Naropa states that the Reality Compendium is a Root Tantra, the
Community
Root Tantra is its Further Tantra, and the Eighteenth Chapter is again the latter's Further Tantra.
Thurman-Robert-a-F-Tr-Tsong-Khapa-Losang-Drakpa-Brilliant-Illumination-of-the-Lamp-of-the-Five-Stages
o'J J) - Their refutation]
The meaning of the former quote is extremely clear from the preceding context since the ()akinT Vajra Pavilion Tantra was explained in order to establish the mandala of the five kinds of 4akas suror unded by the hosts of 4akinTs of all five enlightenment clans. Thus, this is not an identifica- tion of the Mother Tantras. As for the five types of 4akas mentioned earlier (in that text]:
Five kinds of mandalas are declared: The vajrin, the permanent,
The vajra energy,
The god of the lotus dance, and
The king of horses
1 This aeclion primarily quotea &he \tUnl Prn-i/i011 (T6h. 4 1 9), a Hr? 'Gjra literature tal. However,&heleAlcitedbere. theI. 'I? IKidutionuflltrIE. wtrri&'}r,. . ,,(. Uto,. . , nyidJMI bel)isTOll. 14. 50,a\. 'Ommenlaryfrom&heCCIAI'CUcllftvurc? lilcrarure.
? ? -they refer to the five transcendent clans; it is not that the lord of the mandala is a goddess. Thus, 19hl the [Tibetan scholars'] explanation of the first quote is incorrect.
Their explanation of the second quote is also not according to its (real] meaning. Just before that, the transcendent buddhas such as Ak? ho-
bhya asked the bodhisattvas:
How are the c;lakinis and yoginis gathered together in this
vajra pavilion?
And the answer was given by the bodhisattvas such as Maitreya:
First the Vajra-holder
Pronounces the will for enlightenment: "I will liberate all living beings,
Such as those born from eggs! "
S o why should women b e neglected? Striving to kill living beings . . .
and so forth up to:
. . . [is] explained as a [Mother] Tantra
as mentioned above. Therefore, the Tantra taught as the essence of c;lakini Tantras in order to attract women is the Vajra Pavilion itself, since the context of the question is asking about the [Vajra] Pavilion. And as for
calling it the essence of all Tantras, just before that it is stated: This essence is completely included
In the Hevajra 500,000
and therefore no criterion for all Mother Tantras is intended; which can also be recognized in the expression "even in a slight text. "
Well, then, one wonders what is the meaning of the exchange in the Vajra Pavilion asking, "How are women attracted? " In other treatises it is taught that in a woman's lifetime one cannot directly attain buddha- hood; and thus this question concerns the statement in the Unexcelled
Tantras that it is better to achieve buddhahood in the embodiment of a woman. Thus the answer states that, since at the time of first conceiving the spirit [of enlightenment] one vows to establish all sentient beings [IOaJ on the stage of buddhahood, it is not right to neglect women. Especially since such an embodiment through its tendency to wrong views and heavy
Chapter /-Introduction ? 49
:m ? Brilliant 1//umincllion oftht? Lamp
sinfulness cxempliticd by killinglj reaches a superior attainment depend
the Vajra Pavilion is said to have been taught in order to In regard to the statement that:
ing on this path
tame beings and attract women. Thus, how can it be teaching the criterion for establishing a Tantra as a Mother Tantra?
.
Yoga Tantras are taught
In order to educate men. and Yoginuantras are taught
In order to attract women.
-it indicates here in this Vajra Pavilion Tantra, in general, even while being a Mother Tantra, it is called "Yoga Tantra," as well as being called a "Yoginli'antra" intending that it was taught to attract women; as quoted above:
The Hevajra, as a Yoga Tantra,
Is first explained by the Victors;
Then the same thing is said to be a Yoginifantra
To attract those of female embodiment.
First the [Hevajra] Extensive Tantra 500,000 [is taught] and then later it is abridged as the [Vajra] Pavilion Yoginf Tantra in order to include women. Further, in both sections of the [Vajra] Pavilion, the Hevajra is said to be a Mother Tantra. Thus the appellation "Yoga Tantra" means the category of "Yoga Tantra" that is the basis of differentiation into Yogi and Yoginuantras, and does not indicate the "Yoga Tantra" which is the opposite of the category "Yoginifantra. "
Having already explained the way in which the [Vajra] Pavilion was taught to include women, this latter quote can be explained in that fashion, or otherwise it can be explained in terms of both Father and Mother Tantras. [lObi In the Unexcelled Tantras there are both male and female jewel-like persons, the principal human embodiments for the supreme achievement. However, usually in the Tantras and treatises, the
9 It may be that in agricultural societies the women haad to provide the food and so often had to slaughter animals to make dinner for the men and children. Otherwise, it seems weird that women are thought to be more into killing, as men are the hunters and warriors in most societies.
-
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 51
practitioner is male, and [one of] the four kinds of women is often men- tioned as his consort. In those contexts, not only the male but also the consort should be understood as a practitioner of the path; because it is repeatedly stated that just as the art is liberated conditioned by the wisdom, so the wisdom is liberated depending on the art. 10 Although that process exists in both types of Tantras, the Father Tantras are not as extensive as the Mother Tantras about the nature and categories of criteria for the way of reliance on the consorts. Still, from that point of view, both Tantras are said to be taught in order to train both [males and females]. Furthermore, this is only an explanation of the purpose of the two Tantras, and not an establishment of the criteria for [distinguishing] Father and Mother Tantras. For example, the Esoteric Community is chiefly taught for the sake of the jewel-like person, and yet that fact is not a criterion for it being a Father Tantra. Otherwise, as it is said in some P akinifantras that they are taught for the sake of illuminating those of inferior intelligence, that too should become a criterion for their being Mother Tantras !
Furthermore, these [Tibetan scholars'] way of explanation of the meaning of the quote from the Elucidation of the Esoteric Reality is also not according to its meaning. As said in that text:
There are two kinds of [Tantras] :
The four of the encounter of two
And the [one] of the union of two.
By their creation and perfection stages, The yogis are shown to be creative, and
The perfective are called yoginis.
The interpenetration of the two organs [ I t a ] Is called "union. "
Thus, with regard to the fourth of the four Tantras of looking, touching and smiling, holding hands, and uniting, there are both Yoga and Yogini Tantras among those Tantras involving the union of two organs. The first explains the stage arisen from creation and the second explains the stage arisen from perfection, and does not explain that one teaches the creation
10 This is a very significant statement to support rejecting the contemporary unti-Tantra scholars who insist that Tantric practitioners were male chauvinists who ust used women as minless tools for their own supposed spiritual advancement.
? 52 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
stage and the other teaches the perfection stage. Just before that quote, it
states:
This contradicts the notion that Yoga Tantras, such as the Community, chiefly teach the creation stage and do not chiefly teach the perfection stage.
As for [these Tibetan scholars'] saying that Kf? hl). acharya believed that Father Tantras begin with "Thus have I heard. . . " and Mother Tantras begin with "Delighted by the supreme secret. . . " and so forth; this is not his belief. He did not mention those two-"Thus have I heard" for Father Tantras, and "Delighted by supreme secret" for the Mother Tantras-as criteria for [distinguishing) the two Tantras, but only [to show] their non- difference in [both] being the actuality of the union of bliss and voidness. The quote supporting this has already been cited above.
Other than these, some Indians and Tibetans have promoted various methods of establishing the two Tantras, but in most cases it appears that the "male-female" or "art-wisdom" l l lbl used as criteria for art and wis- dom Tantras have no relevance whatsoever. They do not seem to explain the distinctions about being taught chiefly and not taught chiefly, or about what sort of "art" and "wisdom" are involved when they say that "[such and such] chiefly teaches art and wisdom. " Their explanations of criteria are easily understood as invalid, coming from just noticing what corresponds to the two Tantras. Therefore, I do not discuss them.
[1. 8. 2. b. ii. H'2' - Establishing the most worthwhile position]
Well, then, what do we take as the method for establishing Father Tantras and Mother Tantras?
Although there are some ordinary distinctions acceptable for dif- ferentiating them from the point of view of the creation stage, it is more importantly necessary to differentiate them from the point of view of [their respective] perfection stages. The establishment of all of them as nondual Tantras is based on the art and wisdom of bliss and voidness, which [bliss-void art-wisdom] does not differentiate them as art and
By the path of the glorious [Esoteric} Community, In regard to the actuality of the two stages,
The glorious Community is extremely pleasing, And is principal among all Tantras.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 53
wisdom Tantras, as explained above. It is also not proper to establish them [as different] according to their emphasis with regard to [superficial art and wisdom], since this would incur the fault that one would have to put Hevajra as a Father Tantra and the Community as a Mother Tantra; for "bliss" is emphasized in Mother Tantras such as Hevajra and not mentioned emphatically in the Community.
Thus, as for the "art" and "wisdom" mentioned in differentiating the Tantras from the point of view of their perfection stages, "wisdom" is the ultimate great bliss intuition, and "art" is the superficial magic body. In regard to that, the Vajra Pavilion, Chapter 13, sets up the Mother Tantras from the point of view of the former:
"Divine Lord, how does one apply the name 'Yogini Tantra'? " Vajradhara replied:
The art of transcendent wisdom [ t2a l Is expressed as the yogini.
