Four empowerments

From Rigpa Wiki
Revision as of 15:17, 8 March 2007 by Adam (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Four empowerments (Tib. wang shyi; dbang bzhi)

In general, there are four levels of [or stages within] any empowerment:

1. The Vase Empowerment

  • purifies all the negative karma accumulated through negative actions of the body
  • grants the blessings of the vajra body
  • unknots and heals the tsa
  • authorizes the student as a receptive vessel for kyérim, the generation stage of visualization
  • sows the seed for the attainment of the state of a ‘completely matured vidyadhara’
  • enables the student to attain the nirmanakaya level of realization.

2. The Secret Empowerment

  • purifies all the negative karma accumulated through negative actions of the speech
  • grants the blessings of vajra speech
  • unblocks and re-balances the lung
  • authorizes the student as a receptive vessel for mantra recitation
  • sows the seed for the attainment of the state of a ‘vidyadhara with power over life’
  • enables the student to attain the sambhogakaya level of realization.

3. The Transcendent Knowledge-Wisdom Empowerment

  • purifies all the negative karma accumulated through negative actions of the mind
  • grants the blessings of the vajra mind,
  • purifies and enhances tiklé
  • authorizes the student as a receptive vessel for the ‘chandali’ practices of bliss and emptiness (i.e. tsa lung and tümmo)
  • sows the seed for the attainment of the state of a ‘mahamudra vidyadhara’
  • enables the student to attain the dharmakaya level of realization.

===4. The Precious Word Empowerment===

  • purifies all defilements of body, speech and mind, and all karmic and cognitive obscurations
  • grants the blessings of vajra wisdom
  • authorizes the student as a receptive vessel for the practice of trekchö
  • sows the seed for the attainment of the state of a ‘spontaneously accomplishing vidyadhara’
  • enables the student to attain the svabhavikakaya level of realization.