Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 57-minute session, Geshe Pema Tsering opens the highest yoga tantra section of the Grounds and Paths text with a touch of humor — remarking that highest yoga tantra is “very easy” because enlightenment is achievable in one lifetime. He maps the four main divisions: becoming a suitable vessel through empowerment, keeping vows pure, practicing the generation and completion stages, and manifesting the result as one’s personal deity. He then explains the four empowerments (vase, secret, wisdom, and word), the four mandala types used for empowerment, and why each empowerment unlocks only specific practices. The session closes on vow-keeping: how broken commitments are restored through mandala entry (dak jug) and the four opponent powers, and the striking promise that even without meditation, perfectly kept vows guarantee enlightenment within seven to sixteen lifetimes.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 14 2005 12 08 G and P.mp3
UUID: 7e5557cc-ee07-41d1-83fe-1ed349b5cf95
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Grounds & Paths (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-12-08
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 57.3 minutes
Words: ~3,291
Now, Geshe-la, we have to give rise to a good motivation. So the motivation is to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. And since we are going to study the grounds and paths of Secret Mantra and the purpose of practicing and studying the Mantric vehicle, the Mantra path is to achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, then we should be thinking that in order to achieve enlightenment in this very lifetime for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, then we are now going to engage in the study of this text on the Secret Mantra grounds and paths. So then so then it was in the last class, we were saying that we were going to proceed with the teachings on the Hevajra Samputa tantra next year. But then as as Angie came in and told us that we should do as as the students wish.
So now we should we are now we’re going to proceeding we’re going to proceed with the text, and we’re going to start with the highest yoga tantra part of the text. Oh, So I say, oh, this is highest yoga tantra is very easy. You know, one is in one life, you can accumulate all the collections you need to achieve enlightenment. It’s very easy. Oh, yeah.
So then now we start with the first with the second part of the text, which is the way to progress on the path of highest Tantra. It has this part has two main divisions to it. We know we’re on the page eighteen of the of the book. Okay. So there has to many divisions with the general system of highest target Tantra and the Kālacakra system, okay?
So then so again, I’m that the highest yoga tantra, what is what is said is it’s a system of highest yoga tantra. There are many deities involved in in this what is the the systems of highest yoga tantra. There are many systems. There are many deities. There is a Chakrasamvara.
There is a Guhyasamāja, and there are many others. And then in and then in Kālacakra system, it’s only one deity, it’s the Kālacakra itself. But when it’s being said, the general system of highest yoga tantra, maybe the best way to translate it will be the general systems of highest yoga tantra. So then so then the first one, the general systems of highest yoga tantra has four parts to it. Okay?
So the first one is the usual becoming a suitable a vessel suitable to meditate on the path. Then the second one keeping the vows and commitments pure. Then the third one, how to practice the path. And the fourth, the way to manifest the results of the practice. And I’m gonna briefly explain that the fourth one, the way to to manifest the results on the practice is referring to to to the attainment, the result of enlightenment itself, which is which is very easy.
It can be achieved in one lifetime. So then the first one is becoming a vessel suitable to meditate on the path. Geshe-la briefly explains that in order to become a suitable vessel, one has one needs to gain an empowerment. Without gaining the an empowerment, proper empowerment, one cannot practice. So then in order to gain the empowerment, what what do we need in order to gain the empowerment?
We need we need to have the mind of enlightenment. We have to have realization in mind of enlightenment, to have the the mind that that realizes emptiness. Not having those, at least at least a mind that understands the mind of enlightenment and and a mind that also understands, I say, the mind the realization of emptiness, that has an understanding of of the realization of emptiness. Okay? Then then having having those, then what we need is is a is a qualified lama and and how to say?
A qualified Lama who who and then who can give us the empowerment, and then we can we can gain the empowerment. Okay? So then after having obtained the becoming a suitable vessel within the empowerment, then one what else is necessary? What is necessary then is that one keeps the commitments, the Samayas and the vows pure. Now then Geshe-la said, there are many commitments and many vows, many, many root downfalls.
There are the fourteen Tantric root downfalls, root downfalls, and then many other secondary downfalls. So there are very many, you know, I say that need to be protected. Then so then the third topic, which is how to practice the path. So what is meant with what is the general what is what is meant with how to practice the path? This this topic topic is referring to the practice of the generation and the completion stage.
Then practicing practicing the path is practicing the generation and the completion stages. So then and then the fourth topic, the way to manifest the results of the practice refers to the result of enlightenment itself, which is, how to say, is the attainment of is becoming of that the particular Edam, the particular personal deity that one of which one has received the empowerment. And one can, by the force of practice, become that deity, then one has attained the result and which is that deity, that particular deity which is one’s particular personal deity. So then the first one, which is becoming a vessel suitable to meditate on the path, goes on to say that one then needs qualified mahasiddha or qualified realized practitioner who has who is a source or who or who how do you say? Who is a source or who who who is a holder of of certain lineage of of the tantras, of a class of tantra, and then who can explain it, then one needs to meet this person and receive an explanation from this person.
