Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
Entering into the Practices of the Sādhana is a manual of spiritual discipline and meditative practice designed to lead the practitioner toward Buddhahood. The text argues that authentic liberation is impossible without the guidance of a qualified guru, who serves as the root of all Buddha-qualities. It commits the reader to a rigorous regimen of ethical conduct, internal and external worship, and the avoidance of worldly distractions and negative associations. The work integrates somatic visualizations—mapping deities onto the physical body—with psychological training to overcome the eight worldly concerns and the activities of Māra. By combining ascetic discipline, the study of emptiness, and the manipulation of internal winds through vajra recitation, the text aims to sever conceptual thought and realize the non-dual nature of phenomena. The reader is led from the external requirements of a yogi's lifestyle toward the internal realization of suchness, where the distinction between existence and non-existence is transcended.
Provenance
About this text
A sādhana designed to lead the practitioner toward Buddhahood, the Sādhanacaryāvatāra (Tibetan: sgrub pa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa) originates from the Indian tradition and is attributed to the author Advayajñānavajra. The work was translated into classical Tibetan by Kumāra and bod kyi lo tsa ba lha btsun pa. It is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཅི, where it spans 41 pages and is situated within the canonical collection of the Guhyasamāja and Related Tantras. The text enacts a regimen of spiritual discipline and meditative practice, arguing that authentic liberation is unattainable without the instruction of a guru. It guides the reader through the identification of the four types of Māra—the Māras of the gods, the Lord of Death, the aggregates, and the afflictions—while emphasizing the necessity of abandoning pride to mount the Vajrayāna. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to examine its integration of somatic visualizations, the study of emptiness, and the manipulation of internal winds through vajra recitation, all aimed at severing conceptual thought to realize the non-dual nature of phenomena.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Entering into the Practices of the Sādhana” (Toh 1827), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1827
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its synthesis of behavioral ethics, tantric visualization, and philosophical views on emptiness. It illustrates the critical role of the guru-disciple relationship in Indo-Tibetan traditions as the primary catalyst for spiritual progress. For the modern reader, it provides a detailed look at the intersection of somatic practice and mental discipline in the Secret Mantra tradition.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-13
Guru Devotion and Qualifications
Establishes the necessity of the guru, the dangers of choosing an unqualified teacher, and the proper conduct of a disciple.
18-26
Obstacles and Somatic Realizations
Discusses the distractions of Māra, the signs of passion and hatred, and the visualization of deities within the body and celestial palaces.
30-45
Ethical Conduct and Ascetic Discipline
Outlines prohibitions against harming the Three Jewels, guidelines for dwelling, eating, and avoiding worldly diversions to maintain one-pointedness of mind.
46-50
Philosophy of Emptiness and Advanced Practice
Explains the nature of emptiness, the role of conditions in suchness, and the use of vajra recitation to sever conceptual thought.
Themes
The Role of the Guru (2-13)
Somatic Visualization and Deities (6-7, 26)
Asceticism and Worldly Renunciation (39-45)
Emptiness and Non-duality (46-48)
Vajra Recitation and Internal Winds (49)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaEntering into the Practices of the Sādhana·
In the language of India: Sādhana-caryāvatāra. In the language of Tibet: Sgrub pa’i spyod pa la ’jug pa. Homage to the glorious Vajrasattva!
I prostrate to him who, with the sharp weapon of insight, completely tore apart the web of viewing things as real entities, and who, having conquered the dark forces that are the enemies of time, attained nirvāṇa. Because all wandering beings have come under his power, I shall here present the instructions taught in the sūtras, tantras, and commentaries, condensed by the wisdom-vajra, in order to utterly destroy the power of the four māras.
Just as a blind person traveling on a perilous path, or one wishing to cross a river without a rudder, will always find an opportunity for the māras to strike if they rely on a bad teacher or one who lacks a spiritual mentor. By entering this path, if one lacks familiarity or has become habituated to it, one will face the dark side, just as one who seeks no attainment yet expects a result.
Because the objects of the senses are the primary enemies, undesirable, and especially prone to destruction, one will be helplessly driven into the city of error by the enemy of the clouds through falling into the two extremes. Since lack of enthusiasm causes the end of one’s activities to decline, and excessive diligence causes one to turn back completely, the one born of the Solar Lineage (the Buddha) briefly stated that both of those extremes must be abandoned.
Because one’s own mind has been habituated to false attachment since beginningless time, it is accompanied by conceptual construction. Therefore, the Lord Vajradhara clearly stated: "In this context, it is conceptual construction that arises."
A person desiring to attain the authentic path, having set out upon their own way, asked the master guru: "I wish to hear how many activities of Māra there are; I pray you, out of compassion, teach them to me."
He replied: "The Māra of the gods, the Māra of the Lord of Death, the Māra of the aggregates, and the Māra of the afflictions—because they are these, there are four types of Māra. Since they definitely dwell within the hearts of all beings, one should conquer them according to the scriptures of the Sage. Just as one who has reached the perfection of the science of healing engages through the four branches, so too, in order to be definitively liberated from the disease of the four Māras, one should understand the four branches of healing. Is there a single method by which these four branches of healing are accomplished?"
He replied: "There is; it is by relying properly upon a spiritual friend who possesses the necessary characteristics."
[The disciple asked:] "I have not seen a single method that accomplishes the goal; it is a marvelous point. How should one primarily serve and honor [the guru]? I pray you, explain the reasons for that."
He replied: "Abandoning all other offerings, one should make the authentic offering to the guru. By pleasing him, one will attain that supreme wisdom of omniscience. By making offerings to the master who acts as the unsurpassed [guide], one is making offerings to Vajrasattva himself. What merit has not been performed by that? What austerity has not been relied upon? Whatever is most excellent and whatever brings great joy, that very thing should be given to the guru. The master removes negativity; the master dispels fear; the master [removes] the suffering..."
"Cross the ocean to the far shore of the world," it is said. Furthermore, he declared:
"Even if one has reached the perfection of hearing for immeasurable eons,
Without the guru’s instruction, the illusion
Cannot be made manifest.
Therefore, those who desire the fruit of Buddhahood
Should completely abandon pride,
Mount the Vajrayāna,
And strive to please the guru."
Thus he spoke. Furthermore, he declared:
"The guru is the Buddha and the Dharma,
And he is also the Saṅgha.
Since it is through his kindness that one gains understanding,
He is therefore the supreme Three Jewels.
For those blinded by the cataracts of ignorance,
He is the one who shows the supreme path.
He is the source of all supreme bliss
And the bestower of all that is desired.
Possessing certainty in the profound Dharma,
Free from sin and the very nature of compassion,
He is the one who seeks the abiding of the Three Jewels.
In the gift of Dharma, he is without material concern.
That guru who gathers disciples
Is established as all the Buddhas—
Thus the Protector of Beings has declared;
Others are explained as not being gurus.
Therefore, there is no object of worship
Equal to him or unsurpassed.
Thus, with every effort,
The practitioner of discipline should worship the guru.
In the world, there is no one else equal to him
Within the three realms.
The nature of the Vajra Mind
Has entered into all excellence in the world.
Desiring the supreme excellence of disciples,
Desiring inexhaustible merit,
And repelling all māras and obstacles,
One should please him in many ways.
By all of the samayas..."
This is the unsurpassed samaya, for it bestows all perfections. "The Blessed One always protects it," it is said, and furthermore, he declared: "Therefore, a disciple endowed with perfect devotion should thoroughly examine the guru." Thus the supreme Victor highly praised [this].
Naturally devoted to the Three Jewels, possessing compassion for all sentient beings, and endowed with qualities such as reliance and generosity, they greatly increase all merit. Having perfectly generated the mind of awakening (bodhicitta), they are of excellent intellect, endowed with qualities, free from anger, and great in enthusiasm. They have deep faith in the profound Dharma and always delight in the gift of Dharma without material concern. They are always of few desires and have perfectly accumulated the two collections. This is what all the Buddhas, along with the Vajra-holders, have taught as the guru. He is the teacher of all sentient beings and the guide of the world. Thus it was said.
Furthermore, he declared: "One should offer gifts to the guru, who is praised by all the Buddhas. By offering gifts upon various lotuses, the sublime state is accomplished. Whatever is most difficult to give is explained as the supreme [gift]. Whatever is the most excellent of what one has gathered, or whatever is particularly distinguished—that very thing one should offer to the guru with the desire for the inexhaustible. Alternatively, if one desires that very [state], or whatever is intended in the mind, if one gives that, it is necessary. Even if it is small, it is supreme. If one possesses the supreme [gift] but offers an inferior gift, one disparages the teacher of all."
