Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. This 106-minute teaching provides an extremely rare commentary on the eight verses in praise of Heruka and eight verses in praise of Vajravārāhī from the six-session Guru Yoga—texts normally passed over. Kyabje Rinpoche explains each verse’s definitive meaning: destruction of afflictions and obstacles, cultivation of inner fire and merit, conquest of demons and extreme views, and the union of bliss and emptiness. He illustrates the verses’ power with personal accounts of protective effects during initiations. The teaching then progresses to Pabongka Rinpoche’s guidance on dissolving the guru into the central channel at the heart, generating the illusory body, and meditating to realize the unity of guru, deity, and mind. Essential for those who have received Heruka or mother tantra initiation.
File metadata (for organising)
File: SSGY 6 Sep 2011 – KR.mp3
UUID: c6556d1d-5cbb-4bbf-99fb-15c584837a75
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Guru Puja – Lama Chopa
Date: 2011 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~3,342
Okay. So we will generate at present the motivation to listen to these teachings and meditate on it for one or two minutes, reflecting on the fact that we have to generate a good motivation, thinking of all sentient beings. We ourselves are alone, but all sentient beings are infinite in number. Therefore, they are more important than us. And our relation is exclusively that of parents to them.
In other words, they have exclusively be been our parents. This one? This one. They have exclusively been our parents, and they do not know how to abandon suffering and how to create the causes for And they do not know how to abandon the causes of suffering and create the causes for happiness, let alone that they are mired in suffering.
Reflecting on this, we should generate compassion for them and wish from our own side to attain a state where we can help them. And this is a state of full enlightenment. And striving for this, we should then listen to these teachings on the six-session Guru Yoga, which are the very essence of the Mahāyāna. So today, Rinpoche will give an extremely rare commentary on the eight verses in praise of Heruka, which we passed over in the six-session Guru Yoga Yoga. There’s only one text in existence, which Rinpoche has, published by Drepung Loseling.
These eight verses are offered to the guru visualized as Heruka after dissolving the visualization of the guru as Vajradhāra and causing the guru to be manifest as Heruka. It’s on page five of your six-session Guru Yoga Yoga. So those who have not received mother tantra initiations do not have to recite these eight verses of praise. Those who do, however, must recite them. So, this text was composed by one of the former Pänchen Lamas at the request of others.
And at present, we should imagine our environment as celestial mansion of Heruka and whatever deity we practice or visualize as manifesting as Heruka. And there are two different interpretations of the eight verses of Praise of Heruka, one of interpretable and one of definitive meaning. The one of interpretable meaning is none other than actually the text And therefore, there is no additional commentary on the interpretable meaning of these eight verses. It’s two pairs of eight verses apart from the actual text of the verses. However, there is a commentary on the definitive meaning which Rinpoche will give.
And this commentary reads as follows, the innate union of bliss and emptiness is that Heruka which overcomes the afflictions. And this is what is referred to in the first verse of the eight verses on page five. Om, I prostrate to the conqueror lord of heroes. Here the Tibetan term for conqueror comes from the verb which means to destroy. To destroy what?
To destroy both the afflictive obstructions and the obstructions to omniscience. Dempa means to be endowed with. To be endowed with what? To be endowed with the union of method and wisdom. Second verse, om light akin to the fire of the great eon, Hong Hong Pet, refers according to the commentary to the inner woman which acts as the servant of great desire.
Here, this verse is a verse in play in praise of Vajravārāhī. Heruka himself is described as a friend who enables one to practice the path. And when engaging in meditation through the union of the male and the female consort, the female consort gives rise to great desire for the male consort. This great desire is experienced by the inner female, which is none other than tummo or the inner fire. This is what is referred to in the expression fire of the great eon.
This is a fire which is so intense that it consumes saṃsāra at the end of a great eon. Dorje Phagmo Vajravārāhī’s flames are of that intensity. The third verse, with the terrifying crown of locks has the following meaning according to this crown of locks, is orange in color, extends sky high, and it actually reaches the realm of Brahma, the world of Brahma. And the meaning of this metaphor is that oneself practitioner accumulates a huge collection of merit through this practice, which leads to the ever greater increase in one’s qualities until one accomplishes the ultimate goal. And the fourth verse is the verse fearsome face with gnashing fangs, is interpreted as follows.
This verse refers to the destruction of the four classes of demons. These are the demons of the afflictions, the demons of the aggregates, the demons of the so called sons of the gods, and demons of the lord of death. So afflictions are self evident. These are afflictions such as desire, hatred, and so forth. The aggregates also are self evident.
The sons of the gods refer to deities which are harmful, such as Īśvara and so forth. And the demons of the Lord of Death refer to those forces which interrupt or cease our life. These are overcome, and the gnashing fangs, which are four in number, refer to the destruction of all wrong views. And the fifth verse, Om thousand arms ablaze with light is to be understood as follows. The part of the phrase, Thousand Arms Ablaze with Light, actually comes from the prayer of Heruka, in which it is said that light, in this case blue, says Rinpoche, eliminates afflictions, purifies the afflictions.
And here, the thousand arms refer there are two different understandings of this verse. Some say that there are 1,000 arms which are ablaze with light. Some say that there are only 12 arms, the 12 arms of Heruka, which radiate thousands of beams of light. The first interpretation seems to be that of the author of the text. The second interpretation seems to be that of Pabongka Rinpoche.
The 12 arms of Heruka refer to the 12 links of dependent origination, whose understanding enables one to dis dispel ignorance. And therefore here, the light which is radiated leads one to an understanding of the 12 links, which in turn leads one to the capacity to dispel beginningless ignorance. This enables us to eliminate it. The sixth verse on page five, Om bearing battle axe and noose, grasping lance and Kathwanga, Hong Hong Pet, refers to the purification of the thoughts of the three doors. In other words, of body, speech, and mind, as well as the elimination of extreme views, which refer both to the view of nihilism and the view of eternalism.
That wisdom which eliminates these views and pacifies the afflictions is what is referred to here. And at this point, it is through the union of the male and female organs of the consort and his female consort that kundalini is released and bodhicitta arises. At present, that bliss in turn is what is used to realize emptiness. This is what is alluded to by the term battle axe and noose in the sixth verse. And the seventh verse, Om wearing vestments of tiger skin, Hong Hong Pet, refers broadly speaking as far as the tiger skin is concerned to eliminating shame.
And more fundamentally, within the context of the release of white bodhicitta within the central channel and its flow downwards to the binding of white bodhicitta. Binding here means blocking white bodhicitta. In the eighth verse, Om, I bow to the great smoky body which puts an end to interferences refers to as far as the great smoky body is concerned to the dharmakaya, which is eternal and unchanging. And here, the interferences which are put an end to, which are eliminated, are those conceptions as well as the karmic imprints thereof, thereby the pure view is generated. We have now finished the eight verses which refer to the father or the male consort, Heruka. The eight verses referring to the mother or Vajravārāhī start with the following verse, Om I prostrate to the conqueror Vajravārāhī, Here, this refers to that wisdom of inseparable bliss and emptiness, which is empty of the afflictions and which has overcome them.
Is self evident. It is. The second verse of the eight verses of praise to the lady Om, homage to the lady of the knowledge women and noble ones which cannot be overcome by the three realms. Verse refers to the fact that Vajravarahi cannot be overcome by all beings encompassed by the range covering ordinary beings all the way up to Ārya and Arhat beings. The third verse, in homage to the lady, Om Om, overcomer of all fear of elementals by the great Vajra, hum hum phat has a twofold meaning.
It means as far as exterior entities are concerned that none of the demons and harmful entities of the 10 directions, the four cardinal, four intermediate directions, the zenith and the nadir, can harm the mother, the lady, and as far as interior enemies are concerned, that the wisdom which realizes emptiness is able to overcome both extreme views, the views of eternalism and nihilism, and their karmic imprints. In the following verse, Om, eyes empowering those dwelling on the Vajra seat to be invincible, refers to the fact that the companion of Vajravārāhī, which is Heruka, actually gives rise to channels, winds, and drops, which are of the nature of great bliss. And as a result of this, both the definitive and the interpretable states of Heruka are attained. And the following verse, Om you who wither Brahma with the tummo of your wrathful body, refers to the withering of the channel of Brahma, which is the channel of ignorance, and the attainment of the definitive state. And the following verse, the sixth verse on page six, you are victorious over the other side through withering and terrifying demons, spirits of the state.
And the seventh verse on page six, all completely victorious over all the intoxicators, petrifiers, and the stupefiers, Hong Hong Pet, refers to victory over the stupefying inner winds. In the eighth verse, in praise of the lady on page six, Om I bow to the Vajravārāhī, in whose great embrace desires overcome, hom hom pet. Generally speaking, there are two different type of categories of the seven blisses. The seven blisses can be understood from the interpretable or the definitive standpoint. Here, what is referred to is the definitive standpoint, and Vajra Vahrahi bestows in actuality the definitive seven blisses.
So within the two fold presentation of the definitive meaning and the interpretable meaning of the eight verses, this was the definitive meaning. But Rinpoche said that there is tremendous power in the recitation in the recitation of these two sets of eight verses. Rinpoche said that When he was invited in Singapore by some lay disciples in Singapore to give Vajrayoginī initiation, he first, as usual, gave Yamāntaka initiation as a preliminary. And when he started to give Vajrayoginī initiation around 06:00 in the evening, the weather became catastrophic in Singapore with tremendous rain, hail, lightning, and thunder. The students were absolutely terrified and took refuge in the room with Rinpoche.
And Rinpoche thought to himself, this is quite dangerous. And as he knew the benefits of the eight verses, he started reciting them. As he was reciting them, a terrifying noise erupted from the park behind the house. Rinpoche, after the recitation, thought we would just all stay inside. And the next day, the owner of the house offered to drive Rinpoche to the airport.
Rinpoche had to go to Sera Je Monastery. And the owner told him that he was amazed that all the trees in the park had been leveled, but the building in which they had been had not been hurt at all. And he asked Rinpoche if this was a good or a bad thing. And Rinpoche said, as a result of my, prayer, the hail stopped at the park. The same thing happened when Rinpoche was giving Avalokiteśvara initiation.
There was a terrifying peel of thunder, and one of the vases was shattered. And there is tremendous power and benefit in these eight verses, specifically for those who are terminally ill or very sick. And then, returning to Pabongka Rinpoche’s commentary on the six session, which is on page 12 of the commentary. In the middle of the page 12, if one has taken the common and uncommon four empowerments, one is entitled to practice the stanza, the supreme guru. This is in your six-session Guru Yoga on page eight, in keeping with the Lama Chöpa.
In other words, if one has received a great empowerment, one is then entitled to practice taking all four empowerment in keeping with the single-pointed prayer or bequest of the guru and the Lama Chöpa. You are the guru. You are the tutelary deity and so forth. And then we pass at present to dissolving the field of accumulation of merit. You would like to be on the six-session Guru Yoga page eight and the commentary of Pabongka Rinpoche page 12.
So reading in Pabongka Rinpoche’s commentary, when reciting upon beseeching in this fashion, this is on page eight, upon beseeching in this fashion, the supreme guru settles. Here, the guru is invited on one’s crown, and Pabongka Rinpoche’s text says that he faces in the same direction as our self. And the Guru rests on our crown on a lotus and moon disc at this point in keeping with Pabongka Rinpoche’s commentary, if one is going to practice the exercises of the six yogas of Naropa, one does so. So the six yogas of Naropa include the yoga of inner fire, of tummo, of the illusory body, of the clear light, of the bardo, of the dream state, and so forth. And at present, the guru on one’s crown becomes ever smaller.
He becomes infinitesimally small, and he enters within the central channel. There are three channels in the middle of the body. The central channel, Rasana and Lalana. He enters within the central channel, and moving onwards on page 13 of your commentary, the guru dissolving into oneself from the crown to the central channel, think that one’s most subtle wind in mind within the indestructible drop with a white top and red base at one’s heart. The white letter hum with a reddish hue, which is in the nature of great bliss radiates five-hued light.
So here at one’s heart, one has the subtle drop which has been received from the father, which is white, and the subtle drop received from the mother, which is red. And at the very center, in the middle, is a white letter hum with a reddish hue, which is in the nature of one’s mind. It is blissful and emanates light of the five colors. The guru dissolves into this. And at present, the guru having dissolved within the white letter hum, within the two drops at one’s heart.
Even though the white letter hum, in terms of its appearance, appears as one’s mind, in nature, it is the mind of the guru. The white letter hong acts as the basis for the arising or the dawning of the illusory body. Therefore, at present, after performing this dissolution, one’s mind, the guru, and the deity become one. The deity as Vajradhāra, who has dissolved within the letter hum at one’s heart. There is no such thing as a deity apart from one’s guru.
And at this point, within the two drops at one’s heart, the illusory body arises, and this is called an internally arisen illusory body as opposed to externally arisen illusory bodies, because it arises within these two drops at one’s heart in the aspect it is appropriate in the aspect of the Guru or of Vajradhāra. And on page 13 of Pabongka Rinpoche’s commentary, when we protect the object observation of the interiorly arisen illusory body, the stanza in the Lama Chöpa, which reads, in the midst of the central channel within the eight petals at the heart. Bless me, Lord, to settle your feet and enable me to actualize in one life the path of the union, the inseparable union of the clear light and the illusory body has exactly the meaning as same meaning as the practice here. Within the letter Hung at one’s heart, which is of the nature of one’s mind, inseparable from the guru and the tutelary tutelary deity, this letter Hung acting as a basis, the interiorly interiorly arisen illusory body, which can appear either as Vajradhāra or in the aspect of the guru, arises. And at this point, if one knows how to perform this, one can meditate on example and meaning clear lights, on the pure and impure illusory bodies, or on the Yuganaddha of a learner and a no-more-learning one attaining eventually full enlightenment.
And then moving on within the commentary, then performing the sequence of dissolution extensively or concisely. The environment and the beings dissolve in the hum. Normally, first the beings, then the environment. The vowel below the HUM dissolves in the HUM The ha symbolizes the white element received from the father. All the drop, isha literally, which is on top of it, symbolizes the red element received from the mother, and the nada, which is often called the squiggle, which is on top, symbolizes the three states of appearance, increase, and black near attainment.
At this point, if one understands how to meditate on these, one can perform the three cycles of mixings, which are three cycles, including three practices each, which makes nine cycles of mixing. The three cycles of mixing in the waking state, the three cycles of mixing in the dream state, and the three cycles of mixing in the dying state. Here, if one knows how to meditate on the illusory body and so forth, at the level of the path, one becomes of one taste with the guru, and one practices these meditations. Otherwise, if one does not know how to do this, then to protect oneself from downfalls regarding the view, one meditates on the view in keeping with the school one understands best. And here, when we collect whatever view one is familiar with, either the Cittamātra or the Mādhyamika view, and one meditates on the space like meditative equipoise placed on emptiness in keeping with the verse of the Lama Chöpa, which reads, through the wisdom which realizes suchness in connection with that great bliss of pliancy induced by it, blessed me to complete the perfection of wisdom through the yoga abiding in space like meditative equipoise on the ultimate.
So here, after abiding in a space-like meditative equipoise on the ultimate, in which one sees that all phenomena are like a dream on Page 13 of your commentary, or an illusion, in that they appear to be true, but they are not truly existent. One arises then in turn as Vajrasattva in the same same way as a bubble of water arises from water. And one fully understands that in the state of ultimate meditation of an emptiness phenomena have no inherent existence at all, or in the state of subsequent meditative arising phenomena are seen as an illusion. Phenomena therefore are to be understood as pure nominal and mere imputations arising therefore from emptiness as a bubble from water in the aspect of which is the same as Vajrasattva, who is white in color and with consort one then practices. So, we will stop here for today.
If you have questions, please ask one question. At this point? So actually, to keep the pledges here, one must arise as a deity with Vajra and bell. If the Yidam has Vajra and bell, some teachers say you can arise as him, otherwise not. So we arise as Vajrasattva here to protect the four pledges of of which the three which concern us here, the Vajra pledge of body, the bell pledge of speech, and the mudrā pledge of mind.
I I think