Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This text provides a technical manual for the selection and preparation of physical materials—specifically earth, wood, and stone—required for the construction of temples and sacred sites. It frames these material concerns within a tantric framework, requiring the practitioner to maintain deity yoga and specific ritual purity to avoid catastrophic outcomes such as disease or death. The work combines elements of divination, geomancy, and botanical classification, instructing the user on how to identify auspicious trees and stones while interpreting omens from animal appearances and the direction of falling objects. By integrating mantra recitation and offerings to local deities and field-protectors, the text commits the reader to a process where the physical environment is treated as a living entity that must be pacified and correctly diagnosed before construction can begin. It presents these procedures as an excerpt from a larger, unnamed tantric treatise, positioning the act of building as a ritual extension of the practitioner's spiritual realization.
Provenance
About this text
A ritual manual concerning earth, wood, and stone, the sa dang shing dang rdo'i cho ga belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The record does not name an author. It was translated into Tibetan by zha lu lo tsA ba and is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཟི, where it comprises eight pages. This work is situated within the General Unexcelled Yoga Tantra Works. The ritual enacts a process of preparing the ground through deity yoga and supreme offerings, integrating the use of mantras and lamps of black sesame oil to diagnose and extract sources of pain or danger. It instructs the practitioner on how to avoid afflictions, fire, and death by correctly interpreting signs and performing specific offerings to a young girl facing east. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the intersection of tantric practice and the ritual management of the physical environment, observing how the practitioner employs deity yoga and divination to pacify the ground before proceeding with ritual preparations.
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Ritual of Earth, Wood, and Stone” (Toh 2498), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2498
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its illustration of how Indo-Tibetan tantric traditions integrated mundane architectural concerns with complex systems of divination and deity yoga. For the modern reader, it reveals the intersection of environmental observation and ritual science in the creation of sacred spaces.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-3
Ground Preparation and Diagnosis
Instructions on the necessity of deity yoga for ground preparation and the use of lamps and mantras to diagnose hidden obstructions or pain in the earth.
4-8
Selection of Wood and Trees
A catalog of auspicious tree species, rituals for worshipping tree goddesses, and the interpretation of omens involving animals and the direction of falling staves.
9-10
Selection of Stone
Criteria for identifying auspicious stones based on texture, scent, and color, and the final placement of objects for temple construction.
Themes
Deity Yoga and Ritual Purity (1, 5)
Divination and Omens (2, 3, 7, 8)
Botanical and Mineral Classification (4, 9)
Propitiation of Local Deities (5, 6)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
The Ritual for Earth, Wood, and Stone. Homage to the glorious Vajrasattva!
One who possesses the deity yoga should perform the supreme offering to the ground. Having arisen from the deity, one should then prepare the ground. In this regard, the master should perform the yoga of his own chosen deity and, at night, make offerings and offer praise to a young girl facing east. He should then say, "O Blessed Lady, speak of what is virtuous and what is non-virtuous!" and infer without error the utterances that begin with the syllables A, Ka, Pa, Ta, Ca, Sa, Ha, Ba, and Dza.
Regarding the nine squares of the earth: if the syllable A appears first in the north, then there will certainly be the pain of two living creatures two cubits and a quarter beneath the eastern direction. If that is not extracted, faults will arise such as the death of one's lineage and wife, and the fear of fire. If Ka is uttered first, there is the pain of fire in the north; the bone of a Kṣatriya is located two cubits beneath the ground. If that is not extracted, then various diseases, the fear of fire, and the ruin of one's aims through oppression by a king will occur. If Pa is uttered first, in the north and south directions, there is a fragment of the bone of a Vaiśya two cubits less a quarter beneath the ground. If that is not extracted, there will be internal and external heat and the ruin of one's aims. If Ta is uttered first and last, there is a fragment of the bone of a Śūdra two spans beneath the direction of the Rākṣasas.
If that is not extracted, at that time one will be afflicted by various diseases, face the danger of fire, and the master of the house will die. If the letter ca is mentioned first, there is a thorn of a Brahmin’s bone two cubits and a quarter below in the direction of water. If that is not extracted, the house will be destroyed by fire. If the letter sa is present at the beginning and the end, there arises a thorn of a landowner’s lineage bone in the direction of wind, two and a half spans below. If that is not extracted, friendships will be short-lived and one will fall into grief. If the letter ha is mentioned first, in the northern direction, two cubits and three quarters below, there is a thorn of a Vaiśya’s bone; by this, men and women will become short-lived. If the letter va is present at the beginning and the end, there are the bones of a Śūdra at three spans in the northeast, or else the bones of a cat, iron, and charcoal. If these are left without being extracted, the wealth of the lineage will decline. If the letter ja is mentioned at the beginning and the end, there is a thorn of a Brahmin’s bone in the center of that; if that is not extracted, one will be afflicted by royal punishment and the fault of exhausting one's wealth will arise. Therefore, because many faults arise in all these cases, the thorns must be extracted. Then, having worshipped a young maiden, one should take white mustard seeds, neem leaves, and so forth, and circling them to the right with the right fist and to the left with the left fist, cast them into the fire three times. The mantra is as follows:
OṂ SARVA PĀPA DAHANA VAJRA SARVA PĀPAṂ DAHA SVĀHĀ. Then, having made a wick from the cotton of an Arka plant and lit a lamp with black sesame oil, one should examine the pain. In that regard, one should understand that wherever the tip of the lamp’s flame moves, there is certainly pain. Wherever the lamp is surrounded by dust, there it will become pain. Then, having performed the offering cakes, offerings, and so forth, one should scatter parched rice together with flowers upon the ground. One should recite that which is called "the work of wood":
"The wise, having correctly taken up such a forest machine,
Having placed it well upon the head of the tree,
Should perform the fire offering in the fire of nectar."
