Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Six Stages (Kramaṣaṭka-nāma) is a technical manual detailing the phenomenological and external signs associated with the progression of a Secret Mantra yogi. The text functions as a diagnostic guide, categorizing specific sensory experiences and environmental manifestations into stages of accomplishment, failure, or mastery. It moves from the internal cognitive shifts of the first stage—where the yogi perceives the three realms and remembers past lives—to the external signs of subduing other applications. The work commits the reader to a system of interpretation where physical states (such as emaciation) and external events (such as the behavior of animals or the appearance of women) serve as objective indicators of a practitioner's spiritual standing. By mapping the trajectory from initial signs of accomplishment to the final manifestation of emanated forms equal to the power of the Sugatas, the text provides a framework for verifying the efficacy of tantric practice through observable signs.
Provenance
About this text
A treatise detailing the signs of accomplishment for the yogi in Secret Mantra, the Kramaṣaṭka (Tibetan: rim pa drug pa) serves as a guide to the phenomenological experiences accompanying spiritual progression. The work is attributed to the Indian author Jabaripa. It entered the Tibetan tradition through the translation efforts of Devapuṇyamati and lo tsa ba chos kyi bzang po, and is preserved in the Tengyur (vol. ཚི) within the collection of Other Skillful Means Tantras. The text enacts a diagnostic system wherein the practitioner's progress is mapped through specific sensory and environmental markers. It describes the first stage of accomplishment as involving the perception of the three realms of existence, the recollection of past and future births, and the manifestation of light and fragrance from corpses. Conversely, it outlines signs of failure or difficulty, such as the yogi finding themselves in mud, excrement, or wearing tattered garments. A scholar or serious reader consults this four-page work today to understand how the Secret Mantra tradition interpreted physical and cognitive phenomena as objective indicators of a practitioner's standing, moving from internal conceptual shifts to external manifestations.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “The Six Stages” (Toh 2155), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2155
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant for its focus on the 'signs of accomplishment,' reflecting a tradition of empirical verification within Secret Mantra practice. For the modern reader, it illustrates the intersection of somatic experience, environmental divination, and spiritual attainment in Indo-Tibetan tantra.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-2
First Stage
Introduction to the nature of conceptual thought and the initial signs of accomplishment, including expanded sensory perception and memory of past births.
3-4
Signs of Failure
Descriptions of signs indicating an inability to overcome obstacles, characterized by physical accidents, degradation, and psychological instability.
5
Fifth Stage
The sequence of signs indicating mastery and the skill in subduing other applications, involving specific physical and environmental markers.
6
Sixth Chapter
The final stage concerning the manifestation of emanated forms and the attainment of power equal to the Sugatas.
Themes
Signs of Accomplishment (2, 5)
Failure and Obstacles (3, 4)
Emanation and Power (6)
Sensory Perception (1, 2)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Kramaṣaṭka-nāma. In the language of Tibet: Rim pa drug pa (The Six Stages). Homage to the glorious Vajrapāṇi.
Beings are the objects of conceptual thought, and they abide within that thought; they conceptualize and grasp at what is virtuous and non-virtuous. Like a ship caught in the jaws of a sea monster amidst a swarm of venomous enemies, they experience joy and sorrow. Always held by compassion, they are terrified by the roar [of the ocean]. To that, all things bow and bow again. Remembering that realization of one's own experience and the grace received, here, through pleasing the desired deity and renunciation, one definitely emerges by means of other applications.
The first two are the two; the second appears as four. The first is the accomplishment of recitation and the signs of accomplishment. The signs and marks of accomplishing the secret mantra are: seeing many volumes of scripture, taking them in hand, and seeing them shining. Hearing the sounds of offerings—the great drum, conch, cymbals, and bell—and seeing many forms. Performing the maṇḍala and mandala rituals, teaching and listening to the Dharma, reading volumes, and speaking as if writing a continuous text. Seeing many images of the Sugatas on cloth paintings, and seeing the forms of sacred supports. Making musical instruments, stupas, parasols, and so forth; finding or seeing signs such as the vajra. Clearly seeing various flowers, the descent of the light of the sun and moon, and seeing the planets and stars. Setting fire, rising up, or the sky becoming overcast. Leading water into a pond or drawing it from a well. Seeing excellent rice sprouts and excellent leaves. Taming jackals and the like, wearing fine clothes, wearing excellent ornaments, and holding sharp weapons.
These are the signs of the accomplishment of Secret Mantra. This is the first stage of the signs of accomplishment for the yogi in Secret Mantra.
With the sense faculties of the eyes and so forth, one sees the three realms of existence. One hears, remembers past and future births, and all substances overflow. The painted cloth smiles, and from the corpse and so forth, light and fragrance arise. In the darkness, a rain of flowers falls and rainbows appear. In the assembly, one teaches the Dharma; in the darkness, one examines the volumes of scripture. From the empty sky, the sounds of various musical instruments, the roar of thunder, the flash of lightning, and the falling of great thunderbolts occur. One sees the empty sky and blue clouds, as well as dark blue clouds that are certain to appear. The luminous disks of the sun and moon spread across the earth. One makes offerings and circumambulates the forms of the Sugatas in painted cloth, cast metal, and so forth, or circumambulates sacred supports. Having drawn a maṇḍala, one makes offerings or receives empowerment. One gathers various flowers in beautiful vessels and finds various precious gems and lapis lazuli. Water gushes forth from extremely dry ground. One dwells within a mass of fire while living beings are scorched. One’s meditative absorption is clear, and one exerts oneself in the form of a hungry ghost. One sees many secluded and delightful places. One practices one-pointed meditative concentration. One dreams of sitting upon a lion throne. One builds or repairs temples and monasteries. One walks upon great rivers and the ocean. One flies through the air and seizes venomous serpents. Such dreams are the signs of the accomplishment of Secret Mantra. This is the second stage of the signs of accomplishment for the yogi in Secret Mantra.
