Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual manual provides technical instructions for the performance of the Kālacakra fire offering (homa). The text functions as a prescriptive guide, detailing the precise spatial and material requirements necessary to activate the ritual's efficacy. It begins with the geometric construction of the fire-pit and the symbolic mapping of the maṇḍala, which varies according to the intended ritual outcome—be it pacifying, enriching, subduing, or destroying. The text commits the practitioner to a rigorous regime of material purity and symbolic accuracy, specifying the types of wood, oils, and grains required, as well as the exact physical postures for the asuras. The ritual process integrates the use of specific mantras and seed syllables to invoke the Fire Deity, culminating in the offering of clarified butter and the eventual dismantling of the maṇḍala. By linking internal meditative visualization with external material offerings, the text seeks to align the practitioner's environment and body with the cosmic architecture of the Kālacakra system.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual guide for the fire offering of the Glorious Kālacakra, the Śrīkālacakrahomopāyikāvidhi belongs to the tradition of the Non-dual Tantra. The work is attributed to the Indian author Kālacakrapāda. It was translated into the classical Tibetan language by Vāgīśvaragupta and chos rab, and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཕ, where it extends over nine pages. Under the Tibetan title dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i sbyin sreg gi cho ga, the work enacts the conventional homa, which is taught to precede rituals such as consecrations and empowerments. It provides technical instructions for the construction of the fire-pit, detailing the arrangement of symbols including the sun, the moon, two Mount Merus, and various colored maṇḍalas. The text further specifies the marking of cardinal and intermediate directions with symbols such as the vajra, black curved knives, and the sword, depending on whether the rite is intended for enrichment, killing, magnetizing, or summoning. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to understand the precise spatial and symbolic requirements necessary for the performance of the Kālacakra homa.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Ritual for Fire Offerings in the Glorious Kālacakra” (Toh 1394), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1394
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant as it demonstrates the integration of Vedic-style fire rituals (homa) within the complex tantric framework of the Kālacakra tradition. For the modern reader, it provides primary evidence of the high degree of specialization in material culture and ritual geometry required in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist praxis.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-3
Preparation and Construction
Initial homage and instructions for constructing the fire-pit and maṇḍala symbols based on the ritual's purpose.
4-6
Physical and Material Requirements
Specifications for the postures of the asuras, the types of wood for staves, and the specific substances used for different ritual actions.
7-9
Invocation and Visualization
Instructions for reciting mantras and visualizing the Fire Deity and associated deities holding specific ritual implements.
10-11
Offering and Conclusion
The act of offering clarified butter to Agni and the subsequent dismantling of the ritual maṇḍala.
In the language of India: Śrī-kālacakra-homa-pāyika-vidhi. In the language of Tibet: Dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i sbyin sreg gi cho ga zhes bya ba (The Ritual of the Homa Offering of the Glorious Kālacakra). Homage to the glorious Kālacakra!
Now, since it is taught that the homa offering must precede all [rituals] such as empowerments and consecrations, the conventional homa will be explained here. One should perform the activities of pacification and so forth during the first watch of the day and so on; the same applies to the night. Thus, during the half-watches or the watches, for all activities—pacification, enrichment, killing, driving away, magnetizing, summoning, bewildering, and paralyzing—one should act in the center of the city, and in the directions of Yama, Nairṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Yakṣa, Īśāna, the East, and the southeast.
At the time of empowerment, [the hearth] is two cubits outside the perimeter of the colored powder mountain. [For the fierce activity,] it is a circle, a square, a bow shape, a five-sided, seven-sided, three-sided, six-sided, or eight-sided [shape]. [The sizes are] one cubit, two cubits, half a cubit, equal to a circle, forty finger-widths, twenty, thirty, and sixty. The depth of the hearths is half their width. The height of the rim of the hearth is one-sixth of its width. The platform is twice that, and the great rim is twice that again. Furthermore, the rim should be made equal to the water [line] on the outside.
Above, one should construct the fire-pit with the symbols of the sun, the moon, a blue maṇḍala, a red maṇḍala, a smoke-colored maṇḍala, a yellow maṇḍala, and two Mount Merus. Having divided the pedestal into five parts, one should omit the two parts of the two sides and arrange the aforementioned symbols in sequence around the three remaining parts. If it is made of earth, it should be half the size of the water-pit; if made of colored powder, there is no fixed rule.
Outside of that, it is encircled by two lotus petals, two palms with fingers, and two hawk feathers; then by two red leaves of the arjaka tree and two yellow leaves of the arjaka tree. Outside of that, it is encircled by two kuśa grasses, hair from a corpse, and leaves of the preta-vṛkṣa tree; then by two red flowers and two yellow flowers. The lotus petals are the same size as the fire-pit. The central hub of the principal deity is one-twelfth of that.
