Text 22.1 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 22.1]

Then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One, uttered this meaningful expression to the Tathāgatas themselves, indicating that this king of the secret mantras must be firmly retained. [1]

[Tibetan]

de-nas bcom-ldan-'das dgyes-pa chen-pos de-bzhin gshegs-pa-nyid-la gsang-sngags-kyi rgyal-po brtan-par gzung-ba 'di ched-du brjod-do / [1]

Commentary:

[Commentary (610.6-620.1):]

The third section (of the actual exegesis of this Tantra of the Secret Nucleus—see p. 331) indicates how the tantra is taught to genuine beings and then subsequently entrusted. It has three parts, namely, the background motivation, an exegesis of the meaning of its words, and a summary of the chapter.

[The first (comments on Ch. 22.1):]

Once the maṇḍala of the Root Tantra of the Magical Net had been perfectly revealed, then the Transcendent Lord, the Great Joyous One (de-nas bcom-ldan-'das dgyes-pa chen-pos), glorious Samantabhadra, whose other epithets include Supreme Bliss, Nucleus of Indestructible Reality, First Genuine One, Original Lord, Great Vajradhara, and the Teacher,^[1] uttered this meaningful expression ('di ched-du brjod-do) to the Tathāgatas themselves (de-bzhin gshegs-pa nyid-la) who comprise the five enlightened families of the self-manifesting spontaneous Bounteous Array, their eight spiritual warriors and so forth, Indicating that this king of the secret mantras (gsang-sngags-kyi rgyal-po) must be firmly retained (brtan-par gzung-ba) in order that it might not vanish and that It might benefit living beings. In particular he gave this Instruction to the spiritual warrior of awareness, (Vajrapāṇi) the Lord of Secrets. There are some who say that the lord of Secrets is the one who explained (the Tantra) and that he then taught Vajrakarma, Vajradharma, and the glorious ones who appeared from all directions. However that is an incorrect perception. The teaching was not given to Vajrapāṇi without being elven to others. This is because in Akaniṣṭha Samantabhadra himself appeared as Vairocana, the central deity among the five enlightened families, and so he is the one who taught and explained (the tantra), and because the Lord of Secrets, who appears in the retinue, is a retainer (of the Tantra).^[2]

The second part (the exegesis of the meaning of its words) teaches that this (tantra) is the result of all paths, and that it is supreme among all secrets. The former refers to both the nature of the tantra in which instruction is to be given, and the greatness of the recipient to whom instruction is given.

[The first has three aspects:]

[i. The first, teaching that this is the actual tantra of the result, (comments on Ch. 22.2):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tibetan bde-ba chen-po, rdo-rje snying-po, dam-pa dang-po, gdod-ma'i mgon-po, and rdo-rje 'chang chen-po. On these and other epithets of Samantabhadra, see NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 2. pp. 41b-46b.

[2]:

On the role of Vajrapāṇi as a compiler of Mahāyoga, see NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 2, pp. 69-81.