ON THE CONCEPT OF SAHAJAand the bliss arising from it"). Being identical with the Thought-of-Enlightenment,
sukra shares its twofold nature. - In the present passage, reference is possible to
either male or female sukra. Cf. HVT I.x.6 "A yogin! is resorted to (sevyate), so
long as she possesses sukra". In the light of HSP (sicyate instead of HVT sevyate),
Snellgrove's translation, while possible, is not, however, necessary. Cf. HVT
II.iii.63 "These are the Mudras, bestowers of siddhi; adamantine is their sukra".
39 The same mantra is found in HVT II.xii.2, on the basis of which the corrupt forms
atmanas (for atltais) and caturdharaya (for citta-) in HSP may be corrected. Finot's
translation must be corrected accordingly. His emendation of sikto 'si to siktasi may
be rejected. - Likewise on the basis of HVT II.xii.5, Finot's version
padmamukhadhareti may be corrected, not, as he suggests, too mukha-dhare iti, but
to padma sukhadhareti.
40 Cf. HVT I.x.7 "The product of the service rendered one drops into the disciple's
mouth"; ll.iii.l4 "Then with thumb and fourth finger he drops the hindu into the
pupil's mouth"; HVT II.iv.39 "With his tongue he must receive the ambrosia
(armta)".
41 Nirambaravaranga may also (cf. the passages translated from ST p. 21 and 22) be
understood as "(a woman) having the sexual organ uncovered".
42 Makaranda ("honey, nectar") can in the present context only be a synonym for
sukra.
43 I am not certain that these lines are, as Finot suggested, "une citation tronquee de
quelque stance erotique" (p.47). Granted that is not altogether clear, it can yet,
without forcing it, be made to make sense within the context of the Consecration of
the Secret. Finot's emendation of^0 ambare to^0 ambarena may be rejected.
44 Lessing and Wayman here translate "the ring fingers". However, mtheb-srin is quite
clear: thumb and fourth finger. Cf.n.40 above.
45 On the five so-called Buddha-families, see Snellgrove, Buddhist Himalaya, Oxford
1957, p.64-67, 74-75.
46 All this refers to the preceding consecration.
47 Vajrasattva (lit. "adamantine being") is the tantric version of the universal Buddha.
Ultimately it is identical with Great Bliss etc., which will be dealt with below.
48 The remainder of the passage is not clear to me.
49 I.e. the preliminary consecrations, cf. Fig. I.
50 I translate svadhi~thita "blessed by himself', cf. HVT Part 1 p.l33. Presumably this
refers to the union of preceptor and Seal of the preceding consecration. HVT II.iv.36
employs svabhi~iktam in the same context. Alternatively it could refer to the
impressing of mantras on the body of the Seal at the beginning of the Consecration
of the Secret.
51 The same mantra is found HVT II.xii.3.
52 Finot's ed. has sthanadam which is supported by the Tibetan translation of HVT
(gnas sbyin-ma), but siddhidam, found in all MSS ofHVT, gives better sense. YRM
(p.159) has sthana^0 •
53 For a discussion of the term Gnosis-Being (jfianasattva), see Tucci, Theory and
Practice, p.95-96.
54 The meaning of this passage (si~yacitte pravesayet) is not quite clear to me. Perhaps
one may emend to °Cittaqt prao "he lets the citta of the disciple enter (the Lotus of
the Seal?)".
55 Cf. n.37.
56 That there are two Seals is shown by the dual form mudrabhyam. Usually, as in PVS
(Snellgrove's translation p.245), there appears to be only one. However, it is clear
that there may for that matter be many Seals involved: "If there are ten Seals, then
commit that one to the disciple in whom he is able to arouse passion" (ST p.24-25).