Toh 1598Personal Instructions on Violent Activities in Vajrayoginī Practice

Exposition: Personal Instructions on Forceful Activities in Vajrayogini Practice

Context

This scripture is a work belonging to the Tengyur, the Tibetan Treatise Canon, a collection of teachings and treatises by wisdom-holding patriarchs. The work focuses on secret instructions related to the practice of Vajrayogini (Rdo rje rnal 'byor ma), an important female dakini in the Tibetan tradition, especially in the Nyingma school and other schools.

Vajrayogini is not a deity of worship in the ordinary religious sense, but a transitional form of practice (sadhana) and a symbol of ultimate realities. She represents resurrective wisdom (samjnana-prajnapti), the instantaneous transformation of all phenomena into the expressive movement of Buddha-nature. Forceful activities (karma kriya) in this context are not coarse violence, but skillful means (upaya-kausalya) for destroying inner obstacles and adverse external conditions.

This scripture was composed as private instruction from enlightened masters (lamas) to guide disciples on the path of Vajrayana practice that conquers the world. The context of its creation is bound to secret transmission and the profound devotion between teacher and student.

Main Content

The personal instructions on forceful activity in Vajrayogini practice include subtle methods for harnessing the power of each aspect of mind. These activities are interpreted on three levels: actions of the body (kaya-karma), purification of speech (vak-karma), and governance of mind (citta-karma).

Forceful activity is not ordinary cruel action. Rather, these are tantric correspondences of compassionate qualities, capable of being “firm” when necessary in order to serve the purpose of awakening. They involve visualization, feats of the mental pinnacle, and detachment from fears or the burning fire (bhaya-agni) of delusion.