Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Personal Instructions on the Symbolism of the Precious Great Seal is a collection of cryptic, symbolic realizations attributed to various ḍākinīs across diverse sacred landscapes, including Oḍḍiyāna, Takṣaśilā, and Vulture Peak. The text functions as a manual of symbolic language (brda), employing paradoxical imagery and metaphors—such as the mirror, the ocean, and the taming of an elephant—to convey the non-conceptual nature of Mahāmudrā. Rather than providing a linear philosophical argument, the work is structured as a series of fragmented revelations and instructions compiled by different figures, such as the ḍākinīs Śrī-Īśvararājñī and Khaṅ-gdong-ma. It commits the reader to a method of interpretation where spiritual realization is not found in literal meaning but in the decoding of symbols that point toward the purification of the mind and liberation from karma. The text emphasizes the transition from ordinary intellectual entanglement to a state of innate bliss and clarity, signaled by the metaphorical rising of the sun in the heart.
Provenance
About this text
An instruction on the symbolic realizations of Mahāmudrā, the Mahāmudrāratnābhigītyupadeśa belongs to the tradition of the General Unexcelled Yoga Tantra Works. The work is attributed to the Indian author Padmalocanā and opens with an homage to the glorious Cakrasaṃvara. It was translated into the classical Tibetan language by zha ma lo tsa ba under the title phyag rgya chen po rin po che brda'i man ngag. This version is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཟི, where it extends over eleven pages. The work enacts a series of symbolic revelations spoken by various ḍākinīs—including Śrīguṇa in Oḍḍiyāna, Śvanāvidyujjvālāpaśinī in Takṣaśilā, Sukhāvatī at the Mahābodhi tree, and Mayūrāsyā at the Kunda-li conch-protector lake—who employ cryptic imagery and metaphors to convey spiritual realizations. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the use of symbolic language and the specific geographical and divine attributions associated with these instructions.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Personal Instructions on the Symbolism of the Precious Great Seal” (Toh 2445), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2445
Summary & commentary
Significance
This work is significant for its representation of the ḍākinī's role as a primary transmitter of esoteric knowledge in the Indo-Tibetan tradition. For the modern reader, it illustrates the use of 'symbolic instruction' as a pedagogical tool designed to bypass conceptual thought and trigger direct insight.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-14
Symbolic Realizations
A series of fragmented instructions and symbolic verses attributed to various ḍākinīs, including sections on the Purification of the Mind and Liberation from Karma.
Themes
Symbolic Language (Brda) (1-13)
Purification of the Mind (9-10)
Liberation from Karma (14)
Non-duality and Emptiness (3-6, 11)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaPersonal Instructions on the Symbolism of the Precious Great Seal·
In the language of India: Mahāmudrāratnābhigītopadeśa-nāma. In the language of Tibet: Phyag rgya chen po rin po che brda’i man ngag (The Precious Symbolic Instructions on Mahāmudrā). Homage to the glorious Cakrasaṃvara!
In the land of Cchandoha in Oḍḍiyāna, the ḍākinī Śrīguṇa spoke these symbolic realizations:
"The filaments of the udumbara flower do not grow from mud and water.
One afflicted by vomiting remains free from attachment to food.
One who has escaped the Ganges rests on dry land, weary of mind.
One without friends, tormented by enemies, seeks protection in the four directions.
This fruit of the body possesses a most powerful capacity for growth." Thus she spoke.
In the cave of Eastern Sukhāvatī, the ḍākinī Vajrasūryākṣī spoke these symbolic realizations:
"Beings are ferried across the water by boat and raft.
A chariot adorned with wheels traverses the paths of the stages.
A sealed flask does not leak while boiling in water.
The first step of the ladder is carried to the very top.
The strength of the final smelting cuts through flesh and bone." Thus she spoke.
In the cave of Nāgārjunapāda, the ḍākinī Suvarṇakalaśadhāriṇī spoke these symbolic realizations:
"Space and the three-thousandfold world system are indivisible.
A bird with only one wing cannot fly in the sky.
Head, limbs, and body become a single entity.
