Wisdom Secret is one of the thirty-two Rali tantras. It begins with the bodhisattva Vajragarbha requesting an explanation of the true nature (tattva) of the four initiations. In response, the Blessed One briefly explains the true nature of the generation stage before delving into a more extensive teaching on the completion stage. This discourse covers the true natures of the channels, winds, and drops as well as caṇḍālī, the four joys, and aspects of the subtle body. The Blessed One also describes the dangers of not understanding the eighteen true natures, an enumeration unique to this tantra. The true natures described within this work are shown to be the key point elevating this system of Buddhist tantra over other non-Buddhist and Buddhist schools. Although the Rali tantras are often said to be associated with the Cakraśaṃvara cycle of Yoginī tantras, the content of Wisdom Secret demonstrates that it is more closely aligned with the Hevajra Tantra.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Lowell Cook produced the translation and wrote the introduction. Ryan Damron edited the translation and the introduction, and Linda Griffin copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.
The Glorious King of Tantras “Wisdom Secret” is one of the thirty-two Rali tantras (Toh 383–416) in the Degé Kangyur. This body of explanatory tantras, translated by Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé during the eleventh century, is said to be associated with the Cakraśaṃvara cycle of Yoginī tantras.1 The Rali tantra corpus is divided into four groups—mind, speech, body, and miscellaneous—each comprising eight tantras. As a part of the second set of eight, Wisdom Secret is thus classified among the speech tantras. Despite its association with Cakraśaṃvara in the Degé Kangyur, the content of Wisdom Secret demonstrates that it is more closely aligned with the Hevajra Tantra (Toh 417–418). Like the Hevajra Tantra, the primary interlocutor of Wisdom Secret is the bodhisattva Vajragarbha, and the text features a discussion of the four initiations and four joys that closely aligns with the Hevajra Tantra. The text also incorporates a number of code words that are consistently used within the Hevajra system.
Wisdom Secret is bereft of any narrative introduction (nidāna) that would otherwise situate it within a given place and time. Instead, it opens with Vajragarbha’s request for an explanation of the true nature of the four initiations. The idea of “true nature” is central to this text and is used to indicate the essential or ultimate correlate of a given feature of the tantric path. This term is employed here in a similar sense to the term viśuddhi (rnam par dag ba), “pure aspect,” which associates a characteristic of the awakened experience with conceptual phenomena.2 The Blessed One’s discourse in Wisdom Secret progressively reveals the true natures of various features of the generation and completion stage practices that are the hallmark of Yoginī tantra practice. His treatment of the completion stage elucidates the true natures of the winds, drops, and channels, touching on caṇḍālī, the four joys, and aspects of the subtle body. The text then turns to a description of the downfalls of misunderstanding the eighteen true natures—an enumeration unique to this text—by way of similes, illustrating the dangers inherent in engaging in aspects of tantric practice without understanding their true nature. The centrality of the true natures to this discourse is further highlighted when Vajragarbha asks the Blessed One what distinguishes one’s own system—that is, presumably, Buddhist tantra in general or, more specifically, the Yoginī tantras—over other religious systems. The Blessed One replies that it is these true natures that make this system superior to both other Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools. The tantra’s narrative then comes to a close with the same brevity with which it opened.
The language of Wisdom Secret is enigmatic, often necessitating further elaboration and commentary. Indeed, as the tantra itself says, it deals with topics that “should be learned from the words of the guru.” Unfortunately, there is no direct commentary on this work found in the Tengyur, nor does it appear to have been widely quoted or referenced in subsequent Buddhist literature. One rare instance where the tantra is quoted occurs in the Third Gungthang Könchok Tenpai Dronmé’s (gung thang dkon mchog bstan pa’i sgron me, 1762–1823) A Commentary on “The Profound Methods of the Maṇi Sādhana,” where he quotes the line “is the two types of breath control—a and haṁ” in the context of explaining the individual syllables of the maṇi mantra.3 There is a widely cited Atiyoga tantra from the Collected Tantras of the Old School (rnying ma rgyud ’bum) that also shares the title Wisdom Secret (ye shes gsang ba); however, these two works should not be conflated.
