Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This commentary provides a detailed exegetical analysis of the Mañjuśrī-nāmasaṅgīti, a text centered on the recitation of the names of Mañjuśrī. The work functions as a technical manual for a complex tantric practice, guiding the practitioner through a tripartite structure consisting of preparation, main practice, and conclusion. The author systematically decodes the symbolic language of the root text, translating the attributes of deities, colors, and implements into specific realizations of wisdom and mental states. By mapping the iconography of the maṇḍala—including the five Buddha families and various goddesses—onto the internal processes of purification and the removal of afflictions, the text commits the reader to a rigorous synthesis of visualization and philosophical understanding. The ultimate goal is the attainment of non-abiding nirvāṇa and the realization of the five wisdoms, moving the practitioner from preliminary supplication to the advanced application of the Net of Illusion (Māyājāla) and other tantric systems.
Provenance
About this text
A commentary on the Noble Mañjuśrī-nāmasaṅgīti, the Āryamañjuśrīnāmasaṃgītināmavṛtti belongs to the tradition of the Yoga Tantra Treatises. The work is attributed to the Indian author Candrabhadrakīrti. It was translated into the Tibetan language by Mahājana and the great translator monk Śēśrab, as preserved in volume གུ of the Tengyur. The text functions as a technical manual for a complex tantric practice, organized into a tripartite structure consisting of preparation, main practice, and conclusion. Within the preparation, it details the supplication, the opening of the opportunity, the observation of the six families, and the teaching on the manifest enlightenment of the Net of Mag. The work enacts a detailed exegetical analysis, decoding symbolic language and mapping the iconography of the maṇḍala—including the five Buddha families and various goddesses—onto internal processes of purification. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to understand the synthesis of visualization and philosophical understanding required to attain non-abiding nirvāṇa and the realization of the five wisdoms, as the author translates the attributes of deities, colors, and implements into specific realizations of wisdom and mental states.
Sanskrit title
Āryamañjuśrīnāmasaṃgītināmavṛtti
Indian author
Candrabhadrakīrti
Tibetan translators
Mahājana, sgra bsgyur gyi lo tsa ba chen po dge slong ’phags pa shes rab
Cite thisAnuvāda, “A Running Commentary on “The Recitation of the Names of Mañjuśrī”” (Toh 2535), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh2535
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its integration of iconography and soteriology, demonstrating how specific visual details in a maṇḍala correspond to precise stages of spiritual development. For the modern reader, it serves as a primary example of the Indo-Tibetan tradition's method of using 'name recitation' not as simple prayer, but as a sophisticated mnemonic for meditative absorption.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-9
Preparation
Covers the initial homage, supplications, and the request made by Vajrapāṇi to the Victorious One.
10-68
Main Practice
Detailed descriptions of the Mañjuśrī maṇḍala, the attributes of the five Buddha families, the roles of the goddesses, and the specific benefits associated with the recitation of names.
Themes
Iconographic Symbolism (11-13, 19, 36, 48)
The Five Wisdoms and Buddha Families (6, 30, 53, 62)
Tantric Classification (3, 59)
Soteriological Goals (5, 42)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaA Running Commentary on “The Recitation of the Names of Mañjuśrī”·
In the language of India: Āryamañjuśrīnāmasaṅgītivṛttināma. In the language of Tibet: ’Phags pa ’jam dpal gyi mtshan yang dag par brjod pa zhes bya ba’i ’grel pa (The Commentary on the Noble Mañjuśrī-nāmasaṅgīti). Homage to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta!
Having bowed to the wisdom body, the sovereign of the wheel of existence and nirvāṇa, the primordial Buddha who dwells within the phenomena of non-duality and dualistic appearance, I shall analyze this through the instructions of the guru, so that this profound sequence may never decline, out of devotion to the Nāmasaṅgīti.
In this regard, what is the subject matter? What are the purpose and the ultimate purpose? What is the connection? The subject matter of the tantra is the Blessed One Mañjuśrī, the nature of the three bodies, distinguished by the divisions of the support and the supported. The teaching is the purpose. The mundane and supreme siddhis are the ultimate purpose. The connection is that of means and the result arising from the means.
