Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This work serves as a detailed exegetical commentary on the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti, focusing on the non-dual nature of awareness (rig pa) and its manifestation as the wisdom of all Buddhas. The text argues that the ultimate meaning is found in the non-substantial awareness that transcends dualistic grasping and the distinctions between the various kāyas. By analyzing the symbolic language of the root text—including the phonetic properties of seed syllables and the attributes of Vajradhara and Mañjuśrī—the author demonstrates how the practitioner can realize the inseparability of the dharmakāya and rūpakāya. The work commits the reader to a path of recognition where the self-arisen wisdom of awareness is identified as the source of all qualities and the means for benefiting all sentient beings. It moves from the preliminary praise of the teacher and the retinue toward a sophisticated ontological mapping of the three kāyas and the all-accomplishing wisdom of the Buddha.
Provenance
About this text
A clarification of the meaning of the Noble Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti, the Āryamañjuśrīnāmasaṃgītyarthālokakara is a treatise composed by the Indian author Surativajra. Preserved in the classical Tibetan tradition, the work is found in the Tengyur, volume ཚི, where it spans 49 pages and is situated within the collection of Other Skillful Means Tantras. The text serves as a detailed exegetical commentary on the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti, focusing on the non-dual nature of awareness (rig pa) and its manifestation as the wisdom of all Buddhas. It argues that ultimate meaning resides in a non-substantial awareness that transcends dualistic grasping and the distinctions between the various kāyas. By analyzing the symbolic language of the root text—including the phonetic properties of seed syllables and the attributes of Vajradhara and Mañjuśrī—the author demonstrates how the practitioner can realize the inseparability of the dharmakāya and rūpakāya. A scholar or serious reader consults this work to understand a path of recognition where self-arisen wisdom is identified as the source of all qualities and the means for benefiting all sentient beings, moving from the preliminary praise of the teacher and retinue toward a sophisticated ontological analysis.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Clarifying the Meaning of “Reciting the Names of Mañjuśrī”” (Toh 2093), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2093
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its integration of tantric semiotics and the philosophy of awareness, bridging the gap between ritual recitation and the realization of non-dual wisdom. For the modern reader, it provides a technical example of how Tibetan scholasticism interprets the symbolic attributes of deities as markers of specific cognitive and ontological states.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-9
Introduction and First Chapter
Homage to Mañjuśrī and an explanation of the teacher's excellence, the retinue, and the request for teaching.
10-17
Second Chapter
Analysis of the Great Non-abiding Wisdom of Vajradhara, including the meaning of secret mantras and the symbolic value of letters.
23-50
Intermediate Realization and Attributes
Discussion on the absence of dualistic grasping, the attributes of the Victorious One, and the manifestation of the wisdom body.
55-61
The Nature of the Kāyas
Examination of the three kāyas, the role of the nirmāṇakāya as a guru, and the nature of self-knowing wisdom.
62-65
Seventh and Eighth Chapters
Explanation of unimpeded knowledge, the all-accomplishing wisdom, and the concluding mantras and prostrations.
Themes
Non-dual Awareness (Rig pa) (6, 12, 44, 56, 63)
The Three Kāyas (28, 44, 55, 57, 58, 59)
Symbolism of Seed Syllables (11, 12)
Compassion and the Benefit of Beings (4, 11, 28, 39, 60)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaClarifying the Meaning of “Reciting the Names of Mañjuśrī”·
In the language of India: Ārya-mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti-arthāloka-nāma. In the language of Tibet: ’Phags pa ’jam dpal gyi mtshan yang dag par brjod pa’i don gsal bar byed pa zhes bya ba (The Clarification of the Meaning of the Noble Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti). Homage to Mañjuśrī-jñānasattva.
In the state of immovability and unceasing purity, the self-arisen wisdom is luminous. To the peaceful Mañjuśrī, the wisdom-being, the non-conceptual form-body that is self-arisen—to that Protector, I bow with devotion. Regarding the vast, extremely profound, and pure tantra, its intention is like a precious jewel. Although the means for beings are inconceivable, through the instructions and blessings of the Sugata Teacher, I shall clearly elucidate one aspect of the definitive meaning.
This Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti is taught through nine general topics: the first chapter, the request; the second chapter, the response which teaches the six great non-abiding wisdoms in connection with the five perfections; the third chapter, which teaches the meaning of the dharmadhātu, the emptiness of the essence of the knowable; the fourth chapter, which teaches the meaning of the mirror-like wisdom, the unceasing ground; the fifth chapter, which teaches the meaning of the discriminating wisdom, which analyzes the creative power of the ground; the sixth chapter, which teaches in connection with the wisdom of equality, the essence of the ground that is without arising or ceasing; the seventh chapter, which teaches the meaning of the all-accomplishing wisdom, which is unimpeded regarding the knowable; and the eighth chapter, which teaches the greatness along with the sounds of the mantra.
The ninth chapter teaches the perfection of the welfare of oneself and others by way of rejoicing. Then, the first chapter is explained. The word "then" indicates the presence of the excellence of the teacher and so forth. This indicates the excellence of the time. Then, "the glorious Vajradhara" refers to the requester; that is, the glory of self is realization, and the glory of others is compassion. He possesses the continuum of the ultimate vajra-dharma, and the two causes of the manifestation of qualities are naturally clear and inseparable. "The supreme among those who subdue the difficult to subdue" refers to the enlightened activity of the previous emanation of the Teacher, which is unceasing skillful means. "The hero who has conquered the three worlds" means that he destroys the afflictions and sufferings of the three worlds; he is unstained by their defects and appears as the wisdom of delusive appearances. If one asks how he is able to destroy saṃsāra in that way: it is because he is the vajra, the lord, and the master of secrets, and thus he has conquered the aforementioned. "With eyes like a blooming white lotus" refers to the requester; as for his performing the welfare of others: he knows how to tame whoever needs to be tamed, and although he performs the welfare of others with the five eyes, he is unstained by defects, just like a lotus. "Seated upon a lotus throne" indicates the excellence of the place. It means he dwells in the faultless intention on Vulture Peak Mountain. "The supreme vajra in his own hand" means that he holds a vajra as a hand symbol, which is the sign that he possesses the ultimate vajra. "Brandishing it again and again" means:
This means that he overpowers the afflictions of the three realms and all afflictions. "Possessing successive rows of frowns," and so forth, refers to the excellence of the retinue in accordance with that. "Vajrapāṇi, infinite," refers to his retinue of vidyādharas and emanated attendants, which is beyond counting. "The hero who subdues those difficult to tame," means that those in the retinue are also capable of destroying ignorance and distorted conceptions. "Possessing a terrifying heroic form," means he has the radiance that overpowers māras and rākṣasas. "Vajra" refers to awareness (rig pa). "Peak" refers to primordial wisdom (ye shes). "Radiating" refers to the unceasing. "One's own" refers to awareness. "Of the hand" refers to the display of qualities. "Brandishing" refers to acting for the benefit of beings through compassion. "Great compassion" does not refer to compassion involving activity; it is the great compassion that is without activity. If one asks from where that arises, it is called "insight" (shes rab), which is insight free from partiality. "Supreme in acting for the benefit of beings through skillful means" means that once the five primordial wisdoms, which are without effort or exertion, have arisen, they become the two kāyas and act for the benefit of beings. Furthermore, this illustrates the kāyas and primordial wisdoms that transcend effort and exertion, which are beyond comparison with others. "Possessing a mind of joy, delight, and gladness" means being pleased while free from afflictions. "Possessing the form of a wrathful body" means appearing in such a way as the body of unceasing skillful means. "The protector who performs the activities of a Buddha" means:
One protects sentient beings through the four immeasurables or the four activities. Regarding the phrase "together with those who bow their bodies," this indicates praising and generating devotion toward the Teacher and his retinue. The phrases "to the Tathāgata, the Blessed One" and "having prostrated to the Perfect Buddha" refer to the retinue's homage to the Teacher. The phrase "having joined their palms" describes the physical posture of the petitioner. The phrase "sitting before him, he spoke thus" indicates the petitioner sitting in the presence of the Teacher and presenting his request.
If one asks what is being requested: the term "Pervasive Lord" refers to the Teacher, while "for my benefit" is addressed to the petitioner. The phrase "for my own sake" indicates that although it is not needed for oneself, the manner is shown for the sake of generating devotion in others. The phrase "out of compassion for me" means that the Teacher possesses a heart of love for the petitioner. "Māyā" (Illusion) refers to awareness and the mind. "Jāla" (Net) refers to non-duality. "Abhimukha" (Manifest) means clearly present now. "Saṃpanna" (Perfect) means the greatness of the Body is perfected; alternatively, it means wisdom is perfected within awareness. "Bodhi" (Awakening) is the wisdom of awareness. The phrase "by all means, grant that I may attain it" means: "Through the Teacher's compassion and skillful means, since the benefit for myself already exists within me, I pray that you cause me to realize and attain it."
The passage: "For the sake of healing all sentient beings whose minds are agitated by the afflictions and who are submerged in the mud of ignorance, and for the sake of attaining the unsurpassed fruit," means: "I pray that you act as the supreme refuge of wisdom for all beings of the six realms who are seized by the five poisons and the three poisons." This is the request made for the benefit of others.
To whom was it requested? To the Blessed One, the Perfect Buddha. Therefore, it says: "The Teacher, the Guru of Beings." Why is that? It says: "He who knows that very Great Samaya, the supreme knower of the faculties and intentions." This refers to the conduct of the ultimate meaning. "The wisdom body of the Blessed One, the Great Uṣṇīṣa, the Lord of Words, the self-arisen wisdom body"—this shows that the Teacher’s body is not one possessed of the weight of habitual tendencies, but is a body of light; that body is without setting or change, and is the sovereign of all collections of words. Why is that? It says: "The self-arisen wisdom body." This is the nature of the perfect Teacher. "Mañju" refers to awareness (vidyā). "Śrī" refers to the level of a Vidyādhara. "Jñāna" refers to the Saṃbhogakāya. "Sattva" refers to the Nirmāṇakāya. "The supreme expression of the name" means that its meaning is determined and indicated by relying on the words of the title. "Profound meaning" means that it cannot be exaggerated or deprecatingly diminished, as it is difficult for the intellects of others to fathom. "The meaning is vast" refers to the teaching on the original mode of being, the intermediate mode of delusion, and the final mode of liberation, and so forth. "The great, peerless, and utterly peaceful meaning" means that the pure ground, the Dharmakāya, is adorned by the five bodies of the pure result—wisdom and awareness—and that there is nothing superior to it, nothing with which it can be rivaled. "Virtuous in the beginning, middle, and end" means it remains excellent throughout the three times. Why is that? It says: "Spoken by the Buddhas of the past."
"Those of the future shall also speak it, and the perfect Buddhas of the present have spoken it again and again." Thus it is said. Regarding "From the Great Tantra, the Net of Magical Illusion," this refers to the Great Tantra of ultimate meaning, the non-dual primordial wisdom of awareness (vidyā-jñāna). "The Great Vajradhara, the Holder of Secret Mantra" refers to the glorious Vajrasattva, the embodiment of body, speech, and mind, who is superior to all others as previously described, and who possesses the fortune of awareness. "By immeasurable [Buddhas] with joy" means it was spoken by inconceivable Buddhas. "Please explain the song that was sung" is the request; [the Buddha] then released it from his heart, coiled it in the vase of his throat, and spread it upon the faculty of his tongue—this is what the Teacher spoke, which [the petitioner] requests: "Please tell me." "In order that I may become a holder of the secret of all the Protector Perfect Buddhas" indicates the purpose of the explanation. Furthermore, this means holding the defining characteristics of the Buddhas of the three times within one's mind, so that one might also become like them. "Until definitive emergence" means for as long as the meaning is being spoken. "I shall hold it with a firm intention" means the petitioner holds the meaning of what was spoken in their heart. "In order to eliminate all afflictions without exception and to abandon all ignorance without exception" indicates the purpose for the benefit of others. Therefore, it is said: "According to the particularities of their intentions, I wish to explain it to sentient beings," meaning that one acts for the benefit of beings in accordance with the particularities of their intellects and inclinations. "By the Secret Lord Vajrapāṇi..." [the text continues].
