CHAPTER 44 Great Structure Practice, Mandala poe A [ANI PADME HUM. I prostrate and go for refuge to the lama of Great Compassion the Noble One Lord Avalokiteshvara. The personal oral instructions of the emanation of Great Compassion, the dharma-protecting king Songtsen Gampo, called the Great Structure Practice. Individuals, who desire to construct a mandala of the Noble One Lord Avalokiteshvara, first select an auspicious and pleasing place where neither humans nor non-humans will exert their power and where there will be no harm. It should have the good qualities of isolation and so forth. Having gone there, first examine the earth. In the middle get permission for the Jand.” At the end do a small or great blessing of the earth, as appropriate. In doing that liturgy of the earth, wipe the cords with fragrant saffron water on a cloth, as for drawing the lines to do it with three cotton cords wound together. Say twenty times OM AH HUM OM MANI PADME HUM. Bless with spheres of light rays of body, speech and mind. Also recite the above mantra after marking-out the jfiana chakra mandala, think that in making the plumbline measurements™, the god realms above and by marking the lines on the ground the nagas below and by marking the diagonals the world of human and so forth in between, all become the world of Great Compassion. Having done that, four grid lines and eight, within that, in 5757 Se the four directions, eight lines each are marked. Make a square, Mais centre point, extend four lines from centre to four directions (east, su est, north). Half it and make another four lines (southeast, Southey, west, . This is the great eight lines; the lines divide fe northwest, northeast). divide in 4. Divide the lines jn ‘ diagonals in 8. Second, in four les 4 squares in ines in the intermediate place. Fifth, mark the ee directions, divid 4. Third, finish doing that. Foy, rth, HL y establish the thig chen I gateways. (Make a circle for the wisdom mandala), Sint, ends for the res, Which line UD With g and quartering diagonals in small squai halvin; e four directions. Eighth, s of the gateways. Seventh, in four do it in the part ce, first there is a fou finish the gateways. Within that, for the pala e-petaled lotus. In the small thing petaled lotus. Outside that is a twelv part, a circle of light rays is made, In the fourth a deity courtyard is made, In the inner part of the fifth is the edifice of the wall of five colors (paficha rekha). In middle part are the desirable qualities ledges. On the outside are the protruding beams. In the inner part of the sixth, hanging from them, are the garlands and pendants. In the outside part are daruka pillars. In the seventh are the four-layered arches of the gate ways. In the eighth are the wheels and parasols. In the three-stage perimeter, first is a lotus garland. Second is a vajra fence. The third is drawings of flames. As for the four central lotus petals, the centre is white.™ The east is blue. The south is yellow. The west is red. The north is green. In the layer outside that with the twelve-petaled lotus, the lotus is of various beautiful colors. The square pattern (gru chad) is green. The courtyard is beautifully coloured. The four gates are of the colours of the directions. The walls are white, blue, yellow, red, and green. The desirable qualities ledges are red. The four garlands and pendants are blue and white. The daruka pillars are 576Great Struc » ture Practice, Mandala n. Below what are the colours of the four directions g arches are beautifully constructed. The whe e ee r eels of dharma are yellow, . silk ribbon: «fully coloured. The vajra fence is ligh ei peat ight blue, In the peri Perimeters, the [ots petals are beautifully coloured. The four vajra fences in th a Aha in the f airections are blue with white vajras. The pictures of blazing fl four red and yellow. That was painting the mandala, 7 rhe parasols are white with yellow handles. The Then the substances are established. The empows vase aS representation of body, the ip i a vei a representation of speech, the Six Syllable; the representation of mi _ piece of bamboo with three joints. Moreover there are the torma ® and substances of siddhi and many outer and inner offering substances are collected. The ornaments of the mandala are arrows, mirrors, swords and phurbas. They are formed in directions