Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This ritual text, attributed to the master Bandhuprabha, provides a liturgical procedure for the consecration of a stūpa. The work functions as a manual for transforming a physical construction into a spiritual support through a series of meditative dissolutions and offerings. It begins with the dissolution of the practitioner's body, speech, and mind into the Buddhas Vairocana and Amitābha, followed by an invocation for the dharmakāya to inhabit the emanated stūpas. The ritual commits the practitioner to a specific sequence of offerings and mantras designed to instill the stūpa with the qualities of the path of accumulation—specifically the four applications of mindfulness—and the path of seeing, including the seven factors of enlightenment. The process concludes with the symbolic opening of the eyes and the offering of banners and silk turbans, aiming to ensure the stūpa serves as a vehicle for teaching the Dharma in all languages and purifying the obscurations of sentient beings.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual for the consecration of stūpas, the rab tu gnas pa'i cho ga belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The work is attributed to the Indian author Saṃvarabhadra. It was translated into Tibetan by ’bro lo tsa ba d+harma b+hi and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཚི, where it is situated within the Other Skillful Means Tantras collection. Spanning seven pages in this edition, the text enacts a liturgical procedure to transform a physical construction into a spiritual support. It directs the practitioner to draw a maṇḍala and dissolve the body, speech, and mind into the Buddhas Vairocana, Amitābha, and Akṣobhya. Through the casting of tsa-tsas, the recitation of mantras, and the offering of seats, the ritual invokes the dharmakāya to inhabit emanated stūpas. The procedure is designed to endow the supports with the four applications of mindfulness on the path of accumulation—specifically those pertaining to the body, feelings, mind, and phenomena. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the specific meditative dissolutions and offering sequences used to establish the spiritual efficacy of a stūpa.
The text is significant for its integration of early Buddhist psychological frameworks, such as the four applications of mindfulness and the seven factors of enlightenment, into a Vajrayāna ritual context. It demonstrates how the physical stūpa is conceptualized not merely as a monument, but as a living embodiment of the path to enlightenment.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
Preliminary Consecration
Initial homage, the dissolution of the practitioner's aggregates into the Buddhas, and the invocation of the dharmakāya.
3-4
Imparting Spiritual Qualities
Ritual prayers to endow the stūpa with the four applications of mindfulness and the seven factors of enlightenment.
5-7
Offerings and Symbolic Activation
The offering of banners and silk turbans, followed by the 'opening of the eyes' and the activation of the stūpa's capacity to teach.
8
Conclusion
Final offerings, praise, and the attribution of the work to Bandhuprabha.
Themes
The Path to Enlightenment (3-4)
Ritual Offerings and Mantras (2, 5, 8)
The Body of the Buddha (Dharmakāya) (2, 5)
Universal Communication of Dharma (7)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
Homage to Mañjuśrī Jñānasattva! Now, the consecration is to be performed. Having drawn the maṇḍala and arranged the names upon it, the consecration of the body is to be dissolved into Vairocana; the consecration of the speech is to be dissolved into Amitābha; and the consecration of the mind is to be dissolved into Akṣobhya.
Having cast the tsa-tsas as described above, perform the empowerment of the stūpa. Visualize the offerings according to the ritual manual. First, invite them:
Abode of all buddhas, the self-manifestation of wisdom,
With wheels, lines, and four tiers,
Possessing the fourfold shape of the four sites, four gates, and tiered portals—
Spontaneously present by nature, I pray that the eight stūpas come!
Bhagavān, I pray that the stūpa of the descent from the gods,
Arising from the deeds of the nirmāṇakāya, come!
I pray that the Lotus stūpa come!
I pray that the Mahābodhi stūpa come!
I pray that the Mahāprātihārya stūpa come!
I pray that the Spontaneously Present stūpa come!
I pray that the Utterly Pure stūpa come!
I pray that the Kaniṣka stūpa come!
I pray that the Auspicious Many-Gated stūpa come!
I pray that the Wisdom Pedestal stūpa come!
I pray that the Dharmacakra stūpa come!
I pray that the Parinirvāṇa stūpa come!
Support for the eight charnel grounds of the arrogant aggregates,
Abode of ḍākinīs and foundation of all siddhis,
Supports of the Sugatas, mountains, and so forth—
I pray that the eight stūpas of accomplishment come!
