co.

Table of Contents

s.

Summary

s.­1

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.

ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

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.

ac.­2

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

The Translation
The Foundation of All Tantras, the Great Sovereign Compendium
Emergence from Sampuṭa
5.

Chapter 5

Part 1

5.­1
“Now I will teach
About the gathering of all sublime people.
There, one should consume a dish of good food,
Served in a dish with two compartments. {5.1.1}
5.­2

Vajragarbha asked, “Blessed One, what places are places of gatherings?” {5.1.2}

The Blessed One said:

5.­3
“There are pīṭhas and auxiliary pīṭhas,
And likewise, kṣetras and auxiliary kṣetras.
There are also chandohas and auxiliary chandohas,
Melāpakas and auxiliary melāpakas. {5.1.3}
5.­4
“There are charnel grounds and auxiliary charnel grounds,
Pīlavas and auxiliary pīlavas.
These are the twelve types of meeting places. [F.103.a]
The lord of the ten bhūmis has not specified
Any places other than these twelve.” {5.1.4}
5.­5

Vajragarbha asked, “O Blessed One, which places are the pīthas, and so forth? What are the twelve types of places? Please be so kind as to explain, you who are born of greatness.” {5.1.5}

The Blessed One said:

5.­6
“Jālandhara219 is said to be a pīṭha,
And so, too, is Oḍḍiyāna.
Pūrṇagiri220 is a pīṭha,
And so is Arbuda. {5.1.6}
5.­7
“Godāvarī is said to be an auxiliary pīṭha,
And so, too, is Rāmeśvara.
Devīkoṭa has been proclaimed to be likewise,
And so, too, Mālava. {5.1.7}
5.­8
“Kāmarūpa and, likewise, Oḍra
Have been proclaimed to be kṣetras.
Triśakuni is an auxiliary kṣetra,
And so is Kośala. {5.1.8}
5.­9
“Kaliṅga is said to be a chandoha,221
And so, too, is Lampāka.
Kāñcī has been declared to be an auxiliary chandoha,
And so, too, has Himālaya. {5.1.9}
5.­11
“Nagara is famed as a charnel ground;
So, too, is Sindhu.
Maru is said to be an auxiliary charnel ground,
And so is Kulatā. {5.1.11}
5.­12
“Kāruṇya is said to be a pīlava,
And so is Karmārapāṭaka.
Harikela is a pīlava,222
And so is the middle of the salt ocean, Lavaṇasāgara. {5.1.12}
5.­14
“Now I will explain the manner in which such places are inhabited.
“Viraja is inhabited by a goddess living in a mango tree,
Koṅkana is inhabited by one in a somavarṇikā tree,
Caritra, by one in a pongamia tree,
And Aṭṭahāsa, by one living in a kadamba tree. {5.1.14}
5.­15
“Devīkoṭa is inhabited by a goddess living in a banyan tree,
Harikela, by one in a hari225 tree,
Uḍḍiyāna, by one in an aśoka tree,
And Jālandhara, by one in a thorn apple tree.226 {5.1.15}
5.­16
“A pīṭha is the bhūmi called Joyous,
And an auxiliary pīṭha, the bhūmi called Stainless.
A kṣetra should be known as the bhūmi Shining, [F.103.b]
And an auxiliary kṣetra as Blazing Wisdom. {5.1.16}
5.­17
“A chandoha should be known as the bhūmi Revealed,
And an auxiliary chandoha as Difficult to Conquer,227
A melāpaka as the bhūmi Far Gone,
And an auxiliary melāpaka as Immovable. {5.1.17}
5.­18
“A charnel ground is the bhūmi Excellent Intelligence,
And an auxiliary charnel ground, Cloud of Dharma.
The ‘barbarous’ language of the yoginī
Thus depicts the bhūmis of the ten perfections. {5.1.18}
5.­19
“One should visualize, externally and internally,
All these different attributes as has been explained.228 {5.1.19}
5.­20
“In addition, I will explain what days are suitable for a successful gathering of yoginīs.
“The fourteenth and the eighth day
Of the moon’s waning fortnight are particularly recommended
For consuming someone killed by a banner229 or a weapon,
Or one who has been born seven times.230 {5.1.20}
5.­21
“Generating compassion with ardor,
The wise practitioner should perform the act of killing.
Since those devoid of compassion will not succeed,
One should therefore train in compassion. {5.1.21}
5.­22
“ ‘Just as I feel for myself, so too should I for sentient beings.
I am just as any other living being.’
Reflecting thus, and remaining in union with the deity,
One will swiftly attain success.” {5.1.22}
5.­23

This concludes the first part of the fifth chapter on meeting places.

