Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Pristine Treasury is a Hevajra sādhana that provides a comprehensive ritual framework for achieving non-dual awakening through the synthesis of visualization, mantra, and yogic practice. The text guides the practitioner through the construction of a complex internal and external mandala, centering on the deity Hevajra and his consort Nairātmyā. It commits the reader to a rigorous process of transforming ordinary perception into a pure buddha-field, utilizing the visualization of charnel grounds, wrathful deities, and the five wisdoms to dismantle cognitive obscurations. The work integrates the offering of the body and the five nectars with the manipulation of subtle energy channels and seed-syllables, aiming to merge the practitioner's experience with the nature of suchness. By detailing the specific attributes of the deity and the surrounding retinue, the text functions as a manual for the transmutation of affective states—such as anger and desire—into the purified wisdoms of the Vajrayāna path.
Provenance
About this text
A sādhana of Hevajra titled the Viśuddhanidhināmahevajrasādhana, this work belongs to the Non-dual Tantra collection. It is attributed to the Indian author Avadhūtipa Advayavajra. The text passed into the Tibetan language through the work of the translators Vanaratnapāda and gzhon nu dpal, and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཉ, where it extends over twenty-nine pages. In the classical Tibetan tradition, the work is known as the kye rdo rje'i sgrub pa'i thabs rnam par dag pa'i gter. The practice enacts a detailed visualization of the deity Hevajra—described as an eight-faced, sixteen-armed figure treading upon the four Māras—who is embraced by Nairātmyā and surrounded by eight goddesses. It guides the practitioner through the presentation of secret offerings, including the five nectars and five lamps, and emphasizes the experience of non-duality through the joy of being of one taste with selflessness. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the specific ritual requirements of the Hevajra tradition, from the precise physical attributes and hand implements of the deity to the process of emanation, reabsorption, and the offering of suchness according to the guru's oral instructions.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Hevajra Sādhana called “The Pristine Treasury”” (Toh 1244), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1244
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant as a representative example of the Hevajra Tantra tradition, illustrating the precise intersection of deity yoga and the path of great bliss. For the modern reader, it demonstrates the sophisticated use of symbolic imagery and somatic visualization to achieve psychological and spiritual transformation within the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist framework.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-6
Deity Visualization and Offerings
Introduction to the form of Hevajra, the nature of the secret offerings, and the initial aspiration for awakening.
7-15
Mandala Construction
Detailed descriptions of the wrathful deities, the city of great liberation, the eight charnel grounds, and the positioning of the female deities.
16-23
Ritual Action and Union
The use of vajra songs to rouse the deity, the visualization of union with the consort, and the performance of the ritual bath and empowerment.
24-26
Internal Yoga and Mantras
Focus on the subtle body, the placement of seed-syllables in the throat and crown, and the recitation of root and heart mantras.
27-33
Philosophical Justification and Symbolic Interpretation
Explanations of how the dharmakāya emanates into various forms and the symbolic meaning of the deity's attributes as purifications of faults.
34-39
Retinue and Final Rites
Visualization of the worldly protectors and nagas, followed by the final ritual offerings and concluding verses on the illusory nature of existence.
Themes
Non-duality and Suchness (3, 5, 19, 28)
Transformation of Obscurations (11, 26, 30, 32)
The Pure Mandala and Charnel Grounds (8, 9, 10, 11)
Somatic and Mantra Yoga (24, 25, 26)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Hevajra Sādhana called “The Pristine Treasury”·
In the language of India: Viśuddhanidhināmahevajrasādhanaṃ. In the language of Tibet: Kye rdo rje’i sgrub pa’i thabs rnam par dag pa’i gter (The Pure Treasury: A Sādhana of Hevajra). Homage at the feet of the glorious, holy guru.
To the eight-faced one born from Hūṃ, endowed with twenty-four blue eyes, possessing sixteen arms and treading upon the four Māras with his feet, wearing a garland of fifty heads, holding the five mudrās, and embraced at the neck by Nairātmyā, and surrounded by Gaurī and the others—to him I prostrate and shall then describe his sādhana.
First, the yogin should perform the washing of the face and so forth. With the mantra Oṃ rakṣa rakṣa hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā, one protects oneself, the place, and the yoga.
With a mind striving for the benefit of all sentient beings, one enters the maṇḍala spoken of in the glorious Hevajra, receives the empowerments in sequence, and is granted the authentic authorization. Having attained the signs of the wisdom of suchness—the indivisibility of emptiness and compassion—and possessing unimpeded and doubt-free insight, one sits upon a comfortable seat marked with a crossed vajra in a place conducive to the mind, such as a charnel ground. Having partaken of the samayas, such as the five nectars, one should visualize a blue syllable Hūṃ upon a sun disc, which is the complete transformation of the syllable Repha, located in the heart of the glorious Vajra-ego. From that Hūṃ syllable, five-colored light rays radiate upward, illuminating the three realms, and in the direction of the space before one...
The Blessed One has sixteen arms and eight faces, each face having three eyes. His yellowish-white hair is bristling upward, and he is adorned with the five mudrās. He is embraced by Nairātmyā and surrounded by the eight goddesses. One should visualize his body with the colors and hand implements that will be described, and with the process of emanation and reabsorption.
In front of him is the black Gaurī, holding the moon of bodhicitta; to the right is Caurī, the color of madder, holding the sun, which is called the "self-arisen flower"; behind is Vetālī, yellow, holding a vessel of vajra-water; to the left is Ghasmarī, dark blue, holding secret medicine; in the front-left corner is Pukkasī, blue, holding various powers; in the front-right corner is Śavarī, white, holding a stream of nectar; in the back-right corner is Caṇḍālī, entirely red, playing a hand-drum; and in the back-left corner is Ḍombī, smoke-colored, embracing his own body. Having summoned and stabilized the Blessed One who is thus completely surrounded by these yoginīs, one should then cause those rays of light to enter the seed-syllable at the heart.
Once again, one should worship the Blessed One with the seed-syllable using the various distinctions of outer, secret, and suchness offerings. Among these, the presentation of flowers, incense, lamps, food, and the seven precious jewels and so forth is the outer offering.
The secret offering is the presentation of the five nectars and the five lamps by the eight goddesses. According to the guru’s oral instructions, the experience of non-duality through the joy of being of one taste with selflessness is the offering of suchness. Having made the perfect offering and prostrated directly with body, speech, and mind, one should perform the confession of misdeeds and so forth in his presence. Whatever sinful actions I have committed, caused others to commit, or rejoiced in, through the improper conceptualizations of beginningless saṃsāra, I confess them all and shall not commit them again. I rejoice in the roots of virtue of all ordinary beings, gods, hearers, pratyekabuddhas, perfectly awakened buddhas, and bodhisattvas. I dedicate all roots of virtue toward unsurpassed, perfectly complete awakening. Then:
I take refuge until I reach the heart of awakening in the Buddha Vajra Heruka, the nature of great bliss who is the essence of all three realms; in the Dharma, which is the nature of the mantras, mudrās, maṇḍalas, and so forth taught by him; and in the Saṅgha of yoginīs abiding in his wheel. For the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, I shall generate the mind of awakening, which is the nature of great bliss and perfectly complete awakening, characterized by emptiness endowed with the supreme of all aspects.