By uniting with the great seal,
One enters into that reality,
And it is called the "Yogini Tantra. "
Here, it clearly states the designative criterion [for its being a Mother Tantra] in general terms. This means that, due to the connection of those two, because the Tantra teaches the way of entering the voidness of ulti- mate suchness through union with the great seal, the [Vajra] Pavilion and so forth are called Yogini Tantras. This is the reason [the Vajra Pavilion] is established as a "Mother Tantra," and that is the meaning of the two
[lines] beginning "art of transcendent wisdom. "
To explain this in detail: [a Tantra] is called a "Mother Tantra"
when it does not mainly teach how to achieve the superficial magic body from the wind-energy of five-colored light rays that carries the great bliss intuition, and does mainly teach the process of exponential increase of realization that penetrates the ultimate voidness of suchness through the yoga of the indivisible bliss-void of the orgasmic great seal. [This is] the art of generating the four joys both in falling order, where the lily-white spirit of enlightenment falls from the crown to the penis, and in rising order, where it reverses back up into the crown. For this art of achieving the truth body of the innate transcendent wisdom is also the yoga of the
indivisible union of bliss and void, and since its main component for
54 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
achieving the truth body is the wisdom of the void side, it is called "mother. "11
From the perspecive of the second, as for setting up the Yogll'antras, the Angel Ocean clearly states:
In the royal Tantras for the yogi/nis,
The various ( 12bl methods are distinctly known. 12 I explain to the world the magic [body]
For [attaining] clear light magic body [union].
As for the meaning of this, "explain" means "cite. " "Where? " In the kings of the Yoga Tantras. "What? " The magic body. "To whom? " "To the world," to such disciples. "By whom? " "By myself' says the Teacher. "How? " Through the clear light with its three preceding voids, there is the art of achieving the magic body by the process of the four voids. "How is it achieved? " The analyses of the various methods stated in that Tantra can be especially well known.
To expand on that meaning: [a Tantra] is called a "Yogi" [Father] Tantra when it mainly teaches the way of achieving the superficial magic body from the five-colored light-ray wind-energy of clear light and the way of generating the intuition of voidness through the four voids in the emergent order through the process of the wind-energy ' s gradual collect- ing in the heart-the place where the clear light arises-and the four voids in the reverse order through the process of [that wind-energy] resurrecting back out from there. This is also the yoga of the indivisible actual union of the void intuition and the wind-energy-constituted body, and its main component is the art of the vision side for achieving the
material body; thus it is called "father. "13
As for the meaning of the quote from the Eluciclation of the IEso-
teric} Reality, it is similar to the above two (quotes], since it indicates that the two types ofTantra mainly teach (respectively) the process where
? 1 1 This plll'agruph stands as Tsong Khupu's most complete definition of the "Mother" type of Unexcelled Yoga Tantru.
12 My translalion follows lhe quole in Tson? Khapu's texl. as preferable lo the varian! in the Derge edilion; sec foolnole to lhe Tibc:lan edilon (forthcoming).
1 3 This paragruph slands us Tsong Khapu' s prime definition of "Father" Tantru.
the magic body arises from the four voids and the process where the entry into thatness achieved as perfect from the beginning increases exponen- tially. As for the meaning of "mainly teach or not [13aJ teach," it concerns whether or not a particular Tantra teaches by putting the main emphasis on the one [or the other] method, and not merely whether or not it teaches
As it seems that authoritative authors have a way of explaining those two distinctions as the principal ones of the Father and Mother Tantras respectively, other art and wisdom Tantras being members included in those categories. And, since even those not immediately obvious in regard to [whichever] process must be explained by interpretation in the light of those two poles, it is not the case that this system of interpretation does not apply to all Tantras of both types.
[I. C. - Explaining in patticular the art Tantras l
The third has two parts: [1. ] Threefold divisions of the art Tantras;
and [2. ] Explanations of the Esoteric Community in particular. LI. C. l. - Threefold divisions of the art Tantras]
The Vajra Essence Ornament Tantra mentions three art Tantras: "lust," "hate," and "delusion" art Tantras. Concerning the first, that text state s :
Then, furthermore, to explain:
The person who properly understands The Tantra of the great art of lust
Is granted accomplishment in this life.
The Esoteric Community 1,000;
The Vajra Rosary 300,000;
The Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention 4,000; The Four Goddess Dialogue 1 70;
The Urad Tantra 208;14
The Extra Explanation Tantra for that [ Urad Tantra] ;
Chapter /-Introduction ? 55
? ? ? ? 14 "A
ad" .
.
[whichever art at all] .
u r IS a m1sspe11m? g of" Uttura'!
56 ?
Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp The Great Commitment 55;
The Five Vajra Community 1,000;
The Compendium 1,000;
The Equality Triumph 210;
The Moon Esoteric Drop 1 , 700; The Vajra Underground 1 20;
The Headdress Vajra 705;
The Fierce Moon Drop 500, 000; The Vajra Triumph [13bJ 90,000;15 The Equality Esoteric 5,000;
The Vajra Secret Ornament 5,000;
The Vajra Secret Treasury 7,000;
The Wishing Jewel Secret Drop 100,000; The Vairochana Magic 1,100;
The Vajra Secret Ornament 1 , 000;
The VajraSkull208;
The Reality 70,000,000,000;
The ClearOrnamentofVows100,000,000;
The Maftjushrl Hero 1 00, 000 ;
The Great Secret Compendium 150; The Jewel Tree 907;
The Time Drop 180; and
The Goddess Treatise 507.
Through the specific intentions of these,
I truly teach.
Thus, by the union of both 1male and female] The categories of the Tantra are taught.
And also:
All the Tantras of hate and delusion
Should be likewise understood.
IS Tib. brgyt? dgu brgya, literally nine hundred one hundreds.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 57
Here. twenty-seven16 ofthe lust art Tantras are mentioned by name, it being said that there are a total of 507. Hate art Tantras are Tantras such as the Yamc'lntaka, and delusion art Tantras are such as the Vajra Arali, according to the sages of Tibet. The general type of each of these two Tantras is explained in the Vow Arisal. and should be understood from previous mention.
[? - Explanations of the Esoteric Community in particular]
The second has two parts: (a. ] Showing the meaning of "Root Tantra" and "Further Tantra," and showing the number of [their] Explana- tory Tantras; and [b. ] Showing the way in which the Explanatory Tantras explain.
[I. C. 2. a. - Showing the meaning of "Root Tantra" and "Further Tantra,'' and showing the number of (their) Explanatory Tantras]
? The Vajra Rosary Commentary [by Alari:J. kakalasha] explains that the Esoteric Community has an extensive [14a] 25,000 verse version, and a condensed 1 ,800 verse, eighteen-chapter, version; [so in the quote above,] the "thousand" refers to number of verses, and thus, the Esoteric
Community 1,000 mentioned above intends a rough count of the con- densed version.
What are the "root," "further," and "explanatory" Tantras here? Among Root Tantras, there are the Extensive (rgyas pa), and the Light (nyung ngu) or Condensed (bsdus pa) Tantras. This shows that first
[Buddha] proclaimed the extremely extensive Tantra and that later, since the disciples were relatively inferior in terms of lifespan and wisdom, he taught in a more condensed fashion, as they were not able to understand too easily. These two Tantras, except for the mere difference of their words being more or less, are both Root Tantras, the former not being a
Root Tantra for the latter.
As for the meaning of "root" in "Root Tantra," there appear to be
three contexts: [1] one relative to the branches of the Tantra, as the root of a tree is designated relative to the branches; [2] one in terms of time, as the first owner of something is called the root-owner, relative to the
? 16 Actually 29 in the above list.
58 ? Brilliant Illumination oftht? Lamp
Further Tantra: and (-? ] one in terms of the Explanatory Tantra, as in the usages "root" and "explanatory. "
As for the first of these contexts. Chandrakirti indicates it in the Illumination ofthe Lamp statement that the Community is the root of all l l"h l the other Tantras: just how it becomes their root being explained below. Since it is both a "root" and a "Tantra," the meaning of "Root Tantra'' is complete in it; it is not self-evident that the name "Root Tantra" should be a literally exact name.
As for the second [context], it is illustrated in the case of the pre- viously stated seventeen-chapter Community relative to the later-stated Eighteenth Chapter, which is the Further Tantra.
Naropa states that the Reality Compendium is a Root Tantra, the Community Root Tantra is its Further Tantra, and the Eighteenth Chapter is again the latter's Further Tantra. "Further" (Sanskrit uttara), literally "unexcelled" or "highest,"
can be translated either "superior" (mchog) or "further" (phyi ma); some do translate it as "superior," but the great translators seem correct in translating it as "further," as that is how commentaries also explain it.
It also seems that the intention of the Integrated Practices is that the Reality Compendium is a Root Tantra relative to the Esoteric Community. What is the reason for assigning the Reality Compendium as a Root Tantra for the Community, since it is not merely due to temporal priority? Granted that the Community is not a Yoga Tantra from among the four Tantra classes, still in general many statements are made there in the context of the Yoga Tantra, and thus it has been said that it [the Commu- nity] and the Reality Compendium constitute the entire Yoga Tantra class. Further, the Reality Compendium, tending toward the "father" side, taking art and wisdom as father and mother, is also a Father Tantra accord- ing to the One Hundred Fifty Ways Commentary. [ I 5aJ Also, in the six- teenth chapter of the Illumination ofthe Lamp, it is said concerning some topics of the consecrations that they should be understood from the Reality Compendium. Such are explained or designated intending the fact that the primary basis is contained there.
