Toh 500Moving Through the Three Vajra Levels, a Sovereign Practice
Pāli / Sanskrit:Vajrabhūmitricaraṇarājakalpa
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An Exposition of the Sutra “Moving Through the Three Vajra Levels, a Sovereign Practice”
Context
The sutra Vajrabhūmitricaraṇarājakalpa (Moving Through the Three Vajra Levels, a Sovereign Practice) is a scripture of the Northern Transmission canon, recorded in the Kangyur (the Tibetan Canon). It is a sutra that teaches the stages of practice in the Vajrayāna tradition, especially the “Vajrabhūmi” levels (vajra grounds), the sacred foundations on which practitioners cultivate the secret Dharma of the Mahayana.
This sutra arises from the foundation of Indian Buddhism and was transmitted to Tibet by saintly translators during the golden age of Tibetan Buddhism (eighth to eleventh centuries). The teaching context is that of bodhisattvas and tantric practitioners seeking to practice in order to attain buddhahood swiftly, not only in this present life but also beyond the limits of ordinary intentional practice.
Main Content
This sutra presents the three Vajra Levels (Vajra = Vajra, Bhūmi = Level) that any bodhisattva must pass through when following the Secret Dharma:
The First Vajra Level is the stage of establishing the foundation (Praṇidhāna — Making the Vow). Here, the practitioner must realize bodhicitta — the mind that aspires to boundless liberation for all sentient beings. Without this foundation, tantric practice loses its direction.
The Second Vajra Level is the stage of practice and profound seed-nature (Sādhana — Practice). Here, the practitioner performs recitations, meditative absorption, and visualization of the chosen deity (Iṣṭadevatā) in order to activate innate wisdom. This is the “sovereign” ground because here the practitioner becomes master of the mind and is not drawn away by external illusions.
The Third Vajra Level is the stage of attainment and transcendence (Siddhānta — realization). Here, the skandhas are transformed, spiritual defilements are purified, and the practitioner receives the various accomplishments (siddhi), from common accomplishments to the supreme accomplishment of buddhahood.
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