Wisdom Secret is one of the six Rali tantras translated by Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé in collaboration with the yoginī Candramāla.4 While Drokmi’s life is widely known and well documented,5 little is known about Candramāla. She is said to have hailed from Laṅka, modern-day Sri Lanka, and was a teacher of Gayādhara, with whom Drokmi Śākya Yeshé translated many other Rali tantras. In his A Letter of One Hundred and Eight Profound Instructions, the Jonang master Künga Drolchok (kun dga’ grol mchog, 1507–1566) writes that it was from a yoginī of Laṅka that Gayādhara received the trilogy of Arali tantras (a ra li skor gsum).6 This, undoubtedly, would refer to Candramāla, demonstrating her connection with the (A)rali tantras. Beyond this, her biography, dates, and activity in Tibet are unknown.
There is, unfortunately, no extant Sanskrit witness of Wisdom Secret. In the catalog to the Degé Kangyur, Situ Paṇchen Chökyi Jungné notes that Butön Rinchen Drup, an earlier compiler of Indian texts in Tibet, initially harbored doubts about the Indian origins of the Rali tantras, only later to determine that the accusations against them as being Tibetan apocrypha were false.7 In the absence of a Sanskrit witness, our translation was produced based on the edition of the Tibetan translation preserved in the Degé Kangyur. We also consulted the variant readings cited in the Comparative Edition Kangyur (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Manuscript (stog pho brang bris ma) Kangyur, though little variance of significance between the versions was found. This tantra is slightly more prevalent in the Tshalpa Kangyurs than in the Thempangma Kangyurs and is notably absent from the Lhasa Zhol and Narthang Kangyurs.
Wisdom Secret was never translated into Chinese. It was translated from Tibetan into Mongolian as part of the larger effort to translate the Kangyur into Mongolian, an undertaking that was completed in 1628–1629 under the patronage of the last Great Mongol Khan, Ligdan Khan (r. 1603–1629).8 Beyond this, Wisdom Secret has not, to the best of our knowledge, been translated into any other languages, nor has it been the subject of any sustained scholarly research.
[F.219.a]Homage to Glorious Great Bliss.
“Please teach me the true natures of the four initiations.”
The Blessed One replied:
“This has been well spoken and should be retained well.”
The entire gathering was delighted and rejoiced.
This concludes the glorious king of tantras “The Suchness of the Wisdom Secret That Is Vajrasattva.”
It was translated by the yoginī Candramāla and the translator-monk Śākya Yeshé.
Wisdom Secret is one of the thirty-two Rali tantras. It begins with the bodhisattva Vajragarbha requesting an explanation of the true nature (tattva) of the four initiations. In response, the Blessed One briefly explains the true nature of the generation stage before delving into a more extensive teaching on the completion stage. This discourse covers the true natures of the channels, winds, and drops as well as caṇḍālī, the four joys, and aspects of the subtle body. The Blessed One also describes the dangers of not understanding the eighteen true natures, an enumeration unique to this tantra. The true natures described within this work are shown to be the key point elevating this system of Buddhist tantra over other non-Buddhist and Buddhist schools. Although the Rali tantras are often said to be associated with the Cakraśaṃvara cycle of Yoginī tantras, the content of Wisdom Secret demonstrates that it is more closely aligned with the Hevajra Tantra.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Lowell Cook produced the translation and wrote the introduction. Ryan Damron edited the translation and the introduction, and Linda Griffin copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.
The Glorious King of Tantras “Wisdom Secret” is one of the thirty-two Rali tantras (Toh 383–416) in the Degé Kangyur. This body of explanatory tantras, translated by Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé during the eleventh century, is said to be associated with the Cakraśaṃvara cycle of Yoginī tantras.1 The Rali tantra corpus is divided into four groups—mind, speech, body, and miscellaneous—each comprising eight tantras. As a part of the second set of eight, Wisdom Secret is thus classified among the speech tantras. Despite its association with Cakraśaṃvara in the Degé Kangyur, the content of Wisdom Secret demonstrates that it is more closely aligned with the Hevajra Tantra (Toh 417–418). Like the Hevajra Tantra, the primary interlocutor of Wisdom Secret is the bodhisattva Vajragarbha, and the text features a discussion of the four initiations and four joys that closely aligns with the Hevajra Tantra. The text also incorporates a number of code words that are consistently used within the Hevajra system.