"By that, one will always obtain suffering," so it was said. Furthermore, it is taught by way of a summary of the lineage: "As many buddhas and bodhisattvas as reside, live, and remain in the world systems of the ten directions, they all gather at the three times and make offerings to that master with all the offerings of all the tathāgatas, and they also go to that buddhafield of all the buddhas. They also utter these vajra syllables: 'We are the fathers of all the tathāgatas; we are the mothers of all the tathāgatas; we are the teachers of all the tathāgatas,' and so forth. For example, noble son, the mass of merit of the body, speech, and mind-vajra of all those Blessed Buddhas residing and active in the ten directions does not even equal a single pore of the master. Why is that? Noble son, it is because bodhicitta is the essence of the wisdom of all the buddhas, the source of their birth, and the origin of omniscient wisdom." Why is that? There is also another reason, as the Blessed One said:
"In this body of the vajra master,
The bodies of the Victors reside in succession.
First, the Vajra Body
Resides in the aggregate of form.
The Vajra of Passion
Resides in the aggregate of feeling."
The Blessed One, Vajra of Speech,
Dwells in the aggregate of perception.
The Vajra of all offerings
Dwells in the aggregate of formations.
The Blessed One, Vajra of Mind,
Perfectly dwells in the aggregate of consciousness.
Within the earth element of this body, such as the flesh,
Dwells the Blessed Mother, Locanā.
Within the water elements, such as the blood,
Dwells the Blessed Mother, Māmakī.
Within the fire element, such as heat,
Dwells the Blessed Mother, Pāṇḍaravāsinī.
Within the wind element, such as movement,
Dwells the Blessed Mother, Tārā.
Within the two eye faculties of that body,
Dwells the Tathāgata Kṣitigarbha.
Within the two ear faculties of that body,
Dwells the Sugata Vajrapāṇi.
Within the two nose faculties of that body,
Dwells the Tathāgata Ākāśagarbha.
Dwelling in the tongue faculty of that body,
Is the Tathāgata Lokeśvara.
The mass composed of the nature of the four elements,
Known by the name of one’s own body,
Is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin;
The Tathāgata dwells here.
Within the mental faculty of that body,
Dwells the Tathāgata Mañjuśrī.
Within all the joints of the body,
Dwells the Tathāgata Samantabhadra.
Within all the channels and sinews of the body,
Dwells the Tathāgata Maitreya.
At the base of the right hand,
Dwells the Tathāgata Yamāntaka.
At the base of the left hand,
Dwells the Sugata Aparājita.
Dwelling in the lotus of the mouth,
Is the Tathāgata Hayagrīva.
Dwelling in the secret place,
Is the Tathāgata Amṛtakuṇḍalī.
Residing on the right shoulder is the Tathāgata Acala. Residing on the left shoulder is the Tathāgata Takkirāja. Residing on the right knee is the Tathāgata Nīladaṇḍa. Residing on the left knee is the Tathāgata Mahābala. Residing upon one’s own crown is the Tathāgata Cakravartin. Residing on the soles of the feet is the Tathāgata Sumbharāja. Within this very body, all the Tathāgatas reside. What is called the "wheel of the body" is the body of the Vajra Master himself. All these are the perfect Buddhas; the perfection of the bodies of the Buddhas is the Vajra Eye, which is excellently revealed. This is the entry into nirvāṇa. "O Blessed One, may you swiftly attain nirvāṇa! Your virtue is fully ripened. Now, all the Victors reside within the body of the Vajra Master. Listen, Amoghadarśin! In future times, O Great Being, sentient beings who are beginners should honor the Guru with great effort." Then, the Bodhisattva Amoghadarśin, of great renown, being joyful, delighted, and filled with faith, prostrated and shed tears. Thus it was said. Furthermore, it was said: "Pure in ethical discipline and practicing generosity, possessing supreme patience and diligence, constantly devoted to meditation day and night, endowed with insight and skilled in the arts, and perfected in qualities for the sake of the Guru—he is called the glorious Master, who delights in the inner Guhyasamāja."
Regarding the description of the outer Śrāvakas: through such a sequence of pith instructions, one trains the disciples. Such a person is fully known as a teacher. They act exactly as they speak. Regarding conceptualizations, maṇḍalas, and so forth, the activities of the ultimate truth, and furthermore the three aspects and the conduct of supreme yoga, they train themselves and cause others to train. Such a person is called an ācārya. Having fully understood the ten suchnesses, they know the activities of the maṇḍala and so forth. They are capable of awakening the disciples, bestow the secret empowerment, and are perfectly endowed with insight and compassion. Fearless in the tantras and pith instructions, they are perfectly endowed with the profound and the vast. They are the supreme second Vajrasattva, skilled in subduing and benefiting. Such a person is explained as Vajradhara. Thus it is said.
Furthermore, it is said: "O son of noble family, for one who is fully embraced by a spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra), Māra will find no opportunity. For example, just as a woman protected by a hero finds no opportunity with lecherous men, likewise, a person protected by the hero that is the spiritual friend finds no opportunity with the evil Māra."
Furthermore, it is said: "The spiritual friend is one who points out the activities of Māra to them, saying: 'These are the activities of Māra; these are the faults of Māra. Having recognized these activities of Māra, you must abandon them.'"
Also, from the Noble Chapter of Sadāprarudita: "O son of noble family, you must not turn back from the spiritual friend."
One should reflect as follows: "I do not know that skill in means, but he thoroughly understands skill in means," so it is said. Also, from the Noble Liberation of Śrīsaṃbhava: "The root of all the Buddha's qualities is the spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra). It depends upon the spiritual friend," and so forth.
To abandon the activities of Māra:
"If I wish to rely upon a guru in order to abandon the deeds of Māra,
By what means should we rely upon a truly authentic spiritual friend?"
He replied:
"One who has faith and is respectful toward the guru,
Who always abides in virtuous actions,
Who has completely abandoned negative conceptualizations,
Who has heard many scriptural transmissions (āgama),
Who has abandoned killing and harming,
And who possesses the diligence of a mind intent on liberating sentient beings—
One endowed with such qualities is a good disciple of great faith."
Furthermore, he said:
"Just as someone who has boarded a boat
And obtained a skilled helmsman
Will cross to the other side of the great ocean,
But otherwise will not reach the shore;
Likewise, one who is never separated from a guru,
Who is respectful toward the Three Jewels,
Who possesses faith in the Bodhisattvas,
And who possesses compassion for the world—
This is explained as the 'boat.'
The learned guru is the helmsman
Who fully demonstrates the boat.
For those going to the far shore of saṃsāra,
This was spoken by Vajrasattva.
Without a helmsman,
A boat cannot reach the other side.
Even if all qualities are complete,
Without a guru, one will not reach the end of existence.
Therefore, with absolute certainty..."
With firm ascetic discipline, likewise, the yogi should always perform worship through both external and internal means. All activities, such as prostrations and the like, should be understood at all times. Possessing insight and perfect faith, endowed with compassion for all beings, free from anger and free from deceit, and adorned with virtues such as generosity, one should possess diligence when inspired and always act according to the guru’s commands. Even without being appointed, by one’s own intellect, whatever requisites and material things are found, and to the best of one’s ability, one should likewise offer food, drink, and so forth. Even if one is treated with contempt, one should endure it without a discouraged mind. The Buddhas have clearly taught that a disciple who possesses all virtues, who investigates through scripture and reasoning, and who is of an unexamined nature—without such a person, it is impossible to act as a disciple. Just as a child throws a clod of earth at will, whoever is under the power of others is not a vessel for the sublime Dharma. Thus it is said. One who despises the guru, is deceitful, lacks faith, is conceited about mantras, and is arrogant from seeing books—toward such a person who lacks faith and has inferior empowerment, not even a single sequence of discourse should be spoken. However, to some who possess devotion and faith toward the guru, who are always diligent in service with devotion, and who retain what they have heard, the sublime guru bestows the grace of the guru; the guru does not consider it a loss. If someone were to fall from the peak of Mount Meru, they would fall even if they thought, "I shall not fall." If one receives the beneficial transmission through the guru’s grace, [one will not fall].
"Though one thinks, 'I shall not be liberated,' one will indeed be liberated," he declared. Furthermore, he said:
"Those who are deceitful and lazy, who perceive faults in the guru and not his qualities, who disparage the guru while boasting of having received empowerment—such inferior-minded beings will not attain omniscience. Without performing service, they quickly desire the ultimate reality. Holding wrong views, they are prone to anger and fickleness; when they see the guru in an assembly, they turn their backs, but then go to a secluded place to prostrate. Such a disciple of evil nature should be completely abandoned, even if he is one's own son, just like a stranger. Even if born of a noble lineage such as the royalty, he should not be kept in one's presence through the teaching.
However, one who possesses supreme qualities, is endowed with insight and diligence, or who is devoted to the guru as to a Buddha, who realizes the Dharma of the Victors and has profound faith in the teaching—because such a person is a vessel for benefit, one should bestow kindness upon them. Even if one has heard the tantras and is well-trained in the scriptures, if one lacks service to the guru and has not received the oral transmission, that is of no benefit to oneself and is but a minor treatise; it is merely a cause for the birth of a treatise. Alternatively, a fortunate one who has received the pith instructions, yet whose intellect is dull and unable to apply the meaning, may engage in teaching others out of a sense of duty. If they lack the quality of eloquent speech, they will be held in contempt.
