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Return to Buddhism, Vajrakilaya, Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche Table of Contents, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche

Translator's Introduction

“Although I had not fully understood it at the time, it seems the catastrophic terrorist attacks of September 2001 in New York City and Virginia became the final condition for the seeds of Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche's personal practice of Enlightened body, Mañjuśrī Yamāntaka, and Enlightened activity, Vajrakīla, to begin ripening in the New World. In February 2002, the Yamāntaka group accomplishment retreat, or drubpa, was established at Garchen Buddhist Institute (GBI) in Arizona. In the summer of that same year, even before a Vajrakīla retreat had begun at GBI, Rinpoche offered his first instructions in America on the practice of the yidam, or favored personal Deity, of his current and former lives. It seems to me those instructions were bestowed with great aspirations for the practice yet to come, as Rinpoche repeatedly used phrases like “in the future when you actually practice Vajrakīla…” I came to regard those teachings as a sort of treasure, concealed in 2002 to be rediscovered after we as a Sangha had collectively matured a bit.” (VkGarR)

“The teachings gathered in this book were titled Vajrakīlaya: Profound Points of Practice

• by Rinpoche himself. They reflect an eighteen-year span of instructions to Western audiences, from the time Garchen Rinpoche was aged sixty-six through eighty-four. Although they utilized Vajrakīla Texts as a basis, many of the Pith Instructions contained herein are universally applicable to any Deity Yoga.” (VkGarR)

“They were offered to different groups and individuals via different interpreters in different settings and times. They also include personal instructions Rinpoche gave in response to questions I had posed when translating and editing the practice texts on which this book is based. Since the guru's outer expressions of body and voice continually change to suit arising conditions, I hope this collection of teachings from diverse perspectives can provide readers a panoramic view of Vajra Youth (Vajraku[[māra) beloved by Garchen Rinpoche.” (VkGarR)

“As for the Guru's Mind, disciples often do not conceive of the master as a practitioner whose understanding of a text and relationship to the yidam and to sentient ones are in constant evolution. This is one of the many ways we dehumanize gurus through our idealized archetypal projections of them. In any case, looking at the arc of these teachings, I observed shifts in how Rinpoche presented them over time. I believe these shifts were conditioned by personal growth and by his interactions with us — students who were asking questions in our own process of understanding and relating to the Deity.” (VkGarR)

“Garchen Rinpoche once told me someone had said of him that he was outwardly a sādhaka of Ārya Tārā, inwardly a sādhaka of Vajrakīla, and secretly a sādhaka of Yamāntaka. Of course, people say many things about the guru. Since this statement was one Rinpoche himself chose to repeat and since he is not one to spread meaningless gossip, I asked him how he felt about it. He responded, “I don't know so much about that point. But I can say that the stupa (that was designed by Rinpoche at GBI has the outer form of an eight-spoked wheel, or cakra, which is symbolic of Ārya Tārā, the Wish-Granting Cakra. Inside, the upper and lower steel beams of the roof and walls are like the conjoined domes of the sky-iron sphere [of Vajrakīla's outer mandala. Secretly, the four sides where the eyes are painted symbolize the Four Immeasurables [the four cakras] of Yamāntaka. The top ornament of the jewel in the lotus symbolizes the essence, Bodhicitta.” I suppose this is as close to an acceptance of another's assessment of Rinpoche's main practices as he may ever come.” (VkGarR)

“As for the teachings, Rinpoche has been unapologetic about the fact that he has not received the academic training of a khenpo and that his instructions are based on understanding revealed through direct experience. Thus, when giving teachings, Rinpoche has consistently emphasized the textual passages that have been meaningful to him as a meditator. Although anyone can complicate even the simplest of teachings, I have been struck by Garchen Rinpoche's ability to make the most profound]] Dharma accessible to beings of diverse faculties. Despite this, there are occasions on which he has chosen to touch on certain topics without clarification or elaboration.” (VkGarR)

“After having reviewed and translated the audio recordings, I tried my best to elicit teachings from Rinpoche to fill in perceived gaps. Sometimes when I sought further clarification, the lama readily offered it; other times, he seemed vexed by my attention to passages whose meaning he deemed self-evident or not particularly profound. In the process, Rinpoche repeatedly admonished me against conceptual elaboration and dualistic grasping at conventional meaning.” (VkGarR)