Thus, "the requester" refers to the one who makes the request. "To the Tathāgata, in that manner" refers to the Teacher. "Having requested" is the language of intention. "Having joined the palms" is the conduct of the manner of requesting. "Then" is the language of intention, meaning after having requested. "Bhagavān" (the Subduer) means having subdued the four māras. "Endowed" (Bhagavān) means endowed with the kāyas and wisdom. "Śā" refers to the Teacher Vajrasattva’s emanations, the six Munis, appearing to the various beings to be tamed. "Kya" refers to each emanation body (nirmāṇakāya) performing its respective activity. "Muni" (the Sage) means that through compassion, he subdues the ignorance and misconceptions of wandering beings. "The Perfect Buddha, supreme among bipeds" means that the aforementioned Teacher is the most supreme among the retinue. "From his own mouth, the excellent tongue" means: released from the heart, coiled in the vase of the throat, spread upon the lotus of the tongue, and uttered from between the teeth to express the meaning. Furthermore, he has become the Lion of Speech. "Illuminating the three worlds and dispelling the enemies, the four māras" refers to the aforementioned purpose. "The three lower realms of sentient beings" refers to how sentient beings appear as hell-beings, hungry ghosts, or animals according to the distinctions of their karma. "Having shown a smile that purifies" means that the Teacher’s compassion is as described above. "With the melodious voice of Brahmā" means that he spoke with a voice like that of the god Brahmā, which is appropriate for those of superior, middling, and inferior intellects. "Having filled the entire three worlds" means that the Teacher’s emanation body (nirmāṇakāya), which explains all dharmas, is pervasive, or—
Alternatively, because that very speech was proclaimed in the human realm, it appears neither too large nor too small in other places as well. "Vajrapāṇi of great power" refers to one who possesses superior might: through the power of wisdom, he subdues those who are difficult to tame, and through the power of compassion, he liberates wandering beings by overcoming the five poisons. "To the Lord of Secrets, he spoke again" means that he holds and masters the uncommon realization. Regarding that, the Teacher gave the response: "Because he is endowed with great compassion"—this refers to Vajrapāṇi. "For the sake of benefiting wandering beings, you"—this is the request made by the petitioner for the sake of others. "Of Mañjuśrī, who has a body of wisdom"—if one asks what the purpose is: "By reciting the name, the purpose is great." If one asks how great the purpose is: "It purifies and clears away negativity; those who strive to hear it from me"—this is the Teacher speaking to the petitioner. "Excellent, glorious Vajradhara"—although it is not necessary for his own sake, it is because he has perfected the welfare of others. "Vajrapāṇi, you are excellent"—this means that what you have requested is unerring. "Therefore, O Lord of Secrets, I—" because he knows and possesses the uncommon realization of the teaching, he becomes the Lord. "Therefore, although it is not necessary for you, I shall teach it for the sake of others"—this means that although it is not necessary for you, I shall teach it for the sake of others. "I shall teach it well to you"—this is Śākyamuni teaching the recitation of the names to Vajrapāṇi. "The actual phenomena will arise in perfection." "You should listen with a one-pointed mind"—this means:
"Vajrapāṇi, listen to the Teacher’s speech!" means to be undistracted and without mental proliferation. "The Blessed One replied, 'So be it,'" indicates that the requester, together with the retinue, was delighted by the meaning of what the Teacher had spoken. "Then the Blessed One, Śākyamuni," refers to the Teacher. "All the great families of Secret Mantra," refers to the retinue who uphold the Teacher’s lineage and are devoted to the holders of Secret Mantra. "The families of those who hold Secret Mantra and Knowledge Mantras," is a classification of the aforementioned retinue. "He gazed upon the three families," means that the Teacher, having looked upon the three types of retinue, spoke the meaning. "The worldly and the supramundane families," means that those retinues are also subsumed into two: the worldly, such as gods and humans, and the supramundane, such as Vajrapāṇi and others. "The great family that illuminates the world," means those capable of accomplishing the welfare of others. "The supreme family of Mahāmudrā," means that among them, there are those devoted to the ultimate realization that is free from effort and exertion. "Having gazed upon the great Uṣṇīṣa of the great family," means that among the retinue, there is one endowed with the courage of insight who is able to realize the meaning of the wisdom of awareness. Among the retinue, like the uṣṇīṣa on the crown of the head, his realization is supreme and never-setting. For that purpose, he spoke the definitive meaning. How did he speak it? The Teacher, who is the master of speech, spoke in verse. Up to this point, the purpose of the first chapter has been shown.
Now, the second chapter teaches the meaning of the Great Non-abiding Wisdom of Vajradhara. "Secret" refers to the wisdom of non-substantial awareness, which is uncommon to all. "Mantra" means that there is nothing superior to this; it is the supreme meaning. "King" means that, through the distinction of realization or non-realization, the appearances of qualities arise as samsara and nirvana; yet, even as they are gathered, they are gathered and liberated within that very state, and thus it is like the master of all. Why is this so? It is said, "Possessing the six," meaning that the ground possesses the six: the five bodies plus the Svabhavikakaya; the five families plus the family of A; the five consorts plus the consort of selflessness; the five poisons plus anger; and the six realms. Regarding the phrase "arising non-dually," these six do not exist as actual entities with characteristics; rather, they exist as a portion of qualities. Because they do not exist as actual entities, they do not become faults; because they exist as a portion of qualities, they are capable of appearing externally. It is said, "having the nature of non-arising," meaning that within the non-dual self-arising, qualities abide without cessation. Furthermore, as for how it abides: within the state of the inseparable Dharmata and Dharmakaya, the natural radiance of awareness matures as the seeds of the five bodies of wisdom-awareness within the vases of the five elements, yet it has not matured into the result; it abides as the essence of emptiness and primordial wisdom. If one asks what is spoken here, it is the literal sound of the mantra, the method for symbolizing that. "A" is purity and faultlessness, the great expanse of Dharmata. "Aa" means that within the expanse of that Dharmata, the Dharmakaya has abided from the very beginning.
It is permanent by way of continuity. I refers to the one possessing great compassion. Ī refers to compassion that is permanent by way of continuity. U and Ū refer to compassion being gathered non-dually in its own place from the beginning. E and Ai refer to possessing the power of the wisdom of omniscience. O and Au refer to the fact that although the essence is unborn and non-conceptual, the display of analytical wisdom is unceasing and capable of arising later. Aṃ and Aḥ refer to the fact that although the qualities of the ground appear in that way, in reality they abide in the purity of the unborn equality. Sthito refers to unimpeded compassion arising from unchanging awareness. Hṛdi refers to the unchanging, self-arisen wisdom of the enlightened mind. Jñānamūrti refers to the unchanging common wisdom together with impartial compassion. Rahaṃ refers to unceasing compassion that is equal toward all. In this way, the meaning of the sounds is understood from within.
Buddho buddhānāṃ tryadhvavartinām oṃ vajratīkṣṇa duḥkhaccheda prajñājñānamūrtaye jñānakāya vāgīśvara arapacanāya te namaḥ.
The phrase "In this way" shows how the bodies and wisdoms arise from the qualities of the ground. "Buddha, the Bhagavān" refers to the wisdom of awareness that is free from the extremes of conceptualization, from which the manifestations of qualities arise without partiality, and whose own essence is liberated from the extremes of defects.
"The Perfect Buddha arose from A." This means that from the ground which is unborn and naturally unceasing, the manifestations of qualities arise as wisdom; it is the five precious bodies of awareness and insight, blazing with light. A is the supreme of all syllables.
Thus it is said: For example, just as the letter A is the essence of all letters, so too is awareness (rig pa) the supreme transformation of the five wisdoms (ye shes) and the elements. "It is the great purpose, the sublime syllable" means that it is not like a letter such as A, nor like the words and names that depend upon it; rather, it is the naturally pure dharmakāya of awareness, the meaning of self-arisen indivisibility. For example, the letter A emerges from within and serves as the locus for other sounds, and thus sound is self-arisen. Because it is self-arisen, it is unborn. Likewise, the phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa emerge from the ground, and that ground is self-arisen without causes or conditions. Therefore, it is unborn. "It is free from verbal expression" means that awareness transcends expression. "The supreme cause of all expression" means that all sounds and conventions arise as its qualities or its dynamic energy (rtsal). It is the fundamental basis of all. "It makes all words perfectly clear" means that the basis of the ultimate meaning to be illustrated is illustrated and expressed by relying on the lamp of words that illustrate it; thus, it clearly reveals the words. "The great offering, great passion" shows the characteristic of wisdom: by turning the passion of sentient beings away from their own continuums, the unceasing analytical insight of awareness is the discriminating wisdom (so sor rtog pa'i ye shes). "It brings joy to all sentient beings" means that through great compassion, without the need for effort, passion is shown to be wisdom; being non-dual, it is joy. "The great offering, great hatred" [is as follows].
Thus, it dispels the afflictions of wandering beings; awareness is unceasing, which is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). "The great enemy of all afflictions" means that afflictions do not abide, because wisdom is unceasing. "The great offering, great delusion" refers to the insight (prajñā) that does not differentiate awareness; it is the wisdom of the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu-jñāna). "Delusion is the mind" means the cutting through of non-conceptual insight. "Dispelling delusion" means it does not abide. "The great offering, great wrath" means that afflictions involving dualistic grasping do not abide; it is the self-arisen wisdom (svayambhū-jñāna) luminous as light. "The great wrathful one, the great enemy" means the destruction of the anger of ignorance. "The great offering, great attachment" refers to uncontaminated bliss. "It dispels all attachment" refers to that which is conceptual. "Great desire, great bliss" means the desire to realize one's own body and wisdom; through that realization, one is liberated from effort and striving. Alternatively, it is the bliss of non-attachment, delighting in the non-dual meaning and being without afflictions. "Great form" means the five eyes of wisdom are all-pervasive. "The body is also great" means the precious body is like space. "Great color" refers to form; it possesses the five types of colors. "Great body size" refers to the precious breath based upon the support of form. "Great" means liberated from the body and that which possesses form. "The name is also great" refers to its title. "Vast" means there are many systems of designation and expression.
"The great maṇḍala is vast," means that the wisdom of awareness (vidyā-jñāna) abides naturally and unceasingly within the state of the utterly pure expanse (dhātu). "Wielding the great weapon of insight (prajñā)" means that through the power of analytical skill, one realizes self-knowing awareness as self-luminous. "The supreme great hook for afflictions (kleśa)" means that the former [wisdom] liberates and clarifies the afflictions as primordial wisdom. "Greatly renowned" means that power appears and resounds as anything whatsoever. "Of great fame" means appearing in harmony without being contrived. "Great appearance, great clarity" means the unceasing clarity of the self-appearance of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). It is vast, pervasive, pure, clear, unchanging, and revealing; thus, the nature of phenomena possesses these six characteristics. "The wise one who holds the great magical display (māyā)" means that awareness and primordial wisdom are non-dual, inseparable within the state of the expanse. "The great magical display" refers to four [aspects]. "Accomplishing the purpose" means realizing one's own purpose exactly as it is. "Delighting in the joy of the great magical display" means experiencing the realization of the great bindu (tilaka) that abides within oneself, because it becomes manifest. "The great magical display, the illusionist" means that profound insight itself appears as any unceasing variety of skillful means (upāya). "The great patron, the lord" means that everything arises and appears from that. "The supreme teacher of great ethical discipline (śīla)" means that because there are no boundaries to be guarded, it is never impaired. "The steadfast one who holds great patience (kṣānti*)" means that in the singular realization, there is no object for afflictions to arise, as it is non-conceptual. "The one of great diligence, the disciplined one" means...
Thus, regarding the phenomena that have been primordially accomplished, there is nothing further to be done. "Abiding in the samādhi of great meditative concentration" refers to the single, magnificent realization of the unwavering essence of awareness itself. "Wearing the body of great insight" refers to the emergence of non-partisan insight as naked awareness; it is the precious inner chamber that serves as the support for the two bodies of wisdom-form. "The Great Powerful One" refers to the capacity to manifest all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. "Skillful means" refers to the capacity for liberation without effort or exertion. "Aspiration" means there is no need to aspire for others, as all the qualities of the great bodies and wisdoms are complete within oneself. "Wisdom" refers to the wisdom of the abiding ground, the dharmakāya, in which the wisdoms that grasp characteristics are spontaneously present as the five lights. "The Ocean" refers to the bindu of the expanse, the place of its abiding. "Great Loving-kindness" refers to the emergence of the two bodies of blessing to benefit wandering beings. "Nature" refers to the appearances of awareness manifesting as the various distinctions of wisdom and bodies. "Immeasurable" refers to the qualities and powers being beyond measure. "Great compassion, the supreme of minds" refers to unceasing compassion. "Great insight, the realization of the ground" refers to the realization of the ground of knowing. "Possessing great intelligence" refers to its creative power. Furthermore, the Teacher is endowed with that. "The great sage of great skillful means" refers to the body of awareness-insight; furthermore, it is without effort or exertion. "Possessing the power of great miraculous feats" refers to the emergence of a retinue from the body of awareness-insight that is not inferior to itself, and from that, the manifestation of the five clusters.