Here one might object that, if a Further Tantra is said to be a later explanation of an original subject, then there are fallacies such as: the concise teaching of the meaning of the Tantra in the first chapter of the Community itself stands in relation to the next sixteen chapters, which elucidate it as a Root Tantra to a Further Tantra, and even that each suc- ceeding chapter is a Further Tantra to the last one; if you do not say that
such is the criterion of a Further Tantra, then you must say what is [the criterion] !
[As for the third context, concerning the meaning of "Root Tantra. " in terms of the Explanatory Tantra, as in the usages "root" and "explana- tory"]: there are many methods of setting up a Further Tantra in general: here let us explain the criterion for setting up the Community Further Tantra. The Eighteenth Chapter is both part of the Community Tantra and also was spoken later than the Community Root Tantra, and it eluci- dates the general meaning of the whole seventeen-chapter Root Tantra as well as the hidden difficulties of each chapter. Hence it is called the Community Further Tantra. Therefore, there is no fallacy of each suc- ceeding chapter becoming the "Further Tantra" of its preceding chapter.
Regarding the Explanatory Tantras of the Community, the Noble father and sons have explicitly mentioned five: the Five Stages states that the Four Goddess Dialogue, the Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention, and the Vajra Rosary are Explanatory Tantras: the Lamp ofIntegrated Prac- tices states that the Wisdom Vajra Compendium is an Explanatory Tantra: and the Illumination of the Lamp explicitly mentions the King of the Gods Dialogue as the source of the explanation of the first two syllables of the prologue [E-VAM. . . ]. But, since there appears in just that latter [text, the Illumination ofthe Lamp] the statement that "the explanation [t5bl of the
remaining syllables [can be learned] from the Explanatory Tantras . . . ," it is not the case that the King of the Gods Dialogue is explicitly identified as an Explanatory Tantra. Further, it does not seem that the father and sons explicitly mentioned the [Community] Eighteenth Chapter as an Explanatory Tantra, although they did mention it as a Further Tantra. How- ever, it must be accepted as an Explanatory Tantra, as Thagana [Siddha]
and Jinadatta [Pa? ;H,lita] so accepted it.
There are some who believe the Vajra Essence Ornament Tantra
and the Magic Net to be Explanatory Tantras, but they are not, though they do correspond with the Community. The Four Goddess Dialogue Commentary mentions a Further Tantra within the Supreme ofAll Secrets 1,000. The Vajra Rosary Commentary explains that there are two Vajra Rosary Tantras, a 12,000 and a smaller one, and that the Wisdom Vajra Compendium also has a greater and a smaller, explaining that the previ-
ously quoted Vajra Rosary has 300,000 verses. As for the Revelation of the Hidden Intention, it was not translated as more than an Explanatory Tantra of the first twelve chapters of the Root Tantra.
Chapter /-Introduction ? 59
60 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
? ? [I. C. 2. h. i. - How the Further Tantra and the Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention Explain]
? This commentary, inquiring into the [very practice of] elucidating the Tantra, is the most perfect elucidation, arranging ingeniously all the meanings of the Tantra. It was admired by Naropa, since it is so splendid. In response to the inquiry, it is explained that, of the four groups of four chapters from the second to the seventeenth, each teaches one of the branches of service and practice. Naropa explained also that the first chapter gives the Tantra's import in brief and the other sixteen chapters explain the four branches of service and practice, and the eighteenth teaches the esoteric instruction for all of them. These chapters do not distinguish the two stages, but teach the four branches of service and practice in common for the two stages. However, [the Further Tantra] teaches the four branches of service and practice distinguishing between the two stages in the context of [explaining] the category of "art Tantra. " Each Explanatory Tantra has its own way of explaining the Root Tantra due to its [author's] particular orientation toward a special emphasis. But this Further Tantra explains the Root Tantra according to the four branches of service and practice set forth in the twelfth chapter. It is said in the Dialogue on the Glorious Meaning ofthe Commentary that the six- teen chapters explain the four branches, and the inquiries into the indi- vidual chapters are included in that. r t6bJ
The inquiry into the classification as art Tantra is the very same as the inquiry into the meaning of the name. Thus, as the general import is included in the inquiry into the meaning of the name, it can be implied
[I. C. 2. b. - Showing the way in which the Explanatory Tantras explainI
The other Community Explanatory Tantras explain it but are not
for how it explains the Root Tantra, its explanation of the [16aJ common meanings of the Tantra lies in its dialogues about: the meaning of the name of the Tantra, "Glorious Esoteric Community Yoga Tantra," its clas- sification as an art Tantra, and the general scheme of the Tantra. Its other
sections explain particular points from each of the seventeen chapters.
The second has two parts: [i] How the Further Tantra and the Reve- lation ofthe Hidden Intention explain; and [ii] How the [other] three, such as the Vajra Rosary, explain.
themselves the Community Tantra, whereas the Further Tantra is both. As
Chapter /- Introduction ? 6 1
that the Root Tantra text can be explained mainly as explaining the name of the Tantra; which is a cause of extreme wonderment! Here, since it is difficult to discern how the four-chapter sections explain the four branches of practice and service, one must know how to explain the Root Tantra through a good understanding of how to elucidate this, how to discern the boundaries of the four branches in each of the two stages, and especially how to explain the six branches of service of the perfection stage. And it appears that understanding how the noble system explains the Further Tantra depends on the same commentary of Naropa.
The Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention [Tantra] orders its chapters in the same way as in the Root Tantra, and mentions almost everything mentioned in the Root Tantra's chapters, so that it serves as a commen- tary elucidating the difficult points of each chapter. It concisely states that, "such and such is the import taught by each of the seventeen chapters of this Root Tantra. " It indicates how it is improper to explain the Commu- nity always literally, and elucidates the hidden definitive meanings of the interpretable meaning statements. It explains thoroughly the intentional interpretations given to one import by other [apparently] contradictory
statements. It clearly teaches most often the vajra recitation practice hidden in the Root Tantra in almost every chapter. Therefore, emphasizing this [17aJ recitation practice it explains the Root Tantra according to those pro- cedures. In the Illumination ofthe Lamp most quotes "from the Explana- tory Tantra" are from this source, quoted as emphasizing the definitive
meaning explanations.
[I. C. 2. b. ii. -Howthe(other)threesuchas theVajraRosaryexplain]
The Vajra Rosary Short Tantra [translations] have three different ways of dividing its Chapters 1 9 and 20. The Commentary explains that, at the beginning of Chapter 1 9 [of the Vajra Rosary] , from [the lines] :
Then still more should be explained,
The self-instantaneous in variety, and so on. . .
up to [the lines]:
. . . Various aspects are eagerly accepted
except for nine quarter-verses, the text of the end of the nineteenth chapter did not extend further, and "was left here. " After that, from [the line] :
? 62 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
Then yet another should be explained . . .
up to [the line]:
. . . This should be understood from the succession of
mentors . . .
is taken as the twentieth chapter. In general the Commentary takes it to have sixty-eight chapters. I ?
The translation of the Lha Lama Zhiwa Od is the same as above, up to "various aspects are eagerly desired," but after that it takes out the verses from "Gazing, attracting, and also signaling, know the experience of kissing and its delight" up to "experiencing the orgasmic joy, an instant free from identity" and makes them the nineteenth chapter, the
analysis of instantaneity. Then it takes the verses from "Then yet another should be explained, the character of the four joys . . . " up to "naturally born in the circle of emanations, let one experience joy" [17bl as the twentieth chapter, the analysis of the character of joy. In general, it has sixty-eight chapters.
As for the Zhiwa Od translation revised by Darma Tsondru, it is the same up to "various aspects are accepted," and afterwards it repeats the verses from "Then yet another should be explained, the character of the four joys" up to "naturally born in the circle of emanations, let one experience joy. " After that it repeats from "Gaze, attract, and also signal" up to "the experience of natural joy, an instant free of identity. " And after that, from "The great space of all the channels" up to "the experience of natural joy, an instant free of identity," and from "The great space of all the channels" up to "it should be known from the mentor succession"-it takes all these as the nineteenth chapter, the nature of the universal joy, and generally takes it to have sixty-seven chapters.
Thus, though there appear to be many such variations, the chapter divisions of the translation by Sujana ShrTjiUlna and Zhiwa Od and the Indian book of Pa? ;u,tita Mantrakalasha seem to be correct; because there is evident in the text both one passage explaining the four instants in forward and reverse order and another passage explaining the four joys
1 7 Though the commentary as we have it in the Tengyur today only includes explanations of 44 chapters, Wld the commentary quote often diverge from the verses in the translaton of the mot text. See D. Kittay. Vc1jramala, forthcoming.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 63
in forward and reverse order; because the "Gaze, prod, [l8al and also signal," and so forth, is obviously an addition to "various forms are eagerly accepted"; and because the words "Yet another now should be explained" are said to be the chapter's opening words in many other chapters .
