rtsol;vital wind of exertion;vital wind of exertion;A term used both for the vital winds that circulate through the right channel of the rasanā and for the exhalation of breath. The path of the vital wind of exertion is thus the right nostril. +
dbang bzhi bzhi;four fourfold initiations;four fourfold initiations;Each of the four initiations is further classified into four, such as the vase initiation of the vase initiation, the vase initiation of the secret initiation, the vase initiation of the initiation of primordial awareness dependent on an embodiment of wisdom, and the vase initiation of the fourth initiation. +
drod rtags;warmths and signs;warmths and signs;The warmths are various key experiences that arise along the path. These are precursors or foretastes of the actual signs that arise later. The warmths are like smoke and the signs are like fire. Smoke appears first, indicating the imminent arising of fire. The warmths arise on the mundane path and the signs arise on the transcendent path. +
la dor;total release;total release;This obscure term refers to the total release of knots in the channels, of pains and so forth in the channels, and of attachment to various experiences. It refers to definitive techniques for the elimination of these hindrances so that they are permanently removed. +
kun gzhi;universal ground;universal ground;The mental ground of an individual that is the basis for all the experiences included in saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. +
rten dkyil 'khor bzhi;four supporting maṇḍalas;four supporting maṇḍalas;The four maṇḍalas are the channels of the body, the channel syllables, the essential constituent nectars (enlightenment mind, drops), and the vital wind of primordial awareness. These are the supports that transform into the four kāyas. The universal ground consciousness, or mind, is supported by these four and transforms into the fifth kāya. +
rgyud;continuum;continuum;The Tibetan word ''rgyud'' was used to translate the two Sanskrit words ''tantra'' and ''saṃtāna'', which are not synonyms in Sanskrit. The word ''tantra'' is primarily used for certain scriptures, systems of practice, and so forth. The word ''saṃtāna'' is used to mean "continuum," in the sense of the stream of being, mindstream, or continuum that constitutes a living being. In Tibetan, the word ''rgyud'' was used for both meanings. In this book ''continuum'' means the continuity, or continuum, of a living being. Furthermore, the terms ''root continuum (rtsa rgyud)'' and ''explanatory continuum (bshad rgyud)'' have an additional resonance in Tibetan because of the dual meaning of the Tibetan word ''rgyud''. In the context of its meaning as "tantra" or "tantric scripture," a root tantra such as the ''Hevajra Tantra'' is clarified by other scriptures referred to as ''explanatory tantras'', such as the ''Vajrapañjara'' and the ''Sampuṭa''. +