Furthermore, one is able to manifest emanations and so forth without obstruction. "Great power" refers to the qualities of awareness. "Speed" means moving in a single instant. "Great" means that there is no traversing [of the path] through effort. Moreover: "Renowned for great miraculous power" refers to unceasing skillful means. "Possessing great strength that subdues others" means transforming delusive appearances into primordial wisdom in a single instant. One is able to be liberated from the level of the nirmāṇakāya into the saṃbhogakāya, and from there reach the level of nirvāṇa. What is the actual nature? It is said: "He destroys the great mountain of existence," meaning that through realization, one is liberated in an instant from the great mountain of cyclic existence. "Firmly holding the great vajra" means abiding inseparably within the state of the unchanging nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Great ferocity" refers to the ground. "Greatly fierce" means destroying the signs of the phenomena of saṃsāra. "The supreme who terrifies the greatly terrifying" means that the six emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) of the Munis subdue the malevolent beings of the six worlds and destroy subject-object grasping. "Protector" refers to Vajrasattva. "The great supreme family" refers to upholding the lineage of the six teachers who manifest as emanation bodies. "Supreme" means there is no skillful means for subduing that is superior to this. Alternatively, it is the appearance to sentient beings who are compatible [with it]. "The Guru, the supreme of the great Secret Mantra" means that those six superior bodies teach the Dharma for the sake of the six classes of beings; furthermore, they primarily teach the Mantra of definitive meaning. Therefore, he is the Guru of beings.
"Abiding in the way of the Great Vehicle" means abiding in the meaning of the kāya and wisdom that are beyond effort and exertion. "The supreme way of the Great Vehicle" means that which is the most excellent within the Great Vehicle. Up to this point, the meaning of the second chapter has been explained.
Now, the meaning of the ground’s essence, emptiness, is explained: "The great Buddha Vairocana" refers to the wisdom of the dharmadhātu, which is the emptiness of the essence of all that is to be known; its characteristic is the blue light that maintains that nature. The kāya of that meaning, Vairocana—the kāya of awareness—arises as a single form facing the ten directions. From the clarity of that appearance as the maṇḍala of the saṃbhogakāya, he becomes the principal deity of the saṃbhogakāya.
"The Great Sage, possessing great sagehood" refers to the compassion capable of acting for the benefit of others through the six emanation bodies of the retinue. "Arisen from the great way of Secret Mantra" means that the aforementioned meaning is the way of mantra, which is difficult for others to realize. "Possessing the great way of Secret Mantra" means having become the master of the essence of Secret Mantra.
"Having attained the ten perfections" does not refer to the perfections involving effort and exertion. If one asks what it is then: it is to attain and abide in the meaning of the great primordial wisdom, which is without abiding in the phenomena of the three realms, without an entrance gate, without expression, without rival, without movement, and is also great wisdom; it is without activity or exertion, capable of arising and moving in a single instant, with all qualities complete within itself, and primordially inseparable from the meaning of great primordial wisdom.
It is said, "Abiding in the ten perfections." The phrase "the ten perfections are pure" means that one does not abide in the ten perfections of the lower vehicles, which are accompanied by doubt and effort. The phrase "the manner of the ten perfections" means that the qualities of the actual mode of being appear in that way. "Protector" refers to the nirmāṇakāyas. "Sovereign of the ten grounds" refers to those who, from the ground of Buddhahood, have the arising of compassion and wisdom, and who abide on the grounds of the bodhisattvas for the sake of beings; they are the "beings" (sattva) who think of the welfare of others. "Sovereign" means the master of all. "One who abides on the ten grounds" refers to how the nirmāṇakāya, which possesses the body of habitual tendencies, abides: at the time when realization is born in the continuum, one is on the ground of conduct through aspiration.
Through the four ways in which the guru introduces the reality exactly as it is, together with the four introductions, when the proclamation is made, one sees the kāyas and wisdoms abiding as they are, and thus there is "Great Joy" (pramuditā). Possessing confidence, there is no doubt, and thus it is "Stainless" (vimalā). Having distinguished mind from wisdom, and the mind being brought under the control of awareness, the signs are overwhelmed; when one is no longer dependent on others for the teaching of suchness, it is "Luminous" (prabhākarī). The perfection of the welfare of others is "Radiant" (arciṣmatī). Furthermore, although the five poisons and the three poisons are difficult to purify for those who have not realized, when the extraordinary realization is born in the continuum, the five poisons and three poisons are liberated into the five wisdoms; that is "Difficult to Conquer" (sudurjayā). The sixth, "Manifest" (abhimukhī), is knowing the meaning of the three sheaths and the three kāyas exactly as they are. The seventh, "Gone Afar" (dūraṅgamā), is being liberated from that which possesses contaminated results.
The eighth, the Immovable, is the differentiation of the pure and impure elements. The ninth, Excellent Intelligence, is the arising of the purpose from within oneself. The tenth, the Cloud of Dharma, is the attainment of mastery over the Dharma. The ground is one, and those below it are reckoned as the experiences of cognition. From the eleventh upward, they are the creative power of its manifestation. To abide in that meaning is what is called "one who abides on the ten grounds." The ten knowledges are to be understood as the ten grounds and the ten perfections as described above. "Utterly pure" means not abiding in the signs of those [grounds and perfections]. "Great Being" means abiding as the sovereign of all awareness. "The holder of the utter purity of the ten knowledges" means not being separated from the essence of the ultimate meaning; this is the previous teaching on the definitive meaning of the grounds and perfections. "The ten aspects are the meaning of the ten meanings" means the meaning of the five pure essences of the elements and the five impurities is the characteristic of awareness and the fivefold natural radiance of primordial wisdom. "The Sage" refers to the six, which are the nirmāṇakāya. "Mastery" means exercising individual sovereignty over the six realms. "The ten powers" means the five powers of insight appearing as the male and female deities. "Pervasive" means by means of the dharmakāya. "Self" means the primordial wisdom of awareness appearing as the three kāyas. "The purpose of all is accomplished without exception" refers to the six nirmāṇakāyas. "The supreme great one possessing the tenfold mastery" means that the mastery of the ten—the five male and five female deities of the families—resides in the five kāyas of awareness; because one possesses that mastery and awareness, there is nothing superior to it. "Without beginning" means that the nature of phenomena and primordial wisdom are timeless, having existed from the very beginning.
"Non-elaborated self" means that the phenomena of elaboration do not abide in the ground. If one asks, "How then do they abide?" it is shown by the phrase, "The pure self of suchness." This indicates that the dharmakāya—the wisdom devoid of outer and inner, peaceful and empty in essence—abides as the five vases of unceasingly luminous wisdom and the five bodies of awareness-insight, complete and unmixed. Having naturally overcome ignorance and distorted conceptions, it is the spontaneously present great self of selflessness.
"Speaking the truth, his words do not change" means that because the Teacher has exhausted all faults, he does not speak falsehoods, as there is no cause for them. His speech is unerring, clear, and the meaning he teaches is immutable. "He acts exactly as he speaks" means his conduct accords with the meaning of what he has taught. If one asks, "What did he teach?" it is the teaching of non-duality as being without duality; furthermore, "duality" refers to the four, and he teaches them as non-dual.
"He abides in the ultimate reality" means that within the precious cocoon, the two bodies abide as inner luminosity. "Selfless" means that in the precious body, there is no self of habitual tendencies. "Possessing the lion’s roar" means that he overwhelms those with wrong views who have not realized it in that way. If one asks, "Who are those with wrong views?" it is said: "He terrifies the wild beasts of the non-Buddhists." Here, "non-Buddhists" refers to the two views of eternalism and nihilism; "wild beasts" refers to the śrāvakas and so forth; and "terrifying" refers to the aforementioned meaning.
"He is the all-pervading, meaningful power" refers to the wisdom of the dharmadhātu; it arises within that very state and is liberated within that very state.
Furthermore, "meaning" is awareness. "Existence" is the appearance of qualities from awareness. "Power" is the emergence of that very internal state. "As swift as the mind of a Tathāgata" refers to the unceasing insight that moves without breath. "Victor" is the Saṃbhogakāya. "Universal Victor" is the maṇḍala. "Victorious over enemies" means being free from the five poisons, the three poisons, and so forth; it is liberation from saṃsāra. "Universal Monarch" is the essence of the six-syllable mantra. "Great Power" refers to the six emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) which, having been born, liberate the six classes of beings from afflictions and overwhelm all signs.
"The master of the assembly, the lord of the assembly" refers to the six Munis, the masters of the six classes of beings. The six Munis abide as the supreme among the six realms. "Lord of the assembly" is awareness. "Master of the assembly" is the sovereign of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, namely awareness and primordial wisdom (jñāna). "Possessing mastery" means that from this, all phenomena are emanated and withdrawn; it is the cherishing of great power. "The essential primordial wisdom of non-substantial awareness" refers to the fact that it has become the sovereign of all the vast gateways of qualities.
"Great in manner, not dependent on others" means that the self-arisen primordial wisdom of awareness does not depend on other causes or conditions. "Lord of words, master of words, skilled in speech" means that since awareness is the master of all phenomena and the source of all words, it is called "skilled in speech" because it speaks the meaning without error. "Mastery over words" means teaching the Dharma in accordance with the specific capacities of the retinue.
The infinite words are the various vehicles. Speaking words of truth is the Teacher. The four truths are the one who teaches. These are the four: the Dharmakāya, Sambhogakāya, Nirmāṇakāya, and the Body of Compassionate Light Rays. Likewise, it is the non-deceptive certainty. "Irreversible, non-returning"—this means that although the four seeds were complete at the time of the initial ground, at the time of the general search, they ripened into the resultant kāyas; subsequently, the result does not revert back to the cause. "The Guide, in the manner of the rhinoceros-like Pratyekabuddha"—this means that although compassion and unceasing skillful means are taught in various ways, their ultimate meaning is the single thigle. "Arisen from various renunciations"—this means that wisdom arises from awareness, appearing in various ways depending on whether it is realized or not. "The great elements, the single cause"—this means that the five elements of wisdom arise from the qualities of awareness. "Monk, Arhat, whose outflows are exhausted"—this means that non-conceptual wisdom is naturally pure. "Free from attachment, the senses subdued"—this means that the afflictions of sentient beings do not exist, and the vajra and lotus do not abide. "Having found bliss, fearlessness attained"—this means that by realizing the Dharmakāya, which transcends effort and activity, as being spontaneously present, one has no dread of saṃsāra. "Having become cool, free from turbidity"—this means the three kāyas are utterly pure. "Endowed with awareness and the feet"—this means that by realizing self-appearance and possessing unceasing skillful means, one is able to be liberated in a single instant. "The Sugata, supreme knower of the world."
Thus, from the intermediate body, the Dharma-eye becomes like the sun rising in the sky. "Not grasping at 'mine,' not grasping at 'I'" means that although one possesses omniscience as described above, there is no dualistic grasping because one is not a sentient being. "Abiding in the manner of the two truths" means that upward, the precious inner core of the Dharmakāya is true, and downward, the inner core of the nirmāṇakāya’s habitual tendencies is true; thus, while dualistic appearance exists, dualistic grasping does not. These are the sambhogakāya and nirmāṇakāya. "Having reached the far shore of saṃsāra" means nirvāṇa. "Having done what was to be done, abiding on dry land" means that after performing the deeds of a Buddha from the intermediate body, one then passes into nirvāṇa. "Arisen solely from primordial wisdom" means that all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa is the display of primordial wisdom. "Completely subduing with the weapon of insight" means that when one possessing insight realizes it in that way, the two of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, or the two of subject and object, do not remain. "Possessing the clarity of the Dharma King of the sublime Dharma" refers to the six nirmāṇakāyas. Alternatively, it refers to the two accumulations of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa appearing as qualities within the ground. "The supreme illuminator of the world" means that the display appears in the world, or that the supreme one causes the kāyas and primordial wisdom to appear to the beings of the world. "Sovereign of Dharma, King of Dharma" means that through the Buddha’s emanations, mastery over the Dharma is attained and exercised. "The teacher of the excellent path" means that the nirmāṇakāya teaches the methods of liberation to beings of superior, middling, and inferior faculties. "The one who accomplishes the goal, who accomplishes the intention" means that the nirmāṇakāya accomplishes the welfare of sentient beings.
