The Practice of Heruka Body Mandala
THE LINEAGE OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS
As mentioned above, Heruka – also known as Chakrasambara – is an enlightened Deity of Highest Yoga Tantra who is the manifestation of the compassion of all Buddhas.
To lead living beings to the supreme happiness of enlightenment, all the Buddhas’ compassion appears in the form of Heruka who has a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve arms, and embraces the consort Vajravarahi. Every part of Heruka’s body is the nature of wisdom light. although each aspect of Heruka’s body has great meaning, as explained in the commentary to Heruka body mandala practice called Essence of Vajrayana, at first we should be satisfied with the mere name Heruka. There is no need to search closely for Heruka’s body, because like a rainbow the closer we search for it the more it will disappear. The name Heruka has three parts, ‘He’ ‘ru’ and ‘ka’. ‘He’ refers to the emptiness of all phenomena, ‘ru’ refers to great bliss and ‘ka’ refers to the union of great bliss and emptiness. This indicates that through relying upon Heruka with faith we shall attain the realization of the union of great bliss and emptiness, which is the actual quick path to enlightenment.
Heruka imputed upon Buddha’s Enjoyment Body is ‘Enjoyment Body Heruka’, and Heruka imputed upon Buddha’s Emanation Body is ‘Emanation Body Heruka’; together they are called ‘interpretative Heruka’. Emanation Body Heruka can be seen even by ordinary beings who have a special pure mind. When, through training, we are able to believe spontaneously that our Spiritual Guide is an emanation of Heruka, we shall see Emanation Body Heruka. Heruka imputed upon Buddha’s Truth Body, or Dharmakaya, is called ‘definitive Heruka’, and always lacks form, shape and colour. Because its basis of imputation, Buddha’s Truth Body, is extremely subtle, definitive Heruka can be seen only by Buddhas and not by other beings. It is also called ‘wisdom being Buddha Heruka’. Definitive Heruka pervades the entire universe; there is no single place where definitive Heruka is absent.
Buddha expounded extensive, middling and condensed Heruka root Tantras. The Condensed Root Tantra and many of its commentaries written by Indian Buddhist Tantric scholars, including the great Yogis Ghantapa and Naropa, were translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan. Later, many Tibetan Tantric scholars, including the great translator Marpa, the founder of the kagyu tradition, and Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug tradition, wrote commentaries to the practice of Heruka Tantra. In this present age, the great Lama Je Phabongkhapa wrote special commentaries to the practices of Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini. He also wrote many profound ritual prayers, or sadhanas, and gave extensive teachings on these. It is through the great kindness of Je Phabongkhapa and his heart disciple, kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, that even in these times of extreme spiritual degeneration the profound practices of Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini are flourishing both in the East and the West.
Je Phabongkhapa had direct visions of Heruka. at one time Heruka told him: ‘For seven generations, the practitioners of your instructions of Heruka and Vajrayogini will have the special good fortune to accomplish easily the realizations of these practices.’ Whenever I contemplate this I think ‘How fortunate we are’. It is said that as the general level of spiritual-ity decreases, it becomes increasingly difficult for practitioners to receive the blessings of other Deities, such as Guhyasamaja and Yamantaka; but the opposite is the case with Heruka and Vajrayogini – the more times degenerate the more easily practitioners can receive their blessings. This is because the people of this world have a special karmic connection with Heruka and Vajrayogini, and the emanations of Heruka and Vajrayogini and their places – the Pure Lands of keajra – pervade every-where throughout this world.
The first lineage holder of these instructions on Heruka body mandala is the great Yogi Ghantapa. He received the empowerment and instructions of Heruka body mandala direct from Heruka. Ghantapa lived deep in a forest in Odivisha, (present-day Orissa), in India, where he engaged in intensive meditation on Heruka and Vajrayogini. Since he was living in such an isolated place his diet was poor and his body became emaciated. One day the king of Odivisha was out hunting in the forest when he came across Ghantapa. Seeing how thin and weak he was, the king asked Ghantapa why he lived in the forest on such a poor diet, and encouraged him to return with him to the city where he would give him food and shelter. Ghantapa replied that just as a great elephant could not be led from the forest by a fine thread, so he could not be tempted to leave the forest by the riches of a king. angered by Ghantapa’s refusal, the king returned to his palace threatening revenge.
