25 Kāmarūpa in Assam is revered as one of the twenty-four sacred abodes of tantric Buddhist India. See NSTB, pp. 472 and 501.
26 Tib. rje-rigs; Skt. vaiśya. See above, note 19.
27 Tib. rDo-rje gcod-pa (Vajracchedikā, T 16). This sūtra is one of the best known of the shorter Prajñāpāramitā texts. Its Chinese version is said to be the world’s oldest extant printed book.
28 See Ch. 12, pp. 308-9.
29 See Ch. 11, pp. 285-300.
30 See Ch. 10.
31 See glossary under Six-syllable Mantra.
32 Tib. dGe-sdig rang-gzugs ston-pa’i gdams-pa [’am me-long] srid-pa [bar-do] rang-grol.
33 Skt. śubhaṃ bhavantu.
Part Two
1 Tib. Srid-pa’i bar-do’i ngo-sprod dge-sdig rang-gzugs ston-pa’i lhan-thabs dbyangs-snyan lha’i gaṇḍῑ.
2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.
3 See pp. 326-8.
4 The maṇḍala of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities would be constructed in two or three dimensions for the performance of this drama and the concomitant empowerment ceremonies.
5 See p. 333.
6 On the significance of the ‘maṇḍala of spiralling rainbow lights’ (Tib. ’ja’-’od ’khyil-ba’i dkyil-’khor) for practitioners of the All-surpassing Realisation (thod-rgal) meditations of Atiyoga, see Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 337- 43.
7 i.e. Namka Chokyi Gyelpo, the spiritual teacher of Gyarawa Namka Chokyi Gyatso, who composed this supplement.
8 See Ch. 5, pp. 67ff.
9 Tib. zang-thal. This expression indicates success in consciousness-transference or the direct realisation of inner radiance at death. See above, Ch. 10.
14 Liberation by Wearing
1 Tib. bTags-grol phung-po rang-grol-gyi don-bsdus.
2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.
3 OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ are the essential mantras which liberate mundane body, speech, and mind in primordial purity.
4 This is the naturally resonant mantra of the Buddha Samantabhadra, written in the ḍākiṇῑ script of Oḍḍiyāna, in the form of a vajra-song. The ḍākiṇῑ script appears to be only remotely related to Sanskrit. The following interpretation of these syllables derives from the Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon (Nyi-zla kha-sbyor-gyi rgyud, sDe-dge NGB, Vol. 4, p. 119a). For variant readings of the mantras, see also Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, pp. 132-6; and for its intonation, ibid., pp. 90-1. Following the tantra, the syllables are interpreted by Namkhai Norbu as follows: From the very beginning (EMA), intrinsic awareness has never been born, nor will it ever be born (KIRI KIRI). Self-arisen, it has never been interrupted MAṢTA), nor will it ever be interrupted (BHALIBHALI). Since it is total vision, it has never been clarified, nor will it ever be clarified (SAMITASURUSURU). Being omnipresent, it has never been constructed, nor will it ever be constructed (KUNDHALIMASUMASU). Being unique it is perfectly realised in space through the methods of the four signs (EKARILISUBHASTAYE). It is natural liberation into the great expanse and it is supreme bliss (CAKIRABHULITA). Since it is the great expanse, it is habituated to supreme delight (CAYESAMUNTA CARYASUGHAYE). Relaxing the tension of this portion, which is relative existence, intrinsic awareness generates everything (BHITISANABHYAGHULIYE). And thus one transfers directly into the great inner radiance (SAKARIDHUKANI). Brilliant and wondrous, this light radiates (MATARIBHETANA), totally transcending everything, and it eliminates all errors (PARALIHISANA). In a state of being just as it is, it is free from all conceptions (MAKHARTEKELANA). Being perfect, it is like the light of the moon (SAMBHURATA MAIKACARATAMBA). Like the sunlight, it is luminous (SURYAGHATARAYE BASHANA). It is like a jewel, a mountain, a many-petalled lotus (RANABHITI SAGHUTIPAYA). It is the great resonance which has never been sounded, and never will be sounded (GHURAGHURAPAGAKHARANALAM). It is the primordial state which has never been created and never will be created (NARANARAYI THARAPAṬLAṂ). It is the great enlightened mind which was never adorned and never will be adorned (SIRNASIRNABHESARASPALAṂ). Self-originated and perfect, it will never become enlightened (BUDDHABUDDHA CHIŚASAGHELAṂ). Ten concluding syllables are focal points of bodily energy (SASĀ ṚṜ ḶḸ IĪ MAMĀ), while the other concluding syllables are associated with the buddha-bodies (RARĀ LAHA Ā).
