Emergence from Sampuṭa
Chapter 1

[F.73.b]

Oṁ, homage to Vajraḍāka!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the bhagas of vajra queens, which are the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all tathāgatas. There, he noticed Vajragarbha in the midst of eight hundred million lords of yogins, and smiled. As the Blessed One smiled, Vajragarbha immediately rose from his seat, draped his robe over his shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With palms joined, he spoke to the Blessed One. {1.1.1}

“I would like to hear, O master of gnosis, about the secret foundation of all tantras, defined as their emergence from sampuṭa.” {1.1.2}

The Blessed One said:

The Blessed One replied, “These tantras are all the tantras. By the phrase all the tantras is meant the Guhyasamāja Tantra, and so forth. That which constitutes their foundation has been established‍—this is what is meant. Because this foundation is inaccessible to Viṣṇu, Śiva, Brahmā, hearers, and solitary buddhas, it is secret. This secret foundation is sampuṭa, whose nature is gnosis and skillful means. [F.74.a] This (gnosis and means) itself is the emergence, which is the meditative absorption of sampuṭa‍—this is what is meant.4 Emergence means ‘arising.’ Such defines the intrinsic nature of all animate and inanimate things.5 Therefore it is their defining characteristic. {1.1.8}

“Alternatively, by the word sampuṭa6‍—sampuṭa that is the foundation of all the tantras‍—Vajrasattva is meant. By the word secret is meant the secret character of encoding a mantra according to specified rules, of the empowerment ritual of the maṇḍala deities, and so forth. {1.1.9}

“Hear this tantra, explained by me, which has the nature of insight and means!

Vajragarbha said:

The Blessed One said:

“Now I will teach the thirty-seven auxiliary factors of awakening.

“The following are the four applications of mindfulness:

“From observing the body‍—dwelling upon the inner body, the outer body, and both the inner and outer body simultaneously‍—one reaches an understanding and becomes mindful of the world of beings who require guidance, dejected on account of their ignorance. {1.2.1}

“From observing the sensations‍—dwelling upon the inner sensations, the outer sensations, and both the inner and outer sensations simultaneously‍—one reaches an understanding and becomes mindful of the world of beings who require guidance, dejected on account of their ignorance. {1.2.2}

“From observing phenomena‍—dwelling upon inner phenomena, outer phenomena, and both inner and outer phenomena simultaneously‍—one reaches an understanding and becomes mindful of the world of beings who require guidance, dejected on account of their ignorance. {1.2.3}

“From observing the mind‍—dwelling upon the inner mind, the outer mind, and both the inner and outer minds simultaneously‍—one reaches an understanding and becomes mindful of the world of beings who require guidance, dejected on account of their ignorance. {1.2.4}

“These are the four applications of mindfulness. {1.2.5}

“Now, for the four right exertions, one forms a strong wish that evil and unwholesome dharmas that have not yet arisen may not arise. One strives for this, takes up discipline for its sake, reins in one’s thoughts, and makes a genuine resolution toward this end. {1.2.6} [F.76.b]

“One forms a strong wish for the removal of evil and unwholesome dharmas that have already arisen. One strives for this, takes up discipline for its sake, reins in one’s thoughts, and makes a genuine resolution toward this end. {1.2.7}

“One forms a strong wish that wholesome dharmas that have not yet arisen may arise. One strives for this, takes up discipline for its sake, reins in one’s thoughts, and makes a genuine resolution toward this end. {1.2.8}

“In the same way, one forms a strong wish‍—one which increases by cultivating it more and more‍—for the wholesome dharmas that have arisen to remain, for complete fulfillment through the cultivation of immeasurable skillful means, and for the complete fulfillment of that which has not yet been fulfilled. One strives for this, takes up discipline for its sake, reins in one’s thoughts, and makes a genuine resolution to this end. {1.2.9}

“These are the four right exertions. {1.2.10}

“Now, for the four bases of miraculous power, one cultivates the miraculous power of the samādhi of aspiration accompanied by the formation of relinquishment. This involves renunciation based on discrimination, the absence of desire, and the cessation of afflictions, leading to refinement in which one thinks, ‘May my aspiration not be too slack, may it not be too taut.’ {1.2.11}

“One cultivates the miraculous power of the samādhi of diligence accompanied by the formation of relinquishment. This involves renunciation based on discrimination, the absence of desire, and the cessation of afflictions, leading to refinement in which one thinks, ‘May my diligence not be too slack, may it not be too taut.’ {1.2.12}

“One cultivates the miraculous power of the samādhi of investigation accompanied by the formation of relinquishment. This involves renunciation based on discrimination, the absence of desire, and the cessation of afflictions, leading to refinement in which one thinks, ‘May my investigation not be too slack, may it not be too taut.’ {1.2.13}

