Property:Gloss-def
From Buddha-Nature
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In a general sense an empowerment is a tantric ritual that matures the students and allows them to engage in specific tantric practices. There are a great many divisions and descriptions pertaining to empowerment, such as those of the ground, path, and fruition. There are also unique empowerments associated with each tantric lineage and vehicle. Concerning the meaning of the term "empowerment," Jamgön Kongtrül explains that the original Sanskrit term has the literal meaning of "to scatter" and "to pour." The meaning, he explains, is that empowerments cleanse and purify the psycho-physical continuum by "scattering" the obscurations and then "pouring" the potential of wisdom into what is then a clean vessel, the purified psycho-physical continuum. [TK 3, 54] Stressing the importance of the empowerment ritual, Tsele Natsok Rangdröl writes, "Unless you first obtain the ripening empowerments, you are not authorized to hear even a single verse of the tantras, statements, and instructions. (Unauthorized) people who engage in expounding on and listening to the tantras will not only fail to receive blessings, they will create immense demerit from divulging the secrecy of these teachings. A person who has not obtained empowerment may pretend to practice the liberating instructions, but, instead of bringing accomplishment, the practice will create obstacles and countless other defects." [EM 39] +
''See Tantra of the Secret Essence''. +
According to Jamgön Kongtrül, the "natural nirmāṇakāya" is like a reflection cast by the sambhogakāya, referring to the five realms, kāyas, wisdoms, dharmas, and other elements that appear to tenth level bodhisattvas. In particular, this refers to the five nirmāṇakaya realms: the Unsurpassed (Akaniṣṭha, the realm of the buddha family and the Buddha Vairocana), Complete Joy (Abhirati, the realm of the vajra family and the Buddha Akṣobhya), the Glorious (Śrīmat, the realm of the jewel family and the Buddha Ratnasambhava), the Blissful or Lotus Mound (Sukhāvatī/Padmākūṭa, the realm of the lotus family and the Buddha Amitābha), and Accomplishment of Supreme Activity (Karmaprasiddhi, the realm of the karma family and the Buddha Amoghasiddhi). [TK 1, 84] +
There are three groupings of empowerments linked with the peaceful and wrathful deities of the ''Tantra of the Secret Essence''. Following the ten outer, beneficial empowerments and the five inner empowerments of potentiality, this third grouping consists of three empowerments that enable the student to practice the various types of completion stage, such as yogic heat, luminosity, and dream practice. These are the secret empowerment, the knowledge-wisdom empowerment, and the precious word empowerment. [PA 10-12] +
[Lit. "Indestructible Sow"] - A semiwrathful female yidam deity; the female counterpart of Cakrasaṃvara ('''"`UNIQ--nowiki-0002EF21-QINU`"'khor lo bde mchog''). [TD 1440] +
Along with recollecting purity and stable pride, this is one of the primary principles of development stage practice. Jigme Lingpa explains, "The forms of the central and surrounding deities ... should not be protruding like a clay statue or cast image, yet neither should they be flat like a painting. In contrast, they should be apparent, yet not truly existent, like a rainbow in the sky or the reflection of the moon in a lake. They should appear as though conjured up by a magician. Clear appearance involves fixing the mind one-pointedly on these forms with a sense of vividness, nakedness, lucidity, and clarity". [GD 219] ''See also'' clarity, purity, and pride. +
In the textual tradition of the Nyingma School, the three inner tantras comprise the final three of this tradition's nine vehicles. They are listed as the tantras of Mahāyoga, the scriptures of Anuyoga, and the key instructions of Atiyoga. [TD 1505] These three divisions are also associated with the practices of development, completion, and Great Perfection. As Dilgo Khyentse explains, "Development and Mahāyoga are like the basis for all the teachings, completion and Anuyoga are like the path of all the teachings, and the Great Perfection of Atiyoga is like the result of all the teachings." [WC 773] +
''See'' view, meditation, conduct, and fruition. +
To eliminate certain flaws that can occur in development stage practice, peaceful deities should be visualized as being soft, well proportioned, firm, supple, youthful, clear, radiant, attractive, and possessing an intense presence. [JL 233] In ''Notes on the Development Stage'', Tenpe Nyima equates these nine traits with, respectively: 1) the purification of pride, 2) the purification of anger, 3) the purification of desire, 4) the purification of envy, 5) the purification of stupidity, 6) the elimination of ignorance, 7) the unfolding of wisdom, 8) the complete presence of the marks and signs of enlightenment, and 9) superior qualities. "The first five," he writes, "are essential qualities, while the latter four are qualities related to [particular] attributes." [KR 43] +
Dual Tantra; an alternate name of Caryā Tantra. +
Great accomplishment is the last of the four divisions of approach and accomplishment. Though this stage is relevant in a variety of contexts, in terms of development stage practice great accomplishment entails working for the welfare of others, primarily via the four kinds of enlightened activity. [KR 60] +
One of the four stakes that bind the life-force; Tenpe Nyima explains, "Concerning the stake of projection and absorption, while recognizing that the universe and its inhabitants are, by nature, deity, mantra, and wisdom, emanate an inconceivable number of light rays from the deity's form and the mantra chain. Ultimately, this will result in the supreme spiritual accomplishment - the accomplishment of the twofold benefit. On a temporal level, it will accomplish the four kinds of enlightened activiry. White light, for example, will carry out peaceful activiry; yellow light, enriching activity; and so on. It will also bring, among other things, the eight mundane spiritual accomplishments." [KR 57] +
A pure land where buddhas and bodhisattvas abide, such as the Realm of Bliss (Dewa Chen). [TD 2388] +
An alternate term for the Vajra Vehicle; Ju Mipham explains, "This vehicle is referred to as such because the essential fruition is seen to be present within the very ground, whereas in other systems it is believed to be something that must be attained. Hence, in this system the fruition is taken as the path in the present moment." [KG 40] +
''See'' great seal. +
One part of a twofold visualization process found in the Mahāyoga teachings of the Nyingma School. In this stage of practice, all the phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are transformed through a complex visualization process in which the central deities of the maṇḍala "give birth" to the deities in the retinue. [LT 460] +
The illusory body is referred to as such because although there are not various forms in reality, various forms appear. And though they appear, they do not truly exist. [TD 602] As a specific completion stage practice, there are three types of illusory body: the impure illusory body, the pure illusory body, and the hidden meaning - the illusory body of the energetic-mind. [DR 444] According to Jamgön Kongtrül, the most extensive treatment of this practice is found in the ''Guhyasamāja Tantra''. [TK 4, 29] +
This is one method of entering into meditative absorption. Jamgön Kongtrül explains, "There are two methods for settling the mind in a state of nonconceptual concentration: resting in the immediacy of complete awareness and resting subsequent to insight." "With the latter," he continues, "bring to mind the view you have studied and contemplated previously and then settle in that. This is called 'the analytical meditation of the paṇḍita scholar.'" [TK 4, 7] +
'See' development stage. +
''See'' stake of projection and absorption. +
