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 21.7 (Commentary)
[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 21.7]
H弄峁�! The great rock of indestructible reality is the solidifier.
The water of indestructible reality is the great dissolver.
The fire of indestructible reality is a mighty blaze.
The air of indestructible reality is a great whirlwind. HO岣�! [7][Tibetan]
rdo-rje brag-chen sra-ba-po /
rdo-rje chu-bo sdud chen-po /
rdo-rje me-ste 'bar-ba che /
rdo-rje rlung-ste 'thor-rlung che HO岣� / [7]
Commentary:
[ii. The particular eulogy to the mighty lord of the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 (comments on Ch. 21.7):]
The Buddha-body of the male and female consorts Che-mchog Heruka is the great rock of indestructible reality (rdo-rje brag-chen) because it is without birth and transference at death. It is the great solidifier (sra-ba-po), blazing forth with major and minor marks, because it is free from mundane aggregates.
The Buddha-speech and attributes (of that Heruka) are the water of indestructible reality (rdo-rje chu-bo) or pristine cognition, which is the great dissolver (sdud chen-po) and satisfier of the host to be trained.
His Buddha-mind is the inwardly radiant fire of (me-ste) omniscient pristine cognition or indestructible reality (rdo-rje), which manifests all knowable things without exception, and dispels the darkness of the ignorance of living beings with a mighty blaze ('bar-ba che) of light rays of spirituality.
His enlightened activity embodies spontaneously accomplished indestructible reality (rdo-rje). It is the air (rlung) which pervades and arouses those to be trained, and it is a whirlwind ('thor-rlung) which scatters demons, extremists and so forth鈥攐ne in which the goals of the four rites are entirely and spontaneously present in the Great (che) Perfection.
[Eulogy to the Supporting and Supported 惭补峁囜笉补濒补蝉:]
Next, the eulogy to the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补s of supporting (celestial palace) and supported (deities) has two sections, of which the first is a eulogy to the mendala of the supported deities.
In this context, the above verses (Ch. 21.2-6) from:
H弄峁�! Most ferocious, blazing forth
Like the fire at the end of time...
Down to:
These most terrifying (Herukas)
Are present in this great seminal point.
Respectively become eulogies to the 尘补峁囜笉补濒补s of the five enlightened families of Herukas.[1]
[The second, the eulogy to the supporting celestial palace, refers to (the last verse. Ch. 21.7), in which context it is explained as follows:]
The great rock of Indestructible reality is Mount Meru composed of skeletons. The water is the ocean of blood (rakta). The fire is the fire-mountain of pristine cognition; and the air is the wheel of vital energy below (the palace), which is the basis.[2]
[The conclusion (comments on Ch. 21.8):]
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Footnotes and references:
[1]:
These eulogies are therefore made respectively to Vajra Heruka, Padma Heruka, Buddha Heruka, Ratna Heruka, and Karma Heruka, with their corresponding retinues.
[2]:
On the "wheel of vital energy" (rlung-gi dkyil-'khor), an energy field or 尘补峁囜笉补濒补 of wind on which, according to Abhidharma, the universe is based, see NSTB, Book 1, Pt. 2, under the Emanational Body. pp. 50a-60a.