In this Tantra, Vajrapa1. 1i wishes-while referring to the Vajra Rosary-to inquire into the two stages, which are unclearly stated only by symbols in the Esoteric Community, and precedes his speech by the expression, "Please teach mainly from the point of view of the perfection stage. " He then asks his questions concerning topics from the meaning of the name of the Vajra Rosary up to the nature and the way of destruction of the wind-energies. The answers to those questions explain most of the meanings of the Community and also many meanings of the Yogini Tantras, such as the [Unexcelled] Clear Articulation 100,000, although those explanations are given mostly as a factor of decisively determining the import of the Community. The number of the questions and answers
is said by the Commentary to be eighty-two.
What does this Tantra explain of the Community text in plain
terms?
Those texts [18b1 teach mainly body isolation, speech isolation, mind isolation, and the magic body, also teaching repeatedly in other contexts the clear light and communion; thus teaching the complete per- fection stage. The scheme of that path is taken as the five stages because
that same text [the Vajra Rosary] declares:
Through application to the vajra recitation, Knowing the nature of the energies,
Cut off the energies of mental constructions, You will attain the mind objective.
And by the stage of blessing the self,
The eight accomplishments will be achieved. Know the divisions of luminance and so on,
While it explains much of the Root Tantra's third chapter and sixth chapter statements about the meditation of the mustard-seed-size jewels at the nosetips, chiefly this Tantra explains the meaning of each syllable ofthe prologue "E VAMMA YA," and so on, the forty syllables which the
of the Lamp says contain all the meanings of the Tantra,
Illumination
each by a verse such as "E is the holy wisdom. . . . "
Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
And you will attain clear realization. Abiding on the stage of communion.
The yogi/ni should have no doubt S/he will achieve in this very life The gathering of all attainments.
The savior Nagarjuna, in condensing the perfection stage into the five stages. follows this Tantra, and also follows this Tantra in the three samadhis. the four yogas, the thirty-two deities and so forth on the crea- tion stage. Therefore, when His Holiness [Nagarjuna] in the Condensed [Sadhana] becomes an [alchemical] churner, he "churns the ocean of hidden waters of the Esoteric Community with the churning stick of the Vajra Rosary. "18 Thus his statement about finding the art of the practice of the Community was not just referring to the creation stage. It explains
the many stages of creation and dissolution of the body in terms of the channel-structure, wind-energy-movement, and enlightenment-spirit- substance as a factor in the decisive ascertainment 1 t9aJ of the internal and external life-energy controls for bringing forth the four voids and the magic body, depending on the life-energy controls of the outer seal of the hidden discipline of desire and of the vajra recitation, and so on. Beyond those two techniques, it further explains the limitless ways for the dawn- ing of realization, and so forth. It also declares many things such as the scheme of consecrations for attaining receptivity for the path condensed into twenty rites, the schemes for condensing the creation stage, and the determinations of the sequence of the two stages. Especially, the sixth chapter explains the keys for the life-energy-control vajra recitation to open up the knot of the heart channels, and the twenty-second chapter section which collects the definitive meaning mantras of the three syllables explains how the unravelling of the heart-channel-knot is the supreme unravelling of a channel-knot of all the wheels [of channels]. It seems
that such excellent elucidation is rarely seen.
This Tantra's dominant emphasis in elucidating the Community lies
in its clear extraction of the hidden meaning of the Community by explain- ing the meaning of each of the syllables of the prologue. Now, the way in
IS This is a paraphrase from Nagarjuna's Condensed Sadhana (TOh. 1796; Derge rGyud 'Grel, NGI: 10b. 7).
64 ?
? which the other texts of the Explanatory Tantras become factors in decid- ing that very same thing must be known from the perspective of the inter- pretation of the schemes of the two stages. Therefore. I must somewhat explain that below. The statement from the translator's colophon of this text that "among Explanatory Tantras a better one than this has not previ- ously appeared," still seems to be just how it is.
The Four Goddess Dialogue chiefly explains in detail the keys of the life-energy-control yogas. The Wisdom Vajra Compendium (19hJ teaches the seven ornaments, the ultimate in private i? struction explain- ing the Unexcelled Yoga Tantras, taking the Community as chief. And here, clearer than in any other Explanatory Tantra, is explained the attain- ment of the three voids and the magic body from there. The details of how these two Tantras explain the Community will not be mentioned here, as I have already explained them in the extensive commentaries of those two texts. 19
Thus, inquiring thoroughly into the texts containing the private instructions of the holy father and son, with the key for easily extracting the pith of the meaning, discerning accurately with the help of the Explanatory Tantras the meanings sealed behind the door of the Root Tantra by the six parameters and four procedures, one should be able to
open the door of the Root Tantra. One then becomes one who has the personal precept granting confidence in personal Tantric instruction. And knowing how to apply the reasoning to other Tantras in that way, as well, one becomes an expert in all Tantras.
[II. -
The Root Tantra, when mentioning the name, declares that this Tantra unites all the secrets of body, speech, and mind of all the transcen- dent buddhas; [it] shows that all the essentials of the secrets of the Vajra
Vehicle are united here. The Further Tantra also declares: Emaho! Extremely hard to find,
This is the art of attaining enlightenment.
19 These commentaries as we have them do not seem that "extensive. " One wonders whether the full transcription of the lectures Tsong Khapa gave on them is no longer extant.
Chapter /- Introduction ? 65
? ? Expression of the greatness of the Community]
66 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
It is the furthest of the Further Tantras;
It is called the Esoteric Community.
It declares that, because of its rarity and importance, when performing the [intensive] four-session yoga, in studying, investigating, and worship- ping, one should regard Bodhicittavajra as just like Vajradhara [20aJ and salute him. Moreover, one who is the prince of practitioners of that Tantra, who sees, hears, remembers, touches and has faith in it, up to one who holds even the merest portion of the Tantra, should be regarded as like Vajradhara and saluted. Thus the Further Tantra states:
Those who practice the vajras of four sessions - Attaining the superior and inferior varieties [of powers]
such as invisibility,
Realizing this unerring path by the grace of the buddha-
mentor -
Seeing them as like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
Those who learn this very Esoteric Community Tantra- Who recite it, read it, contemplate it,
Worship it, write it, and have it written-
Seeing them like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
And it also declares:
Those who are master practitioners - seeing, contacting, Remembering well, learning, indeed, even the name, Generating faith, and living in even a part-
Seeing them like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
The Persona/ Instruction ofManjushrr praises the Tantra as:
The Tantra that unites all buddhas,
The great secret, the secret of great secrets, Unexcelled great teaching . . .
and states that the measure of the duration of the essence of the [buddha] teaching is whether or not this very Tantra exists:
This import, when it goes into the ear, And for however long it endures there,
The jewel teaching of the B uddha
Is proclaimed to be enduring.
When the sequence of this succession is broken, All will know it is the decline
Of the [20bJ Buddha' s teaching.
Not only has such emerged in those treatises concerned with this Tantra, it has also been praised in other Tantras as well. Both the Red [Yamari] and the Black [Yamari] Tantra declared:
The ultimate in Tantras is the Community- Nothing like it in the past, nor in the future.
The Esoteric Accomplishment also states:
There is nothing superior to the Glorious Community, Which is the jewel of the three worlds.
The supreme essence of the essence,
The unexcelled of the unexcelled of all the Tantras.
Abiding in the teaching and the explanation
Is the very stage of the yoga of perfection. Who do not know this Community,
How can such as they attain accomplishment?
Cutting off all doubts ,
Dispelling all fogs of unknowing,
This is the treasure-case for the jewel of the Buddha. Abandoning utterly this Glorious Community,
Fantasizing with many mental constructs, Deluded, yet desiring accomplishments, Is like punching one's fist at the sky
Or like drinking the water of a mirage !
The Illumination ofthe Lamp also declares:
Up to Ya Ra La Ha,
Those [Tantras] ending Ka Kha Gha, those ending ? a Ja.
Chapter /-Introduction ? 67
68 ?
Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp Those ending Tra Dhra and Ma,
Their root is the three syllables. 20
This Glorious Community is the jewel-case Of all 84,000 of the heaps
Of the teachings of the great sage. Therefore, it is the summit of the Tantras.
Thus, Chandrakirti declares that this Tantra is the summit of all the Tan- tras, being the root of all the other Tantras and the treasure-case of all the Sutras.
The Wisdom Vajra Compendium explains that Tantras ending with each letter such as Ka are numbered each 121ul 1,000, stating that in terms of all four of the Tantra divisions. This statement of being the root of the Tantras whose names end in the consonant letters is a mere example, and
the Masters Bhavyakirti and Kumara explain that it means that it is also the root of all Tantras whose names end in vowels as well. The "three syllables" mentioned in "their root is the three syllables" are explained by Naropa to be the three [buddha] seeds [OM AJJ HOM]; the former scholars of Tibet considered them to be SA MA JA. The former of these is explained in the Further Tantra as the three secrets of body, speech, and mind, which are united in the Esoteric Community; thus, the Community Tantra is identified from the perspective of what it is uniting. Not taking
this [instrument of uniting] as referring to the Community Tantra, but explaining it as coming down to the three vajras, the three syllables that are the import of all Tantras, would be to ignore the context, since that statement teaches that the Community Tantra is the root of all the Tantras.
As for the meaning of "root," just as a tree has many leaves and branches but comes down to the place of the root, so the Tantras have many various meanings, but the ultimate essentials of all of them tinally come down to the path of the Community-this is the meaning. And the meaning of "jewel-case of all the SDtras" is just the same. This teaches
2?