Part 2

“I would like to hear, O lord of knowledge,
About the characteristic of the secret lotus.
What is its use in the stages of attaining ultimate awakening,
In which mind is mingled with gnosis?” {5.2.1}
5.­25

The Blessed One said:

“In reliance upon the Catuṣpīṭha Tantra,
A vajra holder progressing toward perfect awakening
Should give rise to an attitude of equanimity,
Casting aside his desires, and so forth. {5.2.2}
5.­26
“He should sit on a comfortable seat,
In a pleasant place,
With thoughts of compassion and benevolence
For all animate and inanimate things. {5.2.3}
5.­27
“He should then visualize the central channel
From top to bottom: the ‘end of sound,’ the secret lotus,
And likewise, the different seats
With their parts and their different letters.231 {5.2.4}
5.­28
“Vajra body, speech, and mind,
Made manifest from within the sphere of phenomena,
Are then brought together,232 and through the ‘embryo’ method
He becomes Vajrasattva. {5.2.5}
5.­29
“In the highest state,
Where the elements of water and fire become one taste, [F.104.a]
The natures of means and gnosis are joined in union
And the six sense faculties become reflections of the Buddha. {5.2.6}
5.­30
“He becomes a teacher of authentic treatises,
And a follower of scripture who understands the truth.
He will truly reach the other shore‍—
The state of reality, the secret meaning.233 {5.2.7}
5.­31
“Having cleansed the body of impurities through applying
The characteristics of reality, such as emptiness and the like,
To all the previous characteristics,234
He will win235 the stages of perfect awakening. {5.2.8}
5.­32
“In the center of a moon disk
He should visualize the wisdom being,
White as a jasmine flower or the moon,
Emanating rays of moonlight. {5.2.9}
5.­33
“The wisdom being has two arms
And sits on a lotus in sattvaparyaṅka posture.
He236 is adorned with all kinds of jewelry
And with the crown of the five buddhas. {5.2.10}
5.­34
“His two hands, which he presses against his chest,
Display the gesture of the great seal.
He is possessed of great beauty and splendor.
Such is the meditation on the wisdom being. {5.2.11}
5.­35
“He should visualize a plantain flower at his navel,
Endowed with all the aforementioned characteristics
And reaching up as far as his heart.
It opens there, revealing the original lotus flower.237 {5.2.12}
5.­36
“The lotus has eight exquisite petals,
Filaments, and filament bulbs.
He should then place the syllables on the petals
[And visualize himself as Vajrasattva] sitting at the center of the maṇḍala. {5.2.13}
5.­37
“He should visualize him with two arms and one face,
White, divinely beautiful, and without any blemishes.
In the center of his body he should visualize [the syllable of] consciousness,
Joining it with his own awareness. {5.2.14}
5.­38
“On the eastern petal, the petal of Akṣobhya,
There is the syllable of Akṣobhya joined with loving kindness.
On the petal at the southern gate
There is the syllable of Ratnasambhava joined with compassion. {5.2.15}
5.­39
“On the petal of the western gate,
He should place the syllable of Amitābha,
And at the location of the northern gate,
The syllable of the mind of mighty Amoghasiddhi. {5.2.16}
5.­40
“He should thus arrange the four syllables‍—
Those that begin with a vowel and others,238
Adding the sign of candrabindu as required‍—
All adorned with white moonlight. {5.2.17}
5.­41
“On the intermediate petals he should place [F.104.b]
The previously mentioned239 four neuter syllables (ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, ḹ).
In the center of them
He should add the mind240 syllable (hūṁ).” {5.2.18}
“My curiosity has been aroused, so please tell me,
O Blessed One, how is it that despite
Everything being empty and without characteristic,
There is yoga, and so forth, involving syllables?” {5.2.19}
5.­43

