The Tibetan Book Of The Dead Part 11

The initial confession is that to Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr, the father and mother consorts HUM We pray to you, father and mother, listen and attend to us!

Mind and phenomena are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr, father and mother, in union, Due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind Of you, Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr, father and mother, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Second is the confession to the five male buddhas of the enlightened families of the conquerors We pray to you, the five [male buddhas] of the enlightened families of the conquerors, listen and attend to us!

The five psycho-physical aggregates are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O five [male buddhas] of the enlightened families of the conquerors, Due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind Of the five [male buddhas of the] enlightened families of the conquerors, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Third is the confession to the five female buddhas of the enlightened families We pray to you, the five female buddhas of the enlightened families, listen and attend to us!

The five elements are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, five female buddhas of the enlightened families, Due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind Of the five female buddhas of the enlightened families, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Fourth is the confession to the eight male bodhisattvas of the retinue We pray to you, the eight male bodhisattvas, listen and attend to us!

The eight cla.s.ses of consciousness are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, eight male bodhisattvas, due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the eight male bodhisattvas, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Fifth is the confession to the eight female bodhisattvas We pray to you, the eight female bodhisattvas, listen and attend to us!

The eight objects of consciousness are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, eight female bodhisattvas, due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the eight female bodhisattvas, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Sixth is the confession to the six sages We pray to you, the six sages, listen and attend to us!

The six dissonant mental states are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, six sages, due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the six sages, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Seventh is the confession to the four male gatekeepers We pray to you, the four male gatekeepers, listen and attend to us!

The four immeasurable [aspirations] are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, four male gatekeepers, due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the four male gatekeepers, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Eighth is the con fession to the four female gatekeepers We pray to you, the four female gatekeepers, listen and attend to us!

The four extremes of eternalism and nihilism are atemporally manifest buddhas, But even though this [reality] is the expression of your enlightened intention, O, four female gatekeepers, due to our ignorance, we have not understood this to be so.

For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the four female gatekeepers, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Then the con fession should be made to the [entire array o f the] peace ful deities in the following way: OM Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the psycho-physical aggregates, the sensory spectra, and their activity fields, Within the mandala of the peaceful deities.

We seek the forgiveness of each of you, the forty-two peaceful deities!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the five psycho-physical aggregates with the five [male buddhas] of the enlightened families, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the a.s.sembly of Samantabhadra!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the five elements with the five female buddhas, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the a.s.sembly of Samantabhadr!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the four cla.s.ses of consciousness and four sense organs with the [eight] male bodhisattvas, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the a.s.sembly of male bodhisattvas!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the four objects of consciousness and four times with the [eight] female bodhisattvas, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the a.s.sembly of female bodhisattvas!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the six dissonant mental states with the [six] sages, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the emanational buddha-bodies, the six sages!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the four immeasurable [aspirations] with the [four] male gatekeepers, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the wrathful male gatekeepers!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated the eternalist and nihilist [perspectives on] awareness with the [four] female gatekeepers, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, the wrathful female gatekeepers!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have not correctly integrated mind and phenomena with Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr, the father and mother, And further still, our own minds, swayed by ignorance, have continued to be afflicted by egotism.

We seek the forgiveness of you, Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr!

Since our minds are not endowed with pristine cognition, which is intrinsic awareness, We have been afflicted by bewildering ignorance, And have been alienated from the meditational deities By the force of dissonant mental states and past [negative] actions.

Swayed by self-deception, we have disappointed our teachers, Stirred by strong pride, we have agitated our spiritual brothers and sisters, Distracted by vanity,6 we have divulged the secret mantras, Gripped by miserliness, we have been untimely in the dedication of offerings, Entrapped by base friends.h.i.+ps, we have violated the secret [precepts] of the rituals, Weakened by feeble yogic discipline, we have failed to eradicate obstructing forces.

Thus, [our commitments] have degenerated due to either excessive or deficient determination and strength.

Throughout our lives, from beginningless time until the present [life], In which we have a.s.sumed this body, However much negativity and non-virtuous past actions we have accrued, We seek your forgiveness for all these transgressions.

O you whose cognisance and knowledge spans [the three] times, Since you are sublime beings, embrace us!

Since we are sentient beings, we are flawed and bewildered, And, since [this separation] is an illusion, may our confession be granted!

Since you are accomplished in skilful means, bestow your purity upon us!

Then a remorseful confession should be made to the peaceful deities as follows: OM Most precious Samantabhadra [in union], supreme buddha-mind, Even though you are our father and hold mastery over the three world-systems, And even though you are our mother and a.s.similate [all things] in the ultimate expanse, By conceiving of our bodies [in a mundane way], we have dishonoured the illusory body.

