Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This sādhana provides a ritual framework for the practice of Vajratārā, focusing on the attainment of specific worldly and supernatural goals through a combination of visualization, mantra recitation, and material offerings. The text begins by defining the iconographic attributes of the four-faced deity and the arrangement of the ritual space, including the invitation of wisdom beings and the placement of directional guardians. It then transitions into a series of practical applications, prescribing precise methods for summoning individuals, influencing others, and achieving specific effects through the use of homa (fire offerings), fumigation, and the use of botanical elements like jujube thorns and Arka leaves. By committing to these procedures, the practitioner engages in a form of ritual technology designed to exert power over external circumstances and people, blending meditative visualization with the use of talismanic and pharmacological substances to ensure the efficacy of the desired outcome.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for the practice of Vajra Tārā, the Vajratārāsādhana belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. Preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཏ, the work is situated within the Non-dual Tantra collection and is known in Tibetan as the rdo rje sgrol ma'i sgrub thabs. Spanning five pages in this edition, the work enacts a complex ritual system designed to accomplish all desired aims. It integrates the fire offering, or homa, with rituals of activity, guiding the practitioner through the visualization of a four-faced deity seated upon a moon disc and variegated lotus. The text prescribes the invitation of wisdom beings via the seed-syllable at the heart and the use of specific mantras to perform acts of summoning. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to examine the precise iconographic details of the deity—such as the arrangement of the four Buddhas of red light and the specific implements held in the hands—as well as the placement of directional guardians like the white Vajrāṅkuśī and the black Vajrapāśī within the ritual space.
The text is significant as an example of the 'activity' (kriyā) aspect of Vajrayāna, where spiritual practice is applied to achieve concrete, often mundane, results. It illustrates the integration of Indian ritual elements, such as the Vajrapañjara and specific botanical prescriptions, within a Tibetan Buddhist context.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
Introduction and Iconography
Initial homage and a detailed description of Vajratārā's physical form, posture, and attributes.
3
Ritual Setup
Instructions for inviting wisdom beings via seed-syllables and mantras, and the visualization of directional guardians.
4-7
Mantra Applications
Specific instructions for using mantras in conjunction with physical objects and offerings to achieve various effects, such as summoning people or exerting power.
Themes
Deity Visualization (2-3)
Ritual Technology and Materiality (4-7)
Mantra Efficacy (4-7)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Vajratārāsādhanam. In the language of Tibet: rDo rje sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs (The Sādhana of Vajra Tārā). Homage to the Blessed One, Tārā.
Through the fire offering (homa) and the ritual of activities, which accomplish all desired aims, I shall now correctly explain the sādhana of Vajra Tārā. In that regard, the mantra words are as follows:
Namo ratnatrayāya. Nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya. Tadyathā: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture sarvaduṣṭapraduṣṭān mama kṛte jambhaya stambhaya mohaya bandhaya hūṃ hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ phaṭ phaṭ sarvaduṣṭastambhani tāre svāhā.
First, one should visualize the seed syllable Tāṃ upon a moon disc at one’s heart. With its light rays, one invites the gurus, buddhas, and bodhisattvas, and makes perfect offerings of various kinds. One should perform the confession of misdeeds and so forth, and complete the verses for taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Then, having meditated on the four brahmā abodes, one should recite the mantra: Oṃ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ.
Then, from the syllable Paṃ, a lotus and moon disc arise; upon this, one visualizes the seed syllable Tāṃ. From its total transformation, one should meditate on the goddess Tārā, residing in the center of the maṇḍala of the Mothers. She has four faces and eight arms, is adorned with all ornaments, and is of golden complexion. She blazes with the characteristics of a youthful maiden.
Seated evenly upon a variegated lotus, perfectly resting on a moon disc, her four faces are yellow, white, red, and black, arranged clockwise. With three eyes, she sits in the vajra posture. Her head is adorned by four Buddhas of red light. In her right hands, she holds a vajra, an arrow, and the gesture of supreme generosity. In her left hands, she brandishes an utpala flower, a bow, a vajra hook, a noose, and the threatening mudrā. Through the yoga of the vajra posture, one should accomplish the three worlds.
In front of her is Puṣpatārā, white in color and charming, perfectly arisen from the syllable Oṃ, holding a flower vessel in her hand. She has one face and two hands, and is adorned with all ornaments. To the south is Dhūpatārā, beautiful in form and black in color, holding an incense burner in her hand and adorned with all ornaments. To the west is Dīpatārā, yellow in color and captivating, holding an excellent lamp vessel and with golden earrings swinging. To the north is Gandhatārā, holding a conch of perfume in her hand; this goddess, red in color, should be meditated upon in the central maṇḍala.