One who has heard many tantras, is wise, and understands the words and their meaning; who possesses mindfulness, intelligence, the faculty of retention, and diligence; who honors the feet of the guru and has received the oral transmission—that person is worthy of being taught the pith instructions of the King of Tantras." Thus it was said. This point is also found in the Vajramālā:
Because it was taught as a secret, that summary is for those who are difficult to discipline, hypocrites, deceitful, deluded, angry, or cunning; those without faith, logicians, and the like; those characterized by outward signs; Śrāvakas; and those greedy for wealth. One should not associate with those who disparage suchness, who do not know the ultimate truth, who hold nihilistic views, whose ethical discipline is degenerate, or who merely deliver talk and words. One should avoid such company and the like.
Even if one has understood the teachings on the characteristics of the guru and the disciple, I still have doubts as to how one should show respect to the guru. Through the detailed rituals of the Sūtras and Tantras, and by hearing them from the mouth of the guru, I shall dispel my doubts. Listen with a mind of profound devotion. There are also other reasons. Then the Blessed Vajra spoke:
Regarding the conduct of the disciple’s activities, even the performance of peaceful and other rites, through the stages of mantra and yoga, one must avoid: wearing shoes, holding a parasol, or wearing a crown; tasting tooth-sticks and the like; spitting out mucus, saliva, and so forth; stretching out one's legs; looking away; speaking with impudence; being arrogant due to one's lineage; ego-clinging; looking toward the King and such; speaking heedlessly; and failing to meditate on the guru’s instructions. One should completely abandon such a collection of faults in the presence of the guru.
With palms joined out of fear, one should prostrate with the crown of the head and receive the oral instructions. Having pledged to give away all one’s possessions, with a sense of wonder and a downcast face, the disciple should act in the presence of the guru. If one desires the supreme siddhi, [one must do so].
In the presence of the guru, the disciples should understand their conduct to be as follows. The commitments and vows previously explained are the conduct of the disciples. Thus he spoke, and further said:
The guru, who is the foundation of all qualities, should be honored upon the crown of one's head like a turban, with great effort, by those who desire accomplishments and wish to triumph over the hosts of Māra. Because he is perfectly equal to the Victors in body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities, one should always visualize him before oneself and prostrate with body, speech, and mind, reciting these verses:
Homage to you who deliver sentient beings from their wretched states.
Homage to you who teach directly and are free from stains.
Homage to you who are without remainder, without words, and free from letters.
Homage to you, the glory of the accumulations of merit and primordial wisdom.
Homage to you who grant prophecies without great hardship.
Your body, speech, and mind are like the sun, nectar, and space, pervading all beings;
Homage to you, whose qualities and activities are like a wish-fulfilling jewel.
I take refuge in you, O Guru; I offer all my wealth, including my body and so forth.
Upon first meeting, one should respectfully join the palms and properly perform a prostration by bowing with the five limbs.
Thereafter, having swept and polished the area, and having well-laid a soft seat, one should place a backrest in front, along with a water vessel, a tooth-stick, water for the face, and water for the feet. One should avoid anything unpleasant to the sight. Having prepared pure and excellent food, it should be placed in a precious vessel, wiped clean with cloth to remove dust.
Having bowed down in front, wash both hands well; offer [the water] with both hands in a manner of respect. Whether in a vessel in the hand or whatever the guru provides, prostrate and receive it well with both hands; then, demonstrating respectful conduct, act as is appropriate. After that, having thoroughly cooled the hands and feet with scented water, upon a fine, high, and excellent seat, having covered the face with clean cloth, please the guru to sit upon a soft footstool. With a red backrest complete with pins, hang a canopy, a parasol, and curtains above. To the Dharma and the spiritual friend, offer a maṇḍala drawn with appropriate patterns. Praise with flowers, incense, lamps, ointments, food, and cymbals. Offer gold, jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, musāragalva, emerald, silver, śaṅkhaśila, coral, precious crystal, cotton, silk garments, elephants, horses, sons, daughters, wives, servants, and grain—offer all my wealth according to my power. After that, respectfully make three requests; having generated great compassion for wandering beings and having set perfect awakening in mind, listen with a mind free of afflictions and maintain appropriate conduct. When the Dharma is being spoken, with words of "well-spoken," instruct those of superior and inferior faculties. All the vast roots of virtue arising from listening should be dedicated for the sake of perfect awakening. Whether the Dharma teacher is of noble birth or poor, learned or ignorant, of bad character or howsoever despised—
Do not harbor a mind of contempt because of the Dharma. Do not be conceited because of gain, fame, learning, ethical discipline, or qualities such as physical form. It is not for the sake of profit or the desire for gain; in short, one must subdue the afflicted mind. Because such qualities are infinite and supreme, who could possibly describe, even in an eon, the infinite ways of serving and honoring one’s guru, who is complete in all virtues, through the three doors? To summarize, it is this: just as one treats a Buddha and other jewels, or one’s own parents, or one’s own body and cherished wealth—protecting and accomplishing for oneself whatever is dear—so should one act toward the guru. This concludes the first chapter, on the manner of the guru and the disciple.
The disciple asked: "I have understood the manner of serving the guru; please teach me for what purpose this is to be done." The Master, the Teacher, replied: "In order to be victorious over the four māras—who have acted as both discordant and concordant factors and have caused harm since beginningless saṃsāra—I shall explain your question in detail. That which attains the supreme, deathless body is the support for all qualities. Because sentient beings have short lives, they are unable to achieve the state of immortality. Therefore, with all effort, one should achieve the deathless. To conquer the Lord of Death and attain that deathlessness forever, beings with long lives accomplish the sublime Dharma for the sake of immeasurable results; thus the Victor has proclaimed it 'the conquest of death.' One who is skilled in the characteristics of the outer and inner signs of death as they have been taught can deceive the Lord of Death."
Exerting great effort in the means, the fruit of that effort rests in the hand. From ignorance until the end of aging and death, the timing of birth and death is uncertain. Abiding like the turning of a wheel, the Lord of Death is deceived by pacifying its obstacles. External signs arise for the five sense faculties; the sixth is to be understood internally. The internal activities of the Lord of Death follow a sequence; one endowed with skillful means will overcome death. These have been taught in the Yoga Tantras, the Catuḥpīṭha, the Cakrasaṃvara, the Ḍākinī, and the Kālacakra; I have explained them to you in brief. Listen with an undistracted mind. If the eyes are round and the perception of forms is unerring, or if one looks upward and the apertures of the earth and sky appear severed or non-existent, the wise should know the Lord of Death is approaching. Seeing trees, mountains, or fire blazing upon one's own head, or seeing the city of Rāmaṇa, or seeing a black, blazing staff brandished, or not seeing Indra’s bow in the water, or seeing a headless shadow, or not seeing it on the tip of one's own tongue, or seeing a precious wheel in the ordinary eye, or the moon being without markings and the sun being eclipsed, or dogs, crows, and ravens refusing to eat the offering cake, or no sound of a drum in the covered ears, or not hearing sounds but hearing the voices of yakṣas, or seeing a black figure saying "Go to the south," or unpleasant odors and fragrant scents rising to the tip of the nose, or the nose suddenly becoming crooked or sunken, or not perceiving tastes or perceiving no taste at all, or the roots of the teeth receding and the roots turning black—these are the signs.
Incoherent, inane speech is a sign of death. A sudden change in the sensation of heat or cold, or the feeling that one side of the body is withered, one side cold, and the other warm; the perception of the body as smooth, rough, heavy, or light in reverse; excrement and urine appearing the color of gold or silver; the simultaneous discharge or retention of urine and semen; the mixing of urine and semen during discharge; hearing the sound of a bell during sexual intercourse; seeing the forms of day and night inverted, and likewise seeing the directions inverted; if such things appear in hearing and so forth, it is said that one has fallen under the power of the Lord of Death. The absence or excess of excrement and urine are signs of death. Sudden lameness, emaciation, or sudden obesity without cause; a lack of strength or an excess of strength; the body smelling sweet or foul, causing insects to gather or flee—these are signs of death. Being abandoned by kin and loved by enemies; women tearing one's hair and abandoning the meditation cell; the repeated onset of shadows and oppressions upon the body; the palms of the hands and soles of the feet becoming hot and piercing; the urethra drying up as quickly as a red-hot iron; the appearance of red pustules on the throat; and the sudden disappearance or hanging down of the genitals—these and others should be known as physical signs. All these are governed by the mind; it is taught that there is no object other than the mind. Therefore, apart from examining one's own mind, all external objects appear even though they are illusory. A yogi should be extremely wary of excessive anger, excessive attachment, and excessive sleep.
