Does Anybody Else Have Clear Body Experiences?

[shaberon]

My dictionary says cUDAmaNi is the jewel worn at that location.

Yes, and so I think the Cudabhikshuni mentioned in Swayambhu Purana means "nun with a top-knot", not that she is named for Cunda. But again we are only looking at one manuscript; I am not going to take her name too strenuously, the point being that Buddha had disciples inside Nepal.



Is this possibly a description of a Tummo generation? It sounds very similar.

Yes, except with Agni, it will probably go with the term Nirajan.

Sandhana as in Nadi Sandhana has the same meaning as yoga:

1. Holding together, uniting, joining.

This method, of course, is usually not as "natural" and is the recipient of numerous actual fires and the intercession of a guru...but an Inner Homa is fine.



Being in the form of mantras means saying each of the mantras and attributing them as you are saying them to the body parts in the paragraph?


Yes. When doing a Nyasa, the components should remain in place for that part of the meditation. Usually you are just putting a seed syllable somewhere. But with Vajrapani for instance, he adds a thing or two so it is something more.



Hrudaya is from the same root as Hrdaya? Meaning heart? Netra is a bright luminous shaft at the center of a lotus, but netra also means 'eye'?


Yes, in some accents you hear "hrud" and in others "hrid".

Netra is an eye and they may mean an eye in a lotus with a shaft of light.

Netra is associated with Vaushat, which is an intensification of Vashat (similar to vasikaran or vasikuru, vasat, through the power or influence of).

Although used in Buddhism it is rare and has only one instance in Sadhanamala where Kurukulla takes control of the Earth syllable:

oṃ kṣaḥ kurukulle hrīḥ namo vauṣaṭ svāhā - devyā
hṛdayamantraḥ /


It is a little strange since svaha is a redundancy; but I suppose it is like seeing "phat svaha" where phat can serve as the ending of a mantra.

Phat = Astra = Weapon is its meaning. So the group of words are traditional endings for mantras; "namah" is used in Hinduism *unless* an actual fire sacrifice is done, in which case it is svaha. Buddhist mantras probably never end on "namah" and if we are going to make this exclusion, we should be clear that svaha is not just a phrase for inner or mental fire sacrifice, it is the name of Agni's wife.

When spoken, svaha should carry your message on the vahnis of fire to the deity.

[shaberon]

Maybe I'm not making sense.


You are...sometimes I don't. Let's just say you mean risk related to "process" rather than the standard safety sign I was raising. In the case of slipping off the rails of the processes, yes, I can imagine that might be risky, but since I and most of us cannot do what you are doing, to me, it is conceptual if not out of the range of comprehension.


Do the 10 Mahavidyas correspond to body places? Chinnamasta appears to.

They might.

They moreso stand for the Planets and the incarnations of Vishnu.

Because they use Kali as the underlying fabric of all, they explain Tara in a certain relation to this, and so on, so they represent the development of all phenomena from void into manifestation.

Tripura Sundari is the solar plexus and very similar to what we call Nirmana Chakra. So I think she is the best example of it.



They are called nerves for a reason, though?


Hmmm...yes and no...it is the same word for a stem, reed, flute, etc.:

The root of nadi is nad, which in Sanskrit means, “to flow”. So nadis are the flowing currents of energy in the body. They are energy centers in the body so are actual physical organs. The origin point of the nadis is called the medhra and is located between muladhara and manipura charkas.

The physical termination point of ida nadi is said to be the left nostril and the pingala nadi is the right.

Nāḍī (नाडी, “nerves”)

Nāḍī (नाडी, “subtle channel”)

Nāḍī (नाडी) denotes a ‘vein’ or ‘artery’ in the human body in the Atharvaveda

nāḍī (नाडी).—f (S) Any tubular organ of the body, an artery, a vein, an intestine &c.


If it is a nerve, it is physical, and just responds to physical things. If it is subtle, it can be affected by the mind and in consequence affect the physical nerve.

Then if I say Lalana and Rasana:

Rasanā (रसना).—name of an artery, vein, or passage-way (nāḍī) in the body: Sādhanamālā 448.11 ff.; nāḍyo lalanā-rasanāvadhū- tayaḥ 11; rasanopāyena saṃsthitā 13; rasanā raktapra- vāhinī 15.

Is the name of it, having its own meaning, such as "to taste". So then if I call them Taster and Player am I calling them nerves any more?

I generally think of them as Motor and Sensory systems (Grasper and Grasped).

I cannot say I have perceived them in individual detail but I can say external currents can get sucked into them and be balanced or not. That is what Vajra Muttering or Pranayama is for.

Even though we can dance around it a bit, yes, I would still say it definitely involves a physical nerve experience, although the point is Noumenal, not just the energy of the system.

[shaberon]

The Klim syllable was in that thangka you posted the last time with Chinnamasta (directly above on this page).

Hindu version of her.

I like them all, I have just never seen anyone attempt to explain some of the obvious "scrubs" of major components.

Now if our tantra is 80% similar to Bhairava tantra, we can say a major part of the difference is the technique. But the seed is not the technique. If we keep Srim = Laksmi, what happened to Klim?

I don't know but it is ultra gone for something abundantly common.



Thanks for this explanation. I have trouble understanding some of these systems, because I associate the astral plane with astral projection, which was for me just a going somewhere out of my body and looking back at it, the astral body I was in at that point, if that's what it was, was pretty much a copy of me. The clear body in my shaking is nothing like that. He said he had experienced that, but didn't elaborate on what it looked like. So I wasn't sure.

Since "either kind" of astral body would look like you, then it is hard to say. The Mayavi Rupa can still interact with the physical world, but, can cross it at the speed of light. The Linga Sharira which was called astral body in original Theosophy would be limited to walking or maybe drifting around. It can, perhaps, get off the ground, but probably not fly all that well. It decays with the physical body, so, if one is not cremated, it may roam around the grave until all the flesh is disintegrated.

Original Theosophy said there are only three "bodies", physical, astral, and Mayavi Rupa. Many other systems make it seem like each sheath or "kosha" is an independent body. But here we see there is no such thing as a Mental Body; Koothoomi said the "higher self" is not a body, is a breath. In checking what we get "above" Akanistha, the result is the Formless Dhyanas.

If the clear body is unable to extract itself, then, it may be Prana Kosha or it may be ethereal "sub-planes" of the physical body.

The similar thing that most of us perceive is slightly larger than our physical body and probably is Linga Sharira.



Another thought on the Moon is its early role in Puranas, and these, generally, as "creation myths" are more closely related to re-emergence after experiencing Voidness.

Buddhism is considered non-theistic in terms of a creator being as explained in most religions. This kind of function is handled by Brahma and Kasyapa, but Buddhism is a practice which focuses on the moment-to-moment collative process whereby phenomena are spewed out of the Dharmadhatu and they become experiences.

And so the Puranas use for example Wars in Heaven to indicate the mixings and evolutions of forces as they arise from nothingness into manifestation. After a war there is a new arrangement and the forces "descend" into a "less spiritual" veil of matter. There is such an occurrence after Varuni is Churned.

But more primordial than that is when Tara leaves Jupiter (her husband) for the Moon.

Jupiter is the principle of natural order or Rta, something like a "mini-sun", which is the relevant law for Devas and I believe classed as Yoga Maya, and also represents something more like Kriya or rather Tirtha or "obediently following rules" without getting the inner sense of things.

More like an exoteric, formal relationship to a typical creator.

Tara went instead to Moon--Soma, being an indication that some of the esoteric experience she reveals is in this domain. The product of their union was Mercury--Budha. And the Yellow--Earth color is shared with Mercury, and we have also found in the inner sense what this is and how it pertains to Rasa and Ekarasa. At the door, so to speak, is Nagarjuna.

This energy could be described as "bottled" into Varuni in the further stage of production.

So then in the tantras, if you take Varuni, then you are headed to a Yellow Vairocani, and eventually The Vessel or Bharati intended for the experience of Mercury, in the reverse or dissolution.

Correspondingly, Jupiter is honored or respected but then the human Dharma according to Lakshmi is Mahamaya and of course she is more like Venus.

Since Buddhist Tara's name from a prior cosmos was Jnana Chandra--Wisdom Moon, and we find Lakshmi critically unfolded at a high level in our practices, this approach seems sound.

[Old Student]

Yes. When doing a Nyasa, the components should remain in place for that part of the meditation. Usually you are just putting a seed syllable somewhere. But with Vajrapani for instance, he adds a thing or two so it is something more.


Hrudaya is from the same root as Hrdaya? Meaning heart? Netra is a bright luminous shaft at the center of a lotus, but netra also means 'eye'?

Yes, in some accents you hear "hrud" and in others "hrid".

Netra is an eye and they may mean an eye in a lotus with a shaft of light.

This is interesting, an eye in a lotus with a shaft of light. It is almost like the inverse of putting syllables or visualizations at points in the body, it is putting points in the body at the things in the mantra.


Buddhist mantras probably never end on "namah" and if we are going to make this exclusion, we should be clear that svaha is not just a phrase for inner or mental fire sacrifice, it is the name of Agni's wife.

When spoken, svaha should carry your message on the vahnis of fire to the deity.
Quite a few chants in both Buddhist and Hindu traditions begin with, "Om namo," and end with "svaha". In fact, little kids in India imitate priests by going, "Om namo namo namo namo svaha!" In Japan, my recollection is that many drop the "Om" and just begin with "namo". There is a special use of characters for it (same characters in both Chinese and Japanese "南無" which would ostensibly be pronounced "nan wu" in Mandarin and mean "south nothing" but instead is pronounced "namo" and means "namo". It's the same two characters in Japanese.

[Old Student]

You are...sometimes I don't. Let's just say you mean risk related to "process" rather than the standard safety sign I was raising. In the case of slipping off the rails of the processes, yes, I can imagine that might be risky, but since I and most of us cannot do what you are doing, to me, it is conceptual if not out of the range of comprehension.
A new thing happened over the night before last and last night: The night before, I was having breathing problems, and I've explained before that I try to split a drop of bliss at my heart level or so and let one part drift down and become a bigger ball of bliss and the other drift up and become nausea. I couldn't do it but I could get nausea started in my throat and I could get bliss started in my belly, so I just kind of 'will'-ed them to be connected to end the problem, and it worked. So then last night I couldn't get the third dream yoga exercise to work (the one at the heart with the black HUNG), because I couldn't go all the way to sleep, so somehow I did the same 'will' thing and forced myself to be dreaming while still awake, which produced a perfectly portable and usable dream, albeit kind of strange. The form of 'will' is similar to will in Taijiquan, (yi, 意) but also quite different.



They more so stand for the Planets and the incarnations of Vishnu.

Because they use Kali as the underlying fabric of all, they explain Tara in a certain relation to this, and so on, so they represent the development of all phenomena from void into manifestation.

Tripura Sundari is the solar plexus and very similar to what we call Nirmana Chakra. So I think she is the best example of it.
So is Tara similar to Kali or more properly to Durga? She is a sort of always around deity the way Durga is, Durga is often just called 'Devi', it seems like Tara is a similar universal female.


Nāḍī (नाडी, “nerves”)

Nāḍī (नाडी, “subtle channel”)

Nāḍī (नाडी) denotes a ‘vein’ or ‘artery’ in the human body in the Atharvaveda

nāḍī (नाडी).—f (S) Any tubular organ of the body, an artery, a vein, an intestine &c.
[...]
Even though we can dance around it a bit, yes, I would still say it definitely involves a physical nerve experience, although the point is Noumenal, not just the energy of the system.

Okay, so I've said some of this before, but time to spell it all out. I think the actually are nerves, and there are two bodies before getting to the spiritual -- the body of inspection and the body of introspection. Inspection (really dissection on cadavers) gives the nerves and so forth, introspection (meditation and going within) gives the nadi like you say. Perhaps this is what you are labeling phenomenal and noumenal, I'm not sure.

The original Buddhists, and indeed up past people like Niguma and Naropa by some, did two meditation on bliss and meditation on decay, the latter in the charnel grounds. They were also competing in the world of medicine -- that is known from the proclamations on Asoka's pillars.

So careful lining up of the introspective energies and the inspective nerves and vessels. The spine has two long jointed nerves that run down either side, ending near the waist (lumbar vertebrae) which are the sympathetic ganglia (they do 'fight or flight') and then there are two big nerves that come down from the neck and curve back and forth across the inside of the torso, which are the parasympathetic vagus nerves (they do 'feed and breed'). Then below the waist (where the lumbar vertebrae join the sacrum) there is another set that come out of the eight holes in the sacrum, the splanchnic nerves which form a net through the pelvis and do both sympathetic and parasympathetic.

So my guess at one point which has only strengthened over time is that what is now the body of thought called yoga was originally the development of control over all of this -- control gained by accessing things by the introspective version and controlling the inspective version. That is, there is an internal (tantric/yogic) way to awaken the nerves themselves to 'consciousness' which looks like all the things we do, but it really is awakening these physical nerves which are capable of much more than what they do in a non-practicing person.

What a fully awakened physical body is capable of isn't a known thing, and the difference between physical and spiritual falls away when extra physical capabilities created by practicing the spiritual are harnessed to complete the circle and enhance spiritual capabilities.

The pictures if you took a drawing of a human body with only the big nerves drawn in would show chakras, the winding back and forth, and the two vertical channels along the main one.

[Old Student]

If we keep Srim = Laksmi, what happened to Klim?

I don't know but it is ultra gone for something abundantly common.
That is strange.


Original Theosophy said there are only three "bodies", physical, astral, and Mayavi Rupa. Many other systems make it seem like each sheath or "kosha" is an independent body. But here we see there is no such thing as a Mental Body; Koothoomi said the "higher self" is not a body, is a breath. In checking what we get "above" Akanistha, the result is the Formless Dhyanas.

If the clear body is unable to extract itself, then, it may be Prana Kosha or it may be ethereal "sub-planes" of the physical body.

The 'astral' one I did when young was just like my physical body and my perceived sensation was that I got up and walked to the window before turning and seeing my body sleeping in the bed.

My clear body does not leave my body while I am aware of both. If I go "completely clear body" I have no physical, 'muscle' memory of my physical body during that time and have no idea how I would tell where they were w/resp to each other.

The bodies I press out into the shaman bodies are definitely not inside my physical body, they're scattered all over the world. The animal bodies are a transformation, so I cannot perceive both my physical body and one of those at the same time at all.

There may be others, but all these might be a matter of function and not really different. I have no idea about the things that go back and forth between the various worlds-- dream, shaking, etc. those are all extremely new to me. The vision bodies, such as they are, are often not mine, or I'm not sure if I'm me while they are present.

But at least all the things from Theosophy etc. are useful to try to figure out what to call things when trying to compare experiences with others.

[shaberon]

This is interesting, an eye in a lotus with a shaft of light. It is almost like the inverse of putting syllables or visualizations at points in the body, it is putting points in the body at the things in the mantra.


We may have a Kamala Locana or something like that, I cannot recall.


If I start wondering about the "place" of a pitha like in the second comment, the one that comes to mind is Lankesvari of the eyes, since her name would mean Ishvari of Lanka.

In Varahi tantra it uses four families and she is under Locana; in Vajradaka tantra, there are six families and she is under Samcalani.

Lanka generally means "island", and, one specifically, which, considering there used to be Adam's Bridge to India, has the following interesting information:


Laṅkā (लङ्का).—The hypothetical place on the equator where the meridian of Ujjain intersects it, i.e., place with 0° longitude and 0° latitude.

[according to] to some accounts Lanka was much larger than the island of Ceylon is at present, or was even distinct from it, the first meridian of longitude which passed through Ujjayinī being supposed to pass through Lanka


But if her "place" is really "the pitha", could she be the Ishvari of Lanka other than an island?


2) An unchaste woman, a prostitute, harlot.

Laṅka (लङ्क).—A lover, paramour.

3. The name of a Śākinī, or evil spirit.

of a Yoginī, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]


Maybe.

Well, then, where is the pitha?

Devikoṭa (देविकोट).—Sacred to Lalitā-pīṭham.*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 44. 96.

Devīkoṭa (देवीकोट) or Devakoṭa (also Diw-kot) refers to the ancient headquarters of Koṭivarṣa: a place-name classified as a viṣaya and mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions.

Koṭivarṣa (कोटिवर्ष) or Koṭīvarṣa (कोटीवर्ष).—Name of the capital of the demon-chief Bāṇa.

The Prakrit lexicon Pāia-sadda-mahaṇṇavo describes Koṭivarṣa as the capital of Lāṭa country. The name is known to the Jain Prajñāpanā in which it is placed in Lāḍha or Lāṭa. Hemacandra (Abhidānacintāmaṇi 390) says that Koṭivarṣa, Bāṇapura, Devīkoṭa, Umāvana and Śoṇitapura are identical. Puruṣottama (Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 32) agrees with Hemacandra with the only difference that he mentions Uṣāvana in place of Umāvana.

Lāṭa is the ancient name of Southern Gujarāt.

Koṭivarṣa (कोटिवर्ष) or Koṭivarṣaviṣaya is the name of an ancient city active during the rule of the Gupta empire. Koṭivarṣa-vīthī is present Bangarh in the Bogra district of Bengal.

Or:

Koṭivarṣa (कोटिवर्ष).—n. (-rṣa) The name of a city, Vanapuri or Devikote, on the Koromandel coast.

which is the southeastern coast adjacent to Lanka.

Devikota and Caritra (https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/227163/kailash_16_0304_01.pdf?sequence=2) are really the hotbed of schism in the "relocation" of Indian pithas to Tibetan locations. When the original is mentioned, it is held to be at the south coast around Kanci. So probably the last interpretation is accurate:

south-east of Chidambaram

about as close to Lanka as you can get without actually being there.

Vajrapani's addenda about Lankesvari suggests that as many "Purnamasas" as there are, these devis are related to other asterisms and "times" such as February-March:

phālgunāmā-vasyāṁ laṅkeśvarīṁ vajraprabham ākṛṣtyartham|

Vajraprabha is the liver and so it is believed there must be a nadi from the eyes which passes through the heart. But it is stated that the husband of Eyes is Subtle Light.

Her pasttime is wrking with bell metal:

laṅkeśvarī kaṁsakāri|

Her associate is Forest Dog (wolf):

laṅkeśvarī araṇyaśvānī|

Her bird association is indecipherable to me:

laṅkeśvarī pājī|

She is in Citta Cakra:

nairṛtyāre devīkoṭe cakṣurdvaye laṅkeśvarīvajraprabham|


And on that last point, there are two eyes, so, some contend that two pitha locations would be appropriate.

Well if we ask where her eyes really went:

Shivaharkaray: Shakti Mahisha-Mardini, Body part--Eyes

This Shakti Peeth is situated near the Parkai Railway Station, near Karachi in Pakistan. Goddess Sati's eyes fell here and she is worshipped as Mahisha-Mardini.

or:

A mystical shrine on the Birbhum District of West Bengal, Tarapith is an ancient temple dedicated to one of the 12 incarnations of Goddess Kali called Tara. It is said that the eye ball (tara) of Sati dropped here.


and she had a third eye anyway.



Devikota is also used in Shakta (https://archive.org/stream/TheCosmicDanceOfTheLordShiva/CosmicDanceOfTheLordShiva_djvu.txt) in a mantral construction similar to the Tri-kaya and Asta Smasana right before specifically mentioning Eight Vasus.


Where did my Vajra Eyes go? Almost to Lanka, but they may not be where I dropped them...





In fact, little kids in India imitate priests by going, "Om namo namo namo namo svaha!"

Priceless.



In Japan, my recollection is that many drop the "Om" and just begin with "namo".

It is not necessarily dropped, it is not present in NSB or NSV mantras.

Yes, Buddhism begins a lot of things with Namo or Namah, but it is rarely if ever an ending, certainly not compared to Phat.

[shaberon]

so somehow I did the same 'will' thing and forced myself to be dreaming while still awake, which produced a perfectly portable and usable dream, albeit kind of strange.


It is conceivable to me, at least.

I get "intersections" like that, but not to the same degree.

I was reading a commentary on Vajrapani's "Adhikara" and related terms and now I cannot find it and cannot be sure that was not a dream.



So is Tara similar to Kali or more properly to Durga? She is a sort of always around deity the way Durga is, Durga is often just called 'Devi', it seems like Tara is a similar universal female.

Closer to Durga.

Safe transport over the quagmire of samsara.

Following the analogies, if I call her consort of Amoghasiddhi (Shiva), that would be like calling her Uma--Parvati--Durga.

Yes, I take her as the overall divinity whereas even someone like Ekajati is really Tara in Ekajati Amnaya.

Kali, as Guhyakali, could be said to be incorporated into Guhyeshvari. Even if she is the ultimate Mystery Lady by name, it is another way of Tara.

Sticking Tara's name to something directly usually means it has a peaceful bodhisattva appearance but I would think of her as Female Buddha or Prajna or Adi Prajna that splits into other names and forms.



Inspection (really dissection on cadavers) gives the nerves and so forth, introspection (meditation and going within) gives the nadi like you say. Perhaps this is what you are labeling phenomenal and noumenal, I'm not sure.

Coarse (sthula) and subtle (suksma).


That is, there is an internal (tantric/yogic) way to awaken the nerves themselves to 'consciousness' which looks like all the things we do, but it really is awakening these physical nerves which are capable of much more than what they do in a non-practicing person.

Agreed.

What I mean by "Noumenal" is more like this:

If you go to Buddhism, it is going to teach you Bodhi Mind and confess Vajrasattva 100,000 times. Only then might it say something basic about the subtle body. The physiological aspect of it is always constrained and that is why the term Prajna is preferred over Shakti. If we are not ready to do Karuna it will be shoved down our throat until we repent.

I can do a laundry list of other things that can and possibly will start doing something to my subtle body today.

We say we are dealing with something that is not really of this world at all. In the Pali texts, Mano Indriya was not said to be physical. Man does not participate directly in the outpouring of the Absolute except in the moments of deepest samadhi (which is my understanding of Shiva).

This can and must operate through the body at times, but, it is not of it. When the Pitha System is called Vajra Kaya and this is supposed to become "Deathless", then the subtle body and mind are simply unaffected by the various collapses that usually ensue after death. So whatever was developed in and through the nadis in life is like the "river" that will be followed afterwards.

So at a more subtle level, the thing that is the same in meditation or dreams, is the same in life or death.

A Pratyeka Buddha is said to have followed the Path of the Eye whereas an Anuttara Samyak Sambuddha has followed the Path of Heart.

We are value-emphasizing the Bodhisattva ideal, whereas a great deal of siddhis can be accomplished by rigorous physical discipline alone.

[shaberon]

That is strange.


Yes, I have my ideas about how "magnetism" is split into Hook (attraction) and Chain (locking) and that it can be shown that Hook and Noose are a basic, common set of items for deities such as Ganapati, but then the Chain is like second-tier and stronger and Lotus Family, where it should be, shows no development of it.

If the same dakinis remain accompanying you, then you have Chain.

I get the feeling that since most people cannot achieve this very quickly, it is a way of discarding assumptions that just saying Klim might automatically complete the task. In this sense it would be a prod that Buddhist techniques are different than those found in Hindu tantras.

It must have been intentionally ignored.


The bodies I press out into the shaman bodies are definitely not inside my physical body, they're scattered all over the world. The animal bodies are a transformation, so I cannot perceive both my physical body and one of those at the same time at all.


In my view that would have to be Mayavi Rupa.

Some believe if you were to see it with your physical eyes you would die.

In the Mayavi, you could go to the Gobi Desert, or, you could go into the memories of it by someone you don't know. It does not normally do these things because a person lacks the capacity. But it is plastic enough for you to become, or merge into, an animal, or anything else.

I would think if you looked like a hawk, someone who knows you, would know it was you.

In reverse, the Mahatmas put a Mayavi on their house near Bombay, so you could only get there if you were invited, no one else could see it.

Still the same thing whether experienced from physical meditative consciousness, or dream, or both flashed back and forth like movie frames. I am unaware of the latter from any of the sources. But again the sources are like "how-to" manuals, and my guess is that any experiences such as yours are ear-whispered and not written into commentaries.

[Old Student]

Lanka generally means "island", and, one specifically, which, considering there used to be Adam's Bridge to India, has the following interesting information:


Laṅkā (लङ्का).—The hypothetical place on the equator where the meridian of Ujjain intersects it, i.e., place with 0° longitude and 0° latitude.

[according to] to some accounts Lanka was much larger than the island of Ceylon is at present, or was even distinct from it, the first meridian of longitude which passed through Ujjayinī being supposed to pass through Lanka


But if her "place" is really "the pitha", could she be the Ishvari of Lanka other than an island?

Lanka is famous from the Ramayana, my impression was that most people put it in modern day Sri Lanka or generally that direction. My impression also was that the word 'dvipa' is used for island, including Lanka dvipa, but also for jambudvipa which is Asia but is it as a big island. Suvarnadvipa is Indonesia.


Her bird association is indecipherable to me:

laṅkeśvarī pājī|

My dictionary says 'falcon'.


Yes, Buddhism begins a lot of things with Namo or Namah, but it is rarely if ever an ending, certainly not compared to Phat.
My impression was it was always near the beginning.

Kanzeon namo butsu...

which is the same as what you said.

[Old Student]

It is conceivable to me, at least.

I get "intersections" like that, but not to the same degree.
I am on chapter thirty-something in the Avatamsaka, there was one several chapters ago on concentrations. It is Cleary and coming from the Chinese, I know that one document of yours translated concentration and 定 and samadhi all the same. But they said there were millions of them and they enabled one to see different things. I am beginning to think of it that way, it's a particular mental state that makes it happen.


Closer to Durga.

Safe transport over the quagmire of samsara.

Following the analogies, if I call her consort of Amoghasiddhi (Shiva), that would be like calling her Uma--Parvati--Durga.

Yes, I take her as the overall divinity whereas even someone like Ekajati is really Tara in Ekajati Amnaya.

Kali, as Guhyakali, could be said to be incorporated into Guhyeshvari. Even if she is the ultimate Mystery Lady by name, it is another way of Tara.
Makes sense.

This can and must operate through the body at times, but, it is not of it. When the Pitha System is called Vajra Kaya and this is supposed to become "Deathless", then the subtle body and mind are simply unaffected by the various collapses that usually ensue after death. So whatever was developed in and through the nadis in life is like the "river" that will be followed afterwards.

So at a more subtle level, the thing that is the same in meditation or dreams, is the same in life or death.
That sounds a bit more like the concentrations thing. I need to think this over.

[Old Student]

In my view that would have to be Mayavi Rupa.

Some believe if you were to see it with your physical eyes you would die.
That seems scary.


In the Mayavi, you could go to the Gobi Desert, or, you could go into the memories of it by someone you don't know. It does not normally do these things because a person lacks the capacity. But it is plastic enough for you to become, or merge into, an animal, or anything else.

I would think if you looked like a hawk, someone who knows you, would know it was you.
I don't have such a witness. I do know that I am 'felt' or heard or something by the birds outside sometimes.


Still the same thing whether experienced from physical meditative consciousness, or dream, or both flashed back and forth like movie frames. I am unaware of the latter from any of the sources. But again the sources are like "how-to" manuals, and my guess is that any experiences such as yours are ear-whispered and not written into commentaries.

And I'm beginning to think there is a reason a how-to is written that way. Some things require my body to be in a particular position, I might be able to do it after two years of shaking from a variety of poses, but a lot of times the pose that does something like pull my spine straight to make something flow, if one were going to teach it to someone and wanted it to succeed, the pose really is the one they teach, with legs folded, etc.

[shaberon]

Lanka is famous from the Ramayana, my impression was that most people put it in modern day Sri Lanka or generally that direction. My impression also was that the word 'dvipa' is used for island, including Lanka dvipa, but also for jambudvipa which is Asia but is it as a big island. Suvarnadvipa is Indonesia.

When the Dvipa is a Continent, it means a Container, for those beings with the ability to take birth there.

I cannot remember if Vajrapani had placed these devis all in the same form. But as it turns out, there is nothing obscure, Lankeswari (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lankeswari_Temple) is the patron deity of Sonepur, Paschima Lanka.

A government paper (http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2009/September/engpdf/121-125.pdf) gives some history of her:

Lankeswari is stated by tradition to be the
protectress of mythical city Lanka ruled by Ravan
referred to as Lankini or Lankadevi. Similarly
Lankeswari was also the presiding deity in the
Sonpur region during the reign of
Chhindakanagas. After defeating the Soma rulers,
Chhindakanagas installed the
Telgu Chodas as local ruling
chief there. Even today
Lankeswari is worshipped in
the form of a flat rocky islet in
the bed of Mahanadi and a
whirlpool of Mahanadi is
known as Lankeswari Darha.


...Lankeswari is four armed.
She sits in Bajraparyanka posture on a lotus
throne. She holds Sankha and Chakra in her
upper left and right hands respectively and her
lower right hand having Varada Mudra and left
hand inAbhaya Mudra with spread out tongue.
The image is carved in black chlorite stone
measuring 32" by 16". Such iconic feature
synchronizing Kali with Vishnu is unique and only
of its kind in the State of Orissa. The deity is
worshipped with Vanadurga Vija Mantra.

[Mahattari = Varendra Vana Iccha, i. e. Vana Durga is a particular practice or lineage I believe]

The dispute about Devikota (http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Devikota) is significant to the general fact of three sacred mountains in Tibet, Kailas, Lapchi, and Tsari. One of the most detailed accounts of it is in The Ravines of Tsari (http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Tsari). It is at the border to Arunchal Pradesh. Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra are the first ones considered to have accessed it, and it has remained important to for instance the founder of Drikung who had dreams about it.

They consider the mountains to be Chakrasamvara mandala.

They are part of the Twenty-four Pithas.

Heruka blessed the Lingam of each Pitha with a mandala of the sixty-two Chakrasamvara deities.

The sixty-two are Chakrasamvara and his consort, and his retinue: the twenty-four male and twenty-four female Bodhisattvas, and the twelve goddesses.

The last sounds vague but is the Tenma (http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/brtan_ma_bcu_gnyis), the Four She Maras, the Four Yakshis (Turquoise Lamp, Mari Rabjam, etc.], and the Four Medicine Ladies, these last appearing to be the class we usually spell Mamo.

Tenma are entirely local.

Well, Tibet is not said to be the source of Chakrasamvara, but the transmission of it.

In their case they do have the ability to say, well, Padmasambhava importantly, and some others, tamed and oath-bound these beings, so perhaps it is possible to expand the original and make a new Eyes Pitha even though it does not seem to concern Sati or her personal parts.

I don't, there aren't any demonic stomping grounds converted to Dharma practice anywhere near here. Therefor I am not in a position to innovate what the Pitha may be.

That also persuades me that I am not in a position to say where Lankesvari is. Evidently, she was and still is in West Lanka, and that is whom was originally given as governess of the two eyes. Why that may or may not have anything to do with attributions of where Sati's eyes went, I am not sure.

I am also pretty sure it would be over-reach for us to try digging into deities that are strictly local and have no bearing to us, such as the Tenma, or Tseringma. They are representatives of classes. That is why I tend to fall back to the Sanskrit, same as with the Tara system that is evident in Sadhanamala.




My dictionary says 'falcon'.

Then that is what we will go by.


My impression was it was always near the beginning.

Kanzeon namo butsu...

which is the same as what you said.

The Eight Mothers' Circle brought up recently is an exception, it uses Namostu'te--which, without further qualifications a single word, would be understood as Mahalakshmi Stotram. I am not yet sure if there is anything about that Circle which is not a Hindu import, with maybe one sentence added in using "sarvabuddhanam". There are almost a hundred each of Namos and Namahs in Sadhanamala as headers. and you can actually find one at the end of a Vajratiksna mantra, so as an ending it may not be thoroughly sanitized, but it is barely there.

Refuge Vow done with Namo sounds rather strange to me, but, some of them do it that way.

[shaberon]

coming from the Chinese, I know that one document of yours translated concentration and 定 and samadhi all the same. But they said there were millions of them and they enabled one to see different things. I am beginning to think of it that way, it's a particular mental state that makes it happen.


That sounds a bit more like the concentrations thing. I need to think this over.

Yes, exactly.

We can see three or four degrees of Samadhi in the Chakrasamvara Pithas, and, there are four important ones in Dharma Samgraha.

Four Concentrations is also defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 136):

Heroic march (śūraṅgama),
Sky-jewel (gagaṇa-gañja),
Pure light (vimala-prabha),
Lion’s sport (siṃha-vikrīḍita).

Now even the Dharma Samgraha itself has a different Four Concentrations in another area, and, they have posted it in a one-page pdf (https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Dharma-Sangraha/Dharma-Sangraha.pdf) so we can sort through it better.

The reason this one is important is since it begins with the first Mantra Yana Sutra, that of Parasol.

The others are explained in the tantras, i. e. Gagana Ganja is generally Samadhi of Entry, via Void Gnosis, and so on from there and the last class being like an extension of Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala Devi which is Ekayana, Refuge of One.

The mental state is the Noumenal factor which results in corresponding Phenomena.

Samadhis and Mandalas are unlimited. Nevertheless, with respect to our planet, it could be said that a quantifiable number have been established here by Buddha and others and that is what we rely on. I say this due to Sraddha or Conviction that any legitimate teacher of Sambhogakaya has said something valid, and that it is impossible to deviate very far from what has been said. After all, the Spiritual Community is continuous to the Akanistha. If I am there, I will find them; no one else is there.

[shaberon]

Some believe if you were to see it with your physical eyes you would die.
That seems scary.


I am not sure how you really test that.

I am not trying to.



I don't have such a witness. I do know that I am 'felt' or heard or something by the birds outside sometimes.

Very interesting.

The fact that these devis are granted Animals and then are entirely re-iterated as Birds tells us something.

Bird is very special in both its symbolic forms and the feathered friends outdoors.

Who is Controlling Food to begin samadhi? Crow.

The most beneficial magical creature is usually held to be Garuda.

I can infinitely assert the Naga Kingdom all I want and that Garuda is still poignant to whatever happens in Time.

Time, as Kali, is also the name of the consonants, which are Bodies for the Consciousness of the Vowels.


And I'm beginning to think there is a reason a how-to is written that way. Some things require my body to be in a particular position, I might be able to do it after two years of shaking from a variety of poses, but a lot of times the pose that does something like pull my spine straight to make something flow, if one were going to teach it to someone and wanted it to succeed, the pose really is the one they teach, with legs folded, etc.


It is a bit odd, your descriptions sounded like "spontaneous" asanas coming from an in-the-moment need.

I can conceive of it, but do not really have a similar experience.

I have more or less come under the instructions of Yoga Tantra of the Jnanapada lineage.

It is something like a point of not actually using Vajravarahi and Cinnamasta, but, building the engine under their hood very thoroughly and meticulously.

The truth is that anyone, even a beginner, might go into the Mirror Wisdom and perceive things much more deeply than is currently being taught. But again, it is more like we are honing the processes of going in and coming out. We enhance the navigation and stay longer. I really did not get this when I was younger. It was more the simple fact that there could be an energetic peak that enthralled me. And so yes, it is much like that is now "self-sealed" and inaccessible while I really grind on the basics.




I was thinking about Hook Rays recently in somewhat of an uplifting sense, because this is part of semi-advanced sadhanas and so it is familiar to us. But it could be uplifting because if thought of in reverse, if we are having difficulties, nevertheless we must be on someone's Hook Rays if Bodhisattvas and advanced practitioners are constantly sending them to all beings.

These are different from "The Rays", which are subsumed in the creatures pulling Marici's (or other similar) chariots. Thos have to do with the Sun, and so. i. e. Marut or Wind "digging holes in space" as the planes or veils of matter, which are "entered" by seven principles of Vishnu and Agni.

And so Vajradaka Tantra does not yet have the most elaborate, detailed instructions about Pithas and so on, but it gets very close and has probably the most direct collusion of tantric principles to the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment.

Simultaneously, that is the value of Dharma Samgraha; on its own, it is nearly useless, but then for example if you look at the ealry 40s section, there is tantra in a nutshell. It is like a blueprint upon which sadhanas are formulated.

This is a very succinct passage from Vajradaka which summarizes Inner Fire very elegantly, while also having "fires" that are actually Hook Rays:


15.26-32:

The text details the yoga of the inner fire named Mahāmāyā. A practitioner meditates as follows
― The inner fire, Mahāmāyā, is ignited on the circle in the navel area (viz., the emanation cakra) with the wind of karma (karmamāruta). The fire is a hundred-thousandth of the point of a hair in size, and it looks like a mass of flashes of lightening. The fire blazes upward, enters the dharma cakra in the heart, and burns (letters put on) the dharma cakra. Then the fire passes the enjoyment cakra in the
throat, and it goes out from the body both through the right nostril and through between the eyebrows.

Subsequently, the fires spread and go into the bodies of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions through their left nostrils. The fires enter the cakras in the heads (viz., the great bliss cakra) of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, burn them, (take bodhicittas or amṛtas [immortal nectars] produced in the great bliss cakras in the heads of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,) and go out from their bodies. The
fires (holding bodhicittas or amṛtas) come back into the body of the practitioner and enter the great bliss cakra in his head. Then the bodhicittas, or amṛtas, drip from the great bliss cakra to the dharma cakra and cause the experience of bliss of the burnt letters (which represent the Five Buddhas). Finally they drip into the emanation cakra and reside there. This is the whole process of the yoga described in
the text. The Vivṛti comments that it is a form of the yoga of Caṇḍālī (96r4-r5). The Sampuṭodbhava and Kṛṣṇācārya's Vasantatilakā have almost the same teachings.
The fire is named "Nairātmyā" in the former scripture and "Vārāhī" in the latter scripture.


That refers to the Four Joys or the entire first half of Suksma Yoga ending in The Vessel or Bharati.

In terms of the operative male seed hypostasis:

It is informed that all above were taught by the Lord, who is the Vajra-holder, Vajrasattva, a Tathāgata, and Vajraḍāka (who is the fusion of all Ḍākinīs).


Also it says that Mahamaya is Mam-arisen which implies she is Mamaki.

Varuni, Khandaroha, and Pratisara are Mamaki. Nairatma and Vajravarahi are both aspects of Guhyesvari, who is Mamaki, albeit at her "highest explanation level" or perhaps Paramartha or Ultimate Meaning, the almost worldess teching that directs us to the Third Void.

[Old Student]

I cannot remember if Vajrapani had placed these devis all in the same form. But as it turns out, there is nothing obscure, Lankeswari is the patron deity of Sonepur, Paschima Lanka.

A government paper gives some history of her:

I believe there is a copper plate, I believe they have some justification. I take a lot of attributions of things to Orissa as being of the same status as the disputes over where the Queen of Sheba reigned, between the Ethiopians and the Yemeni.


The dispute about Devikota is significant to the general fact of three sacred mountains in Tibet, Kailas, Lapchi, and Tsari. One of the most detailed accounts of it is in The Ravines of Tsari. It is at the border to Arunchal Pradesh. Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra are the first ones considered to have accessed it, and it has remained important to for instance the founder of Drikung who had dreams about it.

I had only heard of Kailash, the lake and swamp at its base is headwaters to a surprising number of great rivers.


There are almost a hundred each of Namos and Namahs in Sadhanamala as headers. and you can actually find one at the end of a Vajratiksna mantra, so as an ending it may not be thoroughly sanitized, but it is barely there.

Refuge Vow done with Namo sounds rather strange to me, but, some of them do it that way.
The Japanese I quoted is from a protection chant. There are two kinds of Buddhist temples in China and Japan, shi - 寺 and miao - 廟. I had a Chinese friend one time that said that all miao are dedicated to Guanyin (Avalokitashvara) and the others are to anyone. I don't know if that is true. In front of most of the miao that I've seen, is a pole or stake in the ground that begins, Na mo .... I don't know how they say the Refuge Vow, at the Zen place I attended it was one of the ones we did in English.

[Old Student]

Thank you for the pdf, that is a good one.


The mental state is the Noumenal factor which results in corresponding Phenomena.

Samadhis and Mandalas are unlimited. Nevertheless, with respect to our planet, it could be said that a quantifiable number have been established here by Buddha and others and that is what we rely on. I say this due to Sraddha or Conviction that any legitimate teacher of Sambhogakaya has said something valid, and that it is impossible to deviate very far from what has been said. After all, the Spiritual Community is continuous to the Akanistha. If I am there, I will find them; no one else is there.

So in the Avatamsaka, they need to be taught a particular concentration any time there is something they cannot see (e.g. a buddha or bodhisattva or a place), the concentration is like a siddhi that enables them to see some part of the teaching. They are, as you say, limitless, and they stop in the sutra at one point to teach the assembled a new concentration so they can see something and then move on.

[Old Student]

I am not sure how you really test that.

I am not trying to.
I'm not sure either. I do know there was a similar belief about hitting the ground in falling dreams. I hit the ground in one, and then wondered where the story had come from and in investigating it, found out tons of people had, just like me, hit the ground and nothing had happened to them. This one sounds really difficult. What would it mean? That I would walk, ride, or fly from where I was in the shaman body, and go to where I was physically and do what exactly? It seems like an unlikely thing. Maybe other people aren't as strewn all over as I am.



Very interesting.

The fact that these devis are granted Animals and then are entirely re-iterated as Birds tells us something.

Bird is very special in both its symbolic forms and the feathered friends outdoors.

Who is Controlling Food to begin samadhi? Crow.
Oops. I kicked the crows out. They were trashing the place and frightening the smaller birds. I (as the bird familiar of that shaman) told them to leave. They hang out across the street or next door. I didn't actually know that I had succeeded until they all stayed away, that's the first I found out they can somehow understand me.

The most beneficial magical creature is usually held to be Garuda.
This is how they usually translate 'Khyung'. I only know that because after the crow thing I spent days trying to find out more about eagles and Tibet and shamans.


It is a bit odd, your descriptions sounded like "spontaneous" asanas coming from an in-the-moment need.

I can conceive of it, but do not really have a similar experience.

That's a good way of putting some of the poses. Sometimes the poses are 'extremes' they are the kind of limiting position of a particular kind of shaking and I stay in them for sometimes minutes (this kind usually have a lot of muscles at their maximum tension). Others are positions within which the shaking happens -- one of the most frequent, and I was told was "my position" for a lot of stuff is supta baddha konasana. I am in that pose sometimes when my whole pelvis is shaking in multiple ways and my sacrum is twisting, and also sometimes in it when my spine needs to straighten. I am sometimes in a (lying down) half-lotus, but it is hard for me to move my lower body in all the different ways it moves from there, I'm just not that loose. Most of the other positions I don't know the yoga names for. The Sarasvati's lute pose I told you about is kind of both kinds, it's a limiting pose and also one from which I shake within it.

The fire is named "Nairātmyā" in the former scripture and "Vārāhī" in the latter scripture.



That refers to the Four Joys or the entire first half of Suksma Yoga ending in The Vessel or Bharati.

In terms of the operative male seed hypostasis:

It is informed that all above were taught by the Lord, who is the Vajra-holder, Vajrasattva, a Tathāgata, and Vajraḍāka (who is the fusion of all Ḍākinīs).


Also it says that Mahamaya is Mam-arisen which implies she is Mamaki.

Some of this sounds like blazing and dripping. Mamaki is water related. Is Mahamaya, who in this passage seems like fire -- and therefore almost an opposite -- a complement?

It is interesting that earlier it is Nairatmya and later it is Varahi. I get the feeling that Varahi gradually accumulates things earlier ascribed to a larger set of deities.

[shaberon]

Sadanga Yoga from Vajrapani



I am simply going to copy the majority of this section since it is extremely obscure and was not translated yet but just Romanized.

It is a commentary on Chakrasamvara 9 & 10.

And so if we turn to the handy Dharma Samgraha, it should not be hard to find Six Yogas, Six Yoginis, and most other aspects of a potential Mandala, however the entire basket is unnecessary for this purpose and it is not in order.

Samputa Tantra says Six Yogas is the practice of "Guhyasamaja and the other tantras", and so Vajrapani must be commenting the way Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara practices have been Accomplished. And so he summarizes what he knows and it is this upon which Kalachakra is founded.

It is held to be one of the most critically fundamental commentaries on the subject.

I certainly had never seen it and was obfuscated by the title since it sounded like it was part of Laghu Chakrasamvara. But that is probably the text he is working from. There probably are articles where this or that Lama has said something about it, although its historical importance has dimisnished because it is subsumed in the later Vimala Prabha. But, particularly here, it is really only talking about the tradition of the Esoteric Community which operates any of the tantras in its genre. So it is primary in the same sense that saying Varuni and Candali, Vajravairocani, etc., are names for the only physiological conditions that make the operation work.

Chakrasamvara was revealed by Manjushri and is getting a little more Vastness from Vajrapani.

I am just going to point out a few things that stand out to me and perhaps we can focus parts of the text as needed.

The end of the previous section says it is going to bring two kinds of siddhis:

iha yogitvaṁ dvidhā laukikaṁ lokottaraṁ ca|


So, part of the meaning of "technique" is that Buddhism says it has Lokottara or Transcendental Siddhis, Utpatti and Nispanna, Generation and Completion Stages, which are not present in Hinduism, although the Laukika Siddhis are.

It is the male half of Prajna:

upāyaḥ ṣaḍaṅgayogaḥ|



This may be the Dharma or Reality of unlimited Upeksa:

parasparāpekṣakadharmo


It looks like it negates Paratantra or "Other-Dependent" Nature, which makes Samaya Uttare or Unexcelled Bond of Bhagavan:

aparatantrāntaroktaiḥ ṣaḍaṅgair asmin piṇḍīkṛto 'rtho 'ṅgatrayāṇām avagantavyaḥ| iha śrīsamājottare bha-
gavān āha-

Iteration of the Six Yogas:

pratyāhāras tathā dhyānaṁ prāṇāyāmaś ca dhāraṇā|
anusmṛtiḥ samādhiś ca ṣaḍaṅgo yoga iṣyate||

Vajra Muttering leads to Dharana or Retention of Prana, which produces Bliss like a fuel for Samadhi:

ato dhyānapūrvaḥ pratyāhāro veditavyaḥ| mantrajāpapūrvaḥ prā-
ṇāyāmo veditavyaḥ| atra mantrajāpaśabdena napuṁsakajāpo vajra-
jāpo vā prāṇadhāraṇā ucyate| sukhapūrvānusmṛtir veditavyā| atra su-
khaśabdena samādhir ucyate|


Laukika Bala Yoga is the Fruit of Muttering, Withdrawal, and a noteworthy appearance of Samjna in a hyper form similar to Samjna Samjnin, followed by a Wheel with Consorts:

ādi-karmikāṇāṁ bālayogināṁ laukikaṁ phalaṁ mantrajāpena pratyāhāra-
saṁjñijnā| dhyānena maṇḍalacakrādivikalpabhāvanācittena sukhena
ca karmamudrājñānamudrākṣaraspandasukhena|


Then he gives each Yoga a paragraph.


Pratyahara:

iha pratyāhāro nāma bāhyarūpādiviṣayeṣv apravṛttiś
kṣurādīndriyaiś cakṣurvijñānādīnām| adhyātmani viṣayeṣu pravṛttir
vyacakṣurādīndriyair divyacakṣurvijñānādīnām iti| adhyātmani śūnyatā-
mbhanenāakalpitaṁ sarvabhāvadarśanaṁ śūnye pratisenādarśe
mārikāyā iveti pratyāhārāṅgam ucyate traidhātukabuddhabimba-
rśanād iti|


Dhyana:

tato dhyānaṁ nāma śūnyeṣu sarvadharmeṣu dṛṣṭeṣu satsu|
ajñā nāma teṣu cittapravṛttiḥ| vitarko nāma bhāvagrahaṇaṁ citta
sya| vicāro nāmo bhāvagrahaṇapratipattiḥ| ratir nāma sarvabhāveṣu
tāropaṇam acalasukhaṁ nāma sarvabhāvebhyaḥ sukhasaṁpattiḥ| evaṁ
ñcadhā dhyānāṅgam ucyate|


Pranayama:

tataḥ prāṇāyāmo nāma lalanārasanā-
madakṣiṇamārganirodhaḥ| avadhūtīmadhyamārge prāṇavāyoḥ sadā
avṛttir iti| pūrakakumbhakare cakayogenāvadhūtyām
_kāreṇa śvāsaṁ| hūṁkāreṇa nirodham| āḥkāreṇa niḥśvāsam|
candrarāhusūryasvabhāvena kurute yogīti prāṇāyāmāṅgam ucyate|


Dharana:

tato dhāraṇā nāma prāṇasya māhendravāruṇāgnivāyumaṇḍale nābhau
hṛdi kaṇṭhe lalāṭe praveśo bāhye 'nirgamaḥ| bindau prāṇaniveśanam iti
dhāraṇāṅgam ucyate|


Smrti:

tato 'nusmṛtir nāma sveṣṭadevatādarśanaṁ
pratibimbākāraṁ vikalparahitam| tasmād anekaraśmisphuradrūpaṁ pra-
bhāmaṇḍalam| tato 'nekākāraṁ sphuradrūpaṁ traidhātukaspharaṇam
ity anusmṛtyaṅgam ucyate|


Samadhi:

tataḥ samādhir nāmeṣṭadevatānu-
rāgād yadakṣarasukhaprāptis tasyām ekīkaraṇaṁ cittasya| grāhya-
grāhakarahitaṁ cittaṁ samādhyaṅgam ucyate tathāgataiḥ| iha ṣaḍaṅ-
gayogo 'tra saṁkṣepeṇokto| vistar<at>o lakṣābhidhāne paramādibuddhe
vā sadgurūpadeśenāvagantavyo yoginā mahāmudrāsiddhaya
iti|


In Kalachakra, those are given the forms of Animal-Headed Tramen, and we can also see them integrated by degrees of Indra, Bala, and Bodhyanga in the Pitha system.


It appears the male seed is going to interface through Maha Usnisa which has already come to our attention as a culmination of the male-based Vajra Sekhara system such as is known in Japan, manifesting Amrtakundalin:

iha ṣaḍaṅgasya punar ādimārgabhāvanopadeśas tantrān-
tareṣūkhaḥ| iha śrīsamājottare sevopasādhanaṁ sādhanaṁ mahāsā
dhanaṁ ceti| tad eva bhagavān āha-

sevākāle mahoṣṇīṣaṁ bimbaṁ vibhāvya yatnataḥ|
upasādhanakāle tu bimbaṁ cāmṛtakuṇḍalīm||
sādhane devatābimbaṁ bhāvayed yogatatparaḥ|
mahāsādhanakāle tu bimbaṁ buddhādhipaṁ vibhum|| iti|


So this is a Seva or Upa Sadhana. That means the male seed, Smrti, has to arise and succeed at something to make it a full Sadhana. The reason for saying it "equates" to Sati is to make the correspondence in the various Dharma Samgraha categories or degrees that the Pitha symbolisms are drawn from. This similarly says that a female Sati can work as a "placeholder" in the same way that sometimes one "stands" for Upaya, the female can substrate the normally male roles, but, here, it has to eventuate in a male Smrti as in Vajradaka Tantra.

It will activate via Dharmodaya and so on:


atra saṁdhyābhāṣāntareṇoṣṇīṣabimbaṁ buddhabimbaṁ tra-
idhātukam aśeṣataḥ| ākāśe dharmodaye cittavajraṁ pratiṣthāpya sevākāle
prathamakāle pratyāhāreṇa bhāvayed dhyānāṅgena sthirīkuryād ity atra
bhagavataḥ pratijñā-

(86)

sarvacintāṁ parityajya dinam ekaṁ parīkṣayet|
yadi na syāt pratyayas tatra tadā me tanmṛṣā vacaḥ|| iti|

It mentions Smoke which the the wrathful color of Samadhi:

atra pratyayo dhūmādikaṁ nimittaṁ nānyan mantrādikaṁ
dinenaikena sādhyate yena pratyayo bhaviṣyati mantriṇām| ato 'stināsti-
buddhiṁ parityajya nirāśrayāṁ kṛtvā śūnye gambhīro nirālambaḥ
pratyayo bhavati| sa ca pratyayārtho dhūmādiko bhāvyate
yogineti tathāgataniyamaḥ| tathā-
karaṇair bandhasaṁyogaiḥ sādhayed bhuvanatrayam| iti|
buddhabimbaṁ bhuvanatrayaṁ sādhayet karaṇaiś cakṣurādibhiḥ| sa evo-
padeśo guruvaktreṇāvagantavyaḥ| tatra gurūpadeśenākāśe prathamaṁ yogī dhūmaṁ paśyati na marīcikām iti svānubhavato jñeyam|

He gives the signs of Dissolutions beginning with Smoke which results in Dakini Panjara which becomes related to Maya Svapna:

tato marīcikā
paścāt tad eva dhūmādikaṁ kalpanārahitaṁ pratisenāvad iti|
evaṁ prathamaṁ dhūmanimittam| dvitīyaṁ marīcikānimittam|
tṛtīyaṁ khadyotanimittam| caturtham dīpanimittam| pañcamaṁ
nirabhragaganasaṁnibhaṁ nimittam iti samājottare| ḍākinī-
vajrapañjare 'pi bhagavatoktam| tadupari bhagavān āha ḍākinīvajra-
pañjare-

sarvajñahetukaṁ tad dhi siddhinikaṭe nivartakam|
paścān māyopamākāraṁ svapnākāraṁ kṣaṇāt kṣaṇaṁ|| ityādi|
ato bhagavato vacanād ādau dhūmādinimittabhāvanā-
pratyayo bhavati| kecit siddhikāle vadiṣyanti te sarve bhagavataḥ
pratijñābhaṅgakāriṇaḥ| sarvacintāṁ parityajya dinam ekaṁ parīkṣayet
pratyayam iti bhagavato vacanaviheṭhakāḥ| yat siddhikāle laukikaṁ
dhūmādikaṁ tan nimittaṁ māyāsvapnopamaṁ na bhavati| sākṣād dhū-
majvālādidahanakriyāsāmarthyāt tathā kuñkumapuṣparatnasuvarṇā-
divṛṣṭir api| ataḥ ṣaḍaṅgayogād dhūmādikaṁ nimittaṁ bhavatīti
| tathā ḍākinīvajrapañjare bhagavān āha-

(87)

"This" is Svadisthana or Water Moon, etc.:

ṣaḍaṅgaṁ bhāvayet tasmāt svādhiṣṭhānasamaṁ punaḥ|
paścāt saṁlakṣayec cihnam anulomavidhikramaiḥ|| iti|


The Void and a Fire Bindu are in a Non or Nira Bhram which constitutes Maya Jala Samadhi of Patala:

atra svādhiṣṭhānaṁ nāma saṁvṛteḥ satyadarśanaṁ śūnye darśanaṁ
pratyāhāreṇa| cihnaṁ nāma meghadhūmādivat pratibhāsaḥ| sa ca pra-
thamaṁ dṛśyate pradīpaparyantam|tata ākāśaṁ nirabhraṁ
nirmalam iti| tantreṣv aparaṁ jvālādibinduparyantaṁ ṣaḍ-
dhā nimittaṁ māyājāle samādhipaṭale proktaṁ bhagavatā|
tadyathā|


The Swayambhu or Self-Arisen:

gaganodbhavaḥ svayambhūḥ prajñājñānānalo mahān||
vairocano mahādīptir jñānajyotir virocanaḥ|
jagatpradīpo jñānolko mahātejāḥ prabhāsvaraḥ||
vidyārājo 'gramantreśo mantrarājo mahārthakṛt| iti|


By pursuing this through Rahu to Prabhasvara you reach a Blue Wheel and by Conquering the Three Worlds, Pranayama Locks one into the birth of a Kama Rupa:

gāthādvayena māyājāle 'paranimittaṁ bhagavatoktaṁ saṁdhyābhā-
ṣāntareṇa pūrvoktān nirabhragaganād bhavati pratibhāso yaḥ sa
gaganodbhavaḥ svayambhūḥ sarvavikalparahitacittād iti| atra prajñājñānā-
nala iti jvālāpratibhāsaḥ| vairocano mahādīptir iti candrapratibhāsaḥ| sa
eva jñānajyotir virocana iti| jagatpradīpa iti sūryapratibhāso jñānol-
ka iti rāhupratibhāsaḥ| mahātejāḥ prabhāsvara iti vidyutpratibhāsaḥ| vi-
dyārājo 'gramantreśa iti bindupratibhāso nīlavarṇacandramaṇḍalākāra
iti| mantrarājo mahārthakṛd iti sarvākāratraidhātukabhāvapratibhāso
māyāsvapnapratisenātulyo dṛśyate yoginā pratyāhāreṇeti
cakṣurādīndriyakaraṇena| tatra prāṇāyāmabandhena ebhiḥ karaṇair
bandhasaṁyogaiḥ sādhayed bhuvanatrayaṁ kāmarūpārpyalakṣaṇaṁ sthi-
racalasvabhāvātmakam iti| tathā ḍākinīvajrapañjare bhagavān
āha-

(88)

sidhyaty aśeṣaniḥśeṣaṁ traidhātuka<ṁ> carācaram|
lokadhātuṣu sarveṣu yāvanto vajradchinaḥ|| iti|
ṣaḍaṅgabhāvanayeti bhagavato niyamaḥ| tathā śrīsamāje bhagavān
āha-

abhāve bhāvanābhāvo bhāvanā naiva bhāvanā|
iti bhāvo na bhāvaḥ syād bhāvanā nopalabhyate|| it|
ihābhāve nirabhragagane bhāvanā pratyāhāraḥ| sa <evābhāve>
bhāvanābhāva iti bhāvanā naiva bhāvaneti| iha pratyāhārabhavanā yā
'bhāve nirabhragagane sā bhāvanā naiva bhāvanā bhavati| vikalpabhā-
vanārahitatvād iti bhāvo yaḥ pratyāhāreṇa dṛṣṭaḥ sa bhāvo na bhāvaḥ syād
akalpitātītānāgatavartamānabhāvābhāvadarśanād iti| ato vikalpabhāva
nā nopalabhyate pratyāhārabhāvanāyām iti bhagavato vākyam|
iyaṁ bhāvanā prajñāpāramitāyām api bhagavatoktā|


Indra has apparently fused with Ayus which has to do with Subhuti and Prajnaparamita and then Kausika Yoga applies:

tadyathā|
atha khalu śakro devānām indra āyuṣmantaṁ subhūtim etad avo-
cat| ya āryasubhūte 'tra prajñāpāramitāyāṁ yogam āpasyate kva sa yo-
gam āpsyate| subhūtir āha| ākāśe sa kauśika yogam āpsyate| yaḥ
prajñāpāramitāyāṁ yogam āpsyate| abhyavakāśe sa
kauśika yogam <āptukāmaḥ> yaḥ prajñāpāramitāyāṁ śikṣita-
vyaṁ mansyata iti|

mahāmudrābhāvanā pratisenāmāyātulyā nirabhre gagane
bhagavatokteti| evaṁ pratyāhāreṇa dhyānena sevāṅgam
ucyate| tato 'mṛtakuṇḍalībimbasaṁjñayā saṁdhyābhāṣāntareṇa vāyur
uktaḥ| sa ca pañcaprakāraḥ| tathā samājottare bhagavān āha-

(89)

pañcaratnamayaṁ śvāsaṁ pañcabuddhair adhiṣṭhitam|
niścārya piṇḍarūpeṇa nāsikāgre vibhāvayet|| iti|


He is going to take the Quintessence to the main Nerves until going into Candali Yoga:

iha pañcaratnaśabdena rasanā pañcamaṇḍaladhar-
miṇyaḥ pṛthivyādipañcadhātavas tanmayaṁ śvāsaṁ pañcaratnama-
yam iti savyanāsāpuṭe| tathā pañcabuddhā lalanāpañcamaṇḍaladharmi-
no vijñānādipañcaskandhāḥ| tair adhiṣṭhitaṁ śvāsaṁ vāmanāsāpuṭa iti
| niścārya piṇḍarūpeṇeti| iha piṇḍaṁ savyāvasavyamaṇḍalānām
ekatvaṁ madhyamāyām avadhūtyāṁ prāṇavāyor iti| taṁ ca prā-
ṇavāyuṁ niścārya piṇḍarūpeṇa nāsikāgre vibhāvayet| atra nāsikā-
śabdena nābhihṛtkaṇṭhalalāṭoṣṇīṣakamalakarṇikocyate| tasyāgre
bhāvayen nāsikāgre bhāvayet| karṇikāt karṇikāmadhye na savyāvasa-
vyakamaladala iti| evaṁ bindusthāne piṇḍarūpeṇa nirodhitaḥ
prāṇaḥ| tenaiva tasya dhāraṇocyate| evam aṅgadvayenopasā-
dhanam amṛtakuṇḍalībimbeneti| tad evopasādhanaṁ vajrajāpa ity
ucyate| madhyamābhinnāṅgena japtavya iti| prāṇasya na vāmadakṣiṇa-
nāḍyāṁ pracāreṇeti| uṣṇīṣabimbe dṛṣṭe sati paścāt prāṇāyā-
maṁ kuryān mantrīti| gurūpadeśaḥ saṁdhyābhāṣāntareṇā-
vagantavya iti prāṇāyāmadhāraṇopasādhanam ucyate| tataḥ sādhane deva-
tābimbam iti| iha dhāraṇābalena nābhisthāṁ caṇḍalīṁ jvalitāṁ pa-
śyati yogī sarvāvaraṇarahitāṁ pratisenopamāṁ mahāmudrām anantabud-
dharaśmimeghān sphārayantīṁ prabhāmaṇḍalavirājitā<m sā>nusmṛti<ḥ>
sādhanam ucyate| dhāraṇānte caṇḍalīyogaṁ bhāvayed iti
niyamaḥ| tatas tasyā jñānārciṣā skandhadhātvāyatanādīni dagdhāny
ekalolībhavanti| vāmadakṣiṇanāḍīgatāni vijñānādipṛthivyādīni maṇḍa-
lasvabhāvāni lalāṭe candramaṇḍale praviṣṭāni| tataś caṇḍālyā jñānārciṣā

(90)

candradrute sati yad bodhicittaṁ bindurūpenādhogataṁ kaṇṭhe
hṛdi nābhau guhyakamale ānandapara maviramasvabhāvena| ta-
to vajramaṇiṁ yāvat sahajānandasvabhāveneti| athavā vicitra
vipākavimardavilakṣaṇasvabhāveneti| evaṁ ṣoḍaśakalāpūr-
ṇaṁ maṇyantargataṁ yadā sukhaṁ dadāti bhāvanābalena cyavanasukha-
sadṛśam iti dṛṣṭāntamātram| svarūpato dvīndriyajaṁ kṣarasukhaṁ koṭīsa-
hasratamīm api kalāṁ nārghati paramākṣarasukhasyeti| ihākṣarasu-
khāvasthā yā sahajānandarūpiṇī sāvasthā kāpy avijñeyā bālayoginām
| bodhisattvaiḥ śūnyatā samādhir ity ucyate| na punar lokarūḍhyā
nāstikyārthānupātinīti| evaṁ ṣaḍaṅgayogena mantrajāpena
dhyānena sukhena ca yogitvaṁ yogināṁ sidhyate paramaṁ puṇy-
aṁ pavitraṁ pāpanāśanam| janmanīhaiva sādhyasādhakaniyamo
bhagavatoktaḥ||


The culmination is a Sahajananda Rupini, which certainly sounds like the intention of the Four Dakinis if understood well from the beginning.

[shaberon]

So in the Avatamsaka, they need to be taught a particular concentration any time there is something they cannot see (e.g. a buddha or bodhisattva or a place), the concentration is like a siddhi that enables them to see some part of the teaching. They are, as you say, limitless, and they stop in the sutra at one point to teach the assembled a new concentration so they can see something and then move on.

That is a pretty good rationale for why someone might be interested in such a vast volume.

The "simple" way I would connect to it would be to say that the various Pure Lands are ranked by how easy they are to enter.

Green Tara's Forest of Turquoise Leaves is the easiest.

Akshobhya's Abhirati is unreachable by less than a Bodhisattva of the Eighth Bhumi.

Most of the rest of them are between there. The next easiest is probably Vajrayogini. So the system of Tara and Vajrayogini is pretty much the same thing.

This is, of course, far less vivid than the uncountable possible Subtle Obscurations and therefor potential Buddha Fields there may be, which comes under the domain of Vajra Ignorance. One, Turquoise Leaves, is in this case enough for me to dedicate myself wholly into it.

[shaberon]

I'm not sure either. I do know there was a similar belief about hitting the ground in falling dreams. I hit the ground in one, and then wondered where the story had come from and in investigating it, found out tons of people had, just like me, hit the ground and nothing had happened to them.


Same here.

It is one of the things that comes to mind in trying to relate to what you describe as corrections or adjustments, because it was just like seeing nothing happens--which for me it happened because I consciously released any Aversion or Fear.

That same attitude should pop a significant portion of many apparent barriers.



Oops. I kicked the crows out. They were trashing the place and frightening the smaller birds. I (as the bird familiar of that shaman) told them to leave. They hang out across the street or next door. I didn't actually know that I had succeeded until they all stayed away, that's the first I found out they can somehow understand me.

That is the same Siddhi as a Wrathful Bird Deity.

If you can do that then you can use All-Purpose Khandaroha to deflect any Enemies.

In reality we had better be careful in trying to identify what the Enemy is.

In this case where such an enemy is invasiveness, and you have just effected a fence rather than harming them, that is like the intended role of Kila. But in the esoteric sense, you had better get a good Fence, the Cemeteries are outside it, and then if something comes crawling through, you Kila it.



Sometimes the poses are 'extremes' they are the kind of limiting position of a particular kind of shaking and I stay in them for sometimes minutes (this kind usually have a lot of muscles at their maximum tension).

How close is this to isotonic exercise?



Some of this sounds like blazing and dripping. Mamaki is water related. Is Mahamaya, who in this passage seems like fire -- and therefore almost an opposite -- a complement?

It is interesting that earlier it is Nairatmya and later it is Varahi. I get the feeling that Varahi gradually accumulates things earlier ascribed to a larger set of deities.


Mamaki is Vastness of Vision who changes Elements and Families and the Arch Guhyesvari is multiple Families.

Perhaps I am jumping to conclusions since Mam can be three entities:

Manjushri

Mamaki

Marici

If there is reason to doubt she may be Manjushri, it could be possible it means Marici.

However the translation of a passage says:

She is manifested from a rope developed from the letter Maṃ (which is dark blue and whose rays are reddish) surrounded by the vowels and consonants on a moon disk, which was produced from the letter A on the origin of existences (dharmodaya, namely, the bhaga) placed at the center of a lotus of eight petals in a divine castle
that was developed from the letter Bhrūṃ on the summit of Mt. Sumeru. Mahāmāyā is dark-blue,
emits dark-blue fires, is of one face with three eyes and of four arms, makes her yellow hair stand on
end, is adorned with all good ornaments, wears a tiger skin on her waist, holds a rope, a hook, a bow
and an arrow, and stands in the shooting posture (g’yon brkyang gis bzhugs pa, *pratyālīḍhapada). He
visualizes eight goddesses standing in the same shooting posture on the eight petals of the lotus in a
divine castle. Then he keeps meditating them with the mantra "oṃ aṃ maṃ hūṃ."

Dark blue sounds less like Marici and Chapter Eleven describes itself as:

paramasiddhividyā mahāmāyā nāma mahāguhyeśvarī /


It tells you to meditate Vajrasattva, and then if we recall what his Vajri Bhava means, he relies on that to be Vajradaka, who is fused with dakinis. To do so, first Mahamaya comes, and she at first attracts Brahma and others, and then attracts White Four Face Vajradaka. And so her form from the original assures us the translator should not have said Rope but Noose:


ity āha bhagavān vajrī ◊ vajraḍākaḥ paraṃ sukham //17//
bhāvayed bhagamadhye tu ◊ sampūrṇacandramaṇḍalam /
tasya madhyagataṃ bījaṃ ◊ nīlāruṇasamaprabham //18//
nīlajvālākulā divyā ◊ nīlapaṅkajasaṃnibhā /
caturbhujā ekavaktrā ◊ trinetrā piṅgalordhvakeśajāe
//19//
sarvālaṃkārabhūṣitā ◊ vyāghracarmāvṛtā kaṭiḥ /
pāśāṅkuśadharā divyā ◊ dhanurbāṇākarṣaṇā parāe
//20//
indranīlasamāyuktam ◊ ādi-akṣarabhāvanā /
yasya vidyāṃ prayuñjīta ◊ kṣipram ānayate kṣaṇāt //21//
raktavarṇaṃ tato dhyātvā ◊ paścād dhyānaṃ vidadhītau /


Guhyeshvari is all three of those "Flames", Nairatma, Vajravarahi, and Mahamaya, but yes those are also codes for using the power to see different things.

Chapter Fifteen is Bhagavan Vajri Vajrasattva becoming Dakini Samayoga Paramasukha Vajradaka, and summarizes itself as:

iti kāyatrayodayamantratantrodayākālamṛtyuvañcano nāma paṭalaḥ pañcadaśamaḥ /


As if the whole thing was a part of Mrtyuvacana, not that she or it were optional or incidental.

It uses the "famous"

Rahasye Parame Ramye

to enact Mahamaya.

That is about all it says, although I am already a bit blurry what was in the other available chapters.

The Mahamaya Tantra is even further, except it is male Four Face Mahamaya who is a sex-changed Lakshmi who couples with the increased Vajravairocani, which is a second good reason to think of Vairocani as Source, because she is intended to increase into Buddhadakini and consort with Mahamaya.

Now if we could compound her across the whole Vajradaka, it would appear she is first taught as Akasha Dhatvishvari, before becoming Inner Fire:

Mahāmāyā (महामाया)or Padmaraśmī is the name of a deity associated with the Bhūta (element) named Ākāśa, according to the 9th century Vajraḍākatantra chapter 1.16-22.—Accordingly, this chapter proclaims the purity of the five components (skandha), five elements (bhūta) and five senses (āyatana) as divine beings [viz., Mahāmāyā].


That is the same pattern, from a conceptual teaching of Voidness, to a personal experience of Akash, which becomes Void Gnosis, which merges with Inner Fire.

She appears to be Mahesvari in a retinue for Mahakala:


To the East is Mahāmāyā (consort of Maheśvara), who stands in the ālīḍha attitude and rides a lion. She has four arms, of which the two left hands carry the kapāla and the ḍamaru, and the two right the kartri and the mudgara. She is blue in complexion, has dishevelled hair, three eyes and protruding teeth. All these deities are terrible in appearance, with protruding teeth and ornaments of serpents.

In Sadhanamala, Mahamaya is Maha Sarasvati, Varahi 221 is Guhyesvari and Mahamaya Mahesvari, and Mahamaya is also Cemetery Varahi and Jvalamukhi.

Maha Sarasvati is the one holding a flaming white lotus with her four special goddesses. It looks like a Medicine or Bhaisajya made from the sweet sound of Matta Kokila. Back to the birds.

Although Autumn Moon is perhaps common and is her origin here, it (Saradindu) is part of a famous Sloka that makes her a type of Pitha goddess and an aspect of Parabrahm:

Om Sri Gnana Saraswathi devathayai namaha,

śaradiṃdu samākāre parabrahma svarūpiṇe
vāsarā pīṭha nilaye sarasvatī namostute

That is about Blue Sarasvati; Maha Sarasvati is White.

The other ones have it as an epithet, whereas Sarasvati is the only one invoked mantricly by it, although as Mahamayange, suggesting she and her retinue are the "limbs" or portions of Maya. It is in conjunction with Hrih, perhaps suggesting this is Mahamaya compared to the Maya of Hrim.

Overall Mahamaya is a broad reaching name discussed in probably all philosophies, one of the most succinct being:

A vidyā taught to Pradyumna by Māyāvatī to vanquish Śambara; it was an astra and one which could dispel all māyā.

[Old Student]

Only got to a little of this, it is very interesting.

parasparāpekṣakadharmo
paraspara = mutual or reciprocal
apeksaka = aspirants or candidates
dharmo = to the dharma

And then a beginning on (90), it seems to be that thing you had talked about about bringing the drop to the throat, etc.

(90)

candradrute sati yad bodhicittaṁ bindurūpenādhogataṁ kaṇṭhe

The moon-messenger Sati whenever the bodhicitta in the form of a bindu descends to the throat...


hṛdi nābhau guhyakamale ānandapara maviramasvabhāvena|
the sky-goer guhyakamala (or secret lotus) extreme joy unending svabhAvena.

For svabhAvena or svabhAvenat or svabhaveneti, I'm getting purification of the self of all desires or the completely pure nature of getting rid of all desires. It keeps showing up as an ending to all these sentences.


tato vajramaṇiṁ yāvat sahajānandasvabhāveneti|
If I break sahajAnanda svabhAveneti, then this is:
In this vajramani (I assume sex) as soon as sahajAnanda hold the true nature of purity from all desires
If I don't then it's:
In this vajramani as soon as the sahajAnanda of a true nature completely devoid of desires.


athavā vicitra vipākavimardavilakṣaṇasvabhāveneti
Or (or "is it not so that") the wonderous or splendorous...
"vipAkavimardavilakSanasvabhAveneti" I believe breaks as

vipAka vimarda vilakSana svabhAveneti

Withering (or fading) tumult perceiving one's true nature pure and rid of all desires.

So I'm not sure if it is all one thing, if this is a thing done by two mutual or complementary candidates and that has bearing on the 'vajramani' part, or it's separate. But (90) seems to start out talking about that drop you had said drops on the back of the throat, and some bliss that has to be pure of desire, or is pure of desire.

[shaberon]

So I'm not sure if it is all one thing, if this is a thing done by two mutual or complementary candidates and that has bearing on the 'vajramani' part, or it's separate. But (90) seems to start out talking about that drop you had said drops on the back of the throat, and some bliss that has to be pure of desire, or is pure of desire.

It looks to be after the conclusion of Pranayama and Dharana as Upasadhana.

It takes a Bimba and moves to the stage of Sadhana--Smrti.

The prior parts gave you the Inner Fire of Generation Stage and so that itself cease to be the focus:

iha dhāraṇābalena nābhisthāṁ caṇḍalīṁ jvalitāṁ pa-
śyati yogī sarvāvaraṇarahitāṁ pratisenopamāṁ mahāmudrām anantabud-
dharaśmimeghān sphārayantīṁ prabhāmaṇḍalavirājitā<m sā>nusmṛti<ḥ>
sādhanam ucyate| dhāraṇānte caṇḍalīyogaṁ bhāvayed iti
niyamaḥ|

it moves to the Arci or practice of Jnana made chiefly of Skandhas, Dhatus, and Ayatanas:

tatas tasyā jñānārciṣā skandhadhātvāyatanādīni dagdhāny
ekalolībhavanti| vāmadakṣiṇanāḍīgatāni vijñānādipṛthivyādīni maṇḍa-
lasvabhāvāni lalāṭe candramaṇḍale praviṣṭāni|


the beginning of the sentence you had takes your fire-infused wisdom yoga:

tataś caṇḍālyā jñānārciṣā

(90)

candradrute sati yad bodhicittaṁ bindurūpenādhogataṁ kaṇṭhe
hṛdi nābhau guhyakamale ānandapara maviramasvabhāvena| ta-
to vajramaṇiṁ yāvat sahajānandasvabhāveneti|

and in what we might call Kalachakra style has attached the root center or Guhya Kamala.

This is of course also added in Kila and other practices, but, yes, sounds like it is talking about descent of the bindu from the throat.

[Old Student]

This is, of course, far less vivid than the uncountable possible Subtle Obscurations and therefor potential Buddha Fields there may be, which comes under the domain of Vajra Ignorance. One, Turquoise Leaves, is in this case enough for me to dedicate myself wholly into it.
Interesting. The sutra introduces Indra's net, and several descriptions of it are that everything is represented in each atom or jewel in the net. So there is, of course, a debate over what the infinity of the net is. So whether or not it is uncountable is a mater of debate, I suppose (it does actually fit the definition of an uncountable infinity (like the irrationals) instead of a countable infinity (like the rational numbers).

[Old Student]

...which for me it happened because I consciously released any Aversion or Fear.

That same attitude should pop a significant portion of many apparent barriers.
I usually figure out that I released such things afterward, when it comes up that what I was afraid of turned out to be nothing.

That is the same Siddhi as a Wrathful Bird Deity.

If you can do that then you can use All-Purpose Khandaroha to deflect any Enemies.
I didn't know that. It is the only time I use that position of my tongue, and I have to change first.

In this case where such an enemy is invasiveness, and you have just effected a fence rather than harming them, that is like the intended role of Kila. But in the esoteric sense, you had better get a good Fence, the Cemeteries are outside it, and then if something comes crawling through, you Kila it.

I am trying to imagine the one time I had an experience with a Kila, the one I told you about, and it being related to the Khyung and the cries. My guess is that it is related, and is something to puzzle on. The 'animal point' where the 'animalness' of these familiars comes out of (in the case of the bird, feathers pour out and cover me) is directly front to back (not approximately, directly, I noticed it at once) opposite from the place where the digging was and the huge ash me came out and held up the Kila that time. BTW I still haven't solved what was the thing in my chest, it was detoured around with all the dream yoga.


How close is this to isotonic exercise?
That's an interesting question, I do sometimes muse about how this is building my muscles in my abdomen. So if isotonic exercise is defined as holding a muscle tense to build it up, then that would end up being a subset of this. These holds are frequently starting with one muscle group or part of a muscle group and gradually recruiting more muscular tension in a widening or deepening way until everything is tensed. The final tension might be similar to the tonic phase of a seizure or to catatonia, except that only very rarely is my diaphragm affected, and that is usually recruited in during a seizure.

The amount of time is a difference, too, isotonics aren't generally held more than a few minutes and a tonal-clonal seizure that lasts over 5 minutes is life-threatening. These can sometimes go over a half-hour, and I cannot tell you what the mechanism is for that, the tensed state sort of sets in or becomes the new normal. And the final difference is these, like some kinds of meditation, can substitute for sleep. In other words, I feel energized and refreshed afterwards, and it doesn't bother me if half the night was taken up doing that, I feel that I've had a good night's sleep. That part is related to the fact that the state starts to produce bliss after a few minutes as well. So there is something slightly different going on.


Mahāmāyā is dark-blue, emits dark-blue fires, is of one face with three eyes and of four arms, makes her yellow hair stand on end, is adorned with all good ornaments, wears a tiger skin on her waist, holds a rope, a hook, a bow and an arrow, and stands in the shooting posture (g’yon brkyang gis bzhugs pa, *pratyālīḍhapada).

I did a lot of digging into Mahamaya, because for a while she was identifying in my shaking. It's actually a she, but is represented as a he for purposes of depicting in consort form. The form above is nearly identical with Kurukulla, except blue, somewhat a he, and facing the other side.

That document you gave, the Dharma Samgraha, put Marici with the Moon?

[shaberon]

There are a lot of roundabouts in this system, but they tend to return the same values, which is reinforcing.

Vajrapani related Samadhi to Devata Anuraga and to the Yogacara phrase Grahyagraha.


This second phrase happens to appear somewhat similarly in what I guess is a non-Buddhist syncretic view of Soul by Akalankadev (https://jainqq.org/explore/001375/82):


It is identified with knowledge, hence it is amikta (not free). The Soul is embodiment of knowledge (narmati) and indestructible (akshayam). (1) The Soul is grahyagraha, an independent object, which can only be conceived through knowledge and not through senses. It is permanent, having neither a beginning nor an end, but at the same time it is characterized by the triad of origination, destruction and permanence.

He develops this into a nine-fold view of dualistic extremes, but, without diverting too much, let us see how it may resemble Buddhist Yogacara (http://chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Philosophy_of_Vasubandhu_in_Vimsatika_and_Trimsika).

In the Trimsika of Vasubandhu and its commentary by Sthiramati, this idealism is more clearly explained. It is said that both the soul (or the knower) and all that it knows as subjective ideas or as external objects existing outside of us are but transformations of pure intelligence (vijnanaparinama).

Both Vasubandhu and Sthiramati repudiate the suggestion of those extreme idealists who deny also the reality (4) of pure intelligence on grounds of interdependence or relativity (samvrti). Vasubandhu holds that pure consciousness (vijnaptimatrata) is the ultimate reality. This ultimate consciousness is a permanent entity which by its inherent power (sakti) undergoes threefold transformation as the inherent indeterminate inner changes (vipaka) which again produce the two other kinds of transformation as the inner psychoses of mental operations (manana) and as the perception of the so-called external sensibles (visayavijnapti).

So it is just about as if he has re-stated (1) from the random literature above. And here:

4 Thus Lankavatara, one of the most important works on Buddhistic idealism, denies the real transformation of the pure intelligence or alayavijnana. See; Lankavatara, p. 46.

The main difference in Yogacara sects is that some believe consciousness is always accompanied by an image and changes from moment to moment, whereas the Nirakara Vijnanavadin or Parasunya sect would say that certainly at the ultimate level it does not change, i. e. is Absolute:


The ultimate principle of consciousness is regarded as absolutely permanent in itself and is consequently also of the nature of pure happiness (sukha), for what is not eternal is painful and this being eternal is happy.(1) When a saint's mind become fixed (pratisthita) in this pure consciousness (vijnaptimatra), the tendency of dual thought of the subjective and the objective (grahyagrahakanusaya) ceases and there dawns the pure indeterminate (nirvikalpa) and transcendent (lokottara) consciousness. It is a state in which the ultimate pure consciousness runs back from its transformations and rests in itself. It is divested of all afflictions (klesa) or touch of vicious tendencies and is therefore called anasrava. It is unthinkable and undemonstrable because it is on one hand pure self-consciousness (pratyatmavedya) and omniscience (sarvajnata) as it is divested of all limitations (avarana)

1 Druvo nityatvat aksayataya; sukho nityatvad eva ya- danityam tad duhkham ayam ca nitya iti asmat sukhah. Sthiramati's commentary on Trimsika, p. 44.

and on the other hand it is unique in itself.(1) This pure consciousness is called the container of the seed of all (sarvabija) and when its first indeterminate and indefinable transformations rouse the psychosis-transformations and also the transformations as sense-perceptions, these mutually act and react against one another and thus the different series rise again and again and mutually determine one another. These transformations are like waves and ripples on the ocean where each is as much as the product of others as well as the generator of others.

1 Alayavijnana in this ultimate state of pure consciousness (vijnaptimatrata is called the cause (dhatu) of all virtues, and being the [Absolute (ultimate)] state in which all the dharmas, or characterised appearances, had lost all their limitations it is called the dharmakaya of the Buddha (mahamnueh bhumiparamitadibhavanaya klesajneyavarana- prahanat... sarvadharmavibhutualabhata's ca dharmakaya ity ucyate).

This short article is extracted from a 346 page book of third year studies (http://bpunotes3.weebly.com/uploads/6/6/7/5/6675756/bphil_third_year_all.pdf). So I suppose it is not considered "introductory" to most people.

Parasunya is not the same as the school which only teaches Nirguna Brahman because it states the connection to form is filled with Karuna issuing from the Tathagata Garbha giving a "reason" for manifestation rather than entry to permanently-still nirvana.

Sthiramati, Ratna Gotra Vibhaga or RGV, is the main crux which distills Yogacara into a seven-fold appendage of the Absolute which is the root of all these sadhanas, and the significance of Seven Syllable Deity having the Seven Jewels which are the branches of this.

So there is a very close correspondence of Gotra, Ekayana, and Tathagatagarbha (https://archive.org/stream/trendsinbuddhiststudiesamongstwesternscholarsvol.11/Trends%20in%20Buddhist%20Studies%20Amongst%20Western%20Scholars%20Vol.%2019_djvu.txt).

As we found before, some of the main exponents of this view included Kamalasila, Haribhadra, and Ratnakarasanti (https://dokumen.tips/documents/studies-ratnakarasanti-tantric-works.html) who has a text linked there. They had to contend with things like the educated monks of the time did not generally want to accept anything new and weird like Svabhavikakaya.

It is probably the case that Alaya is the main cause of confusion and schism between sects and schools, and I think the point we are making is that the seven principles are, so to speak, the organism of man, whereas the Alaya is not exactly part of him. One can simply align oneself so that there is repose with respect to it.

So far, most of our tantras, even the Sadanga Yoga from Vajrapani and Dakini Jala Rahasya, speak of Five Dissolutions, the last being Void. The tantric flourish or finishing touch, I believe, is to slow this fifth sphere down to Three Voids, which really have to do with the Three Natures of Yogacara, and therefor is the experience of what is expressed in the Sutras and their commentaries.

A similar teacher, Dharmamitra, also refers to three characteristics ( laksana ) taught in
certain Sutras, namely the imaginarily constructed ( parikalpita ), the de¬
pendent (paratantra) and the perfect {parinispanna ). These laksanas,
otherwise known as natures (. svabhava ), as such are of course special fea¬
tures of the school of the Yogacarins/Vijnanavadins, whose philosophi¬
cal system is largely articulated round them.

Again those are like the three tantric voids harnessed as:

Parikalpita--No Ego--Nairatma,

Paratantra--Suchness--Tathagatagarbha,

Parinispanna--Ultimate Meaning--Paramartha.

A bit like a pyramid, we can see Nairatma as the sixth principle of the tantras as the hem of this garment, Suchness or Thusness is profoundly described deep within the experience of Bliss Winds, and Paramartha is scarcely referred to at all, except as something like "if you do this right, you are getting the Paramartha".

Sun, Moon, and Rahu, significantly conditioned by the Three Nerves.



Abhayakaragupta not only compiled Sadhanamala, NSP, and Vajravali, explaining them as cogent to Agni Homa, he did so as a lynchpin of Gotra and all the foregoing.

Unlike Dharmamitra, but like
Haribhadra and the latter’s predecessor Kamalasila, Abhayakara also
devotes special attention to the doctrine of the ekayana, the gnoseo-
soteriological corollary of the theory of the prakrtistha-gotra and of the
tathagatagarbha according to which all sentient beings as potential
Buddhas are certain to achieve supreme and perfect Awakening ( anut-
tarasamyaksambodhi). With regard to the ekayana he quotes the Sad-
dharmapundarika and the Lankavatarasutra as well as Nagarjuna’s
Niraupamyastava .

The ekayana theory
is in fact founded gnoseologically on the oneness of the knowledge of
reality ( tattvajnana ), which has as its ‘object’ the single undifferentiated
reality ( tattva ) or dharmadhatu.

Concerning the tathagatagarbha Abhayakara refers to-verse ix. 37
of the Mahayanasutralamkara quoted in the commentary on the Ratna-
gotravibhaga (i. 148), a passage which deals with the universal pre¬
sence of Thusness ( tathata ) in all incarnate beings, saying that by his
use of the expression tathagata the author of the verso accepts the
naturally luminous dharmadhatu which has as its characteristic the non¬
substantiality of both the individual ( pudgalanairatmya ) and the factors
of existence ( dharmanairatmya ).

In this way Abhayakara links together in a remarkable manner the
scriptural teachings on the prakrtistha-gotra, the ekayana, the dharma-
dhatu, and the tathagatagarbha, as well as on nairatmya (: sunyata) and
nihsvabhavata.

As to the meaning of the
term, gotra is so called because it realizes qualities ( gunottarana ), for
it has the meaning of ‘germ’ (bija) and ‘capacity’.


If Gotra realizes Guna, this is a major clue to it already expanding to Guna = Ratna Family = Use of Six Families.

Furthermore, the teaching concerning the ekayana being thus
quite certain, it has been established that apart from the dharmadhatu
having the nature of the non-dual gnosis (advayajhana) of transcending
discriminative knowledge ( prajna ) and means ( upaya), 10Z [189b] there
exists no other vehicle of liberation.

Abhayakaragupta explains that this procedure involves teaching im¬
permanence to persons whose faculties are weak ( hlnendriya ) by eradi¬
cating any imputation ( samaropa ) of reality, only self-awareness
( svasamvedana ) to persons with middling faculties by eradicating the
imputation of [a real duality between] object and subject ( grahya -
grahaka ), and sunyata or absence of discursive development (prapanca)
to persons with sharp faculties by eradicating all imputation whatsoever.

"Procedure" being "teaching by degrees".


Moreover, the word yana denotes the path ( marga ) leading to the
place of nirvana , i.e. the nature of knowledge of reality ( tattvajnana )
(the means of progression), and nirvana (the goal of progression). . .
[187a] For liberation (viz. nirvana ) is attained by knowledge of reality
only, and not otherwise. Now this reality ( tattva ) (comprehended by
transcending discriminating knowledge [prajna]) is only (eva) one;
although theory ( drsti ) is differentiated (in virtue of this or that theory),
the real ( vastu ) [i.e. the ‘object’ of tattva-jnana ] is not objectified as
diverse realities, for this would involve over-extension (atiprasahga ).
Therefore, (there being no multiplicity in reality,) gnosis (jnana) that
has as its object reality having a single nature is also only one in (the
mode of) nature. It being in fact gnosis consisting of the buddha' s and
bodhisattva' s exact knowledge of reality, it has reality as its object; for
it is the counteragent against confusion ( sammoha ) in all its forms.
Partial (pradesika ) knowledge (of the Sravaka and the other) [on the
contrary] will not comprehend reality; for this (namely understanding
reality through partial knowledge) would involve over-extension, and
thus (by comprehension through partial knowledge) everybody would
see reality. Therefore, (the yana being the marga and this being estab¬
lished as one,) that very gnosis which directly knows (saksatkr-) reality
consisting in non-substantiality ( nairatmya) of pudgala and dharmas is
the exact path allowing nirvana to be attained, and there is no other
[such path]. In view of the preceding, the vehicle is only (eva) one.

After having discussed the three natures (svabhava) and non-substan¬
tiality (nairatmya) in connexion with the parinispannasvabhava (fol.
187b-188a), Abhayakaragupta concludes his first chapter with the
following observation (fol. 188b4-6):

Thus (or: therefore) the nature of the Mahayana is established as
being only the one vehicle (ekayana) and the absolute ( paramartha )
absence of own being (nihsvabhavata) of all dharmas . This (the Great
Vehicle) is the Bhagavati Prajnaparamita. This (Prajnaparamita) is to
be known as the absolutely real (paramarthika ) bodhicitta , which con¬
sists of the non-differentiation of the Empty (comprehension of sunyata)
and compassion.


For in the Ratnagotra-
vibhaga(-Commentary), where it is said [i. 148] (quoting the Bodhi-
chapter of the Mahayana sutra lamkara ): ‘Although in all without
differentiation, Thusness ( tathata ) once it has reached purity (from
adventitious impurities) (is) this tathagata- ness; all living beings there¬
fore have this ( tathagata ) as embryonic essence’ etc., (teaching that all
living beings possess the buddhagarbha ), Arya Maitreya too has, by
using the expression tathagata (in this text), accepted the statement that
the dharmadhatu, having the characteristic of non-substantiality ( nairat -
mya ) of the individual ( pudgala ) and the dharmas, is naturally luminous
( prakrtiprabhasvara ).


The Prajnaparamita itself, the Bhagavatl, is the essence of the Maha-
yana, the ekayana precisely.


AAA 1.28-30 (p. 47): tat punas trividham rupam / kalpitam rupam grahyagraha-
karupena kalpitatvati vikalpitam rupam asadbhutaparikalpenajnanam eva tatha prati-
bhasate iti vikalpitatvati dharmatarupam tattvato 'rupam eva sunyatarupena parini-
spannatvati



In Sadhanamala, Grahyagraha comes up with Khasarpana, Halahala, Manjushri, Canda Maharoshana, Vistara Tara, Vajra Tara, White Janguli, Prajnaparamita, and Hevajra Tantra Krama Svadisthana Kurukulla.

Then it is also part of Cinnamasta.

In simple terms, the idea is to quit projecting the Imaginary (Parikalpita) onto the Other-Dependent (Paratantra), but, because we do not know Reality, we are unable to cease imaginary projections.

So when I found Mrtyuvacana was the Sadhanamala entity of Parasunya, and that also she is equal to Nectar Offering in Vajradaka Tantra, it is as if she is standing in for both the subtle Yogacara argument as well as its realization through Amrita, like the Alpha and Omega from dictionary definitions to Accomplishment.

She does this in her form with the power of an Eight Spoked Wheel which attracts Brahma and others up to eight, Manmatha. Template-ish towards the Wheels of the Tri-kaya in the Pitha system.

[shaberon]

I didn't know that. It is the only time I use that position of my tongue, and I have to change first.


That might not be the only way you can do it.

But yes it is the general principle behind All-Purpose (Sarvakarmika) Amritakundalin and Khandaroha.

I can understand fairly well how your shaking goes, compared to the exercises, thank you.




Mahāmāyā is dark-blue, emits dark-blue fires, is of one face with three eyes and of four arms, makes her yellow hair stand on end, is adorned with all good ornaments, wears a tiger skin on her waist, holds a rope, a hook, a bow and an arrow, and stands in the shooting posture (g’yon brkyang gis bzhugs pa, *pratyālīḍhapada).

I did a lot of digging into Mahamaya, because for a while she was identifying in my shaking. It's actually a she, but is represented as a he for purposes of depicting in consort form. The form above is nearly identical with Kurukulla, except blue, somewhat a he, and facing the other side.

Male Mahamaya is among the oldest and most important tantras.

Aside from the Vajravali lineage of Abhayakaragupta and the Mitra Yogin lineage there are several lineages from India that were passed through Marpa Lotsawa.

Lineage 1: Vajradhara, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa Chokyi Lodro, Ngog Choku Dorje, Shedang Dorje, etc.

Lineage 2: Vajradhara, Kukkuripa, Padmavajra, Tilopa, Naropa, etc.

Lineage 3: Vajradhara, Vajrapani, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Samantabhadra, Sumati, Gewai Gocha, Namgyal Wangpo, Marpa Chokyi Lodro, etc.


As a "she", she is mostly Hindu, except for when she is with Vajradaka. Himalayan Art has no awareness of this combination. We might be able to track it down in IWS. It might also be buried in the mess of calling Samputa and Vajradaka the same thing as Chakrasamvara.

She starts as Akash with Patani, etc., in Chapter 1 and 42 (https://www.academia.edu/36426388/A_Critical_Edition_of_the_Vajra%E1%B8%8D%C4%81kamah%C4%81tantrar%C4%81ja_I_Chapter_1_and_42_).

Vajradaka Mulamantra (https://vvasuki.github.io/saMskAra/mantraH/rudraH/gadyam/vIresha-mUla-mantraH/?transliteration_target=iast) says something as to why I tend to see Janguli with a Seven Serpent Hood as the poison processing precursor to the Jewels of Enlightenment with Vajradaka in this phrase:

sapta-pātāla-gata-bhujaṅga-sarpaṃ


Yes, it does paint her almost exactly as Blue Kurukulla. Male Mahamaya has Bow and Arrow, but not Hook and Noose.

There is a similar Four Arm Nairatma, but, she is not an Archer, her main item is Vajra as in this example which just came in from China:

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/2/4/6/24602.jpg






Varahi 221-223 is Mahamaya and Jvalamukhi, which is mainly a Dharani, and does not refer to any particular form, other than it says Arya Vajravarahi, which nothing else does. That is the only way I can find a solo female Mahamaya.

The Kurukulla-alike Mahamaya that is with Vajradaka rather has Noose as her main item. Hers are identical with Red Avalokitesvara 37:

pāśāṅkuśadhanurbāṇadharaṃ

compared to:

pāśāṅkuśadharā divyā ◊ dhanurbāṇākarṣaṇā parāe

She looks a bit Vasikaran dyed Blue.

She is not yet called Fat or a Dwarf.

Like the array of weapons or items, "tantric self-hood" increases, such as going from matted hair to this electric Big Hair. It could be argued she is not as wild and grisly as she can get.

I am not sure if she is intended to be Jvalamukhi or Kurukulla. So far we know her mainly by context. The attribution of Guhyesvari would suggest she combines Jvalamukhi and Nairatma. I would guess that if you can identify the presence of Nairatma, that, a little further along, it should reveal a portion of the feet of this Mahamaya.

I would say the restricted use of what is otherwise a popular name magnifies the relevance of this tantra, Vajradaka is fused with all dakinis, Vajradaka is in Union with Mahamaya.


The male Mahamaya and Buddhakapala tantras are supposed to be the most potent ones, most advanced. There it seems like maybe the hardest part was given first and then Chakrasamvara and Hevajra tantras opened like gates to it. The Buddhadakini that is with Mahamaya is Vajravairocani who has not only increased in wrath and to four arms, but she displays the skill of mounting him sexually with no feet on the ground. This to me sounds like a mix of Akasha or Khecari or Flight with Bliss at a Jnanamudra level.

Vajradaka with Mahamaya is the most indrawing and explanatory. And so if we go to Dharma Samgraha in the 40s--which is talking about Thirty-seven Point Enlightenment--there are still other ways of doing it, but, there is not any way around Sapta Bodhyanga, which is Vajradaka's provenance. This, itself, is like taking a Six Yogas' Samadhi training which we may have done on some external goddess and forcing the male or Vajrasattva element into the picture so that Union ensues and by his addition you now have Seven with a new Crown, Upeksa, meaning never lose it, a much different thing than attaining and stabilizing it in the first place.






That document you gave, the Dharma Samgraha, put Marici with the Moon?


Even weirder, it did so by over-writing Mayuri in the Pancha Raksa.

In about the vaguest and most indirect sense as a lower-case word, marici could be:

2) ray of light (of the sun or moon), [Ṛg-veda] etc.


I had noticed that before and kind of filed it under "no idea how to work with this".

As their normal solar selves, one might say, yes, Marici and Mayuri are similar, and I think Mayuri is another Mam.

The very brief Mahamaya Jvalamukhi 222 manages to wield a Mayura Picchaka twice.

I have no clue about the double confusion in that Pancha Raksa which should have been among the easiest things to have known anyway.

The work is attributed to Nagarjuna but was actually written by a Japanese student of Max Muller; the student had however consulted with I believe the same Pandit Amritananda who had assisted Brian Hodgson. It therefor should be Nepali in origin and may float up on DSBC perhaps with a correction. There are small mistakes in the majority of these old writings.

When I originally looked for it I got Dharani Samgraha which was a total surprise.

I have no other example of this "version", or any idea why it would be like this or what it could possibly mean if intentional.

[shaberon]

In looking at the Ratnakarasanti article that came up, it is along the lines of Claudio's paper, has scraped together a Romanized version of a few Sanskrit originals and is not translated.

We noted approximately where he stands in the historical analysis, and, is the author of the major Vajra Tara 110, where again, even as a Yoga deity, she is considered capable of handling non-dual Highest Yoga, like Namasangiti Manjushri.

The recent publication is his version of Heruka Yoga called Brahma Hara Nama Hevajra Sadhana.

Offhand we would not expect it to be a "round one" Heruka Yoga because to call it Hevajra means he should be in Union with Nairatma.




At the start it indicates Tandava Heruka is going to produce Sixteen Arm Hevajra via:

astananasya racayami sadhanam

It briefly summarizes an introductory puja and then smacks right into the tantric Gauris in the next sentence.

These are written in the Hevajra format, not Dakini Jala's.


gauri sasinam bibharti (or: bharamti), cauri ravim, vettali jalam, ghasmari palalam, pukkasi candanam, sabari madhu, candali damarukam vadayati, dombi kanthalagna purusayate

There is Refuge Vow and Four Brahma Vihara and then a section on Grahyagraha and Paramartha.

Paramarthika is described as Bodhicitta Lokottara Sunyatajnana Nisprapanca Nirvikalpa.

You do Emptiness Mantra which evokes Prajnaparamita.

A mandala builds around her forming Simabandha, there is a focus on five elements, and Maha Vajradhara arises. You add a Mahabhut mandala of the Four Devis which looks to be an upright Stupa. There is an essence of Vairocana and reference to the Cemeteries.

A Moon made of the Mirror Wisdom unfolds other wisdoms and the Pithas. Vajrasattva becomes Heruka, Nairatma is mentioned, and they are going to Purify the Dharmadhatu.

A few of the Gauris do...something inscrutable...and an Eight Arm form arises with Nairatma Sampanna who has two arms. There are some weird passages which might be Telugu or some other devious twist.

There is a Nyasa, except Nairatma is situated in Manas.

The Skandhas are listed as Afflictive Emotions, Matsarya Vajra, etc., and Ayatanas are iterated as the Gauris, as Gauri Sight, Cauri Sound, Vetali Scent, Ghasmari Taste, Bhucari Touch, Khecari Dharma.

Then you have:

Kaya--Bhucari

Vak--Khecari

Citta--Nairatma

followed by Mamse Pukkasi, Rudhire Sabari, Sukre Candali, Majjamedayor Dombi, carmani sapta bodhyangani, asthisu satyacatustayam.

Tri-kaya connects to Mahasukha.

You attract Tathagatas of the Ten Directions and Eight Mothers.

You make Five Nectar Offering.

This is Adiyogo Nama Samadhi, svabhavikas ca kaya.

In other words, it appears that the Tri-kaya infused into a new condition, Mahasukha, is the intent of the "fourth" or Svabhavikakaya. It has evidently done so by replacing by way of elaborating Dharma Kaya which is otherwise lacking.

Then it moves to Dvesa and the Four Joys.

The Gauris are generated from their initials in specific forms, except Lam = Candali. They have Two Arms and Big Hair.

There is a Jnana Mandala and a Samaya Mandala, and the Gauris appear to attract the Dhyani Buddhas, and the Families of the Tri-Kaya produce Nirvana Heruka.

At that point you have Devata Tattva manasikuryat. Kaya and other aspects are in vijnaptimatrata. You are in nisprapanca anasrava prajna uttara with Pukkasi and others as the elements. The fruit is Maha Vajradhara of Niruttara Bodhi Mandala Tattva.

Then there is Blaze of Agni and the Ten Directions and Eight Mothers, pure ramye.

It is the Rajagri, second samadhi, of Sambhogakaya.

The Gauris cycle again according to Kaya, Vak, Citta, and Jnana, having to do with Nisprapanca Sukha, and then you do Sadanga Yoga. This seems to complete Sahajananda.

Then there is Karmarajagri third samadhi of Nirmanakaya. It tells you to emit clusters of mantras you must have learned elsewhere.

nidrakale sadangayoga sahajanandayoga

seems to indicate you carry it through sleep.

Four devis' samcoditas has to do with nidrata.

At this point it looks like Brahma Hara Heruka.

It ends with a Maya Janma Bhajam, and vajri jinah syam.


So that is pretty advanced.

That is why, for most of us, the progressive Chakrasamvara descriptions are the way to get the ingredients that are "taken for granted" here. Commensurately, Vajra Tara is probably the "conversion kit" from systems of Tara and Chakrasamvara into Hevajra. Her material has the training and development into the formula used here.

She is also quite close to Self-arisen White Heruka. In other words, if I visualize White Tara "with effort", I am going to compose an image probably like Mrtyuvacana, and then, if I persist, this image will become easy and then just follow me around, at which point it is capable of being "re-born" in its own higher state which is luminous if not shiny, which would be White Vajra Tara.

Everything has this capability, even ignorance or Avidya, in which case it would be said to arise as Maha Avidya. Although this term can mean "great" in a variety of contexts, it comes to mean new forms produced from Sambhoga Kaya, such as Maha Vairocana and so on. Thus they have Six Arms or other extraordinary features. Objects or any forms certainly have a "new light".



Concerning the Mahamaya Mahesvari in Mahakala's retinue, the second ring includes Kalika which is Kali, followed by Red Carcika similar to her, Candesvari carrying a Deer, and Kulisesvari.

Vajrajvalanalarka can be found using a Mahamaya Cakra that Bhattacharya does not mention.

Buddhadakini that is with male Mahamaya is crowned by Vairocana and has the unusual mantra Om Om Hum. This one varies by using the All-Purpose Mantra of Karma (Visva) dakini, Om Ha Hum.

Vajravarahi is used as the consort in the stand-alone sadhana of Seven Syllable Vajradaka. So female Mahamaya is probably only his consort in the full Vajradaka Tantra and so is not likely to appear in the IWS. She might only be found in imagery if Vajradaka "of the tantra" can be distinguished somewhere in the mass of Chakrasamvaras.



Back on Vajrapani's Six Yogas synopsis, he uses the term Pravrtti which is active, thrown forward into manifestation. Pratyahara is the negation of it, which takes for instance a Vya or "Looking" Eye and makes a Divya or Dine Eye, and so on:


iha pratyāhāro nāma bāhyarūpādiviṣayeṣv apravṛttiś
kṣurādīndriyaiś cakṣurvijñānādīnām| adhyātmani viṣayeṣu pravṛttir
vyacakṣurādīndriyair divyacakṣurvijñānādīnām iti| adhyātmani śūnyatā-
mbhanenāakalpitaṁ sarvabhāvadarśanaṁ śūnye pratisenādarśe
mārikāyā iveti pratyāhārāṅgam ucyate traidhātukabuddhabimba-
rśanād iti|

Then Dhyana occurs when voidness of all dharmas is seen to be reality:

tato dhyānaṁ nāma śūnyeṣu sarvadharmeṣu dṛṣṭeṣu satsu|

It then focuses Pravrtti as just mentioned and houses it in the ajna:

ajñā nāma teṣu cittapravṛttiḥ|

Vitarka and Vicara are Graha and Graha Pratipatti, the practice or yoga of it:

vitarko nāma bhāvagrahaṇaṁ citta
sya| vicāro nāmo bhāvagrahaṇapratipattiḥ|

Rati is all that Bhavana stabilized to Acala Sukha and Sukha Sampatti:

ratir nāma sarvabhāveṣu
tāropaṇam acalasukhaṁ nāma sarvabhāvebhyaḥ sukhasaṁpattiḥ| evaṁ
ñcadhā dhyānāṅgam ucyate|

Vitarka is one of those "scaling" terms, which can mean defiled or Discursive Thought, mentation generally, or then an aspect of dhyana such that:

Vitarka (वितर्क, “examination”) refers to one of the five characteristics of the first dhyāna according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVIII).—“are vitarka and vicāra one and the same thing or are they two different things? Answer.—They are two different things. Vitarka is the first moment of a coarse mind, vicāra is a more subtle (sūkṣma) analysis. Thus, when a bell is struck, the first sound is strong, the subsequent sound is weaker; this is vicāra”.

Also, “although the two things reside in the same mind, their characteristics re not simultaneous: at the moment of vitarka, the vicāra is blurred (apaṭu); at the moment of vicāra, the vitarka is blurred. Thus, when the sun rises, the shadows disappear. All the minds (citta) and all the mental events receive their name prorata with time: [vitarka and vicāra are distinct names of one single mind]”.

So, yes, in that analaysis, a slight gradation from Vitarka to Vicara would be expected in Dhyana, until, later, Dharma Pravichaya is I believe the extension of Vicara in the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment.

He then has romanticized or updates "bliss" which was called Priti or Joy in the original Dhyana classifications.

Priti is part of the first Dhyana as Mudita is the first Bhumi and part of the Brahma Vihara. They are both Joy in an emotional context until you look at the Dhyanas where the likelihood of physical ecstasies is stated. Then we have reason to ally these synonyms with tantric Bliss and note the main part of the procedure is called Joys by still other synonyms.




Juggling from Vajrapani to Vajradaka, there is something other than a "clutter of miscellaneous rites" like in Samputa Tantra and elsewhere.


Chapter Eleven begins with the Four Cakras and the Letters and then goes on to six practices of Attraction--Akarsana--Hook.

It is a compact enough bundle that we might tend to think it is actually making the female and male Triangles.

As a tangent, although I mostly operate in a mantric basis without much success at visualization with effort, the other day I found a self-arisen White Hexagram which lasted for about eight seconds. Very plain.

Translators don't always pick up on the practical aspects, and I doubt this is a random array.

First are three meditations as Mahamaya to attract:

A person

The consciousness of anyone in the three worlds, Padakarsana

The "lump", Pinda

which are three ways of using Hook Rays.

It is at least partly red and uses three similar Mahamayas.



Next are three meditations as Vajradaka attracting other things:

White Four Face Vajradaka, semen out of the head

Yellow Four Face Horse Head arisen from Vi, Liquor by unexplained method

Red Vajradaka born from Ram and a Sword, Four Faced Jackal head with each devi having jackal head, blood using weapons



I am sure I just waltzed over that strange Four Horse Face recently and cannot place it.

Now with Vajradaka at least we can make some quick associations with Red and White, Sun and Moon, and, maybe, this Yellow is why you also have Vairocani and Cinnamasta, Vajravilasini, Jewel Family Vajravarahi, etc.

In the original way it is written, Vajradaka starts at 27cd:

tadanantaraṃ
madhyamasyāntasaṃyuktam ◊ /
bindunādasamākrāntaṃ ◊ kāyavākcittasaṃsthitam //26//
bhāvayed bhāvabhāvena ◊ piṇḍākarṣaṇam uttamam /
bhagamadhyagataṃ caiva ◊ cintayej jñānasāgaram //27//

White:

akṣarākṣaraniṣpannaṃ ◊ śuklavarṇaṃ caturmukham /
vajrakhaṭvāṅgadharaṃ vīraṃ ◊ candrārdhakṛtaśekharam //28//
kapālacaṣakaṃ cāpi ◊ bhāvayec chvāsaniścalam /
anilānalasaṃyuktam ◊ //29//
māhendravaruṇākrāntaṃ ◊ sphārayet spharaṇātmakam /
sādhyam ālambya yatnena ◊ śukrākarṣaṇam uttamam //30//

Yellow:

vikārajñānaniṣpannaṃ ◊ pītavarṇasamaprabham /
caturbhujaṃ caturvaktraṃ ◊ kapālālaṃkṛtamūrdhajame
//31//
tarjanīvajrapāśaṃ ca ◊ kapālaṃ cāpi vāmataḥ /
dakṣiṇe tu jvaladvajram ◊ aṅkuśaṃ ca tathā param //32//
hayākāramukhaṃ kṛtvā ◊ madyākarṣaṇam uttamam /

Red:

rakārajñānaniṣpannaṃ ◊
raktavarṇaṃ mahāghoram ◊ //33//
kapālamālādharaṃ vīraṃe ◊ sarvālaṃkārabhūṣitam /
caturbhujaṃ caturvaktraṃ ◊ jambūkāsyavirājitam //34//
khaṭvāṅgaṃ ca kapālaṃ ca ◊ vajrakhaḍgaṃ tathā param /
sādhyam ālambya yatnena ◊ raktaśobhitavigraham //35//
sphārayeḍ ḍākinīcakraṃ ◊ cūṣayantyāṃ vibhāvayet /
sūkṣmavajraprabhāvena ◊ raktākarṣaṇam uttamam //36//


ity āha bhagavān vajrī ◊ vajrasattvas tathāgataḥ /
sarvamāyāsamāyoga-◊-vajraḍākaḥ prasidhyati //37//
iti sarvamāyāvikurvito nāma paṭala ekādaśamaḥ /


Does Yellow have Horse as per Ratna Family? Perhaps.

It it going to take over Rahu or Avadhut? Probably.

It is strange that its left hand Vajra Noose is mentioned first before its right hand Flaming Vajra. We would have to say that what it says about Madya or liquor is nothing, and plug in the equation it is a synonym of Varuni.

It says a lot less about itself than I can say even by saying anything about it, and is noticeably smaller than the other two.

Madya is not referred to anywhere else in this extract. However, I also do not see where Vajradaka is specifically named in the passages, not in any way that the Yellow fails to follow.

The seeds used for the three Vajradakas are Ah Vi Ra.

That is detectable as a Heroes' mantra I have seen several times.

We see this points straight into the similar symbols of Rahu and Cinnamasta, and that there is a Horse Head involved.

When Vairocani is understood as the influx to Cinnamasta, in this way, she is really beyond Indrani, because she is Tvastr Shakti.

Nectar of Tvastr is Aswin Shakti.

This requires Horse Head Rite.

There you have Amrita as the actual Nectar of Immortality as compared to Long Life Medicine. From this Nectar, then, Vajra Kaya or Amaravajra or Deathlessness, meaning in a Noumenal way, so that for instance if you decide to take rebirth then you do so from Tusita and "go down the staircase".

Presumably this would be quite similar to the current condition of Maitreya.

This is why I would think that Nectar Offering, Mrtyuvacana, is like Vitarka and Vicara, in that the latter especially can have ever superior grades, more profound--gambhira and subtle--suksma; mrdu--soft.

With Tara, there is Amrita Locana which is part of Prasanna which cerrtainly means a superior grade.

So there is something to "why" have Vairocani entangled in a great deal of the material, since you can look at ever better formulations of Nectar until you reach the Quality which is Equal to the Power of Tvastr.

Beyond that, I would say it is also a reason to have something such as Vetali or Corpse involved in the methodology, since she actually can be shown as playing a role in Rasa such as this.

The only remaining thing is the Quicksilver but the previous means Sahaja or Four Joys. Mercury is used for Eight.

Both of the surviving Sanskrit texts of Vajradaka Tantra that were not recovered in Nepal are in Newari script.

Avira (http://www.visiblemantra.org/vairocana.html) is what specifically links Mahavairocana to Six Elements.

It is in the Garbhadhatuu to produce the Vajradhatu.

There you have the return from the fact that five-fold Vairocana got out of the way and let anyone go to the center.

It is from the NSB (https://books.google.com/books?id=hUmzAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA54&ots=_zCpWmCEei&dq=ah%20vi%20ra%20hum&pg=PA55#v=onepage&q=ah%20vi%20ra%20hum&f=false) mantras.

There are two forms of the Vidya most commonly associated with Mahavairocana - a va ra ha kham and a vi ra hum kham. In the center is the seed syllable elaborate 'ahm', the very top is plain 'ah'. The Vajra dhatu (diamond realm) represents the wisdom or consciousness aspect of Virocana. In the Gharbhakosa (lit. womb store) dhatu, the Vidya has a complex range of associations but are strongly connected with the 5 elements(dhatu) of earth(prithvi), Water(apas), Fire(agni), Air(vayu), and Space(akasha). Mahavairocana himself represents the 6th element that completes the set of elements which make up all of the universe: ie consciousness.

Because it has this renown, there is nothing unusual in discovering Vajradaka meted out this way.

[Old Student]

...and in what we might call Kalachakra style has attached the root center or Guhya Kamala.
Okay, thanks. I wasn't sure how to do the Guhya Kamala part.

[Old Student]

I had something longer written, but it disappeared by hitting key in a flash, the reply window seems very fragile sometimes.

What I had said was that this kind of debate, while important to know, seems very much like the debates in mathematics that happen sometimes for centuries until someone comes up with precisely the right way of saying something or writing something.

I am coming off of spending a bunch of days understanding something about topos theory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNuaHchtrUw) (the link is to part one of four), which is a mathematical theory of theories, in which it is always promised that one will be able to prove things that will apply to many different kinds of thought.

A single undifferentiated reality makes a reality out of whatever is perceived if one is not differentiating, which arguably isn't an easy task, but it seems like there needs to be a richer vocabulary, which is why people then populate a simple decision that undifferentiated is reality with all sorts of other things. It seems to indicate (to me) that a richer vocabulary would help. And it seems like the vocabulary in use is so rich, with all of the terms and all of the stages and grounds and so forth. But it is after all that, missing something, and somewhere in that missing place is the thing everyone is trying to characterize.

That seems like a lot of the 'digging' that happens in my shaking when my listening is trying to understand something. It almost always leads to something with no or not much self, but it is in itself hard to characterize.

[Old Student]

That might not be the only way you can do it.

But yes it is the general principle behind All-Purpose (Sarvakarmika) Amritakundalin and Khandaroha.
I'm not sure, it seems like it's a bird to bird communication.


She starts as Akash with Patani, etc., in Chapter 1 and 42.

Vajradaka Mulamantra says something as to why I tend to see Janguli with a Seven Serpent Hood as the poison processing precursor to the Jewels of Enlightenment with Vajradaka in this phrase:

sapta-pātāla-gata-bhujaṅga-sarpaṃ

Yes, it does paint her almost exactly as Blue Kurukulla. Male Mahamaya has Bow and Arrow, but not Hook and Noose.

The Bow and Arrow were the important part when I was looking at it, and the facing direction which was opposite.

The Buddhadakini that is with Mahamaya is Vajravairocani who has not only increased in wrath and to four arms, but she displays the skill of mounting him sexually with no feet on the ground. This to me sounds like a mix of Akasha or Khecari or Flight with Bliss at a Jnanamudra level.
How odd that we again have Vajravairocani. It seems she might have a descriptive value, sort of the way you describe a sort of 'little m' marici as being a ray of light, rather than describing Marici the deity. The Romans did this too, Venus was both love and the goddess of love, there was no space between the two for them.

[Old Student]

There is Refuge Vow and Four Brahma Vihara and then a section on Grahyagraha and Paramartha.
So in some other places, there seems to be a 'usual' juxtaposition of grahakagraha and grahyagraha, one being the knower and one the known. Is this the same grahyagraha here? I know you had used it before with grasping and grasper or something, and I know one part of it is synonomous with the word used for the planets.


Then you have:


Kaya--Bhucari

Vak--Khecari

Citta--Nairatma
This seems interesting. Body is related to ground walking, speech to sky walking, and then mind to -- without atma.


She is also quite close to Self-arisen White Heruka. In other words, if I visualize White Tara "with effort", I am going to compose an image probably like Mrtyuvacana, and then, if I persist, this image will become easy and then just follow me around, at which point it is capable of being "re-born" in its own higher state which is luminous if not shiny, which would be White Vajra Tara.
Is this really the way visualization is supposed to work? When it becomes easy one is re-born? I'm thinking about the multiple states that I have been doing, when they get easy do they become part of me somehow? I'm not sure of this and it seems right but it also seems unlikely.

[shaberon]

So in some other places, there seems to be a 'usual' juxtaposition of grahakagraha and grahyagraha, one being the knower and one the known. Is this the same grahyagraha here? I know you had used it before with grasping and grasper or something, and I know one part of it is synonomous with the word used for the planets.

Yes; again it is kind of a "graded" word, from having unpleasant lower associations, to being the subtle duality permeated throughout the mind and why Object or Vajra goddesses are very important Bodhisattvas.

Because the tantric Graha vocabulary involves that of the Yogacara, that is why I am prepared to say the Three Voids correspond to the Sutra teachings of Parikalpita, Paratantra, and Paramartha.





Kaya--Bhucari

Vak--Khecari

Citta--Nairatma
This seems interesting. Body is related to ground walking, speech to sky walking, and then mind to -- without atma.

Yes. I think something has shifted from the "Underworld" as is standard for instance in Vajradaka Tantra:

1) ‘a woman going in the sky’ (khecarī--Citta), 2) ‘a woman going on the ground’ (bhūcarī--Vak), 3) ‘a woman living underground’ (pātālavāsinī--Kaya).

Because again the Akash or Khecari is like an initial discovery which moves on to new functions, such as Sambhogakaya, which is mainly established by the throat. If the first Vak women are Bhucari then they can be other individuals proficient in mantra, but then the second wave with Nairatma are like Vidhyadharis who have accomplished a significant tantric change.





Is this really the way visualization is supposed to work? When it becomes easy one is re-born? I'm thinking about the multiple states that I have been doing, when they get easy do they become part of me somehow? I'm not sure of this and it seems right but it also seems unlikely.


Well, yes, it is still rather like the Vishuddhi Magga and Theravada exercises on "anything". If it is a coffee cup, at some point after I am able to visualize a normal one effortlessly, then it could, so to speak, arise as a Maha coffee cup.

If visualization = samadhi which, when combined with Abhisambodhis, definitely has death and rebirth, because it is employing the Bardo consciousness, and one is re-born as deity.

Heruka is really the name for a Vajrasattva that has come up on his own in a more brilliant and shiny form.

Then it is like trying to get such a "simple" self-arisen Heruka to pop out the other side of a Void Sequence as Four Face Maha Vairocana.


I found something in the Vajradaka that pertains to Maha Vairocana and added it in the preceding post.

If we look at what this means compared to Nairatma also arising as the sixth principle, one could say it is considered they cause shifts.

This may be the only place where she governs Citta Cakra. She is always the sixth or manasic or mental principle, but, there is that of the novice, and that of one who has begun the Relative Bodhicitta, and so on up.

She does mean No Human Ego but she is co-substantial with Vajra Garvi or Divine Ego.

In our table of correspondences, the "sixth skandha" is Sakkaya Ditthi, a belief that skandhas may have inherent meaning, or that one may have any identity in them. This faults the third Noble Truth and says the Path is unimportant or does not apply to me.

And so Nairatma has to do with stopping the skandhas in a mental way, not artificial.

The full term from Dharma Samgraha is Pudgala Nairatma.

In Buddhism, Pudgala means the entity that reincarnates as an individual or person, i.e., the bundle of tendencies that keeps an individual reincarnating until they attain enlightenment.

I. e., samsara and other skandhas.

Pudgala [puggala] an individual, self. Pudgala stands for an individual entity as opposed to a group. It signifies a sentient being who is a mere combination of material as well as mental processes. According to one etymology, human beings are called pudgala-s because they have to undergo afflictions in hell due to their evil actions. [Pun ti vuccati nirayo tasmin galantīti puggalā.]

2. A person, in the everyday sense of an individual.

3. The concept of personhood, particularly in the philosophical sense of an enduring self similar to (but not quite the same as) the eternal soul (ātman),

called Pratyeka by the Mahatmas in distinction to Amrita,

If I am non-dual then I do not have any such "person" that can be individually distinguished from the cosmos.

Nairatma I think says there is no Pudgala in the Citta Cakra, which is the Heart, which houses the "real" Manas, which is Bodhi.

Then you get a really clear sixth principle able to handle the seventh.


I am not quite sure I would put it as easy visualization means you are re-born, but that Heruka Yoga is essential for the Abhisambodhis and so on.

Nairatma has this same role with Vajra Tara. We could say that although Sadhanamala has staggering revelations of devis such as Marici and Vajravarahi, these are at least well-known from other sources. Vajra Tara is not also a Hindu deity like Kurukulla, she is not a generic Tara in Vajra Family, she is massive and powerful for something that has little visible representation elsewhere. She did however at Ratnagiri.

If it seems peculiarly sensible to deploy Nairatma in this manner in Citta Cakra, then perhaps that is the appropriate tantric "template" for you.

After seeing that Hevajra, I will say that the same author's Vajra Tara 110 heavily follows the same stamp if not quoting entire passages from it. Differences are she does Inverted Stupa up to Bhrum since she is interested in affixing Usnisa of Ratna Family (along with Sumbha of Vajra Family), and that she is initiation into Vajra Surya (Wrathful Ratna Heruka, or, i. e. what the Book of the Dead says actually emanates the wrathful deities in the Bardo).

Now what is inside that Secret Sun really has much more to do with the perfection of Amrita as we have described.

As to how conversant she may be to Hevajra, her Nyasa says:

āyataneṣu vijñeyā hṛdyā nairātmyayoginī //

although she gives Citta Vajra to Mohavajra in the Tri-kaya next.

She has actually just used Tara mantra to attract ten Paramita devis. And in this section, Nairatma is juxtaposed with Afflictive Emotions:

mohavajrāṃ nyasen netre dveṣavajrāṃ ca karṇataḥ /
īrṣyāvajrāṃ tathā ghrāṇe vaktre tu rāgavajrikām //
saparśe mātsaryavajrāṃ vai sarvakleśatamo 'pahām /
āyataneṣu vijñeyā hṛdyā nairātmyayoginī //
iti cakṣurādyadhiṣṭhānam /
dvibhujāś caikavaktrāḥ syurnānārūpā hi yoṣitaḥ /
katrikapālakaravyagrā gataprāṇordhvasaṃsthitāḥ //

So it is as if she has fused the mental or vijnana aspect of the ayatanas into the heart, as if the heart-mind were a mental-only mind.

She is pervasive and has a couple other examples.

Vajra Tara 94:

kāye cerṣyāvajrāṃ tu mano nairātmyayoginī //



Vajra Tara 95:

tad anu cakṣurādiṣu mohavajrādayaḥ ṣaṭ cintanīyāḥ,
kāyavākcitteṣu oṃ-āḥ-huṃkārapariṇatāṃ khecarī-
bhūcarīnairātmāś cintanīyāḥ /

So there she is using the same Nairatma = Citta Cakra pattern.


She is used by Khasarpana, Canda Maharoshana, and Vistara Tara.

The corresponding Dharma Nairatma is Cunda and Marici and is a somewhat common thing usually dismissed with Emptiness Mantra.

Nairatma is extra Nairatma in her personal sadhana which forms the end of our current Sadhanamala text at 228.

[Old Student]

Yes; again it is kind of a "graded" word, from having unpleasant lower associations, to being the subtle duality permeated throughout the mind and why Object or Vajra goddesses are very important Bodhisattvas.
I checked on this end (graha being an important word in India because of Satyagraha), it doesn't just mean to hold or seize, but also to receive (grahankara).


If it is a coffee cup, at some point after I am able to visualize a normal one effortlessly, then it could, so to speak, arise as a Maha coffee cup.

If visualization = samadhi which, when combined with Abhisambodhis, definitely has death and rebirth, because it is employing the Bardo consciousness, and one is re-born as deity.

From my own personal experience, it takes more than this, arising as a deity if one follows the instructions in, e.g. Lama Yeshe's book (I did so assiduously with Heruka Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, before finding out I wasn't 'supposed' to do that without an initiation), it has a feel to it of being, and then when Locana did the possession thing it had a feel to it of being, the latter was very very far beyond what the former had been. Maybe the second is really really being the coffee cup and the first is just being the coffee cup or something. And I do sense there is an even more thing.


If I am non-dual then I do not have any such "person" that can be individually distinguished from the cosmos.

Nairatma I think says there is no Pudgala in the Citta Cakra, which is the Heart, which houses the "real" Manas, which is Bodhi.

My limited experience with Nairatmya is of someone with form but without being. Having written that, I am again sensing that I'm coming up against a difficulty in expression. It is possible to experience not-being/being without all appearance of form being altered in any way or something like that.

[shaberon]

I checked on this end (graha being an important word in India because of Satyagraha), it doesn't just mean to hold or seize, but also to receive (grahankara).

Yes, let us think of it as one of those things like an infinity knot or Pisces Fish, like Kula Akula, Varrta Avartta, sort of like the "thing to stabilize" with respect to the Three Channels, it is the associated mental context.


The Yogacara phrase is Grahyagrahaka, which comes from:


the subject or the knower (grahakagraha) and a relation with the object which is known (grahyagraha)

So yes, Grahaka is "receiving" impressions, knowledge, etc., and when you whisk away the clutter-sh "graha" endings, then we wind up something that reads more like Seized and Seizer, and it is the duality of cognized and cognizer, Parikalpita (https://books.google.com/books?id=ILbWj-GRzUMC&lpg=PA67&ots=c6MGgNMPqc&dq=grahyagraha&pg=PA67#v=onepage&q=grahyagraha&f=false), which is, in reality, to the Paratantra or Other-Dependent, non-existent.

Parikalpita, an imaginary nature which says there could be identity in Skandhas, is non-existent.

Duality of the Object and Knower is non-existent.

And so the sin of the seventh principle is this, which faults the fourth Noble Truth by saying the Path is wrong. It is called Drsti; Vajrasrnkhala is a Drsti Sampatti.

Transcending this sin handles Parikalpita or the First Void.

That is how it seems to fit to me and why the seventh principle turns out to be a "Three in One", such as Three Natures, Three Voids, or Shakti or Agni.


The Other-Dependent or Paratantra can't do anything if you don't feed it.

Drsti is of course sensitive to the slightest Karmic Wind.

If it is and the Paratantra does, well, you go back to samsara.



In Sadhanamala, Grahyagrahaka comes up a reasonable amount of times, such as by Avalokiteshvara in relation to Mahatma:

mantrārtham āmukhīkurvana sarvaṃ vastu mahātmanā /
grāhyagrāhakanirmuktaṃ bhāvayet jñānamātrakam //


and to Svapna Indra Jala Upama and Natural Luminosity from Void:

grāhyagrāhakahānito jagad idaṃ svapnendrajālopamaṃ śuddhaṃ ca prakṛtiprabhāsvaratayā vyomopamāmāśritam /
ātmānaṃ ca manovilāsakalitaṃ niśritya saṃkṣepato muḥkāraṃ punaraṃśujālajaṭilaṃ tatsambhavaṃ bhāvayet //


Canda Maharoshana again related to Svapna Maya and Voidness Mantra:

174ḷ01 bhāvayitvā jagad idaṃ niḥsvabhāvasvabhāvaṃ grāhyagrāhakavinirmuktaṃ
174ḷ02 svapnamāyopamaṃ buddhvā śūnyatāṃ vibhāvayet oṃ
174ḷ03 śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako 'ham /


Vajra Tara breaks it in bits which I would think is much like Varnani and Vairocani:

yathā svapne cittādanyatra
grāhyaṃ na vidyate grāhyābhāvāt, cittam api grāhakaṃ
na bhavati, tasmād viśvam idaṃ niḥsvabhāvaṃ pratikṛtipariśuddhaṃ
ādyam anutpannaṃ paśyet /


And brings it back around in the material we just looked at, along with, what I believe is a unique instance of using the phrase Citta Sarira--Mental Body:

tasmāc cittaśarīrāḥ sarvadharmāḥ teṣāṃ
grāhyagrāhakaśūnyatā paramārtha ity evam ekāntena niścitya
bhrāntisamāropitaṃ bhrānticihnaṃ sarvadharmāṇām ākāram apahāya
teṣāṃ prakṛtim eva kevalām advayavijñaptilakṣaṇāṃ
śuddhasphaṭikasaṅkāśāṃ śaradamalamadhyāhnagaganopamāmanantāṃ
paśyet / idam ucyate lokottaraṃ śūnyatājñānaṃ niṣprapañcaṃ
nirvikalpam /


Janguli has it in perhaps a more preliminary way directing it into Purity Mantra:

prathamaṃ tāvan mantrī śuciḥ snātaḥ śuklamālyāmbaradharaḥ
śuklagandhānulipto vijane sulipte pradeśe śuklasugandhitoyopasikte
śuklapuṣpaprakarāvakīrṇe sukhāsanopaviṣṭo jagati
maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṃ vibhāvya oṃ svabhāvaśuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ
svabhāvaśuddho 'ham ity uccārya jagad grāhyagrāhakarahitaṃ
paśyet /



Hevajra Tantra Krama Svadisthana Kurukulla is going to do something with it in terms of a, I suppose, resurrected Pudgala, which blends into Voidness Mantra:

tato dharmmapuḍgalayor grāhyagrāhakasvabhāvayor abhāva-
svabhāvām advayavijñaptilakṣaṇāṃ śūnyatāṃ vibhāvya tanmantreṇādhi-
tiṣṭhet - oṃ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako 'ham iti /


That is strange and perhaps takes into account that Dharma and Pudgala are both known to be Nairatma. I suppose it is saying dharmas, persons, subjects, objects, have no becoming as you non-dualize into pure consciousness, which again flows into Voidness Mantra.






From my own personal experience, it takes more than this, arising as a deity if one follows the instructions in, e.g. Lama Yeshe's book (I did so assiduously with Heruka Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, before finding out I wasn't 'supposed' to do that without an initiation), it has a feel to it of being, and then when Locana did the possession thing it had a feel to it of being, the latter was very very far beyond what the former had been. Maybe the second is really really being the coffee cup and the first is just being the coffee cup or something. And I do sense there is an even more thing.

Oh, yes, completely, Bhava and the rest up to Pranidhana and then the example of Samaya.

Even Samaya is a two-lobed axis...time spent in upholding the behaviors that represent the bond, into Time spent in the actual presence of the deity.

In my case they are 99% Bhava, if I say I have relationships to Tara and Sarasvati, it is from cultivating them in the fairly ordinary common and garden devotional means.

Almost nothing to do with any signs whatsoever.

Vajrasattva and Vajradhara are a little different. The former as a fairly constant practice is to some degree palpable but not visual. The second is, to me at least, as I have described, so subtle as to be almost nothing and yet extraoridnarily powerful, which requires an almost cave-like environment for me to cope with.

Deity Yoga means that for instance Tara is used within this. Whereas certain Mantras and Dharanis are allowed to be conveyed into the mundane environment, and/or you can use them in a session that is lighter and briefer than Guru Yoga--Deity Yoga.

I just meant with respect to the visual sense, it is supposed to work that way.

Truly merging with the deity is part of Completion Stage, which is not the same as generating the form of the deity on one's person.




My limited experience with Nairatmya is of someone with form but without being. Having written that, I am again sensing that I'm coming up against a difficulty in expression. It is possible to experience not-being/being without all appearance of form being altered in any way or something like that.


That is where the technical Sanskrit terms come in. She wouldn't have any skandhas which might make it seem like no one is there. Maybe she is looking for a male principle to trigger samadhi. Or maybe you mean something else.


Nairatma 228 is a Mahaghora who emanates her retinue and the Gauris from the Vowels. She becomes Ali Kali Sampatti by bringing in the Dhyani Buddhas. So, as we saw in some tantras about Vajragarbha as the mantra wheel, then Nairatma is like a level three boss of it.

[Old Student]

The Yogacara phrase is Grahyagrahaka, which comes from:


the subject or the knower (grahakagraha) and a relation with the object which is known (grahyagraha)

So yes, Grahaka is "receiving" impressions, knowledge, etc., and when you whisk away the clutter-sh "graha" endings, then we wind up something that reads more like Seized and Seizer, and it is the duality of cognized and cognizer, Parikalpita, which is, in reality, to the Paratantra or Other-Dependent, non-existent.

Not sure if this is important (it was undoubtably noted somewhere by someone) but they are male and female, grahaka is Sanskrit masculine, grahya is feminine, when they are nouns, which they aren't always I guess.


Duality of the Object and Knower is non-existent.
I just happen to be at a place (chapter 37) of the Avatamsaka where they are talking about 'thusness' and giving analogies to the creation of the universe from a cloud that rained. There is a state, the state they are talking about in the chapter, where the Buddha creates the teaching the same way the world is "never born and never decays but comes into being nevertheless".


Truly merging with the deity is part of Completion Stage, which is not the same as generating the form of the deity on one's person.
Ah, so there is a set of different levels of being the deity. Good to know.


That is where the technical Sanskrit terms come in. She wouldn't have any skandhas which might make it seem like no one is there. Maybe she is looking for a male principle to trigger samadhi. Or maybe you mean something else.

I guess I meant that my experience was of something like that line I paraphrased from the Avatamsaka, neither existing nor not-existing but nevertheless coming into being. I hadn't really thought about it when you wrote what I was reacting to, but there seem to be a lot of very different not-self's.

[shaberon]

Not sure if this is important (it was undoubtably noted somewhere by someone) but they are male and female, grahaka is Sanskrit masculine, grahya is feminine, when they are nouns, which they aren't always I guess.


Allright, then it would be feminine Grahya--Seized, masculine Grahaka--Seizer.

The root Graha is multi-faceted to say the least. Here is one Hindu definition where we could practically say, oh, the Pudgala and the Tri-kaya:

12) [v.s. ...] Name of the 8 organs of perception (viz. the 5 organs of sense with Manas, the hands and the voice), [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa xiv; Nṛsiṃha-tāpanīya-upaniṣad i, 4, 3, 22]


Nowhere remotely Buddhist in origin, but, used pretty specifically in Yogacara.

Seeing it defined as Parikalpita by someone else is reassuring. I had assembled that view just by following the symbols.

If so, this is a really good marker to show how the Tantras bridge to the Sutras. So far, one of the most concise but thorough digests of all tantra is Dakini Jala Rahasya, which combines several important factors along with Five Dissolutions ending in Void. I did not know it, but this, appears to be a sort of demarcation zone including everything under the Parikalpita. This Void, per se, is definitely a work area, until the nature of Three Voids hits.

Graha is also an equivalent of the seventh sin, Atma Graha, which is a way of saying the older Atta Drsti.

Imputation of a personal identity whatsoever.




I just happen to be at a place (chapter 37) of the Avatamsaka where they are talking about 'thusness' and giving analogies to the creation of the universe from a cloud that rained. There is a state, the state they are talking about in the chapter, where the Buddha creates the teaching the same way the world is "never born and never decays but comes into being nevertheless".