Upon that, one should place a black vajra, a red lotus, a white wheel, a black curved knife (kartṛ), a black sword, a red arrow, a red vajra hook, a yellow snake-noose, and a yellow vajra chain. In the fire-pit for all activities, there are a sword, a jewel, a wheel, and a lotus on the lotus petals of the east and so forth. In the intermediate directions, there are a black curved knife, a red hook, a yellow vajra noose, and a white trident. The same applies to the fire-pit for pacifying activities.
For the rite of enrichment, the cardinal directions are marked with symbols such as the vajra, and the intermediate directions with black curved knives and so forth. Likewise, for the rite of killing, there is a maṇḍala facing east, marked with a sword and so forth for the acts of killing and separating. For the rites of magnetizing and summoning, facing south, the cardinal directions are marked with jewels, and the intermediate directions with red hooks and so forth. For the rites of deluding and paralyzing, facing west, the cardinal and intermediate directions are marked with wheels, and yellow nooses and so forth.
Leaving a space of two cubits in front of the hearth, one should construct three enclosures using white, red, and black colored powders. Within the enclosure facing north and so forth, the doors are one-eighth of the width of the enclosure. All hearths should be provided with archways (toraṇa) corresponding to the doors of the maṇḍala.
In the space two cubits in front of the hearth, according to the distinctions of pacifying and so forth, one should place a one-cubit square [seat] in its respective direction, shaped accordingly and arranged with the specific lotuses and symbols as before. For the rite of all activities, it is marked by a crossed vajra (viśvavajra) contained within a source of phenomena (dharmodaya).
Thus, the seats for the ladles and other implements of the homa, as well as the seat for the water offering, are to the left and right. One should remain seated upon that seat in the proper sequence: the lotus posture (padmāsana) is placing the right foot beneath the left knee. The vajra posture (vajrāsana) is placing the right foot upon the left thigh and the left foot upon the right thigh.
The posture of the asuras is to remain with the body hunched like a tortoise. Placing the two ankles together, pressing the great buttocks against the seat, and raising the two knees is the squatting posture. Remaining with the left leg in the cross-legged position and the right leg in a squat, slightly extended, is the half-cross-legged posture. The reverse of that is the second variation. Placing the heel of the left leg at the anus and remaining in a squat with the right leg is the posture of the legs at the anus. The reverses of those are the others. Then, in sequence, there are rosaries of crystal, pearl, cow’s tooth, bodhī, lotus seed, red sandalwood, luṅ-taṅ, and rudrākṣa. Then, for the lotus vessels, the petals and centers are twelve finger-widths [in size]; the water-offering vessels are made of crystal, silver, skull, iron, gold, copper, wood, or earth. Then, as for the pouring ladle (darvi): it has a handle one cubit long marked with a vajra, in the shape of joined palms. In its center is a square marked with a lotus, four finger-widths [in size]. Its tip is a five-pronged vajra. From the central prong is the opening for the essence to flow. Then, slightly narrower and smaller, but equal in length, is the offering ladle (sruva), the upper part of which is like a lotus. Thus, for the two types of activities such as pacifying and so forth, there are five hundred fuel sticks each of udumbara, bodhi tree, nyagrodha, parkaṭī, and grapevine. There are five hundred pieces of human bone in the shape of the little finger.
Likewise, there is the peacock’s tail feather. Likewise, there are five hundred [staves] made of khadira or palāśa wood, or made of bilva wood, measuring twelve finger-widths. Thus, the substances are as follows: for pacifying, cow’s milk and dūrvā grass; for enriching, ghee and dūrvā grass; for killing, meat and poison; for expelling and separating, rājika mustard and salt along with human fat; for magnetizing, red flowers such as kara-vīra and pollen; for summoning, urine, bela leaves, and fruit; for paralyzing, saliva and withered flowers; for bewildering, salt and dhattūra leaves. Thus, there are two of each: white flowers that are fragrant, and black, red, and yellow flowers that are hot and thorny. Likewise, the incense for attracting is made of aloeswood, sihlaka, camphor, honey, and sugar. Likewise, the intensely fragrant incense is made of excrement, meat, and blood. Likewise, the incense that becomes very malodorous is made of guggulu, lac, white incense, kunduru, śrīvasa, and molasses. Likewise, the astringent incense is made of the powder of harītakī and molasses; or else, according to the sequence. [The offerings are] rice mixed with milk, rice with curd, rice with a stomach [of meat], rice with ghee, rice with sesame, and rice with caṇaka beans and meat. Likewise, for each pair, there are white sandalwood, blood, charcoal, saffron, and gorocana or red sandalwood, turmeric, and...
