Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual manual outlines the comprehensive procedure for the Mahāmāyā Sādhana, focusing on the construction and activation of a maṇḍala to facilitate spiritual attainment. The text functions as a prescriptive guide for the teacher, detailing the necessary prerequisites, the purification of the site through homa offerings and the invocation of the Earth Goddess, and the precise geometric and symbolic layout of the maṇḍala. It commits the practitioner to a rigorous path of initiation, requiring the generation of bodhicitta, the taking of samaya vows, and the reception of various empowerments—including the empowerment of the name and the mirror-like wisdom. The ritual culminates in advanced tantric practices, including the use of a wisdom consort and the consumption of ritual substances, aiming to transform the disciple into a mantra-holder. By integrating physical ritual action, visualization, and secret yoga, the text seeks to collapse the distinction between the practitioner and the deity, leading toward the attainment of omniscience and the fruit of a Buddha.
Provenance
About this text
A sādhana detailing the ritual of the maṇḍala for the Great Illusion, the Mahāmāyāsādhanamaṇḍalavidhi belongs to the tradition of the Other Wisdom Tantras. The work is attributed to the Indian author Kukuripa. It was translated into the Tibetan language by Navakoṭipāda and bod kyi lo tsa ba ’gos lhas btsas, and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཡ, where it extends over twenty-seven pages. The work enacts a prescriptive ritual process, beginning with homages to Vajraḍākinī and Avalokiteśvara and the visualization of a Vajra Holder with eight faces and four arms. It provides instructions for the teacher regarding the verification of requisites, the granting of permission, and the performance of protection through the visualization of wind and fire maṇḍalas at the disciples' feet and secret places. Furthermore, it details ritual purification and the performance of a homa offering using human bone powder in a pacifying hearth, including specific instructions for digging the hearth to the depth of the knees to determine if accomplishment will be attained. A scholar or serious reader consults this classical Tibetan text to examine the precise technical requirements of the ritual action and the symbolic visualizations necessary for the activation of the maṇḍala.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Maṇḍala Ritual for the Mahāmāyā Sādhana” (Toh 1630), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1630
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant as a representative example of Anuttarayoga Tantra, illustrating the integration of complex maṇḍala geometry with somatic and sexual yoga. For the modern reader, it provides primary evidence of the specific ritual requirements and the ethical-spiritual commitments (samaya) demanded within the Indo-Tibetan esoteric tradition.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-6
Preparations and Site Purification
Initial requisites, protection of disciples, and the ritual purification of the ground including the invocation of the Earth Goddess.
7-12
Supplication and Preliminary Rites
Praise to the deities, preparation of the activity vase, and the disciple's initial commitment to the path and refuge vows.
13-16
Maṇḍala Construction and Layout
Instructions for circling the palace, drawing the Brahma-lines with specific pigments, and clearing obstructions (vighnas).
17-31
Empowerment and Initiation
The process of conferring empowerments, including the generation of bodhicitta, the granting of a spiritual name, and the transmission of the four wisdoms.
32-35
Advanced Tantric Practices
Final rites involving the parasol, instructions on abandoning asceticism for bliss, and the role of the wisdom consort in the highest yoga.
Themes
Ritual Purity and Protection (2-6, 16, 22)
Samaya and Vows (10, 20, 21, 33)
Visualization and Deity Yoga (4, 5, 17, 23, 26)
The Role of the Wisdom Consort (17, 34, 35)
Empowerment (Abhiṣeka) (26-31)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Mahāmāyāsādhanamaṇḍalavidhi. In the language of Tibet: Sgyu ’phrul chen mo’i sgrub pa’i thabs kyi dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga (The Ritual of the Maṇḍala for the Sadhana of the Great Illusion). Homage to the glorious Vajraḍākinī! Homage to the noble Lord Avalokiteśvara!
I bow to the Vajra Holder, the chief of all Sugatas, who has eight faces and four arms, with the color of a cloud at the time of destruction, who treads upon the hearts of Māras with his two feet, and who is embraced by the light of self-awareness, filled with bliss.
For the sake of those who, distracted by the waves of conceptual thought, are unable to study the many extensive source texts, I shall set forth this work according to scripture, pith instructions, and reasoning, and write a concise summary for the sake of mere recollection.
In that regard, first, the disciple who is a suitable vessel and fortunate candidate for empowerment is as follows:
Gentle, speaking pleasantly, and endowed with compassion;
Diligent in virtuous deeds,
With exceptional faith in the Mahāyāna;
Constantly respectful toward the guru,
And delighting in generosity and giving—
Such a disciple should be fully accepted.
Therefore, a disciple possessing such characteristics should supplicate a guru who is worthy of conferring empowerment. Furthermore:
Stable, disciplined, and endowed with intelligence;
Patient, upright, and free from deceit;
Skilled in the application of the Secret Mantra tantras—
By such a one, the maṇḍala should be drawn.
Therefore, one should supplicate an ācārya possessing such characteristics two or three times. Then, the ācārya [should ask]: "If you [can provide] the substances for the maṇḍala..."
One should ask whether such and such requisites are available or not. If they then agree that they are available, at that time one should grant permission, take the disciples, and perform the protection. One should visualize a wind maṇḍala arising from yaṃ at the soles of the disciples' feet, a fire maṇḍala arising from raṃ at their secret place, and at their hearts, a single black paṃ, maṃ, and kaṃ, which are the essence of the misdeeds of karma and afflictions. Then, as the wind fans the fire, the kaṃ at the heart is burned; one should imagine that all the non-virtuous misdeeds of karma and afflictions are purified. Having placed the three syllables at the disciples' three places, one should recite the mantra of the Wheel-Holder twenty-one times or more and perform the protection.
Then the master enters the stage of approach (sevā). Having arranged the maṇḍala, offerings, torma, and so forth, one should gaze at the wisdom maṇḍala in the sky and perform the offerings and so on. Then, possessing the absorption (samādhi) of the deity, one should perform the recitation: one hundred thousand recitations of the Wheel-Holder and ten thousand recitations for each of the goddesses. Then, having again performed the offerings and so forth, one should examine and purify the site together with good companions. Regarding that:
"In a temple, a marketplace,
A garden, a village, or a city,
In the eastern or northern part of the ground,
One should remain in meditative equipoise and take hold."
