The Phowa Practice of Vairayogini in the Sakya Tradition
Colophon The author of the text is unknown. It was tranlated by His Holiness Sakya Trizin and Ngawang Samten Chophel at the Sakya Dolma Podrang in 1976. Slightly edited and formatted by Wolfgang Saumweber for the Vajrayogini Practice Group at Ewam Choden in Kensington, California (www.ewamchoden.org) in 2002. Line drawings by Andy Weber (www.andyweberstudios.com); graphics by Wolfgang Saumweber; front image from Rubin Collection, New York (www.himalayanart.org). Reformatted for the use by Vajrayogini Support website (www.vajrayogini.com) in 3/2007. SARVA MANGALAM
The Phowa Practice of Vairayogini There are two types of ‘phowa’ (=consciousness transference) practices in the Vajrayogini tradition. The first is ‘common’ with the Father, and the second is ‘non-common’, being only with the Mother.
The ‘Common’ Phowa Practice First, perform the entire sadhana up to and including the Meditation Beyond Thought. Arising out of the Meditation Beyond Thought oneself reappears in the form of the non-sessional Vajrayogini, i.e. Vajrayogini without ornaments and hand-objects. From one’s navel to the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of the head runs the Avadhuti [central] channel, which appears like a bamboo stalk — thin at the base and becoming increasingly thicker as it goes to the top. It ends at the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head and [flares out] resembling the end of a trumpet. At the base of the Avadhuti channel is a sun-disc, upon which stands a small Vajrayogini, with ornaments — ready to go — who is the essence of one’s own mind. In the sky above and a little in front of one is a jewelled throne upheld by snow-lions. Upon this is a lotus moon, sun, and then Bhairava and Kalaratri. On top of this is one’s own Root Guru in the form of Chakrasamvara, body blue in color, with one face and two hands holding a vajra and bell while embracing red Vajrayogini. They are surrounded by all the Viras and Dakinis. From the Guru’s heart light rays issue forth which invoke all objects of Refuge, wich are absorbed into his heart. Thus, he is the collection of all objects of Refuge, the combined shrine. The Vajrayogini at the navel recites the following prayer [3, 5, 7 times] with great devotion: To the venerable holy preceptor who is the essence of all the Buddhas of the three times, I pray: bless my mind to abandon the grasping of a self; bless the arising upon my (mental) continuum of (the knowledge that all things) are useless; bless me to practise phowa; the highest path; bless me to attain the faultless Khechara. Having said this, push the lower air up and imagine that the air mandala is agitated, which in turn heats up the sun-disc. As a result of this, one’s own mind in the form of Vajrayogini at the navel rises up through the Avadhuti
Common Vajrayogini Practice of the Transference of Consciousness
channel. When she reaches the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of the head she takes off and is absorbed into the Guru’s heart. At this point one should remain in the state of emptiness for some time. After a while — as one inhales — Vajrayogini comes from the Guru’s heart and enters through the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head. She descends to the navel through the Avadhuti channel, and — once she has reached the navel — one should perform the Lung Khajor. Perform this meditation 3, 5 or 7 times [from the point where one pushes up the lower air). When one wishes to conclude the session, first imagine that the Viras and Dakinis are absorbed into the Guru, and then imagine that the throne is absorbed into the Guru. Then the Guru Father-Mother becomes very small — the size of one’s thumb — and, entering one through the top of one’s head, they descend together through the Avadhuti channel to the heart, where they remain. The Guru looks down at the Vajrayogini at one’s navel, and she looks up to the Heruka, and by this the Bliss-Void and Transcenden
tal Knowledge arises in each of them. Finally, the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head is firmly sealed with a very hard red light which is marked in the center with a vishvavajra. The light is so hard and firmly placed that not even the wind which arises at the end of a kalpa could lift it off. At the time of death practice this phowa preliminary. Having accomplished this meditation, the Vajrayogini at the navel rises and is absorbed into the Guru, who then rises up through the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head and goes straight off to the Khachod Buddhafield.
The ‘Non-common’ Phowa Practice First perform the entire sadhana up to and including the Meditation Beyond Thought. Out of this one reappears in the form of the non-sessional Vajrayogini [Vajrayogini without ornaments and hand-objects]. From one’s navel to the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head runs the Avadhuti channel, like a bamboo stalk — thin at the base and becoming increasingly thicker as it goes to the top. It ends at the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head, where it resembles the flared end of a trumpet. At the base of the Avadhuti vein is a red triangle in the center of which is one’s own mind in the form of a red droplet or a red BAM, the size of the tip of one’s small finger. On the top of one’s head is a lion-supported jewelled throne, upon which is a lotus-and-moon throne. On top of this is one’s own Root Guru in the form of Vajrayogini with ornaments, surrounded by all the Viras, Dakinis, Dharmapalas and the like. All of this is enclosed within a rainbow tent in which there are a shower of flowers, many other rainbows in between, and manifold sweet scents, just as in the realm of Khechara itself. Next one should offer one’s body and wealth, and utter praises with the following verses along with the appropriate gestures: OM VAJRAYOGINI SAPARIVARA ARGHAM PADYAM PUSHPE DHUPE ALOKE GANDHE NAIVIDYE SHABDA AH HUM Thus make the offerings. Then with great devotion recite the following verse 3, 5. 7 times: Prostrations to the saviour of beings, the auspicious Vajradakini, the empress of the Dakinis, who possesses the five Transcendental Knowledges and the three Bodies. As many Vajradakinis as there are who cut the bonds of conceptualization and enter into worldly activities (for the sake of sentient beings), to all those I prostrate. To the preceptor who is Khechari and Vajrayogini I pray: bless my mind to abandon the grasping of a self; bless the arising upon my (mental) continuum of (the knowledge that all things) are useless; bless me to practice phowa, the highest path; bless me to attain the faultless Khechara.
Uncommon Vajrayogini Practice of the Transference of Consciousness
After reciting this prayer 3 times, do the next practice seven times. Reciting the syllables HIK and KA is optional; one may simply visualize the letter BAM ascending and descending. Next push the lower air up and visualize that the letter BAM rises to the Brahmarandhra opening at the top of one’s head and then goes up through the throne and enters Vajrayogini’s Lotus. Along with this visualization one should pronounce the syllable HIK. This letter (BAM) is absorbed into the BAM in the heart of the Guru Vajrayogini. Now meditate in the state of shunyata for some time. Then the letter BAM, which in one’s own mind, descends from the Guru’s heart. As one pronounces the syllable KA in a drawnout manner, the BAM descends into the Avadhuti vein and returns to the centre of the triangle at one’s navel. At this point one should perform the Lung Khajor. One should perform this meditation from pushing the lower air up) several times.
At the time of death practise this phowa preliminary. Having accomplished this meditation — without desire for outer objects — one’s mind in the form of BAM rises through the Avadhuti channel and is absorbed into the Guru Vajrayogini’s heart. The Guru then ascends directly to the Buddhafield of Khachodma. One should perform the phowa meditation until such time as one experiences a head-ache, or until the Brahmarandhra opens or blood appears or irritation arises at the top of one’s head, or until rainbows appear or flowers rain down within one’s room, or until some such sign appear.
