Emergence from Sampuṭa
Chapter 2
Toh 381
Degé Kangyur, vol. 79 (rgyud ’bum, ga), folios 73.b–158.b
- Gayādhara
- Drokmi Śākya Yeshé
Imprint
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
First published 2020
Current version v 1.12.11 (2024)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The tantra Emergence from Sampuṭa is an all-inclusive compendium of Buddhist theory and practice as taught in the two higher divisions of the Yoga class of tantras, the “higher” (uttara) and the “highest” (niruttara), or, following the popular Tibetan classification, the Father and the Mother tantras. Dating probably to the end of the tenth century, the bulk of the tantra consists of a variety of earlier material, stretching back in time and in the doxographical hierarchy to the Guhyasamāja, a text traditionally regarded as the first tantra in the Father group. Drawing from about sixteen well-known and important works, including the most seminal of the Father and Mother tantras, it serves as a digest of this entire group, treating virtually every aspect of advanced tantric theory and practice. It has thus always occupied a prominent position among canonical works of its class, remaining to this day a rich source of quotations for Tibetan exegetes.
Acknowledgements
This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical prepared the Sanskrit edition, translated the text into English, and wrote the introduction. James Gentry then compared the translation against the Tibetan root text, the Sampuṭodbhava Tantra commentaries found in the Tengyur, and Wiesiek’s Sanskrit edition, and edited the translation. Dharmachakra is indebted to Dr. Péter Szántó for his help in obtaining facsimiles of some manuscripts and other helpful materials.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Work on this translation was made possible by the generosity of a sponsor who wishes to remain anonymous, and who adds the following dedication: May all the sufferings and fears of mother sentient beings be pacified swiftly by the power of the truth of the Triple Gem.
Text Body
Emergence from Sampuṭa
Chapter 2
Part 1
“A brahmin’s daughter, a washerwoman, an outcast, a musician, a high caste woman, a princess, a daughter of an artiste, or a craftswoman. She should have the eyes of a doe, a slender waist, wide hips, and taut breasts. She should have a fine bhaga, and be strict in her observance of samaya, clever, honest, and conversant with mantra and tantra. [F.83.b] These girls are said to be, in the whole triple universe, invaluable to superior practitioners. With them, every accomplishment will be attained, precisely according to the sequence of the families. {2.1.12}
This concludes the first part of the second chapter, the bodhicitta initiation.
Part 2
“In this way, the practitioner of the true state (tattvayogin), resolved upon the practice, authorized by his master, and abiding by his samaya, should practice meditation. If he does, what would be the use of committing to practice hand mudrās, mantras, making deity statues, or cultivating himself as deity, all of which can only produce common siddhis? Intent on buddhahood, he should clearly set up his goal and do the practice of the chosen deity. [F.87.a] In this way, when the goal has been reached, the threefold universe will become for him like the sky. Consequently, the skilled practitioner, having renounced everything, applies himself to the practice of meditation in the state he has attained, cultivating day and night self-reflexive awareness (saṃvedana) exclusively. {2.2.33}
“On a mountaintop, in a Śiva temple, in a lotus garden, on the ocean’s shore,85 in a royal park, in any secluded place,86 in his own home, in any place pleasing to the mind that is praised by the omniscient ones—in locations like these, in whatever place the adept of mantra may find himself—there he should practice meditation with tenacity. Awakening can never be directly attained without insight and skillful means. Therefore, if he abandons the wisdom consort (prajñā), the sublime lady who grants complete awakening, siddhis that are endowed with each of the seals (mudrā) will not be bestowed.87 For that reason, he should apply the four seals that give rise to wisdom. {2.2.34}
“Ignorance is the samayamudrā (seal of commitment). Hatred is always said to be the mahāmudrā (great seal), and envy the karmamudrā (seal of action). Desire is, by its nature, the dharmamudrā (seal of phenomena). The practitioner should manifest these different seals and sexually enjoy and serve88 his consort (prajñā), regarding them both (the seal and the consort) to be deity by nature. {2.2.35}
“Being tranquil because of ignorance, wrathful because of anger, or impassioned because of desire, he performs different actions to fulfill the aims of these five emotions.89 With these five, he becomes a victorious one.90 {2.2.36}
“At dawn, at the close of the day, at midday, or at midnight he should thoroughly do the practice with the consort (mudrā). Otherwise there will be no accomplishment. When the practitioner stays among uncouth people, and is afraid that the teachings might be disparaged, he should visualize the union with consort in his own mind only, manifesting it in his imagination. Otherwise, the practitioner should do this practice assiduously with a real consort. If a wisdom consort (prajñā) cannot be acquired in the flesh, [F.87.b] he should practice perpetually with those in ‘the horizontal profession.’91 For if the practitioner does not physically touch the best of lotuses92 every day, every month of the year, his samaya becomes damaged. And when the samaya is damaged, he becomes negligent of his practice. Having restored his samaya of a bodhisattva, he should vow not to let this happen again thenceforth. Consequently, he should do the practice with the consort (mudrā) in secret, using secret substances, mantra, and tantric techniques, while keeping his samaya, following his prescribed conduct, and abiding in reality (tattva). Having attained awakening in this way, having inevitably reached the inconceivable state by means of the correct practice of union, he should meditate one-pointedly on the threefold universe as the inconceivable domain.” {2.2.37}
This concludes the second part of the second chapter, called “Meditating on the Meaning of Insight and Skillful Means.”
Part 3
Vajragarbha said:
The Blessed One said:
Here concludes the third part of the second chapter.
Part 4
“Oṁ kurukulle hrīḥ svāhā.
This concludes the sovereign second chapter of the glorious “Emergence from Sampuṭa,” so called to reflect the secret foundation of all tantras.