The nature of ice is water, like the form of a stone.
The mirror and its reflection are not distinct." Thus she spoke.
In the Bamboo Grove where the Kalandaka birds dwell, the ḍākinī Kaṅkā Rudhirapāyinī spoke these symbolic realizations:
"When the belly is burst by wine, former appearances perish." Thus she spoke.
A universal monarch performs no other task; when a poor woman recognizes a treasure, her former way of life is lost; the captain who has accomplished his aim on the island dwells in bliss. Thus he spoke.
In the great city of Takṣaśilā, the ḍākinī Śvanāvidyujjvālāpaśinī expressed her realization through symbols:
"The various mudrās are indeed one's own palms; they are stable in the fat, marrow, flesh, bone, and blood. The light of the sun overcomes the radiance of the stars; the power of the fire-crystal is lost within the clouds." Thus she spoke.
To the south of the great charnel ground Uḍḍiyāna, the ḍākinī Piśācīśaṅkhadhmāyinī expressed her realization through symbols:
"The soaring clouds have no permanent abode; the wind arising in the sky is empty of essence. This sound of an echo depends upon the voice of another; the mind of a madman remains free of any fixed reference point." Thus she spoke.
On the peak of the mountain of Blazing Fire, the ḍākinī Vidyujjihvā expressed her realization through symbols:
"The conceptual-free young child picks up a clod of earth, having lost his gold. The sprout that has reached its time pierces the soil. When the stains of pigment are cleansed by water, it is clear. Accomplishment through intention is the body of a universal monarch." Thus she spoke.
In the vicinity of Kapilavastu in Rājagṛha, the ḍākinī Parvatasāgaracchāyāhāriṇī expressed her realization through symbols:
"Sandals protect the feet from unfavorable conditions; a boulder on a steep mountain does not stay but leaps violently. The river Gaṅgā flows in an uninterrupted connection; darkness cannot obscure the eyes of a jackal." Thus she spoke.
At the foot of the Mahābodhi tree at Vajrāsana, the ḍākinī Sukhāvatī spoke this symbolic realization:
Two-headed, one dies from eating poison;
One with a wound rots the toad’s nest;
When the eye defect is not cleared, the moon appears as two;
Seeing one’s shadow as an enemy, one finds no refuge.
Thus she spoke.
At the abode of the Kunda-li conch-protector lake, the ḍākinī Mayūrāsyā spoke this symbolic realization:
The female cormorant is not harmed by other birds when she lacks fish;
When the power of poison is seized by mantra, it is digested;
The peacock, having cast aside the medicine, gazes at its own grace;
From the stump of a severed palm tree, a thousand sprouts grow.
Thus she spoke.
At the foot of the Bodhi tree, the ḍākinī Tuṣitāsuvarṇaprabhā spoke this symbolic realization:
The cotton wick drawn from sesame oil is the cause of fire;
An illusory son does not sustain the king’s lineage;
The musk of the deer is the very scent of its cause;
When deceived by a friend, trust in companions is lost.
Thus she spoke.
From the Instruction on the Symbols of Mahāmudrā, this section on the Array of Ornaments was compiled by the ḍākinī Lāvaṇyasuvarṇakeśī.
On the glorious Potalaka mountain, the ḍākinī Cakramukhī spoke this symbolic realization:
At the sage’s seat, the kuśa grass is excellent, so other grasses are abandoned;
When the farmer’s seed is secured, the mind rests;
The lamp, unmoved by wind, shines in its own place;
When separated from a beloved child, one thinks of nothing else.
Thus she spoke.
In the glorious Jewel Island, the ḍākinī Sūryaraśmi expressed her realization through symbols:
"Ordinary people of small intellect are tightly bound by their own ground; if they are released from that inner entanglement, they are happy. Wipe the white silver mirror upon the miraculous seat. Draw the master of the loom far away from your side." Thus she spoke.
In the cave of Asura in the south, the ḍākinī Maṇinetrī expressed her realization through symbols:
"The tortoise in the bronze basin delights in the light of the sun. The ornament made of gold is gold itself. When shooting an arrow at a target, one thinks of no other great archer. The forms of molasses are inseparable from their taste." Thus she spoke.