Thus our commitments have degenerated and we have grown truly remorseful.

We seek your forgiveness, O Samantabhadra and Samantabhadr, mother and father!

Most precious buddhas of the five enlightened families, [manifestations of] supreme buddha-mind, Even though you are our fathers and hold mastery over the three world-systems, And even though you are our mothers and a.s.similate [all things] in the ultimate expanse, By conceiving of our bodies [in a mundane way], we have dishonoured the illusory body.

Thus our commitments have degenerated and we have grown truly remorseful.

We seek your forgiveness, O father and mother buddhas of the five enlightened families!

Most precious male and female bodhisattvas, [manifestations of] supreme buddha-mind, Even though you are our fathers and hold mastery over the three world-systems, And even though you are our mothers and a.s.similate [all things] in the ultimate expanse, By conceiving of our bodies [in a mundane way], we have dishonoured the illusory body.

Thus our commitments have degenerated and we have grown truly remorseful.

We seek your forgiveness, O male and female bodhisattvas!

Most precious six sages, buddha-bodies of emanation, [and manifestations of] supreme buddha-mind, Even though you hold mastery over all the sentient beings throughout the three world-systems, And even though you emanc.i.p.ate their respective worlds into the ultimate expanse, By conceiving of our bodies [in a mundane way], we have dishonoured the illusory body.

Thus our commitments have degenerated and we have grown truly remorseful.

We seek your forgiveness, O six sages, emanational buddha-bodies!

Most precious male and female gatekeepers, [manifestations of] supreme buddha-mind, Even though you are our fathers and hold mastery over the three world-systems, And even though you are our mothers and a.s.similate [all things] in the ultimate expanse, By conceiving of our bodies [in a mundane way], we have dishonoured the illusory body.

Thus our commitments have degenerated and we have grown truly remorseful.

We seek your forgiveness, O male and female gatekeepers!

CONFESSION IN THE PRESENCE OF THE WRATHFUL DEITIES.

The confession of faults in achieving meditative stability in reality is as follows: OM As we have failed to liberate the egotism of the subject- object dichotomy, Within the original mandala of natural sameness, We still have not realised the non-dual truth of the abiding nature.

O non-dual Buddha-body of Reality, we seek forgiveness!7 The confession of faults in achieving the meditative stability which illuminates all that appears is as follows: You open the portals which unimpededly illuminate the ultimate truth, And [naturally] arise as the Buddha-body [of Perfect Resource], within an expanse of radiantly clear moonlight, But we have let the light [emanating from] the seminal points of your 'generative essence' be diffused.

O Buddha-body [of Perfect Resource], which illuminates all that appears, we seek forgiveness!8 The confession [of faults in achieving] the meditative stability of the causal basis [entailing the visualisation of] the tiered celestial palace and the seats [of the wrathful deities] is as follows: From the expanse of s.p.a.ce, which is the unborn ultimate truth, There appears the buddha-body, the medium through which the fruitional attributes [of buddhahood] emerge.

Yet we have not even clearly visualised this powerful celestial palace, The abode in which the supreme power [of buddha-body] is gradually generated.

In the presence of the blazing celestial palace, we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the five male herukas, the executors of buddha-body Though you steadfastly [appear] as buddha-bodies, sealed within the nature of supreme bliss, Holding in your hands the respective implements, emblematic of the six pristine cognitions, We have not [even] achieved the experience of such [vividly] clear visualisation.

O five blood-drinking herukas, we seek forgiveness!

Confession to their consorts, the five krodhevar O supreme mother-consorts, conjoined indivisibly with the [male] buddha-bodies, We have let the light of your non-dual 'generative essence' be diffused, Into the 's.p.a.cious expanse', which is the lotus seed of desire.

O five krodhevar deities, we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the eight mtarah O wrathful female deities of pristine cognition, born of buddha-mind, [The natural transformation] of the eight cla.s.ses of consciousness, O Gaur and accompanying [Mtarah], dkins of pristine cognition, For whatever ways we have contradicted your buddha-mind, O eight mtarah [who embody] the cla.s.ses [of consciousness], we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the eight pic O Sihamukh and accompanying [pic], Though you remain unwavering in a compa.s.sionate and quiescent state, You emanate in blazing awesome forms, [endowed] with fangs and wings,9 To pacify misconceptions and substantialist views.