Such was the king’s anger that he summoned a number of women from the city and told them about the arrogant monk in the forest. He offered great wealth to any one of them who could seduce him and force him to break his vows of celibacy. One woman, a wine-seller, boasted that she could do this and she set out for the forest to look for Ghantapa. When eventually she found him she asked if she could become his servant. Ghantapa had no need of a servant, but he realized that they had a strong relationship from previous lives and so he allowed her to stay. Ghantapa gave her spiritual instructions and empowerments and they engaged sincerely in meditation. After twelve years they both attained the Union of No More Learning, full enlightenment.
One day Ghantapa and the former wine-seller decided to encourage the people of the city to develop a greater inter-est in Dharma. accordingly, the woman returned to the king and reported that she had seduced the monk. at first the king doubted the truth of her story, but when she explained that she and Ghantapa now had two children, a son and a daughter, the king was delighted with the news and told her to bring Ghantapa to the city on a particular day. He then issued a proclamation disparaging Ghantapa, and ordered his subjects to assemble on the appointed day to insult and humiliate the monk.
When the day came, Ghantapa and the woman left the forest with their children, the son on Ghantapa’s right and the daughter on his left. as they entered the city Ghantapa was walking as if he were drunk, holding a bowl into which the woman was pouring wine. all the people who had gathered laughed and jeered, hurling abuse and insults at him. ‘Long ago’, they taunted him, ‘our king invited you to the city but you arrogantly refused his invitation. Now you come drunk and with a wine-seller. What a bad example of a Buddhist and a monk!’ When they had finished, Ghantapa appeared to become angry and threw his bowl to the ground. The bowl sank into the earth, splitting the ground and causing a spring of water to appear. Ghantapa immediately transformed into Heruka and the woman into Vajrayogini. The boy transformed into a vajra which Ghantapa held in his right hand, and the girl into a bell which he held in his left hand. Ghantapa and his consort then embraced and flew into the sky.
The people were astonished and immediately developed deep regret for their disrespect. They prostrated to Ghantapa, begging him and the emanation of Vajrayogini to return. Ghantapa and his consort refused, but told the people that if their regret was sincere they should make confession to Mahakaruna, the embodiment of Buddha’s great compassion. Through the deep remorse of the people of Odivisha and the force of their prayers a statue of Mahakaruna arose from the spring water. The people of Odivisha became very devoted Dharma practitioners and many of them gained realizations. The statue of Mahakaruna can still be seen today.
Because of Ghantapa’s pure practice of Heruka and Vajrayogini in the forest, Vajrayogini saw that it was the right time for him to receive her blessings and so she manifested as the wine-seller. Through living with her Ghantapa attained the state of full enlightenment.
In this modern age, people find it difficult to believe that human beings are able to fly, but such things were very common in ancient times when people had strong potentialities for spiritual attainments. Milarepa, who was a great practitioner of Heruka and Vajrayogini, at one time – as explained in his life story – told a large assembly of his disciples how he had gained the ability to fly. Through various methods, including his tummo meditation, he had released the central channel knots at his heart, navel and below the navel, and because of this he developed a very special physical suppleness that pervaded his body. This made his body extremely light, like a soft feather. at first he could only levitate but gradually he was able to move through space until finally he was able to fly like an eagle. One day Milarepa was flying above a small town called Longda, near where a father and son were ploughing a field. The son first saw Milarepa flying and said, ‘Father, look in the sky. There’s a man flying!’ The father looked carefully and, realizing that it was Milarepa, told his son, ‘This man is called Milarepa. He is an evil person who killed many people through his black magic.’ However, the son deeply appreciated what he saw and said ‘There is no sight more amazing than a human being flying through the sky.’ Milarepa attained the enlightened state of Buddha Heruka through the practice of Heruka body mandala, and many of his disciples including Rechungpa attained the Pure Land of keajra without abandoning their human body. We can understand this from his collection of songs called ‘gur bum’ in Tibetan. Shortly before he intended passing away, Milarepa gave advice to his assembled disciples, finally saying ‘We will meet in the Pure Land of keajra.’ The actual method to attain the Pure Land of keajra is qualified meditation on the self-generation of Heruka and Vajrayogini.