In the expanse of the Jālinī forest, the ḍākinī Vātirāsaṇī expressed her realization through symbols:
"The crystal moon waxes during the waxing phase. The colors of the rainbow in the sky are devoid of intrinsic nature. No one can describe the bliss of youth. When fed with sesame oil, whatever is cut by the sword falls." Thus she spoke.
In the region of Kapilavastu, the ḍākinī Purṇākhyuṅ-gshog-can expressed her realization through symbols:
"Water poured into a basket blocks its internal talk. The spectacle of an illusion is not real. When a poor woman encounters a treasure, her former perceptions vanish. A grain of salt dissolves into the river itself." Thus she spoke.
In the Cool Grove charnel ground, the ḍākinī Sūryamālā expressed her realization through symbols:
"The lion is terrified by the cry of a fox. The precious queen is not afraid of a maidservant. When a son rises up as an enemy, whom can one call a friend?" Thus she spoke.
"It remains unspoken, like the dream of a mute," he said.
On the Glorious Mountain in the south, the ḍākinī Muktāśekhara expressed her realization through these symbolic verses:
"The conduct of a bride and a madman are indistinguishable;
A fish has mastery over the waters of the ocean.
When fire breaks out on a lacquer mountain, the winds are its allies;
Where waters flow, they are of one taste."
He said.
In Rājagṛha, Magadha, the ḍākinī Amṛtakalaśadhāriṇī expressed her realization through these symbolic verses:
"The mind of a jackal does not develop attachment to a corpse;
At the time of need, the hawk’s skill is not elsewhere.
The fox’s movements are directed toward the charnel ground;
Look at the young child, the mirror, and the lion."
He said.
In the monastery of Vikramaśīla in the east, the ḍākinī Jīvadāśobhā expressed her realization through these symbolic verses:
"At the proper time, the ferryman holds his own ground;
The essence of the sun is not clothed by darkness.
A craftsman whose hand is severed is thwarted in his work;
Black and white letters do not stain the sky."
He said.
In the land of the nāga Mukuṭaratna, the ḍākinī Siṃhamukhī expressed her realization through these symbolic verses:
"The nest of an egg born in the sky is that very thing itself;
The wild ass’s dung is never found on the ground.
The color of the sky is unceasing and utterly pure;
Mist rises from the earth and dissolves into the sky."
He said.
In the shade of the Jambu tree, the ḍākinī Ratnākara expressed her realization through these symbolic verses:
"The various rivers are not distinct from the ocean;
The waters of Anavatapta are free from movement from the depths."
He said.
The nature of water and the moon are each empty; moisture and waves do not transcend the ocean. Thus he spoke.
This is the second [chapter], a summary of the symbolic instructions on the Precious Mudrā, compiled by the ḍākinī Śrī-Īśvararājñī of the Net of Light Rays.
In the Jewel Island of Bliss, the ḍākinī Candraprabhā spoke these symbolic realizations:
The conduct of taming the wild is more enduring than others.
Wild grain-liquor is not the drink of a Brahmin.
An elephant caught by a hook has no autonomy.
One does not desire a mirror whose tarnish has not been wiped away.
Who is able to draw an arrow from a bow without a string?
Thus he spoke.
In the Golden Bird-Shelter of Thang-zang, the ḍākinī Sāgaralocanā spoke these symbolic realizations:
One should not cook honey in a copper cauldron.
Sow the seeds that are ripe and endowed with yellow.
A woman who is in the throes of childbirth does not dare speak to her husband.
Fire does not emerge from a churn without a collection of materials.
One does not pour sesame into a sieve without a base.
Thus he spoke.
In the Plakṣa Grove of the West, the ḍākinī Viśvarūpahāriṇī spoke these symbolic realizations:
The wise person avoids a venomous snake.
One who desires the Jewel Island does not rely on another captain.
One should avoid associating with the lowly and a patient’s own self-invented remedies.
A youth dispels a thousand years of darkness with a lamp.
