Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Clarification of the Nairātmā Sādhana is a technical manual for a complex tantric ritual centered on the deity Red Nairātmyā. The text provides a systematic blueprint for the construction of a mental maṇḍala, detailing the visualization of the crossed vajra, the placement of directional lords, and the specific colors and attributes of the deity's faces. It integrates linguistic and somatic elements by mapping the fifteen vowels and consonants onto the ritual space and the practitioner's own body, specifically linking them to internal channels and vital essences. The work commits the reader to a rigorous process of visualization and mantra recitation designed to transform ordinary perception into a divine state. By synthesizing the architecture of the maṇḍala with the physiology of the subtle body and the recitation of specific seed syllables, the text aims to facilitate the realization of the non-substantial nature of the self (nairātmya) through the attainment of great bliss and bodhicitta.
Provenance
About this text
Offering homage to the glorious Hevajra, the Nairātmāprakāśa is a work of the Non-dual Tantra tradition. It is attributed to the Indian author Avadhūtipa Advayavajra. The text passed into the Tibetan language through the efforts of the translators Vajrapāṇi and dge slong mtshur dz+nya na a ka ra, and it is preserved in the Tengyur (vol. ཏ), where it extends over ten pages. In the classical Tibetan tradition, the work is known as the bdag med ma'i rab tu gsal ba. The work enacts a detailed ritual process, beginning with the visualization of a crossed vajra arising from the syllable HŪṂ and the construction of a vajra fence and net. It further guides the practitioner in visualizing a complex deity with multiple faces of varying colors—including black, red, and smoke-colored—adorned with a garland of fifty skulls, surrounded by the lords of the directions such as Vāyu and Agni. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the specific meditative instructions regarding the Trikāya—the Dharmakāya, Saṃbhogakāya, and Nirmāṇakāya—and the precise architectural requirements for establishing the ritual space and the divine form.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Clarification of the Nairātmā Sādhana” (Toh 1308), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1308
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant as it exemplifies the intersection of deity yoga, subtle body physiology, and linguistic mysticism in the Hevajra tradition. For the modern reader, it illustrates how tantric systems use precise visualization and somatic mapping to bridge the gap between external ritual and internal psychological transformation.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-4
Preliminary Visualizations and Maṇḍala Construction
Establishment of the ritual space, including the crossed vajra, the vajra fence, and the placement of the directional lords.
5-7
Linguistic and Deity Mapping
The integration of the fifteen vowels and consonants with the visualization of the fifteen yoginīs and their associated attributes.
8-11
Symbolic Interpretation and Somatic Integration
Exegesis on the symbolic meaning of the deity's appearance and the mapping of goddesses and essences onto the internal channels of the body.
12
Mantra and Ritual Conclusion
The provision of specific mantras for the agitation of the city and the final ritual seals.
Themes
Maṇḍala Visualization (1-4, 9)
Somatic Mapping and Subtle Body (10-11)
Linguistic Mysticism (Vowels and Consonants) (5-6, 12)
Symbolism of the Deity's Form (7-8)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Nairātmaprākāśa. In the language of Tibet: Bdag med ma'i rab tu gsal ba (The Illumination of Nairātmyā). Homage to the glorious Hevajra!
That which is described as the Dharmakāya, completely free from conceptual construction; the Saṃbhogakāya, beautiful in its mere incomparable bliss; and the Nirmāṇakāya, which becomes the cause for the benefit of the [spiritual] levels—may the Blessed Vajrasattva, through that, bring about virtue!
I shall explain the sādhana of Nairātmyā, which is singularly clear and extensive, yet non-conceptual, concise, and comprehensive, in accordance with the intellect and the scriptures.
The yogi should dwell in a pleasing location, such as a charnel ground, and having partaken of the samaya substances such as amṛta, sit upon a comfortable seat. With a mind free from attachment and doubt, one should generate the resolve for the benefit of sentient beings and then generate the divine pride of Nairātmyā.
One should meditate on a blue syllable HŪṂ upon a sun maṇḍala at the heart. Then, with the radiant light rays of that [syllable], the three realms are illuminated. Having summoned those residing in the realm of Akaniṣṭha, [one visualizes the deity] surrounded by the eight yoginīs, possessing sixteen arms and eight faces, adorned with a garland of skulls, with four feet treading equally upon the four Māras, blue in color. In the skull-cups held in the collection of right hands are an elephant, a horse, a donkey, an ox, a camel, a man, a lion, and a cat. In the lotus vessels held in the collection of the other [left] hands are...