Uttering cries of distress in extreme displeasure: thinking one has attained great joy or clairvoyance; thinking one can fly through the sky or has attained meditative absorption; forgetting the object of focus and the mind not turning toward it; the reversal of the internal sun and moon winds; their excess, deficiency, excessive increase, or decrease; recollecting at the wrong time or at a great distance; thinking of caves, darkness, holes, and the like—these are remembered as the one hundred and sixty worldly [distractions].
Turning the mind away from the supramundane: interest in gain and trade, the affairs of kin, the body, and the desire for food and finery; delighting in retinues and the giving of alms; talk of fame, the distinction between the ordained and the laity; mingling with the many; and desiring one's own pleasure.
Desiring a retinue, yet being extremely displeased with the retinue; neglecting the preliminary practices of meditation, recitation, fire offerings, and feast offerings; failing to give and delighting in talk of worldly regions; interest in kin, thunder, and royal strife; poison, sorcery, and the incantations of mamos; the rites of youths, killing, and the powerlessness to kill; attachment to the dwellings of local spirits, human lords, demons, and ghosts; and staying on paths with venomous creatures or precipices—the yogi will swiftly meet with death.
Because one's own mind has completely transformed, even if there is delusion, one should not disregard dreams. The Lord of Sages taught that all phenomena are like dreams. Therefore, even by signs other than the winds, if one sees the dark night of the time-sign in a dream, and engages in passion with her, falling under her power—
Climbing trees, falling from trees or mountains, riding donkeys or camels toward the south or east, riding monkeys and traveling eastward, climbing tall trees, heaps of ash, anthills, or flagpoles, wearing garlands of karavīra flowers, being smeared with various scents, being struck by lightning, hail, or showers of stones, associating with the dead, setting out on a journey, having limbs bound in iron chains or cast into cages, being naked or wearing red garments and garlands—these and others are the transformations of the signs of death. These are explained as the ordinary signs; however, there are two other internal types involving the elements, such as the winds. To defeat the hosts of the Lord of Death, one should use mantras, medicines, meditative concentration, and precious gems. For elemental spirits, protection is provided by mantras; for the agitation of the elements, one heals with medicine; for the internal winds, one uses the power of meditative absorption; and for malevolent forces, one uses the jewel of longevity. Whatever remedial medicines have been explained, it is taught that in some cases a single one accomplishes them all. Knowing that these arise from the power of their combination, the wise should thoroughly examine them. This is the second chapter, on defeating the Lord of Death.
Even if the life-force remains for a long time in saṃsāra, if obstacles exhaust all merit without exception, the qualities will not be accomplished. Therefore, to avert obstacles, one should perform great protection. He requested: "Blessed One, please explain!" The Blessed One replied: "In the Yuktiṣaṣṭhikā, the Subāhuparipṛcchā, and other texts, whatever spirits of wrong views have been explained, they belong to the commanders, their retinues, and their respective classes."
They constantly inflict harm upon the people of the earth. To repel them, I shall explain their abodes, their characteristics, how to protect against them, and how to drive them away. Generate great reverence for the spiritual friend and listen with a focused mind for the benefit of all beings. Having entered the minds of practitioners, those who create obstacles are as numerous as the gods who protect the ten directions, such as the sons of the gods, Brahmā, and others. The Brahmā-rākṣasas and the gods of the desire realm do not create obstacles, nor do the gods of the formless realm. However, the ten leaders, such as Glang-chen-gdong (Elephant-Face) and Padma-phreng (Lotus-Garland), inflict great harm. There are eighty thousand classes of obstructing spirits belonging to various categories who harm human beings. The gods such as Brahmā and others dwell in the upper direction; those below are the earth-dwelling nāgas. In the east are the classes of gandharvas; in the south, the kumbhāṇḍas; in the west, the classes of nāgas; and in the north, the yakṣas. In the east is Indra, in the south is Yama, in the west is Varuṇa, and in the north is Kubera. In the southeast is Agni, in the southwest is Nairṛti, in the northwest is Meghasvara, and in the northeast is Īśāna. These demons thoroughly protect their respective ten directions. They create obstacles for those striving for liberation, thinking, "I shall overstep their own domain." They cause the splendor of merit to enter the body, generating worldly meditative concentration, retinues, gain, fame, and renown. By uplifting the mind with such things, they bring the majority of people under their power.
They firmly establish others in the substance of merit, yet have no interest in the accumulation of primordial wisdom. They constantly exert themselves in discourse that leads to cyclic existence. Some, in order to attain clairvoyance, perceive various forms; they think they have realized immeasurable meditative absorptions, or have received prophecies in Buddha-fields. They are known to travel everywhere for the sake of beings, manifesting sounds, lights, and even forms in the sky. They scatter flowers and reveal past conduct, as well as prophecies concerning the present and the future. They manifest many Buddha-fields and even give prophecies regarding the supreme state of nirvāṇa. By means of these, they thoroughly incite the minds of others; they cause some to practice generosity and the like with vast devotion, while to others they turn away their aspiration. They cause some to lack food and clothing and fall from meditative absorption. To those with desire, they generate desire; to those prone to anger, they provoke anger; and to the deluded, they cause further delusion. To those with wind disorders, they cause wind to enter the body; to those with bile and other diseases, they generate those very ailments. Some they cause to become distracted and fail to attain meditative absorption; some they cause to fall away from what they have heard and turn them toward the inferior. To some they manifest the body of a Victor; to others, they appear as Bodhisattvas, Śrāvakas, abbots, preceptors, co-residents, or attendants, and in these roles, they turn them away from virtuous deeds. To some they appear as fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, mistresses, or dear friends. To others they appear in the guise of gods or goddesses, with hair as black as jet, breasts and hips like those of a doe, and eyes like a deer’s.
With thighs like an elephant’s and a waist like a vajra, they vividly display the signs of passion. The yogi’s mind is like cotton wool. Some, through their minds, cause malice to arise; their fire of hatred for words is like dry wood. Some, because they do not know what should and should not be done, are like forms in the darkness. Some have the appearance of fierce spirits, brandishing blazing weapons and threatening with the pointing finger. Some provide the five sensory pleasures; some provide worldly dharmas such as fame. To others, they provide the power of learning and the like; to some, the power of wealth. Some bring down thunderbolts and hail. Some turn others away from meditative concentration and ethical discipline, while others turn them away from those and establish them in generosity. Some turn others away from meditative absorption and explain [other things], or employ the practitioner in the work of a steward. Some turn renunciants away from the household life and lead them into the Śrāvaka vehicle instead of the Mahāyāna. Turning others away from the three trainings, they establish them in great merit such as stūpas. Some make noise in the meditation cells; from the doors, terrifying sounds and wailing emerge. They call out the names of those in meditative equipoise and laugh loudly. They sing songs of exile, clap hands, and blow conch shells. Like the snapping of fingers, they produce groans and the scent of fingernails. They cause sudden trembling and panic, displaying loathsome forms, striking, and pushing. They cause displeasure in meditation, and the body feels alternately light and heavy. Without cause, they speak alone, laugh, and become angry. Suddenly they know the minds of others, and terrifying meteors, light rays, and blazing fires appear.
Like a desire deity who teaches inferior instructions, some think, "I shall die soon," or hear that they are unable to achieve meditative concentration and so forth. Thinking, "Now what shall I do? I have not attained the fruit," the inferior person becomes despondent and falls into laziness. Some apply themselves to effort without investigation; through this, they degenerate in the intermediate state and render the result fruitless. Others act in a way that is the opposite of what should be done; because that [proper method] is absent, they cast away the result. Some apply themselves to flawed rituals; even if they exert effort, the purpose will not be achieved. Some do not wish to go [to the higher realms] but remain [in the lower]; thus, they do not know the state of liberation or death. In short, they create obstacles to the meditative absorption and so forth of those who have entered the Mahāyāna path. Because they rob both life and spiritual accomplishment, they are averted by the guru’s oral instructions and separated from the [harmful] assembly. Engaging in practice without the guru’s word, life and accomplishment are robbed by obstructing spirits. The eighty thousand types of obstructing spirits and so forth cannot be fully described, but they are explained in brief. Although it is not right for demons or their kind to harm a body that has accumulated merit, harm from the power of previously committed karma and immediate conditions can occur. The power of the afflictions of karma generates [this harm]; therefore, by averting the afflictions, that [harm] will cease. Whatever arises from conditions such as the disturbance of the elements should be understood from the science of medicine. The causes for the occurrence of conditions and other harms are: the site of practice not being properly purified, and—
If the ritual of protection is not performed correctly, obstacles and hindrances will arise. If one harms the spirits who dwell in the local environment, or fails to offer torma to the hungry ghosts, and if one worships demons and the like as if they were gods, obstacles will arise if one is separated from the Three Jewels. If one cuts the mantras of others, or hurls ritual daggers at obstacles and performs sorcery, and if one is without empowerment, lacks the oral transmission, or has entered the path perversely, obstacles will constantly inflict harm. If one recites wrathful secret mantras while devoid of love and the other [immeasurables], or if one has fallen from one’s own samaya and possesses a malicious mind, and if one performs fire offerings in the abodes of nāgas, or engages in excrement, urine, sexual misconduct, and the killing of living beings, and if one faces west toward a spring or a thicket of se and skyer trees, or cuts down a solitary tree that wards off the stones of fierce passion, one will be destroyed by the nāgas; the same applies to facing north. If a mantrika points the door of the practice hall to the south, or places the head of the bed to the west, or fails to practice with faith, or fails to prostrate to the guru, monks, and temples, and if one walks ahead of them or of one’s father and mother, one will encounter the state of being possessed by demons. If one sleeps in a place where human corpses are kept, in the earth of nāgas, in a cemetery, in a heap of ash, at the door of a temple, on a mountain spur, or at the confluence of waters, obstacles will arise. If one travels alone, wanders at night, constantly harbors the intention to harm others, and does not exert oneself in the activities of one’s own protection and accomplishment, it is said that demons will manifest therein. Through the recitation of secret mantras, lepers and those with skin diseases [will be affected].
