"The Ruling King of Serpent Spirits" (klu dbang-gi rgal-po, Nagesvararaja) is seated to the southeast of Sakyamuni in the heavenly field 'prevading the serpent spirits'. His body is blue in color and he holds a tree of serpent spirits and a blue snake. "Serpent Spirits" refer to his primordial awareness which is cooling and is likened to a serpent of malevolent spirit because, separated from conflicting emotions, it kills grasping at things as having characteristics. His function is "Ruling" because he has power over everything, and his excellence is like a "King('s)" because he is glorious among others, is handsome and lacks any fear.
In the east, in front of Sakyamuni, sits "the Jewel Radiating Light" (rin-chen 'od-'phro, Ratnarcis) in the celestial field 'endowed with jewels.' He is white and holds a sceptre and a sun. Jewel indicates his excellent qualities are, like a precious jewel, the source of all excellence such as power; his pristine awareness is clear like "Light" free from the darkness of not knowing reality; and "Radiating" refers to his function of eliminating the ignorance of every sentient being.
“The Great Destroyer with the Adamantine Essence” (dorje-snying-pos-rab-tu-‘joms-pa, Vajrapramardi) sits directly above Shakyamini in the heavenly field of the ‘essence of space’. He is blue in color and in his hands he holds two admantine scepters (dorje, vajra). “Adamantine” means that his primordial or pristine awareness is non-conceptual; “Essence” signifies that his excellent qualities (yon-tan, guna) are the essential source of all things, and “Great Destroyer” indicates that his function (las, karma) is to destroy everything such as emotional afflictions.
Starting with this post, I'll try and list down the details of the 35 Buddhas who were described for the sake of the first 35 disciples of the Buddha. We start with the Buddha, Shakyamuni.
The one who is characteristic of the fully awakened state of the Shakyamuni, “The subduer from the Shakya clan.” The title Shakyamuni refers to his primordial awareness, ability and excellent qualities. Sa refers to his porimordial awareness that understands all things without exception; kya refers to his insight and muni means that he’s has bound himself to the truth without duality. “Subduer” (thub-pa, muni) carries the additional significance that he has overcome the detriment of having been born into an important position in the royal family of the Sakya. “Sakya” refers to his excellent quality of being above other beings. The special meaning of ‘subduer’ is that he has bound his body, speech and mind to the truth without duality.
While doing the purification practice visualization of the 35 Buddhas, you should prostrate to him through the three gates of your body, speech and mind with sincere faith, imagining his body to be golden in color and seated on the central throne in the posture of bestowing the Dharma.
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