The wise tortoise avoids the midst of thorns.
Thus he spoke.
In the City of the Source of Happiness, the ḍākinī Kīrtimukhā spoke these symbolic realizations:
The actions of a powerful wrestler are not suitable for a cripple.
Thus he spoke.
Small streams flow into the great ocean; the hunter blows his flute toward the deer; the light of a magnifying glass burns the cotton wool; the color of copper is transformed by the alchemical elixir. Thus he spoke.
In the Sosadvipa charnel ground, the ḍākinī Sukhāloka expressed the realization through symbols:
Flowers grow from the shade of the garden trees; a magnet draws in iron; a merchant enters his own trade; the monkey’s home is the fruit-bearing forest; the ferryman strives to cross the ocean. Thus he spoke.
In the shade of the Citravāla tree, the ḍākinī Suvarṇakaṭakabuddhi expressed the realization through symbols:
A turtle that sees water should not remain on dry land; one is ruined by laziness regarding a wound from a poisoned arrow; a pig eats without distinguishing between clean and unclean; in the charnel ground, the jackal is busy with the corpse; the lion is fearless in the mountain ravines. Thus he spoke.
In the Jeta Grove, the ḍākinī Kalyāṇasukhā expressed the realization through symbols:
The bee sips nectar and the color of the utpala does not fade; rain is the friend of the fire in the coal; the darkness of night is dispelled by the light of the sun and moon; grain grows in a field free of salt; a chariot without wheels does not know how to go. Thus he spoke.
This is the third section, the Vision of Wisdom, from the Pith Instructions on the Symbols of Mahāmudrā, compiled by the ḍākinī Sukhaphala.
On Mount Kukkutapāda, the ḍākinī Kumbhakarṇī expressed her realization in these symbolic verses:
"A low-caste girl does not belong in the royal palace;
A bee avoids camphor but gathers around the stench of vomit.
A Brahmin abandons other duties at the time of the poṣadha fast;
A beautiful woman is filled with joy when adorned with ornaments.
A serpent is most tormented by the scent of sandalwood."
Thus she spoke.
In the royal city of Vaiśālī, the ḍākinī Mukuṭamaṇi expressed her realization in these symbolic verses:
"This impure manure benefits the rice field;
A person afflicted by illness relies on a steady physician.
A noble captain plays with his retinue like a father with his sons;
A small stream does not contain jewels on its islands.
The power of a bee’s nectar is transformed by its companions."
Thus she spoke.
In the Dharmaghaṇarāja treasury, the ḍākinī Jvālāśrīmālā expressed her realization in these symbolic verses:
"A smith fashions whatever he desires from Jambū-river gold;
But butterflies, fish, and bees are destroyed by the iron hook.
At the time of treatment, the patient must abandon laziness;
A mother does not abandon her heart of love for her child.
One should please the captain who leads one to the island of jewels."
Thus she spoke.
In the abode of the nāga king Enaya, the ḍākinī Garuḍamukhī expressed her realization in these symbolic verses:
"The fangs of a venomous snake are not an ornament;
A man devoid of happiness is trapped in a prison.
One cannot withstand the beauty of the hālāhala flower;
A man who steals from the treasury must be conscientious.
A man tormented by thirst pursues a mirage."
Thus she spoke.
This is the fourth section, the Purification of the Mind, from the Instruction on the Symbols of Mahāmudrā, compiled by the ḍākinī Khaṅ-gdong-ma (Garuda-Faced).
On Vulture Peak Mountain, the ḍākinī Gser-gyi rgyal-mo (Golden Queen) spoke these symbolic realizations:
"The lotus is not stained by the defects of the mud.
When its wings are fully grown, the fledgling flies from the nest.
The snake that sees the sandalwood tree abandons its lethargy.
At the place of desire, the waterwheel extends the flow of water.
The fish caught by the hook loses its ease." Thus she spoke.
In the city of Bhūtapura, at Vimalakara, the ḍākinī Rdo-rje 'dam-skyes-ma (Vajra Mud-born) spoke these symbolic realizations:
"To the field, water and fertilizer are applied in succession.
