Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual text provides technical instructions for the construction and consecration of the maṇḍala (wheel) of the deity Black Yamāntaka. The work functions as a manual for the practitioner, detailing the precise spatial arrangement of seed-syllables, vowels, and consonants within the geometric structure of the maṇḍala. It specifies the material requirements for the support cloth, correlating the fabric's origin—ranging from pure cloth to charnel ground materials—with the intended ritual outcome, such as pacifying, enriching, or destroying. The text concludes with the provision of specific mantras required to shift the wheel and accomplish various ritual activities. By following these prescriptions, the reader commits to a rigorous system of symbolic mapping and material correspondence intended to manifest the deity's power through the physical act of drawing and the vocalization of secret mantras.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for drawing the wheel of Glorious Black Yamāntaka, this work belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. It is preserved in the Tengyur, specifically within volume མི, where it is categorized under the Other Skillful Means Tantras and spans five pages. The work enacts the physical and symbolic construction of a mandala, providing a mantra practitioner with precise instructions for arranging seed-syllables, vowels, and consonants. It details the placement of these elements—such as the sixteen vowels and the seed-syllable of wind—within a geometric structure, often situated in a charnel ground. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to understand the technical requirements of the ritual, from the initial approach retreat to the spatial mapping of the wheel, ensuring the correct manifestation of the deity's power through the rigorous application of symbolic and material correspondences.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Ritual for Drawing the Maṇḍala of Glorious Black Yamāri” (Toh 1959), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1959
Summary & commentary
Significance
The text is significant for its illustration of the intersection between material culture and metaphysical intent in Vajrayāna Buddhism, specifically regarding the use of taboo materials for wrathful rites. It provides a primary example of how precise orthography and geometry are utilized as tools for spiritual technology.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1
Introduction and Homage
Opening homage to Yamāntaka and a statement of intent to explain the ritual.
2-4
Technical Drawing Instructions
Detailed directions for the placement of vowels, consonants, and seed-syllables within the maṇḍala's architecture.
5
Material Requirements
Guidelines for selecting the cloth based on the desired ritual effect.
6
Mantras
Provision of the shifting mantra, the root secret mantra, and the activity mantra.
7
Colophon
Formal conclusion of the ritual text.
Themes
Sacred Geometry and Orthography (2-4)
Ritual Materiality and Correspondence (5)
Mantra and Ritual Efficacy (6)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Ritual for Drawing the Maṇḍala of Glorious Black Yamāri·
The Ritual for Drawing the Wheel of Glorious Black Yamāntaka
Homage to the Blessed One, Yamāntaka!
The ultimate Dharmakāya is peace itself;
He who here is the Victor over the Three Realms,
Renowned by the name "Yama"—
I shall explain the ritual for turning his wheel.
A mantra practitioner endowed with qualities,
Having performed the approach retreat according to the ritual,
In a charnel ground, a secluded place, or the like,
Should prepare a maṇḍala measuring two cubits.
It should be cleansed with perfumes, the five products of a cow,
And the sun, moon, and so forth.
With the five samaya substances, such as beef,
And furthermore, with the gaṇacakra,
And the various outer and inner offerings,
Having made excellent offerings,
One should contemplate the drawing, the extraction,
The leading, the mixing, and the shifting of the wheel.
The mantra practitioner, possessing yoga,
Facing the southern direction,
And recollecting the samaya,
Should remember this secret mantra:
OṂ VAJRA SAMAYA STVAṂ.
While reciting this mantra,
One should begin to draw the wheel.
From the center, a circle sixteen finger-widths in measure,
Completely round, is the inner wheel;
It is encircled in three stages,
Forming sixteen iron fortresses without gates.
This is the city of Yama,
The place of entry for the three realms of existence.
The outer perimeter has three rings,
Completely surrounded by an iron wall;
Each of those rings
Is endowed with sixteen chambers.