I would contend that the most subtle mysteries are Time, Death, and the Aswins.

I certainly have an odd perception of time, like a growing egg. When I deal with people then of course I have awareness of what they are saying in the moment, but what I get is more like an astral image of them which "inflates" in Time until it displays their entire life cycle. I am not sensitive enough to really see this, but, I can get enough from it that makes it really easy to suss out a liar.

To deal with this I suppose is the same science of Brahman as held by Adwaitees.

There is a No Time (Nirguna) and With Time (Sadguna).

The world comes into being effectively enough for those who experience it.

In Yogacara terms, if I kill someone, that means my Manas affected their Manas in such a way as to permanently interrupt Ordinary Waking Consciousness.

If I am any good at Yogacara, it would instead happen that my Manas affects their Manas in such a way as to tend towards Samadhi. If I perceive that as one flow instead of one unit to another, it will flatten my Skandhas.





Ah, so there is a set of different levels of being the deity. Good to know.

Yes. The self-generated Form of a deity is just a way to do Body Mandala. And so you are also going to have Vak and Citta. And you would increase each of them with Karma Mudra, Jnana Mudra, Dharma Mudra, and Maha Mudra. The goal is to get to the Mahamudra and whatever extremely subtle things it involves.

It has Inner, Outer, and Secret aspects, and "Secret" is like one's "personal time" where occurs the initiatory process. Those are the Wheels of Time.

Hook and Noose are Invite and Request to Remain (also Seeing or Entering the Mandala), Chain is a Bond, Bell is Satisfaction. And so you would tend to cycle these Four Activities up to Bell, which is conveyed to the Mudras or Initiations.

It seems to me this is encapsulated in the "Vajri Bhava" part of Hundred Syllable Mantra, because it suggests Vajrasattva is undergoing such procedures in the realm of the Vajri goddesses, which leads to a "shift" from the older STTS mandala formats, through things which, we might say, are equal to the Garbhadhatu--Vajradhatu and Vajrasekhara. I am convinced that most of this can be handled on a Dharani basis by an informed practitioner. Rigid guidelines would be needed for persons who want to try but have little ability. If you are able to study and get a lot of it by Inner Meaning you do not have to become a monk.





I guess I meant that my experience was of something like that line I paraphrased from the Avatamsaka, neither existing nor not-existing but nevertheless coming into being. I hadn't really thought about it when you wrote what I was reacting to, but there seem to be a lot of very different not-self's.


On this one, there are not any Hindu or general usages of Nairatma.

It is in Lalita Vistara, Lankavatara Sutra, and as the devi.

“... Just as a lump of clay is made into various shapes, so it is the non-essential nature of all phenomena and their freedom from all characteristics that is variously described as the garbha or the nairātmya (essencelessness)”.

There is Dharma Nairatma (no inherent self of things) and Pudgala Nairatma.

Nairatma was consequential to Virupa (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vir%C5%ABpa), who attempted to stop blood rituals, is significant in Nath, and possibly the author of the first Hatha Yoga book, Amritasiddhi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amritasiddhi), which mentions Cinnamasta, although they have only found texts from centuries after Virupa.


His story (https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?t=1519) was that he had practiced Chakrasamvara for years without any result, and threw his rosary in the toilet.

That very night, in a dream, he saw Nairatmaya as a blue ordinary lady.

She spoke to him saying, "Son of my race, such an inappropriate act was not well done. Retrieve your mala and wash it with scented water. Confess and commit yourself to right practice. I am the deity with whom you have a karmic connection. I will bless you and you will swiftly reach attainment." Speaking thus she disappeared.


Shri Dharmapala [Virupa's ordination name] awoke and arose with his mind filled with regret. The next day, on the twenty-third, he retrieved his mala and did as she prophesied. That night he perceived the primordial wisdom emanation body of Vajra Nairatmya with a retinue of fifteen goddesses and they bestowed upon him the complete four empowerments in their mandala. During the empowerment the primordial wisdom of the path of seeing arose in his mind, which is the stage of a first bhumi Bodhisattva. Similarly, his realization advanced successively each night until the night of the twenty ninth when he reached the realization of the sixth bhumi.


Nairatma not only called herself an "I", she practically said she was human.

What? If there is a goddess who has been my hearing since beginningless time...is there not another who has been my human since beginningless time?


Hevajra Tantra (http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Origin_of_the_Hevajra_Tantra) was requested by Vajra Garbha and Nairatma. One way of counting its lineage is:

--- Adibuddha Vajradhara
--- Vajranairatmya
01. Mahasiddha Virupa (Mahasiddha Birwapa)


From the Buddhist historical point of view, the Tantric deity Nairatmya directly appeared to Virupa and bestowed the Hevajra empowerment - this is called the 'Near Lineage.' According to the Sakya Tradition, Virupa later appeared to Sachen Kunga Nyingpo in Tibet and again bestowed empowerments for Hevajra and consort and this is called the 'Very Near Lineage.'.




Cleveland (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1960.206) has a fine specimen which shows that Nairatma is allowed to consort with Vajradhara; it is an Ngor piece and Virupa is there in his normal dark form.

Virupa has several forms, and, much as Ngor seems to be a repository for white deities up to Amaravajra, here, it looks like they have placed him with Samputa Vajrasattva:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/2/0/3/203701.jpg






That would be an anachronism, if it was composed after him. Nairatma is an anachronism. She has been there since beginningless time but not in our world until Virupa--aside from the fact if he had a karmic connection, it means from another lifetime. Nairatma is in Buddha Kapala mandala so actually she is at the beginning of tantra.

His lineages are held in all the schools of Buddhism.

Time also melts when I ask what she just did to it.

Virupa must have known of Vajra Garbha and carried him forward into the terrible accident with whatever the blue lady is. If among other things, she is Ali Kali Sampatti, that fits her in with the previous scriptures.

I am pretty sure we don't have the whole article for Nairatma 228, but, there is a lot, and we can see she has "the two Gauris". And first of all she is strange because she has some Gauris as Gatekeepers culminating in Ghasmari. Another part of her retinue is strange because we will have to say--which one is Vajradakini?

indre vajrā yame gaurī vāruṇyāṃ vāriyoginī /
kaubare vajraḍākī ca madhye nairātmyayoginī //

It is unusual since here is has West = Varuna = Vari (Water) Yogini.

It is possible Lotus Family is "in decline" or something else like that.

The answer was in her skandhas:

rūpaskandhe bhaved vajrā gaurī vedanayāṃ smṛtā /
saṃjñāyāṃ vāriyoginī saṃskāre vajraḍākinī //
vijñānaskandharūpeṇa sthitā nairātmyayoginī /


That arrangement is why we might as well say Samsara is Vajradakini.

Vajradakini's other two major associations are the Fiery Crown center and Upeksa.

Samsara is however usually conditioned by the lower chakra.

This uses the same Nyasa as Vajra Tara has.

Although this sadhana does incorporate Sumbha, it does not appear to mention any lower chakra. Again, the sixth spot in the Nyasa where it could have been mentioned is occupied by Nairatma--Manas. She does however deal with Root Sound at the beginning:

bījaṃ mūlasvarādikaṃ

and end:

ādisvarasvabhāvā


Although it is not the very end, it does seem like it was in the summing up after the whole ritual was cast:

mahāmudrā sthitā nābhau mahāsukhakarā śubhā /
tīkṣṇatvād agnirūpeṇa ruṣitā sā tu mātṛbhiḥ //

Mahamudra has a place in the navel, and something is being ignited.

Bhattacharya says she has two sadhanas, both evidently in the same form.

In her major mandala is that Four Horse Face I was thinking about. She has Horse, Boar, Dog, and Lion Face Gatekeepers, which he says all have four faces, in NSP.

[Old Student]

Graha is also an equivalent of the seventh sin, Atma Graha, which is a way of saying the older Atta Drsti.
Using the knower/known version of grahaka/grahya, that would be self oriented knowledge versus self-oriented view. What is apparently sinful is Atma, maybe that's why Nairatmya is important.


I certainly have an odd perception of time, like a growing egg. When I deal with people then of course I have awareness of what they are saying in the moment, but what I get is more like an astral image of them which "inflates" in Time until it displays their entire life cycle. I am not sensitive enough to really see this, but, I can get enough from it that makes it really easy to suss out a liar.

At first glance that seems really interesting, but you can shut it off can't you? I might find it difficult knowing that much about everybody around me.


Yes. The self-generated Form of a deity is just a way to do Body Mandala. And so you are also going to have Vak and Citta. And you would increase each of them with Karma Mudra, Jnana Mudra, Dharma Mudra, and Maha Mudra. The goal is to get to the Mahamudra and whatever extremely subtle things it involves.
Good to know. I worry about things like this, I told you I had had a block installed about it before. I have a lot of, not sure what the word is, 'pressures' around letting my barriers down, as in they might get hard to put back. A lot of my nights right now are a nearly seamless mixture of states that are usually separate, like sleep and wakefulness, dreaming and so forth. I'm not so sure I want to just embody all that without any boundaries.


Nairatma not only called herself an "I", she practically said she was human.
This does not seem like a contradiction, depends on what she meant by "I".


Root Sound at the beginning:

bījaṃ mūlasvarādikaṃ

and end:

ādisvarasvabhāvā


Although it is not the very end, it does seem like it was in the summing up after the whole ritual was cast:

mahāmudrā sthitā nābhau mahāsukhakarā śubhā /
tīkṣṇatvād agnirūpeṇa ruṣitā sā tu mātṛbhiḥ //

Mahamudra has a place in the navel, and something is being ignited.

All of these follow a pattern, but I would guess it is because they are sort of connected by the Mahamudra thread or something.

The above para about worries about getting pulled away by things are in part due to sort of (not sure where the boundaries are) accomplished the lucid dreaming thing last night (it's been moving more and more in that direction). I'm not sure where the boundaries are because I've read some people talk about lucid dreaming as being self-aware of the dream during the dream, and others talk about being able to control the dream. I did the former multiple times, but have no control over the dream progress. But the conversation during the dreams was about lucidity and about finding the luminous (the dream yoga has as a goal having all form dissolve into a luminous state). But what has been developing before, and is therefore better developed, is seamlessly moving back and forth, carrying the dream into shaking, and lately also practicing shaking inside a dream.

This all sounds wonderful, but is kind of worrisome unless I have clear boundaries. I also slipped back and forth today while working on category theory. Granted that latter is slow going and I sometimes get sleepy working on it because of having to concentrate on every single word on the page slowly, but even so. That's why I seem to be all about, "Oh, that sounds wonderful but..." right now. I hope it isn't or doesn't seem too negative.

[shaberon]

Using the knower/known version of grahaka/grahya, that would be self oriented knowledge versus self-oriented view. What is apparently sinful is Atma, maybe that's why Nairatmya is important.


I might say it was the Graha or Drsti which is sin.

I cannot remember if it was Maha Vyutpatti but somewhere one of the disciples keeps pressing Buddha through all the possible philosophies until saying "but is there really an Atma?" to which the answer is Buddha Smile.

He certainly means any concept of atma is groundless.

We are in a bit of a sensitive condition because the part of RGV which explains "Dhatu" is a copy of Bhagavad Gita that simply replaces the word "atma" with "dhatu". Because it is the same sentence with the same meaning, it is only a semantic shift.

Now if we enter Formless Dhyanas into such a thing as Infinite Nothingness of Nothingness, well, we are just attempting to stabilize that kind of Samadhi and yet we still follow an injunction to go out in the world and do Karuna.

Beings enter Realms which arise from an originally formless Dhatu, and, if we are going there in a Buddhist manner, as the Dhatu expands and makes or does whatever it does, this is done for the purpose of Increasing Bliss.

If not, strong chance we get an immutable series of nightmares.



At first glance that seems really interesting, but you can shut it off can't you? I might find it difficult knowing that much about everybody around me.

I suppose the astral seed is like a little nibble of Clairsentience.

I never actually "know" anything, it is more like a taste, like soup that you don't really know all the ingredients, but a chunk of lard would make you raise your eyebrows.

It doesn't stop in the Pravrtti.

I can stop everything with Nirvrtti.

Otherwise, no, it won't exactly stop, it is all like a dhatu or embryo of living light that reproduces itself according to whatever it was impressed with.

Akin to what is called intuitive or empathic, etc.



I worry about things like this, I told you I had had a block installed about it before. I have a lot of, not sure what the word is, 'pressures' around letting my barriers down, as in they might get hard to put back. A lot of my nights right now are a nearly seamless mixture of states that are usually separate, like sleep and wakefulness, dreaming and so forth. I'm not so sure I want to just embody all that without any boundaries.


Whether you should or should not do that, it is probably best not to go too fast.

To an ordinary person who is "under" the dakinis' power rather than "at par" with it, then you can see why they might slide into something and lose control, which would get them laughed at, and it would all go downhill from there.

I would turn Dharma Pravicaya on the barriers and mull about what they really are and whether or not to "do" something.



This does not seem like a contradiction, depends on what she meant by "I".


Exactly.

She features in NSP which is significant since it means Nispanna Yoga Vali, it means mandalas that have been relied upon to perform Completion Stage.

NSP could use a little help in terms of framework or what the heck is that stuff in it. Kind of bare-bones. Now when we take Sadhanamala, we get an intro that turned out to be the entire Amoghasiddhi-strength Wrathful practice up to Vajra Fist. Then when the book begins its individual deity sadhanas, you get Sadaksari Mahavidya, who is really a Dharani basis for putting together everything about Six Families that you can.

On one side, the sixth principle is Vajrasattva, and, on the other, Nairatma.

And so NSP begins with Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra, which is a fusion of Manjushri and Vajrasattva, which exhibits the sixth principle according to the following:

Manjuvajra is an emanation of Akshobhya.

Dharmadhatu Vajra is an emanation of Vajradhara or Akshobhya.

So there we get the correct term, Dharmadhatu Vajra, for the mind goddess Bodhisattva, Mental Object, who in turn has a primordial or Mother level of herself, an Ishvari or Prajna, Mental Element.



The rest of the contents of NSP are very similar to Vajravali:

2. Guhyasamaja Akshobhya

3. Samputa Vajrasattva

4. Jnanadakini shows a reversed retinue. By accident and he doesn't say anything, but, we know they do this, and we can watch for the difference in things that are cast "standardly" or not. This is a not. This chick is insane. I would love to figure her out but it is too detailed. I like her anyway. The basics of her such as Nyasa are quite good.

5. Hevajra

6. Nairatma

7. Vajramrita which calls to our attention that his tantra is considered critical, and yet we still have no source for it.

8. Heruka

9. Four Face Heruka (Mahamaya)

10. Buddhakapala whose consort Citrasena is in the East in Vajra Family. But the rest are shifted--Vairocana South, Ratna West, Lotus North. This kind of mandala appears to be a fundamental alteration, i. e. water is in the west and so on.

11. Vajrahumkara

12. Four Face Sambara

13. Buddhakapala with his consort casting in reverse. Here, where he has says we find Kalika (Kali), the closest I see is Kalaratri. It has two Sumalinis, Sundari and Vajra Sundari, and states that Citrasena's sire is Maha Vairocana. In other words, for this to even work, you would have to get him actually manifesting in Sambhogakaya first. The Families are in layers, not directions, the inmost being Ratna. Rupini is also used here, although she is in Lotus Family. Actually it was Nairatma he said was here that I cannot find. IWS does not even deal with the retinue, but says Buddhakapala displays Nine Moods. It has a corpse laying on its back. On the back is the identifier to Nairatma.

14. Yogambara with Jnanadakini casting in reverse.

15. Yamari

16. Vajra Tara

17. Marici

18. Pancha Raksa which includes Kali and Kalaratri.

19. Vajradhatu

20. Jnanapada Manjuvajra with Cunda, etc.

21. Dharmadhatu Vagisvara Manjughosha

22. Sarvadurgati Parishodana

23. Bhutadamara

24. Pancha Daka

25. Six Chakravartins which is comparable to Dakini Jala and, I believe, would be valid to "change forms as needed" into it.

26. Kalachakra. He suggests it was composed to unite the Hindus and Buddhists against the Mlecchas. It is interesting but very weird, one of the first things you notice is Locana with Amoghasiddhi.


Along with that, a few tidbits I noticed passing back over the typewritten Taranatha deities:


Amritakundalin has a consort resembling himself, tramples Ganesh, but, mantricly, he is Maha Ganapati. It further states he is the essence of Vajrapani. Again the Maha Ganapati seems to indicate his Prana Shakti nature, and so he has transcended the "luck charm" or whatever basic Ganesh is supposed to be. He is featured the same way in Ganapati Hrdaya Dharani which I got from Dharani Samgraha.



Buddhist Viswamata is crowned by Vajrasattva. She is Vajra Kandaki. Perhaps not quite a name, it says see kantaki--Theravada. Thorny fence or cactus hedge, possibly, but there is a Kantaki Sutra. Therein, Anuruddha says that the four satipatthanas should be attained both by the sekha and the asekha (the learner and the adept), and declares that he himself came to understand the thousand fold world system by developing these four. If we look at Satipatthana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/satipatthana), it is similar to tantra, going through the Dhatus and Cemeteries until the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment near the end. Kandaki ia a river in the Buddhist Bon Kingdom of Lo (http://ib.frath.net/w/Lo,_Constitution_of); spelled Gandaki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandaki_River), this is a Ganges tributary flowing through Nepal which crosses Annapurna, so this is likely the meaning meant. It is actually called Kali Gandaki and starts from a glacier at the Mustang border. Gandaki has this name in Mahabharata.

Sramana the dream goddess is attributed with knowledge of past and future lives.

Maitreya is accompanied by Wrathful Aparajita, in other words these Bodhisattvas are shown with their wrathful reflex, and this is interesting because Aparajita's consort is Aparajita. So then Maitreya's consort is Aparajita, who is said to reveal the power of the Buddha, and witness Buddha initiation.

Sarva Nivarana Viskambin is Amrita Bindu, which is also Ganapati.

When with Vajrapani, Mamaki is quite similar in form to Nairatma.

Cunda 163 is her twenty-six arm form, although it says nothing about Prithvi or Mula Mudra.

Acala Canda Maharoshana's consort is called Tummo Gaj'e ma and Vajra Candi and has the Prajnas in five chakras including Tara = secret.

Dhvajagrakeyura is Vetali, which tells us something about the two nerves, since they are "surmounted" by Banner and Parasol, and Dhvaja is Banner.


This and NSP are tough documents since there is no way to link or search or copy particularly well.



All of these follow a pattern, but I would guess it is because they are sort of connected by the Mahamudra thread or something.


Yes.

Mahamudra is perhaps the best Sarma name for the attitude and practice in these tantras.

On this particular pattern, I believe we have found the vowels expanding from Sarasvati--five, Kurukulla--eight, Nairatma--sixteen. If the first two are arguably part of Hinduism, etc., the same cannot be said of Nairatma.


Saraha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraha) was the guru of Nagarjuna and the pioneer of Sahaja, Mahamudra, Vajrayana, Doha, and I suppose commentaries and sadhana for Buddhakapala, rather than being the author of the tantra.


Saraha (https://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Saraha.html) says:

When the mind abides motionless, one is released from the toils of existence. // When you do not recognize the Supreme One in yourself, how should you gain this incomparable form [of the Supreme Lord]? I have taught that when error ceases, you know yourself for what you are. // …It is this supreme bliss that pours forth unceasingly as existence…. Know but the pure and perfect state! //

“He who does not enjoy the senses purified, and practices only the Void [and neglects Compassion], is like a bird that flies up from a ship and then wheels round and lands back there again. // But do not be caught by attachment to the senses, Saraha says…. // Whatever pours forth from the mind, possesses the nature of the owner. Are waves different from water? Their nature, like that of space, is one and the same.” (70-2)

“He who clings to the Void and neglects Compassion, does not reach the highest stage. But he who practices only Compassion [with the fixed idea of other sentient beings] does not gain release from the toils of existence. He, however, who is strong in practice of both, remains neither in saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa.”




On this one, Buddhakapala does not have the most grandiose forms or difficult arrangements, it is all pretty simple. However, I would suggest it is complementary to Mahamaya. The Mahamaya by having Four Faces is like Sarvavid Vairocana, i. e. knowing all the directions at once, has done so in a fairly conceivable way by displaying spherical vision.

This deity is doing something else, he is changing space to suit his whims.

The common tactic we will find on almost any other mandala is a "swap", like Vairocana jumps out into the quadrant of whichever other one is being centered. Buddhakapala is doing something more than this, and more than a simple Family change, if we watch what happens to the Grounds on his mandalas. He moves four things around a single face. Like most Herukas, he is an Akshobhya emanation, and if so this may be unusual.


1300s Kagyu Vajravali appears to be Vairocana-centered, i. e. lacking white:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/8/8/5/88556.jpg





Ratna-centered 1500s Ngor:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/3/3/1/3314480.jpg






Karma-centered and rotated such that Ratna or Water is West although Lotus is not North:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/7/7/2/77234.jpg






He would have to augment it again to match his sadhana. I do not think any other deity does this, at least not so blatantly and as early in the literature.



Svadisthana Krama of Saraha (https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42336679.pdf) is a relatively simple Vajrasattva devotion.

The somewhat abrupt academic view (https://asianreviewofbooks.com/content/tibetan-yoga-principles-and-practices-by-ian-a-baker/) is:

“Without genitals there is no Mahamudra,” proclaimed the eighth century mahasiddha (literally “great achiever”) Saraha, and the Buddha Kapalatantra “presents passion as “a skilful means for transcending subject-object duality.”

There are Five Chapters (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/797/2927) of Buddhakapala Tantra available from a Chinese-German effort, and at the end of the first page we see:

mahāmudrā labhyate dhruvam||8||

so I am pretty sure that pattern is in there.

DSBC has a quick eight verse Nairatma Namostute (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/163/856) wherein she is Surasundari and Visvamata of Nirvikalpa Svarupini. Correspondingly, the Swayambhu Purana Manjunatha Guhyesvari Stotram (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/162/855) is the only other item in the Nairatma category.


But there is some English from the Chinese translator (https://www.douban.com/group/topic/37865570/).

I am not going to clean this up, part of an as-is scan from this table (http://texts.00.gs/Buddhakapalatantra,_9-14.htm) so we can see the subjects of its fourteen chapters and read a bit about what it says.

I have never seen this before but as I said, Lakshmi is important and she seems to be "one side", Kama Dhatu, probably the Seized or the Grasped, compared to all the other Dhatus enumerated in tantra which seem to be bundled opposite her. Ad so it is very close to calling her the Kama Loka as a whole.

the herb for rasa-ayana groweth on the mountain in the moon
10:6-7
p. 55
“Great Goddess! … What is the great herb
p. 56
… by which … a barren woman can have a son and the dead revive and never fall into death again?”
10:10
p. 58
“the supreme marvelous herb … abides [in] … the vein {psychic channel} named Rasani”.
10:18
p. 61
“At that time … [when] the [dark-skinned] lady is in menstruation, … visualize the Moon (candra) smeared with mercury … .
{Is this menstruation aequivalent to Ren.uka's “water without a vessel”, or the moon to her “jar”

This may be an allusion to Jamad-agni's becoming a star (BhP 9:16:24); as shall in the 8th manu-antara his son Paras`u-Rama (BhP 9:16:25).}

Now … a son for a barren woman; just after

the bathing [fn. 74 : “bathing by spyan ma / Locana and other (goddesses), cf. JV 10.40.”] [“accompanied”] by union (samyogen.a),
{This is an allusion to the sexual water-sport of the Gandharva Citra-ratha of Mr.ttikavati with the Ap-saras goddesses, as observed by heroine Ren.uka (Mbh 3:116; BhP 9:16:3).}

she will immediately become pregnant with a son.”
{This may be an allusion to the birth of Viduratha


“O Goddess … great wisdom (mahaprajn~ana)! Chief[ess] of the Yoginis!” [fn. 3 : “Chief among the twenty four Yoginis, cf. AP 12.2. In the Nis.pannayogavali, the names of the other twenty three Yoginis are … thus :
Sumalini, Kapalini, Bhima, Durjaya; Rupini, Vijaya, Kamini, Kalini, Mahodadhi, Karin.i, Maran.i, Tarin.i, Bhima[-]dars`ana, Sudars`ana, Ajaya, S`ubha, Astaraki, Kala[-]ratri, Mahayas`a; Sundari, Vasun[-]dhara, Subhaga, Priya[-]dars`ana (NYA : 39-40).”]
12:6-7 pp. 86-7 effects of laughter by the Yogini
12:6-7
p. 86
“Yogini Citrasena laughs (hasita); and due to [this] boisterous laughter (at.t.at.t.ahasena),
12:6-7
p. 87
All the Gods become frightened …; [and] all the Supreme Victors (jinavaraih.) [“are astonished …”]”.
12:14-16 pp. 89-90 sexual love-making
12:14
p. 89
“the very wise Yogin should moreover … drink … the [love-]playing rosary (kelimalini). [pp. 89-90, fn. 37 : “The Yogin should with his tongue drink the sexual fluid directly from the [p. 90] wisdom consort's vagina, cf. also JV 12.27.”]
12:15
p. 90
[The] 16-year-old girl is endowed with … compassion …, [and] the Yogin who is solely devoted to the benefits of sentient beings should make love with her.
12:16

Being naked, tuft loosened, the wise one [vidvan] should chant the mantra of [has] and [hos]; [and] on that occasion … he should drink the [love-]play rosary (kelimalini), and afterwards he should start the love play (krid.a).”

miraculous powers of distance-sight {This would be Caks.usi-vidya (the power of seeing all things in the 3 worlds), such as was taught Arjuna by a gandharva (EDP, s.v. “Citraratha”).}
12:22-3
“using the ring-finger … [“of his right hand” (AP 12:14)], [the Yogin] sees Buddhas as many as the [particles of] dust in the Three Thousand Worlds; he sees to the extent of eighty hundred thousand Yojanas downwards and upwards. … .
12:24-5
… using his fore-finger, [the Yogin] sees the movable and the immovable; and [he sees] Pretas, Bhutas and Pis`acas; and [hee sees] other Siddhas … . He sees to the extent of one thousand Kot.is of Yojanas upwards and downwards”.

“a man – love playing (ratikrid.a) … – does not drop semen”
buffalo

Complete purification of mind
101 to 110
13:2-3 pp. 101-2 females who are appropriate for sexual intercourse with a man, in order therewith to acquire supernatural power
13:2
p. 101
“Sister, niece, mother, daughter …; the wise one (prajn~a), if he wants [to achieve] the Great Seal (mahamudram), should thus make love [to them].
13:3

Wife of a D.omba [“drummer” (fn. 6)] (D.ombini), as well as Wife of a dancer

p. 102
(Nartaki), wife of a washerman (Dhorvin.i), wife of a Can.d.ala (Can.d.alini) and wife of a tanner (Carmakarin.i), are traditionally taught (smr.ta) [“as appropriate consorts” (AP 13:4-10)]. The intelligent one should thus make love [to them].”
13:21-2 p. 108 erotic activity of the Maha-mudra ('Great Sigil') rite, for goddess Laks.mi {the divine wife of god Vis.n.u}
13:21
“Whatever love play, embracing and kissing (alingana[-]cumbanasya) as well, rubbing and squeezing, this … is called … the Great Seal. …
13:22
The five Yoginis … are bestower[esse]s of the Great Seal, Laks.mi of Buddha … . The Yogin should worship (pujayet) them”.


functions of particular words in the dharan.i of goddess Kapalini
its function
word
entring
OM
emerging
HRIM
reposing
BUDDHA
joy
HUM
disappearing
KAPALINI
rising
AS
14:18-19 pp. 116-7 declaration by Yogin to Yogini while they are eating together just prior to their ritual sexual intercourse
“I am sunk in the mire of cyclic existence [samsara]; be my [p. 117] savior[ess], oh {O!}, beautiful … (sundari)! … I am connected with the covering subtle traces, oh, renowned (mahayas`a) and compassionate (kr.pavati) …! Please put them to rest …!”


Citrasena is an Attahasa and we can see Vasundhara is a possible confusion with Vajrasundari as Bhattacharya wrote.

In the text, it looks like Vajrapani is doing some asking and Citrasena does a good bit of the explaining.

She is "supposed" to be red as in this modern print:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/3/1/8/31885.jpg




but is "sometimes" blue as in this from IWS:

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/1800px/4/0/6/40682.jpg




and they say she has been found in white.

Himalayan Art has retracted the statement that Viswasukha is a name of her, although it is still all over the pages. It came up erroneoulsy trying to back translate Tibetan.

In this detail sketch it has the corpse face down, which is supposed to be an indicator of Vajravarahi:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/7/9/1/79124.jpg




And, from Nepal, we can find her lower goddess has a Ghona and must be Vajravarahi:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/1/8/3/18321.jpg





The type of Heruka used in Buddhakapala is:

vajrahūṃkārasambhavam|

which then does Garuda Yoga.


Citrasena seems to occupy a brief dual Dharani with him where she is called Buddhakapalasyajna and Sumbhaya.

There is also a Citra Karoti.

atyantavarangana refers to a Yogini initiated by the Yogin himself.

In the basic retinue, we can find Pitha goddess Saundini:

the other seven Goddesses are Kamini, Patala[-]vasini, Saubhadra, S`aun.d.ini, Bhutini, Catur[-]bhuja and Akas`a[-]vasini (NYA : 31)]

[Old Student]

Whether you should or should not do that, it is probably best not to go too fast.

To an ordinary person who is "under" the dakinis' power rather than "at par" with it, then you can see why they might slide into something and lose control, which would get them laughed at, and it would all go downhill from there.

I can, but the fact that they would get laughed at is not probably the worst of it, from what I was talking about. There are kind of two different kinds of losing control, one is a sort of blissful surrender and the other is a kind of terrifying coming apart. One can at root say perhaps that they are the same underlying surrender, but they aren't, and that isn't a percept, it's a deep feeling.

At any rate, I am going to have to apologize and take at least a day off, for a kind of embarrassing reason. During my dreaming and shaking work last night, I tangled my foot in the sheets, and somehow broke my toe, and I cannot both keep it up in the air and type. So I do want to respond to the rest of your comment, but will have to wait a day or I hope not two before I can sit for more than a minute or two in front of the computer. The odd thing was I just continued on mixing up dreaming and shaking while the pain got worse. But I need to do RICE for now.

So continuing for a little while,


I would turn Dharma Pravicaya on the barriers and mull about what they really are and whether or not to "do" something.
What they really are is that they define things like waking, sleeping, dreaming, shaking, etc. When they come down it is with a consequent loss of self at each boundary point, and the loss of self may come with loss of a path back to self, as well.

I think in its own way, it is similar to what you had described in ritual how you needed to go in and then return retracing exactly the steps you went in with, in reverse order, and how it would cause damage if you didn't.


On one side, the sixth principle is Vajrasattva, and, on the other, Nairatma.

And so NSP begins with Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra, which is a fusion of Manjushri and Vajrasattva, which exhibits the sixth principle according to the following:

Manjuvajra is an emanation of Akshobhya.

Dharmadhatu Vajra is an emanation of Vajradhara or Akshobhya.

So there we get the correct term, Dharmadhatu Vajra, for the mind goddess Bodhisattva, Mental Object, who in turn has a primordial or Mother level of herself, an Ishvari or Prajna, Mental Element.

I told you about the visualization of Heruka Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, that was during a meditation, following the directions in Lama Yeshe's book, and that also included Vajrasattva and consort at the beginning.

But in my shaking, there are only two male deities that have ever been part of it in identifications, Surya and Avalokitashavara.

So if there were to be a primordial, it would either be without corporal form (could be symbol but not bodily form) or female, in my shaking.


26. Kalachakra. He suggests it was composed to unite the Hindus and Buddhists against the Mlecchas. It is interesting but very weird, one of the first things you notice is Locana with Amoghasiddhi.
So this is after the 11th century, then.


On this one, Buddhakapala does not have the most grandiose forms or difficult arrangements, it is all pretty simple. However, I would suggest it is complementary to Mahamaya. The Mahamaya by having Four Faces is like Sarvavid Vairocana, i. e. knowing all the directions at once, has done so in a fairly conceivable way by displaying spherical vision.

This deity is doing something else, he is changing space to suit his whims.

So these two things, knowing all directions, and creating all spaces (worlds) are listed as two separate acquired abilities of a bodhisattva in the Avatamsaka, along with a similar pair that does the same thing with time.


The somewhat abrupt academic view is:

“Without genitals there is no Mahamudra,” proclaimed the eighth century mahasiddha (literally “great achiever”) Saraha, and the Buddha Kapalatantra “presents passion as “a skilful means for transcending subject-object duality.”

That certainly seems to be the rule in shaking, the question is, what passion, what body, which genitals?

[shaberon]

Oof...not to hurt the toes.


I noticed a clerical issue with Buddhakapala.

Firstly the Chinese translator did a great thing which is to try tracking down some of its connotations in the Puranas.

He says he got the Gatekeepers' names from NSP:

Sundari, Vasun[-]dhara, Subhaga, Priya[-]dars`ana


but it would not be Bhattacharya's NSP where he has:

Sundari, Vajrasundari, Subhaga, Priyadarsani.

The second is an extremely unlikely name. And, further, in his other book, he instead took Buddhakapala from Sadhanamala which has:

Sundara (east) Subhaga (north), Priya- darsana (west) and Nairatma (south)

This is a little different because Sundari was the end of the previous ring and Sundara would then be less likely correct than Vasudhara.

In this one, Citrasena is intoxicated, and I believe she is "doubled", because mantricly she is Kapalini.

To take the whole Sadhanamala list around Buddhakapala and Citrasena for comparison purposes--as Nairatma may have replaced someone:


The first circle has Sumalini (blue) in the east, Kapalini (yellow) in the north, Bhima (green) in the west and Durjaya (white) in the south. The next circle has Subhamekhala (east), Rupini (north), Jaya (west) and Kauveri (south) , KaminI (north-east), Mahodadhi (north-west) Karini (south-west) and Marini (south-east). The outermost circle has Bhimadarsana (east) Ajaya (north), Subha (west) OstarakI (south) , Suraksmi (north-east), Vikalaratri (north-west), Mahayasa (south-west) and Sundari (south-east). Besides these, there are the four guardians of gates : Sundara (east) Subhaga (north), Priya- darsana (west) and Nairatma (south). Excepting the four deities of the innermost circle, all the goddesses have blue colour two arms, one face, ornaments of bones, brown hair rising upwards but no garlands of heads. They carry the Kapala in the left and the Kartri in the right, and dance in the Ardhaparyahka attitude*



Kapalini is perfuse in the tantra, which also means it was not a dual Dharani, but a Kapalini Dharani. She has rather a lot of mantras. One was dissected including the following attributes:

astamaye kāpālinī| utthāne āḥ|| 11||

Astamaya has a primary meaning of Sunset, and Utthana has a primary meaning of Sunrise. Both, by extension, could become End and Beginning of any kind, but it mainly refers to the Sun, secondly to any heavenly luminary.

Citrasena uses Castes to describe the Five Yoginis who become equal to the obscuring emotions, Moha and the rest, like Vajra Tara has, for Citta Vishuddha.

She is Mahadevi, Mahamudra Lakshmi, and Lakshmi Ghora Mahayasa. This part is about as plain as you can get.

She is also called Buddhakapalini and Buddhakapalavajrini.

Buddhakapala is not used as anything other than an adjective for the type of yoga and tantra this is, such as the ending summary:

iti buddhakapālatantre mahāyoginīmate paramarahasya samāptaḥ|| ||


The male deity involved here is Sri Heruka.

He is reddish-blue, or red and blue mahaghora, who is born from Vajrahumkara.

So in the process of telling us this is Lakshmi, you can only get her through Maha Vairocana and then she leads Mahamudra.

Buddhakapala evidently has two requisites.

Those have their own requisites.


Its Garuda Yoga appears to use White Heruka.

However, Blue Heruka came first, he is becoming a Vidyadhara while apparently mastery of Five Colors obtains the white form:

pañcavarṇarajaḥ kṛtya atha vā śuklam eva ca|


So it is like he is inhaling Elements and Colors, something happens with Garuda, and most of the rest of it is all Kapalini.

He does a Ganacakra of what looks like ten yoginis, and then you get the first instance of Kapalini which is her Heart Mantra.

The first instance of the name Citrasena is right after this, but there are only a few. I think it is the way of showing her talking to Vajrapani; is not her mantra.

sādhu devī mahāprājñā pradhānabhūtayoginī|


She is Elements and works with Colors, that seems to be the underlying feature here.

Taranatha believed that Saraha had in fact also revealed the tantra itself. All it says at the end of this is that it calls itself the Ultimate Secret Doctrine.

If this is Lakshmi, she is also male Mahamaya, and so it looks like both of these magical tantras are her. And again why Lakshmi Tantra is worth consideration even though non-Buddhist.

That is also why Vasudhara would be a more likely inclusion than what otherwise seem to be mistakes.

This does not even have any ascending Mudras, it just has Mahamudra.

You can pin it right to the first Namasangiti Dharani goddess, Vasumati Mahalakshmi.

As to whether Nairatma should be in there and whether Swayambhu Purana has anything to do with this...

Mahasiddhas (https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=5482) are counted differently in many systems, Dunhuang and Alchi though of as having their own. As one can see, it quickly becomes difficult to justify why I thought Saraha was the guru of Nagarjuna. These things are not "really" histories, they are not unerringly reliable according to Taranatha, and it was probably from looking at "who" Nagarjuna is that it came up. There apparently were several covering a span of about a thousand years.

HPB calls him Dragon Tree and The One Initiator.

I think there probably is something like a Sangha which is stable and therefor there is a Nagarjuna that is able to incarnate and quite possibly is a hyper-guru on the Bodhisattvic plane.

I cannot say for sure and there are not sadhanas "to" him, but by him, and what we find with Serpent Hood is enough for now.

I think in terms of a male deity there would certainly be something to Bodhisattva Nagaraja and Completion Stage.

In any case, we see there is something mildly confusing in Citrasena's retinue, but something fairly concrete in her person.

[shaberon]

We are getting a more effective picture on this so here is a bit more.

I am guessing that the first eight chapters in Buddhakapala Tantra have more to do with common preliminaries, and that is why only the end was translated.

One cannot be sure, but, with what we have got, it comes out pretty narrow. Or there is a heritage which is unique in this expression of it.



Bhattacharya (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-indian-buddhist-iconography/d/doc243164.html) implies that the name of the male in Sadhanamala is Buddhakapala which is "probably" a form of Heruka.

The Sādhana says that when Heruka is embraced by Citrasenā he gets the name of Buddhakapāla.

He is supposed to be gigantic. There is this much from the original:

"Mahaviro ghorasamharakarakah nilavarno mahavapuh asthyabharanam-ardhaparyankanrtyastham mundamalavibhusitam mukute Aksobhyadharinam ekavaktram caturbhujam, vame Khatvahgakapalam, daksine kartridamarukam Prajnalihgitam ; vame Citrasena matta nagna muktakesi sarvabhayarahita devi."

Srimato Buddhakapalasya Sadhanam" Sadhanamala, pp. 501-502

Nagna is more passionately intense than Digambara in terms of having your clothes off, there are Digambara Jains which anthropologists confused for a long time whether they had anything to do with naked Buddhist male deities. Nagna is all for teasing and arousal.


So this Citrasena is in one sadhana in the missing back half, and she is in anything related to the tantra.

Unlike almost anything else on the earth, except, perhaps, Kali, she can hardly be found elsewhere.

There is such a thing as Citrakali in Jambhala & Vasudhara's retinue.


It is a little weird, since most everything usually has some kind of story and way of showing up, but, so far, we can only say Citrasena is a devi that Maha Vairocana is capable of emanating. As if she has a baseline the way the Hindus describe her, which has been released Noumenally through Sambhogakaya.

If we flip back to the front half of the book, there are still not clues.

In Sadhanamala, Vicitra is a common word having a general meaninf of "diverse, variegated", such as an Alamkara or figure of speech, or:

Vicitra (विचित्र, “diverse”) refers to one of the sixteen words that together make up the elā musical composition (prabandha), according to the Saṅgītaśiromaṇi 67-84. Elā is an important subgenre of song and was regarded as an auspicious and important prabandha (composition) in ancient Indian music (gāndharva). According to nirukta analysis, the etymological meaning of elā can be explained as follows: a represents Viṣṇu, i represents Kāmadeva, la represents Lakṣmī.

Vicitra is one of the sixteen words of elā and has a presiding deity named mātaṅgī (female elephant) defined in the Saṅgītaśiromaṇi (“crest-jewel of music”), which is a 15th-century Sanskrit work on Indian musicology (gāndharvaśāstra).


This may be a bit too,,,variable...to relate to Citrasena in any way, but, her main or base word, Citra, is one of those things pointed out a few specific times.

One of them is right at the beginning in Chapter Seven, right after Five Mahabali Offerings ending in Food:

tato daśadiglokadhātusthitacitrapūjāṅgāny evaṃ niryātayet /


So we will mark that because this fifth offering is supposed to correspond to the fifth dissolution of the tantras.


Citra has a main meaning of "shining", followed by "portrait", or a type of vina, or a tilaka.

In Buddhism it retains its astrological meanings:


Citrā (चित्रा, ‘bright’) is the beautiful star, α Virginis. It is mentioned in a legend of Indra in the Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa, and in that of the ‘two divine dogs’ (divyau śvānau) in the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa.

Citrā (चित्रा):—Name for a particular section of the ecliptic. It is also known as Citrānakṣatra. Nakṣatra means “Lunar mansion” and corresponds to a specific region of the sky through which the moon passes each day. Citrā means “the bright one” and is associated with the deity known as Tvaṣṭā (God of design). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Maṅgala (Mars).

Indian zodiac: |23°20' Kanyā| – |6°40' Tulā|
Kanyā (कन्या, “girl”) corresponds with Virgo and Tulā (तुला, “balance”) corresponds to Libra.


It has a tantric meaning:

Citrā (चित्रा) is explained in terms of kuṇḍalinīyoga by Lakṣmaṇadeśika in his 11th-century Śaradātilaka.—The body is described, starting from the “bulb” (kanda), the place in which the subtle channels (nāḍī) originate, located between anus and penis (28–9). The three principal channels are iḍā (left), piṅgalā (right) and suṣumṇā (in the centre of the spine and the head). Inside the suṣumṇā is citrā, a channel connecting to the place on the top of the skull called the brahmarandhra (30–4).

Note: The citrā, also called the citriṇī, is inside the suṣumṇā. It is in fact the citrā which resembles a string of lotuses, since the lotuses are strung on it (cf. Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa, verse 2).

It turns out to be Citra with Citri in the Vayu Cakra of Dakarnava's Dharma Layer.


As a sadhana deity, I am pretty sure Citrasena is mostly like the noun and verb of beautiful painting. The first thing that supports this is the presence of Rupini. In the overall concept of reversed retinues, Rupini becomes the final product, and she is ranked at the Tenth Bhumi.

Their Inner Circle lacks a Red goddess.





Elsewhere in Sadhanamala, citra is present with Manjushri in Vak Sadhana which apparently concerns::

māyāmarīcyudakacandrakalpaṃ

and says:

pratikṣaṇābhyāsabalopapatter vāksādhane siddhim upāgate 'smin /
gadyena padyena vadatyajasraṃ śāstrāṇi citrāṇi ca vetti yogī //
śāstrāṇi citrāṇi karoty avaśyaṃ svayaṃ mahārthāni jagannimittam /



Vistara Tara has this mouthful:

grāhyagrāhakādisakalakalpanāprapañcavañcitacitrādvaitaprakāśamātrātmakaṃ



Vajra Sarasvati:

citranepathyasaubhāgyāṃ lakṣmīkhyātāṅgasampadam /
prajñāpāramitābhāsvadvāmapāṇisaroruhām //


Tarodbhava Kurukulla:


tasya citramayūkhābhiḥ kṛtvā nirmalinaṃ gatam /
sahādidhātukaṃ śodhya kurukullaparvate gatām //


White Kurukulla:

paścāt oṃ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako 'habhityanena
mantreṇa śūnyatāṃ vibhāvya tritattvenādhiṣṭhāya punar ātmāna-
m ākāśe citralikhitam iva prabhāsvararūpaṃ cintayet /


also:

pūrvvavat
kumārīkarttitasūtreṇa kṛtapoṣadhatantravāyeṇa(ya)ḥ citrakareṇa
ca puṭṭaṃ vidhāya triṣkālam agrīkṛtya sugandhipuṣpair abhyarcya
sāhaṅkāro mantro japtavyo maitracittena /

Properly purified by Voidness mantra, it looks like the unity of Akasa and Citra reveals Prabhasvara, so it is the goal of Suksma Yoga or Abhisambodhi.

I would say it is roughly correct that to a practitioner if you activate the sequence you are going to perceive "the Void" dissolving into this.

The finesse of the tantras is in slowing it down to three voids.





Six Arm Kurukulla Bhattarika:

pūrvvasevā 'sya abhinavapaṭe
keśādyapagate poṣadhikena citrakareṇa pracchanne pradeśe paṭo
lekhayitavyaḥ /


So this is a pretty brief set of appearances of "citra".

Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Prajnaparamita, Tara, and Kurukulla are the proprietors.


The name Citrasena is common historically, also as a male, a Gandharva King. Also a female whom they think may have Indra covering her with a Parasol.

Citrasenā (चित्रसेना), as per the Narasiṃhapurāṇa, is the wife of Kubera. She is a devotee of Pārvatī. While she is engaged in worshipping the goddess, Indra on the way to forest for undertaking penance in order to attain mokṣa, liberation, sees Citrasenā. He forgets the aim of his journey and falls madly in love with her. He requests Kāma, God of Love to awaken desire for him in her. Cupid promptly obeys the overlord of gods. Under the effect of Kāma’s arrows Citrasenā, in love with Indra, becomes entirely his.

Otherwise she is defined as a goddess just in Sadhanamala. There are not other Citrasenas that we missed as preliminaries.

Due to the presence of Kauveri in the retinue, this Puranic description carries some weight.


Because she is actually called Kapalini (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kapalini), this does have standard Hindu equivalents, as well as recurring in Dakarnava in such a way in Gunacakra that is secondary only to the main Four Dakinis of Chakrasamvara literature.

Arguably that is because Rupini is intended as her fruition.

This is actually about making the perfect Jnana Mudra. In Buddha's case it was Tilottama. Here the teaching evokes an "energetic equivalent".

Likewise there are only a couple of uses of "kapala" without being part of the name/description. At the beginning of Chapter Nine:

kare kapālaṃ gṛhītvā caryā bhramate vratī|

nagno muktaśikho bhūtvā yatra tatra yadā tadā|

evaṃ caryā sadā kartavyam||3||


and in the middle of Citrasena explaining Chapter Twelve:

āha-

dhvajam ālambitaṃ gṛhītvā|

māṃsaṃ tasyāpi gṛhṇāti|

tasya kaṭibhāgāsthiṃ tu gṛhītvā kuṇḍa kārayet||8||



tasya kāpālam anu gṛhya tenaiva śirasā varti dāpayet|

tasya tailenāpūrayet kuṇḍam upari sthāpayet||9||


If it is probably more of a name than an item, it is probably most similar to Kapala Bhairava (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/duticakra#shaivism) in Kubjika Tantra, who is an emanation of Ananta.

Kāpāla (कापाल) is the Sanskrit name of a form of Bhairava. According to the Rudrayāmala, there are eight main forms of Bhairava who control the eight directions of this universe. The term is used throughout Śilpaśāstra literature.

Kāpāla has the following eight manifestations:

Kāpāla,
Śaśibhūṣaṇa,
Hasticarmāmbaradhara,
Yogīśa,
Brahmarākṣasa,
Sarvajña,
Sarvadeveśa,
Sarvabhūtahṛdisthita.


As we see that culminates in the subject of Bhutas, yes, this is reflected in our tantra.

As a feminine name, it is one of his Dutis there, or, an attendant of Durga.

If we look at her, she has an extraordinary role like the capacitor plates in a vacuum tube tv, concerning what may transpire through the Brahmarandra.


These are Bhattacharya's examples:

https://www.wisdomlib.org/uploads/files/fig127-Buddhakapala.jpg





https://www.wisdomlib.org/uploads/files/fig126-Buddhakapala.jpg








In a different linguistic crossover, this is an early example of a Dutch girl converted to English, who is part Romani, with some people that know how to lay down a riff:

TTBf7BCheXw



There's no better way of being alone
Down in my land, my beautiful land
A nature of God all covered with snow
A pleasure to be and good times to spend

Alaska Country - stay the way you are
Alaska Country - you never cheated me
Na-na-a-a
I wanna know that
Alaska Country

Seven days a week
And seven lonely nights
Plenty of time to find myself again
So that I'll know what I was
Created for
To have a good life where there's no pain

Alaska Country - stay the way you are
Alaska Country - you never cheated me
Na-na-a-a
I wanna know that
Alaska Country



Or more famously:

QTm9n6Gv_yQ

[Old Student]

Oof...not to hurt the toes.
I'm banned from exercise until Wednesday.


Citrasena uses Castes to describe the Five Yoginis...What do you mean uses Castes. Do you mean varna, or in Portuguese, caste? color? I thought they were all blue.


She is also called Buddhakapalini and Buddhakapalavajrini.
Which could just mean she is consort to Buddhakapala, however temporarily.


Mahasiddhas are counted differently in many systems, Dunhuang and Alchi though of as having their own.
Alchi is in Leh, which would be part of what you had called Mahacine before, being part of "greater Tibet". The reference to Dunhuang in the Himalayan Arts page is actually to a cave there, this one containing Tangut shrines (they are known as the Xixia by the Chinese). The Tanguts are the only people who ever made anything more complicated than Chinese characters for a writing system, they were genocidally wiped out by Genghis Khan, survivors went to Sikkim and are somehow related to the former royal family there. They are the reason there were so many 'monks' traveling the Silk Road, they had free passage for monks, so everybody became a monk to go through there.


In any case, we see there is something mildly confusing in Citrasena's retinue, but something fairly concrete in her person.
If it's even possible the translating went through Tangut and back again, they had problems getting translators until after the fall of Khotan.

[Old Student]

The Sādhana says that when Heruka is embraced by Citrasenā he gets the name of Buddhakapāla.

He is supposed to be gigantic.
Anything to do with the fact that her name means, "manifold armies"?


Nagna is more passionately intense than Digambara in terms of having your clothes off, there are Digambara Jains which anthropologists confused for a long time whether they had anything to do with naked Buddhist male deities. Nagna is all for teasing and arousal.
Especially when framed by "matte" and "muktakesi" and then called a completely terrifying devi.


Properly purified by Voidness mantra, it looks like the unity of Akasa and Citra reveals Prabhasvara, so it is the goal of Suksma Yoga or Abhisambodhi.

I would say it is roughly correct that to a practitioner if you activate the sequence you are going to perceive "the Void" dissolving into this.

The night before last, I had a sequence of 9 dreams, remembered every one, and they grew closer and closer to sort of 'melding' with the shaking until the last one was another one of those things that was pure energy up the centerline. Starting with the second dream, they were completely different but obvious continuations. I don't know if I'm interpreting the dream yoga exercise sequence properly, I've been assuming that if you go to the end you go around and start again, so this was throat, brow, heart, perineum, two times plus one.

The final thing was, at least as interpreted while it was happening, pure shakti somehow. It had something to do with digging through darkness and freeing my heart area to move on its own.

How so much happened without even pain and the night before had seen me practically rip my own toe off, I'm not sure. I was wearing one of those braces for plantar fasciitis, and the sheet got caught on the velcro. I've told you before some of the movements can have a lot of force.

[shaberon]

Still browsing in the same place. It would be less mystical if everything was already translated and set up for us. Buddhakapala is one of the last remaining things we have not raked for symbolism.

Here is something from trying to follow the translator's notes versus what I can pry from the text.


Judging by its chapters, Buddhakapala is another kind of Mrtyuvacana like Vajradaka Tantra.

The unpublished preliminaries result in initiation to Ghora Mandala, which suggests a Wrathful Mandala conveyed to Extremely Wrathful or Amoghasiddhi intensity.

It is not a stock tantric reference, but, historically, Ghora Mandala is Chola Mandala (https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.530013/2015.530013.vestiges-of_djvu.txt), the Tamil center at Tanjore on the Coromandel Coast.

Then there is Nispatti Heruka Mandala and Homa.

So the missing beginning is probably quite close to Vajra Humkara as he normally is. Again, that is like the beginning of Sadhanamala and a few other places, where we get a "more serious" wrathful rite of Amoghasiddhi with an internal or tantric meaning.

Chapter Nine is Charya, Post-initiatory practice, which is difficult to obtain, i. e. the wrathful circle per se is no joke.

The final outcomes are Citta Vishuddhi and Sarva Tantra Nidana (Requesting of the Wisdom Consort) of Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen.

So there is a lot to say that Chapter Ten probably starts the main twist or emphasis here, as far as what happens to Vajrahumkara.


The subject of Chapter Ten is Ausadha (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/aushadha) Siddhi. It's drugs, obviously not a set of allopathic formulae, but, an inner power. Anyone looking for roots and berries here is going to be disappointed. It is about converting death to life, living eonically, or growing into a star.


The foothold of its explanation is gold:

paṭalaṃ hemakaṃ dhruvam ||1||


it has a form of Prasanna:

ācārye prasanne san||2||


has to do with taste or alchemy:

na cāpi pāradaṃ rasam|


Listen to this, Mahabala Vajrapani.

sattvaikadṛḍhabhaktena sādhu devī

She is a Sattva of Eka Drdha, One Stability, and a sadhu or itinerant. The way in which pregnancy develops may have more to do with the tantric "lump":

aho hī mahābhājanā devī sarvayoginīpiṇḍīkṛtā|

This phrase only occurs one time and is immediately reminiscent of Nagarjuna's Panchakrama and Pindikrama (https://www.namsebangdzo.com/Five-Stages-of-Pancakrama-and-Condensed-Stage-p/9781727709797.htm), the latter being the sadhana that accompanies the philosophy. So this is the teaching of Abhisambodhi, which is in a commentary to Guhyasamaja, which itself concerns the Six Yogas. So we are trying to make a hyper-mash of these two things.

Panchakrama (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/book/355) and Pindikrama (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/356/1423) Sanskrit originals. With the second, it is rapidly apparent you are going at Kila force through an Inverted Stupa.

Buddhakapala appears to refer to Dhanvantara "physician of the devas" and Increasing Prana or Ayur Vardhana, followed by Dravya, another name for medicine:

kena sattvo dhanavanto yānti āyurvardhanatatparam||6||

kena dravyaṃ bahavo yānti vandhyā sutavatī bhavet|



The translator says:

“the supreme marvelous herb … abides [in] … the vein {psychic channel} named Rasani”.

subhājane tiṣṭhate rasam|

karṇikāgūḍhagocare|

nāḍi madhye rasanī nāma

tiṣṭhanti divyamahauṣadhī||10||


That is unmistakable that it is not a plant out in the woods, but in a major Nadi.


Along with

"the herb for rasa-ayana groweth on the mountain in the moon"

although a line is not specified for that sentence, there is 10.18 which he says is:

At that time … [when] the [dark-skinned] lady is in menstruation, … visualize the Moon (candra) smeared with mercury … .


… that [“the moon”] is decorated with..the [mountain-]king Meru”. [fn. 49 : “meru[-]raja stands for the syllable SUM” {of /SOMa/ the lunar herb}

(due to the full name Mt. Sumeru)


She is dark in v.13:

sūryavatī yadā nārī|

tāruṇya kṛṣṇavarṇā|

śrutavatī iha tantre ca||13||


so, ok, we have thought of a blue Cakravega, etc., becoming brighter.

Has to do with Atyanta:

imāṃ nārī samāgṛhya divyamahauṣadhi samārabhet|

atyantarāgiṇaḥ puṃsaḥ|



I am not sure I catch menstruation or mercury here:

tatra sūryavatī nārī hemakaraṇasudurlabhī|

svahṛdi cintayec candraṃ|

siddhaṃrasenālipitam|

tatra hrīṃkārabījaṃ sarvadravyaika

pūrvaṃ merurājena bhūṣitam||18||



It seems to say the solar or Suryavati woman becomes Gold, Hema Kara. Hrim is the seed of Dravya.

Ordinarily, Rasana is Right/Blood/Vairocani, or the brighter nerve. Here is a Chinese Chakrasamvara (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/44290223) which probably has their standard arrangement.

In a Kanha Doha (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/344/1399):

vāmanāsāpuṭe prajñācandrasvabhāvena lalanā sthitā | dakṣiṇanāsāpuṭe upāyasūryyasvabhāvena rasanā sthitā | dve ṣaṇḍe sthite | dvayoḥ ṣaṇḍayoḥ vāmadakṣiṇayoḥ [ pārśvayoḥ ] | tathā ca hevajre -

lalanā prajñāsvabhāvena rasanopāyasaṃsthitā |

avadhūtī madhyadeśe tu grāhyagrāhakavarjjitā |



The Buddhakapala text does not seem to specifically have the subject Rasayana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/rasayana):

Rasāyana (रसायन) refers to “rejuvenation” mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.76. Accordingly, “one visualizes the prāṇa-śakti, which has the appearance of a pure crystal, located in a bindu, rising up from a knot, for the śāntika, pauṣṭika, śubha, sārasvata, rasa, mokṣa, khecaratva (going to the sky), and rasāyana (rejuvenation)”.


It is taste, alchemy, and especially mercurial alchemy.

Rasa probably is Taste in a couple spots:

jananī bhaved ghrāṇaṃ rasaṃ duhitā tu eva ca|


rāgaṃ rasaṃ mānaṃ tu eva ca|



and in Four Brahmavihara:

dṛṣṭiyuktaṃ bhavet karuṇā maitrī āliṅganasya ca||

saṃgupte yogātmā muditā varāṅganā tathā|

ubhayamelāpakaṃ tat kṣaraṇam

upekṣā rasā smṛtā mayā||17||


It does not mention the other nerve, Lalana, at all.

The gold process appears to be rendered by Agni's only appearance in v. 23.

I am not sure how the connection was made, but, Bhagavad Purana
9.16 (http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto9/chapter16.html) has Parasurama killing many and restoring them to life, wherein Renuka is considered his mother.

It deals with the Seven Stars around the Pole Star, and that Parasurama will be a guru of a future cycle, which is the same as our Kalkin or Maitreya prophecy.

The translator says a couple parts "may be" an allusion, except that bathing "is" an allusion. The title of Chapter Ten and its contents have more to do with "barren" (Vandhya) and the birth of a son. The "bathing"--which does not mention Locana, etc. (as in Jnanavati 10.40), is 10.30:

athātaḥ saṃpravakṣyāmi vandhyānāṃ putrakāraṇam|

saṃyogena snāpitamātreṇa tatkṣaṇāt sutavatī bhavet||30||


which is followed by the verse about the Five Color King becoming White:

snānavidhiṃ pravakṣyāmi yathoktaṃ pūrvanāyakaiḥ|

pañcavarṇarajaḥ kṛtya atha vā śuklam eva ca|

vartayen maṇḍalaṃ ghoraṃ grahaṇatrāsakārakam||31||


"Samyogena" is With Union, and "Snana" is Bathing. Snanavidhi is in the title of Chaper Ten and in the verse of Five Color King. All five uses of Hema are in Chapter Ten.

Elixir and Bathing is what is going on here; I, personally, cannot say it "is" this allusion, aside from the similarity of the name Citraratha. On the other hand, I would not say to ignore the Purana either. If there is a traditional village goddess for Cinnamasta, it would be Renuka. Decapitation and/or resurrection is not unique to Cinnamasta, who is only a tantric rite, not really a primordial body goddess.



So that chapter makes Heruka's purified white form, which then comes under the heading "cures snakebite".

White Garuda Heruka works differently then the Blue retinues. His cohorts are White and Red.

NYA is his abbreviation for what we call NSP, from where he added the retinue:

the Heruka [“in the center”] and the eight [fn. 3 : “with Citra[-]sena; … the other seven Goddesses are Kamini, Patala[-]vasini, Saubhadra, S`aun.d.ini, Bhutini, Catur[-]bhuja and Akas`a[-]vasini (NYA : 31)] Goddesses (as.t.ayogini) around : [“the Heruka should be”] with … the color (varn.a) [“of the body ...”] exactly white;

the Goddesses in the cardinal directions (digyogini) should be white, and [the Goddesses] in the intermediate directions [“vidigyogini” (fn. 10)], exactly red.”

to the original, which, I guess, is not "ten", but, Direction and Intermediate deities:

digyoginī bhavet śuklaṃ vidig raktam eva ca||2||

the tantra did not name them, but said:

prājño'ṣṭayoginī

Prajna Asta Yogini


They seem fairly close to Gauris since:

paścāt karma samārabhet prājño buddhakāpālayoginaḥ|

ātmānaṃ heruko bhūto'ṣṭayoginī samantataḥ|

Heruka Bhuta Asta Yogini, or they are his Elements.


Garuda evidently slices up a Naga, which falls from the sky onto the bitten victim.

Patala Vasini (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/patalavasini) is Vajradaka's class of dakinis in Kaya Cakra.


Davidson (https://silo.pub/indian-esoteric-buddhism-a-social-history-of-the-tantric-movement.html) recorded this variation:

Buddhakapala mandala

Saubhadra Pitambara Patalavasini

Saundini

Buddhakapala

AkaSavasini

Caturbhuja Kamini

Citrasena

Pitambara (https://manasataramgini.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/nastika-notes-2/) is also shown on this explanatory page which also has a decent presentation of Sparsha Vajra and the triangular E symbol.

Same site also has Saraha (https://manasataramgini.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/further-notes-of-the-doha-s-of-sarahapada/) about Parameswara and Vilasini.



As a class in the Tri-kaya, these are also the kingdoms of Gandharvas, Yaksas, and Nagas (https://books.google.com/books?id=oZCvAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA304&ots=H-ohu89mPB&dq=patalavasini&pg=PA304#v=onepage&q=patalavasini&f=false).


Patalavasini is near Kamini also in Mahalasa Kavacham (https://pdfslide.net/documents/atha-mahalasa-kavacham.html) for the feet/toes.

Otherwise it is very weird to see Patalavasini as an individual name on a flat plane.

It is in Hindu works as a name of Padmavati, Durga, or Lalita as Patalavasini Nagi, which conforms to our meaning exactly.

She is also Yoga Maya (http://www.srilagurudeva.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Vraja_Mandala_Parikrama.pdf).

Bhattacharya's NSP also gives the Pitambara version with the Families, Akshobhya Citrasena, (South) Vairocana Kamini, Ratna Patalavasini, Amitabha Saubhadra, (Isana) Akshobhya Saundini, (Agni) Vairocana Chaturbhuja, Ratna Akasavasini, Amitabha Pitambara. So Buddhakapala 10 is this Garuda version, which is followed by Vajrahumkara. It is not correct that he is "always" in yab-yum, in which case the individual Citrasena is an Akshobhya emanation.




The last chapter is a bit nebulous because it only has Paramananda, not Four Joys, and although the consort must be intended to be Kapalini, there is only Mahamudra, and nothing straightforward like "Jnana Mudra" meaning Wisdom Consort.


it does seem to make all dakinis appear:

tatraiva tiṣṭhanti sarvaḍākinyaḥ anye ye ca kṛpākulāḥ||22||

and carries an eightfold relation to the Indriyas:

astaṅgatāni viṣayaiḥ samam indriyāṇi|



Aryadeva's corresponding Cittavishuddhi (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/354/1417) says:

dharmapudgalanairātmyaṃ cittamātraṃ jagau muniḥ|

and also appears to involve Snana.



Like Cinnamasta, Buddhakapala is not a big, popular, or common practice. It is known to be quoted in and perhaps explained further by:

Subhasita Samgraha
Yoga Ratna Mala (Kanha)
Sekkodesa Tika (Naro)


If the citra is also a physiological apparatus, now perhaps we see why Rahu "may" be the Charioteer for Marici.

She in turn relates to the Seven Stars, which is back to Agni, Jamadagni in the Purana, and the likelihood that Tara = Arundhati as suggested by Tamil sources. The emanation of Mars as a prodigal ensues. This is Cosmis Maya or the Cosmic Plane or the "other side" of the Moon Mirror.


Nepalese Bhairavi--Jigchema at Tibet Museum:

https://tibetmuseum.app/imgs/collection/ABS/ABS-141a.jpg

[shaberon]

What do you mean uses Castes. Do you mean varna, or in Portuguese, caste? color? I thought they were all blue.


This is for Chapter Thirteen Citta Vishuddha.

Her names for the yoginis are:

ḍombinī nartakī caiva|

dhorviṇī caṇḍālinī carmakāriṇī smṛtā|


and these are their correspondences:

nartakī bhaven mohaṃ dveṣaṃ ḍombinīṣu ca|

rāga bhaved dhorvī|

mānaṃ caṇḍālinī khyātā|

maherṣyā carmakārī ca pañcaite varāṅganā||6||



cakṣuṣā dṛśyate mohaṃ śabdaṃ dveṣo'pi jāyate|

ghrāṇena bhujyate rāgaṃ rasaṃ mānaṃ tu eva ca|

sparśena jāyate īrṣyā cittasyāśuddham eva ca||7||



These have the color...Glowing Midnight?

bhaginī kathaṃ rūpaṃ gaurī śyāmā kṛṣṇavarṇajām|





Which could just mean she is consort to Buddhakapala, however temporarily.


Probably so. Heruka has this name when he is in Union with Citrasena.



Alchi is in Leh, which would be part of what you had called Mahacine before, being part of "greater Tibet". The reference to Dunhuang in the Himalayan Arts page is actually to a cave there, this one containing Tangut shrines (they are known as the Xixia by the Chinese). The Tanguts are the only people who ever made anything more complicated than Chinese characters for a writing system, they were genocidally wiped out by Genghis Khan, survivors went to Sikkim and are somehow related to the former royal family there. They are the reason there were so many 'monks' traveling the Silk Road, they had free passage for monks, so everybody became a monk to go through there.

Yes.

Alchi is the oldest continuously Buddhist-held dharma temple.

Koothoomi lived near Leh and in light of the previous, it should not be a huge surprise he was internationally-connected. There has been a pilgrims' circuit from Ladakh to Tibet for centuries.

"Mahacina" probably means most of the Trans-Himalaya plus Assam, Kirat (Naga) regions. This makes a fair amount of sense with respect to Manjushri. Being the name for a culture which was from the geographical Maha Cina around and beyond Wu Tai Shan.




If it's even possible the translating went through Tangut and back again, they had problems getting translators until after the fall of Khotan.

Saraha was Bengali. In his case everything is probably around the Nalanda and Nepal areas. Such that we still have Saraha's Dohas.

[shaberon]

Anything to do with the fact that her name means, "manifold armies"?

Maybe.

Sena = "missile" is also connected to Water Vajra or i. e. Lightning, which I think the Garuda is for, and pretty similar to what is Thunderbird elsewhere/

Senā also means human body. Sensory organs are the soldiers and the chief of soldiers means the mind. Mind is the controller of all sensory organs.

Also "mind" and "having a master".

A goddess, commonly known by Deva-Sena, the personified armament of the gods, the wife of Kartikeya.

I would guess such a Deva Sena would have a martial connotation; among the masculine names, it usually does:

One of the judges or recorders of hell. E. citra, senā an army.

It may also mean "having bright or brilliant weapons".

The closest attributes to the name Citrasena in this tantra are Extreme Laughter:

hasitāṭṭaṭṭahāsena|



Bright Eyes and Joyful Mind:

utphullalocanā hṛṣṭacittā citrasenā praṇipatti

stūyanta||2||




Especially when framed by "matte" and "muktakesi" and then called a completely terrifying devi.

And yes but she is not Ugra.

Mahacinakrama Tara has a terrifying appearance but is in a pleasant mood. This Citrasena is similar.

It is possible to be a low-caste ghora and yet attractive. Why would I be afraid of her?

If you follow the sadhana, the deity's consort is effectively your Jnana Mudra.

The fact that her appearance would probably be a turn-off to the average person is probably intentionally part of the "challenge" here, but, I am a lot more comfortable with such things than most.





The final thing was, at least as interpreted while it was happening, pure shakti somehow. It had something to do with digging through darkness and freeing my heart area to move on its own.

How so much happened without even pain and the night before had seen me practically rip my own toe off, I'm not sure. I was wearing one of those braces for plantar fasciitis, and the sheet got caught on the velcro. I've told you before some of the movements can have a lot of force.


I believe this is how it works.

Hard Damage, meet Soft Resilience.

Same thing occurs mentally.

Lotuses rise in mud. I smashed the same toes, twice, and wound up getting into a method of rejuvenating following what I have heard about shaking in the Inner Push Hands sense, and it actually made a lot of music flow through me.

That is also said to be the power of Ghoracandi or Red Camunda--Pleasure from Pain.

If you can feel the opening of the Heart then you are almost certainly entering what I call Citta Chakra. In my novice view it is just a White Circle Water Mandala. It is the abode of the Peaceful Deities. Evidently it requires Wrath to access it--again like the opposites just described.

The tantras seem to indicate that a knot or two of the "Bull's Hoof" (Heart) will loosen and it will begin to function in the subtle sense and Nectar can proceed to drip into The Vessel.

That means the major expansion of the Heart and what can be done with Mercury take place from this standpoint.

That, I suppose, is the real practice, to which the whole teaching of Generation Stage is a preliminary. When you can descend into The Vessel it is Sahaja.

[shaberon]

In Buddhakapala's retinue, we found some apparent errors, and some variations which cannot be reduced to spelling mistakes.


For the smaller, eight member Garuda retinue, we can find the following change or substitution, although not in order:

Bhutini <--> Pitambara


The spelling Bhuti (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhuti) is "birth or production" and also a synonym for Siddhis; and as a dakini, is present with Vajradaka and Dakarnava.

Bhutini only appears in the Medini Cakra of Dakarnava's Dharma Layer.


Pitambara however is the North Indian name of Bagalamukhi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagalamukhi) who has a Pitha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitambara_Peeth) near Gwalior which enshrines other oddballs such as Dhumavati, Parasurama, and Hanuman. The temple does not take money and instead functions as an educator in Sanskrit.


In the larger Blue Heruka assembly, the inner ring of four is the same in both texts, and the outer Gatekeepers are the same, plus or minus the error which makes it look like Vasudhara is intended, and Nairatma.

The middle rings of eight are not close.


According to the translator's NSP:

Rupini, Vijaya, Kamini, Kalini, Mahodadhi, Karin.i, Maran.i, Tarin.i,

Bhima[-]dars`ana, Sudars`ana, Ajaya, S`ubha, Astaraki, Kala[-]ratri, Mahayas`a; the second ring only showing seven members.

We might guess "Kalini" is an error for Kapalini.

Bhattacharya's NSP casts them in reverse and then clockwise for the intermediates:

1, Subhamekhala East
2, Rupini -North
3, Vijaya -West
4, Kamini South
5, Kapalini - Isana
6, Mahodadhi -Agni
7, Karini - Nairrta
8. Sumalini - Vayu

In the third circle likewise there are eight deities :

1, Tarini East
2, Bhlmadarsana North
3, Sudarsana West
4, Ajaya South
5, Subha Isana
6, Tadaka Agnl
7, Kalaratri Nairrta
8; Mahahasa Vayu

From Sadhanamala we get all cast in reverse:

Subhamekhala (east), Rupini (north), Jaya (west) and Kauveri (south) , KaminI (north-east), Mahodadhi (north-west) Karini (south-west) and Marini (south-east). The outermost circle has Bhimadarsana (east) Ajaya (north), Subha (west) OstarakI (south) , Suraksmi (north-east), Vikalaratri (north-west), Mahayasa (south-west) and Sundari (south-east).

It also added Nairatma as the last Gatekeeper, although who she may have over-written is impossible to determine, due to the discrepancies.

Asian Art (https://www.asianart.com/mandalas/page8.html) detects the difference in the two assemblies, and says the Ngor mandala is inscribed but illegible in places. They also think Kapala is a skullcup instead of a skull.

Note 141 (https://books.google.com/books?id=2HV8DQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA54&ots=7Vf3NnIppW&dq=vajrasundari&pg=PA54#v=onepage&q=vajrasundari&f=false) of Esoteric Buddhism states no Vajrasundari is present in the Chakravartin corpus.

Surajamrita (http://www.surajamrita.com/images/Vajravali/13_Buddhakapala_25_desc.pdf) contends that Kalini is Kapalini, which would make her "doubled" if not "tripled", but Vasudhara is a mistake for Vajrasundari. However the Tibetan name is Norzinma or Nojin, which, I believe, is Vasudhara (Nor rgyun rna).

No-jin is Yakshas in In Praise of Tara (https://pdfcookie.com/documents/tara-martin-wilson-praise-of-tara-wyljw50p44v3), or Nojin (http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=Magic_and_Ritual_in_Tibet_-The_Cult_of_Tara) as a class subjugated by Padmasambhava.

Sundari was translated as Mdzes ma and if you wanted a "Vajrasundari", you would prefix this with dorje.

Since there is, as far as I can tell, no such thing as Vajrasundari, and even the Tibetan pretty clearly calls for Vasudhara, this part, at least, seems resolvable.

It plays into the hand that maybe, here, they are blue, white, or red, but those such as Vasudhara and Pitambara should certainly erupt into yellow--gold, which is a process within Buddhakapala.

Buddhakapala uses a Ghora Lakshmi, of which there is generally no such thing and might even be seen as an insult to her, but since we know her higher tantric form is Kamala which is golden, it seems to be going for this.


Kamini's Tibetan name Hdod can ma shows up in Subhasita Samgraha (https://books.google.com/books?id=EuNVAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA14&ots=LR-k3DDGCu&dq=hdod%20can%20ma&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q=hdod%20can%20ma&f=false). Full text (https://archive.org/stream/lemuson22soci/lemuson22soci_djvu.txt) of that version. It seems to come around Dakini Panjara and Aryadeva's Cittavishuddhi, but it is pretty messy. This title is something in the Durbar Library (https://jainqq.org/explore/269417/1), not the similarly-named catalogue of 25,000 quotes. Used in reference to Indrabhuti's Jnanasiddhi (https://journal.equinoxpub.com/BSR/article/view/19841).

We do not have its original but we do have "a" Sekkodesa (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/105/799).

Besides not being on DSBC, Subhasita Samgraha is in another directory of Sanskrit texts (https://st12.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2865767852?profile=original) and might be more useful in their pdf (http://theosnet.net/dzyan/sanskrit/subhasita_samgraha_1903-1904.pdf). Although from 1904, this is the same, apparently only one, which begins with Hevajra, Vajradaka, and Vajradakini. Typewritten copy does not search properly, but it looks like hdod can ma is part of several lines about a word that is doubly-footnoted, this apparently concerning the first half, Raga Agni Visa.


I can see how this book wound up with the same title as the more famous one.

It is a synthesis of Sutra and Tantra, adding quotes from Saraha and Nagarjuna primarily, and about twenty others including Sakyamitra:

klu sgrub kyi thugs sras bdun - The seven spiritual sons of Nagarjuna. 1) {shA kya mi tra}. Sakyamitra. 2) {nA ga bo dhi}. Nagabodhi 3) ‘phags pa lha}. Aryadeva 4) {ma tang ki}. Matangi 5) {sangs rgyas bskyangs}. Buddhapalita 6) {legs ldan 'byed}. Bhavaviveka 7) {slob dpon dpa’ bo}. Ashvagosha

Sakyamitra (https://odishawatch.in/walking-on-the-footsteps-of-koshali-buddhist-monk-sakyamitra-dr-arjun-purohit/) independent article.

How is Subhasita Samgraha considered a Buddhakapala commentary?

Its actual use of tantras is rather curtailed--like a sister to Samputa Tantra which is mainly based in Chakrasamvara, this, in turn, largely excludes any of that, or Vajrayogini.

It does however use Vajradaka.

There is a brief quote of Mahamaya and then a major section on Buddhakapala.

The article is amazingly well done, it has two main parts, the second of which the translator explains as Jnana Mudra. The appendix has a ton of linguistics but then shows the books and authors relied upon.

He says the first part is about the importance of instruction in doctrine followed by Catuskoti.

The doctrine to which he refers includes Vajradakini Bandha.

It is held by Hevajra who is Vajradaka Chakravartin.

It becomes Nirvikalpa which has the Tattva of Acharya Vasudhatale.

This is explained for a while involving wrathful Vajrasattva and Jagganatha and then you get:

Mahalakshmi Sadhana

followed by:

Nagarjuna Svadisthanakrama.

Then Abhisambodhi with a few quotes including Vajradaka.

In a few pages, Mahamudra and Prajnaparamita appear.

Part One ends around Kinnara.


Part Two he says includes Unmatta Vrata.

It is here we get Dakini Panjara and Citta Vishuddha.

Mahalakshmi speaks a little more.

Vajravesa shows up.

There are many pages about this until two sentences from Mahamaya.

Then with Buddhakapala, we find it is Nirvikalpa, Unmatta Vrata, and Prabhasvara Vijnana Kausalya.

Sakyamitra was Kosali or i. e., from Kosala.

There is Mrdu or Softening before Mahamudra and Suksma Rupa.

This compares to dream work from Guhyasamaja, going into Dharma Cakra, the Signs of Dissolution Adhyatma-Nimittam Marici, Smoke, etc., and Karmamudra.

It is possible the last few pages are examining this, since there is an Adhyatma Sadhana, including telling us to rely on Paramadya Tantra for Mahasukha.

Also:

Sri -- advaya jnana

He -- hetu sunyata

Ru -- Vyuha

Ka -- na Kvacit stitham


But otherwise it has little to do with mantras or deities, and, instead, mainly seems to elaborate the inner meanings in both the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra traditions.


Adhyātma (अध्यात्म) refers to “that which pertains to the body”. The Subālopaniṣad (fifth section) draws correspondences between that which pertains to the body (adhyātma), the elements (adhibhūta) and their presiding deities (adhidaivata).

Basically, the three stand for the outer or tangible (adhibhūta), the intangible described as divine (adhidaiva) and the one pertaining to the ‘self’ identified with the body, mindm, ātman, etc. (adhyātma). This triad has very deep roots in Indian though reflected in Vedic and later literature.

Adhyātma has been identified here with svabhāva which is explained by Abhinavagupta in his commentary as caitanyabhāva that is never dissociated from self. The most common meaning of the term adhyātma is ‘belonging to self’, or ‘one’s corporeal body’, ‘concerning an individual’. The term ātman is of crucial significance in Indian thought. Basically it denotes the essence of anything that is all-pervading. The etymology of the word ātman is uncertain. It is variously derived from the roots an-‘to breath’ (cf. prāṇa), at-‘to move’, or vā-‘to blow’. With adhi, it forms a neuter indeclinable compound adhyātman.

—[yoga] the discipline involved in withdrawal of senses from mundane objects and their concentration on the Supreme Being


Since this book is a structure or a map, it seems to be using Vajradaka as a platform and Buddhakapala more like a capstone.

[shaberon]

As to who Citrasena may be, here, I think we have clues for:

Inner Wheel of Time--internally, the nadi to the Brahmarandra

Outer Wheel of Time--cosmos, the Dhamakaya:


Citra individually is Alpha Virginis, and, as a time frame for the Moon:

Citrā means “the bright one” and is associated with the deity known as Tvaṣṭā (God of design). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Maṅgala (Mars).

Indian zodiac: |23°20' Kanyā| – |6°40' Tulā|

It is hard to show Justice moreso than the cusp of Virgo and Libra.

The Great Breath may be described as Perpetual Motion in Perfect Equilibrium.

To us, Equality is Guna or Ratna or Jewel Family.

With respect to Indra Loka, it is more likely to say we are more interested in the power of Tvastr, who has Vairocani as Shakti, as well as perhaps the best kind of Nectar useful to the Aswins.

And so the relation between the Inner and Outer concocts her Secret or initiatory wheel, inside her sadhanas.


Citrasena may be her name, but, she is addressed otherwise. Kapalini of Buddhakapala Tantra recurs in Dakarnava in Gunacakra that is secondary only to the main Four Dakinis of Chakrasamvara literature or so it says.

Gunacakra (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gunacakra#tibetan-buddhism) is whitish-red deities based in Castes, culminating in Carmakari, the same way Buddhakapala does.

The nucleus of Dakarnava Heruka is supposed to be surrounded by Vajracakra which is the Four Dakinis and the other Pitha deities, then Hrdayacakra (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/hridayacakra) which is the more standard deities, Vairocana, etc., and then Gunacakra.

I am not sure why it may have been said that Kapalini and five others appear to be drawn in a superior place.


Now that we see what is there, it is easy to compare to Mahamaya Tantra, The two are at least complements in certain ways:


Vairocani after development is considered the Right or Solar Nerve; Buddhakapala gives it its usual name, Rasana, and describes it as a place where magical things happen. Mahamaya simply continues the devi's form into its principal, Buddhadakini. So these are three synonyms of the same subject, at, perhaps, different times, or in different views.


In following Tara I soon realized there were two important Mudras which ought to be shown in Twenty-one Taras, and these tantras are similarly complementary.

Buddhakapala relies on Vajrahumkara whom we have seen takes any outer, Kriya picture of the Ten Wrathful Ones and converts it into an activated format under Mahosnisa which is the male version of Fiery Crown.

Mahamaya refers to Bhutadamara and Vajrasekhara which is a similar Pinnacle who I believe gets compressed into Vajra Fist.

Humkara and Bhutadamara are things that appear superficially similar but instead are distinct.

Both tantras also are Mrtyuvacana because Dravya is intended that way.


Here is a closer look at the accessible Mahamaya material, three articles, in order of increasing complexity.



Kukkuripa Mahamaya (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/346/1401) salutes Vajradaka.

All the devis are Four Faced. The He Ru Ka syllables are spelled in a slowed down, drawn out manner.

Four Brahma Vihara are a Giti which makes Vajradakini and Vajrasattva dance.

This makes a Mental Maya Baddha to the arising of the assembly.

It uses the once-troublesome term Svabhaprajna and then attaches Elemental Wisdoms to the devis:

pūrvadale vajraḍākinī nīlavarṇā nīlapītaraktaśyāmacaturmukhā caturbhujā vāmabhuje khaṭvāṅgaghaṇṭāṃ dakṣiṇe vajrakapālahastā pṛthivīdhātvādarśajñānasvabhāvā,

dakṣiṇadale ratnaḍākinī pītavarṇā pītanīlaraktaśyāmacaturmukhā caturbhujā vāmabhuje patākāṃ kañcukaṃ ca dakṣiṇe triśūlaratnahastā abdhātusamatājñānasvabhāvā,

paścimadale padmaḍākinī sitāruṇavarṇā raktapītanīlaśyāmacaturmukhā caturbhujā vāmabhuje dhanuḥ kapālaṃ dakṣiṇe śaraviśvapadmahastā tejodhātupratyavekṣaṇājñānasvabhāvā,

uttaradale viśvaḍākinī śyāmavarṇā śyāmapītaraktanīlacaturmukhā caturbhujā vāmabhuje pāśakapālaṃ dakṣiṇe khaṭvāṅgaḍamaruhastā vāyudhātukṛtyānuṣṭhānasvabhāvā |


They are raudris with skulls and heads and it looks like they are going to drop Fire into the root center:

karuṇācalavajraṃ dhyātvā śirasi hṛdi nābhau guhye vāyumāhendravaruṇāgnimaṇḍaleṣu





Mahamaya Sadhana (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/345/1400) is a bit larger and uses multiple samadhis.

It begins with an eight-petaled red lotus which becomes:

tatkarṇikāyāmanādinidhanaṃ tāramuktāphalanibhaṃ jñānāmṛtabinduṃ


which is probably:

tat karṇikā yāma nādi nidhanaṃ tāra muktā phala nibhaṃ jñānāmṛtabinduṃ


The Four Dakinis emerge and then Om begets Vairocana Family and Om begets Buddhadakini.

buddhābhiṣekā śabarī hevajre gīyate yathā |
tatheha buddhaḍākinyā herukaḥ saṃprapūjyate ||


tadanu bhagavataścakṣurindriye omkāraṃ raktaṃ śrotrendriye humkāraṃ nīlaṃ ghrāṇendriye cīkāraṃ pītaṃ jihvendriye āḥkāraṃ sitam uṣṇīṣasthāne rephaṃ haritaṃ manasi khakāraṃ sitaṃ cintayet | iti ṣaḍindriye ṣaḍakṣaranyāsa |

then Kaya Vak Citta.

It repeats the descending four chakras and at the end you have Pancha Jnana Amrta.

In the second, Mandala Rajagri Samadhi, it gives the Wisdoms and Vajradhara.

Third is Karma Rajagri.

I am not quite sure what happens here but there is:

evaṃ nābhimadhye kamalakarṇikāravisomasaṃpuṭagarbhe vīraṃ

and you get Nimitta Rupa.

The last part is Bindu Yoga which looks like Muttering Buddhadakini.

It is a form of Completion Stage including:

kuśalamanuttarāyai samyaksambodhaye'bhimataphalasiddhaye



Those are brief and easily manageable and the full thing is not.

Mahamaya Tantra (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/347/1402) is in the version Gunavati Tika Sahita and salutes Vajradakini Dakinicakravati (or -vartin).


The text begins with Sri Bhutadamara.

athāto vajraḍākinināṃ guhośvariṇāṃ paramaguptaṃ nama tantraṃ pravakṣye||3||

and quickly refers to Sri Vajrasekhara.

It refers to Hetu and Phala tantra and Vajradakini.

Part of this is Dakini Siddhis, and Vajradakini is there again and the next name is Guhyesvari.

It then generates plain dakinis of the Five Families until:

karkulasyeśvari viśvaḍākini| tāsāmapiśvari mahāmāyā|

I suppose kar is an error for Karma and just looks strange.

Then you are designated in Utpatti.

tāsāṃ paramiyaṃ guhyāṃ mahāmāyā maheśvari|
mahāmāyā mahārau drā bhutasaṃhārakāriṇī||5||

kā'sāvityāha-- mahāmāyeti| mahāmāyāśabdena bhagavato| vajradharasya paramarahasyā murtirbhagavān heruka uktaḥ|


sukṣmayamaudarikāṇāṃ rupāṇāṃ



It seems to describe the eight kinds of creatures as:

yogamāyāyāvidhena

It mentions Prabhasvara followed by what looks like a bit from Lankavatara in terms of Citta Matra.

Tri-kaya and the five-fold bundle lead to:

hetauprakṛtiprabhāsvaratve sati ṃahyotat phalaṃ satyapi hetau vinopayairbhavati

Then you have Samadhi and Sampatti which is the knowledge of Mahamaya and:

indrajalaṃ sainyādināṇ nirmāpanaṃ

then there is Pinda Akarsana.

Moving towards Vijnanamatra, there is a lot of mantra use, and an Akarsa Nadini, until you have Mahamudra Siddhi and Nispatti.

You go through Sahaja Sukha Manovijnana until there is Hero Vajrasattva in the Navel.

There is a washing machine of terms of knowledge and mind purity such as Citta and Jnana and Grahyagrahaka until:

pāramārthikaṃ tu bodhicittam niṣprapañcajñānātmakam |

with a few similar whirls.

There is Ali Kali and:

jvalitodhrvamukhī rekhā tadādhaḥ srutikāriṇī |
śukrarupeṇa sravati amṛtaṃ bindurupiṇam ||21||

followed by Sri Samvarottare.

You seem to be mixing Amrita and Bindurupini so that:

mahāsukhacittarupaṃ sitabindu vīra ityarthaḥ |

Then you go through Vajradhara and Akasadhatu to get to Suksma Yoga. This makes Ramyam Rahasya Jnana.

It is then called Sri Vajramrta Suksma Yoga.

Followed by Kha-arisen Vajrasattva in the Navel.

It then refers to Four Cakras, Candali, Mahasukha Cakra, Ham consisting of Amrta, harnesses the senses, and appears to give you a Prakriti Dharmadhatu.

This thing deals with:

lokottaraṃ jñānaṃ niṣprapañcaṃ virakhyam

and leads to Maha Gulika Sadhana.

Their name is then shared:

maṇḍaladhipatiḥ śriheruko mahāmāyā , tadvidyāpi buddhaḍākinī mahāmāyā

There are several blocks of Samputa Buddhadakini Artha, but, I cannot make much of it.

Here, approximately halfway in, it refers to Vajrayogini.

The Akarsana changes to:

āhatyeti ākṛṣya | āyurjīvitam | viryamutsāhaḥ | tejaḥ prabhāvaḥ | divyaṃ cakṣuśca cakṣurvijñānam ,

mahāyuśca mahāvīrya mahātejo balaṃ tathā |
divyaṃ cakṣuśca ṛddhi ca sompānaṃ dine dine ||31||

Soma and Amrta appear enfolded in Rddhi.

In Part Two, a Divine Mahayogesvari brings Yoga Siddhi Phala.

Phala is Nispatti Mahamudra Siddhi.

It seems to reason its way in to Citta Matra by way of:

jñānamātratā hi praṇavārthaḥ, "omkāraṃ jñānadvayam" (11.2) iti śrīguhyasamājavacanāt | nirābhāsatvena kāyavākcittasamatā hūṃkārārthaḥ, "hūṃkāraṃ kāyavākcittaṃ trivajrābhedyasamāvaham" (11.3) iti tatraiva vacanāt | ata oṃkārasūcitāyā viśvasya cittamātratāyā darśanād bhāvavarjitam |

After some explaining, it re-launches some of the same characters along with Jnanadakini.

She proceeds with a Vira Bindu.

Indravarna and a few other Indras come up.

There is perhaps a synopsis of the prior yogas until:

cikāreṇa samāyuktaṃ pītavarṇa prabhāsvaram |

and Haya Mukha is there.

Yellow and Four Horse Face seem to be repeated and:

siddhayanti vajrayoginyo yogaśca ḍākinīgaṇaḥ |
cakṣurdvayaṃ ca karṇo ca nāsikā hṛdayaṃ tathā ||15||

Heruka celebrates a Five Dakinis circle and there is:

Simha Vikridita Mudra Bandha

then Akanistha which emanates Seven Worlds.

A little further along is Yoga Nidra.

The section soon ends.

The next section has Dravya Gana.

athātra sādhanaṃ yena cittapadmaṃ vibhāvayet |
caturdevīsamāyuktaṃ raktavarṇasamaprabham || 7 ||

nīlotpalaprabhaṃ pūrve buddhabimbopaśobhitam |
dakṣiṇe pītavarṇaṃ ca paścime tu sitaprabham || 8 ||

is the prelude for Vajradhara hosting the Four Dakinis.

There is a great deal that goes on in conjuring another Heruka, and Dravya is consistent through it.

Maha Vajradakini seems to be the "who" that has been explained by Mahamaya which is the Tantra.

The page then adds both of the other Mahamaya sadhanas.


Following this, you would get Vajravairocani becomes Buddhadakini, who does the revelatory work for Vajradakini.

That is not too different from Cinnamasta, since, after Vairocani, you utilize the opposite nerve, Varnani, who is Pranava Vajradakini followed by other vajradakinis.

There must be a reason why Mahamaya and Buddhakapala emphasize one nerve. Yes, this seems to follow the course of action of a slow umbrella opening of Cinnamasta. Vajradakini is also an aspect of Parasol who is over this nerve. Vajradakini here is also Guhyesvari. Parasol and Guhyesvari may simply be able to express Vajradakini in different Families.

The other if under Dhvajagrakeyura means it has Vetali--Corpse and it perhaps is more difficult.

[Old Student]

Much sorry for the delays, this time of my month is clustered with meetings so that I avoid everybody elses meetings.


It is not a stock tantric reference, but, historically, Ghora Mandala is Chola Mandala, the Tamil center at Tanjore on the Coromandel Coast.
Chola as in Chola Empire? They took over the seas at about the same time as Mahmud of Ghazni and Yusef Qadir Khan were dividing up parts of South and Central Asia.
As in Chola bronzes.


Along with

"the herb for rasa-ayana groweth on the mountain in the moon"

although a line is not specified for that sentence, there is 10.18 which he says is:

At that time … [when] the [dark-skinned] lady is in menstruation, … visualize the Moon (candra) smeared with mercury … .


… that [“the moon”] is decorated with..the [mountain-]king Meru”. [fn. 49 : “meru[-]raja stands for the syllable SUM” {of /SOMa/ the lunar herb}

(due to the full name Mt. Sumeru)

Did they have elemental mercury, or are they talking about a concoction of cinnabar, which is red as is the blood and the rasani nadi?


Garuda evidently slices up a Naga, which falls from the sky onto the bitten victim.
Well, then. That is certainly an interesting way to treat a snake bite. There was another passage which had, grahaṇatrāsakārakam which seems to be take the (potion) with mixed in hogwort or some similar plant. The whole thing seems at least at one level to be a medicine.

Patalavasini means 'clothed in rose color'?

[Old Student]

"Mahacina" probably means most of the Trans-Himalaya plus Assam, Kirat (Naga) regions. This makes a fair amount of sense with respect to Manjushri. Being the name for a culture which was from the geographical Maha Cina around and beyond Wu Tai Shan.


Okay. I had thought that it was an expansion of Tibet, to include Ladakh and Zanskar, etc.


There has been a pilgrims' circuit from Ladakh to Tibet for centuries.
Yes, via Spiti, Ngari etc. but also Leh is on the major trade route north through the Karakoram Pass to Khotan and Kashgar, and the East-West routes.

[Old Student]

And yes but she is not Ugra.

Mahacinakrama Tara has a terrifying appearance but is in a pleasant mood. This Citrasena is similar.

It is possible to be a low-caste ghora and yet attractive. Why would I be afraid of her?
It is also possible to be totally beautiful and terrifying.


I believe this is how it works.

Hard Damage, meet Soft Resilience.

Same thing occurs mentally.

Lotuses rise in mud. I smashed the same toes, twice, and wound up getting into a method of rejuvenating following what I have heard about shaking in the Inner Push Hands sense, and it actually made a lot of music flow through me.

Ha! That toe doesn't have much in the way of nerves or motion, it took me a good part of the night, shaking, to figure out that I had actually hurt it -- hope springs eternal that the nerves there will regenerate someday, so any pain always at first seems like it should be a good thing.


If you can feel the opening of the Heart then you are almost certainly entering what I call Citta Chakra. In my novice view it is just a White Circle Water Mandala. It is the abode of the Peaceful Deities. Evidently it requires Wrath to access it--again like the opposites just described.

The tantras seem to indicate that a knot or two of the "Bull's Hoof" (Heart) will loosen and it will begin to function in the subtle sense and Nectar can proceed to drip into The Vessel.

It is clearing, is that the same as opening? It was dark black, the black turned out to be very very dark clouds, the clouds are beginning to thin and there are now bright times there.

[shaberon]

Chola as in Chola Empire? They took over the seas at about the same time as Mahmud of Ghazni and Yusef Qadir Khan were dividing up parts of South and Central Asia.
As in Chola bronzes.

I think so.

Similar to saying "Nepal Mandala", etc., the "circle or wheel" is sometimes used in a mundane sense to refer to a civic hub or country.



Did they have elemental mercury, or are they talking about a concoction of cinnabar, which is red as is the blood and the rasani nadi?

Both I believe.

Mercury is important to gilding or gold-platng, which has been done for a long time.

The link to the book with Maritime in its title is an excellent resource on this subject.

Alchemy, Nagarjuna, and also the Eastern Silk Road via Assam.





Patalavasini means 'clothed in rose color'?


Patala is derived from the word for "foot", and so for example may be the term for "subject of a chapter" and various other things, and then it especially means the subterranean region or the Underworld.

Vasini means lives in, dwells in, such as Smasana Vasini.

The term for clothing is Vastra.

Comparatively the name Pandaravasini means Dweller in Paleness.

Why or where it means dressed or robed would probably be an associative meaning from some particular sadhana. We can observe this phenomenon on Gold Locana having white clothes, as does Green Durgottarini.

Akasa Vasini being Sky Dweller then refers to that class of dakinis who are free to move in Space.

A Patala Vasini is usually an Underworld denizen such as a Naga.

In another sense, "underground" means internal to the body.




I noticed something else in the tantras.


In terms of active processes, once could almost call Buddhakapala the Kapalini Tantra, and Mahamaya that of Vajradakini. That is partly because it begins by saluting her and if we ask how it may be about her, it then says something about her and perhaps what a Gunavati is:


vivṛtirme guṇavatyatho'tra karma||
yaścaitā vajraḍākinyaḥ parikalpitabandhanān


Well, we said most of the tantras describe elemental dissolutions until you reach The Void, which, as one or the first, we thought was probably the physiological state of the Parikalpita of Yogacara.

Vajradakini is going to Chain you to it.

There are a fair few "sambandhas" in the text, this may be the only specific one, other than Lion's Sport.

So then Vajradakini may be the initiatrix of Void Dissolution and/or Parikalpita, which, I think, are the same thing in practice, not in ordinary life.


She is related to Guhyesvari because the Five Families are Five Secrets and:

tatra tathāgatakulasyeśvarī

yayā vyāptamidaṃ sarva brahmāṇḍaṃ sacarācaram|
utpatiḥ sarvadevānāṃ brahmādināṃ maharddhikā||4||


Utpatti will provoke all the devas to grant Maha Rddhi or great occult force.


After naming the Five Dakinis and Mahamaya as Tasamapisvari, it evidently also brings the power of a Poet which here is extremely precise:

sitāharaṇaṃ kāvyamiti yathā||3||

Sītāharaṇa (सीताहरण):—[=sītā-haraṇa] [from sītā > sī] n. ‘the carrying off of Sītā’, Name of a [chapter] of [Rāmāyaṇa]



I have said Ramayana is probably more relevant to Buddhists than they expect, and, well, here it is in Mahamaya Tantra.



Vajradakini goes in a blender with Mahamaya Mahesvari.

She is also mentioned just before Jnanadakini. This employs the Vira Bindu and attracts Brahma, Visnu, Rudra, Indra, and Kamesvara.

There is a Maha Vajradakini.

Towards the end, she appears to dance with Vajrasattva.

So yes, she is singled out and drawn forth in a personal manner.



The principal almost is not.

Buddhadakini is plainly identified as Mahamaya with Heruka Mahamaya.

She has about a paragraph of Sambodha and Samputa process.

She has Adi Yoga related to Kunkuma.

She appears to be the Daya or source of Five Jinas and Vajradhara.

It looks to be the role one would predict without anything individually for her.

She does launch the unusual syllable Um, but, otherwise seems fairly pat.

[shaberon]

Okay. I had thought that it was an expansion of Tibet, to include Ladakh and Zanskar, etc.


No, I think the emigrations from Geographical Mahacina skirted Tibet and affected the Chinese provinces. Once reaching India, it seems to have moved laterally across the mountainous areas. The best synonym for it is probably Kirat.



Yes, via Spiti, Ngari etc. but also Leh is on the major trade route north through the Karakoram Pass to Khotan and Kashgar, and the East-West routes.


Koothoomi specifically described coming home down the slopes of "the black rock as you call it", after the Horpa region where he makes the odd statement "there are no tribes".

Some of the Chelas had been educated in mission schools in Lahaul and Spiti.

Karakoram has probably been such a route since the times of the undefinable Uttara Kuru.

[shaberon]

It is also possible to be totally beautiful and terrifying.


Yes, I think these nuances are something to reflect on.

When it says of many "she has a distorted mouth and projecting fangs", it may be past the point of "pretty" by most standards.

If she is just wild, that is different.

Citrasena howls laughter, which might be disturbing to some, but I would probably enjoy it.

Worst-case scenario is Dhumavati who is pretty specifically a cold, horrid crone, but you should be nice to her. By some accounts this ameliorates her appearance.

One definitely cannot be afraid of a Wrathful deity. I guess that is a big threshhold to new practitioners. I know that they are not, themselves, angry, and that everything is impermanent and rots or burns away, and so I don't even blink.

Experience, life, the world, and the Bodhisattva ideal are beautiful and yet they are actually terrifying.




hope springs eternal that the nerves there will regenerate someday, so any pain always at first seems like it should be a good thing.

That is exactly what I told myself when I smashed the same toes twice.

Regenerating their nerves is what I was trying to do, when the blunders happened.




It is clearing, is that the same as opening? It was dark black, the black turned out to be very very dark clouds, the clouds are beginning to thin and there are now bright times there.


That sounds a bit Vaivasvata Manu Dawn of Time.

Sure, I would think visual clarity is an aspect of opening, same as tactile relaxation.

Not sure that I have heard of a cloud shroud in this fashion.

But, ok, that is water-based, and as a novice I say Vam Varuna Mandala and think of it as my little droplet of the Primordial Waters of Chaos.

Then Vam is Vajra anything and one is supposed to house Vajra Family here.

Again if Vajra may be Lightning, which has been well-known as Ocean Fire, and if related electrical current is what makes the physical heart work, I feel like I understand White Water Mandala at least a little bit.


If we compare this Citta Cakra to where we find Citta Vishuddhi in the teachings, they are pretty far along.

Ultimately it is finalized by the Winds and the Mountains of Vajrayogini and the use of Bliss to annihilate the sin in the seventh principle.

This shows, roughly, the ladder of five-fold form and Void pinned to the sixth principle of mind, finally, to the seventh or subtle mind, called Klista Manas or Addicted Mind, or sometimes it is called afflicted, etc.

"Subtle mind" is that which is hyper aware of and sensitive to the subtle body.

Quietening these thoughts and this karma is done by Bliss and the movement of wind and nectar or bodhicitta, which is the difference in the presentation of Citta now, and the slightly more detailed Vajrayogini explanations about her mountains which I cannot remember the names of and it is hard to find. But it means using the intense tantric methods to purify the mind as just described.


As another stylistic slant which probably has intended meaning, Citrasena is called a Yogini which is common in her tantra; dakini is barely mentioned. There are no kinds of Isvaris in it.

[Old Student]

Sītāharaṇa (सीताहरण):—[=sītā-haraṇa] [from sītā > sī] n. ‘the carrying off of Sītā’, Name of a [chapter] of [Rāmāyaṇa]

I have said Ramayana is probably more relevant to Buddhists than they expect, and, well, here it is in Mahamaya Tantra.

It is, but it comes with a caution, the hero of the story varies depending on where it is told. In the North, it's usually Rama, in the South, it's often Ravana. Just like the Cholas are thought of differently depending on where one is from. Chola bronzes are universally liked, though.


yaścaitā vajraḍākinyaḥ parikalpitabandhanān
Is this what Vajradakini is going to do to you, or is it that the consciousness of vajradakini is bound to the void? I couldn't get "yaścaitā" very well, but it seems like the well-known or eminent consciousness.

[Old Student]

Some of the Chelas had been educated in mission schools in Lahaul and Spiti.

Karakoram has probably been such a route since the times of the undefinable Uttara Kuru.
Modern boundaries have made some of these places distant from each other. The Chinese funded a Karakoram Highway for Pakistan in recent times, but yes, it has graffiti going back a couple of thousand years. The pass crosses the mountains into the Takalamakan near Khotan. Probably restricted now, that's where the Uighur re-education camps are.

[Old Student]

When it says of many "she has a distorted mouth and projecting fangs", it may be past the point of "pretty" by most standards.
Oh, I don't know, plenty of Western people have fallen in love with vampires supposedly.


One definitely cannot be afraid of a Wrathful deity. I guess that is a big threshhold to new practitioners. I know that they are not, themselves, angry, and that everything is impermanent and rots or burns away, and so I don't even blink.

Experience, life, the world, and the Bodhisattva ideal are beautiful and yet they are actually terrifying.
The latter is the terrifying I was talking about.


That is exactly what I told myself when I smashed the same toes twice.

Regenerating their nerves is what I was trying to do, when the blunders happened.
Mine are in stasis. They don't get better, they don't get worse. Just some of the nerves are dead, or in permanent shock (I knew someone who injured their spine and it was in permanent shock).



That sounds a bit Vaivasvata Manu Dawn of Time.

Sure, I would think visual clarity is an aspect of opening, same as tactile relaxation.

Not sure that I have heard of a cloud shroud in this fashion.

I didn't know it was clouds until recently, I thought it was a very dark room with solid walls. I have been seeing it for at least a month, only in the last several days has it suddenly started to 'thin'.


But, ok, that is water-based, and as a novice I say Vam Varuna Mandala and think of it as my little droplet of the Primordial Waters of Chaos.

Then Vam is Vajra anything and one is supposed to house Vajra Family here.

Again if Vajra may be Lightning, which has been well-known as Ocean Fire, and if related electrical current is what makes the physical heart work, I feel like I understand White Water Mandala at least a little bit.

Strange you should say that. I had read about 4 jewels on the bottom of the ocean in the Avatamsaka before going to sleep last night. The first jewel churns the ocean into waves, the second churns the waves into milk, the third churns the milk into butter, the fourth churns the butter into ghee. I then slept and during shaking I liquefied some level of this, there were dreams and shaking and they were reversed: The dreams were solid and corporeal, the shaking was liquid. It had not become milk from ocean however, it had become liquid and then milky with some 'cream top' starting from sparks, like lightning. The liquid even preserved the colors surrounding the sparks -- bluish and purple.

[shaberon]

It is, but it comes with a caution, the hero of the story varies depending on where it is told. In the North, it's usually Rama, in the South, it's often Ravana. Just like the Cholas are thought of differently depending on where one is from. Chola bronzes are universally liked, though.


Yes I think almost exactly the same could be said of all the readings.

Usually, Adi Kavya is Valmiki, who was a Kirat...

There is even a "Buddhist" Ramayana which has a few detectable variances.


Others have suggested it should be Sitayana.

Sita's sister was put to sleep for fourteen years as an exchange for Rama staying awake for fourteen years.

Urmila or Nidra.

Sita comes from and returns to Bhu, and it was a Plough which found her, and we can find this as the item of Bala Rama and a few Buddhist deities.

It hasn't a hero necessarily because it is a phase in the incarnations of Vishnu, in which case it is largely about his relationship with his brother, and, next, the way in which members of the pantheon wind up cursing each other, such as happened to Jaya and Vijaya who become Sumbha and Nisumbha I believe. And from the standpoint that well, those two are part of one of the main Chakrasamvara mantras, then their stories should be part of the Bhava which gives the mantra significance.

It is triply curious that the presumed first western free press of what would become original Theosophy was a story called The Dream of Ravan published in, a periodical I believe, at the University of Dublin--1854.

Upon scrutiny it turns out there is a tradition of proposing additional stories that could have happened in something well-known like Ramayana. Then with brief research it can be shown that this "dream", which was unlike anything available in Europe at the time, has things drawn from Dnyaneshwari, which, in its turn, actually is the tantric secret doctrine for five or six centuries around Maharastra, composed by a prodigy when he was about sixteen years old. Cannot remember the name offhand but the person did not actually live much longer than that.

Sita is intended to be Maya, as in the version where it is her "twin" Maya Sita that Ravana gets ahold of, while she remains actually free.

Hanuman is intended to be Prana.

Asoka Grove comes from Ramayana as well I believe; and Marici does this.






yaścaitā vajraḍākinyaḥ parikalpitabandhanān

Is this what Vajradakini is going to do to you, or is it that the consciousness of vajradakini is bound to the void? I couldn't get "yaścaitā" very well, but it seems like the well-known or eminent consciousness.



My guess was that it was a type of Yas (with effort, through difficulty or pain) Ca Iti, "and therefor that is".

As to whether Vajradakini "is" or "does" or you "are" or "do" the Accomplishment would be a Chain--Lock with Parikalpita.

Here it seems to me this thing gets bombarded by the meditation Nirvikalpa.


The two are substrated by Kalpita (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kalpita), which is imaginary or artificial, in a fictitious or false way, often in a vain or conceited manner.

Pari- in this sense is towards, round and round, excessively.

Ordinary mundane consciousness "does this", Parikaplita, routinely moves in some artificial manner that is not in touch with reality, mostly due to the illusion of the senses.



Longchenpa (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-great-chariot/d/doc213092.html)--By knowing or not knowing what we are--on Parikalpita and the other two.


Lankavatara Sutra (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/lankavatara-sutra/d/doc82488.html):

28. One self-nature (svabhāva) I teach, which is removed from speculation and thought-construction, which belongs to the exquisite [spiritual] realm of the wise, removed from the two Svabhāvas [i. e., the Parikalpita and the Paratantra].

In the light of:

16. In the Samādhi known as Māyā-like, one goes beyond the ten stages of Bodhisattvaship; one who is removed from thought and knowledge perceives the Mind-king.

17. When a "turning-back" takes place in the mind, one abides permanently in the palace of lotus-form, which is born of the realm of Māyā.

18. Abiding in it one attains a life of imagelessness, and, like a many-coloured jewel, performs religious deeds for all beings.




It is risky to get too scripturally-fundamental about anything, and, although the chaoter linked above mentions eight or nine minds, we are, I suppose, primarily focusing in that it also says Seven Vijnanas (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/lankavatara-sutra/d/doc82484.html) fan out in a Moment. That is what Parikalpita "does".

In this case it is the mantle upon which we rest the expressions of Seven Families, Seven Skandhas, Seven Kayas, Seven Vajra Mysteries, Seven Jewels of Enlightenment, Seven Syllable Deity.



Nirvikalpa (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nirvikalpa) is not Buddhist property, it is the same as Adwaita and in language generally.


Well, if I ask Mahamaya Tantra about Nirvikalpa, first of all it sends Four Knowledges of Durga against Vikalpa:

avikalpāśayo bhutvā saddharme' smin jinātmajaḥ |
vikalpadurga vyatītya kramānniṣkalpamāpnute ||

taṃ viraṃ kathayisyāmi gambhire buddhaśāsane |
ālikālisamāṃ kṛtvā tatra rekhātrisampuṭām ||20||

praśāntamacalaṃ śresṭhaṃ vaśarvarti samāsamam |
nirvikalpasukhaṃ tasmād bodhisatvo ' dhigacchti || iti||

[e] tasmin gāthāddhaye avikalpāśaya iti sthirāśayaḥ | saddharme '|sminniti mahāyāne | jinātmaja iti boddhisatvaḥ | vikalpa eva caturvidho durgaḥ , taṃ kramād vyatītya atikramya | niṣkalpamāpnuta iti nirvikalpaṃ nisprapañcajñānaṃ prāpnotīti | tasmādeva jñānānnirvikalpa sukhamāpnoti |


The resulting Nirvikalpa Deva is saturated with Jnana and Sukha.

Nirvikalpa is mentioned once again later when Amrita becomes a Nitya Siddhi.

This tantra seems superficially simple by using generic names for the dakinis and seeming to be less distinguished by new mantras and more by sections like the above which are more doctrinal.

However it is a Quintessence of Quintessences.

Gunavati may be a couple of Puranic incarnations, but Shiva Purana happens to say:

Guṇavatī (गुणवती) is another name for Śakti (prime cause, created from the body of Īśvara), according to Śivapurāṇa 2.1.6, while explaining the time of great dissolution (mahāpralaya):—“[...] this Śakti is called by various names. Pradhāna, Prakṛti, Māyā, Guṇavatī, Parā. The mother of Buddhi Tattva (The cosmic Intelligence), Vikṛtivarjitā (without modification). That Śakti is Ambikā, Prakṛti and the goddess of all. She is the prime cause and the mother of the three deities. [...]”.

I was letting it ride along as some relatively unknown commentator, but, I am going to change to, it means the above.

You are doing, I think, a type of Vivriti:

Vivṛti (विवृति).—f.

1) Display, manifestation.

to such a Gunavati, with effort, through difficulty or pain, in tandem with the Chain locking one way or another between Vajradakini and Parikalpita.


It becomes a tricky question, who is who and doing what. To a large degree, most of these devis are names for things which have been part of one's existence since beginingless time. If I knew Scent Devi well, I would remember everything I have ever smelled, and, if this is non-dual, eventually I would remember anything anyone has ever smelled.

We could likely say Vajradakini is welding the Sixth Mind to the Seventh Mind.

The place where it appears more like her doing any action is with Vajrasattva. Everything else seems like is-ness and leadership and synthesis.

Vajrasattva comes up related to Vira and Suksma, then to arise as Heruka, and then I am making a mistake because the dance part is in the next, Kukkuripa sadhana.

I am not quite sure Vajradakini has any verbs in this tantra and due to the flavor of it she has no mantras either.

I think she is locking you into a condition where you can see the spray of minds arise, and have some ability to meditate into its quiescence as well.

Parikalpita if of the nature of Klista or Addicted Mind isn't going away just by awareness of it.

It does by Citta Vishuddha and therefor changing one's life winds into Jnana and Sukha, which begins to pertain to the Second Void and Suchness. If Parikalpita is the place of Seized and Seizer:


59. There is the highest Ālayavijñāna, and again there is the Ālaya as thought-construction (vijñāpti); I teach suchness (tathatā) that is above seized and seizing.


The more you quit what you were doing, the more you will be doing this Tathata process, which is above, or a removal from, grasping.


One may, yes, suppress the minds or skandhas temporarily, and dissolve one or the first void for all practical purposes, and still come out riddled with Klista the same as before. Or perhaps some people would gain such a catharsis it would never happen again.





If the logic is correct, then "dakini" Yas or by effort gets Vajradakini, which is an iteration of Guhyesvari:

vajragrahaṇaṃ bāhyaḍākinivyavacchedārtham| vajramaśaniḥ, aprapañcajñāna mayatvāta, ḍākinyaśceti vajraḍākinyaḥ| tāsāṃ kirdṛśīnāmityāha--guhyeśvarīṇāmiti|


Perhaps she is considered the mother of a Dravya Gana:

yeneti yena dravyagaṇena | gūḍhamataro vajraḍākinyaḥ || 2 ||


It may be correct that the whole final section of the tantra is Vajradakini, whereas the prior parts are Gunavati.


The name Gunavati appears on a line by itself in the beginning, and them mostly is just part of the title, sort of like Buddhakapala. If the name is perhaps associated with the root term as may be found in the text, Guna is mainly expressed as Pancha Kama Guna and Kama Guna.

towards the end it seems to re-affirm that it manifests shakti--gunavati:

mahāmāyātantre vivṛta( ti)miti kṛtvā guṇavatī


The same vocabulary is shared in one of the short Mahamaya sadhanas:

pañcopahārapañcakāmaguṇapūjābhirbhagavantaṃ bhagavatīṃ ca pūjayet|


I would probably have to go with the state or action of Vajradakini is the entire contents. We can find specifically, for instance, in a Marici sadhana where her procedures result in an identifiable "click" of Vajradakini Samaya, but, here, it is almost as if it all about her, and Heruka is just doing something with Buddhadakini in order to do it.

[shaberon]

Oh, I don't know, plenty of Western people have fallen in love with vampires supposedly.


So they say, but, most of those are pretty human looking.

The older Italian vampire stories concerned corpses that were shriveled and nasty. I don't think they were admired much.




Experience, life, the world, and the Bodhisattva ideal are beautiful and yet they are actually terrifying.

The latter is the terrifying I was talking about.


Yes, I suppose that is part of the beauty of sadhana, because it leaves that behind and is an attempt at samadhi.

Koothoomi was honest enough to call the Path "terrible" and that "one does long for eternal rest", i. e., there is a strong temptation into the ordinary or preliminary Nirvana that would amputate all those troubles and leave you in the better place.

Mahachohan said that even if it were all a fiction, Bodhisattva remains the most noble philosophy that has flowed from the pen of man.

It it not surprising that many various pills, spells, etc., are written as if manipulating the outer environment. At a certain level, however, some of that is valid. I, for example, have tried to affect my environment by cultivating Ganapati who has the means to do it, and, while it was successful in the inner sense, I am still sort of banished and cannot talk or communicate--so it is rendered ineffective.

At that point, most of the Wisdom Winds went whoosh out of my body and I am now filled almost completely with Karmic Winds.

I have mainly been getting by on Upeksa which is Vajradakini.

You might almost call Parikalpita something like a big Samsara Skandha and she has both natures. It might even be hard to tell the difference. I suppose Parikalpita is more like a pre-conscious establishment of many minds or waves over the Alaya, whereas Samsara is more of a completed or fully-constructed egotistical falsehood impelled by worldly desire.




Just some of the nerves are dead, or in permanent shock (I knew someone who injured their spine and it was in permanent shock).

Ah, maybe that is what happened to some of mine.



I didn't know it was clouds until recently, I thought it was a very dark room with solid walls. I have been seeing it for at least a month, only in the last several days has it suddenly started to 'thin'.

Makes sense, yes, very removal-of-obscurations, a once-dungeon dissipating cloud room.



I had read about 4 jewels on the bottom of the ocean in the Avatamsaka before going to sleep last night. The first jewel churns the ocean into waves, the second churns the waves into milk, the third churns the milk into butter, the fourth churns the butter into ghee. I then slept and during shaking I liquefied some level of this, there were dreams and shaking and they were reversed: The dreams were solid and corporeal, the shaking was liquid. It had not become milk from ocean however, it had become liquid and then milky with some 'cream top' starting from sparks, like lightning. The liquid even preserved the colors surrounding the sparks -- bluish and purple.


I am not familiar with this, but, the first sounds like the normal arising of the Vijnanas, and then the others are potential benefits of harnessing and re-directing them.

If you move something directly from the Sutra into experience, especially as dreams, it is harnessed and re-directed Vijnana. Happens to me occasionally. Too much environmental muck for consistency.

Was it an aspect of Kadhyota? Removal of Fire Element. Fairly close to "progressive stages" in the development of one thing which is the erasure of the other.

[Old Student]

There is even a "Buddhist" Ramayana which has a few detectable variances.
Yes, there's a whole section of a palace devoted to it in Bangkok. It's quite beautiful.


Others have suggested it should be Sitayana.

Sita's sister was put to sleep for fourteen years as an exchange for Rama staying awake for fourteen years.

Urmila or Nidra.

Sita comes from and returns to Bhu, and it was a Plough which found her, and we can find this as the item of Bala Rama and a few Buddhist deities.


Farther North, this is the focus, because of the (formerly) Sita River, which if I recall correctly was the river now known as the Helmand River.




yaścaitā vajraḍākinyaḥ parikalpitabandhanān

Is this what Vajradakini is going to do to you, or is it that the consciousness of vajradakini is bound to the void? I couldn't get "yaścaitā" very well, but it seems like the well-known or eminent consciousness.


My guess was that it was a type of Yas (with effort, through difficulty or pain) Ca Iti, "and therefor that is".

Yes, I found that version of Caita. But it turns out to also be an Indian girl's name, and as such it means, "of or by the heart or mind".


The two are substrated by Kalpita, which is imaginary or artificial, in a fictitious or false way, often in a vain or conceited manner.

Pari- in this sense is towards, round and round, excessively.
My dictionary gives the whole term 'parikalpita' - wished for, invented, settled, imagined.


tasmādeva jñānānnirvikalpa sukhamāpnoti
That is why jnanan nirvakalpa sukha ma apnoti. (I think. My dictionary gives tasmAdeva = "that is why" from tasmin = "in this manner".)


I think she is locking you into a condition where you can see the spray of minds arise, and have some ability to meditate into its quiescence as well.
Whatever it is, the making several minds or states simultaneously available, or reversing them, like the other night, so that the ethereal feeling one is the waking one and the solid one is the dreaming, is not something I thought could be done.

[Old Student]

Mahachohan said that even if it were all a fiction, Bodhisattva remains the most noble philosophy that has flowed from the pen of man.
In it's mahayana form, it's incarnating to save the world, but by countless selfless beings, unlike the version to the West where there was only one.


Makes sense, yes, very removal-of-obscurations, a once-dungeon dissipating cloud room.
It reminded me more of a very polished dark wood, like in a bar.


I am not familiar with this, but, the first sounds like the normal arising of the Vijnanas, and then the others are potential benefits of harnessing and re-directing them.

If you move something directly from the Sutra into experience, especially as dreams, it is harnessed and re-directed Vijnana. Happens to me occasionally. Too much environmental muck for consistency.

It was reversed from dreams -- the dreams were on solid ground with a body and 'normal' surroundings, the waking (shaking) state was the liquid. I don't know whether it was Removal of Fire Element, it was somehow using bliss to dissolve everything, but at the same time it drew a distinct equivalency between the lightning and that milk/curd/yogurt thing we discussed once before.

[shaberon]

There is even a "Buddhist" Ramayana which has a few detectable variances.

Yes, there's a whole section of a palace devoted to it in Bangkok. It's quite beautiful.


Interesting. Is there a way that it shows the "Buddhist variance?" I cannot remember what it is, but, I think a couple things are simply missing.



Farther North, this is the focus, because of the (formerly) Sita River, which if I recall correctly was the river now known as the Helmand River.

I see.

This is one of the sixteen rivers Agni's son Samsaya loves. I recall it was said to be in the Tarim basin.

If there is a tradition of "Sitayana" there, it would be good to see something from it.

Rama is just one of those things that is way overdone, so, I don't deal with him much. Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita is really not about Krishna. Pandara's name is related to Pandu, whose five sons including Yudisthira, is what it is about. The "common wife" Draupadi was said by HPB to be "human personality" and so the brothers must be pretty close to five skandhas or five senses.




Yes, I found that version of Caita. But it turns out to also be an Indian girl's name, and as such it means, "of or by the heart or mind".

Popular names tend to obstruct technical meaning.

Sometimes we work into a lather over the most basic things; the more common term in Mahamaya is "Yasca", which, according to Result Two (https://books.google.com/books?id=rPHVAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA66&ots=90WX6F-zuP&dq=yasca%20sanskrit%20meaning&pg=PA44#v=onepage&q=yasca%20sanskrit%20meaning&f=false), is a copy of an Avestan word meaning "and who". I am not sure if that would make sense?

yaśca mūle mukhe varṇaḥ, sa eva dehe iti prasiddhametat |

Maybe.


My dictionary gives the whole term 'parikalpita' - wished for, invented, settled, imagined.


Pretty much.

"I did not know Buddha so I invented television".



tasmādeva jñānānnirvikalpa sukhamāpnoti

That is why jnanan nirvakalpa sukha ma apnoti. (I think. My dictionary gives tasmAdeva = "that is why" from tasmin = "in this manner".)

Ok, I just took "deva" at face value, but, for some reason, "that is why" seems correct, not sure how it is different from tasma "therefor".

The last word I only find as part of Paryavapnoti:

masters, understands (words, a speech, a text, learning): often follows parallel form of Sanskrit vācayati

"That is why the Wisdom of Nirvikalpa helps me master Bliss"?




Whatever it is, the making several minds or states simultaneously available, or reversing them, like the other night, so that the ethereal feeling one is the waking one and the solid one is the dreaming, is not something I thought could be done.

A solid dream I might have trouble with.

Etherealizing a wakeful body not so much.


In general parlance, Vijnana is consciousness or even spiritual consciousness, but, is shaped a little differently in Buddhism:

it is true that to the author of Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra applied knowledge (vijnana) has only practical, and hence in the last analysis no real, application

Vijnana has three "levels", as a Skandha, an Element, and a Factor of Dependent Origination:

Vijñāna (विज्ञान, “consciousness”) (pali viññāṇa) refers to the third of twelve pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter X. From saṃskāra there arises a defiled mind (samalacitta), initial cause of the present existence. Because it is aware in the way that a calf (vatsa) is aware of its mother, it is called vijñāna, consciousness. This vijñāna produces both the four formless aggregates (arūpiskandha) [perception (saṃjñā), feeling (vedanā), volition (saṃskāra), consciousness (vijñāna)] and form (rūpa) which serves as base them. This is name and form, nāmarūpa.


So while we have a name, Gunavati, from Shiva Purana, nevertheless Buddhism appears to reverse the meaning there:

the root of true knowledge (vijñāna) is unswerving devotion (bhakti). The root of knowledge (jñāna) too is devotion.

They use Jnana in a mundane sense and Vijnana as spiritual truth.

It also commonly appears equivalent to Cittamatra as Vijnanamatra:

…is that only consciousness (vijnanamatra; hence the name Vijnanavada) is real and that external things do not exist. Thought or mind is the ultimate reality, and nothing exists outside the mind, according to this school.

or Vijnaptimatra.

Through individual Ignorance (Avidya), Vijnaptimatrata as the three vijnanas;

viz: Alayavijnana

Manas or Klishto manovijnana,

and Pravrittivijnana, by which is meant the six consciousnesses - the five sense consciousnesses (seeing, hearing, etc.) and the manovijnana or mind consciousness.


Is it a contradiction to Sunyata Matra or "Emptiness Only"?

No.

For Asanga and Vasubandhu, emptiness is the absence of subject object duality in the mind of the perceiver.

There remains nevertheless the undeniable fact of consciousness itself.

So in Shentong we would accept Citta and Sunya both as provisionally true, until joining them in the center without extremes.

Parikalpita:

The common sense world is pure imagination, covering up the true reality (dharmata or dharmadhatu), which is that ‘the imagination of something which is actually unreal’ (abhutaparikalpita).

Paratantra:

the ‘interdependent own-being’ is unlike the ‘imaginary own-being’, not entirely non-existent.

The characteristic feature of this knowledge is that it is not altogether a subjective creation produced out of pure nothingness, but it is a construction of some objective reality on which it depends for materials.

Parinispanna:

Thirdly we penetrate by means of pure thought to the absolute aspect of the data of experience.

Absolute knowledge, or ‘right cognition’, has immutable Suchness’ for its object, and for it the empirical object does absolutely not exist in the manner in which it is imagined’

The Alayavijnana [in] the Lankavatara which is identified with Tathagatagarbha or the Pure Citta is identical with the Vijnaptimatra of Vasubandhu. Both are pure Consciousness which is the permanent background of all phenomena, subjective as well as objective, and which ultimately transcends the subject and object duality.

From Vijnaptimatra (http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Yogacara:_''Vijnaptimatra''_is_a_Doctrine_of_Metaphysical_Idealism_!_(Class_Essay)).


Clear Light or Prabhasvara is Pure Consciousness.

Parinispanna is therefor the right relationship/right knowledge of Prabhasvara.

If Ultimate Consciousness cannot be "individualized", cannot be "you" as distinguished from "me", is why the Alaya or Sarvabijaka is not exactly part of man's personal organism.

The experience of it, is, of course, individual, Atma Vidya, or Atma as the individual perception of Brahman.

Nirakara is generally "Formless" even in Ramayana, however:

Nirākārajñānavāda (निराकारज्ञानवाद):—[=nir-ākāra-jñāna-vāda] [from nir-ākāra > nir > niḥ] 1. nir-ākāra-jñāna-vāda m. the doctrine that the perception of the outer world does not arise from images impressed on the mind, [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha].

Backwards right? There is no self collecting impressions.

There is a geyser from one's own consciousness or "Creator" which appears to "send forth" the world. Nirakara meditation gains control of this, and/or prevents it. That would be the Absolute state. Anything that is capable of producing a "new" image is not Absolute. And so we don't fully agree with what is more commonly called Citta Matra school, which seems to insist that the mind must keep something going and changing from time to time.

It is close, Citta Matra would hold true in the vast majority of experience, but again this is provisional not permanent. Citta Matra may be called Sakara Vijnana Vada (cf. Dharmapala).

We further find that the Yogacara outlook represented by this school later divided into two distinct systems, one which we might call the orthodox position and the other a popular offshoot. The orthodox position is that held by Vasubandhu's direct disciple Sthiramati, who advocated what is called nirakara-vijnana-vada (the doctrine of non-substantive consciousness) based on asserting the emptiness (sunyata) of both external objects and consciousness. This view was eventually transmitted by Paramartha (499-590 AD) to China, and is the same as that held by Tilopa, the founder of the Kagyu school of Tibet, as expressed in his song of Mahamudra called the Ganga-ma. It is also the viewpoint expounded by Acarya Manjusrimitra in the penultimate Yogacara treatise, the Bodhicittabhavana.

The popular or exoteric position:

Dharmapala's line of thought was transmitted to China by Hiuen Tsang, the famous Chinese pilgrim mentioned above, in the seventh century and has since had a significant impact on the practice of Zen in Japan. Huge efforts on the part of generations of Tibetan scholars have been spent attempting to demonstrate in logical terms the impractical basis of this latter doctrine.

Proponents (https://books.google.com/books?id=w0A7y4TCeVQC&lpg=PA281&ots=feKTd-MzrR&dq=nirakara%20vijnana%20vada&pg=PA282#v=onepage&q=nirakara%20vijnana%20vada&f=false) of Nirakara Vijnana Vada include Ratnakarasanti, Santaraksita, Kamalasila, and by extension Haribhadra.

Nirakara vs. Sakara and the nature of "Alaya" are the main things that caused splits in Buddhist schools.

I am not terribly interested in the argument, since I, at least, understand Nirakara experientially. So I have just found others who described it centuries ago, it is neither mine nor something I made up out of wishful thinking. Probably more like a memory in this case, like remembering the subject rather than your life in which you found it.




It is snakey since a lot of Buddhist Sanskrit is just lifted from normal language, but, in many cases, there is a change or difference in the definition or usage. Because I have only really studied the metaphysical terms, I am pretty lame with regular grammar and rhetoric and it sometimes takes a few tries.

[shaberon]

In it's mahayana form, it's incarnating to save the world, but by countless selfless beings, unlike the version to the West where there was only one.


Indeed, by the Sangha.

It is rare that a Full Buddha appears, whereas there are a lot of Bodhisattvas, in or out of incarnation.

Buddha enters Parinispanna and is unable to incarnate again, at least on this planet. He is the "best example" with "a teaching" and it is really others who keep it going.



It reminded me more of a very polished dark wood, like in a bar.


Never seen anything like that.

Perhaps it was "Earth Element" in that state.


It was reversed from dreams -- the dreams were on solid ground with a body and 'normal' surroundings, the waking (shaking) state was the liquid. I don't know whether it was Removal of Fire Element, it was somehow using bliss to dissolve everything, but at the same time it drew a distinct equivalency between the lightning and that milk/curd/yogurt thing we discussed once before.

That equivalency sounds pretty close to "you" being the Creator.

In this way, I believe the Akash or Mental plane is quite similar to physical nebulae, the nurseries of stars.

But it would be unrealistic for me to assume that any appearance of "sparks" is equal to Kadhyota.

In the light of the Yogacara teachings, according to Tibet Museum after visualizing Tara:

One simultaneously becomes inseparable from all her good qualities while at the same time realizing the emptiness of the visualization of oneself as the yidam and also the emptiness of one's ordinary self.

This occurs in the completion stage of the practice. One dissolves the created deity form and at the same time also realizes how much of what we call the "self" is a creation of the mind and has no long term substantial inherent existence. This part of the practice then is preparing the practitioner to be able to confront the dissolution of one's self at death and ultimately be able to approach through various stages of meditation upon emptiness, the realization of Ultimate Truth as a vast display of Emptiness and Luminosity. At the same time the recitation of the mantra has been invoking Tara's energy through its Sanskrit seed syllables and this purifies and activates certain psychic centers of the body (chakras). This also untangles knots of psychic energy which have hindered the practitioner from developing a Vajra body, which is necessary to be able to progress to more advanced practices and deeper stages of realization.

Therefore even in a simple Tara sadhana a plethora of outer, inner, and secret events is taking place...

...The mantra helps generate Bodhicitta within the heart of the practitioner and purifies the psychic channels (nadis) within the body allowing a more natural expression of generosity and compassion to flow from the heart center. Through experiencing Tara's perfected form, one acknowledges one's own perfected form, that is one's intrinsic Buddha nature, which is usually covered over by obscurations and clinging to dualistic phenomena as being inherently real and permanent.
The practice then weans one away from a coarse understanding of Reality, allowing one to get in touch with inner qualities similar to those of a bodhisattva, and prepares one's inner self to embrace finer spiritual energies, which can lead to more subtle and profound realizations of the Emptiness of phenomena and self.

As Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, in his Introduction to the Red Tara Sadhana, notes of his lineage: "Tara is the flawless expression of the inseparability of emptiness, awareness and compassion. Just as you use a mirror to see your face, Tara meditation is a means of seeing the true face of your mind, devoid of any trace of delusion".


Because she is a major guide on Dissolutions, removing Fire is dissolving Samjna Skandha:

The third dissolution is that of the aggregate of perception or discrimination – the ability to recognize what objects are. The internal experience is that you would no longer be aware of who people like close family and friends were, you would forget their names. The fire element diminishes, with the external sign that the body begins to lose its warmth. The nose sense-power deteriorates and we can no longer smell odours. The external sign is that the inhalation is weak, the exhalation stronger. The rhythm of breathing speeds up, like panting. The internal vision is sparks – a fire funnelled up through a chimney with the sparks flying into the night sky.

Hayagriva Center (https://www.hayagriva.org.au/wheel-of-life/death-process/) has one of the best summaries from four Rinpoches about it all. I, personally, think of it as the go-to process, since one is going to leave and return to this miserable ball of mud many times.

There are other methods, such as I believe the Nyingma school does it just with the Hum syllable, but I am a bit more comfortable with a deity who has an accessible Pure Land giving practice runs on it by meditation and then definitive placement at death.

I have never quite seen the vista where electricity plays with curds, but, to me, this has a lot more "potential" or feels like it is there in the background, unlike wood having much to do with the subtle body. But I don't like describing the types of prisons and obstacles I face, which would be a lot more drastic than a wooden appearance on a brief basis. It is like you saw "enough" of it to know that it "was" there, but, fortunately, you are not confined to it.

[Old Student]

Interesting. Is there a way that it shows the "Buddhist variance?" I cannot remember what it is, but, I think a couple things are simply missing.
As far as I can remember (I saw it several years ago), there were no changes to the story, only changes in meaning and role of characters -- meaning that they were described differently or given different status. Lots of scenes of the forest.


I see.

This is one of the sixteen rivers Agni's son Samsaya loves. I recall it was said to be in the Tarim basin.

If there is a tradition of "Sitayana" there, it would be good to see something from it.
The Helmand is in Afghanistan. There are several rivers in the Tarim. The analysis I saw didn't say there was a "Sitayana" it said there was an interest in the story of the Ramayana in which they cast it as happening there or near there because of the river. They were analyzing importations of Hindu deities into Buddhism that were extant in Khotan, which is in the Tarim, but they didn't say the Sita River was there that I can recall. The other major deity imported was Shiva, who was blended into one of the Buddhist deities, I don't remember which one.


"That is why the Wisdom of Nirvikalpa helps me master Bliss"?
Sounds reasonable.


A solid dream I might have trouble with.

Etherealizing a wakeful body not so much.

Not sure that this particular combination happens any other way.


It also commonly appears equivalent to Cittamatra as Vijnanamatra:

…is that only consciousness (vijnanamatra; hence the name Vijnanavada) is real and that external things do not exist. Thought or mind is the ultimate reality, and nothing exists outside the mind, according to this school.
I don't guess I was aware of there being two terms. Just "mind only school".


Nirākārajñānavāda (निराकारज्ञानवाद):—[=nir-ākāra-jñāna-vāda] [from nir-ākāra > nir > niḥ] 1. nir-ākāra-jñāna-vāda m. the doctrine that the perception of the outer world does not arise from images impressed on the mind, [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha].

Backwards right? There is no self collecting impressions.

There is a geyser from one's own consciousness or "Creator" which appears to "send forth" the world. Nirakara meditation gains control of this, and/or prevents it. That would be the Absolute state. Anything that is capable of producing a "new" image is not Absolute. And so we don't fully agree with what is more commonly called Citta Matra school, which seems to insist that the mind must keep something going and changing from time to time.

That doesn't sound so different if the outer world does not arise from perceptions of the mind, and if anything created by the "Creator" is not absolute then there isn't a role for mind, what is being 'kept going'?

[Old Student]

That equivalency sounds pretty close to "you" being the Creator.

In this way, I believe the Akash or Mental plane is quite similar to physical nebulae, the nurseries of stars.
Much more soupy than space, in my case.