Through the knowledge of the mind of Manu and so forth, one is able to accomplish one's intentions. "Having abandoned all conceptualization" refers to the unwavering intention of the enlightened mind. "Non-conceptual and inexhaustible expanse" means that the expanse is unwavering and unchanging. "The sublime expanse of phenomena is inexhaustible" means that although all appearances and sounds arise from within it as the precious body from which qualities emerge, the nature of phenomena (dharmatā) is without arising or ceasing. "The merit-endowed one is the accumulation of merit" means that the two accumulations are perfected within the ground, the dharmakāya; the manifestation of the power of qualities as the five elements as wisdom is the accumulation of wisdom, and that which is thus established is the accumulation of merit. "Wisdom is the great distinction of wisdom" teaches the distinction between the wisdom of shamatha and the wisdom that apprehends characteristics. Furthermore, from shamatha, the apprehension of characteristics arises, and from that, it emerges; from that, it is transcended. "The one endowed with wisdom knows existence and non-existence" refers to calculating how the appearances of qualities are established in the ground. "The one who has gathered the two accumulations" refers to realizing that the dharmakāya and rūpakāya are inseparable. "The yogi who conquers all conceptualization" refers to the unchanging intention. "The supreme intelligent one, the object of meditation and the meditation itself" refers to calculating the connection between the objects of meditation—the kāyas and wisdoms—and the subject, the king of awareness. "Self-knowing and unwavering" means that when the power of awareness is individually perfected, it is known individually; and at the time of liberation, the intention abides individually within the precious cocoon.
That is not a wisdom of the transformation of consciousness, because awareness is unimpeded. "Holding the three bodies of the supreme first," means that the three bodies are luminous within the precious cocoon. "The nature of the five bodies of the Buddha," refers to the nirmāṇakāya of the dharmakāya. "The pervasive lord, the nature of the five wisdoms," refers to the body of the saṃbhogakāya, which arises from the five consorts. "The Buddha sovereign, the one with the crown," is established in the ground; when the deity appears as the actual essence, the five herukas abide as the crown ornament. In the context of taming beings, the crown of the heruka consists of the five families. "Holding the five eyes without attachment," means the saṃbhogakāya possesses the five eyes and does not abide [in them]. "The progenitor of all Buddhas," means that Vairocana and the others arise from awareness, and all such [beings] originate from awareness. "The supreme, holy son of the Buddhas," means that all Buddhas of the form bodies are the sons of the dharmakāya, being inseparable. Nothing other than that exists. "Through knowledge, existence arises; there is no place of birth," means that by realizing the aforementioned meaning, the ignorance that is the cause of the three realms of existence and the four types of birth is absent. "Arising from the dharma, it clears away existence," means that existence appears from coarse and subtle conceptualizations of signs. By realizing existence, one does not abide [in it]. "The sole, solid, vajra nature," means that having been liberated from phenomena, one abides as the great nature of awareness—the essence of the five blazing precious lights—within the state of the great unimpeded body upon the seat of the unchanging dharma; henceforth, change is impossible.
"Immediately upon birth, the master of beings" refers to the great fire of the wisdom of insight (prajñājñāna). This means that from the impartial wisdom, the dynamic energy manifests as the five great fires of primordial wisdom (jñāna). All these beings who have just been born are self-appearances and self-arisen, and thus are liberated once again. "Arising from space, self-arisen" means that from awareness (rig pa) which is like space, the five appearances of primordial wisdom arise within the nature of phenomena (dharmatā), which is like space. "The wisdom of insight explained above, the great light that illuminates" means that this fire of primordial wisdom is primordially self-arisen; its colors also appear clearly as the five, such as blue and so forth, and through the realization or non-realization of those appearances, they arise as saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. "The appearance of primordial wisdom, vividly clear" means the unceasing appearance of the five primordial wisdoms. "The lamp of primordial wisdom, the lamp of beings" means that the aforementioned appearance of primordial wisdom is exclusively the primordial wisdom of the signs of beings. One aspect refers to the six nirmāṇakāyas performing the benefit of beings. "Great majesty, luminous clarity" means that the primordial wisdom of awareness overwhelms saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, and its essence is unceasing. "The supreme mantra, the sovereign, the king of vidyā-mantras" means that among all mantras, it is superior to others. Because one's own appearances are unceasing and appear as anything whatsoever, awareness is the master of all, the one who exercises sovereignty. "The king of secret mantra, performing the great purpose" means that the primordial wisdom of awareness is the unceasing appearance of enlightened qualities. "The great uṣṇīṣa, the marvelous crown."
Thus, it is the lord of all the wisdom of awareness (vidyā-jñāna), like the peak of a victory banner that never sets. "The lord of space displays variety" means the power of the wisdom of awareness is unceasing. "The supreme body of all Buddhas" means that the body of all forms consists of the five aggregates of wisdom, and that body is the precious body. "Possessing the eyes that delight all beings" means the unceasing eye of wisdom arises as the Dharma-eye, and the unceasing Dharma-eye arises as the eye of insight (prajñā), thereby acting as the unceasing cutter for all beings. "The progenitor of various forms" means the creative power of awareness appears as the precious body of wisdom blazing with light, while those who do not realize that appearance perceive it as the various bodies of the six classes of beings. "Worshipped and praised by the nine great sages" means that the Buddhas of the three times have spoken of its greatness and qualities exactly as they appear. "Holder of the three families, holder of secret mantra" means possessing the four bodies, the three bodies, and the body, speech, and mind; furthermore, these are the three symbolic syllables. "Holder of the great samaya, holder of secret mantra" means the wisdom of awareness is the root of all secret mantras; furthermore, it does not transcend the bodies and wisdoms, and its secret mantra is like Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ. "The chief who upholds the Three Jewels" means viewing the chief as the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, and the Saṅgha Jewel. "The teacher of the three supreme vehicles" means that the chief teaches them to the retinue.
"Amoghapāśa, the Victorious One," means that through compassion one acts for the benefit of beings and is liberated from phenomena characterized by self-nature. "Great Grasper, Vajra Noose" means not grasping at either the dharmakāya or the rūpakāya; it is the realization of their inseparability. "Vajra Hook, Great Noose" means that through unchanging compassion, one holds beings to the pure realms of the definitive stages and, through compassion, joins them to the meaning of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). This concludes the third chapter.
This has taught the meaning of the wisdom of the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu-jñāna), in which the objects of knowledge are empty of essence. Now, the fourth chapter teaches the meaning of the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna), the ground that is without cessation.
"Vajra Terrifier, the Terrifier," means that the dharmakāya, which is like a vajra, is without an initial cause and without a final condition; it abides unchangingly like space, overwhelming all signs and crushing the conceptualizations of subject and object. "King of Wrathful Deities, Six-Faced Terrifier" means that this is not a fabricated wrathful form of the rūpakāya, but rather the dharmakāya is wrathful by its very nature, thereby crushing subject and object. Furthermore, because he gazes unimpededly through the six or ten directions, he does not abide in the signs of the six or ten directions; he is unimpeded, swirling in the single expanse of bliss within the bhaga of the Consort. "Six Eyes, Six Arms, Endowed with Strength" means that the six directions are clearly manifest as unimpeded, and the five wisdoms are unceasing along with the sixth, the non-abiding wisdom. "Skeleton with Bared Fangs,"...
Thus, by the unceasing wisdom of awareness (vidyā), ignorance, distorted conceptions, subject-object grasping, and so forth, are naturally overcome and destroyed. The phrase hala hala does not mean that they are destroyed by a power accumulated from signs, as if by a poison; rather, they are destroyed by the power of awareness. "The Hundred-Faced One" refers to the qualities of the wisdom of awareness appearing as anything whatsoever. "Yamāntaka, King of Obstructors" means that the dharmakāya, through the wisdom of awareness which is without substantiality, has overcome the phenomena of saṃsāra; ignorance is pure from the beginning, subject-object grasping is pure from the beginning, and it exercises mastery over all. Why is that? Because it is said: "Vajra-Vigour, the Terrifier." This arises because the dharmakāya is naturally and spontaneously free from signs. "Vajra Renown, Vajra Essence" means that because the dharmakāya abides like an unceasing mirror, it appears and resounds as saṃsāra and nirvāṇa; in reality, the vajra-like dharmakāya abides unchangingly. "Great Illusion, the Large-Bellied One" means that the unceasing wisdom of method and the unchanging dharmatā of insight are inseparable. Although everything arises as qualities from the ground, they arise from that and dissolve back into that; it is the source of all. "Born of Vajra, Lord of Vajra" means that the two bodies arise from the dharmakāya and are inseparable from the dharmakāya. "Vajra Essence, Like Space" means that the unchanging essence is luminous and unceasing, abiding like the example of space. "Immovable, Striding with a Single Lock of Hair" means that from the unchanging dharmatā—
Wisdom is luminous and unceasing; whatever appears and whatever is luminous, the ultimate meaning abides as the single thig-le. "Wearing the elephant hide as a garment" means abiding in the state of the unchanging dharmatā. "Proclaiming the great sound ha ha" means that the speech of self-arisen wisdom is unceasing. "Proclaiming hi hi and causing terror" means that unceasing compassion overwhelms all conceptual signs. "Possessing the great laughter and the roar" means this is not the laughter of worldly beings; rather, it is the non-dual laughter at the meaning of dharmatā, the unceasing self-arisen state. "Proclaiming the great vajra laughter" means it is taught that the ultimate meaning transcends all effort and activity. If one asks who spoke this, it is said: "Vajrasattva, the great being," referring to such a teacher. "Vajra King, great bliss" means the dharmakāya transcends effort and activity. "Vajra Wrathful One, great joy" means that signs are naturally purified and the ultimate meaning is non-dual. "Vajra Hūṃ, proclaiming Hūṃ" means the dharmakāya possesses the five wisdoms, and through the power of possessing all, it is unceasing. "Holding the vajra arrow as a weapon" means that unceasing awareness pierces the dualistic grasping of signs. "With the vajra sword, cutting everything without exception" means that ignorance and the like do not naturally abide within the dharmatā. "Vajra Holder of All, the Vajra-possessor" means awareness is the sovereign of all qualities; the ultimate meaning is indivisible. "The solitary Vajra, dispelling the battle."
Thus, the single dharmakāya is devoid of subject and object, and therefore there is no saṃsāra. "Blazing vajra, with unbearable eyes" means that the eye of wisdom is unceasing within the dharmakāya. "Hair also blazing vajra" means that all conceptual elaborations are the manifestation of wisdom. "Vajra-descender, the great descender" means that the creative power of the dharmakāya, without effort or exertion, arises as the appearance of the two rūpakāyas. "Hundred-eyed, the vajra eye" means that the eye of the dharmakāya is unceasing and appears as anything whatsoever. Furthermore, this is the ultimate dharmakāya, the "thoroughly pervasive" (thal 'byung). "Body with vajra body-hairs" means the precious interior, free from arising and ceasing. "Vajra hairs, the body of the single one" means that the aforementioned [state] abides as the unique one. "Nails grown to vajra tips" refers to the creative power of the dharmakāya. "Vajra essence" means the unchanging and unceasing dharmakāya. "Tough skin" means the unchanging nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Wearing a vajra garland, endowed with glory" means that the nature of phenomena is adorned by awareness, awareness is adorned by wisdom, and wisdom is adorned by compassion. Furthermore, this is the unceasing protection of compassion. "Adorned with vajra ornaments" means that the dharmakāya is adorned by the resultant kāyas and wisdoms. The creative power arises as the four ornaments. "Uttering the roar of ha ha" means that the speech of self-arisen wisdom is unceasing. It is delighting in the authentic reality. If one asks what that is: "The six-syllable vajra sound." Regarding this, there are two: the six syllables of sound and...
The six syllables of the ultimate nature of phenomena are vajra-pratīcchaya hūṃ, which are a ha sha sa ma. These should be understood as the natural mode of the ground. Furthermore, this is the speech of the nature of phenomena through the union of the faces. "The Great Mañjughoṣa, the Great Sound" means that there is nothing superior to the sound of the dharmakāya. That, too, is the former. "The single sound throughout the three worlds" means that through the expression of non-duality, self-arisen wisdom is unified in its unceasing nature. "Proclaiming sound to the limits of space" means that the profound meaning is shown to be equal to the limits of space. "The supreme among those possessing sound" means that because the creative power of the dharmakāya arises as sound, the dharmakāya of awareness possesses the quality of sound. Furthermore, appearing in that way is the mirror-like [wisdom] of unceasing awareness. Thus, that which is expressed is the unceasing body, Vajrasattva. Up to this point, the fourth chapter, which teaches the meaning of the mirror-like wisdom of non-obstruction, has been presented.
Now, the fifth chapter teaches the meaning of discerning wisdom, which thoroughly cuts through [delusion]: mahā-praśa-prara. "Perfectly selfless suchness" means that in the wisdom of awareness, the ultimate meaning, there is no self of habitual tendencies; the three bodies are without meeting or parting. "The ultimate limit, without syllables" means that the dharmakāya transcends expression. "The bull among speakers of emptiness" means that speaking of the unceasing emptiness of the nature of phenomena is the most supreme among all speakers. "Proclaiming the sound that is profound and vast" means that the dharmakāya is profound and difficult to fathom, yet it explains the vast meaning.