Therefore, one should examine those places, or otherwise apply it to any pleasant location such as a charnel ground or a forest. In that regard, there are two: the purification of the outer ground and the purification of the inner ground. Regarding the purification of the outer, there are also two:
One should purify through ritual action and perform a homa offering of human bone powder and so forth in a pacifying hearth to bring about pacification. Regarding purification through ritual action: "Having dug to the depth of the knees, one should fill it with that very same earth. If there is an excess, it indicates that accomplishment will be attained." Therefore, one should dig to the depth of the knees, remove any defects of the site, and fill it well with that same earth in accordance with the source text. Then, one should examine the signs of the water: "Having dug a circle one span deep, smear it with cow urine and fill it with water. With an undistracted mind, go to the east and examine it upon returning." Thus, one should observe the signs of the water as superior, middling, or inferior. Then, having filled the pit well with fragrant earth, one should place the five precious gems and the five types of grain inside the earth. Having smeared it with the five substances thus placed, scatter loose flowers in the vicinity, and plant banners, parasols, victory banners, and so forth in the cardinal and intermediate directions. Sprinkling with water consecrated by the recitation of the sarvakarma mantra is purification through ritual action.
Internal purification is as follows: with a mind intent on the internal, recite the mantra of the nature of phenomena (dharmatā) and meditate on emptiness. From within that state, meditate on a vajra ground arising from the syllable HŪṂ, and consecrate it with: OṂ MEḌINĪ VAJRĪBHAVA VAJRA BANDHA HŪṂ. Then, having taken the earth and arranged the offerings, one should abide in the absorption (samādhi) of the deity at the center of the site and focus on great compassion.
Visualize that by striking the ground with the hand, the earth splits open, and from the fissure emerges the Earth Goddess, yellow in color and peaceful in nature, holding a vase with her two hands. Present offerings and a torma, and take the earth with the words: "Glorious Vajra Heruka, who is honored and holds various jewels, you, O Goddess, have attained mastery; I shall draw the maṇḍala upon this ground." Then, having made the supplication: "O Goddess, you are the witness to the conduct and the specific stages of all the Buddhas, the Protectors, and the perfections. Just as the Protector Śākyasiṃha conquered the forces of Māra, so shall I conquer Māra and draw the maṇḍala." Recite this and visualize her dissolving into that very spot.
Regarding the seizing of the ground: the ācārya sits in the center of the site, adorned with flower garlands, crowns, and so forth. Holding a vajra and bell, and abiding in the absorption of glorious Heruka, he has four disciples likewise adorned and holding vajras and bells. Visualizing them as the four goddesses, such as Vajraḍākinī, they supplicate from the four directions: "O Lord of the maṇḍala, born from the Vajra-holder, the abode of all peaceful Tathāgatas and all Tathāgatas, please explain the maṇḍala. Perfectly complete in all characteristics and completely free from all that is not a characteristic, the supreme body of Samantabhadra, please explain the sublime maṇḍala. Born from the supreme peaceful Dharma, the purifier of the training in wisdom, the supreme speech of Samantabhadra..."
Please explain the sublime maṇḍala, the great mind of all sentient beings, naturally pure and stainless, the supreme heart of Samantabhadra. Please explain the essence of the maṇḍala.
Then, with the pride and majesty of the deity, one should visualize a moon from the syllable A in the right eye and a sun from the syllable Ṭa in the left eye. Meditating on a crossed vajra raised from the syllable Hūṃ at the soles of the feet, one should go to the northeast, brandish the vajra, and utter a long Hūṃ.
"Today, I, the master, shall undertake this rite in this place for the sake of the disciples. You local lords—gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, bhūtas, piśācas, rākṣasas, and whoever else dwells here—depart quickly! Having heard the command of the glorious Heruka, depart at once! Those who do not leave, their heads shall be split into a hundred pieces by this vajra and khaṭvāṅga of mine!" Having said this three times, one should again brandish the vajra and say:
"Listen to me, you hosts of vighnas who possess body, speech, and mind! I am the glorious power of compassion. By the application of the protective wheel, I shall split you with the blazing vajra-khaṭvāṅga arising from the body, speech, and mind. If you transgress the samaya, you will be destroyed; of this there is no doubt."
Having said this, one should circumambulate and trample the ground with the vajra-steps, such as the right-leg-out and left-leg-out postures. Then, nine khadira wood stakes eight finger-widths long, anointed with red sandalwood and adorned with red flowers, should be placed in the center and the [other] directions.
Having driven [the stakes] in the nine directions and intermediate points, one should prostrate to the deities. Regarding the protection of the site: in the center of the maṇḍala ground, in order to pacify obstructing spirits (vighna), one should meditate on the protective wheel consisting of the fence, the lattice, the ground, and so forth. Then, from the heart, one should emanate the wrathful Vighnāntaka, whose upper body is wrathful and whose lower body has the shape of a kīla (ritual dagger). Reciting: OṂ GHA GHA GHĀTAYA GHĀTAYA SARVA DUṢṬĀN PHAṬ KĪLAYA KĪLAYA SARVA PĀPAṂ PHAṬ HŪṂ HŪṂ VAJRA KĪLAYA VAJRA DHARO AJÑĀPAYATI SARVA VIGHNĀN KĀYA VĀKA CITTA VAJRA KĪLAYA HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ—one strikes the obstructing spirits with the kīla. Then, one protects by reciting OṂ RAKṢA RAKṢA and the three syllables.
Next, for the preliminary rite of the deities: smear a square area of ten finger-widths in the center with fragrant water mixed with the five nectars (amṛta). In the four directions, at the locations of the goddesses, make six finger-width circles and place a flower in each. Summon the wisdom maṇḍala into the sky from the seed syllable at the heart, and having made offerings with all the various types of offerings, perform the praise thereafter:
With bared fangs and great terror,
Adorned with garlands of mantra flowers,
You who always partake of the great flesh—
To Heruka, I prostrate.
Vairocana, utterly pure,
Vajra peace, great joy,
Naturally supreme luminosity—
To the Buddha-Ḍākinī, I prostrate and praise.
Akṣobhya, great wisdom,
Vajra expanse, great space,
The three supreme vajras and the three maṇḍalas—
To the Vajra-Ḍākinī, I prostrate and praise.
To the King of Jewels, most profound,
To the Vajra Sky, stainless and pure,
Untainted by the nature of reality—
I prostrate and praise the Ratna-Ḍākinī.
To the Great King, Vajra Amitābha,
Non-conceptual Vajra-holder of space,
Who has attained the perfection of desire—
I prostrate and praise the Padma-Ḍākinī.