[The lords of the directions are] Dharaṇīdhara, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Agni, Rātri, Āditya, Yama, and the Yakṣas. The principal face is black. The right face is like the moon and a kunda flower. The left face is intensely red. The upper face is smoke-colored and has its fangs bared. All the other faces are intensely black. He is adorned with a garland of fifty skulls. One should meditate on him dwelling in the center of space, embraced around the neck by Nairātmyā. Following that, one should make offerings with the outer, secret, and suchness offerings by means of the eight goddesses. In this regard, the Piṭu-vajra offering is for the sake of realizing his nature through method and insight. Then, having performed the homage, the confession of misdeeds, the vow to refrain from misdeeds in the future, the rejoicing in merit, the dedication of merit, the taking of refuge in the Three Jewels, the generation of the mind of awakening, the offering of one's own self, and the supplication, one should meditate on the four brahmā abodes. The summary of the suchness of all phenomena is: Oṃ śūnyatā-jñāna-vajra-svabhāva-ātmako ’haṃ. By meditating on the meaning of the mantra "all phenomena are of the nature of the vajra of the wisdom of emptiness," one abides in the essence of non-abiding. Then, arising through the recollection of the aspiration, one should visualize a sun mandala in front, arising from the syllable Raṃ.
In that regard, one should visualize a crossed vajra (viśvavajra) arising from the syllable HŪṂ. Then, from the mass of subtle particles of light rays radiating from that crossed vajra, one should bind a vajra fence and a vajra net. Below, one should visualize a ground of vajra nature and a moat. From the sun and the crossed vajra, immeasurable light rays emerge, whereby all of these are made stable. Following that, one should visualize the expanse of space in the form of a source of phenomena (dharmodaya), hollow within, extremely white, and wide at the top, which is the insight (prajñā). Then, upon that, one should meditate on an eight-petaled lotus of various colors. Then, upon that, one should visualize a crossed vajra arising from the complete transformation of the syllable HŪṂ situated upon a sun mandala produced from RAṂ. In the center of the crossed vajra, one should visualize the elements of wind, fire, water, and earth—smoky, red, white, and green—shaped like a bow, a triangle, a circle, and a square, arising from the complete transformation of YAṂ, RAṂ, VAṂ, and LAṂ, stacked one above the other. All of these are designated as mere wisdom (jñāna); from their complete transformation, one should visualize a celestial palace (vimāna) that is square, with four doors, four archways, adorned with eight pillars, and decorated with lattices and half-lattices. Then, inside the vajra fence, one should visualize the eight charnel grounds. In the eastern direction is Indra, the Harītakī tree, and a yellow elephant-faced being. In the southern direction is Yama, the Cūta tree, and...
The buffalo-faced one is white in color. In the western direction is the aśoka tree, the water god (Varuṇa), who is red in color and has the face of a lion. In the northern direction is the bodhi tree, the god of wealth (Kubera), who is yellow and has the face of a human. In the southeast is the karañja tree, the fire god (Agni), who is white and has the face of a goat. In the southwest is the dāḍimbatu tree, the fire god (Agni), who has the face of a human and is white. In the northwest is the kakupa tree, the wind god (Vāyu), who has the face of a deer and is yellow. In the northeast are the spirits (bhūta), who have the face of a bull. One should visualize the various nyagrodha trees. All of these hold a skull-cup in their left hands and hold various weapons in their right hands. Their upper bodies are revealed. Likewise, in the eight directions starting from the east, in their proper order, are Ananta, Padma, Vasuki, Mahāpadma, Takṣaka, Śaṅkhapāla, Karkoṭaka, and Kulika. The eight clouds are yellow, pale, white, pale-yellow, red, yellow, green, and multicolored. Thus, the colors of the eight guardians of the directions are well known. The colors of the eight caityas should also be understood. Then, within the circle of the maṇḍala, one should visualize a red eight-petaled lotus. Within the lotus, on the four petals starting from the east, and likewise on the four corners of the celestial mansion and the four gates—
One should visualize the upper and lower [sections] as possessing fifteen flavors. Following that, from the complete transformation of the āli and kāli [vowels and consonants] that have been suppressed, one should meditate on the fifteen vowels, such as A and so forth, situated within the moon and sun. Then, from the complete transformation of the letters A and so forth, there arises a curved knife (kartṛkā) together with its seed-syllable. Then, from the complete transformation of the moon, the sun, and the curved knife, one should meditate on the fifteen yoginīs, such as Nairātmyā and the rest.
In that regard, the moon is endowed with the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). The sun is endowed with the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna). That which is situated within them is the wisdom of individual discernment (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna). The unification of all is the all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna). The perfection of the reflected image is the utterly pure sphere of phenomena (dharmadhātu).
In that [central deity], within the navel, there is Akṣobhya, arisen from the vowel A, who seals [the deity]. He is the nature of hatred and the aggregate of consciousness (vijñāna-skandha), and his form, which is the essence of method and wisdom, is embraced by the khaṭvāṅga. On the petals in the east and so forth, one should meditate on Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi, who arise from the vowels A, I, Ī, and U, and who are the nature of delusion, malice, desire, and envy. They are the nature of the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, and formations, and are embraced by Vajrī, Gaurī, Vāri, and Vajraḍākinī.
