Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Olapati, or Four Stages, is a technical manual that synthesizes elements of Buddhist philosophy, ritual praxis, and sacred geography. The text functions as a guide to the Fourth Stage, integrating seed syllables and mudrās with a complex system of correspondences. It bridges the gap between abstract doctrinal categories—such as the Mahāsāṃghika school's classifications of moments and joys—and the physical landscape of India and surrounding regions. By mapping the exercise of power and enjoyment across specific lands like Oḍḍiyāna and Arbuda, the text commits the reader to a practice where spiritual realization is spatially situated and ritually enacted. The work culminates in a definition of nirvāṇa as the blending of desire and non-desire, framing the entire process as a path toward the bodhicitta of selflessness. Ultimately, the text presents a secret stage of realization that transcends the conventional nature of existence through a combination of insight and method.
Provenance
About this text
Containing the Fourth Stage, the Olacatuṣṭaya is a work from the classical Tibetan period. It is attributed to the Indian author Kāṇha, also known as Kāṇhapā. The text was translated into Tibetan by Sumatikīrti and dge slong grags pa shes rab, and it is preserved in volume ཝ of the Tengyur within the collection of Śaṃvara and Related Tantras, where it extends over seven pages. The work enacts a system of ritual and philosophical correspondences, beginning with homage to Mañjuśrīvajra and the deployment of seed syllables and mudrās associated with insight and method. It details the wheels of emanation, dharma, enjoyment, and great bliss, while integrating the classifications of the Mahāsāṃghika school regarding moments, joys, and fruits. Furthermore, it delineates the five wisdoms, the four elements, the four goddesses—Locanā, Māmakī, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Tārā—and various bodhisattvas including Kṣitigarbha, Vajrapāṇi, and Ākāśaga. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine these technical intersections of perception, formations, and consciousness, and to study the specific ritual mappings of the four stages as they are presented in the Tibetan tradition.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “The “Olapati” or “Four Stages”” (Toh 1451), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1451
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant for its detailed mapping of a sacred geography, illustrating how practitioners conceptualized the movement of power across the Indian subcontinent. It provides a rare glimpse into the intersection of Mahāsāṃghika doctrinal remnants and later tantric ritual structures. For the modern reader, it demonstrates the Buddhist integration of somatic mudrās, linguistic seed syllables, and physical pilgrimage.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1
Ritual Foundations
Introduction of the Fourth Stage, seed syllables, and the correspondence between mudrās, insight, and method.
2-3
Doctrinal Classifications
Enumeration of Mahāsāṃghika divisions, moments, joys, fruits, the five wisdoms, and the four goddesses.
4-6
Sacred Geography and Power
Detailed listing of lands, fields, and charnel grounds, and the specific rotation of power and enjoyment across various Indian regions.
7-9
Internalization and Realization
The movement of energy through the body's vital points and the final definition of nirvāṇa and the secret stage.
Themes
Ritual Correspondences (1, 3)
Sacred Geography (4, 5, 6, 7)
Non-duality and Nirvāṇa (8, 9)
Somatic Energy (7)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
The Fourth Stage is contained herein. Homage to the Blessed One, Mañjuśrīvajra. E-Vaṃ-Māyā. E is the action mudrā. Vaṃ is the dharma mudrā. Mā is the great mudrā. Yā is the samaya mudrā. E is insight. Vaṃ is method. The emanation wheel, the dharma wheel, the enjoyment wheel, and the wheel of great bliss. The vowels and consonants are on the left and right. Oṃ is in the emanation wheel. Oṃ Trāṃ Jrīṃ Khaṃ Hūṃ Laṃ Maṃ Paṃ Hūṃ is in the dharma wheel. Oṃ Ā Ī Ū Ai is in the enjoyment wheel. Haṃ is in the wheel of great bliss. The supreme protection is the letter Kṣa. The moon and sun are the two gates of the lower and upper. The opening of the vital points and the golden gate are the going and coming. The four yogas are the swift, the steaming, the binding, and the manifold abiding; they are above, to the sides, across, and below. The three absorptions are the initial application, the supreme king of the maṇḍala, and the supreme king of activities. The three activities are inviting, requesting to depart, and remaining. The four branches are approach, close approach, accomplishment, and great accomplishment. The four truths of the noble ones are suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. The four classes are the Sthaviras, the Sarvāstivādins, the Mahāsāṃghikas, and...
The Mahāsāṃghika school. The four divisions are the small, the medium, the great, and the great of the great. The four moments are the variegated, the ripening, the destructive, and the devoid of characteristics. The four joys are joy, supreme joy, special joy, and coemergent joy. The four fruits are the concordant, the ripening, the human effort, and the stainless. The four excellences are the excellence of self, the excellence of others, the excellence of time, and the excellence of wisdom. The four seats are the seat of self, the seat of others, the seat of yoga, and the seat of suchness. The four suchnesses are the suchness of mantra, the suchness of the deity, the suchness of the maṇḍala, and the suchness of wisdom. The three maṇḍalas are the maṇḍala of body, the maṇḍala of speech, and the maṇḍala of mind. The two insights are with apprehension and without apprehension. That with apprehension is the breath of the Tathāgata, which is saṃsāra. That without apprehension is the breath of Vajradhara, which is nirvāṇa. The three bodies are the dharma body, the enjoyment body, and the emanation body. The five Tathāgatas are Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, Amoghasiddhi, and Akṣobhya. The five aggregates are form, feeling, [perception, formation, and consciousness].