I have never quite seen the vista where electricity plays with curds, but, to me, this has a lot more "potential" or feels like it is there in the background, unlike wood having much to do with the subtle body. But I don't like describing the types of prisons and obstacles I face, which would be a lot more drastic than a wooden appearance on a brief basis. It is like you saw "enough" of it to know that it "was" there, but, fortunately, you are not confined to it.
Fair enough, but I'm still not sure about why things were reversed. It has happened once again, completely different imagery, a very concrete, "real" feeling dream followed by a very non-corporeal shaking. My feeling is that this is being taught/is happening for a reason, and I'm just not figuring it out.

[shaberon]

The analysis I saw didn't say there was a "Sitayana" it said there was an interest in the story of the Ramayana in which they cast it as happening there or near there because of the river. They were analyzing importations of Hindu deities into Buddhism that were extant in Khotan, which is in the Tarim, but they didn't say the Sita River was there that I can recall. The other major deity imported was Shiva, who was blended into one of the Buddhist deities, I don't remember which one.


Ah, ok.

Tagore (https://books.google.com/books?id=fQntDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA115&ots=6G77jtLTNH&dq=samsya%20sixteen%20rivers&pg=PA116#v=onepage&q=samsya%20sixteen%20rivers&f=false) says that the Agni Yajna cult's fire was spread from the Sita River (Oxus or Jaxartes) to South India. Skanda Purana (https://books.google.com/books?id=aZjp0kIK5fsC&lpg=PA110&dq=samsya%20sixteen%20rivers&pg=PA110#v=onepage&q=samsya%20sixteen%20rivers&f=false) says that Agni propitiates Shiva for the boon that the sixteen rivers become his wives.

Or, a basis for a tantric Homa, if Shiva has an esoteric meaning to me and I will probably never be in any of his locations or linga, etc., then, so far, I understand what is intended by Nirajan.

There is also a Sita River in India, or was, it is going dry.

He does not really back up why he thinks the northern river was such a source, but, it sounds closer to Uttara Kuru at least.

I would be more prone to see such a Sita River as the source of Agni or Fire Philosophy, since I believe it was the occult tradition of ancient Central Asia, which has two branches, Eastern, or Aryan, and Western. or Zoroastrian.

I am not so sure I would move Lanka there. Because Ramayana, at least, involves Rama, and, historically it seems important to place him at Ayodhya, I think it is, ca. 5,000 B. C., and that historical Sita who lived shortly before Buddha is like a mini-repeat of this.

I think the difference in Buddhist Ramayana is there was no war.

In the original, ancient one there was, but I think the Buddhists may be referring to historical Sita.

Probably a cyclic saga in that way.

Inside India then you get the overlap from such Aryans with Kirats who came through China.

Lankans are thought of as Lemurians, in which case the story may cycle even further back into any arbitrarily large number of years you choose to give it. Million?

HPB told the oceanographers one day they would find a submerged mountain ridge going around South Africa, etc. How can you just say that and let it be discovered whenever it was?

The corresponding view is that there is not really such a thing as tectonic plate drift, aside from of course some meters or maybe a few kilometers, and that instead, the plates mostly move up and down.




I don't guess I was aware of there being two terms. Just "mind only school".


Yes, in fact I just noticed something because you can buy a reprint (https://www.bibliaimpex.com/index.php?p=sr&format=fullpage&Field=bookcode&String=02215) of Mahamaya tantra, with Gunavati comm. by Ratnakarasanti, critically edited Sanskrit text with Tibetan version by S. Rinpoche (Varanasi, 1992).

And, oh, that is what it says at the end of the third or Vajradakini section, same as we already have:

guṇavatīnāma mahāmāyātantraṭīkā
mahāpaṇḍitaratnākaraśāntipādānāṃ samāpteti|


Except the suggestion it is a "commentary" seems off. There is an author named Gunamati. This seems to name Gunavati as the tantra itself.

We have already found some of Ratnakarasanti's material and that he is author of a significant Hevajra commentary and Vajra Tara sadhana.

And so if he was active around the height of the Mahasiddha era or ca. 1,000, at that time he has landed in the philosophy disputes among the schools of Buddhism.



Treasury of Lives (https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Ratnakarasanti/23) has some of the best biographies:

Other disciples of Ratnākaraśānti claimed he was one of the central four guardians [at Vikramasila] and that the Buddha had predicted he would counter the increasing hegemony of Candrakīrti's incorrect and nihilistic interpretation of Nāgārjuna's Madhyamaka.


And so in general, Yogacara has been largely suppressed by Madhyamika. This has, to a limited extent, been countered, more like defrayed.

But in order to classify itself as "not-Cittamatra", this strand sometimes has been described as Yogacara Madhyamika. I had thought there was a fair continuity from Haribhadra to Shentong. According to an Oxford thesis (https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:9c168639-e2f8-4550-b515-e93a41c95045) supervised by Vesna Wallace:

Ratnakarasanti's Saratama sought to replace his teacher's [Dharmakirtisri's] Yogacara-Madhyamika framework with a causal explanation of Prajnaparamita through redefining the term Prajnaparamita as the path to awakening, rather than its goal. By unpacking that causal explanation in light of his broader system, the thesis demonstrates the way that Ratnakarasanti's own version of Nirakaravadin-Yogacara-Madhyamika refutes cognitive images (akara) as unreal ultimately, but claims they are still perceived by buddhas out of compassion. This conclusion debunks the long-standing theory that Ratnakarasanti was an Indian proponent of the controversial Tibetan gZhan-stong despite later gZhan-stong propon-ents' attempts to claim him as their own.

The second part consists of an annotated translation of the Saratama's introductory section, contrasted with the prior standard interpretation by Haribhadra's (9th century C.E.).


It may be interesting to see what they have gotten into. If it means Shentong, I do not understand why we would not say Buddhas perceive any realm due to intense compassion. All we are saying is that there is an Imagelessness accessible in Formless meditation. If this is practically the same thing as said by Adwaitees, we say to them yes but I am going to go back out from it into a Realm and conduct Enlightened Activity.

On the Tibetan side, Taranatha, Dolpapa, and H. H. 3rd Karmapa in Luminous Heart are thought of as further bastions in a "minority trend".





Citta Matra school, which seems to insist that the mind must keep something going and changing from time to time.

That doesn't sound so different if the outer world does not arise from perceptions of the mind, and if anything created by the "Creator" is not absolute then there isn't a role for mind, what is being 'kept going'?

Sakara. If the form or mind terminology is confusing, call it Time.

He who knows what Time itself dissolves into knows the Vedas.

I have no idea if that is what it says for example if we crack open the thesis, but, that is usually how I take the difference between One and Zero.

One has divisions, moments of time, and zero does not.

The Point has zero dimension.

There are terms for the Point, perceived everywhere, found nowhere, which alone has Infinite Extension and Permanent Duration, which is normally not even represented in its bounding plane of manifestation and reflection, the Circle.

In original Theosophy:

Prabhavapyaya (prabhavāpyaya) is a Sanskrit term formed by two words: prabhava (प्रभव) meaning "source" or "origin"; and apyaya (अप्यय) can be translated as "cessation" or "dissolution".[1] Thus, the compund term means "the orignal source and place of dissolution".

In Stanza I, verse 8, Mme. Blavatsky translates this term as "the One Form of Existence", that from which the cosmos originates and into which it dissolves back:

The tendency of modern thought is to recur to the archaic idea of a homogeneous basis for apparently widely different things—heterogeneity developed from homogeneity. . . . The Secret Doctrine carries this idea into the region of metaphysics and postulates a “One Form of Existence” as the basis and source of all things. But perhaps the phrase, the “One Form of Existence,” is not altogether correct. The Sanskrit word is Prabhavapyaya, “the place, or rather plane, whence emerges the origination, and into which is the resolution of all things,” says a commentator. . . . It is, in its secondary stage, the Svâbhâvat of the Buddhist philosopher, the eternal cause and effect, omnipresent yet abstract, the self-existent plastic Essence and the root of all things, viewed in the same dual light as the Vedantin views his Parabrahm and Mulaprakriti, the one under two aspects.


According to David Reigle:

The word prabhavāpyaya is found in the fourth verse of the cosmogony account derived from the original Purāṇa-saṃhitā, as may be seen in the September 1 (2012) posting: Creation Stories: The Cosmogony Account from the Purāṇas, Part 2. “In the Beginning” as Derived from the Original Purāṇa-saṃhitā. This verse is:

anādy-antam ajaṃ sūkṣmaṃ tri-guṇaṃ prabhavāpyayam |

asāmpratam avijñeyaṃ brahmāgre samavarttata || 4.20 ||


also:

A synonym for Brahman-pradhana.


Zero or Laya still exists during the times when Realms appear strewn over it.

Laya Points (https://theosophy.wiki/en/Laya_Centre) are more like a "chemical condition" than a mathematical point.

The worlds (https://books.google.com/books?id=JAFjzZ_9NFYC&lpg=PA109&ots=BgOhM47weu&dq=laya%20zero%20point&pg=PA109#v=onepage&q=laya%20zero%20point&f=false) are not built upon, neither over, nor in the Laya Centres. They are for the motion of Fohat (https://books.google.com/books?id=tEgwAAAAYAAJ&lpg=RA9-PA23&ots=WIU5mUm8o2&dq=laya%20zero%20point&pg=RA9-PA23#v=onepage&q=laya%20zero%20point&f=false).


Complete Stoppage is equivalent to Bagalamukhi who is Pitambara as we recently found in Buddhakapala Tantra.

There didn't seem to be much doubt that Parameswara was involved.

Adi Sankara also held the same belief called "Illusionist", that the absolute mind was unchanging eternal, refuting a common popular view that it changes with time. And so, while, in his personal opinion, he had refuted Buddhism by debating some of its members, he never met anyone from Nirakara Yogacara.


I am not sure if I can speak much about the competing view or represent it fairly. But I am fairly comfortable that at least in certain streams of Buddhist, Shakta, and Shaivite yoga, there is some amount of agreement about a No or Zero Time condition.

In having said that, I am also saying that the simple fact in nature that this no or zero is the Truth is useless without the Image or Svasamvedana, Circle, or Ouruborous, etc., being of divine inspiration rather than artificially assembled.

[shaberon]

Much more soupy than space, in my case.


I try to keep reminding myself about this palpable liquidy-ness.

It sounds kind of important in a way that I have been weak on.




It has happened once again, completely different imagery, a very concrete, "real" feeling dream followed by a very non-corporeal shaking. My feeling is that this is being taught/is happening for a reason, and I'm just not figuring it out.


The closer to concrete and real dream, but in some other place, sounds to me like what I would call a projection of Mayavi Rupa descending through the planes, and so i.e. you might even cross into the physical world.


If you were, so to speak, "stuck" in the Linga Sarira or astral body, it would be more like the thing you described as projecting when you were young.

It would be difficult to say a reason for the weird combination...my guess is that things are mostly either for the gaining of an ability, or communication.

[Old Student]

Tagore says that the Agni Yajna cult's fire was spread from the Sita River (Oxus or Jaxartes) to South India.
Okay, those are to the West, due north of the Helmand. They go through the Kyzyl Kum and Kara Kum deserts. Sounds like everybody knows the Sita river goes through a desert. The Helmand ends in the desert instead of going to the sea.

He probably puts it there because the Aryan invasion came from near there, or near Herat, the Aryans were Persians. There were outposts of Harappa in Afghanistan for mining, so stuff around there is very old.


And so if he was active around the height of the Mahasiddha era or ca. 1,000, at that time he has landed in the philosophy disputes among the schools of Buddhism.

The philosophy disputes were in part because of the collapse of the Buddhist world. Khotan falls in 1003, Srivijaya and Pala also fall around then. Mahmud of Ghazni invades the Purushpur and the Sindh.


Sakara. If the form or mind terminology is confusing, call it Time.

I'm not familiar with this term.


He who knows what Time itself dissolves into knows the Vedas.

I have no idea if that is what it says for example if we crack open the thesis, but, that is usually how I take the difference between One and Zero.

One has divisions, moments of time, and zero does not.

The Point has zero dimension.

There are terms for the Point, perceived everywhere, found nowhere, which alone has Infinite Extension and Permanent Duration, which is normally not even represented in its bounding plane of manifestation and reflection, the Circle.

If taken as dimensions, maybe. Otherwise, zero is the origin. Or it is the identity element, or a whole lot of other things. It turns out there is a thing called "Pointless topology" in which spaces and systems are put together without any points, points then are not fundamental, they are derived. Or they could be complicated, strings, branes, in String Theory, where a point can be several dimensions rolled up.


Zero or Laya still exists during the times when Realms appear strewn over it.

Laya Points are more like a "chemical condition" than a mathematical point.

The worlds are not built upon, neither over, nor in the Laya Centres. They are for the motion of Fohat.
Interesting reference to mathematics in her stuff. Not sure zero point or zero line is math, it's probably physics.


I am not sure if I can speak much about the competing view or represent it fairly. But I am fairly comfortable that at least in certain streams of Buddhist, Shakta, and Shaivite yoga, there is some amount of agreement about a No or Zero Time condition.
Being from a math/physics background, if there is no time then there is no space either. The Big Bang arises from a point, it creates both time and space as it explodes.

[Old Student]

Much more soupy than space, in my case.

I try to keep reminding myself about this palpable liquidy-ness.

It sounds kind of important in a way that I have been weak on.
I do believe in the doctrine that the teachings are tailored to the student. For me, there are very different liquid and space states. The liquid gets used to handle transitions is something I had talked about.

But in this case, the liquid was just that I was dissolving, and I happened at the time of dissolving to have a lot of lightning, so along with the rest of me the lightning also dissolved -- into a liquid. It was my first experience with reversing the dreaming and shaking states, I've done it in very much more mundane fashion once since then. I'm really not sure what I am learning with it, unless it just puts lots of different consciousness states on a par with each other or something. I had thought I was learning all this because one can go places using dreams and then sort of materialize in them in shaking. So maybe this was a place or something. Where everything was liquid.


...you might even cross into the physical world.
This is what I was thinking, too.


It would be difficult to say a reason for the weird combination...my guess is that things are mostly either for the gaining of an ability, or communication.
So I guess I stay tuned. It really is a weird feeling.

[shaberon]

The philosophy disputes were in part because of the collapse of the Buddhist world. Khotan falls in 1003, Srivijaya and Pala also fall around then. Mahmud of Ghazni invades the Purushpur and the Sindh.


I am trying to pick my way through the thesis and it is very difficult.

Reading between the lines, there evidently was a kind of collective challenge to...I am not exactly sure who to call them...but those teachers who were in the position of why anyone should pay attention to Prajnaparamita Sutra out of the bevy of extant Sutras.

Ratnakarasanti seems to be ripping at a Nirakara tendency to dismiss The Illusion along with the Sakara position that cognitive objects are real.

He contends that Luminosity is real, which is Prajnaparamita--Prakasa.

“luminosity” (prakāśa), which should be distinguished from “lucidity” (prabhāsvaratā)

He molds her into a Hetu or Cause which is the same way we have portrayed Vajrasattva and thereby placed him at the *beginning* of a Pancha Jina, rather than at the end or above them as if he were the discovered or accumulated King, or crown of them.


For Ratnākaraśānti, Prajñāpāramitā is a proper topic to be investigated, since
Prajñāpāramitā can be recognized by reflexive awareness (svasaṃvedana), but
cannot be found (avidita) by ordinary consciousness (citta) with a grasper and
grasped.


That is the exact statement of original Theosophy, at least with respect to Paramartha, and so the pro-Sutra argument is then to say, well, this Prajnaparamita is equivalent to Paramartha.

And so he is strongly pushing her as a path, a sadhana, Hetu Phala.

Given that we can see he was an adept of Hevajra Tantra, it is pretty easy to get where he is coming from. Haribhadra is not really known for any tantric works.

However he is virtually unknown in Tibet and the main Prajnaparamita commentary is from Haribhadra.

In part he is saying Prajnaparamita is the Path and the Path is Prajnaparamita, identity, as experience, which is of course a tantric view underpinning the Sutra.

He took time to define the Vastus or "things" such as the Skandhas, Dhatus, and Ayatanas as nothing new because they are already in the Abhidharma, and, from there, goes on to argue that if the Sutra has things in it that are not new, what is its point, purpose? And that is how Prajnaparamita comes around as a type of immanent deity. But he does not use that word, it is just an argument and conclusion, so, it is not really a tantric exposition. But it is like he has injected tantra already into people who do not realize they are doing it.





Sakara. If the form or mind terminology is confusing, call it Time.

I'm not familiar with this term.

It is...sticky because there are differentiations or gradations, such as Sakara Madhyamika and Sakara Yogacara...but, to present it in the way it seems to come out here:


The implication of this
characterization in the context of the MPS/MAv is that propounding “everything” to
exist means propounding both luminosity and cognitive images to be real—as
opposed to Ratnākaraśānti’s position which holds only luminosity to be real. Hence,
this MPS/MAv “everything exists” position likely refers to a SākāravādinMādhyamika. Given that this “everything exists” ultimate position cannot be
differentiated from the ultimate position that Prajñākaragupta holds, we cannot
exclude Prajñākaragupta from being considered a representative of SākāravādinMādhyamika in Ratnākaraśānti’s particular way of classifying schools.





Being from a math/physics background, if there is no time then there is no space either. The Big Bang arises from a point, it creates both time and space as it explodes.

Yes, if that is what happens.

Steady State or Electric Universe has quite a few good posts on here. Again, it is something I have no need to bitterly argue about, but, it may still be open for question. Einstein said "if there is an ether, I am wrong".

Relativity, perhaps, is a 99% accurate good lead which is overpowered by Quantum events that are not understood.

From what I recall, the Sun "uses" the Imaginary Number i to emit photons, whereas the most basic cells in order to absorb oxygen use Quantum Tunneling.

The Nodes of the Moon are the most powerful Grahas and they are not even objects.

In the Yogacara perspective, once it is realized this Zero is kind of sacred, not much is really said about it because the answer is silence, and then it is like having Prajnaparamita blow one flat and one enters the Nirvritti. In other words just meditates the state.

Sadhanas often refer to the End of Time, Pralaya Sannibha and other synonyms, according to Koothoomi which means direct fire from our Central Sun which is in Hercules then described as Ananta spewing venom throughout the world and I guess matter in its active condition will be finished.

According to Sivekshin this Varuni or Hellfire is Dense Dark Light.

So it will say a deity is engulfed in a blaze like the fire at the end of time thus acknowledging the Pralaya or Nirvrtti.

Bagalamukhi is personally defined as a complete stoppage of mental formations and subtle wind; paralysis; stambhana; the use of her Hercules-like club. Crane Face.

Zero Heat is defined as the cessation of all molecular activity. I do not know if this is in some way actually possible, i. e. Heat Death, or only predictable.

[shaberon]

...you might even cross into the physical world.

This is what I was thinking, too.


So I guess I stay tuned. It really is a weird feeling.


I bet it is.

With a little more retrospection, I might say I have a similar sensation or experience to the things you are talking about, with the liquid known as Dew.

Perhaps even Fog and Dew.

That would be in a subtle mental way, I suppose, compared to physically, nothing much more than "sea waves", in a similar way to what felt like a Needle pulling a Thread with Sheaths relatively recently.

There have been people who accidentally and unintentionally "dropped" into the physical world, such as the lady who was seen "haunting" a house until she showed up to buy it.

Being able to do that at will is another story.

Being able to do it into Kama Loka and Akanistha another still.

In the terms of Kama Loka only the two lowest planes have anything to do with our world. If the second plane is "governed" by Indra, when he is there, if he is successful, it is, so to speak, always mastered by Tvastr or Vulcan. From there, to our world, in the terms of original Theosophy, are a plane of Prana or Jiva, and one of Linga Sarira or astral double or image of this world.

If I look in Shakta terms, this plane of Prana appears to be that of Sri Nagara and Tripura Sundari, so then when a Murti such as Bhuvaneshvari has her toe on the Sri Yantra, then she has also the Mother nature of a higher plane free in space and so forth, such deities eventually understood as Prakriti and Mula Prakriti or homogenized matter which can enter a zero or passive condition. Whether by gravity, loss of heat, radiation by dark energy, or what method it means physically, is hard for me to say.


Theosophy is relatively close in that Space--Akash and Matter--Prakriti are identities:

Akâsa—of which Ether is the grossest form—the fifth universal Cosmic Principle (to which corresponds and from which proceeds human Manas).

This principle is sometimes referred to as primordial or cosmic substance, which is the vehicle of the Divine Thought, or Cosmic Ideation. It is the higher aspect of the manifested cosmic matter or Prakriti:

The Tibetan esoteric Buddhist doctrine teaches that Prakriti is cosmic matter, out of which all visible forms are produced; and Akâsa that same cosmic matter—but still more imponderable, its spirit, as it were, “Prakriti” being the body or substance, and Akâsa-Sakti its soul or energy.

Akâsa, then, is Pradhâna in another form. . . . It is, as said, the noumenon of the seven-fold differentiated Prakriti.
After a Maha-pralaya Akasha is "resolved back again into the primary state of abstract potential objectivity" (mulaprakriti). When the manvantaric impulse re-awakens and Akasha is evolved, it becomes the upadhi of the cosmic ideation.


It perhaps may be more frequently said that Prakriti is the root from which arises Akash and the Mahabhuts, but, the first Prakriti and Akash are basically the same either way.

[Old Student]

Yes, if that is what happens.

Steady State or Electric Universe has quite a few good posts on here. Again, it is something I have no need to bitterly argue about, but, it may still be open for question. Einstein said "if there is an ether, I am wrong".
Neither has much credibility among physicists.


Relativity, perhaps, is a 99% accurate good lead which is overpowered by Quantum events that are not understood.
Relativity is much more than 99% accurate, and is not overpowered by quantum events. Yes, there are quantum events that are not understood.


From what I recall, the Sun "uses" the Imaginary Number i to emit photons, whereas the most basic cells in order to absorb oxygen use Quantum Tunneling.
The latter statement may be true, there is thought to be also some tunneling involved with some enzymatic processes by some scientists. I don't even know what it would mean to "use the number i to emit photons". i is the square root of -1, it is used symbolically for complex numbers, but they can also be generated as just taking a two dimensional field with certain properties, as can the quaternions, which use i, j, and k. The Schroedinger equation is a complex equation, the number i shows up in it. Maybe that's where something like that could have come from. But it doesn't mean anything.


Zero Heat is defined as the cessation of all molecular activity. I do not know if this is in some way actually possible, i. e. Heat Death, or only predictable.
Meaning, I guess, absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin). It was defined that way but quantum mechanics does not allow that state to exist (same reason as quantum tunneling) so there is something called the lambda-line for helium (which is the only thing liquid near there) where crossing it actually sees the molecular activity increase in a very strange way, causing what are called superfluids -- macroscopic fluids of liquid helium which act as a single or small number of quantum particles. Since those discoveries, other materials have been found to exhibit superfluidity at higher temperatures, they are a big research area.

[Old Student]

With a little more retrospection, I might say I have a similar sensation or experience to the things you are talking about, with the liquid known as Dew.

Perhaps even Fog and Dew.

That would be in a subtle mental way, I suppose, compared to physically, nothing much more than "sea waves", in a similar way to what felt like a Needle pulling a Thread with Sheaths relatively recently.
I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if the state had been replaced by dew. That brings up 'images' of bleeding into the breeze, and of the rainbow drops. Not sure this is what you meant.


Being able to do that at will is another story.
So far, being able to do anything at will has been limited to using some will to bring the dreams into shaking, and to being forced to do something in response to direct consequences. I'm not very good at the 'at will' stuff yet.


...such deities eventually understood as Prakriti and Mula Prakriti or homogenized matter which can enter a zero or passive condition. Whether by gravity, loss of heat, radiation by dark energy, or what method it means physically, is hard for me to say.
I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why such pre-matter or root-matter is conceived of as having a zero condition. That's certainly not an equilibrium condition in this universe.


After a Maha-pralaya Akasha is "resolved back again into the primary state of abstract potential objectivity" (mulaprakriti). When the manvantaric impulse re-awakens and Akasha is evolved, it becomes the upadhi of the cosmic ideation.
This is where it is given meaning, "primary state of abstract potential objectivity". Why would that be associated with zero energy?

[shaberon]

Neither has much credibility among physicists.


No, they don't, but see for example Wade Frazier's thread on here.

It is a difficult thing which usually leads to bashing, and, I think, is the dirty truth behind the French Revolution.

The outer path of original Theosophy is a weapon against two things: religious dogmatism, such as the 1879 Papal Bull about the Johannite Heresy, and materialistic science, which was already in sway.

Dead Souls Materialism is a school of thought which evidently plucked Newton's Tensor Calculus and had vested interests emplace it in European universities contra the school of Leibiniz.

We also have on here the original Maxwell Quarternion Equations (Tesla science) which have been "simplified" to four tensors (Bell science).

What is terrifying is that in the math and science training I had, yes, there was a total sense that "I learned this calculus, so all the other competing ideas are nonsense".

The ideas of tectonic plates as rising pegs, and the non-Big Bang or Steady State Universe, can be found to still be institutionally oppressed in a way that is much more overbearing than a debate process.

The Theosophical statement is that this oppression began with Aristotle and has historical continuity from there.

Newton was a Natural Scientist who valued Alchemy--which seems like it probably originally was the European equivalent of the secret doctrine of tantra--and astrology, or intelligences in nature, or pantheism.

If we might say the original French Revolution was "legitimate"--i. e. an attack against the government--but turned into a fracas, the Terror, its architect Maxillillien Robespierre then warned that there was yet something else beyond him which then he was terrified of. It was English in origin and more connected to some of the Encyclopedists; vested interests with a hand in shaping science and history.






I don't even know what it would mean to "use the number i to emit photons". i is the square root of -1, it is used symbolically for complex numbers, but they can also be generated as just taking a two dimensional field with certain properties, as can the quaternions, which use i, j, and k. The Schroedinger equation is a complex equation, the number i shows up in it. Maybe that's where something like that could have come from. But it doesn't mean anything.


No, not the way I said it. However it simply appears in a solution step of a particular equation. It is not that "i" just says "Hi, I'm i", but the solution is balanced by dividing both sides of the equation by some type of function; or, rather, it is like multiplying both sides by x/x, and then when you simplify the left side, you get i as a factor.

I cannot remember exactly what the mechanical question or problem was, but, I am pretty sure it was along the lines of converting fusion energy to visible radiation. Possibly taking into account polarization.

All I am getting at is that there can be laws or math which may not be fully explained, and that things that are believed explained are not necessarily completely so.

For instance I might suggest that Ether Drift experiments are not asking the right question towards the Ether of metaphysics.

How does an ideal Foucault Pendulum work?




Since those discoveries, other materials have been found to exhibit superfluidity at higher temperatures, they are a big research area.

So Entropy ceases to be dominant at this threshhold. Too much material resistance against fading out.

What about spontaneous neutron decay? In which case the Helium, etc., is no longer there.

The worst one is False Vacuum Collapse, from which as I recall, there is a solvable mathematical entity whereby if the universe is found to be false, the whole thing instantly vanishes with no trace.

How could we in any way define or limit Potential Energy?



Occultly, physical ether would correspond to what we call Akash which is really the Cosmic or Mental Plane above the Kama Loka. It has a nature that is self-luminous and is synonymous with Prakrti. And this is Space.

From the physical view, we would probably say, well, space is pretty doggone dark unless it is occupied by something radiant.

What color is Dark Matter or Dark Energy? The stuff that is twenty times more powerful than the observed baryonic or star system matter.

Time is quantized by the Planck scale at around 10^-34 seconds, which would correspond to the Yogacara view that Time is the apparent succession of a series of static states.


HPB did not really give out a particularly detailed exposition of Buddhism, aside from talking about Yogacara and then making the Three Natures a main part of her Secret Doctrine and actually doing a decent job with these. Aside from the inflections of this or that school of it, Yogacara can be found beginning in Sandhinirmocana Sutra ca. 150. Thereafter, Asanga and Vasubandhu re-vitalized it in the 300s, according to legend by inspiration from Maitreya. And so it would be correct to say this doctrine has been rolling around on a sutra basis for quite awhile, and why HPB would refer to an esoteric or non-public Book of Maitreya.

There turn out to be patterns in many of the subjects that come up.

Similarly, here again, I was simply unaware of the significance of the author of the Vajra Tara sadhana which the Sadhanamala text is almost "about".

He is also in the middle of the original textual tradition. Prajnaparamita as he is discussing it is voluminous and some of the points are difficult. But there is something else.

Lankavatara Sutra may appear to contradict the following and I am not going to deal with that right now. But a great deal of what I or we mean by Yogacara--without disputing its technical qualifier or sub-species--is more simply based in
Srimaladevi Simhanada Sutra (https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Srimala_Sutra).

A complete Sanskrit original is no longer extant, but extensive quotations are found in the Sanskrit text of the Ratnagotravibhāga as well as some recently discovered fragments conserved in the Schøyen Collection.

The Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra was translated to Chinese in 436 CE by Guṇabhadra (394-468).

Brian Edward Brown, a specialist in Buddha-nature doctrines, writes that the composition of the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra occurred during the Īkṣvāku Dynasty in the 3rd century CE as a product of the Caitika schools of the Mahāsāṃghikas. Alex Wayman has outlined eleven points of complete agreement between the Mahāsāṃghikas and the Śrīmālā, along with four major arguments for this association. Anthony Barber also associates the earlier development of the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra with the Mahāsāṃghikas, and concludes that the Mahāsāṃghikas of the Āndhra region were responsible for the inception of the Buddha-nature doctrine. In the 6th century CE, Paramārtha wrote that the Mahāsāṃghikas revere the sūtras that teach the Buddha-nature doctrine.

Translation (http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/SrimalaDeviSutra.htm) of the Simhanada Sutra



This Sutra is a major basis for the almost-as-old
RGV (https://encyclopediaofbuddhism.org/wiki/Ratnagotravibh%C4%81ga). The text was originally composed in Sanskrit, likely between the middle of the third century and no later than 433 CE. Authorship is uncertain, the Tibetan tradition states it was taught by the Bodhisattva Maitreya and transmitted via Asanga, while the Chinese tradition states it was written by a certain Sāramati. Modern scholarship favors Sāramati. [or Sthiramati]

The RGV itself has very little commentarial evidence or evident history for many centuries, even though it was spread far and wide.

Mathes relates a version of the traditional textual transmission of the RGV by Maitripada (also called "Maitrīpa", ca. 1007-ca.1085), the disciple of Naropa and the guru of Marpa Lotsawa, and proffers his critical analysis that Maitripada's teachers Jñanasrimitra (980-1040) of Vikramashila and Ratnākaraśānti must have had access to the RGV, RGVV and/or their extracts:

Tradition has it that the Dharmadharmatāvibhaga and the Ratnagotravibhāga were rediscovered and taught by Maitrīpa, but Maitrīpa's teacher at Vikramashila, Jñānaśrīmitra (ca. 980-1040), must have already known these two works when he composed his Sākārasiddhiśāstra and Sākārasamgraha. Ratnākaraśānti, another teacher of Maitrīpa, also quotes the Ratnagotravibhāga in the Sūtrasamuccayabhāṣya. Maitrīpa passed the Dharmadharmatāvibhaga and the Ratnagotravibhāga on to *Ānandakīrti and Sajjana.


So Ratnakarasanti was is the position of a general audience who may have been resistant to Prajnaparamita to begin with, and so probably were not much informed about how RGV might work. They resisted terminology such as a possible "fourth kaya".


The principal subject matter of this treatise [RGV] is the special theory of Dhatu (fundamental element) of the Absolute (Tathagata-garbha = essence of Buddha)...

If Dhatu is a simple "word substitution" for Hindu Atma, then, the principal subject is teaching what it means differently.

Both the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra and the Ratnagotravibhāga enunciate the idea that the buddha-nature is possessed of four transcendental qualities:

Permanence

Bliss

Self

Purity

The buddha-nature is ultimately identifiable as the dharmakāya. These elevated qualities make of the Buddha one to whom devotion and adoration could be given...

Tibetan Dzogchen commentaries describe the text in terms of five chapters that distill seven 'diamond points' (vajrapada):

'Buddha' (Wylie: sangs-rgyas)
'Dharma' (Wylie: chos)
'Sangha'
'Essence' (Sanskrit: dhātu; Wylie: khams)
'Awakened' (Sanskrit: bodhi; Wylie: byañ-chub)
'Qualities' (Sanskrit: guna; Wylie: yon-tan)
'Activities' (Sanskrit: karman; Wylie: phyin-las' )


Almost anyone can recognize those as the Five Families with the addition of Dhatu and Bodhi.

It is "the root of all these sadhanas" and therefor why the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment are such a powerful corresponding retinue. When you cross this sutra definition with that tantric one, you have everything boiled down.


What happens with the Yogacara Three Natures is that there is a major body of teachings all bounded within Parikalpita, or the first nature, mostly concerned with emptiness and non-ego, and then the second nature which mostly concerns Suchness only has a narrow bandwidth of subtle teachings.

Vajrayana is the path of ceasing to revolve between the Two Truths, Conventional and Ultimate. From the Ratnakarasanti thesis on the role of Suchness:

Here, the transformation of the path refers to the bodhisattva path, which is
transmundane during the meditation sessions, but mundane in the post-meditation
practice of the pāramitās and so on. Whereas the first transformation correlated to
seeing the dependent nature’s emptiness of the imagined nature in order to counteract
the negativities which might be connected with the achievement of the path of seeing,
this transformation appears to be a result of the path of cultivation. On the path to
buddhahood, the bodhisattva alternates between transmundane and mundane
awareness, but in buddhahood there is no longer any alternation from mundane to
transmundane. A buddha is ceasing to be on a path of mundane learning based on
antidotes to negativity, but is proceeding as a transmundane path of no more learning
without any antidotes. This transmundane awareness is sheer luminosity.
Ratnākaraśānti then describes the third transformation:

Also, those [buddhas] have the basis that is the suchness of all
qualities (sarvadharmāḥ). Their transformation of that is the absolute
purity of all the adventitious obstructions.

Here, the absolute purity of all adventitious obstructions is the natural purity that is
suchness. Although Ratnākaraśānti does not state it as a rule of what ceases and what
continues, we can understand that there is some small final obstruction that ceases
here—through the Vajra-like concentration (vajropamasamādhi) at the end of the
bodhisattva grounds—and the absolute, i.e. natural, purity continues on. This is the
moment where the buddha achieves the body of qualities (dharmakāya), as
Ratnākaraśānti explains:

That transformation of (1) the basis of negativity, (2) the basis of the
path, and (3) the basis of suchness of the buddhas is precisely their
awakening, precisely their body of qualities (dharmakāya), [understanding the Sanskrit compound to mean] the body, i.e. basis, of the
qualities of a buddha. It also is called [a buddha’s] natural body
(svābhāvikakakāya), given that suchness and luminosity remain (avasthāna) absolutely in [their] own nature.


In the original, his phrase for Suchness and Luminosity is Tathata Prakasa Svarupa Atyanta:

KTṭ (231): yeyaṃ buddhānāṃ dauṣṭhulyāśrayasya mārgāśrayasya tathatāśrayasya ca parāvṛttiḥ
saiva teṣāṃ bodhiḥ saiva dharmakāyaḥ, buddhadharmāṇāṃ kāya āśraya iti kṛtvā. svābhāvikaḥ kāya
ity apy ucyate, tathatāprakāśayoḥ svarūpeṇātyantam avasthānāt.


Ati Anta, beyond or above endings and boundaries; or, Atyanta, Nothingness of Nothingness.

In the comparative analysis, other texts give Natural Luminosity as Prakriti Prabhasvara:

Cf. ASbh (93:par.106) nirantarāśrayaparivṛttividhā 'śaikṣamārgalābhinaḥ| cittāśrayaparivṛttir dharmatā, cittasya prakṛtiprabhāsvarasyāśeṣāgantukopakleśāpagamādyā parivṛttiḥ, tathatāparivṛttir ity arthaḥ| mārgāśrayaparivṛtiḥ pūrvalaukiko mārgo'bhisamayakāle lokottaratvena parivṛtaḥ śaikṣaś cocyate sāvaśeṣakaraṇīyatvāt| yadā tu
nirhatāśeṣavipakṣo bhavati traidhātukavairāgyāt tadāsya mārgasvabhāvasyāśrayasya paripūrṇā
parivṛttir vyavasthāpyate| dauṣṭhulyāśrayaparivṛttir ālayavijñānasya sarvakleśānuśayāpagamena parivṛttir veditavyā.


Does the synonym Prakasa have a scriptural precursor, yes, Lotus Sutra:

Prakāśa (प्रकाश).—nt. for regular m., light: yad andhakāraṃ tat prakāśam iti saṃjānīṣe, yac ca prakāśaṃ tad andha- kāram iti saṃjānīṣe Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 135.4 f.



Occult Ether is more of the nature of Root Matter which resembles Space but also Luminosity. And so it is possible that the term Prabhasvara on its own means more "luminous" than it is "Natural Luminosity", i. e. the difference is that it may be something formed into a syllable or object which glows, whereas root matter is formless.

Prakrti is in Sadhanamala somewhat selectively.

Vistara Khasarpana and Vistara Tara do Prakrti Parishuddha.

Prakrtiprabhasvara is used by Manjushri a few times, and is the environment of Advayavajra's (Maitri's) Vajravarahi:

raktapaṃkārajam aṣṭadalapadmaṃ tadvaraṭake ālikālipariṇatacandra-
sūryyasampuṭamadhye raktavajrāntargataṃ raktavaṃkāraṃ prakṛtiprabhāsvaraṃ
paśyet /


Unmodified prabhasvara is near the beginning:

akṣararūpaṃ bodhicittasvarūpaṃ prabhāsvaram ātmānaṃ paśyet /

Arapacana:

paramārthasārthaṃ punar ātmadehaṃ prabhāsvaraṃ taṃ sakṛd eva paśyet //

Manjushri:

mañjuśrīrūpaparāvṛttam amitābhabuddharūpam ātmānaṃ
dharmadhātusamaṃ prabhāsvaraṃ bhāvayet /

White Kurukulla:

oṃ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako 'habhityanena
mantreṇa śūnyatāṃ vibhāvya tritattvenādhiṣṭhāya punar ātmāna-
m ākāśe citralikhitam iva prabhāsvararūpaṃ cintayet /



With a close look, Prakrti and Prakasa appear to be used in characterizing what I would call the two main practical mantras, Purity mantra and Emptiness mantra, or Svabhava and Sunyata. What holds true in the majority of Sadhanamala practices that have any amount of detail, the Four Brahma Vihara are ported into Voidness; the Purity mantra is said, which is something like "cue for voidness". And then whatever the sadhana is about, is said to begin arising from void.

When the student adds the second mantra then we are saying that within the practice is found a Jnana or Gnosis, Self Knowledge or Atma Vidya that is direct.

And so for example, Vistara Tara is going to apply the first mantra as Prakrti Parishuddha; and then for Emptiness mantra, she teaches it as, a rather large word, which ends in Citra Advaita Prakasa Matra Atmaka, as what the experience is like:

caturbrahmavihārabhāvanānantaraṃ
sarvadharmaprakṛtipariśuddhatāṃ bhāvayet / sarva
eva dharmāḥ prakṛtyā svabhāvena pariśuddhā aham api prakṛtipariśuddha
ityādikam āmukhīkuryāt / imāṃ ca sarvadharmaprakṛtipariśuddhatām
anena mantreṇādhitiṣṭhet oṃ svabhāvaśuddhāḥ
sarvadharmāḥ svabhāvaśuddho 'ham iti / yadi prakṛtipariśuddhāḥ
sarvadharmāḥ kutas tarhi saṃsāram āvahati ? grāhyagrāhakādimalāvṛtatvāt /
tadvigamopāyaḥ sanmārgabhāvanā,
tayā sa niruddhaḥ syāt / ataḥ prakṛtipariśuddhāḥ sarvadharmā
iti siddham / sarvadharmaprakṛtipariśuddhatāṃ vibhāvya
sarvadharmaśūnyatāṃ vibhāvayet / tatreyaṃ śūnyatā /
grāhyagrāhakādisakalakalpanāprapañcavañcitacitrādvaitaprakāśamātrātmakaṃ
sacarācaraṃ viśvam iti cintayet / imām eva
śūnyatām anenāpi mantreṇādhitiṣṭhet oṃ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako
'ham iti /


Shortly after this, Tara's form arises. It could be said that many deities have their own twist on the steps, Brahmavihara, Purity, and Emptiness; here, it is fairly specific. Purification of Prakriti produces natural luminosity.



Back in the thesis, by "transformation of the Path" it should be understood that the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment are that which is the basis of the Dharma Realm. In other words, I can reverse Smrti into Sati and back out into minor levels and multiple associations, but, the Jewel is a complete unit of this which goes forward and penetrates the Dharma Realm.

It is this kind of reasoning which leads in tantras alone to postulate other kinds of Kayas or Buddha Bodies, but, these are ultimately aspects and degrees of Dharmakaya.

There is a fairly well-known principle of Saddharma, which is similar to Sadguna, Supreme Lord having Six Transcendental Attributes.


Ratnākaraśānti’s description of dharmakāya as “the body of the buddha qualities” (and hence my translation) may seem unfamiliar to readers...

Among the transformations of the three bases, the first basis being transformed leads
to the liberation body, which fulfills a buddha’s own benefit, and to the body of
qualities (dharmakāya)—here a synonym of the natural body (svābhāvikakāya)—
which allows a buddha to benefit others. The second and third bases appear to
correlate to the realization of the two inseparable aspects of the established nature,
namely (2) the transformation of basis of the path, which is the realization of the
transmundane awareness, i.e. sheer luminosity, and (3) the transformation of basis
that is suchness, which is the realization of the absolute suchness of everything as
luminosity. Ratnākaraśānti does not make it explicit here, but these three transformations also echo the threefold
ultimate reality discussed above and his interpretation of the three types of sarvajñatā in the AA,
namely sarvajñatā, mārgajñatā, and sarvākārajñatā.


Tara's light is described as endowing one with Buddha Qualities. These may for example have lists of their own, and then in the tantras we see it means All Families Equally, which is Guna, or Jewel Family.

Ratnakarasanti composed a major sadhana for Tara in Jewel or Ratna Family.


Suchness involves mantra, wind, and bliss quelling the mind, to which natural luminosity presents itself.

At that point, Paratantra will still "exist" but it is going to do something not of this world.

If in the readings they would give us "Lokottara" instead of "transmundane", then correspondingly in Sadhanamala, we would find it in the beginning practice, and then just with Ratnakarasanti's Vajra Tara. But Lokottara is an even older name for "transcendental Buddhist" going back to the various councils and philosophies from the pre-Medieval times when there are hardly any written records.



Vajra Tara is very in-depth, and, after enumerating the Kleshas such as Raga--Mouth and so on, her sixth principle is

āyataneṣu vijñeyā hṛdyā nairātmyayoginī //

she also appears to have the only Agnina:

agninā—by the fire SB 3.11.30, SB 3.31.17, SB 4.1.21, SB 4.17.10-11
agninā—by the fire-god SB 5.23.1
agninā—simply by generating the fire of sacrifice SB 9.14.49


vicintya vāyupreritāgneyamaṇḍalāgninā upari vajrāgninā

which does a unique type of

Vilīna (विलीन).—p. p.

1) Sticking to, clung or attached to.

2) Perched or settled on, alighting on.

3) Contiguous to, in contact with.

4) Melted, dissolved, liquefied.

5) Disappeared, vanished.

6) Dead, perished.

7) Infused into the mind, imagined.


ca tat sarvaṃ pariṇataṃ dṛṣṭvā tadbāṣpasparśena praṇavaṃ vajravilīnaṃ

to attract the Dharmadhatu.


If she is a Sampatti Vardhani:

praṇamya tāriṇīṃ bhaktyā sarvasampattivardhanīm /

in tantric terms this would mean raises the Gauris. Nairatma has Gauris. Nairatma is encountered here. She and the other Kleshas are in normal garb with kartri, kapala, and tiger-skin skirt and are the Yosit which seems to be the only time this is mentioned in the book. But it is a hint for Vajra Ladies of the tantras.

Another early term for "mind-only" was Vijnapti Matra.

She and Hevajra Krama Kurukulla share:

advayavijñaptilakṣaṇāṃ

and Vijnapti is only otherwise with Alimanmatha Manjushri, who firstly involves:

śrīherukarūpam ātmanaṃ niṣpādya vijñaptimātraṃ

which passes through

nairātmāherukasvabhāvaṃ.


Vijnapti is in a brief examination of an Object (http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_magic_of_consciousness:_an_inquiry_into_the_concept_of_object_in_Yogacara_buddhism):

In the beginning of the Vimsatika, Vasubandhu stated his philosophical position as follows: "The three realms (traidhatuka) are vijnapti-matra (perception-only)." As a central point of controversy, the term vijnapti-matra not only was mistreated by Vasubandhu's contemporaries, but also caused trouble for modern scholars. Various renditions of it have been provided, such as "consciousness-only," "ideation-only," "representation-only," "perception-only," etc., but none of them could be of much help without the whole argument being fully articulated. Meanwhile, we need to know only that the term vijnapti literally means "proclamation" or "making known," and that the term matra means "only." As a compound, vijnapti-matra in the present context means "being known or presented [in the consciousness] only." The whole statement means that the entire universe, which consists of the realm of desire (kamadhatu), the realm of form (rupa-dhatu) and the realm of formlessness (arupya-dhatu), are nothing but that which is known or presented within consciousness. "Only" is stressed in order to rule out any external referent or object (artha).

Mahāyāne traidhātukaṁ vijñaptimātraṁ vyavasthāpyate (Viṁśtikā)

“In the Mahayana system it has been
established that those belonging to the
three worlds are mere representations of
consciousness.”


The last question is, "What is the real for Yogacara?" Though the Yogacara says that all are perception-only, ordinary people do not realize this truth. They name the thing which they perceive, and believe that the named or signified exists "out there". For Yogacara, the signified is mistakenly endowed with ontological status, though in fact it is nonexistent. Confined within, all sorts of nonexistent but signified constitute the world-construction of daily discourse. This discursive world is called "imagined" (parikalpita).

But this "imagined" conceals the reality which needs to be disclosed. As a closed system of consciousness in which the object-like appearance arises, this reality is called "dependent" (paratantra), meaning that the arising of an object depends on the cause and conditions. The "dependent" is the reality, but is defiled and in need of being purified or perfected.

Only if one is detached from the "imagined" and stays in the state of perception-only (vijnaptimatrata), realizing that all are nothing but vijnapti, is one able to achieve the perfected state (parinispanna).

[shaberon]

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if the state had been replaced by dew. That brings up 'images' of bleeding into the breeze, and of the rainbow drops. Not sure this is what you meant.

No, nothing fancy. Ordinary dewfall. Perhaps related to the alchemical act of Deliquescence. You take a suitable potash, such as Melissa, and leave it out in a ceramic dish and the pure dew suspends the potassium, etc.

The closest things I have seen to the rainbow lights of the tantras are either externally, or more as simply an effect on an opalescent white moonish or semenish color. I can feel the vibrational motion of how it is supposed to make Bliss Whorl, which kind of leaves me with a blank grey one, "unpainted".

But I think I can almost relate to the "state" of "being dew" to a minor strength compared to the way you explain liquids.




So far, being able to do anything at will has been limited to using some will to bring the dreams into shaking, and to being forced to do something in response to direct consequences. I'm not very good at the 'at will' stuff yet.


Well it also seems that usually you go through a series that leads to a "click" and then it shifts on to something else.

The fact that you can also identify elements that have stability and continuity is the encouraging part.




I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why such pre-matter or root-matter is conceived of as having a zero condition. That's certainly not an equilibrium condition in this universe.

It is due to the Day and Night or Pravrrti and Nirvrrti of Primordial or Cosmic Mind.

The zero is a rest from creative/formative activity, not an ending of Breath or Primordial Motion which is the Father which is in the One Element or Space which is the Mother. As a simple duality, they remain passive and unmanifest; by sloughing light as their progeny, world systems and beings arise.

A universe is called a Day and Night of Brahma. When, eventually, such a Brahma "sleeps", the spiritual question is of Parinispanna. If one "has" this, a universal night is reckoned as a non-different experience of supreme bliss, whereas, without it, one lacks the corresponding "vehicle" to exist.

The corresponding root matter is mental, not physical.

What we know about the physical Akash is next to nothing. But if we know there is vacuum energy and quantum foam and so forth, we are at least on the track of "nothing" is very pregnant.

The sixth kind of matter is not even hinted at, although the seventh is pretty close to "atom = highest intellection".

The principle is not necessarily Buddhist in origin, although it is in application.

Adi Buddha Nirvrtti (https://books.google.com/books?id=q6ZDAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA52&ots=ZrRAMhTq0I&dq=pravrtti%20nirvrtti&pg=PA52#v=onepage&q=pravrtti%20nirvrtti&f=false) as Formless and Pravrtti revealing itself through Fire.

This is the same standard as in comparing the philosophy of the Theosophical Mahatmas to the Svabhavikas of Nepal.


Pravrtti and Nirvrtti according to Alex Wayman:

There seems to be no essential difference between
Tantricism within the province of Hinduism and that
within the province of Buddhism. Apart from the
multifarious accessories, to judge by the essentials,
Tantricism, both Hindu and Buddhist, lays stress upon
a theological principle of duality in non-duality. Both
the schools hold that the ultimate non-dual reality
possesses two aspects in its fundamental nature, — the
negative {nivrtti) and the positive (pravrtti), the static
and the dynamic, — and these two aspects of the reality
are represented in Hinduism by Siva and Sakti and in
Buddhism by Prajna and Upaya (or sunyata and
karuna).

These conceptions of Prajna and Upaya have
important ontological and cosmological bearing on the
four philosophical systems of Nepalese Buddhism. ’
The Svabhavika school holds that there is no imma-
terial ultimate truth in the form of the soul substance ;
matter is the primordial substance from which the
world proceeds. This matter as the ultimate sub-
stance has two modes which are called pravrtti and
nivrtti, action and rest, dynamic and static, concrete
and abstract. Matter is eternal as a crude mass (how-
ever infinitely attenuated in nivrtti) and so are the
powers of matter. These powers are not only active
but also intelligent. The proper state of existence of
these powers is the state of nivrtti or rest as the abstrac-
tion from all phenomena. When these powers pass
from the state of rest into their causal and transitory
state of activity the phenomenal world comes into
existence and it again ceases to exist when the powers
repass from pravrtti to nivrtti. This nivrtti is the
Prajna" and the pravrtti is said to be the Upaya.
Prajna is said to be the abstraction from all effects
while Upaya is the concretion of all effects or activities.
In the Aisvarika school these Prajna and Upaya are
deified as Adi-Prajna and Adi-Buddha and the visible
world is said to be created from the union of the two.
According to the Prajnikas ^ Buddha as the principle
of active power first proceeds from nivrtti or Adi-
Prajna and then associates with her and from their
union proceeds the actual visible world. The prin-
ciple is symbolized as Prajna being first the mother
and then the wife of the Buddha. ^ The well-known
triad of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha has often been
explained as Prajna (Dharma), Upaya (Buddha) and
the world (Sangha) produced by their union.

cf. the Hindu Tantric principle of designating the Sahasrara
(situated in the cerebrum region) to be the abode of Siva and the
lowest Muladhara-cahra to be the seat of Sakti in the form of an
electric force, generally known as the Kulakundalini-sakti ; this lower
region where Sakti resides is generally known as the region of
Pravrtti while the higher region or the region of pure intellection
is called the region of Nivrtti — and the Sadhana consists in rousing
the Sakti, residing in the region of Pravrtti, to unite with the Siva
residing in the region of Nivrtti; the bliss proceeding from the union
of Siva and Sakti is the highest religious realization.




More advanced where the Pancha Krama of Nagarjuna may take some effort:

(iii) Advaya {non-duality) and Yuganaddha
(Principle of Union)

A study of the above speculations on the nature of
the Bodhicitta will bring it home to us that the central
point of all the Sadhana of the Tantric Buddhists was
a principle of union. The synthesis or rather the uni-
fication of all duality in an absolute unity is the real
principle of union, which has been termed as Yuganad-
dha. This principle of Yuganaddha is clearly explain-
ed in the fifth chapter (Yuganaddha-krama) of the
Panca-krama. There it is said that when a state of
unity is reached through the purging of the two
notions of the creative process (samsara) and absolute
cessation (nirvrtti), it is called Yuganaddha. When
the transcendental nature of both phenomenal (sam-
klesa) and the absolutely purified (vyavadana) realities
is realized and the two become unified into one, it is
called the Yuganaddha. Again, when the Yogin is
able to synthesize the thought-constructions of all cor-
poreal existence with the notion of the formlessness,
he can be said to have known the principle of Yuganad-
dha. Thus the text goes on explaining that the real
principle of Yuganaddha is the absence of the notion
of duality as the perceivable (grahya) and the per-
ceiver (grahaka) and their perfect synthesis in an
unity ; it is the absence of the notions of eternity and
limitation and is their synthesis in an unity, — the unity
of Prajna and Karuna, — the state of all-void {sarva-
sunyata) through the union of Prajna and Upaya.
Where there is no notion of extinction with some residu-
al substratum (sopadhi-sesah) or extinction without any
residuum (anupadhi-sesah), i.e., no notion of the non-
essentialness of the dharmas (dharma-nairatmya) or
of the self (pudgala-nairatmya) — that is what is called
the Yuganaddha; — for, the very nature of Yuganaddha
involves its freedom from all kinds of thought-
constructions. To realize through constant practice
the truth of both svadhisthana (which is the third
mnyata as self-establishment or the universalization
of the self) and the resplendent {prabhasvara, which is
the fourth or the final stage as sarva-sunya) and then
to unite them — this is Yuganaddha. To enter into the
final abode of ‘ thatness ’ in body, word and mind and
thence again to rise up and turn to the world of
miseries — that is what is called Yuganaddha. To
know the nature of samvrti (the provisional truth)
and the paramartha (the ultimate truth) and then to
unite them together is real Yuganaddha. Where the
mind does neither lose itself in the absolute ‘ thatness ’,
nor does it rise up in the world (of activity) — that
immutable state of the Yogin is called the state of
Yuganaddha. Here there is neither affirmation nor
denial, neither existence nor non-existence, neither
non-remembering {asmrti = non-subjectivity through
the absence of the vdsands) nor remembering {smrti),
neither affection irdga) nor non-affection {ardga),
neither the cause nor the effect, neither the production
(utpatti) nor the produced (utpanna), neither purity
nor impurity, neither anything with form, nor anything
without form; it is but a synthesis of all these dualities
— that is what is meant by the principle of Yuga-
naddha. A Yogin thus placed in Yuganaddha is called
the omniscient, the seer of the truth, the support of the
universe; — he has escaped the snare of illusion by
attaining perfect enlightenment, — he has crossed the
sea of birth and death, — he has attained non-dual
knowledge and eternal tranquillity. This in fact is
perfect enlightenment (buddhatva), — this is what is
meant by becoming a Vajra-sattva, — this is the way to
attain all power and wealth. This stage is called the
absorption in the Vajropama (or thunder-like) medi-
tation, — the nispanna krama or the absolute state, or
the absorption in the Mayopama (illusion-like) medita-
tion, or it is called the non-dual truth (advaya-tattva).


So when he mentions Sarva Sunya, this is our Parasunya or Fourth Void, which itself is not even clear from a perousal of tantras.




After a Maha-pralaya Akasha is "resolved back again into the primary state of abstract potential objectivity" (mulaprakriti). When the manvantaric impulse re-awakens and Akasha is evolved, it becomes the upadhi of the cosmic ideation.

This is where it is given meaning, "primary state of abstract potential objectivity". Why would that be associated with zero energy?

Is it a semantic confusion for Zero Point Energy?

No, I don't think the literal zero energy of Heat Death is what we are aiming at. The ether of physical space would be something superior to/evolutive of Plasma.

Mulaprakriti has infinite potential and I suppose it could be called nothing kinetic.

Awakening mind is not thought of as having an idea yet. It is a subconscious desire for sound. And so it goes through a subtle awakening before there is a letter (idea), which is a formation in the Akash of the Mental Plane, which establishes the Divine Word and then retreats to its subtle lair.

In order to make sense, it has to be understood that there is "mental matter" in which to exist. Activity by a mental-only mind causes the physical plane to begin forming out of its rest condition.

As to the occult secrets of physical matter, I believe we have largely not been given them.

We have not been given the truth about numbers and cycles.

Part of the secret of Apas Vajra is that it really is a weapon.

Now back in original Theosophy, one of the original Chelas explained that when a Mahatma wanted your attention, from about a mile away, there would be a "contact" which was really an electrical jolt about like touching a car battery. And so you would know that in a few minutes, you could find him somewhere.

Well, if this laukika siddhi were not being used in such a friendly manner, obviously you would be harmed or killed.

Other things might act like dynamite in the Yellowstone faults or what have you.


Everything I personally intend with the meaning of zero is more like Zero Point Energy, not zero energy, and I was probably just throwing around a few different things suggestive of zero.

Even if the once-expected Heat Death is technically impossible, it could perhaps come close enough to make organic life go extinct. But this still has a low chance on the Doomsday scale.


I believe that matter may be "attenuated" to a mental-only condition which is let drop into chaos or an unformed passive condition by lack of mental activity. It is equivalent to energy and cannot be created or destroyed, only converted.

Therefor, from the Svabhavika view, an explanation of a Svabhavika Kaya is not terribly difficult.

In about the same way that "continent" = "container for those capable of taking birth there", most of the occult teaching that concerns "universe" means Sakwala or life-wave of our solar system.

The Sun is the visible, but not actual, source of it, acting like a transformer and mirror.

Because the real force is not physical, but consciousness, all the worlds in our system are inhabited by people made of some kind of mental matter. There is a special karma in those of us who are able to be born in the "physical container".

But here we see the same active and passive principles used for Divine Mind as well as the meditator.

[Old Student]

Dead Souls Materialism is a school of thought which evidently plucked Newton's Tensor Calculus and had vested interests emplace it in European universities contra the school of Leibiniz.
What? Newton didn't invent tensor calculus, it was invented almost 200 years later by Ricci (Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro). Newton, Leibniz, and Fermat independently invented differential and integral calculus. In terms of common notation, Leibniz won, because the notation we use nowadays is Leibniz notation.


We also have on here the original Maxwell Quarternion Equations (Tesla science) which have been "simplified" to four tensors (Bell science).

Not sure what the references to Tesla and Bell are about here. Maxwell did indeed discover quaternions. Four tensors, and four vectors were first promulgated AFAIK by P.A.M. Dirac. He wrote a whole book in which he redid quantum mechanics in 4 vectors and operators, in the process becoming one of the discoverers of spin. I'm thinking the Bell you're talking about is Bell's Theorem Bell, who did the groundwork for quantum entanglement? Not sure what Tesla has to do with it.


No, not the way I said it. However it simply appears in a solution step of a particular equation. It is not that "i" just says "Hi, I'm i", but the solution is balanced by dividing both sides of the equation by some type of function; or, rather, it is like multiplying both sides by x/x, and then when you simplify the left side, you get i as a factor.

I cannot remember exactly what the mechanical question or problem was, but, I am pretty sure it was along the lines of converting fusion energy to visible radiation. Possibly taking into account polarization.
If it involved polarization then it was a factor in determining the polarization angle of something, multiplication by i rotates things in the complex plane. It's still just a symbol for the base for the algebraic completion of the real numbers (meaning that if you complete real numbers to complex numbers all algebraic equations have a solution).


All I am getting at is that there can be laws or math which may not be fully explained, and that things that are believed explained are not necessarily completely so.
In Physics mostly. In math, something is not considered 'true' until it is proven. People have opinions on whether they think it will be proven, but it isn't finished yet if it is not proven.


So Entropy ceases to be dominant at this threshhold. Too much material resistance against fading out.

Not sure what you're saying. The lambda line is a quantum effect. It occurs for the same reason as quantum tunneling: The uncertainty principle limits the ability to know the position and momentum of a particle at a single instant. If you know the momentum too well, (because its motion is going to zero) it's position has to get fuzzy.


What color is Dark Matter or Dark Energy? The stuff that is twenty times more powerful than the observed baryonic or star system matter.

Time is quantized by the Planck scale at around 10^-34 seconds, which would correspond to the Yogacara view that Time is the apparent succession of a series of static states.
By definition, dark matter cannot be seen, so its color is moot. 10^-34 is the order of magnitude of Planck's constant, it is the order of magnitude of the uncertainty principle. Things have to be confined in some way for them to have quantized states.

I have to take a break, I will write more later.

My Sanskrit book says that the conjunctive 'ca' conjoins the two objects that precede it. The example they use is that "eggs and bacon" using 'ca' is written "eggs bacon ca".

[Old Student]

The worst one is False Vacuum Collapse, from which as I recall, there is a solvable mathematical entity whereby if the universe is found to be false, the whole thing instantly vanishes with no trace.

It's actually if the false vacuum tunnels to its true equilibrium, but it's both controversial and not probable.


How could we in any way define or limit Potential Energy?
For rest mass, Einstein described it with his most famous equation.


'Buddha' (Wylie: sangs-rgyas)
'Dharma' (Wylie: chos)
'Sangha'
'Essence' (Sanskrit: dhātu; Wylie: khams)
'Awakened' (Sanskrit: bodhi; Wylie: byañ-chub)
'Qualities' (Sanskrit: guna; Wylie: yon-tan)
'Activities' (Sanskrit: karman; Wylie: phyin-las' )


Almost anyone can recognize those as the Five Families with the addition of Dhatu and Bodhi.

It is "the root of all these sadhanas" and therefor why the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment are such a powerful corresponding retinue. When you cross this sutra definition with that tantric one, you have everything boiled down.
So these are derived from the four qualities of buddha-nature? And from these derive the rest? So one to four to seven to the rest?

Does the synonym Prakasa have a scriptural precursor, yes, Lotus Sutra:


Prakāśa (प्रकाश).—nt. for regular m., light: yad andhakāraṃ tat prakāśam iti saṃjānīṣe, yac ca prakāśaṃ tad andha- kāram iti saṃjānīṣe Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 135.4 f.



Occult Ether is more of the nature of Root Matter which resembles Space but also Luminosity. And so it is possible that the term Prabhasvara on its own means more "luminous" than it is "Natural Luminosity", i. e. the difference is that it may be something formed into a syllable or object which glows, whereas root matter is formless.
But glows as well? Root matter is formless but luminous?


Another early term for "mind-only" was Vijnapti Matra.
I haven't heard this, but you later say this is "perception only".

[Old Student]

The closest things I have seen to the rainbow lights of the tantras are either externally, or more as simply an effect on an opalescent white moonish or semenish color. I can feel the vibrational motion of how it is supposed to make Bliss Whorl, which kind of leaves me with a blank grey one, "unpainted".

But I think I can almost relate to the "state" of "being dew" to a minor strength compared to the way you explain liquids.
The rainbows I see in dew are related to the refraction in a single dewdrop.

It is due to the Day and Night or Pravrrti and Nirvrrti of Primordial or Cosmic Mind.


The zero is a rest from creative/formative activity, not an ending of Breath or Primordial Motion which is the Father which is in the One Element or Space which is the Mother. As a simple duality, they remain passive and unmanifest; by sloughing light as their progeny, world systems and beings arise.

A universe is called a Day and Night of Brahma. When, eventually, such a Brahma "sleeps", the spiritual question is of Parinispanna. If one "has" this, a universal night is reckoned as a non-different experience of supreme bliss, whereas, without it, one lacks the corresponding "vehicle" to exist.

The corresponding root matter is mental, not physical.

What we know about the physical Akash is next to nothing. But if we know there is vacuum energy and quantum foam and so forth, we are at least on the track of "nothing" is very pregnant.
Or a zero that is a fulcrum or balance point, not an absolute zero. Nothing can be very pregnant, if it is the precursor state to some kind of bifurcation or singularity. It isn't a zero energy then, it's some other unstable equilibrium. That's fine, my empty spaces don't need to be empty.

Is it a semantic confusion for Zero Point Energy?

No, I don't think the literal zero energy of Heat Death is what we are aiming at. The ether of physical space would be something superior to/evolutive of Plasma.


Mulaprakriti has infinite potential and I suppose it could be called nothing kinetic.

Awakening mind is not thought of as having an idea yet. It is a subconscious desire for sound. And so it goes through a subtle awakening before there is a letter (idea), which is a formation in the Akash of the Mental Plane, which establishes the Divine Word and then retreats to its subtle lair.
This makes more sense, I think.

[shaberon]

The Ratnakarasanti thesis is large and difficult, but, focusing in on some parts, he is saying something that is almost definitively unique, compared to which, anything else can probably be found as a change from.


In the thesis there are probably thirty pages on attempts to map the schools of thought.

Ratnakarasanti is really saying that he follows the actual doctrine of Maitreya, Asanga, and Nagarjuna, and that most of the other positions he can describe make some sort of minor mistake.

The sphere of his debate is something like the "upper half" of a Buddha and how the Ultimate Nature operates along with the Dependent or Paratantra. It is like saying there is a transcendent Svabhavikakaya and Sambhogakaya which works a particular way, and then an emanation of Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya into Form which is partially subjected to error. A Buddha is simply unaffected by the error because he sees Forms as Emptiness and Luminosity (Suchness). The fact of him perceiving some error because form is unreal, is part of the unique statement and explanation by Ratnakarasanti. The other schools vary on whether he perceives forms or not, not whether error is involved.

That is actually pretty close to the Hindu definition of Avatars. Mortals only have 2-3% of divine nature unless they attempt to cultivate it, whereas an Avatar comes into the world fully conscious of 90% divine nature, i. e. he still retains a bit of Maya simply due to Contact or limitation in Form.

The debate is mostly in the upper stages of the Path wherein a Bodhisattva gains what keeps being translated as "transmundane awareness".

He explains these by paraphrasing a passage in the Avikalpapraveśadhāraṇī as follows:

When [a bodhisattva] is on the ground of non-appearance, on the
grounds with the noble motivation of purification (Śuddhi), on the
special grounds, and in the Vajra-like concentration, [it is said:]
[It is through transmundane awareness that] he sees
everything (sarvadhārmā) as having a homogenous
surface like space (akāśasamatala). [But in the postmeditation] it is through pure mundane awareness (dag
pa ’jig rten pa’i ye shes)
that he sees everything as
being like the eight similes, [i.e.] illusion [and so on].

In this [passage], [the term] pure mundane awareness [refers to] the
awareness that is pure, due to delimiting suchness, and that is
mundane, insofar as [it is] an error (’khrul ba nyid kyis; bhrāntatvena).


So while it was perhaps radical to say that Buddha retains some bit of mundane error, he is also trying to promote Prajnaparamita as the path of luminosity, and so, i. e. the main motivation for someone to pursue the subject and practice.


“Prajñāpāramitā is of two types, transmundane and pure mundane. The bodhisattva, who is established
(pratiṣṭhita) in the nonconceptual source, sees all entities as uniform [like] space, through awareness
[which is] not distinguished with regard to [objects] to be known. Through [the cognition] attained
after that (tatpṛṣṭhalabdha), he sees all entities as magical illusions (māyā), mirages (marīci), dreams
(svapna), light reflections (pratibhāsa), echoes, image reflections (pratibimba), moons in water,
magical creations (nirmita). For this reason, regarding the transmundane awareness, [in the root text]
he says space and so on. Regarding the pure mundane [awareness], he says what and so on.”


Here is the first way I find "transmundane" translated:

Ratnākaraśānti is explaining the three natures according to the
dichotomy between the imaginary grasper and grasped, which do not exist in reality,
and the imagination’s luminous nature, which does exist. However, we will see that
he is setting up a contrast between the imagination of the unreal, which is a
malfunctioning, and sheer luminosity, which he will explain below as a natural
functioning. That is to say, the imagination of the unreal, which appears as/with the
false cognitive images of grasper and grasped due to an error, is a term that
describes the dependent nature’s role in the erroneous production of cognitive images
which are not separate from its luminous nature. Since the imagination of the unreal
is only appearing in that manner by force of an error, it is just a false cognition.
However, that is just the unreal nature. That is to say, in confusion, the dependent
nature takes on the appearance of the cognitive image of a grasper and a grasped,
which he explains further as follows:

For this very reason, the cognitive image (rnam pa; ākāra) is called
the sign of deviation [or] the sign of proliferation (prapañcanimitta),
because it is the object (ālambana) in/of error.
It is also called the
sign of the two (dvaya), because it is the [false] appearance
(pratirūpaka) of the two [i.e. the grasped and grasper].

Thus, in Ratnākaraśānti’s Nirākāravādin system, the presence of cognitive images
themselves are just signs of deviation from the inherent nature and signs of erroneous
proliferation. The two aspects of the grasper and grasped are what proliferates into
manifold false appearances. That these signs are not the inherent nature of phenomena
is proven, for Ratnākaraśānti, through their dissolution within a yogi’s transmundane
awareness, which he explains as follows:

All signs of the two vanish in the transmundane awareness (jñāna).

Hence, that [transmundane awareness] is called unerroroneous (abhrānta) and an accurate awareness. For this very reason also, that [transmundane awareness] is the established (pariniṣpanna) nature,
since, by actualizing (pariniṣpatti) nonconfusion (aviparyāsa), the
actualization of it [becomes] the state of nonerror (abhrantatā).
As for Suchness, [it is also] the established nature, since, by actualizing
nondeviation (avikāra), the actualization in it (tasyām) [becomes] the
state free of deviation (nirvikāra).


So what is generally translated as Gnosis in the Sarma, Jnana, is the Parinispanna of Yogacara. Properly employed, all it would ever perceive is Suchness.





In Ratnākaraśānti’s system, during the meditation periods, a bodhisattva’s
transmundane awareness has no cognitive images and hence, he has the direct
perception of the ultimate reality qua object that is Suchness. However, during the
post-meditation periods, a bodhisattva’s awareness has cognitive images—produced
by the imagination of the unreal [Parikalpita] in error—and hence, his post-meditative awareness is
not transmundane, but rather a pure mundane awareness. Here, Ratnākaraśānti is
introducing a distinction between the two aspects of a bodhisattva’s awareness. It is
mundane, because it is an error that produces cognitive images, which, for
Ratnākaraśānti, is what it means to perceive conventional reality as illusions and so
on during the post-meditation periods. But, the bodhisattva’s awareness is also pure,
because, due to the after-effect of the transmundane awareness, the bodhisattva sees
the Suchness of these cognitive images and knows them to be false.


His tradition is Nirakara which has adherents or followers in "certain streams" of both Yogacara and Madhyamika.

The awareness (shes pa; jñāna) on [all these] grounds are both
transformations of the basis (gnas gyur pa; āśrayaparāvṛtti) and
different ripenings [of the fruits of previous actions] (mi ’dra bar smin
pa; vipāka<visadṛśaḥ pāka). Thus, there are two awarenesses, [i.e.] the
mundane awareness and the transmundane awareness. Under the
[rubric of] mundane awareness, there is the impure mundane awareness and the pure mundane awareness. This system is Nirākāra.



As for a noble bodhisattva, during the meditation sessions, he perceives sheer
luminosity through transmundane awareness, but during the post-meditation periods
he perceives cognitive images as Suchness through pure mundane awareness. He
always has access to the transmundane awareness, but must re-charge that awareness
in meditation sessions so that he can maintain the pure mundane awareness during the
post-meditation.


. In that explanation, various bodhisattvas’
transmundane and pure mundane awarenesses are like the two aspects of the middle
member, i.e. they are like the conventional and ultimate aspects of the dependent
nature [Paratantra] purified to different degrees. On the other hand, a buddha’s transmundane and
pure mundane awarenesses are like the two aspects of the final member, i.e. the
established nature that at the ultimate level [Parinispanna] is not separate from the dependent nature [Paratantra].
How are they not separate? Ratnākaraśānti describes a buddha, whose dependent
nature is thoroughly transformed, as arising as an all-pervasive being who is both
transcendent and immanent in the following verse summarizing his Nirākāravādin
system:

After the cognitive images dissolve into transmundane awareness, the
very same [awareness] arises as an All-Pervasive One (khyab bdag;
vibhu/vyāpin) free of appearances, free of the two [i.e. grasper and
grasped], and free of [conceptual] proliferations.

Even though [we assert a buddha’s] mundane awareness [to have]
cognitive images, since those cognitive images are delimited as false
and unreal, [this is the system] called Nirākāravāda ("No Cognitive
Images").

Many people understand Nirākāravāda to be asserting that a buddha has “no
cognitive images.” Although this may be true for other Nirākāravādin systems,
Ratnākaraśānti explains that in his system, a buddha’s pure mundane awareness has
false cognitive images. According to Ratnākaraśānti, when a buddha’s three bases
are transformed, the cognitive images, i.e. signs of proliferation, completely dissolve
into the transmundane awareness. After that dissolution, that awareness arises as a
buddha with both a transmundane and a pure mundane awareness simultaneously. In
Ratnākaraśānti’s Nirākāravādin system, it seems, the simultaneity of a buddha’s
transmundane and his pure mundane awareness is what distinguishes him from a
bodhisattva and makes him an All-Pervasive One (khyab bdag; prabhu). The arising
as an All-Pervasive One is due to his compassionate aspiration to benefit beings. His
pure mundane awareness is necessary to fulfill his compassionate activity for the sake
of beings everywhere. Although a bodhisattva has the same pure mundane
awareness as a buddha, the extent of his realization of the transmundane awareness
does not permit him to function in an all-pervasive way. Thus, for Ratnākaraśānti, an
all-pervasive buddha is someone who has so fundamentally transformed his three
bases that he can benefit beings in both an immanent and a transcendent way at the
same time. It should be pointed out that Ratnākaraśānti’s notion of an immanence
and transcendence that involves a buddha’s possession of cognitive images is not far
from Śāntarakṣita’s notion of an illusion-like buddha’s functioning in the world. The
difference is that in Ratnākaraśānti’s causal system, a buddha must have a real
awareness in order to delimit those cognitive images as illusion. Ratnākaraśānti’s
thesis, mentioned above, about the equivalent established conclusions of both schools
implied that the Nirākāra-Yogācāra and Śāntarakṣita’s Mādhyamika are only slightly
different. Here, we can see that at the functional level of bodhisattvas and buddhas,
that difference would be negligible. The difference is in how those functions are
explained.

Pervasion or Expansion is the same thing which in the tantras is the difference between our Gnosis and that of Sangyas or Vibuddha, same principle as Agni Vaisvanara. Ours is not Full or All (Purna).


Ratnākaraśānti explains the slight
difference as follows:

The difference is just this much: The Yogācāra [position] is that the
sheer luminosity, which is the inherent nature of phenomena, exists as
a real substance, whereas the Mādhyamika [position] is that it does not
exist as a real substance. This itself is a baseless quarrel of
Mādhyamika [scholars] with Yogācāra.

The agenda is expressed in the final line, i.e. “This itself is a baseless quarrel of
Mādhyamika with Yogācāra.” Given that this is introducing the argument, we can
see that Ratnākaraśānti’s intention here is to demonstrate that Mādhyamika cannot
refute Yogācāra, so that he can put forth his own interpretation of Nāgārjuna and
claim that he is both a Yogācāra and a Mādhyamika, as he does with his MPS/MAv
doxographical list of the four Buddhist schools.

Furthermore, Ratnākaraśānti’s classification of his own viewpoint—in the third place among the four
Buddhist schools—as both Yogācāra and Mādhyamika is really just to say that both
Yogācāra proponents and Mādhyamika proponents hold his same single true
Nirākāravādin viewpoint, which subsumes the correct understanding of both
Yogācāra and Mādhyamika. Thus, this statement about this Yogācāra system being
difficult to refute is not indicating that his own viewpoint is merely Yogācāra.



...all phenomena completely dissolve into the transmundane awareness and that very same
transmundane awareness instantly re-arises as the pure mundane awareness in the
form of an All-Pervading One (vyāpin). When it arises, the realization of the
buddha is pure, insofar as it sees only Suchness, free of attachment insofar as out of
sheer compassion it retains a small amount of error, and pervading all domains
(viṣaya), in that it is knows infinite objects of awareness to be Suchness.



In terms of Prajnaparamita:

[Regarding the line] what the Teacher has taught in this, [it says] in
this (gang ’di las; atra), [meaning in this] sūtra, because the sūtra is
the indicator (lakṣaṇa/lakṣaka) [of that path qua awareness of all
aspects]. Here the wise are the bodhisattvas. Regarding that [attainment] behold means realize (sākṣātkaraṇa), [hence] realize the
attainment. The idea is that [they] know [that path], based on this [AA]
treatise, to be nothing but luminosity (prakāśa eva; gsal ba nyid). Not
encountered [means] not realized. Others [means those who are] not
bodhisattvas. By this the predominant purpose of the undertaking is
taught.

Here, we can understand Ratnākaraśānti’s glosses to mean that the main purpose of
the undertaking, i.e. why the Aṣṭa is taught. What is that purpose? It is to teach sheer
luminosity.


It is frequently structured as Eight Topics.

Third, according to Haribhadra and Buddhaśrījñāna, there are eight actual
realizations (abhisamaya). The first seven topics describe the causal aspects of the
single resultant realization of the jñānadharmakāya, which perceives the natural body
(svābhāvikakāya). Furthermore, the Correct Understanding of All Aspects is the
content of the other three Correct Understandings (abhisaṃbodha)—all of which are
said to occur on the three types of Noble Ones’ paths.
Fourth, according to both Dharmakīrtiśrī and Ratnākaraśānti, even though the
first seven topics have the nature of realization, Prajñāpāramitā is their single nature.
However, even though in general, they say that the eight realizations are what is to be
expressed (abhidheya) by the eight chapters expressing (abhidhāna) them, they do not
take the eighth topic “Dharmakāya” to be an actual realization, since it refers to the
resultant bodies and their activity.


According to Dharmakīrtiśrī, at the instant of the Correct Understanding in a
Single Moment everything dissolves into the transmundane awareness, which is the
State of Awareness of All Aspects. However, in the next moment, a buddha awakens
as an awareness body that grasps only the unfabricated characteristic
(akṛtimalakṣaṇa) and hence, becomes the body qua true nature (dharmatātmakaḥ
kāyaḥ).

Since Dharmakīrtiśrī follows Haribhadra in asserting the ultimate truth to
be the true nature inseparable from the nondual Prajñāpāramitā that is like an
illusion, he is implicitly refuting luminosity as real.

As we saw above, according to Ratnākaraśānti, at the instant of the Correct
Understanding in a Single Moment everything dissolves into the transmundane
awareness. In the next moment, his sheer luminosity re-arises as an All-Pervasive One
with pure mundane awareness that has error but sees the suchness. This is the State of
Awareness of All Aspects that refers both to buddhahood and to a buddha himself.


Ratnākaraśānti wants us to understand that when we see the term Prajñāpāramitā
used with respect to either the path of preliminary practice or the Dharmakāya
with its activity, we should know that these are merely secondary or figurative uses
of the term based on their causal connection to Prajñāpāramitā. We call a budding
bodhisattva’s conceptual awareness on the path of preliminary practice “Prajñāpāramitā” only because it is a cause for it, not the real Prajñāpāramitā. We call the
awareness of the three bodies (dharmakāya) “Prajñāpāramitā” only because it is
result of Prajñāpāramitā, not the real Prajñāpāramitā. Ratnākaraśānti’s definition of
Prajñāpāramitā as “seeing emptiness” is the key distinctiveness of a bodhisattva.
That is to say, if someone is on the path of preliminary practice, they still have
conceptualization, i.e. cognitive images, mixed in with their experience of emptiness.
Even though figuratively that person can be said to be practicing Prajñāpāramitā,
without experiencing sheer luminosity free of cognitive images, it is, by definition,
not the irreversible path of Prajñāpāramitā of the bodhisattvas who see emptiness. It
may lead to that path, but it is not that path. Hence, when Prajñāpāra-mitā refers to a
pre-bodhisattva, that is a figurative usage of the term. Likewise, after practicing
Prajñāpāramitā, the dharmakāya is the indirect result of purification, but that
dharmakāya, in Ratnākaraśānti’s system, is not perceiving emptiness anymore, since
it arises as the All-Pervading One, which is pure mundane awareness.

Prajñāpāramitā is of two types, transmundane and pure mundane. The
bodhisattva, who is established (pratiṣṭhita) in the nonconceptual
source, sees all entities as uniform [like] space, through awareness
[which is] not distinguished with regard to [objects] to be known.
Through [the post-meditative cognition] attained after that
(tatpṛṣṭhalabdha), he sees all entities as magical illusions (māyā),
mirages (marīci), dreams (svapna), light reflections (pratibhāsa),
echoes, image reflections (pratibimba), moons in water, magical
creations (nirmita)

When a bodhisattva meditates, he is in the
nonconceptual source which has no cognitive images whatsoever. When he is in the
post-meditative state attained after that, he naturally experiences the pure mundane
awareness, which is the natural after-effect of the transmundane awareness. That is
to say, a bodhisattva does not need to deliberately practice anything in the postmeditation; his pure mundane awareness cannot help but see all entities, i.e. cognitive
images of entities, as magical illusions (māyā), mirages (marīci), and so on, i.e. as
false. Above, he told us that, by relying on Prajñāpāramitā, all experience is
transformed into a path. That is precisely what is distinctive about Prajñāpāramitā.

In Ratnākaraśānti’s system, the goal is not buddhahood, but the purification or
removal of all obstructions. The goal is the path, insofar as one focuses merely on the
path of purification. In this way, goal orientation along the path is avoided, but that
path still results in a genuine awakening based on particular real causes aimed at
removing particular obstructions one by one through the various methods explicated
in the AA. For Ratnākaraśānti, the instructions of the AA are not a convenient lie, but
a particular method for arriving at awakening through the pāramitā method (pāramitānaya). The important part about the Aṣṭa is precisely the particular method that it
employs to arrive at buddhahood. But more importantly, it is only by emphasizing
the importance of the Aṣṭa’s distinctive method that all the various methods of the
tantras can be distinguished. Without these various methods being considered real,
i.e. not illusory, there is no way to justify the superiority of any method in the
Mahāyāna, much less the Śrāvakayāna. According to Ratnākaraśānti,
Prajñāpāramitā is the activating element that makes either the sūtras or the tantras
lead to awakening, but those methods must be defined and explained as functioning in
a particular way.



Here is a rough idea of how Ratnakarasanti was not much followed in Tibet:

Yaroslav Komarovski (personal communication) notes that Śākya-mchog-ldan cites Ratnākaraśānti
throughout his works, but further research is needed to determine how closely he or other Tibetan
systems follow Ratnākaraśānti. Although Śākya-mchog-ldan mentions sNying po mchog roughly ten
times in his Prajñāpāramitā commentaries, the fact that Ratnākaraśānti follows the Madhyāntavibhāga
model of the three natures differentiates him from Śākya-mchog-ldan (who holds the chos dbying to
ultimate) and even moreso from others gZhan-stong writers like Dol-po-pa (who hold’od gsal to be
ultimate while emphasizing the ekayāna system and the Kālacakra framework).


Even if it is the case that Dolpopa emphasized Ekayana, I do not see why this is any conflict to the Three Natures. The controversial Shentong (https://jonangfoundation.org/blog/whose-svabh%C4%81va-it) position is more or less in saying the Parinispanna is real.

Taranatha (https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/download/9175/3033) deals with it, or Luminous Heart (https://www.buddism.ru///__UPLOAD_BOOKS/Tibetan_Buddhism/Brunnho%CC%88lzl,%20Karl%20-%20Luminous%20Heart_The%20Third%20Karmapa%20on%20Consciousness,%20Wisdom,%20and%20Buddha%20Nature.pd f).

Coming from a background of having Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra before Vajrasattva--Vajradhara Guru Yoga, it is not hard to get the point of what Ratnakarasanti is doing by installing "she is the Path", which is not much different from Nepal or Namasangiti. There would seem to be plenty of prior sources placing her in the same way he does. He is trying to connect this in a standard commentary.

[shaberon]

So these are derived from the four qualities of buddha-nature? And from these derive the rest? So one to four to seven to the rest?


I look at it reversed, in practice terms, that the Jewels = Path which establishes the Qualities of the Dharma Realm.

In terms of origin, the symbol is usually Three-in-One = Triangle and Four = Square, which put together is Seven.



But glows as well? Root matter is formless but luminous?


Theosophy has at least sixteen synonyms (https://theosophyproject.blogspot.com/2019/10/thesosophy-basics-primordial-substance.html) for matter.

Some of them are higher or lower emanations, but, of course, Akasa is included:

E. āṅ and kāśṛ to shine, ghañ affix; every where shining; Akash is the subtle and æthereal fluid, supposed to fill and pervade the universe, and to be the peculiar vehicle of life and sound.

Kāś (काश्).—1, 4 Ā. (kāśa-śya-te, kāśita)

1) To shine, look brilliant or beautiful

To be visible, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 29, 8. 2. To shine Mahābhārata 1, 7008. kāśita, Resplendent, [Rāmāyaṇa] 6, 26, 48.


which returns Ratnakarasanti's Prakasa:

With pra pra, 1. To be visible, Mahābhārata 3, 9990. 2. To appear, [Rāmāyaṇa] 6, 20, 10. 3. To shine, Mahābhārata 3, 13750. [Causal.]

Interestingly about Yogacara, HPB says:

Alaya (Sk.) The Universal Soul (See Secret Doctrine Vol. I. pp. 47 et seq.). The name belongs to the Tibetan system of the contemplative Mahâyâna School. Identical with Âkâsa in its mystic sense, and with Mulâprâkriti, in its essence, as it is the basis or root of all things.

also:

11-Mûlaprakriti (Sk.) The Parabrahmic root, the abstract deific feminine principle—undifferentiated substance. Akâsa. Literally, “the root of Nature” (Prakriti) or Matter.
12-Pradhâna (Sk.) Undifferentiated substance, called elsewhere and in other schools—Akâsa; and Mulaprakriti or Root of Matter by the Vedantins. In short, Primeval Matter.

but then she is going to use "ether" for her "plane of Prana" and say it is an offspring or reflection of Akasa:

3-Akâsa (Sk.) The subtle, supersensuous spiritual essence which pervades all space; the primordial substance erroneously identified with Ether. But it is to Ether what Spirit is to Matter, or Âtmâ to Kâma-rûpa. It is, in fact, the Universal Space in which lies inherent the eternal Ideation of the Universe in its ever-changing aspects on the planes of matter and objectivity, and from which radiates the First Logos, or expressed thought.

4-Æther (Gr.) With the ancients the divine luminiferous substance which pervades the whole universe, the “garment” of the Supreme Deity, Zeus, or Jupiter. With the moderns, Ether, for the meaning of which in physics and chemistry see Webster’s Dictionary or any other. In esotericism Æther is the third principle of the Kosmic Septenary; the Earth being the lowest, then the Astral light, Ether...[i. e., third plane]


So, yes, the underlying meaning of akasa is not much different from prakasa, which is not far from prakriti prabhasvara.




Another early term for "mind-only" was Vijnapti Matra.

I haven't heard this, but you later say this is "perception only".


Well, the article writer says so, although what we call Perception is the Activity of Samjna Skandha. I do not think it was the best choice of words, and is not the way it is given in the classics.

It mainly appears instead of "Cittamatra" in the names of the philosophies:


VMS Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi by Ratnākaraśānti

Umino, Takanori
1968 "The vijñaptimātratā theory of Ratnākaraśānti in the Prajñāpāramitopdeśa:
On the concept of 'ākāra.'"



Used in context:

There is no external object to be grasped by cognition (vijñapti) nor is
there an inherent nature (svabhāva) grasping cognitions. Both of those
are the imagined nature of phenomena, because they are imagined
through mental discursiveness (manojalpa). Where is that nature
imagined? [It is imagined] in the imagination of the unreal [that] has
arisen as/with the cognitive image (ākāra) of an [external] object—
even though an object (artha) does not exist—by force of the [prior]
impressions and fixations on the imagined nature. And, this
imagination of the unreal, which is the dependent nature of
phenomena, is an error, [i.e.] a confusion (viparyāsa) [or] a false
cognition. That is to say (tathā hi), the cognitive image of the grasped
and the cognitive image of the grasper in that [imagination of the
unreal] are nothing but false. The imagination of the unreal is only
appearing in that manner by force of an error due to a malfunctioning
(viplava). That is its unreal nature. What is [its] real nature? Sheer
luminosity.


In different systems:

Chinese sources suggest three different
opinions about the Sākāra/Nirākāravādin of the mundane awareness that is attained after the
enlightenment. Moriyama has kindly summarized for me the way they are described in Kuiji’s
commentary on the Viṃśikā, as follows: (1) Sthiramati (Nirākāravijnaptimātravādin) says: The
buddha’s mundane awareness has no cognitive images of a grasped (grāhya) and grasper (grāhaka).(2)
Someone else says: The mundane awareness has only a cognitive image of a grasper, by which the
Buddha can know directly the object. (3) Dharmapāla (Sākāravijnaptimātravādin) says: The mundane
awareness has both a cognitive image of a grasped and a grasper. Nevertheless, because the Buddha is
free of any attachments, he perceives the cognitive image of objects as they are.


Since objects do not exist, representation (vijñapti;
rnam rig) does not exist.

4 I have translated vijñapti as “representation” to emphasize the logical connection with the refutation
of objects. Elsewhere I usually just translate it as cognition.

elsewhere: mere cognition.

Mere cognition (https://books.google.com/books?id=WasmDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT176&ots=fx2A1pWxBY&dq=%22mere%20cognition%22&pg=PT176#v=onepage&q=%22mere%20cognition%22&f=false) has been used since Vasubandhu's time to say that when consciousness is aware of an external object, there is only (matra) that consciousness, and not any real object.



related to Skandhas:

Consciousness. The fifth and last collection contains the aggregates of consciousness (vijñāna-skandha). In contrast to apperception, consciousness is defined as the impression (vijñapti) of each object or as the bare apprehension of each object. Glossing on this definition, later Abhidharma commentators treat consciousness (vijñāna) as referring to an awareness of the object alone (vastumātra) (see Yaśomitra's Vyākhyā ad AK I, 16). Unlike sensation and apperception, which apprehend the specific characteristics of objects, consciousness acts as an integrating and discerning factor of experience.



Despite their differences, there are many other similarities between Ratnākaraśānti’s notion of the
Nirākāravādin position and Kamalaśīla’s. They both refute external objects by proving the
Vijñaptimātratā and then disprove the cognitive images as conventional, not ultimate. Also, in doing
so, they both rely on the Nirākāravādin arguments vyāpakaviruddhopalabdhi or vyāpakānupalabdhi in
contrast to those employed by Sākāravādin-s like Prajñākaragupta.

Vijnapti Matra is a synonym of Vijnana Vada.

It is not that hard to refute objects, since any of them change and decay, they are not absolute. Their related cognitive images are the same way.

Even when an object is not real, different persons may be conscious of the same thing, and perceive it very differently.

[shaberon]

The rainbows I see in dew are related to the refraction in a single dewdrop.


There is not just one rainbow, it is a matter of intensity.

In other words, a "double rainbow" in the sky is a second one because optically, it is made of light reflecting in the interior of the drop, and some of it escapes, some of it keeps reflecting and escapes to make a second one.

In laboratory conditions, at least thirteen orders of rainbows have been detected.

But usually only one is bright enough to see.





Or a zero that is a fulcrum or balance point, not an absolute zero. Nothing can be very pregnant, if it is the precursor state to some kind of bifurcation or singularity. It isn't a zero energy then, it's some other unstable equilibrium. That's fine, my empty spaces don't need to be empty.


Very much so. It is a whole lot of "nothing" with respect to the senses and how the mind ordinarily works, or the apparent removal of energy from manifestation. But at worst if we say "zero" it could only be temporarily, as, by law, One must arise again, and so any zero must, at least, be "pregnant".



Awakening mind is not thought of as having an idea yet. It is a subconscious desire for sound. And so it goes through a subtle awakening before there is a letter (idea), which is a formation in the Akash of the Mental Plane, which establishes the Divine Word and then retreats to its subtle lair.
This makes more sense, I think.


It is a way of expressing man's "potential thread" to the Absolute, which would be the highest samadhi.

Here, I am paraphrasing Koothoomi in the letter where at first he accuses Aristotelians of "inverting the sense" of Avalokiteshvara. After asserting that he does not "look down from on high":

Avalokitesvara is both the unmanifested Father and the manifested Son, the latter proceeding from, and identical with, the other; -- namely, the Parabrahm and Jivatman, the Universal and the individualized seventh Principle, -- the Passive and the Active, the latter the Word, Logos, the Verb. Call it by whatever name, only let these unfortunate, deluded Christians know that the real Christ of every Christian is the Vach, the "mystical Voice," while the man Jeshu was but a mortal like any of us, an adept more by his inherent purity and ignorance of real Evil, than by what he had learned with his initiated Rabbis and the already (at that period) fast degenerating Egyptian Hierophants and priests.


Continuing with what he was forced to express in a Buddhist, Hindu, and Greek melange:

Does your B.T.S. know the meaning of the white and black interlaced triangles, of the Parent Society's seal that it has also adopted? Shall I explain? -- the double triangle viewed by the Jewish Kabalists as Solomon's Seal, is, as many of you doubtless know the Sri-antara of the archaic Aryan Temple, the "mystery of Mysteries," a geometrical synthesis of the whole occult doctrine. The two interlaced triangles are the Buddhangums of Creation. They contain the "squaring of the circle," the "philosophical stone," the great problems of Life and Death, and -- the Mystery of Evil. The chela who can explain this sign from every one of its aspects -- is virtually an adept. How is it then that the only one among you, who has come so near to unravelling the mystery is also the only one who got none of her ideas from books? Unconsciously she gives out -- to him who has the key -- the first syllable of the Ineffable name! Of course you know that the double-triangle -- the Satkiri Chakram of Vishnu -- or the six-pointed star, is the perfect seven. In all the old Sanskrit works -- Vedic and Tantrik -- you find the number 6 mentioned more often than the 7 -- this last figure, the central point being implied, for it is the germ of the six and their matrix. It is then thus . . . [At this point in the original there is a rough drawing of the interlaced triangles inscribed in a circle. -- ED.] -- the central point standing for seventh, and
the circle, the Mahakâsha -- endless space -- for the seventh Universal Principle. In one sense, both are viewed as Avalokitesvara, for they are respectively the Macrocosm and the microcosm. The interlaced triangles -- the upper pointing one -- is Wisdom concealed, and the downward pointing one -- Wisdom revealed (in the phenomenal world). The circle indicates the bounding, circumscribing quality of the All, the Universal Principle which, from any given point expands so as to embrace all things, while embodying the potentiality of every action in the Cosmos. As the point then is the centre round which the circle is traced -- they are identical and one, and though from the standpoint of Maya and Avidya -- (illusion and ignorance) -- one is separated from the other by the manifested triangle, the 3 sides of which represent the three gunas -- finite attributes. In symbology the central point is Jivatma (the 7th principle), and hence Avalokitesvara, the Kwan-Shai-yin, the manifested "Voice" (or Logos), the germ point of manifested activity; -- hence -- in the phraseology of the Christian Kabalists "the Son of the Father and Mother," and agreeably to ours -- "the Self manifested in Self -- Yih-Sin, the "one form of existence," the child of Dharmakaya (the universally diffused Essence), both male and female. Parabrahm or "Adi-Buddha" while acting through that germ point outwardly as an active force, reacts from the circumference inwardly as the Supreme but latent Potency. The double triangles symbolize the Great Passive and the Great Active; the male and female; Purusha and Prakriti. Each triangle is a Trinity because presenting a triple aspect. The white represents in its straight lines: Gnanam -- (Knowledge); Gnata -- (the Knower); and Gnayam -- (that which is known). The black-form, colour, and substance, also the creative, preservative, and destructive forces and are mutually correlating, etc., etc.

Well may you admire and more should you wonder at the marvellous lucidity of that remarkable seeress, who ignorant of Sanskrit or Pali, and thus shut out from their metaphysical treasures, has yet seen a great light shining from behind the dark bills of exoteric religions. How, think you, did the "Writers of the Perfect Way" come to know that Adonai was the Son and not the Father; or that the third Person of the Christian Trinity is -- female? Verily, they lay in that work several times their hands upon the keystone of Occultism. Only does the lady -- who persists using without an explanation the misleading term "God" in her writings -- know how nearly she comes up to our doctrine when saying: -- "Having for Father, Spirit which is Life (the endless Circle or Parabrahm) and for Mother the Great Deep, which is Substance (Prakriti in its undifferentiated condition) -- Adonai possesses the potency of both and wields the dual powers
of all things." We would say triple, but in the sense as given this will do. Pythagoras had a reason for never using the finite, useless figure -- 2, and for altogether discarding it. The One, can, when manifesting, become only 3. The unmanifested when a simple duality remains passive and concealed. The dual monad (the 7th and 6th principles) has, in order to manifest itself as a Logos, the "Kwan-shai-yin" to first become a triad (7th, 6th and half of the 5th); then, on the bosom of the "Great Deep" attracting within itself the One Circle -- form out of it the perfect Square, thus "squaring the circle" -- the greatest of all the mysteries, friend -- and inscribing within the latter the -- Word(the Ineffable name) -- otherwise the duality could never tarry as such, and would have to be reabsorbed into the One. The "Deep" is Space -- both male and female. "Purush (as Brahma) breathes in the Eternity: when 'he' in-breathes -- Prakriti (as manifested Substance) disappears in his bosom; when 'he' out-breathes she reappears as Maya," says the Sloka. The One reality is Mulaprakriti (undifferentiated Substance) -- the "Rootless root," the. . . But we have to stop, lest there should remain but little to tell for your own intuitions.

Well may the Geometer of the R.S. not know that the apparent absurdity of attempting to square the circle covers a mystery ineffable. It would hardly be found among the foundation stones of Mr. Roden Noel's speculations upon the "pneumatical body . . . of our Lord," nor among the debris of Mr. Farmer's "A New Basis of Belief in Immortality"; and to many such metaphysical minds it would be worse than useless to divulge the fact, that the Unmanifested Circle -- the Father, or Absolute Life -- is non-existent outside the Triangle and Perfect Square, and -- is only manifested in the Son; and that it is when, reversing the action and returning to its absolute state of Unity, and the square expands once more into the Circle -- that "the Son returns to the bosom of the Father." There it remains until called back by his Mother -- the "Great Deep," to remanifest as a triad -- the Son partaking at once, of the Essence of the Father, and of that of the Mother -- the active Substance, Prakriti in its differentiated condition. "My Mother -- (Sophia -- the manifested Wisdom) took me" -- says Jesus in a Gnostic treatise; and he asks his disciples to tarry till he comes. . . . The true "Word" may only be found by tracing the mystery of the passage inward and outward of the Eternal Life, through the states typified in these three geometric figures.


So there he has taken something of western mysteries and attached it to how the Hexagram is used in eastern doctrine. This is pretty much what the Theosophical program was about, and he is very close to the right "Anglicization" of it, to the extent that can be done.

[Old Student]

So to summarize, Ratnakarasanti says there are several states, transmundane, pure mundane, and impure mundane. In transmundane, only the luminosity is seen, the images or shapes are not seen. This state is common to Buddhas and to Bodhisattvas, so long as the latter are in meditation. Post meditation, the Buddhas can still see the transmundane, but if they want to, they can also see the pure mundane. Bodhisattvas see the pure mundane for a time after their meditation, but if they don't meditate again to recharge, they will eventually see the impure mundane. The difference between the transmundane and the pure mundane is that the transmundane is the luminosity with no cognitive images. The pure mundane state is one where one sees cognitive images but they appear as illusions of various kinds. The impure mundane is where the illusions feel like reality because one is not free of the grasper and the grasped.

The way to attain these abilities to see pure mundane and transmundane is through Prajnaparamita.

Is that pretty much it?

[Old Student]

So, yes, the underlying meaning of akasa is not much different from prakasa, which is not far from prakriti prabhasvara.

This then doesn't differentiate akasa from nirvakara, does it? Luminous substrate as space.


There is no external object to be grasped by cognition (vijñapti) nor is
there an inherent nature (svabhāva) grasping cognitions. Both of those
are the imagined nature of phenomena, because they are imagined
through mental discursiveness (manojalpa).
But it appears that the operative phenomenon making these things not be, is mental discursiveness. And that what is unreal about them is that they are grasped or grasping.


Since objects do not exist, representation (vijñapti;
rnam rig) does not exist.

4 I have translated vijñapti as “representation” to emphasize the logical connection with the refutation
of objects. Elsewhere I usually just translate it as cognition.

elsewhere: mere cognition.

Mere cognition has been used since Vasubandhu's time to say that when consciousness is aware of an external object, there is only (matra) that consciousness, and not any real object.


It seems like there is one stage more not existing here than the mere cognition in Vasubandhu's time.

[shaberon]

The way to attain these abilities to see pure mundane and transmundane is through Prajnaparamita.

Is that pretty much it?


Yes!


Unfortunately, the verse ending "This system is Nirakara" only has the Tibetan original.

Just to spit in the face of consistency, here are nirvritti and pravrtti just as "stop and go" while we dig through another translation:

Also, those [buddhas] have the basis that is the path. The
transformation of that (a) absolutely ceasing in terms of the mundane
nature [and] (b) absolutely proceeding (pravṛtti) in terms of the
transmundane [nature].

so ’pi mārgas teṣām āśrayaḥ. tasya parāvṛttir laukikena rūpeṇātyantikī nivṛttiḥ, lokottareṇa cātyamtikī pravṛttiḥ.

A buddha is ceasing to be on a path of mundane learning based on
antidotes to negativity, but is proceeding as a transmundane path of no more learning
without any antidotes. This transmundane awareness is sheer luminosity.


Mundane = Laukika

Transmundane = Lokottara

Yes, we just said the mind cannot possibly have Pravrrti in Lokottara, but, you can "proceed" with it in your future.



Ratnākaraśānti also explains these two—i.e. the transmundane and pure mundane
awarenesses—as the two aspects of Prajñāpāramitā:

dvividhā Prajñāpāramitā lokottarā śuddhā laukikī ca.

So it is probably "transmundane" = Lokottara while "transmundane awareness" = jnana.

Suddha Laukika would specify "pure worldly".


...the post-meditative period of each ground is said to contain its own pure mundane
appearances that mature for a bodhisattva from his seeds, as he gradually transforms
the three bases through the practice of the various pāramitās.

As for a buddha, he has both a pure mundane and a transmundane awareness
simultaneously.


Some of the schools would say Buddha lacks mundane awareness, others that if he has it, it is perfect. Ratnakarasanti says that it is imperfect.

Ch. Four unpacks the way that Ratnākaraśānti explains parallel “erroneous” and “unerroneous” causal systems and their lack of mutual exclusivity. It also demonstrates the role that Prajñāpāramitā plays in connecting “erroneous” and “unerroneous” worlds of causality through his unusual explanation of the three bodies (kāya) of a buddha. It also highlights the particular way that Ratnākaraśānti refutes the reality of cognitive images (ākāra) at the ultimate level, but explains their availability to buddhas, insofar as they retain a small amount of error after their awakening.

To some of the schools, it is a subtle refinement, and to others such as Chandrakirti, a strong contradiction.

[shaberon]

akasa is not much different from prakasa, which is not far from prakriti prabhasvara.

This then doesn't differentiate akasa from nirvakara, does it? Luminous substrate as space.


Nirakara is rather the system or that style of meditation which removes cognition in order to see pure light.

In my experience there are various kinds of light associated with form.


But when it comes to the Three Natures and the Three Voids, it is this which I believe is called the Akashic or Mental plane. In the letter, Koothoomi says the Divine writes in the top half of this; correspondingly, HPB says its only choice is to look either down, through Kama Loka and become Kama Manas, or to look up to Buddhi, which, I think, is what we are trying to do in the tantras.

It doesn't say you can go anywhere. It says you can penetrate the veils to something that is passive.

Well, first, you have to use something Active, Karuna or Upaya to do it. From Yoga Nidra (https://archive.org/stream/Yoga_Nidra_1/Santidev-EncyclopaediaOfTantraVol4_djvu.txt), this classical template is what you can do on "the mental plane" since you no longer have a body, i. e., any projectable "body of light" is at rest or just dissipated.



What is that 'Means’ when Father Tantra and upaya-tantra are
identical ? It is taught by the Dakarnava (Toh. 372) in these words.

In the king of Tantras among the ‘yogas' —

Knowing them and the varieties of their rites,

I have explained the Illusion of the Clear Light
To the illusory world.

How is that passage explained ? The explanation is sugges¬
tive (neya). By whom [is it explained] ? By Vajradhara himself.
What [does he explain] ? The ‘Means’ of producing the Illusory
Body. To whom [does he explain] ? To the world of candidates
(vineya). Where ? Dividing the Anuttra Tantra into [maha] yoga-
tantra and yogini-tantra — in the ‘kings’ of the [maha] yoga-tantras
taken by themselves. By what method is it done ? One generates
in the forward direction the three [called] Light (aloka), spread-of-
Liyht (alokabhasa), and Culmination-of-Light (alokopalabdhi), to¬
gether with the Clear Light (prabhasvara)\ and at the time of emerging
from the latter, in the reverse direction one accomplishes the
Illusory Body from the five rays of wind (vayu) riding on the four
Voids. The method consists in emerging in the Illusory Body from
the Clear Light by way of knowing in exactitude such things as
the coming forth with skill and the varieties of their rites.


I found a battered header that explains what DSBC has for Dakarnava is really just its Apabrahmsa verses. They were taken from the full thing which was published a long time ago in a set of volumes of all kinds of things (https://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/notices-of-sanskrit-manuscripts-set-of-three-volumes-old-and-rare-book-NZJ502/):

But the most important discovery of Haraprasada was the mistic songs of the saint poets of the Vajrayana sect. The four collections of such songs he discovered were the Caryacaryaviniscaya of Luipada, the Dohakosa of Sarohavajra the Dohakosa and the Dakarnava of Kanhapada. He discovered all these four collections in 1907 in Nepal and then edited and published them, in 1916, under the title Hajara bacharera purana Bangala nhasaya Bauddhagana o Doha. This publication started a new era in the linguistic research in Bengali, Maithili, Asamiya and Oriya, since the language of these songs marks the beginning of all these eastern languages.


So the Dakarnava is really a Sangiti.

It is most heavily related to Eastern Bengali, written in Newari script.

The original Apabrahmsa study has a ton of translations for Bengali, but, the scan is so poor, it is not much of a good read and probably not that helpful.

However, "Chakrasamvara" is actually:

Śrīherukābhidhānaṃ Cakrasaṃvaratantram with the Vivṛti Commentary of Bhavabhaṭṭa


Root Chakrasamvara.

It is large, but, are other things, such as Vajradaka and Cinnamasta "explanatory" to it? Yes.

It does show us a few things. For one thing, Seven Syllable Deity and the Six Yoginis are conjoined.

I was looking since someone said Vajrayogini is in such-and-such a place, but this is not true, it is Vajravarahi, and it gives something interesting on her:

cumbikā śūnye tu [evaṃ] pāramitāstathā |
madhye tu savavīrālayaṃ pṛṣṭhe tu visarjayed budhaḥ || 13 ||
cumbiketi vajravārāhyā aparaṃ nāma | saiva śūnye śūnyatāyām | śūnyatāviśuddhye-
tyarthaḥ | ataḥ pāramitā iti |

Cumbikā (चुम्बिका) refers to one of two types of Lāmās: female Tantrik adepts, according to the 8th-centry Jayadratha-yāmala.—Lāmā is not the commonly known Tibetan word “bla-ma” meaning “scholar”, but something different. The Lāmās otherwise called Rūpikā and Cumbikā flourish among the rare group of the Kāśyapīs. Association with them is conducive to spiritual success. They are called Rūpikā because they assume different shapes during their intercourse with others. They are called Cumbikā because they kiss at the very first introduction.

and she also gets the odd description which may mean she is in Binducakra, which can't be figured out, since we cannot look this up:

Cumbikā (चुम्बिका) refers to one of the twenty-four Ḍākinīs positioned at the padma (lotus) in the middle of the Herukamaṇḍala, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, between the east and north (of the heruka-maṇḍala) are six Ḍākinīs who are half black and half dark-blue in color. They [viz., Cumbikā] are headed by the major four Ḍākinīs of the Cakrasaṃvara tradition.

In the next phrase, she appears to stand in for Prajnaparamita:


yā dānaśīlakṣāntivīryadhyānapāramitāḍākinyādayo vajra-
vārāhyantāḥ krameṇa jñeyāḥ | tathāśabdaḥ prajñāpāramitā pañcabhiḥ pāramitābhiḥ saṅgacchata
iti sūtra(ca)yati |

This description is after an unusual thing--she has *some* of the Six Yoginis or Armor Deities, but, only four of them in a way that "implies" a fifth central one:

pūrvadale ḍākinī | uttare lāmā |
paścime khaṇḍarohā | dakṣiṇe rupiṇī | aiśāne yāminī | āgneye mohanī | nairṛte
sañcāla(ri)ṇī | vāyavye trāsanīti vibhāvyam |

It is not telling you much about Six Yoginis, there is no Candi on the page.

It gives Vairocani and Varnani mantras, one time apiece, and so yes it makes sense there are stand-alone sadhanas for these.


When the Six Yoginis come up in Chapter Forty-one, something happens to them pertaining to Mothers:

ṣaḍyoginyaḥ kulatāyāṃ marudeśe ṣaḍmātarāḥ |
sindhudeśe lāmā ca nagare kulanāyikāḥ || 10 ||
lampā[ kā ]yāṃ saurāṣṭre ca kuladevatā sthitāḥ |
pretapuryāṃ mahākanyā ḍākinī saharupiṇī || 11 ||
himādrau caiva kāñcyāṃ ca kathiatā sabālikā iti |
pañcālaviṣaye gṛhadevatā kaliṅge ca vratadhāriṇyaḥ || 12 ||
piśitāśanā kośale tu pretapuryāṃ vajraḍākinyaḥ |
sthūleśvare triśakunau khaṇḍarohākulodbhavāḥ || 13 ||
pullīramalaye kanakādrau ca caṇḍālakulajāḥ striyaḥ |
sahastrāṇyekaviṃśatiḥ || 14 ||

This is repeated with more detail, but I guess what they don't make explicit here is that it is a Cinnamasta Krama. And so what is weird, before the other Pithas come, Vajravarahi and Yamini look like the source for the Six Mothers, then there are Seven Mothers in a certain place, followed by Lama and Heruka:

śarīrastheṣu maṇḍalastheṣu vā pullīramalayādiṣu pracaṇḍādayaḥ krameṇa jñeyāḥ |
bahirdeśeṣu tu tajjātīyā yathā tathā vā | vajravārāhī yāminyādayaḥ ṣaḍmātarā iti |
saptamātṛrupāḥ marudeśe | lāmājātīyāḥ kulanāyikā ti | śrīherukakulodbhūtāḥ |


Maru "sands, desert".

It has tantric meanings, one curiously also being a Krama:

Marudeśa (मरुदेश):—Sanskrit name for one of the twenty-four sacred sites of the Sūryamaṇḍala, the first maṇḍala of the Khecarīcakra, according to the kubjikāmata-tantra. The Khecarīcakra is the fifth and final cakra located just above the head. Each one of these holy sites (pītha) is presided over by a particular Khecarī (‘sky-goddess’). This Marudeśa-pītha is connected with the goddess Kramaṇī.


or in the Puranas, it was a site of the Best Mare:

Marudeśa (मरुदेश).—Also Marudhanva; arid tract where saṃjñā roamed in the guise of a mare;2

2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa I. 10. 35. Matsya-purāṇa 11. 26. Vāyu-purāṇa 8. 97; 88. 35.


Usually, Varahi is counted in the Six, so I am not sure what is getting added there.




Chapter Forty-three involves an Avalokana Nagna Puja:

yoginyavalokananagnapūjāḥ | saptākṣarakarmavidhipaṭalamāha - athetyādi |



There is Brihaspati--Jupiter and perhaps seven underworlds in the way of divine light:

vāgīśaṃ bṛhaspatiṃ tasya mātaraṃ vāṇīṃ divyaṃ divibhavaṃ vṛttāntaṃ jānāti | divyānāṃ
yoginīnāṃ kathā divyakathā | jyotiṣāṃ grahāṇāṃ sañcāraṃ jānāti | pātāla iti |
saptasu pātāleṣu yad vṛttaṃ tajjānāti | grāma ityādi | nandigrāmādau | araṇye mahāraṇye |
nagareṣu varddhamānādiṣu | vīragṛhe kṣetrapālādyadhiṣṭhāne | vyomnyākāśe | śikhare parvata-
śikhare || 7-8 ||
smaranti hṛdayopahṛdayaṃ na dṛśyante devamānuṣaiḥ |
tasmādeṣu pradeśeṣu nityaṃ tiṣṭhanti sādhakāḥ || 9 ||



The mantra seems to involve itself with an epithet of Brahman:

Saptātman (सप्तात्मन्):—[from sapta > saptan] mfn. having 7 essences, [Nṛsiṃha-tāpanīya-upaniṣad]

ātmakāye tu vinyasya bhūmau darbhāsane śayet |
saptātmakākṣaraṃ mantraṃ japedaṣṭottaraṃ śatam


That says to me that the syllables are aspects of Atman--Brahman, and so if in the perhaps more explanatory Vajradaka, they become the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment, that is what makes a Buddha.


You attract girls seven times:

saptasaṃkhyātmakānyakṣarāṇi

The end of the book looks to be about seven more rebirths.



Chapter Forty-four:

śrīherukābhidhāne ṣaḍyoginīnāṃ saptākṣarakarmavidhi-paṭalaḥ

Has for its whole contents the affixing of Six to Seven.


Chapter Forty-five is Karma Vak Siddhi, which is unknown compared to Vak Siddhi:

śrīherukābhidhāne ṣaḍyoginīnāṃ karmavāksiddhyākarṣaṇa-vidhipaṭalaḥ pañcacālīśatimaḥ

starts with fierce red nerves:

raktacandanādi yoginā

Six Yognis' Kavaca (Armor) is Matra (only) Aksara (syllables) Saptaka Atmaka mantra of such-and-such a kind, appears to bond with basic Six syllable mantra:

ṣaḍyoginīkavacamatrākṣarasaptakātmakamantrakarmaprasarakathanānantaram ,
karmavaraṃ ṣaḍakṣaramantrasambandhi

Except it is not Avalokiteshvara's mantra, it is one "Hum" removed from Seven Syllable mantra, which makes this one, Six Yoginis and six senses. It looks like Chapter Forty-four interfaces the six and seven and spits out the usual Armor mantra.


The whole thing also uses Dakinijala Samvara.

It seems to be building up to Sarva Buddha Dakini (Varnani) which becomes deployed as the entire field of Pithas with Viras and Yoginis.

If it does not mention Candi, it is so into Pracanda that it never says her name plainly, it is Pracandadaya, source of twenty-four yoginis. Only one time, after the longest word in the world, it is Khandakapaladaya Pracandayukta.


The next-to-last Chapter Fifty appears to cultivate a Pindartha of the underworld:

bhāvanāpīṇḍārthādipaṭalamāha

and has managed to compose a Heruka of fourteen tattvas.

ādisiddhā prakṛtisiddhā mahāmudrā devatā |

and end:

saptajanmanaḥ siddhaṃ prakṛtisiddhaṃ sāmarthyam

acintyānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ bhāvanānāṃ prakṛtiḥ smartavyā deśitavyā |

Acintya (अचिन्त्य) refers to five “incomprehensible” things, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVII.—Accordingly, “there are five incomprehensible (acintya) things, namely: i) the number of beings; ii) the retribution of action (karmavipāka); iii) the power of a person in meditation (dhyāyabala); iv) the power of the Nāgas; v) the power of the Buddha. Of these five incomprehensible things, the power of the Buddha is the most incomprehensible. The Bodhisattva in profound concentrations (gambhīra-samādhi) produces incomprehensible superknowledges (acintya-abhijñā) and by means of them, in a single moment, goes everywhere in the Buddha universes of the ten directions”.


Granted, I have not looked in the first volume for anything.



But it appears that the operative phenomenon making these things not be, is mental discursiveness. And that what is unreal about them is that they are grasped or grasping.

Yes.


A slightly larger but perhaps more accurate phrase is Grasping for Truly-Established Existence.

From the Berzhin Archives:

(1) Both to cognize (literally, take as a cognitive object) the appearance of the world as having truly established existence, which the habits of this grasping cause the mind to fabricate and project, as well as believing this deceptive appearance to correspond to how things actually exist, (2) simply cognizing the appearance of the world as having truly established existence, without actually believing this deceptive appearance to correspond to how things actually exist. Gelug asserts both definitions, while non-Gelug asserts only the first.

Tibetan: བདེན་འཛིན། bden-'dzin

Sanskrit: satyagrāha

Imputing Satya onto anything other than Sat is a gross error, Parikalpita.


In the context of what looks like Yamantaka about to smash it:

Because of our ingrained habits of grasping for truly established existence, our minds produce an appearance resembling self-established existence. With unawareness, we don’t know and don’t understand that this appearance does not correspond to reality. Therefore, we grasp at it to actually correspond to reality. Believing like that causes our disturbing emotions to arise, which brings us to act destructively, and as a result, our actions build up karmic aftermath. That karmic aftermath gets activated with more disturbing emotions and, when it ripens, it produces, among many other things, our five aggregates – our body and mind – and what we experience.

We experience having a limited body and a limited mind. We continue to have the various tendencies, not only for compulsive karmic behavior, but also for the disturbing emotions, including the three poisons, and we continue to have, as well, the habit of grasping for truly established existence. We then compulsively repeat actions that are similar to what we have done in the past. First, we feel like doing them and that leads to more compulsive behavior and compulsively entering into situations where things similar to what we have done to others happen back to us, and we continue to have the five aggregates. This is samsara, uncontrollably recurring existence.



And so if you don't rebuke the samsara, you will be grasping for truly established existence in the Bardo, which is way worse, and you will transmigrate into realms of suffering.

Grasping is an error on behalf of the male aspect, while the grasped is impermanent.

[Old Student]

There is not just one rainbow, it is a matter of intensity.

In other words, a "double rainbow" in the sky is a second one because optically, it is made of light reflecting in the interior of the drop, and some of it escapes, some of it keeps reflecting and escapes to make a second one.

I've seen the second one, fairly often in some places (Arizona after thundershowers).

In my rainbow, it is from spray from a waterfall, I can see the whole rainbow there, but what always happens is that one drop will loom up in front of me and I see the whole refraction process and the brilliant colors as if all of the sunlight is going through that one drop.

It always has a really specific meaning, that it can paint anything at all of any color at all but that the rainbow itself is nothing but mist. It collapses all images to nothingness, and reemerges as the light before the images occur. I'm not saying it right. The rainbow paints all of everything from its colors and yet almost doesn't exist.



In symbology the central point is Jivatma (the 7th principle), and hence Avalokitesvara, the Kwan-Shai-yin, the manifested "Voice" (or Logos), the germ point of manifested activity; -- hence -- in the phraseology of the Christian Kabalists "the Son of the Father and Mother," and agreeably to ours -- "the Self manifested in Self -- Yih-Sin, the "one form of existence," the child of Dharmakaya (the universally diffused Essence), both male and female.

Avalokitashvara = Guanshiyin (here Kwan-Shai-Yin in lord knows what transliteration)
觀世音 literally, "attends(listens)to the world's sounds".
Yixin (here Yih-Sin) 一心 literally one heart -- here meaning one mind.
I think the equivalent, if there is to be an equivalent, symbol in China is the Taiji, which is symbolically the two trigrams kan and li water and fire.

[Old Student]

Mundane = Laukika

Transmundane = Lokottara

This is good to have, I was wondering what these words were.


the transmundane and pure mundane
awarenesses—as the two aspects of Prajñāpāramitā:

dvividhā Prajñāpāramitā lokottarā śuddhā laukikī ca.
two vidhA Prajnaparamita transmundane pure mundane and.
two aspects (of) Prajnaparamita transmundane and pure mundane.

suddha laukika is what he is translating as "pure mundane".


It also highlights the particular way that Ratnākaraśānti refutes the reality of cognitive images (ākāra) at the ultimate level, but explains their availability to buddhas, insofar as they retain a small amount of error after their awakening.
This part I don't follow, why in order to perceive akara buddhas need to retain error.

[Old Student]

The Lāmās otherwise called Rūpikā and Cumbikā
literally shapers and kissers.

dānaśīlakṣāntivīryadhyānapāramitāḍākinyādayo
These are the other 5 paramitas (dana sila ksanti virya dhyana), I assume Dakinyadayo is the Dakini version of Dharmadayo?


ṣaḍyoginīkavacamatrākṣarasaptakātmakamantrakarmaprasarakathanānantaram, karmavaraṃ ṣaḍakṣaramantrasambandhi
In this and the other quotes, does ksara mean essence or fluid?


Sanskrit: satyagrāha
You mean like the movement?


Because of our ingrained habits of grasping for truly established existence, our minds produce an appearance resembling self-established existence. With unawareness, we don’t know and don’t understand that this appearance does not correspond to reality. Therefore, we grasp at it to actually correspond to reality. Believing like that causes our disturbing emotions to arise, which brings us to act destructively, and as a result, our actions build up karmic aftermath. That karmic aftermath gets activated with more disturbing emotions and, when it ripens, it produces, among many other things, our five aggregates – our body and mind – and what we experience.
This is the same sequence as in Tenzin Wangyal's book and similar to one in the Avatamsaka Sutra.

[shaberon]

as if all of the sunlight is going through that one drop. It always has a really specific meaning, that it can paint anything at all of any color at all but that the rainbow itself is nothing but mist. It collapses all images to nothingness, and reemerges as the light before the images occur.


Well, this is pretty close to what we mean by Purity and Emptiness mantras.

The point at which I personally use the first process is to dissolve Vajrasattva throughout the body, etc., and this is Purity.

You do Emptiness with some sensation of Brahma Vihara, and then the image is intended to be the syllable, lotus, disks, etc., in a deity's spawn sequence. Because of the way I do Guru Yoga, it would mean Vajradhara and then he could get suspended and then use a syllable for Tara.

That one drop is therefor highly akin to a type of siddhi sought for Sadhana and Samadhi.

If one might suppose that Citra could simultaneously be Bright and Variegated, then, perhaps, that kind of Citrasena might make sense. There is a vaguely synonymous

Citradevī (चित्रदेवी):—[=citra-devī] [from citra-deva > citra > cit] f. Mahendra-vāruṇī

It is at least its own Quintessence.

Corresponding to approximately half of what is considered one's system, the companion of Vajravairocani is Pranava Vajradakini, i. e. Primordial Om, and simultaneously "she who colors":

Varṇanīya (वर्णनीय).—a.

1) To be painted or coloured.


Perhaps it is like one of these, or similar others.

Granted that I certainly do not have anything that powerful and clear, but, yes, that sounds like a sought-for potency in order to accomplish practices.



Avalokitashvara = Guanshiyin (here Kwan-Shai-Yin in lord knows what transliteration)


That is how it was in the era. Most of the Tibetan is only approximately "correct".

Although there was only limited knowledge of Sanskrit, Brian Hodgson was the only source of Nepalese Sanskrit for a hundred years or more.

His description of the "four schools", Svabhavika, etc., was heavily relied upon if not simply quoted in its entirety by Alex Wayman in his treatment of the same.

However if anyone would have caught on to the basic information he has there, it is an excellent stamp for eastern metaphysics.



literally, "attends(listens)to the world's sounds".


Then it seems they have gone with "Svara" as the ending.

If that is done, I am not sure why you might not also go with Sees the Sounds similar to the above as well as what is supposed to happen when Avalokiteshvara does samadhi on the Sound.



Yixin (here Yih-Sin) 一心 literally one heart -- here meaning one mind.


If most of the linguistics are a butcher job, I am glad there is this.



I think the equivalent, if there is to be an equivalent, symbol in China is the Taiji, which is symbolically the two trigrams kan and li water and fire.

"both male and female"

Androgyne

To me, that is how Vajrasattva or Sunyata Jnana works, and the Guru and the various deities are elaborating some aspect of the halves.

Yes we see Watery Fire in Buddhism and Alchemy used about the same way.

Varuna and Agni esoterically.

By now it should be much more obvious that of one is a major Homa practice arguably brought from outside the Indian subcontinent, and, for the other, we only show a Makara Rider here and there.

[shaberon]

Mundane = Laukika

Transmundane = Lokottara

This is good to have, I was wondering what these words were.


The reason this is not a religion, but a school of clairvoyance.

Laukika (लौकिक).—adj. (Sanskrit id.; [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] also like Pali, lokika), with citta, (thought) about the world; said of the Buddha when he concerns himself with the welfare of some person or persons: °kam (137.16 °ka-) cittam utpāditam, or utpā- [Page466-b+ 9] daya(n)ti (subject, a Buddha or Buddhas) Divyāvadāna 63.11 ff.; 77.14 ff.; 137.16; 161.23 f.; in the last contrasted with a Buddha's lokottara (q.v.) citta; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.255.19.

The second term, Lokottara, may not be the linguistic property of Buddhism, but, is, I think, its subject, which here at ca. year 1,000, has had a very intricate explanation penned by Ratnakarasanti, for almost the exact same thing since the Mahasamghika:

Lokottara-vāda (Sanskrit). ‘The Supermundane School’, also known as ‘The One-utterance School’ (Ekavyavahāra), being a subdivision of the Mahāsaṃghika which taught that a Buddha in reality is endowed with a supermundane (lokottara) nature, omniscience, limitless power, and eternal life.

It also taught the docetic doctrine that any physical manifestations or actions on earth undertaken by a Buddha are merely appearances or illusory projections performed to save beings.

According to Paramartha (http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=Lokottara-v%C4%81da), it must have been very old since it moved north two hundred years after Buddha.


Over the centuries, that name as a title faded into Vijnana Vada and similar terms which slipped under Madhyamika which is more like Sunyata Vada, and by this point there is sort of like a Renaissance where you can almost make a grid of three kinds of Vijnana philosophies crossing with, so to speak, Madhyamika hybrids, and so the elegance of Ratnakarasanti is, I think, tracing out the weird agreements as well as actual errors in each, which works almost exactly like a funnel into what he is promoting.

I tend to think the power of the Buddha is that of the Bodhisattvas but at an infinite or inscrutable level and hence Acintya.

In the tantras, the Laukika siddhis are largely the same as in Hinduism, whereas the Lokottara siddhis are unique to Buddhism, Utpatti and Nispanna or Generation and Completion Stages, which are like Krama or Methods to engage transcendent or Lokottara awareness, or, Jnana in the Buddhist meaning.




suddha laukika is what he is translating as "pure mundane".


Yes and so a more technical description is Suvishuddha Dharmadhatu which can then be found as tantricly identical to Locana.

On a Sutra basis it is Prajnaparamita, which does not mean she does not proceed on a tantric basis with Locana emanated along with her in VAT.

The Mundane aspect would involve an Object which is why many of the sadhanas involve Dharmadhatu Vajra and Offering Goddesses for Purification.



This part I don't follow, why in order to perceive akara buddhas need to retain error.



From what I gather, it is not anything different about a Buddha, it is the nature of Pure Mundane Awareness:

In this [passage], [the term] pure mundane awareness [refers to] the
awareness that is pure, due to delimiting suchness, and that is
mundane, insofar as [it is] an error (’khrul ba nyid kyis; bhrāntatvena).


"Delimiting" is a tricky word unless maybe thought of as "making finite units", which are seen as Suchness by Buddha always, and by Bodhisattvas to some degree or other.

Interestingly, in the seven rays, Bhranta is that Visnu who enters the lowest and most divided space and goes under error and Maya.


In the same way [as the bodhisattvas on those grounds], [for someone]
on the ground of a buddha, it is by force of [his] aspirations (dgongs
pa’i dbang gis; abhiprāyavaṣena) that complete awakening [also
involves] a slight error, insofar as it [too] consists in [something] pure
and mundane.

In Ratnākaraśānti’s Nirākāravādin system, a buddha does not just attain the state of
transmundane awareness. He intentionally maintains a pure form of mundane
awareness that involves a slight bit of error in order to benefit beings.
Ratnākaraśānti’s explanation of a buddha—as participating in a small amount of error
due to his prior aspiration to awaken for the benefit of sentient beings—is a notion of
a buddha markedly different from that of other Mahāyāna systems. However, for
Ratnākaraśānti, this is just part of the threefold hermeneutic model from the
perspective of unerroneous causality that explains how a bodhisattva’s aspirations on
the path produce a buddha who is both a transcendent and immanent being. By
emphasizing the aspiration as the cause, Ratnākaraśānti is clarifying that a buddha’s
error derives from no fault of his own, but from his compassionate aspiration to help
beings. Thus, Ratnākaraśānti’s system attempts to bridge the gap between the false
and true worlds by suggesting that a buddha’s compassionate aspiration takes the
form of his participation in ordinary beings’ error on the conventional level through
pure mundane awareness, which he further explains as follows:

The awareness (shes pa; jñāna) on [all these] grounds are both
transformations of the basis (gnas gyur pa; āśrayaparāvṛtti) and
different ripenings [of the fruits of previous actions] (mi ’dra bar smin
pa; vipāka<visadṛśaḥ pāka). Thus, there are two awarenesses, [i.e.] the
mundane awareness and the transmundane awareness. Under the
[rubric of] mundane awareness, there is the impure mundane awareness and the pure mundane awareness. This system is Nirākāra.

Ratnākaraśānti explains that in his system, a buddha’s pure mundane awareness has
false cognitive images. According to Ratnākaraśānti, when a buddha’s three bases
are transformed, the cognitive images, i.e. signs of proliferation, completely dissolve
into the transmundane awareness. After that dissolution, that awareness arises as a
buddha with both a transmundane and a pure mundane awareness simultaneously.

Nothing is changed or new on that aspect because:

a bodhisattva has the same pure mundane
awareness as a buddha


The difference of Buddha is by Fully Expanding his Transmundane Awareness, so that it is permanent and simultaneous even if he is also perceiving Mundane conditions.

Bodhisattvas can experience exactly what Buddha does, just weaker and temporarily.


I found the author also makes a specific point distinguishing Shentong:

Ratnākaraśānti presents the classic Nirākāravādin interpretation of the three natures, in which the paratantra’s emptiness of the parikalpita is the pariniṣpanna. But the Tibetan gZhan-stong proponents take the same passage to imply something
different, i.e. that the pariniṣpanna is empty of the parikalpita and of the paratantra.


Here it seems to me the Shentong point is true, during meditation, or during pralaya of a world system or universe, and then the Indian point is true, that any mundane experience can, so to speak, be Purified and then infused with Suchness, and yet it will still be a minor error and the Paratantra does respond to it. A Buddha's Parinispanna would remain undisturbed, i. e., it still has no natures other than its own.

This is a small nuance, but we can get to whatever the Tibetans may have said differently.

These differing views are from the following passage from Maitreya's Madhyāntavibhāga (MAVi), along with finding

vikalpa, a synonym of paratantra.



In Ratnākaraśānti’s Nirākāravādin system, the established nature is
defined as the emptiness or absence of the false cognitive images in the nature that
is dependent upon causes and conditions. That is to say, cognitive images may
appear in consciousness, but these are false. The consciousness is ultimately free of
these. Ratnākaraśānti elaborates on the three natures as follows:
Likewise, in relation to [the above three natures], they are also taught
to be the imagined form (rūpa), the conceptual form (vikalpita), and the form that
is the true reality (dharmatā).

Here, Rupa means Rupa Skandha and all the rest which have each of the three natures, so for instance Rupa Samjna, Vikalpita Samjna, and Dharmata Samjna.

It is the skandha itself which becomes a Dhyani Buddha, and so if Samjna is Lotus Family, then a family does have an imprint which is part of the Dharma Realm or Parinispanna. So the explanation he is using still sounds consistent with the tantras.



[These three natures are], respectively
(yang), existent in terms of designation, existent in terms of substance,
and ultimately existent. Hence, the middle way is taught to be
endowed with these three natures (rang bzhin; svabhāva): it is not
existent in terms of [its] imagined nature, but is not nonexistent in
terms of [its] dependent and established natures. Therefore, [this is the
middle way] free from the two extremes as [said]—

The imagination of the unreal exists.
The two [i.e. grasper and grasped] are not found in that
[imagination of the unreal].
But emptiness is found in relation to it.
It too is found in [emptiness]. || MAVi 1.1|

Hence, on account of being existent, of being nonexistent, and of being existent,
Everything is explained as not empty, but also as not
non-empty. That is the middle way. ||MAVi 1.2||

The nature (lus; śarīra) of the conceptualization of blue patches and so
on is existent. The [particular] characteristic of [the cognitive images
of] blue patches and so on is nonexistent, due to being disproved—as
will be explained. Therefore, [there is] an error due to malfunctioning
(bslad pa; viplava) from [former] impressions (vāsanā) of blue
patches and so on.

Because of arising that way (de ltar gyur pas;
tathābhūta), although one experiences these [cognitive images], there
is an error and an experience as though [one] is experiencing [something] else (gzhan).

[shaberon]

The Lāmās otherwise called Rūpikā and Cumbikā
literally shapers and kissers.


Yes they say she shape-shifts.

Apparently this is rather close to placing Buddhist "Rupini" in a corresponding role.

Varahi kisses you if she likes you, which is not far from her act as Vajravilasini.




These are the other 5 paramitas (dana sila ksanti virya dhyana), I assume Dakinyadayo is the Dakini version of Dharmadayo?


Yes, however it may be meaning the dakini named Dakini is the source of these.

Chapter Forty-eight appears to have Dakini release twelve entities along with the Twenty-four Pithas from Pracanda:

tā ḍākinyādayo dvādaśa pracaṇḍādayaścaturviṃśati vajravārāhī ca |

leading to Thirty-six:

vārāhyā saha śrīherukaḥ mahatīti mahāyoginyo
ḍākinyādayaḥ ṣaṭtriṃśad |






ṣaḍyoginīkavacamatrākṣarasaptakātmakamantrakarmaprasarakathanānantaram, karmavaraṃ ṣaḍakṣaramantrasambandhi
In this and the other quotes, does ksara mean essence or fluid?

No, it is the combined form of Aksara or syllable. Kavaca--Armor Matra--is only Aksara--syllable(s) Saptatmaka--seven essence mantra:


kavacamatrākṣarasaptakātmakamantra

more evidently by breaking the next line:

ṣaḍ akṣara mantra


It may have been saying their mantras are the same minus one "Hum".

It is something like these are distributed in the body, but they become equivalent to the Wrathful Prajnas which are just brain activity, and this has to be to a certain extent successful before the stuff they are protecting such as the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment and the Peaceful Deities of the Heart open.



You mean like the movement?

This?

Satyāgraha (सत्याग्रह) [Also spelled satyagrah]:—(nm) insistence on truth—passive resistance offered to uphold truth (a weapon made popular by Gandhiji during the Indian freedom movement)


Kind of, except insisting truth onto something that is false.

Sat is the term for Reality, Parabrahm, etc., amongst Hindus and Jains, "true existence" or Yixin, which cannot be a subject or object of Graha, so, if that is happening, you by definition are not experiencing it.

It also means Six, so, the etymology of Sadguna Brahman is somewhat inherent.



This is the same sequence as in Tenzin Wangyal's book and similar to one in the Avatamsaka Sutra.

Yes, it is the "usual buildup" of discursion and cognitive images and so forth.

We can, without too much trouble, cast away that pattern, but then the same terms and definitions remain in a more subtle way interfering with Sambhogakaya and so forth.

Stopping the active verb of grasping is a big help to, but not the final removal of grasper and grasped as unreal.

The harder the grasp, the worse the samsara, notice "tight fisted" as the failure of the first Paramita.


The basic flaw without subsequent developments is to:

take as a cognitive object the appearance of the world as having truly established existence


"World" may or may not be the physical plane and so on. And so it would be in any way to take Appearance as a Cognitive Object as existing.

The Nirakara system deletes the appearance or phenomena in order to prove this.

