THE YAMANTAKA SELF-ENTRY PRACTICE

Including an extensive commentary to the practice of the completion stage

By GESHE JAMPA TEGCHOG

Nalanda Monastery, France

Translated by Thubten Sherab Sherpa Edited by Gelong Thubten Gyatso (Adrian Feldmann)

This text is an edited transcript of an explanation of the Yamantaka self-entry practice given by Geshe Jampa Tekchok at Nalanda Monastery, France in the Summer of 1985. The text has not been checked and may contain translation and editing errors; it is to be read only by those who have received appropriate initiation and are sincerely interested in performing the practice. Copies may only be made with permission of the editor - who welcomes any information about mistakes or improvements that can be made to the text. Copyright: Nalanda Monastery, 1994

Establishing the Mandala

Introduction We begin the self-entry ceremony by reciting the prayer Gaden Lha Gyama, concluded by many recitations of the praise to Lama Tsong Khapa - mig.me tse.wa"... Then, at the end, when requesting to receive the guru's realizations, the first verse is recited: pa"l.da"n tsa wai la.ma rin.po.che dag.gi chi.wor pa".dai teng.zhug.la ka.drin ch'en.poi go.na" je.zung.te ku.sung t'ug.kyi ngo".drub tsa"l.du.so"l Magnificent and precious root guru, Please sit upon the lotus and moon at my crown. With your great kindness keep me in your care and Grant me the realizations of your body, speech, and mind. In the second and third verses you invite Lama Tsong Khapa to sit at your heart chakra: "nying.kar pa".dai." The first outlines of the self-entry are: 1 Establishing the mandala 2 Offerings and praise to the mandala 3 Taking initiation from the mandala The advantage of this self-entry is that the self generation and the front generation of the deity are one essence, they are not considered to be different entities. Self generation refers to ourselves generated as the deity, and front generation refers to the deity visualized in front of oneself. Here, the front generation is the deity visualized within the mandala. The point is that the front and the self generations are one entity, do not think that the front generation is different to oneself. Source of this tantra When Shakyamuni Buddha explained this tantra he manifested in the form of Yamantaka and taught the entire teaching of one hundred thousand verses. The tantra was taught at Ogyan Khandro Ling (?) situated to the West of Bodhgaya. Many dakinis took care of this place, cherishing and honouring it very much. The tantra flourished due to the activities of Lalita Vajra, a person born in the village of Odi Visha. He studied at Nalanda monastic university and gained expertise in many texts. In Tibetan his name is Genyen Jampel Soncha(?). When he saw the phrase: "the Vajra Terrifier terrifies," in the tantric text "Jampel Sangye(?), he immediately understood and generated the wish to learn this tantra. The text only contained reference to the name Dorje Jigje or Yamantaka, the Vajra Terrifier, and he searched everywhere for the root text but could not find it. After twenty

years of searching he finally saw a vision on Manjushri and asked where could he find this tantra. Manjushri replied that he should look to the West of Bodhgaya. So he went to Ogyan Khandro Ling and met the dakini called Rolangma who was the consort of Yamantaka. She taught him the Yamantaka rituals such as initiation and how to perform the practice. After that, Lalita Vajra meditated for three months in a cave near the village and accomplished the result that he had been seeking. He wanted to then spread the tantra in India and so he memorized and did all that he could to bring this tantra very purely to India. He requested permission from all the dakinis to do so and he received their consent, and he also asked that if anything remained could that also be sent to India. After bringing this tantra to India, Lalita Vajra and other scholars wrote commentaries to it because the meaning is difficult to understand. They discussed the meaning and then wrote their commentaries. One of those scholars was Shantipa. After these commentaries had been written, three great translators from Tibet, Shang Lotsawa, Ra Lotsawa, and Kyo Lotsawa translated the root text and the commentaries from the Sanskrit into Tibetan. Then again, from those translations other Tibetan commentaries were written as well. Lama Tsong Khapa read all of these texts - the original translations as well as the later commentaries - and he investigated in detail exactly how the root tantra of Yamantaka had arisen and had been shown by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. Among the texts he read, Lama Tsong Khapa relied very much upon those written by Lalita Vajra. The root text of Yamantaka belongs to the highest of the four classes of tantra - the Maha Annuttara Yoga Tantra - and most of the practices contained are concordant with father tantra but it also includes subjects relating to mother tantra. It has five special attributes that are not common to the other classes of tantra. Many high lamas say that the Yamantaka root tantra is very blessed and it gives the result very quickly because of possessing these five attributes. Lama Tsong Khapa, Khedrup Je, and others devoted themselves to Yamantaka as their special yidam. Those high lamas have said that people should practise this root tantra because it is very rare and is a subject that only appears to those who have merit and the right karma. The five special attributes 1 Yamantaka gives protection from the hindrances of the five degenerations During the time of the five degenerations sentient beings are very lazy, have little wisdom, do not observe their samaya well, do not possess their vows well, and have much wrong view - log.ta. They are also ignorant in understanding the meaning of the scriptures, do not respect their gurus or Dharma friends, neglect the Dharma, and hold on to wrong views. They are inebriated with desire for sensual objects, have very little merit, and short lives. As they are in such a state, the beings of the time of five degenerations are greatly harmed by things such as zombies and so on. To prevent harm from such interferers, practitioners can rely upon Yamantaka as their yidam, and this will secure them.

2 The Yamantaka practice contains the illusory body and clear light practices of father tantra Holding human entrails in one hand and a fire brazier in another symbolize the practices of illusory body and clear light as taught in the Guhyasamaja tantra (father tantra). 3 The Yamantaka practice leads to the exalted wisdom of bliss and void as taught in mother tantra Holding the khatvanga symbolizes that within this practice one can attain the exalted wisdom of bliss and void as taught in the mother tantra of Heruka. 4 The practice contains special wisdom The brazier also symbolizes that Yamantaka has particular wisdom that is more powerful than other deities. 5 Manjushri is the essence of the wisdom of all the Buddhas As Manjushri is the essence of the wisdom of all Buddhas, to become a Buddha everybody must rely upon this deity. Also, in this practice, a practitioner is happily taken care of by Manjushri because there are two vajra holders - the vajra holder of the causal time and the vajra holder of the resultant time. The vajra holder of the causal time is to visualize oneself as Manjushri and to do the causal practices. The vajra holder of the resultant time is symbolized by the nine-faced Yamantaka. Yamantaka holds various implements in his hands, and all the hands are in the threatening mudra as he is commanding all the gods within and beyond the transitory world to listen to him because he possesses all the practices belonging to both mother and father tantra. Among the implements is a man impaled upon a stake. This symbolizes that if one practices this tantra one can purify any heavy negative karma such as the ten non-virtuous actions and the five heinous acts. His two horns symbolize that his practice contains the method and wisdom that are the causes for a practitioner to attain the Rupakaya and the Dharmakaya of a Buddha. Manjushri himself has said that the Yamantaka practice has these attributes. Lama Tsong Khapa meditated very much and eventually saw Manjushri with his own eyes. Jetsun Rendawa, Lama Tsong Khapa's guru, sent a letter to him telling him to rely upon Manjushri and to write him a letter describing the path that leads a person to enlightenment within one lifetime. Lama Tsong Khapa made this request to Manjushri and in response Manjushri explained the symbolism of the attributes of Yamantaka. Lama Tsong Khapa then sent that explanation to Jetsun Rendawa. Attributes of a qualified Yamantaka practitioner A person who wishes to practise the Yamantaka root tantra should: 1 2 3 4 Have never broken a samaya in front of a guru. Have few superstitions. Abstain from creating the cause of a karmic ripening. Do this practice secretly.

5 Be affectionate and warm-hearted towards miserable beings. 6 Have gained experience in the practices common to the small, medium, and great beings. This does not mean that one needs the realizations of each level, but at least one should have good knowledge and experience of the different practices. 7 Have received initiation into the Yamantaka practice. 8 Observe the vows and pledges well (at least, one should be aware of them. If one cannot keep them completely pure, one should take care and, if sometimes a vow or pledge is broken, feel regret, confess, and renew those vows). 9 Have a good attitude, the mind generation of the tantric path: "I am going to practise this tantra in order to attain the unified state of Yamantaka in this life so that I will be able to lead all other sentient beings to this state." Four causes to quickly attain siddhis 1 Strong, irreversible faith in the gurus and the deities. 2 No doubt about the qualities of the deity when they are explained by the guru. 3 Single-pointed, unwavering intention to attain the state of the deity. 4 Keeping your practice extremely secret, not telling anyone that Yamantaka is your deity and your practice. The meditation place Ideally, if you have good enough concentration, meditate in a cemetery, near a lone tree, by the side of a river, or at a crossroads. If your concentration is good enough you can meditate at dangerous places where devils and other distractions make life difficult. Whether you have good concentration or not, it is always best to meditate at places where previous holy beings have meditated. If you cannot find such a place, choose an isolated place that is comfortable for your mind. To assist good meditation you need a statue or a picture of the deity. Also, you should perform the two washings - external washing of your body with water and internal washing, cleansing yourself of the negativities of broken vows and samaya. The best cushion is a corpse but, if you cannot find one, just imagine that you are sitting on a dead body. You can place a drawing of a corpse beneath your seat. After washing there is a special white powder to put on your naked body. You can imagine washing and powdering, then sit facing towards the south. If this is not possible, just imagine it, and if you are not in a cemetery, imagine that you are. Meditation practice should begin about midnight, there are two meditation subjects: generation stage and completion stage. The generation stage has preliminary and actual practices.

Preliminary practices of the generation stage 1 Request to the lineage lamas. This is necessary for receiving blessings, which is dependent upon the guru. 2 Blessing the vajra and bell. 3 Blessing the inner offering and preliminary torma and offering the torma to Yamantaka, the gods of the white side, and the protectors. 4 Blessing the offerings for the self-generation. 5 Meditation on Vajrasattva. 1 Request to the lineage lamas The lineage lamas may be visualized either above your head or in space in front of you. The first way is to visualize a lotus above your head, in the centre of that is a moon disc, and standing on that is your root guru in the aspect of Yamantaka. Surrounding him are all the lineage lamas, in clock-wise direction from Vajra Petali and Lalita Vajra in front to your own root guru at the end of the line in his ordinary aspect. (In the centre of the circle he is in his real aspect - Yamantaka). Do not visualize the lineage lamas as being old or sick, they are all clear and bright, in the nature of light. If you cannot visualize the specific characteristics of each lama, just visualize them in the aspect of great saints. But you can visualize Yamantaka and Vajra Petali in their proper aspects because you can look at the picture. While reciting the prayer, visualize that you receive blessings in the form of light from each of the lineage lamas and these purify all your negativities, eliminate all adverse conditions to your Dharma practice, and bring all amicable conditions together. There are thirty-eight gurus in the line, imagine that the power of their blessings removes all sicknesses, demons, interferences, and negative karmas that are totally destroyed by the light pouring into you. At the same time, imagine that you are receiving all collections of goodness from the gurus, especially the power to be able to meditate on the subjects of this sadhana. When you set up this visualization, you began with Yamantaka, Vajra Patali, and Lalita Vajra and ended with your root guru. Now absorb them, beginning from your root guru who absorbs into the preceding guru and so on up to Yamantaka who then dissolves into the moon disc, that dissolves into the lotus, and the lotus dissolves into you. This is the market assembly visualization. The second visualization is to imagine the lineage lamas one on top of the other in the space in front of you with Yamantaka on top, then Vajra Petali, Lalita Vajra, and so on down to your root guru in his ordinary aspect at the bottom. While reciting the request prayer, perform the same visualization of purifying and receiving blessings. The

absorption then begins with Yamantaka absorbing into his consort, she dissolves into Lalita Vajra, and so on down to your root guru who dissolves into you. The thirty-eighth lineage lama is His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The lineage lamas are common to all of us; as we recite the name of each lama, light rays come from his heart, purifying and blessing, and we request them to bestow upon us the two kinds of siddhi: Having praised you in this way, in all my lifetimes May I be cared for by Gurus of the Universal Vehicle, May I live a festival of profound and extensive Dharma, And may I triumph in the battle with the four maras Who create adversity for attaining perfection for the sake of all mothers. May my wealth of all powerful attainments (the eight great siddhis) increase, And may I become the supreme upholder of the essence of The Sage Buddha's teachings. Instantaneous self-generation In order to bless the vajra and bell we must be in the aspect of the deity, we cannot do it in our ordinary aspect. First we transform everything into emptiness and then, out of the exalted wisdom of great bliss and voidness, we arise as the deity. Imagine that your old aggregates vanish into blue light, the environment and all phenomena other than your aggregates becomes emptiness. From out of the emptiness appears a multicoloured lotus with eight petals. The petals in the four main directions are red, those in the south-east and the north-west are yellow, the south-west petal is green, and the north-east petal is black. In the centre is a sun disc upon which is your mind in the state of exalted wisdom realizing all phenomena in the nature of emptiness of true existence and sustained by great bliss. This mind, the union of bliss and void, is like the primordial substance, it now takes the aspect of Solitary Yamantaka with one face and two arms. Yamantaka's face is that of a buffalo manifesting great wrath. He holds a curved knife and a skull cup. His body is black, not solid or obstructive but is translucent, in the nature of light. His right leg is bent in and his left outstretched, the gap between the two feet is five tha. (One tha is the distance between the tips of the thumb and the little finger when they are stretched out). The base of his nose and his forehead are wrinkled with wrath, his eyebrows are blazing, his nostrils flared and red, like red-hot iron pipes. His three eyes are wide and surrounded by red veins which indicate the great bliss circulating within his body. His mouth is opened wide with a ferocious expression and baring four fangs, his tongue is moving. His two horns have flames at their tips, his palms and soles have red spots of blood upon them and the nails are as strong as iron. His body and limbs are heavily muscled and he is wearing the six bone ornaments. The six bone ornaments 1 Head ornament An elaborate structure of bones forming wheels and other shapes, it is better to see than to describe. Males and females wear the same type of crown, mainly it is a wheel, on top of which is a five-spoked vajra. There are

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five "togams" or heaps of bone representing the five Dhyani Buddhas. Earrings Each earring has a small wheel with six bone spokes. Necklace Has a wheel at the throat with sixteen bone spokes. Pairs of bracelets, armlets, and anklets Also other ornaments at the shoulders and knees. Chest ornament At the heart, in front, is an eight-spoked wheel and another at the back. These are connected by links of bone going over the shoulders. White Human ashes These are only worn by male deities.

Another ornament not included in the six is called a "kerag." This is a belt worn by both female and male deities, it has a 64-spoked wheel at the navel, an 8-spoked wheel at the back, and two 6-spoked wheels at the hips all connected by a chain of bone. Female deities wear a mala of human skulls around their necks and hanging down to their knees. Some texts say it goes down to the ankles. Male deities have a similar mala but of fresh and bleeding human heads strung together with human entrails. This mala is called a "tosha." Thus the male has six bone ornaments plus a kerag and a tosha. Females have five "mudras" (they are not called "bone ornaments"), as well as a kerag and a tosha. The crown ornament has a wheel symbolizing the chakra of great bliss at the crown and representing Akshobya. The ear ornament represents Amithaba, the necklace represents Ratnasambhava and its wheel symbolizes the throat chakra. The bracelets, armlets, and anklets represent vairocana. The chest ornament represents Vajradhara and its wheel symbolizes the heart chakra. The kerag represents Amoghasiddhi and its wheel symbolizes the navel chakra. When we visualize that we are wearing these bone ornaments we have a natural sense of pride, like when we take a good bath and put on make-up. 2 Blessing the vajra and bell The meaning vajra and bell is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The symbolic vajra and bell are the instruments we use in order to remind ourselves to not be separated from the blissful exalted wisdom realizing emptiness. We bless the vajra and bell at the beginning of the ritual because we use them constantly and they will constantly remind us of their meaning. A bell with a rosary of vajras around the rim is a Vajrasattva Bell. It can have either a five-spoked or a nine-spoked half-vajra as its handle. A bell with strands of jewels around it is a Hero Bell. There are four types of Tathagatha Bell. The first has Vairocana's face in the middle of the handle and does not have a rosary of vajras around the rim. The next has Ratnasambhava's face on the handle and a rosary of precious gems around the rim. The bell with a rosary of lotuses around the rim has Amithaba's face on the handle, and the one with a rosary of swords has Amoghasiddhi's face. The empty space inside the bell symbolizes emptiness of true existence, the clanger symbolizes the great blissful wisdom of the resultant time, and the sound symbolizes the sound revealing non-true existence.

The bell and vajra together symbolize Vajrasattva (the vajra), and his consort (the bell). Holding them in the right and left hands symbolizes the state of seven kisses; the vajra symbolizes the male organ and the bell symbolizes the female organ. The central prong of the vajra symbolizes the lower part of the central channel called the dhuti. The eight angled prongs signify the eight energy channels at the secret jewel chakra. The clanger of the bell symbolizes the dhuti of the female consort, this is not the clitoris, it is deeper, it is the female channel which enters the male urethra. If a bell is properly made the clanger should have eight angles signifying the eight energy channels of the secret chakra of the female consort. The "symbol of usual action" is performed when we first take up the vajra and bell, this is to brandish the vajra in the eight directions and ring the bell in the eight directions. Placing the vajra in the eight directions symbolizes that the eight energy channels of the female are opened, ringing the bell in the eight directions symbolizes that the eight energy channels of the male are moved. The top half of the bell being a vajra symbolizes the union of male and female. When we make the mudra of embracing with the vajra and bell in our hands it signifies that we have experienced great bliss with the heat of tumo and the climax of the red and white substances functioning. The vajra represents Buddha's holy mind, the bell his holy body, and the sound of the bell his holy speech. Blessing the vajra and bell means that we are engaging in the practice of remembering all these definitive meanings. In this practice here, we do not have to go through the three steps of purifying, transforming, and generating in order to bless the vajra and bell - like it is done in the Kalachakra tantra. Here it is sufficient to just remember these significances of the vajra and bell while you are reciting "dorje ni.thab dang dril.bu ni sherab.." The vajra is method (from guru devotion to Buddhahood), The bell is wisdom (from guru devotion to Buddhahood), The two are the nature of ultimate bodhicitta (the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void). Mantra for picking up vajra and bell OM SARVA TATHAGATA SIDDHI VAJRA SAMAYA (I firmly hold the pledge of all tathagatas), TISHTA ESHA STVAM DHARAYAMI HI HI HI HI HI HUNG HUNG HUNG PHAT SVAHA "HI HI HI HI HI" represent the five Dhyani Buddhas, "HUNG HUNG HUNG" represents the inseparability of Buddha's body, speech, and mind. While repeating this, pick up the vajra and think of its samaya; being aware of the symbolism of the vajra greatly enhances the benefit of reciting the mantra. OM VAJRA GHANDA HUNG (pick up and ring the bell)

This is the mantra for picking up the bell. The bell symbolizes the equality of all phenomena being empty of true existence. "VAJRA GHANDE" (vajra bell) shows that

we have to remember we have generated the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void and we have to please all Buddhas such as Vajrasattva. "HUNG" is like a melody that pleases all the Buddhas. I shall please Vajrasattva and so forth. HUNG, to generate the resultant vajra in myself is so good; with pleasure I take this vajra to generate the exalted wisdom of inseparable bliss and void so that I can perform great benefit by freeing sentient beings from ignorance. HUNG HUNG HUNG, HO HO HO. Hold the vajra and bell with great pleasure in order to create the cause for attaining the actual resultant wisdom realizing voidness. HUNG HUNG HUNG again shows the inseparability of Buddha's body, speech, and mind. HO HO HO represents liberating sentient beings from the three realms of samsara. OM VAJRA DHARMA (phenomena) RANITA (ringing) PRARANITA (much ringing) SAMPRARANITA (ringing always) SARVA BUDDHA (all Buddhas) KSHETRA (a Buddha realm) PRACALINI (moving) PRAJNA PARAMITA (perfection of wisdom) NADA (sound) SVABHAWA (nature) VAJRASATTVA HRIDAYA (holy mind) SANTOSHANI (always pleasing) HUNG HUNG HUNG HO HO HO SVAHA The meaning of the mantra is: "The sound of wisdom perfection is always resonating and shaking the Buddha realms, pleasing the inseparable body, speech, and mind of Vajrasattva and liberating the three levels of beings from cyclic existence." When you take up the bell it symbolizes Buddha's holy speech, the vajra symbolizes his holy mind, and your generation of yourself in the aspect of the deity symbolizes the holy body. The purpose of using the vajra and bell is to remind yourself of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void during the following ritual. This blessing of the vajra and bell is not normally done in the general tantric sadhanas, only in the self-entry and fire-puja rituals. Nevertheless, while performing the ordinary sadhanas you should always be aware of the significance of the vajra and bell. The short Yamantaka sadhana has four lines of request to the lineage lamas, you should still try to visualize them all, the only difference is that in the long sadhana there are verses for each of the gurus; both sadhanas have instantaneous self-generation. 3 Blessing the inner offering The purpose of blessing the inner offering is to facilitate the blessing of the remaining offerings. If we use inner offering without blessing it then it will not be of much use. Removing hindrances The first step is removal of hindrances - interfering spirits that are abiding on top of the inner offering container. To do this we need a basis, a small capala made of bone, or a small jar will do, and the container should be two thirds full. When you say "OM HRIH SHTRIH..," open the lid of the container but do not sprinkle the liquid. While reciting the mantra remind yourself that you are Yamantaka and at your

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heart is a sun disc at the centre of which is an azure HUNG, and around that are the syllables of the ten-syllable mantra running clockwise. Imagine that many Yamantakas of different sizes emanate from the HUNG, all in the same aspect as yourself, and they chase all the interferences away from the area of the container. They go so far away that they can never return. Have strong confidence that you can do this. Since the exalted wisdom of bliss and void can eliminate one's own afflictions, there is no doubt that it is able to chase away all those interferers. The Yamantakas are in fact the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. If we do not chase away the interferers we will not be able to properly bless other offerings with the inner offering. Expelling the interferers here is similar to when we bless the torma and the offering objects in the following ritual. Transformation As you recite "OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH..," imagine that all phenomena, including the container and the liquid inside, become the entity of emptiness of true existence. OM has three parts: A O M. "A" symbolizes transforming, "O" (or MA) is the object to be transformed, "MA" (or O) is the state of having been transformed. While reciting this mantra hold the divine pride of the Dharmakaya, thinking you have become the entity that is the purification of the conception that sees the subject and object as truly existent. OM SVABHAVA (nature) SHUDDHAH (purity) SARVA DHARMA (all phenomena) SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM: "All phenomena are purified by removing the conception that sees things as truly existent." Generation From the emptiness at the place of the container appears a blue YAM which becomes a blue, bow-shaped wind mandala, its flat side facing you, at both corners are vases containing flags. Some inner offering containers have a place for these flags. On top of the wind mandala appears a red RAM which becomes a red, triangular fire mandala with one angle pointed towards you at the centre of the flat edge of the wind mandala. Above this appears three white AH's which become fresh human heads at the three corners of the fire mandala, facing outwards. On top appears a white AH which becomes a capala supported on the backs of the heads, the front part of the capala points towards you. It contains five meats and five nectars, which are not the same as in the Guhyasamaja or Heruka tantras. The meats are in the four main directions and the centre, and the nectars are in the intermediate directions and the centre. Some texts say that the outside of the skull cup signifies great bliss and the inside signifies emptiness; others say it is the white colour of the outside that signifies great bliss and the red colour of the inside that signifies emptiness. The second way is better but it does not matter because in both cases the skull cup itself is the nature of the exalted wisdom of inseparable bliss and void. The five meats Each animal has been skinned and the meat cut into pieces and made ready to be enjoyed. The meat is then put back into the skin so that the animal appears in its usual aspect. The animals are lying on their right sides and facing inwards. You can also visualize the animals as completely cut into pieces and all the pieces in a pile.

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In the east appears a white BHRUM, the nature of the mirror-like wisdom of Vairocana, which becomes cow meat marked by a white GO. In the south appears a yellow AM, the nature of the wisdom of equality of Ratnasambhava, which becomes dog meat marked by a yellow KU. In the west appears a red JRIM, the nature of the wisdom of individual analysis of Amithaba, which becomes elephant meat marked by a red DA. In the north appears a green KHAM, the nature of the wisdom of accomplishment of Amoghasiddhi, which becomes horse meat marked by a green HA. In the centre appears a blue HUNG, the nature of the wisdom of Dharmadhatu of Akshobya, which becomes human meat marked by a blue NA. In the south-east appears a white LAM, the entity of Locana, which transforms into faeces marked by a white VI. In the south-west appears a blue MAM, the entity of Mamaki, which transforms into blood marked by a blue RA. In the north-west appears a red PAM, the entity of Vandravarsi, which transforms into semen marked by a red SHU. In the north-east appears a green TAM, the entity of Tara, which transforms into marrow marked with a green MA. In the centre appears a blue BAM (in front of the human meat), the entity of Vajrapatali, which becomes urine marked by a blue MU. Visualize these substances as clearly as possible. All the syllables are standing up, half in and half out of the substances. The five syllables that give rise to the meats are the seedsyllables of the five Dhyani Buddhas. The five syllables that give rise to the five nectars are the syllables of the five consorts. The syllables marking the substances are the first letters of their names - to remind us that everything is merely labelled. The purpose for visualizing these ten substances within the skull cup is to show that they all arise from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The five meats are the substance of nectar. In tantric texts it is said that a yogi should enjoy the meats of horse, elephant, and so on, therefore we should bless them and offer them to our yidams who will be pleased and will quickly give us siddhis. The five meats are like a hook to bring the siddhis. The five nectars are necessary for illuminating the siddhis that are hooked - like a lamp removes the darkness from an object so that it can be clearly seen. Above the ten substances in the skull cup is a white OM, above that a red AH, and above that a blue HUNG. From the HUNG at our heart, light radiates and causes the flags on the wind mandala to flutter. The wind blows, the fire blazes, and the ten substances melt. The white OM radiates light in the ten directions and invokes the blessings of the holy bodies of the Buddhas of the ten directions in the aspect of Vairocana. These come and absorb into the white OM which becomes very powerful. The red AH radiates light in the ten directions invoking the blessings of speech of all the Buddhas of the ten directions in the aspect of Amithaba, these absorb into the AH. The blue HUNG radiates light in the ten directions invoking the blessings of mind of all the Buddhas of the ten directions in the aspect of Akshobya. These sink into the HUNG. The three syllables are very powerful, they now sink down into the skull cup and become one with the boiling liquid. First the HUNG falls, purifying all faults of colour, smell, and potentiality. Then the AH, transforming them into nectar. Then the OM, increasing the nectar and making it everlasting. Recite OM AH HUNG three times while doing this visualization.

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A second visualization that you can do is to remind yourself that you are in the aspect of Yamantaka; at your heart is a moon disc, on this is yourself in your ordinary aspect, to your right is your father, to your left your mother, behind are all your friends, in front are all sentient beings. Imagination that all the negativities and obscurations of body, speech, and mind of all these beings go out in the form of black liquid into the skull cup, and the beings become completely pure, attaining the Dharmakaya. This will help you to remember bodhicitta. The HUNG is able to purify all faults of colour, smell, and potentiality because it is the seed syllable of the holy mind, the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, of all the Buddhas of the ten directions. This wisdom expels all external interferers and, in the same way, it purifies the faults of all sentient beings. The AH is able to transform the ten substances into nectar because it is the entity of the holy speech of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, Amitayus, who has a vase in his hand showing that he has the special power to transform things into the nectar of immortality. OM multiplies the nectar because it is the seed syllable of the holy body of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, it is the form that is the manifestation of the exalted wisdom of inseparable bliss and void. Such a body has the ability to emanate many forms to work for others, thus OM has the power to increase. We can also say that OM is the syllable for Vairocana, the symbol of purity of the form aggregate, and is related to the continuity of taking form again and again. The ten substances are mixed with red and white sandalwood to make inner offering pills. The inner offering is very precious, it is used as the principal substance for making dutsi ribus. It is important because in the practice we again and again go through the three steps of removing interferences, transforming, and generating the offering objects. Because the inner offering is so blessed, if we taste some each morning we will have less sickness. Blessing the external offerings As the deity is father tantra, we arrange the offerings from his right to his left. The perfumed water comes after the water for washing, this is not always the case in the Yamantaka practice, but here it is. A bell can be placed in the position for music, or you can just visualize music. The three steps are removing hindrances and transforming into emptiness as before while saying the mantras, then out of emptiness appear eight AH's which transform into eight skull cups, inside red and outside white. Within each stands a blue HUNG and the eight HUNG's become the various offering substances that please the sense organs of the main deity. We bless each substance by placing its name in between the syllables OM AH HUNG: "OM ARGHAM AH HUNG" etc. The three syllables represent the body, speech, and mind. The HUNG is the vajra mind, the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and it is this which transforms into the offering substances, thus it is clear that the nature of the offering substances is also the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Question What does it mean "their nature is the wisdom of bliss and void?" Answer It is like saying that product is the nature of impermanence.

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Question It sounds like wisdom is the substantial cause of these substances. Answer According to tantra, everything is the manifestation of the wisdom of bliss and void, even the small parts of the mandala. The Buddha's mansion, his entire entourage, the pleasure objects that his mind enjoys are all the same in that they have come from accomplishing the two great accumulations. Also, the Cittamatrins say that form and the valid cognizer apprehending form are one substance, this is similar but not exactly the same to the situation here. The HUNG is the seed for the indestructible mind of Buddha and it is the base from where the substances arise. Argham is drinking water, do not visualize it as ordinary water but as the heart blood of your enemies and interferers. Padyam is water for washing the feet, also visualize it as the heart blood of enemies and interferers. Wash the feet below the ankles. Ghande is perfumed water, visualize the skull cup contains the blood, fat, and bile of enemies and interferers. It is offered to the chest area. Pupe is flowers; visualize the five sense organs - eyes, ears, noses, tongues, and hearts of enemies and interferers. One tradition offers flowers to the head, another to the eyes as pleasing objects to look at. We follow the second tradition. Dupe is incense. Visualize the smells coming from burning dried meat and fat and offer it to the nose sense. Aloke the light is offered to the eyes, a lamp of burning fat. Naividya, food. Visualize the five solid organs - liver, lung, heart, spleen, and kidneys. Shapta, sound. Visualize the sound produced by a human thighbone trumpet and a drum of skull caps. When you arrange the offerings, use ordinary water, flowers, and so on but visualize these things above. Arranging the altar The tormas According to the uncommon tradition, the central torma for the main deity is red and heart-shaped. It has the usual butter ornaments, a moon crescent, circle, and nada, and also two wings. To its right (your left) is the red preliminary torma and to its left is the red later torma. The bases of the latter two are triangular, like a dharmadayo. Completely cover the remainder of the plate with pieces of dough pinched between the thumb, index, and middle fingers. A red triangular torma for the Dharmaraja is in front of the main tormas or placed separately. You can also make tormas for the dakas and dakinis and the landlord, but these are not obligatory. The former is red and is placed to the right of the preliminary torma; the latter is placed to the left of the later torma, it has a round shape and is white, composed of the three white foods. It should not contain black food such as meat, garlic, or onions. Another way of arranging the tormas is for the later and the Dharmaraja tormas to be on either side of the main torma and the preliminary torma on a plate separate from these. The four main tormas are essential when doing the long sadhana as your daily practice; the preliminary torma is offered at the beginning and the others at the end after the mantra recitation. The tormas for the dakas and dakinis and the landlord (Shidak) are

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added when you are doing retreat - in order to make the retreat auspicious. In the commentary, however, it is not mentioned that these two are essential for retreat. No other tormas are necessary, but some people make extra tormas for their protectors, to be offered during single sessions or in retreat. It is not good to think that you have to copy this practice, it is a personal choice. For those who do the long sadhana practice every day it is best to replace the entire offering daily, but at least you can have a container of 365 biscuits on the altar and visualize that you are offering one of these each day. At the very least, during self-entry you need the main, preliminary, and later tormas. The text does not mention other tormas, if you want to offer the torma for Dharmaraja you have to insert that mantra from the long sadhana. The sets of offering bowls around the mandala are the offerings to the four doors, or the offerings to the five Dhyani Buddhas. These are arranged from your left to your right and have the waters and perfume in their usual sequence. The mandala should be placed higher than the altar, there are two sets in front - the Eastern side - and one set facing the other three directions. In front of the mandala place the heart-shaped torma for the main deity and the other tormas. In front of those is a set of offering bowls for the front-generation and in front of that another set for the self-generation. (Although the front and self-generations are the same, it is customary to make two sets of offerings). Another set of offering bowls - for the preliminary torma - is placed in front of those. If the vajra master has a big enough table a set of offerings to the vase is arranged on a tray in front of him, if there is not enough space it can be placed on the main altar. The sets of offering bowls for the preliminary torma, the vase, and the front and self-generations all have three waters at the beginning. According to Pabongkha Rinpoche, the skull cup containing inner offering is not on the altar but is on the table in front of the vajra master. An inner offering is only placed on the altar when making an annual torma offering. Also according to Pabongkha Rinpoche the food offerings are all painted red except in the offerings to the vase, where the food is white. There are different traditions; the Hevajra, Yamantaka, Heruka, and Vajrayogini tantras paint all the food offerings red except that for the vase, which is white. In the Guhyasamaja tantra all the food offerings are white - Geshe does not know the reason why. During the Yamantaka self-entry it is not customary for anybody except the Vajra Master to play the damaru. The damaru is a symbol of lighting the inner fire, tumo, that belongs to mother tantra, and only the Vajra Master plays the damaru to symbolize that this practice does contain the practice of inner fire according to mother tantra. The umze should play the cymbals. The preliminary torma It is preliminary because we offer it to the direction protectors in the beginning. We do the three steps of removing hindrances, transforming, and generating as with the inner offering. For this we can use the short prayer from the brief sadhana.

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Although we visualize the offering torma as an ocean of nectar within the skull cup, when we offer it, it has the aspect of food, not liquid. After this torma is offered, it is not taken outside as we do in the Vajra Yogini self entry. Invoke the direction protectors with rays of light from the HUNG at your heart going out like hooks in all ten directions and bringing the protectors back to abide in space around you in the four main and four intermediate directions. Another tradition is to emanate many wrathful Yamantakas from your heart which go out and bring the direction protectors back, we do not do that here. In the east is (1) Indra, to his left is (2) Vishnu, and to his right is (3) Moon, then (4) Sun, then (5) Brahma. In the south is (6) Seven Members of Shinje. In the west is (7) Water Deity and to his right is (8) Keti Devi, then (9) Taksam. In the north is (10) Nujen and to his left is (11) Ganesh. In the north-east is (12) Mahadeva. In the south-east is (13) Agnedeva. In the south-west is (14) Zinpo. In the north-west is (15) Vayudeva. These are the fifteen main direction protectors. They come surrounded by their large entourages, many of whom are horrifying to look at. The Seven Members of Shinje are, in the centre, the Dharmaraja called Inner Accomplishment, to his right Palden Lhamo, to his left Chamundi, and around these, in the four directions are the Four Yamas - white in the east, yellow in the south, red in the west, and green in the north. We may wonder about these direction protectors. Usually, the Sun, Moon, Indra, and Vishnu are seen trodden beneath the feet of the main deity, so why do we invoke them from their abodes and offer tormas to them? In general, the name "Direction Protector" can apply to gods pertaining to the white side, gods pertaining to the black side, and gods whose entity is exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Indra, Vishnu, and so on can be the names of gods belonging to each of these three groups, and the gods seen beneath the feet of the main deity are those pertaining to the black side whereas the gods we invoke to offer the torma to are those belonging to the white side. Some of the fifteen are worldly gods, such as Water Deity, and others are enlightened, such as Palden Lhamo and Chamundi, but manifesting in the aspect of worldly gods. Lama Jhampa Rinpoche says that the direction protectors can be visualized with the Seven Members of Shinje in the centre and the others around them in their respective directions. Here there would be no protector in the south because that is the Seven Members, who are now in the middle. The main deity of that group, however, is Dharmaraja and he has two aspects - Inner Achievement and Outer Achievement. So the inner Dharmaraja can be visualized in the centre and the outer Dharmaraja in the southern direction so that the circle of direction protectors is complete again. In the description given above, Outer Dharmaraja is visualized in front of the other seven members. It makes no difference which of the visualizations we do.

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When we invoke these fifteen chief direction protectors they come with their entire entourages and each member of the entourage has his or her own servants, the servants have servants, and so on until every single demon, evil interferer, and harmful being is represented. It is very beneficial to now offer things to the chief direction protectors and to request them to help you in accomplishing your practice, to have good meditation, and to receive help whenever it is needed. At the same time, think about the extensive entourages and say to them, "You should also be kind to me even though you are usually harmful. If you cannot help me directly, at least be good and leave me alone." This is like inviting the French home minister here and he comes with his lesser officials such as the man who gives the visas in Albi. We please them all by offering lunch and at the same time we request the home minister for help in obtaining a visa, then it is impossible for the official from Albi to say no. When we actually offer the torma to the direction protectors and their entourages, they all transform into the aspect of Yamantaka, on their tongues is a HUNG which becomes a one-spoked vajra and through this they take the essence of the offering. The vajra is in the nature of white light. Before we offer the torma to the direction protectors and their entourages, we imagine Yamantaka's entire supporting and supported mandala appears in space before us. As we recite OM YAMARAJA SADOMEYA..., we first offer the torma to Yamantaka and the deities of the mandala and when they have been completely satisfied we imagine that they give us permission to offer the remainder of the torma to the direction protectors and their entourages. This is necessary because the direction protectors have previously promised that they would never enjoy blood, meat, and so on without obtaining permission from Yamantaka. The mantra OM YAMARAJA..., is the root mantra, now we recite the secondary mantra which has seven phrases, the first letter of each is from the essence mantra - OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT - and the remainder of each phrase is the name of each of the Seven Members of Shinje (Yama). OM BHU CHARANA = Dharmaraja YA PATALA CHARAYA = Chamundi, his consort MAN KHECHARAYA = Shri Devi (Palden Lhamo) TA PURVA NIGANAM = Eastern Yama (Yama of Peace) KA DAKSHINA DIGAYA = Southern Yama (Yama of Increase) HUNG PASHCHI MANAM = Western Yama (Yama of Power) PHAT UTTARA TIGAYA = Northern Yama (Yama of Wrath) Thus, while reciting this mantra you are reciting the names of the Seven Members of Shinje as well as Yamantaka's essence mantra. Next comes ten groups of syllables, the first letter of each group is from the heart mantra OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT, and the other letters are the syllables from the first part of the names of the direction protectors. OM I = Indra HRIH YA = Yama of Outer Achievement

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SHTRIH VA = Varuna Deva (Water Deity) VI KSHI = Yaksha (Nujen) KRI KO = Sun, Moon, and Brahma TA E = Agnedeva (Fire Deity) NA A = Zinpo (Cannibal) NA DE = Vayudeva (Wind Deity) HUNG BHYOH = Ketidevi (Earth Goddess), Taksam (Chief of Asuras) PHAT SARWA BHUTEBHYAH = All elves including Vishnu, Ganesh, (?and Mahadeva) Yamantaka's mantras are mixed with the names of the direction protectors in order to bless their continuums. When offering the torma to Yamantaka and the deities of the mandala and then to the direction protectors, one text says to emanate Vajra Vetali from your heart and she carries the cake to them. Another text says to emanate Rupajavra. Outer offerings Now recite the mantras OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA.., and make the eight outer offerings to the direction protectors. According to the root tantra, when you arrange these offerings on the altar you should use real blood, meat, and so on in the place of flowers and so on. But this is difficult. One custom is to make a dough from tsampa and make shapes representing the five sense organs, the heart, liver, and so on. Also, one can dry some blood and sprinkle the powder in the torma dough. The OM at the beginning of the offering mantra has the three parts, A, O, MA symbolizing the body, speech, and mind of Buddha. Or we can say that these three parts symbolize the three things in the sphere of emptiness - the offering object (recipient), offering substance, and offerer (oneself). DASHA = ten, DIKA = direction, LOKA = world, PALA = to guard, SAPARIWARA = together with entourage, ARGHAM = the substance (drinking water), PRATICCHA HUNG SVAHA = each of you please take (and establish goodness in me). As you offer each substance, an offering goddess emanates from your heart and carries the substance to the direction protectors, she then returns to your heart and another goddess takes the next offering. The last line, OM DASHA DIKA LOKAPALA ... OM AH HUNG is for offering the inner offering. The direction protectors are in the aspect of Yamantaka and the entity of the offering substance is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Praise to the direction protectors I bow to you direction protectors who, in the presence of wrathful Manjushri the Opponent to Yama, have sworn to guard Buddha's doctrine and keep out all hindrances, and I request you to help me complete my virtuous deeds and have no hindrance to meditation on the self-entry into the mandala. La".kyi Shinje is Dharmaraja; ma.mo is "nymph," this refers to Shri Devi and Chamundi. Shinje (Yama) has three aspects - inner, outer, and esoteric - and Yamantaka has

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overcome all three. Outer Yama is the Lord of Death, Inner Yama is our own karmic actions and afflictions, Esoteric Yama is the three visions - white, red, and black at the time of death. If we are having a difficult time with many interferences we can do another visualization. Imagine that the direction protectors hook all those who are giving us harm and bring them before us. Then they emanate many sharp iron wheels from their hearts and these spin in space above the harmful ones, cutting them to pieces, and the direction protectors enjoy their meat and blood and their consciousnesses are transferred to the pure realm. Now recite the Vajrasattva mantra to purify any mistakes and negative karmas you may have made during the offerings. Then recite: Please forgive me for not having the proper objects of offering and for having done anything in the wrong way. Having completed the offerings to the direction protectors, be fully convinced that you have pleased them and they have accepted your request for help in obtaining all that is needed and for meditating well upon the following subjects. Now send them back to their abodes: OM AH VAJRA MU. Snap your fingers and imagine that they either go back completely to their abodes with the intention to return and give help whenever they are needed, or that they go a certain distance and then remain facing towards you with the intention to give help whenever you need it. The purpose of doing this is to ensure that there are no obstacles for doing the self-entry into Yamantaka's mandala. When you make offerings to the direction protectors, hold them in high esteem, regarding them as superior beings. Offering in this way pleases your personal yidam and the direction protectors themselves are pleased because of having your respect. The wrathful visualization of iron wheels chopping up interferers can be done just after the torma is offered, the wheels cut up the interferers out of compassion. Consecrating the offerings for the self-generation Bless the offerings in the same way as for blessing the external offerings. Arrange the offering bowls on the altar from right to left, beginning with the three waters (the third water is perfumed water). Saying the mantras, perform the three steps of removing hindrances, transforming the offerings into emptiness, and generation as before. Some texts add five extra offering substances here, the five objects of sense pleasure of the Desire Realm. Mandala offering This is not done when you are only doing the sadhana. The external mandala offering is to offer everything in the universe that is not conjoined with the consciousness of a being. Thirty-seven heaps are offered: Mt Meru, the four continents, eight sub-continents, four specific properties of the four continents, eight precious royal objects, eight goddesses, sun, moon, precious umbrella, and a victory banner.

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Visualize that you are holding the entire universe in your hands and offering it to the deity. If you still think that your surrounding environment is as it is and not in your hands, then it is not a proper mandala offering. Make the mandala offering with the request to be given blessings and siddhis, and therefore the Eastern continent is facing towards yourself. When you make a mandala offering in order to accumulate merit, the eastern direction should be facing towards the deity. Before placing the heaps on the mandala base, first rub it many times in an outwards spiral to remove all negativities and obscurations. Then rub it three times in an inwards spiral signifying receiving the blessings of body, speech, and mind of the guru (Buddha). Now place a heap in the centre for Mt Meru and heaps for the four continents, beginning with the Eastern continent facing you and ending with the Northern continent on your right. Now place the heaps for the eight sub-continents in the same order but the left subcontinent before the right. Now place the first ring on the mandala and the heaps for the eight precious royal objects above the eight directions (visualize them in space above the eight directions). Now add the next ring and the heaps for the eight goddesses who are on Mt Meru in the eight directions. Add the third ring and the heaps for the sun, moon, precious umbrella, and victory banner. Usually these are in the east, west, south, and north respectively, but here we should place the victory banner in the east in front of us; this has great significance, the Tibetan for Victory Banner means "victory in all directions." Lama Tsong Khapa mentioned a mandala offering of twenty-seven heaps where the four specific properties of the four continents are included in the heaps for those continents and the eight heaps for the goddesses are not placed on the mandala because they are already on Mt Meru. This makes twenty-five heaps and we add two more, one for the great iron fence and the other for the golden ground. In the Vajrayogini sadhana there is a mandala of twenty-three heaps: Mt Meru, the four continents, eight sub-continents, eight precious royal objects, sun, and moon. The sutra mandala offering has only seven heaps Mt Meru, four continents, sun, and moon. A thrice-thousand-fold world system is much larger than the mandala here. When we visualize ourselves as a deity we make this simple mandala offering, when we are in our ordinary aspect we can visualize ourselves as Brahma, the owner of the thrice-thousandfold world system, and imagine that we are offering all that to the deity. Such a world system is the result of the collective karma of all sentient beings and we are some of those sentient beings so we can offer it to the deity. Above and around the mandala we can also visualize the eight auspicious things and the material possessions of gods and humans filling every available space. If we can imagine many vases made of sapphire stacked one above the other and filled with nectar and precious things we can finish all hindrances to having a long life. So we offer all these things to the principal deity who is inseparable from our root guru so that we can have successful yoga practice in the self-entry. Internal offering

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As in the Lama Cho"pa, in conjunction with the Heruka practice, imagine your skin as the golden ground covered in your blood and juices, and your meat and organs on top representing Mt Meru and the four continents and all precious things. Esoteric mandala offering This is related to the four types of bliss by meditating on the crown chakra. Imagine this bliss takes the form of a HUNG and from that come all the heaps of the mandala. Secret mandala offering This is related to the wisdom realizing emptiness. This exalted wisdom is in the form of a HUNG from which the heaps appear as above. The esoteric offering was blissful wisdom in general, this is the blissful wisdom realizing the object emptiness.

Vajrasattva purification The visualization is preceded by taking refuge and generating bodhicitta - this is using the opponent power of the support to overcome negative karmas created in relation to sentient beings and the triple gem (the supports). Negative karmas committed in relation to the triple gem are purified by taking refuge in the triple gem, negative karmas created in relation to sentient beings can be purified by developing the thought of bodhicitta towards them. This is like when we fall upon the ground and we use the ground as a support to stand up again. From a white PAM above your crown appears a white, eight-petalled lotus, in the centre of which is an AH. This transforms into a moon disc on which appears a white HUNG which becomes a five-spoked vajra with a white HUNG at the centre. Light radiates from the HUNG and the vajra, freeing all sentient beings from their sufferings and making offerings to all the Buddhas. The light then returns to the HUNG and vajra and they become Vajrasattva, white, one face, two arms, embracing his consort. Both have OM AH HUNG at their three places. The HUNG at Vajrasattva's heart radiates light in the ten directions, invoking all Buddhas in the aspect of Vajrasattva who absorb into him. Again light rays go out from the HUNG, invoking initiating deities who give initiation to Vajrasattva, the excess water bubbles up and Akshobya adorns his crown. You now request Vajrasattva to destroy all negativities of all sentient beings including yourself. Light radiates from the HUNG at his heart and purifies the negativities of all sentient beings, then again the light rays go out and invoke the knowledges and qualities of all Buddhas, bringing these back to sink into the HUNG. Due to this, Vajrasattva becomes extremely powerful and magnificent. Imagine that on the moon disc in your heart is yourself in ordinary aspect surrounded by your father, mother, and all sentient beings in human aspect. From the HUNG and the 100 syllable mantra at Vajrasattva's heart, light-nectar rays pour down. At the tip of each ray is a tiny Vajrasattva, the number is equal to the number of sentient beings in the universe. These rays come down through the point of union of Vajrasattva and his consort to your heart and each sentient being receives a Vajrasattva with consort above his or her head. From the HUNG's at the hearts of all these countless Vajrasattvas and consorts, light rays radiate out and make offerings to all the Buddhas. Then they return to

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the HUNG's and all the Vajrasattvas and consorts become even more powerful and magnificent. Now recite the mantra 21 times to ensure that the negative karmas of breaking your samaya do not increase by doubling each day. If you recite 100,000 mantras you can purify root tantric downfalls. There are three purifying visualizations: 1 Downward chasing The light-nectar flows down and pushes all negativities and obscurations out through the lower orifices. 2 Upward chasing The light-nectar fills the body and pushes the negativities up and out of the upper orifices. 3 Heap All the negativities are visualized in a heap at one's heart and the light-nectar instantly dispels them, like darkness disappearing from a room when the light is switched on. From the hearts of the countless Vajrasattvas, light-nectar pours down through the points of union and enters the crowns of every sentient being, purifying in these three ways. If it is difficult for you to visualize all sentient beings at your heart you can visualize them in space around you. Imagine that the negativities go down through a crack in the nine levels of the earth to the open mouth of the Lord of Death who is waiting for you to die and to cause you harm. He receives these unclean objects and is fully satisfied, he closes his mouth and the ground seals over him.

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA, MANUPALAYA: look after this pledge, VAJRASATTVA TENO PATISHTA: make me close to Vajrasattva, DRIDHO: steady, ME: myself, BHAVA: nature, SUTOKAYO ME BHAVA: have the nature of happiness for me, SUPOKAYO ME BHAVA: have the nature of being delighted with me, ANURAKTA ME BHAVA: have the nature of affection for me, SARWA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA: please grant me all siddhis, SARWA KARMA SUCHA ME: grant me all actions of peace, increase, power, and wrath, CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU: keep me as a cherished ornament, HUNG: vajra mind, HA HA HA HA HOH: symbols for the five exalted wisdoms, BHAGAWAN: Buddha, SARWA TATHAGATA: all Tathagatas, VAJRA MA ME MUNCHA: do not reject, VAJRA BHAVA: indestructible nature, MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA: great being with great pledge, AH HUNG PHAT: "PHAT" is the sound that makes the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void clear, also it is the mantra for destroying all adversities. Now every sentient being bows to the Vajrasattva above his head, saying, "Out of ignorance I have transgressed my pledges to you, please care for me even though I have done this. I take refuge in the gurus, the Buddhas, and especially in you, Vajrasattva, the essence of great compassion."

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Reciting the mantra is the opponent power of application and this prayer contains the opponent powers of remorse and determination to not repeat the actions in the future. Vajrasattva now says to you, "Oh son of the family, you are cleansed and purified of all negative karmas and obscurations as well as your degenerated samaya," and he sinks into you, becoming oneness with you. He does not become oneness with your gross body and mind, but with your extremely subtle body and mind which transmigrate within samsara and which will become enlightened.

1B The actual generation stage practice 1 Taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya and preparations for this 2 Taking the bardo as the path to the Sambhogakaya, meditating on the mandala where enlightenment is attained, the yoga of the causal vajra-holder 3 Taking rebirth as the path to the Nirmanakaya, the yoga of the resultant vajra-holder, blessing one's sense bases 4 Making offerings and praises Taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya 1A Making offerings to the merit field, an action similar to the meritorious karma required to take rebirth from a womb of a body with the six elements so that one can practise tantra 1B Meditating on emptiness - similar to the death clear light 1C Meditating on the protection wheel, having made the mandala of the four elements. Invoking the merit field You are Yamantaka, one face and two arms, at your heart is an eight-petalled lotus (symbolizing the eight-spoked heart chakra), in the centre of this is a sun disc the size of half a pea (symbolizing the indestructible drop), and upon this is a blue HUNG the size of a mustard seed (symbolizing the extremely subtle wind and mind). The HUNG is extremely bright, think that it is the nature of the five exalted wisdoms, it radiates light rays of five colours which fill your body, purifying all negativities and obscurations, then the light rays go out through the pores of your skin to all ten directions and illuminate the entire universe, no darkness remains anywhere. Gyalwa Kalsang Gyatso said that if it is too difficult to imagine the entire universe being illuminated by the light, you can just visualize as many worlds as are comfortable for your mind. These light rays then bring before you Yamantaka and his entourage - all Buddhas including the five Wisdom Buddhas, Bodhisattvas including the Bodhisattva Sharp Vajra and female Bodhisattvas such as Dojema, and all wrathful deities including Vajra Hook. Yamantaka is invoked together with your guru who appears in the aspect of Vajradhara above the root (buffalo) face of Yamantaka. This guru is the one from whom you have received teachings and explanation of tantra. All these beings are visualized in space in

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front of you at the level of your forehead. It is necessary to invoke the deity together with your guru because all your knowledge gone beyond the world is gained in dependence upon the guru who is also the source of all siddhis. Making offerings to a member of the guru's retinue is more powerful than making offerings to all the Buddhas, this is why the guru is invoked within the merit field. This can be done in several ways. In the Guhyasamaja tantra you invoke the guru as inseparable from the principal deity of the mandala. In some Heruka tantras you invoke the guru from a lion throne in the eastern cemetery of the mandala. In the Hevajra and the Yamantaka tantras the guru is invoked as the Lord of the Family, in the form of Vajradhara above the root head of the main deity. There is no mistake here if you use the first or last of these methods. Above the root face of Yamantaka is a cannibal face and above that is the face of Manjushri. The guru is on top of the root head and in front of the cannibal face. Lama Changa Thamche Kempa said that the guru here is the essence of all the gurus from whom you have received teachings. The light rays absorb back into the HUNG. This syllable is used in the following practices to emanate goddesses carrying offerings and to reabsorb them. The reason why we emanate out of the HUNG and reabsorb into it is because all phenomena are merely labelled by the mind and the HUNG symbolizes the Vajra Holy Mind, and we have said that here it is the entity of the subtle wind and subtle mind. Everything, whether it is attaining liberation or entering samsara, is due to the most subtle wind and the most subtle mind. In tantra, these two are recognized as the final basis of imputation of the person. During the completion stage we radiate many light rays and absorb the coarse winds and minds into the subtle wind and mind at the heart, and through this we are able to perceive the clear light. After having invoked Guru Yamantaka and his entourage, we must now accumulate merit by prostration, making offerings, confessing negative karmas, rejoicing, dedicating, taking refuge, and developing bodhicitta. In tantra there are seven purities that are not exactly the same as the seven branches of the sutras. Then we also accumulate merit by offering our body, promising to follow the path, holding the vows of the five Dhyani Buddhas, and meditating on the four immeasurable thoughts. The order of these is not necessarily fixed. The action of offering your body to please the guru and the merit field can be done at the time of making offerings in general. The four immeasurables are meditated upon in order to not forget bodhicitta and to increase it more an more. Prostration I bow to the vajra feet of my guru and the deities of the merit field abiding in the state of Vajradhara. Through your kindness you enable us to instantly attain the state of Vajradhara, an attainment that usually takes so long; like jewels you fulfil the wishes of all sentient beings.

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With great respect you bow down with your entire body, speech, and mind to the lowest part of the guru's body. Contemplate on this as you repeat the prayer. I prostrate to you the Vajra Terrifier (Bhairava), Supreme Form, Supremely Great Furious One, Supreme enjoyer of objects, Hero whose actions tame the most difficult to tame. This stanza refers to the supreme form of Yamantaka that has appeared out of the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. He shows this most supreme and wrathful aspect to beings in order to give explanation on the paths and grounds of tantric practice and also to tame the maras and destroy Yama, the Lord of Death. He is brave (pawo) because he has overcome the two types of obscuration and the four maras. "Supreme object of enjoyment," means that Yamantaka has such inconceivable qualities of his body, speech, and mind that they can only be seen by Buddhas, not by ordinary persons. This verse can also be interpreted to mean that Yamantaka himself is a supreme enjoyer of objects. He has the four purities: pure body, pure environment, pure enjoyments, and pure actions. "You show actions that tame the most difficult to be tamed." The most difficult to be tamed are the three Yamas - inner, outer, and secret. "I prostrate to you the Vajra Terrifier." The definitive Vajra Terrifier is the inseparability of the exalted wisdom perceiving emptiness and the simultaneously born great bliss. When these appear in the wrathful aspect of Yamantaka, this is the interpretative Vajra Terrifier. "I prostrate to you who have taken the form arising out of the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void." Saying these words is prostrating with our speech, having faith in our hearts is prostrating with our minds, and doing the physical action is prostrating with our bodies. As you prostrate, imagine that you are surrounded by your parents and all sentient beings who are also prostrating to Yamantaka. Making offerings The HUNG at your heart is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void; light rays radiate from it with offering goddesses (whose nature is exalted wisdom of bliss and void) who can be of many types. The names given here - white Charchika, blue Varahi - are just examples. The goddesses are in the aspect of virgins. Snap your fingers and they go out carrying the offering substances in their hands; make the mudras and then absorb them back into your heart. OM HRIH SHTRIH HA offering drinking water to Yamantaka whose mouth is wide open showing that his magnificence outshines all others. This phrase shows the object (Yamantaka) to whom we are making offerings. OM HUNG HUNG PHAT shows water for washing feet and also the nature of the offering substance which is exalted wisdom of bliss and void. OM VIKRITANANA DUSHTAM SATTVA DAMAKA GAH GAH perfumed water shows the cause of the offering substance - the perfumed water is the heart blood of all enemies and obstacle makers. OM KUMARA RUPINE JAH JAH HUNG PHAT flowers show the aspect of the offerings as being very attractive, like flowers.

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OM HRIH HAH HAI PHAT incense shows the result of making offerings is to please the deity. OM DIPTA LOCHANA VIKRITANANA MAHA ATTATTA HASANA DINI DIPTAYE SVAHA light shows the parts of the body to which all the offerings are made (water to the lips, water to the feet, and so on). OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUNG food makes perfect the previous six offerings. OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUNG music clarifies the previous six offerings. Offering substances with the above six attributes is a perfect offering and creates perfect merit. Five things are included in the offering: the substance itself, mantra (reciting the words), hand mudra, mental concentration (making the offering substance abundant and everlasting), and offering according to instruction (seeing the offerer, substance, and recipient in the sphere of emptiness). The mudras are the normal mudras we use for highest yoga tantra. Confessing negative karmas Visualize all sentient beings as well as all your previous incarnations in human aspect surrounding you. Everybody confesses before the guru, the deity, and the merit field all negative actions, feeling strong regret, and doing this as a clear action like splitting wood. Confess the negative karmas of the past, present, and future (implied). Expressing these before the merit field shows the opponent power of determination to not repeat them, and asking for them to be purified shows the opponent power of regret. It may be difficult to determine to never repeat a negative action, if so, you can state a certain period during which you will not commit that action. If you cannot even do that, then determine to make less negative actions than you would usually do. For example, if you will be obliged to make twenty negative actions in the next month, promise to make only ten. Or, you can think, "I cannot abandon this negative action now but I shall do so in the future." Taking refuge in the merit field and developing bodhicitta is the opponent power of support. The opponent power of application is regarding the three things in the sphere of emptiness - oneself, the negative karma, and the object with whom we made the negative action. Rejoicing You should rejoice in all the virtues of the three times of those who have entered the path and those who have not. You may wonder how it is possible to collect merit by rejoicing over the virtues of others, it is like when a poor son finds a treasure and everyone is pleased because they will share the result with him. Others are as happy as the boy who found the treasure. We have declared that we will work for the happiness of all sentient beings, so when sentient beings create virtue it is good to rejoice at their actions because without any effort from our side they are creating the cause for happiness. Dedication "I dedicate the virtues of myself and all sentient beings to the happy migration (the merit field) to attain enlightenment." If a virtue is dedicated by thinking of the three things in the sphere of emptiness then it cannot be destroyed by anger, so contemplate on yourself,

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the virtue, and the object to whom you dedicate it as being empty of inherent existence, this is the ultimate dedication. Taking refuge We take refuge in the triple gem because when we become enlightened we become the triple gem. We will become Buddha, we will be a Buddha Superior - the Sangha -, and our realizations of true cessation and the true path will be the Dharma. Thus we take refuge in the triple gem as the resultant refuge object. The beings we have invoked in space before us have the power to make us become the triple gem in the future. Previous lamas, Chimi Rinpoche and Gyalwa Kalsang Gyatso said that we should take refuge in the merit field by having confidence that they will make us become the triple gem in the future. There are many benefits from taking refuge, whatever actions we perform with respect to the triple gem, either positive or negative, the results are unimaginable (unimaginably good or unimaginably bad). Developing (aspirational) bodhicitta "I will generate the bodhicitta which is directed towards the purpose of others, I will liberate all beings from their suffering and from samsara, and I will place them upon the seat of enlightenment. In order to do this I am going to perform the practice of Yamantaka." Offering our own body "I offer my body to the ocean of knowledge, please use it in whichever way is useful." Offer your much cherished body to the merit field without any taint of miserliness. Promising to follow the path "There is only one path through which all the previous Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have passed; this is the six perfections. With admiration I shall also rely upon this path." This is engaging bodhicitta, previously we had aspirational bodhicitta. Holding the vows of the Five Dhyani Buddhas At this point the vows that we already hold are increased, we do not receive the vows or purify degenerated vows until we actually enter the mandala and take the Bodhisattva and tantric vows. By increasing the vows that we already hold, all the gurus in the merit field are pleased; this is the offering of working according to the guru's instruction. Think that you are holding all the individual and common vows of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas please pay attention to me; I who am called (tantric name), from now until I attain the seat of enlightenment, will generate the bodhicitta just as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past have done to attain their enlightenment. Generating bodhicitta here is the foundation for taking the tantric vows. After this we have to observe the individual vows of the Five Dhyani Buddhas.

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Six vows of Vairocana Three are related to morality and three to refuge. The three vows of refuge are at the beginning of the six-session yoga. The three vows of morality are: 1 Morality of accumulating virtue, shown in the six-session yoga: "I will liberate sentient beings by every means." 2 Morality of working for others, "I will rescue all beings from their suffering." In the six session yoga this comes in the line, "including the four tantric classes and the three vehicles." 3 Morality of refraining from committing misdeeds. Four vows of Akshobya The first three are the pledges of vajra, bell, and mudra. The vajra is related to the vajra holy mind, the bell to the vajra holy speech, and the mudra to the vajra holy body. The fourth vow is the vow of the instructing guru (tantric master). These four vows are in the six-session yoga at the beginning: "I visualize in space before me Guru Vajradhara etc." The pledge of mudra comes where we hold the divine pride of being Vajrasattva embracing his consort. Holding the vajra and bell and reminding ourselves that they symbolize exalted wisdom and great bliss and performing the mudra of embracing is the pledges of vajra and of bell. Regarding your root guru as Vajradhara is the pledge of the tantric master. Four vows of Ratnasambhava These are related to the generosities of giving protection, giving love, teaching Dharma, and giving materials. Giving materials is the wish to give food and clothing to others. Generosity of Dharma is giving teachings and also dedicating your merit for the sake of others. Generosity of love is to wish all beings to have happiness and freedom from suffering. The generosity of protection is meditation on equanimity, which protects oneself and others from the fears of attachment and aversion. These generosities come in the six-session yoga where it says: "Without any miserliness, I will give my body, my enjoyments, and virtues of the three times to sentient beings." The generosities of protection and love come in the lines: "I will attain Buddhahood for the sake of all beings ... may they all have happiness and the cause of happiness." Three vows of Amithaba These are related to the different collections of Dharma: holding the Dharma of the three vehicles, holding the Dharma of the two lower tantric classes, and holding the Dharma of the two upper tantric classes. Yoga and Highest Yoga Tantra are practised in secret. Action and Performance Tantra are practised openly. This samaya is vast because there is no doctrine not included within these three groups, and intending to hold all three is a vast undertaking.

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Two vows of Amoghasiddhi The first is the promise to keep all the above pledges to the Dhyani Buddhas, and the second is the pledge to make the four types of offering: 1 Outer offering is the things offered on the altar for sensory enjoyment. 2 Inner offering is the blessed nectar. 3 Secret offering is the offering of the blissful feeling generated by visualizing union of the deity and consort. 4 Emptiness offering is to offer the realization of emptiness that is the combination of the previous blissful mind with the wisdom realizing the object emptiness to the deities who abide within this concentration. Think: "I shall hold all the common and individual samayas of the five Dhyani Buddhas." The individual samayas are explained above, the common samayas are root samaya and branch samaya. The root samayas are the fourteen root tantric vows, which are common to all five Dhyani Buddhas, and the branch samayas are the vows of eating, abandoning, and devotion. Abandoning is to abandon all actions of taking others' lives. Devotion is to devote oneself to a spiritual guide. Eating is to do the three actions of purifying, transforming, and increasing all food that you take, just as we purify, transform, and increase the inner offering. The vows of devotion and abandonment are similar in that they include all other vows not included in the root vows. If we are able to do all these things then we should make these vows here. Even if we cannot keep them all we should pray to be able to do so in the future. When doing the six-session yoga we have to remember these pledges six times a day. If we ask, "What am I going to do by keeping all these individual and common vows?" The sadhana answers: I will liberate all Bodhisattvas from their place to the state of enlightenment. Even those on very high bhumis I will liberate and lead to enlightenment. I will liberate beings such as Brahma and Indra who are not free from the obscurations to liberation and enlightenment. I will make those beings who do not have a breath of happiness in the three lower realms have happiness. I will free all sentient beings from the fears of samsara, from the three lower realms, and from the peaceful state and place them in the non-abiding nirvana of enlightenment.

The four immeasurables Love, compassion, joy, and equanimity are called the "Four Places of Brahma" because they are the main causes for attaining the non-abiding nirvana, or Buddhahood. They are

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immeasurable because their objects are immeasurable sentient beings. Because they refer to measureless sentient beings, they acquire measureless merit and we experience measureless happiness. "May these be unperturbed by the eight worldly feelings," refers to happiness when receiving materials, unhappiness when not; happiness with fame, unhappiness with no fame; happiness with pleasure, unhappiness with pain; and happiness when praised and unhappiness when criticized. "May the four immeasurable thoughts be unperturbed by conceptions grasping at subject and object," the subjects are the five sense consciousnesses, the objects are the five sense objects. These are related to the thought of equanimity.