The Blessed One said:

“Hear the truth, Vajragarbha,
About the emptiness of objects and their properties241 ‍—
It is like how a plantain tree, itself without essence,
Yields fruit that is the ambrosia of essences. {5.2.20}
5.­44
“In the center there is cognition-gnosis,
Corresponding in nature to formless cognizance.
One cannot find there any characteristic,
For it is the stainless body of gnosis. {5.2.21}
5.­45
“Free of being either entity or non-entity,
Syllabic forms emerge from where there are none.
At their core is an empty essence,
Whose reality the yogin must apprehend. {5.2.22}
5.­46
“Once this property has been properly cognized
With a mind steeped in the gnosis of equality,
It will soon be seen that he is
On the path to perfect awakening. {5.2.23}
5.­47
“This path relies on the guru’s instructions
As it involves the nature of gnosis-consciousness.
Its properties are indicated in treatises;
Its reality, however, is pointed out by the valiant instructor. {5.2.24}
5.­48
“He should always visualize it242
As engulfed in white light,
And imagine it with the other seed syllables of the [five] ambrosias,
In a stūpa with five layers.243 {5.2.25}
5.­49
“The bodhicitta drop, sublime with the glow of white light,
Overflows with a stream of ambrosia.
At the heart, in the center of the lotus containing the syllables,
Is an orb the size of a thumb. {5.2.26}
5.­50
“In its center there are syllables244
Embodying all vowels and consonants,
Radiant white in color,
Emitting rays of moonlight. {5.2.27}
5.­51
“At the openings in their center
There is a drop, consisting of what is known as consciousness,
As fine as one hundredth of a hair tip,
In the form of an infinitesimally small particle. {5.2.28}
5.­52
“Since it is the nature of the consciousness
Of those who cognize objects and their properties,
Look into the state of abiding as the drop‍—
It is characterized by non-perception and non-thought.245 {5.2.29} [F.105.a]
5.­53
“The consciousness-gnosis246 may be grasped
By relying on the guru’s instructions
Regarding the descent of the drop
From the opening at the fontanel down to the heart. {5.2.30}
5.­54
“The outsiders will not find the right path,
Which is difficult to find even with the aid of treatises.
Such treatises are easy to find,
But the practices described therein are difficult to discern. {5.2.31}
5.­55
“He should eagerly follow the guru’s instructions,
Applying the methods used by yogins.
By following the path shown by the guru, a wise practitioner
Will be able to discern the practices described in treatises. {5.2.32}
5.­56
“Fully collected, he should meditate merging with the essence,
Unwavering and untroubled.247
Phenomena are preceded by the mind;
They are purified by mind and have the swiftness of thought. {5.2.33}
5.­57
“It is through the mind, with its king-like grace,
That one speaks and acts.
Thus, with everything being the nature of mind,
The wise one knows that he is born from mind. {5.2.34}
5.­58
“The yogin should recite the mantra as he likes,
Keeping his attention on his heart,
For it is not the principal natures (tattva)248 that
Constitute the cause, but the seed syllables. {5.2.35}
5.­59
“Since the seed syllables comprise cause and effect,
The principal natures should not be viewed as such.
The five syllables to be visualized are
The fivefold experience of existence, of form, and so forth. {5.2.36}
5.­60
“As he is carried around everywhere,249
He should place these syllables in the central channel.250
Thus the syllables of gnosis and cognition should be placed
At the roots of the three channels that always need to be blocked.251 {5.2.37}
5.­61
“When he longs for experiences of saṃsāra,252
He should join these syllables, in mental recitation,
With the ‘sound’ (long ū) and the ‘drop’ (anunāsika),253
Without, however, saying them aloud. {5.2.38}
5.­62
“He will definitively and perpetually
Come to abide, together with the buddhas,
In the state that is always subtle and stainless,
And where gnosis and cognition merge. {5.2.39}
5.­63
“With its presence as gnosis, cognition may
Then be observed in its progression toward perfect awakening.
The first sign to be observed
For all practitioners is the form of a bright flame. {5.2.40}
5.­64
“The second sign254 revealed
Is sparkling dust resembling fireflies‍—
It will be seen as circular shapes of white powder255
Formed throughout the ten direction. {5.2.41}
5.­65
“The third sign observed by practitioners
Is the disappearance of afflictions. [F.105.b]
The fourth one to be revealed
Is the experience of the pleasures of gods from the desire realm. {5.2.42}
5.­66
“The fifth sign mentally perceived
Is the experience of the delights of the form realm,
The sixth is the pleasures of the formless realm,256
And the seventh is those experienced by the buddhas. {5.2.43}
5.­67
“With the arrival of the eighth sign, practitioners
Can experience at will the fruition that is the goal of awakening. {5.2.44}
5.­68
“Listen, O most compassionate Vajrasattva,257
With undivided attention!
5.­69
“Definitely all things are known
To possess purity as their essence.
Subsequent to this, the deities are explained,
One by one, according to their divisions.258 {5.2.45}
5.­70
“The aggregates, elements, and sense-fields
Of embodied beings are pure by nature.
Though veiled by ignorance and afflictions, they can be purified.
Being the nature of one’s own awakening,259 they are themselves pure,
Such that one is not liberated through some extrinsic purity. {5.2.46}
5.­71
“With the purity of sense objects,
Self-reflexive awareness is the ultimate bliss.
Objects of form, and so forth,
And whatever else appears to practitioners, {5.2.47}
5.­72
“Are all pure by nature,
For everything is comprised of wakefulness.” {5.2.48}
5.­73