Wisdom Secret is bereft of any narrative introduction (nidāna) that would otherwise situate it within a given place and time. Instead, it opens with Vajragarbha’s request for an explanation of the true nature of the four initiations. The idea of “true nature” is central to this text and is used to indicate the essential or ultimate correlate of a given feature of the tantric path. This term is employed here in a similar sense to the term viśuddhi (rnam par dag ba), “pure aspect,” which associates a characteristic of the awakened experience with conceptual phenomena.2 The Blessed One’s discourse in Wisdom Secret progressively reveals the true natures of various features of the generation and completion stage practices that are the hallmark of Yoginī tantra practice. His treatment of the completion stage elucidates the true natures of the winds, drops, and channels, touching on caṇḍālī, the four joys, and aspects of the subtle body. The text then turns to a description of the downfalls of misunderstanding the eighteen true natures—an enumeration unique to this text—by way of similes, illustrating the dangers inherent in engaging in aspects of tantric practice without understanding their true nature. The centrality of the true natures to this discourse is further highlighted when Vajragarbha asks the Blessed One what distinguishes one’s own system—that is, presumably, Buddhist tantra in general or, more specifically, the Yoginī tantras—over other religious systems. The Blessed One replies that it is these true natures that make this system superior to both other Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools. The tantra’s narrative then comes to a close with the same brevity with which it opened.
The language of Wisdom Secret is enigmatic, often necessitating further elaboration and commentary. Indeed, as the tantra itself says, it deals with topics that “should be learned from the words of the guru.” Unfortunately, there is no direct commentary on this work found in the Tengyur, nor does it appear to have been widely quoted or referenced in subsequent Buddhist literature. One rare instance where the tantra is quoted occurs in the Third Gungthang Könchok Tenpai Dronmé’s (gung thang dkon mchog bstan pa’i sgron me, 1762–1823) A Commentary on “The Profound Methods of the Maṇi Sādhana,” where he quotes the line “is the two types of breath control—a and haṁ” in the context of explaining the individual syllables of the maṇi mantra.3 There is a widely cited Atiyoga tantra from the Collected Tantras of the Old School (rnying ma rgyud ’bum) that also shares the title Wisdom Secret (ye shes gsang ba); however, these two works should not be conflated.
Wisdom Secret is one of the six Rali tantras translated by Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé in collaboration with the yoginī Candramāla.4 While Drokmi’s life is widely known and well documented,5 little is known about Candramāla. She is said to have hailed from Laṅka, modern-day Sri Lanka, and was a teacher of Gayādhara, with whom Drokmi Śākya Yeshé translated many other Rali tantras. In his A Letter of One Hundred and Eight Profound Instructions, the Jonang master Künga Drolchok (kun dga’ grol mchog, 1507–1566) writes that it was from a yoginī of Laṅka that Gayādhara received the trilogy of Arali tantras (a ra li skor gsum).6 This, undoubtedly, would refer to Candramāla, demonstrating her connection with the (A)rali tantras. Beyond this, her biography, dates, and activity in Tibet are unknown.
There is, unfortunately, no extant Sanskrit witness of Wisdom Secret. In the catalog to the Degé Kangyur, Situ Paṇchen Chökyi Jungné notes that Butön Rinchen Drup, an earlier compiler of Indian texts in Tibet, initially harbored doubts about the Indian origins of the Rali tantras, only later to determine that the accusations against them as being Tibetan apocrypha were false.7 In the absence of a Sanskrit witness, our translation was produced based on the edition of the Tibetan translation preserved in the Degé Kangyur. We also consulted the variant readings cited in the Comparative Edition Kangyur (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Manuscript (stog pho brang bris ma) Kangyur, though little variance of significance between the versions was found. This tantra is slightly more prevalent in the Tshalpa Kangyurs than in the Thempangma Kangyurs and is notably absent from the Lhasa Zhol and Narthang Kangyurs.
Wisdom Secret was never translated into Chinese. It was translated from Tibetan into Mongolian as part of the larger effort to translate the Kangyur into Mongolian, an undertaking that was completed in 1628–1629 under the patronage of the last Great Mongol Khan, Ligdan Khan (r. 1603–1629).8 Beyond this, Wisdom Secret has not, to the best of our knowledge, been translated into any other languages, nor has it been the subject of any sustained scholarly research.