Regarding these, I shall rely upon the Vajrayāna, which is the path to unsurpassed awakening. Following that, in order to bring the perfection of generosity to completion, I shall offer my body. For the sake of turning the wheel of Dharma, I supplicate the gurus, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, the Protectors. Having requested them to remain until the end of saṃsāra, one should then meditate on great love, which has the aspect of cherishing all sentient beings like an only child with divine bliss; great compassion, which has the nature of wishing to deliver all helpless sentient beings who are submerged in the ocean of all conceptual thoughts and are afflicted by suffering and the causes of suffering; joy, which has the characteristic of being completely satisfied by never being separated from great bliss; and equanimity, which has the aspect of being sustained by the path that is the antidote to the eight worldly concerns. These are unsurpassed.
Then, with the insight characterized by the thorough discernment of phenomena, one should resolve that all phenomena, which are merely dependently originated, are by nature unarisen. Because one sees and makes manifest that meaning, and because it is subsumed within the essence of the suchness of all things without exception, one should mentally recite this mantra: oṃ śūnyatā-jñāna-vajra-svabhāvātmako ’haṃ. Then, according to the pith instructions of the sublime guru, one should abide in the state that is neither arisen nor ceased.
One abides for a moment in the manner of non-abiding. This is to be described as the suchness of the dharma, which is luminous and a source of joy; it is also the perfection of wisdom, which utterly pacifies all Māras. Following that, through the force of the power of aspiration, one arises from the absorption of luminosity. Upon a solar maṇḍala arising from the syllable ra, one should meditate on a crossed vajra (viśvavajra) endowed with five-colored light rays, produced from the complete transformation of a blue hūṃ. The light rays of that crossed vajra are emitted in all directions, as difficult to endure as the fire at the time of the world’s destruction, and thereby become a dense vajra fence, blazing and square, extending as far as one desires. Above it is a vajra canopy, and below it, one should visualize the ground as being of the nature of vajra, variegated down to the subterranean realms. Then, light rays emanating from the sun and the crossed vajra are projected into the intermediate directions, and all of these are made firm. In the center of that, from the complete transformation of a yellow syllable bhrūṃ, there is a ten-spoked wheel that revolves and is immovable. In the center of the ten-spoked wheel, upon a crossed vajra, is a lotus; upon that is a sun disk, and between the sun and moon joined together, one visualizes the syllable hūṃ. Through the sequence of the five wisdoms, such as the mirror-like wisdom, the Blessed One Hūṃkāra arises from the hūṃ, resembling a sapphire and adorned with various garments and ornaments.
One should meditate on [the deity] wearing a precious crown and holding a vajra and vajra-bell in his hands, embracing a consort who resembles himself, and standing with his left leg extended, treading upon Bhairava and Kālarātri. Then, according to the oral instructions of the sublime guru, one should visualize the ten wrathful deities through the union of the vajra and skull-cup. From that, in the east, south, west, and north, are Yamāntaka, Prajñāntaka, Padmāntaka, and Vighnāntaka, respectively, with body colors black, white, red, and blue. They hold a vajra hammer, a white staff, a red lotus, and a crossed vajra. They are short with large bellies, adorned with eight venomous snakes, and have pale yellow hair blazing upward. Their three eyes are red and round, and they wear crowns of Vairocana, Akṣobhya, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi, and wear lower garments of tiger skin.
In the corners of the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast are Takkirāja, Nīladaṇḍa, Mahābala, and Acala. They are intensely black and hold an iron hook, a staff, a trident, and a sword. Takkirāja and Acala are in a dancing posture and are adorned with divine ornaments such as excellent garments and precious jewels, and wear precious crowns. Nīladaṇḍa and Mahābala are transformed in appearance to be like Yamāntaka.
On the lower spoke is black Sumbharāja, holding a pestle and wearing a jewel crown. On the upper spoke is yellow Uṣṇīṣa, holding a yellow wheel and wearing a jewel crown marked with Vairocana. The five beginning with Kāma wear crowns of Akṣobhya. These ten wrathful deities should be visualized as standing upon a variegated lotus and a sun disk in the posture with the left leg extended, their left hands holding a snake-noose in a fist with the threatening gesture (tarjanī) pointed toward the heart. One should meditate on the protection wheel having become thus.
Then, in the center of that, from the complete transformation of Vajra-Hūṃkāra, one should visualize the so-called "Source of Phenomena" (dharmodaya), the great element of space in the form of the syllable ai, triangular in shape, the nature of the Great Vajra-Holder, white like the autumnal moon, with a narrow base and a wide top, and hollow within. Inside that is a multicolored lotus; upon its pericarp is a very vast, twelve-spoked variegated vajra. One should visualize its three eastern prongs as white, the southern as yellow, the western as red, the northern as green, and the central color as blue.
There, from yaṃ, arises a blue wind maṇḍala in the shape of a bow, marked by two fluttering banners at its two ends. Above that, from raṃ, arises a red triangular fire maṇḍala, marked with the syllable raṃ at its three corners. Above that, from vaṃ, arises a white circular water maṇḍala, marked with a vase.
Above that, from the syllable laṃ, arises a yellow square earth maṇḍala, marked at its corners with three-pointed vajras. Then, in the center of a pedestal of crossed vajras, is the city of great liberation, the nature of which is the condensed, utterly pure buddha-field born from the complete transformation of the four great elements as mere mind and dependent origination. It is square with four doors, adorned with eight pillars, surrounded by four pedestals, and decorated with four archways.
There are sixteen goddesses: the yellow Vīṇā, the red Vaṃśā, the smoke-colored Mṛdaṅgā, the white Murajā, the yellow Mālā, the red Lāsyā, the red Gītā, the multicolored Nṛtyā, the white Puṣpā, the black Dhūpā, the gold-colored Dīpā, the yellow Gandhā, the white Ādarśā, the red Rasā, the green Sparśā, and the white Dharmā. These sixteen are perfected from the first letter of their respective names, joined with a crescent moon and a drop (bindu). They abide in a manner consistent with their own names, and the maṇḍala is further adorned by the yoginīs of offering, arranged in pairs on both sides of each of the four main doors in their proper order.
It is beautified by lattices, half-lattices, flower garlands, canopies, mirrors, and fly-whisks. It is adorned with beautiful vajra lines and radiates a mass of buddha-light, with supreme, swaying banners at the perimeter.
Bells ring out around the perimeter. One should visualize the palace, which brings joy through offerings of the five supreme sensory pleasures, and is completely surrounded by the eight charnel grounds. As for those charnel grounds:
In the east is the Ghoracaṇḍa charnel ground, where there is a śirīṣa tree, the great miraculous being with the face of an elephant, Indra, the nāga Vāsuki, and the cloud known as Garjita.
