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[3] The Verses of Self Awakenment
The verses are spoken according to Vairocana Buddha’s own Awakenment, they reveal the ultimate Truth not taught by anyone else, but originally known by the Self - This is the cosmic and absolute Self recognized by Mahayana teachings, different from the self or ego recognized by a mortal being.
As it is written in Maha-Pari-Nirvana Sutra ( Taisho Tripitaka 0374 ) :
Mundane living beings recognize their small and limited ego as their ‘self’, therefore the Tathagata teaches them such a self actually does not exist in anything. However, in the highest Realty there is a Self. What is this Self ? It is Real, True, Eternal, Independent, Unconditioned, and Unchanging in nature, this is the true Self.
[4] The Three Bodies of a Buddha ( Sanskrit : Tri-kaya )
1 The Dharma Body (Dharma-kaya) which is invisible, formless and omnipresent.
2 The Enjoyment Body (Sambhoga-kaya) as a reward of immeasurable good karma and merits.
3 The Transformation Bodies (Nirmana-kaya) [23] that other living beings can see.
[5] The Thirty-seven Lords
The Vajra Realm’s Thirty-seven Lords, include :
[ The Five Buddhas ] -
Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratna-sambhava, Amitabha, Amogha-siddhi.
[ The Four Paramita Bodhisattvas ] -
Vajra-Paramita, Ratna-Paramita, Dharma-Paramita, Karma-Paramita.
[ The sixteen great Bodhisattvas ] -
Vajra-sattva, Vajra-King, Vajra-Love, Vajra-sadhu;
Vajra-Treasure, Vajra-Light, Vajra-Banner, Vajra-Laugh;
Vajra-Dharma, Vajra-Sharpness, Vajra-Cause, Vajra-Language;
Vajra-Karma, Vajra-Guard, Vajra-Teeth, Vajra-Fist;
[ The eight offering Bodhisattvas ] -
Vajra-Play, Vajra-Garland, Vajra-Sing, Vajra-Dance;
Vajra-Fragrance, Vajra-Flower, Vajra-Lamp, Vajra-Perfume;
[ The four capturing Bodhisattvas ] -
Vajra-Hook, Vajra-Lasso, Vajra-Bell, Vajra-Lock.
[6] Universal Gate ( Sanskrit : Samanta-mukha )
An overall Dharma Gate that includes all Dharma Gates ( Dharma practice methods ) leading to Awakenment.
[7] Dharma Thusness ( Sanskrit : Dharmata )
A.k.a. Thusness ( Sanskrit : Tathata ), or True Thusness, Original Thusness, Self Thusness, Suchness, Reality, Ultimate Reality, means the uncreated and unconditioned Origin, which is “thus” by itself, not because of, and not conditioned by anyone or anything.
This concept is directly related to the word ‘Tathagata’, one of the titles of a Buddha.
‘Tathagata’ is a combination of two words ‘Tatha’ (thus) and ‘agata’ (come), or ‘Tatha’ (thus) and ‘gata’ (gone).
‘Tatha’ in the word ‘Tathagata’ can be regarded as a shortened form of ‘Tathata’, meaning the absolute Truth, the Thusness, which is uncreated and unconditioned.
Therefore, ‘Tathagata’ can be interpreted as ‘One who has come from Thusness’, and ‘One who has returned to Thusness’, hinting that a visible Buddha is a manifestation of the invisible, formless, and omnipresent Thusness.
[8] The Two Realms
Vajra Realm ( Vajra-dhatu ) & Womb Store Realm ( Garbha-kosa-dhatu ).
[9] The Thirty-seven Wisdoms
The Vajra Realm’s Thirty-seven Lords [5], regarded as embodiments of Wisdom.
[10] The Grand Mandala Inside One Heart
This paragraph describes how to combine the Vajra Realm Mandala & Womb Store Realm Mandala and place all the elements on an eight-petaled lotus flower, forming a grand Mandala. The shape of this grand Mandala is like the central part of Womb Store Realm Mandala & Dharma Lotus Mandala.
[11] Miraculous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra
The Lotus Sutra, a.k.a. Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, True Dharma White Lotus Sutra, Dharma Lotus Sutra, or Dharma Flower Sutra. Sanskrit : Saddharma Pundarika Sutra.
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