Four empowerments
Four empowerments (Tib. wang shyi; Wyl. dbang bzhi) — in general, there are four levels or stages within any empowerment: vase, secret, knowledge-wisdom and precious word.
The Function of the Four Empowerments
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 nadi
- 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 prana
- 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 bindu
- 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 accomplished vidyadhara’
- enables the student to attain the svabhavikakaya level of realization.