Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual manual provides a comprehensive technical guide for the construction and activation of the Buddhakapāla maṇḍala. The text functions as a prescriptive sequence, moving from the preliminary gathering of materials and the purification of the ritual space to the precise geometric layout of the maṇḍala using colored threads and powders. It commits the practitioner to a rigorous path of generation stage yoga, incorporating specific somatic postures, the use of ritual implements like the vijaya vase, and the performance of complex offerings including the five meats and alcohol. The work integrates the physical architecture of the maṇḍala with the internal psychological state of the yogi, culminating in the conferral of empowerment and the attainment of siddhi. By detailing the roles of the guru, the disciples, and the various deities—including Heruka and the four female gatekeepers—the text establishes a ritualized environment where the practitioner transcends ordinary perception to realize a non-dual state of bliss and wisdom.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual dedicated to the glorious Buddha-Head, the Śrībuddhakapālanāmamaṇḍalavidhikramapradyotana belongs to the tradition of the Other Wisdom Tantras. Attributed to the Indian author Saraha (II), the work was translated into the Tibetan language by Gayādhara and gyi jo zla ba’i ’od zer. This classical Tibetan translation is preserved in volume ར of the Tengyur, where it extends over twenty-seven pages. The work enacts a prescriptive sequence for the ritual practitioner, beginning with the gathering of necessary materials and the guru's abiding in the generation stage. It details the recitation of the lord of the maṇḍala, asserting that those of great, middling, or small merit may achieve accomplishment through ten million, one hundred thousand, or ten thousand recitations. The ritual involves the interaction with deities such as the Great King of Blood-Drinkers (Heruka) and a golden-hued, peaceful goddess who is pleased with offerings of water and torma cakes. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the technical requirements of the Buddhakapāla maṇḍala, the specific roles of the guru and retinue, and the integration of somatic practice with the recitation of the maṇḍala's lord.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “The Clear Ritual Stages of the Maṇḍala for the Glorious Buddhakapāla Tantra” (Toh 1657), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1657
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant as a representative example of the highly specialized ritual technology found in the Anuttarayoga Tantra tradition, specifically regarding the Buddhakapāla cycle. It illustrates the intersection of sacred geometry, somatic practice, and the use of transgressive substances to achieve spiritual liberation. For the modern reader, it provides primary evidence of the precise requirements for tantric empowerment and the structural complexity of Indo-Tibetan maṇḍala rituals.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-12
Preliminary Preparations
Initial recitations, offerings to dākinīs, purification of the ritual site, and personal purification of the practitioner.
13-17
Maṇḍala Construction
Technical instructions for laying out the maṇḍala's dimensions, using colored threads, and placing ritual objects at the center and gates.
18-21
Deity Visualization and Invocation
Detailed descriptions of the central deity's appearance and the arrangement of the surrounding heroes and yoginīs.
22-29
Empowerment and Initiation
The process of conferring empowerment, taking vows, and the method of determining a disciple's family through the casting of flowers.
30-36
Ritual Offerings and Conclusion
Guidelines for ongoing offerings, the performance of union rituals, final prayers, and the formal dismissal of the deities.
Themes
Sacred Geometry and Space (6, 13-16)
Somatic and Yoga Practices (5, 12, 22, 32)
Ritual Offerings and Substances (3, 8, 11, 20, 30)
Guru-Disciple Relationship (2, 9, 23-25, 31, 35)
Non-duality and Enlightenment (26, 28, 29, 34)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaThe Clear Ritual Stages of the Maṇḍala for the Glorious Buddhakapāla Tantra·
In the language of India: Śrī-buddhakapāla-maṇḍala-vidhi-krama-pradyotana-nāma-vidhiḥ. In the language of Tibet: dpal sangs rgyas thod pa zhes bya ba’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga’i rim pa gsal ba zhes bya ba. Homage to the glorious Buddha-Head (Śrī-Buddhakapāla).
To the glorious Great King of Blood-Drinkers (Heruka), the binding of the twenty-four [sites], the protector of beings who is the nature of all things, to Viśvamitra (Cicupa), I pay homage. I shall clearly explain the supreme maṇḍala of the Buddha-Head, just as I have seen the rituals in other tantras, as it has come down through the lineage of gurus.
A guru who possesses excellent characteristics—steadfast, disciplined, and wise; patient, honest, and free from deceit; and who knows the application of mantra and tantra—should, after careful examination, perform the work of drawing the maṇḍala for the sake of the disciple.
Furthermore, the disciple should be of great intelligence, possessing a mind of extreme faith, free from desire, with subdued senses, having completely abandoned both attachment and aversion, and be intensely diligent in the welfare of sentient beings. Having abandoned ignorance, hatred, and envy, and being blessed by all the Buddhas—to such as these, the reality (tattva) should be explained. That disciple is then fully accepted.
Now, I shall explain the ritual for accomplishing all siddhis without exception. If the deities are not pleased, one will certainly bring oneself to ruin. In places such as charnel grounds, in order to thoroughly please the glorious Heruka and his retinue, one should prepare a beautiful maṇḍala and properly smear it with the five substances such as water, as well as cow-products, butter, and so forth.
Having gathered the necessary materials for the ritual, the guru, abiding in the manner of the generation stage according to the system taught in the tantras, performs the recitation of the lord of the maṇḍala. Through ten million, one hundred thousand, or ten thousand recitations, those of great, middling, or small merit will achieve accomplishment. Since the retinue are the limbs of the principal deity, one should not perform the recitation separately for them. If signs are perceived, the recitation may be concluded even if it is interrupted.
Possessing the blessings of the deity, in order to draw the supreme maṇḍala, one should go to a mountain, a cave, a dense forest, or a charnel ground—any primordially established site—or else to the shore of the ocean. To properly draw the outer maṇḍala, one should construct a well-made artificial maṇḍala in a pleasing location and an auspicious place. Sprinkle it with scents, cow products, and nectar, and arrange the seats for the deities in their respective numbers. Scatter beautiful flowers there, generate the complete wheel of the Blood-Drinker (Heruka), and having performed the summoning and so forth of the wisdom deities who possess the power of birth and so on, and having conferred empowerment, perform the offerings and praises, and finally make this supplication:
"All Buddhas, please attend to me! For the sake of making offerings to you and for the benefit of the disciples, I wish to draw the excellent maṇḍala called the Buddha Skull. Please grant me your blessings!"
Having made the supplication in that way, and being provided with offerings and torma, in order to invoke the goddess Rati, one strikes the earth with the hand just as the Buddhas of the past did. Thereupon, the goddess emerges from beneath the earth.
Golden-hued and peaceful in nature, adorned with beautiful jewel ornaments, holding a golden vase and asking, "What shall I do?"—one should please her with offerings of water for the feet, drinking water, and so forth, as well as offerings and torma cakes. The majestic one then speaks these words:
"O Goddess, you are the witness to the conduct and the specific stages and perfections of all the Buddhas, the Protectors. Just as the Protector, the Lion of the Śākyas, conquered the hosts of Māra, so shall I conquer the hosts of Māra and draw the maṇḍala."