Perception, formations, and consciousness. The five wisdoms are the mirror-like wisdom, the wisdom of equality, the wisdom of individual discernment, the all-accomplishing wisdom, and the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu. The four goddesses are Locanā, Māmakī, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, and Tārā. The four elements are earth, water, fire, and wind. The six bodhisattvas are Kṣitigarbha, Vajrapāṇi, Ākāśagarbha, Lokeśvara, Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, and Samantabhadra. The six faculties are the faculties of the eye and so forth. The hours are thirty-two. The danda are sixty-four. The transits are sixteen. The sessions are four. The ten perfections are the perfection of generosity, the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of concentration, the perfection of wisdom, as well as skillful means, aspiration, power, and wisdom. These are the ten perfections. The ten stages are the Joyous, the Stainless, the Luminous, the Radiant, the Difficult to Conquer, the Manifest, the Far-Reaching, the Immovable, the Excellent Intelligence, and the Cloud of Dharma. These are the sequence of the stages. The stages of the result of the perfections are the states of wisdom. The ten inner stages are:
The places, the near-places, the fields, the near-fields, the candohas, the near-candohas, the meeting places, the near-meeting places, the charnel grounds, and the near-charnel grounds. These are the distinct divisions of the twenty-four lands: Pullīramalaya, Jālandhara, Oḍḍiyāna, and Arbuda are the places. Godāvarī, Rāmeśvarī, Devīkoṭa, and Mālavī are the near-places. Kāmarūpa and Oṭṭe are the fields. Triśakuni and Kośala are the near-fields. Kaliṅga and Lampāka are the candohas. Kāñcī and Himālaya are the near-candohas. Pretapurī and Gṛhadevatā are the meeting places. Saurāṣṭra and Suvarṇadvīpa are the near-meeting places. Nagara and Sindhu are the charnel grounds. Maru and Kulutā are the near-charnel grounds.
Here, in their respective order, they are to be viewed as the head, the crown of the head, the right ear, the back, the left ear, the brow, the two eyes, the two shoulders, the two armpits, the two breasts, the navel, the tip of the nose, the mouth, the throat, the heart, the perineum, the genitals, the anus, the region of the thighs, the two calves, the toes, the tops of the two feet, the big toes, and the two knees.
In Pullīramalaya, one exercises power. In Jālandhara, one enjoys. In Oḍḍiyāna, one enters. In Jālandhara, one exercises power. In Oḍḍiyāna, one enjoys. In Arbuda, one enters. In Godāvarī, one exercises power. In Rāmeśvarī, one enjoys. In Devīkoṭa, one enters. In Mālavī, one exercises power. In Kāmarūpa, one enjoys. In Oṭṭe, one enters. In Triśakuni, one exercises power. In Kośala, one enjoys. In Kaliṅga, one enters. In Lampāka, one exercises power. In Kāñcī, one enjoys. In Himālaya, one enters. In Pretapurī, one exercises power. In Gṛhadevatā, one enjoys. In Saurāṣṭra, one enters. In Suvarṇadvīpa, one exercises power. In Nagara, one enjoys. In Sindhu, one enters. In Maru, one exercises power. In Kulutā, one enjoys. In these, one should understand the sequence of entering, enjoying, and exercising power.
He exercises power in Oḍḍiyāna; he enjoys the wealth in Arbuda; he enters into Godāvarī. He exercises power in Arbuda; he enjoys the wealth in Godāvarī; he enters into Rāmeśvarī. He exercises power in Godāvarī; he enjoys the wealth in Rāmeśvarī; he enters into Devīkoṭa. He exercises power in Rāmeśvarī; he enjoys the wealth in Devīkoṭa; he enters into Mālava. He exercises power in Devīkoṭa; he enjoys the wealth in Mālava; he enters into Kaliṅga. He exercises power in Mālava; he enjoys the wealth in Kāmarūpa. He enters into Oḍra; he exercises power in Kāmarūpa; he enjoys the wealth in Oḍra. He enters into Triśakuni; he exercises power in Oḍra; he enjoys the wealth in Triśakuni. He enters into Kosala; he exercises power in Triśakuni; he enjoys the wealth in Kosala. He enters into Kaliṅga; he exercises power in Kosala; he enjoys the wealth in Kaliṅga. He enters into Lampāka; he exercises power in Kaliṅga; he enjoys the wealth in Lampāka. He enters into Kāñcī; he exercises power in Lampāka; he enjoys the wealth in Kāñcī. He enters into Himālaya; he exercises power in Kāñcī; he enjoys the wealth in Himālaya. He enters into Pretapuri; he exercises power in Himālaya; he enjoys the wealth in Gṛhadevatā. He enters into Pretapuri; he exercises power in Pretapuri; he enjoys the wealth in Gṛhadevatā. He enters into Saurāṣṭra; he exercises power in Gṛhadevatā; he enjoys the wealth in Saurāṣṭra.