Vajragarbha asked, “O Blessed One, what are the things that are impure?” {5.2.49}

The Blessed One said, “They are form, and so forth. Why are they impure? Because they involve apprehended object and apprehending subject.”

5.­74

Vajragarbha then asked, “Well, what then are apprehended object and apprehending subject?”260 {5.2.50}

The Blessed One said,

5.­75
“Form is apprehended by the eye;
Sound, by the ear;
Odors, by the nose;
And taste, by the tongue. {5.2.51}
5.­76
“A physical object is felt by the body
And the mind apprehends happiness, and so forth.
These sense objects ought to be enjoyed
After purifying them by removing poison.261 {5.2.52}
5.­77
“Form is Buddha Vairocana,
Sensation is Vajrasūrya,
Perception is Padmanarteśvara,
Predispositions are Vajrarāja, {5.2.53}
5.­78
“Consciousness is Vajrasattva‍—
The inherent nature of everything is Heruka.
The eye is called Mohavajra;
The ear has the name Dveṣavajra. {5.2.54} [F.106.a]
5.­79
“Īrṣyāvajra is the nose,
Rāgavajra is the mouth,
Mātsaryavajra is touch,
And Heruka, the supreme lord, is all the sensory fields and elements. {5.2.55}
5.­80
“Pātanī is the element of earth;
The element of water is known as Māraṇī.
Ākarṣaṇī is the element of fire;
The element of wind is Narteśvarī. {5.2.56}
5.­81
“The element of space is said to be
Padmajvālinī, because of her imperturbability.
In this way the bodies of embodied beings‍—
Their aggregates, and so forth‍—have the nature of deities. {5.2.57}
5.­82
“Pleasure and pain, and acting on them,
Generate afflictive emotions, and the rest‍—
Following one’s lot resulting from this generation,
One will incur either cyclic existence or its cessation.” {5.2.58}
5.­83

This concludes the second part of the fifth chapter on the purity of the aggregates, and so forth.