The meaning of the former quote is extremely clear from the preceding context since the ()akinT Vajra Pavilion Tantra was explained in order to establish the mandala of the five kinds of 4akas suror unded by the hosts of 4akinTs of all five enlightenment clans. Thus, this is not an identifica- tion of the Mother Tantras. As for the five types of 4akas mentioned earlier (in that text]:
Five kinds of mandalas are declared: The vajrin, the permanent,
The vajra energy,
The god of the lotus dance, and
The king of horses
1 This aeclion primarily quotea &he \tUnl Prn-i/i011 (T6h. 4 1 9), a Hr? 'Gjra literature tal. However,&heleAlcitedbere. theI. 'I? IKidutionuflltrIE. wtrri&'}r,. . ,,(. Uto,. . , nyidJMI bel)isTOll. 14. 50,a\. 'Ommenlaryfrom&heCCIAI'CUcllftvurc? lilcrarure.
? ? -they refer to the five transcendent clans; it is not that the lord of the mandala is a goddess. Thus, 19hl the [Tibetan scholars'] explanation of the first quote is incorrect.
Their explanation of the second quote is also not according to its (real] meaning. Just before that, the transcendent buddhas such as Ak? ho-
bhya asked the bodhisattvas:
How are the c;lakinis and yoginis gathered together in this
vajra pavilion?
And the answer was given by the bodhisattvas such as Maitreya:
First the Vajra-holder
Pronounces the will for enlightenment: "I will liberate all living beings,
Such as those born from eggs! "
S o why should women b e neglected? Striving to kill living beings . . .
and so forth up to:
. . . [is] explained as a [Mother] Tantra
as mentioned above. Therefore, the Tantra taught as the essence of c;lakini Tantras in order to attract women is the Vajra Pavilion itself, since the context of the question is asking about the [Vajra] Pavilion. And as for
calling it the essence of all Tantras, just before that it is stated: This essence is completely included
In the Hevajra 500,000
and therefore no criterion for all Mother Tantras is intended; which can also be recognized in the expression "even in a slight text. "
Well, then, one wonders what is the meaning of the exchange in the Vajra Pavilion asking, "How are women attracted? " In other treatises it is taught that in a woman's lifetime one cannot directly attain buddha- hood; and thus this question concerns the statement in the Unexcelled
Tantras that it is better to achieve buddhahood in the embodiment of a woman. Thus the answer states that, since at the time of first conceiving the spirit [of enlightenment] one vows to establish all sentient beings [IOaJ on the stage of buddhahood, it is not right to neglect women. Especially since such an embodiment through its tendency to wrong views and heavy
Chapter /-Introduction ? 49
:m ? Brilliant 1//umincllion oftht? Lamp
sinfulness cxempliticd by killinglj reaches a superior attainment depend
the Vajra Pavilion is said to have been taught in order to In regard to the statement that:
ing on this path
tame beings and attract women. Thus, how can it be teaching the criterion for establishing a Tantra as a Mother Tantra?
.
Yoga Tantras are taught
In order to educate men. and Yoginuantras are taught
In order to attract women.
-it indicates here in this Vajra Pavilion Tantra, in general, even while being a Mother Tantra, it is called "Yoga Tantra," as well as being called a "Yoginli'antra" intending that it was taught to attract women; as quoted above:
The Hevajra, as a Yoga Tantra,
Is first explained by the Victors;
Then the same thing is said to be a Yoginifantra
To attract those of female embodiment.
First the [Hevajra] Extensive Tantra 500,000 [is taught] and then later it is abridged as the [Vajra] Pavilion Yoginf Tantra in order to include women. Further, in both sections of the [Vajra] Pavilion, the Hevajra is said to be a Mother Tantra. Thus the appellation "Yoga Tantra" means the category of "Yoga Tantra" that is the basis of differentiation into Yogi and Yoginuantras, and does not indicate the "Yoga Tantra" which is the opposite of the category "Yoginifantra. "
Having already explained the way in which the [Vajra] Pavilion was taught to include women, this latter quote can be explained in that fashion, or otherwise it can be explained in terms of both Father and Mother Tantras. [lObi In the Unexcelled Tantras there are both male and female jewel-like persons, the principal human embodiments for the supreme achievement. However, usually in the Tantras and treatises, the
9 It may be that in agricultural societies the women haad to provide the food and so often had to slaughter animals to make dinner for the men and children. Otherwise, it seems weird that women are thought to be more into killing, as men are the hunters and warriors in most societies.
-
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 51
practitioner is male, and [one of] the four kinds of women is often men- tioned as his consort. In those contexts, not only the male but also the consort should be understood as a practitioner of the path; because it is repeatedly stated that just as the art is liberated conditioned by the wisdom, so the wisdom is liberated depending on the art. 10 Although that process exists in both types of Tantras, the Father Tantras are not as extensive as the Mother Tantras about the nature and categories of criteria for the way of reliance on the consorts. Still, from that point of view, both Tantras are said to be taught in order to train both [males and females]. Furthermore, this is only an explanation of the purpose of the two Tantras, and not an establishment of the criteria for [distinguishing] Father and Mother Tantras. For example, the Esoteric Community is chiefly taught for the sake of the jewel-like person, and yet that fact is not a criterion for it being a Father Tantra. Otherwise, as it is said in some P akinifantras that they are taught for the sake of illuminating those of inferior intelligence, that too should become a criterion for their being Mother Tantras !
Furthermore, these [Tibetan scholars'] way of explanation of the meaning of the quote from the Elucidation of the Esoteric Reality is also not according to its meaning. As said in that text:
There are two kinds of [Tantras] :
The four of the encounter of two
And the [one] of the union of two.
By their creation and perfection stages, The yogis are shown to be creative, and
The perfective are called yoginis.
The interpenetration of the two organs [ I t a ] Is called "union. "
Thus, with regard to the fourth of the four Tantras of looking, touching and smiling, holding hands, and uniting, there are both Yoga and Yogini Tantras among those Tantras involving the union of two organs. The first explains the stage arisen from creation and the second explains the stage arisen from perfection, and does not explain that one teaches the creation
10 This is a very significant statement to support rejecting the contemporary unti-Tantra scholars who insist that Tantric practitioners were male chauvinists who ust used women as minless tools for their own supposed spiritual advancement.
? 52 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
stage and the other teaches the perfection stage. Just before that quote, it
states:
This contradicts the notion that Yoga Tantras, such as the Community, chiefly teach the creation stage and do not chiefly teach the perfection stage.
As for [these Tibetan scholars'] saying that Kf? hl). acharya believed that Father Tantras begin with "Thus have I heard. . . " and Mother Tantras begin with "Delighted by the supreme secret. . . " and so forth; this is not his belief. He did not mention those two-"Thus have I heard" for Father Tantras, and "Delighted by supreme secret" for the Mother Tantras-as criteria for [distinguishing) the two Tantras, but only [to show] their non- difference in [both] being the actuality of the union of bliss and voidness. The quote supporting this has already been cited above.
Other than these, some Indians and Tibetans have promoted various methods of establishing the two Tantras, but in most cases it appears that the "male-female" or "art-wisdom" l l lbl used as criteria for art and wis- dom Tantras have no relevance whatsoever. They do not seem to explain the distinctions about being taught chiefly and not taught chiefly, or about what sort of "art" and "wisdom" are involved when they say that "[such and such] chiefly teaches art and wisdom. " Their explanations of criteria are easily understood as invalid, coming from just noticing what corresponds to the two Tantras. Therefore, I do not discuss them.
[1. 8. 2. b. ii. H'2' - Establishing the most worthwhile position]
Well, then, what do we take as the method for establishing Father Tantras and Mother Tantras?
Although there are some ordinary distinctions acceptable for dif- ferentiating them from the point of view of the creation stage, it is more importantly necessary to differentiate them from the point of view of [their respective] perfection stages. The establishment of all of them as nondual Tantras is based on the art and wisdom of bliss and voidness, which [bliss-void art-wisdom] does not differentiate them as art and
By the path of the glorious [Esoteric} Community, In regard to the actuality of the two stages,
The glorious Community is extremely pleasing, And is principal among all Tantras.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 53
wisdom Tantras, as explained above. It is also not proper to establish them [as different] according to their emphasis with regard to [superficial art and wisdom], since this would incur the fault that one would have to put Hevajra as a Father Tantra and the Community as a Mother Tantra; for "bliss" is emphasized in Mother Tantras such as Hevajra and not mentioned emphatically in the Community.
Thus, as for the "art" and "wisdom" mentioned in differentiating the Tantras from the point of view of their perfection stages, "wisdom" is the ultimate great bliss intuition, and "art" is the superficial magic body. In regard to that, the Vajra Pavilion, Chapter 13, sets up the Mother Tantras from the point of view of the former:
"Divine Lord, how does one apply the name 'Yogini Tantra'? " Vajradhara replied:
The art of transcendent wisdom [ t2a l Is expressed as the yogini.