“One cultivates the miraculous power of the samādhi of mental activity accompanied by the formation of relinquishment. This involves renunciation based on discrimination, the absence of desire, [F.77.a] and the cessation of afflictions, leading to refinement in which one thinks, ‘May my mental activity not be too slack, may it not be too taut.’ {1.2.14}

“These are the four bases of miraculous power.29 {1.2.15}

“Now, for the five faculties, one places one’s faith in the worldly correct view that is valid in the realm of desire.30 This means to develop conviction in the ripening of one’s karma. With the thought, ‘Whatever acts I am going to commit, whether wholesome or unwholesome, I acknowledge that they will bear results,’ one does not commit unwholesome acts even at the risk of losing one’s life. This is called the faculty of faith. {1.2.16}

“One acquires by means of the faculty of diligence whatever qualities one places one’s faith in using the faculty of faith. This is called the faculty of diligence. {1.2.17}

“With the faculty of mindfulness one is not in danger of destroying whatever qualities were acquired by means of the faculty of diligence. This is called the faculty of mindfulness. {1.2.18}

“One brings one-pointed focus with the faculty of samādhi to the qualities that are safeguarded by the faculty of mindfulness. This is called the faculty of samādhi. {1.2.19}

“One fully comprehends with the faculty of insight the qualities that one contemplates one-pointedly with the faculty of samādhi. This is called the faculty of insight. {1.2.20}

“These five faculties develop into five powers, namely, (1) the power of faith, (2) the power of diligence, (3) the power of mindfulness, (4) the power of samādhi, and (5) the power of insight. These are the five powers. {1.2.21}

“What in this list of thirty-seven factors are the seven aids to awakening? They are (1) the mindfulness aid to awakening, (2) the examination of phenomena aid to awakening, (3) the diligence aid to awakening, (4) the contentment aid to awakening, (5) the serenity aid to awakening, [F.77.b] (6) the samādhi aid to awakening, and (7) the equanimity aid to awakening. These involve renunciation based on discrimination, the absence of desire, and cessation, and lead to total refinement in which one becomes completely free of afflictions. One should cultivate these seven aids to awakening, the examination of phenomena, and so forth. {1.2.22}

“And what is the noble eightfold path? The correct view, which transcends the mundane sphere, is not being motivated by the belief in a soul (ātman). It is being motivated instead by the belief that there is no being (sattva), psyche (jīva), spirit (poṣa), person (puruṣa, pudgala), human (manuja, mānava), agent (kāraka), or experiencer (vedaka); no annihilation or eternal enduring; no existence or nonexistence;31 and no distinction between virtuous and nonvirtuous,32 all the way up to no saṃsāra and no nirvāṇa. This is called the correct view. {1.2.23}

“Thoughts (saṃkalpa) through which arise the afflictions of desire, hatred, and delusion, are thoughts that one should avoid.33 Thoughts through which arise34 an abundance of morality, meditative absorption, insight, liberation, and vision into the wisdom of liberation, are thoughts that one should have. These are called correct thoughts. {1.2.24}

“One should use speech that hurts neither oneself nor others, causes no distress to oneself or others, and is not derisive of oneself or others. By applying one’s attention to this one becomes endowed with this speech, [F.78.a] through which one enters the correct noble path. This is called correct speech. {1.2.25}

“One should not commit acts that are negative, and whose results are negative. One should perform acts that are positive, and whose results are positive. One should not commit acts that are positive, but whose results are negative. One may commit acts that are negative, but whose results are positive and lead to reducing the negative. Relying on virtuous acts is the correct activity. This is called correct activity. {1.2.26}

“Correct livelihood is when one’s livelihood is restrained, like that of the noble ones, and strictly follows the tenets of virtue,35 when it is free of hypocrisy, when it does not involve too much talking, when it is not embellished by stories, when one’s conduct has moral integrity, when it does not involve envy of the gains of others,36 when one is content with one’s blameless gains, and when it is recommended by the noble ones. {1.2.27}

“One should avoid wrong effort, not recommended by the noble ones, that relies on desire, hatred, ignorance, and other afflictions. Instead, one should pursue the effort that brings one to the genuine truth of the noble ones’ path, lays out the path leading to nirvāṇa, and delivers one to each successive stage. This is called correct effort. {1.2.28}

“The mindfulness in which one’s repose is unshakable, one’s body is straight and not crooked, one is able to see the shortcomings, and so forth, of saṃsāra, and by which one is led to the path to nirvāṇa, is a non-forgetting that connects one to the correct path of the noble ones. This is called correct mindfulness. {1.2.29} [F.78.b]