Having spoken thus three times, the Goddess, with a joyful countenance, says: "Since you are the master, perform the supreme activity of the maṇḍala." Having said this, she dissolves into the earth.
Then, having properly given torma offerings to the guardians of the directions: "O gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras who dwell in this region, who possess great miraculous powers and the vajra eyes and ears: I, named [so-and-so], for the sake of making offerings to the Sugatas and for the benefit of all sentient beings, shall perform the activities of the great maṇḍala of the Buddhakapāla, the King of Tantras, in this very virtuous location. Therefore, do not create obstacles, but act as my virtuous companions."
Making this request three times is the beautiful ritual for taking the site. Following that, the glorious Great King Heruka, adorned with necklaces, earrings, and so forth, and wearing garments of ash and ornaments, sits in the center of the ground.
One should complete the sequence of the yoga. At that time, the yogi dwelling in the abodes of the four ḍākinīs, having pleased them with offerings and praises, should say: "O Great Protector, please explain the maṇḍala of Buddhakapāla, the lord of all maṇḍalas, which exhausts every single sin without exception."
Having understood those words of request and looked upon beings with compassion, he should perform the ritual for expelling obstructors. Possessing the pride of the Blood-Drinker (Heruka), one should clearly meditate on a sun and a moon in the eyes, arising from the syllables MA and ṬA. One should meditate on a dark blue vajra arising from the syllable HŪṂ at the pupils of the eyes. At the two feet, one should visualize blazing crossed vajras arising from the syllable ĀḤ. From the pupils of the vajra-eyes, a host of wrathful deities is emanated to clear away the obstructors. One emanates vajra-fences for the foot-steps, brandishes the vajra, and rings the bell.
Having gone to the northeast corner, one issues a command to the obstructors: "Listen, you entire hosts of obstructors—gods, asuras, guhyakas, and all you obstructing spirits who cause harm! The Lord of the Yoga of Buddhakapāla has arisen from the wisdom of great bliss; he is the glorious Heruka in person. He applies the wheel of the command. If you transgress his command, your heads will undoubtedly be split into a hundred pieces by the fiercely blazing vajra and you will be destroyed. Therefore, depart elsewhere!"
Having spoken thus and commanded the obstructors, one should begin from the northeast and traverse the area three times in a clockwise direction. From beneath the feet, rays of light emerge like the fire at the end of an aeon.
Visualize that the malevolent ones are incinerated and driven away from one another. By circling to the right and left, embracing, and with the kuca-pa, bharati, satikī, pretakeśikya, and so forth, through union in the manner of those possessed by passion, one should perform the dance with playful swaying, playful strides, or the eight-step dance. Moving the feet and moving the hands, raising the eyebrows and following with great joy, with slightly bashful sidelong glances, looking down at the full thighs, the right eye performing the dance, with the smile of a lotus mouth, and bearing slightly reddened fangs, the row of teeth white as a kunda flower—the glorious great yogin Heruka, the wondrous liberator of sentient beings. Through such dances as these, all obstructors without exception should be expelled. With the secret mantras of the four hūṃs and so forth, perform the ritual of generating the ritual daggers (kīla). Having completed the recitation of the blessing, Oṃ vajra kīli kīlaya, strike with the mantra gha gha and so forth. Emanate the vajra fence and lattice. This is the ritual for clearing away obstructors, having made the site of the maṇḍala pleasing and perfectly endowed. Through the yoga of Buddhakapāla, place the hand upon the ground and, by uttering hūṃ khaṃ, visualize the completely pure sky. With the mantra hūṃ laṃ, visualize the golden ground as being endowed with vajras. Oṃ medinī vajrībhava bandha hūṃ. In that very place where the site is found, having perfectly cleared away the peaceful and wrathful fire-rites, [the ritual is complete].
The wise, skilled in the distinctions of ritual action, should understand the sequence of the bhujaṅga (the crawling serpent) and dig starting from the belly, circling to the right. One must clear away pebbles, charred wood, potsherds, husks, bones, and corpses. Fill the pit with earth mixed with the "five immortals" and fragrant water, over which one has recited the hūṃ mantra. Having tamped it down to the proper measure and made it firm, smear the surface evenly with water and other products derived from the cow, as well as the five nectars (pañcāmṛta). This will please the ḍākinīs.
If the ground slopes toward the east and north, the accomplishments (siddhi) of the mantras will be attained. If it is high in the center, one will obtain a kingdom or the state of a Vidyādhara. If it is high in the north, it will cause death or the destruction of wealth. If the east is high as previously described, it will quickly cause the lineage to perish. A nature that is low in the center brings destruction upon the practitioner. Thus, one should examine and clearly understand these characteristics.
Once the ground has been prepared in this way, through the yoga of Buddhakapāla, sprinkle it with water of the five nectars and recite: oṃ hūṃ dhṛ hūṃ khaṃ hūṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭha vajrasamaya adhiṣṭhāpaya te. Meditate on that ground as empty. At the time of purifying the ground, offer a bali (offering cake) to the great elements. Recite: oṃ heruka vajrasamayādhi sarvaduṣṭān samayamudrā prabhañjaka hūṃ rulu rulu bhyo hūṃ hūṃ phaṭ.
Then, on the well-purified ground smeared with fragrant water and the five nectars, draw the bindu and arrange flowers. Generate the mandala of the twenty-five deities, beginning with the King of Blood-Drinkers (Heruka). Don the armor with oṃ heṃ and so forth.
After blessing the three places, and having been blessed by the wisdom wheel, one should perform the sequence of empowerment and sealing. One should satisfy [the deities] with offerings and nectar, please the Protector with praises, and then, bowing, make the request:
"O Pervasive Lord, the self of all things, arisen from non-dual wisdom, the Principal Teacher, glorious Heruka, perfectly joined with Vicitrasenā, the ḍākinīs of the cardinal and intermediate directions, the goddesses of knowledge possessing miraculous powers, and all the bodhisattvas and so forth—without exception, please turn your attention toward me. For the benefit of the disciples and also for the sake of making offerings to you, I, the Vajra-holder named [so-and-so], wish to draw the maṇḍala tomorrow morning. Thinking of us with compassion, please all of you grant your blessings."
After making this request three times, one should offer fragrant flower garlands and skull cups containing the five nectars to the glorious Heruka and all the others. Having properly presented incense and so forth, one should thereafter perform all the ascetic observances (vratas) according to the ritual for taking heart-courage. This is the ritual for requesting the deities.