So then then when okay. Then when the meets this qualified mahasiddha or or realized person, and one receives a commentary from this person on the tantras. Then one needs to enter whatever suitable mandala there is, be it, how to say, painted mandala or a sand mandala or a body mandala or a mind mandala. And then and then one receives the empowerment itself, and then one becomes the suitable vessel. So then So then you obtained the the the empowerment in this manner, then anyone is allowed to to meditate on that highest yoga tantra path.
Not having a bit any empowerment, one is not allowed to meditate on that on the particular highest yoga tantra path. Okay. So then now the text goes on to say that if moreover, if if one wants to, how to say, practice the the complete if one wants to be able or have the power to to practice the complete to practice completely the path, then one needs what is called one needs to obtain or to gain the fourth empowerment. So Geshe-la then explained that there are four empowerments involved. And if one, for example, receives only the first empowerment, which is the vase empowerment, then one will be able to practice only those meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings that are related related to the vase empowerment, and one will not be able to practice the the med the other meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings that are in relation to to higher empowerments as as the secret empowerment and the wisdom empowerment and the word empowerment, which is the fourth one.
Okay? So then now the text is is saying that for those for the vase empowerments, Geshe-la explained, so then it’s necessary to enter Mandala to have the to obtain the Vase Empowerment. Then what are the Mandalas of the Vase to mandalas to obtain the Vase Empowerment. There is the painted mandala. There is the sand mandala.
There is the and there is the body mandala. More not only that, there is also four four special disciples. For some special disciples, there is the absorption Mandala. There is also the absorption Mandala. It is said that there is also the absorption Mandala.
So generally speaking, then there are four Mandalas. Part of the text. Okay? That is not that was not translated into English. It’s not in starting here.
And I I I confess it was really difficult for me to understand. So I will do I’ll do my best. But it’s not it’s not in English here. I don’t know why they didn’t put here. Probably because they found it very difficult.
So then so then I say that the the the painted mandala, which is like, for example, like a thangka painting, and the and the sand mandala, the the those are visible ones. We we can we can see them with our own eyes. Now the other two mandalas, the body mandala and the and the absorption mandala, they are we cannot see them. They are all, how to say, mentally fabricated mandalas that one has to give rise to to the gods and to the deities and so forth. So one has to know how to how to do that, how to give rise to the to the to the deities in the mandala and so forth mentally.
So then the other thing that some some body mandalas, there is texts. There is a there were there are written texts explaining explaining how to perform this visualization, this practice of the body mandala, where to visualize the deities in the head or the parts of the body and which deities and so forth. But Geshe-la is saying he he has has he he has never seen a description, a written description. So then again, the absorption mandala, again, cannot be observed with the eyes. It’s a mandala is related to the development of concentrations or certain levels of concentration.
So we cannot so we are not able to see them. It has to be developed by the force of the mind. So then okay. Now this is where it starts to get complicated. Okay?
So then you said that for the as for the Body Mandala, then if one has not previously received, obtained attained an empowerment, then one is not suitable to obtain empowerment of the body mandala. Okay? No. Okay. So then what is what is being said is that if one does not have received, if one has not obtained the four empowerments, the vase, the secret, the wisdom and the word empowerment, then this body mandalas cannot be mentioned.
They cannot be talked about, they cannot be explained, one cannot receive them. Okay. So then, okay, another complicated part. So then you’re saying that in the as as as in the Chakrasamvara of Tilbupa, which is I think Tilbupa is one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas. So in the Chakrasamvara cycle of Tilbupa, for example, this this this is such one one needs the empowerment before receiving the body mandala or explanation or description of the of the body mandala.
Then in the in the So then in the in the Vajrabhairava, as in the Vajrabhairava tantra like like in the Vajrabhairava one, there is not there is not a body mandala. And then in the Guhyasamāja, even though there is a body mandala, there is no empowerment involved. Then now we go into another we start another paragraph. So this is of the three of the first the first three empowerments, how do you say, they are The Mandalas, are how to say, the first three Empowerments, which is the Vase Empowerment, Secret Empowerment and the Wisdom Empowerment. So they are respectively or in stages.
They are related to the relative bodhicitta mandala or to the Mandala of relative bodhicitta, it corresponds to the Vase Empowerment. And then the Secret Empowerment would be corresponding to the mandala of the womb. Okay? Womb? Womb.
Womb. Womb. Womb. Then Is that just the? Yeah.
No. Yes. Womb is the name, but it’s not just for women. Mhmm. This one.
No. And then and then the the the third one, which is the wisdom empowerment, is related to the mandala of bodhicitta, okay? That’s so the author is saying that it is stated, it is said that this is so. So then now we got into the second topic, which is keeping the vows and commitments pure. And, again, I was okay.
