Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This work serves as a detailed technical commentary on the ritual and philosophical components of the Noble Vajra Tent of Ḍākīṇis tantra. It functions as a manual for the practitioner, bridging the gap between symbolic ritual instructions and their underlying metaphysical meanings. The text systematically decodes the symbolic language of the tantra, mapping specific deities, colors, and syllables to psychological states, elements, and levels of consciousness. It commits the reader to a rigorous system of visualization and meditative sequence, integrating Yogācāra philosophy—specifically the role of the ālaya-vijñāna—with complex ritual actions such as maṇḍala construction and mantra recitation. By transforming affective states like hatred and desire into their corresponding vajra-deities, the text argues that the path to enlightenment involves the transmutation of ordinary experience into primordial wisdom through precise ritual technology and the application of non-arising logic.
Provenance
About this text
A preliminary guide to the great tantra king known as the Noble Vajra Tent of Ḍākīṇis, the Āryaḍākinīvajrapañjaranāmamahātantrarājakalpamukhabandha belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The work is attributed to the Indian author Kṛṣṇa Paṇḍita. It was translated into Tibetan by Gayādhara and bod kyi lo tsa ba dge slong shakya ye shes, and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཅ, as part of the Non-dual Tantra collection, where it extends over eleven pages. The text enacts a technical mapping of the elements and deities, identifying the elements of earth, water, heat, and wind with figures such as Pukkasī, Śavarī, and Caṇḍālī. It further details the manifestation of goddesses—specifically Khachöma, Chökyima, and Zhapokne—within the mind, speech, and body vajras, arising from the heart mantra OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to understand the specific correspondences between the consciousness of the apprehended and the apprehender, and to examine the ritualized transmutation of elements and mental states into the form of the glorious Vajraḍākinī.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Explanations Connected to the First [Ritual] Part of the Great King of Tantras known as “The Noble Vajra Tent of Ḍākīṇis”” (Toh 1195), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1195
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its synthesis of high-level Buddhist philosophy and concrete ritual praxis, demonstrating how abstract concepts like emptiness are operationalized in tantric practice. For the modern reader, it provides a window into the sophisticated semiotics of Indo-Tibetan ritualism and the psychological framework of deity yoga.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-12
Ritual Foundations and Symbolic Correspondences
Initial definitions of elements, the mapping of deities to the body and mind, and the sequence of meditative aspects.
22-44
Deity Manifestations and Maṇḍala Construction
Details on the transformation of the storehouse consciousness and the physical drawing of the nāga maṇḍala.
54-76
Philosophical Definitions and Iconography
Explanations of the nature of Dharma and the specific visual attributes of the various Vajrā consorts.
86-97
Practical Rituals and Mantras
Instructions for creating images from earth and performing rain-inducing rituals via mantra and visualization.
108-126
Advanced Philosophical and Ritual Synthesis
Discussions on the purification of empowerment, the refutation of substantial consciousness, and the specific attributes of deities like Kurukullā and Jambhala.
Themes
Transmutation of Affects (4, 65, 108)
Yogācāra Psychology and ālaya-vijñāna (7, 8, 22, 118)
Ritual Iconography and Visualization (10, 33, 65, 76, 121)
Somatic and Elemental Correspondences (2, 3, 11)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaExplanations Connected to the First [Ritual] Part of the Great King of Tantras known as “The Noble Vajra Tent of Ḍākīṇis”·
In the language of India: Ārya-ḍākinī-vajrapañjara-mahātantrarāja-kalpa-nāma-mukhabandha. In the language of Tibet: ’Phags pa mkha’ ’gro ma rdo rje gur zhes bya ba’i rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po’i brtag pa dang po’i rgyal po’i bshad sbyar. Homage to the glorious Vajraḍākinī!
To the one who is far removed from the activity of black ignorance, who is embraced by compassion, and who is known as Vajrasattva—the guide and protector—to him I pay homage. Having prostrated at the feet of the master who bestows the supreme power of the excellent path, I shall provide a brief explanation for the sake of recollection of the Ḍākinīvajrapañjara.
Regarding the phrase "In space" and so forth: ultimately, the ultimate nature of all things, and when analyzed conventionally, the Teacher, the Blessed One, dwells everywhere. Because he causes the logic of the practice of the Ḍākinīvajrapañjara to pervade all beings, I shall clarify it for a moment. The compiler, Vajragarbha, states that Hevajra pervades and dwells in both the moving and the stationary. In order to explain the sequence of the generation stage of the five great elements as taught within the source text, and the master of its habitual tendencies, I shall first explain them. Among those, because space is not clearly manifest, I shall speak of it first and so forth. "In space" means in that which is unobstructed. "In the solid" means in the manner of hardness and in earth. "In the clear" means in fluidity and in water.
Regarding the phrase "without opportunity," it refers to fire, because it causes craving and does not grant any opening. Regarding "dividing," it refers to the eye, the object, and the wind. These very [elements] and so forth also become Pukkasī and the others; alternatively, earth is explained as Pukkasī, the water element is called Śavarī, heat is to be known as Caṇḍālī, and wind is renowned as Ḍombī. Regarding "blissful space," this refers to the universal retention of the deity yoga, and it is taught as the instruction on the mind of the completion stage within the abodes of those [deities]. Regarding "variety," it refers to space, because it pervades all beings by way of emptiness. Regarding "the four vajras," it refers to the so-called "subduing of variety," all the abodes of Vajrasattva, and the maṇḍala of Mahendra. Regarding "the dwelling," it refers to its celestial palace and the water maṇḍala. Regarding "the realm of sentient beings," it refers to the fire maṇḍala above that. Regarding "the delightful," it refers to the mind gathering the mind. Their abodes and the wind maṇḍala are the emanations of the great elements, and they abide therein. Regarding "great sentient beings," it refers to the world of living beings. Regarding "the vessel," it is said that the emanations also occur in the abodes of sentient beings, the earth, and so forth. Regarding "on the earth" and so forth, it refers to the appearance of bliss in the subterranean realms, the human world, and the higher realms. Thus, it is taught that [the deity] abides pervading the entire world.
Regarding the statement "in the mind," these [deities] abide as goddesses. Thus, Khachöma (Ḍākinī) is from the Mind Vajra, Chökyima (Caryā) is from the Speech Vajra, and Zhapokne (Pādāntasthā) is in the body; they arise from the heart mantra OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ. The activities of the body and so forth are also taught; "one in two" refers to the consciousness of the apprehended and the apprehender. "In the bliss of space" refers to the nature of existence and non-existence, which is called "space." This very wisdom is great; it abides throughout the entire body. In the manner of duality and non-duality, it is the sovereign of existence and non-existence. These six families, having become purified, shall be explained. Regarding "in six," one should understand that the six families are then explicitly expressed: desire, hatred, delusion, samaya, sentient beings, and the jewel. These are the six families that thoroughly accomplish the liberation of desire. If one searches for the substance according to the Vaibhāṣika and Sautrāntika schools, that which pervades the world must be established. Regarding "the fifth," these five aggregates become the deities. Thus: "The aggregate of form is Vajra; feeling is called Gaurī; perception is Vārīyoginī; formations are Vajraḍākinī; and in the manner of the aggregate of consciousness, Nairātmyayoginī abides." Hatred and the others are also shown as the five; their purification likewise becomes the goddesses.
Furthermore:
"Hatred is explained as Vajrī;
Desire is the Water-Lord Yoginī;
Jealousy is Vajraḍākinī;
Avarice is Guhyagaurī;
Delusion is likewise explained as Vajrā.
These are the purifiers of hatred and the rest."
One should understand that the aggregate of form is established within the twelve sense bases (āyatana). Regarding the phrase "in the twelve," these are to be distinguished as goddesses. Furthermore:
"Delusion-Vajrī is placed in the eye;
Hatred-Vajrī in the ear;
Avarice-Vajrī in the nose;
Desire-Vajrī in the mouth;
Jealousy-Vajrī in the body;
One should meditate on Selflessness in the mind.
Gaurī is correctly explained as form;
Caurī is renowned as sound;
Vetālī is in the portion of smell;
Ghasmarī is renowned as taste;
Śabarī is explained as touch;
Khagāminī is in the dharmadhātu."
According to the Vaibhāṣika source texts, the sense bases are of the nature of the elements and their derivatives. In that regard, by following the source texts, it is stated that these which abide in the world are present everywhere in association with the deities. According to the Sautrāntika source texts, the elements themselves are what are called "transformations," which refers to form, touch, and so forth. Regarding the phrase "in the four," these are form, taste, smell, and touch; it is taught that these very things abide as the nature of the aggregates, elements, sense bases, the desire realm, and so on. The phrase "in the world" refers to the same "in the four."
In that regard, the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, the supreme worldly [attainment], and the four beginning with Vajrasattva pertain to the three migrations. Regarding the elaborations of the wisdom of form and so forth, it is said: "One is twenty less," which means that the eighteen elements are by nature primordially unborn. This "one less than twenty" refers to the sense faculties, the objects themselves, and the consciousnesses of the sense faculties. For the sake of making the yoginīs understand: "The elements are explained as eighteen; their nature is primordially unborn, neither true nor false. All are like the moon in water; thus should the yoginīs know. The eighteen elements are completely pure." One should understand the aggregates, elements, and sense bases to be pure. Being primordially unborn is the singular purity; by that very fact, all other [phenomena] are purified. If one asks what that purity is like, it is briefly shown for the sake of specific instruction: "In the three realms," and so forth. In that regard, in the desire realm, the two [types of] joy are described as embracing, holding hands, laughing, and gazing; this is said to be the very intention of sentient beings, abiding as father, son, and mātṛ. The phrase "father and so forth" refers to the form realm. "Regarding external objects" means abandoning the nature of the enjoyments of desire.
Regarding "internally," this refers to mere primordial wisdom (jñāna) within the formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). "To all queens" refers to the supreme worldly ones and the retinue of goddesses. "To the Dharma" refers to their assembly. "To all activities" means that their ordinary tasks and so forth are not spoken of here as a single established authority; rather, their nature is to be described. "To selflessness" means that the selflessness of the person (pudgala-nairātmya) is selflessness. Here, one meditates on the selflessness of both the result and the mere causal factors within cyclic existence, and the state of abiding as an arhat (arhat) is taught. "To the result" refers to the fruit of stream-entry (srotāpanna) and so forth, for the sake of establishing the results. "Cause" refers to the fact that [the results] arise from the activity of meditating on selflessness and so forth. The mere efficient cause (kāraṇa) is not the [sole] cause. This is also for the sake of understanding the activity. Regarding "to the cause" and so forth, "activity" is the name for the activity. Since those two are also of the nature of the object to be established (sādhya) and the means of establishment (sādhana), the establishment is taught: "In the vajra of the means of establishing the object to be established." This means that the objects to be established, such as the fruit of stream-entry and so forth, arise from the meditation on selflessness. The means of establishment is also for the sake of understanding through the meditation on selflessness. Furthermore, the meditation on selflessness and so forth are for the sake of understanding the cause and the objects to be established, such as the fruit of stream-entry and so forth.
Because it is the agent of the fruit of stream-entry and so forth, it is the means of accomplishment (sādhana). The Yogācāra scriptures also teach the abiding of migratory beings. The phrase "likewise" means that the fruit and the cause should also be viewed in this manner. "The storehouse consciousness" (ālayavijñāna) refers to the cessation of the grasping at a self, sentient beings, and objects, and the abandonment of habitual tendencies (vāsanā). "In the dharmadhātu" refers to the arising of the grasping at a self and so forth regarding phenomena, and to the cause, the afflicted mind (kliṣṭamanas). "Unarisen" means that because its nature is indivisible, it is free from individual arising. The conduct of those who are selfless is described as the state of an Arhat in saṃsāra, consisting merely of cause and effect of consciousness. The phrase "the fruit" and so forth teaches the relationship between cause and fruit. The phrase "in the activity" and so forth is because smoke and so forth do not exist without fire and so forth. Because the probandum and the reason are to be known through fire and smoke, both of these are means of accomplishment. Furthermore, one should understand smoke and so forth as the means of accomplishment. External means of accomplishment and so forth, and the agent, should be examined as if they were distinct, through the non-erroneous vision of one's own intellect, which correctly cognizes the division of subject and object; these are merely words. The phrase "migratory beings" and so forth is taught.
Regarding the phrase "to sentient beings," this refers to the intention that the ālaya-vijñāna (all-ground consciousness) of the vessel-like world is a single entity, and so forth; by this, the purpose of this [practice] is intended. In that context, the "space element" refers to the element of the sattva (being). Regarding the distinction "the self of those other than that," the terms "selfless" and "self" are spoken of in the Middle Way (madhyamaka) treatises as the state in which migratory beings abide. "Non-entity" refers to the ultimate (paramārtha). "Not a non-entity" is also because of the manner of conventional (saṃvṛti) entities. Regarding the distinction of the state of attainment, "in Sukhāvatī" and so forth refers to the yogic conduct within the state of being submerged in cyclic existence (saṃsāra). "Unborn" refers to the moon maṇḍala, beginning with the syllable A. "Faultless" refers to the sun maṇḍala, beginning with the syllable Ka. "Dustless" refers to the vajra. "Destroyer of sin" refers to the vajra pride. "In the nature of being without waves" describes the deity abiding in the form of Samantabhadra. Regarding the emanation of the deity, in the phrase "in the secret" and so forth, "secret" refers to the maṇḍala of Heruka, whose nature is the pure dharmadhātu (expanse of phenomena); this is what is to be accomplished. "Supreme" is as follows: it is the pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna (discriminating wisdom) of Padmanarteśvara (Lotus Lord of Dance).
"Delight" refers to the wisdom of equality itself, which is Vajrasūrya. "The essence of all" is the defining characteristic of the perfection of diligence. "Pervading all Buddhas" refers to Hayagrīva. "Sattva" refers to the performance of purposeful activity. "Lord of the gods" refers to the specific activity of the supreme person. "Lord of the gods" is also spoken of as "secret" in the words of the person, as explained in detail.
Regarding the statement "five" and so forth, following the sequence of the brief presentation, the supreme arrangement of deities in the maṇḍala of Heruka is explained in detail. "Gaurī" and so forth refers to the four goddesses, such as the goddesses of the directions, who guard the eastern gate and so forth in the square maṇḍala with a single enclosure. Pukkasī and the others are correctly situated in the intermediate directions, such as the northeast. This is the maṇḍala consisting of nine deities. Thus, Śuṣkāsā and the others are the gatekeepers. Puṣpā and the others are in the intermediate sectors. Likewise, Sūryā and the others are at the gates. Lāsyā, Mālyā, likewise Nṛtyā, and Gītā are in the intermediate directions. Likewise, Padmā and the others are situated at the gates. Vaṃśā, Vīṇā, Murajā, and Mukundā are known to be in the intermediate directions. Vajrārgalā and the others are situated at the gates. Locanā, Māmakī, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Tārā are in the intermediate directions. As for the phrase "where it was explained":
The maṇḍala of the Buddha is the maṇḍala itself; it is like the crescent moon of the Vajra-holder, like the lotus of Vajradharma, and like the sun and the wish-fulfilling jewel. That which is called the "Supreme Steed" is the triangle of all the Sugatas.
Then, regarding their essence, through the intention of the "outer rim," these also become the two outer rims. Regarding the phrase "for the sake of inviting the inexhaustible guests of living beings": "inexhaustible" means that liberation is without end. "For the sake of inviting" means the purpose of inviting as guests. With respect to those inexhaustible ones, one should be reverent toward the beings for the sake of their sustenance. "Emptiness" means that even conventionally, all things are explained as being devoid of the characteristics of substantial entities. "Method is not emptiness" means that even conventionally, it is false due to the application of generating the body. "In order to reverse the attachment to a self" means that in order to suppress the grasping at a supreme self, the grasping at a person, the grasping at phenomena, and the grasping at the nature of phenomena, it is intended that conventionally everything is appropriate.
Then, it is further explained in this very context: focusing on the pride of being a Buddha, the meditation on the luminosity of the dharmadhātu, and so forth, are the specific offerings taught. Furthermore, regarding "Vajra" and so forth: "pure place" refers to the great wheel (mahācakra). "Great abode" refers to the wheel of enjoyment (saṃbhogacakra). "Completely filled by all Buddhas."
The phrase "of the wheel of dharma" refers to the wheel of dharma. "The all-pervading vajra jewel" refers to the emanation wheel. "The city of benefit" refers to the wheel of the body, which is the physical body. This is the detailed explanation of the nature that arises in such a manner from speech and mind.
The phrase "vajra chain" refers to the great illusion of all the Buddhas, both internally and externally, which is the external and internal service (sevā). Thus, the lines beginning with "one should bind with the vajra iron shackles" refer to the near-attainment (upāsādhana). "It will tremble in Tuṣita" refers to the attainment (sādhana). "Of the Buddhas" refers to the great attainment (mahāsādhana). In this way, it is taught that the fruit is obtained. The phrase "desires are obtained" here also teaches that the bodhisattvas abide in the unsurpassed state. The lines beginning with "Maitreya" and so forth, and the lines beginning with "the hook" and so forth, teach the attainment through power.
The phrase "written in five hundred thousand" refers to the Vajra Essence of Manifest Awakening and so forth, which are taught together with thirty thousand specific dances. The lines beginning with "the source of phenomena" (dharmodaya) refer to the samaya of vajra attainment. The lotus is her bhaga, which is the woman herself. Through the song of the method for liberation, the vajra itself is generated. Finally, the lines beginning with "the drum, the dance, and so forth" refer to playing with the vajra drum and so forth at the conclusion.
"One should purify the seven" refers to: "The complete perfection of the Buddha-abodes," and so forth.
One should meditate in sequence upon the five aspects: the nature of Samantabhadra, the accomplishment of one’s own chosen deity, the arrangement of the maṇḍalas, and the offerings, praises, nectar, and so forth. These are to be arranged as the six branches of yoga. This is the sixth stage of the stage of self-consecration.
Furthermore, if explained as the subtle yoga, another stage of self-consecration is taught. Regarding the words "moving" and so forth, these are the extraction [of the mantra], taught as the distinction of the upper application. Regarding the words "immediately" and so forth, these refer to the goddess Bhūcarī and the others. How could the explanation that Bhūcarī is definitely the Vajra Speech and that the goddess residing under the feet is the Vajra Body be contradictory? Because she is connected with the phrase "residing under the feet," Bhūcarī is not definitively the Vajra Body, Speech, or Mind; this is taught as an indefinite presentation.
The nature of the four elements of the goddesses of the intermediate directions is taught: "the vase of bodhicitta" refers to "awakening" and so forth. The nature of the water element is Śavarī. "Mount Meru" is the nature of earth, which is Pukkasī. "The fire hearth" is the purification of heat, which is Caṇḍālī. "The great victory banner" is the nature of wind, which is Ḍombī. The detailed presentation of the sequence of the maṇḍalas is also expressed by this teaching that Śavarī and Pukkasī are exhorted to practice love and compassion.
Regarding the "Bodhisattva Vase" and "Mount Meru," and the "Lotus and Great Victory Banner," these refer to the vajra for the sake of the seminal fluid. The phrase "source of the maṇḍalas" refers to the explanation of the maṇḍalas comprised of the bodies of the deities. Regarding the phrase "eight by eight, situated in the center," this means that for each of the eight deities, there are eight consecrations of the principal ones; the meaning is to meditate on the supreme maṇḍala situated in their center. Just as in the maṇḍala of the Ḍākinī Vajrapañjara, having first drawn it, in its center is the maṇḍala of the Ḍākinī Vajrapañjara consisting of nine [maṇḍalas]. In the directions of the central maṇḍala, such as the east, are the maṇḍalas of Vairocana, Vajrasūrya, Padmanarteśvara, and Hayagrīva, each consisting of nine [deities]. Having viewed it in that way, whichever one is desired as the lord, having drawn that maṇḍala, that is the maṇḍala of that very maṇḍala. The maṇḍalas of those [deities] should be drawn in the directions of the east and so forth. Alternatively, regarding the phrase "in twenty-five," when these maṇḍalas are desired as having two tiers, at that time, having drawn the two tiers of the maṇḍala, in the central tier of those two tiers, it is the central tier consisting of five [deities].
In the directions such as the east of that, the other heart-protrusions are each of a fivefold nature. Regarding the maṇḍala of twenty-five deities, it is taught that the two others are of the nature of the nine Heruka maṇḍalas, and the Nairātmyā maṇḍala is also of a thirteenfold nature. Regarding these two condensed maṇḍalas, it is taught that the gatekeepers of the maṇḍala should be placed in the locations of those two maṇḍalas. "The gatekeepers," and so forth, refers to the well-known elephant and so on, which are the hand-symbols of Heruka mentioned above. "The space element" refers to the source of phenomena (dharmodaya); its "space" is space itself. Its nature is the state of supreme liberation. "A body pervaded by blood and semen" is merely an illustration. For others as well, it is the "element of defects" because the stains arise from it. Likewise, because the formless realm has not arisen, that too arises. If one abandons the arising of the three realms, "earth, the subterranean, and the atmosphere" refers to the locations taught here. "Just as for sentient beings agitated by the wind" is spoken according to worldly renown, not according to the renown of the treatises. "Extremely beautiful face," and so forth, and "perfectly endowed with lotus flowers" means perfectly endowed with lotuses and flowers; this speaks slightly of the secret empowerment.
"Red lotus" and so forth are the explanation of the wisdom-gnosis (prajñājñāna).
The Commentary on the Analysis of the Great King of Tantras, the Noble Ḍākinīvajrapañjara, composed by the great master Kṛṣṇapāda, is complete. It was translated, edited, and finalized by the Indian abbot Gayadhara and the Tibetan translator, the monk Śākya Yeshe.