To the Pure Vajra, the Infallible,
Who fulfills all intentions,
Arisen from the very essence of the Buddha—
I prostrate and praise the Viśva-Ḍākinī.
Having thus offered praise, one should perform circumambulations. Holding incense mixed with the five nectars in hand, and resting the right knee upon the ground, one should make this supplication:
"O glorious Heruka, supreme hero,
King of vidyā, I prostrate and bow to you.
For the sake of making offerings to you
And out of compassion for the disciples,
O Protector, the embodiment of compassion,
I wish to accomplish the maṇḍala tomorrow.
Since I, the Blessed One, am full of devotion,
It is right that you grant me your permission.
O Buddhas, the Protectors who act for the sake of the wheel of beings,
Compassionate ones, Bodhisattvas, Arhats,
And whatever other deities of mantra there may be,
The gods who protect the world,
And those powerful bhūtas,
And those who possess the vajra eye,
And all those who delight in the teachings for the sake of sentient beings—
I pray that you turn your attention toward me.
I, the vajra [name],
In this supreme maṇḍala of the Heruka’s arising,
With whatever ritual requisites I have acquired,
If I and the disciples accomplish this for the purification of beings,
For myself and those with me..."
"Having considered us with compassion, I pray that you and all the deities of the maṇḍala grant your blessings." Having made this supplication three times is the preparation of the deities.
Then, for the preparation of the activity vase: anoint a single vase possessing the proper characteristics with fragrant scents. Draw the symbol of the all-accomplishing [deity] and strike it with white mustard seeds over which the secret mantra of that deity has been recited. Incense it with guggulu, and place within it water, grains, and precious gems. Adorn it with a mouth-ornament, a neck-cloth, a garland, and so forth. Then, meditate on it as emptiness. From within that state, from the syllable paṃ comes a lotus, and from baṃ within it, the vase. Inside that, visualize the wrathful deity seated upon a lotus. Summon the wisdom wrathful deity from the seed syllable at the heart and dissolve it [into the visualized deity]. Present offerings and offer the torma. Place a vajra upon the mouth-ornament and recite the all-accomplishing mantra interspersed with the three syllables. Say, "O Blessed King of Knowledge, until our activity is accomplished, ward off all obstacles!" and place it toward the entrance.
Then, for the preparation of the disciples: as previously explained, the well-examined disciples should bathe, put on new clothes, and perform a maṇḍala offering. Holding flowers in their hands, they should stand before the maṇḍala with their knees bent and palms joined. The ācārya then says:
"Whoever seeks the accomplishments of mantra should enter this maṇḍala. Those who desire merit, or those who seek the next world—"
Those who possess great faith, having set their sights upon the next world, should be led into the maṇḍala by the wise; they should not seek the results of this life. If one seeks the results of this life, the next world will not be accomplished. If one sets one's sights upon the next world, the results of this life will be accomplished without effort. Thus it is proclaimed.
Then the disciple should make this supplication:
O Great Hero, embraced by the Buddha-ḍākinīs, you are my teacher. Great Ācārya, please attend to me! I seek the Great Protector who reveals the way of great awakening. Grant me this very samaya; grant me also the bodhicitta. Grant me the Three Refuges: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. O Protector, please lead me into the supreme city of great liberation.
Then the Ācārya says this to the disciple:
Come here, child! Since you are a vessel for the Great Vehicle and a fit recipient for the great way, I shall perfectly teach you the rituals and conduct of mantra. All the Buddhas of the three times, the great Vajra of Body, Speech, and Mind, who remain for the benefit of wandering beings, have attained immeasurable omniscience by means of this excellent ritual of Secret Mantra at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Even the supreme Lion of the Śākyas and others, having conquered the great hosts of the fierce Māra classes through this peerless application of Secret Mantra, proceeded in accordance with the world.
"Having turned the wheel, he passed into nirvāṇa. Therefore, in order to attain omniscience, my child, apply this intelligence!" Having said this, the disciple then generates the awakening mind and takes the vows: "I take refuge in the Three Jewels. I confess all misdeeds. I rejoice in the virtue of beings. I hold the awakening of the Buddha in my mind." Then, having protected them with the root mantra, they are blessed at the crown, throat, and heart with "Oṃ Āḥ Hūṃ." Then, holding a vajra with the right fist, they stand and touch the three places—the crown and so forth—with the three syllables while reciting them, using sandalwood water. Then, with the mantra, a flower is placed on the crown, incense before them, a lamp before their eyes, food offerings in their hands, and a bell at their ears. Then, a tooth-stick made of aśvattha or similar wood, without cracks or splits, straight and twelve finger-widths in length, with a flower at its tip, is given after the root mantra has been recited over it. They chew the flower at the tip and, having smeared a mandala the size of an ox-hide with [cow dung], they face east and cast it straight. One should examine the direction the tip points to as an omen for the activity and the accomplishment. Then, the scented water is consecrated with "Oṃ hrīḥ viśuddhaḥ sarvadharmāḥ pāpaṃ niśchasya saṃśodhaya sarvavikalpān apanaya hūṃ" and given to drink three times. Then, kuśa grass over which the syllable dhīḥ has been recited is given for a pillow, and that over which ha has been recited is given as a seat.
Then, once again, a thread over which the hūṃ mantra has been recited and which is provided with three knots should be tied around the [disciples'] upper arms. Then, having inspired them and explained the Dharma:
"In the world, the Omniscient Ones are like the udumbara flower; they appear only once in a great while, or perhaps they do not appear at all. The way of practicing the Secret Mantra is even rarer than that; it is that which is able to accomplish the peerless benefit of sentient beings. Whatever sins were previously committed over many tens of millions of eons will be exhausted the very moment one sees a maṇḍala such as this. What need is there to mention those who abide in the way of the Secret Mantra, which possesses infinite renown? If one recites the Secret Mantra of the Protector, one will attain the unsurpassed state. If one’s intellect is utterly stainless regarding this supreme conduct, it will sever the lower realms from which all suffering arises. You great beings have today obtained an incomparable find, for you are all being taken into the fold of this teaching by all the great beings, the Victorious Ones and their Sons. Therefore, you will proceed to the excellence of the Great Vehicle. This supreme path, which brings forth the Great Vehicle, is glorious. Since you have entered it, you will become Tathāgatas, the self-arisen ones who know all worlds and possess great fortune."