5 This mantra in the form of a vajra-song is included in the Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon (Nyi-zla kha-sbyor-gyi rgyud, sDe-dge NGB, Vol. 4, pp. 119a-b). As before, it is written in the ḍākiṇῑ script of Oḍḍiyāna. The main verses are preceded by OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ and concluded by the ten syllables of bodily energy (SASĀ ṚṜ ḶḸ IĪ MAMĀ), and those indicative of buddha-body (RARĀ). See Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, pp. 132-6.
6 These twenty-five mantras which follow are again rendered in the ḍākiṇῑ language of Oḍḍiyāna, as distinct from Sanskrit.
7 Tib. phyir mi-ldog-pa’i sa.
8 Tib. nyams-gong ’phel-ba’i snang-ba.
9 Tib. rig-pa’i tshad-pheb-kyi snang-ba.
10 Tib. ngo-bo rang-bzhin thugs-rjer grol.
11 Tib. btags-cing dbugs-la sleb-pa’i tshad grol.
12 The Delhi reprint (p. 225) comments that each of these preceding mantras encapsulates the natural sound of reality (chos-nyid rang-sgra) and is capable of conferring liberation. As such, these mantras are contrasted with the vidyāmantra and dhāraṇῑmantra. See Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices , pp. 128ff.
13 From this point onwards, the mantras are rendered in Sanskrit. On the ‘hundred enlightened families of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities’ (zhi-khro rigs-brgya), see Appendix Two.
14 As in all the verses that follow, these events occur when the mantra circle is worn at the time of death.
15 The subtle wheel of vibrant mantra letters, vowels and consonants, from which the seed-syllables of the various deities are formed. See GGFTC, Ch. 4, pp. 544-74.
16 The text (p. 265, l. 3-4) reads ‘blue’ at this juncture.
17 The Varanasi reprint gives the alternative mantra for Mañjuśrῑ: VĀGĪŚVARĪ MUṂ ŚRĪ SVĀHĀ.
18 The abridged version of this text suggests that subtle relics rather than rainbow lights will appear at this juncture, in conformity with the opening verse of this section.
19 For Nartῑ, the alternative form ‘Naivedyā’ (Tib. Zhal-zos-ma) is also found.
20 Here substantialism (mtshan-‘dzin) refers to the grasping at characteristics, having failed to understand that they lack inherent existence.
21 This verse is omitted in our text, but found in the abridged version.
22 For a more detailed explanation of the above mantras of the Forty-two Peaceful Deities, see Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 690-96.
23 The text does not add significant detail to the description of the mantras of the Twenty-eight Iśvarῑ. The actual mantras for this series are reproduced according to rDor-rje me-long, Peking Kangyur, Vol. 10, p. 20; but with the Sanskrit corrected in accordance with GGFTC, pp. 1124-8.
24 This verse is omitted in our text, but found in the abridged version. For a more detailed explanation of the above mantras of the sixty wrathful deities, including a number of variants, see Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 1144- 56.
25 On the nature of these six syllables, which are associated with the six realms of existence according to the tradition of the Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig ), see Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, p. 123.
26 On the Hundred-syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva, see glossary. On the breaches of the commitments, which it rectifies, see above, Ch. 7; and on the negativity and obscurations, which it purifies, see Ch. 1 and Ch. 6.
27 On this mantra, generally known as the Heart-mantra of Dependent Origination, see glossary.
28 Tib. mgo-’jug ma-log. Here this refers to the importance of folding the paper so that the heads and tails of the various letters are not inverted or wrongly positioned.
29 The booklet is then inserte
d within a golden casket, also known as legs-‘bam, that may be tied in a top-knot on the yogin’s head or worn around the neck.