and corners. Put in actual garlands of five-coloured cords. Then before meditating on the deity, the accumulation of merit should be gathered. Think, “So that I can liberate all the sentient beings abiding in samsara from the ocean of suffering, I should meditate on the mandala of Great Compassion.” Then at one’s own heart from PAM is a lotus and from AH is a moon. On them is a white HRI. From that light rays of mixed colours emanate. The lama, the assembly of deities of Great Compassion, the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas arrive in the space in front. Ask them to sit on lotus seats, saying, “All the lamas abiding in the three times, assembly of deities of the mandala of Great Compassion, Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, to clear away the sufferings of the sentient beings in samsara, 577MANKABUM from your natural place of abiding we invite you and ask you to come, Please be seated stably on lotus, sun and moon seats. We devotedly prostrate to you with body, speech and mind. Receive our offerings Of rea} wealth and that emanated by mind. From former lives until Tow, we confess the evil deeds that we have done. We rejoice in the roots of. Virtue done by ordinary beings, shravakas, pratyeka Buddhas and bodhisattvas, We ask you to tun the wheel of dharma taught by the Buddhas of th. three times for the benefit of beings. Rather than not performing benefits for sentient beings and passing into nirvana, we supplicate you to Temain for the benefit of sentient beings. By the roots of virtue that have been gathered by ourselves and others, may unsurpassable, complete enlightenment be attained.” Say that and then meditate on the four immeasurables. “We pity all the suffering of the sentient beings of the six kinds and three realms. May they be free from suffering. May they meet with happiness. May they abide in equanimity free from passion and aggression.” Then as for gathering the accumulation of wisdom, say, “OM SOBHAVA SHU DDHA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHU DDHA NYAHAM.” With that all outer and inner dharmas become emptiness. Then from the centre of empty space meditate on the protection circle. From emptiness, from HRI comes HUM on a sun disk, which becomes a crossed vajra marked with HUM. By the light rays emanating from it, think that below is the vajra ground. Above is the vajra tent. To the sides are the vajra walls and outside that is the vajra fence. Then the palace is visualized. Within the tent of the protection circle’s vajra fence, visualize a yellow BHU. Light rays emanating from that pervade all the Buddha fields and are gathered as the essence of the 578ae EEE epee ene palace. From there being gathered back here there is th having @ thousand-petaled wheel and below a thousand es above In the centre is a four petaled lotus and outside it a os oe has a square courtyard and four gates. The walls are made : = an It precious gems, garlands and pendants and so forth hang aa inds of daruka pillars. Above the four layered arches on the four gates ca the of dharma a iperasols) deer and so forth, many beautiful smo Meditate that it is luminous everywhere. Then as for visualizing the within that above the central four-petaled lotus and the ate sealed Jotus outside it, from BAM is an eight-petaled vari-coloured lotus. Above that from AH is a moon disk. In the courtyards a1 isuali solitary lotus seats. Then as for a0 the a SS MANI PADME HUM in the centre light rays emanate from HRI and perform the two benefits. They are gathered back here and dissolve into the HRI. By melting into light it becomes a white lotus. From that, light rays are emanated. From their being gathered back here, there is the Noble One Lord Avalokiteshvara with one head and four arms. He is white in colour, gleaming like crystal. His first two hands have the palms joined at the heart. In the lower left is a crystal mala. The lower right holds a white lotus. He abides in vajrasana on a lotus and moon seat. His face is smiling and his eyes have a peaceful expression. He is regarding the beings of the six realms with compassion. H wn, earrings, throat ornament, silk streamers hanging b' sash, bracelets, anklets, throat ornament, long d with various silks ie has a precious head omament cro’ ehind the earrings armlets, necklace, short necklace and so forth. He is