Regarding that, on an auspicious lunar day, planet, and constellation, the dimensions of the water and the width of the wood—up to the tips of the trees used for stupas, temples, and so forth, as well as for doors, pillars, and the like—should be correctly examined by the master builder, the cord-holder, and others. When the assembly of carpenters has gathered, one should go to the forest with the masters of the sacrificial offering and the machine. When arriving near the forest, one should visualize and contemplate oneself in the form of the All-Action deity. Placing the right foot forward and facing the northeast, the master enters the forest. Trees that are less than two hundred years old should not be taken. In that regard, the trees are the Dvikeśara, the Mālūra, the Tittisāra, and...
One should carefully examine the various excellent trees—such as the celestial tree, siṅgaḍiṅga, kambāri, madhuka, aśoka, bakula, vaijayanta, uragasāracandana, campaka, candana, kiṃśuka, pālāśa, picchila, caladala, śarasāla, tāla, granthila, arjuna, jambu, bhaṇḍīla, rohiṇī, and so forth—wherever they grow. At night, the master, endowed with the yoga of the "all-activity" [mantra] and filled with enthusiasm, should ensure the carpenter and his assistants are well-protected. Having perfectly worshipped the guru, the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, the lords of the directions, the deities of the forest trees, and so forth, with the five sensory offerings, and having also given the directional bali offerings, one should satisfy the carpenter and his assistants with food, snacks, meals, drinks, tāmbūla, and the like. Then, having made supplications to the chosen deity with verses such as "O Blessed One, [Name]," the deity will be pleased. Together with the carpenter and his assistants, one should sleep with the yoga of the chosen deity and a peaceful mind. If a good dream is seen therein, the work will be successfully accomplished. If any bad dreams occur, one should recite the pacifying mantras.
Then, at dawn, the master, endowed with the yoga of the Great Vairocana and possessing all the offerings, should properly worship the king of trees, who is the form of the tree goddess residing there. In that regard, these are the tree goddesses and the field-protectors: for the divine tree, the dvikeśara, the campaka, and the aśoka trees, the tree goddess is Guhyakā and the field-protector is Mahābala. For the nimba, śāla, and śarala trees, the goddess is Lokamātā and the field-protector is Mahācala. For the harītakī, vaṭa, and rāśiṅga trees, the goddess is Karṇapiśācī and the field-protector is Mahābala. For the cūta tree, the goddess is Ambikā and the field-protector is Balin. For the tāla tree, the goddess is Śaṅkarī and the field-protector is Ūrdhvakeśa. For the kandapa tree, the goddess is Sumukhī and the field-protector is Mahāghaṇṭa. For the karañja tree, the goddess is Karañjavāsinī and the field-protector is Caṇḍaghaṇṭa. For the madhūka tree, the goddess is Abhiṣekā and the field-protector is Puruṣeśvara. For the suvarṇa tree, the goddess is Caṇḍī and the field-protector is Sujaneśvarī. For the śrīgaura tree, the goddess is Mahāśrī and the field-protector is Agnimukha. Then, having visualized the forms of the tree goddesses and field-protectors in accordance with the ritual activity, one should worship them with their respective mantras. In that regard: Oṃ namaḥ svāhā is for the field-protector. Oṃ eṃ guhyakāyai namaḥ svāhā. Likewise, Oṃ maṃ mahāmerave namaḥ svāhā.
OṂ LĀṂ LOKAMĀTRIKĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ AḤ ATIBALĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ KĀṂ KARṆAMOṬIKĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ BAḤ BALĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ AṂ AṂ VIKĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ ŪṂ ŪRDHVAKEŚĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ ŚAṂ ŚAṂKARIKĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ GHAṂ MAHĀGHAṆṬĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ SUṂ SUMUKHĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ CAṂ CAṆḌAGHAṆṬĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ KAṂ KARAṂJAVĀSINYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ PUṂ PUṂ SEŚVARĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ ŚAṂ ŚEKĀYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ SUṂ SUJANE NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ CAṂ CAṆḌĀLYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ BAṂ VAHNI-MUKHĀYA NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ. OṂ LĀṂ MAHĀLAKṢMYAI NAMAḤ SVĀHĀ.