Bibliography
For abbreviations used occasionally here, see pp. 403-4.
Section One: Canonical Texts
a) Anthologies
Kangyur (Tib: bKa’-’gyur; Eng: Collected Translations of the Buddha’s Teachings). Several editions are extant including the authoritative Derge xylographic edition in 103 vols.
rNying-ma’i rgyud-’bum (Eng: Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa). Several manuscript versions are extant, but only one xylographic edition at Derge in 26 vols.
b) Sūtras (mdo-sde)
Avataṃsakasūtra (Tib: mDo-sde phal-po-che; Eng: Sūtra of the Great Bounteousness of the Buddhas). T 44, MTTWL 197, translated by T. Cleary, The Flower Ornament Scripture, 3 vols. Boulder: Shambhala, 1984 onwards.
Kāraṇḍavyūhasūtra (Tib: mDo-sde za-ma-tog; Eng: Sūtra of the Cornucopia of Avalokiteśvara’s Attributes), ed. P. L. Vaidya, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, 17 (1961). T 116, MTTWL 90.
Laṅkāvatārasūtra (Tib: mDo-sde laṅkar gshegs-pa; Eng: Sūtra of the Descent to Laṅkā), ed. P. L. Vaidya, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 3 (1963). T 107, translated by D. T. Suzuki, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1932, 1956, etc.
Prajñāpāramitā (Tib: Sher phyin, Eng: Transcendental Perfection of Discriminative Awareness): a collective name for a whole genre of sūtras, including the three longest versions in 100,000 sections (T 8), 25,000 sections (T 9) and 8,000 sections (T 12). See MTTWL 208, 154 and 222 respectively. Extensively translated by E. Conze.
Ratnakūṭa (Tib: dKon-mchog brtsegs-pa; Eng: Mound of Precious Gems). T 45- 93, MTTWL 122. Extensive selections are contained in G. C. C. Chang, A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras: Selections from the Mahāratnakūṭa. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1983.
Sandhinirmocanasūtra (Tib: dGongs-pa nges-par ’grel-pa theg-pa chen-po’i mdo; Eng: Sūtra of the Unravelling of Enlightened Intention). T 106, MTTWL 197. Partial translation in John Powers, Jnanagarbha’s Commentary on the Samdhinirmocana Sutra.
Tathāgatagarbhasūtra (Tib: De-bzhin gshegs-pa’i snying-po’i mdo; Eng: Sūtra of the Nucleus of the Tathāgata). T 258, MTTWL 231.
Vajracchedikā (Tib: rDo-rje gcod-pa; Eng: Diamond Cutter), ed. P. L. Vaidya, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 17 (1961), T 16, translated and edited by E. Conze, Serie Orientale Roma 13 (1957). Retranslated in Red Pine, Diamond Sutra, New York: Counterpoint, 2001.
c) Tantras
Buddhasamāyoga (Tib: Sangs-rgyas mnyam-sbyor-gi rgyud; Eng: Tantra of Union in Equilibrium with the Buddhas). T 366-7, Derge NGB Vols. 11-12.
Guhyagarbha Tantra (Tib: rGyud gsang-ba’i snying-po; Eng: Tantra of the Secret Nucleus). T 832, Derge NGB Vol. 9, ed. and translated in G. Dorje, GGFTC, 1987.
Guhyasamāja Tantra (Tib: rGyud gsang-ba ’dus-pa; Eng: Tantra of the Secret Assembly), ed. S. Bagchi, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 9 (1965), ed. B. Bhattacharya, Gaekwad’s Oriental Series, 53 (1967). T 442-3, Derge NGB Vol. 12. Translated by F. Fremantle in A Critical Study of the Guhayasamāja Tantra, Unpublished PhD thesis no. 774 271989, University of London.
Kun-byed rgyal-po’i rgyud (Eng: Tantra of the All-accomplishing King). T 828, Derge NGB Vol. 5. Translated in E. K. Neumaier-Dargyay, Sovereign All-creating Mind, Albany: SUNY (1992).
mDo dgongs-pa ’dus-pa (Eng: Sūtra Which Gathers All Intentions). T 829, Derge NGB Vol. 7.