Thereafter, [prepare] twenty-six [vases] made of gold, silver, or other precious materials, with slender necks, large bellies, long throats, and narrow mouths. Anoint them with fragrant white pigments, ensuring they are free of stains or discoloration. Mark the center of each with the respective symbols of the deities. Bind the neck of each vase with a pair of white cotton cloths. Fill them with water mixed with milk and wine, and place the five types of precious gems inside. In all the vases, [place] the five grains...
Having placed medicinal substances, nectar, and the five meats inside the vijaya vase, one should cover it with a branch of the mango tree. After expelling obstructing spirits and blessing the vase, the master of great intelligence, endowed with the yoga of Buddhakapāla, should meditate within the vase upon a sun disk atop a lotus, which is firmly pressed down by a corpse. Above that, one should meditate on the principal deity, father and mother, arisen from the five primordial wisdoms. Then, in the other vases, one should generate the goddesses very clearly in an instant. In the vase that performs all activities, marked with a crossed vajra, one should complete the generation ritual of Amṛtakuṇḍalin through the three rituals. Having arranged them in the manner of a maṇḍala, don the armor, and bless the three places, and having properly completed the summoning and so forth and the conferral of empowerment, preceded by the skull-cup offering water, one should present offerings from incense up to the divine food, equal in number to the deities. One should also please the deities of the vase with the inner and secret offerings. Likewise, one should perform the offering ritual for the previously mentioned assembly of deities. Following that, the recitation should be offered; for the vijaya vase, one should please them with the heart mantras. For the others, the "Sun Essence" (Sūryagarbha) should be applied; for the performer of all activities, it is one's own mantra. The supplication should be performed similarly to the others. Such is the manner of the ritual: the preliminary consecration of the vases. Then, in order to perform the preliminary consecration and offerings for the principal disciple and the others, the assembly possessing the previously explained characteristics—
Having bathed the body and put on clean clothes, and having filled the palms with flowers, after offering a beautiful maṇḍala, one should respectfully utter the requested supplication:
"O Great Joy, you are my teacher; O Master, please attend to me. I seek the Great Protector who demonstrates the way of the Bodhisattvas. Grant me the reality of the samaya; grant me also the bodhicitta. Grant me the Three Refuges: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. O Protector, I wish to enter the supreme city of great liberation."
When the disciples have thus supplicated, the master should transform them into children by means of light from his own heart and proclaim these words:
"Come, child! You are a vessel for the Great Vehicle, a vessel for the great way. I shall correctly explain to you the ritual of the Secret Mantra conduct. All the perfect Buddhas of the past, those who have not yet come, and all the perfect Buddhas of the present who remain for the benefit of beings—all of them, having realized this excellent ritual of Secret Mantra, attained immeasurable omniscience at the foot of the Bodhi tree. This peerless conduct of Secret Mantra was used by the glorious protector Heruka to conquer the hosts of Māra, however fierce and vast their armies. Therefore, my child, apply your intelligence to this in order to attain omniscience. You, my child, must guard the vows that are higher and higher than those before; there is no other means whatsoever for the cause of liberation."
[From the Ḍākinī-aṅga...]
For the sake of the disciples attaining enlightenment, through confession and so forth, one should perform all the rituals in their entirety. Whatever sins I have committed, caused others to commit, or rejoiced in, I confess each and every one without exception in the presence of the Buddhas. I rejoice in the merit of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, Arhats, and all wandering beings, as well as their meditations and recitations. I always go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. I always go for refuge to the Buddhas, Ḍākinīs, and the nature of the three wheels. I always go for refuge to the heroes, heroines, powerful goddesses, and the great beings who are Bodhisattvas, and especially to the Master. O glorious Herukas, heroes, yoginīs, Vairocana, and the rest, and the immeasurable Bodhisattvas and others, please attend to me! From this moment until I abide in non-duality, I shall generate the supreme mind of enlightenment, the non-dual conduct of purity. Through my virtuous deeds, may I swiftly accomplish Buddhahood and deliver sentient beings from the ocean of saṃsāra to the unsurpassed state. Having briefly visualized the disciple as a deity, at the places where the drops are arranged, one should meditate on the three syllables marked with vajras. These become the signs of the Body, Speech, and Mind. By the supreme power of the three syllables in the center, they are summoned and absorbed, and the deity is made clear. A flower is placed on the crown and incense before them.
Incense and lamps are for the heart; the food offering is for the mouth, and sound for the ears. With a tooth-stick of Udumbara, Ashvattha, or similar wood, twelve finger-widths in length, one should tie a flawless flower to its tip and offer it. Facing either east or north, one should chew the tooth-stick in silence. On a spot smeared with cow dung the size of a cow-hide, one should cast the tooth-stick straight ahead. At that time, if it points toward oneself and the tip stands upright, it is explained as the supreme siddhi. If it points toward the intermediate directions or the north, one will attain worldly siddhis. Likewise, if it points in other directions, it will become a middling siddhi. If, among a hundred cast tooth-sticks, one points downward, there is no doubt that it is a siddhi of the subterranean realm. With the secret mantra beginning with OṂ HRĪḤ and so forth, one should give water to rinse the mouth. Just as the Udumbara flower appears only once in a great while in the world, even for an omniscient one, so too this way of practicing secret mantra is even more difficult to find. It is that which is able to bring about the unsurpassed benefit of sentient beings without equal. Through this profound, non-dual way of practice, sentient beings are made to attain buddhahood. Whatever sins have been accumulated over countless eons from the beginning, all of them are exhausted by seeing the profound maṇḍala. Following that, having consecrated the kuśa grass with the supreme three-syllable mantra, one should spread it as a pillow and a seat. One should recite the essence mantra of the principal deity.
Tie three knots in a red thread and bind it upon the left arm. Instruct them in the lion’s posture and say: "Lie down upon a seat of kuśa grass; rise tomorrow morning, O fair-faced ones. Tomorrow morning, you shall behold the great city of the glorious Buddhakapāla."
Then, from the seed syllable at one's own heart, emanate the deities before oneself through the entry of the mantra. With both the outer and inner nature, thoroughly worship the maṇḍalas of the glorious Heruka and the rest. Satisfy the bhūtas as well. At the time of dawn, inquire about the signs in the dreams. Whatever signs they see, they should speak of them without hesitation. If they are auspicious, rely upon the siddhis; if they are inauspicious, avert the obstacles. This is the ritual for the preliminary consecration of the disciples.
Having thus performed the preliminary consecration, the wise one, in the morning, for the purpose of laying the lines, should act as the master with the characteristics previously described: wearing a skull-cup on the crown of the head, the limbs smeared with ashes, the six mudrās and so forth upon the body, holding a khaṭvāṅga in the hand, and adorned with a garland of fifty [skulls]. Having manifested oneself as the glorious Heruka, one should place the gaze upon the maṇḍala and settle it at the heart. Clearly donning the armor and adorned with mantra and mudrā, one should draw the terrifying maṇḍala that bestows the supreme siddhi. Having prepared the thread of correct measure, doubled for the wisdom maṇḍala and so forth, using human fat and blood, and avoiding [impurities] such as gamitaka, one should proceed.