In accordance with the conventions of all those and the individual vehicles, I pray that you come for the sake of beings to all the emanated stūpas that have been constructed as supports. EHYEHI DHARMAKĀYA KHADALABHYO BHRŪṂ DṚŚYA HOḤ. SAMAYA HO. SAMAYA STVAṂ. JAḤ HŪṂ BAṂ HOḤ. Then, the offering of the seats: Upon the maṇḍala of pure flowers, the various precious grains, and the sun and moon seats of method and insight, I pray that you sit upon the lotus seats. OṂ PADMA KAMALAYE HŪṂ. Then, the prostration: Arising from the blessings of perfected deeds, from the east: Maitreya, Lekshe Dorje, and Dzogpa; from the south: Yishin Lhundrup, Kanika; from the west: Samde Dewa, Pema Tsekpa; from the north: Khams Sum Ngadrag, Deshe Drön. I prostrate to these eight stūpas of blessing. Then, perform the circumambulation and scatter flowers. Next, perform the offerings according to the liturgy. Then, make the aspiration prayer: Regarding our virtuous practice, by generating harmony among sentient beings, leveling the ground, and sprinkling the consecrated water, may all sentient beings become equal in the bodhicitta. By laying the foundation, distributing the materials, and performing the consecration and offerings according to the liturgy, may they practice the path of the ten virtues and become free from attachment. Regarding the application to the path of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment—namely, the path of accumulation, the path of preparation, the path of seeing, the path of meditation, and the path of final consummation—by constructing the first tier for the thirty-two factors of the path of accumulation,
By performing the consecration and offerings according to the ritual text, may they be endowed with the four applications of mindfulness on the path of accumulation: the application of mindfulness to the body, the application of mindfulness to feelings, the application of mindfulness to the mind, and the application of mindfulness to phenomena.
By constructing the third tier and performing the consecration and offerings according to the ritual text, may they be endowed with the four right endeavors: the non-arising of unwholesome phenomena, the abandoning of those already arisen, the production of unarisen wholesome phenomena, and the increase of those already arisen.
By constructing the third tier and performing the consecration and offerings according to the ritual text, may they be endowed with the four bases of miraculous power: the base of miraculous power endowed with the formative activity of abandonment through the meditative concentration of aspiration, the base of miraculous power endowed with the mental engagement of the mind, the base of miraculous power endowed with diligence, and the base of miraculous power endowed with meditative concentration.
By constructing the fourth tier, may they be endowed with the five faculties: the faculty of diligence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of meditative concentration, the faculty of insight, and the faculty of faith.
By constructing the jeweled base of the vase and performing the consecration and offerings according to the ritual text, may they be endowed with the five powers that overcome discordant factors: the power of faith, the power of diligence, the power of mindfulness, the power of meditative concentration, and the power of insight.
By constructing the vase and performing the consecration and offerings according to the ritual text...
Regarding the path of seeing: may [the stupa] be endowed with the seven factors of enlightenment—namely, the factor of enlightenment of correct mindfulness, the factor of enlightenment of correct discrimination of phenomena, the factor of enlightenment of correct diligence, the factor of enlightenment of correct joy, the factor of enlightenment of correct pliancy, the factor of enlightenment of correct meditative concentration, and the factor of enlightenment of correct equanimity. Having properly constructed the pinnacle and performed the consecration and offerings according to the ritual texts, may [the stupa] abide continuously in the eightfold noble path of the path of meditation: correct view, correct thought, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfulness, and correct meditative concentration. OṂ VAJRA ĀYUṢE SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of offering the life-pillar to the life-pillar of the dharmakāya, may all sentient beings be endowed with the ten knowledges. OṂ PRAMARDANAYE SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of placing the wheel upon the stupa of the tathāgata, may all sentient beings who have reached the ultimate end be endowed with the eight unshared liberations and primordial wisdom. OṂ BHRAMANAYE SVĀHĀ. [This applies to] the stupa of the dharmakāya. Through the blessing of offering the parasol, may all sentient beings be endowed with the unsurpassed refuge. OṂ KUṂBHIRADHVĀJAYA SVĀHĀ. [This applies to] the dharmakāya. Through the blessing of offering the makara banner, may sentient beings neither abandon nor be exhausted by saṃsāra.