Nyi-zla kha-sbyor (Eng: Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon). Derge NGB Vol. 4.
rDo-rje sems-dpa’ sgyu-’phrul me-long (Eng: Tantra of the Mirror of the Magical Net of Vajrasattva). Derge NGB Vol. 11.
Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatantra (Tib: Ngan-song sbyong-rgyud; Eng: Tantra of the Purification of the Lower Realms). T 483, 485, ed. and translated T. Skorupski in The Sarvadurgatipariśodhana Tantra: Elimination of All Evil Destinies, Motilal Banarsidas, 1983.
sKu-gdung ’bar-ba’i rgyud (Eng: Tantra of the Cremation of Corpses). Derge NGB Vol. 3.
Section Two: Commentarial Literature
a) Anthologies
Tengyur (Tib: bsTan-’gyur; Eng: Collected Translations of the Classical Treatises). Again there are several extant versions, including the authoritative Derge xylographic edition in 213 vols.
rNying-ma’i bka’-ma (Eng: Collected Teachings of the Nyingmapa). The most extensive anthology of Nyingma commentarial literature, edited by Khenpo Jamyang at Katok (1999) in 120 vols.
b) Commentaries of Indic Origin
Ajitamitragupta, ’Chi slu-ba’i gdams-pa (Eng: Teachings on the Ritual Deception of Death). T 2839.
Maitreya, Abhisamayālaṃkāra (Tib: mNgon-rtogs rgyan; Eng: Ornament of Emergent Realisation). T 3786, MTTWL 2-5. On this work see also Trangu Rinpoche, Ornament of Clear Realization, Auckland: Zhyisil Chokyi Ghatsal Publications, 2004, and Lati Rinbochay et al., Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism, London: Wisdom, 1982.
Nāgārjuna, Prajñānāmamūlamadhyamakakārikā (Tib: dBu-ma rtsa-ba’i tshig-le’ur byas-pa shes-rab ces-bya-ba; Eng: Root Stanzas of the Madhyamaka entitled Discriminative Awareness), ed. P. L. Vaidya, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 10 (1960). T 3824, translated in F. J. Streng, Emptiness: A Study in Religious Meaning, Nashville/New York: Abingdon, 1967, and by K. Kalupahana, Mūlamadhyamakakārikās , Albany: SUNY, 1986.
Śāntaraksita, Tattvasamgraha (Tib: De-nyid bsdus-pa; Eng: Compendium of Topics). T 4266, ed. D. Shastri, Baudha Bharati Series 1-2 (1968), translated by G. Jha, Gaekwad’s Oriental Series 80 (1937), 83 (1939).
— — Madhyamakālaṃkāra (Tib: dBu-ma rgyan; Eng: Ornament of the Middle Way). T 3884, ed. and translated in Masamichi Ichigo, Madhyamakālaṃkāra, Kyoto: Kyoto Sangyo University, 1985.
Tathāgatarakṣita, Mṛtyuṣādhāpaka (Tib: ’Chi-ba bslu-ba; Eng: Ritual Deception of Death). T 1702.
Tilopā, Ṣaḍdharmopadésa (Tib: Nāro chos-drug; Eng: The Six Doctrines of Nāropā ). T 2330. See H. V. Guenther, The Life and Teaching of Nāropā. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963.
Vāgῑśvarakῑrti, Mṛtyuvañcanopadeśa (Tib: ’Chi-ba bslu-ba; Eng: Esoteric Instructions on the Ritual Deception of Death). T 1748.
Vasubandhu, Abhidharmakośa (Tib: Chos-mgon pa’i mdzod; Eng: Treasury of the Abhidharma), ed. D. Shastri, Baudha Bharati Series 5-8 (1970-72). T 4089, French translation by L. de la Vallee-Poussin, L’Abhidharmakośa de Vasubandhu , 6 vols., Paris, Paul Geuthner, 1923 — 36. English translation by L. Pruden, Abhidharmakośabhāsyaṃ, 4 vols. Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press, 1988.
c) Commentaries of Tibetan Origin
Dudjom Rinpoche, bsTan-pa’i rnam-gzhag (Eng: Fundamentals of the Nyingma School). Translated in NSTB.
