The Mirror of the Heart of Vajrasattva
Encyclopedia
The Mirror of the Heart of Vajrasattva is numbered amongst the 'Seventeen Tantras
of Menngagde
' within Dzogchen
discourse and is part of the textual support for the Vima Nyingtik
.
The Continuum of Vajrasattva's Heart-Mirror conveys how the 'lamps' are the self-display of awareness. It furthermore lists twenty-one pointing-out instructions appropriate for people with different propensities and proclivities along with four key points and practice instructions.
These Seventeen Tantras are to be found in the Canon of the Ancient School, the 'Nyingma Gyubum
' , volumes 9 and 10, folio numbers 143-159 of the edition edited by 'Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche' commonly known as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Thimpu, Bhutan, 1973), reproduced from the manuscript preserved at 'Tingkye Gonpa Jang' Monastery in Tibet.
The Seventeen Tantras are quoted extensively throughout Longchenpa
's (1308 - 1364?) 'The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding' rendered in English by Barron
and Padma Translation Committee (1998). This work is one of Longchenpa's Seven Treasuries
and the Tibetan text in poor reproduction of the pecha has been graciously made available online by Dowman and Smith
.
Barron et. al. (1998: p.136) render an embedded quotation of this tantra within their translation of Lonchepa's 'Way of Abiding' (Wylie: gnas lugs):
Seventeen tantras
In Tibetan Buddhism, specifically in the literature and practice of Dzogchen, the seventeen tantras of the esoteric instruction cycle are a suite of tantras belonging to the textual division known as the "esoteric instruction cycle" .-History and tradition:The seventeen tantras, though not...
of Menngagde
Menngagde
In Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Menngagde , , is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within Dzogchen, teachings...
' within Dzogchen
Dzogchen
According to Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of the mind, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition. Dzogchen, or "Great Perfection", is a central teaching of the Nyingma school also practiced by...
discourse and is part of the textual support for the Vima Nyingtik
Vima Nyingtik
Vima Nyingthig or "Vimalamitra's Seminal Heart" is a practice lineage of Mantrayana. It is one of the nyingthig or seminal heart teachings of the Mennagde cycle of Dzogchen and was codified and collated by Longchenpa in the fourteenth century...
.
The Continuum of Vajrasattva's Heart-Mirror conveys how the 'lamps' are the self-display of awareness. It furthermore lists twenty-one pointing-out instructions appropriate for people with different propensities and proclivities along with four key points and practice instructions.
These Seventeen Tantras are to be found in the Canon of the Ancient School, the 'Nyingma Gyubum
Nyingma Gyubum
'Nyingma Gyubum' is the 'Collected Tantras of the Ancients', that is the Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga Tantras of the Nyingma.-Canonization:The Nyingma Gyubum of the Nyingma was a dependent arising resulting from the 'normalization' of the Kangyur and Tengyur by the Sarma traditions which for the...
' , volumes 9 and 10, folio numbers 143-159 of the edition edited by 'Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche' commonly known as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Thimpu, Bhutan, 1973), reproduced from the manuscript preserved at 'Tingkye Gonpa Jang' Monastery in Tibet.
Nomenclature, orthography and etymology
- 'The Mirror of the Heart of Vajrasattva'
English translations
This tantra has not as yet has been completely rendered into English nor made generally available.The Seventeen Tantras are quoted extensively throughout Longchenpa
Longchenpa
Longchen Rabjampa, Drimé Özer "Longchenpa" was a major teacher in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Along with Sakya Pandita and Je Tsongkhapa, he is commonly recognized as one of the three main manifestations of Manjushri to have taught in Central Tibet...
's (1308 - 1364?) 'The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding' rendered in English by Barron
Richard Barron
Richard Barron is a Canadian-born translator who specializes in the writings of Longchenpa. He has served as an interpreter for many lamas from all from all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, including his first teacher, Kalu Rinpoche...
and Padma Translation Committee (1998). This work is one of Longchenpa's Seven Treasuries
Seven Treasuries
The Seven Treasuries are a collection of seven works, some with auto-commentaries, by the Tibetan Buddhist teacher Longchenpa.-Texts of the Seven Treasures:...
and the Tibetan text in poor reproduction of the pecha has been graciously made available online by Dowman and Smith
E. Gene Smith
E. Gene Smith was a scholar of Tibetology, specifically Tibetan literature and history.-Biography:Ellis Gene Smith was born in Ogden, Utah to a traditional Mormon family...
.
Barron et. al. (1998: p.136) render an embedded quotation of this tantra within their translation of Lonchepa's 'Way of Abiding' (Wylie: gnas lugs):
"Understand all aspects of awareness to be free of ordinary consciousness, which involves concepts of identity. Similarly, bring this understanding to the point of understanding that all phenomena are unceasing. Bring the understanding of what is unceasing to the point of understanding that it manifests in any way whatsoever. Bring the understanding of what manifests in any way whatsoever to the point of understanding that it is unborn. Bring the understanding what is unborn to the point of understanding that it does not come and go. Bring the understanding of what does not come and go to the point of understanding that it is nondual. Bring the understanding of what is nondual to the point of understanding that it is absolutely free of limitations. Similarly, bring this understanding to the point of not conceptualizing or thinking about any phenomenon in any way. Bring this understanding of all phenomena to the point of experiencing their essence lucidly and without distraction."