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ISSN 2753-4812
ISSN 2753-4812

List of Names for Elaborate Empowerment

English | བོད་ཡིག

Clarification of the Names for the Elaborate Maṇḍala

by Longchen Rabjam

I pay homage to the gurus,
And thoroughly set forth
A clarification of the lists of names
For those who enter the elaborate maṇḍala.

Here, as a means of determining which is the primary and which the auxiliary maṇḍalas from the nature of the five wisdoms belonging to the vajra essence of original clear light, one casts a flower.

If the flower lands in the centre, give a name that is illustrative of fundamental reality, corresponding to Vairocana, the Tathāgata family and the wisdom of the dharmadhātu, such as:

  • Natsok Rangdrol (Self-Liberation of Diverse Perception)
  • Chöying Drimé (Immaculate Dharmadhātu)
  • Lhündrup Gyalpo (Sovereign Spontaneous Presence)
  • Gyurmé Yeshé (Unchanging Wisdom)
  • Khandro Long Yangpa (Vast Sky-Faring Expanse)
  • Mimik Chönyi (Inapprehensible Dharmatā)
  • Yedrol Nyukma (Primordially Free and Genuine)
  • Lhünnyam Chadral (Spontaneous, Even Inactivity)
  • Künjé Gyalpo (All-Creating Sovereign)
  • Longchen Rabjam (Infinite Vast Expanse)
  • Khanyam Chöku (Spacelike Dharmakāya)
  • Zhidral Chönyi (Groundless Dharmatā)
  • Samdzok Gyalpo (Sovereign of Wish-Fulfilment)
  • Jömé Tsöndé (Inexpressible Undefinableness)
  • Changchub Nyingpo (Essence of Awakening)
  • Nyukma Chamdal (Evenly Pervasive Genuineness)
  • Yetong Tsadral (Primordially Empty and Sourceless)
  • Kündrol Yeshé (Wholly Free Wisdom)
  • Malü Chönyi (Dharmatā Entirety)
  • Rolpa Yeshé (Wisdom Display)
  • Gangshar Rangdrol (Self-Liberation of Whatever Arises)
  • Yedrol Dzinmé (Primordial Freedom Beyond Grasping)
  • Matsal Rangdzok (Unsought Self-Perfection)
  • Charmé Rangjung (Self-Originated with Nothing to Be Done)
  • Sangyé Rangché (Intrinsic Buddhahood)
  • Mingyur Lhundrup (Unchanging Spontaneous Presence)
  • Khyabdal Chenpo (Great Pervasiveness)
  • Nangsi Chöku (Dharmakāya of Appearance and Existence)
  • Tsalchen Dzogpa (Perfected Great Potential)
    … and so on.

Taking such a name related to basic space beyond transition or change, apply it to the male or female practitioner as appropriate.

If the flower lands in the east, give a name that is illustrative of clear light, corresponding to Akṣobhya, the Vajra family and mirror-like wisdom, such as:

  • Dorje Nyingpo (Vajra Essence)
  • Dorje Sempa (Vajra Being)
  • Dorje Lekpa (Excellent Vajra)
  • Ö-nga Lhundrup (Spontaneously Present Fivefold Light)
  • Yeshé Drimé (Immaculate Wisdom)
  • Ngang-dang Ösal (Clear Light Lucidity)
  • Lhünnyam Miyo (Unmoving Spontaneous Evenness)
  • Chamchik Changchub (Simultaneous Awakening)
  • Saltong Dzinmé (Clear Emptiness Beyond Grasping)
  • Rangsal Chöku (Self-Luminous Dharmakāya)
  • Malü Lhundrup (Total Spontaneous Presence)
  • Döné Changchub (Primordial Awakening)
  • Miksam Trödral (Free from Conceptual Complexity)
  • Gakmé Rangsal (Unceasing Self-Luminosity)
  • Rangjung Yeshe (Naturally Arisen Wisdom)
  • Ösal Nyingpo (Essence of Clear Light)
  • Nyimé Yeshé (Non-Dual Wisdom)
  • Chokmé Rang-yen (Positionless Composure)
  • Mikmé Kündrol (Universal Freedom Beyond Apprehension)
  • Yangpa Chenpo (Great Expansiveness)
  • Drowa Chönyi (Animate and Phenomenal Reality)
  • Samdzok Döma (Primordial Wish-Fulfilment)
  • Charmé Namkha (Space of Nothing-To-Be-Done)
  • Makyé Chönyi (Unborn Dharmatā)
  • Miné Rangjung (Self-Arisen Non-Abiding)
  • Melong Yeshé (Mirror-like Wisdom)
  • Rolpa Gakmé (Ceaseless Display)
  • Gyayen Rangdrol (Unrestrained Spontaneous Freedom)
  • Tadral Uma (Middle Beyond Extremes)
  • Dzokpa Rangjung (Self-Arisen Perfection)
  • Rigpa Drimé (Immaculate Awareness)
  • Rangshar Gakmé (Ceaseless Natural Arising)
  • Tadrol Longchen (Great Expanse Liberated from Extremes)
    … and so on.