In the southeast is the Pracaṇḍa charnel ground, where there is a karañja tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a goat, Agni, the nāga Mahāpadma, and the cloud known as Ghanāghana.
In the south is the Śeṣa charnel ground, where there is a mango tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a buffalo, Yama, the nāga Padma, and the cloud known as Samantānugata.
In the southwest is the Kilikilāyita charnel ground, where there is a latāpāṭalī tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a corpse, the rākṣasa, the nāga Ananta, and the cloud known as Supūrṇa.
In the west is the Jvālākula charnel ground, where there is an aśoka tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a makara, Varuṇa, the nāga Karkoṭaka, and the cloud known as Bhīṣaṇa.
In the northwest is the Bhīmāndhakāra charnel ground, where there is an arjuna tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a deer, Vāyu, the nāga Kulika, and the cloud known as Varṣaṇa.
In the north is the Dīrghaguhā charnel ground, where there is an aśvattha tree, the great miraculous being with the face of a human, and Vaiśravaṇa.
In the northeast, at the cremation ground of Śrīvana, there are the nāga Takṣaka, the cloud Bhramara, the paṭa tree, the one of great miraculous power Gośīrṣa, the nāga Śaṅkhapāla, and the fierce cloud Caṇḍamegha. In all [the cremation grounds], one should visualize a caitya, which is yellow, red, black, smoke-colored, green, yellow, and white. As for Indra and the others, they are yellow, dark blue, white, pale, red, variegated, black, and yellow; one should meditate on them in sequence, starting with Vāsuki and the rest. The clouds are of various colors. The eight of great miraculous power show the upper part of their bodies; with their left hands they hold kapālas, and their right hands are in the gesture of receiving the torma and offerings.
Furthermore, there are various dense trees, and it is terrifying with crows, owls, cranes, vultures, dogs, jackals, female jackals, hawks, falcons, lions, pigs, tigers, and so forth. It is made fearsome by snakes, ox-goaders, two-headed snakes, wolves, and the like, as they run to and fro. There are skeletons, those impaled on stakes, those hanging, those half-burnt, and those terrifying with heads, skulls, undispersed skeletons, knees, severed heads, jaws, and upper skulls. There are many accomplished ones and vidyādharas, yogins who practice the samaya, and assemblies of yoginīs.
Yakṣas, vetālas, rākṣasas, and so forth, running, moving, sitting, and walking about in those various places, making the charnel grounds extremely turbulent. In the center of that, upon an eight-petaled red lotus, one should visualize the four Māras fallen in terror. Among them, the Māra of the aggregates is Brahmā; the Māra of the afflictions is Viṣṇu; the Māra of the son of the gods is Indra; and the Māra of the Lord of Death is Maheśvara. One should visualize these four Māras with sun disks pressing upon their hearts. On the petals in the directions such as the east are Brahmā, Upendra, and Rudra. On the intermediate petals such as the northeast are Yama, Kubera, Nairṛti, and Vemacitrin. The hearts of these eight are also pressed by moon disks. All of this should be understood at the very moment the multi-storied palace is completed. The sixteen vowels, doubled, become the moon maṇḍala, which is the nature of the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna) in the aspect of insight (prajñā). Above that, the thirty-four consonants, with the addition of the six letters ḍa, ḍha, da, dha, ya, and la, doubled to eighty letters, become the sun maṇḍala, which is the nature of the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna) in the essence of method (upāya).
In the center of their union, one should visualize a curved knife and a skull cup, which have arisen from the complete transformation of the syllables Aṃ and Hūṃ and are joined together, each possessing its own seed-syllable; these are of the nature of the wisdom of individual discernment (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna). Then, the webs of light rays arising from those two seed-syllables illuminate and summon all the Tathāgatas, who enter into that very place and become one; this is the wisdom of all-accomplishing action (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). Then, through the complete transformation of the moon, the sun, the seed-syllables, and all the symbols, one should view oneself as the Blessed One Vajrasattva, with the body color, symbols, and so forth that will be explained, appearing in the form of the glorious Heruka, the Hevajra Tantra holder of the vajra, whose nature is the dharmadhātu. He is embraced on the shoulder by Nairātmyā, who is the very essence of the utterly pure dharmadhātu. This is the manifest complete awakening through the five aspects.
Following that, in order to make her possess the portions of the five families, one should meditate on Vairocana, Akṣobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi, which have arisen from the complete transformation of Oṃ, Āḥ, Sva, Āḥ, and Hā, respectively, upon the Blessed Lady’s head, heart, navel, secret place, and the pair of thighs. From the complete transformation of A and Hūṃ arise a lotus and a vajra; from the syllables Āḥ and Hūṃ arise the anthers and the vajra-jewel.
Then, in order to attain the non-radiating wisdom within the lotus and the vajra, the syllables hūṃ and phaṭ are perfectly endowed with yellow [light]. Then, with the mantra: oṃ padma sukha dhara mahā rāga sukhaṃ dada caturānanda bhaga viśva hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ kāryaṃ kuruṣva me | oṃ vajra mahā dveṣa caturānandaya kha kha khā mukhai kara soṇātha hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ kāryaṃ kuruṣva me, one should consecrate the lotus and the vajra. With the mantra: oṃ sarvatathāgatānurāgaṇa vajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ, one should perform the subsequent passion. By this much, the initial union is clarified, and it is also a brief presentation of the action mudrā.
Then, having visualized the syllable hūṃ at the heart of the Blessed One and the syllable oṃ at the heart of the Blessed Lady, light rays arising from the seed syllables at the hearts summon all the Tathāgatas. These enter into the seed syllables at the hearts and melt. From the complete transformation of the drops of bodhicitta within the joined moon and sun disks situated at the centers of the seats of Brahmā and the others in the cardinal and intermediate directions, one should visualize the eight seed syllables gaṃ caṃ vaṃ ghaṃ paṃ śaṃ caṃ ḍaṃ in their respective order. Then, from the complete transformation of these eight seed syllables, one should visualize a curved knife, a hand-drum, a tortoise, a snake, a lion, a monk, a wheel, and a vajra; in these, the syllables themselves are the seed syllables.
Then, from the complete transformation of the moon, sun, signs, and seed-syllables, one should meditate upon Gaurī and the others through the five aspects of manifest complete awakening as before. In that regard, at the eastern gate, from the syllable Gaṃ, one should visualize Gaurī, who is black, holding a curved knife in her right hand and a rohita fish in her left, treading upon Brahmā, and is the nature of the aggregate of form. At the southern gate, from the syllable Caṃ, arises Caurī, who is the color of madder, holding a ḍamaru in her right hand and a pig in her left; she is mounted upon Indra and should be understood as the nature of the aggregate of feeling. At the western gate, from the syllable Vaṃ, arises Vetālī, who is golden in color, holding a tortoise in her right hand and a lotus vessel in her left; she treads upon Upendra and should be contemplated as the nature of the aggregate of perception. At the northern gate, from the syllable Ghaṃ, arises Ghasmarī, who is dark blue, holding a snake in her right hand and a yogic alms-bowl in her left; she is mounted upon Rudra and should be contemplated as the nature of the aggregate of perception. In the northeast, from the syllable Baṃ, arises Pukkasī, who is blue, holding a lion in her right hand and a battle-axe in her left; she treads upon Yama and should be emanated as the nature of the earth element. In the southeast, from the syllable Śaṃ, arises Śavarī, who is white, holding a monk in her right hand and a mendicant’s staff in the other; she is mounted upon Kubera and should be remembered as the nature of the water element.