Here, the Blessed One Vairocana Śākyamuni, desiring to manifest [the teaching], in the Kṛtayuga, in the realm of Paranirmitavaśavartin connected to the Pure Abodes, was surrounded and faced by a great assembly of bodhisattvas, knowledge goddesses, wrathful kings, male and female servants, male and female messengers, and male and female attendants. Following the teaching of the sixty-thousand-verse Māyājāla, he then taught the chapter on the Net of Samādhi. Thus...
Then, the passage beginning with "Then" and so forth was spoken. This consists of three parts: the preparation, the main practice, and the conclusion. Regarding the preparation, there are four sections: the supplication in sixteen verses; the opening of the opportunity in six verses; the observation of the six families in two verses; and the teaching on the manifest enlightenment of the Net of Magical Illusion through the generation of the six wheels in three verses accompanied by mantras.
Here, the supplication is made from the perspective of the emanation of Akṣobhya, Trailokyavijaya, and the compiler, Vajrapāṇi of Alakāvatī, who first offered the request. Thus, the passage beginning with "Then" and so forth was spoken. In the Māyājāla Tantra, this occurs immediately after the emanation of the wheels of the six families.
Who offers the supplication? The "Glorious One" (Śrīmān), who is endowed with the accumulations of merit and primordial wisdom. "Vajradhara" is so called because he belongs to the family of Akṣobhya. "Difficult to subdue" refers to the gods and others, such as Maheśvara, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Kārttikeya, Śakra, and the planets: the Sun, Moon, Saturn, and Mars; as well as those who are perpetually intoxicated, such as Airāvaṇa, Vajramālā, Jaya, and Vijaya; and those dwelling on the earth, such as Agni, Vāyu, the Lords of the Earth, and the Yakṣas; and those of the subterranean realms, such as Varāha, Yama, the chief of obstructors, and the Waters. He is the "Supreme" because he is the foremost among the retinue.
It is taught that the Hero is the lord of the Yoginī Tantras. "Victorious over the three worlds" means victorious over the three worlds of the subterranean, the terrestrial, and the celestial. "Vajra" refers to the family of Akṣobhya; he is the sovereign of those. "King of Secrets" indicates the nature of Ratnasambhava, as he holds the signs of empowerment. "Eyes like a blooming white lotus" shows the nature of Amitābha by way of the mudrā of the eyes. "Possessing a face like a blooming lotus" shows the nature of Amoghasiddhi by way of the mudrā of the face. "With his own hand, the supreme vajra" refers to the mudrā of the hand. "Brandishing it again and again" is an offering to Vairocana.
With whom is he together? He is accompanied by those who are the primary ones, such as Bhṛkuṭī and the rest: Vajracūḍa, Vajroṣṇīṣa, Vajrūrṇā, Vajrakulottama, Kāmarāja, Yamāntaka, Vajramekhala, Vajrāṅkuśa, Vajrapāśa, Vajrakīlika, Vajragarva, Vajrabandha, Vajramuṣṭi, Vajrasena, Vajramūrdha, Vajrapraṇāma, Vajrarakṣa, Vajranūpura, Vajraśṛṅkhalā, Vajratīkṣṇa, and Vajravega—these are the twenty-one. Because each has an infinite retinue, he is the "Infinite Vajrapāṇi."
Those heroes are also as difficult to subdue as the central deity. Due to the inclinations of those to be trained, they possess terrifying and heroic appearances; however, the four expressions of heroism, ugliness, terror, and heroic bearing do not exist in an ultimate sense. "Radiating the tips of vajras" means that, following the supplication, they emanate tens of millions of vajras and make offerings to the Buddhas. Why do they supplicate? It is for the sake of great compassion, insight, and so forth. "By means of skillful methods" refers to calm abiding (śamatha). "Acting for the benefit of beings" refers to the common and supreme accomplishments of the world. What is their conduct like? It is characterized by a mind of joy, delight, and satisfaction. Acting for the benefit of beings and following after [the path] occurs through the stages of the preparation, the main practice, and the conclusion, or by following great compassion, insight, and skillful methods; thus, they possess a mind of joy, delight, and satisfaction. Possessing the physical form of a wrathful deity is as described previously. The result of possessing the form of a wrathful deity is to be a protector who performs the enlightened activities of the Buddhas, because they follow the commands of the Buddhas. "Together with those who have bowed their bodies" means that they also follow the lead of the central deity in performing prostrations. To whom do they prostrate? To the Tathāgata, the Blessed One, the Perfect Buddha. Having done what? Having prostrated; the meaning is that they do so from the four directions.