"Dharma’s drum, possessing a great sound" is a phrase symbolizing the unceasing speech of self-arisen wisdom. "Dharma’s great ghaṇṭī drum" means that at the time of ripening cyclic existence, the definitive meaning of the vehicles is proclaimed. "One who does not abide in nirvāṇa" means that although the creative power of discerning awareness appears in that way, it does not abide in the sounds or conventions of the ground, the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "The great drum of Dharma in the ten directions" means that the six nirmāṇakāyas teach the Dharma to the six classes of beings. "Formless" refers to the dharmakāya. "Beautiful form" refers to the two rūpakāyas. "Sublime" means non-dual. "The actual Vajrasattva" refers to the glorious Buddha born from a lotus, which means being free from activity. "Possessing various forms, born from the mind" refers to sentient beings; because the mental application toward the two eggs of existence has been released, it refers to the stainless jewel and the brilliantly shining sun. This is also connected to the twelve links of dependent origination. "The glory in which all forms appear" means that Vajrasattva has appeared as the glory of the diverse physical forms arising for the six classes of beings. "The bearer of all reflections without exception" means possessing the nirmāṇakāya. "Unassailable, renowned as great" means the sense of being beyond comparison with others. "The great lord of the three realms" means that the Teacher dwells within the three realms, guides the course of beings, and exercises sovereignty over the three realms. "Abiding on the exceedingly high noble path" means abiding inseparably in the meaning of the nature of phenomena, which is free from effort.
"The great banner of the Dharma" refers to the flourishing of the teachings of Mantra. Furthermore, it abides because its meaning is unchanging. "The single youthful body in the three worlds" means that although there are many forms in the three worlds, his body is an unchanging sprout, free from aging or decline. "The elder, the ancient lord of beings" means he is the source from which all modes of abiding arise. "Bearing the thirty-two marks" refers to the Sambhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya. "Gentle and beautiful in the three worlds" means performing the welfare of sentient beings through the Nirmāṇakāya. "The teacher who is skilled in worldly knowledge" indicates the liberation of the mental continuums of worldly beings. "The fearless teacher of the world" means that although he acts for the benefit of the world, he is unstained by afflictions and has no dread of saṃsāra. "The protector, the refuge, the beloved of the world" means that he tames beings through harmony and acts for their sake. Furthermore, he appears in accordance with those to be trained. "The unsurpassed refuge and protector" means there is no one superior to the Teacher as a protector of wandering beings. "Abiding perfectly in the path of space" means that in the realization of his mind there is no arising or ceasing; he abides in the non-duality of the ultimate meaning. "The ocean of omniscient wisdom" refers to the realization of non-discriminating insight, the very nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Opening the shell of the egg of ignorance" refers to the methods for distinguishing the ordinary mind from primordial wisdom (jñāna) and the methods for the direct introduction. "Crushing the great mountain of existence" means that delusory appearances have been transformed into primordial wisdom.
"Calming all afflictions without exception" means that by distinguishing between the ordinary mind and primordial wisdom (jñāna), subject and object vanish into the limits of space. "Having reached the far shore of the ocean of saṃsāra" means that, having been liberated from impure delusion, one abides in the bardo of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā).
"Wearing the crown of the empowerment of primordial wisdom" means that the perfected Buddhas are continuously present, having reached the culmination of the realization endowed with the five cognitions. The Sugatas of the five families appear together with their retinues as clusters; they are worn as ornaments of awareness, and it is taught that the Herukas abide as the crowns of those bodies. "The suffering of the three types of suffering is pacified" means liberation from the suffering of body and speech.
"Dispelling the three, one attains the three infinite liberations" means that from the tongues of the Sambhogakāya deities in union, the six syllables of the precious sound emerge. By sporting with the light rays of that speech, one becomes the six Nirmāṇakāyas. The obscurations of the body, speech, and mind of the six classes of beings are cleared away, and infinite sentient beings are liberated from their bodies. Furthermore, through the superior or middling faculties, they are liberated and the kāyas and primordial wisdoms are manifested. At that time, one is definitively liberated from all obscurations; the afflictive obscurations and the cognitive obscurations are naturally purified.
"Abiding in equanimity like space" means that both the aforementioned Sambhogakāya clusters and the subsequently liberated Buddhas abide inseparably in the realization within the precious cocoon. Moreover, that is self-luminous and non-conceptual; it is the state of not differentiating that which is individually unmixed. At that time, one has transcended all stains of the afflictions.
Liberated within the state of the three times and the three kāyas, the five poisons are liberated into the five vases of primordial wisdom. Because ignorance is liberated into the great, unimpeded awareness, it is nirvāṇa. Regarding the phrase "the knower of the three times and timelessness": although the three times appear to the unawakened, they do not abide in the conceptual mind; rather, awareness abides as a single state, free from arising and ceasing. Regarding "the great lord of all sentient beings, the crown of those who wear the crown of qualities": this refers to the nirmāṇakāya, which has become the lord or the crown of the six classes of beings. Regarding "completely liberated from all bodies": this means liberated in an instant from the material bodies of sentient beings. Regarding "abiding perfectly in the path of space": this means not wavering from the nature of phenomena (dharmatā), which is like space. Regarding "holding the great wish-fulfilling jewel": because awareness, the dharmakāya, is never separate from the two kāyas of qualities, it holds the two kāyas as inner clarity. Regarding "the pervasive lord, the supreme of all jewels": from the non-substantial dharmakāya, unceasing primordial wisdom arises; because of the meaning of that unceasing primordial wisdom, there is nothing that is not pervaded. That which is not not-pervaded is the supreme among all jewels. Regarding "the flourishing great wish-fulfilling tree": from awareness, the precious dharmakāya, qualities emerge without partiality. Just as a precious tree has a root, so too is awareness itself. Just as it has branches, so too are the phenomena of conceptual elaboration. Furthermore, the actual [branches] are saṃsāra. Just as it has leaves and flowers, so too are the kāyas and primordial wisdoms. The fruit is the dharmakāya of realization. Regarding "the supreme of the great excellent vase":
Thus, just as it is established that [a jewel] must reside within a precious casket, from within that great vase of the dharmakāya, the five great sprouts of jñāna (wisdom) emerge. From those, the five precious kāyas become manifest, and from those, the nirmāṇakāya of compassion arises to act for the benefit of sentient beings; this is like drawing forth a treasury of precious jewels from within.
"Acting for the benefit of all sentient beings" refers to the two kāyas. "Benefiting and being affectionate toward sentient beings" and "knowing good and bad, and knowing the time" refer to knowing the specific distinctions of the vessel of saṃsāra and whether the time is ripe or not for those to be trained. "Pervasive Lord, knowing the samaya and possessing the samaya" means knowing the meaning of the jñāna of awareness and never being separated from it. Furthermore, this is the mastery of the dhāraṇī of the three root samayas of the subsequent [practice].
"Perceiving and knowing the faculties and purposes of sentient beings" means knowing whether the time is ripe for those to be trained and knowing the intentions of sentient beings. This also means knowing whether their insight is sharp or dull, and so forth. "Skilled in the three liberations" means being skilled in liberation from the three aspects: object, mind, and body. It also means being skilled in the three types of liberation: superior, middling, and inferior. "Possessing qualities and knowing qualities" means knowing the qualities of the ground and the qualities of the field—the actual kāya and jñāna.
"Knowing the dharma, the auspiciousness from which auspiciousness arises" means knowing the meaning of the dharmas and the dharmatā without confusion, exactly as they are. That this meaning abides naturally, and that one is liberated from the extreme of suffering, is "auspiciousness"; it arises as the root of all auspiciousness.
Because that wisdom of knowing the ultimate meaning abides as the quality of all auspiciousness, it is the auspiciousness of all auspiciousness. Regarding the phrase, "Renowned auspiciousness, fame, and virtue": it abides as the essence of all awareness and wisdom. It is the locus of the glory of self and others, and it is virtuous because it is the very nature that delights in the two accumulations that are not gathered, while all qualities are renowned as stainless.
Regarding "Great relief, great festival": if one realizes the three bodies and five wisdoms of the ultimate meaning, suffering is pacified without the need for effort or exertion. Furthermore, because the gateway of qualities is vast, their expressive power arises without partiality.
Regarding "Great joy, great music": appearance and existence arise as ornaments and play, which is the self-manifestation of awareness.
Regarding "Perfect honor and service": the sensory qualities, free from acceptance or rejection, become the great pinnacle of meditative concentration.
"Supreme" refers to the dharmakāya. "Joy" means that because it is already present within oneself, there is no need for effort or exertion. "Renowned" means that qualities appear as both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. "Self" means that awareness has become the master. "Glory" means that the two bodies of qualities arise for those to be trained. "Supreme" means the three bodies are without meeting or parting. "Possessing" refers to awareness. "Bestower of the supreme" means that the expressive power arises as the bodies and wisdoms. "The Chief" refers to the five bodies of Vairocana-awareness.
"Supreme refuge, worthy of refuge" refers to the six nirmāṇakāyas of his compassion. "The enemy of the world, the most excellent" means that he becomes the enemy of worldly delusion.
Furthermore, this is the supreme means of overcoming delusive appearances. "The dispeller of all fears without exception" means that through compassion, one protects others from suffering and fear. "Crested, tufted, and with locks of hair," and "Wearing matted locks and a crown," refers to the five families who are not inferior to the retinue of the Sambhogakāya. Moreover, their minds possess the five wisdoms, being the five Herukas endowed with the radiance of primordial wisdom. "With five faces and five topknots" refers to Vairocana, who faces in all directions. Furthermore, the Wisdom Heruka is held as the seal upon the crown of the head. "Five-crested, with a flower in the crown," and "Shaven-headed, maintaining the great ascetic observance," refers to the compassion of the Sambhogakāya which is beyond discordance. "Brahmacarya, the supreme ascetic observance," and "Having perfected asceticism, the great ascetic," refers to those Munis. "The holy abode of purity, Gautama," refers to the purity of the Munis' realization and conduct; they abide in non-dual insight. "The Brahmin, Brahmā, who knows Brahmā," refers to the utterly pure Dharmakāya. Understanding its meaning and possessing its realization is the result. What is that result? It is the attainment of the Brahmā of nirvāṇa. How is it attained? It is called "liberated, freed, the body of total liberation." This means being liberated from the objects, mind, and body, and having escaped the ocean of saṃsāra. For those of the highest faculties, engagement, appearance, cognition, and liberation are simultaneous. For those of middling faculties, nirvāṇa is attained through the fifth dhyāna. Furthermore, whatever is liberated, in the interim, the five kāyas appear clearly as a mandala assembly.
Finally, the three kāyas are luminous within the precious sheath. "Liberation" means liberation from phenomena. "Peace" refers to the dharmatā of the ground. "Peace itself" means abiding in the state of that very [nature]. "Nirvāṇa" refers to the ground. "Nirvāṇa" also refers to the five kāyas together with their mandalas. "Well" means that because one is liberated just as the Tathāgata was liberated, the path is unerring. "Near to nirvāṇa" refers to the compassionate nirmāṇakāya and the mental body of its liberation. "The culmination that dispels pleasure and pain" means that after the nirmāṇakāya has performed the benefit of beings, it returns to nirvāṇa. "Free from attachment and transcending the body" refers to the precious sheath. "Unconquerable, incomparable, and unsurpassed"—"incomparable" means that nothing can serve as a metaphor for its direction. "Unmanifest" means that the nirvāṇa-kāya is not outwardly manifest. "Invisible" means that the five kāyas do not appear to those to be trained. "Not a clarifier" means that compassion does not fluctuate within the five kāyas, nor does it dispel afflictions or conceptual thoughts of the intellect. "Unchanging" means that once the cause has ripened into the fruit, the fruit does not revert back to the cause. "All-pervading" refers to the Buddha’s burial site. "Pervasive" means that within the precious sheath there is no setting, like space. "Subtle" means that its meaning is difficult to examine. "Untainted, free from seeds" means that for one possessing realization, the seeds of saṃsāra do not remain. "Dustless, free from dust, stainless"—this means that after nirvāṇa, afflictions such as hatred do not remain and are separated from. "Faults abandoned, without defect."
