The Questions of Gyenema
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total control over yourself. At that point, from within the central channel tube that is the nature of light, the fontanel aperture in the crown of the head is like an open skylight, and [the awareness] should be expelled through it. “So, from the time when illness first strikes until finally mind and body are rent apart, until you attain the great enlightenment, you must stick very close to the lama, yidam, and genuine view. This is important in this esoteric instruction of the Rite of Transference with substances. Keep this in mind, girls, and accomplish boundless benefit for others.” Thus she spoke.
Divisions of the Body Prenatal Development from Channels “Girls and boys of awakened potential, listen well! I will now explain the clear divisions of the body aggregate, so try to remember how it is. The formation of our individual bodies (commonly, according to the general explanation in some of the mother tantras, where it is formed from the navel) began in the mother’s womb. There, the father’s white vital essence that is the principle of water, and the mother’s red vital essence that takes the form of fire, and between them the individual’s consciousness, called the ‘scent-eater,’ that rides on the mount of the life force energy current and enters there due to the power of karma, all combine together and take a subtle form called ‘karma.’ The earth provides support, water provides cohesion, fire causes maturing, wind causes development, and consciousness, called the element of space, provides spaciousness to form the body. “The body develops first from the navel. The navel channel is the first support from which the body gradually develops. At first all the channels are extended. Then, first the cakra at the navel is formed with four tiers. The outer rim has sixty-four petals. Within that [is a circle of] twelve, then eight within that, like a stacked throne. This is called the emanation cakra, [associated with] the afflictive emotion of desire. At the heart, the cakra of aversion has two levels: eight channel spokes on the outside and four inside that. It is like the petals of a lotus and is called the dharma cakra. Developing upward of that, the throat cakra of jealousy has two layers: sixteen spokes on the outside and eight on the inside. It is like the neck of a vase and is called the enjoyment cakra. Spreading up to the crown, that cakra, the abode of stupidity, [forms] with three levels: the outer with thirty-six spokes, within that ten, and within that five, like an umbrella. It is called the crown cakra of great bliss. Then the