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[[Image:SR NKR wang.JPG|frame|[[Sogyal Rinpoche]] and [[Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche]] during an empowerment]]
[[Image:SR NKR wang.JPG|frame|[[Sogyal Rinpoche]] and [[Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche]] during an empowerment]]
'''Empowerment''' (Skt. ''abhiṣeka'' or ''abhiṣiñca''; Tib. [[དབང་]], [[Wyl.]] ''dbang'', ''wang'') is the [[Vajrayana]] initiation that transmits or awakens [[primordial wisdom]] (Tib. ''yeshe''), the power or realization in the mind of the disciple.
'''Empowerment''' (Skt. ''abhiṣeka'' or ''abhiṣiñca''; Tib. [[དབང་]], [[Wyl.]] ''dbang'', ''wang'') refers to the [[Vajrayana]] initiation which awakens [[primordial wisdom]] (Tib. ''yeshe''), the power or realization in the mind of the disciple.<ref>reference needed for this sentence.</ref> It is called 'empowerment' because when we receive it we are empowered to follow a particular spiritual practice, and so come to master its realization.<ref>[[Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche]], ''Guru Yoga'' (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1999), page 63.</ref> It is said:
:''Just as a boatman without oars
:''Cannot cross to the opposite bank of a river,
:''There will be no accomplishment without the support of empowerment.<ref>From the ''Tantra of the Heart Mirror of Vajrasattva'', quoted in [[Tsele Natsok Rangdrol]], ''Empowerment and the Path of Liberation'' (Hong Kong: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1993), page 16.</ref>
And also:
:''Without empowerment there's no accomplishment;
:''You can't get oil from pressing sand.<ref>Quoted in [[Patrul Rinpoche]], ''[[The Words of My Perfect Teacher]]'' (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), page 332.</ref>


[[Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche]] reminds us of the real meaning of 'empowerment':
:"The most common description of abhisheka is that it is a transfer of power during a ceremony to give recipients the authorization to hear, study and practise the teachings of the vajrayana; we therefore “receive an empowerment.” But the problem is that receiving an empowerment suggests someone is giving us a power we previously lacked[...], and is a long way away from the true spirit of tantric initiation. During an initiation we are introduced to an aspect of ourselves that already exists within us but that we have yet to recognize, and it is the activation of this recognition that we call 'empowerment' or 'initiation'. This is the real meaning of abhisheka."<ref>Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, ''Not for Happiness'' (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2012), page 192.</ref>
==Etymology==
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche writes:
:"Abhisheka is a Sanskrit term, and its two fundamental meanings have been translated into Tibetan as ''torwa'' and ''lugpa''. ''Torwa'' is usually translated as “dismantling” and refers to the cocoon of ignorance in which we are wrapped and that needs to be dismantled; and ''lugpa'' is translated as “pouring”—as in “pouring blessings”—and more obliquely, as “discovering our buddhanature.”"<ref>Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, op. cit., p.192</ref>
==The Function of Empowerment==
Empowerment is to ripen or mature our [[buddha nature]]. Even though all beings possess the buddha nature, without receiving empowerment it is not possible to receive [[blessings]] and [[accomplishments]] through a particular practice, just as it will never be possible to get oil by pressing sand.<ref>reference needed for sentence.</ref>
His Holiness the [[Dalai Lama]] says:
:"When an empowerment is conferred on you, it is the nature of your mind—the [[buddha nature]]—that provides a basis upon which the empowerment can ripen you. Through the empowerment, you are empowered into the essence of the [[five buddha families|buddhas of the five families]]. In particular, you are ‘ripened’ within that particular family through which it is your personal predisposition to attain [[buddhahood]]."<ref>source?</ref>
In addition, to these aspects, [[Patrul Rinpoche]] adds that empowerments:
*repair violated and broken [[samaya]]s,
*enable you to meditate on all the paths of the [[generation phase]], the [[perfection phase]], and the [[Great Perfection]]
*prevent obstacles and errors from arising, and
*allow all your [[Siddhis|attainments]] to develop more and more.<ref>Patrul Rinpoche, op. cit., page 331.</ref>