In the language of India: Ḍākinīvajrajālapañjara-tantrarājasya-tattva-pauṣṭikā-pañjikā-nāma. In the language of Tibet: The Extensive Commentary on the Reality of the King of Tantras, the Ḍākinīvajrajāla. Homage to the Great Compassionate One, the Noble Avalokiteśvara.
Like a row of swans resting upon red lotuses in the waters of a surging, wave-filled lake, whose hands are made exceedingly beautiful by garlands of skulls, who dwells with sixteen arms like a dark, fresh rain cloud or a grove of slender creepers, and who performs the dance with a face and body endowed with fangs—to him I bow deeply.
To those who possess a pure intellect capable of realizing the source text of the sublime Dharma, which is profound, extremely difficult to fathom, and the locus of the ultimate jewel, I pay homage with devotion at the lotus feet of the sublime spiritual friend. In order to bring that reality to mind, I shall write this commentary that clarifies that very reality.
Regarding the phrase "space" and so forth: "space" refers to the nature of the lotus.
The source of phenomena of the four types of knowledge is a white, triangular mudrā, narrow at the base and wide at the top, marked internally by a crossed vajra and a lotus. That which is called "solid" is the earth maṇḍala; it is yellow, square, marked by a three-pronged vajra, and arises from the syllable laṃ. That which is called "clear" is the water maṇḍala; it is white and circular, marked by a vase, and arises from the syllable paṃ. That which is called "without space" is the wind maṇḍala; because it pervades and leaves no interval, it is smoke-colored and bow-shaped, marked by a victory banner, and arises from the syllable yaṃ. That which is called "luminous" is the fire maṇḍala; because its essence is the blazing light of unsurpassed wisdom, it is red, triangular, and marked by flames, arising from the syllable raṃ. That which is called "variegated" is the multicolored lotus situated beneath the four maṇḍalas. That which is called the "vajra foundation" is the crossed vajra that serves as the support for all supreme vajras. That which is called the "residence" is the tiered palace, produced from the syllable bhrūṃ and a wheel; it is formed from the melting of the four great elements through the stream of nectar emerging from the pores of Vairocana. That which is called the "realm of sentient beings" is that very place, because it is completely filled by the radiation of the assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Furthermore, that very place is also called "delightful," because it is constructed from exceedingly excellent and luminous jewels.
Alternatively, it is "delightful" because it is completely filled with objects such as form and so forth. By these [terms], it is taught that one should meditate on a multi-storied mansion resting upon a crossed vajra and a lotus situated within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya), or within the five celestial palaces. Some say that this indicates the maṇḍala circle of Nairātmyā according to the sequence of the tantra that follows.
"Space" refers to Nairātmyā, who perfectly gathers all the qualities of a Buddha. "Inert matter" refers to Pukkasī, whose nature is the earth element. "And" refers to Śavarī, whose nature is the water element. "No room" refers to Ḍombinī, whose nature is the wind element. "Clarity" refers to Caṇḍālī, whose nature is the fire element. "Diverse" refers to Vajrī, whose nature is form and the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna) resulting from the transformation of the ālaya-vijñāna, which appears as the body, enjoyments, and environment.
"The vajra foundation" refers to the support of the vajras, which is the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna) of all Buddhas and the nature of feeling, the internal Gaurī. "The dwelling" refers to the wisdom of individual discernment (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna), in which all conceptualizations—the antidotes to the perceived nature of form and so forth—have dissolved, and the nature of perception, the Ḍākinī Vārī. "The realm of sentient beings" refers to the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna) that tames the diverse realms of sentient beings to be trained.
The nature of formations is Vajraḍākinī. "The delightful" refers to the wisdom maṇḍala of all the Tathāgatas, which is attractive and summoning; the nature of faith and the sense base of form is Gaurī. "Sentient beings" refers to their engagement; the nature of diligence and the sense base of sound is Caurī. "The vessel" refers to that which is generated as a dwelling and binds; the nature of mindfulness and the sense base of odor is Vetālī. "The world" refers to looking at and delighting in various objects; the nature of absorption and the sense base of taste is Ghasmarī. Regarding "below the earth, upon the earth, and above the earth": "below the earth" is the nature of the sense base of tangibility, moving beneath the earth. "Upon the earth" is the nature of the aggregate of consciousness, which is further shown to be Nairātmyā herself. "Above the earth" is the nature of the sense base of phenomena, moving in the sky. "The enclosure" does not mean moving to the sides, but rather moving above and below. This teaches the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā. Furthermore, to continue the explanation of what was previously mentioned: "Sentient beings, the vessel, and the world" refers to the transformation of the state of the ālayavijñāna. In that context, "the vessel" is the aforementioned multi-storied mansion, which is the transformation of the appearance of the dwelling. "The world of sentient beings" refers to the permanent.
The appearance of the bodies and enjoyments of bodhisattvas and so forth is the nature of the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna), which is the transformation of the basis.
Regarding the phrase "below the earth, upon the earth, and above the earth": this refers to the goddess Śuṣkā (the Dry One), because she extracts the throats of those dwelling below, upon, and above the earth.
Regarding "the intermediate": this refers to the goddess Pāśā (the Noose), because she searches out the malevolent and binds them within.
Regarding "the mind": this refers to the goddess Pācanī (the Cook), because she searches out the malevolent and binds them with the perfect net of the pure mind of the world.
Regarding "the body": this refers to the goddess Aṅkuśā (the Hook), because she pierces the bodies of the malevolent and summons them.
Regarding "speech": this refers to the goddess Puṣpā (the Flower), because she is the essence of the scriptures that offer the casket of sublime flowers of the branches of awakening (bodhyaṅga).
Regarding "one": this refers to the goddess Dhūpā (the Incense), because she unifies all phenomena with the incense of the uncontaminated (anāsrava).
Regarding "two": this refers to the goddess Dīpā (the Lamp), because she dispels the cataracts of duality with the lamp of non-dual wisdom (advaya-jñāna) arising from the oil of compassion, thereby illuminating the qualities of a Buddha.
Regarding "space-bliss": this refers to the goddess Vilepanā (the Ointment), because she is the nature of delighting in and being renowned for the fragrance of the unsurpassed expanse (dhātu) that pervades the entirety of space.
These are the deities of the permanent maṇḍala. Regarding "six and five": this refers to Vajrasūrya (Vajra Sun), because he [overcomes] the six afflictions (kleśa) such as pride and so forth.
This is because they are the nature of equanimity, the antidote to the five obscurations. "Twelve" refers to Sūryahastā, because the light that gathers the twelve suns dispels the darkness of ignorance. "Four" refers to Dīpā, because the light of the wisdom of the four yogas clears away the cataracts of conceptual thought. "Of beings" refers to Ratnapradīpā, because she destroys the web of darkness for all beings. "Twenty minus one" refers to Vidyutdhāriṇī, because the light of non-dual wisdom clears away the two rivers of the eighteen elements and the grasping at a person, which are the nineteen types of conceptualization. "The three realms without exception" refers to Lāsyā, because she demonstrates the transcendence of all three realms without exception. "Father" refers to Mālā, because she liberates one from the bonds of the afflictions and so forth, and because she enjoys and holds the ultimate jewel. "Hole" refers to Gītā, because she causes one to enter the city of liberation and protects with the melody of the teaching of the unsurpassed Dharma. "Mother" refers to Nartakī, because by maintaining the mudrās of dance, she liberates one from the ocean of Māra. These are the deities of the Vajrasūrya maṇḍala. "External object" refers to the Blessed One Padmanarteśvara.
This is because its nature is the discriminating wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna) that perceives objects while being bound and constrained by conceptualizations such as the apprehended and so forth. "The Inner" refers to the Lotus-Handed One (Padmahasta); she is called "Inner" because she displays the nature of the lotus through the great desire of great compassion. "The Dharma of all the Queens" refers to the Source-of-Dharma-Handed One (Dharmodayahastā); she holds the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) in order to increase great bliss.
"All Actions" refers to the Chain-Handed One (Śṛṅkhalahastā); she performs the action of binding all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with love. "Nairātmyā" refers to the Embracing One (Āliṅganī); she displays the embrace of the self in order to demonstrate that all phenomena are selfless and to bind the Buddhas with passion. "The Result" refers to the Flute-Player (Veṇuvādinī); she demonstrates the piercing of phenomena as emptiness by playing the flute with its holes. "The Cause" refers to the Lute-Player (Vīṇāvādinī); she demonstrates that desire and so forth are to be cleared away and abandoned through the sounds of arising, ceasing, and so on.
"Renowned as the Action" refers to the Drum-Player (Mṛdaṅgavādinī); she demonstrates the action of selfless awakening by the manner of striking one side of the drum. "The Vajra-Holder who accomplishes the object of accomplishment" refers to the Great Drum-Player (Mahāḍamaruvādinī); she displays the three bodies together with their causes by placing [the drum] at the throat and striking it with both hands.
These are the deities of the maṇḍala of Padmanarteśvara. Regarding the phrase "thus the ālayavijñāna transforms": the Blessed One is Hayagrīva, the nature of the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra-skandha). This is because, like the ālayavijñāna, he emanates various bodies through the wisdom of accomplishment (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna) and thereby destroys conceptual construction (vikalpa).
Regarding "the dharmadhātu": this is Vajrārgalā. Because she guards the omniscient wisdom (sarvajñā-jñāna) through the uncontaminated expanse (anāsrava-dhātu), she is so named.
Regarding "unborn": this is Vajrārgaḍā. Because she holds the wisdom and closes its door, she prevents the entry of conceptualizations such as the afflictions (kleśa).
Regarding "the realm of sentient beings": this is Vajradvārapālī. Because she does not abandon the arising of wisdom in the realm of sentient beings and leaves no opening for faults, she is without beginning or end.
Regarding "the realm of space": this is Vajravyūhā. Because she holds a curtain that pervades the expanse of space in order to thoroughly protect her own consort of light, she is so named.
Regarding "selfless": this is Buddhalocanā. Because all Buddhas are the nature of sentient beings and are the phenomena of mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna), she is so named.
Regarding "the convention of self": this is Māmakī. When the two are analyzed, non-duality is the convention; since she possesses that, she is "possessing the convention of self," as she is the phenomenon of that non-duality.
Regarding "free from entities": this is Pāṇḍaravāsinī.
This is because the entities of duality, when analyzed as emptiness, are the dharmatā (reality) free from conceptual construction. That which is called "non-entity" is Tārā, because she is the dharmatā free from the entities of obscuration, traveling through all world-realms without exception to teach the Dharma through various emanations of the Buddha. These are the deities of the Hayagrīva maṇḍala.
That which is called "Sukhāvatī" (The Blissful) is Gaurī, because she is the wisdom maṇḍala whose nature is great bliss, and she protects and summons it through faith. That which is called "the triangle" is Caurī; some say she displays a form that overwhelms the three realms. The corners of the wisdom maṇḍala are fixed as two; if they were fixed as one, it would be for the sake of grasping that as a habituated state. Alternatively, it is for the sake of inserting the body and so forth of diligence into the body and so forth.
That which is called "dustless" is Vetālī, whose nature is mindfulness. "Dust" refers to the conceptualization of samaya and wisdom; she unifies these two by drawing them in with the hook of emptiness. That which is called "faultless" is Ghasmarī, because she brings down [realization] with the sound of the vajra and bell, and through the nature of meditative absorption (samādhi), she eliminates all faults of distraction. That which is called "free from dust" is Pukkasī, because through the perfection of generosity and compassion, she eliminates the faults of stinginess and hatred.
The first bhūmi is the Joyous (pramuditā), and its nature is the earth element. "Destroyer of Evil" (pāpahāriṇī) refers to the bhūmi Vimalā; because through discipline and loving-kindness she destroys the evil of immoral conduct and lack of compassion, she is the nature of the water element. "Free of Frowns" (vikaṭadaṃṣṭriṇī) refers to Caṇḍālī; because through joy and patience she clears away the frowns of delusion, despondency, and anger, she is the nature of the fire element. "Absorbed in Meditative Equipoise" (samāhitā) refers to Ḍombinī; because through the perfection of equanimity and diligence she destroys laziness and distraction, she is the nature of the radiating light bhūmi (arciṣmatī) and the unconditioned (anabhisaṃskāra).
"Knowing the Supreme Inner Bliss" refers to the glorious Heruka. The "inner" consists of mundane and supramundane phenomena, and their "bliss" is that which is utterly peaceful, unchanging, and mastered. "Supreme" means beautiful and charming; because he possesses the disposition of knowing this, he is "Knowing the Supreme Inner Bliss." These are the deities of the glorious Heruka maṇḍala.
To further demonstrate those very five cakravartins, the text says "Secret" (guhya) and so forth. "Secret" means secluded; it is the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu. It is "secret" because it arises from the emptiness of these very diverse appearances, or because it is secret due to having cast off and abandoned the conceptualizations of afflictions such as desire; it is because they abide in that.
In that very state is Heruka; his abode is also called by that name. "Supreme" refers to the discerning wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna), which is determined, delimited, and ascertained by the pure mundane wisdom (śuddha-laukika-jñāna); that itself is Padmanarteśvara, and his abode is also called by that name. "Delight" refers to the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna) of all buddhas; because it sports in and realizes equality, that itself is Vajrasūrya, and his abode is also called by that name. "The nature of all" refers to the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna), because it is the nature of the emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) of all buddhas. That itself is Vajravāgīśvara, and his abode is also called by that name. All of these should be translated with the locative case ending, yet they should be understood as having the nominative case ending. "Always abiding" means abiding immovably through the three bodies: the dharmakāya is permanent by its very nature; the saṃbhogakāya is permanent because it abides without decline; the nirmāṇakāya is permanent because its continuity is uninterrupted. "The actual buddha" refers to the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna), because it is the nature of the bodies, enjoyments, and abodes of all buddhas. That itself is permanent, and his abode is also called by that name. "Great Being" (mahāsattva) refers to Vajrasattva, by way of the nature of the objects of knowledge. "This" (idam) refers to this very [state].
It is "always present" because it is currently occurring. "Self-arisen" means that, in the ultimate sense, causes and so forth do not exist. Regarding "the Blessed One" (bhagavān), bhaga refers to the six qualities, such as sovereignty and so forth; because he possesses these, he is the "Blessed One." As it is said: "Sovereignty, beautiful form, glory, fame, wisdom, and the perfection of diligence—these six are explained as the 'Bhagas'." "Sole" means non-dual, in the manner of the dharmakāya. "Supreme deity" means a deity who has become supreme, in the manner of the saṃbhogakāya and nirmāṇakāya. The "Five Hundred Thousand Hevajra" refers to the extensive tantra previously explained. The "five maṇḍalas" refers to the five maṇḍalas of the condensed tantra of the Five Hundred Thousand, which are presented as the primary [deities] in the Ḍākinīvajrāvalī. For that very reason, the phrase "Thus have I heard" and so forth is not mentioned in this [text], as it relies upon the extensive tantra.
"At the heart, the left hand is held in the threatening gesture, blazing intensely with various colors"—this means it possesses colors such as white and so forth, and those colors will be shown in the condensed maṇḍala. Regarding "extreme delusion," delusion is the ālayavijñāna together with its habitual tendencies; because it is thoroughly suppressed, it is "extreme." This is the mirror-like wisdom, the nature of the uncontaminated expanse, which is the characteristic of Mind-Only.
That very delusion is "great" because it suppresses [other afflictions]. Regarding the phrase "extremely majestic," "majesty" refers to the six afflictions, such as pride and so forth. Because these are suppressed by the wisdom of the equality of all buddhas, it is "extremely majestic," and for that very reason, it is "great majesty." Regarding the phrase "extremely desirous, great desire," "desire" is attachment to objects. Because that is suppressed by the wisdom of individual discernment, it is "extremely" [desirous], and for that very reason, it is also "great desire." Regarding the phrase "great envy, the obscuration," because of the realization of one's own essential nature, and because one remains in saṃsāra through the emanations of body, speech, and mind until the end of cyclic existence, thereby attaining non-abiding nirvāṇa, it is said: "great envy, great obscuration." This is the wisdom of all-accomplishing action. Regarding the phrase "removing the cataracts of conceptualization," this refers to the cataracts of the view of a self. Regarding the phrase "completely abandoning other vehicles," this is for the sake of turning back from the nirvāṇa of the hearers and so forth. Regarding the phrase "arisen from the wisdom of Akṣobhya," because it is unmoved by the conceptualizations of the afflictions, the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu is the "wisdom of Akṣobhya." "Arisen" means born from that. Regarding the phrase "for the sake of seeking the inexhaustible welfare of living beings," "beings" refers to the buddhas, and "inexhaustible" means without decrease. If one asks what belongs to them:
Because one relies upon and honors that which is invited as a guest, the "guest" is the wisdom of the ultimate, and because one protects that, the "inviter" is wisdom and great compassion. That itself is the "meaning," up to the point of being called the "purpose." "The five obscurations are destroyed" means that the five—the conceptualization of objects and sentient beings, the conceptualization of self, the conceptualization of formations, and the five functioning consciousnesses—are destroyed. Among those, the destruction of the conceptualization of objects and sentient beings is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). The destruction of the view of self is the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna). The destruction of the conceptualization of subject and object is the wisdom of individual discernment (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna). Formations are the very distraction of sentient beings; their destruction is the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). The destruction of the five functioning consciousnesses is the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu; "destruction" here refers to that which has become [so] through the act of overcoming.
Regarding the phrase "Whichever faculties, from whichever path," it means whichever objects of the faculties are found, which is to say, the meaning of "to be directly perceived." Regarding the phrase "By the yoga of supreme benefit," "supreme" means by way of the nature of the superknowledges (abhijñā) of all Buddhas. "Benefit" means by way of engaging spontaneously (anābhoga). "Yoga" means by way of the nature of wisdom and method. If one should wonder whether this is merely the nature of delusion appearing as subject and object, [the text says]: "The nature of all Buddhas engages."
Thus it is said: the meaning is that whatever is experienced by the wisdom of all Buddhas, which is empty of duality, is experienced as being entirely without error because it is thoroughly non-false. "By whatever entity" means "by whichever family." This refers to the fivefold distinctions of the families of sentient beings: desire, hatred, delusion, pride, and envy. Therefore, "its nature proceeds" means that by means of that, it becomes the five families of awakening. "The jewel of various forms" refers to a crystal gem, because it is capable of being transformed by the colors of flowers and the like. "Arisen from the Vajra Mind" means it is born from vajra-like wisdom. "One's own conceptualization" refers to views such as the grasping at a self, because of the imputation of duality. "Purified" means being free from adventitious stains. "The pure mind is bliss" means that by abandoning the three stains, it becomes the uncontaminated great bliss.
Anticipating the thought, "How can elaborations such as colors and signs become a means for liberation?" it says, "If emptiness is the method," and so forth. If one asserts that a path consisting of emptiness alone, devoid of method, is sufficient, then even in ten million eons, one will not become a Buddha.
One will attain the states of non-leisure through the very result of the peaceful absorptions, such as the sphere of infinite space and so forth. This is not even accepted in the system of the perfections (pāramitā), for it is said: "One should cultivate the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā) endowed with the means of the other five perfections; it is not by wisdom alone, divorced from means," and so on.
If one thinks, "That very emptiness is the means during the stage of the path, and it is the result during the stage of maturation," the text states: "Because of the cause," and so forth. The meaning is that since there is no distinction between the emptiness of the path and the emptiness of maturation at that time, emptiness would not be the means, just as the result is not. The cause is of the nature of conceptual elaboration (prapañca) because it is with apprehension (sālambana); the result is of the nature of non-elaboration because it is without apprehension. Therefore, cause and result are established as distinct. Consequently, it is established that the means is not emptiness alone.
If one then wonders, "Why was emptiness taught?" it is because it is shown to be a branch of the means for the purpose of reversing misconceptions. The phrase "those who have turned away from views" refers to those who have turned away from and are discordant with views such as the selflessness of phenomena (dharmanairātmya). The phrase "by those who seek the view of a self" refers to those who seek the view of a self—that is, those who are intensely attached to the grasping at a self. The meaning is that the Victorious One taught emptiness in order to reverse the view of grasping at a self in those individuals.
If it is asked: "If it is taught in the system of the Perfections (pāramitānaya) that awakening is achieved through the practice of the five perfections embraced by the method of the perfection of insight (prajñāpāramitā) over three incalculable eons (asaṃkhyeya-kalpa), and through various virtuous conducts such as the giving of one's head, then what is the purpose of methods such as the maṇḍala-cakra?"
To this, it is said: "The maṇḍala-cakra is the method, the vow of bliss." Regarding this, "therefore" means that those very five perfections, together with their retinues, are the method when condensed into the maṇḍala-cakra of the deities. "Method of bliss" means it is not a practice of hardships. "Vow" means it is taught as bliss itself; it involves engaging in all desired enjoyments and possessing the experience of the bliss of the two organs. "Buddha-pride" means being free from ordinary pride. "Swiftly" means in this very life.
If it is asked: "Should the Buddha-bodies, the dharmakāyas, be meditated upon in the manner of non-existence?" it is said: "The thirty-two," and so forth. This teaches that the method abides as the nature of the three absorptions (samādhi) which have the form of the three bodies (kāya). Regarding "the supreme of all aspects" and so forth: "the supreme of all aspects" is the sublime, the nature of emptiness (śūnyatā). "Vast" is the nature of great method. Because it causes sentient beings to enter the five cakravartins, it is "the entry of sentient beings."
This is the first chapter, which clarifies that. From the Illumination of Suchness: A Commentary on the Difficult Points of the Ḍākinī Vajra Net, this is the explanation of the first chapter.