Part 3

5.­84
“Now, the right practice, which destroys
The enemy, conceptual thinking, will be explained;
Distilled from the totality of Buddha’s teachings,
This practice of reality262 is supreme. {5.3.1}
5.­85
“For the sake of the Buddha’s sons,
Who are established in perfect awakening,
This practice, the ultimate Perfection of Wisdom,
Will be truthfully explained by Anaṅgavajra.263 {5.3.2}
5.­86
“Like a boat safely sailing on,
She delivers all beings
From the terrifying ocean of births,
Rough with the waves of old age, and so forth. {5.3.3}
5.­87
“She, the divine one, quickly brings accomplishment,
Being an essential264 receptacle of all good qualities.
Manifested from the jewel of the mind,
She fulfills everyone’s desired aim. {5.3.4}
5.­88
“Since without her, who is praised by Vajradhara
And constitutes the body of qualities of all the perfectly awakened ones,
Accomplishment is not possible, the wise ones who desire liberation
Should perform this unequaled practice. {5.3.5}
5.­89
“The lotuses of her feet are worshiped by Viṣṇu, Indra,
Śiva Mahādeva, Kubera, Brahmā, and so forth.
By doing this practice that removes sin,
The tathāgatas swiftly attained the ultimate state. {5.3.6} [F.106.b]
5.­90
“This practice of the central channel265 has been taught
By the glorious Vajrasattva for the benefit of the world. {5.3.7}
5.­91
“Accordingly, the practitioner should cultivate
This sublime inconceivable state in great secrecy.
He should engage in this samaya practice
While free of all concepts. {5.3.8}
5.­92
“In the initial stage, the practitioner should abide
With the natural outflow of the existing condition.
Then, should he tire from meditation,
He should take a break, adopting the playfulness of a child. {5.3.9}
5.­93
“For the sake of different types of people who require guidance,
He should visualize himself in the gentle form of Mañjuśrī.266 {5.3.10}
5.­94
“Everything known as accomplishment comes about through
Different practices accordingly taught; there is, however, an unexcelled practice
That brings about the unparalleled accomplishment of Samantabhadra‍—
It is this practice that the Blessed Vajrasattva has taught.267 {5.3.11}
5.­95
“Always paying homage to his protector,
The glorious vajra master,
He should rely on the secret practice,
Doing what needs to be done and maintaining a noble heart. {5.3.12}
5.­96
“Then, following his inclinations
While turning away from all attachments,
He should comport himself while in touch with reality,
In every respect like a lion. {5.3.13}
5.­97
“Through perfectly knowing things as they are,
And thus forming the intention to deliver the world,
He comes to embody full mastery of the correct view,
With a steadfast mind free of reference points. {5.3.14}
5.­98
“All attributes such as the aggregates, elements,
And so forth are like a dream and an illusion.
Knowing the entire triple universe
To be, in short, like this, {5.3.15}
5.­99
“He should associate with those
Who live free from all obscurations,268
Casting far away
All the eight worldly concerns. {5.3.16}
5.­100
“Always free of concepts,
He should gain certainty about the nondual state,
And apply the six perfections
In order to attain the accomplishment of an awakened one. {5.3.17}
5.­101
“Although eminently engaged269 for the welfare of beings,
He should not form concepts about them.
He should set his mind on awakening
And embark on the practice of conquering the directions. {5.3.18} [F.107.a]
5.­102
“Being the embodiment of wisdom and means conjoined,
And turning away from all attachments,
He will succeed even in this lifetime
If he exerts himself in the cultivation of true reality. {5.3.19}
5.­103
“Free of all concepts and, in particular,
Of ideas about other beings,
He should enjoy anything at all, applying the understanding
That things are like an illusion, and so forth. {5.3.20}
5.­104
“Having arisen from the undifferentiated sphere of phenomena,
No beings can become his adversaries.
He should enjoy things as he pleases
With a mindset free of hesitation. {5.3.21}
5.­105
“All this is for the sake of enjoyment‍—
This entire triple universe,
Conjured up by Vajrasattva
For practitioners’ benefit. {5.3.22}
5.­106
“If, by attaining infinite gnosis,
He does not need to worship the tathāgatas,
What need is there to mention initiations, and so forth,
For him constantly engaged in meditation? {5.3.23}
5.­107
“The nature of all objects
Is the nature of awakened mind.
That alone is the Blessed One, the vajra holder.
Therefore, that alone is the identity of the deities. {5.3.24}
5.­108
“Neither maṇḍalas nor fasts are to be performed,
Nor the formation of gestures or caityas.
Also other things
Taught by the glorious vajra lord
Out of his great dedication‍—
Of what use would they be to he who knows reality? {5.3.25}
5.­109
“Just as one who seeks ambrosia
Should discard the buttermilk after taking the fresh butter,
So should he discard all thoughts
After obtaining the ambrosia270 of Dharma. {5.3.26}
5.­110
“When the wise practitioner is without concepts,
Has given up doubt, and is free of reference points,
Then, just as Vajra Mind271 has said,
There is no doubt he will succeed. {5.3.27}
5.­111
“Because of concepts, he will go to hell
And wander in the ocean of cyclic existence, with its six destinies.
But free from concepts, he will be liberated,
Reaching the state of stainless tranquility. {5.3.28}
5.­112
“Therefore, in order to destroy the net of concepts272
He should regularly practice the samaya observances,
Which were performed by the awakened one,
Abiding by them wherever he may be. {5.3.29}
5.­113
“They should be performed by someone who knows mantra, [F.107.b]
Without excessive attachment, but not eschewing anything.
They all without exception should be regarded
By applying the understanding of the non-arising of forms.273 {5.3.30}
5.­114
“He should drink the blood of dogs, donkeys, camels, elephants, and so on,
And eat their meat regularly.
Human meat smeared with blood
Should be regarded as the best of all. {5.3.31}
5.­115
“He should eat all kinds of poor meats,
And the excellent meats containing hundreds of thousands of living creatures.
The practitioner should also eat terribly putrid feces
Swarming with hundreds of worms, {5.3.32}
5.­116
“And keenly relish meat
Mixed with dog and human vomit,
Dowsed with vajra water,274 covered in flies,
And blended with feces. {5.3.33}
5.­117

