Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This sādhana provides a ritualized meditative procedure for the realization of the deity Hevajra. The text guides the practitioner through a sequence of mental transformations, beginning with the cultivation of the four immeasurables and the establishment of emptiness to eliminate self-grasping. The practitioner is then directed to visualize a complex mandala centered on the syllable raṃ, transitioning from the form of Vajrasattva to the wrathful manifestation of Hevajra. The text emphasizes the non-duality of method and insight, utilizing the union of the deity and his consorts to symbolize the integration of bliss and emptiness. By identifying various sensory organs and elements with specific vajra-deities and purifying traditionally impure substances—such as flesh and blood—into the purity of the goddesses, the practitioner commits to a process of cognitive transmutation. The work concludes by framing these instructions as a derivation of the Hevajra Tantra, intended to subdue malevolent forces and achieve the cognition of the mind.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual procedure for the realization of the deity Hevajra, the Śrīhevajranāmasādhana belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The work is attributed to the Indian author Bodhigarbha. It was translated into Tibetan by Dīpaṃkaracandra and the translator lha btsan po mu ni ra dza, and is preserved in the Tengyur (vol. ཉ) within the Non-dual Tantra collection, where it extends over seven pages. The work enacts a meditative process that begins with the cultivation of the four immeasurables and the establishment of emptiness to eliminate grasping at a self within saṃsāra. Through the visualization of a sun maṇḍala and the syllable raṃ, the practitioner transitions from the form of Vajrasattva—depicted with sixteen arms, eight faces, and four legs embracing Nairātmyā—toward the manifestation of Hevajra. By integrating the union of the deity and consorts, the practice symbolizes the non-duality of method and insight. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the specific cognitive transmutations and ritualized mental transformations used to purify sensory experience and integrate bliss and emptiness.
Sanskrit title
Śrīhevajranāmasādhana
Indian author
Bodhigarbha
Tibetan translators
Dīpaṃkaracandra, bod kyi lo tsa ba lha btsan po mu ni ra dza
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Sādhana called “The Glorious Hevajra”” (Toh 1227), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1227
Summary & commentary
Significance
The text is significant as a practical application of Hevajra Tantra, demonstrating the transition from peaceful to wrathful deity yoga. For the modern reader, it illustrates the specific Tibetan Buddhist method of using visceral, transgressive imagery to conceptually dismantle ordinary perceptions of purity and impurity.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
Preliminary Practices
Homage to the Guru and the cultivation of the four immeasurables and emptiness.
3-4
Visualization and Generation
The construction of the sun maṇḍala and the visualization of Vajrasattva and his consorts.
5-7
The Wrathful Manifestation
The emergence of the black, terrifying form of Hevajra, the identification of deities within the senses, and the purification of substances.
8
Conclusion
A closing statement on the source of the sādhana and the merit of its recitation.
Themes
Non-duality of Method and Insight (3)
Cognitive Transmutation and Purification (7)
Deity Yoga and Visualization (2-6)
Elimination of Self-Grasping (2)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Śrīhevajranāmasādhana. In the language of Tibet: The Sādhana of the Glorious Hevajra. Homage to Hevajra.
Evaṃ, the Lord Protector, the four, liberated from beginning, end, and middle. Homage to you, the Vajra Holder. Having prostrated with faith at the feet of the Guru, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the elder members of the Saṅgha, I shall write. First, as for the instruction on the place: "Under a solitary tree, or in a charnel ground, or likewise in the houses of Mātṛs, or in a secluded place or a remote borderland—it is taught that meditation is excellent there." Thus, having stayed in such a place or in a location that brings one joy, one should practice yoga in the absorption of one-pointed mind.
At night, remaining in one's own heart, from the syllable RAṂ comes a sun maṇḍala. Upon that is the syllable HŪṂ, the nature of which is method and insight. Having seen the Guru, the Buddhas, and the Bodhisattvas in the sky, one emanates the eight goddesses adorned with ornaments to make offerings: Gaurī with a moon vessel, Caurī with a sun vessel, Vetālī with a vessel of urine, Ghasmarī with a vessel of medicine, Pukkasī holding a vajra, Śavarī with a vessel of nectar, Caṇḍālī holding a small drum, and Ḍombinī who, through the inseparable touch, performs the great passion and subsequent passion. Then, one should perform the outer offerings, the confession of misdeeds, the taking of refuge in the Three Jewels, and so forth.