One should abandon horse-racing, whips, radishes, beer, and things like beer. By doing these things, the secret mantra will not be accomplished; because it is not accomplished, demons will enter. Abide in the samaya requested by Subāhu and be liberated. I shall now teach the ritual for averting [obstacles] as it appears in other tantras; listen with great devotion.
Since they are the appearances of one’s own mind, employ the mantras and rituals. Having protected the yoga through loving-kindness and so forth, protect oneself with the accumulations of merit and so forth. Protect all locations that arise from the syllable HŪṂ. Following that, meditate on the forms of the wrathful deities and so forth, and completely purify through the completion of the ritual.
The hosts of messengers of the Vajra family, those goddesses who rely on many methods—by the mere recitation of these, the obstructors are destroyed and, uttering fierce cries, they flee in the ten directions. By the ten wrathful deities, who are the embodiments of wisdom, the ten guardians of the directions are brought under control, and thus all the activities of obstructors are pacified without exception. Having attained a mind of loving-kindness, they provide protection for oneself.
Through the radiating and converging rays of the fire of wisdom, and by performing the recitation of the mantra garland in the form of a lion as it revolves intensely, the bodies of the obstructors will be set ablaze. Born from the seed-syllable in a triangular pit, summoned by the light of meditative concentration within the blazing [fire], and reduced to ashes like burnt sesame seeds—this is explained as the method for destroying all activities without exception.
The vajra fence born from HŪṂ, together with its light, emanates the ground as the King of Vajras.
Guarded by the retinue of deities within a blazing fire,
The obstructors will neither see nor be able to approach.
Within the celestial palace born from Bhrūṃ and presided over by Vairocana,
The wisdom light-rays are invoked by the sound of the syllables.
By drawing them into the immortal body, the obstructors'
Every application is opened by the gateway of Vairocana.
By partaking of the nectar-food arisen from Hūṃ,
One attains the indestructible vajra body and is free from obstructors.
Like a moth upon a flame, they are reduced to ash
And made to vanish into the sky.
Armed with the armor and weapons of the vajra,
The heroic māras are driven to flight.
Donning the armor of loving-kindness and wielding the weapon of compassion,
With the heroic mind of joy and the bodhicitta,
Riding the mount of equanimity, one wages war;
Thus, the great battle of obstructors born from hatred is conquered.
By abiding in the mind upon emptiness,
And recognizing that appearances arise from conceptual thought,
Through meditating on the nature of phenomena as devoid of reality,
The māras born of conceptual thought are rendered non-existent.
This concludes the third chapter, on the subduing of the māras such as the gods.
Without having subdued the māra of the afflictions,
The māras such as the gods cannot be repelled.
Just as one who does not desire fire abandons the wood,
One should strive to repel the māra of the afflictions.
Through the three modes of abiding, the faults are utterly destroyed;
As taught in the scriptures and by the Lord of Sages in the tantras,
I shall explain them clearly—listen with great devotion!
For those in whom desire is predominant, [one should use] impure substances, flesh, and fat...
The skin, bones, and marrow are thoroughly examined. The body is impure: skin, flesh, blood, and marrow; brain, intestines, spleen, liver, and kidneys; blood, bile, phlegm, semen, and feces; urine, body hair, and the orifices of the bones; the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; the anus, the genitals, and the ninth orifice—the wound from which various impurities and foul-smelling secretions constantly flow. Thus, the collection of all these limbs, endowed with earth, water, fire, wind, and space, the human body follows its karma and abides as a body possessed of all these elements. Even when one is tormented by desire, by bringing forth one-pointed mindfulness toward all these limbs of the body, one should examine each individually with the eye of wisdom. For whoever examines in this way, the attachment to the body and to life is completely uprooted, and desire is utterly pacified, just as the sun dispels the darkness. Separation from what is sought and from friends, encountering the unpleasant, and being tormented by desire; the sufferings of sickness, birth, aging, and death—these are not absent even when one travels to all lands. Wherever one goes, there is only suffering: from gadflies and mosquitoes, heat and cold, hunger and thirst, and so forth. Therefore, when a mind of attachment toward objects arises, one must turn back those conceptual thoughts. The mind is like lightning, a monkey, and a cloud; likewise, it is like the waves of a great ocean. Because it delights in objects as its cause for movement, it must be tamed through its flickering and its impulses.
Therefore, the Blessed One, the Lord of Victors, has declared that the mind is the root of all phenomena. Through a virtuous mind, one will attain the happiness of gods and humans, the higher realms, and even liberation. Through the faults of the mind, one will be born as an animal, dwell in the hells, or experience unpleasant states. When that mind becomes perfectly pure, one is freed from all harm—earth, water, fire, and wind, as well as birth, aging, death, and so forth, both in the interim and at the end. One will attain the bliss and peace of complete liberation. The common accomplishments of Secret Mantra, as well as minor pleasures and the eight freedoms, are to be attained through a pure mind. They do not arise from chance, nor from time, nor from primordial nature, nor from Ishvara. They are not without cause or condition, nor are they created by a personal agent; rather, sentient beings arise from karma and afflictions. Form is composed of the four great elements; it is not the self, and the self is not form. There is no self in form, and form is not in the self. Know that form is an empty aggregate. Form is like a mass of foam; feeling is like a bubble, lacking permanence. Seeing in this way is the excellent view; any other is said to be a wrong view. Harsh speech, idle gossip, speaking of others' wives, lying, stealing, taking the lives of others, causing harm, and the use of alcohol and intoxicants should always be abandoned. Whatever merit a deluded person accumulates through body, speech, and likewise mind—
Even if one has accumulated [merit], because all wrong views have been destroyed, its ripening will become an undesirable result. For example, just as a sprout does not grow from a burnt seed even if the earth, water, and time are present, likewise, virtuous dharmas do not arise in a mind destroyed by ignorance and wrong views. It is excellent to always abide on the path of Dharma by means of the ten virtues. One should completely abandon stinginess, pride, and arrogance. Whoever kills an Arhat, kills their father or mother, causes a schism in the harmonious Saṅgha, or with a mind of malice toward a Tathāgata draws blood from the body of a human—these extremely unbearable actions are explained by the Victor as the five deeds of immediate retribution. Whatever sin one commits through delusion, one will not attain accomplishment in this very aggregate of existence. Destroying a stūpa, killing a Bodhisattva, disparaging a mother who has exhausted the afflictions, killing a disciple, or—out of desire—seizing the property of the Saṅgha, whether large or small; the Tathāgata has spoken of these as the twenty-five deeds of immediate retribution. Any person of degenerate conduct who performs these will experience the suffering of the Avīci hell for an eon. Even if they practice the accomplishments of Secret Mantra, they will never attain them. Whoever wastes or burns the volumes of the Sugata’s speech, or casts them into water with a mindful intention, or abandons the Dharmakāya, or kills monks and nuns who are adorned with the entirety of the training rules—
To kill laymen or laywomen, or to burn a temple with a malicious mind—even if one commits such sins in the human realm, one will not see the attainment of those who possess the practice of austerities. Whoever, with an intention to harm the Three Jewels, inflicts even the slightest injury, will dwell for a long time in the Avīci hell. After escaping from there, by the power of karma, they will take birth as a person of low caste or as an animal. I have explained these matters to you in brief.
Whoever commits such terrible deeds as killing a Sage, severing secret mantras, or causing harm; whoever, with an evil intention, does not maintain the collection of secret mantras; or who, without purpose, cuts grass with their fingernails, tramples necks with their feet, and so forth; who pierces their nose, lacks respect for the Saṅgha, or eats offerings given to spirits, divine food, or torma cakes that have fallen to the ground—a practitioner of mantra should not consume these.
Overpowered by desire, one should not engage in sexual intercourse with animals or with women who are improper to approach. One should not tame an elephant, nor should one seize a snake; one should not constantly run about or strike with a whip. Whoever lacks a firm intention of loving-kindness toward sentient beings who are sick or suffering, and who possesses such actions, will never achieve spiritual accomplishment (siddhi).