In the delightful city of the Blood-Drinker, starting from a height of five cubits and extending to twelve or sixteen, the supreme lord of yogis, possessing insight, should lay the lines. Having distinguished and dyed the five-colored threads, one should place them in a skull vessel with devotion and generate them as the five families arising from seed syllables. Having invited all the glorious Blood-Drinkers and others, they are to be absorbed into that. The Ḍākinīs of all the Buddhas, being non-dual with the mantra of the principal deity, are well-placed in a lotus vessel and honored with naturally occurring flowers. Having generated the wisdom body, the wise one should lay the lines. Having previously observed the ritual, in order to lay the wisdom thread, the Guru should hold it with a fist, while the other [assistant] stands at the edge with a śiṣya [staff], thinking of the exhaling breath as it moves. The two lines are then properly twisted together. Having twisted them with the non-dual secret mantra, the lines are to be made there. Releasing them well with the sound "Jja jja," the intelligent one should stand behind. First, from the center of the gates of the north and south, facing toward the south, one should lay the line of space. The second is laid from the west and east. Oṃ vajrasamaya sūtra mātikrama hūṃ. After that, holding the thread with the left fist at the level of the navel, the Protector of Beings, looking toward the east, should lay the two Brahmā lines upon the ground. At the time of laying the threads, [one should think of] the entire world system without exception.
"O Buddha and others, for the sake of beings, now is your time!" Thus they exhort. The Guru himself, or a supreme companion, should diligently circumambulate from the left. Standing in the directions of Wind and Ishāna, and in the directions of Fire and Nairṛti, the Guru should strike two lines at the intermediate points. Looking toward the north, one should stretch the cord to the southwest. Standing in the direction of Fire and standing in the direction of Ishāna, the practitioner of ascetic discipline should strike the eastern line according to the ritual. Knowing the distinctions of the directional circumambulations and so forth, and having received the sequence of the Guru’s oral instructions, the learned Guru should strike all the lines. The Guru standing in the southeast and the Guru standing in the northwest should strike the south-north lines. Having set aside the enclosure and the mountain of fire, one should divide the sixteen parts. Discarding the first six, one should divide the second, third, and seventh into four parts each. Likewise, the fourth, fifth, and eighth should be treated according to the ritual, discarding the central part. The main palace is one large square; strike the lines for the navel and the pericarp. The three-tiered lotus with eight petals is the area of three large squares; each lotus petal is three small units, and each row is a vajra garland. The door is one-eighth of the wheel, and the courtyard should be half of that. The door-frames are the same size as the doors, and the five-colored pigments are half of that. The jeweled frieze is the size of the pigments; the lattices and half-lattices are double that. The pediment is three times the size of the door, adorned with banners, bells, and rays of light; strike all the lines in this manner.
The parasol, wheel, and deer, with the crossed vajra beautifying the directions; the outer enclosure is a wall of fire. Excluding the eight, there is one large square; the lines of the two stages should be struck. First, from the white lime lines and so forth, the lines must be struck in successive order. Then, by striking the wisdom lines upon that, they should be extended in every direction. The blue colored powder is to be made from the black charcoal of a cremated corpse. The red colored powder is explained to be made from the bricks of a charnel ground. Likewise, the green colored powder is from the leaves of the neem tree. The source of the white colored powder is from the powder of human bone. The source of the yellow colored powder is to be made from the powder of turmeric. Thus, with these five colored powders, the wise one should draw the maṇḍala. Since these charnel ground substances are the ornaments of Maheśvara, the five should be emanated as five. According to the ritual of the wisdom lines, the generated deities and so forth should be elaborated. With a pure mind, having risen in the morning, one should thoroughly begin the work of the maṇḍala. This is the purity of the dharmadhātu, which brings about the complete liberation of the realm of sentient beings. This is the Great King Buddhakapāla, the abode of all tathāgatas. One should correctly engage in the work of the colors, which completely pacifies all faults without exception. The master, first placing his left fist on the ground, should begin from the northeast corner and draw the fifth line behind. Those who perform the work of applying the colors and drawing should be endowed with the samaya vows.
Drawing the height from the little finger to the thumb, one should draw it perfectly high. Moving to the right without interruption, one should draw it with great care, blue, white, yellow, and like ruby and emerald. Afterwards, the disciples should do the same everywhere. If the lines are uneven, crooked, low, or broken—if the lines are low, the work will not be accomplished; if they are crooked, they will produce suffering; and if they are broken, it should be known that both the master and the disciples will die. Therefore, the qualified drawing must be well-marked with all the proper characteristics. The palace is three-tiered and circular, completely surrounded by the three vajras. The exterior is square and level, adorned with four gates and archways, decorated with four types of banners, and embellished with lattices and half-lattices. The outer ledge is pure and perfectly endowed with jeweled friezes. It is made exceedingly beautiful by twenty-five lotus seats. Regarding that, the first tier consists of an eight-petaled lotus with a variegated center. The center of the lotus should be drawn blue; the petals are white, yellow, red, and black, corresponding to the directions of the east and north. The four intermediate directions have beautiful colors, adorned with skull-cups filled with nectar and decorated with a blue vajra garland. Below that, the second tier is an eight-spoked wheel, red in color, with the spaces between the spokes drawn green and adorned with a garland of red lotuses. The wheel of the third tier is white in color with eight spokes, and the spaces between the spokes are drawn black; it is also adorned with a vajra fence.
It is well-adorned with white pigments. At the four gates, the four female gatekeepers are situated according to the sequence of their families. In the center of the palace, upon the hub, one should properly place a black vajra and a red curved knife upon a corpse. Upon the petals of the lotus and the wheels, one should draw curved knives in the colors of the goddesses, resting upon sun maṇḍalas. It is the same for the four gates. This is the ritual of the pigments.
Thus, one should complete the description of the beautiful celestial mansion of the various, charming deities. It is adorned with the ornaments of offerings, such as various garments, victory banners, canopies, incense, and flowers. The guru, possessing great ornaments, having perfected his own yoga, should generate the qualified [deity] within the house drawn with colored powders—the supreme maṇḍala of the Blood-Drinker King who bestows great bliss.
Upon twenty-five very beautiful seats of lotuses and suns, in the center of which is the seed syllable, blue in nature, the syllable HŪṂ. In an instant, [he becomes] Heruka, of great renown, blue in color. In his right hands, he holds a curved knife and a hand-drum; in his left, a skull-cup and a khaṭvāṅga. He is in the great terrifying half-lotus posture, with his fangs slightly bared. Adorned with a crown of matted locks, he wears a crown of Buddha-skulls. His head is marked with a crossed vajra, and the deity holds a crescent moon. His body is smeared with the dust of ashes. The hero has four arms and holds the hand-symbols.