In the southwest, from the syllable caṃ, one should meditate on Caṇḍālī, sky-blue in color like the atmosphere, holding a wheel in her right hand and a plow in her left, treading upon a rākṣasa, and having the nature of the fire element. In the northwest, from the syllable ḍaṃ, one should contemplate Ḍombī, variegated in color, holding a vajra in her right hand and making the threatening gesture with her left, perfectly mounted upon Vemacitrin, and having the nature of the wind element. All of these have three red, round eyes, abide in the dancing posture of half-lotus, have orange hair bristling upward, possess two hands, are adorned with the five mudrās, and have moon seats. They possess the nine dramatic sentiments, are naked, and have fanged faces. One should meditate on them as having perfectly arisen from the emission of bodhicitta.
Then, the three syllables oṃ āḥ hūṃ, which are the nature of body, speech, and mind, are interspersed with two red hoḥ syllables. One should visualize these as the sentient beings of the gandharvas. Together with great joy, they enter the deity’s body through the mouth by way of the vajra path, and one should visualize them melting. Immediately thereafter, the Blessed One, having become of one taste with supreme great bliss, melts together with his consort and abides in the form of seed-syllables; one should contemplate this. Then, the four goddesses, Pukkasī and the others, thinking, "We are without a protector," experience great mental distress and become extremely agitated.
Through the vajra songs that thoroughly awaken the mind, the Blessed One is perfectly exhorted and roused:
"Arise, O Venerable One, whose mind is compassion! Protect me, Pukkasī. Casting aside the nature of emptiness, please fulfill my desire through the union of great bliss. Without you, I shall die; O Hevajra, please arise! Casting aside the very nature of emptiness, perform the task for me, Śavarī. O Lord of Joy, having invited the guests of the world, do you remain in emptiness? Without you, I do not know the directions; I, Caṇḍālī, make this request. I know your mind to be a magical illusion; O you who possess magical illusion, please arise! I, Ḍombī, am a city-dweller; do not let your compassion be severed!"
Thus, through these songs of suchness, the Blessed One is thoroughly exhorted and arises like waking from a dream. From the melting of the nectar, there appears the form of a moon. Upon it, from the two seed-syllables Aṃ and Hūṃ, two symbols arise, marked by those two seed-syllables, and then a sun maṇḍala. From the total transformation of all these, one arises as the Blessed One, the glorious Phala-Hevajra, originating from Hūṃ, in union with Nairātmyā, who originates from Aṃ. She is naked, and with her extended leg and threatening gesture, she is wrathful toward the gods and asuras. She has arched eyebrows and a frowning, wrathful expression. Her forehead is adorned with a garland of five heads. She is in the prime of youth.
With four legs, he completely tramples the four Māras. He wears a garland of fifty fresh heads. At the crown of his head, he holds a crossed vajra; his body is black in color. He possesses the blazing light of the sun and emits the syllable HŪṂ from his mouths. His body is smeared with ashes. He has eight faces: the central face is a great black one; the right face is like a kunda flower; the next right face is black; the left face is red; the next left face is black; and the upper face is smoke-colored and baring its fangs. Each face has three round, red eyes and slightly bared fangs. He possesses the nine dramatic sentiments: the graceful, the heroic, the hideous, the fierce, the laughing, the terrifying, the compassionate, the marvelous, and the peaceful. His yellowish-white hair is tied upward and bound. He is adorned with the five mudrās and stands in the dancing posture of half-lotus on a sun disk. He has sixteen arms, holding eight skull-cups in each of the left and right hands. In the eight right skull-cups, in sequence, are: an elephant, a horse, a donkey, an ox, a camel, a human, a śarabha, and a cat. In the eight left skull-cups are: earth, water, wind, fire, the moon, the sun, Yama, and Vaiśravaṇa. One should meditate on the Blessed One in this manner. The Blessed Lady also has one face, two arms, and two legs; her body is black in color. She possesses three round, red eyes, is naked, and is adorned with the five mudrās. Her yellowish-white hair is tied upward.
Her head is adorned with a garland of five human heads. With her right and left hands, holding a curved knife and a skull-cup, she embraces the Blessed One. One should visualize her tasting the honey [of the nectar] from below the Blessed One. Then, at the heart of the Blessed One, upon a lotus and sun disk, is a blue syllable HŪṂ arising from a skull-cup, which itself arises from a HŪṂ. At the heart of the Blessed Lady as well, upon a lotus and moon disk, one should meditate on a syllable AṂ arising from a curved knife, which rests upon a moon disk. Likewise, at the hearts of the eight yoginīs, upon lotuses and moon disks, are their respective emblems arising from their own seed-syllables; these should be seen as blessed by the seed-syllables residing within them. This much constitutes the meditative absorption known as the Supreme Sovereign of the Maṇḍala.
Then, having visualized the mass of light rays from the fully perfected maṇḍala pervading the expanse of space, one summons the wisdom wheel with the hook of light rays from the seed-syllable at one’s own heart. Having placed it in the sky facing the eastern gate, one expels obstructing spirits with the eight faces and the syllables HŪṂ. Having offered the water for the face and the water for the feet, and having made offerings and praises, one performs the rites of summoning, entering, binding, and pleasing in sequence by means of Gaurī and the others, who have been blessed by the syllables JAḤ HŪṂ BAṂ HOḤ.
One should visualize that the samaya-cakra and the wisdom-cakra merge into a single flavor, like water poured into water. In the eyes is Mohavajrā; in the ears, Dveṣavajrī; in the nose, Mātsaryā; in the mouth, Rāgavajrī; in the body, Īrṣyāvajrī; and in the mind, Nairātmyayoginī. These are the Vajrī and others, also known by other names: the white Vajrī, the black Nairātmyā, the yellow secret Gaurī, the red Varuṇī, the blue Vajraḍākinī, and again the black Nairātmyā. These, such as the Vajrī and others, arise from their respective seed-syllables for the sake of purifying the armor and the sense faculties.
Following that, one should meditate on the three families—Bhūcarī and Nairātmyā—by means of the syllables OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ on the paths of body, speech, and mind. All of these should be visualized as having one face and three eyes, holding a curved knife and a skull-cup in their two hands, and seated upon a moon disc resting on a corpse.
