Eight great charnel grounds

On the ordinary level, the charnel ground (Ski. shmashana; Wyl. dur khrod) is simply a place where bodies are disposed of, either by cremation or burial. From a spiritual point of view however, the charnel ground is full of significance. It represents the death of ego, and the end of:

attachment to this body and life
craving for a body and life in the future
fear of death
and aversion to the decay of impermanence.

They are terrifying places, full of roaming spirits and hunting ghosts. There are bodies everywhere: fresh bodies, decaying bodies, skeletons and scattered bones. There are rivers of blood, poisonous waterfalls, and dangerous wild beasts. But they are also peaceful places of solitude. There are pleasant groves, wild flowers and fruit, song-birds, tame lions and tigers, and the vast open sky above. There are no conventions to conform to and no distractions to be seduced by. Ḍākas and ḍākinīs gather there to celebrate ceremonial "feasts" (Skt. ganachakra). The roar of Dharma discourses resound, and the light of the inner joy of bliss radiates.

Right now, our minds are very fickle. Sometimes you like a certain place, and it inspires, and yet with that same place, if you stay too long, it bores you. […] As you practise more and more, one day this kind of habit, this fickle mind will just go. Then you will search for the bindu interpretation of the right place, and according to the classic tantric texts, that is usually what they call the “eight great charnel grounds”. So then, you have to go to a cemetery, especially to one of the eight cemeteries. There, under a tree, in the charnel ground, wearing a tiger skin skirt, holding a kapāla and having this indifference between relatives and enemies, indifference between food and shit, you will practise. Then your bindu will flow. At that time, you will know how to have intercourse between emptiness and appearance.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, from Longchen Nyingtik Practice Manual (page 66).

In the life in which a pratyekabuddha attains the fruit of their path, they are naturally drawn to charnel grounds. When reflecting on the bones found there, they ask "Where do these bones come from?" This awakens their many lifetimes of investigation into the twelve links of dependant origination. These twelve links then unfold in their understanding, in forward and reverse order, and on the basis of that they gain realisation.

The Eight Great Charnel Grounds

On the ordinary level, the eight great charnel grounds (Ski. ashtamahashmashana; Wyl. dur khrod chen po brgyad) are the disposition of burial sites around a city to accomodate the rituals of the different Indian castes. From the spiritual point of view, they are the places where the dismembered parts of Rudra's body came to rest, after the were scattered from the top of Mount Malaya. The energy centres of his body - the head, heart, naval, and genitals - fell in the four cardinal directions; his four limbs fell in the four intermediate directions. From these parts, eight great trees arose, and around these trees developed the eight great charnel grounds. All of the eight great charnel grounds contain certain elements, the symbolism of which may be understood as follows:

The great trees represent the central channel of the practitioner.
The charnel ground itself represents the complete paths of sutra and tantra.
The four kinds of corpses are

Fresh corpses representing cyclic existence - the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death.
Impaled, hanging, dismembered and decaying corpses symbolise the death of ego.
Skeletons represent emptiness.
Zombies or mindless corpses symbolise selflessness.

Devouring animals symbolise the realisation of the 'generation stage' (Wyl. bskyed rim) - the animals devour the 'corpses' of ordinary appearances and perceptions.
Lakes symbolise relative bodhichitta.
The clouds above are the white drops of bodhichitta at the crown of the head.
Fires symbolise the 'inner heat' (Wyl. gtum mo).
The directional protectors symbolise the ‘downward-voiding wind’, located just below the navel.
The realm protectors symbolise the ‘life-supporting wind’, located at the heart.
Mountains symbolise the immovability of medative equipoise placed single-pointedly on the union of great bliss and emptiness.
Stupas represent the attainment of the three kayas of the Buddha.
Nagas symbolise the cultivation of the ten perfections.
The gems held by the nagas represent the four ways of gathering disciples.
The yogins and yoginis are those practitioners at the level of upholding the tantric commitments.
Human and divine knowledge holders (Skt. vidyadhara; Wyl. rig 'dzin) are those who have attained the realisation of the ‘generation stage’ (Wyl. bskyed rim).
The Mahasiddhas are those who have attained the realisation of the ‘completion stage’ (Wyl. rdzogs rim).

The Chilly Grove (East)

(Skt. šītavana; Wyl. bsil ba’i tshal) In the eastern charnel ground is a nagkesar tree called Naga Tree. At its foot is the guardian of the east called Indra. He is yellow, holds a vajra and skullcup, and rides a white elephant. At the top of the tree there is a white regional guardian called Elephant Face. Below there is a lake called Water of Compassion in which there is a white naga called Increasing Wealth. In the sky above, there is a cloud called Making Sounds. The precious mountain called Mount Meru has a fire called Wisdom Fire blazing at its base, and a white stupa called Stupa of Enlightenment at its peak.