“He should drink vajra water. When meat cannot be found anywhere, in order to partake of it he should imagine something else in the form of meat and eat that. {5.3.34}

5.­118

“Foodstuffs inedible to others275 are edible for the master of the true state. Places improper to visit are fine for him to visit. Things improper to do are proper for him. The follower of the mantra path must not think in terms of ‘fit to visit’ and ‘unfit to visit’; ‘edible’ and ‘inedible’; ‘desirable’ and ‘undesirable’; or ‘drinkable’ and ‘undrinkable.’ {5.3.35}

5.­119

“He should be content in body, speech, and mind. In order to be free of mental agitation, the practitioner should always drink wine. Like the victorious ones, he should regard all things, whether repulsive or greatly enjoyable, colorful or plain, delightful or depressing, as identical.276 {5.3.36}

5.­120

“He should not recite texts, assemble maṇḍalas, or gather flowers. He should not recite mantras, nor should he pay homage to the deity, consecrated things, and so forth. He should speak false words and approach the charming wives of others. He should have no loving kindness for rogues, [F.108.a] and should kill buddhas and other living beings. {5.3.37}

5.­121

“The wise practitioner, however, should always worship his teacher, venerated by the victorious ones, who is the wisdom and the pledge being‍—the best of all beings, and who is the samaya that bestows various accomplishments. Since whatever merit is possessed by the fully awakened ones and the bodhisattvas dwelling throughout the ten directions can be seen in the openings of the master’s pores, the buddhas rejoice at seeing the bodhisattvas worship the master.277 {5.3.38}

5.­122

“Since the buddhas with whom he has the bond of samaya will grant the desired awakening, he should never criticize the teacher and never disrespect his siblings on the vajra path. Accepting whatever is offered, he should not pay homage to caityas.278 Regarding his blood brothers, sons, and father, as well as the kingdom with its pleasures, treasuries, riches, and granaries to all be like grass, he should gain dominion over the three realms.” {5.3.39}


5.­123

This concludes the third part of the fifth chapter describing the post-initiatory observances.279