Light rays emanating from one’s own heart summon all the Buddhas, who then abide in the sky. After they have been perfectly worshipped by the eight mātṛs, one should make the request with the mantra: OṂ ABHIṢIÑCANTU MĀṂ SARVA-TATHĀGATA. Then, those Buddhas, in the form of Heruka, confer the empowerment with vases filled with the five nectars (amṛta) which are the nature of the five Tathāgatas, reciting:
"Just as at the very moment of birth,
All the Tathāgatas were bathed..."
"In the same way, I shall perform the ritual bath; I am purified by the water of the deities." Reciting "OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA ABHIṢEKASAMAYA ŚRĪYE HŪṂ," one should confer the empowerment. As the empowerment is being conferred, a rain of flowers and saffron falls, and the sound of great drums arises. At the moment of empowerment, the lord of the family appears upon the crown of the head; in the case of the Blessed One, Akṣobhya appears upon his crown. Likewise, Akṣobhya, Vairocana, Ratneśvara, and Amitābha should seal Gaurī and the other four, as well as Pukkasī and the others, with Hatred, Delusion, Avarice, and Desire. One should then recite the mantra: "OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA ABHIṢEKAVAJRASVABHĀVĀTMAKO ’HAṂ."
Then, from the syllable YAṂ, a black wind maṇḍala arises. Above that, from the complete transformation of the syllable REPHA, a red fire maṇḍala arises. Above that, from the syllable A, a skull cup arises, resting upon three heads, white on the outside and red on the inside. Above that, from the complete transformation of BHRŪṂ, ĀṂ, JRĪṂ, KHAṂ, and HŪṂ, the five nectars and five lamps, which are the nature of the five Tathāgatas, are blessed by their respective seed syllables. Above that, from the syllable OṂ, a lid in the form of a cover arises; from the complete transformation of the syllable ĀḤ, a moon maṇḍala arises. Above that, from HŪṂ, a vajra arises, marked by its seed syllable.
Then, as the wind stirs, the fire melts everything except Vajrī, and it comes to reside within the skull cup. That nectar, which has been drawn up and emitted four or five times, is thoroughly stirred by the vajra and falls back into that very [skull cup]. Following that, the three syllables OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ summon the nectar residing in the three realms, which then enters into that very [skull cup]. These [syllables] themselves perform the consecration.
Then, from a white syllable HŪṂ at the tip of the Blessed One’s tongue, one should meditate on a white vajra the size of a grain of barley. With that very tongue of the Blessed One’s Vajra Body, the nectar is tasted, and it should be offered from mouth to mouth as is appropriate to the yogins and the ḍākinīs and goddesses. Reciting "OṂ SARVA-TATHĀGATA-AMṚTA-SADVAJRA-SVABHĀVA-ĀTMAKO ’HAṂ," by tasting it, the entire mandala becomes completely joyful.
From the seed syllable at one’s own heart, Rūpavajrā, Śabdavajrā, Rasavajrā, Sparśavajrā, and Dharmadhātuvajrā emerge, holding a mirror, a lute, a perfume conch, a vessel of flavors, various garments, and the source of phenomena (dharmodaya). With these various offerings, one should worship oneself and the mandala, reciting "OṂ SARVA-TATHĀGATA-PŪJA-VAJRA-SVABHĀVA-ĀTMAKO ’HAṂ." The Locanā goddesses offer praise:
"O you who are completely surrounded by a host of yoginī companions..."
"You have attained the supreme through your own mind; by this, all beings, both moving and stationary, are beautified. With a compassionate heart, you awaken sentient beings; O Vajra, you cause the elaborations of illusion to fall away! Glorious Hevajra, the Vajra who brings joy!" Thus one should offer praise with this vajra song, and then recite: oṃ sarvatathāgatastutivajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ.
The first limb is the palace, arising from the purity of Vairocana. The second is the passion of the nature of Vajrasattva. The third is the empowerment of the nature of Akṣobhya. The fourth is the tasting of nectar, the nature of Amitābha. The fifth is the offering, the nature of Amoghasiddhi. The sixth is the praise, the nature of Ratnasambhava. Thus, one should meditate on these six limbs. The maṇḍala will then be swiftly and perfectly accomplished.
Then, one should observe the signs of accomplishment arising from the power of meditation. First, the maṇḍala will appear like a full moon obscured by clouds. Beyond that, it becomes like an illusion. Beyond that, it becomes like a dream. Beyond that, when one attains a state where the stages of sleep and waking are inseparable, the practitioner of the mudrā will be accomplished through the Mahāmudrā. Then, the eight yoginīs, Gaurī and the others, and the principal deity of the maṇḍala are emanated without interval throughout the ten directions.
Having emanated in various forms to suit the diverse dispositions of the sentient beings to be trained, and having accomplished their desired aims, one should then withdraw them and, having formed them into a maṇḍala, view them as being of the nature of great bliss. This is the presentation of the dharma-mudrā. In that way, one should cultivate the conviction that the entire threefold world is the maṇḍala-cakra, and understand that these too arise from the bodhicitta, the source of great bliss in which wisdom and method are of one taste. Then, the eight goddesses, Gaurī and the rest, should be withdrawn into the eight faces of one’s own body. Following that, the seven faces are withdrawn into the principal face. Likewise, the fourteen arms together with their hand-symbols should be meditated upon as being within the two principal hands. Then, the two legs are withdrawn into the two principal legs. Thus, having clearly visualized the entire threefold world as a single body that is the essence of wisdom and method, one should seal the four cakras as they abide. In that regard, below the navel is the cakra situated there, a multicolored lotus with sixty-four petals; at its center is the seed-syllable AṂ, black in color, endowed with five-colored light rays, and facing upward. At the heart is the dharma-cakra with eight white petals, and in its center is the syllable HŪṂ, blue in color. Upon its eight petals are BHRŪṂ, ĀṂ, JRĪṂ, and KHAṂ in the cardinal directions, and E, VAṂ, MA, and YA in the intermediate directions.
At the throat, the wheel of perfect enjoyment, is a red lotus with sixteen petals. At its center is a red syllable AṂ, completely surrounded by the vowels and consonants. At the crown, the wheel of great bliss, is a white lotus with thirty-two petals. At its heart is a white seed-syllable HAṂ, facing downward, from which a stream of nectar is blazing. One should visualize these wheels and meditate upon them perfectly. The masses of their light rays radiate throughout the entire sky and are then reabsorbed, dissolving back into that very same place.
Likewise, a yogi endowed with the samaya should perform the mantra recitation through this ritual. Those very syllables that are being recited emerge from the mouth of the goddess together with light rays, enter one's own mouth, and exit through the vajra path. They are then projected into the lotus of one's own goddess. Once again, from the mouth of the goddess, they circulate continuously through the sequence of one's own mouth. According to the distinctions of activities such as pacifying and so forth, one should apply the distinctions of colors such as white and so forth.