There is nothing that a diamond cannot pierce.
The utpala petal is attached yet untouched.
In the waters of the lake, there is no [fixed] measure.
The sun’s light is not seized by darkness." Thus she spoke.
In the east, within the ancient copper conch, the ḍākinī Dpal-ldan 'jigs-med-ma (Glorious Fearless) spoke these symbolic realizations:
"Relying on the forest, the sage wears leaves on his back.
The lion dwelling in the snows remains free from trepidation.
When the garuda chick’s wings are grown, it soars in the supportless sky.
The sprout of the mountain-protector naturally achieves the fruit.
Though the outcaste’s son is elegant, he is merely self-important." Thus she spoke.
In the east, at Kāmarūpa, near the Noble Self-Arisen [Stūpa], the ḍākinī 'Khor-lo shugs-'chang-ma (Wheel-Possessing Power) spoke these symbolic realizations:
"The brahmin’s thread is first tightened and then loosened.
The female weaver loosens it after one month.
The goldsmith, when the gold is melted, is free from narrowness." Thus she spoke.
Upon the seat, the king laid down his foundation. The opening of the blind man’s eyes is a great spectacle to behold. Thus he spoke.
At the foot of the Stūpa of Śrīghoṣa, the ḍākinī Caṇḍālī Suvarṇākṣī expressed her realization through symbols:
"Reveal the secret words of the Brahmin Vedas to your son.
The suffering of the dream is purified at the time of waking.
In a great crowd, those who recognize the true person are few.
Unborn by causes, the sky is pure from the beginning.
When sesame oil is refined, even the dregs are wiped away by the oil itself.
Eating an arrow as food, one sees the earth as gold." Thus he spoke.
In the north, amidst the reeds, in the abode of Sukhāvatīprabha, the ḍākinī Sūryapakṣā expressed her realization through symbols:
"Reveal the secret words of the Brahmin Vedas to your son.
The king’s palace is not seen by those of low caste.
The clay bowl in the alleyway remains once its task is finished.
When the three poisons are purified, there is no one to paint the blind man.
The examination of jewels is not understood by the foolish." Thus he spoke.
On the banks of the lotus-hued pond, the ḍākinī Vajragarvā expressed her realization through symbols:
"One cannot damage gold that lacks horns through conceptualization.
On an island of jewels, there are no pebbles or shards of pottery.
Through the conditions of time, the lotus will blossom.
The body of Brahmā is stainless even without being washed." Thus he spoke.
On the island of Dhanakośa, the ḍākinī Ratnakaṅkāladharā expressed her realization through symbols:
"One who has no enemies need not perform welcoming or seeing off.
The wings of the kalaviṅka bird develop within the egg.
The mouth of the lotus is opened by the rays of the sun." Thus he spoke.
Water and moisture do not appear as two. Thus he spoke.
In the Siṅghala grove, the ḍākinī Sūryapāśinī expressed her realization in symbolic verse:
Who created the spectacle of the dream?
The girl without a breast is prone to forgetfulness.
Foolish is the one who exerts effort in cultivation and protection but does not take the fruit.
The water of the sky blazes as the ripened grape.
Thus he spoke.
In the great charnel ground of Ghoṣa, the ḍākinī Vajraśaṅkhinī expressed her realization in symbolic verse:
The spectacle of the blind man in the temple has vanished.
As long as there is wood, so long is there fire.
It is impossible for the ice of summer to remain in its base.
The illusory master is deluded yet free from conceptualization.
No one has bestowed the qualities of the jewel.
Until the eon is destroyed, the light of the sun and moon does not cease.
The wrestler who has mastered the pea has no further skill.
A drop of water cast into the ocean will not dry up.
Thus he spoke.
In the glorious monastery of Śrī Nālandā, the ḍākinī Ratnaprabhā expressed her realization in symbolic verse:
The eyes of a madman do not see the fish or the void.
Without moisture, the cloud has no power to adhere.
Without a man, the hook does not catch the elephant.
A piece of chalk cannot point out the sky.