[F.219.a]Homage to Glorious Great Bliss.
“Please teach me the true natures of the four initiations.”
The Blessed One replied:
“This has been well spoken and should be retained well.”
The entire gathering was delighted and rejoiced.
This concludes the glorious king of tantras “The Suchness of the Wisdom Secret That Is Vajrasattva.”
It was translated by the yoginī Candramāla and the translator-monk Śākya Yeshé.
As illustrated by the group’s designation in the Degé Kangyur catalog (Toh 4568-4, folio 139.a): ’khor lo bde mchog gi bshad rgyud ra li so gnyis su grags pa (“the thirty-two Rali tantras renowned as explanatory tantras for Cakraśaṃvara”).
The six Rali tantras that Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé translated together with Candramāla are Toh 392, 393 (The Tantra of the Garland of Gnosis), 394, 396, 403, and 405.
For a hagiography of Drokmi Śākya Yeshé, see Stearns 2001, pp. 83–101. For an academic appraisal of his life and works, see Davidson 2005, pp. 161–209.
Toh 4568-4, folio 140.a: de ltar ra li so gnyis la bu ston zhabs kyis rgyud sde spyi rnam du/ ’di rnams sngar rtsod pa can du grags shing/ rgyud yang dag yin par nges pa’ang ’ga’ zhig snang la/ gzhan rnams la’ang the tshom gyi gzhi shin tu che bar snang bas dpyad par bya’o/ /zhes bkod kyang/ chos ’byung du/ ’di dag ga ya d+ha ras ’brog mi dang gnyos lo tsA gnyi ga la bshad pa’i rgyu dpe can yin pas bod kyis byas zer ba mi bden no/ /zhes thugs thag bcad snang ngo.“In his General Presentation of the Tantras, the eminent Butön writes of the thirty-two Rali tantras, ‘These were previously known to be disputed and, though it appears that some of them are in fact genuine authentic tantras, the others seem to give major cause for doubt. As such, they should be further examined.’ However, in his History of Buddhism, he seems to have made a firm decision, saying, ‘The claim that these were made by Tibetans is not true since they had Indian manuscripts which Gayādhara taught to Drokmi and Nyö Lotsāwa.’ ”
Alexander Berzin, “Traditional Guidelines for Translating Buddhist Texts ,” Study Buddhism, Berzin Archives, accessed October 26, 2023.
We have emended the reading to nyon cig rdo rje snying po bdag. Degé reads nyon cig rdo rje snying po’i bdag, which seems corrupt.
We follow the Tibetan translation in preserving the Sanskrit term (gu h+ya) rather than translating it.
In the previous line, we understand the Tibetan rang bzhin dga’ ba to be a translation of sahajānanda, the fourth of the four joys, and in this line, bral ba’i dga’ ba is understood as a translation of viramānanda, the third joy.
Though srin po typically is the translation of rākṣasa, it can also be used to translate piśāca. Given that rak+Sha follows it, we have translated srin po as piśāca and rak+Sha as rākṣasa.
Though not stated explicitly in the text, this appears to be a question posed by Vajragarbha.
Reading khyad instead of khyab. We take this to be a scribal error in which the suffix da was misconstrued to look like a ba due to the shad punctuation marker at the end of the line.
The nine absorptions traditionally consist of the four absorptions of the form realm, the four absorptions of the formless realm, and the absorption of cessation.
The eighth and highest level of the Realm of Form (rūpadhātu), the last of the five pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa); it is only accessible as the result of specific states of dhyāna. According to some texts this is where non-returners (anāgāmin) dwell in their last lives. In other texts it is the realm of the enjoyment body (saṃbhogakāya) and is a buddhafield associated with the Buddha Vairocana; it is accessible only to bodhisattvas on the tenth level.
In normative Mahāyāna doctrine, bodhicitta refers to the aspiration for awakening, in both its relative and absolute aspects. In tantric thought it frequently refers to semen in the context of its generation and manipulation in sexual yogic rites.
The manipulation of breath by means of yogic techniques.
A master of the Sakya school who lived from 1290–1364 ᴄᴇ. He was an influential scholar, historian, compiler, and cataloger of the canon. His compilation of lists of translated works contributed to the emergence of the Kangyur and Tengyur collections.