Regarding the phrase "Then" (atha): it refers to the period immediately following the first chapter. "Attaining the three worlds" refers to the three bhūmis. In this context, the intended meaning is that it possesses a three-storied palace. "Offerings of the samaya" means that one must not transgress the substances of the offerings distinguished by the respective wheels of the universal monarchs.
"The self, the seed of Samantabhadra" means it is generated from the seed syllable HŪṂ. "Counting itself" means engaging in the act of slaying with the threatening gesture (tarjanī); the meaning is the threatening gesture of the left hand.
"Joining the mudrā with the two" means: having formed the vajra-bind, interlace the two ring fingers, press the two thumbnails against the nails of the two middle fingers, and curl the two index fingers slightly inward. Having formed this in the manner of a jewel, place it at the heart.
Regarding "the yakṣiṇī and the nāginī": by accomplishing the yakṣiṇī, one should summon her with the light rays of the syllable KṢAṂ onto a golden pedestal and so forth, and cause her to enter. One should meditate on the yellow-colored yakṣiṇī holding a white parasol, pressing down on the head of Yama Antaka—who is like the fire at the end of an eon—and marked at the heart with KṢAṂ. For the nāginī, it is with the syllable NI.
"Abiding in the samādhi of Great Power," and so forth.
Regarding the "eight-petaled lotus," for the purpose of the fierce accomplishment described below, one should draw the maṇḍala of the nāgas in the sequence of wind, fire, water, and so forth. On the eight petals of the lotus, the colors of the petals should be drawn according to the colors of the eight nāgas of the directions. Regarding the "eight nāgas" and so forth: in the east is black Ananta; in the south is white Vāsuki; in the west is red Takṣaka; in the north is blue Karkoṭaka; in the southeast and southwest are pale-yellow Padma and Mahāpadma; in the northwest is yellow Śaṅkhapāla; and in the northeast, one should visualize the multicolored Kulika.
"Making the vajra-garuḍa the seat" means that the left leg of the garuḍa, born from the syllable Gaṃ, is extended and tramples the tails of those [nāgas]. Blazing like the fire at the end of an eon, one sits upon that seat through the yoga of Mahābala. The "lords of the nāgas" refers to Ananta and the others. One should visualize them in one's hands and recite the mantra of the syllable Phaṃ interspersed with Hūṃs. This means that at the end of the garland mantra, one recites "Hūṃ Phaṃ Hūṃ Phaṭ."
"Vividly meditate" means to meditate that the nāgas, who have been bewildered by the light of the wrathful deity in the expanse of the sky, cause a mass of water to fall. Rain will certainly fall. "The reality of the Buddha should be distinguished" refers to the suchness of the path that is the cause of buddhahood. The remainder is easy to understand.
Other specific points of meaning should be understood from the oral instructions of the Guru. "Pure abodes" refers to the abodes of the first noble ones and so forth. "Vajra chain" and so forth teach the summoning and binding of actions for the sake of wrathful accomplishment. "The four ḍākinīs" refers to Gaurī and the others. They teach this: if one is not even looked upon by the [deity] despite being attached to meditation and recitation, then at that time, one should offer all offerings for about six months and pray to remain [in the state]. Then, for another six months, one should perform the summoning with a hook at the heart and so forth, and in the subsequent month, it is taught that one should strike with the wrathful kīla. "The Buddha dancer" refers to the dance performed by the Buddhas. If one asks, "Since [this] is taught to be similar to singing, music, and idle chatter, will one not fall into the lower realms due to sin itself?" it is said: "By the vajra of the Buddha dancer, the awakening of those with desire is accomplished," and so forth. "The vajra of the Buddha dance" refers to the mudrās, the ritual actions, and so forth. "Those with desire" refers to those attached to objects, possessing attachment to the objects of desire. "Accomplishing awakening" refers to buddhahood itself. By means of the hands, feet, gazes, and mudrās, one accumulates merit, wisdom, and so forth; it is just as a small lump of iron and so forth sinks in water, but if that very same thing is made into a vessel, it will float on top even if it is large.
Likewise, because the Vajra Dance and so forth possess conditioned hands, feet, and faces, they should be depicted with one face, two arms, and two legs. Regarding the term "Vajra-holder," he who possesses the vajra is Vajradhara, that is, Hevajra. In that regard, the collection of the skull-cups in the right hands is the vajra. The collection of the skull-cups in the left hands is the skull-cup and the khaṭvāṅga. Similarly, as for the teachings: for Śaśvata, the wheel is in the right; for Āditya, the jewel is in the right; for Padmanarteśvara, the lotus is in the right; and for Hayagrīva, the sword is in the right. In the left hands are the khaṭvāṅga and the skull-cup. The legs are positioned in the dance posture with one leg half-crossed. The maṇḍala deities, such as the mātṛs, should also be condensed in the same manner as the hands and so forth. The collection of Gaurī and the others is Māmakī. The collection of Śuṣkāmukhī and the others is Buddhalocanā. The collection of Padmahastā and the others is Pāṇḍaravāsinī. The collection of Sūryahastā, Kācāpī, and the others is Tārā. The collection of the wrathful deities and the gatekeepers is the wrathful deity Acala. Some say it is the collection of the wrathful maṇḍala. Regarding the phrase "by the excellent application of the flower-clenched hands," one should generate a white vajra from the syllable HŪṂ upon a moon maṇḍala arising from the syllable A in both hands, and visualize the fingers also in the manner of a vajra.
Joining the palms with flowers at the crown of the head is the "flower-clasp." Then, having prostrated to the Tathāgatas, the act of offering oneself is the "application." Then, one should make aspirations as they appear below. "Non-perception" refers to the sphere of infinite space and so forth.
Regarding the syllable HŪṂ: it consists of body, speech, and mind. The body is Ha; speech is U; and mind is M. "Akṣobhya" (the Unshakable) means not being moved by dualistic conceptualization. "Vanquisher of my power" means that because duality is absent, there is only appearance. OṂ signifies the mind that is empty of objective referents, the very nature of mind-only. "Brahmā" refers to non-abiding nirvāṇa. "Vairocana" (the Illuminator) is so called because he shines with the blazing fire of primordial wisdom (jñāna). ĀḤ is like space.
Regarding "Lord of Dance" and so forth: "dance" is playful manifestation. "Lord" is the master of that, who discerns all phenomena and enjoys various types of disciples. TRĀṂ signifies the passion of experiencing the suchness (tathatā) of all Buddhas; the "ta" is the suchness of all Buddhas, the "ra" is the equality of that experience, and the "ma" is the mind. "Single umbrella" means equal obstruction. "Dispelling heat" means dispelling the torment of the afflictions (kleśa).
That which is called "the form of the wheel" is the wisdom like the sun. That which is called "Khaṃ" is the emanated mind equal to space; it is Khaṃ. That which is called "the swift vajra" is one who travels swiftly by means of the Dharma, manifesting various emanations in this and that place. That which is called "the wine of compassion" is the nature of the single taste that arises once the conceptualization of duality has been melted away. That which is called "Māmakī" is the activity that destroys the illusion of duality; Māmakī is Akṣobhya. That which is called "peace" is mind-only, because the conceptualizations of the apprehended object and so forth have been pacified. That which is called "attachment" is the state of definitively experiencing the wisdom of emptiness through duality. That which is called "Great Empress" is the nature that sustains emanations throughout the various world systems. That which is called "squinting" is looking upward and downward, looking toward both saṃsāra and peace.
Regarding that, the instruction on one side is as follows: having constructed a three-storied house, dancers are to be stationed in the lower story. In the middle story, the requisites such as food and drink are to be placed. In the upper story, the maṇḍala wheel is to be placed; then, according to the sequence mentioned in the Sādhana of the Condensed Maṇḍala, the three absorptions are to be performed. Together with the four disciples and the four yoginīs, one should assume the role of the respective Universal Monarchs of the wheels.
In the absence of a yoginī, the men should assume the forms of the women, and all the wrathful deities and gatekeepers, together with the immovable ones, should be gathered to destroy all the Māras. As for that gathering: the multi-storied pavilions are absorbed into the pavilions; the faces into the faces; the hands into the hands; the feet into the feet; the skulls of elephants and so forth into the artificial vajras; likewise, the peacock skulls and so forth into the wheels; the vessel skulls and so forth into the jewels; the bear skulls and so forth into the lotuses; and the earth-vessels and so forth into the swords. Likewise, the left-hand symbols are absorbed into the khaṭvāṅga and the skull-cup.
In that regard, first, having partitioned the area with a curtain, the ācārya alone should place a mirror in front of him. He should paint his own face, hands, and [body] with colors to match the hue of the jewel and so forth, corresponding to the faces, hands, artificial vajras, khaṭvāṅgas, and skull-cups of his respective deity. Adorned with artificial ornaments such as the sacrificial thread and so forth, he should visualize on the soles of his feet a single-pointed, three-pointed, and five-pointed vajra produced by the syllable HŪṂ, and a crossed vajra produced by the syllable A, respectively. He should then perform the vajra-gait as it appears below. Likewise, with the frown of a great wrathful deity and brows knit, he should place the syllable HŪṂ upon a moon arising from the syllable ṬA in the left eye and a sun arising from the syllable MA in the right eye.
With the blazing view and the pride of Heruka, one should utter "HŪṂ" and circumambulate with the vajra-step described below. First, the curtain is gradually removed. In order to clear away the obscurations of the bhūmis, such as the "Extremely Joyful" (Pramuditā), and to reveal them, the Vajra-holder is manifested by revealing [the deity] sequentially from the crown ornament, the forehead, the eyes, the cheeks, the throat, the shoulders, the arms, the heart, the navel, the waist, the thighs, and down to the feet.
Sitting in the half-lotus posture with the right leg pressed down, one remains in the equal sitting posture. As previously mentioned, one holds the flower-joined palms at the crown of the head and performs prostrations, saying, "Homage to all the Tathāgatas." Then, one offers oneself, saying, "I offer myself to all the Tathāgatas."
One then makes this aspiration: "As many sentient beings as are included within the categories of birth—from those born from eggs, born from heat and moisture, born miraculously, or born from a womb; whether they have form or are formless; whether they possess perception, lack perception, or are neither possessing nor lacking perception—all of them I shall establish in the state of Mahāmudrā."
One views the realms of sentient beings as being mixed with darkness. Then, with the mantra "OṂ KRODHA DṚṢṬI HĪ," the light rays from the pupils of the "HŪṂ" eyes blaze like the fire of destruction, reducing the three worlds to ashes. Remaining in the dance of the half-lotus posture, one again [visualizes] the great victory banner.
One should take up the sound of the bell and circumambulate with the play of the great dance. One should apply the four types of vajra steps derived from the oral instructions: with a single-pointed vajra arising from the hūṃ at the soles of the feet, one scrapes the ground while holding the vajra and bell at the waist, and recites: oṃ eka-sūcika-vajra-pāda-vajra-mahā-krodha bhañja bhañja sarva-duṣṭān asūrāṇa hūṃ phaṭ. Having said this, one circumambulates with the single-pointed vajra step. Then, likewise, one circumambulates with the three-pointed vajra step; the mantra is: oṃ tri-sūcika-vajra-pāda-vajra-mahā-krodha bhañja bhañja sarva-duṣṭān asūrāṇa hūṃ phaṭ. Following that, one circumambulates with the five-pointed vajra step; the mantra is: oṃ pañca-sūcika-vajra-pāda-vajra-mahā-krodha bhañja bhañja sarva-duṣṭān asūrāṇa hūṃ phaṭ. After that, one should visualize a crossed vajra (viśvavajra) arising from the final vowel, and having performed the circumambulation with the crossed vajra step, the mantra is: oṃ viśva-vajra-pāda-vajra-mahā-krodha bhañja bhañja sarva-duṣṭān asūrāṇa hūṃ phaṭ.
Furthermore, it is explained:
Visualizing oneself as the chosen deity,
Adorned with the ornaments of a god,
Having visualized all the ritual requisites,
One should perform the fire offering (homa) in the fire of the stomach.
The yogins situated in the directions
Of the east, west, north, and south,
And the goddesses situated in the intermediate directions,
Should be honored with the supreme offering of greatness.
Likewise, other yogins should also conceal their individual essences behind a curtain, assume their respective fabricated forms, and perform the dance while visualizing themselves dwelling upon Mount Meru. Regarding that, when examining the procedure:
At the eastern gate, one should assume a white color and hold a fabricated wheel, performing everything as before. Possessing the eye of OṂ, one should gaze with a loving look and, with a garland of cooling nectar light, contemplate establishing those who have fallen into the view of holding to non-existence in the non-abiding nirvāṇa of the Buddha’s delusion.
Similarly, at the western gate is Padmanarteśvara, red in color and holding a fabricated lotus, possessing the eye of HRĪḤ. Reciting "OṂ VAJRA-DṚŚYA-ROṬA-MAṬA," one should contemplate that through the light of the hook-like gaze resting on the left, those such as hearers who abide in awakening are led through passion to the awakening of desire.
Similarly, at the northern gate is Hayagrīva, green in color and holding a fabricated sword, possessing a green horse head. With a blazing gaze just as it is, one should contemplate that through the hook, those who have entered the path of the hearers are led onto the path of great awakening by various emanations such as bodhisattvas who have attained the bhūmis.
Similarly, at the southern gate is Vajrasūrya, yellow in color and possessing a fabricated jewel. Reciting "OṂ DĪPTA-DṚŚYA-AṄKUŚA JAḤ," and...
With the sun and moon striking the right eye and moving swiftly, one should visualize that the lotus-hook of the gaze clears away faults such as avarice and joins [the mind] to the wisdom of equality. As it is said: "In the east, west, north, and south, they are applied in succession." All of them wear artificial tiger-skin garments and artificial tawny-yellow hair, and possess the five-buddha skull-ornaments and three eyes. They dwell in the dancing posture of half-lotus on artificial variegated lotuses and suns; specifically, they have the seat of the eternal moon and are radiant.
Likewise, in the northeast, the white Locanā holds an artificial wheel and pacifies the harms of sentient beings with a loving gaze. Similarly, in the southeast, the blue Māmakī holds an artificial vajra and protects those threatened by the armies of others with a vajra gaze. Similarly, in the southwest, the red Pāṇḍaravāsinī holds an artificial lotus and inspires passion in beings with a passionate gaze. Similarly, in the northwest, the green Tārā holds an utpala and summons those to be trained with a blazing gaze.
These also, as before, have artificial tawny-yellow hair, artificial faces, and artificial garments. They dwell on artificial lotuses and suns in the posture of the left leg extended, their colors transformed by pigments, with the left hand at the heart in the threatening mudrā.
Likewise, one should visualize the wrathful Acalā, holding a sword, a threatening gesture, and a nāga-noose, standing with his left leg extended upon an artificial variegated lotus and a sun disk. Adorned with various ornaments such as jewels and wearing fine garments, he is surrounded on all sides by cakravartins and goddesses who revile him. Looking upward and downward, one should contemplate the equality of existence and peace.
All should perform the dance and sing the songs, possessing the vajra-step and so forth, along with the five lotus-circlings, through the ninety-eight modes of footwork in successive order.
"Emptiness, the supreme, the unclothed Lord,
In the nature of dreams and illusions,
Until it is fully realized,
One should meditate on the nature of the mind."
This is the song of Māmakī.
"That which is neither existence nor nirvāṇa
Is the Great Bliss Vajra.
For one whose mind has no meditation,
That is the accomplishment of activity."
This is the song of Locanā.
"Abandoning mantras and syllables,
The mind free from drops and sounds—
That is the supreme Great Bliss;
In this, there is nothing to be removed or added."
This is the song of Pāṇḍaravāsinī.
"Just as the nature of a reflected image,
So should one meditate on all things.
Emptiness, the supreme, the unclothed Lord—
From that, there is neither merit nor sin."
This is the song of Tārā.
"Just as the moon in water,
Neither true nor false,
So should the body be viewed
By the supreme maṇḍala-cakra."
Thus spoke the entire retinue.
"In the city of the dance of the dharmodaya..."
The phrase "in the source of phenomena" refers to the location of the colored powders. From the Illumination of Reality: A Commentary on the Difficult Points of the Vajra Net of Ḍākinīs, this is the explanation of the second chapter.
Regarding the phrase "abiding in the absorption of the Vajra Net," this means abiding in the absorption of Hevajra. Regarding the phrase "one should offer the torma to the great bhūtas," this refers to the practice of offering a torma together with the ritual services in order to satisfy the great bhūtas.
As it is said:
Adorned with all the ornaments of the limbs,
Made beautiful by the vajra ornaments,
Holding the vajra and bell,
One should offer the torma at the crossroads.
Flowers, incense, lamps,
And the conch for fragrance and so forth should be placed to the right.
To the left, the vessel for the mantra offering water,
And another vessel should be placed in front.
First, according to the ritual for rinsing the mouth,
One should offer the flowers and so forth in sequence.
Having performed the flower offering and so forth,
One should offer them in an excellent vessel.
Moving in the manner of flowers,
Moving in the manner of incense,
The manner of raising a lamp,
And the manner of applying fragrance.
With playful hands, the graceful gesture,
The manner of a garland, the Ḍākinī Garland-Maiden,
Singing the song with the syllable HŪṂ,
And performing the dance by bending the knees.
These are the unsurpassed offerings
That bring delight to the Buddhas.
Regarding the phrase "abiding in the center of the space element," this means having entered within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya). Regarding the term "lotus," it refers to a red eight-petaled lotus.
Regarding the phrase "that which is to be meditated upon," it refers to the period following the meditation on emptiness. Regarding the phrase "from HŪṂ," it means from the syllables HŪṂ; on the petals of the cardinal and intermediate directions, Śakra and the others are to be visualized as blue in color. Likewise, Brahmā and the others above are from the syllable OṂ and are to be white in color. The nāgas and others below are from the syllable ĀḤ and are to be red in color. All of them hold a vajra and bell and are embraced by their respective consorts. Regarding the phrase "with the right leg extended upon the seat," it refers to the variegated lotus and sun disk. Regarding the phrase "Brahmā and the others are Vairocana," this refers to Vairocana. Regarding the phrase "Indra and the others are Vajra," this refers to Akṣobhya. Regarding the phrase "Karkoṭaka and the others are Nṛtyeśvara," this refers to Amitābha. Regarding the phrase "all are born from the three families," this means they arise from the three syllables whose natures are delusion, hatred, and desire. Regarding the phrase "Gaurī shall summon," this means that from the generation of the samaya-cakra, the wisdom-cakra is summoned by the hook of Gaurī. The phrases "having inserted [them] with Caurī’s noose" and so forth are easy to understand. Then, from the arghya and pādya offerings, one should satisfy [them] with this mantra. Regarding the phrase "the arghya and pādya," these are merely illustrative; having performed the offerings and praises, one should purify with the three syllables beginning with OṂ.
Having transformed [the substances] into nectar through boiling and so forth, one should satisfy [the deities]. For pacifying and other [activities], one should offer [the nectar] into a mouth slightly opened and adorned with a white vajra and so forth. For killing and other [activities], it is into an open mouth adorned with a wrathful vajra. The remainder is easy to understand.
Then, regarding the various words of the source text beginning with "Then," the names of the vajras appear to be scrambled; therefore, they shall be arranged and explained here in their proper order. In that regard:
Vajra Laughter, Vajra Play, Vajra Pride, and Vajra A-la-la belong to the family of Hatred. Vajra Wisdom, Vajra Descent, and Vajra Perfection belong to the family of Delusion. Vajra Sprout, Vajra Lotus, Vajra Lotus Sprout, Vajra All-Seeing, and Vajra Desire belong to the family of Desire. Vajra Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, Vajra Limbless, Vajra Supreme Joy, Vajra Joy of Bliss, and Vajra Joy belong to the Jewel family. Vajra Insight, Vajra
Insight Sprout, Vajra Compassion Sprout, and Vajra Space belong to the Samaya family. Now, the ḍākinīs shall be described: Vajra Essence, Vajra Weapon, Vajra Emaho Bliss, Vajra Nairātmyā, and Vajra Hand belong to the family of Hatred. Vajra Locanā and...
Vajraḍākinī, Vajrapāṇḍarā, and Vajramāyā belong to the family of delusion. Vajrajvālā, Vajralatā, Vajrāveśā, Vajravetālī, Vajrāṅkuśī, and Vajramālā belong to the jewel family. Vajramālā, Vajralāsyā, Vajrahāsā, Vajrāliṅganā, Vajrapuṣpā, Vajrapadma, and Vajrarāgā belong to the family of desire. Vajrasambhavā, Vajrahāsā, Vajratārā, Vajravilāsinī, Vajramati, Vajraṅkuśī, Vajrasūcī, and Vajrāśvāsinī belong to the samaya family.
Regarding the terms "desire" and so forth: desire is great compassion; hatred is the inexhaustible non-duality; delusion is the non-cognition of duality. "Universal samaya" refers to universal emanation. "Sattva" refers to the three entities becoming one, which is the utterly pure expanse. "Jewel" refers to the excellence of the equality of all buddhas. These constitute the six families. The five families and the one [central family] are the five families of the other bodhisattvas. "Desire" refers to the mind endowed with desire, hatred, and delusion.