Then, in the outer sequence, at the intermediate points of Indra and the others, one should meditate on Pukkasī, Śavarī, Caṇḍālī, and Ḍombī, who are the natures of earth, water, fire, and wind, and are sealed by Akṣobhya, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, and Amitābha, arising from the vowels Ū, Ṛ, Ṝ, and Ḷ.
Then, at the gates of the east and so forth, one should meditate on Gaurī, Caurī, Vetālī, and Ghasmarī, who are the natures of form, sound, smell, and taste, and are sealed by Pukkasī and the others, arising from the vowels Ḷ, E, Ai, and O.
Following that, above and below, one should meditate on Bhūcarī and Khecarī, who are the natures of the sphere of phenomena (dharmadhātu) and touch, arising from the vowels Au and Aṃ, and are sealed by delusion and desire.
In this context as well, after the goddesses have been generated, they should be understood as being empowered and sealed by their respective families. These are the fifteen yoginīs. They have the appearance of sixteen-year-olds, abiding upon moon maṇḍalas, with a color like inseparable black collyrium. Their nature is bodhicitta; their hair is blazing and tied upward. On their crowns, they hold a four-finger-width skull-cup, the nature of Vajrasattva, and on their heads, they also wear five dry skulls, the nature of the five buddhas. Their eyes are round and red, and they have three eyes with bared fangs.
Adorned with a garland of fifteen dry heads, the nature of the fifteen mātṛs, she wears a lower garment of tiger skin and dwells in the ardhaparyaṅka dance posture, mounted upon a corpse, holding the five mudrās. In this regard:
The wheel is Akṣobhya in form;
The earrings are the nature of Amitābha;
The necklace is the nature of Ratnasambhava;
The bracelets are said to be Vairocana;
The belt is Amoghasiddhi;
The entire body is like Vajradhara.
To pay homage to the Guru, the Ācārya, and the chosen deity, she holds a wheel upon her crown. Because one must not listen to disparaging words regarding the Guru, the Vajradhara, she holds earrings on her ears. The necklace is for the purpose of reciting mantras. The belt is for relying upon the mudrā. The bracelets are for abandoning the taking of life. She holds anklets and armlets. Her limbs are black, representing a mind of loving-kindness. Her orange-red hair demonstrates great passion and is bound upward to signify the realization of the wrathful deity. Because her body, speech, and mind are of the nature of intense passion, her eyes are naturally very red. Her two hands represent the nature of both cyclic existence (saṃsāra) and nirvāṇa. The curved knife (kartṛ) severs the defects of pride and so forth. The skull-cup (kapāla) is the purity of the three realms, filled with the blood of the four Māras, such as the aggregates, and is the body of all conceptualizations. The three wrinkles represent the purity of the Dharmakāya, Saṃbhogakāya, and Nirmāṇakāya.
The purity of the aspect of the single essential nature is the entire body. The tiger-skin garment is worn to demonstrate freedom from obscurations. The feet are unwashed to demonstrate the non-apprehension of the three realms. One foot treads upon the maṇḍala of the earth to demonstrate the nature of single taste. Following that, light rays of five colors arising from the seed syllable at the heart summon the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) Nairātmyā, together with her maṇḍala, from Akaniṣṭha, and they are to be absorbed into the seed syllable at the heart. Having unified the wisdom-being and the commitment-being (samayasattva), one possesses the divine pride of Nairātmyā and becomes equal to Nairātmyā. Here, in order to establish the six branches of yoga, one should meditate sequentially on black, red, yellow, green, blue, and white. Through the stages of superior meditation, it first appears like a moon-maṇḍala obscured by clouds. Through the most excellent stage, it appears like an illusion. Through the most excellent stage, it appears like a dream. Following that, through the complete maturation of the most excellent stage, when one sees the non-duality of the dream and the waking state, one will attain Mahāmudrā; this is the generation stage. Otherwise, from the perfect union of the bola and the kakkola...
