Free Tantric Techniques by Jeffrey Hopkins

Collected Works, vol. 9 (New Delhi: Tibet House, 1976), 487.3.
    Tantric Mode of Meditation 53

    form, it seems to me to be an important connecting link in the gradual evolution from emptiness to sound to visible form.
    Form deity. The next step is the transformation of this moon disc with upright letters into the usual physical form of the deity with a face, arms, legs, and so forth. Prior to that, however, there is an in-termediary step of emitting from the moon a multitude of compassionately beneficent forms of the deity, through which active compassion is established as the precursor of one’s own bodily appearance. As Dül-dzin-drak-pa-gyel-tsen says:
    The form deity is creation of the pride that the deity is not different from yourself within meditating on the deity:
    [The moon and mantra letters] are transformed such that the hand symbol of the deity [appears on the moon] with the mantra letters. Variegated rays of light are emitted from the moon, hand symbol, and mantra. From the points of the light rays innumerable forms of the deity emerge, pervading the entire sphere of space. Through emanating great clouds of offerings they make splendid offerings to all the Conquerors. Also, they emanate great clouds from which a rain-stream of ambrosia descends, extinguishing the fires of the sufferings of all transmigrators—hell-beings and so forth—as well as satisfying those [beings with whatever they want]. Then, the rays of light as well as the divine bodies return and enter the moon disc, hand symbol, and mantra which are my mind, whereupon I emerge in the full form of the deity.
    The moon and mantra letters transform such that a hand-symbol— a vajra or wheel, for instance—also appears on the moon. Then, from all of these emanate rays of light from which, in turn, myriad forms of the deity emerge. These deities then emanate great clouds piled with offerings which they offer to already enlightened beings. The deities also emanate great clouds from which a rain-stream of ambrosia descends, cleansing and satisfying all other beings. The Dalai Lama movingly describes this phase of the meditation: a

    a Deity Yoga, 23.
    54 Tantric Techniques

    Imagine that from the moon and the mantra letters light rays are emitted, from the points of which emerge forms of the deity to be meditated. These deities emanate clouds of offerings to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and so forth, as well as clouds with a rain of nectar. It falls on the beings in cyc-lic existence a and purifies them, giving a good body to those who need it, coolness to those suffering from heat, the warmth of the sun to those suffering from cold, food and drink to the hungry and thirsty—emanating to each just what he or she needs, affording beings the basis for practicing the path as well as teachers to instruct them in the essential paths of the four truths, the two truths, and so forth. They are caused to ascend the paths and attain the final happiness of Buddhahood.
    The activity of offering to high beings fortifies the basic motivation toward enlightenment by associating the purpose of worthwhile material things and pleasures with Buddhahood. The activity of cleansing those trapped in suffering makes the very essence of physical appearance be compassionate activity for the welfare of the world.
    Psychologically, the meditator must confront and transform many untamed contents of mind which appear as the deprived and depraved beings who receive the bountiful blessings of the rain of ambrosia. One can speculate that a prime reason for the vivid descriptions of the hells and other unfortunate existences found in other texts b is to make manifest to oneself unconscious tendencies of mind and spirit so that such meditative confrontation and transformation can be enacted.
    According to Tibetan explanations, imitating the deeds of Buddhahood through raining down this ambrosia establishes patterns and predispositions to be fulfilled after one’s own enlightenment. In