Thus, the Dharmakāya is naturally free from faults; it is devoid of defects such as eternalism and nihilism. "The fully awakened one, the master of awakening" means that, for example, just as one awakens from a worldly dream, the sleep of ignorance has been dispelled and the lamp of awareness shines within. "The supreme one who knows all and perceives all" means that within the precious sheath, the consciousness of all and awareness abide non-dually. "Transcending the nature of consciousness" means being liberated from this present conceptual cognition. If one asks how it abides: "Holding the manner of non-dual primordial wisdom" means it abides as the essence of emptiness and primordial wisdom; primordial wisdom abides within awareness. "Non-dual in meaning, appearances are unceasing" and "non-conceptual and spontaneously present" means the three kāyas abide as inner luminosity; because there is no breath of habitual tendencies, the winds of grasping and conceptualization do not circulate. "Performing the activities of the Buddhas of the three times" means that through the six emanation bodies of compassion, the enlightened activities of the Buddhas of the three times liberate migratory beings. "The Buddha without beginning or end" means there is no time of first or last; it is primordial wisdom. Why is that? Because the Primordial Buddha is without cause. Furthermore, that is the self-arisen primordial wisdom of the ultimate meaning. "The single stainless eye of primordial wisdom" means that within the precious body, the eye of primordial wisdom is pure and clear. "The Tathāgata who possesses the body of primordial wisdom" refers to the five bodies of blazing precious light. "Lord of speech, the great speaker" means he speaks the wondrous ultimate meaning. "Supreme among speakers, king of speakers."
Thus, it is superior to others. "The supreme abode of the best of speakers" refers to the excellence of the meaning of what was taught. "The peerless lion of speech" means there is no one capable of competing with the Teacher who proclaims the definitive meaning. "The supreme vision, utterly joyful" refers to the unimpeded dharmakāya. "A mass of majesty, beautiful to behold" means the body of wisdom's habitual tendencies is overwhelming and beautiful. "Blazing with excellent light, the glorious knot" means the precious, blazing light of the wisdom of the mind's awareness. "The one who holds blazing light in hand, the illuminator" means that through compassion, the ignorance of wandering beings is dispelled. "The great and supreme physician, the chief, the unsurpassed remover of thorns" and "the wish-fulfilling tree of all medicines without exception" means that the nirmāṇakāyas, such as the glorious Vajrasattva and others, conquer the poison of the afflictions and the duality of subject and object; when the three bodies and four wisdoms are calculated, this is superior to merely clearing wind and bile. "The lovely one, supreme in the three worlds" refers to the nirmāṇakāya. "The glorious one possessing the maṇḍala of constellations" means that from the saṃbhogakāya, the nirmāṇakāya emerges like the sun and its rays. "Throughout the ten directions, to the ends of space, he firmly plants the victory banner of Dharma" means that the emanations of the Buddha successively uphold the Buddha's teachings; since emanations arise from the body of the Tathāgata without interruption, this is for the benefit of sentient beings. "A single wide parasol for all who wander, possessing the maṇḍala of love and compassion."
This refers to possessing impartial compassion. Furthermore, it is the aspect of the maṇḍala of ultimate meaning. "Glorious Lord of the Lotus Dance" refers to possessing the means for accomplishing the welfare of others; thus, he is Amoghasiddhi, unstained by the defects of cyclic existence. "Great Pervasive Lord, Jewel Parasol" means he is like a precious jewel and like a parasol. "Great majesty of all Buddhas" means he overwhelms the afflictions and cyclic existence. "Bearing the bodies of all Buddhas" means the five bodies of wisdom (jñānakāya) are complete within awareness (vidyā). "Yogin of all Buddhas" means he possesses the enlightened intent (sandhi) of all Buddhas. "The single teaching of all Buddhas" means that in the ultimate intent, there is nothing other than one; thus, he is the single teaching of all Buddhas. "Glorious empowerment of the Vajra Jewel" refers to the empowerment of the creative power of awareness. This includes the outer vase empowerment, the jewel-sprout empowerment, the inner symbolic mudrā empowerment, the wisdom-awareness empowerment of the five bodies, and the secret empowerment of suchness (tattva). To illustrate, this is shown through the syllables of the jewel-sound. Then, the empowerment of the creative power of awareness relies upon signs. "Lord of all jewels, the Sovereign" means awareness has become the master of all dharmakāyas. "Lord of all worldly sovereigns" means that while the creative power of awareness has not yet dawned above, all are gathered within that very state, thus becoming like a master. "Lord of all Vajradharas" refers to awareness as the dharmakāya.
"The great mind of all buddhas" refers to the self-arisen wisdom of awareness (vidyā). "Abiding in the minds of all buddhas" refers to the place of residence; it is said to abide in the precious citta. "The great body of all buddhas" refers to the wisdom body (jñānakāya), the great spontaneous presence. "He is also the speech of all buddhas" refers to the unceasing expressive power of self-arisen wisdom. "Vajra sun, great illumination" refers to the wisdom of unceasing method. "Vajra moon, stainless light" refers to the naturally luminous nature of phenomena (dharmatā), the unchanging insight (prajñā). "Vajra cross-legged, perfect buddha" refers to that awareness and wisdom being established as the form body (rūpakāya). "Buddha who upholds the Dharma for beings" refers to appearing in accordance with those to be trained. "Glorious lotus-born buddha" refers to the time when buddhas and sentient beings diverge, having realized the welfare of self and others in the heart. The glorious Vajrasattva is established in realization in a single instant. "Holder of the treasury of omniscient wisdom" refers to the Teacher at the time when his heart-wisdom is fully expanded; he is omniscient and possesses the treasury of wisdom. "King who holds various magical displays" refers to the inconceivable emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) radiating from the crown protuberance and so forth. He possesses the actual, unceasing compassion. "Great buddha, holder of secret mantras" refers to having become the master of all secret mantras. "Vajra sharp, great sword" refers to the discriminating insight (pratyavekṣaṇā-prajñā).
"The Mahāyāna cuts through suffering" means that through the realization of the Mahāyāna fruit, there is no occasion for abiding in suffering. The meaning is that it is spontaneously present and free from effort. "The great weapon, the vajra dharma" refers to non-dual wisdom. "The profound vajra, Jinajik" is the supreme secret mantra that conquers even the conquerors of the śrāvakas and others. "Vajra intelligence, knowing the great meaning" refers to the non-conceptual meaning of indivisibility. "Complete in all perfections" means that one possesses them. "Adorned with all the grounds" refers to the grounds from the first, the Joyous, up to the tenth, the Cloud of Dharma, which are the grounds of the nirmāṇakāya, due to the mastery of the power of insight. From the eleventh to the fourteenth are the grounds of the saṃbhogakāya, where the great wisdom is perfected to the end; these are the grounds of the nirmāṇakāya, which emanate the nirmāṇakāya. They are applied to the pure, certain grounds. From the fifteenth to the sixteenth is the ground of nirvāṇa, the field of the peaceful dharmakāya, abiding in non-differentiating insight. Furthermore, this is calculated from each individual aspect of the meaning. "The utterly pure, selfless dharma" is the breath of the precious dharmakāya. "Perfect wisdom, the excellent moonlight" refers to the appearance of wisdom, the unchanging nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Great diligence, the net of illusion" is not diligence involving effort; it is the dharma that has been primordially accomplished, where there is nothing further to be done. This is because awareness abides without cessation. "The supreme lord of all tantras."
Thus, because all the tantras of words arise from the family of the tantras of meaning, it is "awareness" (rig pa). "Possessing the vajra seat without exception" means that everything abides within the state of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Possessing all the bodies of wisdom without exception" means that each and every body is complete with all five wisdoms (jñāna). It is endowed with that and with awareness. "Samantabhadra, the one of excellent intelligence" means that his mind and wisdom are in harmony with the six types of sentient beings' intellects and are excellent. "Kṣitigarbha, who sustains the world" means that on the fourteenth stage, the stage of the Vajra Holder, he sustains the pure realms with the hook of compassion. "Possessing the essence of all Buddhas" refers to awareness. "Holding the various wheels of emanation" means that the six emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) arise from Vajrasattva, or alternatively, that emanations are projected from the intermediate body. "The supreme nature of all things" refers to the appearances of the six realms. "Holding the nature of all things" refers to the six emanation bodies; it means holding the specific characteristics of each of the six realms. "That unborn phenomenon" means the authentic reality that is solely without arising or ceasing. "The various means of taming" refers to the diverse methods. "Holding the essence of all phenomena" refers to the Teacher’s mind. "In a single instant of great wisdom, all phenomena are realized" means that when Vajrasattva realizes the limitlessness of the body and it is perfected within the sheath, hearing and realization arise simultaneously. All phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are known at once. "The clear realization of all phenomena" means:
Thus, all phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa appear manifestly and are perfected without being hidden. "The Sage, the limit of the arising of supreme intellect" means that the Teacher, possessing supreme intellect, realizes the precious dharmakāya, the limit of arising. If one asks how that is realized: "The unmoving, utterly pure self" means that his realization remains unmoving upon the precious vajra seat. "The perfect Buddha, the holder of awakening" means that the five bodies of awareness-wisdom are inseparably luminous within the precious cocoon. "The direct perception of all Buddhas" means that the eye of wisdom appears directly within the body of awareness-insight. If one asks what the actual entity is: "The flames of wisdom, the most brilliant light" means that from within the state of awareness, the five vases of wisdom are luminous, and within that state, the five bodies of awareness-insight abide. All of these are the manifestations of the wisdom of discerning reality. This explains the meaning of the fifth chapter, the wisdom of discerning reality.
Now, to explain the meaning of the wisdom of equality, the accomplishment of the goal, the continuity of the knowable, and the state of equality: ratna prasara dupa yamalamala. "The supreme accomplishment of the desired goal" means that from the dharmakāya of awareness, the manifestations of the qualities—the two bodies—are accomplished simultaneously; the goal, the three bodies, abides as the wisdom of equality, without meeting or parting, without arising or ceasing. "The purifier of all lower realms" refers to the three bodies that arise from compassion. "The Protector, the supreme of all sentient beings."
Thus, that nirmāṇakāya has become the supreme protector and refuge for the six classes of sentient beings. "Liberating all sentient beings" means that the nirmāṇakāya liberates sentient beings from saṃsāra. "The sole hero in the battle against the afflictions" means that because afflictions are not established within the wisdom of awareness (vidyā-jñāna), the battle is turned back. "Subduing the pride of the enemy of ignorance" means subduing ignorance, the five poisons, subject-object grasping, and all appearances and sounds. "Glorious, endowed with intellect and realization" means that the protector Vajrasattva is endowed with intellect. "The steadfast one who assumes an unattractive form" means that from the unchanging ground, the unceasing qualities are able to arise. "Moving all one hundred arms" refers to the creative power of awareness. "Dancing with the strength of his steps" refers to the luminous radiance of the wisdom of unceasing skillful means. "Filled with one hundred glorious arms" refers to the unceasing power or strength of creative energy. "Dancing to pervade the expanse of space" means that awareness, possessing a house of light, becomes an infinite light. "Pressing the entire extent of the earth-maṇḍala with the sole of one foot" means that the nature of phenomena (dharmatā), which is like the ground, is pressed by the sole of one foot. This is the great, non-setting wisdom of the actual awareness. "Even with the extent of a single big toe nail, he presses down from the peak of the realm of Brahmā" means that there is nothing that has not become the manifestation of the wisdom of awareness. "The single meaning" refers to all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. "Where are they one?" They are one in non-duality.
"Wherein the meaning of the Dharma is one," it is said. "The ultimate meaning is fearless," it is said; because this is non-conceptual wisdom (jñāna), one has no dread of the phenomena of saṃsāra. "Possessing the meaning of various cognitions and forms," it is said; this means that all is the self-arising wisdom of awareness (vidyā). "Endowed with the continuum of various consciousnesses," it is said; this means the Teacher has the higher meaning clear in his mind. "Delighting in all actualities without exception," it is said; this is because of the realization of non-duality. "The mind that delights in emptiness and passion," it is said; this is the realization that the peace of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā) and the non-substantiality of the Dharmakāya are inseparable. "Compassion abides as the nature of passion," it is said; because the afflictions of beings do not exist in his own continuum, he is said to have abandoned the passion of existence. "The great delight of the three realms," it is said; this is compassion, delighting in the welfare of the three realms. "He acts for the sake of the meaning." "White like a pure white cloud," it is said; although he acts for the benefit of beings, he is unstained by the defects of saṃsāra. "Excellent light, like the light of the autumn moon," it is said; that very meaning, free from all defects, abides as the unceasing wisdom of insight (prajñā). "Beautiful like the orb of the rising sun," it is said; that great radiance of wisdom is also clear, brilliant, and pure. "The light of his nails is intensely red," it is said; this is the nature of compassionate passion. Alternatively, it refers to the specific qualities of the Sugata’s major and minor marks. "The excellent crown, the peak of sapphire," it is said; this is the crown of the five wisdoms that never sets. "The peak of the actual awareness is the clarity of wisdom."