Having drawn these wheels that sever
According to the nature of beings,
On the outermost perimeter,
One should arrange the letters from Ka to Da,
Excluding Nga and Nya.
The letters beginning with dha and ending with kṣa should be written following that. Upon that central rim, the sixteen vowels should be arranged in double. When beginning the extraction and arrangement, these signs should be understood: the moon, the eye, the qualities, the Vedas, the arrows, the senses, the oceans, the auspicious, the planets, the directions, the famous, the sun, the limbs, and the earth—these are renowned as the "dates."
On the outermost rim, starting from the Brahmā-line in the east, one should take the auspicious letters from the houses in reverse order and place them on the sides of the Brahmā-line of the inner rim at the measure of an eye in each of the four directions. From the house in the reverse direction, one should take a letter at the measure of an eye and place it to the right and left of that in the east. From the auspicious house in reverse order, one should take the second vowel and, having made it the measure of an eye, place it once on each of those sides.
From the house containing the oceans, counted from the Brahmā-line in the east, one should take the eleventh vowel at the measure of an eye and place it likewise on the southern side. From the house containing the moon, taken in regular order from the east, one should take the thirteenth vowel and place it following that on the south. The letter dha itself, with its vowel clearly visible, should be taken at the measure of an eye and placed in the western direction as before. From the auspicious house, counted from the east, one should take the thirteenth vowel at the measure of an eye and place it likewise on the western side. From the house containing the dates, starting from the east...
Endowed with the eleventh vowel, having taken the measure of an eye, place it likewise on the northern side. That which is called the seed-syllable of wind, having taken the measure of an eye, place it thereafter. Residing in the house of the Archer (i), having been made into a sphere of light, and counting from that very point, that which resides in the house of the Planet (j), endowed with the third vowel, having taken the measure of the moon, place each one in the northeast corner. Residing in the house of the Ocean (ṅ), endowed with the second vowel, from the house of the Non-sequential Quality (ṅ), having taken the measure of the moon, place it likewise in the southeast corner. From the house of the Non-sequential Auspicious (ṅ), endowed with the fifth vowel, from the house of the Limbed (ṅ), having taken the measure of the moon, place it likewise in the southwest corner. From the house of the Non-sequential Tithi (ṅ), endowed with the third vowel, from the house of the Non-sequential Auspicious (ṅ), having taken the measure of the moon, place it likewise in the northwest corner. Having arranged them in that manner, one should then begin the extraction. Recalling the samaya, with the power of the Vajra-Force, having extracted the pair of syllables from both sides of the eastern Brahma-line, they should be placed in the central house. Likewise, having extracted the pairs from the sides of the Brahma-lines of the other directions, they should be placed in the central house in the same way. Then, having extracted the second pair of the eastern syllables, they should be placed in the houses of the second row; the same applies to the other directions. Also, the third pair of the east—
Draw [the letters] into the third-tier house; the same applies to the other directions. The consonants separated from the vowels should be drawn into their respective internal spaces. Once those have appeared, one should draw the vowel letters into the empty houses. Upon the basis of the vowel letters, one should draw the name letters. Upon the basis of the name letters, one should arrange the inciting letters in accordance with their respective activities. For killing, expelling, and separating, the letter PHAṬ should be placed. For suppressing, the letter LAṂ; for pacifying, the letter OṂ; for enriching, the letter SVĀ; for magnetizing, it is adorned with HOḤ; and for summoning, the letter JAḤ. Regarding the light rays of the activities: for pacifying, water; for enriching, earth; for magnetizing, fire; and for the fierce [activities], wind. Separating, summoning, and