An empowerment is a ritual in Tibetan Buddhism which initiates a student into a particular tantric deity practice. The Tibetan word for this is wang (Skt. abhiṣeka; Tib. དབང་, wang; Wyl. dbang)[1], which literally translates to power. The Sanskrit term for this is abhiseka which literally translates to sprinkling or bathing or anointing.[2] A tantric practice is not considered effective or as effective until a qualified master has transmitted the corresponding power of the practice directly to the student. This may also refer to introducing the student to the mandala of the deity.
There are three requirements before a student may begin a practice:[3][4][5][6]
An individual is not allowed to engage in a deity practice without the empowerment for that practice. The details of an empowerment ritual are often kept secret as are the specific rituals involved in the deity practice.[7]
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By receiving the empowerment, the student enters into a samaya connection with the teacher. At the level of the anuttarayoga tantra class of practices; the samayas traditionally entail fourteen points of observance. The vajra master may also include particular directives, such as specifying that the student complete a certain amount of practice.
The ritual for performing an empowerment can be divided into four parts:
The ritual is based on the coronation process of a king but in this case represents the student being empowered as the deity of the practice (i.e. a Buddha).[9] The vase empowerment symbolizes purification or preparation and may include a vase filled with water or washing. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche compared that to baptism. The secret or crown empowerment involves receiving a coronation or identification as that deity. The knowledge-wisdom empowerment symbolizes receiving a scepter representing the skillful means of the deity. The word or bell empowerment is receiving the wisdom of the deity.[2][10]
In the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen, respectively, one finds "pointing-out instruction" conferred outside of the context of formal abhiṣeka. Whether or not such instructions are valid without the formal abhiṣeka has historically been a point of contention with the more conservative Gelug and Sakya lineages. The pointing-out instruction is often equated with the "fourth" or ghanta abhiṣeka.
The "Empowerment of Awareness" (Tib: rig pa'i rtsal dbang, pronounced "rigpai sall wahng") is a technical term employed within the Dzogchen lineages. This empowerment consists of the direct introduction of the student to the intrinsic nature of their own mind-essence, rigpa, by their empowering master.[11]
According to the Nyingmapa story of the advent of the Dzogchen teachings on this planet, it is held that Garab Dorje received this empowerment (abhiseka) directly from Vajrasattva. This employment of the 'creative energy' (Tibetan: rTsal) is what is transferred in the empowerment from the heart of the master to the heart of the student.[11]