Vajrayogini Long

The Short Path to Great Bliss Full-Length Vajrayogini Sadhana & Tsog by Pabongka Dechen-nyingpo

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Colophon The Full Vajrayogini Sadhana: An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini. A Short Path to Great Bliss (rJe-btsun rdo-rje rnal ‘byor-ma na-ro mkha’-spyod-kyi sgrub-thabs thun-mong ma-yin-pa bde-chen nye-lam) by Pabongka Dechen-nyingpo (Pha-bong-kha bDechen snying-po Byams-pa bstan-‘dzin ‘phrin-las rgya-mtsho). It has been translated by Alexander Berzin 1976, revised July 2009, based on discourses by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey – 1976 and 1979, Geshe Sonam Rinchen – 1976, and Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche – 1980 and 1982, on Notes on the Generation and Complete Stages of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini: Heart Essence of the Secret Path Leading to Khechari, Pure Land of the Dakinis (rJe-btsun rdo-rje rnal-‘byor-ma’i bskyed-rdzogs-kyi zin-bris mkha’-spyod bgrodpa’i gsang-lam snying-gi thig-le) by Ngulchu Dharmabhadra (dNgul-chu Dharma-bha-dra) and Notes on a Profound Discourse, Taken As It Was Received, on the Two Stages of the Path of the Glorious Powerful Lady of the Naropa Khechari Tradition: The Three Extremely Secret Points, the Heart Pith Teachings of the Dakinis (dPal na-ro mkha’-spyod dbang-mo’i lam-rim-pa gnyis-kyi zab-khrid ji-ltar nos-pa’i zin-bris shin-tu gsanggnas gsum mkha’-‘gro-‘i snying-bcud) compiled from a discourse by Pabongka Dechen-nyingpo. www.berzinarchives.com Slightly edited, formatted and published by Wolfgang Saumweber (www.vajrayogini.com) with permission from Dr. Berzin (www.berzinarchives.com). Line drawings by Andy Weber (www.andyweberstudios.com) and the publisher; paintings by Andy Weber and from various collections (including the publisher’s); all with the respective permissions. Version 0.5 (7/15/09) www.vajrayogini.com

Translator’s Note: In most old Sanskrit texts, VAM is written the same as BAM. Since the Tibetan language lacks the character VA, both VA and BA are written in Tibetan with the same character and pronounced as BA, for example with the Sanskrit word “vajra,” pronounced “bendza” in Tibetan. Throughout all Vajrayogini practice, the Tibetans write Vajrayogini’s seed syllable as BAM/VAM, but when pronouncing it, they say Sanskrit VAM “BAM.” Since most translations of Vajrayogini materials are based on oral explanations by Tibetan masters, translators have written the syllable in accord with the transcription of how these masters pronounce it: “BAM.” Despite this precedent, it would be far clearer to transliterate the way the syllable is written – VAM – rather than how the Tibetans pronounce it – BAM. The reason is that in many verses and aspects of her practice, Vajrayogini’s seed syllable goes together with E, the seed syllable for her reality source. Taking her seed syllable to be VAM and not BAM, we find that together the two syllables form Tibetan VAM EVAM, the Sanskrit word for “thus.” EVAM is a technical term explained extensively in numerous commentaries of many anuttarayoga tantra systems in the context of it being the first word in innumerable sutras: “evam maya shrutam – thus have I heard.” In these tantra commentaries, E is explained, for instance, as deepest truth and voidness, while VAM is conventional truth and simultaneously arising blissful awareness. Taken together, then, EVAM represents the two truths as well as simultaneously arising voidness and bliss. Because of these reasons, I have transliterated the syllable here as VAM. 2

The Short Path to Great Bliss

The Short Path to Great Bliss by Pabongka Dechen-nyingpo

Contents

Immeasurable Yoga 5 Guru Yoga 10 The Yoga of the Generation of Oneself as the Deity 22 Yoga of Purifying Wandering Beings

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Yoga of Verbal and Mental Mantra Recitation

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Inconceivable Yoga 37 Yoga of Activities 38 Vajra Yogini Feast Of Tsog

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Chakrasamvara Father and Mother 4

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Immeasurable Yoga Visualization of the Assembled Gurus Visualize in the space before you, on a ground made of blue beryl, a large four-petaled lotus. The petal in the east, in front of you, is white; in the south, yellow; in the west, red; and in the north, green. On its seed-head is a large golden throne, supported by eight lions. On top of the throne is another four-petaled lotus, similarly colored. On the seed-head of that lotus stands your root guru in the form of a blue, four-faced, twelve-armed, fatherly Chakrasamvara, embracing his motherly partner, red Vajra-varahi. On the yellow stamens encircling your root guru sit the lineage gurus, arranged counter-clockwise from the perspective of your root guru Chakrasamvara and all in the form of a Vira Vajradharma. Vira Vajradharma is red, with one face and two arms, holding in his right hand a damaru-drum and his left at the level of his heart a skullcup filled with nectar and has a khatvanga-staff cradled in Vira Vajradharma his left elbow. In the center of the front white petal stands Vajrayogini, surrounded by all the Buddha-figure yidams of tantra, arranged in four concentric rings, one for each of the four classes of tantra. In the center of the yellow petal to the right of your root sits Shakyamuni Buddha, surrounded by all Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya forms of the Buddhas found in the sutras. In the center of the green petal to the left of your root guru sits Manjushri, surrounded by a host of dakas, dakinis, and bodhisattvas. On the red petal behind your root guru are volumes of the scriptures stacked in four groups: in the front, vinaya; on the right, sutra; on the left, abhidharma; and in the back, tantra. The texts are written on blue beryl sheets in letters made of gold. Encircling this lotus are all the Dharma protectors. In the space before me stands my Guru, Chakrasamvara, father and mother, Encircled with a host of root and lineage gurus, Yidams, the Three Precious Gems, The obedient Charnel Ground Lords, and safekeepers of the Dharma.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Safe Direction [Refuge] and Bodhichitta Imagine all males to your right, all females to your left, your enemies in front of you, and your friends behind you. Include in this assemblage all six classes of limited beings, with all of them assuming a human form. I and all limited beings equal to the extent of space, From this time forth until we’ve evolved to the essence of a purified state, Take safe direction from the glorious hallowed gurus; We take safe direction from the fully enlightened Triumphant Buddhas Surpassing All; We take safe direction from their hallowed Dharma teachings; We take safe direction from the highly realized arya Sangha. 3x or 7x Once I’ve attained the topmost state of a fully enlightened Buddha, And have freed all limited beings from their sea of samsaric suffering, I shall secure them all in the bliss of the fully purified state of a Buddha. And so to this end, I now shall practise the stages of Vajrayogini’s path. 3x Include meditation on the four immeasurable attitudes in the above verses. With “I and all limited beings equal to the extent of space,” meditate on immeasurable equanimity; with “And have freed all limited beings from their sea of samsaric suffering,” immeasurable compassion; with “I shall secure them all in the bliss of the fully purified state of a Buddha,” immeasurable love; and with the feeling of joy at having fulfilled your bodhichitta intention, immeasurable joy.”

Requesting Inspiration With palms pressed together. We prostrate and take safe direction From the gurus and the Three Precious Gems, And request you to brighten our mind-streams with your uplifting inspiration. Imagine that rays of light and nectars, white for body, red for speech, and dark-blue for mind, emanate from the foreheads, throats, and hearts, respectively, of the objects for safe direction to the three corresponding spots of yourself and all the limited beings visualized around you. You and they all become purified, brightened and inspired, and transformed into Vajrayoginis. Imagine that all the beings around you fly off to Khechari, the pure land of the dakinis. The objects before me for safe direction Melt into the form of rays of light: white, red, and dark-blue, And dissolve into me, whereby I receive The brightening inspiration of enlightening body, speech, and mind.

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The Short Path to Great Bliss

The Sangha Gem of figures on the green petal around Manjushri dissolves into white light and, in the nature of the enlightening body of the gurus, dissolves into the crown of your head. The Dharma Gem of texts on the red petal dissolves into red light and, in the nature of the enlightening speech of the gurus, dissolves into your throat. The Buddha Gem of figures on the white and yellow petals and on the seed-head and stamens dissolves into dark blue light and, in the nature of the enlightening mind of the gurus, dissolves into your heart.

Instantaneous Arising You and the entire environment dissolve into voidness. Instantaneously, I arise as an impeccable, ennobling Vajrayogini. Moved by compassion, you instantaneously arise, first as a vertical shaft of red light, one armspan high, resting on a sun-disc atop the seed-head of an eight-petaled variegated lotus. An eight-petalled variegated lotus has red petals in the four cardinal directions – with east taken as the direction of the petal in front of you. The petals in the southeast and northwest are yellow, in the southwest green, and in the northeast black. The seed-head is green and the circle of stamens around it is yellow. The shaft of light then grows to the size of your body and transforms into a red Vajrayogini, with one face and two arms.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Consecration of the Inner Offering OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT While reciting this mantra, imagine that a host of red Khandarohis, with one-face and four arms, the right ones holding a cleaver and damaru-drum, left ones holding a skullcup and a khatvanga-staff, are emitted on the tips of light-rays emanated from the drop on top of a red VAM, standing in your heart on a sun-disc that is ringed counter-clockwise with Khandarohi’s red mantra. The Khandarohis chase away all interferences and interfering spirits, and then dissolve back into the VAM. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM (Everything) transforms into its voidness. Khandarohi Within a state of voidness, from YAM, (comes a mandala of) wind, (On top of it,) from RAM, (one of) fire, (On top of that,) from OM, AH, HUM, comes a grate of three human heads, On top of which, from an AH, comes a skullcup, broad and expansive.

Inside it, from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, and HUM, Come the five nectars, And from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, and VAM, the five types of flesh, With each of them marked (with its syllable). The wind blows; the fire blazes; the heat of the fire Melts the ingredients, transforming them (into an orange-colored liquid). Above this, from a HUM (comes) a white khatvanga-staff, upside-down. It melts and, descending into the skullcup, transforms the contents into the color of mercury, (silvery-white). Above (the nectar) appear three rings, stacked one atop the other, Of the vowels and consonants (of the Sanskrit alphabet). These transform into an OM, AH, and HUM. From these, light-rays emanate and scoop back in The deep awareness nectars from the hearts Of all the heroic viras and yoginis abiding in the ten directions. Adding them (to the nectar in the skullcup, The volume) increases and becomes immense. OM AH HUM. 3x

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The Short Path to Great Bliss

Consecration of the Outer Offerings OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT While reciting this mantra, imagine, as before, that a host of Khandarohis are emitted from your heart, chase away all interferences and interfering spirits, and then dissolve back into your heart. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM (Everything) transforms into its voidness. Within a state of voidness, from KAMs, Come (eight) skullcups, broad and expansive; Inside (each of them) is a HUM, From which come the offering substances. By nature, they are voidness; In aspect, they are the offering substances; Their function, as objects enjoyed by the six sensors, Is to enhance a special untainted blissful awareness. OM ARGHAM AH HUM water to drink OM PADYAM AH HUM water for washing the feet OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM flowers OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM incense OM VAJRA DIPAM AH HUM butter lamp OM VAJRA GHANDE AH HUM cologne water OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM food OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM music

Vajrasattva Meditation for Purification On the crown of my head, on a lotus and moon seat, Are Vajrasattva, father and mother: Their bodies white in color, with one face and two arms Holding vajra and bell and cleaver and skullcup, and embracing each other. The father is adorned with the mudra-seal of six ornaments of bone and the mother with five, As they sit in the vajra and lotus positions. In his heart, on a moon-disc is a HUM encircled by his mantra-rosary, From which cascades a stream of white nectar, Cleansing me of all sickness, harmful spirits, And negative karmic forces and obstacles. OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA HERUKA TVENO PATISHTA, DRIDHO ME BHAVA

Vajrasattva

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA, SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA ANURAKTO ME BHAVA SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAVAN VAJRA HERUKA MA ME MUNCHA HERUKA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT repeat 21x Vajrasattva father and mother dissolve into me, whereby My three gateways for action become inseparable from The enlightening body, speech, and mind of a Vajrasattva.

Guru Yoga Generating the Field for Growing Positive Force In the space before me, established out of the reflexive appearance Of the deep awareness of nondual purity (in voidness) and clear appearance-making, Comes an immeasurably magnificent palace, Complete with all the defining features: Four sides, four portals, adornments, (four) archways, and the like. In its center, on a jewelled throne supported by eight magnificent lions, On variegated lotus, moon and sun-disc seats, Sits my kind root guru in actuality, But in the aspect of Buddha Vajradharma. His body’s red in color, with one face and two arms, Crossed at his heart, and holding in his hands a vajra and a bell. His hair’s tied up in a topknot and he sits crosslegged in the posture of a vajra. In the prime of his youth, he’s at the budding age of sixteen, And is bedecked with silk scarves And complete bone and jewelled ornaments.

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Buddha Vajradharma

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Starting to the front of him and circling counter-clockwise Sit all the lineage gurus, from Buddha Vajradhara to my root guru(’s guru). (Buddha Vajradhara appears as Buddha Vajradharma, And to his left, in her usual form, stands Vajrayogini), While all (the rest) are in the form of Vira Vajradharmas, With body red in color, one face and two arms, Playing with their right hands a damarudrum, reverberating with the sound of voidness and bliss. Their left hands holding up to their hearts a skullcup filled with nectar, While they cradle in their left elbows a khatvanga-staff. Sitting cross-legged with legs held like a vajra, They’re bedecked with the mudra-seal of six ornaments of bone And are vibrant in the prime of their youth.

Vira Vajradharma

The lineage gurus are all on smaller thrones, arranged around your guru Buddha Vajradharma in a square, going counter-clockwise from his perspective, with nine thrones on each side, except on the south side, to your guru Buddha Vajradharma’s right, where there are ten. All the lineage gurus face your guru Buddha Vajradharma. The principal figure and entire circle all have a (white) OM at their foreheads, a (red) AH at their throats, and a (blue) HUM at their hearts.

Merging of the Sources of Safe Direction from Their Natural Abodes From the HUM at their hearts, light-rays beam out, (Drawing forth) from their natural abodes The gurus, yidams, and hosts of their mandala figures, The Buddhas, bodhisattvas, the heroic viras and dakinis, Together with hosts of protectors and safekeepers of the Dharma. They are all in the form of Vajradharmas, each in his immeasurably magnificent palace, complete with all its mandala figures. OM VAJRA SAMAYA JAH HUM BAM HOH 11

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

With JAH, the Vajradharma mandalas come above the heads of each guru before you, with one complete mandala above each of them; with HUM, they all dissolve in unison into them; with BAM, they mix to become one; and with HOH, they become firm and inseparable. Each has come to have an essential nature That incorporates all sources of safe direction.

Offering Prostration Imagine your body multiplies into myriad bodies, with all offering prostration together. Your kindness heralds in an instant A dawn of great bliss. O gurus with jewel-like bodies, O Holders of the Vajras, I bow at your lotus-feet.

Making the Outer, Inner, Secret, and Very Nature of Reality Offerings Outer Offering Offering goddesses emanated from my heart Make you the offerings. Imagine that you emanate from your heart an enormous host of offering goddesses for each offering. Each has four arms, with their upper two hands holding a vajra and bell, and their lower two hands holding the substance they offer. The goddesses who offer the two waters and flowers are white; incense are smoke-colored; a butter lamp, orange; cologne water, green; food and sound, a mixture of variegated colors. OM ARGHAM PRATICCHA SVAHA water to drink OM PADYAM PRATICCHA SVAHA water for washing the feet OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM flowers OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM incense OM VAJRA DIPE AH HUM butter lamp OM VAJRA GANDHE AH HUM cologne water OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM food OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM music The goddesses of the senses also have four arms, with their upper right hands holding the offering object, their upper left a skullcup, their lower right hand a damaru-drum, and their lower left hand a katvanga-staff. The goddesses who offer sights are white and hold a mirror; sound are blue and hold a vina-lute; fragrances, yellow and hold a conch filled with cologne water; tastes, red and hold food; physical sensations, green and hold a silk garment, and vajradhatu (the vajra sphere of voidness), white and hold a black triangle, representing the three gateways to liberation. After each group of goddesses makes their offering, they dissolve back into your heart. OM AH VAJRA ADARSHE HUM sights OM AH VAJRA VINI HUM sounds OM AH VAJRA GANDHE HUM fragrances 12

The Short Path to Great Bliss

OM AH VAJRA RASE HUM tastes OM AH VAJRA SPARSHE HUM physical sensations OM AH VAJRA DHARME HUM vajra sphere of voidness.

Inner Offering Imagine emanating from your heart a host of red Vajra Taste goddesses, who make the inner offering and then dissolve back into your heart. OM GURU VAJRADHARMA SAPARI-VARA OM AH HUM

Secret Offering Imagine emanating from our heart a host of the three kinds of extremely beautiful dakinis: dakinis born from place, namely those having accomplishments merely on the generation stage; dakinis born from mantras, namely those having accomplishments on the complete stage but without yet having achieved a seeing pathway of mind (path of seeing); and simultaneously born dakinis, namely those with either an accustoming pathway of mind (path of meditation) or a pathway of mind needing no further training. They transform into Vajrayoginis and go in union with your root guru Vajradharma, reinforcing great blissful awareness in him and, since they share the same lineage with him, in all the lineage gurus around him as well. The dakinis then dissolve back into your heart. I offer you even beautiful, voluptuous, illusion-like consorts,    a host of messenger dakinis – Born from place, from mantra, and simultaneously born – Having slender figures, aglow with vibrant youth, And skilled in the sixty-four arts of love.

Offering the Very Nature of Reality I offer you the deepest mind of bodhichitta: The great deep awareness of co-arising bliss, free from obstructions, The sphere free from fabrication about everything’s nature, Which inseparably establishes appearances spontaneously, And is beyond all words, thought, and expression.

Making an Offering of Practice I take safe direction from the Three Precious Gems. I openly admit each and every one of my negative acts. I rejoice in the constructive acts of wandering beings. I take hold, with my heart, the purified state of a Buddha. I take safe direction, until my purified state, From the Buddhas, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly. To best fulfill the welfare of myself and others, I generate a bodhichitta aim.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Having generated a supreme bodhichitta aim, I invite all limited beings as my guests. Pleasantly shall I treat them, with supreme enlightening behavior, And shall attain Buddhahood for the sake of the benefit of all wandering beings.”

Making Kusali Offerings Outside the immeasurably magnificent palace, visualize four additional clusters of figures. The one in front has Shakyamuni Buddha in the center, surrounded by the guests for safe direction, which include all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, yidams and their mandala figures. The cluster to the right of this, from the perspective of Shakyamuni Buddha, has Manjushri in the center, surrounded by the powerful guests of good qualities, namely heroic viras, dakinis, protectors and safekeepers of the Dharma, as well as deities of wealth. The cluster behind and below the palace has Vajrapani in the center, surrounded by the guests to whom we owe karmic debts, such as interfering spirits, harmful spirits, and spirits that cause sickness. The cluster to the left of the central one has Avalokiteshevara in the center, surrounded by the guests of the six classes of limited beings, including local spirits, for whom you have compassion. Imagine that your mind, in the form of a red syllable VAM, transforms into a tiny Vajrayogini, which flies up your central channel and out the top of your head. When she emerges, your body changes back to its ordinary form. My own mind, as the Powerful Lady of Khechari, pure land of dakinis, (The size of) a mere thumb nail, Emerges from the crown of my head, And goes before my root guru, face-to-face, And then comes back again. She slices off the crown of the head of my old body And places it on top of a grate of three human heads, which has spontaneously appeared. She chops up the rest of my flesh, blood, and bones, Heaps them inside and, by staring at them with wide-open eyes, Purifies, transforms, and increases them into an ocean of nectar. OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH 3x From my heart, innumerable goddesses, holding skullcups, emanate forth; They scoop up nectar with these skullcups and offer it to the guests, Who partake of it by drawing it up through a straw of vajra-light (Which appears on each of) their tongues. The offering goddesses are in the form of red Vajra Taste. Holding the inner offering cup to the level of the crown of your head, flick a drop and offer it seven times with great respect to your root Guru Vajradharma.

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The Short Path to Great Bliss

To my root Guru who is, in identity-nature, the four Buddha Bodies, I offer this nectar, a close-bonding substance. May you be pleased: OM AH HUM (7x) Holding the inner offering cup to the level of your brow, flick a drop and offer it with great respect to the lineage gurus around him. To the lineage gurus, the sources of actual attainments, I offer this nectar, a close-bonding substance. May you be pleased: OM AH HUM. Holding the inner offering cup to the level of your heart, flick a drop and offer it to with great respect to the central figures in each of the four clusters around the palace, and to the figures in the cluster around Buddha Shakyamuni. To the host of gurus, Buddhas, yidams, Three Supreme Gems, and safekeepers of the Dharma, I offer this nectar, a close-bonding substance. May you be pleased: OM AH HUM. Holding the inner offering cup to the level of your navel, flick a drop and offer it casually, as if to friends, to the figures in the cluster around Manjushri. To the local heads of natural sites, I offer this nectar, a close-bonding substance, May you grant me your help a thousand fold: OM AH HUM. Holding the inner offering cup to the level of your knees, flick a drop and offer it, with compassion, as if to beggars, to the figures in the cluster around Avalokiteshvara, and as if paying back a debt, to the figures in the cluster around Vajrapani. To all six classes of limited beings And to those in the bardo state in between, I offer this nectar, a close-bonding substance, May you be freed: OM AH HUM. Having been made these offerings, all the (distinguished) guests Become satiated with untainted bliss; While the limited beings (among them) become parted as well From all obscuration and attain Dharmakaya. The three spheres of the offering (Myself as the giver, the items I offered, and those who received them), Become, in essential nature, nondual voidness and blissful awareness, Beyond all words, thought, and expression. 15

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Meditate on the voidness of the three spheres of the offering. The distinguished guests – namely, the central figures in each of the four clusters around the palace, and the figures in the clusters around Buddha Shakyamuni and Manjushri -- transform into Vajrayoginis and dissolve into your heart. The guests in the clusters around Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani also transform into the form of Vajrayoginis and fly off to Khechari, the pure land of the dakinis. Now left before us is only the immeasurably magnificent palace, with our root and lineage gurus inside.

Offering the Mandalas External Mandala OM VAJRA BHUMI AH HUM. Here is the mighty and powerful golden base. OM VAJRA REKHE AH HUM. Here is the diamond-hard fence. The outer ring is encircled with this iron fence. In the center stands Meru, the King of all Mountains; In the east is the Island of Giants; In the south, the Rose-Apple Island, Jambu-dvipa; In the west, the Island of Wealth from Cows; In the north, the Island of the Voice of Doom; (Around the east) the Isle of Gigantic People and the Isle of Giants; (Around the south) the Isle of Yaktail Fans and the Isle of Other Yaktail Fans; (Around the west) the Isle of Pretence and the Isle of Supreme Paths to Travel; (Around the north) the Isle of the Voice of Doom and the Isle of the Companion Voice of Doom. (In the east is) the jewel mountain, (In the south) the wish-granting tree, (In the west) the wish-granting cow, (In the north) the harvest of crops needing no cultivation. Here is the precious wheel, here the precious gem, Here is the precious queen, here the precious minister, Here is the precious elephant, here the precious and best of horses, Here is the precious general, and here is the great treasure vase. Here is the goddess of beauty, here the goddess of garlands, Here is the goddess of song, here the goddess of dance, Here is the goddess of flowers, here the goddess of incense, Here is the goddess of light, and here the goddess of perfume. Here is the sun, here the moon, Here is the umbrella of all that is precious, 16

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Here the banner of victory in all directions, And here in the center, the riches of gods and of men. All of these splendors, pure and stunning, lacking in nothing, I offer to you glorious and hallowed, kind root and lineage gurus. Out of compassion, accept them for the benefit of all limited beings. And having accepted them, I request you, please, Brighten me with your uplifting inspiration.

Internal and Secret Mandalas To you sources of safe direction, O treasures of compassion, I offer Mount Meru, the island worlds, precious fixtures of royalty, And a treasure vase, together with the sun and the moon, Produced out of my aggregates and the stimulators and sources of my cognitions

Secret Mandala And (generated) as the cognitive aspects Of my deep awareness of simultaneously arising voidness and bliss.

Mandala of the Very Nature of Reality Meditate on voidness coupled with dependent arising, also appearing in the form of Mount Meru, the four island-worlds, and so on.

Offering of the Three Poisonous Attitudes Please fully accept the objects that cause me To develop attachment, aversion, or bewilderment, As well as my enemies, friends and those neutral to me, together with my body and wealth, Which I offer without any sense of a loss, And brighten me with your inspiration so that My three poisonous attitudes release themselves automatically in their own place. IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Making Requests

Mahasiddha Naropa

To Vajradharma, lord of the Buddha-families of an ocean of the Triumphant, To Vajrayogini, supreme motherly partner of the Triumphant, At your feet, Narotapa, chief son of the Triumphant, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To the Pamting (brothers), holders of the explanation teachings of great secrets, To Sherab-tseg, you became a storehouse of all the secret treasures, At your feet, Mel (Lotsawa Lodro-dragpa), sovereign lord of a sea of secret mantra, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. 18

The Short Path to Great Bliss

To the great Sakya guru (Sachen Kunga-nyingpo), you attained a Vajradhara state, To the ennobling, impeccable Sonam-tsemo, his supreme vajra-son, At your feet, Dragpa-gyeltsen, crown ornament of vajra-holders, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To the great Sakya Pandita, master of the learned scholars of the Plane of Snow, To Pagpa (Lodro-gyel)tsen, crown ornament of all the three planes’ beings, At your feet, Zhangton Chojey (Konchog-pel), upholder of the Sakya “Grey Plane” teachings, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To Naza Dragpugpa (Sonam-pel), powerful lord of the accomplished siddhas, To the Dharma master (Lama-dampa Sonam-gyeltsen), navigator for the scholars and the supremely accomplished siddhas, To Yarlungpa (Senggey-gyeltsen), sovereign lord of oral transmissions of the families of siddhas, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To (Sonam)-gyelchog(-wang), guardian of the safe direction for beings -- self and others, To Jamyang Namkai-gyel(tsen), mahatma of great self-nature, At your feet, Dagchen Lodro-(gyel)tsen, Dharma master of great self-nature, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To ennobling, impeccable Doringpa (Kunzang-chokyi-nyima), unequalled in words of kindness; To the lord (Tsarchen) Losel-(gyatso), upholder of the teachings of those who’ve practised in accord with Buddha’s words, At your feet (Jamyang-) Kyentsey-(wangchug), expounder of great secrets from the lineage of Buddha’s words, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To Labsum-gyeltsen, upholder of the mantras of the Buddha-families, To glorious Wangchug-rabten, all-pervading master of a hundred Buddha-families, To the ennobling, impeccable Kangyurpa (Gonpo-sonam-choden), principal head of the Buddha-families, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To Zhalupa (Rinchen-sonam-shaydrub), all-pervading master of an ocean of mandalas, To the master Kyenrab (Ngawang-lhundrub), principal head of all the mandalas, At your feet, Morchenpa (Kunga-lhundrub), ruler of circles of mandalas, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To Naysarpa (Kunga-legpa-jungnay), navigator cross the ocean of oral transmissions, To (Dodrub) Losel-puntsog, sovereign lord of the oral transmissions, At your feet, Tendzin-trinlay, scholar who furthered the oral transmissions, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To Kangyurpa Ganden-tendzin, all-pervading master upholding the Ganden teachings, To Ganden-dargyay, friend of limited beings of a degenerate age: 19

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

You’ve spread the Ganden banner, At your feet, (Ngulchu) Dharmabhadra, upholder of the Ganden tradition, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To (Yangchen) Lozang-chopel, sovereign lord of the sutras and tantras, You’ve completed the points of the paths of all the sutras and the tantras, To (Lozang)-jigmey-wangpo, scholar furthering the sutras and tantras, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To (Pabongka) Dechen-nyingpo, you’ve received the inspiration of Naropa To explain the essential points, as well as did Naropa, Of the excellent ripening and liberating path of Naropa’s Dakini, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To (Trijang) Lozang-yeshey, holder of the vajras, Treasure trove of guidelines, both ripening and liberating, about the Vajra Queen, The foremost speedy path to achieve a vajra state. I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. To (my root guru .....), your body incorporates, without exception, the extremely numerous Buddhas, Master in giving discourse on the enlightening paths, extremely secure, To all wandering beings pervading space, from your extremely loving-compassion, I make requests: direct me, please, to simultaneously arising deep awareness. Brighten me with your inspiration so that by the force of having meditated On the profound dakini-yoga of the generation stage And on the central channel yoga of the (following) complete stage, I might develop simultaneously arising deep awareness of great bliss And thus attain a dakini’s topmost state.

Requesting and Receiving Empowerment O my Guru, you incorporate every source of safe direction, I make requests: Uplift me with your brightening inspiration. Grant me fully the four empowerments and direct me to The topmost state of a Buddha’s four bodies. 3x With first repetition, you request your root guru Buddha Vajradharma. With the second, your root guru glances around to all the lineage gurus surrounding him, going counter-clockwise from his own perspective, and asks their permission, “My disciple wishes the empowerment.” With the third repetition, the lineage gurus, going counter-clockwise, nod and give their consent. From a (white) OM at the forehead of my guru, White nectar and light-rays pour forth. Dissolving into my forehead, they purify my body Of negative karmic forces and obstacles. I receive the vase empowerment 20

The Short Path to Great Bliss

And the inspiration of my guru’s enlightening body enters my body. From a (red) AH at the throat of my guru, Red nectar and light-rays pour forth. Dissolving into my throat, they purify my speech Of negative karmic forces and obstacles. I receive the secret empowerment And the inspiration of my guru’s enlightening speech enters my speech. From a (blue) HUM at the heart of my guru, Blue nectar and light-rays pour forth. Dissolving into my heart, they purify my mind Of negative karmic forces and obstacles. I receive the discriminating deep awareness empowerment And the inspiration of my guru’s enlightening mind enters my mind. From the three syllables at my guru’s three places, White, red, and blue nectar and light-rays pour forth. Dissolving into my three places, they purify my body, speech, and mind Of negative karmic forces and obstacles. I receive the fourth empowerment, the precious word empowerment, And the inspiration of my guru’s enlightening body, speech, and mind enters my body, speech, and mind.

OM AH HUM

The uncommon method for receiving the four empowerments, to be added here, needs to be learned from your guru.

Dissolution of the Field for Growing Positive Force To you precious gurus having the essential nature of all the Buddhas of the three times, I make requests: brighten my mind-stream with inspiration. 3x Having thus been requested, the encircling lineage gurus Dissolve into my root guru at the center. Then my root Guru as well, out of affection for me, Melts into the form of red light, Which enters me through the crown of my head And at my heart transforms into the form of a red syllable VAM Which is mixed inseparably with my own mind. Visualize that Vira Vajradharma on the first throne in front of your root guru Buddha Vajradharma dissolves into Vajrayogini to his own left and his throne dissolves into hers. She and her throne then dissolve into Naropa as a Vira Vajradharma and his throne, and this continues, going all around counter-clockwise. The final figure in this circle, your root guru’s guru in the form of 21

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Vira Vajradharma, together with his throne and the immeasurably magnificent palace all dissolve into your root guru Buddha Vajradharma and his throne in the center. Meditate on your root guru’s extremely strong affection for you and your own firm conviction in his good qualities and deep appreciation and respect for his kindness. His throne then dissolves into him and he dissolves into a ball of red light, the size of a small wild bird’s egg. This enters you through the crown of your head, descends to your heart and dissolves into your mind appearing there as the red syllable VAM. Feel that your mind becomes inseparably mixed with your root guru’s nondual deep awareness of simultaneously arising blissful awareness and voidness.

The Yoga of the Generation of Oneself as the Deity Taking Death as a Pathway for Dharmakaya This very syllable VAM becomes bigger and bigger Until it becomes equal to the infinitude of space, Whereby all the environment and the beings within Become of the nature of voidness and bliss. Once again, gradually condensing from infinity down, It becomes an extremely minute syllable VAM, Which in stages dissolves up to the squiggle. When the body of the VAM dissolves into its head, imagine that your consciousness is no longer supported by the earth element of your body. When the head of the VAM dissolves into the crescent moon above it, it is no longer supported by the water element. When the crescent moon dissolves into the drop above it, it is no longer supported by the fire element. When the drop dissolves into the squiggle, it is no longer supported by the wind element. Then, even the squiggle (dissolves), becoming A non-objectifying Dharmakaya of inseparable voidness and bliss. OM SHUNYATA JNANA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO ‘HAM Dissolution of VAM

22

The Short Path to Great Bliss

When the first curve of the squiggle dissolves into the second, meditate on the white appearance-congealing mind. When the second curve dissolves into the third, meditate on the red light-diffusion mind. When the third curve dissolves into its tip, meditate on the black threshold mind. When the tip dissolves as well and there are no longer any appearances of truly established existence, meditate on clear light deep awareness of inseparable simultaneously arising blissful awareness and voidness. Hold the pride of a Dharmakaya on this deep awareness. Taking Bardo as a Pathway for Sambhogakaya Within a state of voidness, in which all appearances have been condensed like this, There arises what is, in essential nature, my own mind, But, as the cognitive aspect of its deep awareness of nondual voidness and bliss, It’s in the form of a red syllable VAM, Standing as this aspect, upright in space.

Squiggle [nada or thigle}

Hold the pride of a Sambhogakaya on this syllable VAM.

Taking Rebirth as a Pathway for Nirmanakaya Within a state of voidness, from E and E (below me), Comes a double tetrahedral red reality source, Inside it, from an A, comes a white moon mandala, with a shade of red, With (a red syllable VAM standing in its center And) a mantra set around its edge, encircled counter-clockwise: OM OM OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA VARNANIYE VAJRA VAIROCHANIYE

In early Indian Brahmi script the letter E was triangle-shaped, thus two Es facing each other forming the two-dimensional, star-shaped basis of a dharmakara.

HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SVAHA The reality source consists of two upside-down tetrahedrons, made of light, white on the outside and red on the inside, and superimposed upon each other, such that the cross section of the top of the reality source is a six-pointed star. The cross sections going downward become increasingly narrower, so that it ends with a single tip at its bottom. The syllables of the mantra are red and stand upright on the flat white moon. As the syllable VAM in space, (I look down and) when I see the moon, I get the propelling (wish) to take birth in its center. By means of that, I (descend and, merging with the VAM there,) stand in the center of the moon. Light-rays emanate from the moon, the syllable VAM, as well as from the mantra-garland, 23

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Dharmakara with moon-disc, the VAM syllable, and the Vajrayogini mantra standing around counter-clockwise

And make all the environment and beings of samsara and nirvana into the nature of ennobling, impeccable Vajrayoginis. These gather back and dissolve into the syllable VAM together with the mantra-garland, Whereby they (all melt into a large ball of red light and) transform into the supporting and supported mandalas, fully all at once. Hold the pride of a Nirmanakaya on the entire supporting and supported mandalas. 24

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Clarifying the Visualization of the Supporting Mandala Environment Moreover, for that, there’s a vajra ground, fence, and tent, Including a canopy-ceiling, Outside of which, blazes a mass of five-colored flames whirling counter-clockwise. Within, it’s encircled with the eight great charnel grounds: “Fiercely Ferocious” and so forth. In the center of these is a double tetrahedral red reality source, With its broad top facing upward and its fine point sticking downward. Except for the front and the back, the four corner chambers (of the double tetrahedron) Are each one marked with a pink bliss swirl, whirling counter-clockwise. The vajra ground is flat and made of an enormous crossed double vajra, with all the space in between filled by larger and smaller vajras. Ringing the circular perimeter of the base are sixty-four large vajras lying flat, with one large vajra standing vertically on the hub of each of these vajras and forming the vajra fence. Resting flat on top of this fence is a flat vajra canopy ceiling, with a structure exactly like that of the vajra gound. Also on top of the vajra fence and above the vajra canopy is a coneshaped vajra tent. The entire structure forms a singular unit made of vajras, such that there are no empty spaces between any of the spokes of the vajras. The vajra fence is surrounded by five-colored flames of deep awareness, whirling counter-clockwise, with tiny vajras darting through it like arrows, warding off any interfering spirits or interferences. Within the vajra-fence are the eight great charnel grounds, with each one having a tree, a directional protector sitting beneath it, a local area protector peering out from atop it, a lake beside it with a cloud above, and a mountain behind it with a stupa on its top. The double tetrahedral reality source is white on the outside and red on the inside. Its point rests in the center of the vajra ground and its flat top ends slightly beneath the vajra canopy. The bliss swirls are in the center of the four side chambers. The eight-petaled lotus inside the reality source rises from the lower tip of the reality source and its petals rise up along the walls of the central chamber. 25

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Clarifying the Visualization of the Supported Deity, Vajrayogini Within the reality source is an eight-petaled variegated lotus, On the seed-head of which, on top of a sun-disc mandala, I stand in the bodily form of the ennobling, impeccable Vajrayogini. With my outstretched right leg, I tread on the breasts of red Kalarati, With my bent left leg, I tread on the back of black Bhairava who (is on his stomach) with his head facing backwards. My body is red in color, with a brilliance like the fires at the time of the eons of destruction. I have one face, two arms and three eyes, which look up toward Khechari, the Pure Land of Dakinis. With my right hand, I hold outstretched a cleaver facing downwards and marked with a vajra. With my left, I hold up in the air a skullcup filled with blood, which I partake of with my upturned mouth. With my left shoulder, I support a khatvanga-staff, marked with a vajra (at its tip) And from which hangs a damaru-drum, a bell, and a triple banner. My glistening, black hair covers my back down to my waist. In the prime of my youth, my desirous nipples full (and erect), I experience ever-enhancing bliss. I wear a crown of five dried human skulls And a long hanging necklace of fifty dried human skulls. Naked, I’m bedecked with the mudra-seal of the five bone-ornaments, As I stand in the center of a blazing fire of deep awareness.

Yoga of Purifying Wandering Beings

At my heart, inside a double tetrahedral red reality source Is a moon-disc mandala, in the center of which Stands a syllable VAM, encircled with the mantra, From which light-rays go forth, streaming out from the pores of my skin. Striking all limited beings of the six realms of rebirth, They cleanse them of their negative karmic forces and obstacles, together with their instincts, And transform them all into the bodily form of Vajrayoginis.

The double tetrahedral reality source is inside the central channel in the center of your heart chakra. Like the external reality source, it is white on the outside and red on the inside and has an 26

The Short Path to Great Bliss

eight-petaled variegated lotus inside it, with the moon-disc seat of the internal Vajrayogini on its seed-head. Each of its four side chambers contains in its middle a pink bliss swirl whirling counterclockwise, The syllable VAM is red, as are the syllables of the Vajrayogini mantra, which are standing upright, arranged counter-clockwise along the edge of the moon-disc and facing inwards. The light rays emanate from the moon-disc, VAM, and mantra-garland, and are either of five colors or all red. In the case of rays of five colors, at the tip of each ray is a dakini from one of the five circles of dakinis in the Chakrasamvara mandala. In the case of all red rays, at the tip of each is a Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi couple. The purification of all limited beings entails purifying and transforming their minds into a Dharmakaya blissful awareness of voidness, their bodies into Vajrayoginis, and their environment into double tetrahedral reality sources. The light-rays dissolve back into you, and all the transformed beings and their environments remain where they are.

Ennobling Brightening of Oneself through the Heroic Viras and Virinis Generation of the Body Mandala In the center of the reality source at my heart, containing a moon-disc, (A replica of the creative energy-drop located there, Joined with the “springtime” drop that has risen there from my navel, Dissolve into) the VAM, Which has an identity-nature of the four bodily elements (contained as specks within those two drops). From (the VAM) splitting open, There arise (from the vowels inherent within the VAM) The seed syllables of the four elements, YA RA LA VA.

Splitting of the VAM syllable

27

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

(A replica) abiding in the functional nature (of the ring-shaped inner ends) Of the four cardinal direction energychannels at my heart, such as “the Desire One” and so forth, (Joined with the energy-source drops within them, Dissolve into these four seed syllables, which then) Transform, starting from the left, into (green) Lama, (Red) Kandarohi (in the back), (yellow) Rupini (to the right), and (white) Dakini (in front). (A replica abiding in) the essential nature of The unified pair of my subtlest “springtime” drop The Heart Dakinis and creative energy-drop (Dissolves into) the crescent moon, drop, and squiggle (atop a short vowel A that remain) of the syllable VAM in the center (of the moon disc And transforms them into) an ennobling, impeccable Vajrayogini. In stages beyond them, are (the inner ends of) The twenty-four energy-channels -- “the Indivisible One” and so on – that go to my twenty-four bodily locations -- my hair-line, the crown of my head, and the rest – And the twenty-four energy-source drops (within them), -- “Spawning the Teeth,” “the Nails,” and so forth. (A replica of the inner end of each) energy-channel And its energy-source drop, inseparable in essential nature, (Dissolves into and) abides in the essential nature of (Each of the first) twenty-four syllables of the mantra, OM OM and so on, Arranged (around the edge of the moon-disc) Counter-clockwise in a circle from the east. These transform into the eight heroic lady virinis of the mind family: Prachanda, Chandakshi, Prabhavati, Maha-nasa, Vira-mati, Kharvari, Lankeshvari and Druma-cchaya; The eight heroic lady virinis of the speech family: Iravati, Maha-bhairava, Vayu-vega, Sura-bhakshi, Shyama-devi, Subhadra, Haya-karna and Khaganana; And the eight heroic lady virinis of the body family: 28

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Chakra-vega, Khandarohi, Shaundini, Chakra-varmini, Suvira, Maha-bala, Chakra-vartini and Maha-virya. They are in actuality the yoginis who are nondual With the heroic viras at the twenty-four external sacred sites, Pullira-malaya and so forth. (A replica abiding in the essential nature of each of the inner tips of) The energy-channels and their energy-source drops of the eight gateways of my body -- my mouth and so forth – (Dissolve into and become) inseparable in essential nature With the (last) eight syllables, HUM HUM and so on, Transforming them into Kakasya, Ulukasya, Shva-nasya, Shuka-rasya, Yama-dadhi, Yama-duti, Yama-damshtrini, and Yama-mathani. All (thirty-two) of these have the (red) bodily form Of an ennobling, impeccable Vajrayogini, Complete with all details and parts.

m ha -S

ad a e M v i S uw ire a uv tr e -S H i ni a y var k a rne k ra Cha K h ni agana aundi ne - C hakravega - Kandharohi - Sh

ha ba

le

- Ka kasye - U lukasye - Shavanasye

Rupini (earth)

- Vay harva ravi ri - Drum abhai achaya - Airavati - Mah

i-M aha vir y a

ge uve

-

kra var t in

i sh ak h b a Sur

-C ha

Khandarohi (fire)

Lama (air)

asye

Vir am ati -L ank eshv ari K

ar Shuk

na se

-

hi ad ad Yam

Dakini (water) -

Seed-Syllables and Names of the Deities of the Body Mandala

Yam adh uti

-

Yam adam shtrin i - Yamam athani

29

i vat bha a r P i aksh d n a h i- C Prachand

-

ha Ma

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Merging of the Deep Awareness Beings and Mixing with the Three Types of Messenger-Dakinis PHEM! Make the blazing mudra with your hands by having your palms face downwards, your two thumbs touching each other, your right forefinger crossed over your left forefinger and the other three fingers of each hand stretched outwards with no space between them. Uncross your crossed legs and sit with your left big toe on top of your right big toe. Raising your hands with this mudra from your left hip to the level of your forehead and looking upwards, circle your hands three times counterclockwise to the left of your forehead, three times clockwise to the right of your forehead, and again three times counter-clockwise in the center of your forehead. Then shout PHEM loudly through the triangle made by your two joined thumbs and crossed forefingers, thus calling all dakinis. From the syllable VAM at my heart, light-rays go forth And stream out from between my brows. Having gone to the ten directions, they bring back before me All the Thusly Gone Buddhas, heroic viras, and yoginis from the ten directions In the bodily form of Vajrayoginis. In the heart of the central figure of the body mandala is a double tetrahedral red reality source, with four pink bliss swirls, one in each if the four side chambers, and an eight-petalled lotus inside its central chamber, and a moon-disc on its seed-head with a red syllable VAM standing in its center. From the squiggle on top of this VAM, red light-rays having the shape of hooks on their tips go up your central channel and stream out from between your brows as the large Vajrayogini. All the figures hooked back and brought before you as Vajrayoginis are complete with double tetrahedral reality sources and protection circles, and among them, include the transformed beings and their environments that remain from the yoga of purifying wandering beings. The countless number of these that return merges one into the other until there is just one left. JAH HUM BAM HOH. With JAH, it rests slightly above our entire visualization; with HUM, it dissolves in unison, each part into its corresponding part; with BAM, it mixes to become one; and with HOH, you feel great joy at them becoming firm and inseparable. The three types of messenger-dakinis – external, internal, and secret –each contain three groups that consist of three levels of dakinis – lower level, middle level, and higher level. In the external group, the lower level messenger-dakinis are women who have reached accomplishments on the generation stage practices or higher of Vajrayogini; the middle are dakinis living in the twenty-four external sacred sites of Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi; and the higher are dakinis living in Akanishta, the pure land of the dakinis “Beneath Nothing.” In the internal group, the lower level messenger-dakinis are the inner ends of the energy-channels and energy-source drops of the channels of the eight gateways of the body; the middle are those of the channels of the twenty-four bodily locations; and the higher are those of the channels of the four bodily elements. 30

The Short Path to Great Bliss

In the secret group, the lower level messenger-dakinis are the minds having meditation on simultaneously arising voidness and great bliss only with the imagination before attainment of any of the five pathway minds, the middle are the minds with conceptual meditation on this with a buildingup or applying pathway mind (path of accumulation or path of preparation), and the higher are the minds with nonconceptual meditation on this with a seeing or accustoming pathway mind (path of seeing or path of meditation). The external group is mixed with the internal group, which is in the form of the dakinis of the body mandala, who are mixed with the secret group. All aspects of this process of mixing the three types of messenger-dakinis occur simultaneously. OM YOGA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMA YOGA SHUDDHO ‘HAM All phenomena have the identity nature of the yoga of purity (of the three kinds of messenger-dakinis) I am that. As you recite the above mantra and its meaning, rotate your hands in the lotus mudra at the level of your heart three times: once to the left, once to the right, and once in the center, and then cross your arms in the embracing mudra, the right arm under the left, with each hand held in the threatening mudra, with the first and last fingers outstretched and the middle and fourth fingers bent toward the palm with the thumbs pressed on top of them.

Donning the Body Armor At my bodily places, there arise moon-disc mandalas, on top of which At my navel, a red OM VAM, in essential nature: Vajra-varahi, At my heart, a blue HAM YAM – Yamini. At my mouth, on a moon-disc, a white HRIM MOM – Mohini. At my forehead, a yellow HRIM HRIM – Kshobini, At the crown of my head, a green HUM HUM – Trasini. On all my limbs, a smoke-colored PHAT PHAT – Chandika.

Body Armor Visualization HUM HUM Samtrasani (w/ Rantnasambhava Mamaki))

HRIM HRIM Sachalani (w/ Vajradhara Vajradhatu Ishvari)

HRIM MOM Mohani (w/ Amithaba Pandaravasini)

HAM YOM Yamani (w/ Vairochana Lochana)

OM BAM Vajravarahi (w/ Akshobya Vajravarahi)

The inside of your body as Vajrayogini is red, as is the outer red skin. Just beneath the skin is the thin layer of colored light of the body armor, with each band of light encircling the body. The red band of light extends from your navel down to your mid-

PHAT PHAT Chandika (w/ Amoghasiddhi Samaya Tara) 31

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

thighs, the blue from the bottom of your neck to your navel, the white from the bottom of your neck to your forehead, the yellow across your forehead, the green over the top of your head, and the grey from your mid-thighs to your feet and from your shoulders down to your hands. The moon discs are horizontal and the letters on them are upright and face outwards. The moon at the mouth is actually at your Adam’s apple. There are eight moons and letters, one at each joint, in the gray region. The armor keeps insights in and interferences out.

Receiving Empowerment and Gaining a Crown Seal PHEM! Make the blazing mudra, as before. From the syllable VAM at my heart, light-rays go forth And bring back before me the empowering deities And the supporting and supported Chakrasamvara mandala. “I request all you Thusly Gone Buddhas, Please bestow the empowerments on me.” Having thus been requested, The eight dakinis of the doorways and corners drive away any interfering spirits. The heroic viras recite verses for auspiciousness; The heroic lady virinis sing vajra songs; And the Vajra Sight goddess and the rest make the offerings. The principle deity then grants permission to bestow the empowerments. The four motherly partners and Vajra-varahi Confer the empowerment on the crown of my head With jewelled precious vases filled with the five nectars. “Just as right at the time of their birth, The Thusly Gone Buddhas were bathed, We likewise bathe you With the purifying waters of the gods. OM SARVA TATHAGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE HUM.” Saying this, they bestow empowerment. My body becomes filled (with the nectars), All stains are purified away, And the overflow liquid remaining on the top of my head Transforms and crowns me with a (white) Vairochana Heruka, (seated) together with his motherly partner.

32

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Making the Outer Offerings to Ourselves as Vajrayoginis Offering goddesses emanated from my heart make the offerings: OM ARGHAM PRATICCHA SVAHA water to drink OM PADYAM PRATICCHA SVAHA water for washing the feet OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM flowers OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM incense OM VAJRA DIPE AH HUM butter lamp OM VAJRA GANDHE AH HUM cologne water OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM food OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM music OM AH VAJRA ADARSHE HUM sights OM AH VAJRA VINI HUM sounds OM AH VAJRA GANDHE HUM fragrances OM AH VAJRA RASE HUM tastes OM AH VAJRA SPARSHE HUM physical sensations OM AH VAJRA DHARME HUM vajra sphere of voidness. The offering goddesses are as before.

Making an Inner Offering OM OM OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA VARNANIYE VAJRA VAIROCHANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SVAHA OM AH HUM The inner offering is made by the Vajra Taste goddess, as before.

Making a Secret Offering and an Offering of the Very Nature of Reality As Vajrayogini myself, I stand in union With Chakrasamvara, who has been transformed from my khatvanga-staff, And generate simultaneously arising Blissful awareness and voidness.

Optional (if you are a male practitioner) I give up the breasts of myself appearing clearly as the Yogini And they transform into a “baula” (penis) Situated properly in the center of my “kakkola-berry” (vagina). Its two walls transform into a pair of bell (testicles).

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

My stamen (clitoris) transforms into the “baula” head (of a penis). Thus, I take on the bodily form of a Heruka of Great Bliss, (Embracing) a secret motherly partner Vajrayogini, Having an identity-nature incorporating all the dakinis. Within a nonobjectifying state (of voidness), The private place of the fatherly partner, from a white HUM, Transforms into a white five-spoked vajra. At its tip, transforming from a red VYA, comes a red gem, Marked with a yellow VYA. Within a nonobjectifying state (of voidness), The private place of the motherly partner, from a (red) A Transforms into a red three-petaled lotus. Transforming from a white DYA, it has a white stamen, Representing white bodhichitta and marked at its tip with a yellow DYA.

Heruka and Vajrayogini in Union

OM SHRI MAHA SUKHA VAJRA HE HE RU RU KAM AH HUM HUM PHAT SVAHA. From the mother and father going into union, My bodhichitta melts. Arriving from the crown of my head to my throat – joy; Arriving from my throat to my heart – supreme joy; Arriving from my heart to my navel – distinguished joy; Arriving from my navel to the tip of my gem, There arises deep awareness of simultaneously arising joy, Whereby I enter into the meditative attainment of total absorption on inseparable, simultaneously arising blissful awareness and voidness. Absorbed in single-pointed concentration on the significance of the very nature of reality, Namely that the three spheres of the offering are devoid of a self-establishing nature, And joining that with the inseparability of blissful awareness and voidness like that, I am satiated with the secret offering and the offering of the very nature of reality. 34

The Short Path to Great Bliss

If you have followed the above optional visualization of changing genders, then recite and visualize changing back. Once more I transform in aspect Into the Ennobling, Impeccable Lady.

Offering Praise Imagine that offering goddesses emanate from your heart and offer you the following praises while touching your feet with their palms pressed together. After offering praise, they dissolve back into your heart. OM NAMO BHAGAVATI VAJRA VARAHI VAM HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO ARYA PARAJITE TRAILOKYA MATE VIDYESHVARI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO SARVA BHUTA BHAYA VAHE MAHA VAJRE HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VAJRASANI AJITE APARAJITE VASHAM KARI NETRA HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO BHRAMANI SHOSHANI ROSHANI KRODHE KARALINI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO TRASANI MARANI PRABHEDANI PARAJAYE HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VIJIAYE JAMBHANI STAMBHANI MOHANI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VAJRA VARAHI MAHA YOGINI KAMESHVARI KHAGE HUM HUM PHAT.

Yoga of Verbal and Mental Mantra Recitation Before reciting the mantra, meditate on the clarity of the visualization and divine pride.

Verbal Mantra Recitation Inside a double tetrahedral (red) reality source at my heart is a moon mandala, With a red syllable VAM standing in its center, And a mantra-garland set around its edge, encircled counter-clockwise (and facing inwards). From these, emanate immeasurable rays of red light, Cleansing all limited beings of their negative karmic forces and obstacles, and making offerings to all the Buddhas. They bring back before me their inspiration, abilities and strength in the form of rays of red light, Which dissolve into the mantra-garland, Thus brightening my mind-stream with uplifting inspiration. OM OM OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA VARNANIYE VAJRA VAIROCHANIYE 35

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SVAHA 7, 21, or 100x

EY I

P AH T P AH

NIKAD AHDDU EYI B AV JAV R

MUH MUH M UH

AR

ARJAV EYINA IAV NR R O AV C NA

MO AHAVS T MO A H PT MO AS

Seed Syllable VAM with Vajrayogini mantra standing counterclockwise around it (in Tibetan and English)

breathing in and, by swallowing, bringing your upper winds downwards and, by contracting your sphincter muscles, drawing your lower winds upwards to the level of your navel. While holding your breath like this “in a vase,” imagine that the pink bliss swirls in each of the four side chambers of the reality source at your navel simultaneously all whirl rapidly, counter-clockwise. Focus on the four swirls and, without straining, when you can no longer hold your breath, exhale slowly and relax your sphincter muscles.

Mental Mantra Recitation With the double tetrahedral reality source, with its lotus, moon-disc, mantra-garland, and VAM, still in your central channel at your navel, and your mind focused as the VAM, silently read the letters of the mantra-garland three 36

If it is too difficult to recite the mantra while maintaining the visualization of the body mandala at your heart in your central channel, with the reality source, lotus, moon, mantra-garland, and syllable VAM inside the heart of its central figure, transform the body mandala back into the mantra-garland and syllable VAM from which they derived and imagine emanating the red light from them.

The First Parenthetical Complete Stage Practice Imagine that the double tetrahedral red reality source, with the deities of the body mandala and so forth inside it, descends within your central channel to the level of your navel chakra. If you had not done so before during the verbal recitation, transform the deities of the body mandala back into the mantra-garland and syllable VAM. Do one or two rounds of “vase breathing” by gently

The Short Path to Great Bliss

times silently, without having the VAM swivel round. After this mental recitation, release your breath and imagine the double tetrahedral reality source returns to the level of your heart.

The Second Parenthetical Complete Stage Practice Imagine that the reality source in your central channel returns to the level of your heart chakra and then ignore visualizing it there. Focus merely on your body as the large Vajrayogini being empty, except for the central channel, which runs from your third eye to four finger-widths below your navel. It is straight and red on the inside, blue on the outside. At its lower end is a red bliss swirl and at its top end is a white bliss swirl. Both are whirling rapidly counter-clockwise. First, the white swirl slowly descends to the level of your heart and you experience your entire body filled with blissful awareness. Then the red swirl slowly ascends to your heart and you experience all appearances disappearing with your discriminating awareness of voidness. The two swirls meet and merge at your heart, becoming a pink swirl, and you imagine inseparable blissful awareness and voidness – in other words, blissful awareness inseparably of voidness. The pink swirl, spinning rapidly counter-clockwise, gradually becomes smaller and smaller until it disappears and you absorb your concentration on inseparable blissful awareness and voidness. The deep awareness of this inseparable joined pair is the secret Vajrayogini.

Inconceivable Yoga Once more visualize the reality source with its moon-disc and so on inside your central channel at the level of your heart chakra. If possible, visualize it with the complete body mandala, as before. Light-rays emanate from the syllable VAM Together with the mantra-garland at my heart And pervade all three planes of samsaric existence. The plane of formless beings dissolves into the upper part of my body, in the form of rays of blue light. The plane of ethereal forms dissolves into the middle part of my body, in the form of rays of red light. And the plane of sensory desires dissolves into the lower part of my body, in the form of rays of white light. I, as well, melt in stages from above and below and dissolve into the reality source. That dissolves into the moon (disc mandala). If visualizing the body mandala: That dissolves into the thirty-two yoginis, They dissolve into the Principal Lady of the body mandala, The Principal Lady as well, melts in stages from above and below And dissolves into the reality source. That dissolves into the moon (disc mandala), That dissolves into the mantra-garland, That into the syllable VAM, 37

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

That into the head of the VAM, That into the crescent moon, That into the drop, And that into the nada squiggle. That shrinks smaller and smaller, and disappears from focal aim (into voidness). Remain focused on clear-light deep awareness of inseparable voidness and bliss.

Yoga of Activities

Arising Once More as Vajrayogini Within a state of voidness, I arise in the bodily form of the ennobling, impeccable Vajrayogini,

Donning the Body Armor for Warding Off Internal Interferences At my bodily places, there arise moon-disc mandalas, on top of which At my navel, a red OM VAM, in essential nature: Vajra-varahi, At my heart, a blue HAM YAM – Yamini. At my mouth, on a moon-disc, a white HRIM MOM – Mohini. At my forehead, a yellow HRIM HRIM – Kshobini, At the crown of my head, a green HUM HUM – Trasini. On all my limbs, a smoke-colored PHAT PHAT – Chandika.

Warding off External Interferences OM SUMBHANI SUMBHA HUM HUM PHAT; OM GRIHNA GRIHNA HUM HUM PHAT; OM GRIHNAPAYA GRIHNAPAYA HUM HUM PHAT; OM ANAYA HO BHAGAVAN VAJRA HUM HUM PHAT. 2x As you recite the above mantra, snap the thumb and first finger of your left hand held in the threatening mudra ten times, while imagining each time emanating one of the dakinis of the doorways and corners of the Chakrasamvara mandala to chase away interferences and the mantra establishing a protection circle of light rays of blissful awareness of voidness. With the first repetition of the four-line mantra, snap your fingers in the four cardinal directions, going counter-clockwise, starting with the east in front of you. In the east, snap twice so as to include the upward direction, in the north snap only once, in the west snap twice so as to include the downward direction, and in the south again only once. With the second repetition, snap your fingers once in each of the intermediate directions, going clockwise, starting from the southeast. Visualize as well the protection circle of the vajra ground, fence, ceiling-canopy, and tent, together with the surrounding flames of deep awareness.

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Yogas Done between Sessions: Offering of Torma-Cakes Set up three torma-cakes or, as a substitute, cookies in three closed jars. The one in the center is for Vajra Yogini, the one on the left is for all dakinis in general and so on, and the one on the right is for the Charnel Ground Overlord protectors and so on.

Ennobling Consecration of the Outer Offerings for the Guests OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT While reciting this mantra, imagine, as before, that a host of Khandarohis are emitted from your heart, chase away all interferences and interfering spirits, and then dissolve back into your heart. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM (Everything) transforms into its voidness. Within a state of voidness, from KAMs, Come (eight) skullcups, broad and expansive; Inside (each of them) is a HUM, From which come the offering substances. By nature, they are voidness; In aspect, they are the offering substances; Their function, as objects enjoyed by the six sensors, Is to enhance a special untainted blissful awareness. OM ARGHAM AH HUM water to drink OM PADYAM AH HUM water for washing the feet OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM flowers OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM incense OM VAJRA DIPAM AH HUM butter lamp OM VAJRA GHANDE AH HUM cologne water OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM food OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM music

Ennobling Consecration of the Torma Cakes OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT While reciting this mantra, imagine, as before, that a host of Khandarohis are emitted from your heart, chase away all interferences and interfering spirits, and then dissolve back into your heart. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM (Everything) transforms into its voidness. Within a state of voidness, from YAM, (comes a mandala of) wind, (On top of it,) from RAM, (one of) fire, (On top of that,) from OM, AH, HUM, comes a grate of three human heads, On top of which, from an AH, comes a skullcup, broad and expansive.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Inside it, from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, and HUM, Come the five nectars, And from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, and VAM, the five types of flesh, With each of them marked (with its syllable). The wind blows; the fire blazes; the heat of the fire Melts the ingredients, transforming them (into an orange-colored liquid). Above this, from a HUM (comes) a white khatvanga-staff, upside-down. It melts and, descending into the skullcup, transforms the contents into the color of mercury, (silvery-white). Above (the nectar) appear three rings, stacked one atop the other, Of the vowels and consonants (of the Sanskrit alphabet). These transform into an OM, AH, and HUM. From these, light-rays emanate and scoop back in The deep awareness nectars from the hearts Of all the heroic viras and yoginis abiding in the ten directions. Adding them (to the nectar in the skullcup, The volume) increases and becomes immense. OM AH HUM. 3x

Invoking of the Guests for the Tormas PHEM!! Make the blazing mudra, as before. From the syllable VAM at my heart, light rays go forth And from Akanishta, the Pure Land of Dakinis “Beneath Nothing,” They bring back to the space before me The ennobling impeccable Vajrayogini, Encircled by a host of gurus, yidams, Buddha, bodhisattvas, Heroic viras, dakinis, Dharma protectors and worldly protectors. On the tongues of the guests, coming from HUMs, Sit three-spoked vajras, Outfitted with tubes made of light, like mere barley shafts, Through which they draw up and consume the essence of the torma.

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Offering the Torma Cakes Imagine emanating from your heart Karmavajra, a replica of yourself as Vajrayogini. She offers the tormas and then the other offerings. OM AH VAJRA ARALI HOH, JAH HUM VAM HOH, VAJRA DAKINYA SAMAYA STRAM TRISHYA HOH (3x) With the first repetition, she offers the torma to Vajrayogini; with the second, to the other dakinis around her in the body mandala; with the third, to the Buddhas, yidams and so on of other mandalas. OM KHA-KHA KHAHI KHAHI, SARVA YAKSHA RAKSHASA, BHUTA, PRETA, PISHACHA, UNMADA, APASMARA, VAJRA DAKA DAKINYADAYA, IMAM BALIM GRIHNANTU, SAMAYA RAKSHANTU, MAMA SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHANTU, YATHEVAM, YATHASHTAM, BHUJATHA, PIBATHA, JIGRATHA, MATI KRAMATHA, MAMA SARVA KARTAYA, SAD-SUKHAM VISHUDDHAYE, SAHA-YIKA BHAVANTU HUM HUM PHAT PHAT SVAHA. (2x) With the first repetition, she offers the torma to the dakinis of the twenty-four external places; with the second repetition, to the protectors.

Outer Offering OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARI-VARA ARGHAM water to drink PADYAM water for washing the feet PUSHPE flowers DUPE incense ALOKE butter lamp GANDHE cologne water NAIVIDYA food SHABDA AH HUM music

Inner Offering OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARI-VARA OM AH HUM

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Offering Prostration I prostrate to you, glorious Vajra-dakini. You wield the wheel of authority over all dakinis. Having gained the five types of deep awarenesses and the three Buddha Bodies, You provide safe direction to wandering beings. I prostrate to as many Vajra-dakinis (as you manifest in), Who, as ladies engaging in worldly affairs, Cut off the bondage of our conceptual thought.

Offering of “The Prayer to Behold the Excellent Face of Khechari” In the operatic ballet of the voidness and bliss of infinite Buddhas, You can appear in any illusory role, worldly or nirvanic, (a disciple may need). O beautiful Powerful Lady of Khechari, remember this from your heart And from (among all of these, appear) here and now, And sustain me with the playful joy of your embrace. In Akanistha, the Pure Land of Dakinis “Beneath Nothing,” You’re simultaneously arising (voidness and bliss), the motherly partner of the Triumphant Ones. In the twenty-four sacred sites, you’re the Lady of the Dakas born from fields. On the gem-laden (earth), you’re the karmamudra (physical partner). O Ennobling Impeccable Lady, supreme source of direction for me, the yogi, You’re the reflexive effulgence of the voidness that is my mind-itself. In the vajra city (of the Dharmakaya), You are the actual VAM (blissful awareness) in the sphere of E (the sphere of voidness). But (here), on the Island of Illusions (Jambudvipa), You showed yourself (to me) as a fearsome cannibal ogress And anew as a vibrant, smiling young maiden. But no matter how much I looked, O Noble Lady, I never found certainty that your existence was truly established. So the youth of my mind, exhausted by its mental fabrications, Has entrusted itself to rest and relief in the forest hut of what’s beyond words. How wonderful (it is)! So, now, please arise within the (void) sphere of the dakas And sustain me by the truth of what it says in The Glorious Heruka King of Tantras, that “Even by reading the supreme auxiliary heart (mantra) of the Vajra Queen, one gains attainment.” 42

The Short Path to Great Bliss

In a forest on the outskirts of Odivisha, You nurtured with the bliss of your embrace and kisses Vajra Ghantipa, powerful lord of the accomplished siddhas, And he came to enjoy the supreme kiss of perfection. Please nurture me in the same way. Just as you led the ennobling impeccable Kusali From an island in the Ganges directly to the sphere of space, And (just as you) cared for the glorious Narotapa, Take me as well to Khechari, City of the Ladies of Joy. By the force of the compassion of my supreme root and lineage gurus, As well as of the especially profound and quick path of the ultimate secret great tantra, And (by the force) of the pure, exceptional resolve of myself the yogi, May I quickly behold your smiling face, O Lady of Joy of Khechari. This “Prayer to Behold the Excellent Face of Khechari” was composed by the Sakya master Loselgyeltsen.

Making Requests O ennobling, impeccable Vajrayogini, I request you please To lead me, as well as all limited beings, to Khechari, Pure Land of Dakinis, And direct us to all the actual attainments, worldly and transworldly, without an exception. 3x If offering a feast of tsog offerings, insert here the sections starting with: Ennobling Consecration of the Feast of Tsog Offerings.

Ennobling Consecration of the Torma for the Other Protectors OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH 3x

Offering the Tormas to the Protectors HUM!! O glorious Mahakala Vajra Panjara, chief of all those who safeguard the teachings, Great forceful (protector) emanated from the heart of Vairochana, Come here from your palace in Akanishta, Pure Land of Great Bliss “Beneath Nothing,” And partake of this offering torma cake.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

O Shridevi (Pelden Lhamo), Revati Remati, chief lady of the plane of sensory desires, Come here from Coral Tree Grove and the Lord of Death’s palace And the supreme sacred site of Devikoti on the Rose-apple Island (Jambudvipa), And partake of this offering torma cake. O Great Mother Ekajati, matriarch of all samsara and nirvana, motherly partner of Dhatu-ishvari, Ferocious lady safeguarding the teachings, chief of the ogresses and dakini witches, Come here from the mandala of the womb-like sphere of whatever is possible that can appear, And partake of this offering torma cake. O lord of the local area protectors, (Four-faced Mahakala), Come here from the Cool Grove and Chortling Charnel Grounds, From Sinhala Island and Kailash Snow Mountain, And from (the charnel grounds) of Darlung Site and Kaudrag Fort, And partake of this offering torma cake. O Karmanatha (Mahakalas), male and female, Come here from the eight charnel grounds and Dari Cave in the south, From Vajasana and glorious Samyay, And from Nala Peak and glorious Sakya, And partake of this offering torma cake. O Chamdrel, sinister yaksha spirit, Come here from the supreme sacred sites: In the northeast, the charnel grounds of Maru Peak, In India, the Red Slope Rock Mountain, In Darlung, the Mountain with Cliff Grass, and the rest, And partake of this offering torma cake. And especially, O Charnel Ground Overlords, (Kinkara) father and mother, Completely encircled with worldly and transworldly dakinis, Come here from Oddiyana, the country of dakinis, and from your natural abodes, And partake of this offering torma cake. I request you, I offer you, O hosts of safekeepers of the Buddha’s teachings. I invoke you, I entrust you, O mighty safekeepers of the Guru’s words. I invite you, I beseech you, 44

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Vajrayogini Protectors

Panjara Mahakala

Palden Lhamo

Four-faced Mahakala

Father Karmanatha

Yaksha Father

Father and Mother Kinkara

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Ekadjati

Mother Karmanatha

Yaksha Mother

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

O hosts of war gods for the yogis. Come here swiftly and partake of this torma offering cake. I offer you this torma cake, adorned with flesh and red blood. I offer you this drink of “jagad” tea, medicinal spirits, and blood. I offer you the musical sounds of large drums and thigh-bone trumpets. I offer you a large black silk pennant that billows like a cloud. I offer you breath-taking wild animals equal to space. I offer you the deep chants of thundering, booming voices. I offer you an ocean of outer, inner and secret substances to bind me closer to you. I offer you the play of the deep awareness of inseparable voidness and bliss. Safeguard the dignity of the Buddha’s teachings. Raise the level of dignity accorded the Triple Gem. Further the enlightening influence of the glorious gurus. And fulfil the wishes and aims to which I, the yogi, am committed. If offering a feast of tsog offerings, insert here the sections starting with: Invoking the Elemental Spirits to Partake of Leftover Tsog.

Requesting Patience with Any Mistakes by Reciting the Hundred-Syllable Mantra OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA HERUKA TVENO PATISHTA, DRIDHO ME BHAVA SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA, SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA ANURAKTO ME BHAVA SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAVAN VAJRA HERUKA MA ME MUNCHA HERUKA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT 1x Whatever I have done (incorrectly) Because of not finding (the proper materials), 46

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Not fully knowing, or lack of ability, Please be patient with all this.

Departure of the Guests for the Torma Cakes OM AH HUM VAJRA MUH The deep awareness being guest dissolve into me And the worldly ones return to their own abodes. Karmavajra dissolves back into your heart.

Concluding Verses Dedication of the Positive Force By the positive force of this, May I achieve the actual dakini attainment, And then lead all wandering beings to that state, Without an exception. At the time of my death, may I be offered flowers, Umbrellas and victory banners, The music of cymbals and voices, and so forth, By guardians, heroic viras, yoginis and more, And be led to Khechari, Pure Land of Dakinis. You goddesses are valid; your close bonds are valid; And the words that you speak are extremely valid – May those (three) truths serve as the causes For us to be cared for by you, O goddesses.

Final Prayer Reviewing the Entire Path of Vajrayogini Practice In the great ship of (a precious human rebirth) with respites and enrichments, Flying the white sail of mindfulness of impermanence And blown by the wind of adopting and discarding in accord with behavioral cause and effect, May I be freed from the fearsome sea of recurring samsara. Entrusting myself to the crown-jewel of the nonfallacious sources of direction, Taking to heart the great aims of wandering beings who have (all) been my mother, And cleansing myself of all stains of faults with the nectar of Vajrasattva, May I be nurtured by the ennobling impeccable gurus’ compassion.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

The beautiful motherly partner of the Triumphant Buddhas is the External Yogini. The syllable VAM is the supreme Internal Vajra Queen. The voidness and clear appearance-making that is mind-itself is the Secret Mother from Khechari. May I sport with the playful joy of seeing (these,) your faces. The container world is the immeasurably magnificent palace (coming from) the syllables E. The limited beings contained within are the yoginis (coming from) the syllable VAM. Through absorbed concentration on the great blissful awareness of their unified pair, May whatever appearances (I see) arise as a pure appearance. Likewise, through the yogas (numbering equal to the ten) directions and the (single) moon, When the time comes, may I be led directly to the City of Knowledge Holders By the coral-colored Lady of Joy With freely-hanging vermilion red hair and orange darting eyes. Having practised in a corpse-laden site With the trunk of a langali tree (filled) with sindhura vermilion red powder And then wandered searching throughout all the lands, May whichever beautiful lady to whose forehead curl my bliss swirl shifts, Lead me to Khechari, the Pure Land of Dakinis. When the inner Varahi has destroyed the creeping vine of grasping minds and objects grasped, And the Dancing Lady residing in my supreme central channel Emerges from my aperture of Brahma into the sphere of the pathway of clouds, May I embrace and sport with the heroic vira (Heruka), Drinker of Blood. Through the yoga of meditating single-pointedly On the freckle (heated by) the five energy-winds at the lotus of my navel, bringing the kiss of perfection, May my mind-stream be sated with supreme blissful awareness From my fragrance-bearing (winds) coming to enter the (central) channel of my body and mind. When the beautiful maiden of the inner tummo flame Of the “normal” (awareness of my the clear) light (mind) Has charmed the youth of the syllable HAM in my central channel 48

The Short Path to Great Bliss

with her white smiling, tickling play, May I achieve the stage of great blissful awareness of the joined pair. When the reddish-black RAM located at the center of the three energy-channels at my navel Has been set ablaze by my upper and lower energy-winds, And its purging flames have burned away the deteriorated energy-source drops from my seventy-two thousand (channels), May my central channel become completely filled with pure refined (creative energy-drops). When the five-colored creative energy-drop in the center of my brow has gone to the crown of my head, May I be fully sated by the four joys that come from the stream of moon-liquid originating from there Cascading down as far as the stamen of the water-borne (lotus) of my secret (organ) And then rising up again. When, by being struck by the five-colored rays of light emitted from that creative energy-drop, All animate and inanimate objects, such as my own body and so forth, Become transformed into clusters of radiant, clear rainbows, May I once again enter the sphere of voidness and blissful awareness, the natural abode. When the yogini of my natural mind – which is a unified pair beyond the intellect, A primordial state of voidness and clear appearance-making that cannot be put into words, (Mind’s) character from the start, parted from arising, ceasing, or enduring – Recognises its own face, may I always be nurtured (by you). Having dissolved my energy-channels, energy-winds and creative energy-drops into the sphere of EVAM And attained the glory of a Dharmakaya of great blissful awareness, which is mind-itself, May I nurture wandering beings as boundless as space With an immeasurable play of Form Bodies beyond number. By the force and power of the inspiration of the Triumphant (Buddhas), together with their wondrous (bodhisattva) daughters and sons, And of the nonfallacious truth of dependent arising, And (by the force) of my pure exceptional resolve, May all the points of my sincerely made prayers be fulfilled.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Verses for Propitiousness May all be propitious to quickly receive your inspiration, O hosts of glorious hallowed gurus: the great pandit Naropa and so on, (Who have achieved) the state of a Vajradhara To become glorious sovereigns of everything splendid, constructive, and good. May all be propitious for your Dharmakaya of the Khechari (dakini), Prajnaparamita, the supreme motherly partner of the Triumphant Ones, The natural clear light parted from the start from all mental fabrication, The lady progenitor emanating and gathering back in everything animate and inanimate. May all be propitious for your Sambhogakaya of simultaneously born (dakinis), Having bodies resplendent, exquisitely beautiful, blazing with the glory of (a Buddha’s) excellent signs and exemplary features, With speech proclaiming the supreme vehicle of mind and possessing the sixty melodious qualities, And minds of nonconceptual blissful awareness and clear appearance-making, Endowed with the five types of deep awareness. May all be propitious for your Nirmanakaya of field-born (dakinis), Ladies who, in various fields, with various Form Bodies, Fulfill, with various means, the aims of various disciples in accord with the various wishes (they have made). May all be propitious for your supreme Khechari (dakini) born from mantras, The ennobling impeccable lady with a color like a ruby, Having one face with a smiling yet furious demeanour, Two arms, holding (in her hands) a cleaver and skullcup, And two legs standing outstretched and bent. May all be propitious for your countless millions of emanations, Who completely purge practitioners Of their seventy-two thousand hordes of hindrances And direct them to the actual attainments, the aim of their wishes.

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Vajra Yogini Feast Of Tsog Ennobling Consecration of the Feast of Tsog Offerings Karmavajra, emanated from your heart, prostrates three times to the Guru Vajrayogini and requests her to consecrate the tsog offerings. OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT While reciting this mantra, imagine, as before, that a host of Khandarohis are emitted from your heart, chase away all interferences and interfering spirits, and then dissolve back into your heart. OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM (Everything) transforms into its voidness. Within a state of voidness, from an AH Comes a skullcup, broad and expansive, Inside of which are the five meats and the five nectars. They melt and transform into a great ocean of nectars of deep awareness. OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH (3x)

Requesting Permission to Offer the Consecrated Alcohol and Meat Karmavajra once more prostrates three times to the Guru Vajrayogini and hosts of other guests for the tsog feast – all the sources of safe direction – and requests permission to make the offerings of consecrated alcohol and meat. Having offered you these supreme nectars that have far transcended being vulgar objects, The supreme (practice) to bond me closely to all you Triumphant, And which will become the foundation for all actual attainments, May I then please you with the great blissful awareness of my peerless (and deepest) bodhichitta, Having completely purged myself of all the stains of the (two) obscurations And become liberated from all conceptual thought.

Requesting Permission to Offer the Feast of Tsog and Making Further Requests Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you hosts of root and lineage gurus. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment 51

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma‑ho! I request you, please, Let a bounteous rain of inspiration pour down. Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you hosts of deities of the Powerful Lady of the Yoginis, OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma-ho! I request you, please, Direct me to the actual attainment of a Khechari dakini. Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you hosts of yidam deities of with your entourage. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma-ho! I request you, please, Let a bounteous rain of actual attainments pour down. Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you hosts of precious Supreme Gems. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma‑ho! I request you, please, Let a bounteous rain of hallowed Dharma pour down. Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you hosts of dakinis and Dharma-protectors. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma‑ho! I request you, please, Let a bounteous rain of enlightening influence pour down. Ho! This ocean of an offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you masses of limited beings, my mothers. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma‑ho! May you stop projecting deceptive appearances and thus end your sufferings.

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Making the Outer Offering Karmavajra presents the outer and inner offerings and then offers praise. OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARI-VARA ARGHAM water to drink PADYAM water for washing the feet PUSHPE flowers DUPE incense ALOKE butter lamp GANDHE cologne water NAIVIDYA food SHABDA AH HUM music

Making the Inner Offering OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARI-VARA OM AH HUM

Offering Praise OM NAMO BHAGAVATI VAJRA VARAHI VAM HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO ARYA PARAJITE TRAILOKYA MATE VIDYESHVARI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO SARVA BHUTA BHAYA VAHE MAHA VAJRE HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VAJRASANI AJITE APARAJITE VASHAM KARI NETRA HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO BHRAMANI SHOSHANI ROSHANI KRODHE KARALINI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO TRASANI MARANI PRABHEDANI PARAJAYE HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VIJIAYE JAMBHANI STAMBHANI MOHANI HUM HUM PHAT. OM NAMO VAJRA VARAHI MAHA YOGINI KAMESHVARI KHAGE HUM HUM PHAT.

Making the Actual Offering of the Tsog Standing before Guru Vajrayogini, Karmavajra and her assistants prostrate three times. The assistants hold up the plate of tsog and the consecrated alcohol and meat, while Karmavajra says: O Vajra-Holder, please heed my request: Please partake, as is your pleasure, Of my special feast of tsog That I offer you with a mind of belief. Imagine that Guru Vajrayogini answers:

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

E MA, great peace KYAI. This blazing great tsog burns off disturbing emotions And in this way, (brings on) great bliss. Everything, AH HO, is great bliss. A HO MAHA SUKHA HOH. Once more Karmavajra prostrates three times and addresses the assembly of other guests: Concerning this, all phenomena are to be seen as excellent; You in the assembly should have no doubts. You are requested to partake (of the tsog without discrimination between) Brahmins, outcastes, dogs, and pigs, Since by nature we are all the same. Guru Vajrayogini responds: The Dharma of the Blissfully Gone is beyond all value; It’s the accordant nature parted from stains -- longing desire and the rest – And rid of grasping minds and objects grasped. Respectfully I offer it prostration. AHO MAHA SUKHA HOH Guru Vajrayogini tastes the consecrated alcohol, meat, and tsog. If offering tsog in a group of practitioners, imagine that Karmavajra then offers these to each of the participants and the participants, in turn, imagine when tasting the tsog that it is offered to the syllable VAM at their hearts, which is in the essential nature of all the gathered Buddhas, and that all of these Buddhas enjoy them to their satisfaction. If offering the tsog alone, taste it yourself.

Offering the Song to Move the Dakinis’ Hearts HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: As a Heruka, delighting in blissful awareness supreme, Who treats with respect yoginis bursting with joy, May I enter in union with co-arising bliss By experiencing pleasure according to the rites. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: Sporting in the lotuses of sealing consorts – Minds enlivened by magnificent bliss, Bodies swaying in a graceful dance – May I offer great bliss to you yogini hosts. 54

The Short Path to Great Bliss

Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: May yoginis dancing in gentle, elegant modes, Guardians to full joy, with hosts of dakinis, Alight before me, grant inspiration, And direct me to co-arising bliss. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: Great bliss, bearing freedom as your defining mark; Great bliss, lacking which, a marathon of ascetic practice cannot bring liberation in this life – Great bliss, may I savor you at your seat: In the seed-head of a supreme lotus. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: Like a lotus sprung forth in a swamp of mud, The bliss of the lotus of yoginis supreme Though born from desire, never is tainted by desire’s faults. Through such bliss, may I too burst free from the bonds of samsaric existence. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: Like a swarm of bees from all sides sipping The essence of honey from its flowering source, May I taste to contentment the enrapturing essence Of a fully bloomed lotus endowed with six qualities. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects.

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An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Optional: additional verses to the song. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: To practice correctly, may the viras and yoginis of unhampered might Of our Southern Island’s sacred twenty-four sites, with their circles, Always assist me and not keep apart. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: Please inspire the spiritual guardians who reveal the excellent path like this And the companions who practice along it correctly To plant their feet firmly to live long lives, And inspire me too to pacify fully the hordes of outer and inner hindrance. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. HUM – all Blissfully Gone Buddhas, all viras, yoginis, Dakas, and dakinis, I make you requests: May I never be parted from perfect gurus in all my lives; May I joyfully experience the glories of Dharma; May I gain in full the qualities of the paths and stages, And thus attain quickly a Vajradhara state. Alala-lala-ho, a‑i‑ah, arali‑ho, Hosts of flawless dakinis, Gaze with affection and bestow all enlightening effects. Return to the section: Ennobling Consecration of the Torma for the Other Protectors.

Invoking the Elemental Spirits to Partake of Leftover Tsog PHEM! Make the blazing mudra, as before. UCHISHTA BALINTA BHYAKSHASI SVAHA

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Offering a Small Portion of Leftover Tsog, Together with Requests Ho! This ocean of leftover offering feast of untainted nectars Made glorious by samadhi, mantra, and mudra, I offer to please you legions of local area protectors bound by oath. OM AH HUM. Having served you to contentment With an array of everything glorious anyone might wish, E-ma‑ho! I request you, please, Help the yogis’ enlightening influence work as it should. Take a small portion of leftover tsog outside to offer to the local area protectors, who are elemental spirits, imagining that Karmavajra does. Then return to the section: Requesting Patience with Any Mistakes by Reciting the Hundred-Syllable Mantra. This concludes The Full Vajrayogini Sadhana: An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini.

Khatvanga Staff 57

An Uncommon Sadhana for the Naropa Khechari Tradition of the Ennobling Impeccable Vajrayogini

Vajrayogini and Retinue 58

The Short Path to Great Bliss

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