The Tibetan Book Of The Dead Part 35

Part One

1 Tib. Srid-pa bar-do'i ngo-sprod dge-sdig rang-gzugs ston-pa'i gdams-pa srid-pa bar-do rang-grol. On the variant forms of the t.i.tle, see Appendix One.

2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

3 Tib. Padma zhi-khro'i bar-do thos-grol. On the cycles of gter-ma discovered by Karma Lingpa, and the various texts concerning empowerment (dbang-bskur ) and introduction (ngo-sprod) contained within them, see above, 'A Brief Literary History', pp. x.x.xvi- xlviii, and Appendix One.

4 Here, the intermediate state of reality (chos-nyid bar-do) is described as such because the luminosities and the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities are directly seen, offering the potential for immediate liberation.

5 Although the introduction to the intermediate state of rebirth (srid-pa'i bar-do) has already been given (see Ch. 11, pp. 273-303), the drama presented here functions as a light-hearted didactic supplement to the previous introduction, and is directed specifically at the living rather than the deceased.

6 The acolytes of Yama include the Ox-headed Raka Demon (Raka glang-mgo).

7 Tib. 'Byung-po spre'u mgo.

8 The bre is the standard Tibetan unit of dry measure, twenty of which equal one khal. The srang is the standard unit of weight measurement.

9 Tib. Dur phag-mgo.

10 Tib. sDug-pa sbrul-mgo.

11 Tib. gTum-po dom-mgo.

12 Tib. srNgam-pa seng-mgo.

13 Tib. 'Dab-chags khyung-mgo.

14 Tib. lhan-cig skyes-pa'i lha. See also Ch. 11, p. 279.

15 Tib. lhan-gcig skyes-pa'i 'dre. See also Ch. 11, p. 279.

16 Tib. dPal-skyes.

17 Tib. dMyal-ba 'b.u.m.

18 On the outcaste (cala; Tib. rigs-ngan gdol-pa) community, traditionally excluded from Indian society for occupational reasons, see A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India, pp. 145-7.

19 The four cla.s.ses of ancient Indian society comprise: the priestly cla.s.s (brhmaavara ); the princely cla.s.s (katriyavara); the mercantile cla.s.s (vaiyavara ); and the labouring cla.s.s (dravara). See A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India, pp. 138-4 5.

20 On the currency of such materialistic and nihilistic philosophical views in ancient India, see Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 66-7; and see A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India, pp. 298-300.

21 Tmralipti (zangs-gling) is identified with modern Tamluk on the Bengal coast. See NSTB, p. 455.

22 Tib. shan-pa khri-dpon; also translatable as 'myriarch of butchers'.

23 Tib. shan-mo dpal-skyid.

24 The year of the water pig is the last in the cycle of sixty years, according to the calendrical system of elemental divination ('byung-rtsis), for which reason it will create a 'fin de siecle' notion in the minds of the audience.

25 Kmarpa in a.s.sam is revered as one of the twenty-four sacred abodes of tantric Buddhist India. See NSTB, pp. 472 and 501.

26 Tib. rje-rigs; Skt. vaiya. See above, note 19.

27 Tib. rDo-rje gcod-pa (Vajracchedik, T 16). This stra is one of the best known of the shorter Prajnpramit texts. Its Chinese version is said to be the world's oldest extant printed book.

28 See Ch. 12, pp. 308-9.

29 See Ch. 11, pp. 285-300.

30 See Ch. 10.

31 See glossary under Six-syllable Mantra.

32 Tib. dGe-sdig rang-gzugs ston-pa'i gdams-pa ['am me-long] srid-pa [bar-do] rang-grol.

33 Skt. ubha bhavantu.

Part Two

1 Tib. Srid-pa'i bar-do'i ngo-sprod dge-sdig rang-gzugs ston-pa'i lhan-thabs dbyangs-snyan lha'i ga.

2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

3 See pp. 326-8.

4 The maala of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities would be constructed in two or three dimensions for the performance of this drama and the concomitant empowerment ceremonies.

5 See p. 333.

6 On the significance of the 'maala of spiralling rainbow lights' (Tib. 'ja'-'od 'khyil-ba'i dkyil-'khor) for pract.i.tioners of the All-surpa.s.sing Realisation (thod-rgal) meditations of Atiyoga, see Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 337- 43.

7 i.e. Namka Chokyi Gyelpo, the spiritual teacher of Gyarawa Namka Chokyi Gyatso, who composed this supplement.

8 See Ch. 5, pp. 67ff.

9 Tib. zang-thal. This expression indicates success in consciousness-transference or the direct realisation of inner radiance at death. See above, Ch. 10.

