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Return to Buddhism, Vajrakilaya, Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche Table of Contents, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche

“ (VkGarR)

CHAPTER 7

Bringing Down Blessings Instructions

Although profound, the supplemental ritual of bringing down blessings is simple to understand. Since we have not yet recognized ourselves as inseparable from the Deity, we lack confidence that the Deities are one with us. One of the compassionate methods of Secret Mantra is the construction of a physical mandala, wherein the Deity and his or her retinue can come and reside for a time. For this reason, the great accomplishment retreat requires an elaborately constructed mandala with vast outer offerings. For beginners, this mandala is a support for meditation. Without such a support, it would be difficult to know or to relate to the Saṁbhogakāya Deities.

By hosting the Deities, practitioners develop a connection with them. Even though we cannot see them, they are actually present within the mandala. At this stage, we are like blind children, unable to see the face of our own mother. However, through the skillful means of this imagined support of all-encompassing purity, our doubts will gradually be dispelled, and we will come to know with confidence the sameness of ourselves and the Deities.

The mandala is the Deity's palace. It is like a grand hotel for the yidam and retinue. When one invites into the material mandala the divine wisdom Deities who naturally abide in the expanse of space, it is good to imagine that they actually appear. In this way, the Deities consecrate the mandala, making it a holy site worthy of circumambulation and offerings. Thus, the material, constructed mandala becomes a support for developing pure perception and gathering the merit accumulation. It brings about results commensurate with the cause. What this means is that by erecting the mandala and Making Offerings to it, one is creating the causes to be reborn in the pure realm that is the actual, ultimate mandala.

The Material Mandala

The way of constructing the mandala is described in detail in the scriptures. The various Practice Manuals disagree about the number of Deities in the assembly of Vajrakīla. Some say there are s[[eventy]]-two; others say there are s[[eventy]]-eight. Still others give different enumerations. For the most part, these discrepancies are due to the way the number of Kīla guards is tallied. For our purposes, the material mandala includes s[[eventy]]-two material kīlas having certain attributes that represent each of the mandala Deities. Once these have been properly consecrated, they are placed inside the assembled mandala, arranged in their correct constellation. This represents the mandala of the Commitment Being. Then, through mudrā, recitation, and visualization, one invites the mandala of wisdom Deities, which is continuously present in the expanse of space. It then merges with the mandala of the Commitment Being, becoming inseparable in essence and like a mirrored reflection in aspect. On the basis of this fully consecrated mandala, the sādhakas practice to accomplish the Four Activities as well as the common and supreme siddhis.

Such reflected mandalas can be simple or elaborate. It is said that the mandala for the approach is an eight-spoked iron wheel of destructive activities. The mandala for Vajrakīla accomplishment is named the ”Twenty-One Crosses of É“ (É tram nyer chig).* As for the word ”crosses,“ X marks or cross-hatched markings are associated with kill lists in tantric black magic rites. In this case, the term ”crosses“ signifies the twenty-one spokes of the Vajrakīla accomplishment mandala. These spokes are shaped like long isosceles triangles. In each one stands a single kīla. More elaborate mandalas can have s[[eventy]]-two spokes with the same number of kīlas.

When the kīlas are properly laid out for the great accomplishment retreat, the mandala becomes a slaying wheel that accomplishes destructive liberating activities. Even though these details are not particularly relevant to the ways we practice at present, I mention them to give a glimpse of the vastness of the practice. When one understands the meditation methods of great sādhakas of highest faculties, it can become an inspiration for one's own practice.

Obviously, a complete mandala requires many different implements, causes, and conditions, which are difficult to assemble. Even when a mandala is not quite complete, every torma, vase, Deity image, and so forth becomes a seat for divine beings — a place where the Deities can abide. In addition, each article of the mandala is endowed with meaning. The longevity arrows in each of the four corners, for example, represent the gathering of long life and merit.

Along each of the four sides of the mandala, there is a torma. In the eastern direction is a peaceful white torma, symbolizing the pacification of illness, evil spirits, and the like. In the south is an enriching yellow torma, which symbolizes the increase of wealth, life span, merit, and so forth. In the west, there is a magnetizing red torma, which brings all sentient beings of the Three Realms under one's control. In the north, there is a destructive dark green torma, which repels obstacles, hindrances, and those who would harm the Dharma or its practice. In this way, the mandala itself performs the Four Activities.

As for the main torma, one should understand it to be a representation of the Immeasurable Palace — from the four elements under the four-sided base up through the mansion with cakras of the ten wrathful couples and the four princes. These cakras surround the lotus seat with moon and sun, where the principal Deity and consort abide.