Without dealing with other skandhas then I think we are left with something described as a seventh skandha. Just a fleeting chance to repudiate any phenomena with Suchness or else all those other things stir up.

Objects are impermanent, whereas matter is not, which is why removing the Object reverts it to an Element, knowledge of the Emptiness of which is Prajna, of which, there are mainly seven kinds for us to deal with.

[Old Student]

That one drop is therefor highly akin to a type of siddhi sought for Sadhana and Samadhi.
Does that mean it is an ability to do samadhi? It is, I guess, physically near the crown of my head.


If that is done, I am not sure why you might not also go with Sees the Sounds similar to the above as well as what is supposed to happen when Avalokiteshvara does samadhi on the Sound.

Probably so. I can't remember the name of the person who hypothesized that it might actually be Avalokitashvara so that it had the meaning about sounds, but the Chinese translation (which later became the Japanese Kanzeon or Kannon for short, same characters), was one of the reasons. More recently, there was an archaeological find that pretty much proved him right.


"both male and female"

Androgyne

Fire ☲, and Water ☵ . There is a version of the Taiji that bends each of those into a semicircle and creates a striped circle with opposite stripes on either side. From there, you sort of two dimensionalize so that the white is on the inside on one and outside on the other and that makes up the usual Taiji ("yin-yang symbol") which is considered the simplified version. The alchemy is to bring water over fire to create power to create the microcosmic orbit inside, the untrained body has fire over water which leads to dissipation.

Varuna and Agni esoterically.
Okay.

[Old Student]

Lokottara-vāda (Sanskrit). ‘The Supermundane School’, also known as ‘The One-utterance School’ (Ekavyavahāra), being a subdivision of the Mahāsaṃghika which taught that a Buddha in reality is endowed with a supermundane (lokottara) nature, omniscience, limitless power, and eternal life.

It also taught the docetic doctrine that any physical manifestations or actions on earth undertaken by a Buddha are merely appearances or illusory projections performed to save beings.
The version in the Avatamsaka is this manifestation thing, the difference with bodhisattvas (Cleary translates them as "enlightening beings") is they undergo rebirth voluntarily in order to save beings.


"Delimiting" is a tricky word unless maybe thought of as "making finite units", which are seen as Suchness by Buddha always, and by Bodhisattvas to some degree or other.
By carving it up into cognitive images. It is surprising how closely this follows the process of infants becoming able to distinguish objects in the world.


In Ratnākaraśānti’s Nirākāravādin system, a buddha does not just attain the state of transmundane awareness. He intentionally maintains a pure form of mundane
awareness that involves a slight bit of error in order to benefit beings.
Okay, I get it, the "error" is just the descriptor for the perception of the world as cognitive images.


Because of arising that way (de ltar gyur pas; tathābhūta), although one experiences these [cognitive images], there is an error and an experience as though [one] is experiencing [something] else (gzhan).
Okay, thanks.

[Old Student]

In this and the other quotes, does ksara mean essence or fluid?
No, it is the combined form of Aksara or syllable.
Okay.

Kind of, except insisting truth onto something that is false.

Sat is the term for Reality, Parabrahm, etc., amongst Hindus and Jains, "true existence" or Yixin, which cannot be a subject or object of Graha, so, if that is happening, you by definition are not experiencing it.
Is this theosophical or Hindu?


"World" may or may not be the physical plane and so on. And so it would be in any way to take Appearance as a Cognitive Object as existing.

The Nirakara system deletes the appearance or phenomena in order to prove this.
Back to the non-differentiated world before akara.

[shaberon]

Does that mean it is an ability to do samadhi? It is, I guess, physically near the crown of my head.

That does sound nearly identical to Citra or the tip top Nadi that contacts Brahmarandra.

Smrti is the ability or Upaya to do Samadhi.

It is the male seed capable of perceiving Luminosity, but I, personally, believe that I have experienced this "through the energy of the centers alone" rather than the way the tantras actually teach it.

Part of that is that the luminousness is supposed to involve the controlled interaction of Sadhana.

Because most people like me have little ability to visualize, we cannot really do it, so I think we are just doing Dhyana.

It sounds like a slightly higher correspondence of Khecari center but non-physical.

Whatever, exactly, yours may be, that has got to be a vital bindu or nadi for Subtle Yoga.

It sounds to me like you have the energetic equivalent of perhaps several classes of samadhi, but, when I look into am I starting to do this in accord with the teachings, it gives me Hero's March which is Surungama Sutra which is Parasol.

Well, if anyone would have caught on to Sanskrit Buddhism ca. 1840, we would have known she is an Adi Prajna. Further, she has been stepped down and projected out into Kriya, and, I might almost say, idiot level. Now with the other Adi Prajnas, we would probably have to say that Vasudhara is a bit more formal, and that there is not really such a thing as Guhyesvari outside of direct communion. But this Parasol is a major exoteric deity all over Asia, and yet, at the same time, she is a hypostasis of Pandara, Aparajita, Pratyangira, and Vajradakini, and possibly Locana, Prajnaparamita, and Vajradhatvishvari, and is highly relevant to samadhi such as in her Bari lineage mantra.

She can greatly assist but of course Smoky deities and Candi are the corresponding wrathful aspect.

And so the thing is, if I tell myself I am practicing a Yoga Tantra level, then the related samadhi would consist of visualizing Parasol immediately in front of me facing as if we're having a conversation.

To really "become" the deity, you are, of course, going to start by self-generating their form on your person. The samadhis you do will, if successful, some day lead to states such as Avesa and Transference.

In the "four classes" of samadhi, if the first is Parasol, the second is Gagana Locana, and then you get to Vimala Prabha where again I could say, Vimala is Parasol, or, it is any way of using the samadhi to complete an Abhisambodhi sequence, which includes the Lights and the Pure Light. The final class is Play.

Its intensity increases in Nine Spaces, or Vasudhara Treasure Bowls, etc.:

82. Nine Succeeding Attainments of Concentration

Navānupūrva-samādhi-samāpattayaḥ, tad-yathā:
There are nine succeeding attainments of concentration, they are:

{1-4} Catvāri dhyānāni,
{1-4} The four absorptions,

{5-8} catasra ārūpya-samāpattayo,
{5-8} the four formless attainments,

{9} nirodha-samāpattiś-ceti.
{9} and the attainment of cessation.


The view on the deity is, perhaps, almost the inverse of your experiences. It is more like an appliance. Especially since it mostly means does what its mantra says.

On a Dharani basis, for example, I should be able to Mutter Parasol with something a bit more extensive and song-ish that fades out and continues mentally. If I was doing it right, she would actually appear before me.

If I, personally, Mutter something, it means:

this was requested from Vajradhara.

I can say that yes, on a Yoga basis, you can manifest someone like Parasol or Usnisa Vijaya. That is why it is excellent that Namasangiti uses Dharanis corresponding to Paramitas, and, we found a kind of hidden conversation which more or less says that all the well-known male Bodhisattva-based systems are convertible to female by dharani because it is a type of vidya or i. e. is self-effective according to what they are about.

Following the whole historical arising of tantra, it would eventually say you need female deities anyway because Vajrasattva interacts with Vajri devis and goes on from there. At a certain point, he becomes Vajradaka or i. e. Smrti in terms of Seven Syllable deity. Because that is a self-generation process, I cannot say to actually do it, instead what we have is all the assemblies that are supposed to go into this and Cinnamasta.

In the long run, I am going to try to get Janguli--Manasa to operate through her Seven Serpent Hood, very akin to Sarvadurgati Parishodana, if that makes sense. The serpents are reverse poisons against whatever is interfering with any of the seven principles.

In actuality I just made an invocative plea to her and if anything I mostly just do Emptiness mantra related to White Vajra Tara and Mrtyuvacana.

But one could get Avalokiteshvara with different results, and so on. Unlike the deities which are within the body, it is whichever one that to you represents ultimate enlightened consciousness. Because I have previously done this with basic Tara, other aspects of her are pretty comfortably accessible. I really did think about this and with what I could get from Vajra Tara, which was not a true samadhi but mostly Bhava, the sense was fine and slightly amused.

And so if it makes sense that right now I focus Emptiness, that is because I have nothing like the one drop that will make anything useful come through. I am trying to get something like that while vaporizing human ego off the Japa of the mantra.





I can't remember the name of the person who hypothesized that it might actually be Avalokitashvara so that it had the meaning about sounds, but the Chinese translation (which later became the Japanese Kanzeon or Kannon for short, same characters), was one of the reasons. More recently, there was an archaeological find that pretty much proved him right.


The way we had originally reversed it was so it was more of an adjective, lordliness, which is seen, i. e. Luminosity.

It may be Sound which is Seen, which would still imply the former.

There is debate whether "loka" past participle of "to see", i. e., "seen", is the subject or object. And so the version that was refused was "lord looking down from on high", which in most ways is irrelevant in terms of one's own abilities.

It looks like when that meaning is intended by sadhanas, it says Vyava.

If "Ava" was not interpreted as "down", could it work some other way?

2) (As a prefix to verbs) It expresses (a) determination; अवधृ, अवसो (avadhṛ, avaso); (b) diffusion, pervasion; अवकॄ-कीर्ण (avakṝ-kīrṇa); (c) disrespect; अवज्ञा, अवमन् (avajñā, avaman); (d) littleness; व्रीहीनवहन्ति (vrīhīnavahanti); (e) support, resting upon; अवलम्ब् (avalamb); (f.) purification, अवदात (avadāta); (g) depreciation, discomfiture; अवहन्ति शत्रून् (avahanti śatrūn) (parābhavati); (h) commanding; अवक्लृप् (avaklṛp); (i) depression, bending down; अवतृ, अवगाह् (avatṛ, avagāh) (j) knowledge; अवगम्, अवइ (avagam, avai).

Ava (अव).—ind. A preposition and prefix to words, corresponding to off, from, down from, out, away, &c. and implying; 1. Diminution. 2. Depreciation. 3. Diffusion. 4. Support, resting. 5. Commanding. 6. Purifying, correcting. 7. Knowledge. 8. Disrespect. 9. Nourishing.


"I command sound to be seen".






The alchemy is to bring water over fire to create power to create the microcosmic orbit inside, the untrained body has fire over water which leads to dissipation.

I don't really know what it means, but ok. Significant change of state in their terms.

[shaberon]

Voluntarily is one way of taking rebirth and then consciously.

As Tvastr smithing your own Nadi network from a cell.

In the Buddhist terms "salvation" is like a cumulative power of the Sangha. It is like encouraging and assisting other beings who make their own salvation, Ekayana. You have to have Upeksa because you know they are going to have to suffer immensely to ripen their own karmic seeds.




It is surprising how closely this follows the process of infants becoming able to distinguish objects in the world.

Yes.

The slowed-down version of what an adult experiences across an arc of a few milliseconds.

Also close to the Bardo.



Okay, I get it, the "error" is just the descriptor for the perception of the world as cognitive images.


Yes, any of it is finite and therefor not Absolute.

And so in the Nepali expression, consciousness by meditation is said to revolve from Pravrtti to Nirvrtti as its own equivalent of cosmic creation and destruction. Nirakara is a system of pretty much the same thing with Mundane--Laukika and Transcendental--Lokottara.

And so when it says the natural condition is rest and the meditation teaches cessation, in actual terms, taking Buddha's enlightenment initiation as a platform, this took around four to six hours of him dissolving the voids. It is true, that in Buddhist yoga, there are people who have done cessation for several days up to several months, and it is likely Santikar Acharya did it permanently. As a "skill", therefor, it seems likely to say that the Bodhisattva trains it for longer periods of time than what the more powerful Buddha needs to accomplish his Final Samadhi.

It is not Adwaita because it is not telling you to just go into the nirvana of it and because it is telling you the Bodhisattva Path can be eonic.

The central subject is basically the same thing if some of our writers have gone as far to call it Parameswara.




Sat is ubiquitous.

Saccidānanda (सच्चिदानन्द) refers to:—Sat–Pure eternal reality, cit–knowledge, and ānanda–bliss. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).

Sat (सत्) refers to “eternal, pure, godly. It is used to describe the Absolute Truth. Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the complete sat entity. It also refers to His abodes, incarnations, devotees, the bona fide guru, etc”. (cf. Glossary page from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā).


Source: Jain eLibrary: 7th International Summer School for Jain Studies

The definitive word for reality is ‘sat’ or existent. Each existent is with origination–decay and permanence simultaneously. Thus reality is said to be persistence with change. Existents are characterised by dravya (substance) and the realms of substances are classified as jīva (living beings with consciousness) and non living beings (ajīva or without consciousness).



And so I can take the general yoga Sat Cit Ananda and reverse it and go, well, the first resistance is Parikalpita and my main weapon against that is No Ego which is most powerfully achieved by Bliss. What is the Cit or knowledge Buddha knows? Suchness, so, that eliminates the second threshhold and you are in Ultimate Reality.

Same thing as the general subject but in a particular explanation.

A non-Buddhist can share Buddha's Transmundane Awareness without ever really gaining Buddha's power (Aparajita).

Parasol is an incredible Paramartha deity, it means identical to Parinispanna which is considered Ultimate Meaning which can hardly be put in words. Parasol is Aparajita which is Buddha's Power which is Acintya.

And so Nirakara is the correct designation for a type of sect or school and the system it uses, whereas Parasunya is a more tantricly-accurate term for the intended state, and this is what Mrtyuvacana Tara is teaching as Emptiness Mantra, and is again in close agreement with Nath. It is more commonly called Sarva Sunya, however the term Parasunya is a bit more dharmic as it implies the related philosophy and practice, which is why it works as a basic White Tara teaching. The name would tend to make you think it is not Yogacara, but, roughly put, Nirakara takes what it considers to be true from both Yogacara and Madhyamika.


To us, Sat is expressed in a few ways, Paramartha, Parinispanna, Adi Buddha and Adi Prajna, many would just prefer to call it Sunya and be done with it. Our name will not affect it. However the way we train it will affect us. Re-arising from the Void is to spread the Bliss of it. Salvation, power of the Sangha.

[Old Student]

Smrti is the ability or Upaya to do Samadhi.
This is interesting, samyak smrti and samyak samadhi (samma sati and samma samadhi) are two of the eightfold path.


To really "become" the deity, you are, of course, going to start by self-generating their form on your person. The samadhis you do will, if successful, some day lead to states such as Avesa and Transference.

In the "four classes" of samadhi, if the first is Parasol, the second is Gagana Locana, and then you get to Vimala Prabha where again I could say, Vimala is Parasol, or, it is any way of using the samadhi to complete an Abhisambodhi sequence, which includes the Lights and the Pure Light. The final class is Play.
Some of this sounds like it includes luminosity?


Because I have previously done this with basic Tara, other aspects of her are pretty comfortably accessible. I really did think about this and with what I could get from Vajra Tara, which was not a true samadhi but mostly Bhava, the sense was fine and slightly amused.

And so if it makes sense that right now I focus Emptiness, that is because I have nothing like the one drop that will make anything useful come through. I am trying to get something like that while vaporizing human ego off the Japa of the mantra.

I do understand about sound being important and mantra being a part of some samadhis but I'm not familiar with vaporizing human ego this way.


If "Ava" was not interpreted as "down", could it work some other way?
My Sanskrit textbook says that ava- does mean the things you list, but it seems to be able to work on verbs is a kind of oblique way. The example they give is, 'gam'.
gam conjugates to gacchati as third person singular present (so called present stem).
It means "to go".
'Agacchati' (long A) means likewise "to come" because of 'A' in this form.
'avagacchati' using 'ava-' means 'to understand' - which doesn't seem guessable.

Nevertheless, the accepted wisdom is the original was Avalokitashvara split up as 'avalokita' to look down on and 'shvara' sound. The "looking down" part was important when they were translating it as 'avalokita ishvara' but it may be much closer to the Chines 'guan' which means to look but also to pay attention and also to 'mind' or attend. It was Kumarajiva who translated that that way, he's usually reliable.


I don't really know what it means, but ok. Significant change of state in their terms.
This is the original symbol that was called the Taiji. You can see the trigrams in the circle with the different colored lines. Water under fire the fire goes up the water down, so dissipating. Fire under water, produces steam and pressure and cooks medicines, so magical.
https://www.learnreligions.com/thmb/4y6nqCv8ODoPT6EONShzyqLT0P4=/300x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Taiji_Tu-56a92e105f9b58b7d0f8f832.jpg

[shaberon]

I am looking at how Chakrasamvara may have arrived at Seven Mothers, and, I have probably went out on a limb because it is writing the Pithas in an unusual way; Marudese is simply Maru which is normally there. I noticed this by comparing to the explanatory tantras which usually each has its own way of grouping and classifying the Pithas, and so here are a few of those along with some definitions to keep in mind:


Kulatā has the presiding Ḍākinī named Mahāvīryā whose husband, or hero (vīra) is named Vajrasattva. The associated internal location are the ‘knees’ and the bodily ingredient (dhātu) is the ‘snivel’. According to the Vajraḍākavivṛti, the districts Kulatā, Maru, Pretapurī and Triśakuni are associated with the family deity of Vārāhī; while in the Abhidhānottarottaratantra there is the Ḍāka deity named Viśvaḍāka standing in the center of the districts named Nagara, Sindhu, Maru and Kulatā.

According to the Vajraḍākavivṛti, the districts Sindhu, Nagara, Pūrṇagiri and Jālandhara are associated with the family deity of Yāminī; while in the Abhidhānottarottaratantra there is the Ḍāka deity named Viśvaḍāka standing in the center of the districts named Nagara, Sindhu, Maru and Kulatā.


So it is probably as simple as there are Six Yoginis in Kulata and Six Mothers in Maru and these are close together in most of the related tantras,


I was also confused about the recurrence of "kula" which looks like "family" but isn't always. For instance, Kulata is also just the name of a Pitha although its general meaning is:

Kulaṭā (कुलटा) [Also spelled kulta]:—(nf and a) (an) unchaste (woman), (a) lewd (woman).

which is followed on the second line by, I believe, the inhabitant of Nagara:

Kulanāyikā (कुलनायिका).—a girl worshipped at the celebration of the orgies of the lefthand Śāktas.


But this is not quite a one-to-one set of correspondences, because Lampaka and Saurastra are both the site of Kuladevata.

According to the Vajraḍākavivṛti, the districts Lampāka, Saurāṣṭra, Oḍra and Kāmarūpa are associated with the family deity of Mohanī; while in the Abhidhānottarottaratantra there is the Ḍāka deity named Padmaḍāka standing in the center of the districts named Kaliṅga, Kāñcī, Lampāka and Himālaya (Himagiri).

Kosala has what I am not sure is a yogini or a description:

Piśitāsanā (पिशितासना) or Agnivaktrā is the name of a Goddess (Devī) presiding over Sopāra: one of the twenty-four sacred districts mentioned in the 9th century Vajraḍākatantra (chapter 18). Her weapon is the kaṭṭārikā. Furthermore, Piśitāsanā is accompanied by an unmentioned Kṣetrapāla (field-protector) and their abode is a śālmali-tree; flesh-eater, a demon, goblin.


Kosala has the presiding Ḍākinī named Surābhakṣī whose husband, or hero (vīra) is named Vajrahūṃkāra. The associated internal location are the ‘tip o the nose’ and the bodily ingredients (dhātu) are the ‘wreath of entrails’. According to the Vajraḍākavivṛti, the districts Kaliṅga, Kosala, Suvarṇadvīpa and Oḍyāyana are associated with the family deity of Caṇḍikā; while in the Abhidhānottarottaratantra there is the Ḍāka deity named Ratnaḍāka standing in the center of the districts named Kāmarūpa, Triśakuni, Oḍra and Kosala.

When we get there, we see Pretapura comes up twice.

Sthula or physical body has to do with the entire generation of Khandaroha who is usually considered to be in Grhadevata, but, in the sense that it is written here, it appears more that Vajradakini is generated from her. It is possible Pretapura is an adjective to her and she is actually in Kosala. Khandaroha is a process rather than a distinct name in this section, in Trisakuna.

Pulliramalaya has a description or character:

Kanakādri (कनकाद्रि):—[from kanaka > kan] m. the mountain Meru

and a Candali

Kulaja (कुलज).—[adjective] born of noble race.


And so those are in what is probably an unbalanced list, i. e., it looks like it might simply locate and name two dakinis per line, but this is not what it does:

ṣaḍyoginyaḥ kulatāyāṃ marudeśe ṣaḍmātarāḥ |
sindhudeśe lāmā ca nagare kulanāyikāḥ || 10 ||
lampā[ kā ]yāṃ saurāṣṭre ca kuladevatā sthitāḥ |
pretapuryāṃ mahākanyā ḍākinī saharupiṇī || 11 ||
himādrau caiva kāñcyāṃ ca kathiatā sabālikā iti |
pañcālaviṣaye gṛhadevatā kaliṅge ca vratadhāriṇyaḥ || 12 ||
piśitāśanā kośale tu pretapuryāṃ vajraḍākinyaḥ |
sthūleśvare triśakunau khaṇḍarohākulodbhavāḥ || 13 ||
pullīramalaye kanakādrau ca caṇḍālakulajāḥ striyaḥ |
sahastrāṇyekaviṃśatiḥ || 14 ||


It evidently just climbed Mt. Meru, then, more or less starts over from there.





Sarira--Body Mandala has Pracanda as source Kramena-- in regular course, gradually, by degrees, [Rāmāyaṇa; Pañcatantra; Raghuvaṃśa] etc., gets Seven Mothers in Marudese where there were Six above:

śarīrastheṣu maṇḍalastheṣu vā pullīramalayādiṣu pracaṇḍādayaḥ krameṇa jñeyāḥ |
bahirdeśeṣu tu tajjātīyā yathā tathā vā | vajravārāhī yāminyādayaḥ ṣaḍmātarā iti |
saptamātṛrupāḥ marudeśe | lāmājātīyāḥ kulanāyikā ti | śrīherukakulodbhūtāḥ |


If I took it according to general knowledge, I would think it says Varahi emanates Yamini and the Six Armor Deities which is inclusive of them both. Still a rolling total of Six and then Seven Mothers.

It seems to repeat almost the same thing as before, but in a few cases there are different notes.

You have gotten Heruka and Seven Mothers, somehow, by starting from Pracanda. It then respectfully tells you to begin by honoring your tutelary deity and then you are right back in Pretapura:


lampā[ kā ]yāṃ saurāṣṭre ca kuladevatā iti | kuladevatārupāḥ pūjyā ityarthaḥ | pretapuryāṃ
mahākanyā ḍākinī saharupiṇīti | kanyārupā ḍākinī rupiṇījātīyāḥ |



Here in nice simple terms it tells you when Pretapura comes round again it is the Cemeteries which are the same Element as non-dual union:

kośale piśitāśanā mahāmaṃsāśanāḥ | preta-
puryāṃ vajraḍākinya iti | pretapurīsaṃbhūtā yoginyo'dvayajñānāḥ |


If Vajra Dakini is sometimes called "Devouring Dakini", this would match Pisitasana here, a flesh-eater like a pisaci or raksasa.

Also we find Khandaroha emanating a Bhuta or Element:


sthūleśvarādiṣu khaṇḍa-
rohākulodbhūtāḥ | pullīramalaye kanakagirāviti |


It is not that descriptive of the Six Yoginis, as Mohani is named once as a retinue member and that's it. It looks like the Karma Vak Siddhi chapter is designating Armor and uses a plain Vak Siddhi and interfaces it with Karma of the Six Yoginis. So it is probably a long description on how to make Armor work well wuthout actually naming the participants.

The text does, however, operate Khandaroha at least a little bit, and near her, there is:

kālamṛtyuvañcanaṃ caiva aṅge khaṭvāṅgayojitam || 6 ||

This part also has Vajrasrnkhala.




Although Kamarupa is a Pitha, the whole set appears to be slated for revealing the personal Kama Rupa or Mayavi Rupa:

tāḥ sarvāḥ kāmarupiṇyo manovega nivṛtaye || 9 ||


which seems reinforced again near the end:

kāmarupo mahāvīrayogī syānnātra saṃśayaḥ || 15 ||



It appears largely correct that this Root Chakrasamvara does not explain itself in full detail and would force me into some related branch if it seemed curious to me they changed it to Seven Mothers.

[Old Student]

vajravārāhī yāminyādayaḥ ṣaḍmātarā iti |
saptamātṛrupāḥ marudeśe |


If I took it according to general knowledge, I would think it says Varahi emanates Yamini and the Six Armor Deities which is inclusive of them both. Still a rolling total of Six and then Seven Mothers.

Since it's only taken me 2 dictionaries one textbook and two weeks to chase this down, I am proud to share. In the other text, when I had thought it said something about a Dakini - dayo like Dharma-dayo, I was making a mistake. That one isn't Dharmadayo, it's Dharmodaya from Dharma-udaya 'source of the dharma.' This one and the other are a suffix of ādayaḥ, which in some cases becomes ādayaṣ and means 'in the lead' or 'leading'.

So in the other case it was Dakinyādayaḥ -> Dakinyādayo Dakini in the lead.

Here it is "Vajravarahi - Yamini leading six matrkas thus. The seven matrikas of the desert lands."

Yamini is the armor deity at Vajravarahi's heart, the others with her protect her is what I was able to find out. Together they make up the seven matrkas.

I had a heck of a time finding someplace that would tell me what that suffix meant, but since it shows up in a lot of the stuff you post, it could be useful going forward.

[shaberon]

I had a heck of a time finding someplace that would tell me what that suffix meant, but since it shows up in a lot of the stuff you post, it could be useful going forward.


Tremendous!

Yes, I am pretty slipshod outside of the parts that are just the mantras and spiritual terms.

I was a bit puzzled since the name "Dakini" seems to come up as "Dakinyah" plenty of times.

I am learning that a final "h" seems to be a significant change of meaning to things that look similar.

"Udaya" = -daya or -odaya as in Dharmodaya.

Udaya (उदय).—1. The rising of a planet on the eastern horizon. 2. Heliacal rising of a planet. 3. udaya lagna i.e., the rising point of the ecliptic. 4. Addition, as in kṣayodayau i.e., subtraction and addition.

Rising, ascension, growth, source of produce, etc., all apply.

"Adayah" = headed by (https://sanskritdictionary.org/adayah) with fifty examples, and usually appears as -dayo when combined.

This one I already know from Brihadaranyaka Upanisad:

Om Purnat Purnam Aham Idam
Purnas Purnat Udacyate
Purnasya Purnam Adayah
Purnam Eva Vasisyate


I think the Mothers are in the Pitha called Maru but they are sort of just declared ad hoc.

We are pretty familiar with standard descriptions of Armor Deities:

Ṣaḍyoginī (षड्योगिनी) refers to the six Yoginīs of the Ṣaḍyoginīmantra, which represents one of the four major mantras in the Cakrasaṃvara tradition, as taught in the eighth chapter of the 9th-century Herukābhidhāna and its commentary, the Sādhananidhi.

The six Yoginīs are:

Vārāhī (vaṃ), who resides at the center;
Yāminī (yoṃ),
Mohanī (moṃ),
Saṃcālanī (hrīṃ),
Saṃtrāsanī (hūṃ),
Caṇḍikā (phaṭ), who reside around Vārāhī.

These six Yoginīs are also found in Nāgārjuna’s Dharmasaṃgraha.


Ṣaḍyoginīmantra (षड्योगिनीमन्त्र) refers to the “six-yoginī mantra”, and represents one of the four major mantras in the Cakrasaṃvara tradition, as taught in the eighth chapter of the 9th-century Herukābhidhāna and its commentary, the Sādhananidhi.

These six mantras are taught to be the six Yoginīs:

oṃ vaṃ,
hāṃ yoṃ,
hrīṃ moṃ,
hreṃ hrīṃ,
hūṃ hūṃ,
phaṭ phaṭ;

Each mantra consists of two syllables, and each Yoginī is visualized to be developed from the latter syllable of each mantra.

The six Yoginīs are:

Vārāhī (vaṃ), who resides at the center;
Yāminī (yoṃ),
Mohanī (moṃ),
Saṃcālanī (hrīṃ),
Saṃtrāsanī (hūṃ),
Caṇḍikā (phaṭ), who reside around Vārāhī.

These six Yoginīs are also found in Nāgārjuna’s Dharmasaṃgraha.


Let us see Chapter Eight.

Herukabhidana Chakrasamvara vol. 1 (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/80/691)

Yes:

om vam vajravārāhī nābhau | hām yom yāminī hṛdaye | hrīm mom mohanī vaktre | hrem hrīm saṃcāriṇī śirasi | hūm hūm trāsanī śikhāyām | phaṭ phaṭ caṇḍikā sarvāṅgeṣvastram |

followed by something terrific:

hā svā ye nī ca ro vai jra va om |


Faked me out again. Obviously it does have something to say about them in the beginning.

The only way it would work is if you took Vajravarahi as "doubled" and casting a mini-her in the retinue.

The way I personally deal with it is that she is able to be substituted by Vajrabhairavi or perhaps Vajracarcika. And then grant the whole thing to Varuni. Then there is a closely-corresponding practice outfit without needing to invoke Varahi.

Otherwise it remains unclear how there get to be seven.


If we dig around, early in the text is a bit about Mothers:

ṣaṭsaptatiṃ caiva mātṛkādvitīyena tu || 32 ||

ṣaṭsaptatimaṃ ṣaṭsaptatimamakṣaraṃ makāraṃ mātrikādvitīyena bhedayet | caivaśabdaḥ pūrvavat || 32 ||

It looks like "Makara" would be a main subject here, but, upon analysis, there is a good chance it is about the only other meaning of the word, sound of the syllable Mam.

From that, one would expect Varuni, Khandaroha, and Mamaki, and if not, I am going to argue that the Big Varuni is On the Other Shore of a Big Makara Ride.


Further along it is going to explain something sevenfold about the heart which appears to be the basis for Seven Syllable mantra:

prathamaṃ tu hṛdayañcaiveti | tu-śabdaḥ svadevatāṃ samuccinoti | evamuttaratrāpi | om ha hṛdayam | vajrasattvaḥ prathamaḥ | hṛdayamiti saptamyarthe prathamā | dvitīyantu śiraḥ smṛtimiti | namaḥ hi vairocanaḥ śirasi | smṛtaṃ cintita ityarthaḥ | tṛtīyantu śikhāṃ dadyāditi | svāhā hū padyanarteśvaraḥ | caturthaṃ kavacaṃ bhavediti | tu-śabdo'nuvartane | vauṣaṭ he | kavacaṃ śrīherukaḥ skandhadvaya ityupadeśato jñeyam |
pañcamaṃ tu bhavennetramiti | hū hū ho vajrasūryaścakṣurdvaye | ṣaṣṭhasyāstramucyateti | phaṭ haṃ hayagrīvaḥ | sarveṣvaṅgeṣvastram | ṣaṣṭhasyeti prathamāyāṃ ṣaṣṭhī | hṛdayādiṣu saptamyarthe prathamāyā dvitīyā | sarvatraiva hṛdayānīti hṛdayānuvartanam || 4 ||



Chapter Sixteen concerns:

saptayoginīlakṣaṇaparīkṣāvidhi


Something about them is perpetually dressed in white:

sitavastrapriyā nityaṃ navacandanagandhinī || 3 ||


we find:

karpūragandhā satataṃ vairocanakulānugā |
saptaitāni mayoktāni yoginīnāṃ kulāni tu || 10 ||


and then we are given Hayagriva Gotra led by Padmanartesvara.

We possibly are being given white with six colors:

svamudrā sitavarṇādi varṇo mṛṇālagauratvādi | tābhyāṃ saṃkulāḥ sambaddhāḥ | kulavidyākṣarāṇi ceti | kulaṃ sādhakastasya vidyāstā evākṣarāṇi vajrāṇi dṛḍhādhimokṣatvād yoginījanāḥ | ete cāvicalitarupā devyo bhavantītibhāvaḥ | ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hīti | ṣaḍvarṇāḥ prakārāḥ yoginīnāṃ jñātavyāḥ |


prathamārthe saptamītyarthasamudāya iti pañcamaḥ |



saptayoginītyupalakṣaṇam | ṣaṇṇāmapi lakṣaṇamapi | trayodaśayoginyaḥ | lakṣaṇaṃ cihnam | saptānāṃ ṣaṇṇāṃ ca yoginīnāṃ lakṣaṇaparīkṣā saptayoginīlakṣaṇaparīkṣeti madhyapadalopīsamāsaḥ |


The next chapter is where it starts making sense to me.

tataḥ-
durlabhā yoginīnāṃ tu ḍākinīnāṃ tathaiva ca |
pañcāmṛtasadbhāvāt yāminī trāsanī [ tathā ] || 1 ||

kāminī bhīmā rupā sañcārā bhāsurāḥ |
ḍākinyaḥ sapta saṃhṛtāḥ svalakṣaṇamihocyate || 2 ||

lakṣaṇānantaraṃ vaktuṃ saptadaśaṃ paṭalamāha - tato durlabhā ityādi |


So there is a yoginis into dakinis kind of thing, equivalent to the Five Nectars generating some Armor Deities mixed with others not usually found there.



ḍākinīnāṃ lakṣaṇamāha - yāminī - trāsinī - kāminī - bhīmā - rupā - sañcārā - bhāsurā - ḍākinyaḥ sapta saṃhṛtā iti | etā yāminyādayaḥ saṃhṛtāḥ saṃkṣepeṇa sapta vyāhṛtā iti bhāvaḥ | svalakṣaṇamihocyata iti | anvayena tāsāṃ nāma etallakṣaṇakathanadvāreṇocyata ityarthaḥ || 1-2 ||

rupikā cumbikā lāmā parāvṛttā sabālikā |
anirvṛttikā aihikī devī ḍākinyaḥ saptadhāḥ smṛtāḥ || 3 ||


tāsāṃ sānvayaṃ nāmāntaramapyāha - rupikā - cumbikā - lāmā - parāvṛttā - sabālikā - anirvṛttikā - aihikī devī ḍākinyaḥ saptadhā smṛtā iti

Is it molding alternates or characters to Yamini and others?

This section seems to be protective of Khandaroha.

This longish part appears to be the commentary on the majority of the chapter:

tāsāṃ sānvayaṃ nāmāntaramapyāha - rupikā - cumbikā - lāmā - parāvṛttā - sabālikā - anirvṛttikā - aihikī devī ḍākinyaḥ saptadhā smṛtā iti | rupāyā rupikā'parābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - aviraktāmityādi | vīrādvayasevitumiti | vīrādvayasevinītyarthaḥ |

yāminyāścumbikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - iṣṭaṃ vetyādi | ḍākinī ceti | ḍākinyaghanāśinīti bhāvaḥ | ata eva yamaḥ saṃyamaḥ, sa eva yāmaḥ svārthe'ṇ | sa yasyā'sti sā yāminī | nāśanaṃ karoti yataḥ | bhīmāyā lāmāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - tiryagdṛṣṭirityādi | tarjayanti heti | ekatve bahuvacanam | ata evārthaḥ | anyathā niśvāsaḥ kāmāsakto'pi bhairavo viśeṣeṇa prayāsāt | turviśeṣe | ato viśeṣeṇa ramata iti rāmā | rephe latvāllāmā | lakṣaṇadvayayogād bhīmaiva lāmā | trāsanyāḥ parāvṛttāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - varāhetyādi | śarabhaḥ paśuviśeṣaḥ | śarameti pāṭhe tu śvā | sarvāṃstāṃstrāsayediti | tasyā darśanena te bibhyatītyarthaḥ | ataḥ parāvṛttā sā | hiryasmādarthe | pare parāvarttante yasyāḥ sā tathā yasmāt | sañcārāyāḥ sabālikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - prahṛṣṭetyādi | bhūyo'nivartitatvāt sañcāraḥ | kāminyā aihikyaparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - anurukta ityādi | khaṇḍarohā khaṇḍe'bhinnapradeśe punaḥ punarārohati tiṣṭhatīti sā tathā | hiryasmāt | iha pradeśe ciramavatiṣṭhati ityaihikī | bhāsurāyā anivartikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - manodvignetyādi | yā bhāsurā'nivartikāparasaṃjñā sā manasodvignā bhavati | tathābhūtayā ca tayā loṣṭhādinā spṛṣṭaḥ sattvo na jīvati | anivartyā nivartayitumaśakyatvāt | kuta ityāha - asādhyā hīti | hiryasmat || 3-10 ||


there is this kind of continuity near the end of the volume:


lakṣaṇaṃ kulaṃ ca sāṅkaryeṇa na tu [ manasā yathāvatāritaṃ ṣoḍaśe |] varṇagandhādinā kulena ca saptayoginya uktāḥ | kriyāmātreṇa ṣaṭ | saptadaśe nāmagrahaṇādinā kapālādinā cihnena ca sapta |


So yes, from the first half we do get something about Vairocani and it looks like Varnani may be distributed in the general meaning of colors. She is not a mantra, but is Golden Color related to the Seven Jewels:

ratnasauvarṇāni ca bhūṣaṇāni ceti tāni tathā sarvairyathopalabdhairebhiḥ | kutaḥ pūjāṃ vikiret , maṇḍale tāni yatastataḥ pūjā | hastiratnam , aśvaratnam , maṇiratnam , khaḍgaratnam , cakraratnam , pariṇāyakam , strīratnaṃ caite( tāni )saptaratnā[ ni ] | tāni suvarṇe saguṇe bhavāni sauvarṇānīti kecit | ātmānaṃ sarvato mukhamiti | ātmānaṃ śrīherukaṃ puramadhye pūjayediti sambandhaḥ || 24-25 ||



Varnani is then the destination of Chapter Sixteen about seven yoginis:

kulavidyākṣarāṇi [ ca ] ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hi || 11 ||


She is six of her there, but came from white.

Without having it nailed down pat, there is quite a bit that goes into the Seven Syllable mantra, it is not something anyone can read off the page and get it to work.

If it can be seen that the Six Yoginis and Four Dakinis are the majority of what you "need" in order to do it, and these work in a stand-alone way with systems of Taras and so on, then we actually can make a pretty heavily-gestated Generation Stage of it.

I still suggest the elegance of Vajradaka is that it is really a short sadhana of its own fifty chapter tantra, which focuses the Seven Jewels in relation to the tantric aspects.

This Root Tantra conjures most of the Yoginis as Nagna and Raudra and is based in Jnanacakra:

pīṭhādiṣu śrīherukādidevatāṃ darśayediti | kāyānusmṛtyupasthāne ḍākinī , vedanānusmṛtyupasthāne lāmā, dharmānusmṛtyupasthāne khaṇḍarohā, cittānusmṛtyupasthāne rupiṇītyādimaṇḍalatattvaṃ devatātattvaṃ pratipādayet |


yoginī lāmā rupiṇī ḍākinī tathā khaṇḍarohā yoginyaḥ kāmarupiṇyaḥ


Khandaroha is plainly "doubled" into the Pithas, and of likely her primary form:

khaṇḍarohā kulodbhūtā mahāyogeśvarī varā |
māṃsapriyā ca yā nityaṃ tṛṣā kṛṣṇāñjanaprabhā || 15 ||

śūlākāraṃ lalāṭaṃ tu krūrakarmaratā ca yā |
śmaśānaṃ yāti nityaṃ nirbhayā nirghṛṇā ca yā || 16 ||

yasyā lalāṭe śūlaṃ kapālaṃ ca likhitaṃ pūjyate gṛhe |
śrīherukadevasya ḍākinī sā kulodbhavā || 17 ||


So from the yoga view, we are trying to say a whole lot about Khandaroha, rather than Vajravarahi. Khandaroha here is a mamsa priya or flesh or meat eater or lover. In Dharmasamgraha, specifically, it is the physical eye, i. e. the visual power of it. That almost makes more sense in the line above.

Khandaroha can be dealt with in yoga by porting her over to Guhyajnana Dakini.

Varuni is like the outer extended tantric hand that can be invoked and trained until she works along with Vajravairocani and Khandaroha, which are the products of hers, until eventually it is Bharati (Sahaja).

[Old Student]

I was a bit puzzled since the name "Dakini" seems to come up as "Dakinyah" plenty of times.

Dakinyah going into another thing is a sandhi, it's a combo of 'i' and 'u', or its a declension, the 'h' is the one with the dot under it, which is just an outbreath.


Ṣaḍyoginī (षड्योगिनी) refers to the six Yoginīs of the Ṣaḍyoginīmantra, which represents one of the four major mantras in the Cakrasaṃvara tradition, as taught in the eighth chapter of the 9th-century Herukābhidhāna and its commentary, the Sādhananidhi.

Not understanding this. The passage I did has 7 matrkas total, right?

Otherwise it remains unclear how there get to be seven.
There are 7 matrka, there is a list on Wisdomlib (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptamatrika).


So yes, from the first half we do get something about Vairocani and it looks like Varnani may be distributed in the general meaning of colors. She is not a mantra, but is Golden Color related to the Seven Jewels:

ratnasauvarṇāni ca bhūṣaṇāni ceti tāni tathā sarvairyathopalabdhairebhiḥ | kutaḥ pūjāṃ vikiret , maṇḍale tāni yatastataḥ pūjā | hastiratnam , aśvaratnam , maṇiratnam , khaḍgaratnam , cakraratnam , pariṇāyakam , strīratnaṃ caite( tāni )saptaratnā[ ni ] | tāni suvarṇe saguṇe bhavāni sauvarṇānīti kecit | ātmānaṃ sarvato mukhamiti | ātmānaṃ śrīherukaṃ puramadhye pūjayediti sambandhaḥ || 24-25 ||


I think it's jeweled and gold ornaments.
I can't figure out what sarvairyathopalabdhairebhiḥ is.
sarva iryatha upalabhda ira abhih
all 'that which is about to get excited' known/learnt wind to rush forth.
?

[shaberon]

This will be a few bits of Dakarnava and Chakrasamvara.



Here is a bit of what can be sifted from the header of the 1935 Dakarnava Apabrahmsa Verses (https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.91741/2015.91741.Calcutta-Sanskrit-Series-No10dakarnava_djvu.txt) which is what we have the digitized Sanskrit version of.

Almost all of the page is the Sanskrit to Bengali comparison, but, the scan is pretty rough and only about half accurate.

And so this guy wrote English fluently and would not dare to begin to try to translate the actual meaning.

On my side that is why I try to get as much of the "operative" Sanskrit as possible in its own terms and just translate the narrative.

Anyway the practice of it is obviously not the subject but he does describe the tantra itself, which, for whatever reason, brings something to our attention.


Vasana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vasana) perhaps has a main meaning as "dwelling", but, it has an almost-as-prevalent meaning of "clothed in". So you could interpret Patala Vasini and Pandara Vasini slightly differently.

However if I quit thinking of it in sadhana terms, then with the ending of "a", it has a further meaning from the Sutras called Karmic Seeds:

Vasana (वसन).—m., ardent desire, passion, attachment [Pandara]: °naḥ Mahāvyutpatti 7534 (so also Mironov) = Tibetan chags zhen; meaning con- firmed Chin. and Japanese Nowhere else recorded.


Vāsanā (वासना).—

1) Knowledge derived from memory; cf. भावना (bhāvanā).

2) Particularly, the impression unconsciously left on the mind by past good or bad actions, which therefore produces pleasure or pain.

3) Fancy, imagination, idea.

4) False idea, ignorance.

5) A wish, desire, expectation, inclination; संसारवासनाबद्धशृङ्खला (saṃsāravāsanābaddhaśṛṅkhalā) Gīt.3.

vāsanā (वासना).—f (S) Disposition, disposedness, predominant inclination or mind. Pr. vāsanēsārakhēṃ phaḷa. 2 A desire or wish generally. Ex. cittīṃ dharilī vā0 || siddhi nyāvī nārāyaṇā ||. 3 Conversancy with; acquaintance with through versedness in. Ex. kāṃhīṃ śāstrācī vā0 asalī mhaṇajē bōlaṇēṃ prauḍha paḍatēṃ. Ex. of comp. śāstravāsanā, gaṇitavāsanā, nyāyavāsanā. 4 Specifically, the dying desire, the last and earnest longing of the departing soul. This sentiment and the use of this word to express it are familiar to the very vulgar. vā0 ōḍhāḷa āhē Desire (i. e. the heart) is craving, grasping, insatiate &c.

Vāsanā (वासना) refers to “abode”.—Subconscious inclinations. From vās, “dwelling, residue, remainder”. The subliminal inclinations and habit patterns which, as driving forces, colour and motivate one’s attitudes and future actions. Vāsanā also means literally “perfume”. It is something which remains like a perfume after an action has been done. Suzuki translates it as “habit energy”, and explains it as “a kind of super-sensuous energy mysteriously emanating from every thought, every feeling or every deed one has done, or does, which lives latently in the store house ālayavijñāna.

Vāsanā (वासना).—A wife of Arka, a Vasu.*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 13.

Vāsanā (वासना):—Recitation of Śrī Rudram removes our vāsanās (the impression of anything remaining unconsciously in the mind, the present consciousness of past perceptions), by imparting higher spiritual knowledge like Upaniṣads.


Vāsanā (वासना, “imaging”) is explained in the 10th-century Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.60-66.—The vāsanā (imaging) refers to the object that the practitioner visualizes in each sādhana.

Vāsanā (वासना):—Sanskrit technical term corresponding to “mental imprints”, used in various texts on Yoga.


This is again like a recycling program, something purified and agglomerated into the Image or Bimba.

Here it is in one of the cleaner bits of the scan.

Dakarnava moves the doctrine of Sunya onto a Vajra prong, it is based on a three-spoked Vajra comprised of Sunya, Vijnana, and Mahasukha:


The doctrine of the Dakarnava is based on the Yogacara
system of Buddhist metaphysics where Citta (Mind) holds a very
exalted position. It is all in all there. This same idea finds
expression in the Dakarnava where the metaphysical Citta is
deified and invoked to enlighten all beings and to deliver them
from Maya —


Mind is at the root of all happiness and miseries, there is
an oft-quoted maxim, ‘mana eva manusyS/imm lcd.ram,m bandha^
molqayoh' [?], which is true to a word. A purified mind directs one,
towards the path of salvation, while a polluted mind leads one to
destruction and this is why Buddha has laid a special stress on
the purification of mind (citta-sodhana) in his dialogues. The
phenomenal world grows itself from Citta and hence happiness
or miseries which one enjoys or undergoes depends or depend on
the purity or impurity of mind. Mind becomes dull and inactive
by mundane desires and attachments (kamana or vasana) and is
subject to bondage. When kamanas, both internal and external,
are relinquished, the flow of the mind is virtually stopped and the
goal is easily attained. Kamana or Kama is Mara and Mara is
Mrtyu (death or destruction). Kama is called Mara, because it is
the root of all miseries and sufferings. When Siddhartha, a Royal
prince, 2500 years ago, could conquer Mara. (i. c., Kama, ‘lust’),
the Highest Wisdom shone of its own accord and he became
Buddha. He is also called Marajit or Mrtyunjaya (conqueror of
death). The tendency of Kamana or Vasana should be annihilated
by the development of real knowledge as salvation is never attained-
without the cessation of the work of Vasana. Thus the practice
of controlling Vasana and mind should go hand in hand with the
development of real knowledge and they will remove all obstacles
barring the path to salvation. When Vasana is destroyed, the
mind will be full of boundless compassion (Karuna) and sympathy.
The development of Bodhi (Supreme Knowledge) which is the
most important factor for annihilating Kama or Vasana, has been
fully and emphatically discussed in the Dakarnava where Bodhi
is deified and the sadhaka is instructed to set his mind on it.
One obtains Nirvana (salvation), and freedom from constant
sufferings and the continuous flow of births and rebirths by dint
of the development of Bodhi.


Sunya is Nairatma, Bodhi merges into her to enjoy Mahasukha.

The combination of prajna and upaya, leads one to the stage of Mahasukha, represent-
ing Vajra, gradually leading through the four kinds of anandas,
such as ananda, paramananda, sahajananda, and viramananda.

So it is a Sahaja text, literally, in tantric terms rather as a genre of literature, meaning it guides one to the Fourth Joy.


It also uses Yantras.

It appears to be a Nirakara-qualified Yogacara with absence of the objective world.

It looks like it uses an odd Six Chakra system neglecting the crown:

nabhithia — nabhisthita — Seated on the Manipura Cakra also called Nabhi-
padma, which is at the spinal centre of the region of the navel.

There are six centres of Consciousness (Caitanya), called
Cakras or Ikulinas, which are the seat of Sakti (Energy) inside the
Meru or the spinal column. These are — (i) Muladhara, (2) Svadhi-
sthana, (3) Manipura, (4) Anahata, (5) Vishuddha and (6) Ajna.

All the elements which are eighteen in number — six indriyas, six
visayas and six vijnanas.

Visayas are Vajra devis or Vajris or Objects:

Viṣaya (विषय, “object”).—What is the meaning of ‘nature of the objects identified’ (viṣaya)? The objects of thoughts in the mind of others which the owner of mental-modes knowledge wishes to cognize are its subjects. according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 1.25, “Telepathy (manaḥparyaya) and clairvoyance (avadhi) differ with regard to purity (viśuddhi), spatial-range, and species of the knower and the nature of the objects (viṣaya) identified by them”.

I am guessing that when they highlight Ajna Cakra like this, it is in line with Pracanda manifesting the Pithas.






On Chakrasamvara just kind of spitting out seven yoginis, there seem to be two iterations of them which are:


yāminī - trāsinī - kāminī - bhīmā - rupā - sañcārā - bhāsurā - ḍākinyaḥ sapta saṃhṛtā iti

Seven Vyahrta, "words" are thereby born.

rupikā - cumbikā - lāmā - parāvṛttā - sabālikā - anirvṛttikā - aihikī devī ḍākinyaḥ saptadhā smṛtā iti

These seem to be the source of non-dual Heros/Heroines.


The first group includes Armor Deities such as Yamini, and others that are found in various synonymous spellings of [Sam]trasani and Sancara[ni] or Samcalini. Bimba = Icon is Ekajati, but, Bhima is likely named for Bhishma and if anything we found I believe it means Gandhari. As far as Bhasura = Radiant, it is suggested as the alternate spelling of:

Bhāsvara (भास्वर).—a. [bhās-varac] Shining, bright, radiant, brilliant.

-raḥ 1 The sun.

2) A day.

3) Fire.


The group is explained with Khandaroha interceding almost at the end, but then there is:

yā bhāsurā'nivartikāparasaṃjñā sā manasodvignā bhavati |


Now if we "stick to the original", the Puranas say that man's general consciousness is the domain of Chhaya Samjna, or Impure Mundane Consciousness, who is effectively the wife/power of the sun/indra/senses while the actual Samjna or Purified Mundane Consciousness roams Maru in the guise of the Best Mare. Purified Mundane Consciousness is then designated as the ground of Lokottara or spiritual Samjna.


Bhasura is, here, it seems to me, in the opposing role of a Chakravartin active wheel turner, more as the energy of the wheel withdrawn to the center:

Nivartin (निवर्तिन्).—a.

1) Turning back, flying from, returning.

2) Desisting or abstaining from.

3) Allowing to return or turn back.



Parasaṃjñaka (परसंज्ञक):—[=para-saṃjñaka] [from para] m. ‘called Supreme’, the soul


It may be rather strange to see a typically solar deity expressed as "returned to source", but that looks like what it is talking about.


As for the second group of seven, these do no resemble any retinue and may just be character traits of the foregoing, since they are all plebian words. The first part is lifted straight from the textbook statement that Rupika and Cumbika are two kinds of Lamas.


Parāvṛtta (परावृत्त).—p. p.

1) Returned, turned back.

2) Revolved.

3) Exchanged.

4) Reversed (as a judgement).

5) Restored, given back.


Sabali (सबलि).—m.

(-liḥ) Evening twilight. E. sa for saha with, bali offering of food to evil spirits; the proper hour for such ceremonies.



Anirvṛtti (अनिर्वृत्ति).—f.

1) Uneasiness, anxiety, disquietude.

Anirvṛtti (अनिर्वृत्ति):—[=a-nirvṛtti] [from a-nirvṛtta] f. incompleteness.


Aihika (ऐहिक).—a. (-kī f.) [इह-ठञ् (iha-ṭhañ)]

1) Of this world or place, temporal, secular, worldly.




It sounds a bit to me like the bliss devis of the start are going to give back energy to the source by making a fire offering of worldly miseries.


Either this Herukabhidhana or the Laghu Samvara are thought to be the oldest recordings of the tradition. By word of mouth, it is traced to Manjushri at the time of making Kathmandu Valley inhabitable. If we take this at face value, what he did for over twenty thousand years until anyone else was there, I am not sure, but I would not put anything past him. Perhaps it was the current Veda cycle.

The enshrining of Bhrkuti's loom on a restricted floor of a Vajrayogini temple suggests something strongly about her which is hardly discussed.

From general information, awareness of Bhrkuti (http://www.shakyastatues.com/statue/formsoftarabhrikutitara) Tara is found in the earliest sources:


The concept of Bhrikuti Tara is noted in the earliest text of Arya Manjusrcemulakalpa. Bhrikuti Tara appears along with Arya Tara and a host of other feminine divinities called Vidyarajnis in Chapter 2 named Mandalavidhana Parivarta of that sutra. Bhrikuti is also mentioned in Hevajra Tantra (2nd chapter). Bhrikuti Tara is generally depicted as a companion deity of some forms of Avalokiteshvara viz. Khasarpana, Padmanarteshvara, Amoghpasa, etc. Bhrikuti appears in different forms. When she appears in blue color, Bhrikuti Tara is depicted as three headed and a six armed form. When yellow; she is single faced three eyed and four armed and with frowning eyebrows. Her four hands hold a rosary, a trident, a Kalasa and display Varada Mudra.

Taranatha in his history of Buddhism in India describes a visit of an Upasaka Santivarman from Pundravardhana to the top of the Potala hill, the abode of Avalokiteshvara. It is said that Santivarman once prayed to Bhrikuti to cross a sea and there appeared a girl with a raft and who took him across.

While climbing Potala hill, an Upasaka saw an image of Bhrikuti on the way up the hill. It is also said that Bhrikuti Tara manifested herself as a Nepalese princess in seventh century, who was married to the Tibetan king, Tsrong Tsong Gampo (617 – 650 A.D.). Bhrikuti Devi was instrumental in diffusing Buddhism in Tibet. Bhrikuti Tara brought the artistic images of Arya Tara, Avalokiteshvara and Akshobhya Buddha into Tibet.


They are not "related namesakes", historical Bhrkuti is viewed as an actual emanation of Bhrkuti.

According to Atisha's legend, the king of Tibet sent a treasure train to Nepal to get Bhrkuti based on seeing her in a dream (https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Bhrikuti). The offering was originally refused in the following way:

When they arrived in Nepal they met with the king. Gartong Tsen offered the gifts and asked for the princess for the king of Tibet, while Thönmi Sambhota acted as translator. The king of Nepal flew into a terrible rage and told them, “You are insulting me greatly! I will only give my daughter to someone of my own rank and I am superior to the king of Tibet: I have the holy Dharma and supports of the Buddha's body, speech and mind from the time of Buddha Kashyapa. The Dharma has been well established here since king Kri Kri, who reigned at the time of the Buddha Shakyamuni. My riches are like the smoke of the eternal fire, plates are never empty of food, the sound of flour mills never ceases. In Tibet, the king of the hungry ghosts, doesn't have all this, and since there is no law, thieves reign and battles rage. I won't give him my daughter!”


So although he expresses it in a different way, he at least believes that something has been established there for a long time. Most of the other historical Buddhas were said to visit there, and the last Buddha established what we know as modern disciplic succession.

Concerning his daughter she is certainly early if not the first to be recognized as such a tantric deity. She has easily accessible Nirmanakaya forms and then her blue wrathful form which seems to take place with the display of the overall Tara Family or Twenty-one Taras. Otherwise in a retinue or on her own it seems she should be peaceful. It is possible for her to be white, but, she is usually yellow. As yellow she is usually a Pitcher or initiation deity.

That may seem unusual because she is in Lotus Family, but, she is Jupiterian, Bhrim--Bhrkuti. And since this is "accessible", it would then have continuity into the more subtle Jewel Family because then you could get Bhrim--Cintamani and thereby Vasudhara and so on. Then combined with Hum you get an effective Usnisa Vijaya.

[shaberon]

There are 7 matrka, there is a list on Wisdomlib (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptamatrika).


True.

It is usually expressed as Eight and would generally be a ring expected to stack into the retinue at some point.

However those names do not appear, and, whereas we found Six Mothers before Seven, here, in Volume One, there is:

pūrvakulikāmiti jātimātreṇaikavacanam

darśanamātrādeva

mātṛkāpañcama ukāraḥ |

mātṛkā caturtha īkāraḥ |


in other words those last two are probably coming from the vowels U and I.

It has this meaning in Saivite philosophy:

Another important aspect of Mantra is matrika, which are also known as the “little mothers” of creation. They represent the inherent sound vibration of each akshara or indelible sound vibration contained within the letters which make up words and language. Mantra is the source of matrika, or creative energy. In fact, they are so closely linked that another name for Mantra is matrika.

Mātṛkā (मातृका) is a well-known alphabet goddess mentioned in many tantric texts, irrespective of their age or affiliation. Her name is traditionally explained as the matrix or source (yoni), i.e. the source of all mantras, all śāstras, and in general, of everything that is made of words.This explanation is commonly given by exegetes, who paraphraseher name with synonyms for Mother, mātṛ.

But in this system, they show the regular names, as consonants:

Śiva Sūtra further says, that the basis of knowledge is Mātṛkā. Mātṛkā stands for the mystic sound corresponding to each letter of Sanskrit alphabet. This is called Mātṛkā (the mystic soniric power) because it produces the entire universe. The Sanskrit alphabet from ‘a’ to ‘kṣa’ the mother of entire universe is a presiding deity. She is called Mātṛka because she is unknown. When the Mātṛkā is known she leads one to salvation. The different letters are being presided over by different deities.

Avarga; (the class of vowels) – Yogīśvarī or Mahālakṣmī,
Kavarga (ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa) – Brāhmī,
Cavarga (ca, cha, ja, jha, ña) – Māheśvari,
Ṭavarga (ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa) – Kaumārī,
Tavarga (ta, tha, da, dha, na) - Vaiṣṇavī,
Yavarga (ya, ra, la, va) – Aindrī or Indrāṇī,
Śavarga (śa, ṣa, sa, ha, kṣa) - Cāmuṇḍā


So it may all have to do with building syllables in the mantra.

I was simply reserving judgement that it may be using "Matrika" in a less-than-obvious way, which is similar to, but a change from, this Shiva system, so it may intend different goddesses.




I can't figure out what sarvairyathopalabdhairebhiḥ is.
sarva iryatha upalabhda ira abhih
all 'that which is about to get excited' known/learnt wind to rush forth.
?


Probably not too far off but I am not sure "ira" is a separate word, and, the excitement seems to have a particular flair:


1) Irya (इर्य):—mfn. active, powerful, energetical

2) Name of Pūṣan and of the Aśvins

7) Īryā (ईर्या):—[from īr] f. wandering about as a religious mendicant (id est. without hurting any creature).


Upalabdhṛ (उपलब्धृ).—a.

1) Gaining, acquiring.

2) Knowing, perceiving. m. Soul, self.


The final "-bhih" is somewhat common having an "of or from" feel:


ebhiḥ śrīherukasambandhibhiḥ

siddhisādhanārthaṃ ḍākinībhiḥ



The seven jewels are followed by a relation to gold:

tāni suvarṇe saguṇe


The first term is expansion or stretching, based from:

tāṇī (ताणी).—f (Dim. of tāṇā) A division or separate portion of the warp.

Tanī (तनी):—(nf) a string or fastening of a garment


It is used a few times in the text, including right before this to ensure we are talking about gold:

hemāni ca tāni ratnāni ceti hemaratnāni |


This is also the only Saguna in the volume. It would either be Brahman or Six Families.

The Seven Jewels are the same in Buddhism as they are in Vayu Purana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/saptaratna).

Perhaps a great deal of this is all going into its own mantra related to those.

[shaberon]

So far in a rough handling of Chakrasamvara, something called Sadvarna has come squeaking out, which must be a little different than the standard tantric Five Color Rainbow Light.

It would seem to be a stock phrase with an easy explanation, but it, perhaps, is a little obscure. There is a
Sadvarna Mantrastaka (https://archive.org/stream/descriptivecatalvol1pt3gove/descriptivecatalvol1pt3gove_djvu.txt) probably related to Adi Sankara's Soundaraya Lahiri.

There is also a Sadvarna country (https://www.rarebooksocietyofindia.org/book_archive/196174216674_10152439416731675.pdf), probably Kashmir.

It is a general expression, such as in Colorful cooking (https://books.google.com/books?id=93zCDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA249&ots=zLoAxSJMiz&dq=%22sadvarna%22&pg=PA249#v=onepage&q=%22sadvarna%22&f=false) which is said to be done by Radhika's hands, although it actually says Gandharva hands.


I do not read Indonesian and they perhaps commit a few Sanskrit misspellings, but, even today, there is a Buddha Flag or
Sadvarna Dhvaja (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bendera_Buddhis), which derives from the revival of Col. Olcott and HPB. What they accomplished in Ceylon is incomparable.

These flags have variants in all the Buddhist countries, and, at most, they show five colors. Perhaps it cannot show the sixth?


Biru (Nīla) dari warna rambut Sang Buddha melambangkan bakti atau pengabdian,
Kuning emas (Pīta) dari warna kulit Sang Buddha melambangkan kebijaksanaan,
Merah tua (Lohita) dari warna darah Sang Buddha melambang cinta kasih,
Putih (Odāta) dari warna tulang dan gigi Sang Buddha melambang kesucian,
Jingga (Manjesta) dari warna telapak tangan, kaki dan bibir Sang Buddha yang melambangkan semangat,
Gabungan kelima warna di atas (Prabhasvara) melambangkan gabungan kelima faktor yang tersebut di atas (makna sebenarnya istilah Prabhasvara adalah bersinar sangat terang atau cemerlang).


No, according to that definition, they cannot really draw or paint it.

However we can find a modern translation (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321938837_The_Role_of_Children_Buddhist_Songs_in_Cultivating_Moral_Values_in_Buddhist_Sunday_School) telling us about civilized countries where Buddhism is taught to children and of course behind the hedge of telling them not to automatically "believe" anything but to process and experience it. So they have a lot of, I guess, non-scriptural children's songs, and the description accompanying Buddha Flag song says:

Planting Buddhist moral values also moved from the introduction of Buddhist symbols
as seen in the song "Buddhist Flag". This song is not only introduces the Buddhist flag
as a unifying symbol of Buddhists, but rather emphasizes the deep religious significance
of the flag colors as the soul of a Buddhist foundation, "That color Buddhist flag emblem
student life of the Buddha." The Buddhist flag was formed in color- aura color or light
outward from the body of the Buddha when he attained sanctity under the Bodhi tree in
Bodhgaya. Six Buddhist Flag Color or the Dvhaja Sadvarna means: (1) the blue color of the
Buddha's hair symbolizes devotion or dedication; (2) Golden yellow color of the Buddha
symbolizes wisdom; (3) The deep red color of the blood of the Buddha symbolized love;
( ) The white color of bones and teeth of the Buddha symbolized chastity (5) orange is
the color taken from the color of the hands, feet and lips of the Buddha which symbolizes
the spirit; (6) composite combined five colors symbolizing the five factors mentioned
above. The actual meaning of the term "Prabhasvara" is shining very bright or brilliant...


It is from Pali where Odata = White and

Mañjeṭṭha, (adj.) (cp. *Sk. mañjiṣṭhā Indian madder) light (bright) red, crimson, usually enumerated in set of 5 principal colours with nīla, pīta, lohitaka, odāta; e.g. at Vin. I, 25; S. II, 101 (f. mañjeṭṭhā).

and that is Manjistha or Bengal Madder.

The word Mañjiṣṭhā is derived from Mañjiṣṭha (“very bright” or “bright red”), which is the superlative of Mañju (‘beatiful’, ‘lovely’ or ‘sweet’).

So the list excludes Green which for some reason is used by one Japanese sect.

Otherwise, we find "orange" encoded as pink, brown, or purple, none of which is a madder or alizarin color.

I started to grow the stuff once, it is not only a drug but historically important as a major dye prior to synthetics, this and indigo, which is also of course highly occultly significant.

The roots are sensitive to oxygen and change color when exposed:

https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/9/gallery/indian-madder/Indian-Madder-root-powder.jpg





So you could argue it is capable of a color other than its commercial application.

Here is also a good physical correspondence to "saffron-colored" Manju Vajra.

Sneaky, but, saffron is hard to get, whereas madder will take over.

We might not expect a national symbol and children's song to be accompanied by the most elaborate details of the tantras, such as, it does not exactly mean Prabhasvara as "the shiny color".

Nevertheless I would say the flag is highly esoteric by representing Prabhasvara by not showing it, or by taking it as the whole flag. Then you get the tantric teaching of Sadvarna in Chakrasamvara.

Five to Six colors is for example what you do in Volume One right before expanding from Pracanda:

upadeśāttaducyate - ādhāramaṇḍalaṃ rajaso'bhilikhya tasyā'ṣṭadalakamalamadhye pañcāśadvarṇaparāvṛto hūmkāro bhāvyaḥ |

It is an Eight Petaled Lotus in which the five and six colors are involved with Hum by means of Paravrtta, returning or restoration.

[Old Student]

yā bhāsurā'nivartikāparasaṃjñā sā manasodvignā bhavati
The hero turning away from conceiving of the other from(connected to) one's own mental distress.

This looks like a sentence about so-called deity-pride.


As for the second group of seven, these do no resemble any retinue and may just be character traits of the foregoing, since they are all plebian words. The first part is lifted straight from the textbook statement that Rupika and Cumbika are two kinds of Lamas.

That sounds right. My textbook says that nouns and adjectives can be interchanged in Sanskrit because the language regards them as two types of nouns.


While climbing Potala hill, an Upasaka saw an image of Bhrikuti on the way up the hill. It is also said that Bhrikuti Tara manifested herself as a Nepalese princess in seventh century, who was married to the Tibetan king, Tsrong Tsong Gampo (617 – 650 A.D.). Bhrikuti Devi was instrumental in diffusing Buddhism in Tibet. Bhrikuti Tara brought the artistic images of Arya Tara, Avalokiteshvara and Akshobhya Buddha into Tibet.
Interesting. The Chinese believe it was their princes in about the same time frame who brought Buddhism to Tibet.

The Khotanese were conquered by pre-Buddhist Tibet and then 100 years later by Buddhist Tibet, and the times work out.

Everybody knows when Tibet became Buddhist and various sources believe various royal infusions were at root. It is believed by historians that the change was much more gradual and came as Tibet conquered Buddhist lands (not necessarily much of a contradiction).

[Old Student]

I was simply reserving judgement that it may be using "Matrika" in a less-than-obvious way, which is similar to, but a change from, this Shiva system, so it may intend different goddesses.
It could easily be both, there is also a list of 7 gems, and some discussion of gold adornments, etc. I think all of them are supposed to both correspond to and 'be' the armor deities from Varahi.


Upalabdhṛ (उपलब्धृ).—a.

1) Gaining, acquiring.

2) Knowing, perceiving. m. Soul, self.
With an 'a' it is gained knowledge or 'known'.


The first term is expansion or stretching, based from:

tāṇī (ताणी).—f (Dim. of tāṇā) A division or separate portion of the warp.

Tanī (तनी):—(nf) a string or fastening of a garment

'tani' also just means 'they'. I took 'tani tatha' to mean 'they thus..."

Taking another crack at the other,
sarvairyathopalabdhairebhiḥ
sarva er yatha upalabdha er abhih
'All arise in accordance with known 'arise', be fearless.'
It hangs together better and uses the right combo's not sure if it's any better (er means "arise" but I have no idea what tense/person it is).

[Old Student]

These flags have variants in all the Buddhist countries, and, at most, they show five colors. Perhaps it cannot show the sixth?
They are called Sadvarna (six colors) flag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag) because they show 5 vertical stripes of colors, and a sixth stripe that is made up of the other 5 and is the color 'all colors' or rainbow or whatever.


So you could argue it is capable of a color other than its commercial application.

Here is also a good physical correspondence to "saffron-colored" Manju Vajra.

Sneaky, but, saffron is hard to get, whereas madder will take over.
Not surprised. They are required to wear saffron-colored robes, not saffron robes. I don't think anyone flying an Indian flag at Republic Day actually has the orange part of the flag dyed in saffron, but their colors are listed as green, white, and saffron.

[shaberon]

That sounds right. My textbook says that nouns and adjectives can be interchanged in Sanskrit because the language regards them as two types of nouns.

Yes, the impossibility of translating how a Quality is held to be a Substance.



The Chinese believe it was their princes[s] in about the same time frame who brought Buddhism to Tibet.


I do not know as much about her, but, together, they are the two Taras Avalokiteshvara wept into manifestation, i. e. Tara (Upaya) and Bhrkuti (Prajna).


The Buddhist conversion of Tibet and its many power struggles are what the Nepalese king was glad he never had to worry about.

We have an original Mahamaya text which is "strongly associated" with Kukkuripa who mainly inhabited Nepal.

He is called Dog Guru since Kukkuripa (http://keithdowman.net/books/legends-of-the-mahasiddhas.html) had a dog that really was the dakini.

Gesar's vision (http://levekunst.com/the-life-of-kukkuripa/) is much more expansive and calls her Vajrayogini and tells us Padmavajra, Guru of Tilo and Naro, was a student of his.

84000 has a translation of Mahamaya Tantra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh425.html) which does not suggest an author. It, however, has an excellent introduction, telling us it is mainly about Laukika Siddhis and is on the low end of the scale mentioning Completion Stage or becoming a Buddha only one time. They also argue that Mahamaya "is" female, who has become male as "this" Heruka, which is supposed to be the meaning of Ratnakarasanti's commentary.

It also suggests the tantra is mnemonic and allusive and that the unwritten tradition is a major part of it. This Introduction is very well done.

When she takes embodiment, she can do so in any form necessary, which in the context of this tantra is Heruka, the male deity most frequently found at the center of tantric maṇḍalas. Ratnākaraśānti makes explicit the ontological primacy of the feminine Mahāmāyā; in his commentary he equates her with Vajradhara, the embodiment of absolute reality, who is typically male, and identifies her as “she who has the form of Heruka.”

Because it is short, three chapters, and far less instructive than Hevajra, etc., it is thought to be among the first Yoginitantras.

[shaberon]

It could easily be both, there is also a list of 7 gems, and some discussion of gold adornments, etc. I think all of them are supposed to both correspond to and 'be' the armor deities from Varahi.


I agree they correspond but in a "layering" effect.

For instance the male Hindu deities have not gone anywhere, they are just Loka Pala or related to the outer world. They are, so to speak, "converted" to Buddhism into the Wrathful Ones, who, themselves, by Vajrahumkara, are eventually compelled to arise in a Maha form, viz., Mahosnisa and others.

Similarly, the Armor Deities are Wrathful Prajnas and therefor "Mothers" in that sense--whereas the Seven Jewels are the "things protected" or the factors which actually cause the Noble Eightfold Path to manifest, being Right Knowledge, Right Endeavor, and so on. So we don't know what those things really mean without the tantric inflow.

In the Vajradaka explanation, it is easy, because Vajradaka himself is the seventh ingredient.


Interestingly from the commentarial tradition of Vajradaka ch. 12 and 13 (https://docplayer.net/119937936-Perfect-realization-sadhana-of-vajradaka-and-his-four-magical-females-critical-editions-of-the-sanskrit-vajradakamahatantra-chapters-12-and-13.html) about Four Magical Females:

In his Bodhicittāvalokamālā, Kalāka teaches a visualization practice of the same mandala of Vajraḍāka (except for one thing: In the Bodhicittāvalokamālā, a practitioner visualizes Vajraḍāka s consort Mahāmāyā, who is not mentioned in the twelfth chapter of the Vajraḍāka)

But in the Durjayacandra Vajradaka sadhana (https://books.google.com/books?id=n6QqAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT264&ots=bdzP1YBQET&dq=vajraraudri%20himalayan%20passages&pg=PT264#v=onepage&q=vajraraudri%20himalayan%20passages&f=false), the Jewels are also called the Six Yoginis, but they do not have the same names as Candi etc.

They are counterclockwise in a way that can be its own opposite, Sa + Dara or Sa + Adara, but actually:

1) Ṣaḍara (षडर):—[=ṣaḍ-ara] [from ṣaḍ > ṣaṣ] (ṣaḍor ṣal-) mfn. having six spokes, [Ṛg-veda; Nṛsiṃha-tāpanīya-upaniṣad]


They are about Paramananda and Jnana and you use Four Activities mantra to bring them.

Their six colors are blue, yellow, red, green, smoky, white.

They are Digambara Three Eyed Maha Raudras in Alidha pose. The ring, per se, is born from Six Syllables.

Heruka is Smrti and the other jewels are:

Heruki--dharma pravicaya
Vajrabhairavi--virya
Ghoracandi--priti
Vajrabhaskari--prasrabdhi
Vajraraudri--samadhi
Vajradakini--upeksa

Can these correspond to Armor Deities, yes, Vajrabhairavi can stand in for Varahi, Heruki is almost certainly Yamini, here we still have six yoginis and so a pattern can at least be attempted. Smoky Vajraraudri--Samadhi only changes Smoky Candi--Samadhi so much. Are there really seven, yes, Vajravarahi is the consort.

Heruki faces Heruka but, is not, directly his consort.

Are they a similar retinue to the Vajraraudris of Samputa, yes, except those are Saumya, with Sabda and Prithvi and are clearly interfaced with the Gauris and Vajradakini is still present.

I would tend to surmise that "these" Vajraraudris are more about explaining Generation Stage, because they are Wrathful, and the Samputa version is a bit more comprehensive because it then reflects Weapon Hevajra or, almost solely, Completion Stage, suggestive of having found some of the Peace behind the Wrathful or Rudra Krama training.

This short sadhana is totally clear about four elements, five nectars (Dhatus and Skandhas), six family wheel (Ayatanas, followed by a sixth Urahsirahskandha, possibly a combined Urna and Sirah, and Armor Deities), and seven jewels, without having any explanation about how it works, aside from it being probably the only place where the jewels are deified like this. The Seven Syllable mantra is a proceeding of Amrta.

The seven jewels seem to arise above Meru, Srngaka, on the horns of the moon, whereas the personal forms are called Devis rather than Dakinis.

Skin Worker is perhaps the exalted caste in other tantras since these deities are portrayed with human skin (also drum and bell), on a sun disk with corpses.

"This" Heruki I tend to take as the continuation of Heruka Sannivesa from Dakini Jala and most likely corresponding to Yamini, i. e., Vajra Family.

When a sadhana wants to indicate "sister of Yama", it is Yami, the Tramen. By being called Yamini, it is something a bit more specific:

Name of a daughter of Prahlāda

‘consisting of watches’, night

bringing forth twins, [Atharva-veda]


Prahlada is significant in the Puranas:

Diti gives birth to two demons Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa. Hiraṇyakaśipu has four sons—Prahlāda, Anuhlāda, Saṃhlāda and Hlāda. Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed by Narasiṃha. [...] Then Prahlāda ascended the throne. His son was Virocana who was killed by Viṣṇu and his son Bali became the king.

So on this point we are saying Dhyani Buddha Vairocana is *not* this Asura, whose son Bali is the basis of Bali Offering and so on. However, tantric Vairocani *is* the Asura's sister who becomes Sakti of Tvastr, and because it is Buddhism she usually is associated with Vairocana.

So, ok. Yamini is then perhaps like a sister to her associated with Akshobhya.

More significance to Vairocani able to emanate "Yamini and others" as Armor Deities in the overall scope of Varuni.

The relatively brief teaching of this sadhana says:

vistaro durgraha prayo balastrinam bhaved iti



The Seven Jewels certainly correspond to Six Yoginis by being representative of the Families, but, again, by way of layering, as in how samadhi goes from indriya to bala to bodhyanga. Similarly we find Prasrabdhi--Khandaroha of the main Chakrasamvara Pitha system becomes concentrated into Prasrabdhi--Vajrabhaskari, and consider whether perhaps the synonymous name Bhasura is how it is used in Herukabhidana Chakrasamvara. The internal Pitha devis such as Khandaroha are already considered bodhyanga, but both sadhanas appear to extract them (Bodhyangas or Ratna) as an individual retinue ring as well.

Herukabhidhana does not explicitly refer to Bodhyanga as being its special group of seven, aside from having apparently identified the jewel objects, horse, minister, etc., as them, which requires the additional step of explanation which is blatant in Vajradaka.

Similarly to how Devihrdayamantra (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/devihridayamantra) is the half-secret rollout of Vajravarnani, the mantra is common within Chakrasamvara, but to assign deities they had to get them from Vajradaka, as perhaps only the mantra is established in Herukabhidana:

Upahṛdayamantra (उपहृदयमन्त्र) refers to the “quasi-heart mantra of Heruka”, and represents one of the four major mantras in the Cakrasaṃvara tradition, as taught in the eighth chapter of the 9th-century Herukābhidhāna and its commentary, the Sādhananidhi. The Upahṛdaya-mantra consists of seven letters.

The mantra is as follows: “oṃ hrīḥ ha ha hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ”.

The seven associated deities are:

Vajraḍāka, alias Heruka, and his consort Vārāhī (hūṃ), who reside at the center;

Herukī (phaṭ),
Vajrabhairavī (hūṃ),
Ghoracaṇḍī (ha),
Vajrabhāskarī (ha),
Vajraraudrī (hrīḥ),
Vajraḍākinī (oṃ), who reside around Vajraḍāka and Vārāhī.

The purity of these seven deities is the Seven Limbs of Enlightenment (bodhyaṅga).

And so the Muttering of the Vajraraudris' ring is the mantra minus one Hum, I think, and backwards.

The Raudris or Jewels witness the various rites such as Armor and Kaya Vak Citta and then you have Seven Syllable mantra forwards, which purifies Khinna or distress. At that point is where it tells you the Jewel Attributes of the Vajraraudris, perhaps a bit like the conjuration was to establish their forms, and in this final part you focus their qualities.

It eventually concludes by saying you have bonded Six Paramitas and the forms of the Mudras. So that is a bit like saying it is not the final word in tantra because it isn't doing anything with the Mudras.



Upalabdhṛ (उपलब्धृ).—a.

1) Gaining, acquiring.

2) Knowing, perceiving. m. Soul, self.
With an 'a' it is gained knowledge or 'known'.

Sure, like a combination, or hypostasis.


'tani' also just means 'they'. I took 'tani tatha' to mean 'they thus..."

Allright. The usual source can be a bit sparse with nuts and bolts like pronouns and articles.

[shaberon]

they show 5 vertical stripes of colors, and a sixth stripe that is made up of the other 5 and is the color 'all colors' or rainbow or whatever.

That should have been more obvious. Some variants only use three colors or something a little different, but, most of the major ones have this.


Not surprised. They are required to wear saffron-colored robes, not saffron robes. I don't think anyone flying an Indian flag at Republic Day actually has the orange part of the flag dyed in saffron, but their colors are listed as green, white, and saffron.


No, I believe using the name of a rare substance is to indicate its "robe" symbolism = solar prana and its "inner symbolism" = Amrta.

More commonly made by mixing red and yellow powders abundantly available.

It is used with Manjushri, Khaganana, and in nectar and long life practices, and I suggest is on the axis with Turquoise. This is artistically rare but the combination is shown by Achi Dharma Tara.

As to why the flag does not really match colors of six families, I am not sure, and it is a bit unclear about white or gold being primal and also in the mix.

But then, the "layers" of visualization are increasing, i. e. in dealing with four colors on up, starting I suppose with a Mahamaya-type explanation and refining itself in a modular fashion, from form elements to occult color.


This may be worth a review, since any chance of us saying basic Vajradaka "resembles" Mahamaya is overwhelmed by the commentary that states he is with Mahamaya.

I had perhaps paid less attention to its first part.

So the Vajradaka tantra does have a pattern wherein chapters twelve and thirteen he is Four Faced like male Mahamaya and he has four goddesses which are intended as Wrathful Prajnas, such as Locana = Patani I believe. The main difference in the layout is the devis do not have four faces like in Mahamaya tantra and no consort seems to be apparent in the Vajradaka text. After this Mahamaya-esque practice he later evolves more Chakrasamvara features, which would more closely match Durjayacandra's sadhana.


The translator describes early Vajradaka like so:


A practitioner visualizes a corpse (mṛtaka), which is of the nature of the true reality of existences (dharmadhātvātmaka), and stands on it in meditation. Then he emits rays from the center of the moon meditated in his heart, develops female deities such as Ḍākinī from the rays, and makes the female deities perform oblation. Subsequently, in meditation, he bows and recites the words to make vows.


Some of its workings are consistent with Yoga tantra:

...the pledges of the five lineages to observe the three pure precepts and the three jewels [which is the pledge of the Buddha lineage]; to preserve the vajra (vajra), bell (ghaṇṭā), seal (mudrā), and teacher (ācārya) [which is the pledge of the Vajra lineage]; to keep performance of various kinds of charity (dāna) [which is the pledge of the Ratna lineage]; to be intent on the right teachings (saddharma) [which is the pledge of the Padma lineage]; and to perform various kinds of oblation as much as possible [which is the pledge of the Karma lineage] ( ), and to save, release, encourage, and locate in the state of liberation all sentient beings (12.12). (The Vivṛti, D 79v2 81r6.) The oldest versions of these words (which are almost identical with the verses of the version in the Vajraḍāka) can be found in the Vajraśekhara, and, among scriptures whose Sanskrit manuscripts are extant, the Sarvadurgatipariśodhana. The Sampuṭodbhava and Abhayākaragupta s Vajrāvalī, whose Sanskrit manuscripts or editions are available, provide versions that are almost identical with the whole texts (viz ) in the Vajraḍāka edited here.

The practitioner recites a mantra saying that all existences are pure by nature (svabhāvaśuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ) and the practitioner himself is also pure by nature (svabhāvaśuddho 'ham). Subsequently, he contemplates that all existences are devoid of their own selves (sarvadharmanairātmya). The practitioner meditating the purity and non-self is equal to the holy one (bhagavat), Vajrin, Vajrasattva, and Tathāgata.

[That is the name used here, Vajrasattva, who simply has a Four Face Mahaghora appearance, and nothing seems to be said about a consort.]


When the retinue is cast, these have one face and four arms:

East Pātanī Is whitish blue. Has a skull staff and a bell in her left hands and a vajra (vajra) and a skull-bowl containing an elephant in her right hands. North Māraṇī Is greenish white. Has a skull staff and a rope (pāśa) in her left hands and a drum (ḍamaru) and a skull-bowl containing a jackal in her right hands. West Ākarṣaṇī Is reddish white. Has a bow and a colorful lotus (viśvapadma) in her left hands and an arrow and a skull-bowl containing a human in her right hands. South Narteśvarī Is whitish yellow. Has a spear (śūla) and a jewel (ratna) in her left hands and a flag (patākā) and a skull-bowl containing an ox in her right hands. What are implied in the directions and colors assigned to these four deities? They seem to be in accordance with the symbolism of directions and colors in the Vajradhātumaṇḍala system found in the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgrahasūtra: they represent the five lineages. Pātanī, residing in the east, is bluish, which is the direction and color of the Vajra lineage in the Vajradhātumaṇḍala system; Māraṇī, in the north, is greenish, which belongs to the Karma lineage; Ākarṣaṇī, in the west, is reddish, which belongs to the Padma lineage; Narteśvarī in the south is yellow, which belongs to the Ratna lineage; and all deities are whitish, which is the color of the Buddha lineage. In the four intermediate directions of Vajraḍāka, the practitioner visualizes four skull bowls (karoṭaka). They are filled with the fivefold immortal nectar (pañcānūna) and are adorned with a crown to which images of Buddhas are attached. According to the Vivṛti, the circle consisting of Vajraḍāka, the four female deities and the four skull bowls described above is encircled by four concentric circles. These four circles are identical with the mind circle, word circle, body circle, and vow circle that constitute the Heruka mandala most popular in the Cakrasaṃvara Buddhist traditions. (Vivṛti, D 81v4 82r1.) As for the Heruka mandala, consisting of the great pleasure circle, mind circle, word circle, body circle, and vow circle [separate text].


The corollary with Mahamaya is presented right before the first half of Inverted Stupa:

In his Bodhicittāvalokamālā, Kalāka teaches a visualization practice of the same mandala of Vajraḍāka (except for one thing: In the Bodhicittāvalokamālā, a practitioner visualizes Vajraḍāka s consort Mahāmāyā, who is not mentioned in the twelfth chapter of the Vajraḍāka) : The text gives an instruction regarding a meditation on syllables, fire and fluid and their effects. The Vivṛti calls this practice the refining of the fivefold immortal nectar (bdud rtsi lnga sbyang ba) and explains details of this practice as follows. Having transformed himself into Vajraḍāka, the practitioner visualizes a wind disk from the letter Yaṃ, a fire disk from the letter Raṃ above it, a skull bowl from the letter A above them, and the five letters Bhrūṃ, Āṃ, Jrīṃ, Khaṃ, and Hūṃ in the skull bowl. Then the five letters are transformed into the fivefold immortal nectar, which is of the nature of the five Buddhas. Meanwhile, he meditates that letters Oṃ and Hūṃ emerge above them and are developed into a vajra. Subsequently, he makes fires in the fire disk flare up, fanned by winds from the wind disk. The fires boil the fivefold immortal nectar in the skull bowl, heat the vajra, and melt it. The melted vajra drips into the skull bowl and burns the fivefold nectar empowered by three letters. By this meditation, the practitioner attains various effects not only mundane supernatural effects (siddhi) but also conviction (pratyaya). According to the Vivṛti, the conviction means the right intention (yang dag pa'i rtog pa) (Vivṛti, D 82r1 83r1) : Some features of the mandala are explained. The mandala is square in shape, is complete with four gates, and is decorated with four threads, cloths, flower garlands, vajra jewels, and a wreath of wheels. A white lotus is placed at the center of the space bordered by the four gates. A red lotus with a wreath of vajras is situated on the white lotus. A lotus in dark blue, which has eight petals, resides on the red lotus. On the lotus in dark blue, there is a lotus of various colors (padmaṃ viśvarūpaṃ). This is the lotus located at the top of Mt. Sumeru, and on this base, a practitioner visualizes the mandala of Vajraḍāka described earlier (Vivṛti, D 83r1 v2).

In other words, it has more or less "concocted" orange nectar suitable for Rasa or what we have seen as a Taste Offering to certain appropriate goddesses, something like a gate before finishing the Inverted Stupa.

It is like an intensified version of Four Activities:


Pātanī ( one who makes fall ), Māraṇī ( killer ), Ākarṣaṇī ( drawer ), and Narteśvarī ( dance master ).

According to the Vivṛti, these verses explain a physical practice of sexual yoga and a visualization of the inner fire Caṇḍālī blazing in the practitioner s body (Vivṛti, 84r4 r6).

A practitioner performs a sexual yoga with a goddess (or a female equated with a goddess), and during sex he meditates that a mantra bound in a circle circulates between his body and her body, through his penis into her womb and through her mouth into his mouth.

So the rites have "outer" descriptions of summoning and so forth, but must lead to the Mudras.

Armor Deities are then employed, having Dakini Jala's male names:

The six consort Vīras (and their mantras for protection) are Vajrasattva (oṃ ha), Vairocana (namaḥ hi), Padmanarteśvara (svāhā hu), Heruka (vauṣat he), Vajrasūrya (hūṃ hūṃ), and Paramāśva (phaṭ haṃ).


It is virtually identical to Chakrasamvara because:

A meditation of placing the five mantras on the five bodily regions of a male practitioner and his female partner for empowerment. A practitioner places in meditation the heart mantra of Vajravārāhī on the navel, the quasi-heart mantra of Vajravārāhī on the heart, the heart mantra of Heruka on the mouth, the quasi-heart mantra of Heruka on the forehead, and the fundamental mantra on the top of the head (Vivṛti, 85v1 v5) : According to the Vivṛti, these verses teach that Ḍākinī (viz, divine female), as well as the physical body of one s own, is devoid of intrinsic nature and, if a practitioner fully understands it, he can approach the state of all-knowing (sarvajña) (Vivṛti, 84v4 85r4).

The heart mantra of Vajravārāhī is generally: oṃ sarvabuddhaḍākinīye vajravarṇanīye hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā.

The quasi-heart mantra (upahṛdaya) of Vajravārāhī is generally: oṃ vajravairocanīye svāhā.

The heart mantra (hṛdaya) of Heruka is generally: oṃ śrīvajra-he-he-ru-ru-kaṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ ḍākinījālasaṃvaraṃ svāhā.

The quasi-heart mantra of Heruka is generally: oṃ hrīḥ ha ha hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ.

The fundamental mantra (mūlamantra) is generally: oṃ namo bhagavate vīreśāya mahākalpāgnisaṃnibhāya jaṭāmakuṭotkaṭāya daṃṣṭrākarālograbhīṣaṇamukhāya sahasrabhujabhāsurāya paraśupāśodyataśūlakhaṭvāṃgadhāriṇe vyāghrājināmbaradharāya mahādhūmrāndhakāravapuṣāya kara kara kuru kuru bandha bandha trāsaya trāsaya kṣobhaya kṣobhaya hrauṃ hrauṃ hraḥ hraḥ pheṃ pheṃ phaṭ phaṭ daha daha paca paca bhakṣa bhakṣa vaśarudhirāntramālāvalambine gṛhṇa gṛhṇa saptapātālagatabhujaṃgasarpaṃ vā tarjaya tarjaya ākaṭṭa ākaṭṭa hrīṃ hrīṃ jñauṃ jñauṃ kṣmāṃ kṣmāṃ hāṃ hāṃ hīṃ hīṃ hūṃ hūṃ kili kili sili sili cili cili dhili dhili hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ.


11 : A meditation of the goddess Narteśvarī ( dance master ) to make the targeted person dance (Vivṛti, 86r2 r4) ab: One can fulfill all kinds of rituals by practicing oblation adamance (pūjāvajra). According to the Vivṛti, the word oblation indicates the four classes of oblation, namely, (1) the external oblation (phyi) by means of external matters such as flowers, (2) the secret oblation (gsang ba), in which the fivefold immortal nectar and goddess are used, (3) the truth oblation (de kho na nyid), which means the thorough understanding of the nature of wisdom, and (4) the great oblation (chen po), which refers to taking the immortal nectar from inside the lotus. The word adamance means that a practitioner assumes a deity and enjoys various things without fear as he wishes (Vivṛti, 86r4 r6) c 16: One should perform a meditation of placing the mantras of six Vīras and six Yoginīs on particular regions of one s body for protection. In this meditation the six Yoginīs are equivalent to the Six Perfections (ṣaṭpāraṃgata). According to the Vivṛti, the bodily regions where a practitioner visualizes the mantras are the navel, heart, mouth, head, top of the head, and each limb (Vivṛti, 86r6 v4) : One should perform meditations of consecration (abhiṣeka), oblation, one s identity with Heruka, the union of the gnosis being with the pledged being (jñānasamayasambhūta), and mantra placement (mantranyāsa) (Vivṛti, 86v4 87r2) : One should start a ritual (karma) after the performance of the hero s oblation (vīrapūjā). (According to the Vivṛti, the hero s oblation indicates the oblation in the Tantric meeting.) The ritual means a meditation of mantras in one s body. The practitioner visualizes letters of mantra in reverse order. The color of letters that constitute a mantra must be in accordance with the prescribed color of the ritual that he is performing (e.g., white in the case of the pacifying ritual). The Vivṛti interprets that it is the meditation of mantra circulation between the body of a practitioner and the body of his female partner, whose details have already been explained in the comment on 13.4.



cf. Mahamaya on Summoning:


Meditate upon the first syllable which is the color of Indra.
Merged fully with one’s own awareness it is summoned in an instant.
Ratnākaraśānti comments:

This is explained as follows: once the vulva of Buddhaḍākinī and so forth is rendered red like saffron, imagine the syllable oṁ red like saffron in the vessel of the Virile One and fix the Virile One in the subtle sphere. Once the Virile One has been made red by the light of the syllable oṁ, two rays of red light emerge from the Virile One. Imagine a noose on the tip of the first and a hook on the second. Binding the neck of the object to be accomplished with the noose and piercing its heart with the hook, imagine that it is quickly summoned.

It thus becomes apparent that the words of the tantra itself provide merely an outline, a shorthand version for tantric practitioners already well versed in its practices. Likewise, each of the subsequent verses of this chapter points to complex meditation techniques, a type of knowledge that is, as verse 2.17 indicates, “secret, obscure, and unwritten.”

[Old Student]

As to why the flag does not really match colors of six families, I am not sure, and it is a bit unclear about white or gold being primal and also in the mix.
It's supposed to match the colors in the Buddha's aura, one of which is rainbow. As for what is primal between white and gold, that does actually sound like a dispute that would be had between painters and jewelers. In painting, the primal color behind a painting if the colors applied would be true is white. In jewelry, especially in enameling, cloisonne, damascene, niello or (more modern) limogine, gold is the background color that trues the transparent glasses and jewels. (Full disclosure, once many decades ago I did that stuff, and spent a lot of time reading about it and about anodizing).


Subsequently, he contemplates that all existences are devoid of their own selves (sarvadharmanairātmya).
All dharmas (here existences) are devoid of their own selves nairatmya. That is a feminine 'devoid of their own selves', as with the Dakini, atma --> atmya to make it feminine.


A practitioner performs a sexual yoga with a goddess (or a female equated with a goddess), and during sex he meditates that a mantra bound in a circle circulates between his body and her body, through his penis into her womb and through her mouth into his mouth.
It's interesting that the thing starts with visualizing mrtaka as dharmadhatvatmaka and ends up here. I did out dharmadhatvatmaka to dharmadhatu atmaka, the 'of' in the description is literally 'consisting of or belonging to.'

[Old Student]

When she takes embodiment, she can do so in any form necessary, which in the context of this tantra is Heruka, the male deity most frequently found at the center of tantric maṇḍalas. Ratnākaraśānti makes explicit the ontological primacy of the feminine Mahāmāyā; in his commentary he equates her with Vajradhara, the embodiment of absolute reality, who is typically male, and identifies her as “she who has the form of Heruka.”
This is interesting. It recalls the presence of Shiva as a corpse with his consort reflecting the Shakti belief that he is a corpse without her energy (shakti).

[Old Student]

Are there really seven, yes, Vajravarahi is the consort.
This is how I had gotten to seven before, I assumed Yamini was in the lead of six, they were emanating from the heart of Vajravarahi, that makes seven.

[shaberon]

It's supposed to match the colors in the Buddha's aura, one of which is rainbow.

Okay. Well, the Armor or Six Yoginis are Wrathful which is a darker assortment and not the right basis for comparison.





All dharmas (here existences) are devoid of their own selves nairatmya. That is a feminine 'devoid of their own selves', as with the Dakini, atma --> atmya to make it feminine.


Aha. Yes, I noticed in Vajradaka there is also "Dakinyah", so it is really attaching a preposition, is not a form of the invocative -iye or anything like that.




Gold--Suvarna seems to be used early on concerning all twenty-four Pitha devis who are all apparently Mothers at least of Yoga:

evamityādinā pṛṣṭhapūraṇamāha - anantaroktaḥ suvarṇādidānavidhiḥ sādhakena suṣṭhu niścitaḥ śobhanatvena svīkṛto'numodita ityarthaḥ | tata iti vidheḥ | aniṣṭhitavidhiphalamāha - ḍākinya ityādi | ḍākinya iti ḍākinījātayaḥ | viśeṣamāha - yogetyādi | yogamātarāścaturviṃśati ||


The additional twelve are the ones led by Kakasya:

mātṛśabdena kākāsyādayo dvādaśa


I am not sure if I should take Matar, Matr, and Matrka as flat equivalents.





White and Six Colors was in the following verse--it looks repetitive because the second one is commentary which is the part where we see it is white:

vāmācāraratā nityaṃ hyete svamudrāvarṇa saṃkulāḥ |
kulavidyākṣarāṇi [ ca ] ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hi || 11 ||

vāmā nāryastāsāmācāro'tikrodhāhaṅkārādikam | hi samuccaye | ete yoginījanāḥ | punaḥ kīdṛśā ityāha - svamudrā sitavarṇādi varṇo mṛṇālagauratvādi | tābhyāṃ saṃkulāḥ sambaddhāḥ | kulavidyākṣarāṇi ceti | kulaṃ sādhakastasya vidyāstā evākṣarāṇi vajrāṇi dṛḍhādhimokṣatvād yoginījanāḥ | ete cāvicalitarupā devyo bhavantītibhāvaḥ | ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hīti | ṣaḍvarṇāḥ prakārāḥ yoginīnāṃ jñātavyāḥ | hi samuccaye || 11 ||



The subject is a rather strange color compound:

paramaḥ samayo varṇagandhādiḥ |


The previous verses certainly mention colors followed by commentary that...I don't know where it got Hayagriva,etc., from:

mṛṇālagaurā tu yā nārī padyapatrāyatalocanā |
sitavastrapriyā nityaṃ navacandanagandhinī || 3 ||

saugatagoṣṭhīratā caiva sā jñeyā kulagotrajā |
yā nārī taptahemābhā raktapītāmbarapriyā || 4 ||

jātivatyekagandhā ca sā vīrānugā bhavet |
sarvendīvaraśyāmā nīlāmbaradharapriyā || 5 ||

nīlotpalaśubhagandhā ca śrīherukānugā hi sā |
yā nārī [ sundarī caiva ]puṇḍarīkadalacchaviḥ || 6 ||

mṛṇālagandhā ca satataṃ sā tu vīramatī tathā |
raktagaurā ca yā nārī raktavaktrasurupiṇī || 7 ||

mallikotpalagandhā ca sā vajrakulasambhavā |
pītaśyāmā tu yā nārī śuklāmbaradharapriyā || 8 ||

śirasi( śirīṣa )puṣpagandhā ca tathāgata[ kulā ]nugā |
āraktavarṇā ca yā nārī tadvarṇāmbaradhāriṇī || 9 ||

karpūragandhā satataṃ vairocanakulānugā |
saptaitāni mayoktāni yoginīnāṃ kulāni tu || 10 ||

saugatānāṃ ca goṣṭhyāṃ rataiva | kulaṃ hayagrīvastadeva gotraṃ yasyāḥ sā śauṇḍinīkulagotrā | tasyā jāteti hrasvatve kulagotrajā bhavati | vīra ākāśagarbhastadanugā cakravarmiṇī tatkulasaṃbhavatvāt sā tathā | śrīherukānugeti | suvīrākulānugā | vīramatīti | vīramatīkulānugā | vajrakulaṃ vārāhīkulam | tathāgataḥ padyanarteśvaraḥ tena kulyata iti tathāgatakulā mahābalā tadanugā | mayeti mayaiva | abhisaṃpratyayāya | turanantaratvasūcakaḥ || 4-10 ||


Gold Light--Hema Bha--is perhaps orange, Raktapita. There we can find the colors Sita, Hema, Nila, Raktagaura, Pita Syama, and Arakta.






It's interesting that the thing starts with visualizing mrtaka as dharmadhatvatmaka and ends up here. I did out dharmadhatvatmaka to dharmadhatu atmaka, the 'of' in the description is literally 'consisting of or belonging to.'



It is like Aparajita Swing Recitation.

Vetali = Corpse = Mental Element.

Yes that has its meanings in philosophy, I am afraid it is also almost literal, i. e. the mind of an ordinary worldling does make a rotten corpse out of their mindstuff and they are going to see it when they hit the Bardo.

It is similar to Prajnaparamita which carries out a lot of Dharmadhatu Purification with "nine kinds of corpses" or something to that effect.


But yes Corpse and Dharmadhatu or Source of All Phenomena are of one nature and you stand on it.

Yes if I was to think of those four goddesses it would never really be in terms of what might sound like external spellcasting, it would be the Activities followed by Seals. Because I can barely visualize a spot, it would be a really long time before I could get such a thing as a Jnana Mudra.

I believe it is like this, if you are a rare individual such as Tson kha pa who can manifest Jnana Mudra without difficulty, then you just use it as Karma Mudra.

Otherwise you are a bit hamster-on-a-wheel until you can.

That is why it is said some monks used Golden Zombie.

In other words one can heighten and gear the Bell Activity to what a Karmamudra is supposed to mean, do, etc., and then actually accomplishing the Seal, would, I suppose, depend.

If I think of the Karmamudra as the far end of a Quintessence whose, perhaps, beginning, or Hook, is where I am now, that is probably more accurate.

[shaberon]

This is interesting. It recalls the presence of Shiva as a corpse with his consort reflecting the Shakti belief that he is a corpse without her energy (shakti).


That Vajradhara can hardly directly do anything?

But perhaps female Vajradhara can slip out and enact tantras as what would apparently amount to being both partners?


The instance of Mahamaya--Heruka is the only situation it is, I guess, attempted to be called male.


As female it does appear elsewhere in Buddhism:


“Mahākāla should be surrounded by seven goddesses, three in the three cardinal points, (the fourth being occupied by his own Śakti) and the other four in the four corners. [...] To the East is Mahāmāyā (consort of Maheśvara), who stands in the ālīḍha attitude and rides a lion. She has four arms, of which the two left hands carry the kapāla and the ḍamaru, and the two right the kartri and the mudgara. She is blue in complexion, has dishevelled hair, three eyes and protruding teeth. All these deities are terrible in appearance, with protruding teeth and ornaments of serpents. [...]

Surrounded by all these deities [viz., Mahāmāyā], Mahākāla should be meditated upon as trampling upon Vajrabhairava in the form of a corpse”.

He embraces a prajna, but his own sakti is supposed to be in the north:

To the East is Mahāmāyā (consort of Maheśvara); To the South is Yamadūtī; To the West is Kāladūtī; The four corners are occupied by the following Goddesses: Kālikā (South-east); Carcikā (South-west); Caṇḍeśvarī (North-west); Kuliśeśvarī (North-east).

So he should really be surrounded by eight.



And, if we forgot Vajradaka ch. 1, the guy who wrote the consort comment into the sadhana probably did not:


Mahāmāyā (महामाया)or Padmaraśmī is the name of a deity associated with the Bhūta (element) named Ākāśa, according to the 9th century Vajraḍākatantra chapter 1.16-22.—Accordingly, this chapter proclaims the purity of the five components (skandha), five elements (bhūta) and five senses (āyatana) as divine beings [viz., Mahāmāyā].


Having also called Heruka, Parameswar, from the Shiva lore I remembered an old song Amba Parameshwari Akhilandeshwari.

What I did not know was that Akhilandeshwari is Khodiyar Maa (https://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/goddess-vidya-blog/archives/08-2012/3).

Khodiyar (https://www.thefreelibrary.com/This+Goddess+Is+Never+Not+Broken%3A+IN+SEARCH+OF+THE+MEANING+OF...-a0537591997) is installed in a temple believed to be over 11,000 years old.

Akhilanda (https://mysticalshores.com/2019/03/01/the-goddess-akhilanda/#:~:text=Akhilanda%20is%20the%20Hindu%20Goddess,oldest%20depictions%20of%20the%20Goddess.) is a double negative meaning Never Not Broken.

Khodiyar is Makara devi:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/iWqccVjGUaxYO7vCQlbA1nZulCRJ1bEvhxNkXAMwxYbbUrQp0lWoNIAoqpkEXYBs-swziONeA4smXbYWZkm7op-ma_rDYfF83kXKM9_bK-cNy8g6Bg





https://sites.google.com/site/wwwaaikhodiyarmaa7com/photo-galleries/Khodiyar+maa++god+shiv+maa+kali.jpg





She is a Naga devi as well.

As seen here, Makara has to do with a very special "consort of Shiva", similarly to how in Buddhism they are almost restricted to forms of Sri.

[shaberon]

This is how I had gotten to seven before, I assumed Yamini was in the lead of six, they were emanating from the heart of Vajravarahi, that makes seven.



In the sense that Varahi plus:

Vārāhī (vaṃ), who resides at the center;
Yāminī (yoṃ),
Mohanī (moṃ),
Saṃcālanī (hrīṃ),
Saṃtrāsanī (hūṃ),
Caṇḍikā (phaṭ), who reside around Vārāhī.

equals seven.

If we took the format that is only given in Samvarodaya as far as I am aware, it would be:

Vajravairocani (vaṃ),
Yāminī (yoṃ),
Mohanī (moṃ),
Saṃcālanī (hrīṃ),
Saṃtrāsanī (hūṃ),
Caṇḍikā (phaṭ),

And from there, potential cases that the first could be Vajrabhairavi or Vajracharchika.

But that would be pretty standard in most Varahi-centered rites, you still cast her in the Armor Deities. Well, yes, I guess that does give you an individual "number" like in other retinues where we see two of the same at once.

Look at the Mahakala thing just listed above, they placed his consort twice and she doesn't even have a name, but then they skipped counting the second her.

Again, at least for my purposes, it is best to see the whole thing as a hypostasis of Varuni and so, provisionally, these are Armor Deities of Varuni.


Yamini and the Armor Deities come up in the second chapter. But Yamini comes around again in another way.

Exactly what Chakrasamvara is saying or why later in Chapter Seventeen "Cihna Mudra" it has another Seven that have "some" Armor Deities, I am not sure.


The previous Chapter Sixteen with the Six Colors is continuous to this on the theme of seven yoginis. It may have told us why seven is five:

prathamārthe saptamītyarthasamudāya iti pañcamaḥ |



Five Nectars are the Sat Bhava or real existence of Laksana Maha:

yāminī - trāsinī - kāminī - bhīmā - rupā - sañcārā - bhāsurā



The commentary tells us:

lakṣaṇānantaraṃ vaktuṃ saptadaśaṃ paṭalamāha - tato durlabhā ityādi | yoginīnāṃ tu ḍākinīnāmityādi prathamārthe ṣaṣṭhī | tato yoginyo devyaḥ | turviśeṣārthaḥ | yoginīnāmiti | ḍākinyo māniṣyo yoginyo yoginīguṇānuvartinya ityarthaḥ | atastathaiva ceti padam | kuta ityāha - tato durlabhā iti | yato devīguṇatvatyo ḍākinyastato duḥkhenopalabhyanta iti bhāvaḥ | yadyevaṃ kathamupalabhyanta ityāha - pañcāmṛtasadbhāvāditi | tadupayogine sādhakāya tiṣṭhantyetā iti bhāvaḥ |



and they seem to be renamed as characters, Cumbika etc.

The commentarial block for what is going on with their descriptions:


yāminyāścumbikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - iṣṭaṃ vetyādi | ḍākinī ceti | ḍākinyaghanāśinīti bhāvaḥ | ata eva yamaḥ saṃyamaḥ, sa eva yāmaḥ svārthe'ṇ | sa yasyā'sti sā yāminī | nāśanaṃ karoti yataḥ | bhīmāyā lāmāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - tiryagdṛṣṭirityādi | tarjayanti heti | ekatve bahuvacanam | ata evārthaḥ | anyathā niśvāsaḥ kāmāsakto'pi bhairavo viśeṣeṇa prayāsāt | turviśeṣe | ato viśeṣeṇa ramata iti rāmā | rephe latvāllāmā | lakṣaṇadvayayogād bhīmaiva lāmā | trāsanyāḥ parāvṛttāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - varāhetyādi | śarabhaḥ paśuviśeṣaḥ | śarameti pāṭhe tu śvā | sarvāṃstāṃstrāsayediti | tasyā darśanena te bibhyatītyarthaḥ | ataḥ parāvṛttā sā | hiryasmādarthe | pare parāvarttante yasyāḥ sā tathā yasmāt | sañcārāyāḥ sabālikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - prahṛṣṭetyādi | bhūyo'nivartitatvāt sañcāraḥ | kāminyā aihikyaparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - anurukta ityādi | khaṇḍarohā khaṇḍe'bhinnapradeśe punaḥ punarārohati tiṣṭhatīti sā tathā | hiryasmāt | iha pradeśe ciramavatiṣṭhati ityaihikī | bhāsurāyā anivartikāparābhidhānāyā lakṣaṇamāha - manodvignetyādi | yā bhāsurā'nivartikāparasaṃjñā sā manasodvignā bhavati | tathābhūtayā ca tayā loṣṭhādinā spṛṣṭaḥ sattvo na jīvati | anivartyā nivartayitumaśakyatvāt | kuta ityāha - asādhyā hīti | hiryasmat || 3-10 ||




ḍākinīnāṃ kulānīha mahāvādīni lakṣayediti | vāyuvegādayo mahāvīryāntā yoginyo yāminyādīnāmaihikāntānāṃ kulāni | ḍākinī yoginīti samānārthaḥ | ḍākinīnāṃ kulamudrāvīrasevituṃ lakṣayediti pāṭhāntare | ḍākinīnāmuktānāṃ kulāni mudrā eva | yoginya eva vāyuvegādayaḥ [11]


The seven Ratna jewel items, physically, do emerge from the golden background and the original five nectar process. It may be footnoting that there are jewels, teaching other stuff, and connecting back to it here, since it is due to five nectars.

[Rawhide68]

I like this part"śūlākāraṃ lalāṭaṃ tu krūrakarmaratā ca yā "

[Old Student]

The additional twelve are the ones led by Kakasya:

mātṛśabdena kākāsyādayo dvādaśa


I am not sure if I should take Matar, Matr, and Matrka as flat equivalents.
Not sure either. Most of the words with Matr- are the same root, but that doesn't mean they are the same.


kulavidyākṣarāṇi [ ca ] ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hi
This appears to be saying
"Wisdom handed down in the family and spelling the six colors present tense therefore."
Seriously.
kulavidyaksarani means 'wisdom handed down in the family'
aksarani means 'spelling'
sadvarani we've had before, it's 'six colors'
bhavanti means 'present tense'
hi means therefore or surely.

What is this about?


Yes if I was to think of those four goddesses it would never really be in terms of what might sound like external spellcasting, it would be the Activities followed by Seals. Because I can barely visualize a spot, it would be a really long time before I could get such a thing as a Jnana Mudra.

I believe it is like this, if you are a rare individual such as Tson kha pa who can manifest Jnana Mudra without difficulty, then you just use it as Karma Mudra.

Otherwise you are a bit hamster-on-a-wheel until you can.

I should work on my onion appreciation. Maybe in the modern world it's about TOR.
(Tsongkhapa mixing languages is the man from Onion Valley tsong (now written zong) still means 'onion' in standard Mandarin).


But yes Corpse and Dharmadhatu or Source of All Phenomena are of one nature and you stand on it.
The reason it caught my eye was that the expression was that it "consisted of" the source of all phenomena. As if the substance of the corpse itself, what it was made from was from 'source of all phenomena'.

[Old Student]

lakṣaṇānantaraṃ vaktuṃ saptadaśaṃ paṭalamāha - tato durlabhā ityādi
These passages seem to be something about the difficulty of saying something? Would that be difficulty with intoning it or what?


The seven Ratna jewel items, physically, do emerge from the golden background and the original five nectar process. It may be footnoting that there are jewels, teaching other stuff, and connecting back to it here, since it is due to five nectars.
Ah, emerge. That sounds interesting.

[Old Student]

I like this part"śūlākāraṃ lalāṭaṃ tu krūrakarmaratā ca yā "

Why? Because it's about roasting meat on a spit? Or because it's about the bad karma because of it?

[shaberon]

kulavidyākṣarāṇi [ ca ] ṣaḍvarṇāni bhavanti hi

This appears to be saying
"Wisdom handed down in the family and spelling the six colors present tense therefore."
Seriously.
kulavidyaksarani means 'wisdom handed down in the family'
aksarani means 'spelling'
sadvarani we've had before, it's 'six colors'
bhavanti means 'present tense'
hi means therefore or surely.

What is this about?


Kula is usually an accepted translation of Family, such as Kula Deva, etc., Vidya is a type of Mundane Siddhi or Knowledge that lives within mantra.

I might almost see Aksara Rani or Letter Queen.

Bhavanti (भवन्ति).—m.

(-ntiḥ) Time being, the present. E. bhū to be, Unadi aff. jhic .

--- OR ---

Bhavantī (भवन्ती).—

1) A virtuous wife.


I think it is going to tell me about six letters in six colors which are Family deities, and so for instance the forms of Armor Deities are usually just their syllable, i. e. Candika is a smoky-colored Phat.


It comes up once more around line Fifteen of Chapter Sixteen:

kulavidyāṃ kuladevīm |


There are Krodhas involved and there is Yoginijanah. Frequently sadhanas will use Janma = Birth, but, it is likely that is still the meaning here. However in this spelling it is recognizable also as:


5) The world beyond Maharloka, the heaven of deified mortals.


That would be equal to Akashic or Mental plane, whereas Mahar is an alternate name for Kama Loka and then if we read the title Maha Bharata in that sense, that is what it is about, Kama Loka.


Anyway, Herukabhidhana's commentary then says:

svamudrā sitavarṇādi varṇo mṛṇālagauratvādi | tābhyāṃ saṃkulāḥ sambaddhāḥ |

Mrnala probably means Padma, i. e. you open a white lotus and you become Chained to all of the Kulas. Or, white color "di" and other colors--Varno.

What brings six colors into the "present tense" or bhavanti is:

kulavidyākṣarāṇi ceti | kulaṃ sādhakastasya vidyāstā evākṣarāṇi vajrāṇi dṛḍhādhimokṣatvād yoginījanāḥ | ete cāvicalitarupā devyo bhavantītibhāvaḥ |

something along the lines of

Eva--Aksara--Rani Vajrani Drdha [make stable] Adhimoksa Satva

Adhi is not the same as Adi; as an adverb, preposition, or prefix to verbs it usually means "up, over, above".

4) (As first member of Tatpuruṣa compounds) (a) Chief, supreme, principal, presiding

and yet this is also true:

1) Mental pain or anguish, agony, anxiety (opp. vyādhi- which is bodily pain)

And so for example in Gaudiya, they say Kunkuma powder relieved the Gopis' Adhim or sexual anxiety and they became satisfied.

So we see what Powder of Kumari is doing.

However, some of our scriptures mutilate the language:

Adhimokṣa (अधिमोक्ष).—(= Pali °mokkha), = adhimukti, zealous application: Mahāvyutpatti 1929; Dharmasaṃgraha 30

The devi's form starts with Cavi which I'm guessing is Ca Avi which is perhaps similar to Ava, to appear, be perceptible.

The next word some of us may like:

Calita (चलित).—p. p. [cal-kta]

1) Shaken, moved, stirred agitated.

2) Gone, departed; एवमुक्त्वा स चलितः (evamuktvā sa calitaḥ)

3) attained.

4) known, understood.

5) Removed, displaced (see cal).

-tam 1 Shaking, moving.

2) Going, walking.

3) A kind of dance; चलितं नाम नाट्यमन्तरेण (calitaṃ nāma nāṭyamantareṇa) M.1.


So it may mean other things, but, it seems to me, is about her form appearing.

A mudra is going to explain:

vakti svagotrajām |

speech of being born of that same noble family, followed by luminosity that is:

Prakṛṣṭa (प्रकृष्ट).—p. p.

1) Drawn forth or out.

2) Protracted, long, lengthy.

3) Superior, distinguished, excellent, eminent, exalted.

4) Chief, principal.

5) Distracted, disquieted.

6) Violent, strong, excessive.


The luminosty is then the Kula Bija.




The end of the chapter appears to say there are thirteen yoginis of Laksana Cihna (i. e., family emblems), and seven that are the same as the ones from the Laksanapariksa practice given previously.

The devis in this chapter pertain to Nava Candana--Sandalwood Gandhini--incenses which is why we see the admixture of Nilotpala and Mrnala and so forth.

They seem to be:

Hema Raktapita--Saundini (Hayagriva Family)
Color?--Cakravarmini (Ratnasambhava Family)
Nila--Suvira (Heruka Family)
Rakta--Viramati (own)
Pitasyama--Varahi (Vajra Family)
Arakta--Mahabala (Tathagata Family)


It is not plainly written, that is for sure.



I should work on my onion appreciation. Maybe in the modern world it's about TOR.
(Tsongkhapa mixing languages is the man from Onion Valley tsong (now written zong) still means 'onion' in standard Mandarin).


Just because I am almost totally unaffiliated with the Gelug school and believe I may differ on a few points of their philosophy, does not, in any way, detract from my appreciation of some of them.

One thing we can say about him is that he was one of the few people of the time who had the chance to examine almost all of the tantras, usually meaning by way of initiation and practice.

So his view is, for his era, pretty comprehensive.

Alex Wayman relies upon him pretty regularly, and he perhaps is the westerner who really started asking the teachings the right questions...some of it is a bit stray or superfluous but this more honest type of inquiry brought forth some really good work.






The reason it caught my eye was that the expression was that it "consisted of" the source of all phenomena. As if the substance of the corpse itself, what it was made from was from 'source of all phenomena'.


Yes, consists of, is composed of, is very much the intent behind most such equivalencies.

It, I think, is a change from the western phrases such as Neptune, god of the sea, which would instead come out more like Varuna *is* the sea, or, if you wanted to be more specific, Varuni is the sea and Varuna is the state of mental mastery of it.

[shaberon]

lakṣaṇānantaraṃ vaktuṃ saptadaśaṃ paṭalamāha - tato durlabhā ityādi
These passages seem to be something about the difficulty of saying something? Would that be difficulty with intoning it or what?

Have to revise our stance here. It is not seventeen entities or elements, it is just Chapter Seventeen, and it only looks weird since only three chapters seem to be called patalamaha.


What the chapter itself says is difficult is:

durlabhā yoginīnāṃ tu ḍākinīnāṃ tathaiva ca |

Tathaiva (तथैव).—ind. So, even so, in the same manner. E. tathā, and eva thus.

in the manner of five amritas and Armor Deities.

This is the Cihna Mudra chapter, so, perhaps the six armor deities plus the seven...oddballs...make thirteen Cinha or family deities. Well, Cihna is really the sign/seal/item/symbol etc. which represents a family.

The weird shuffling of the terms Yogini, Dakini, and Devi comes up here.

Perhaps that is why "mother" is spelled three ways possibly.

I am pretty sure they are trying to get at a procession from five nectars to six families to seven jewels in a way that each is increasingly subtle and profound.

I think the practice is difficult, it is hard to get five nectars, let alone make them do anything. We would not even have Hevajra tantra if someone had not done this for years and given up. just to be chided by Nairatma. From what I have seen, "durlabha" is a fairly typical description of any mandala or wisdom considered to be challenging.


Overall, it looks like the Seven come from Vajra Family from the dakini named Dakini, which sounds consistent with having Yamini first:

saugatagoṣṭhīratā saiva vajrakulodbhavā ] |
ḍākinīnāṃ kulānīha mahāvādīni lakṣayet || 12 ||


Chapter Eighteen appears to have combined the six colors and the seven laksana--cihnas:

sarvayoginīvarṇalakṣaṇacihnavidhipaṭalo




Ah, emerge. That sounds interesting.


At this point, it says the Seven Jewels are in a mandala. You have twenty-four yoginis, split into Akasa, Bhucari, and Patala, and then the "other twelve" or Cemetery Goddesses.

There are five ratnas in verse twenty-one, and seven in verse twenty-four, the meaning of it changes totally.

How would it emerge? Boiling away afflictive emotions and mental confusion to make the "conditions" that manifest the Buddha Path? Minus the details, yes, I think it is about that simple.

I have never really even studied the symbolism of the seven jewels much, but, let me put it this way, Upeksa is not a word off a page or a wise reminder about "being firm"...it keeps me alive.

So it is difficult to cobble together those tantric details *and* push it to a point where it has a physiological effect.

I have experienced the effect, which has led me to believe that the details are important, and although it is "difficult", it is better than the way I did it.

[Rawhide68]

In the way, I interpret it, it has to do with neither.

[Old Student]

Kula is usually an accepted translation of Family, such as Kula Deva, etc., Vidya is a type of Mundane Siddhi or Knowledge that lives within mantra.
So this part is not controversial, then, it is knowledge or wisdom of the family.


I might almost see Aksara Rani or Letter Queen.
I had broken it that way too, until I saw the other, which fits on all letters, अक्षराणि, whereas rani meaning queen is रानी. I went back and looked and it means spelling by way of meaning 'letters' or 'syllables'. Maybe as the latter it fits your meanings better.


sitavarṇādi varṇo mṛṇālagauratvādi
white colored color lotus root whitish skinned. I think. not sure.


Just because I am almost totally unaffiliated with the Gelug school and believe I may differ on a few points of their philosophy, does not, in any way, detract from my appreciation of some of them.

One thing we can say about him is that he was one of the few people of the time who had the chance to examine almost all of the tantras, usually meaning by way of initiation and practice.


I wasn't commenting on his wisdom, he was known as the man from Onion Valley because he actually was the man from Tsongkha which is a valley but I'm not sure it really means onion valley. It was a route down from the Tarim basin into Tibet, into Amdo. I've always taken it to mean he had access to far more streams of Buddhist thought growing up than people from a more traditional place.


Yes, consists of, is composed of, is very much the intent behind most such equivalencies.

It, I think, is a change from the western phrases such as Neptune, god of the sea, which would instead come out more like Varuna *is* the sea, or, if you wanted to be more specific, Varuni is the sea and Varuna is the state of mental mastery of it.
Okay.

[Old Student]

Have to revise our stance here. It is not seventeen entities or elements, it is just Chapter Seventeen, and it only looks weird since only three chapters seem to be called patalamaha.
Okay. FYI, ityAdi means 'etcetera.'


Perhaps that is why "mother" is spelled three ways possibly.
matr is the root. Other things can be made of it, including just different parts of speech or plurals, or duals.


I think the practice is difficult, it is hard to get five nectars, let alone make them do anything. We would not even have Hevajra tantra if someone had not done this for years and given up. just to be chided by Nairatma. From what I have seen, "durlabha" is a fairly typical description of any mandala or wisdom considered to be challenging.
That's what I thought when I worked out that phrase, that it was talking about the thing it was explicating, and that whatever it was (mandala, spell, meditation, visualization) was difficult.

A for instance out of my shaking: I have a thing that was taught by the Dakinis for getting the better of my breathing problems. One generates a 'drop' of bliss in the lower chest (in the lower part of the sternum thereabouts), then splits it letting half drift down into the abdomen and grow as bliss, and the upper half rises to the throat and becomes nausea. I've told you about it before.

It is by far the best way to end the breathing problems, and is much harder to do when I have the problem as compared to when I do not. I started a few days ago to practice working on it, because if I could call it up right away when they start, I can end the problem in minutes. Turns out it is not so easy to do as a daily exercise. So if I was explaining how to practice it, I would tell the person learning it that it was difficult.


So it is difficult to cobble together those tantric details *and* push it to a point where it has a physiological effect.

I have experienced the effect, which has led me to believe that the details are important, and although it is "difficult", it is better than the way I did it.
I think this is true as well.

[shaberon]

There are reasons why Chakrasamvara is perhaps the most difficult text.


I was a bit reluctant to mess with it since it has that reputation, but I am glad we did because it is showing us some iteration of yoginis we know nothing about.


David Gray translated it but I can no longer find a link that doesn't ask for subscription.

Evidently, Herukabhidhana (Discourse of Heruka) *is* Laghu Chakrasamvara, this latter being "light" since it is an abridgement of the legendary, missing 100,000+ verse form. Like anything else that says so, there is no evidence that such a massive version ever existed.


It is notoriously incomplete:

The Cakrasamvara Tantra is largely dedicated to describing ritual,
magical, and meditative practices. These practices can be categorized with
respect to the type of ‘achievement’ (siddhi) that their successful application
is thought to yield. These are the supramundane achievement (lokottarasiddhi)
of complete awakening, and the mundane powers (laukikasiddhi) of flight,
invisibility, pacifying enemies, and so forth.
The former, awakening, is achieved by the advanced meditative
practices that are usually grouped under the rubrics of ‘creation stage’
(utpattikrama) and ‘perfecting stage’ (nispannakrama) practice.

The Cakrasamvara Tantra, however, is extremely secretive concerning advanced meditative
practices, about which it only provides vague hints. For example, a central
element of ‘creation stage’ meditation is the practice of visualizing oneself
as a deity, and visualizing the mandala with its complete array of deities.
The text does not provide a full, detailed description of the mandala itself.
The central deities, Heruka and his consort Vajravarahi, are described, but
their descriptions are scattered throughout several chapters. The other 60
deities of the mandala are not described at all, but only mentioned by
name. There is no coherent description of the meditation practices in
which you visualize yourself as the deity, or of the mandala itself. The
advanced perfection stage meditation practices, which focus on the subtle
body, are not mentioned all, except perhaps in vague hints that are
unpacked by the commentators.


So that is why we go elsewhere for Generation Stage. This is just an early type of application of it.

In the commentarial tradition, there is a Laukika Pill for whatever an "invisibility siddhi" would really be, but, the same thing may be used for a certain Karma Mudra useful for Lokottara Siddhi:

Moreover, the expression ‘Sri
Heruka’s mouth’ is deliberately ambiguous. According to the late ninth century commentator Bhavabhatta, it is the yogi who, visualizing himself
as Heruka, puts the pill in his own mouth to achieve invisibility (Pandey
2002, p. 88). However, the fifteenth-century Tibetan commentator,
Tsongkhapa, understands this rite as involving a ‘zombie’ (vetala), a corpse
in a charnel ground that is reanimated via the insertion of the pill in its
mouth.

There is considerable uncertainty regarding the practice of most
of the rituals described in this text. Contemporary Tibetan traditions
appear to pay little heed to these rites, and instead focus on the ‘secret’
practices that are thought to rapidly lead to the attainment of awakening.


So, yes, it is kind of unheard of that anyone really believes in a bunch of potions, or spells that will fix your boss or win the lottery or that kind of thing. Are they mostly symbolic of something that can be perceived or done by the subtle body, probably so.

It perhaps has two points of origin, although they are no longer different:



According to the tradition, the Cakrasamvara Tantra is a teaching that is
preserved by the deities, who abide in the power places [Pithas] as well as in
Buddhist pure lands (Gray 2005a). When the karmic circumstances are
right, they periodically reveal it to humans. According to the Tibetan
historian gZhon-nu-dpal, the scripture and its associated practice tradition
has been revealed not once, but twice, in the current historical era. The
tradition was revealed by Heruka to his consort Vajravarahi, who taught
it to the siddha or ‘tantric saint’ Luipa. It was revealed again by Vajradhara
to the bodhisattva Vajrapani, who taught it to the siddha Saraha (Roerich
1976, pp. 380–97). Both of these lineages converge on the figures of the
siddha Tilopa and his disciple Naropa (956–1040 ce), who evidently
played a very important role in the preservation of this tradition in India.9
And as Naropa had several students from the Kathmandu valley and Tibet,
he also played a key role in its dissemination to these regions (Lo Bue
1997).


Neither of those take into account Santikar Acharya who had manifested Chakrasamvara's retinue externally ca. 650.


The final manuscript is also believed to have had "a few Buddhist things" added to a strongly Saivite original. Dakarnava says it has fifty chapters, so, the fifty-first was probably added afterward:

Bhavabhatta, the fifth abbot of Vikramasila
who was active ca. 900 ce, does comment on these passages. Evidently,
the heavily Buddhist conclusion of the text was composed after the text
had been adopted in Buddhist monastic institutions such as Vikramasila
during the ninth century. This would have occurred during the latter half
of the ninth century, after the composition of the Dakarnava Tantra and
Jayabhadra’s commentary, but before the composition of Bhavabhatta’s.



In Buton Rinchen Drub's History of Buddhism (Wylie: chos-'byung), Luipa is mentioned as the son of King Lalitachandra of Oddiyana. When the prince met Śabara, a disciple of Saraha, he was immensely impressed by this great adept and begged him for instruction. He received initiation into the tantra of Cakrasaṃvara. The initial part of his penance was completed when he joined a circle of twenty-four Dakas and Dakinis in a ganachakra in a charnel ground which climaxed in consumption of the corpse of a sage.

Taranatha and the Sakya school say he was a scribe of King Dharmapala.


And it gets into a debate about who really was the first Mahasiddha:

The Chatura****i-Siddha-Pravritti begins with the legend of Luipa. This may be a reflection of the belief prevalent during the period of the narrator or the translator, that Luipa was the first siddha (adi-siddha) in terms of either time or status. The first Pada of the Charyapada was also attributed to Luipa and in its commentary in Sanskrit, Munidatta mentions him as the Adisiddhacharya. It is also an indicator of the contemporary belief. But some modern scholars like Rahul Sankrityayan claimed Saraha as adi-siddha. Luipa was definitely born after Saraha, since Luipa's teacher Savaripa was Saraha's disciple, but their lifetimes probably overlapped. Both Saraha and Luipa were originators of Samvara-tantra lineages, but it was Luipa who received the title of Guhyapati (Master of Secrets) in addition to his status of adi-siddha in the lineage that practiced the Samvara-tantra according to the method of Luipa. He received direct transmission from the Dakini Vajravarahi. If Luipa obtained his original Samvara revelation in Oddiyana, the home of several of the wisdom (mother) tantras, he probably was one of the siddhas responsible for propagating this tantra in Eastern India. But whatever the tantra's provenance, Luipa became the great exemplar of Saraha’s preachings, as confirmed in the Padas assigned to him in Charyagītikosha, and his sadhana (practice) became the inspiration and example for some of the most respected names amongst the siddhas, Kambalapa, Ghantapa, Indrabhuti, Jalandharipa, Kanhapa (Krishnacharya), Tilopa and Naropa all of whom initiated into the Chakrasamvara-tantra according to the method of Luipa. Sakya tradition maintains that, three principal Guru Sampradaya (lineages of teachers) of the practice of Chakrasamvara-tantra are of Luipa, Ghantapa and Naropa. Marpa Dopa transmitted this tantra to Tibet, where it has continued as the principal yidam sadhana (practice) of the Kagyu school till date.


Saraha is really prominent for other things:

Arrow Dakini

Pithesvari Tara

Buddhakapala


Then from his follower Sabari or Savaripa you get a lot more Vajrayogini and Vilasini.


Even on Berzhin Archives, I think they have mixed Sutra Nagarjuna (https://studybuddhism.com/en/tibetan-buddhism/spiritual-teachers/nagarjuna/the-life-of-nagarjuna) with tantric Nagarjuna who is in the historical record:

At Nalanda, Nagarjuna studied sutra and tantra with Ratnamati – an emanation of Manjushri – and, with Saraha, especially The Guhyasamaja Tantra (dPal gsang-ba ‘dus-pa’i rgyud). In addition, he learned alchemy from a brahmin, and gained the ability to transmute iron into gold. Using this ability, he was able to feed the Nalanda monks during famine. Eventually, Nagarjuna became the abbot of Nalanda.

It may sometimes be mistakenly said that Nagarjuna was the first abbot of Nalanda, whereas he was probably fifth or so. But the collusion that is indicated here is what makes me lean towards the view of Saraha as Adi Siddha. That is because the actual Nalanda was not built as early as the Sutras or Asanga. The difficulty with this logic is that Saraha is then way before the lifetime of his pupil Sabari.


Concerning the term Emergence, it seems to have two translations:

-bhava as in Samputodbhava

-odaya as in Chapter 12: “The emergence of Vajraḍāka” (vajraḍākodaya).

Chapter 13: “The emergence of the nondual oblation of hero and all rituals”
(vīrādvayapūjāsarvakarmodaya).

Is Vajradaka more explanatory and yet a continuation of Chakrasamvara, yes, it is said to have parts that closely resemble Herukābhidhānatantra (also named Cakrasaṃvara or Laghusaṃvara: abbr. Herukābhidhāna), chapters 34 and 36.



So although you have Luipa and Saraha, none of this is giving us any indication that "the" Samvara, which I call Dakini Jala, had already been out before either one of them. So there is a blur, because there is this Samvara terminology, and most Chakrasamvara deities are not new, there plausibly is this background for Santikar to have been able to do it, or for it to have been wafting around in Nepal as, maybe, the tradition without this particular Chakrasamvara text.

As we have seen, practically all the Chakrasamvara-style tantras refer to Dakinijalasamvara, which says to me, like everything else does, well if it just appears it means you should have established it first.

And so if they are a little bit different, it would probably be reasonable to say that Dakini Jala represents divisions into Six Families, whereas Chakrasamvara is usually kind of simple and just has a few rings based on division into the Tri-kaya:


The Cakrasamvara mandala is structurally simple, consisting of a series
of concentric rings. It centers upon the divine couple of Heruka and
Vajravarahi, united in sexual embrace. Surrounding them is the ‘gnosis
wheel’ (jñanacakra), which consists of the four ‘essence yoginis’, Dakini,
Lama, Khandaroha, and Rupini. They are surrounded by three additional
wheels known (respectively, from inner to outermost) as the ‘mind’,
‘speech’, and ‘body’ wheels. Each of these wheels consists of eight deity
couples, for a total of 16 deities each. These deities are colored blue, red,
and white, respectively, and the 24 couples are understood to correspond
to the 24 sacred spaces conquered by these deities in the distant past.
These three wheels are understood to correspond to the ‘triple world’
(trailokya) cosmos of ancient India, consisting of the heavens, surface
world, and underworld. They are also understood to correspond to the
three bodies of a Buddha. These, in turn, are surrounded by the ‘commitment
wheel’ (samayacakra), which consists of eight fierce goddesses who guard
the gates and quarters of the mandala palace. The periphery of the
mandala is often illustrated with the ‘eight great charnel grounds’.



Here is what it sounds like for an academic to discover something without claiming they understand it by self-knowledge:

These include the sexual yoga of
the ‘four joys’ (caturananda), which involve an orgasm transformed and
experientially heightened through the use of yogic techniques.


Now, having studied the original a little bit, we found where it, at the very least, combs through an ordeal of Seven Yoginis; but, according to the translator, the end of Volume One is a long subject:

Having received consecration, the male adept needs
to find a female partner for sexual practices, called a ‘messenger’ (duti).
The Cakrasamvara Tantra then describes in some detail the ‘families’ (kula)
of female practitioners whom the adept must seek out. Over the course
of ten chapters (Chapters 15–24), it relates their characteristic appearances
so that he can identity them, as well as the physical signs and verbal codes
that he must display to correctly identify himself and win their favor. The
text also evokes, without providing any detailed descriptions, the sexual
practices that he should conduct with her. This is the ‘great worship of
the consort’ (mudramahapuja), which involves sexual union for the purpose
of producing mixed male and female sexual fluids, which are then
consumed by the couple in order to give rise to magical powers (siddhi)
such as flight. This tradition thus seems to mirror the earlier traditions of
Hindu tantric practice, which have been studied in detail by David White
(2003). No mention is made in the Cakrasamvara Tantra of the more
complex ‘sexual yogas’ involving the ‘four joys’, the retention of the
sexual fluids, and their redirection into the central channel of the subtle
body. However, several commentators interpret the Cakrasamvara Tantra in
terms of these practices.


There is then some discussion about how much of this was real and how much symbolic.

From following the teachings generally, I get the sense that it is 100% symbolic, and am prepared to back that up by saying I understand what it means on the inside.


At the same time, that does not mean it was 0% what most people call "real", i. e., manifest. And I can only speak to that in a pretty low order, in other words I have no clue what it is like to do this with another person who is aware of it, let alone with something like a timeless dakini.

I suppose some of this has always been offensive to "some people", and since it was mainly Hindus who lived there, it sounds like "offensive to Hindus". But really, we have plenty of things like war and murder, and to go around getting easily offended tells us you have the Upeksa of a mushroom.



The Buddhist Esoteric Community as a whole, including India, has ways of saying it is much older than appears in writing:

One tradition has it that Shakyamuni Buddha himself proclaimed the tantra the morning after his enlightenment. Other traditions claimed that Maitreya taught the tantra in the Tu****a Heaven, Asanga carried it to earth in the 4th century.

According to one tradition, the Guhyasamāja Tantra was taught for the first time by the Buddha in the form of Vajradhara to Indrabhuti the King of Oddiyana, also called King Dza.