The bodhicitta arises, having entered into the supreme nature of great bliss. That very [bodhicitta], possessing the nature of the fifteen parts, should be visualized instantaneously as the maṇḍala-cakra of the fifteen yoginīs, with the hand-symbols, colors, and shapes previously described. Furthermore, the five aggregates, the four elements, and the six objects are the nature of body, speech, and mind; this is the profound generation stage. Instantaneously, one visualizes the maṇḍala-cakra of the nature of the fifteen yoginīs; this is the completion stage. The vajra body also consists of the thirty-two channels blessed by the five wisdoms, which flow from the seat of great bliss. That too is the nature of the fifteen yoginīs; the body itself is the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā. This is the complete completion stage. Likewise, the lalanā and rasanā, beginning from the throat and extending to the navel, abide on the left and the other side, known as the moon and the sun. Within the navel, those very [channels] are the lalanā and rasanā at the birth-place channel, through which Akṣobhya and blood flow. The avadhūtī abides within the head, throat, navel, and birth-place, through which the bodhicitta flows. Those channels are Nairātmyā. Abhedyā and Sūkṣmarūpā abide at the crown of the head; the pair that flows as the characteristics of nails, teeth, hair, and body hair is Vajrī. Prasannā is the skin of the right ear, and [the channel] through which impurities flow...
The left [side] consists of the gaurī [group]: the yāminī and kūrmajā reside in the left ear and the center of the eyebrows, carrying the sinews, bones, and odors; the vastumā and abhiṣekā reside in the eyes and the base of the hands, carrying the lungs and heart, and are the vajraḍākinī; the doṣavatī and mahānīyā reside in the armpits and breasts, carrying the eyes and bile, and are the pukkasī; the mātṛ and niśā reside in the navel and the tip of the nose, carrying the liver, intestines, and odors, and are the śavarī; the śītalā and uṣṇā reside in the mouth and throat, carrying the lateral cords and the stomach, and are the caṇḍālī; the sūkṣmā resides in the heart and carries the excrement; the kṛṣṇavarṇā resides at the boundary of the joints, and is the ḍombinī; the sūkṣmarūpā and sāmānyā reside in the private parts and the anus, carrying phlegm and bile, and are the gaurī; the hetudā and viyuktā reside in the thighs and calves, carrying blood and rajas, and are the caurī; the duḥkhā and siddhā reside in the toes and the backs of the feet, carrying fat and the liver, and are the vetālī; the pācanī and sumati reside in the big toes and the two knees—the former carries phlegm, and the latter carries strength and mucus—and these are the ghasmarī. On the petals of the heart lotus, starting from the east and in successive order, are the trikhaṇḍā and the kāminī.
[The goddesses] are Gṛhṇī, Caṇḍālī, and Māradā. Among them, the first two channels are Bhūcarī; the remaining ones are Khecarī. Furthermore, because [the vital essence] flows through these channels, there is the expansion, the movement, and then the slight descent. The essence of the Body, Speech, Mind, Dharma, Enjoyment, and Emanation abides within the body as the four cakras.
Therein, the Emanation Cakra is multicolored; at the center of its sixty-four petals, below [the navel], the syllable A, black in color, abides facing upward. The Dharma Cakra is an eight-petaled lotus; at the heart, the syllable HŪṂ, black in color, abides. At the throat is the Enjoyment Cakra, red with sixteen petals, with the red seed-syllable PRAṂ. At the crown is the white [cakra] with thirty-two petals, with the white seed-syllable HAṂ facing downward, from which a stream of nectar flows; this is the Great Bliss Cakra. The presentation of these in terms of the joys and the moments should be understood from the oral instructions of the Guru. This is the cause for manifesting the bodhicitta that arises non-dually and without effort. This is the stage of the essential nature.
Then, if one becomes weary from meditation, one should recite the mantra while maintaining the divine pride of Nairātmyā. In this context, the mantra is the nature of the fifteen vowels, beginning with A, which are established as the subtle coemergent [state], ending with HŪṂ and PHAṬ. It is as follows:
Oṃ a ā i ī u ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ e ai o au aṃ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā. Possessing the divine pride of Red Nairātmyā, one should recite the mantra for agitating the city. In this context, the mantra is: Oṃ a ka ca ṭa ta pa ya śa svāhā. Oṃ akāro mukhaṃ sarvadharmāṇām ādyanutpannatvāt oṃ āḥ hūṃ phaṭ svāhā. This is the mantra for the torma. Oṃ āḥ hūṃ is the mantra for blessing the samaya.
Thereafter, at the time of manifesting the maṇḍala-cakra, one should place the bola within the kaṅkāla of one’s own limb, having abandoned the breasts. The two cheeks become the bell.
The essence of the treatise on the method of Secret Mantra, known through the exertion of the sublime guru, this Nairātmyā is clearly elucidated by me with a mind of compassion. This definitive determination of the profound maṇḍala-cakra—how could those embodied beings who have not taken upon their crowns the dust from the lotus feet of the Lord of the Hermitage (Śavaripa) ever attain it?
Through the merit obtained by this clear realization, may the entire world, having abandoned the suffering and mental unease of the three realms of existence, be firmly established in the state of the Vajra Holder.
The Sādhana of Nairātmyā, composed by the glorious Paṇḍita Advayavajra, is complete. It was heard from the Indian abbot Vajrapāṇi and later translated by the monk Tsur Jñānākara.