14 Liberation by Wearing

1 Tib. bTags-grol phung-po rang-grol-gyi don-bsdus.

2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

3 O A HU are the essential mantras which liberate mundane body, speech, and mind in primordial purity.

4 This is the naturally resonant mantra of the Buddha Samantabhadra, written in the ki script of Oiyna, in the form of a vajra-song. The ki script appears to be only remotely related to Sanskrit. The following interpretation of these syllables derives from the Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon (Nyi-zla kha-sbyor-gyi rgyud, sDe-dge NGB, Vol. 4, p. 119a). For variant readings of the mantras, see also Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, pp. 132-6; and for its intonation, ibid., pp. 90-1. Following the tantra, the syllables are interpreted by Namkhai Norbu as follows: From the very beginning (EMA), intrinsic awareness has never been born, nor will it ever be born (KIRI KIRI). Self-arisen, it has never been interrupted MATA), nor will it ever be interrupted (BHALIBHALI). Since it is total vision, it has never been clarified, nor will it ever be clarified (SAMITASURUSURU). Being omnipresent, it has never been constructed, nor will it ever be constructed (KUNDHALIMASUMASU). Being unique it is perfectly realised in s.p.a.ce through the methods of the four signs (EKARILISUBHASTAYE). It is natural liberation into the great expanse and it is supreme bliss (CAKIRABHULITA). Since it is the great expanse, it is habituated to supreme delight (CAYESAMUNTA CARYASUGHAYE). Relaxing the tension of this portion, which is relative existence, intrinsic awareness generates everything (BHITISANABHYAGHULIYE). And thus one transfers directly into the great inner radiance (SAKARIDHUKANI). Brilliant and wondrous, this light radiates (MATARIBHETANA), totally transcending everything, and it eliminates all errors (PARALIHISANA). In a state of being just as it is, it is free from all conceptions (MAKHARTEKELANA). Being perfect, it is like the light of the moon (SAMBHURATA MAIKACARATAMBA). Like the sunlight, it is luminous (SURYAGHATARAYE BASHANA). It is like a jewel, a mountain, a many-petalled lotus (RANABHITI SAGHUTIPAYA). It is the great resonance which has never been sounded, and never will be sounded (GHURAGHURAPAGAKHARa.n.a.lAM). It is the primordial state which has never been created and never will be created (NARANARAYI THARAPALA). It is the great enlightened mind which was never adorned and never will be adorned (SIRNASIRNABHESARASPALA). Self-originated and perfect, it will never become enlightened (BUDDHABUDDHA CHISASAGHELA). Ten concluding syllables are focal points of bodily energy (SASA II MAMA), while the other concluding syllables are a.s.sociated with the buddha-bodies (RARA LAHA A).

5 This mantra in the form of a vajra-song is included in the Tantra of the Coalescence of Sun and Moon (Nyi-zla kha-sbyor-gyi rgyud, sDe-dge NGB, Vol. 4, pp. 119a-b). As before, it is written in the ki script of Oiyna. The main verses are preceded by O A HU and concluded by the ten syllables of bodily energy (SASA II MAMA), and those indicative of buddha-body (RARA). See Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, pp. 132-6.

6 These twenty-five mantras which follow are again rendered in the ki language of Oiyna, as distinct from Sanskrit.

7 Tib. phyir mi-ldog-pa'i sa.

8 Tib. nyams-gong 'phel-ba'i snang-ba.

9 Tib. rig-pa'i tshad-pheb-kyi snang-ba.

10 Tib. ngo-bo rang-bzhin thugs-rjer grol.

11 Tib. btags-cing dbugs-la sleb-pa'i tshad grol.

12 The Delhi reprint (p. 225) comments that each of these preceding mantras encapsulates the natural sound of reality (chos-nyid rang-sgra) and is capable of conferring liberation. As such, these mantras are contrasted with the vidymantra and dhramantra. See Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices , pp. 128ff.

13 From this point onwards, the mantras are rendered in Sanskrit. On the 'hundred enlightened families of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities' (zhi-khro rigs-brgya), see Appendix Two.

14 As in all the verses that follow, these events occur when the mantra circle is worn at the time of death.

15 The subtle wheel of vibrant mantra letters, vowels and consonants, from which the seed-syllables of the various deities are formed. See GGFTC, Ch. 4, pp. 544-74.

16 The text (p. 265, l. 3-4) reads 'blue' at this juncture.

17 The Varanasi reprint gives the alternative mantra for Manjur: VAGISVARI MU SRI SVAHA.

18 The abridged version of this text suggests that subtle relics rather than rainbow lights will appear at this juncture, in conformity with the opening verse of this section.

19 For Nart, the alternative form 'Naivedy' (Tib. Zhal-zos-ma) is also found.

20 Here substantialism (mtshan-'dzin) refers to the grasping at characteristics, having failed to understand that they lack inherent existence.

21 This verse is omitted in our text, but found in the abridged version.

22 For a more detailed explanation of the above mantras of the Forty-two Peaceful Deities, see Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 690-96.

23 The text does not add significant detail to the description of the mantras of the Twenty-eight Ivar. The actual mantras for this series are reproduced according to rDor-rje me-long, Peking Kangyur, Vol. 10, p. 20; but with the Sanskrit corrected in accordance with GGFTC, pp. 1124-8.

24 This verse is omitted in our text, but found in the abridged version. For a more detailed explanation of the above mantras of the sixty wrathful deities, including a number of variants, see Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 1144- 56.

25 On the nature of these six syllables, which are a.s.sociated with the six realms of existence according to the tradition of the Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig ), see Namkhai Norbu, The Dzogchen Ritual Practices, p. 123.

26 On the Hundred-syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva, see glossary. On the breaches of the commitments, which it rectifies, see above, Ch. 7; and on the negativity and obscurations, which it purifies, see Ch. 1 and Ch. 6.

27 On this mantra, generally known as the Heart-mantra of Dependent Origination, see glossary.

28 Tib. mgo-'jug ma-log. Here this refers to the importance of folding the paper so that the heads and tails of the various letters are not inverted or wrongly positioned.

29 The booklet is then inserted within a golden casket, also known as legs-'bam, that may be tied in a top-knot on the yogin's head or worn around the neck.

Bibliography For abbreviations used occasionally here, see pp. 403-4.

Section One: Canonical Texts

a) Anthologies

Kangyur (Tib: bKa'-'gyur; Eng: Collected Translations of the Buddha's Teachings). Several editions are extant including the authoritative Derge xylographic edition in 103 vols.

rNying-ma'i rgyud-'b.u.m (Eng: Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa). Several ma.n.u.script versions are extant, but only one xylographic edition at Derge in 26 vols.

b) Stras (mdo-sde)