dual embrace. [9] From the cloud of their "enlightened mind" (=seminal fluids), there emerged (the mantra): HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ VIŚVA KRODHA JVALA MAṆḌALA PHAṬ PHAṬ PHAṬ HALA HALA HALA HŪṂ. [10]

At these words, pervading the infinite ten directions of the six world-systems, the assemblies of the maṇḍala of wrathful deities came forth, as large as the trichiliocosm and equal in number to the atomic particles of the ten directions, [11] and thus all the ten directions of the six world-systems were rocked, further rocked, and absolutely rocked. Sounds were bellowed, further bellowed, and absolutely bellowed. (Instruments) were rattled, further rattled, and absolutely rattled. (Objects) were destroyed, further destroyed, and absolutely destroyed. (Waves) were dispersed, further dispersed, and absolutely dispersed. Among those who abide in all the chiliocosms of the ten directions of the six world-systems, they conquered, further conquered and absolutely conquered those who were most powerful and most resplendent, Maheśvara who was great in strength, and all such beings. [12]

Then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One himself, became transformed in all respects into the dark brown Buddha-body of the Blood-Drinker, very terrifying, most awesome, in a great blaze (of light) which causes panic, with heads, arms, and legs equal in number to the atomic particles of the chiliocosm, holding diverse weapons; and he then turned into a form with three heads, six arms, and four legs. Rejoicing in a great charnel ground, in the midst of an ocean of blood, upon a mountain of human bones, and at the centre of a spacious circle which greatly blazes forth, he stood with (left legs) extending and (right legs) drawn in, upon a seat which comprised Maheśvara and the most proud mistress of the charnel ground, husband and wife. [13]

As for that cloud-mass of the maṇḍala of wrathful deities: there were some associated with the great glorious Blood-Drinker who stands in the eastern direction, there were some associated with the great glorious Ratna Blood-Drinker who stands in the southern direction, there were some associated with the great glorious Padma Blood-Drinker who stands in the western direction, and there were some associated with the great glorious and universal Karma Blood-Drinker who stands in the northern direction. All of these were endowed with a very terrifying guise, an awesome roar, and a blazing aura, with three heads, six arms, and four legs. They stood with (legs) extended and drawn in, upon seats which comprise husband and wife couples of Gandharvas, Yaksas, Ogres, Yama-spirits, and other such beings. The host of the great Blood-Drinker queens also stood, embracing their respective Buddha-bodies. [14]

[These Herukas of the five enlightened families were absorbed and subsumed together, and then as one (they performed) the wondrous act of granting many instructions]. [15]

Then the Great Proud Spirit and other such beings, in their ferocious temper, revealed great miraculous abilities, diverse and malignant, and with one voice and a malignant roar they emitted fierce wrathful words, with an unpleasant exhalation of breath. Saying,"Release us! Why do you act so, O lord of compassion!", they were angered and enraged in their most venomous temper. [16]

Then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One, assumed a form with nine heads, eighteen arms, and eight legs, and then with an awesome voice he grew exceedingly wrathful in accordance with the skillful means which instructs through spirituality. Uttering, "HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ HA HA HA KHĀHI KHĀHĪ KHĀHI!",[17] he discarded the hearts and all sense-organs of the hosts of great venomous spirits such as Maheśvara, he extracted their entrails, cut off their limbs, ate all their flesh, drank all their blood, and wore all their bones.[18] Then, uttering these words: HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪM BHYOḤ E ĀRALI HRĪṂ HRĪṂ JAḤ JAḤ, the world-systems of the ten directions along with space were absorbed within an area the size of a single mustard seed. [19]

Then they gathered the highest queens among the queens of all female elementals, who are the wives of the highest kings, including the Great Proud Spirit, among the kings of all the male elementals. These are namely Mahārākṣasī Manurākṣasī, Brahmāṇī, Raudrī, Indrāṇī, Vaiṣṇavī [Nārāyaṇī], Kaumārī, Piṅgalā, Amṛtā [Sūryā], Saumī [Śāntī], Daṇḍī, Rākṣasī, Bhakṣasī, Ratī, Rudhiramadī, Ekacāriṇī, Manohārikā, Siddhikarī, Vāyudevī, Mahāmāraṇā, Agnāyī, Vārāhī, Cāmuṇḍī, Bhujanā, Varunāṇī, Yellow-red Mahāchāgalā, Dark-blue Mahākumbhakarṇī, Dark-yellow Lambodarā, and so forth, along with their slaves and slaves of slaves, and their servants and servants of servants, equal in number to the atoms of their surrounding fields. [20]

Then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One, the great glorious Blood-Drinker, again manifested the very terrifying forms of the five enlightened families through the skillful means which grants instruction, and then all of them through their Joyousness became absorbed in the contemplation called "the emergence of the cloud-like maṇḍala of display". [21] This following (mantra) emerged from their indestructible body, speech and mind: OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ VAJRA PRAVEŚAYA ALALAHO. [22]

