Text 19.7 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 19.7]

There is attachment to that which is without attachment.
But in this attachment, there is no attachment.
This is the supreme king of attachment.
It is the supremely great attachment. [7]

[Tibetan]

ma-chags-pa-la chags-pa-dang /
chags-pa-nyid-na chags-pa-med /
de-ni chags-mchog rgyal-po-ste /
shin-tu chags-pa chen-po yin / [7]

Commentary:

[The fourth concerning sexual misconduct (comments on Ch. 19.7):]

The nature of all things is emptiness, the abiding nature which is without attachment (ma-chags-pa) in any respect, and without even the slightest trace of substantial or symbolic existence. When that nature is realised intellectually, there is attachment to (-la chags-pa-dang) it. But in this attachment (chags-pa-nyid-na) to pristine cognition which occurs when the male and female consorts sexually unite through discriminative awareness in a disposition without the two extremes, there is no (med) ordinary desire or attachment (chags-pa). This is the (de-ni) nature of great skillful means or compassion. It reigns supreme (mchog) over one's own ordinary desire or attachment (chags), as a king of (rgyal-po-ste) pristine cognition where there is no duality of bliss and emptiness. This commitment of pure sexual conduct is (yin) the supremely (shin-tu) pure, great attachment (chags-pa chen-po), the disposition of the enlightened family of the lotus which emerges as spirituality for the sake of sentient beings.

Accordingly, it says in the Pagoda of Precious Gems (T. 45-93):

Living creatures who adhere to desire
Indeed resemble an apparitional or dreamlike nature.
Essentially empty and without substance.
They have no deeds and no maturation.

The purpose (of this commitment) is stated in the previous source:^[1]

In order to please the Buddhas.
To guard the commitments.
And to attain the secret mantras through awareness
One should adhere to the wives of others.

[Particular Exegesis of the Structure of the Commitments to be Attained and Guarded (583.5-596.2):]

The latter part (see p. 1223) is the particular exegesis of the structure (of commitments) to be attained and to be guarded. It has four sections, namely essence and verbal definition, benefits and retributions, natural expression and classifications, and an explanation of their great beneficial attributes.

[i. As to the essence and verbal definition, the former has two aspects, one of which concerns the basic commitments. (It comments on Ch. 19.8):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.e. from the Indestructible Reality of the Magical Net (sgu-'phrul rdo-rje, NGB. Vol. 15).