However on the historical record, it immediately establishes a split contrary to Candrakirti, i. e., probably the main person that Ratnakarasanti was refuting:

As with most tantras, there are different traditions and transmissions. Perhaps the oldest surviving lineage is the Jñānapada Tradition (ye shes zhabs lugs), which goes back to Buddhaśrijñāna (late 8th century). The most important historically is the Ārya tradition (gsang 'dus 'phags lugs) which is based on commentaries attributed to Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, and Candrakīrti.


Jnanapada is in the Profound View lineage, the one mainly based in terms of Inner Meaning. This is the way that heavily emphasizes Yoga Tantra and Generation Stage, such as the continuity from STTS, and mainly uses Saffron Manjuvajra, which we found affiliated with a type of single practice involving the massive Cunda, which seemed to be going through a precursor of the rotation of yoginis, which was Vajrasattva shifting around a few Vajri goddesses.

The Guhyasiddhi of Padmavajra, a work associated with the Guhyasamaja tradition, prescribes acting as a Saiva guru and initiating members into Shaiva Siddhanta scriptures and mandalas.


In Guhyasamaja we are going to get a big difference in reading it literally or symbolicly:

when the diamond (i.e. lingam) is connected to the lotus (i.e. yoni) in the union of both polarities, one worships the Buddhas and the diamond beings with the drops of one's semen.

We also read that the male adept, or yogi, lets his semen flow out continuously in the form of mandalas.


On the second, it would mean Bodhicitta actually manifesting deities, which is what Santikar was doing.

And so keep in mind that the following description is contemporaneous with Suspended Animation:


There are various similarities between this text and the later Kalachakra Tantra, as both texts deal extensively with magic and ritual sexuality; especially the so-called Sadanga Yoga (Yoga of Six Limbs) all six stages of which are practiced while the two partners are sexually aroused and joined in the yab-yum position.


Nagarjuna is really attributed with Profound View in contrast to Extreme Deeds:

Nagarjuna (Klu-grub), together with Asanga (Thogs-med), were the two great pioneers of the Mahayana tradition. Nagarjuna transmitted the lineage teachings of the profound view of voidness from Manjushri, while Asanga transmitted the lineage teachings of the extensive bodhisattva practices from Maitreya.


Well, the tantras are described as Yogacara, and Herukabhidhana uses the term "cittamatra" multiple times, but according to Nagarjuna it is mostly about voidness; if, rather than a mutual exclusion, it is more of a hybrid, that would be the main intent of Nirakara. Almost like telling me a Karma Mudra is somehow going to induce suspended animation.

[shaberon]

I wasn't commenting on his wisdom, he was known as the man from Onion Valley because he actually was the man from Tsongkha which is a valley but I'm not sure it really means onion valley. It was a route down from the Tarim basin into Tibet, into Amdo. I've always taken it to mean he had access to far more streams of Buddhist thought growing up than people from a more traditional place.


It is great to call him Onion, after all, we have Sesame Seed, Fish Guts, Ugly, Liar, and all sorts of names for the saints.

I wonder about the C. A. Muses text attributed to him. It essentially makes him a crypto-Dzogchen.

HPB was perhaps a bit off in believing that he taught against sex. It does seem accurate that she was affiliated with the Geluks by means of the private retreat of the Panchen Lama. Alice Cleather reprinted Voice of the Silence with guidance from the Eighth Panchen, who said his predecessor knew HPB well. And I believe it was the predecessor to him that caused to be created the Icons Worthwhile to See, the compendium of 500+ deity images from Taranatha's Rinjung Gyatsa, Sadhanasamuccaya, and Abhayakaragupta's Vajravali as published in Tibetan Deities.

[shaberon]

matr is the root. Other things can be made of it, including just different parts of speech or plurals, or duals.


Particularly in the case of matrika, it can be singular, plural, or adjectival.

In Herukabhidhana we find:

mātṛkāpañcama ukāraḥ |


Then, a few words later, what looks like thirty-seven Mam syllables which either Elephant Crocodile, or, they do/make the sound mam:

saptatriṃśattamamakṣaraṃ makāraḥ |


Then, a few words later, it looks like a Yaksa joins the sadhana:

dhyāto yakṣādīn vasa( śaya )tīti sādhanaṃ ḍākinīsmṛtam |


And then there were thirty-eight:

aṣṭatriṃśatimaṃ caiva dvitīyasvarayojitam |



Volume One, at least, usually says five matrikas, but the last time, it is in some sequence of four--seven five--seven and six--seven, using Sabda or Sound:

śobhanaṃ sarvavarṇānāmevameva na saṃśayaḥ |
catuḥsaptatimaṃ caiva dvitīyasvarayojitam || 30 ||

catuḥsaptatīti | catuḥsaptatimamakṣaraṃ hakāramabrabīt | caiva - śabdaḥ pūrvavat | dvitīyasvarayoge hā - rupaṃ syāt || 30 ||

ādisiddhidaṃ tathāgatamukhodgatam |
pañcasaptatimaṃ caiva mātrikāṣaṣṭhameva ca || 31 ||

pañcasaptatīti | pañcasaptatimamakṣaraṃ dhakāramabravīt | caiva pūrvavat | mātrikāṣaṣṭhayoge tacca dhū - rupaṃ syāt || 31 ||

eṣa yogavaraḥ śreṣṭaḥ sarvayogeṣu cottamaḥ |
ṣaṭsaptatiṃ caiva mātṛkādvitīyena tu || 32 ||

ṣaṭsaptatimaṃ ṣaṭsaptatimamakṣaraṃ makāraṃ mātrikādvitīyena bhedayet | caivaśabdaḥ pūrvavat || 32 ||




Woodroffe gives the Shakta (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/shakti-and-shakta/d/doc210213.html) meaning:

But for the last three states of sound the body is required and, therefore, they only exist in the Jīva. In the latter, the Śabda-Brahman is in the form of Kuṇḍalinī Śakti in the Mūlādhāra Cakra. In Kuṇḍalinīis Paraśabda. This develops into the “Mātṛkās” or “Little Mothers” which are the subtle forms of the gross manifested letters (Varṇa).

Mātṛkā Varṇa means mother of colours. There are innumerable waves and vibrations. Tāntric seers have divided them into fifty categories. The division is based on intuitive realization. These are fifty controlling sounds. The fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, from a (अ) to kṣa (क्ष), are the resultant sounds. They are the controlling sounds (bīja-mantras) of the fifty categories. A (अ) is the bīja-mantra of creation. अ of Sanskrit, a of Latin, alpha of Greek and aliph of Persian are the first letters of their respective alphabet because they represent the creative manifestation. The fifty letters are the embodiments of fifty gross sounds. Mātṛkā Varṇa is a causal matrix.



There, it is not specifically consonants, as it seems to be in the Saivite usage.




That's what I thought when I worked out that phrase, that it was talking about the thing it was explicating, and that whatever it was (mandala, spell, meditation, visualization) was difficult.


Yes. If I said Forest of Turquoise Leaves is the easiest Pure Land to enter, that has nothing to do with whether it is easy to enter Forest of Turquoise Leaves.

There are aspects that are relatively easy, perhaps mainly the things that pertain to relief of distress, which may be why most people convert. I don't need Vajrayogini to alleviate depression or rage, until you are sensitive to the very subtle plane and its relatively mild, but more difficult to remove, disorders.

Very simple and basic kinds of mantras and practices can help troubled people fairly quickly if they trust it.

Ganapati Hrdaya has an increasingly clear effect on me and it is a bit weird since I think of only doing it on Tuesday. It is not yet as subtle as what I would consider Vajrayogini terms, but, a precursor, for sure.



Turns out it is not so easy to do as a daily exercise. So if I was explaining how to practice it, I would tell the person learning it that it was difficult.


Yes, I can get a halfway decent understanding of what is going on there. Without having the same affliction, it is hard to conceive of actually doing it.

I have pretty good physical karma, in terms of no diseases or injuries have ever been anything big for me, but on the other hand, I have something like a psychological curse, and can probably relate to the vast majority of things in the mental and emotional disturbances variety.

And so in a certain sense there is a gulf between me and anyone with physical pain or other problem, there isn't actual sympathy, in the chemical or alchemical sense of like bonds with like. It's like a song I just don't know.



I think this is true as well.


What seems to me to have been the case is that there is a tendency to overly dwell in unity or one-ness or else the opposite into multitude and exponential scales.

What mandalas do is more like focus on certain sets, like constellations, small groups of varying sizes which for some reason make things a lot clearer and more powerful.

Brian Hodgson's manuscript is laid out pretty plainly like that, giving you the classifications for one, two, three, four, five, six, eight, nine.

You can tell they key to work it isn't in it and so it is considered present by way of exclusion. If I thought this logic did not apply here, Adi Prajna Guhyesvari would declare it so.

If I have that thing then I have Six Families and Nine Moods, which makes the entire Vajra Rosary, which even Tson kha pa could not elaborate one hundred per cent. I can be reasonably certain I am not about to outpace his progress any time soon, which is why I stay oriented towards what these kinds of sets are about.

[Old Student]

Tsongkhapa, understands this rite as involving a ‘zombie’ (vetala), a corpse
in a charnel ground that is reanimated via the insertion of the pill in its
mouth.
[...]
Are they mostly symbolic of something that can be perceived or done by the subtle body, probably so.
So let's stop for a second and imagine how that would work. A laukika pill, which by definition is non-sacred, almost profane, worldly, impure, but nevertheless a siddhi, is inserted into the mouth of a non-physical body corpse, and it causes 'invisibility.' The setting is the charnel grounds.

When Luipa is allowed to be initiated,


He received initiation into the tantra of Cakrasaṃvara. The initial part of his penance was completed when he joined a circle of twenty-four Dakas and Dakinis in a ganachakra in a charnel ground which climaxed in consumption of the corpse of a sage.
Elsewhere, the ganachakra is described as working to the climax by bonding with all of the others, in an invisible but nevertheless visualized conjoining the visualization of which the participants must maintain through their compassion for all beings (could read skillful means).

So what is the pill? Add these up and it seems like it is shakti, no? Shakti that is conjoined and the conjoining is kept up by skillful means, so it is Shakti in her guise as Prajna.

Or maybe not. But in my shakings, I have been a corpse in a charnel grounds, so I would assume that the Vajrayana adepts of a rite like this could easily do this in the subtle body as you say. And before, you had rendered a paragraph as saying that the corpse is composed of the Dharmadhatu.

[Old Student]

HPB was perhaps a bit off in believing that he taught against sex.

Except for the Shakers, who were famously against sex to the point that they died out, I usually decide that it is unsafe to bet people who died before I was born were against sex. It's too easy to project from one's own circumstances.

[Old Student]

Particularly in the case of matrika, it can be singular, plural, or adjectival.
So, I'm only on Chapter 3 of my Sanskrit textbook. I've learned about the sandhi (very useful to us, if you look up sanskrit sandhi, you can find charts and tables), and I've learned about the present tense, and the nominative, vocative, and accusative cases, but only for masculine and neuter. So I can't be much help for all the words derived from matr except that I know there are words derived from it. And that any noun can also be an adjective (which happens in English, too). And I do know that the suffix i-->ika is a derivative of some kind, and that matrika refers to the seven as a group.
matrkapancama sounds like something having to do with the matrika on pancama, which is either the 5th day of the moon, or the 5th month of the year by context. Like manasapancama which is a ritual on the 5th day of the moon in July-August to placate snakes.




That's what I thought when I worked out that phrase, that it was talking about the thing it was explicating, and that whatever it was (mandala, spell, meditation, visualization) was difficult.

Yes. If I said Forest of Turquoise Leaves is the easiest Pure Land to enter, that has nothing to do with whether it is easy to enter Forest of Turquoise Leaves.

So 'difficult' was what my dictionary said, and it does work. My textbook uses the word in a sentence for an example, and they say it actually means "inaccessible".


Yes, I can get a halfway decent understanding of what is going on there. Without having the same affliction, it is hard to conceive of actually doing it.
I'm continuing to practice it, and used it once today. Practicing did help, and it worked. I can give a neurophysical explanation of it, just as there is a way to separate orgasm from ejaculation to create bliss, there is a way to separate nausea from vomiting to create, I guess nausea. Most people wouldn't make that comparison, but if you need to have the two states but not the physical acts, they become more similar. There are probably a whole host of such states that are normally attached to some physical action that are not intrinsically that way.

I have begun digging around looking for pre-Sena deities, deities that might have gone from Buddhism to Hinduism in post-Pala Bengal. Familiar names from some of the things you put up earlier I think, but one I am stuck with, what should be the charnel-grounds dark version of Lakshmi. Can't figure it out.

[shaberon]

So what is the pill? Add these up and it seems like it is shakti, no? Shakti that is conjoined and the conjoining is kept up by skillful means, so it is Shakti in her guise as Prajna.

...the corpse is composed of the Dharmadhatu.


First of all it is like The Pill and The Pills, in almost exactly the same way as Varuni, viz. note 39 (https://books.google.com/books?id=HblWAQAAQBAJ&lpg=PT173&ots=Tk2junkSn0&dq=vajradaka%20pill&pg=PT173#v=onepage&q=vajradaka%20pill&f=false) which mentions the Inner Offering as consisting of Soma into which the pill has been placed, "for various purposes".

How to Help Your Loved Ones Enjoy Death (https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/death/How_to_Help_Your_Loved_Ones_Enjoy_Death_and_Go_Happily_to_Their_Next_Rebirth.pdf) for example adds Phowa and Mani Pills.

So it has a dual meaning certainly as various outer pills but I think all probably derive from the Varuni-esque basic.

Then since this Inner Offering is the main part of a sadhana, in that case yes the symbolic pill is going to increase like Varuni by Prajnopaya.

In the Nepalese tradition, they do call Prajna, Shakti, whereas everyone else in Buddhism is recalcitrant about this.

I take them more or less as Transcendent and Manifest aspects of Mother or Matter.

So you have found H. P. Lovecraft's Corpse-eating Cult of Leng.

Luipa literally did this?

Or what happens when you eat the Dharmadhatu?


Here, again, you have an "unfair advantage" if you are stable with Ekajati.

If you do not know what happens if you are afraid of her or if she disturbs you, it is like me not really knowing how bad it is for people that horrible physical things happen to.

Mental equivalent.

Most people are servants of her minions and think of it as ordinary. It is the root of war.

But if you can calm them then you can meditate as corpse or something similar. I, personally, prefer self-effigy funeral, an Oblation to Agni. An enactment of the moment-of-death in a slow perspective.

What I think remains accurate to say, is that the Kama Rupa or Mayavi Rupa can be trained to interface with the physical world, and "invisibility" says to me, sensible presence, i. e. you can tell what is going on and what people are saying. If you have this Observer capacity, you are an Adept.

However if instead you enter the Akanistha then if you turn your glance outward, physical light will appear black and objects are holes in space. Negativity.

Recognition of The Corpse.

So yes I think we are better off with its symbolic meanings in philosophy and tantra.

Vetali Devi, is, mostly, the instructor of conquering the entire death cycle and negativity, similar to Vajrahumkara.

Yet if we go back to "the Samvara" it seems obvious that she is a Mood which is both fun and a driver of Amrita and is a tantric Gauri meaning she has been part of one's aura since beginningless time.

Now if one can see how Ekajati<-->the Mamos is a...non-dualizing path of purification that turns a vicious feeling into a stable one in terms of coarse mentality, then, in subtle mind, I would say perhaps the class of Vajraraudris<-->Saumyas is similar. Largely unidentifiable to the average person because more closely related to pranic winds.

[shaberon]

the 5th day of the moon, or the 5th month of the year by context. Like manasapancama which is a ritual on the 5th day of the moon in July-August to placate snakes.

Yes there is Chaturthi Vinayaki then Pancama Manasa, but it just means fifth, generally, such as:


1. A name of Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandus [Senses].


For example in Karnataka:

This evidence suggests these were temples dedicated to Shaktism tradition such as Sarasvati, Kalikadevi, Chamundi and others. Quite likely, these temples were dedicated to the Saptamatrika (seven mothers group with one shrine to each), expanded to Navamatrika (nine mothers).

Whereas in Nepal, it is usually Asta Matrika, which is also standard in many places.

Those varieties are like adjustments to a single mandala ring which is often on the Lotus Petals.


What Chakrasamvara suggests to me is the format of boiling down Five Skandhas, evoking Six Families especially of a wrathful nature, and compelling Seven Jewels to emerge.

It is trying to portray this through what looks like "kinds of women" and I bet it is in the "character descriptions" of Cumbika, etc., that is where it is trying to describe what the experience of the Jewels is like. If you have this then you will get Seven Parasols. The relevant Chapter Seventeen is Cihnamudravidhi, i. e., Mudra Vidya is the phrase frequently translated as "consort", which, most likely, has a dual meaning on outer and inner levels. Then it can have the third or secret meaning.




they say it actually means "inaccessible".

Haha, they may or can. Usually when a sadhana wants to say this, it says Durga, which is the opposite meaning I suppose, inaccessible to evil.




one I am stuck with, what should be the charnel-grounds dark version of Lakshmi. Can't figure it out.


Exactly.

From the Nepalese, Hindu practice of the Mallas, I think you can hypostasize Guhya Kali and Siddha Lakshmi.

However from the Buddhist sadhana analysis I am going to say Dhumavati.

Just to kick one of the main debates in the teeth, I would say that is because there are two Odiyanas, Jaipur = Solar and Kashmir = Smoky.



From Chapter Seventeen, it looks to me like I am being told one Cihna devi is the practice and awareness of the non-dual heros and heroines:

rupikā sā tu vijñeyā vīrādvayasevitum |


one is rather violent:

cumbikā sā tu vijñeyā ḍākinī cāghanāśinī |


then incorporates Bhairava:

anyathā niḥśvāsa bhairavastu lāmā'sau vinirdiśe ]t |
vārāhaśarabhamārjāraśrṛgālādyā ajā hayā || 7 ||


with a Boar and

Śarabha (शरभ) refers to “legendary animal with eight legs” (living in the forest), according to the Rāmāyaṇa chapter 2.29.

and then Unborn Horse.


Shortly after that is a protection of Hasa--Laughter and

Spaṣṭa (स्पष्ट).—a. [spaś-kta ni° iḍabhāvaḥ]

1) Distinctly visible, evident, cleary perceived, clear, plain, manifest; स्पष्टे जाते प्रत्यूषे (spaṣṭe jāte pratyūṣe) K. 'when it was broad day-break'; स्पष्टाकृतिः (spaṣṭākṛtiḥ) R.18.3; स्पष्टार्थः (spaṣṭārthaḥ) &c.

2) Real, true.

3) Full-blown. expanded.

4) One who sees clearly.

Khandaroha, who was not in the list.

This is the first Spasta in the book and is followed by only a few more along the lines of the Viras.

Khandaroha is Mamaki, so, no use of Mam syllable could be questioned if that was what was happening before.


So when we think of beginning a practice with Varuni--Sky Water, then, roughly speaking, she continues *inside* the sadhana as Khandaroha, which is Generation Stage which leads to the Gauris.

The commentary describes a Nama Mantra, i. e. their names are the mantra, for manifesting the Viras.

There is a relationship between Yama and Yamini that does not exactly read like "sister":

Yasya (यस्य).—mfn.

(-syaḥ-syā-syaṃ) To be done with energy or perseverance. 2. To be killed or put to death.


It describes them as the Abhidhana, names, speech, or expressions, of the laksana or marks, such as family emblems or seven jewels.

Bhairava appears to mean Kama Sakti.


Roughly put, if we at lest get there is a Yamini of Vajra Family dwelling at the heart which--doesn't necessarily destroy the Yama entity so much as negate his effects--you have the core of the tantra.

Sambhogakaya means "this" expands to a Six Arm Blue goddess such as Bhrkuti and others.

She is the root of all your cetasikas from every moment in time.

This is how in the Inverted Stupa in the Citta Chakra all we are barely saying is that all of the nectar and bliss pressed in Generation Stage has well opened the multiple knots involved and many of the physiological tantric states have been experienced and then there is this one which I guess can only be called a spiritual experience.

It is a special thing like Sukla Tara where the Cemeteries have been burned out and the gates closed.

It is a little strange to me that the piece considered to show the best Cemeteries is among the oldest, 1100s Nepali, but the description uses the muddled Tibetan-derived names. It is Seven Syllable deity, the point of which is that it is not Chakrasamvara with Six Armor Deities, it is Vajradaka--Smrti with Vajradakini and the other Jewels of Enlightenment:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/8/6/4/86435.jpg

[shaberon]

The tantras, and/or the mandalas associated with them, are said to more or less exist primordially, and await someone on earth able to manifest them.


They are difficult and there are quite a few stories of Mahasiddhas who had quit their practice if not given up on life completely before having their realization. And so the main version of Nairatma's transmission of Hevajra Tantra is like that. If it was spontaneously revealed to Virupa after years of Chakrasamvara practice "with no result", that means he was doing it at a Kriya level.

Chakrasamvara is "not" a Kriya Tantra because, at the very least, you are being told about some weird different kind of energy in the Nadis and something about Completion Stage. But if he did not "get" it, he had stalled out in the Yoga level, unable to translate the words and symbols into Inner Meaning.

Oppositely, although deities such as Marici "are" Kriya deities, it just means that those sadhanas do not say anything about Nadis, Completion Stage, etc., whereas she herself certainly does in Sadhanamala.

According to Rigpa Wiki, the Hevajra, then, is at such a point that:

it emphasizes the completion phase, in contrast to for example the Guhyasamaja Tantra, which is said to teach mainly the generation phase.


Or, if we said it "requires the Heruka Yoga", that would be a working form of Chakrasamvara Seven Syllable Deity.

It employs the mystical Vajrasrnkhala and also the entire Vajra Panjara corpus, such as everything dark, viz., Mahakala, Kali, Ekajati, Dhumavati Kamadhatvishvari.


As slightly more accessible tendrils it has Pratisara and Vajra Tara.

At first it did not mean much to me that what looks like one of the most significant Vajra Tara sadhanas was contributed by Ratnakarasanti.

But then as we have seen, he historically is in a position of crafting one of the most profound refined statements of the Dharma, which is not that well-known in Tibet.

And so, the extent of how much of the ancient lore was about "actual women" and how much was "symbolic",
Indian Esoteric Buddhism (https://silo.pub/indian-esoteric-buddhism-a-social-history-of-the-tantric-movement.html) takes this up in the light of how there seemed to be cemetery yoga with no psychic exercises, and other texts that had mentioned yogic energies without being connected to sadhanas.


In the view of Bodhi, I think it is in the domain of "seeking explanations when there is no one to understand it", which is why to an anthropologist it looks like shuffling legends between cults.

And so when he gets to dealing with where Four Mudras came from, he can find it seems based from an initial "triumphant" one to an eventual "Buddhist Wisdom" one, however:

As a consequence, our several theoretical consecration texts generally emphasize the first and fourth consecrations, being the most Buddhist, while the second and third are given very short shrift. Thus the domestication of erotic rituals required that they be framed with the imperial rituals at the beginning and Buddhist philosophical thought at the end. One major exception to an abbreviated treatment of the second and third consecrations is found in Ratnakarasanti’s Abhisekanirukti. However, the esteemed commentator applies his hermeneutics to a fourth consecration-style (Buddhist) discourse on the logical and epistemological implications of these two, rather than on their specific ritual praxis. Beyond this, he teaches that the goal is the attainment of the citadel of Vajradhara, using an older Mahayanist image to extend the imperial metaphor into the goal of the new path.


What is that...the only known original source of much about some of the Mudras is from within "the Nirakara system".

In reviewing how many of the early tantras mostly referred to Laukika Siddhis, he separates the following from Rasa (transmutation to gold):


Rasayana Elixir siddhi means ingesting medicines that arise from the elements, from the veins, from beings’ bodies, or from viscous liquids. One lives a long time without disease, remains young and with sharp faculties.



This same book also gives Janguli's only mandala from Krishnayamari Tantra.

As well as Hevajra commentary, there is also:

Khasama-tantra-tika. Ratnakarasanti. Upadhyay, Jagannath, ed. I983.


On top of that, however, we are able to get a partial translation of Buddhakapala, bundled with what he describes as hermeneutic gymnastics in order to deflect the horror of it--however, this tantra he says is somewhat in the driver's seat as the synthesis for the disparate or scattered subjects of metaphysics:


THE BUDDHA'S TALKING SKULL EXCITES WOMEN, KILLS SNAKES, AND BELCHES A BOOK The single most outrageous opening scenario of any Buddhist text with which I am familiar is found in the Buddhakapala-yogini-tantra-raja, a ninth-century
or later work that self-consciously has included material in imitation of Kapalika Saivism. It is classified as a yogini-tantra and in many ways represents an excellent corrective to the rather limited consideration of yogini-tantra materi­al to date. In view of the available archive, there has been an excessive emphasis on the Hevajra Tantra or the Cakrasamvara corpus, based in part on the Tibetan esteem for these lineages. The Buddhadkapala, though, continues to enjoy a strong traditional reputation and popularity. Its exegetical and ritual visibility signifies that its status as an esoteric text was taken seriously by its Indian authors and commentators as well as by the Tibetans who have preserved its translation. The Buddhadkapala’s introductory scenario relates the narrative of its own preaching and the spiritual source of its text. That inaugural direction is not exceptional in itself, but the Buddhadkapala unfolds its story in a manner virtually guaranteed to shock its listeners or readers.

After the short, initial description of the Buddhas, their consorts, and their retinues in language familiar to readers of the yogini-tantra literature, the text moves to the precipitating dramatic moment. Then the Bhagavan—having correctly explained the mantras and all the tantras by means of adamantine words in the great adamantine site—this lord of all the Tathagatas placed his vajra in his consort’s lotus, and promptly entered final nirvana [dying] in the lady’s vagina. Having seen the Lord pass away in that manner, all the bodhisattvas and all the yoginis were as­tonished. Looking to one another, they all exclaimed, “Oh, my! How is it that the Bhagavan, the Lord of all the Tathagatas, should pass away in this Great Jeweled Mandala?” So the bodhisattva mahasattva Vajrapani turned to the yogini Citrasena and asked her the following question: “Devi, is there some slight method whereby those beings of lesser merit may ascend to power [*$aktyarohanopaya] ?” “For it is said that there are sixty million [methods] in the yogatantra. There are 160 million in the yogini-tantra. There are 800 million in the various sutrantas. In the same way, there are 500,000 krores [(5 X 105) X 107] within the perfection vehicle [paramitayana]. All of these methods have been expounded by the Munindra [Sakyamuni]. If any are separated from mantras, then the power of tantra [tantrasakti] will not appear.”

...

How many recitations for those who belong to families of morons and idiots? How does one who has lost his goal recite the mantras? For it would seem that mantras recited by those engaged in idle gossip will have their accomplishment occur elsewhere. And if the recitation is done in accordance with the emotions of retarded troglodytes—well, they can recite for as many tens of millions of aeons as there are stars in the sky and get no powers at all.” Now the yogini Citrasena, having heard this, looked at the face of the [deceased] Lord, ogling him with desire and languorous sidelong glances [sakataksa]. Then enraged and ferocious, with a mind full of compassion, she destroyed Mara’s army. Consequently, ogled in that way by this Mahadevi—the Lady and mistress of all the tantras— the head [of Sakyamuni] opens up and out pops a mantra: om buddhe siddhe susiddhe amrita arje buddhakapAla sphotani pAta yatrAsaya hUm ho phat


Resounding in this way, the supreme mantra goes forth and conquers the nagas below the seventh level, reducing them to dust. The mantra then comes back and enters the mouth of Citrasena, only to emerge from her vagina and returns to the Buddha’s skull. As all the nagas were being destroyed by the power of this mantra, they became afraid and began to sweat heavily. So the great magical snakes, like Vasuki, assembled, as did all the rest of the poisonous tribe: Karkotaka, Sankhapala, Taksaka, Ananta, Padma, Mahapadma, and so forth. Turning toward the yogini Citrasena, they implored her, “Devi, say what you want and we will do it!” She replied, “Do whatever is in accordance with the Buddha’s experience!” As soon as this was heard, in the middle of the Great Jeweled Mandala, the Buddha’s skull opened its mouth wide and out of it emerged a text. The skies resounded with the verse, “O Goddess Citrasena—take the book! It will benefit all beings. This tantra is a great king of tantras, for there is no yogini [tantra] superior to it. It is called Buddhakapala. It will benefit all beings.”

Having heard this, Citrasena took up the text and entrusted it to Vajrapani. This peculiar opening is an excellent vehicle to test to position that the tantras embed within the secret scriptures a coded language accessible only to the masters. If so, the surviving commentaries would be expected to provide some degree of continuity between their positions and their language, for all three Indian commentators are acknowledged masters. Conversely, if the commentaries are actually independent moments in the domestication of the tantra, then they will instead each display their author’s proclivities.


Three commentaries are available for the opening chapter of the Buddhakapala: the Sri-Buddhakapalatantrapanjika Jnanavati ascribed to Saraha, the Buddhakapalatantrapanjika Tattvacandrika ascribed to Padmavajra, and the Sri-Buddhakapalamahatantrarajatika Abhayapaddhatih of Abhayakaragupta. In reality, the commentaries are so different one from the other that it is sometimes hard to believe that they comment on the same text or belong to the same tradition.

The Saraha commentary is either the most creative or the least linear, depending on whether any degree of consistency is desired. Having described the teacher and retinue in a relatively standard fashion, Saraha declares the yogini Citrasena as an emanation of the Buddha, not too different from the kind of grand solipsistic hermeneutics found in the Hevajra Tantra, wherein all the elite members of his retinue are the Tathagata’s manifestations. However, the balance of the retinue is described in standard terms, identifying Ananda and Avalokitesvara as members of the Arhatsangha and Bodhisattvasangha, respectively, all residing together in the mandala. When the Buddha sudden­ly enters nirvana, though, the Bodhisattvas all become the faculties of vision, hearing, and so on. From this point on, most of the characters are simultaneously explained as internal components— especially the various yogic chan­nels (nadi), forms of gnosis, or the Buddhas of the yogic “perfecting process” (sampannakrama)— as well as being the external agents. The description leaves the student with the queasy feeling that not only is the Buddha’s physical body inhabited by the various “perfecting process” internal mandala figures, unexceptional in itself, but that they are individually and collectively active charac­ters in the drama of the tantra. Consequently, the reader courts the uncomfortable suspicion that the Buddha’s internal soteriological diagram will break into song and dance at a moment’s notice, as scriptural personalities some­ times do in the yogini literature. Although the other two commentators are much more prosaic, all three represent the instance of the Buddha’s passing (entrance into nirvana) in dif­ferent ways. Saraha maintains that, since nirvana is utterly dissociated from thought, and since this is the characteristic of the Buddha’s absolute body (dharmakaya), all we have to do is understand that the Buddha is demonstrat­ing the dharmakaya. This dharmakaya is somehow seen by the assembled retinue, a possibility in the case of the dharmakaya defined as the “corpus of in­struction,” which clearly identifies the issue of leading up to preaching (emitting) the tantra about to be presented. However, the definition of dharmakaya given by Saraha is that it is cognitively nonconceptual, so his comment appears a very curious explanation of a physical event.

Padmavajra, conversely, defines the process as the pattern of sexual yoga according to the practice of sampannakrama. Thus the Buddha is merely demonstrating to the bodhisattvas of pure birth the way to reside in the essence of great bliss. Here, Padmavajra glosses nirvana as the highest reality (tattva). His definition is dependent on the specifically Vajrayana employment of the designation “tattva” for the various elements of esoteric practice.

Finally, Abhayakaragupta’s text indicates that the form of nirvana is nonlocalized, a common definition of nirvana within the Mahayana. The Buddha is nonlocalized in phenomenal existence through the presence of insight derived from the adamantine seat of the Great Seal; he is nonlocalized in quiescent peace, as his great compassion motivates him for the welfare of all beings. Empowered by prior accomplishment and impelled by his nonadhesion to the extreme perspectives, the Bud­dha is capable of assuming whatever form may be required by beings as long as existence lasts, through his nonconceptual identity with the unlimited Tathagatas, bodhisattvas, yoginis, and so on.



...the skull of the Buddha is that which is required to release the mantra and the text of the tantra. Moreover, the commentators explain away the intriguing necrophilia of Citrasena by the same token— if the Buddha does not really die, then the desire exhibited for the corpse of the Buddha by Citrasena is really desire for the phenomenal body of the Buddha (nirmanakaya) . Finally, the immediately succeeding events— the survey of esoteric literature, the ecstasy of Citrasena that results in overcoming Mara and the release of the mantra, the attack on snakes, and the exposure of the text all lose their liter­ary force in the interpretive process. In fact Abhayakaragupta successfully turns the whole episode around and argues for the unlimited action of the Buddha in the world as a result of this episode; he does not reveal how this ac­ tion would cause consternation in the assembly.



The anthropological slant is always a bit, slanted, it seems to me, since from the practical standpoint, it would be better to say Maha Rupa is not "gigantic", but, a six arm form related to Sambhogakaya, and "gourd" is really Kamandalu or Initiation Pitcher.

Associated with the tantras are several rituals, with attendant iconography, that focus on two fem­inine divinities: Pamasabari and Janguli. The former clearly derives her name from one standard reference to the Sabaras— the “leaf clad” (parna) Sabaras— which was explained by an origin legend that lasted, according to Russell, well into the nineteenth century for the Bundelkund Saora (Figure 15).218 Similar­ly, the Janguli goddess is indicative of her origin in the jungle (jangala), a des­ignation for “forest” that is in fact a loanword in English through Hindi. Both of these goddesses enjoy well-distributed literature and are sometimes, as in chapter 15 of the Krsnayamari-tantra, invoked in the same ritual.

So now, I will pronounce the ritual meditation on the Noble Janguli. By merely visualizing her, one could cross over water. (1) Visualize her with three faces, and six arms. She is yellow, and forms from the seed mantra Phuh. She holds a snake in her hands and is of enor­mous form. She loves to ride on her peacock vehicle. (2) To the east, paint Mayuri, with Bhrkuti to the south. To her west is Parnasabari, and Vajrasmkhala to the north. (3) Peacock feathers, a gourd, a branch and a chain—visualize these (for the other goddesses) and their colors: yellow, red, dark, and blue. (4) The intelligent one will visualize them thus, and recite the mantra: om phuh jah (5) Place (visualize) Mudgara, etc., at the doors (in the cardinal directions) and Puspa, etc., in the intermediate directions. Then, by the Noble Janguli yoga, you can always cross over water.

Kumaracandra’s commentary adds that the snake is in her (upper) right hand, with a sword and knife in the other two; in the left three hands are a wheel, a lotus and a skullcap. In Krsnayamari XV.4b, sphota is translated by the Tibetan translators as a chain, lcags sgrogs, roughly equivalent to the name of the deity carrying it, srkhala.

Krsnayamari XV.i-6: athatah sampravaksyami aryajangulisadhanam | yena bhavitamatrern jalasyopari cankramet 11 trimukham sadbhujam pitam phuhkarabijasambhavam | sarpahastam maharupam mayuravahanapriyam || purvato mayurim likhed daksine bhrkutim tatha | pascime parnasabarim uttare vajrasrnkhalam || paksam kamandalum sakham sphotam capi vibhavayet | pitam raktam tatha syamam nilam varnaprabhedatah || eta vibhavayet prajno mantram caiva japet tatah | om phuh jah || mudgaradin nyased dvare puspadin konake nyaset | aryajanguliyogena jalam akramyate sada ||


So here you get Srnkhala in the unusual final or Gnosis position.

It is not that unusual if she is Hevajra's Karma Family consort, what is unusual is that her power or item is granted into the hands of Lotus Family who themselves do next to nothing to obtain it. Their representative here, Bhrkuti, would seem to be in the wrong place, Water.

However, that is about the same as Sambhogakaya producing samadhi through smoky content. In this way, Shrnkala is the Activity of the inner samadhi goddesses such as Candika and Raudri.

As to the incursion of Lakshmi into Saivite terrible forms, we can also simply refer to the popular Mahalakshmi Namostute; since Lakshmi causes and commands her own division as Shiva's consort:

Aadya[i-A]nta-Rahite Devi Aadya-Shakti-Maheshvari |

O Devi Who is Without Beginning (Aadi) and Without End (Anta), and Who is the Great Goddess representing the Primordial Shakti


Sthuula-Suukssma-Mahaaroudre Mahaa-Shakti-Mahodare |

Whose Power is present behind both Gross and Subtle Forms as well as behind the Most Terrible Form of Rudrani

That however is almost identical to Subtle Body and Rudra Krama.

These are only part of the first Dharani goddess of Namasangiti depicted in Ila Devi form. Almost like a kernel of Jewel and Karma Families.

[Old Student]

Then since this Inner Offering is the main part of a sadhana, in that case yes the symbolic pill is going to increase like Varuni by Prajnopaya.

In the Nepalese tradition, they do call Prajna, Shakti, whereas everyone else in Buddhism is recalcitrant about this.

I take them more or less as Transcendent and Manifest aspects of Mother or Matter.
The death is symbolic, the pill is symbolic. The pills in real life (the Mani pills) are made of ground up relic material. But the cremations in the charnel grounds used to be done for the purposes of looking for these pills in the charred remains -- hard beads left over by cremation that are supposed to occur only on the burning of the bodies of saints. Those were supposed to be related to the drops (bindu) of the living saint.

Nepal is one of the places where genuine, pre-collapse tantra went after the collapse. Presumably, the meaning of these early (very early, actually) pills was retained.


If you do not know what happens if you are afraid of her or if she disturbs you, it is like me not really knowing how bad it is for people that horrible physical things happen to.

Mental equivalent.
Fair enough.

[Old Student]

Yes there is Chaturthi Vinayaki then Pancama Manasa, but it just means fifth.
It does, but the fifth of the matrikas would have pancamam, supposedly, so I thought since manasapancama is a pancama named after manasa and therefore a compound word, this is also such a word. Unless they really say, matrika-five. Like we say Room 1b.



they say it actually means "inaccessible".
Haha, they may or can. Usually when a sadhana wants to say this, it says Durga, which is the opposite meaning I suppose, inaccessible to evil.
The Sanskrit text is from a philology point of view and language studies, the sentence example given was 'inaccessible' in the mundane sense.


Yasya (यस्य).—mfn.

(-syaḥ-syā-syaṃ) To be done with energy or perseverance. 2. To be killed or put to death.
Two different parts of speech. I do have enough rudimentary grammar to look at this, the (-syah-syA-syam) are the endings for the first definition yasyah is masculine, etc.. The second definition is a verb, so different.


It is a little strange to me that the piece considered to show the best Cemeteries is among the oldest, 1100s Nepali, but the description uses the muddled Tibetan-derived names. It is Seven Syllable deity, the point of which is that it is not Chakrasamvara with Six Armor Deities, it is Vajradaka--Smrti with Vajradakini and the other Jewels of Enlightenment:

There is a blurrier picture of this mandala on Himalayan Art, I'm sure you are aware of it, because you are making this distinction here. Why is it Vajradaka? Is it the description there that you are talking about?

I'm very interested in the dating, as well, but I suppose that is lost in antiquity.

[Old Student]

Now the yogini Citrasena, having heard this, looked at the face of the [deceased] Lord, ogling him with desire and languorous sidelong glances [sakataksa]. Then enraged and ferocious, with a mind full of compassion, she destroyed Mara’s army.
This is the "necrophiliac tendencies" that need to be explained away? She 'ogles' him and then gets enraged and ferocious and compassionately destroys Mara's army? Perhaps she was a bit upset about how things had gone down.


So now, I will pronounce the ritual meditation on the Noble Janguli. By merely visualizing her, one could cross over water. (1) Visualize her with three faces, and six arms. She is yellow, and forms from the seed mantra Phuh. She holds a snake in her hands and is of enor­mous form. She loves to ride on her peacock vehicle. (2) To the east, paint Mayuri, with Bhrkuti to the south. To her west is Parnasabari, and Vajrasmkhala to the north. (3) Peacock feathers, a gourd, a branch and a chain—visualize these (for the other goddesses) and their colors: yellow, red, dark, and blue. (4) The intelligent one will visualize them thus, and recite the mantra: om phuh jah (5) Place (visualize) Mudgara, etc., at the doors (in the cardinal directions) and Puspa, etc., in the intermediate directions. Then, by the Noble Janguli yoga, you can always cross over water.
This is the kind of thing I have a feeling exists for Lakshmi as well, in somewhat similar form, taking into account her power. I don't know that it exists, but somehow, there needs to be some counterpart for her in the cemeteries and so forth of pre-11th century texts.

Sorry for the edit, but I almost forgot, I was trying to get through the Citrasena thing without skipping: I did a lucid dream last night, meaning that for the first time, I was both aware of being in a dream but also made a change to the dream. The transition state turned out not to be something passed through, but rather one of a lot of layers that when they were all applied I was asleep and dreaming.

[shaberon]

The death is symbolic, the pill is symbolic.



So yes, for Yoga purposes, they really are.

In fact, for most purposes, there isn't a pill, since this is a kind of additional thing which goes into the Nectar. It could probably be delineated with things that are beyond the main components of Generation Stage and Mandala.

Death, on the other hand, is much more forward-facing and I think you could say a major subject within the bounds of Yoga.


It has a rather gruesome association with Smoke as the dissipated remains of everything before final Pralaya, and so, by extension, the dissipation of one's own life force in the final hour. And so because there is this cold, waning smoke, I was a bit surprised to see the same thing in something as primal as Brihadaranyaka Upanishad expressed as Prana.

It starts to take shape when Restraint of Prana or Pranayama is viewed as a physiological stage prior to Samadhi as characterized in large part by Smoky deities. If I run it by the Chakrasamvara Pitha devis, I get

samādhīndriyasvabhāvā drumacchāyeti

samādhibalasvabhāvā śyāmādevī


and then as a Bodhyanga, Haya Karna which turns out to be kind of vague. Nevertheless there is:

Smoky Candika (Armor of Limbs and Surfaces)

Smoky Vajraraudri (Samadhi Jewel)

In the second case, she is an accurate name for the retinue ring, since they are all maharaudras, although she is not first.

Purity of this Vajraraudri means Samadhi of the same class Bodhisattvas use.

The Pitha system is big, whereas the Armor and Vajraraudris are extensions of each other.



There is still the grisly Dudsolma and Remati as Tibetans have them, which are Wrathful forms of Sri, and so what seems to be behind that is that Lakshmi is also considered as having a Smoky form, Dhumavati.


It is multi-faceted because Smoke has a hidden meaning for Lakshmi Ganesh.

The idea that Ganesh collects all the Shaktis is not Puranic, but Shakta (https://animeshnagarblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/dhumra-ganapati-ganapati-of-dhumavati-lore/), and is perhaps the only way Dhumavati ever has a consort:

In north Indian trantric tradition each mahavidya is assigned by a form of ganpati.
With each of 10 mahAvidya one or more ganpati is associated .For example Bagalamukhi – Haridra ganpati, Matangi – nritya ganpati ( matang ganpati )
In case of Dhumavati , Dhumra ganpati is assigned i.e. Dhumra ganpati is ganpati of Dhumavati mahavidya.

Dhumra ganapati mantra is of 11 letters with couple of dhumavati beeja instead of omkara.


This type of Ganesh destroys the entire ego, Ahamkara, rather than its aspects such as ignorance or anger. He actually is doing a thing quite similar to colors and Buddha families annihilating enemies. And well then he also has Bagalamukhi who is Pitambara in Buddhakapala. However, Dhuma is the cumulative total, similarly to Samadhi being the Sixth Yoga.



Of his common two consorts (https://shreeganesh.com/site/loving-ganesha/forms-of-ganesha):

In an inner sense, Buddhi and Siddhi are the ida and pingala nadis, the female and male currents, both of which are embodied within the being of Ganesha, corresponding to Valli and Devayani, the mythological consorts of Lord Murugan.




As we have seen, Varahi's place may be taken by Vairocani or Bhairavi; the first is a Puranic Durga, whereas the second is virtually the Mahavidya equivalent:

The bottom level is for Patal Bhairavi, next is for Navadurga or Tripura Sundari and the upper is for Lord Shiva. She specifically is the Wrathful Form of Mahavidya Bhairavi. Goddess Bhairavi represents transforming heat, ‘Tapas’, and also Divine radiance, ‘Tejas’. Tapas is not just asceticism, it is a heightened aspiration that consumes all secondary interests and attachments. Bhairavi is the transformation that comes with destruction, which is not necessarily negative. She personifies light and heat that can burn away the imperfections in the soul. Her mount is Lion. Also Shubmkari "good mother".

And so it is a bit more common to see Mahavidyas and Durgas corresponding to planets, and, not being exactly the consorts, but, mothers of Vishnu incarnations. This is how it looks when we place the sacred planet Mars along with the three-in-one of geometrical entities because Dhumavati is with Ketu:


Mars: Vidyadhari Guhyeshvari Vajravarahi (Narasimha, lord of Mars avatar born from Cinnamasta)

Rahu: Trikaya Vajrayogini Cinnamasta Gauri (Varaha, lord of Rahu avatar born from Bhairavi)

Ketu: Ganapati Dhumraketu Dhumavati Siddhidhatri (Matsya or first avatar from Dhumavati)

Navagraha Laghana (Ascendant): Bhairavi (future avatar born from Bhuvaneshvari)


It is a strange pattern, Dhumavati governs Ketu as does her offspring Matsya and the Ninth Durga.

Bhairavi is the source of Varaha whose shakti is Varahi, fairly close to Bhairavi as Tapas and Varahi the full sadhana. Varahi by being related to Mars has everything to do with inner heat.


Ketu is usually baleful, deadly, and final, but here again, yes, of course that would be its default condition, and the Mahavidya is the means of seeing through it so it no longer affects you. Some more Dhumavati accumulated notes are:


Always hungry and thirsty, never finished, she is the stable void between worlds, so the First Avatar will come from her in the next cycle.

Dhumavati's vidya is enlightenment found in the blessing of suffering; let the unreal be covered by the smoke of suffering. Enjoy sorrow and find potential beyond pain. She sounds similar to Kali, but of them all, is the one closest to the unmanifest and pralaya. If she is Nirrti, this means lack of Rta. Alakshmi is the opposite of Lakshmi, or without energetic radiance. She carries a winnowing basket and makes a begging gesture. Or else she holds a bowl of fire and the basket is Viveka (discrimination)--asking you what type of grains you really want to deposit in eternity.


As long as we desire to transcend Her force, She will continue to taunt us, for Hers is not a force to be transcended but surrendered to. In several forms of sadhana, the focus is to plunge deep into the very source of ignorance. In this inquiry, one can dive deep into the dark Void of Non-Being (Dhumavati). This Void takes us away from the pain of existence and here we experience deep peace and bliss. It is tempting to stay here, away from the other darkness of our hidden demons (also Dhumavati). Thus, She is both the darkness of ignorance as well as the merciful darkness of the Void. Like Her winnow that holds the grain along with its impurities of stones and dirt, She holds both of these aspects of darkness within Her austere form. When this Void is known, there is often the strong temptation to remain here, to not engage in life at all and to view the world to be a non-existent illusion (Maya). This nihilistic viewpoint drains one of “juice” and sooner or later, Dhumavati emerges again, bringing up all the submerged stuff of our unresolved darkness. In this, Dhumavati’s compassion is unmatched. Her insistence upon our full processing and embracing of our dark side is manifested so that we can sever all those filaments in the cord of our perceived separation.

Dhumavati is known as the darkness within darkness. This welcoming and loving embrace is the alchemical process where Dhumavati as Alakshmi transforms into Lakshmi. Thus, as this great Void, She is the Non-Being prior to existence (the evolution of practice) and that which remains after its dissolution (surrender to stoppage or samadhi).

Dhumavati eats Shiva. She's the burned corpse of Sati come to life. The whole thing, not pieces scattered around. That's why she's a widow with no consort, until we make her Root Consort.


And so, aside from the actual state of vanishing universes, as a source of wisdom, she is shown to be, I think you could say "responsive" to treatment.


She very rarely does have a fire basket:

https://jayakula.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/dhumavati-900-900x400.jpg






She is called She Whose Form is Rati. Her lowest form is only Nirmanakaya of Janar Loka. It is intercourse and a corpse. Smile.
Then she'll come to us in her Activity level. She transcends the Activity components. Her Sambhogakaya is intercourse and a secret sun. Gaze. We take her Dharmakaya which is body-less. Hug, and enter Union. This is how we pass the Night of Enlightenment. In Nepal, she has a secret Dakini existence.


https://ssubbanna.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/dhumavati-mahavidhya.jpg



https://ssubbanna.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/dhumavati-riding-a-bird.jpg



https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/d8f5ff23932641.5632b3aace1ea.jpg



http://orig07.deviantart.net/00ea/f/2009/233/a/e/dhumavati_by_sami_edelstein.jpg



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Dhumavati_Nepal.JPG




I would think her mirror is much like Moon Mirror or Manas--Buddhi mirror. She is a bit like Rupika, changing form, or Raudra to Saumya.

Buddhism is certainly a process of converting the ordinary deadly Ketu into a Ratnaketu or Fiery Crown.

And so the freakish wrathful Lakshmi that appears like a national symbol of Tibet is an adaption from Dhumavati.

Green Mahalakshmi of the Dharani becomes crowned by Yamantaka, which is a way of saying the reverse happens, a successful Yamantaka is able to cause this Sambhogakaya Mahalakshmi to arise. If you see what happens there it starts plainly as Kriya, and, Vedic at that, and yet transcends Kama Loka completely. It is the peaceful side of the Smoky deities.


So most appearances of Dhumavati are a bit uncanny, however her vehicle is Crow which means that the way she interacts with the world is in Pratyahara, whereas her real or Vidya form scarcely descends out of the Janar Loka.

[shaberon]

There is a blurrier picture of this mandala on Himalayan Art, I'm sure you are aware of it, because you are making this distinction here. Why is it Vajradaka? Is it the description there that you are talking about?

I'm very interested in the dating, as well, but I suppose that is lost in antiquity.


For one thing, they say it is Avalokita Chakrasamvara with Lasya, which is Advayavajra/Mitra's version as well as Durjayachandra's.

What they gave was later Tibetan versions, which, themselves, were later back-translated to Sanskrit somewhat incorrectly, whereas we now have the Durjayachandra original sadhana which is the same era and location as the thangka.

If you fleece it you might say there is red and green out of order compared to:


Blue Heruki

Yellow Vajrabhairavi

Red Ghoracandi

Green Vajrabhaskari

Smoky Vajraraudri

White Vajradakini


And so from examining it the other ways, it quickly gets blurry with why is there another kind of Six Yoginis and what looks like Tibetan acquisitions of Camunda, but if I look at the sadhana, it plainly is fastening the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment onto a summary of Mt. Meru, Armor, Five Nectars, Armor, etc.

Then it is showing me they are Extremely Wrathful but they are not really about protecting anything because they are about Purity, such as non-dualization.


Vajradaka is taking this group and explaining its nature as related to the subtle body. They are not really part of it, but more like secret wisdom which flows from using it wisely.

The more intricate Samputa and Hevajra could then be seen as taking this practice for accomplished and carrying the ring forward in an evolved manner.

And if I look at it from the oncoming side, it has got Bhairavi coming from somewhere I would take as an equivalent to Vairocani, Heruki is more or less "the" Ista Devata from Dakini Jala, Vajradakini is the foremost of them all because it is her "class", there is a type of Secret Sun which in fact appears to be demonstrated by Vajra Tara, and we are just kind of left holding the bag on Ghoracandi.

Because there was no hesitation to use the name Camunda for example in Yamari Tantra, one might wonder why they don't say Red Camunda who sounds appropriate anyway.

If I wanted to nitpick the thangka, I might think they were trying to exalt this one in the Lotus sector.

These are not Armor and are not located in the body, they are appearances or manifestations.

So then I would have a long way to go from the stage of contemplating what Families and Jewels are, to having this retinue as a living presence.

Gauris are the Grounds and these are the Path.

They precipitate a mantra, as themselves, backwards, which then forwards becomes the core mantra of Chakrasamvara Completion stages. It also happens to be in the single practice of Reversed White Vajrayogini, which is what I would call Heruka Yoga broadly, i. e. it is the self-arisen kind. It is more like the Sheer Luminosity one is trying to raise, whereas it may frequently be applied in the Incadescent version in the many purifying wrathful rites, and of course there are other kinds.


And so with the thangka, I would think it would be like a Dharmachakra moment to show where the Wrathful appearance is still like a boomerang which still just goes into something relatively peaceful from the Sutras which is said to be the way to actually live the Noble Eightfold Path.

It is that while at the same time it is like the mantric and energetic border between developing and having Heruka Yoga.

Furthermore, it corresponds to everything we could call System of Seven.

There is stuff about the Cemeteries everywhere but this one is really a kind of primordial existence that is telling another story when viewed in the light of the thing it represents, which is a really valuable key in seeing how Vajrayana Completion Stage is supposed to trigger.

[shaberon]

This is the "necrophiliac tendencies" that need to be explained away? She 'ogles' him and then gets enraged and ferocious and compassionately destroys Mara's army? Perhaps she was a bit upset about how things had gone down.


He may have understated or skipped something.

The direction of the mantra indicates a wrathful rite.





This is the kind of thing I have a feeling exists for Lakshmi as well, in somewhat similar form, taking into account her power. I don't know that it exists, but somehow, there needs to be some counterpart for her in the cemeteries and so forth of pre-11th century texts.



I am not sure of its age however the Panjara fits in according to the description of Dolpopa's successor (https://jonangfoundation.org/masters/jonang-lotsawa-lodro-pal):

From the age of eight he mastered the Vajrapanjara Tantra and the Samputa Tantra, which are the two explanatory tantras of the Hevajra system.

Namostute is said to come from Padma Purana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana) which...accumulated...from 4th to 10th centuries.

Practitioners (http://www.wiseganesha.com/mahalakshmi-ashtakam-q-a-benefits-lyrics-meanings-in-english/) say thousands of years and she is Mahamaya or Nirguna Mahalakshmi Devi Mahamaya:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/MET_DT4003.jpg/562px-MET_DT4003.jpg




Kolhapur Mahalakshmi or Amba Bai temple is from the 7th century:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Scriptural.jpg




Those, we could say, at least have the ability to slaughter or to be of a violent or terrifying nature.

Durga (https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-it-was-goddess-Lakshmi-who-killed-Mahishasura-and-not-goddess-Parvati-Why-does-Durga-Saptashati-call-Mahishasurmardini-as-Mahalakshmi-then) is Mahalakshmi when combined to destroy Mahishasura.

Correspondingly, the Buddhist War Chariot goddess is:

Mahamaya Vijayavahini


It is more violent and more Blood than it is Cemetery, but at least that much can be shown as an old part of her.






a lot of layers that when they were all applied I was asleep and dreaming.


"Layers" seems to be one of the few ways to describe...some of the things that keep happening...doesn't it?

[Old Student]

He may have understated or skipped something.

The direction of the mantra indicates a wrathful rite.
The stories of Indic gods and goddesses who either go nuts from grief or go nuts because they were insulted, go on a rampage and destroy something are legion. Everybody's constantly having a lover or consort die, rampaging around like a drunk elephant until one of their buddies tricks them into calming down again. Or somebody insults them and the decide to end humanity, the universe or something of that sort, and somebody else makes a career of suckling them, lying down so they accidentally step on them, tricking them, ripping their loved ones to bits and strewing them all over the planet or some such thing. This one is in the middle of having a good time, and her consort takes off to paranirvana in the middle of it, leaving her with his spirit going in her vagina and out her eyeballs. Anybody else might have slaughtered an army or two if they'd been in her position.

So to me it seems perfectly logical and par for the course.


Namostute is said to come from Padma Purana which...accumulated...from 4th to 10th centuries.
? isn't Namostute just a 'all praise be to you' phrase at the end of a mantra?

The Padma Purana link is awesome, Thank you.


Durga is Mahalakshmi when combined to destroy Mahishasura.

Correspondingly, the Buddhist War Chariot goddess is:

Mahamaya Vijayavahini

What is the distance between Mahalakshmi and Tripura-Sundari then?



a lot of layers that when they were all applied I was asleep and dreaming.

"Layers" seems to be one of the few ways to describe...some of the things that keep happening...doesn't it?
When coming the other way, bringing a dream into my shaking, the dream always seemed more like a screen, maybe like a 21st century 3D version of a thangka. When going into the dream (I've still only done it once, so we're talking about the same one), it was like 'sheets' of transition state, but since transition state is liquid, it was like sheets of liquid layering over each other, not a curtain, door, or barrier like I think I expected. Here is the dream:


As I did the [second dream yoga] exercise, I could feel the feeling that I associate with the transition state beginning, but unlike what usually happens, it began ‘layering’ over my bliss and turned viewpoint inside. The best description I can think of is that layer after layer flowed over my consciousness with a ‘feeling’ and even somewhat a ‘sight’ of those walls of water that people buy as a calmness ornament – sheets of ‘transition state’ which I have described before as being like a blissful liquid, flowed over my consciousness, but instead of each washing away the previous or displacing the original state, they made layers until there were many of the ‘curtains’ I have described before when carrying a dream into shaking, and as this proceeded, each layer had different ‘worlds’ or activities and events happening in them, they were transparent enough to see each one clearly and if I focused on any it would look just like waking reality in that particular world.

I was growing in size and ‘dissipating’ in solidness, becoming a huge figure like a megalith, like the statues formerly at Bamiyan, but a megalith made of greenish grey mist, so not very ‘lith’. Simultaneously, I was very aware that I had passed a threshold and was now dreaming. I was elated, I even thought to myself, “I am lucid dreaming now.” I moved my very misty hands a little and watched the ripples through what was essentially the center of my mega body. My mind emptied at the prospect of moving around consciously in this dream world, the bliss that had been there as I had gone through the transition state was now filling every ripple in the mist. The fact that I had moved was causing some activity on the ground in front of me, I began to notice that people were gathering to see their statue move. I emptied and became ‘screens’ of visions that those looking at me saw and interpreted as they saw fit, I became less and less ‘corporeal’ until I was just a space in which visions were playing out in a kind of holographic way such that three dimensionally each possible angle at which ‘I’ was viewed was a different scene. I could feel each of these ‘worlds’ as having been the liquid layers previously, and I just stood swirling and layering and filling with the transition liquid and with bliss and then awoke, at 5:30am, still in exactly the position I had begun the exercise in, and very stiff as a result.

[shaberon]

This one is in the middle of having a good time, and her consort takes off to paranirvana in the middle of it, leaving her with his spirit going in her vagina and out her eyeballs. Anybody else might have slaughtered an army or two if they'd been in her position.


Indeed. Again almost all of these fights and curses are metaphorical. On the simplest note, when it talks about something minor like such-and-such slew another on the battlefield, it means one star sets when another one rises.

Here, we have at least some reason to consider the star and asterism, Citra, along with its physiological role which is something like the upper tip of the Susumna which connects the head centers to the Brahmarandra.





? isn't Namostute just a 'all praise be to you' phrase at the end of a mantra?


Yes, except without further qualification, it usually means Mahalakshmi Stotram.

As for tracking it down inside a Maha Purana, I don't know, I did not see a chapter given yet.


The general notes I have for a type of combined Puranic and Shakta phases of creation says:


Shakti (Power) is the Matrikas (Mothers who Protect Time Cycles)

Adi Parashakti (bindu or zero feminine, Param Prakriti) manifests via her Trinity (Tripura Sundari or Prakriti) firstly as Sati--Dakshayani, the pre-cosmic trinity, then Parvati (Durga) as a material trinity.

First form, as Sati-Dakshayani, Vidya Shakti, she is the mother of Pancha Brahma, and the Ten Wisdoms (Mahavidyas). Daksha invoked Adi Parashakti to become his daughter; she said yes, but when you insult me, I return to celestial form and disown you. Before long, this happened, then Sati burned herself and got scattered all over the place, forming the Shakti Pithas or stone temples. The next phases of creation are:

Tarakamaya, war between the Devas and Asuras.

Second form (Parvati) as Yogeshvari (Durga-Parvati, Mahalakshmi, Material Shakti) vs. Andhaka the Serpent

Second form vs. Mahish Asura the Buffalo

Second Deva War or creation of man.

Earthly war of Titans




Buddha referred to the Sapta Matrikas (or Mothers; originally the Pleiades) as Raksha. They are Wrathful Protectors. Lower Protectors such as Lokapala and Dikapala guard the Ten Directions, and specific locations, but the Mothers protect Time.

In Nepal, northwest is given to Durga Mahalakshmi or Yogeshvari, from whom the Matrikas emerged; Shiva formed her to defeat Mahish Asura while the devas were subjugated by asuras. Also called Narasimhi or Chamunda (Praytangira) in India, as Adi Parasakti, she was formed by Shiva to calm Narasimha after he slaughtered Hiranyakashipu. Mahish was the son of Rambha and Shyamala (Yamini) in buffalo form.

She was discovered nameless by sages Angiras and Pratyangira and demanded a name (i. e., Pratyangira). Through her, one reaches the highest attainment, the lotus feet of Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari. Her Trinity (Tripura Sundari) is Parvati, Mahalakshmi, Sarasvati (Shiva used these to manifest Durga Mahalakshmi). Also called Ashta (Eight) Lakshmi.


And so it is pretty specifically saying that Mahalakshmi is "not" Lakshmi as in simple good fortune, beauty, consort of Visnu.




What is the distance between Mahalakshmi and Tripura-Sundari then?


Mahalakshmi = Adi Shakti = Durga or Parameswari

Tripura is her I think you could say with respect to the planes of form.


We wind up having a hybrid from multiple systems, and so for example we find that there was a Syamala and Yamini interpreted as the same. And yet the name Tripura Sundari is pretty much pushed to the side despite having both direct and synonymous inclusions of most, if not all, of the Mahavidyas.



In the same manner, although Ganesh has thirty-two or more forms, these come from certain arrangements, and it could probably be said that certain ones are emphasized and then probably subsumed under Maha Ganapati.

One of his categories is that some of his forms are avatars or incarnations. In Ganesa Purana, there are Four (https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/incarnations-of-lord-ganesha) with Dhumraketu being in the future like Kalki. But in Mudgala Purana there are eight and Dhumra has manifested, here again as the eighth/final/cumulative aspect similar to Mahalakshmi as the Eighth Matrika.


From a list expanded to twelve forms (https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism-for-kids/160.html):

Dhumra means smoke. Smoke is the initial state of materialisation. It is the transitory state between the solid manifest (sagun) and the unmanifest (nirgun) states. Thus, one who possesses such a smoky complexion is Dhumravarna. According to the principle that ‘where there is smoke there is fire’, Ganapati also possesses the fire element [embers (angar)].

These Embers are the occult name of Mars, Angarasa.



We have a lot of pot-bellied Yaksas which have multiple meanings, from Vase Breath to Candali to the Dharmakaya, and it is probably also the main form of Ganesh that has been Buddhistically harnessed as Vinayaka:


Lambodar is derived from the words lamba (large) and udar (belly). Saint Eknath has explained the meaning of this word as, The entire animate and inanimate creation dwells within You. Hence You are called Lambodar. – Shri Eknathi Bhagvat 1:3

According to the Ganapatitantra, Deity Shiva played the Damaru (a small hour glass shaped drum). Shri Ganesh grasped the knowledge of the Vedas through the deep sound of the Damaru. He learnt dancing by watching the Tandav dance everyday and music from the sound of the anklets of Deity Parvati. Since He imbibed such varied knowledge, that is digested it, He developed a large belly.

Lambodara (https://www.amarchitrakatha.com/mythologies/the-eight-avatars-of-ganesha/) also involves the Vishnu Avatar Mohini.

It is perhaps combined with the Vinayak form. From doing Ganapati Hrdaya, there is a section where it seems to use eight specific names or forms, including Dhumra, Lambodara, and Ekadantaya, but it seems to stop short of fully inheriting the Mudgala Purana version.

From within Buddhism, one would not really say, well, go do the whole Ganapati or Mahavidya system as it stands, but there is supposed to be a principle of common origin and keeping the best/most useful parts. In other words without stopping anyone from Ganesh twenty-nine, it just may not have been seen as important enough to retain.




it was like sheets of liquid layering over each other, not a curtain, door, or barrier like I think I expected.


Along these lines, I did not get those kind of sheets, although Ganapati did give me something that felt liquidish, a bit more like meat paste the way our tantras say that Meat is really an emulsion stuffed in an elephant suit, etc.

In standard symbolism, White Elephant Meat (https://books.google.com/books?id=-3804Ud9-4IC&pg=PA218&lpg=PA218&dq=elephant+meat+vairocana&source=bl&ots=FTCAT_MkGz&sig=ACfU3U2PIcbyXCurebfwgZMVOoOHKc5j4Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjrw8yzo9TwAhUYCc0KHUnADXoQ6AEwEHoECBcQAw#v=onepage&q=elephant%20meat%20vairocana&f=false) is Pandara.

Inner Offerings (https://ganachakra.com/2010/11/16/purity-impurity-and-inner-offerings/) brief article:

https://karmachangchubthinley.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/inner_offering.jpg




Again, half of the Inverted Stupa as the main foundry of Eka Rasa.


The sheets I felt were closer to Karma family and would probably be called Silk, although gossamer or feathery might be closer. Nice, but not something I can reproduce at will, yet.

When I looked into Meat, the main takeaways are that is is actually mixed in Vasudhara's Khay--Yogurt, and it has many variations of applications. Sometimes, everything is simply mixed in one cup. To slow it down, we are using Three Cups which are the Tri-kaya and Three Voids, and the meat goes in one of them and functions mostly as Wrathful Upaya.



According to basic Ekarasa or "One Taste", Nectars swirl counterclockwise and are the first Four Joys, Head, Throat, Heart, Navel; Meats swirl clockwise, and ascend, the second Four Joys of Navel, Heart, Throat, Head. This again is like a corkscrew or drill; the goal of the first set is Sahaja, then the rest are all Sahaja; and here, counter-rotation = reversal, same as torque.


If I do not just run with information off one source as to why Pandara is elephant meat, Akhu Gyatso (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/download/Tantra/en/Akhu%20Sherap%20Gyatso%20-%20Sacred%20Words%20of%20Lord%20Akshobya%20(Guhyasamaja%20Commentary).pdf)'s Guhyasamaja commentary reverses the polarity:


The wind-element at the base [of the entire artifice] stands for the ten primary and
secondary ‘winds’. The fire stands for ‘inner heat’; the tri-pod, ‘appearance’, ‘increased
appearance’ and ‘attainment’. The skull represents the ‘union’ and the pristine cognition of
bliss and emptiness; the five ‘meats’, the five male Buddhas; while the five ‘nectars’
represent the five female Buddhas.


In Father Tantra (Guhyasamaja, Vajrabhairava) the meats are male; most Mother tantra makes them female.

In Varuni Puja, the meats are male Buddhas, the skandhas; the female nectars are elements and delusions. Meat or Khay is the Upaya or Method, or, the emphasis in Father Tantra.

Khay is handled by a wrathful deity, and it, the Upaya or Method, is sahaja-sukhabhanda, Co-natal or Together-born Great Bliss bond. It can employ Hevajra or Bhairava, although a female is also allowed. Certain Hindu views on Bhairavi coincide with Varuni and at least "Va" syllable for amrita:

Ananda Bhairavi is defined as Sudha Devi, which is Nectar, Ambrosia, Ganges. She is Tejas and Tapas, without Himsa (injury or killing), only Ananda (Bliss). In Madya (wine) one gets drunk with the knowledge the knowledge that you are the supreme power; Matsya (fish) you are the jeeva floating in the paramatma; Mamsa (meat) you can offer yourself to Her; Mudra are her gestures and Maithuna (union) is the spiritual level using inner consciousness. Her released energy is Sundari.

She incarnates:

A Yogini is a student of Tantra, or an aspirant. A Bhairavi is one who has succeeded. The name "Bhairavi" means "Terror," or "awe-inspiring," so the one who has achieved the state of Bhairavi, is beyond the fear of death, and therefore awesome.

The meat is our "self", at least the aggregated one, and so you need a terrible Krodha Kali or someone really disturbing. They stir it up clockwise. There are different ways to do so:


In the Guhyasamaja , Hevajra, and Yamantaka Tantras the
syllables of the five nectars and five meats are derived from
their Sanskrit names. These are as follows: Vi for faeces (vit);
Ma for marrow or 'meat' ( mamsa ); Shu for semen ( shukra ) or
white bodhichitta ; Ra for blood ( rakta ); and Mu for urine
(mutra). The five great meats are similarly marked: Go or Ga
for the white cow (go); Ku or Shva for the yellow dog (kukkura, shvan ); Ha
for the red elephant (hastin); Shva for the yellow horse ( ashva ); and Na
for the blue man (nara).

So, hang on. Doesn't even match the colors in the picture. You should understand a certain approach and use it consistently.


Here is one such example of Yamantaka substance generation:

From the east comes BHRUM which is the seed syllable of Vairochana. From BHRUM becomes bull flesh and on top of that is the letter GO. All the meats that one visualises arise from seed syllables. Although they appear in the form of meats, you need to constantly remember that they are the seed syllables of the 5 Dhyani Buddhas. The letters above each type of meat (e.g. the letter GO stands above the bull flesh) are the first letter of the word for each meat. From the south comes AM the seed syllable of Ratnasambhava which becomes the flesh of a dog; from the west comes JRIM the seed syllable of Amitabha and becomes the flesh of an elephant; from the north comes KHAM (Amogasiddhi) becomes horse meat; in the centre there is a blue HUM (Akshobya) which becomes human flesh. Generating the 5 nectars: From LAM comes faeces; from MAM comes blood, from PAM comes white bodhicitta and from TAM comes bone marrow and VAM comes urine.

That format is Akshobya-centered, has Mamaki with Ratnasambhava, and ends by returning Vam to the center, which would pertain to a Vajra Family deity. The format is Vam centered, Charchika is a Bhairavi, and her Cam symbol is for the same Sahaja Sukha Bandha as the whole meat mixture is intended to be.



The meats begin as stuffed skin suits and get mixed into an emulsion with awareness of letting go of skandhas.

From the east comes BHRUM which is the seed syllable of Vairochana. From BHRUM becomes bull flesh and on top of that is the letter GO. All the meats that one visualises arise from seed syllables. Although they appear in the form of meats, you need to constantly remember that they are the seed syllables of the 5 Dhyani Buddhas. The letters above each type of meat (e.g. the letter GO stands above the bull flesh as mentioned above) are the first letter of the word for each meat. Go or Ga for the white cow (go). From the south comes AM the seed syllable of Ratnasambhava which becomes the flesh of a dog; Ku or Shva for the yellow dog (kukkura, shvan); from the west comes JRIM the seed syllable of Amitabha and becomes the flesh of an elephant, Ha for the red elephant (hastin); from the north comes KHAM (Amogasiddhi) becomes horse meat, Shva for the yellow horse ( ashva ); in the centre there is a blue HUM (Akshobya) which becomes human flesh, and Na for the blue man (nara).


We at first want to learn a method or means, Upaya, in the knowledge that increasing this echoes by the Sister classes increasing Bliss. Generally speaking the Father Tantra Increases Bliss by way of stimulation and response.

And so that is from Yamantaka, which begets Buddhist Mahalakshmi. Even if I do not attempt a full Yamantaka rite, one can train this significant underlying instruction in another way, just to Varuni--Khandaroha or an Ista Devata.

Jrim--Amitabha or Ha--Hastin is Red Elephant here. Same Family as Pandara, different or opposite action. This melts and boils Samjna Skandha. The skandha is the habit of a psychological "layer", whereas the Prajna or Wisdom is the opposite of Delusion related to the habit, the purity or not of Fire.

It is not a hard and fast rule in all tantra, but, for the purposes of Generation Stage, it seems apropos to have female = liquid and male = meat.

You make soma, liquid, and meat mixtures and combine all of this into the fourth Ah-arisen cup being the Fourth Void or Prabhasvara--not on its own plane, so much as our interface, driver, or gate to it. And so it looks like Ekarasa theory would say it is a good idea to train at this level and have Vetali or someone appropriate test the nectar you generate.



Pithesvari's syllable system is the same as that used by Yamari when he made the meat or Khay and of Vajrasattva pursuing Mahasukha related to All Families.

To use the fleshy goo, Varuni can scoop some of the meat into her mega cocktail, and Ghasmari can gobble the remainder.




Here are some Camunda-esque devis handling meat for Sri:

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/7/7/7/7778.jpg

[shaberon]

I tried to find a discrepancy wherein Tibetan Shentongpas refuted Ratnakarasanti's point pertaining to the Other-dependent or Paratantra retaining a type of existence.

I am not actually sure they were aware he made any distinction they did not hold.

The Tibetan texts however do not seem to portray descriptions of Buddha vs. Bodhisattva in order to conclude that when in a world system, Buddha is perceiving some kind of object, so the Paratantra must continue to exist and he is thereby under a slight error.


Here, even for me it is difficult to find why the reviewer of Ratnakarasanti would take what is possibly one minor point and thereby say Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara is much different or in disagreement with Tibetan Shentong.


Taranatha really seems to be distinguishing the totally false behavior of Paratantra through an ordinary mind, versus what he calls the Paratantra's ongoing existence:


the dependent as
[mental] substance


So he certainly is well off from trying to say Paratantra goes to a complete vacuum collapse. He may, in fact, be saying that from the view of absorption in Paramartha, there is no Other-dependent, but he just does not seem to address the question that Buddha can be in Paramartha and in the Mundane world simultaneously. He does seem to agree that on the Path that the Parantantra will continue in purified states.


His main point is the ideological threat of Shentong which is in replacing a totally empty Dharmadhatu:

In a way typical of the gzan ston tradition, the presentation of the perfect nature is then
combined with the tathagatagarbha theory of the Ratnagotravibhaga on
the grounds of an equation of purified suchness with the state of the
Tathagata in MSA IX.37. Finally, Taranatha comes to the conclusion
that distinguishing all phenomena on the basis of the three natures
amounts to the same as differentiating such phenomena under the aspect
of consciousness on the level of apparent truth, and the aspect of wisdom
on the level of the ultimate truth.


Here, Apparent = Laukika or Mundane, Ultimate = Lokottara or Transcendent.

Again, this is why Shentong and Jonang are relatively minor in Tibet, evidently this Ekayana or RGV view does not suit the majority view.



Other points:

One has to bear in mind that the root text, which does not make much use of the
trisvabhava terms, equates the perceived object with the imagined
nature, false imagining [Vikalpa] with the dependent nature, and the absence of
duality, or emptiness, with the perfect nature (cf. M A V 1.5).


Taranatha starts by explaining that false imagining - being consciousness
which takes the form of a perceived object and perceiving subject - only
exists on the level of apparent truth. Duality, however, does not exist at
all, since it is a pure mental creation. Thus apparent truth is free of the
two extremes of nihilism and eternalism. The first extreme is avoided by
asserting false imagining on the level of apparent truth, the second by
negating the existence of the object-subject duality.
Emptiness, equated by Taranatha with wisdom, really exists as the
true nature of phenomena in false imagining. In a state where mental
stains still prevail, false imagining also exists in relation to the true
nature of phenomena or emptiness. It is to be understood, however, that
false imagining exists only as something (ultimately) unreal (bden med
kyi ho bor yod pa). Being consciousness which consists of accidental
stains, it must be given up eventually.

The imagined [nature] is [like] the sky etc., [like] all non-entities. [It consists of]
all object-appearances such as: visible forms appearing to the [false] imagining,
[all] relations between names and things, [which arise by] clinging to names as
things and mistaking things for names, and [every] object grasped by a superimposing
intellect - outside and inside, extremes and middle, big and small, good
and bad, space and time.

The dependent [nature] is mere consciousness, which appears as the subject-object
relationship, because it appears by being dependent on something else, viz.
the habitual imprints of ignorance.

The perfect [nature] is self-awareness, clarity in its own right, free from all mental
fabrications. It is synonymous with the true nature of phenomena, the sphere of
qualities (dharmadhatu), suchness and ultimate truth.



Neither the imagined nor the dependent exist in reality: they are both deceptive
appearances, apparent truths and false. They need to be distinguished,
however, in terms of their respective features: The imagined does not
even exist on the level of apparent truth, whereas the dependent does.
The imagined exists as mere imputation, the dependent as mental
substance.


In the MAVT's presentation of three types of
emptiness (MAV III.6cd), Sthiramati says that the dependent nature is
not completely non-existent. It exists in the way it is perceived by pure
"mundane wisdom" (laukikajnana), namely wisdom acquired after
meditation.

It is only Taranatha's combination of these Yogacara elements with the tathagatagarbha
of the Ratnagotravibhaga that fully underpins gzan ston.


Interesting for us is Taranatha's final summary of the three natures.
He starts off by saying that the imagined nature is usually differentiated
into the imagined of the perceived object and the imagined of the
perceiving subject. The dependent is distinguished into impure and pure,
and the perfect into an unchangeable perfect nature and the perfect
nature constituted by unmistaken perception. In fact, the imagined
nature is only the perceived object, whereas the real perfect nature is the
unchangeable one. The perfect nature constituted by unmistaken perception
is included under the pure dependent nature. The imagined nature
of the perceiving subject is by nature the same as the dependent. Upon
careful analysis, therefore, the dependent must be included under the
imagined, and since its true nature is the perfect, all phenomena are
included under the imagined and the perfect.

The consciousness of visible form etc. does not really exist; its
true nature, however, does.


Even though there are fundamentally different interpretations in the Tibetan
traditions regarding the Ratnagotravibhaga, one can say without a doubt
that the ultimate is not self-empty (ran ston) but endowed with inseparable
supreme qualities

RGV 1.155: sunya agantukair dhatuh savinirbhagalaksanaih I asunyo 'nuttarair
dharmair avinirbhagalaksanaih I 'The Buddha element is empty of accidental
[stains], whose mark is that they can be separated. It is not empty of the supreme
qualities, whose mark is that they cannot be separated [from the Buddha
element]."



The Third Karmapa Ran byun rdo rje (1284-1339) had earlier enunciated
a similar position in his rNam par ses pa dan ye ses 'byed pa'i
bstan bcos, which represents his understanding of the Yogacara works
attributed to Maitreya. Unlike the Jonangpas, however, he does not
present dharmadhatu as wisdom when describing the transformation of
the eight types of consciousness into the four kinds of wisdoms in accordance
with the Yogacara works. Only in his final summary does Ran
byun rdo rje indicate his understanding of the dharmadhatu as one of the
five ever-present wisdoms in a gzan ston sense. In fact, it was Dol po
pa who started to use this terminology freely according to his gzan ston
interpretation of the Buddhist literature. In other words, Dol po pa and
later Taranatha took dharmadhatu or emptiness in the Yogacara works
as a kind of wisdom, and therefore felt free to call it that, a license
against which other schools reacted strongly.



I am not sure H. H. 3rd Karmapa, either, has taken the time to refute a point which he may not know Ratnakarasanti made:

Having enunciated the transformation into four kinds of wisdom and three kayas
(dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya), he explains these three kayas
of transformed consciousness as the svabhavikakaya, which rests in the dharmadhatu.
In his final summary, Ran byun rdo rje says: "The actualization of the
own-being of the five wisdoms and four kayas is Buddha-[hood]. Endowed with
the stains of the mind, intellect and consciousness, it is the alayavijnana. Free
from stains, it is called the essence of the victorious one".




also, as Sthiramati states in his introduction to the Triṃśikābhāṣya, one
of the main objectives of the Triṃśikā is to help those who do not correctly
understand cittamātra, due to their attachment to the supposed reality of
persons and phenomena, to fully realize the actuality of personal and phenomenal identitylessness in order to accomplish the true fruition of the teaching
of cittamātra.

In general, Sthiramati explains that demonstrating that phenomena do not exist permanently (that is, as having an intrinsic nature of their own) means to avoid the extreme of superimposition, while to say that
they are “mere cognizance” serves to avoid the extreme of utter denial. Thus,
there is also a difference in Yogācāra texts between mind, consciousness,
and cognizance on the one hand, and “mere mind,” and so on on the other
hand. mind or consciousness stands for the delusive activity of mental construction itself as well as the fictional reality it constructs, while “mere mind” and so on denote the realization that this supposed reality is not ultimately
real, but only the plethora of one’s own ongoing mental chatter. Thus, on the
path, what appears as one’s personal projected universe of the false duality
of subject and object is first reduced to seeing the projector of this illusory
world—one’s very own mind, called “false imagination,” “cittamātra,” or “the
other-dependent nature.” Then, once the “bare structure” of the latter without the overlay of delusional fictions (the imaginary nature) is seen, the truth of cittamātra is realized, since to realize the true nature of false imagination
or the other-dependent nature as always being free from such overlay is called
the attainment of the perfect nature, which is nothing but the nonconceptual
wisdom of seeing the ultimate essence of the other-dependent nature. This is
also the attainment of suchness, the dharmadhātu, and so on as the final true
realization of cittamātra.



I may be missing the point of contention that would separate them from Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara. They said something to the effect that:

Ratnākaraśānti follows the Madhyāntavibhāga model of the three natures differentiates him...even moreso from others gZhan-stong writers like Dol-po-pa (who hold ’od gsal to be ultimate while emphasizing the ekayāna system and the Kālacakra framework).


The Od is not other than the Parinispanna and I cannot yet see their difference in the Tri-svabhava.

[shaberon]

As a couple of grand yardsticks, the 84000 and Digital Sanskrit sites are similar but work a bit differently.

Now the first is a bunch of mostly shill links to the entire Tibetan canon, however, in a few cases it may show something interesting such as Dakarnava (https://read.84000.co/section/O1JC114941JC21412.html) "in progress".

I perhaps had different expectations of it because it says Tibetan, but, where they can, they also use Sanskrit. However, from this standpoint, the relatively brief page of publications (https://read.84000.co/section/all-translated.html) is slightly awkward due to the links using translated titles.

Among them, we can find that Pramardani is aimed at the Four Kings, and Mantranusarani more at evil minds and their vampire abilities. So the things that are on it are somewhat pliable to our knowledge of the Sanskrit versions.

There is a "Mother of Avalokiteshvara Dharani", who is not named, and is presumed to be understood as "Tara", but if so, also as pisaci--vampire--gauri as within the dharani itself:

tadyathā | ili mili | cili mili | kuntule kuntule kuntule | śire śiśire viśire | vīrāyai gauri gāndhāri drāmiṭe mātaṅgi pukkasi kaṣṭaya māṃ | caṇḍāli huttu mālini hūṁ | dhu dhu mālini | cile mile | gṛhṇa saumyadarśani | kuru candra­mukhi | laghu­mānayante ārya­dakṣiṇa­bhuje | sarvavidyānām prasādhane | sarva­vidyānām īśvari svāhā ||



Most of the library has limited Sanskrit, except for Samputa which has both, and even better they have got
Manjushri Mulakalpa (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh543.html) in English and Sanskrit.

This is a bit of a redux since I did not realize you could find it.

Although their work is quite good it does not reflect all prior research. Most of the main texts are in Nepal, but, its antiquity is much greater, having for instance been salvaged from a Hindu temple near southernmost India. And by analysis it is said to have some of the only mention of certain Persian kings or history from ca. 4th century.

So they think it may have first been "compiled" around the eighth century, but, it almost certainly came from the older Mantrayana of the south. And, we keep finding it as a source of almost any name we look up, and so we can show that, for example, Bhrkuti is at least old enough to have been recorded here.


According to the translators its magnitude is such that:

The MMK has been likened to an encyclopedia of knowledge, and the description of the audience is one of the many types of valuable information found in the MMK. The list of attendees, which includes more than 1,300 names, was possibly intended to serve as a “Who’s Who” of Buddhism, and illustrates the extent and structure of the Buddhist pantheon. The deities are listed in groups according to a hierarchical order, while the list of the Buddhist saṅgha in attendance blends the traditional with the historical in its inclusion of the names of many beings that regularly featured in Buddhist literature prior to the MMK. Its other “encyclopedic” content includes astrology (with lists and descriptions of personified astrological categories); geography; types of languages and their geographical distribution; history (presented, in the narrative context of the MMK, as prophecy), including lists of kings and accounts of historical events that emphasize the history of the Buddhist religion; types of persons based on medical categories; types of dreams; and many other subjects. Much of its main ritual content is also presented in encyclopedic format, as is seen in the descriptions of hundreds upon hundreds of different mudrā gestures, mantras, and other ritual elements arranged into categories. This encyclopedic character of the MMK is reflected in the size of the glossary accompanying this translation, which includes more than 2,000 entries.


Usnisa deities are particularly exalted.

However, when it comes to its esoteric content, the MMK itself clearly states:


“This Dharma treasury of the tathāgatas is extremely occult, as it depends in every respect on mantras. It must not be taught to those who have not received the samaya from the master, or those who do not understand the samaya. Why is this? This is because it is secret. It is an occult teaching; it is a teaching [arising from] omniscience. No beings should ever reject or take it lightly” (54.­5 ).


It surprisingly has not a single commentary.

Due to design, the Sanskrit is in one drop-down cell, but all the English is individual chapters.

So I certainly have never seen this, and half of it is going to be improper Hybrid Sanskrit, but, if I more or less asked Bhrkuti to get me here, does she have something to say?

Yes.

Now this is a Kriya tantra but it does have the clear intent of Samyaksambodhi.

So what it lacks in terms of a Pitha system with channels, etc., it probably more than makes up for with its sheer volume of "stuff".


So, a few times, her name is probably really just an adjective applied to something else, but, as what looks to be properly her, she pops up quite a few times.

She more or less spans the whole book.

By sifting her selections, we will find out something about her character, or about the scenes or patterns that MMK is built on, or both.


Close to the beginning, after what looks like a section for Vajrapani is one for Abja (Lotus) Kula, which is, a, very weird, Avalokiteshvara. As well as select standard epithets, he is also Naksatra Raja. He then seems to produce his Queen by samadhi, and she is:

tārā sutārā naṭī bhṛkuṭī • anantaṭī lokaṭī bhūmiprāpaṭī vimalaṭī sitā śvetā mahā­śvetā pāṇḍaravāsinī lokavāsinī vimalavāsinī • abjavāsinī daśa­bala­vāsinī yaśovatī bhogavatī mahā­bhogavatī • ulūkā • alūkā • amalāntakarī vimalāntakarī samantāntakarī {B11r} duḥkhāntakarī bhūtāntakarī śriyā mahā­śriyā stupaśriyā • anantaśriyā lokaśriyā vikhyātaśriyā lokamātā samanta­mātā buddhamātā bhaginī bhāgīrathī surathī rathavatī nāgadantā damanī bhūtavatī • amitā • āvalī bhogāvalī • ākarṣaṇī • adbhutā raśmī surasā suravatī pramodā dyutivatī taṭī samanta­taṭī jyotsnā somā somāvatī māyūrī mahā­māyūrī dhanavatī dhanandadā suravatī lokavatī • arciṣmatī bṛhannalā bṛhantā sughoṣā sunandā vasudā lakṣmī lakṣmīvatī rogāntikā sarvavyādhicikitsanī • asamā devī khyātikarī vaśakarī kṣiprakarī kṣemadā maṅgalā maṅgalāvahā candrā sucandrā candrāvatī ceti // 1.50 //



followed by what look like Pisacis or Gauris from Lotus Sutra and King Dhrtarastra:

ap1.­51
etaiś cānyaiś ca vidyārājñibhiḥ parṇaśavarī-jāṅgulī-mānasī-pramukhair {S11} ananta­nirhāra­dharma­dhātu­gagana­svabhāvaiḥ sattva­caryāvikurvitādhiṣṭhānasañjanitamānasaiḥ dūtadūtī ceṭaceṭī kiṅkarakiṅkarī yakṣayakṣī rākṣasarākṣasīṃ piśācapiśācī abjakulasamayānupraveśamantravicāribhiḥ yena taṃ śuddhāvāsaṃ deva­bhavanaṃ {B11v} śuddhasattvanivastaṃ tena pratyaṣṭhāt / pratiṣṭhitāś ca bhagavataḥ śākyamuneḥ pūjākarmaṇodyuktamānasā abhūvan sthitavantaḥ // 1.51 //


So Bhrkuti of 1.50 is associated with Lakshmi, Mayuri, and also Dasa Bala, which is highly in league with having Mayuri in a role with Powder of Kumari, which is also Vimala, an aspect of Katyayani and Parasol. Here you can actually find Amala and Vimala which are debatably terms for the "Ninth and Eighth Consciousnesses", but, as can be observed, in a certain sense this is simply the "Future".


Not much further along in 1.56 is Vajrabhrkuti following Vajrapani, with also Mamaki, Rupini, Vajrakamini, Vajrasrnkhala, Vajramusti, etc., and so this perhaps is Blue Bhrkuti of Tara verse fourteen.


next:


tasyāpi dakṣiṇato bhagavatī pāṇḍaravāsinī padmahastā dakṣiṇena hastena bhagavantaṃ {B38r} śākya­muniṃ vandamānā padmāsanopaniṣaṇṇā jaṭāmakuṭadhāriṇī śvetapaṭṭa vastranivastā paṭṭāṃśukottarāsaṅginī kṛṣṇabhasmatrimuṇḍī kṛtā / evaṃ tārā bhṛkuṭī svakasvakāsaneryāpathe susthitā kāryā / upariṣṭāc ca teṣāṃ bhagavatī prajñāpāramitā tathāgatalocanā • uṣṇīṣarājā ca kāryāḥ // 2.140 //



bhṛkuṭī caiva + + + mahāśriyā yaśasvinī /
sitākhyāḥ sarvamantrās tu catuḥkumāryā mahodadhau // 30.13 //




There appears to be a bridge between families:

madhye padmakule siddhir yugānte vajrakulasya tu /
praṇidhānavaśāt kecit mantrā siddhyanti sarvadā // 32.35 //

ap32.­36
avalokiteśo mañjuśrī tārā bhṛkuṭī ca yakṣarāṭ /
sarve māṇicarā yakṣā sidhyante sarvakālataḥ // 32.36 //

ap32.­37
rāgiṇo ye ca mantrādyā prayuktā sarvadaivataiḥ /
sidhyante kaliyuge kāle laukikā ye sucihnitāḥ // 32.37 //



evaṃ padmakule padmamudreṇa sahitā / mantraṃ bhavati / oṁ jiḥ jiḥ jināṅgabhṛdbhayabhedine svāhā / eṣa mantraḥ • avalokiteśvarasya bodhi­sattvasya padmamudrayā saṃyuktaṃ sarvakarmikaṃ bhavati / anena japtena sarvaṃ padmakulaṃ japtaṃ bhavati / anena siddhena sarvaṃ padmakulaṃ siddhaṃ bhavati // 37.98 //

ap37.­99
paṇḍaravāsinyā vā mahāvidyayā / mantraṃ cātra bhavati / oṁ kaṭe vikaṭe nikaṭe kaṭaṅkaṭe kaṭavikaṭakaṭaṅkaṭe svāhā / mudreṇaiva yojayet padmamudreṇa vā sarvakarmikā bhavati / rakṣā ca kartavyā sarvaśmaśānagatena // 37.99 //

ap37.­100
evaṃ tārā bhrukuṭī candrā hayagrīvasyeti vidyārājasannipātaparivarte vā ye kathitāḥ sarvam asaṅkhyaṃ cā padmakulaṃ prayoktavyam mudrāmantraiś ca kalpavistaraiḥ // 37.100 //





Lotus Family and Usnisa mantra:


vijayoṣṇīṣamantrādyāṃ padmapāṇiṃ salokitam /
avalokitanāthaṃ ca bhṛkuṭī tārāṃ yaśasvinīm // 50.14 //

ap50.­15
devīṃ ca sitavāsinyāṃ mahāśvetā yaśovatīm /
vidyāṃ bhogavatīṃ cāpi hayagrīvaś ca mantrarāṭ // 50.15 //

ap50.­16
ete hy abjakule mantrā pradhānā jinaniḥsṛtā /
ekākṣaraś cakravartī vā mantrāṇām adhipatiṃ prabhum // 50.16 /



similar:

tārāṃ ca bhṛkuṭīṃ caiva tathā paṇḍaravāsinīm /
mahāśvetāṃ tathā vidyāṃ māmakyāṃ kuliśodbhavām // 52.130 // {V449}

ap52.­131
uṣṇīṣaprabhavāṃ sarvāṃ locanāṃ caiva devatām /
sarvāṃ tathāgatīṃ vidyāṃ mañjughoṣaṃ ca dhīmatam // 52.131 //

ap52.­132
mahā­sthāmaṃ samantaṃ ca tathā padma­dharaṃ prabhum /
mayāpi loke yakṣeśaṃ bodhi­sattvaṃ maharddhikam // 52.132 //





dharmacakre tathā ramye mahābodhivane tathā /
yatrāsau bhagavān śāntiṃ niropadhiṃ ca praviṣṭavān /
tatra sādhyau • imau mantrau tārā bhṛkuṭī ca devatā // 53.812 //

ap53.­810
samudrākūle tathā nityaṃ visphūrjyāṃ saritāvare /
gaṅgātīre tu sarvatra sādhanīyābjasambhavā // 53.813 //

ap53.­811
yo 'sau bodhi­sattvas tu candranāmātha viśrutaḥ /
sa vai tāram iti proktā vidyārājñī maharddhikā // 53.814 //

ap53.­812
strīrūpadhāriṇī bhūtvā devī viceruḥ sarvato jagataḥ /
sattvānāṃ hitakāmyārthaṃ karuṇārdreṇa cetasā // 53.815 //

ap53.­813
sahāṃ ca loka­dhātusthāṃ strī•ākhyam iti vartate /
maharddhiko bodhi­sattvas tu daśabhūmyānantaraprabhuḥ // 53.816 /



Commensurately, it does mention Sitatapatra a few times, in parts unclear if it may be the similarly-named male, but, she seems to be related to Usnisa Vijaya, and, is in this apparent gloss of the Families:


sitātapatraṃ mukhyena maṇḍale tu samālikhet /
buddhānāṃ dharmacakraṃ vai padmaṃ padmakule tathā // 38.18 //

ap38.­19
vajraṃ vajrakule proktaṃ gajaṃ gajakulodbhave /
tathā maṇikule kumbhaṃ niyujyāt sarvamaṇḍale // 38.19 //

ap38.­20
divyāryau ca kulau mukhyau śrī­vatsa­svastikau likhet /
ālikhed yakṣakule śreṣṭhe phalaṃ phalajasambhavam // 38.20 //


It lacks a Karma Family, yet, because that one is busy being a Yaksa.


It also has Mayuri in what looks like a Moonlight to Gold samadhi:

āryaprajñāpāramitā•āryacandrapradīpasamādhi•āryadaśabhūmika•āryasuvarṇaprabhāsottama•āryamahā­māyūrī •āryaratnaketudhāraṇīm / {S110} eṣām anyatamānyatamaṃ vācayed yugamātrasūryapramāṇatālam /

There seems to also be a sequence of gaining yellow or gold or kanaka from the yaksas, and, in a few spots, it gives us members of some of the classes or kingdoms.


Maha Yaksis:

sulocanā subhrū sukeśā susvarā sumatī vasumatī citrākṣī pūrāṃśā guhyakā suguhyakā mekhalā sumekhalā padmoccā • abhayā • abhayadā jayā vijayā revatikā keśinī keśāntā • anilā manoharā manovatī kusumāvatī kusuma­pura­vāsinī piṅgalā hārītī vīramatī vīrā suvīrā sughorā ghoravatī surasundarī {B21r} surasā guhyottarī vaṭavāsinī • aśokā • andhārasundarī • ālokasundarī prabhāvatī • atiśayavatī rūpavatī surūpā {S21} • asitā saumyā kāṇā menā nandinī • upanandinī lokottarā ceti // 1.100 //


Maha Pisacis:

maṇḍitikā pāṃsupiśācī raudrapiśācī • ulkāpiśācī jvālāpiśācī bhasmodgirā piśitāśinī durdharā bhrāmarī mohanī tarjanī rohiṇikā govāhiṇikā lokāntikā bhasmāntikā pīluvatī bahulavatī bahulā durdāntā • elā cihnitikā dhūmāntikā dhūmā sudhūmā ceti // 1.102 //


Maha Mataras:

brahmāṇī māheśvarī vaiṣṇavī {B21v} kaumārī cāmuṇḍā vārāhī • aindrī yāmyā • āgneyā vaivasvatī lokāntakarī vāruṇī • aiśānī vāyavyā paraprāṇaharā mukhamaṇḍitikā śakunī mahā­śakunī pūtanā kaṭapūtanā skandā ceti // 1.104 //


Some pisacis have a smoky tika which is similar to how the dakini of Kashmir was described.


Yet even this mammoth tome can only manage to say "Viraj" three times:

anena vartmanā gacchan mantrarūpeṇa dehinām /
nirvāṇapuram āpnoti śāntanirjarasampadam /
aśokaṃ virajaṃ kṣemaṃ bodhiniṣṭhaṃ sadāśivam // 15.217 //


In Shiva terms, Viraj is Ardhanarisvar (https://books.google.com/books?id=8Lhd7vjtSqsC&lpg=RA1-PA274&ots=8oAhair8A8&dq=asoka%20viraj&pg=RA1-PA274#v=onepage&q=asoka%20viraj&f=false).




It comes up again with what looks like a Vicitra or Variegated Karma Family entity such as Dombi leading to Nisprapanca:


atha ca punar vicitrakarmajanito 'yaṃ lokasanniveśadeśaveṣoparataḥ śivaṃ nirjarasampadam aśokaviraja karma lokasiddhim apekṣate vimalam mārgavinirmuktam aṣṭāṅgopetasuśītalam / karma eva kurute karma nānyaṃ karmāpekṣate // 17.5 //

ap17.­6
karmākarmavinirmukto niḥprapañcaḥ sa tiṣṭhati /
tridhā yānapravṛttas tu nānyaṃ śāntim ajāyate // 17.6 //



Then again with what looks like the Skandha of that Family, Samsara, which itself pertains to Bhranta:

saṃsāracārake ruddho na ca mukto 'smi karmabhiḥ /
buddhatvaṃ virajaṃ śāntaṃ nirvāṇam acyutaṃ padam // 24.29 //

ap24.­30
samyaksambodhir labdho me cirakālābhilāṣitam /
prāpto 'smi vidhinā karmair yuktimanto 'dhunā svayam // 24.30 //

ap24.­31
prāptaḥ svāyambhuvaṃ jñānaṃ jinaiḥ pūrvadarśitam /
na taṃ paśyāmi taṃ sthānaṃ bahirmārgeṇa labhyate // 24.31 //

ap24.­32
bhrāntaḥ saṃsārakāntāre bodhikāraṇadurlabhām /
na ca prāpto mayā jñānaṃ yādṛśo 'yaṃ svayambhuvaḥ // 24.32 //



This early text has a familiar face:

namaḥ samanta­buddhānām apratihatagati pracāriṇām /
tadyathā / {B31r} oṁ śrīḥ // 2.65 //

ap2.­66
eṣā vidyā mahā­lakṣmī lokanāthais tu deśitā /
mudrā sampuṭayā yuktā mahā­rājyapradāyikā // 2.66 //



Stupa is a frequent item, evidently as the crown of Jambudvipa, however the closest it comes to a deity seems to be:

tenāpi sādhitā mantrā devī stūpamahāśriyā /
tenāpi kāritā śāstuḥ kārā sumahatī tadā /
stūpair alaṅkṛtā sarvā samudrāntā vasundharā // 53.388 /


Dharmacakra has or is followed by the other pisacis:

anyonyāsaktāṅgulimuṣṭiṃ kṛtvā madhyamāṅgulisthāne tayos tṛtīyaparvabhāge madhyakuñcite tarjany†onya† sa eṣā dharmacakramudrā / mantraṃ cātra bhavati / oṁ chinda bhinda hana daha dīptacakra hūṁ / dharmacakra // 37.88 //

ap37.­89
vāmapādamuktaka dakṣiṇajānubhūmisthaṃ vāmena pṛṣṭhataḥ prasārite prahārahastena dakṣiṇenāhuṅkṛtena sāvaṣṭambhaḥ / eṣā aparājitamudrā / mantraṃ cātra bhavati / oṁ hulu hulu caṇḍāli mātaṅgi svāhā / aparājitā dharmacakrāparājitamantraḥ / ebhir eva mudraiḥ saṃyuktaiḥ sarvakarmikā bhavati / saṃkṣepataḥ sarvaduḥkhāni chindati / yathā yathā prayujyate tathā tathā sarvakarmāṇi kurvanti // 37.89 //


Comparatively to other tantras, this places Yamantaka as the main Krodha Raja, slayer of death, etc; Vajrabhairava is in a list of descendants that passes through Amrtakundalin. It has Maha Ganapati twice.

So it is fairly replete with things that are familiar to us in other ways.

Lotus Sutra and Parasol Sutra are probably older and it seems to be drawing from these.

[Old Student]

Indeed. Again almost all of these fights and curses are metaphorical. On the simplest note, when it talks about something minor like such-and-such slew another on the battlefield, it means one star sets when another one rises.
Of course it's metaphorical, it's meant to teach something, but,...

Daksha invoked Adi Parashakti to become his daughter; she said yes, but when you insult me, I return to celestial form and disown you. Before long, this happened, then Sati burned herself and got scattered all over the place, forming the Shakti Pithas or stone temples.
...there they go again. You left out the part that the reason Sati was scattered all over the place is because her husband, Shiva, went so nutso over her corpse that he let loose on the countryside in epic destruction until people appealed to Vishnu to do something so Vishnu tore up the corpse and scattered it all over the place. Like I was saying.


Shiva formed her to defeat Mahish Asura while the devas were subjugated by asuras.
In Bengal, the Shakta believe that she was formed by many gods, and that each gave her a power, resulting in an arm, until she had ten arms, with which to become Mahishasuramardini, the demon destroyer.


Through her, one reaches the highest attainment, the lotus feet of Sri Lalitha Tripura .Sundari. Her Trinity (Tripura Sundari) is Parvati, Mahalakshmi, Sarasvati...
This is what I meant by wanting to know what the old ones, the cemetery ones were. Tripura is originally local to Assam. Some authors believe Vajrayana style tantra and cemetery tantra originated in the same place, in the East, some think possibly Kamarupa Kingdom, or Assam or Bengal. The originals were supplanted by various suppressions. The obvious case is Janguli, who became Manasa when the Sena came to power, a Hindu goddess, Manasa possibly being a Kannara word that the Sena would not question.

My current guess is an uttara/adi/supreme devi called Tripura-Sundari, and three below her, from her, called Tara, Janguli, and Matangi, as well as others, all cemetery tantrika, and all Vajrayana. But the position of Mahalakshmi is the one I'm unsure about. Those are for Bengal area/ former Pala kingdom. I think a Kali of some form being mostly 'time' and not 'black' was in Sumatra, I think that maybe Kurukulla was in Kashmir. All presumed to predate the cluster around Padmasambhava, not to mention the Naropa/Niguma/Sukhasiddhi etc. crowd.

But it's a guess. It isn't something that will be written down, it's probably well hidden when Vajrayana went underground in India at the collapse of the Pala and everybody was given a different name and put in nice dresses in clean temples.


The sheets I felt were closer to Karma family and would probably be called Silk, although gossamer or feathery might be closer. Nice, but not something I can reproduce at will, yet.
Silk might be the right thickness for my liquid sheets, maybe. But definitely different. Gossamer or feathery would blow in the wind and these wouldn't.


It is not a hard and fast rule in all tantra, but, for the purposes of Generation Stage, it seems apropos to have female = liquid and male = meat.

That's the other thing. A lot of the prospective 'originals' have a lot to do with milk in some form, which better fits Mahalakshmi than maybe Matangi, depending.

[Old Student]

The dependent [nature] is mere consciousness, which appears as the subject-object
relationship, because it appears by being dependent on something else, viz.
the habitual imprints of ignorance.

The perfect [nature] is self-awareness, clarity in its own right, free from all mental
fabrications. It is synonymous with the true nature of phenomena, the sphere of
qualities (dharmadhatu), suchness and ultimate truth.



Neither the imagined nor the dependent exist in reality: they are both deceptive
appearances, apparent truths and false. They need to be distinguished,
however, in terms of their respective features: The imagined does not
even exist on the level of apparent truth, whereas the dependent does.
The imagined exists as mere imputation, the dependent as mental
substance.
This makes some sense, there is differentiation between the types of illusory 'things'. Non-dual is what seems to be the final extinction, though, not 'emptiness' which is another dependent, if you will.


I may be missing the point of contention that would separate them from Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara. They said something to the effect that:

Ratnākaraśānti follows the Madhyāntavibhāga model of the three natures differentiates him...even more so from others gZhan-stong writers like Dol-po-pa (who hold ’od gsal to be ultimate while emphasizing the ekayāna system and the Kālacakra framework).

Does Ratnakarasanti believe the three natures are the same nature? Ekayana believe the three paths are the same path.

[Old Student]

Although their work is quite good it does not reflect all prior research. Most of the main texts are in Nepal, but, its antiquity is much greater, having for instance been salvaged from a Hindu temple near southernmost India. And by analysis it is said to have some of the only mention of certain Persian kings or history from ca. 4th century.

So they think it may have first been "compiled" around the eighth century, but, it almost certainly came from the older Mantrayana of the south. And, we keep finding it as a source of almost any name we look up, and so we can show that, for example, Bhrkuti is at least old enough to have been recorded here.
Why does it mention Persian kings?


Close to the beginning, after what looks like a section for Vajrapani is one for Abja (Lotus) Kula, which is, a, very weird, Avalokiteshvara. As well as select standard epithets, he is also Naksatra Raja. He then seems to produce his Queen by samadhi, and she is:


tārā sutārā naṭī bhṛkuṭī • anantaṭī lokaṭī bhūmiprāpaṭī vimalaṭī sitā śvetā mahā­śvetā pāṇḍaravāsinī lokavāsinī vimalavāsinī • abjavāsinī daśa­bala­vāsinī yaśovatī bhogavatī mahā­bhogavatī • ulūkā • alūkā • amalāntakarī vimalāntakarī samantāntakarī {B11r} duḥkhāntakarī bhūtāntakarī śriyā mahā­śriyā stupaśriyā • anantaśriyā lokaśriyā vikhyātaśriyā lokamātā samanta­mātā buddhamātā bhaginī bhāgīrathī surathī rathavatī nāgadantā damanī bhūtavatī • amitā • āvalī bhogāvalī • ākarṣaṇī • adbhutā raśmī surasā suravatī pramodā dyutivatī taṭī samanta­taṭī jyotsnā somā somāvatī māyūrī mahā­māyūrī dhanavatī dhanandadā suravatī lokavatī • arciṣmatī bṛhannalā bṛhantā sughoṣā sunandā vasudā lakṣmī lakṣmīvatī rogāntikā sarvavyādhicikitsanī • asamā devī khyātikarī vaśakarī kṣiprakarī kṣemadā maṅgalā maṅgalāvahā candrā sucandrā candrāvatī ceti // 1.50 //
Yikes! Even the term "everywoman" seems tame. Are these adjectival, in that they build a concept of a goddess that is like each of these, or is it that she is all of these or the power which projects each?


Comparatively to other tantras, this places Yamantaka as the main Krodha Raja, slayer of death, etc; Vajrabhairava is in a list of descendants that passes through Amrtakundalin. It has Maha Ganapati twice.

So it is fairly replete with things that are familiar to us in other ways.

Lotus Sutra and Parasol Sutra are probably older and it seems to be drawing from these.
Lotus Sutra is considered still Mahayana, though, isn't it?

[shaberon]

...there they go again. You left out the part that the reason Sati was scattered all over the place is because her husband, Shiva, went so nutso over her corpse that he let loose on the countryside in epic destruction until people appealed to Vishnu to do something so Vishnu tore up the corpse and scattered it all over the place. Like I was saying.

Well, again, different versions. Usually it was said that Shiva was weeping and so Visnu blasted the body with the Chakra so he would snap out of it.

Another excludes Visnu and I think says the body was burning and just fell apart as he walked all over India.

Either way equates to aspects of Devi becoming part of the earth, itself.

This "level" of Prajapatis, Aditis, and Ditis, is perhaps the most important factor in the Indian pantheon, or the groups most worthy of attanetion.



In Bengal, the Shakta believe that she was formed by many gods, and that each gave her a power, resulting in an arm, until she had ten arms, with which to become Mahishasuramardini, the demon destroyer.

Yes, it may have been Shiva's initiative, but this one is certainly a combination, and not the shakti of a single god.





This is what I meant by wanting to know what the old ones, the cemetery ones were. Tripura is originally local to Assam. Some authors believe Vajrayana style tantra and cemetery tantra originated in the same place, in the East, some think possibly Kamarupa Kingdom, or Assam or Bengal. The originals were supplanted by various suppressions. The obvious case is Janguli, who became Manasa when the Sena came to power, a Hindu goddess, Manasa possibly being a Kannara word that the Sena would not question.


It would be a question of what qualifies as tantra or cemetery.

Now among the Kirats, it does seem fair to say there was an Ugra Tara who took blood sacrifices, until eventually the teaching came around that it should only be symbolic, and then you are left with a similar Assamese Ugra Tara like the one we still have.

"Tantra" I would think would have to be the name of a mantra plus a visualization, and, there is probably a lot of weight in the concept of it being done well before any of it was written down.

On the other hand, just from Upanishads alone, I can generate enough energy to induce an altered state that will *force* me to see various lights, which is what I have personally done.


"Cemetery" could be the physical location or image thereof, but what makes it Vajrayana is to correspond to the Asta Vijnana of Yogacara. Kali is the most evident Smasana Vasini, since when I have no idea.


Manasa may have been a particular embodiment or incarnation, but, she was originally up there with Daksha and the Prajapatis:

Mānasādevī (मानसादेवी).—A devī born of the mind of Kaśyapa Prajāpati. She is known as Jaratkāru also.

Her Maha Mantra specifically calls her Jaratkarvyai, so, it has this understanding.


Lakshmi Narasimhi (https://www.hinduwebsite.com/prayers/lakshmi-narasimha-sthothram.asp) is a Ghora:

https://www.hinduwebsite.com/prayers/images/lakshmi-narasimha.jpg




Oddly, in Bangalore (http://myoldshoebox.com/blog/2013/3/22/exploring-bangalore-visiting-ulsoor-burial-ground), Smasana Kali's cemetery was actually called Lakshmipuram.





But the position of Mahalakshmi is the one I'm unsure about.


Mahalakshmi is Brahman and Not Brahman.

Then she is Adi Shakti as well, then not only manifests the Tri-shakti, but then later tells them to switch husbands.

Her "region" in this form is Maharastra or around Bombay.

That first line is seen by us as the most ostentatious Hindu attempt to iterate the Catuskoti in spiritual terms, in her teaching she has not only swept away any varieties of shakti, she overwhelmed the male deity and there is nothing left but her to define in terms of Nirguna and Sadguna, as well as whatever is "outside" of that...


Matangi is probably one of the oldest things as it is in Dattatreya tradition which is presumed to go back 8-9,000 years.

Mahalakshmi (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/24255/are-lakshmi-and-mahalakshmi-different-goddesses) worships Bhairava according to Abhinavaguta; and it is Pradhanika Rahasya used after Durga Saptasati which places her in the Adi Shakti role, that part I think is the same as Lakshmi Tantra.

On that page are all kinds of arguments; it is possible to interpret/associate Mahalakshmi as the same as Tripura Sundari, according to Devi Mandir (https://www.shreemaa.org/tripurasundari/):


The eighth Mahavidya is Tripurasundari, also known as Kamala. A form of Mahalakshmi,

which doesn't make sense because Kamala and Tripura are usually listed separately.

But then you can find versions that have no Kamala.

So even that is not necessarily one, exact set, which is why in the Buddhist studies or otherwise, it is really helpful to include the source.


One could dispense with personal names by calling it Prakriti:

The Prādhānika Rahasya (प्राधानिक रहस्य, “The Secret Relating to Primary Matter,” or “The Preeminent Secret”) takes as its point of departure the Brahmāstuti’s phrase “differentiating into the threefold qualities of everything”. In considering how the singular ultimate reality assumes the multiple forms of the phenomenal universe, the Prādhānika Rahasya first describes the differentiation of the guṇas as taking place within the Devī herself and remaining at the unmanifest (avyākṛta) stage.

You have told me about the different incarnations of Chandika,
Oh great among Brahmins , it is only proper that you tell me,
About the basic nature of the Goddess who is behind these.

Candi Path (http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Rahasya_Thrayam_I-_Pradhanika_Rahasyam) or Devi Mahatmya says Mahalakshmi is Parameswari, and has both Mahamaya and Mahavidya kicking along.

"Caṇḍikā is "the Goddess of Truth and Justice who came to Earth for the establishment of Dharma ," from the adjective caṇḍa, "fierce, violent, cruel for evil forces not for good forces ." The epithet has no precedent in Vedic literature and is first found in a late insertion to the Mahabharata, where Chaṇḍa and Chaṇḍī appear as epithets.

This is estimated ca. 400-600 as part of Markendya Purana.






Silk might be the right thickness for my liquid sheets, maybe. But definitely different. Gossamer or feathery would blow in the wind and these wouldn't.

Yes, the thing I felt was aerial, like gauze, and actually feels like stitching together stuff inside me, which, from a yoga view, feels blown apart. Pretty sure it was of a different nature than what you are doing, was sort of a painless needle pulling a bunch of handkerchiefs through.






That's the other thing. A lot of the prospective 'originals' have a lot to do with milk in some form, which better fits Mahalakshmi than maybe Matangi, depending.


Yes, she later sends out Lakshmi from the Ocean of Milk.

Lakshmi, Varuni, and Kaustabha, among more recognizable items. Again this story has multiple versions with different lists, but those are pretty universal.

Matangi is the Minister of Tripura Sundari, i. e., the way Tripura speaks into the world of form, another meaning of Parrot.

[shaberon]

This makes some sense, there is differentiation between the types of illusory 'things'. Non-dual is what seems to be the final extinction, though, not 'emptiness' which is another dependent, if you will.


Emptiness or purification I look at as almost synonymous, although the first is perhaps more like one's total self juxtaposed the cosmos, whereas the second is relative to individual thoughts that may arise from moment to moment.


We are not Adwaitees, and so our subject or description thereof is almost always called:


Advaya (अद्वय):—I. [tatpurusha compound] n.

(-yam) 1) Not duality, unity.

2) The identity of Brahman (n.) and the Universe or of the divine essence and the human soul; the real truth.

In Mahāvyutpatti advayam (Tibetan gñis su med pa, non-duality) is listed among paramārtha-paryāyāḥ, synonyms for the true doctrine; advayasaṃjñā udapāsi Mahāvastu i.237.14, consciousness of non-duality arose in him (so that he resolved to become a Buddha).

Advaya (अद्वय) refers to “non-duality”, According to Vajrayāna or Tibetan Buddhism.—The Bodhi mind (bodhicitta) is of the nature of Śūnya and the deity is a manifestation of Śūnya and, therefore, both have the same origin. But to realise that the two are the same requires perfect knowledge. Continuous meditation and austerities enable the worshipper to shed the veil of ignorance which makes one thing appear as two. The Bodhi mind is further called Karuṇā (compassion) and the ultimate reality as Śūnyatā, and when the two commingle, it is called Advaya or non-duality.

As copper leaves its dirty colour (and become gold) when it comes in contact with the magic tincture (of alchemy), even so, the body leaves off its attachment, hatred, etc. when it comes in contact with the tincture of Advaya. This Advaya is a form of cognition where the Bodhi mind (bodhicitta) commingles with Śūnya and becomes one with it. To symbolize this principle Vajrayāna brought in the conception of the Yab-yum form of deities in which the deity appears locked in close embrace with his Śakti or the female counterpart.


"Final" perhaps only has one meaning, Final Samadhi.

From Rangjung Yeshe Wiki:

Adamantine, Concentration called (Vajropamo nama samadhih, rdo rje lta bu zhes bya ba'i ting nge 'dzin). The concentration in which Liberation or the Enlightenment of a Buddha is attained. Called 'destroyer of hostile forces' (para-sainya-pramardin) since it eliminates the last obstructions.


The Nyingma recollect Mipham as having it, although this would show Vajrapamo as a quality or caliber and not Final:

At the age of fifteen, he came across an ancient text of the Svarodaya that deeply inspired him. In consequence, he went on a retreat, meditating on Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, for over a year, at the hermitage of Ju-nyung. In conjunction with his meditations, while in retreat, he effected certain alchemical operations for the production of a "pill" (ril-bu'I las-sbyor), with the result that he succeeded in awakening certain of his dormant psychic faculties. After that, it is said that he was able to master any subject of study with the least possible effort. From that point on he demonstrated not only a phenomenal memory, but the exceptional ability to comprehend any book placed before him, merely by flipping through its content at high speed.

When he was seventeen, Mipham Namgyal travelled to Golok, which is in the far northeastern region of Tibet, towards the Chinese border. This move began a life of travel for him.

At the age of eighteen he went on a pilgrimage to central Tibet and visited all the holy places of Padmasambhava. From about this time he acquired renown amongst his peers as a mathematical (sa-ris) prodigy — someone who, when presented with even the most difficult of numerical equations, was capable of giving correct answers almost instantly. Thanks to his maternal uncle's support, he attended the monastic college of Ganden for a month of intense learning. Following that, he travelled to several devotional places in the region of Lhodrak Karchur, where his spiritual sensitivity was brought to an extreme pitch. At one point, while caught up in an act of devotion, he was so carried away that all ordinary appearances dissolved completely and he found himself absorbed into the supreme vajrapamo-samadhi of bliss and emptiness. This is said to be the moment that initial enlightenment dawned for him. He also came to the intuitive realization of himself as White Manjusri. These facts, however, he kept secret and, out of pure humility, did not reveal during his lifetime, except to a few of his most intimate disciples.


Vajrapamo (https://books.google.com/books?id=DchpBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PA354&ots=ao5zPIVUe6&dq=vajrapamo%20samadhi&pg=PA354#v=onepage&q=vajrapamo%20samadhi&f=false) is also compared to the most formless dhyana.

Parasainya (http://www.samadhi.lv/Main/1108BagalamukhiV%C4%81rdi) is a name of Baghalamukhi. By correspondence, Pramardani of the Pancha Raksa is nearly the same. So this is like saying the wrathful side, something is stopped or destroyed, whereas Vajra Pamo (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pamo) if "female deity or heroine" inherits directly from pre-Buddhist Bhutanese Shamanism.





Does Ratnakarasanti believe the three natures are the same nature? Ekayana believe the three paths are the same path.

No, I think he said virtually the same thing, Parikalpita is not real to begin with, Paratantra is real with respect to Laukika, Mundane, or Conventional Truth, but only Ultimate Truth or Paramartha or Parinispanna is absolutely real.

Whatever Vasubandhu put in the original was a lot more difficult to read.



Ekayana says the Buddha Nature is available to the Mahayana, the Hinayana, and the Sravaka, or perhaps more importantly that we should act as if it is so. And this would still be the impulse of 84000--a path for any minor nadi that peaked in you first.



Going back to the abstract of the thesis, this point that the guy suggests deviates Ratnakarasanti from Shentong is mainly the slightly-erroneous Paratantra experienced by Buddhas in Pure Mundane Consciousness:


Ratnākaraśānti’s Sāratamā sought to replace his teacher’s Yogācāra-Mādhyamika framework with a causal explanation of Prajñāpāramitā through redefining the term Prajñāpāramitā as the path to awakening, rather than its goal. By unpacking that causal explanation in light of his broader system, the thesis demonstrates the way that Ratnākaraśānti’s own version of Nirākāravādin-Yogācāra-Mādhyamika refutes cognitive images (ākāra) as unreal ultimately, but claims they are still perceived by buddhas out of compassion. This conclusion debunks the long-standing theory that Ratnākaraśānti was an Indian proponent of the controversial Tibetan gZhan-stong despite later gZhan-stong propon-ents’ attempts to claim him as their own.


Again I am not yet sure that either Taranatha or H. H. Rangjung Dorje even addressed this point. But so far they seem to be saying that Paratantra still has a minor existence even when Parikalpita is purified.

I am not sure this one point would constitute a different school.

I do not know if it is in the Sutras or Tantras or if it was just the logical conclusion from heavily examining the Three Natures.

When he says that Prajnaparamita is accessible as the Path, this is about the same as Ekayana, rather than positioning Buddhahood as an inconceivable goal, it is Bodhisattvahood in the present moment.

That is perhaps a much bigger "change of schools" from other presentations, versus what he calls trivial or needless quarrels within the branches that are practicing Prajnaparamita.

If the minor point is about what a Buddha "is", and, we are really more interested in "how he got there", then Ratnakarasanti is probably more relevant than he is a "non-proponent" or would have opposed Dolpopa, etc.

Because we do accept Svasamvedana and the value of Complete Manifest Buddha, this, at least, prevents the error of permanent dissolution into completely-still nirvana, and since that makes an Image, it would seem to require Paratantra, which is described generally as Luminosity and non-local realization of Suchness when done properly, which again is much like the tantric Second Void.

[shaberon]

Why does it mention Persian kings?


I do not know why.

I got that tidbit a couple years ago just trying to get any general information about MMK, and I think it came from a guy who was just looking for history and found it there.



Are these adjectival, in that they build a concept of a goddess that is like each of these, or is it that she is all of these or the power which projects each?

I think that one may be like a 108 Names, since, unquestionably, Bhrkuti is a Nirmanakaya of Pandaravasini.

Wisdom Library seems to think names like Sutara and Nati are each audience members.

The translation says:

He [Sakyamuni] dwelt with these and with other vidyārājas, headed by Abjoṣṇīṣa, who had attained the samādhis arising from the infinite accomplishment, the Cloud of Dharma, and who were surrounded by many hundreds of thousands of millions of vidyās and many vidyārājñīs created through the form-samādhi of the lord of the world. These vidyārājñīs were...

Tara, Bhrkuti, etc.

These and other vidyārājñīs, headed by Parṇaśavarī, Jāṅgulī, and Mānasī, whose accomplishment is limitless, who have the nature of the space of the sphere of phenomena, and whose mental states arise due to the presence of the bodhisattva conduct and marvels‍—the dūtas and dūtīs, ceṭas and ceṭīs, kiṃkaras and kiṃkarīs, yakṣas and yakṣiṇīs, rākṣasas and rākṣasīs, and piśācas and piśācīs who have taken the samaya vows of the Lotus family and perform the mantra practice‍—also dwelt in the gods’ realm of the Pure Abode inhabited by pure beings. Staying there, they remained wholly preoccupied with acts of worship of Lord Śākyamuni.


So, no, it is not a rosary as such, they are a "they".

Vajrapani summons his own retinue, which includes Vajrabhrkuti, Vajrashrnkhala, etc.



Lotus Sutra is considered still Mahayana, though, isn't it?

Yes, Lotus or Saddharmapundarika, Sat Dharma White Lotus.

Thought to have been completed ca. 150.

According to Wiki:

This Lotus Sūtra is known for its extensive instruction on the concept and usage of skillful means – (Sanskrit: upāya, Japanese: hōben), the seventh paramita or perfection of a Bodhisattva – mostly in the form of parables. The many 'skillful' or 'expedient' means and the "three vehicles" are revealed to all be part of the One Vehicle (Ekayāna), which is also the Bodhisattva path. This is also one of the first sutras to use the term Mahāyāna, or "Great Vehicle".

The One Vehicle doctrine defines the enlightenment of a Buddha (anuttara samyak sambhodi) as the ultimative goal and the sutra predicts that all those who hear the Dharma will eventually achieve this goal.

Although the term buddha-nature (buddhadhatu) is not mentioned once in the Lotus Sutra, Japanese scholars Hajime Nakamura and Akira Hirakawa suggest that the concept is implicitly present in the text. Vasubandhu (fl. 4th to 5th century CE), an influential scholar monk from Ghandara, interpreted the Lotus Sutra as a teaching of buddha-nature and later commentaries tended to adopt this view.

Another key concept introduced by the Lotus Sūtra is the idea of the eternal Buddha, who achieved enlightenment innumerable eons ago, but remains in the world to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. The life span of this primordial Buddha is beyond imagination, his biography and his apparent death are portrayed as skillful means to teach sentient beings.

Crucially, not only are there multiple Buddhas in this view, but an infinite stream of Buddhas extending infinitely in space in the ten directions and through unquantifiable eons of time.


I do not know much about it, except Dhrtarastra gives a dharani using Pisacis--Gauris including Janguli.

This is the oldest written way I have been able to track them down that I know of.

But that is a mirror of one of the Pancha Raksa being about Four Kings and the next about pisacis.

If there were 600 years between Lotus Sutra and MMK each saying "Janguli" one time, could it be that there is more to it than this scant written evidence?

Well, there might have been, considering she did not come from this book to begin with. She may not be from a book whatsoever, but, instead, entering them.

Surangama Sutra has no written record anywhere near that old, but it is the presence of Matangi which suggests it may be based on something older than it looks. In it, the Buddha also comments that the Śūraṅgama Samādhi additionally goes under several other names, specifically Prajñāpāramitā ("Perfection of Wisdom"), the Vajra Samādhi ("Diamond Samadhi"), the Siṃhanāda Samādhi ("Lion's Roar Samādhi"), and the Buddhasvabhāva ("Buddha-nature").

Here, you have Lion's Roar, whereas the highest class of Samadhi is called Lion's Sport.

On a Sutra basis, Parasol is fist-in-glove with Prajnaparamita.

Does Lotus Sutra have a Buddha Svabhava?

[Old Student]

Now among the Kirats, it does seem fair to say there was an Ugra Tara who took blood sacrifices, until eventually the teaching came around that it should only be symbolic, and then you are left with a similar Assamese Ugra Tara like the one we still have.
They still do blood sacrifices at Tarapith.

My feeling (still a feeling but there seems to be some Indian support for it) is that these were the blood and cemetery deities when they were in early Pala era Vajrayana, where they split between a kind of High and Low tantra, and when the Sena came in as the Buddhist world collapsed, many went into being Hindu goddesses, some with name changes. Some of the Low tantra survived, but the High tantra was more amenable to political power so it was more popular where it went from there, and there were also all the reform movements after the collapse. This guy (https://drambedkarbooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/decline-and-fall-of-buddhism-by-dr-k-jamnadas.pdf) is not totally an expert, but the gist of what he says is not completely wrong, and he espouses the kind of high and low view, with the "Siddhas" of the origins of tantra being of low caste, and Buddhist.

Dr. Suniti Bhushan Qanungo, who wrote the comprehensive 2 volume History of Chittagong, also espouses a Buddhist substrate converted over to Hinduism rather than the handed down notion that all originated from Hinduism and only ever went to Buddhism not from it. (His books are on Scribd).


It would be a question of what qualifies as tantra or cemetery.
It's more of what qualifies as old. The feeling here is that what we see for tantra or for Vajrayana now is like one of those kitch paintings that sits over the stove for years until the neighbor's kid knocks it off the wall trying to steal a cookie and you discover there's another painting underneath by a Dutch Master.


"Cemetery" could be the physical location or image thereof, but what makes it Vajrayana is to correspond to the Asta Vijnana of Yogacara. Kali is the most evident Smasana Vasini, since when I have no idea.

Cemetery is at least half of all of the original Buddhism, what makes it Tantra and eventually Vajrayana was probably shakti originally and visualization later.


On that page are all kinds of arguments; it is possible to interpret/associate Mahalakshmi as the same as Tripura Sundari, according to Devi Mandir:
That works, but leaves open what a triumvirate of shakti deities looks like before the Buddhist collapse.


Candi Path or Devi Mahatmya says Mahalakshmi is Parameswari, and has both Mahamaya and Mahavidya kicking along.

This would be the same Candi Path recited during Durgapuja?


Yes, the thing I felt was aerial, like gauze, and actually feels like stitching together stuff inside me, which, from a yoga view, feels blown apart. Pretty sure it was of a different nature than what you are doing, was sort of a painless needle pulling a bunch of handkerchiefs through.
That sounds interesting.


Matangi is the Minister of Tripura Sundari, i. e., the way Tripura speaks into the world of form, another meaning of Parrot.
My feeling that Matangi is one of the old ones is from identifying her in one of my shakings. But in a role that all of the myths ascribe to Tara.

[Old Student]

Advaya (अद्वय) refers to “non-duality”
A-dvaya is literally "non-duality".


para-sainya-pramardin
Literally,
para 'other'
sainya 'army' or 'battalion'
pramardin --> mardin 'destroyer' from marda 'to destroy'


So this is like saying the wrathful side, something is stopped or destroyed, whereas Vajra Pamo if "female deity or heroine" inherits directly from pre-Buddhist Bhutanese Shamanism.
This looks like a mixture of Sanskrit and local, or BHS (Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit). I can't find 'pamo' except as the Bhutanese meaning you have. Very interesting, in light of the 'old' Vajrayana I was talking about.

The Srivijayan kings were Vajrayana, they were benefactors at Nalanda and elsewhere. They asserted control of the Nagas as part of their coronations -- (this is why I'm mentioning it) they had to envision the Nagas as snakes with lightning bolts on their hoods. It was visiting there (Suvarnadvipa) that Atish Dipankar was initiated into Kalachakra. Rounding out the thought, when Anawrahta ordered the reforms of Buddhism in Pagan following the Buddhist Collapse, they brought in Theravada from Sri Lanka and ordered the Ari priests killed, and books burned, save four. Kalachakra was among them. That was the conversion point for Southeast Asia becoming Theravadin.


I am not sure this one point would constitute a different school.
It would depend on whether they saw it as important. The original division between Hinayana and Mahayana in terms of behavior that split them into schools that did not teach each other's path, was that naturally dead meat (not killed) was considered impure by Hinayana but not by Mahayana. Until then, your guru decided which one you would espouse based on your personality.







(as in Mahisasuramardini (female) demon destroyer, a name of Durga)

[Old Student]

These vidyārājñīs were...

Tara, Bhrkuti, etc.
Ah, okay. There's a lot of that in the Avatamsaka but since Cleary translates every name, it's impossible to see it as a list like that.


If there were 600 years between Lotus Sutra and MMK each saying "Janguli" one time, could it be that there is more to it than this scant written evidence?

Well, there might have been, considering she did not come from this book to begin with. She may not be from a book whatsoever, but, instead, entering them.
She is almost certainly from Jangula (pronounced Jongul in Bengali) Jungle.


Surangama Sutra has no written record anywhere near that old, but it is the presence of Matangi which suggests it may be based on something older than it looks. In it, the Buddha also comments that the Śūraṅgama Samādhi additionally goes under several other names, specifically Prajñāpāramitā ("Perfection of Wisdom"), the Vajra Samādhi ("Diamond Samadhi"), the Siṃhanāda Samādhi ("Lion's Roar Samādhi"), and the Buddhasvabhāva ("Buddha-nature").
Vajra Samadhi? As in Vajrapamo Samadhi maybe?

[shaberon]

I think I went over the same issue before, what might be a non-Kali early cemetery goddess.


I have got the Sutras mistaken because the Gauris spell in Lotus Sutra is in
Chapter XXI (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh113.html) with different names. Janguli is not there.


Being a major Sutra, it was translated as early as 1884 (https://quod.lib.umich.edu/g/genpub/1922707.0021.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext) supervised by the same Max Muller that Koothoomi says "what have you done to our philosophy".

We are able to get a note that there were slightly different formats and then adding the following:

Gauri, Kandalika, Matangi are known
from elsewhere as epithets of Durga; Pukkasi and Vrishali denote
nearly the same as Kandali and Matangi.


Vrsali is low caste, but I do not see it defined as a Yogini even in MMK.

As to the other comparison, Candali is used in Vajramrita Tantra; with the ending -ka it is Durga, and with the prefix Ucchista it is Sumukhi Matangi.

note:

Vedic caṇḍāla) a man of a certain low tribe, one of the low classes, an outcaste; grouped with others under nīcā kulā (low born clans) as caṇḍālā nesādā veṇā rathakārā pukkusā at A. I, 107=II. 85=Pug. 51. As caṇḍāla-pukkusā with the four recognized grades of society (see jāti & khattiya) at A. I, 162.—Vin. IV, 6; M. II, 152; S. V, 168 sq. (°vaṃsa).



So, just as a word, candali and pukkasi are pretty close for who knows how long.

I am not sure when "candali" may have first been applied to a person of magic or yogic ability, or been considered an entity, let alone a tantric Gauri.

As to the other, one can find attribution as some kind of presence in Nepal (https://www.nekhor.org/padmasambhava/nepal/boudha):


A shrine dedicated to the protectress of the Lhudrup Tsek charnel ground, Pukkasi, is built into the Jarung Kashor Stupa’s northern wall. Ganachakra feast-offerings and pujas are frequently held at this shrine. Pukkasi is also considered by locals to be Hariti or Ajima, a wild, much-feared yakshini who was reputed to devour children—until she was tamed by the Buddha and became a protector of the Dharma. The most famous shrine to Hariti in Kathmandu is located next to the Swayambhu Stupa.


In Lotus Sutra, Hariti is called a Raksasi, but after that, usually a Yakshi. In Maha Mayuri Sutra, Candali is a Raksasi 243.34.

There is a Candalini in the Tantrasara of Abhinavagupta. But there isn't anything that seems to grab the proper name as having anything to do with any cemetery or any Hindu practice before this, other than how or where it means Durga.

Caṇḍālikā (चण्डालिका).—f.

(-kā) 1. A common lute. 2. A name of the goddess Durga. 3. A plant. E. caṇḍāla, and ikan affix; or caṇḍa a demon, &c. ālī a line or troop, and kan affix; hence also caṇḍālikā.

in the German we can find:

kiṃnarī [Medinīkoṣa k. 188.] = kandarā [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 12.]


So she, perhaps, is a Kimnari in whatever reference that is, and, similar to the next name, Gandhari.



It has also been said that Parnasabari "is called" Pukkasi.

Pukkasi does, for whatever reason, also mean "indigo", and is usually blue.

There is a Tibetan Offering to Matrika Pukkasi (https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/dudjom-rinpoche/brief-offering-to-protectress-of-jarung-kashor) of Lhudrup Tsek, which must have been written in the twentieth century.


Why exactly a name like this would be bundled with Gauri makes little sense. Gauri may be Ganga's sister, or:

1c) The wife of Virāja;1 son, Sudhāma.2

1) Vāyu-purāṇa 28. 12.
2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 11. 14.


or:

Gauri (गौरि, “the fair one”):—Another name for Vāruṇī, the elder of two wifes of Varuṇa, who is the presiding deity of the invisible world and represents the inner reality of things. Vāruṇī is known as the Goddess of liquor. She is also known as Gauri.

or:

Gaurī (गौरी): Gaurī or Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity; she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. An aspect of Devi, Dākshāyani is the consort of Shiva.

or others which all have to do with brilliant, fair, melodious, etc., until you get to Buddhism and then she and they are violent.

It seems to have no precursor or any corresponding meaning. Gandhari arguably does since she cursed Krishna and is thereby more or less personally responsible for the Kali Yug.



The Gauris are a rather strange group. Arguably it has Durga and Parvati in Pisaci form. Again to say it means an evil mind which drains life force from others is a good idea, because, to us, it means we are that mind killing everything around us and we are trying to flip the polarity there.

Nepal has Eight Ajimas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajima) in the claim that Newar society was originally matriarchal, and these were the most respected deities then.

Ajima means "Grandmother mother" and connotes one's female ancestors, or, at least those of a Newar subject to Shakta.


There is a Hindu reflection of Pukkasi (http://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=The_Indian_Buddhist_Darani._An_Introduction_to_its_History,_Meanings_and_Functions):

The Saiva Mahaganapatividya includes a long mantra invoking Ucchusma and the female consorts of Canda (Candali), Matanga (Matangi), and the goddesses Pukkasi and Camundi.

This is completely current:

Initiation in Kadi Panchadashi Vidya along with Sri Bala Sundari & Sri Maha Ganapati Vidya ..
After initiation, 9 levels of practice in Sri Vidya Mantra Sadhana, Mudra Vidhi, Sri Yantra Puja, and Pancha Makara Sadhana will be taught gradually in sequence. Initiation will be given in Kaula path in Kashmir Krama lineage of Tripurasundari which was carried by likes of Sri Abhinavagupta, writer of Tantraloka .