Taking such a name related to clarity or clear light, apply it as appropriate.

If the flower lands in the south, give a name that is illustrative of non-duality, corresponding to Ratnasambhava, the Ratna family and the wisdom of equality, such as:

  • Döyön Rangshar (Self-Occurring Sensory Delights)
  • Gyachen Paljor (Magnificent Richness)
  • Yönten Rangjung (Naturally Occurring Qualities)
  • Samdzok Gyalpo (Sovereign of Wish-Fulfilment)
  • Tsokchen Lhündzok (Spontaneous Perfection of Vast Accumulation)
  • Dögu Rangshar (Spontaneous Arising of All That is Desired)
  • Yizhin Nyingpo (Wish-Granting Essence)
  • Pemé Rangdrol (Incomparable Self-Liberation)
  • Döndrup Nyingpo (Aim-Accomplishing Essence)
  • Zhingkham Namdak (Utterly Pure Realm)
  • Lhündrup Yeshé (Spontaneously Present Wisdom)
  • Maché Rangdzok (Uncreated Self-Perfection)
  • Zhidé Chönyi (Fundamentally Blissful Dharmatā)
  • Yeshé Gyepa (Blossoming Wisdom)
  • Chönyi Ngawang (Dharmatā Master of Oratory)
  • Longdzok Gyalpo (Sovereign Perfect Expanse)
  • Rangjung Long-gyé (Extensive Self-Originating Expanse)
  • Rolpa Rangshar (Self-Arising Display)
  • Gangshar Chönyi (Dharmatā Reality of Whatever Arises)
  • Chirnang Nyamdrol (Simultaneous Liberation of Whatever Manifests)
  • Langdor Nyimé (Beyond the Duality of Acceptance and Rejection)
  • Temé Yongdrol (Complete Liberation Beyond Reference Point)
  • Kusum Rangdzok (Spontaneous Perfection of the Three Kāyas)
  • Yeshé Ngaden (Possessor of Fivefold Wisdom)
  • Zungtrin Nyingpo (Essence of Dhāraṇī Clouds)
  • Yeshé Nyima (Wisdom Sun)
  • Lhündrup Zakar (Planets and Stars of Spontaneous Presence)
    … and so on.

Create and apply such a name related to non-duality.

If the flower lands in the west, give a name that corresponds to Amitābha, the Padma family and the wisdom of discernment,[1] such as:

