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 22.5 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 22.5]

Once this most secret nucleus, the seal
Of all the Tathāgatas has been realised.
The one who divulges it becomes me,
And the empowerments too are perfected. [5]

[Tibetan]

de-bzhin gshegs-pa thams-cad-kyi /
phyag-rgya gsang-chen [nges-pa] 'di /
rtogs-nas smra-bar gang-byed pa /
de-nyid nga-yin dbang yang-rdzogs / [5]

Commentary:

[The second, concerning the greatness of the recipient to whom the Instruction is to be given, (comments on Ch. 22.5):]

This ('di), the most secret (gsang-chen) nucleus (snying-po) of all things of the ground, path and result is the genuine seal (phyag-rgya) of the excellent body, speech, mind, attributes and activities of all the Tathāgatas (de-bzhin gshegs-pa thams-cad-kyi) of the ten directions and four times. It is explained to be a seal because both its expressed meaning and expressive tantratext are hard to transgress. Inasmuch as they have been sealed by the seal of the tathāgata. It resembles, for example, the sealing of a royal edict.[2]

The Buddhasamāyoga (T. 366-367) says:

Hard to transgress and likewise imperishable. 
Are the signs indicative of the Conqueror's supreme seal.
The symbolic form of Great Identity
Is thus said to be a seal.

Accordingly, once (nas) the many seals have been made and this secret truth, natural and provisional, has been realised (rtogs) by oneself incontrovertibly, the one (de-nyid) who divulges it (smra-bar gang-byed-pa) to other fortunate beings becomes (yin) me (nga) Samantabhadra, the excellent teacher of Tantra. And the empowerments (dbang) of beneficence and ability too (yang) are primordially, dispositionally and spontaneously perfected (rdzogs).

This passage indicates that the expositor of the tantra has been empowered by the Teacher in beginningless time, saying, "Even though you have not received it in this lifetime, you are empowered in the Tantra. Act on behalf of yourself and on behalf of others, because you have been blessed by me Samantabhadra in person, have attained primordial Buddha-hood, and aspire to the profound secret truth without fear".{GL_NOTE::}

The second part (of this exegesis—see p. 1286) teaches that this is the supreme among all secrets. There are two sections, namely, the actual secret meaning and prophetic declarations concerning the genuine persons who uphold it.

[The first (comments on Ch. 22.6):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The motivations behind the composition of such treatises (bstan-bcos) and the transmitted precepts (bka') with which their different categories accord are discussed at length in NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 1, pp. 28a-41a.

[2]:

Teachings of buddhas such as Śākyamuni are said to have "four seals indicative of the transmitted precepts" (bka'-rtags phyag-rgya bzhi). namely that all compounded phenomena are impermanent, all corruption is suffering. all things are without self, and nirvāṇa is peace.

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