So saying, the queens of the elemental spirits were excited with extreme desire. They contracted and expanded the lotus maṇḍalas (of their vaginas), and then. Just as iron unites with a magnet, the great ogress Manurākṣasī, Piṅgalā, Ratī, Mahāmāraṇā, Mahākālī, Yellow-red Mahāchāgalā, Dark-blue Mahākumbhakarṇī, and Dark-yellow Lambodarā embraced the body of the transcendent lord, or Great Joyous One, the great glorious Vajra Blood-Drinker. Brahmāṇī, Raudrī, Indrāṇī, Vaiṣṇavī, and Kaumārī embraced the body of the transcendent lord, the great glorious Tathāgata (=Buddha) Blood-Drinker. Amṛtā, Śāntī, Daṇḍī, Bhakṣasī, and Rākṣasī embraced the body of the transcendent lord, the great glorious Ratna Blood-Drinker. Rudhiramadī, Ekacāriṇī, Manohārikā, Siddhikarī, and Vāyudevī embraced the body of the transcendent lord, the great glorious Padma Blood-Drinker. And Agnāyī, Vārāhī, Cāmuṇḍī, Bhujanā, and Varuṇānī embraced the body of the transcendent lord, the great glorious and universal Karma Blood-drinker. [23]

Then these maṇḍalas of wrathful deities, transcendent lords and great joyous ones, uttered the syllable HŪṂ, whereby the assembled lotus-maṇḍalas (of those queens) tightened, and they closely embraced. [24]

Then with Joy, they uttered (the syllable) HA, so that from the cloud of their "enlightened mind" (seminal fluids) there came forth the host of Gaurī, the host of Caurī, the host of Pramohā, the host of Vetālī, the host of Pukkāsī, the host of Caṇḍālī, the host of Ghasmarī, and the host of Śmaśānī, each with their respective hand-implements and wonder. And having come forth, these assumed their terrifying forms with their respective hand-implements in a circle, starting from the eastern direction, at the radial points of the (maṇḍala) circle of the great blazing (Herukas). [25]

Then with extreme joy they uttered the syllable HE, so that there came forth the host of great Siṃhamukhī, the host of great Vyāghramukhī, the host of great Śṛgālamukhī, the host of great Śvāṇamukhī, the host of great Gṛdhramukhī, the host of great Kaṅkamukhī, the host of great Kākamukhī, and the host of great Ulūkamukhī, each with their respective hand-implements and wondrous guise. And having come forth, they assumed their positions with an awesome glare in a circle from the eastern direction, outside the circle of the great blazing ones. [26]

Then with extreme joy they filled all the fields of the ten directions without exception, and uttered the syllable PHAṬ, so that there came forth the host of Vajratejasī, the host of Vajrāmoghā [/ Vajramukhī], the host of Vajralokā, and the host of Vajravetālī, with their respective hand-implements and wonder. And having come forth, these took their position with an extremely awesome form at the gates of the blazing maṇḍala. [27]

Then, derived from that cloud of joy, they chanted the syllable PHAṬ throughout the ten directions so that they all grew wrathful, and all the Mātarīs then again were instantaneously dispatched to their particular and respective abodes. [28]

Then all these transcendent lords, great joyous ones, or great glorious Blood Drinkers became absorbed in the contemplation called "the emergence of nectar through great spirituality"; and then these following (mantras) emerged from their indestructible body, speech and mind: OṂ VAJRA MAHĀMṚTA MAHĀKRODHA AṂ AṂ AṂ. [29]

So saying, all the Maheśvara spirits and so forth were expelled from the bowels of these transcendent lords or great wrathful deities. They were immersed in an ocean of unclean mire, and then Ucchuṣmakrodha emerged from the bowels, and, drinking all the mire, caused them to regain mindfulness. [30] Then, all these hosts of the maṇḍala of wrathful deities were indeed seen to be present in an expanse of great blazing Buddha-body, with nine hundred heads, one thousand eight-hundred arms, and eight hundred legs. [31]

At this time, the skillful means which train all the proud Maheśvaras in all the existences of the ten directions of the six world systems manifested diversely and were inconceivably different. But their subjugation occured simultaneously. [32]

Then these (spirits) trembled greatly, and in fear, with a most lamentable howl they swore an oath that they would become subjects, saying, "Let me be your subject. Let me be your subject. If I do not remain an earnest subject, tear my heads and body in a hundred pieces. Break my heart too and cut it up. Burn my putrid decomposing (body) and cast it away. And let me fall into hell. I beseech you!" Then they took up their positions as the seats of the maṇḍala. [33]

They all said yet again with one voice:

Please accept our wives.
Mothers, sisters, and daughters
Within the great maṇḍala.
Please accept them, heroic lord of Gods.
Let all our respective retinues
Maintain only the name
Of this great assembled maṇḍala—
Indeed, as our blazing crown jewels,
May we adopt you with an attitude
Which is without deceit but respectful.
And then remainins on our crowns.
Let us venerate you.
Let us perfectly accomplish without exception
Whatever may be the purpose of those (in the maṇḍala). [34]

And they said:

If here in the presence of these heroic ones
We do not do as we have said.
May our heads, bodies and hearts
Be broken, cut, and decompose in pieces. [35]

Then the host of their wives, and all the hosts of their mothers, sisters and daughters instantly arrived in the maṇḍala, and they all spoke as follows with one voice:

May all the hosts of our retinues in their entirety
Become the subjects of the great heroic ones.
May the treat heroic ones grant (injunctions) to us
Concerning the accomplishment of their rites.

Thus they spoke. [36]

Then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One, presented the vajra into their hands and conferred the name empowerment. Then they were arrayed in the outermost (area) of the maṇḍala. [37]

This completes the fifteenth chapter from the Secret Nucleus Definitive with respect to the Real, entitled Cloud-like Emanation of the Natural Maṇḍala of the Wrathful Deities. [38]