For example, just as one cannot reach the end of the limitless sky by measuring it with a fathom, likewise, one cannot reach the end of the virtue and non-virtue of benefiting or harming those who rely upon the Three Jewels. Killing sentient beings such as dogs with snares, traps, or root poisons, and so forth—
If one binds vultures and the like in a cage, one will achieve nothing in this life or the next. One should not trample underfoot the withered flowers of the enemy Māra, nor should one place them upon one's head. Even if one is hungry, one should never eat the divine offerings presented to them. If one holds to the friendship of virtue and non-virtue, there is no difference between a Brahmin and a commoner. However, it is merely the worldly mind that designates, "This is a Brahmin" and "This is a commoner." If one follows virtue and aims for the path of truth, even commoners will go to the state where there is no birth or death. If one possesses the conduct of those who have entered the wrong path, even a Brahmin will go to the unbearable hells. Embodied beings who are utterly defiled will not become pure through anything else in this world; they are purified by completely eliminating their misdeeds and fully embracing all merit. Thus, when one is liberated from sinful phenomena, one should recite the Dharma well-spoken by the Sugata, which is pure and endowed with liberation. If one becomes weary of recitation, one should read the sūtras. In a clean and secluded place, one should always construct stūpas of the Sugatas—made of clay or sand and containing the essence of dependent origination—in order to purify misdeeds. One should offer praise, perfumes, garlands, and lamps to the physical forms or stūpas containing relics. With supreme faith, one should offer parasols, victory banners, flags, and music. Just as a great river flows continuously, day and night, without interruption, so too...
Likewise, through prostrations, recitation, and ascetic observances, merit will increase without exception. If, despite performing fire offerings and recitations, the secret mantra is not proclaimed and siddhi is not attained, one should fashion a hundred thousand stūpas from clay, or else construct them in the sand along a riverbank. By doing so, whatever sins were committed in other lifetimes will be exhausted; then, through the power of the secret mantra, one will obtain the fruit of merit in this very life. Having thereby generated faith in the Sugata, one likewise generates the mind of enlightenment (bodhicitta). One should develop faith and joy in me, the one called the Vast Vajra Family. Having thoroughly conquered the worldly dharmas—fame and insignificance, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, as well as praise and blame—with the mind, one should abandon that which has become a basis for sin. For example, just as the ocean does not remain with a human corpse for even a single moment, likewise, a mantra practitioner should not dwell for even a moment with the conceptual mind that commits sin. Sprinkle the water of love and compassion upon hatred; in a short while, even an enemy will become a friend. Friends themselves will indeed become enemies, and likewise, some will become neutral. Even those who are neutral will become enemies. Knowing that friends and relatives are thus subject to change, the wise should never be attached to them. Having turned back the conceptual thoughts of affection for kin, one should dwell at ease in virtue. The mind possessed of laziness, attachment, and non-virtue—
Wherever the mind wanders and roams, quickly turn it back from those places and properly apply it to the worship of the secret mantra syllables. Maintain firm faith in the Three Jewels. Just as the spreading flames of a summer forest fire burn all the thickets without effort, so too, the fire of recitation, fanned by the wind of ethical discipline, burns away misdeeds with the flames of great diligence. By offering flowers, incense, and lamps, and by practicing ethical discipline, diligence, and austerities, dedicate all that virtue toward the supreme, unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha. For example, just as when a river reaches the ocean, it becomes one in the taste of salt, so too, merit dedicated to supreme, unsurpassed enlightenment becomes one in the taste of the Victorious One. For example, just as a person may cultivate rice for the sake of the grain and not for the sake of the straw, yet once the rice is grown, a heap of straw arises as a byproduct without any effort, so too, although one accomplishes merit for the sake of the fruit of enlightenment and not for the sake of enjoyments, human enjoyments are accomplished without being sought, just like a heap of straw. Having properly obtained this long life and found the objects for practicing in accordance with the Dharma, one should always fulfill the aspirations of beings, even as one is born and passes away. Whether standing, sitting, sleeping, lying down, walking, eating, reading, or reciting, one should [contemplate] the individual qualities of the six recollections.
One should maintain awareness and practice recollection. Recalling the Sugatas, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, one should lie down while bowing with palms joined to Śāriputra and to me. For one who thinks in such a way, all non-virtue is exhausted. Gods and the like, as well as obstructors and misleading spirits, will find no opportunity against one who abides in such ascetic discipline. Just as all crops depend upon the earth and grow without fault, so too, by relying on ethical discipline, the supreme white dharmas grow when moistened by the water of compassion. From the pure ethical discipline of the Prātimokṣa that I, the Victor, have taught throughout the entire Vinaya, a lay practitioner should abandon the signs and rituals of a monastic, but the remainder should be put into practice. The bliss of the gods, prosperity, long life, strength, perfect form, great learning, a fine complexion, singular intelligence, and all great influence are obtained through the power of asceticism. When, with a clear mind, one has taken the bodhicitta vow in the human realm, from then on, one shall be venerated by gods, asuras, and the entire world without exception. When a person has taken all the trainings for the sake of higher rebirth, has bestowed fearlessness upon all sentient beings, and has sustained the lineage of the Three Jewels, then just as the snow on a mountain cannot endure the heat and melts when scorched by the rays of the sun, so too the snow of negativity is exhausted when scorched by the rays of the sun of ethical discipline and the power of recitation. Just as the appearance of a lamp in the pitch-black darkness dispels all darkness without exception, so too...
All the misdeeds accumulated over a thousand lifetimes,
Are swiftly cleared away by the lamp of mantra recitation.
Whatever misdeeds were committed in other lifetimes,
They all emerge through the performance of mantra recitation.
Through recitation, all misdeeds without exception will be cleared away.
Under the power of karma, without a master,
Without a protector, and without a support, from one life to the next,
Whatever the body turns toward, that is what follows;
Virtue and non-virtue follow in its wake.
The root of mantra is first ethical discipline,
Then diligence, patience, and faith in the Victors,
The spirit of enlightenment, secret mantra, and freedom from laziness.
Free from attachment, virtuous,
Constantly directing the mind toward the Three Jewels,
Having abandoned misdeeds and possessing mantra recitation—
For such a person, the siddhis of divine substances are not far off.
Just as you have taught, if a person practices purification well,
They will swiftly dispel the darkness of poverty
And blaze forth intensely like the sun.
With limbs unimpaired and the mind undiminished,
Without the physical decline of disease or suffering—
These will be attained by those who have faith in you.
With body, speech, and mind, hands, eyes,
And the movement of the eyebrows and limbs,
Being thoroughly restrained and focused upon it,
Abiding in loving-kindness, one sits upon a kusha-grass mat.
For as long as one remains one-pointed,
One should recite one hundred thousand or twenty thousand times.
Just as the lord of beasts, when enraged,
Slays the powerful elephant,
And likewise the wolf, the pig, the deer, and so forth—
Just as foxes are swiftly slain, so too the mantra practitioner, adopting the manner of a lion, should rely upon great diligence and supreme effort in all activities—whether superior, middling, or inferior. With a one-pointed mind, a dream arises in which joy born of the mind is intensely produced. Through that joy, the body attains pliancy; through the pliancy of the body, one becomes a fortunate recipient of bliss. With a blissful body, one-pointed mind, and meditative concentration, the recitation then becomes free from doubt. One draws near to accomplishment and delights in its reversal; the mind never again delights in non-virtue. Even when afflicted by the intense sufferings of hunger, thirst, heat, wind, cold, and fatigue, one does not waver. Even gadflies, mosquitoes, insects, ants, scorpions, centipedes, snakes, spirits, flesh-eaters, and pūtana demons will not even step upon one’s body or shadow. One’s words become worthy of being taken to heart and one is intelligent; one becomes skilled in poetry and in answering questions. One finds great delight in the Dharma, sees treasures, and becomes free from physical illness and impurities. Whether people see or hear one, they quickly become joyful and find one attractive. Women struck by the arrows of the god of desire will desire one for the sake of the enjoyments of the god of desire. When the wise person sees or hears the bodies and voices of gods, yakṣas, gandharvas, and the daughters of the gods with a joyful mind, at that time one has become very close [to accomplishment].