In that regard, the mantra is:
OṂ AṢṬĀNANĀYA | PIṄGŌRDHVAKEŚAVARTMANE | CATURVIṂŚATINETRĀYA | ṢOḌAŚABHŪJĀYA | KṚṢṆAJĪMŪTAVAPUṢE | KAPĀLAMĀLĀNEKĀDHĀRIṆE | ĀTMĀNTAKRŪRACITTĀYA | ARDHENDUDAṂṢṬRIṆE | MĀRAYA MĀRAYA | KĀRAYA KĀRAYA | GARJJAYA GARJJAYA | TARJJAYA TARJJAYA | ŚOṢAYA ŚOṢAYA | SAPTASĀGARĀN BANDHA BANDHA | NĀGĀṢṬAKĀN GṚHṆA GṚHṆA | SARVAŚATRŪN HA HĀ HI HĪ HU HŪ HE HAI HO HAU HAṂ HAḤ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ.
This is the root mantra of the Blessed One: OṂ DEVA PI CU VAJRA HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ. This is the heart mantra: OṂ VAJRA KARTARI HEVAJRAYA HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ. This is the near-heart mantra. Then, together with the seed-syllable AṂ and the moon, they melt and are seen to enter the seed-syllable at the heart of the Blessed One. Then, because it is fierce, the seed-syllable of the emanation wheel is the inner heat (caṇḍālī); blazing like the tip of a lamp flame, it goes to the dharma wheel. Having incinerated the five Tathāgatas and Locanā and the others residing there, it also incinerates the syllable HAṂ—the nature of consciousness—located in the center of the enjoyment wheel, which is endowed with the vowels and consonants, and the great bliss wheel. Having taken up the bodhicitta, which is the nature of indestructible great bliss, it returns and becomes of one taste with the Blessed One. Then, having also taken up the skull-cup together with the sun, it enters the seed-syllable at the heart. That seed-syllable alone remains as the nature of the five Tathāgatas, together with a blazing nāda. Thus, it is said in the scriptures: "The nāda becomes the drop and the vajra; the half-moon is held to be Vairocana; the line is the Lord of Jewels (Ratnasambhava); the syllable HA is Amitābha; and the syllable Ū is Amoghasiddhi. Knowing this, one is the nature of the five Victorious Ones." Again, from the nāda, the tip of a lamp flame is produced.
The syllable ū, the nature of envy, is absorbed into the syllable ha, the nature of desire. Following that, the syllable ha, the essence of avarice, is absorbed into the rekhā. Then, the rekhā is absorbed into the half-moon, the nature of delusion. The half-moon is absorbed into the bindu, the nature of hatred. The bindu is then to be perfectly absorbed into the nāda, the nature of the dharmadhātu. In this way, the suchness (tathatā) in which all phenomena are one is free from permanence, nihilism, and all extremes of middle and end. This great bliss, which does not abide in anything at all, is purified as the mere nāda; this is the brief explanation of Mahāmudrā.
Furthermore, it is said: "The syllable a is the supreme of all syllables, the great meaning, the supreme unchanging, the great life-force, and the unborn. It is beyond verbal expression." And in the Vajrahr̥dayālaṃkāra: "In the center of the heart, the indestructible is like a blazing lamp. It is the supreme unchanging, the most subtle, the principal and sacred syllable a." And elsewhere: "Because the syllable a is primordially unborn, it is the gateway to all phenomena." As the Māyājāla states: "Regarding phenomena that are unborn, there are no letters and they are indestructible. Whatever expression or conceptualization there is, these words are said to be external." Then, through the force of the power of aspiration:
By the power of the diverse dispositions of sentient beings who are to be trained, the dharmakāya emanates in the forms of the various saṃbhogakāya and nirmāṇakāya bodies to act for the benefit of sentient beings. As it is said in the scriptures:
"How is great bliss known through the empowerment of Mahāmudrā? It arises from that very [empowerment]; this maṇḍala does not arise from anything else. Just like an illusion, just like a dream, and just like the intermediate state, the maṇḍala appears in that very way. It arises from the application of constant familiarization."
Thus, having established that the three realms in their entirety are the nature of the maṇḍala wheel—similar to the moon in water and being merely dependent origination—a yogin whose faculties are unobstructed and untainted, and who does not abide anywhere, should dwell as comfortably as possible in the pride of his own deity without hesitation. As the venerable Nāgārjuna said:
"This triple existence is not a house; these are not living beings, but Victorious Ones. I am not a human, but the Lord of the Wheel; the objects are not the senses, nor are they earth and so forth. They are not form and so forth, nor are they the nature of dharmatā; therefore, these are the maṇḍala deities. Having made these various things the maṇḍala wheel, what is this mental delusion?"
This is the brief explanation of the samaya-mudrā. Then, one should recollect the purity: from the purity of having expelled all obstructing spirits (vighna), there is the vajra fence and so forth.
From the purity of all phenomena as being like space, the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) arises. From the purity of the stainless nature of phenomena (dharmatā), the multicolored-petaled lotus arises. From the purity of the five wisdoms (jñāna) that are without intrinsic nature and indivisible, the crossed vajra (viśvavajra) arises. From the purity of Vairocana together with the consort, the tiered palace arises. From the purity of the eight consciousnesses, because they are free from multiplicity and so forth, there are merely the various parts and shapes. Because Tathāgatas and ordinary beings are of a non-dual nature in suchness (tathatā), because there is no inequality, it is square. From the purity of the four applications of mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna), the eastern gate. From the purity of the four correct abandonments (samyakprahāṇa), the southern gate. From the purity of the four bases of supernatural power (ṛddhipāda), the western gate. From the purity of the five faculties (indriya), the northern gate. From the purity of the four concentrations (dhyāna), the four archways. From the purity of the four absorptions (samādhi), the four cornices. From the purity of the phenomena of acceptance (kṣānti) and the supreme mundane phenomena (laukikāgradharma), the assemblies of goddesses. From the purity of the nine branches of the excellent speech, the nine banners with bells. From the purity of the seven branches of awakening (bodhyaṅga), the lattices, half-lattices, sun and moon, mirrors, flower garlands, and yak-tail whisks are blazing. From the purity of being completely filled with compassion, the state of an Arhat, and the accumulations of merit and wisdom, the eight full vases arise.
Because all Buddhas continuously turn the wheel of Dharma in the manner of the vajra in every respect, the vajra garland is black. Because form and the other [sensory objects] are pure, there are the five infinite and incomparable qualities of desire. Because the utterly pure dharmadhātu is pure, there are the five offerings to the maṇḍala. Because shame and modesty are pure, there are the hanging door-cloths. Because the eightfold noble path is pure, there are the eight pillars. Because all phenomena are pure in their inconceivability, it is adorned with the eight charnel grounds. Because the teacher of great passion is pure, there is the red eight-petaled lotus. Because the suchness that is without intrinsic nature and non-dual uproots the defects [of the mind] is pure, upon the pericarp are the seats of the four Māras, such as Brahmā. Because it dispels the darkness of ignorance that persists in all sentient beings, dries up the mire of non-virtue, and brings the sprout of bodhicitta to full maturity, there is a sun maṇḍala above Brahmā and the others. Because the eight worldly dharmas are pacified and pure, there are the seats of the eight guardians of the directions upon the eight petals. Because the fire of the afflictions of all sentient beings is pacified and pure, there are the moon seats. [The purity of] the aggregate of form, great delusion, and the mirror-like wisdom, and...
