Tantric Techniques (92 page)

a
Textual note at 17a4: mistakenly reads
rnal ’byor rjes su rigs pa nyid ni rgyud kyi zhal nas so
instead of
rnal ’byor rjes su rig pa nyid ni nub kyi zhal nas so
. See Bu ston 40.5.

b
See Bu ston 40.5-7.

c
See Bu ston 41.1-2.

d
Textual note at 17a6: mistakenly reads
des
instead of
dang
.

e
P2167, vol. 51, 225.1.4. See also Bu ston 41.2-3.

The First Pa
ṇ
-chen Lama’s Reformulation
383

wood completely. Similarly, in dependence on a causal motivation that is the desire involved in laughing, looking, holding hands or mere embrace, or joining the two organs, a great bliss is generated. The wisdom of inseparable bliss and emptiness, which is the great bliss generated inseparably with a mind realizing emptiness at that same time, consumes the ignorance and afflictive nature of desire and so forth from the root. Therefore, in accordance with the names of the four tantras explained in Highest Yoga Tantra, they are also called tantras of Looking, Laughing, Holding Hands, and Meeting of the Two. The
Ornament of the Vajra Essence Tantra
(
Vajrah
ṛ
day
ā
la
ṃ
k
ā
ra
) says:

This sets forth the tantra division Of the union of
the two.

In the same way, holding hands, Looking, and la
ughing are to be known.

The Meaning of the Names of the Four Sets of Tantras as Understood in the Four Sets of Tantras

The definition of an Action Tantra is either an actual tantra or one

included in that group that, between external activities and internal yoga, mainly sets forth external activities and that was spoken mainly for its intended disciples who are either actual persons, or of that type, taking an interest in using in the path the bliss arising from the mutual gazing of the meditated goddess [and oneself]. The
Detailed Rite of Amoghap
āś
a
(
Amoghap
āś
akalpar
ā
ja
) says, “The Blessed One looks at Bh
ṛ
ku
ṭī
.”

The definition of a Performance Tantra is either an actual tan-tra or one included in that group that [mainly sets forth] performance of external activities and internal deity yoga equally and was spoken mainly for its intended disciples who are actual persons, or of that type, who take an interest in using in the path not only the bliss arising from just the mutual gazing of the meditated goddess [and oneself ] but also smiling at each other. The
Vairocan
ā
bhisa
ṃ
bodhi
says:

On the right, the goddess Buddhalocan
ā
,

A goddess of slightly smiling face And an arm’s span circle of light. Her peerless body is pure white,

384
Tantric Techniques

She is
Śā
kyamuni’s consort.

The definition of a Yoga Tantra is an actual tantra or one included in that group that between external activities and internal deity yoga, sets forth mainly internal deity yoga and was set forth for disciples who are its actual intended disciples, or that type, who mainly take an interest in using in the path not just the bliss arising in dependence on gazing and smiling at the meditated goddess but also that arising from mutual embrace or holding hands. The
Vajra
ś
ekara
says:

The vajra goddess sighs.

Embraced at the waist, one’s goddess Turns her head to the side

And smiling, looks all around.

She holds the hand of the Blessed One.

The definition of a Highest Yoga Tantra is an actual tantra or one included in that group that between the two, external activities and internal deity yoga, mainly sets forth only internal deity yoga, with respect to which tantras having a higher or superior yoga do not exist, and that are set forth for its intended disciples who are actual disciples, or of that type, who take an interest mainly in us-ing in the path the desire for the Desire Realm attributes of the joining of the two organs. The
Guhyasam
ā
ja Root Tantra
(
M
ū
laguhyasam
ā
jatantra
) says:

Meditate on the supreme of the Tath
ā
gata’s Consorts, Locan
ā
and so forth.

Through uniting the two organs

The feat of buddhahood will be attained.

Objection:
It follows that the division into four sets of tantras is not correct because the master Buddhaguhya made a division into three, for he said:

From the division of Yoga, Performance, and Action The sets of tantras are asserted as three.

