Part 4 - The particular details

a. Emanating the buddha field

Now from the explanation of the particular details, in particular, when sickness, döns, obstacles, and premonitions of death arise:

In particular, when you encounter sickness and döns,
When obstacles arise or premonitions of death,
Visualize the guru in the space in front,
Seated on a lotus throne supported by lions,
Symbolizing his vastness and his fearlessness.
Inseparable from the Buddha, with a radiantly smiling face.

The guru is surrounded by the teachers of the lineage,
As well as by the dakinis and bodhisattvas.
Below the lord guru, affectionate and compassionate,
Are the various samsaric beings within the six realms of existence,
Who throughout the three times have been our fathers and mothers.

When we see signs of death or when strong attacks of sickness or döns occur, visualize the guru in the space in front, inseparable from the Buddha, surrounded by the lineage gurus and hosts of dakas and dakinis. Below them are the beings of the six realms who have been our fathers and mothers, together with the harmful döns and obstructing spirits.

Invite the jñanasattvas. Perform abbreviated offerings and praises.

b. Increasing and purifying the substances

A syllable HUUM at the crown of the head is your own mind.
From it there emerges the body of a heruka.
Holding in his hands a razor-knife and a skull cup.
He cuts off your skull, beginning at the forehead,
With the little tuft of hair that grows between the brows.

It is placed on a hearth that is made of a tripod of skulls,
And then it is filled with your body’s flesh and blood and bones.
From above falls a rain of amrita; below a fire blazes.
The skull fills up with amrita, that equals the third thousand worlds.

Visualize that from a white syllable HUUM at the top of the head, which is one’s own mind, emerges a white heruka. In his right hand is a sword, and in his left a skull cup. With the sword, he cuts your body in two, starting from between the eyes. Your skull is placed on a hearth made from a tripod of skulls and filled with the body’s flesh and blood. Below, from YAM, wind stirs. From RAM fire blazes so that the contents of the skull boil. From above, amrita continuously falls, equaling the worlds of the third thousand world realm.

c. Inviting the guests

Your own mind by emanating countless herukas,
Distributes amrita to all at once, from out of your skull.
When the enlightened guests have all been satisfied,
The accumulations are perfect, and siddhi is attained.
When the samsaric guests have all been satisfied,
The beginningless production of samsara is pacified.

In particular when the harmful döns are satisfied,
The blockage of obstacles will also be pacified.
As all-satisfying light rays penetrate into oneself,
Sickness and döns are pacified, and obstacles just as they are.
Think that death is thwarted, and siddhi is attained.

Visualize that you emanate as many graceful hands as there are guests, and by making offerings to all of them at once they enjoy it. The buddhas and so forth beyond the world are pleased, and siddhi is attained. The six realms of existence are pleased and karmic debts are paid. Döns are pleased and their afflictions cease. By the light rays of the enjoyment of all these beings penetrating oneself, all sickness, döns, and obstacles are pacified.

d. Giving over

After doing that,

Afterwards rest the mind in objectless meditation
In Dharmadhatu, the state of mind without conception,
Let things go into their natural purity as illusion.

The guests, the offerings, and the one who offers are all your own mind. Just so, when you know that all dharmas are not other than the simplicity of your mind, meditate and let all dharmas be given over^[1] to their illusion-like state.

e. The virtues of this excellent inner feast offering of the kusulu^[2] yogins

By this unfavorable conditions are pacified.
We perfect the accumulations, and remove the obscurations.^[3]
Limitless blessings and realizations are born within us.
With no grasping ego, the mind renounces and focuses.
Everything we have wished for now has been accomplished.
Now the phenomenal world arises as the guru.

There is no interruption of death, and the clear light of death is established.
We are liberated within the bardo-state.
The benefits for self and other have been perfected.
Therefore, wholeheartedly try to establish this realm of the guru.

That is the instruction. As for other benefits, all violations are appeased. The supreme divine offering occurs. Since the mind of ego-grasping is removed, the destruction of the confusions of dualistic grasping is immeasurable.

f. The reason

Now, to set forth the reason for these great benefits:

It has been said to remember the guru for a moment,
Is better than a kalpa of the developing stage.

The Tantra of the Play of the Perfected Sphere (’khor lo chub pa rol pa’i rgyud) says:

Though some person for ten million kalpas
Were to meditate on the bodies of deities,
One who remembers the guru, the master of all,
Is even better than that, it is explained.