Tantric Techniques (50 page)

1. Objection:
   There the mere word [“difficult”] is eliminated.
   

   Response:
   Is it not that through eliminating the name, difficulty [itself ] is eliminated? That which, when done, is affixed with the name “difficult” is difficult; it is not the mere activity. When the word “blissful” is applied to a Bodhisattva’s attaining joy from giv-ing away [one’s own] head and so forth for the sake of others [by
   

   

   yang dag nyid la yang dag lta/
   

   yang dag mthong nas rnam par grol// n
   ā
   paneyata
   ḥ
   ki
   ṃ
   citprak
   ṣ
   eptatya
   ṃ
   na ki
   ṃ
   cana/
   

   dra
   ṣṭ
   avya
   ṃ
   bh
   ū
   tato bh
   ū
   ta
   ṃ
   bh
   ū
   tadar
   ś
   o vimucyate//
   

   The Sanskrit is from Th. Stcherbatsky and E. Obermiller, ed.,
   Abhisamay
   ā
   la
   ṅ
   k
   ā
   ra-Prajñ
   ā
   p
   ā
   ramit
   ā
   -Upade
   ś
   a-
   Śā
   stra,
   Bibliotheca Buddhica XXIII (Osnabrück: Biblio Ver-lag, 1970), 29. For Edward Conze’s translation, see his
   Abhisamay
   ā
   la
   ṅ
   k
   ā
   ra,
   Serie Orientale Roma VI (Rome, Is.M.E.0, 1954), 86.
   

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   way of having familiarized with nondual meditative stabilization],
   a
   how could such be difficult?
   

   Objection:
   It is renowned to others to be difficult.
   

   Answer:
   Then, since [a M
   ā
   ntrika’s] simultaneous bringing about the aims sought by trainees is also renowned to others to be difficult, [the two vehicles] would be the same [in being renowned to others as difficult]. Therefore, since difficulty here is not used in connection even a little with others’ meaning,
   b
   this is not fit to have the name of being difficult. Hence, since the name is eliminated, the meaning is also eliminated; [here] it indicates the consummate aim of a yogi of suchness.
   c
   

   Therefore, difficulty and ease refer mainly not to activities but to desires, whereby acting in accordance with one’s own desires is what is easy. Hence, because [in Mantra] bliss is attained through bliss, difficult deeds are not taught in Mantra.
   

   Furthermore, it is as follows:
   

The best among those with the best faculties—who have few afflictive emotions and little conceptuality but have great compassion and are making effort to seek suchness—are taught the Great Seal
d
of indivisible emptiness and compassion without reference to the proliferations of external and internal activities [such as actual or imagined consorts].

The middling among those with the best faculties—who although they have turned away from enjoying ordinary objects, have not abandoned conceptions [produced by] latencies of afflictive emotions and who are not able to enter into ultimate wisdom—are taught a Wisdom Seal,
e
a Knowledge Woman [consort] emanated [in imagination] who serves as a method [for attaining] the Great Seal.

The least among those with the best faculties—who, although they have faith in nondualistic wisdom, have not abandoned

a
Tripi
ṭ
akam
ā
la, vol. 81, 117.4.6.

b
The Par pa dpal ldan edition (5a.2) reads
’dir don cung zad
whereas the Lokesh Chandra edition (10.2) reads
’dir gzhan don cung zad,
which is more likely since Tripi
ṭ
akam
ā
la’s text (Golden reprint,
rgyud ’grel nu,
29b.2/ vol. 75, 58.2) reads
’dir rnam pa thams cad du gzhan gyi gzhan don gang cung zad;
the meaning is conjectured.
c
de kho na nyid kyi rnal ’byor pa nyid kyi don phun sum tshogs par bstan no; Extensive
version, 10.2.

d
phyag rgya chen po, mah
ā
mudr
ā
.

e
ye shes kyi phyag rgya, jñ
ā
namudr
ā
.

214
Tantric Techniques

the desires of the Desire [Realm] and are distracted when such an object is near, and do not [remain] in meditative stabilization—are taught pledge seals,
a
[actual consorts] who possess [the qualifications of ] being of the same lineage as oneself, youth, and so forth.

The least of the least among those with the best faculties— whose desire is very great but whose intelligence is little—are taught action seals
b
[actual consorts who do not have all the qualifications].
c

Thus, because sentient beings are set in Buddhahood through mak-ing application at just what they desire, [Mantra] is not difficult.

About the fourth [distinctive feature, being created for those with sharp faculties,] since Hearers do not know the method [for realizing] suchness, they are of dull faculties. Those of the Perfection [Vehicle] are mistaken with respect to method and hence are of dull faculties. [However,] because Secret M
ā
ntrikas are not obscured with respect to anything, they are of sharp faculties. For, through skill in unerring means they are able to transform into a cause of Buddhahood just that which, if done by others, would cause them to go to a bad transmigration [as an animal, hungry ghost, or hell being]. Thus, in four [ways] the Mantra Vehicle is superior.