Much like Buddhist Vajrasattva, Mahaganapati is a Mahavidya (https://www.kamakotimandali.com/2021/03/26/mahaganapati-murti-vaibhava/) that must be done before other Vidyas. In one version, his consort is Siddhalakshmi (http://srividyatantra.blogspot.com/2012/09/sri-mahaganapathi-mantra-meditation.html).


Pukkasi mantra (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jeb1947/2001/207/2001_207_L23/_pdf) in Chakrasamvara.



According to myth, Hārītī was originally a rākṣasī of Rajgir at the same time that Gautama Buddha also lived there.

Because she is in Lotus Sutra, she is revered in Japan, and her figurine was found at Peiping.

First century Buddhist Gandharan Hariti with Hamsa--Goose at The Met (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/38221):

https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/38221/180171/main-image








It has been argued that when Buddhism reached Gandahar or Bactria, it promoted this converted Hariti, who was still considered an ogress there.

Near the end of a long Hariti slide show (https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/from-demoness-to-deity-hariti-in-art-and-familial-traditions-american-institute-of-indian-studies/-QLS8A221T6bLA?hl=en), she is called Abhirati, which is Akshobhya's Pure Land. It also has a very old Yakshi Asvamukhi.

I just see her in Twenty-one in the list of Raksasis including Kesini, Acala, and Kunti, who is actually considered the chieftess. However it says "Hariti with her children" so the Sutra knows who she is.

That one protects your head by making an enemy's head explode into seven pieces.

At the age of this Sutra, you already have the principle of converted Raksasis, and if so that is because Buddha did it. Given the location, it is perhaps possible to say that Hariti "at home" was not affected, but it was her local aspects, Ajima and Pukkasi.


My memory was half right, there is a version with more chapters which tells us Heavenly King Upholder of the Nation, a leader of Gandharvas, pronounces the following spell, a protection dharani:

agane gane ghori gandhari chandali matangi janguli vrunasi agasti.

Heavenly King Upholder of the Nation is actually Dhritarashtra. According to the Kumarajiva translation of the Lotus Sutra, it is Dhritarashtra who offers dharanis in chapter twenty-six for the benefit of the teachers of the Lotus Sutra. So he is the main spell caster there. In Mahabharata, he and Gandhari are the parents of a hundred Kauravas. And he is generally considered the leader of Gandharvas.


In that version, Janguli over-wrote Pukkasi.

This is to say it is a Nama Mantra where probably "agane gane" are the only words not names.

The Pukkasi prayer says she was tamed by Heruka and that she is a Vajrayogini and Yumchen ma and has many forms, a retinue of thousands, and is fit for Bali, Tsok, and Inner Offering.

Pukkasi and Hariti both continue in the tantras but in different ways. And the Nyingma Gauris (https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/jigme-lingpa/descent-blessings-eight-vidyadharas) are almost the same as Dakini Jala's, except they have changed one to Smasani (Sarma changes two, to Sabari and Dombi). So Pukkasi is present in that litany of Cemeteries which explains itself:


བདག་མེད་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཧེ་རུ་ཀས། །

dakmé dorjé heruké

When the heruka of the view of selflessness

གཟུང་འཛིན་རུ་ཏྲ་བསྒྲལ་བའི་ཚེ། །

zungdzin rudra dralwé tsé

Liberated the rudra of duality

ཚོགས་བརྒྱད་དག་པའི་དུར་ཁྲོད་བྱུང་། །

tsok gyé dakpé durtrö jung

The eight pure consciousnesses arose as charnel grounds.



I am not aware that there is any kind of a written suggestion anything like this prior to Lotus Sutra, and we are left with something like:

Buddha--Hariti--Sutra

Heruka--Pukkasi--Tantra

And it is hard to say about the Newari Ajima or Bhutanese Pamo.

[Old Student]

As to the other comparison, Candali is used in Vajramrita Tantra; with the ending -ka it is Durga, and with the prefix Ucchista it is Sumukhi Matangi.

note:

Vedic caṇḍāla) a man of a certain low tribe, one of the low classes, an outcaste; grouped with others under nīcā kulā (low born clans) as caṇḍālā nesādā veṇā rathakārā pukkusā at A. I, 107=II. 85=Pug. 51. As caṇḍāla-pukkusā with the four recognized grades of society (see jāti & khattiya) at A. I, 162.—Vin. IV, 6; M. II, 152; S. V, 168 sq. (°vaṃsa).

So, just as a word, candali and pukkasi are pretty close for who knows how long.

I am not sure when "candali" may have first been applied to a person of magic or yogic ability, or been considered an entity, let alone a tantric Gauri.

Several things to note:

1) The difference (technical) between candali and candalika is that the former is a noun and the latter an adjective which may be used as a noun (see below quote, where they define 'Chandalika' as 'The Wretched' using an English adjective as a noun identically.

2) Candalika is also the word used for a woman who renounces society and lives in hermitage. That in itself, if some of those women were tantrikas as well, may have given rise to the notion of a candalika having magical powers, cf. the number of European stories as well about female hermits being 'witches' who cast spells.



In Chandalika, Tagore interfaces Love's manifold forms creating a conflict verging on violence. The characters' names - Prakriti, Mother and Ananda - are unmistakable symbols unraveling the action of the play. Prakriti (lit. 'Nature,' 'innate human nature') catalyzes the conflict. In Vedic cosmology Prakriti is the female principle (Purusha being the male), one of the two elements of life. Mother, with her power of casting spell, is the primordial Earth. Appropriately, she is called Maya ('Illusion') in the Bengali version of the play. She is "matter" overpowering the "spirit" personified by monk Ananda ('Bliss,' 'Joy') who was also a close disciple of the historical Buddha. Ananda is also a component of the Vedic cosmic principle, Satchitananda (the Absolute): Sat (Truth) Chit (Consciousness), Ananda (Bliss). The conflict between the two spells - material and spiritual--and Prakriti's resultant remorse at the end of the play aptly underscores the literal meaning of the title "Chandalika" (lit. 'The wretched,' also a term for the lowly untouchables.)

Not sure I can agree with one of the derivations -- I looked and candala as a root is different than canda (which is fierce or violent), candalika comes from candala or candali, but have trouble seeing it come from canda or candi. The lute is yet another of the sitar like instruments, and probably accounts for the connection to the kinnara.

I do remember you going extensively into the Gauri. This does seem like a 'lead' to me, and one also wonders if they had any patronage to the Pala-era city of Gaura.

Janguli is kind of a given. She disappears when the Pala are overthrown, and the same locales that worshiped her begin worshiping Manasa.


It has been argued that when Buddhism reached Gandahar or Bactria, it promoted this converted Hariti, who was still considered an ogress there.
This is because she was already in Bactria probably, being Persian and Greco/Roman in origin (or more probably Bactrian). She archaeologically comes to Buddhism via the Kushan, whose art and artifacts are frequently labeled Gandharan because of Purushpur, which is close to Gandhara but was Kushan during Kanishka (in fact was called Kanishkapur then).

[shaberon]

They still do blood sacrifices at Tarapith.


Yes, probably still in Nepal too. Not everybody agreed to a symbolic version.



with the "Siddhas" of the origins of tantra being of low caste, and Buddhist.


Many were, others were not. Yes I think that is part of the deal, from a spiritual perspective none are excluded due to caste. Buddha's personal objection to Hindu practices was mainly over Karma Kanda, the hundred of routines and acts of ritual cleanliness one is supposed to do, constantly, I suppose.


...a Buddhist substrate converted over to Hinduism rather than the handed down notion that all originated from Hinduism and only ever went to Buddhism not from it.

Probably a cross-current. Even so, there is the claim that the good and true parts of Hinduism were delivered by Manjushri.

I don't know if he really did or didn't, but I think we could say there are aspects of Buddhist practice which are not present in Hinduism. Then perhaps more likely that at least a bit of Hinduism is a copy, such as Tara crowned by Akshobhya, even if those were originally Hindu terms, the combination and its meaning is Buddhist.





It's more of what qualifies as old. The feeling here is that what we see for tantra or for Vajrayana now is like one of those kitch paintings that sits over the stove for years until the neighbor's kid knocks it off the wall trying to steal a cookie and you discover there's another painting underneath by a Dutch Master.

Haha, that's...oddly similar to things that actually happen.

Kali is such a widespread name there is almost no way to track it, but, one of the definitions tells us:

Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation of evil forces still has some influence.

In other words, it was just Durga or Candi "related to Time".


Cemetery, per se, is nothing new:

Śmaśāna (श्मशान) is the name of the ‘burial mound’ in which the bones of the dead man were laid to rest (cf. Anagniidagdha). It is mentioned in the Atharvaveda, and often later.

Atharva Veda may be the oldest source of weird things.


But if we look for sources of it being someone or something to do:

Śmaśāna (श्मशान) refers to one who “resides in the cremation ground”, and is used by Satī to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.29.

Sounds old, claims to come from a 100,00+ verse original, and attempts to trace it to the tenth century do not withstand carbon dating.

There is Tumburu with Matrikas in Yoga Vasistha (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/yoga-vasistha-english/d/doc118562.html), evidently by Valmiki, which would make it rather old, as an attribution, as it can only be said the author was Vasistha. It involves Rama, in fact is set prior to the Ramayana events, probably has Upanishadic inspiration, but "the surviving text mentions Vijnanavada and Madhyamika schools of Buddhism by name, suggesting that the corresponding sections were composed after those schools were established, or about 5th-century."





Cemetery is at least half of all of the original Buddhism, what makes it Tantra and eventually Vajrayana was probably shakti originally and visualization later.


I am unaware of how it takes place in original or Pali canon Buddhism.

Asta Vijnana is part of the Mahayana Sutras, ca. year 300.

According to Gareth Sparham,

The ālaya-vijñāna doctrine arose on the Indian subcontinent about one thousand years before Tsong kha pa. It gained its place in a distinctly Yogācāra system over a period of some three hundred years stretching from 100 to 400 C.E., culminating in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, a short text by Asaṅga (circa 350), setting out a systematic presentation of the ālaya-vijñāna doctrine developed over the previous centuries. It is the doctrine found in this text in particular that Tsong kha pa, in his Ocean of Eloquence, treats as having been revealed in toto by the Buddha and transmitted to suffering humanity through the Yogācāra founding saints (Tib. shing rta srol byed): Maitreya[-nātha], Asaṅga, and Vasubandhu.

Six consciousnesses and Klesha or karmic tendencies are in the Pali:

The Theravāda theory of the bhavaṅga may also be a forerunner of the ālāyavijñana theory. Vasubandhu cites the bhavaṅgavijñāna of the Sinhalese school (Tāmraparṇīyanikāya) as a forerunner of the ālāyavijñāna.





This would be the same Candi Path recited during Durgapuja?


Yes, same one, says Mahalakshmi is behind them all, with Mahasarasvati and Mahakali in her trinity.

I doubt they mention that at Navadurga, etc., but that is what it says. And this added part was "probably" fifth or sixth century.






My feeling that Matangi is one of the old ones is from identifying her in one of my shakings. But in a role that all of the myths ascribe to Tara.

They are pretty similar, and Matangi has several forms, but none of them are Ghoras, she may be low-class but yet is Raja Rajeshwari, which some claim is Kali.

Matangi is often named as the ninth Mahavidya. A list contained within the prose of the Mundamala equates Vishnu's ten avatars with the ten Mahavidyas. The Buddha is equated to Matangi.

There is a pretty strong tendency to call Buddha an avatar of Visnu, which is not accepted by any Buddhists that I know of, and we can only suggest the ninth was Mohini.

Mataṅga (मतङ्ग).—A preceptor. He was the guru of Śabarī. (Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa)

A son of Matanga, and a sage; his wife Siddhimatī gave birth to Laghuśyāmā or Mātaṅgī.

He was a Brahmin but son of a candala.

It is the same one as in Buddhism, but here, we might ask again if "Buddhist Ramayana" refers to the historical epoch, wheras original Ramayana was in Treta Yuga:

Matanga. The Bodhisatta born as a candala. See the Matanga Jataka.

2. Matanga. A Pacceka Buddha (M.iii.70; ApA.i.107). He was the last of the Pacceka Buddhas and lived near Rajagaha. At the last birth of the Bodhisatta the devas, on their way to do him honour, saw Matanga and told him, “Sir, the Buddha has appeared in the world.” Matanga heard this as he was issuing from a trance, and, going to Mount Mahapapata where Pacceka Buddhas die, he passed away.


I view Ramayana as cyclic, one occurence at a million or so years of age, then one around 5,000 B. C. E., and then again shortly before Buddha.

Without necessarily agreeing to that, we could say, yes, Matanga and Matangi are in the Jataka Tales, not as inventions, but as something already known.

[shaberon]

I can't find 'pamo' except as the Bhutanese meaning you have. Very interesting, in light of the 'old' Vajrayana I was talking about.


Yes, sounds close. Usually this is translated as Pig Head Samadhi, because Vajravarahi is a Pamo, and she is retrofitted by interpretation.




It would depend on whether they saw it as important. The original division between Hinayana and Mahayana in terms of behavior that split them into schools that did not teach each other's path, was that naturally dead meat (not killed) was considered impure by Hinayana but not by Mahayana. Until then, your guru decided which one you would espouse based on your personality.


Bhutan has this problem to this day, they cannot fish their own rivers, so Indians do it and bring the caught fish back across the border.

In glancing through Taranatha and H. H. Rangjung Dorje, I have not yet found that they are even aware of the point about Buddha operating under "slight error" because Paratantra never really leaves the objective world. They may talk around it and miss by simply claiming Buddha to be perfect, but, unless they specifically saw Ratnakarasanti's work, there is no way they could be aware of such a question. And so if he was hardly carried forward in Tibet, they probably did not.

It is, I suppose, important to the Geluks that one not accept Ekayana? The counter-point would be if they were just power-grabbing for royal support, they said whatever they had to, and swept Jonang mostly to Mongolia.

Both Ratnakarasanti and the Shentongs maintain that Yogacara and Madhyamika are mostly correct, with certain slight errors, which is a needless argument, to which they place a bridge.

Anything that says the mind constantly has images, is incorrect, and anything that would teach direct entry into a permanent imageless state is not Buddhism. I think it is important that both are provisionally true, and, furthermore, Ekayana is the most important thing of all. Yes, it is also a value judgement, because the definition of "true" is not really a "fact", so much as something that is useful and reliable and of enduring moral quality.

My understanding of "Hinayana" is that it is individual, whereas "Mahayana" really rebukes the Pratyeka Buddha utterly. As to whether that started over a piece of meat, maybe so.

It is probably still true that a traditional Guru assigns most of your practices, but, from having scanned the material, there is such a thing as a Jewel Candidate, i. e. that one who basically just has an interest in samadhi, and since we have so many sources about that now, many of us are. And so I think we are in a different playing field from the times when "there was no one to understand it"...what would happen if I go to Seattle and tell the elders "I am versed in Vajra Tara as well as the philosophy of her author, Ratnakarasanti"?

They might check me out as if I was one of those westerners trying to project "Kundalini Yoga" or "Jesus" all over everything, and, when that fails to happen, they might look at it favorably.

No one in the medieval era could have done that.

[shaberon]

Not sure I can agree with one of the derivations -- I looked and candala as a root is different than canda (which is fierce or violent), candalika comes from candala or candali, but have trouble seeing it come from canda or candi. The lute is yet another of the sitar like instruments, and probably accounts for the connection to the kinnara.

I might tend to agree with you more than Tagore on this.

However, in the "word play" of sadhanas, it is also acceptable as Canda plus Ali, giving you something like Wrathful Vowels.

I misrepresented Matangi, which is really spelled Ucchista Candalini.

As far as it all being epithets of Prakriti, I hope that is sound, since, in terms of age, we can say we are doing a "modified Samkhya", which is probably the first recording of any yoga doctrine.



I do remember you going extensively into the Gauri. This does seem like a 'lead' to me, and one also wonders if they had any patronage to the Pala-era city of Gaura.

At one point in time, I was confused, and thought it just meant "the Mamos", but that was probably from excessive Tibetan headbanging. The proper translation is Kyeurim or Kye rim "Generation Stage".

Gauris are a ring-pass-not in any Buddhist tantra, they are the Cemetery Goddesses, except it is a major conversion to inner experience, i. e. if someone becomes sensitive to them, you are going to know it. If it is a concept or a Kriya deity, it is definitely not them.

Because Gauri is in an ancient Pisaci mantra, this is the class or form of being that they are. Parnasabari is not usually counted as a Gauri, but Sabari is. So, there are some Pisacis which can act as Yidams, e. g. Parnasabari and Janguli, whereas the Pisacis called Gauris are Grounds or the components of one's own-being. The function of Pisaci is crucial and I bet a lot of people already understand it, if put to them in simple English terms. Sort of like many might agree there is such a thing as Prana, although this does not make them Adepts in the daily use of it.




This is because she was already in Bactria probably, being Persian and Greco/Roman in origin (or more probably Bactrian). She archaeologically comes to Buddhism via the Kushan, whose art and artifacts are frequently labeled Gandharan because of Purushpur, which is close to Gandhara but was Kushan during Kanishka (in fact was called Kanishkapur then).


I am glad someone can mentally track some of the details like this.

Yes Hariti is not likely Indian in origin, but, probably is named from a common Avestan and Indic root, "har", which perhaps helps her assimilate better than "Tyche" as some have suggested.

In terms of sadhanas, she has to do with the domain of Kubera and the Yakshas, so, she is tangential to Vasudhara.

Pukkasi is called a Gauri and is revered in close to the same terms as Ekajati and the Wrathful Reflex of Akasagarbha Bodhisattva.

So if you understand this balance of the Queen of Space and her Mamo hordes, it is the same principle with any Gauris. Do it right and you're fine, if not, bad things will happen very quickly, like wildfire.


From the Dakini Jala Gauris, only a few are directly cemetery-related, such as Pukkasi and Vetali, and so it is this with the roughly-contemporaneous STTS, ca. 6th century which belts out all things Cemetery and Mahesvara--Rudra, which is why the cemeteries are said to be sacred, his severed pieces.

There could have been cemetery yoga way before this, but, that seems like it was a new teaching about making violent Shiva into his own Pithas.

Then, Raudra Krama makes sense, oh, "I am reversing my prana in some fiery way that exposes anything that may just be in seed form in my subconscious...and it will pass through some dead things which are actually part of myself, which, being burned, begins Generation Stage, called Gauris".

This is around the same time Ajanta was built and Hariti is noticeable there.

Since Dakini Jala seems to be more of a compilation of existing practices, rather than the book that started it all, and there is, at the very least, a foreshadowing in Lotus Sutra, and, Ajima must be older than that, there is strong indication of a trend that just kept getting more refined.

What perhaps is even more predominant in Herukabhidhana is Vama Chara, the whole section about finding and identifying kinds of women keeps saying you are doing some Vama stuff. In some places, some of the "five Ms" is literal, but actually the meat we are talking about exists in your mind. It seems to me when it says women it means either or both. One can actually get yoga from a sex act, but, if I wanted to cripple my subtle body, I would give it alcohol. I would probably try an entheogenic Soma, otherwise, if I used a real one, it would be totally fake.


The reason I admire Dakini Jala is not because it was Chakrasamvara before that name was used, but it actually is supposed to be about Moods and the way it portrays Gauris is incredibly similar to this.

It is different from the impression I get from Tibetan materials saying Heruka means "blood drinker"...well it does not exactly say this in most of what I have seen, it has more to do with cause and effect or Hetu Phala and is validly the name of Yoga of the entire Generation Stage. All of their recorded Gauris that I have seen are completely violent, if not intended as the most graphic forms conceivable.

Then, I am told Mahalakshmi is "behind this" or is Parameswari to Heruka who is Parameswara, reinforced by Mahamaya being called...Mahamaya...which turns out to be true in the commentaries.

Together with that, Moods are significant to Picuva Marici and other Yidams and the way Vajra Rosary works. This seems to be something else that did not much carry forward in Tibet, until, in modern times, it may have gotten a few peoples' attention.

Whether there was a Saivite Heruka first, I am not sure, but there probably was a word heruka:

4) [plural] Name of a class of heretics, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) Herukā (हेरुका):—[from heruka] f. a species of plant, [Atharva-veda Paddh.]


And if it was a "word", I can, so to speak, convert "word" to whatever I want, especially by breaking it into syllables. There are, I believe, four ways of interpreting words, only one of which is the dictionary definition, syllables and legends being two more.

"I" am not any good at converting "words", so, I rely on the testimony of Tilo and others who used them before me and showed us their stability and effectiveness.


The other aspect is there was a Peaceful Cemetery, Sitabani, which is regarded as an important tantric dissemination center, such as to Garab Dorje. I do not even know any names of the other peaceful ones, but, from what I can tell, this was probably the most important one of them all, almost like an outdoor Nalanda.

[Old Student]

Many were, others were not. Yes I think that is part of the deal, from a spiritual perspective none are excluded due to caste.
The point, though, is that the Siddha tradition gave religious authority to those who could attain some communion in the shakti sense. The Keeneys and other anthropologists have been through this one quite a bit. If the method of becoming spiritually powerful is available to all and it is individual predilection that decides who rises to the top, this is incompatible with worldly power. When a religion becomes worldly powerful, there are forces within it that prefer a dogmatic approach where if you check all the boxes you become the head priest, because otherwise people from the 'out' group can just as easily inherit the power as those they believe 'deserve' it. Shakti and tantra (using them as stand-ins for the religion that has direct encounters with spiritual power and visions) are never permanently compatible with secular power.


Kali is such a widespread name there is almost no way to track it, but, one of the definitions tells us:

Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation of evil forces still has some influence.

In other words, it was just Durga or Candi "related to Time".

Interesting.

Śmaśāna (श्मशान) is the name of the ‘burial mound’ in which the bones of the dead man were laid to rest (cf. Anagniidagdha). It is mentioned in the Atharvaveda, and often later.

Atharva Veda may be the oldest source of weird things.


But if we look for sources of it being someone or something to do:

Śmaśāna (श्मशान) refers to one who “resides in the cremation ground”, and is used by Satī to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.29.
This is also a thread worth pulling. Current practice throughout the Buddhist world and especially in India, not just for Buddhists, is cremation. But when did it become mandatory? Certainly, in Tibet, the original practice was so-called sky burial (similar to the Parsees use of the Towers of Silence). One can tell because it's still practiced in places and because they were known as "cannibals" in early texts describing them from the outside. So were the Yenesei Kyrgyz, for the same reason.

It would seem this was once the practice in at least Eastern India at one point. Buddhists from the Vajrayana strain cremated saintly people looking for the 'pills', relics that were supposed to be powerful, left behind in the ashes. At some point, cremation became common. But look at the thangkas. A kartrika is a flaying knife. Not a necessary implement for vegetarians and people who cremate the dead. But there it is.


The ālaya-vijñāna doctrine arose on the Indian subcontinent about one thousand years before Tsong kha pa...

I'm not totally sanguine with the notion that Theravada has the antiquity its practitioners believe it does. Certainly the Southeast Asian version is completely an import from Sri Lanka by Anawrahta in a very conscious manner at about the same time that the Tibetans were importing via Atish Dipankar. As for the religion at that time in Sri Lanka, they claim a direct line from the early Hinayana schools, but it isn't at all clear. Certainly in Khotan in the 9th and 10th century, one still got a choice between Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, as documented by language learning texts found at Dunhuang.


There is a pretty strong tendency to call Buddha an avatar of Visnu, which is not accepted by any Buddhists that I know of, and we can only suggest the ninth was Mohini.
I've heard that one too. It's benign, usually. The Catholic Church canonized Kongzi (Confucius), so technically, he's Saint Confucius. Natural tendency to absorb the best of other religions (not sure Confucianism is 'the best' but the guy was okay).


Without necessarily agreeing to that, we could say, yes, Matanga and Matangi are in the Jataka Tales, not as inventions, but as something already known.
Good to know.

[Old Student]

Yes, sounds close. Usually this is translated as Pig Head Samadhi, because Vajravarahi is a Pamo, and she is retrofitted by interpretation.
Okay, sounds like something that should be in a footnote not in the translation.


They may talk around it and miss by simply claiming Buddha to be perfect, but, unless they specifically saw Ratnakarasanti's work, there is no way they could be aware of such a question. And so if he was hardly carried forward in Tibet, they probably did not.
It does seem like a fixation on purity.


My understanding of "Hinayana" is that it is individual, whereas "Mahayana" really rebukes the Pratyeka Buddha utterly. As to whether that started over a piece of meat, maybe so.
It was the split into separate schools that began over meat. Previous to that, the two existed in the same schools, they were choices suitable to each individual, like choosing mother or father tantras later was.


It is probably still true that a traditional Guru assigns most of your practices, but, from having scanned the material, there is such a thing as a Jewel Candidate, i. e. that one who basically just has an interest in samadhi, and since we have so many sources about that now, many of us are.
That was always available as well. The Avatamsaka has that as a category of their beings, those who attain through teacherless spontaneous self-awakening (although they seem to say those people cannot become bodhisattvas without taking the vows to save all sentient beings).

[Old Student]

So, there are some Pisacis which can act as Yidams, e. g. Parnasabari and Janguli, whereas the Pisacis called Gauris are Grounds or the components of one's own-being.
Interesting.


Yes Hariti is not likely Indian in origin, but, probably is named from a common Avestan and Indic root, "har", which perhaps helps her assimilate better than "Tyche" as some have suggested.

There are some who say she predates most of Persian religious practice. I don't know, there are like 3 or 4 ancient goddesses in different places that are supposed to be forerunners of many others if not almost all others.


So if you understand this balance of the Queen of Space and her Mamo hordes, it is the same principle with any Gauris. Do it right and you're fine, if not, bad things will happen very quickly, like wildfire.
This is directly from what you said above?


There could have been cemetery yoga way before this, but, that seems like it was a new teaching about making violent Shiva into his own Pithas.
I'm not positive, but pretty sure that meditation in cemeteries and charnel grounds was already a part of the practice by the time of Ashoka.

The reason I admire Dakini Jala is not because it was Chakrasamvara before that name was used, but it actually is supposed to be about Moods and the way it portrays Gauris is incredibly similar to this.
As coming from inside, or as moods?


It is different from the impression I get from Tibetan materials saying Heruka means "blood drinker"

I have read at least on account that asserts that Heruka started out as some kind of a demon and got 'promoted' over and over in the conversion to Buddhism.


The other aspect is there was a Peaceful Cemetery, Sitabani, which is regarded as an important tantric dissemination center, such as to Garab Dorje. I do not even know any names of the other peaceful ones, but, from what I can tell, this was probably the most important one of them all, almost like an outdoor Nalanda.

One of the others was Sosaling, where Niguma taught.

[shaberon]

Here is an interesting turn in looking at the oldest recording of a mantra using Gandhari.

We have found there are two versions, one having Pukkasi and the other, Janguli, which is Kumarajiva's Lotus Sutra (https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_T0262_LotusSutra_2007.pdf). At first it was exciting to see this uttered by Dhrtarastra, king of the Gandharvas, since the mantra also has Gandhari.

But then it is supposed to be a Sutra and a pretty precise scriptural teaching which should be clear, and on this point it is not.

The whole Dharanis chapter is quite short, but, in the prevalent online version, it is in a different chapter, and a close variant of the mantra is spoken by Virudhaka, king of the Kumbhanadas. Otherwise, the versions are basically identical, starting from Bhaisajyaraja, and ending with Raksasis led by Kunti, which sounds unusual (actually it just says this in the common text), since she is the mother of Yudisthira and appears in the same setting as Gandhari, the Mahabharata.

It would be next to impossible to just say these names without those two major characters coming to mind; and we can understand why Gandhari might have a wrathful aspect, but I am not sure why the same would be apparent or suggestive of Kunti, like it is not of Gauri either, there is no clear switch why if they are what their names suggest, they would enter a pisaci state.

As for the translator Kumarajiva, he was a native of Kucha:

His father was an Indian of distinguished family who later in life became a Buddhist monk. His mother was a younger sister of the ruler of Kucha. He entered the Buddhist Order as a boy, and with his mother, who had become a nun, traveled extensively around India, acquiring a profound knowledge of Buddhist texts and teachings. Returning to Kucha, he devoted himself there to the propagation of Mahayana Buddhism.


According to Nichiren (https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/TranslatorsNote/4), Kumarajiva is the most popular Lotus Sutra across Asia, without textual variations, and:

...though we do not know what language the Lotus Sutra was first composed in, it was clearly not Sanskrit, and therefore the Sanskrit versions of the text are already several steps removed from its first written form. Second, none of the extant Sanskrit versions are as early in date as Kumarajiva’s Chinese translation, done in 406, and all but the earliest differ in some respects from his version. Thus his almost certainly represents an earlier version of the text, one nearer to the first written form.


And so there is also a very old scripture which says:

Kuntī (कुन्ती).—According to the Mūlasarvāstivādin Vinaya, after having crossed the Indus towards the west, the Buddha took eight stages to cross Uḍḍiyāna, the Lampāka, and arrived in the neighborhood of Peshawar.

8th and 9th stages.—On leaving Nandivardhana, the Buddha went to the city of Kuntī, where he tamed the yakṣī of the same name; then to the village of Kharjūra where he foretold the building of the great caitya of Kaniṣka. Hiuan tsang tells us that the caitya was near Peshawar; archeologists have found its location in the tumuli at Shāh-ki-Dheri.


It is a little unclear that she is called Raksasi in one place, Yaksi in another, and Pisaci only by way of association of apparently being grouped with pisacis. It could be retorted that yaksha is a general class which includes gandharvas, etc., and so if they haven't any special names, it probably just means they are earthen and dwarfish, whereas gandharvas and kinnaras are usually considered the highest and most mystical of these classes.


So then with a quick bit from Wiki, well, there is a reason she might be a bit tormented:

Pandavas were given a barren land to rule which was developed into Indraprastha. However Kunti remained in Hastinapura with her sister in law, Gandhari.

Despite supporting her children, Kunti stayed in the Kaurava camp along with her sister-in-law Gandhari. After the death of Karna, Kunti disclosed the secret of Karna's birth to Pandavas and others. All were shocked to learn the fact they committed fratricide. The Pandavas were furious with Kunti, especially Yudhisthira, who cursed Kunti and women of the world that they shall be unable to keep any secret anymore. If Kunti hadn't kept it a secret, there were chances that the war would've been averted and millions of lives would've been spared.


Going back a step to see where her "city" was:

7th stage.—The seventh stage brought the Buddha to the city of Nandivardhana. According to the Mūlasarvāstivādin Vinaya, the Buddha converted king Devabhūti and his family there, the seven sons of the caṇḍāli, the protector yakṣa of the lake, the nāgas Aśvaka and Punarvasu, for whom he left his shadow in a lake close to the city, and finally the two yakṣīs Nalikā and Naḍodayā.

S. Lévi, who has collected a series of references on the city of Nandivardhana, locates it between Jelāl-ābād and Peshawar. The A yu wang tchouan, for what it is worth, restricts the area of search, for it places the conversion of the caṇḍāli in Gandhāra. This event having occurred at Nandivardhana, the city of this name is somewhere between the western border of Gandhara and the city of Peshawar. It is likely that the Buddha, leaving Nagarahāra, crossed Lampāka in an easterly direction and entered Gandhara by the Khyber Pass (or more likely, by flying over the mountains) and arrived at Nandivardhana.


Situated in the broad Valley of Peshawar just east of the historic Khyber Pass, close to the border with Afghanistan, Peshawar's recorded history dates back to at least 539 BCE, making it the oldest city in Pakistan and one of the oldest cities in South Asia.

As the center of the ancient Gandhara region, Peshawar became the capital of the Kushan Empire under the rule of Kanishka.

No one is quite sure what they are saying:

The modern name of the city "Peshawar" comes from the Persian words 'Pesh' - 'Awardan' meaning 'the first coming city. It was named so by Mughal Emperor Akbar from its old name Parashawar, the meaning of which Akbar didn't understand. The name 'Parashawar' itself is seen as a corruption of the Sanskrit name "Purushapura" (Sanskrit: पुरूषपुर Puruṣapura, meaning "City of Men " or “City of Purusha"). However, the name Purushapura does not appear in any ancient Indian literary sources.[20] The ruler of the city during its founding may have been a Hindu raja (King) named Purush; the word pur means "city" in Sanskrit. Sanskrit, written in the Kharosthi script, was the literary language employed by the Buddhist kingdoms which ruled over the area during its earliest recorded period. The city’s name may also be derived from the Sanskrit name for "City of Flowers," Poshapura, a name found in an ancient Kharosthi inscription that may refer to Peshawar.

Peshawar was founded near the ancient Gandharan capital city of Pushkalavati, near present-day Charsadda. Peshawar is the city in which the scholar Pāṇini wrote the book Aṣṭādhyāyī on Sanskrit Grammar in 4th century BCE.


That is hard to say if he exactly "founded" Buddhism there, since he was not really a Buddha yet, although we would have to say he was expressing the same powers, just not as completely. The average person could not possibly tell the difference between an eighth stage bodhisattva and a buddha, especially if there is no way of explaining it to them. Although now we can, the differences are so very, very minor, and the major distinction is the degree of power.

Whenever this group of deities comes up, it is quickly pointed out they are "non-Vedic". The result of Kunti's curse is that women cannot keep secrets.

Well, that certainly has something to say towards Vidyadharis, Dakinis, etc., which mainly remain secret because you are not looking. If you say their names and mantras, they start to transfer whatever they have.

If you read through the chapter, most of the dharanis are just verbs with twists and games, and this one is the only one that looks like it is actually "to" something, while in the case of Kunti it is "from" her, all the other retinue leaders being male.

[shaberon]

The point, though, is that the Siddha tradition gave religious authority to those who could attain some communion in the shakti sense.

Agree, strongly.

The first enemy of Theosophy was dogmatic religion, Catholicism primarily, whereas HPB warned the Indian branch would get suffused by "Hindu Jesuits", which is basically what happened, and fast. This remains the point of saying "original Theosophy" and the like, which has remained a school of thought, and is an institution, the Universal Lodge, which gives no kind of priestcraft, only a membership card. You can't get in there and change it around or hold some kind of office. You can study what is there.

Compare that to any western magical system. Unrelated.

It is said this is what happened to Zoroastrian, Egyptian, Grecian mysteries, etc., and in my view to the historical Jesus as well.

In some cases the power died out over generations, but several thing have been simply usurped.





But when did it become mandatory? Certainly, in Tibet, the original practice was so-called sky burial (similar to the Parsees use of the Towers of Silence). One can tell because it's still practiced in places and because they were known as "cannibals" in early texts describing them from the outside. So were the Yenesei Kyrgyz, for the same reason.




Certainly in Khotan in the 9th and 10th century, one still got a choice between Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, as documented by language learning texts found at Dunhuang.

In the 19th century, the Sinhalese began going to Nepal for re-invigoration. If I recall correctly, in the centuries BCE, they had miles of relic-laden stupas or dagobas which visibly glowed at night.

I am less familiar with it, but I do take into account their fairly clear doctrine of a permanent "mind-atom" of seven aspects which dwells in the heart, combined with the clairvoyance of conception, describing a sphere that whirls and diminishes in size on the astral plane, and, I suppose, dropping off the Planck scale, connects to a fetal heart.




Natural tendency to absorb the best of other religions (not sure Confucianism is 'the best' but the guy was okay).


Haha, well, if you take the wife of Shiva and call her a Pisaci, maybe you have absorbed the best.

Despite iconoclasm, some Hindus are at least willing to accept Bauddha Dharma as a legitimate branch of Sanantana Dharma.

That is a little bit better than the avatar thing, which sounds a bit more institutional, "Buddha is just a part of Vishnu, so come to the Vishnu temple".

In some cases, Buddhist sadhanas go ahead and say "Vishnu is a Buddha, because..."

If a Catholic "pronounces" you something millenia posthumously, does that actually do anything to Confucious or change his state?

Probably not the same as being converted by Buddha while you are transmigrating.

[shaberon]

It was the split into separate schools that began over meat. Previous to that, the two existed in the same schools, they were choices suitable to each individual, like choosing mother or father tantras later was.

Ok, so two schools of thought in one building, and one goes to make their own new place.




That was always available as well. The Avatamsaka has that as a category of their beings, those who attain through teacherless spontaneous self-awakening (although they seem to say those people cannot become bodhisattvas without taking the vows to save all sentient beings).


Yes, always available, slightly less profound or detailed or metricly-plottable version.

And, there is something to the point that Bodhi comes from outside the human psyche. I cannot really just say Bodhisattva Vows, they have to be administered by the Sangha. I can read them and admire them, but, at some point, there has to be connection to a Bodhisattva or at least his shaktipat. Most of the tantras constantly rely on a physical Guru.

So I mean yes, of course what one can accomplish on one's own can be highly cathartic, but, we hope to move to a spiritual world of spiritual beings. So anything we can connect to along those lines is beneficial.

[shaberon]

This is directly from what you said above?


Yes I think so.

The Gauri of sight for instance contains everything I have ever seen, good or bad, except it is mainly the activity of Skandhas which produces the bad. If I see something horrible and my Skandhas churn, the one Gauri splits into millions of Mamos and suffuses my system instantly, I might just feel bad, become terrified or angry or then even aggressive.

It is the principle of Acala and how to dwell in space "unmoved" by this.

People could see their own memories or visions of hell or whatever, and so you pacify the sight Gauri by neutralizing those dualistic reactions.

Same principle of Ekajati. In the teachings, it seems, really having such an Ekajati is like having all the Gauris. I mean, if you can subdue the Mind one, then the Hearing one is less likely to become independently vehement. But if you do not have "the big one", then Hearing and other individuals are more relevant.


I'm not positive, but pretty sure that meditation in cemeteries and charnel grounds was already a part of the practice by the time of Ashoka.

In some way, shape, or form, probably so. But probably not as precisely as an array of Gauris and so forth.





As coming from inside, or as moods?

Well, again, lacking the complete text, I can only say so much--it was someone who has actually studied it that says the Moods teaching is prominent.

All the teachings say the Gauris are inner and related to the aspects of Asta Vijnana, each combined with an Element and other correspondences, but, the forms are on a scale. In most Chakrasamvara and Hevajra scriptures, they are violent and gruesome, and then in the Book of the Dead, they are like "ultimate nightmare" mode.

But in Dakini Jala, you get White Vetali pouring Nectar in a nice looking form and an expression that seems like it probably is a Mood, and, if it can be said the book is about Moods, then it probably would be on a per-Gauri basis.

That takes us straight to Rasa Theory and Ekarasa just by looking at her.


I have read at least on account that asserts that Heruka started out as some kind of a demon and got 'promoted' over and over in the conversion to Buddhism.

Gray (https://books.google.com/books?id=WYIqEAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA87&ots=a2lBScfEZ9&dq=heruka%20origin&pg=PA62#v=onepage&q=heruka%20origin&f=false) says the first recoverable mention is herukas as a class like asuras and pisacis in Subahupariprccha Sutra--Tantra, which is perhaps only slightly older than Dakini Jala. It may be related to incest (http://what-when-how.com/love-in-world-religions/incest-in-buddhism/):

However, beginning in the seventh century, members of the Indian Buddhist community began composing tantras that evoke the subject of incest. Both the seventh-century Sub-ahupariprccha Tantra and the eighth-century Manjusrimulakalpa contain descriptions of a yaksini-sadhana, a ritual for summoning a female spirit using a mantra. This was a ritual conducted for the sake of sexual gratification; the texts claim that the yaksini could assume the form desired by the adept, and serve his lust throughout the night. Both texts specify that the yaksini could particularly assume the form of one’s female relatives, such as one’s mother.

This is confirmed by the eighth-century commentator Buddhaguhya, who noted in his commentary on the Subahupariprccha that this rite is intended for men who desire to enjoy another woman without incurring the faults of incest. Some Indian Buddhists appear to have seen sex with a summoned spirit as a way around the third precept. The yaksini could assume any form that one desires, but since she is not truly one’s mother, this is not actually incest. However, this was not a rite to be engaged in lightly; readers are warned that if they do not restrain their passions, the yaksini could devour them.




One of the others was Sosaling, where Niguma taught.


Yes...I looked into it and came out with a riddle. Part of it was from trying to decipher mahasiddhas travelling through marshes and so forth, which I will leave out. But we think it is probably in the neighborhood:

Laughing charnel ground at Bodhgaya and the Cool Grove charnel ground close by (northeast of Bodh Gaya), along with the Frightening charnel ground in the Black Hills of Bihar. "Sosa" would generally be salty or dry. Bihar is really flood-prone. "Sosaling Forest" is also referred to. "Ling" is standard for "dvipa", i. e. Jambuling is Tibetan for Jambudvipa. Tilo's barmaid disciple resided at Sosaling; and it was large enough to have a king, who had an enemy magician named Rakya Dewa.

"Śoṣa (शोष, “drying”) or Śoṣaṇa refers to one of the “seven means” (saptopāya) to be performed when a mantra does not manifest its effect, as explained in the 10th-century Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.104-105. Śoṣa, which aims to dry up the mantra, should be performed. The practitioner attaches the bījas of Vāyu, the god of Wind, to it, and keeps the written mantra around his neck. The last resort is the dahanīya, which aims to burn the mantra at the stake.

Accordingly, “if the nourished [mantra] does not have an effect, one should perform the śoṣaṇa (drying up). One should [attach] the mantra to double bījas [of Vāyu (i.e. yaṃ)], in the vidarbhaṇa manner. The vidyā written with the ashes of the vaṭa (banyan) should be kept around his neck. If the dried [mantra] does not have an effect, one should perform the dahanīya (burning) with Agni’s bīja (i.e., raṃ)”."

So really, Sosa is just attaching Vayu bija [Yam] to an ineffective mantra. Esoterically, of course, we are trying to mix wind and mantra in the central.

Padmasambhava arose at Lake Dhanakosha in Indrabodhi's Kingdom of Uddiyana, west of Bodh Gaya, and spent time in Cool Grove, Joyful Forest, and Sosaling cemeteries, blessed by Tamer of Maras and Sustainer of Bliss Dakinis. He was later empowered by Kungamo (Ananda, Ḍākinī Karmendrāṇī, or Khandroma Lékyi Wangmo) or Guhyajnana in the form of a nun in Zahor where Mandarava is from, and they met not much later.

I still cannot tell where Sosa is, other than in Dense Thicket at the edge of what is called a lake, but sounds a lot more like a marsh with trees growing in it.

Both cemeteries are associated:

Peaceful Sitabani charnel ground (or Sosaling when inhabited by Niguma) is called the source of Upa-yoga, which is Vairocana Abhisambodhi and Vajrapani Abhisekha.

That was the conclusion I came to--Sitabani is the source of, maybe not original cemetery meditation, but the developed Heruka Yoga of it.




That curiously had the Iranic MMK (http://www.ranajitpal.com/ranajitpal_Dharmapala.htm) remarks following. Not as straightforward as a Kings' list, kind of messy and conjectural, but at least saying something about it along with a bunch of other stuff.

[Old Student]

As for the translator Kumarajiva, he was a native of Kucha.
Yes, he's very well known. Kucha is where the Qocho Uyghurs later made the Kizil caves (much later, Kumarajiva is turn of the 5th c. and Qocho Uyghurs show up in 840 after the Yenesei Kyrgyz overthrew the Uyghur empire.


...though we do not know what language the Lotus Sutra was first composed in, it was clearly not Sanskrit, and therefore the Sanskrit versions of the text are already several steps removed from its first written form. Second, none of the extant Sanskrit versions are as early in date as Kumarajiva’s Chinese translation, done in 406, and all but the earliest differ in some respects from his version. Thus his almost certainly represents an earlier version of the text, one nearer to the first written form.

Kumarajiva's translation into Chinese relied on Dharmarakṣa's which was done a little over a hundred years prior. This pair is well-known, the text by Dharmaraksa was apparently convoluted and not easy to understand, Kumarajiva relied on it and on other sources and created a version that flowed well and was easy to understand.

In at least one source, the original Prakrit was Central Asian Sanskrit, which may mean some hybrid created in the translation factories at Khotan (Kucha is not far away). Or not.

And so there is also a very old scripture which says:


Kuntī (कुन्ती).—According to the Mūlasarvāstivādin Vinaya, after having crossed the Indus towards the west, the Buddha took eight stages to cross Uḍḍiyāna, the Lampāka, and arrived in the neighborhood of Peshawar.

8th and 9th stages.—On leaving Nandivardhana, the Buddha went to the city of Kuntī, where he tamed the yakṣī of the same name; then to the village of Kharjūra where he foretold the building of the great caitya of Kaniṣka. Hiuan tsang tells us that the caitya was near Peshawar; archeologists have found its location in the tumuli at Shāh-ki-Dheri.

Which probably means the text was written after Kaniska and his buildings at Peshawar (then called Kaniskapur). Which means it was quite popular if it's then getting translated into Chinese by Dharmaraksa in 286.

As for the name of the city of Peshawar, it was, as you say, called Purushpur (the city of man). What is told in a less religious setting is that when Akbar came to power, the Afghans made a bid to have Akbar move his capital to Purushpur, a change they felt they deserved, it had been capital to other empires. Akbar's Wazir (chief minister combined with supreme court judge kind of) went to Purushpur and didn't like it and told Akbar who renamed it Peshawar (frontier town), supposedly at the Wazir's insistence. Akbar was forced to make a winter capital closer to there because of subsequent unrest, but he had no real desire to center his empire there.

The Kushans are believed to have been one branch of the Yuezhi. I've always wondered why they were called that. It literally means the moon people.

[Old Student]

In some way, shape, or form, probably so. But probably not as precisely as an array of Gauris and so forth.
Yes, not in the same way. But that would be a reason for having prowess in medicine, and Ashoka bragged about Buddhist medicine at the base of his pillars.


This is confirmed by the eighth-century commentator Buddhaguhya, who noted in his commentary on the Subahupariprccha that this rite is intended for men who desire to enjoy another woman without incurring the faults of incest.
It's quite possible that wasn't the original intent, but became so.


Sosaling Forest" is also referred to. "Ling" is standard for "dvipa", i. e. Jambuling is Tibetan for Jambudvipa. Tilo's barmaid disciple resided at Sosaling; and it was large enough to have a king, who had an enemy magician named Rakya Dewa.

"Śoṣa (शोष, “drying”) or Śoṣaṇa refers to one of the “seven means” (saptopāya) to be performed when a mantra does not manifest its effect, as explained in the 10th-century Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.104-105. Śoṣa, which aims to dry up the mantra, should be performed.
Yes, it is indeed Sosadvipa in Sanskrit. It is taken to mean 'withering', but it may be simpler, since there is a plant called the sosana, known as the "broken bones plant". Here is the description from Wikipedia:


The large leaf stalks wither and fall off the tree and collect near the base of the trunk, appearing to look like a pile of broken limb bones. The pinnate leaves are approximately 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length and comparably wide,[5][7] borne on petioles or stalks up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in length, making this the largest of all dicot tree leaves, which are quadripinnate (leaflets display four orders of branching).[8]

The tree is a night-bloomer and flowers are adapted to natural pollination by bats.[5] They form enormous seed pods – the fruits – are up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long that hang down from bare branches, resembling swords.[5][9] The long fruits curve downward and resemble the wings of a large bird or dangling sickles or swords in the night, giving the name "tree of Damocles".[6] The seeds are round with papery wings.[10]
Of course, in a charnel grounds, there could be other piles of broken bones.

[Old Student]

It is said this is what happened to Zoroastrian, Egyptian, Grecian mysteries, etc., and in my view to the historical Jesus as well.

In some cases the power died out over generations, but several thing have been simply usurped.
You can see this even in the local sects when they jump through hoops to be a shaman, starting training people to do weird things when they are young. The people may never develop the requisite abilities, but the village can't wait around for someone who can so they manufacture ritual to try to create one.


If a Catholic "pronounces" you something millenia posthumously, does that actually do anything to Confucious or change his state?
Of course not, it's a conversion gimmick. The Catholics that the target audience really liked were the Jesuits because they worked hard and resembled Chan monks. In South America, the descendants of the Incas had a ritual that they threw a rock on a pile at the mountain passes as they went by, and they had a cross on one of the piles, and I met a guy who had been a missionary there, and he was all excited that the locals had created their own Christian ritual. Then he found out that the original meaning was to throw a rock on the pile to rid themselves of their bad luck (not to get any good luck) and the crosses were because they were ridding themselves of Christianity. It was too much for my ex-missionary friend and he promptly quit the church.

[Old Student]

Ok, so two schools of thought in one building, and one goes to make their own new place.
Yes. Kind of like in Georgia where there is a church on every street corner. I asked once why there were so many and the reply was, "Oh, you know, the ministers have an argument about something and one of them storms out and goes down the street and starts a new church."


And, there is something to the point that Bodhi comes from outside the human psyche. I cannot really just say Bodhisattva Vows, they have to be administered by the Sangha. I can read them and admire them, but, at some point, there has to be connection to a Bodhisattva or at least his shaktipat. Most of the tantras constantly rely on a physical Guru.
I suppose I could go back to the Zen center where I attended and go through the ceremony but I don't know why I would.

[shaberon]

Yes, he's very well known.

Well, if we say 1500+ years author of a manuscript standardized in China, I cannot really dispute that.

I respect it but I think of myself as only having semi-Chinese influence, mainly as due to the Shaolin legend of Bodhidharma.

I had a girlfriend once who had a Chinese roommate, and she learned the Chinese "alphabet", which I am not sure what that means, but it was...almost alien.

Most of my direct influence is Japanese and I have no clue about Shingon other than as what I would call a workhorse of attaching the fivefold form/pentagram to sixfold mind/hexagram, I guess they train the full Vajrasekhara with all the mudras and so on, which is Kriya.

But I was unaware of anything about Kumarajiva or Lotus Sutra generally speaking, until now I would be forced to contend the presence of the Gauri-esque mantra is probably the oldest...direct suggestion of the major part of Buddhist tantra, which, itself, is indicative of the actual tales of Buddha personally, which involve taming Yakshas while crossing the Bhumis.

If you just take the last part of that sentence at face value, that pretty much is the essence of tantra isn't it?

I think of it as highly imitative, Parrot-like, I do not really want to "be" him, so much as "do what he did".

No shortage of Mamos around there now.




In at least one source, the original Prakrit was Central Asian Sanskrit, which may mean some hybrid created in the translation factories at Khotan (Kucha is not far away). Or not.


It seems to be well-known as the Gilgit Manuscript which was originally attempted to be sold to Lokesh Chandra's father.


The Lotus Sutra is among the oldest existing texts of Buddhism. Others are the Golden Line Sutra and the Mala Devi Sutra, which Chandra points out as “a very feminist sutra perhaps the most ancient feminist text sometimes even more violent than what femnism is today.”


According to History of Information (https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=4678):

Theyere were writein the Buddhist form of Sanskrit in the Śāradā or Sharada script.

"Roughly 60 manuscripts and 17 Avadnas emerging from Naupur are of unmatched significance in Buddhist studies. These are the oldest surviving collection of religious texts in the subcontinent. Based on the paleographical evidence, scholars agree that local Buddhist devotees compiled these texts between the fifth and sixth century AD. With the exception of only a few scripts, all the manuscripts were written on birch bark in Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit language in the Gupta Brahmi and post-Gupta Brahmi script.

"The manuscripts contain sutras from the Buddhist canon, the Samghata Sutra, Samadhiraja Sutra, Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, and Bhaisajyaguru Sutra.The Samadhiraja Sutra is one of the important Mahayana canonical texts, which are collectively called Navadharma. The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, popularly known as Lotus Sutra, figures prominently in the Gilgit Manuscripts and scholars agree it was the most venerated sutra of the Buddhists from the Gilgit area"


I suppose that is not really a big secret, and I guess it means not the oldest Buddhist text but of any "religious" text, or, specifically collection, leaving the possibility there are older individual ones. For instance, in the past few years, I believe some portion of Prajnaparamita Sutra was carbon dated to ca. year 75.





Which probably means the text was written after Kaniska and his buildings at Peshawar (then called Kaniskapur). Which means it was quite popular if it's then getting translated into Chinese by Dharmaraksa in 286.


I would think there was plenty of fertile ground for the popularizing of such things.

Taksasila University educated the godfather of Sanskrit grammar, Panini, ca. 5th century BCE.

Wiki says:

The role of Taxila University as a center of knowledge continued under the Maurya Empire and Greek rule (Indo-Greeks) in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE.

Buddha may have been influenced by the experiences and knowledge acquired by some of his closest followers in the foreign capital of Taxila. Several contemporaries, and close followers, of the Buddha are said to have studied in Achaemenid Taxila, namely:

King Pasenadi of Kosala, a close friend of the Buddha...

Charaka, the Indian "father of medicine" and one of the leading authorities in Ayurveda, is also said to have studied at Taxila, and practiced there.

Chandragupta Maurya, Buddhist literature states that Chandragupta Maurya, the future founder of the Mauryan Empire, though born near Patna (Bihar) in Magadha, was taken by Chanakya for his training and education to Taxila, and had him educated there in "all the sciences and arts" of the period, including military sciences. There he studied for eight years. The Greek and Hindu texts also state that Kautilya (Chanakya) was a native of the northwest Indian subcontinent, and Chandragupta was his resident student for eight years. These accounts match Plutarch's assertion that Alexander the Great met with the young Chandragupta while campaigning in the Punjab.



Although it is not part of India, it is part of the university system such as in Ujjain which is part of the Sapta Puri:

Ayodhya (Ayodhya Puri),
Mathura (Madhura Puri),
Haridwar (Maya Puri),
Varanasi (Kashi Puri),
Kanchipuram (Kanchi Puri),
Ujjain (Avantika Puri),
Dwarka (Dwaraka Puri)


And we have found there was a highway from Dwarka up through the northwestern provinces at a rather extreme age, many thousands years.

So I tend to see Taxila as the immediate foreign outcropping of that, which in turn itself became really powerful. Partly Buddhist and part not.



[
The Kushans are believed to have been one branch of the Yuezhi. I've always wondered why they were called that. It literally means the moon people.


There was a Moon People exterminated by the Cherokee.

They were dwarfish, nocturnal, pale, with eyes like saucers, photosensitive albino cave dwellers.

I do not really know if it is believed they "came from the moon".

But, Hinduism is at least in part the story of Lunar Dynasty.

[shaberon]

Yes, it is indeed Sosadvipa in Sanskrit. It is taken to mean 'withering', but it may be simpler, since there is a plant called the sosana, known as the "broken bones plant".


I first learned about it trying to trace the footsteps of the Mahasiddhas, such as when he went through a "poison lake" perhaps it was a salt marsh. So far I was mostly unable to find volcanic lakes or anything like that naturally occurring, in fact the opposite in mid to south India are some of the most abundant and most variety natural game preserves in the world.

Without precisely locating Sosaling, it should be relatively near Sitabani and the environment of Bihar or perhaps its southern frontier, which I believe funnels into a pass through a minor mountain range or perhaps the Ghats.

Also without being precise, by comparative analysis one can deduce that in many cases what was called "West India" would seem like the south to us, and so you can prove the stories are either partly misinformed if not intentionally misleading.


As a rough analogy, one could perhaps say Ujjain was "the" university like Sitabani was "the" charnel ground. Not necessarily where education or tantra was invented, but the first places we can show as having a major system that became distributed.

Nalanda university is not that old, although as a Buddhist site it is:

A mud brick stupa has also been carbon dated to 6th-5th century BCE which bolsters the case for Nalanda as an important Buddhist site since its early period.

So, that is interesting, Taxila is not really part of Sapta Puri, but it is part of the universities and activity of Buddha, who returned to the Nalanda--Bihar area.

[shaberon]

I suppose I could go back to the Zen center where I attended and go through the ceremony but I don't know why I would.


My question would be if I could perceive the person in charge as having a strong shaktipat.

It is like an ESP sense or something, I can tell if someone is in the frame or state of mind I am talking about. As a consequence I have hardly ever seen it.

There are a couple different views of Vak Siddhi. One is that you accumulate so much shakti that you can say anything and make it magically happen. The other is that you have been telling the truth for so long, everything you say comes true, like a prediction.

And so if there was a ceremony or empowerment or something, from someone who is not a personal Guru, I would want them to have that same level whereby you can comprehend them as a unit of absolute reality.

As a comparison, I was able to meet a couple Drepung Loseling monks and talk to them for a while. They exemplified a calm mind and a Bodhisattva intent very well, but, I would not quite say they were saturated with shakti.

Because shakti is a universal factor anyone could have, I have probably actually perceived it on more non-Buddhists, but I have been around precious few Vajrayanists.


I went through Luminous Heart some more and there are a couple of things that stand out, none of which are about "state of a Buddha".

He says Parikalpita and Paratantra are Samsara, and that Parinispanna is Nirvana.

Well, then when Parikalpita ceases to exist, then you are in the state the Sutras call "Samsara and Nirvana are ultimately one", because now instead of being false, Paratantra is real. And so I suppose in tantric terms, you are still "contacting" Samsara except it is no longer a Skandha, it is the Wisdom of Karma Family, Empty.


So to me it sounds pretty close to saying that Paratantra is real to Buddha and so he still perceives the realm of Samsara, just lacking the conclusion explicitly stating "therefor Buddha still has slight error".

The doctrinal dispute he could be said to be making is that he denies the Alaya is the eighth consciousness, or, rather, when you perfect the Klista Manas or seventh consciousness, you destroy, prevent, and remove the Alaya. I guess that is like saying Alaya is the cosmic response to Parikalpita, or what makes your delusions seem real by giving you input. Paratantra gives or does whatever you are putting into it, mirror-like, and so any of the defilements or skandhas or kleshas give you Alaya, sort of like the Mayavic aspect of Prakriti. The skandha is the male Buddha and the prakriti is Prajna.


The Gauris are Sampatti, i. e. the branches or vijnanas of this experienced as samadhis of an undistractable nature, up to Nirodha Sampatti, call it Baghalamukhi if one wants. Something like Luminous Heart is saying basically this exact same thing at a Sutra level for a broad audience. If I spend a month or so mulling over Three Natures terminology and how it is supposed to work, then I am not going to get much more from poring through it. It has to be internalized and so the tantras are much more vivid and powerful at this.

A deceptively simple deity such as Sukla Tara or Janguli is therefor incredibly direct, because they attach themselves to the cemeteries by definition and so you have "room to work", i. e. to learn and develop it, rather than being the entire system suddenly burst open all over the place. Once you put it together in terms of Inner Meaning, Bhava, etc., eventually you will become at par with the system and it is ready to work, instead of being a bunch of difficult-to-remember names and details like Tara's glaive flailing uselessly in the air.




Today I observed something.

Last year while meditating in the woods at night in moonlight, I kept noticing two unusual asterisms, but then when I found they were not "in a place", I decided they were the optic nerves. Since then, I sometimes keep seeing them in dark settings, white, perhaps radiant or brilliant, but not quite like the sun, more like moon or star light or perhaps distant lightning, or spark plugs.

During the day I discovered the sun causes them to flow with prismatic colors, although a bit more like the kind seen on oil.

In other words, they constantly pour forth expanding multi-colored shapes like polygons or stars, which is a visual form of layers of sheets.

That is like your eyes making light in reverse of what we call light, emanating its own in the outward direction.

It happened two times, briefly, the twenty seconds or so it takes to go in and out of a store. It is not happening now, instead, I am hearing an aspect of Primordial Sound, heavily to the left at the moment.

I cannot visualize anything, but, I am able to meditate on sound and light that have no physical external sources, being what I would call Swayambhu or self-arisen.

Given the opportunity, I can easily train that stuff until I dwell in an alternate perception, whereas the actual Heruka Yoga would be this crossed over to the point of an emanated being, which would first be white like the starry things I first noticed. Adding the other colors would be what we call Families.

That is why I say the physiological aspects of Suksma Yoga, I understand completely and it is literally so. I believe the actual Generation Stage practice will do something vastly better than the simple fact that my body knows how to keep transforming this into bliss and altered states of consciousness. I don't need anything to do the physical Suksma Yoga except time and place. The intent of the teaching is that it teaches you how to do this, which, most people probably need, I do not, but it says a lot of other things that I need to pick up.

At this point I would have to say the sound came from studying Manjushri, the white asterisms are from meditating on Mrtyuvacana Tara, and then this color display is from Maha Ganapati and his curiosity or Dharma Pravicaya about Matangi--Janguli.

Even if it seems like the "energy of the centers" is driving it, this, at least, I have managed to hitch to the Noumenal intent from the Sanskrit Buddhist system, and I think I am getting at least some of the protection and wisdom it is meant to employ.

It is a bit like that summer with the Bees except those were external.

I did not know what was happening and it worked due to curiosity.

At this point I do, it is of course the same thing that was there when I was born, which has a good explanation, "the Nirakara system" and Encounter with Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.

I am a position, for instance, to deny that Ganapati has any objective existence, there is no such thing as him, and yet he is more real in another way. That is like saying he is not in the Parikalpita (Adventitious Stains).

To me he is formless, and so if he ever takes a form, he is in the real Paratantra.


When you look at the Three Natures, it does give you a dynamic interface to the Absolute, which means there is only one real condition with respect to manifestation, a Dharma Path based on seven minds, having Karuna and Bliss as its purpose.

If someone were to ask me if there was something else other than this thing of its own nature, I would say no, not really.

Because there isn't anything else, I wind up spending all my time in it.

[Old Student]

I had a girlfriend once who had a Chinese roommate, and she learned the Chinese "alphabet", which I am not sure what that means, but it was...almost alien.
This is probably zhuyin fuhao, commonly known by students as 'bo po mo fo' because it is an alphabet that starts with those four letters. It's a system used for transliteration in classical Chinese texts, but most of its use is that they teach it to Chinese children (also foreigners in some language classes) so they can get used to writing while they learn the characters. When they made pinyin, they basically created a roman alphabet spelling for each of those letters, and used unused roman letters for sounds that weren't represented (q for ch, x for hs (because earlier systems used sh for retroflex), c for ts, z for ds).

The Chinese need to maintain the character system because otherwise they have 84 languages and 650 dialects, but written down in characters, except for colloquial expressions, all of those look the same.


But I was unaware of anything about Kumarajiva or Lotus Sutra generally speaking

He did a lot, I am aware of only a little, but he did for many earlier translations what he did for the Lotus Sutra, provided a disentangled and ungarbled translation from a cumbersome one.


Theyere were writein the Buddhist form of Sanskrit in the Śāradā or Sharada script.
These must be copies then. Sharada wasn't used until about 6th c., by that time there were already 2 translations into Chinese.


With the exception of only a few scripts, all the manuscripts were written on birch bark in Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit language in the Gupta Brahmi and post-Gupta Brahmi script.
This is an older method. Birch bark as the medium, Gupta Brahmi as the script. Ashoka's pillars use Gupta Brahmi.

BTW, Gilgit is on the road between Khotan and Leh (and eventually either Tholing, Spiti, or Srinagar). It is where one is when traveling south after going through the Karakoram Pass. When Khotan fell, Tibetans who were allied with the Khotanese in the battle headed back to Guge from Khotan through Gilgit (including the King of Guge's son). They were waylaid by pursuing Qarakhanids (Muslim) and the King's son was tortured and poisoned.


I suppose that is not really a big secret, and I guess it means not the oldest Buddhist text but of any "religious" text, or, specifically collection, leaving the possibility there are older individual ones.
Every once in a while, some farmer someplace (usually in modern Pakistan) will be plowing or digging up an old stump or something and find a jar with a birch bark manuscript in it (they were stored in jars, why they would have been buried is anyone's guess).

My rule of thumb is that anything that's really old is probably really older. And they will always be found over in the Indus or on the road up to the Tarim basin, because it's really really dry. Nobody is going to find 2000 year old birch bark in a jungle in Bengal.


These accounts match Plutarch's assertion that Alexander the Great met with the young Chandragupta while campaigning in the Punjab.
This is interesting, I'd never heard of it before.



There was a Moon People exterminated by the Cherokee.

They were dwarfish, nocturnal, pale, with eyes like saucers, photosensitive albino cave dwellers.

I do not really know if it is believed they "came from the moon".

But, Hinduism is at least in part the story of Lunar Dynasty.

These people were to the north of China, and lost a battle to the Xiongnu (some believe Xiongnu to be forerunners of the Huns). They migrated and split into two groups, one of which became the Kushan. No feeling for why the Chinese called them that.

[Old Student]

Without precisely locating Sosaling, it should be relatively near Sitabani and the environment of Bihar or perhaps its southern frontier, which I believe funnels into a pass through a minor mountain range or perhaps the Ghats.
I've seen two main assessments of where it was. One group puts it "not far from Bodhgaya." The other puts it over near maybe modern day Uttarakhand or there abouts. I have no feeling for why each group feels the way they do, except that the group that puts it near Bodhgaya thinks so I think because people went back and forth regularly and the accounts don't seem like long journeys.

That's another thing I don't believe - that people long ago were shy of traveling, nor that they may have had other means of doing so -- some of the trade routes only declined during the Little Ice Age, but historians ended up thinking they never existed for quite a while, and we always find more "ancientness" in deserts because there is more to dig up in good condition. Srivijaya was thought to be apocryphal as late as the 1990s.

Also some stuff requires interest to be investigated. There are remains of Buddhist viharas in Anatolia, when the Mongols first invaded they were Buddhist. Also discovered extremely recently, nobody thought to look.

[Old Student]

My question would be if I could perceive the person in charge as having a strong shaktipat.

Oh, I was just talking about if I wanted formal induction into the Sangha, I personally don't think it's something I need. I did, as I talked about much earlier, worry that I was transgressing by not having initiations into some things having to do with Vajrayana (Tibetan stuff, specifically), but I think I don't worry about it now so much.


So to me it sounds pretty close to saying that Paratantra is real to Buddha and so he still perceives the realm of Samsara, just lacking the conclusion explicitly stating "therefor Buddha still has slight error".
Okay, I guess that explains him. Paratantra I read was the view of things that showed that Parikalpita was illusion, which once experienced precipitates the perception of Parinispanna. But that is maybe different interpretation. Paratantra means 'the other weave' as if it implies the other way of stitching reality together. Parikalpita comes from kalpa to conceive, kalpita conceived (imagined).


Last year while meditating in the woods at night in moonlight, I kept noticing two unusual asterisms, but then when I found they were not "in a place", I decided they were the optic nerves. Since then, I sometimes keep seeing them in dark settings, white, perhaps radiant or brilliant, but not quite like the sun, more like moon or star light or perhaps distant lightning, or spark plugs.

During the day I discovered the sun causes them to flow with prismatic colors, although a bit more like the kind seen on oil.
Just to safety-check, regarding prismatics, you are sure they are not scotoma I hope, because those need to be checked out if they happen to older people (Full disclosure, I had to get one checked out about 4 years ago, it turned out to be nothing.)

But assuming they're not, they seem like things to focus on (from my point of view, which is how I started shaking) in case they blossom.

Given the opportunity, I can easily train that stuff until I dwell in an alternate perception, whereas the actual Heruka Yoga would be this crossed over to the point of an emanated being, which would first be white like the starry things I first noticed. Adding the other colors would be what we call Families.

Exactly. An alternate perception is to me more important than making sure Heruka has all ten arms and his elephant skin and the Brahma heads and that his consort has one eyeball looking up and the other looking down. But it's a minority viewpoint I've found.


Even if it seems like the "energy of the centers" is driving it, this, at least, I have managed to hitch to the Noumenal intent from the Sanskrit Buddhist system, and I think I am getting at least some of the protection and wisdom it is meant to employ.
That sounds awesome.

[shaberon]

I've seen two main assessments of where it was. One group puts it "not far from Bodhgaya." The other puts it over near maybe modern day Uttarakhand or there abouts. I have no feeling for why each group feels the way they do, except that the group that puts it near Bodhgaya thinks so I think because people went back and forth regularly and the accounts don't seem like long journeys.

That is Sitabani Wildlife Preserve (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitabani_Wildlife_Reserve) in Uttarakhand.

I do not think it is the same one as the Source of Upa Yoga.

Upa Yoga (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classes_of_Tantra_in_Tibetan_Buddhism) or Ubhaya Yoga is Conduct or Cara Tantra. That is a decent Four Levels of Tantra article including the Six Gods of Kriya--Cara.

Sosaling and Sitabani are depicted in the life of Padmasambhava and why he actually did kill someone and introduces some of the "main characters" Vajrayogini and Guhyajnana Dakini. From RY Wiki:



He married Prabhadhari and ruled the kingdom of Uddiyana in accordance with the Dharma. At that time he perceived that he would be unable to accomplish the immense welfare of other beings by governing a country so he asked Indrabodhi permission to leave which was not granted. In an act of play, he then pretended that his trident slipped out of his hand; it fell and killed the son of one of the ministers. He was then sentenced to be expelled to a charnel ground. He remained in Cool Grove, Joyful Forest and Sosaling, engaging in the conduct of yogic disciplines. During this time he received empowerment and blessings from the two dakinis Tamer of Mara and Sustainer of Bliss. When bringing all the dakinis of the charnel grounds under his command, he was known as Shantarak****a.

Padmakara returned to Uddiyana, to the island in Lake Danakosha where he practiced Secret Mantra and the symbolic language of the dakinis through which he brought the dakinis on the island under his command. He then practiced in the Rugged Forest and was blessed with a vision of Vajra Yogini. He bound under oath all the nagas of the lakes as well as the planetary spirits and was invested with supernatural powers by all the dakas and dakinis. Thus he became renowned as Dorje Drakpo Tsal, Wrathful Vajra Power.

He then journeyed to the Vajra Throne in Bodhgaya where he showed many miracles. People asked who he was and when he replied that he was a self-appeared buddha they did not believe but instead defamed him. Seeing the many reasons to have a teacher, he went to Zahor where he took ordination from Prabhahasti and was given the name Shakya Senge. He received the teaching on Yoga Tantra eighteen times and had visions of the deities. The he went to the female master Kungamo who was the wisdom dakini Guhya Jñana appearing in the form of a nun. He asked for empowerment and she changed him into the letter HUNG which she then swallowed and emitted through her lotus. Inside her body he was bestowed the entire outer, inner and secret empowerments and purified of the three obscurations.


And also with Manjusrimitra:


Manjusrimitra's two chief disciples were Buddha Sri Jnana and Sri Singha. The latter was born in China, perhaps Chinese Turkestan (see p. 297), and studied in China at Wu t'ai shan before following the instructions of Avalokitesvara to go to the Sosa-ling Cremation Ground west of Bodh Gaya if he wished to attain Buddhahood. In Sosa-ling the monk Sri Singha encountered Manjusrimitra who gave him the entire Dzokchen message.


Sosaling is enumerated twice as being west of Bodhgaya, i. e. direction of Kashi. The Sitabani referred to in this neighborhood is northeast of Bodhgaya. Although the major one is also a charnel ground, this appears to be a similarly-named one in Bihar.

Danakosha remains elusive. But I believe further analysis will support a Sitabani which is relatively close to Sosaling, which is probably a few miles west of Bodhgaya.



There are remains of Buddhist viharas in Anatolia, when the Mongols first invaded they were Buddhist. Also discovered extremely recently, nobody thought to look.


Interesting, I would or did expect something like that to happen.

[shaberon]

Paratantra I read was the view of things that showed that Parikalpita was illusion, which once experienced precipitates the perception of Parinispanna. But that is maybe different interpretation. Paratantra means 'the other weave' as if it implies the other way of stitching reality together. Parikalpita comes from kalpa to conceive, kalpita conceived (imagined).


To me, it sounds like a slightly different way of saying almost the same thing as Paratantra (Vikalpa, false discrimination between true and false, real and unreal, Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 227.18—19 also says, vikalpo 'ṣṭadhā bhidyate, but I find no evidence as to what the eight kinds are (are they connected with the eight vijñāna, mentioned in 227.10?); vikalpa is a common and important word in Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra, one of the five dharma (2, q.v. 3)) when freed from the limitation of Parikalpita, is Parinispanna, the true or real Paratantra.

So yes, when the eight vijnana--cemeteries are transformed, that is what it did, eliminated Parikalpita, and Paratantra is a true discrimination.



they seem like things to focus on (from my point of view, which is how I started shaking) in case they blossom.


If I went legally blind in what to me was a Sampatti of Sight, that would probably be fine.

Instead, they do Blossom, "in the case of" the right conditions.

It is the advanced version of what happened with the Bees.





An alternate perception is to me more important than making sure Heruka has all ten arms and his elephant skin and the Brahma heads and that his consort has one eyeball looking up and the other looking down. But it's a minority viewpoint I've found.


Since I cannot compose one, I do not know.

The true Heruka Yoga does not come from the composed image, but, a self-arisen one, which is held to be the simplest two arm form.

It has a counterpart who is the same way, e. g. Vairocani. And if you can do that, you have a Jnana Mudra.

There is also White Heruka and White Vajrayogini, who may arise individually, and eventually enter union.

Either way is an attempt to portray luminous beings, types of devas, but not exactly nature devas because mind-born, hence, devatas.




I used different figures of speech because altered perception can take place in ordinary mundane consciousness.

I would say there is this, and something a bit different that takes place by altering states of consciousness.

I have a hard time visualizing divine murtis, and, the closest things I have personally seen by way of discovery were what I thought was a totem pole but would also be like Eleven Face Avalokiteshvara, and, I would say, a crude, pallid, colorless Pancha Jina in the sky, in a pentagonal array. Those were unworldly or from altered states of consciousness.


Although I have experienced a wide range of altered perceptions, most of them are Laukika Siddhis or mundane or like someone who can project their Mayavi Rupa at will.


If you enter those altered states of consciousness, those deities are going to present themselves, clearly or otherwise.

Roughly put, the desired result here is glowing beings of male and female forms.

Then those can do the Completion Stages of any deity, not otherwise.

In Yoga, I am, so to speak, trying to ignite the blankish, default Avalokiteshvara in whatever realm that was, with this Heruka power, like passing a torch. Or he can go to Vajrapani or Manjushri.

If I take Vairocani, it will do it for Vajravarahi and Cinnamasta.

If it is Blue you will experience Dharmakaya.

Regardless of their expansive attributes, the base level or two armed form is three forms, With Effort, Effortless, and Luminous.

That may be the most general way of looking at it.








This is a switch to conventional reality, or everyday life as I comprehend it in an occult manner.

I witnessed an outburst of Mamos recently but remained undisturbed or i. e. Acala.

As a consequence there was a Kaustabha that came out of, I don't know, Varuna itself. Moment of clarity.



In the strange delusion of perceiving the Other Self, each of us here sees Uchusma.

As soon as that revealed itself, Jambhala did something.

The resolution of this place I call "the kennel" is that it is completely unresolvable and so instead, it is just to be shut down and gotten rid of. It is a house that, I would say, is probably good for limited kinds of people it may be suited for. I am not one of them, plus, I believe there is an angry Naga causing Water Poison on this disturbance to its environment.

Good answer for me. Best way to pick off a lot of little problems is simply to remove them all at once. It is going to be long, slow, and difficult getting to Destination Unknown, but I am quite sure we can dispose of most of our diseases and fights by moving away from here.

And so if you understand metaphysics, you can see this is what it takes for me to simply craft the locality in which to do a fuller yoga practice that I could otherwise do today, except conditions are not right.

[Old Student]

Okay, I just had something weird happen. I finished up replying to this, I went to post and clicked "Post Quick Reply" and instead of posting, it opened up the full editor with your post instead of mine to edit. So I closed things, and got on from the desk, and it had logged me out and dumped my post. Oh, well, that never happened before.


During this time he received empowerment and blessings from the two dakinis Tamer of Mara and Sustainer of Bliss.
Any idea what the Sanskrit names are for these?


The latter was born in China, perhaps Chinese Turkestan (see p. 297), and studied in China at Wu t'ai shan before following the instructions of Avalokitesvara to go to the Sosa-ling Cremation Ground west of Bodh Gaya if he wished to attain Buddhahood.
Interesting. China did not have real control over the Tarim Basin at this point since Padmasambhava is contemporary with the An Lushan rebellion.


Danakosha remains elusive. But I believe further analysis will support a Sitabani which is relatively close to Sosaling, which is probably a few miles west of Bodhgaya.
Entirely possible. It was the abode of Niguma, and she was related to Naropa (probably his older sister).

[Old Student]

Vikalpa, false discrimination between true and false, real and unreal, Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 227.18—19 also says, vikalpo 'ṣṭadhā bhidyate, but I find no evidence as to what the eight kinds are (are they connected with the eight vijñāna, mentioned in 227.10?); vikalpa is a common and important word in Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra, one of the five dharma (2, q.v. 3)) when freed from the limitation of Parikalpita, is Parinispanna, the true or real Paratantra.
That is vikalpa. Kalpa has the full retinue of other verbs derived from it -- Akalpa, avakalpa, vikalpa, etc. They won't have the same meaning, but will be related. E.g., gacchati to go, has agacchati to come, avagacchati to understand, vigacchati to go but more or less permanently as in to decease.



If I went legally blind in what to me was a Sampatti of Sight, that would probably be fine.

Instead, they do Blossom, "in the case of" the right conditions.
Okay. Just so you know. If it were scotoma there are thousands of drawings online of what it looks like, when I had it, it looked identical to those drawings (a lot of migraineurs get them just before their head fills up with pain).


The true Heruka Yoga does not come from the composed image, but, a self-arisen one, which is held to be the simplest two arm form.

It has a counterpart who is the same way, e. g. Vairocani. And if you can do that, you have a Jnana Mudra.
Okay, good to know, I guess. I didn't know that when I was doing it out of Lama Yeshe's book (or that I was not supposed to 'try this at home' without an initiation). So I followed what I thought was the directions and arose as the ten armed one with Vajrayogini as consort, and then as Vajrayogini with ten-armed Heruka, and then as both of them conjoined. At the time, I neither thought it was odd to do that, nor knew that maybe I wasn't supposed to.


Regardless of their expansive attributes, the base level or two armed form is three forms, With Effort, Effortless, and Luminous.

That may be the most general way of looking at it.

Okay.


And so if you understand metaphysics, you can see this is what it takes for me to simply craft the locality in which to do a fuller yoga practice that I could otherwise do today, except conditions are not right.
Does this mean you are moving?

[shaberon]

I may have a way of describing the difficulty of beginning at-will visualization.


From having checked out scotoma, that is similar to, but not exactly what, I am talking about in terms of altered visual perception.

The bright prismatic spray so far requires direct sunlight, does not work on hazy days.

So that is reduced, whereas the Sound went to the right, then to the middle, and is now back on the left.


And so when doing a Ganapati Hrdaya I am doing a fusion of things.

First of all let me describe something I got from Japanese martial arts. So we are trying to train difficult things to millimeter-precise accuracy, and we are trying to keep that T'ai Chi principle of Body Upright, or more profoundly the infinite string that pulls one's crown up and away from the center of the earth, while doing things that disrupt it for the average person and they lean or lose their balance.

So I was taught about a "tiny spinning blue ball", it is like a little bead of sky, and it spins forward and is always perfectly upright, and you use it as an internal gyroscope, inhaling from the nostrils and burying through the Dantien into all that lower stuff, and then back up. This actually works very well.

And so in first doing Ganapati, what I am trying to get is a Red Dancer to occupy the Khecari center, which, among other properties, "works" like the martial arts gyroscope, except more with respect to the subtle body on a still frame. This one is supposed to be "pleasant" red like coral, which is an approximate shade with lighter or darker aspects or sometimes a bit of orange:


https://www.icolorpalette.com/download/shades/ff4040_color_shades.jpg




And so what happened is, the flashes I am able to get, mostly started coming in as White Ganapati, not the luminous one like Heruka, but just the basic pastel white.

It is like getting an occasional movie frame. I can "see" a Ganapati for like an eighth of a second and then it changes or fades.

Well, then it is a matter of capturing one of those static states, and stacking it into a row.

For a few weeks I was able to start binding some together, about like a movie with maybe thirty percent of the frames.

It has still been almost entirely white and it sort of whispered to me that this is due to the influence of Vajrasattva, and then it did a cartoon-like thing with a small circle opening in a black background, inside of which is the red elephant's face, at least, and a bit more stable and detailed.

In the second half of the Dharani I am trying to take this same form but have it seated on a lotus in the heart.

What is next weird about doing this is, for one, using eight "flat" directions crossing three or seven worlds definitely makes something like a pinecone inside your Egg--hooray for Bacchus.

But at the same time, it is asking you to develop three hundred sixty degree vision. At some point, I should not just have the central Ganapati, I should be able to look straight behind, as it were, and see his reflection looking back.

Is that not the difference between a Yoga retinue, as we might see with Khasarpana or Tara and a few others in a row ahead of us, versus a retinue in a Mandala ring?

So I think a standard Pancha Jina or Horizon--Laghna or flat Eight Directions is actually really difficult because of that.

My brain says it can probably see Sumbha--Nadir much more easily than it could the actual Lotus Family in their normal habitat.



In terms of Lotus, what is Bhrkuti doing with Janguli? She turned Red and went South into Water with an Initiation Pitcher, and the main task of Janguli is to Cross Over Water.

The "easy" part for this Janguli is Yellow Mayuri who is in the East or First direction, or, the default position my brain wants to locate someone I am paying attention to.

In the West is Syama Parnasabari, and North is Nila Vajrasrnkhala.

Although the retinue has clear details, it does not actually assign their Families. And so if we have to reason by reverse engineering, one would say the central Janguli is Vajra Family. Normally that suggests Tathagata Family is East.



Although Green Janguli is not assigned a mount or pose, there is an individual Janguli almost the same as this tantric one.

Bhattacharya's Yellow Janguli claims she is mounted on a snake, and then says:

The worshipper should quickly conceive himself as Arya-Janguli, who is yellow in colour, three-faced, and six-armed; Her faces to the right and left are blue and white. She carries the sword, the Vajra, and the arrow in the three right hands, and the Tarjani with the noose, the blue lotus and the bow in the three left hands; She rests on the expanded hood of the serpent, is decked in celestial ornaments and dress, is resplendent with the auspicious marks of a virgin, and bears the image of Aksobhya on head. Thus meditating,..

...and says Manasa and Visahari are textually identified by Hindus as Janguli.

He failed to mention her flower is really a Poison Lotus, Visa Puspa.


The Krsnayamari Janguli fails to give the colors of her faces, says she rides a peacock, and holds a serpent, but does not mention other items.

Now here she faces Mayuri, and, we should keep in mind, this apparently strange mix extracting Mayuri from her normal group is because Janguli and Mayuri go together to form a Pancha Prajna with Mahasri Tara that also consists of Ekajati and Marici. And this is the next thing to Peaceful Sambhogakaya and Forest of Turquoise Leaves.

Marici and Mayuri start together as companions of Four Arm Sita Tara.

So we could say she has a solar affinity, and perhaps tantric Janguli is largely reflected and introduced by Sutra Mayuri.



Mayuri is yellow or can be lighter green (priyangu or harita) and is usually Karma Family. When yellow, that is how she is with Mahasri and Janguli's retinues, and when green as a Dharani goddess, she has a Camara or fly whisk like Cauri. However one can readily say she has a much more extensive single follower practice having her own Sutra and backstory which is probably pre- or non-Vedic. Behind her easy Karma Family assessment is also a fiery nature which is quite close to Power of Kumari and perhaps also Vairocana Family.

The presence of Parnasabari is also misleading because she is in all Families, and none of her colors are the right ones.

Sadhanamala says that Pisaci Parnasabari is green, harita, and in Karma Family, but it is a big six armed one. Her weird multifaceted nature is part of Bhaisajya and individual Tibetan transmissions wherein they have drastic changes, e. g., Sky Blue is Karma Family I believe.

So this Janguli starts with a normalish Mayuri, followed by an uncommon Bhrkuti who is in the wrong place by evidently representing a Water initiation, which is the destiny of this rite, followed by a normal Parnasabari where Bhrkuti should be, followed by Shrnkhala strangely Blue.

Janguli does not really look like Vajra Family and is strongly suggestive of Karma Family, whereas Mayuri mainly is Karma but functions in others.


If we look at the actual Mayuri Sutra, she is awfully close to the summoning of the retinue in Manjushri Mulakalpa, i. e. hundreds of entities serried in ranks and orders.

However it is fairly plain she is extended in time throughout the entire history of our planet, linked back to previous worlds, almost the same as Amoghasiddhi and Tara.

It is in the class and antiquity of being brought to us from Amoghavajra’s Chinese Translation (Taisho Volume 19, Number 982), so, one would think it may be in expression similar to Lotus Sutra, and it is.




Her Sutra is spoken by Buddha, and the querent is Ananda, whom, I believe, was the same as got tied up with Matangi (Janguli) in that episode. It is given due to Naga Poison, almost just like Janguli.

She "is" the spell and its power, is almost solely a Dharani without standard form details being apparent.

There is really no type of doctrine here and very little besides a who is who of spells.

It does have a sequence or pattern we can recognize, similar to others, but distinct.



In Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra (https://mahamayurividyarajni.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/mahamayuri/), the first Dharani word is Kali, shortly followed by Hariti, Kamalaksi, Yamaduti, and others, which is a general appeasement offering to all classes of beings. That is the brief introduction, and then it has three chapters, about like Mahamaya Tantra.


Mayuri is going to be repeated like refrains, and, as the chapters begin, in the first Dharani, she is Pisacini, Harini, and also:

asvamukhi / kali mahakali /


and here it emphatically projects love to the nagas.

With Suvarnaprabha (Buddha as Peacock King), she was vimala.


In her next iteration, she is:

hiranya garbhe / ratne garbhe /

paramartha sadhani /

manasi mahamanasi /

as well as Adbhuta and Amrita.



Then in her Heart Dharani, she has:

iti haro lohita mule /

adavataya varsatu devo navamasa dasa masiti /

and is called Narayani.



She has a longer Dharani involving the Seven Buddhas and:

kevattake vataka mule iti savare /

navo dakena varsatu deva /


Buddha then speaks several Yaksa names with their locations.


In one mantra there is a play with Doe and Jambhala:

hari harini / cali calini / trapani mohani stambhani jambhani / svayambhuh / svaha


It then handles the Four Kings.

Chapter Two handles a massive population of Yakshas and then a few Pisacis:

Lamba / Vilamba / Pralamba / Olamba / Hariti / Harikesi / Hari-pingala / Kali / Karali / Kambugriva / Kaki / Kala-sodari.

“These female ghosts have great spiritual power, and radiate great radiance, whose forms and countenance are flawless, and are well known everywhere. During the battles between the heavenly beings and asuras, they displayed awesome might.

Then there are Eight Pisacis who protect one in the womb.

Then seven including Citra also do it.

Then five including Kapila do it.

Then there are Eight Raksasis including Kesini and Kamboji.

Then ten Raksasis including Hariti (who has at least a dual appearance now).

Then Twelve standard Matrikas.

Then a Great Pisaca, Ekajata.

Then seventy-three raksasis and a large Dharani.

Then a tremendous amount of Nagas.



In the last chapter, the Seven Buddhas each gives their Mahamayuri. Kanaka has Viraja. Kasyapa has Pasupati Siddhi. Buddha's has Narayani Kula and Dramida Siddhi by mantra.

Maitreya's uses Harini.

Brahma and Indra do one, you invoke the River Kings, Mountain Kings, Celestial Kings, Sages, and Poisons. It roughly says you use the shaktis or powers of all of the devas such as Vishnu, Rudra, etc. It does make an uncommon occult statement:

Ananda, you should also recite the names of the nine stars of influence, which travel through the twenty-eight constellations, affecting the increase and decrease of time during the day and night. All events on earth are first revealed through the stars.


So in that "summing up", you get Narayani, Harini (seven or eight epithets, re-itereted as Pranaharini Raksasi), and Dramida, which are kind of her personalizing characteristics. She is also Malini and in the total dharanis you can find:

matamgi candali malini

She also invokes Gauri, Gandhari, and Janguli, and eventually Pratisara followed by Sitabani, described as something like the vows that Raksasi adhere to.

Samjaya, who resides in Mithila and is the eldest son of Kubera, also invokes Matangi, Candali, Gori, Malini, Gandhari. So this is a pretty specific location for a Yaksha general said to ride a man as a vehicle.


The closest thing she is the "family" of is:

kulataya narayani pasyani sparsani /

Paśyana (पश्यन).—(nt.; to paśyati plus -ana; compare Pali anu-passana etc.), seeing, sight: °nāya, inf., Mahāvastu ii.450.14; 451.1 etc.; iii.163.19; -paśyana-tayā Gaṇḍavyūha 61.10, because of the fact of seeing…

Paśyata (पश्यत):—[from paś] mfn. visible, conspicuous, [Atharva-veda]

with Sparsha, i. e. Touch or Contact. Elsewhere, it is a pasyani "of":

pasyani kapila vastu /


However in being called Narayani, it is a bit restrictive, towards Lakshmi and Durga:

2) Nārāyaṇī (नारायणी).—A name of Yogamāyā; Lalitā;1 the goddess enshrined at Supārśva.2

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 2. 12; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 13. 3.
2) Matsya-purāṇa 13. 36.


And so it is not unusual in Hinduism, but is almost trashed and scrubbed out of Buddhism, like Kali, who also shows up here.

We only have a couple corresponding instances. As a similar Dharani Sutra, there is Mahamaya Vijayavahini as given to Narayana, and then there is Vajranarayani of STTS.

Translated to Gauris:

Pramoha, who, as we have seen, has the boar face of Visnu's Adivaraha incarnation, is invoked as Vajranarayani (cf. Vajrajvalodaya (https://books.google.com/books?id=iggRAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA156&dq=vajranarayani&pg=PA156#v=onepage&q=vajranarayani&f=false) tri-shakti in vajra terms, with Cauri = Candi and Ghasmari = Mahesvari). That same note suggests that in Paramadya tantra, Vajragauri equates to Vajraraudri.


Narayani is in the part as personally used by Sakyamuni. And being the speaker of the whole thing gives some impetus to guessing part of Mayuri probably is Tathagata Family.

She is not called Kumari anywhere in the Sutra although she appears to have several qualifying features.

It has three kinds of Varuni, within a Dharani, as the Matrika, and a Raksasi. It lacks Ganapati or any of the Pancha Jinas or Prajnas or Bodhisattvas, almost nothing of substance from the majority of the Mahayana pantheon at the simplest level. You would not be able to use it in the case that:

The only exception are people who must repay their fixed karma from past lives.






Tantric Janguli appears to have "this" as her worldly vehicle and first facing partner. The theme with Mayuri is mainly removal of poison, which would enable Crossing Over Water, which Bhrkuti must have a major hand in.

This is thought of as mental poisoning, but also turns into glue in the nadis and eventually the body, it is like a verb and a recipe at the same time, roughly, the Conduct of Ignorance produces poison and glue as substances. These in return call for more ignorance. And so on.

And so in most cases there is a lot to be done before you could talk about something like Water Moon or a Purified Vedana Skandha or the Emptiness of the Element Water which is really going to be shown by tantric Mamaki.



From the general summary, "he subdued Yakshas while crossing the Bhumis", that is the technique of Cemetery Yoga. Although in yoga it has the tantric meaning that the Yaksha is the custodian of whether the Prana enters the Tree (Avadhut) versus blowing around or out the cemetery (sense and aspect of mind).





I think I missed a snippet from Yeshe Tsogyal (https://silo.pub/sky-dancer-the-secret-life-amp-songs-of-the-lady-yeshe-tsogyel.html):

Another source tells us that he taught Manjusrimitra in the Sitavana Cremation Ground in Bodh Gaya, a location fraught with spiritual power and of enormous significance to the Nyingma lineage.

[shaberon]

Any idea what the Sanskrit names are for these?


Yes, by convolution, they are related to Kila and base of the spine:

Guru Rinpoche manifested as Dükyi Shechen, which means “taming the maras.” Dükyi Shechen is the manifestation of Vajra Kilaya ...

Mahāvyutpatti: मारजित् ॥ mārajit ॥ bdud 'dul ॥ བདུད་འདུལ་

So it looks like Marajit is the first.



bde skyong - bliss-sustainer, guardian of happiness, skull; skull; bliss-sustaining. Same as kapala [RY]

bde skyong 'khor lo - bliss-sustaining chakra situated at the base of the trunk [JV]

bde skyong 'khor lo - bliss maintaining/ guarding chakra [5th, secret place, us w 28 nadi-petals] [IW]

by comparison:

Bhadra-pála (Bhadrapāla) (Tibetan: bzang skyong) Protector of Goodness ... Sugata (Sugata) (Tibetan: bde bar bshegs pa) Well-Gone

"Sustainer" there is "pala", more like "protector". Su Pala would not be a name I am familiar with.

Pala (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-great-chariot/d/doc83079.html) is standard for "skyong", such as Chos Skyong = Chohan = Dharmapala.

By context (https://sites.google.com/view/tibvocab/home):

•KA PA LA mgo rus thod pa'am bde skyong. Chödag. Skt. kapāla.

{bde skyong, thod pa}. 2) the forehead [RY]. ka pa la - kap la, skull[cup]= {bde skyong/ ka pa li} forehead [IW]. ka pa la - skull, forehead, drinking cup.

Kapala (https://english-tibetan-dictionary.tumblr.com/post/59660333388/head/amp) is the standard translation.

At the most basic, it is Pala or Protector of Ka or the Head, so, would probably be a question of yoga if the head is actually bliss.




So it sounds close to Kapalini or to Sukha Vardhani (Bharati). Another look as the Indic sources may be more confirming.


"Bde" is the same root as "Demchog", i. e. the specific Heruka of Bliss.




By way of accident, here is a 2019 dissertation on the Gilgit manuscript of Sravasti Miracle (https://edoc.ub.uni-muenchen.de/24595/1/Sirisawad_Natchapol.pdf), which looks like Pratisara but with an "h" instead of "s".

[shaberon]

Does this mean you are moving?


Yes--twice.

We have gotten stuck in a big estate thanks to death and it is really just too much.

By "Kaustabha", I more or less meant a moment that was scheduled around February, 2020...which I mentioned about a year later and got blasted by Mamos...finally successfully bringing it up again the other night, like a year and a half late for simple things like an Uchusma.

That is what I have gotten so far, not just repairing what is in "me" but it is the same with "someone else", two repairs for the price of one.

This is going to be some hard work for another year or so but maybe in the long run will work out. Will actually have a choice where to live for, perhaps, the first time ever.

Our other house is really too small, and the person who just left...might come back...making it worse. I figure I am just going to have to eat it and have a shabby existence with little yoga practice until the second move.

The "kennel" is starting, I will be back later.

[Old Student]

It is like getting an occasional movie frame. I can "see" a Ganapati for like an eighth of a second and then it changes or fades.
[...]
But at the same time, it is asking you to develop three hundred sixty degree vision. At some point, I should not just have the central Ganapati, I should be able to look straight behind, as it were, and see his reflection looking back.

Is that not the difference between a Yoga retinue, as we might see with Khasarpana or Tara and a few others in a row ahead of us, versus a retinue in a Mandala ring?

So I think a standard Pancha Jina or Horizon--Laghna or flat Eight Directions is actually really difficult because of that.

Here's something that I should pass on. Full disclosure, I spent probably by now close to 30 years studying vision - human vision, beetle vision, macaque vision, cat vision, fly vision, you name it. The purpose of human vision is to recognize the world and be able to predict it -- so, for instance, you can move your arm to where the blow from your opponent is coming from in that martial art and intersect with it, so that you know what the objects are in your field of view.

It does this by literally remembering something that has never happened before (the present) as it is happening. And it does that by painting the place where your eyesight goes when it gets to your brain with memories, that match as closely as possible.

So it's super good at painting pictures, out of the box. The clearest way to see something from your imagination or from visualization is by remembering it. And with human minds, you don't have to have seen something before to remember it.


The Krsnayamari Janguli fails to give the colors of her faces, says she rides a peacock, and holds a serpent, but does not mention other items.

The word Krsnayamari breaks Krsna yamari:


The Word यमारि yamāri in Sanskrit means Yama's Enemy[1] There are three types of Yamari:

Krishna Yamari (shin je she nag in Tibetan)
Rakta Yamari (shin je she mar in Tibetan and ‘the Red Enemy of Death’ in English)
Yamantaka (གཤིན་རྗེ་གཤེད gshin rje gshed in Tibetan) sometimes referred to as Vajrabhairava (རྡོ་རྗེ་འཇིགས་བྱེད། dor je jig je in Tibetan)
So she's dark blue.


Now here she faces Mayuri, and, we should keep in mind, this apparently strange mix extracting Mayuri from her normal group is because Janguli and Mayuri go together to form a Pancha Prajna with Mahasri Tara that also consists of Ekajati and Marici. And this is the next thing to Peaceful Sambhogakaya and Forest of Turquoise Leaves.

Marici and Mayuri start together as companions of Four Arm Sita Tara.

So we could say she has a solar affinity, and perhaps tantric Janguli is largely reflected and introduced by Sutra Mayuri.
So who are these people? Mayuri literally means peacock. Janguli literally means jungle. There are deities whose names describe them, Yamari for instance. Then there are deities whose names are things out there. Janguli the jungle, Venus (in original Latin) literally 'love'.


Tantric Janguli appears to have "this" as her worldly vehicle and first facing partner. The theme with Mayuri is mainly removal of poison, which would enable Crossing Over Water, which Bhrkuti must have a major hand in.

This is thought of as mental poisoning, but also turns into glue in the nadis and eventually the body, it is like a verb and a recipe at the same time, roughly, the Conduct of Ignorance produces poison and glue as substances. These in return call for more ignorance. And so on.
This is an interesting view on removal of poison.

[Old Student]

bde skyong - bliss-sustainer, guardian of happiness, skull; skull; bliss-sustaining. Same as kapala [RY]

bde skyong 'khor lo - bliss-sustaining chakra situated at the base of the trunk [JV]

bde skyong 'khor lo - bliss maintaining/ guarding chakra [5th, secret place, us w 28 nadi-petals] [IW]

by comparison:

Bhadra-pála (Bhadrapāla) (Tibetan: bzang skyong) Protector of Goodness ... Sugata (Sugata) (Tibetan: bde bar bshegs pa) Well-Gone

"Sustainer" there is "pala", more like "protector". Su Pala would not be a name I am familiar with.

Pala is standard for "skyong", such as Chos Skyong = Chohan = Dharmapala.

Okay, I remember trying to figure out Sanskrit for "bde skyong 'khor lo". I don't think it was translated from Sanskrit in the first place, so I don't know whether there is a ready made term that does it.

¤=[Post Update]=¤


This is going to be some hard work for another year or so but maybe in the long run will work out. Will actually have a choice where to live for, perhaps, the first time ever.

Well, that sounds like very good news!

[shaberon]

I was a bit off. "Marajit" may translate "tamer of maras", but he is male, accompanied by the astonishing Gauri, as per Himalayan Art:


Gauri (Tibetan: kar mo) is a wrathful female protector specifically associated with the Vajrakila Tantra and practice. She is white in colour with one face and two hands holding upraised in the right the mountain sumeru, center of each Buddhist world system, and held in the left is the circle of the four continents that surround the mountain. She is always accompanied by her male partner Marajit.


So they are not necessarily within the tantra as chakras or anything like that.

Is that close enough to call Gauri the "female tamer of maras"?

I am not sure that we could show that Vajrakila pre-dates Gauri of Dakini Jala, who is Sight or Visual Form, but according to Buddha, there are two Gauris.

Note the Tibetan just calls her "white", as if White Tara, Karmo Drolma.

If her main item is Mt. Meru, that probably tells us more than the scholars can.





They are perhaps the "mystery" on many Kilas:

There is a mysterious six-armed deity holding Sun and Moon on certain kilas. Considered to be Surya-Chandra Gauri, very close to a consort named Marajit.

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/6/1/2/61226.jpg




https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/9/0/9/90907.jpg



https://www.himalayanart.org/pages/images/90907-gauri.jpg





Those seem to be the same images as in Circle of Bliss (https://books.google.com/books?id=l3KmWbcq5foC&lpg=PA508&ots=LzvUo9xLZW&dq=gauri%20marajit&pg=PA508#v=onepage&q=gauri%20marajit&f=false), which tells us that Kila is from Rg Veda, meaning the central spoke of Indra's vajra, and that Sun and Moon may be a Chinese convention. I think they also said it can be used in Vetali Siddhi (in MMK).

Because there is also this, we should be able to track down what is said about it in IWS:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/4/0/6/40600.jpg




It should be after Mahakala Panjaranata and a dark Sri or Dudsolma--Dhumavati.

Male Marajit has two applications, either Shiva or:

Mārajit (मारजित्):—[=māra-jit] [from māra] m. ‘conqueror of Māra’, Name of Buddha.


So it looks like plain old Gauri and Shiva there protecting our Vedic Kila.

"Tamer" could have several translations such as Damaka or Yamana that don't really match anything, whereas "-jit" is fairly close to Jaya, such as Maravijaya, which is the same as Sparsabhumi, the gesture, not a personal name.

Himalayan Art mentions:

Simhamukha, a teaching received from the Dakini Tamer of Mara in the Sitavani charnel ground, is pictured directly above Padmasambhava.

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/3/6/5/36510.jpg



This Simhamukha is about Eight Gauris and Eight Tramen.

From a question on Dharma Wheel which was really about distinguishing leonine deities, if we follow the link to Rigpa Wiki (http://rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Padmasambhava#In_Zahor) we get:

Padmasambhava challenged and defeated five hundred upholders of wrong views in debate at Bodhgaya. He reversed their magic with the aid of a wrathful mantra given him by the lion-faced dakini Marajita. He was known as Senge Dradok, ‘The Lion’s Roar’.

No "lion-faced" from the original article, with Tamer of Maras in English = Marajita here.

Tamer of Maras is applied twice to Nyingma Red Lion Face (http://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=RED_LION-FACE_DAKINI_FEAST_GATHERING#Invite_the_wisdom_being) in her sadhana.


It looks like we are relegated to Marajita = Simhamukha.

Just because it is like a "girl name" of Shiva, does not, of course, mean they have to be together, does not have to be Gauri.

Rather, Gauri or a Gauri is the first retinue attendant on Simhamukha.

How, exactly, Simhamukha might give a teaching of Simhamukha, does not sound strange to me. The first is a Nirmanakaya, most likely imparting a Sambhogakaya meditation.

If you keep searching, "Tamer of Maras" will start pulling up Simhamukha practices pretty exclusively.

Since it is a Nyingma-specific legend, then we would tend to go with their view of it. The only apparent definition of Marajita (http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Marajita) loops back to this.

It is one title, similar to others, but as far as I can tell, is pretty specific to what it means.


As to the second dakini seen at that stage, Kapali or Kapalini is a widespread name, there is a Kapali Tara, there is one with Buddha Kapala, and a very stray:

Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Buddhakapālinī (बुद्धकपालिनी):—[=buddha-kapālinī] [from buddha > budh] f. Name of one of the 6 goddesses of magic, [Dharmasaṃgraha 13 n.]

which is "wrong" because he is referring to the Six Yoginis of DS 13, except he may have used some other Dharmasamgraha, as Muller's begins with the unusual name:

Vajra-

which is hyphenated like that evidently in the original, as if the guy was going off to think of who it was and never came back.

Otherwise there is no kind of Kapali in there.

As a tantric individual, I might push that one towards Ananda Bhairavi.

The first one was a nickname or epithet for a different proper name, right?

Ananda Bhairavi and Sukha Vardhani Bharati are a bit like before and after of the same thing.

We are in the odd position that Sanskrit "Skullcup holder" means Tibetan "Sustainer of Bliss", but, we also get this same kind of trouble with Heruka and Chakrasamvara. If the Nyingma say "Heruka = Blood Drinker", I am able to say that Heruka is not as much enfolded with them as Padmasambhava is, and so that version is mostly true in their own transmissions. After grinding through inner meaning and textual variations, I am convinced that Ananda Bhairavi and Bharati do in fact have this exact inner meaning, as more or less their core and their primary gig. One could say Naro Dakini has all to do with the act of drinking, but, as soon as we branch out, there are others and so many instances of Kapali that it becomes very rugged.

I cannot recall if Bhadrakali fits Anandabhairavi; together with Virabhadra and a "march of heroes", they destroyed Daksa's sacrifice, and he repented--so i. e. Bhadrakali is the name of Siva's wife after Sati was burned. Anyway, you see the logic...if Heruka has been studied for a while as "highly similar" to Saivite, or, more specifically, Bhairava tantra, then the corresponding goddess holding a kartri and skullcup may be pretty similar to the ones we use. She would be well-known in Nepal, Bhairavi (Tib. 'Jigs byed ma), as per this pot-bellied 1400s figurine:

https://tibetmuseum.app/imgs/collection/ABS/ABS-141a.jpg




I may have posted that one before; I believe I have some information on Ananda Bhairavi, which is hard to sort because it is a very common name, but she is called that way in one or more of the tantras. Most Hindu tantra does not emphasize Bliss, except for that. Happiness and well-being and so forth, of course, but rarely the inner sense that is profuse in Buddhist tantra until it is taken for granted as a requirement to operate the major ones.



Another way of thinking about it is...well, who would hang out with Simhamukha? She is Wrathful Jnanadakini.

[shaberon]

So she's dark blue.

Those are the names of the Yamari tantras, Rakta Yamari and Krishna Yamari are similar but different practices. Those are the only ones inside Tibet. Nepal also has the other colors.

The only Janguli mandala is the one found inside Krsna Yamari Tantra. She has a four arm white form similar to Sarasvati or Matangi, a green form similar to Manasa, and the yellow one which is a Mahavidya. All of them are Vajra Family, none of them are blue. There is a unique form found in China that has seven faces.

Teahouse tells us something unusual:

There are also images of the goddess with two hands holding lotuses. Such images can be seen on Tibetan flags (lungta) surrounded of Sanskrit dharani of Ushnisha Sitatapatra written in Tibetan script. There Janguli rides a peacock whose feathers surrounded her aura.

https://i1.wp.com/teahouse.buddhistdoor.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/04-1.jpg?w=530&ssl=1









So who are these people? Mayuri literally means peacock. Janguli literally means jungle. There are deities whose names describe them, Yamari for instance. Then there are deities whose names are things out there. Janguli the jungle, Venus (in original Latin) literally 'love'.


I saw that "jungle" derives from "janguli", not vice-versa, and its basic meaning is:

Jaṃgulī (जंगुली) in Prakrit refers to the “science (against poison) of snakes”, as is mentioned in the Vividhatīrthakalpa by Jinaprabhasūri (13th century A.D.): an ancient text devoted to various Jaina holy places (tīrthas).—See jaṅgulīya snake charmer (Bloomfield 1924 p. 228; Jaos 43 p. 312).

Jāṅguli (जाङ्गुलि).—A snake-doctor, a dealer in antidotes (viṣavaidya)

Jāṅguli (जाङ्गुलि).—m., name of a maharṣi: Mahā-Māyūrī 256.30.

--- OR ---

Jāṅgulī (जाङ्गुली).—f. (Sanskrit Lex. id.; [Jaina Māhārāṣṭrī] jaṅguli, AMg. jaṅgolī, id.), (1) the science and art of curing snake-bites: Śikṣāsamuccaya 142.1 °lyāṃ vidyāyāṃ udāhṛtāyāṃ, a snake-charm having been recited; but Transl., p. 139, note 3, reads jāṅgulyā, allegedly ‘with Tibetan’ (which is not cited), and renders when the snake charmer recites this spell against poison; there is a stem jāṅguli, m., snake-charmer, Sanskrit Lex., but this form being fem. would have to be taken as meaning by a female snake-charmer; (2) name of a goddess: Sādhanamālā 177.14 etc.; in 249.5 a personified charm (vidyā) against poison (uttamā viṣanāśanī).

E. jaṅgula, and iñ aff. or gama-yaṅ luk vā ḍuli .

Jaratkaru is...not a person as we know it...like Ganapati.

Jaratkāru (जरत्कारु).—General information. It occurs in Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 9, about Jaratkāru, the sister of Vāsuki and the wife of hermit Jaratkāru as follows. This devī (goddess) is the daughter of Prajāpati Kaśyapa, born from his mind. So she got the name Manasādevī (goddess born from mind). Some think that she got the name Manasādevī because she is the deity of mind. There are some who imagine that she got the name Manasādevī because she held Śrī Kṛṣṇa Paramātman (the Supreme Spirit) firmly in her mind. This devī had been meditating upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa Paramātmā for three yugas (world-ages) She is known by twelve names.

To the Jains:

The legend of Padmāvatī is throughout associated with snakes and she belongs to the Nether Regions or Pātāla. This serpent symbol is well manifest in art and so is her other symbol of lotus, which is responsible for the origin of her name. In Bengal, Padmāvatī with the snake-symbols in worshipped as Manasā, the Goddess of snake and the wife of Jaratkāru. Certain vernecular manuscripts called Padma-purāṇa, Behulā-carita (Vipulā-carita also), give the stories of Behulā, Chand Merchant and Padmāvatī. It is most likely that the connection between the Jaina Padmāvatī and the Brahmanic Manasā originates from the Jaina legends. Jaratkāru, an ascetic, stands for Kaṭha in the Jaina legend and it is he who latterly became one with Śeṣa, the King of Pātāla.


Buddhist Janguli fuses this with Matangi, who did not exactly come from this world either.

Now in times past, was this fusion realized by a practitioner, yes, Buddha says he found her in the Himalayas, not the jungle, so she is a parvati or mountain daughter where there are no snakes.

I cannot say anything more than single individual. She lacks the reappearances of Siddharajni and others like that.

I believe she indicates Blue, i. e. when you put together this Serpent Noose item, then it goes to Sumbha in the Nadir. "Surface" Noose deities such as Aparajita are usually yellow, and then when you mix a bit of Serpent and Underworld, it makes the power of a blue goddess below. If we look at how Janguli moves in the tantra, it is along the lines of entering and developing this power, it seems to me.

If I have junk stored up in any kind of underworld, then I am probably going to fumble it ignorantly and poison myself. I, personally, have, I'm pretty sure of that. I think I have probably done some psychological things that were about 70% frying sin and ego, and, because I didn't understand it as thoroughly as I do now, there was unclean and unprotected stuff sitting there, making an anti-Amrita, if you will.

On the early stages of the Path, we are too dim to prevent poisoning, so a remedy is always beneficial.

She has poison flower and poison kiss, and, if you follow Sarvadurgati Parishodhana, the nagas are strikers. So you have reason to enumerate and identify all seven branches of something while contemplating their good vs. evil or dual axis, and then with this deity you gouge out whatever evil you find, and, at least get to start looking at what the good may be. I do not think she is as powerful as the Seven Jewels of Enlightenment, but, you see how she is pretty much their threshhold. And if I tease her like that, who knows, she may incarnate and explain it better.





As to the other, I cannot remember why but, according to Wiki:

Mahamayuri's dharani was translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva between 402 and 412 CE. It contains the only mention of the Rig Veda in the entire Chinese Buddhist canon.

She may be mixed with Kartikkeya or from Rg Veda somewhere and possibly prior to that.

She is in Durga's retinue.

I am not sure she has ever been depicted as being human.

It is possible she may have another Sutra with the Pancha Raksha that says so.

What I have always felt is that she was less Peacock--Mother of Mars but closer to Peacock--Lotus Family--Fire.

You want to bring heat to the latent charcoal, Angaraka--Mars, and cause it to glow. That is the meaning of Mars--unheated in the average being, to which Tapas brings heat and light. Yeshe Tsogyal said that Pandara was the heat of Tapas.

Mayuri I am not sure is ever in Lotus Family, but, I would tend to see it as she is sort of a precursor for this effect in the way Janguli seems more poised for Sumbha.

That is strictly my personal understanding from reading the symbols, it does not say this anywhere.

But the weird Pancha Raksa 206 is Raudra Krama or i. e. a tantric necessity, similar to this, including Sitabani or what seems to me an almost childish ploy at encoding one of the main tantric distribution centers into a household lucky charm. If I am not mistaken, Mayuri moves from her normal position in the North, into the South here, and then the South and West deities each slide over one spot. Kind of unusual and rule-breaking like Bhrkuti going South.





Tantric Janguli appears to have "this" as her worldly vehicle and first facing partner. The theme with Mayuri is mainly removal of poison, which would enable Crossing Over Water, which Bhrkuti must have a major hand in.

This is thought of as mental poisoning, but also turns into glue in the nadis and eventually the body, it is like a verb and a recipe at the same time, roughly, the Conduct of Ignorance produces poison and glue as substances.

This is an interesting view on removal of poison.


Perhaps there are different kinds, but, Water is the gist of it. And not everyone has incredibly infinite or Acintya power like Buddha, but Nagas do. And so if you get whomped by a big one, you are going to be sorry.

I honestly think that happens here because other people notice it.

Ten minutes after I leave, my head is dry inside and I can hear.

And so my desire of Janguli to siphon some of the relatively minor, self-induced poisons, is flummoxed by this titanic oozing maggot which really owns this property probably since the planetary formation.

Then, I suppose if someone becomes sensitive, you could probably feel places in your brain or body if they were "sticky" due to habits or evil thoughts.

Habit, what is that...glued to a thing...what is the Impure Subtle Mind...Addiction.

Addicted to duality? Yes, and so on from there.

That is like saying Klista Manas is subtle or vajra ignorance, a degree above Sakkaya Ditthi, which is a degree above Moha--Ignorance--Tathagata Family. The four other sins are considered more emotional in nature.

Moha--Avidya and Prajna are mutually exclusive.

Moha is not the same as lack of worldly knowledge such as science or history, but it is ignorance of ultimate realities. There are many degrees of moha. Moha does not know the true nature of the object which is experienced and therefore its essence is, as stated by the Atthasalini non-penetration and its function "covering up" the intrinsic nature of the object.

So in other words the relief of Moha is in releasing the disturbing emotions "under" it, and learning the unusual things "above" it.

If Ignorance produces poison, and we would not become Angry unless we are Ignorant towards some particular stimulus, the results of anger are really the result of ignorance, more poison, with a particular mark.

So when it says Ganapati holds Lust and Anger without attaching to them, feels no impulses, then, he is in a position to address Moha, by inhaling his Prana, as it were.


Mahamayuri covers far more realms of beings than Janguli, and, in Yamari tantra, Parnasabari is more or less like a mother or advanced yogini to Janguli. So, this is like a set of sheaths of Mayuri in mostly Dharani Sutra aspect, Janguli is more tantric, and finally Parnasabari is a life-saver like a female Bhiasajya Guru, either one of those is tantric medicine made of pure tantric stuff.

And so, hmm...Bhrkuti, initiation, then next is Parnasabari which...is the direct superior relative, brings Vajrashrnkala.

Cross Over Water is to remove poison, but, I am sure there is more to it, because then Nagas are like mysteries which make it difficult for winds to enter the central, which is why Prajnaparamita was exhumed from there.

[shaberon]

Okay, I remember trying to figure out Sanskrit for "bde skyong 'khor lo". I don't think it was translated from Sanskrit in the first place, so I don't know whether there is a ready made term that does it.


No, that does not translate "Root" or "Protector of the Head".

It is interesting that it does associate skull and lower center, the way it seems that Sitatapatra's Parasol is inverted into Cunda's Bowl. It is like flipping down to Bowl and driving it lower and adding energy, Dipta or Vega.

If we started yoga by hooking lower winds from the navel, this is like saying the lower power is no longer just from the legs, but from additional loosened knots of mystical nature.





Well, that sounds like very good news!


I have no idea what will eventually happen, but, we endure the same dynamic as too many rats in a maze, too many gas atoms in a cannister, and that kind of pressure drives things to insanity.

The "meantime" is not suitable at all, but, I think I made my point that some 80% of our misery is from the uncontrolled environment which, instead of fixing, is just going to be erased. We are each seeing the other in a way like an undeveloped child. That is why Uchusma Jambhala tapped me. I just have to eat it on the fact that someone would perceive and say that versus it being caused by things I know perfectly well are mentally, emotionally, and physically detrimental, being the first time that someone has more or less forced things on me that I otherwise would never do.

I hope to get a new co-worker tomorrow, so that I can stop going in so much, because this will all be very time-consuming.

[shaberon]

The purpose of human vision is to recognize the world and be able to predict it -- so, for instance, you can move your arm to where the blow from your opponent is coming from in that martial art and intersect with it, so that you know what the objects are in your field of view.

"Function", perhaps, but the purpose? Karuna.

Predictive ability in terms of missiles or other collisions is still a subject of its own, it must be influential to some extent, just maybe not the complete story.

We were trained to watch for those using peripheral vision; what we "look at" is relatively still.

Such prediction becomes at least, in part, mental, like chess, knowing the opponent's next six moves is a sign of mastery.

Then when you look at the fighting abilities of the blind, they must be using other senses as cues.

So, granted--the description as you said it is accurate to a major extent, and probably entirely true for beginners. But I am in a position to argue that learning how not to get run over by a train is merely provisional to being able to visualize a five-colored Hum. How much of the development of physical consciousness is really about survival mode instincts?

Perhaps Eden was in Kazakhstan, and early humans were just like nature babies born beside a tree, cartilaginous and really slow, having to do little but pick moss, relatively unmolested by ferocious attacks of a wumpus. and they were mostly in an intense dream that they were trying to connect to the physical world more concretely.

More like a sloth or gentle lemur than a baboon.





It does this by literally remembering something that has never happened before (the present) as it is happening. And it does that by painting the place where your eyesight goes when it gets to your brain with memories, that match as closely as possible.

So it's super good at painting pictures, out of the box. The clearest way to see something from your imagination or from visualization is by remembering it. And with human minds, you don't have to have seen something before to remember it.


Ok, that is like what we would call Samjna Skandha. When I stop the skandha, it alters my vision.

That is totally different than remembering something.

Stopping the skandha results in a flow of living lights of which the cosmos is composed.

Here, I would say the principle of Mrdu or "soft" is the most important. The softer something is, the more durable because the more everlasting, and in this sense it is "harder" because more permanent. That is the dual meaning of "vajra".

The subtle body is much softer than the physical body, and so within that, there are further and further degrees of softness.

Very inverse and exclusive to the physical, like Prajna and Moha. Moha thinks the wrong thing is harder or real.

And so "cetasika" is probably the best translation of "static frames" or quantum unit of time, which must always experience seven things, but, it is likely to experience many more, due to distractions.

So if I saw Red Elephant Face by remembering something I have never seen before, then I just remember it back into the present, a quarter second ahead of the lag of my operating system.

I understand this and tend to agree with it even though I haven't really done it.

I have interrupted the skandha, which changes the whole environment. At the simplest, I guess you could say there are lights which present forms, and there are still other aspects, which are somewhat blank or not doing so, like unexposed film--which is the Akash.

Once Akash is "used", then the form of what happened never vanishes, which is why clairvoyance could be pretty limitless, when even time means nothing to it. The explanation is something like cosmic Akash is just an infinite fountain, and it is within the sphere of our Earth and its lower planes that the stuff becomes Astral Light wherein forms are made.

The thing is, if you engage in looking at universal lights without much guidance, such as when you are me, you become a bit dazzled by seeing the energy of Parikalpita. Part of what I was able to see was natural and correct, but probably most of my interest was just in the fact of its existence, not its ability to do the work it could do.

Optics was probably the only science course I made an A in.

One thing that was unusual was that in my spectroscope lab, the sample turned out to be something extremely basic, and every time I used it, I kept seeing--I think it was a fourth emission line--which wasn't in the book. It was so basic that most of the answers were supposed to be pictured in the endplates of our general textbook, so, it was barely more than learning how to use the device.

I dug around in the library and found a 1960s Russian book where the same sample matched my fourth line exactly.

I...never tried to figure that out, since it seemed like some basic information, but it was not in any other books than that Russian one.

As far as remembering much about those times, I don't, my personal history doesn't mean enough to me to pay that much attention to it, which is really a Castaneda idea. And then he is pretty much on the mark, you forget all that stuff too if you are going to quieten your mind completely.

If it is not quiet, it is not soft enough for me to visualize anything. However the power flow out the optic nerve does not depend on the sun, I was able to partially conjure it indoors. That is because I do remember what this is, and not much else. I understand now how it is a lot more like Rainbow Guru, and what I was doing was more like being a tourist in the cemeteries or in some of those other continents if you were able to go around the sides of Mt. Meru. Even the strangeness of it was not robust enough to even be called the Six Realms (Gata) or the Talas.


Related to the basis of Sadhana and Samadhi, let us for instance I am seeking to have Janguli as a Yidam. Then prior to her, I am going to at least concentrate one sequence where there is a Vajrasattva and certain things happen, then there is Voidness, and then there is a Vajradhara and different things happen. Then at that point I am going to ask him for a teaching by Janguli and then there is Voidness.

Next when there is a Janguli I am going to ask her for a Nirakara meditation and to Emerge in Reverse Order. At that point I am going to do everything I can, such as stop, and attempt to reverse the winds and induce an altered state of consciousness which eliminates the mind as we know it.

At that point, I--already know what the energy can do if I had *not* spawned a Noumenal Activity. There is a real thing in the way that Paratantra is real which says there are Eight Joys and Transference to an above-the-head chakra where there is little besides Higher Yoni Triangle and the Three Voids and Purnagiri Pitha or Prabhasvara.

As to the teaching that there are Sixteen Joys and other modes of Transference, I cannot say I have done it, but it is made from the above.

So then I try to get Janguli to go there with me, and, later, I reflect back to her as a first image or prime entity in a new cosmos. Slowly we expand and fill all the Directions, offer boons to beings, and then she is done and I return to Guru or Vajradhara. At that point he could probably do his Sarvadurgati Maha form which was more like the sun I believe.

I can do that in a Yoga view just because I am familiar with what is the most difficult part, evidently, in explaining to others. Many sadhanas only use half of an Inverted Stupa, and the ones that show the remainder, hardly say anything about it. So then if you are able to get anywhere close to what they call the Citta Cakra of it, then you are also close to Bharati or The Vessel, which is the source of coolness and to what I could only call a spiritual experience. Most people will have a difficult time, generally six months of daily effort, to get Tapas to begin with. Look at Yeshe Tsogyal. I could do it in a few weeks just because I have already done it. But both the energetic ground state and the entire process can be forced by Hatha Yoga. That is closer to how I know.

Now if one manages to connect with a past-life devi, such as happened with Nairatma in revealing Hevajra Tantra, what then?

Luipa must have been invoking Vajravarahi and it didn't work because he already had a different aspect.

You could, perhaps, even transit, such as from having lived as a Manasa devotee to Janguli now.

Aside from the sentience that I probably did have a lifetime in some kind of yogic current, I don't think about it.

I will say in conjunction with the retinue of Mahasri Tara, that, on a Dharani basis, Mayuri and Janguli are like an outer path of Marici and Ekajati. These latter two extend well above the Akanistha, the actual abode of Mahasri Tara. That is why she is a high-level mistress requiring prior accomplishment, Khadira and Mahattari being such a basis.


"Remembering what was never there" seems to be an apt way to develop visualization.

[Old Student]

I'm sorry shaberon. I was called a "Manchurian Candidate" who would commit murder on behalf of Public Health on the anti-vax thread. I'm going to have to take a break from Project Avalon. I don't take such an accusation lightly.

[shaberon]

I strayed into something about the Kumaon Calendar (https://archive.org/stream/journalofasiatic5311asia/journalofasiatic5311asia_djvu.txt), which is conversant with Bhairava and the Nagas, as well as Ganesha Chaturthi, Naga Panchami, giving various monthly festivals as known in the region. And so firstly we find there is another Sitabani, which is not in Bihar or Uttarakhand:

The eleventh of the dark half of Jeth is called the Apara eka-
dasi or ‘ super-excellent eleventh,’ the best of all the elevenths of the
dark half which are held sacred by the pious. No noted fair takes place on
this day and it is merely a nominal festival in these hills. The last day of
the dark half is called Vata-savitri amavasya, when Savitri, the personified
form of the sacred Gayatri verse, is worshipped by a few. The second of
the light half of Jeth is known as the Anadhydya dwidya, and on this day no
new task is given by a teacher to his pupils. The tenth of the light half
called the Jeth Dasahra, which is generally observed thronghont the lower
pattis or subdivisions. Special assemblies are held on this day at the
temples of Uma at Karnprayag, Uparde at Amel, Bageswara, Koteswara
and Sita at Sitabani in Kota, &c. This Dasahra marks the birth of Ganga,
the worship of the Nagas and Manasa. The eleventh is called the Nirjala
ekadasi, when drinking water is forbidden to those who profess to be de¬
vout.


Sitabani is in Kota---which there are at least five such places, none that I can track down in Kumaon or Himachal Pradesh. "Kota" is almost the same as Durga, "fortress", recognizable as in Devikota (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/devikota) on the Coromandel Coast, Pitha of Lankesvari.

So, that article didn't clarify much, except giving a Manasa day apart from Nag Panchami and associating Sita with Sitabani, and so, by inference, Koteswara as Rama.

As soon as we hit any kind of common Indian name, there is a deluge of...too many uses of it. Who knows how many "Cool Groves" there could be in a single state, let alone across what was once an empire. We should probably accept one as having been there in Bihar, even if it is no longer current.

It has been explained as the source of Upa Yoga or, i. e. the transition from Kriya to inner practice. Although it is a cemetery, it is considered peaceful--again I cannot recall a single name of another one of these, or if they are mentioned anywhere.

Since it is less important to us what the "actual places" are or were--and there is not much directly telling us about peaceful mode--I think it is strongly suggested in the following symbolism. From previous notes:


Cemetery Yoga appears to originate from the mahasiddhas at Sitabani charnel ground. In peaceful mode, it goes with Peaceful Vajrapani and Eight Nagas. This seems close to the change that happens to basic Pancha Raksha mandala where Mantranusadharin becomes a rakshasha and Sitabani sits north with Amoghasiddhi from having left Amitabha/red/desire. In other words, "successful accomplishment of transference of desire to the formless, or dharmadhatu" for her.


What goes on during Cemetery practice is a type of feast, in the manner of dancing Ganesh, who is Ganapati, and the feast is a Ganachakra. One may use a variety of Charyapada songs, written mostly in sandhabhasya, and so Nath or Baul can probably also give equivalents, this rite is also the provenance of Dattatreya. This is not much of a home shrine affair. If you do not currently have access to a charnel ground, a dismal location is best. You probably won't have offering bowls or practice notes; maybe a staff.

One of the most basic Hindu cemetery songs would just be Kali Gayatri:

Om mahakalyai ca vidmahe
smasana vasinyai ca dhimahi
tanno kali prachodayat




But in Buddhist terms:

"The union of these two, Moon and Sun, is great bliss. Ali is the Moon and Kali is the Sun. Gauri and the other Yoginis are proclaimed to arise from the union of the Moon and Sun."

The array of fifteen yoginis [in Hevajra] stand for the nadis, but rejects the sixteenth related to waning phase of the moon:

The Enlightened Consciousness is the Moon comprised of
fifteen digits. The Moon is the Great Bliss which is of the
nature of Ali, the fifteen vowels, the Yoginis being aspects of
the Moon. [cemetery yoginis are different shades of moonlight or Sukla]

the composite yogini's mantra of fifteen deities is:

OM AH A A I I U U RI RI LI LI E AI O AU AM HUM PHAT SVAHA

Pukkasi u, Savari r, Candali r, Dombi l, Gauri l, Cauri e, Vetali ai, Ghasmari o, Bhucari au, Khecari am.

The mantra's roster starts with Pancha Prajna, i. e. Locana and others (A A I I U I believe), then adds Ten Directions as the Eight Gauris plus nadir and zenith. If you look at it backwards, the Ah would be sixteenth and skipped, or else is Nairatma or something. There is a technical point as to why the sixteenth is omitted, but I do not recall it.

As we see, there is a point to what we might call lunation yoginis, which in this case are not Yidam deities, but, timeless parts of one's own-being. So thi Moon or First Void is pretty important, it "is" a male aspect, but then in the tantras, it fans out and displays as females. This is the major part of Abhisambodhi, which you could learn on a Kriya basis, as well as of tantric Hevajra, which intends to use the real inner Abhisambodhi towards the climax of its rite.


Here is something which would seem to correspond to the Gauris, which Hevajra takes for granted:


Jalandhara used Padmavajra's Vajra Lamp (Hevajra commentary) to define the eight awakenings (what we would probably call initiations in Hevajra) as Generation Stage. What stands out is that step seven is the same as Seven Syllable deity.

The eight consecutive awakenings according to Jalandhara are delineated as follows:

The first includes the steps beginning with the meditation on emptiness, generation of the disks of the elements, up to the manifestation of the celestial palace. These steps constitute the awakening by means of knowledge of all aspects (thams cad
mkhyen pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa).

The second, comprising the steps from the creation of the multicolored lotus in the center of the mandala, which is the seat of the main deity, up to the full manifestation of the causal Vajradhara and of the deities of the retinue, is the awakening by means of knowledge of the paths (lam shes pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa).

The third, comprising the steps of contemplation beginning with the entrance of the mind of the intermediate
being into Hevajra up to the emanation of the deities created in the wombs of Hevajra’s consorts, is the awakening by means of knowledge of all aspects (rnam pa thams cad shes pa nyid mngon par byang chub pa), i.e., knowledge of the bases ( gzhi
shes).

The fourth, the invitation of the pristine-awareness deities and the total merging of these into the pledge deities, is the awakening by means of the manifestation of all aspects in their entirety (rnam pa kun mngon rdzogs mngon par
byang chub pa).

The fifth, the steps of initiation, sealing with the lord of the family, and receiving offerings and praise from the goddesses, is the awakening of the peak yoga (rtse mo’i mngon par byang chub pa).

The sixth, the step of tasting the nectar, is the awakening by means of realization of the sequential yoga (mthar
gyis gnas pa’i mngon rtogs).

The seventh, the spontaneous arising as a white Hevajra with one face and two arms, performed after the step of effecting the
benefit of sentient beings, is the awakening by means of the instantaneous yoga (skad cig ma gcig la mngon par byang chub pa).

The eighth, entering the state of luminous clarity subsequent to the spontaneous arising, is the awakening by means
of the dimension of reality (chos kyi sku mngon par byang chub pa).


So, he mentions the seventh stage, which is very close to Peaceful Vajrapani.

This is not Sutra, it is tantra, but a very exoteric and well-known one, Sarvadurgati Parishodhana, which is Upa Yoga is it not...that is about the right way of describing tantra any way you take it..you combine five-fold Vairocana with a Wrathful Initiation, which is mostly aimed at Trailokya Vijaya, and purging the lowest planes of Kama Loka. So if you generalize the understanding of that into "Vajrapani Abhisekha", then it should not be too hard to accept that there are "energetic equivalents" of the same thing, such as Vajrabhairava or Yamantaka, or the beginning of Sadhanamala, and at the very least, we know it is permeated with wrathful cemetery yoga.

The grounds of transformation.

And so for example, there is Six Arm Sukla Tara, who is just described as sitting there, lunating. She lacks the extensive teaching of Hevajra, etc., but if I felt myself as capable of facing all the cemeteries at one time, that is her level of existence. Because it is not defined which or what kind of cemeteries, then she can basically help you any way you do it.


Because you are intended to pacify everything that needs to be tamed, then, yes, as you begin to accomplish this, you would begin to have peaceful cemeteries in the inner sense--which takes us to Citta Cakra as indicated by Inverted Stupa.


This one is rather strange, since the parts under it are very detailed and contain all the yogic complexities of the subtle body. But then Citta is not really "the next step up". Instead it is at the other end of a Noumenal process. When you are in the Triangle or Nirmana Cakra, then yes, you are somewhat moving prana to the heart, but, moreover, you are moving it to the throat, which is the main office of combining the five-fold Vairocana into the wrathful and mental sphere. Then the Throat energy should eventually start affecting the head, which, so to speak, lightens and elevates, until you begin to experience nectar. When this oozes back down through the throat, and starts to loosen the knots at the heart, then you are beginning to be in Citta Chakra and Mind Purification or Citta Vishuddhi, which is the segue' to Completion Stage.

Sarvadurgati Parishodhana might not talk about luminous white heruka made by cultivating subtle winds, but it does give the spiritual perspective of it.


Roughly, Peaceful Vajrapani is Sutra-based, and blue or green, according to the top of his article. At the end, before leaving it at that, referring to Sarvadurgati Parishodhana:


Three of those mandalas depict a peaceful Vajrapani at the center. He is white in colour and holds a vajra and bell, seated in vajra posture.

Reverse-engineer that, and it says peaceful white Vajrapani is purely tantric.

Some forms of Vajrapani are identical to the white Vajrasattva, peaceful and solitary. Differentiating between Vajrapani and Vajrasattva is done through understanding the context of the image in the painting. For sculpture, sometimes it is almost impossible to know which deity is intended.

Vajrapani almost always has a vajra; bell is not required.

The peaceful forms in IWS are green, and there is something undefined in Mitra Gyatsa, so it is tough to dispute that peaceful white Vajrapani is pretty specific.

Now the art site's description are mostly copies from a handful of mandala catalogues, whereas we can supplant much of this information from the tantras themselves, since in this case we can find a Tibetan-to-English as well as Sanskrit Sarvadurgati Parishodhana. I do not recall where it says the Naga mandala has Peaceful Cemeteries--obviously these are lacking from the art. But that can be ascertained, and so, for most purposes, he could be considered as facing Sitabani Cemetery, and so we should make some pretty fast associations.

Vajrapani is the main holder of tantric secrets, and so in these quick vignettes we should see something like Has Pacified the Cemeteries followed by Heart Center.


Vajrapani, white in colour, with one face and two hands, holding in the right a vajra to the heart and with the left a bell at the left hip; adorned with ornaments of jewel and garments of silk, with a green aureole and blue nimbus behind.

In the surrounding four main and intermediate directions on a large eight petalled lotus are the Eight Great Nagas and consorts: Ananta, Takshaka, Karkota, Kulika, Vasuki, Shankhapala, Padma, and Varuna; blue, white, red and yellow in colour, with one face and two hands holding their own unique symbols each embracing a consort in the same appearance as themselves. The heads are crowned by the hoods of five snakes with the lower body in the form of a snake with a spotted coiled tail; adorned with jewel and gold ornaments.


https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/8/3/83.jpg







His Citta Chakra is simply a Pancha Jina, wherein he has replaced Vairocana.

At the center of the complex circle is Vajrapani, peaceful, white in colour, with one face and two hands. The right hand holds to the heart an upright gold vajra and the left a bell turned up at the hip. Adorned with a crown of gold, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and the like, he wears green and red garments of silk. With the legs in vajra posture, he sits atop a multi-coloured lotus, surrounded by a green nimbus and areola.

The buddhas have also been whitened, and they show Sambhogakaya:

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/2000px/7/6/3/763.jpg







Along the top is the lineage of the Maha Vairochana Sarvadurgati Tantra. Starting at the left is the buddha Vairochana, Vajrapani, king Indrabhuti, the younger king Indrabhuti, Acharya Nagarjuna, Nagabodhi, Jnanavajra, Oddiyana Anandagarbha, Rabjor Shenyen, Padmakara Varman, the great translator Rinchen Zangpo and the younger translator Legshe.

At the lower left side is white Tara and above is a wrathful three faced six-armed deity. Above that is a wrathful female Krodha Bhurkumkhuta holding a vase. At the side is yellow Parnashavari and a wrathful blue figure with one face and two hands. At the lower right is a yellow male bodhisattva like figure performing the mudra of blessing with the right hand and the left in the mudra of generosity with a stream of light extending from the palm nourishing the mouth of the patron below. Above is white Achala, holding a sword, lasso and seated in a kneeling posture. Above that is a small figure of red buddha Amitayus. At the side is blue Bhutadamara Vajrapani with one face and four hands and white Mahapratisara, female, holding a sword and wheel.


These are Ngor pieces and you can follow from White Pratisara that this is the gate of Hevajra and, one might say, a specially-kept set of white deities--this one being more or less the fulcrum of White Heruka or Seven Syllable deity.