Visualization and Meditation

Since this material mandala is the Deities' dwelling place, according to my thinking, it is best to practice imagining that the door of the mandala is always open. Otherwise, one reinforces dualistic habit as one does the practice day by day with the notion that the door of the mandala is closed. Since the gathering-in mentions “all-pervading mercy's hosts divine,” there is no such thing as a door that separates inside from outside. As space is beyond coming and going, how can the door be closed? In actuality, the only thing that can close the door is one's own heedlessness and dualistic grasping. In this regard, the extremely precious dedication says, “May the fruit — nondual essence — be gained!” If one aspires to accomplish the essence that is Buddhahood, transcending samsaric duality, then every aspect of one's practice should reflect that aspiration.

In some traditions, the sādhakas rise when performing the ritual of bringing down blessings. Since practitioners must cultivate respect and devotion in any case, perhaps it is better to remain seated. Then, whether standing or seated, at the start they beckon the divine wisdom Deities with various desirables that please their minds. Incense compounded from substances of their liking, chant, music, mudrā, and dance — all these are the outer expressions of practitioners' inner devotion, love, and longing for the Deity. Just as a mother comes when her child cries out, the Saṁbhogakāya Deities' enduring compassion and affection are roused by the sādhakas' mind of yearning. Thus, they are drawn from the expanse of space to the mandala site. This interaction between the sādhakas' devotion and the Deities' compassion is the samaya. The moment a practitioner calls upon the wisdom Deities, they are present due to their loving commitment. This is reflected in the words of the text:

Having [[dense]]ly massed like [[cloud]]s in the [[sky]] through the [[power]] of their [[heart]]-[[samaya]]s of old, all [[guru]]s, [[knowledge]] holders, [[Deities]], skyfarers, and oath-[[bound]] ones, send down [[great]] [[blessings]] on yogins and the [[mandala]] site and [[think]] of us with [[great]] [[affection]].

The [[Vajrakīla]] [[Torma]]

Once the wisdom Deities have gathered, the practitioners may invoke Guru Rinpoche — who is their very source — with the Seven-Line Supplication. In order to even out the number of lines, an extra line is added at the beginning of the prayer. Then, the supplication is chanted to accompany a dance with four or eight dancers. Although the dance is traditionally a feature of the great accomplishment retreat, since it is endowed with blessing, I introduced it to the secret accomplishment for sādhakas' benefit.

In this regard, in a great accomplishment four senior lamas are assigned the roles of regents, which are similar to the role of the vajra master. Each regent holds a vase containing the accomplishment substance of one of the Four Activities and each has an awareness-consort who holds a skull cup. Further, each one is responsible for certain duties during the retreat. Although such roles are not their day-to-day activities, they are necessary for the purposes of the great accomplishment.

It is these four who perform the dance. Depending on the size of the mandala, their consorts may accompany them. With their steps, they circumambulate while waving silk streamers and ringing bells to draw the Saṁbhogakāya Deities' blessings into the mandala. According to this tradition, the dance can be done each evening of the great accomplishment.

Since there is no need for people to play the roles of regents in the secret accomplishment retreat, sādhakas may serve as dancers according to their interests and abilities.

To whatever degree one can perceive the mandala and its inhabitants purely, one will become correspondingly receptive to their great blessings. It is not as though blessings just randomly fall down on sādhakas. Rather, they are actively invoked and brought down through the force of faith, love, and the bond of samaya, which are enhanced by recitation of the words of the text. The first verse begins as follows:

HŪ. Vajra Youth's mandalas, barring none,

and you, Deity who's accomplished

existence-Vajrakīla in the

mandala whose limits equal space,

through compassion great, you act without

obscuration or isolation.

With these words, the sādhakas are invoking the Saṁbhogakāya wisdom Deities who abide in the limitless expanse of the all-pervasive dharmakāya. The accomplishment of ”existence-Vajrakīla“ is the realization that the entirety of samsara — the container and contents — is nothing other than the Deity abiding at the center of the immeasurable mandala. When Bodhicitta has melted the ice of dualistic grasping, the whole of samsara is realized to be the Deity Vajrakīla, the Buddha nature. In this way, the three seats of the aggregates, elements, and sense fields mentioned in the Lineage supplication are naturally pure for all sentient ones. It is only through circumstantial self-grasping that they have become tainted. Anyone who seals these three with Bodhicitta will become a Buddha. Thus, the primary cause of accomplishing the pure appearing form of the Deity is the cultivation of Bodhicitta. Since the yidam has realized the nonduality of samsara and Nirvana, he has accomplished existence-Vajrakīla. This is the all-pervasive Deity to be realized by the sādhaka.

The words ”mandala whose limits equal space“ give a sense of the unfathomable scope of the spontaneously present mandala of the facing generation. Wherever there is space, the dharmakāya pervades. Wherever there is the dharmakāya, the five Buddhas' attributes pervade. The dharmakāya of the Buddhas has the very nature of the five wisdoms. Therein dwell the principal and retinues whose bodies are unimaginably vast, filling the sky. Why are the wisdom Deities imagined on such a grand scale? One will recall that in the offering section, the Practice Manual refers to ”dullness like a flesh mountain brought down; lust, a wave-tossed, blood-filled ocean; and hatred, a bone heap.“ The afflictions of all sentient ones of the Three Realms are exceedingly vast. Since the wrathful wisdom Deities revel in consuming the flesh, blood, and bones of beings' afflictions, they must be ever-present and similarly vast in scope. The actual meaning of their enjoyment of the offerings is that all afflictions are destroyed by wisdom.