Part 4

5.­124
“Now I will teach about the signs indicating a full adoption of post-initiatory practice. {5.4.1}
“By these signs the vajra practitioner
Can be recognized from afar without any doubt.
He should eat and drink whatever food is found,
Comprising the oblation to a ḍākinī, and so forth. {5.4.2}
5.­125
“Wearing clothes and a kaupīna from a corpse,
And smeared with ashes from a cremated body,
He should wander around at night,
In secret, carrying a bowl made from a broken skull. {5.4.3}
5.­126
“At a crossroads, on a mountain,
Under a lone tree, or in a charnel ground‍—
It is said that in these four places
The meditation of the follower of Mantra will be effective. {5.4.4}
5.­127
“Alternatively, in a mātṛkās’ temple at night,
Or in an isolated place, or the wilderness,
When some heat has been generated,280
He can do the following practice if he wishes to. {5.4.5}
5.­128
“If he wants accomplishment for himself,
He should start behaving like a child again.
A practitioner of keen intellect should roam about
With the purpose of benefiting sentient beings. {5.4.6} [F.108.b]
5.­129
“With his mind free of attachment,
And always wearing colorful clothes,
The practitioner should imagine that from the pores of his skin
Radiate deities throughout the ten directions. {5.4.7}
5.­130
“With himself transformed into Mañjuvajra,
He should visualize the circle of his retinue of deities.
The practitioner should do this in a pleasant lotus garden
At a confluence of rivers. {5.4.8}
5.­131
“Should he stay there and meditate,
He will swiftly attain accomplishment.
Alternatively, he should sojourn in a cave
Or on a mountain peak, with a focused mind. {5.4.9}
5.­132
“He should eat whatever he finds;
Whenever he eats, he should offer an oblation,
And he should bedeck himself with various fruits, garlands, and so forth,
And likewise with little bundles of flowers, and so forth. {5.4.10}
5.­133
“He should dress in clothes from the skins of living creatures.
Aspiring for bliss, he is conferred bliss.281
He should recite sometimes in Sanskrit
And, conversely, sometimes in Prakrit. {5.4.11}
5.­134

“In the vein of a madman, he should eat whatever he finds, whether it is regarded as fit for eating or not, roaming throughout other countries, renowned mountain caves, groves, great ancient charnel grounds, and the shores of great oceans. {5.4.12}

