In the mandala of the forty-two peaceful deities, all the buddhas of the six realms are represented. In total, there are forty-two peaceful forms. Right now, even without the sadhana, this mandala of deities is present. The mandala of forty-two peaceful deities is present within our own heart; the wrathful forms of these are present inside our skull, within what is called the “bone mansion.” In our throat is the mandala of the pure vidyadharas with consorts. In our navel chakra is Vajra Yogini, and in the secret chakra is Vajra Kilaya—not just as a single deity but surrounded by the mandala of the eaters, slayers, sons, and dancers, seventy-two altogether. This is what is called the “original mandala of the victorious ones, the mandala of the human body.” This is the extraordinary aspect of Vajrayana.
Vajrayana, in short, is characterized as having an abundance of methods with minor hardships and being suited to people of sharper faculties. This is why Vajrayana is extraordinary. When condensing all the extensive and profound principles into the very basics, then all the mandalas of all deities are included within the sole indivisible unity of emptiness and cognizance. Training in that as the main principle is what will allow you to accomplish all buddhas. Our experience is comprised of two basic aspects, mind and objects, or phenomena. Mind, the doer, is Samantabhadra; objects, the deed, are in essence the female buddha, Samantabhadri. These two represent the nonduality of emptiness and experience, which itself is the primary source, the root of all tantric deities.
The fact that everything perceived, all sights, are of divine nature, is called all appearances are the deity; whatever is heard, all sounds have the nature of mantra; and all activity of mind has the nature of awakened state, samadhi. Bringing this to mind, reminding oneself of this, is to acknowledge things to be as they are. That is the main principle of Vajrayana. But this is relating to things in an external way. Internally, we focus on the main training of recognizing the undivided empty cognizance, which is in fact the three kayas of the awakened state. In this way, the special quality of Vajrayana is to not have any separation between inside and outside in the training of development and completion; in the training of deity, mantra, and samadhi; and in the recognition of mind-essence as the three kayas.
When you actually chant it, start with the supplication to the lineage masters, refuge, and bodhichitta all the way down to the mantra, ending with the verse of auspiciousness. Learn how to do the tunes and the traditional application. It is pretty simple.
Vajrayana is also represented as the “four great gates”3. The first is the gate of mudras, the second is the gate of offerings, the third is the gate of recitation, and the fourth is the gate of samadhi. These are extremely important. When looking at a person who knows these four gates and can manifest or apply them, it seems like a lot of childish play. Practitioners move their hands in the air, carry stuff around, sing different tunes, recite verses and mantras, wear hats and costumes, and so forth. All this looks like childish play, and some people find it extremely superficial and beside the point, whereas the “real thing” is to look into mind-essence. Anyone who says this lacks real understanding, because it is incredibly significant. All four gates are important. Never regard them as pointless or insignificant. It is said that if the three yogas are disconnected from the melodious tunes, the tradition of Vajrayana will fade away and vanish.
One may wonder, “What is the use of practicing a sadhana like the Kunzang Tuktig? What is the benefit?” Actually, the words one says aloud are all reminders of the great, naturally existing mandala of deity, mantra, and samadhi. There are no other words than those, and they are all significant. It is an incredibly practical way to embody the intent of the inner tantras as the sadhana application.
APPLICATION
Sambhogakaya Peaceful and Wrathful Deities
Structure of the Kunzang Tuktig Cycle of Teachings
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
THE TEXTS
The Kunzang Tuktig terma, itself, consists primarily of three termas:
The sadhana, which is called Leyjang;
The empowerment texts, including both the general empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful ones and the extraordinary empowerment of ground, path, and fruition; and
The Triyig, the guidance manual by the name of Döntri.
Over the years, Karma Khenpo, one of the chief disciples of Chokgyur Lingpa and an emanation of Khenpo Bodhisattva, the great master Shantarakshita, who was also an excellent poet, wrote an explanation of the guidance manual. Tersey Tulku, my uncle, added an apology and mending appendix, titled the Zurgyen, at the end of the sadhana. Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse also wrote a commentary on the guidance manual, as requested by the Neten Chokling before he passed away in Bir. Finally, there are some writings by Jedrung Rinpoche, a great master from Riwoche Monastery in Kham, a very important Taklung Kagyü Monastery. Jedrung Rinpoche wrote another empowerment text as well as different commentaries. We should understand, however, that the terma itself was revealed in its entirety, unlike some other termas, where a fraction is discovered and left at that. It is complete, in itself; nothing is missing whatsoever. Although it is very concise, it is complete. In the colophon at the end of text, Padmasambhava explains, “This is a complete sadhana condensed from all the tantras. It is simple to apply, concise, and complete. For the benefit of future generations, may it meet with the destined one.” The destined one refers to Chokgyur Lingpa, who later revealed it. The text also mentions that Yeshe Tsogyal should write it down for this purpose and that the Dzogchen teachings will flourish at the end of the Dark Age.
Mandala
Train in Indivisibility
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche4
As I have mentioned numerous times, the way to train in the unity of development and completion is to begin any visualization with the samadhi of suchness, recognizing your own nature and remaining in that. In that very moment, you are actually in the state of the primordially pure essence. The samadhi of illumination then occurs as the natural expression of rigpa. Mind-essence is the unity of being empty and cognizant. The empty aspect is the samadhi of suchness, the primordial purity, the dharmakaya. From this, the spontaneously present phenomena manifest, and this is the second, the samadhi of illumination. The unobstructed cognizant aspect is the samadhi of illumination, the sambhogakaya. Thus, emptiness has a compassionate flavor. The expression of the primordially pure essence, the unconstructed nature, is naturally compassionate. These two—emptiness and compassion—are indivisible. That is the vital point.
To repeat, the empty quality is primordial purity, and the manifest aspect is a spontaneous, compassionate presence. This unity of emptiness and compassion is the basis of all dharma practice, and it is this unity that takes the form of the seed syllable. That is the third samadhi, the samadhi of the seed syllable, which is the nirmanakaya. The unity of being empty and compassionate appears as the seed syllable that is the spiritual life force of the deity you are practicing. For example, if you are practicing Guru Rinpoche, his spiritual life force is HRIH.
Once the seed syllable appears, it sends out E, which is the seed syllable of space, and then YAM for wind, RAM for fire, KAM for water, LAM for earth, SUM for Mt. Sumeru, and finally BHRUM for the celestial palace at the top of Mt. Sumeru. Next, the syllable HRIH descends like a shooting star, lands on the throne within the celestial palace, and transforms into the deity. All this takes place without having to leave behind the state of mind-essence.