For example, just as a lamp placed inside a windless house burns without flickering, so too will the Dharma blaze within the body of one who delights in recitation with a one-pointed mind. Gazing at the tip of the nose, one should abandon conceptual thoughts. When, despite being generated, the mind does not waver, at that time one has attained stability in the object of focus; it is certain that the mind will become serviceable. These eight branches taught by the Buddha—right livelihood, the end of action, and meditative concentration, as well as effort, thought, mindfulness, and view—should each be relied upon as individual branches. Even if one is afraid, one should not prostrate to Brahmā, Śakra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Vāyu, and the like. One should not rely on their teaching of the Dharma, nor should one perform their austerities or observe their rituals. One should not harbor ill-will toward their Dharma, nor should one ever take pleasure in their conduct. One should not disturb them, nor recite their mantras. Having generated great compassion and the spirit of giving, one should rely on those who are followed by all the Sugatas. One should prostrate to the shrines and the Bodhisattvas. The Pratyekabuddhas and the Śrāvakas of the Victorious One are also always objects to whom one should prostrate. Just as people prostrate to the crescent moon but do not prostrate to the full moon, so too should one prostrate with faith to the Sons of the Victorious One, but not in that same way to the Sugatas themselves. Why should one, who is the very embodiment of compassion, taking birth for the sake of beings and possessing the training that brings high status to the entire world, not be prostrated to by everyone as if he were an only son?
To that being of inconceivable and marvelous miraculous power, whoever does not bow down is one with whom all the Victors become displeased; they shall not grant the accomplishments of the secret mantra. Just as a tree’s flower first appears lovely and later becomes fruit, look upon the supreme beings as being like the flower, and understand the Victors to be like the fruit. Although their nature is free from attachment and aversion, for the sake of those to be trained, they display anger toward the angry and great passion toward the passionate; to that one who abides in supreme enlightenment, I prostrate. To him who, knowing karma and its ripening, acts with passion for the sake of all beings in accordance with how they are suited, and who is the guide of mantras—to him I prostrate. Therefore, completely abandon wrong views and rely upon the authentic view. One should avoid studying and reciting base treatises, such as the characteristics of women or men, the examination of medicines, elephants, or astrology, the examination of weapons, the science of horses, or one’s own fabrications. One should not engage in talk of the local populace, attendance upon rulers, talk of armies, wrestlers, or young women, nor stories of legends, ancient histories, passion, or prostitutes. One should never praise oneself, nor disparage other sentient beings. Considering the world to be like a tiger, a snake, or fire, one should abandon it and delight in solitude. Having received the instruction for the recitation of secret mantras, one should [avoid] villages, cities, houses, and monasteries.
One should not go to a stūpa, a hermitage, a mountain, a place of asceticism, a pleasure grove, a spring, or a pond. If the previously mentioned locations cannot be found, the mantrin should dwell and recite in an empty temple, a delightful tree, a mountain, a river, a stream, a forest, an empty place, or any vacant land. Alternatively, if no specific location is fixed, during these eight months one should rely on any one of these: a lake, a tree, a mountain, a wilderness, a pond, a house, a forest, or a riverbank. Having stayed in these during the winter and spring months, the mantrin should dwell alone during the summer, just as the Victorious One taught that monks should observe the three-month summer retreat without going elsewhere. Likewise, the Blessed One taught that the mantrin should dwell alone for three months. During the summer, the mantrin should not engage in the actual practice but should pass the time in recitation. From the summer months onward, the mantrin should increase their brilliance, protect themselves, and then engage in the practice. Having completely abandoned possessions, one attains merit by being content with even the most meager robes, alms-food, seats, and bedding. Having left the topknot and shaved the hair, one should dye the color of the garment with mineral pigments. One should wear garments of white cloth, tree bark, hemp, flax, or tree-shells. Made of wood, iron, or clay, the vessel should be well-shaped, not rough, but smooth.
One should carry an alms bowl that is unbroken, round, undamaged, and without blemishes, and which is pleasing to the mind. One should dwell in a village where food and drink are abundant, where the common class is numerous, and where guests are honored. It should be neither too near nor too far, and free of people outside the circle of brahmins.
Brahmins who are overcome by pride, who are conceited about their lineage and lack compassion, will even create obstacles when they see offerings being made to the stupas of the Sugatas. How can brahmins be inferior to Buddhists? Since the common class provides service and offerings to the brahmins, how can the common class recite secret mantras?
The brahmins must certainly accomplish the propitiation of gods and guests, the six duties, reliance on the king and the fire, and the journey for the sake of a son. "The kṣatriyas and vaiśyas also accomplish their own duties; do not have doubts about this," they say. With various faults of speaking falsehoods, they burn the minds of themselves and others.
One should always abide by the eight limbs and accept [alms] until the midpoint of the day. Since the time for brahmins is the afternoon, one should therefore not go to the houses of brahmins. Just as a physician gives medicine to patients in order to heal or clear away a wound, so too the Victor has taught that one should eat food here in order to clear away the suffering of hunger.
When some are exhausted by the road and traveling, tormented by hunger and thirst, they might even [eat] the flesh of their own son.
Just as one eats, a yogi with a humble mind should not eat for the sake of profit or pride. Just as when poured in excess the scale rises without effort, and likewise when too little it sinks, but when balanced it remains level for a moment—so should embodied beings eat their food. For example, just as a person erects a firm pillar to prevent an old house from collapsing, so should one eat food to maintain the machine of the body, like the eye of a horse. Know that the realm of desire is sustained by food; the Victor has taught this as a single dharma. One should understand the body to be like a plantain tree and not be attached to food, drink, and the like. When the six sense faculties wander toward their objects, one should guard them with the wisdom spoken by the Sugata. Holding one of those alms bowls, one should practice for alms while looking only a yoke’s length ahead. With a smiling gait, speaking and casting side-long glances, a woman’s form captivates the mind with all its limbs. A woman’s form is like a weapon or a moat; it directly steals the mind of a man. It is far easier to block the eyes with a blazing iron plowshare than to avoid the long-eyed face of a woman that destroys mindfulness. Wherever one finds pleasure and looks, one should tame the mind with the mind, abandoning the superior, middling, and so forth, and go to the houses of others in silence. Where there are young calves or small children, or where young girls are playing and attending to one, [one should avoid such places].
Likewise, wherever youths are playing, wherever boys are holding a feast, wherever many people have gathered, and likewise wherever musicians are performing—one should never go to those places. Having returned with whatever alms were obtained, one should first distribute them as is appropriate. Having washed one's feet and given them to a guest, one should eat food for the sake of sustaining the body. Having eaten at the proper time and bathed at the proper time, when the mind that delights in recitation is at peace, if mindfulness becomes clouded through that very reliance, one should rise and walk about, look in the various directions, and thoroughly wash the face with water. The sound of flutes and the sound of drums, the terrifying sounds of people, the sounds of loud laughter and clamor, the sound of songs, the sound of the biṅga, the lute, and the clay drum, the sounds of various small birds and the sound of water, the tinkling sounds of women's ornaments, and the afflictions of flies, mosquitoes, heat, cold, and wind—these cause the human mind to be distracted and agitated. Stance, leaping, and dancing, singing, drumming, and the vocal modulations of people, excessive pride, craving, and great desire, the wish to see kings and assemblies, untimely sleep, and talk that is not accomplished, listening to treatises, reciting poetry, passion, fear, arrogance, and intoxication, harboring resentment, and laziness and deceit—these should be abandoned. Elephants, horses, oxen, roosters, and dogs, partridges, partridges, owls, and men—
One should not watch or engage in quarrels involving women, girls, or even goats and sheep. It is universally proclaimed that the mind, possessed of the collection of afflictions such as desire, is saṃsāra. When liberated from afflictions, it is like crystal or the moon, and is declared to be the far shore of the ocean of existence. Just as stainless water is made turbid even for a moment by dust and the like, so too the pure, stainless mind is made turbid by the defects of desire and so forth. Through these paths, the siddhis of Secret Mantra are attained, and likewise, the higher realms and liberation are obtained here. The Sons of the Conquerors—the Victors of the past who have passed away, those who have gone from here, and those who will become Tathāgatas—whatever merit they have accumulated with a solitary mind through devotion of body, speech, and mind, when they focus on the path of truth spoken by the Sugatas, that virtuous action is truly generated. Regarding the reliance on the master’s essential instructions, the hidden meanings, and the various stages of activity, the individual doors of meditative absorption and so forth are distinct; thus, they do not follow the sequence as they appear in the Subāhuparipṛcchā. This is the fourth chapter, the chapter on the first stage, from the section on the stages of abiding. The yogi practitioner, weary of saṃsāra and supremely intent upon nirvāṇa, should meditate on the divine abidings in order to apply meditative concentration and become free from the obscurations of meditative equipoise. Initial dhyāna has five branches: conceptualization, discernment, joy, bliss, and one-pointedness of mind. By means of the words of the past, the future stages of abiding are [described].