Dissolving the merit field can be done in several ways: 1 Send them back by saying, "Return to your place." This is not an order, they go back of their own accord. 2 The merit field alone simply vanishes into emptiness. 3 The merit field absorbs into you, giving you blessings. 4 The merit field and all other phenomena around vanish into emptiness.

Consecrating the vases The victory vase is without a spout, it is used during the vase consecration and is then replaced on the altar and used only one more time during the self-entry. It should be free of faults such as dirt or leaking. Its neck is long and the belly wide; it should be white in colour. Around its neck hangs a sign on a piece of paper - a small dharmadayo and lotus, in the centre of which is a moon disc and standing on that is one of the main implements, either a curved knife or a vajra. Also around its neck is a white cloth with three knots forming a triangle. The action vase has a spout, it is used often during the ceremony. It also has a white cloth with three knots around its neck and a sign. Both vases stand on cushions. If you are using a vase that has not been used before, wind a white thread around the vase seven times, saying HUNG each time, then recite OM VAJRA SHEKARA UTAMATA VISHAM BANDHA HUNG. Next, recite OM SUMBHANI SUMBHANI HUNG and visualize that many wrathful deities emanate from the HUNG at your heart and chase away all hindrances and interferers to proper functioning of the vase. Scatter mustard seeds as you do this. Having blessed the vases in this way, now fill each vase three-quarters full with good, scented water, adding special substances according to the level of tantra that you are practising. You can obtain these substances from the tantric colleges. Finally, for sprinkling the contents, in the action vase place a small leafy branch from a nonpoisonous tree.

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If the vase is not white you can put some white paint or chalk on it to symbolize whiteness, the main thing is to visualize it as white. In Tibet vases were made of white silver or, at least, the bottoms and spouts were of white silver. When consecrating the vases you need a table in front of you and an assistant. Scatter flower petals on the table and on top of them lay stalks of kusha grass, the cut ends towards your right and the tips towards your left. The action vase is placed on top of the kusha to your right and the victory vase is on the tips of the grass to your left. Pour some water from the action vase into a small conch and place that on top of the victory vase with the conch's funnel pointing towards the altar. Place a small vajra, to which is connected a thread of five colours, on top of the conch and then bless the victory vase by reciting mantras. Then place the vajra on top of the action vase, leaving the conch on the victory vase, and bless the action vase by reciting mantras while holding the free end of the thread. The two vases can be consecrated either together or separately. If you do them together, begin with the vajra and conch on the victory vase, loop the thread around the spout of the action vase three times, and then recite the mantras. When you have finished the consecration, pour some drops of liquid from the conch into both vases. Consecration Light some frankincense and expel interferers with the mantra OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT. Then recite OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH etc., and the vases dissolve into emptiness. From the emptiness appear two syllables BAM BAM which transform into two jewelled white vases with all the proper characteristics such as wide bellies, long necks, spout, and so on. Then recite the mantra OM TAPTE TAPTE MAHA TAPTE SVAHA twice, visualizing that the water in the vases is inseparable from the water of the divine river Ganges. The victory vase is seen as a vase on the outside but inside appears a celestial mansion with cushion seats. Upon the central seat for the principal deity is the syllable HUNG which transforms into a blue vajra, the centre of which is marked by HUNG. This then transforms into Yamantaka with thirty-two arms and sixteen legs and youthful Manjushri at his heart. At Manjushri's heart appears the syllable AH which becomes a sun disc, in the centre of this is an azure HUNG radiating light of five colours. Yamantaka is the samaya being, Manjushri is the wisdom being, and the HUNG is the concentration being. The sign, a curved knife or a vajra, on the vase now transforms into a variegated lotus upon which is a sun disc, in the centre of which is an azure HUNG. This transforms into a vajra which then becomes the Vajra Terrifier with one face and two arms, holding a curved knife and skull cup. Inside the action vase and at the place of the sign appear variegated lotuses and sun discs. On top of the suns are HUNGs which become azure vajras marked by HUNG and these transform into two Yamantakas with one face and two arms holding a curved knife and a skull cup. On the two eyes of all four Yamantakas are the syllables KSHIM, the ears are marked by JRIM, the noses by KHAM, tips of the tongues by RAM, foreheads by KAM, navels

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by SAM, crowns by OM, throats by AH, and hearts by HUNG. The syllables on the Resultant Vajra Holder within the victory vase are only placed on the root face. Invoking the wisdom beings OM HRIH HABHO MAHAKRODA AGACCHA AGACCHA ASMADA PUJA PRATIGRIH NANTU PRASADA MEDHI-MANKURU SVAHA OM, great magnificent ones who outshine the magnificence of all beings of the three realms, please come, come, eat and take the offerings I make to you. Having taken for your own purpose, please make my mind clear, SVAHA. OM is an auspicious word at the beginning of the mantra, SVAHA means "please establish the foundation of goodness within me." Light radiates from the HUNG at your heart and invokes the mandala of the wisdom beings, identical to the mandala visualized in front. Then eliminate interferers who may have come with the wisdom beings, "OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT." There is always the possibility that interferers may come with the wisdom beings and we need to expel them, but when we invoke the initiating deities from Ogmin there can be no interferers to come at the same time and there is no need to chase any away. Offerings Make the various offerings with the mantras OM HRIH SHTRIH HAH etc., then absorb the wisdom beings: OM MUNGARA JAH, the wisdom beings come above the samaya beings, OM DANDA HUNG, they absorb into the samaya beings, OM PADMA BAM, they become inseparable from the samaya beings, OM KHANGA HO, the inseparability becomes stable. Invoke the initiating deities OM HRIH HABO MAHAKRODHA AGACCHA AGACCHA ASMADA PUJA PRATIGRIHNANTU PRASADA MEDHIMAN KURU SVAHA From the HUNG at your heart light radiates in the ten directions and invokes all Buddhas and their sons to the space in front of you. Then make offerings to the deities, including Vajra Sharp One, a wrathful deity, and the bodhisattvas such as Female Vajra, with the mantras OM HRIH SHTRIH HAH etc. The initiating deities emanate many initiating goddesses, such as Charchika, from their hearts, carrying vases white as the moon and containing nectar with which they give the initiation to the stack of three beings before you. As they give initiation they recite pleasant words: "Just as the Buddhas of the past received empowerment when they were born, we empower you with this pure heavenly water."

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The four Yamantakas receive empowerment and the initiation water fills their bodies, cleansing all stains and the excess remains on their crowns as Akshobya. Offerings Place the set of offerings to the vase deities on the Vajra Master's table, then chase away interferers by reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT and visualizing wrathful deities emanating from your (Yamantaka's) heart, going out through your nostrils, and chasing away any beings that would interrupt what you want to do. It is not enough to chase interferers away, now dissolve the offering substances into emptiness with OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HUNG. These two steps are called relieving and transformation and they are followed by the third step of generation. This refers to generating the offerings through seed syllables and so on. The eight offerings here arise from eight syllables appearing out of emptiness. Finally, you should think that you have made offerings whose nature is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void appearing in the aspect of the offerings such as flowers, incense, and so on. Their function is to generate bliss in the sense organs of the deity; the flowers are offered to the head and give pleasure to the body sense. The offerings are arranged from the right side of the vase first because this tantra belongs to father tantra. The offerings arising from the originally pure exalted wisdom indicates that the reality of all phenomena is pure from the beginning, and the exalted wisdom realizing this fact, the dharmadhatu, induces the following things that is, the various offering goddesses who are like an illusion. They appear and offer the various substances to the deities, saying, "I offer this substance to you, deity host of the vase." The deity of the vase is Yamantaka who has destroyed all obscurations together with their imprints and has attained all levels of realization. "May the indestructible vajra of drinking water please you." We should be aware that everything, the offering substances and the goddesses, have come from the source exalted wisdom. "Vajra" here means the object emptiness and the subjective mind realizing emptiness are inseparable, as indicated by the goddess holding the drinking water. Make the various offerings while reciting OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM etc., and perform the usual mudras. The stanzas to be recited while making each offering are the same, the only difference is in the substance and the goddess. This text says that the first water is for drinking, to moisten the mouth, but some other texts say it is for washing the hands. Having made the offerings, the goddesses reabsorb into your heart. Finally, offer the inner offering with OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT OM AH HUNG. Praise As the wisdom body of non-dual (voidness and bliss) you are extra-ordinary and all pervasive. As the (compassion) extending equally to all, you are the father of all the victorious Buddhas. As the void sphere of all things, you are the mother of all the Buddhas. As a wisdom being you act as all the Buddhas' sons. I prostrate to you, O glorious Manjushri, in whom everything is complete. Although in the Dharmakaya there is neither love nor hate, in order to tame all evil ones of the three realms without

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exception, you display the body of the King of Anger as a compassionate means. I prostrate to you, terrifying Bhairava Yamantaka. Recite OM VAJRA AMRITA UDAKATHA HUNG seven times, visualizing that the water in the conch on top of the victory vase becomes the nectar of exalted wisdom and this then becomes countless vajra atoms. Holding the free end of the string attached to the vajra on top of the conch, first consecrate the victory vase by visualizing the three mantra garlands surrounding the HUNG at your heart and as you recite the mantra of the outer garland, the root mantra OM YAMARAJA SADOMEYA etc., it sends replicas coiling along the string to the vase where they persuade the holy minds of the deities inside the vase to perform various activities. As the mantras arrive in the case they radiate many light rays that fill the vase. Then recite the essence mantra, OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT many times, and then the near essence mantra, OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT, with the same visualization. The text says to recite as many mantras as possible, depending upon the time available. This completes the victory vase. Now consecrate the action vase by placing the vajra on top of it, leaving the conch on the victory vase, and reciting the essence mantra one hundred times with the same visualization. Finally, place the vajra back onto the conch and loop the thread three times around the spout of the action vase. Still holding the free end of the thread, recite OM VAJRA UDAKA HUNG one hundred times. The deities in the vases radiate much nectar from their bodies that fills the vases and becomes innumerable vajra atoms. Recite the 100-syllable mantra, OM YAMANTAKA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA.., to purify anything that has been done improperly, such as too much, too little, or incorrect recitation. Complete the consecration by reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT HUNG and pour some water from the conch into each vase, leaving a little in the conch. Then offer flowers to each vase while reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT three times for each vase. Again recite OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT and request the two deities within the vases to ensure that there will be no obstacles to the actions you are about to do during the ritual of self-entry. Then the two deities melt into light and become the nature of bodhicitta which becomes oneness with the nectar in the vases. This is the "inseparability within the vases." The mansion absorbs into the vase itself. The two deities on the signs now melt and absorb into the original implements, the curved knife of vajra, of the signs. The victory vase is now consecrated, cover it with a cloth and place it on the altar. It is used once more when we enter the mandala. Leave the action vase on the table in front of you. While reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT think that you go back to the principal deity in the centre of the mandala. Now begin the practice of taking death, bardo, and rebirth into the three kayas.

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1B1 Meditating on taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya We have discussed the way of accumulating merit, now we discuss the way of accumulating exalted wisdom. Meditation on taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya involves meditation on emptiness and has six special benefits: 1 We realize emptiness newly, if it has not been realized before. 2 Having realized it before, we remember our realization. 3 Having realized it before, the realization abides. 4 Having realized it before, the realization is stabilized. 5 Having realized it before, the realization increases. 6 We accumulate exalted wisdom. Other benefits are that meditation on emptiness is the best protection for oneself, and also one will understand the following subjects of the supporting and the supported mandala as being manifestations of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. People in this world who are born from the womb and who have bodies with the six elements will see the death clear light when they die, and they experience the eight stages of the death absorption - four related to the absorption of the elements and the four subtle visions. Just as there are eight steps in the death evolution, when we meditate on emptiness here we go through the eight stages: 1 The environment and all beings absorb into you = earth element absorption and mirage vision. 2 You absorb into the HUNG at your heart = water element absorption and smoke vision. 3 The vowel sign "u" absorbs into the HAH = fire element absorption and sparks vision. 4 The HAH absorbs into the bar = air element absorption and dim light vision. 5 The bar absorbs into the crescent = consciousness absorption and white vision. 6 The crescent absorbs into the circle = red vision. 7 The circle absorbs into the flame (nada) = black vision. 8 The flame absorbs into emptiness = clear light vision. The white vision, like clear moonlight on an autumn night, occurs as the white bodhicitta from the father descends from the crown to the heart chakra. The red vision or radiant red increase occurs as the red bodhicitta ascends from the secret chakra to just below the indestructible drop in the heart chakra. The black "near attainment" vision occurs when the two substances meet. The death clear light has no colour, it is completely empty like the autumn sky at dawn.

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Absorption of the elements means that as the former element becomes weak, the next element grows stronger, one element does not actually absorb into the next. We must know the whole process of death, bardo, and rebirth in order to perform the following meditations well. When we die there is a cessation of twenty-five gross things: five aggregates, five sense objects, four elements, six sense powers, and the five exalted wisdoms of the base. We possess the bases of the five exalted wisdoms that exist in the continuum of a Buddha Superior. These are: 1 Mirror-like wisdom, the mind realizing many objects, such as both ugly and beautiful objects, at the same time. 2 Wisdom of equality, a mind realizing that the three feelings of pleasure, pain, and indifference are equal in terms of being feeling; or we can say the mind realizing that product and impermanent are synonymous (inseparable). 3 Wisdom of individual discrimination, a mind able to remember the different names of family members, friends, and so on. 4 Wisdom of accomplishment, a mind able to accomplish the goals of this life as well as actions directed towards the future life. 5 Wisdom of dharmadhatu, our own mental consciousness, which becomes the Dharmakaya - Truth Body. The death clear light is the vacuity that appears after the preceding seven visions. This vacuity is an experience of simple emptiness and can remain in an ordinary person for up to three days if the body is not interfered with. This is called "abiding at the Dharmakaya of the base." For those who have been chronically ill it is difficult to maintain the clear light for three days. High yogis can maintain concentration even if their bodies are moved, but it is better not to do so. It is said that, for ordinary people, if we touch the upper part of their body the mind will leave from the upper part and a higher rebirth will be attained, and if we touch the lower part of the body the mind will leave from the lower part and a lower rebirth will be attained. If a person has some understanding of emptiness but has not realized it directly, it is possible that he can realize emptiness during this period of the death clear light. This is one of the six benefits mentioned before - realizing emptiness newly. With the understanding of emptiness we can remain longer, seven days or more, at the clear light vision. The ordinary death clear light is called the base to be purified; there are several paths to purify it, such as the example clear light and the meaning clear light that come during meditation on the completion stage. When we purify (transform) the death clear light we attain the result, the Dharmakaya. So there are three levels: 1 The basis of purification - the death clear light. 2 The path which purifies - the realizations of example and meaning clear light. 3 The result of purification - the Dharmakaya.

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When taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya we must fully recognize these three levels. While performing this yoga we meditate on the example and the meaning clear light in order to see the death clear light. Once this arises we then meditate on the yoga of taking the path to the Dharmakaya by meditating on the death clear light as if it actually were the Dharmakaya. Even though we are not dying, we attain the death clear light by meditating on the absorption of the HUNG and the experience of the eight visions, this is the way of meditation on the generation stage. The yoga of taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya on the generation stage is a cause for transforming the ordinary death clear light into a meaningful one, but the actual transformation (purification) of that basis can only be done by meditation on the example clear light and the meaning clear light during the completion stage. This meditation on the generation stage is an artificial path or tool with which we can purify the death clear light. The real path is the example clear light and the meaning clear light of the completion stage. The death clear light is called the vision of vacuity because for our mind at this point there is a feeling of vacuity or emptiness. The next step is to have ascertainment of that emptiness, not merely the feeling or the appearance. Then the third step is to imagine that the mind which is ascertaining the emptiness has the nature of bliss. When we eventually come to the level of the isolated mind, there is the example clear light where we are able to experience the bliss of the bodhicitta drop descending from the crown, but this bliss only occurs when we have attained the completion stage. Therefore, during the generation stage, in order to imagine the blissful mind attaining the Dharmakaya, we have to remember the bliss of ordinary sexual intercourse. Remembering the bliss of orgasm, we imagine that we are experiencing this at the same time as we are ascertaining the emptiness of the clear light vision and our mind is transformed into fabricated bliss. So we imagine that our gross mind becomes the nature of bliss and we also think that this blissful mind realizes emptiness - becomes the exalted wisdom of bliss and void and that we have attained the Dharmakaya of Yamantaka. This is the practice of the base; even though we have not yet attained the final Dharmakaya of Yamantaka, we think that we have gained this result and we hold the divine pride. This is called taking the result as the path. It is like having a lump of clay with which we would ordinarily make a vase but we make a Buddha statue instead. Death is ordinary and usually leads to a samsaric rebirth but, instead, we use death and turn it into the meaningful path to the Dharmakaya. There are three bases to be purified: the ordinary death clear light, ordinary intermediate state, and ordinary rebirth. We transform these during meditation on the generation stage, and then the path which actually purifies them is the meditation done on the completion stage. We can say that the yoga of taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya on the generation stage is like a secondary tool that purifies the three bases, then the actual path or tool with which we really purify the three bases is the yoga of the completion stage when we achieve the example clear light and the meaning clear light. Once we stop the ordinary death clear light, we stop the ordinary intermediate state, and once we stop that we stop ordinary rebirth. If we attain the example clear light of isolated mind, it is certain that we will attain enlightenment in this lifetime because the ordinary

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intermediate state and ordinary rebirth have been stopped by stopping the death clear light. How is it possible to purify (transform) the ordinary death clear light with the example clear light? While meditating on the completion stage there are signs of the winds entering the central channel, we will be able to insert the winds through our meditation and when the clear light vision arises it will be the example clear light, the clear light of the path. Usually when the ordinary death clear light occurs, as soon as we move away from it we come to the ordinary intermediate state. In the context of the path here, when we move away from the clear light of the path we come to the impure illusory body, which is like a substitute for the ordinary bardo body taken after the ordinary death clear light. Thus the intermediate state has been stopped and there will be no ordinary rebirth. The example clear light is so called because it is only the blissful mind realizing emptiness through a generic image. For this reason, the body taken after the example clear light is the impure illusory body. Later on, this mind directly realizes emptiness and then the blissful mind (the subject) will become the meaning clear light. And when we move from the meaning clear light we will take the pure illusory body. After the pure illusory body is taken, there is the unification of the learner's and the nonlearner's stages and thus we definitely attain enlightenment. The reason why we say that the meditation done on the completion stage is the actual path which purifies the three stages is because the meditations on example and meaning clear light on the completion stage are the actual purifiers of the three bases. On the generation stage we just imagine that the mind becomes the nature of bliss, that it realizes emptiness, and that it attains the Dharmakaya. The eight steps of the ordinary death process are meditated on in both the generation and the completion stages, even for the final attainment of the Buddha's Dharmakaya. After attaining the Dharmakaya, Buddha manifests as the Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya and performs many actions for sentient beings but never awakens from the clear light of the Dharmakaya. He is able to do all these things without awakening from the clear light of the Dharmakaya because he no longer has the eighty indicative conceptions, and when these no longer exist there can be no condition to move or disturb the clear light of the Dharmakaya. Now we return to the text: Taking the three bodies into the path OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT - hindrances are removed OM SVABHAVA (nature) SHUDDAH (purity) SARWA DHARMAH (all phenomena) SVABHAVA SHUDDHOH (completely pure nature) HANG (I am) HANG, "I am," refers to divine pride. The first SVABHAVA refers to the nature of all objects (of consciousness) and the second refers to the nature of all subjects (apprehenders). Thus the full meaning of the mantra is: "I am the one who is the purity of the nature of all subjects and objects."

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OM SUNYATA (voidness) JNANA (exalted wisdom) VAJRA (indestructible) SVABHAVA (nature) ATMAKO (entity) HANG (I am) "I have the mind that is the nature of the inseparable blissful mind (subject) and emptiness (object)." Saying this third mantra and thinking of its meaning indicates that we hold the divine pride of Dharmakaya. There is no dualistic appearance to this mind; true existence does not appear and there is no object (emptiness) appearing as separate from oneself. The reason why there is no dualistic appearance is because everything, including oneself, the deities of the merit field, and all phenomena of the environment, are merely labelled by name and sound and therefore they are free from the four extremes of existing naturally, not existing at all, existing both naturally and not at all, or neither existing naturally nor not existing. At this point, oneself, all the deities of the merit field, and all other phenomena vanish into emptiness. Through the yoga of taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya we "drive" the death clear light towards the Dharmakaya while on the generation stage. This creates the cause to be able to actualize the example and the meaning clear lights of the completion stage, and by doing so we will actually attain the Dharmakaya. When meditating on the generation stage it sometimes seems that we can attain enlightenment then, but we must meditate on the completion stage before attaining enlightenment because it is the actual path that transforms the ordinary death. Question If we only practise the generation stage, is it possible to meditate on the visions at the actual death time and have the example clear light, or must we have meditated on the example clear light during the lifetime? Answer You must have had prior meditation on the completion stage. From the state of emptiness appears YAM which becomes a wind mandala. When we say "from the state of emptiness" it means that your mind remains within the Dharmakaya meditating on emptiness and the various syllables appear from their side. If you find it difficult to remain in the state of the Dharmakaya, you can make the plan that, "I am going to appear in the aspect of the Rupakaya." Then think, "I am going to establish the four great cushions of the four elements." So the YAM appears and transforms into a bow-shaped wind mandala with two flags at the corners. On top of this appears RAM which becomes a fire mandala, triangular with each angle marked by flames. The syllables can be either standing up or lying down. Next appears a white BAM which becomes a circular, white water mandala, upon this is LAM which becomes a yellow earth mandala, square with three-spoked vajras at the corners and one of the corners facing you. Each of the mandalas is a manifestation of the exalted`wisdom of bliss and void.

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The four syllables are visualized to indicate that all phenomena are merely labelled, the syllable is the first letter of the name of its corresponding element. The size of the mandalas is according to the size of the mansion, if it is vast they are also vast, if it is small, they are small. The order of the elements is wind, fire, water, earth because these four are equivalent to the bases of purification. For a world system to begin there is need of a previous destruction of another world system and from the empty space a wind appears and then the other elements in turn. We may ask how is this equivalent to the evolution of a world system because in the evolution of a world system there is no fire? The answer is that there is no mistake because the atoms of fire element exist within the atoms of the other three elements, so the basis of purification is included within them. We should not think that there is no fire element within the bases of purification, it is said to be included there in the texts of the Kalachakra tantra where the evolution of the universe is explained in a different way and the fire element is included. Above the earth mandala appears a blue HUNG which becomes a multi-coloured double vajra marked at the centre by HUNG. The hub is blue, the eastern part is white, southern yellow, western red, and northern green. The HUNG sends light downwards to form the vajra ground, then laterally to create the vajra fence, then upwards to form the vajra canopy and the vajra ceiling. The entire mandala is egg-shaped and is composed of many flaming vajras, large and small, filling every space. The vajra ground, fence, canopy, and ceiling seem to be different but are in fact one unit that cannot be separated. They are so solid that they cannot be destroyed even by the strong wind that blows at the end of the aeon. Outside the mandala is a blazing wheel of fire like the fire at the end of the aeon that destroys the entire world up to the first trance. The wheel of flames turns in a clockwise direction. Shooting out in all directions is a shower of vajra arrows with five spokes that keep out all demons and interferers who are not stopped by the fire. The fire and the arrows are extremely powerful in preventing evil beings from coming near, they cannot even look at the fire and the arrows. But for beings on the white side, the fire and arrows look like beautiful rainbows. This mandala is round and its colour is blue, it is called the common protection wheel. Its size is enormous, including the entire universe from the highest level of the Form Realm (Og Min) to the lowest part of the wind mandala. Others say it goes from the Form Realm to the great golden ground. We can imagine it in whichever way is comfortable for our minds. This common protection wheel is shared by all four tantric classes. The uncommon protection wheel This occurs only within Highest Yoga Tantra. In the centre of the fence appears a yellow BHRUM which melts into light and becomes a yellow, ten-spoked wheel. The upper and lower spokes are sharp, like the tips of spears, and are like two cones joined at their bases, one pointing up and the other down. The remaining eight spokes are horizontal, four in the main directions and four in the intermediate directions. These eight are like double-edged swords and are also sharp at the tips. The yellow BHRUM symbolizes the earth element which has the quality of solidity - the wheel is very solid. The spokes go out to the vajra fence but do not touch it, and the wheel can revolve clockwise. The central cones are hollow, in the centre, slightly above

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the level of the horizontal spokes (and not touching them) are three seats, each made up of lotus, moon, and sun discs. The three parts of the cushion indicate that the deity sitting on it has perfected renunciation, bodhicitta, and the wisdom realizing emptiness. On the central cushion is your own mind in the form of a blue HUNG which melts into light and becomes Sumbharaja with three faces, central blue, right white, and left red. There are three faces but only one forehead and one neck. Each face has three eyes and the hair on the head flows skywards. He has three pairs of arms, the upper pair embrace his consort who looks similar to him. The second right hand hold a jewel and the third a hook. The second left hand holds a lotus and the third a lasso. His right leg is drawn in and his left outstretched. Concentrate for some time on yourself in this aspect of Sumbharaja. Many light rays go out in the ten directions from the point of union with your consort and from the HUNG at your heart. These invoke all the Buddhas in the aspect of the ten wrathful deities who all enter through your mouth and go down to your heart where they melt into light, becoming drops of sperm with colours corresponding to the colours of the ten wrathful deities. These go down your central channel and enter your consort through her lotus. They then go up through her central channel to her heart where they turn into ten syllables of HUNG with colours corresponding to the ten wrathful deities. These ten HUNGs transform into the ten wrathful deities who take up their usual positions at her heart (one above, one below, and eight in the eight directions). The wrathful deities then again becomes HUNGs and descend to her lotus where they leave from the point of union of male and female and take up their places on their own cushions within the protection wheel. Another way of doing this is, when the HUNGs first go to your consort's heart they remain as HUNGs, then they go down the central channel again and re-enter your central channel through the point of sexual union, go up to your heart and then they go out from your heart to their respective places in the ten directions. We do the first visualization where the ten HUNGs emerge from your consort's lotus. As they emerge, you say "HUNG" and they emerge in the aspect of the ten wrathful deities. The first wrathful deity takes his seat at the base of the eastern spoke. He is blue Yamaraja with three faces, six arms, azure/black body, embracing his similar consort. His central face is blue, right white, and left red. The first pair of arms embrace his consort, the second right hand holds a jewel, the third a vajra-hammer. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. In the south is white Aparajita, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is white, right azure, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a truncheon. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. In the west is red Hayagriva, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is red , right azure, left white. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a lotus. The second left hand holds a wheel, the third a sword. In the north is blue Amrita Kundalini, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is blue, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a vajra. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword.

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In the south-east is azure Takki-raja, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is azure, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a hook. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. In the south-west is blue Niladanda, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is blue, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a hook. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. In the north-west is blue Mahabala, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is blue, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a trident. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. In the north-east is azure Achala, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is azure, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a sword. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. Above, on a seat slightly above and before myself, is yellow-green UshnishaChakravartin, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is yellow-green, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a wheel. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. Below, on a seat below and slightly behind myself, is azure Vajra Petala, three faces, six arms, embracing his similar consort. His central face is azure, right white, left red. His second right hand holds a jewel, the third a vajra. The second left hand holds a lotus, the third a sword. All ten wrathful deities have their right legs drawn in and their left legs stretched out. The protection wheel turns, but those deities who are inside do not turn because their seats are not attached to the wheel. There are many types of protection wheel that we can visualize to stop demons and devils from causing us harm. Among them all, the protection wheel of Yamantaka is the most powerful for stopping all interferences. It is always turning in a clockwise direction. If we have specific problems or hindrances due to spirit interference, there is a special visualization that we can perform here. First, we remind ourselves of being Sumbharaja, sitting in the central axis of the wheel with the ten wrathful deities looking towards us. Now glance at the deities with "Eyes Looking in a Dominating Way" - a fierce, terrible look that gives the deities the understanding that they must bring all the devils and obstacle makers under their power and give them a hard time. The wrathful deities now emanate many wrathful aspects from their hearts which go out and bring back all the harm givers and hold them before the ten wrathful deities who now turn and look outwards at these beings. The ten deities then grab those evil beings by their feet and hold them at the level where the sharp, double-edged swords are spinning and the evil beings are sliced into pieces by the wheel.

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Each of the ten deities is abiding within a great aura of flames and whatever pieces of flesh and blood fall down are immediately consumed by the intense heat. The minds of those beings are then transferred to the pure land. All the emanations now absorb back into the hearts of the wrathful deities who now turn and face inwards again, looking at you. A second way of doing this is for you, Sumbharaja, to radiate light from your own heart which carries many wrathful emanations in all directions who bring back the evil harmgivers and the ten wrathful deities destroy them as before. In the first way the protection wheel is called the Wheel of Command because by your wrathful glance you command the ten deities to perform their deeds. This method of visualization is preferable, it is closer to the text. Another visualization that you can perform is the Blazing, Object to be Achieved. Remind yourself of being Sumbharaja with a blue HUNG at your heart. Within the curve of the shapkyu (vowel sign for "u"), is a moon disc and upon this is yourself in your ordinary aspect, or any person or persons who are in need of protection. These people must be close to you so that there is pure samaya between them and yourself, if they are not close then this visualization is inappropriate. Now you give the authority to the ten wrathful deities to perform actions with respect to the person on the moon disc. The first is the action of peace: the ten deities emanate white goddesses from their hearts who carry white vases filled with white nectar. They give initiation to the person on the moon disc within the shapkyu and that person becomes completely purified of all negativities and obscurations. Negativities here include all sicknesses and negative potentials. As a result, that person's body becomes bright and transparent. The white goddesses absorb back into the hearts of the ten deities. Action of increase: The ten deities emit yellow goddesses with yellow vases containing yellow nectar. They give initiation to the person at your heart and, as a result, he develops all positive qualities, glory, goodness, and enjoyments. The goddesses dissolve back into the heats of the ten deities. Action of power: The ten deities emit red goddesses with red vases containing more red goddesses with hooks. These goddesses hook relatives, friends, any person necessary for giving protection to the person at your heart, including gurus and anybody to help in Dharma practice, and also materials for use in one's practice and for making offerings. The goddesses absorb back into the hearts of the ten deities. Action of wrath: the ten deities emit black goddesses who give initiation to the person at your heart. He finishes all negativities, sickness, and all bad things which leave him in the form of blood and pus that is taken away by the black goddesses and they absorb back into the hearts of the ten deities. Thus we can see why the protection wheel of Yamantaka is so powerful. This visualization cannot be performed for someone who has died, it should be someone who is close to you and even someone who has asked for your help.

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After these four actions, the person at your heart becomes very bright and special. In some texts it says that this person may be visualized within the "o" of the HUNG and you recite mantras visualizing purifying nectars removing his problems. In reality, the ten wrathful deities are the ten types of consciousness of a Buddha Superior. These are: 1 Knowledge of phenomena. 2 Subsequent knowledge. 3-6 Knowledges of the four noble truths. 7 Knowledge of conventional truth. 8 Knowledge of others' minds. 9 Knowledge of exhaustion. 10 Knowledge of non-growth. Each of these knowledges is the same in the sense that they are omniscient mind of a Buddha Superior. The reason why we meditate on the protection wheel is to be free from hindrances and calamities while practising the Yamantaka yoga method. It is particularly important for beginners to meditate on this uncommon protection wheel in order to free ourselves from hindrances. 1B2 Taking the intermediate state as the path to Sambhogakaya Construction of the mansion You are Sumbharaja standing in union with your consort and experiencing great desire. You now transform into Vajrasattva, white, three faces, six arms. Holding divine pride, you are in union with your consort through desire and, because of the bliss you experience, you transform into a reality source which is, in fact, the entity of the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. The outside of the reality source is white, the inside is red, and the apex goes down into the lower cone of the protection wheel. At this lowest point appears PAM which transforms into a variegated lotus, the root and stem arising from the lower part and the flower opening at the level of the upper surface of the reality source. The petals are different colours that do not necessarily correspond to the colours of the directions. There may be 16, 32, or 64 petals. If you are painting this lotus, each petal is white at the edge and different colours inside. Between the petals it is red, this shows its connection with the reality source which is also white outside and red inside. In the centre of the lotus is a blue HUNG which transforms into a multi-coloured double vajra whose heads are in the four directions and take the colours of their corresponding directions. East is white, south is yellow, west is red, north is green, and the hub is blue. In the middle of the hub is a white BHRUM which radiates rays of light, each carrying tiny Buddha Vairocanas going out and absorbing back several times. Finally they all absorb back into the BHRUM which then transforms into a white wheel with eight spokes. This special wheel has a handle beneath, made of a half vajra with five spokes. At the hub of this wheel (which is horizontal) is another BHRUM which transforms into Buddha Vairocana, white, three faces and six arms. The central face is white, right azure,

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and left red. The first pair of arms embraces his similar consort, in his second right hand is a wheel, in the third a sword. The second left hand holds a jewel, the third a lotus. (Usually the dimensions of the mansion are given here but Geshe cannot do this. There are many small details about the ceiling, pillars, beams, and so on which all must be very exact. It is good to look at paintings of the mandala or read the description in the Guhyasamaja tantra). Buddha Vairocana now transforms into the celestial mansion which has four doors, in front of each is a porch where there are eleven objects. The mansion is so large that one needs a ladder to climb up to the porches in the space between the heads of the double vajra. All features of the mandala take the colour of their corresponding direction. The white things of the mansion are composed of tiny wheels, the yellow are composed of tiny jewels, the red are composed of tiny lotuses, the green are composed of tiny swords, and the blue are composed of tiny vajras. These tiny particles are not to be regarded as solid matter, they are the nature of the five exalted wisdoms. Question Isn't it a mistake to not clearly know all the dimensions of the mansion? Answer It is good to know them, but if we do not there is no big mistake because in the following meditations the main thing is to visualize the house and then concentrate on the subjects who are inside the house. The foundation for the mansion - the variegated lotus and the double vajra - are inside the reality source which, itself, is inside the uncommon protection wheel. There are reasons for the transformations of seed syllables into other objects - Buddha Vairocana, the mansion, and so on. We should not think that the process can be simplified by leaving out any of these stages. The reality source comes from Vajrasattva because it stands for the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and this wisdom is the definitive Vajrasattva. The white colour of the outside of the reality source shows the purity of the natural stain, and the red inside stands for great bliss, and it also indicates the female lotus. The three edges of the reality source indicate the three doors of liberation: 1 The entity of things is empty of true existence. 2 The causes of things have no sign of true existence. 3 Results arising from causes are not to be aspired for on the basis of having true existence. For example, the entities of the basis, path, and result are empty of true existence. This means that all phenomena included within the three bases are empty of true existence the three bodies of the base, the three bodies of the path, and the three bodies of the result all have an entity that is empty of true existence. Likewise, none of these phenomena has a cause that has the sign of true existence, and there is no truly existing result to be aspired for within the basis, path, or result. The reality source standing with its apex downwards and its base above symbolizes the way in which our knowledge develops - from small to great. Thus we have seen that the

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reality source is the nature of exalted wisdom of bliss and void and everything built upon the basis of the reality source is also this wisdom. This includes the variegated lotus, the double vajra, and all the supporting and supported phenomena of the mansion. A second way to look at it is, by meditating on the reality source symbolizing the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, we come to attain all the results of the base and of the path. The main thing that is implied by this process of things arising from the reality source, the foundation and so on, is that the two stages are generated upon the basis of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The two stages are the unified stage of the learners' level and the unified stage of the non-learners' level. Or, this evolution can indicate that all splendid things of a Buddha's realm, the Buddha's deeds, the enjoyments, the high knowledge, all result from exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Also it can indicate that once, when Buddha taught the root tantra, he did so by emanating a reality source in the shape of the female lotus and gave the teaching from there. Another interpretation is that the evolution of the reality source symbolizes that the lotus grows from mud but is never dirtied by it and, in the same way, all the supporting and supported mandalas are not sullied by the faults of samsara. The exalted wisdom of bliss and void is attained by utilizing attachment as a path, but although it has arisen from attachment it is not stained by it, in fact, it eliminates the fault of attachment. If we visualize the lotus having 64 petals it symbolizes the navel chakra, 32 petals symbolize the crown chakra. The exalted wisdom of bliss and void is one thing but it can be differentiated into the five exalted wisdoms that are symbolized by the five colours of the double vajra on top of the lotus. The double vajra may be visualized with 12 horns, symbolizing that a Buddha has completely severed the chain of the 12 links. If you visualize the double vajra with 20 horns it symbolizes that Buddha has eliminated the 20 types of transitory view - the intellectual obscurations to be abandoned, jig.ta. There are four transitory views associated with each of the five aggregates. For example, the aggregate of form has the transitory view of form as self, the view that such self has form, the view that the form is a support for self, the view that self is supported by that form. The mansion built upon the double vajra shows that the entire mansion arises as a result from Buddha's consciousness - because the double vajra is the five exalted wisdoms of a Buddha's consciousness. Buddha Vairocana appears as the beginning of the mansion because he is the deity symbolizing the purity of the form aggregate, and the mansion is the purified form aggregate. The four sides of the mansion represent the purification of the four noble truths (translator is not sure). The four corners show that the Buddha and an ordinary person are equal at the ultimate level because there is no difference in the entity of the emptiness of the mind of a sentient being and the emptiness of the mind of a Buddha. The four doors indicate the four groups included within the thirty-seven aides to enlightenment: the four correct abandonments, the four magical legs, the four essential recollections, and the five powers. The four moldings above the doors, which have eleven features, show the four types of dhyana. Around the outside of the mansion is a ledge for the offering goddesses, each of whom represents a quality of Buddha. The knowledges symbolized within the mansion

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are not the knowledges possessed by Bodhisattvas, they are only the knowledges possessed by Buddhas. There are many small jewelled objects on each door, symbolizing that a Buddha fulfils the wishes of all sentient beings. Beside the mansion are pendants with bells making the sound of Dharma, symbolizing the Buddha giving teachings. In the spaces between the ornaments are strands of jewels, half nets and full nets. These stand for the seven branches of enlightenment. A rosary runs all around the mansion, symbolizing that tantric teaching is given there without discontinuity. Everything that we have mentioned, including the deities inside the mansion and the cemeteries outside and the beings in the cemeteries, has arisen from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The eight cemeteries Outside the vajra fence and the mountain of fire are the eight charnel grounds, such as Extremely Fierce One, with eight trees such as the Nagakesara, at the bases of which are the eight direction protectors. The sanskrit "shasana" means cemetery or charnel ground, a place where corpses are put out. These are also places where zombies walk, where corpses are hung from trees, are lying on the ground, and are seen impaled from anus to head by sticks. The charnel grounds are in the eight directions: East: Extremely Fierce, with the Nagakesa tree, South: Skeleton, with the Mother tree, West: Blazing Vajra, with the Water tree, North: Billowing Smoke, with the Ashuta tree, North-east: Laughing Ha Ha, with the Naruta tree, South-east: Extremely Dark, with the Panya tree, South-west: Guardian of Auspiciousness, with the Buddha tree, North-west: Sound of Kli Kli, with the Anzunati tree. The eight direction protectors abide at the base of each tree: East: Indra, white, or sometimes yellow, riding on a white elephant, one face, four arms, embracing his consort. The upper pair of hands have their palms together, the second pair hold a vajra and skullcup and embrace his consort. South: Blue Yamaraja, riding a buffalo, one face, four arms. The first pair of hands are together, the second pair hold a vajra club and a skull cup and embrace his consort. (The remaining direction protectors all have one face and four arms, the only difference is the implement held in the second right hand). West: Sita Baruna Deva, with seven snakes behind his head like Nagarjuna, riding a crocodile, holds a lasso. North: Yellow Yaksha, riding a human being, holds a mongoose vomiting jewels. North-east: Mahadeva, white, riding an ox, holds a trident. South-east: Agnedeva, red, riding a goat, holds a mala and a Brahmin vase. South-west: Blue Cannibal, riding a zombie, has an ornament of human skulls on his head, holds a sword. North-west: Bayudeva, smoke-coloured, riding a deer, holds a yellow flag.

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Direction protectors are of two types - those having the nature of wisdom and those belonging to the white side. The ones in the charnel grounds are those having the nature of wisdom. All phenomena within the charnel grounds, the deities, the corpses, the trees, everything is of the nature of exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The direction protectors who were invoked and offered the preliminary torma are those direction protectors belonging to the white side. We offer the later torma to the direction protectors abiding within the charnel grounds. The eight field protectors These are fierce deities who abide at the crowns of the trees. The lower parts of their bodies are within the foliage and the upper parts protrude from the foliage. Their faces correspond to the animals ridden by the direction protectors at the bases of their trees. They all hold a torma in their right hands and a skull cup in their left. They all have one face; in the east is Elephant Face, the south is black Buffalo Face, the west is white Crocodile Face, the north is yellow Human Face, the north-east is white Ox Face, the south-east is red Goat Face, the south-west is black Zombie Face, and the north-west is green Antelope Face. The eight lakes These do not have specific names. Abiding in the lakes are eight nagas: East: No.gya" Karpo, white with a head ornament of several snakes above which is an utpala flower. South: Pema Karpo, who has a white dot on his forehead. West: Karkuta, red with three lines on his neck. North: Chapo Marpo, red and decorated with the sign of eternality on his forehead. North-east: Pema Chenpo, white, holding a trident and with snakes above his head like Nagarjuna. South-east: Tunkyon, yellow, decorated with snakes heads on top of which is a white tigli. South-west: Reshnon, white, decorated with snakes heads on which is a crescent moon. North-west: Thaye, multi-coloured, decorated with lotuses on his head. The upper parts of all the bodies of these nagas are in human aspect and the lower parts of their bodies are like snakes. Their hands are together at their hearts and holding jewels between the palms as offerings to the main deity of the mandala. The order of the nagas here is according to Kunye Jedang Shepa. The Eight clouds and eight mountains East has cloud Soundmaker and the jewelled Mt Lhunpo. South has cloud Fluctuating and yellow Mt Malaya. West has cloud Wrathful and white Mt Kailash. North has cloud Great Soundmaker and green Mt Mandara. North-east has cloud Very Stable and black Mt Ongden. South-east has cloud Full One and yellow Mt Bonyeden.

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South-west has cloud Rainmaker and blue Mt Balgire. North-west has cloud Fierce One and white Mt Kangcha"n. The clouds are above the eight nagas, they have different qualities such as making the sound of thunder, quiet and very loud, lightning, wrath, deluge, and so on. On each mountain is a white enlightenment stupa, a wisdom fire, and a great yogi. The yogis are all naked, with hair hanging down their bodies and are wearing the six bone ornaments. They hold various implements in their hands, skull cups, damarus, khatvangas, and so on. The eight ascetics are paying their respect to the main deity of the mandala, saying words like "Ha Ha, Hi Hi." They are active, some are entering the charnel grounds, others are leaving, and so on. At the bases of the mountains are various objects such as frightful skeletons, corpses, zombies, corpses hanging from trees, and corpses impaled on sticks. Some corpses are being burned, others are being eaten by vultures who are circling in the sky and by wild animals such as lions, tigers, and hyenas tearing the flesh off the corpses. There are many dangerous animals in the mountains, such as snakes with heads like cows, elephants, and so on. There are zombies (rolang), yakshas, elves, and other fierce spirits walking around and making frightening sounds, some are running, others are standing still, sitting, or crawling. General symbolism of the cemeteries All the bodies and possessions that have been left in the charnel grounds have been completely abandoned, they have no owner. This state of not being possessed by anyone symbolizes selflessness; the skeletons indicate impermanence. The dangerous animals show that our minds wish to leave samsara. The lakes indicate that our practice must be moistened (sustained) by bodhicitta. The eight nagas holding jewels show that after generating bodhicitta we have to engage in the practices of all Buddha's sons by using the four means of gathering disciples. The wisdom fires show that the wisdom realizing emptiness burns the root of samsara. The stupas symbolize the final attainment of the holy body, speech, and mind of Buddha. The eight yogis show that by following the practices to achieve the holy body, speech, and mind we will attain that result. Secret symbolism of the cemeteries The trees symbolize one's central channel at the completion stage practice. The direction protectors at their bases symbolize the downward flowing energy wind, the field protectors at the tops show the life-force energy wind. The mountains indicate that the wisdom realizing emptiness makes us to never be shaken by the conceptions of true existence or any other superstition. The fire on the mountains shows the heat of tumo. The clouds show the white and red drops. The eight groups of eight things show the eight types of bliss arising as a result of the downward and upward flowing of the energy winds during the completion stage meditation when the fire at the navel blazes and the heat rises and melts the bodhicitta drop at the crown. This flows downwards giving rise to the four descending blisses and then rises again from the lower chakra to give rise to the four ascending blisses. The unshakeable mountains also show the path beginning from the meaning clear light up to the final state of unification of the non-learners' stage. The general symbolism does

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not directly show the completion stage, that is shown by the secret, or uncommon, symbolism. The objects of meditation of the mandala come at each of the three times, the time of the base, the time of the path, and the time of the result. Thus the visualization of the mandala and all of its parts is very profound, right from the beginning where the evolution of the mandalas of the four elements is like the evolution of the universe. This very stable foundation of the mansion is equivalent to the objects of meditation at the time of the base. The same mansion with its firm foundation is an object to be meditated upon at the time of the path because there is a house for the impure and the pure illusory bodies taken on the completion stage. The impure illusory body is a body taken while one has not abandoned the obscurations to liberation; the pure illusory body is taken when these obscurations are abandoned. These bodies are made of light, they are not physical and cannot be seen by ordinary persons, still, they are at the stage of learning, not at the level of Buddhahood. At the resultant time the mansion is the object of meditation because it is the place where you will reside when you attain enlightenment. The result of meditating on the entire mandala is to destroy the cause for rebirth in an impure environment. In relation to the path, meditating on the mandala creates the cause to have such a mansion to live in when we attain the illusory body in the future. In brief, the purpose of meditating on the mansion is to eliminate the causes for us to be reborn in impure environments in the future and to create the cause to have such a mansion and environment when we have the realizations of the completion stage. We should remember that, from the beginning to the end, the entire mandala is always made of exalted wisdom of bliss and void, there is not one particle of matter. When we visualize the mansion as this wisdom, this is taking the result as the path. The house will come in the future but now we use it as the path. Question Light is included in matter, so why is the mansion "in the nature of light." Answer Light is matter but the light here is not ordinary light, it is the wisdom of bliss and void. We do talk about the shape and colour of the mansion and these are qualities of form, but in fact we should not feel that the mansion is form, the colours and shapes are not ordinary colours and shapes. It is similar to the way the Cittamatrins assert things to be, they say that everything is completely the essence of mind, nothing exists as external atoms of form. We also say that the Buddha realms do not have form, they are all "light" coming from the Buddha's exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Question How do the Arya Bodhisattvas perceive the Sambhogakaya aspect of the Buddha in the pure realm? Answer They see the Sambhogakaya aspect with both their visual and their mental consciousnesses. The visual consciousness does not have to have form as its object. Even Buddha Shakyamuni had an aura of light that could be seen by our visual consciousness and this was not particulate form. The Cittamatrins accept that the visual consciousness sees forms and colours but they do not say that these objects of visual consciousness have to be composed of atoms. This

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tantric commentary is according to the Madhyamika Prasangika school, but the way they talk about light is close to the Cittamatrin's explanation. In the commentary it says that Yamantaka's mansion cannot have any dimensions or measurements because it comes from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and consciousness cannot be measured. According to individual yogis, however, even though there can be no measurement in general, for them there can be shape according to what is comfortable for their mental capacity. Inside the mansion From a blue YAM comes a blue wind mandala on top of which is an A which melts into light and becomes a white moon disc. Hold divine pride of being the moon disc for a while and then, like a bubble arising out of water, you appear as a yellow DHIH that is the nature of Manjushri's knowledge. Again hold divine pride of being the DHIH for some time and then the DHIH turns into a blue double-edged sword with a golden halfvajra marked by DHIH as its handle. The sword, standing upright on the moon disc, radiates much light in the ten directions invoking the Buddhas from their abodes in the aspect of Manjushri, their left hands holding a text and their right hands holding one of the implements of the five Dhyani Buddhas. Their colours correspond to the colour of the Dhyani Buddha whose implement they hold. All the Buddhas in these five aspects of Manjushri absorb into the DHIH on the handle of the sword. You can also visualize that they are invoked in the aspect of the causal vajra holder, Manjushri, this is the preparation for you to become the causal vajra holder in the future. Manjushri is yellow with a youthful aspect, one face and two arms. In his right hand is a blazing sword, in his left hand is a text at the level of his shoulder. If you are studying a particular subject you can visualize that this text is on that subject and imagine that you receive particular teachings on that subject from Manjushri, this will help your studies. The face is slightly wrathful with one wrinkle at the forehead. He is wearing robes and has the eighty minor and thirty-two major marks. His hair is tied back in a knot and there is a piece of wood with a small vajra on it to hold his hair in place. This causes the hair to have five knots. He is wearing eight ornaments on his head, neck, arms, ankles, wrists, and waist, including a long rosary from his neck to his knees. This Manjushri is established from the most subtle wind and most subtle mind, so subtle that he cannot be seen by ordinary beings, only by highly realized beings. This aspect is made out of the light of the mere energy wind and subtle mind. It radiates light of five colours. Hold the divine pride of being Manjushri for some time. Meditating on yourself as being the causal vajra holder at this point is equivalent to meditating on the basis, path, and result. Question What does meditating on the basis mean? Answer The basis refers to the things that come to ordinary people - ordinary death, intermediate state, and rebirth. These happen to ordinary people under the control of karma and afflictions. Death is the base-body of the Dharmakaya, bardo is the base-body of the Sambhogakaya, and rebirth is the base-body of the Nirmanakaya. These are the bases because they are the bases to be transformed into the path and into the actual result.

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Meditation on the path refers to the meditations on the generation and completion stages. We have already discussed how we come to hold the divine pride of the Dharmakaya after experiencing the death clear light, and now we are at the point of holding the divine pride of the Sambhogakaya. Finally we will arrive at the point of holding the divine pride of the Nirmanakaya, thinking that we have become the real Yamantaka, and these are the three bodies of the path. Even though during the generation stage we meditate on stopping the death clear light and attaining the divine pride of the Dharmakaya, in fact, ordinary death under the control of karma and affliction still exists. Our meditation creates the imprint to actually stop the clear light of death when we come to the completion stage practice, meditating on the channels and attaining the example clear light, the experience of simultaneous bliss with the experience of emptiness through a mental image. After some time we will come to realize emptiness directly and this will be the moment of attaining the meaning clear light. When a person attains the example clear light he eliminates ordinary death under the control of karma and affliction. So, meditating on the base by imagining that we have attained the Dharmakaya helps to attain both the path realizations and the resultant realizations at the level of Buddhahood. When performing the yoga of taking the bardo as the path to the Sambhogakaya we need strong imagination that we have actually attained the Sambhogakaya. The intermediate state under the power of karma and affliction has not been actually stopped, but we imagine we have done so. The syllable A transforming into the moon disc is equivalent to the base of entering the intermediate state, it is like the subtle wind and mind being the substantial causes for the bardo being. For the path it is equivalent to the mind attaining the example and the meaning clear lights. After attaining the example clear light we have the impure illusory body. This step of the A becoming the moon disc is also equivalent to the subtle wind and mind which are the nature of the meaning clear light existing at the final learners' level where one is about to become a non-learner. The DHIH appearing on the moon disc at the level of the base is equivalent to the speech of the bardo being. In relation to the path, it is the speech of the impure and the pure illusory bodies. In relation to the result, it is equivalent to the speech of the Sambhogakaya. In relation to the base, the DHIH becoming a sword is equivalent to the mind of the bardo being. In relation to the path it is equivalent to the minds of the two bodies at the level of the path, and according to the result it is equivalent to the holy mind of the Sambhogakaya. In relation to the base, the sword emanating light rays and absorbing back all the Buddhas in the aspect of Manjushri is equivalent to the hallucinations appearing to the bardo being which appear and then disappear into himself. In relation to the path it is equivalent to the various activities performed by the impure and pure illusory bodies, after which their performances absorb back into them. In relation to the result it is equivalent to the deeds performed by the Sambhogakaya. In relation to the base, the sword transforming into Manjushri is equivalent to the instantaneous arising of the body, speech, and mind of the bardo being immediately after the cessation of the death clear light. In relation to the path it is the impure illusory body

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arising from the example clear light and the pure illusory arising from the meaning clear light. In relation to the result it is equivalent to the Sambhogakaya arising after the final learners' level of the meaning clear light. Visualizing the sun disc at Manjushri's heart has a relation to the path and the result, but not to the base. According to the path, it is equivalent to the example and the meaning clear lights. According to the result it is equivalent to the holy mind of the Sambhogakaya. In the text it says "meditate on the sun disc which burns away all conceptions and superstitions." This means that already at the learning level when we come to the example and the meaning clear lights we burn up the superstitions - because those two clear lights are the realization of emptiness, first by a meaning generality and then by direct perception. When we attain the Sambhogakaya there is a meaning clear light at this level and all the conceptions and superstitions are totally abandoned. It is like the sun eliminates the present darkness, it has eliminated the past darkness, and it will prevent future darkness. This means that the meaning clear light of the Buddha's Sambhogakaya has eliminated the darkness of conceptualization, the meaning clear light of the pure illusory body and the example clear light of the impure illusory body are currently eliminating (they are in the process of eliminating) conceptualizations. Thus the yoga of taking the intermediate state as the path to the Sambhogakaya involves different meanings in relation to the base, path, and result. This meditation on Manjushri eliminates the base - the intermediate state coming from karma and affliction - and it leads to the attainment of the path level of the example and meaning clear lights; then it leads to the attainment of the result, the Sambhogakaya. While using this technique of taking the result (Sambhogakaya) as the path, we should not have double imagination, that is, thinking "I am just imagining that I have attained the Sambhogakaya." You must feel without any doubt that you are the Sambhogakaya. Usually we talk about the bardo existence following the death existence and so far we have taken death as the path to the Dharmakaya which was done on the basis of the death existence, and taking the aspect of the causal vajra holder was done on he basis of the bardo existence. We may now have the doubt: "These two yogas cannot be equivalent to the ordinary death and bardo existences because they are so complicated, it takes so much time to visualize the mansion and so on, but the ordinary end of the death existence and the beginning of the bardo existence takes place in one moment." The answer to this doubt is that it is true that the bardo existence begins immediately after the death existence but still the dying being has to go through the process of finding the place for its bardo rebirth and therefore there is no mistake in meditating on the mandala because it is the equivalent of the dead person experiencing the transition from the death existence to the bardo existence where he has to find a place to be reborn. Just as there are three kayas at the base level, there are also the three kayas at the level of the path, but these are still not the real Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, or Nirmanakaya. Attaining the example clear light on the completion stage is like taking the Dharmakaya at the path level. Taking the impure and pure illusory bodies on the completion stage is

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like taking the Sambhogakaya at the path level. The illusory bodies re-entering their old bodies is like taking the Nirmanakaya at the path level. When going through the three kayas we do so by changing our mental intention. At first we contemplate the divine pride of being the Dharmakaya, then we should think, "If I remain in this state, the Arya Bodhisattvas will not be able to see me, but if I take the Sambhogakaya this will benefit them." So you appear as Manjushri, the Sambhogakaya. Then, after holding the divine pride of the Sambhogakaya, you think, "Only a few high beings can see me, If I take the Nirmanakaya many ordinary beings will see me and I can help them." And so you take the Nirmanakaya.

Taking rebirth as the path to the Nirmanakaya Having held the divine pride of being the Sambhogakaya, make the intention to take a form visible to ordinary beings. At your heart appears a red AH which transforms into a sun disc which radiates rays of exalted wisdom of bliss and void in the ten directions. These invoke all the Buddhas in the aspects of the 49 deities, or as the five types of Manjushri, or in the aspect of Manjushri the same as yourself. All the Buddhas, in whichever aspect you choose, absorb into the sun disc. You also melt into light from the top to the bottom and dissolve into the sun disc, beneath which is a moon disc. The sun mandala now radiates light rays as hot as the fire at the end of the aeon and these burn all obscurations, hindrances, and evil beings. Hold the divine pride of being this sun mandala. Now an azure-black HUNG, the nature of the five exalted wisdoms, appears on the sun disc, resonating with a terrifying sound. This HUNG sends five-coloured lights rays out in the ten directions which invoke all the Buddhas in the aspects of the 49 resultant deities or in the aspect of the resultant vajra holder Yamantaka. They all sink into the HUNG which now transforms into a black, wrathful, nine-spoked vajra, so huge that it reaches up to the land of Brahma. The vajra is marked by a HUNG at its centre and it resonates with an even more terrifying sound. The wrathful vajra now radiates light rays in the ten directions, on the tips of the rays are countless tiny wrathful vajras that destroy any beings who were not able to be subdued by the peaceful manner. Their bodies are destroyed and their consciousnesses sent to the pure realm. These vajras of different sizes now transform into the 49 deities, different aspects of Yamantaka with and without consorts, and implements filling all of space. The Yamantakas enter into union with their consorts above the heads of all beings and send down drops of bodhicitta that purify their negativities and they attain the state of Yamantaka. The solitary Yamantakas send purifying rays of light from their hearts which strike sentient beings and purify their negativities, they then attain the state of Yamantaka. Now all the emanated beings, light rays, implements, and all the beings who have been transformed into Yamantaka absorb into the black vajra. The vajra, moon, and sun now transform into seats of a variegated lotus, moon, and sun upon which you are standing as the resultant vajra holder Yamantaka with a blue-black body, 9 faces, 34 arms, and 16 legs with your right legs drawn in and your left outstretched. You are the unity of the wisdom, concentration, and symbolic beings; you have generated yourself as Yamantaka through evolution as compared to the earlier instantaneous generation.

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The 49 Deities are: 5 Buddhas: Vajra Ignorance, Vajra Miserliness, Vajra Attachment, Vajra Jealousy, and Yamantaka himself. 32 Bodhisattvas: Sharp Vajra, Sword, Love, Jampel, Exalted Wisdom Body, Speech Body, Moon Beam, Treasury of Exalted Wisdom, Diversity, Yaksha, Fist, Dharma, Mentioned One, Sharp One, Gyu, Light of (?), Low One, "Mind-Blowing" (sempel), King, Attachment, Goodness, Precious, Sunshine, Glory, Accepting, Elephant of Po, Exalted Wisdom Top, All, Walking by Means, Ocean of Intelligence, Inexhaustible Intelligence, Light of Nectar. 8 Wrathful Deities: Vajra Hook, Noose, Iron Chain, Bell, Nose, Ushnisha, Action of HUNG, Undefeated by Demons. 4 Female Bodhisattvas: Vajra Mind, Vajra Dharma, Precious Jewel, Karma Vajra. These 49 Deities are all beings abiding within Yamantaka's mandala; they are Buddhas manifesting in various aspects. Generation through evolution has five steps: 1 2 3 4 5 White moon disc with the entity of mirror-like exalted wisdom. Sun disc with the entity of exalted wisdom of equality. Azure HUNG with the entity of exalted wisdom of discrimination Black vajra with entity of exalted wisdom of accomplishment. The moon, sun, and vajra become Yamantaka and, as a result, we attain the wisdom of the Dharmadhatu.

Some commentaries count the third and fourth steps as one and add the step of the deeds performed by the numerous vajras radiating out from the central vajra. In this case, the step is the wisdom of accomplishment and is called the "Step of Enlightening in an Instant." The five steps shown above are from the root tantra of Guhyasamaja, the second way is from the root tantra of the "Kissing State." Both have been used by many great yogis and both are complete, they are the same path. There are five ways of taming beings during the two occasions when you are the causal and the resultant vajra holders: 1 For sentient beings who are ripe to be subdued in a peaceful way you do so in the aspect of the causal vajra holder Manjushri. 2 You subdue those with some small evil and are unable to be subdued in a peaceful manner by becoming the sun disc filling space with the heat of exalted wisdom of bliss and void which intoxicates their minds and they become Yamantaka. 3 You subdue those with great evil by taking the aspect of the azure HUNG emitting a horrifying sound.

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4 You subdue extremely evil beings as the black wrathful vajra radiating countless different sized vajras that destroy their bodies and they attain the state of Yamantaka in the pure realms. 5 You subdue the extremely extremely evil beings by taking the form of Yamantaka himself with 9 faces and 34 arms. You must have a clear image of yourself as Yamantaka. Your azure-black body is as big as a mountain, or whatever size is comfortable for your mind. The root face and the three on the right and three on the left all share a single neck and a single scalp. The six lateral heads are like bubbles on the root head. The cannibal face above the root face is red and has its own neck arising from the back of the root head. Above that is a yellow head of Manjushri with its own neck. According to different translations, there are different ways of visualizing the faces. Lama Tsong Khapa researched these and found that Lalita Vajra received instructions on these from Yamantaka's consort. The thirty-four arms are arranged in two groups of eight on each side, eight in front and eight behind, and a pair at the top. The eight legs on the right are drawn in and the eight on the left are stretched out, the gap between the feet is five hand-spans. The feet press down on Indra and Brahma who are said to be the two most powerful beings in the world. So, if the two most powerful beings are subdued there is no need to mention the lesser deities. This shows that Yamantaka has overcome all beings in the world - he is able to devour the three realms. The root buffalo face emits the laugh of threat "HA HA," the laugh of happiness "HEH HEH," the laugh of pride "HI HI," and the laugh outshining all others "HO HO." All eight syllables are the laugh of the Hero. These ways of laughing were introduced by Nagpo, the Black Saint. Thus the head has eight wrathful faces and one peaceful face. Each of the eight tongues moves fast, like lightning, darting in and out between fangs that are white as snow. There are wrinkles of wrath between the base of the nose and the forehead. His eyes and eyebrows move like the fire at the end of the aeon, his yellow-brown hair stands up. The left hands are in the mudra of threat, threatening all the worldly demons, obstacle makers, and other evil ones. The right hands are also all in the mudra of threat and are turned slightly upwards, whereas the left hands are turned slightly downwards. The right hands facing upwards is a demand to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that they quickly give siddhis to sentient beings, the left hands threaten worldly beings so that they will stop harmful actions towards practitioners. With these threatening mudras, Yamantaka shouts "PHEM." Some scholars say that all eight wrathful faces say it, but this text says that only the root face utters "PHEM." It is so loud, like a thousand dragon thunders, and is shouted to call the dakinis. "PHEM KARA" shows that all dakas are under his power. He devours human blood, fat, marrow, and lymph signifying that he destroys all evil beings. Each wrathful face has a bone wheel of eight spokes and each head is adorned with five human skulls. On the crown of each skull is an emblem of a Dhyani Buddha, in the mouths of the skulls are strands of bone hanging down and shaking as he moves his heads. There is a garland of fifty fresh human heads threaded on human entrails tied to their hair, the rosary goes down to the level of his thighs. A kasha - an ornament of

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snakes makes a cross over his shoulders. He has the six bone ornaments as well as the kerag belt and skirt and the chest ornament. The eight-spoked wheel on the root face is in front of the cannibal face, that on the cannibal face is in front of the Manjushri face. The ear ornaments of the root face circle each ear, the ear ornaments of the remaining wrathful faces hang in the usual fashion. The stomach is large and round because of wrath. He has no need of clothes because he wears the real clothes of shame and consideration for others. He stands naked with his organ erect. His eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and body hair all bristle and emit flames of fire. The faces In the Heruka root tantra the Yamantaka face is angry and fierce but not the same as here. There are different intensities of wrath, the Wrath of the Sage is anger, like that of Heruka or the deity Geba Dorje. The Wrath of a Yaksha is like that of Mahakala, thick muscles and very angry. The Wrath of a Cannibal and the Wrath of Yamaraja show extreme wrath with wrinkles on the face - this is the wrath of the root face of Yamantaka. He has two blue horns with sharp points blazing with fire. The red cannibal face has blood dripping from its mouth. This face represents all-knowingness and the blood symbolizes that he gives teachings to all beings. The yellow Manjushri face is slightly wrinkled with wrath and adorned with a youthful ornament - a crown with five flowers between the emblems. The first right face is yellow, second azure, and third red. The first left face is smoke-coloured, second white, and third black. Hand implements The first pair of hands, which are on their own, hold an elephant skin by the rear and fore-legs, skin outside and flesh inside. On the right, the hands in the front group hold: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Curved knife with a five-spoked vajra handle, Feathered pointer with a round top and five peacock feathers, Wooden pestle, Fish knife, squiggle-shaped and made of glass, Harpoon, short and with a cord of animal entrails, Axe with a half vajra as handle, Spear, long. Arrow.

The hands in the back group hold, from above down: 9 Iron hook with a log handle, 10 Skull club with a vajra handle, 11 Khatvanga with single spoked vajra as handle and on top is a yellow vase, then a double vajra with blue hub and horns in the colours of the four directions, on top of that is a human head dripping with blood, above that an old red human head, and above that a white human skull upon which

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12 13 14 15 16

stands a black vajra. The bottom of the vase is adorned with jewelled strands, Wheel with sharp-edged, pointed spokes but no rim, the handle is a half-vajra, Five-spoked Vajra made of gold, Vajra hammer, Sword with a vajra handle, Damaru made from two human skull-caps.

On the left, the hands in the front group hold: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Skull-cup full of blood, Head of Brahma, yellow and with four faces, Shield shaped like a hat, Human leg, Lasso with a vajra at each end, Bow made from two horns, Human entrails twisted together, Bell.

