Tantric Techniques (56 page)

234
Tantric Techniques

the five [other] transmigrations—gods, and so forth.

Vajragarbha’s commentary [on the
Hevajra Tantra
in the manner of the
K
ā
lachakra Tantra
] says:
a

The statement, “Thoroughly bestowing the fruit of Buddhahood in this birth,” [means that this] is accomplished upon having taken human birth again and again, and not as a god, demigod, and so forth.

Objection:
The explanation that such is accomplished in one life is in consideration of a person who, having amassed vast collections [of merit and wisdom], has entered a high ground and is not [in reference] to accomplishment by a common being.

Answer:
It is not so. The root
K
ā
lachakra Tantra
says:

If low caste persons, bamboo weavers, and so forth

Or those having done [any of ] the five deeds of immediate retribution

Practice the deeds of Mantra,

They will become Buddhas in this very birth.

Therefore, it is explained that if persons who are doing actions of immediate retribution practice later with effort, they will become fully purified [as Buddhas], and it is not possible for a Superior to commit an action of immediate retribution; [hence, the reference must be to common beings]. Kalk
ī
Pu
ṇḍ
ar
ī
ka’s
Stainless Light
says:

Having overcome with the meditative stabilization of immutable bliss of the great seal in this Mantra Vehicle the commission of the awful actions of the deeds of immediate retribution, in order not to allow the sudden occurrence of other nonvirtues, one bars—with the bars of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity and so forth, as well as the harmonies with enlightenment—the doors of entry of the four demonic sounds
b
and of obstructors to the house that is the source of vajra doctrine. Doing such, in just this [life] one gains achievement together with the Vajrasattva great seal. Even those who are agents of the deeds of immediate retribution attain the fruit of Buddhahood in this birth. This is what the One-Gone-Thus asserts. The One-Gone-Thus does

a
kye’i rdo rje bsdus pa’i don gyi rgya cher ’grel pa, hevajrapi
ṇḍā
rtha
ṭī
k
ā
;
P2310, vol. 53.

b
Both texts (26.6 and 636.1) read
sgra
(sounds).

Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup’s Stimulating Catalogue
235

not assert that even those who have committed the awful actions of the five deeds of immediate retribution
after
entering the Vajra Vehicle will attain the fruit of Buddhahood in this birth.

Also, the earlier passages from the
Vajrashekhara
(222 and 226) establish such.

Furthermore, there are cases of persons who see the truth of the clear light of the completion stage but, due to laziness or due to [lack of ] wealth, do not perform the deeds [related with using a consort]. In dependence upon concentration combining quintessential instructions for dying and for the intermediate state they become fully purified in the intermediate state in a Complete Enjoyment Body of union [of pure body and mind], this being from the Body of Attributes of the clear light of death.
Ā
ryadeva’s
Lamp Compendium for Practice
says:
a

The vajra student asks, “If though practitioners see the truth, they do not perform [any of ] the three types of deeds due to being distracted by farming, commerce, goods and services, and so forth through the force of being accustomed to earlier predispositions and if other practitioners, because of lacking wealth, do not perform the deeds due to being unable to perform fully the rites as they are set forth in the Tantra, will they, upon dying, go to another rebirth or will they attain Vajradharahood?”

In answer to this question, he, having first taught the mode of being and given an example, makes the actual an-swer: “Therefore, one who has knowledge of suchness but has not engaged in the deeds that were just explained, realizes thoroughly and manifestly—upon having forsaken all views—that dying is ultimate truth and birth is conventional truth
b
and thereupon generates a firm attitude: ‘Upon eventually
c
abiding in the clear light, I will set aside the ordinary [mental and physical] aggregates and thereupon rise in the stage of blessing myself into a magnificent state.’

When through taking this to mind they dwell [in such a

a
spyod bsdus sgron ma, cary
ā
mel
ā
pakaprad
ī
pa;
P2668, vol. 61.

b
Read
kun rdzob
kyi
for
kun rdzob
kyis
at 27.6 in accordance with the
Medium-Length
version, 637.1.

c
brgya lam na.

236
Tantric Techniques

state], they will not lose this mental application in another birth, whereby they become omniscient.”

and the
Guhyasam
ā
ja Tantra
also says: Drink the fruit with desire

In accordance with the rite for restraining emission of se-men.

If you kill the collection of Ones-Gone-Thus, The very supreme feat will be attained.

and the
Great Sacred Word
a
also says:

When your mind has entered the basal sphere, You realize clarity and strong joy, like space. Then when you achieve the form

Of a five-year-old child endowed With the force of magical emanation, Unexampled bliss is fully realized.

From that, when impelled to another birth,

You thoroughly realize the form of an emanation.

Moreover, persons who cannot gain achievement in that lifetime and see the signs of impending death will achieve the supreme [feat of Buddhahood] if they implement transference [of consciousness] prior to the onset of infectious disease, and so forth. The
Four Seats
says:
b

Through certain approaches They cross over cyclic existence. Then, through certain avenues When the time of death arises For one on the good yogic path

Seeing the signs of death and transmigration, Transference without allowing contagion and so forth Is the supreme of yogas.

Also, with respect to the benefits of that [practice], it says:

a
zhal lung chen mo
. There are two texts by Buddhajñ
ā
nap
ā
da called
zhal gyi lung: rim pa gnyis pa’i de kho na nyid sgom pa zhes bya ba’i zhal gyi lung, dvikramatattvabh
ā
van
ā
-n
ā
ma-mukh
ā
gama,
P2716, vol. 65, and
zhal gyi lung, mukh
ā
gama;
P2717, vol. 65.

b
gdan bzhi/ rnal ’byor ma’i rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po dpal gdan bzhi pa, caturp
īṭ
hama-h
ā
yogin
ī
tantrar
ā
ja;
P67, vol. 3.

Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup’s Stimulating Catalogue
237