All of these have one face and two hands, and are adorned with all ornaments. All six goddesses sit in the vajra posture. Their faces are slightly bared in a snarl, and they abide in a majestic, haughty manner. Having thus visualized the entire maṇḍala,
Through the light of the seed-syllable at one’s own heart, the wisdom beings are invited; then, by means of the mantra jaḥ hūṃ baṃ hoḥ, the acts of summoning and so forth are performed. At the eastern gate, one should visualize Vajrāṅkuśī, white in color, whose hand is marked with a vajra hook, and who is of a delightful nature. At the southern gate is Vajrapāśī, black in color, intensely passionate, her body adorned with excellent ornaments, the supreme holder of the vajra noose. Vajrasphoṭā is orange-red, holding a vajra chain in her hand; adorned with various ornaments, she should be visualized at the western gate. At the northern gate is Vajraghaṇṭā, holding a vajra bell, with a beautiful red form; she should be viewed as virtuous and stable. Above is Uṣṇīṣavijayā, with a beautiful form and a yellow color; because she bestows the fruit of awakening, the mantra practitioner then holds the wheel. Below the essential maṇḍala is one with a virtuous, blazing form, holding a nāga-noose in her hand; she has one face and two arms, is the delightful one of omniscience, and should be meditated upon as black in color. By means of these ten syllables, the ten goddesses are emanated; they are the purity of the ten perfections and accomplish all dharmas. In that regard, the ten syllables are: oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. Likewise, one should meditate on the blessing of the body, speech, and mind, the conferral of empowerment, the drops, the subtle [yoga], the recitation, and so forth.
This supreme mantra, to which all Buddhas prostrate, is the principal one; it is accomplished through the recitation of "Bhadra." This was taught in the Vajrapañjara.
Regarding the application of this mantra here: holding the hem of one's garment, one should recite this mantra seven times and tie a knot. Wherever one goes, even in a place of fear, one will not be afraid. Tigers, thieves, crocodiles, lions, snakes, elephants, buffaloes, bears, oxen, and the like will be unable to cause harm. Likewise, if one performs a homa offering of one hundred and eight utpala flowers with this mantra, whoever is desired will be brought under one's power.
Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture amukaṃ me vaśamānaya svāhā.
Similarly, if one recites this mantra thirty-two times over a crow's feather and hides it in the enemy's house, they will be expelled within seven days.
Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture cala pracala śīghraṃ gāmini devadattam uccāṭaya hūṃ phaṭ. This is the ritual for expulsion.
Furthermore, there is another application: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture amukaṃ abhinaṃ dhanaṃ kumārī mahyamudraṃ tatha hena hasyeḥ pitapatāyaccaru svāhā.
One should perform five thousand homa offerings of the seeds of the "intoxicating fierce one," as well as the fruit of the "mad-making" plant, and the flowers of the aśoka tree. By performing the homa with ghee, honey, and molasses, one consecrates the rite for the maiden. Then, through this application for seven days, one will obtain the maiden of one's desire.
Then, there is another application: with this mantra, Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture amukaṃ amukāyā abhidhānāṃ svanata ākarṣaya māma antike jaḥ, if one performs a homa offering by piercing five thousand jujube thorns with self-arisen flowers, even a king’s daughter will be summoned. Furthermore, there is another application: on a cloth smeared with self-arisen flowers, one should draw the Blessed One with one face and two hands, holding a hook and a noose of utpala lotuses. Having made offerings before it with "this excellent divine substance" and so forth, one should perform the recitation for the Blessed One: Oṃ tāre tuttāre ture amukiṃ mepas iṅhaṃ svapanaṃ katha a hūṃ phaṭ. By reciting this five thousand times, she will come. Having bound her by the neck with the noose, pierced her with the hook, and bound her by the two feet with the utpala, one should summon the object of practice, visualize her beneath one's feet, and enjoy her in the form of a maidservant. Furthermore, there is another application: having consecrated one's two eyes seven times with the Tārā Dhāraṇī, if one enters among the royal caste, the king and his subjects will treat one with reverence and one will bring them under one's power. Furthermore, there is another application: recite the Tārā Dhāraṇī one hundred and eight times. Having reduced the head of a two-headed king of snakes to ash, make a wick from the heartwood of arka using the butter of a red cow, light a fire, and collect the smoke. With that smoke and Vajrāditya...
One should mix [the substance] with Vajradharma and fumigate it with the supreme horse. Then, having applied the ashes together with [the mixture] to the eyes, the ruby of whoever is looked upon by the vajra-eyes will drip. If it does not happen thus, then I, Tārā, would certainly be abandoning the Blessed Buddha.
Then, another application: recite the dhāraṇī seven times over a worm from the stomach, mix it with Vajradharma, combine it with lac, and give it. If he consumes it, by this supreme ritual, he will not let go [of the practitioner], just like his own wife.
Then, another application: take the tongue of a child whose teeth have not yet fallen out, consecrate it seven times with the Tārā dhāraṇī, mix it with bhrṅgarāja and bezoar, and make a tilaka on the forehead. Whomever it is shown to will be brought under control.
Another application: smear one's own body with "great grease" (human fat), and while possessing meditative concentration, recite the Tārā dhāraṇī ten thousand times. At the end of the recitation, make a massage with rice gruel; whomever it is given to will be under control for as long as they live.
Another application: at the time of a lunar eclipse, recite the Tārā dhāraṇī and perform the preliminary service. Then, fill a conch shell with powder [produced from that] and [visualize] Avalokiteśvara. Whomever it is given to will follow [the practitioner] for as long as they live.
Another application: consecrate the fruit of the datura plant one hundred and eight times with the Tārā dhāraṇī.
Whoever is given that fruit together with Hayagrīva will be brought under one's power. Another application is: OṂ TĀRE TUTTĀRE TURE AMUKAṂ BANDHANAṂ MUKTIṂ KURU SVĀHĀ. By this mantra, having written the name of the person to be accomplished inserted in the middle upon an Arka leaf, if it is hidden in the hole of a kakarū insect, one will be liberated from bondage. This concludes the Sādhana of Vajratārā.