Gampopa, Dvags-po thar-rgyan (Eng: The Jewel Ornament of Liberation). Translated by H. V. Geunther, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1971.
Gendun Gyeltsen, gTer-ston lung-bstan-dang khungs-btsun-pa bla-ma brgyud-pa’i rim-pa-rnams (Eng: Padmasambhava’s Prophecy of the Treasure-finder and the Series of Authentic Lineage Teachers). Contained in DR, Vol. 1, pp. 21-6.
Gyarawa Namka Chokyi Gyeltsen, rGyud-pa’i lo-rgyus bsdus-pa nor-bu’i phreng-ba (Eng: Jewel Garland: An Abridged History of the Lineage). Contained in DR, Vol. 1, pp. 27-48.
Longchen Rabjampa, Grub-mtha’ mdzod (Eng: Treasury of Spiritual and Philosophical Systems), ed. Dodrup Chen Rinpoche, Gangtok, Sikkim, c. 1969.
— — gNas-lugs mdzod (Eng: Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding), trans. Richard Barron, Padma Publications, 1987.
Ngari Paṇchen, sDom-gsum rnam-nges (Eng: Ascertainment of the Three Vows). Contained in NK, Vol. 51. See HH Dudjom Rinpoche’s commentary in Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1996.
Patrul Rinpoche, mKhas-pa’i shri rgyal-po mkhas-chos, in the Collected Works of Patrul Orgyan Jigme Chokyi Wangpo (dPal-sprul gsung-’bum), Vol. 5, pp. 206- 25. On this text, see HH Dalai Lama, ‘Hitting the Essence in Three Words’, in Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great Perfection, pp. 61-92, Snowlion, 2000; also Khenpo Palden S
herab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, Lion’s Gaze, Sky Dancer Press, 1999.
Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, Bar-do spyi-don thams-cad rnam-pa gsal-bar byed-pa dran-pa’i me-long (Eng: Mirror of Mindfulness Clarifying All Aspects of the Intermediate States), translated by Erik Schmidt Pema Kunsang in The Mirror of Mindfulness, Kathmandu: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1987.
d) Treasure-doctrines (gter chos)
Guru Chowang (disc.), bKa’-brgyad gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs (Eng: Eight Transmitted Precepts: Consummation of All Secrets). Contained in bKa’-brgyad phyogsbsgrigs , 4 vols.
— — bKa’-brgyad drag-po rang-byung-ba’i zhi-khro na-rag skong-bzhags-gyi cho-ga, translated by K. Dowman, ‘Emptying the Depths of Hell’, in Flight of the Garuda, pp. 53-61.
Jamgon Kongtrul (redactor), Rin-chen gter-mdzod (Eng: Store of Precious Treasures ), recently republished at Derge in 76 vols.
Jigme Lingpa (disc.), Klong-chen snying-thig (Eng: Innermost Spirituality of Longchenpa ), contained in the Collected Works of Jigme Lingpa, Vols. 7-8, republished in 3 vols., New Delhi: Ngawang Sopa, 1973. Selections translated in Tulku Thondup, The Dzogchen Innermost Essence Preliminary Practice (ed. B. Beresford), Dharamsala: Tibetan Library of Works and Archives, 1982; The Assemblage of the Knowledge-holders, Shantiniketan, WB, 1980; and in The Queen of Great Bliss, Gangtok: Dodrup Chen Rinpoche, 1982.
— — Rig ’dzin thugs-sgrub dpal-chen ’dus-pa, contained in Klong-chen snying-thig, Vol. 1, pp. 616ff.
— — sKu-gsum zhing-khams sbyong-ba’i smon-lam, contained in Klong-chen snying-thig, Vol. 2, pp. 448- 52.
Karma Lingpa (disc.), Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol (Eng: Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: A Profound Sacred Teaching, [entitled] Natural Liberation through [Recognition of] Enlightened Intention). Several recensions are extant. B. J. Cuevas lists eighteen printed and manuscript versions of Tibetan and sub-Himalayan provenance. These include the most extensive and authoritative, DR, the full contents of which are listed in Appendix One, pp. 381- 6.
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