This is the explanation of the third chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness of the Ḍākinīvajrāvalī. Regarding the passage, "The Vajra Essence, the Manifest Awakening, the King of Examinations, the very first," and so forth, it is easy to understand. Regarding the phrase, "Regarding the mudrās of the body’s hands," the term "body" refers to the activities of the body. "Mudrā" means that which is not to be transgressed; it refers to the formation of the vajra, wheel, and so forth, with the fingers of the hands purified by the syllable hūṃ. Likewise, the mudrās of moving the feet, the gaze, and so forth should also be understood. "Mudrā of speech" refers to the activities of speech; it is the recitation of the mantras of the wrathful deities and so forth, marked by the white vajra born from hūṃ. "The mudrā of the mind is the sign," and so forth: the mudrā of the mind’s accomplishment consists of the signs such as the dry skull and so forth, corresponding to the visualized forms. According to some scriptural traditions, it is stated that "the sign of the drawing is the mudrā"; the "drawing" is the colored powder maṇḍala, and the "mudrā" refers to the signs to be drawn there, made of gold and so forth. "That very thing is in the maṇḍala of concentration" refers to the signs of the deities of concentration, which are the signs of the mind. These are the actual items mentioned, such as the dry skull and so forth. Therefore, following the maṇḍala drawings of Pukkasī and the others, one should understand that the lion and so forth are to be drawn. "In the right hand is a noose" is easy to understand.
Regarding the phrase "the one who wanders everywhere in space" (khams kyi kun tu rgyu): "space everywhere" (khams kyi kun) is the wisdom of insight (prajñā-jñāna). "The tantra of the ḍākinīs" (ḍākinī-tantra) refers to the causal tantra (hetu-tantra), the resultant tantra (phala-tantra), and the method tantra (upāya-tantra). In that regard, it is the "cause" because it is beneficial and proceeds as the essence of the result; it is the nature of the expanse (dhātu) of all phenomena, which is without beginning or end. Therefore, it is the "result" because there is no gathering of the result by means of a cause, as the essence of the conceptualizations to be gathered does not exist. "The tantra of methods" refers to the mantras, mudrās, maṇḍalas, cakras, and so forth. "The guru of all tantras" refers to the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra (anuttarayoga-tantra), because it is the guru of the Action (kriyā) and Performance (caryā) tantras and so on. "Vast and difficult to fathom" means that the "vast" is the method tantra, and the "difficult to fathom" is the resultant tantra. Furthermore, this is because the wisdom of the five families of the Buddhas is not the domain of others. Thus, it is said: "It is not known by other families." The remainder is easy to understand and has not been explained. "Abiding in the joy of supreme meditative concentration" means that, according to the oral instructions, after performing the construction of the maṇḍala with various offering materials and so forth, the master first enters the maṇḍala himself along with the assembly of disciples entering the maṇḍala, and then receives the empowerments, culminating in the wheel of the lord of the maṇḍala, such as the water empowerment and so on.
At the conclusion of the proclamation of the blessing of truth and so forth, the disciple is covered with a cloth veil and upper garment recited over by the Vighnāntaka mantra. Then, one abides in the absorption (samādhi) in which the entire body of subtle particles is filled by the light rays of the letter A at the heart of Heruka, the nature of supreme joy.
Regarding what is called the "empowerment of knowledge" (vidyā-abhiṣeka), it is the reversal of ignorance; because it washes away that very ignorance, it is an "empowerment" (abhiṣeka). In this regard, there are six types of empowerments that wash away, respectively: the obscuration of suchness (tattva), the object, sentient beings, the self, conceptualization (kalpa), and the formations (saṃskāra), as well as the engaging consciousness (pravṛtti-vijñāna).
Furthermore, from this very source:
"The water empowerment is the first;
The crown empowerment is the second;
The vajra empowerment is the third;
The lord of oneself is the fourth;
The name empowerment is the fifth;
Buddhahood itself is the sixth;
The vase empowerment is the seventh;
The secret empowerment is the eighth;
The wisdom-gnosis (prajñājñāna) is the ninth."
Thus it is said. The [last] three will be explained below. If one asks, "If the empowerment of the perfect Buddha is conferred first, why is it established as the sixth?"—although it is first in the sequence, it is established as the sixth in relation to the purification of the five gnoses, such as the mirror-like gnosis (ādarśa-jñāna), because it is the purification of the objects of knowledge.
In that regard, after entering the maṇḍala, one casts a flower garland into the maṇḍala with the mantra pratīccha vajra hoḥ. Whichever deity's symbol the flower falls near, one should [use] the mantra of that [deity] and...
With the mantra pratigṛhṇa samayaṃ me sattva mahābala, one binds a garland of flowers upon the head of the disciple. This is for the purpose of pledging to attain the state of a Buddha; it is the empowerment of the Perfect Buddha, the empowerment of the flower garland. It is the nature of the utterly pure dharmatā, which is without beginning or end.
Regarding the passage: "With the water of the self-aware person, together with the eight vases from all sides," the "water of the self-aware person" refers to the vase of victory (vijaya-kalaśa), which is filled with the water of bodhicitta born from the meditative equipoise of the Lord of the Wheel together with the consort. Alternatively, one should correctly prepare the eight vases arising from the offering of meditative equipoise. Together with these, the meaning should be understood as one. "From all sides" means situated in the eight directions; it is marked by the symbols of the eight goddesses residing in the four gates and the intermediate points, and the interior is also filled by them. The tenth is marked by the symbol of the Enemy of Obstacles (Vighnāntaka); for it is said that one should not have fewer than ten vases. "To please" means to wash. If one asks "of whom?", it says "visualizing the Vajra-holder," which refers to the disciple visualized as Heruka.
"Visualizing him as Vajrasattva" means visualizing him as the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna) resulting from the transformation of the ālaya-vijñāna. Alternatively, "Vajrasattva" refers to the Tathāgatas. "Visualizing" means that they are placed upon and marked by the crown. "One should visualize the Vajra Sun" [is the next line].
The term "student" refers to the disciple. Through empowerment, that [vajra] becomes the crown ornament. Regarding the phrase "apply the vajra words," for both of those empowerments, one should recite vajra-abhiṣiñca. As for the "nine-pointed" [vajra], it is actually five-pointed. If one wonders how it is applied: the four points on the lower side are the nature of the gatekeepers. The four points on the upper side are the nature of the four goddesses of the intermediate directions. The two central points, upper and lower, are the nature of the lord of the maṇḍala and his consort.
Accordingly, the master Ānandagarbha states in his commentary on the Buddhasamayoga: "The four points on the sides are the purity of the goddesses such as Prabhāvatī. The other four are those of the [goddesses] such as Tvaritā." The central [point] is the nature of Vajrasattva; since there is no division in the center, the five also become nine in number. As it is said in the Vajracatuṣpīṭha: "The center of all is Vairocana." Thus, the central [point] is the essence of Vairocana, and it should be understood that the essences of both the upper and lower [points] are likewise so. The "great vajra" is the nature of Padmanarteśvara, the wisdom of discernment (pratyavekṣaṇājñāna). The phrase "at the heart" is a remainder to be grasped. "The student should be made the witness of the world" means the student should be visualized in the form of Padmanarteśvara.
"Today you are empowered" refers to the perfectly awakened buddhas. "This is the nature of all buddhas" means that it generates all awakening. "The disciple as the goddess Hayagrīva" refers to Vajra Hayagrīva. "One should visualize being embraced by Tārā" means entering into union with Tārā. "The Lord of Vajras" refers to the Lord of Vajras, for the sake of taming those to be tamed through the wisdom of all-accomplishing action. "With hands ringing the vajra and bell" means that, possessing the vajra and bell, one embraces Tārā and then rings the bell. "Having made the disciple Vairocana" means generating them in the form of the Eternal One. "The empowerment of the name" means placing the hand on the crown of the disciple's head and conferring a name; it is the nature of the utterly pure expanse of reality (dharmadhātu).
The summary of these six empowerments is taught in the passage beginning with "Whatever and whatever." "Whatever appears" refers to appearances such as water and so forth. "The self of all" means that very essence of all things. "Lord" means the master. "Heruka" is an illustration; one should view him as the respective sovereign of his own mandala. "Whatever" has the meaning of "for which reason." "Pure by nature" refers to the cleansing, which are the empowerments. "Stainless" is because they are pure by nature.
That which is called "Dharma" is the Dharma of the Buddhas. If one asks what that is, it is stated as "the wisdom of the Buddha," which consists of the five wisdoms and the expanse of the utterly pure dharmatā, making six. If one asks whether it is limited to those, it is not; it should also be understood in terms of the ascetic observances and the prophecy. Regarding the statement "this very [teaching]," and so forth: sarvatathāgatasiddhivajra refers to perfectly complete awakening (samyaksaṃbodhi). Samayatiṣṭha means that because one has attained the all-pervading wisdom, it is the samaya, which is perfectly complete awakening. Tiṣṭha means that it abides. That very [meaning] is shown by the six syllables. Among them, hi refers to the mirror-like wisdom, which is free from the dust of the faults of objects and sentient beings. Hi hi hi hi refers to being free from the stains of self-grasping and so forth, which are the wisdoms of equality, discernment, all-accomplishing activity, and the dharmadhātu. Hūṃ refers to the utterly pure dharmatā, free from the stains of the perceived and so forth. "By the ritual of all sādhanas" refers to the requisites of the maṇḍala. "Ritual" means offering according to the proper procedure, with the conviction that [all things] are like an illusion and so forth. "All unsurpassed offerings" refers to the outer, secret, and suchness offerings. "Ascetic observance" refers to an unbreakable vow. Then, "from the hand of the Vajra [Master] to the hand [of the disciple]" means that after reciting the verse, the [empowerment] is given from the hand of the ācārya into the hand of the disciple.
If one asks what this is like, it is stated as "without beginning or end," and so forth. "Without beginning or end" refers to the dharmakāya, the utterly pure dharmatā. "Sattva" refers to the single taste of all phenomena. "Vajrasattva" refers to the mirror-like wisdom, the nature of Akṣobhya. "Great Joy" refers to the wisdom of equality, the nature of Ratnasambhava. "Samantabhadra" refers to that which is virtuous in every respect, the nature of Amitābha and the discerning wisdom. "Lord of All" refers to the all-accomplishing wisdom and the nature of Amoghasiddhi. "Vajra Essence" refers to the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu and the manner of Vairocana. "The Principal" is so called because he is the principal of the Tathāgatas. "The melody of insight that follows" means that he causes the realization of dharmatā in accordance with the individual inclinations of the mental continuums of all those to be trained. "Having bestowed all relief" refers to the words "by means of seeing and entering," and so forth. "One becomes Śākyamuni himself" means that, holding the dharma robe at the heart with the left fist and forming the left hand in the mudrā of supreme generosity, one should abide in the even stance and receive the prophecy together with the Tathāgatas. "For the sake of thoroughly accomplishing existence" means for the sake of attaining non-abiding nirvāṇa.
"Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ" refers to the three worlds. In order to demonstrate that one should meditate on the three absorptions after obtaining the empowerments of awareness, the text then mentions "insight" and so forth. "Vajra absorption" refers to the absorption of the initial application, the supreme king of the maṇḍala, and the supreme king of activities. Having emanated the vajra samaya, one should visualize one's own seed-syllable upon a moon or sun disk at one's heart and project its light rays. Having visualized the cakravartin gurus, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, one should recite: "I take refuge in the Three Jewels," and so forth. "The Vajra-holder Guru" is an illustration. "Offering" refers to the offerings made by the offering goddesses arising from the light at one's heart. "The sevenfold purification" consists of: the confession of misdeeds, rejoicing in merit, the dedication of merit, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, requesting [the Buddhas to remain], entreating [them to teach], and following the path. "Having generated the mind of enlightenment" refers to the ultimate and the subsequently attained [minds of enlightenment] arising from worldly primordial wisdom, such as the protection wheel and so forth. "Meditate on the source of phenomena" means that after first meditating on the protection wheel, one meditates on the source of phenomena (dharmodaya)—the mudrā that is the nature of the thirteen stages including the stage of engagement through aspiration—white in color, with a narrow base and a wide top, and having the identity of the Vajra-holder.
Regarding the phrase, "There, one should meditate on the Buddha’s abode," this means that within that [space], upon a vajra and a lotus, one should meditate on a multi-storied palace arising from the four great elements and the transformation of bhrūṃ and a wheel into Vairocana.
Regarding the phrase, "One should meditate on the five aspects," this means that from the fifteen vowels beginning with a comes the moon, and from the thirty-four consonants beginning with ka comes the sun. By the light of that [sun], all the qualities of the Buddha are summoned and inserted like stars; viewing these as mutually like reflections is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna).
Upon that, from the transformation of hūṃ and aṃ, there arise respectively a skull-cup marked with a crossed vajra and a curved knife, with the seed-syllable marked upon the sun at the hub; this is the discerning wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇa-jñāna). From its light rays, the maṇḍala wheel of the fifteen goddesses radiates forth to act for the benefit of beings; this is the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna).
Having gathered [the light], from the complete transformation of the seed-syllable, the hand-symbols, and the moon and sun, there arises the so-called "primordial being," Samantabhadra, with sixteen arms, eight faces, and four legs, possessing the colors and marks described below; this is the wisdom of utter purity (suviśuddha-jñāna). These are the five awakenings (pañcābhisambodhi). Thus it is explained: "One should meditate."
Regarding the phrase, "One radiates the wheel of ḍākinīs," this should be connected to the end of the line: "Then, the vajra of great passion."
Regarding the phrase, "Having entered like a gandharva, one should remember the melting and falling," this means:
Just like the form of a deity in the process of arising, the syllables HŪṂ, AṂ, and HOḤ—the latter two being red—are placed in the center. These four syllables enter through one’s own mouth; visualize them within the heart of the lotus. Observe them melting through great passion, and through the power of that light, meditate that the Primordial Being (Ādipuruṣa) together with awareness also becomes a form of light and melts, like a blazing tongue of fire.
Regarding the phrase "the goddesses of the intermediate directions should exhort": the four ḍākinīs arising from the light of that melting should sing songs of exhortation, beginning with "O, you are the Vajra of Hatred," and so forth. Regarding "having exhorted the leader of the wheel": after being exhorted by the songs, the four goddesses are gathered into the form of melting. From the complete transformation of the seed-syllables and the signs, the body arises, possessing the faces and so forth that will appear below.
Regarding "delusion and so forth in the eyes and so forth": in the eyes is Mohavajrā (Delusion Vajra); in the ears is Dveṣavajrā (Hatred Vajra); in the nose is Mātsaryavajrā (Avarice Vajra); in the tongue is Rāgavajrā (Desire Vajra); in the body is Īrṣyāvajrā (Envy Vajra); and in the mind is Nairātmya-ḍākinī. Their colors and other attributes will be shown below.
Regarding "place the three vajras in the three locations": place the three—Khacaryā (Sky-goer), Bhūcaryā (Earth-goer), and Pātālacaryā (Underworld-goer)—in the locations of the heart, throat, and crown. In the moon disks at their hearts are the syllables HŪṂ, ĀṂ, and OṂ, which are blue, red, and...
One should visualize [the deities] in white color in successive order. Following that, in order to demonstrate the conferral of empowerment through the request for empowerment, it is said: "The empowerment should be conferred by the eight consorts." This means that light arising from the seed syllables of the skull-cup and the curved knife (kartṛka) abiding upon a sun disk at one's own heart acts as the catalyst. One should meditate on the crowns of the heads being washed by the eight goddesses, whose lotus hands are adorned with vases filled with nectar. Then, regarding the phrase "becoming attached by means of the vajra": the "vajras" are the Tathāgatas. Their "attachment" consists of the union of the vajra and the lotus; through the illusory sound of their equal union, all the Tathāgatas are drawn into oneself. By reciting "oṃ sarvatathāgatānurāgaṇavajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ," one enjoys great bliss. These are the first absorption of the union, the nature of the svābhāvikakāya. Then, from the complete transformation of the respective seed syllables within the lotus, if one recites the respective syllables, the goddesses of the gates and the intermediate directions should be emanated and placed in their respective locations. "The wisdom wheel should be inserted" means that light arising from those seed syllables summons the wisdom wheel; then, having again cleared away obstacles and performed offerings, one accomplishes the summoning, entering, binding, and subjugating. Then, regarding "the nectar should be tasted": this should be applied after the phrase "one should praise the lord of the wheel." Having made offerings with the eight goddesses, [the nectar is tasted].
The phrase "thus" refers to the offering made by the eight consorts emanated from the seed-syllable at one's own heart. "One should praise the Lord of the Wheel" is to be applied in conjunction with the songs that appear below. Regarding the phrase "then meditate on the six limbs," this indicates the six cakravartins as the nature of the six colors. There, one should meditate on the Lords of the Wheel as being of the nature of innate joy alone, in the sequence of black, red, yellow, green, blue, and white. These constitute the second absorption, the Supreme King of the Maṇḍala, which is the nature of the Saṃbhogakāya.
Regarding the phrase "blessed by self-consecration," self-consecration is one's own wisdom; to bless others by means of that is to unify them with one's own wisdom. This is the third absorption, the Supreme King of Action, which is the nature of the Nirmāṇakāya. This ritual should be understood from the sādhana, but for the time being, it shall be applied here as it appears in the tantra. The fourteenth chapter states that self-consecration demonstrates the five signs:
"Blessed by self-consecration, I shall explain it in brief. In the center of the heart is a moon; upon the form of the moon is the indestructible [syllable], radiating various rays of light. By means of that, one should meditate on the vajra. Having meditated on Nairātmyā-Yoginī with the vajra and exhorted her through the ritual..."
"Visualize the so-called 'white mustard seed' abiding within the tip of the ḍākinī's nose. Meditate upon all beings without exception—the moving and the non-moving of the three realms—therein. By meditating in this way constantly, the self-consecration will be accomplished." Thus it is said.
In that regard, "in brief" means in successive order. "In the center of the heart" means within the lotus of wisdom. "Moon" refers to the lunar maṇḍala. "Indestructible" refers to the syllable HŪṂ, adorned with the drop (bindu), the crescent moon, and the sixth vowel. "Radiating various rays of light" means possessing five-colored rays. "With that, visualize the vajra" means to imagine a blue vajra, the size of a grain of barley, arising from the complete transformation of the HŪṂ. "Having visualized the ḍākinī Nairātmyā with the vajra" means marked by the vajra. "Having exhorted the assembly" means causing [the deities] to descend through the union of the two organs. "Abiding at the tip of the ḍākinī's nose" means at the junction of the tips of the noses of both. "The moving and the non-moving of the three realms" refers to the maṇḍala of the support and the supported. "Therein" means within the hub of the vajra. Alternatively, "in the center of the heart" means in one's own heart. "Moon and indestructible" have already been explained. "Subtle" refers to the drop (bindu) arising from the complete transformation of the vajra. "The ḍākinī Nairātmyā" indicates Nairātmyā herself.
Regarding the phrase "having exhorted the assembly," it means exhorted from the heart center as previously explained. If one asks, "Where?" it says, "Abiding at the tip of the ḍākinī's nose," which refers to the tip of the lotus nose. The remainder should be applied as explained before. Regarding the phrase, "Then, by the sequence of the ritual order, the signs should be indicated," the "ritual order" refers to the excellence of familiarization. "Sequence" refers to the signs arising gradually. Others say that the characteristics of the sequence are distinct and that they arise simultaneously.
"First, the form of a cloud" means that the first subtle ray of light is thick like a cloud; this is Heruka's. "Second, like smoke" means the second ray of light appears like a cloud of smoke clinging to the sky; this is Śaśvata's. "Third, like fireflies" means the sky... [is] the dharmadhātu. "Udaya" means arisen or born; it is the body of the Buddha, and the light appearing in that way is the third, which is Sūrya's. "Fourth, blazing like a lamp" means blazing like the tip of a lamp flame; this is Padma's. "Fifth, the constant appearance is like a cloudless sky" means the appearance that is constantly and clearly manifest in the manner of the sky; this is Hayagrīva. "It is the cause of omniscience" means the attainment of samādhi.
Regarding the phrase "subsequently in the manner of an illusion": having attained meditative absorption, one should dissolve the maṇḍala of signs and, because it is false like a dream, dissolve the maṇḍalas of the sun and moon into the state of selflessness in an extremely subtle form. By this, one realizes the second [stage], the emptiness of all, and abides there, being blessed by the stage of engagement through aspiration.
Regarding the phrase "momentary transformation": this is the supreme joy of the mind, because one realizes the dharmatā (the nature of phenomena) that was not previously realized. Furthermore, by realizing the dharmadhātu (the expanse of phenomena) as all-pervading, the three wheels of self and others become equal, and the body appears in the manner of a reflection; this is blessed by the stage of the "Very Joyful" (pramuditā).
Regarding the phrase "the three realms, moving and non-moving": "moving" refers to sentient beings; "non-moving" refers to the vessel-like world. "Without exception, leaving none behind" refers to the entirety of the desire and formless realms. "Accomplished" means that one will attain the dharmakāya (truth body) through the complete transformation of the three bases. "Possessing a vajra body" refers to entering the stages such as the "Immovable" (acalā).
If one asks what that is, it refers to the aforementioned body described as the "aggregate of wisdom" and so forth. In that context, the "aggregate of wisdom" is the saṃbhogakāya (enjoyment body) adorned with the thirty-two major marks and eighty minor signs, because its nature is the mirror-like wisdom and the others. "The wise one" refers to the nirmāṇakāya (emanation body).
This is because it is in harmony with the minds of all wandering beings. Through authentic mundane wisdom, one knows all aspects exactly as they are; this is the meaning of the term "skilled." The phrase "the path of the three realms" refers to the nature of the completely pure buddha-field, which is a tiered palace. It is called "luminous" because it is constructed from the seven extremely blazing precious gems. The phrase "as many as arise from birth" refers to beings comprised of the four modes of birth: womb-born, egg-born, moisture-born, and miraculously born. The phrase "following the great mudrā" means that distinguished beings such as gods and others become the retinue for the attainment of the great mudrā. The phrase "enjoying all of them" means enjoying the unsurpassed enjoyment of the Dharma. The phrase "eight faces" is literal, as it represents the purity of the eight doors of liberation. The phrase "light equal to sapphire" refers to the color of the body, which is due to possessing a mind of loving-kindness. The phrase "four-legged" is due to the purity of the four Māras. The phrase "the first face is black" is due to the purity of the door of signlessness. Regarding the phrase "adorned with white and red," it is white because the door of emptiness is maintained, and it is red because the door of wishlessness is free from attachment. The phrase "trampling the four Māras equally" refers to the Māra of the aggregates, the Māra of afflictions, the Māra of the Lord of Death, and the Māra of the Son of the Gods.