The orpiment is poured in. Likewise, the lamps are made of ghee, human fat, sesame oil, jyotiṣmatī oil, and vallaṭaka oil. Likewise, the [offerings] are of unblemished śāli rice, rājiṣka, white mustard, and mung beans. Likewise, one should wear white garments and so forth. Then, the master, seated upon the seat as described and in the posture as described, is green for all activities. For the two pairs of pacifying and so forth, there are: peaceful and white, wrathful and black, passionate and red, and stiffening and yellow. Having meditated on the previously described form of Kālacakra and having performed the protection wheel, one should drive stakes made of udumbara, vaṭa, aśoka, bone, iron, khadira, śākoṭa, and bilva into the ten directions. Taking water from the kuśa vessel with the mantra oṃ āḥ hūṃ hrīḥ phaṭ, one should perform the sprinkling. Then, for all activities and for pacifying and so forth, one should pile fragrant substances such as sandalwood, milky trees, red sandalwood and so forth, and astringent woods. Having taken fire from a temple, or from the houses of brahmins, śūdras, caṇḍālas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas, one should place it there and kindle it with a bellows. Then, the invitation of the fire god with this mantra: oṃ ehyehi mahābhūta deva ṛṣi dvija satama.
Reciting "Gṛhītvā yudha mahāra asmin sannihito bhava vajradhara ājñāpayati svāhā," one should meditate on the form of the Fire Deity arising from the syllable RAṂ upon a moon or sun disk—depending on the specific ritual action—within one's own heart and the external hearth. Then, reciting JAḤ HŪṂ BAṂ HOḤ, one should summon [the deity] with the hook mudrā, enter [him] with the vajra mudrā, bind [him] with the noose mudrā, and subjugate [him] with the bell mudrā.
Then, for the all-accomplishing activity, [the deity] is green in color, with right hands holding a vajra and a rosary, and left hands holding a bell and a lotus. His robes, eyes, and hair are reddish-yellow, and he is sealed by Akṣobhya.
For pacifying, he is white, with right hands holding a lotus and a crystal rosary, and left hands holding a water-pot and a conch. He is sealed by Amitābha.
For enriching, the right hands hold a wheel and pearl powder, and the left hands hold a lotus and a water-pot. He is sealed by Amitābha.
For killing, the right hands hold a curved knife and a trident, and the left hands hold a skull-cup and a khaṭvāṅga. He is sealed by Amoghasiddhi.
For expelling and separating, the right hands hold a sword and a trident, and the left hands hold a skull-cup and a khaṭvāṅga.
For subjugating, he is the color of saffron. The right hands hold an arrow and a jewel, and the left hands hold a bow and a mirror. He is sealed by Ratnasambhava.
For summoning, the right hands hold a vajra hook and a jewel.
In the case of the [rite of] subduing, the left hands hold a vajra-noose and a mirror; the right hands hold a snake and a staff; and the left hands hold a wheel and a skull-cup. In the case of the [rites of] paralyzing and piercing with a kīla, the yellow [deities] hold an iron chain and a hammer in the right hands, and a wheel and a kīla in the left hands. They are sealed by Vairocana. For the rites of pacifying and so forth, their garments correspond to their respective colors.
Then, one should offer the water for the feet with: oṃ pravārasatkāra mahārāsmiṃ pratīccha svāhā. Then, beginning with oṃ vajra, and in the middle with puṣpaṃ and so forth, one should make offerings with puṣpaṃ, dhūpaṃ, gandhaṃ, dīpaṃ, akṣataṃ, naivedyaṃ, lāsyaṃ, hāsyaṃ, vādyaṃ, nṛtyaṃ, gītyaṃ, and kāmaṃ, ending with svāhā.
Then, into the open mouth of the Fire God, one should invite the deity to receive the burnt offerings for all activities and so forth with: oṃ sarvapāpaṃ dahana vajra agne vajrasattvasya sarvapāpaṃ daha daha svāhā. For the secret [invocation] and so forth, one uses: oṃ vajra agne sarvabhūtān jvālaya sarvaṃ naṃ bhasmīkuru sarvadustān svāhā.
Then, one should strike with one hundred and eight pieces of firewood using: oṃ āḥ hūṃ ho haṃ kṣaḥ svāhā. One hundred and eight [strikes] are made with: oṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ hrīṃ svāhā. Then, one also does the same with: oṃ a ā i ī ṛ ṝ u ū ḷ ḹ aṃ aḥ svāhā.
