sgrub rdzas thun mong bcu lnga

Fifteen Ordinary Sacraments of Empowerment. The fifteen ordinary sacraments and the three profound empowerments together form the eighteen empowerments of Mahayoga. Of these the former include ten outer empowerments of benefit (phyi phan pa'i dbang bcu) the five inner empowerments of ability (nang nus pa'i dbang lnga) while the latter includes the three secret empowerments of profundity gsang ba zab mo'i dbang gsum The ten empowerments of benefit are those of crown- ornament, diadem, rosary, armor, victory-banner, seals, parasol, vase, food & drink, and the five essences. For their significance see Longchenpa, phyogs bcu mun sel pp. 376-379. GD