Perfected in Body (South)

(Wyl. sku la rdzogs) In the southern charnel ground is a mango tree called Tsuta. At its foot is the guardian of the south called Yama. He is blue, holds a staff and skullcup, and rides on a buffalo. At the top of the tree there is a black regional guardian called Buffalo Face. In the lake below there is a white naga called Lotus, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Moving. The yellow mountain called Malaya has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

Lotus Mound (West)

(Wyl. padma brtsegs) In the western charnel ground is a banana tree called Kangkela. At its foot is the guardian of the west called Water Deity, or Varuna in Sanskrit. He is white with a hood of seven snakes. He holds a snake-rope and skullcap and rides on a crocodile. At the top of the tree there is a red regional guardian called Crocodile Face. In the lake below there is a blue naga called Karakota, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Wrathful. The white mountain called Kailash has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

Lanka Mound (North)

(Wyl. lang+ka brtsegs) In the northern charnel ground is a bodhi tree called Ashuta. At its foot is the guardian of the north called Vaishravana. He is yellow, holds a mongoose and skullcup, and rides on the back of a man. At the top of the tree there is a yellow regional guardian called Human Face. In the lake below there is a naga called Jogpo, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Making Loud Sounds. The green mountain called Mandara has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

Spontaneous Mound (South-East)

(Wyl. lhun grub brtsegs) In the south-eastern charnel ground is a karaya tree called Karanza. At its foot is the guardian of the south-east called Fire Deity, or Agni in Sanskrit. He is red, holds a mala, a long-necked vase, and a skullcup, and rides on a goat. At the top of the tree there is a red regional guardian called Goat Face. In the lake below there is a yellow naga called Carrying a Conch-shell, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Completely Full. The yellow mountain called Fragrant Incense has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

Display of Great Mystery (South-West)

(Wyl. gsang chen rol pa) In the south-western charnel ground is a bataki tree called Padre-yaga. At its foot is the guardian of the south-west called Possessing a Rosary of Human Heads, or Kardava in Sanskrit. He is naked, blue in colour, holds a sword and skullcup, and rides on a zombie. At the top of the tree there is a black regional guardian called Zombie Face. In the lake below there is a white naga called Possessing Lineage, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Descending. The white mountain called Possessing Snow has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

All-pervading Utter Joy (North-West)

(Wyl. he chen brdal ba) In the north-western charnel ground is an arjuna tree called Parthipa. At its foot is the guardian of the north-west called Wind Deity, or Vayuni in Sanskrit. He is smoke-coloured, holds a yellow banner and skullcup, and rides on a deer. At the top of the tree is a green regional guardian called Deer Face. In the lake below there is a red naga called Boundless, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Wrathful. The blue mountain called Mountain of Glory has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

Mound of the World (North-East)

(Wyl. ‘jig rten brtegs) In the north-eastern charnel ground is a walnut tree called Nadota. At its foot is the guardian of the north-east called Ishvara. He is white, holds a trident and skullcup, and rides a bull. At the top of the tree there is a white regional guardian called Bull Face. In the lake below there is a white naga called Great Lotus, and in the sky above there is a cloud called Unmoving. The black mountain called Great Power has a fire of wisdom blazing at its base, and a white stupa on its peak.

In each of the eight charnel grounds the regional guardian holds a red triangular-shaped torma and a skullcup, and sits in the top of the tree with the upper half of his body emerging above the branches. The lake, fire, and stupa in each of the charnel grounds have the same names as those in the eastern charnel ground. In addition to these eight features, each charnel ground has various creatures such as crows, owls, eagles, foxes, snakes, and bull-headed snakes; as well as other manifestations such as spirits, zombies, and flesh-eating spirits. There are also many different Tantric meditators in the aspect of humans and gods, and many Yogis and Yoginis manifesting in various forms. Everything inside the charnel grounds - such as the lakes, clouds, and animals - is considered to be an emanation of Vajrayogini.

The Wrathful Mandala

The eight great charnel grounds when taught from the point of view of the wrathful mandala are:

The Most Fierce (Wyl. shar du gtum drag) in the east
Dense Thicket (Wyl. byang du tshang tshing ‘khrigs pa) in the north
(Wyl. nub tu rdo rje ‘bar ba) in the west
Endowed with Skeletons (Wyl. lhor keng rus can) in the south
(Wyl. dbang ldan du drang tu rgod pa)
(Wyl. mer bkra shis tshal)
Black Darkness (Wyl. bden bral du mun pa drag po)
Resonant with “Kilikili” (Wyl. rlung du ki li ki li’I sgra sgrog pa; Skt. kilikilarava)

References

Longchen Nyingtik Practice Manual by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (page 66)
Masters of Miracles and Meditation by Tulku Thondup (Note 72, page 366)
Tibetan Symbols and Motifs by Robert Beer (page 250)
The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by Dudjom Rinpoche (Glossary, page 157)
A Monograph on a Vajrayogini Thanka Painting (endnote 15)

Written by Julie O'Donnell, Pennie White B.A. Dip.Ed., Rilla Oellien and Evelin Halls

Consultants: John D. Hughes Dip. App. Chem. T.T.T.C. GDAIE