The Utterly Profound King Tantra

Homage to the deity, self-originated vidyā.

Thus, this was said:

At the perfect time, the first day of the first month of the earth snake year, at

the perfect place, the solarium of the Blazing Turquoise Room on the middle

story of Samye Migyur Lhundrup Temple, the perfect teacher, the king of self-

originated vidyā Padmasaṃbhava, and the perfect retinue, the king and a few

subjects, gathered and sat together. At that time, urged by the blessings of self-

originated Padma, Dorje Dudjom arose from his seat, made a prostration in the

manner of a yogi, and made the following request:

“Oh, Embodiment of all buddhas,

Precious Great Guru,

in order to benefit myself and migrating beings,

please grant the sublime intimate instruction

that gathers into one the critical points

of the utterly secret tantras, agamas, and upadeśas.

When the request was made, with a smile the Great Guru replied with these

words of the perfect Dharma:

 If one summarizes all the points of the utterly secret heart essence, they are

summarized into eleven topics:

(1) The original, generic basis prior to the separation of samsara and nirvana is

an essence that exists as kāyas; a nature that exists as pristine consciousness;

and compassion that exists as rays. When divided into parts, [the basis] has five

divisions endowed with five qualities. Since that [basis] does not manifest as an

external luminosity, it exists in the form of a kāya within a vase.

The vāyu of compassion stirs within that [state], and the instant it rises up from

the basis, it is known as a self-appearance. The one who awakened in the basis

through six characteristics is Adinātha Samantabhadra.

(2) For others, space was opened up by the essence, the nature was mistaken

for an object, and compassion was mistaken for mind (sems). Because of the

three causes and four conditions, there is continuous wandering in samsara.

(3) As such, at the time of appearing, there was no movement away from the

nature of the three kāyas, like water turning into ice.

(4) The place of those three kāyas themselves is located in the eight-cornered

precious heart. When their potential is located in celestial mansion of the conch-

house cranium, the celestial mansion of the eyes, and the celestial palace of the

nāḍī passageways, [their potential] exists as kāyas in some; exists as light in

some, and appears as rays in some.

(5) The path is the kati crystal tube that splits into two branches, the subtle, the

coiled, and the white silk thread.

 (6) The doorway is the watery far-reaching lamp. That is narrow at the base,

and wide at the tip, existing like the horn of an Indian Bison (Gaur).

(7) The field is the sky free from conditions, in which is the lamp of the pure

dhātu, a great pervasive blue dhātu with a rim of five lights. The lamp of the

empty bindu is like a tossing a stone into a spring, appearing as ripples outside

and inside. The luminescence of vidyā is the vajra chain, like crystal beads

adorning a golden thread.

(8) The stages of practicing that are (1) transcending into great original purity in

which phenomena are exhausted, the fundamental point of naked pellucidity free

from activity embraced within the great uniformity of total liberation, that is,

recognizing the view of trekchö, the four kinds of unfettered equipoise. (2) The

body does not move, one possesses the three postures. The voice does not

move, having ceased speaking; the critical point of the breath is exhaling slowly

from the mouth. The mind does not move, since it possess the view of the four

kinds of unfettered equipoise. Therefore, the luminescence of vidyā is confined

within the confines of the dhātu and bindu— that is, one should continually

sustain the mediation of thögal.

(9) The measure of cultivation: the signs of the result of training in the three

kāyas in past lifetimes is that when those who maintain constant diligence

manifest [the signs] in body, voice, and mind, will attain supreme liberation in this

life. The sequence of identifying of the signs of the result of cultivating the path in

this life, perfecting their strength and obtained stability is the perfection of the
strength of the fourth vision, that is, manifesting either the body of subtle particles

or great transference.

(10 ) The intimate instruction of the bardo: with respect to the natural bardo,

one should recall the instruction of eliminating doubts through hearing and

reflection that is like a swallow entering its nest. With respect to the bardo of the

time of death, one recall the instruction of being reminded of what has been

forgotten, like showing a mirror to a pretty girl. With respect to the bardo of

dharmatā, one should recall the intimate instruction of confidence in self-

appearances, like a child climbing into its mother’s lap. With respect to the bardo

of rebirth, one should recall the instruction of continuing further, like setting up a

sluice in a broken aqueduct.

(11) The stage of liberation is seizing the throne with either (a)

samyaksambuddhahood or (b) abhisambuddhahood within the sheath of the

precious, naturally-perfected result. Uninterrupted activities arise from the power

of the dependent origination of the accumulations in tandem with excellent

aspirations.

That summarizes the essential points. The extensive [presentation] is the

inconceivable tantras, agamas, and upadeśas of the Great Perfection.”

After that was said, Dorje Dudjom and so on rejoiced, and praised the Great

Guru’s teaching.

Reciting this Self-Originated King Tantra

closes the birth door of lower realms;

 hearing it arouses experience and realization in one’s

continuum;

wearing it grants supreme liberation.

Thus, it concludes, This work was set down by Ngawang Lödo Tsungmė on the

second day of the first month in response to the encouragement of some.

Translated by Ācarya Malcolm Smith 5/14/2018