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Chapter 19 from The Great Tantra of the Pellucid Transcendent State of

Samantabhadra of the Great Perfection

Citta

Then, Adibuddha Samantabhadra spoke this special aspiration through which all

sentient beings of samsara are powerless not to attain buddhahood.

“Ho!

The universe and beings, samsara and nirvāṇa,

all have one basis; the two paths and two results

are the enchantments of knowledge and ignorance.

Through the aspiration of Samantabhadra,

may all attain full perfect buddhahood

in the palace of the dharmadh tu.

The basis of all is uncompounded,

an inexpressible, vast, self-originated dimension,

lacking the name of either samsara or nirvana.

If this is known, there is buddhahood;

without knowing this, sentient beings wander in samsara.

May all sentient beings of the three realms

know the meaning of the inexpressible basis.

Ā
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Also I, Samantabhadra,

am the meaning of the basis, without cause and condition.

Vidy self-originates from that basis itself

without bearing the faults of external and internal attribution or

imputation;

free from the tainted darkness of amnesia,

therefore, it self-appears unaffected by faults.

One’s vidy abides on its own,

neither terrified by the terrors of the three realms

nor attached to objects of desire.

Physical form and color do not exist

in self-originated, nonconceptual pristine consciousness.

In the unique essence of the unceasing clarity aspect of vidy ,

there are five pristine consciousnesses.

From the ripening of the five pristine consciousnesses,

the Adibuddha arose as the five families.

Because pristine consciousness beyond limitations expanded,

the forty-two buddhas arose.

Since the potential of pristine consciousness arose, [47/a]

the sixty herukas arose.

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Therefore, since the vidy of the basis that was never deluded

is me, the Adibuddha,

by offering my aspiration,

may all sentient beings of samsara’s three realms,

having recognized self-originated vidyā,

expand the great pristine consciousness beyond limitations.

My emanations are uninterrupted,

separating unimaginably into hundreds of tens of millions,

teaching different disciples to be tamed.

Through my compassionate aspiration,

may all sentient beings of samsara’s three realms

be led out from the abodes of the six realms.

First, because of sentient beings’ delusions,

the basis did not arise as vidy .

Befuddled, they could not remember anything.

The cause of that was ignorance and delusion.

Suddenly rendered unconscious,

when their hazy consciousness stirred again, fearful and afraid,

they perceived self and other as enemies.

From the gradual accumulation of traces,

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the process of samsara commenced.

From that, the five poisonous afflictions developed.

The actions of the five poisons are uninterrupted.

Therefore, since the basis of sentient beings’ delusions

is an ignorance that lacks memory,

through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

may all sentient beings of samsara’s three realms

recognize the state of their own vidyā.

The connate ignorance

is a confused consciousness that lacks memory.

The imputing ignorance

grasps at the duality of self and other.

The two ignorances, connate and imputing,

are the basis of the delusion of all sentient beings.

Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

may all sentient beings of samsara’s three realms

awaken from the thick darkness of amnesia,

clear away the consciousness that grasps to duality,

and recognize vidy as their own state.

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Dualistically grasping thoughts are doubt.

When subtle clinging arises,

there is a gradual accumulation of a thick layer of traces.

The torment of food, wealth, clothes, place, companions,

the five objects of desire, loving relatives,

and passionate desire for the attractive—

those delude the world,

but there is no end to the activity of subject and object.

When the result of clinging ripens,

there is the misery of craving

and birth with the body of a preta tormented by hunger and thirst.

Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

may all sentient beings with clinging desire—

without externally giving up the torment of desire

and without internally adopting the clinging of desire—

release consciousness into its pristine state,

and having naturally stabilized vidy ,

attain the pristine consciousness that discerns everything.

A subtle consciousness of terror and fear stirs

toward the appearance of external objects.

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An accumulation of traces of aversion produce

the coarse beating and slaying of perceived enemies.

When the result of hatred ripens,

there is the suffering of hell, boiling and burning.

Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

may all sentient beings of the six realms

in whom strong hatred arises,

leave it aside without accepting and rejecting,

and having mastered vidy ,

attain the pristine consciousness of clarity.

When one’s mind becomes arrogant,

one has a competitive attitude and contemptuous thoughts for

others.

Since an attitude of strong pride arises,

one experiences the suffering of struggle and conflict between

oneself and others.

When the result of that karma ripens,

one is born as a deva, experiencing loss of status.

Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

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may those sentient beings in whom an arrogant attitude arises,

at that time release consciousness into its pristine state,

and having naturally stabilized vidy ,

attain the pristine consciousness of uniformity.

Through the traces of the accumulation of dualistic perception,

there is the painful karma of elevating oneself and diminishing

others.

From the accumulation of a competitive attitude that engages in

conflict,

one is born into the abode of the slaying and riving asuras,

and the result is being born in hell.

Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

if a competitive attitude arises,

release consciousness into its pristine state,

and having naturally stabilized vidy

may the pristine consciousness of unimpeded activity be attained.

Because of a lack of mindfulness, indifference, distraction,

dullness, forgetfulness,

unconsciousness, laziness, and confusion,

the result is wandering as an animal with no protection.

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Through the aspiration of the Buddha, myself,

after the radiance of clear recollection arises

in the darkness of lethargic confusion,

may the nonconceptual pristine consciousness be attained.

Although all sentient beings of the three realms

are equal with me, the Buddha, the basis of all,

they forgot this, entered the basis of delusion,

and at present are engaged in meaningless activities.

The six karmas are like the delusions of a dream.

I am the Adibuddha.

In order to tame the six migrations with emanations,

through the aspiration of Samantabhadra,

may all sentient beings

attain buddhahood in the dharmadh tu.

A ho

From now on, since powerful practitioners

offer this aspiration of great power

in a state of intrinsically clear, nondeluded vidy ,

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all sentient beings who hear this

will attain buddhahood after three births.

When the sun and moon are seized by an eclipse,

or sounds and quakes occur,

or at the change of the solstice—

generate oneself as Samantabhadra.

Through the aspiration of such a practitioner,

when this is recited, may all who hear it,

and also all sentient beings in the three realms,

be gradually liberated from suffering

and quickly attain buddhahood.”

Chapter 19 extracted from The Great Tantra of the Pellucid Transcendent State of

Samantabhadra of the Great Perfection is the explanation that sentient beings are

powerless not to attain buddhahood through offering this aspiration of great power.

Copyright © 2020-2024 Malcolm Smith