The hands in the back group hold, from above down: 9 Human hand cut off at the wrist, 10 Shroud, 11 Man impaled on a stick running from anus to head, the man is still alive, 12 Brazier, triangular and burning (as in the inner offering), 13 Scalp, 14 Hand in threatening mudra, 15 Trident with flags, 16 Fan made from a stick and cloth streamers. All the hands are stained with fresh blood, the nails are sharp and pointed. The feet On the right the eight feet tread upon, in order, a man, a buffalo, an ox, a donkey, a camel, a dog, a sheep, and a fox. The animals are lying on their stomachs with their heads facing outwards. On the left the eight feet tread upon, in order, a vulture, an owl, a crow, a parrot, a hawk, an eagle, a mynah, and a swan. Lying on their stomachs beneath the animals on the right are Brahma, yellow and with four heads, Indra, yellow or white, Vishnu, black, and Rudra, blue.

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Lying on their stomachs beneath the birds on the left are Six-faced Kumara, youthful, red, all faces in the horizontal plane, Ganesh, white, Chandra, the white moon god, and Suria the red sun god. These are the eight proud worldly gods. Have the divine pride of being Yamantaka in this aspect. If it is too difficult to visualize everything, do it slowly. At the beginning just meditate on the yoga of taking the bardo as the path to the Sambhogakaya and when you come to this visualization remember the thanka and think that you have taken this aspect. Slowly start to visualize all the implements. Meditating on yourself as Yamantaka is the samaya (pledge) being, yellow Manjushri at your heart is the wisdom being. In the Guhyasamaja root tantra the wisdom being is red, in the Heruka tantra it is blue, in some other tantras it is white, and here it is yellow. In the centre of Yamantaka's heart is yellow Manjushri upon a white moon disc. He is the aspect of our own subtle wind and mind. At his heart is a sun disc upon which is a blue HUNG radiating light of five colours. Focus upon this for some time, it is the concentration being. When we meditate upon this stack of the three beings we eliminate the stains of the three beings at the base level. This means that we are trying to meditate on the three beings at the path level, in the future we will actually attain them at the path level and through them we will attain the three beings of the resultant level. So we finish the stains of the three beings at the base level, we attain the three beings at the path level, and through them we attain the three beings at the resultant level. At the level of the base our gross body is the samaya being, our subtle wind is the wisdom being, and our subtle mind the concentration being. At the level of the path the old body of the possessor of the two illusory bodies is the samaya being, the illusory bodies are the wisdom being, and the example and meaning clear lights are the concentration being. At the resultant level the emanation body is the samaya being, the pure illusory body which makes the final non-learning level of unification is the wisdom being, and the clear light which is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void at the final stage of non-learner's unification is the concentration being. The samaya being is so called because it serves as the basis (or pledge) to radiate out wisdom beings and absorb them back. "Samaya" is the pledge upon which things happen, "being" because it intends to work for all beings. The wisdom being is called wisdom because it is the manifestation of the exalted wisdom of inseparable bliss and void appearing in the aspect of the deity, it has the nature of exalted wisdom. The concentration being is called concentration because one concentrates singlepointedly on the object HUNG at the heart. Symbolism of the Resultant Vajra Holder 1 At the level of the base White moon disc at Manjushri's heart = the bodhicitta drop from the father.

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Red sun disc = the red bodhicitta drop from the mother. Sun disc radiating light invoking Bodhisattvas, wrathful deities, and all these absorbing into the sun = consciousness of the bardo being entering the fertilized egg of the rebirth existence. Sun disc vast and hot = first developmental stage of the embryo. HUNG on sun disc = foetus having the potential to talk in the future. Multiple vajras radiating and wrathful deities absorbing back into the vajra = foetus growing bigger, aggregates and sense organs developing. Vajra, sun and moon becoming Yamantaka = birth of developed foetus; this is the yoga of taking rebirth as the path to the Nirmanakaya at the level of the base. 2 At the level of the path Manjushri and the invoked deities dissolving into sun disc = the owner of the illusory body at the level of the path taking his old body again. Taking back the old aggregates is like taking the Nirmanakaya at the level of the path. HUNG on sun disc = the speech of the person taking the Nirmanakaya at the level of the path. HUNG becoming a vajra = the mind of this person. Vajra radiating multiple vajras = the deeds performed by the Nirmanakaya to benefit sentient beings. Vajras and deities absorbing back into the main vajra = taking the real Nirmanakaya - the form of Yamantaka. Manjushri and all the deities absorbing into the sun disc = the subtle body (Sambhogakaya) taking the gross body (Nirmanakaya). This happens because if we remain in the Sambhogakaya we cannot benefit those with low realizations. 3 At the resultant level HUNG = speech of the person taking the Nirmanakaya. Vajra = Mind of person taking the Nirmanakaya. Vajra radiating multiple vajras = Nirmanakaya performing many deeds for sentient beings. Moment of taking the aspect of Yamantaka = the real Nirmanakaya of the resultant level. Yamantaka has a black, fierce aspect but he is never separated from the moisture of love. 9 faces = 9 branches of scripture. 34 arms = 18 elements, 2 truths, 10 powers, and 4 fearlessnesses. This indicates that a Buddha possesses all these qualities. Another interpretation is that we add the body, speech, and mind to the 34 arms and then we have the 37 aides to enlightenment. 16 legs = 16 types of emptiness, he directly realizes them all. The power to devour the three realms and the 8-syllabled laughter = he has terrified and overcome all unruly minds and devils. Four bared canines = he has overcome the four maras. Strong wrinkles of wrath = he totally destroys all unruly beings (until now he had just frightened them).

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Fiery eyebrows, beard, moustache, and body hair = he eradicates both internal and external interferences at the same time. Hair bristling upwards = he has abandoned all obscurations and faults and has attained the highest place - Nirvana. Left hands in threatening mudra turned downwards = telling the maras and others to not harm Dharma practitioners. Right hands in threatening mudra turned upwards = telling those who have gone beyond that they should grant siddhis, like rainfall, to practitioners. Eight proud gods beneath his feet = Yamantaka overshadows them, no need to mention others. Syllable PHEM KARA = exclamation to dominate all dakas. Eating human blood, marrow, fat, and lymph = to frighten others. Crown of 5 skulls = he has attained the five exalted wisdoms. Rosary of 50 fresh human heads = he has attained the purity of the 50 syllables of the alphabet (16 vowels, 34 consonants). Snake ornament = he has attained purification of aversion. Five bone ornaments (excluding the ashes) = he has attained complete knowledge of the five Wisdom Buddhas. Big stomach = extremely fierce. Naked = he has attained the clothing of shame and consideration for others and does not need to depend upon ordinary clothes. Buffalo face = he has destroyed Yamaraja, the Lord of Death. This means he has destroyed the Yamaraja who is common to all beings. Two sharp horns = method and wisdom at the base level; illusory body and clear light at the path level; and the two bodies at the resultant level - Dharmakaya and Rupakaya. Red cannibal face (above root face) = he looks after others through love and compassion, or, he has power over all beings. Cannibal face dripping blood = omniscient mind. Dripping blood = teaching beings out of compassion. Manjushri face = in reality, Yamantaka is Manjushri taking this wrathful aspect to tame certain beings. Manjushri's five hair knots = Yamantaka-Manjushri has attained this state through the five gradual evolutions. Three eyes = omniscience realizes all phenomena like an olive in the palm. Elephant's skin = oneness of the blissful mind with the object emptiness. Sixteen right hands = sixteen types of joy. Sixteen left hands = sixteen types of emptiness (he has gained integration of these two groups of sixteen). Symbolism of the implements On the right: Curved knife = he possesses a tool to sever ignorance. Feathered pointer = he pierces conceptualizations from the side of the subject and of the object. Pestle = he stops all degenerations of memory.

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Fish knife = he cuts through samsara. Harpoon = he cuts all faults of body, speech, and mind. Axe = he eradicates the imprints of the obscurations. Spear = he pierces wrong views. Arrow = he pierces mental sufferings resulting from superstitions Iron hook = he hooks and destroys unruly beings and then hooks blessings and siddhis from the holy beings. Skull club = he demolishes heavy karmas such as the five heinous actions. Khatvanga = great bliss. Wheel = teaching sentient beings through compassion. Five-spoked vajra = embodiment of the five exalted wisdoms. Vajra hammer = destroying the stain of miserliness. Sword = granting siddhis such as the eight common siddhis. Damaru = persuading other Buddhas to teach sentient beings. On the left: Blood-filled skull cup = confessing and purifying all negativities of breaking samaya by following the practice of Yamantaka. Brahma's head = performing deeds for sentient beings out of compassion. Shield = he has gained victory over the maras. Human leg = reaching enlightenment quickly through this practice. Lasso = the mind of a person at this level is bound to exalted wisdom. Bow = he is victorious over the three realms. Entrails = he has gained realization of all phenomena as being like an illusion. Bell = he never ceases to teach the sound of Dharma. Hand = his countless deeds of peace, increase, power, and wrath. Shroud = he has removed the veil of ignorance from his mind. Impaled man = he has clearly realized reality. Brazier = he possesses the greatest clear light, clarifying all objects. Scalp = he has all the important points of other root tantras (joys, blisses, nectars, and so on). Hand in threatening mudra = he frightens all unruly beings. Trident = at the ultimate level, his body, speech, and mind are equal within the sphere of emptiness. Fan = he has realized that all phenomena completely lack true existence. Thus the hands and their implements are signs of Yamantaka's attainments, and they show us the results we can achieve by following this practice. The sixteen creatures beneath Yamantaka's feet symbolize that he has entirely cut the sixteen types of conceptualizations that are results of the conception of true existence and has gained the realization of emptiness of true existence. Yamantaka is the samaya being, the pure body that is the gross Nirmanakaya. Thus, here, the symbolic being is the emanation body (Nirmanakaya), the wisdom being is the Sambhogakaya - the primordial (bamboo) mind, and the concentration being is the Dharmakaya possessed by the bamboo mind.

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Blessing the sense organs and the three doors This can be done either by placing a syllable at each place, or a solitary deity, or a deity with his consort. Here we use syllables that represent deities. The syllables are placed on the root face only, and not the third eye of the root face. On the right and left eyes of the root face are white syllables KSHIM, the nature of Kshitigarbha; on the two ears are black JRIMs, the nature of Vajrapani; on the nose is a yellow KHAM, the nature of Akashagarbha; on the tongue is a red RAM, the nature of Avalokiteshvara; on the forehead a green KAM, the nature of Sarva-nivarana-viskambini; at the navel is a white SAM, the nature of Samantabhadra; at the crown a white OM, the nature of Vajra Body; at the throat a red AH, the nature of Vajra Speech; and at the heart a blue HUNG, the nature of Vajra Mind. 13-faced Yamantaka has an entourage around him within the mandala but Solitary Yamantaka does not. In reality, however, he is the same as 13-faced Yamantaka and the entire entourage is included within him. His erect penis symbolizes that his bliss is complete - he experiences the four blisses forever. The sanskrit "lingam" is penis, "to penetrate the lotus of the consort." When you receive the secret initiation you imagine that Yamantaka is in union with his consort and you receive nectar from them. In the secret offering, you, the disciple, enter union with your consort and offer your bliss to the objects of offering. The consort is there when the occasion is needed, even if she has not been described within this visualization. In the tantric path there is always the use of attachment as the path to attain the goal of enlightenment, and so the consort is always there in reality. While practising the yoga method of Yamantaka we eventually reach the level where we must enter into union with a fully qualified consort. This is explained in the hidden meaning of the generation and completion stages of different tantras. So, whether we are following the practice of Solitary Yamantaka, or the 13-faced Yamantaka, or the 4headed Yamantaka we always have the step of using a consort. Meditation on the three beings To have clear visualization, remind yourself of the three beings. Next, you must invoke and absorb the wisdom beings into yourself, the samaya being. Then invoke the initiating deities and after initiation you must define the lord of the family. Invoking the wisdom beings First the qualities of the three kayas are described, reciting slowly and to the accompaniment of cymbals and holding burning incense: "JAH! Jampel rangzhin..." "The nature body of Manjushri is like space, free from coming and going..." The natures of all phenomena have been there since beginning-less time, there is no nature or entity coming into existence now which has not existed before, and there is no nature that has disappeared. Space covers all physical phenomena, this fact has not come from somewhere and nor will it ever change and go somewhere else. The nature body is the cessation of the obscurations in the mental continuum of Manjushri. We usually understand that true cessation is something that happens within the sphere of emptiness

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and, just as for space, it is the same for emptiness - there is no phenomenon that is not covered by emptiness. The statement, "The true cessation in the continuum of Manjushri pervades all phenomena," gives us something to think about. Manjushri's knowledge pervades all phenomena, the Dharmakaya pervades everything. There are two aspects of the Dharmakaya: the Wisdom Truth Body and the Nature Body. The Nature Body is, in fact, the state of cessation of obscurations within the Wisdom Truth Body. If we ask, "Are the Wisdom Truth Body and the Nature Body existing in equal terms of pervading all phenomena?" The answer is yes, there is no difference in their pervasion. For a Buddha Superior there is no difference between the space (dimensions) of his Wisdom Truth Body and the objects of knowledge. The Gaden Lhagyema says: "You, Lama Tsong Khapa, have the mind embracing all phenomena." The next lines refer to the Wisdom Truth Body that is also free of coming and going that is, the coming and going of time, like spring follows winter and autumn follows summer. The four seasons do not come from anywhere, nor do they go anywhere, they maintain their own identities wherever they are existing, and the Wisdom Truth Body is like this. In the same way, the blessing of the compassion of Manjushri has no coming or going. "D'u".kyi k'am.zhin" means the element of time, and that is shown here as an illustration of coming and going. Manjushri's compassion is free from coming and going because it always encompasses all beings of the world. We may ask, "If Manjushri's compassion covers all beings in the world, does it also cover the beings of the three lower realms?" The answer is yes, it does pervade them because we said it pervades all beings in the world. Even though the blessing of Manjushri's compassion encompasses all beings, however, sentient beings cannot immediately receive all the benefits because they lack the immediate conditions. They have immense negative karma and obscurations, very little merit, they engage in nonvirtuous actions, do not follow the law of cause and effect, and do not respect the triple gem, so they cannot receive the compassionate blessings embracing all of existence. There is no partiality from the side of Manjushri, the problem is from the side of sentient beings. This is like when the rain falls, it falls equally over the countryside, but in high places there are no seeds and no growth of crops whereas in low places there are fields where seeds have been sown and crops will abound. Also, if the seed is defective, no crop will grow. Compassion, like any knower existing in the mind of Manjushri, is separate from coming and going, like the seasons, and such exalted knowers encompass all beings. Nevertheless, all beings of the six realms experience suffering because they lack the right conditions to receive these blessings. The next line states that the Nirmanakaya of Manjushri is also free of coming and going, just like a reflection. When a perfect mirror and a face come together the reflection naturally arises, but when a reflection is not in the mirror it does not mean that the real face does not exist. The reflection can only arise when the conditions are there, it does not come from anywhere nor does it go anywhere else. In the same way, Manjushri's Nirmanakaya arises in many aspects to help sentient beings according to their fortune, karma, and temperament. This occurs without effort whenever the sentient beings create

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the right conditions. So if an emanation body of Manjushri is not manifesting in the world, this is not due to something lacking from Manjushri's side. Thus all three bodies, the Nature Body, Wisdom Truth Body, and Emanation Body, are the same in being free from coming and going and they appear without effort. They do not have the choice to go and come because Manjushri's compassion covers all sentient beings with impartiality. We may ask, "If his compassion covers all beings, why is it necessary to work to invoke him?" The answer is that, even though from the side of Manjushri his mind is equally disposed towards all beings, from our side we need to make effort through prostration and offerings to Manjushri in order to make the conditions to connect with him. For example, when the moon rises it shines equally everywhere and will reflect wherever there is water, but it will not reflect in a pot without water. Making prostrations and offerings is like filling our bowl with water, we can have the appearance of Manjushri and receive his blessings. If we have no faith we are like empty vessels, there is no doubt that we will receive the blessings of Manjushri's compassion if we do positive actions. So, in the recitation we say, "Please Yamantaka, descend to this place along with your retinue and supporting mandala." Manjushri is the essence of the wisdom of all the Buddhas, he has no anger and yet he appears in a wrathful aspect. This is shown in order to tame unruly beings who are completely negative and too difficult to be subdued by other methods. You who appear in a wrathful aspect like Yamaraja, with your retinue who help to accomplish the four types of activity, please come to this place. When doing this invocation, burn incense and recite the mantra OM HRIH HABO MAHA KRODHA.., the umze holds the incense stick in his hand. The mantra in the long sadhana is slightly different to the mantra in the self-entry text. The meaning of the mantra is: Please come here and make use of the different offering substances for each of your sense organs and, having accepted them, bestow upon me the blessing of siddhis, internal, external, and secret. From the blue HUNG at your heart light rays go out in the form of numberless iron hooks and invoke the complete supporting and supported mandala of Yamantaka, including the mountain of fire and the cemeteries. Make the hand mudra of invocation: both hands with index and little fingers extended, left hand above, right hand below with its index finger hooked around the left little finger. The entire supporting and supported mandala comes to the space before you, now recite the mantra to dispel interferers who may have come with the mandala. Emanate wrathful deities from your heart, they carry curved knives and skull cups and chase the interferers a long way away. This is necessary because when we invoke the Buddhas with their

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mansions and mandala, interferers attach themselves to the mandala and come along as well. Now make offerings with the mantras OM HRIH SHTRIH HA..," etc. The six offerings before the food offering are the same as when we made offerings to the merit field, food and music make eight. In this self-entry text, perfumed water comes after water for washing the feet because Yamantaka is Manjushri, he is the exalted wisdom realizing emptiness that is accompanied by bliss. Wisdom is a mental consciousness and is related to the heart, and the offering of perfumed water is to rub it over the chest, close to the heart. When you make these offerings, do the normal hand mudras and emit offering goddesses from your heart. Absorbing the wisdom beings: OM MUNGARA JAH - the wisdom beings come above the samaya beings. OM DANDA HUNG - the wisdom beings absorb into the samaya beings. OM PADMA BAM - the wisdom and samaya beings become inseparable. OM KHANGA HOH - the inseparability becomes blissfully stabilized. You are still in the aspect of Yamantaka, the samaya being, and all the wisdom beings have absorbed into you, their heads into your heads, their limbs into your limbs, and all the parts of their supporting mandala have absorbed into the corresponding parts of your mandala. Initiation and establishing the Lord of the Family on your crown Reciting the mantra OM HRIH HABHO MAHA KRODHA AGACCHA AGACCHA.., light rays go out from the HUNG at your heart and invoke the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions before you. Previously we chased away the interferers who were attached to the mandalas, but here it is not necessary because the initiating deities come from Og Min where there are no such beings. Make the offerings as before, reciting the mantras OM HRIH SHTRIH HA etc., and emitting goddesses from your heart, who offer the substances to the initiating deities and then absorb back into your heart. Now request them to give initiation; they accept your request and emanate goddesses such as Charchika from their own hearts, who are singing auspicious songs, throwing flowers, and holding vases as white as the moon and containing five-coloured nectar which they pour over your head. The nectar fills your body and the goddesses say: "Today we are washing you like the Nirmanakaya of Buddha was washed when he took birth in the Deva Realm." Feel that you are filled with great bliss as the nectar of blissful exalted wisdom fills you to your crown and the excess bubbles out above the root buffalo face in the aspect of Buddha Akshobya, one face and two arms. Then the initiating goddesses dissolve into you. You can visualize Akshobya alone or with his consort, Mamakyi, who holds a curved knife and skull cup while he holds a vajra and bell. If you visualize Akshobya alone, his right hand is in the earth-touching mudra and his left hand is in the mudra of meditative equipoise.

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You can visualize Akshobya on the crown of the central skull of the five-skulled crown on the root face, or above that - in front of the cannibal face. Akshobya is not placed there to have control or power, he is there because he has accepted with satisfaction to be the Lord of the Family. We visualize the Lord of the Buddha Family in this position in order to create the cause for attaining the ushnisha, and also to indicate the class of the Buddha family to which we belong. A practitioner of Yamantaka belonging to the Buddha family of Akshobya will require a consort who is Mensha (Desire) class. There are four classes of consort, such a Blacksmith, Carpenter, and other artisans. Atisha said that there are eight purposes for receiving this initiation and the adornment of the Lord of the Buddha Family: 1 2 3 4 5 You will not be overcome by devils or other hindrances. You purify different types of obscuration. You are safe from the lower vehicle. You become a proper vessel. You will be able to accomplish the four actions of peace, increase, power, and wrath. 6 You will renew your bodhicitta if it has degenerated. 7 You will renew broken pledges and tantric vows. 8 It makes the cause to be able to receive direct initiation from Buddha in the future.

2 Offerings and praise to the mandala Offerings to the self-generation Apart from the consecration of the vases, up until now the steps that we have followed are common to both the long sadhana and the self-entry. In the long sadhana, however, the offerings to the self-generation are simply the eight offerings, whereas in the selfentry the offerings are much more extensive. Another difference is that during the selfentry we emit a replica of ourself, Yamantaka, who goes out of the Eastern door of the mansion and, from there, makes offerings to Yamantaka in the centre of the mansion. In the long sadhana you make offerings to yourself as Yamantaka by emitting offering goddesses from your heart who then offer the various substances to you. When sending out a replica during the self-entry, the replica either goes out the Eastern door, turns, and makes offerings from the outside or he completely leaves the mandala, beyond the charnel grounds, and makes offerings from there, emitting offering goddesses from his heart who go back to the mansion carrying the offerings. In this tantra the selfand front-generations are in reality one entity whereas during the Vajrayogini self-entry the self-generation is outside and the front-generation is inside the mandala, and the two are recognized as being completely separate entities. The offerings may be made while reciting the mantras alone or while reciting the mantras plus a verse for each substance. Whichever way we make the offerings, the action should have five qualities and four separations. The five qualities are right cause of offering, right nature, right aspect, right purpose, and right correspondence between the object and the sense organ to which it is offered. The four separations are:

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1 Separation from doubt, you should not make the offering with the thought, "Maybe this is not a good thing to offer" or "maybe this will please him, maybe it will not." 2 Separation from attachment to ordinary appearance, you should always view the substance as perfect and able to cause the deity to experience blissful wisdom. 3 Separation from the conception grasping at true existence, offer the object with understanding of its emptiness of true existence. 4 Separation from expectation, offer it without expecting an immediate result such as recovery from sickness or something associated with only this life. You should have the attitude dedicating the result to the benefit of all sentient beings. Extensive offerings Drinking water Although you, the pure and stainless Conqueror, are without blemish, I offer you this drinking water in order to develop my respect and Dharma service, please accept it. The pure and stainless Conqueror is Yamantaka within the mansion. He is pure, without the blemish of dualistic appearance, because he is far from the conception of true existence, and he is stainless because he is not soiled by the inner dirt of superstition, and certainly there is no outer dirt. A Sugata is one who has gone from bliss to bliss until the final bliss of Nirvana. It can also refer to a Buddha awakening from his contemplation of Dharmakaya and taking the Nirmanakaya. OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM PRATICCHA HUNG SVAHA "Please Yamantaka accept this drinking water for your mouth" HUNG indicates the generation of great bliss in the mind of the principal of the mandala. SVAHA means "Please establish the foundation of great bliss in me." Water for cleaning the feet This verse is similar to the verse above. Scented water You the Conqueror have completed all knowledges that are to be completed, your body is free from all faults that are to be abandoned, you have the spontaneously arising natural perfume (of morality), you have the exalted wisdom that perceives all phenomena as like an illusion, you are free from the two stains (natural stain, the conception of true existence, and the incidental stains of attachment, aversion, etc.). Although you are free of bad smell, I offer this perfumed water out of respect and as a Dharma service to accumulate merit and to purify my own negative karma (to

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complete the accumulations of wisdom and merit and to have all necessary things and favourable conditions to attain the great enlightenment). Flowers The verse is similar. Offering flowers has three qualities: it creates the cause for completing the great enlightenment; placing them as beautiful decorations on the head helps the white bodhicitta to melt, descend the central channel, and cause the four blisses to be experienced; and, in the same way, offering flowers to the head causes the white bodhicitta to melt and one finally experiences simultaneously born bliss. Incense At the navel, the chakra of emanation, the palace of exalted wisdom, is the fire of tumo. This rises and melts the energy drop at the crown which begins to burn. The smell of the burning white bodhicitta is the meaning of the incense offering. Light You offer the light of exalted wisdom of bliss and void that eliminates all darkness. Food The food offering is nectar created by the transformation of the Seven Arya's Jewels and the satisfaction of understanding. The Seven Jewels are faith, generosity, listening, morality, consideration, shame, and wisdom. Music The meaning of the secret mantra vehicle is exalted wisdom of great bliss and void in the continuum of a Buddha Superior. This takes the sound of music - the music of wisdom which is the voice of Buddha having sixty attributes. I offer sound with the qualities of Buddha's speech in order for the wheel (host) of devils to be eradicated; you who have the wisdom of great bliss and void, please accept this music offering. These are the eight close offerings. Next are the offerings of the Desire Realm, offerings to the five senses. Our lives are mainly lived in dependence upon these. Form Without fear, I offer you the best forms findable in this world and in all other continents. Imagine the best shapes and forms of all the continents appearing before you and then emanate white Rupajavra from your heart. She holds a red mirror polished on both sides and offers the reflection of all these forms to Yamantaka. "Without fear" means that you do not have a limited mind, these are the best forms in the universe. Make the mudra of

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your left hand in a fist and the right hand on top of it with the palm open and facing outwards. Sound The offering of sound includes all four sounds conjoined with consciousness and the four not conjoined. You emanate many goddesses including yellow Shaptavajra, with one face and two arms and playing various musical instruments. Aroma This offering includes single and mixed scents such as sandalwood and other perfumes. You emanate the goddess Ghandavajra who is red and carries a conch containing perfumes which she offers to the nose of Yamantaka (not the chest as with perfumed water). Taste This includes all six tastes. Imagine the best foods in the world offered by the red goddess Rasavajra who holds a jewelled vessel containing these foods which are offered to the tongue. Tangibles These are soft materials that cause a blissful feeling when touched, are very light, and can be folded into a tiny mass. They are carried by the blue goddess Sparshavajra. The offering goddesses are beautiful, they glance approvingly at Yamantaka, have red lips, white teeth, full breasts, narrow waists, full buttocks, a magnificent expression of serenity, precious clothes, sweet voices, nice smells from their bodies, their tongues and lips are sweet and sucking, they are soft to touch, and possess the five inner objects of sense pleasure. The Seven Precious Objects These have arisen through the merit of the Universal Monarch. Precious wheel I offer all realms filled with precious wheels created by the wisdom of the Wise Ones. A precious wheel is made of gold and covers 500 phagtsas of space. It has a hub, 1,000 spokes, a rim, and its brightness surpasses that of the sun. Imagine an enormous heap of such wheels and offer them to Yamantaka with the mudra, placing the backs of your hands together with your right hand closest to your body and intertwining the fingers which are stretched upwards, representing the spokes. Precious jewel The precious jewel has six, eight, or nine facets, its colour is blue, yellow, and red. Its function is to grant whatever temporal objects are needed, such as cool air for those suffering from heat. Its bright light reaches as far as 100 phagtsas. The mudra symbolizes

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an eight-sided jewel: place your hands together with the little and ring fingers stretched out straight, the thumbs curled in, and the remaining fingers bent inwards but with their distal joints straight. Precious Queen The precious queen has none of the faults of ordinary women. Her body radiates blue light, she is pretty, good mannered, soft to touch, and has a sweet scent from her mouth and body. The mudra is to place your hands together with the index and muddle fingers stretched out and the ring and little fingers curled in, like a lotus. Precious minister The precious minister had many rich materials, he does all that he is asked and can guess the wishes of the king before being told, thus he can accomplish all the king's wishes. His mind is upright and very honest. The mudra is to hold the hands apart with the middle fingers extended and the other fingers curled in, not too tightly. Precious elephant This elephant is white and can travel through the sky. Its limbs are strong and it has the power of 1,000 ordinary elephants, it gains victory in all battles. The mudra is to wave the right hand loosely like the swinging trunk of an elephant. Precious horse This horse is blue or green, of beautiful physique, and able to travel around the world three times in one day. The mudra is to place your palms together, the little, ring, and middle fingers extended against their opposites, the thumbs extended, together, and sticking out (representing the ears) and the index fingers are curled inwards. Precious general The precious general is blue-black, he knows precisely when to start and to finish a war, giving orders beforehand, and overcomes all adversaries. The mudra is crossed index and middle fingers, right fingers on top. The inner offering When doing the self-entry in a group, each person should have a capala. If you do not, you can have an offering bowl containing some drops of inner offering from the vajra master's skull cup. If the group is very large, place a big container of tea on the altar and distribute it when the time comes to make the inner offering because there will not be enough nectar in the vajra master's container. When the vajra master's inner offering is distributed there is no need to bless it as this has already been done, but if the inner offering is distributed from the container of plain tea on the altar then you have to bless it as we did earlier. The moment before making the inner offering, turn the front of the capala to face you, and when taking the substance turn it in the opposite direction. If your practice is related to father tantra, stir the nectar three times in a clockwise direction, if you are doing mother tantra stir it three times anticlockwise. When sprinkling the inner offering, imagine that your thumb is a woman's lotus and your ring finger is a male vajra. Imagine

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that the nectar is produced from the contact of the two as the male and female substances and this is offered to the deity. Sprinkle the inner offering to your root guru at the level of your crown; to the lineage lamas at your forehead; to the deities of the four tantric classes at your heart; to the Dharma protectors, Dakas, and Dakinis at your navel; and to the landlords and the beings of the six realms at your knees - with hand turned downwards. The inner offering is made by the replica who has gone outside the mansion and is facing the eastern door either from just outside or from outside the area of the charnel grounds. The Lord of the Buddha Family, Akshobya, is above your root face, he is the embodiment of all the root and lineage lamas and when you make the inner offering to him you are making it to all of them A second way that you can visualize your root guru is sitting at Akshobya's heart on a throne, lotus, and sun disc in the aspect of Vajradhara and surrounded by Yamantaka and all the lineage lamas from Vajra Patali, Vajra Lalita, and so on, in a clockwise circle. A third way is to visualize your root guru in space above your crown in the aspect of Vajradhara and surrounded by Yamantaka and all the lineage lamas - the "market assembly." A fourth way is the "stack" visualization of your root guru above your crown and all the lineage lamas and Yamantaka stacked one above the other above him. You can use whichever of these visualizations is comfortable for your mind. When making the inner offering to the deities of the four classes of tantra, these can also be visualized in two ways. The first way is that they all appear instantaneously in space before you and you offer to them. The second way is to visualize that all the yidams of your root gurus appear clearly at your crown like a reflection in a mirror and you offer to them there. Then all the yidams of the lineage lamas appear like a reflection at your throat chakra and you offer to them there. Then all your personal yidams appear like a reflection at your heart and you offer the inner offering to them there. When offering to the Dharma protectors, Dakas, and Dakinis, imagine that they are either inside the mandala or outside at the charnel grounds. When offering to the direction protectors, field protectors, nagas, and so on, imagine that they are at their places in the charnel grounds. When offering to the landlords and all sentient beings, imagine them either within the charnel grounds or outside the limits of the cemeteries. When making the inner offering to the yidams visualized at the three places, touch those places with the inner offering. While sprinkling the inner offering, imagine that you emanate offering goddesses, especially Rasavajra, who scoop up the blessed inner offering from your container with their skull cups and offer it to all the beings. Meditate on the circle of three being emptiness - the beings to whom we make offering, the inner offering itself, and those making the offering. Having made the inner offerings you now radiate light from the HUNG at your heart and invoke all the Buddhas of the ten directions in the aspect of Yamantaka who dissolve into your body. Then, reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT, OM AH HUNG, take a drop of the inner offering with your ring finger and place it on your tongue, imagining that Rasavajra is offering it to you. OM AMRITA SVADANA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HANG

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All the numberless Yamantakas who have dissolved into you are delighted by this nectar of pristine awareness. Now you, the replica, go back inside the mansion and become oneness with the main deity. Pabongkha Rinpoche is the 36th lineage lama. The 37th is Yongdzin Ling Rinpoche: "Thubten lung.tog namgyal trinley palzangpo OM AH HUNG. The 38th is His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Gyalwai wangpo ngawang losang tenzin gyatso pal zangpo zhal.du... For your root guru, insert his full name. The extensive praise In the long sadhana this praise is short. "HUNG! Jampel ka.la..." The HUNG symbolizes the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void, it is expressed here in order to give a hit (translator's terminology) to the holy mind of Yamantaka. Jampel means soft glory. At the definitive level it refers to the exalted wisdom realizing emptiness and becoming oneness with the object. This definitive state is free from all fabrications of the conception of true existence that are to be abandoned. It is like space, free of obstructive contact. The next line refers to Manjushri's golden coloured body. He is praised because of the qualities of his holy body. Jampel tukla, is praise to his holy mind - he has attained the level where the five exalted wisdoms exist and where the obscurations together with their stains have been eliminated. Having achieved this state there are no more veils to seeing all phenomena in both their relative and their ultimate aspects. He sees the past, the present, and the future as clearly as an olive in his palm. Jampel sung.gi, is praise to Manjushri's holy speech which is totally free from the roughness of obscuration and afflictions and has the pleasantness of 60 qualities. He is able to present Dharma through his magnificent speech. With a wishful mind I and all sentient beings bow down to you, Manjushri. While concentrating on emptiness, out of compassion you engage in many actions for others, even those very difficult to subdue for whom you take the form that threatens even those who are able to threaten the three realms. Your terrifying body has flames continuously emerging, with wrinkles of wrath on your face, your mouth stretched wide, your beard and eyebrows flashing like lightning, your eyes wide and fangs bared, you are making the wrathful sound of the vajra horse - the eight-syllabled laugh -, and your cannibal face makes the sound PHEM to control the Dakas. In your standing posture you shake the three realms by stamping your feet, all your hands are in the threatening mudra subjugating the vain gods who think they are the most powerful. Your tongue darts in and out and your fangs drip the blood, fat, marrow, and lymph of humans. Your bodily magnificence is so great that you can devour the entire transitory world if you wish. You wear the ornament of a fresh elephant skin and the mala of fresh human heads. Your naked aspect indicates that you have removed the veils of ignorance, your penis is erect in the manner of Mahadeva. Your root buffalo face expresses great anger with its mouth open. Your nine faces can devour the three realms, the thirty-two implements in your hands are to tame the different types of being, your sixteen right hands face upwards exhorting all those who have gone beyond to quickly grant siddhis to Dharma practitioners, your sixteen left hands facing downwards tell the worldly gods to not give harm to Dharma practitioners, your right legs drawn in and left

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stretched out show that you control the eight types of devil. To you, mighty Yamantaka with such a terrifying body, I bow down forever. Your three right faces are all wrathful and growling, the middle azure, to its right is red and to its left yellow. Your three left faces have round, open mouths, the middle white, to its right smoke-coloured, and to its left black. The upper cannibal face is left wrathful than those seven, and the Manjushri face is peaceful. Your arms radiate powerful rays of light; the implements in your sixteen right hands are for striking and destroying, the sixteen in your left hands are for performing and encouraging. Your first left hand holds a capala of blood as an offering. Your legs are bright and horrifying, your right leg drawn in with the power to suppress the eight proud worldly gods, your left legs stretched out showing that you always sport with the eight gods. (Pride is the nature of anger, the eight proud gods of the world offer the various animals, from a human to a fox, for Yamantaka to use as cushions for his right feet. The eight proud goddesses offer the birds, from a vulture to a swan, as cushions for his left feet). Your penis is forever erect to tame Mahadeva, the one with so great attachment, and symbolizes your experience of great bliss. (No consort is present but there is a definitive consort). I prostrate to you whose body subjugates all beings by destroying their various afflictions of attachment, ignorance, and hatred by showing that you have overcome them yourself and making others do the same. Through many means you subjugate devils and Yamarajas abiding within the cemeteries. You dominate the Dakas and Dakinis, using them as a means to attain enlightenment, to you who have subjugated them all, I bow down. (Wangchuk refers to his storehouse or wealth of power - the wealth of secrets of his body, speech, and mind). Your immeasurable secrets that are difficult to comprehend make others attain the same result, enlightenment. As you are so powerful, all other gods such as the eight proud ones lose their magnificence and come to worship you. I prostrate to you, Yamantaka and the deities of the mandala, who are entirely arisen from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. You perform countless deeds without ever departing from the blissful contemplation of emptiness, thus all your actions are equal, I bow down to you who possess this great equality of action. According to your inclination, you may or may not recite this extensive praise. While you are reciting it, hold the vajra and bell up for the first line of each stanza, ring the bell during the second line, make the offering mudra for the third, and prostration mudra for the fourth. Short praise The short praise contained in the long sadhana mentions the non-duality of Manjushri's mind, which is the non-duality of the blissful mind being oneness with its object emptiness. Such bliss is not shared by the practitioner on the generation stage. Emptiness pervades all phenomena and Yamantaka's blissful mind pervades all emptiness, this blissful wisdom embraces all objects of knowledge. You who possess the blissful wisdom body embracing all objects, your compassionate mind working equally for all beings is the Father of all Conquerors - the mind by which all Buddhas are born. Your wisdom that is the state of extinguishment of the incidental

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and natural stains is the Mother of all Conquerors (it gives birth to all the Buddhas). As the wisdom being (youthful Manjushri) you are born from these parents. I prostrate to you Yamantaka who are the unity of the father, mother, and son. Your blissful mind remaining forever in contemplation of emptiness, the Dharmadhatu. It is impossible for you to have aversion or attachment to others. Although remaining always in blissful contemplation on emptiness, you manifest a wrathful aspect to tame the beings who are difficult to tame. The importance of inducing a clear appearance of the deity and having divine pride There are four levels within the generation stage practice: 1 Knowing the difference between the subtle and gross generation stages. 2 Knowing the difference between ordinary appearance and attachment to ordinary appearance. 3 Knowing the difference between clear imagination of the deity and divine pride. 4 Knowing the difference between profundity and extensiveness. Acquainting ourselves with the clear appearance (imagination) of the deity and holding the divine pride is the measurement of meditating on the gross generation stage where we meditate again and again on ourselves appearing as the deity, increasing the clarity of our imagination as we progress. Holding the divine pride is, after much meditation, coming to the thought "This is me." We feel that we are the deity. The subtle generation stage is the meditation on different objects in relation to the upper and lower apertures of the central channel, such as the energy drops. This just gives us an idea of the gross and subtle levels of the generation stage, there are more meditations than simply meditating on the energy drops at the apertures in the subtle level and, at the gross level, the meditation on clear appearance begins from the prayer to the lineage lamas and includes blessing the inner offering, the yogas of the three kayas, and then the whole body visualization. The purpose for developing divine pride and clear appearance is to eradicate ordinary appearance and grasping at ordinary appearance. To do this, we must transform the three bases of transformation - death, intermediate state, and rebirth - into the three aspects of the path: clear light, illusory body, and the learners' unified stage. By continuing on these three aspects of the path we arrive at the three results: Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya. All six results of the path and the resultant times only arise through meditation at the completion stage level. They cannot be generated merely through meditation on the generation stage, but, at the generation stage, one does create the foundation upon which those results will arise in the future. After gaining the actual realizations at the level of the path, we continue to meditate and we then attain the three resultant bodies of a Buddha. "Ordinary appearance" is the way we perceive things with our afflicted minds. The emphasis here is on the way things appear to our mental consciousness, not the visual

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consciousness. After we negate the ordinary appearance of our human form, we must replace it with the appearance of the deity. The clear appearance of our body as the deity is the antidote to ordinary appearance, it is the method for stopping the ordinary appearance from coming to our mental consciousness. "Grasping at ordinary appearance" is the mind grasping at our ordinary aspect to exist in the way that it appears; this also has to be rejected. We have to imagine that our body is that of Yamantaka, our speech is that of Yamantaka, and our mind is that of Yamantaka. We can ask: "When we have clear appearance of ourselves in the form of the deity, is this divine pride?" The answer is no, it is not the divine pride. Clear appearance evolved through our original physical form being transformed into emptiness, the syllable YAM appearing, then the wind mandala, fire mandala, and so on up to the point of the Resultant Vajra Holder arising from the Causal Vajra Holder. The divine pride that we need to develop is the divine pride of being Yamantaka who has arisen through this process. So we have originally transformed our body into emptiness, then undergone the yogas of the three kayas until we eventually took rebirth as the path to the Nirmanakaya and attained the state of Yamantaka. At this point we should hold divine pride together with having clear appearance of ourselves as Yamantaka. By thinking of ourselves as the deity, the idea of being an ordinary person naturally stops, we cease to think that we have a body, speech, and mind that have arisen through karma and affliction. To induce clear appearance we must meditate on the parts of our body in detail, once the clear appearance arises we will be able to hold it longer and longer. If we have already attained calm abiding (zhine), we do not have to develop it again at the generation stage, it is easy to have clarity and the power to hold concentration. But if we have no attained calm abiding, we must do so on the generation stage in order to have both clarity and the power of holding concentration. The generation stage includes constructing all the things required for the mansion and the mandala, the main effect of this stage is to stop grasping at ordinary appearance. In the past, people said that ordinary appearance related to the visual consciousness, but Lama Tsong Khapa denied this. He said that attachment to ordinary appearance refers to the mental consciousness. Clear appearance does not only refer to the deity, but also to the entire mandala. Contemplating upon oneself as being the deity and being noninherently existent is the profound meditation. Developing and holding clear appearance and seeing this as non-inherently existent is called the yoga of non-duality of profundity and clarity. This yoga does not exist in the lower tantric classes. They do have a yoga of inseparable profundity and clarity, but that is not the one of the generation stage here because here it is something that begins with the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and this origin does not occur in the lower tantras. The lower tantras do, however, have general meditation on the expansive mandala and on the clarity. According to the sutra vehicle, there is no meditation on the profound yoga (thinking of oneself as the deity and the deity as non-inherently existent). The sutra vehicle uses the two truths, conventional and ultimate. All phenomena are conventional truths when we think of extensiveness, and the ultimate truth is when we think of non-inherent existence (of conventional truths). When the level of the two truths becomes more subtle, it becomes the yoga of the non-duality of profundity and clarity. So the generation stage here is the subtle yoga of non-duality of profundity and clarity of the lower tantric

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classes, and when it becomes even more subtle it becomes the unification of the illusory body and the example clear light, and when it becomes even more subtle it becomes the three kayas. It is not so difficult to induce the clear appearance of the deity and the mandala and to hold the divine pride, but it is very difficult to maintain concentration on the yoga of nonduality of profundity and clear appearance, the Dharmakaya. While in the state of emptiness the Dharmakaya observes emptiness, one ascertains the non-inherent existence of the object, and it is necessary for the mind to be blissful. In the lower tantric classes, the subject (mind) realizing the object emptiness is a gross primary mind, here, the mind realizing emptiness is a mind whose entity has become blissful, this is the profound point of Highest Yoga Tantra. The three points: object emptiness, subject mind, and the mind having the entity of bliss, all belong to Highest Yoga Tantra but these three are not enough to accomplish the yoga of taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya. In addition, you need the point of thinking the result to be the real resultant Dharmakaya. After you have these four points you begin to construct the whole mandala, the vajra ground, vajra fence, and so on. This is the reason why everything in the mandala is made out of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. In this context, the bliss of inserting the winds into the central channel has no pervasion, you cannot actually do this at this stage, so you try to remember the ordinary bliss of sexual intercourse and use that as a basis for the blissful mind realizing emptiness and as the foundation for constructing the mandala. You remember this pleasure and then think that your mind is the entity of this bliss. Your mind is not realizing emptiness directly, nor even through a meaning generality, but think, "I am realizing emptiness with this blissful mind in the way that the Madhyamika Prasangikas establish emptiness." This is called meditating on the sound generality of emptiness - the idea that you have developed through listening to explanations on emptiness. If you have attained realization of emptiness through a meaning generality, you can combine that realization with the bliss here. We are discussing the basis that will become the resultant wisdom of bliss and void in the future, that is, we are taking the result as the path. The main practice thus begins from the meditation on the Dharmakaya. To induce a clear appearance is to have a familiarity between the object of meditation and the mind that is meditating. To obtain divine pride we need to maintain clear appearance and familiarity for a long time. If we lack the view of the deity and the mandala being empty of inherent existence, then our meditation on the generation stage will not be an antidote to the root of cyclic existence. The conception of true existence is also eliminated by the Hearers and Solitary Realizers but this does not mean that they have also eliminated the attachment to ordinary appearance. In discussing clear appearance, it seems that we are the subject here looking at the deity there, but this is not how it should be. We are the deity whose appearance is to be made clear. In the beginning it is difficult to immediately have clear appearance, it is recommended to concentrate on a small part of the body, such as each of the faces, and when they appear clearly, maintain the appearance for some time and only then begin to look at the other parts of the body, limb by limb, until they all appear clearly. In the commentary it also says to meditate on the different parts of the mandala one by one - the

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cemeteries, four doors, vajra fence, and so on and then slowly bring them together as the entire mandala. After familiarizing yourself with the parts of the mandala you will naturally be able to see the whole mandala. It is said that the point where we can have the clear appearance of the whole mandala is like the instant when we see all 173 aspects of the three exalted knowers appearing simultaneously to the mind. There are many objects in the mandala, but only one mind to which they all appear, and such appearance can only come after long meditation. For example, a man makes many plans to have an easy life; as he contemplates the good time he could have, all the clothes, cars, food, women, and so on, appear to his mind at once. In the same way, when you have gained acquaintance with the mandala, all the objects contained within it will easily appear to your mind simultaneously. In the beginning, when you have no acquaintance with the mandala, it is recommended to work hard and only lengthen the time of your session when the object of meditation becomes clear. Recite more mantras in the beginning and an equal time for mantra recitation and meditation later. Gross and subtle generation stage There are two levels of concentration to develop on the generation stage: gross and subtle. Stability on the gross generation stage is the ability to meditate on the entire mandala for four hours (one sixth of the time from sunrise to sunrise). Stability on the subtle generation stage is where you can maintain concentration on the syllables placed on the body of Yamantaka for four hours. To attain this result you have to begin from the beginning by eliminating gross laziness by meditating on the benefits of concentration on the stages of generation and completion and the attainment of Buddhahood. If you lack concentration on the generation stage, you cannot induce the concentration of the completion stage and you cannot attain the three kayas. When you spend time contemplating the benefits you aspire to develop concentration with pleasure, you want to engage in concentration and the various types of laziness naturally cease. Overcoming hindrances to concentration With the strong thought to gain concentration you begin to have the clarity and the ability to maintain it. We do not meditate on clarity, intensity, and holding concentration themselves but we meditate on the qualities of the consciousness that is perceiving the object. If we cannot maintain our mind on the deity it goes away, this is sems.trowa, it does not mean mental excitement - that only occurs when the mind goes away to an object of attachment. There are different virtuous things that can cause the mind to go away from the object while you are on the generation stage, these are not mental excitement either, but the mind going away still harms concentration. As the mind goes away, we need a remedy to bring it back, to "deactivate" it. To obtain a passive mind we meditate on death and impermanence, this will help us to bring our mind back to the object. We can also meditate on the sufferings of the three lower realms, then, when the mind is subdued, bring it back to the object of meditation the deity. To do this, we do not need to stop the session, we just continue from where the mind drifted away. This remedy can be applied several times in one session but if it is still difficult to pacify the mind, stop the session and go outside in the fresh air.

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The mind can drift away by forgetting the object, as above, or it can go away even without forgetting the object of meditation. This happens when the mind is held too tightly upon the object; you should loosen your tension here. If loosening the tension does not help, meditate on striped vajra: visualize the central channel and in the centre of that is a blue five-spoked vajra which descends to the lower aperture. To achieve concentration at the generation stage is the same as achieving calm abiding, there are different methods but the same result. The difference, however, is the object of concentration. The common practice texts have the usual objects of meditation, so we need to know how to apply their methods of gaining concentration to concentration on the object in this tantric meditation. Gross laxity is when we are concentrating on the objects but the clarity is poor, it is not forceful. To improve clarity, go through the objects of meditation - the faces and various parts of the mandala - until the object becomes clear. When the power of clarity is weak it means the mind is low. To raise the mind, meditate on the benefits of concentration or on the perfect human rebirth. Mental dullness is overcome by meditation on the upper striped drop at the aperture of the central channel at the forehead of the root face of Yamantaka. From the blue HUNG at your heart appears a blue vajra that moves to the upper aperture. When you move on from one object of the mandala to another, do not forget the former object. You should have both analysing and stabilizing meditation. When you lose clarity, analyse to make it better and then focus your mind on the clear object with stabilizing meditation. It is not good to only do stabilizing meditation without analysing. Also it is not good to do analysing meditation without stabilizing meditation, the two must be combined. Some lamas used to meditate on an image of the deity obtained by hanging a mirror in front and another behind. The sunlight would illuminate a statue or thanka on the altar in front of them, this would cause a reversed reflection of the deity in the mirror behind and that, in turn, would cause a correct reflection to appear in the mirror in front of the meditator. In this way they could imagine that the reflection in the mirror was a reflection of their own body as Yamantaka, and at the same time they could meditate on its noninherent existence - it is clearly not what it appears to be. They would open their eyes, look at the reflection, then close their eyes and try to make the image of the reflection appear to the mental consciousness and then see that image as themselves. Once the clarity of appearance has been stabilized, one maintains that clarity for some time and then contemplates that all these steps do not exist as they appear, they all lack true existence. Also, think that all the environment and the sentient beings melt into light and absorb into you. The light disappears and you become emptiness. This is the state of the Dharmakaya, contemplate upon it and then again take the form of Yamantaka, this is like taking a body through the Dharmakaya. In the meantime, imagine that where you are is the real mansion of Yamantaka and your body, speech, and mind are the real body, speech, and mind of Yamantaka, and hold divine pride. To maintain concentration on this you need clarity of appearance and power. When you are able to hold this for four hours, this is the measure of attainment of stability of the gross level of the generation stage. The measure of culmination of the gross level of the generation stage is when you are able to maintain stable concentration on divine pride

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and the clarity of appearance of the deity for as long as you like without any interruption by attachment to ordinary appearance. There are four types of practitioner on the generation and completion stages; the first three can exist at the generation stage, the fourth can only exist at the completion stage: 1 The beginner The range of meditation is from the gross object - the supporting and supported mandala - up until the time when these become clear. 2 Those with slight exalted wisdom The person who meditates from the time when all the gross objects can appear in one instant up until the time when it is necessary to visualize subtle objects - the deities on the different parts of the body. 3 Those gaining slight influence over exalted wisdom are those meditators after the moment that they perceive both subtle and gross objects of meditation within one instant. The subtle objects are the syllables on the body and also things like the colours and shapes of the various eyes of each face. So the beginner must learn all the gross aspects of the mandala, then, when these all appear in one moment, the receiver of slight exalted wisdom must learn each of the subtle objects one by one, and when these are all able to appear together with the gross objects in one instant, the level of gainer of slight influence over exalted wisdom has been attained. Meditation on the striped drop of the lower and upper apertures is not the subtle generation stage. We meditate on the striped drop when there are the hindrances of laxity or excitement. The purpose of this meditation is only to eliminate those two faults, but meditation on the drops at the apertures is not the only way to remove those faults. There is an even more subtle meditation: imagine that a white five-spoked vajra the size of a mustard seed comes from the HUNG at your heart, goes up the central channel, and abides at the upper aperture of the forehead on a moon disc the size and shape of half a pea. When the clarity of appearance of this vajra is as strong as you can make it, emit a second vajra, stabilize that, then a third from the second. In this way, the vajras go out and come back increasingly. They are not visualized all in one line, some go sideways and others upwards, but when they re-absorb they go in the exact order that they came out. A straight line would be too easy, make a cluster of vajras around your face and then filling all of space. Emanate and absorb, emanate and absorb, always following the same sequence in which they arose. Whenever you gain stability, add another vajra. The measure of gaining the level of the subtle generation stage is when we are able to maintain concentration on the vajras at the upper aperture coming and going. Once your meditation on this is excellent, change your object, imagine an entire supporting and supported mandala the size of a mustard seed at the upper aperture. This emits a second which then absorbs back. It comes out again and emits a third, that absorbs back, and so on. At the end of the session you must absorb them all back into yourself. The drops at the apertures were to quell the two hindrances of excitement and laxity, this meditation is to achieve the same result, but it is much more elaborate. The same meditation is done but in a different way when we are meditating on the thirteen-deity Yamantaka. A tiny drop that you imagine to be white bodhicitta descends

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from your heart and goes to the tip of your penis. At the same time, a tiny drop of red bodhicitta descends from your consort's heart to the tip of her lotus. The two fuse together within the male urethra where your consort has inserted the dhuti energy channel. Within the combined drop, imagine the entire supporting and supported mandala of Yamantaka, and at the point of union of Yamantaka and his consort within this mandala there is another mixing of the red and white drops, and within this appears a third entire mandala, and so on. We do not do this visualization with the Solitary Yamantaka practice. We have been discussing the statement in the text: "Deal with divine pride, clear appearance, and other practices such as the subtle and gross generation stage, singlepointed concentration, and other trainings according to the ear-whispered lineage."

Recollecting the pure characteristics of the mandala We now recollect the pure visualization of the deity and the qualities that the different parts of his body represent. The 9 faces symbolize the purity of the 9 branches of scripture. There are twelve branches of scripture, but three are included in the section of narration. The twelve branches are: sutra, pleasant intonation, prediction, versification, special mention, narration, most extensive, outstanding, thoroughly established, and the final three of expressing realization, Jataka tales, and "which came like that." These twelve contain many sutras and they are all condensed into the three baskets. According to the ordinary explanation, the two horns symbolize the two truths, but according to the extra-ordinary explanation they symbolize the illusory body and the clear light existing at the time of the path, and at the resultant time they symbolize the Dharmakaya and Rupakaya. The 34 arms and Yamantaka's body, speech, and mind symbolize the 37 aides to enlightenment: 4 essential recollections, 4 perfect abandonments, 4 immeasurables, 4 faculties, 5 powers, 7 branches of enlightenment, and the 8-fold Arya path. The 16 legs are the 16 types of emptiness. Yamantaka has demolished the 16 conceptions of true existence that are the opposites of these. The erect penis is the expression of his blissful experience, showing that he has the combination of the blissful mind and the mind realizing emptiness, the final stage of unification. If we lack the body constituents we cannot have the bliss, and if we cannot have the bliss we cannot have the exalted wisdom realizing emptiness strongly. It is there, but has no strength and the unity cannot be attained. The eight animals beneath the feet signify the eight common siddhis: Siddhi of the pill is the ability to mix medicines together with prayer and ritual and to take one pill each day that develops the bodily constituents to magnificence, good colour, and the ability to take pleasure in practising Dharma. Siddhi of the eye ointment is to make an ointment through ritual and prayer that, when put on the eye, causes one to become invisible to others and enables one to gain dominance over them merely by looking at them. It also enables one to see buried treasure beneath the ground.

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Subterranean siddhi: through puja you are able to go beneath the ground or swim underwater like a fish. You can pass through the ground without obstruction. Siddhi of the sword: through puja you bless your sword so that whatever you touch with it will turn into the object you need. Siddhi of flying: you can fly and also make your body indestructible to weapons through utilizing substance and prayer, this helps to gain the next siddhi, the Siddhi of invincibility. The remaining two siddhis are difficult to die and destroying sickness. Other texts list different siddhis as the eight common siddhis, such as making an elixir to turn iron into gold as Nagarjuna did when there was a famine and he offered the gold to the monks at Nalanda. Also there is the siddhi of walking fast and the siddhi of chu.len - taking the essence. Pawo Dorje Chang had the siddhi of walking fast, his incarnation is now in Sera Je. He taught this to his servant who once walked from Lhasa to Nepal and back in three days. The eight birds beneath the left feet symbolize the eight powers of holy body, holy speech, holy mind, holy magical power, holy going everywhere, finding whatever is needed, virtuous conduct, and excellence. Nakedness shows he has no veils of ignorance or afflictions. Hair on end shows that he has gone beyond the sorrowful state. In brief, the subjects of the nine branches of scripture are concerning the two truths, and the path for comprehending these is the 37 aides to enlightenment. The subject, the blissful mind, and the object, the two truths, become more and more subtle until at the end they are inseparable and the common and uncommon siddhis are attained. Thus the aspect on which Yamantaka appears includes the entire explanation on the basis, path, and result, and we can understand from this that by following the practice of Yamantaka we will definitely attain these results. The symbolism is mentioned in brief here to increase our understanding. The text now says: "After remembering these pure signs one may become fatigued and therefore one should recite the mantra with the corresponding visualization."

Mantra recitation In general, the purpose of mantra recitation is to develop a close relationship with the deity. There are different types of mantra: essence, near essence, and so on. Recitation of mantra occurs at the generation stage where one purifies negative karmas and obscurations and one's speech becomes powerful, enabling one to accomplish the four types of action of peace, increase, power, and wrath. Mantra recitation is a way of creating the causes to ripen the root of virtue in order to have good meditation on the vajra recitation that comes at the completion stage where we meditate on the syllables within the central channel. Finally, mantra recitation is done in order to make the imprint for attaining Buddhahood. Blessing the mala

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The best mala is one of human skulls, then a bone mala, then one made from Bodhi seeds, and then one made from raksha wood. Cleansing the mala: "OM HRIH SHTRIH...," Emanate many one-faced, two-armed aspects of Yamantaka from your heart, carrying curved knives and skull cups they chase away all hindrances. Dissolve into emptiness: "OM SVABHAVA SUDDAH...," The mala dissolves into emptiness. From the emptiness each bead of the mala appears as a lotus and sun cushion. On the sun is a HUNG which becomes a one-faced, two-armed Vajra Terrifier holding a curved knife and skull cup, with his right leg bent and left outstretched. They all have the three syllables, OM AH HUNG, at the three places. Light radiates from the HUNG at your heart invoking the wisdom beings who absorb into the Yamantakas of the rosary as you recite DZA HUNG BAM HO. Again, light radiates from the HUNG invoking the initiating deities who come and pour the initiating water on the Yamantakas, the excess forming Akshobya on their heads. Now make the eight offerings and then the inner offering to them and repeat the mantra OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT many times. All the Yamantakas of the rosary melt into light and become a rosary of fresh human heads dripping with blood. When we recite the mantra of combined peace and wrath, OM A RA PA TZA NA DHIH, we see the mala as being composed of precious beads, not human heads. This is not mentioned in the long sadhana or the commentaries, the purpose is to maintain that visualization while doing the following meditations: Recitation of the mantra of achievement of mixing peace and wrath Remind yourself of the concentration being, HUNG, at your heart. The sun disc on which it stands changes into a moon disc and the HUNG becomes a yellow six-spoked wheel with the syllable DHIH on the hub. On the spokes are the six syllables OM A RA PA TZA NA beginning in front of the DHIH and going clockwise. The syllables are standing and there are no gaps between them, they radiate bright light which in reality is exalted wisdom and this fills your body, washing away all negativities and obscurations accumulated in the past, in particular, the darkness of not-knowing. Feel that you have gained the wisdom comprehending all phenomena without obstruction. Again, light radiates from the syllables, going out through the pores of your body in the ten directions and entering the bodies of all sentient beings, cleansing their negativities and obscurations in general and their darkness of not-knowing in particular, and they come to comprehend all phenomena without difficulty. Imagine that you have transformed them all into the state of Manjushri. Light rays carrying offering goddesses on their tips radiate from the syllables and offerings are made to all the sentient beings who have now become Manjushri and to all the existing Buddhas. Imagine that you receive the blessings of all these new and old Buddhas of the ten directions coming and absorbing into you in the aspect of large and small Manjushris, his implements, syllables of his mantra representing his speech, and syllables DHIH representing his mind. After absorbing all these blessings, imagine that you have gained the wisdoms of listening, thinking, meditating, explaining, debating, and so on. Meanwhile, repeat the

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mantra OM A RA PA TZA NA DHIH, which means "I bow down to you who cause the ripening of all beings of the three realms." Meditations to gain wisdom 1 Cutting the darkness of non-knowing Change the concentration being, DHIH, into a sun disc upon which is a yellow wheel with six spokes of double sharp edges. At the hub appears a sword, its handle is a halfvajra and at the point where the handle meets the blade is a red-yellow DHIH in the standing position. In space above the six spokes are the six syllables of the mantra. Between the syllables, in the gaps between the blades, are syllables of DHIH. Thus there is: OM DHIH A DHIH RA DHIH PA DHIH TZA DHIH NA DHIH Inside the vowel sign for "i" of the DHIH in the centre, imagine yourself surrounded by all sentient beings. As you recite the mantra, the wheel turns clockwise and the syllables turn anti-clockwise, and while this is happening imagine that the negativities and obscurations of yourself and all sentient beings come to the wheel where they are chopped into pieces. All general negativities and, in particular, the negativities of the darkness of not-knowing, are destroyed. The pieces fall onto the sun disc and are burned completely, the ashes descending from your heart and leaving through your lower orifice. 2 Washing away impurities With the original visualization of the mantra garland and the DHIH at the centre, as you recite the mantra imagine that white goddesses are emitted from all the syllables, in their hands they carry white vases filled with nectar with which they initiate you and all sentient beings, washing away all impurities. An alternative is to imagine that the mantra garland and the seed syllable DHIH in the centre emit light rays that invoke the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions who then emit goddesses from their hearts who initiate and purify as before. 3 Increasing wisdom in dependence upon the holy body Radiate light from the mantra garland and the DHIH, the light strikes all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions and invokes their knowledge which comes to you in the form of countless Manjushris of different sizes, some as big as Mt Meru, others as small as an atom, and all this knowledge absorbs into you like snow flakes falling. Feel that you have gained the wisdom that is able to discern the meaning of all Buddha's scriptures. 4 Increasing wisdom in dependence upon the holy speech It is not enough to just have great wisdom, we need the wisdom of speech in order to make it clear (to others). From the DHIH and the mantra, light radiates and strikes the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, invoking the exalted wisdom knowledge in the form of mantra syllables that come and absorb into you like snow flakes falling. Feel that you have obtained a wisdom that clearly discriminates the meanings of all texts of all holy beings as clearly as Manjushri can discriminate them. 5 Increasing wisdom in dependence upon the holy mind Radiate light as before, it strikes all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions and invokes their knowledges in the aspect of the seed syllable DHIH and the vowels and

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consonants of the alphabet. These absorb into you; feel that you have gained the quick wisdom, as quick as that of Manjushri. 6 Gaining profound wisdom in dependence upon the implements Radiate light as before and invoke the profound wisdom of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the form of swords and texts, which absorb into you. Feel that you have gained the profound wisdom that can deal with the subtle meanings of all scriptures. 7 Developing divine pride for giving teachings Radiate light from the seed syllable and mantra, this invokes the knowledge of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the aspect of volumes of texts that absorb into you. Feel that you have gained the power to explain Dharma without any difficulty. 8 Overcoming those who express wrong views Radiate light as before and invoke all knowledge in the form of swords that absorb into you. Feel that you have gained the wisdom to overcome in debate all those who hold wrong views. 9 Gaining knowledge to delight holy beings by composing texts Radiate light as before and invoke the wisdom of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the aspect of swords and texts that sink into you. Feel that you have gained the necessary wisdom to compose texts. With all these techniques, it is recommended that beginners do not visualize the wheel turning too much, otherwise they will get wind disease and will go crazy. You can do any of these nine visualizations, either alone or in sequence, as you wish. At the end of each recitation, recite DHIH, DHIH, DHIH.., as many times as you can in one breath. As you do so, imagine a DHIH lying on your tongue and as you recite "DHIH, DHIH...etc., many replicas come from this DHIH and fill your body. When you recite the last DHIH, swallow the seed syllable on your tongue with a little saliva and visualize that it absorbs into the DHIH at your heart. Now perform the achievement of mixing peace and wrath: recite Manjushri's mantra and pacify all obstacles to your practice. The five special qualities of Yamantaka Being able to achieve both the peaceful and wrathful aspects of the deity is the reason why Lama Tsong Khapa told Khedrup Je that the Yamantaka practice has five special qualities. Khedrup Je made a mandala offering of gold and asked Lama Tsong Khapa what were these five special qualities. Lama Tsong Khapa said: "Now, is the time of increasing degeneration of sentient beings, they are lazy, have little wisdom, do not keep their vows or pledges, hold wrong views, ignore the meaning of the texts and oral teachings, have no respect for their gurus or their Dharma friends, have little compassion for sentient beings, have no shame or consideration, are stained with the negative karma of rejecting Dharma, are proud, engage in activities leading them to the abyss of wrong views, are intoxicated by objects of desire, have minds that are gross through the strong arising of afflictions, and due to

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their grossness they spontaneously engage in negative actions of body, speech, and mind. As a result of all this, the good qualities of the world and of sentient beings are lost. Because the sentient beings are in this position, even the gods of the white side become feeble and lose their power, there are many inauspicious and evil omens. When there are all these things, we are in dire need for powerful help, for a yidam who can overcome these enormous problems and dominate all the harm givers such as the yakshas. This yidam must be a supreme deity, and Yamantaka possesses this quality of supremacy, this is his first special quality." Yamantaka's second special quality is that his tantra contains instructions on the illusory body and clear light, illustrated by the entrails and brazier, as they are explained in the Guhyasamaja tantra. His third special quality is that his tantra has the practice of inner fire, indicated by the khatvanga, and the practitioner of his tantra can develop bliss through tumo. The fourth special quality is instructions for a person to attain enlightenment even if one has committed the heaviest negative karmas of the ten unvirtuous actions or the five heinous actions, this is indicated by the man impaled upon a stick. The fifth special quality is that Yamantaka has the possibility to perform the achievement of mixing peace and wrath. In general, Manjushri has three wrathful aspects: Wrathful Yamaraja, Da.ngak - Black Manjushri -, and Yamantaka. Although all three are manifestations of Manjushri, Yamantaka is special because he includes the peaceful aspect of Manjushri whereas the others do not. Therefore, when we follow the Yamantaka practice, at the times of both the causal and the resultant vajra holder there is the possibility to perform the nine meditations we have described above to attain the specific types of wisdom. Manjushri is the one source for the three beings: Guru, Lama Tsong Khapa; Yidam, Yamantaka; and Dharmaraja, all of whom originated from Manjushri. The practice of integrating guru yoga with the three deities There is a saying that one's practice must never be separate from the three deities: Yamantaka, Heruka, and Guhyasamaja. If one wants to attain enlightenment it is essential to practise guru yoga, and one can do so in relation to these three deities. Taking guru yoga as the artery of life means keeping it as the essential point of one's practice. We can also understand the integration of guru yoga and these three deities as one: Yamantaka is the deity of the preliminary part, Guhyasamaja is the deity of the actual path, and Heruka is the deity of the branch of the path. For example, at the beginning of the Lama Chopa we do the instantaneous transformation into Yamantaka and in the middle when we do the blessing of the inner offering, relieving hindrances, transforming into emptiness, and generation all in relation to Yamantaka. This is what is meant by Yamantaka being the preliminary deity. Guhyasamaja coming as the actual practice means that in the Lama Chopa, "De.tong yer.me..," we visualize Lama Tsong Khapa in the middle of the merit field and place many deities on him as the body mandala. These deities are placed according to the Guhyasamaja tantra.