For whatever ways we have contradicted your buddha-mind, O eight pic [who embody] the objects [of consciousness], we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the four female gatekeepers O four female gatekeepers, at [the portals of] the ornate palatial mandala, You who summon [with the hook], bind [with the noose], shackle [with the chain] and insulate [with the bell], O Horse-headed Aku and accompanying [female gatekeepers], For whatever ways we have contradicted your buddha-mind, O seals of the four gatekeepers, we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the twenty-eight var O Ivar, you who are accomplished in the rites of 'liberation',10 And hold mastery over [the judgement of] virtuous and non-virtuous actions, O Ivar, a.s.sembly of mothers, For whatever ways we have contradicted your buddha-mind, O oceanic expanse of mothers and sisters, we seek forgiveness!

Confession to the awareness holders [O awareness holders], though you never stray from a state of compa.s.sionate equipoise, Within the mandala of spontaneously present natural expression, We have not achieved your [pristine] clarity of subtle meditative stability.

O you who maintain the enlightened attributes, we seek your forgiveness!

Confession of one's beginningless violation of the commitments Throughout the beginningless succession of our births, Until now, when we have a.s.sumed these, our present bodies, We have revolved within the worlds of rebirth, swayed by ignorance, And however many human births we have taken, Wherever we have been born, we have engaged in all kinds of negative acts, Including the five inexpiable crimes and the five approximate crimes - Actually committing them, or inciting [others] to commit them, And even rejoicing in committing and inciting them.

Please direct your enlightened compa.s.sion towards us!

Grant us purification, and bestow your [spiritual] accomplishments upon us!

Then the confession should be recited to the entire mandala of wrathful deities, and the request for forgiveness made in the following way: HUM O herukas of pristine cognition, natural purity of the five poisons, [Resplendent] amidst flames blazing like the fire at the end of an aeon, United with the five krodhvar, the great mothers of s.p.a.ce; O four inner dkins, Gaur and your partners, O outer yogins, Pukks and your partners, O fanged cl.u.s.ters of devourers, Sihamukh and your partners, O winged [cl.u.s.ters] of the intermediate directions, Grdhramukh and your partners, O twenty-eight var, of the blazing courtyard, O four female gatekeepers, who summon, bind, shackle and insulate11 at the four gates: We who have not even clearly visualised the bodies of the a.s.sembly of wrathful herukas, We who have failed to recite sufficient heart-mantras, And failed to stabilise [the actualisation of] the seals, We who have failed to offer adequate feast- and torma-offerings, Request the entire a.s.sembly of wrathful deities for forgiveness!

Next, the following specific confessional prayers should be made to the mandala of the wrathful deities: OM Should we have broken our pledge, which is dangerous to transgress, Having earlier taken upon us this supremely secret vow, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the five families of herukas, We seek your forgiveness, O greatly compa.s.sionate ones!

Should we have been obscured by conceptual grasping, Whilst engaged in the practices of the supreme s.e.xual yoga, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the great mother Krodhvars, We seek your forgiveness, O [mother] krodhevars!

Should we have failed to actualise the sacred substances and the seals, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the carnivorous Gaurs, We seek your forgiveness, O eight mtarah, embodiments of the cla.s.ses [of consciousness]!

Should we have failed to array the offerings of flesh and blood,12 in accordance with the textual descriptions, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the Pics, Sihamukh and her partners, We seek your forgiveness, O dkins, embodiments of the objects [of consciousness]!

Should we have failed to differentiate between the four gates: east, south, west, and north, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the female gatekeepers, the horse-headed Aku and her partners, We seek your forgiveness, O four female gatekeepers of pristine cognition!

Should we have failed to subdue [attachment to] the six realms of cyclic existence, Having accepted [vows], which are dangerous to transgress, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the seven mothers and four sisters,13 We seek your forgiveness, O eleven dkins!

Should we have allowed our resources to become exhausted and the first fruits of the feast-offerings to be spoiled, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the Ivar who monitor the first fruits [of the feast-offerings], We seek your forgiveness, O twenty-eight var!

Should we have failed to remain unmovingly in the sacred abodes, but instead engaged in [distracted] activities, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the wardens of the sacred abodes,14 We seek your forgiveness, O great wardens of the sacred abodes!

Should we have failed to regard our personal [spiritual teacher] as our parent, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the vajra-master, We seek your forgiveness, O regal vajra[-master]!

Should we have failed to master meditative stability, And failed to distinguish [the characteristics of] the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the a.s.sistant vajra-master,15 We seek your forgiveness, O lamp of the Buddhist teachings!16 Should we have interrupted [the stabilisation of] the seals through our laziness, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the ritual officiant, We seek your forgiveness, O master of ritual activities!

Should we have failed to reach the highest criteria when engaged in the practices of s.e.xual yoga, For whatever ways we have contradicted the buddha-mind of the female consorts, the embodiments of discriminative awareness, We seek your forgiveness, O secret mother, consort who embodies awareness!