“Without obscuration” means that due to his vast compassion, the Deity is free of the fault of laziness in his activities benefiting beings. Since that compassion is also completely free of dualistic grasping at notions about what will benefit beings, the Deity is impartial and without discrimination in his actions. His compassion is directed toward all sentient ones without exception. This immeasurable equanimity free of bias is the meaning of being “without isolation.”

The sādhakas continue to supplicate with the following lines:

You with timely vajra samaya,

on this unsurpassed, great mandala

of accomplishment, send down great waves

of compassionate activities and

blessings on this secret mandala!

Please send down the great resplendence of

body, speech, and mind and grant us the

five wisdoms' supreme Empowerment!

OṀ SARVA TATHĀGATA BHAGAVAN, SAMAYA HOḤ. SAMAYAS TVAṀ.

Here, it is worth noting that there is an alternate reading of one line of this section. I have chosen the words “You with timely vajra samaya,”[1] since that is how I remember the old terma text. An alternate reading, which appears in Tenzin Chökyi Gyaltsen's rearrangement of the Ratna Lingpa Vajrakīla termas for practice in the Drigung lineage, is “You with timely compassionate samaya.”[2]

Then, having invoked the samaya of all the Tathāgatas with mantra and music, the sādhakas recite,

HŪ. Now, the time to grant Empowerment's come,

sending great resplendence down from the

secret sphere itself — Vajrakīla.

Here, the yidam is referred to as “the secret sphere itself.” From within the space that is emptiness, there arises secret primordial awareness. Emptiness-wisdom is just that. It is Vajradhara. This is the same meaning as the dawning of the secret sun of primordial awareness mentioned in Taking Up Accomplishments. It is resolving the point of the mind's actual condition through practice. It is the certainty and complete freedom from doubt about the view that come from direct experience. Finally, the text concludes:

Vajra Lord, bhagavan, with past pledge,

the vajra Empowerment samaya

you bestow is unsurpassable.

Deity whose sole declared oath is

ne'er to stray from being a Refuge, please

bless us with the great resplendent waves

of the conquerors — all excluding none!

GURU DEVA ḌĀKIṆĪ KĪLI KĪLAYA, SAMAYA HŪ. SAMAYA JAḤ.

In order to understand these words, first one must know that all the stages of approach and accomplishment are for the purpose of reinforcing the connection between the Deities and sentient ones. That connection is rooted in the three strengths — the basis underlying all Deity Yoga practices.

Sādhakas who have trust in the Deity's qualities are endowed with the first of these, the strength of one's intention, which depends on faith. Since the Deities have from the beginning given rise to the mind set on supreme Enlightenment for the sake of sentient ones, their samaya and commitment are to maintain the second of the three strengths — the strength of the Tathāgatas' great love and compassion. Whenever practitioners invite the wisdom Deities, we are asking them to come by invoking the strength of their compassionate commitment.

Finally, since all Deities and all human beings share the singular basis of mind, the fundamental connection that is Buddha nature is inherent. This is the strength of the sphere of dharmas. At the very basis, samsara, Nirvana, and all the beings therein are devoid of inherent existence. When one has purified some karmic imprints through meditating on the Deity, one realizes that the self has been fabricated merely through grasping at that which is selfless. When one's own lack of inherent existence has been understood, it becomes as simple to change into the Deity's form as to change clothes. Thus, the strength of the dharmasphere — the great mind connection between Deities and humans — is the very nature of emptiness.

As the sādhakas invoke the Deity's ”vajra Empowerment samaya,“ reminding him that his “sole declared oath is ne'er to stray from being a Refuge,” we call upon the strength of the dharmasphere, the singular basis of Buddhas and sentient ones. We call forth the innate connection between the mind of the wisdom Deities and the minds of all beings.

That which we request is to be blessed “with the great resplendent waves of the conquerors — all excluding none!” When one actually engages the practice of meditation, sometimes there will naturally arise moments of definite certainty, in which one knows without doubt, “This is it.” Such certainty about the view comes from within; it is not based on anything anyone else has said. This is the nature of direct, personal experience. On the basis of the three strengths — one's faith, the Tathāgatas' compassion, and the sphere of dharmas — such certainty can definitely be accomplished.

Finally, circumambulating the mandala while waving silken streamers of five colors, the ritual master — sometimes accompanied by the vajra master and dancers — draws down the blessings and potency of the five families.

Skip Notes

• In some of the earliest Indian scripts that predate Devanāgarī, the letter É had the shape of a downward-pointing triangle. Even the modern form of the letter (ए) still bears a resemblance.

” (VkGarR)

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• Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche