The Tibetan Book of the Dead

by Dorje, Gyurme

  Oḍḍiyāna o-rgyan

  Oḍḍiyāna, the birthplace of Padmasambhava, is the name of an ancient kingdom, probably situated in the remote north-west of the Indian subcontinent, where a large corpus of tantric literature is said to have been propagated in the human world for the first time. The land of Oḍḍiyāna is associated with a number of great accomplished masters (siddha), including Padmasambhava, Kambalapāda, and Lῑlāvajra in particular. On the basis of traditional Tibetan pilgrimage accounts, such as that written by Orgyenpa Rinchenpel, modern writers identify Oḍḍiyāna as having been in the region of the Swat valley in Pakistan. The Tibetan form of Oḍḍiyāna, Orgyen, is also by extension a name for Padmasambhava himself.

  Offering mchod-pa, Skt. pūjā

  In a Buddhist context, this refers to offerings made to the meditational deity, the spiritual teacher or other appropriate objects of veneration. In general, there are offerings associated with body, speech and mind. Thus, an offering can be of material substance such as flowers, scented water and food, or a verbal offering, such as the recitation of songs of praise, or a mental offering, such as the offering of the positive potentials which one may have accumulated as a result of having engaged in wholesome deeds beneficial to others. More specifically, the tantras identify four kinds of offering which are to be made, namely, outer, inner, secret and definitive offerings. The outer offerings of enjoyment (phyi nyer-spyod-kyi mchod-pa) are the eight associated with the eight offering goddesses, including water for the mouth, water for the feet, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food, and sound, as well as song, dance, and meditation. Inner offerings of commitment (nang dam-rdzas-kyi mchod-pa) refer to the pure essences of semen, blood and flesh, transformed through the yoga of the energy channels, currents and seminal points within the subtile body. Secret offerings are those of sexual union and ‘liberation’ (gsang-ba sbyor-sgrol-gyi mchod-pa) related to the esoteric rites and practices which transform the five poisons into the five pristine cognitions, and definitive offerings are those of great sameness (de-kho-na-nyid mnyam-pa chen-po’i mchod-pa), namely the union of bliss and emptiness.

  Omniscience thams-cad mkhyen-pa-nyid, Skt. sarvajñatā

  In a Buddhist context the word is reserved only for the all-knowing pristine cognition of the buddhas. Although the original Sanskrit and Tibetan terms, like their English equivalent, do carry with them the literal connotation of all-knowingness, the principal meaning of the term should be understood in terms of a direct and simultaneous perception of the dual aspects of reality, i.e. of the phenomenal aspects (valid only within the relative framework of our ordinary perceptions) and their ultimate nature, emptiness. In other words the term refers primarily to a non-conceptual simultaneous perception of the two truths within a single mental act.

  One-day Vows bsnyen-gnas-kyi sdom-pa, Skt. upavāsasaṃvara

  See Prātimokṣa and Vows.

  Pacification zhi-ba’i las, Skt. śāntikriyā

  See under Four Aspects of Enlihtened Activity.

  Padma Family padma’i rigs, Skt. padmakula

  One of the five enlihtened families (pañcakula) into which the meditational deities of the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource are subdivided. The deities of the Padma family include the peaceful buddhas Amitābha and Pāṇḍaravāsinῑ, and the corresponding wrathful aspects Padma Heruka and Padmakrodheśvarῑ. See Appendix Two.

  Padmākara padma’i ’byung-gnas

  See Padmasambhava.

  Padmasambhava, padma sam-bha-va

  Padmasambhava, also generally known as Guru Rinpoche and Padmākara, is revered as the master from Oddiyāna who, along with Sāntarakṣita and King Trisong Detsen, formally established Buddhism in Tibet during the eighth century. In particular, he is renowned for his suppression and conversion of malevolent spirits and hostile non-Buddhist forces, as well as for introducing to Tibet many oral transmissions and texts of Mahāyoga and Atiyoga, including the teachings contained in our text, the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: Natural Liberation through [Recognition of] Enlightened Intention (Zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol). To practitioners of the Nyingma school, and all those who follow the practices of the Nyingma lineages, he is revered as a ‘second buddha’, and there are many systems of meditation based on the visualisation of his rainbow-like form. Tibetan literature contains a number of biographical accounts, which describe his life in the form of eight or twelve different manifestations. See Gyurme Dorje’s ‘Brief Literary History’.

  Palace pho-brang/gzhal-yas-khang, Skt. vimāna

  See under Maṇḍala.

  Paradise zhings-khams, Skt. buddhakṣetra

  See Buddha Field.

  Past Actions las, Skt. karma

  The technical term ‘karma’ refers to the dynamic relationship between actions and their consequences. It includes in its causal aspect both the actual actions (physical, verbal and mental) and the psychological imprints and tendencies created within the mind by such actions. After the performance of an action a causal chain is maintained within the mental continuum which continues through the present and successive rebirths. Such a karmic potential is activated when it interacts with appropriate circumstances and conditions, thus leading to the fruition of its effects. This dynamic of past actions has two main features: 1) one never experiences the consequences of an action not committed; and 2) the potential of an action once committed is never lost unless obviated by specific remedies. It is also worth bearing in mind that the idea of ‘past actions’ in Buddhism cannot be equated with the notion of causality as understood in a strictly deterministic sense.

  Path lam, Skt. mārga

  The means of spiritual practice (view, meditation, conduct and so forth) by which the resultant goal of any of the nine vehicles might be attained.

  Peaceful and Wrathful Deities zhi-khro

  See Appendix Two.

  Penetrative Insight lhag-mthong, Skt. vipaśyanā

  This is an analytical meditative state, penetrating the nature, characteristics or function of the chosen object of meditation, which is accompanied by physical and mental suppleness and generated on the basis of mental tranquillity or calm abiding. The object of such an insight can be mundane, such as the topics of impermanence and suffering, or supramundane, such as emptiness, the ultimate nature of reality. This ‘penetrative insight’ can be attained only in union with calm abiding, and many meditation manuals state that the realisation of ‘calm abiding’ is an essential prerequisite for the cultivation of ‘penetrative insight’. However, in Unsurpassed Yogatantra there exist advanced techniques which enable practitioners to attain ‘calm abiding’ and ‘penetrative insight’ simultaneously.

  Perception ’du-shes, Skt. saṃjñā

  See under Aggregate of Perceptions.

  Perfection of Discriminative Awareness sher-phyin, Skt. prajñāpāramitā

  Often translated also as ‘perfection of wisdom’, the Sanskrit word prajñāpāramitā refers to the sixth of the six perfections (Skt. saṭpāramitā) which are cultivated by bodhisattvas. The term ‘perfection of discriminative awareness’ has three different applications: firstly, it may refer to the resultant, perfected discriminative awareness (’bras-bu sher-phyin) of a buddha, which is totally non-dual, free of all obscurations, and perceives spontaneously in a single mental act the dual aspects of all phenomena. See Two Truths. Secondly, it may refer to the bodhisattva paths which lead to the above perfection of discriminative awareness (lam sher-phyin), blending together at the most profound level the discriminative awareness of emptiness (śūnyatā) and the skiful means of great compassion (mahākaruṇā). Thirdly, it may denote the literature of the Prajñāpāramitā subdivision of the sūtras of the Greater Vehicle, which outline the essential aspects of those paths and results (gzhung sher-phyin). Iconographically, Prajñāpāramitā is depicted in the form of a female meditational deity and the Sanskrit sūtras themselves are invariably entitled Transcendent Lady who is the Perfection of Discriminative Awareness (Bhagavatῑprajñā
pāramitā). See also under Discriminative Awareness.

  Perfection Stage rdzogs-rim, Skt. sampannakrama

  Following the meditative generation of the form of the meditational deity and an approximation of the pristine cognition of the meditational deity during the generation stage (Skt. utpattikrama), the perfection stage employs techniques for controlling the energy channels, vital energies and seminal points within the practitioner’s transmuted body. The purpose is to make manifest the inner radiance induced by the ever-deepening realisation of the four kinds of emptiness or ‘dissolution stages’ and of the coemergent pristine cognition induced by the four delights. The factor that marks the transition from generation stage to perfection stage is the yogin’s ability to draw the vital energies (Skt. vāyu) into the central channel. See also Great Perfection.

  Perfections pha-rol-du phyin-pa

  See under Six Perfections.

  Pious Attendant nyan-thos, Skt. śrāvaka

  The practitioners of the Lesser Vehicle (hῑnayāna) include both pious attendants and hermit buddhas (Skt. pratyekabuddha). The primary differences between them are the focus and modalities of their practice on the path towards liberation from cyclic existence. The pious attendant places greater emphasis on destroying the mistaken belief in personal identity (pudgala) by overcoming the primary and secondary dissonant mental states, while the hermit buddha additionally comes to realise that objective phenomena are devoid of inherent existence. Characteristically, the pious attendants depend on oral instructions when both receiving teachings and when giving guidance to others on the path. See Hermit Buddha.

  Posture of the Bodhisattvas sems-dpa’i skyil-krung, Skt. sattvaparyaṅka

  Also known as the posture of royal ease (mahārājalῑlāsana), this is the posture in which seated male and female bodhisattvas are commonly depicted iconographically or visualised in meditation in which the right leg is extended and the left leg drawn in. The extended right leg and foot symbolises the abandonment of all negative defects, and the drawn in left leg symbolises the deity’s understanding and cultivation of all positive attributes. As the combined purity of the deity’s compassionate skilful means (extended right leg) and discriminative awareness (drawn in left leg), this posture also represents the abandonment of the two extremes of cyclic existence and nirvāṇa.

  Posture of the Lion seng-ge’i ’dug-stangs, Skt. siṃhāsana

  The posture of the lion is the posture assumed by Sākyamuni Buddha at the time of his passing, lying on the right side with his right arm bent at the elbow and his palm supporting the head.

  Posture of Royal Ease rgyal-chen rol-pa’i skyil-krung, Skt. mahārājalῑlāsana

  See under Posture of the Bodhisattvas.

  Power stobs, Skt. bala

  In general, spiritual power is classified, along with discriminative awareness and compassion, as one of the three principal attributes to be cultivated by bodhisattvas, symbolised in this case by the form of the Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi. More specifically, bodhisattvas cultivate ten spiritual powers (daśabala) with respect to their reflections, higher aspirations, practice, discriminative awareness, aspirational prayers, diverse vehicles, modes of conduct, emanational abilities, enlightenment, and teaching of the sacred doctrine. Distinct from these are the so-called ten powers of the buddhas (daśatathāgatabala), which are all included among the categories of buddha attributes. Buddhas are said to be endowed with spiritual power because they have: (i) the power of knowing the positive and negative contingencies of all things, (ii) the power of knowing the maturation of past actions, (iii) the power of knowing diverse volitions, (iv) the power of knowing diverse sensory spectra, (v) the power of knowing those who are of supreme ability and those who are not, (vi) the power of knowing all spiritual paths — wherever they lead, (vii) the power of omniscience with respect to meditative concentration, liberation, meditative stability, meditative equipoise, and purification of dissonant mental states, (viii) the power of recollecting past abodes, (ix) the power of knowing where consciousness is transferred at the time of death and rebirth, and (x) the power of knowing that the entire flow of corrupt past actions has ceased.

  Prahevajra dga’-rab rdo-rje

  More commonly known in the Tibetan form Garab Dorje, Prahevajra is regarded as the first human lineage holder of Atiyoga.

  Prāsaṅgika thal-’gyur-ba

  See Madhyamaka.

  Prātimoṣa so-sor thar-pa An individual’s practice of ethical discipline which acts as a firm foundation for the aspirant’s spiritual endeavour whilst on the path towards the attainment of liberation from cyclic existence. There are eight types of prātimokṣa vows: 1) one-day vows (Skt. upavāsa/upavāsῑ), a lay person’s vow of abstinence, taken only for a twenty-four hour period, from killing, sexual misconduct, stealing, lying, alcohol, frivolous activities, eating after lunch, and using high seats or beds; 2-3) the five vows of a lay man and a lay woman (Skt. upāsaka/ upāsikā) which are not to kill, lie, steal, be intoxicated, or commit sexual misconduct; 4 — 5) the vows of the novice monk and novice nun (Skt. śrāmaṇera/ śrāmaṇerikā); 6) the vows of a probationary nun (Skt. śiksamāṇa); 7) the 253 vows of a fully ordained monk (Skt. bhikṣu); and 8) the 364 vows maintained by fully ordained nuns (Skt. bhiksuṇῑ). Prātimokṣa literally means ‘individual liberation’, or the initial stage of release from the impulsive force of non-virtuous habits. ‘Prāti’ means ‘individually’ or ‘first’, and ‘mokṣa’, ‘release’, ‘freedom’, or ‘liberation’. See also under Vows.

  Preceptor mkhan-po, Skt. upādhyāya

  See Monastic Preceptor.

  Precious Jewels dkon-mchog, Skt. ratna

  See under Three Precious Jewels.

  Preliminary Practices sngon-’gro

  The preliminary practices are those undertaken by an aspiring practitioner of the tantras, prior to engaging in the main practices of the generation and perfection stages of meditation. There are both outer, or common, preliminaries, and inner, or uncommon, preliminaries. The former are the four analytical meditations which turn the mind of the practitioner away from worldly distractions and towards the sacred teachings, namely those focusing: on the nature of the precious opportunities afforded by human birth; on death and impermanence (anitya); on the dynamics of past actions (karma) and their consequences; and on the sufferings of beings within cyclic existence (saṃsāra). The latter are the five purificatory practices, each of which is performed one hundred thousand times, namely: the taking of refuge in the Three Precious Jewels, in conjunction with the act of prostration (which purifies pride); the cultivation of the altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for the sake of others, in conjunction with the recitation of the appropriate verses (which purifies envy and mundane ambition); the recitation of Vajrasattva’s Hundred-syllable Mantra (which purifies aversion); the offering of the maṇḍala (which purifies attachment); and the cultivation of union with the enlightened attributes of the spiritual teacher (guruyoga), in conjunction with the appropriate mantra recitation (which purifies delusion). See Chapters 1 and 2.

  Primordial Purity ka-dag

  See Spontaneous Presence.

  Pristine Cognition ye-shes, Skt. jñāna

  The modality of buddha-mind. Although all sentient beings possess the potential for actualising pristine cognition within their mental continuum, the psychological confusions and deluded tendencies which defile the mind obstruct the natural expression of these inherent potentials, making them appear instead as aspects of mundane consciousness (vijñāna). Buddhist literature mentions five types of pristine cognition which are the quintessential perfected states of our own mental faculties and which are identified with the five male buddhas of the maṇḍala of Peaceful and Wrathful Deities. See Appendix Two. The pristine cognition of reality’s expanse (dharmadhātujñāna) is the natural purity of the aggregate of consciousness, free from delusion; the mirror-like pristine cognition (ādarśajñāna) is the mind to which all the objects of the five sen
ses appear spontaneously as in a mirror, it is the natural purity of the aggregate of form, free from aversion; the pristine cognition of sameness (samatājñāna) is the mind that experiences the three different types of feelings (good, bad and indifferent) as of one taste, it is the natural purity of the aggregate of feeling, free from pride; the pristine cognition of discernment (pratyavekṣaṇajñāna) is the mind that accurately identifies names and forms, it is the natural purity of the aggregate of perceptions, free from attachment; and the pristine cognition of accomplishment (kṛtyupasthānajñāna) is the mind that accords with awakened activities and their purposes, it is the natural purity of the aggregate of motivational tendencies, free from envy and self-centred ambition.

  Propensities bag-chags, Skt. vāsanā

  See Habitual Tendencies.

  Prostration phyag-’tshal-ba

  A common gesture of reverence in the practice of Tibetan Buddhism. During the preliminary practices (sngon-’gro) of the tantras, the act of paying homage through prostration is undertaken, in conjunction with the recitation of the prayer of refuge, as a means of reducing and eliminating pride.