Having shown the preliminary practice of supplication with the words "joining the palms," the actual supplication is expressed as: "O Pervasive Lord, for my benefit..." and so forth. "Benefit" refers to higher rebirth (abhyudaya). "My own welfare" refers to definitive excellence (niḥśreyasa). "Out of compassion" means to apply oneself thoroughly to the purpose of benefit. "The manifestation of perfect awakening" of the maṇḍala-circle itself—the magical net of the six external maṇḍalas—means to make it manifest through hearing, reflection, and meditation.
To show that this is not for one's own sake alone, it says: "Whose minds are agitated by the afflictions..." This means they are included within the truth of the origin of suffering (samudayasatya). "Sunk in the mire of ignorance" refers to the truth of suffering (duḥkhasatya). "Benefit" refers to mundane accomplishments (siddhi). "Unsurpassed fruit" refers to supramundane accomplishments.
The Blessed One, the Perfect Buddha, is Vairocana because he is utterly pure. The Teacher is Akṣobhya because he is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśajñāna). The Guru of Beings is Ratnasambhava because he is the nature of the crown jewel. The Great Samaya is Vajradhara because he does not transcend it. The Knower of Reality is Amitābha because of his discerning wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇājñāna). The Supreme Knower of the Faculties and Intentions is Amoghasiddhi because of his all-accomplishing wisdom (kṛtyānuṣṭhānajñāna).
To what object is the supplication addressed? It is the Wisdom Body (jñānakāya), which is the mirror-like wisdom.
The Great Uṣṇīṣa is equanimity. The Lord of Speech is discerning wisdom. The Wisdom Body is all-accomplishing wisdom. The Self-Arisen is the utterly pure. This should be connected to the phrase: "The supreme, perfect expression of the name of Mañjuśrī, the Wisdom Being." Although the names of the retinue are mentioned here, there is not the slightest inconsistency, for even at the stage of the result, the causes such as the meditation on emptiness are fully perfected and are likewise expressed by Vajralāsyā and the others. "Profound meaning" refers to entering the profound truth. "Vast" refers to the conventional teaching of the body colors, hand symbols, shapes, and so forth. These are the subjects to be expressed. "Great purpose" refers to the three accomplishments, which are the perfection of wisdom. "Peerless" refers to the perfection of qualities. "Utterly peaceful" refers to the perfection of abandonment; these three are the result. "Virtuous in the beginning, middle, and end" refers to the causes of faith through hearing, reflecting, and meditating, or the three types of training, or the methods of empowerment, practice, and the attainment of accomplishment. If one wonders, "What is the use of my teaching this?", it is said, "The Buddhas of the past," and so forth. There is no fault in explaining that the denial of the Buddhas of the past teaching the Secret Vehicle refers to the Nirmāṇakāya. The Great Vajradhara is the Teacher. The "Holders of Secret Mantra" refers to the immeasurable retinue, including the compilers and others.
"According to the command" refers to the purpose of bliss, which is superior to other vehicles. At this point, Vajrapāṇi makes a request, stating: "Of all the perfect Buddhas, the Protectors..." This is not a request made to the Victorious One over the three worlds alone; rather, Vajrapāṇi himself also pledges to uphold it, in order to collect and maintain it continuously. To express that very point, it says: "He who holds the secret of all Buddhas." If one asks how he holds it, it is because he desires to explain it to sentient beings. "According to the distinctions of their intentions" means that for some it is the Vehicle of the Perfections (Pāramitāyāna), and for others it is the distinctions of the Outer, Inner, and Secret Vehicles. By making such a request, the conclusion of the requests made by both is summarized. "Secret Mantra" refers to the Victory over the Three Worlds. "Vajrapāṇi" refers to the one of Alakāvatī. This should be understood by the phrase "and this." The phrase "bowing the body, he sat before him" indicates the attainment of the subsequent state. The teaching on the acceptance of the request through six verses is expressed by the words "Then," and so forth. Through two and a half verses, the branches of the explanation are shown: extending the tongue, illuminating the three worlds, subduing the enemies that are the four Māras, purifying the three lower realms with the light rays of a smile, and filling the three worlds with the clear throat of the melodious Brahma-voice. The purpose of extending the tongue is to fill the three worlds.