Two more such Citta Cakras:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/7/7/2/7726.jpg





https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/1/1/7/11743.jpg




You are supposed to gain this fairly contemporaneously with blue forms as the wrathful aspect. They are generally separate practices. When combined, they still arise at different times.

[shaberon]

I'm going to have to take a break from Project Avalon. I don't take such an accusation lightly.


I understand. I found that I had to back down from very much thread-swimming. When we get down to it, no, I don't think a room full of all posters would work out too well. I have seen little "persuasion" or viewpoint-changing due to the presence of others or their topics. Usually just a matter of time before something unpleasant shows up.

Shake it off and come back around to this, at least.

I have been told many things which were ridiculous, and I accidentally chased one person off the site by trying to type sarcasm, which was unfortunate because I was basically agreeing with the guy about the unappreciated nature of volunteer work, after someone else had already started accusing him of being NWO or some such pet slander because he worked in the Lions' Club.

This is a centuries-old tradition for us. The privilege of hearing someone else's angry opinion about things that are not true to begin with.

That usually happens to me several times a day.

Vajrapani-based martial arts has gotten me through. Now it is tantric Upeksa.

[Old Student]

Shake it off and come back around to this, at least.
Thank you for that advice. I did find one person on that thread who actually wants to have a real debate, exchange of facts or of "facts" in some cases, but not invective. I probably won't change any minds, but it is hard for me to just watch while people disseminate BS that could hurt somebody if they listen to it and get sick.

I will get caught up with your previous posts. I wanted to tell you about something I had found out just before that dust up happened.

Here is a paper (http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Journal/Journal2/pdf/ohrj-07.pdf) about "Lajja-Gauri". After carefully going through data from other sites, and focusing himself on carvings of the "Headless Goddess" who goes by that name, which is always usually called a "euphemism" because it isn't the real name of the goddess, apparently, he deduces that she is probably Shakambhari (bhari is the same 'bara' as in the Jain 'Digambara', meaning '-clad') who is 'clad in vegetables'. He also cites findings at Mohenjo-Daro and elsewhere, especially along the edge of the Himalayas in the foothills from the Indus all the way to Bihar and Bengal, he decides that she is pre-Aryan, she survives always and forever in village and local culture, and she only becomes prominent and rises to the level of other gods during famine. She is the goddess that brings food during famine, which is why she is covered in vegetables.

She is part of the Siddha culture, which is a much better and more accurate name for what I was calling the 'cemetery deities'. The heads of this substratum religion, which is always in the shadows whenever Brahminical power is extant, are Siddhas, not Brahmins. They are frequently lower caste, they are even more frequently probably women, and they are part of a shakti religious substratum that roots in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa and probably all over the rest of the subcontinent and its diaspora, and probably recruits in all local Siddha or Mayavin strains especially if they are put down by the Brahmins. My theory is that during Pala when Buddhism was ascendant, these people and their deities were welcomed by and converted to Vajrayana Buddhism and resulted in a mutually beneficial pooling of tantra talents. When Pala fell, many of them escaped to places like Nepal and Tibet, and elsewhere.

I think the 'squatting woman' that I've never 'labeled' in my shaking because I thought maybe she was one of my own poses (like the silvery dakini that is involved with flitting) is this adi-shakti.

She is identified or rather inducted as, when she is anything in strict Hinduism, with either Lakshmi or with Kubjika. The author also lists other identifications.

Edit line:

I almost forgot this piece. You have looked into Mercury very carefully, I had wondered if there was a connection with the Chinese, given that they do alchemy based on cinnabar -- which is mercury ore. Here is a research paper (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5497007/pdf/main.pdf) in which they did analysis of all steps in the process of making the Ayurvedic compound rasasindura, including spectometry and nanoscale structural analysis. The process begins with elemental mercury, washes and cleanses it, and then makes pure HgS, which again depending on crystallization is in fact cinnabar.

[shaberon]

If this thread is going to quiet down for a while, I have one more comment related to where we left off.

I probably also will compose an index for all this because it is too hard to remember and find everything in sixty pages.


Cemetery Yoga is crucial to tantra, however, all the themes of origin probably go into a pan-Indian view of Nath (http://indiafacts.org/nath-siddhacharyas-sabar-tantra/) and Sabar Tantra. This is because Buddhist Mahasiddhas are actually "accepted" by Hindu Yogis.

This is why Mayuri is probably actually ancient and primordial, mainly in the region between Bihar and Orissa, and why so many of our Vajrayogini lineages derive from Shavaripa (http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Shavaripa):


He later met the Mahasiddha Saraha and the incomparable Nagarjuna, from whom he received Mahamudra instructions. He practiced these and attained complete realization. Shavaripa then passed these instructions on to his disciple Maitripa, who passed them on to the Tibetan translator Marpa. He was also an important early lineage master in the transmission of the practices of the Six-armed Mahakala which were then passed from Maitripa to Khedrub Khyungpo Naljor, the founder of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. Another special transmission of his is that of the Six Yogas of the Kālacakra tradition, the so-called "Six-limbed Vajra Yoga" or simply "Six Vajra Yogas" (Skt. ṣaḍañga-yoga). Over the centuries he appeared at crucial times to various masters and transmitted these teachings to them.

Followed by a supplication from Dolpopa.


Here is the context of Maitri (http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/essays/monastic-buddhism-medieval-period.htm) leaving Vikramasila for Sri Parvata and the Vindhya Hills. Maitri trained in logic and Sutra, and then was taught Yogacara mental processes by Ratnakarasanti, before going on pilgrimages.


According to Masters of Mahamudra:


Mudra is the term used to describe Dombipa's "mystic consort." On the sensual plane she is the "other body", the karma-mudra, employed in sexual yoga. On the non-dual, ultimate level she is the jnana-mudra, the "seal of awareness" stamped upon every experience of body, speech and mind.

...The vignette of Dombipa's purification by fire is a common enough motif in tantric legend (e.g. Padmasambhava's burning with Mandarava); fire may indicate the fierce passion that is transmuted into pure awareness by meditation upon its essential nature as mind pure in itself; imperviousness to fire indicates a yogin's control of the elements and may signify that his body has become immaterial, in his own vision, like a rainbow body; the halo that surrounds the wrathful deities in Tibetan iconography is the fire of wisdom that burns away the veils of thought and emotion.


As yoginis, Sabaris (https://books.google.com/books?id=1_cGIppWCeYC&lpg=PA65&ots=vNBNwG8xlk&dq=mahasiddha%20sabara&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q=mahasiddha%20sabara&f=false) were lower than Dombis and Candalis. They are also the most desirable as consorts.

Tantrism arises from the Kadambari and flesh offerings to Candi in this hill country, which can also be shown to be the particular domain of the weaver caste which also spread to or influenced Bengal.

Sabari girl wears peacock feathers.

Sabara followed a master who spread Karuna; Lokesvara's teachings induce a thoughtless trance of sublime compassion, which results in Mahanirvana, not the nirvana of extinction.


That actually is the nucleus. It is "thoughtless" or "image free", while in the basis of Karuna, almost exactly like Ratnakarasanti's Sutra-based arguments promoting Prajnaparamita, or, "the original system" of seventeen mandalas.

Mayuri does not quite seem to be a name of any individual, but it does conjure up a standard costume of Sabaris.

Parnasabari is an ascetic, whereas Sabari is a Gauri in the Hevajra tradition. However by the logic, they are both pisacis.


The sabaris were said to wear garlands of ganja and their lovers were high all the time, gladdened with passion. Saraha takes this as a metaphor for Buddhist tantric practice.

So, as a class, yes, these seem to have to do with the slopes of Meru, often accompanied by music or wearing bells. That, of course, means an inner condition.


As members of the Pancha Raksa, Pratisara and Mayuri also have external or further appearances, while the other three do not, as far as I have ever seen.

The Imperial Beijing (https://www.angelfire.com/linux/vidyadhara/sina_cat.htm) basket includes:

mahamayuri vidyarajni mandala citrana vidhi
mayuri rajni suvarna varna vidya mantra sutra


In Sadhanamala, Varada Tara has Mayuri and Janguli.

Sita Tara has Mayuri and Marici.

Mayuri is one of four with Mahasri Tara.

Her personal sadhana is a Maha form with six arms who arises from Mam and is Vidyarajni.

In the Pancha Raksa, she is Nose and Matsarya Vajri. She is on a sun disk in Ratna Family (Karma Family expresses Irsya), which is Vedana Skandha, and seems to have the power of Asoka Grove:

aśoka-vṛkṣopaśobhitā tatpārśvasthitā, sasaptaviṣasañchādanakarī
saraudrakapilādirākṣasīvidhvaṃsanakarī samastanāgādīnāṃ
santrāsanakarī devanāgayakṣagandharvair namaskaraṇīyā

and in her mantra is Amritavilokini Garbhasamraksani.

Matsarya is Avarice in Prajnaparamita Sutra and Dharma Samgraha, whereas in general usage it is Envy; Irsya is Envy and Jealousy in general usage as well as the sadhana. Here, matsarya replaces the more common "lobha" as the name of greed, whereas in other sadhanas, it may revert to jealousy.

Mayuri is a very big and very straightforward Jewel Family being here, whereas she is not in other places.


That is tantric; one of the main purposes is

pūjāstutyamṛtāsvādapūrvvakaṃ


Svāda (स्वाद).—[svad-svād-vā ghañ]

1) Taste, flavour.

2) Tasting, eating, drinking.

3) Liking, relishing, enjoyment.

4) Sweetening.

5) The beauty or charm (of a poem).


Because it is with Pratisara, it is like an outer form of Hevajra.

Vilokini has her origin with Padmanartesvara, whereas Mayuri is Amritavilokini in something that seems designed to bring you a Taste of Nectar. It is a Maha Rudra Krama. These are Bodhisattvas of the Prajnas themselves.

Two goddeses have a plume, Janguli and Jvalamukhi, implying this power is a close tangent of theirs.

So, I would tend to say, the presence of Mayuri is most obvious in Sadhanamala and the sytem of Tara, whereas the inspiration of her cannot be dated, and she is perhaps paramount among the low castes and perhaps is the equivalent of Sabari in Hevajra Tantra.

Krsnayamari Tantra probably has the only retinue of that kind with Janguli, Mayuri, and Parnasabari among others. Because it implies Mayuri is "already accomplished", then it probably is a stage beyond the Pancha Raksha.


http://rywiki.tsadra.org/images-rywiki/8/86/Shavaripa.jpg

[shaberon]

She is part of the Siddha culture, which is a much better and more accurate name for what I was calling the 'cemetery deities'.


Okay. Well, yes, I just call it Yoga, as a personal thing. But as everyone says, Cinnamasta is recognized by both "creeds".

I believe I have seen that about Lajja Gauri previously, and in her case there is a reason that a lotus should be on the neck stump. Lajja or shame--modesty has much to do with Samaya Vows.


With the name Shakambari, it is Parvati or Adi Shakti in a particular scene:

Shakambhari devi is the third form of the Mother as depicted in the "Murti Rahasyam" part of "The Devi-mahatmyam".

She is currently well-known:

This Shaktipeeth of Mother is the continual place of Goddess. It is said that Mother appeared in a self-proclaimed form here. According to public opinion, the first darshan of this Dham of Jagdamba lakshmi was done by a shepherd. The samadhi of which still remains in the temple premises.

Maa Shri Shakambhari Devi Ji is Sakshat Lakshmi Swaroopa. Shakambhari Devi appeared in a self-proclaimed form on the divine hills of Shivalik at the behest of Lord Vishnu.

She is also called Banashankari (वनशंकरि) or the Goddess of the forest.

She is at least as old as Mahabharata (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/27530/what-is-the-story-of-shakambari-devi):

There, for the space of a thousand celestial years, she of excellent vows, month after month, had subsisted upon herbs, O king of men! And attracted by their reverence for the Goddess, many Rishis with wealth of asceticism, came thither, O Bharata. and were entertained by her with herbs. And it is for this that they bestowed on her the name of Sakamvari.


Renuka (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renuka) is also at least as old as Mahabharata and also a decapitated goddess, and she is mother of Parasu Rama. She is like Cinnamasta but also Horsehead Rite:

Parashurama found and apparently beheaded her, allegedly along with the woman who belonged to fishing community who had tried to protect Renuka Devi. When he later brought them back to life, he is claimed to have mistakenly attached the woman's head to Renuka's body, and vice versa. Jamadagni is alleged accepted the former as his wife Renuka, while the latter remained to be worshipped by all caste people as Yellamma, the mother of all. Matangi, Renuka, and Yellamma are all names of the Goddess.

Going further along in Wiki:

Lajja Gauri, is also known as Aditi, Adya Shakti; Renuka wife of sage Jamadagni, who is worshipped for fertility as Matangi and Yallamma (everybody's mother)...She is the most ancient Goddess form in the religious complex that is today referred to as Hinduism, whose worship is prevalent in villages of Gujarat, Maharashtra where a notable sculpture dating 150 - 300 CE was found at Amravati (now kept at State Museum, Chennai).

however there is the assertion:

Further, most fertility goddesses of the Ancient world are similarly shown headless, while giving prominent focus to the genitals.

Nothing specifically of her has been found prior to the first century.

Because Durga Suktam is based in things which I think can be traced to almost 300 B. C. E., I still take that as one of the oldest written evidences of devi-based Tapas.

Because there are not records or artifacts, it is hard to say for sure what yoga or tantra amounted to in the various traditions that had probably been around with perhaps little interest in writing or art.

If we look at the Upanishads, we would say yes, there certainly was some kind of male-based practice which is actually still the same as Mantra King of Six Family Wheel, prior to Buddha. Those documents were, of course, in the hands of the Priests, who only has them by way of permission from the Warrior Kings who originally had it. Buddha, of course, decided to chisel through this restriction of access.

In a clever footnote, Lajja Gauri (https://books.google.com/books?id=k8y-vKtqCmIC&lpg=PA85&dq=Lajja%20Gauri&as_brr=0&pg=PA84#v=onepage&q=Lajja%20Gauri&f=false) is a daughter of Daksa like Sati and Gauri. She was non-Vedic and probably absorbed via Matsya Purana.




She is identified or rather inducted as, when she is anything in strict Hinduism, with either Lakshmi or with Kubjika. The author also lists other identifications.


Well, as soon as we do that, she is roped into the fold. Either one is a major tantric Ista Devata to which a practitioner would probably devote their life.

As it seems, the oldest name of a practice is Matangi.


Dattatreya or Lord of Yoga is practically a primordial being who reincarnates, offspring of Rishi Atri.

He is the motif of the '"honey bee" Yogin who has realized advaita knowledge.

The Tripura-rahasya refers to the disciple Parasurama finding Dattatreya meditating on Gandhamadana mountain, Near Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Avadhuta Gita (https://sreenivasaraos.com/tag/vedanta/) is the high point of Dattatreya Tantra.

Bhairava's (https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/snapshort-histories/dogs-through-the-ages/) dog is said to have its origins with the Sabaras, who worshipped dogs, and Dattatreya usually has dogs.


Matangi's father is really Matanga Sabara.


In practice (https://dokumen.tips/documents/lord-dattatreya.html):

For the most of Datta mantras Lord Parama Siva in the form of Sabara (an old man of Kirata tribe) was the preceptor. It is interesting to note that the Parameswara the embodiment of Jnana was the preceptor for all the mantras of Dattatreya the Yogeswara.


According to a post (https://m.facebook.com/Chinnamastasaranam/photos/a.1808991429343332/2853661124876352/?type=3&source=57), Dattatreya founded Sri Vidya, Sabara Tantra for the lay people, Svacchanda Bhairava Tantra, and that aspect of Vajrayana which owes to Matsyendranath.


It is not as tidy as one could hope, but it seems Dattatreya is inextricable from what we have of Sabaris.


By way of minor familiarity with some modern colloquialisms, the adjective janguli is used in horticulture with respect to plants that have a feral, wild, rangy look, rather than cultivated or domestic, the kinds of things that would be rejected by breeders for their looks, but probably are more hardy in nature.




As another example, this is authorless and undatable, Pancha Raksa Devi Stotra (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/168/861) from Nepal.

Firstly it is unusual because it does not follow the order of casting either of the mandalas, wherein Pramardini is first or in the eastern position in either case. I tend to take that as meaning a "class" of vajra samadhis has been begun, not final.

But secondly it follows something that almost makes more sense in practice--Pratisara is still first or central, and then her first deity is Mantranusarini and the last is Pramardini. That makes more sense in the context of mantra practice leading to final samadhi, according to their names.

The song is relatively brief with about five couplets per devi.

So to just examine a few characteristics from them, we find:

Mantranusarini--

buddhādhiṣṭhānato

Buddha consecration like with Parasol, Sarva Buddha Adhisthana Adhistithe.


mantrānusāriṇo lokān nānye mantrādayo grahāḥ |


Mayuri--

duṣṭaṃ kṛṣṇabhujaṅgaṃ ca naraḥ svāntikaṃ pālayet |

Kṛṣṇabhujaṃga (कृष्णभुजंग):—[=kṛṣṇa-bhujaṃga] [from kṛṣṇa] m. ‘black snake’, Coluber Nāga.

brahmādayo lokapālā yaddhāraṇyā samāpnuvan |

svāni svānyadhikārāṇi māyūrīṃ praṇamāmi tām || 2 ||


Svani (स्वनि).—

1) Sound, noise.

2) Fire.

Śvānī (श्वानी):—[from śvāna > śvan] f. a female dog, bitch


something about a golden tuft:

svarṇāvabhāsaṃ śikhinaṃ nālabhajjapinaṃ kudhīḥ |

and death reanimated:

mṛtasaṃjīvinīṃ devīṃ māyūrīṃ praṇamāmi tām || 4 ||


Sitavani--

related to Rahu:

yaddhāraṇīmanujapan rāhulo bhadramāptavān |


possibly grafted to Sitala who in turn is equivalent to Hariti or Pukkasi:

pāpatāpe śītakarīṃ śītalādyupasargataḥ |


happens to be the only one concerning a cemetery:

śmaśānasthena muninā yā samuccāritā purā |

followed by actions on Graha and Granthi.


Pramardini--

yakṣarākṣasabhūtānāṃ damanīṃ duṣṭacetasām |

and is like a successor or re-iteration of Mayuri:

mṛtasañjīvanaṃ loke naumi sāhasramardinīm || 5 ||


She is called Naumi in each couplet: I offer my obeisances to, ninth, lotus, or perhaps Naumi Janaka (https://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2010/03/meditate-on-rama-shriramachandra.html), i. e. daughter of Janaka.

In each case here, it is just an epithet before her name, Sahasra Mardini, which is grinding, crushing, destroying, and Durga as Mahisa Mardini. Actually, her mantric name is still Pramardini, so I guess these lines are more like adjectives or sub-epithets.


That may not quite be a basket of doctrine, but it shows some kind of understanding which might not exactly be apparent from the household Pancha Raksa. The basic one is, again, probably a way to slip tantra into the hands of lay people.

Here, Sitavani comes forward as a cemetery, which makes a lot of sense compared to the historical ones, and her relationship is a word that could be its own negative depending on context, but in this combination is most likely:

Āsthāna (आस्थान).—

1) A place, site.

2) Ground, base.

3) An assembly; आस्थानाध्यासनाश्रितः (āsthānādhyāsanāśritaḥ) Bhāg.6.7.5.

4) Care, regard; see आस्था (āsthā).

5) A hall of audience; K.8,14.

6) Recreation ground (viśrāmasthānam).

-nī An assemblyroom.


Mayuri also has a constant epithet per couplet, Pranama, obeisance or bowing; each devi has some variety of "nama" like an elaboration of "namostute". Therefor "naumi" probably carries this association.


I believe it could be reasoned that on one side, White Vajrapani does represent cemetery-ness in terms of doctrine, particularly by sending love to those ferocious Nagas and placing them in non-dual union, and on the other side, Sitabani is not really teaching doctrine so much as experiencing the practice mostly on a Dharani basis.

In the basic Pancha Raksa sadhanas, Green Mayuri of Karma Family is the only one besides Pratisara to have her own mantra, or two, the first of which marks her Four Places. She has a lunar aspect, and blue and white additional faces; her main item is Plume, and she shows Srngara Rasa. The other Raksas are just forms, with Sitabani bottled into a very non-distinct Lotus Family appearance, which again makes sense compared to Siddha Sabara getting his inspiration from Lokesvara and so forth, she represents the foundation of Karuna but not in elaborate detail, since she seems to have more to do with accomplishing the cemeteries, and eventually replaces Mayuri in Karma Family or Accomplishment.

The basic panel is the same as Bari tradition, which states that the chieftess Pratisara arises from Vairocana Mayajala tantra, and then:

Maha Mayuri, green, with three faces and six hands. The main face is green, the right black [and] the left white and each face has three eyes. The three right [hands] hold, a peacock feather, arrow and [gesture of] supreme generosity. The three left [hold], a jewelled yak-tail fan, bow and vase held at the side. With the moon as a backrest, wearing peaceful ornaments and garments. Seated in the half [vajrasana] posture.


She seems to concern a relatively strange move where North goes South, or some kind of response from Karma Family to Jewel Family. In each case she is a striaghtforward representative.


Her presence is only implied here with Siddha Avadhutipa, because of the presence of Sita Tara. This thangka shows certain clarifying details: White Cause Hevajra and Blue Result Hevajra, and at the bottom the "two kinds" of Sita Tara, first the four-armed one from Sadhanamala, then Atisha's Seven Eyes Tara. Correspondingly, original Sita who would have Mayuri as an attendant is closer to Bari lineage, whereas Atisha brings in different Taras and his own Pancha Raksa.

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/6/0/6/60690.jpg





Also going by Vajravali relationships, Pancha Raksa can be seen as a mostly Jewel Family-centered rite on the upper left, followed by Vasudhara. At the bottom, Usnisavijaya is on the right, and the other is an "unidentified" red deity, probably male doing humkara:

https://har-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/item-images-resized/2000px/3/1/3/31323.jpg





The Pancha Raksa are all peculiarly Buddhist or Buddha-emanated deities, except for Mayuri; Amulet, Spell, Cool Grove, Destroyer.


Four Arm Sita is remembered from

Lineage: Chintamani Raja, Pandita Amoghavajra, the Translator from Kham Bhikshu Bari.

[Old Student]

Mudra is the term used to describe Dombipa's "mystic consort." On the sensual plane she is the "other body", the karma-mudra, employed in sexual yoga. On the non-dual, ultimate level she is the jnana-mudra, the "seal of awareness" stamped upon every experience of body, speech and mind.

...The vignette of Dombipa's purification by fire is a common enough motif in tantric legend (e.g. Padmasambhava's burning with Mandarava); fire may indicate the fierce passion that is transmuted into pure awareness by meditation upon its essential nature as mind pure in itself; imperviousness to fire indicates a yogin's control of the elements and may signify that his body has become immaterial, in his own vision, like a rainbow body; the halo that surrounds the wrathful deities in Tibetan iconography is the fire of wisdom that burns away the veils of thought and emotion.


As yoginis, Sabaris were lower than Dombis and Candalis. They are also the most desirable as consorts.

Tantrism arises from the Kadambari and flesh offerings to Candi in this hill country, which can also be shown to be the particular domain of the weaver caste which also spread to or influenced Bengal.

So several things. Sabara/i being lower than Dombi or Candali just emphasizes my point about a siddha tradition that lies perennially below the surface and has a lot that makes it seem older than the Aryan invasion. The article on the Headless Goddess also references what in your reference for the Sabari are called the Vindhya hills. There is a discrepancy between ancient and modern for what the term means, it was before a subset of, and therefore usually an alternate term for the Satpura range, which is the wave of hills along the edge of but before you get to the Himalayas. In that article, he mentions that this is the place where this goddess of drought and famine keeps recurring, but he put it as the whole range, and not something necessarily to the West (where the Vindhya proper are).


He was also an important early lineage master in the transmission of the practices of the Six-armed Mahakala which were then passed from Maitripa to Khedrub Khyungpo Naljor, the founder of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition.
The Bon eagle shaman, the one who learned at the feet of Niguma.


Sabari girl wears peacock feathers. I saw that.


So, I would tend to say, the presence of Mayuri is most obvious in Sadhanamala and the sytem of Tara, whereas the inspiration of her cannot be dated, and she is perhaps paramount among the low castes and perhaps is the equivalent of Sabari in Hevajra Tantra.

Krsnayamari Tantra probably has the only retinue of that kind with Janguli, Mayuri, and Parnasabari among others. Because it implies Mayuri is "already accomplished", then it probably is a stage beyond the Pancha Raksha.
This seems to work out perfectly. One note going forward, the term 'gauri' can mean a lot of things, but in the case of Lajja Gauri it just means 'woman'. Lajja Gauri is interesting as a term, Lajja means 'shame' in both Kannada and Bengali, but Gauri doesn't mean anything in Kannada. The term Lajja Gauri is used even by locals as a name for, not the name of, the headless goddess. At least the terminology has to have gone east to west, not the other way around.

[shaberon]

So several things. Sabara/i being lower than Dombi or Candali just emphasizes my point about a siddha tradition that lies perennially below the surface and has a lot that makes it seem older than the Aryan invasion.

Perenially so.


Here are some tidbits from Mandalas Life (https://mandalas.life/2020/intrepreting-mandala-of-pratisara/) who can translate the Pratisara Sutra better than me, and it may not be about Rahu:


It is said that one who holds the Dharani of Mahapratisara will be protected from all forms of illness, eliminate the past non-virtuous karma, protect from all sorts of dangers. They take rebirth in higher realms. Their body becomes a vajra body not affected by fire, weapons, and others.

In Bhadrakalpavadana it is said that Buddha Shakyamuni renounced his palace life before the birth of his son Rahula. He touched his wife Yasodhara’s navel with his thumb finger of the right foot and made a great vow that she be protected from great dangers which were to come to her in the future.

After his great renunciation, Yashodhara bore his child for six years inside her womb. Before the delivery of the child Rahula, she was put to many hazardous trials and tribulations by his cousin Devadutta. But in all cases, Yashodhara came out unhurt due to the miraculous power of Mahapratisara Devi.


Mahamayuri or Mahamayuri Vidyarajni is a bodhisattva and female Wisdom King in Mahayana Buddhism. Her origins are said to derive from an Indian goddess of the same name. She is also the name of one of the five protective goddesses in the Buddhist Pantheon.

She is also known as the Queen of the secret sciences. Mahamayuri-Vidyarajni is known as the Godmother of Buddha in Mahayana Buddhism. Mahamayuri is believed to have the power to protect devotees from poisoning, either physical or spiritual.

In Buddhism, Mahamayuri’s demeanor is in contrast to the wrathful attitudes of male personifications of the Wisdom Kings.



According to the Mahasitavati Sutra, at one time Lord Buddha was dwelling at the cemetery of Sitavan in Rajagriha.

At that time Venerable Rahula was troubled by many evil beings. Then Rahula went to see Lord Buddha and reported this incident with tears in his eyes.

The Buddha then suggested to him to recite the Dharani of Arya Sitavati...



So, there is a Sitabani cemetery in Rajgriha, Bihar, where this, and...most of the furture synthesized tantra...comes from.

Yes, I would say that Sabara and its derivatives and synonyms probably refer to the most authentic intra-Indian precursor of the yoga and tantra we have now. Buddhist Sabara was inspired by Nagarjuna and Karuna. This exemplifies our refinement of the older shamanic method.




This seems to work out perfectly. One note going forward, the term 'gauri' can mean a lot of things, but in the case of Lajja Gauri it just means 'woman'. Lajja Gauri is interesting as a term, Lajja means 'shame' in both Kannada and Bengali, but Gauri doesn't mean anything in Kannada. The term Lajja Gauri is used even by locals as a name for, not the name of, the headless goddess. At least the terminology has to have gone east to west, not the other way around.


Same. In a sense, when you get a decent understanding of Adi Shakti, any Array or Vyuha of her becomes fairly easy to comprehend.

Buddhist Cinnamasta mainly comes from Laksminkara and is Tri-kaya Vajrayogini, which could be construed as having traditional fertility as part of its outer rites, but again is really refined into something more.

I edited more Pancha Raksa stuff into the previous post, and, there is another version from NSP which apparently most of the art is based from, and it is hard to find a Sadhanamala Green Mayuri with Plume and Fly Whisk.

Mayuri is not just Pancha Raksa, but, she is in a puzzle with Sambhogakaya or Akanistha or Forest of Turquoise Leaves Tara, as well as with Janguli and Parnasabari in Krishna Yamari Tantra. That is why when I look into pisacis and yoginis, I keep winding up here, a somewhat self-contained bundle of the entire possible pantheon.

[Old Student]

Okay. Well, yes, I just call it Yoga, as a personal thing. But as everyone says, Cinnamasta is recognized by both "creeds".
It would predate anything we recognizably call yoga nowadays. In fact, it should predate the use of Sanskrit, as well, which might be why naming is such a difficult thing. The other is the periodicity. The goddess only becomes recognizably worshiped during droughts and famines, so she's kind of like a cicada who isn't there all the time but is always in the collective subconscious.


Well, as soon as we do that, she is roped into the fold. Either one is a major tantric Ista Devata to which a practitioner would probably devote their life.

As it seems, the oldest name of a practice is Matangi.

If I had to guess, the reason why there are names within tantric Buddhism and the names are harder to pin down or differ a lot in developed -- Brahminical Hinduism is that they are acceptable to the Vajrayana Buddhists, and anathema to the Brahmins who's power they challenge by being spiritually powerful and of low caste.


Pramardini--

yakṣarākṣasabhūtānāṃ damanīṃ duṣṭacetasām |

and is like a successor or re-iteration of Mayuri:

mṛtasañjīvanaṃ loke naumi sāhasramardinīm
Sounds really sweet. Destroys yaksa raksasa, mrtasanjivanam loke -- the land of the hell of the dead, sahasramardinim destroyer of thousands?

[shaberon]

Getting back to Lajja, if there is an unwritten tradition of her from the hills, there is a written one in the Puranas.

The following copies Siva Purana, which is close to the same as any of them when you clip the Shiva parts out. This layer is about planetary creation and is the Viraj. In Orissa, this becomes Brahma Viraj and Vach Viraj; in Saivite tradition, it is Ardhanarisvar; it recognizes itself as two halves and separates and begets progeny in space and time.

Lajja is in an older generation, before Sati, Smrti, and Svaha:




12. The man was Svāyambhuva Manu, the greatest of the means (of creation). The woman was Śatarūpā, a yoginī, an ascetic woman.

13. The auspicious lady was accepted by Manu with due matrimonial rites, O dear one, he created beings through her by the process of sexual intercourse.

14-16. He begot of her two sons Priyavrata and Uttānapāda and three daughters Ākūti, Devahūti and Prasūti, all of them very famous. He gave Ākūti in marriage to Ruci and the middle one to Kardama. He gave Prasūti the younger sister of Uttānapāda in marriage to Dakṣa. Their sons and progeny are spread over the world both mobile and immobile.

17. Ruci begot of Ākūti the couple Yajña and Dakṣiṇā. Twelve sons were born of Yajña and Dakṣiṇā.

18. O sage, Kardama begot of Devahūti many daughters. Dakṣa begot twenty-four daughters.

19. Thirteen daughters Śraddhā etc. were given to Dharma in marriage by Dakṣa. O lordly sage, listen to the names of Dharma’s wives.

20. Their names are Śraddhā (faith), Lakṣmī (fortune), Dhṛti (fortitude), Tuṣṭi (satiety), Puṣṭi (nourishment), Medhā (intelligence), Kriyā (rite, activity), Buddhi (intellect, wisdom), Lajjā (Bashfulness), Vasu (wealth), Śānti (peace, calmness), Siddhi (achievement, accomplishment) and the thirteenth is Kīrti (fame).

21-23. The eleven younger daughters were Khyāti, Satī, Sambhūti, Smṛti, Prīti, Kṣamā, Sannati, Anurūpā, Ūrjā, Svāhā and Svadhā who were respectively married by Bhṛgu, Bhava (Śiva), Marīci, the sage Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, the excellent sage Kratu, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, the fire-god and the Pitṛs (manes).

24. The great aspirants Bhṛgu and others took the hands of these famous daughters. Thereupon the entire universe consisting of three worlds, mobile and immobile was filled (with progeny).


And you can see from there the relative split wherein, so to speak, Sati becomes part of our earth as we know it.

According to some, the etymology of heruka is from Ruci:

Ruci (रुचि).—A son of Brahmā and a Prajāpati. This prajāpati married Ākūti the daughter of Manu Svāyambhuva. A son and a daughter were born to Ruci of Ākūti. The son was the incarnation of Viṣṇu. He was named Yajña. The daughter who was incarnation of Mahālakṣmī was named Dakṣiṇā. Yajña was brought up in the hermitage of Svāyambhuva and Dakṣiṇā grew up in the hermitage of Ruci. When they grew up Yajña married Dakṣiṇā. Twelve sons, named Toṣa, Santoṣa, Pratoṣa, Bhadra, Śānti, Iḍaspati, Idhma, Kavi, Vibhu, Vahni, Sudeva and Rocana, were born to the couple. In the time of Manu Svāyambhuva these twelve were called the Tuṣitas, a group of devas (gods).

one of the five created to make one's taste intensified; through Ākūtī twins born, yajña and dakṣiṇā; they married and became parents of 12 sons called Yāmas

Ruci (रुचि) refers to:—Taste; ruci develops after one has acquired steadiness in bhajana. At this stage, with the awakening of actual taste, one’s attraction to spiritual matters, such as hearing and chanting, exceeds one’s attraction to any type of material activity

also lustre, ray of light, beauty.

Lajja is in most if not all of the Puranas in an ethereal league which we can rapidly append many philosophies and sadhanas. See where someone has tried to equate Lajja to Uttanapada would be confusing.

Here is an argument that Lajja Gauri is Aditi (http://jyotismati.com/learn-jyoti%E1%B9%A3a/nak%E1%B9%A3atram/punarvasu/) and is in the Vedas, although it does not give sources. This idea was a "suggestion" by Bhattacharya, which is currently unsupported (https://books.google.com/books?id=MIZADNu6U-MC&lpg=PA1&ots=qVU5ZA4BMx&dq=aditi%20lajja&pg=PA33#v=onepage&q=aditi%20lajja&f=false). The "vedic reference" consists of interpreting Lajja as "unbound" so her meaning would be the same as Aditi.

Also, there is slightly more archaic evidence indicating Bhima Devi (https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/in-the-beginning-was-the-mother-excerpt-from-madhurika-k-maheshwari-s-indrani-demon-s-daughter-queen-of-gods/story-6JSkPkHkCcq1CTIsrPmNzK.html) as an older personal name.

More complete puranic versions say Daksa had a hundred daughters, such as Aditi and twelve others given to Kasyapa.

There isn't anything that quite says "Lajja Gauri became Puranic Aditi", but there is a Lajja in these same puranas.

Devi Bhagavata Purana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/devi-bhagavata-purana/d/doc57104.html#page-15) calls Dharma's thirteen wives collectively, Prana and Mahamaya. She then decapitates Vishnu, who experiences Hayagriva and Horse Head rite involving Visvakarma. It is not as detailed as nectar and the Aswins, but close to the same.




There perhaps are old artifacts identified as Bhima Devi, who has a temple without her artifacts that is not quite as old, but, according to Wiki:


Archaeological excavations have revealed that this region, extending from Pinjore to Nalagarh, establishes earliest habitation by man to 1.5 million years ago. This is based on tools of Paleolithic period found in quartzite formations in the region.

Bhimadevi belongs to the Shakti tradition that was derived from the Buddhist tantric goddess. Further, in the Devi Mahatmya it is said that in the Western Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh (Pinjore region adjoins Himachal Himalayas), Bhimadevi appeared in an enormous form of Bhimarupa (Bhima’s form) and gave protection to the sages (munis in Sanskrit).


According to a visitor (https://www.inditales.com/bhima-devi-temple-pinjore-panchkula/):

According to mythology, Bhima Devi is one of the 5 goddesses who currently have existing awakening powers. It is mentioned in the Goddess Mahatmya.

From the Puranic tales, Bhima Devi is one of the 5 Devis who are present in the present times as mentioned in Devi Mahatmay. There are four main temples of Bhimadevi. Three others are at Sarahan in Himachal, Nepal and in Maharashtra.

It is also believed that Pandavas spent time here during their incognito year of exile. A small town called Viratnahar still exists close to this temple & Kurukshetra is not too far. They say they used to worship Kali at this temple. Pinjore was originally called Panchpura meaning the city of the 5. Is it referring to 5 Pandavas? Maybe.

The temple may have been a part of the Devi Kshetra along with Chandi Mandir, Manasa Devi Mandir and Kalka Devi Mandir close by.

Across the road is an ancient Shiva Temple. It is also dated to the time when Pandavas lived here. The temple is called Bhimeshwar Mahadev indicating that it was installed by Bhima. I saw a similar temple at Bhimtal in Kumaon.



In the story, Gandhari has karma with Bhima, and, she is also characterized by bhima as her mood generally, and in Sadhanamala:

ugra-bhīmabhayānakāyai yoginīyai bhīṣmabhaginīyai


Hiuen Tsiang (https://www.wisdomlib.org/south-asia/book/buddhist-records-of-the-western-world-xuanzang/d/doc220201.html) recorded a Bhima Devi in Gandahar.

In other senses, she is the Kula Devi (https://jhajjar.nic.in/tourist-place/tourist-place/) of Bhima.

or:

Bhīmādevī (भीमादेवी) is the name of a sacred spot mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—The abode of Bhīmādevī is the modern village Brān in Phāk Pargana on the east shore of Dal lake.


Here is a major argument that Devi Bhagavata (http://www.mahapashupatastra.com/2011/12/bhagavatam-of-krishna-is-bogus-devi-bhagavatam-is-authentic.html) is "the" Bhagavata Purana, onto which Srimad Bhagavatam is a Vaisnavite graft.

According to Wiki, the Purana describes different rings of mothers:

The Devi Purana (6th – 10th century) mentions a group of sixteen matrikas and six other types of Matrikas mentioned, apart from the Saptamatrikas.[19] It introduces the Loka-matara (mothers of the world), a term used in the Mahabharata, in the very first chapter. Kind to all creatures, the Matrikas are said to reside in various places for the benefit of children.[19] The text paradoxically describes the Matrikas as being created by various gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra as well as being their mothers.[19] Devi Purana describe a pentad of Matrikas, who help Ganesha to kill demons.[19] Further, sage Mandavya is described as worshipping the Māṭrpaňcaka (the five mothers) named Ambika (Kaumari), Rudrani, Chamunda, Brahmi and Vaishnavi and who have been established by Brahma; for saving king Harishchandra from calamities. The Matrikas direct the sage to perform worship of Māṭrchakra(interpreted as a Yantra or Mandala or a circular shrine to the Matrikas), established by Vishnu on the Vindhya mountains, by meat and ritual sacrifice.

On an icon related to sixteen matrikas (https://www.exoticindia.com/product/paintings/goddess-bhima-shodash-matrikas-PL17/), her appearance is quite close to Bagalamukhi.

She is definitely mentioned in Devi Bhagavata Purana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/devi-bhagavata-purana/d/doc57429.html) in pilgrimage sites beginning with Kolhapur. Because that has so many chapters, it is hard to see if it says something else about her.

Here is a study (https://www.academia.edu/44919161/Reflections_of_Tantra_on_Rajputana_Art_A_Case_Study_of_Bhima_Devi_Temple_Pinjore_Haryana) on the history of tantra and/or puja compared to the Vedas, placing the first identifiable Pancha Ayatana at ca. year 300.

It then places this in the context of Bhima Devi temple, and finds the elusive Vinayaki. They think the Buddhists call her Ganapati Hrdaya.

So the indication is this area was a melting pot of various yoga trends. The five Pandavas are said to have worshipped Kali here. And so, yes, since the yoga view is that Mahabharata uses them as fivefold form, and involves Gandhari, these mystical written elements had been around for a few centuries until finding tantric murtis based on these principles, ca. 300, around the same time that Buddhist Sutras at least added Mind and Subtle Mind, which become fully evoluted in the tantras over the next few centuries.

One Bhima Kali (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarahan) temple was originally Bhima Devi, and has Hindu and Vajrayana assets. Buddha (https://www.frommers.com/destinations/kinnaur-and-spiti/attractions/bhimakali-temple) is present and it still makes sacrifices. It is also thought of as an Ear Pitha (https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/amazing-india/bhimakali-temple-jewel-of-the-himalayas/).

As specifically the left ear (https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/shrine-for-shakti-in-the-land-of-the-shakthas/article27899214.ece), she was also part of a ring of eight matrikas which defeated Banasura.

So far no one seems to say who Bhima Devi "is", but, you can find the strong association to Bhima Kali and Gandhari.

[shaberon]

It would predate anything we recognizably call yoga nowadays. In fact, it should predate the use of Sanskrit, as well, which might be why naming is such a difficult thing. The other is the periodicity. The goddess only becomes recognizably worshiped during droughts and famines, so she's kind of like a cicada who isn't there all the time but is always in the collective subconscious.


Yes; I certainly think that Tamils are quite profound.

When we studied "the mysterious Todas", they were arch-rivals of the Mulla Kurumbs, who hurt or kill at a glance; by contrast, Todas heal by "love from the sun", hold the buffalo sacred and live on its milk, and can stop a Kurumb by simply approaching and they will be stunned or paralyzed. Siddhas from timeless time who thought they had eastern or Lemurian origins and arrived at a site marked by monolithic graves that had perhaps been built by giants.

I have no problem in at least thinking that a high degree of magic has been around for a million years or more, as well as believing in Historical Buddhas across all time. But what was "once known" disintegrates from corruption, war, and natural disaster. To this, independent aboriginal tribes are probably the most resistant, and so if there was some kind of Dattatreya and Matangi lineage at some 9,000 years old, I would expect to find it in the wilds, rather than civilization.






anathema to the Brahmins who's power they challenge by being spiritually powerful and of low caste.

and, in most cases, non-Vedic.

So with a lot of those, they are Puranic, "traditional" to some village or region.




mrtasanjivanam loke -- the land of the hell of the dead


sañjīvana (संजीवन).—n (S) Revival, re-animation, resuscitation. 2 Anything by which resuscitation is effected; as a mantra, an elixir &c.

Mṛtasaṃjīvana (मृतसंजीवन) refers to “reviving the dead” and represents one of the various siddhis (perfections) mentioned in the Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.11-13.


It is also a drug, "...a treatment for people who are in a state of suspended animation due to a fatal snakebite or other pathological conditions. It is said that, by applying a kind of sternutatory to the corpse, the dead are immediately brought back to life."



in Jataka Tales:

The Bodhisatta was a famous teacher in Benares, and among his pupils was a young brahmin, Sanjiva, who was taught a spell for raising the dead, but not the counter spell. One day he went with his companions into the forest, and they came across a dead tiger. He uttered the charm and restored it to life. The tiger instantly killed him and fell down dead again.


Sanjiva is one of the Eight Hot Hells (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/ushnanaraka#buddhism) or Seven Patalas (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/patala#buddhism), but lacks the -na or -ni, even though it holds the same basic meaning, "reviving hell".

That is why I took it as the transmutation of Death to Life, in the world (loke), obeisance to you (naumi), destroyer of thousands.

There she is like the drubbing change to potentially mischievous yaksas and flash-eating raksasas, resulting in deathlessness, synonymous for full Vajra Kaya or awakened/transformed subtle body.

Artists do not recognize that the major Maha Mantranusarini is a White Twelve Arm form in Jewel Family, Mam-arisen like Mayuri, and she is Vimala and Viraj. She undergoes the most drastic change and seems to kick Lotus Family out of the mandala completely. They would do a double-take, if, according to the instructions, you wanted to put Pramardini in the center, you can focus her that way. You could do it from the basic mandala or this weird one. She has no stand-alone sadhana other than a form. This system, as it were, allows you to draw them in and increase the in relation to the whole unit.

Since she "is", as far as I can tell, Final Samadhi, and no one else is exactly, and, she came from Buddha, the un-written-ness of her is rather profound.

Again, she is "this way" of applying a Vajra Family Bodhisattva, so it can be seen how she branches to further relations. In Mahamaya Tantra, she would simply be Vajradakini, and so on.

Pratisara is Mamaki, so, here, we also have a Sutra-based outer version of Guhyesvari, perhaps like having Locana in Vajra Family.


Digging around a little more, I see that 84000 is a 100-year project, coupled with a sixty-year project called Kumarajiva, which is translation to Chinese.

It is great to have these, however, as with DSBC, a large list of text titles is simply bewildering to the novice, and you would have little idea why so much or what format to them.

But we can find a bit more about Pramardini, which refers to Buddha's visit to plague-ridden Vaisali; in the notes for an aspiration prayer, we see she also begins a text transition to "final samadhi":

One intriguing difference between the Mahāvastu version and the Ratana-sutta on the one hand, and these verses from Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm on the other, comes in the second of the two stanzas on the Dharma (1.­4, where the term ānantariya (“immediate,” “uninterrupted”) applied to meditative absorption in the first two texts is rendered in the present text not by a linguistic equivalent but by vajropama (“vajra-like”), a term that is functionally equivalent in that it, like ānantariya but in different systems (especially in Mahāyāna texts), applies to the stage of the path where the practitioner transitions to the state beyond learning.

vajropama <--> vajrapamo?

She reverts poisons which drain vitality, which come from the vassals of the Four Kings.

Aspiration prayer (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh813.html)


Pramardini is called Destroyer of the Great Chiliocosm:

A close perusal of these five texts might then lead the reader to construe them as standard Mahāyāna texts with a preponderance of elements‍—magical mantra formulas, ritual prescriptions, pragmatic aims, and so forth‍—that only later coalesced and developed into a typically tantric practice tradition with its own unique set of view, meditation, and conduct. To complicate things further, the core of the Mahāmāyūrī, for one, is rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that predate even the rise of Mahāyāna. The Mahāmāyūrī also appears as a remedy for snakebites in the earlier Mūla­sarvāsti­vāda-vinaya­vastu. This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “dhāraṇī texts were publically known much earlier and more widely than texts we think of as ‘classically’ Mahāyāna”.


Regardless of their bibliographical position in the Tibetan canon, the Five Protectresses have been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhist world. While it seems certain that these texts each developed independently and were only later combined into a five-text corpus, their popularity is attested by their eventual spread to Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and Indonesia (Hidas 2007: 189). In East Asia, the textual tradition associated with the Mahāmāyūrī in particular was instrumental in integrating Buddhist and indigenous notions of divine kingship. Moreover, the tradition of all five goddesses and their texts still occupies a place of central importance today in the Vajrayāna Buddhism practiced by the Newar population of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Newar Buddhist communities of Kathmandu have even translated the texts of the Five Protectresses into the modern vernacular, based on which they continue to stage a number of annual rites for a broad range of pragmatic purposes. Newars often propitiate the Five Protectresses together by means of a five-section maṇḍala and other tantric elements that do not necessarily feature in the scriptures themselves. This tradition reflects a specifically tantric ritual treatment of the texts, which, judging by the presence of tantric sādhana practices associated with these five texts in the Tibetan Tengyur collections, had already developed by the time the Tibetan translations were executed.

Arguably, it is Nepalese tantra, which has a Sutra version across Asia.


Pramardini Dharani Sutra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh558.html)

It mentions Citrasena and Tumburu amongst the yaksas, and:

The majestic, terrific form
Known as Hārītī,
And Caṇḍā Caṇḍālikā
Surrounded by her five hundred sons,


Describing Pramardini, she has "mandala components" or is similar to thirty-seven point enlightenment:

Concerning this he continued, “Bodily mindfulness, tranquility and insight, the three absorptions, the four bases of supernatural power, the four thorough relinquishments, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four concentrations, the four truths of the noble ones, the five faculties, the five powers, the six kinds of mindfulness, the seven aspects of awakening, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the nine successive stages of meditative equipoise, the ten powers of a thus-gone one, the eleven liberated sense fields, the twelve links of dependent origination, the twelvefold wheel of Dharma, the sixteen recollections of inhaling and exhaling the breath, the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha, and the forty-two letters‍—all this, Brahmā, is in the queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm.


a couple verses:

There is nothing comparable to the absorption
That perceives the vajra-like, non-dual path‍—
The manifestation, in due order, of what is most desired,
The permanent accomplishment of the teacher’s absolute practice.
Thus, it is called the most precious gem.
By this truth may there be well-being here!



Since those who strive with firm resolve
And enter Gautama’s teaching
Gain access to ambrosia,
Remove darkness, and attain nirvāṇa,
They are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.
By this truth may there be well-being here!


It appears to have multiple mantric sections with a few instances of things like kali, harini, and savari.

Mantranusarini (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh563.html) is similar but considerably shorter, having many variants including her own name, suggested as Mantranudharini, and a lot of non-Sanskrit names until future refinement.

At the end, it refers to Buddha curing a person's problems by the 84000 sections of teachings.

Neither one is much of a direct praise or invocation to a deity, but, "her" as the compound of mantric power used by Buddha.


Vaiśalī is an archaeologically important site dating to the Ganges civilization (1000 BCE).—Nearly a millennium after the Indus civilization had collapsed, the Ganges civilization arose in the first millennium BCE. Among the first cities were, for example, Rājagṛha in Bihar.

Did we not recently see this same quote describing Ekajati?

Ānanda, there is a rākṣasī called Mahākālī with one thousand sons who lives at the seashore and travels 80,000 miles in a single night.

What that translation shows us is that from the time of "Lotus Sutra vernacular" to here, there was kind of a standard, but, so many textual variances, that to make a single version was a compromise.

Did they say that "Dharani culture" was outside of and prior to the recognizable written form of Mahayana, yes, and does this loosely correspond to a lay person's yoga or tantra, yes.

[Old Student]

20. Their names are Śraddhā (faith), Lakṣmī (fortune), Dhṛti (fortitude), Tuṣṭi (satiety), Puṣṭi (nourishment), Medhā (intelligence), Kriyā (rite, activity), Buddhi (intellect, wisdom), Lajjā (Bashfulness), Vasu (wealth), Śānti (peace, calmness), Siddhi (achievement, accomplishment) and the thirteenth is Kīrti (fame).
This is someone named Lajja (these names are traits, purposefully), but this is not Lajja Gauri. The latter does not separate, it's a phrase, "lajja gauri". That was part of the point of that article, that this is a descriptive of the statue, not the name of the deity. And a weird one. 'Lajja' means the same thing in many languages -- Kannada and Bengali for instance, even though Kannada is Dravidian and Bengali is a Prakrit. But 'gauri' means woman in Prakrit languages or in Sanskrit (where it also means beautiful), but means nothing at all in Kannada. Hence the search to figure out who it really is, rather than what it is called.


So far no one seems to say who Bhima Devi "is", but, you can find the strong association to Bhima Kali and Gandhari.
Very similar. This is why I had been looking for a layer below. I have a second reason now as well. I had a shaking in which the world decomposed (not that startling for shaking I guess) but not form, like in the dissolve, and not consciousness, like the dreaming portability and things. This time it was time. It came apart like an intersection of planes in a high-dimensional space. Only instead of being a dimension (as it is in Lorentzian spacetime) it was like a normal bundle. Which has in common that it is perpendicular to space, but normal bundles are multidimensional themselves. At any rate, there were three 'eons'.

[Old Student]

I have no problem in at least thinking that a high degree of magic has been around for a million years or more, as well as believing in Historical Buddhas across all time.
The first archaeological evidence of magic/medicine would be Zinjanthropus, who was a million years ago. He had been trephined, with evidence of healing afterwards.



Sanjiva is one of the Eight Hot Hells or Seven Patalas, but lacks the -na or -ni, even though it holds the same basic meaning, "reviving hell".

That is why I took it as the transmutation of Death to Life, in the world (loke), obeisance to you (naumi), destroyer of thousands.

This works. I like it better than what I came up with.

Since she "is", as far as I can tell, Final Samadhi, and no one else is exactly, and, she came from Buddha, the un-written-ness of her is rather profound.
Then the name does fit, a destroyer being associated with the blowing out.

Pratisara is Mamaki, so, here, we also have a Sutra-based outer version of Guhyesvari, perhaps like having Locana in Vajra Family.
I had gotten the feeling that the list had a discernible beginning and ending in actions, that is why I jumped to conclusions on Pramardini. Even having been corrected, it still looks like a progression of actions.


Digging around a little more, I see that 84000 is a 100-year project, coupled with a sixty-year project called Kumarajiva, which is translation to Chinese.
Aptly named, he was the greatest (best) of the Sanskrit to Chinese translators.


Arguably, it is Nepalese tantra, which has a Sutra version across Asia.
Just as arguably, it's because Nepal is where things survive. Rila Mukherjee has a theory (along with some other people) that societies that exist at the corners of maps are different from those that occupy the center. Older things are often found there.


Concerning this he continued, “Bodily mindfulness, tranquility and insight, the three absorptions, the four bases of supernatural power, the four thorough relinquishments, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four concentrations, the four truths of the noble ones, the five faculties, the five powers, the six kinds of mindfulness, the seven aspects of awakening, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the nine successive stages of meditative equipoise, the ten powers of a thus-gone one, the eleven liberated sense fields, the twelve links of dependent origination, the twelvefold wheel of Dharma, the sixteen recollections of inhaling and exhaling the breath, the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha, and the forty-two letters‍—all this, Brahmā, is in the queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm.

This is a great list, collected in one place. Thanks.

[shaberon]

If we look at a large Pancha Raksha mandala, then they carry non-surprising retinues similar to Sarvadurgati Parishodhana, such as the Eight Directions, Nine Planets, the Lunar Mansions, and the Four Kings. All we have to do is turn to Pramardini and it stuffs in most of the tantric additives such as the senses, ayatanas, jewels of enlightenment, eightfold path, and balas.

In other words, they can take control of almost any appropriate teaching.

In personal practices, one can find for instance an Amitabha thangka (https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1407398055&disposition=inline) showing the Pancha Raksa framed by Usnisavijaya and Sattvavajri. It would seem arbitrary unless you get how that draws from STTS and Sarvadurgati Parishodhana.

If we don't take it too literally that x spell is against fevers and so on, but focus on the aspects related to sadhana practice or inner meaning, then we will get a slightly different meaning for protection, or perhaps a grander purpose for its own sake. This is like the whole pantheon of deities, you can read about "protectors" fifty times and start to wonder what are they so busy guarding.

Does each Raksa have a type of distinct individual character that shows something exemplary of the inner teaching, yes, I think so. Inner teaching means transforms us into a Bodhisattva so our subtle body is capable of comprehending Buddha's Wisdom.

DSBC has not published the Pancha Raksa Sutra yet, neither has 84000, but there is a GRETIL Mahasitavati Sutra (http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/corpustei/transformations/html/sa_mahAzItavatI-vidyArAjJI.htm), which comes from a 1937 Kyoto publication.


It is incredibly short; it specifies that the location is a Maha Smasana. Probably half the thing is the dharani, which, aside from other clues, has:

gauri gandhāri / caṇḍāli vetāli / mātaṅgi /



Buddha gave this stuff to his own son, Amulet protection while he was in the womb, and Cemetery Yoga during his life when he was troubled. The difference between him and us is that he had the power, and we only have the potential.

We cannot prove it was written down until some thousand years after it happened, however, it is so small that it would not be hard to think of Ananda transmitting a lineage of it, compared to someone memorizing the entire Lotus Sutra.

So, there is not much need for me to grapple with whether the name ends in -bani, -vani, or-vati, either way means the same deity, although this original document shows -vati. No need to associate by synonyms with whether it has to do with the origin of Upa Yoga to Padmasambhava and others. It is self-apparent as the cemetery of Rajagriha, where a dharani to assist Afflicted Mind used Gauris--Pisacis to do so.

It is like a small, portable, dharani-based Lotus Sutra, which most likely was prior to it.




The devi who displays the most extreme personal transformation has almost no meaning other than mantra deity.

Mantranusarini originates at Jetvana Grove in Sravasti.

The audience was relatively concentrated:

At that time, Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, with the gods of the Brahmā realm; Śakra, lord of the gods, with the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; the four great kings, with the gods of their realm; the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals; and Hārītī with her children and retinue of servants went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, and stood to one side.

Brahma says he is lord of the chiliocosm, and refers to Buddha as the lord of the great trichiliocosm. In Prajnaparamita, Buddha is said to "transform the Saha world".

Buddha acquiesces to the request by silence; Brahma understands and vanishes.

So instead of denying Brahma is the substratum--i. e. via Hiranyagarbha and all the Puranic evolution--he is no longer the current authority about how to deal with it.

This is not a cemetery and something else is going on:

Monks, this queen of incantations, Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra, was taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone arhats of the past. It will be taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone arhats in the future. And likewise, right now in the present, I will also teach it as an aid for the awakening of buddhahood.

The recipient is Ananda.

The purpose is protection, but also the delivery of peace and well-being. Here, the chiliocosm is dismissed, compared to the extreme of Pramardini who destroys it, and in whose sutra large numbers of yaksas are destroyed, this one really just indicates stoppage:


This queen of incantations, Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra, will intoxicate all those with hostile intentions, ill will, animosity, and rage, as well as all demons, [F.154.b] trail guards, fort guards, and customs guards. It will intoxicate them, cause paralysis and stupefaction, and seize their hands, feet, minds, and tongues.



It focuses Ksanti Paramita:

Patience is the supreme austerity;
Patience is the supreme nirvāṇa‍—so proclaims the Buddha.



It speaks of freeing the Moon from Rahu, and the power of True Words, similar to Vak Siddhi:

By such truth and true words, as follows: in order that I‍—a blessed, perfectly and completely awakened, thus-gone arhat‍—may end this person’s desire, anger, and ignorance, by the truth and true words of the teaching, explanation, and enunciation of the 84,000 sections of teachings, may the sicknesses of the person named such-and-such come to an end!


It would be a mistake to say this is a protection dharani. Although it has this as an outer aspect, it is for the purpose of Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, an aid for complete awakening. This is what, in the major mandala, is exalted in Jewel Family in the wrong color and wrong place by a Twelve Arm White form.

In terms of the retinue ring, Mayuri is like the absorbed pre-history of Buddhist practice, there is a cemetery goddess handling Gauris--Pisacis, a mantra goddess who foreshadows transforming the Saha world, and one who adheres to all of its aspects, destroying them utterly so it is replaced by Buddha's great trichiliocosm.

It obviously does not contain all the sutras and tantras in detail, but, to expand and understand it, operates the vast majority of them.

[shaberon]

This is someone named Lajja (these names are traits, purposefully), but this is not Lajja Gauri. The latter does not separate, it's a phrase, "lajja gauri". That was part of the point of that article, that this is a descriptive of the statue, not the name of the deity.

Allright. I can accept a distinction. This Lajja may be a mental pre-manifestation, but does not appear to directly be Adi Shakti.



This time it was time. It came apart like an intersection of planes in a high-dimensional space. Only instead of being a dimension (as it is in Lorentzian spacetime) it was like a normal bundle. Which has in common that it is perpendicular to space, but normal bundles are multidimensional themselves. At any rate, there were three 'eons'.


I am not sure I follow the terminology, but, I would tend to say it may not be a "dimension" as per spacetime, and if this "inherent unity" is not exactly correct, then Relativity is operating on something that does not exist.

Once you start removing Time, then, as far as I can tell, you are at the high end of any description of a yoga path, like the "Path of Learning" in Buddhism. Removing the divisions is like taking it all at once, which does supposedly happen at the Relativistic Event Horizon. Removing the whole thing is like...it isn't...since it goes beyond words, we mostly can only talk about safe entry and exit from such a state of being, or non-being, or absolute be-ness.

I, personally, enjoy the oxymoron of infinite nothingness of nothingness combined with an ultra-powerful divine manifestation, although I have no clue how to do them simultaneously like Buddha, for now I do not mind the illusion of Time swinging me like a pendulum between extremes.

[shaberon]

The first archaeological evidence of magic/medicine would be Zinjanthropus, who was a million years ago. He had been trephined, with evidence of healing afterwards.

Sure, we see this in the fossil records along with cave diagrams which may be spiritual in nature at multi-million years of age.



I had gotten the feeling that the list had a discernible beginning and ending in actions, that is why I jumped to conclusions on Pramardini. Even having been corrected, it still looks like a progression of actions.

I think so.

Final Samadhi incorporates the "most secret" articles such as Jnana Mudra and the sequence of initiations, which are about the only things not attached to Pancha Raksa. They display the most basic Pancha format or individual sadhana practices up to Maha Rudra Krama or, roughly, the majority of Generation Stage.

If Pramardini "is" Final Samadhi, it is not necessary she do so in this retinue, just like Mayuri is traipzing off both to indicate Tara's Pure Land and Yamari Tantra.





Just as arguably, it's because Nepal is where things survive. Rila Mukherjee has a theory (along with some other people) that societies that exist at the corners of maps are different from those that occupy the center. Older things are often found there.

Similar to Switzerland.

Yes, Nepal if not the source of everything, was an early recipient. One would not dispute that the majority of Buddha's Buddha career was around Rajgriha. Whenever Pancha Raksa made that relatively small move, it was interpreted tantricly.

Part of that is because there is no such thing as Mahayana in Nepal, it is all Vajrayana.



As for the given aspects of Pramardini, it again is similar to the numerological progression of deities in the Nepali pantheon, or several mandala retinues. What occurs to me offhand is:

Bodily mindfulness [Sati], tranquility [Prasrabdhi] and insight [Vispassa], the three absorptions [Tri-samadhi Vyuha], the four bases of supernatural power, the four thorough relinquishments, the four foundations of mindfulness,


the four concentrations, [Heroic March, Sky Entry, Lion's Sport, etc.]

the four truths of the noble ones, [Four Noble Truths which actually designate what we call the sixth and seventh skandhas]

the five faculties, [indriyas]

the five powers, [balas]

the six kinds of mindfulness, [Families]

the seven aspects of awakening, [Seven Jewels of Enlightenment]

the eightfold path of the noble ones, [Noble Eightfold Path]

the nine successive stages of meditative equipoise, [Sampattis, Dhyanas or Janas]

the ten powers of a thus-gone one, [dasabala]

the eleven liberated sense fields, [perhaps indicating Vajradhatvishvari and the single allowed exit]

the twelve links of dependent origination, [Alaya]

the twelvefold wheel of Dharma,

the sixteen recollections of inhaling and exhaling the breath, [Smrti of sixteen vowels and voids]

the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha, [number of arms of the worshippable form of universal deities]

and the forty-two letters [consonants]


So, roughly, most of what I describe as the Yoga Path focuses the Six Families and above, separated by the Seven Jewels as a self-manifest gate to Completion Stage, or the Highest Yoga attempt at it.

Pramardini is bigger, and in a certain sense more flexible, since she does not specifically say the Seven Jewels are manifest as vajradakinis. She can handle the concept, the practice, or the realization.

Yes, just taking her at face value, she gives ninety percent of the entire corpus by way of reference. The other Pancha Raksha supply more mundane components such as the Four Kings. The only things not explicitly stated here are the most vivid tantric details such as mudra, abhisekha, dharmodaya, etc., which are already suggested by Mantranusarini as "an aid to complete awakening", which those are. Also by Mayuri as synonymous to Sabari.

All throughout her text it is said that a single piece of it will do the trick. So this strongly resembles Parasol, and one of these dharanis is Paramartha somewhere. If you just take a bit where one of them is the Three Jewels or Refuge Vow it is good. If you can go further and find the whole lot as five-fold form, with this being only a minor constituent of Pramardini, better. If you can raise her in a sandwich-layered aspect of senses and minds, etc., even better still. It is similar to Ganapati--a very "take it and use it" without being too formal, and, if you follow the teaching to the best of your ability, you are doing it right.


Bhattacharya for some reason catalogued Pancha Raksa from NSP, and compared them to Sadhanamala 206, failing to mention they had a prior, more basic format.

The NSP version is probably more recognizable since all the deities are larger, is probably in most of the art:

Four face, twelve arm Jewel Yellow Pratisara
Four face, ten arm white Cakra Pramardini
Three face, twelve arm blue Vajra Mantranusarin doing Dharmacakra and Samadhi Mudras
Three face, eight arm red Lotus Sitabani
Three face, eight arm green Mayuri with a Jewel, a Mendicant on Bowl, a jar spilling jewels, and a Banner with Crossed Vajra and Jewel


Although this may be common, it should be borne in mind that NSP is a catalogue of Completion Stage practices. And so these forms are slightly larger than in Sadhanamala, but, they have also been rolled back into a very standard Mahamaya-type format with just single families in given spots, just looking a bit weird compared to most, because, by analysis, Jewel Family must have switched to the center of something that was originally a Vajra or Akshobhya-centered tantra.

Pramardini is in her same position, but evidently in Tathagata Family.

Compared to the first or basic iteration in Sadhanamala, putting them in corresponding order:

Four face, Eight arm Jewel Pratisara
Six arm white Vairocana Pramardini
Four arm blue Vajra Mantranusarini
Four arm red Jim-arisen Lotus Family Sitabani
Three face, six arm green Karma Mayuri, having in her left hands a Ratnacchata:

2) A collection of rays of light, lustre, splendour, light

and a Kalasa. Also an archer, but no fly whisk.



206 is very weird and very doing something. We cannot get the full NSP text to see if it says anything much about them; Sadhanamala definitely does. Mayuri is ostensibly handling a lot of traffic of the "newer" tantric families Jewel and Karma. 206 converts Pramardini to Vajra Family in full kapala regalia, triples Jewel Family by giving it two new members, and seems to discard Lotus Family completely. It also discards Karma Family, since the final green Sitabani is in Tathagata Family, even though her main hand does Abhaya Mudra, and she converts Yaksas into Indriya Bala Visodhani.


From Tara practice, Yellow Mayuri would not be new, but otherwise she does not conform to what most people think Pancha Raksa is.

So when we look at representations, we will probably mostly find the NSP version, which should be the last one we ought to pay any attention to. It should be obvious since none of them have less than eight arms, whereas in the basic Sadhanamala version, all of the retinue has less than eight arms.

So far we have found only one historical attempt to portray 206 correctly.


Now for the Jewel Family I have encountered something strange.

In Tara's legend, roughly put, she was brought into our world by Avalokiteshvara, after having achieved Full Enlightenment in a prior cosmos with Amoghasiddhi.

Similarly, there is a Prophecy of Sri Mahadevi (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh193.html) which is set in Sukhavati with Avalokiteshvara as the querent, and Sri Mahadevi slithers up by his side as if she belonged in the midst of ten million Buddhas:

Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Ārya Avalokiteśvara asked the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, where did Śrī Mahādevī generate her roots of virtue?”

The Bhagavān replied, “Śrī Mahādevī [F.247.b] generated roots of virtue in the presence of tathāgatas as numerous as the grains of sand of the River Ganges. O Avalokiteśvara, previously, in the past in a world system called Ratna­saṃbhavā...

and we can guess why the name of its Buddha is often abbreviated:

Ratna­ kusuma ­guṇa ­sāgara ­vaiḍūrya ­kanaka ­giri ­suvarṇa ­kāṃcana ­prabhāsa ­śrī

She is going to convey six Paramitas.

She will be a Buddha Ratnasambhava in a future Jewel World.

She then has 108 names renowned as Stainless--Vimala.

These include Padmasambhava and Daksayani, as well as Prabhasvara and Beloved of Kubera.

She has a dharani based from Ganga and Savitri and the Four Vedas.

Buddhist Lakshmi, like Mayuri, mainly shows traffic between Jewel and Karma Families, yet here she is also connected to Lotus and Tathagatagarbha, and it is territorial, so she can take over a house or land.

If Jewel and Karma Families are/were new, weird, or tantric, then we have an even worse reply in saying they come from previous world systems in the vehicles of Lakshmi and Tara.


From the "gravy" approach, one could say a few things with respect to "Samgraha" as a text title, like a "big basket". And so Dharma Samgraha is kind of a routine one, i. e. you can refer to Dharmas in the 40s and quickly compare that to the given layers or rings of Pramardini, she is probably not identical, but partly so.

The obscure but substantial one is Subhasita Samgraha (http://theosnet.net/dzyan/sanskrit/subhasita_samgraha_1903-1904.pdf), which is hard to find since it pales in comparison to an identically-titled classical book of 25,000 Sanskrit quotes. The Buddhist one is, however, drawing from Saraha and Nagarjuna and so on and briefly glosses Mahamaya and then gives one of the few if any Buddhakapala commentaries known to exist.

But then if I have Pancha Raksa, then I could ask Dharani Samgraha (http://www.dsbcproject.org/canon-text/content/820/2949), and quickly find that Mayuri occupies pp. 384-409.

Sitavati follows:

gorīgandhāri | caṇḍālivetā limāta varccāsi |

or probably "vetali mata" there.

She is Vira Tara here as well as her Sutra.

Paramartha Sadhani

kinnare | keyūre | ketumati |

among her attributes, summarizing herself as:

nadī bālikā samairbbuddhai bhagavat bhirbhāṣitābhāṣiṣyante || āryya mahāśītavatīnāma mahāvidyārājñī parisamāptā || 4 ||


Paramartha is rare, appearing with Namasangiti and/or Manjushri, Prajnaparamita, and Avalokitesvara:

kāmarūpāya gandharvva surūpāya surūpite| he mana gā dhirū ḍhāya paramārtha viyoga vijrate aṅi gambhīra dharmmāya
saṁmukha darśaṇāyaca|

and in something that perhaps is Dharmadhatvishvari. So to say one is the accomplishing sadhana of it, is a pretty deep grab.

Sitavati has the only Hiranyagarbha in the book.

Oh, my.




The Pancha Raksa series is styled such that it begins with Pramardini--which as a generic word is an "action" of Ugra Tara towards others firstly, then a mantric greeting not long after Smasana Vasini, who juggles the three worlds with Vajra Tara before bringing Pancha Raksa in tow, and then as herself, begins a new subject after the Ten Wrathful Ones.

She therefor begins a colossal dharani of the Pancha Raksa from p. 368.

She takes until 384 where it says it is a summary of her Sutra.


Later, she is an ability of Ekajati:


namastu diti phaṭkārayantrapramardaṇī |




Mayuri includes on p. 399 a familiar strand:

gauriya svāhā || gandharīye svahā || jāṅgurīye svahā ||


Janguli, personally, receives about two or three lines in this book. Gandhari is restricted to the interior of those two mantras.

Pratisara is Vipula Garbha:

2) One of the five peaks near Rajagaha, the highest of them.

2a) Vipulā (विपुला).—The Goddess enshrined at Vipula.*

* Matsya-purāṇa 13. 36.

Quoting Mahamayuri, Garuda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaksha) resides on Vipula Mountain. The place has been known since at least three historical buddhas (http://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/vy/vepulla.htm). According to legend (https://books.google.com/books?id=AznxB8wch7QC&lpg=PA154&ots=K3CHn5bZ2a&dq=vipula%20mountain&pg=PA154#v=onepage&q=vipula%20mountain&f=false), it has been a hot springs resort throught the time of Historical Buddhas.


Vipula Devi (https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/devibhagvatpurana54.html) mentioned in Devi Bhagavat Purana.


Venkateswara's (http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/sva/b/sva034.html) two consorts are Sri and Bhu, and some of the aspects of Bhu are:

Her vastness (VipulA) and possessing inestimable wealth( VasundharA)


Does Pratisara in Jewel Family have a great deal in similarity to Vasudhara, yes, but she is a bit different in an almost sisterly way like that.

Venkateswara has special significance to Kubera, and he does treat his consorts a little differently:

Our AchAryan says that the Lord adorns SrI Devi on His chest and honors Her. He goes one step further in recognizing the greatness of BhUmi Devi by carrying Her on His thousand heads by taking AadhisEsha Roopam.

So that is a whole legend related to Treasury and Mongoose and Lakshmi Gems and so forth.

Pratisara looks a lot like Vipula, an aspect of the original Bhu Devi, personally converted by Buddha.

In the dharani, Pratisara is also, for example, Vajra Jvala Garbha and Gunavati, Nagavilokini, Amrtavacana, Nagara Vidarini, Sarva Tathagata Hrdayadhisithi, Buddhi and Siddhi, and eventually:

sarvavidyābhiṣekarmahakavacamudrāmuditaiḥ sarvatathāgatahṛdayādhiṣṭhite vaje svāhā || samantajvālā mālā viśuddhi sphuritacintāmaṇi mahāmudra |

and is Aparajita Hrdaya.

She proceeds with some of her Amrita mantras similar to Sadhanamala. It is a Mahabala Parakrama. She does an Akasa Vishuddha and becomes:

bhagavati sūrakṣaṇī sūkṣamesaprabhe |

then fuses Vimala and Candi.

Then she is called Savari and Cintamani Mahavidya.

She has over a dozen pages up to 425.

Comparatively, there is plainly a savari yogini siddha in the middle of what looks like a large Potalaka Tara article. Parnasavari gets the pun Purna Savari. Mayuri has this aspect, and Pratisara.


Finally Mantranusarini continues until p.p. 425- 434.

They are followed by two of the most powerful pieces, Pratyangira and Vijaya Vahini.

Mantranusarini is almost illegible, although it does refer to Vasudhara. It may be one of the strangest things in existence. The language is basically wrong, words are frequently split in the wrong place, and what could possibly come out of uttering its syllables is unearthly.

It is almost noise. If anything, her trait is svasti or svastika (su-astika), a benediction of well-being, and a cake offering:

If among the offering rites you see one with ‘śāntika food,’ use svastika cakes, milk gruel, parched rice, ghee, honey, and milk dishes of barley cooked with milk, and bījapūra (citron): you will assuredly be able to eliminate calamities—of this you should have no doubts

She does use odd twists for "Karuna" : Buddha Loka Anu Kampaka.

The last is "wind", i. e. "towards", so "compassion towards", although the actual root is Kamp:

1) To shake, cause to tremble.

2) To utter with a thrill or shake.


She is 3/4 of the kampaka in the book, leaving the position where you could say shaking is woven in to the fabric of karuna as expressed by a...deity of nothing other than mantra, who has done the worst job I have ever seen at describing herself sensibly in any way.


This is one page that uses, I believe, 563 dharanis, which can be found in a type of structure similar to Vajrasattva confronts a wrathful initiation and the gnosis of bliss, and then there is a flow of deities in organized waves, like three Bodhisattvas in perhaps a different order than Sadhanamala, and so on, considering itself a Maha Purana.

Probably the only source of dharanis for Bhrkuti, Nairatma, and maybe some others.

368-434 is a fairly major observance of the Pancha Raksa considering the thing only uses around five hundred of its own pages and so many of the items are small, Ganapati Hrdaya is approximately a page or so.

The full title of the one following Pancha Raksa is:

āryā sarvatathāgatoṣṇīṣa śitātapatrenāmāparājitā mahāpratyaṁgirā mahāvipyā rājñī parisamāptaḥ ||

and then from 461:

vijayavāhi || 0 || om namo bhagatyaiāryya mahāmāyā vikṣayavāhinye ||


it appears to include her Sutra in response to Narayana up to p. 471.

After these, there is only a brief sequence until Vajra Tara, Ten Paramitas, Twenty-one Taras, Mahakala.

So when you read through it, that perhaps is the climax, Pancha Raksha followed by two of the most powerful dharanis which are at the level of Adi Prajnas, Parasol and Vasudhara, or Kolhapur or Purnagiri or Pulliramalaya Mahalakshmi.

Parasol is well-known across Asia, and Mahamaya Vijayavahini is only on a few manuscripts from Nepal. We have a study on it with a majority translation based from perhaps a less dharani-ese standalone Sutra version.

It is possibly unique, many dharanis explained as gifts to Indra or perhaps others, this being the sole appearance of Narayan.

One identifying Nepalese trait of Dharani Samgraha is that not long after Guhyesvari, Janguli, Vajrayogini, and Ekajati, is that it seems to use Swayambhu Purana followed by the dharanis per day of the week, such as Ganapati Hridaya. The week ends on Grahamatrika (Seven) followed by Rahu and Ketu (Eight and Nine), then Ten Wrathful Ones. That is the pattern which precedes Pancha Raksa. It seems standard for a seven-rayed manifestation plus a three-in-one trinity.

Nepal has this plus Parasol and Vasudhara dharanis that are highly occult, which correspond to and expand from the next two deities here. The other Adi Prajna, Guhyesvari, is Mamaki who at least outwardly in part is Pratisara. So that whole thing is sort of cued right there.

It would probably take a while to osmose any of these dharani-based Pancha Raksa, they are galactic.


The theme of Mahamaya is also with Namasangiti Manjushri, Vajravarahi, Nairatma--Guhyesvari, Bhrikuti as a Kanaka Prabha version, Vijayavahini, Sarasvati, Gauri, and Uma, and as the characteristic of Maha Tejah.

And so when Pratisara came up as Cintamani, this may seem generically diffuse in the literature, but it is pretty concentrated here.

The basic Bhrim--Brihaspati--Jupiter Yellow goddesses are Cintamani Tara and Bhrkuti.

It seems to be "basic" yellow, which more or less should pass into the hands of Mercury--from Puranic Tara's lawful husband to her illegitimate love-child. And so this episode then is echoed by Kurma Avatar (http://www.brihaspatipuja.org/kurma-avatar.html) and Churning of the Ocean, which produces a new "moon form", when Indra and the devas were weak and restored by Vishnu--Narayan:

Lord Vishnu then advised them to churn the ocean of milk using Mount Mandara as the churning stick and serpent Vasuki as the rope. But as the churning started, the mountain started sinking. Lord Vishnu took the form of the tortoise or Kurma and kept the mountain afloat. As soon as the bowl of amrita was full, the nectar of immortality was out, along with fourteen treasures.

These fourteen magnificent treasures were Kalpavriksha, Kamadhenu, Chintamani, Ucchaishrava, Airavata, Panchajanya, Bow of King Saranga, Rambha, Chandra, Varuni, Dhanvantari, Goddess Sri and Halahal. As a result of the churning, the asuras (demons) got hold of the treasure Amrita and became powerful. Past this, Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini to lure them and made the asuras weak.


From a Sri Vidya (https://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/goddess-vidya-blog/neela-saraswati-or-blue-saraswati-a-form-of-tara-maa) analysis of Rg Veda:

The three Saraswatis are Matangi, Tara and Vina-Sarasvati. The three are the spouses of Ganesh or Matanga Rishi, Brihaspati the Guru of the Gods or Akshobhya Shiva and Brahmanaspati or Brahma, the Creator. Mantra, Vak or speech itself is Shakti, the Goddess as power.

Mantra is more the primal forms as Matangi-Saraswathi. Vak or speech is more Tara-Saraswathi. Formalised language or Sanskrit is more Veena-Saraswathi.

That is from their article about Akshobhya Tara, and now note in
1008 Names of Vishnu (https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/articles/STOTRA_KAVACHA.pdf):

Vajra vaiduryako Vajri Chintamani mahamanih/


Vasudhara has a Cintamani, Pratisara does, and Lokesvara.

In Sadhanamala, with Sadaksari Mahavidya, Sita Tara, and White Ekajati.

So it contains a kind of double mystery about yellow and the necessary vs. unnecessary aspects of Jupiter, and the two "layers" of moon, something like constant vs. changing, and the prcoess of "intake of Soma" into actual Nectar.

This occult change is in tandem with associating the root, Bhr, with Bharati, whom we have mainly retained in her original aspect related to Bhu. Bharati is:

Name of a deity (in, [Ṛg-veda] often invoked among the Āprī deities and [especially] together with Ilā and Sarasvatī [according to] to [Nirukta, by Yāska viii, 13] a daughter of Āditya.


Bharati, in the intent of tantra, is not a basic Bhu Devi you as to ripen your seeds to harvest, but a kind of change and expansion of these life forces.

Bhr (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/bhri) is multi-faceted, and can be to bear/support/nourish like in the basic meaning, or, to fill and expand, similar to Vi or Vishnu on the tantric sense.


In terms of "Bhima Devi", we can find in Buddhakapala's retinue Green Bhima in the west of the first ring, and Bhimadarsana in the East of the third ring.





On a slightly different note, we do not have Chapter Eighteen available, I don't think, but Vajradaka Tantra also makes a distinction between "dakinis" and "goddesses", except we cannot see whether the original was devis or what. But in this case, they are the root of a common English word, "Hour", since they are the Horas, which derives from Hod, to go, to proceed. This simultaneously gives a more precise meaning to "Puja" than from the general ocean of ritual possibilities:



Horā (होरा) refers to the twenty-four astronomical Goddess to be invoked during pūjā (ritual offering) in Tantric Buddhism, according to the 9th-century Vajraḍākatantra chapter 18.61-74. [...] A Yogin, putting a vessel in the left side of him, offers various things together with raw flesh, fish, immortal nectar (pañcāmṛta). Then the Yogin invites Goddesses to please them with nectar—five Ḍākinīs and twenty-four Goddesses come to the Yogin’s place, forming a maṇḍala.

Names of these twenty-four Goddesses are as follows:

1. Kṛṣṇā,
2. Karālī,
3. Bībhatsā,
4. Nandātītā,
5. Vināyakā,
6. Cāmuṇḍā,
7. Ghorarūpī,
8. Umā,
9. Jayā,
10. Vijayā,
11. Ajitā,
12. Aparājitā
13. Bhadrakālī,
14. Mahākālī,
15. Sthūlakālī,
16. Indrī,
17. Candrī,
18. Ghorī,
19. Duṣṭī,
20. Lambakī,
21. Tridaśeśvarī,
22. Kambojī,
23. Dīpinī,
24. Cūṣiṇī.

These twenty-four female deities are explained in chapter 24 as those of horā. [...] The text tells that the bring the Yogin success in all rituals or religious actions. Finally the bali offering in accordance with the distinction of the rituals (śānti, puṣṭi and so on) is briefly explained.

So the Puja is more or less the Nectar Offering, and, in this case, Time deities become involved, suggesting why there might be a group of twenty-four minor Pithas in the body.

That is a Buddhist clock, of course it has Uma at eight in the morning. In order to even make it there, it has Vinayaki, which the Hindus can barely explain themselves, although it is found at certain sites where perhaps Sri Yantra was crossed with a deification of five senses and elements at an early point in time.

I do not think this kind of Puja or Bali Offering could have been done without that kind of basis. An outer form, yes, but not the inner one taught in the tantra.

[shaberon]

Allright. There turned out to be one more related bit.

I tried to hone in on Dharma Samgraha, and, part of the difficulty with it is that the 563 dharanis are like a run-on sentence. No formatting. After a while, I was able to tell that the long Pratisara article has a "first sadhana" and then a second one, and it may be good to question in what parts a deity "has or is" something, because parts of these spells are hails to other spectators or retinue members. For instance, Pratisara refers to Matr Gana and Maha Matr Gana, so it should be obvious she is talking about two degrees of mothers' circles, and is not, herself, personally, all of that.

At that point, it is concordant, that is how her Sutra (https://www.academia.edu/6092981/Mah%C4%81pratisar%C4%81_Mah%C4%81vidy%C4%81r%C4%81j%C3%B1%C4%AB_The_Great_Amulet_Great_Queen_of_Spel ls_Introduction_Critical_Editions_and_Annotated_Translation_%C5%9Aata_pi%E1%B9%ADaka_Series_Indo_Asi an_Literatures_Vol_636_International_Academy_of_Indian_Culture_and_Aditya_Prakashan_New_Delhi_2012) is. The linked article is, I believe, also a thesis which gathers a lot of research on some twenty Pratisara manuscripts. It is described as an originally male noun, amulet, that somehow got deified as a female. Such amulets are found all over the place. And so when you start to look at it as everyone's hobby of amulet-making, you have missed the point entirely.

Historically, yes, that probably is how "most people" practiced it, but, we are not so interested in that so much as the fact that it is a spoken incantation, a mahavidya, associated with something other than the external world.

The amulets and/or Dharani Sutra could be accurately described as going around bundled with Lotus Sutra from Gandhara.

The author believes there was probably a North Indian source of the material, which was expanded and developed its own style in Gandhara. The Sarma transmission then shows evidence of both.

Because two places both have reasons to be considered Odiyana, one of them being in the northwest, and the other in the southeast, I am still going with "they both could be" and I think they might not be different "styles" so much as tantric Smoke and Sun.

Admitting I am somewhat innocent of Lotus Sutra and most of the Gandharan transmission--I only heard of this relatively recently when trying to figure out Gauris and Pisacis--I don't know what might be the difference in the nitpicking finesse with which an actual translator handles recensions. However, it turns out he decided to show a Gandharan text for comparison, and, overall, it is much more like real language or standard Sanskrit than our dharani manuscript. Without any nitpicking, it is possible that the second chapter is identical to our version, if not, there are only minor differences you would have to scan for.

The first chapter is not the same at all.

It is written much more neatly, but, the manuscript is not pristine, and there is an average of one syllable per line left missing or blank.

I am going to try to clean it up manually, and, what is actually astounding here is that we are going to find something tantricly-specific where it should not be, right off the page:


[13] man.icud.a ca svarn.ake´sı pingala cama {...} nı ekajat.a ca maharaks.ası |

tatha buddha {...} vara |

tatha lanke´svarı dhanyaanye 'pi bahu {...} raks.anti yasyeyam. mahavidya hastagata {...} [ka]´s caiva ´sa˙nkhinı kut.adantı (ca)´srıya devı ca sa {...} baddha raks.arthepratisaradharan.asya nityam. ya dharaya {...} bala |


Ekajati on the first line is not necessarily too surprising, since this is an outer practice of Hevajra Tantra.

So, hang on.

There is such a thing as Lankesvari whom we found seated at Devikota in the Eyes, along with Vajragarbha, who is pretty much the tantric alphabet guy.

Was she idle chatter, no, it turns out she has a pitha that is a flat rock bed in the Maha Nadi River.

Is she an original Sambalpur goddess, probably.

There are attempts to identify her with something alternately spelled Samlei, Samalei, and Sitalei.

According to an Indian temple study (https://kddfonline.com/category/gods-goddesses-and-temples/):

...in front of the Garbha-griha of Samalei Gudi (temple), there is a pillared hall wherein a pair of human foot prints with two eight-petalled lotus-rosette motifs on both sides is engraved on a stone panel. This pair of footprints is worshipped as Sitala-mata.

...availability of footprints in crude form at Rampad on the riverbed near Sambalesvari temple carries significance to a great extent. For that reason, Samalei Pitha had Buddhist connection. In other words, Sambalpur had made Tantrik Buddhism a potent spiritual power and effective cultural force in the Indian sub-continent. In view of this, Sambalpur might be recognized as one of the important urban centers with intercontinental reputation in between the second and eighth century A.D. it seems that, Tantrik Buddhism continued to triumph in Sambalpur till about 13th century A.D. long after Buddhism had vanished from many parts of India.

Reportedly, Laksminkara had married Sevole, the son of the king Jalendra of Lanka / Lankapuri. But, Laksminkara preferred the career of a Tantrik Buddhist perfectionist and practiced Tantra Sadhana in Lankapuri which was regarded as Mahayogapitha or a great centre of Tantrik Buddhist Yoga. Continuous meditation and Tantra Sadhana for seven years in the cemetery of Lankapuri Mahayogapitha made her properly enlightened and she distinguished herself among the people of India and abroad as Bhagavati Laksminkara or Goddess Laksminkara because of her Uttama Siddhi or excellent attainment. Lanka or Lankapuri is identified with modern Sonepur or Subarnapur (Mishra, 2003:87-88). Lankesvari, therefore, may be recognized as Laksminkara as the former nomenclature appears to be a corruption of the latter. A legend also ascribes Goddess Samalei to Lankesvari. Furthermore, Chaurasi Samalei are important deities of the Keutas, the fishermen caste of Bolangir (Senapati and Sahu, 1968:107). This notion of Chaurasi (84) Samalei prevalent among the Keutas (fishermen) of west Odisha very probably refers to 84 Siddha-Gurus in Tantrik Buddhism. In view of this, Goddess Laksminkara may reasonably be identified with Laksminkara i.e. Samalei or Samalesvari who has been worshipped by the local people in Sambalpur.


So says a non-Buddhist, but, then, we would have to say the recognition of Lankesvari in Buddhism probably predates the Gilgit manuscripts considerably. From her point, Laksminkara could certainly be considered a "branch" or "stream" of it, but, as the original, not hardly.

A great deal of tantric origin also seems to be in the hill country between Orissa and Bihar.

According to Orissan history research (https://www.academia.edu/31889293/MULTIPLE_SHIFTS_IN_BUDDHISM_UNDERSTANDING_VAJRAYANA_AS_AN_EXOTERIC_RELIGION_PERSPECTIVE_FROM_ODISHA_ Odisha_Historical_Research_Journal_vol_LV_No_3_and_4_2016_pp_18_33):

The Buddhist incorporated autochthonous elements as is known from the description of the Buddhist goddess Parnasabari, who has been described in the Buddhist texts as Sarva śavarānām bhagavatí (the goddess of all savaras (Getty 1978, 134)).


In this manner, Buddhism became a sect of mass lay followers, in competition with the more institutionally-favored Hindus.


According to some 2005 new facts (http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/sept-oct-2005/engpdf/Some%20New%20Facts%20Avout%20Goddess%20Samlei.pdf):

Goddess Samlei of Sambalpur and goddess Subhadra of Sri Jagannath temple at Puri are worshipped in the same Bhuvanesvari
mantra by the priests. There might be some similarities between both the goddesses. Lankesvari is called Vindhyavasini Durga also. In the Kaumudi Mahotsava, we find the mention of Ekanga (Ekanamsa) as the tribal goddess of the Yadavas. Here the goddess is depicted in her dual capacity as Vindhyavasini Durga and the tribal deity of the Yadavas.


Well, we just mainly defined the Sabaris we have in mind as Vindhya Vasinis. Parnasabari is the top-ranked one, and Janguli, Mayuri, and Pratisara have this aspect. Those are equal to Lankesvari who is not from there. One could perhaps say that Durga is the thing subject to amalgamation or acceptance of other goddesses, or, it may be more correct that Matangi is the most anciently-known name that is in such a spiritual practice.



According to Architecture of Bhubhaneswar (https://www.indianetzone.com/43/architecture_bhubaneshwar.htm), there is a temple of:

Vaital (Lankesvari)

Well, there is almost nothing to do with that spelling except acknowledge it as Vetali. I don't know where they got it. They live there.


According to a brief wiki of the temple (https://wiki2.org/en/Lankeswari_Temple):

Goddess Lankeswari or Nikumbhilaa was the presiding deity of Paschima Lanka.


Does that also tell us something, it certainly does:


Nikumbhilā (निकुम्भिला).—A particular spot in the forest outside Laṅkāpurī. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).

Nikumbhilā (निकुम्भिला).—

1) A cave or grove at the western gate of Laṅkā.

2) An image of Bhadrakālī on the west side of Laṅkā.


Is there a Ramayana theme here, something about Hanuman getting Sita out of Lanka, yes, there is something to that.


Those are non-Buddhist, um, unbiased researchers telling us why Lankesvari might be in the beginning of a Pratisara sadhana five hundred or a thousand miles or something from her origin point, ages prior to Laksminkara.

Bhadrakali is like a type of Durga or Pratyangira, it is probably appropriate to call it an instance of her.


I have no idea if the person composing the thesis has any awareness of the significance of this "alternate" beginning in an older manuscript from farther away. This has to do with the Eyes Pitha and therefor Sight Gauri.




This is the remainder of the Gandharan Pratisara opening. I do not see any more names, which suggests that this comes from, or is due to the prescence or grace of Lankesvari:

sarvasiddhe sada tasya putragar(bho) su {...} [dha]tte sukha suyati gurvin.ısarvavyadhisu(a) {...} h.pun.yavan balavan nityam. dhanadhanyapravardhanam. {...} deyavacanata nityam. pujanıyam. bhavis.yati |


{...} [pu]rus.o 'pi vasa nityam. sarvasatvanam. moks.an.artha {...} tya sarva[vya]dhivivarji(ta)rajano va´saga tasya sa {...}
[ks.mya] pun.yara´se vivardhate |


siddhyantu sarvakalpani pravi {...} mayajña´s ca bhavis.yati jinoktam. vacanam. yathaduh. {...} papaharam. param.kil(bi)s.a caiva na´syanti pratyami {...} ´sartham. bhas.ita jñanamahe´svaraih. sarvakama {...} (sya) nitya´sah.tad idanı sam. pravaks.yami bhutasam. gha ´sr.n.otha {...}


It is about as specific as Pratisara's epithet Vilokini. And so for example in PR 206 we found she has or is Amrita Vilokini. The dharani continues this and adds Naga Vilokini. All are practically unique names.

It has one resonance which is Padmanarttesvara. Curiously, he has another which sounds common but is practically unique, Bhurini, one of the closest matches being Pratisara who has or is Bhuri.

Bhattacharya describes his lotus seat as supporting something to think about geometrically. Pratisara's names make a white-yellow axis; Tara's names make a green-white axis; then in the minor ring, there is another yellow-white one followed by a Sky-Variegated:

On the East petal there is Vilokinī, white in colour and carrying the red lotus.
The South is occupied by Tārā of green colour, holding the Palāśa and the lotus flowers.
Bhūriṇī is in the West, is yellow in complexion and carries the Cakra and the blue lotus.
Bhṛkuṭī is in the North, with white colour holding the yellow lotus.
In the North-East there is Padmavāsinī, who is yellow in colour and holds the red lotus.
The South-East is occupied by Viśvapadmeśvarī, who is sky-coloured and holds the white lotus.
The South-West is occupied by Viśvapadmā, who is white and carries the the black lotus.
In the Norh-West there is Viśvavajrā of variegated colour holding the double lotus.

That is a pretty clear foreshadowing of Dombi of Hevajra Tantra.

The thing he is referring to says they are Saumyas. Here it is with the addition of a mantra which is fairly simple:

tataḥ oṃ kāyavākcittavajrasvabhāvātmako 'haṃ iti mantram uccārayet / tad anv aṣṭasu dikṣu aṣṭadevīṃ cintayet / tatrāṣṭadalaraktapadmapūrvapatre vilokinī śuklā raktapadmadharā; dakṣiṇapatre tārā haritā palāśapadmadharā; paścimadale bhūriṇī pītā cakranīlotpaladharā; uttaradale bhṛkuṭī śuklā pītapadmadharā; pūrvakoṇadale padmavāsinī pītā māñjiṣṭha-
padmadharā; dakṣiṇakoṇadale vajrapadmeśvarī ākāśavarṇā sitapadmadharā; paścimakoṇadale viśvapadmā śuklā kṛṣṇapadmadharā; uttarakoṇadale viśvavajrā viśvavarṇā viśvapadmadharā /


No, Pratisara has nothing ostensibly to do with Lotus Family, but, there are yellow and white Pratisaras, similar to Bhrkuti.

Then back to Dharani Samgraha, we found additionally that Siddha of Sabari Yoginis is within what looks like a Sragdhara or probably Lotus Famly Green Tara article which was fairly large.

Siddha Sabara was guided by and through Avalokiteshvara--Karuna to the Sabaris.


Unaware of Vindhya names and never pressed the issue, it means Mahamaya, Sister of Krishna (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindhyavasini).

According to a regional visitor (https://www.inditales.com/vindhyachal-ma-vindhyavasini-shakti-peeth/), it is not far from Varanasi towards Allahabad:

It is also said that while in most Shakti Peethas, the body parts of Sati had fallen. At Vindhya, she herself dwells on the hills.


There are such ancient devi stone murtis that their features are nearly unidentifiable and you are not allowed to photograph them. She is also called Kajala, and has a temple in Pokhara, Nepal.

That one is related to Lankesvari, who appears to be related to Pratisara, whereas Parnasabari is different.

[shaberon]

I see that the OP's "break" now shows Unsubscribed, which is unfortunate.

In that case, I will just index parts of it from my own thread. This has a lot in it.

[Agape]

Shaberon, I wonder if you have an independent blog.

The other thing I wonder about is whether Old Student happened to be an emanation of your advanced subtle self yearning to deliver message to “simple humans” ?

What do you gather, are we capable of solving the whole paradigm of finding our true counterparts in this lifetime and thus complete the grounds and path of the King of tantras ?

Is there anything remaining to be said ..

by the Goddess of Learning ?



Sarvartha Namastu


🙏😅

[Agape]

Okay, final collapsing instruction to your projects :

log in to the galactic internet using your fingertips
tap into letters, symbols or images swirling around
whenever you wish to convey a message


💫💫💫

[shaberon]

Shaberon, I wonder if you have an independent blog.


No, I thought about that, but, whatever comes from this, it was certainly available for public scrutiny. Nothing is really mine except the attempt to thread/organize a few hundreds or thousands of things.



The other thing I wonder about is whether Old Student happened to be an emanation of your advanced subtle self yearning to deliver message to “simple humans” ?


Only in the sense that there are not separate selves.

His question and/or message has been one of experience, which is, I think, rather more difficult. Most of us cannot access minute internal deities in expansive detail, whereas his just started happening. In a certain sense, it was way beyond what the Siddhas themselves said or did. What surprised me is that the skeleton or framework still does, to a fair degree, accurately represent the or an intended timeline of tantric Buddhism.

What I have personally experienced is Suksma or Subtle Yoga of the Four and Eight Joys, although more from a Nath or Laya Yoga perspective, and what I see in Buddhism is a lot more wisdom and protective power welded onto the process. So I am in the position to say that Suksma Yoga is 100% real, without, for example, having deities such as Locana revealed to me.

I think I am weak or a late-starter in areas where he is more proficient, and vice-versa, which we discovered specifically in Vajra Rosary, which deals with a path of Bliss as well as of Death and fuses them. So the different emphases are working to a common goal.



What do you gather, are we capable of solving the whole paradigm of finding our true counterparts in this lifetime and thus complete the grounds and path of the King of tantras ?

As a devotee of Ekayana, I would have to say so.

As a practical matter, I would say it is highly unlikely. I will be happy if I can ever convince myself that I have attained the very first Bhumi. As a non-believer in "this world", I lean more towards the teaching of "seven more births", i. e. one is going to increase in Bodhisattva power, and dying and taking rebirth consciously is part of that.

As "one more birth" or Ekajata, realistically, I believe that applies to only a few, the Tenth Stage Bodhisattvas, which it would be impossible to be, without a major awareness of many births and the similar activities of many spiritual friends.

Karma is difficult, if I could live in retreat, I could probably accomplish a lot of that stuff and never post anything online, but now is not the time to live in retreat. To the opposite, I would kind of say I have been "pressed" onto the internet, and while I don't like that, I do like the fact that many genuine texts can be found.




Is there anything remaining to be said ..

by the Goddess of Learning ?


Always.

This thread got so big I could not remember or track the stuff anymore.

That is why I am going to compose an index page for it.

At some point, I would want to be able to "new thread" it so it would be, kind of, like its own website or forum, except it will just link you to post 459 or whatever within itself.

We just don't know where it starts.

Towards the end, Old Student was digging at the most archaic forms of, not necessarily Buddhist, Shaktism.

Well, as far as a written form, we can say Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra existed since at least the time of Kumarajiva, ca. year 400. It is interesting in many ways, but, it has a section where each of the Seven Historical Buddhas say their Mahamayuri Vidyarajnis. The very first one, Vispasin, says:

Parna Savare

Because there is external evidence showing her as important enough to be offered gold since at least ca. 300, then we can say Parnasabari appears to be a type of shakti of "non-Buddhist origin" with some of the perhaps oldest specific evidence that she is a yogini.

Bhima Devi is also a possibility, having an elaborate explanation, however as far as I know, she is only a retinue member in Buddhist tantra, not a principal. Parnasabari is an occult Bhaisajya or Medicine Guru.


I am not sure if the starting point of the thread would be the oldest goddess, or what the Namasangiti and Dharani systems are, or the point of Nirakara and Shentong philosophy, or how Secret Doctrine or Rahasya is a very rare title in Buddhism, such as Dakini Jala Rahasya, which itself perhaps is the subject. I am not sure, because there are so many subtle points being made, but it would be that kind of "table of contents" that would describe why, for instance, there is a type of pattern to 84,000 scriptures, and how these points land it in a large but smaller number of things.

As a style of activity, study of the texts and so forth is Upacara, a subjective precursor for Sadhana or spiritual practice. Furthermore, since the entire Dharmadhatu Vagisvara Manjughosha mandala is gated by the Pratisamvits, i. e. conventional forms of knowledge such as analysis, then you could say it remains valid for something that is considered non-dual highest yoga tantra, and there is one more practice which is like this, Vajra Tara. Both of those are accepted as having within themselves the full capability of Kalachakra or any of the more famous tantras.

To me, it is mostly about the mantras, seed syllables, dharanis, sonic, can be placid or can be musical, etc.

Ganapati Hrdaya has affected me significantly just from doing it on Tuesdays.

To all appearances, that Buddhism that is barely distinguishable from Shaktism in Orissa was fully intended and functioned as the distribution of the Path into the hands of lay people, which is why although this may seem to have an academic edge, that is only the Upacara, because it is intended to incorporate with music or sabari nature and so forth, such as all the lower castes.

The trouble is, I only know all of the subjects, like a sphere. I think it probably ends, or runs out of anything new, with Taranatha, although later personages such as Jamgon Kongtrul made very important commentaries. It begins mostly the same as Agni Yoga. Or, maybe it begins with Manjushri at Pattan, or Dipamkara Buddha? Perhaps the thesis is that of Ratnakarasanti, or Samdhinirmocana Sutra or Queen Srimala Devi.

Legend or word of mouth or personal testimony is accepted as a valid means of knowledge.



Mahamayuri's dharani, translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva, is considered to predate Mahayana Buddhism. It contains the only mention of the Rig Veda in the entire Chinese Buddhist canon.

The Kumarajiva (https://books.google.com/books?id=6Cqgb9pL3L4C&lpg=PA145&ots=771LYu0WHy&dq=mahamayuri%20kumarajiva&pg=PA145#v=onepage&q=mahamayuri%20kumarajiva&f=false) version says Bhima or Bhishana has the consort Shivabhadra. This is with respect to a Bhimakali temple in the Sutlej valley of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Chinese pilgrims attest the cult of Bhima in Gandahar, and at the Brahmagiri mountain in Kosala where Nagarjuna stayed. Further detail (https://books.google.com/books?id=s1PZAMD13SMC&lpg=PA437&ots=muRpSbgVTl&dq=brahmagiri%20nagarjuna&pg=PA437#v=onepage&q=brahmagiri%20nagarjuna&f=false) says he stayed in Kosala, and then went to Brahmagiri near Amaravati.

In our Amoghavajra translation, it says the yaksha Shivabhadra resides in Bhisana, a location, which is used as a Cemetery in Dakarnava Tantra, or, mainly, is otherwise a male Red Bhairava from Rudrayamala Tantra.

The first evidence of Buddhism in Kinnaur is a ca. year 100 penalty for bikkhus having sex with Kinnari women.

The male name Shivabhadra does not really match anything except a type of text which is "further details" after a Saivite deity installation tantra which says:

According to the pratisaṃhitā theory of Āgama origin and relationship (sambandha), it was Sadāśiva who first imparted the Candrajñānāgama through parasambandha to Ananta, who then imparted it through mahānsambandha to Bṛhaspati who then, through divya-sambandha, transmitted it to the Devas who, through divyādivya-sambandha, transmitted it to the Ṛṣis who finally, through adivya-sambandha, revealed the Candrajñānāgama to human beings (Manuṣya).

Mahamayuri discovered in China in 2010:

https://media.springernature.com/full/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1186%2Fs40494-019-0320-8/MediaObjects/40494_2019_320_Fig1_HTML.jpg?as=webp






Bhima Devi appears to have been carved in turquoise (https://www.wisdomlib.org/south-asia/book/buddhist-records-of-the-western-world-xuanzang/d/doc220201.html) when found by the Chinese in the 600s.

In Devi Mahatmya, ca. 400-600, during Vaivasvata Manvantara (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-markandeya-purana/d/doc117171.html) or effective lifespan of our planet, Devi's first incarnation is as Vindhya Vasini; relatively soon, she becomes Shakambari or vegetables, and then she lives on Himavat as Bhima, before her last example, she becomes a swarm of bees (Brahmari).


Devi Bhagavata Purana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/devi-bhagavata-purana/d/doc57429.html) is considered to have begun its...compilation...somewhat after Devi Mahatmya, but, compare to the more widely-known Srimad Bhagavata, despite not wanting to argue about it, the translator says:


This translation has been inscribed to the sacred memory of my friend the late Rāi Bāhādur Śrīś Candra Vidyārṇava who induced me to undertake the translation of this work. He had thoroughly read the two Bhāgavatas and it was his opinion that the priority of composition belonged to the Devī Bhāgavatam. The other Bhāgavat, according to him, is a modern compilation attributed to Bopadeva – the author of Mugdhabodha Vyākaraṇam.


Although Bhima is later repeated as a place with a yogini, she comes from a rather exalted position within a response to the Himalayas about the sacred places of Devi, which more accurately begins with what we call Kolhapur Mahalakshmi:

There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kolhāpura in the southern country. Here the Devī Lakṣmi always dwells. The second place is Mātripura in the Sahyādrī mountain; here the Devī Reṇukā dwells. The third place is Tulajāpur; next is the place Saptaśriṅga, the great places of Hingulā and Jvālā Mukhī. Then the great places of Sākambharī, Bhrāmāri, Śrīraktadantikā and Dūrgā. The best of all places is that of Vindhyācala Vāsinī, the great places of Annapurnā and the excellent Kāñcipur (Conjiverum). Next come the places of Bhīmā Devī, Vimalā Devī, Śrī Caṇdralā Devī of Karṇāṭ, and the place of Kauśikī. Then the great place of Nīlāmbā on the top of the Nīlāparvata, the place of Jāmbūnadeśvarī, and the beautiful Śrīnagara.

11-20. The great place of Śrī Guhya Kālī, well established in Nepal, and that of Śrī Mīnākṣī Devī established in Cīdamvaram. The great place named Vedāraṇya where the Sundarī Devī is residing...


Here again, the whole thing is 18,000 verses, and a summary of the contents (https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/devibhagvatpurana%20home.html) alone is lengthy to read.


That I suppose is the Shakta view of Bhima, but other things make it plain she was not written up and distributed from this; was probably a northern equivalent where there was no Parnasabari.

If Bhima was the first subject, that would give us Buddhakapala Tantra. The closest example of her possibly direct use is within the dharani of Vajragandhari.

[shaberon]

On the same subject as just discussed, I, personally, came to a different conclusion because Old Student's interest seemed to be more along the lines of "autochthonous elements" or, so to speak, tribal experiences of shakti which may have inspired scriptures, rather than coming from them. And so in that vein, it looks like some of the earliest available evidence is gold and sex with Parnasabari and Bhima.


We kind of overlook most scripture since, historically, it has been mostly male-based, and drawn out by cults such as in the Vedic period disputes between Indra and Varuna, and later between Vishnu and Shiva, and so the presence of Mayuri or Ushas in the Rg Veda is "inconclusive".

My answer for Devi comes from such a male-based scripture, and so it doesn't really "count" in the same way as tribal goddesses.

Firstly though I found an equivalent in another one, the Mahabharata. And we found a bit of confusion about the Ocean Mare and what the Terrible Fire is. This epic is believed to have been written around the beginning of the common era; as a scripture, Mahabharata is said to have thousands (https://aeon.co/essays/the-indian-epic-mahabharata-imparts-a-dark-nuanced-moral-vision) of handwritten editions, none of which are identical.

And so this is in pre-material creation, and, the Terrible Fire itself has an origin:


that terrible water-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the fifth son of Vrihaspati. This Brahmic fire has a tendency to move upwards and hence it is called Urdhvabhag, and is seated in the vital air called Prana.

It is a flash frame. They just gave a meaning with respect to yoga practice in a human body while talking about how fire blazed on Jupiter.

And so we know it destroys the world, however, it first begins the world in the hands of a five color flame, of whom only four are given:


...when the invocation was made with the vyahriti hymns and with the aid of the five sacred fires, Kasyapa, Vasistha, Prana, the son of Prana, Chyavana, the son of Angiras, and Suvarchaka—there arose a very bright energy (force) full of the animating (creative) principle, and of five different colours. Its head was of the colour of the blazing fire, its arms were bright like the sun and its skin and eyes were golden-coloured and its feet, O Bharata, were black. Its five colours were given to it by those five men by reason of their great penance. This celestial being is therefore described as appertaining to five men, and he is the progenitor of five tribes. After having performed a penance for ten thousand years, that being of great ascetic merit produced the terrible fire appertaining to the Pitris (manes) in order to begin the work of creation, and from his head and mouth respectively he created Vrihat and Rathantara (day and night) who quickly steal away (life, &c.). He also created Siva from his navel, Indra...


You have to read a few more creations until "it" has a name, Tapa.


Tapa (तप).—A Deva of fire-like splendour. Born of the power of penance of five sages named Kaśyapa, Vasiṣṭha, Prāṇaka, Cyavana and Trivarcas, this Deva has got a name Pāñcajanya (born of five) also. He did severe penance (tapas) and got the name Tapa. His head is like fire, his hands like Sun, his skin and eyes are of golden hue and his waist, blue. (Śloka 4, Chapter 220, Vana Parva).


Same as the Sixth, or Buddhic, Plane of Varuna:


1i) (also Tapoloka) a celestial world,1 forming the forehead of Virāṭpuruṣa; the sixth loka, the residence of Ṛbhu, Sanatkumāra and others, originators of Manvantaras; each of them resides conjointly with yoga, tapa and satya; four crores of yojanas above Janaloka; the residence of the celestial Vairājas; above it, the Satyaloka or Brahmaloka.2

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa II. 1. 28; VIII. 20. 34; XI. 24. 14; Matsya-purāṇa 61. 1; 184. 23.
2) Vāyu-purāṇa 101. 17, 37, 211; 101. 208; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 7. 14-15.



1k) The essence milked by Bṛhaspati from cow-earth in the vessel of the Veda; practised by Yayātī; greater than sacrifices.1 Fasting and restraint lead to vairāgya; other features are celibacy, prayer and silence.2

1) Matsya-purāṇa 10. 17; 35. 15-17; 143. 33-40; Vāyu-purāṇa 57. 121-5.
2) Vā 57. 116-17; 59. 41.



Now. If we see this...unusual male Agni, then, without me being able to show this is directly connected with any forest maiden dance, but, could have just been slipped into Yajur Veda for someone to read and study, the important literary evidence to me is that Vairocani originates from Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 10 verse (ascribed with a terminus ad quem of 3rd century BCE), which hails Durgā as follows:

“tām agnivarṇām tapasā jvalantīm vairocinīm karmaphaleṣu
juṣṭām, durgāṃ devīṃ śaraṇam ahaṃ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ,”

which Coburn translates:

“In her who has the color of Agni, flaming with ascetic power (tapas), the offspring of
Virocana (vairocani) who delights in the fruits of one’s actions. In the goddess Durgā do I take
refuge; O one of great speed, (well) do you navigate. Hail (to you)!”

This verse is duplicated verbatim in Ṛg Vedic Khila, Rātrī Sūkta (4.2.13). (From Mother of Power, Mother of Kings)


It is not necessarily "offspring of Vairocana": Vairocani means the daughter of sun or fire. And again, different people may try to put it to English different ways, such as:

Wife of Rudra, Ambika--Durga is of the colour of fire, luminous owing to austerities; Vairocani who is worshipped for reaping the fruits of human deeds.

Justam (worship, delight) has related meanings as above and is also Ucchista.

This was recorded ca. 300 B. C., and although there may be some older Puranas, most of the older Puranas such as Vayu appear after the year 300.

Tattiriya Aranyaka chapter ten is actually Mahanarayana Upanisad.

This is Durga Suktam.

There is a Sanskrit Mahanarayana Upanisad (https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/mahanarayana.html?lang=en-IN) where you may need to select Roman script and it is "durgaa sooktam"; or, here is that section (https://srivaishnavism.redzambala.com/upanishad/maha-narayana-upanishad-with-commentaries-2-9.html#02) with a translation and commentary.


According to Kamakoti, the main point of the Aranyaka is what Buddha called an Inner Homa:

An important highlight of this Script is the „Manasika
Yagjna‟ which has ready applicability to the present generation; one may not be able to execute Agni
Karyas or even time for Introspection with- standing the harsh winds of materialism and family
responsibilities...


So, it is about the inner meaning of yoga, not necessarily an actual temple. Its title has its own origin story:

The haughty guru disliked the audacity of
Yagnavalkya and commanded the latter to cough up and vomit what all he taught so far. Yagnyavalkya
had to so so while the co students assumed the form of Tittiri‟ birds or pigeons, hence the origin of
Tittiriya Krishna Yajur Veda as the food that was vomitted.
The disillusioned pupil Yagnavalkya decided not to take up a human Guru and prayed to Surya Deva to
accept him as his Guru. Pleased by Yagnavalkya‟s penance, Surya descended in the form of a horse and
disclosed a new form of Veda immortalised as Shukla Yajurveda or Vayajasaneya („Vaji‟ being a horse)
from his manes, as distinguished from Krishna Yajur Veda, not known to Vaishampayana too; the Shukla
Yajur has the rhythm of a horse gallop! Surya directed Yagnavalkya to worship Saraswati to improve
memory...

HPB said that Yajnawalkya was the "world's preparation" for Buddha; and he was influential to King Janaka Vaideha and Sita, and what he also teaches in Bhrihadaranyaka Upanishad about Horse Sacrifice also being symbolic becomes almost identical to the Buddhist Namasangiti and Six Mantra Kings. There is another Aranyaka, or, Forest Literature, and, here, a tiny little slice of it is what we are dealing with. HPB says it is the root of Yogacara.


So the origin of Vairocani having meaning as inner yoga is simple, it is just Durga's Song.


And so although it is evident in line two that the intended name is Durga Devi, but, because we are not stuck with just the first analysis we encounter, the point is the epithet Vairocani:

tāmagnivarṇāṁ tapasā jvalantīṁ vairocanīṁ karmaphaleṣu juṣṭām .
durgāṁ devīɱ śaraṇamahaṁ prapadye sutarasi tarase namaḥ


The reason we are not limited to just a first translation is because we are looking at Vairocani in the Buddhist Samvarodaya Tantra. It is not the "first" Samvara, which is Dakini Jala, it means Source of Chakrasamvara. Part of the significance here is that we were looking at ways to under-study Chakrasamvara without dealing with Vajravarahi. And so the Samvarodaya works slightly differently, in its Armor Deities, it replaces Vajravarahi with Vajravairocani, whose consort is Vajrasattva, in the Navel. Now we can under-study something that is a current song as well as the earliest written evidence I can find of this specific subject.


Now, of course, the main reason this point would be swept under the rug is because the Upanishad text as a whole is still based on male Narayana and so it is Vaisnavite. It is not necessarily too sectarian, because, according to Wiki:

The Upanishad, despite its title which means "Great Narayana", is notable for glorifying both Narayana and Rudra (Shiva), both as the first equivalent embodiment of Brahman, the concept of ultimate, impersonal and transcendental reality in Hinduism.


If you just look at that page, it unmistakably highlights Tapas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahanarayana_Upanishad).

According to a discussion, its important practice is Nyasa (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/8709/where-in-the-mahanarayana-upanishad-is-the-nyasa-vidya-the-path-of-surrender-to).

And so if we look for example at the Greenmessage translation of that line:

To Her, Who is of the colour of Fire (Agni Varna) and blazing with Tapas (Tapasa Jwalantim); Who was born of that Fire (of Tapas) (Vairochinim), and Who is worshipped through Fruits of Actions (Karma Phalas) (offered to Her Fire as oblations)


then she has an identity of Tapas.

"energy belonging to the Absolute in its various manifestations" actually all comes out of her name according to some.

Yet another version says "you are born of the fire of tapas (vairocani), the fruits of all actions belong to you".


It is probably also the first recorded mention of Katyayani (Kanyakumari (https://www.astroved.com/astropedia/en/goddess/katyayani)). The corresponding Upanishad makes the goddess weave with Agni and, she becomes a specific power of fire with its own set of rays she is the sum total of.

Vairocani is not said to be the whole or entire Durga, but is the crucial part for Yoga, arising from Tapas.


So the Buddhist tantras have nothing to say on her origin, she suddenly is just there if you were to follow Cinnamasta or Chakrasamvara. And you do not have to go far before she becomes the Solar Nerve of the Three Channels.

It is however correct that she may be greeted as a Yoga Deity. She will come in the class of Yellow Vajrayogini. What is a bit unusual is that if you pursue her, then you go out naked on a hilltop and the two of you face each other in Kurma or Tortoise Pose and you ask her to be your wife. Here again I am not sure if there is anything else that does this. That part is not, necessarily, necessary, but, she personally evolutes Vajravarahi, Cinnamasta, and Chakrasamvara.



And so after hammering out her inner meaning--that she must not be any kind of outer deity, but, is an expansion of inner heat and light--traced back to her origin, where she is not called all forms of fire, but it is quite close to all forms of light produced by tapas; or, a particularly strong one, blazing.

She is not a beginning yoga practice, she is a stage, or state, the Candali or Tummo, or Pandara. Yeshe Tsogyal could not get her after years on a mountain.

The beginning, or the way to conjure oneself into this state, Varuni is the one taste of all tantras since Vairocani resides in her. That is what it says in Samvarodaya, and, the central male Heruka is hunting this Vairocani. Varuni is consistent with the practice of tapas, japa, etc., in the body of which is its illumination, Vairocani. If we follow the Armor Deities, it goes from tapas illumination Vairocani to Smoky samadhi Candika. So, until you actually have Tapas, it is not the real thing, although it is an underlying pattern of Six Families, which is Dakini Jala.

Well, we were just talking about solar and smoky Odiyanas and so on, same pattern.


And so I hope what is becoming apparent is "hypostasized" or, i. e. the one thing containing another or leading to it. As a basic way of arranging this to the more-famous male yoga deities, I would tend to say Vishnu is any consciousness, is all consciousness. Shiva however is only a fine thread in the most exalted samadhi. It does not matter that much to me if he is transcendent and perfected on his own plane. What is important is to "use" Vishnu to enter and achieve samadhi and at that time, in that reality, the two gods are equivalent.



So, ok. If Mahanarayana Upanisad makes a hypostasis of Vishnu and Shiva, here is Bhima in Adbhuta Ramayana:

You are Virupa (i.e., you have unconventional, distorted, terrifying
and ugly features— see also verse nos. 54, 66 and 76) on the one
hand, and on the other you are Surupa (i.e., one who is pleasant,
charming and endearing to look at— see verse no. 39 also). You
are Bhima (the divine consort of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu,
i.e., Goddess Parvati and Laxmi respectively).


Bhima is "terrible", is she a Terrible Fire? I am not sure, but, this Adbhuta Ramayana is within the doctrine that Mahalakshmi is the chieftess who emanates the trinity, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati, and places Devi as containing and awakening the male deity.

Bhima is the dual consort of what has also been explained to be one and the same deity.

In the Durga texts themselves, which are nowhere near as old as this, Bhima is said to be an early, sixth or so, manifestation of Devi, and, historically, has a very old practice, although we cannot say much about it.


We can say Durga Suktam is a tiny gem hidden in ancient Aranyaka Forest Yoga, and, it asks her to fill me with Bliss so I may know her presence internally, it uses a verb form of Tara, and several of the same expressions as in Buddhist litanies, in fact it takes Refuge in her.

Varuni is Soma drinking, which would still make sense here as it is in the first line.

This is non-Buddhist and had been available for about a thousand years before Samvarodaya Tantra was composed, so, the possibilities of what may have happened with anyone who may have taken it seriously are hard to limit. I do not see contradictions between this song and Buddha Dharma, in fact, it has several of the same supports.


I posted it near the beginning of this thread, but, it would be good to listen to it again.


SFI6EUKWjio



Greenmessage translation:

जातवेदसे सुनवाम सोममरातीयतो निदहाति वेदः ।
स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा नावेव सिन्धुं दुरितात्यग्निः ॥१॥
Jaatavedase Sunavaama Somam-Araatiiyato Nidahaati Vedah |
Sa Nah Parssad-Ati Durgaanni Vishvaa Naave[a-I]va Sindhum Durita-Aty[i]-Agnih ||1||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
1.1: To that Jataveda (one from whom the Vedas are born) we press out the Soma (i.e. Invoke Her ardently); (We invoke that Jataveda) Who consumes by Her Fire of Knowledge (Veda) all the Adversities (within and without) (And frees us from the bondage of the world),
1.2: May that Agni (Fire of Durga) carry us over this Ocean of the World which is full of Great Difficulties and beset with great Perils; like a Boat (carrying one over a very rough Sea),

तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् ।
दुर्गां देवीँशरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः ॥२॥
Taam-Agni-Varnnaam Tapasaa Jvalantiim Vairocaniim Karma-Phalessu Jussttaam |
Durgaam Devii[ngu]m-Sharannam-Aham Prapadye Su-Tarasi Tarase Namah ||2||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
2.1: To Her, Who is of the colour of Fire (Agni Varna) and blazing with Tapas (Tapasa Jwalantim); Who was born of that Fire (of Tapas) (Vairochinim), and Who is worshipped through Fruits of Actions (Karma Phalas) (offered to Her Fire as oblations),
2.2: To that Durga, to that Devi, I take Refuge (Sharanam Aham) by falling at Her Feet (Prapadye); (O Mother Durga, I Prostrate before You) Please ferry me mercifully (over this Ocean of the World full of great Difficulties and Perils),

अग्ने त्वं पारया नव्यो अस्मान् स्वस्तिभिरति दुर्गाणि विश्वा ।
पूश्च पृथ्वी बहुला न उर्वी भवा तोकाय तनयाय शंयोः ॥३॥
Agne Tvam Paarayaa Navyo Asmaan Svastibhir-Ati Durgaanni Vishvaa |
Puush-Ca Prthvii Bahulaa Na Urvii Bhavaa Tokaaya Tanayaaya Shamyoh ||3||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
3.1: O Agni (Fire of Durga), You Who are eulogized (for carrying one across this Samsara); Please ferry us (too), by carrying us (i.e. our Souls) over Your Auspicious Nature, and make us cross this World full of Great Difficulties (Samsara), ...
3.2: ... (and also spread Your Auspicious Nature over the) Land and Earth, (so that the Earth) becomes abundantly Fertile and Green (and we feel Your presence in external Nature); And fill us, (We who are) Your Children with Your Bliss (so that we feel Your presence internally),

विश्वानि नो दुर्गहा जातवेदः सिन्धुं न नावा दुरितातिपर्षि ।
अग्ने अत्रिवन्मनसा गृणानोऽस्माकं बोध्यविता तनूनाम् ॥४॥
Vishvaani No Durga-Haa Jaatavedah Sindhum Na Naavaa Durita-Ati-Parssi |
Agne Atrivan-Manasaa Grnnaano-[A]smaakam Bodhy[i]-Avitaa Tanuunaam ||4||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
4.1: O Jataveda (one from whom the Vedas are born), You remove (grave) difficulties in all the Worlds; Please carry us like a Boat in this very difficult Ocean of the World (Samsara),
4.2: O Agni (Fire of Durga), our Minds are invoking You (ardently) like sage Atri (who continuously chants the mantras), and our beings are (now) filled with Your Consciousness (by continuously invoking You),

पृतनाजितँसहमानमुग्रमग्निँ हुवेम परमात्सधस्थात् ।
स नः पर्षदति दुर्गाणि विश्वा क्षामद्देवो अति दुरितात्यग्निः ॥५॥
Prtanaa-[A]jita[ngu]m-Sahamaanam-Ugram-Agni Huvema Paramaat-Sadhasthaat |
Sa Nah Parssad-Ati Durgaanni Vishvaa Kssaamad-Devo Ati Durita-Aty[i]-Agnih ||5||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
5.1: (She is) the (Great) Fire Who is Invincible in Battle, and charges ahead in a Terrible manner conquering (the Enemies); We invoke Her together from the Highest Assembly (i.e. ardently invoke Her together with the greatest reverence),
5.2: May that Agni (Fire of Durga) carry us over this World full of Great Difficulties, by (charging ahead and) Burning to ashes the very difficult Enemies (within us) with Her Divine Fire,

प्रत्नोषि कमीड्यो अध्वरेषु सनाच्च होता नव्यश्च सत्सि ।
स्वां चाग्ने तनुवं पिप्रयस्वास्मभ्यं च सौभगमायजस्व ॥६॥
Pratnossi Kam-Iiddyo Adhvaressu Sanaac-Ca Hotaa Navyash-Ca Satsi |
Svaam Ca-Agne Tanuvam Piprayasva-Asmabhyam Ca Saubhagam-Aayajasva ||6||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
6.1: You are lauded for spreading Bliss in the Sacrifice since ancient times (The Bliss resulting from killing the inner Enemies); You act as a Hota (Invoker of Bliss) by abiding as a New Maiden (Who is eternally young and free of decay) (in the Sacrificial Altar within the Hearts of the Devotees),
6.2: Your own Conscious Form, O Agni (Fire of Durga) is a source of Happiness (Bliss) for us, and a source of Welfare for our Sacrifice,


गोभिर्जुष्टमयुजो निषिक्तं तवेन्द्र विष्णोरनुसंचरेम ।
नाकस्य पृष्ठमभि संवसानो वैष्णवीं लोक इह मादयन्ताम् ॥७॥
Gobhir-Jussttam-Ayujo Nissiktam Tave[a-I]ndra Vissnnor-Anusamcarema |
Naakasya Prssttham-Abhi Samvasaano Vaissnnaviim Loka Iha Maadayantaam ||7||

Meaning:
(We offer our oblations to the Fire of Durga to cross over this very difficult ocean of worldly existence)
7.1: With Senses (i.e. Mind and Heart) Pleased (by Your Blissful Presence) and becoming Unattached (to the external world), we are Infused with Your (Devotion), O the Highest One; May we Follow (i.e. Immerse ourselves in) Your All-Pervading (Blissful Consciousness) ...
7.2: ... within the Spiritual Sky (Chidakasha), and dwell here in this Vaishnavi Loka (World of Your All-Pervading Consciousness), being Intoxicated (by Your Blissful Nature),

ॐ कात्यायनाय विद्महे कन्याकुमारि धीमहि
तन्नो दुर्गिः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Kaatyaayanaaya Vidmahe Kanyaakumaari Dhiimahi
Tan-No Durgih Pracodayaat ||

Durga Gayatri:
1: Om, (Let our mind contemplate) on Devi Katyayani to know Her (Conscious Form); (And then) Meditate on that Kanyakumari deeply (Who is the Universal Mother),
2: May that (Fire of) Durga awaken (our Consciousness).

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih

Om, (May there be) Peace, Peace, Peace

[shaberon]

As a slightly different subject than just discussed, if I allow for a male-centric doctrine embodying many of the same principles expressed in yogini tantra, then things seem much clearer in terms of origin and development.

To be less specific about "Shakti cults" and look more directly into the written sources of Yoga Tantra, we can go back a little farther into what could perhaps be described as a "transitional" era, when the Vedantic or Upanishadic teachings were in the domain of Priests and Kings, but began to be more "publicly accessible"--same as later ca. year 300 where it can be shown that Buddhism used a shakti-inspired Dharani system to provide its yoga system to lay people, thereby increasing its following versus institutionally-sponsored Hinduism.


Because most written resources come from the medieval era forward, attributions to the Ramayana are normally older and more source-like than others. Puranas are somewhat like selective adaptations. Buddhism does have some of its own original deities, but still uses Brahma and others as the sub-stratum. And so if we see that some of the titles of Devi are simply her names as various manifestations at different times and places, then, we can find, for instance, that Katyayani appears to have been involved probably well before public rituals celebrating her as the sixth Durga at the time of Mahishmardini.

Recollecting that Ganga is a river descending from the Akash to the physical plane, which will nurture the six mayavic Agni seeds and thereby also Karittikeya, she emerges at a pristine level as the sister of Uma:



1) Menā (मेना).—Wife of Himavān. Beautiful Menā was the daughter of Mahāmeru [of Pitr and Svadha in some Puranas].

Himavān lord of the mountains and the seat of many minerals and fossils had two daughters of unparallelled beauty and their mother was the lovely Menā, daughter of Mahāmeru and wife of Himavān. (Sarga 35, Bāla Kāṇḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa).

Rāmāyaṇa states that Menā had two daughters of extraordinary beauty named Gaṅgā and Umā. They were both married by Śiva.

But Vāmana Purāṇa in chapter 51 states that Menā had three beautiful daughters and a son named Sunābha. Menā’s first daughter was Rāgiṇī with red body and eyes and wearing a red dress. Her second daughter named Kuṭilā was white in colour, had lotus eyes, and wore white dress. The third was a girl of enchanting beauty named Kālī. She was blue-black in colour with eyes like the blue lotus leaf.

It can be surmised that the Umā of Rāmāyaṇa and Kālī were one and the same person by the following verse in the Amarakośa.

"umā kātyāyanī gaurī kālī haimavatīśvarī //"

When the statements of the two Purāṇas are taken together Menā should have had four daughters, Gaṅgā, Rāgiṇī, Kuṭilā and Kālī and a son named Sunābha.


And so that quick refrain evidently is the primary traditional description of a few phases, aspects, or incarnations of the same Devi.

Katyayani is:


2) Name of a wife of Yajñavalkya मैत्रेयी च कात्यायनी च (maitreyī ca kātyāyanī ca) Bṛ. Up.4.5.1.

3) Name of Pārvatī; cf. उमा कात्यायनी गौरी काली हैमवतीश्वरी (umā kātyāyanī gaurī kālī haimavatīśvarī) Ak.


As a yogini, she was Yajnawalkya's wife "of materialistic affairs". Correspondingly, her name must have had this significance at this early point.

In terms of her later esoteric development, there is:


Kātyāyanītantre Caṇḍīprakaraṇam. Rādh. 25.

Kātyāyanītantra has the following synonyms: Devīmāhātmyamantravibhāgakrama.

Vibhaga is divisions/classifications, so, an array, organization, or hierarchy of Devi mantras (cf. the Buddhist Ratna Gotra Vibhaga).

There are Katyayani (https://www.globenewsinsider.com/2020/10/21/what-is-the-relationship-between-mother-katyayani-and-shri-krishna-know-here/) root mantras, related to Jupiter and Venus.

Katyayani regularly appears outside of the Nine Durgas, such as in titles of Uma from Adi Parashakti (http://sriaathiparasakthi.org/deities.html):

Parvathi or Visalakshi, the consort of Lord Kahi Vishwanatha is known by many names:- Uma, Karayayani, Gauri, Kali, Haimavati, Isvari, Sivaa, Bhadrani, Rudrani, Sarvani, Chandika, Ambik, Arya, Daksayani, Girija, Menakatmaja, Chamundi, Karnamoti, Carcika, Bhairavi.


Or similarly in a Ramayana from Colonial Bengal (https://books.google.com/books?id=F9vnCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PR11&ots=_XFtcplGZL&dq=haimavati%20isvari&pg=PR11#v=onepage&q=haimavati%20isvari&f=false).

That one does show a medieval change, which is to associate Bharati to Sarasvati, whereas in Buddhist tantra this does not happen and she remains more primevally akin to Bhu.

These, again, are grouped separately from Mahalakshmi who retains epithets such as Kamala.

They or she is a major aspect and practice; approximately the same group is found in a larger Uma Stotram (https://stotranidhi.com/en/sri-uma-ashtottara-shatanama-stotram-in-english/).

Not being sure of the ages of most of these things, the short list is in Amarakosha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarakosha) (Ak in the definition above), an influential medieval thesaurus, considered to have been translated to Chinese by the seventh century. This is a major Indic text you can still get a PhD in. The author is considered to have been a Buddhist, which is reflected within:



Svargadhikhaanda, the first Khaanda of the Amarakosha begins with the verse 'Svaravyam swarganakathridivatrishalaya..' describing various names of Heaven viz. Sva, Avya, swarga, Naka, Tridiva, Tridasalaya etc. The second verse 'Amara, nirjara, deva,’ describes various words that are used for gods and demigods. The fifth and sixth verses give various names of Buddha and Shakyamuni (i.e. Gautam Buddha). The following verses give the different names of Brahma, Vishnu, Vasudeva, Balarama, Kamadeva, Lakshmi, Krishna, Shiva, Indra etc. All these names are treated with great reverence. While Amara Simha is regarded to have been a Buddhist, Amarakosha reflects the period before the rise of sectarianism. Commentaries on Amarakosha have been written by Brahmanical, Jain and well as Buddhist scholars.


Katyayani has a chronology (https://mahabharatandramayana.quora.com/Navaratri-special-We-worship-Mata-Katyayani-the-one-whom-Mahalakshmi-herself-prayed-Mata-Sita-prayed-to-Mata-Katyaya) which frames her as highly important since Ramayana:

We worship Mata Katyayani the one whom Mahalakshmi herself prayed.

Mata Sita prayed to Mata Katyayani for one valiant and kind husband and her wish was fulfilled when she married Lord Rama.

Mata Rukmini prayed to Mata Katyayani because she wanted to marry Lord Krishna who was suitable for her after which Mata Katyayani fulfilled her wish.

Radharani also prayed to Mata Katyayani to be with Lord Krishna and the other milkmaids of Vrindavan also prayed Mata Katyayani.

Mata Katyayani is Mahishasuramardini.


It is not saying she is not Mahishmardini, it says she must have been important prior to Sita, who is showing the puzzilingly inverse authority of Mahalakshmi.


The Ramayana text does not have a certain origin, estimates may go to the 7th but not later than 3rd centruy B. C. E., so it is older than the written form of the majority of Puranas.


The more archaic and direct source of Yogacara according to HPB is Yajnawalkya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yajnavalkya), credited for having coined "Advaita", is fairly reliably stated to have lived around the 7th-8th centuries B. C. E. Taittiriya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taittiriya_Shakha) which is really a complete school is shown to be much later or 3rd-4th century B. C. E. The involvement of Yajnawalkya to it is given in Vishnu Purana.

Taittiriya and Brihad are both classed as schools of Yajur Veda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranyaka).

The Brihadaranyaka (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadaranyaka_Upanishad) however is also estimated in the 700 B. C. E. range, attributed to Yajnawalkya, and probably refined or adjusted a couple of times. So this is closer to a "Root Text" than most anything.


And so in the space of a few centuries, what seems to happen is that the Brihadaranyaka does not contain that much that highlights, exalts, or focuses on Devi per se, and then in the time of Tattiriya, then you get Durga Suktam.


Brihadaranyaka is considered noteworthy for its Honey Doctrine:

Madhu Vidya taught by Dadhyan Rishi to Ashwini Devatas assuming horse heads- the unique link between the Individual Self and the Supreme.

According to Wiki:

This theory appears in various early and middle Upanishads, and parallels Immanuel Kant's doctrine of "the affinity of phenomena" built on "the synthetic unity of apperception".


As presented, it would have to be called non-Buddhist since in the first topic, there may be an "Atma" which is the subject but it is *not* an Individual Self because there is not one of those to do anything with. The second point is written from the view of looking at energy transforming throughout all kingdoms of nature, which may be an earthly Bhakta view, however, Apperception is Samjna Skandha, which is to be stopped, thereby converting the earthly shadow or Chhaya Samjna into a spiritual state or Saranyu Samjna, a Prajna, the wisdom of its emptiness or lack of inherent existence of Apperception. This is Purity of the Element Fire, or, i. e., heat of Tapas in Buddhism.

At any rate, this is the beginning of the important point of Madhu.


So, if Brihadaranyaka is Adwaita, then we basically just have a few philosophical and practice points which are different. This Aranyaka does seem to tell us something about Uktha, who in Mahabharata conjures the multi-colored Tapa Fire: He (Uktha) performed a severe penance lasting for many years, with the view of having a pious son equal unto Brahma in reputation. The Brihadaranyaka says according to Kamakoti (https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/articles/ESSENCE%20OF%20BRIHADARANYAKA%20UPANISHAD.pdf):

Meditation to Praana by Ukta Geeta facilitates unification of the body and the Soul!

