🪷 THE EIGHT EMANATIONS OF GURU PADMASAMBHAVA

Part 2 — Guru Rinpoche and the Vajrayana Path

Those of you who are practicing on Guru Padmasambhava through visualization, chanting the Seven Line Prayer and reciting the Vajra Guru Mantra already know something about who Guru Padmasambhava is. But for those who aren’t familiar with him or the benefits of practicing on Guru Padmasambhava, I will give a brief introduction so that you will be in a better position to receive teachings about his various emanations.

In the Tibetan language, Guru Padmasambhava is generally referred to as Guru Rinpoche, which means “precious master.” Guru Rinpoche is a totally enlightened being, a fully awakened one, a buddha. He did not become enlightened gradually or start practicing the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni and eventually gain enlightenment.

Guru Rinpoche incarnated as a fully enlightened being. Through his form, primordial wisdom manifested in the world to benefit all sentient beings.

Buddha Shakyamuni actually predicted Guru Padmasambhava’s appearance. Nineteen different sutras and tantras contain clear predictions of his coming and activities.

In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Buddha Shakyamuni announced his parinirvana to the students who were with him at the time. Many of them, particularly Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant, were quite upset upon hearing this. So Buddha turned to Ananda and told him not to worry:

“Eight years after my parinirvana, a remarkable being with the name Padmasambhava will appear from the center of a lotus and reveal the highest teaching concerning the ultimate state of the true nature, bringing great benefit to all sentient beings.”

Buddha Shakyamuni said that Padmasambhava would be even more enlightened than himself. Of course, Buddha Shakyamuni was fully enlightened and there is no higher realization, but through this expression we can begin to understand the importance of Guru Padmasambhava.

Some accounts hold that Guru Rinpoche is a direct reincarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddha Shakyamuni also said that Padmasambhava would be an emanation of Amitabha Buddha and Avalokitesvara and referred to him as the embodiment of all the buddhas of the three times. Many prophecies indicate that Guru Rinpoche is a fully enlightened buddha appearing in this world to help all sentient beings.

For the most part, Buddha Shakyamuni taught the Hinayana and Mahayana sutra teachings, while Guru Padmasambhava taught Vajrayana. Both reveal the complete and perfect path to enlightenment so that beings of all capacities may receive benefit. On the absolute level, Buddha’s teachings transcend conceptual limitations. If they did not transcend conceptuality, there would be no need to transform our ordinary understanding of things. To help us recognize primordial nature, Buddha Shakyamuni repeatedly taught that we must go beyond ordinary dualistic concepts, narrow attitudes, closed-mindedness, traditional rules, beliefs and all limitations.

The ultimate meaning of the supreme teachings is not easy for ordinary beings to understand. This is why Buddha Shakyamuni remained silent for forty-nine days after enlightenment. He thought, “I have realized the deepest and most subtle dharma, luminous clarity beyond all fabrications. However, this is too profound for ordinary people to understand. Therefore, I shall remain silent.” He knew how difficult it would be to communicate the truth of realization. Although he later tirelessly taught for forty-five years, that initial thought reflects the extraordinary nature of the state he realized, far beyond worldly concepts and ideas.

“Sutra” is a Sanskrit word meaning “summary” or “condensation.” Sutras bearing this title indicate teachings directly given in the world to provide clear understanding of the nature of our existence on both relative and absolute levels. They offer the view through which practitioners may attain buddhahood.

Most of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings were directed toward ordinary beings and offered direct methods for understanding the nature of our experiences. This is the non-esoteric view, consistent with ordinary logic and principles that can be verified through careful observation of the elements composing our everyday world. Through this view we may cultivate the path to enlightenment. This is the essential idea of the Mahayana sutras.

Vajrayana, also known as Tantra, is based on the foundation of the Mahayana sutras but provides additional methods and special techniques. Vajrayana practices encourage us to examine our perceptions more deeply, to understand primordial nature and learn to rest the mind within that state. Sutra teachings may be regarded as general teachings clarifying the conditioned nature of mind and perception, while Vajrayana reveals the hidden structure of phenomena and is intended for more advanced practitioners. Although sharing the same foundation, Vajrayana goes further in realizing transcendent reality. Practicing both sutra and tantra may bring enlightenment within this very lifetime, even within a short period of time. This acceleration is a distinctive feature of Vajrayana methods.

Buddha taught Vajrayana separately to selected groups of disciples. Because the essence and even the form of these profound teachings transcend ordinary understanding, they are also called secret teachings. After Buddha entered mahaparinirvana, these tantric teachings were preserved by countless wisdom dakinis.

When Guru Rinpoche appeared as the reincarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni, he fully revealed the Vajrayana teachings. Therefore Guru Rinpoche is known as the Buddha of Vajrayana.

🌿 To be continued…

📚 Full Series:

📚 English Source:
The Eight Emanations of Guru Padmasambhava
Teachings by Venerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche
Translated by Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche
Padma Gochen Ling, Monterey, Tennessee
May 1992