Answer:
This is incorrect because it is doubtful whether the passage is authentic. Even if it is assumed to be authentic, there is still no contradiction, since Action and Performance could be taken as two and Yoga and Highest Yoga taken as a single Yoga Tantra. Or, in another way, Action and Performance could have been condensed

The First Pa
ṇ
-chen Lama’s Reformulation
385

into one.

Objection:
The sets of tantras are divided into five because the
Wisdom Vajra Compendium
makes a division of five consisting of Realization, Action, Performance, Yoga, and Highest Yoga Tantras.

Answer:
There is no fault. There, Realization Tantra refers to Action Tantras that set forth external activities.

Objection:
The sets of tantras are divided into six because such is described by the master Kampala and also set forth in the
Little Sa
ṃ
vara Tantra
(
Laghusa
ṃ
vara
), which says:

With the divisions of S
ū
tra, Action, Performance, Yoga, Secret, and Limit, Sentient beings engage from interest In accordance with what they like.

Thus, they are divided into six: S
ū
tr
ā
nta Realization, Action, Performance, Yoga, Secret—the father tantras such as
Guhyasam
ā
ja
— and Limit—the mother tantras such as the
Sa
ṃ
vara Root Tantra
(
M
ū
lasa
ṃ
varatantra
).

Answer:
That is not correct. There is no clear explanation of this by the master Kampala, and this is also not the meaning of the passage from the
Sa
ṃ
vara Root Tantra
. The meaning of the
Little Sa
ṃ
vara Tantra
is that there is s
ū
tra from the division [of the Bud-dha’s word] into two—s
ū
tra and tantra—and the four sets of tantras: Action, Performance, Yoga, and Secret Limit—or Secret Highest—and the teacher spoke them respectively for disciples who could be tamed by them.

If this is so, how many of each of the four tantras are there? Their measure can be posited, because the
Wisdom Vajra Compendium
says:

Four thousand Realization Tantras, Four thousand Action Tantras

Eight thousand Performance Tantras Six thousand Both Tantras

Twelve thousand names of Yoga Tantras, Thus, there are thirty-four thousand tantras.

If divided extensively, they are without measure.

Also, concerning Highest Yoga Tantra, the
Sa
ṃ
varodaya Tantra
says: The number of Yoga Tantras

Is definite as sixty million.

386
Tantric Techniques

Likewise, the number of Yogin
ī
Tantras

Is known to be one hundred sixty million.

This is the number of titles, not stanzas, because, whereas it is said that there are four thousand Action Tantras, there are eight thousand stanzas in the
Amoghap
āś
a Tantra
alone.

List of Abbreviations

“
Condensed
version” refers to Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup,
Condensed Presentation of the General Tantra Sets: Key Opening the Door to the Precious Treasury of Tantra Sets
(
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par gzhag pa rgyud sde rin po che’i gter sgo ’byed pa’i lde mig
), Collected Works, vol. 14 (New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1969).

“Dharma” refers to the
sde dge
edition of the Tibetan canon published by Dharma Press: the
Nyingma Edition of the sDe-dge bKa’- ’gyur and bsTan-’gyur
(Oakland, Calif.: Dharma Press, 1980).

“
Extensive
version” refers to Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup,
Extensive Presentation of the General Tantra Sets: Ornament Beautifying the Precious Tantra Sets
(
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par gzhag pa: rgyud sde rin po che’i mdzes rgyan
), Collected Works, vol. 15 (New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1969).

“Golden Reprint” refers to the
gser bris bstan ’gyur
(Sichuan, China: krung go’i mtho rim nang bstan slob gling gi bod brgyud nang bstan zhib ’jug khang, 1989).

“Karmapa
sde dge
” refers to the
sde dge mtshal par bka’ ’gyur: A Fac-simile Edition of the 18th Century Redaction of Si tu chos kyi ’byung gnas Prepared under the Direction of H.H. the 16th rgyal dbang karma pa
(Delhi: Delhi Karmapae Chodhey Gyalwae Sungrab Partun Khang, 1977).

“
Medium-Length
version” refers to Bu-tön Rin-chen-drup,
Medium-Length Presentation of the General Tantra Sets: Illuminating the Secrets of All Tantra Sets
(
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par gzhag pa rgyud sde thams cad kyi gsang ba gsal bar byed pa
), Collected Works, vol. 15 (New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1969).