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 20.2 (Commentary)
[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 20.2]
In the supreme maṇḍala of feast-offerings
(In the shape of) the syllable E,
(The Mantrin) should make offerings
With an attitude of wrath
To the awesome, and most fierce blaze.
Even the body of a Buddha with its merits will be destroyed. [2][Tibetan]
E-yi tshogs-kyi dkyil-'khor mchog /
'bar-ba gtum-chen rngam-pa-la /
khros-pa'i yid-kyis mchod-sbyin-bya /
sangs-rgyas bsod-nams sku-yang 'jig / [2]
Commentary:
[i. The rite of wrath has three sections, of which the first is the rite of the burning fire. (It comments on Ch. 20.2):]
In the midst of feast-offerings (tshogs-kyi) complete with the characteristics of the rite of wrath—with a triangular hearth in the shape of the syllable E (E-yi),[1] the being of commitment corresponding to the supreme maṇḍala (dkyil-'khor mchog) of the different deities is creatively visualised, and the being of pristine cognition enters therein. With an attitude of wrath (khros-pa'i yid-kyis) directed towards the one who is the object of the rite (i.e. the victim),[2] the Mantrin should make offerings (mchod sbyin-bya) of wrath and present burnt sacraments to (la) that non-dual nature, which assumes the awesome and most fierce (gtum-chen rngam-pa) form of Agni—a blaze ('bar-ba) or mass of raging fire. Thereupon, even the body (sku-yang) of a Buddha (sangs-rgyas) attained through the two provisions, and adorned with the signs of its hundred merits (bsod-nams) will be destroyed ('jig). What need one say about ordinary mundane beings! Alternatively, one might interpret this verse to mean that the present person who is the object of the rite is destroyed because all sentient beings are explained to be Buddhas.
[The second section is the rite of the stabbing kīla (which comments on Ch. 20.3):]
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Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The triangular hearth in the shape of the Sanskrit letter E is described above. Ch. 9. pp. 784-786.
[2]:
Tibetan bsgrub-bya. The compassionate motivation behind this wrath is emphasised elsewhere, e.g.. Ch. 11. pp. 914-922.