Regarding "Vajradhara at the crown," this refers to Akṣobhya. Regarding "the consorts of various forms," Mohavajrā is white; Dveṣavajrā is blue; Mātsaryavajrā is yellow; Rāgavajrā is red; Īrṣyāvajrā is green; and Nairātmyayoginī is black. Regarding "holding a curved knife and a skull-cup in their hands," the curved knife is in the right hand and the skull-cup is in the left. Regarding "dwelling upon the lifeless," this means they dwell with the left leg extended upon the sun at the heart of a corpse. Regarding "the Sky-Farer," she is blue at the heart. Regarding "the Earth-Farer," she is at the throat and is red in color. Regarding "the Subterranean-Farer," she is at the crown and is white in color. In this tantra, because they possess the light of the sun and a seat, one should meditate upon them on a sun maṇḍala. This is what is meant by "the white form." The remainder is easy to understand. Regarding "the vase of bodhicitta and the great victory banner in the fire-hearth," these are the symbols of the goddesses dwelling in the intermediate directions of the condensed maṇḍala. These are the gatekeepers in their proper order. Alternatively, one may meditate on the symbols alone. The sādhana of the five Cakravartins should be understood from the Abhidhānottara-saṃgraha.
"The sword, the lotus, and the khaṭvāṅga are held by Nairātmyā; bowing to her, her sādhana shall be written in sequence." In this regard, the mantrin should possess qualities such as emptiness and so forth.
Preceded by loving-kindness and the other [immeasurables], possessing the mind of awakening, and having received the profound empowerment and authorization in the maṇḍala of the glorious Ḍākinī Vajra Net, one who is intensely devoted to the ten suchnesses and abides by the samayas and vows, should strive to please their own mantra. In a delightful place such as a mountain, having smeared a square meditation hut with sandalwood and other fragrant substances, one should sit upon a comfortable seat in the vajra posture. Forming the hand gesture of meditative absorption, one should place the syllable Aṃ upon a sun disk at one’s heart and perform the washing of the face and so forth.
With the mantra Oṃ rakṣa rakṣa hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ, one should protect the place and oneself. Then, visualizing the maṇḍala circle in front through the light of the seed syllable at one’s heart, one should prostrate and make offerings. In that regard, having offered with Gaurī holding a vessel of the moon, Caurī holding a vessel of the sun, Vetālī holding a vessel of water, Ghasmarī holding a vessel of medicine, Pukkasī holding a vessel of vajra, and Śavarī holding a vessel of meat, one should then please [the deities] with Caṇḍālī beating a small drum and Ḍombinī embracing the throat.
Following that, one should recite from "I take refuge in the Three Jewels" up to "May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of wandering beings." Then, in the presence of the assembly of Sugatas, one should confess the mass of misdeeds, saying: "I confess all my sins..." and so forth.
With devotion, one should rejoice in the glory of the equipment of merit of the Sugatas, the Munis, and the sublime beings of the three realms. Then, one should say: "Until I reach the heart of awakening, I take refuge in the Victorious Buddhas who have utterly destroyed all conceptualization." Likewise, one should say: "I take refuge in the supreme Dharma of the Mahāyāna." Likewise, one should say: "I take refuge in the Saṅgha of irreversible Bodhisattvas." Having said, "I shall rely upon the unsurpassed path of awakening, the reality of the Ḍākinī Vajra Net," one should analyze all phenomena according to the method: "Through the yoga of non-arising, this birth is thoroughly renowned." Thus, when all things are analyzed, they are not perceived; they are without appearance, like the center of an autumn sky, and are meditated upon as being without conceptual elaboration. One then consecrates with: oṃ śūnyatā-jñāna-vajra-svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ.
Then, from raṃ in front, there is a sun maṇḍala. Upon that sun, one should visualize a hūṃ from which a vajra arises. With that very vajra, one should meditate on the binding of the fence and the net. Having performed these and so forth, in the center of that, from bhrūṃ, there is a yellow ten-spoked wheel, revolving like Acalā. With the application of ten hūṃs, one should meditate on the ten wrathful deities. Having contemplated the ten wrathful deities with this,
In that regard, on the spokes of the east and so forth, there is blue Yamāntaka. In the southern direction is white Prajñāntaka. In the western direction is red Padmāntaka. In the northern direction is blue Vighnāntaka. Respective[ly], they hold a mallet, a staff, a lotus, and a raised vajra; they are short with large bellies, adorned with the ornaments of eight snakes, with tawny hair bristling upward and red, round eyes. They have the crown ornaments of Vairocana, Akṣobhya, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi, and they wear tiger-skin lower garments. The wrathful deities of the intermediate directions are black. Between Sumbharāja and Uṣṇīṣacakravartin, they hold a crown, a hook, a staff, a trident, a sword, and a pestle. Among them, in the southeast is Ṭakkirāja, adorned with jewels and wearing divine garments. In the southwest is Nīladaṇḍa. In the northwest is Mahābala; these are similar to Yamāntaka and the others. In the northeast is Acalā, similar to Ṭakkirāja. Above is yellow Uṣṇīṣa. Below is black Sumbharāja; their ornaments and so forth are like those of Ṭakkirāja. All of them stand with the left leg extended upon a seat of a variegated lotus and a sun disk. Their left hands hold a nāga-noose and a threatening gesture. They have Akṣobhya and jewel crown ornaments. In the center, within the five maṇḍalas, there are also other wrathful deities.
Then, having performed the binding of the directions with a mass of blazing lotuses and so forth, in the center of that is the triangular mudrā called the source of phenomena (dharmodaya), whose interior is of the nature of space. Upon a crossed vajra and a lotus, from the seed syllables Yaṃ, Raṃ, Vaṃ, and Laṃ, arise the maṇḍalas of wind, fire, water, and the great powerful earth, colored smoke-gray, red, white, and yellow.
There, from the syllable Bhrūṃ and a wheel, Vairocana emerges; from the pores of his body, streams of nectar flow, causing the four elements to melt. From this, a tiered palace arises, possessing four doors, four cornices, and adorned with four archways and garlands of flowers. In the places of the fifteen deities, one should meditate on variegated lotuses with corpse seats, adorned at the heart with sun maṇḍalas. Then, one should recite: Oṃ arhaṃ tathāgatānīlaya-vajra-svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ.
Then, upon the central seat, one should visualize a moon arising from the fifteen syllables of the srad (vowels) and a sun arising from the thirty-four consonants such as kā-li. Through its light, the great qualities of the Buddhas are gathered and expanded in a similar manner. Above that, the first vowel together with a drop (bindu) becomes a copper knife marked with that very seed syllable. Through its rays of light, one should meditate on oneself as Nairātmyā by means of the sequence of emanating and reabsorbing the wheel of the fifteen Yoginīs at the gates. She sports in a dancing posture with half-lotus position upon the sun at the heart of the corpse.
In the direction of the head, his orange-red hair blazes upward like the fire at the time of universal destruction. His body, red and rounded, is composed of the finest atoms of the Supreme Victor. With three eyes like ten million suns, he burns away the Māras with his light. His upper body is adorned with a garland of fifty fresh heads reaching to his navel. He is decorated with the five mudrās. If one contemplates him as the nature of the dharmadhātu, which abides in neither existence nor peace, one should cultivate the divine pride with the mantra: oṃ dharmadhātu-svabhāva-ātmako ’ham.
With his right hand he brandishes a copper knife, and with his left he holds a skull-cup filled with the blood of gods, asuras, and others, as well as a khaṭvāṅga, in the manner of an offering. In the two eyes is Mohavajrī; in the two ears is Dveṣavajrī; in the nose is Mātsaryavajrī; in the tongue is Rāgavajrī; in the body is Īrṣyāvajrī; and in the mind is Nairātmyayoginī.
Furthermore, for the aggregate of form and delusion is Vajrī; for feeling and pride is Vajragaurī; for perception and desire is Vāriṇī; for formations and jealousy is Vajraḍākinī; and for consciousness and hatred is Nairātmyā. Likewise, the earth element and loving-kindness are Pukkasī; the water element and compassion are Śavarī; the fire element and joy are Caṇḍālī; and the wind element and equanimity are Ḍombinī. These respectively purify the internal objects of form, sound, smell, and taste.
Regarding the element of tangible objects and the element of phenomena, one should visualize them as the Subterranean and the Sky-farer. Having visualized them in that way, from the hūṃ on the moon at the heart, one generates the blue Sky-farer (Khachöma); from the āḥ on the moon at the throat, the red Earth-farer (Sachöma); and from the oṃ on the moon at the head, the white Subterranean. Then, one should assume the divine pride with: oṃ sarvatathāgata khecarī vajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ; oṃ sarvatathāgata bhūcarī vajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ; and oṃ sarvatathāgata pātālasīnī vajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ.
Then, light rays emanating from the aṃ at the hub of the curved knife (kartṛ) on the sun at one’s heart summon the Tathāgatas. With the words, "May all the Tathāgatas bestow the empowerment upon me," they transform into the form of Heruka. Accompanied by a rain of flowers and the sound of drums, Locanā and the other goddesses sing songs, while Rūpavajrā and the others offer praise and offerings, and then confer the empowerment. Having conferred the empowerment, one meditates on Akṣobhya at the crown of the head and assumes the divine pride with: oṃ sarvatathāgata abhiṣekavajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ. This is the first absorption (samādhi) of the application, the nature of the Svabhāvakāya.
Then, from the seed syllable at one’s heart, the respective seed syllables are projected onto the moon and sun at the hearts of the fourteen locations. From the complete transformation of the seed syllables and the curved knives, one should meditate on the goddesses as before. Āṃ, iṃ, īṃ, and uṃ are Vajra, Gaurī, Vārī, and Vajraḍākinī.
ŪṂ, ṚṂ, ṜṂ, ḶṂ are Pukkasī, Śavarī, Caṇḍālī, and Ḍombinī. ḸṂ, ĀṂ, EṂ, AIṂ are Gaurī, Caurī, Vetālī, and Ghasmarī. OṂ is for Bhūcarī, and AUṂ is for Khecarī. Having generated them in their respective order, one should meditate on all of them—identical in color, hand symbols, and so forth to Nairātmyā—performing a dance posture upon the hearts of corpses.
In which locations? As stated in another tantra:
Gaurī is at Indra [East] and Vajra-Yama [South];
The Yoginī of Water is at the Water direction [West];
The Yakṣa is Vajra-Ḍākinī [North];
In the center is the Yoginī Nairātmyā.
Pukkasī is in the Northeast;
Śavarī is in the Southeast;
Caṇḍālī is in the Southwest;
Ḍombī always resides in the Northwest.
Gaurī is at the Eastern gate;
In the South is the form of Caurī;
In the West is Vetālī;
Likewise, in the North is Ghasmarī.
Below is Bhūcarī;
Above, in the sky, is Khecarī.
Thus, having visualized the maṇḍala as complete, light hooks emerging from the hearts of all [the deities] invite the Lords of Sages in the manner of the fifteen Yoginīs. The gatekeepers expel the vighnas, and Gaurī and the others present offerings.
OṂ VAJRA GAURĪ ĀKARṢAYA JAḤ
OṂ VAJRA CAURĪ PRAVEŚAYA HŪṂ
OṂ VAJRA VETĀLĪ BANDHAYA VAṂ
OṂ VAJRA GHASMARĪ
VEŚYAṂ KURU HOḤ
Having performed the summoning and so forth with these [mantras],...
As before, the eyes and so forth are blessed. Preceded by the blessing of the body and so forth, the empowerment is conferred, and the Lord of the Family should be meditated upon at the crown. In that regard, for Vajrā and the others, they are Vairocana, Ratneśvara, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi. For those residing in the intermediate directions and the female gatekeepers, they are Cittavajra, Ratneśvara, and Amitābha. Bhūcarī is Vairocana, and Khecarī is Amitābha. Then, Gaurī and the others, with their own offering substances, completely fill the skull cups and make an offering of nectar to the Blessed One. After the other members of the maṇḍala have also partaken, one recites: oṃ sarvatathāgatāmṛtasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ. Caṇḍālī beats the small drum and Ḍombī embraces the body. Then, through the vajra generated in the secret lotus and with passion, one makes an offering with: oṃ sarvatathāgatapūjāvajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ, and praises with: "You are completely surrounded by yoginīs," and so forth. One praises with: oṃ sarvatathāgatastutipūjāvajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ. Again, one recites: oṃ padmasukhadhara mahārāgasukhaṃ caturānandabhagaviśva hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ kuryaṃ kuruṣva me; and oṃ vajramahādveṣa caturānandadāyaka khagamukhaiḥ karasno nātha hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ kuryaṃ kuruṣva me.
Having engaged in the vajra and passion with these words, one recites: oṃ sarvatathāgatānurāgaṇavajrasvabhāvātmako ’ham. This is the nature of the saṃbhogakāya, the absorption of the Supreme Sovereign of the Maṇḍala.
Then, one should arrange the syllables: aṃ in the center of the sixty-four-petaled lotus at the navel; hūṃ in the center of the eight-petaled lotus at the heart; oṃ in the center of the sixteen-petaled lotus at the throat; and haṃ in the center of the thirty-two-petaled lotus at the head. Then, by igniting the inner heat (caṇḍālī) at the navel, the five Tathāgatas are incinerated, and Locanā and the others are likewise incinerated. Through this incineration, the moon [of bodhicitta] drips from the haṃ. In this manner, one should meditate on the inner heat.
Following that, emanations are projected from the light of their respective seed-syllables. Having established sentient beings in their respective wisdoms, the maṇḍala is withdrawn. Abiding in the state of the Great Vajradhara, the Lord of the Maṇḍala, if one becomes weary from meditation, one should recite the syllables of cessation: oṃ a ā i ī u ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ e ai o au aṃ aḥ svāhā.
Regarding the ritual of bathing, it is performed through the empowerment ritual. Regarding the enjoyment of food, it is performed through the ritual of tasting the nectar (amṛta). Regarding the enjoyment of joy, it is the dharma of passion. If one is exhausted, one should first strengthen the body by the dripping of nectar from the oṃ at the crown, and then recite the mantra.
If the samayas as previously taught have been impaired, one should abide in the absorption of the glorious Hayagrīva, according to the method beginning with the words: "When the so-called samaya has arisen..." and so forth.
One should confer empowerment just as it is, by means of the light from the seed-syllable khaṃ and the crossed vajra (viśvavajra). To subdue the Māras, one should establish the wheel of the enemy of obstructors (vighnavidveṣin). These are the supreme sovereign absorptions (rāgavijaya-samādhi) arising from the nature of the emanation body (nirmāṇakāya). As for the wheel of the ḍākinīs: "By whatever virtue is found in this [work], may all beings cross the ocean of existence and become supreme victors themselves." The Sādhana of Nairātmyā is complete.
In order to easily understand the other sādhanas of the deities that appear below, the sequence will be written here accordingly. In that regard, as before, one should visualize the syllable tāṃ upon a moon at the heart; by its light rays, one should perceive the maṇḍala circle in front. Preceded by prostrations, offerings, and so forth, one should meditate on the ultimate bodhicitta and perform the protection. Having practiced within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) beneath the tiered palace, one may proceed through the sequence of the five manifest awakenings (pañcābhisambodhi), or by means of the moon and vajra families as well. Preceded by the sequence of emanation and reabsorption from the syllable tāṃ and the utpala flower and so forth, one should generate Vajratārā. As it is said:
"Abiding in the center of the maṇḍala of the Mātṛs, one should meditate on the goddess Tārā. She has four faces and eight arms, completely adorned with all ornaments. One should meditate on her as golden in color, blazing with the marks of a maiden. Empowered by the Vajrasūrya, she has the great crowns of the four Buddhas."
A young maiden of excellent complexion, with swaying golden earrings, seated upon a multicolored lotus, is completely enveloped in red light rays. In her right hands, she holds a vajra, a noose, a sword, and likewise an arrow. In her left hands, she holds a vajra hook, an utpala flower, a bow, and makes the threatening gesture. Thus it is said.
Following that, one should practice the blessing of the eyes, body, and so forth, up to the final empowerment, just as before. This is the absorption of the first application. Others have also said: "By the application of the vajra posture, the three levels are to be accomplished," and so forth. All of them sit upon multicolored seats in the vajra posture, adorned with red light rays.
What are they? In the east is Puṣpatārā, generated from the syllable Oṃ. She is white in color, delightful, and holds a garland of flowers in her hand. She has one face and two arms, and is completely adorned with all ornaments. This applies to all of them. In the south is Gandhatārā, generated from the syllable Taṃ. She is blue in color, charming, and holds an incense burner in her hand. In the west is Dīpatārā, generated from the syllable Re. She is yellow in color, beautifully adorned, and holds a lamp vessel in her hand. In the north is Gandhatārā, generated from the syllable Tu. She is red in color and holds a conch of perfume in her hand. One should meditate on the maṇḍala of the heart.
Thus it is said, and so forth. In the gates of the east and so on, by the syllable Tā is the Hook Tārā; by Re, the Noose Tārā; by Tu, the Chain Tārā; and by Re, the Bell Tārā. Respective of their order, they are white, yellow, red, and green, holding a hook, a noose, a chain, and a bell. Below, by the syllable Svā, is the Tārā who Subdues with Certainty, blue in color and holding a nāga-noose in her hand. Above, by the syllable Ha, is the Tārā of the Uṣṇīṣavijayā, generated, yellow in color and holding a wheel in her hand. Some say that the goddesses should be meditated upon in the heart of the Blessed Lady; others desire to generate them upon the seats. Then, as before, having caused the wisdom-wheel to enter, and having practiced the offerings, praises, and the tasting of nectar to their conclusion, one performs the benefit of beings through emanation and reabsorption. Meditating for as long as desired, one should recite: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. One should also accomplish it with: Namaḥ āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya | tadyathā | oṃ tāre tuttāre ture sarvaduṣṭān mama gṛhṇa jambhaya stambhaya mohaya bandhaya hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ sarvaduṣṭān stambhani tāre svāhā. This is the Sādhana of Vajra Tārā. Following the sequence of the four vajras as before, one should contemplate Hrīḥ upon a sun disk at the heart.
Having meditated from the offerings through the confession of misdeeds, the emptiness, the protection wheel, and up to the source of phenomena (dharmodaya), one should generate Kurukullā within that, in the center of the eight charnel grounds. From the syllable HRĪḤ, a red eight-petaled lotus arises, and in its center, upon a sun disk, one should generate Kurukullā through the yoga of radiating and reabsorbing the HRĪḤ and the utpala flower according to the sequence of the five awakenings. She has tawny hair tied upward, wears a tiger-skin lower garment, and is adorned with the five mudrās and a garland of heads. She has three round, red eyes, one face, and four arms. Her first two hands hold a closed utpala-bud arrow and a flowered bow; the other two hold an iron hook and an utpala lasso. She is red in color and stands in a dancing posture on a sun disk in the half-lotus position upon the heart of a corpse, in the center of the eight charnel grounds.
Having visualized this, one should perform the vajra-clapping mudrā and recite "OṂ VAJRA SAMĀJAḤ" to summon the wisdom being (jñānasattva). Having conferred empowerment as before, one should visualize Amitābha as the crown ornament. Then, having performed the offerings, praises, and the tasting of nectar (amṛta), one should benefit beings through the yoga of radiating and reabsorbing. One should meditate for as long as desired and then recite the mantra: "OṂ KURUKULLĒ HRĪḤ SVĀHĀ." Those who wish to bring women or men under their influence should begin on the first day of the waxing moon and wear red clothing.
Meditate on the goddess and recite the mantra ten thousand times three times each day. Then, on the night of the full moon, visualize a red eight-petaled lotus arising from the syllable HRĪḤ at the heart, its stem fixed in the secret place. On its petals, visualize eight red bees—wrathful, intoxicated with pride, and arisen from the eight long vowels. With the wind of the breath, blow them out through the left nostril; they enter through the right nostril of the object of practice and reach the heart. Imagine that, intoxicated, they suck up and pulverize the eight short vowels residing in that heart.
Then, the yogi draws a flower bow and an utpala arrow to the ear, aims at the navel, and strikes the center of the lotus at the object's heart. Stirred by their own samaya, those bees each seize a vowel, exit through the left nostril, and enter the yogi’s right nostril. Imagine them as non-dual with the wisdom beings of one’s own samaya. Then, bind the throat with a noose of an utpala stem and pierce the heart with a hook. Visualize a garland of mantras agitated by blazing light rays, like a whirling firebrand. Recite: OṂ KURUKULLĒ HRĪḤ [Name] VAŚYAM ĀNAYA HRĪḤ SVĀHĀ. If one recites this throughout the entire night, at dawn the girl or others will undoubtedly arrive, intoxicated and stripped of their clothes. This concludes the sādhana of Kurukullā.
As before, visualize the syllable HAṂ upon a moon at the heart.