It should be understood that the "concordant knowledge" is that which illuminates the three worlds, filling all three realms, as it is necessary for the simultaneous training of disciples in the desire, form, and formless realms. Some say that filling the three worlds is for the purpose of summoning those retinues who are not yet near. The "Brahma-like speech" is endowed with the sixty branches. "Vajrapāṇi, the Great Powerful One" and "to the Lord of Secrets" refers to the response given in accordance with the two requests. "For the sake of the benefit of beings" should be construed as both "benefit for beings" and "the purpose of beings." "For my own sake and out of compassion for me" indicates that what was previously taught for one's own sake is here taught as a mere sequence, because one's own welfare is itself the welfare of others; thus, there is no contradiction, as this is the conclusion of the welfare of others. "Of great significance" means that the profound and vast purpose is to be accomplished. "Purifying" refers to the means of accomplishment, which is virtuous in the beginning, middle, and end. "Dispelling negativity" refers to the result, which is equivalent to the great significance, peerless, and utterly peaceful. "Excellent, glorious Vajradhara" refers to Trailokyavijaya, the emanation of Akṣobhya. "Vajrapāṇi, you are excellent" refers to the Lord of Alakāvatī. "Lord of Secrets" refers to Vajrapāṇi, the Lord of the Yakṣas of the secret northern direction.
Since Vajradhara is also the Lord of Secrets, he is taught in common. "The Blessed One replied, 'Excellent!'" refers to the application following the request, "I shall maintain it exactly as you have commanded." Then, with two verses beginning with "Then," the Māyājāla-abhisambodhi—the nature of which is the vision of the six families—is taught for the purpose of showing the enumerations of names.
"All the great families of secret mantra" means the nature of the six families. "The families of secret mantra and knowledge mantra holders" refers to the Vajrasattva family, the nature of the dharmadhātu. "He gazes upon the three families" refers to the Vairocana family, the nature of body, speech, and mind. "The worldly and transcendent families" refers to the Amitābha family, for the sake of taming migratory beings. "The great family that illuminates the world" refers to the Akṣobhya family, for he perceives the world through mirror-like wisdom (ādarśa-jñāna). "The supreme family of the Great Seal (mahāmudrā)" refers to the Amoghasiddhi family, for its nature is the accomplishment of purposeful activity. "Having gazed upon the great family of the Great Uṣṇīṣa" refers to Ratnasambhava, through the empowerment of the crown. [He is also] Arapacana, the embodiment of the wisdom of insight (prajñājñāna), the Vajra Sharp, the Cutter of Suffering, the Wisdom Body, and the Lord of Speech.
These are to be applied in sequence with the six. The three verses beginning with "The Lord of Speech" (vāgīśvara) teach the manifest enlightenment of the Māyājāla (Net of Illusion), which exhorts the generation of the six wheels. First, regarding the literal meaning: by the phrase "endowed with the six kings of secret mantra," one should place the mantras upon the five spokes of the six-spoked wheel. Thus, it is endowed with the six distinct families. The phrase "arising non-dually" refers to the nature of the six families that are without distinction. The statement "this which has the nature of non-arising" is the nature of dependent origination joined with the vowels.
Here, the meaning of the words is as follows: having performed the sevenfold purification, one emanates the ten wrathful deities from the syllable HŪṂ. Having struck the obstructors with ritual daggers (kīla), the very radiation of light rays from the HŪṂ performs the external protection, such as the vajra fence. Having preceded this with the meditation on loving-kindness and so forth, one meditates on emptiness. Upon the wind, fire, water, earth, and Mount Meru, from the complete transformation of the syllable BHRŪṂ, in the center of the celestial mansion, upon lions, elephants, horses, peacocks, and garuḍas, in the center of the Tathāgatas is the Great Vairocana, white in color, with four faces, holding the mudrā of meditative equipoise. At his heart, from DHĪḤ comes a lotus; from A comes a moon, in the center of which, from the seed-syllable DHĪḤ, is the Primordial Buddha (Ādibuddha). His central face is black, the right yellow, the back red, the left green, and the upper face white.