Having spoken thus:
Following that, the disciple is protected by the root mantra. With palms joined, they are made to recite these words and take the vows:
"Protector, having bestowed upon me the empowerment of the irreversible wheel, please fully explain the reality of the deities of the wheel and the activities of the master. I shall maintain the samaya of all the Buddhas and the unsurpassed secret vows."
Having requested thus, the vows are conferred. Then, the master instructs: "Tell me what you see in your dreams." The disciple should sleep with intense devotion toward their chosen deity and examine the dreams. Then, the master enters the inner area and recites the mantra of the wheel-holder to protect the disciple, while offering the torma. In the morning, the disciple is summoned and questioned about the dreams. If inauspicious signs are seen, they are protected by reciting the root mantra. This concludes the preliminary stage of the disciple.
Next, the maṇḍala is to be drawn and the lines are to be laid out. Regarding this:
"With cotton wool and the like, well-spun,
New, and without thick or thin or knots,
With a length twice the size of the maṇḍala,
The wise should lay the maṇḍala lines."
Therefore, using the thread of all-activity, the lines are laid out according to the maṇḍala. Furthermore:
"First, having laid two Brahma-lines,
Below that, draw the two intermediate lines.
Then, in accordance with the dimensions of the maṇḍala,
Draw a square. Between the cardinal and intermediate lines,
Divide them into equal, even parts.
Then, the master sits in the center;
Having driven a kīla into the center,
Fold the two lines of thread and fix them to the kīla."
Below that, the palace of the essence is surrounded by a circle of appropriate size. Then, starting from the direction of Ishana, the disciple circles it twice. By circling it twice in a circle, including the vajra fence and the mountain of fire, there will be a central eight-petaled variegated lotus together with a vajra garland. Then, the five colors of the five wisdoms, in the form of threads, are placed in their respective containers. Abiding in the absorption of the glorious Heruka, one visualizes the sun and moon at the two eyes from the syllables ṭa and ma, and with a blazing gaze, all the Tathāgatas are summoned into the sky. Having summoned them there, and having performed the stages of entering, binding, and subduing, one sprinkles them with the five nectars. Regarding this, it is said: "The eye that swiftly impels the ordained, which draws back the eyelashes, is called the blazing gaze; it summons all wandering beings." Then, reciting Oṃ abhagavān śaśvasvate sutam prayaccha sva-cakra-sūtraṇāya hūṃ, one takes the wisdom thread from the maṇḍala residing in the sky. Furthermore, reciting: "Mutually perfected, all phenomena follow one another; all phenomena likewise follow, and are said to follow one another," the two [the master and disciple]—the disciple having been visualized as Vajraḍākinī—twist them into one. Reciting Oṃ anyonyānugata sarvadharmāḥ ātyantānupraviṣṭa sarvadharmā hūṃ, they are twisted into one. Then, one stands in the western direction.
Holding the cord wound around the vajra with the left fist, one sends it to the disciple situated in the east with "jaḥ jaḥ jaḥ" and strikes the first Brahma-line. Then, one recites: "Oṃ vajrasūtra samayam ātikrama hūṃ. At the time of acting for the benefit of sentient beings, I shall invoke the Tathāgatas dwelling in space by means of the sound of the marking cord, so that they may come here." Having said this, one strikes the line. The Tathāgatas, thus invoked, will arrive. Then, having gone around in the circumambulatory direction, one stands in the direction of Yama and strikes the second Brahma-line with the disciple situated in the north. In the same way, one strikes the lines on the ground. Then, having gone to the southeast, one stands in the northeast and strikes the eastern line. Likewise, having applied this to the south, one strikes the lines in space and on the ground exactly as they are situated. Then, with "oṃ vajra muḥ," one requests the wisdom cord to depart.
Then, having prepared the colors, one takes the five pigments such as gold and so forth, or if these are unavailable, finely ground powders such as rice flour, and fumigates them with fragrant incense. Placing each in a skull-cup vessel, just as during the marking of the lines, one summons all the Tathāgatas with the "blazing gaze" and dissolves them into the pigments according to their respective colors. Reciting "oṃ vajracitra samaye hūṃ," one consecrates them, saying: "This expanse of reality is utterly pure; it liberates the realm of sentient beings. I shall draw the heart maṇḍala of the great king, glorious Heruka."
Having said that, hold the pigments individually with the fist of the left hand and, beginning from the northeast corner, draw the lines in a clockwise direction, ensuring they do not touch one another and are not crooked. The sequence is as follows: black on the innermost part, white outside of that, yellow below that, then red, and finally green. After drawing these five lines slightly, cover them with a clay bowl or similar object and examine the signs from the outside. Subsequently, the disciples may draw as they please. Then, the central maṇḍala, surrounded by a vajra garland, is white; the eight petals outside of that are red; the vajra garland is black; outside of that is a lotus; and outside of that is a vajra fence together with blazing fire-light. In the central palace, draw a skull-cup or a khaṭvāṅga resting upon a sun disk. In the east, upon a sun disk, is a vajra; in the south, upon a sun disk, is a jewel-staff; in the west, upon a sun disk, is a lotus; and in the north, upon a sun disk, is a sword. In the eight charnel grounds on the outside, draw the heads of the directional guardians resting upon tree leaves. The vajra garland and the fire-light should be drawn as appropriate. Then, having cleared away the obstructing spirits (vighna), meditate on oneself in the form of the wrathful deity Sarvakarmika, brandish the vajra, ring the bell, and circumambulate three times. While uttering "HŪṂ," perform the physical postures such as the right leg extended and so forth.
The vighnas are cleared away through the verbal application of reciting the wrathful garland mantras and the mental application of meditating on emptiness. Then, regarding the vases: according to the source text, take five vases free from defects such as black roots and the like, and draw the symbols of the respective deities upon them. Having blessed them through the ritual mentioned above, generate the glorious Heruka in union with his consort within the central vase. Summon the wisdom deities with light from the seed syllable, and after making offerings of flowers and so forth and offering praise, place the vase upon a vajra mouth-ornament. Recite the root mantra together with the three syllables one hundred and eight times, and then visualize the father and mother melting into light and becoming water of wisdom nectar. Likewise, complete the four other vases. Furthermore, bless the offerings such as the water for the feet with the three syllables, and perform the covering with seats and garments and so forth.