==Subdivisions==
==Subdivisions==
Line 24: Line 48:
According to the [[inner tantras]], there are [[four empowerments|four levels]] or stages within any ground empowerment of the path empowerment:
According to the [[inner tantras]], there are [[four empowerments|four levels]] or stages within any ground empowerment of the path empowerment:
{{:four empowerments}}
{{:four empowerments}}
==The Function of Empowerment==
Empowerment is to ripen or mature our [[buddha nature]]. Even though all beings possess the buddha nature, without receiving empowerment it is not possible to receive [[blessings]] and [[accomplishments]] through a particular practice, just as it will never be possible to get oil by pressing sand.
His Holiness the [[Dalai Lama]] says:<br>
:"When an empowerment is conferred on you, it is the nature of your mind—the [[buddha nature]]—that provides a basis upon which the empowerment can ripen you. Through the empowerment, you are empowered into the essence of the [[five buddha families|buddhas of the five families]]. In particular, you are ‘ripened’ within that particular family through which it is your personal predisposition to attain [[buddhahood]]."


==Two Causes & Four Conditions==
==Two Causes & Four Conditions==

Revision as of 22:03, 24 March 2015

Sogyal Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche during an empowerment

Empowerment (Skt. abhiṣeka or abhiṣiñca; Tib. དབང་, Wyl. dbang, wang) refers to the Vajrayana initiation which awakens primordial wisdom (Tib. yeshe), the power or realization in the mind of the disciple.[1] It is called 'empowerment' because when we receive it we are empowered to follow a particular spiritual practice, and so come to master its realization.[2] It is said:

Just as a boatman without oars
Cannot cross to the opposite bank of a river,
There will be no accomplishment without the support of empowerment.[3]

And also:

Without empowerment there's no accomplishment;
You can't get oil from pressing sand.[4]

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche reminds us of the real meaning of 'empowerment':

"The most common description of abhisheka is that it is a transfer of power during a ceremony to give recipients the authorization to hear, study and practise the teachings of the vajrayana; we therefore “receive an empowerment.” But the problem is that receiving an empowerment suggests someone is giving us a power we previously lacked[...], and is a long way away from the true spirit of tantric initiation. During an initiation we are introduced to an aspect of ourselves that already exists within us but that we have yet to recognize, and it is the activation of this recognition that we call 'empowerment' or 'initiation'. This is the real meaning of abhisheka."[5]

Etymology

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche writes:

"Abhisheka is a Sanskrit term, and its two fundamental meanings have been translated into Tibetan as torwa and lugpa. Torwa is usually translated as “dismantling” and refers to the cocoon of ignorance in which we are wrapped and that needs to be dismantled; and lugpa is translated as “pouring”—as in “pouring blessings”—and more obliquely, as “discovering our buddhanature.”"[6]

The Function of Empowerment

Empowerment is to ripen or mature our buddha nature. Even though all beings possess the buddha nature, without receiving empowerment it is not possible to receive blessings and accomplishments through a particular practice, just as it will never be possible to get oil by pressing sand.[7]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama says:

"When an empowerment is conferred on you, it is the nature of your mind—the buddha nature—that provides a basis upon which the empowerment can ripen you. Through the empowerment, you are empowered into the essence of the buddhas of the five families. In particular, you are ‘ripened’ within that particular family through which it is your personal predisposition to attain buddhahood."[8]

In addition, to these aspects, Patrul Rinpoche adds that empowerments:

Subdivisions

In General

In general there are three types of empowerment:

  1. the ground empowerment
  2. the path empowerment
  3. the result empowerment

According to Khenpo Ngakchung:[10]

  1. The ground empowerment is so called because when the nature of mind, sugatagarbha, is realized, this constitutes the "empowerment" of nirvana, and when it is not realized, this constitutes the "empowerment" of the three worlds of samsara. This nature is actually what is to be matured in the ground empowerment of the path empowerment (see below).
  2. The path empowerment is divided into three: ground, path, and result.
  3. The result empowerment. In the very instant following the result empowerment of the path (see below), one gains mastery of the wisdom of omniscience and has authority over everything in samsara and nirvana.