adore: and ornaments. Visualize that he has the major and minor marks.MANIKABUM Then as for visualizing the retinue, before him from HRI is the Boddess Yige-drugma, her body colour sceptres and cat ornaments like those of the principal one. Visualize that she sits with a respectful manne, facing towards the father. On the right lotus is the son Norbu Dzinpa, white in colour with one face and two arms, in the right holding a jewe and in the left a mala. Visualize that he sits with a respectful manne, towards the father. On the right lotus is the daughter Rigngag Dzinma, white in colour, with one face and two arms. Her right hand holds a crystal mala and the left a lotus. Visualize that she sits with a respectfy, manner towards the father. On the back lotus visualize Buddha Amitabha red in colour with his two hands in the meditation mudra sitting in symmetrical lotus posture. In the surrounding layer above the twelve. petaled lotus, in order are white Vairochana holding a wheel, blue Akshobya holding a vajra, yellow Ratnasambhava holding a jewel, red Amitabha holding a lotus and green Amoghasiddhi holding a crossed vajra, white Great Compassion holding a lotus, Buddha-Lochana, Mamaki, Samantabhadri, Pandaravasini and Tara. The female prajna paramita holders have colours, sceptres and customary ornaments like their own consorts. At the four gates, at the east gate is white Indra, holding a vina in his hands. Thagzang holding blue satin and weapon. At the south gate is yellow Shakyamuni holding a staff. At the west gate is black Shakya Senge holding a volume of scripture. Red Sky Treasury holds an amulet. At the north gate Chégyal Nakpo holds fire and water. In the courtyard are a thousand and two Buddhas of the three times. Meditate that they are Sitting at the top in the style of bodhisattvas. These are the visualizationsoo Great Structure Practice, Mandala at ttvas entering, the principal one on a lotus disk ig @ Moon disk. In the f the samayasattvas. Now as for the jfianas, ol at the heart of Centre of that MB White light-rays emanate, From that, as for inviting Great Compassi on with his Tetinue, ftom the aturally sel-existing supreme place, thoy mi bides a HRI from which naturally abidi al igh they do Not move from the inborn space of dharmakaya, they eman, ul benefit of beings. “By the power of com MANI PADME HUM EH YAI HIT ZA think the assembly of deities of Great ‘ate bodies in Tupakaya for the Passion come to this place. OM H HUM BAM HOH.” With that Compassion, having come from dharmakaya to rupakaya, they arrive, Then as for asking them to be seated, “Great Compassion together with those of the retinue in order to i penefit all sentient beings without Temainder, with compassion approach and consider us. By the power of meditation remain and grant your blessing. OM MANI PADME HUM SAMAYA TISHTA LAN. Then - for prostrating say, “Though dharmakaya does not have dualistic grasping, for the benefit of beings sambhogakaya is taught. By compassion all-emanating nirmanakaya benefits a To the three kayas and the wisdom deities we prostrate and — OM MANI PADME HUM. AHMA NAM NIRYA TAYA” With aan as samayasattvas prostrate to the jfianasattvas abiding in the space ' front. Then visualize that the jfianasattvas prostrate to us. Then offer puja. - though Great Compassion with his retinue do not suffer = ne : hunger and thirst, by their accepting the puja the vim gape — and wisdom is gathered. “OM MANI PADME HUM i ior MEGHA HUM.” Drinking water, foot water, rr ee excellent fragrance food and drink, pleasant sounds an i Fi = these various outer offerings. “ARGHAM PANDEN PUSHPE D!asnapuM TF ALOKE GENDHE NIVENTE SHABTA SARVA PUSA MEGA RUN Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables dharmas and s0 fg rh, auspicious goddesses, after filling the realm of space, are offered to Please the assembly of the mandala deities. After enjoying and accepting j it, your blessing. “VAZRA LASYA VAZRA SHABDA VAZRA Dip, VAZRA NAIVEDYA, VAZRA PANTSA LIKA VAZRA PHAR, SARVA PUUZA SAMAYA MANDALA AHLALA HO” With that Offer the outer offering substances. For the inner and goddess offerings oneselp as samayasattva offers to the deities as jfianasattvas. When you have offered offerings pleasing their body, speech and mind, the goddesses & gathered back here. By bliss emptiness arising within oneself, think that they are