Form, the perfection of generosity, and the purification of the view of the transitory collection and the cognitive obscurations are Gaurī. The purification of avarice is Śavarī. The purification of the six faults, such as pride and so forth, is the curved knife. The aggregate of feeling, pride, avarice, the wisdom of equality, sound, the view of grasping at extremes, the afflictive obscurations, and the purification of discipline are Caurī. The purification of the nine branches of the excellent speech is the hand-drum. The purification of delusion is the pig. The aggregate of perception, great desire, the wisdom of discernment, wrong views, the obscurations of birth, patience, and the purification of smell are Vetālī. The purification of envy is the tortoise. The purification of emptiness is the skull-cup. The aggregate of formations, envy, the all-accomplishing wisdom, the supreme view, the karmic obscurations, meditative concentration, and the purification of taste are Ghasmarī. Through hatred is the snake. Through desire is the yogi’s alms-bowl. The earth element, the door of liberation of emptiness, great love, and the purification of skillful means are Pukkasī. Through pride is the lion. The purification of the faults of body, speech, and mind is the battle-axe. The water element, the door of liberation of signlessness, great compassion, and the purification of aspiration are Śabarī.
Through the purity of bodhicitta, he is a monk. Through the purity of mindfulness that does not diminish, he is the mendicant’s staff. Through the fire element, the door of liberation of wishlessness, great joy, and the purity of the powers, he is Caṇḍālī. Through the purity of uprooting all faults without exception, he is the plow. Through the purity of cutting through ignorance, he is the wheel. Through the wind element, the door of liberation of the unconditioned, great equanimity, and the purity of the perfection of wisdom, he is Ḍombinī. Through the purity of wisdom, he is the vajra. Through the purity of the nature of the oneness of all phenomena, he is the threatening gesture. Through the purity of the aggregate of consciousness, the utterly pure dharmadhātu, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of supreme vows, the perfection of touch, and the perfection of diligence, he is the glorious Heruka. Through the purity of a mind of loving-kindness, his limbs are black. His three eyes, which are the nature of the vajra body, speech, and mind, are entirely red from compassion. Through the purity of the eight liberations, he has eight faces. Among them, the left faces are red through the purity of power; the right faces are white through the purity of peace. Through the purity of Akṣobhya, Amitābha, Ratneśvara, Vairocana, and Amoghasiddhi, he has the wheel, earrings, necklace, bracelets, and belt. Through the nature of Vajrasattva, he has the ash-streaks.
In order to tame those to be trained who are wrathful and fierce, he is displayed as a wrathful deity, and thus his hair is red and tawny, bristling upward. To realize the absence of intrinsic nature, there is a crossed vajra at the crown of his head. Through the purity of the five families, there are the five skull-cups above his forehead. Through the purity of the sixteen emptinesses, there are his hands. Through method and insight, there are the skull-cups of the deities of the left and right, and so forth. Through the purity of asthma, respiratory distress, insanity, consumption, leprosy, elephantiasis, liver disease, and spleen disease, he possesses the eight [animals] beginning with the elephant. Having cleared away the asthma and other ailments of all sentient beings, and through the purity of all the lords of accomplishment, he possesses the eight [elements] beginning with earth. Through the purity of the vowels and consonants, there are the garlands of fifty heads. Through the purity of the four means of gathering, there are the four legs. Through the purity of the seven branches of awakening, there is the skin. Through the purity of the four truths, there are the bones. Flesh is Pukkasī; blood is Śavarī; semen is Caṇḍālī; marrow and fat are Ḍombinī. Through the purity of form, feeling, perception, and formations, there are the four beginning with Gaurī. Through the purity of the three bodies—the nirmāṇakāya, dharmakāya, and saṃbhogakāya—there are the three folds. Through the purity of the body of great bliss, the body is unified as one. Through the purity of the non-apprehension of the entirety of the three realms, there is the half-lotus posture. Because there is no superimposition upon anything, [he is naked].
With one foot, she stands upon a solar seat with her toes. Because all phenomena are pure through selflessness, she is Nairātmyā, the nature of the dharmadhātu, the essence of the perfection of insight. Because she cuts through the faults of existence, non-existence, and so forth, she holds a curved knife. Because she purifies the heads of conceptualizations of existence and non-existence, she holds a lotus vessel. Because she purifies the blood of the four Māras, she holds skull cups filled with blood. Because she purifies the fifty letters, she wears a garland of heads. Because she is the nature of both cyclic existence and peace, she has two hands. Because she purifies the two truths, she has two feet. Because she perfectly realizes and accomplishes the natural flow of the inseparable union of emptiness and compassion, she externally demonstrates the meditative union of insight and method. Because she purifies night and day, she is designated by the terms insight and method. Because she purifies the sixty-four danda, the eight watches, the sixteen transits, and the thirty-two hours, she has, in that order, the petals residing in the four cakras, such as the nirmāṇa-cakra. Then, the yogi possessing the samaya of Hevajra should hold a vajra and bell and consecrate the torma for the benefit of all sentient beings. In that regard, one should visualize three red eight-petaled lotuses within the source of phenomena (dharmodaya), adorned in the center, above, and below. There, on the eastern petal of the central eight-petaled lotus:
Indra is white, with a thousand eyes, and is seated upon a white elephant, Vāmana, who holds a vajra in his hand. On the southern petal is black Yama, holding a staff and mounted upon a buffalo. On the western petal is white Varuṇa, holding a noose and mounted upon a makara. On the northern petal is yellow Yakṣa, holding a śrīphala fruit and mounted upon a man. All of these are complete with all ornaments and wear jeweled crowns. Yama has a sun seat and sun light; the remaining deities have moon seats and moon light. On the petal of Ishāna is the white Lord of Spirits (Bhūtapati), with three eyes and a crown of matted locks. He wears a garment of tiger skin, is smeared with ashes, and is adorned with bone ornaments. He holds a trident in his hand and is mounted upon a bull, with a moon seat and moon light. On the petal of Agni is the very pale-yellow Agni, a dwarf with a protruding belly, wearing a crown of matted locks. He holds a rosary and a water-pot, wears an upper garment, and is mounted upon a goat, with a sun seat and sun light. On the petal of Nairṛti is the rākṣasa with yellowish-white hair bristling upward, wrathful and with arched eyebrows, holding a sword and a skull-cup, and mounted upon a black man, with a sun seat and sun light. On the petal of Vāyu is the green Vāyu, wearing a jeweled crown, holding a victory banner, and mounted upon a deer, with a moon seat, moon light, and adorned with all ornaments.
