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...
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Text 9.22 (Commentary)
[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.22]
Alternatively, on a most level site
The 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 should be a full cubit in dimension,
Or a full body-length in dimension,
Or three body lengths in dimension.
With 办墨濒补蝉, threads, colour powders.
And a pleasant assistant.
Beautified with robes and ornaments.
The excellent ritual in which the lines are pitched
Should be performed by the great learned one.
Twisting (the threads) together. [22][Tibetan]
yang-na sa-gzhi rab-mnyam-la /
dkyil-'khor khru-gang tshad-du bya /
yang-na lus-gang tshad-du-ste /
yang-na lus-ni gsum-gyi tshad /
phur-bu srad-bu tshon-phye-dang /
gos-rgyan mdzes-pa'i yid-'ong grogs /
thig-gdab cho-ga phun-sum-tshogs /
mkhas-ldan chen-pos bsgrims-te bya / [22]
Commentary:
[Drawing of the Mandala (349.6-353.6):]
The first of these also has three sections, namely, the rituals for the drawing of the small, intermediate, and large 尘补峁囜笉补濒补s.
[i. The drawing of the small 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 (comments on Ch. 9.22):]
First there is the ritual connected with the site. Apart from those empowerments in the supreme 尘补峁囜笉补濒补, there is alternatively (yang-na) another method in which (the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补) is drawn on a most level (rab-mnyam-la) surface, in accordance with the ritual of the site (sa-gzhi). A site which has not formerly been purified does not subsequently become pure.
But one, who knows that (Ch. 2.2):
Earth and water are respectively 叠耻诲诲丑补濒辞肠补苍腻 and 惭腻尘补办墨 and so forth, subsequently purifies the site by clearly visualising that it has been pure from the beginning.[1]
Secondly there is the actual drawing (of the small 尘补峁囜笉补濒补). The smallest form of the small 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 (dkyil-'khor) of images should a be a full cubit in dimension (khru-gang tshad-du bya). Or (yang-na) the Intermediate form of the small (尘补峁囜笉补濒补) should be a full body-length in dimension (lus-gang tshad-du ste), i.e. four cubits ('dom-gang). Or (yang-na) the large form of the small (尘补峁囜笉补濒补) should be about three body-lengths in dimension (lus-ni gsum-gyi tshad). It is endowed with 办墨濒补蝉 (phur-bu) of human bone and so forth, which include the Awesome 碍墨濒补 ('gying-phur) of four inches in the middle of the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 and those of eighteen inches for guarding (the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补) from impediments;[2] with threads (srad-bu) of cotton, wool, lotus fibre, hair from a charnel ground and so forth, double the size of the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补, which are used to distinguish its sectors;[3] with coloured powders (tshon-phye) of five kinds and so forth, which form distinct colours to symbolise the different enlightened families; and (dang) with a sixteen year-old action seal (办补谤尘补尘耻诲谤腻) or pleasant (yid-'ong) female assistant (grogs) who is beautified (mdzes-pa'i) with robes and (gos) fine ornaments (rgyan) in order that the rite might be attained.[4]
Then the assistant holds the ends of the threads, while the excellent ritual in which (-'i cho-ga phun-sum tshogs) both the line (thig) of pristine cognition and the line (thig) of action are pitched (gdab) should be performed (bya) by the master of indestructible reality, the great one (chen-pos) who is learned (mkhas-ldan) in the rites of the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补, twisting (bsgrims-te) (the threads) well together, without wavering in body or mind.[5]
[ii. The second section concerning the Intermediate (尘补峁囜笉补濒补 comments on Ch. 9.23):]
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Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Note that the author emphasises the rdzogs-pa chen-po view of an atemporal or primordial purification, even in the context of the external 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 of coloured powders.
[2]:
Tibetan 'gying-phur sor-bzhi; bgegs-bsrung-ba'i don-du sor bco-brgyad-pa. On the term 'gying (also ging), a class of "liberating" spirits who protect the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 from impediments, see Nebesky-Wojkowitz, Oracles and Demons of Tibet. pp. 278-280. The number four indicates the presence of the ging-chen sde-bzhi: while the number eighteen indicates the gsang-ba sgrol-ging bco-brgyad. on whom see also NSTB, Book 2, Pt. 5, P. 308.
[3]:
Tibetan khrun-du dkyil-'khor nyis-'gyur yod-pa. The double length threads are twisted together to form the ye-shes-kyi thig. See below, note 119.
[4]:
On the attributes of the 办补谤尘补尘耻诲谤腻. see below. Ch. 11, pp. 900-907. There are occasional incidents in NSTB, Book 2, Pts. 3-4, which describe the role of a female assistant in the drawing of these lines.