Generation stage

In Tantric Buddhism, the generation stage (T:"kye rim"; S:"utpatti-krama") is the first phase of meditative Buddhist "sādhana" associated with the 'Father Tantra' (Wylie: "pha-rgyud"; "pa-rgyud") class of "anuttara-yoga-tantras" of the Sarmapa or associated with what is known as Mahayoga Tantras by the Nyingmapa. An example of a 'Father Tantra' is the "Guhyasamāja Tantra".

The generation stage engages creative imagination or visualization as an "upaya" or skillful means of personal transformation through which the practitioner (sadhaka) either visualizes a meditational deity ("yidam") or refuge tree before themselves, "front generation", or as themselves, "self generation", to engender an alteration to their perception and/or experience of the appearance aspect of reality. [Keown, Damien (ed.) with Hodge, Stephen; Jones, Charles; Tinti, Paola (2003). "A Dictionary of Buddhism". Great Britain, Oxford: Oxford University Press. P.100. ISBN 0-19-860560-9]

The complement of the generation/development/creation stage is the completion stage (T:"dzog rim"; S:"saṃpanna-krama").

Front generation

Front generation is a form of meditative visualization employed in Tantric Buddhism in which the "yidam" is visualized as being present in the sky facing the practitioner as opposed to the self-identification that occurs in self generation. According to the Vajrayana tradition, this approach is considered less advanced, hence safer for the "sadhaka", and is engaged more for the rites of propitiation and worship. [Keown, Damien (ed.) with Hodge, Stephen; Jones, Charles; Tinti, Paola (2003). "A Dictionary of Buddhism". Great Britain, Oxford: Oxford University Press. P.96. ISBN 0-19-860560-9]

elf generation

Self generation is a form of meditative visualization employed in Tantric Buddhsim in which the "yidam" is invoked and then merged with the "sadhaka" as an "upaya" of self-transformation. This is as opposed to the method of front generation. According to the Vajrayana tradition, self generation is held to be more advanced and accompanied by a degree of spiritual risk from the "siddhi" it may rapidly yield. [Keown, Damien (ed.) with Hodge, Stephen; Jones, Charles; Tinti, Paola (2003). "A Dictionary of Buddhism". Great Britain, Oxford: Oxford University Press. P.257. ISBN 0-19-860560-9]

Notes

References

*Keown, Damien (ed.) with Hodge, Stephen; Jones, Charles; Tinti, Paola (2003). "A Dictionary of Buddhism". Great Britain, Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9
*Lingpa, Jigme (author); Rinpoche, Patrul (author); Mahapandita, Getse (author); Dharmachakra Translation Committee (translators) (2006). "Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom: Development Stage Meditation in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra" (Hardcover). Ithaca, NY, USA: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN-13 978-1-55939-300-3