Utterly roaring the sound of HŪṂ, he dwells in a dancing posture. He wears a garland of fresh heads and bears a garland of sacrificial offerings. The deity is adorned with a string of skulls, which are the purification of ignorance. He is further adorned with a necklace, a wheel, anklets, armlets, bracelets, a waist-belt, and the supreme earrings of a hero. One should meditate on the principal figure in such a form, performing the recitation of HŪṂ.
From him arise the twenty-four Yoginīs, whose nature is diverse in color and of great renown, possessing extremely terrifying forms. Each has one face and holds a skull-cup, while the right hand holds a curved knife. I shall now clearly explain them according to their respective names.
In the four cardinal directions of the first circle are Mālikā, Kāminī, Bhīmā, and Durjayā; the intermediate corners are perfectly adorned with skull-cups. In the second circle, the wheel of speech, are Sukhamekhalā, Rūpiṇī, Bhūtadākinī, and Vijayā, situated in the four directions starting from the east in counter-clockwise order. Then there are Khaṭvāṅginī, Mahāyudhā, Tantrī, and Māraṇī, residing in the intermediate corners starting from the northeast in clockwise order.
In the third circle, the wheel of the body, are the four goddesses Tāraṇī, Bhīmā, Aparājitā, and the four [others] in the four directions starting from the east in the natural order. Then there are Kalyāṇī, Kṣepaṇī, Kālarātri, and Mahāyaśā, in the intermediate corners starting from the northeast in reverse order. Finally, there are Lāvaṇyā and Dharādhara.
Subhadrā and Yaśodharā are perfectly situated at the four gates, the east and so forth. This supreme maṇḍala is adorned with the five colors. In its center resides the goddess who bestows bliss upon Heruka; she performs the dance in the half-lotus posture and is adorned with a garland of human bones. The goddess has immeasurable rays of light, and her yellow hair blazes upward. Born from the nature of the syllable HŪṂ, she is terrifying; from her mouth, she scatters blood. She is white, black, and green, and all are endowed with semen. The generation of the divine maṇḍala is taught to consist of twenty-five deities. Possessing their respective colors, hand-symbols, and attire, they should be meditated upon according to the sādhana. The deities of the preliminary preparation previously mentioned are emanated from the heart itself and bless the maṇḍala. Furthermore, by means of the seed-syllable at the heart, the wisdom deities are summoned and the deities of the maṇḍala are blessed. OṂ BUDDHAKAPĀLINI AḤ KHAṂ GRAṂ DRĀṂ ŚŪṂ AḤ AḤ HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ. Through the manner of dripping from the channel-wheels, the empowerment, sealing, and the perfections should all be performed here without exception. Then, flowers, incense, and so forth, should be offered in a number equal to the deities. Likewise, they should be honored with pairs of garments. Similarly, they should be honored with the five nectars, such as naturally occurring flowers. A skull-cup filled with the five nectars should be drunk by Heruka. By the mere act of drinking that, the Great Being, the Guru of Beings, and all the yoginīs, who are not distinct in form from the Principal, become like him.
With various qualities of desire, possessing a great array of feast offerings, and filling the sky with the sound of clamor, one should praise with auspicious songs and also please [the deities] with recitation. One should perform the fire offering in the location of the stomach. Upon an eight-petaled lotus, there are the twenty-five Heruka ḍākinīs; on the filaments and the center of the lotus, having made oneself the actual deity, if one performs the fire offering ritual, accomplishments will be attained without the need for further practice. Whatever is eaten, chewed, drunk, or tasted, and whatever the practitioner of the vow consumes, one should accomplish it as the five nectars of wisdom and then partake of it all. "I myself am the deity, the supreme deity; I myself am the deity, the holy deity." Because one is not attached to one's own form, one should know it to be like a reflection and so forth. "I myself am the abode of all Buddhas without exception and all ḍākinīs; therefore, with every effort, I worship myself as glorious Heruka." Having properly placed barley cakes and so forth, as well as warm dough, meat, fish, the five nectars, and whatever else is available, inside a skull cup, and having consecrated them through the stages of purification and so forth, one should give the torma to the field protectors. Once the activities of offering are complete, through the ritual for admitting the disciples, the master should enter first. The assembly of qualified disciples, having bathed and put on beautiful clothes, with the faces of those dear children covered with silk, should first proceed with the supplication: "I take refuge in the master, the body that is the nature of all Buddhas."
I prostrate to the maṇḍala of heroes and yoginīs, the abode of yoga. O Protector, I pray that you lead me into the supreme city of great liberation. O Lion of Speech who proclaims the ultimate, you who are highly skilled in the meaning of severing the afflictions, and who cut through the afflictions that produce the hundred faults of existence—O King of Ultimate Yoga, please grant me accomplishment. Thus, one should make the supplication three times. Then the preceptor asks: "O, who are you?" The disciple replies: "I am a son of the Victors." "In this essential maṇḍala, the supreme city of glorious Heruka, the abode of all the Tathāgatas, I shall lead the disciple in." Then, facing the southern gate, one prostrates with devotion through the three doors to the hosts of ḍākinīs in the maṇḍala, reciting: OṂ NAMASTE HŪṂ | NAMAMI HŪṂ | NAMO NAMAH HŪṂ SVĀHĀ. This is the preliminary prostration three times through the doors of body, speech, and mind. Then, reciting: OṂ SARVA VĪRAYOGINĪPŪJOPASTHĀNĀYA ĀTMĀNAṂ NIRYĀTAYĀMI | SARVA TATHĀGATA VĪRAYOGINĪ ĀTMAMĀLE ABHIṬIṢṬHA SVĀMĀṂ, one prostrates with the entire body in great devotion. Then, standing at the eastern gate, one joins the palms to the left of the heart and recites: OṂ SARVA VĪRAYOGINĪPŪJOPASTHĀNĀYA ABHIṢEKĀYA ĀTMĀNAṂ | NIRYĀTAYĀMI | SARVA TATHĀGATA VĪRAYOGINĪ ĀTMAKA MAMA DHĀ ABHIṢIÑCATU MĀṂ. After that, one faces the northern gate.