May the unfailing victory banner of the Dharma be attained! OṂ PAṬAṂKĀYA SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of offering a banner to the stūpa of the dharmakāya, may inconceivable renown of the Dharma be attained! OṂ PAṬAṂKĀLAMPĀYA SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of offering a silk turban to the stūpa of the dharmakāya, may all sentient beings become the bodies of the Sugatas, and may they obtain flowing silk and uninterrupted offerings of service and honor! OṂ RATNAMĀLATRAṂ. By offering a garland of Dharma flowers, may all sentient beings be adorned with the major and minor marks, and may they become such that one can never tire of beholding them! OṂ VAJRA-DARA SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of offering silk streamers to the Dharma, may the unshared qualities of a Buddha be individually and clearly manifest! OṂ VAJRA-GHAṆṬA SVĀHĀ. Through the blessing of offering a Dharma bell, may the drum of the Buddha’s speech be attained! Through the blessing of offering Dharma flowers, may the path that brings liberation to its conclusion be attained—the inseparability of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, like Samantabhadra! Through the blessing of offering the ornaments of the sun and moon to the stūpa of the dharmakāya, may self-arisen phenomena be naturally luminous! The relics of the Tathāgatas are invited; by offering seats, prostrations, and offerings, from the first ground up to the eleventh, may the non-referential insight and the non-referential compassion of the tenth ground be attained.
May these two be inseparable, and may the sixth family, Vajradhara, attain the thirteenth stage of primordial wisdom. As for the consecration of the body: perform the offerings according to the sequence of the text, and then perform the opening of the eyes:
Though the five eyes are pure, free from the defects of cataracts, and devoid of the conceptualization of clarity or lack of clarity,
In the manner of service, honor, and veneration,
May the faculty of the eyes manifest the manner of clarity,
And may you be forever endowed with the divine eye,
May you be forever endowed with the eye of primordial wisdom.
OṂ VAJRA CAKṢU SVĀHĀ.
The coemergent internal forms
Are offered to the eyes of the Victors;
May the enjoyment of forms be perfected.
OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA VAJRA ĀLOKE HŪṂ.
Though you possess the miraculous ear for all sounds and languages, and are devoid of the conceptualization of deafness or delusion,
In the manner of service, honor, and veneration,
May the faculty of the ears manifest the manner of clarity,
And may you be forever endowed with the divine ear.
May the pleasant and charming sounds
Perfect the enjoyment of sounds.
OṂ VAJRA GHAṆṬE HŪṂ.
Though the faculty of the nose is pure and without defect, and is devoid of the conceptualization of non-odors or odors,
In the manner of service, honor, and veneration,
May the faculty of the nose manifest the manner of clarity,
And by the wind of primordial wisdom, may the afflictions be scattered,
And may you be endowed with the collection of total purification.
The coemergent internal fragrance
Is offered to the noses of the Victors;
May the enjoyment of scents be perfected.
OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA VAJRA PUṢPE HŪṂ.
Upon the tongue, the faculty of speech, which blazes like vermilion—
Although you are free from the conceptualization of sweet and bitter,
As a mere gesture of service, honor, and veneration,
May you display the form of extending your tongue,
And with the sixty branches of melodic speech,
Teach the Dharma in the languages of all beings.
This nectar-food possessing a hundred flavors,
The innate inner flavor,
I offer to the tongues of the Victors;
May the enjoyment of flavors be perfected.
OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA VAJRA NAIVIDYE HŪṂ.
Although the supreme body of the Victors is never apart from being seen,
And is unstained by the defects of the impurities of desire,
As a mere gesture of service, honor, and veneration,
By wiping the Victors' bodies with this supreme cloth,
May they be endowed with the major and minor marks,
And may they be pleasing to the minds of all beings.
This supreme, soft, smooth, and supple touch,
The innate inner tactile sensation,
I offer as an offering to the bodies of the Victors;
May the enjoyment of tactile sensations be perfected.
OṂ SARVA TATHĀGATA TIKṬI SINTIRI HŪṂ.
Free from all conceptualization without exception,
Possessing a nature devoid of stains,
The very essence of the wisdom of the dharmadhātu—
I prostrate and praise the Foremost Sugata.
To the Victors and their Sons who dwell
In the world systems of the ten directions:
Your bodies abide in human form,
Your speech is the victory of expression,
And your minds are in non-conceptual meditative equipoise;
Yet, for the sake of sentient beings,
The syllable OṂ is at the crown of your heads,
From which Vairocana’s syllables radiate to the ten directions,
Purifying the obscurations of the bodies of sentient beings.
The syllable AṂ is upon your tongues,
From which Amitābha’s syllables radiate to the ten directions.
Purify the obscurations of sentient beings. Then, present the five types of offerings and perform the praise. This concludes the ritual for consecration composed by the master Bandhuprabha.
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.