Milarepa and his root Guru Marpa, and Je Tsongkhapa and his heart disciple khedrubje have a special connection. It is said that Marpa is one of Je Tsongkhapa’s former incarnations and Milarepa is one of khedrubje’s former incarnations. Through this we can understand the great kindness of these holy beings who, by changing their physical aspect, continually benefit the people of this world from generation to generation.
The Pure Land of keajra is the Pure Land of Heruka. It is sometimes also called ‘akanishta’, which means the ‘Highest’ Pure Land, and ‘Pure Dakini Land’ indicating that it is also the Pure Land of Vajrayogini. In general, when an ordinary person takes rebirth in any of the Pure Lands of Buddha he or she is permanently freed from all sufferings and will never again take rebirth within samsara, a contaminated rebirth. Therefore taking rebirth in the Pure Land of Buddha is like attaining liberation or nirvana. For this reason, when an ordinary person takes rebirth in a Pure Land of Buddha through the practice of transference of consciousness, or powa, it is called ‘attaining enlightenment in one moment’. However, this is only similar to the attainment of enlightenment and is not the actual attainment.
The Pure Land of keajra is unequalled among all the other Pure Lands of Buddhas. Living beings who abide in other Pure Lands, such as Sukhavati and Tushita, do not have the opportunity to practise completion stage Tantra. Because their bodies have no channels, drops and inner fire (tummo), they are unable to meditate on the central channel, drops and inner fire. However, living beings who dwell in the Pure Land of keajra have bodies that possess channels, drops and inner fire. These have the nature of light, but they function in the same way as the channels, drops and inner fire of human beings. They can therefore meditate on the central channel, indestructible drop and indestructible wind and mind, and in this way they can accomplish the realizations of meaning clear light and pure illusory body, and attain enlightenment within one single life. This is the special good fortune of living beings who dwell in the Pure Land of keajra. This shows the special power of the instructions on the practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini. It is through practising these instructions that living beings who dwell in the Pure Land of keajra have this special good fortune.
The extensive sadhana of Heruka body mandala lists thirty-nine lineage holder Teachers, or ‘lineage Gurus’, from Ghantapa to Heruka Losang Yeshe, Trijang Rinpoche. all these spiritual Teachers and many of their disciples attained the realization of Highest Yoga Tantra through practising Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini. We should therefore engage with confidence in our practice of Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini.
WHAT IS THE HERUKA BODY MANDALA?
In this context, ‘body’ refers to our subtle body – our channels and drops; and ‘mandala’ means an assembly of enlightened Deities. Our channels and drops are called our ‘subtle body’ because they are parts of our body that are not easy to recognize. The Heruka body mandala is the assembly of the imagined Heruka (ourself) with the consort Vajravarahi (who is the same as Vajrayogini) – the nature of our purified indestructible white and red drops – and our imagined retinue (the Heroes and Heroines) – the nature of our purified channels and drops – in the imagined Pure Land of keajra. Generally, ‘mandala’ refers to either a ‘supporting’ mandala, which means the world, environment and palace of an enlightened Deity or Deities, or a ‘supported’ mandala, which means an assembly of enlightened Deities.
The purpose of meditating on Heruka body mandala is to receive the powerful blessings of Buddha Heruka and his retinue within our channels and drops. Through these blessings we can be freed from any obstacles within our channels and drops, and our meditation on the central channel, indestructible drop and indestructible wind and mind will be successful. Because of this we shall easily develop and make progress in the five stages of completion stage mentioned above, and through this fulfil our final goal.
The explanation of how to generate the Heruka body mandala and how to meditate on it given in this book is simple but presents the very essence. I have prepared this for those who are unable to practise the extensive sadhana of Heruka body mandala. In this practice, we need to visualize thirty-six channels of our body, which are the twenty-four channels of the twenty-four places of our body, the four channels of our heart channel wheel, and the eight channels of our eight sense doors. We also visualize the white indestructible drop and the red indestructible drop at our heart, and the twenty-four drops that are contained within the twenty-four channels of the twenty-four places of our body. We then need to receive the powerful blessings of Heruka Father and Mother and his retinue of Heroes and Heroines within these channels and drops.