Then, for the accomplishment of the maṇḍala: smear the outer perimeter of the maṇḍala with cow dung and scatter loose flowers. Hang canopies, victory banners, and so forth, and place all the vases individually. Either place the victory vase in the center or place it inside the eastern gate. Collect a little water from all the vases, pour it into a lotus vessel, and place it on top of the victory vase. Then, the ācārya himself, having bathed and adorned himself with ornaments, enters and sits upon a comfortable seat. Through this sequence, he should emanate the maṇḍala.
From the heart, one should emanate a girl endowed with the characteristics of twelve years of age and so forth, or alternatively, a light-consort. Having meditated on the father and mother as the bodies of the deities, the two secret places are blessed. Through the sound of the bliss of entering into union, all the Tathāgatas are summoned and absorbed into oneself. These are then emanated to pervade space in the manner of a maṇḍala wheel, and then reabsorbed. They either merge with the wisdom deities and remain individually, or else, from within the state of meditating on emptiness, one meditates on the enclosure, the lattice, and the ground arising from the appearance of the syllable HŪṂ. Within that, one visualizes a multicolored lotus. Following that, one meditates on a subtle drop upon a sun disk in the center and in each of the four directions.
Then, from the drop in the eastern direction, an immeasurable number of the Vajra family is emanated. Having gathered all the wisdom Vajra families, they dissolve into the eastern drop, whereby Vajraḍākinī is generated. In the same way, the other three ḍākinīs are also generated. Then, from the central drop, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and so forth of all five families are emanated. These are reabsorbed and dissolve into the central drop, whereby Śrī Heruka together with Buddhaḍākinī is generated. Furthermore, the father and mother melt into light in the essence of the bliss of entering into union. While they abide as a mass of light, they are exhorted by the songs of the four goddesses of the four directions, and one should meditate that the father and mother arise simultaneously in their bodily forms. Having thus emanated the wheel of deities together with the wisdom maṇḍala, [the practice continues].
Then, one should make outer offerings, from the water for the feet and so forth, up to the music. The inner offering consists of the tasting of the amṛta and the feast offering. The secret offering is the bliss of the two organs. The unsurpassed offering is the meditation on non-duality. Then, having praised with the previously mentioned praises, one should recite the mantras of the deities interspersed with the three syllables as much as possible. Again, having made the outer and inner offerings, one then sends forth a vast torma outside. Then, having entered within, in order to enter the maṇḍala and receive empowerment, one should supplicate the deity:
"Just as Bodhivajra
To the Buddhas made the great offering,
So too, for the sake of my complete liberation,
Grant me the Vajra of Space!"
Then, the Lord of the Maṇḍala grants permission to the practitioner, and one should meditate on the conferral of the empowerments, from the entry into the maṇḍala up to the subsequent authorization. Then, one praises with the samaya song:
Oṃ! Because you arise from space and are signless,
Supreme, without beginning or end,
Nature of the Great Being-Vajra,
Vajrasattva, please accomplish me!
Supreme of all great accomplishments,
Maheśvara, supreme deity,
King of all Vajra-holders,
Unchanging supreme, please accomplish me!
Faultless and eternal,
Passionate with all passions,
Great passion, great joy,
Bhagavān, please accomplish me!
Supreme of all utter purity,
Primordially liberated Tathāgata...
Samantabhadra, the universal self,
Establish me in bodhicitta!
Supreme among supreme great accomplishments,
Victorious through the great empowerment of the Victors!
Greatly praised as the accomplished Vajra,
The self of the Lord of Vajrasattvas,
Pervading the minds of all sentient beings,
Abiding in the hearts of all sentient beings,
The very father of all sentient beings,
The supreme samaya of equal desire—
Thus one should offer praise with this song of samaya. Then, one should recite this blessing of truth:
"By the blessing of truth of the maṇḍala,
Which is the nature of wisdom and method,
By that truth, O Protector,
May you fulfill my desires!
All phenomena are like reflections:
Clear, pure, and untroubled.
Without grasping and inexpressible,
Arisen from causes and karma,
And likewise arisen from suchness itself.
By that truth, may all sentient beings
Clearly see the maṇḍala as a reflection,
And behold it all without stain."
Thus one should say. Then, the disciples are to be introduced. Having bathed and put on new clothes, the disciples should cover their faces with red silk and be placed outside the curtain. While they remain there holding flowers, the ācārya asks: "Who are you, you who desire joy?" They reply: "I am the fortunate one of great bliss." Again, the ācārya asks: "Are you eager to enter the supreme city of great liberation?" The disciples reply: "Into the supreme city of great liberation..."
"I wish to enter," one should reply. Then, generate the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) with: oṃ sarvayoga citta utpādayāmi. Next, take the vows:
"Whatever sins I have committed in the beginningless past within saṃsāra,
And whatever I have caused others to do, I confess them all today.
O Lord, I shall henceforth refrain from them.
Whatever virtues the Victorious Ones and their heirs,
And other beings, have performed,
I rejoice in them all
And dedicate them toward awakening.
In the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha,
I take refuge today.
To sever the suffering of saṃsāra
And to increase all virtues,
Having generated the two types of bodhicitta,
I invite all beings as my guests.
Once I have become a Buddha, I shall deliver
All beings without exception from the ocean of existence."
Then, placing a vajra together with a flower at the heart, recite: oṃ surate samayas tvaṃ hoḥ siddhi vajra yathā sukhaṃ. Following that, declare:
"Today, you shall be blessed by the vajra wisdom of all the Tathāgatas. Do not speak of this supreme great secret to those who have not entered the maṇḍala of all the Tathāgatas, nor to those who lack faith." Then, with āḥ khaṃ vīra hūṃ, lead them inside the curtain. Say: "Today you have entered the family of all the Tathāgatas. If by this wisdom you will even attain the accomplishments (siddhi) of all the Tathāgatas, what need is there to mention other accomplishments?"
"I shall generate such wisdom in you. You must not speak of this in the presence of those who have not seen the maṇḍala, lest your samaya be impaired." Then, placing a vajra upon the disciple's crown, he says: "This is the vajra of samaya. If you speak of this method to anyone whatsoever, this vajra of samaya shall split your head." Having said this, he places the vajra at the heart again and recites: "Oṃ! Today Vajrasattva truly enters your heart. If you speak of this method, he will immediately tear it apart and depart."
Then, having administered the oath, he recites over the water in the lotus vessel atop the Victory Vase: "Oṃ amṛta udaka." He says: "This is your hell-water. If you transgress the samaya, it will burn you. If you guard the samaya, the accomplishments will be achieved through this water of vajra nectar."