Then, first cultivate loving-kindness, second compassion, third joy, and fourth equanimity. Then, make the mind emptiness; eliminate the grasping at a self within saṃsāra. Oṃ śūnyatā-jñāna-vajra-svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ. Then, from the syllable raṃ, first meditate on a sun maṇḍala. Above that, from the syllable hūṃ, a vajra; at its hub is hūṃ. From that, light rays radiate, becoming a canopy, the ground, and the walls. In the center of that, within the source of the expanse of space, meditate on the wind maṇḍala, the fire maṇḍala, the water maṇḍala, and the earth maṇḍala. Above that, from bhrūṃ, a wheel; at its hub is bhrūṃ. From the inseparability of the bhrūṃ and the wheel, Vairocana arises. These merge into one with the maṇḍalas of the four elements, and in the center of the source of phenomena (dharmodaya), they become a celestial palace. The celestial palace has a single roof, four doors, and is beautified by four toraṇa arches; it has the appearance of various flowers. In its center, from the āli vowels, a moon maṇḍala; from the kāli consonants, a sun maṇḍala. The moon is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna), and the sun is the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna). In the center, from hūṃ, a vajra is the wisdom of individual discernment (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna). The essence of their merging is the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). This becomes the form of Vajrasattva, the wisdom of the utterly pure expanse of reality (dharmadhātu-viśuddhi-jñāna). Through the merging of these, Vajrasattva is generated as the body through the five awakenings (pañcābhisambodhi). His faces and hand symbols are in harmony with the Father and the Son.
Vajrasattva, having the form of a precious moon, with sixteen arms, eight faces, and four legs, brings joy. With the first two hands, he embraces Nairātmyā. He is the moon of bodhicitta, the non-duality of method and insight. Gaurī resides in the direction of Śakra; Caurī resides in the direction of the pretas; Vetālī resides in the direction of Varuṇa; Ghasmarī resides in the direction of the yakṣas. They abide in the manner of subduing the four Māras. Those with bared fangs abide at the gates. Pukkasī, in the form of a subduer, resides in the northeast corner; Śavarī resides in the southeast corner; Caṇḍālī resides in the southwest corner; and Ḍombinī resides in the northwest corner. Having emanated the bodies from the seed syllables Gaṃ, Caṃ, Vaṃ, Ghaṃ, Paṃ, Saṃ, Laṃ, and Ḍaṃ, they should be brought forth.
Gaurī holds a curved knife in her right hand and a fish in her left. Caurī holds a small drum in her right and a sow in her left. Ghasmarī holds a snake in her right and a lotus vessel in her left. Pukkasī holds a lion in her right and a battle-axe in her left. Śavarī holds a monk in her right and a mendicant’s staff in her left. Caṇḍālī holds a wheel in her right and a skull-cup in her left. Ḍombinī holds a vajra in her right and makes the threatening gesture with her left. Gaurī is black in color; Caurī is red; Vetālī is yellow; Ghasmarī is green; Pukkasī is blue; Śavarī is white; Caṇḍālī is the color of the sky; and Ḍombinī is multicolored. All have three eyes, loose hair, and possess the four mudrās. All stand in the posture of one leg extended and the other tucked. All have two arms. [They trample] Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Yama, the yakṣas, and the rākṣasas.
The asuras are the seats of Gaurī and the others. Then, Vajrasattva, together with his consort, melts through great passion. Then the four goddesses exhort him:
With various songs, I offer worship.
O Hevajra, whose mind is compassion,
Pukkasī, protect me!
Desiring the union of great bliss,
Arise, having dispelled the nature of emptiness!
Having dispelled the nature of emptiness,
Bestow accomplishment upon Śavarī!
If you wish to remain alive,
I pray, Hevajra, arise!
I, Caṇḍālī, having not seen you,
Make this request:
For what reason do you remain in emptiness?
Hero, sport according to your former vows!
I, Ḍombī, am without signs.
Your mind is consciousness;
It is not right for you to be without compassion.
I pray, arise like a magical illusion!
First is the bodhicitta of emptiness;
Second, the seed-syllable arises;
Third, the form is perfected;
Fourth, the syllables are arranged.
The two seed-syllables of the Lord and the Joyful One,
The two blue fearsome ones in the middle—
From the light rays of the two syllables Aṃ and Hūṃ,
The Great Vajra arises.
Radiating in the form of a deity,
He completely fills the expanse of space.
Having withdrawn [the light] into the Aṃ and Hūṃ at the heart,
The yogin, known as Vajradhara,
Becomes the nature of great hatred.
By treading the four feet upon the earth,
He terrifies the gods and asuras.
Black in color and terrifying,
He bestows bliss upon Nairātmyā.
He finds the bliss that is free from conceptualization.
The form is the nature of non-conceptuality.
The four Māras are successively trampled underfoot.
He terrifies all that is fearsome.
He should be adorned with a complete garland of heads.
He performs a dance upon a solar seat.
A crossed vajra rests upon his crown.
He is black in color and terrifying.
The first face is a great black one.
The right face is white like the moon.
The left face is red and fearsome.
The upper face is blue and baring its fangs.