The Tibetan translates both stūpa and caitya with the same word, mchod rten, meaning “basis” or “recipient” of “offerings” or “veneration.” Pali: cetiya.
A caitya, although often synonymous with stūpa, can also refer to any site, sanctuary or shrine that is made for veneration, and may or may not contain relics.
A stūpa, literally “heap” or “mound,” is a mounded or circular structure usually containing relics of the Buddha or the masters of the past. It is considered to be a sacred object representing the awakened mind of a buddha, but the symbolism of the stūpa is complex, and its design varies throughout the Buddhist world. Stūpas continue to be erected today as objects of veneration and merit making.
Circle; wheel; energy center in the subtle body—a nexus of channels.
Coded language for semen.
Blissful heat cultivated in the completion stage of tantric practice.
A female practitioner from Sri Lanka about whom little is known. She collaborated with Śākya Yeshé in translating six Rali tantras (Toh 392, 393 (The Tantra of the Garland of Gnosis), 394, 396, 403, and 405).
The subtle channels in the body, imperceptible to ordinary senses, that conduct various types of vital energy.
The secondary channels that branch off from the central channel and from the cakras.
The second of the two stages of tantric sādhana practiced. Its practices are specific to individual tantric systems but typically include sexual yogas, the consumption of illicit substances, manipulation of the subtle energetic anatomy, or resting in an uncontrived state.
A term describing the totality of phenomena as they truly are, without being distorted by dualistic conceptualization.
Sometimes translated as “truth body,” “reality body,” or “body of qualities,” the term dharmakāya stands in distinction to the rūpakāya, or “form body” of a buddha. In its earliest uses the term refers to the Buddha’s qualities as a collective whole, or to his teachings as the embodiment of him. In later usage it primarily indicates the eternal, imperceivable realization of a buddha and is synonymous with the true nature of reality.
A drop (as of liquids); a “drop” of concentrated energy in the channels of the subtle body.
As described in
Thirty-seven practices that lead the practitioner to the awakened state: the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four bases of supernatural power, the five masteries, the five powers, the eightfold path, and the seven branches of awakening. In the context of the generation stage, these factors appear as respective aspects of the deity.
The five kāyas are the dharmakāya, the saṃbhogakāya, the nirmāṇakāya, the svabhāvikakāya, and the vajrakāya. In some systems, particularly the Old Translations school (
The five wisdoms are the mirror-like wisdom, the wisdom of equality, the wisdom of discernment, the all-accomplishing wisdom, and the wisdom of the dharmadhātu.
The sambhogakāya and the nirmāṇakāya.
In the Hevajra system, the four cakras are the cakra of great bliss (
The four types of joy that arise during the practice of sexual union, the full understanding of which leads to liberation.
Indian paṇḍita, fl. ca. 975–1025 ce. Gayādhara is best known in connection with Drokmi Lotsāwa Śākya Yeshé and played a major role in transmitting Lamdré teachings into Tibet, but he was also a prolific translator.
The first of the two stages of tantric practice, focused on the visualized development of the tantric maṇḍala and its deities and the recitation of mantra.
In tantric contexts, a common epithet for heruka-class deities. Cakraśaṃvara, Hevajra, and Mahāmāyā are examples of herukas.
The ritual process of being introduced to and authorized in the practice of specific deities, maṇḍalas, and yogas. The Sanskrit term literally means “sprinkling” or “anointing” and is modeled on rites of royal investiture. In the Yoginī tantras and systems derived from them, there are typically four main initiations: the vase initiation (
The fourth of the four joys. Although referred to as the “fourth,” it is meant to be discerned at the end of the supreme joy and the onset of the joy of cessation. This joy characterizes the innate state.
Nondual wisdom or insight obtained through realization. In its tantric Buddhist usage, the term can refer to the consort of a male deity or of a male practitioner identifying with the deity.
The first of the four joys; it corresponds to the period in the sexual yoga up to the onset of climax.
The third of the four joys; it corresponds to the period in the sexual yoga immediately after the climax.
When the Buddhist teachings are classified according to their power to lead beings to an awakened state, a distinction is made between the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle (Hīnayāna), which emphasizes the individual’s own freedom from cyclic existence as the primary motivation and goal, and those of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna), which emphasizes altruism and has the liberation of all sentient beings as the principal objective. As the term “Great Vehicle” implies, the path followed by bodhisattvas is analogous to a large carriage that can transport a vast number of people to liberation, as compared to a smaller vehicle for the individual practitioner.