making offerings to you. Then as for their dissolving Ton-dually, though the wisdom kaya does not have duality, there is dualistig appearance of jfianasattva and samayasattva, but after entering Ron-dually and stably, benefit beings with perfect Buddha activity. “OM MANI PADME HUM SAMAYA TISHTA LAN. With that, after the deities as jfianasattva and oneself as samayasattva have dissolved non-dually, visualize that they remain stably until siddhi is attained. Then as for - supplicating for empowerment, having entered into bodies of the five _kayas and five wisdoms, the Victorious Ones of the five families approach from Akanishta. The Lords of the families gave empowerments and blessing. The siddhis of the five families and five wisdoms are bestowed. OM HUM SOHA ABHI KHENTSA AH. With that, as a sign of the deities, offerings and empowerments, think that you are adorned with the five families. As for the blessing of body, speech and mind, so that all the Buddhas of the three times may be inseparable from our body, speech andee — —Ucture Practice, sia la wi! ds paving blessed body, speech ang mind Fs owerment. KAYA SIDDHI OM, VAKA a pot HUM. With that at the crown is OM at . DHL AH, Tsrpp, 7 HUM. Visualize that they become ae ‘ce AH and at the vajf® ynind, Then a8 for doing the praise, iquyy oe Speech and wisdom, god of gods, Yige-drugma consort of wring Compassion, pzinp2, excellent son in the style of upaya, Rigngag Om, os Norbu of praia daughter, eternally unestablished gods non-dual vi, the style to the bodies of the four awareness deities we prostrate ~ en eyes of Great Compassion beings are seen, Vena si ote wisdom; Vajra Akshobya, the mirror-like wisdom; Ratnasambh, > java, the , may y these blessing Seal the peatt wisdom of equality; Amitabha, discriminating awareness wisdom: Amoghasiddhi, all-accomplishing wisdom; I prostrate to the five layes and five wisdoms. Prajna paramita, dharmakaya, state of space; Buddha- Lochana perfection of dhyana; Samantabhadri perfection of exertion; Pandaravasini, perfection of generosity; Mamaki, perfection of discipline; Samaya Tara, the perfection of patience; I praise the six consorts of perfections. The thousand and two Buddhas abiding in the three times, having aroused bodhicitta for the benefit of beings, in the manner of bodhisattvas they tame beings. To the thousand great beings of the good kalpa I prostrate and praise. Great sage of the gods, Indra taming the gods; great sage of at sage of human, sage Shakya, the Asuras Thagzang taming asuras; gre Senge the tamer of humans; great sage Senge Rabten who is the the tamer of animals; great sage Namkhaidzéd who is the tamer of pretas; great sage Chokyi Gyalpo who is the tamer of hell beings. In the individual language_o_—_—" MANLKABUM sound of the teachings of the shutting the gates of birth, t wise, Then as for receiving of the six kinds of beings, uttering the dharma, cutting off individual qufferings. | offer prostralions and pr i mother Great Compass consorts of the six perfections these six great wages, jon together with your siddhi, say, “Father an 1e five families, children, Sugatas of th practising samadhi, six nirmanakaya rections, {ful means, iddhis of sages, along with the signs and dd ordinary siddhis. OM MANI PADME DHI HUM, recite that. Then meditate bodhisattvas of the ten di sages, taming beings by skil to tame beings, by compassion acting in bodily form, grant si marks, Grant the supreme an HUM KAYA WAKA TSITTA SIDI attaining the siddhi of the bodies of the existence, the siddhi of speech as tran: unobstructed essence and the siddhi of mind a wisdom deities as changeless self. mission of the changeless .s changeless simplicity, the self-illuminated nature of dharmas. With samadhi, recite with the visualization until the time when siddhi is attained. At the end of the session by samadhi gather in the deities. Then the jfianasattvas, dividing from us, go to their natural place. The samaya mandalas dissolve into us ; pes then into the HRI at our hearts, Moreover gradually that dissolves into bindu, which dissolves into dharmadhatu. Gathering the coloured sand, as the outer and inner vessel and essence being gathered into dharmadhatu, it is thrown into the stream of a river. Th jat was the great sadhana, composed by the emanation of Great Cor ic passion, the dharma-protecting king Songtsen Gampo.