Thus he spoke.
This is the fifth section, the Mahāmudrā Symbolic Instructions, from the Arrangement of the Glorious Mind, compiled by the ḍākinī Ratnaikā.
In the Golden Island of the ocean, the ḍākinī Vajraikā expressed her realization in symbolic verse:
The chariot and the wheel must not be separated.
A poisonous snake will rise up as an enemy from its own egg; gold from the Jambu River is surpassed by silver; when an elephant is tamed, the syllable enters its heart. Thus he spoke.
In the western Vīra grove, the ḍākinī Śavarī Śrīdhāriṇī spoke this symbolic realization:
Upon the stamen, spread the petals as a seat; those desiring liberation should look into the eye of Viṣṇu. The powerful one has today obtained the supreme alchemical elixir through the kindness of the mendicant. Thus he spoke.
In the midst of the Joyful Charnel Ground, the ḍākinī Maṇiprabhā spoke this symbolic realization:
One should not apply camphor for a cold disease; the syllable of Brahmā cannot be uttered. The elephant whose bile is exhausted is freed from its tether; the power of mercury benefits the eyes of the Lord of Gods. Thus he spoke.
In the eastern monastery of Kāśyapa, the ḍākinī Putrī Māṃsabhakṣiṇī spoke this symbolic realization:
Poison cannot affect one who knows the snake-mantra; what use is a kingdom at the time of death? Where can a blind man go without a guide? A pig does not represent an elephant; it is not represented. Thus he spoke.
In the center of the Mahākāla Charnel Ground, the ḍākinī Śrīmālā spoke this symbolic realization:
The spectacle of the dream is created by one’s own mind; fire blazes intensely within the tinder. Through a single syllable, one enters all the Vedas; yet through all the Vedas, one does not know that single syllable. Thus he spoke.
In Vārāṇasī, the ḍākinī Śrīśaṅkhadhamā spoke this symbolic realization:
Other greens and the alchemical elixir are not the same. Thus he spoke.
The full moon causes a stream of water to flow from crystal; the stream of foam dissolves back into the ocean itself. The wise one, the Cowherd, casts off violence. Thus he spoke.
At the spring of Da-chu, near the well, the ḍākinī Jvālāmukhī, holding a golden bell, spoke these signs of realization:
"A mountain retreat is not a place of solitude. The king’s palace and the marketplace are utterly secluded. One should not look at one’s face on the back of a mirror. Read the ink of the mouse with your heart." Thus he spoke.
In the city of Glang-po-ljongs, the ḍākinī Raktamukhī-rājñī spoke these signs of realization:
"One with a mind like space cannot transcend the sky. The sage’s victory banner is not the path to liberation. One does not pass beyond sorrow through a maṇḍala. The supreme fruit is sought in the mind of a madman." Thus he spoke.
In the northern medicinal forest, the ḍākinī Cūḍāmaṇi spoke these signs of realization:
"The man who tramples the head of a wild boar with his foot—this person has shown all the pith instructions. The caravan leader’s son reads the letters of the sky. O friends, it is right to bow at his feet." Thus he spoke.
At the glorious Phal-’phung, the ḍākinī Śrīpotalakī spoke these signs of realization:
"Without pulling the churning rope of the clay wheel, one should make offerings to this precious jewel. The man who sells a mad elephant is wise. Having seen the treasure, one should not avoid it." Thus he spoke.
At the base of the Nam-dag stūpa, the glorious Rang-byung-gyi-rgyal-mo spoke these signs of realization:
"Kye ho! Children, drink the lion’s milk! Do not vomit out the medicinal butter that is beneficial! Once the sun has risen in the center of the heart, the masses of darkness will be utterly destroyed." Thus he spoke.
This is the sixth section, the "Fragment on Liberation from Karma," from the Instruction on the Symbols of Mahāmudrā, compiled by the ḍākinī Śrī Padmanetra.
This is the fifty-fifth minor chapter, the Instruction on the Symbols of the Precious Mudrā, which was entrusted to the Lord Dampa by the ḍākinī and translated by the translator Zhama.
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.