By uniting with the great seal,
One enters into that reality,
And it is called the "Yogini Tantra. "
Here, it clearly states the designative criterion [for its being a Mother Tantra] in general terms. This means that, due to the connection of those two, because the Tantra teaches the way of entering the voidness of ulti- mate suchness through union with the great seal, the [Vajra] Pavilion and so forth are called Yogini Tantras. This is the reason [the Vajra Pavilion] is established as a "Mother Tantra," and that is the meaning of the two
[lines] beginning "art of transcendent wisdom. "
To explain this in detail: [a Tantra] is called a "Mother Tantra"
when it does not mainly teach how to achieve the superficial magic body from the wind-energy of five-colored light rays that carries the great bliss intuition, and does mainly teach the process of exponential increase of realization that penetrates the ultimate voidness of suchness through the yoga of the indivisible bliss-void of the orgasmic great seal. [This is] the art of generating the four joys both in falling order, where the lily-white spirit of enlightenment falls from the crown to the penis, and in rising order, where it reverses back up into the crown. For this art of achieving the truth body of the innate transcendent wisdom is also the yoga of the
indivisible union of bliss and void, and since its main component for
54 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
achieving the truth body is the wisdom of the void side, it is called "mother. "11
From the perspecive of the second, as for setting up the Yogll'antras, the Angel Ocean clearly states:
In the royal Tantras for the yogi/nis,
The various ( 12bl methods are distinctly known. 12 I explain to the world the magic [body]
For [attaining] clear light magic body [union].
As for the meaning of this, "explain" means "cite. " "Where? " In the kings of the Yoga Tantras. "What? " The magic body. "To whom? " "To the world," to such disciples. "By whom? " "By myself' says the Teacher. "How? " Through the clear light with its three preceding voids, there is the art of achieving the magic body by the process of the four voids. "How is it achieved? " The analyses of the various methods stated in that Tantra can be especially well known.
To expand on that meaning: [a Tantra] is called a "Yogi" [Father] Tantra when it mainly teaches the way of achieving the superficial magic body from the five-colored light-ray wind-energy of clear light and the way of generating the intuition of voidness through the four voids in the emergent order through the process of the wind-energy ' s gradual collect- ing in the heart-the place where the clear light arises-and the four voids in the reverse order through the process of [that wind-energy] resurrecting back out from there. This is also the yoga of the indivisible actual union of the void intuition and the wind-energy-constituted body, and its main component is the art of the vision side for achieving the
material body; thus it is called "father. "13
As for the meaning of the quote from the Eluciclation of the IEso-
teric} Reality, it is similar to the above two (quotes], since it indicates that the two types ofTantra mainly teach (respectively) the process where
? 1 1 This plll'agruph stands as Tsong Khupu's most complete definition of the "Mother" type of Unexcelled Yoga Tantru.
12 My translalion follows lhe quole in Tson? Khapu's texl. as preferable lo the varian! in the Derge edilion; sec foolnole to lhe Tibc:lan edilon (forthcoming).
1 3 This paragruph slands us Tsong Khapu' s prime definition of "Father" Tantru.
the magic body arises from the four voids and the process where the entry into thatness achieved as perfect from the beginning increases exponen- tially. As for the meaning of "mainly teach or not [13aJ teach," it concerns whether or not a particular Tantra teaches by putting the main emphasis on the one [or the other] method, and not merely whether or not it teaches
As it seems that authoritative authors have a way of explaining those two distinctions as the principal ones of the Father and Mother Tantras respectively, other art and wisdom Tantras being members included in those categories. And, since even those not immediately obvious in regard to [whichever] process must be explained by interpretation in the light of those two poles, it is not the case that this system of interpretation does not apply to all Tantras of both types.
[I. C. - Explaining in patticular the art Tantras l
The third has two parts: [1. ] Threefold divisions of the art Tantras;
and [2. ] Explanations of the Esoteric Community in particular. LI. C. l. - Threefold divisions of the art Tantras]
The Vajra Essence Ornament Tantra mentions three art Tantras: "lust," "hate," and "delusion" art Tantras. Concerning the first, that text state s :
Then, furthermore, to explain:
The person who properly understands The Tantra of the great art of lust
Is granted accomplishment in this life.
The Esoteric Community 1,000;
The Vajra Rosary 300,000;
The Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention 4,000; The Four Goddess Dialogue 1 70;
The Urad Tantra 208;14
The Extra Explanation Tantra for that [ Urad Tantra] ;
Chapter /-Introduction ? 55
? ? ? ? 14 "A
ad" .
.
[whichever art at all] .
u r IS a m1sspe11m? g of" Uttura'!
56 ?
Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp The Great Commitment 55;
The Five Vajra Community 1,000;
The Compendium 1,000;
The Equality Triumph 210;
The Moon Esoteric Drop 1 , 700; The Vajra Underground 1 20;
The Headdress Vajra 705;
The Fierce Moon Drop 500, 000; The Vajra Triumph [13bJ 90,000;15 The Equality Esoteric 5,000;
The Vajra Secret Ornament 5,000;
The Vajra Secret Treasury 7,000;
The Wishing Jewel Secret Drop 100,000; The Vairochana Magic 1,100;
The Vajra Secret Ornament 1 , 000;
The VajraSkull208;
The Reality 70,000,000,000;
The ClearOrnamentofVows100,000,000;
The Maftjushrl Hero 1 00, 000 ;
The Great Secret Compendium 150; The Jewel Tree 907;
The Time Drop 180; and
The Goddess Treatise 507.
Through the specific intentions of these,
I truly teach.
Thus, by the union of both 1male and female] The categories of the Tantra are taught.
And also:
All the Tantras of hate and delusion
Should be likewise understood.
IS Tib. brgyt? dgu brgya, literally nine hundred one hundreds.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 57
Here. twenty-seven16 ofthe lust art Tantras are mentioned by name, it being said that there are a total of 507. Hate art Tantras are Tantras such as the Yamc'lntaka, and delusion art Tantras are such as the Vajra Arali, according to the sages of Tibet. The general type of each of these two Tantras is explained in the Vow Arisal. and should be understood from previous mention.
[? - Explanations of the Esoteric Community in particular]
The second has two parts: (a. ] Showing the meaning of "Root Tantra" and "Further Tantra," and showing the number of [their] Explana- tory Tantras; and [b. ] Showing the way in which the Explanatory Tantras explain.
[I. C. 2. a. - Showing the meaning of "Root Tantra" and "Further Tantra,'' and showing the number of (their) Explanatory Tantras]
? The Vajra Rosary Commentary [by Alari:J. kakalasha] explains that the Esoteric Community has an extensive [14a] 25,000 verse version, and a condensed 1 ,800 verse, eighteen-chapter, version; [so in the quote above,] the "thousand" refers to number of verses, and thus, the Esoteric
Community 1,000 mentioned above intends a rough count of the con- densed version.
What are the "root," "further," and "explanatory" Tantras here? Among Root Tantras, there are the Extensive (rgyas pa), and the Light (nyung ngu) or Condensed (bsdus pa) Tantras. This shows that first
[Buddha] proclaimed the extremely extensive Tantra and that later, since the disciples were relatively inferior in terms of lifespan and wisdom, he taught in a more condensed fashion, as they were not able to understand too easily. These two Tantras, except for the mere difference of their words being more or less, are both Root Tantras, the former not being a
Root Tantra for the latter.
As for the meaning of "root" in "Root Tantra," there appear to be
three contexts: [1] one relative to the branches of the Tantra, as the root of a tree is designated relative to the branches; [2] one in terms of time, as the first owner of something is called the root-owner, relative to the
? 16 Actually 29 in the above list.
58 ? Brilliant Illumination oftht? Lamp
Further Tantra: and (-? ] one in terms of the Explanatory Tantra, as in the usages "root" and "explanatory. "
As for the first of these contexts. Chandrakirti indicates it in the Illumination ofthe Lamp statement that the Community is the root of all l l"h l the other Tantras: just how it becomes their root being explained below. Since it is both a "root" and a "Tantra," the meaning of "Root Tantra'' is complete in it; it is not self-evident that the name "Root Tantra" should be a literally exact name.
As for the second [context], it is illustrated in the case of the pre- viously stated seventeen-chapter Community relative to the later-stated Eighteenth Chapter, which is the Further Tantra.
Naropa states that the Reality Compendium is a Root Tantra, the Community Root Tantra is its Further Tantra, and the Eighteenth Chapter is again the latter's Further Tantra. "Further" (Sanskrit uttara), literally "unexcelled" or "highest,"
can be translated either "superior" (mchog) or "further" (phyi ma); some do translate it as "superior," but the great translators seem correct in translating it as "further," as that is how commentaries also explain it.
It also seems that the intention of the Integrated Practices is that the Reality Compendium is a Root Tantra relative to the Esoteric Community. What is the reason for assigning the Reality Compendium as a Root Tantra for the Community, since it is not merely due to temporal priority? Granted that the Community is not a Yoga Tantra from among the four Tantra classes, still in general many statements are made there in the context of the Yoga Tantra, and thus it has been said that it [the Commu- nity] and the Reality Compendium constitute the entire Yoga Tantra class. Further, the Reality Compendium, tending toward the "father" side, taking art and wisdom as father and mother, is also a Father Tantra accord- ing to the One Hundred Fifty Ways Commentary. [ I 5aJ Also, in the six- teenth chapter of the Illumination ofthe Lamp, it is said concerning some topics of the consecrations that they should be understood from the Reality Compendium. Such are explained or designated intending the fact that the primary basis is contained there.