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Heruka as the branch of the path means that the practices of making offerings, Song of the Spring Queen, and the eight-limbed praise are all done in the Lama Chopa according to the Heruka tantra. Also, after the absorption of the guru into ourself we do the mantra recitation and the tradition of Lama Chopa is to insert the mantras of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, and Heruka. The practice of not being apart from the generation stage This means that we do a particular sadhana, such as Yamantaka, once or more each day and we do only this, we do not mix it with the sadhanas of Heruka or Guhyasamaja. It is possible, however, to do one session of Yamantaka, then a session of Guhyasamaja, and then a session of Heruka. Or we can alternate them every three days, three weeks, three months, or every three years. The practice of never being apart from the completing stage For example, a practitioner whose main yidam is Yamantaka has the particular practice of inserting the winds at the heart chakra. If he does Heruka tantra there is the practice of inserting the winds at the navel chakra, and for Guhyasamaja there is the practice of meditating on the stripe at the lower aperture. All these are done with the aim to insert the winds into the central channel. The winds can also be inserted through tumo meditation. For the quick attainment of Buddhahood we should practise these three deities without separation. The specific causes for attaining the Rupakaya are the illusory body and the clear light. To generate these two causes we must know how to awaken the illusory body and how to work the clear light, and to do this we must depend upon the root tantra of Guhyasamaja. This has two traditions: the Arya Tradition and the Base of Exalted Wisdom. The Arya Tradition is not different to the usual Guhyasamaja sadhana where there is an elaborate explanation, the essential point of which is that the specific cause for the Dharmakaya is the exalted wisdom of great bliss and this comes from entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds. Thus this special wisdom must be preceded by blazing and flowing of the white bodhicitta, causing the four upward flowing blisses and the four downward flowing blisses to be experienced. To have blazing and flowing there must be the heat of tumo. To ignite the tumo there must be flexibility of the energy winds and channels, to make these flexible we must meditate on deities within us at certain places. This process is explained well in the root tantra of Heruka. Thus, in order to have the Dharmakaya we need the specific cause, blissful exalted wisdom, and to have this we depend upon the Heruka tantra. To understand the clear light and illusory body we need to follow the root tantra of Guhyasamaja, especially the Arya tradition. To unify them we need to depend upon the yoga of Yamantaka; and so we practise all three deities together. We have to maintain the practice of the Yamantaka deity yoga and while doing so we depend upon the Arya tradition of the Guhyasamaja root tantra for the illusory body and clear light, and we also have to practise the exalted wisdom of bliss and void in dependence upon the root tantra of Heruka. Instruction on this method was given to Lama Tsong Khapa by Manjushri.

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Both Lama Tsong Khapa and his guru Jetsun Rendawa had a very close relationship with Manjushri; they were able to directly ask him questions. One day Jetsun Rendawa asked Lama Tsong Khapa to find the method to quickly attain Buddhahood. In response, Manjushri told Lama Tsong Khapa that first he must keep the highest yoga tantra as the vital tree (artery), then he should consider his guru and yidam as inseparable, then he should practise the Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, and Heruka tantras without separation and, finally, he should have all the other common requirements of the basis, Dharma protectors, and so on. Then, through diligent practice, a person can attain enlightenment within one short lifetime of this degenerate age. If we want to be serious in our practice, we should understand this advice that Manjushri gave to Lama Tsong Khapa. Other sadhanas simply mention that the disciple should discover this information in dependence upon his guru's speech, but here it is elaborated. (Answer to question) The Guhyasamaja Arya Tradition is definitely related to the illusory body and it is father tantra, but here it is emphasizing how vast and profound it is: it contains the causes for both results, the Rupakaya and the Dharmakaya. The Yamantaka root tantra also has the causes for both results. We said that the Heruka tantra was to focus the mind on the explanation of exalted wisdom of bliss and void, this is not ordinary exalted wisdom, it is special. So we are talking about the general contents of these tantras, the Guhyasamaja root tantra has the general order of isolated body, speech, and mind, illusory body, meaning clear light, and the learners' and non-learners' unified stages. The illusory body has impure and pure levels. There is a method to awaken from the impure illusory body and another method to awaken from the pure illusory body and this explanation is also contained in mother tantra. So we are simply saying that while we are doing the Yamantaka deity yoga, the mandala, and so on we have to have more information about the specific causes for attaining the Rupakaya, and this can be found in the extensive explanations in the Guhyasamaja root tantra. Then it is recommended that while doing the Yamantaka deity yoga we should depend upon the Heruka root tantra where there is an elaborate explanation on attaining the cause for the Dharmakaya - the development of great bliss. So it does not mean that mother tantra does not explain clear light, it is a matter of whether it is explained in detail or not. We do not need to go into the details of the point on the lower aperture as explained in the Guhyasamaja root tantra, nor into the details of the "separation from the cloud" concerning the navel chakra as explained in the Heruka root tantra, nor do we have to discuss the order of absorption at the level of the navel chakra. In the practice of Yamantaka deity yoga it is only necessary to focus on igniting the tumo, it is not necessary to do the two meditations on focussing on the lower aperture or the absorption at the navel; this point has been admired by the previous yogis. (Returning to the discussion on mantra recitation) We were at the point where the rosary beads had become fresh human heads dripping with blood. The wheel with the DHIH at the hub melts into light and on the sun disc appears a white five-spoked vajra marked in the centre by a blue HUNG standing on a sun and moon disc. This emits light rays of five colours and is surrounded by the essence mantra OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT which you can now recite three or more times as you wish.

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Visualization while reciting essence, action, and root mantras Around the HUNG and the essence mantra stand the syllables of the action mantra OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT and then the root mantra OM YAMARAJA SADOMEYA etc. While reciting the mantras you can visualize these syllables either standing or lying flat, as you wish. The blue HUNG radiates many light rays with tiny Yamantakas at their tips. As you exhale, imagine that the air (and these light rays) goes out from the right nostril of your buffalo face, sending the tiny Yamantakas to all sentient beings where they radiate light that purifies all beings of negative karmas and obscurations and they become Yamantaka. As you inhale, imagine that all the light rays return through the left nostril of the buffalo face and absorb back into the HUNG and mantra garlands. It is not necessary to visualize the light going in and out with every breath, you can do this more gradually. There are other visualizations that you can do while reciting the root mantra: you can emanate hot fire-like rays from the HUNG which first fill your body, consuming all sickness, interferences and demons, and then it goes out from your right nostril and destroys all these hindrances occurring in other beings, then the fiery rays return through your left nostril. A third visualization with the root mantra is to focus upon the light emitted from the HUNG and the mantra garland at your heart and retain concentration upon this. You may choose any of these three methods. At the forehead of each of the fresh heads of the mala is a complete supporting and supported mandala of Yamantaka. As you count each bead, imagine that the complete mandala of that bead comes and enters the HUNG at your heart. While counting the beads, imagine that your thumb is a hook that hooks the head towards you and then the mandala comes off and goes up to your heart. Recite the mantras neither too fast nor too slow, do not be distracted and do not stop the recitation. Your voice should not be so loud that it can be understood by others. Think that the root face is the leader and the other faces follow in recitation. This is called recitation gone beyond the transitory world. "Worldly recitation" refers to the practice where you imagine that the cannibal face is the leader. The difference is divine pride. The root face needs more intense divine pride, the cannibal face is less wrathful and so the divine pride is less intense. You can use any of the three visualizations while reciting all three mantras. The root mantra is in the outer circle around the HUNG; when you finish its recitation it absorbs into the next circle - the action mantra. When you finish reciting the action mantra it absorbs into the innermost circle, the essence mantra. When you finish recitation of the essence mantra it absorbs into the HUNG. The meaning of the root mantra is: "I and all others have always been afflicted by the Lord of Death, taking rebirth in the inexhaustible places of rebirth; we are afraid of being here under the influence of the Lord of Death, please Yamaraja (Opponent to the Lord of Death) give us your supreme generosity of protection against the dread of cyclic existence and enable us to be free."

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The thirty-two syllables of the root mantra include the first syllables of the names of various proud worldly beings - gods, nagas, yakshas, and gandharvas - and reciting the mantra is equivalent to offering their hearts to Yamantaka. Another interpretation of the root mantra is that one syllable from the names of the various beings such as Female Bodhisattva and Sharp Vajra - a wrathful deity - is combined with the syllables of the name of the principal deity, Yamantaka. Thus, during recitation, we bless those names with the root mantra. The meaning of the action mantra is, literally: "The One whose face has its mouth stretched wide in wrath." The actual meaning is: "The simultaneously born blissful wisdom takes pleasure in the object emptiness and this wisdom without remainder acts against the three Lords of Death - Inner, Outer, and Secret. Therefore you have taken this aspect of a wrathful cannibal, please pounce upon true sufferings and true origins and destroy them." The meaning of the essence mantra is: "You, the Opponent of the Lords of Death (Yamantaka), please pounce upon the three Lords of Death together with their causes." The outer Lord of Death is ordinary death; the inner Lord of Death is our own afflictions, and the esoteric Lord of Death is the near attainment and other subtle imprints left over on the consciousness. We ask Yamantaka to destroy these subtle imprints. These imprints are the three appearances, the white, red, and black visions that occur during the death process. Near attainment refers to the black vision, when one reaches the clear light all subtle imprints such as near attainment are totally destroyed. Vajrasattva mantra After the mantra recitation, purify any negativities of wrong recitation or doing too much by reciting the 100-syllable mantra, concentrating on the Lord of the Family (Akshobya) on the forehead of the root face. At Akshobya's heart is a moon disc upon which stands a HUNG surrounded by the 100-syllable mantra. As you recite, light rays and nectar flow down from the mantra, enter your head, and wash away negative karmas of improper recitation as black liquid. Question The words SUTOKAYO SUPOKAYO are reversed when compared to the Heruka Vajrasattva mantra, is this correct? Answer In the Vajrasattva section of the long sadhana SUPO comes first, in the selfentry text, page 9, SUTO comes first. In the Vajrayogini sadhana it is always SUTOKAYO followed by SUPOKAYO. Perhaps it is just a question of the meaning. The meaning of SUTO is: "please become the nature of extremely pleased," and the meaning of SUPO is "please become the nature of extremely expanding." Extremely expanding also has a connotation of being pleased as it refers to having a long life, accumulation of merit, and knowledge of the verbal doctrine and the doctrine of realization. So whichever comes first it does not make any difference. We can say: "Please be delighted with me, increase my life span, merit, and knowledge of the different practices," or we can say: Please increase my life span, merit, and knowledge and be pleased with me." There is no mistake in saying it either way. Brief offerings and praise

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Meditation on the generation stage includes many offerings and praises made to Yamantaka. These are equivalent to the offerings and praises made by the gods when Buddha was born in this world. We have transformed ourselves into the aspect of the Resultant Vajra Holder, Yamantaka, and so we make offerings to him as a newly-born Buddha. Meditation upon the striped spot is equivalent to Buddha's absorption into concentration (beneath the Bodhi tree), and mantra recitation is equivalent to the various deeds performed by Buddha.

Retreat During retreat, recite the root mantra 10,000 times, the action mantra 100,000 times, and the essence mantra 10,000 times. Then recite the Yeshe Penga mantra 10,000 times (OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT HUNG AH ANDZE SOHA). While reciting the Yeshe Penga mantra visualize light rays going out from yourself and hooking back the Buddhas of the ten directions in the aspect of Yamantaka, large and small, and absorbing into you. If you are doing a retreat to attain the actions of peace, increase, power, and wrath, recite the root mantra 100,000 times, the action mantra 300,000 times, and the essence mantra 700,000 times. The commentary says 100,000 for each syllable, this refers to the essence mantra. When you recite so many mantras it is possible that signs will appear and you will be able to engage in the "countless actions." At the beginning of the retreat do not count the mantras recited on the first evening. Auspicious days to begin retreat on Yamantaka are the ninth day of the ninth month, twenty-ninth day of the ninth month, or the ninth, nineteenth, or twenty-ninth days of any month. For Vajrayogini, the best days of the month to start retreat are the tenth and twenty-fifth days. The custom of previous gurus is to do four sessions each day of the retreat. You can do four sessions for the first seven days and then increase or decrease the number of sessions according to the number of positive actions you perform during the day. For people like us who are studying, we can do just one session a day because our other actions are Dharma actions. Even if we are doing only one session a day, however, we should still not be relaxed and go beyond the boundary. Until we finish the retreat we should never absorb the common protection wheel. In the evening when we absorb the mansion we should think that the cemeteries absorb into the uncommon protection wheel and that absorbs into the mansion, then the mansion absorbs into oneself. Never think that the common protection wheel absorbs into the mansion. At the beginning of retreat think that all the people with whom you will come in contact during the retreat are inside the protection wheel. Reserve some places for ten people without names just in case someone appears who you are not expecting. Torma offering When making torma offering, first you offer the torma to the main deity and then you offer the other tormas to the other deities. When the tormas are blessed, however, they are all blessed at one time and are blessed in the same way that we bless the inner offering.

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After blessing the torma, invoke the complete mandala to the space in front of you, this includes Yamantaka and all his surrounds, such as the cemeteries. Then light rays radiate from the HUNG at your heart and invoke the wisdom beings in the same aspect as the mandala and each part of the invoked mandala absorbs into its equivalent part of the mandala visualized in front as you say DZA HUNG BAM HO; the wisdom beings become one with the samaya beings.

From a white HUNG on the tongue of each guest there appears a white straw of light through which they take the essence of the torma and experience joy. Offer the torma to the Principal three or seven times with the mantra: OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT VAJRABHAIRAVA ATIPADHI IDAM BALIMTA KHA KHA KHAHI KHAHI HUNG PHAT SOHA Then offer a set of offerings, OM HRIH SHTRIH HA..etc., as before, then offer the inner offering and recite the short praise to the Principal. Torma offering to the direction protectors First offer this torma to the Principal with the mantra OM YAMARAJA SADOMEYA...etc., imagine that he enjoys it and gives permission to the direction protectors to enjoy the remnants. Offer the later torma three times with the mantra: OM BHUCHARANA YAPATALA...etc. The direction protectors who receive this torma are those whose nature is wisdom and they abide within the cemeteries. The preliminary torma, however, was offered to the gods of the white side who were invoked from their own abodes; the mantra of the preliminary torma offering is the same as the mantra here, the difference is in the object that receives the offering. The gods of the white side assist Dharma practitioners. We ask the main deity to give permission to the direction protectors to taste the torma because it is made of human blood and so on. In the short sadhana there is no preliminary torma offering, there is only this later torma, which is offered to the direction protectors as wisdom beings. Outer and inner offerings After the torma has been offered, make the outer offerings: OM DASHA DIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA ARGHAM...etc., and then the inner offering: OM DASHA DIKA LOKAPLA SAPARIWARA OM AH HUNG. Playing music, now recite the prayer of request to the direction protectors. The long sadhana continues with the concluding verses; the self-entry practice now begins the actual entering of the mandala.

Opening the doors to the mandala

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Until now you have always been the Principal, Yamantaka, in the centre of the mandala. Now there is a separation, from the Principal, you emanate in the aspect of blue Hung Kara, who is one of the 49 deities and is also one of the ten wrathful deities. You appear from the bottom of the mandala as Hung Kara with one face and two arms, holding a vajra and bell and making the mudra of HUNG DZE: right hand below the left, right index finger hooked around the left little finger, right palm faces out and fingers loosely curled, left palm towards the body. You stand with your right leg bent and your left extended, and you are holding a flower garland while making this mudra. Through the power of your mudra you cause the curtain to rise and you enter the mansion without hindrance. Within the mansion you hold the vajra aloft and ring the bell while circumambulating three times and reciting OM SUMBHANI HUNG, OM GRIHANA GRIHANA HUNG, OM GRIHANA PAYA GRIHANA PAYA HUNG, OM ANAYAHO BHAGAVAN VIDYARAJAH HUNG HUNG PHAT twice. Then recite the 100-syllable mantra. Having completed three circumambulations, stand at the eastern door facing the central deity and say: Your mind abides in the great bliss, enjoying the mudra of embrace, JAH HUNG BAM HOH HI HI HI HI HI, Saviour, please accept this flower garland. If the principal deity has a consort, think that he embraces her, but here the principal deity is Solitary Yamantaka, he simply makes the embracing mudra with both arms. Walk clockwise around the deity to the western door and, facing the eastern door, from there you open it through the power of mantra and the HUNG mudra. Then go to the northern door and open the southern door in the same way, then from the east open the western door, and from the south open the northern door. Recite OM VAJRA UDGHATA SAMAYA PRAVISHAYA HUNG as you open each door. Then return to the eastern door and saying OM SAMAYA PRAVISHAYA MI think that the flower garland you had offered is returned to you and place it on your head with the dancing mudra. Now recite the mantra for making prostration to the mandala: OM PRANAMA MISARVA TATHAGATA NA and request: "Kindly grant all siddhis to me and all sentient beings."

3 Taking initiation from the mandala 3A Entering the mandala 3B Receiving initiation 3C Concluding rites

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3A1 Entering with the blind-fold 3A2 Entering and seeing the mandala 3A1A Outside the curtain 3A1B Passing the curtain Imagine that you are standing in the aspect of a disciple, as Yamantaka with one face and two arms, outside the eastern door, at the top of the ladder and the eastern horn of the double vajra. You are facing the principal deity and ready to receive initiation. There is a need for somebody to pass you the blind-fold, flowers, and so on; this is performed by an emanation of the principal deity, Yamantaka himself. Now bless the offerings for the initiating deities by removing hindrances and generating the offering substances, water and so on in the usual way. Mandala offering Now make a long mandala offering in order to receive the initiation, beginning with "Lama dang tso.wo..." When making the mandala offering think that you are offering all that you have - your body, possessions, and roots of virtue - to the main deity who is inseparable from your root guru. You should also mentally offer all external objects not possessed by other living beings, such as the four continents, eight sub-continents, and so on. The mandala offering is followed by the usual "sazhi pokyi..," and then an extra verse: I have become a vessel of training in the common path, please bless me to enter the supreme vehicle, the vehicle for those of great fortune (tantric vehicle). Following the mandala offering, make another prayer of request to the guru inseparable from the main deity: You, the Founder, are the great bliss, Vajradhara, leader of the tantric vehicle, please pay attention to me. "Jang" means the principal deity has completely purified the two obscurations together with their imprints. "Chub" means to contain, he has perceived all objects of knowledge and has gained all other types of knowledge. "Chen.poi" means he has the great enlightenment, the state of splendid realization and abandonment. "Tsul.ten.pa": you have followed the path that gives these realizations and definitely and unwaveringly leads to enlightenment. "Gon.po": Great Saviour, I am seeking this great enlightenment, please grant it to me. "Dam.tsig": Please bestow on me the samayas, including the vows of aspirational bodhicitta and refuge. I have to take refuge according to the great Supreme Vehicle and take refuge in the three refuge objects in the way of secret mantra.

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"Tarpa chen.poi": Please give me initiation and permission to enter the mandala and grant to me the conditions for attaining the supreme siddhi of great liberation - the final non-abiding nirvana, the state gone beyond sorrow. Having recited this prayer three times, think that the principal deity happily accepts your request. Now you arise as Yamantaka with one face and two arms. Before, you were also Yamantaka but in the aspect of a disciple. To have a clear image of yourself as Yamantaka and to increase divine pride, spend some time visualizing that you have the complete set of upper and lower garments of the deity. Receiving flower garland and eye ribbon Then take a flower garland in order to have something to offer to the main deity later on when you enter the mandala. As you recite the five syllables AH KHAM VIRA HUNG, visualize that these syllables become the flower garland with five colours; you are given the garland by Karma Vajra - a replica of the principal deity - in the form of Yamantaka with one face and two arms. Imagine that the entity of the flower garland is the exalted wisdom of the five Wisdom Buddhas. The mantra means "the heroes of space." Then guru Karma Vajra gives you the blindfold as you recite OM CHAKSHU (eyes) BHANDHA (cover) WARA (supreme) MANA (mind): "In order for the mind to become supreme, cover the eyes." As this practice belongs to father tantra, take the flower garland and the eye ribbon with your right hand; if you are practising mother tantra use the left hand. Imagine that guru Karma Vajra covers your eyes, this is necessary because one has not yet acquired all the conditions to see the inner mandala. Dispel interferences by reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT, imagining that guru Opponent to the Lord of Death emanates many wrathful deities in the aspect of Yamantaka from his heart that chase away interferences that would prevent success of the ritual. Taking Bodhisattva vows These vows are received in common with all four levels of tantra. Before taking them you must establish earnest conviction in your heart, with strong faith towards the principal deity who is inseparable from the guru. Visualize Buddhas and Bodhisattvas filling space behind the principal deity and that you are receiving the Bodhisattva vows with them as witnesses. Before taking the vows, think: "I must attain enlightenment for the sake of all others, and for this purpose I am going to take the Bodhisattva vows, from the moment I receive these vows up until enlightenment I will engage in the practice of every perfection such as generosity and in all practices of sutra and tantra." Prior to receiving the Bodhisattva vows it is necessary to have understanding of aspirational bodhicitta, that is, there are two types of bodhicitta - one with effort and one without effort - and if you have neither of these, at least you must have some understanding of them.

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"I take refuge in the three Superiors." We take refuge in the Buddha as our guide and in Dharma as the actual refuge. Dharma refers to the realizations of the Buddha, such as true cessations and true paths. Think that you are going to follow the path exactly as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have trained on the path. Trying to emulate the past Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is equivalent to taking refuge in the Sangha, their practice is the example that we follow, and this is taking refuge in the Sangha as our helpers. "I confess every single negative karma." This is necessary because to receive the vows one must have a smooth basis, if the basis - one's mind - is rough, it is difficult to develop things, like you cannot raise a good crop on stony ground. Confessing negative karmas has many connotations. In one way, it is to confess the negative karmas of body, speech, and mind separately. This means that we purify physical negative karmas with our body, verbal negative karmas with our speech, and mental negative karmas with our mind. We can also include negative karmas of breaking vows of individual liberation, of bodhicitta, and of tantra, confessing negativities concerned with each of these. In brief, we must feel strong regret at having created any negative karma, and when these are purified the basis is well cultivated. "I rejoice in the virtues of other transmigrators." If we do not have much merit it is difficult to receive the Bodhisattva vows, so we enhance our merit by rejoicing, this is one of the best ways to accumulate merit. "I will keep the Buddhas' enlightenment in mind," that is, I shall attain Buddhahood for the sake of all others. "I take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha until I attain enlightenment," this is to confirm the refuge that we have already taken. "I shall generate bodhicitta in order to accomplish the purposes of both self and others." The purpose of self has two: complete abandonment and complete realization, that is, the self-purpose is to achieve the facility to place all beings in temporal and ultimate happiness, and this is the purpose of others. While reciting the verse of request to receive the Bodhisattva vows, refuge is taken at three places. At first we request in general to receive both types of bodhicitta, then there is a line requesting aspirational bodhicitta, and finally we request in particular to receive the vows of engaging bodhicitta. Meanwhile, we also think of the seven purities as explained in sutra. These do not contain a specific request to give the teachings because everything here is based upon the Sambhogakaya - the body of full use that is continuously giving teachings to Arya Bodhisattvas. Also there is no request to Buddha to not pass away because the Sambhogakaya will last forever - until the end of samsara - therefore it is not necessary to make either of these two requests. Taking the tantric vows - the uncommon vows The tantric vows are uncommon because they only occur within the highest yoga tantra. I request you to bestow upon me the sacred, irreversible empowerments into the (mandala) circle and then tell me about the thusness of the Protector and his circle of deities, about the virtuous conduct of the vajra master, the close samaya bonds of all the

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Buddhas, the supreme secret vows, and how I can become a vajra master so that I can work for the benefit of all beings forever. The first verse, "kor.lo jir.mi..," is a request to the deity to give the tantric vows. Requesting the irreversible initiation refers to the vajra master initiation that endows the disciple with the seed to not turn back from the point of entering the mansion, in other words, the seed is planted for the disciple to have such a mansion. "Gon.p kor.lo..," refers to the reality of the supporting and supported mandala. Gon.po, Saviour or Lord, refers to the vajra master, "lo.pon trin.le tang" to his virtuous activity. "Dom.pa sang.chog dag du ni," is the supreme vow of secrecy to not reveal the pledges to the five Dhyani Buddhas are to be kept secretly and not revealed to those who have not become proper vessels. So we are asking the vajra master to please perform the various virtuous activities and maintain the vows and also please give these vows to me so that I can work forever for the welfare of all sentient beings. "Lopon dag gyur sung du sol," "Vajra Master, tell me the method through which I will become a vajra master. The point here is that after receiving the initiation of the vajra master, one then has permission to act as a vajra master and one will become a vajra master - without this initiation that is not allowed. So this is simply the request to the vajra master to give initiation and tantric vows to oneself. After reciting the verses three times one receives the tantric vows. Before doing this, one must remember all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas visualized in space in front, surrounding the principal guru-deity. Having taken the Bodhisattva vows and having become a Bodhisattva, one experiences no reluctance to take rebirth in any of the realms of samsara because one does so purely for the sake of others. So, although a Bodhisattva himself has no difficulty in taking rebirth anywhere in samsara, the practitioner takes these tantric vows by thinking how pitiful the other sentient beings are because they are continuously suffering and therefore one must find a way to liberate them from this suffering as quickly as possible. This means that from his side he does not mind to be in samsara because if he does not remain in samsara he cannot help to free other sentient beings from suffering. So we have to set up this motivation for taking the vows of Maha Annuttara Yoga tantra in order to find a way through which one can attain enlightenment quickly so as to be able to quickly liberate all other beings from suffering. So the main thing before taking tantric vows is to establish an intense desire to take the vows and to keep them. Taking the tantric vows All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, please pay attention to me. From now until I attain the seat of enlightenment, I, (tantric name) shall generate the two types of bodhicitta just as all Buddhas of the three times have done. "Sangye" is a being who has completely awakened from the obscurations and whose mind has been completely opened to all the objects of knowledge. Such a being who is working for others is called a Buddha Bodhisattva - sangye jang.chub sempa. The seat of enlightenment is the state gone beyond sorrow - what is called the nonabiding nirvana - this is the real nirvana that one needs. Once again we receive the two

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types of bodhicitta, aspirational and engaging, in order to establish the basis for receiving the tantric vows.

I shall observe the morality of refraining from misdeeds (ten non-virtuous actions etc.,), of gathering all virtues (even the smallest), and of continuously working for others. With strong determination I shall continuously maintain these three vows in the future. From now on I shall take refuge in the three refuges of the present and of the future and thus maintain until enlightenment the six pledges in relation to Buddha Vairocana. "Sangye" here refers to all Buddhas, such as the five Dhyani Buddhas. "Cho" means dharma which, in general, refers to a phenomenon that upholds its own entity, but here it refers to the true path and true cessation. It is that which eliminates the various afflictions and holds the entity of having the cessation of the obscurations and afflictions. "Gendun" refers to the sangha, those who aspire to virtue, their attitude is totally turned towards virtue. Taking refuge here means that first we take refuge in the three objects of refuge that exist now, and secondly we take refuge in the three refuge objects to be developed within ourselves in the future. The six pledges in relation to Buddha Vairocana are to observe the three types of morality and the three refuges. I shall keep perfectly the pledge of the great supreme Vajra family (of Akshobya), namely, the vajra, bell, and mudra, and I shall also keep that of the Vajra Master as a source of all attainments (siddhis). The supreme, indestructible holy minds of all the Buddhas are embodied in the aspect of Akshobya, the first pledge to whom is the pledge of vajra - which has the meaning of inseparability. The exalted blissful wisdom mind of all the Buddhas has emptiness as its object, and to remind oneself of the inseparability of these two is the vajra pledge. With the pledge of bell we do not only remember the inseparability of these two but we also remember the sound produced by their combination - the sound produced by playing the bell makes the sound of the combination of blissful wisdom with its object, emptiness. When we ring the bell we must remember the blissful mind and maintain the pledge of bell. The pledge of mudra means, in order to stop all of our attachment to ordinary appearances, we take the aspect of the deity, and we do so by making the mudra of physical embrace. The next pledge is that of holding the Vajra Master as the source of all siddhis. I take to heart the pledge of the great and supreme Jewel family (Ratnasambhava) and always give six times each day the pledge of generosity. This includes the pledge of knowing what is to be abandoned and what is to be practised and lovingly seeing all sentient beings as good. The pledge of generosity includes giving protection, giving Dharma teaching, and giving material things. Giving protection refers

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to meditating on equanimity and securing oneself from the fear of falling under the influence of attachment and aversion. For the great, pure Lotus family (of Amithaba) that has come from the great enlightenment, I shall keep each of the sacred Dharma teachings of the outer (two tantras) and the secret (two tantras) and of the three vehicles. Action tantra emphasizes outer cleanliness and performance tantra emphasizes both outer and inner practices. The secret tantras are yoga tantra and highest yoga tantra. The three vehicles are the vehicles of the Hearer and Solitary Realizer, counted as one, the perfection vehicle of the Bodhisattvas, and the vehicle of tantra. "I will keep the advice explained by the four tantras and the three vehicles" includes all levels of practice. For the great and supreme Karma family (of Amoghasiddhi) I shall keep perfectly each and every one of the vows I possess, and shall do as many actions of offering as I can. Amoghasiddhi is connected to accomplishing the various Dharma activities. We promise to keep all the pledges made to the other four Dhyani Buddhas and also to make outer, inner, and suchness offerings to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I shall develop a sacred, peerless enlightened motivation of bodhicitta, and for the sake of all sentient beings I shall keep my vows without exception. I shall free those who have not been freed and liberate those who have not been liberated, I shall give breath to those without breath and shall lead all sentient beings to nirvana, the state beyond sorrow. Here one remembers the two bodhicittas by clarifying what has to be done - the meanings and the methods to follow. There are beings such as the Hearer and Solitary Realizer Arhats who have already overcome the gross obscurations - the obscurations to liberation - but have not overcome the more subtle obscurations to omniscience, these are the beings we refer to when we say "I will liberate those from obscurations that they have not yet overcome." Also, we have to free the beings who are not freed from either level of obscuration and work for those in the lower realms who are in total suffering, not even able to breathe. We will liberate them from suffering by giving them the happiness of a better rebirth. Recite the whole prayer three times, thinking that you are repeating it after Guru Karma Vajra. While reciting these pledges we should know exactly what they are and how many are to be kept. We should remember that all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and deities are in front of us and, in their presence, we are taking the vows. They are witness to our promise to keep all pledges of the five wisdom Buddhas in general, and also to keep the individual vows separately, as well as to liberate all beings from their suffering and lead them to the state gone beyond sorrow. After the third recitation, think that all the tantric vows we have taken before are renewed and for those taking them for the first time think that you have received the vows with all the Buddhas as witness.

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Next, the Vajra Master asks the disciple some questions about one's social caste and wishes in order to see if he or she is suitable to receive the initiation: "Hello, who are you? What do you desire to take delight in?" The disciple replies by saying that he or she is a person of good fortune able to work for the sake of all others and attain enlightenment: "I belong to the rank of Bodhisattva and I desire the great bliss." "What are you going to do with the great bliss?" The disciple replies: "To work for others, supreme enlightenment is indispensable and I will use the great bliss to attain enlightenment." Next follows further generation of the two bodhicittas - called the mind generation of a yogi for all. Question When taking the tantric vows, after the third recitation do you purify the negative karma of breaking previous tantric vows? Answer Yes, this is the main point of doing the self-entry. Question Does this also purify vows of mother tantra? Answer All negative karma in relation to tantric practice can be purified unless there is a particular negative karma of mother tantra. The main emphasis here is on the common pledges of the five Dhyani Buddhas, and the negative karmas of breaking the individual pledges of the principal tantric vows. When you receive Yamantaka initiation you are not obliged to make tsog offering on the 10th and 25th days of the month, but according to the mother tantras of Heruka and Vajra Yogini there are specific things to do, such as making these offerings, so this is a little bit different. Excluding these particular pledges of mother tantra, one does purify the fourteen root vows and the eight bonpos. One can ask: "Is it possible for a gelong to purify the negative karma of receiving a defeat of his vows of individual liberation?" The answer is no, it is not possible, but if we ask if it is possible for a tantric practitioner to purify the negative karma of breaking the tantric root vows, the answer is yes. They can be purified by taking initiation or by doing the self-entry, so here we are directly concerned with the fourteen root vows and the others. Although these vows can be purified, one should not just do anything with the attitude that one day you can do the self-entry and purify everything. This is incorrect, it is like saying: "I can break my leg because the doctor can fix it up again." Of course, this is possible, but the logic is completely crazy. Question Is purification done during Vajrasattva retreat equivalent to self-entry only in terms of purifying root downfalls?" Answer In general, Vajrasattva is a powerful force for purification, especially when someone does retreat and recites the mantra with much effort. After the retreat, that person has much energy to continue other practices as well. When we talk about gradual meditation from death, impermanence, and so on, one follows a way that makes the mind very stable and unlikely to fall. I think that instead of putting so much energy into doing a Vajrasattva retreat it is more reasonable to go through the gradual meditation such as death, impermanence, and so on. In this gradual way the realizations increase and this creates a stable foundation. I am not criticizing

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people who are doing Vajrasattva retreat; when we follow the gradual system it is possible to gain realizations within a short time - one or two weeks. This is what the previous lamas say, I am just saying what I think, I am not putting down people doing the Vajrasattva retreat, I am obliged to say all these things because that is the reason why I am here. On the other hand, we do have to purify negativities in general and also other obscurations. From my experience, I prefer to go through the gradual meditations and in this way the mind attains realization in a more stable way. In the West, people have so much energy, interest, and desire to make retreat. Many of you have been to Dharamsala and have seen Tibetan people giving up their lives and going to live in the mountains in isolation. In general, however, the majority of Tibetans do not do this. If by doing tantric retreat one can develop renunciation and bodhicitta, that would be really marvelous. This commentary just came out, it is not part of the main commentary. Mind generation of a yogi for all Generate the bodhicitta by thinking about the sufferings that sentient beings are experiencing and generating love and compassion - the mind that cannot bear the continual suffering of sentient beings and wishes them to have happiness. Then there is the mind that intends to provide happiness for others, so we think about conventional bodhicitta, the mind generation that wishes to attain enlightenment for the sake of others. Visualize your conventional bodhicitta at your heart in the form of a full moon disc - the fullness of the moon shows the object of our bodhicitta, all sentient beings. Then think about emptiness; how all phenomena are merely labelled by conception and that nothing exists from its own side. Then think that this meditative mind transforms into the entity of bliss and becomes a blissful mind realizing the object emptiness. This mind becomes one with the object emptiness and this is called ultimate bodhicitta. Ultimate bodhicitta is extremely powerful in terms of eliminating objects to be abandoned and therefore it is like a vajra. We must understand the two things: ultimate virtue and ultimate non-virtue. The blissful mind realizing emptiness being one with the object emptiness is called ultimate virtue because it is a virtue at the ultimate level. In general, emptiness is not virtue. Similarly, samsara is ultimate non-virtue. We have to visualize the ultimate virtue as a white five-spoked vajra. The spokes symbolize that the mind is one, but in terms of name it is divided into five exalted wisdoms: mirror-like, discriminating, and so on. This is called mind generation of a yogi for all because the conventional bodhicitta refers to all sentient beings and ultimate bodhicitta observes the non-true existence of all phenomena. Now recite the mantra OM SARVA YOGA CHITTA UPATA YAMI. OM is the beginning of the mantra, SARVA means all, YOGA is yoga, CHITTA is mind, UPATAYAMANI means generation. Yoga is union, the union of conventional and ultimate bodhicitta. These are both primary minds, not mental factors. Generation refers to the generation of the two types of bodhicitta as the moon disc and vajra. Generating these two bodhicittas is the foremost method for approaching Buddhahood. Next, recite the mantra: OM SURATE SAMAYA STVAM HOH SIDDHI VAJRA YATHA SUKHAM

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Here, Guru Karma Vajra comes to you and touches your heart with a vajra and a flower to stabilize the two types of bodhicitta established in your heart. The flower symbolizes growing out of mud but not stained by mud, similarly, the great blissful wisdom is produced by attachment but is not stained by attachment. This blissful wisdom realizes the vajra-like emptiness and becomes inseparable from the object emptiness, and this is why the vajra is used here. SU means extremely, RATE is to be happy, SAMAYA is pledge, STVAM is you, HOH is the seed-syllable for pleasing the deity, SIDDHI means siddha, VAJRA is vajra, YATHA means in this way, and SUKHAM means happiness. Thus the mantra means: "You are the one having the pledge of extreme happiness, having accomplished the bliss and the vajra in this way." In other words, you are in the process of attaining Buddhahood by the means of inseparability of bliss and void. When reciting this mantra, think that the moon and vajra at the heart of the guru sends replicas that merge with the moon and vajra at your own heart. Now Guru Karma Vajra puts the vajra on your head and says, "Do not reveal this to anybody." By keeping the commitment of secrecy, the disciple is like a person being shown the great treasury of the king. To be taken inside he must be a special person, not someone who will tell others what he has seen. The guru says to you, "Today you will enter the mansion and all the tathagatas will give you blessing. You should not talk of this initiation to those who practise the lower levels of tantra, keep this subject secret from those who have not received Maha Annuttara Yoga initiation and even keep it from those who have entered the mandala but have little faith." These are the things to be done before passing the door curtain, once you pass through the curtain there are three things to be done: circumambulation and prostration, taking a pledge, and expressing the power of truth by establishing wisdom.

Passing the curtain Circumambulation Guru Karma Vajra comes to the eastern door which automatically opens; holding you by the right hand, he then leads you into the mansion, circumambulating the central deity. As you do this, think of the great fortune you have to be able to be there in the mandala and seeing the deities who abide within. At this point, open the curtain in front of the eastern door of the mandala on the altar. Circumambulate three times while repeating the mantra MAHARATA SUDRIDHA SUTOSHO SUSUKHO VAJRASATTVA ADYA SIDDHYA MAM. MAHARATA means great happiness, SUDRIDHA is extreme, SUTOSHO is extreme delight, SUSUKHO is stable, SIDDHYA is make achieve now, and MAM means me. Thus the mantra means, "Today, please enable me to experience the great happiness that is extremely stable and delightful." Prostration

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After completing the third circumambulation, stand before the eastern door and make three prostrations to the main deity while reciting OM SARVA TATHAGATA PUJA UPASTHANAYA ATMANAM...etc. This mantra is a request to the main deity in the centre of the mansion. You are in the form of Yamantaka, imagine that a replica of the main deity comes and absorbs into you and think that due to receiving this replica you have gained the energy to make extensive offerings and to give service to all beings. The meaning of the mantra is: OM SARVA TATHAGATHA - OM all Tathagathas, PUJA is offering, UPASTHANAYA is for the purpose of making offering, ATMANAM is essence (entity), NIRYATAYAMI is I am going to offer, SARVA TATHAGATHA VAJRASATTVA, ADHITISTHA is please bless, and MAM means me: "I make offering to you in order to make offerings and service to all tathagatas." Again you prostrate to the main deity who is indistinguishable from your root guru, you are still at the eastern door, and you recite OM GURU CHARANAYA PUJA UPASTHANAYA ATMANAM...etc., "at your feet, in order to make service, I offer myself to you in order to liberate all sentient beings from their sufferings and to teach them to follow the path." Taking the pledge Your promise to the deity is made in relation to four things: 1 The benefits of works done here during the initiation. 2 The disadvantages of the opposite to work. 3 The point of view of both advantages and disadvantages. 4 The speech of the deity being pleasant to the ear. Guru Karma Vajra takes you outside the eastern door curtain where he tells you of the advantages and the disadvantages and that you must take the pledge of secrecy. He puts the vajra upon your head and says: "Today you are born within the Buddha family and there is established within you the seed to attain Buddhahood. I shall invoke all wisdoms and make them enter into you." "All wisdoms" refers to the vajra exalted wisdom - the wisdom embracing all three times without obstacle. Due to the invocation of this wisdom and its dissolving into you, you gain the faculty to attain the siddhis of all the tathagatas. Guru Karma Vajra continues: "If this exalted wisdom makes you attain the supreme siddhis of all the tathagatas, then the eight common siddhis need not be mentioned (will easily be attained). Today you have entered the mandala and have received all these things, you should not tell them to those who have not entered the mandala. If you do, you will break your samaya and will experience hardship in this life and in future lives, these are the opposite to the benefits." Guru Karma Vajra places the vajra upon your head and says: "If you do not keep secrecy, your head will burst." He then places the vajra at your heart and says: "OM, today all the Buddhas such as Vajrasattva absorb into your heart, their blessings enter you due to your fervent request, if you keep this practice secret you will continuously receive their blessings in future lives, if you reveal these secrets to those who are improper to receive them, all the tathagatas

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such as Vajrasattva will quickly leave you and the blessings you have received in your heart will depart." The pledge of the vajra is to be kept without telling anybody - which means those whose mental continuums are not ready for tantra and those who have not received well the tantric initiation; if we do reveal these secrets, our heads will burst. Now recite OM VAJRA UDA KATHA seven times and drink water from the conch. At the completion of the vase consecration, some water had been kept aside in a conch on the altar and not poured back into the vase. As you make this third pledge, Guru Karma Vajra gives you this vajra-pledge water that is scented with camphor and sandalwood and you drink it after reciting the mantra. Guru Karma Vajra then says: "After drinking the vajra-pledge water you must keep the pledge properly, otherwise it will be like drinking water that is a cause for rebirth in hell. If you keep the pledges of this tantric practice, then you will attain all siddhis; drink the water, it is like beneficial nectar and is also like a vajra with which you can defeat all adversaries." The fourth pledge is one of obedience to Guru Karma Vajra's commands; he holds your hand and says: From today, as I am the Vajradhara Guru here, if you want to attain all the common and uncommon siddhis you have to do exactly as I tell you." You should never have contempt for the guru, such as by saying he is of low caste, is no good, has much attachment, and so on. If you scorn the guru you will definitely be reborn in hell. This fourth pledge is easy to break, one can easily develop contempt for the guru and that is why this pledge is emphasized here. Expressing the power of truth by establishing wisdom You now request all tathagatas to please bestow their exalted wisdom upon you. Guru Karma Vajra removes hindrances to this happening by reciting the mantra OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT, and then OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH SARVA DHARMAH ..etc., and everything, including your own aggregates, dissolves into the empty state. Your mind then appears out of the emptiness in the aspect of HUNG which transforms into a vajra marked by HUNG. This then transforms into Yamantaka, azure body, one face, and two arms holding a curved knife and a skull cup. At your crown is a white BAM which transforms into a white water mandala, the nature of white bodhicitta. It is round and is marked by a vase that itself is marked by HA, the entity of Buddha Vairocana. At your heart is a yellow LAM which transforms into a square earth mandala, all four corners of which are marked by three-spoked vajras, either standing or lying. Each vajra is marked by a HUNG, the entity of Buddha Akshobya (and one's own mind). At your navel is a red RAM which transforms into a triangular fire mandala, very hot, and marked by a red AH, the nature of vajra speech and the entity of Buddha Amithaba. Beneath your heels are two YAMs which transform into two blue wind mandalas shaped like half a round of cheese. The two corners of each are marked with fluttering flags marked with DZAH. The flat edges of the wind mandalas face to the rear.

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The flags flutter and the wind blows, causing the flames at the navel to rise and heat the earth mandala at the heart. Nectar flows down from the water mandala and fills your entire body with bliss. The syllables DZAH on the flags are the nature of fire and are very hot. As the hot wind rises up towards the navel, these syllables travel upon the wind. Due to the rising heat, nectar flows down from your crown, and due to the wind blowing up from the wind mandalas beneath your ankles, you are lifted up into the sky. Guru Karma Vajra rings the bell in his left hand and burns incense, making a pleasant smell. In order to invoke the wisdom beings, he recites the mantra OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG HUNG PHAT PHAT, ABESHAYA STVAM BHAYA ..etc., many times. This mantra is the full Yeshe Penga - wisdom shower - mantra, and he recites it while burning the incense. Concentrate on the HUNG at your heart; much light from the fire at your navel goes out through all the pores of your body in all directions and invokes the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions in the aspect of Yamantakas of different sizes and they all absorb into you. ABESHAYA means make it fall always; STVAM BHAYA is make it happen now; RA RA RA RA is now, now, now, now; CHALAYA CHALAYA is make it quiver; HUNG HAH AHDZE are the three syllables for causing the unity of inseparability of the vajra body, speech, and mind to move. When invoking the wisdom beings, these knowledges of the vajra body, speech, and mind shower down upon us. In order to stabilize the wisdom beings as oneness with ourselves, Guru Karma Vajra places the vajra upon the disciple's head and recites TISHTHA VAJRA, meaning "stabilizing vajra." Entering and seeing the mandala You are still standing outside the eastern door and Guru Karma Vajra recites the prayer of the power of truth: "Into this mandala of the non-duality of exalted wisdom of bliss and void, I am going to lead this disciple in order to offer flowers; may the flower fall exactly upon the spot according to his corresponding Buddha family; may there be an exact indication of the type of siddhis he will attain." He is standing facing the central deity and holding the vajra aloft, when he finishes reciting the prayer he rings the bell. When you offer the flower there is an indication of the class to which you belong, according to your level of merit and posture you are connected to a specific class of Dhyani Buddha. There are signs showing for which Dhyani Buddha you are a vessel, which siddhis you will develop, and how long it will take to gain them. After Guru Karma Vajra recites this prayer three times, you enter past the door curtain, holding the flower garland from before. When Guru Karma Vajra says "TRAM," the flowers turn into a precious jewel garland that you throw and the place where it falls indicates the Buddha family to which you belong. Standing just inside the eastern door, you throw the flower while saying PRATICCHA VAJRA HOH. PRATICCHA is individually, HOH is pleasing all deities. If the flower falls upon the central deity you will quickly attain all siddhis. When you offer the flower, do not throw the whole garland, just one bead from the jewel garland. Guru Karma Vajra then takes this bead and places it upon your head, reciting OM PRATI GRIHNA STVAM IMAM SATTVA MAHABALA.

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Think that you have been given the ability to attain the state of the Buddha with whom you have a special connection. Placing the flower upon your head is called the empowerment of the flower garland. Nectar flows from this flower and fills your entire body with the essence of the five exalted wisdoms. By receiving this nectar, all general negativities and obscurations are cleansed, particularly the obstacles to developing your Buddha potential, that is, the potential that will become the Dharmakaya, free from the two extremes. During the self entry we recite all these words, imagining that Guru Karma Vajra is actually reciting them. When you purify the particular obstacles here, think that you have gained the condition to receive the empowerment of the flower garland, you have received the unity of blissful wisdom and the object emptiness, and you have been taken into the care of the yidam from now until you attain enlightenment. PRATI means excellently, GRIHNA is to hold, STVAM is "by you" (the S is not pronounced), IMAM is "of this," SATTVA is being, MAHABALA is Great Powerful One. Thus the mantra means, "You, Great Powerful One, hold it excellently." These words are spoken to whichever yidam has been touched by the falling flower. Guru Karma Vajra now says to that yidam: The disciple having your potentiality is to be taken into your care until he reaches enlightenment. At your heart is a moon disc upon which is a HUNG; at your forehead is RAM; your two eyeballs are in the aspect of radiant white OMs that are obscured by many stains, negativities, and the darkness of ignorance. The HUNG at your heart radiates light and the RAM on your forehead, which is of the nature of fire, receives the light rays and bursts into bright flames. The heat and light of this fire removes the darkness of the obscurations from the two OMs and they shine brilliantly. More light goes out from the HUNG at your heart and strikes the main deity, light rays and nectar then come from his eyes and sink into you, turning the two OMs at your eyes into vajra eyes that clearly see all phenomena. Guru Karma Vajra now removes the blindfold from your eyes as he recites the following verse to the main deity: OM, you who are one with Vajrasattva have given the facility to remove all obscurations and veils from the disciple's eyes which, as a result, are like the eyes of a Buddha, seeing all phenomena; the vajra eye is peerless." He takes away the eye ribbon with his right hand which is holding the vajra and says to you: Look well at this mandala that is the unity of blissful exalted wisdom, and have faith. Through the blessing of the Buddhas you have now been born in the Buddha family; you will soon be blessed by mantras of the deities within the mansion, you will attain all excellent siddhis, and you will become a supreme practitioner of the Maha Annuttara Yoga Tantra by keeping all samayas. You will be able to accomplish all secret mantras with the union of the two by experiencing the union of the lotus and vajra.

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HE VAJRA PASHYA ("Hey, look around!). Whenever you see a symbol of the mandala drawn on material, and when Guru Karma Vajra says "look around," you should imagine that you see the actual mandala. Imagine that you are able to see the entire mandala as clearly as something you can touch, feel that this appearance is the resultant mandala of Yamantaka and you are actually seeing it. Then recite: OM, I have entered the great mandala of the vajra holy mind; OM, now I have seen the mandala of yoga, the union of method and wisdom. OM, I am empowered into the secret mandala. SAMAYA HOH HOH HOH The "great mandala" is the mandala of resultant wisdom, it is great because it is superior to the mandalas of learners and the mandala of exalted wisdom. This mandala is to be kept secret from the lower classes of tantra; it is great because it is superior to the mandalas of the lower tantras. SAMAYA HOH HOH HOH means "I have entered, seen, and been empowered," these three acts are to be stabilized. HOH HOH HOH is the expression of happiness at having had this opportunity. In brief, one says: "Today I have entered the vajra mandala, I have seen the great mandala of yoga, and I have been given the empowerment of the secret mandala." Receiving empowerment There are four empowerment to be received, the empowerments of Vase, of Secret, of Wisdom and Exalted Wisdom, and of Precious Word. The Vase Empowerment has two: Vajra Disciple empowerment and Vajra Master empowerment. Vase Empowerment 1 The Vajra Disciple empowerment This has five steps: the water empowerment of Akshobya, the crown empowerment of Ratnasambhava, the vajra empowerment of Amithaba, the bell empowerment of Amoghasiddhi, and the word empowerment of Vairocana. These five common empowerments are also called the five knowledge empowerments. In order to receive them, first make a mandala offering, inserting into the usual liturgy, "I am offering this mandala to the inseparability of the guru and the main deity." With your palms together holding a flower, and kneeling on your right knee, make the request to Guru Yamantaka: Great Vajradhara, nature of the exalted wisdom of the Dharmadhatu, just as other deities such as Vajrasattva give initiation into their mandalas, please give me the five empowerments and grant to me the supreme siddhis.

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Water empowerment of Akshobya Before the main deity gives the water empowerment of Akshobya, Guru Karma Vajra removes hindrances to yourself and to the vase water by reciting OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANA HUNG PHAT and emanating many wrathful deities from his heart, these then expel all hindrances. Then recite OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH...etc., and yourself and the vase water transform into emptiness. From the emptiness appear two HUNGs which transform into two vajras and these become two Akshobyas transformations of both oneself and the vase water - who are blue and have one face and two arms holding a dorje and bell and embracing the consort Mamaki who holds a curved knife and skull cup. The main deity, Yamantaka, radiates light from the HUNG at his heart and invokes the wisdom beings who are in the same aspect as the symbolic being, and also the initiating deities. The wisdom beings dissolve into the samaya being. Again light radiates from the HUNG and invokes all the male and female deities of the ten directions who come to the space before Yamantaka. Make offerings to all the invoked beings and then make the request: "To the Buddha who is one with the vajra," this refers to the Conqueror Vajradhara who has attained the great exalted wisdom of bliss and void, the culmination of method and wisdom. "One with the vajra" is the name of the sixth Buddha potential and refers to Vajradhara, the word "sangye" here refers to the other five Buddha potentials - the five Dhyani Buddhas. "You six Buddhas, please grant to me the initiation just as it has been granted to others in order to protect them from suffering and to receive the source (seeds) of many excellences." After this request is repeated three times, the male and female deities in the space before the main deity all enter into union and through the fire of their great desire their bodhicitta drops melt, producing the various levels of bliss from the crown downwards and then in the ascending order. These melted drops come through our crown (we are in the aspect of Akshobya with consort) and we receive the initiation from these deities. The initiating deities in space also give initiation in the same way to Akshobya who is the transformation of the vase water, the initiating substance. Question (inaudible) Answer That way would be correct if it were in the context of Yamantaka with consort, but here it is Solitary Yamantaka and so we do it in the way we have described. There is only the bodhicitta that has been melted by the fire of great attachment and this gives the initiation to us. With Yamantaka and consort, there is the process where we go to the womb of the consort and there are light rays going from the male vajra to the female lotus, this extended method is not used here. The initiating substance of the vase is in the aspect of Akshobya and consort who are initiated and the excess liquid appears as Akshobya on their crown. We now make offerings to them from ARGHAM to SHAPTA. Then the male and female deities in the vase melt into light that becomes the water in the vase. Now we can begin the water empowerment of Akshobya from the mandala that

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has been established on the altar. The deities of the mandala do not actually stand up and give us the water empowerment, they just observe the initiating water being given to us. With the next four empowerments of crown and so on we have to invoke the particular deities associated with each empowerment. Light radiates in the ten directions from the HUNG at the heart of the guru inseparable from the main deity and invokes many male and female deities, heroes and heroines, dakas and dakinis, who come to the space above oneself, ready to give the empowerment. Then the deities of the mandala in front and other invoked Buddhas and Conquerors command the initiating deities to give empowerment. The heroes and heroines, such as Lochana and Mamaki, are holding banners and umbrellas in the space above oneself and are showering down flowers and saffron. Those with vases pour nectar to grant the empowerment while other goddesses, such as Rupavajra and Shaptavajra, sing auspicious vajra songs. At the same time, the wrathful deities rush around to prevent interferers from entering this mandala. The initiating goddesses in the sky and the main deity who is inseparable from the root guru simultaneously pour nectar upon your head. Whenever empowerment is given, vajra songs are sung: What is auspicious is the emptiness existing within the continuums of all sentient beings; such emptiness is one entity with the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void, it is the essence of all the Conquerors, it is the Lord of all holy beings, the Buddhas, and is the definitive Vajradhara. By this auspiciousness, the empowerment is given to you today. This definitive deity - the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void - arises in different forms; here it arises as Akshobya the Buddha who purifies the aggregate of consciousness and who is therefore superior to the remaining Buddhas in terms of transforming the aggregates because the aggregate of consciousness is the vital main thought. "Malu semchan..," semchan here is not the semchan that refers to the sentient beings differentiated in the pair, Buddhas and sentient beings. Here it refers to anyone with mind, such as the five Dhyani Buddhas, the essence of whose mind is the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void and this is what takes the different forms, such as the five Dhyani Buddhas. "By this auspiciousness, the empowerment is given to you," means that the great exalted wisdom gives the facility to the disciple to generate realizations. Question What does it mean when it says that the exalted wisdom of bliss and void is one entity with the continuum of sentient beings? Answer The noun "emptiness" in general pervades the continuums of all sentient beings, and this emptiness and the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void are one entity. So what is made auspicious here is a subject causing the disciple to generate the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void.

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Question There are those who say that the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void being one entity with the continuums of sentient beings is a reason why sentient beings already have Buddha within them, this does not sound right to me. Answer There is much discussion on this point where people claim that there is a Buddha within sentient beings. Some say that there is already a Buddha within the continuums of sentient beings and all that one has to do is simply to recognize this Buddha existing within. Their reason is that we have a Buddha inside because we have the cause to become a Buddha. Dharmakirti replies to this that it would follow that when an insect with the karma to be reborn 100 times as an elephant crawls along a blade of grass, that grass is supporting the weight of 100 elephants. It is not comfortable to say that something is there because its cause is there, but a number of people do make this claim. We can clearly accept that sentient beings have the cause to become a Buddha within them, but as sentient beings are not without afflictions, to say that they have a Buddha within them is like saying there is a Buddha who has not abandoned afflictions. Some people say that sentient beings already have the Dharmakaya within them because they have the potential, or naturally abiding lineage - rang zhin nye rig. But in reality we should understand that it is only when all the stains are completely removed from this naturally abiding lineage that the sentient being becomes a Buddha. A sentient being with afflictions has a naturally abiding lineage but is not a Buddha. If we were to accept the argument of such people, it would follow that a large tree could stand on a small sprout because the sprout is the cause to become the large tree. The self-entry text has another auspicious verse to be sung here, but we will jump to "Wang.kur dorje..." This is a verse to be recited by the guru, main deity, in order to make the disciple happy. During an initiation this verse is recited by the guru as he rings the bell, places the vase on our head, and gives the initiation water to the disciples, but here in the self-entry we recite the verse ourselves as we take the water. As a result of drinking this initiating water, your body is filled with the nectar of exalted wisdom; imagine that you have generated the special exalted wisdom of bliss and void and all your negativities and obscurations are finished, in particular you purify aversion and the obstacles that prevent you from accomplishing the practices and meditations done in connection with the Buddha family of Akshobya, and your body becomes completely purified, clear and transparent. Because of the nectar, your consciousness is also cleansed and imagine that you have attained the exalted wisdom of Dharmadhatu. Having taken this water initiation, you are empowered to receive the various siddhis of the Buddha family of Akshobya. Each of these five empowerments purifies a particular stain, here the stain of aversion is transformed; and each transforms a particular aggregate, here it is the aggregate of consciousness. The guru says "wang.kur dorje..," "Having received this empowerment, it is to be kept like a vajra and should not be discarded." Receiving empowerment involves the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void, this is the definitive vajra with which one is empowered and therefore it is an object of veneration by all beings of the three realms - because it is something that has gone beyond the three realms.

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"Sangye kun.gyi..," "today you have taken birth in the Buddha family and I give you this water in the presence of all the Buddhas and deities invoked here." The great exalted wisdom is handed down because the entity of the empowerment is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The verse "wang.kur dorje..," appears in each of the five empowerments. OM A VAJRA UDAKA ABHI SHINCHA HUNG SURATA STVAM AHAM UDAKA means water, ABHI SHINCHA HUNG means "I grant the empowerment well," and SURATA STVAM means "you should be completely happy. AHAM means "I." Thus, altogether, the mantra means "I grant well the water empowerment, you should be pleased." As you receive the water empowerment of Akshobya, you should imagine that you have generated the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. Finally, a second water empowerment is given to stabilize the primary empowerment. "De.tar dutsi chu wang.kur..," the initiating goddesses and deities pour water upon you and this fills your body with nectar cleansing all stains and causing you to experience great bliss. The excess nectar swirls to your crown and takes the form of Akshobya. Then you absorb the invoked initiating deities from the sky above. The guru who is inseparable from the main deity again radiates light rays from the HUNG at his heart and invokes the empowering deities; JAH HUNG BAM HO, they sink into you through the pores of your skin and become oneness with you. Then the guru-deity radiates offering goddesses from his heart and they make offerings to you. During the initiation, the Vajra Master holds up a set of offerings towards the initiates - this represents the offerings to all the disciples who are generated in the aspect of the deity. You have received the water empowerment of Akshobya and have purified the stain of aversion. The spot of your aggregate of consciousness has been transformed and you have attained the exalted wisdom of Dharmadhatu. Aversion here is defined as a mental factor that desires to cause harm to animate or inanimate things. Your aggregate of consciousness, from visual to mental consciousness each of which have their particular objects, is transformed into the consciousness of a Buddha Superior - the clear mind knowing all phenomena. The wisdom of the Dharmadhatu is the realization of emptiness in the continuum of a person who has totally eliminated the two obscurations.

Crown empowerment of Ratnasambhava Many things are done here that are similar to the previous empowerment. OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANA HUNG PHAT The guru-deity emits many wrathful deities from his heart and these chase away all hindrances from oneself and from the crown.

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OM SVABHAVA..etc., we and the crown transform into emptiness and from the state of emptiness appear two TRAMs that transform into jewels and these become two aspects of Buddha Ratnasambhava with one face and two arms holding a jewel and a bell and embracing his consort Precious Tara who holds a curved knife and skull cup. Again from the HUNG at the heart of the guru inseparable from the main deity light radiates and invokes the wisdom beings and empowering deities from their natural abodes who are identical to the Ratnasambhavas and consorts that you have just visualized. The wisdom beings absorb into the two Ratnasambhavas (and the empowering deities remain in space to empower the empowering substance - the transformed crown). Rays of light emanate from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invoke the male and female Buddhas of the ten directions who come to the space in front of the main deity together with the empowering deities and we make offerings to them: OM SARVA TATHAGATA ARGHAM...etc. Then the guru-deity requests the empowering deities to grant empowerment as in the water empowerment. Having been requested, the male and female deities in the sky enter into union, their bodhicitta melts through the force of great desire, descends from their crowns, and they experience the descending and ascending types of bliss. Their bodhicitta then flows into you and you receive the empowerment. The initiating deities give initiation to yourself and the crown who are in the aspect of two Ratnsambhavas. Think that the initiating substance is crowned by Ratnasambhava. Then make offerings to these Buddhas, OM SARVA TATHAGATA...etc. The Ratnasambhava and consort that are a transformation of the crown melt into light and become the crown. Again many light rays emanate from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invoke many Conquerors together with their entourage in order to grant empowerment to oneself. They come from their abodes and abide in the sky above oneself. Then the deities in the mandala that has been visualized command the empowering deities to give the empowerment. They themselves are not involved in giving the initiation, they just observe it. As before, the various initiating goddesses such as Lochana hold banners, umbrellas, and so on for the initiation. Others sing auspicious songs, play music, and shower flowers and saffron from the sky. Those holding white vases pour down the nectar of bodhicitta and you receive the empowerment. While the nectar is being poured, Rupavajra and so on make vajra sounds and music as before. At the same time, the wrathful deities rush around and protect us from hindrances and problems. This auspicious song says that Buddha Ratnasambhava is the Buddha who possesses all jewels and precious things. In his hand he holds a jewel as an implement that abundantly fulfils the wishes of beings in the present life. He strives to liberate all sentient beings from their sufferings and he outshines those who are proud of themselves and of their material possessions. Thus Ratnasambhava overcomes and transforms the stain of pride. In this stanza emphasis is placed upon the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void, saying that this is the object of veneration of beings of the three worlds.

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Today I grant you this empowerment by which you can increase the exalted wisdom of bliss and void; you are born in the family of the three secrets, the holy body, holy speech, and holy mind of all the Buddhas. OM VAJRA RATNA KULA MUKUTA ABHI SHINCHA MI VAJRA RATNA is vajra jewel, KULA MUKUTA is families crown (one should have a crown made of the best gold or silver). "Today I give you empowerment of the crown of vajra jewels." Imagine that the crowns in the hands of all the deities in the sky sink into one another and finally absorb into the crown held by Guru Karma Vajra. During the actual initiation a perfect crown is given to each initiate, but if there are many people one crown is touched to their heads. During the self-entry, take the crown at this point and place it upon your head; if there is only one crown, pass it from person to person. Imagine that by placing the crown upon your head you purify all negativities, in particular pride and miserliness. Think that you have attained the exalted wisdom of equality and through the crown empowerment you are able to quickly gain siddhis. Pride is the stain that comes from the mind feeling very high, this mental factor can arise on the basis of any quality you possess - material, mental, or physical. The condition for this mental factor to arise is jig.ta, the transitory view. The function of pride is to engage in various actions that are against other people, that they would not like. Miserliness belongs to the section of attachment; it is a mental factor holding tightly to one's material possessions, offerings, and so on, not wanting to share them with others. The crown initiation transforms the aggregate of feeling, this is the experience of the three feelings. The exalted wisdom of equality is a final wisdom which engages in working for all sentient beings with impartiality. To gain this wisdom one meditates on equalizing self with others; there are other meditations as well. At the beginning of the initiation, cloth is distributed for the upper and lower parts of the body but the crown is only given now. If you do not have these materials it does not matter. When Guru Karma Vajra places the crown upon your head you should feel great bliss as during the water empowerment when all the vases held by the deities in the sky absorb into the vase in Guru Karma Vajra's hand and he gives you the water to drink. The sequence of events is that we attain wisdom, purify the stains, and stabilize that which has been generated with water that fills our body with bliss and then appears in the aspect of Ratnasambhava on our crown. Our root guru inseparable from the main deity now radiates light and all the empowering deities come to our head, JAH HUNG BAM HO, they become inseparable with oneself and offerings are made to you OM SARVA TATHAGATA...etc. You have received the empowerment of the crown, purified the stains of pride and miserliness, transformed the aggregate of feeling, attained the exalted wisdom of equality, and have been empowered to attain the siddhis of the Buddha family of Ratnasambhava.