“In the end, I came to regard those junctures at which the guru chose not to elaborate as teachings in themselves. There is no instruction more profound than one whose meaning is revealed from within through reflection, practice, and — most importantly — through blessing. I hope that readers will regard whatever lacunae they may find in this book as points yet to be revealed through further study, contemplation, and actual practice.” (VkGarR)

“I believe that in spite of its shortcomings by academic standards, this collection of teachings is endowed with singular beauty and meaning by the flawless motivation of Rinpoche's love for beings. That love has manifested as fearless generosity in sharing the fruits of a lifetime of yogic practice. While assembling these instructions, I often felt as though I were observing an intricate dissection — watching Rinpoche wield a fine scalpel to cut away layers of diaphanous tissue to reveal progressively deeper layers of meaning. For me, the process had a quality of rawness and nakedness that turned the mind back on itself. I pray it can offer readers a similar experiential view.” (VkGarR)

“Finally, I accept full karmic responsibility for any errors herein. Since Lama Garchen Rinpoche covered a broad range of Mantric topics in these Vajrakīla instructions, if readers should find the content of some of them questionable or not credible, they may set doubtful points aside with neither acceptance nor rejection, supplicating the Three Jewels to reveal the meaning from within. Alternatively, they may seek clarifications from accomplished masters. Otherwise, please blame me — focusing on my lack of competence as a translator, my poor understanding of the Buddha Dharma, my deliberate misrepresentation of the guru's sublime intent, or any other such narrative. One should strive to preserve one's connection with the authentic vajra master at all costs, since he or she is the source of every Deity and every accomplishment. Now that humankind is fully entrenched in the age of the five dregs, it is essential that practitioners find a foothold for pure perception somewhere.” (VkGarR)

“May all who have come into contact with Garchen Rinpoche, this text, or the waves that emanate therefrom swiftly accomplish existence-Vajrakīla.” (VkGarR)

Acknowledgments

“It is said that when Enlightenment is attained, one awakens into the truth that everyone had been a Buddha all along and that oneself alone had been the sole holdout — the last one to cross over. Reflecting on the gratitude I feel to friends who have generously shared their knowledge and skills to bring this created Nirmāṇakāya into being, it makes sense to me that such a perception could someday dawn.” (VkGarR)

“I offer sincere thanks to Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche for lovingly sharing the bounty of his experience and realization and to the senior disciple who conceived of and sought Rinpoche's approval for this project. In addition, I wish to acknowledge the spiritual centers that shared images and video and audio recordings of the teachings that make up this work: Garchen Dharma Institute in Taiwan, Drikung Kagyü Ratna Shri in Moscow, Drikung Treloknath Ling in Spain, Gar Drolma Buddhist Center in Ohio, Garchen Buddhist Institute in Arizona, and White Lotus Buddhist Center in New York.” (VkGarR)

“Khenpo Yeshi in the United States and Khanpo Rigzin Wangyal in Ladakh have always supported my understanding through being generous with their knowledge. Frank Jen created the illustrations for the book — images that give form to his connection with the guru and Deity. Piet Bernhard shared from the extensive collection of photographs he has taken of Garchen Rinpoche.” (VkGarR)

“I am indebted to Michaela Perkounigg for refining the draft manuscript with care. Furthermore, I am most grateful to the staff at Shambhala Publications — to Casey Kemp and Anna Wolcott Johnson, who rectified my writing to the limit my stubbornness would allow, and to the design team who have created a work of beauty.” (VkGarR)

“Finally, I wish to acknowledge the support of Tara Foundation, under whose auspices I was privileged to delve deeply into the guru's teachings.” (VkGarR)

“To them and to all the other friends, artists, scholars, and practitioners who contributed to this work in ways great and small, I express my deepest appreciation. May their merits not be exhausted until samsara itself has collapsed.” (VkGarR)

Ari-ma

Prescott, Arizona

August 2020

Skip Notes

• “Rdo rje phur pa'i nyams len gyi zab gnad. Although Tibetan texts commonly use ”Dorje Phurba“ and ”Vajrakīlaya“ interchangeably when referring to the Deity by name, throughout the present work the simple Sanskrit without any case markings, ”Vajrakīla,“ has been adopted for use.” (VkGarR)

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