KALAŚĀBHIṢEKA

kalaśābhiṣeka. (T. bum dbang; C. baoping guanding; J. hōby ōkanjō; K. poby ŏng kwanjŏng 寶瓶灌頂). In Sanskrit, “vase empowerment,” “jar empowerment,” or “pot empowerment”; one of the four empowerments or initiations (ABHIṢEKA) of ANUTTARAYOGATANTRA, the other three being the secret empowerment (GUHYĀBHIṢEKA), the knowledge of the consort empowerment (PRAJÑĀJÑĀNĀBHIṢEKA), and the fourth empowerment (CATURTHĀBHIṢEKA). The vase empowerment is the only one of the four that is used in the three other tantras of KRIYĀTANTRA, CARYĀTANTRA, and YOGATANTRA. The term itself generally is meant to designate a series of empowerments or initiations, variously enumerated, but commonly counted as five: the water, crown, vajra, bell, and name empowerments, with a sixth, called the vajra master (VAJRĀCĀRYA) added in yogatantra and anuttarayogatantra. The vase empowerment may be publicly performed, often in large gatherings, and is considered a prerequisite for the three other empowerments.