  • Dechen Gyalpo (Sovereign of Great Bliss)
  • Khamsum Yongdrol (Total Liberation of the Three Realms)
  • Masam Chönyi (Inconceivable Dharmatā)
  • Chirnang Yeshé (Wisdom in Light of Whatever Manifests)
  • Lhünnyam Dechen (Spontaneous and Even Great Bliss)
  • Pema Longchen (Great Lotus Expanse)
  • Longsal Drimé (Immaculate Luminous Expanse)
  • Dechen Rangjung (Self-Occurring Great Bliss)
  • Tamché Babdé (Bliss of the Universal Nature)
  • Zhimé Rangsal (Groundless Self-Luminosity)
  • Drowa Changchub (Awakening of Beings)
  • Tamché Chönyi (Universal Dharmatā)
  • Khordé Yedrol (Primordial Liberation of Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa)
  • Mapang Yongdzok (Total Perfection without Rejection)
  • Rangsal Dechen (Self-Luminous Great Bliss)
  • Ösal Long-gyé (Extensive Clear Light Expanse)
  • Changchub Rangjung (Self-Occurring Awakening)
  • Khanyam Dechen (Spacelike Great Bliss)
  • Zhitsa Changchub (Fundamental Awakening)
  • Rangjung Chönyi (Self-Occurring Dharmatā)
  • Yömé Tadral (Freedom from Ontological Extremes)
  • Yangdok Nyimé (Non-Dual Span)
  • Chöku Rangluk (Natural Mode of Dharmakāya)
  • Mimik Chamdal (Inapprehensible Equilibrium)
    … and so on.

Apply such a name that signifies self-illuminating wisdom.

If the flower lands in the north, give a name that corresponds to Amoghasiddhi, the Karma family and all-accomplishing wisdom, such as:

  • Go-nga Chadral (Freedom from Fivefold Sensory Activity)
  • Lhündzok Chöku (Spontaneously Perfect Dharmakāya)
  • Rangshar Rimé (Self-Arising Impartiality)
  • Dzinmé Gyalpo (Sovereign Non-Grasping)
  • Malü Yongdrol (Total, Entire Liberation)
  • Künnyam Yangpa (Wholly Even Expansiveness)
  • Lhünnyam Yongdrol (Spontaneous, Even Total Liberation)
  • Chamchik Sangyé (Simultaneous Buddhahood)
  • Yené Charmé (Primordial Absence of Agenda)
  • Chatsal Kündrol (Freedom from All Deeds and Quests)
  • Khyabdal Chönyi (Pervasive Dharmatā)
  • Trinlé Lhündrup (Spontaneous Activity)
  • Yongdzok Changchub (Totally Perfect Awakening)
  • Rangzhen Döndrup (Accomplishment of One’s Own and Others’ Aims)
  • Mapang Yongdzok (Total Perfection without Rejection)
  • Tsoldrup Charmé (Absence of Striving for Achievement)
  • Chöku Rangdzok (Self-Perfected Dharmakāya)
  • Lhündrup Dzinmé (Spontaneous Presence Beyond Grasping)
  • Yongdrol Chenpo (Great Total Freedom)
    … and so on.

Apply such names that signify limitlessness and the absence of hope and fear.

If the flower lands in an intercardinal direction give a name based either on combining the two directions or choosing one of them.

This concludes the secret crucial instruction on names composed by Longchen Rabjam, a yogin of the self-liberation of manifold perception (Natsok Rangdrol), in the place of the Self-Arisen Padma.[2] May it be virtuous! Virtuous! Virtuous!


| Translated by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Tsadra Foundation, 2024.


Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

klong chen rab 'byams pa dri med 'od zer. "dkyil 'khor spros bcas ming gi rim pa gsal bar byed pa" In snying thig ya bzhi. 13 vols. Delhi: Sherab Gyaltsen Lama, 1975. Vol. 1: 200–204 (2 folios)

Secondary Sources

Dorji Wangchuk. "Cross-Referential Clues for a Relative Chronology of Klong chen pa’s Works". In Orna Almogi (ed.), Contributions to Tibetan Buddhist Literature. Proceedings of the Eleventh Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Königswinter, 2006. Beiträge zur Zentralasienforschung. Halle: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, 2008, pp. 195–244


Version: 1.0-20240117


  1. Note that the text says kun rtog in place of the more usual sor rtogs  ↩

  2. According to Dorji Wangchuk, this is a reference to Samye Chimphu. See Cross-Referential Clues for a Relative Chronology of Klong chen pa’s Works, p. 204  ↩

Longchen Rabjam

Longchen Rabjam

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