He then commands: "From this day forward, I am Vajrasattva to you. You must do whatever I command, and do not show me contempt. If you do, you will die without having avoided misfortune and will fall into the great hells of sentient beings." Then the disciple supplicates: "May all the Tathāgatas grant me their blessings! I pray that glorious Heruka descend upon me!" Then, at the disciple's heart, he visualizes a maṇḍala of the Great Powerful One (Mahendra) marked by a vajra and the syllable Hūṃ; at the throat, a maṇḍala of water marked by a vase and the syllable Vaṃ.
At the crown of the head, visualize a wind maṇḍala marked by a banner and the syllable Ha. At the soles of the feet, visualize a wind and fire maṇḍala marked by a red Jhai. Brandishing the vajra and ringing the bell with a majestic posture, recite one hundred times: Oṃ āveśaya stambhaya ra ra ra calaya calaya hūṃ ahaṃ jhai, and thus cause the descent. If the descent occurs, visualize a red A on the tongue. Ask, "Speak, O Vajra! Is it virtuous or non-virtuous?" and it will reveal whether it is good or bad. Furthermore, if the mind descends, complete knowledge arises; if the speech descends, one utters mantras; if the body descends, one remains suspended in the sky. With Oṃ tiṣṭha vajra, stabilize the descent. This is the ritual for the descent.
Then, the disciple prepares a maṇḍala, scatters flowers, and offers a gift to the deity and the guru. They should make a supplication with the words: "Just as Bodhivajra to the Buddha..." and so forth. Then the ācārya recites the blessing of truth: "Into this essential maṇḍala, I shall initiate my disciple. According to the sequence of the deity families, may whatever merit there is come forth. Whatever accomplishment is achieved by this, and whichever family the disciple is a vessel for—may it be so in this maṇḍala according to their merit." Then, ask about the color of the light appearing before the eyes. The disciple speaks of whatever they see, such as white and so forth, and one examines the signs of what will be accomplished. Then, praise the deities of the maṇḍala with the previously mentioned praises and cast the flower.
"By casting this flower of awareness into the maṇḍala of the Sugatagarbha, may it fall upon whichever deity it was destined to meet in the past, who has attained primordial wisdom." Having said this, one should cast the flower with the mantra pratīccha hoḥ. Then, one should identify the deity corresponding to whichever part of the maṇḍala the flower falls upon. As it is said:
"Whichever [deity] the precious flower and so forth fall upon is the deity of one's family. By meditating on the principal deity of that family, accomplishment will be attained; of this there is no doubt."
Having said this, the flower is taken and tied to the head of the disciple. Then, one visualizes the syllable Oṃ in the disciple's two eyes and says:
"Oṃ, Vajrasattva himself is striving to open your eyes. By opening them, you shall see all; this is the unsurpassed Vajra Eye."
Having said this, the blindfold is removed. Then one says:
"Look, look, O Great Being, at the supreme city of great liberation! Wherever the flower has fallen, that is your deity."
Having said this, the disciple is made to look at the maṇḍala. Starting from the gatekeepers and proceeding upward in order to the principal deity, the names are recited first, and then the maṇḍala is shown; this is the entry into the maṇḍala.
Then the empowerment is conferred. As it is said:
"Having conferred the empowerment, the reality [of the deity] is shown. Otherwise, the accomplishments will be very far away; so Vajradhara has spoken."
Therefore, for the sake of accomplishment, one should offer a suitable gift to the guru, make a supplication, and prostrate. The ācārya, in order to confer the empowerment upon him...
Outside the root maṇḍala, there is a square maṇḍala about half the size of the central one. In its center is an eight-petaled lotus with a filament. Having removed the symbols of the four goddesses in the south, the disciple is placed there and the rite of auspiciousness is performed.
Furthermore, having recited the root mantra over white mustard seeds, one holds them in the left fist, circles them in both hands, and casts them into the fire in the earthenware bowl. This is done three times. Then, having protected oneself with the root mantra and performed the ritual rinsing, one performs the rite of auspiciousness by anointing the heart with fragrant scents consecrated by the root mantra, placing flowers on the head, holding a lamp before the eyes, and fumigating with incense made of ghee and sarjarasa.
Then, visualizing Heruka, one blesses the eyes and other sense organs. Above, one holds a white parasol with a golden handle while reciting HŪṂ. To the left, one raises victory banners and flags. One should imagine the sound of musical instruments, such as copper and conch horns, filling the sky, and ring the vajra and bell:
"Endowed with excellence, like a mountain of gold,
Protector of the three worlds, who has abandoned the three stains,
Buddha, with eyes like the petals of a blooming lotus—
This is the first auspiciousness of virtue in the world.
The supreme, immovable Dharma taught by him,
Renowned throughout the three worlds and honored by gods and men,
The sublime Dharma that brings peace to all beings—
This is the second auspiciousness of virtue in the world."
"The sublime Saṅgha, endowed with the Dharma, rich in the auspiciousness of learning; the field of merit for gods, humans, and asuras; the supreme of assemblies, the foundation of shame and glory—this is the third auspiciousness of virtue in the world." Having sung such verses of auspiciousness, the empowerment is conferred. Reciting: "Just as at the moment of birth, all the Tathāgatas were bathed with pure divine water, so too shall I perform the bath." Tathāgata-samaya-śriye hūṃ. First, sprinkle with the water from the Victory Vase (vijaya-kalaśa), and then with the vases of the goddesses.
Then, for the inner empowerment: with light from the seed-syllable at the heart, summon the wisdom wheel (jñāna-cakra) from the ten directions into the sky. Mentally confer the empowerment, thinking: "May those whose nature is compassion please confer this empowerment upon this one." Then, visualize that they confer the empowerment arising from their own light, reciting: "From the source of the three secrets of all the Buddhas, the great empowerment granted and venerated by all those in the three realms—vajra-abhiṣiñca hūṃ." Recite this and perform the washing.
Then, the Blessed Ones together with their families enter the apertures of the disciple. Having transformed the entire body into their nature, visualize them abiding through the application of Akṣobhya’s crown. This is the water empowerment of the nature of Akṣobhya. Then, bind a crown made of elements such as gold, or if unavailable, a crown of silk or cotton.
Visualize that all the Tathāgatas filling the expanse of space are present there in the form of Ratneśvara. Then, confer the empowerment with the words:
"By means of the crown, the supreme symbol,
Marked with the sign of the Lord,
Today I confer this empowerment upon you;
May you become a protector and refuge for all beings!"