Even in Samkhya (https://archive.org/stream/skhyapravacanab01bhikgoog/skhyapravacanab01bhikgoog_djvu.txt), Ukta-Gita is directly related to Paramarthika.

The same practice is in Mahabharata:

This agni is saluted with three kinds of Uktha hymns. (Mahābhārata Vana Parva, Chapter 219, Verse 25).

In this sacrifice of king Janaka, the principal hymns relating to the Uktha rites are being chanted, and the Soma juice also is being adequately quaffed. And the gods themselves, in person, and with cheerful hearts, are accepting their sacred shares.


It evidently does not mean Samans (sung) or Yajus (muttered) mantras:

the mahad-uktham or bṛhad-uktham, ‘great Uktha’, forms a series of verses, in three sections, each containing eighty Tṛcas or triple verses, recited at the end of the Agnicayana

At least one of the Ukthas is described in Aitareya Aranyaka (https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe01/sbe01217.htm#fr_558), which begins more abruptly as a technical manual on chanting:

1. He who knows one sacrifice above another, one day above another, one deity above the others, he is clever. Now this great uktha (the nishkevalya-sastra) is the sacrifice above another, the day above another, the deity above others 1.

2. This uktha is fivefold.

1 The uktha is to be conceived as prâna, breath or life, and this prâna was shown to be above the other powers (devatâs), speech, hearing, seeing, mind. The uktha belongs to the Mahâvrata day, and that is the most important day of the Soma sacrifice. The Soma sacrifice, lastly, is above all other sacrifices.

So there is already a quite similar pattern to Panchamrita and Soma of the tantras.

Without all the words for the hymn, we have a title, which means:

Name of a [particular] recitation connected with the midday oblation and belonging to Indra exclusively.

Looking at rites of the solstice (https://manasataramgini.wordpress.com/2004/12/17/the-rite-of-the-solsticial-day/), Nishkevalya is to Maruts and Indra, this considered to be among the oldest recordings of it, and likely linked to Proto-Indoeuropean.



From II.1.3 (https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe01/sbe01204.htm) with additional commentary (https://jainqq.org/explore/007670/318):

1. Next follows the origin of seed. The seed of Pragapati are the Devas (gods). The seed of the Devas is rain. The seed of rain are herbs. The seed of herbs is food. The seed of food is seed. The seed of seed are creatures. The seed of creatures is the heart. The seed of the heart is the mind. The seed of the mind is speech (Veda). The seed of speech is action (sacrifice). The action done (in a former state) is this man, the abode of Brahman. 2. He (man) consists of food (ira), and because he consists of food (iramaya), he consists of gold (hiranmaya ). He who knows this becomes golden in the other world, and is seen as golden (as the sun) for the benefit of all beings. performed on the last day but one (the twenty-fourth) of the Gavamayana sacrifice. That sacrifice lasts a whole year, and its performance has been fully described in the Brahmanas and Aranyakas. But while the ordinary performer of the Mahavrata has simply to recite the uktha or nishkevalya-sastra, consisting of eighty verses (trika) in the Gayatri, Brihati, and Ushnih metres, the more advanced worshipper (or priest) is to know that this uktha has a deeper meaning, and is to meditate on it as being the earth, sky, heaven, also as the human body, mouth, nostrils, and forehead. The worshipper is in fact to identify himself by meditation with the uktha in all its senses, and thus to become the universal spirit or Hiranyagarbha. By this process he becomes the consumer and consumed, the subject and object, of everything, while another sacrificer, not knowing this, remains in his limited individual sphere, or, as the text expresses it, does not possess what he cannot eat (perceive), or what cannot eat him (perceive him).

The next passage explains prana--breath as the uktha. If it is a lower-case noun it means breath and chanting; as a proper name, the esoteric father of Tapa.





NKU (https://www.nku.edu/~kenneyr/RSH.html) has published a page where someone has done similarly as we do, by clipping related passages from Chandogya Upanishad and Aitareya Aranyaka:

SEVENTH KHANDA

1. 'The altar is man, O Gautama; its fuel speech itself, the smoke the breath, the light the tongue, the coals the eye, the sparks the ear.

2. 'On that altar the Devas (pranas) offer food. From that oblation rises seed.

EIGHTH KHANDA

1. 'The altar is woman, O Gautama.

2. 'On that altar the Devas (pranas) offer seed. From that oblation rises the germ.

AITAREYA-ARANYAKA Part 2

SECOND ARANYAKA.

THIRD ADHYAYA.

SEVENTH KHANDA.

1. This (nishkevalya-sastra) becomes perfect as a thousand of Brihatis. It is glory (the glorious Brahman, not the absolute Brahman), it is Indra. Indra is the lord of all beings. He who thus knows Indra as the lord of all beings, departs from this world by loosening the bonds of life '-so said Mahidasa Aitareya. Having departed he becomes Indra (or Hiranyagarbha) and shines in those worlds.

2. And with regard to this they say: 'If a man obtains the other world in this form (by meditating on the prana, breath, which is the uktha, the hymn of the mahavrata), then in what form does he obtain this world?'

3. Here the blood of the woman is a form of Agni (fire); therefore no one should despise it. And the seed of the man is a form of ditya (sun) therefore no one should despise it. This self (the woman) gives her self (skin, blood, and flesh) to that self (fat, bone, and marrow), and that self (man) gives his self (fat, bone, and marrow) to this self (skin, blood, and flesh). Thus these two grow together. In this form (belonging to the woman and to fire) he goes to that world (belonging to the man and the sun), and in that form (belonging to man and the sun) he goes to this world (belonging to the woman and to fire).


If the Indra is a type of manifest or Sadguna deity which is rather like a gate to the Absolute, this is still the same sense as in the tantras.


Then they added a few of the same things we have from Brihadaranyaka; this upanishad lacks much goddess portrayal, is written more as a lower-to-higher and prana-to-reality style, which was already quite vivid for its time. Aitareya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aitareya_Upanishad) is probably slightly younger than Brihadaranyaka.



In the Brihadaranyaka's male-centric Purusha view, before the dawn of time, he lacks Rame or Ramate, and creates something female that does not quite seem to have a name, and the commentator associates terms which do not seem to be in the text:

stree pumaamsau samparishvahtou

tasmad ayam aakaashaah striyaa puryata eva taam ambhavat



The female half and he fill the same Akash, and the act of creation begins with a merry chase owing to Lajja:


This Shatarupa viz. the Prakriti Swarupa female realised that as to how the Purusha who tore off himself into two could create her and still has had physical union with her and thus out of shame hid herself in the form of a cow...

I see things about Stri, or Patni, not about Rupa or Prakriti. I would make the same association, but I do not see how it is directly written there.




Prakriti comes up once more in the commentary:

Mind is comparable to Swarga whose body form is Surya of the
complexion of extreme radiance; indeed as far as mind is extended, so far extends heaven and to Surya,
both of the latter being united to Praana, the Vital Force. The Vital Force is Supreme and singular but the
other two viz. Speech and its extensions viz. Earth and Agni and Mind its extensions viz. Swarga and
Surya do have opposite partners. Indeed, the union of Prakriti viz. Speech, Earth and Fire on one hand and
Mind, Heaven and Surya viz. Purusha on the other create Vital Force which indeed is unique and
unrivalled.



Here you already have Amrita and at least a foreshadowing of Annapurna:



Prajapati the Swarupa of
three ‘Annaas’or three kinds of food consisting of Speech-Earth-Fire resulting in the Vital Force has
sixteen ‘Kalaas’ or components totalling a ‘Samvatsara’ or a Year of twelve months and twenty four
fortnights, each alternative fortnight named as Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha or Moon Fallings and
Moon Rises respectively). In other words, Prajapati is the ‘Annopaasaka Shodasha Kalaa Murti’ or He
being the very creator and embodiment of Food is also the alternate form of Time which constitutes
sixteen components of a Year comprising alternative moon falls and rises during twelve months. The
nights and days are of fifteen units and the constant unit of the sixteenth is of Self himself!




Maharshi explained to Shakalya that having accounted for thee thirty three Deities of the eight
Vasus, twelve Adityas, eleven Rudras and Indra and Prajapati; now, the six Devas referred to earlier were
Agni, Bhu Devata, Vayu, Antariksha, Surya and Chandra
(The three Devas are three worlds: the Earth and Fire together
make one Deva, the Sky and Air another and Heaven and Sun the third. The two Devas are the Matter and
Praana or the Vital Force in the cosmic sense; and finally the one and half or the Cosmic Energy alone!)
III.ix.9) Tadaahuh, yadayameka ivaiva Pavate,atha kathamadhyartha iti; yada asminnidam sarvam
adhyaardhnot, tenaadhardha iti; katama eko Deva iti; Praana iti, sa Brahma’ tyat’ ityachaakshate/ (The
catch in the existence of one and half Devas is explained as the Cosmic Energy being the interaction of
Prakriti or Maya the Matter or the Glory of Existence and that of the Supreme viz. the Hiranyagarbha;
now the reply of One Deva is indeed the Cosmic Energy or the Cosmic Vital Force is Brahman truly
termed as ‘tyat’ or THAT!)



Thus Vital Force in the cosmic context
is indeed capable of expanding into infinite numbers, names, appearances, actions, features and powers.
Now, one can recognise the deity if the empirical information is provided properly. For example, he who
knows that person whose abode is Earth, whose instrument of vision is Fire, whose light is the Mind and
who is the ultimate resort of the whole body and organs; it is that very being who is identified with the
body; in reply to the query as to who is he, the reply would indeed be that it is the Amrita or the
‘Annarasa’ generated by food and nourishment of the Self and the Adhi Devata or the Deity concerned is
Immortality!



The female deity perhaps has a kind of name:


I do know that being of whom you mention about is the final resort of
the body and organs and it is that very being who is obsessed with lust; indeed the reply is that the
hridaya or the heart of the Self and the name of the relevant ‘Adhi Devata’ or the deity is ‘strees’ or
women, as it is they who inflamed body pleasure in that Self!


A female is the concatenation of offerings:

Gautama! Woman is the fifth item to serve as the holder vessel of the Fire Sacrifice, the earlier ones being Surya deva, Rain God, Earth, and Praana! A woman in existence itself is a samidha or firewood, ‘loma harshana’ or body
excitement is the ‘dhuma’ or smoke, Yoni is the jwaalaa or flame, the coals or the insertions into Agni are
the ‘indhana’, angaara or sparks are the feelings of pleasure, and the ‘visphulinga’ or the climactic
senses. Into that Agni, Devas implant the seed , out of which man is born. Water or liquids called
conviction as offered to the ‘Devaagni’ or Celestial Fires result in gross forms of faith, moon, rain, food
and seed thus in a man and the fifth oblation to Agni would create a human voice that has to die anyway!



There is also a section telling you how to have sex to beget a good child; as a result, the Aswins grant the fertilized egg (germ) a Puskara lotus, and then they twist a flame with two golden sticks which makes the embryo grow.


Prithvi is like/has the essence of Madhu/Honey. So, this is already semi-deified as a goddess.

Gayatri--Savitri is the embodiment of prana. At this point we have a basis of the perhaps singular use of Marici Prana in the Buddhist Dharanis. Similarly, in Ganapati Hrdaya, there is an affixation of Ganapati to Mahaganapati, which has the same meaning, has harnessed prana and the five elements and is called Prana Shakti. This Gayatri spans the Three Worlds, as continuity into the Formless, who conveys a unique bliss. The following Surya is described as hidden by the visible sun.


We have tried to say that Buddhist Marici is not "the wife of the sun", but, includes the pre-dawn twilight as well as the subtle nature indicated above. I am not sure that she has stand-alone sadhanas anywhere near this antiquity. Marici Prana is an epithet of Sarasvati in Golden Light Sutra (https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/teachers/zopa/advice/pdf/sutragoldenlight0207lttr.pdf), of which the oldest Sanskrit version is from Nepal (https://www.dissertationtopic.net/doc/1909520), to which comparatively Surungama Sutra (http://suvarnadevtvm.blogspot.com/2010/09/suvarnaprabhasa-sutra.html) can be found in the second century. In Golden Light, Sarasvati expounds the art of bathing with mantra and aromatic herbs. After her presentation, she is praised by a Brahmin, who says:

you stand on one foot, and are clothed in a garment made of grass.

She is Lunar and has Eight Arms. This is, perhaps, the White Parnasabari of Samputa Tantra, part of the hypostasis of Marici. Drdha the earth goddess goes on to manifest palaces of the Seven Jewels. So here we already have a format of the trinity of an Apri Hymn, with Sri, who confers the Crown Initiation. Suvarṇa (सुवर्ण, ‘beautiful coloured’) is an epithet of gold (hiraṇya), and then comes to be used as a substantive denoting ‘gold’. The continuity of Mahamayuri Sutra to here is almost transparent, because Buddha is the Peacock King Suvarnaprabhasa (i. e., same as the name of Golden Light Sutra), Mayuri Vidyarajni is his attendant or queen, to the interior of which dharani, she is Hiranya Garbhe. So in this very early example of Buddhist Dharani craft is the very subject of the overly-male based explanations having been replaced by female via mantra. Pratisara and Sitabani are in it, so is Stambhani and Samantabhadri. The two-fifths of the Pancha Raksa that do not have folk origins do not seem to be here. Peacock King was said to use his mantra at dawn and dusk. Narayani seems to be the important family achieved here. Female Marici appears in it as a Raksasi on the same line with Varuni and Kali; there are multiple rings of these who guard a Bodhisattva in the womb.



In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Speech is related to Earth, which is probably how Bharati started to get mixed up with Sarasvati:

speech is earth and its content is Agni; the body colour of Earth is terrestrial and its content Agni’s complexion is luminous. Both Earth and Fire are the vocal form of Hiranyagarbha viz. the speech.

This Hiranyagarbha is a major subject of the Aranyaka, so, the Mahamayuri and the Golden Light Sutra also appear to enshrine this--not by elaborate repetition, but by mentioning it at all.


In Buddhism, we would not have an issue with the Nirmana Gold Earth Chakra being swept by the Fire of Agni in the form of mantra. In fact that is exactly what we are trying to accomplish in Generation Stage. And it is perhaps here where there is a significant change from Hindu yogas because at this point, such fire becomes related to female deities almost exclusively. Therefor, the strange five-color male Tapa was a bit of a surprise to me, since we call the similar Tapasi as Vairocani (among others from other texts). If I suppress the knowledge that a great deal of the feminine presence refers to motions and flows in the subtle body, and accept there is an identical knowledge based just in Agni, the "veil of masculinization" is not that big of a deal. In our system, Tara repairs and opens the knots so that dakinis become the currents between the Pithas, whereas the Agni system does this mostly by fire oblations.


In Mahabharata, Tapa came after the archetypal subject of "Agni enters the Waters", which is also stated here in the Aranyaka:


In the waters is situated the ‘tejomaya and amritamaya Purusha’ or the ever shining and immortal Entity who is also known as ‘Antaratma’ or the Inner Self; indeed that is Immortal, is Supreme Brahma and ‘Sarvam’or the Totality! In fact water is
absorbed in the Body as the ‘Retas’ or the seminal fluid!


and the elements collapse or reduce similar to the Buddhist Tri-kaya:

...the body prevails upon the Elements of Prithvi-Varuna/ water, Vayu/ Ether, Agni / Fire. Then the body inculcates Kama/ Desire,
Krodha / Anger, Dharma/ Righteousness as also the opposites of these feature.


According to Wiki:

Rahasya Brahmanas

There is also a certain continuity of the Aranyakas from the Brahmanas in the sense that the Aranyakas go into the meanings of the 'secret' rituals not detailed in the Brahmanas. Later tradition sees this as a leap into subtlety that provides the reason for Durgacharya in his commentary on the Nirukta to say that the Aranyakas are ‘Rahasya Brahmana’, that is, the Brahmana of secrets.


This material was basically the education of Sita (the incarnation of Mahalakshmi) and Gautama Siddartha (who became Buddha).

It was mainly in the hands of priests literally following all of its complexity; Buddha essentially said--you do not need to do all that--but to follow the inner meaning. And so yes, the skeleton or framework being followed here--to mantricly reverse prana and become a type of Indra or gold--definitely follows through in the tantras. By the time of Tattiriya Aranyaka, the character and importance of Devi is recorded, which in the following centuries, at least in the hands of Buddhism, seems to incorporate non-scriptural practices of aboriginal or non-priestly tribes.

I cannot quite say where this might definitely manifest as what Old Student decided to call "Siddha culture". I can say it is a lot like the narrow waist of an hourglass in Nepal for a few centuries.

Roughly, the split between orthodox Brahmanism and heterodox doctrines or practices may be called Sramana (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED017907.pdf):

One of the outstanding distinctions between the brahmanical and the sramana
doctrines is that whereas the former can be traced only to a body of literature of
varying antiquity, the latter can be attributed to definite historical persons, who
flourished around the sixth century B.C. in the ancient kingdoms of Videha and
Magadha.

Sramana refers to a wandering mendicant, or a lovely or low-caste woman.

As to "what kind" of a sramana and/or whether they may have encountered Matangi, etc., I am not exactly sure, except for Buddha himself.

Such encounters must have been at least somewhat in play by the time of early Buddhist compositions such as Mahamayuri and the Lokottara Vijnanavadin or Yogacara corpus. There seems to be evidence of Kinnaris as Karma Mudras prior to most of these texts.

Golden Light Sutra (https://buddhaweekly.com/why-recitation-of-the-sutra-of-golden-light-brings-peace-and-happiness-and-long-life-also-sutra-transmission-of-chod-alleviating-fear-and-healing/) is in fact considered the Sutra source of Chod. If they say that, I would redouble the efforts about its Yaksha symbolism resembling the pisacis of the tantras.


For Buddhist Yogacara of Samdhinirmocana and Lankavatara Sutras:

...Yogacara is a creative synthesis of three major formants--the mayavada of the
early Mahayana Sutras, the Abhidharma world-plan, and a monistic emanation
causality of the Upanisadic and Sankhya type, probably borrowed from some kind
of Samkhya.

Bhaviveka (https://www.hup.harvard.edu/collection.php?cpk=1023) composed the first known comprehensive comparisons centuries later.

The Aranyakas seem to be literally talking about the moment of conception, combined with a prana and five elements practice related to Indra; the first of which corresponds to Generation Stage, and the second being Rudra Krama or Mahabala Krama, resulting in the Indra Jala or Maya Jala which Old Student experienced. Because this is a practice of yoga, it is Yogacara, which is the further intended meaning beyond "philosophy of a Buddhist school", i. e. to practice it. Again this same metaphor appears with Buddhist Pratisara, an actual womb and then Generation Stage as Raudra Krama. This symbol is the first half of where Buddhism discretely classifies its yoga as being other-than Aryan Yoga. In this, probably both sides are true--if you literally wanted the pregnancy, this would be the way to do it, but otherwise it is the yogic male seed Smirti-Sadhana launching itself at the female egg or samadhi, which, if it successfully "conceives", it means you are experiencing Luminous Mind.

That is why it is not too hard to recognize tantric stages, from Tapas experienced to Vairocani, which, when combined with the purified male, results in non-dual Luminous Mind, which is i. e. the vehicle used in a true tantric deity sadhana, Heruka Yoga.

That is why I think we are just understudying Sadhana because we cannot actually even do a spiritual practice.

No matter how much one one like to study and emphasize devis and goddesses, eventually, this male seed, point, or axis is "inevitable". If I was a woman and thought it would be weird to self-generate as a male deity and could do a lot of things from a Tara or female format, nevertheless, at some point, it has to have a Vajrasattva, even if you want to relegate him to androgyny so he is only half male, that will do. At some point when he is Heruka he is fully male. It is just half of reality but we can almost overlooking it by "reversing" the process of how most esoterism seems to be based from a male Purush and/or primarily male creators and lords. It is just a further and better explanation with the fullness of Devi.

Katyayani and/or Durga or Kalaratri is Material Shakti corresponding to the Sister class of deities in Buddhism which produce Sambhogakaya, the Bhucari, Kshetri, and similar synonyms in the tantras.


The Ramayana, itself, is an ancient legend taking place in Treta Yuga, whereas "historical Sita" who lived shortly before Buddha is a different person. Sita is also in a considerably different story which is in the Jataka tales as the daughter of the king of Benares.

The Buddhist version of Ramayana is known as Dasarata Jataka. The story is more or less the same. A major difference between the Sanskrit Ramayana and the Buddhist version of Ramayana is that Rama, Sita and Lakshaman were sent by Dasaratha to live in the forest to protect them from his ambitious third wife. This version of the Ramayana has no mention of Sita's abduction.

In a larger summary (https://www.quora.com/How-different-is-Buddhist-Ramayana-from-Hindu-Ramayana), the setting is that they become monarchs of Benares (Kashi).

There is no Ravana or war in Lanka, which is not known to have taken place ca. 700 B. C. E. It is not about Vishnu because Rama is Buddha.

The original, Valmiki Ramayana, has esoteric questions and answers in the twelfth-century Adbhuta Ramayana, which is where Sita--Mahalakshmi becomes Mahakali. But this is simply the "full explanation" which no one had asked about previously.

That is why I take Ramayana and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad as "fundamental" types of texts, both are very early, very descriptive, and influential.

This is the background of Yogacara, and of the medieval tantra system of Abhayakaragupta based in Vajravali, Sadhanamala, and Nispannayogavali, which is like a tapestry of associated Buddhist tantras, which themselves in turn are encased in an Agni Homa. The main explanatory tantra to this is Samputa, which we can easily study.

The Samputa, itself, is a relatively late synthesis of several prior tantras.

Nepal lacks any kind of Buddhism other than tantra intended to enhance Agni Homa.

Because it does have continuity from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, to Sita, to Buddha, and the advanced tantras are like intensifications of the same inner alchemy, then, not only am I unable to work around HPB's definition of "the or a Yogacara school", in fact it revealed itself by accident as what looks to me to be the best "thread" from among the oldest through many esoteric works.

Everything, of course, has legends that it took place long before this, but this can be shown as a major system complete with corresponding divinities, whereas I am not sure how much could be said of a Stambhesvari post or a Lajja Gauri figurine even if it can be proven to be older.

I can say Ratnakarasanti"s "Nirakara system" is "a Yogacara school".

I am left with the beginning of the "subject" as Yajnawalkya, or, objectively, the oldest datable writings of it. Tantras as developed basically around the area became systems of Ratnakarasanti and Abhayakaragupta, which contradict the Adwaita less than they enhance, further refine, and complete it. At around the same time, almost the same could be said of the presumably-Hindu Adbhuta Ramayana. Because HPB said the "initiators" of her system derived from Yajnawalkya were "Cinnamasta tantrikas", and we know what this is due to the evolution and unfolding hypostasis of Vairocani, I am unable to obtain information that would actually change her "bookmarks". I did not try to do that or even know it was a thing, but, it bears out under extensive analysis.

[Agape]

Thank you for being so exuberant and linking all the different details together Shaberon 🙏 I’m always speechless when reading to you ( and that’s good for you).

From practical perspective, I agree that both Yogacharya and Vedanta school of philosophy later turned to Buddhist Madhyamaka philosophical schools are ancient and intertwined.

Practice lineages that survived many social cataclysms and historical upheavals are rare but they still exist, often namelessly.

In India, there are millions of local deities but they all trace their origins to Mahashavari, Shiva Adi Yogi, Isha -Shiva-Parameshvati.

There are old and new manifestation of Narayana,
the Cosmic Life ,

the first motion of cosmic waters

where from the Egg of Brahma , this particular bubble of Universe was born.


The daughter of Narayana, is Mahalakshmi but also Annapurna as she manifests in the form of subtle food - annam- the light we eat.

The cycle of samsara really is revolutions of this particular planet and solar system we are dealing with.


Later

🙏💫

[shaberon]

Here is a bit closer look at the same as previous.

I got something different when I first picked up Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which I believe is in a complete translation with little of the original language. The beginning of it had to do with revamping Horse Sacrifice into a symbolic form, and then showing the inseparability of mind from pranic winds by using the horse metaphor Rider on the Winds with Six Mantra Kings, almost the same thing as in Namasangiti. So that was convincing.


From the "inside", or, i. e., a reader and devotee of the original, the Kamakoti review talks about it in a different way. The kind of inextricable commentary placed in Essence of Brihadaranyaka is a little bit messy and over-zealous, probably like some things I have done. There are too many additions and changes compared to the original lines. In most Buddhist texts, you get the original, the translation, and the commentary is distinguishable, even if placed internally. Here, we have to work on which parts are the translations, such as:

evam sarveshaam karmanaam hastaavekaanam,
evam sarveshaamaanandaanaam upaasya ekaayanam

hands for works or action,
organ of generation for enjoyment and relief


which are then followed by phrases which in this case, lack the bracketed words in the original text, in other words this comment is an addition or interpretation, does not seem to be there:

Indeed, dissolution in any case is natural just as the termination of ignorance while Brahman
or the Supreme Self is the only Reality [Satya] and the Ultimate Truth [Paramartha]!


So it has already rung in the process of composition, and that reversing it is a normal process, dissolution is to be experienced.


With minor work, we can find such things as "That Knower" is a form of Vijnana. Here, as a kind of semantic flip, Buddhism tends to call the transcendent consciousness Jnana, whereas Vijnana is more like Grounds and Path. Aside from the fact that Hinduism tends to call transcendent consciousness Vijnana, it is still close to the same subject. In their usage:

When the Veil of Ignorance is lifted from Vijnana, it recognizes:

the Absolute Self which is neither dual nor multiple

asya sarvamaatmaivaabhuttatkena kam manveeta


Here, there is Sarvamaatma, but not Paramatma as usually given, which seems to be an interpolation or association on the translator's part. So we are semi-questioning the use of Atma, not so much the fact that it is included in some way, but why translate it at all, especially as Self. The answer accepted more or less defines one's school of philosophy.


In saying that "Horse Head rite is symbolic", this is at least answered by what they seem to be extracting as the special teaching here. Honey Doctrine or Madhu is an answer to yhe questions of Maitreyi, describing itself as within all elements and spheres, organically linking one organism to itself:


Now, this Earth is like ‘madhu’ or honey which indeed is the essence of all the beings from Hiranyagarbha down to a blade of grass. The Self of any being comprises full of four entities viz. Prithivi maya, amrita maya, tejomaya and Purusha; or earth,
honey, corporeal being in a mortal body and knowledge or intelligence and again the Self indicates Amrita Maya or Brahma maya; this indeed in Brahman all about; stated differently, existence is by itself is a sweet experience...


with the next element:

In the waters is situated the ‘tejomaya and amritamaya Purusha’ or the ever shining and immortal Entity who is also known as ‘Antaratma’

which seems to be triune or triply-aspected:

idamamritam, idam Brahma, idam satyam/

This line becomes a refrain, with "satyam" replaced by "sarvam" in the following verses, idamamritam, idam Brahma, idam sarvam.

"Antaratma" is not stated in the verse, although it can at least be found in the book. Tejomaya and Amritamaya become the companions of Purusha like they are here, that part is accurately emphasized in the original.

Honey is discussed continuing its "oneness" within Fire, Air, Sun, Directions, Moon, Lightning:


The Vidyut is at once a flash of piercing vision yet is a permanent phenomenon on the Skies. Identified with the sensation of touch and skin on a body of the Beings, this is an active segment of the Self comprising the body, its awareness or appropriately
named as knowledge, the light within the body in the form of the touch and its sweet existence- all these four are ideally unified with Paramatma.

It is trying to make the case that the individual "in these conditions" becomes the direct reflection of Paramatma. In the next category:


Clouds are nice and sweet like honey to all Beings as these are the abodes
of the ‘Tejomaya and Amritamaya Purusha’ who is identified with sound and voice in the body of each
and every being in Srishti representing the Self, knowledge, inherent radiance and perpetuity interconnected to Brahman the Superior Most (the original has vidyut starting tejomaya, etc.).

This Akasha is like honey to all the Beings in the
Space identified with the heart in their physiques. This ether is where Purusha rests being replete with
radiance and ecstasy, known otherwise as Antaratma or the Inner Self based on realisation, inbuilt
brightness, and everlasting nature interconnected with the Supreme.

Dharma or righteousness is the code of conduct as per the Scriptures enunciated
in Shrutis and Smritis; indeed this dharma is like honey to the various Beings; yet this code is neither seen
nor readily felt like Earth, Sun, Moon, Water, Fire, Sky, Lightning, Directions, clouds and so on; yet
Dharmaacharana or Following the Established Principles of Morality is indeed divinely sweet like honey,
bright like flood of radiance and gratifying and fulfilling like ‘Tejomaya-Amritamaya- Antaratma’ or
Inner Conscience which again is eternal, radiant and Supreme viz. ‘Paramatma’ or Brahman; indeed the
Self is but a reflection of the Utmost Abstraction!

This concept of Satya or Truthfulness is sweet like honey for all the
Beings in the Universe; it is in this Satya that is embedded in the Purusha who is the embodiment of
Radiance and ‘Amritatwa’ or Eternity; he is the Adhyatmika Purusha or the Self who is interconnected
with Paramatma or the Absolute Brahma who is Everything!

Humans and other species:

The Four factors governing the Self are righteousness, knowledge, brightness within and of everlasting nature.

This "composite of four", adjusted from the beginning:


Prithivi maya (Earth), amrita maya (Honey), tejomaya (body, incarnation, or Sarira in the text) and Purusha; the Self indicates
Amrita Maya or Brahma maya

Although they are translating Purusha as "Self", whereas it is being described in relation to atma:


prithivyaayaam tejomayomritamayah purushah, yashchaayamadhyaamtam sharirah
tejomayomritamayah Purushah ayameva sa yoyamatmatmam sharirastejomayomritamayah Purushah
ayameva sa yoyamatmaa


Compare to the Four Qualities of Buddha Nature by Maitreya:

(1) First, ‘Buddha-nature is great purity beyond all concepts of pure and impure.’

(2) Second, ‘Buddha-nature is the great self beyond all beyond all concepts of self and no-self.’

(3) Third, ‘Buddha-nature is great blissfulness of pleasure and pain, or suffering and bliss.’

(4) Finally, ‘Buddha-nature is the great permanent state beyond all concepts of permanence and impermanence.’

or:

The Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra teaches the reality of an ultimate, immaculate consciousness within each living being, which is the Buddhic "Dharmakāya" (essence of Truth), which is yet temporarily sheathed in obscuring defilement. This Dharmakāya, when viewed as intrinsically free from spiritual ignorance, is said to constitute eternity, bliss, the self, and purity in their perfect state. The use of the word "self" in this sutra is in a way unique to this class of sutra. The great Queen Śrīmālā, who according to this text is empowered by the Buddha to teach the Dharma, affirms:

[T]he Dharmakāya of the Buddha has the perfection of permanence, the perfection of pleasure, the perfection of self, the perfection of purity. Whatever sentient beings see the Dharmakāya of the Tathagāta that way, see correctly. Whoever see correctly are called the sons of the Lord born from his heart, born from his mouth, born from the Dharma, who behave as manifestation of Dharma and as heirs of Dharma.

That is from the section defining Ekayana (http://www.buddhism.org/Sutras/2/SrimalaDeviSutra.htm). Then it makes sure to sweep away any conventional psychological kind of atma:

...O Lord, the tathāgatagarbha is not a substantial self, nor a living being, nor ‘fate,’ nor a person. The tathāgatagarbha is not a realm for living beings who have degenerated into the belief of a substantially existent body or for those who have contrary views, or who have minds bewildered by emptiness.

Purity, Self, Bliss, and Permanence characterize Tathagatagarbha, compared to Prithvi--Earth, Madhu--Amrita, Tejas--luminous incarnate life force, and Purush of the Aranyakas. Earth is Pure, Amrita generates Bliss, and Tejas, in Buddhism, has more to do with that Tapas that has reached the head and accomplished the wrathful rite and begins to affect the environment, a yoga practice requiring a body and its life forces and supposed to reveal fire. Without trying to force these two groups of Four Qualities to be identical, they certainly seem to be rather close.


In Nepal, there is a World Lotus, said to have been visited/tended by Historical Buddhas, similar to spiritual custody of a germ in a womb growing into a lotus; and when revealed, it got the name Swayambhu Jyotir Rupa Adi Buddha--which is not far from the title assumed by Prithvi when conjoined with Vak here:

Tasyai vaachah Prithivi shariram jyotirupamayamagnih; tadyavatyeva
Vaak, taavatiee Prithvi taavaanaya magnih/ (Out of these entities, speech is earth and its content is Agni;
the body colour of Earth is terrestrial and its content Agni’s complexion is luminous. Both Earth and Fire
are the vocal form of Hiranyagarbha viz. the speech. Thus as far as Speech is extended so far Earth and
Agni are extended too)

Some metaphors of mantra include Cow:

This most auspicious component of Dharma or Virtue and Justice embodied as a cow
which posesses four teats of meditation akin to what calves suck are known as the sounds of Swaaha,
Vashat, Hanta and Swadha! Swaha and Vashat are the sounds signifying the oblations to Agni targetted to
Devas; hanta is meant for human beings as the food for them, literally meaning; ‘ if required’; swadha
denotes the sound of the utterance of the mantra used for offerings to Pirtu Devas / manes as Shraaddhiya
Vasthus or offerings in Shraddha Karmas. In this context, speech is likened to a bull which indeed is the
Vital Force or Praana, while calf is the mind which stimulates the flow of milk. In other words, one who
meditates Brahman uses speech the Cow and mind as the calf and bull as the vital force!)


Agni Vaisvanara:

Vaishwanara Agni Brahman declares his splendour clearly distinguishing Truth/Untruth

V.ix.1) Ayamagnir Vaishwaanaro yoyamantah purushe, yenedam annam pachyate yadidam adyate;
tasyaisha ghosho bhavati yam etat karnaavapidhaaya shrunoti sa yadoskramishyan bhavati nainam
ghosham shrunoti/ (After identifying with the radiance of mind, then Vidyut or Lightning, and Speech
signifying a cow and its means of meditation, now another medium of mediation is Agni and the
personification within it as a Being viz. Vishvaanara, since Shruti states ‘Ayamagni Vaishvaanara’;
indeed this Agni is well outside the Purusha or a Human and far before the human body! It digests food
consumed by the person and the heat of his stomach. As the fire digests the food, it emits sound stopped
by the ears with one’s fingers. Thus one should meditate upon the Agni as Vaishwanara or Viraja...


Or Manas:

The Mind is considered as the interiormost chamber of the heart and is likened to the inner grain of say rice or
barley. Mind reveals every thing and in fact the Individual Self is identified with it and its brightness. It is
considered by Yogins as the prime commander of the various other body parts. Mental stamina and
stability are the cause and effect alike of meditation to the Supreme; indeed mind is Brahman and
identical since ‘ one becomes precisely as one meditates upon the Almighty!


The culmination is a type of Mrtyu Vacana or Deathlessness (yaścāsyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ tejomayo mṛtamayaḥ = amaraṇadharmā in Satapatha Brahmana):


...the Karta or the Chief Organiser of a
Sacrifice could utilise the instrument of Ritvik Swarupa Agni or the Hota Priest could invoke Fire and
overcome death by way of ‘Vaak’or the Speech and the relevant Mantras; indeed ‘Vaak’ is the medium of
Sacrifices; Vaak is the conveyor to Agni, that is the role of a Hota, that is the Mukti and Ati Mukti or
emancipation and total Salvation! In the ‘Madhukanda’ the ‘Udgeetaprakarana’ or the Chapter named
Udgeeta, the Hota explains in brief the ways and means to surpass ‘mrityu’ by way of the fiery and
radiant ‘Agni Mukha’...

It is similar, but not the same as Uktha; Udgita (https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/essays/aum.asp) is either Saman or Pranava, from an article showing the exposition of Om throughout the texts:

Because it was not permitted to use the word directly, some early Upanishads referred to it indirectly as the udgita (upsound) or pranava (calling out), alluding to its significance in regulated breathing and religious chanting respectively. Other expressions used in the scriptures in reference to it are vācaka (symbol), tārāka (crossing) and akshara (imperishable word). It is also described as Brāhman in sound form (Sabda Brāhman).




Savitri Gayatri being a pranic purification is intended to advance in stages and open the clairvoyant eye:

Savitri being the hymn in praise to Surya deva is what a teacher instructs in stages ie. a quarter to
commence at the time of wearing the holy thread, half eventually and finally the totality is thus identical
with the vital force, enhancing vision of the inner eye!



So there is frequently an Atma in here, but, compared to what the commentary seems to indicate, the more frequent term than Antaratma in the original Brihadaranyaka text is "Ayamatma". This is used in Upanishads in all Four Vedas (https://www.quora.com/What-does-the-Ayam-Atma-Brahma-mean) and is "identity" like "Aham", and thereby about the same as Soham Hamsa, and so non-different identity with Brahman.

The commentary says:

This ‘Antaratma’ or the Self Consciousness is the
sovereign of all Praanis or the most beloved like sweet honey itself; this is indeed is the dazzling fund of
luminosity and the sustaining drink of Deva Ganas and what is more the Eternal Brahma that is
‘Saravaswa’ or the Totality. This Individual Self which is akin to burnt coal camouflaged by ash is
possessed of add-on body- appendages just as the Basic Truth is covered by the thick layer of makebelieve maya or ignorance; it defies pure intelligence, but deep devotion and meditation with the aid of
Brahma Gyaan alone can gradually clear the smokes of ignorance; indeed it is the ‘Shruti-Smriti pathanasmarana-jignaasa’ alone could loosen the tight stranglehold of Agjnaana and pave the gradual and thorny
path of Illusions that reveals the hard away to Brahman and eventually identify Brahman ultimately. The
identification and Identity of the Self as the Supreme Self is possible only when all the spokes are fixed
properly in the nave and felloe of a wheel when all the organs of a body and their end-uses like speech,
touch, smell , action, thought, etc. are ideally fixed on the Self.

The commentary also uses Viraj frequently, however, as a Shakti, Viraj (http://www.maabiraja.com/history.html) in Orissa is at least as old as Mahabharata before going back to an inscrutable Stambhesvari. This however does not seem to be used in the original, except for Patni Viraat in reference to the subtle body and prana, the better half, wife, or matter, which would refer to shakti. The Viraj temple link calls her Earth, and claims to be so throughout the older Atharva Veda history back to the 13th century B. C. E.

In general use, Viraj is the original, non-dual unity with respect to our planet, and may be retained as an epithet of the primordial male and female divisions.

The Viraja Homa Mantra chant is part of the Maha Narayano Upanishad (Narayana Upanishad / Narayana Valli), Taittireeya Shakha of Yajur Veda. During Avani Avittam (Upakarma), the Viraja Homa is usually performed after Mahasankalpam & Vedaarambam. This practice is mostly followed by people in Andhra/ Telangana and parts of Karnataka and a few in Tamil Nadu.



In the book, Viraj is given as a synonym for Prajapati, and is distinctly used here but not present in the translation:

IV.iv.20) Ekadhaivaanudrashtavyam etad aprameyam dhruvam, Virajah para aakaashaad aja aatmaa mahaan dhruvah/

(As the form of consistent and harmonised Pure Intelligence realises like the elemental ether permeating
all over the Universe, the Individual Self is taintless as being free from the imperfections and contami -
nations of body and senses. The Self is infinite and indestructible as neither it comes into life, nor exists,
grows, begins to decline, decays and dies!)

Viraj (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/viraj) originates in Rg Veda, is associated with motherhood in Atharva Veda, and in the Puranas as female is generally equivalent to Aditi.

It perhaps has male--lunar and female--solar lines of descent:

1a) Viraja (विरज).—A son of Pūrṇiman.*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 1. 14.

1j) A son of Pūrṇamāsa and Sarasvatī; his wife was Gaurī; son Sudhāmā.*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 11. 13; Vāyu-purāṇa 28. 10-12; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 10. 6.

2a) Virajā (विरजा).—A daughter of progenitor, Viraja; wife of Ṛkṣa; loved by Mahendra, became mother of Vāli; loved by Sūrya, became mother of Sugrīva.*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 212-15.

The oldest written Purana is probably the Vayu (https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/27941/which-is-the-oldest-of-all-pur%C4%81%E1%B9%87as) from ca. 200.

But there is a strong likelihood it was originally one tradition from Vyasa which amalgamated, was probably orally transmitted:

According to Wiki, the term Itihasa Purana is found in Chandogya Upanishad and in Atharva Veda.

The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad also refers to purana as the "fifth Veda".

The late Vedic text Taittiriya Aranyaka (II.10) uses the term in the plural.

Those are many centuries before the first known recordings. The sense is, Purana is not a Saman, it is "with" a Yajus, so maybe it is an Uktham; has something to do with gathas or verses.

In the Vedic age, those portions of the Brahmanas which narrated events of bygone days were known as itihasa and had some ritualistic importance. The recitation of the itihasa-purana in the pariplava nights was a part of the Asvamedha ritual. In the extant literature, the terms Itihāsa and Purāṇa have acquired a distinct use. Itihāsa may correspond to an epic and Purāṇa to a series of narrations, without the main purpose of a running tale, meant solely to explain cosmological and theological tenets.

So the "subject" of purana was an entity, maybe something like the Charya Gitas of the Siddhas, but as to what it was, you will see for instance that the Brihadaranyaka contains little of what could be called "Puranic terminology". It has a close common root with the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, which are more objective. But there is no way to show quite what these were, whereas, in the Aranyakas, you have a pretty clear teaching that I would certainly say is the underpinning of Suksma Yoga, although it probably has a different name for the same thing. At the time, it consisted of a few chapters bundled in multiple other texts, kept at the end of a Veda. As to what exactly happened if people shifted this teaching into an alternate lifestyle where they do not automatically do five temple rituals every day, and, in the later Tattiriya Aranyaka there is a yogic song of Durga, all we know is somehow the forest maiden theme must have been relevant or corresponding to the male-centric Purusha, later Visnu and Shiva, exoteric material.

The name Viraj is much more significant and, as we can see, roughly is the main agent in the tumult of masculine scriptures, and as feminine is "known" in Orissa without any such ancient writings to explain her:



In the Atharvaveda, Viraj is a cow or with Prana, the life-breath. Viraj (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viraj) has something like twenty identifications in Atharvaveda, down to "Dhruva, the point of the heavens directly under the feet...in elder Upanishads this name appears thrice – once in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad passage IV.ii.3 as "the human form that is in the left eye", and twice in the Chandogya Upanishad in passages I.xiii.2 as the stobha called Vak (Vairaj Sama) and IV.iii.8 as the food and as the eater of food, Viraj is food - virad annam bhogyatvad eva (BUBh 4.2.3). Viraj is originated from Sutram (159,BUBhV p. 431,st18/9) also called Sutratman in Vedantasara, basically of feminine gender, its masculine gender is also found in Brahma Purana I.53, its coming forth is due to delusion. Viraj is said to be food, the essence of food, identical to the pinda, food and the eater of food, to be the eldest of beings as food, to pervade all products as their material cause, to be Prajapati. Viraj is said to be released by virtue of her own nature, originated from Brahman from Viraj, Purusa or Manu. In Vedantasara it is Vaisvanara and is said to be Caitanyam (intelligence)..."


So, ok, it refers to the quote in Brihadaranyaka about the perfect feminine, which is related to Vak, Earth, and Food, and since we keep finding Food used in an occult manner, then, yes, we can also bookmark that as something like the finale of our Buddhist Dakini Jala Rahasya. The same subject or symbol comes up early in Sadhanamala, Vajra Navediye. Comparatively, there are only a few finishing touches that consist of Completion Stage. So this bookmark probably does represent a complete translation of symbolism to inner meaning, the major goal of Yoga Tantra. Therefor this one word, Viraj, pretty much teaches Generation Stage "by implication", and why it is a rare title for deities (primarily Parasol). In the esoteric view, it is sub-Hiranyagarbha or Sutra, that is all. Otherwise it is the Androgyne, such as Ardhanishvar and others.


Note that the original text says Purusha Rupam, not manushya rupam or human form, and this commentary seems to add a lot to the actual line. Purusa Rupa is even overlooked in a line from Srimad Bhagavatam (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brihad-bhagavatamrita-commentary/d/doc426068.html) where it produces the Maha Tattva. The "left eye" or perhaps half of Purusha is Viraj:

The left eye in the human form is called ‘Viraja’ or the better half or wife viz. the Matter. Indra of the Self is designated as Vaishwaanara the right eye, and Viraja the left eye, the matter or the wife , both being the objects of enjoyment. This couple named the matter and the Enjoyer are united that situation is called dreams.The Space that is within the lump of flesh
named the heart of the body is their place of union and that indeed is the place where Indra and Viraja
have each other’s company! Their food or the source of sustenance called the lump of blood or the
essence of the food as eaten, takes two forms; the gross part that goes down as excreta and the rest is
metabolised in two ways due to action of the internal heat; one part is of medium fineness that passes
through successive stages of blood nourishes the gross body made of five elements named Vishva or
‘Vaishvaanara’; another penetrates through fine nerves and that is called the subtle body named ‘Taijasa’
and the third viz. the causal body is called ‘Praagjnaa’or the very fundamental connection: these three
forms correspond to wakefulness, dream state and dreamless sleep.Now, when one talks of the lump of
blood in the heart or the finest food essence, there is a net like structure in the heart or warp; net like is the
expression due to several openings of nerves; these nerves of the body are designated as ‘Hitaa’, placed in
the lump of flesh viz. the heart. These branch off everywhere like filaments; this is how the subtle body
contains food essence compared to the gross body)





Ut or Udgeeta is possible only through vital force and speech, whereas Saman is an increase of wealth and Gold.

And so that already has eighty percent or so of Buddhist mantra basics, it affects prana, leads to Bliss, produces Golden Light when done successfully. It speaks of, roughly, two main kinds of pranas, and, in the commentator's view, is an important original practice of Honey, which is almost exactly the same thing as Nepalese tantra having Varuni as a type of secret Soma goddess who is the One Source of any tantric attainment of samadhi or siddhis, etc.







As to the origin of Madhu:

Then the Maharshi explained what Dadhyan Rishi taught to Ashwini Devatas in Atharva Veda. But there was a huge catch behind the narration: Dadhyan cautioned the two Ashwini Devas that in view of Lord Indra’s condition that any one
trying to learn Madhu Vidya would automatically have their heads dropped; however Dadhyan assured
that the heads would be kept secured and replaced by the heads of horses and the operative portion of the
Madhu Vidya meditation being the rite called Pravargya minus however the ‘goodhaartha’ or the secret
portion called Self-Knowledge; indeed the Self Knowledge is as self revealing eulogy as a thick cloud with
rumbling noises inevitably would end up in heavy rains! Obviously the two Ashwini Kumars yielded to
the tempting offer of Dadhyan Rishi as also his assurances and agreed to the Offer to get beheaded and
horse heads replaced.


the Madhu Vidya or the Instruction of Honey which was ‘Twaashtra’ (in the original) or Related to Surya was thus being accorded; this was the Pravargya karma which would indeed be followed by Madhu Vigyaan implicitly if not explicitly!
Indeed this Madhu Vidya not only reveals the transformation of the Inner Self to the heightened level of
the Supreme Brahman and the incidental methodology of recovering the horse heads to normalcy as of
original Ashwini Kumars. Moreover the ‘Puraschakre pura sharira’ or the erstwhile form of those since
initiated to Madhu Vidya would subsequently lead to Purusha Swarupa and further help merge into
Avyakta Swarupa of Brahman.

It traces its lineage to Hiranyagarbha, which is called Swayambhu in the original, passing through Paramesthin--Viraj, eventually to Atharvan, Dadhyan, Aswins, Aswin Kumaras, Visvarupa Tvastr, Abhuti Tvastr, Ayasya Angirasa, eventually to Atri and Bharadwaj, ending on Pautimasya.


This Angiras does not fail in his Jupiter role as sort of a divine transition of Prana out of Pralaya:

The vital force which is the essence of the members of the body is called ‘Ayaasya Aangirasa'.

Soyasya Angirasah, angaanaam hi rasah; Prano vaa Angaanaam rasah, Prano hi vaa angaanaam rasah; tasmadyasm aatkaramaaccha angrat praana udgaamati tadeva tacchshyati, esha hi vaa angaanaam rasah/

Esha vu eva Brihaspatih, Vaagve Brihati, tasyaa esha Patih, tasmad Brihaspatih/ (The Vital Force under
reference is Angirasa and is also Brihaspati or ‘Brahmanah pati’ and the embodiment of speech).

Prithivyai chainamagnaischa Daivi vaagaavishati; saa vai
Daivi Vaagyayaa yadyaddeva vadati tat tad bhavati/ (The celestial organ of Speech caused from Earth
and Fire infuses into the father and is bestowed to the son and that ‘Daiva Vaak’ is indeed pure and
devoid of falsehood, exaggerations and over- simplification; it is reliable and convincing). (I.V.19)
Divashchainam adityaaccha Daivam Mana aavishati; tadvai Daivam mano yenaandyaiva bhavati, atho
na shochati/ (‘Divya Manas’ or the celestial mind from Swarga and Surya Deva are also infused into the
father and that divine mind makes him full of naturally joyful without evil thoughts or even traces of
discontentment or disappointment at any point of time and keeps him even-minded and sense of
fulfillment always!) (I.V.20) Adbhyaschainam chandramashcha Daivam Praana aavishati; sa vai Daivah
praano yah samcharamshachaaschamscha na vyayate , atho na rishyati; sa evamvitsarveshaam
bhutaanatmaa bhavati; yatheshaa devataivam sah; yathaitaam devataam sarvaani bhutaanyavanti, evam
haivamvidam sarvaani bhutaanyavanti, yadu kinchemaah prajaah shochanti, Amaivaasaam tadbhavati,
punyamevaamum gacchanti, na ha vai Devan paapam gacchanti/( Divya Praana or the Celestial Vital
Force from water and Moon also permeates the father figure. That indeed is the Divine Praana which feels
no pain or is not subject to any injury, either in the state of flux / motion or of constancy. Those who are
aware of this fact or truism is indeed the Self or the Self-Conciousness. This Antaratma or the Pure
Consciousness is as good as Praramatma or Hiranyagarbha himself! Indeed just as all the beings accord
recognition to the Almighty so also one reverse and cares for the Self; in fact it is the ‘Manassakshi’
which is the Conscience that is more relevant at every step that one takes! Yet another truism of life is
that all shortcomings that one commits are squarely on the account of oneself and if virtuous deeds are
performed the positive results are on the account of Hiranyagarbha who is the Final Judge!

After that is a section on Nama and Rupa, close to the same as understood in Buddhism.


Again, yes, true in origin about the derivation from Jupiter, again compare the rivalry of Tara and to Sarasvati as Vagisvari.


There is "Antaratma Akasha" in II.iii, making a distinction from the prana of the mortal body's breath, and the formless, immortal prana of Vayu and Akasa. One is bound in space, the other is free to move, like a dakini.

Antarātman (अन्तरात्मन्):—[tatpurusha compound] m.

(-tmā) 1) The Supreme Soul (comp. paramātman and puruṣa) as residing in the interior of man, as the inward Spirit or individual Soul. In the Upanishads the words puruṣa, ātman and antarātman are often used apparently as synonyms, but the term antarātman is, more especially, appropriated there to the notion of the Supreme Soul when it resides, according to their doctrine, in the interior of the heart, of a thumb’s size (‘aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣontarātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ’).

It is an old term also used by Manu, superceded in later philosophy by Jivatman. It seems to be distinguishing mind/feelings/conscience from "intellect within the senses". But this, small flame, also continues in Vaisnavite and Buddhist doctrine.


Paramatma does not appear in the original at all; in some spots it appears to be pasted over these sorts of original names:

Brahma Puranam

Saptamam Brahmanam



In one section, "self" appears to be Mahatma which is the same in dream (svapna) or awakened (buddha) conditions.

Two groups of three syllables are explained, Hri Da Ya and Sa Ti Ya, in between which is:

Tad vai tat, etad eva tadaasa satyameva; sa yo haitan mahad yaksham prathamajam veda;
Satyam Brahmeti; Jayateemamlokaan; jita invasaa asat ya evam etan mahad yaksham prathamajam
veda; Satyam Brahmeti, Satyam hi eva Brahma/

I am not quite sure it says Yakshas cover the inner knowlegde of the Vedas, but it might.


The importance of Honey Doctrine is recapitulated at the end:

This is the Grand Message that Veda Vedangas have taught and the Great Teachers down
the line had taught and finally the Dadhyan Rishi taught to Ashwini Kumars, who learnt the quintessential
Pravargya having paid the price of having been beheaded , replaced with horse faces and finally restored
with original faces again. The final Mantra of the rite of Pravargya was inferred by the Ashwini Kumars
just as thick clouds would inevitably thunder into heavy rains from the Sky!

It is extensively developed in the, probably sequential, Chandogya Upanishad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandogya_Upanishad):

The simile of "honey" is extensively developed, with Vedas, the Itihasa and mythological stories, and the Upanishads are described as flowers. The Rig hymns, the Yajur maxims, the Sama songs, the Atharva verses and deeper, secret doctrines of Upanishads are represented as the vehicles of rasa (nectar), that is the bees. The nectar itself is described as "essence of knowledge, strength, vigor, health, renown, splendor". The Sun is described as the honeycomb laden with glowing light of honey.

It also makes a seven-fold classification of elements such as clouds and rain to the aspects of chanting.

Two of the oldest surviving manuscript copies of the Shukla Yajurveda sections have been discovered in Nepal and Western Tibet, and these are dated to the 12th-century CE. The middle layer of it contain the Satapatha Brahmana, and the younger layer includes six major Upanishads. Atharva Veda is not in the same class. The oldest name of the text, according to its own verse 10.7.20, was Atharvangirasah, a compound of "Atharvan" and "Angiras", both Vedic scholars. That is how Chandogya names the Atharva hymns. The Tattiriya and the Buddhist Nikayas refer to only three Vedas. The Atharva is considered to have lower-class priests than the other Vedas. The verse 11.7.24 of Atharvaveda contains the oldest known mention of the Indic literary genre the Puranas. The 1st millennium AD Buddhist literature included books of magico-religious mantras and spells for protection from evil influences of non-human beings such as demons and ghosts. These were called Pirita (Pali: Paritta) and Rakkhamanta ("mantra for protection"), and they share premises and style of hymns found in Atharvaveda. Atharva contains only three Upanishads we have never had recourse to.







The Brihadaranyaka commentary is at least somewhat open to Bauddha Dharma, even though it is not in the original:

Some call Him as Lord Buddha opined as ‘suddden flash of lightning’ or Enligtneement , that is aprameyam asamkhyeyam achinttyam anidarshanama, Swayam eva atmana -atmaanam twam eva jnaatumarhasi/ or That only the Self could realise about Him who is beyong measure, beyond number, beyond thought, beyond comparison.

‘Sutra’ or the thread between Brahman and the Self is Vayu-the subtle entity connecting the Five Elements, body organs and senses, praana and the past-present-future.



This "atma" is not erased by Buddhism, but, instead, altered, such as being called Dhatu in RGV.


Prajnaparamita on Dharani (https://www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/maha-prajnaparamita-sastra/d/doc225092.html) explains all the Bodhisattvas as having dharani, describes it mainly as words, qualities, and Upekka, and:

is contained in one element (dhātu), one basis of consciousness (āyatana) and one aggregate (skandha), namely, dharmadhatu, dharmāyatana and saṃskāraskandha.

Nine knowledges (jñāna) cognize it [Note: it is outside the knowledge of destruction of the afflictions (kṣayajñāna)]. One single consciousness (vijñāna) is aware of it [Note: the mental consciousness (manovijñāna)]. According to the Abhidharma, this is the definition of dhāraṇī.


That is a bit like Vajradakini--Parasol having much to do with the head, but then also Samsara Skandha, which tends to be associated with the lower center.

also:

Dhāraṇī (धारणी) refers to the “four retentions” as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 52):

ātma-dhāraṇī (the rentention of oneself),
grantha-dhāraṇī (the rentention of a book),
dharma-dhāraṇī (the rentention of the dharma),
mantra-dhāraṇī (the rentention of a spell).


And so this atma is related to dharani.

It is not an "ego", mental construct, is not an ego such as an attitude, but is not even its minute subtle components that are usually considered normal and healthy such as Apperception. Human ego-atma is denied, and the difference to a divine one is handled for instance in Lankavatara Sutra (http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/lankavatarasutrasuzuki.pdf):


Superficially, this denial of an Atman in persons and individual objects sounds negative and
productive of no moral signification. But when one understands what is ultimately meant by
Cittamatra (Mind-only) or by Vivikta-dharma (the Solitary), the negations are on the plane of
relativity and intellection.


Same idea or close as in Brihadaranyaka; it does not exist in a non-Absolute manner. Nevertheless, Atma, itself, may even be exalted:



The Lanka is decidedly partial to the use of Aryajnana instead of Prajna, although the latter
has been in use since the early days of Buddhism. Aryajnana, noble wisdom, is generally
coupled with Pratyatma, inner self, showing that this noble, supreme wisdom is a mental
function operating in the depths of our being. As it is concerned with the highest reality or the
ultimate truth of things, it is no superficial knowledge dealing with particular objects and their
relations.


This type of spiritual practice atma is shown in the following:

He then sees the venerable Mahamati the Bodhisattva before each Buddha preaching
about the spiritual discipline of one's inner life, and also sees [the Bodhisattva] surrounded by
all the Yakshas and families and talking about names, words, phrases, and paragraphs." This
last sentence is evidently the translation of the Sanskrit desanapathakatham, which is
contrasted in the Lankavatara throughout with pratyatmaryajnanagocara (the spiritual realm
realised by noble wisdom in one's inmost consciousness).


It is an extension, like Granthi--Book to Yukti--Expounded, having to do with translating words to inner meaning, compared to "verbal instruction" here:

It was asked of the Tathagatas of the past,
who were Arhats, Fully-Enlightened Ones, and it was solved by them. Blessed One, now I ask
of thee; [the request] will certainly be complied with by thee as far as verbal instruction is
concerned. 1
as it was by the Buddhas [of the past]. Blessed One, duality was discoursed upon
by the Transformed Tathagatas and Tathagatas of Trans-formation, but not by the Tathagatas
of Silence.
The Tathagatas of Silence are absorbed in the blissful state of Samadhi, they do
not discriminate concerning this state, nor do they discourse on it. Blessed One, thou
assuredly wilt discourse on this subject of duality. Thou art thyself a master of all things, an
Arhat, a Tathagata. The sons of the Buddha and myself are anxious to listen to it."

1 That is, as far as the teaching could be conveyed in words. Desanapatha stands in contrast
with siddhanta, or pratyatmagati in the Lankavatara.




512. The unobtainable essence (alabdhatmaka) is indeed unborn, and yet it is nowhere
separated from causation; nor are things as they are for this moment anywhere separated from
causation.


Contra what it calls "theorizers" about atman:

745. Those theorisers who are destitute of the principle are lost in the forest of Vijnanas;
seeking to establish the theory of an ego-soul, they wander about here and there.

746. The ego (atma) characterised with purity is the state of self-realisation; this is the
Tathagata's womb (garbha) which does not belong to the realm of the theorisers.


So it is the same underlying principle as in most esoteric views of Atma, but, it is comprehended and operated differently, such that Self is about the last name I would ever give it. Or, it is better untranslated. It is best to learn these "in context", such as right here, in Buddhist usage, you can get lost in vijnanas, which would be impossible in the Hindu usage as transcendent consciousness, or even "self realization" as translated here, which is more like Jnana in Buddhism. In general usage, jnana may just mean knowledge of mundane tasks. So in certain cases like this, the same language can be found to be used very differently. But overall, most of the principles from the Brihadaranyaka are also in Buddhism.

[Gekko]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vamachara

[shaberon]

From practical perspective, I agree that both Yogacharya and Vedanta school of philosophy later turned to Buddhist Madhyamaka philosophical schools are ancient and intertwined.

Very similar to Adi Shankara, who mainly quotes Chandogya Upanishad--810 times--more than anything else, in the cource of harnessing Adwaita to Shaktism.

It has always interested me that most of this has revolved around debates. For example in the west in the Khazarian Empire which is labeled Jewish, it got that way by a debate between a Rabbi, a Catholic Priest, and an Islamic Cleric. In the emperor's opinion, there was no real winner, and he simply respected the Rabbi for having the oldest version.

No Orthodox Priest was present, so, that view was unable to be provided.

Similarly, Adi Shankara refuted every kind of Buddhist, except he never met one upholding the Nirakara view, or Shentong, which in modern analysis enables one to be accepted as a Hindu or Adwaita Yogi because it is about the same in the definition of Atma and Parabrahm, and by accepting an absolute mind that does not change from moment to moment.




The daughter of Narayana, is Mahalakshmi but also Annapurna as she manifests in the form of subtle food - annam- the light we eat.

Lakshmi Tantra (ca. 9th-12th century) has it the other way around. According to Wiki, The Lakshmi Tantra attempts to "Hijack" Sakta Scripture Devi Mahatmya dedicated to Sri Chandika Mahadevi...but again that is from a quick reading, since this scripture also places Mahalakshmi as above/behind Durga, etc.

The twelfth-century Adbhuta Ramayana is similar. Both of these more or less reverse everything against Narayan who was simply a sleeping figure awakened by Mahalakshmi.

Even worse, Narayana was defeated one time making him ask Buddha for help, and what he was given was Mahamaya Vijayavahini Dharani, which then becomes something like a Buddhist Lakshmi refurbishing him.

According to Ananda Sarasvati (https://vedicgoddess.weebly.com/goddess-vidya-blog/maha-lakshmi-by-yogi-ananda-saraswathi):

The first mention of Goddess Mahalakshmi was found in 250 BC as Gajalakshmi, Lakshmi bedecked with jewellery seated on lotus and flanked by two white elephants, seen on stupas. These stupas were constructed by Emperor Ashoka in Sanchi and Bodh Gaya.

Sounds odd, but you would call it Gajalakshmi by the form, and it may have been inscribed Mahalakshmi.

In the principle of Golden Light, it is evident that she came from a prior planet or universe in what we call Jewel Family.


The continuity you are mentioning to Annapurna I would agree is the ultimate manifestation or goal. It has multiple meanings from ordinary food or pregnancy to successful use of tantric energy to gift waves to the world.

The Brihadaranyaka mentions two kinds of subtle food, and yes, food, sound, and light are sort of bundled together in the subject of Gnosis.




The cycle of samsara really is revolutions of this particular planet and solar system we are dealing with.

In the sense of Time, sure.

The Year or Samvat has a fairly occult definition from Brihadaranyaka that I did not copy over, and what is funny is that it is this occult year which is still used all over the world today, especially in terms of the days of the week and the twenty-four hours. The correspondences of these are of course also heavily detailed in western astrology and angelology, but, those lack the Parampara or living tradition of the fact that the eastern practices have never been completely broken.

So when for example I started getting the hang of what Rahu and Ketu are, it was very animating, Sidereal Astrology seemed to have some kind of drive I was unaccustomed to. I don't really mean the charts, I mean those entities, and then if you start to look at what Jupiter actually is, it is extremely profound, and so on.

A strange "crossover" of Jupiter is that its syllable, Brim, is also the seed for Cintamani Tara Fruitpicker Vasudhara:

https://www.himalayanart.org/images/items/resized/1070px/4/0/3/40328.jpg




She uses the basic Tara mantra; Cintamani is an old name for Jewel Family. Taranatha says she should be in dancing mudra. As in IWS 138, she is crowned with Ratnasambhava, and comes from the lineage of Ratnaraksita. The Fruit should be a Picula, which is a tantric bindu, can be peeled/opened to reveal colors--not exactly a gem as in many texts.

You can make a samaya to her in this Yoga view. It also is written up in a self-generation sadhana (https://pdfcoffee.com/yellow-tara-wish-granting-gem-short-pdf-free.html). This is probably the most basic Jewel Family Tara, suggesting perhaps Lakshmi used to be from Jupiter. Hard to say right now. Obviously this one is quite simple, and just happens to have a gazillion things under its hood.

If I tried to describe what goes on between here and Mercury, it would be dizzifying. Syllables shift around, and the relations of the deities are a bit strange...

May samsara be purified.

[shaberon]

Vamachara


Yes, to some extent or other.

The article does not reach the conclusion that the meaning of Right Hand is that South is the direction of Yama or Death, and so the right hand is supposed to be a shield/barrier against it.

Almost everything we have represents some transgression of orthodoxy.

A few temples still sacrifice animals. I suppose it does not seem like a big deal if you already slaughter animals all day, what would be the difference in doing one there. Nevertheless, we are all going to make a pile of dead meat some day, which is closer to what most of the meditations would deal with.

Most of what I experience is not for the faint of heart.

There is no way I would tell everything I know to an eight-year-old kid, and I suppose there is a reason to have rated R or X material that isn't exactly dangling in the market square.

As to what exactly Vamacara may be, and/or one's relation to it, nothing is forced.

As to how we have it, in the main, it is in Mahacina Krama Tara, which links back to Blue Lotus or i. e. Pushkara as recently discussed.

I just noticed in a dharani of the similar Arya Ugra Tara Ekajati, it is given like a Sutra with an audience, among whom is:

mārīcī parṇu sāmakī pāṇurā tatā||

Parnu = leaf, samaki = covered in, panu = adored/worshipped, as if now Marici has a touch of Parnasabari like Sarasvati appears to have in Golden Light Sutra.



If one understands Mamos, that is what we are really trying to harness/convert, and they are not hard to find, and they are not easy to do.

[shaberon]

I posted something about Cintamani Tara because she looks like the most basic Tara in Jewel Family.


I am not sure if it needs correcting. In a lot of these dialects, B = V, such as Benza or Bajra = Vajra, and so on. In this case, the original spelled her bija syllable as Vrim, and I auto-corrected it.

This may be erroneous because in the Sanskrit original of the same subject from Practice Manual of Kurukulla (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh437.html), it is just Vrm, here in the translation:

CHAPTER 2
2.­1
Through the method of worship in accordance with the Dharma,
One will attain dharmatā
And oneself will become the dharmadhātu.
That shall now be correctly explained.7
2.­2
Now follows the practice method of the wish-fulfilling tree:

One should visualize, arising from the syllable vṛm,8
A wish-fulfilling tree.
As a transformation of the utpala,
It should be visualized to the left.
2.­3
A rain of various riches
Falls from the middle of the sky,
And so fulfills wishes and desires.
The one who meditates like this becomes the Lord of Wealth.
2.­4
The sentient beings of the four continents
One must summon through light rays of the mind
And so generously provide them
With the gifts that consist of the seven jewels:
2.­5
The jewel of the foremost teacher,
The jewel born from the sea,
The jewel of a woman, the jewel of a horse,
The jewel of a sword,
2.­6
The jewel of an elephant‍—such jewels
Should be offered mentally to the buddhas.
The jewel of a woman, adorned with ornaments
And displaying abundant attractions, [F.32.a]
2.­7
Should always be offered to the buddhas
By those who wish for the fruit of buddhahood.
Through this all buddhas
And knowledge holders will be achieved.
2.­8
Replete with his treasures
A foremost teacher, a lord of wealth,
Should be offered to the buddhas.
2.­9
By those who wish for the fruit of buddhahood.
When likewise the other jewels
Are respectfully surrendered
One will turn into Vajradharma
And so become the benefactor of all beings.
This was the practice method of the wish-fulfilling tree.


But we can look at the similar Jupiter mantra (http://howisyourdaytoday.com/articles/mantras/mantrjup.htm) and see Brim overwritten or replaced by Vrim.

In Narada Purana (https://books.google.com/books?id=2JHsDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA1087&ots=Of5CqWEjbH&dq=vrim%20bija&pg=PA1087#v=onepage&q=vrim%20bija&f=false), Vrim is Camunda.


In Lakshmi Tantra (https://books.google.com/books?id=ztEUAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA304&ots=W-yEi1dxBK&dq=vrm%20bija&pg=PA304#v=onepage&q=vrm%20bija&f=false), Vrm is Vrddhi.

Mahanirvana Tantra (http://www.aghori.it/mahanirvana_tantra.htm) uses Vrim as the ninth Dikpala.


Kurukulla calls the Wish-fulfilling tree a Kalpavrksa (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kalpavriksha), and so chances are the syllable stands for Vrksa or Tree and would be Vrm.


In Sanskrit, they may be equivalents spelled either way:

Vṛṃh (वृंह्).—bṛṃh BṚṂH, i. 1, [Parasmaipada.] 1. To grow, to increase.


as a common noun, Lakshmi's attendant is:

1) Vṛddhi (वृद्धि):—Growth, Increase; gain


The longer Cintamani sadhana we found may be non-scriptural; here is a similar Blue Tara (https://bluedakini.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/blue-tara/) one that sequentially uses Bhim and Vrim as if they were different spellings, and then they say both syllables pierce and cut, but also "cover", which is a possible etymology of vrks for Vrksa or Tree. But otherwise either spelling seems to mean growth.


The transmitter of the basic Cintamani visualization is Ratnaraksita (https://books.google.com/books?id=OiToCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA30&ots=Z_AdOCwBvU&dq=ratnaraksita&pg=PA30#v=onepage&q=ratnaraksita&f=false), a Nepalese or Newari Maha Pandita who also transmitted Kalachakrayana and Six Limb Yoga. The Yoga is also attributed to Savaripa, under whom Vibhutichandra attained the fourth stage or Dharana in Kathmandu.



There is:

A Study on Ratnaraksita and A Japanese Translation of his Ganacakravidhicintamani [in Japanese].

Ratnaraksita's Padmini

Ratnaraksita's commentary on the consecration section of the Samvarodaya Tantra

Explanation of Vastu Naga (https://repository.dl.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/records/27042/export/bibtex) (cf. Three Mountains Seven Rivers)

Ratnaraksita translated Akashagarbha Sutra (https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Akashagarbha_Sutra) and Surangama Sutra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABra%E1%B9%85gama_Sam%C4%81dhi_S%C5%ABtra) into Tibetan.

Buddhism in Nepal (https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/242969/bot_03_02_02.pdf?sequence=1) says he left Vikramasila two years ahead of the Moslem advance due to a vision of it.


IWS 138 for Cintamani adds an All-purpose mantra with Dhanam Me Dehi. Or you can replace "dhanam" with something you need. She emanates countless replicas which assuage the suffering of poverty. In Taranatha's version, the seed syllable is spelled Brim.

Her Tibetan name is:

Yid bzhin Norbu

It is supposed to be the straightforward translation of Wish Fulfilling Gem (https://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/yid_bzhin_nor_bu).

That or its equivalent is the first of Seven Treasures (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Treasuries), which is excerpted in "The Practice of Dzogchen". Seven Treasures is by Lonchenpa (https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Wish-Fulfilling_Treasury) in twenty-two chapters, later commented by Mipham.


Sometimes I am not sure the publishers have their mantras right. "Dehi" mostly is just a corporeal body, or, a rampart. "Dhana" however seems to have a "family shift" kind of meaning. It is "treasure", but, not much like money, it is personal qualities and morals and so on up to the kind of pulchritude of beauty and well-being represented by Jewel Family, which has more of the meaning of giving away money. And then the Treasure itself is the domain of Lakshmi and quickly presents itself as Nidhi (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/nidhi) or buried/hidden treasure, which means by the Yakshas, whereby it begins to acquire a similar meaning as "treasure of Kubera". Although this may have to do with the legend of Venkateswara, again it does not necessarily mean giving money to that temple. Because Yaksha is an original theme in the stories of Buddha personally, in the Sutras such as Golden Light, and then in the tantras as a sort of judge of the graveyards, this is what it is getting at. And so that is adding Karma Family.


And so the "Yellow Tara" who seems to be presenting herself as the most basic Jewel Family devi easily has many skins or onion layers, she is not necessarily trivial just because the sadhana has no complexity. And when we go through the history and see how difficult it may have been to even attain the Fourth Yoga, Dharana, until spending time at the feet of a Mahasiddha, that is why I think most of us are not really doing it yet.

After that in the fifth stage, you would experience Luminous Mind, in a way like standing firmly on the ground of it. Because I, personally, have done this, I agree it is not a theory, but, can I do it now, no. It would take time and different circumstances.


What she has is much like Kaustubha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaustubha), mani, cintamani, or ratna.

On the one hand it is a male seed and a bit Lord-of-the-Rings:

It represents pure consciousness shining in all its luminous manifestations. It was said by Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva and all other devthas that nobody in the universe except Lord Vishnu could handle the brilliance and magnificence of this "Mani", since it could corrupt the bearer by infusing in them with a greed to carry it forever.

There, at least, is the sin of Jewel Family, greed.

Its origin is as old as Ramayana.

kaustubha which means treasure-of-the-ocean.

yena sūryāgni vāk candra tejas āsvasvarūpiṇā |
vartate kaustubhākhyaṃ taṃ pravadantīśamāninaḥ ||

That by which the Sun, fire, speech and moon shine in their particular forms That is the form of consciousness known as the gem Kaustubha. (G.u.t.Up 54.)

ātmānamasya jagato nirlepamaguṇāmalam |
bibhartti kaustubhamaṇi svarūpaṃ bhagavān hariḥ ||

The Glorious Hari wears the pure soul of the world, immaculate and free of negative qualities as the Kaustubha gem. (V.P. 1;22;67.)

kaustubha avyapadeśena svātmajyotir bibharyajaḥ |

What He wears as the jewel Kaustubha is the pure Jiva-consciousness. (S.B. 12.11.10)

This total consciousness which is the “World-Soul” known in Vedānta as hiraṇyagarbha (golden matrix) pure, subtle and unstained is the chest-jewel named Kaustubha. This gem is comprised of the totality of the consciousness of all living beings, born from the causal ocean, and it is the enjoyer of material creation.


In Astrology (https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-context-from-Hindu-mythology-that-proves-the-use-and-benefits-of-wearing-gemstones), Jewels may be of Heaven, Earth, or the Underworld; the first two heavenly ones are Kaustubha and Cintamani, blue and white. Kaustubh Mani has a deep blue colour like a blue lotus and a radiance equal to the sun. It was obtained during the churning of the sea. Followed by white, brilliant, and golden ones.

So, this, and Varuni, emerge from the Ocean of Milk. The actual fruit that Cintamani has, is not really described, and it is perhaps with the similar Red Cunda Tara that it becomes opened, because she specifically is holding above her knee a picula fruit yellow inside, blue on the surface. The tree (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpavriksha) that Cintamani plucks also comes from the Ocean of Milk, where it is said to have diamond fruit.

It has an artistic history:

Ornamental Kalpavriksha design was a feature that was adopted on the reverse of the coins and sculptures in the Gupta period.

Kalpavriksha is also dated to the Dharmachakra period of Buddhism. The paintings of this period depicting the tree with various branches and leaves have a female figure painted on its top part. The female figure is painted from mast upwards holding a bowl in her hand. Similar depiction of female figure with tree representing it as presiding deity was a notable feature during the Sunga period as seen in the image of "Salabhanvka" in the railing pillars.

The oldest known relic of it is from the 3rd century B. C. E.:

The tree has a kalash or a pot full of coins, a sack tied with a string, a conch, and a lotus hanging from it, signifying the goddess of wealth or Lakshmi devi.

Satya Sai Baba has a good response to these three, the Cow, the Gem, and the Tree. He says they are fruits of Tapas (https://books.google.com/books?id=caCAAwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT62&ots=r3hdkHKWku&dq=chintamani%20kalpavriksha&pg=PT62#v=onepage&q=chintamani%20kalpavriksha&f=false) each with a corresponding Siddhi: Kalpavrksa realizes what you wished for, Kamadhenu transcends desire, and then Cinta (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/cinta) Siddhi has to do with stopping anxiety or stopping the thinking process altogether, and then Ananda is won. From that root, there is not much way to call it "wish fulfilling gem". But you could look at it in the view of purity and perfection of form and maybe it is like that. Again when he says Tapas then to us it means cultivating the practice that Dharana would be a sustained retention of. And so if you have ways to meditate on Tara, you can do a whole lot of those, before you will ever have Dharana on one of them, which you can mostly train on a Dharani basis. I can take this Jewel Family Tara, with those Mayuri and Lakshmi Sutras and dharanis related to yakshas, golden light, and other worlds, into Vasudhara, until eventually Vajra Tara would work, which again is considered non-dual Highest Yoga Tantra on the level of any of them.

It will force a Quintessence since one of the primary meanings of the Family is Use of All Families Equally.


This basic Tara form does not really end, but, you could say, "transfers". Picula (https://books.google.com/books?id=Sp1BCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT405&ots=Skcrm4QRDI&dq=picula%20tibetan%20symbols&pg=PT405#v=onepage&q=picula%20tibetan%20symbols&f=false) is similar to a plum. Jamari Vasudhara of the Dharani (http://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/en/index.php?title=The_Vasudh%C4%81r%C4%81_Dh%C4%81ra%E1%B9%87%C4%AB_from_the_Tradition_of_Jamari) according to H. H. 7th Panchen, the compiler of IWS, has both this Picula and the Corn from her Ila Devi form.

Vasudhara's other basic form is Gopali with the Kamadhenu, so, she is already dealing with those three things Sai Baba said. I am not saying he is wrong. They are pretty close to the same. Vasudhara is a breakaway hypostasis mainly from Ila--Gopali--Manohara into Bharati. Ila is also "recruited", so to speak, as the first Namasangiti Dharani goddess, Vasumati Mahalakshmi.

Ocean of Milk is a relatively peaceful, Jewel-like scene contra the cemeteries and/or Mahesvara, those perhaps being the two most operative legends within tantra.


If the tree or its fruit are not specified, you can determine your own. But symbolicly it probably is closest to Bindu. It may be a part of the jewel tree in the case:

Cintāmaṇi (चिन्तामणि).—A diamond. This was salvaged from the ocean of milk along with other precious items like Airāvata, Uccaiḥṣravas, Kalpavṛkṣa, Kaustubha, Candra, Apsaras, Mahālakṣmī, Tārā, and Rumā. (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Kaṃpa Rāmāyaṇa).

Cintamani is Jewel Family in Guhyasamaja, and in the Buddhist sense (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/cintamani), it refers to different groups of jewels up to nine, the planets:

Navaratna (नवरत्न).—According to the ancient “Jataka Parijata”, chap. 2, sloka 21 compiled by Sri Vaidyanatha Dik****ar, these gems must be high-born and flawless:

Ruby (manikya) for Surya (Sun),
Pearl (muktaphala) for Chandra (Moon),
Red Coral (vidruma) for Mangala (Mars),
Emerald (marakata) for Budha (Mercury),
Yellow sapphire (pushparaja) for Bṛhaspati (Jupiter),
Diamond (vajra) for Shukra (Venus),
Blue sapphire (nila) for Shani (Saturn),
Hessonite (gomeda) or Rahu (the ascending lunar node)
Cat's Eye (vaidurya) for Ketu (the descending lunar node).


So far, the most basic definition would seem to suggest that Cintamani Tara is handing out a Vajra for Venus, but, you have two things here. A whole lot of leeway as to what it actually is, and, a sort of pass-me-not stance with respect to Jewel Family. Because she is Tara, she is not hard to access because she responds to the same mantra. She just looks different and has a syllable in her heart. The Taranatha version is so small, it is "appearance only", arising in space, "standing gracefully in dancing mudra". The other version has a few mechanics and says she "stands in graceful posture". The simple version shows "fruit" and "Brim" and the second one shows "gem" and "Vrim".

Now, if she was a Puranic descent from Jupiter, and, she gave us a Vajra, and, it was for Venus, that is what we would symbolicly want her to do anyway. To us, the Jupiterian Rta that is being dealt with has much more to do with natural law than it does to literal priestcraft running multiple rituals every day in a sanctified environment. At that point, Lakshmi or Venus is more effective as the Human Guru, Jupiter being for Devas.





https://blogvirasatehind.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/img_40881.jpg








The book possibly misprinted "Dehi" where the similar Dhanada mantra says "Dhanam Me Dada", which is the one saying give me wealth. Following the yaksha theme about hidden things, when correspondingly activating earth and underworld goddesses, it enhances Bliss and leads to Sambhogakaya.

By name, Dhanada Tara is a Prajnaparamita-esque goddess who is supposed to be crowned by Amoghasiddhi, which is obvious here, just like on the misidentified stonework of, I believe it was, Parnasabari:

https://www.wisdomlib.org/uploads/files/fig172-Dhanada.jpg

[shaberon]

Allright. I have, so to speak, indexed or archived this.

The subjects given are based in my responses as to what may be happening with an activated Clear Body. This did not turn out to be "transparent", but, a "leaf shoots in spring" color similar to Harita or Priyangu, which, to me, is strongly suggestive of what I have experienced as a general auric background of things.

What was unusual was that Old Student described it as being narrower and smaller than the physical body, whereas, all my experience showed me "it" was slightly larger, and most people can probably perceive it somewhat dimly if you just look.

He asked a lot of relevant questions and we got to know Sanskrit better, and I am sure the list of contents would be almost incomprehensible to the average person. I would like to mine this and re-thread it under something with an appropriate title, although I am not sure what that, or, the subject, actually is, because I am not sure where it starts. The most "grandly unifying" moment is, perhaps:


Vajrasurya and Gambhiravajra with Dakini Jala in Sitabani




post #8 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences&p=1363735&viewfull=1#post1363735) more or less started it by showing all the ancilliary mandalas of Sarvadurgati Parishodhana with the basic description, which is probably the main or most important stamp used in the overall tantra system.


Page:

2 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page2):

21 White Vajrayogini, Seven Syllable

23 Sadhanamala Ekajati

37 Guhyajnana, Siddharajni

40 Amoghapasha, Ishvari



3 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page3):

43 Vajradhara with Jinasagara and Guhyajnana; Amoghapasha shifting principals to Ekajati and Bhrkuti; Five Dissolutions, White Sri, Noose and Yakshas

44 "Green Samaya Tara with Halberd"

47 Day/Night Tara

48 Tinuma, Bharati, and Kurukulla

49 Bhrim, Bhrikuti, Brihaspati, Cintamani

53 Lion Face Zhiro Bhusana, White Vajra Tara

55 White Kurukulla and Nagas, Sukla Tara, Nagas, Vasus

59 Purity and Emptiness mantras, Humkara and Amaravajra, male Humkara near Varahi, Rechungpa's White Amitayus along with Amaravajra as Pratyangira and Seven Syllable deity, failure of two Noble Truths as two Skandhas


4 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page4):

63 Lamp synonyms

65 Chandra Bindu and Hum syllable, Two Fires, Vasudhara, Lakshmi, Lilac Chaser, Parasol, Guhyeshvari, Varuni, Mamaki

66 Mrtyuvacana and Mahattari, Mrtyuvacana with Kurukulla and Niladanta

70 Hodgson's World Yoni and Dharmodaya Kamarupini, Abhisambodhis, Laukika Siddhis, Sword, Mandarava, three Muttering exercises of Prajnaparamita, Pratisara, and Carcika

71 Mayuri and Jewel Family

74 Seven Jewels, Cunda, Roll of Thunder from Void (Kila) Cunda with Mahabala, Dakarnava on the Three Voids, Paramadya, Abhisambodhis

77 Ngor Kurukulla with "double" Aparajita--Noose, with Gandhari, Cunda, etc., "converted" retinue, Dhanada and Mahacina in a thangka, Sanskrit Prajnaparamita video


5 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page5):

85 Cunda at Ratnagiri and Durgottarini reciving a land grant, Cunda and Fruit

92 Cunda mantra video

95 "Samantabhadri White Tara", Speech of Purnavajra, Namasangiti Dharanis, Mahasri's names, Bhutadamara, Buddhist Aditi

96 Sanskrit Twenty-one Taras and Namasangiti videos

97 Sanskrit Twenty-one Taras lyrics, Vajra Tara and Vajra Surya, Vasistha and Mahacina


6 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page6):

102 Mahakarunika correction, Sukhasiddhi, Agni, Two Triangles

104 Tantric Varuni replaces Orthodox Varuna, Dharmadhatu Vajra, Dharmadhatu Ishvari, water and fire and Dakini Jala Gauris, Three Channels and Four Chakras diagram

106 Pitha Ishvari, Cunda, Naga Ishvara Raja, links to Rinjung Gyatsa and Icons Worthwhile to See, NSP, Sadhanamala, Indian Buddhist Iconography

107 Locana and the rotation of yoginis, Vajravilasini, Dakini Jala

109 Dharmadhatu, link to Queen Srimala Devi Sutra, Varuni as Kha Garbha

110 Mahakarunika video and lyrics

111 Vast Glacial Ocean, Sragdhara and Bhattarika, Mahamaya Vijayavahini and link to her Sutra/partially copied, Sukla Tara, Grahamatrika, Parasol video and image without a parasol, with Parnasabari and worldly deities, recovery of parasol

113 refutation of the meaning of "avalokiteshvara"

120 "Kaya" synonyms, Ham, Ekarasa, Meat, Nirvikalpa, Konchog Bang and White Guhyajnana Dakini (Siddharajni) and Vimala Pandita Vajradhara


7 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page7):

124 thangka detail of Transference, Vairocani and Jnanagni, Nine Candis

127 Namasangiti dharani devi forms, Cundavajri and Samadhi, Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra, Four Joys, Lungta video

129 Earth glyph, Mahakarunika, Pandara, Dharani Samgraha, Bhattarika Kapalika

133 Eight or Nine Dhyanas, Cum syllable, Janma Graha and Camel Rider, Sudhana Kumara, Swayambhu Purana, Mahacina/Gudrun Buhnemann paper

137 Vasudhara hypostasis, general mandala scheme, Katyayani and Durga Suktam videos

139 Indrabhuti's hyper-mandala and Newari Cinnamasta


8 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page8):

141 Kurukulla Homa

147 Shearing of Surya, Nepalese muttering video

148 Durgottarini sculpture, Abhisambodhi, Khasama Tantra link

151 Ocean Fire and Muttering

152 Extraction of Dhanada's sadhana, IWS images

154 Weapon Hevajra and Samputa, Vajraraudris, Vajradakini

156 Lakshmi videos, Seven Syllable deity

157 Nag Kanya


9 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page9):

161 Mahalakshmi and Remati--Rabtenma

162 Pancha Raksa as Rudra Krama

165 single example of "correct" Mantranusarini, rare catalog with her

168 Two Tibetan Gandhari sadhanas, error in "our" Sadhanamala and in Bhattacharya's "Volume Two" when listing our missing parts

173 Kurukulla and Sri Yantra, repeat of her "captured" retinue, Four Kings, Gandhari, Sita Tara, Utpala Mudra, Vairocana Abhisambodhi, Janguli, Mahacina, Ekajati, Nairatma

174 Mantranusarini song

178 Pancha Raksa changes, Kalaratri

179 Mahamaya thangka and Vajradakini, Four Samadhis


10 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page10):

181 Vajravarahi with Vairocani and Varnani mantras, Guhyavajrini, Kamini, Six Face Marici 140 Vajrasattvesvari with Vetali, Hariti and Sita videos

185 Gauris in Sampatti, Vajradakini and Fiery Jewel Family in mandala, Samayoga with Ishvari, Six Family mandala, Blue and White Heruka, Guhyajnana, Samvarodaya Varuni

187 Sadaksari, Hodgson's Triad, manuscript with Sadhanamala predecessors to Pancha Raksa

189 Usnisa Vijaya and Parasol videos, Carcika, Padmajala and Jnanadakini thangkas

190 Svabhavikakaya, Savbhaprajna, Svabhadhatvishvari

193 Utpatti and Gauris, Dakini Jala links, Lotus Family as Padmanarttesvara, Eight Drops, Vajra Rosary, Samputa, Fifteen Vowels

196 Ngor Mahesvari mandala, C. A. Muses text link, Samvari, Vimala Dharani, Fifteen Vowels, Mitra's 108 Mandalas link, Jalandhara's Eight Awakenings

197 Eight Cemeteries or Smasana, Sukla sadhana, detailed list of cemeteries

198 Paramadya multi-colored deities, Circle of Bliss Vajraraudris, seventeen "composite of composite" mandalas, Samputa and Eight Arm Locana


11 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page11):

202 Fifteen lunations and syllables

203 Hevajra and Pukkasi

204 Composite Hevajra, Gauris, and Vajraraudris mandala, Samputa

205 Sarvadurgati, Jagganatha, Vajramrita, Families according to Hodgson

210 Vajramrita retinues, Buddhakapala, Herukotpatti

214 Mohini, Rahu and Ketu, Vajra Humkara, Vajramrita, STTS, Gambhiravajra

215 Seven dharanis, Janguli rite, Janguli Vajrakaya sadhana, other Jangulis, rare Marici explanation from Receptacle of the Sacred

219 Alternate Marici Vajradhatvishvari, Virodhini, Mahakala with Ekajati and others from Vajra Panjara


12 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page12):

220 Marici with Adi Buddha mantra, Agni, Brahma Jyotir Vasu of Udumbara Forest

223 Svaha, Atharvan, descent of fires, wars in heaven, Aswins, Horse Head, Homa, Agniyogini Kakini

224 Masis, Marisa, Marici dharani links, Purnamasa, Sarasvati, Agniratha Ekajati, Paramitas and Families, Maya Jala, Asoka Grove, Aparajita, Golden Deer, Densatil Janguli

229 Janguli, wall of pigs, Odiyana Pitha, Yogi Chen link for Yoga, Vajra Rosary link

230 Dharanis and expanded Namasangiti Twelve Paramita system

232 Pithesvari, Vajravati, Vimala, Dhumavati, Kamakhya and Mahacina, Picuvaktra, Picuva Marici, Mayuri, two versions of Sri videos

235 Correction to Seven Paramitas, Marici

239 Pranidhana, Indranila


13 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page13):

241 Dharani Samgraha contents, Mahattari Saptavidhanuttara link and copy

242 Kubjika, Mahattari, Mahasri, Mahasri and Utpala Mudra, Mahalakshmi

245 Bodhisattva Ten Balas, A Vira Hum Kham, Three Minds, RGV, Nirakara, Three Natures, Nine Moods, Sanala Indivara, Samaya Mudra, Mahattari figurine

247 Eight Dissolutions and Citta Mani link, Mahattari relics, Vistara, Fa Shang, Southern Ti-lun and Seven Consciousnesses, Seven Cetasikas, Seven Vijnanas, RGV and Bhagavad Gita

250 Alaya, Vijnanavada, Samarasa Ekajati

251 Ladakhi Twenty-one Taras, Dissolutions, Kramas in Sadhanamala

254 Vairocani dharani

255 Lakshmi Tantra and Dnyaneshwari links, background of Mahalakshmi to the tantras

258 Copy of Lakshmi's Divine Gunas

260 Nava Amnaya link, Vira Vajradharma, STTS link


14 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page14):

262 Mahacina image and two large Ekajatis, copy of large Ekajati sadhana, Nairatma and Vajra Tara relationship mandalas

263 Vidyut Shakti, Tvastr and Vairocani

266 Vidyut, Aerial Water, Agni Pavaka, Svaha, Vadava, Samaya, Lajja

267 Tattiriya Aranyaka first mention of Durga, Vairocani with Heruka link, Maruts in The Secret Doctrine

270 Seven Tongues in Mundaka Upanishad, Purna Ahuti and Inner Homa, link to Bhrkuti and other preaching, Mitra and Ekajati

271 Trim syllable, lightning

274 Static electricity and the leafless creeper, Uma, Samjna, Purnamasa, Prahlada, Carsani, Samjna Samjnin

277 Kasyapa, Purnimasa and "the monad", Tvastr, Samjna

279 Mahacina Krama and Guhyesvari


15 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page15):

281 Mahacina, Ocean Fire, HPB's Blue Lotus link, Antimony, partial Abhidanottara link, Gudrun Buhnemann Varuni link, partial Samvarodaya link

283 Smoke appearance gif, Ananda and the digits of the moon, Varuni and Armor Deities thangka and with knees cloth

288 Vairocani from IWS

289 Vitana, Door and Light goddesses, Pancha Daka retinue, NSP Six Monarchs, Usnisas

292 IWS pattern, Vidyutparna, Bharati

294 Prajnaloka

296 Varnani and Vairocani and other plates

298 Vairocani mixing into Varahi


16 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page16):

302 Guhyesvari image, Varuni hypostasis image, Khaganana and Khandaroha

306 Difference in Tibetan and Sadhanamala Varahis

308 Samaya Samvara, Dakarnava heart channels, Kurma Nadi

313 Sanmukhi Marici, Jvalamukhi

314 Artha Siddhi, large Varahi mandala

317 Vilasini Vajrayogini and Kurmapadi

319 Jvalamukhi dharani

320 GSS Varahis


17 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page17):

324 Vajrayogini "order" and Jewel Family

326 Dakini Jala and Varahi

328 Varahi

332 Sabara links, Ziro Bhusana, Mountains of Vajrayogini

333 Hrdaya and Upahrdaya, Usnisa Nyasa

336 Some mechanics of Inverted Stupa

338 Hodgson's Families, Vajra Rosary with some details

339 Vajra Rosary on Death and Bliss


18 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page18):

342 Mahapratyangira images

346 Transcendental gurus

347 Hum and Aum, Bindu Nada, Tara syllables for Dissolution, Bagalamukhi

350 Manidhari, Pratisara, Trinity (Kayas and Vajras)

354 Four Seals or Mudras, Ziro Bhusana mantra question, similar forms of Mrtyuvacana and White Vajra Tara

355 Mahamudra Family

359 Tilo's Mahamudra catechism

360 Abhisambodhi and Five Stages, Vajra Rosary and "The Vessel"


19 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page19):

363 Bharati, Nyan's Golden Drop Kurukulla, retinue in Flask

365 Hum and Hoh

367 Hum, Hoh, and Vajra Rosary quotes

369 Difficulty of 108 Winds, Vajra Rosary quotes

373 Swing Recitation, Abhisambodhi, Dharana, Night and Day

374 Vajra Rosary quotes and goddesses, Grasper and Grasped

376 Upaya Paramita, Vajra Rosary quotes

378 Vajra Rosary quotes, Moods, Inner Offering

379 Remati's Net, Nirvikalpa


20 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page20):

382 Three Natures, Nirvikalpa, Paramartha, Vajra Tara

384 Nirvikalpa, Mahatma Ramalinga

388 Nirvikalpa and Absolute

389 Prabhavapyaya

393 Vajra Tara and Citta Sarira, Nisprapanca

400 Vasubandhu and Abhidharmakosa


21 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page21):

403 Samvrtti and Paramartha, Prajnaparamita

408 Brihadaranyaka and Buddhist "self", last chapter of Avatamsaka Sutra

420 Mandukya Upanishad, "Fourth State", possible full name of Picuva Marici


22 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page22):

423 Kama Loka

424 Mipham on "Seven Lines", RGV correspondences, Queen Srimaladevi Sutra link

426 Upaya, Seva, and the Six Yogas, Upaya and Sadhana

428 Upaya and Karuna, lower centers

430 Seven Paramitas and Upaya, Paramadya

436 Jnanagni

438 Sabara, Manovibhaga and Cittavisrama mountains, Achi image

440 Achi, Kurukulla 181--Ksah


23 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page23):

442 Pala Cunda, Garuda Kurukulla, list of Sadhanamala Kurukullas, Humkara compared to Bhutadamaru mudras

444 Ushas in the Aranyakas, Sita as Mahalakshmi, Lankavatara Sutra link, Savitri as Bindu Link

445 Cittamatra in Sadhanamala

450 Buddha on the Fierce Rites, Konchog Bang, Tiphupa

451 Rechung, Bodyless dakini, Vajradhara Guru Yoga link, Dissolutions

454 Siddharajni, Niguma, Achi thangkas

456 Green Janguli images and some information

458 Dark Agni, Naga Kanyas

459 HPB on the sounds of the centers, DDV thangka


24 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page24):

462 Cosmology, Bharati, Revati, Balarama, Anantamukhi with Jnanagarbha link, Nagas

464 Kurukulla and Vayumukhi, Mahattari and Kadambari, Varuni, Mahabala Krama

465 Mahattari Puja notes as Crown Seal

467 Janguli and Blue Lotus, Kamadhatvishvari and Makara Devi

469 Ganapati and Jivanmukta, Riddle Hymn of Rg Veda

470 Indivara in Sadhanamala, Manasa video, Parnasabari

472 Gauri in general, Mahendra, Annapurna, Food. Gauri Ganapati or Mahalakshmi Puja links, Matangi video, Kaya Cakra

473 Janguli and Matangi

476 Janguli and Satya, Ganapati

479 Ganapati, Matangi mantras

480 Ganapati, Matangi, Mangala Rupini video


25 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page25):

482 Ucchista Ganapati

485 Lama and Khandaroha, Golden Rosary link, Matangi and Kadamba

487 Pukkasi, "Gauris" mantras, Amritakundalin in Vajramrita, Vinayaki image

489 Ganapati, Ganapati Hrdaya, Sumukhi, "Gauris" mantra in Skanda Purana

491 Kalighat collection link, Marut Gana

492 Vinayaki in Matrikas, Advaya Paramartha Namasangiti link

495 Thah syllable, Sumukhi image

497 Pukkasi, Vajrasaumya

499 Mamaki in Vajramrita, Sarvadurgati notes, Camut link

500 Pranashakti


26 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page26):

503 Vajramrita text twist

505 Naumi

506 Manjushri praise of Adi Buddha

511 Amritakundalin in IWS

512 Wind Horse mantra, Go Lotsawa's Ganapati

515 Kundali, Sarvadurgati terms

517 Seven Families, Ganapati mantras

518 Expansion of Ganapati Hrdaya


27 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page27):

521 Likhe, Hasti, Vasudhara as white hole

523 Solar Plexus Gatekeepers/Four Activities, Sumbha, dual gunas, Green Mahalakshmi

527 Swift Steed of Garuda and Pratyangira links

528 Bhyoh, Bhyah

532 Sword and Candi

533 Dhanada Krama, Dhvajagrakeyura, Vajraraudris with various links and Samputa quote

536 Siddha Kunjika Stotram video, Dhyana Paramita

538 Vajraraudris in Samputa


28 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page28):

542 Ghasmari and Tri-shakti, Dakini Jala Gauris and Families, Samputa Vajraraudris--Vajradakinis

543 Svasamvedana and Upeksa, Anuraga

546 Vajradakini and Nairatma, "colors" sequence

547 Ananga and Bodyless

549 Vasudhara

550 Vasudhara

552 Vasudhara holding Akshobya?, Vasumati and Buddhahood

554 Vasus

555 Gopali

558 Vasudhara Dharani link and information, Bharati as Aditi in Tattiriya Aranyaka

560 Vasudhara singing gesture and mandalas


29 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page29):

562 Vasudhara mandalas, Nagarjuna Tara sadhanas

563 Pranidhana, Vasudhara and Hevajra mandalas

567 Srnkhala description and image, Standing Vasudhara image

568 Vajrayogini town, Manohara and Bharati images, "missing Dhanada Flower goddess, Blue Lotus in her retinue, Ati Suksma, Utpala Mudra

571 Vasudhara, Pranidhana Mastery

572 note on "missing" Flower Goddess

575 note on why Pranidhana confused the Paramitas, HPB on the Three Fires, Svaha

576 White Lotus concept, Wrong Way

579: Bhikshu


30 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page30):

583 Svaraj and the seven rays

585 Gha syllable

586 Examples of Prajapatis retinues

589 Kasyapa, Pranashakti and Bhudevi, Vinayakas at Kashi

591 Four Dakinis as Tramen image, Paramadya images, Paramasva, Ganapati, Seven Syllable deity, Vajradaka/Father Tantra/Mahayoga Tantras or i. e. that Dakini Jala is linked to Dakarnava by its own internal system, -daya, Samvarodaya link, explanation of Father or Method and the Three Voids

592 Samvarodaya link

595 Khasama link, Krsnayamari explanation of Yoga with Carcika and others, Six Gods of Kriya-Cara along with Muttering and other instructions

596 Samvarodaya notes

597 Laya Yoga, Kriya Shakti

600 Nine Spaces of Khasama


31 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page31):

602 Nine Spaces Marici at Dhanakosa in Khasama and Khasama quotes

604 Khasama in Parasol mantras, unidentifiable Namasangiti Dharani, Parasol videos

605 Lotsawa Vairocana, lack of praxis in Khasama, Namasamjna, Navachandra and the pre-eminence of Bodhisattvas, Luminous Heart link and quotes

608 Khasama uses Samvarodaya introduction, Kha, Lotus Family Cittamani Tara image

610 Marici, Rigpa, Ziro Bhusana

611 Khasama and Luminosity, Amala Vijnana, Sattvavajra, Vajragarbha

614 Sarvavid Vairocana and Navosnisa Body Mandalas, Navosnisa image at Tabo, Gaganaganja

616 Luminosity and Shentong, Seven Jewels deities, Bhaskari, Prabhasvara, male Navosnisas quotes

619 Parasol, Sarvadurgati Families and retinue, Kausika



32 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page32):

621 Jnanaketu, Amrtaprabha, Vajrosnisa and Four Mudras, Parasol, Patra

622 Vajramrita, Parasol forms, images, mandalas

625 Prajnaparamita in the letter A, Tathagata Family in Kriya, arising of Lasya

627 Usnisa and Parasol mantras, Pandara and Srnkhala, Sages of Seven Elements

629 Vajraraudris as Saumyas in Samputa, Samdhinirmocana and English Sarvadurgati links, Eighth Consciousness, Seven Elements, Cetasikas, Manasikara, Mahamudra, Parasunya, Parasol and Sarvadurgati and her retinue

631 Paramartha Parasol link, Shurangama Families, quotes, lights, etc.

633 Vajratundi, Visala, Vaideha, Shurangama quotes, Ka, Karomis, Guhyasamaja deities in Shurangama, alternate Shurangama links, Vimalosnisa

635 Vimalosnisa, Vajrosnisa and Divinity and the Six Gods, Humkara changes the Ten Wrathful Ones

638 Paramartha Parasol links, Vyavalokits, Krsna Yamari Tantra link, Paramartha Parasol quotes, Indranila Yamantaka, Strim syllable, Kinnari sadhana

639 Uttamaseva and Six Limb Yoga, Sampatti and Gauris, Smrti vs. Tarka, Day--Night Yoga

640 Kinnari sadhana, Gandhari dharani link, Gudrun Buhnemann figuring out the same thing as me, Puspa Kinnari, Parasol as Sutra-to-Tantra


33 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page33):

642 Prapanca, Yonisomanasikara, Paramartha Parasol, Bhutadamara link

643 Vajrakumara, Vajrakila link, Vajramrita and/or Amritakundalin, Manojna, female Vajramrita, Parasol and Kila

646 Karma Family, Parasol, Vajrosnisa sadhana

647 Diptacakra

649 Dipankara, Dipankara thangkas, Ngondro

652 Pink Vajradhatvishvari, Jvalosnisa video, Tusita, Prajnaparamita Muttering sadhana, Nirajan

653 "Samadhi" semantics, Sanskrit RGV link, Cunda and Manjuvajra, Mahamaya Vijayavahini, Pandara, Kila in MMK, Cunda link

656 Light goddesses

657 Beijing catalogue, Diptachakra and Dharmacakra mudra, colored deities turn blue, cosmology in Dakarnava Body Mandala

658 Cakravega, Abhidhanottara Tantra link, Dakarnava cosmology


34 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page34):

662 Cakravega and Axis Mundi, Paramasva, Amoghasiddhi, lower centers, Gaganaganja, Kinnaris

663 Drikung Achi and Parnasabari, Achi images and links, Humkara and the Wrathful Ones, Khaganana and Guhyesvari, Vajrasurya

665 Root and cervix, Vajrayogini, Four Activities, Four Formless Absorptions, Achi topics such as Red and White Hrih, Inverted Stupa, Turquoise, Dharma Tara and Sarvabuddha Dakini, Jnana Dakini, Vajrosnisa Sitatapatra

668 Achi, Yeshe tsogyal, Tidro, Vajradhara with Three Flasks image, Chandaroshana images, Locana and Mamaki

669 Achi

672 Achi

673 Transference, Samputa and Jnana Dakini, Ratna and Humkara, Paramasva, Ratna Pancha Jina, Vajrasurya and Gambhiravajra with Dakini Jala in Sitabani, Pithesvari syllables, Pradyumna

676 Achi and Rainbow Body, Aro and Hri, Hrih, Ha Ri Ni Sa, Guhyajnana link and Dhuma Gaye, Sukhasiddhi and Guhyajnana, Dhumatala

677 Akshobhya and Abhirati

680 Bhrkuti, Prajnas, Advayavajra Samgraha link and quotes, Vajradhatvishvari, Suryagupta, Guhyasamaja, Gomadevi


35 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page35):

681 Sattvavajri, STTS link, Sarva Rahasya Tantra link and Vajris, Seventeen Deity Vajrasattva mandala, female Vajradhatu, Bhrkuti

684 Sattvavajri Sarvadurgati quotes, Karma Mudra and Vajra Hetu, Vajra Musti--Fist, Name Initiation, Wrathful Bhrkuti, Agni Homa--Avesa, Vajrasattva images

685 Rainbow Body and Mayavi Rupa, Rainbow Guru image

686 G. Buhnemann on Buddhist Padmavati, Matangi, Sumukhi, etc., Vajrini, weird Pratisara, PR 206, Vajri Bhava

689 Parasol and Cunda, Prajnaparamita and Vajrasekhara mandalas, Illustrated Histpry of the Mandala topics, Paramadya deities, Alex Wayman quotes

691 Vajracakra, Vajrini and Pancha Raksa, Sattvavajri

696 Tusita and Aditis, 150 verse Prajnaparamita, Niguma, Khaganana, Tenth Stage

698 Vajraguhya or Dharani Mandala at Alchi image, Amoghavajra on the fence between Vajrasekhara and Dakini Jala, STTS Karma Mudra Seventeen goddesses, Vajrin and Vajrini, forms of the Vajris

699 Alex Wayman GST link and information, continuity of Vajradakini and Vajradhatvishvari from STTS to Guhyasamaja


36 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page36):

702 Lotus and Vajra Families, Cundavajri, Bhrkuti, Kamandalu, Fiery Water

705 Mandarava, Cunda, Cunti, Manjuvajra, Ratnolka Sutra, Dhvajagrakeyura link, Urna, Ulkha, Dhvajagrakeyura--Vetali, Bhrkuti and Tara Fourteen, Usnisas link, Vajradhara images, Dandaron, Maitri Charya Gita and Prajnas links

711 Mula Mudra, Mahasri figurine in Vyakhyana mudra, Cunda's large form, Cunda images, Cum syllable, Cunda 130 and Saptavidhanuttara, rare rotations in the West other than PR 206

713 Illusory Body and mirror and difference between mandala and sadhana, Dhvajagrakeyura image, Annapurna and Parasunya

720 Khadga Siddhi, Pratisara images and practice notes, Four Arm Sita image


37 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page37):

724 "White Tara" forms, Maya Svapna, Eyes, DDV hypostasis, Harinisa and Hrim, Nagarjuna's Tara with retinue images, Flask Initiation

725 NSB to NSV, Name Initiation, Dharmadhatu emanation in VAT, Trisamaya Raja, Vartta Avartta

728 Prajnaparamita 157 and Dhih, Upa Vidya, Vinayaki, and Sumukhi

729 Vajra Musti, Manjuvajra vs. Manjuvajra 20 and a flow of mandalas

732 Multiple Marici images, Underwear, and other personal details

734 Vayu Purana Sun Chariot quote and a likely misprint

737 Hum and Ham, Mongolian Parasol figurine and related images, several Marici notes

739 Six Gods of Kriya, Pranayama, Thirty-seven Points of Yoga, Cinnamasta image

740 Marici with Rahu and Makara, Ghr syllable


38 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page38):

742 Mahavairocana, Garbhadhatu mandala, MKG mandala with the Triangle and Locana, Usnisas, and Aparajita, Locana's Secret Mandala

744 Eight Mudras of VAT, Gagana Locana and Kha, Locana image

745 Nirakara in VAT, Letter Wheel, syllables and retinue, Sword Mudra and others

747 Kanakamuni, VAT and Agni and more retinue notes, Vajrasuci and Immediate Path of Mamaki

749 VAT and Mahendra, Parasol and Srnkhala, Nirakara, Vajrasuci

750 Basic Meru mandala and rotation images with brief description

752 Ganapati Hrdaya, Lalata and Rasana, Four Mudras, Four Women, Samvarodaya, Luminous Gold, female Suci

753 Four Dakinis, Prajnas, Vajra Pitha

756 Cinnamasta and Three Channels, Grahya Grahaka, Alex Wayman on Four Chakras, Pranayama, Nirajan

758 Red Cinnamasta, Dharana and Five Dissolutions, Samvarodaya Heruka with Vajravairocani form, Cittamani Tara link, Dakini's Warm Breath link and three tiers of women with Samvarodaya's four kinds, Lamas with twenty-four names, Lama image, Dakarnava image

759 Lack of "Dakas", notes on the Dakarnava fragments, Pavana Bija Yam


39 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page39):

762 Dissolutions and Nirajan, Prana and Rahu

763 Arnava--Ocean, Dak--?

766 Manomaya vs. Mental Plane, Yogini Mudra Svarupam, Dakarnava notes

767 Khandaroha

772 Varuni and Dharmodaya, Armor Deities, Skullcups

773 E, Maitri, Sitabani

776 Guhyesvari image, Yamini and Varuni hypostasis, Avalokiteshvaras with consort, Padmanarttesvara, Bhurini, Padmajala images, Dakinis image

778 Image of Purnagiri Pitha (Maha Sunya, Sarva Sunya, or Para Sunya) with Higher Yoni Triangle, Vajra Danda, and Talu Cakra, Mahalakshmi, Vajrayogini

779 Image of Inverted Stupa, image of Two Triangles, Sancalani, Khasarpana with Vajradhatvishvari and Locana, Cunda, Svabha Prajna, Yoni and Kurukulla, Four Mudras and DDV, Nirajan, Manomaya, Turquoise Lamp, Drum and Mirror


40 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page40):

782 Mahacina culture, Suci Mudra, Pandara, Kila--Gha, Varahi copying Marici

784 Brahmanda Purana Agni links, Agni notes

786 Mare's Mouth, Saumya and Pitris, Brahmanda Purana link, Hiranyagarbha

787 Horse Head Rite,Brihadaranyaka Upanishad link, two Samjnas

790 Madhu Vidya, Aswins, Tvastr, Vairocani, Purniman, Prahlada

793 Dakarnava, Vairocani, Balarama, Varuni, Monk, Householder, Tantric Priest link


41 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page41):

801 Pranashakti, Matangi--Parrot

806 Matangi yantra, Shyama explanation and sadhana, Matangi images

808 Matangi, Parasu Rama, Jana, Tapas, and Satya Lokas

810 Harita, Matangi, Bhuvaneshvari and Matangi images

812 Dakini Jala courts, Akasha Mandala, Music and Dance, STTS Karma Rahasya Mudra Jnana, comparison of retinues, Mahayoga, Sadhanamala 241 transcript, Arali

813 Prakriti, Vetali

816 Music and Kokila, Sounds, Madhu Svara, Harini, Citrini, Medha, Mrtyuvacana, Annapurna video

817 Samaya--Time, Sarasvati

820 Jnanagni, Annapurna, Ghasmari, Parasunya--Mrtyuvacana


42 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page42):

821 Ramate, Maya Jala, Kurukulla, Sarasvati

824 Jnanadakini, Parasunya, Annapurna, Cinnamasta image, Samayagni and Eight main stages of Homa

825 Dhi, Svapna, Upacara

828 Graha, Rahu, Tara, Buddhi, Vina Sikha Tantra link, Tumburu and Bhairava information

829 Picu Picu, Bhuvaneshvari and Mahavidyas information

832 Vacana in Sadhanamala, Prajnaparamita images, Bengali Vajra Feet Taras and Marici with Elephant Face images

833 Sarvabuddhadakini

836 Prajnaparamita 151 transcript


43 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page43):

842 Vinasikha, Samayoga, Manasa video

847 Vinasikha and Quintessence

851 Vinasikha and Dakini Jala, Sirascheda

853 Manasa

856 Jyestha, Avartta`, Amitabha Garbha Tara 108--Manitare

858 Mrtyvacana 112, Mrd, basis of musical notes, notes in Sadhanamala

859 Vasyadikhara Tara 92, Vistara Tara and Blue Lotus, Bhajan and Jnana Sattva


44 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page44):

862 Standard Twenty-one Taras links, Twenty-one Qualities of Dharmakaya

865 Suryagupta Taras link and assignments of her roles

867 84000 Twenty-one Taras link with Puranic reference, Rinpoche on lack of Completion Stage during learning Mahayoga and tantric commentary, Wrathful Bhrkuti and other images from Guge

868 Squatting Hariti images, Mamaki image, Sangiti, Bhuta

871 Vajra Tara, initiation, music, and Vajrasurya, Virupa Ten Vilasinis link, Vilasini, possession, and shaking, Jnana Mudra

872 Zhitro link, Annapurna image

878 Annapurna, Skullcup Lakshmi, Viswamata, Pithesvari, Vasudhara, Annapurna image


45 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page45):

882 Vasudhara, Nyan, Pithesvari, Vajravati

885 Annapurna, Khaye, Crow, Smoke, Vasudhara Dharani transcript, Pratisara Dharani link

887 Eighteen Arm deities, Vasudhara, Vasus, Ganga, Vajravati, Siddharajni, Ganapati and Tara images

889 Sabara's Padmanarttesvara and Vilasini, other Vilasinis and Vajravarahi, Laksminkara

893 Cunda Mudra synonyms, Locana, Vasudhara

894 Rasa Theory and the Four Joys, Tattiriya Upanishad, Vilasini, Rasas or Moods in Dakini Jala, Four Mudras, Varahi Vilasini sadhana with Five Dissolutions, Torma Offerings

897 Vajravilasini Tummo

899 Jnana Mudra, Lotus Sutra link, Mahamudra and Four Mudras information


46 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page46):

906 Nine Moods, Vajrarudra, Guhyesvari, Arali in Samputa quote, Genesis and Development of Tantra link, Seventeen Deity Vajrasattva mandala, Vasudhara image

908 Sadhanamala, Trisamaya Raja, Trisamaya Vyuha, Mahavairocana Tantra link, Bhattacharya vol. II link

909 Vajragarbha and Arali in Samputa, He Dances She Shakes link, Nagarjuna's Ekajati, 84000 Samputa link, Paramesvara, Adbhuta, Four Chakras

912 Vibhutichandra link with Vajravilasini, Vajravarahi, Vajrayogini, Marici, Sabara Vilasini link and information, Karmamudra in Samputa, Gauris and Vajraraudris in Samputa information, Jnanadakini, Nairatma, Prasanna, Tarodbhava Kurukulla, Vajramrita, Dakini Jala Samvara with Seven Syllable mantra, Vairocani, Marici, Parnasabari, Amoghasiddhi, Vajradakini, Kamboji, Locana, Vairocani, Tilottama, Agni Homa, Dakini Jala Gauris mantra, Bhrkuti, Cunda

915 Mahavairocana, Tara, Samputa Tara and resemblance to Prasanna's form but named Heruki, Chariot Marici and Nectar Rain Parnasabari, Kurukulla

916 Five Dakinis Vajra, Vajra Scepter and Eight Prajnas, Bell and Prajnaparamita, Rosary, Transference, Jnana Dakini, Yoga Tantra, summary of retinues for Vajramrita Vajrasattva, Bola Kakkola, Vasanta Tilaka, Yoga Puja, Nairatma, Samvari, Vajrasattva and Nairatma

917 Vajradakinis, Kolagiri and Mummuni--Arunchala Isvar Agni, Seven types of dakinis, Families, Khandaroha Mahayogisvari, Gandhari, Bhima and Vira


47 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page47):

921 Mantras and subtle body quotes from Samputa

923 Samvarodaya Disi Puja, Swayambhu Jyotir Rupa and Jagganath, Swayambhu Purana notes, Khaganana, Vasudhara, Dharmadhatu Swayambhu Utpatti, Khaganana Dharmodaya, Prasanna

924 Santika Acharya, Samputa summary quote

927 Evam images, E and Brahmi Script links

928 Vasudhara Sampatti and Kambhoja, Pratisara, Ganapati, Aim, Cusini, Lion's Sport, Sadhanamala Kurukulla, Vyuha or the Six Gunas

929 Rahasya Parama Ramya, Vajradaka Eleven and Fifteen link, Link and copy of a few lines of original Dakini Jala, Dakini Jala Rahasya link

933 PR 206 notes

935 Additional Vajradaka link, Mahamaya and Mrtyuvacana in the tantra, Nagarjuna Vajradevi Stotram link and information, Vajrasuci link and information, Mahamaya in Sadhanamala

939 Pratisara notes, Sitabani transcript, Pancha Raksa notes

940 Mahamaya paradox


48 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page48):

941 Elemental syllables, Stri

944 Sitabani transcript from PR 206

945 Srnkhala

948 Indriya Bala, Seven Jewels

952 Indriya Bala, Seven Jewels

956 Purnagiri Pitha--Pulliramalaya, Hayakarna, Khecara Paradise link, Umapati Varahi link, Seven Jewels, corrections or reasons for Vajradaka retinue, Vajrabhairavi, Ghoracandi link

958 Locana, Hook, and Lion's Sport, Francesca Fremantle link with Eye and Locana information, Drikung Phowa link with Akasha Dhatvishvari, Amnaya in Sadhanamala

959 Vajrabhairavi, Gha, Kukkuripa and Mahamaya, Dunhuang mural images


49 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page49):

963 Vajrayogini Pitha table link, Dakarnava Four Dakinis and Tri-kaya, Vajra Deha

964 Vajradaka and Patani, Vajrayogini book link, similarity to Vilasini, Patani, Vajradaka chapter links, Kankala--Skeleton

964 Varahi--Vajrayogini, Gahvara Cemetery, Gunacakra, Varahi sadhana

970 Prabhavati, Syama

977 Syama, Indriya Bala, some Pitha information


50 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page50):

981 Cinnamasta, Vajrapani link, Purnagiri and Vistara, Vasus, Dhruvam

982 Soma--Varuni, Dharmadhatu Jnana

986 Varuni and Soma, Vajrapani Six Yogas notes

987 Vajrapani Six Yogas, Four Face Heruka

990 Pracanda, Cinnamasta image

991 Vajrapani Six Yogas

995 Eight Mothers, Ghoracandi, Durjayachandra Vajradaka link and information, Mouth of Agni

996 Vairocani Thirteen Syllable link


51 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page51):

1001 Ksah and Vaushat, Phat and Astra, Svaha and Vahni

1002 Nadi, Lalata Rasana

1003 Tara and Jupiter

1007 Lankesvari, Devikota, Wolf

1013 Lankesvari

1014 Dharma Samgraha on one page link

1015 Vajradaka Mahamaya

1019 Vajrapani's Sadanga Yoga


52 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page52):

1021 Mam and Mahamaya, Guhyesvari, other Mahamayas

1023 Tantric Verse 90

1026 Vajrapani's Samadhi and Yogacara, Ekayana and Ratnakarasanti links, RGV and related information

1027 Mahamaya Tantra, Vajradaka 1 and 42 links, other Mahamayas

1028 Ratnakarasanti and Heruka--Hevajra, Mahakala, Vajrapani's Six Yogas, Vajradaka, Nectar

1030 Vajradaka Three Natures, Nairatma and Vajra Tara

1035 Grahya Grahaka and Parikalpita in Sadhanamala

1037 Graha, Nairatma and Virupa

1039 NSP contents, Amritakundalin, Viswamata, Saraha, Buddhakapala shifting mandalas and links, quotes, images


53 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page53):

1041 Buddhakapala and Citrasena

1042 Buddhakapala and Citrasena, Shocking Blue videos

1045 Buddhakapala, Nagarjuna Panchakrama and Pindikrama links, Parameswara, Vilasini, Pitambara

1046 Buddhakapala

1047 Citrasena

1048 Buddhakapala, Pitambara, Nojin, Subhasita Samgraha link, Sekkodesa link

1049 Citrasena, Mahamaya Tantra and Sadhana links, Gunavati

1053 Gunavati and Vajradakini, Sitaharana

1055 Citrasena Attahasa, Citta Vishuddhi

1059 Sita and Hanuman, Nirvikalpa, Mahamaya and Vajradakini


54 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page54):

1063 Gunavati, Buddhist reversal of Vijnana, Three Naures, Prabhasvara, Nirakara Vijnana Vadins

1064 Tara, Dissolutions, Samjna

1067 Tagore and Skanda Purana Agni links, Mahamaya, Gunavati, and Ratnakarasanti, Saratma, Laya

1071 Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara

1072 Akasha and Prakriti

1075 Srimala Devi Sutra link, RGV link, Four Qualities of Buddha Nature, Vistara Tara, Vajra Tara

1076 Adi Buddhua Pravrtti and Nirvrtti link, Pancha Krama on Yughananda

1080 Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara, Taranatha and Luminous Heart links


55 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page55):

1081 Synonyms of matter, Ratnakarasanti, Vijnapti Matra

1082 Koothoomi on Avalokitesvara

1085 Pravrtti and Nirvrtti, Lokottara, Ratnakarasanti

1086 Nirakara, Yoga Nidra link, Father, Upaya, and Dakarnava, partial Dakarnava copy and information

1090 Citra and Varnani

1091 Lokottara Vada, Ratnakarasanti's Nirakara

1092 Thirty-six dakinis

1096 Smrti Upaya, Parasol, Lion's Play in Nine Spaces, Vyava

1097 Nirakara and Parasunya

1099 Chakrasamvara Pithas


56 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page56):

1101 Udaya and Adayah, Six Yoginis, Chakrasamvara link and information

1103 Partial Dakarnava link and information, Bhrkuti and Manjushri Mulakalpa

1104 Matrikas and Consonants, Seven Jewels and Vayu Purana

1105 Sadvarna

1109 Kukkuripa and 84000 Mahamaya Tantra links

1110 Wrathful Prajnas, Vajradaka 12 and 13 and Durjayachandra sadhana links, Seven Jewels deities, Herukabhidhana

1111 Amrita, Four Face Vajradaka, Yoga Tantra, Inverted Stupa, and other information in Chakrasamvara

1115 Gold and Colors

1116 Mahamaya and Mahakala, Khodiyaar and Makara

1117 Varahi or not in Armor Deities, colors and jewels


57 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page57):

1122 Herukabhidhana, Colors and Families

1123 Panchamrita, Armor Deities, Seven Jewels

1127 Chakrasamvara, Mahasiddhas, lineages, bhava and udaya

1129 Herukabhidhana, Matrikas

1133 Varuni, Soma, and Death

1134 Chakrasamvara devis, Seven Syllable Deity Mandala

1135 Hevajra as Completion Stage, Indian Esoteric Buddhism link, Rasayana, Buddhakapala translation

1139 Samadhi Pithas, Ganapati, Dhumavati images

1140 Tibetan conflation in Armor Deities, Vajradaka, Gauris


58 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page58):

1141 Padma Purana link, Mahalakshmi images

1143 Shakti and Time Cycles notes, Pratyangira, Parameswari, forms, Inner Offerings and Meats

1144 Shentong on the Three Natures

1145 Manjushri Mulakalpa link, quotes and information

1149 Kirats, Manasa, Mahalakshmi

1150 Advaya, Final Samadhi, Nirakara

1151 Bhrkuti, Lotus Sutra

1155 Gauris in different Lotus Sutras, Ajimas, Pukkasi, Hariti, Asta Vijnana

1157 Smasana, Asta Vijnana, Matangi

1159 Gauris, Pukkasi, Heruka


59 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page59):

1163 Kumarajiva Lotus Sutra link, Kunti, Buddha

1166 Heruka, Cemeteries in Bihar

1171 Ancient Buddhist Sanskrit, Panini, Ujjain

1173 Three Natures in Luminous Heart

1177 Upa Yoga, Sitabani and Dhanakosa


60 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page60):

1181 Coral, Janguli, Mahamayuri Vidyarajni link and information, Vajrajvalodaya link, Sitabani

1182 Kapala, Gilgit link

1186 Gauri and Marajit images, Sitabani

1187 Janguli Flag image, relationship information

1189 Degrees of light

1191 Sitabani, Gauris and Vowels, Jalandhara, Peaceful Vajrapani mandalas

1194 Nath, Sabar Tantra, Mayuri

1195 Renuka and other ancient names, Dattatreya, Pancha Raksa link and information, Four Arm Sita image, Pancha Raksa relationship mandala

1197 Pratisara Sutra, Sitabani

1199 Ruci, Dharma, Aditi, Bhima Devi and Devi Bhagavata Purana links and information

1200 Sanjiva, Pramardini Sutra links and information, Mantranusarini link and information


61 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?111346-Does-Anybody-Else-Have-Clear-Body-Experiences/page61):

1203 Sitabani Sutra link and information, Mantranusarini

1205 Pramardini, Pancha Raksa version, Sri Mahadevi link, Vipula and Pancha Raksa, Cintamani, Bharati, Horas list

1206 Pratisara Sutra link, Lankesvari in Lotus Sutra, Shaktis of Orissa, Vindhya, Parameswari

1210 Parnasabari, Bhima Devi

1211 Vadava, Tapa, Mahanarayana Upanishad link and information, Durga Suktam video and lyrics

1212 Katyayani, Ramayana, Aranyakas, Honey, Ukta, Prana and Prakriti, Golden Light Sutra link, Sarasvati

1214 Dissolution, Horse Head, Earth, and Honey, similarities to Ekayana, Viraj, Dharani

1216 Mahalakshmi, Cintamani Tara image

1217 Blue Lotus, Marici Parnu

1218 Kurukulla link and Wish-fulfilling Tree, Vrim and Brim, Cintamani, Nine Jewels, Tree and Dhanada images




Blue Lotus moves through some Sadhanamala Taras, in a few cases as an obvious Utpala Mudra, and also one I had guessed was a form of Vikata, "blossoming", which appears to be the same way it is used in Narada Pancaratra (https://archive.org/stream/NaradaPancaratraFull/Narada%20Pancaratra%20part%202_djvu.txt):

Text 17

grasa-mudram vama-dosna
vikacotpala-sannibham
pradarsayan daksinena
pranadinam ca darsayet

One should then display with his left hand the grasa-mudra,
which is like a fully blossomed lotus flower. With his right
hand, he should display the prana-mudra while chanting j branaya [?]
svaha.


A Buddhist revision says in a
currently unreachable newsletter (http://idp.bl.uk/archives/news34/idpnews_34.a4d):

The dharmacakra mudrā, the vyākhyāna mudrā, and the vikacotpala mudrā are one and the same, but each one emphasizes a particular facet of the hand pose.


The similar index to the Serpent thread which mostly employs larger, non-discussional posts:

249: Seven Rays, Five Buddhas, and Six Yoga Dakinis
250: HPB's real Esoteric Theosophy and the tantric Inverted Stupa with more Kalachakra Six Yogas
251: Occult key generated from applying HPB's definitions, more Six Yogas and Vajrayogini
253: Mars, Cinnamasta, and Ganesh's first wife
254: Dhumavati and Vairocana tantric basics
255: Ketu, Marici, Wars in Heaven, Mahavidyas
256: Ardhanarisvar, Parasol, Abhisambodhis and Voids
257: Agni and Talas as reflections of Lokas
258: Mars and Mahavidyas
259: Daiviprakriti
260: Stanza Seven

page 14 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page14):

261: Mahavidyas and some astrology
262: Agni and Talas
263: Agni Yoga
264: Sita and Theosophy on Puranas and Buddhism
265: Seven Jewels of Enlightenment and Visuddhimagga
266: Lakshmi tantra, Phurba, Lankavatara Sutra
267: HPB, Nepal, Subba Row, Alex Wayman, Brian Hodgson
269: Dhvajagrakeyura, Wind Horse, Hayagriva, Lakshmi, Black Tara
270: Vijnana, Skandhas, Dharmadhatu
272: Tara, Gauri
274: main Tara post, revisiting 21 forms
279: textual or scriptural canon

page 15 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page15):

282: Jubilee
289: Bodhi Mind
290: Nirakara and Sakara
293: Three Jewels and Seven Mysteries
296: Nirmanakaya and Historical or Heroic Buddhas

page 16 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page16):

302: Chohans
305: expansion of "three worlds", astrology
313: Agni and Tara
315: Fratres Lucis
316: classical European theosophists
317: Florentine Academy
319: Cipher Manuscript

page 17 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page17):

321: Cernunnos
322: Baphomet and St. Germain's manuscript
323: Fratres Lucis
324: Druze
325: Nerval
326: Voice of the Silence, B. P. Wadia
327: Red and Drum deities, Khasarpana, Tara
328: Saraha, Kurukulla, tantric Tara
329: Jnana Dakini and Mahamaya
330: Dhanada, Durgottarini, Jewel mantra, Niguma
331: Adi Shakti, Bhu and Sri, Parasu, Reversals, Golden Light
332: Tara, Durga, Six Chakravartins, Black forms, corpses
333: Mudra, Dharmacakra, Humkara
334: Amoghasiddhi, Jampa Gompa, and Tson Khapa's Amoghasiddhi commentary
335: Nagarjuna, Naga Raja, serpents
336: Achi, Owl Face, Hayagriva, Garuda, Longchen Nyintik, notes on various Taras
337: Yidam and Sherab, female Mahasiddhas
338: Bhutadamaru, Wrathful Kumari, deity clusters in Rinjung Lhantab
339: Vajra Tara, Janguli, exercise on Three Families
340: Sri

page 18 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page18):

341: Sri, Prajnaparamita, Dharmachakra
342: Mahattari and Kubjika
343: Prajnaparamita, Vajrapani, Stupa, Svacchanda Bhairava
344: Parnasabari and Vasudhara
345: Sita, Parasol and Aparajita
346: Parasol, Grahamatrika, Dhvajagrakeyura
347: Marici and Ekajata
348: various deities, Jewel Family
349: Vajradhatvishvari
350: Prajnaparamita and Vajra Muttering
351: Nine Moods
352: source texts, Vasudhara and Jambhala
353: Vasudhara and Jambhala absorb Radish Ganesh
354: Composite of all composite mandalas, Lakshmi and the Mallas
355: Sita, Khecari, Chamunda, Dharmakaya, Guhyajnana
356: Vajravarahi
357: Sadhanamala, Parnasabari, Vasudhara, white deities
358: seed syllables
359: seed syllables
360: Six Arm Sita and several deity clusters

page 19 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page19):

361: Green Tara, Cinnamasta, Hundred Deities
364: Cintamani
365: Lakshmi and example of practice pantheon
366: Sita, Parasu, and Sitavati, with Shanti mantra recording
367: Avalokiteshvara and Sukhasiddhi
368: Six Syllable Avalokiteshvara, Jnana Dakini, Virupa
369: Amitayus, Mandarava, other mysterious females
370: Mystery Dakini
371: Sevenfold scale, Vilasini
372: Vajrapani
373: Upeksa and Nairatma
375: Samputa and Hevajra
376: Seven Syllable Avalokiteshvara
377: Varuni, Mamaki, Bhagavani
378: Varuni, Vajramrita, Completion Stage
379: Seven Paramitas, Amritakundalin
380: Samvara, Humkara, Manjusri, Amrita Guna, Vairocana, Janguli

page 20 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page20):

381: Vajravidarana and Sarvadurgati
382: Mahakala and Hexagram
383: Nagas, Varuna, Agni, Bhu
384: Paramadya, Tara forms, Mayuri and Janguli, Pancha Raksha, Vajra Tara
385: Vajragandhari, Vairocana Abhisambodhi, Sahaja
386: Vajrasattva with mantra recordings
387: Dharmadhatu Vajra and Manjuvajra
388: Bodhisattvas and Vajrasana
389: Permissions, Guhyajnanadakini and Lakshmi
390: Nagas
391: Charnel Grounds
392: Cemeteries or Gauris and Generation Stage
393: Sarvabuddha Samayoga Dakini Jala and tantric Paramitas
394: elements of Kriya and Yoga Tantra
395: Abhisambodhi and Tilottama
396: Guhyeshvari and Varahi--Samvara
397: Jalandhara and Khandaroha
398: Varuni
399: Varuni in the Crescent of Inverted Stupa
400: Lotus Family

Page 21 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page21):

401: Padmajala and Khandaroha
402: Prasanna, Cunda, Mahamaya Vijayavahini, and Vajrasarasvati, links to Sanskri Buddhist Canon
403: Mahamaya Vijayavahini and Dharanis
404: Mahakarunika, Simhanada, Sosaling, Konchog Bang
408: Munda Mala
411: Orissa, Viraj, Ziro Bhusana
415: Mahacina and Sudhana Kumara, Amoghapasha
416: Lotus and Vairocana; Rosary and Garland; Avalokiteshvara and Sri

Page 22 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page22):

421: Alakshmi and Dhumavati
422: Vajrasattva, bhumi, four activities
425: Dharanis in Namasangiti and other fashions
427-430: Serpents, Nepal, Kirats, Naga Kingdom
433: All Sadhanas/The Absolute; Candi; Cunda and Parasol recordings
434: Cunda, Usnisa, and Prajnaparamita recordings
436: Tara and Avalokiteshvara recordings
438: Cunda and Guhyasamaja Manjuvajra, with Lakshmi and Prajnaparamita recordings
439: Usnisa, Marici, Prajnaparamita recordings
440: large collection of Hindu and a few more Buddhist recordings

Page 23 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page23):

446 Namasangiti Short Mantra; Long Mantra recording
447 Nagas
449: Citta, Sarvadurgati, 21 Taras in Sanskrit with recording
451: HPB, Shurangama, RGV, Matangi
454: Matangi, Varuni, Jewel Family, Great Coronal Dome picture
455: HPB on Cinnamasta and tantric auras
456-7: Cinnamasta hypostases
458: Varahi and Tara, rare Taras
459: Tara and Varahi, Cinnamasta, Marici, Padmajalini, Vilasini
460: Dharanis, Marici and Varahi, and The Secret Doctrine of Yoga

Page 24 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page24):

461: Dharmadhatu and Deities
462: Dakini Jala and Manjuvajra to Ziro Bhusana Yoga Lineage
463: Fiery Water and many esoteric details
464: Amrita Tantra and Ratna Family, Dakini Jala
466: Paramadya and Dakini Jala
468: Horse Deities, Parasol, Vajramrita, basic Taras
469: Yulokod and Khadira
470: Noose, Kurukulla, and Turquoise
471: Generation Stage ending section; Aparajita, Janguli, Sumbha, Dakarnava
472: Charchika and Shrnkala
473: Bell, Parnasabari, Marici and Sita
474: Flask Review and Continuity
475: Dakini Jala and Varuni
476: Dharmodaya and Ghasmari
477: The Triangle rehersal
478: Triangle of Inverted Stupa
479: Cam, Charchika, Candali
480: Vajrayogini and Vajradakini

Page 25 (https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?90144-The-Serpent-the-Black-Sun-HPB-St.-Germain/page25):

481 Vajrayogini and Vajradakini
482-483: Vairocani (Durga Suktam, Renuka Cinnamasta)
486: index to discussion thread
487 Arya Tara Bhattarika, Golden Light, Kunti, Lankesvari
488 Pithas, Mahalakshmi, Vindhya, Vajra Tara, Parnasabari, Mayuri
489 Adbhuta, Mayuri
490 Vasudharas
492 Vipula Siddhi, Mahalakshmi, Samputa, Yogacara in The Secret Doctrine


Ratnakarasanti, Subhasita Samgraha, and Samputa Tantra are among the most synoptive or fusional subjects, but it is kind of all Heruka Yoga. But there are a lot of distinguishing features which make it unique; there is the Dharani Mandala as shown at Tabo; the continuity of Apri Hymn and Agni Homa; the Rahasya or main set of retinues; and so forth. Mostly aimed at Yoga Tantra which is Deity or Devata Tantra, such as Namasangiti and Vajra Tara, restorative of things we can show from Sadhanamala which were wrecked by war. Amrita being the intended original "yoga of the monad".

If anything, leaning towards the side that learning the basics and really applying them is probably much more beneficial than accessing Highest Yoga in a cold, unfamiliar way, because it is somewhat easily available.