We were ready for the text, but Geshe-la was telling me. So, basically, what is most important is that one keeps the Tantric vows and commitments that if one if one having obtained the empowerment keeps the vows and the Tantric vows and the Tantric vows and the Tantric Commitments pure, then how much ever one one practice, meditates, then one will obtain the siddhis. One will gain the siddhis easily. But on the other hand, if one does not protect and keep the vows and commitments well, then no no matter how much one practices, one will not obtain not attain the siddhis. And then not only that, how do you say?
It’s going to be very difficult to to obtain even it’s going to be very difficult just to obtain a happy rebirth. Okay? So then so then so this is what I said before is like the author was saying, this is said, right, about the one thousand commitments. So then the now the so then the the the author goes on to say that having by empowerment, one immediately after having become a suitable vessel, then one has to know all the trainings and then keep the commitments and the vows, protect them, one must protect them at the cost, even at the cost of one’s life. Okay?
And then Geshe-la was saying, so if one can do that, then obtaining the attaining the siddhis is going to become easy. It will be easy. Okay. So so it’s like this. So one one has to make, like, great effort not to be stained or contaminated by the special root downfalls.
Okay? And then even though and again, one has to make effort not to be contaminated or stained by the other downfalls. And if they come about, if they happen, if a downfall happen, then one has to confess and retake this and confess and yeah. And and and and retake this this vows and and commitments while in a ritual. This is okay.
This is the and then and then one one has to restore them one has to restore them by confessing and retaking them as as while doing a ritual. Now what what the word for ritual here, Geshe-la was explaining to me is something that I didn’t understand. Now I got an idea at least. So, Geshe-la was explaining, for example, one takes, how to say, the the vows of of how do see, self liberation vows, as like the vows of a monk or or the lifetime vows and so forth. Then we have, like, for example, the the sojong ritual to purify them.
So for each each vehicle, there is going to be a purification ritual. For example, the Bodhisattva vows is going to be the Bodhisattva confession of downfalls And then for the for the Tantra vehicle, there is going to be some specific rituals. And then Geshe-la was explaining this this the general name for for this is dak jug, which is dak refers to oneself, and Jug is to enter or to place oneself, and then Geshe-la has placed oneself within the Mandala. Then what one has to confess and perform rituals of confession and and purification of the vows, restoration of the vows by entering the mandala of the specific deity that one has. And then whilst in that mandala, the again, I explained that there are there are many different ways that one can perform these rituals, confessions, and and restoration of the vows.
But then the the main idea is that one has to enter the mandala is the entering the mandala. And then Lewis. So then so then again, he was explaining that, for example, for for the individual liberation vows, there is the Sojong practice of restoration of the vows. And for the Bodhisattva vows, there is the Bodhisattva confession of downfalls.
And then and and but that all in all, what is the essential point, the principal point, is the use of the four opponent powers that whatever level it is, even in the Tantra, even within the Mandala, one has to apply the four opponent powers. Geshe-la was saying. So then if one essence, one does not if one does not give rise or uses or applies the four opponent powers, then one will not So then if one if one does not apply these four opponent powers, then one will not be able to to to accomplish the confession of whatever whatever it is, be it of the individual liberation vows or Bodhisattva vows or tantric vows. And if one if one applies them, then then one accomplish the confession. This one.
Yes. Oh, yeah. And then the text goes on to say that having having obtained the totally complete empowerments or all the empowerments, if one is not staying, not protecting oneself and not being stained by downfalls, then even if one does not meditate on the path, then within from from it is said that that one will attain the great accomplishment of enlightenment from seven to sixteen from seven up to sixteen lives. And then Geshe-la added that if if okay. If the text is saying that if even if one keeps and protects these vows and commitments well, even if one does not meditate, it would take seven up up to sixteen lives for one to get enlightened.
Now if one while one keeps these vows well and protects them well, these vows and and commitments, then one meditates a lot. And then if one is also, how to say, is a capable person, is an, say, an intelligent person, then one will be able to accomplish enlightenment in the in this in one lifetime. And this one. And then so then and then the text goes on to say that if if one, if the protection of of the vows degenerates, then how no matter however much effort once one puts in in other practices, meditation and so forth, then one will fall to the lower realms, it is said. And Geshe-la is explaining that being not protecting the vows and commitments and having a downfall, then everything else will turn into nonvirtuous.
Every other action will turn into into nonvirtuous, nonvirtuous. And as such, they are the causes for being reborn in the lower realms. Okay? This one? So then all this is is extensively one one has to know all all these extensively from the the explanation of the fifty verses of Guru Devotion, the explanation of the Root Downfalls and the cluster of siddhis.
Yes. Yes. Is it is it is it alright for for you people if we stop here today? Because what’s coming next is like well, it was hard for me, really. It was really hard.
I was I was having a hard time with it. I wish I could have at least. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
They start talking about drops and and and wings and all sorts of stuff and channels and this thing. This full on. So any questions? Yeah. I’ve got a question.
Please.