Here one might object that, if a Further Tantra is said to be a later explanation of an original subject, then there are fallacies such as: the concise teaching of the meaning of the Tantra in the first chapter of the Community itself stands in relation to the next sixteen chapters, which elucidate it as a Root Tantra to a Further Tantra, and even that each suc- ceeding chapter is a Further Tantra to the last one; if you do not say that
such is the criterion of a Further Tantra, then you must say what is [the criterion] !
[As for the third context, concerning the meaning of "Root Tantra. " in terms of the Explanatory Tantra, as in the usages "root" and "explana- tory"]: there are many methods of setting up a Further Tantra in general: here let us explain the criterion for setting up the Community Further Tantra. The Eighteenth Chapter is both part of the Community Tantra and also was spoken later than the Community Root Tantra, and it eluci- dates the general meaning of the whole seventeen-chapter Root Tantra as well as the hidden difficulties of each chapter. Hence it is called the Community Further Tantra. Therefore, there is no fallacy of each suc- ceeding chapter becoming the "Further Tantra" of its preceding chapter.
Regarding the Explanatory Tantras of the Community, the Noble father and sons have explicitly mentioned five: the Five Stages states that the Four Goddess Dialogue, the Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention, and the Vajra Rosary are Explanatory Tantras: the Lamp ofIntegrated Prac- tices states that the Wisdom Vajra Compendium is an Explanatory Tantra: and the Illumination of the Lamp explicitly mentions the King of the Gods Dialogue as the source of the explanation of the first two syllables of the prologue [E-VAM. . . ]. But, since there appears in just that latter [text, the Illumination ofthe Lamp] the statement that "the explanation [t5bl of the
remaining syllables [can be learned] from the Explanatory Tantras . . . ," it is not the case that the King of the Gods Dialogue is explicitly identified as an Explanatory Tantra. Further, it does not seem that the father and sons explicitly mentioned the [Community] Eighteenth Chapter as an Explanatory Tantra, although they did mention it as a Further Tantra. How- ever, it must be accepted as an Explanatory Tantra, as Thagana [Siddha]
and Jinadatta [Pa? ;H,lita] so accepted it.
There are some who believe the Vajra Essence Ornament Tantra
and the Magic Net to be Explanatory Tantras, but they are not, though they do correspond with the Community. The Four Goddess Dialogue Commentary mentions a Further Tantra within the Supreme ofAll Secrets 1,000. The Vajra Rosary Commentary explains that there are two Vajra Rosary Tantras, a 12,000 and a smaller one, and that the Wisdom Vajra Compendium also has a greater and a smaller, explaining that the previ-
ously quoted Vajra Rosary has 300,000 verses. As for the Revelation of the Hidden Intention, it was not translated as more than an Explanatory Tantra of the first twelve chapters of the Root Tantra.
Chapter /-Introduction ? 59
60 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
? ? [I. C. 2. h. i. - How the Further Tantra and the Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention Explain]
? This commentary, inquiring into the [very practice of] elucidating the Tantra, is the most perfect elucidation, arranging ingeniously all the meanings of the Tantra. It was admired by Naropa, since it is so splendid. In response to the inquiry, it is explained that, of the four groups of four chapters from the second to the seventeenth, each teaches one of the branches of service and practice. Naropa explained also that the first chapter gives the Tantra's import in brief and the other sixteen chapters explain the four branches of service and practice, and the eighteenth teaches the esoteric instruction for all of them. These chapters do not distinguish the two stages, but teach the four branches of service and practice in common for the two stages. However, [the Further Tantra] teaches the four branches of service and practice distinguishing between the two stages in the context of [explaining] the category of "art Tantra. " Each Explanatory Tantra has its own way of explaining the Root Tantra due to its [author's] particular orientation toward a special emphasis. But this Further Tantra explains the Root Tantra according to the four branches of service and practice set forth in the twelfth chapter. It is said in the Dialogue on the Glorious Meaning ofthe Commentary that the six- teen chapters explain the four branches, and the inquiries into the indi- vidual chapters are included in that. r t6bJ
The inquiry into the classification as art Tantra is the very same as the inquiry into the meaning of the name. Thus, as the general import is included in the inquiry into the meaning of the name, it can be implied
[I. C. 2. b. - Showing the way in which the Explanatory Tantras explainI
The other Community Explanatory Tantras explain it but are not
for how it explains the Root Tantra, its explanation of the [16aJ common meanings of the Tantra lies in its dialogues about: the meaning of the name of the Tantra, "Glorious Esoteric Community Yoga Tantra," its clas- sification as an art Tantra, and the general scheme of the Tantra. Its other
sections explain particular points from each of the seventeen chapters.
The second has two parts: [i] How the Further Tantra and the Reve- lation ofthe Hidden Intention explain; and [ii] How the [other] three, such as the Vajra Rosary, explain.
themselves the Community Tantra, whereas the Further Tantra is both. As
Chapter /- Introduction ? 6 1
that the Root Tantra text can be explained mainly as explaining the name of the Tantra; which is a cause of extreme wonderment! Here, since it is difficult to discern how the four-chapter sections explain the four branches of practice and service, one must know how to explain the Root Tantra through a good understanding of how to elucidate this, how to discern the boundaries of the four branches in each of the two stages, and especially how to explain the six branches of service of the perfection stage. And it appears that understanding how the noble system explains the Further Tantra depends on the same commentary of Naropa.
The Revelation ofthe Hidden Intention [Tantra] orders its chapters in the same way as in the Root Tantra, and mentions almost everything mentioned in the Root Tantra's chapters, so that it serves as a commen- tary elucidating the difficult points of each chapter. It concisely states that, "such and such is the import taught by each of the seventeen chapters of this Root Tantra. " It indicates how it is improper to explain the Commu- nity always literally, and elucidates the hidden definitive meanings of the interpretable meaning statements. It explains thoroughly the intentional interpretations given to one import by other [apparently] contradictory
statements. It clearly teaches most often the vajra recitation practice hidden in the Root Tantra in almost every chapter. Therefore, emphasizing this [17aJ recitation practice it explains the Root Tantra according to those pro- cedures. In the Illumination ofthe Lamp most quotes "from the Explana- tory Tantra" are from this source, quoted as emphasizing the definitive
meaning explanations.
[I. C. 2. b. ii. -Howthe(other)threesuchas theVajraRosaryexplain]
The Vajra Rosary Short Tantra [translations] have three different ways of dividing its Chapters 1 9 and 20. The Commentary explains that, at the beginning of Chapter 1 9 [of the Vajra Rosary] , from [the lines] :
Then still more should be explained,
The self-instantaneous in variety, and so on. . .
up to [the lines]:
. . . Various aspects are eagerly accepted
except for nine quarter-verses, the text of the end of the nineteenth chapter did not extend further, and "was left here. " After that, from [the line] :
? 62 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
Then yet another should be explained . . .
up to [the line]:
. . . This should be understood from the succession of
mentors . . .
is taken as the twentieth chapter. In general the Commentary takes it to have sixty-eight chapters. I ?
The translation of the Lha Lama Zhiwa Od is the same as above, up to "various aspects are eagerly desired," but after that it takes out the verses from "Gazing, attracting, and also signaling, know the experience of kissing and its delight" up to "experiencing the orgasmic joy, an instant free from identity" and makes them the nineteenth chapter, the
analysis of instantaneity. Then it takes the verses from "Then yet another should be explained, the character of the four joys . . . " up to "naturally born in the circle of emanations, let one experience joy" [17bl as the twentieth chapter, the analysis of the character of joy. In general, it has sixty-eight chapters.
As for the Zhiwa Od translation revised by Darma Tsondru, it is the same up to "various aspects are accepted," and afterwards it repeats the verses from "Then yet another should be explained, the character of the four joys" up to "naturally born in the circle of emanations, let one experience joy. " After that it repeats from "Gaze, attract, and also signal" up to "the experience of natural joy, an instant free of identity. " And after that, from "The great space of all the channels" up to "the experience of natural joy, an instant free of identity," and from "The great space of all the channels" up to "it should be known from the mentor succession"-it takes all these as the nineteenth chapter, the nature of the universal joy, and generally takes it to have sixty-seven chapters.
Thus, though there appear to be many such variations, the chapter divisions of the translation by Sujana ShrTjiUlna and Zhiwa Od and the Indian book of Pa? ;u,tita Mantrakalasha seem to be correct; because there is evident in the text both one passage explaining the four instants in forward and reverse order and another passage explaining the four joys
1 7 Though the commentary as we have it in the Tengyur today only includes explanations of 44 chapters, Wld the commentary quote often diverge from the verses in the translaton of the mot text. See D. Kittay. Vc1jramala, forthcoming.
? Chapter /-Introduction ? 63
in forward and reverse order; because the "Gaze, prod, [l8al and also signal," and so forth, is obviously an addition to "various forms are eagerly accepted"; and because the words "Yet another now should be explained" are said to be the chapter's opening words in many other chapters .