Preceded by offerings, the confession of misdeeds, and so forth, one should meditate on emptiness. Then, through the sequence of the five manifest awakenings, from the complete transformation of the seed-syllable and the sign of the sword, one should meditate on Vajrānaṅga as having one face and four or six arms. He is yellow in color, charming, with his hair tied in a topknot, sixteen years of age, and adorned with the ornaments of a youth. In his right hands, he holds an arrow, a sword, and a mirror; in his left hands, he holds a bow, an utpala lotus, and an aśoka leaf. Visualizing him standing with his left leg extended, one should then, as before, cause the wisdom-being to enter. Thinking that the light rays from the seed-syllable at the heart are performing the benefit of sentient beings, one should recite the mantra many times: oṃ mañjughoṣāya hrīḥ jaḥ sadhate amoki ākarṣaya oṃ mañjughoṣāya hrīḥ jaḥ.
Then, one should also visualize Vajrānaṅga at the heart of the girl. Piercing her breasts with the arrow, striking her heart with the aśoka leaf, and threatening her with the sword, one should show her the mirror. Binding her feet with the bow and drawing her in with the utpala lasso, if one meditates on her as being intoxicated, she will undoubtedly be summoned. This concludes the Sādhana of Vajrānaṅga.
One should practice as before through the sequence of the four vajras. Having visualized the syllable oṃ on a moon at the heart, one should practice from the offerings up to the awakening of emptiness. From paṃ arises a white lotus, and from the syllable a on the moon, through the application of emanation and reabsorption, [the deity] Prajñāpāramitā arises, with one face and two arms.
Visualize her as being charming, white in color, and adorned with all ornaments. In her right hand she holds a red lotus, and in her left, a volume of the Prajñāpāramitā. She sits in the vajra posture. Having visualized this, one should perform the summoning of the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) and so forth with the vajra-gathering mudrā and the mantra oṃ vajra samāja jaḥ. Then, having visualized the syllable oṃ residing upon a moon at her heart, one should meditate on the mantra garland emerging from her mouth like a garland of flames and entering the navel like a circling firebrand. Recite: oṃ picu picu prajñāvardhani jvala jvala medhāvardhani dhiri dhiri buddhivardhini svāhā. This ritual procedure should also be applied to others. As it is said: "First is the awakening of emptiness; second is the gathering of the seed-syllable; third is the completion of the form; fourth is the arrangement of the letters."
From the syllable laṃ is born the Great Sage, the Lord of the World (Lokanātha), with one face and two arms, adorned with a white lotus. His crown is adorned with Vajradharma. Meditate on him seated upon a lotus throne. Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. One should view everything according to the sequence of the four vajras as before.
From the seed-syllable ma arises Mañjughoṣa, yellow in color, his hands adorned with a flower and the gesture of generosity (varada). He holds Akṣobhyavajra upon his crown. Oṃ mañjuvajra mūṃ svāhā.
From the syllable yaṃ is born [the deity] holding a vajra hammer and the threatening gesture (tarjanī).
Upon the back of a blue buffalo, Yama-antaka (Gshin-rje-gshed) sits with his left leg extended. Having the form of a wrathful deity who strikes terror, Vairocana resides as his crown ornament. OṂ HRĪḤ ṢṬRĪḤ VIKṚTĀNANA HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ.
Generated from the syllable HŪṂ, Vajra-Hūṃkāra, the Vajra-holder, with the union of the vajra and bell, his two hands are bound in mudrā. With the posture of the left leg extended, he dwells in the heart of Bhairava. Adorned at the crown with the Vajra family, one should meditate on Trailokyavijaya. OṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ.
Arisen from the syllable TĀṂ, the goddess is blue in color. Holding the gesture of supreme generosity and an utpala flower, she stands upon a multicolored lotus seat in the "always excellent" posture. Adorned at the crown with Amoghasiddhi, one should meditate on the form of Tārā, the highly auspicious subduer of obstacles. OṂ TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE SVĀHĀ.
Arisen from the syllable MAṂ, she holds the gesture of supreme generosity and an aśoka tree. Her color is like the rising sun, and she is crowned with Vairocana. Upon a chariot drawn by seven horses, with the posture of the right leg extended, one should meditate on the radiant ascetic, graceful and adorned with limbs. OṂ MĀRĪCYAI SVĀHĀ.
Arisen from the syllable CUṂ, her color is like the autumn moon. Holding a jewel in her cupped hands at her heart, she is seated perfectly upon a multicolored lotus seat in the "sporting" posture. Vairocana adorns her crown.
Bodhicitta drips and flows; meditate on the one who stirs with intoxication. OṂ CALE CULE CUNDĪ SVĀHĀ. From the syllable PAṂ arises the goddess Vasudhārā, yellow in color, holding a wish-granting gesture and an ear of grain in her hands. She sits upon a jewel lotus seat in the vajra posture. She is crowned with the Lord of Jewels (Ratnendra). OṂ VASUDHARE VASUVṚṢṬIPATE VASU SVĀHĀ. From the syllable JAṂ arises the one to be meditated upon as Jambhala. Yellow in color and adorned with all ornaments, he holds a mango fruit in his right hand and a jewel basket in his left. He is crowned with the Lord of Jewels. OṂ JAMBHALA JALENDRA YE SVĀHĀ. From the syllable BAṂ arises the one who holds a wheel and a sword. She is crowned with Vairocana and stands in a circular posture. Possessing the form of a youth, meditate on her as the one who follows after each [being]. OṂ MAṆIDHARĪ VAJRĪṆĪ MAHĀPRATISARĀ HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ. From the syllable HŪṂ arises Mahākāla, two-armed and one-faced, blue in color and blazing intensely. He holds a copper knife and a skull-cup, wears a necklace of severed heads, bares his fangs, and is terrifying. Short in stature and of great majesty, meditate on him with blood dripping from his mouth. He devours those who are constantly hostile to the master and those who harm the Three Jewels, as well as those who kill various sentient beings. OṂ MAHĀKĀLA ŚĀSANA UPAHARI...
Eṣa apacchima kāloyam idaṃ ratna-traṃ yāpakariṇāṇaya di pratijñāsmara sita idaṃ duṣṭāṃ kha kha khāhi khāhi māra māra gṛhṇa gṛhṇa bandha bandha hana hana daha daha paca paca tena mīkena hūṃ phaṭ. Regarding the phrase "arisen from hūṃ," it means generated from the complete transformation of the syllable hūṃ. "Always having transcended hatred" means reaching the ultimate limit of the exhaustion of duality. "The mind is inwardly enraged" means possessing a mind filled with wrath. "Namaḥ samanta" means prostrating from all doors; there is no distinction. Regarding "candhamanda" and so forth, "candha" refers to Yama, rākṣasīs, and so on. "Oṃ kṣepa" means to despise. By performing that, one despises the candhamanda. "Hūṃ" is the mind free from the conditions of sound, such as being empty of the apprehended and so forth. "Phaṭ" is that which causes the wicked to fall. "The lotus of the woman, without cracks or flaws" is an illustration of the woman; it should also be understood to include the man. "Lotus" refers to the skull. "Without cracks or flaws" means without leaks or holes. Thus it is also said: "The moon, the ox-face, and the lotus-like; furthermore, possessing a golden door; the skull of a brahmin and so forth, and the skull arising from a low caste; one should know it by the human skull possessing a single fragment. It possesses the hole at the back of the ear and the hole at the nape of the neck; the woman's [skull] is beautiful and without cracks or flaws."
It should be known by those possessing wisdom. Upon the forehead or above the ears, there are patterns of pearl garlands. In one, two, three, or four sections, and likewise in the twelfth and sixteenth, they should be known to be like the moon, without any cracks or flaws. Slightly long and extremely beautiful, red and yellow, with the face of a cow, resembling a lotus—these are the lotuses. They are red-yellow and white; these skull-cups are praised, while all others should be abandoned. Skulls that are cracked, leaking, and so forth, are not to be held at all.
Regarding the phrase "by the application of the four consorts," "application" refers to activities such as summoning. From the four consorts, the goddesses such as Locanā and the others should perform the summoning and so forth in their respective order. "It should be filled by all the Buddhas" means that the aggregates, elements, and sense bases are filled with the faces of the divine nature, by means of the subtle particles of the Buddhas. Alternatively, "by the application of the four knowledges" means: piercing the heart with the vajra hook, binding the throat with the noose, mounting [the target] upon the wind maṇḍala, and summoning them, after which the goddesses at the crown perform the ritual bathing with vases of nectar.
The "footprint" is the seed-syllable at the heart. The "dust" is its radiance. The "ritual" refers to the deities holding the hook and noose emanated from that. Alternatively, the "dust of the footprint" is the ground where the foot has been placed. The "ritual" refers to the earth from both riverbanks and—
"One should fashion an image from earth mixed with the dust of a footprint; pressing with the foot, one should perform the recitation." Regarding this: for the summoning of a girl, one should press with the left leg extended; for a man, one should press with the right leg extended. "Having written the mantra on a skull" is the remainder of the instruction. "That" refers to Yamāntaka. "Recitation" refers to the utterance of the mantra together with the words of exhortation.
The summarized meaning of this is as follows: One who desires to summon a woman should take the skull of a girl possessing the auspicious marks. On the back of the skull, one should draw an eight-petaled lotus with a center using saffron, gorocana, and the blood of the ring finger. In the center, one should draw the form of the object of practice, such as Locanā. In her heart, one should write the garland mantra ending with "So-and-so, ākarṣaya jaḥ." Alternatively, one may place a mantra written on birch bark or similar material into the heart of an image made from the dust of a footprint in the center of the lotus. Then, from the hūṃ at the sole of the foot, a vajra hook arises. With the left leg extended in the manner of a hook, one presses upon the heart of the image and performs the recitation of the garland mantra together with the words of exhortation to accomplish the rite.
Furthermore, the object of practice is generated from yaṃ as a wind maṇḍala. Having been seized and mounted by the light of the syllable je, and while being exhorted by that, wrathful deities holding hooks and nooses are emanated from one's own heart. Having commanded them, they draw [the object] forth exactly as described. Lifted up by the wind, they arrive.
One should offer arghya and so forth with sandalwood water to those wrathful deities and the rest; by doing so, one will summon yakṣiṇīs, human women, and others. To summon men, one should use a human skull and press down with the right leg extended. Regarding the phrase "by meditating on the three bodies and the source of birth," one should generate the form of the deity through the seat, the seed-syllable, and the hand-symbol.
"Sitadaṇḍa" refers to one who holds a white vajra-staff and a lotus. "Vividhasurāsura-mardayati" means one who crushes various gods and asuras. "Bhūtāni mathati" means one who subdues bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, yakṣas, and so forth. The remainder is as before.
Regarding the verse: "Agitated by bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, and ḍākinīs, one should seal and pose with the syllable HŪṂ," this means that when one is seized and sealed by bhūtas and the like, one should recite "HŪṂ" and pose while frowning with the wrathful deities, knitting the brows, and looking with a haughty gaze.
Regarding the phrase "by pressing with the vajra, one becomes blissful": "pressing with the vajra" means visualizing vajras arising from the syllable HŪṂ in the two hands and the two soles of the feet of the yoginī, and then rubbing and massaging them, or striking with white mustard seeds generated as blazing vajras from the syllable HŪṂ. "Becomes blissful" means it becomes as it was before. The meaning of this is also to abide in the yoga of Aparājita.
Having performed the protection, visualize blazing vajras arising from the syllable HŪṂ in both palms and both soles. Mentally draw the rākṣasas and other obstructors from the body of the object of practice, rub them between the hands, and burn them with the blazing vajras. Then, place them beneath the feet, rub them, and meditate on them being incinerated. Recite the mantra together with the exhortation: amuka-rākṣasātibhyo mo jaye. Alternatively, while remaining above the body of the object of practice, visualize that those very rākṣasas and others are being bound; by meditating thus, one should imagine that the object of practice’s breath is severed.
Then, press the two sides of the object of practice with both hands holding vajras, and burn the heart and throat of the object with blazing vajras generated by the syllable HŪṂ. Generate the "king of white mustard seeds" as blazing vajras through the syllable HŪṂ, and after reciting the mantra one hundred and eight times, strike each individual mustard seed with the mantra once. Visualize that they are reduced to powder. By this, the rākṣasas and others will be moved by compassion and tormented. One should release them once they have taken an oath, such as "I shall break like a tree branch."
Alternatively, "suppressing with the vajra" means that the rākṣasas and others are to be seized; it is the subduing of the rākṣasas and others by seizing them in order to inspire the disciples. "Becoming blissful" means that after they have been subdued, they are placed on the path to awakening and raised from the state of downfall. This is also the sequence of the vajra stages.
Abiding in the yoga of the Unconquerable Self, during the waning moon on a day of fierce constellations, one should kill [the victim] with a spear, or kill by strangling, or kill with a weapon—any such method being suitable. Having taken their skull, one should draw a graha (demon) in a charnel ground using charcoal. This graha is generated from the syllable HŪṂ, baring its fangs, terrifying, with hair bristling upward and bound with a skull-crown. Its right hand brandishes a vetāla-copper knife, and its left hand makes the threatening gesture (tarjanī). In its heart, one should write the mantra together with the words of exhortation, "Seize so-and-so (amukaṃ gṛhṇa)," using poison, bone powder, and the blood from one's own index finger.
Furthermore, a second skull should be prepared with the dust from the victim's footprint, charnel ground ash, and charcoal, kneaded with "vajra-water." On a tāla leaf, one should write the mantra together with the words of exhortation using poison and the blood from one's own index finger, and insert it into the heart of the image. Then, smear it with poison, salt, and kaṭuka (mustard seed). Next, having performed the summoning and other rites for both, place the graha's skull on top and join the two together. Visualizing that the graha is holding [the victim] in a place such as a charnel ground, one should press down with the foot at midnight and recite the mantra with a majestic bearing; then, without doubt, the victim will be seized by the graha. This same ritual applies to seizing [the victim] with epidemics and the like.
"Hulu hulu" means "seize! seize!" "Mahāpadma" means that because mindfulness is completely pure, it is like a lotus, unstained by faults.
Regarding the phrase amṛtaṃ kuru: because it is free from being one or many, it is the practice of natural nirvāṇa. Regarding viśanā a: viśa means conceptual construction (kalpa); a-la-la means natural non-arising. Thus, it demonstrates that entities are destroyed by conceptual construction itself.
"Summoning the great poison" means that the light rays of the hūṃ situated on the sun at the heart summon the poisons residing in the three realms. "Likewise, rousing from unconsciousness" means awakening those whose life-force and mindfulness have failed, as it appears in the Garuda Treatise. Furthermore, one should meditate on the yoga of Hayagrīva seated upon the back of a garuda on a sun disk. Having placed the syllable hūṃ upon a sun disk arising from a hūṃ at the heart of the subject to be treated, one should cause the poisons residing in all the limbs to blaze up with the light rays of the hūṃ in order to activate the poison.
Then, one should visualize an eight-petaled white lotus arising from paṃ in the palm of the left hand. Upon it, one should place a white hūṃ with light, dripping with amṛta. Alternatively, it is also suitable to place the six syllables oṃ hrīḥ ha hūṃ ja phuḥ upon a moon maṇḍala. With that hand, starting from the head and proceeding to the feet, one should meditate that the stream of amṛta from the light of the syllables draws out the poison from all the limbs, and that it is drawn out from the tips of the feet in the form of black color.
One should recite the mantra garland and purify the entire body with white mantra light rays. Alternatively, place a white syllable HRĪḤ at the head of the subject to be treated; by the stream of its nectar, the poisons are visualized as being washed away from the tips of the feet downward, just as before. Visualizing the body of the subject as white, one should perform this repeatedly while reciting the mantra garland. In either case, the poison will certainly be eliminated.
Furthermore, if one writes the name of the subject on a white wooden tablet, interspersing each letter with the syllable HAṂ and writing them in white, then by that very application, one should recite the mantra garland. Or, having drawn the form of the subject, one places a white syllable HRĪḤ on the crown of the head; visualizing the black color of the poison being washed away by the stream of its nectar, the poison will again be eliminated.
Alternatively, one writes the name of the person afflicted by poison and the name of the subject to be treated, interspersing them letter by letter on a wooden tablet. Encircling the letters with the syllables THA and OṂ, and applying the seed syllables HA and MI according to the ritual, it will draw out the poison in the color of smoke. With white, it will be pacified; with yellow, it will be bound.
Regarding the phrase "VAJRA SANDOHA DARPA YA": VAJRA means "wrathful"; SANDOHA means "assembly"; DARPA YA means "arrogance." AMṚTA KUṆḌALI means "nectar." "VĀYU PŪRA" means "blown and carried away by the wind." "Having grasped the name of the subject" means writing the mantra interspersed with the name. "Place the Lord of the Assembly (Gaṇapati) beneath the feet."
Regarding the phrase "the Lord of the Assembly," this refers to the term amṛtakuṇḍalī. "Place it beneath the feet" means to write it on the soles of the feet or to recite it at the end of the words. "One should act with the pride of hūṃ and phaṭ" means to recite them in a loud, resonant voice. "With hūṃ, one should perform the meditative absorption of nectar" means to meditate on Amṛtakuṇḍalī as generated by the syllable hūṃ.
"By the excellent application of the wrathful mantra" means the following application: go to a forest of ancestors and collect charcoal from burnt unmādana plants, along with orpiment, poison, the juice of nimba leaves, and the blood from the ring finger of the left foot. Mix these and, using a pen made from the quill of a large crow's feather, draw a sword-wheel (khaḍgacakra) situated upon a wind-maṇḍala on a cloth wafted by the wind, with a wide hub. In the hub, draw the form of the target (sādhya). In their heart, write the mantra garland interspersed with the name.
Then, fashion an image from clay from a potter’s wheel, dust from a footprint, and earth from a crossroads. Insert the aforementioned cloth into the heart of the image, place it inside a joined skull-cup (kapāla), and perform the summoning (ākarṣaṇa) as a preliminary. Recite the mantra garland one hundred and eight times: namaḥ samantabuddhebhyaḥ namo vajrakrodhāya mahādaṃṣṭrotkaṭabhairavāya oṃ amṛtakuṇḍali amukaṃ uccāṭaya hūṃ phaṭ. Then, bury it at a mātṛ house, a crossroads, or a charnel ground (śmaśāna). The target will be mounted upon a camel lifted by the wind.
If one visualizes a wrathful deity holding a staff striking [the victim] and leading them toward the southern direction, they will undoubtedly be led away. The remainder is easy to understand. Regarding the term Yamadaṇḍa: Yama refers to Yama and the others; daṇḍa refers to those who kill and inflict punishment. Regarding Nīlaya, it refers to the color of the body. Regarding Nīladaṇḍaya, it refers to the color of the staff; these are vocatives. Regarding Turu turu, it means "hurry, hurry!" Regarding Muru muru, it means "do it, do it!" Regarding Sarvadusthān, it refers to those who are hostile toward the Three Jewels.
Regarding the accomplishment of the collection of applications, the ritual procedure is as follows: Possessing the yoga of the noble Nīladaṇḍa, one should fashion an image from charcoal from a charnel ground, earth from an anthill, chaff, "great flesh" (mahāmāṃsa), and dust from a footprint. Using poison, blood, indigo, the three hot spices, and the juice of neem leaves, one should write the name of the target interspersed with the garland mantra upon a cloth from a charnel ground using a pen made of human bone. This is drawn upon a sun maṇḍala situated within a crossed vajra (viśvavajra). Having placed this in the heart of the image and preceded it with the rite of summoning, one places it inside two skull-cups. Meditating on oneself as the fierce wrathful deity Mahābala, the slayer, one sits at midnight or at noon upon a seat made of neem leaves and human bone, pressing down with the left foot and reciting: Amukaṃ māraya phaṭ.
If one recites the garland mantra interspersed with these words using the speech of a wrathful deity, death will occur within seven days. If even that does not succeed, one should go to a charnel ground and kindle a fire with nimba wood. In the center of that fire, one should invite the King of Wrathful Deities and visualize his mouth wide open. Starting from the little toe of the left foot of the effigy, one should cut it with a sharp weapon and, while reciting the garland mantra along with the words of exhortation, offer it into the homa fire with great wrath; then, without a doubt, death will occur that very night.
The term ucchuṣmakrodharāja is the name, because he possesses an extremely radiant body. Namaḥ sarvanāgānām refers to the eight nāga kings, such as Ananta and the rest. Hṛdaya pīḍaya means "to pierce the heart" for the purpose of bringing down rain. Regarding that, in the last month of summer, it is done by Karkoṭaka; in the first month of autumn, by Śaṅkhapāla; in the middle month of autumn, by Takṣaka; and in the last month of autumn, by Vasuki. Likewise, one should understand that rain is brought down in the middle month of spring and so forth, in successive order. Although this was previously taught, it shall be explained here: as previously shown, one should abide in the absorption of Mahābala, either with four faces and eight arms, or with one face and two arms. In an unbaked clay bowl, one should use indigo juice to draw an eight-spoked wheel of swords, in the center of which is an eight-petaled lotus. In the hub of that lotus, one should write the heart mantra of the nāgas interspersed with the mantra of Śulinī. Then, having joined the two halves of the clay bowl together...
The Thread
Wrap [the thread] with blue [silk], summon the śulini and the nāgas, and make offerings to them, then issue the command. Join the two halves of a clay bowl to summon the nāgas and place it in a pond or similar body of water where nāgas reside.
Alternatively, write the mantra of the five-pronged viśvavajra along with its words in ink upon a palm leaf. Visualize it as a blazing tongue of fire, and from that, meditate on the goddess Ekajaṭī, who has one face and two arms, holding a copper knife and a skull-cup, blue in color, with tawny hair bristling upward and bound by three skulls. Having made offerings and issued the command, cast the palm leaf into the nāga lake.