"Having great, dark-blue, supreme hair" means the unceasing clarity of the manifestation of wisdom. "Great jewel, radiant glory" means possessing the compassion of unceasing awareness-wisdom. "Adorned with the emanations of the Buddha" means the Dharmakāya Buddha is adorned with the Rūpakāya, and the Rūpakāya is adorned with the Nirmāṇakāya. "Shaking all a hundred world-systems" means that unceasing compassion transforms the appearances of delusion into the appearances of wisdom. "Possessing the great power of the bases of miraculous ability" means arriving in an instant by the wind of wisdom without needing to traverse the stages of the paths and grounds. "Holding great mindfulness of suchness" means it is like recognizing what was previously familiar. "The four kinds of mindfulness, the king of samādhis" means the mindfulness that knows the objects seen at that time awakens; furthermore, mindfulness awakens through the ways in which the knowledge of insight arises, distinguished as superior, middling, or inferior. "The branches of enlightenment" means the appearances of the body are clear at that time. "Branches" refers to the primary power. "Flowers and incense" means the five maṇḍalas of the assembly, such as the goddesses of flowers and incense, are clear. "The ocean of the Tathāgatas' qualities" means the qualities of the five families appear as the forty-two bodies, and these abide in the state of the unmoving nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "Knowing the way of the eight branches of the path" is the realization of inseparability; furthermore, the branches are applied to the four methods of training and the four times. "Knowing the path of the perfect Buddha" means:
This is the realization of non-meditation. "Greatly attached to all sentient beings" means that because there is no distinction in awareness, the realization of the Buddha also exists within sentient beings; alternatively, it refers to the nirmāṇakāya. "Like space, without attachment" means that, being free from attachment and non-attachment, it has primordially abided like space in non-duality. "Entering the minds of all sentient beings" means that the minds of sentient beings and the buddha-mind are non-dual, or that the nirmāṇakāya appears in accordance with them. "As swift as the minds of all sentient beings" means that the power of compassion is unimpeded. "Knowing the faculties and purposes of all sentient beings" means knowing the distinctions between superior and middling intellects. "Captivating the minds of all sentient beings" means that the nirmāṇakāya performs the benefit of those to be tamed by teaching what is beautiful and appropriate to them. "Knowing the reality of the five aggregates" means knowing the meaning of the five aggregates, or suchness. "Holding the five pure aggregates" means that awareness is never separate from the five illusory wisdoms. "Abiding at the limit of all renunciations" means being liberated from the four stages of the lower path of renunciation and abiding at the limit of the unchanging reality of the kāyas and wisdoms. "Skilled in all renunciations" refers to the Teacher. "Abiding on the path of all renunciations" means being inseparable from it. "Showing all renunciations" refers to the two types of renunciation: saṃsāra and nirvāṇa; these are also clearly and manifestly apparent without being hidden. "The twelve links of existence, the root of becoming, have been uprooted."
First, because the capacity of the objects of knowledge is not perfected until the limits of the body are complete, the mindfulness of cognition is unable to awaken toward the objects of perception; thus, although ignorance is not actually present, there is a semblance of it. In that regard, one is deluded regarding the twelve links of dependent origination, such as ignorance and so forth. "The branches of delusion are the peak of the three realms." "He holds the twelve aspects of purity" means that, having purified ignorance and the rest, he holds realization; he is the Teacher. "Possessing the aspects of the manner of the four truths" refers to the four introductions. "He holds the realization of the eight cognitions" refers to the eight collections of consciousness. Their meaning is the creative power of awareness as insight, its quality as the kāyas, its quality as the objects of the five gates, and the consciousnesses arising from them. "Cognition is self-arising and self-liberating." "Endowed with the twelve aspects of the meaning of truth" refers to the four aforementioned ways of seeing the abiding state of objects, the four nails of the words of the teaching, and the four results of final consummation. "He knows the sixteen aspects of suchness" means that at the stage of the final result, each is divided into four alternatives: at that time, there is Ati of the single thigle, Mahā of the single thigle, Anu of the single thigle, and the actual entity of the single thigle. "Awakened through twenty aspects" means that first the creative power of awareness arises as the five elements, from which the five thigles arise, and from which the Buddhas of the five families are established as kāyas. "The supreme omniscient Buddha of all Buddhas" refers to the aforementioned twenty aspects. Furthermore, "omniscient" means knowing and realizing. "The nirmāṇakāya of all Buddhas."
"Emitting tens of millions of immeasurable [emanations]" refers to the radiance of the six-syllable mantra streaming from between the faces of the Sambhogakāya father and mother. "Realizing all in a single instant" means realizing the meaning of the non-arising and non-ceasing of appearances, which dawn and set in a single moment. "Knowing the meaning of all in a single instant of mind" means that the mind arises as the creative power of awareness, and one realizes and knows the five dharmas, such as the mind's own mode of abiding. "Through the methods of various vehicles, the one who realizes the welfare of beings" means that the Nirmāṇakāya acts for the benefit of beings by teaching various vehicles as the means of training, in accordance with the capacities of those to be subdued. "Regarding the renunciation of the three vehicles, one abides in the fruit of the single vehicle" means that those aforementioned vehicles also emerge as three.
The Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas abide in the fruit of a single [vehicle], which is exclusively the authentic fruit of Secret Mantra. Regarding the phrase "the master of the purified realms of affliction," although the Teacher acts as the lord of the nirmāṇakāya, he is unstained by afflictions; he abides as the very nature of the pure ultimate intent. Regarding the phrase "exhausting the realm of karma," the Teacher, as the nirmāṇakāya, possesses the intent to act for the benefit of beings in their various forms. Regarding the phrase "crossing over all rivers and oceans," this refers to the Teacher who has transcended the four rivers: desire, existence, views, and ignorance. Regarding the phrase "crossing the wilderness of application," the Teacher has emerged from the state of being fixed in the four [rivers] such as existence and so forth. Regarding "afflictions and all secondary afflictions," [he has transcended them].
"Having permanently abandoned along with habitual tendencies" means that the Teacher has liberated the five poisons, such as anger and the rest, into great wisdom (jñāna); thus, habitual tendencies do not remain by their own nature, as he knows and abides in awareness (vidyā) that is pure from the beginning.
"Great compassion, insight, and method" refers to awareness that is unceasing and free from effort or exertion.
"Meaningful, performing the benefit of beings" refers to that very nature of the aforementioned method and insight.
"Having abandoned the objects of all perceptions" means that within his own continuum, he possesses no conceptualization of a benefit to be performed, an action to be done, or an agent who does it.
"The object of consciousness is unceasing" means that having performed the benefit, he brings about liberation from the eight collections of consciousness.
"Possessing the mental objects of all sentient beings" means that he possesses the five superknowledges (abhijñā).
"The awareness that is the heart-mind of all Buddhas" and "abiding in the minds of all sentient beings" means that the heart-mind of the Buddhas is the awareness of non-substantial wisdom (jñāna), and that this abides in the minds of wandering beings.
"They engage in accordance with the minds of those [beings]" means that through the nirmāṇakāya, he knows the minds of sentient beings and acts according to their inclinations.
"Satisfying the minds of all sentient beings" means fulfilling their intentions.
"Delighting the minds of all sentient beings" means they are joyful because their intentions are accomplished. If one asks what that accomplishment is, it is because "accomplishment is perfected and without error." Furthermore, if one asks where that is, it is within the "jewel casket."
"Completely abandoning all errors" means being free from points of deviation.
"A mind without doubt regarding the three meanings" refers to a term that applies to several specific contexts; here, it refers to the three introductions (ngo sprod).
Furthermore, through this introduction, one is freed from doubt. "Benefiting all" refers to the benefit of all within saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. "Qualities" means that everything arises as qualities. "Lord of the three" refers to the lord of the three kāyas. Regarding the phrase "the meaning of the five aggregates throughout the three times," it means acting and abiding as the meaning of the five aggregates throughout the three times. Furthermore, as for how it abides: it abides as the self-purified body of wisdom (jñānakāya). "Distinguishing all moments in an instant" means that the present is a single instant; subsequently, wisdom arises, which is the manner of liberation for those of superior and middling faculties. Beyond that, one attains perfect buddhahood in a single instant, which is the superior way. "Holding the nature of all buddhas" refers to the forty-two sambhogakāyas. "The bodiless body, the supreme body" means that the body of habitual tendencies does not remain, but abides as the supreme body of wisdom. "The one who realizes the limit of the body" means realizing the jewel-like body. "Displaying all various forms" refers to the emanation of nirmāṇakāyas. "The great jewel, the precious crest" means that thereafter, having passed into nirvāṇa, one abides in the state of the precious dharmakāya, with the enlightened intent remaining forever unchanging. Up to this point, the sixth chapter has shown the meaning of the wisdom of equality (samatājñāna), as the ground abides in the equality of being without arising or ceasing.
Now, the seventh point, the meaning of the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhānajñāna) which is unimpeded regarding the objects of knowledge, shall be shown: aha jñāna sarva karmacakra. "That which is to be realized by all buddhas..."
Thus, that which is to be realized by the Buddhas of the three times is self-knowing wisdom (svasaṃvedana-jñāna) itself; it abides spontaneously within oneself. "The unsurpassed awakening of the Buddha" means that its nature is spontaneously present; there is nothing else above it, hence it is "unsurpassed." It is not elsewhere, nor is it separate. "Arising from secret mantra, without letters" means that all words and letters arise from the essence of the meaning of secret mantra, yet that very essence transcends words and letters. "The great secret mantra of the three families" means that by means of the lamp of words which symbolize it, it is shown in three ways: outer, inner, and secret. "The progenitor of all the meanings of secret mantra" means that from the root of the ground of secret mantra, the elaborations of secret mantra symbolize and generate the realization of that very reality. "The great bindu without letters" means that in the unceasing self-arisen wisdom of awareness, no sounds or conventions whatsoever abide. "The great emptiness of the five letters" means that from within the state of the non-substantial dharmakāya, awareness shines as the five types of letters in the form of light. The symbol for this is, for example, the letter A. "The empty bindu of the hundred letters" refers to the hundred letters of unceasing power and method; these arise as the various phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, both the expressed and the expresser. Furthermore, the number "hundred" is not a fixed limit but a term for a great plurality. "Possessing all aspects, yet without aspects" means that while it possesses the aspects of the qualities of the three kāyas, it does not abide in any conceptual characteristics. "The bindu of the half of sixteen."
Regarding that, there are two [aspects]. Since each of the saṃbhogakāyas is surrounded by four male and four female bodhisattvas, they form the clusters of the four directions, which are the retinue. Furthermore, the "sixteen" refers to the sixteen male and female bodhisattvas. The "half" refers to the division into eight males and females. The "latter half" refers to the surrounding of each by four.
In the context of the nirmāṇakāya, it should also be taught in this way: from the thig-le of the self-arisen expanse (dharmadhātu), the creative energy (rtsal) dawns externally and internally. Internally, it appears as the wisdom of awareness (vidyā-jñāna) and as the mind. Externally, from the secret thig-le of great bliss, it arises as the thig-le of blazing great bliss. From that, at the time when great bliss pervades all, there are the eight that are half of sixteen. Half of those are four: one dawns as the lotus, one as equality, one as bliss, clarity, and non-conceptuality, and one as the state of being unimpeded by movement. At that time, the bliss of the dharmakāya is recognized and the compassionate nirmāṇakāya is emanated.
"Beyond the calculation of the limbless" means that the great dharmakāya, free from conceptual elaboration, does not abide within the calculations and numbers of the aforementioned.
"Possessing the pinnacle of the four meditative concentrations" means that it transcends mundane meditative concentrations and is the spontaneously present great identity of the natural state and nature. One abides in that meaning.
"Knowing all the branches of meditative concentration" refers to the methods for arousing meditation and the boundaries of the stages of meditation.
"Knowing the samādhi and knowing the continuum" means that the meditative concentration of the Tathāgatas is the clarity and realization of self-awareness within the continuum.
"The embodiment of samādhi, the supreme body" means the perfection of samādhi.
"The sovereign of the bodies, the Sambhogakāya," refers to the pure upward [realms] and the teaching of the downward [realms]. The forty-two bodies appear together with their mandalas. "The nirmāṇakāya, the supreme of bodies," refers to the six Munis who sport in the rays of the Sambhogakāya’s speech; they are the most excellent among the six classes of beings. "Holding the lineage of the Buddha’s emanations," means that as the previous nirmāṇakāya is liberated, the subsequent one performs the benefit of beings, such that the emanations of the Tathāgata’s body are uninterrupted. "Emitting various emanations in the ten directions," means that at the time when the Dharma-eye arises in the intermediate body, emanations radiate from the sound of the six syllables. "Acting for the benefit of beings just as they are," has two aspects: acting for the benefit just as the previous nirmāṇakāya did, and taming and benefiting beings by appearing in accordance with how they are.