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Vajra empowerment of Amithaba OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., hindrances are removed. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH...etc., oneself and the vajra dissolve into emptiness. Out of the emptiness oneself and the vajra appear as two HRIHs that transform into two lotuses which then become two red Amithabas holding a lotus and bell and embracing the red consort Pandravarsi who holds a curved knife and skull cup. Light radiates from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invokes the wisdom beings and empowering deities from their natural abodes. The wisdom beings come and absorb into oneself and the vajra, now in the aspects of Amithaba, and the empowering deities remain in the sky before you. Guru Karma Vajra makes offerings to the empowering deities and requests them to grant empowerment as before. The male and female Conquerors enter into union, the nectar comes to you and you experience empowerment. At the same time, the empowering deities give empowerment to the vajra in the aspect of Amithaba and his consort. You offer a set of offerings to this deity of the vajra and he melts into light and becomes a vajra. Again, light radiates from the HUNG at the heart of guru Yamantaka, invoking the Buddhas of the ten directions and their entourages who come and abide in the sky before the main deity, the deities of the main mandala are observing the proceedings. In the sky, the goddesses such as Lochana, Rupavajra, and so on hold umbrellas and initiating substances, play music, sing, and shower down flowers. To grant the empowerment they pour nectar from their full vases while Shaptavajra sings auspicious songs. Wrathful deities and viras remain around the periphery to prevent hindering beings from coming near. In this auspicious manner I empower you as Buddha Amithaba, the essence of the Lord of the Lotus of all the worlds, the magnificent destroyer of the net of cyclic existence who symbolizes purification of attachment. With the definitive vajra (the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void) of all the Buddhas, today I empower you. Amithaba automatically destroys the attachment of others and thus destroys the net of cyclic existence. The vajras of all the empowering deities in the sky absorb into each other and finally into the vajra held by Guru Karma Vajra. With this vajra he touches your heart, throat, crown, and right hand. Take the vajra and hold it aloft in your right hand, imagining that you are the deity experiencing great bliss. When you hold it up, it emits light rays which absorb into you and again you experience great bliss, purifying the stains of all afflictions, especially attachment, and you gain the exalted wisdom of

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individual realization and are empowered to meditate on the yoga related to the family of Amithaba and attain the siddhis of Amithaba. Attachment is a thought that craves for the body and other enjoyments, seeing them as attractive and wanting to remain with these things and meet them again and again. The function of attachment is to produce suffering. This empowerment transforms the aggregate of discrimination which is the mental factor that clearly distinguishes between things, such as male and female. The exalted wisdom of individual realization exists in the continuum of a Buddha Superior who is able to view the different thoughts of individuals without mixing and is able to work for them according to their individual needs. One now takes the water empowerment to stabilize the vajra empowerment. Feel that your body is filled with nectar, experiences bliss, and stains are purified. The excess water appears on your crown in the aspect of Amithaba Buddha. Light radiates from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invokes the empowering deities who come to you and dissolve into you through the pores of your skin, JAH HUNG BAM HOH, and becoming inseparable, and offerings are made to you. You have now received the vajra empowerment of Amithaba, you have finished the stain of attachment, transformed the aggregate of discrimination, acquired the exalted wisdom of individual realization, and have been empowered to perform the yoga method of the family of Buddha Amithaba and to achieve the siddhis of Buddha Amithaba.

The bell empowerment of Amogasiddhi OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., hindrances are dispelled from oneself and from the initiating substance. OM SVABHAVA..etc., you and the bell dissolve into emptiness. From the emptiness, you and the bell arise as two KHAMs that become two swords which transform into two green Amogasiddhis with one face and two arms holding swords and bells and embracing their consort green Samaya Tara who holds a curved knife and skull cup. Light rays radiate from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invoke the wisdom beings and empowering deities from their own abodes. The wisdom beings absorb into you and the initiating substance (both in the form of Amogasiddhi). Again light rays go out from the guru inseparable from the main deity and invoke in the sky before you all the male and female Buddhas. Guru Karma Vajra makes offerings to them and requests them to give empowerment. They enter into union, the bodhicitta melts and they experience great bliss. Nectar is produced, empowering you and the initiating substance, and you are both ornamented by Amogasiddhi on your crowns. Offer a set of offerings to the initiating substance in the form of Amogasiddhi; he and his consort then melt into light and become a bell. Again light radiates from the heart of the main deity and invokes the Buddhas of the ten directions and their entourages to the sky before you. With the deities in the mansion as witnesses, the goddesses in the sky do auspicious things as before, pouring down nectar,

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singing vajra songs, and wrathful deities protect from hindrances. Buddha Amogasiddhi is the condensation of all accomplishment and action within the world. Among all actions, the most virtuous is to give Dharma teachings to other sentient beings through the motivation of compassion. Of all mental actions, wrong views are the worst because one denies the law of cause and effect, such denial is extinguished by this empowerment. It is extinguished by giving teachings to others with a compassionate mind and Buddha Amogasiddhi represents the purification of wrong views. By the auspiciousness of this accomplishment of action I have today given you the empowerment. OM VAJRA ADHIPATI TVAM ABHISHINCHA MI TISHTA VAJRA SAMAYA STVAM OM VAJRA ADHIPATI means the owner of the vajra, TVAM means to you, ABHISHINCHA is I give empowerment, TISHTA is be a vessel. Thus the mantra means "To you with vajra pledge, I give the empowerment of the owner of the vajra and you agree to receive it." (The bell is called "owner of the vajra"). When emptiness and compassion are merged they become the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void and this vajra inseparability is the dominant condition for giving teachings to all sentient beings. It is the subjective condition for all Buddhas, no matter which teaching they are giving. Since all teachings are brought about by this inseparability it is called "Owner of the Dharma" and also "Owner of the Vajra." The upper part of the bell is a half vajra, thus we can see why this empowerment is called the empowerment of the owner of the vajra. The lower part of the bell symbolizes emptiness and the upper part symbolizes great bliss; for each of these empowerments imagine that you have generated great bliss and wisdom together. The bells of the empowering deities absorb into each other and then into the bell held by Guru Karma Vajra who gives it to you. Take the bell in your left hand and make the mudra of embrace while saying the mantra OM VAJRA ADHIPATI...etc. Feel that you have generated the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. This empowerment mainly purifies the stain of jealousy, it transforms the aggregate of volition, you attain the exalted wisdom of accomplishment, and you are empowered to meditate on the yoga of the family of Buddha Amogasiddhi and to achieve his siddhis. Jealousy is a mental factor belonging to the section of anger. It has attachment to one's own qualities and to the possessions of others, its function is to render discomfort to the mind, not allowing it to abide in happiness. The aggregate of volition is transformed, this includes all products except forms, included in the first aggregate, primary consciousnesses, included in the fifth aggregate, and the mental factors of feeling and discrimination that are in the other two aggregates. The aggregate of volition also contains the compositional factors that are neither consciousness nor form, such as functioning thing, impermanence, product, and so on. When we say that the aggregate of volition is transformed, all these things are transformed. The exalted wisdom of accomplishment is a final wisdom that is able to bring all works to their completion, a Buddha Superior can culminate all the works of sentient beings. The name empowerment of Vairocana

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OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., hindrances are removed from you. OM SVABHAVA...etc., you dissolve into emptiness. From emptiness appears a white OM that becomes a wheel which transforms into white Buddha Vairocana with one face and two arms holding a wheel and a bell and embracing his consort Lochana who is white and holds a curved knife and skull cup. Light radiates from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invokes the wisdom beings in the aspect of the symbolic being (Vairocana) who come and absorb into you. Again light radiates from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invokes the male and female Conquerors of the ten directions who come to abide in space before you. Guru Karma Vajra makes offerings to them and requests them to grant empowerment. The Conquerors enter into union, the bodhicitta melts through the heat of great desire, and the nectar empowers you in the aspect of Vairocana. The deities within the mansion are witness to this; goddesses in the sky do auspicious things, and wrathful deities keep away interferers. While the nectar is poured from the vases held by the goddesses, Rupavajra and Shaptavajra sing an auspicious song: Buddha Vairocana is the essence of the Wheel family; he is the symbol of the purification of confusion (gti.mug); he has overcome all confusion and has completely destroyed its result of suffering within samsara. He is far superior to those who are still overcome by confusion, today I grant you empowerment of the deity with all these qualities. OM VAJRA SATTVA STVAM ABHISHINCHA MI VAJRA NAMA ABHISHEKATA. While ringing his bell, Guru Karma Vajra comes to you, places the vajra upon your head, and recites the name of the Buddha with whose family you are connected. The mantra means "To you, Vajrasattva, I grant the empowerment of vajra name." When you are doing the self-entry you can all use the same name - Mikyo Dorje. The secret name is mentioned above, telling the disciple that he will attain enlightenment in the aspect of the Buddha having that name. While Guru Karma Vajra is ringing the bell, imagine that all the empowering deities in the sky ring their bells and say the same words; generate great bliss and the wisdom realizing emptiness. Take the final water empowerment to stabilize the name empowerment. The nectar fills your body, purifies all stains, and appears at your crown in the aspect of Vairocana. Light rays radiate from the HUNG at the heart of the main deity and invoke the empowering deities from the sky who absorb into you through your body pores, JAH HUNG BAM HOH, and offerings are made to you. Thus you have received the name empowerment, you have purified the stains of confusion, transformed the aggregate of form, attained the mirror-like wisdom, and have been empowered to meditate on the yoga methods of Buddha Vairocana and to achieve his siddhis. The basic definition of confusion is: "a mental factor that does not perceive its object." Some say that confusion should also mean wrong realization, but others say that it is not necessary to include wrong realization within the definition. According to the

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"Pramanavartika" confusion (gti.mug), belongs to the opposite class to the cognition that is exalted wisdom, that is, an exalted wisdom realizing selflessness. Confusion views the same object as exalted wisdom but has a different realization, it sees the self to exist from its own side. Usually, ignorance (ma.rig.pa) is superficially defined as "a mental factor that does not realize reality" - the selflessness of person and the selflessness of phenomenon. When ignorance is defined at a deeper level it is more exact to say it is "a mental factor that has the same object as the correct mind but has wrong realization." The specific attributes of ma.rig.pa are that it can generate affliction through affliction, it can generate karma through affliction, and it can generate affliction through rebirth. In other words, when we have ignorance, afflictions arise, actions are performed, and rebirths are taken. The mirror-like wisdom is an exalted wisdom that realizes the three times without obstacle, their (ultimate) reality and their conventionality at the same time. The aggregate of form is those phenomena that are composed of the four elements. Among the five empowerments of the vajra disciple, the water empowerment signifies washing away your obscurations; the crown empowerment signifies establishing the cause to receive the ushnisha and the Lord of the Family (rig.da) - the greatest of the thirty-two major marks; the vajra empowerment is to establish the cause for attaining the Buddha's holy mind; and the bell empowerment is the cause for attaining the Buddha's holy speech. These five empowerments transform the five aggregates that arose from karma and affliction. By transforming them, one attains the five exalted wisdoms. By receiving these empowerments, one purifies the stains of the five afflictions and gains the essence of the five Dhyani Buddhas who symbolize the purification of the five afflictions, and one is empowered to perform the specific meditations associated with each of the five Buddhas. The rituals of this empowerment should be done in the best way possible, wearing the costume of the deity in order to develop divine pride. Many things are made auspicious during the ceremony; the five aggregates are changed - the costume shows external change and internally you should think of purification and transformation of your inner aspect. This makes many positive imprints for the future. These are the five exalted wisdom empowerments, exalted wisdom is a clear and knowing cognizer and we establish the seed to attain them in the future. Question Do these five wisdoms all come from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void? Answer Yes, they are based upon the exalted wisdom of a Buddha Superior who has the exalted wisdom of bliss and void that is simply given these five names. The substantial cause for each of these five is within us now; this will become the exalted wisdom of bliss and void of an Arya Buddha. Question When an Arya attains single-pointed concentration on the blissful realization of emptiness, is it exalted wisdom of bliss and void? Answer No, because these exalted wisdoms refer to the final exalted wisdom of a Buddha Superior. A person who is not a Buddha can have the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, but these five are the exalted wisdom of a Buddha. Question If we attain enlightenment in the aspect of Yamantaka, how does this fit in with attaining enlightenment in the aspect of one of the five Dhyani Buddhas?

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Answer Yamantaka is a deity with the Buddha potential of Akshobya, it is not contradictory to say that attaining enlightenment in the aspect of Yamantaka is doing so in the aspect of Akshobya. The five exalted wisdoms can also be recognized as the empowering goddesses, the consorts of the five Dhyani Buddhas.

2 The uncommon Vajra Master empowerment This has two - the actual empowerment and the stabilizing empowerment. Make a mandala offering to receive this empowerment, inserting, "At the feet of the deity inseparable from my root guru I offer this mandala in order to receive the uncommon empowerment of the Vajra Preceptor." Through your empowerment I, the Vajra Disciple, shall give empowerment and show the root tantra and related tantric subjects to others; to do so I depend upon your kindness, Vajra Master, in giving me empowerment. Great treasure of compassion, please now grant to me the Vajra Master empowerment. It is important to request the Vajra Master to grant this empowerment because without it you cannot be of great benefit to others. The previous five empowerments are good, but with the Vajra Master empowerment you can do much more good for others by showing tantra and giving empowerment yourself. Request three times, imagining that you are sitting upon a white lotus with eight petals just inside the eastern door. OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., remove hindrances. OM SVABHAVA...etc., you dissolve into emptiness. From the emptiness appears a throne supported by lions and upon that is a variegated lotus and moon disc. You appear on the moon disc as the syllable HUNG which then transforms into a white vajra that becomes white Vajradhara with one face and two arms holding vajra and bell and embracing your consort Vajradhatu Ishvari who is white and holds a curved knife and skull cup. The main deity, inseparable from your root guru, radiates light from the HUNG at his heart and invokes the wisdom beings from the ten directions who come and absorb into you. Again light goes out from the HUNG and invokes the male and female Conquerors of the ten directions who come to the space before you. Guru Karma Vajra makes offerings to them, OM SARVA TATHAGATA ARGHAM...etc., and requests them to bestow empowerment. The deities enter into union and their bodhicitta melts through the heat of great desire, the nectar then flows down to you. To receive the Vajra Master empowerment you must make three pledges, the pledges of vajra, bell, and mudra. The pledge of vajra OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., dispel hindrances. OM SVABHAVA...etc., the vajra becomes empty.

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From emptiness appears a HUNG which becomes a vajra that is the entity of the exalted wisdom of the non-duality of bliss and void. It appears as a great sword that cuts through the afflictions of attachment of the three realms. This definitive vajra (the exalted wisdom of the non-duality of great bliss and void) is cherished by all the Buddhas. It is supreme because of its function of cutting attachment. Hold up the symbolic vajra and imagine that you have attained the definitive vajra. The great blissful wisdom in the continuum of all Buddhas is totally inseparable from emptiness and is recognized as the secret vajra. Holding the symbolic vajra, remember this secret vajra. The pledge of bell OM HRIH SHTRIH...etc., dispel hindrances. OM SVABHAVA...etc., the bell becomes empty. From emptiness appears an AH which becomes a bell. Guru Karma Vajra says, "Disciple, hold this bell with respect in order to achieve the real vajra and bell of method and wisdom. Think that this bell produces the sound showing that all phenomena do not inherently exist." Hold the bell in your left hand and ring it, imagining that you are making the sound of the teaching of emptiness. Cyclic existence is the cause for sentient beings to take rebirth naturally, under the control of karma and affliction. This is a fact that is pure by nature, that is, it does not inherently exist. Emptiness of true existence is dependent upon the entity that is empty of true existence; by gaining the wisdom knowing this, one can be liberated. A Bodhisattva with this wisdom can exhaust the cause of cyclic existence and can attain the sacred cyclic existence - non-abiding nirvana. Ring the bell as you recite each line of this verse, thinking that you are making the sound revealing emptiness, through which you gather disciples. The guru has given you permission to gather disciples.

The pledge of mudra "Yid.kyi lus.ni..," refers to the mental object, the pair of Vajradhara and his consort. Through focussing the mind upon them one experiences bliss, and this wisdom of bliss and void is the pledge of mudra. The pledge of mudra is said to be superior to the three lower tantras - action, performance, and yoga tantra. "Body" (Tib. lus, Skt. kaya), is something that is assembled, here this refers to the assembly of the male and female consorts. This assembly is something that is necessary and cannot be given up if one wants to realize the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. "Rab.tu.drag..," it is claimed that it is not appropriate to give this assembly (union) away because it is indispensable for attaining the realization of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void.

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Here one should make the physical mudra of embrace, this is just the symbolic mudra, the definitive mudra is the union of the male and female consorts. Now you say to yourself, "I visualize myself in the aspect of Vajradhara and consort and in this way I am going to enjoy the objects of sensual pleasure with the mudra of exalted wisdom, and in this way I shall accomplish all ordinary siddhis." To enjoy the objects of sensual pleasure with the mudra of exalted wisdom means that one enters into union with the female consort Vajradhatu Ishvari and experiences the various levels of bliss. The real meaning of the Vajra Master empowerment is to visualize that you are Vajradhara embracing his consort and when you experience bliss, imagine that this blissful mind realizes emptiness. Thus you have the unity of the two, method and wisdom, and to symbolize this we have the two external symbols - the vajra and bell. The vajra symbolizes method and the bell is the wisdom realizing emptiness. By keeping these three commitments you receive the Vajra Master empowerment. Then the guru who is one with the main deity radiates light from the HUNG at his heart and invokes all the Conquerors and their entourages in order to bestow empowerment. The knowledge women Pandravarsini, Locana, and so on abide in space before you and the deities of the supporting mandala pay attention as the wrathful deities rush around to protect the ceremony from hindrances. Auspicious songs are offered by the goddesses as before. OM AH SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE HUNG SVAHA - you receive the final stabilizing water empowerment as before. Then the guru inseparable from the main deity radiates light from his heart and the empowering deities dissolve into you. OM SUPRATISHTA VAJRA SVAHA. SU means goodness, PRA is excellent, TISHTA is dwelling, VAJRA is indestructible, SVAHA establish the basis. Thus the mantra means "Please establish the basis for knowledge." VAJRA also means indifferentiable - method and wisdom, that is, "Please establish the indifferentiable (method and wisdom) within me." We have now completed the uncommon empowerment of the Vajra Master, or the empowerment of Vajradhara. Following this there are six things to be done with respect to final stability. These are: 1 Explaining reality and the actions to be done by the guru. 2 Focussing on the mantra and applying the eye medicine. 3 Showing the mirror and releasing the arrow. 4 Permission to perform general and particular activities. 5 Vajra conduct and giving the prediction. 6 Explaining secrets and letting the breath go. 1A Explaining reality First we must understand how ordinary people perceive the supporting and supported mandala. They usually see the deity inside the mandala as something different to the

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mansion itself and when they see the mansion they think that it is separate from the deity. They also have the idea that the main deity and his entourage are totally different from each other and that the deities visualized within our own bodies and their minds are completely different. In reality, however, the mansion, mandala, and the deities themselves, the main deity and his entourage, are all manifestations of the unity of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. When we recognize what is and what is not reality we will have recognized this first point - that the entire mandala is an emanation of the wisdom of bliss and void. Also, explaining reality can be interpreted as knowing that all sentient beings and all Buddhas are equal in the sense of being void of inherent existence. They do not exist in the way that we usually see them. The symmetrical four sides of the mansion signify that all sentient beings and all Buddhas are equal in being empty of inherent existence. The four doors of the mansion are emanations of the exalted knowledge of the principal deity - here, Yamantaka's exalted knowledge takes the aspect of the four doors. The eastern door symbolizes the purity of the four essential recollections (close mindfulnesses) of body, feelings, mind, and phenomena. The southern door symbolizes the four correct abandonments: not producing non virtues that have not yet arisen, abandoning non-virtue that has already arisen, generating virtue that has not yet arisen, and increasing virtue that has already arisen. The western door symbolizes the four magical legs of aspiration, analysis, intention (sems.pa), and effort. The northern door symbolizes the five faculties of faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. Thus the entire mansion has arisen from the mind of the principal deity; Yamantaka's mind possesses all these qualities. The vajra garland inside the mandala signifies that a Buddha teaches the Dharma of the Vajra Vehicle to sentient beings without discontinuity. The double vajra symbolizes the purification of the twenty types of transitory view, and Yamantaka himself is the symbol of the exalted wisdom of Dharmadhatu.

1B Actions to be done by the Vajra Master 1 Maintaining the samaya of observing commitments - includes the fourteen root vows and eight broadnesses. 2 The samaya of eating - whenever we eat food it must first be blessed and seen as the five meats and the five nectars, then it be can enjoyed. 3 Making torma offerings - to Yamantaka himself, the preliminary torma, and the later torma. 4 Protecting the disciple - to whom the Vajra Master empowerment has been given. 5 Guarding from hindrances. To turn away hindrances from the disciples, the guru can draw a mandala of Yamantaka and give it to the disciple to wear around his neck. This gives protection and helps in many other ways. 6 Actualizing the mandala and bringing the disciples into the mandala and giving empowerment.

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2A Focussing on the mantra Focussing on the mantra means that one has to visualize the three mantras very clearly at the heart of the guru inseparable from the main deity and then the mantras enter our heart. In general, this is the meaning of the mantra empowerment. Think that the guru-yidam has become the gathering of the three beings - the symbolic, wisdom, and concentration beings. The concentration being, the syllable HUNG, is surrounded by the three mantra garlands. The outer mantra is OM YAMARAJA.., the middle mantra is OM HRIH SHTRIH.., and the inner mantra is OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT. Guru Karma Vajra now requests the main deity to confer the mantra empowerment upon you and then you make the same request yourself, three times: "I shall maintain the interpretative mantra that is an aid to accomplish the definitive mantra (the exalted wisdom of bliss and void), please give this to me." Recite OM YAMARAJA.., three times and think that a replica of the mantra in the guru-yidam's heart comes out of his mouth and enters into you and stands in a clockwise circle around the HUNG at your heart. During the first recitation, think that the mantra that comes from the main deity is a substitute for the symbolic being. During the second recitation think that the mantra is a substitute for the wisdom being, and during the third recitation think that it is a substitute for the (concentration) being and all become very stable, the symbolic being becomes inseparable from the wisdom being. Recite the other two mantras three times each with a similar visualization. Now visualize that the three circles at your heart radiate many light rays that fill your body and completely expel all sicknesses and other negativities and you are empowered to recite the mantra. Think that this empowerment has established within you the imprint to accomplish the four activities of peace, increase, power, and wrath, and think that you have also acquired the imprint to attain temporal and ultimate siddhis. To really experience the establishment of these potencies within you is the essential meaning of the mantra empowerment. 2B Applying the eye medicine Visualize a black PRAM on each of your eyes, these two syllables radiate light that invokes all obscurations together with their imprints which then absorb into the syllables. The two PRAMs are now a compact entity of all negativities and obscurations. Then imagine that Guru Karma Vajra comes to you and applies the medicine to your eyes from a golden spoon. As you recite OM VAJRA NETRA APAHARA PATALAM HRIH, this medicine completely removes the black PRAMs together with all the negativities and obscurations. Guru Karma Vajra says: "Just as the eye specialists have the ability to remove cataracts (ling.tog) from the eyes, and replace blurred vision with clear vision, (the Buddhas clear away the blindness of your unawareness). The cataract symbolizes the disciple's (wisdom) eye obscured by ignorance, the doctor is the guru inseparable from the main deity applying the remedy, and seeing clearly is like attaining the clear awareness of conventional and ultimate reality of all phenomena. Think that the guru as doctor has removed the darkness of ignorance like removing a cataract and you see everything clearly, that is, you attain the eye of exalted wisdom.

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VAJRA NETRA means vajra eye, APAHARA means to remove, PATALAM is veil, HRIH is the seed syllable for the Lotus Family and is equivalent to the exalted wisdom that sees all phenomena clearly. "Please, One with the Vajra, remove the veil from my eyes and give the eye of exalted wisdom." This eye medicine is made of butter and honey and should be kept in a golden container, or at least silver, and use a golden spoon. It is not necessary to actually apply the substance to the eye, it is sufficient to do this symbolically by lifting the spoon towards the eyes. 3A Showing the mirror Meditate on a syllable AH that becomes a mirror. At this time the guru holds up a mirror and shows it to his disciples. The mirror has the reflection of all forms and the purpose for showing it is to enable the disciple to approach the realization of emptiness. "Although all phenomena appear to exist inherently, they are not inherently existent, they are just like a reflection in a mirror that seems to be the real object but is not. The essence of all phenomena is completely pure, it is not stained by obscurations such as laxity or mental excitement. This stainless nature is seen by the exalted wisdom of all Arya beings, such as Buddhas, whose exalted wisdom can see the entity of all phenomena, as clearly as they see an olive in his hand, without the means of a mental image. Beings are at all levels, some realize emptiness through a mental image or a meaning generality, others see directly like an olive in their palm. Even those who have not entered the path can realize emptiness indirectly, through a mental image just as those on the paths of accumulation and preparation realize emptiness. From the path of seeing onwards, beings are able to realize emptiness directly, without depending upon a mental image. This fact, that the exalted wisdom of an Arya being sees emptiness clearly cannot be described through expressive sound (speech) nor can it be conceptualized by a mind depending upon a meaning generality. The text says that the clear vision of emptiness cannot be expressed by speech or by conception (that depends upon a meaning generality). This emptiness is called that which is beyond expression and conception, it is only an object for the exalted wisdom that meditates upon it. This objective emptiness is like a mother through whom all the Conquerors of the three times are born because when yogis meditate on emptiness their realizations increase and finally become omniscient mind. Emptiness is like a cause because when people focus their minds upon this object their realizations develop and in the future will become the result, omniscient mind. "Arising gradually through the actions" means that by developing listening, contemplation, and meditation in relation to emptiness, one develops wisdom and with the help of the tantric path this wisdom will reach the unified state of Vajradhara. "Emptiness beyond expression" is like, at our ordinary level, when we taste candy we know this taste through direct experience but it is impossible for us to describe it to others. The guru introduces the disciple to emptiness: "All phenomena are empty, like the reflection in a mirror that seems to be the real thing but such a thing does not exist within the mirror." When it says that emptiness is like a cause, we should not interpret this as the usual meaning of cause as when we say that a seed is the cause for the sprout, or fire is the

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cause of smoke, because emptiness is permanent and cannot function as a cause. If it is not the cause, however, what is it? It is similar to a cause because when a yogi meditates on the object emptiness, he develops realizations more and more. One text says that things are produced by the fact of being empty so, in a general sense, on the basis of emptiness many different actions are able to be performed, such as virtue, non-virtue, and neutral actions. "Things arise from emptiness" means that because phenomena are empty of true existence we can establish the function of cause and effect; we can say that a cause such as non-virtue can produce the result of suffering and virtuous actions bring the result of happiness. This is able to occur because both virtuous and non-virtuous actions are empty of true existence. In the same way, because all phenomena are empty of true existence, we can establish rebirth in different realms, non-virtue is the cause for a lower rebirth. Similarly, virtuous actions bring higher and higher results and more and more knowledge. Because of emptiness being like a foundation in this way, within tantra we always first transform things into emptiness and from that emptiness arises a seed syllable that then transforms into various things. There is also a connection here with the beginning of the whole world - which begins with emptiness, a vacuity. From the emptiness appeared a wind mandala and then the other elements came into existence. The mirror is said to be like Vajrasattva, this means that it is not covered in dirt. An ordinary mirror can be stained by superficial dirt that can be removed by some means but the nature of the mirror is clear, without any stain. The definitive Vajrasattva is the exalted knowledge of a Buddha Superior. Just as the nature of an ordinary mirror is completely free from dirt, the nature of the exalted knowledge of a Buddha Superior is free from both natural and incidental stains, such as attachment, aversion, and so on. There are the three qualities: clear, pure, and unstained. A Buddha's exalted knowledge is clear because it has no natural stain or incidental stain such as the three poisons; it is pure because it no longer has the force of afflictions producing new afflictions; and it is unstained because it is free from the obscurations to omniscience that are left by the previous manifest afflictions. Buddha's exalted wisdom of the non-duality of bliss and void possesses two purities purity of natural stain and purity of incidental stain. This exalted wisdom is also the object of refuge for ourselves, and now the Vajra Master says: Today I have made an imprint upon your continuum that will cause you to attain the state of the definitive Vajrasattva in the future. Phenomena do not produce things by existing inherently, and they neither abide nor cease by existing inherently. Knowing this, you must bear the burden for others and perform actions of supreme benefit to them. By acting in this way you are born a Son of the Guardians. You should know that all phenomena, including the seed that has just been established in your continuum, are just like a reflection in a mirror. At this point during the self-entry, a mirror is shown to the disciple. Imagine that by looking at this mirror a tendency is established within you to be able to see all phenomena as illusory when you arise from meditative equipoise.

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Usually when we look at a mirror we see the shape of our own body but that reflection is not composed of the usual flesh, blood, and other elements of the body. We must think that, just as a reflection in a mirror is non-obstructive, Vajrasattva's body is a mental body that cannot be physically touched, and by looking at the mirror we create the imprint to receive such a body in the future. If reflection were solid, it could not enter the mirror. Making this imprint in our continuum is the real meaning of the mirror empowerment. 3B Releasing the arrow Visualize the syllable HO which transforms into a bow and arrow, the bow is marked by HO. During the actual initiation, the guru passes a bow and arrow to the disciple while reciting OM SARVA TATHAGATA ANURAGAYA SVA. The disciple recites OM SARVA TATHAGATA ANURAGAYA MI, takes the bow and pretends to shoot the arrow in the four main directions and then upwards and downwards. The meaning of the guru's mantra is "You should make all Tathagatas happy," and the disciple's mantra is "I shall make all Tathagatas happy." The action of shooting the arrow signifies piercing the object (emptiness). Distributing the eye medicine was equivalent to causing the disciple to gain the eye of wisdom that realizes emptiness through the help of a meaning generality. At that stage, you should have felt that you have realized emptiness through a meaning generality, not directly. Then, when the guru presented the mirror to you, a seed was established in your continuum that would enable you to see all appearances as illusory during the postmeditative period in the future. Whenever we say that all phenomena are illusory it means that they are not true, or real, that is, they do not exist in the way that they appear to us. We can understand the illustration of a reflection in a mirror, it is not real because although we can clearly see the reflection of our face in the mirror we can easily understand that our face does not exist within the mirror. It is simply a reflection that appears in the mirror but does not exist within the mirror as it appears (as a real face). A person in the post-meditative state, having realized emptiness through a meaning generality, still has the appearance of true existence and sees all phenomena as truly existent but knows that they do not exist in this way. Now, when we pretend to shoot the arrow, we should think that we are realizing emptiness directly because we are aiming the arrow at the hindrances that prevent us from realizing emptiness directly. So up until now the disciple has only realized emptiness through a meaning generality and when the arrow is released it eliminates the meaning generality, the subtle hindrance that prevents the direct realization of emptiness, and he comes to realize emptiness directly, or, the seed to realize emptiness directly is implanted. 4A Permission to perform general subsequent activities The guru now gives the disciple permission to do certain things and explains what he is not empowered to do. General activities that one is now permitted to do are the general empowerments of the five Dhyani Buddhas. Visualize that from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void there manifests the syllable BHRUM which melts into light and becomes the empowering substance, a wheel. Recite the mantra OM VAJRA HETU MAM. HETU MAM means causal vajra, or seed for

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vajra. A wheel is presented to you by the guru who says, "You shall turn the wheel of Dharma for the sake of all sentient beings." Next, from the last vowel of the alphabet, AH, comes a conch. The guru passes a conch to the disciple while repeating the mantra OM VAJRA BHAKSHA RAM. Take the conch in your right hand and blow it. This symbolizes the resonance of the sound of Dharma. The mantra means "A vajra expressing the sound of Dharma." Next, from the first vowel of the alphabet, A, comes a text of the Opponent to the Lord of Death, Yamantaka. A text is passed to you, hold it in your left hand in the mudra of concentration and with your right hand make the mudra of giving teachings - the same mudra as shown by Gyaltsab Je and Khedrup Je. The guru then says, "From now on generate the bodhicitta mind and, for the sake of all others, give teachings according to their various inclinations, interests, and dispositions." The conch symbolizes the peerless action of teaching Dharma. In brief, "From the moment of generating bodhicitta turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings according to their various dispositions, interests, and temperaments and fill them with the teachings. Now imagine that another syllable AH appears from the exalted wisdom of bliss and void and transforms into the empowering substance, a bell. Always be aware that the one who passes you the bell is the guru inseparable from the main deity. Take the bell in your left hand and ring it four times, once for each line that is recited. While the bell is ringing, imagine that you are explaining the meaning of emptiness: The defining nature of space is the nature of everything; All phenomena are just like the characteristic of space, The yogi's mind must be placed on this object (all phenomena being empty just as space is empty of obstructive contact). And this gives rise to the clear appearance of equality, the supreme fact of all phenomena. Space does not exist inherently and all phenomena have the same characteristic of not existing inherently. The defining nature of space is the state that is free of obstructive contact, and the yogi places his mind on the object, all phenomena being empty just like space is empty of obstructive contact. By integrating the mind with this object, one comes to have the clarity or appearance of equality - all phenomena are equal in terms of being empty and pervaded by bliss. This fact becomes clear to the mind of the yogi and such clarity of equality is the supreme or final fact of all phenomena. When you ring the bell, think that all phenomena are like space without any characteristic of obstructive contact, and placing your mind upon this you come to have the clear appearance of these two things. This is the rough meaning of the four lines. 4B Permission to perform particular subsequent activities Until now we have had the permission for subsequent activities in general, that is, we have not specified "you shall turn the Dharma wheel of Ratnasambhava Buddha to these beings and the Dharma wheel of Vairocana to those beings." The guru has just given us the general permission for subsequent actions. Now there is permission for particular

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subsequent activities, The guru inseparable from the main deity gives the specific implements of the five Dhyani Buddhas, and while giving each of these he tells the disciple "Turn the Dharma wheel of this Buddha family..," and so on. First you have to visualize yourself as Yamantaka, then the guru recites five stanzas which are all similar except for the last line of each. While reciting these stanzas he gives you the particular implement of each Dhyani Buddha and says that you should turn the Dharma wheel of each Buddha for the sake of all beings in the world with their different interests etc. In order to benefit all sentient beings throughout the transitory world, there are many ways of taming their minds. For those who are predisposed (towards the teachings of Buddha Vairocana) you should turn the wheel of the Dharma (family). This means that if there is someone with the predisposition to hear the teachings of Buddha Vairocana, this disciple should be placed within Buddha Vairocana's mandala. Turning the wheel of the Dharma family of Buddha Vairocana mainly means that, in the future, you, the disciple, will have to place particular persons in the mandala of Vairocana and give them teachings on the root tantra of Buddha Vairocana. The next stanza is similar to the first except that it refers to the Vajra family of Akshobya. You must turn the wheel of Dharma of the Vajra family of Akshobya and admit into the mandala of Akshobya those beings who are disposed towards that particular practice. The third stanza refers to the Jewel family of Buddha Ratnasambhava; the fourth to the Lotus family of Buddha Amithaba; and the fifth stanza refers to the Action family of Buddha Amogasiddhi. During the actual initiation, as each of these five stanzas is recited the specific substances are distributed, but if many initiates are present the implements are all on one tray that Guru Karma Vajra takes around and each individual simply touches the tray. During the self-entry you simply have to visualize that you receive these various implements. 5A Vajra conduct Visualize yourself as Vajrasattva; from out of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void appears a HUNG that transforms into a vajra. The guru gives you a vajra which you take in your right hand and then the guru recites the following verse: Just as Vajrasattva holds this (interpretative vajra) that symbolizes the exalted wisdom of bliss and void of all Buddhas, you must hold this vajra in order to realize the five exalted wisdoms in the future. Always adhere to the conduct of Vajrapani, the One with Vajra in Hand, never letting go of (this symbol) that reminds you of the wisdom of bliss and void. There is only one wisdom of bliss and void but it can be divided into five; the vajra represents the unity of all five. When the guru hands the vajra to you, hold it at the level of your heart and recite: OM SARVA TATHAGATA SIDDHI...etc.

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SARVA TATHAGATA means all Buddhas, SIDDHI VAJRA SAMAYA refers to the commitment of the Siddhi of Vajra (receiving this siddhi from the guru), TISHTHA is the entering of this siddhi into your heart, ASHA STVAM is "that one" (reality), DHARAYAMI VAJRASATTVA with the vajra held in mind, HI HI HI HI HI signify the five exalted wisdoms, and HUNG shows inseparability from the five exalted wisdoms, the Dharmadhatu itself is not separate from the five exalted wisdoms. Thus the mantra means, "The Vajra Siddhis of all the Tathagatas enter into me and, as Vajrasattva, I hold the Dharmadhatu that is inseparable from the five exalted wisdoms within me." 5B Giving the prophecy You transform back into Yamantaka and the guru inseparable from the main deity appears in the aspect of Shakyamuni Buddha wearing the yellow chogu and holding two of its corners in his left hand making the form of the two ears of a lion. At this time the guru stands upon the throne, his right hand in the mudra of giving teachings and holding a vajra. The guru now makes a prediction of when and in the aspect of which Dhyani Buddha you shall attain enlightenment. When we offered a flower to the mandala earlier we were given the indication of which aspect of Buddha we would attain enlightenment. Standing on the throne and surrounded by the invoked Buddhas, the guru and these Buddhas speak in unison: Today I predict that you will attain enlightenment in the aspect of whichever Buddha with whom you are acquainted. You will transform all phenomena of cyclic existence into purity. (You shall transform all enjoyments and your body into the pure Sambhogakaya). Hello, you called Mikyo Dorje will attain enlightenment in the aspect of Buddha Akshobya, SIDDHI SAMAYA STVAM BHUBHUVA SVAHA. If there are many people, the guru mentions the names of all five Dhyani Buddhas, if there are only a few he mentions the specific name for each disciple. SIDDHI is the result achieved, SAMAYA means realizing, STVAM refers to the person who actualizes, the three syllables BHUR, BHUVA, and SVAHA refer to the three objects realized: the reality of all phenomena on the ground, beneath the ground, and above the ground. Thus the guru says: "You named Buddha Akshobya will realize the three realities, of all things on, below, and above the ground, you will actualize the various grounds, from the first extreme joy, and you will attain enlightenment in the aspect of Akshobya Buddha." The guru standing in this way and reciting these words and the mantra establishes the seed in your continuum to be able to attain enlightenment in the aspect of the particular Buddha with whom you are connected. At this time, it is very important for you to visualize these things clearly. 6A Explaining secrets It is not right to see as negative the enjoyment of ordinary sense pleasure such as food, clothing, and sexual activity because they can be used as a method to attain enlightenment by utilizing the various afflictions as a path.

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At a certain level, the tantric practitioner is able to utilize various afflictions as the path to enlightenment. If one says that taking a female consort is bad, this creates negative karma because afflictions such as attachment are phenomena that can be helpful when used in the tantric vehicle as a method to attain enlightenment. Thus the guru says: Utilizing attachment as a path to enlightenment is the main thing that makes the tantric path a quick path to enlightenment, so criticizing this method is a heavy negative karma, much heavier than any other negative karma within the three realms; knowing this, you must never criticize the utilization of desire as the path. To actually take the various afflictions as a path to enlightenment, one must have reached a certain level - the completion stage practice. Those at a lower level of realization, and ordained monks and nuns, should not engage in the practice of utilizing attachment. Ordinary people should not copy the behaviour of those who have high realizations of completion stage. If you do, we say in Tibet it is like a jackal trying to jump as far as a tiger. The section on secrecy is completed with the mantra: MAHA SAMAYA HANA HUNG PHAT. MAHA is great, SAMAYA is commitment, HANA is to destroy, and HUNG is to place. In the Maha Annuttara Yoga Tantra one uses attachment as a path to enlightenment, this commitment is considered as a path so we should not think that attachment is bad, such a thought is to be destroyed. According to the tantric vehicle, it is almost impossible for a person to attain enlightenment within one short lifetime without depending upon attachment as the path. According to tantra, a person practising the sutra path can only reach the tenth ground, then he definitely must enter the tantric path otherwise he cannot attain enlightenment. Tantra says that after Guru Shakyamuni Buddha attained the tenth ground, all Buddhas of the ten directions sent him a knowledge woman called Tigle Chogma who gave him initiation and by depending upon the tantric method he then attained enlightenment. Thus a person who reaches this high level is able to use affliction as a path. This can also be illustrated by the example of a peacock and an ordinary bird. A peacock can eat any poisonous seed that other birds cannot, it increases its splendour and strength by eating poison but ordinary birds die. In general, it is said that when a yogi at a high level enjoys pleasures such as alcohol, these help him to develop the energy channels and wind energies within his nervous system because when the yogi increases his bodily strength he has an abundance of energy drops. There are white and red energy drops, when they increase the yogi is able to experience more bliss due to their flowing down and as a result of experiencing great bliss the yogi is able to ascertain emptiness better and attains the integration of bliss and void. This, however, is only for a yogi who is at a high level. When a yogi reaches this level, if his bodily strength is not good he will have weak channels and drops and these are not a good condition to experience bliss and therefore the realization of emptiness is not helped.

6B Letting the breath go The guru now explains the benefits of the initiation to the disciple:

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Today you have been given the Vajra Master empowerment, therefore you are allowed to perform all the actions of the Vajra Master. This is a supreme secret because this practice cannot be revealed to others who are only proper vessels for the three lower classes of tantra. The actual secret that cannot be revealed to the followers of action, performance, or yoga tantra is the method of entering the mandala of Yamantaka - the way of entering with a blindfold and the way of entering without a blindfold. Today you have followed the method of standing at the eastern door, entering the mandala, and circumambulating, therefore you are given permission to perform this tantric method and your heavy negative karmas have been purified. From now on you will abide within the state of happiness because you have finished all the causes to be reborn in the lower realms, therefore you will always abide in the states of pleasure as a god or as a human. Because you have completed the method of initiation into this blissful quick vehicle of tantra, you will no longer experience death under the control of karma and affliction. You will go beyond the enjoyment of cyclic existence and will experience the objects of enjoyment of the Sambhogakaya. The moon disc and vajra at your heart represent the conventional and ultimate bodhicittas, visualizing these creates strong seeds to attain Buddhahood, you should never abandon this seed of enlightenment. Previously in the ritual the guru handed you a vajra which you held at your heart and contemplated the two types of bodhicitta, conventional and ultimate. These are symbolized by the moon and vajra at your heart and visualizing them creates a strong cause to attain the two bodhicittas and thus to attain Buddhahood. The principal cause of enlightenment is bodhicitta, and if this is kept well in the heart this is like establishing the main cause to attain enlightenment. This happens when we do the mind generation of a yogi for all phenomena. This seed should not be given up, it is important because it gives rise to many things, like the Yamantaka mandala arising from the syllable HUNG. From the moment one generates the mind generation of a yogi one has a strong basis upon which one continually approaches Buddhahood, just like a seed is the one basis that gives gives rise to the many parts of a plant. From now on do not have contempt for the Dharmas of the different vehicles by comparing the results of the Hinayana and Mahayana vehicles and do not mentally abandon the Dharma of any of the three vehicles. These teachings on the mandala and so on should not be shown to those with no faith or who hold wrong views. Never give up the mudras of vajra and bell and never criticize your Vajra Master who is equal to all the Buddhas. The mudra of vajra is to remind yourself of the blissful mind and the mudra of bell is to remember the wisdom realizing emptiness. Do not consider the vajra and bell to be

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insignificant nor question the result that they may bring. Also, never criticize your vajra master by saying that he has broken or has loose vows. If a disciple does a negative action in connection with his Vajra Master he creates very heavy negative karma, just as positive actions in relation to the guru create very strong positive karma. Therefore the guru is like the Buddhas because both negative and positive karmas in relation to him are very strong. Never have contempt for your karmically acquired aggregates by not caring about your body or weakening your body through extreme ascetic practice. On the contrary, enjoy yourself well for you cannot now reverse from the path of increasing realization. If a yogi tries to do this tantric practice with extreme asceticism he risks decreasing the power of his body and mind and will not have any more energy to follow the tantric path. On the contrary, he should enjoy himself and eat and dress well to attain his goal. Since the yogi is certain to now continuously increase his realization, it is necessary for him to maintain his karmically acquired aggregates well and then he will have good energy to attain enlightenment with these same aggregates. From now on you are a Vajra Master for other disciples, you can draw the mandala, you can teach the root tantra, and you can give initiation. This permission has been given to you today by all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and deities of the mandala who have agreed to give the initiation to you. You should give teachings to those who are correct vessels for this tantric path and you should teach the root and explanatory tantras to them. You should also teach how to draw a mandala and how to do the rituals of this tantra, such as creating the mandala house, and you should fulfil their wishes by teaching whatever they need. This concludes the section on letting the breath go, which is the guru explaining what has been received and what can be done for others. Next there is an explanation by the guru of the purity of the sign (the meaning) of the vase empowerment. Of the two types of mandala, outer and inner, you have received the vase empowerment in the outer mandala drawn on cloth. Having received the empowerment you have the right to practise whatever paths are suitable. Having been crowned with the Vajra Master empowerment you have power over the kingdom of Dharma; this empowerment is irreversible because when the seed is planted you will continually develop and will not turn back from the path to enlightenment. Outer mandala refers to mandalas drawn on cloth or made out of coloured sand. The inner mandala is involved with the lotus of the female consort of Yamantaka. The word mandala is composed of the roots "man" which means essence or mind, and "la" which means taking, that is, "taking the essence." The essence is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, which can also be called the centre or pith. "Kyil" means centre, "kor" is to take. Thus one takes the essence, which is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. So here one has received the empowerment of the outer mandala and specifically the mandala drawn on cloth.

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The word "wang" means empowerment or blessing, in Sanskrit it is abhishekata. Empowerment means the disciple receives the right to do whatever is fitting for him (such as the different types of empowerment) in his practice. By receiving the different empowerments such as vase, word, secret, and wisdom one receives permission to practise the different deity practices and certain results are achieved. This empowerment can also be interpreted to mean that you receive the power, or right, to do various practices. In the context of the five Dhyani Buddhas, by receiving the various implements such as vajra, bell, water, and so on one receives powers to perform particular practices and one purifies particular aggregates. Receiving the Vajra Master empowerment is like being crowned as king. The Vajra Master and his abode are very important, the person who has been crowned is the one who takes power over the kingdom of Dharma. The same empowerment is called irreversible because when it is given a seed is planted in the disciple so that he will continually develop without turning back until he reaches enlightenment. The Vajra Master empowerment is the same empowerment that is given to the person who attains the tenth Bodhisattva ground. At that time, all the Buddhas of the ten directions come to this Bodhisattva and give the "Initiation of the Great Ray of Light" so that he can quickly attain enlightenment. This initiation is also called irreversible because this Bodhisattva is determined to reach Buddhahood. These six empowerments are called the vase empowerment because water empowerment from the vase is given at the end of each. By receiving this vase empowerment you have purified the physical negativities of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct and you have determined to not repeat these actions in the future. As a result of this empowerment you are able to meditate on the coarse and subtle levels of the generation stage in relation to different deities such as the six Buddha families, to perform fire pujas, and to do the actions of peace, increase, power, and wrath (wrath refers to methods of suppressing certain deities by doing certain rituals). You have been cleansed of the stains of gross and subtle attachment to ordinary appearance and therefore have received the seed to attain a vajra body. You have received the imprint to attain the Emanation Body of a Buddha. Secret empowerment Request First make a mandala offering, imagining all your virtues of the past, present, and future, all your material possessions, and your body, speech, and mind being offered to the guru. Visualize a knowledge woman to offer to the guru. She is very pretty and whichever caste, she is intelligent and skilled in the arts of love. She must have already received empowerment and have kept the vows and commitments purely and must be expert in the four yogas of the completion stage. Offer all these things while reciting "sazhi pokyi..," and then repeat the request for empowerment three times: Guru Vajradhara and all Buddhas (such as Vairocana) .. great offering .. (this is worthy of veneration by all beings), just as you have given empowerment to others, in order to

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protect me from cyclic existence please give me the Vajra of Space (the definitive vajra great exalted wisdom). Now put on the blind fold; as you have just offered a knowledge woman to the guru they now enter into union and if the disciple sees this there is a risk that faith in the guru will be lost, so one wears a blind fold. Before they enter into union their secret organs, or noble houses, must be blessed. The guru inseparable from the main deity is the combination of the three beings, the wisdom, symbolic, and concentration beings. His vajra transforms into emptiness and from the emptiness arises a blue HUNG which becomes a blue five-spoked vajra, within the tip of the channel of the vajra appears an OM which becomes a PHAT that remains at the tip to block emission of the energy drop. The knowledge woman transforms into Vajra Vetali and her lotus transforms into emptiness. From emptiness appears a HUNG which becomes an eight-petalled red lotus, within the channel of this is an AH that becomes a PHAT that stops the energy drop. There are two ways in which Yamantaka enters into union with his consort. One way is that the knowledge woman transforms into Vajra Vetali with whom he enters into union, and the other is that Mamaki, the consort of the Lord of the Family (Akshobya) on Yamantaka's crown, comes down and enters into union with Yamantaka. You can visualize either of these. When the male and female enter into union they express the sound of joy that invokes all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions who transform into drops of bodhicitta and enter the pair through their crowns. This white bodhicitta descends from the crown of Yamantaka to the tip of his vajra but is not to be emitted from the vajra. When the pair enter into union, different things can be happening. If the guru has had previous experience of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, the vajra is inserted into the lotus of his consort within which there is the "Crow Face Channel," in the centre of which is the lower aperture of the central channel of the female consort. This tiny channel is then inserted into the male urethra, this is called the vajra position of the energy channels. The energy wind now goes from the male urethra and enters the lower aperture of the female central channel and rises up to her navel where it causes the tumo heat to ignite. The wind then returns to the central channel of the male and rises up to his navel where his inner heat is ignited. This is called the vajra position of the energy winds. Once the inner heat at the navel has been ignited the heat rises to his crown and melts the white energy drop which flows down the central channel to the tip of his vajra. During this descent, he experiences the four levels of bliss: as the drop goes from the crown to the throat, bliss; from the throat to the heart, supreme bliss; from the heart to the navel, special bliss; and from the navel to the tip of the vajra, simultaneously born bliss. Similarly, the white energy drop of the female is melted and she too experiences the four levels of bliss. Finally, the two drops meet at the tip of the vajra, and this is called the vajra position of the energy drops.

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After this meeting of the energy drops, the drops return to their own crown chakras and four levels of bliss are again experienced. As the drop ascends to the navel there is bliss; from the navel to the heart, supreme bliss; from the heart to the throat, special bliss; and from the throat to the crown, simultaneously born bliss. At the same time as they are experiencing these levels of bliss, the consorts integrate that experience with the realization of emptiness. This is called the vajra position of bliss and void. With his left ring finger and thumb, the main deity now extracts the white energy drop remaining at the tip of his vajra and Guru Karma Vajra places it in the mouth of the disciple. Similarly, Vajra Vetali squeezes out the red energy drop from her organ and this too is placed in the mouth of the disciple. This is the actual entity of the secret empowerment. The eye ribbon is used because if the disciple were to witness this process he or she may lose faith and develop wrong view regarding the guru. As he gives you the energy drop, the guru-yidam recites a verse. When you taste this energy drop you should think that this substance is the entity of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions - you visualized that they entered into the two consorts, and this is the result. Think that your own energy channels and so on are blessed by experiencing this drop, and recite A HO MAHA SUKHA. This mantra is the expression of great pleasure arising from experiencing the energy drop. Imagine that you have experienced the great exalted wisdom of bliss and void, this pleasure is much greater than that of ordinary sexual union. The verse recited by the guru-yidam is: "By means of this precious drink (the secret substance extracted from the two consorts by their thumbs and ring fingers, which is precious because it completely fills you with bliss and happiness), you should be happy, as if you have attained the illusory body - the cause of great happiness. Drink this liquid that has arisen from the mind." The secret substance came from the mind - the great exalted wisdom of bliss and void. When you experience this substance you should imagine that you have realized voidness, and the mantra that you recite is an exclamation of having experienced great bliss, it sound that spontaneously arises due to profound bliss, and is an indication to your guru of your realization of voidness. Now you experience the secret substance from the female consort, either Vajra Vetali or Mamaki. She extracts the red energy drop from her lotus with left thumb and ring finger, places it in your mouth, and the guru again recites a verse. As you receive and experience the red energy drop you again make the exclamation, A HO MAHA SUKHA. Both times you taste the energy drops you experience the great bliss. If you really experience great bliss, that is fantastic, but if you do not, just imagine that you experience it. During the actual initiation, a mixture of alcohol and molasses (for the red drop and curd for the white drop) is given to the initiates. The disciples should know the meaning of the secret substances, if this method is not understood there is no way the secret initiation can be received. A mixture of the two substances is now blessed in the same way as the inner offering and this is followed by a verse of auspiciousness. Many precious things are made auspicious by this empowerment, particularly the dharmadhatu - the emptiness that exists in the continuums of all sentient beings and the bliss that accompanies the two (energy drops) in

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each sentient being. Vajradhara and the five Wisdom Buddhas are the essence of bliss and void that appears in the form of the deity Yamantaka, the form in which you receive empowerment. In conclusion, the real entity of the secret initiation is the fact that the male and female consorts give their own secret substances and the disciple integrates this experience of bliss with the realization of emptiness. The basis upon which the secret initiation is conferred and received is the conventional bodhicitta - the bodhicitta drops from the two consorts. By experiencing these two bodhicitta drops you generate the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void, and this is the essence; we take this essence of the mandala by depending upon conventional bodhicitta - the two drops. It is called secret initiation because it is given with the two secret substances. By receiving this initiation, it purifies the common negativities of speech - lying, slander, harsh speech, and idle gossip - and the subtle, uncommon negativity of grasping at the appearance of the energy wind and speech as being separate, or we can say seeing the energy wind and mantra as separate. Gross and subtle body, speech, and mind The gross body is our ordinary body that can be seen, gross speech is our ordinary speech, and the gross mind is the five sense consciousnesses and the mental consciousness. The subtle body is the mount of the subtle mind, subtle speech is the vibration made by the wind that is the mount of the subtle mind, and the subtle mind is the (awareness that rides on the subtle body). The subtle mind moves in the same way and at the same time as the subtle body and the subtle speech arises as the vibration of this movement. The subtle body, speech, and mind are thus one package, but we do not have correct understanding of this fact and the secret initiation is given in order to purify this wrong understanding. Within the context of the vajra position of the energy winds, there is a meditation technique in which we send out and bring back the energy winds while reciting the mantra OM AH HUNG, and people with wrong understanding see the mantra and the speech as being separate and having no relationship. Grasping at this wrong appearance is purified by taking the secret initiation, and as a result we attain a powerful ability to purify the stain of grasping at the mantra and energy wind as being separate - in the future we will be able to overcome this conception. Purification of this stain is the particular or uncommon purification of the secret initiation, the common purification is the purification of the stains of the four negativities of speech. The completion stage has five levels: isolated body, isolated speech, isolated mind, illusory body, and the unified stage. Up until now the disciple has been empowered to meditate on the levels of isolated body, speech, and mind, and now the secret initiation empowers the disciple to meditate on the path of the illusory body. In general, we have to understand that the subtle mind develops through the levels of isolated body, speech, and mind, and when the text says "now you are empowered to perform the self-blessing" this is another way of saying that you are empowered to

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meditate on the illusory body. The usual way of progressing is for the subtle mind to be developed more and more and finally this becomes the substantial cause for the (impure) illusory body. After that, one will attain the learner's unified stage and from there the same subtle mind will become the pure illusory body and one will have attained the nonlearner's unified stage; at that moment one will attain the Sambhogakaya. Thus, as a path, the secret initiation has empowered one to meditate on the illusory body, and as a result one has established the seed to attain the Sambhogakaya.

The wisdom empowerment Request Make a mandala offering that includes a fully qualified knowledge woman, either the same one as before or a new one, and then recite the prayer of request three times: Buddha Vairocana, as you have given to others in the past, please give me the wisdom empowerment that is a great offering. Put on the blind fold in order to not hinder the guru and his consort from granting the empowerment, so that they feel no embarrassment in generating the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Now the guru places the hand of the knowledge woman in your hand and, touching her with his left hand and placing his right hand, with a vajra, on your head, the guru says to you: Relying upon the action mudra is indispensable, this attractive goddess of form has been checked by all the Buddhas and found to be fully qualified (in the arts of love). You should experience the bliss of placing your vajra within her lotus. If you abandon this fully qualified knowledge woman and do not experience the bliss, there is no other way that you can attain enlightenment no matter how much you try. The beings of the three realms are obliged to continuously transmigrate due to karma and affliction, if you who are in this position enter into union with this knowledge woman you may be freed from such transmigration. This is the method upon which you should rely as it was followed by all the Buddhas of the three times in attaining enlightenment; it is the peerless conduct to attain supreme siddhis. Do not be afraid to adhere yourself to the external mudra, do it instead of being afraid of the sufferings of cyclic existence. If you enter into union with this fully qualified knowledge woman you will quickly be freed from cyclic existence and you will attain the siddhis of all Buddhas. If you do not rely upon the knowledge woman you will attain neither the supreme siddhis nor the common siddhis that are explained in the root tantra. There are two things to understand. During the secret initiation, it is necessary to offer a knowledge woman to the guru, but if the guru is not ready to adhere to a knowledge woman then the disciple should not offer a knowledge woman to him. Secondly, here, when the guru gives the wisdom empowerment to the disciple, if the disciple is not ready to have an external mudra then the guru should give a knowledge woman. It depends upon the situation, for example, if the guru is a getsul or a gelong then it is not allowed to

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take a knowledge woman, likewise, if the disciple is a getsul or a gelong it is also not allowed. In these situations, one can only rely upon an internal, or mental, mudra. When we talk about the use of external mudras we are only referring to those who are advanced completion stage practitioners. Having been offered to you by the guru, the knowledge woman whose hands you are holding, and who is naked, reveals her lotus to you and asks you some questions to see if you are a proper vessel for the secret mantra: Are you able to enjoy the five meats and five nectars without superstition as to whether they are pure or impure? Are you willing to adhere to a knowledge woman without disrespect? Do you wish to take a knowledge woman or not? (You reply): Yes, I delight in devoting myself to a knowledge woman and to adhere to the lotus and to enjoy the five meats and five nectars. The form goddess is delighted and says: I am pleased, as this lotus is the source of bliss you must devote yourself to the lotus with the rituals according to the way they are explained in the root tantras, this is the quick path that pleases all the Buddhas. To experience the simultaneously-born bliss one must depend upon the lotus, I shall always remain in front of the one who does this and I shall give him great bliss. BHAJA MOKSHA HOH The mantra means "I have shown the way to liberation." Liberation here refers to the definitive liberation that is the Vajradhatu, the mind that is free from all conceptualizations of true existence and is the integration of wisdom and bliss. Such a mind is given to you. The way of integration is that the blissful mind enters into the object, emptiness. Thus the consort is exhorting you to contemplate emptiness together with the blissful mind that you are experiencing. By depending upon the lotus of the consort, four levels of bliss are experienced when the bodhicitta at the crown melts and descends to the throat, the heart, the navel, and the tip of the vajra. The reason for generating this bliss is to integrate this blissful mind with the object emptiness and thus to generate the blissful exalted wisdom. Before entering into union, you and the knowledge woman must be in the aspect of deities, yourself as Yamantaka and the consort as Vajra Vetali: Transform yourself into emptiness; from emptiness appears a blue HUNG that transforms into a vajra marked by HUNG. This then becomes Yamantaka with nine faces and thirtytwo arms. Similarly, the consort dissolves into emptiness from which appears a HUNG that transforms into a curved knife marked by HUNG and this becomes blue Vajra Vetali. Now transform and bless the noble houses, the two secret organs of the couple: The vajra of Yamantaka dissolves into emptiness from which appears a HUNG that transforms into a blue, five-spoked vajra. An OM becomes the usual jewel - a vajra with a canal - and the hole at the end of this is plugged with the syllable PHAT.

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The secret place of the consort also transforms into emptiness, from which arises a HUNG that transforms into a red eight-petalled lotus. On this appears an AH from which comes a stamen, the end of which is plugged with PHAT that prevents the energy from going out of the lotus. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ANURAGANA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM Question What is the jewel? Answer At Sera monastery there was a special class where the elder monks lined up in rows for Dharma discussion. Whoever was the oldest had to recite a text, such as a Vinaya or Abhidharma text, and then give an explanation of the meaning. If he forgot some passages the others would help him to continue. The point at which the recitation stopped, however, depended upon the monk who was reciting, he could stop at any word he chose. During the turn of one old Geshe who was not well qualified in the texts, he thought to stop at the end of a line explaining a Vinaya rule where it said: "When a person puts the vajra into the vagina and the jewel..," and he stopped there, saying that it was a good place to stop because "jewel" is an auspicious word. Actually, the text went on to explain the negative results of such behaviour. The mantra is recited for oneself and the consort to have intense desire to continue the action. At this point the guru radiates many rays of light from his heart that invoke all the Buddhas to the space in front. The male and female Buddhas enter into union and the nectars from their secret organs flow down and enter the crown of the disciple who is in the posture of union. When the nectars flow down from your crown to your throat you experience bliss, when they descend to the heart you experience supreme bliss, to the navel special bliss, and to the tip of the secret place you experience simultaneously-born bliss. This final bliss only arises when the energy drop reaches the tip of the secret place, thus the further down the energy drop descends, the more bliss we experience, and when we experience simultaneously-born bliss we must realize emptiness through this blissful mind. At this point, the integration of the blissful mind with the realization of emptiness is the actual entity of the wisdom empowerment. There are three levels of receiving the wisdom empowerment: (i) Someone who has already had direct realization of emptiness can realize the same object again through this blissful exalted wisdom. (ii) Those who have realized emptiness through a meaning generality can combine that realization with the bliss here. (iii) Those who have neither direct realization nor realization through a meaning generality have to imagine that they are realizing emptiness through this blissful mind. In other words, those who have not arrived at exalted blissful wisdom should imagine that they do so now, while those who have attained that realization should use it now. During the wisdom empowerment it is not permissible for the disciple to offer an actual knowledge woman to the guru if the guru is an ordained monk or nun or a genyen living in pure conduct. During the secret and the wisdom empowerments you just imagine that you are offering a knowledge woman.

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In one way it seems that experiencing bliss through the lotus is very important, but this step is only required for someone at high levels of the completion stage. Beginners have to abide within pure conduct and completely avoid sexual contact. This is clearly mentioned in Atisha's "Lam Dron" a text written at the request of Jang Chub O who asked seven questions, one of which was: "When is one allowed to take a physical knowledge woman?" He asked this because people were not clear whether to offer an actual knowledge woman or not during the secret and wisdom empowerments. Atisha gave his answer at the end of the "Lam Dron" where he said that an ordained person who is a beginner and has not reached a certain level is not allowed to rely upon a knowledge woman during the vajra master, secret, or wisdom empowerments because Buddha has forbidden ordained people from having sexual contact. If ordained people have sexual contact in this situation they will receive the negative karma of "tung.wa." Such a downfall causes rebirth in the lower realms, so it is forbidden for a genyen living in pure conduct or an ordained person to have sexual contact. Atisha said that this exclusion is also mentioned in the Kalachakra root tantra. When one reaches a high level of realization, however, it is necessary to use a physical consort because one cannot attain enlightenment without depending upon this method. If these things were not specified, people would have long-lasting confusion. Question If a monk is at the appropriate completion stage level to take a consort, would he know that without mistake? Answer A meditator at a certain level of the completion stage acquires a bliss swirl on the forehead and if such a man meets Vajra Yogini she will have a similar swirl and they can enter into union and it will enhance their practice. Both the man and the woman clearly recognize the correct signs of attainment on each other. When a qualified yogi meets Vajra Yogini she will not tell him who she is, rather, she will criticize him by saying, "You are ordained and it is shameful for you to have intercourse." The signs are well known and there is no danger of mistaking an ordinary woman for Vajra Yogini. Question How are you able to be sure that it is Vajra Yogini? Answer I cannot tell if you are Vajra Yogini or not, nor can I say whether you are a Bodhisattva or not, but people who are at that level would know and would make no mistake. It is possible to have the doubt that a yogi in general may mistakenly choose the wrong woman, but here we are talking about a yogi who has been meditating on the practice for some time using the trunk of the sindura tree as a method.* With this red substance he has achieved the sign on his forehead and he goes somewhere where there are many people, such as a market place, and meets a woman (who is a manifestation of Vajra Yogini). *[A transcript of Geshe Ngawang Dharghey's teaching on the Vajra Yogini Self Entry practice, Dharamsala 1976, says: The Khacho Sindura tree is a tree found in Nepal and Tibet. A yogi recites 10 million mantras, performs the retreat of five deities, does 100 thousand fire pujas, and many other practices and then he is ready to "actualize the tree." He enters retreat, doing the Vajra Yogini self-entry every day, and collects the sindura powder used on the mandala. Over

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several nights he offers many fire pujas and then places the sindura powder on the eastern side of the tree and cuts a branch. Then he goes to live in a cemetery where he digs a hole and buries the branch almost completely. Sitting on a piece of slate over the hole, he meditates from the 10th to the 25th days of the month. An assistant, who must have completed the great retreat, sits at a distance and holds a big wooden club to defend against interferers. At the beginning, the yogi spends only a short time at the cemetery but gradually stays longer until towards the end he spends the whole night there. On the 25th, he takes the branch out of the hole and keeps it in a clean place in his house where he makes offerings, performs the self-entry, and so on. The negativity of disobeying the guru can be purified by making many offerings to this branch, to fellow practitioners, and so on. From then on the yogi is called "ja.dong" - "One who has given up all activities" - and, without keeping anything, after making offerings of all his wealth and possessions, making tsog offerings, and so on, the yogi goes to places, especially prominent places of Heruka, where there are many women. Holding the divine pride of being Vajra Yogini, he applies a bliss wheel to his forehead and searches for Vajra Yogini. When he finds a woman and the bliss swirl goes from his forehead to hers, this is a sign that she is Vajra Yogini. He then recites a prayer: "You are my mother, I am your son until I attain enlightenment. Vajra Yogini, please nourish me with the milk of the Holy Dharma and take myself and all sentient beings to Khacho Ling and bestow the supreme and powerful attainments upon us." After this recital she may not accept that she is Vajra Yogini but the yogi should not be loose and let her go. He must insist with fervent request for her to take him to Khacho Ling]. There is a story about someone who met Dorje Pamo who manifested having leprosy and looking very ugly, but when the Getsul took her on his back to cross a river she suddenly transformed into Vajra Yogini and took him to the pure land. Also, when Asanga met Maitreya he first appeared in a very bad form and so on. There are two types of simultaneously-born bliss: artificial and real. Artificial simultaneously-born bliss is the blissful mind that has not realized emptiness directly, it realizes emptiness through a meaning generality. Real simultaneously-born bliss is the blissful wisdom in the mind of somebody who has realized emptiness directly. "Sherab Yeshe" means female. "Exalted wisdom," here, refers to the mind that has realized emptiness and which is also experiencing bliss. The blissful wisdom realizing emptiness is something that arises in dependence upon a youthful knowledge woman, and therefore it is called "Sherab Yeshe" or wisdom empowerment. One must enter into union with three recognitions: seeing the bodies of both oneself and the consort in the form of the deity; seeing one's speech as mantra; and seeing one's mind as Dharma. The secret organs of male and female are both stopped by the syllable PHAT in the channel - this is in relation to seeing one's speech as mantra. Seeing one's mind as Dharma means that both male and female should think that their entering into union is to produce the great and uncontaminated blissful exalted wisdom.