This is explained according to the system of the Secret Mantra Sūtras. The sounds of flutes and the sounds of drums, the enemies that cause extreme terror, and the afflictions of flies, mosquitoes, heat, cold, and wind cause the human mind to be distracted and agitated. With smiles, walking, speaking, and sidelong glances, forms that captivate all the limbs—the female form is like a sharp weapon that directly steals the mind of a man. It is far better to have one's eyes completely blocked by a glowing, blazing iron plowshare than to see the long-eyelashed face of a woman that causes the loss of mindfulness. Thinking of them as being like tigers, snakes, or fire in this world, one should abandon them and delight in solitude. Joy is seen to bring about the extreme pliancy of the body; through the pliancy of the body, one becomes fortunate in bliss. For a person possessing a one-pointed mind, the joy born of the mind arises intensely. Through the absence of conceptualization and analysis, illness arises; thus, joy and the others are taught as the four branches of the second [dhyāna]. Through a clear mind, the bliss of the gods, the higher realms, and liberation will be attained. Equanimity, mindfulness, alertness, bliss, and one-pointedness are the five branches. Possessing equanimity, one attains the single lifespan of Brahmā. For example, just as a lamp placed inside a windless house burns without flickering, so too will the Dharma blaze within the body of one who delights in recitation with a one-pointed mind. Equanimity is utterly pure, and mindfulness is utterly pure.
Neither suffering nor pleasure, but one-pointedness of mind; fame and insignificance, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, and likewise praise and blame—having thoroughly conquered these eight worldly concerns with the mind, one should abandon that which has become a basis for negativity. This is the fifth chapter: Abiding in the Divine Realms of Meditative Concentration.
The extraordinary resolve of the Bodhisattvas is to strive for the benefit of others at all times. I shall explain the causes for abiding in the Brahmā realms: possessing love, compassion, joy, and equanimity. This is the sixth chapter: Abiding in the Immeasurables.
In order to meditate on the three doors of liberation, the object of entering and engaging in the realization of the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu), I shall explain to you the third abiding. Listen with a respectful mind, in accordance with the instructions of the Sage.
Form consists of the four great elements; it is not the self, nor is the self form. The characteristics of woman and the characteristics of man, the examination of medicine or elephants, or the analysis of the stars; the examination of weapons or the science of horses, or self-composed treatises—one should abandon and cease reading such inferior treatises.
Talk of the countryside, attending upon rulers, attending upon armies, wrestlers, or young women; tales of legends and ancient histories, talk of sensual desires, and talk of prostitutes—one should not engage in these. This is the seventh chapter: Teaching the Doors of Liberation.
Just as branches will grow from a tree whose roots have not been cut, so too, as long as the root of the afflictions is not cut, the afflictions of viewing things as real entities will arise. Therefore, in order to destroy the demon of the afflictions—
Meditating on the emptiness of phenomena, I shall explain according to what was taught in my own lineage. Listen with a joyful mind! The Blessed One, the Vajra-Holder, spoke of the condensed divisions of emptiness: "The yogi who understands this will come to know emptiness. For the sake of the discordant factors and their remedies, the meditation on emptiness is fully taught. Internal phenomena are the remedy for conceptualization; the aspects of perversion are explained as internal and external emptiness. Being free from external observation, it is explained as external emptiness. Not conceptualizing internal ritual phenomena or even external ones, this is correctly explained here as internal and external emptiness. The vessel-like world being devoid of a support is called the great emptiness, because it observes the completion of wisdom and laziness. The emptiness of its discordant factors is the emptiness of non-entities. The ultimate is the emptiness of the ultimate, knowing that false entities are ultimately unreal. Because virtues such as generosity and the conditioned are not to be observed, one practices the characteristics of one's own conceptualization; this is explained as the emptiness of the conditioned. Perfect enlightenment is unconditioned, and its causes are also not to be observed; having completely abandoned entities and non-entities, the unconditioned emptiness is taught. For the sake of sentient beings, aspirations and so forth, and the Joyous Stage and so on, are not to be observed; having completely abandoned all conceptualization, the emptiness beyond extremes is taught."
Because the world is without beginning or end, the very aspiration for the sake of beings is described as being without conceit. The emptiness without beginning or end is not perceived as nirvāṇa. Not abandoning the nature of virtue is explained as being without conceit. The emptiness of non-discarding is that the stains of passion and so forth are pure by their own nature; thus it is taught as being without conceit, clear as the emptiness of nature. The form body, with its major and minor marks and so forth, is the quality; not perceiving others as well is the emptiness of specific characteristics. Regarding the dharmas of the wings of enlightenment, there is also no conceit in practice. All dharmas are explained as emptiness. The dharmas of the self and the person are the supreme non-existence of superimposed entities; having completely severed all bonds, it is taught as the emptiness of entities. Just as emptiness is directly perceived, so too is the knowledge of non-entities; the further non-perception itself is asserted as the emptiness of non-entities. Thus, even the classification of emptiness was spoken by the Supreme Speaker as an antidote to habitual tendencies, in order to destroy the mara of afflictions. Yogis should always meditate upon it. This is the eighth chapter, on Emptiness.
Now, please explain how the manner of emptiness was taught. The Vajra Master, the Teacher, spoke again: "Now, all dharmas are not grasped as real entities; they are like illusions, dreams, and mirages."
Because it functions through the power of conditions, and since there is nothing to be negated, it is evident that there is no authentic negation. Thus, one who realizes suchness does not grasp at anything as a real entity. By that, it is realized: it is not non-empty, it is neither existent nor non-existent, it is neither non-arising nor arising; thus the Blessed One spoke in such terms. This is the function of meditative concentration. If one contemplates these secret words, the result will be fully attained; it is not so through mere desire. While one is facing toward the yoga of each individual word, this recitation of the "inferior" secret mantra is taught as something that must not be avoided for each word by means of the sound of the words. This secret mantra without yoga will not bestow the result in that way. This secret mantra word is the secret mantra; therefore, one must not be without yoga. By means of this meaning of the sūtra, one enters into the clear light, [reciting] "Oṃ śūnyatā." From the essence of the clear light, the Vajra-holder enters into meditative equipoise and, through skillful means, should remain in the yoga of union. The application of the generation stage and likewise the completion stage—wherever these two become one, that is explained as "union." The abandonment of the two conceptualizations of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, wherein they become a single entity, is explained as "union." The conventional and the ultimate, free from the two conceptualizations, wherever they are perfectly blended, that is explained as "union."
By engaging thoroughly in vajra recitation,
Once the characteristics of the winds are known,
The winds of conceptual thought are perfectly severed,
And one will attain focus upon the mind.
Through the stage of self-consecration as well,
The eight great siddhis will be attained.
By knowing the stages of solidity and so forth,
Manifest enlightenment will be attained.
By abiding in the stage of union,
The gathering of all siddhis
Will be accomplished in this very life;
Of this, the yogi has no doubt.
Through the samādhi of union,
The great siddhi of Mahāmudrā
Is entered without conceptual thought;
There is no doubt that it will be attained in this life.
This is the ninth chapter, on Luminosity and Union.
Having conquered the māra of the afflictions through the applications of mindfulness and so forth, and having conquered the māra of the aggregates through the great parinirvāṇa:
Having cleared away the cataracts of conceptual thought,
Like the moon of non-conceptual wisdom,
The stainless aggregates have arisen and been utterly abandoned;
This is explained as the "Great Parinirvāṇa."
From the center of the sky of all non-conceptual phenomena,
The stainless form bodies, like the sun and moon, arise.
Dispelling the darkness of ignorance for the two types of disciples,
I prostrate to the Sage, the Dharmakāya.
I prostrate to the Sage, the Saṃbhogakāya.
I prostrate to the Sage, the Nirmāṇakāya.
I prostrate to the Sage who radiates immeasurably.
I prostrate to the Sage who dispels darkness with light.
Ema! All beings have attained sovereignty,
Which is equal to space.
Ema! The three realities of the samaya!
You act as the most wondrous teacher,
Completely liberated from the three realms.
The very nature of the expanse of phenomena,
Untainted by any desires—
Homage to you, the non-referential!
Not relying on the aggregates, the elements,
Or the sense bases,
You are liberated from existence and nirvāṇa.
Just as space has no location,
Is without conceptual elaboration, and is unstained,
You possess a mind equal to space—
Homage to you, the non-referential!
To those who do not boast of their virtues,
Who conceal their faults,
And who act solely for the benefit of others—
Homage to the gurus!
Just as the eye protects the eye,
Relying on whom I protect myself,
And who abide in common conduct—
Homage to all the bodhisattvas!
Relying on whom the Munis
Attain manifest, perfect enlightenment,
And who appear in various forms for the sake of those to be trained—
Homage to all sentient beings!
That which, when deluded, leads to saṃsāra,
And which, when known, is the very nature of liberation—
To the supreme wheel of deities who dwell eternally,
I prostrate to my own self!
This is the tenth chapter, the Praise, from the Engaging in the Conduct of Accomplishment, the ritual for repelling Māra.
The Engaging in the Conduct of Accomplishment, composed by the great master, the glorious Jñānavajra, who possesses the pith instructions of the three stages of the Guhyasamāja and who receives the crown of his head upon the lotus feet of the Blessed One Akṣobhya, is hereby complete.
Translated and edited by the Indian abbot, the great lay practitioner (upāsaka) Venerable Kumāra, and the Tibetan translator Lha btsun pa. May it be virtuous!
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.