5.­135
“Staying in such places, the wise practitioner should meditate
Completely free of all fear.
But once having done so, he should embark
On the conquest of the quarters. {5.4.13}
5.­136
“Completely free of every obscuration,
He should fulfill the wishes
Of all the residents throughout the ten directions,
Who are veiled by the obscurations concomitant with birth. {5.4.14}
5.­137
“When he has completely abandoned through meditation
All involvement with apprehended objects and apprehending subjects,
And all his meditation becomes like this,
He is called “the conqueror of the quarters.” {5.4.15}
5.­138
“Having then attained some stability,
The practitioner of the real state is unassailable.282
He can summon vidyā goddesses
And make the most beautiful one his lover. {5.4.16}
5.­139
“It could be an apsaras, who is a charming gem
And attends to the gratification of vidyādharas,
Or it could be a celestial daughter, a yakṣiṇī,
A nāginī, or an asurī. {5.4.17} [F.109.a]
5.­140
“The practitioner should summon,
From among them, one vidyā, pleasing to his mind.
He should subdue her
By means of a goad and a noose, {5.4.18}
5.­141
“Until this deity grants all objects that may be useful,
Without his having to beg for them.283
Free from disease and old age, not swayed by opposites,
He284 will remain in the three worlds free from sin. {5.4.19}
5.­142
“Having offered his body as a gift,
The practitioner should then start his samaya practice.
Accordingly, the gift should not be given
Based on consideration of whether the recipient is worthy or not. {5.4.20}
5.­143
“He should partake of solid and liquid food and drink
Just as they happen to come by.
He must not grasp in that regard,
Deliberating in terms of what is “desirable” and “undesirable.” {5.4.21}
5.­144
“He should be free from training285 and initiations
And know that there is no need for him to feel ashamed of anything.
The practitioner should analyze such things with great compassion,
According to the empty nature of all things. {5.4.22}
5.­145
“Having gone beyond oblatory rites and austerities,
He should likewise remain free from mantra recitation and meditation.
Freed from the rules of such conduct and firmly established
In deity yoga, he should do his observances accordingly. {5.4.23}
5.­146
“Even if a demon as powerful as Indra
Should clearly appear before him,
He must not be afraid,
But wander about like a lion. {5.4.24}
5.­147
“For the sake of benefiting all beings,
He should always drink compassion as his drink.
Delighting likewise in the drink of yoga,
The practitioner should not immerse himself in other drinks. {5.4.25}
5.­148
“Now another samaya practice is described‍—
That of the glorious position of a crown prince,
Through which the final accomplishment is reached
For the sake of benefiting all beings. {5.4.26}
5.­149
“The meditator should put on his ears
A set of fine earrings;
On his head, a crown;
On his wrists, a pair of bracelets; {5.4.27}
5.­150
“On his hips, a waist chain;
On his ankles, a pair of anklets;
At the root of his upper arm, an arm bracelet;
And on his neck, a necklace of bone.286 {5.4.28}
5.­151
“He should cover himself in a tiger skin
And eat the five ambrosias.
If he is a man, he should remain in the absorption
Of the Heruka yoga. {5.4.29}
5.­152
“He should find a girl from the vajra family
With a beautiful face and elongated eyes, [F.109.b]
Who has been consecrated by himself and is compassionately disposed.
Having obtained such a girl, he should learn the observance of consort practice. {5.4.30}
5.­153
“If a girl from the vajra family is not available,
He should go for one from the family of his chosen deity.
Alternatively, he should take a girl from another family,
Consecrated with the seed of awakening.287 {5.4.31}
5.­154
“When a song is sung, it should be
A supreme song related to vajra.288
When joy has arisen,
He should dance as a cause of liberation.
Accordingly, the practitioner should always
Do his dance with vajra steps. {5.4.32}
5.­155
“Akṣobhya is recollected by the crown,
Amitābha by the earrings,
Ratnasambhava by the necklace,
And Vairocana by the wrist bracelets. {5.4.33}
5.­156
“Amoghasiddhi resides in the waist chain,
And the consort (prajñā) takes on the form of the khaṭvāṅga.289
The practitioner should always eat medicinal herbs
And drink water. {5.4.34}
5.­157
“Old age and death will not take hold of him,
And he will always be protected.
He should fashion a tiara with the hair of a thief290
And place there that which comes from hūṁ.291 {5.4.35}
5.­158
“He should wear five skulls representing the five buddhas
As part of his practice of deity yoga.
Making the skull pieces five finger-widths in length,
He should keep them fastened to the tiara. {5.4.36}
5.­159
“A doubly-twined cord of hair292
Represents wisdom and means.
The practitioner should wear, as part of his practice,
Charnel ground ashes and a sacred cord made of a corpse’s hair. {5.4.37}
5.­160
“His recitation is the sound of his ḍamaru,
Which invites all sentient beings to be his guests.
This should be the nature of his recitation,293
While he himself should become Vajrakapāla. {5.4.38}
5.­161
“He should avoid greed, stupidity, fear, anger,
And the idea that shame is necessary.
Embodying the nature of Heruka,
The practitioner should mix with members of all the five castes. {5.4.39}
5.­162
“He should recognize only one caste
As comprising the five castes,
For the distinction between many
And just one caste should not be made. {5.4.40}
5.­163
“He should without doubt perform the practice
While depriving himself of sleep.” {5.4.41} [F.110.a]
5.­164

This concludes the chapter on the practice, the fifth in the “Emergence from Sampuṭa.”

c.

Colophon

Tibetan Colophon

c.­1

This king of tantras was translated by the paṇḍita Gayādhara and the great personage Drokmi Śākya Yeshé. Based on this, the venerable omniscient Butön subsequently [re-]wrote it by filling in the gaps and expertly revising it in consultation with Indian manuscripts of the basic text and commentaries.