Place those very palms at the forehead. OṂ SARVA VĪRAYOGINĪ PŪJA PRABHATĀNĀYA ĀTMĀNĀṂ NIRYĀTAYĀMI SARVA TATHĀGATA VĪRAYOGINĪ ĀTMĀ MAI MA PRABHADHANĀM. Then, sitting at the western gate, place those very palms on the head. OṂ SARVA VĪRAYOGINĪ PŪJA KARMA ĀTMĀNĀṂ NIRYĀTAYĀMI SARVA TATHĀGATA VĪRAYOGINĪ ĀTMĀ ĀRYA KARMA KURU MĀṂ. Prostrate four times for the sake of receiving blessings. Then, sitting at the southern gate, sprinkle with water from the action vase. Taking the disciple’s hand, recite and bestow all of the supreme vows of Buddhakapāla: "I go for refuge to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—the Three Jewels. This is the Buddha family; it is the firm vow. You, of great intelligence, must hold the vajra, bell, and mudrā. That which is bodhicitta is the vajra; wisdom is the bell, renowned as wisdom. You must hold the master; the guru is equal to all Buddhas. This is explained as the samaya vow of the pure Vajra family. In the Ratna family, always or six times a day, one must thoroughly bestow the four kinds of generosity: Dharma, material goods, fearlessness, and loving-kindness. One must also uphold the sublime Dharma without exception, including the three outer and secret vehicles. This is the delightful samaya of the pure Padma family. In the great and supreme Karma family, one must truly uphold all the vows in their entirety."
One should also perform the activity of offering as much as possible. Having thus taken the vows, place the vajra firmly at the heart along with a flower garland and recite: oṃ vajrayogacittam utpādayāmi | oṃ surate samayas tvaṃ hoḥ siddhi vajra yathā sukhaṃ. Thus, one generates the mind of yoga. Then, sprinkle that purified, beloved child with the water that performs all activities and lead them into the maṇḍala, reciting: oṃ āḥ khaṃ vīra hūṃ. "Today you have entered the family of all heroes and yoginīs. I shall generate in you the wisdom of glorious Heruka. If by this wisdom you will attain the accomplishments of all the Tathāgatas, heroes, and yoginīs, what need is there to mention other accomplishments? You must not speak of this in the presence of those who have not seen the maṇḍala, lest your samaya be impaired. Glorious Heruka has today truly entered your heart; if you speak of this method, he will immediately tear it apart and depart." Next, the oath-water is administered: "Sandalwood and camphor, together with the flower-water of the Source of Bliss, are poured into a qualified skull-cup for the disciple of stable intelligence. The majestic one speaks these words: 'This is your hell-water; if you transgress the samaya, it will burn you. If you guard the samaya, you will attain accomplishment.' oṃ pañca amṛta udaka ṭha ṭha ṭha hūṃ. From this day forward, I am your glorious Heruka. Whatever I command you to do, you must do."
"Do not treat me with contempt! If you pass away without having abandoned your suffering, you will surely fall into hell!"
Then the principal disciple should pray:
"May all the heroes and yoginīs grant their blessings! O glorious Heruka and yoginīs, I pray that you cause wisdom to descend upon me!"
The previously mentioned guru, adorned with ornaments, should take the radiant substances and place them before the disciple: the five nectars, human skin, mouse dung, black guggulu, the brain-blood and fat of one who died by the blade, and his own hair, all finely ground together. Placing these in a lotus vessel, he should heat them over a fire of charnel ground spirits and constrain them with the non-dual mantra.
Having sounded the bell, he should cause the ḍākinīs to enter through his own light. If the descent does not occur, he should visualize at the disciple’s heart, upon a sun disk, the Buddha-Uṣṇīṣa with consort in a body the size of a mustard seed. By moving the secret place and the space, red light rays fill the entire body, which becomes one with the corpse. Reciting the mantra, through the ritual of fumigation and meditative concentration, the heroes and ḍākinīs with their retinues enter the heart in an instant.
OṂ TIṢṬHA MAHĀKRODHĀVEŚA HŪṂ | OṂ ŚRĪ HERUKĀYA VIDYĀMAHE VIDYĀRĀJĀYA BHĪMAHE SVĀHĀ | By exhorting the ḍākinīs, they will certainly descend.
Visualizing a red letter A on the tongue, he should say: "Speak, O Vajra! [Is it] virtuous or non-virtuous?" Once the body, speech, and mind have descended, he should recite the stable secret mantra. "What is the merit here? According to the sequence of the families of the deities..."
"Whatever siddhi there may be, may it likewise come to you in this maṇḍala. Pratīccha vajra hoḥ! Thus, cast the flower into the maṇḍala. Whichever [deity] it lands upon is your family; having identified the signs of the center and so forth, bind it once more upon the disciple's head. For the sake of a pure vision of the flesh-eye, perform the ritual of asking what is seen. Then, taking the disciple by the hand, open their eyes and show them the maṇḍala:
"O glorious Heruka, today you shall strive to open your eyes. By opening them, you shall see all; the vajra eye is unsurpassed. Oṃ vajranetra apahara paṭalaṃ hrīḥ! Behold this excellent maṇḍala! Now, generate supreme faith. You are born into the family of yoginīs, blessed by mantra and mudrā. You shall accomplish all the perfect welfare of beings and manifest all siddhis and omniscience. Maintain all the samayas and apply yourself to the secret mantra.
Then, show the disciples the colors of the deities of the maṇḍala wheel, as well as their hand symbols and so forth:
'Behold, my son, the Great Heruka, who from the center of a variegated lotus maṇḍala is perfectly embraced in non-duality, who possesses the nature of all things, and who bestows all siddhis without exception. Behold the five goddesses, headed by Viśvamātā, such as Mālyadharī and the others, together with the four skull-cups. Behold the profound Mind Wheel, the pure Speech Wheel of the virtuous girdle, and so forth.'"
The ḍākinīs who liberate and so forth,
Are the maṇḍala of the utterly pure body;
The four goddesses, Beautiful and the rest,
Who possess the superior, middling, and inferior [qualities],
Become the nature of the purity of form and so forth.
These deities are the very signs of reality.
Then the wise disciple,
Having prostrated at the feet of the guru
And offered the supreme great gift,
Should make a request for the empowerment:
"O glorious Heruka, who accomplishes empowerment,
Protector of beings and majestic one,
Likewise, bestow upon me today
The source of all such qualities and so forth.
Great Hero, grant me the empowerment
Of the irreversible state.
For the sake of all sentient beings,
I shall always act as the preceptor."
At the southern entrance,
One should arrange a lion throne
Upon a drawn eight-petaled lotus,
Spread with various beautiful cushions.
Placing the wise one of non-dual mind there,
One should emanate the glorious Heruka.
Having spread a white parasol above,
The assembly of heroes and yoginīs
Should fill the air with the sound of auspicious songs,
Melodious music, and chants.
This is the desired empowerment.
To pacify obstacles therein,
The yogin should perform the recitation ritual
With white mustard seeds according to the rite,
And strike while reciting the secret mantra.
After that, with the tips of the petals of both hands,
The mantra practitioner should lift the vases
And confer the empowerment upon the maṇḍala
Realized within the body according to the ritual method.
Having gathered the water of the victory vase and the others without remainder, sing songs and strike the bell and so forth. Meditating on all the heroes and yoginīs without exception, confer the empowerment upon them all.