"For the sake of the temple's materials, I wish to cut down this tree. Now, please dwell in another tree and grant me your forbearance." Reciting this verse three times, one should make this request to the deity residing in the tree. Then, having properly worshipped with flowers and other offerings, one should visualize the deity as having moved to another tree.
Thereafter, for the sake of protection, one should recite the Mahāmāyūrī. Then, having fully satisfied the carpenter—who is the embodiment of the All-Accomplishing Action—with gold, cloth, copper coins, and so forth, one should anoint the axe with honey. With a virtuous mind, the carpenter should face northeast, look toward the sun, and with his right hand raised upward, cut the tree. In that process, one should observe the signs of virtue and non-virtue; if non-virtuous signs appear, one should abandon the tree.
If auspicious signs arise, they should be grasped. If the wooden staff falls toward the north, then for the performer of the sacrifice, there will be the attainment of wealth and ritual success. If it falls toward the direction of Ishāna (Northeast), knowledge and primordial wisdom (jñāna) will spread everywhere. If the staff falls toward the direction of Indra (East), then there will be glory, prosperity, and expansion. If the staff falls in any other direction, then there will be virtue and happiness itself. If the staff falls without being struck [by anything], it will bring great danger to the performer of the sacrifice. If it falls toward the directions of Agni (Southeast), Nairṛti (Southwest), Yama (South), Varuṇa (West), or Vāyu (Northwest), then, respectively, there will arise the danger of fire, disease, death, water, and the danger of wind. If it falls while making an indistinct sound as it is shaken, it will be a sign of suffering for the performer of the sacrifice. At the time of cutting, if one sees fierce animals or birds such as camels, horses, jackals, donkeys, snakes, pigs, crows, and so forth, then at that time, death, imprisonment, and many obstacles will certainly arise. If blood drips from the wood, then at that time the performer of the sacrifice will die. If curd, ghee, honey, or milk drip [from it], there will arise the dangers of death, imprisonment, and so forth. However, if the wood naturally produces essences that are sweet, bitter, pungent, or astringent, there is no fault in that.
If a frog the color of a saffron robe appears, one should infer that illness will arise. Likewise, if a pale-yellow mouse emerges from within a tree, one should infer that there will be danger from thieves and the disease of svāśa. If a yellow lizard emerges from within the tree, one should infer that wealth will be lost. If a domestic lizard the color of a pigeon emerges from within it, one should infer that a performer of sacrifices will become poor. If a red nakula (mongoose) appears, one should infer that illness will arise. If a dark-blue snake emerges from within, that also signifies the depletion of wealth. If a water-bird the color of a khaṭvāṅga appears, one should infer that there will be danger from water.
An umbrella, a victory banner, a swastika, a śrīvatsa, a vase, a fly-whisk, a wheel, a lotus, a nandyāvarta, a vṛkṣa (tree-pattern), and kuśa grass are auspicious signs. Having fully understood such auspicious and inauspicious signs, one should cut the tree. Then, having properly analyzed those trees and distinguished the boundaries of the root, the middle, and the top, one should make them ten parts with one part remaining. Just as the trees are, so too is the forest-mechanism; for the sake of stupas, bimba fruits, and so forth, those forest-mechanisms should be drawn.
Furthermore, auspicious stones should be taken and inauspicious ones should be avoided.
In that regard, stones found in mountain valleys, ravines, riverbanks, and the like, which are hard, firm, fragrant, very soft to the touch, free of foul odors, smooth, and oily, are endowed with longevity. Regarding this, there are two types of auspicious stones: white, yellow, red, and green; and as for black stones, if they possess fine white lines and spots, they are auspicious for ministers, family lineages, royal dynasties, wealth, and subjects. By facing upward, north, the northeast, or the east, one respectively attains the siddhi of sky-faring, and the increase of people, wealth, and progeny. One should take those stones that bestow the siddhi of liberation and the desired accomplishments. When struck with an extremely smooth chisel, those stones that are accompanied by sand, are rough, or are old stones that make a hollow sound should be completely abandoned. Having thus identified the auspicious and inauspicious stones, one should smear the auspicious stones with the five products of a cow, bathe them with fragrant water, and worship them with perfumes and so forth with a mind of expansion; all the rites explained in the section on wood should also be performed here. Then, at the time of entering the city, the trees and stones should be led in by the king’s men with a mind of expansion, and as before, one should enter with great reverence, accompanied by the sounds of various lamps, cymbals, and clamor.
One should prepare a vast and level site and place [the object] in the center of a lotus. This ritual for examining the ground and the procedures for [selecting] wood and stone, which are essential for the construction of temples and the like, appears as a section of a major tantric treatise. The Sanskrit manuscript of this was found in the region of Gyal. In accordance with the command of the sublime guide, the precious Lord of Dharma, the Fourth Holder of the Red Crown, who is the crown jewel for all beings including the gods and whose lotus feet are venerated, the translator of Zha lu translated this at the glorious Sne'u gdong rtse.
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.