Then, in another secluded place, draw a fire maṇḍala and upon it a wind maṇḍala. In the center of that, draw a water maṇḍala with an eight-petaled lotus. In its hub, draw the water deity, whose upper body has the form of a man, possessing seven hoods, white in color, and holding a snake-noose in his two hands. In the directions such as the east, draw Ananta (blue), Vasuki (white), Takshaka (red), and Karkota (blue). In the corners of Agni and Nairṛti, draw Padma and Mahāpadma (yellow). In the Vāyu corner, draw Śaṅkhapāla (yellow). In the Īśāna corner, draw Kulika (variegated color).
Then, having performed the generation of all the nāgas from their seed-syllables and so forth, offer a bali pleasing to the nāgas made of molasses, milk, and so forth, while reciting the syllable phuḥ. Offer blue flowers, incense, and blue banners. Offer incense, tagara, kunduru, and...
One should offer incense made from the powder of fingernails, white mustard seeds, and nāgakesara, or nāgakesara powder mixed with sugar, along with butter lamps, having empowered them with mantras. Likewise, one should offer a blue vase filled with blue water, summoning and causing the nāgas to enter with the syllable phuḥ and the mantra interspersed within it. Having performed the offerings preceded by the argha water, one should say, "By the command of the Blessed One, O nāgas, please bring rain with joy!" Then, visualizing the nāgas bringing rain from the sky, if one recites the mantra accompanied by the exhortation: oṃ śulapāṇi varṣāpaya śīghraṃ oṃ jyotirnirṇada varṣāpaya śīghraṃ, the rain will fall.
If it still does not fall, one should construct a circular homa pit and draw the maṇḍala of the nāgas therein. Having invited them and visualized the syllable naṃ on their tongues, one should perform the offerings of argha and so forth, and offer three ladlefuls of clarified butter mixed with molasses. Then, by offering a homa of milk mixed with molasses and so forth, consecrated with the mantra oṃ anan, they will be satisfied and the rain will fall.
If it still does not fall, they must be subdued by punishment. One should draw the maṇḍala of the wind, fire, and so forth in sequence. In its center, one should meditate on the absorption of Mahābala, visualizing the Garuḍa treading upon the tails of the nāgas, with eight hands like blazing masses of fire pressing down upon the nāgas.
This very mantra, combined with the syllable OṂ and the incantation varṣāpaya śīghram, should be recited with a majestic and threatening manner. If one visualizes the nāgas being terrified of the wrathful deity and raining from the sky in a state of intoxication, the rain will fall. If it does not fall by that means, then at that time, one should perform the ritual of wrathful activity (abhicāra) against the nāgas according to the distinctions of small, medium, and great. The procedure for this is as follows:
On a secret cloth pierced by weapons or a cloth from a charnel ground, one should draw an eight-petaled lotus in the center of a sword-wheel using poison, mustard seeds, salt, black oil, and pungent spices. On the petals, one should write the heart mantras of the nāgas, and in the center, the syllable PAṂ combined with HŪṂ. Then, using earth from both riverbanks, earth from a charnel ground, ash, earth from an anthill, and earth from the base of a solitary tree, mixed with excrement and urine, one should fashion an image of a nāga. Inserting the aforementioned cloth into its heart, and preceded by the rite of summoning, one should smear it with the three pungent spices and mustard seeds. Lighting a fire in a triangular hearth using wood from a charnel ground, one should heat the image over the fire and recite the mantra one hundred and eight times; if done thus, the rain will fall—this is the small method.
If it still does not fall by that means, the medium method is to draw a nāga maṇḍala on that very ground. One should wear blue garments and a blue crown, or alternatively, remain naked.
With the left foot, marked by a blazing vajra resting upon a sun disk, one should press down upon the effigy placed on its back. Accompanied by a majestic phaṭ, one should tear open the crown of its head and visualize a rain of blood falling from the sky. Reciting the mantra as before, interspersed with eight naṃs and the exhortation varṣāpaya śīghraṃ, and chanting the wrathful words with a majestic bearing, the rain will fall.
If it still does not fall, one should fashion an effigy of the nāga from poison, salt, kaṭuka (mustard), and datura. Drive a nine-finger-long khadira wood stake into its heart. In a triangular homa pit, kindle the fire of a butcher or the fire of a charnel ground. Having invited and meditated upon Mahābala within the fire, smear the body with excrement and urine, face south, and visualize Mahābala with his wrathful mouth agape. Bless the tongue with the syllable hūṃ. Starting from the tail of the effigy, cut it with a sharp weapon and offer one hundred and eight homa oblations. Reciting the mantra in reverse order, the rain will fall.
If it does not fall after three attempts, then Mahābala himself will commit a fault. At that time, fashion an effigy of Mahābala from poison, kaṭuka, and datura. Summon him and meditate on oneself as Sumbharāja. Pressing down upon the effigy placed on its back with a foot marked by a vajra resting on a sun disk, recite the four hūṃ mantras forty thousand times along with the exhortation varṣāpaya śīghraṃ. Mahābala will then be compelled to bring down the rain.
If even that does not bring [the rain], then at that time, one should invite the King Sumbharāja into the homa pit of wrathful activity. Visualizing oneself as Sumbharāja with a gaping mouth marked by the syllable HŪṂ, one should chop the previous image with the four-HŪṂ mantra accompanied by the words cchinda cchinda. If one performs the homa offering ten thousand times, it is renowned in all ritual applications that the Great Powerful One (Mahābala) will undoubtedly cause the rain to fall.
Once the rain has fallen, in order to provide relief to the nāgas and the Great Powerful One, one should perform ten thousand homa offerings of ghee, milk, and so forth into the mouths of Vairocana and the other deities in a white, circular homa pit using their respective mantras; then they will undoubtedly be pacified. If the rain is excessive, one should offer one hundred homa offerings of withered flowers and cotton wool into the previously described wrathful homa pit dedicated to the glorious Vajrasattva, and it will cease.
Acalini is the meaning of suchness (tattva). Kana means to view that with the intellect. Ceta ceta is for the purpose of summoning all commands like a messenger. Mota mota is to be connected with the phrase "the mountain by the force of the hand." Tuta tuta is to be connected with the phrase "the long thread of ignorance by the weapon of seeing suchness."
The application here is as follows: in a human skull, [one should mix] the blood from the right big toe, salt, and...
One should draw the forms of Mahādeva and his consorts using black oil and the three types of pungent substances, and then summon them while reciting their respective mantras through the yoga of Vajrācala. Regarding the line, "By means of the application of the wind maṇḍala, perform the ritual of the lion-ride," this means that one should visualize the deity holding a hook and a noose, mounted upon the back of a lion generated from the syllable siṃ from the wind generated from yaṃ, and thus summoning them.
Sumbhani sumbha is a vocative; because it destroys all obscurations, it is sumbha. Because it destroys them without exception, it is sumbha. Gṛhṇa gṛhṇa means "seize them yourself!" Gṛhṇāpaya gṛhṇāpaya means "cause others to seize them!" Ānaya ho means "bring them here!" Ho is a vocative used with respect. Hūṃ phaṭ is a vocative for the purpose of slaying. Alternatively, the four hūṃs are the command, and phaṭ is that which obstructs. Regarding ṭakki hūṃ, ṭakki means "desire," and hūṃ refers to the wrathful deity. Jaḥ is the summoning; as it is said in the Cakrasaṃvara-guru: "Ṭakki is always said to be desire; hūṃ is declared to be the wrathful one; jaḥ is explained as leading [them] forth."
Oṃ siddhapatra refers to the utterly pure dharmadhātu. Vimala refers to being free from the stains of the signs of the afflictions.
Śaṅkara is so called because it is the source of the virtue of the enjoyment of the dharma. Pratyamgira-vajra is so called because it shatters all that is improper. Chinda chinda is to be applied to the mantras of others. Bhinda bhinda is to be applied to all mudrās. Ciri ciri is to be applied to the meanings of killing from the root. Giri giri means to cause vomiting. Mara mara means "make [them] invisible"; through the emptiness of the apprehended and the apprehender, the māras are equal to space. For that very reason, ten hūṃs are mentioned in the dharmadhātu because there is no object or subject. Three phaṭs are mentioned because of the falling of the three places. Regarding the phrase "oneself" and so forth: if one protects oneself, then by the yoga of the uṣṇīṣa-cakravartin, one abides in the center of the protection wheel. Having visualized the hūṃ-drop at the hub of the wheel in one's own heart, or having visualized one's own form or another, if one imagines the wheel rotating to the left, protection will be achieved; it is the same for others as well. Regarding the phrase "having taken the vidyā on the arm": having written hūṃs on the spokes of a ten-spoked wheel, having written the name in the hub, and having written the garland mantra on the rim according to the oral instructions, it should be tied to the arm. Regarding the phrase "the great wrathful one" and so forth: "essence" (hṛdaya) refers to the ultimate meaning. If one asks what that is, it is the mantras.
In whichever chapter they are engaged, it is so designated. This concludes the explanation of the fourth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on the Reality of the Ḍākinī Vajra Net.
Then, the Blessed One, the Vajra-Holder, entered the heart of Vajrasattva. This refers to the meaning of the activity of all the mantra deities. "The Buddha-body" refers to the perfection of the body of Vajrasattva through the five awakenings. "Vajrasattva" refers to the glorious Heruka; others should also be viewed in this way. "The maṇḍala arisen from the form of the Buddha" refers to the condensed maṇḍala, the lord and master of the maṇḍalas of the [deities] such as Śāśvata and the rest. "The mantras" refers to the mantra deities. "The wisdom and samaya [deities] reside in the heart" means that the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) is to be placed in the heart in the manner of a seed-syllable and a symbolic mark. "Through the thorough union of the wisdom-being" means the union and merging of the samaya maṇḍala and the wisdom maṇḍala into one. "Having made the three types of sound" refers to the objects of pleasure, suffering, and equanimity that give rise to desire, hatred, and delusion. "Abiding in the center of the protective samaya" means in the center of the yellow ten-spoked wheel generated from BHRŪṂ, upon which the ten wrathful deities reside. "The five maṇḍalas" refers to the condensed maṇḍala. "Divided into twenty-five" [refers to the divisions].
"Also with colored powders" means that the threads should be gathered. The twenty-five refers to the twenty-five aspects: for the Permanent One (Śāśvata), blue, yellow, red, green, and white; for the Sun (Āditya), white, blue, red, green, and yellow; for the Lord of Dance (Nṛtyeśvara), white, yellow, blue, green, and red; for the Supreme Steed (Hayagrīva), white, yellow, red, blue, and green; and for Heruka, white, yellow, red, green, and black. This is because it is stated: "Here, the Buddhas and Protectors are the maṇḍala situated in the center."
Here, in order to show that the mind is the primary [deity], it is taught that Hevajra himself is the principal of the condensed maṇḍala; however, this does not exclude others. One should adopt whichever is desired according to the sequence of shifting or stabilizing the residence. Therefore, the colors of the sections of the ground should be taken according to the specific principal deity.
"Or meditating on each maṇḍala individually" means meditating on the sequence of each individual maṇḍala. "Or the condensed maṇḍala" means the condensed maṇḍala in which the five cakravartins are situated in the center of the five maṇḍalas. "Or residing in the center of eight by eight" is the explanation of that very point: it is the condensed form of the five cakravartins surrounded by eight by eight mātṛs. "Placing the gatekeepers at the gates" refers to their arrangement at the entrances.
"At that time, it is the condensed maṇḍala" means that the goddesses, such as the one holding a hook in her hand and so forth, are to be placed at the gates of the great maṇḍala. Regarding "fish and king": the fish is the rohita fish; the king is the king of serpents. "The supreme among beings" refers to the human realm; based on the human realm, those of the definite and indefinite families will attain the three types of awakening, both directly and gradually, whereas other beings do not, because their birthplaces and insight are inferior. For that very reason, the human realm is the most excellent. "Elephants and so forth carry diseases" means that what is carried in the skull-cups of the right hands are diseases, and by implication, those in the left hands are medicines. "The vajra that provides relief and pacifies all diseases" refers to that which teaches the relief obtained through the complete pacification of all diseases. This concludes the explanation of the fifth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness: The Ḍākinī Vajra Net. "The holder of all bodies" means the holder of all mantra deities. Regarding "mind is recollection" and so forth, this teaches the recollection through the sequence of emanating subtle vajras after the time of emanating the maṇḍala deities and attaining the five signs. "Having meditated on Vajrasattva..."
The phrase "so-called" refers to the meditation on Hevajra. "Sealed by the four mudrās" refers to the wisdom beings in the manner of the body, speech, and mind, as well as the seed syllables and the signs. Alternatively, it refers to the blessing of the sixty-four, eight, sixteen, and thirty-two-petaled lotuses at the gates of the navel, heart, throat, and head, respectively, as the emanation, dharma, enjoyment, and great bliss cakras, by means of the syllables AṂ, HŪṂ, OṂ, and HAṂ. The same applies to the [deities] such as the Permanent One (Śāśvata) and so forth.
"The great king of hatred" refers to Hevajra. "Exhausting all hatred" refers to the nature free from duality. "One should meditate through the application of emanation, and the teaching on thorough withdrawal" means emanating from the cloud of one's own body or the cloud of signs from the mantra-drop, and then withdrawing them; it is the withdrawal of the subtle drops and the recollections.
"Indivisible in the vajra mind" means that Hevajra should be crowned with a crossed vajra. Likewise, the Permanent One has the dharma-cakra; the Sun has the vajra-jewel; the Lord of Dance has the lotus; and the Supreme Steed should be known to have the sword as his crown ornament. "Ten million leagues" is a symbol for the immeasurable. "One should focus on the pride of being a Buddha" means to have the conviction that one's own nature is that of a Buddha. "The dharmadhātu is luminosity."
"Because by meditating on that, sentient beings proceed to equality with the Buddha." This means that by meditating on the Buddha’s body as luminous and like an illusion, one becomes a Buddha.
"By conceptualizations of unreal imagination, the mind is made defiled." Here, "unreal imagination" refers to the clinging to a self and what belongs to a self, as well as to the apprehended and the apprehender. That itself is "conceptualization"—the nature of the dependent nature (paratantra-svabhāva) which is a mind clinging to various aspects. By that, the jewel of the mind is defiled.
"Just as space" means that, like space being free from mist and so forth, it is free from adventitious stains. "Indestructible" means it is established as being stable by nature. "Stirring the jewel of the mind" means meditating on the meaning of reality.
If it is argued that external appearances such as pillars and vases are indeed apprehended as existing—just as the appearance of a lion arises where a lion resides, but not in a place where one does not exist—the text states, "the jewel of the mind, which is shown to be delusive." The meaning of this is that, like dreams and so forth, even though the object does not exist, it is the mind alone that appears as the object; it is not that an appearance arises because both [subject and object] exist.
"The great sovereignty of the three realms" means becoming the lord of the three realms of the Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya. "The heart mantra of Vajrasattva, clearly manifest" means that all phenomena are selfless.
From the Extensive Commentary on the Reality of the Vajra Net of Ḍākinīs, this is the explanation of the sixth chapter.
Now, "Vajra" refers to the nature of the Dharmakāya, which is like space. "One should meditate on the five aspects" means: meditating on the moon arisen from the fifteen vowels, the sun arisen from the thirty-four consonants into which the star-like qualities of all the Buddhas have entered, the curved knife and skull-cup arisen from AṂ and HŪṂ, the emanation and reabsorption of the wheel of yoginīs, and the generation in the form of the Vajra-holder.
"Arranging the maṇḍala according to its proper manner" means emanating and reabsorbing the maṇḍala deities from the body of one's own chosen deity. "The maṇḍala of the four elements" refers to the maṇḍalas of earth and so forth. "Having visualized the Buddha upon that" means generating Vairocana from BHRŪṂ.
"Inseparable" means that all wisdoms are inseparable and their nature is indivisible. This explains the purification of the garland and water empowerments: washing away the stains of ignorance with the water of the utterly pure Dharmadhātu and the mirror-like wisdom.
"Without birth and without destruction" means being free from the extremes of permanence and nihilism. This teaches the purification of the name empowerment as the wisdom of the pure Dharmadhātu. "Jewels" refers to the Buddhas.
The term "Guru of Gurus" is used because of the unsurpassed great pride. This demonstrates the purification of the empowerment of the various jewel crowns marked by their respective lords into the wisdom of equality. "Because it maintains the characteristics of desire and so forth" refers to the wisdom of individual discernment, which is attached to the dharmatā of phenomena and is the Vajra Holder. This demonstrates the purification of the vajra empowerment. "Bestowing the supreme fruit of accomplishment" refers to the wisdom of all-accomplishing action, which bestows the meaningful fruit; it is the melody of insight that pervades the entire world system without exception. This demonstrates the purification of the lord empowerment. "The vajra words of knowledge" refers to the nature of reversing ignorance. "The vase empowerment is the first," and so forth, refers to the nature of the three secrets. Then, "it is not like that" means that the wisdom of the tathatā (suchness) to be illustrated is not the wisdom that illustrates it in the same way; this is because it is vast, undefiled, and continuously arising. Regarding "the vajra seed," the "vajras" are the tathāgatas, and the "seed" is that which has become the form of the melted [essence]. "The name of the family" refers to the desire for the mantra of each respective family. This concludes the explanation of the seventh chapter from the Extensive Tattva Commentary on the Ḍākinī Vajra Net.
Regarding the phrase "You, Vajra Hatred": it is of a nature in which duality is exhausted; it is called "hatred" because it destroys. Regarding "Pure Mind": it is because all obscurations have been exhausted. Regarding "Vajra Delusion": it is because there is no cognition of duality. Regarding "Pure Body": it is because it is adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being and the eighty minor marks. Regarding "Supreme Discriminating Awareness": "supreme" refers to the Buddhas, and "discriminating awareness" refers to the wisdom of omniscience. Regarding "with the forms of all Buddhas": it is because it manifests the nirmāṇakāya through a form that is without [ordinary] body. Regarding "Mahāmudrā" and so forth: if there is nothing whatsoever that is impure by its own nature, then one might wonder, "What is purified by what? How is it purified?" In response to this, it says: "When there is no contradictory entity," and so forth. A "contradictory entity" is an impure entity. "When" refers to the perspective of ultimate truth. "At that time, it should be purified" refers to the perspective of conventional truth; the meaning is that within conventional truth, the purification of stains is possible, like water and a jewel. "Cakra" refers to the maṇḍala-cakra, which is the truth of the path. If one asks, "How then is the ultimate truth to be apprehended?" it says: "Meditate on the dharmatā as mere nature," and so forth.
The term "merely" (tsam) serves to exclude conceptual elaborations (prapañca). "Meditate" (rnam par bsgom) refers to meditating on the nature of reality (dharmatā) as the body of one's own deity, that is, meditating on the body as a single unity. "When analyzed, the nature of reality is not truly an entity" means that "truth" is the reality of suchness (tattva). "Analysis" refers to contemplating the characteristics of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) and so forth. "It does not exist" refers to the analysis of the two [extremes]. "The world and its migrations cannot be conceived" means that "the world" refers to the Buddhas, and "migrations" refers to primordial wisdom (jñāna); it is "inconceivable" because it is the domain of the inconceivable. "The maṇḍala of the Mātṛs" refers to the wheel of yoga. "Four faces" means the central face is yellow. "Then, one should arrange the gatekeepers" refers to arranging the goddesses of the hook, the chain, and so forth. "Below, one should thoroughly meditate on Sumbharāja" means he is blue in color. "Uṣṇīṣavijayā" is yellow in color. "Tāre" means she liberates from saṃsāra. Regarding "Tuttāre," the syllable "tuṭ" is an etymological term meaning "the other," which becomes "you," while "tāre" is Tārā. "Ture" means she satisfies by enjoying all phenomena. "The seed of the fierce one" refers to the seed of black mustard. "Vajra-water" refers to semen. "Vajra-sun" refers to the menses.
"Supreme Horse" (Hayottama) refers to the "great flesh" (mahāmāṃsa). "Pi-cu pi-cu" refers to being extremely subtle and distracted; because it is analogous to cotton wool, it is the insight (prajñā) that pierces the subtle. "Jva-la jva-la" refers to that very mind being luminous (ābhāsvara). "Dhi-ri dhi-ri" refers to stability, which is the non-degeneration of mindfulness. Regarding the phrase "according to the worldly way," "way" (naya) means abiding; it refers to remaining in the manner of an ordinary person. "Supreme" (uttama) means the most excellent.
"Along with those branches of awakening" (bodhyaṅga) means that the "branches of awakening" are the young maidens. "Ho" can mean "for the sake of" or "itself"; thus, the offering of the branches of awakening themselves, together with the hand-mudrās (mudrā) of the Lāsyā goddess and so forth, is the most excellent, because it reveals suchness (tattva).
"Leaving two parts from the Brahma-line" means setting aside half of the door. "Six parts" means six portions. "Leaving two parts of the door" means the meaning is two units of the door's measurement. If two doors are established by eight parts, what need is there to mention nine? This refers to the nine parts in the nine-fold maṇḍala, intended to demarcate the space between the two doors. "Nine parts" means the ninth portion.
This concludes the explanation of the eighth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness (Tattvavistara) of the Ḍākinīvajrāvalī.
"Vidyādhara" refers to one who blazes with ornaments such as raiment and topknots, and possesses a mind endowed with loving-kindness (maitrī) and so forth. "By the application of the right-leg-extended method" (ālīḍha-yoga)...