"The lord of gods, the god of gods," and "the master of gods, the lord of asuras," means that to those to be tamed by gods, he appears as the Muni of the gods, and to those to be tamed by asuras, he appears as an asura; thus, the six Munis arise as the remedies for the six classes of beings. "The immortal lord, the guru of gods," means that this Muni of the gods has become the guru of all gods, the supreme or principal one. The other Munis are easy to understand. "The conqueror, the lord of conquerors," means the conquest of the grasped and the grasper. "Crossed over the wilderness of existence," refers to the death of one who possesses realization. "The sole teacher, the guru of beings," means:
Having emanated as the Teacher, the nirmāṇakāya, he has become the guru and superior of the six classes of beings. Regarding the two lines, "Renowned throughout the ten directions of the world," this refers to the appearance of the qualities of awareness in that manner, and the appearance and renown of his emanations in that manner. Regarding the line, "The great patron of the Dharma," this refers to the transformation of qualities into the dharmakāya and the subsequent expression of it. Regarding the lines, "Clad in the armor of loving-kindness" and "Donning the mail of compassion," these refer to those nirmāṇakāyas taming and benefiting beings through the four immeasurables. Regarding the lines, "Wielding the sword and bow of insight" and "Dispelling the battlefront of afflictions and ignorance," these refer to dispelling the battle of afflictions, ignorance, and subject-object grasping through the insight of individual discernment. Regarding the lines, "The hero who tames the difficult to tame" and "Dispelling the fear of the four māras," these refer to the Teacher having naturally conquered the four māras and dispelling the māras of beings through his compassion. Regarding the line, "Defeating the hosts of māras," this refers to cutting the root of ignorance along with its branches from the very foundation. Regarding the line, "The perfect Buddha, the guide of the world," this refers to when the wisdom body (jñānakāya) becomes manifest in the sky of the dharmatā within the intermediate body, the eye of dharmatā is endowed with clairvoyance, and from between his lips the wheel of the six syllables emerges; thus, the nirmāṇakāya guides the beings of the world. Regarding the lines, "Worthy of offerings, worthy of praise, the object of prostration, always worthy of veneration, the supreme object of honor and remembrance, worthy of homage, the most excellent guru."
Thus, why is it that the Teacher, the nirmāṇakāya, is endowed with such qualities? It is said: "He traverses the three worlds in a single stride." This means that through the Teacher’s compassion, realization is generated within the continuum, and from this ground of the Buddha’s nirmāṇakāya, one reaches the ground of the Buddha’s saṃbhogakāya in an instant, like the leaping of a lion. "He overcomes the infinite like space" means that unimpeded awareness is equal to the limits of space. "The three knowledges, pure and stainless" refers to the three sheaths of the great natural system, as they apply to certain sounds. "Possessing the six superknowledges and the six recollections" refers to the sixfold dharmacakṣus (Dharma-eye) and the six recollections themselves. "The Bodhisattva, the Great Being" means that the mind has turned away from the self for the sake of the ultimate, and is a being who strives for the sake of others. "Transcending the world with great miraculous power" means that the nirmāṇakāya endowed with miraculous powers has transcended the world and is liberated in its own place. "The limit of the perfection of insight; through insight, that very reality is attained" means that it is not a matter of transcending saṃsāra through effort; rather, by the power of knowing the realization of sublime insight within the continuum, one has transcended to the other shore and abides in non-conceptual insight free from partiality. "Knowing self and knowing others, the all-encompassing one; the supreme individual who benefits all" means that the Teacher, the nirmāṇakāya, knows the meaning of self and is liberated through knowledge. He also knows the power of the meaning of others and is liberated through knowledge.
The body that is omniscient and benefits all. "Beyond all examples" means it is without rival. "The supreme lord of knowledge and the objects of knowledge" means that the mode of being of the objects to be known and the means of knowing are in union; because the two aspects of the intellect become non-dual, he is the "lord." Because there is nothing superior to him, he is "supreme." "The principal patron of the Dharma" means that the six Munis, the chiefs of the six classes of beings, teach the Dharma to whoever needs to be tamed in whatever way is necessary. "Revealing the meaning of the four mudrās": the Dharmakāya, which is without substance and unceasing, is the Mahāmudrā. The appearance of its qualities, the radiant Sambhogakāya, is the Samayamudrā. The unceasing speech of self-arisen wisdom is the Dharmamudrā. The activity of the Nirmāṇakāya, which performs the welfare of those to be tamed through compassion, is the Karmamudrā. "The supreme object of veneration for wandering beings" means that he teaches such a meaning. "For those traveling the three paths of renunciation" refers to the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas, who venerate him in the aforementioned manner by traveling those three stages respectively. "The ultimate, pure, and glorious meaning" refers to the definitive meaning of the Unsurpassed Secret Mantra. Furthermore, this is shown as the three inseparable bodies that are naturally pure. "The great good fortune in the three worlds" refers to those who have encountered the aforementioned meaning. "The glorious one who brings about all prosperity" means that, possessing the glory of self and others, he brings about the prosperity of the bodies and wisdoms.
If one asks who performs this, it is done by this alone: "Mañjuśrī, the supreme possessor of glory." Up to this point, the seventh chapter, "Unimpeded Knowledge of the Objects of Cognition," has been explained in connection with the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). Now, the eighth chapter, "Expressing the Greatness" together with the sounds of the mantra, will be taught:
Rajñābhitya mahārudraprasara |
"Homage to you, the supreme vajra, the supreme giver."
This establishes the realization of the great, preeminent, and jewel-like meaning mentioned above. It is the unchanging nature of phenomena (dharmatā), free from union and separation. It becomes the non-dual ultimate meaning.
"Homage to you who have become the ultimate reality." This refers to the unchanging precious body, which becomes the great ultimate source of meaning.
"Homage to you who arise from emptiness." This means that from within the inseparability of the empty expanse (dhātu) and empty awareness (vidyā), the two bodies (kāya) emerge as inner luminosity.
"Homage to you, the awakening of the Buddha." This means that it is naturally pure and not subject to the power of other qualities.
"Homage to you, the Buddha’s passion." This refers to uncontaminated bliss (anāsrava-sukha).
"Homage to the Buddha’s desire." This refers to that which is to be attained by all.
"Homage to you, the Buddha’s joy." This means that having reached the culmination of the non-dual meaning, it is nirvāṇa.
"Homage to the Buddha’s play." This means that having reached the culmination of the non-dual meaning, one establishes the meaning of the Great Vehicle for those to be trained, and is thus exceedingly joyful.
"Homage to you, the Buddha’s smile." This refers to the granting of prophecies.
Furthermore, "The Buddha’s laughter" means overwhelming all signs. "I bow to you, the Buddha’s very speech," means that self-arisen wisdom, as unceasing speech, is the cause of all that is to be expressed. "I prostrate and bow to the Buddha’s mind," means that unchanging awareness is free from habitual tendencies. "I bow to you, who arise from non-existence," means that the power of qualities arises as the three bodies and five wisdoms. "I bow to you, who arise from space," means that while lacking substantiality, qualities are present. "I bow to you, the source of the Buddha," means that the power of qualities—the five bodies and five wisdoms—abide and are luminous within the state of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā). "I bow to you, who arise from wisdom," means that from the wisdom of the abiding ground, the five wisdoms of non-dual characteristics arise. "I bow to you, the Net of Magical Illusion," means that unceasing awareness abides as non-dual wisdom. "I bow to you, who display the play of the Buddha," means that the manifestation of wisdom is unceasing. "I bow to you, the all of all," means that all is non-dual. "I bow to you, the wisdom body itself," means that you have become the wisdom body. "Oṃ" means that from the wisdom of shamatha, the five wisdoms that grasp characteristics are naturally luminous. "Sa" is the place of abiding, the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu). "Rba" is the manifestation of the compassion of the former as the body. In that way, one should understand the fourfold combinations and so forth according to the literal meaning. Dharmābhāva svabhāva viśuddha vajracukṣa a ā aṃ aḥ.
Prakṛti pariśuddhaḥ sarvadharmā yaduta sarvatathāgatajñānakāya-mañjuśrīpariśuddhitām upādāya. A āḥ. Sarvatathāgatahrdaya hara hara. Oṃ hūṃ hrīḥ. Bhagavān jñānamūrti vāgīśvara mahāpāṇḍita sarvadharmagaganāmala supariśuddhadharmadhātujñānagarbha āḥ.
Up to this point, the eighth chapter, which explains the expression of greatness together with the sound of the mantra, has been taught. Now, the ninth chapter demonstrates the fulfillment of the intention through the perspective of self and others by way of rejoicing. The word "Then" indicates that after the Teacher had spoken the preceding meaning, without any other interruption, the requester offered an expression of rejoicing.
"Glorious" refers to the glory of one's own realization; it means knowing the intention of the Teacher's mind. "Compassionate" refers to the glory of others; it means having requested the great meaning of the Secret Mantra and acting for the benefit of beings. The requester is not an ordinary individual, but was emanated from the expanse of Vajrasattva's mind. Having been brought forth from the nostril-vessel of the five lights, he manifested in the form of Vajrapāṇi. Since this is explained in detail elsewhere, it is not mentioned here.
"Vajradhara" refers to Vajrapāṇi. "Joyful and delighted, he joined his palms" means that the Teacher's command was unerring. Furthermore, this is the fulfillment of the benefit of self and others. "Protector" means the protector of self and others. If one asks who that is, it is the Blessed One, the Tathāgata. "Having prostrated to the Perfect Buddha" refers to the requester prostrating to the Teacher.
"That is the Protector, the Lord of Secrets" refers to the petitioner’s recognition of the Teacher’s omniscient mind. "Vajrapāṇi, King of the Wrathful" indicates that he is superior to other wrathful deities. "Together with various others" refers to the retinue. "Having offered secret praise, he spoke these words" indicates that the realization had arisen. "O Protector, we rejoice" means that the Teacher, having taught the outer, inner, and secret meanings, brought joy to the retinue and themselves. "Excellent!" is said because the words are unerring. "Excellent!" a second time is because the meaning is unerring. "Well-spoken" means the Teacher has explained it for the benefit of self and others, endowed with the branches of the method of explanation. "Those who seek the fruit of liberation" refers to the retinue or the aforementioned [beings] who seek to attain the great primordial wisdom (jñāna) as the fruit, having been liberated from outer and inner aspects in three moments. If one asks who they are: "The protectorless beings" refers to the common retinue. "We, the perfectly complete" refers to the special retinue. "You have performed the great purpose of attaining enlightenment" means that this is merely the provisional fruit; it is the Buddha’s teaching on the intention of nirvāṇa. "Showing the manner of the Net of Magical Illusion" refers to the mode of abiding of awareness (vidyā) and primordial wisdom. "This is the pure, excellent path" means the meaning is unerring. "Profound, vast, and extensive" means it is difficult to fathom its depth. "The source of all meanings," "the great universal illumination," and "like space, without setting" are the qualities of the teaching. "Performing the great purpose for the benefit of beings" refers to the Teacher’s explanation of the aforementioned meaning.
"It performs the great purpose, the benefit of beings. This is the domain of the buddhas," refers to the objects of knowledge of the buddhas of the three times. "Expounded by the perfect buddhas" means it was taught by the perfect buddhas who are primordially complete in both the great wisdom and the two great accumulations. "The Bhagavān Mañjuśrī-jñānasattva-nāmasaṃgīti" means that the four māras are naturally conquered, and by being spontaneously endowed with the kāyas and wisdoms, one is primordially beyond the extremes of permanence and nihilism. It is the unerring expression from the depths of the meaning of the non-duality of the three kāyas and five wisdoms. "Expounded by the Bhagavān Tathāgata Śākyamuni" means that the Sage of Men spoke the meaning of the Teacher Vajradhara to the retinue as described above. Up to this point, the ninth chapter has been shown through the gateway of rejoicing to bring the welfare of oneself and others to completion.
The sublime instructions, the treasure of the heart, held in the hearts of all yogis—may no faults arise from writing this. If any faults should arise, may the gurus, Sugatas, and Dharma protectors grant forgiveness within the state of non-conceptual wisdom. By the virtue of writing this, may the stainless great tantra be liberated. The commentary titled The Razor that Severs the Stream composed by Garab Dorje is hereby complete.
Translation status: Not among 84000's published translations, and not in progress there. Translations published elsewhere have not been searched for, so one may exist. (source: 84000 catalogue + registry; checked 2026-11-10).
Set in Newsreader and EB Garamond; Tibetan in Noto Serif Tibetan; Chinese in Noto Serif SC.