Tulku Thondup explains that among the different ways of categorizing empowerments:

  1. empowerments given to disciples who have not been initiated before are called causal empowerment;
  2. the empowerment given to students for developing their maturation or restoring the broken precepts are classified as empowerment of the path; and
  3. empowerments given to those who are ready to achieve the final attainment and which cause the disciple to attain the ultimate fruition are classified as empowerments of result because they bring the final result.[11]

In the Inner Tantras

According to the inner tantras, there are four levels or stages within any ground empowerment of the path empowerment:

  1. the vase empowerment (Skt. kalaśābhiṣeka; Tib. བུམ་པའི་དབང་, bumpé wang, Wyl. bum pa'i dbang)
  2. the secret empowerment (Skt. guhyābhiṣeka; Tib. གསང་བའི་དབང་, sangwé wang, 'Wyl. gsang ba'i dbang; )
  3. the knowledge-wisdom empowerment (Skt. prajñājñānābhiṣeka; Tib. ཤེས་རབ་ཡེ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་དབང་, sherab yeshe kyi wang, Wyl. shes rab ye shes kyi dbang)
  4. the precious word empowerment


Two Causes & Four Conditions

Two Causes

  1. The associated cause (mtshung ldan gyi rgyu) is the presence of the buddha nature
  2. The cooperative cause (lhan cig byed pa'i rgyu) is the use of various substances (rdzas) during the empowerment, such as the vase, image cards and so forth.

Four Conditions

  1. The causal condition (rgyu'i rkyen) is the disciple who has faith and intelligence
  2. The dominant condition (bdag rkyen) is the teacher who is fully qualified
  3. The objective condition (dmigs rkyen) is the teacher's knowledge of the empowerment, deities, and mantras, and samadhi
  4. The immediate condition (de ma thag rkyen) is the previous phase or empowerment, since each phase prepares the student for what follows, and that is why empowerments must be given in the proper sequence[12]

Empowerments Given to the Rigpa Sangha

Many great masters have bestowed the most important empowerments needed for our practice upon the Rigpa sangha over the years, in particular, Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in 1987 and 1990, Kyabjé Penor Rinpoche in 1988 and 1995, Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche in 1999, and Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche in 1999, 2003, and 2005.

Notes

  1. reference needed for this sentence.
  2. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Guru Yoga (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1999), page 63.
  3. From the Tantra of the Heart Mirror of Vajrasattva, quoted in Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, Empowerment and the Path of Liberation (Hong Kong: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1993), page 16.
  4. Quoted in Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Boston: Shambhala, Revised edition, 1998), page 332.
  5. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, Not for Happiness (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2012), page 192.
  6. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, op. cit., p.192
  7. reference needed for sentence.
  8. source?
  9. Patrul Rinpoche, op. cit., page 331.
  10. Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2004), page 277.
  11. Tulku Thondup, Enlightened Journey, Shambala, 1995. p113.
  12. Based on Tulku Thondup (1995) pages 115-6 and Khenpo Namdrol, oral teaching January 2012

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha on the Topic of Empowerment

Further Reading

  • Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Journey Without Goal, The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume Four (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2003), Ch. 10 'Abhisheka'.
  • Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, Not for Happiness (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2012) Ch.13 'Abhisheka and the Four Empowerments in Guru Yoga'.
  • Herbert V. Guenther, The Dawn of Tantra, The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume Four (Boston & London: Shambhala, 2003), Ch. 9 'Empowerment and Initiations'.
  • His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Pure Appearance (Halifax: Vajravairochana Translation Committee, 1992, 2002—restricted title), pages 1-14.
  • Jamgön Kongtrul, The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Six, Part Four: Systems of Buddhist Tantra, translated by Elio Guarisco and Ingrid McLeod (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2005), Ch. 12 'Initiation'.
  • Padmasambhava & Jamgön Kongtrul, The Light of Wisdom, Vol. Two, translated by Erik Pema Kunsang (Boudhanath: Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1999), Chapter 16.
  • Thinley Norbu, The Small Golden Key (Shambhala Publications, 1999), '12. Empowerment'.
  • Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, Empowerment and the Path of Liberation, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1993.
  • Tulku Thondup, Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life (Boston: Shambhala, 1995), 'The Empowerments and Precepts of Esoteric Training', pages 106-133.

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