With "Oṃ ratnamudrā abhiṣiñca," confer the empowerment. This is the crown empowerment, the nature of Ratnasambhava.
Then, taking a five-pronged vajra, touch it to the three places of the disciple and say:
"The Buddha’s vajra empowerment
I shall confer upon you today.
To perfectly accomplish the state of all Buddhas,
Hold this vajra!"
With "Mahāvajra hūṃ," place the vajra in the right hand. This is the vajra empowerment, the nature of Amitābha.
Then, place the bell in the left hand and say:
"I bestow upon you today
The wisdom bell empowerment.
This is what all the Buddhas
Have called the wisdom dharmadhātu."
With "Mahāvajraghaṇṭe āḥ," place the bell in the left hand. Then, cross the right and left hands and perform the gesture of embracing. This is the empowerment of the nature of the Lord, the nature of the Samaya-vajra.
Then, holding the vajra and bell at the disciple’s crown, say:
"Whatever appears, that very thing
Is the glorious Heruka, the sovereign self.
Because all phenomena are utterly pure,
They are the very nature of Buddha-wisdom."
With "Oṃ vajrasattva tvaṃ abhiṣiñcāmi vajranāma abhiṣekataḥ," confer the name empowerment.
"O, [insert] such-and-such glorious one," he says, bestowing whatever name is desired in accordance with the [disciple's] family. This is the empowerment of the name, which is of a permanent nature. These are, in their respective order, the mirror-like, the equality, the discerning, the all-accomplishing, and the wisdom of the utterly pure dharmadhātu; they are the nature of the five wisdoms. By means of these five empowerments, one becomes a vessel for hearing, explaining, and practicing the tantras and so forth. Because these are the activities of the five vidyās, such as Locanā and the others, and because they reverse ignorance, they are called the "vidyā empowerments."
Then, the master empowerment is conferred. Having made the supplication: "O Compassionate One, through your kindness, please bestow upon me today the empowerment of the Vajra Master for the sake of the benefit of self and others," the master says to the disciple: "Grasp the great vajra and the great bell; be consecrated as a vajra. Today you have become a Vajra Master; gather the assemblies of disciples." Following that, he causes [the disciple] to uphold the three samayas. Visualizing the vajra with the syllable HŪṂ, he says: "This is the very nature of all the Buddhas; it rests in the hand of Vajrasattva. You must hold it forever; be firm in the conduct of Vajrapāṇi." Reciting "OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA SIDDHI VAJRA SAMAYE TIṢṬHA EṢA STVAṂ DHĀRAYĀMI HI HI HI HI HŪṂ," he hands over the vajra for the disciple to grasp. Then, he recites this suchness: "The Being without beginning or end..."
Vajrasattva, the Tathāgata, Samantabhadra, the self of all, the essence of the vajra, the sovereign self, the Blessed One, the glorious primordial being. Then, having given the bell born from ĀḤ, one says: "This is the melody of the insight of all the Buddhas; you too must always hold it, for the Victorious Ones desire it for supreme awakening." Having thus given the bell, one rings it with: "Because existence is pure by nature, it is primordially pure by its very essence. By the being whose nature is pure, existence is made into the supreme, sacred state. OṂ VAJRA GHAṆṬE RAṆITA PRARAṆITA SAṂPRARAṆITA SARVA BUDDHA KṢETRA PRACALITE PRAJÑĀPĀRAMITĀ NĀDA SVABHĀVE VAJRA DHARA HṚDAYA APRATIHATA SOŚĀNA HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ." This is the discipline of the bell.
Then, the discipline of the mudrā is bestowed. Regarding that, it is said: "By embracing a wisdom consort twelve years of age, through the union of the vajra and bell, the empowerment of the ācārya is attained." Therefore, one should bless oneself as the mudrā of one's own deity. Furthermore: "To stabilize the mental body, the samaya-mudrā is renowned; that which stabilizes one's entire body is renowned as the mudrā." Having thus generated the clear realization of one's own deity, one should offer flowers and so forth and perform praises. Then, with a sense of pride, one should cast a single flower upon the head of the disciple.
From this day forth, through the yoga of Vajrasattva, perform the offering of the festival of bliss, the play of the perfect Buddhas and their Sons. HŪṂ. With graceful charm, cast the garland; make offerings to all the Buddhas. By this, the Blessed One will never be parted from you; the garland is your ornament. OṂ. For the sake of embodied beings, you must sing the sublime Dharma. By this, the accomplishment of the Sugatas will be swiftly experienced as bliss. HRĪḤ. With the dance of the palms joined in thatness, make all the Buddhas impassioned. Through the activity of gathering the Buddhas, transform yourself into the manner of a dancer. HOḤ. By offering incense to the perfect Buddhas, satisfy them well with excellent conduct. Through wisdom, satisfy embodied beings in the attire of the Sugatas. A. Scatter flowers before the Buddhas. By becoming the collection of the branches of awakening, you will attain the body of a Sugata endowed with the major and minor marks. BHRŪṂ. By well-kindling the fire of Dharma, like Vajradharma, cause the lamp of wisdom to blaze for sentient beings blinded by ignorance. PRA. By offering fragrance to the Victorious Ones, infuse embodied beings with the body of awakening: discipline, as well as insight, and the vision of the wisdom of liberation. GHA. Following that, recite the root mantra of the Blessed One over a golden probe: "Just as the King, the physician of eyes, removed the cataracts of the world, so too, my son, [remove] your ignorance..."
The Victorious Ones have removed the cataracts. OṂ VAJRA NETRAYĀPĀHARA PAṬALAṂ HRĪḤ. Then, a mirror is shown: "Clear, pure, and unclouded, ungraspable and inexpressible, arising entirely from causes and karma, pure in nature and selfless—having understood all phenomena to be thus, perform the peerless benefit of sentient beings, and you shall be born as a son of the Victorious Ones." Then, with the syllable HOḤ, a bow and arrow are given, and he is instructed: "Be in harmony with all the Tathāgatas." He is made to shoot an arrow in each of the four directions and also to shoot one downward. Then, with VAJRA HETUKṚŪṂ, a wheel is placed between his feet. Again, with OṂ VAJRA BHAṢA RAṂ, a conch is placed in his right hand, the Mahāmāyā scripture is given into his left, and he is made to ring a bell: "From this day forward, generate the mind of awakening. Turn the wheel of Dharma for others. Without doubt or hesitation, with a mind free of dualism, completely fill the stainless, unsurpassed conch of Dharma. Always teach the rituals of the mantra way to all beings. By doing so, you will be said to be repaying the kindness of the Buddhas. All those Vajra-holders will also constantly protect you." Thus he speaks. Then, assuming the attire of a Universal Monarch (Cakravartin), he says: "For the benefit of all sentient beings, throughout all the world-realms, turn the wheel of Dharma in whatever various ways are necessary to discipline them."