A term used to describe the later tantras of the Yoga class that incorporated more transgressive practices and a wrathful aesthetic. Typified by the Guhyasamājatantra and Guhyagarbhatantra.
The thirty-two major and the eighty minor distinctive physical attributes of a buddha or a superior being.
The concept of skillful or expedient means is central to the understanding of the Buddha’s enlightened deeds and the many scriptures that are revealed contingent on the needs, interests, and mental dispositions of specific types of individuals. It is, therefore, equated with compassion and the form body of the buddhas, the rūpakāya.
According to the Great Vehicle, training in skillful means collectively denotes the first five of the six perfections when integrated with wisdom, the sixth perfection. It is therefore paired with wisdom (prajñā), forming the two indispensable aspects of the path. It is also the seventh of the ten perfections. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)
The eighty secondary physical characteristics of a buddha and of other great beings (mahāpuruṣa), which include such details as the redness of the fingernails and the blackness of the hair. They are considered “minor” in terms of being secondary to the thirty-two major marks or signs of a great being.
A seal, in both the literal and metaphoric sense. The term
Proponents of the extreme philosophical view that rejects rebirth and the law of karma by considering that causes (and thus actions) do not have effects and that the self, being the same as one or all of the aggregates (
A female buddha of the lotus family.
A class of nonhuman beings that, like several other classes of nonhuman beings, take spontaneous birth. Ranking below rākṣasas, they are less powerful and more akin to pretas. They are said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh. This could account for the name piśāca, which possibly derives from √piś, to carve or chop meat, as reflected also in the Tibetan sha za, “meat eater.” They are often described as having an unpleasant appearance, and at times they appear with animal bodies. Some possess the ability to enter the dead bodies of humans, thereby becoming so-called vetāla, to touch whom is fatal.
A female piśāca.
Literally, “buddha for oneself” or “solitary realizer.” Someone who, in his or her last life, attains awakening entirely through their own contemplation, without relying on a teacher. Unlike the awakening of a fully realized buddha (samyaksambuddha), the accomplishment of a pratyekabuddha is not regarded as final or ultimate. They attain realization of the nature of dependent origination, the selflessness of the person, and a partial realization of the selflessness of phenomena, by observing the suchness of all that arises through interdependence. This is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary merit, compassion or motivation to teach others. They are named as “rhinoceros-like” (khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa) for their preference for staying in solitude or as “congregators” (vargacārin) when their preference is to stay among peers.
A class of nonhuman beings that are often, but certainly not always, considered demonic in the Buddhist tradition. They are often depicted as flesh-eating monsters who haunt frightening places and are ugly and evil-natured with a yearning for human flesh, and who additionally have miraculous powers, such as being able to change their appearance.
The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa). Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods” dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.
Śākya Yeshé of the Drokmi clan lived from 992 or 993 to 1043 or 1072. He was a Tibetan translator (of an early phase of the later translation period) and an important figure in the Lamdré (lam ’bras) lineage.
The nonconceptual awareness that is both the basis for and the result of tantric practice.
“Olibanum,” this is coded language for menstrual blood.
The eighth Tai Situpa (1700−1777) in the Karma Kagyü tradition, he oversaw the creation of the Degé Kangyur.
The classical set of sixteen types of emptiness described in many Mahāyāna philosophical texts is (1) inner emptiness, (2) outer emptiness, (3) outer and inner emptiness, (4) the emptiness of emptiness, (5) ultimate emptiness, (6) the emptiness of compounded phenomena, (7) the emptiness of uncompounded phenomena, (8) beginningless and endless emptiness, (9) the emptiness of nonrejection, (10) natural emptiness, (11) the emptiness of all phenomena, (12) the emptiness of own-characteristics, (13) the emptiness of the unobserved, (14) the emptiness of nonentities, (15) the emptiness of own-essence, and (16) the emptiness of own-essence of nonentities.
Gungthang Könchok Tenpai Dronmé (gung thang dkon mchog bstan pa’i sgron me).
Künga Drolchok (kun dga’ grol mchog).
Davidson, Ronald M.
Stearns, Cyrus.
