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Chakrasamvara: An Introduction |
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Chakrasamvara ('Wheel of Perfect Bliss' or 'Wheel of Union') is a tantric meditational deity (Sanskrit: ishta-deva) of the Highest Yoga (Anuttara) Tantra class of Vajrayana Buddhism. The Chakrasamvara Tantra, also known as Shriherukabhidhana and Laghusamvara was composed in Northern India in the late 8th or early 9th century. Along with the Hevajra Tantra it is the most important Mother Tantra emphasizing female deities, like yoginis and dakinis. Mother Tantra practices focus more on clear light mental activity and blissful awareness of emptiness, as the immediate cause for achieving a Buddha's omniscient awareness or dharmakaya.
Chakrasamvara, also called 'Heruka', is typically depicted standing upright, with a blue-colored body, four faces, and twelve arms, and embracing his consort Vajravarahi in the yab-yum position (=sexual union). It is Buddha Shakyamuni who manifests in the form of Heruka for the benefit of all sentient beings and therefore he is considered the source of this high tantra. There are three main Chakrasamvara (practice) transmissions coming from these Indian mahasiddhas (masters of tantric yoga): Luipa, Krishnacharya (also called: Kanhapa or Nagpopa), and Ghantapa (also called: Drilbupa). Besides those there are over 50 different lineages of the Chakrasamvara practice in Tibet.
The Luipa Chakrasamvara has both, the 62-Deity internal mandala as well as the 62 deities in the external mandala building. This is the main Gelug form of Chakrasamvara that, for example, the two tantric colleges (Gyuto and Gyume) practice. The Ghantapa body mandala practice has just the 62-deity body mandala and no deities other than the main couple in the external mandala building. The Ghantapa 5-deity practice has no body mandala and just the couple & 4 dakinis around them in the external mandala building. The 5-Deity and the body mandala practice of Ghantapa lineage was popularized by Phabongkha Rinpoche and later disseminated in the West to lay practitioners by Trijang Rinpoche and his students.
Starting around 1020 C.E., the Chakrasamvara Tantra (and practice from all three lineages) was brought to Tibet as one of the principal yidams (=meditational deities) by the Sarma (= new translation) schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Chakrasamvara is called Korlo Dompa (Tibetan: khor lo sdom pa = pledge wheel) by the Kagyu and Sakya, or Korlo Demchog (Tibetan: khor lo bde mchog = bliss wheel) by the Kadam/Gelug schools. Chakrasamvara is one of the principal three meditational deities of the Gelug school (Tibetan: gsang bde 'jigs gsum; the others are Vajrabhairava and Guhyasamaja).
Beautiful extensive practice texts are available from Dechen Ling Press (www.dechenlingpress.org).
Reference:
- David B. Gray: The Cakrasamvara Tantra: A Study and Annotated Translation (Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences), New Yrok, 2007
- Rob Preece: The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra,Snow Lion Publications: Ithaca, 2006.
- Sonam Gyatso (bSod-nams rgya-mtsho) et al., The Ngor Mandalas of Tibet, Listings of the Mandala Deities, Center for East Asian Cultural Studies: Tokyo, 1991.
- Martin Willson & Martin Brauen, Deities of Tibetan Buddhism, Wisdom Publications: Somerville, 2000.
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NEW: Source of Supreme Bliss |
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 Just off the press (January 2011):
SOURCE OF SUPREME BLISS:
Heruka Chakrasamvara Five Deity Practice and Commentary
by Ngulchu Dharmabhadra, and The First Panchen Lama, Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen, translated by David Gonsalez
Paperback, 248 pages, $50.00
Available from Snow Lion Publications
Our gifted friend and Chakrasamvara Site co-administrator David Gonsalez (Dechen Ling Press) has just come out with his most recent translation, Source of Supreme Bliss. It is the first English translation of the Highest Yoga Tantra system of Heruka Chakrasamvara Five Deity and is a vast treasure of material related to this practice. This book will be indispensable for anyone currently engaging in the practice or wishing to undertake this practice in the future, and will provide rich and profound insights for those interested in Highest Yoga Tantra in general. Everything needed to engage in the practice of Heruka Five Deity is included within the pages of this book.
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NEW: Chakrasamvara Root Tantra |
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 The folks at Dechen Ling Press who have brought us numerous wonderful and much needed practice texts for the Chakrasamvara practice have done it once again. In February they came out with David Gonsalez' new translation of the Chakrasamvara Root Tantra.
The Chakrasamvara Root Tantra
translated by David Gonsalez
Paperback, 152 pages, $15.00 (+$4.95 shipping)
Available now from Dechen Ling Press' Online Store
The Heruka Chakrasamvara Root Tantra was originally expounded directly by Buddha Chakrasamvara and passed from Vajravarahi and Vajrapani to the ancient Mahasiddhas of India such Saraha in visionary experience. This text provides that discourse in its original poetic meter. It is at once an object of devotion, a profound instruction, and a beautiful poem meant to inspire spiritual seekers.
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NEW: Chakrasamvara Practice Texts in the Luipa Tradition |
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It is a great pleasure to announce that our friend Alexander Berzin (www.berzinarchives.com) has just completed his new translation of the Chakrasamvara practice text:
The Sadhana Method of Attainment for the Glorious Chakrasamvara According to the Luipa Tradition (dPal 'khor-lo sdom-pa lu-yi-pa lugs-kyi mngon-rtogs)
compiled by The First Panchen Lama Losang-chokyi-gyeltsen (Pan-chen Blo-bzang chos-kyi rgyal-msthan).
To make this text more accessible Alex added instructions from
The Generation Stage of the Mahasiddha Luipa Tradition of Chakrasamvara: Personal Instructions of Manjushri (Grub-chen Lu-i pa'i lugs-kyi dpal 'khor-lo sdom pa'i bskyed-rim he-ru-ka'i zhal-lung) by Akhuchin Sherab-gyatso (A-khu-chin Shes-rab rgya-mtsho)
as explained in a discourse by Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche, July 1981.
In collaboration with Alex and based on H.E. Dagyab Rinpoche's instructions/texts we have also compiled a medium and a short version for this practice. All texts can be downloaded from our Download Section (for registered members only). |
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