At the navel is the yellow goddess of the earth, adorned with all divine garments and ornaments, holding a vase. She rests upon a moon seat with the radiance of the moon, surrounded by pretas. Above the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) is an eight-petaled lotus. On the eastern petal is the white moon, wearing a jewel crown, holding a kumuda flower, adorned with all ornaments, mounted on a white horse, and possessing the radiance of the moon upon a moon seat. On the southern petal is the red sun, holding a lotus in his two hands, wearing a jewel crown, adorned with all ornaments, mounted on a green horse, and possessing his own radiance upon his seat. Represented by the moon and sun, in those cardinal and intermediate directions are, in order: Maṅgala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Bṛhaspati (Jupiter), Śukra (Venus), Śanaiścara (Saturn), and Rāhu. They are red, dark blue, yellow, white, black, and smoke-colored respectively, each with their own seat, insignia, and all ornaments. In the central navel is the yellow Brahmā, four-faced and four-armed, holding a triple staff, the gesture of fearlessness, a rosary, and a water pot. He wears a sacrificial thread, is a dwarf with short limbs, is mounted on a swan, and possesses the radiance of the moon upon a moon seat, surrounded by Brahmās. All the gods of the Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Tuṣita, Yāma, Akaniṣṭha, and so forth, should be visualized in their respective forms. Below the source of phenomena, on the eight petals of the lotus, in the cardinal and intermediate directions in order:
The green Śaṅkhapāla, the yellow Karkoṭaka, the blue Ananta, the red Vāsuki, the yellow Takṣaka, the white Padma, and the white Mahāpadma—these eight wear jeweled crowns, have human faces with hoods, are adorned with all ornaments, and are accompanied by asuras and hell-beings. At the center is the remaining white one, with a hood and a human face, wearing a jeweled crown; all of these reside upon lotuses.
Summoned by Gaurī emerging from the seed syllable at one’s own heart, they are inserted into the lotus by Caurī, bound with the fetters of Vetālī, and brought under control by the power of the bell of Ghasmarī. Those residing in the central lotus completely transform into their respective colors, shapes, and hand-symbols. For the non-white ones born from the syllable HŪṂ, they have Akṣobhya crowns. Those residing above, having abandoned their own forms, become white ones born from the syllable OṂ, with Vairocana crowns. Those residing below, having abandoned their own forms, become red ones born from the syllable ĀḤ, with Amitābha crowns.
These residing on the three lotuses should be visualized as having one face and two arms, holding a vajra and a vajra-bell, embraced by consorts of similar family, and standing in the posture with the right leg extended. Having thus stabilized them, one should offer with the mantra: OṂ PRAVĀRA-SATKĀRA ARGHAṂ PRATĪCCHA SVĀHĀ.
Having offered the water for the mouth with the conch mudrā in front, and having received it with the pincer mudrā, offer the water for rinsing the mouth. Then, as before, worship with the gaṇacakra torma of tasted nectar (amṛta). Having completed the rite with the nectar itself, one should consecrate these [offerings] with: oṃ inda jama jala jaka bhūta vahnī vāyu rakṣa candrasūrya mada pampa tala pātāle aṭṭa sapta svāhā.
While ringing the bell, worship with the torma. Then, having drawn [the nectar] in by means of a stream of light rays from the vajra tongue—arisen from the syllable hūṃ and the size of a grain of barley or rice—the yogin himself should eat it, and these [deities] should be made to eat. One should contemplate: "These [deities] also experience it as they please, by means of the stream of the vajra tongue arisen from hūṃ."
Entrust the activity with: idaṃ baliṃ bhūñja jiṅgha phulla dhūpa māṃsa piṅga ambha kañja sarva sādhaka kanti khuni pheḍa gāda. Ring the bell at the three places. Satisfy them with the mantra: oṃ akāro mukhaṃ sarvadharmāṇām ādyanutpannatvāt oṃ āḥ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā.
Kollaireṭṭi abolā mummuṇire kakkolā | ghaṇe kṛpita ho vājjai kāruṇe ki a i naro lā | tahiṃ bala khājjai gāḍheṃ ma aṇā vajji a | hale kālañji ra pāṇi a i dundura vājjai a i | ca u sama kācchūrī sihlaka pūralā a i | māla indhana sāliṃja | tahiṃ bharukhā a i | phreṃ khaṇa kheṭa karante suddhā suddha namuṇi a i.
Nirbhu aṃge caḍāvi | a i ta hiṃ ja sarā pāṇi a i | mala a ja kuṃduru pāṭṭa i | ṭiṇḍi mata hiṃ bājjī a i |
With this vajra song, one should fill and completely saturate all the limbs. Following that, having offered the water for the feet, one should recite: Oṃ vajrasattva samaya manupālaya | vajrasattva tvenopatiṣṭha dṛḍho me bhava | sutoṣyo me bhava | supoṣyo me bhava | anurakto me bhava | sarvasiddhiṃ me prayaccha | sarvakarma suca me cittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru hūṃ ha ha ha ha hoḥ bhagavān sarvatathāgata vajra mā me muñca vajrī bhava mahāsamayasattva āḥ | Then, with Oṃ vajra muḥ, one should request them to depart.
Furthermore, when enjoying food and so forth, one should eat according to this ritual: upon the hearth of hunger, one should perform a fire offering by pouring substances such as food into the fire of the sun at the heart with the hand. With a vajra tongue marked by a vajra arising from a white hūṃ and the size of a barley grain, the yogi offers a full fire offering to the Herukas who are the nature of the three bodies together with their mandalas. All of that enters through the opening of the throat and is ripened by the fire of hunger, becoming nectar. By that nectar, the Blessed One together with the mandala is satisfied. This is the ritual of the inner fire offering.
In beginningless and past births, the infinite conceptualizations that differentiate self and other have been diminished.
In this world where bliss appears as a mere illusion, whatever is eternally beautiful has completely transformed. From the utterly pure, this nature of the Victorious Ones—the non-dual equality of existence and peace—is the Wheel of the Lord of the Wheel, the King. Relying upon the qualities of the Vajraḍāka, the Lord of Sages, this extremely clear sādhana of the glorious Heruka, composed by the glorious Queen Ratnamati, is endowed with the name "The Treasury of Purification," including its primary and secondary branches.
By whatever merit has been gathered through my composing this, may all beings in the three worlds be freed from suffering and swiftly attain the state of Mahāmudrā.
The Sādhana of the Glorious Hevajra, titled "The Treasury of Purification," composed by the great scholar Advayavajra Avadhūtipa, is hereby complete.
In the presence of the great scholar of Eastern India, the glorious Vanaratna, and at the request of the lord of men, Drakpa Jungné—who was ascending to the palace of Great Bliss from the foundation of the path of the glorious Hevajra—this was translated at the Sne-gdong palace by the great Paṇḍita himself and Shönu Pal. The length of this source text is stated to be three hundred and seventy verses in the Indian manuscript. Through this, may it be of benefit to many beings.