Likewise, having substituted the words "vajra," "jewel," "lotus," and "action" in place of "dharma," one grants the authorization with five verses. Then, furthermore:
"Perform all those activities: pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and slaying; summoning, liberating, binding, and expelling; separating, and so forth, as well as remaining [in place]. Accomplish the siddhis of the yoginīs—the sword, the eye-salve, the underworld, the sandals, and likewise the pill—just as you please."
This is the authorization. Then, the master himself stands up, visualizes himself in the form of a Buddha, and with the left hand holds the dharma robe at the heart in the manner of wearing it, while the right hand is placed in the gesture of granting fearlessness. Having conferred the vajra-name empowerment, he gives the prophecy:
"Oṃ! Here I prophesy for you: you are the Tathāgata Vajrasattva. Since existence is utterly pure, you are delivered from the lower realms of existence. Hevajranāma tathāgatā bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ."
To whoever is thus prophesied by this method and this ritual of the supreme secret Mahāmudrā, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas together with the maṇḍala circle grant the prophecy of unsurpassed great awakening with one voice. This is to generate faith, thinking, "This is the power of this mantra and this mudrā."
Then, the secret is proclaimed:
"There is no sin in the three realms like that of being free from passion. Therefore, one must never become free from passion for desire."
MAHĀMĀYĀ HANA HŪṂ. Then, holding a parasol over the crown of the disciple’s head, one should circumambulate with the parasol. Then, in the presence of the maṇḍala, touch the crown of the head with the parasol and say: "This disciple, who has become a holder of the mantras, is now offered." Having said this, set down the parasol and speak these words:
"Today you become a master of the maṇḍala. You shall become a holder of the mantras and tantras. This has been unanimously declared by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and all the deities. Out of compassion for all sentient beings, draw the maṇḍala according to the ritual. With diligence, you must apply practitioners to the mantras."
Then, grant the encouragement:
"By entering and seeing this supreme, great secret maṇḍala, you are completely liberated from all sins. Today you abide in virtue. In this vehicle of great bliss, there is no death from now on, nor is there any invincible harm; therefore, be joyful without any fear. Since existence is utterly pure, you have transcended the suffering of existence. Do not abandon the mudrā called 'Vajra' and the bodhicitta. By merely generating it, one becomes a Buddha without a doubt. Do not disparage the sublime Dharma, and never ever cast it aside. Do not teach that reality to those who are ignorant or deluded. Do not abandon the vajra and bell, and never disparage the ācārya. Since he is equal to all the Buddhas, whoever disparages him [disparages the Buddhas themselves]."
"By that, one will always obtain suffering. Having completely abandoned the self, one should not torment oneself with asceticism. Abiding in happiness just as it is, this is the future perfect Buddha. Today you have the fruit; you will become equal to the gods and the samaya, and like Vajrasattva, you will always be liberated." This is the consolation.
Then the disciple prostrates and makes this pledge: "Whatever the Lord has commanded, I shall do all of that." This is the empowerment of the master.
Then, the secret empowerment is conferred. A secluded place should be prepared, and having partitioned it with a curtain, one should offer to the guru a consort of twelve years of age or similar, who possesses the samaya, as described in the tantras. The disciple should then pray: "O Blessed One, peaceful awakening, great joy, perfectly arisen through vajra union, you who have accomplished the indivisible mudrā, to what are you devoted in vajra union? Just as you are, O Great Being, I pray that the Lord act for me. Protect me, who am sinking without refuge in the ocean of the mud of saṃsāra."
Then the glorious master, endowed with compassion, generates compassion for the disciple and acts as the Vajra Holder. The disciple should worship the Vajra-Holder with meat, alcohol, delicious food and drink, flowers, incense, perfumes, and so forth, along with victory banners and bells. Then, preceded by the blessing of the mudrā—
One should rely upon the mudrā who possesses the seminal fluid and enter into union. Then, with the eyes of both the disciple and the mudrā covered, the empowerment is conferred upon the disciple:
"Just as the Great Sage, the Sugata,
Conferred empowerment upon the sons of awakening,
So too, by this empowerment of the Tathāgatas,
May my mental continuum be purified."
Reciting "bodhicitta abhiṣiñca," the disciple also says, "aho sukha." Thus, one should cause the perfection of bliss to enter. The consort should also act in this manner; this is the secret empowerment of method and insight.
Following that, the wisdom-gnosis empowerment is conferred. After the disciple has made the request as before, the qualified consort is blessed and entrusted to them. Placing his hand upon the disciple's head, the master says:
"This girl, the bestower of joy,
Possessing various forms and enchanting,
Take her, take her, O Great Being!
Having taken her, perform the supreme offering.
By no other means is awakening attained;
By her, the three worlds are purified.
Therefore, you must never be separated from her;
This is the unsurpassed conduct of the vidyā of all Buddhas.
Any fool who abandons her
Will not attain the supreme accomplishment."
Having said this, he gives her to the disciple. She then says:
"Excrement, urine, blood, and semen,
And the eating of great flesh and so forth,
Constant devotion to women,
And kissing the lotus of the bhaga—
Son, are you able to take delight in these?"
She asks this. The excellent son replies:
"O Goddess, why should I not take delight?"
"Consume the semen, blood, and so forth; always be devoted to women, and kiss the lotus of the bhaga." Thus he speaks. Then the Wisdom Consort says: "Ema! This lotus of mine is perfectly endowed with all bliss. The Mahāmudrā of great bliss always abides right here. Any fool who abandons this will not attain the supreme accomplishment." Thus she speaks. Following that, perform the karaṇa as previously explained and enter into union; through the pith instructions, one should point out that very moment. The fourth empowerment is to be understood from the pith instructions of the Guru.
In order to inspire faith and engagement in the practice manual of the Mahāmāyā, I have written this in accordance with the tradition of the Guru. I dedicate the roots of virtue to future generations. This concludes the Maṇḍala Ritual of Mahāmāyā, composed by the accomplished Kukkuripa. Translated by the Indian Abbot Nāvikota and the Tibetan translator 'Gos Lhas btsas.