“A samādhi engaged in correctly is the meditative absorption by abiding in which one abides in the right way for the sake of liberating all beings and thus reaches nirvāṇa. This is called correct samādhi. {1.2.30}

Vajragarbha asked, “What subtle energy channels are in the body?” {1.2.36}

The Blessed One said, “There are one hundred and twenty of them, corresponding to the divisions within the four cakras. The chief ones, those with bodhicitta as their innate nature, are thirty-two in number. They are:

Vajragarbha asked, “Of what kind are these channels, O Blessed One?” {1.2.40}

The Blessed One replied, “They all are permutations of the threefold existence, and are entirely devoid of apprehended object and apprehending subject.” {1.2.41}

Then all the tathāgatas, having paid reverence and prostrated to the Blessed One, said, “Please teach us, O Blessed One, the secret, pithy wisdom that has no equal.” {1.3.1}

The Blessed One, acknowledging the request made by all the tathāgatas, entered the meditative absorption called “the vajra lamp of wisdom that is the essence of all the tantras” and expounded this secret of all the tantras: {1.3.2}

Now the Blessed One entered the meditative absorption called “the stainless seat of the overpowering ability of all the tathāgatas” and explained bodhicitta. {1.3.12}

The Blessed One said:

“Alternatively, with the adverbial particle evaṃ (thus) is expressed the totality of tantras, from their beginning to their end. The statement mayā śrutam (have I heard) is made because great passion continually dwells in this tantra. The syllable śru indicates hearing, and the syllable ta, Lord Mahāsukha (Great Bliss). In saying ‘only heard by me,’ the narrator means that it was heard with his ear consciousness, but not directly realized. It has been, however, realized by the Blessed One, so nothing is amiss.”50 {1.4.39}

The Blessed One continued, “There is no distinction between the recounter of the teaching and the teacher. Or, rather, realization is only from the perspective of the person to be guided, so that the teacher could himself be the recounter: {1.4.40}

“Wherever Lord Mahāsukha dances, he is playing by means of language with singular and multiple modes of expression. Whatever has been taught by the Blessed One, O sons of noble family, that ‘I have heard at one time,’ that is to say, on a particular occasion. This implies that I have realized it. This statement indicates the attainment of the meditative absorption of complete confidence in the inconceivable. {1.4.42}

“All entities are of equal taste. Bhagavān (one possessing grace) and samaya (time) are said to be one and the same.

“An alternative interpretation is that a bhagavān is one who has destroyed (bhagnavān) all qualities inconducive to awakening.52 Another interpretation is that the body, speech, and mind of all tathāgatas are the essence, this essence is the vajra, this vajra is the queen, and in the bhaga of this vajra queen dwelled the Blessed One. By addressing him he bhagavan (O Blessed One), one implies that he dwelled in the bhaga.” {1.4.49}

The Blessed One continued, “This means that the minds of people requiring guidance are captivated by various methods which, for every tathāgata, are of equal taste. ‘I heard his teaching when the Blessed One was dwelling in the source of phenomena, which has the nature of [the bhaga of] vajra queens,53 who, in turn, are the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all the tathāgatas.’ This is how it is: since afflictions are destroyed by insight‍—afflictions which themselves are devoid of insight‍—the insight is called bhaga.54 In this bhaga dwells every tathāgata together with his queen. {1.4.50} [F.82.b]

“O sons of noble family! The letters of the phrase evaṃ mayā śrutam (thus have I heard) are always formed (saṃsthita) at the beginning of a Dharma teaching. These pure letters, which bring the accomplishment of full awakening, and which are ineffable, O Vajrapāṇi,55 have been spoken by me. By means of these letters, beings reach the other shore of saṃsāra, so distant. Having repeatedly put56 this goal in front of yourself, you will, with your mind set on it, attain the state of awakening or the state of Vajrasattva in this birth.57 {1.4.52}

“Beings can attain this inconceivable state, which is not attained even by the bliss-gone ones.58 Beings can become buddhas when correctly instructed and when the goal is set.59 By mere self-indulgence60 they would fall into Avīci hell. They should therefore abandon being afflicted by afflictive thoughts. Fine practitioners, who are beyond the fear of saṃsāric existence, will meditate with a pristine mind. In this way, through the application of skillful means and insight, they will attain the true and pristine state, whose character is the nature of original awareness. Through the transformative power of insight and skillful means, they will become equal to space, illuminating the three realms. This goal is difficult to attain, universally present, and free of causes and conditions. Acting in the world on behalf of oneself and others like a wish-fulfilling gem is, of all siddhis, the supreme one.” {1.4.53}