The twenty-four places of our body represent the twenty-four places of Heruka in the world. The twenty-four places of our body are: (1) the hairline; (2) the crown; (3) the right ear; (4) the back of the neck; (5) the left ear; (6) the point between the eyebrows; (7) the two eyes; (8) the two shoulders; (9) the two armpits; (10) the two breasts; (11) the navel; (12) the tip of the nose; (13) the mouth; (14) the throat; (15) the heart; (16) the two testicles; (17) the tip of the sex organ; (18) the anus; (19) the two thighs; (20) the two calves; (21) the eight fingers and eight toes; (22) the tops of the feet; (23) the two thumbs and two big toes; and (24) the two knees.
When we meditate on Heruka body mandala we meditate on ourself as Heruka with our consort Vajravarahi, surrounded in concentric circles by the four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel, the eight Heroes and Heroines of the heart wheel, the eight Heroes and Heroines of the speech wheel, the eight Heroes and Heroines of the body wheel, and the eight Heroines of the commitment wheel. In this way we meditate on the assembly of sixty-two enlightened Deities. Ourself Heruka, and Vajravarahi, are included within the Deities of the great bliss wheel, and are the principal Deities.
While meditating on the assembly of sixty-two enlightened Deities we should believe that ourself Heruka is the nature of our purified indestructible white drop and Vajravarahi is the nature of our purified indestructible red drop. The four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel are the nature of our purified four channels in the cardinal directions of the heart channel wheel. The twenty-four Heroines of the heart, speech and body wheels are the nature of our purified twenty-four channels of the twenty-four places of our body. The twenty-four Heroes of the heart, speech and body wheels are the nature of our purified twenty-four drops that are contained inside the twenty-four channels of the twenty-four places of our body. The eight Heroines of the commitment wheel are the nature of our purified eight channels of the eight sense doors.
If we continually meditate in this way on this assembly of the sixty-two enlightened Deities every day with strong faith and conviction, we shall definitely receive the powerful blessings of these enlightened Deities within our channels and drops, we shall be free from obstacles of the channels and drops, and our meditations on completion stage will therefore be effective. This means that through these meditations we shall attain meaning clear light, pure illusory body and finally enlightenment in this short life.
Many completion stage practitioners experience difficulties in gathering and dissolving their inner winds into the central channel through meditation, and in developing qualified clear light and bliss. This is because their channels and drops do not function correctly, and may even give rise to physical pain. Through sincerely practising the meditations on Heruka body mandala we shall be freed from all these obstacles.
Within the sixty-two enlightened Deities, Heruka and Vajravarahi are the principal and the others are their retinue. The four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel are Dakini, Lama, khandarohi and Rupini; and their function is to bestow upon us spontaneous great bliss. The eight Heroes and Heroines of the heart wheel are khandakapala and Partzandi, Mahakankala and Tzändriakiya, kankala and Parbhawatiya, Vikatadamshtri and Mahanasa, Suraberi and Biramatiya, amitabha and karwariya, Vajraprabha and Lamkeshöriya, Vajradeha and Drumatzaya; and their function is to bestow upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy mind. The eight Heroes and Heroines of the speech wheel are ankuraka and airawatiya, Vajrajatila and Mahabhairawi, Mahavira and Bayubega, Vajrahumkara and Surabhakiya, Subhadra and Shamadewi, Vajrabhadra and Suwatre, Mahabhairawa and Hayakarne, Virupaksha and khaganane; and their function is to bestow upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy speech. The eight Heroes and Heroines of the body wheel are Mahabala and Tzatrabega, Ratnavajra and khandarohi, Hayagriva and Shaundini, akashagarbha and Tzatrawarmini, Shri Heruka and Subira, Pämanarteshvara and Mahabala, Vairochana and Tzatrawartini, Vajrasattva and Mahabire; and their function is to bestow upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy body. Our present body, speech and mind are contaminated by the poison of delusions, so they act as the basis of all suffering. We therefore need to attain a Buddha’s holy body, speech and mind. The eight Heroines of the commitment wheel are kakase, Ulukase, Shönase, Shukarase, Yamadhathi, Yamaduti, Yamadangtrini and Yamamatani; and their function and commitment is to pacify our obstacles. The Heroes and Heroines of the five wheels are so called because they are victorious over the enemies of ordinary appearance and conceptions.
THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES
The following explanation of how to practise Heruka body mandala is based on the instructions of the Ganden Oral Lineage. It is simple but very profound. Following these instructions we should practise Heruka body mandala in conjunction with the sadhana, or ritual prayer, called The Yoga of Buddha Heruka (see Modern Buddhism – Volume 3: Prayers for Daily Practice). as this sadhana implies, there are six stages to practising Heruka body mandala: 1. training in going for refuge; 2. training in renunciation; 3. training in bodhichitta; 4. training in Guru yoga; 5. training in the generation stage of Heruka body mandala, and 6. training in completion stage.
The first four trainings are preliminary practices and the remaining two are the actual practice of Heruka body mandala. Just as a vehicle depends upon its four wheels, so the precious vehicle of Heruka body mandala practice depends upon the four wheels of training in going for refuge, renunciation, bodhichitta and Guru yoga. Training in going for refuge is the gateway through which we enter Buddhism; renunciation is the gateway through which we enter the path to liberation; bodhichitta is the gateway through which we enter the path to enlightenment; and Guru yoga is the gateway through which the blessings of all the Buddhas will enter our mind. These are the basic foundations that make the practice of Heruka body mandala effective.
TRAINING IN GOING FOR REFUGE
In this training we should remember and contemplate the following, as explained in Modern Buddhism – Volume 1: Sutra:
I want to protect and liberate myself permanently from the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. I can accomplish this only by receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha – the supreme spiritual friends.
Thinking deeply in this way, we first make the strong determination and then the promise to seek refuge sincerely in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. We should meditate on this determination every day and maintain our promise continually for the rest of our life. as the principal commitment of our refuge vow we should always apply effort to receive Buddha’s blessings, to put Dharma into practice and to receive help from Sangha, our pure spiritual friends including our Spiritual Teacher. This is how we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Through this we shall accomplish our aim – permanent liberation from all the sufferings of this life and countless future lives, the real meaning of our human life.
To maintain our promise to go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life, and so that we and all living beings may receive Buddha’s blessings and protection, we recite the following refuge prayer from the sadhana The Yoga of Buddha Heruka every day with strong faith:
I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment,
Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
TRAINING IN RENUNCIATION
In this training we remember and contemplate how we shall experience unbearable suffering in our countless future lives, as explained in detail in Modern Buddhism – Volume 1: Sutra. Then, from the depths of our heart, we should think:
There is no benefit in denying the sufferings of future lives; when they actually descend upon me it will be too late to protect myself from them. Therefore I definitely need to prepare protection now, while I have this human life that gives me the opportunity to liberate myself permanently from the sufferings of my countless future lives. If I do not apply effort to accomplish this, but allow my human life to become empty of meaning, there is no greater deception and no greater foolishness. I must put effort now into liberating myself permanently from the sufferings of my countless future lives.
We meditate on this determination continually until we develop the spontaneous wish to liberate ourself permanently from the sufferings of countless future lives.
TRAINING IN BODHICHITTA
In this training we should maintain the practice of the five stages of training in bodhichitta that was explained in detail in Modern Buddhism – Volume 1: Sutra. In conclusion, we think:
I should not be content with seeking merely my own liberation; I must consider the welfare of other living beings. They are all my mothers, and they are drowning in the vast and deep ocean of samsara, experiencing unbearable suffering in life after life, without end. While I am just one single person, other living beings are countless in number; the happiness and freedom of others are therefore far more important than my own. I cannot bear that my countless mothers are experiencing unbearable physical suffering and mental pain in this life and in their countless future lives; I must permanently liberate them all from their suffering, and for this purpose I will make great effort to become an enlightened Buddha.
We should maintain this supreme good heart of bodhichitta, continually day and night. all our meditations on generation and completion stages should be motivated by this supreme good heart, and we should always remember that all our meditations on generation and completion stages are methods to fulfil our bodhichitta wishes. To generate bodhichitta we recite from the sadhana:
Through the virtues I collect by giving and other perfections,
May I become a Buddha for the benefit of all.