Second, the definition of the first of the four [stages]:
Other applications will arise for the yogi himself: being unable to escape a steep mountain and falling to the very end; wishing to enter a mountain cave but falling into a water pit; being in a cattle pen, in mud, or amidst excrement and urine; in water that is red or pale; wearing coarse, black, or red garments; wearing extremely tattered cotton bark; sitting on a tree branch fearing it will fall from the mountain, remaining without support; sitting naked and walking in murky water; and dreaming of constantly traveling day and night to that very place of support for subject and object.
Dreaming of riding black oxen, red oxen, black cows, or red cows; wearing coarse clothes and riding a gata (camel); seeing herds of buffaloes, cattle, and so forth; seeing herds of black animals or cattle; seeing herds of horses, gata, or round-eyed animals; seeing herds of beta or teta (types of palm trees); dreaming of lions, wolves, dogs, and other fanged beasts; and dreaming of rhinoceroses, mice, and clawed predators. This is the third stage: the sequence of signs that other applications will cause harm to the yogi.
Regarding the characteristics of the fourth of the second [section], the characteristics of being unable to withstand the power of yoga: dreaming of birds, mice, and poisonous snakes dwelling in a lake; crocodiles, fish, and aquatic creatures; scorpions, spiders, lizards, and many-legged insects; and long-beaked flies and other minute creatures. When these appear in dreams, the applications of the servants will cause harm. Dreaming of snakes, frogs, spiders, and scorpions; birds and the like clinging to the body, pecking with beaks, or flapping wings; and seeing beta trees and so forth without leaves, appearing fierce in color.
The signs of being unable to overcome: a woman going mad, striking everyone she cannot overcome, and having a wild complexion; or filling a beautiful, fine vessel with food and the like, and constantly appearing as an old woman—these are signs of being unable to overcome. Being encircled by snakes, not being separated from them, or having scorpions, lizards, and the like clinging to one and stinging with their mouths; or long-beaked flies and other minute creatures entering the body to suck blood—these are signs of being unable to overcome. Dreaming of crocodiles, fish, and the like leaping and swimming in great waters, or seeing black and red creatures being carried away by the water—these too are signs of being unable to overcome; one must strive to reverse them. For the faithful and diligent, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. This is the fourth section: the sequence of signs of being unable to overcome harms arising from other applications through the power of the yogi.
Second, the characteristics of the fourth and third [sections], the signs of being able to overcome and suppress through the skill of yoga: buffaloes, cattle, and the like becoming emaciated and thin; animals being tethered or bound; animals being carried off by enemies, bound, or stolen by thieves; animals being tended, or threshing rice husks; animals being cared for by their herdsmen and attendants; animals being able to carry loads and burdens—these are signs of being able to overcome. Killing animals, boiling them, and eating them; fire breaking out among oneself and others, and animals being burned—these are signs of having definitely brought them under control. Women becoming decrepit, dejected, or dying; weeping, or respectfully prostrating with fine ornaments; or departing from their place to another—these are taught as signs of being able to overcome. Killing, eating, or driving away many creatures such as snakes, or their dying—these are signs of being able to overcome.
Emaciation and parched speech are the signs of mastery. Birds, mice, venomous snakes, and the drying of the lake are signs of mastery; women who are cowed and weeping are also signs of mastery. This is the fifth stage: the sequence of signs of the yogi’s skill in subduing other applications.
Second, the characteristics of the fourth [application]: When other applications become intensely enraged, if one remains unmoving in one’s place, they will manifest various emanated forms and appear in all directions. They remain dispatching retinues and messengers of their commands. They come in the guise of high-born individuals, young children, or the form of ordained monks; these are the messengers born from the plains. The method for averting them is as follows: they may appear as ministers, elders of the land, or joyful youths in the form of Bonpos. They may appear in the form of mantra practitioners; these are the rock-born messengers. The method for treating them is taught as follows: those who are white, red, or black, and are extremely numerous, tending cattle and staying among the livestock, or women with fine locks of hair who are dark brown; these are the messengers born from slate mountains and snow mountains. Therefore, it is said that there are many methods. They may appear as young women with fine ornaments, or in the form of ordained nuns, mothers, aunts, sisters, or maternal uncles. They appear as kinsmen, relatives, women in great crowds, young girls, or wives; these are the lake-born messengers. The method for suppressing them is to be practiced; through these, some are pacified and some are brought under control. By being brought under control, one is liberated from the diseases of conceptualization. Most animals, such as dogs and the like, are messengers of other applications and must be averted. Their essential nature is the form of the principal deity.
That very one possesses the form of an animal and is adorned with ornaments. Abiding in the expanse of space, the emanated forms are beyond all description; their infinite limits cannot be grasped. Therefore, they are equal to the power of the Sugatas. This is the sixth chapter, the sequence of dispatching messengers of the command through other applications.
Having received the command of the Guru and the permission of the tutelary deity, I have composed this brief conceptualization out of compassion for wandering beings. Whatever merit has been accumulated by this, may all beings attain certainty and definitive realization.
The sixth chapter, which clarifies the signs, composed by the master Jāvaripa, who attained siddhi and was born of the Revatī lineage, is hereby complete. It was translated by the Paṇḍita Puṇyamati and the translator Chos kyi bzang po.
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.