Then, with "Oṃ a ā e ai ar ār o au al āl aṃ aḥ svāhā," it is likewise. Then, with "Oṃ ha hā ya yā ra rā va vā la lā haṃ haḥ svāhā," it is likewise. Thus, five hundred and forty are referred to as "five hundred." For pacifying and so forth, the colors are those of crystal, puṣparāga, bandhūka, and refined gold. The fragrances are of mālatī, camphor, aloeswood, and campaka. The sounds are those of the multi-stringed lute, the flute, the mṛdaṅga, and the most renowned sounds. The forms are the śrīvatsa, the parasol, the sword, the lotus, the vase, and so forth. One, two, three, four, and so on are auspicious. For the rite of slaying, those that are extremely flickering, marked with black drops, emitting sparks, facing toward one's own direction, moving and blazing, multicolored, extremely black, making the sound of a crackle, or the sound of a thunderbolt are auspicious.
Then, the ritual of the mantra preceded by grains and so forth is performed, as is the ladle. If that is not available, one should place the left hand palm-upward and, supporting it with the thumb of the right hand in the gesture of supreme generosity, strike the previous substances. For pacifying, it ends with "ma." For enriching, it ends with "svāhā." For summoning, it is "voṣaṭ." For slaying, expelling, and separating, it is "hūṃ." For magnetizing, it is "vaṣaṭ." For piercing with a kīla, paralyzing, and bewildering, one should recite with the suffix "phaṭ" and strike.
Then, with the mantra HŪṂ [HṢṬRṂ VĀRAYA], the ācārya and the karma-vajra, remaining in meditative equipoise, should offer the full ladle of clarified butter to the fire deity (Agni). Then, the offering of flowers and so forth to the ten directions with the mantra is as follows: OṂ BHUR BHUVAḤ SVAḤ | NAMO DEVEBHYAḤ | SVASTI PRĀJĀBHYAḤ | SVĀHĀ RĀJABHYAḤ | SVADHĀ PITṚBHYAḤ | A LAṂ BHŪTEBHYAḤ | VAṢAṬ INDRAĀYA. In this manner, the mirror and other items are offered. The water for rinsing the mouth is offered with OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ KĀYA VĀK CITTA SVABHĀVA ŚUDDHAḤ SVĀHĀ. Then, with OṂ JAḤ GACCHA MAHĀRAŚMI SVA-STHĀNA-SANTṚPTO HOḤ | PUNARĀGĀMIṢYASI DEVA | HĀNAYĀMI SVĀHĀ, the wisdom fire deity is requested to depart from the lotus at the heart, and the fire deity of the hearth is also requested to depart. This is the sequence of the homa ritual.
Then, the ācārya performs the offerings as before, holds the vajra and bell, and remaining in the vajra posture, requests the wisdom being (jñānasattva) to depart from the lotus at his own heart. The sequence is as follows: the uṣṇīṣa, forehead, throat, heart, navel, and secret cakra. With the syllables A I Ṛ U Ḷ HAṂ, the deities of emptiness and so forth, the directional guardians, the planets, the nāgas, the bhūtas, and the hosts of wrathful deities are requested to depart. Then, the pairs of cloths for the vases should be given to the young maidens who guard the vases.
With a leaf from the Bodhi tree, or with one’s own hand or a vajra, one should dismantle [the maṇḍala] along the path of the Brahma-lines up to the wheel of great bliss. Then, having placed a small amount of colored powder on the crown of one’s head, the lotus and other elements should be gathered. Next, the colored powder should be swept up and poured into a vase; then, having placed it upon an elephant or similar vehicle as available, it should be carried with parasols, victory banners, and so forth, and cast into a river that flows to the ocean. That very vase should be filled [with water], and having returned to the maṇḍala hall, one should sprinkle it and smear the ground with cow dung and the like. Remaining there, one should satisfy young maidens with white and sweet substances such as milk and with pairs of cotton cloths, and then request their departure. At night, one should provide a feast for the heroes according to the previous ritual. This is the sequence of the ritual for requesting departure.
By the white light of the merit arising from performing the fire offering, which is a branch of the maṇḍala ritual of the glorious Kālacakra—the Sovereign who acts with great enthusiasm for the sake of sentient beings—may the obscurations of the darkness of ignorance of all wandering beings be exhausted, and may they swiftly traverse the supreme, unsurpassed path.
The fire offering according to the system of the glorious Kālacakra, composed by the master Kālacakrapāda, is complete. Translated by the Paṇḍita Vāgīśvara and Chos rab.