If, in my account of this ritual, there is any mistake or discrepancy, pray all Buddhas to forgive me in my ignorance. I hope that, through the good deeds of this work, all sentient beings will find peace and happiness. Wherever this book is presented, may propitiousness come to that place.

NOTES

[n_4:1]. Rta-mgrin: A Tantric Buddha; Sanskrit--Hayagriva. The literal translation of the Tibetan name is Horsehead or Horse-neck.

[n_4:2]. Treasury of Percipience (Dgons-gter): One of the four Treasuries of the Red School. Treasury (Gter) means the hidden teachings of the esoteric doctrine. These esoteric teachings were hidden in the rocks, caves, and underground. Their discovery is preordained for the right time by the right person, who introduces them to the faithful. This is the regular Treasury, or Treasury of Earth. There are other types, such as the Treasury from Heaven; that is, the Treasury Finders see the revealed scriptures in dreams or in trances, or hear the reciting of the scriptures, incantations, and prophecy from the deities. The highest Treasury, according to the Red School, is the Treasury of Percipience; this type of Treasury does not require even the revelations--from the intuitive sense the Treasury is naturally unfolded.

[n_4:3]. Vase: In the Highest Division of Diamond Vehicle (the Anuttara Tantra of the Vajrayana), there are altogether four classes of initiations: the Initiation of Vase, the Secret Initiation, the Wisdom Initiation, and the Initiation of Great Symbol (Mahamudra). This initiation ceremony belongs to the first class; therefore, the symbol of vase plays a very important role. The vase symbolizes the original nature of Buddhahood; it also draws the grace wave and blessing from the real Buddhas (the Wisdom Buddhas), and so the original or Buddha nature can thus be unfolded. The vase is also the center of all symbols used in the initiation performance. The vase or vases are different in number; usually one is enough, but sometimes two, three, four, or even ten are used. The initiation vase has many different names, too.

[n_4:4]. The separate symbol is the effigy of a complete body of Hayagriva; the horsehead effigy is molded from tsamba (cooked barley flour) and decorated with colored butter.

[n_4:5]. The Perfecting Device: The identification of Buddha nature (the Bound Vase), the praying to Buddha, the coming and blessing from Buddha, the unification of Buddha and vase

[paragraph continues] (Buddha nature)--these four processes make a Perfecting Device.

[n_4:6]. Bound Buddha and Wisdom Buddha (or Bound One and Wisdom One): The original Buddha nature, which is not lost but hidden or "bound" deep within each sentient being. The Bound One (the cause or impulse toward realization) must be merged with the Wisdom or Fruit Buddha to produce the enlightenment.

[n_4:7]. Arising Buddha: The Bound Buddha is also called the Arising Buddha.