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One must locate the lower aperture of the central channel of the female consort and then open it and conjoin the lower aperture of one's own central channel with that of the female consort - the vajra posture of the energy channels. Then the vajra posture of the energy winds is achieved, first the energy wind goes from the navel of the male through the lower apertures of the central channels to the navel of the female where it ignites the tumo energy. The purpose of doing this is that, once the inner heat of both is ignited, the two fires melt the energy drops that descend from their crowns to the point of conjunction of the central channels. Both consorts have to prevent their energy drops from going out and both have to induce the various levels of bliss. During this procedure, one comes to attain the bliss that is free from appearance, radiance, and black near attainment. The bliss that is free from these three obscurations is called the bliss of the clear light. This bliss is not generated for nothing, its purpose is to enable oneself to integrate that blissful mind with the object emptiness. If one is not familiar with the object, this clear light does not last for a long time, but if one is well acquainted with the object one can remain in this bliss for a long time. To attain such a result, the guru tells the disciple to contemplate on the unity of blissful wisdom with voidness right now. In detail, this means that the yogi has the support of the bodhicitta just like "Kunta" - a support to have bliss - and he should not let it go out from the tip of the vajra. In other words, the yogi will have this bliss without cessation as long as he does not let out the bodhicitta, or kunta. As this is the source of bliss, while it is held within himself he will continuously experience bliss. There is a sense of joy that occurs when the vajra is conjoined with the lotus and this produces supreme bliss. There is no pleasure that is superior to this bliss and so this method is like a treasury that contains all the various siddhis. If the bodhicitta drop is let out, the karmically acquired aggregates and the consciousness lose their continuous bliss and therefore they cannot attain supreme siddhis. Thus we have discussed the source of the simultaneously-born bliss, when one keeps the energy drop within oneself there is a continuity of the blissful experience, if we lose the drop that is the support for this bliss we cannot achieve the supreme siddhis. "The space element in the vagina" refers to the empty space within the lotus that is occupied by the vajra of the male. Through friction the various levels of bliss are produced and this induces the supreme bliss and the bliss that is sustained. While experiencing these levels of bliss one should recognize and maintain them. Question If you release the bodhicitta can you never attain supreme siddhis? Answer To attain enlightenment one must retain this drop. The lower aperture of the central channel of the female consort is inserted into the small channel of the male consort's vajra (the urethra) and the vajra holds on to the lower aperture. Thus there are the two vajra positions - of the energy channels and of the energy winds, and though these two positions all the energy winds of each consort enter into their respective central channels. As the bodhicitta drop comes down from the crown of the male consort to the tip of his vajra, he experiences the four descending levels of bliss: bliss, supreme bliss, special bliss, and simultaneously-born bliss. The final bliss is the greatest and is said to be an ornament of the yogi at this level.

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With this exalted wisdom of great bliss the yogi realizes emptiness and this integration of emptiness with the blissful mind is free from the three obscurations of appearance, radiance, and near-attainment. The emptiness here is just like the clear light and this is the object for the blissful mind which remains upon the object without changing. This combination of bliss and emptiness can remain for a variable time, depending upon the capacity of the yogi. A beginner can stay there for the whole meditation session and those with progressively higher realization can remain for a day, two weeks, a month, a year, an aeon, or 1000 aeons - the highest. The main thing that is done during the wisdom empowerment is to visualize that one has generated the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. At best, one can actually generate this exalted wisdom, at least, one can simply visualize that one is given a knowledge woman, imagine that one enters into union with her, and through this one generates the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. This exalted wisdom arises after the three steps of entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel. This produces the great blissful wisdom with which one realizes emptiness according to one's mental capacity. One who has previously directly realized emptiness can have the same realization now with this mind. One who has only realized emptiness through a meaning generality can realize emptiness in the same way with this blissful wisdom. One who has not had any of these realizations and does not actually experience the winds entering, abiding, and dissolving should simply visualize that he experiences these steps and attains the blissful wisdom realizing emptiness. Take off the eye ribbon; now the circumstances under which you have received the wisdom empowerment are explained. This wisdom empowerment has occurred within the mandala of the lotus of the female consort where you have taken the essence of the bodhicitta drop at the lower end of the central channel. This drop is the base which supports the bliss and itself is the mandala essence. Thus the lotus is the mansion and the essence is the drop. Taking this drop is called "wisdom empowerment" because it is received in dependence upon a knowledge woman who possesses wisdom. The common obscurations that are purified here are the negative karmas created through the three negative actions of mind: covetousness, harmful intent, and wrong view. At the same time as these are purified, one makes a resolution to not repeat these actions in the future, this resolution is achieved when the empowerment blesses the energy winds and channels within one's body. The uncommon negativities that are purified are the stains that prevent us from seeing all external objects as the miraculous exhibition of the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. Through contemplation during the empowerment one is empowered to see all phenomena as creations of the non-duality of bliss and void and permission is given to the disciple to meditate on the Great Seal, the clear light that is the final simultaneouslyborn bliss. The seed is established to yield the result, the Dharmakaya, through familiarizing oneself with the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void. This wisdom increases its own entity more and more until finally its entity becomes the Dharmakaya.

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Word empowerment This has five parts: (i) Mandala offering and request (ii) Receiving the empowerment (iii) Explaining the benefits and taking the pledge (iv) Accepting the pledge (v) Explaining the meaning of the empowerment Mandala offering and request Offer a mandala as before and then make the request: Through your kindness, O Vajradhara, I have received the vase, secret, and wisdom empowerments that do not exist within the three lower tantras and through which I am empowered to meditate on the generation stage, the illusory body, and the Mahamudra clear light. Please bestow upon me now the fourth empowerment that I hold as so precious. Receiving the empowerment Empowerment is given by clearly explaining things to the disciple and eliminating confusion from his or her mind. There is no offering of a consort, no discussion about blissful wisdom, and no initiating substance as with the previous three empowerments. The main purpose of this word empowerment is to explain the meaning of the unified stage to the disciple. If the unified stage is not well understood then the word empowerment cannot be received. Before discussing the unified stage of body and mind, we must know that the simultaneously-born blissful exalted wisdom exists before the level of Buddhahood, but what does not exist before Buddhahood is the simultaneously-born blissful wisdom that is free from the obscurations to omniscience as well as their imprints. This wisdom only exists within the continuum of a Buddha and it is also called the exalted wisdom of the meaning clear light. Whoever possesses this holy mind of the Buddha also possesses the exalted blissful wisdom body of the Buddha, which is thus the manifestation of this blissful wisdom and is adorned with the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks. It is also called the pure illusory body. Thus the exalted blissful wisdom and the pure illusory body are dependent upon each other but, although they are two, they are one in entity. The blissful exalted wisdom of the Buddha realizes the object, emptiness, clearly, entering and mixing with it like water mixed with water and becoming one thing. This great exalted blissful wisdom is separate from even the slightest stain of dualism. The body of the Buddha arose through the subtle wind and subtle mind and is adorned by the major and minor marks. Its substantial cause is the subtle wind and its co-operative cause is the subtle mind that accompanies that wind. This body is also called the Enjoyment Body or the body of full use. The blissful exalted wisdom of the Buddha and the Enjoyment Body exist at the same time as supporting and supported objects. Such a state is called the non-learner's unified stage because when it is attained there is nothing else to be learned. The substantial cause

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for the non-learner's unified stage is found in the continuum of the person at the previous level, the learner's unified stage. A person at the last moment of the learner's unified stage is one who is about to become a Buddha, who has almost abandoned the last, most subtle obscuration to omniscience. At the level of the learner's unified stage the pure body (illusory body) and pure mind (clear light) exist, but the pure illusory body and the clear light here are different to the pure illusory body and the clear light at the non-learner's unified stage. At the former level, these two simply refer to the fact that they are free from the obstacles to liberation whereas at the non-learner's unified stage they are free from both the obscurations to liberation and the obscurations to omniscience, and all their imprints. The clear light has two: example clear light and meaning clear light. The illusory body also has two: one belonging to the learner's unified stage and one to the non-learner's unified stage. The meaning clear light of the fourth stage is the blissful mind that directly realizes emptiness. The blissful exalted wisdom directly realizing emptiness is mounted upon a wind that is the main cause for the illusory body of the learner's unified stage because the blissful exalted wisdom of that person will become the meaning clear light of the learner's unified stage. When this meaning clear light of the learner's unified stage develops, its entity becomes free from the gross and subtle obscurations and it eventually becomes the meaning clear light of the non-learner's unified stage, that is, the Buddha's mind. This explanation of the exact meaning of the learner's and the non-learner's unified stages is the granting of the word empowerment, and the wisdom empowerment is taken as an example. Saying that the wisdom empowerment is an example for the word empowerment means that initially there was the whole process where the disciple and the knowledge woman were visualized in the form of deities and there was also the inner visualization of the various levels of bliss arising and then the realization of emptiness through the final blissful wisdom, integrating that blissful exalted wisdom with the object, emptiness. In other words, one is always together with the integration of blissful exalted wisdom with the object, emptiness. By familiarizing oneself with this exalted wisdom of bliss and void, one's body eventually becomes the Sambhogakaya. At that time, one will attain the non-learner's unified stage and also the knowledge woman becomes the same form as oneself, that is, just as one has integrated exalted wisdom with the object emptiness, one integrates oneself with the female consort. Then, during the word empowerment, we have to familiarize ourselves with this practice for a long time and finally we will attain the non-learner's unified stage. The exact moment when the word empowerment is received is when one feels that one has the potential to attain that unified stage, just as the guru has explained. When explaining the unified stage of the learner's level, the guru explains the common points of the word empowerment, and when he explains the unified stage of the non-learner's level he gives the uncommon word empowerment. The principal point within the word empowerment is the body of complete enjoyment (Sambhogakaya) that is an exalted wisdom of bliss and void in reality but takes the aspect of a peaceful deity of form, with arms, hands, and so on. When the body of complete enjoyment is attained, we can say that the person has attained the "state of seven kisses." These are:

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1 The body of complete enjoyment In reality, this is an exalted wisdom of bliss and void that takes the aspect of a peaceful deity with the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks. 2 Actually kissing the female consort We are now talking about the body of complete enjoyment according to a vehicle that is different to the perfection vehicle, that is, a body of complete enjoyment can be attained through the perfection vehicle without the actual kissing whereas here it is a state of union with the female consort. 3 The great bliss When one kisses the female consort an exalted wisdom of bliss and void arises, and is called "the great bliss." During the wisdom empowerment, great bliss is experienced through union with the female consort, but that bliss is inferior to the bliss that exists at the level of the non-learner's unified stage because the bliss that arises during the wisdom empowerment is within oneself and does not pervade the entire body. It is mainly located in the secret organ and does not cover the whole body, whereas the great bliss here is more extensive and pervades the whole body. The bliss that arises during the wisdom empowerment is contaminated, momentary, and inauspicious because it arises simply through the activity of the knowledge woman, whereas the great bliss of the seven kisses is uncontaminated, is called "Unceasing One" because it has a very long duration - until the end of samsara -, and is auspicious because it arises naturally, without depending on the action of a knowledge woman. 4 Without nature This state of seven kisses does not exist inherently and this blissful exalted wisdom is a wisdom that has become one with its object like water mixed with water. 5 Full of compassion A person at this level works to benefit all sentient beings through compassion, without thinking, without effort, and without ceasing. The state of being one with the seven kisses is between the two extremes - of cyclic existence and the peaceful state. 6 Without discontinuity This state is something that never goes out of existence, it is just there. This implies that the emanation body, or Nirmanakaya, can sometimes come into existence and sometimes go out of existence. 7 Unceasing The body of complete enjoyment lasts until the end of samsara. The last two branches are similar. "Without discontinuity" gives the idea that the Sambhogakaya remains in existence as long as there are sentient beings with the fortune to receive benefit from it, this branch is also related to the Nirmanakaya. "Unceasing" has a wider connotation, it does not imply or refer to the Nirmanakaya whereas the former does. Explaining the benefits and taking the pledge During the actual initiation, the guru says: Today you have entered a mandala that is to be kept extremely secret. This act of entering frees you from all negativities, if you keep all the commitments and vows that you have made today within this vehicle of great bliss you will no longer experience death dominated by karma and affliction. By entering the mandala you have eradicated the infinite sufferings of samsara and you no longer need be afraid to enjoy the objects of sense pleasure. You are no longer bound by superstition and doubt as to whether or not

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you are allowed to enjoy sensual pleasure, you must enjoy without fear, like a lion acts without fear among all animals. Today you have been empowered to meditate upon the cause for pacifying the subtle and gross sufferings of cyclic existence, the great blissful exalted wisdom, therefore you are free from transmigration within cyclic existence. The guru says that in the future you will attain the body of complete enjoyment with which you can enjoy all objects of sensual pleasure and achieve everything. Although, by taking the vows of empowerment, you have made imprints to attain the common and uncommon siddhis, you cannot have these pleasures if you do not keep these vows. You must follow the commitments of this vehicle. These benefits were mentioned by all the Buddhas and this injunction cannot be changed. Buddha's word can be interpretative at times, but here it is to be understood exactly as it is spoken.

Explaining the commitments The fourteen root tantric vows are: 1 Do not criticize or belittle the vajra master or disrespect his advice. Show humility and do as the guru requests. 2 Do not go beyond the injunction of the Sugatas. If you knowingly break any of the three types of vow, you will break this root vow. Also, having contempt for any of the three types of vow by saying "this vow is unimportant, I can transgress it," breaks this root tantric vow. 3 Do not find fault with or get angry at members of your vajra family. This refers to anyone with whom you have received an initiation into any of the four classes of tantra. 4 Do not abandon love for any sentient being. The limit of this abandonment is to wish sentient beings to not have happiness. 5 Do not give up bodhicitta. To first generate the wish to work for all sentient beings and to then abandon this attitude breaks this vow. 6 Do not disparage the Dharma of others. Do not criticize any Dharma taught by Buddha, such as the Hinayana vehicle. 7 Do not reveal secrets to those whose continuums are not ripe. If we tell tantric secrets such as the profound meanings to a person who has not received the complete initiation and does not hold the commitments, we break this vow. Also, if we show the secrets of tantra to someone who is an initiate but has not received initiation into the higher levels, such as the completion stage, we break this vow. 8 Do not neglect your karmically taken aggregates. This vow is broken if we say that we cannot visualize our five aggregates as the deity, such as thinking that we cannot instantaneously transform ourselves into Yamantaka, and also it can be broken by undergoing extreme asceticism such as not eating proper food or doing the pill retreat in order to decrease our body weight.

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9 Do not deny emptiness. This can be broken by saying that the teachings on emptiness according to the Cittamatrins and the Madhyamika Svatantrika are incorrect because phenomena do not inherently exist. 10 Do not abandon love for those who are harmful. We should not show physical or verbal friendliness towards negative beings who harm Dharma practitioners by criticism and doing bad things to those who are preserving the Dharma. In fact, we should destroy them but with the motivation of compassion; the specific vow is to not abandon universal love towards such beings and, even though we physically and verbally do unpleasant things towards them, mentally we should still love them. 11 Do not fail to remember the correct view every day. We must meditate on emptiness each day, according to our level of understanding. 12 Do not deceive the faith of any being. We should not turn anybody away from the object of their faith, for example, if somebody has strong faith in tantra we should not discourage them by saying there are too many commitments and he cannot keep them. 13 Always adhere to the sublime samaya. This includes making tsog offerings to the assembly of yogis and yoginis, performing the spectacle of yogis alone, and performing the spectacle of yoginis alone. In all three activities you must adhere to the secret substances - the five meats and five nectars. If you see these as dirty, you break this vow. This also refers to the importance of keeping internal and external objects, if we think the external vajra and bell are not important and we can meditate on them internally, this vow is broken. 14 Do not disparage the knowledge woman. The exalted wisdom of bliss and void comes in dependence upon a woman and so we should not fault her. This vow can refer to faulting a woman who is a physical emanation of Vajrayogini, but we should not criticize women in general. To be able to keep all fourteen vows our mind must be naturally balanced. One who is loose-tongued, crazy, or tending towards being crazy, can have wrong actions. To break the vow of not abandoning bodhicitta we do not need to have four complete branches, the mere thought is enough, but for the other thirteen we need four complete branches. Among the eighteen root Bodhisattva vows there are two, abandoning bodhicitta and generating wrong views, that also do not need four branches to be complete. The four branches are: (i) To not think about the disadvantages. (ii) To not turn away from the desire to act. (iii) To be willing to perform the action. (iv) To have no shame or consideration. If there are less than four branches, the root vow is not broken but a bon.po or "broadness" is received. The next line, "nal.jor long.mo mi..," needs definitive and interpretative explanations. The interpretative meaning is: "A yogi should not run in a city to beg food or clothing with greed." The definitive meaning is: "Syllables that are different to the subtle energy wind are to be known as "beggar."

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So, to not eat by begging means to not recite mantras that are different to the subtle energy wind. To be a beggar is to see the energy wind and the syllables as different. On the contrary, if we cannot eat by begging, we should consider the mantra syllables and the energy winds as one. The vibration of the winds is taken from the syllables OM AH HUNG, breathing in and out is the unity of the two. This means that to do the vajra recitation we have to know that the entities of the mantra syllables and of the wind are one. "Never abandon the yoga." A yogi should rely upon a consort through whom the exalted blissful wisdom is necessarily generated. "Always recite the secret mantras and adhere to the commitments." When doing the Yamantaka practice we should constantly recite the essence, root, and near mantras and we should always adhere to the external and internal mudras - the consort, vajra and bell, and so on. "If a tantric practitioner becomes careless through disrespect to the guru, he can receive a root downfall and degenerate his tantric vows." The solution to this is to confess in front of the Sugatas and to remake the mandala. After confessing, we have to retake the initiation. If the conditions for taking the initiation are not available, we must perform the self-initiation and enter the mandala without depending upon a lama. Doing this will purify all our negativities and broken vows, the self-initiation also renews the tantric vows. Today your birth has become fruitful, you have received the four empowerments that have firmly established the seeds for attaining the four bodies. Having received empowerment and made these commitments, if you observe them well you have certainly made fortune equal to that of the deities of the mandala. You have been initiated by the sixth Dhyani Buddha, Vajradhara, and today you have been crowned as king of the three realms by having received these empowerments. You have become victorious over the maras and have entered the supreme city. You have well received the seeds for attaining Buddhahood, there is no question that you will swiftly attain this result. You should maintain a clear mind by not breaking the vows and holding vajra-like respect to the vows and to your guru. By keeping these vows and commitments you will attain bliss. Today you have entered upon the road to Buddhahood that is called the greatly blissful, quick path. You will attain the blissful exalted wisdom equal to Vajrasattva. Thus concludes the explanation of the commitments. In other contexts, such clarification may be given in words that require interpretation, such as "You must kill these creatures; you must enjoy the women of others; you should take that which is not given to you; you should tell lies to others." These injunctions have interpretative meanings like the injunction about begging food, and they can also be literally true. Interpretatively, "creatures" can refer to the immoral actions of body, speech, and mind; literally, Bodhisattvas at high levels can kill creatures if there is a major purpose. If the purpose is strong enough, one can commit any of the seven immoral actions of body and speech, but only when the action can be transformed into a meaningful one. For example, at high levels on the path there is the practice of locating the energy wind called "life force" within the energy channels. When one inserts the wins into the central

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channel, the winds in the right and left channels stop functioning and this can be interpreted as taking the life of those "creatures," that is, the side channels. At the conventional level we cannot distinguish ultimate phenomena, and at the ultimate level we cannot distinguish inner and outer (conventional) phenomena. Although inner and outer phenomena can be distinguished at the conventional level, they still lack true existence and are like an illusion. Telling a lie at the conventional level is saying "inner and outer phenomena do not exist, they are just an illusion." "That which is not given" refers to Buddhahood. This is not given to us - we do not have to wait for someone to offer it to us - so, among all phenomena, Buddhahood is the best and we should take it without waiting to be given it. "Enjoying the woman of another" refers to the Dharmadhatu. By taking a woman of the Dharmadhatu we have to contemplate emptiness. Thus these are the four commitments of the fourth empowerment given in another context. Having had these explained well, the disciple should strongly feel that he or she will keep all the commitments as well as possible, and with deep feeling says: "I shall do everything that has been explained." Explanation of the results The fact that the two truths are indistinguishable and united is non-deceptive. With these two, one is able to accumulate much merit and this is called "ultimate bodhicitta." Bodhicitta united with the direct realization of emptiness is the most essential thing, grasping this essence is the meaning of the mandala. You have received the word empowerment in dependence upon the mandala of the ultimate bodhicitta. The imprint left in your continuum by this word empowerment is the energy to be able to cleanse all obscurations of body, speech, and mind in the future. Today you have been empowered to meditate on the completion stage that is the unified stage of the two truths that cannot be distinguished. The fortune you have received today is that you will attain the body of Vajradhara, the result of total unity. Mandala offering to thank the guru I offer the mandala of universal grounds to you because you have given me the four complete empowerments. Om vajra bhumi ah hung ... etc. (Then add a stanza at the end:) The basis that is to be achieved for attaining the common and uncommon siddhis to observe all the vows and commitments that I have made by taking the four empowerments. Please bless me to be able to keep all these vows and commitments even at the risk of my life. Having gained complete confidence in all that is contained within these vows, if I keep them purely this will be of great benefit to me in the future. Problems in this life are small and if I do not keep these vows I will have problems in many future lives. IDAM GURU... Outer offerings to thank the guru

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Before making this last set of offerings, add some more water to each of the offering bowls on the altar, then bless the offerings in the same way as the external offerings were blessed before: OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANANA HUNG PHAT OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDO HANG Everything becomes void. Within the state of voidness, from AH's come broad and expansive skull cups ..etc.

Bless the offerings from ARGHAM to SPARSHA and then offer them with one stanza for each offering substance. Only the name of the substance changes with each stanza. Greeting water Saviour, please enjoy my offering of this sublime, outstanding, divine greeting water with the universal love that you hold for all living beings. OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM PRATICCHA HUNG SVAHA Calling the water "divine" shows that it has the aspect of greeting water but in reality is the entity of exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The effect of the offering is to delight the beings to whom we make offering. Each of the following offerings has these three qualities of aspect, entity, and function. We make offerings to the deities in order to accumulate merit. Continue making each offering up to the soothing sound that pleases the ears and then offer the five objects of the Desire Realm - form, sound, and so on. Form here is represented by the Form Goddess who is emanated from our heart. Her body is blue and we offer her to the deities in space in front of us. While making the offering of form, think that this goddess is holding many things that please the eyes, such as mirrors and so on. The second object of desire is sound, visualize many goddesses emanating from our heart and singing beautiful songs, then offer these goddesses. Having made offering of sound, the goddesses re-absorb into our heart. Next, emanate the Goddess of Fragrance who holds fragrant substances such as camphor, sandalwood, and nutmeg. Then the Goddess of Flavour who holds many types of food possessing the six tastes such as sweet and sour. All of these goddesses are knowledge women with many good, internal, qualities such as being beautiful, charming, shapely, and having a nice smell and a pleasant mouth. Externally the goddesses carry the forms and so on that are experienced by the sense organs, internally they themselves have the good qualities of being soft, pleasant to touch, and so on. The last object of the desire realm is tangible objects. Emanate the Goddess of Touch who has a lotus that gives great bliss when joined with the vajra and allows the deity to experience the mudra of embrace. In her hands she holds fine garments which she offers to the deities, saying OM YAMANTAKA SPARSHA PRATICCHA HUNG SVAHA, "I offer these objects of touch to you, Yamantaka." Finally, offer the inner offering with OM YAMANTAKA HUNG PHAT OM AH HUNG.

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Praise Recite the verse of praise that has come before and then the additional praise to all the objects of veneration: To all those who are worthy of praise (including the deities inside and around the mansion) I emanate many forms equal to the number of Buddha Realms; forever I bow down to you. Conclusion In general, within highest yoga tantra there are fourteen empowerments - eleven included within the vase empowerment and then the secret, wisdom, and word empowerments. In other sadhanas, the eleven divisions of the vase empowerment may be elaborated, but this text only elaborates six divisions: the water, vajra, crown, bell, name, and vajra master empowerments. The extra empowerments that make up the eleven are: 7 Focussing upon the mantra. 8 Permission to perform general and particular subsequent activities. General activities refer to the disciple being given permission to give teachings on Yamantaka and anything that is connected to the activities of the five Dhyani Buddhas. Particular activities refer to giving teachings, for example, to those who have a particular connection with a specific Buddha Family. This empowerment is associated with the various implements held by the five Buddhas: Vairocana's wheel, Amithaba's lotus, Ratnasambhava's jewel, Amoghasiddhi's sword, and Akshobya's vajra. 9 Vajra conduct. You have to conduct yourself like Vajrapani. 10 The prophecy and letting out the breath. The guru stands in the aspect of an ordained person and makes a prophecy. 11 Conduct of performance. One behaves like the deity; this includes the external conduct of embracing the consort and the internal conduct of combining bliss and void. Vajra empowerment, vajra commitment, and vajra conduct are different. In the vajra empowerment, first the vajra dissolves into emptiness and transforms into Buddha Amithaba who now melts into a vajra that is given to the disciple who is already in the aspect of Amithaba. The effect of this vajra empowerment is to cleanse the impurities of attachment, to transform the aggregate of discrimination, and to empower one to attain the wisdom of individual analysis. The vajra commitment was made when the guru handed you the symbolic, or interpretative, vajra and you held it to remind yourself of the definitive vajra - the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. Vajra conduct refers to when the guru gives the vajra to the disciple who is in the aspect of Vajrasattva and says, "In order to attain the state of Vajrasattva, hold this vajra that is the essence of the five Dhyani Buddhas." Whenever an empowerment is given, it is important to imagine that you have received it and, because of receiving it, a particular stain is purified and you receive a particular

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quality. For example, in relation to the five Dhyani Buddhas, there are different empowerments such as the water empowerment of Akshobya. At the end of each empowerment there are particular effects - purification, transformation of an aggregate, and empowerment to attain a specific exalted wisdom. The water empowerment of Akshobya purifies the stain of anger, transforms the aggregate of consciousness, and establishes the seed to attain the exalted wisdom of Dharmadhatu. The crown empowerment of Ratnasambhava purifies the stains of pride and miserliness, transforms the aggregate of feeling, and establishes the seed to attain the exalted wisdom of equality. The vajra empowerment of Amithaba purifies the stain of attachment, transforms the aggregate of discrimination, and establishes the seed to attain the exalted wisdom of individual analysis. The bell empowerment of Amoghasiddhi purifies the stain of jealousy, transforms the aggregate of volitions, and establishes the seed to attain the exalted wisdom of accomplishment. The name empowerment of Vairocana purifies the stain of confusion (gti.mug), transforms the aggregate of form, and establishes the seed to attain the mirror-like exalted wisdom. In summary, whoever receives these five empowerments purifies the five types of affliction, transforms the five aggregates, and establishes the seeds to attain the five exalted wisdoms of a Buddha Superior. What effects are received from the Vajra Master empowerment? Here, one receives the commitments of bell, vajra, and mudra. The Vajra Master empowerment is also called the irreversible empowerment. These six empowerments are called vase empowerments because they are all completed with a water empowerment, the taking of vase water to stabilize them. The vase, secret, wisdom, and word empowerments purify both common and uncommon stains. Common stains purified by the vase empowerment are the three physical negativities. As a base, it purifies the uncommon stains of ordinary appearance and the grasping at that appearance. As a path, it empowers the person to meditate on the generation stage. And, as a result, it establishes the fortunate energy to attain the emanation body. The secret empowerment purifies the common stains of speech and the uncommon stain of the conception of the inner energy winds and mantra as being totally separate. As a path, the secret empowerment empowers the disciple to meditate on the illusory body, and as a result it establishes the fortunate energy to attain the body of complete enjoyment. The wisdom empowerment purifies the common stains of mental negativities and the uncommon stains that are the obstructions which prevent the disciple from seeing all appearances as the appearance of the wisdom of bliss and void. As a path, it empowers the person to meditate on the clear light and, as a result, it establishes the fortunate energy to attain the Dharmakaya. The word empowerment purifies the common stains of body, speech, and mind, that is, the final imprints that are obscurations to omniscience and, as there are no further stains,

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no uncommon stains are specified in this empowerment. As a path, it empowers the disciple to meditate on the two truths as being completely indifferentiable, that is, the unified stage. As a result, it establishes the imprint to attain the unified stage of Vajradhara, thus it includes the completion stage. One text says that by possessing the seeds of the four kayas one receives the four empowerments. Thus, at the same time as the empowerments are received one also receives the seeds to attain the four kayas. For example, the vase and secret empowerments are the causes for attaining the emanation body and the body of complete enjoyment, and the wisdom empowerment creates the energy to achieve the Dharmakaya. The Dharmakaya has two - the wisdom truth body and the nature body, both are included here. At the end of the word empowerment it says that one is made fortunate to attain the state of total unity. This unified stage can refer to many levels: the unified stage of pure body and pure mind, the combination of Dharmakaya and Rupakaya, and the unified stage of bliss and void that is free from the two obscurations and their imprints. The word empowerment says, "you have these results within you." When performing the self-entry ceremony, it is very important to feel strongly that you have restored all broken vows and commitments of tantra, bodhicitta, and pratimoksha. If you have not broken any of these vows, feel that they have been increased. You must think of all these effects - the purifications, receiving imprints for certain results, and so on at the end of each empowerment. We have thus explained well the generation stage of Yamantaka, by familiarizing oneself with these teachings it will become clear. By understanding these teachings and practices we are beginning to know the secret mantra vehicle, there is no other way to do this. Explanation of the extensive prayer This prayer includes all the points of sutra and tantra. Yamantaka, or the Vajra Terrifier, is the opponent to the different Yamas - Lords of Death. Outer Yama is ordinary death, inner Yama is the afflictions, and secret Yama is the three subtle visions at death. Like the reflection of a rainbow in a mirror, you, Yamantaka, have appeared together with the mandala of the mansion out of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. I have generated myself in the aspect of the deity and have gained clear visualization of the supporting and supported mandala. At the same time, I have performed recitation of the peaceful and the wrathful mantras. I have created virtue equal to the waters of the Ganga, broad and vast. Through the combination of this merit and the merit of all sentient beings, may I succeed in generating the mind that renounces cyclic existence and culminates in the path of liberation, generating well the practice of all Buddhas' Sons, the bodhicitta, and cultivating well the different practices of all the paths. After culminating all these paths, may I and all sentient beings be filled with the nectar of knowledge contained in these paths.

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This prayer includes all the levels of realization from guru devotion up to calm abiding and higher seeing, which is the common path that we must follow before dealing with the tantric path. The crown, water, bell, vajra, and Vajra Master empowerments were all completed by the stabilizing water empowerment, this is referred to here as the divine water of the vase empowerment that purifies the negative karmas of body (mainly) and the negativities of grasping at ordinary appearance. As a path, the vase empowerment empowers one to meditate on the generation stage, and as a result it implants the seed to attain the emanation body. Following the vase empowerment there is the secret empowerment where the guru and his consort enter into union and grant to us their energy drops, which we taste. This is the meaning of receiving the secret empowerment, it loosens, or blesses, our energy winds and channels so that we can meditate upon the completion stage. The secret empowerment purifies negativities of lying and the stains which cause us to see the energy winds and mantra as being completely separate. The path of the secret empowerment enables one to meditate on the illusory body, and the result is that we gain the seed to attain the Sambhogakaya. The guru gives us a knowledge woman and we bless the two noble houses - the lotus and vajra - and undergo the three recognitions: seeing our body as the body of the deity, seeing our speech as mantra and the two syllables PHAT that block the two secret organs, and seeing our mind as Dharma because through the induction of the great blissful wisdom we will be able to have the exalted wisdom of bliss and void of Buddhahood. This stanza also discusses the wisdom empowerment. Receiving the wisdom empowerment gives one the ability to meditate on the path, the clear light, and the result is to attain the Dharmakaya. The stains that are purified are those that arise from covetousness and those that prevent us from seeing all phenomena as miraculous exhibitions of the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The word empowerment is received by taking the wisdom empowerment as an example. It includes an explanation of the seven kisses, it purifies the negative karmas of body, speech, and mind, and one is empowered to meditate on the completion stage - the indifferentiability of the two truths. Finally, as a result, the seed is implanted to attain the final unified stage of Vajradhara. "May all sentient beings receive these empowerments in the way that I have received them; may I keep all the commitments and promises I have made to the guru, the roots for attaining siddhis, just as I protect my own life from danger." If one does not follow the vows and commitments made before these holy beings, one's subsequent actions will be weak and unstable, like a house built on a loose foundation. If they are kept well, all the common and uncommon siddhis will be attained. Vajradhara said: Even if one does not meditate well, one will attain enlightenment within seven, or at the most sixteen, lifetimes simply by maintaining the vows and commitments without a root downfall." If we are of dull mental faculty it will take sixteen lifetimes, if we are sharp it will be only seven lifetimes. Keeping all the vows refers to different persons, those who are ordained must keep their tantric vows on the basis of their pratimoksha vows. Tantric vows here refer to the common commitments to the five Dhyani Buddhas and also the specific vows of the individual Dhyani Buddhas.

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A path which allows a person to ripen the completion stage within his continuum is to meditate on the generation stage, or the first stage, which has two yogas: the yoga of coarse aspect of the generation stage and the yoga of fine aspect of the generation stage. Fine meditation on the generation stage is like meditating on the drop at the forehead, emanating another through it, and another, and so on. The same can be done at the tip of the vajra where one tiny yab yum emits another and so on. This fine yoga is performed in order to free oneself from mental excitement and laxity. The coarse generation stage simply refers to visualizing the mandala in a gross way. Meditating upon these objects in four daily sessions with much effort can cut off the attitude grasping at ordinary appearance. "May I be able to meditate on the first stage by making four sessions with great effort and may I be able to cut off attachment to ordinary appearance." Great effort means to do these four sessions continually, not beginning with much energy and then giving up after some time. This is like when making fire by rubbing two pieces of wood, if we start and stop there will be no fire, but if we continually perform the action, the result, fire, will come. "Supreme hero (oneself in the aspect of Yamantaka, the symbolic being) with the pile of light rays at one's heart (the concentration being HUNG), emit light rays in the ten directions invoking the merit field to the space before me. By praising these beings of the merit field, may they be pleased." Here you make offerings such as the inner offering and obeying the guru's wishes, and by thus pleasing their minds you complete the great accumulation of merit. "May I be able to do all this." Meditation on the generation stage has several parts and the next line refers to one of these - the yoga of taking death as the path to the Dharmakaya. When dealing with this yoga we have to meditate on emptiness, first thinking of the mantra OM SVHABHAVA SHUDDAH..etc., and ascertaining the meaning of emptiness, or the mantra, through pure logical reasonings. We have to generate the wisdom that understands how phenomena do not ultimately exist, and with this wisdom we hold the divine pride of being Yamantaka. This is a mind of blissful exalted wisdom, not an ordinary mind. So the Dharmakaya is the object emptiness and the mind holding divine pride is exalted wisdom. At this level, holding divine pride means we imagine a wisdom realizing emptiness, we imagine blissful wisdom, and we imagine that this is the resultant Dharmakaya. "May I be able to achieve the Dharmakaya by familiarizing myself with the meditations on divine pride, blissful exalted wisdom, and realizing emptiness." "May I be able to complete the four attributes within the yoga that utilizes death as the path to the Dharmakaya." These are: (i) The appearance is completely empty. (ii) The appearance is non-truly existent in reality. (iii) The mind realizing this is blissful exalted wisdom. (iv) One must feel that this exalted wisdom is the real resultant Dharmakaya. The next stanza refers to the inner protection wheel. Remember, from a DRUM at one's heart a ten-spoked wheel is generated. At the centre is Sumbharaja and above the spokes are the ten wrathful deities, in reality they are the ten types of consciousness of a Buddha Superior. Meditate with force upon these ten, and through this force comes the idea in the

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prayer: "May I be able to remove all interferences, negativities, and their entourages who influence Dharma practitioners." "In the centre of the protection wheel is a mansion of jewels, the nature of exalted wisdom, which is incomparable even to a heap of all the precious substances in the world. By meditating on these houses existing on one level at the causal time, may i be able to quickly receive the resultant level, Yamantaka's mansion." "By constantly meditating on the causal vajra holder, Manjushri, at the centre of the mansion may I be able to eliminate the different obstacles of the bardo (obstacles to attaining the Sambhogakaya at the intermediate state)." To be free from negativities that prevent attaining the Sambhogakaya means that one has to purify or transform the intermediate state into the Sambhogakaya. Next there is reference to the heap of conceptions that think the subject and object are truly existent. These are to be burned by the sun disc that covers 100 phagstas and is able to burn that massive pile of conceptions. The HUNG, which is the entity of the five exalted wisdoms, transforms into a black vajra with a HUNG at its centre. Then the moon, sun, and black vajra all transform into Yamantaka. Up to this point is the meditation on the way to the resultant vajra holder complete with nine faces and so on. Rough meditation on this form is gross meditation on the generation stage, clear and precise meditation on each aspect of this form is subtle meditation on the generation stage. "With these (gross and subtle) yogas of the generation stage may I be able to abandon the stains that oblige me to take rebirth within cyclic existence again and again. Instead of taking an ordinary rebirth through karma and affliction, may I be able to help sentient beings by emanating as an emanation body and helping them according to their level." In other words, "May I be able to take a supreme emanation body of Yamantaka by meditating on this yoga, and in this way be able to benefit all sentient beings according to their inclinations and desires." The many teachings given by Buddha can be summarized within the twelve branches of scripture, which can be condensed into nine sets, and the main topic of the nine sets is the thirty-seven aides to enlightenment. "May I be able to have the realizations of the completion stage that are related to the thirty-seven aides to enlightenment." The completion stage is called the actual liberator and the generation stage is the ripener. The next stanza refers to the process of meditation on the completion stage. For this, we must understand the meaning of the energy winds and channels, this does not come easily for beginners.

Explanation of the completion stage practice Before we can follow the explanation of the completion stage we must understand the relationship between the body and the mind. The body and mind The body has three aspects:

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1 Gross body: the karmically acquired form aggregate. 2 Subtle body: the channels, winds, and drops. 3 Most subtle body: the wind mounted by the most subtle mind. The mind also has three aspects: 1 Gross mind: the six main consciousnesses and the fifty-one mental factors. 2 Subtle mind: the consciousnesses of appearance, radiance, and near-attainment. 3 Most subtle mind: the mind within the indestructible drop. During the death process, the gross body and mind absorb into more and more subtle states, the elements absorb, and finally there is only the most subtle wind and the most subtle mind. The unity of the most subtle wind and mind is one entity with two functions. It is called "wind" because it has the function of movement, which is likened to a person with legs but no eyes; and it is called "mind" because it has the function of awareness, which is likened to a person with eyes but no legs. The combination of the two can perform many functions. This unity of the most subtle wind and mind is the final basis of imputation for the person. It is called the eternal drop because it goes on and on without ever being destroyed. On the other hand, the indestructible drop, the combination of the two drops received from the parents, remains indestructible only until death, then it ceases. The most subtle wind is called the indestructible wind, the wind of the clear light, the final life-supporting wind, the simultaneous wind, or the bamboo wind. It is the "wind of the clear light" because, at death, when all gross appearances cease, the clear light vision occurs and the most subtle wind is surmounted by the consciousness experiencing the clear light, so, at this moment, it is the wind of clear light. It is the "final life-supporting wind" because, among the five primary winds, it belongs to the group of life-supporting winds. It is the "simultaneous wind" because it always co-exists with the most subtle mind. The most subtle wind and mind, or the bamboo wind and bamboo mind, are one inseparable entity having two names. In the tantric system this pair is the root for both destinations - cyclic existence and liberation - and is the foundation of all afflictions. When sentient beings create throwing karma, the most subtle wind, surmounted by an afflicted mind, becomes a co-operative cause for taking rebirth within cyclic existence. All subtle and gross levels of consciousness absorb during the death process and, after the death clear light, it is the most subtle wind and mind that go on to take rebirth by one of the four means. At the path level, however, the most subtle wind becomes the illusory body and the most subtle mind becomes the consciousness of the meaning clear light; and at the resultant level, the most subtle wind becomes the Buddha's form body (Rupakaya), and the most subtle mind becomes the wisdom truth body (Dharmakaya). The energy channels Three main channels arise at the level of the heart:

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1 Central channel: its diameter and length are variously described in different texts. In this practice, its upper aperture is at the centre of the forehead, from there, it curves backwards, running down the body in front of the spine to its lower aperture at the tip of the sex organ. Its diameter is about the size of a stalk of wheat. 2 Right channel is red in colour, it begins at the base of the right nostril, at the level of the eyes, curves backwards, and runs down the right side of the central channel to the sex organ. Its diameter is similar to the central channel. 3 Left channel has the same width as the right channel, it is white in colour, begins at the base of the left nostril, and runs down the left side of the central channel. The practice is divided into the levels of basis, path, and result. At the level of the basis we meditate upon the energy winds going back and forth within the two side channels, they do not flow within the central channel. At the level of the path we meditate on inserting the winds into the central channel, and to enable this to happen, we visualize that the lower apertures of the side channels insert into the central channel. 4 & 5 Eastern and southern root channels are connected to the central channel. The first five are the main channels. 6 & 7 Western and northern root channels 8 Dojoma runs parallel to and behind the central channel. These eight are the eight principal channels arising from the heart, but they are not the eight channels of the eight-spoked heart chakra. The latter are the four channels of the main directions plus the four channels of the intermediate directions that branch off them. Thus, among the eight principal channels arising from the heart, the central, right, left, and dojoma channels are not included among the eight channels of the heart chakra. The channels of the four main directions belong to both sets of eight. The eight channels of the eight-spoked heart chakra each divide into three branches, the three branches symbolize the holy body, speech, and mind, and all twenty-four branches symbolize the twenty-four places. Each of these divides into three, making seventy-two, and each of these has a thousand divisions. Altogether, there are seventy-two thousand branches. The chakras There are five main chakras of the central channel, located at the crown, throat, heart, navel, and the secret place. The secret chakra is at the base of the spine at the level of the pubic hair. At this point on the central channel, four branches go out in the four directions, each divides into two three times, making thirty-two spokes that curve downwards like the spokes of an umbrella. Immediately above this point, the central channel (and the left channel) is constricted or knotted by the right channel crossing in a clockwise direction and, immediately below, the central channel (and the right channel) is constricted by the left channel crossing in an anticlockwise direction. This chakra is known as the bliss holding chakra, because the strongest bliss is held in this region. The navel chakra is located near the umbilicus. It has four channels that radiate out from the central channel in the four directions, then divide into two four times, making sixty-

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four spokes that curve upwards. It also has two knots or constrictions of the central channel. It is known as the manifestation chakra because at this level there is the heat of the inner fire, by which we are able to awaken the bliss and cause it to function. The heart chakra is located at the level of the nipples. It has four branches that divide into two, making eight spokes, curving downwards. It has six knots: immediately above the heart chakra, the right channel crosses the central and left channels, above that, the left crosses the central and right channels, above that, the right crosses the central and left channels; and immediately below the heart chakra, the left crosses the central and right channels, below that, the right crosses the central and left channels, and below that, the left crosses the central and right channels. It is known as the Dharma chakra because it is the point at which one experiences the ordinary death clear light, which, at the level of the path, is the basis upon which the illusory body and the meaning clear light are realized. The throat chakra is located at the level of the larynx. It has branches in the four directions that divide into two twice, making sixteen spokes, that curve upwards. It has two knots and is known as the enjoyment chakra because at this level many enjoyable activities occur, such as eating and talking. The crown chakra is located in the centre of the head. It has branches in the four directions which divide into two three times, making thirty-two spokes that curve downwards. It has two knots, and is known as the great bliss chakra because the jasminelike bodhicitta drop is located at this chakra. Meditation on the inner fire at the navel chakra facilitates insertion of the winds into the central channel. This requires loosening of the six knots at the heart chakra, which is not the same as untying knots in a string. The channel constrictions are loosened to enable the winds to flow freely. In addition to the five great chakras there are three lesser chakras. At the forehead is the wind chakra with six spokes; between the throat and the heart chakras is the fire chakra with three spokes; and in the sex organ is the channel chakra with eight spokes. The winds The five primary winds 1 2 3 4 5 Life-supporting wind. Downward flowing wind. Upward flowing wind. Balancing wind. Pervading wind.

The five secondary winds (According to "Vajra Door") 1 Naga-like wind. (According to "Vajra Garland") 1 Moving wind.

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2 Intensely moving wind. 2 Turtle-like wind. 3 Perfectly moving wind. 3 Chameleon-like wind. 4 Excellently moving wind. 4 Devadatta-like wind. 5 Definitely moving wind. 5 Victorious over Bow wind. The life-supporting wind has gross, subtle, and most subtle levels; the five secondary winds are gross aspects of the life-supporting wind. These six are called the holding winds because they hold the six objects of consciousness. They are called subject winds because they hold the six objects; and they are called object winds because the six objects appear to these winds (which support their respective six consciousnesses). The life-supporting wind is based at the heart. It symbolizes Akshobya and functions by helping inhalation and exhalation, maintaining the life. The downward flowing wind is based in the secret region. It symbolizes Ratnasambhava and functions by producing urine, sperm, and blood - the liquids that flow downwards. The upward flowing wind is based at the throat. It symbolizes Amithaba and functions in the production of speech and the swallowing of food. The balancing wind is based at the navel. It symbolizes Amoghasiddhi and helps the absorbtion of digested food and drink into the body. The pervading wind is located all over the body. It symbolizes Vairocana and assists bodily movement. The five secondary winds enable the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body sense organs (in that order) to perceive their respective objects. Question What is the relationship between the secondary winds and the sense powers? Answer These winds flow through the five doors of the senses, the sense powers are like passages. For example, when we apprehend a visible form, the moving wind in the eye organ holds that object, and the object is apprehended by the visual consciousness that rides upon that wind. To establish the common and uncommon siddhis, yogis must perform vajra recitation using the five primary winds. To attain the five clairvoyances, they must perform vajra recitation using the five secondary winds. The energy drops At the heart chakra is the indestructible drop; this does not disintegrate until the end of the life. It contains the most subtle wind that is indestructible and continues on to the next life. The indestructible drop is composed of a red drop and a white drop facing each other, they are like a palace where the most subtle wind abides. At death, these two drops separate, the red drop leaves from the upper part of the body and the white drop leaves from the lower part. During development in the womb the chakras are formed by the two drops received from the parents. Part of the white drop (received from the father) moves up the central channel from the heart to the crown and is visualized in the aspect of a HANG. It is sometimes called, "that which has the rabbit." This is the principal site for the white drop, for there are other white drops in the body, for example, at the tip of the sex organ.

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Part of the red drop (received from the mother) moves down the central channel from the heart to the navel. This is visualized in the aspect of AM and is called the Fire of Brahma, the inner fire, or the Atung. This is the principal site for the red drop, for there are red drops at other places of the body, such as at the secret chakra and the throat chakra. During very deep sleep the winds from the upper part of the body gather at the heart chakra and the winds from the lower part of the body gather at the chakra in the sex organ. During dreaming the winds from the upper part of the body gather at the throat chakra and the winds from the lower part of the body gather at the secret chakra. When the winds from the upper part of the body move up to the crown chakra, and the lower winds move up to the navel chakra, we awaken. In wrathful deities the brow chakra is symbolized by a third eye, and in peaceful deities by a magic hair. As well as understanding the channels, winds, and drops, in order to be able to practise the completion stage we must accumulate merit by performing guru yoga and purify negativities through the Vajrasattva practice. These preliminaries are necessary before engaging in the completion stage practices of any highest yoga tantra. I shall now explain the practice of Yamantaka guru yoga that was taught in England by Kyabje Serkong Rinpoche as a special gift to his disciple, Allan Turner. The teaching is light in words but heavy in meaning; its source is Kyabje Ling Rinpoche.

Yamantaka Guru Yoga Generate refuge and bodicitta, visualizing the refuge tree and purifying beams of light coming from the objects of refuge to purify your body, speech and mind. Transform into emptiness by dissolving yourself into emptiness as you recite the mantra OM SVABHAVA etc., and contemplate emptiness for a while. Instantly arise as Yamantaka, one-faced, two-armed, holding a curved knife and skull cup and with consort. There is no need to first arise as a seed syllable, you arise instantly in the aspect of the deity. Purify the environment and sentient beings by visualizing beams of light radiating in the ten directions from your heart and transforming the entire environment into Yamantaka's pure realm and all beings into deities inhabiting that pure realm. Recite and contemplate the prayer from Lama Chopa: "de.chen ngang.lae.."

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Bless the inner offering in detail if you have time, otherwise by reciting "OM AH HUNG" three times. Bless the outer offerings and then recite the prayer from Lama Chopa: "ngo-wo yeshela..," contemplating that the exalted wisdom of bliss and void manifests as the offering substances, they fill all of space, and they completely satisfy the six senses. Establish the common protection wheel. You purify and dissolve into emptiness. From emptiness your mind appears as a HUNG that transforms into a multicoloured vajra marked in the centre by HUNG. The eastern spoke is white, southern spoke yellow, western spoke red, and northern spoke green. Light radiates from the vajra and forms the vajra surface, fence, tent, and ceiling surrounded by a blazing mass of five-coloured flames. Visualize the combination of the three beings In space before you is a precious jewelled throne supported by lions. On it are lotus, sun, and moon seats and standing on the moon seat is the commitment being, your root guru, in the aspect of Yamantaka. He has nine faces and thirty-four arms; at his heart is the wisdom being, Manjushri; at Manjushri's heart is the concentration being, the syllable HUNG, radiating light beams of five colours. Yamantaka embraces his consort. At his crown (root face), is a white Yamantaka, at his throat a red Yamantaka, at his heart a blue Yamantaka, at his navel a yellow Yamantaka, and at his secret place a green Yamantaka. These five Yamantakas are all one-faced and two-armed; they hold curved knives and skull cups and embrace their consorts. At each of their crowns is a white OM, at their throats a red AH, and at their hearts a blue HUNG; they are equivalent to the body, speech, and mind of all Buddhas. Purify and transform all beings and the environment From the three syllables at the three places of all six Yamantakas, white, red, and blue lights radiate in all directions, reaching sentient beings throughout the universe and transforming them into the nature of the vajra body, speech, and mind. Every single hair on Yamantaka's body performs unimagineable Buddha activities to benefit sentient beings, sending out and receiving back continuous streams of replica Buddhas. They also transform the environment into a pure land. Invoke the wisdom beings From the HUNG at Yamantaka's heart, light radiates and invites all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dakas, Dakinis, and protectors of the three times who come like falling rain and dissolve into Lama Yamantaka, becoming inseparable, of one taste. Recite DZA HUNG BAM HO: the root guru Yamantaka is stabilized as the essence of all the invoked beings. Prostration As in the Lama Chopa, "gang.gi t'uk.je...etc." If you do not know the prayer you can just contemplate its meaning. External offerings Emanate offering goddesses from your heart and visualize that they take the offering substances from the altar and offer them to Guru Yamantaka. Recite the offering mantra and perform the appropriate mudras:

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OM YAMANTAKA SAPARIWARA ARGHAM PRATICCHA HUNG SVAHA (OM YAMANTAKA SAPARIWARA PADYAM, GHANDE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIVEDYA, SHAPTA, RUPA, SHAPTA, GHANDE, RASA, SPARSE) etc. Inner offering OM YAMANTAKA SAPARIWARA OM AH HUNG (Sapariwara usually refers to the surrounding deities or entourage, here it refers to the five Yamantakas at the five places). Secret offering Contemplate on the great bliss experienced by Yamantaka and his consort. Suchness offering Contemplate on the non-inherent existence of the circle of three; the act of offering, the offering substance, and the recipient. Confession If you have time, confess all degenerated vows of pratimoksha, bodhicitta, and tantra and apply all four antidotes. You can perform the Bodhisattva's confession (prostration to the 35 Confession Budhas), which includes confession for the three sets of vows. If there is not enough time, recite the five verses from Lama Chopa (t'ok.me d'ue.nae...etc.), and thus the seven limbs are offered. Mandala offering The entire universe is offered as the external mandala; the aggregates transformed into the four continents are the internal mandala offering; the great bliss experienced by the two consorts transformed into the environment is the secret mandala offering; and offering these three, contemplating on their nature of emptiness, is the suchness mandala offering. All four offerings, and all four mandala offerings can be made through contemplation of the meaning, without reciting any words. Receiving the four common initiations from Guru Yamantaka Request Recite three times, "Guru Yamantaka, please grant to me the four common initiations, purify the four obscurations, and enable me to attain the four kayas." White nectar-light radiates from the white Yamantaka at Guru Yamantaka's crown, enters your crown, fills your body with the qualities of body of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and purifies all your negativities of body. Imagine that all sickness and negative influences of spirits and harm-givers go away, and that you receive the vase initiation. Think that you have received blessings of the holy bodies of the guru and of Yamantaka, and the imprint to attain the vajra body of a Buddha. Next, red nectar-light radiates from the red Yamantaka at Guru Yamantaka's throat, enters your throat, fills your body with the qualities of speech of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and purifies all your negativities of speech. You receive the secret initiation, think that you have received the blessings of the holy speech of the guru and of Yamantaka, and the imprint to attain the vajra speech of a Buddha. Next, blue nectar-light radiates from the blue Yamantaka at Guru Yamantaka's heart, enters your heart, fills your body with the qualities of mind of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and purifies your negativities of mind. You receive the wisdom initiation,

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think that you have received the blessings of the holy minds of the guru and of Yamantaka, and the imprint to attain the vajra mind of a Buddha. Next, white, red, blue, yellow, and green nectar-lights radiate from the five Yamantakas and dissolve into your five places, filling your body with nectar-light which simultaneously purifies all negativities of your body, speech, and mind, together with their imprints and you receive the fourth initiation. Think that you have received the blessings of the holy body, speech, and mind of guru Yamantaka and the imprint to attain the state of Vajradhara, who is inseparable from the three vajras of body, speech, and mind. Receiving the uncommon initiations Request Recite three times, "Guru Yamantaka, please grant to me the uncommon initiations, purify my obscurations, and enable me to attain the four kayas." Refuge and vows Take refuge in the triple gem and then take the bodhicitta and tantric vows. Uncommon vase initiation From the heart of Guru Yamantaka emanate the five Dhyani Buddhas and their consorts. They carry vases of water which they pour onto you. Imagine that this is like when Shakyamuni Buddha was washed by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at his birth. The water fills your body and purifies all negativities and obscurations of your body, the excess water at your crown becomes Akshobya Buddha. Secret initiation Your guru, in the yab-yum aspect, experiences melting of the drops and the various blisses. Drops of red and white bodhicitta produced by the two consorts are placed on your tongue. By tasting the drops you receive the empowerment. Imagine that you generate the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void and all of your negativities of speech are purified. You are empowered to meditate on the generation stage and you receive the seed to attain the Nirmanakaya. (This text does not mention the results of each initiation, but the same results occur as in the self-initiation). Wisdom initiation: Think that a replica of your guru, in the aspect of the female consort, comes and absorbs into your visualized consort, Vajra Vetali. In the aspect of Yamantaka, you enter into union with her and experience melting of the drops and the different levels of bliss. Finally, you generate the exalted wisdom of great bliss and void that purifies your mental negativities and obscurations and empowers you to meditate on the path of clear light, and establishes the seed to attain the Dharmakaya. (These steps are the same as in the self-initiation). Word initiation Here, your guru gives instruction on the final unified stage and when you understand the meaning of his words you receive the word empowerment. He explains that the pure illusory body and the pure mind of clear light are unified at the stage of Buddhahood and this is the non-learner's unified stage, the clear light of the path of nomore learning. Your guru also explains how this empowerment is related to the previous one, saying, "During the third empowerment, you experience the causal state, the great

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bliss, through which you attain the exalted wisdom realizing emptiness and through this clear light you attain the final unified stage and, at the same time, the pure illusory body." This unification occurs at the unified stage of no-more-learning. This initiation purifies negativities and obscurations of your three doors of body, speech, and mind and is a path that allows you to attain the final state of Vajradhara, the state of seven kisses. Absorbing a replica of your guru into your subtle wind and mind Imagine that a replica of Guru Yamantaka with his consort comes to the crown of your head. Recite the prayer of request made by Gyalwa Ensapa (who attained enlightenment in one lifetime): With great respect, I take refuge in you, Guru Yamantaka. Please protect me from from the fear of the three states And grant to me the two types of siddhi. Wrathful Guru Yamantaka, recalling you for an instant Destroys all demons of the past, present, and future. I beseech you, supreme saviour, Losang Dragpa. This prayer is concise, but it contains the essence of the entire Lam Rim prayer. The three states are the present, the intermediate, and the future states within cyclic existence. The text says, "By mentioning that Guru Yamantaka is the unity of all deities, including Losang Dragpa, you will receive numerous blessings." It is recommended to recite this prayer when you are faced with physical or mental hindrances to your practice. After reciting this prayer several times, visualize that nectar-light rays of five colours come from all parts of the guru's body and enter your crown, filling your entire body, cleansing all past negativities, and eliminating sicknesses and demonic interferences of this life. Think that you are able to increase the accumulations of virtue and wisdom more and more, that your lifespan has been increased, you have gained positive influence over others, and have accumulated great merit. Now recite: Precious and glorious root guru, Please remain on the lotus and moon at my crown, Take care of me through your great kindness, And grant to me the siddhis of body, speech, and mind. Precious and glorious root guru, Please remain on the lotus at my heart, Take care of me through your great kindness, And grant to me the supreme and mundane siddhis. Precious and glorious root guru, Please remain on the lotus at my heart,

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Take care of me through your great kindness, Remain until my supreme awakening. This prayer is important because previously we said: "Now I have gained the two stages (generation and completion) of the path." In order to stabilize those realizations we must receive an extra blessing from the guru. Visualize that the guru, on his throne, sinks into your crown and goes down to the heart chakra where the sun disc absorbs into the red drop and the moon disc into the white drop. Guru Yamantaka melts into light and is absorbed into the indestructible drop where he becomes oneness with your most subtle body and mind in the aspect of the syllable HUNG. This is sufficient to complete the guru yoga but, if you wish, you may now visualize that the eight channels of the Dharma chakra (heart chakra) transform into the eight petals of a lotus, the white drop becomes a moon disc, the red drop becomes a sun disc, and the HUNG transforms into Guru Yamantaka. In performing this guru yoga practice, you visualize the guru in space before you, make prostration, give offerings and so on but there is no certainty that this level of practice is enough to actually succeed in the practice of guru yoga. Actual success depends upon integrating yourself with the ultimate nature of the guru, this is the real meaning of guru yoga. At the relative level, we integrate our minds with the guru, seeing him as the essence of all Buddhas, as a person who has acquired all knowledge to be acquired and who has abandoned all that is to be abandoned. At the ultimate level, we integrate our minds with the guru as above, and also think that the intentions of all Buddhas of the ten directions are the same as the intention of the guru, their minds are completely the same at the level of the Dharmadhatu. When performing these practices we may think that there is no great need to depend upon the guru in order to accumulate merit, because we can do this by meditating upon Yamantaka alone. The antidote to this mistaken thought is to know that guru yoga is necessary because the only way we can receive the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is through the guru; there is no other way by which we can connect with them. Someone who strongly practises Yamantaka, but who does not include guru yoga, will receive few benefits. We cannot say that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come into the body of Yamantaka and enjoy the offerings; but if we invoke them in the practice relating to the guru, then it is certain that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will come and enjoy the offerings through the body of the guru. Practice in relation to the guru is essential because all Buddhas act to benefit sentient beings mainly by giving teachings, and they do this through the guru. In this respect, we should regard our guru as being a manifestation of Vajradhara. Since all Buddhas enjoy offerings through the guru, the guru is considered to be the best object to whom we can make offerings; we create most merit by making offerings to the guru. Therefore, whenever we make offerings to Buddhas, to Bodhisattvas, or to any holy being, we should always imagine him, or her, to be oneness with our guru, and in this way our action of offering will be most meaningful. Usually we perform guru yoga by imagining our guru to be oneness with Vajradhara; but if we wish to develop the three types of wisdom we can perform guru yoga in relation to Manjushri. If we wish to increase the great bliss, we can see the guru in the aspect of

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our personal yidam. We should never lose the vision of our guru as being the stack of three beings. Guru yoga in relation to Yamantaka is special because we can develop wisdom and increase great bliss at the same time. We can either visualize Guru Yamantaka in space before us, perform the practice, and imagine that a replica comes and dissolves into us; or we can visualize him above our head, perform the practice, and then imagine a replica dissolves down into our heart.

Purifying tantric downfalls by meditation on the Five Opponents to the Lord of Death Guru yoga can also be performed to purify the negativities of broken tantric commitments, which are usually received by breaking the commitments to the five Dhyani Buddhas and the individual commitments. This is done by visualizing the five Buddhas in the aspect of the Opponent to the Lord of Death: Visualize Guru Yamantaka in space before you, at his five chakras are the Dhyani Buddhas in the aspect of white, red, blue, yellow, and green Yamantakas standing on moon discs. A white OM surrounded by a white 100-syllable mantra is at each of their crowns, a red AH surrounded by a red 100-syllable mantra is at each of their throats, and a blue HUNG surrounded by a blue 100-syllable mantra is at each of their hearts. Recite the 100-syllable mantra and visualize white nectar-light coming from the white OM and the 100-syllable mantra at the crown of the white Yamantaka, entering your crown, purifying all physical negativities and obscurations, particularly the negative karmas of breaking the commitments of body made to all Buddhas of the Vairocana family (who symbolizes vajra body), and restoring those commitments. Now visualize red nectar-light coming from the AH and the mantra at the white Yamantaka's throat, entering your throat, purifying all verbal negativities and obscurations, particularly the negative karmas of breaking the commitments of speech made to all Buddhas of the Vairocana family, and restoring those commitments. Now visualize blue nectar-light coming from the blue HUNG and the mantra at the white Yamantaka's heart, entering your heart, purifying all mental negativities and obscurations, particularly the negative karmas of breaking the commitments of mind made to all Buddhas of the Vairocana family, and restoring those commitments. Now visualize light-nectar coming from all three places, entering you, and simultaneously purifying all negativities and obscurations of body, speech, and mind, particularly the negative karmas of breaking the commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas of the Vairocana family, and restoring those commitments. Next, concentrate on the syllables and mantras at the three places of the red Yamantaka, and perform the four purifications and the four restorations of the negative karmas of breaking the commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas of the Amithaba family (who symbolizes vajra speech).

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Concentrate on the blue Yamantaka and repeat the procedure, purifying and restoring negative karmas of breaking commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas of the Akshobya family (who symbolizes vajra mind). Concentrate on the yellow Yamantaka and repeat the procedure, purifying and restoring negative karmas of breaking commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas of the Ratnasambhava family. Concentrate on the green Yamantaka and repeat the procedure, purifying and restoring negative karmas of breaking commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas of the Amoghasiddhi family. By reciting the 100-syllable mantra once for each step, you recite it 20 times, now recite it once more and visualize that the 100-syllable mantras at the three places of each of the five Yamantakas dissolve into light which enters your three places of body, speech, and mind. This meditation is a very powerful method for purifying downfalls and protecting oneself from hindrances. At each step of the visualization you can recite the mantra once, seven times, or as many times as you wish. Concise meditation If you do not have time for 21 recitations of the mantra, you can recite it 4 times while doing the following visualizations: White nectar-light comes from the OMs and the mantras at the crowns of all five Yamantakas, enters your crown, and purifies all physical negativities and obscurations, particularly negative karmas of breaking commitments of body made to all Buddhas, and these commitments are restored. Red nectar-light comes from the AHs and the mantras at the throats of all five Yamantakas, enters your throat, and purifies all verbal negativities and obscurations, particularly negative karmas of breaking commitments of speech made to all Buddhas, and these commitments are restored. Blue nectar-light comes from the HUNGs and the mantras at the hearts of all five Yamantakas, enters your heart, and purifies all mental negativities and obscurations, particularly negative karmas of breaking commitments of mind made to all Buddhas, and these commitments are restored. The mantra garlands at the three places of all five Yamantakas dissolve into light and enter through your three places, simultaneously purifying all negativities of body speech and mind, particularly negative karmas of breaking commitments of body, speech, and mind made to all Buddhas, and these commitments are restored. This guru yoga, and the meditation on the five opponents to the Lord of Death, are secret oral teachings which, when they were received by Lama Tsong Khapa, had always been passed from guru to disciple, without ever being written down. The guru yoga practice is very similar to the self-initiation, everything is included except the five initiations of the crown, bell, vajra, name, and water. When we perform the Yamantaka sadhana we can perform the meditation on the five opponents to the Lord of Death at the point where the

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Vajrasattva practice is done. This is the practice of the ear-whispered lineage of Lama Tsong Khapa. When we absorb the merit field in this guru yoga, the unity of the most subtle wind and mind takes the aspect of the guru. We should regard the guru as being the essence of the peerless Teacher; the essence of the peerless Dharma refuge; the essence of the peerless sangha refuge; the essence of all lineage gurus (because the blessings of all Buddhas and gurus only come to us through the guru); the essence of all yidams (because we depend upon yidams to receive siddhis); and the essence of the virtuous conduct of all Buddhas (because success in all practices depends upon blessings of the Buddhas coming through the guru). This is the way in which you should regard the guru during the guru yoga of Lama Tsong Khapa. It is said: "While the guru is dwelling in one's heart, one should dwell at the heart of the guru." This implies that we should try to make all our actions of body, speech, and mind conform to our guru's wishes. Such practice is very profound.