"The great vajra empowerment, which arises from the abodes of the three realms, and to which all the three realms prostrate—grant the water empowerment." Reciting "Oṃ vajra abhiṣiñca," it arises from the light of one's own heart. The goddesses of knowledge, possessing miraculous powers, shall wash [the disciple] with the water of nectar.
The crown, produced from precious materials, is bound with silk streamers and the empowerment is conferred. Adorned with a topknot and a diadem, the supreme precious crown and silk streamer empowerment, praised by all the Buddhas, shall be granted. "Oṃ vajra paṭṭaṃka vajra arali hoḥ."
Having blessed the nine-pronged great vajra endowed with suchness, through the Buddha-vajra empowerment, I shall confer the empowerment upon you today. "This is the very nature of all Buddhas; hold the vajra for the sake of supreme accomplishment." "Oṃ vajra adhipati stvaṃ abhiṣiñcāmi." Placing it in the hand, the empowerment is conferred.
"The being without beginning or end is Vajrasattva, the great joy, Samantabhadra, the self of all, the lord of the vajra-pride gesture. This is explained as the follower of the melody of insight for all yoginīs. You too must always hold it; the Victors intend it for supreme enlightenment." At that time, the sound of the bell is proclaimed: "Existence is pure by its very nature."
By nature, things are made non-existent; may the beings of pure nature act as the supreme lords of existence. OṂ ŚRĪ HERUKA ADHIPATI TVAṂ ABHIṢIÑCA TIṢṬHA VĪRA SAMAYA. The bell should be given into the left hand. Embracing the vajra and bell perfectly, holding the left in the proud posture and the right in the gesture of subduing, the master of non-dual yoga is blessed as the Mahāmudrā. With the mantra possessing great blessing, the mantra empowerment should be bestowed. OṂ ŚRĪ HERUKA ADHIPATI TVAṂ ABHIṢIÑCA MAṂ. ŚRĪ HERUKA NĀMA ABHIṢEKATA. With the sound of the word "Śrī," the name empowerment should be bestowed. This is the glorious Heruka held in the hands of all the Buddhas; you too must always hold it. "The firm vow of the glorious Heruka." OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA SIDDHYA VAJRA SAMAYA TIṢṬHA EṢA TVAṂ DHĀRAYĀMI HŪṂ HA HA HA HE HOḤ. By this, the vajra vow is established. Together with the khaṭvāṅga and the fine ḍamaru, they should be blessed and empowered. The glorious Heruka is the khaṭvāṅga; the Yoginī is the ḍamaru. The vajra khaṭvāṅga together with the vajra, the bell ringing with a tinkling sound, and the yogi wearing the Brahmā-thread, take up the khaṭvāṅga and the yogi’s vessel. O great hero, perform all the activities without exception: pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, summoning, causing hatred, creating schisms, suppressing, killing, and expelling. The sword, eye-salve, the underworld, the magical sandals, and likewise the medicinal pill—[these are the accomplishments].
Accomplish the siddhi of the Yoginī; thereafter, practice as you please. Visualizing oneself as Śākyamuni, with the left hand holding the edge of the religious robe and the right hand in the mudrā of fearlessness, one should grant the prophecy to the disciple. The great yogin, glorious Heruka, abiding in the entire maṇḍala without exception, just as the glorious Heruka has prophesied, all [the deities] with one voice shall say: "Just as I have thus prophesied, this glorious Heruka, the Tathāgata, for the sake of accomplishing the supreme reality, has extracted [the disciple] from the miserable realms of existence. Śrīherukanāma sarvatathāgatatiṣṭha siddhi samayas tvaṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ." At that time, one should imagine that the glorious Heruka, together with the ḍākinīs and the guru, grant the prophecy with one voice. Following that, the granting of encouragement is as follows: "By seeing and entering the supreme maṇḍala of the Great Secret, you are today completely liberated from all sins. Merely by receiving this empowerment, the disciple becomes a master of qualities. Through the bliss of the master himself, all that is stable and moving is the samaya. With a pure mind, rising at dawn, one should guard the nature of the vows, such as those of eating and protection. Without regard for body or life, guard the samayas and vows. Constantly devote yourself to recitation three times during the day and night. If a yogin should transgress, it becomes a gross fault. Beginning from the middle month of winter, one should guard [the vows] for each successive month."
Abiding in the wheel of non-duality, one should make offerings on the tenth day. Whatever is appropriate, such as meat and alcohol, one should offer to the hosts of heroes and yoginīs, and to Heruka and the rest. One should not desire the Lesser Vehicle, nor turn one's back on the welfare of sentient beings. One should not abandon saṃsāra, nor take pleasure in nirvāṇa. One must not treat any of the heroes or yoginīs with contempt. One must not step over mudrās, mounts, weapons, or sacred symbols. Through the merit of strictly guarding the samaya, accomplishment will be attained in this very life. When seeing any woman, one should circumambulate her three times from the left, prostrate with the crown of the head, and make supplications three times: "I am your son, O Mother; until enlightenment is attained, nourish me with your own milk, which flows from the breasts of the branches of enlightenment." Having first taken the training of one who possesses the conduct of non-dual wisdom, one must strictly guard celibacy. Always abiding in that samaya is the secret preliminary. For those who desire the state of conduct and liberation, all the wishes of the mind will be fulfilled. "Just as the Lord has commanded, so shall I act." To the disciple thus fully ripened, the supreme secret empowerment should be bestowed. For example, a house without a child becomes empty immediately upon the death of the owner; likewise, if one is devoid of empowerment, one is empty of all wisdom. A disciple who desires to obtain the supreme empowerment [should offer] various foods and various drinks.
With various supreme musical instruments, the five fragrances, flowers, and incense—offer these and the like to the guru. With drinking water, water for the feet, and likewise for the ritual bath, and with manifold offerings of song, one should worship the guru, the great nature of all Buddhas. One should also offer a maiden of youthful age who possesses the proper characteristics. Then, as will be correctly explained, according to the ritual for the time of empowerment, a disciple of stable faith should make a request to the consort. Having prepared five types of maṇḍalas with fragrant substances, one should pray to the great guru, who is adorned by all the Buddhas. Then, with a mind utterly free of stain, one should pray here: "I am sinking in the mud of saṃsāra; I pray that you, my protector, deliver me. I am of little merit and low fortune, having utterly abandoned the Buddha-dharma. O Teacher, great guru, O Protector, please show me your compassion!" Then the great master, possessing the yoga of the deity, should bestow the water and other empowerments according to the previously taught ritual. This secret state should be explained: "The samaya-mudrā is taught for the sake of stabilizing the mental body. That which stabilizes the entire body is renowned as the mudrā." Having spoken this to the disciple, he himself, together with the consort of knowledge, should enjoy food, snacks, drinks, and so forth that are agreeable to the mind. By anointing the mouth and other parts with the supreme fragrance of camphor, there arises a captivating laughter.