One enters Suvarṇadvīpa. One exercises power over Saurāṣṭra. One enjoys Suvarṇadvīpa. One enters Nagara. One exercises power over Suvarṇadvīpa. One enjoys Nagara. One enters Sindhu. One exercises power over Nagara. One enjoys Sindhu. One enters the land of Maru. One exercises power over Sindhu. One enjoys the land of Maru. One enters Kulutā. One exercises power over the land of Maru. One enjoys Kulutā. One enters all the limbs. In all these places, the great bliss wisdom of the Tathāgatas arises, abides, and enters in the manner of bliss, according to the sequence, as the nature of the Dharmakāya, Saṃbhogakāya, and Nirmāṇakāya. Just as these are the primary [sites], through Oḍḍiyāna and the opening of the vital points, the Vajraḍākinīs are invoked; at Jālandhara, they merge with the great bliss wisdom, and subsequently, the Dharmas of the Tathāgatas are gathered. This very [process] should be understood as the maṇḍala, the homa, the sacrificial offering, the concentration, the object of meditation, the form, and the arrangement of colored powders, and so forth. This is the sequence of the tantra.
Through the perfect union of the churned and the churning, the fire of wisdom is ignited by the wind of action. At the navel maṇḍala, through the smoke, the blazing, the abiding, and the clarity, the Tathāgatas of the self within the samaya-cakra are incinerated. Thus, one should revolve the method that has entered the saṃbhoga-cakra.
Having gone to the ūrṇā-kośa, the gateway that opens the vital points, which is named Oḍḍiyāna, appears. It is gathered into the hearts of the tathāgatas who have reached the world-realms, and then, emerging from the aperture of the crown of the head, it enters through the golden gateway named Jālandhara. As before, it burns the samaya-cakra. It is said that its emergence and entry are not perceived, because its size is the measure of a hundred-thousandth part of the tip of a hair. This is the stage of mantra.
Then, the samaya-cakra that has reached the hearts of the tathāgatas is gathered. Having taken the amṛta of the wisdom of the dharmadhātu, it emerges through the previously taught gateway and comes like a stream of milk. Entering through that very same gateway, it rests in the saṃbhoga-cakra at the junction and, having burned the tathāgatas who had entered the samaya-maṇḍala, it generates joy and abides in the navel-maṇḍala. Here too, its emergence, departure, and arrival are not perceived, because it is said to be the measure of a hundred-thousandth part of the tip of a hair. This is the stage of wisdom.
Now, [the stage of] abandoning tantra, mantra, and wisdom is free from the coming and going of the two gateways; it is devoid of the aggregates, elements, and sense bases; it is definitively turned away from objects; it is luminous like a water-crystal gem in thick darkness; it is the supreme emptiness free from dust; it is the wisdom without signs or aspirations; it is free from the cognition of self and other; it is supremely peaceful.
The blending of desire and the absence of desire is nirvāṇa, like butter placed in butter. It is the bodhicitta of selflessness, which is the bhaga of the consort, bearing the name Sukhāvatī. "Resides" means to be present in a location. Since they are both "all" and "tathāgatas," it refers to the aggregates and so forth of all the tathāgatas. Their body, speech, and mind are the three syllables Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ. Their vajras are the bodhicittas. "Resides" means to be present in a location. Their consorts abide in the forms of women and so forth; the meaning is "in that bhaga of theirs." Regarding the term "Evaṃ": "That which is the excellent form of E, adorned in the center by Vaṃ, is the abode of all bliss, the jewel casket of the Buddhas." I have heard that very nirmāṇakāya of that [Sambhogakāya]. Thus, the Blessed One, the bodhisattva, currently resides in the bhaga of the consort of the vajra body, speech, and mind of all the tathāgatas. "At one time" means at a single occasion. That "one time" refers to the time of the onset and the time of spring; the intended meaning is when the winds that have entered the right and left nostrils are arrested. "Whatever phenomena arise from a cause, the Tathāgata has taught their cause; and their cessation, the Great Śramaṇa has likewise taught." Existence is pure by its very nature.
"By nature, existence is made free; / Because it is made difficult to transcend / From the nature of the present," so it is said. This is the secret stage.
The meaning of these four stages, as taught in the eighty-four thousand heaps of Dharma from the scriptures of the Tathāgata, was composed by the master Kṛṣṇācārya, a practitioner of the ascetic conduct. The fourth stage is complete.
It was translated by the Indian abbot Śrī Sumatikīrti and the monk Grags pa shes rab, and compared with a manuscript from the Central Land (Madhyadeśa).
Because the minds of the holy ones are like the autumn moonlight, even if I appear to have committed faults, I pray that you will forgive me as if I were your own child.