
“The Dzogchen tantra known as Kunjed Gyalpo Gyu, or King of All Creation Tantra, states that the Glorious Conqueror Shakyamuni gave 84,000 teachings to dispel the negative emotions: (1) 21,000 Vinaya teachings to dispel the various aspects of attachment; (2) 21,000 Sutra teachings to dispel the various aspects of anger; (3) 21,000 Abhidharma teachings to dispel the various aspects of ignorance; and (4) 21,000 Vajrayana teachings to dispel all aspects of every negative emotion. All these categories of teaching are intended to eliminate, transcend, transform, or liberate our neurotic states of mind, negative emotions, and obstacles. Hence, all Dharma teachings are related with mind, regardless of the synonyms we use to describe them.”
Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
Splendid Presence of the Great Guhyagarbha: Opening the Wisdom Door of the King of All Tantras (pg 2)
The Mula Guhyagarbha Tantra, or Root Tantra of the Secret Essence, is an Inner Tantra teaching belonging to Mahayoga. However, it is the most important and famous of all the tantras, since every other tantric teaching and sadhana emerges from it. This text describes the authentic realization of all buddhas or enlightened beings—it does not discuss the common perceptions of duality mind. Specifically, it exactly expresses the way enlightened beings perceive and experience phenomena. The Tibetan Buddhist teachings often state that the Guhyagarbha Tantra is the display of primordial wisdom’s pure perceptions and conceptions. Hence, the tantra explains that relative truth is pervasively, massively pure from the beginning, and thus purity is not something newly developed
Now, the entirety of phenomena is also totally transcendent within the great emptiness state. Because there is no permanent, substantially-existent, single object, everything is in the same state of great emptiness, also referred to as “great equanimity” or “great equality.” Therefore, relative truth is great purity and absolute truth is great equality. The foundation and central column of Mahayogatantra—and in fact all the Inner Tantras—is the realization that relative purity and absolute equality are originally inseparable. They are in union, in a single state without any divisions or distinctions. So, whether we are visualizing the deity, reciting mantra, or just meditating on great emptiness, all of it is the same: we are simply connecting with different aspects of the emanations and displays of the true nature.
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