Essence of Vajrayana. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ explanation

      2 The explanation of the practice

      3 Dedication

      THE PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION

      This has five parts:

      1 The pre-eminent qualities of Heruka

      2 The origin of these instructions

      3 The benefits of practising these instructions

      4 Examples of previous practitioners who accomplished attainments through these instructions

      5 The qualifications of a sincere Heruka practitioner

      THE PRE-EMINENT QUALITIES OF HERUKA

      The Sanskrit term ‘Heruka’ is composed of the three syllables, ‘He’, ‘ru’ and ‘ka’. ‘He’ teaches the emptiness of phenomena in general, and ‘ru’ the emptiness of persons in particular; together they reveal the emptiness of all phenomena. ‘Ka’ refers to the union of Heruka’s mind of great bliss and the emptiness of all phenomena. This union is Heruka’s Truth Body. An I, or self, imputed on this Truth Body is definitive Heruka, the real nature of Buddha Heruka. This can only be seen by Buddhas.

      Another term for Heruka is ‘Chakrasambara’. ‘Chakra’ means ‘wheel’, and in this context refers to the ‘wheel’ of all phenomena. ‘Sambara’ means the supreme bliss, which is called ‘spontaneous great bliss’. Together ‘Chakra’ and ‘sambara’ reveal that by practising Heruka Tantra we gain a profound realization that experiences all phenomena as one nature with our mind of great bliss. This realization directly removes subtle dualistic appearances from our mind, and due to this we quickly become definitive Heruka.

      To lead fortunate disciples to the state of Buddha Heruka within one life, Buddha Vajradhara manifested his compassion in the form of interpretative Heruka, who has a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve arms, and embraces his consort, Vajravarahi. Attaining the state of Buddha Heruka depends upon abandoning the twelve dependent-related links of samsara by gaining the realizations of the four doors of liberation; and in particular it depends upon realizing the union of great bliss and emptiness. These are symbolized respectively by Heruka’s twelve arms, his four faces and his embracing Vajravarahi.

      It is possible that those who do not understand the deep meaning of Buddha’s Vajrayana teachings may feel uncomfortable with Heruka’s wrathful aspect. Such practitioners need to understand that all phenomena are equal in lacking inherent existence. In ultimate truth, emptiness, there are no wrathful or peaceful aspects because all phenomena are of one nature. Therefore, those who possess deep knowledge of ultimate truth have no basis for developing unpleasant feelings upon perceiving unattractive objects because they realize that ultimately there are no truly existent unattractive or attractive objects.

      For example, although Heruka’s long necklace of human heads may seem to be real, in fact it is a manifestation of Heruka’s omniscient wisdom. All the various features of Heruka’s body are merely manifestations of his omniscient wisdom and do not exist outside of his mind. However, for faithful practitioners, visualizing the wrathful aspect of Heruka is a powerful method for swiftly receiving his blessings and protection. It is for this reason, as well as to display in a visible manner how to progress along the entire path of Sutra and Tantra, that Buddha Vajradhara emanated the wrathful Deity Heruka.

      Buddha Vajradhara, Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Heruka are the same person, differing only in aspect. When Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma of Sutra he appeared in the form of an ordained person, when he turned the Wheel of Dharma of Tantra in general he appeared in the form of Vajradhara, and when he turned the Wheel of Dharma of Heruka Tantra in particular he appeared in the form of Heruka.

      Heruka is Buddha’s mind of compassion manifested as form. Only Buddhas have the ability to display their minds as form. We sentient beings are unable to do this because our mind and body are different natures, but a Buddha’s mind and body are the same nature and so wherever their mind goes their body goes too. We always perceive a gap between our mind and its object. This is a mistaken perception, or mistaken appearance. Having completely abandoned this mistaken perception, Buddhas have the ability to display their mind as form, such as the forms of living beings and inanimate objects. For this reason it is said that Buddhas’ emanations pervade the whole universe.

      Buddha’s mind of omniscient wisdom has thirty-seven parts, known as his ‘thirty-seven realizations conducive to enlightenment’. These thirty-seven realizations appear in the form of the thirty-seven Deities of Heruka’s mandala. We normally say that there are sixty-two Deities in Heruka’s mandala, but if we count each union of Father and Mother as one Deity there are thirty-seven Deities. The thirty-seven realizations conducive to enlightenment of Bodhisattvas are causal paths and the thirty-seven realizations of Buddhas are resultant paths. A general explanation of these thirty-seven realizations can be found in the book Ocean of Nectar.

      THE ORIGIN OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS

      These instructions were originally taught by Buddha at the request of Vajrapani and Vajravarahi. Buddha taught three root and five explanatory Tantras of Heruka. The three root Tantras are: the Extensive Root Tantra, which has three hundred thousand stanzas; the Middling Root Tantra, which has one hundred thousand stanzas; and the Condensed Root Tantra, which has fifty-one chapters. Of these, only the last was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan. The five explanatory Tantras, which are commentaries to the Condensed Root Tantra, are: Vajradaka Tantra, Abhicharya Tantra, Mukha Tantra, Sarwacharya Tantra and Little Sambara Tantra.

      Later, great Indian Buddhist Masters such as Luyipa, Ghantapa and Krishnapada wrote commentaries to these root and explanatory Tantras, as did many subsequent Tibetan Masters. In particular, Je Tsongkhapa wrote a very blessed and renowned commentary to the root Tantra of Heruka, entitled Clear Illumination of All Hidden Meanings, and a commentary to the Heruka sadhana, entitled Dö jo, which means ‘Wishfulfilling’. Later, other Lamas including Je Phabongkhapa also wrote special commentaries, based on the previous Indian and Tibetan commentaries. This commentary, Essence of Vajrayana, written especially for contemporary practitioners, is based on the instructions of Je Tsongkhapa and my kind root Guru, Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche.

      Traditionally there are three systems for practising the instructions of Heruka Tantra: the system according to Luyipa, the system according to Krishnapada, and the system according to Ghantapa. Ghantapa’s system has two instructions: the instruction on the outer mandala of the five Deities of Heruka, and the instruction on the inner mandala of the sixty-two Deities of Heruka body mandala. This commentary, Essence of Vajrayana, is based on the latter. The lineage of these instructions is completely unbroken.

      THE BENEFITS OF PRACTISING THESE INSTRUCTIONS

      The Condensed Root Tantra praises the special qualities of Heruka practitioners. It says that all the Heroes and Heroines residing in the twenty-four places such as Puliramalaya and Dzalandhara enter into the bodies of sincere practitioners, blessing their channels, drops and winds, and causing them to gain realizations of spontaneous great bliss, the actual quick path to enlightenment. Because these Heroes and Heroines are emanations of Heruka and Vajravarahi, their bodies are the same nature as their minds and can go wherever their minds go, unobstructed by physical objects. Thus, countless Heroes and Heroines can actually enter into the body of sincere practitioners and bless their channels, drops and winds. Indeed, Heruka himself always remains at the heart of sincere practitioners, bestowing upon them great powers of body, speech and mind.

      In the Condensed Root Tantra it is said that just by seeing a sincere Heruka practitioner we purify our negativities and attain liberation; just by hearing or being touched by such a practitioner we receive blessings and СКАЧАТЬ