Having performed the gestures of charm, play, and so forth, through the union of the two organs, an ocean of bliss and joy arises; thus, the supreme substance for consumption is offered into the mouth. By partaking of those substances, the mind is satisfied and the heart is gladdened, and thus one utters "Atisukha." The three realms are unified in method and insight; the non-dual wisdom of great bliss shines forth, and the disciple becomes endowed with power. By thus conferring the supreme empowerment, one becomes equal to the Protector of the ten grounds.
Then, for the sake of bestowing the excellent wisdom empowerment based on insight upon the excellent disciple who has obtained the secret empowerment, the guru, outside the excellent maṇḍala, meditates on the complete maṇḍala as before. The guru, residing in the center, is the yogin of Buddhakapāla. Having pleased him with offerings of flowers and so forth, and with the festivities of wine and the like, and having offered the supreme and holy fee, the disciple makes this supplication to the great guru:
"O beautiful one, protect me, who am submerged in the mud of saṃsāra, possessed of the habitual tendencies veiled by manifold conceptual thoughts. O goddess of great renown and compassion, grant me peace!"
After the supplication is made, the great guru completes his own yoga. Seeing the hero complete, [the fluid] drips from the wheel of channels. From that dripping, the yoginī, who possesses manifold great compassion and is blessed by all the Sugatas, [appears].
Completely draped in various ornaments,
Wearing garments of diverse kinds,
Her form adorned with the bloom of youth,
She is twelve years of age.
In her right hand, she holds a vase
Filled with bodhicitta and an āmra sprig.
With a face beaming with joy and clarity,
May Heruka be victorious!
Having said, "May he be victorious,"
The secret empowerment of the vase, water, and so forth,
Should be conferred; thus, the empowerment of insight
Is to be thoroughly bestowed.
For example, just as a lute,
Though all its parts are assembled, cannot be played
If it is devoid of strings,
Likewise, if one lacks empowerment,
Mantra and meditative concentration will not be accomplished.
A twelve-year-old girl,
Whose ethical discipline is unimpaired and whose passion is slight,
Who is learned, of great renown,
Free from illness, and endowed with compassion,
Dedicated solely to the welfare of sentient beings,
Laughing, with lotus-like eyes,
A beautiful face like the crescent moon,
Not speaking nonsense, stable and disciplined—
Within the center of the lotus of insight,
Upon a maṇḍala of ten million leagues,
Is the body of the pure triple-layered nature,
Protecting from the terrors of saṃsāra.
Abiding in the center of that maṇḍala,
The wise one should empower the excellent disciple.
If one desires unsurpassed awakening,
One should not perform an external maṇḍala.
By merely dismantling the deities,
Great sin will be produced.
Furthermore, by means of mere colored powders,
The deities will likewise not be purified.
Having fashioned a vajra, wheel, jewel,
And likewise a lotus or sword,
To then dismantle them again—
Such a base person goes to hell.
Who invites the Buddhas, and who requests them to depart? Vajrasattva and the Tathāgatas who have arrived do not abide anywhere; they are stainless and pure in body. Who invites them and requests them to depart? Since they are thus beyond conceptualization, one should prostrate to the Tathāgatas. Having blessed the beautiful mudrā, it is entrusted to the excellent disciple. She who pleases the Wisdom Consort is worshipped by all the Buddhas. In her alone the Buddhas reside; what other principal siddhi is there? What else possesses compassion? All the ḍākinīs reside in her. The five outer secrets, the seven, and the fourteen that are explained—all these are gathered into one. I shall explain the secret reality. Thereafter, upon a good seat, through the union of method and wisdom, having generated joy and the rest, the supreme yoga is to be illustrated. Where the senses have ceased, the nature of self-conceptualization is destroyed. O, that which is coemergent—request it clearly from the presence of the Guru. Once coemergence is realized, I shall explain the secret reality. I prostrate to that which, at the time of arising, causes the senses and objects to subside into equality. Awakened as the heart-essence hidden by the wise, it is later the single beautiful body of the Victor in Abhirati. Any fool who, without empowerment, says, "I am empowered," will go to hell along with their disciples for as long as the Buddhas remain.
To a disciple who is well-endowed, compassionate, and whose mind is focused on nothing else, one should offer a guru with a mind of application: sixteen hundred thousand measures of gold, the earth together with its territories, an elephant, a noble woman, a sword, a wheel, a horse, and the precious beings who lead [the world]. There, one should offer all ornaments and flowing finery. Then, with a mind of firm faith, one should offer nectar. Various foods and various drinks should be offered before him. Even those who have committed the five crimes of immediate retribution, those who are deluded and perform wicked deeds, and those beings of inferior birth, will be liberated by seeing the collection of dust [of the maṇḍala]. By entering the maṇḍalas, one will be born in the pure abodes. Even if one does not attain siddhi in this life through a mind of intense application, siddhi will be attained in another existence. If one possesses the authentic bestowal of empowerment, siddhi will be attained in birth after birth. Within seven of those births, one will attain siddhi even without practicing. Furthermore, if one possesses meditation and abides by the samaya vows, whatever karmic power is not accomplished in this life—let alone attaining siddhi for one who has temporarily impaired the samaya—it will be difficult even to find a human birth. However, the practitioner who knows the reality that has come down through the lineage of gurus should think, "I shall achieve it." The guru, holding a vajra and bell, should hold a parasol over the disciple's head and recite the verses of auspiciousness.
Having circumambulated the maṇḍala three times, prostrate from the east, and offer the delights of food, drink, and so forth to the assembly of Sugatas and yoginīs, make aspiration prayers. Then, request them to depart as they please. At dawn, collect all the materials such as the colored powders and place them inside a vase of gold or the like, then cast them into a great river. Having gathered all the vases, wash them in the great river. Then, smear the ground with a mixture of the five nectars and so forth. Following that, perform a peaceful fire offering (homa) according to the ritual of the fire activity, performing the fire offering to pacify the misdeeds of oneself and the assembly of disciples. All those gathered—kinsmen, friends, and worthy vessels—should perform the play of music and song, with the vajra and bell, to please the ḍākinīs. Although the vase empowerment is clear in this Buddhakapāla Tantra, I have composed this maṇḍala ritual following the Guhyakośa and other sources. By this virtue, may all beings, having abandoned the accumulation of obscurations, proceed irreversibly to the stage of possessing primordial wisdom (jñāna). This concludes the Clarified Stages of the Maṇḍala Ritual of the Glorious Buddhakapāla, composed by the master Saraha, who attained the supreme siddhi. Translated by Gayadhara and Gyi jo Zla ba'i 'od zer.
Translation status: Not among 84000's published translations, and not in progress there. Translations published elsewhere have not been searched for, so one may exist. (source: 84000 catalogue + registry; checked 2026-11-10).
Set in Newsreader and EB Garamond; Tibetan in Noto Serif Tibetan; Chinese in Noto Serif SC.