The phrase "first" refers to the initial stage, after which one should act as is convenient. Regarding the phrase "by the application of the vajra snap of the fingers": one should form the vajra-bind at the shoulders of both hands, recite "vajra samājaḥ jaḥ," and then hook the two index fingers like a hook and snap the thumbs and middle fingers. The "vajra syllable" refers to whichever seed-syllable is the syllable yaṃ. The "vajra maṇḍala" refers to the maṇḍala of wind. The "vajra heap" refers to the maṇḍala of fire arising from the seed-syllable raṃ. The "vajra ripening" refers to the ripening of the nectar marked by the syllable aṃ, which is generated by the syllable hūṃ residing upon the sun. The phrase "abiding in the center of the expanse of space" means abiding within the sphere of space. The "city of the source of phenomena" (dharmodaya) means abiding upon the fire maṇḍala within the lotus of the consort of one's own light. The "yellow vajra" refers to one's own wrathful vajra. The remainder should be understood from the mouth of the Guru. The phrase "dura dura" means "be eager." "Cchinda cchinda" means "to make that very thing clear." "Hūṃ" means "to definitely destroy." "Dara" means "to show." "Dāraya" means "to explain." "Duṣṭānāṃ mardaya mardaya" means "make the wicked invisible by the vajra gaze." "Vajradhṛk" means to hold that nature of non-dual wisdom; as it says in the Guhyasamāja: "Knowledge as the five causes..."
It is said: "That which is called 'Vajra' is explained as 'Dhṛk,' meaning 'to hold.' Consciousness is asserted to be the Vajra-holder." In this context, "cause" refers to the objects of perception. "Knowledge" refers to the subjects that perceive. "Five" refers to the five times five, which is ten. "Vajra" refers to the single nature of the mind when those are gathered together. "Holder" refers to holding by the very nature of that non-dual wisdom. "Consciousness" refers to the aggregate of consciousness, which is the collection of the untainted consciousness of the Buddhas. "Vajranāma" is the name, and its "samaya" is the view of being attached to all sentient beings to be trained. "Hulu hulu" means to go, having entered the unsurpassed path.
Regarding "Ārolik," it is also stated in the Guhyasamāja itself: "Since everything from every direction is characterized by the nature of the weapon, the enjoyer and so forth are all explained as 'Ārolik'." In this, "everything" refers to the enjoyer, which is perception. "Of everything" refers to that which is to be enjoyed, the objects to be characterized. "All" refers to the characteristic, which is included within perception. If one asks what kind of perception it is, it is taught as being included within the signless; therefore, "Ārolik" is mentioned. According to the method of etymological derivation, "Ā" is the self, the enjoyer. "Ro" is that which characterizes.
Lik means to comprehend the defining characteristics. Śaśvata means name. Parama-śaśvata means the supreme permanence, which is the continuous engagement in the Saṃbhogakāya. Ehyehi means "come hither." Regarding Jina-jik, the Guhyasamāja-ṭīkā states:
"Beyond existence, non-existence, and the middle,
Arising from the elements and from what is derived from the elements,
The bodies of all sentient beings
Are produced; thus the Victorious One is Jina-jik."
In this context, "existence" refers to external objects and the birth of sentient beings. "Non-existence" refers to internal grasping and cessation. "The middle" refers to the interval and the state of abiding; it is free from these. What is it? It is "arising from the elements and from what is derived from the elements," which refers to the aggregate of untainted form. "All sentient beings" refers to the Buddhas. "Body" refers to the secret body. "Produced" refers to birth. "Victorious One" is a definitive designation; according to the method of etymological derivation, it is Jina-jik. Vajra-sūrya is the name. Tomovidāyana means to dispel the darkness of the six types of pride. Samayas-tvaṃ haṃ means the identity of the equality of all Buddhas. Regarding Ratna-dhṛk, the Guhyasamāja-ṭīkā states:
"Because all objects arise from it,
The mind is explained as 'Jewel' (Ratna).
Because the Knower knows by means of it,..."
"Feeling is asserted to be Ratnadhṛk." Thus it is said. In this context, "mind" refers to the nature of mind itself. If one asks what it is like: because all objects arise from it, the qualities of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas arise as a single taste. That itself is "knowledge" (vidyā), the knower of suchness (tattva). "Certainty" (niścaya) means without doubt. "Family" (kula) is experience; it is the object of feeling, the nature of the mind. Feeling is the nature of the knowledge of equality. According to the method of etymological definition, it is Ratnadhṛk.
The sounds phu phu phu hi hi hi are the natural neighing of a horse. Alternatively, phu means to emanate and fly forth. Hi means to go like a horse, which is to go everywhere as the nirmāṇakāya. Regarding Prajñādhṛk, the Explanatory Tantra of the Guhyasamāja states:
"Consciousness is called prajñā because it is utterly luminous.
Because the mind is grasped by formations,
It is called the 'holder of insight' (prajñādhṛk)."
In this passage, "utterly luminous" means naturally luminous (prabhāsvara). What is it? It is consciousness. According to etymology, jñā is consciousness and pra is luminosity. "Formations" refers to the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra-skandha). If one asks what that is like: it is the Buddhas' contemplation of suchness with diligent respect.
This concludes the explanation of the ninth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness of the Ḍākinīvajrāvalī.
"By the vajra eye" means by the unimpeded vision. "By the net of various miraculous powers" refers to miraculous powers endowed with intense resolve, manifestation, and the absence of deliberate effort. In that context, "intense resolve" is the conviction that sentient beings are the form of the Buddha, and that the Buddhas are inseparable from the bodies of sentient beings. "Manifestation" refers to displaying treasuries and so forth from the sky. "Absence of deliberate effort" refers to displaying birth, awakening, the turning of the wheel of Dharma, and so forth, as being spontaneously accomplished.
This concludes the explanation of the tenth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness: The Ḍākinī Vajra Net.
"Peaceful mind" refers to a mind of profound clarity. Regarding "empowerment": abiding in the deity yoga of Vairocana and others with white color, one subdues diseases such as those resembling monkeys. One places the object of accomplishment in the water maṇḍala at one's own heart or in the lotus of insight. Having conferred empowerment with a stream of nectar from a white vase held by the deities, one should visualize the deity's body as composed of the subtle atoms of all the Buddhas.
"Expansive mind" refers to the mental faculty. Here, too, through the yoga of Vajrasūrya, one abides in the maṇḍala of the Great Powerful One. The empowerment by the stream of water from a yellow vase is as before.
The so-called "mind of attachment" is a mind of clinging. Abiding in the yoga of the Lord of Dance (Nṛtyeśvara) and so forth, the empowerment is conferred by a stream of red water from a vase, as previously described. The so-called "mind of malice" is a mind that is malicious, not malicious, and intolerant; it is a fierce mind. Fire is extinguished by the rain from a mass of clouds. This concludes the explanation of the eleventh chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness (Tattvavistara) of the Ḍākinīvajrapañjara.
Regarding "mountain cleft and thicket," it refers to a dwelling situated at the base of a mountain. Alternatively, because one does not waver from tasting the bodhicitta, the "mountain cleft" is prajñā (insight). The "thicket cave" is the lotus situated within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) of that [insight]. Regarding "adorned with flowers, fruits, and so forth," "flowers" are past karma. "Fruits" are the body of this present life, because they are the maturation (vipāka). Alternatively, "flowers" are the pollen. By "and so forth," one should include age and the like.
Regarding the passage beginning with "the bodhicitta," one might wonder: "Since entities such as the apprehended and the apprehender are merely imputed, how can they become the ultimate bodhicitta?" Thinking thus, it says: "When analyzing whether entities are true or false," and so forth. When analyzed through reasoning, the entities of the apprehended and the apprehender are untenable; therefore, the meaning is that they are not true, and only the mind alone remains.
If it is argued that although external entities such as the apprehended object are untenable, consciousness itself exists substantially, it is stated: "By this application of non-arising," and so forth. Just as external objects are refuted by this application of the one and the many and so on, consciousness is likewise refuted. Here, one should remain in equanimity, or rather, no entity whatsoever exists from the perspective of the ultimate. "This arising" refers to emptiness, which occurs as the nature of emptiness. Regarding "Oṃ" and so forth: "Oṃ" has this meaning. "Śūnyatā" is because it is mere luminosity. "Vajra" is because it is indivisible and destroys all obscurations. Alternatively, the mirror-like wisdom whose object is emptiness is "Oṃ." The wisdom of equality is "Śūnyatā." The discriminating wisdom is "Jñāna." The all-accomplishing wisdom is "Vajra," because the nirmāṇakāya remains as long as space exists. The wisdom of utter purity is "Svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ." "The application of the deathless" refers to abiding in the yoga of the enemy of obstacles within the protection wheel. "The vajra maṇḍala" is the wind maṇḍala. The "light maṇḍala" is the mirror maṇḍala. The "ḍākinī maṇḍala" is the Hevajra maṇḍala. The "earth portion" is the Nairātmyā maṇḍala.
From the Extensive Commentary on the Suchness of the Ḍākinī Vajra Net (Ḍākinīvajrajālatantratattvavistaraṭīkā), this is the explanation of the twelfth chapter.
Regarding the term "Action Tantra" (Kriyātantra): it refers to the apprehension of external deities such as the ṣaṇmukha (six-faced) and the diligent practice of ritual purity, silence, and so forth. "Action Application" (Kriyāyoga) refers to the apprehension of the deity as external to oneself. "Yoga" refers to the apprehension of oneself as of one taste with the wisdom of the Universal Monarch (Cakravartin). "Higher Yoga" (Anuttarayoga) refers to the practice of the great secret of supreme joy arising from the embrace of one's own awareness. "Unsurpassed Yoga" (Anuttarayogottara) refers to the apprehension of the supreme bliss born from the union of one's own deity’s vajra and lotus.
Regarding the phrase "the inseparability of emptiness and compassion": emptiness is the characteristic of the absolute non-existence of duality; it is the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi). It is synonymous with the ultimate (paramārtha), suchness (tathatā), and so forth. Compassion is the maṇḍala of deities in which the five perfections are subsumed; it is the state of being of one taste and inseparable from that [emptiness].
In this context, whether the two syllables interspersed with the two hoḥ of the causal Vajradhara enter [the lotus], or the two bodies enter, the melting of the two bodies by the blazing fire of desire in the navel lotus is the nature of emptiness. The benefiting of sentient beings by the light rays arising from that is compassion; the nature of the deity’s body is the inseparability of these two.
This is the explanation of the thirteenth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness: The Ḍākinī Vajra Net.
Regarding the phrase "the sphere of excellence" (bzang po’i spyod yul): "excellence" refers to the accomplishments (siddhi) such as the medicinal pill (guḍikā) and so forth. "Sphere" refers to the conduct, which is to say, the means of accomplishment (sādhana). "Vajra" refers to the Hevajra. "Three systems" refers to the certainty taught in other sources, which is applied here as follows:
"Fine luster, the moon, and the light-makers,
Three, four, and the number of the Vedas;
The qualities of the Sage, like the number of arrows—
Together with the rati, the pill should be drawn."
Alternatively, as stated elsewhere:
"Gold, silver, and likewise copper,
Fire, arrows, and pairs;
Sixteen, three, and six, in sequence—
Together with the ol-se, the thick pill should be drawn."
It is just as it has been taught. "The nāga king" refers to a snake with two heads. "Seed" refers to the semen. "Vajra finger" refers to a finger like the trunk of an elephant and so forth. "Vajra tongue" refers to a tongue marked with the syllable HŪṂ and a vajra. "Vajrasattva" is one's own name. "Vajra embrace" refers to binding tightly at the throat. "Vajra essence" refers to indivisible bliss. "Lotus passion" refers to being endowed with the vajra. "One should summon the vajra self" refers to performing the union (yuganaddha); this should be understood from the instructions of the guru.
"One will go to the stage of the Vajra-holder" means that upon a ram-drawn chariot, one should place a sun maṇḍala arising from RAṂ, and therein generate the form of the Vajra-holder from HŪṂ. Having blessed the eyes and so forth, one should protect [the body] and lead it to the state of union and so on, where it should be made to abide; such is the meaning. "The yoga of self-consecration" refers to the yoga of the completion stage. "In the center of the heart" refers to the junction where the two jewels are bound. "The Vajra Nairātmya Ḍākinī" means that from the total transformation of the vajra, one should visualize a tiny mustard-seed-sized jewel of the nature of Nairātmya. "The stable and the moving" refers to the maṇḍala circle. Some say it is the flowing of bodhicitta. "The limit of purity" refers to the limit of purity, which is the middle way. "The web of conceptualization" refers to the grasped and the grasper. "Not inanimate" is because it is merely luminosity. "False" refers to the grasped and so forth. "Self" refers to the form of the thoroughly afflicted [state]. "The five obscurations" are sensual desire, malice, lethargy and sleep, and doubt. "Omniscience" means being skilled in all aspects. In order to refute the notion that a result can be produced from a cause that is discordant with it, it is said: "In this way, with the thirty-two marks," and so forth.
The meaning of this is that the maṇḍala-cakra, which is the synthesis of the five perfections (pāramitā) embraced by the perfection of insight (prajñāpāramitā), is the method. Other modes and emptiness (śūnyatā) alone, like the sphere of infinite space (ākāśānantyāyatana) and so forth, would result in the attainment of a mere quiescence, which is not the case. "Not true" means that when analyzed as one or many, it is a mere appearance. "Not false" means that it manifests in various forms as the enjoyment body (saṃbhogakāya) and the emanation body (nirmāṇakāya). "Not to be discarded" means that there is no intrinsic nature of the obscurations to be abandoned. "Not to be adopted" means that it does not produce what was previously non-existent. "Fist" refers to all the fingers being curled. "Lion's ear" refers to the index and middle fingers being slightly curled. "Desire" refers to the vriyangu plant. "Bola" refers to the gandhari plant. "Salija" refers to the khandasa plant. "Kacora" refers to the shati plant. Regarding the phrase "this is the maṇḍala of the assembly," "this" is the reason, because it accumulates the equipment of merit (puṇyasaṃbhāra). "Vajrasattva" is generated by the syllable HŪṂ. "There" refers to the tip of the lotus, the lotus-jewel. "Vowel" means pure; it is the natural A of the Buddha's speech placed upon that jewel. "Wish-fulfilling jewel" refers to the vajra-jewel. At the opening of the jewel is the syllable PHAṬ.
The phrase "Phaṭ yellow" refers to the syllable phaṭ in the color yellow. "The hand of the eye" means to place the middle finger behind the index finger, lifting the tip of the index finger to resemble an eye, and then placing it above the ear. "The hand of listening" means to form the shape of a double-tongued banner and rotate it. "With the left, one should rotate" means to place the right fist, with the thumb extended, upon the upturned left palm. "The vajra footstep" refers to the gaits of the one-pointed, three-pointed, five-pointed, and crossed vajras. "The manner of the ten mouths" means to move all ten fingers to form tips; this consists of four types: the lion’s gait, the lion’s stretch, the manner of Vajrabhairava, and the manner of the snake’s head. "The variegated staff" (dbyig pa bkra bo) is a compound of "staff" and "variegated," referring to the production of ordinary sounds. Furthermore, there are seven types of birth and so forth, which are the seven ways of producing sounds such as the lute. "The manner of the staff" means to raise the thumb like a staff, representing the twelve qualities such as the powers of a Buddha. "The double-banner" means to hold the index and thumb like a pair of tongs. "The triple-banner" means to perform the same with the thumb and middle finger. This concludes the explanation of the fourteenth chapter from the Extensive Commentary on Suchness of the Ḍākinīvajrāvalī.
Kurukullā refers to the goddess Kurukullā. According to the pith instructions, she dwells in the midst of the eight charnel grounds, seated in a dancing posture with one leg bent, adorned with ornaments such as human bone.
Maṇi refers to the discriminating wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna), which is like a jewel of unsurpassed value. If one asks, "If it is discriminating wisdom, would it not be accompanied by conceptual thought?" the term padma is mentioned; the meaning is that just as a lotus is unsullied by mud, that wisdom is unstained by the defects of conceptual thought.
For that very reason, hūṃ phaṭ is mentioned. Hūṃ refers to the mind that is empty of subject and object. Phaṭ refers to the tearing asunder of conceptual thought. Mañjuvajraya is the name. Mu refers to the supreme mind of all the Buddhas. Hrīḥ refers to casting all the Māras down on their backs. Ṣṭrīḥ refers to subduing the hostile ones, such as hungry ghosts and those in the hells, by baring one's fangs. Vikṛtānana refers to being terrifying due to the distorted face.
The two pairs of hūṃ phaṭ eliminate aging and death. Regarding mārīci, mā refers to the Māras. Ci refers to suppressing; because it suppresses the Māras, it is mārīci. Vasudhara is the invocation. Regarding vasuvṛṣṭiṃ vada ni, vasu refers to wealth such as jewels, and vṛṣṭi is the rain of that.
Jambhala is the name. Jalendrāya means "bestowing sovereignty by giving water." Maṇidhara means "holding the jewel" because he holds men and women as jewels in his womb. Vajri means "destroying the lower realms," as he leads those in fear by means of the vajra. Mahāpratisāra means "destroying and making disappear those who have entered the great sufferings of the hells and so forth." Hūṃ phaṭ means "destroying and causing to fall." Mahākālāya is the name. Śāsana upahara apa means "inflict harm upon those who harm the teachings." Yati pratijñā smara si means "remember your vow." Kha kha means "offering." Khāhi khāhi is explained as "give." Gṛhṇa gṛhṇa is to be connected with "fevers and so forth." Bandha bandha is to be connected with "throat and noose." Daha daha is to be connected with "making [them] blaze fiercely." Paca paca means "do that very thing," the sense being that one should perform the third stage of the previous wheel of wrathful activity. Kṣaṇa means "universal joy." In that context, kṣaṇa is "supreme joy" (paramānanda). "Causal kṣaṇa" is "special joy" (viramānanda). "Nature" (svabhāva) is the nature of "innate joy" (sahajānanda); that itself is "great bliss" (mahāsukha), which is also the undefiled bliss. Special joy is the beginning, and supreme joy is the end.
Regarding the phrase "the entity" and so forth: the sixth is Vajrasattva. The term "perfect Buddha" is to be connected with the first [line]. "Dharma" refers to the causes of purity, such as the channels of the view of selflessness and the practice of generosity. "Samaya" consists of what is to be guarded and what is to be consumed. Regarding those, "guarding" refers to [avoiding] harm to the Three Jewels and so forth. "Consuming" refers to the five nectars and the five foods. The instruction "one should draw the maṇḍala" means that one should constantly perform the maṇḍala of colored powders, the gaṇacakra, and the yoga of the three absorptions.
"One should avoid binding the mudrā" refers to those yogins of the completion stage who experience the bliss of Mahāmudrā; it does not apply to beginners. For the latter, the very avoidance of binding the mudrā would become a transgression. The phrase "maṇḍala and so forth" includes other physical movements through the word "and so forth." "One should not perform physical actions" means one should abandon the activities of the three types of yoga. In that regard, those who have attained some mastery over wisdom should cause boys and girls to perform the maṇḍala and so forth by means of divination. Those who have attained mastery over all wisdom should perform the emanation and reabsorption of the mental maṇḍala. Those who have brought authentic wisdom under control should demonstrate that very emanated maṇḍala as being like a reflection and so forth. "One should not prostrate to those who are not masters."
This means that one does not bow to kings and the like out of a desire for gain and so forth. "Guru" refers to one who teaches the mantras and so forth. "Elder" refers to a senior ācārya. The remainder refers to beginners, which is easy to understand. Regarding the phrase "consecrated by the glorious Vajradhara" and so forth: an ācārya who knows the ten suchnesses, is skilled in the activity of drawing the maṇḍala, abides in the samayas and vows, is constantly endowed with the yoga of the three absorptions, and possesses the other qualities as previously mentioned, is called "the glorious Vajradhara" because he is extremely close to Vajradhara. One should apply the ritual of consecration by him exactly as it is; it should not be done by anyone else. Regarding the phrase "death" and so forth: "death" is not the ultimate reality, just as it is like going from one forest to another for the sake of a sacrificial offering. "The abode of the sky-goers" refers to those who have gained mastery over authentic wisdom; mastery over wisdom is the attainment of the state. "Sukhāvatī" is the world-realm of supreme joy, where the mastery of the ten bhūmis is attained. "If one desires" refers to those who have gained some mastery over wisdom; because they have gained mastery over birth, they will be born wherever they desire. Even for beginners, if they should go to the lower realms by the power of karma, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will care for them through various rituals.
This is for the sake of obtaining the concordant aspiration and the empowerment. The phrase "the vajra and bell are given into the hands" is an illustration; in the same way, others should also be applied. In that regard, the meaning of these is as follows: having generated oneself in the form of one's chosen deity, preceded by the invitation of the wisdom-being (jñānasattva), and having blessed the eyes and so forth, one should recite the mantra garland many times.
Regarding the phrase "by means of the vajra hearth application": having drawn the maṇḍala exactly as it is, and having preceded it with the maṇḍala sādhana and so forth, one should confer the empowerments of water, crown, vajra, lord, name, and vase. Then, having performed the offerings, praises, and the tasting of the nectar (amṛta), and having recited the mantra many times, one should generate Vajrasattva or one's own chosen deity together with the maṇḍala deities at the heart. Having merged them into one with the wisdom maṇḍala, one should visualize them as departing in equanimity and perform the purification by burning in the place of the peaceful homa fire offering. If one does not do so, it will become the destruction of the caitya.
This is the explanation of the fifteenth chapter from the Extensive Reality of the Ḍākinī Vajra Net Commentary.
By whatever stainless and perfect virtue has been gained from explaining this vast and difficult-to-realize king of tantras through the instructions obtained from the feet of the Guru, may [all beings] attain the supreme state.
May the multitudes of beings proceed upon the path free from suffering! This concludes the Extensive Commentary on Suchness (Tattvavistara), a commentary on the Vajra Net of Ḍākinīs (Ḍākinīvajrapañjara), composed by the great master of the divine lineage, Mahāmati. It was translated, edited, and finalized by the great Indian abbot Gayadhara and the Tibetan translator 'Gos Lhas btsas.