He possesses twenty-four eyes.
The other faces are black.
He utters the sound "HŪṂ."
His body is smeared with ashes.
His eyebrows and hair are disheveled and yellow.
His body is adorned with the five mudrās.
His eyes gaze with a wrathful stare.
He is about sixteen years of age.
An elephant, a horse, a donkey,
An ox, a camel, a human,
A cat, and a lion—
These eight are in the right hands,
Placed in their respective order.
The deity of earth, the deity of water,
The deity of fire, the deity of wind,
The deity of the moon, the deity of the sun,
Yama, and Vaiśravaṇa—
These eight are in the left hands,
Arranged in their respective order.
The erotic, the heroic, the terrifying,
The laughing, the scolding, the fearsome,
The compassionate, the wrathful, and the peaceful—
He possesses the nine dramatic sentiments of the blazing dance.
Śrī is non-dual wisdom.
He is devoid of causes and so forth.
Ru is free from the collection [of phenomena].
Ka is that which does not abide anywhere.
OṂ DHARMADHĀTU SVABHĀVA ĀTMAKO ’HAṂ.
In the two eyes is Mohavajrā.
In the ear is Dveṣavajrā; in the nose, Mātsaryavajrā; in the mouth, Rāgavajrā; in the sense of touch, Īrṣyāvajrā; and in the mind, Nairātmyayoginī. The one who dwells in the earth is Kāyavajrā; the one who dwells in space is Vāgvajrā. Abiding in the center of the heart is Nairātmyā. From the seed syllable at one’s own heart, black light in the form of a hook radiates forth, inviting the Buddhas of the three realms, to whom offerings are made by the eight goddesses. Then, the supplication should be made:
Oṃ abhiṣiñcatu māṃ sarva-vajra-tathāgata.
Once completed, all the Buddhas confer the empowerment: "The water which is the nature of all Buddhas, the empowerment is conferred by the vase of nectar." Then, a rain of flowers, cotton, sandalwood powder, and saffron falls; the realm of space is filled with various sounds, and having made offerings with various forms, Locanā and the others also praise him with vajra songs.
When the empowerment is thus completed, one should remember: the crown is Akṣobhya in the form of a wheel; the ears are Amitābha; the neck is Ratnasambhava; the belt is Amoghasiddhi; and the bracelets are the nature of Vairocana. The five mudrās are the purity of the five families. The red eyes are the purity of compassion; the black complexion is the purity of loving-kindness; the skin is the purity of the branches of enlightenment; the bones are the purity of the four noble truths; and the mudrās are the purity of the five Buddhas.
In order to subdue malevolent sentient beings, he takes the form of a wrathful deity. Flesh is the purity of Pukkasī; blood is the purity of Śavarī; awakening is the purity of Caṇḍālī; and marrow is the purity of Ḍombinī. The eight faces are the purity of the eight liberations; the three eyes are the purity of body, speech, and mind; the sixteen hands are the purity of the sixteen emptinesses; and the four legs are the purity of the four Māras. The four mudrās are the Tathāgatas Akṣobhya, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, and Amitābha, along with Gaurī and the others. Earth is the purity of Pukkasī; water is the purity of Śavarī; fire is the purity of Caṇḍālī; and wind is said to be the purity of Ḍombinī. Arising from the state of abiding in the three times, one should assume the form of the deity. If one is free from afflictions, one should perform the mantra recitation: Oṃ devapicu vajra hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā. All activities should be performed in the form of Heruka; whatever accomplishment one desires, one should assume the form of Heruka. If one remains for six months, accomplishment will arise. If there is no deluded thought, the miraculous powers of a Buddha will be attained. All movement is the mudrā; all speech is the mantra. The abiding of Heruka is the perfect knowledge of consciousness. This is the condensed sādhana from the tantra. Because it cannot be fathomed by those who know or do not know, it clarifies the profound method. From the ocean of the milk of wisdom, the churning stick of the pith instructions [extracts] the essence in an instant.
Just as one who eats nectar
Gathers the essence through the oral instructions of the master,
So too is the cognition of that mind.
This sādhana of Heruka,
Which has been clearly elucidated,
Is composed based on the Hevajra Tantra.
Through this merit of mine,
And by reciting the sequence of the glorious mantra,
May sentient beings be swiftly liberated
By the virtue of the essence of awakening.
May the gurus, parents, and the retinue
Who delight in hearing this,
And those who have made the essence of awakening their goal,
Through the wisdom of prior mindfulness,
Attain the glorious mind by means of this expression of reality.
The sādhana of Hevajra composed by the master Bodhigarbha is complete.
It was translated and finalized by the Indian abbot Dāpaṃkara Candrapa and the Tibetan translator Lha btsan po Mu ni rā dza.