expelling are concordant with the fierce; suppressing is like the enriching. Having performed the application of drawing, one should begin the application of blending. Possessing the non-dual mantra, the central letter, auspicious as well, should be made into a mass of light like the moon. Within that mass of light, the desired object of accomplishment should be placed. In the center of that, place the non-self at the beginning. All the letters situated in the peripheral houses should also be made into a mass of light at that time. The tenth king of mantras should also be written, interspersed within the sixteen houses. The blessing syllable HŪṂ should also be beautifully placed at each corner of the four houses. Having arranged them in complete purity, and having performed the offerings and the torma, one should begin the emanation. According to the distinctions of the activities—
The cloth for the wheel should be taken; for pacifying and enriching, it should be made from very pure cloth. For magnetizing and summoning, use the skirt of a prostitute and so forth. For killing, separating, expelling, and suppressing, use cloth from a charnel ground. For pacifying and enriching, use bezoar and saffron. For magnetizing and summoning, use red sandalwood. For suppressing, use realgar and so forth. For expelling, use the blood of a crow. For separating, use [the blood of] a horse, buffalo, and so forth. For killing, draw with poisons and the like. For virtuous activities, use fine wood; for non-virtuous ones, use bone, iron, and so forth to draw. For pacifying, face east; for magnetizing, west. For enriching, north; for wrathful rites, south. Furthermore, apply these as appropriate. For pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and summoning, arrange the earth-circle in the proper sequence, while the sky-circle is the reverse of that sequence. For killing, expelling, separating, and suppressing, the earth-circle is reversed, while the sky-circle is drawn in the proper sequence. If it is not drawn correctly in this way, the wheel will turn back upon oneself. Therefore, apply yourself with diligent effort. Once the cloth wheel is properly finished, that wheel residing on the maṇḍala should be invited into the cloth wheel. By means of the yoga of the vajra-gathering, the maṇḍala wheel should be gathered [into it]. Having made offerings to the cloth wheel, one should visualize the blessing of truth. Having hidden the wheel according to the ritual as it was taught, one should begin the reversal of the secret mantra: OṂ VAJRA SAMAYA STVAṂ. This is the samaya mantra. OṂ VAJRA VEGA. This is the mantra of Vajravega. OṂ ASAME TRIMAHĀSAMAYE SVĀHĀ. This is the mantra for mixing the syllables.
OṂ VAJRA SAMAJAḤ JAḤ. This is the mantra for shifting the wheel. OṂ YAMARĀJA SADO MEYA | YAME DORUṆAYODA YA | YADAYONI | RAYAKṢEYA | YAKṢEYACCHANIRĀMAYA PHAṬ PHAṬ. This is the root secret mantra; it accomplishes all activities. OṂ HRĪḤ ṢṬRĪḤ VIKṚTĀNANA HŪṂ HŪṂ PHAṬ PHAṬ SVĀHĀ. This is the activity mantra; it accomplishes all activities. ŚĀNTIṂ KURU SVĀHĀ: for pacifying. PUṢṬIṂ KURU SVĀHĀ: for enriching. VAŚAṂ KURU SVĀHĀ: for magnetizing. MĀRAYA PHAṬ: for killing. VIDVEṢAYA PHAṬ: for creating discord. UCCĀṬAYA PHAṬ: for expelling. STAMBHAYA HŪṂ LAṂ: for suppressing. ĀKARṢAYA HŪṂ JAḤ: for summoning. OṂ MUḤ: for releasing again.
The city of vowels and consonants is the beginning of the emergence of secret mantras; it is also the prison of activities. If the extraction of the letters is not performed, the sound of the secret mantra will become distorted. If the letters are not arranged in their entirety, the sound of the secret mantra will be impaired. If the secret mantra is not shown through its symbolic signs, the practitioner will have no accomplishments. If the lead [the extraction] is not performed, one will not transcend saṃsāra. If the mixing of the letters is not performed, the sixteen houses will be meaningless. If the direction of rotation is reversed, the purpose will not be achieved. A corrupted or distorted vidyā-mantra is like the defeat of the asuras in battle, or like the slaying of the enemy of Indra. If the shifting of the wheel is not performed, the rituals will be impaired. Through the cause, the application, and the teaching of faith, accomplishment will be achieved. Therefore, one should act with diligent application.
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.