TRAINING IN GURU YOGA
The term ‘Guru’ is a Sanskrit word that means ‘Spiritual Guide’. a Spiritual Guide can be eastern, western, male, female, ordained or lay. Our Spiritual Guide is any Spiritual Teacher who leads us into correct paths to liberation and enlightenment by giving teachings and showing a good example. Guru yoga is a special training in relying upon our Spiritual Guide; in this context, ‘yoga’ means training in spiritual paths, not physical training. The sadhana The Yoga of Buddha Heruka in Modern Buddhism – Volume 3: Prayers for Daily Practice, presents the Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa inseparable from our root Guru, Buddha Shakyamuni and Heruka, who is known as Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka. In this context, ‘root Guru’ refers to our Spiritual Guide from whom we have received the instructions, transmission and empowerment of Heruka body mandala. The name Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka implies that our root Guru, Je Tsongkhapa (or Sumati kirti, Sanskrit for Je Tsongkhapa’s ordained name), Buddha Shakyamuni and Heruka are one person but have different aspects. We need to maintain this recognition at all times for our practice of Heruka body mandala to be effective. To benefit each and every living being directly every day, definitive Heruka emanated Buddha Shakyamuni, who in turn emanated Je Tsongkhapa, who in turn emanated our Spiritual Guide; they are like one actor showing different aspects at different times.
The purpose of this Guru yoga practice is:
(1) To accumulate a great collection of merit, or good fortune. Because of our lack of merit it is difficult for us to fulfil our wishes and we experience many obstacles to accomplishing spiritual attainments.
(2) To purify negativity, or non-virtuous actions. When we purify the countless potentialities of our non-virtuous actions we purify our mind. as mentioned above, by purifying our mind we shall attain full enlightenment.
(3) To receive the powerful blessings of all the Buddhas. We have the seed of the realizations of Highest Yoga Tantra in general and Heruka body mandala in particular, which is part of our Buddha nature. However, without receiving the powerful blessings of all Buddhas through our Spiritual Guide, who is their representative, our seed of the realization of Highest Yoga Tantra will never ripen.
(4) To generate the experience of great bliss and emptiness. This practice is a powerful method to ripen our seed of the realization of Mahamudra Tantra.
Through accomplishing these four necessary conditions we can easily make progress in the main practice of this sadhana, which is training in generation and completion stages.
Je Sherab Senge, one of Je Tsongkhapa’s heart disciples, received the special instructions of the Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa from Je Tsongkhapa himself. This is called the ‘Guru yoga of the Segyu lineage’, now known as the Guru yoga of Heart Jewel. The instructions of the Guru yoga of Heart Jewel were originally only given as oral instructions. Later the great Yogi Palden Sangpo composed a sadhana based on these oral instructions, and since then it has been practised publicly. The Guru yoga of Heart Jewel can be practised either according to Sutra tradition or according to Highest Yoga Tantra tradition. The sadhana, The Yoga of Buddha Heruka, presents the practice of the Guru yoga of Heart Jewel according to Highest Yoga Tantra. Those who have the commitment to practise Heart Jewel can add prayers to Dorje Shugden just before the dedication verses of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka.
The practice of this Guru yoga has five stages: 1. visualization and meditation; 2. inviting the wisdom beings; 3. the practice of the seven limbs; 4. making special requests; and 5. generating the experience of great bliss and emptiness.
VISUALIZATION AND MEDITATION
We recite the following from the sadhana, while concentrating on its meaning:
In the space before me is Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka – Je Tsongkhapa inseparable from my root Guru, Buddha Shakyamuni and Heruka – surrounded by all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
While we visualize this we think and contemplate:
Je Tsongkhapa attained enlightenment to lead all living beings to the liberating path through his emanations. Who is his emanation now leading me to the liberating path? It is definitely my Spiritual Guide from whom I have received instructions, transmission and empowerment of Heruka body mandala, and who shows a qualified example.
Thinking in this way we should strongly believe that our Spiritual Guide is an emanation of Je Tsongkhapa, and then meditate on this belief single-pointedly. We should practise this meditation continually.
INVITING THE WISDOM BEINGS
We recite the following verse from the sadhana, while concentrating on its meaning:
From the heart of the Protector of the hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land,
To the peak of a cloud which is like a cluster of