Tantric Techniques (54 page)

and the
Sa
ṃ
pu
ṭ
a Tantra
says:
d

In brief, the Buddhahood Achieved over countless [Or] ten million eons

You will attain in this birth Through the most excellent bliss. Or [the ground of ] Vajradhara, Or Universal Emperorhood,

Or the eight great feats here [in this life]

As well as attaining what is desired in mind. and the
K
ā
lachakra Tantra
e
says:

Those yogis knowing all the magical devices and the gurus of the three realms [attain Buddhahood] in this birth.

If, having thoroughly entered the path, they die, then it is in another birth through the assistance of this.

With respect to the meaning of this, the master Jñ
ā
n
ā
kara [in his

Introduction to Mantra
] says:
f

For example, one who has achieved swift feet

a
de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku gsung thugs kyi gsang chen gsang ba ’dus pa zhes bya ba brtag pa’i rgyal po chen po, sarvatath
ā
gatak
ā
yav
ā
kcittarahasyaguhyasam
ā
ja-n
ā
mamah
ā
kalpar
ā
ja;
P81, vol. 3.

b
gsang ba ’dus pa
,
guhyasam
ā
ja
.

c
The
Medium-Length
(270.5) reads
de bzhin gshegs pa rnams
kyi
rather than
de bzhin gshegs pa rnams
kyis
(21.5).

d
rnal ’byor ma bzhi’i kha sbyor kyi rgyud, caturyogin
ī
sa
ṃ
pu
ṭ
atantra;
P24, vol. 2. The first six lines are cited in
Tantra in Tibet,
139.

e
rgyud kyi rgyal po dpal dus kyi ’khor lo, k
ā
lacakran
ā
matantrar
ā
ja;
P4, vol. 1.

f
gsang sngags la ’jug pa, mantr
ā
vat
ā
ra;
P4541, vol. 81, 195.5.8-196.1.2.

228
Tantric Techniques

Or the sun and moon goes just speedily To a place arrived at over a long time By a person of little power

Or by an animal cart.

Just so, M
ā
ntrikas enter in this life Into that entered over a long time In reliance upon

The Perfection [Vehicle] or other paths. This depends upon unequaled power.

For this, marvelous causes and conditions are required. Concerning the causes, from the force of salutary actions in the past one’s body and speech must be fully endowed, and one’s mind must have fewer afflictive emotions. With respect to the conditions, there are the three deeds—the deed of entry which is to have initiation, the deed of application which is to meditatively cultivate the two stages [that is, the generation stage and completion stage] as well as their branches, and the deed of achievement which is to set [the mind] one-pointedly on its object of observation upon having abandoned whatever is unfavorable. That same text says:
a

Moreover this is through marvelous causes and conditions. The causes also are that by performing actions well

Of body, speech, and mind in former lives

One presently has attained a fully endowed body As a continuum of fruition,

As well as speech melodious like a cuckoo, And a mind of slight afflictive emotions—

The hosts of desires, hatreds, and obscurations. The conditions also are just threefold—

The threefold behavior

Of entry, application, and practice. Among them, the behavior of entry

Is for students who have previously acquainted for a long time

With a guru endowed with good qualities To make a supplication and thereupon

To enter a ma
ṇḍ
ala and be conferred initiation And to identify their own favored deity.

a
P4541, vol. 81, 196.1.2-196.2.1.

Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup’s Stimulating Catalogue
229

That is called the “basic condition.”
a
Among those, the behavior of application

Is to make effort in a concordant place and so forth Initially at emptiness, love, and so forth,

And through the rite of one’s favored deity To meditate, repeat [mantra], recite,

Give food-offerings, or make offerings and so forth In three sessions or four.

Released from all great ill deeds,

One becomes the equivalent of a Bodhisattva Who has practiced for many eons.

This is indicated as the second condition [Making one] fit for transformation.

Among those, about the condition of achievement, For example, when a well washed cloth

Is to be dyed another color,

It is done with little difficulty and care is to be taken,

So with the behavior of achievement one must tighten [the mind]

But not with great hardship.

When persons, whose continuums have been ripened Through the behavior of application, engage in achievement,

They abandon unfavorable places, Friends, resources, and thoughts

And set one-pointedly on the object of observation. This is indicated as the third,

The condition of speedy elevation.

One attains the knowledge fund of feats, which is achieved through such causes and conditions and, having attained it, achieves the fulfillment of one’s own and others’ welfare—the behavior of adepthood.

Thereby, if the causes and conditions are fulfilled, [Buddhahood] is achieved in this very life. The same text says:
b

What are the feats of adepthood?

a
Read
gzhi yi
rkyen
for
g.yo
rkyen
at 22.6 in accordance with the
Medium-Length

version, 631.7; the Peking edition (196.1.6) reads
gzhi’i
rkyen
.

b
P4541, vol. 81, 196.2.5-196.3.2.

230
Tantric Techniques

One’s body, locality, and resources Exceed those of humans.

One has power over one’s life span

And is forever released from birth without leisure. One meets and so forth with Buddhas who arise, And consciously uses the five desirous attributes Without becoming bound,

And can engender help for oneself and others. What is the behavior of adepthood?

One enjoys the happiness of wealth In this and that place and time

And likewise makes offerings to Superiors According to one’s capacity.

With various appropriate magical emanations One tames sentient beings who are tamed Through help [or] through eradication.

One gives coolness, heat, and so forth

Even for brief periods in the hells and so forth. Likewise, one teaches various doctrines

To the varieties of sentient beings. One helps all through being seen, Heard, touched, or remembered.
a
What is the time of adepthood?

The feat will be attained

Even in this very life by an ascetic

Who has accumulated all causes and conditions, Continually repeats [mantra] and meditates,

And has faith in the Conqueror as well as his Children.

The thought of this master is that the attainment of a ground or the attainment [of the level] of a Knowledge Bearer is adepthood and that such is attained in a single life.

The second stage of N
ā
g
ā
rjuna’s
Five Stages
says:
b

Initially through union with an action [seal, that is, consort]

The eighth ground is attained.

Those who perceive the three appearances