Vajrasattva Purification Visualize in space before you a jewelled throne supported by lions. On the throne is a lotus, sun, and moon discs and standing on the moon disc is your root guru in the aspect of Yamantaka with consort. They are surrounded by Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Hearers, and Solitary Realizers. If it is difficult to imagine the surrounding deities, you can just think that they are there. Take refuge, either briefly or in a detailed way, and generate bodhicitta. A concise way of taking refuge is to think that the Buddha is the guide, Dharma is the actual refuge, and the Sangha are helpers for your practice, and take refuge in the triple gem out of fear of cyclic existence. Then generate bodhicitta by thinking that you will attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Visualize that the surrounding beings dissolve into your root guru who dissolves into you. Visualize the syllable PAM above your crown; this transforms into a lotus on top of which is the syllable AH, which transforms into a moon disc, and on this stands the syllable HUNG. The HUNG transforms into a white vajra marked at the centre by HUNG which radiates light in the ten directions, benefitting all sentient beings and dissolving back into the vajra. Then the vajra transforms into Vajrasattva, one-faced, two-armed, sitting in the vajra position and embracing his consort. At Vajrasattva's heart is a moon disc on which stands a white HUNG. This radiates light rays that invoke the wisdom beings from their abodes who absorb and become non-dual with Vajrasattva. Again white light radiates from the HUNG, invoking the initiating goddesses from all directions, who hold vases containing the nectar of exalted wisdom. They grant initiation, filling Vajrasattva's holy body with nectar, the excess taking the shape of Akshobya on his crown. Visualize all sentient beings, including your parents, surrounding you and request, "Please purify the negativities of myself and all sentient beings." Vajrasattva emanates

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countless replicas of himself in union with his consort which go to the crowns of all the sentient beings. Acting as the leader of all sentient beings, repeat the request for purification and recite the 100-syllable mantra. From the HUNGs and the 100-syllable mantras standing on moon discs at the hearts of the countless Vajrasattvas, nectar-light flows down, leaving the point of union with his consort and entering the crowns of all sentient beings, filling their bodies and purifying all sicknesses and negative karmas of broken and degenerated commitments. These are washed downwards and they leave through the lower doors in the aspect of black liquid and repulsive insects. Again make the request and recite the mantra. This time, the nectar light fills up the bodies of all sentient beings, washing all the negativities upwards and they leave through the upper doors in the same aspect of black liquid and insects. Again request and recite the mantra, the nectar-light flows down to the hearts of all sentient beings, where their negativities are piled up. As soon as the nectar touches the negativities they instantly vanish, like darkness disappearing from a room when you switch on the light. Think that your body and the bodies of all sentient beings become transparent, like crystal, and you have received the power to increase the paths and grounds in your continuums. Recite the mantra one more time and visualize that beams of nectar light go out in the ten directions, transform into offerings to all Buddhas, and then return to the HUNGs at the hearts of the countless Vajrasattvas, bringing the qualities of all the Buddhas in the aspect of light. The Vajrasattvas become the essence of the knowledges of all Buddhas. (You can recite the mantra as many times as you wish with each visualization). Now, acting as the leader of a sentient beings, think: "I and all sentient beings are under the influence of ignorance, please rescue us," and imagine that Vajrasattva says, "You are now free from all negativities of broken samaya," and the Vajrasattvas dissolve into light that flows down into the crowns of yourself and all sentient beings. Vajrasattva's body, speech, and mind become oneness with the body, speech, and mind of all beings, and they abide in pure realms. Finally, dedicate the merits of this purification that has been done with the application of the four opponent powers. THE COMPLETION STAGE PRACTICE The completion stage practice has four divisions: 1 Yoga of tantra 2 Yoga of samaya 3 Yoga of shape 4 Yoga of pure exalted wisdom 1 The yoga of tantra has two divisions which, in relation to the six levels of the completion stage, correspond to the levels of isolated body and isolated speech. They are: 1A Basic yoga of tantra 1B Actual yoga of tantra

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1A The basic yoga of tantra corresponds to the level of isolated body, it has two divisions: 1A1 Absorption of the winds at the navel 1A2 Meditation on the inner fire 1A1 Absorption of the winds at the navel has four divisions: time, body, wind, and object. Time refers to the best times for doing this yoga - at dawn and at dusk. At these times the wind energies function more easily, in particular, the fire-wind functions well at dusk. The practice can be done at other times, but it is more difficult to control the winds. Body refers to sitting in the seven-fold posture of Vairocana. Wind refers to meditating on the nine-round breathing in order to loosen (but not untie) the three main channels and to enable the winds to flow more easily. Object refers to meditating on the point inside the navel chakra at the centre of the central channel. Before we can focus our concentration at this point, we must practise visualizing the arrangement of the energy channels and exercising them. This should be done morning and evening, sitting in the seven-fold posture and performing the nine-round breathing meditation, visualizing the channels and imagining that the central, left, and right channels are flexible, straight and clear, the knots are loosened and the winds flow freely. Exercising within the central channel Meditation on insertion of the winds at the navel chakra begins with the instantaneous transformation into one-faced, two-armed Yamantaka with consort, or, into nine-faced, 34-armed Yamantaka with consort. Remind yourself of the chakras at the crown, throat, heart, and navel - it is not necessary to pay attention to the secret chakra at this stage. At the eight-spoked heart chakra, in the centre of the central channel, between the three upper and the three lower knots, visualize your most subtle wind and mind in the aspect of a blue energy drop, the size of a mustard seed. (It may also be visualized as white with a pink vibration). Strongly identify with this drop, it is not separate from your most subtle wind and mind. Imagine that it moves up the central channel to the upper aperture where, half in and half out, you (the drop) radiate light which illuminates your Yamantaka body. Take a good look down at your external body and gain a clear impression of yourself as Yamantaka. Then the energy drop moves back along the central channel to the centre of the crown chakra. Your bright light illuminates the channels all around; look up to the brow aperture and down to the throat chakra, then around at the channels of the crown chakra, and take note of their colours, shapes, and divisions. Illuminate them and ensure that they are perfectly clear. Now descend to the throat chakra, like a pea rolling through bamboo, look back up to the crown chakra, down to the heart chakra, and all around at the root channels, illuminating them as before. Descend to the heart chakra, and then to the navel chakra, repeating the same activities of looking up, looking down, and clarifying the channels all around.

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After clarifying the channels at the navel chakra, again move up to the crown chakra. Once again, familiarize yourself with the channels by moving down to the navel chakra as before. Going up and down the central channel in this way is called exercising within the central channel, it is a practice handed down through an ear-whispered lineage. Some people say that we should imagine the drop to be the combination of our gross wind and gross mind, but this is not correct; we should imagine it to be the composition of the most subtle wind and mind. Inserting the winds into the central channel After the practice of exercising within the central channel, your most subtle body and mind, in the aspect of the energy drop, are now located at the navel chakra. Refresh the visualization of your gross body in the aspect of Yamantaka with consort - the symbolic being - and begin the practice of inserting the winds at the navel chakra. Once the winds are inserted, think that the knots at the navel become untied. This is not the same as untying a knot in a string, it is more like the loosening of a constriction. The energy drop, your most subtle wind and mind, now transforms into the wisdom being, the unity of the guru and the yidam, the size of a pea, or slightly larger if you wish. His aspect is white Yamantaka, one-faced, with consort, standing on a moondisc, and surrounded by a mass of flames. Some texts say he is blue, but teachers have explained that he is white. His face is a buffalo face with two horns tipped with flames. One text says that his face is that of the wrathful (cannibal) face, but the Yamantaka root tantra says it is a buffalo face. You should always retain awareness that this appearance is in reality the unity of your most subtle body and mind with the most subtle body and mind of the guru. At Guru Yamantaka's navel, visualize the concentration being, a white HUNG with a reddish vibration, standing on a moon disc. The nada, the size of a mustard seed, is about to burst into flames, concentrate on this until it becomes very clear. When you are meditating on the nada, do not think that you are observing something else, imagine that you are the HUNG, the nada is part of you. Generate divine pride of being this HUNG. From the point of union of the male and female sex organs of the wisdom being, fiery rays of light radiate in all directions and fill your body (the symbolic being), which becomes the entity of great bliss. The light rays then go out from your body to the environment and all sentient beings, which immediately transform into the supporting and supported mandala of Yamantaka, each sentient being becoming Yamantaka embracing his consort. Concentrate upon this for a while until it becomes very clear, then imagine that the mandala dissolves into light which absorbs into the beings inside the mansion. All these beings, in the aspect of Yamantaka with consort, dissolve into light which then is absorbed into you, the symbolic being. The symbolic being now dissolves into light and absorbs into the wisdom being, Guru Yamantaka, at your navel. The wisdom being dissolves into light and absorbs into the concentration being, HUNG. The tiny HUNG dissolves from below, first the U absorbs into the HAH, then the HAH into its head, the head into the crescent, the crescent into the tigli, and the tigli into the nada. Concentrate on the nada for a while, and begin to be aware of emptiness. The nada has three curves and tapers to a fine point. You are the nada.

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The three curves of the nada now dissolve from below upwards. When only the tip remains, hold your concentration at this point, thinking that it is as small as an atom on the tip of a hair. The point now vanishes into emptiness; concentrate on the clear light, there is no conventional appearance to your mind. Think that there is no inherent existence, and concentrate on the basis of that thought. The clear light that you are concentrating upon is at the point where the tip of the nada vanished. If you cannot hold your concentration on clear light at this point, instead of thinking that the atom dissolves into emptiness, keep the atom there as an anchor to hold your concentration. This meditation, from becoming Yamantaka up to the point of concentrating on the clear light - the stages of absorption at the navel in the context of Yamantaka - should be done repeatedly until you are fully familiar with it. There is a tradition where the white HUNG is not absorbed, but the method we have described is the usual method practised by the previous lamas who are close to us. If you cannot visualize such a tiny HUNG, you can imagine it a bit bigger. Do not worry that it will not fit into the central channel, remember that you can see a mountain through the eye of a needle. If it is difficult to visualize the HUNG at the navel chakra, visualize it at the heart chakra instead. When you are able to maintain undistracted concentration on the HUNG for four hours (one sixth of twenty four), this is a sign that you are beginning to succeed in inserting, abiding, and dissolving the winds. In the root tantra, Buddha says, "If a person meditates for a long time on this practice but achieves no sign of success, then my word cannot be trusted." So you can be sure that the result will happen if you meditate as advised. Signs of success A sign that the winds are entering into the central channel is that the breathing becomes even through the two nostrils; when the winds abide in the central channel, breathing stops and the diaphragm stops moving. The breathing can also stop when we abandon subtle laxity, but the diaphragm will still be moving. When the winds dissolve into the final state there are the signs of absorption of the four elements and the three signs of white appearance, red radiance, and black near-attainment. "Absorption of the elements" means that as one element loses its power, the next element becomes more prominent. It does not mean that one element dissolves into the next. The sign of absorption of the earth element into the water element is a mirage-like vision; of the water element into the fire element is a vision of smoke; of the fire element into the air element is a vision of sparks; and of the air element into the white appearance is a vision like a candle flame about to go out. The vision of white appearance is like the light of the full moon; as this absorbs into the red radiance there is a vision like a sunset in a cloudless autumn sky; as this absorbs into the black near-attainment there is a completely black vision, like a cloudy night when there is no moon; and as this absorbs into the death clear light there is the clear light vision, like the first light at dawn in a clear sky. These signs only occur when the winds actually insert, abide, and dissolve into the central channel and the inner fire is lit. Even if we do not actually insert the winds into the central channel, by meditating on this process we can experience a fleeting blissful feeling. Overcoming difficulties in inserting the winds

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Despite practising for a long time, we may fail to gain signs of success in entering, and abiding the winds into the central channel. Through their own experience, the previous practitioners have described methods to eliminate hindrances and expel obstacles to success in this meditation. (i) Difficulties with the object If the object of meditation is too small and you cannot maintain concentration upon it, imagine that it is shining brightly. If that does not help, you can then imagine that the five-coloured light radiated by the tiny object of meditation fills your entire system of energy channels. If the object moves up and down, or from side to side, imagine that your most subtle body and mind, which are inside the object, are very heavy and cannot move about. If it is difficult to visualize the object within the central channel, do not visualize the HUNG at all, just imagine that your mind is in the central channel at the navel chakra, and when you have a good feeling of the mind being there, you can establish the presence of your mind in the aspect of the HUNG. (ii) Lack of energy If you have many distractions, or no energy to perform the meditation, you should contemplate the general disadvantages of cyclic existence, this will increase your enthusiasm for the practice. (iii) Obstacles due to degeneration of samaya with the guru If you have degenerated samaya with your guru, when you try to concentrate the object may appear and then disappear, it may disintegrate into pieces, or you may feel that your body withers and vanishes. You may also be disturbed by nightmares in which your guru or your yidam appears with a black and wrathful face. If such obstacles occur, there are prayers and pujas you can perform, in fact, you can use these techniques whenever you are unable to succeed in your meditation. You should purify the negativities of broken samaya by meditating on the Five Opponents to the Lord of Death, as already described, or by doing the Damtsig Dorje practice. Stop your main practice, perform the purification, and then return to your practice. If you know somebody who has degenerated samaya towards his guru, associating with him or even sharing food with him harms your own practice. (iv) Obstacles due to the channels Although your physical body is healthy, when you meditate upon the channels, problems within the channels themselves may cause tension, tightness, or pain in the upper or lower parts of your body. Such pains can arise when you suddenly move. The solution to these problems is to visualize that the HUNG at your navel radiates sparkling light which fills your energy channels, like a spider's web. Filling your body, this light removes tension and pain by making the channels flexible and able to function. It repairs damaged channels by realigning those that are broken, straightening those that are bent, and opening up those that have been flattened. (v) Obstacles due to the winds

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After strongly concentrating on the object of meditation, you may experience headaches or a feeling of heaviness due to wind disorders. The remedy is to concentrate on the HUNG at your navel, imagining that it radiates sparkling light, just as before, which fills the major and the branch channels, like a spider's web, illuminating the channels and clarifying their passages. Imagine that the faulty winds inside are like mercury, slightly blueish, and immobile. Properly functioning winds circulate freely within the channel system and leave no trace, but faulty winds remain like a trail of incense smoke. Imagine that the sparkling light rays attract these faulty winds, like a magnet attracting iron, and hooks them back into the HUNG where they dissolve and disappear. Feel that your body is cured and is able to function properly. Wind disorders can also cause sensations of heat shooting through the upper or lower parts of the body. This sensation is not as sharp as the prick of a needle, it quickly comes and goes at different places. The remedy is to imagine that the HUNG at your navel emits sparkling rays of light which approach the region of shooting heat and hook these sensations back into the HUNG where they dissolve. Feel that your body is well and sound. If, after intensive meditation, you are unable to completely insert the winds into the central channel, you may get the feeling that there are strange creatures crawling about inside you: snakes, frogs, or lizards seem to be inside you, touching and biting you, and your body is filled with a green light. These feelings occur when some winds have entered the central channel but other winds are left outside. As before, the remedy is to imagine that the HUNG emits sparkling rays of light which hook these creatures and the green light back into the HUNG where they dissolve and disappear and the sensations stop. Other symptoms of wind disorder are the experience of images of yourself rising up and separating from your body and the sensation of hairs falling in front of your eyes. The remedy is to imagine that the sparkling light hooks the images and the falling hairs into the HUNG, and they disappear. The winds may gather beneath your skin and cause a sensation of swelling, like a rising loaf. The remedy for this is to meditate on guru yoga, imagining that light rays radiate from the guru and remove these sensations. Another technique is to imagine that the swelling is indistinguishable from the unity of the guru and the yidam, countless manifestations of which are present throughout your body. This does not mean that the swelling is these manifestations. First, you transform the swelling into emptiness and from emptiness appears your root guru in the aspect of Yamantaka, marked at the three places by the syllables OM, AH, and HUNG. The HUNG at his heart radiates light rays which invoke the blessings of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Make outer and inner offerings to Guru Yamantaka and recite the short praise and request: "Guru Yamantaka, embodiment of all objects of refuge, please help me to be free from this swelling sickness." Remembering that Guru Yamantaka is the transformation of the swelling disease, emit sparkling light rays from the HUNG at your navel, and imagine that these go to the HUNG at Guru Yamantaka's heart then return to your navel, bringing the swelling disease which dissolves and disappears into the HUNG, and your sickness is cured. If the life-supporting wind is not functioning properly you may experience physical heart pain. (This is not the tsog-lung wind disease which sends people insane; that wind

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disease causes a sensation of heat in both cheeks, they feel as if they are swelling up and you have sudden flashes of fear). The remedy for heart pain is to visualize that your physical heart is upside down and cut into pieces, like a blossoming lotus. Pus, blood, and lymph pour out from the gaps between the petals and these liquids vanish into emptiness. If this does not cure your heart pain, remember that the heat of the inner fire is the unity of bliss and void, and imagine that it becomes intensely hot, rises to your (physical) heart, and consumes it in a mass of flames. Your heart disappears into emptiness and the pain should stop. If the pain still does not stop, imagine that you cut out your heart and throw it away. Thus there are many alternative methods you can use to remove wind problems, when one doesn't work, try another. If the above techniques do not succeed in stopping heart pain, transform into emptiness your heart and the vital channel lying behind the central channel - which contains the life force. From the state of emptiness appears your root guru in the aspect of white Yamantaka with consort. He is holding a curved knife in his right hand, a skull cup in his left, and has OM, AH, HUNG at his three places. Take refuge and generate the thought of bodhicitta. Imagine that light radiates from the HUNG at his heart and invokes the blessings of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas which sink into the HUNG as you recite DZA HUNG BAM HO. The guru, in the aspect of Yamantaka, is the embodiment of all Buddhas of the ten directions. Make outer and inner offerings to him and recite the prayer of praise and request: "I prostrate to you, Guru Yamantaka, essence of all Buddhas, please overcome and pacify the demons of the wind." Repeat this request a hundred times or more, according to your ability to maintain concentration. Finally, imagine that the unity of your guru and the yidam dissolves into bliss and void, and make dedication. When the upward-moving wind at your throat does not function properly you will have difficulty with your voice. The remedy for this is to imagine that, from the HUNG at your navel, light rays come up the central channel to the throat chakra and hook the faulty winds which dissolve down into the HUNG. When the balancing wind that pervades your body does not function properly, your abdomen will feel as though it is full of wind and you will have no appetite. The remedy is the same: light rays emanate from the HUNG at your navel and hook back the defective winds, which dissolve into the HUNG. Sometimes you may be successful in causing the winds to enter the central channel but you have a feeling that some winds have been left in the channels of the chakras. If this happens, do not feel happy or afraid, think that everything which appears to you is a manifestation of the guru-yidam and emanate light rays from the HUNG at your navel which go to your guru-yidam and hook him back so that he dissolves into the HUNG. (vi) Visions During generation or completion stage meditation it may happen that a vision of the guruyidam appears before you. This can be an emanation of the guru, a projection of your own wishful mind, or a manifestation of an interfering spirit. To check up the actual cause of this vision, you should sit in the vajra position and, looking up, focus your eyes at the centre of your forehead, then look again at the vision in front of you. If the vision becomes more clear and radiates light, it is the real guru-yidam. If he appears in the

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aspect of Yamantaka, you should request him to grant you the supreme and mundane siddhis; if he appears as Vajra Yogini, you should request her to lead yourself and all sentient beings to her pure realm. After the request, imagine that the guru-yidam dissolves into you. If, after focussing your eyes at your forehead, the vision remains the same, then it is simply a result of your intense meditation upon the appearance of the guru-yidam. In this situation, be aware that the vision is simply an appearance and that it does not exist in reality, just like an ordinary illusion. On the other hand, if the vision loses its magnificence after you have focussed your eyes at your forehead, the appearance of the guru-yidam is a spirit manifestation. To remove this interference, recite the mantra OM SUMBHANI SUMBHA HUNG HUNG PHAT etc., scatter mustard seeds towards the vision, and visualize wrathful deities emanating from your heart and chasing the spirit far away so that it can never return. After this, meditate on the protection wheel and then go back to your original meditation. This advice was given by Lama Tsong Khapa. Question Do you see this vision with your visual consciousness? Answer Yes. Question It is said that a yogi's mind which sees the world as a heap of skeletons is a valid cognition; is the mind which sees a vision of the guru-yidam after intense meditation also a valid cognition? Answer It is a similar concentration, but if we ask if the object is physically present or not, we cannot say that it is, it is just an image that arises through familiarity with the object, the same applies to the yogi's vision of a heap of bones. (vii) Inability to generate blissful heat If you have good concentration on the practice of inserting the winds at the navel but difficulty in generating the blissful heat, the remedy is to refresh the visualization of yourself as Yamantaka in union with your consort and to imagine a continuous flow of light, like incense smoke, coming from the lower aperture of the central channel of your consort, through her lotus and into your vajra, where it enters the lower aperture of your own central channel and rises up to the HUNG at your navel. When the light touches the HUNG, the nada - which has the nature of fire - bursts into flame, the heat of which rises up to the heart, throat, and crown chakras. At the crown chakra it heats the blissful white bodhicitta, which is in the aspect of an upside-down HANG, to the point where it is about to leak, like milk about to flow from a mother's engorged breast when she sees her baby. Hold your concentration on that for some time, then imagine that the blissful white bodhicitta starts to leak, the drops flow down to the HUNG at your navel, cause the fire to increase in intensity, and you experience great bliss. Imagine that your mind is transformed into the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. If this does not generate blissful heat at the navel, visualize that the intensified flame at your navel sends more heat up the central channel and heats the HANG to the point where it does not merely drip but pours blissful white bodhicitta down the central channel in a continuous flow. It enters the flame on top of the HUNG with a loud crackling sound, like heated oil in a frying pan, the flames become intensely hot, like red-hot iron, and your mind is overwhelmed by the resultant bliss.

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If there is not enough white bodhicitta at the crown, there is a remedy. Normally the white bodhicitta exists along all the channels in tiny drops, like mist upon glass. Imagine that when the heat rises from the HUNG, it melts all these small drops and they flow downwards, thus the bodhicitta can be activated when it is sluggish and you can enhance the bliss. (viii) Losing semen To prevent the loss of semen, sit in the vajra posture and tightly curl up your toes. Then press your heels together so that they constrict the two channels of the lower aperture. Pull the front of your abdominal wall back towards the spine and cross your arms over your chest, the left arm in front, with your hands clenched into fists. The tips of the thumbs touch the tips of the ring fingers and each hand is pressed against the opposite breast with the tip of the ring finger on the nipple. Looking upwards, tighten the lower pelvic sphincter muscles and imagine that you are pulling up the white bodhicitta from the lower part of the central channel, like sucking liquid up through a straw. As you do this, recite "HUNG" seven times, imagining that as the air goes out from your mouth the winds come up from the lower parts of your body and carry the white bodicitta higher up the central channel. When the bodhicitta comes up to the level of the crown chakra, say a loud "HUNG" and imagine that it shoots into the channels of the crown chakra. Now smoothly inhale and shake your whole body. A hazard of success in controlling the bodhicitta is that you will develop sickness in the Chimba organ (the bladder or the kidneys?). If this happens, the remedy is to imagine that, when you have brought the white bodhicitta up the central channel, it disperses throughout the channels of your body. When you gain expertise in this technique you can practise pulling back up to the crown the white bodhicitta that has descended from the crown to the throat chakra; then pulling back to the throat chakra the white bodhicitta that has descended from the throat to the heart chakra; then pulling back to the heart chakra the white bodhicitta that has descended from the heart chakra to the navel chakra. To stop the loss of semen caused by interference from spirits at night, you should give a white thread, the length of your body, to a virgin girl and she should fold it in three, twist it, and dye it red. Tie seven knots along the thread and, visualizing yourself as the female consort Mamaki, recite the mantra OM AH HARA AH HARA BENDANI SUGADHARANI SIDDHI TI SVAHA one thousand times; then, at midnight, tie the thread around your waist. Semen can also be lost by thinking about previous sexual experiences - the remedy is to not think about such experiences before you go to sleep. Or, you can lose semen as a result of degenerating your samaya. The remedy for this is to meditate upon guru yoga, to perform the Damtsig Dorje practice, or to do the self-initiation. Loss of semen through sickness can be remedied by guru yoga or meditation upon the yoga of inner fire.

1A2 Meditation on the Inner Fire Our aim is to gather the winds at the heart chakra; to achieve this, we need to first loosen the knots at the navel chakra, and to do that, we must eliminate the various hindrances that have been mentioned. Our meditation is at the point where the HUNG at the navel

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has dissolved into emptiness; we have completed the preparations for meditation on the inner fire, now we begin the actual meditation on inner fire. (i) Visualizing the letters From the state of emptiness, imagine that you arise as white Yamantaka with consort. Refresh your visualization of the three main channels and the chakras at the crown, throat, heart, and navel. At the centre of your crown chakra is a moon disc the size of the flat surface of a split pea, beneath which hangs an upside-down, white HANG that is about to release a drop of white bodhicitta and has the nature of bliss. Now focus your attention at your throat chakra and visualize a red sun disc, the same size, upon which stands a red OM, which has the nature of fire. Focus at your heart chakra and visualize a red sun disc upon which is an upside-down white HUNG. Finally, focus your attention at your navel chakra and visualize a red sun disc upon which stands a red atung - the short letter "a." It is a thin cone standing on its base and at its tip is a crescent, tigli, and nada. The atung has the nature of fire and is the basis of concentration for lighting the inner fire. Imagine that the nada is about to burst into flames. Gain complete familiarity with the letters at the four chakras, particularly the atung at your navel - feel that your mind actually abides within it. Imagine that the two side channels insert into the central channel four finger-breadths below the navel chakra, forming a shape like the Tibetan letter CHHA. (ii) Igniting the flame of inner fire Concentrate on the right and left channels. As you breathe in, imagine that winds enter the two upper apertures at the nostrils, follow the side channels to the back of the head, and then go down to the point where they enter the central channel four finger-breadths below the navel chakra. A second, smoke-like wind comes from the lower aperture of the central channel of your consort, through her lotus into the lower aperture of your central channel at the tip of your vajra, and rises up to the navel. The winds meet at the point where the side channels enter the central channel and rise up to the atung, fanning it like a bellows blowing upon red hot coals. Slowly inhale through both nostrils and concentrate on the fire at your navel. (iii) Causing the inner fire to blaze With the same visualization, inhale slowly, and imagine that the winds greatly intensify the heat of the inner fire; the flame of the atung blazes upwards, like coals bursting into sparks and flames when blown upon. When you are familiar with this, move on to the next step. (iv) Blazing and dripping Continue to slowly inhale, visualizing that the winds come down the side channels, meet the wind from your consort, and fan the atung. The athung blazes with a flame that has three attributes: clear and red; hot and bright; small but intensely hot. The feather-shaped flame has a central shaft surrounded by flame which tapers to a point.

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The flame now rises up the central channel to the heart chakra where it heats the HUNG, that has the nature of nectar, until it is about to leak downwards. Then the flame moves up to the throat chakra, heating the OM until it becomes red hot, and up to the crown chakra where it heats the white HANG. The HANG, which has the nature of white bodhicitta, melts and drips down, like droplets running along a spider's web. The droplets reach the OM at your throat, intensifying its heat and causing a blissful sensation, then they flow down to the HUNG at your heart where the bliss that you are experiencing is greatly increased. The droplets continue to flow downwards and reach the atung at your navel, where the heat is so strong that they make a sound, like pouring oil onto fire. You experience even greater bliss and the fire blazes brightly, its light clarifies all that is unclear within the entire system of channels of your body. Continue to breathe in and out slowly and smoothly, and hold your concentration on the fire at your navel. If you meditate well at this point you will be able to gain a limited understanding of extremely hidden phenomena and you will be able to make accurate predictions regarding future events. This is not actual clairvoyance, it is an effect of the experience of the heat of the inner fire. When you have gained familiarity with this meditation move on to the next step. (v) Special blazing and dripping This stage gives rise to special blessings, and is called the Blessed Practice. Follow all the previous steps up to the point where the melted drops from the HANG cause the inner fire at the navel to blaze so brightly that it illuminates and clarifies all the channels of your body. Now imagine that the light of this fire goes out from the upper aperture of your central channel and from your right nostril like a flash of lightning, striking all beings of the ten directions and, through its power, leading them to Buddhahood. Then this lightning light enters the left nostrils of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, goes to their three places - crown, throat, and heart - and causes them to experience uncontaminated great bliss. Imagine that the light hooks back this bliss as drops of white bodhicitta which enter your left nostril and absorb into the syllables at your own three places, causing you to experience uncontaminated great bliss more powerfully than ever, and the light of the inner fire fills all the pores of your body. Maintain uninterrupted concentration on the inner fire at your navel. It is said in the sutras that to attain enlightenment one must accumulate merit over three countless great aeons, whereas in the tantras it says that one can attain enlightenment much more quickly. The sutra practices that must be performed over three countless great aeons can all be achieved by this practice of sending the fire light out from your central channel and right nostril, transforming all sentient beings into Buddhas, and hooking back the blessings of the Buddhas of the ten directions. America seems a long way off if we have to swim there, we can arrive much more quickly if we go by plane. But if the plane crashes into the ocean we will be completely finished. Similarly with tantra, if we practise properly we will quickly arrive at Buddhahood but if we break our vows we will fall into hell. The above practice places us in the care of all Bodhisattvas and Buddhas and good meditation will bring unimagineable benefits, even if our meditation is not perfect the benefits are great. The four types of bliss

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On the basis of meditation on the inner fire, you now meditate on the four types of descending bliss and the four types of ascending bliss. Imagine that the heat from the inner fire melts the drops of white bodhicitta contained in all the channels, like dew drops on grass, and they come together into one drop at the crown chakra. This drop now flows down to the throat chakra and you experience bliss. The drop continues down to the heart chakra and you experience supreme bliss; it flows down to the navel chakra and you experience (even greater) special bliss; then it flows down to the tip of your vajra and you experience a much more profound bliss, the simultaneous bliss. It is called "simultaneous" because one's mind becomes the nature of bliss. This is the experience of the four blisses in descending order. Contemplate that the mind experiencing the simultaneous bliss absorbs into the object, emptiness, and becomes oneness with it. Even if you do not have the actual realization, imagine that you do, and this mind of imagination will become the mind of actual realization of bliss and emptiness in the future. Now experience the four ascending blisses as the white drop rises back up the central channel to the crown chakra, like liquid rising up a straw. When the drop rises from the tip of the vajra to the navel chakra you experience a bliss that is greater than the previous bliss; as it ascends to the heart chakra you experience the supreme bliss of the ascending order; at the throat chakra the special bliss of the ascending order; and finally, as it reaches the crown chakra - the wheel of great bliss - you experience the simultaneous bliss of the ascending order, which is greater than all the previous blisses.

The practice of the nine combinations Meditation on the nine combinations is perfected as you advance on the path. If you do this practice well, even only by imagination, it is certain that you will not be born in the lower realms in your next life. The nine combinations are in three divisions: three combinations during waking, three during sleeping, and three during dying.

(i) Combining the waking period with the Truth Body Just before entering meditative equipoise on emptiness experienced by the mind of simultaneous bliss of the ascending order, think, "I am going to enter into the Dharmakaya and I will arise in the Sambhogakaya and then the Nirmanakaya aspects of Yamantaka." Experience the eight visions of the death process and at the clear light vision, contemplate emptiness, imagining that your mind is oneness with the Dharmakaya mind of Yamantaka. (ii) Combining the waking period with the Enjoyment Body According to your initial motivation, as you arise from the state of emptiness your most subtle body and mind will appear as white Yamantaka with consort, like a rainbow appearing in the sky. Clearly visualize yourself in the aspect of the Enjoyment Body, that is separate from your ordinary karmically acquired aggregates. As you arise in this Sambhogakaya aspect, imagine that you experience the visions of the death process in reverse, the black vision of near-attainment followed by the red radiance, then the white appearance, and so on, up to the mirage-like vision. The same experience occurs when

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the most subtle body and mind arise from the death state as the intermediate state being. While experiencing these visions, retain awareness that they are empty of inherent existence. Finally, cultivate the divine pride of being the Sambhogakaya aspect of Yamantaka. (iii) Combining the waking period with the Emanation Body Now imagine that your Enjoyment Body aspect enters through the crown of your karmically-taken body - that has already been transformed into the Emanation Body of Yamantaka. Enter the crown and dissolve down into the heart, like the wisdom being absorbing into the commitment being. Your mind enters your old body, remains at the heart, and the body begins to function: it starts to breath and the five senses awaken. Meditate on the fact that all objects which appear to the five senses are empty of inherent existence. The lack of inherent existence of sense objects and of the consciousness itself is the object of your blissful mind; this is the integration of bliss and void - the source from which Yamantaka and his consort have arisen. (iv) Combining the sleeping period with the Truth Body Begin with the motivation: "I will combine the clear light of sleep with the Truth Body; the dream state with the Emanation Body; and the awakening state with the Emanation Body." Just before you go to sleep, imagine that the atung moves up from your navel and absorbs into the upside-down HUNG at your heart, which becomes upright. As you go to sleep, concentrate on the HUNG, imagining that your mind is oneness with it. You now experience the three stages of entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel at the heart. As the winds insert, your breathing is equal through both nostrils; as they abide, your breathing stops and the abdomen stops moving; and as they dissolve, you experience the visions of mirage, smoke, sparks, dying candle, white vision (the empty), red vision (the very empty), black vision (the great empty), and the clear light vision (the all-empty). It is important to recognize each vision as it occurs and to know which vision will arise next. Now combine the clear light of sleep, which is the result of karma and affliction, with the clear light of the waking period. Focus your blissful mind upon the emptiness of inherent existence of the mixture of the two clear lights; this is the combination of the sleeping period with the Dharmakaya. (v) Combining the sleeping period with the Enjoyment Body Meditate for some time on the emptiness of the mixture of the two clear lights, then remember your motivation to arise as the Enjoyment Body in the dream state. Then, from the state of bliss and void, you arise as the dream body completely separate from your old, karmically-acquired body, and in the aspect of white Yamantaka with consort. Experience the visions in reverse: black, red, white, and so on, recognizing each vision in its correct sequence. Cultivate the divine pride of being white Yamantaka with consort, the Sambhogakaya aspect. (vi) Combining the sleeping period with the Emanation Body The moment before you wake up, imagine that the dream body enters through the crown of your karmically-taken aggregates (which have already been transformed into the

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aspect of Yamantaka - the Emanation Body), like the wisdom being entering the commitment being. Your mind abides at the heart and the bodily functions of breathing, sensation, and so on begin to function. Think that all objects that appear to your five sense consciousnesses are empty of inherent existence, and this blissful concentration on emptiness is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, the source of the Emanation Body in which you now abide. Facilitating meditation on the clear light of sleep Before you are able to meditate on the three combinations of the sleeping period you must be fully acquainted, through strong meditation, with the three combinations of the waking period. It is much easier to concentrate while awake than while asleep and so there are special instructions to help us in the practice of combining the sleeping period with the three bodies. Before sleeping, strongly determine to recognize the clear light of sleep when it arises; to take the Enjoyment Body during the dream state; and the Emanation Body during the wakening state. Concentrate on the HUNG at your heart (into which the atung has absorbed), and feel as though your mind is inside it. The HUNG radiates light in all directions, touches all sentient beings transforming them into Yamantaka, and touches the environment, turning it into his mandala. The mandala becomes clear, dissolves into light, and absorbs into those who have become Yamantaka; they dissolve into light and absorb into your consort who dissolves into light and absorbs into you; you dissolve into light and absorb into the HUNG at your heart. You should perform this practice in the company of a yogi who can tell whether you are sleeping lightly or deeply. In a voice adjusted to your level of sleep - loud when you are sleeping deeply and soft when you are sleeping lightly - he will say to you, "Now you are asleep; recognize the clear light of sleep; meditate on combining the sleep period with the Truth Body." This will greatly assist your recognition and meditation on the clear light of sleep. Facilitating meditation on the dream body In a very strict three-day retreat, perform the Yamantaka guru yoga as we have explained, making prostrations and offerings. In particular, make the request: "I pray to you my guru, Opponent To the Lord of Death, embodiment of all refuge objects, please bless me to be free from adverse conditions and to have proper conditions for many clear and auspicious dreams tonight; bless me to be able to recognize them as dreams and to be able to transform my dream body into the Enjoyment Body. Bless me to be able to control the dream situation, to emanate and absorb things, and to come and go as I wish." Recite this request prayer five hundred to a thousand times in each session during the retreat. At the end of the recitation, visualize that you receive the four empowerments in the manner that we have described - imagining that they are the result of your request. Perform the usual four sessions of a retreat, in between sessions remembering that all appearances are not inherently existent and they are just like an illusion. During this time make the firm decision: "Tonight I will recognize my dream as a dream." Strongly and frequently determine to utilize the dream body to create virtue, such as by meditating on the dream body as being the Enjoyment Body.

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As you go to sleep, remember that you are in the aspect of white Yamantaka with consort, then concentrate on the throat chakra, at the centre of which is a red curved knife marked by HUNG. The HUNG emits rays of light which go out and transform the environment into a pure realm and all sentient beings into Yamantakas. The light rays return and absorb into the HUNG and the curved knife transforms into red Yamantaka with consort, the size of a pea. Remember that you are white Yamantaka, holding a curved knife and skull cup. Now the red Yamantaka melts into light and becomes a peasized, red energy drop. Concentrate on the drop for a while, then visualize that it melts into light and becomes a bright nada with three curves. Concentrating on the nada, slowly breathe in through both nostrils and hold your breath, imagining that the inhaled air absorbs into the nada. If you cannot hold your breath for a long time, simply breathe in and out through both nostrils. Imagine that the air you breathe in becomes oneness with your mind that is inside the nada. Concentrating upon this, think that the entire event is unreal, like a dream, and develop the determination: "Tonight I will recognize my dream as a dream and I will pursue virtuous activity in the dream, such as transforming my dream body into the body of the deity." With this motivation in your mind, go to sleep. It is also good to have a qualified friend with you who is able to whisper in your ear: "Now you are asleep; now you are dreaming; transform your dream body into white Yamantaka; go to the realms of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, listen to their teachings, clarify your doubts ...," and so on. The dream body is a mental body, it can go anywhere without obstruction. By simply thinking of a place during a dream we can arrive there and see many things - in this respect, the dream body is similar to the bardo body. When we transform our dream body into Yamantaka we can go to the pure realms, such as Shambala, without obstruction; we can go to the realm of any Bodhisattva, receive teachings, and clarify our doubts. On awakening, remember that everything which happened during the dream was unreal, like an illusion, just as all phenomena you experience during the waking state are unreal and like an illusion. Seeing everything in the waking state as being unreal and like an illusion is a difficult practice, but this method can help. Ordinary practitioners like ourselves can still meditate on the six combinations during the waking and sleeping periods. Our meditation may be clear or not so clear, according to our karma, but we can still attempt to perform the meditations. When you go to sleep, you should plan as clearly as you can to transform your dream body into the Enjoyment Body of Yamantaka, then take the Emanation Body when you wake up. You should not leave these practices aside, thinking that you are not ready for them. Usually it is said that one should have realization of the generation stage before going on to the completion stage practices, but it is good to attempt the completion stage meditations now and create karmic imprints for success in the future, therefore, you should study the teachings on the completion stage meditations and practise them, even before you have attained realization of the generation stage. Preparation for death Meditation on the three combinations during the waking period helps your meditation on the three combinations during the sleeping period. When you are familiar with all six you will have good imprints to be able to meditate on the three combinations during the dying

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period - which is usually quite traumatic and a difficult time to meditate. While you are healthy it is most important that you gain familiarity with this subject so that you can easily meditate on the three combinations during the dying period. When you see the signs of approaching death, make offering of all your wealth to the sangha and dedicate all the virtues you have accumulated in past lives and in this life, and will create in future lives, to the attainment of enlightenment. Dharma practitioners should make the decision: "Nothing is so precious that it is worth being attached to, everyone has to leave everything behind, I will have to leave everything behind, so, to have a clear mind at death, I will leave behind and forget all my possessions." In this way you will be freed from the bondage of attachment at death. If you are able, you should purify all your negative karmas of breaking tantric, bodhicitta, and pratimoksha vows by performing self-initiation, purifying with all the requirements of proper confession and so on. If there are people you have angered and who still hold a grudge against you, ask for their forgiveness. Make torma offerings to the Dharmapalas and offerings to the spirits, imagining that you are making offerings with your own body. (vii) Combining the dying period with the Truth Body Perform the guru yoga including prostration to the guru and the host of surrounding deities, make the general request, and then the specific request: "Guru, embodiment of all refuge objects, having taken the aspect of the Opponent to the Lord of Death, please bless me to not have suffering and torment when I die; please pacify all conceptions arising from the root afflictions; bless me to not suffer hallucinations during death and the intermediate state. If they do occur, may I recognize them as being illusory and not existing in reality, and may I be able to transform them into pure appearance. Bless me to be able to combine the death clear light with the Truth Body; to recognize the intermediate state as the intermediate state; and to be able to transform the bardo body into white Yamantaka, the Enjoyment Body. Bless me to take rebirth with a perfect basis upon which I can practise the Maha Annuttara Yoga tantra, remove all hindrances to such a rebirth, and bless me to be able to combine my rebirth with the Emanation Body. May I gain a rebirth of high status upon which I can remember all previous knowledge I have acquired, I can accumulate more knowledge, and I can attain the state of Vajradhara." When you know you are dying, lie down in the lion posture or sit upright in the full lotus position and perform the guru yoga, requesting: "Please guru, bless me to be able to combine the ordinary death clear light with the Truth Body." The way this is actually done is, as soon as you experience the death clear light, remember your understanding of emptiness and combine this understanding with the vacuity appearing to your mind. Also, before you die, make the motivation: "When I reach the intermediate state I will combine the bardo body with the Enjoyment Body, and after experiencing the mental body of the bardo, I will take rebirth in the house of a family where there will be no obstruction to the practice of tantra." The most venerable Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has recently attained just such a rebirth. The future parents should not be those who would interfere with your wish to practise Dharma. Refresh the visualization of yourself as white Yamantaka with consort, check the three main channels and the five chakras. Imagine that the subtle object of meditation, the atung, rises up the central channel from the navel chakra and sinks into the HUNG at your heart, which becomes upright. If you concentrate strongly on the HUNG, imagining

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that your mind has entered inside it, the wind energies can also enter there because of your meditation on the previous six combinations. It was not possible for the winds to enter the central channel during the first six combinations, but when you die it is definite that the winds will enter, abide, and dissolve within the central channel, and you will experience the eight visions. When the visions begin to occur you should be able to combine the ordinary death clear light, which arises under the control of karma and affliction, with the clear light that you have meditated upon during the periods of waking and sleeping. Being familiar with the visions, you will be able to combine all three types of clear light - of waking, sleeping, and dying - at this stage, but only if you have the correct result of previous prayers. If you die unexpectedly you will not have the opportunity to progress through the different meditations so you should pray that you experience a slow death with all the right conditions for meditation. If you are an accomplished yogi you will be able to maintain the death clear light for many days, if not, it will quickly pass. Even if a yogi's body is touched while he is in contemplation upon the death clear light he will not lose his meditation, but ordinary practitioners should not be touched. Nevertheless, you should try to not touch the body of a yogi. (viii) Combining the dying period with the Enjoyment Body When your most subtle wind and mind leave the body at death there is a slight tremor, if you have meditated well you will be able to recognize the intermediate state and transform the bardo body into the Enjoyment body. You should think: "Now I will transform my bardo body into the Enjoyment Body." This thought, the last moment of the death clear light, and the coming of the intermediate state, all arise simultaneously. The cessation of the death clear light is the first moment of the arising clear light of the intermediate state, you then experience the remaining seven visions in reverse order. (ix) Combining the dying period with the Emanation Body Now you are about to take your rebirth existence. If you have meditated well you will be able to choose the right parents with the right conditions for being able to continue your Dharma practice. Knowing the right parents, your bardo body goes to them when they are engaging in sexual intercourse, enters the father's crown, and goes down to the point of union of the sex organs. Yogis at different levels have different ways of combining the dying period with the emanation body. Having found the right parents, your most subtle wind and mind enter the fertilized egg in the mother's womb and you experience foetal development, birth, growing up, and education. If you are a superior yogi you can attain enlightenment in that life, if not, you can again take a human rebirth and continue your practice. Even though the meditations on combining the sleeping and dying periods with the three bodies are at such a high level, you can still gain some experience by meditating on the three combinations during the waking state. While you remain alive and in good health you can imagine the eight visions and prepare to recognize them in the future when they will actually occur. You will be able to experience your actual death with great confidence. Just understanding the outline of the meditations on the nine combinations will ensure that you are not reborn in the three lower realms in your next life.

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1B Actual yoga of tantra Meditation on inserting the winds at the navel and on the inner fire are essential practices to be performed before the actual tantra yoga. The reason why you meditate on inserting the winds at the navel is to ensure that you will be able to untie the knots at the navel and then the heart chakras. In the six-fold classification of the completion stage practice, the two practices of basic yoga tantra belong to the division of isolated body. Your body is "isolated" from its ordinary appearance because you stop the ordinary appearance and view it as the body of the deity. If it is asked: "The isolated body seems to be restricted to the completion stage, isn't there also the practice of isolated body on the generation stage?" The answer is that there is practice of the isolated body on the generation stage, but not the isolated body in which there are all three processes of inserting, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel. Practice of the isolated body is present on the generation stage because you stop the ordinary appearance of your body and generate the divine pride of yourself as being the deity, imagining that you possess the indestructible (vajra) body. This is not as perfect as the completion stage but is essential in many generation stage meditations, such as concentrating at the upper and lower apertures of the central channel, emanating objects, absorbing them back again, and so on. In general, the object to be abandoned by the generation stage is the conception grasping at ordinary appearance. Insertion and abiding of the winds into the central channel occur, but the third process of dissolution does not occur. In the practice of the isolated body of the completion stage, the winds completely dissolve into the central channel, the eight blisses are experienced, and the exalted wisdom perceiving emptiness arises. This wisdom is integrated with bliss and from this unity of exalted wisdom of great bliss and void there arises the body of the deity. Whenever a yogi generates great bliss by inserting, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel he has arrived at the completion stage.

The six-fold classification of the completion stage according to the Guhyasamaja Tantra 1 2 3 4 5 6 Isolated body = Basic yoga of tantra Isolated speech = Actual yoga of tantra Isolated mind = Yoga of samaya Illusory body = Yoga of shape Clear light = Yoga of pure exalted wisdom Unified stage = Yoga of pure exalted wisdom

The clear light is divided into example clear light and meaning clear light. The equivalent stages of the five-fold classification of the completion stage according to the Yamantaka tantra are shown on the right. The actual yoga of tantra has two divisions:

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1B1 Meditation on vase breathing 1B2 Performing vajra recitation 1B1 Meditation on vase breathing at the heart Before performing the vase breathing you should calm your mind and gain concentration by doing the nine-round breathing meditation. When your mind is quiet, proceed as follows: (i) Sit in the full lotus (vajra) position. (ii) Refresh the visualization of yourself as Yamantaka with consort, check the three main channels and the four chakras. (iii) At the centre of your heart chakra, visualize red and white energy drops joined in a single drop, the size of a pea. In the centre of this drop, between the red and white drops, is a tiny moon disc and standing on that is a white HUNG the size of a mustard seed and very bright. Concentrate on the HUNG. (iv) Slowly and noiselessly inhale through both nostrils, at the peak of inspiration, hold your breath and swallow saliva, imagining that all the winds from the upper part of your body come down and absorb into the HUNG. (v) At the same time as you are breathing in, contract the muscles of your legs and the pelvic floor and imagine that all the winds from the lower part of your body come up and dissolve into the HUNG. (vi) Holding your breath, strongly concentrate on the HUNG, imagine that you are wearing it as your clothing, hold your breath as long as you can then slowly release it through your nostrils. (vii) Breathe in again and repeat the procedure. "Vase breathing" refers to containing the two groups of winds together within the HUNG, it does not refer to the round shape of a vase. Some texts do say that the two groups of winds are brought together in the form of a vase, but this is not mentioned here. In this practice we gather the winds within the central channel at the heart chakra. Other techniques are described that bring the two groups of winds together at the navel chakra; and still others describe a more general meditation in the abdominal region, not specifically within the central channel or at any chakra, this is called "whole body vase breathing." You can test your ability by counting how many times you can touch both knees, your forehead, and snap your fingers with your right hand while holding your breath. Doing this 36 x 9 times shows slight ability, 72 x 9 times is medium, and 108 x 9 times is great ability. The purpose of vase breathing at the heart is to make the winds insert, abide, and dissolve into the central channel. You should not use too much force to bring the winds

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up or to push them down, otherwise you will suffer from wind sickness. When you succeed in this meditation the sign of inserting the winds is that your breathing becomes equal through both nostrils; the sign of abiding is that your breathing stops and your diaphragm stops moving; and the sign of dissolving is the experience of the eight visions. When the clear light vision arises you should integrate that vacuity with the blissful mind - this is meditating on combining the waking period with the Truth Body. When you arise from this contemplation imagine that you take the Enjoyment Body, white Yamantaka with consort, - this is meditating on combining the waking period with the Enjoyment Body. As soon as you take this aspect imagine that you see the black vision and then the remaining visions in their reverse order. Now think that you re-enter your old, karmically acquired aggregates (already transformed into the aspect of Yamantaka) as its consciousness, and it starts to function, this is like reviving a corpse. Whatever appearances you now experience through your senses, imagine that they are all in the nature of emptiness, and all emptinesses are bliss. You thus unite the exalted wisdom realizing emptiness with great bliss - this is meditating on combining the waking state with the Emanation Body. When you go to sleep you should always remember and try to perform the three combinations during the sleeping period. Concentrate on the HUNG between the red and white drops at your heart, experience the visions from the mirage to the clear light, and meditate on the Dharmakaya - it is not necessary to perform the vase breathing while going to sleep. After contemplating combining the sleeping period with the Truth Body, you must now combine the sleeping period with the Enjoyment Body by arising in a dream as the Sambhogakaya aspect, experiencing the eight visions in reverse. Then, as you are about to awaken, combine the sleeping period with the Emanation Body by imagining that your consciousness enters the crown of your old body and activates it. Think that all appearances to your senses are empty and the consciousnesses observing them are blissful. Because you are forced by karma and afflictions to repeatedly experience ordinary death, intermediate state, and rebirth, you should gain total familiarity with transforming these events into taking the three bodies of a Buddha. If you do not attain enlightenment in this life you will be obliged to experience death - therefore you should remember the practices and the sequence of visions so that you can transform the ordinary experience into the three bodies. When you are dying you should make the firm resolution to do this practice. If you understand the nine combinations you will know the entire practice of tantra. The object of meditation is different in different contexts, but the actual process is the same. Those who attend the tantric colleges learn many rituals and prayers but they do not necessarily know the meaning. If you are unable to attend a tantric college, by understanding the nine combinations, you will have the basis upon which you can receive teachings on tantra, which are rare - it is difficult to receive teachings on general Dharma subjects, not to mention tantra.

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1B2 Vajra recitation 1B2A Vajra recitation on the primary energy winds 1B2B Vajra recitation on the secondary energy winds Vajra recitation on the primary energy winds 1B2A1 1B2A2 1B2A3 1B2A4 1B2A5 On winds of the upper part of the body On winds of the lower part of the body On compression of the two winds at the heart On chasing the winds On the pervading wind

Vajra recitation on the primary energy winds can also be divided into vajra recitation on the primary winds at the heart and vajra recitation on the primary winds at the navel. There are many ways to perform vajra recitation, we shall discuss the method explained in the root tantra of the Red Opponent to the Lord of Death. Vajra recitation involves combining the three syllables OM, AH, and HUNG with your breathing. As you breathe in, the winds enter your body with the vibration OM; as the winds are forced to abide within the central channel they do so with the vibration AH; and as you breathe out the winds are expelled with the vibration HUNG. This practice is called the vajra recitation of the three seeds - the seeds are the three syllables. Inhaling, abiding, and exhaling can be related to the three bodies of a Buddha: exhaling "HUNG" is equivalent to the Dharmakaya; abiding "AH" is equivalent to the Sambhogakaya; and inhaling "OM" is equivalent to the Nirmanakaya. In terms of the three times, inhaling equals the past, abiding equals the present, and exhaling equals the future. OM, AH, and HUNG also symbolize the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha. The three places are marked by these syllables, showing that they are the seeds of the vajra body, vajra speech, and vajra mind of all Buddhas. These three syllables are the essence of all mantras of all deities and therefore when you do vajra recitation on them you will receive the same benefits as if you perform the retreats of all deities. It will also protect you from problems, sickness, and all hindrances to your practice and it will help to purify your negativities and obscurations. These are only the secondary benefits of doing vajra recitation on the primary winds. The main purpose of this meditation is to untie the knots of the central channel and, with perfect meditation, if you are about to die you can prolong your life another five years. Vajra recitation on the secondary winds also gives many benefits, such as acquiring the five clairvoyances. It is preferable to perform vajra recitation early in the morning before the cock crows. The session can be measured by the number of times you repeat the procedure of inhaling, abiding, and exhaling following the vibrations of the three syllables. One thousand is a good number, but it is not fixed. When performing the meditation you do not vocally express the sounds of the three syllables, nor do you whisper them. You do not even mentally recite them, as in the mental recitation of the Vajra Yogini mantra. In fact, the vibration of the three actions of inhaling, abiding, and exhaling take the aspect of each of the three syllables. If you

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practise for a long time and attain the example clear light of the isolated mind it is certain that you will attain enlightenment in this lifetime. The object of meditation while performing vajra recitation is the white HUNG at the heart. As you inhale, the air sinks into this HUNG, as you hold your breath, it abides there, and as you exhale, the wind goes out from the HUNG. As you breathe in and out, imagine that the air you breathe has the radiance of the three syllables: breathing in, it has the radiance and the vibration of OM; holding your breath, it abides in the HUNG with the radiance and vibration of AH; and as you breathe out, it has the radiance and the vibration of HUNG. It is a mistake to imagine that the wind is separate from the vibration - this is like confusing a mala bead with the string. It is also incorrect to think that the wind is like a mantra written on paper. In vajra recitation the syllables and the wind should be seen as being identical. You should focus your mind on the white HUNG, imagining that you are the HUNG and that you are listening to the sound of the vibration of the three syllables as the wind goes in and out. You should not think that it is like being inside a vase, listening to a sound coming from the outside; you should think that you are inside a vase, the vibration OMMMMMMM comes in through the opening, the vibration AHHHHHH is inside while the winds abide there, and the vibration HUNGGGGGG goes out of the vase as you exhale. The mind inside the central channel at the heart is the perceiver of these vibrations, do not think that you are outside the central channel and listening to sounds coming from the vase-like HUNG. As you breathe in and out, imagine that you are the white HUNG and you are perceiving the vibrations of the wind as it flows in and out of the central channel. Asanga taught that one should imagine the air comes and goes, he did not specify that one should focus on the central channel. Asanga's breathing meditation is a method for pacifying certain afflictions, but your purpose is to focus upon the central channel because your aim is to insert the winds into the central channel and you cannot do this if you do not meditate upon the central channel itself. When you are visualizing the winds flowing to and fro within the central channel, you should imagine that all the knots are untied and there is no impedance to their flow. This will asist you at the time when you actually do untie the knots. When visualizing untying the knots always include the knots at the heart chakra, these are the most difficult to untie and if you do not untie them you will be unable to attain the example clear light belonging to the isolated mind. Other texts describe vajra recitation at the navel but here it is done at the heart with the specific intention of untying those most difficult knots. 1B2A1 Vajra recitation on the upper primary winds Sit in the vajra position with your hands in the mudra of contemplation and perform the nine-round breathing meditation, visualizing yourself as white Yamantaka with consort. Remember the arrangement of the three main channels, the four chakras, and the red and white energy drops combined at the heart (red below and white above), the size of a pea and, in between them, a moon disc upon which stands a white HUNG the size of a mustard seed. When your mind is calm, concentrate on the HUNG. Imagine that light rays of five colours rise up from the HUNG at your heart to your crown chakra, like smoke rising from a stick of incense. Breathe in and imagine that the light returns to the HUNG with the vibration "OM." Hold your breath as the light

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dissolves into the HUNG and abides there with the vibration "AH." Exhale and imagine that the rays go up the central channel with the vibration "HUNG," enter the right and left channels at the root of the nose (where they connect with the central channel), and pass out through your nostrils. As you breathe in again, the coloured light rays return through the same passages with the vibration "OM," dissolve into the HUNG at your heart, and continue as before. In the beginning it will be difficult for you to hold your breath for a long time. Try to have equal durations of inhalation, holding, and exhalation, then slowly increase the time that you hold your breath so that you do not have to breathe in and out very often. While you are on the path it takes much effort to hold the visualization, but when you attain the result the vibrations of the three syllables will arise from their own side, without any effort from you. The vibrations will come naturally, you will generate the simultaneous bliss and you will be able to integrate that bliss with the wisdom realizing voidness because the winds will have entered and dissolved into your central channel and the inner fire will have been ignited - this is the cause for the unification of bliss and voidness. If there were no way to integrate bliss and voidness you could not do the vajra recitation of the completion stage, you would only be able to perform the vajra recitation of the generation stage. The essential route to follow is the generation of simultaneous bliss and the combination of this mind with the object, emptiness. Hold single-pointed concentration on the object emptiness for as long as you can. When you arise from meditation you will have to make the winds move, then, from the postmeditative state, you will have to again insert the winds into the central channel and attain meditative equipoise on exalted wisdom. By repeating this over and over again you will eventually attain enlightenment. Meditating in this way, you will live your entire life utilizing bliss and void. 1B2A2 Vajra recitation on the lower primary winds Perform the same preliminary steps and then concentrate on the white HUNG at your heart. As you breathe in, imagine that the winds from the lower part of your body, in the aspect of five-coloured light rays, rise up from your penis, within the central channel, with the vibration "OM." At the peak of inspiration hold your breath and imagine that they dissolve into the HUNG at your heart and abide there with the vibration "AH." Then, as you breathe out, imagine that the five-coloured light rays go down the central channel and leave through the lower aperture at the tip of the penis with the vibration "HUNG." The only difference between this meditation and the previous one is the direction in which the winds flow and the aperture through which they leave the body. As the winds enter your central channel you experience the various blisses and you concentrate on emptiness. 1B2A3 Vajra recitation on compression of the winds at the heart Perform the same preliminary meditation and concentrate on the white HUNG at your heart. As you breathe in, imagine that the winds from the upper part of your body come down and enter the HUNG, and at the same time the winds from the lower part of your body rise up, as in the previous meditation, and enter the HUNG. As the winds flow towards the heart they do so with the vibration "OM." Then they abide within the HUNG

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with the vibration "AH" and, as you breathe out, they leave through the upper and lower apertures with the vibration "HUNG." 1B2A4 Vajra recitation on chasing the winds Perform the same preliminary meditation and concentrate on the white HUNG at your heart. As you breathe in, imagine that the upper winds come in through the nostrils with the vibration "OM" and enter the HUNG, chasing the winds of the lower part of the body out of the HUNG, down the central channel and out through the lower aperture with the vibration "HUNG." The upper winds now abide within the HUNG with the vibration "AH," then, as you breathe out, imagine that the lower winds come back through the penis and up the central channel with the vibration "OM" and chase the upper winds out of the HUNG at your heart so that they leave through the nostrils with the vibration "HUNG." Hold your breath and the lower winds abide within the HUNG with the vibration "AH," and so on. 1B2A5 Vajra recitation on the pervading wind Perform the same preliminary meditation and focus upon the white HUNG at your heart. Imagine that the minor channels of your entire body, from head to heels, are connected to the central channel like the branches of a feather are connected to the central shaft. The minor channels of the right side of your body enter the right side of the central channel, and those on the left enter the left side of the central channel. Imagine that you are inside the central channel and that you can see out through all the minor channels, which are clear and perfectly hollow. Think that all the pores of your body are also perfectly clear, and as you breathe in imagine that the winds enter through the outer pores of your entire body, flow through the minor channels, and enter the central channel, doing so with the vibration "OM." They then enter and abide within the HUNG with the vibration "AH" and, as you breathe out, they leave the body through the minor channels and the outer pores with the vibration "HUNG." The last three techniques are more profound methods for entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds within the central channel. Vajra recitation on the pervading wind is the most effective. You perform these practices at the level of isolated speech, then you move on to the isolated mind, the example clear light of which is made clear by the practice of vajra recitation. 1B2B Vajra recitation on the secondary winds 1 The moving wind is related to the eye consciousness. Perform the same preliminary meditation as before and concentrate on the white HUNG at your heart. Imagine that the two roots of your eyes are connected to the central channel at the level of the HUNG at your heart, and at the eyes there are two clear apertures. As you breathe in, imagine that the winds enter through these apertures and go down to the HUNG with the vibration "OM." They then dissolve into the HUNG and abide there with the vibration "AH." As you breathe out, imagine that the winds go out through the roots of the eyes with the vibration "HUNG." 2 The intensely moving wind is related to the ear consciousness. Focus on the HUNG and imagine that the two roots of the ears are connected to the central channel at the level

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of the HUNG at the heart, and that there are two clear apertures at the ears. Meditate on the wind coming and going as above. 3 The perfectly moving wind is related to the nose consciousness. Focus on the HUNG and imagine that the two roots of the nose are connected to the central channel at the level of the HUNG at the heart, and that there are two clear apertures at the nostrils. Meditate on the winds coming and going as above. 4 The excellently moving wind is related to the tongue consciousness. Focus on the HUNG and imagine that the root of the tongue is connected to the central channel at the level of the HUNG at your heart, and at the tip of the tongue is a clear aperture. Meditate on the winds coming and going as above. 5 The definitely moving wind is related to the tactile consciousness. Focus on the HUNG and imagine that all the channels of the body are connected to the central channel at the level of the HUNG at the heart, and the outer ends of those channels open as clear apertures at the pores of the body. Meditate on the winds coming and going as above. It is most important to know and to practise these vajra recitations. It is easier to untie the knots if you perform the vajra recitation on the primary winds of the upper part of the body. This meditation is performed at the stage of the isolated speech in order to be able to attain the exalted wisdom of the isolated mind. When the winds enter the central channel you will experience the signs of entering, abiding and dissolving. You should recognize them well and at the clear light vision contemplate on the unity of blissful wisdom and emptiness - the combination of the waking state with the Dharmakaya. Practise the six combinations in relation to the waking and sleeping periods over and over again so that when you die you will be able to recognize the eight visions and mix the death clear light with the experiences of the clear lights of the waking and sleeping periods - the combination of the dying state with the Dharmakaya. Then you will be able to combine the bardo existence and rebirth with the two form bodies.

2 The Yoga of Samaya We have completed the yoga of tantra, the first of the four yogas of the completion stage. The basic yoga of tantra - meditation on the isolated body - is called isolated body because you isolate the body from its ordinary appearance and see it as the deity. In the isolated body of the generation stage you abandon the conceptions grasping at ordinary appearance. Meditation on the isolated body at the generation stage enables the winds to enter and abide in the central channel, but they do not dissolve, whereas meditation on the isolated body of the completion stage enables all three to occur. The basis of meditation of the generation stage is the seed syllable and it is this which transforms into the deity, the mansion, and so on. On the completion stage the basis of meditation is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and this is the source from which arises the deity, the mansion, and so on. The isolated body of the completion stage refers to isolating the body composed of the 25 gross things (5 aggregates, 4 elements, 6 sources, 5 objects, and 5

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exalted wisdoms). This coarse aspect is to be brought to an end and you take the aspect of the deity. The actual yoga of tantra is meditation on isolated speech. The basis of meditation during vajra recitation is the unity of the winds and mantra. The wind is the root of speech and when this is seen to be indistinguishable from the vibrations OM, AH, and HUNG, ordinary speech is stopped and is replaced by these vibrations. Thus isolated speech refers to the speech, the mantra, and the wind being oneness. Meditation on isolated body can also be called concentration on the vajra body, and meditation on isolated speech can be called concentration on the vajra speech. With the isolated body you meditate on the dignity of taking the body of a Buddha, and with the isolated speech you meditate on the dignity of having the speech of a Buddha. At this stage the isolated mind has yet to be achieved; when that is achieved it is certain that you will attain enlightenment in the same lifetime. Although the example clear light of the isolated mind is not yet achieved, meditation on the nine combinations is necessary to ensure that, when you die, you will have the security of a basic training through which you can take rebirth in a suitable family and continue your tantric practice. If you again die without having completed your practice, you can again take rebirth in a suitable family and so on until you eventually succeed. Having attained the levels of isolated body and isolated speech, even though the isolated mind is not yet attained, you are able to generate the various types of bliss experienced when the drops move up and down the central channel. The yoga of samaya is called the "Uncommon External Mudra" because you generate bliss in dependence upon an external mudra, and then concentrate on the union of bliss and void. It is called the "Yoga of Blessing" because it involves the transformation of the white, red, black, and clear light visions into the path. Up until this stage these visions have arisen in their ordinary way, now you must use them as the actual path. The external mudra can be a mental mudra or an action mudra. A yogi emanates a knowledge woman, or a mental mudra, through the power of his concentration and then enters into union with her. She is not somebody separate from the yogi himself but a product of his conception. An action mudra is not merely visualized, she is a fully qualified yogini with whom the yogi enters physical union. It is essential to use an action mudra when you wish to induce the clear light in the context of isolated mind, otherwise the clear light will not be as clear as it is for a dying person. Thus, at the beginning of this yoga, it is necessary to depend upon an action mudra to induce the clear light, but once you have achieved this you do not need an action mudra to induce it again, you can do so with a mental mudra. There are three types of action mudra: (i) Simultaneously-born action mudra is a consort abiding at a level of realization such as the meaning clear light or the unified stage. (ii) Field-born action mudra is a consort who has attained realization of the isolated body, isolated speech, isolated mind, or illusory body. (iii) Mantra-born action mudra is a consort with realization of the generation stage.