[Vajrap
āṇ
i’s commentary]

Moreover, in explaining the meaning of that stanza [in Tripi
ṭ
akam
ā
la’s
Lamp for the Three Modes:

Though the object is the same, Mantra treatises Are superior because of being for the nonobscured, Having many skillful methods, no difficulties,

And being created for those with sharp faculties.]

the Indian Vajrap
āṇ
i
d
says [in his
Quintessential Instructions on the Stages of Guru Transmission
]:
e

a
dam tshig gi phyag rgya, samayamudr
ā
.

b
las gyi phyag rgya, karmamudr
ā
.

c
Based on the above descriptions, I assume that this is the meaning.

d
Born 1017, he was a disciple of Maitr
ī
p
ā
da; see George N. Roerich,
The Blue Annals

(Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1976), 842.

e
bla ma brgyud pa’i rim pa’i man ngag, gurupara
ṃ
parakramopade
ś
a;
P4539, vol. 81,

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Although there is no division regarding the fact, that is, suchness, those of the Perfection Vehicle realize it upon settling it through scripture and reasoning and hence are obscured. M
ā
ntrikas realize it experientially through scripture, reasoning, and a guru’s quintessential instructions; hence, they are not obscured. Those of the Perfection Vehicle do not have experience and take [states of ] neutral [feeling] as the path, whereas M
ā
ntrikas take great bliss as the path; hence [Mantra] is not difficult. Those of the Perfection Vehicle take causes as the path, whereas M
ā
ntrikas take the effect as the path, and hence [Mantra] is superior.

Though Vajrap
āṇ
i says such, just the former explanation [by Tripi
ṭ
akam
ā
la of his own stanza] is understood to be better.

[How Jñ
ā
nashr
ī
Divides the Perfection and Mantra Vehicles]

Also, the master Jñ
ā
nashr
ī
[in his
Eradicating the Two Extremes with respect to the Vajra Vehicle
] says:
a

It is to be indicated how this Mantra Vehicle differs even from the Perfection Great Vehicle of the Middle Way School. It is superior by way of eleven aspects of skill in means—(1) skill in means in the sense of observing an unsurpassed object of observation, (2) unsurpassed achieving,

(3) unsurpassed pristine wisdom, (4) unsurpassed effort, (5) ability to take care of all trainees without exception, (6) blessing afflictive emotions into a magnificent state, (7) swifter blessings into magnificence, (8) quick emergence,

(9) abandonment of afflictive emotions, (10) unsurpassed contemplation, and (11) unsurpassed deeds.

The Meaning

Unsurpassed object of observation:
On the path [of the Perfection Vehicle] one takes cognizance of the
Perfection of Wisdom,
the
Buddh
ā
vata
ṃ
saka,
b
and so forth, but here [in Mantra] one takes

184.3.7-184.4.1.

a
rdo rje theg pa’i mtha’ gnyis sel ba, vajray
ā
nako
ṭ
idvay
ā
poha;
P4537, vol. 81, 159.3.8-159.4.3

b
sangs rgyas phal po che zhes bya ba shin tu rgyas pa chen po’i mdo, buddh
ā
vata
ṃ
saka-n
ā
mamah
ā
vaipulyas
ū
tra;
P761, vol. 25.

216
Tantric Techniques

cognizance of the uncommon
Five Hundred Thousand Stanza Hevajra,
a
the
One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Stanza K
ṛṣ
h
ṇ
ayam
ā
ri,
b
the
One Hundred Thousand Stanza Equality with Space
c
—these not being renowned to that [Perfection Vehicle].

Unsurpassed achieving:
On the path [of the Perfection Vehicle], having attained physical creations, one is able to perform hidden functions, but here one is able to perform hidden functions through attaining meditative stabilization without attaining those [physical creations].

Unsurpassed pristine wisdom:
The causes of pristine wisdom are just swifter [in the Mantra Vehicle] by way of cause, entity, and activity in dependence on special meditative stabilization of firm mind.

Unsurpassed effort:
This is due to the great powerless [that is, natural] commencement of great effort through the force of pledges.

Ability to accommodate all trainees:
Those who have committed crimes of immediate retribution
d
and so forth, who are neglected by other vehicles, dwell here in achievement.

Blessing afflictive emotions into a magnificent state:
This is through [Mantra’s] nature of offering [that transforms objects of desire] as well as through the completion stage that relies on bliss.

Swifter blessings into magnificence:
On the path [of the Perfection Vehicle] it is said that conferral of initiation by a One-Gone-Thus is attained upon entering a [Bodhisattva] ground, whereas here [in Mantra], in dependence on skillful means, a One-Gone-Thus confers initiations and blesses one into magnificence just now.

Quick emergence:
There [in the Perfection Vehicle] it is said that [Bodhisattvas] become completely purified [as Buddhas] in three

a
dgyes rdor ’bum phrag lnga pa;
this is the longer version no longer extant. For the surviving version, see
kye’i rdo rje’i rgyud, hevajratantra;
P10, vol. 1.

b
gshin rje dgra nag ’bum phrag nyi khri lnga stong pa;
this is the longer version no longer extant. For the surviving version, see
gshin rje gshed nag po’i rgyud, k
ṛṣṇ
ayam
ā
ritantra;
P103, vol. 4.

c
nam mkha’ dang mnyam pa ’bum pa;
this is the longer version no longer extant. For the surviving version, see
nam mkha’ dang mnyam pa’i rgyud kyi rgyal po, khasamatantrar
ā
ja;
P31, vol. 3 or
bde mchog nam mkha’ dang mnyam pa’i rgyud kyi rgyal po, sa
ṃ
barakhasamatantrar
ā
ja;
P59, vol. 3.

d
Killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing a Foe Destroyer, causing blood to flow from the body of a Buddha with evil intention, and causing dissension in the spiritual community.

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