Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This text is a ritual manual, or sādhana, for the practice of Skeleton Tārā, a form of Vajrayoginī. The work provides a technical guide for the practitioner to achieve a state of Great Bliss and buddhahood by transforming the physical and subtle body into a divine maṇḍala. The process begins with ritual purification and the placement of deities on the body, followed by a meditative realization of the emptiness of all phenomena. The text commits the reader to a complex visualization practice involving the placement of specific deities—such as Yamani, Gaurī, Mohani, Pāṇḍarā, and Śyāmā—at various bodily centers and the visualization of colored seed syllables arranged in a spatial configuration. By identifying the self with the Form of Great Bliss at the Vajrāsana, the practitioner aims to realize the dharmakāya. The work concludes by attributing the composition to the master Dārikapa, framing the practice within a lineage of spiritual power over supernatural entities.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for the practice of Skeleton Tārā, the Kaṃkālatāraṇasādhana belongs to the genre of sādhana and is situated within the collection of the Śaṃvara and Related Tantras. The work is attributed to the Indian author Dārika. It was translated into the Tibetan language by Sumatikīrti and bod kyi lo tsa ba mkhas pa chen por mar pa chos kyi dbang phyug, and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཟ, where it extends over four pages. Written in classical Tibetan as the keng rus tA ra na'i sgrub thabs, the work enacts a meditative process beginning with vajra ablution and the placement of deities upon the body. It guides the practitioner toward the realization of buddhahood by understanding all stable and moving phenomena to be empty, while utilizing a complex visualization of a maṇḍala. This practice involves the placement of deities such as Yamani, Gaurī, Mohani, Pāṇḍarā, and Śyāmā at specific bodily centers, associated with particular syllables. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the technical instructions for transforming the body into a divine abode and the specific iconographic arrangements used to realize the dharmakāya.
Sanskrit title
Kaṃkālatāraṇasādhana
Indian author
Dārika
Tibetan translators
Sumatikīrti, bod kyi lo tsa ba mkhas pa chen por mar pa chos kyi dbang phyug
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Sādhana of the Protective Maṇḍala of Skeletons” (Toh 1568), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1568
Summary & commentary
Significance
The text is significant as an example of the highly specialized 'skeleton' deity class within the Vajrayāna tradition, emphasizing the transmutation of death-related imagery into enlightenment. For the modern reader, it illustrates the precise intersection of somatic mapping, seed-syllable visualization, and the philosophical commitment to emptiness in tantric ritual.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
Preliminary and Philosophical Grounding
Includes the title, homage, initial purification steps, and the philosophical premise regarding the dharmakāya and emptiness.
3-4
Deity Placement and Visualization
Detailed instructions for placing specific goddesses at bodily centers and visualizing colored seed syllables in a spatial arrangement.
5
Colophon
Identifies the stage of the practice as Self-Consecration and attributes the authorship to Dārikapa.
Themes
Somatic Mapping (3-4)
Emptiness and the Dharmakāya (2)
Ritual Visualization of Seed Syllables (4)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Sādhana of the Protective Maṇḍala of Skeletons·
In the language of India: Kaṅkālatārasādhana. In the language of Tibet: Keṅ rus tā ra nā’i sgrub thabs (The Sādhana of Skeleton Tārā). Homage to Vajrayoginī!
Having performed the vajra ablution, one should place the deities upon the body with the hands. One should protect the place, the yoga, and the self, and accomplish [the practice] with a one-pointed mind. This wheel is like space, completely filled with great bliss. The Sage dwells without any gaps; I am unable to describe that bliss. That is the meaning of the syllable NA.
From the union of the two spaces, the six wheels are perfected with light rays. They cause the six classes of beings to cease their wandering; that is the abode of great wisdom. That is explained as the meaning of MA. ŚRĪ generates the wheel, possessing three petals and a cord; it possesses the nature of the three realities and is explained as the path of the three. One should understand this as the meaning of ŚRĪ.
From BA arises the victory banner, adorned with the four mudrās. It is supreme, endowed with the four concentrations, and the four liberations are also accomplished from it. One should understand this as the meaning of BA. From JA, auspiciousness arises; it is extremely swift from saṃsāra, possessing the nature of supreme joy and the joy of coemergence, and it bestows the innate. One should know that as the nature of JA. The supreme meaning arising from JO is asserted to be the essence of perfected meditative union. It causes one to see non-dual wisdom and bestows Mahāmudrā; such is the essence of JO. Furthermore, that which arises from GI is the form of the sun and the moon.