In this Tantra, Vajrapa1. 1i wishes-while referring to the Vajra Rosary-to inquire into the two stages, which are unclearly stated only by symbols in the Esoteric Community, and precedes his speech by the expression, "Please teach mainly from the point of view of the perfection stage. " He then asks his questions concerning topics from the meaning of the name of the Vajra Rosary up to the nature and the way of destruction of the wind-energies. The answers to those questions explain most of the meanings of the Community and also many meanings of the Yogini Tantras, such as the [Unexcelled] Clear Articulation 100,000, although those explanations are given mostly as a factor of decisively determining the import of the Community. The number of the questions and answers
is said by the Commentary to be eighty-two.
What does this Tantra explain of the Community text in plain
terms?
Those texts [18b1 teach mainly body isolation, speech isolation, mind isolation, and the magic body, also teaching repeatedly in other contexts the clear light and communion; thus teaching the complete per- fection stage. The scheme of that path is taken as the five stages because
that same text [the Vajra Rosary] declares:
Through application to the vajra recitation, Knowing the nature of the energies,
Cut off the energies of mental constructions, You will attain the mind objective.
And by the stage of blessing the self,
The eight accomplishments will be achieved. Know the divisions of luminance and so on,
While it explains much of the Root Tantra's third chapter and sixth chapter statements about the meditation of the mustard-seed-size jewels at the nosetips, chiefly this Tantra explains the meaning of each syllable ofthe prologue "E VAMMA YA," and so on, the forty syllables which the
of the Lamp says contain all the meanings of the Tantra,
Illumination
each by a verse such as "E is the holy wisdom. . . . "
Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
And you will attain clear realization. Abiding on the stage of communion.
The yogi/ni should have no doubt S/he will achieve in this very life The gathering of all attainments.
The savior Nagarjuna, in condensing the perfection stage into the five stages. follows this Tantra, and also follows this Tantra in the three samadhis. the four yogas, the thirty-two deities and so forth on the crea- tion stage. Therefore, when His Holiness [Nagarjuna] in the Condensed [Sadhana] becomes an [alchemical] churner, he "churns the ocean of hidden waters of the Esoteric Community with the churning stick of the Vajra Rosary. "18 Thus his statement about finding the art of the practice of the Community was not just referring to the creation stage. It explains
the many stages of creation and dissolution of the body in terms of the channel-structure, wind-energy-movement, and enlightenment-spirit- substance as a factor in the decisive ascertainment 1 t9aJ of the internal and external life-energy controls for bringing forth the four voids and the magic body, depending on the life-energy controls of the outer seal of the hidden discipline of desire and of the vajra recitation, and so on. Beyond those two techniques, it further explains the limitless ways for the dawn- ing of realization, and so forth. It also declares many things such as the scheme of consecrations for attaining receptivity for the path condensed into twenty rites, the schemes for condensing the creation stage, and the determinations of the sequence of the two stages. Especially, the sixth chapter explains the keys for the life-energy-control vajra recitation to open up the knot of the heart channels, and the twenty-second chapter section which collects the definitive meaning mantras of the three syllables explains how the unravelling of the heart-channel-knot is the supreme unravelling of a channel-knot of all the wheels [of channels]. It seems
that such excellent elucidation is rarely seen.
This Tantra's dominant emphasis in elucidating the Community lies
in its clear extraction of the hidden meaning of the Community by explain- ing the meaning of each of the syllables of the prologue. Now, the way in
IS This is a paraphrase from Nagarjuna's Condensed Sadhana (TOh. 1796; Derge rGyud 'Grel, NGI: 10b. 7).
64 ?
? which the other texts of the Explanatory Tantras become factors in decid- ing that very same thing must be known from the perspective of the inter- pretation of the schemes of the two stages. Therefore. I must somewhat explain that below. The statement from the translator's colophon of this text that "among Explanatory Tantras a better one than this has not previ- ously appeared," still seems to be just how it is.
The Four Goddess Dialogue chiefly explains in detail the keys of the life-energy-control yogas. The Wisdom Vajra Compendium (19hJ teaches the seven ornaments, the ultimate in private i? struction explain- ing the Unexcelled Yoga Tantras, taking the Community as chief. And here, clearer than in any other Explanatory Tantra, is explained the attain- ment of the three voids and the magic body from there. The details of how these two Tantras explain the Community will not be mentioned here, as I have already explained them in the extensive commentaries of those two texts. 19
Thus, inquiring thoroughly into the texts containing the private instructions of the holy father and son, with the key for easily extracting the pith of the meaning, discerning accurately with the help of the Explanatory Tantras the meanings sealed behind the door of the Root Tantra by the six parameters and four procedures, one should be able to
open the door of the Root Tantra. One then becomes one who has the personal precept granting confidence in personal Tantric instruction. And knowing how to apply the reasoning to other Tantras in that way, as well, one becomes an expert in all Tantras.
[II. -
The Root Tantra, when mentioning the name, declares that this Tantra unites all the secrets of body, speech, and mind of all the transcen- dent buddhas; [it] shows that all the essentials of the secrets of the Vajra
Vehicle are united here. The Further Tantra also declares: Emaho! Extremely hard to find,
This is the art of attaining enlightenment.
19 These commentaries as we have them do not seem that "extensive. " One wonders whether the full transcription of the lectures Tsong Khapa gave on them is no longer extant.
Chapter /- Introduction ? 65
? ? Expression of the greatness of the Community]
66 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
It is the furthest of the Further Tantras;
It is called the Esoteric Community.
It declares that, because of its rarity and importance, when performing the [intensive] four-session yoga, in studying, investigating, and worship- ping, one should regard Bodhicittavajra as just like Vajradhara [20aJ and salute him. Moreover, one who is the prince of practitioners of that Tantra, who sees, hears, remembers, touches and has faith in it, up to one who holds even the merest portion of the Tantra, should be regarded as like Vajradhara and saluted. Thus the Further Tantra states:
Those who practice the vajras of four sessions - Attaining the superior and inferior varieties [of powers]
such as invisibility,
Realizing this unerring path by the grace of the buddha-
mentor -
Seeing them as like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
Those who learn this very Esoteric Community Tantra- Who recite it, read it, contemplate it,
Worship it, write it, and have it written-
Seeing them like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
And it also declares:
Those who are master practitioners - seeing, contacting, Remembering well, learning, indeed, even the name, Generating faith, and living in even a part-
Seeing them like Bodhivajra, we worship them always!
The Persona/ Instruction ofManjushrr praises the Tantra as:
The Tantra that unites all buddhas,
The great secret, the secret of great secrets, Unexcelled great teaching . . .
and states that the measure of the duration of the essence of the [buddha] teaching is whether or not this very Tantra exists:
This import, when it goes into the ear, And for however long it endures there,
The jewel teaching of the B uddha
Is proclaimed to be enduring.
When the sequence of this succession is broken, All will know it is the decline
Of the [20bJ Buddha' s teaching.
Not only has such emerged in those treatises concerned with this Tantra, it has also been praised in other Tantras as well. Both the Red [Yamari] and the Black [Yamari] Tantra declared:
The ultimate in Tantras is the Community- Nothing like it in the past, nor in the future.
The Esoteric Accomplishment also states:
There is nothing superior to the Glorious Community, Which is the jewel of the three worlds.
The supreme essence of the essence,
The unexcelled of the unexcelled of all the Tantras.
Abiding in the teaching and the explanation
Is the very stage of the yoga of perfection. Who do not know this Community,
How can such as they attain accomplishment?
Cutting off all doubts ,
Dispelling all fogs of unknowing,
This is the treasure-case for the jewel of the Buddha. Abandoning utterly this Glorious Community,
Fantasizing with many mental constructs, Deluded, yet desiring accomplishments, Is like punching one's fist at the sky
Or like drinking the water of a mirage !
The Illumination ofthe Lamp also declares:
Up to Ya Ra La Ha,
Those [Tantras] ending Ka Kha Gha, those ending ? a Ja.
Chapter /-Introduction ? 67
68 ?
Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp Those ending Tra Dhra and Ma,
Their root is the three syllables. 20
This Glorious Community is the jewel-case Of all 84,000 of the heaps
Of the teachings of the great sage. Therefore, it is the summit of the Tantras.
Thus, Chandrakirti declares that this Tantra is the summit of all the Tan- tras, being the root of all the other Tantras and the treasure-case of all the Sutras.
The Wisdom Vajra Compendium explains that Tantras ending with each letter such as Ka are numbered each 121ul 1,000, stating that in terms of all four of the Tantra divisions. This statement of being the root of the Tantras whose names end in the consonant letters is a mere example, and
the Masters Bhavyakirti and Kumara explain that it means that it is also the root of all Tantras whose names end in vowels as well. The "three syllables" mentioned in "their root is the three syllables" are explained by Naropa to be the three [buddha] seeds [OM AJJ HOM]; the former scholars of Tibet considered them to be SA MA JA. The former of these is explained in the Further Tantra as the three secrets of body, speech, and mind, which are united in the Esoteric Community; thus, the Community Tantra is identified from the perspective of what it is uniting. Not taking
this [instrument of uniting] as referring to the Community Tantra, but explaining it as coming down to the three vajras, the three syllables that are the import of all Tantras, would be to ignore the context, since that statement teaches that the Community Tantra is the root of all the Tantras.
As for the meaning of "root," just as a tree has many leaves and branches but comes down to the place of the root, so the Tantras have many various meanings, but the ultimate essentials of all of them tinally come down to the path of the Community-this is the meaning. And the meaning of "jewel-case of all the SDtras" is just the same. This teaches
2?