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Action mudras are also described according to the shape of the lower aperture of their central channel: Lotus shape The lower aperture easily opens, like a lotus flower, this woman is supreme among action mudras. She is beautiful, her face is round, she has a pleasant voice, a pleasant smell comes from her mouth and her lotus, the tops of her feet are rounded like the back of a tortoise and the soles are flat like the belly of a tortoise. Conch shape The lower aperture is spiral, like a conch shell, the lining of her lotus is bumpy, and she has a long nose. Elephant shape The lower aperture circles from left to right and her nose is turned towards the right. Antelope shape The lower aperture is like the navel of a particular type of deer, it closes inwards and is difficult to open. She has a mark at the tip of her nose and her body is fat. Among these four, the best lower aperture is long, narrow, and firm; and the worst is short, wide, and loose. The action mudra should not be younger than twelve nor older than thirty, otherwise her lower aperture will not be able to function well. Among women between twelve and thirty years of age, a twelve-year old is best, and if she is acquainted with the sixty-four arts of love she will be the perfect companion for attaining siddhis. It is essential to depend upon one of these types of action mudra to attain the example clear light of the isolated mind. Through her, you will experience descending and ascending types of bliss that are far greater than the bliss experienced when you were meditating, at the level of the isolated body, on the drop coming down the central channel from the crown and going back up again. The bliss experienced now is the bliss required to generate the example clear light of the isolated mind. To generate such an exalted wisdom you need to experience the clear light vision as clearly as it is experienced during the death process. Not only the clear light must be experienced very clearly, but all the vacuities, the white, red, and black visions as well must be clearly experienced. You generate the four vacuities by absorbing the winds and drops from the upper and lower parts of the body into the central channel at your heart. During this absorption you experience the four forward blisses, and when the winds and drops are sent back to where they came from, you experience the four reverse blisses. Definition of isolated mind The isolated mind is defined as an exalted wisdom in which the four vacuities have been transformed into the entity of bliss and void. Such a mind realizes the dharmadhatu, the nature of the mind, through a meaning generality. When each of the four vacuities arises you are able to transform it into bliss and void. The black vision has two parts, the first, experienced while you are still conscious, is the black vision with memory, and the second, experienced when you fall into a deep unconscious state, is the black vision without memory. The moment when you awaken from the unconscious state is the moment when the clear light vision arises. This wakening part of the black vision does not belong to the black vision, it seems to, but in fact it is the beginning of the example clear light of the isolated mind.

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While using the external yoga of entering into union with your consort you must use the internal yoga of contemplation on entering the winds at the navel, vase breathing, and vajra recitation at the heart. Perform these three contemplations in sequence or simply concentrate on one of them. In the text the question is asked: "Can a yogi attain the example clear light of isolated mind immediately after entering into union with an action mudra?" The answer is that you attain the example clear light of isolated mind only when you have completely untied all the knots at your heart, and this comes as the result of completing the three above internal contemplations while in union with an action mudra. When the winds enter the central channel as a result of these inner and outer yogas, the six knots at the heart are untied and you experience the beginning of the example clear light of the isolated mind. You experience the complete example clear light of isolated mind when all the primary and secondary winds are completely absorbed into the indestructible drop at your heart. During this absorption you experience the four visions from the mirage down to the dying flame, and then the four remaining visions. The latter four, however, are not the same as during the death process. Instead of simply appearing like a full moon in the autumn, the white appearance is transformed into bliss and void and so it is called the isolated mind of the exalted wisdom of white appearance. Similarly, the red vision is transformed and is called the isolated mind of the exalted wisdom of red radiance and the black vision is transformed into the isolated mind of the exalted wisdom of near attainment. This has three parts, as we have already mentioned, and instead of the third part, the awakening, becoming the ordinary clear light you transform it into bliss and void and it becomes the isolated mind of example clear light. "Isolated" refers to separation of the mind from the ordinary appearance of the four visions from the white vision to the clear light. To attain the example clear light of the isolated mind, or the concentration of the vajra mind, you must first contemplate on the exalted wisdom of bliss and void then progress through the eight visions with mindfulness, thinking: "Now I am experiencing the mirage vision, the vision of smoke will come next; now the mirage has finished, I am experiencing the smoke, and the vision of sparks will come next..," and so on. At each step you must have the three mindfulnesses of what has just passed, what is happening now, and what will happen next. While meditating on the isolated mind you have the opportunity to perceive the ultimate nature of your mind. The conventional nature of the mind is that it has no colour or shape and it is able to perceive its object. When the mind changes from one object to another, its accompaniments, such as feeling, all change to the new object together. The subtle mind functions as the root of cyclic existence and of nirvana. The ultimate nature of the mind refers to the real, profound, or actual nature of the mind - the fact that it is non-truly existent. This fact is not realized by ordinary beings. If you do not recognize the ultimate nature of your mind you will not be able to transform the white, red, and black visions into the aspect of exalted wisdom of bliss and void, and there is a chance that the eighty indicative conceptions will arise. If these arise, the afflictions can manifest and karmic actions can be performed to cause future rebirth within cyclic existence. If you clearly understand how to transform these three visions into exalted wisdom of bliss and void, you will be able to attain the example clear light and also the meaning clear light.

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There are thirty-three indicative conceptions associated with the white vision, forty with the red vision, and seven with the black vision. When each group of indicative conceptions arises it is preceded by the corresponding vision, and when each group absorbs, the absorption is followed by the corresponding vision. The movement of the winds is different at the level of each vision. At the white vision the winds move forcibly, at the red vision they move in a medium way, and at the black vision they move weakly. Thus the absorption of the thirty-three conceptions associated with the white vision is forcible, the absorption of the forty associated with the red vision is medium, and the absorption of the seven associated with the black vision is weak. Among the eighty indicative conceptions, some are virtuous, some are non-virtuous, and some are neither; but all are objects to be abandoned. One of them is the mental factor of non-harmfulness, which is a conception and has the meaning of compassion, and we may doubt that it is an object to be abandoned. The compassion existing in the mind of a learner, however, depends upon conception - it is a compassion where the obscurations to omniscience are still present. When you attain enlightenment this compassion changes into the compassion where the obscurations are no longer present. Thus compassion here is an object to be abandoned because it is associated with obscurations; upon the attainment of enlightenment, it will spontaneously change into non-conceptual compassion not associated with obscuration, and this is what we mean when we say compassion is an object to be abandoned, otherwise it would not make sense. From a broad point of view, compassion existing in the mind of an ordinary being is not an object to be abandoned, but from an exact point of view, compassion existing in the mind of a learner is an object to be abandoned because it is a compassion which changes upon the attainment of enlightenment. There are eighty indicative conceptions of the night and eighty of the day. They exist in the mental continuums of all beings of the six realms. When you die, the white, red, and black visions will clearly appear. They also clearly appear to a yogi meditating on the completion stage when he inserts the winds into the central channel at his heart. Although the three visions do appear when the winds are inserted at any other point of the central channel, such as at the navel chakra, they are not as clear as when the winds are inserted at the heart. The conception of self-identity is the main root of rebirth within cyclic existence, and it is the cause of the imprint which is an obscuration to omniscience. The subtle wind accompanying the self-grasping conception is the co-operative cause for rebirth within cyclic existence. To overcome the self-grasping conception you must realize that it is a mistaken mind and then bring an end to the way in which this conception holds its object. The realization that the conceived object does not exist in the way that it is conceived to exist by the self-grasping conception is not enough. This realization must be transformed into blissful exalted wisdom by absorbing the winds moving at the stages of the three visions and experience the four blisses. It is not enough, however, to simply experience the bliss of absorption, you must transform the blisses into the four vacuities at the levels of the four visions, only this can create the cause to attain the Enjoyment Body. Understanding this point, you must transform the three visions into the entity of bliss and void, and in doing so, you attain the example clear light of the isolated mind. The purpose of meditating on the example clear light of the isolated mind is not only to integrate bliss and void, but to create the cause for attaining the illusory body, which

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comes after this practice. When you attain the final example clear light of isolated mind, before you attain the illusory body, you will experience the signs of attainment. You must continue meditating upon the example clear light of isolated mind until these signs arise, otherwise you will be unable to take the illusory body. Thus you need to meditate again and again upon the example clear light of the isolated mind, entering contemplative exalted wisdom, arising, and experiencing the nine combinations. To initially experience the example clear light of the isolated mind you must depend upon an action mudra, but from then on it is not essential to have an action mudra, you can attain the same realization with a mental mudra. An action mudra is necessary for the first attainment because she enables you to experience the clear light as clearly as a dying person. Subsequent meditation on the example clear light of the isolated mind can be done either with an action mudra or a mental mudra, and while doing so, you can perform any of the four meditations: vase breathing, vajra recitation at the heart, location of the winds at the navel, and the yoga of inner fire. Signs of attainment of the final example clear light of isolated mind, before you can take the illusory body, are dreams such as seeing yourself sitting on a lion throne surrounded by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, seeing your body as a reflection in a mirror, a rainbow in the sky, or like a reflection of the moon on water, or dreams that your bodily aura pervades the entire world, that you are receiving teachings from many Buddhas, that you are giving teachings to other sentient beings, or that you are flying in the sky. Any of the classes of action mudra can help you to attain the example clear light of isolated mind.

Performing the yoga of samaya 1 Vajra position of the energy channels "Samaya" means sacred word based upon the action mudra. The best type of action mudra is one whose external aperture is shaped like a lotus. Her vagina is long, firm, and tight. Before entering into union with her you must remind yourself of the common basic tantra yoga then massage her vagina with your ring finger, and an energy channel called "Crow-face" will appear. This channel is about one and a half finger widths long, it should be inserted into the male urethra, then insert your vajra into her lotus and kiss her on the lips. When meditating with a mental mudra, imagine that you perform each of these steps. 2 Vajra position of the energy winds When meditating with either an action or a mental mudra you must visualize yourself as the symbolic being, Yamantaka, and your consort as Vajra Vatali. Within the indestructible drop at your heart is white Yamantaka with consort - the wisdom being. At his heart is the concentration being, a white HUNG, the size of a mustard seed. Thus you are the stack of three beings. Imagine that the winds descend from your heart and from your consort's heart to the point of union of the sex organs, like two trails of incense smoke. They meet and remain together for some time. 3 Vajra position of the energy drops

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Imagine that the winds from your heart go down the central channel, enter the central channel of your consort, rise up to her navel, and ignite her inner fire. The heat rises up her central channel to her crown chakra where the white bodhicitta melts and flows down to her heart. At the same time, the winds from her heart flow down her central channel, enter your central channel, rise up to the navel, and ignite your inner fire. The heat rises to your crown and melts the white bodhicitta which flows down to your heart. Finally, the two winds, red and white, come down to the point of union of the two sex organs where they combine and remain for some time. 4 Vajra position of bliss and void While the drops are descending, you experience the feelings of physical and mental pleasure. Your mind and your consort's mind are transformed into the entity of bliss and void. With this blissful mind, focus upon emptiness and integrate the bliss and void, thinking that you are entering the Dharmakaya. Maintain this concentration for some time. These four vajra positions are explained in the root tantra of Red Yamantaka. Vajra recitation in dependence upon the action mudra In union with the action mudra, focus upon the HUNG at the heart of the wisdom being, White Yamantaka, at your heart. Imagine that the secondary channels throughout your body connect with the central channel at the level of the HUNG at your heart. Their external apertures are at the pores of your body where there are drops of wind like dew drops on grass. These winds now flow into the central channel and absorb into the HUNG at the heart of the wisdom being. They flow in with the vibration "OM" and appear like trails of blue incense smoke. They abide within the HUNG with the vibration "AH," then flow out with the vibration "HUNG," similar to vajra recitation on the pervading wind. Locating the winds at the heart in dependence upon the action mudra Remembering the visualization of yourself as the stack of three beings, imagine that, from the HUNG at your heart, countless rays of light radiate in all directions, purifying and transforming the environment into a pure realm and the sentient beings into Yamantaka with consort. The pure realms absorb into the countless manifestations of Yamantaka and his consort, these absorb into your own consort, and she absorbs into you, the symbolic being. You absorb into the wisdom being, white Yamantaka, at your heart and the wisdom being absorbs into the concentration being, HUNG, at his heart. The HUNG absorbs from below upwards and finally the nada dissolves into emptiness. You may need to continue this practice of mixing external yoga with the internal meditation on vajra recitation on the pervading wind and locating the winds at the heart for six, twelve, or eighteen months, depending on how long it takes you to untie all the knots of the central channel, including the most difficult ones at the heart. When the knots are untied, the inner fire is ignited and spreads throughout your nervous system, causing the bodhicitta drops in all seventy-two thousand channels to melt and you experience a bliss greater than you have ever experienced. When the primary and secondary winds and the bodhicitta drops from all seventy-two thousand channels flow towards the heart, you will experience the four visions from the mirage to the dying flame. Now imagine that the eight energy channels (petals or spokes) at the heart chakra have three sections: outer, middle, and inner. As the winds and drops

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enter the outer sections, the white vision arises and you experience mere bliss and the mere vacuity. In the Guhyasamaja Tantra the continents and the Sanskrit vowels are placed on the sections of the eight channels, but this is not necessary here. The winds and drops now flow into the middle sections of the eight channels, the red vision arises and you experience supreme bliss and the extremely empty vacuity. The drops and winds now flow into the inner section, the black vision arises and you experience special bliss and the great vacuity. Finally, the winds and drops absorb into the indestructible drop, the clear light vision arises and you experience the simultaneous bliss and the all-empty vacuity. As you progress through each stage the experience of bliss becomes more intense and the experience of its respective vacuity becomes more profound. The most subtle wind is also called the simultaneously-born wind because when rebirth is taken the consciousness exists simultaneously with the most subtle wind. The most subtle mind becomes the entity of simultaneous bliss and you should contemplate on the fact that all phenomena are non-inherently existent, thinking that you have entered within the sphere of the Dharmakaya. Remain in this state for a while, it is the combination of the Dharmakaya with the waking state. The four blisses experienced when the winds and drops are absorbed into the indestructible drop at the heart are much greater than the four blisses experienced when the bodhicitta drop flows from the crown down to the tip of the vajra. On arising from the state of the Dharmakaya, imagine that you take the form of Yamantaka, which is different to your old, karmically acquired aggregates. Experience the eight visions in reverse order, this is combining the Sambhogakaya with the waking state. Then combine the Nirmanakaya with the waking state by imagining that you enter your old body through the crown, go down to the heart, and the sense consciousnesses begin to function. Contemplate on the fact that all appearances are empty and integrate that experience of emptiness with the blissful mind, understanding that the inseparable combination of bliss and void is the source of the gross emanation body. When we say "all appearances are empty" it simply means that whatever you see is empty of inherent existence. On the other hand, when we say "all emptinesses are the entity of bliss," it is not so simple. We cannot say that all emptinesses are bliss because it would follow that everything that is empty of inherent existence is bliss, and so everything would be the mental factor of feeling. The actual meaning is that you have the feeling of bliss throughout the time you are contemplating exalted wisdom, and so these appearances arise in proximity to the feeling of bliss. To experience the three combinations of the sleeping state, focus upon the HUNG at your heart and go to sleep. Experience the eight visions as the winds enter the central channel and, at the clear light vision, imagine that you have attained the Dharmakaya. Arise in the Sambhogakaya aspect as before, imagining that as you enter the dream state you take the aspect of Yamantaka with consort, which is different to your previous karmically acquired body. As soon as you take this body, you experience the visions in reverse and you should recognize each one as it arises. Next, combine the Nirmanakaya with the sleeping state by imagining that, as you wake up, your consciousness enters the crown of your old, karmically acquired body, abides at the heart, and it begins to function. Recognize all appearances to your sense consciousnesses as being empty of inherent existence.

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Having successfully meditated on the first six combinations, the three belonging to the waking state and the three of the sleeping state, you have now attained the example clear light of the isolated mind. You do not need to meditate on the three clarities of the dying state because you have overcome ordinary death. If you attain the complete example clear light of isolated mind it is certain that you will attain enlightenment in this very life. You will take the illusory body and with this you will complete the remaining stages up to Buddhahood. If you do not attain the complete example clear light of the isolated mind, you will be obliged to go through the three combinations related to the dying state. Attaining the isolated mind does not necessarily mean that you attain the complete example clear light of isolated mind because the complete example clear light of isolated mind is only attained after you have transformed all four visions into blissful exalted wisdom. The first level of blissful exalted wisdom is the transformatiom of the white vision into the nature of bliss; then there is transformation of the red vision into the nature of bliss; the black vision; and finally the clear light vision into the nature of bliss. When you transform the white vision into the nature of bliss you attain the first stage of isolated mind. It is possible that you can transform the white and red visions into the nature of bliss but are unable to transform the black vision. If this happens, you will be obliged to experience death and attain enlightenment in the intermediate state. You will have to meditate on combining the dying state with the Dharmakaya, and instead of taking the ordinary bardo body, you will take the illusory body. At the moment of death the most subtle wind becomes the substantial cause for the illusory body and the mind which rides upon that wind, the example clear light of isolated mind, becomes the cooperative cause. The illusory body is taken directly, you do not first take the bardo body and then transform it into the illusory body. The illusory body taken in this way is the impure illusory body because you have not yet attained the Arya path according to tantra. You must now actualize the meaning clear light, the learner's unified stage, and the nonlearner's unified stage. If you are at the point of attaining the example clear light of isolated mind, but have not even attained the mere example clear light by transforming the white and red visions into the nature of bliss, when you die you will have to combine the dying state with the three Buddha bodies. Through the power of your previous meditation the bardo body will be similar to the illusory body, but not a real illusory body. You will then take rebirth in a family where there is no obstacle to continuing your tantric practice. Through your previous familiarity with the practice you will then be able to successfully perform the preliminary practices and, relying on an external mudra and the inner yoga of vajra recitation at the heart, you will attain the example clear light of isolated mind. Upon absorption of the primary and secondary winds into the indestructible drop at your heart you will experience the final vision of the clear light, the simultaneous bliss, and the all-empty vacuity; these are the foundation for attainment of the illusory body. At present, the blissful exalted wisdom realizes emptiness through a mental image, not directly. While you are meditating on the unity of bliss and void the winds do not move, then, as the result of a slight movemement of the winds, you arise from meditation and take the impure illusory body. At this stage the appearance of the clear light is like natural space, which means that it is free from the stains of the white, red, and black visions. When you attain the meaning

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clear light, however, even the appearance of natural space does not occur. While natural space is appearing there is still dualistic appearance because the blissful exalted wisdom realizes emptiness through a mental image. When the meaning clear light is attained the blissful exalted wisdom realizes emptiness directly, and this is why the colour aspect of natural space does not appear to the meaning clear light. We have said that on the generation stage one simply transforms the three bases of ordinary death, intermediate state, and rebirth, through imagination. These three are actually transformed on the completion stage, and we can now understand how this is done. Death is actually transformed because attainment of the example clear light of isolated mind prevents ordinary death, and so the bardo and rebirth existences are also stopped. While you are still alive and experiencing the cycles of waking and sleeping you should practise the six combinations of the three kayas again and again. Then, when you die, you will be able to experience the three combinations belonging to the dying period. The purpose of this meditation is to activate the blissful exalted wisdom so that you can actualize the path in the future. The explanation of the nine combinations has been given in relation to the Yamantaka practice, but it is common to all deities, and it is the only way to attain the tantric path.

3 The Yoga of Shape The third yoga of the completion stage is called the yoga of shape because at this stage the most subtle wind and mind take the aspect of the deity, which is like an illusion because although it is not the body of the deity, it exactly corresponds to the form which you will acquire on completion of the practice. This yoga is also called the "sequence of conventionality and illusion." The actual illusory body is difficult to attain. At the level of incomplete example clear light of isolated mind you acquire an approximate, or unreal illusory body. The real illusory body is then attained after you have gained the complete example clear light of isolated mind. It is a result which arises after completing the levels of isolated body, isolated speech, and isolated mind, which have been preceded by perfect meditation on the generation stage. The fifteen specific qualities of the impure illusory body Even if you do not actually attain the illusory body, by understanding what it is, aspiring to attain it, and simply imagining that you attain it in your meditation you receive greater benefits than perfect meditation on the generation stage. Similarly, by understanding the great bliss and imagining that you are experiencing it you will receive great benefits, such as becoming a practitioner who does not fall back. In the Guhyasamaja root tantra, fifteen specific qualities of the illusory body are mentioned: (i) Cause The causes of the illusory body are the most subtle wind and mind that exist at the level of the complete example clear light of isolated mind. The most subtle wind is the substantial cause and the most subtle mind is

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the co-operative cause. (ii) Time The illusory body arises at the moment the black vision of the reverse order arises. (iii) Place One explanation is that the illusory body arises within the central channel; another is that it arises separately from the old body - this is the best way to imagine the illusory body arising. (iv) Nature The nature of the illusory body is like a rainbow. It is the nature of light because its cause is the most subtle wind and mind and therefore it is subtle, like light. (v) Colour The colour of the illusory body is white because when the most subtle wind transforms into the illusory body it is in the aspect of the life-supporting wind, which is white. (vi) Shape The shape of the illusory body corresponds to whichever deity you are meditating upon. If you are doing the Guhyasamaja tantra, it has three faces and six arms; if you are doing the Yamantaka practice, it can be either the one-faced two-armed aspect, or the nine-faced aspect. (vii) Who perceives it Those who have not attained the illusory body themselves are unable to perceive the illusory body of another practitioner. (viii) Radiating light The illusory body radiates light that can illuminate many worlds. (ix) Objects enjoyed The illusory body has complete sense organs and secondary winds, it can enjoy the objects of sense pleasure but it cannot be touched itself. (x) Actualization of intention The practitioner plans to arise from the clear light in the aspect of the illusory body and, just as he had planned, he does so. (xi) Special qualities The illusory body is a space-like treasure, one can acquire whatever one wishes for; it can receive countless initiations from the Buddhas; it has signs similar (but not the same) to the signs of a Tathagatha; it is an object worthy of veneration by all mundane beings, even the highest of gods; and through it enlightenment is attained in the same lifetime. (xii) Analogies The illusory body is similar to an illusion, a reflection of the moon on water, a shadow, a mirage, a dream, an echo, a Ghandarava city, a visual distortion, a rainbow, lightning, a water bubble, a mirror reflection. (xiii) Names The illusory body has several designations, such as: self-blessed, conventional truth, illusory body, body of complete enjoyment, sentient being - the Ghandarava, and vajra body.

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(xiv) Basis of imputation The subtle basis of imputation of the person is the most subtle wind and mind. This is transformed into the illusory body, which is "selfblessed," because the most subtle wind and mind have taken the aspect of the deity. (xv) Duration The illusory body exists from the moment immediately after the example clear light to the beginning of the fourth stage, the meaning clear light. It arises simultaneously with the black near-attainment of the reverse order. At this stage it is the impure illusory body because it is still together with the obscurations to liberation that are to be eliminated by the meaning clear light, which realizes emptiness directly. The meaning clear light is sometimes called the "fourth stage," the yoga of pure exalted wisdom. The moment you attain the meaning clear light, the illusory body vanishes. The impure illusory body is called "vajra body" in a general sense. This is not an appropriate name in a specific sense because a vajra body must be stable and this illusory body changes as you move from the example clear light to the meaning clear light.

Question Does the meaning clear light have an illusory body? Answer No, for the person experiencing the meaning clear light, the impure illusory body has vanished and the pure illusory body has yet to be attained. According to the Perfection Vehicle, the attainment of enlightenment is dependent upon completing the two great collections of wisdom and merit over a period of three countless great aeons. One great aeon is spent on the paths of accumulation and preparation, one is spent on the first seven Bodhisattva grounds, and the final great aeon is spent while passing through the last three grounds. According to tantra, when the impure illusory body arises, merit and wisdom equivalent to accumulation on the Perfection Vehicle over two countless great aeons are acquired, and the yogi has yet to attain the tantric path of seeing. Twelve analogies of the impure illusory body (i) The illusory body is like a magical illusion because a person conjured by a magician appears to have real flesh, blood, and bones but does not. Similarly, the illusory body appears to have these things but is not composed of coarse substances. (ii) The illusory body is like a reflection of the moon on water because when the moon rises it is simultaneously reflected on all pools of water throughout the world.

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Similarly, when the illusory body is attained, one can send emanations to wherever there are sentient beings and give them help. (iii) The illusory body is like a shadow because a shadow cannot be cut or destroyed by weapons. Similarly, the illusory body cannot be harmed by any weapon or by the elements. (iv) The illusory body is like a mirage because a mirage has the aspect of transience. The illusory body is also transient because it vanishes when the meaning clear light is attained. (v) The illusory body is like a dream because a dream body arises from the dream clear light, it is a mental body that can go anywhere, and it is separate from the ordinary body. No matter what the dream body does or where it goes, it always comes back to the ordinary body. Similarly, the illusory body arises from the example clear light of isolated mind, it arises separately from the old, karmically acquired body, and eventually goes back to it. A dream body is the best illustration we can give for an illusory body. (vi) The illusory body is like an echo because the sound of an echo is separate from the cliff face but dependent upon it. Similarly, the illusory body is separate from the old body but dependent upon it. (vii) The illusory body is like a Ghandarava city because such a city manifests to its inhabitants in the same way as the mandala of Yamantaka manifests to a yogi who has acquired the illusory body of the Yamantaka practice. (viii) The illusory body is like a visual distortion because a person with visual impairment may see many objects where there is only one. An illusory body is single, but it can emanate many aspects. (ix) The illusory body is like a rainbow because the colours of a rainbow appear separately and clearly to the eye consciousness, just as the parts of an illusory body such as all of Yamantaka's faces, arms, legs can appear separately to an observer. (x) The illusory body is like lightning because it arises from the old body like a flash of lightning appearing from a thunder-cloud. (xi) The illusory body is like a water-bubble because a bubble arises without anything between it and the water and, in the same way, the illusory body arises with nothing between it and the example clear light of isolated mind. (xii) The illusory body is like a reflection in a mirror

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because a mirror can clearly reflect anything, just as the illusory body can clearly appear in any aspect, such as Vajrasattva. Question Can the emanations of an illusory body be seen by ordinary people? Answer Yes, but not the illusory body itself. The emanation can appear in any aspect the yogi wishes to manifest in order to subdue the mind of a sentient being. Question It is said that people with a low stock of merit cannot see a superior emanation body, can such people see one of these emanations? Answer A yogi will only manifest an emanation in a situation where it is possible to ripen the mind of a sentient being. Five analogies of the illusory body according to the root tantra of Red Yamantaka (i) The illusory body is similar to a dream because it arises from the example clear light of isolated mind, separates from the old body, and then returns to it just as the dream body arises from the clear light of sleep, separates from the old form aggregate, and returns to it. (ii) The illusory body is similar to an illusion because a magically created person seems to be composed of flesh, blood, and bones but is not composed of these things in reality. Similarly, the illusory body appears as if it is composed of flesh, blood, and bones but it is not. (iii) - (v) The illusory body is similar to a reflection of the moon on water, to a water bubble, and to a reflection in a mirror just as we have already explained. The illusory body is a mental body, it cannot be seen by someone who has not attained the illusory body himself, such a person can only see the karmically-acquired form aggregate. Someone who has attained the illusory body can see another illusory body, just as the bardo body, that is also a mental body, is only visible to another bardo being. Also, a Bodhisattva on the path of prepara-tion has an ordinary body acquired through karma and affliction but, when he attains the uninterrupted path of seeing, his body transforms into a mental body. He then seems to have a body composed of flesh, blood, and bones but it is not. This transformation is due to the intense power of his pure, supreme thought. How and why this change occurs is not mentioned by the previous great lamas. Five analogies of the illusory body according to the root tantra of Guhyasamaja The illusory body is similar to a dream because: (i) It arises from the example clear light of isolated mind just as a dream body arises from the clear light of sleep. (ii) It arises as a result of the most subtle wind and mind

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just as the dream body. (iii) The person with an illusory body has a type of divine pride thinking that the illusory body is his actual body, just as a dreamer thinks a dream body is his actual body. (iv) It separates from the old, karmically-acquired body just as the dream body separates from the old body. (v) It returns to the old body just as the dream body returns to the old body. Five specific attributes of the illusory body according to the Guhyasamaja tantra (i) The illusory body arises from the point where the indestructible drop abides in the central channel at the heart chakra. (ii) Its cause is the most subtle wind and most subtle mind. (iii) The energy which causes the illusory body to appear is the prior intention to arise as the illusory body. (iv) The moment when the illusory body appears is the moment after the example clear light of isolated mind ceases. (v) The entity of the illusory body is in the aspect of the deity arising from bliss and void. Some people say that the illusory body first appears outside the ordinary body. Others say that it begins inside the central channel at the heart and then leaves the ordinary body; this is the way according to Gyalwa Ensapa, who attained the unified stage in his lifetime. His explanation is more suitable. Four attributes of the illusory body according to the "Chu Du" The illusory body is not directly perceived by beings at the levels of isolated body, isolated speech, and isolated mind, nevertheless, Buddha explained the illusory body to those beings who were proper vessels to understand it. Also, the previous gurus and meditators have explained the nature of the illusory body from their own direct experience. The illusory body is a sublime object which cannot be attained even by a tenth ground Bodhisattva following the perfection vehicle. Its attributes according to the tantric text "Chu Du" are: (i) A person with the illusory body can see the bamboo body in the continuum of every sentient being as clearly as he can see his own body. The bamboo body, sometimes called the primordial body, is composed of the most subtle wind and is the same entity as the most subtle mind. It sees all sentient beings and the entire environment as manifestations of the most subtle wind and mind. (ii) The illusory body is not composed of gross flesh, blood, and bones. Although it seems to have these things, such an appearance is an illusion.

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(iii) The illusory body is not false, it exists and functions, it is a body that arises from the most subtle wind and mind and is said to be a body of mental consciousness. It is clear, like a reflection of Vajrasattva in a mirror. (iv) The illusory body has major and minor signs similar to those of a Tathagatha, but not the same. The basis for the illusory body - the most subtle wind and mind - exists in the continuum of every sentient being and is called the bamboo, or primordial, body and mind. If we die and take rebirth as an animal, our most subtle wind and mind become the most subtle wind and mind of that animal. The environment is also a manifestation of the most subtle wind and mind, but not in the same way. It arises through the power of the most subtle wind and mind in a similar way to what is meant when we say: "The entire environment is a manifestation of the karma of the sentient beings inhabiting it." Yogis on the generation stage and at the levels of isolated body, isolated speech, and isolated mind cannot generate the aspect of the deity through their most subtle body and mind. Nevertheless, they still imagine that their gross bodies are in the aspect of the deity. At the level of isolated speech they imagine the winds coming and going with the vibrations, "OM," "AH," and "HUNG." And at the level of isolated mind they transform the white, red, and black visions into the nature of bliss and void, but they have yet to transform their most subtle wind and mind into the real body of the deity. The illusory body can never arise from the gross body, it can only arise on the basis of the bamboo body and mind. The bamboo body is the most subtle wind, the lifesupporting wind, and the bamboo mind is the consciousness which is one entity with the most subtle wind. Thus there are two levels of the basis of imputation of the person: at the gross level the basis is the gross aggregates, which are the basis of imputation of the person who exists in this life, at the subtle level the basis is the most subtle wind and mind, which are the basis of imputation of the person who goes from life to life. When the gross body functions the subtle body is dormant, and when the subtle body functions the gross body is dormant. Geshe During a dream when the dream body goes here and there, are the most subtle wind and mind functioning? Student No, the dream body is merely subtle. Geshe If the most subtle body and mind are not going here and there, the gross body must be doing these things? Student The most subtle body and mind are inside the indestructible drop at the heart, how can they be the dream body? Geshe It is probably the most subtle wind and mind which function as the dream body and also as the bardo body. Student During a dream, do the most subtle wind and mind leave from the indestructible drop at the heart? Geshe These two are without obstruction, when they leave the indestructible drop during a dream they do not lose their relationship with the gross aggregates, but in the bardo that relationship has come to an end. When the illusory body is taken during meditation there remains a fine relationship between it and the karmically-acquired aggregates.

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Student It seems that the mind of the bardo being is the most subtle mind. Geshe Yes. Student But when the bardo being experiences the visions of the reverse order, these are not most subtle mind. Geshe The body of the bardo being is a result of the most subtle wind and mind, just as the illusory body has the most subtle wind as its substantial cause and the most subtle mind as its co-operative cause. The illusory body is without obstruction, just like the bardo body and the dream body. By saying that the bardo body arises from the most subtle wind and mind, we are not saying that it is the same thing as the most subtle wind and mind. Student If we say that the most subtle wind is the substantial cause of the bardo body, and the most subtle mind is the substantial cause of the bardo mind, then it would follow that they cease when the bardo being arises. Geshe It does not follow because the most subtle wind and mind have different parts. Part of the most subtle wind acts as the substantial cause and becomes the entity of the bardo body, and another part continues on, existing within that body. Without this solution, we would have to say that the most subtle body and mind cease and do not continue on from life to life. The same thing applies to the illusory body, the most subtle wind and mind are the substantial causes of its body and mind and they continue to exist within the illusory body, but the illusory body is not the most subtle wind and mind, otherwise they would cease when the impure illusory body ceases upon attaining the meaning clear light. On the perfection vehicle it takes three countless great aeons to accumulate the two collections of wisdom and merit, but on the tantric path these collections are achieved through the acquisition of the impure illusory body. The attainment of the meaning clear light follows the impure illusory body and this blissful exalted wisdom directly realizing emptiness eliminates all nine divisions of the obscurations to liberation in one moment. This great abandonment can only be achieved through the power of the vast accumulations of wisdom and merit, which are achieved by the Bodhisattva who, with the impure illusory body, is able to visit countless Buddha realms to receive teachings and cultivate the two accumulations. A Bodhisattva on the perfection vehicle attains the eighth ground and enters profound concentration on emptiness. He is eventually awoken by a Buddha and he then begins to accumulate the two collections in a vast way - during the post-meditative period. There is no need to awaken a tantric practitioner from his contemplation on emptiness because he has taken the impure illusory body and is accumulating vast merit, having entered into union with his consort, inserted the winds into the central channel, and performed vajra recitation at the heart. He has experienced the signs up to the clear light vision, has arisen as the illusory body, and is in the process of accumulating merit by visiting the Buddha realms. After he has accumulated sufficient merit, he will return to his old body, awaken, and perform the usual gross activities such as eating and sleeping, and will perform beneficial activities for sentient beings. The tantric practitioner goes back and forth from the illusory body to the old body until he eventually sees the signs of stable attainment of the meaning clear light.

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4 The yoga of pure exalted wisdom After you have attained the example clear light of isolated mind you must practise deepening that blissful exalted wisdom until you have abandoned the stain of dualistic appearance by directly realizing emptiness. This blissful mind is called the meaning clear light. There are six nominal types of clear light: (i) Basic clear light: the ordinary death clear light. (ii) Path clear light: clear light that has become the path. (iii) Result clear light: the resultant Dharmakaya. (iv) Object clear light: emptiness. (v) Subject clear light: the clear light mind that directly realizes the object, emptiness. (vi) Meaning clear light: the clear light mind that directly realizes emptiness and is combined with great bliss. Meaning clear light The meaning clear light is both path clear light and subject clear light. The yogi attains the meaning clear light at dawn after engaging in internal and external yogas. Externally he enters into union with an action mudra and internally he maintains stable concentration on inserting the winds at the heart and on the meditation of complete absorption. Attaining the meaning clear light by meditation on complete absorption Meditation on complete absorption is a method of attaining the meaning clear light by focussing only upon your body, not upon the environment. Imagine that your body absorbs from above and below into the centre, like condensation evaporating from a mirror, and meditate on emptiness with the mind of great bliss. The subject, the blissful exalted wisdom, becomes oneness with the object, emptiness, like water mixed with water, you attain the meaning clear light and the impure illusory body has vanished. The most subtle wind existing at this moment becomes the substantial cause for the Buddha's form body and the most subtle mind becomes the substantial cause for the Buddha's wisdom-truth body. Through the most subtle wind and mind, which are now uncontaminated, you abandon all obscurations to omniscience and attain the omniscient state.

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Attaining the meaning clear light by meditating on absorption of the winds at the heart While you still have the impure illusory body, signs that the meaning clear light is about to be attained will appear, such as the feeling that your mind pervades all of space. When the signs appear frequently, refresh the visualization of yourself as the stack of three beings. From the white HUNG at the heart of the wisdom being, Yamantaka, at your heart, light rays radiate out in all directions. When they touch the environment they turn it into a pure realm and when they touch the sentient beings they transform them into Yamantaka with consort. The pure realm now absorbs into the sentient beings, they absorb into your consort, and she absorbs into you, the symbolic being. You absorb into the wisdom being and the wisdom being absorbs into the concentration being - the white HUNG at his heart. The HUNG now absorbs from below upwards and dissolves into emptiness. As the HUNG absorbs into emptiness you experience the signs of inserting, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel. The eight visions occur and at the moment when the clear light vision occurs you single-pointedly integrate blissful exalted wisdom with the object emptiness. Upon cessation of the black vision the impure illusory body ceases, like a rainbow vanishing from the sky, and you attain the meaning clear light. The most subtle mind experiences the simultaneous bliss and directly realizes emptiness at the same time. You become an Arya being, you have attained the uninterrupted path which is the antidote to the obstructions to liberation, and you have attained the path of seeing and the first ground according to highest yoga tantra.

The five paths according to highest yoga tantra The tantric path of accumulation begins from the time you train in the common path, having generated bodhicitta, and includes the gross and subtle levels of the generation stage. It ceases when you attain the completion stage. Through the force of meditation on the path of accumulation you are able to make the winds enter and abide within the central channel, but you cannot make them dissolve. Thus you cannot induce the exalted wisdom of vacuity, which can only be induced by making the winds dissolve within the central channel on the completion stage. There is an isolated body of the generation stage, but this is acquired only by inserting and abiding, whereas the isolated body of the completion stage is acquired by entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel. The latter is a more profound experience and this is why we place emphasis on the isolated body of the completion stage. The first moment of the tantric path of preparation is the first moment of the completion stage. It begins from the moment you are able to directly induce the vacuity through entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel and ends at the moment when you directly realize emptiness with the mind of great bliss. Thus the levels of isolated body, isolated speech, isolated mind, and the impure illusory body all belong to the path of preparation.

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The tantric path of seeing is attained at the moment the blissful exalted wisdom realizes emptiness directly. With the uninterrupted path of seeing you attain the meaning clear light and the first ground of the tantric vehicle. The tantric path of meditation begins with the attainment of the pure illusory body and goes up to the non-learner's unified stage. It is the learner's unified stage. Upon attaining the non-learner's unified stage, the tantric path of no-more learning is attained and you attain Buddhahood. The five stages of the Yamantaka tantra are: (i) Vajra recitation (includes isolated body and speech). (ii) Isolated mind. (iii) Illusory body. (iv) Meaning clear light. (v) Unified stage (includes learning and non-learning). These five stages are derived from the four yogas. When six stages are mentioned, as in the Guhyasamaja tantra, it simply means that isolated body and isolated speech are counted as two stages. Thus, in discussing the completion stage practice of the Yamantaka tantra, we have also mentioned all the stages of the Guhyasamaja tantra. The five paths and the four yogas The yoga of pure exalted wisdom contains the meaning clear light which is attained on the path of seeing, the learner's unified stage which is the path of meditation, and the nonlearner's unified stage which is the path of no-more learning. The yoga of shape has the impure illusory body and belongs to the path of preparation. The yoga of samaya has the example clear light of isolated mind and belongs to the path of preparation. The actual yoga of tantra, meditation on vase recitation, has the isolated speech, and the basic tantra yoga has the isolated body, both of which belong to the path of preparation. The path of accumulation only occurs on the gross and subtle levels of the generation stage. Attainment of isolated mind can be slight, medium, or complete. Meditating on the winds through vajra recitation enables you to stop the ordinary death process and transform it into the path. When the ordinary clear light of death arises, instead of taking the bardo body, you take the illusory body, and instead of taking ordinary rebirth, you take the Nirmanakaya. By manifesting in any way that you wish, you are able to perform many virtuous actions and on the basis of those actions you attain enlightenment. You have two types of body, gross and subtle, both of which arise through karma and affliction. When you attain the illusory body, you are able to discard the gross body but you retain the subtle body because the subtle wind and mind are the basis of the self. When the subtle wind and mind are functioning as the illusory body, the activities of the gross body stop; and when the gross body is functioning, the activities of the subtle body stop. There are different opinions about how one arises as the illusory body. Some say it arises within the central channel and others say it arises outside the gross body. Either

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way, there is no contradiction. When you attain the unified stage the dependent relationship between the subtle wind and mind and the gross body ceases. If you wish to maintain the gross body in order to benefit sentient beings, you can do so, if you wish to remain as the illusory body, you can do that also. Thus the means of attaining enlightenment after attaining the unified stage through vajra recitation is different to the way of attaining enlightenment within the bardo. Upon attaining the meaning clear light the impure illusory body vanishes, this is sometimes called the stage of thorough realization and has inner and outer aspects. The relationship with the gross body automatically ceases and, after experiencing the meaning clear light, the pure illusory body is taken and you enter the unified stage - which thus follows the experience of both types of illusory body. The meaning clear light, or the fourth stage, has two divisions: perfect end and thorough realization. The latter has two aspects: external thorough realization is the realization attained at dawn that has transformed, or gone beyond, the white, red, and black visions. It is "external" because the visions are related to external objects, the light of the full moon, a sunset, and darkness. Internal thorough realization refers to the aspect of that realization that has gone beyond the three internal things - the appearance, radiance, and near attainment. The meaning clear light is attained at dawn because at that time the light of the moon, the red sunrise, and the darkness of night all cease. The person experiencing the meaning clear light has an inner vision like clear space, free from mental fabrications and dualistic appearance. The meaning clear light is only the fourth stage and is only the first ground of the tantric vehicle, nevertheless, it is not attained by a Bodhisattva on the tenth ground of the perfection vehicle because such a Bodhisattva, who is at the end of the continuum of a sentient being, has yet to overcome the subtle dualistic appearance of the white, red, and black visions. To do so, he must enter the tantric path. Thus, the perfection vehicle alone cannot take one to complete enlightenment, but through the perfection vehicle one can attain enlightenment because it leads one to the tantric path. The perfection vehicle explains the attainment of enlightenment, the four kayas, and the major and minor marks, as being a result of following the sutra path. It does not say, "to attain enlightenment a person must enter the tantric path." It is the tantric vehicle which says that the sutra vehicle is not enough. It says that at the end of the tenth ground one has collected wisdom and merit over three countless great aeons, but now one must enter the tantric path. Such a Bodhisattva does not enter at the beginning of the tantric path, he enters at the level of the fourth stage, the meaning clear light. A tantric text which says that the perfection vehicle is not enough says, "In the perfection vehicle one can never attain enlightenment by actions such as offering one's own body or pieces of one's body because there is no method to purify the stains of dualistic appearance of the white, red, and black visions." The same text says: "Although a Bodhisattva may practise the six perfections over three countless great aeons and have perfect concentration, he will be unable to attain enlightenment because he will never be able to purify the stains of the appearance, radiance, and near attainment." This text says that when a Bodhisattva arrives at the tenth ground of the perfection vehicle the Buddhas arouse him from meditative equipoise and say, "Your mere concentration on the exalted wisdom of the perfection vehicle is insufficient to attain enlightenment, you must actualize the meaning clear light."

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Bodhisattvas who arrive at the tenth ground are of two types, one who has another rebirth to take before he achieves enlightenment and one who will achieve enlightenment in that very life. The latter is the one who is woken from meditation by the Buddhas and then enters the tantric path. Arriving at the tenth ground by following the perfection vehicle and then taking the tantric path is similar to the person who follows the Hinayana path, attains Arhatship, and then enters the Mahayana path. A person on the Hinayana paths of accumulation or preparation can change his attitude and enter the Mahayana path, but once he attains the path of seeing he will go on to become a Hinayana Arhat before he takes the Mahayana path. Similarly, while a Bodhisattva is on the paths of accumulation or preparation he can always change from the perfection vehicle to the tantric vehicle, but once he attains the path of seeing he will follow the perfection vehicle until he attains the tenth ground and will then enter the tantric vehicle. He does not abandon the perfection vehicle, he simply adds the tantric path to his practice. A tantric practitioner must first obtain initiation, then practise the generation stage and the completion stage in the sequence we have explained. He cannot miss the generation stage and go straight to the completion stage. An exception is the Bodhisattva who has attained the tenth ground of the perfection vehicle, he enters the tantric path at the level of the meaning clear light and then goes on to attain enlightenment. He does not have to practise the generation stage, the isolated body, speech, and mind, or the illusory body. Also, he is not obliged to take the two initial empowerments, the vase and the secret initiations. The meaning clear light is a blissful mind that directly realizes emptiness and eliminates all obscurations to liberation, both intellectual and innate, at one time. This is possible because of the activities the tantric practitioner performs with the impure illusory body. He sends emanations to many Buddha realms, receives teachings, and makes offerings. Through these vast actions he accumulates wisdom and merit that would take many aeons to accumulate by following the perfection vehicle, and it is through the power of these accumulations that he is able to abandon all nine divisions of the obscurations at one time. Taking the pure illusory body After experiencing the meaning clear light you take the pure illusory body, or vajra body. The first illusory body is "impure" because the obscurations to liberation are still present; the pure illusory body is free from those obscurations. The vajra body arises from the most subtle wind, which is mounted by the mind of meaning clear light, and (in this practice) is in the aspect of white Yamantaka with consort. The vajra body is separate from your old body and has the complete supporting and supported mandala of Yamantaka. At the same moment as you attain the vajra body the meaning clear light ceases, the near-attainment of the reverse order arises, and you become an Arhat. You are a possessor of a pure illusory body and you have entered the unified stage of abandonment - the obscurations to liberation have been abandoned. "Unified" refers to the unification of the pure illusory body with the abandonment of the obscurations. The black vision of near attainment is followed by the red and white visions and you are on the learner's unified stage. The learner's unified stage

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The learner's unified stage has the stage of abandonment - the unification of the illusory body with the abandonment of the obscurations to liberation - and the stage of realization, attained in dependence upon external and internal mudras. Through entering into union with your consort you experience the visions from the mirage to the clear light, and the pure illusory body and the pure mind, which is the meaning clear light, become one entity. Conventionality and the ultimate become one entity and the realization of this single entity is the learner's unified stage of realization, which is a higher level than the learner's unified stage of abandonment. At this stage you can also experience the signs up to the clear light by making the winds enter, abide, and dissolve within the central channel through the internal mudra of vajra recitation. The wind and the mind are together, they are one entity, and when you concentrate within the central channel the winds automatically enter. The learner's unified stage belongs to the period of meditative equipoise. Before entering meditation you must make a plan to move on to the non-learner's unified stage by thinking, "I am going to transfer from my old body aggregate to a separate body in the aspect of Yamantaka." Through the power of this motivation, while you are in meditative equipoise the feeling that you have already taken the aspect of Yamantaka will arise. Then you will experience the black near-attainment of the reverse order and the remaining visions. At the level of the mirage vision the winds and the mind are still subtle and you can manifest many emanations through which you can accumulate merit and benefit others. You have the choice to complete the activities of the learner's unified stage by returning to your old body or to do so by remaining separate and completing them through the pure illusory body. If you return to your old body you will be able to enjoy food and drink, meditate with an action mudra, and so on. According to the state of another person's mind, you will perform whatever activity that is necessary to benefit him. Every action you perform will be a cause for attaining enightenment, even though it may appear to others that you are crazy. When Gyalwa Ensapa was about to attain enlightenment his behaviour earned him the name "Crazy Ensapa." A yogi at this level has "balanced sensation," which means that sometimes he may exhibit great self-cherishing and, at the same time, greatly cherish others; or he may exhibit a lack of concern for others and, at the same time, a lack of concern for himself. Without any shame, he may enter union with his daughter, just as if she were his wife; or he may be ashamed to enter union with his wife, just as if she were his daughter. He may enter union with his mother as if she were a harlot; or he may be ashamed to enter union with a harlot, as if she were his mother. Sometimes he sees clean things as dirty and at other times dirty things as clean. He may cherish a trivial object in the way that he cares for his body; or he may disdain his body as if it were a trivial object. He may treat garbage as if it were gold and gold as if it were garbage. He may drink urine as if it were wine or have disgust for wine as if it were urine. He may eat excrement as if it were food or have disgust for food as if it were excrement. He has equanimity whether criticized or praised. He may regard a mundane god as if he were Vajradhara, or he may regard Vajradhara as if he were a mundane god. He may perform the activities of the day during the night or the activities of the night during the day. He may treat his enemies as his best friends and his best friends as his enemies. He may be equally happy to experience the

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pain of the hell of unceasing torment or the bliss of liberation and enlightenment. He may cultivate unwholesome actions and abandon wholesome actions. Despite these apparently crazy actions, the yogi always maintains concentration on inseparable bliss and void due to the strong familiarity gained in meditative equipoise. Everything that appears to his mind in the post-meditative time is perceived without conceptions grasping at ordinary appearance, and he lives within the state of unified bliss and void. His apparently crazy actions are methods for him to increase his realization and he now begins to abandon the obscurations to omniscience. When there is nothing new for him to learn he is able to abandon the remaining obscurations through the power of the knowledge he has already acquired through concentration. He increases this knowledge by exercising the pure illusory body and the pure mind, the meaning clear light, thus gaining familiarity with the entity that is the unification of the pure body and the pure mind, and by concentrating upon this he is able to eliminate the nine obscurations to omniscience. These obscurations are imprints left by the obscurations to liberation; they have nine divisions from great great to small small, each of which is abandoned by a corresponding division of the concentration on the unity of the pure mind and pure body. The nine divisions of the concentration on the unity of pure body and pure mind are called the nine divisions of the clear light that is the exalted wisdom of bliss and void. The first division is the direct antidote to the great great obscuration to omniscience and the final division, which abandons the small small obscuration, is called the meaning clear light of the learner's unified stage. It does not belong to the non-learner's unified stage. According to the lower tantric college, this last division can abandon all nine obscurations simultaneously, just as the meaning clear light of the fourth stage abandons the innate and the intellectual obscurations to liberation at one time. From the point of view of the path, the learner's unified stage belongs to the tantric path of meditation. According to the lower tantric college, if someone asks, "Isn't the path of meditation divided into nine levels?" The answer is yes, but it is not divided into nine for the purpose of having nine different antidotes to abandon the nine obscurations, it is divided into nine divisions of merit, the power of which is necessary to be able to abandon all nine obscurations simultaneously. On the other hand, the upper tantric college says that the nine divisions are in order to have nine direct antidotes to abandon the nine obscurations to omniscience one after the other. When the meaning clear light is attained for the first time the obscurations to liberation are all simultaneously abandoned and the tantric path of seeing is attained. The next moment, the black vision of near-attainment of the reverse order is experienced, the second ground is reached, the tantric path of meditation begins, and the yogi begins to abandon obscurations to omniscience. Sutra and tantra are the same in that obscurations to liberation are completely abandoned before obscurations to omniscience but, in sutra, only the intellectual obscurations to liberation are abandoned by the path of seeing, the innate obscurations are abandoned by the path of meditation on the first seven grounds, then the obscurations to omniscience are abandoned on the last three. In tantra, the obscurations to omniscience are abandoned from the second ground upwards.

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Question If the first moment of meaning clear light is the uninterrupted path of seeing, wouldn't the next moment, the black vision of near attainment of the reverse order, be the liberated path of the path of seeing? Answer Some texts say that one enters the path of meditation, they do not mention a liberated path of the path of seeing or a post-meditative state of the path of seeing. Is this mind of near-attainment a liberated path or not? Some say that it is necessarily a liberated path of the path of meditation and that it should directly realize emptiness. They follow the sutra explanation which says that a liberated path directly realizes emptiness. This mind of near-attainment is a liberated path of the path of meditation because it is a path attained immediately after abandoning objects to be abandoned by their antidote, but it does not directly realize emptiness because it is a conceptual mind. The white, red, and black visions are all conceptual. The black vision of near-attainment is followed by the remaining visions up to the mirage, and these visions are considered to be the post-meditative state. The yogi now cultivates the exalted wisdom of bliss and void, which directly realizes emptiness, and thus generates the uninterrupted path of the path of meditation of the second ground. In this way he continues on to the end of the learner's unified stage. The liberated paths are the minds of near-attainment, but it is conceptual so we cannot see it in the same light as in the sutra presentation. The small small concentration of the path of meditation abandons the great great obscuration to omniscience and the great great concentration abandons the small small obscuration. Like a waxing moon, the darkness of the obscurations progressively gets smaller as the light of realization increases. After abandoning the first eight obscurations to omniscience, the person on the learner's unified stage sees many signs of achievement; people are spontaneously happy in his presence, and his virtue continually increases. He shakes the earth in six ways. He makes an awesome sound in the realm of demons. Fires as large as the fire at the end of the aeon come like shooting stars from all directions. He hears the sound of ocean waves breaking. He sees lights as bright as the fire at the end of the aeon. He finds himself in the company of gods such as Indra and Brahma, surrounded by beautiful colours and goddesses singing "Ah la la la, la la ho," ("victory" - because he has vanquished all obstacles). He has accumulated all merit and his wisdom and merit are inseparable. Having already created the cause for receiving the Nirmanakaya, he no longer has to accumulate physical merit by making prostrations to an image of Buddha. He is given many titles, such as: "The One Gone Beyond the Other Shore," "The One Attaining Enlightenment Through the Net of Magical Power," "Yogi of Great Activities," and "He Who Abides in the Way of the Two Truths."

The non-learner's unified stage These signs occur to the yogi who has abandoned the first eight obscurations to omniscience and has only to abandon the last, the small small obscuration, before attaining enlightenment, and they indicate that he is about to attain the non-learner's unified stage.

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On the eighth day of the lunar month, (or any auspicious day), the yogi enters meditative equipoise. During the first period of dawn on the full moon day (the fifteenth) he offers tsog to the gurus and Buddhas of the ten directions who surround him. They then give him the third empowerment, the wisdom initiation, and instructions on the nonlearner's unified stage. In the next session, the second period of dawn, he enters into union with an action mudra and meditates single-pointedly upon the emptiness of inherent existence of all phenomena. Through the power of his concentration the winds enter, abide, and dissolve within the central channel, he experiences the clear light, the four types of bliss, and the four vacuities in a deeper way than ever before. In the third session, the third period of dawn, the first moment of clear light abandons the final obscuration to omniscience and in the next moment, while still abiding in the concentration on clear light, he perceives all phenomena, both ultimate and conventional, as clearly as an olive in the palm of his hand. This is the first moment of omniscient consciousness, his continuum transforms from a person on the learner's unified stage to a person on the non-learner's unified stage, and he attains the state of seven kisses. He has become a Buddha with the entity of the three bodies; there are no further goals to attain. Three things occur simultaneously: the first moment of omniscient consciousness, attainment of the Sambhogakaya possessing seven kisses, the ability to manifest an inconceivable number of emanations. Comparison of the tantric path with the perfection vehicle Meditation on the gross and subtle generation stage of tantra is said to be equivalent to meditation on the eighth ground of the perfection vehicle because the Bodhisattva on the eighth ground of the perfection vehicle makes the preparation to attain the pure realm where enlightenment will be achieved, and also the Bodhisattva at the end of the generation stage creates the imprint to attain the realm where enlightenment will be achieved. The isolated body and isolated speech of the tantric vehicle are equivalent to the ninth ground of the perfection vehicle because a Bodhisattva on the ninth ground attains pure speech by which he gives teachings, and a Bodhisattva who has completed the isolated body and isolated speech has control over the source of speech, the wind energy that is the basis for speech. The isolated mind and the illusory body are equivalent to the first part of the tenth ground of the perfection vehicle because, upon attaining the tenth ground, one of the ten powers that a Bodhisattva gains is control over his mind. Similarly, upon attaining the level of isolated mind, a tantric practitioner gains control over the conceptions of ordinary appearance. Also, upon attaining the tenth ground, the Bodhisattva can receive many initiations, such as the "Great Light Rays," from the Buddhas of the ten directions. Similarly, a person who attains the illusory body can visit many Buddha realms and receive teachings. The meaning clear light and the learner's unified stage are equivalent to the second part of the tenth ground of the perfection vehicle because upon attaining the second part of the tenth ground there is a great foundation of merit through which the yogi gains the power he needs to abandon the final obscurations to omniscience, and he does not have to enter

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a new path. The meaning clear light also has the foundation of merit which gives the power to abandon the obscurations to omniscience without having to enter any new path. When we say that these particular levels of the perfection vehicle are equivalent to levels of the tantric vehicle, we are not saying that the sutra grounds are the same as the tantric path, and it cannot be assumed that, for example, the Bodhisattva on the eighth ground of the perfection vehicle has the same knowledge as a Bodhisattva who has attained the generation stage of tantra. The meaning is that the short time spent in attaining the generation stage is equivalent to the long time spent to attain the eighth ground. For example, there are two paths from here to Paris, one takes three hours and the other takes thirty hours. The goal is the same but the paths are different, and the point attained on the short path after one hour is equivalent to the point attained on the longer path after ten hours. Different enumerations of the Bodhisattva grounds Some Indian pandits mentioned ten Bodhisattva grounds, some said thirteen, and others said fourteen. Lama Tsong Khapa followed Pandit Ambaya who said that the Aryabodhisattva path consists of ten grounds with the tenth divided into three: mere, specific, and uninterrupted. The specific path of the tenth ground is called the "Incomparable Path," and the uninterrupted path is called the "Path of Exalted Wisdom." If we count the mere tenth as the tenth ground and these two paths as separate grounds, there are twelve grounds. We can then add the "Vajra Ground," or "Always Shining Ground," which is the Buddha's ground; and a fourteenth ground, the "Ground of Convictional Action," which belongs to the level of the ordinary Bodhisattva on the paths of accumulation and preparation. Thus, up to fourteen Bodhisattva grounds may be asserted, but no matter how many grounds are mentioned, they are all included within the five Bodhisattva paths. The various names of the Buddha's ground all refer to the path of no-more learning, the three parts of the tenth ground are simply the tenth ground of the path of meditation, the second to the ninth grounds also belong to the path of meditation, the first ground belongs to the path of seeing, and the ground of convictional action belongs to the paths of accumulation and preparation. The attainment of enlightenment - why highest yoga tantra is necessary In the tantric vehicle, the presentation of the obscurations to liberation and to omniscience is the same as within the Madhyamika Prasangika system of tenets. The perfection vehicle says that both types of obscuration can be abandoned and the four Buddha bodies can be attained without entering the tantric vehicle. The tantric texts, however, say that the perfection vehicle cannot eliminate the subtle dualistic appearance and a sutra practitioner who has attained the tenth ground must enter the tantric vehicle in order to attain enlightenment. Such a Bodhisattva does not have to enter the beginning of the tantric path, he enters at the level of the meaning clear light because he has already accumulated merit and wisdom over three countless great aeons and it is not necessary for him to take the impure illusory body to accumulate them again. The tantric texts say that the sutra vehicle cannot create the cause to attain the Rupakaya. The perfection vehicle does not mention creating the causes to attain the four

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complete purities, it simply says that on attaining the eighth ground one has facsimiles of the major and minor signs which are perfected at the end of the tenth ground. The tantric vehicle says that when Guru Shakyamuni Buddha was in contemplative equipoise at Nalandzara, the Buddhas of the ten directions aroused him and told him that the concentration alone was not a sufficient cause for attaining enlightenment. During the third part of the night, the goddess Tiglechogma was sent to him to be his action mudra, and through union with her he received the third empowerment, the wisdom initiation. He experienced the various levels of bliss up to the clear light and then arose as the pure illusory body. Some texts say that the wisdom initiation is the actual initiation, others say the actual empowerment only arises after entering, abiding, and dissolving the winds into the central channel at the heart and experiencing the great bliss. After arising as the illusory body, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha received the fourth initiation - the word empowerment instruction on the non-learner's unified stage. At dawn he actualized the non-learner's unified stage and attained enlightenment. The tantric texts point out that Guru Shakyamuni was only demonstrating the way to attain enlightenment as he was already enlightened. His twelve deeds were performed for the benefit of ordinary beings, to show them the path. Practitioners of the three lower classes of tantra must eventually practise the highest yoga tantra before they can attain enlightenment. The highest yoga tantra says that practitioners of the lower classes can experience the four complete purities, which are the cause for attaining the Rupakaya, but they cannot create the substantial cause to attain the Dharmakaya. They do not meditate on the great blissful exalted wisdom focussing upon emptiness which is one of the two bases for unification for attaining the unified stage. Why one must depend upon a consort In highest yoga tantra, one must depend upon an action mudra to produce the four blisses for the first time. Some tantric commentaries say that it is not necessary to depend upon a consort before one attains the example clear light of isolated mind, but we follow the majority of commentaries which say that it is necessary, for both male and female practitioners, to depend upon a consort before attaining the example clear light of isolated mind. The consort assists the proper functioning of the wind energies, the drops, and the channels. The winds are able to be absorbed at the navel, vajra recitation at the heart can be successfully meditated upon, and one can meditate on the vajra positions of the drops, the winds, and the channels. The tantric path is the same for both men and women, there are only slight differences; males visualize the energy drop at the tip of the penis and females visualize the drop above the vaginal entrance.

Summary of the path The final goal is attained when the object, emptiness, and the subject, the blissful exalted wisdom, are mixed as one entity without any stain of dualistic appearance. This is the non-learner's unified stage and it is the moment of attaining Buddhahood. To attain this result you need a substantial cause that is of similar type to the result. This cause is the unification of the pure illusory body and the meaning clear light. Upon attaining the pure

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illusory body, that is free from the obscurations to liberation, the yogi attains the learner's unified stage of abandonment. He then meditates on the unification of emptiness and blissful exalted wisdom, this is called the learner's unified stage of realization. The substantial cause for the pure illusory body is the most subtle wind mounted by the blissful exalted wisdom that directly realizes emptiness; this subtle mind is the cooperative condition for the pure illusory body. These two are causes of a similar type to the pure illusory body. The blissful exalted wisdom directly realizing emptiness, which precedes the pure illusory body, is the meaning clear light. This itself is preceded by the attainment of the impure illusory body. The impure illusory body arises as a result of attaining the example clear light of isolated mind, and this arises after absorbing all of the primary and secondary winds into the central channel. The foundation of the example clear light of isolated mind is the most subtle wind and the most subtle mind - the principal causes for the impure illusory body. The cause of the example clear light of isolated mind is the means by which the knots at the heart chakra are untied. These are untied by meditation on isolated speech, vajra recitation at the heart. Before the knots at the heart can be untied, the knots at the navel must be untied, and to untie those knots one must meditate on locating the winds at the navel, this is the isolated body meditation. Preceding location of the winds at the navel is the generation stage. One who has completed the generation stage puts his entire energy in each of his four daily sessions into meditating on the completion stage. If he has not yet perfected the generation stage, he should meditate on the generation stage in three sessions and then on the completion stage during the fourth session in order to establish imprints for actualizing the completion stage. If he wishes, he may meditate on the completion stage during two sessions instead of one. Before the generation stage, one must perfectly observe the primary and secondary tantric vows after receiving an initiation of highest yoga tantra. Tantric empowerment is necessary because without it one cannot gain siddhis, just as one can't get butter by shaking sand. Tantric empowerment is preceded by abiding in Bodhisattva vows and Pratimoksha vows; and before that one must train on the common path of renunciation, bodhicitta, and correct view. Without the experience of renunciation, one's practice can never become the cause for liberation; without experience of the bodhicitta mind, one's practice will never become meaningful; and without experience of meditation on the correct view one cannot deal with the many aspects of tantric practice that begin with meditation on emptiness. The most important mental attitudes, which you must cultivate during the entire path, are unshakeable faith based upon clear comprehension, no doubts, single-pointed concentration, and perseverence. These are the four causes which quickly give rise to the attainment of siddhis. This root tantra of Yamantaka presents four yogas corresponding to the five paths. Five or six stages may be presented, as in the root tantras of Guhyasamaja and Heruka. Each of the root tantras clearly explains the illusory body, the clear light, and the unified stage. Meditation on the mantras and syllables at the heart in order to untie the knots in the Yamantaka tantra is equivalent to the isolated mind of the Guhyasamaja root tantra. Whether we label it "isolated mind" or not, the same meaning is present and both tantras

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are complete. The Vajrayogini tantra emphasizes the practice of inner fire, which corresponds to the stages of isolated body and isolated speech and helps to untie the knots at the navel and at the heart. Meditation on the inner fire enables one to attain many realizations, and is greatly praised by yogis such as Jetsun Milarepa.

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