It does not abide anywhere, yet it provides the abode of the dharmakāya. Understand this to be the meaning of gi. The nature arising from ni is as follows: through the pith instructions of the sublime guru, one realizes all that is stable and moving to be empty. By that, one swiftly attains buddhahood. This is the explanation of the nature of ni.
The maṇḍala of those eight syllables should be drawn by those who desire accomplishments (siddhi). It may be made with the five nectars (amṛta) or even with alcohol, or with turmeric, or with milk. It may also be made with the juice of potent boiled substances or with fragrant waters. Whichever liquid form is available, one should draw it carefully according to the instructions. With those, one draws the curved lines. In that, the skeleton is tāraṇa; that itself is the nectar of the sublime Dharma. That itself is the pith instruction of the gate. In its center is the chief of the ḍākinīs, arising from the syllable ni. Together with Vajrayoginī, she is said to have arisen from ma. Realize her to be your own self and accomplish coemergent wisdom (sahaja-jñāna). Through the accumulation of the two collections, wisdom arises; that itself is explained as the method for that.
The ten grounds, such as the "Extremely Joyful" (pramuditā) and so forth, were taught by the Buddhas as the path. From the complete perfection of meditative absorption (samāpatti), the two drops (bindu) radiate light rays. The drops dissolve into the drops; the wise should meditate in this way. By practicing these meditations, one will obtain the major and minor marks (lakṣaṇa-vyañjana). The yoginī born from this becomes Vajrayoginī. One should visualize the lotus within the navel; it purifies all afflictions (kleśa). Born from ba, her body color is black.
At the heart, one should know Yamani; from Ja, the White Goddess (Gaurī) is born, and one should contemplate Mohani in the speech. From Yo, the Yellow Goddess (Pāṇḍarā) arises, residing at the head as Sañjali. From Gi, the Deep Blue (Śyāmā) is born, residing at the crown of the head as Santṛsā. From Ni, the Terrible (Caṇḍī) arises, pervading all variety. Homage to all these syllables, which are blessed as the supreme deities. Born from Great Bliss, this is the instruction arisen from the profound.
The meaning of that shall now be explained: within the practice of churning, from Na, Cakrasaṃvara arises; from Ma, Vajrayoginī. From the syllable Bhaga in the lotus, born from Great Bliss, she is to be known as the Yoginī herself. That sublime state abiding between the two vajras is most clearly shown. At the base, there is a wheel with eight spokes and light, white and surrounded by an outer wheel. The eight [deities] such as Balin and so forth revolve to the left, and in the center is the ocean of wisdom.
The red wheel has eight spokes and is surrounded by a garland of lotuses. The eight [deities] such as Bhairava and so forth reside upon the eight spokes of the wheel and revolve to the right; the face of the assembly resides in the center. The Vajra, Jewel, and Wheel are condensed; they have eight spokes and light, and are surrounded by a garland of black vajras. The eight [deities] such as Khaṇḍakapālin and so forth are shown in the center as the nature of meditative union. Like the fire at the end of an eon, the lotus and vajra bell are in the center of the cord.
The wise should meditate: OṂ HA is in the center of the thread. Like a white moon or a white flower, BOṢAṬ HE and PO LA are there. NAMAḤ HI is black on the right thread; SVĀHĀ is red at the back. PHAṬ PHAṬ HAṂ is green on the left side; HŪṂ HŪṂ HO is yellow above. Possessing the light of blazing fire, the previously explained cakra is between the kakola and the kakkola. One should view it as revolving without interruption. One should meditate in this manner. Offer sixty-four torma cakes; the afflictions will be purified, and one will obtain incomparable benefits. This is the profound stage. From NA comes the form of the nāda. Method and play are stainless. Through the analysis of the nature of things, it is empty. It bestows the arising of bliss. MA is the essence of emptiness; it is the nature of certain insight. Completely filled with great bliss, that is Mahāmudrā itself. The two become one; non-conceptual and free from stain, it is the peerless self-arisen wisdom. It is the lord of the three worlds. One should view the mind arising from the mind; it is placed in the center of the mind. Through the merging of those two, the two swans do not arise; that non-arising is stability. Through this accomplishment of vajra samādhi, bliss expands in an instant. The two stainless coemergent drops, possessing stainlessness, radiate stainlessness. The forms of arising and ceasing—by realizing those two, one is free from stain. The worldly consciousness is the white flower.
The World-Guru, the Form of Great Bliss. This is the stage of the most profound Skeleton Tārā, the Vajrayoginī Sādhana of Self-Consecration, residing at the Glorious Vajrāsana. It is completed here, composed by the great master Dārikapa, who enslaved gods and spirits as his servants.