In his eight right and left hands, he holds eight swords and volumes of scripture. At his heart is a twelve-spoked wheel marked by the twelve vowels, beginning with A. The outer rim is encircled by the consonants. The inner rim is encircled by the mantra beginning with Oṃ sarvadharmābhāva. In the center of that is a second six-spoked wheel, its outer rim encircled by the twelve vowels, and its inner rim encircled by Oṃ sarvatathāgata. On the sequence of its spokes, one arranges the six mantras beginning with Oṃ vajratīkṣṇāya te namaḥ. In its hub is the non-dual Mañjughoṣa, white in color, with six faces and six arms. Two hands hold utpala flowers, two hold a volume of scripture and a sword, and two are in the mudrā of meditative equipoise.
The meaning of this is shown as follows: sthito hṛdi jñānamūrtir ahaṃ buddho buddhānāṃ tryadhvavarttinām. "Abiding in the heart" refers to the Primordial Buddha. "The nature of the wisdom-body Buddha" refers to the non-dual Mañjughoṣa. "The Buddhas of the three times" refers to the six families of Tathāgatas. Just as the non-dual Mañjughoṣa is, so too are the six [deities] such as Vajratīkṣṇa, who follow the six families. These are the Great Vairocana, Vajrasattva, and the others.
In that regard, Vajrasattva has one face and two arms, is white in color, and holds a vajra and a bell. Vairocana has one face and two arms, is yellow in color, and holds a wheel and a bell. Padmanarteśvara is red in color, has one face and two arms, and holds a lotus and a bell. Vajra-hūṃkāra is black in color and has either one face and two arms, or four faces and eight arms, holding a vajra and bell with the mudrā of the Victory over the Three Realms, or the eight subsequent hand-symbols. Vajrasūrya is yellow in color and holds a jewel and a bell. Hayagrīva is green in color and holds a crossed vajra and a bell. In the hearts of all six of these are the six primordial Buddhas.
In the heart of Vajrasattva, the primordial Buddha, as before, is a twelve-spoked wheel, and upon it an eight-spoked wheel marked with the mantra arapacanāya te namaḥ. In its center, upon a moon maṇḍala, is Arapacana, white in color, holding a book and a sword. In the heart of Vairocana, the primordial Buddha, upon the foundational wheel is a supporting ten-spoked wheel marked with prajñājñānamūrtaye yate namaḥ. In its center, upon a moon seat, is Prajñājñāna, with a sword and a wheel at his crown.
In the heart of Padmanarteśvara, the Primordial Buddha, upon the foundational wheel, is the eight-spoked supporting wheel marked with vajratīkṣṇāya te namaḥ. In its center, upon a moon seat, is Vajratīkṣṇa, holding a lotus and a sword. In the heart of Vajrahuṃkāra, the Primordial Buddha, upon the foundational wheel and the eight-spoked supporting wheel, is marked with duḥkhacchedāya te namaḥ. In its center, upon a moon seat, is the Sword that Cuts Suffering, holding a sword and a vajra. In the heart of Vajrasūrya, the Primordial Buddha, upon the foundational wheel and the eight-spoked supporting wheel, is marked with vāgīśvarāya te namaḥ. In its center, upon a moon seat, is Vāgīśvara, holding a sword and a jewel. In the heart of Hayagrīva, the Primordial Buddha, upon the foundational maṇḍala and the eight-spoked supporting wheel, is marked with oṃ jñānakāyāya te namaḥ. In its hub, upon a moon seat, is the Wisdom-Body (Jñānakāya), holding a sword and a crossed vajra.
One should meditate upon, recite, and make offerings to the Great Vairocana in his saṃbhogakāya and nirmāṇakāya forms, with the wisdom beings (jñānasattvas) of the six families residing before him in accordance with their respective types, having performed the blessing of the body, speech, and mind with the three syllables and the conferral of empowerment. The foundational and supporting wheels should be encircled by the four rims with the mantras of the vowels and consonants.
The retinues will be explained as being surrounded by their respective maṇḍalas. Once the preliminary application is thus completed, the main practice shall be taught. This consists of six aspects. The section ending with "the supreme method of the Mahāyāna" teaches the maṇḍala of the Vajra Expanse (Vajradhātu). The section ending with "the progenitor of various forms, the great sage worthy of offerings and praise" teaches the maṇḍala of Vairocana. The section ending with "proclaiming sounds as limitless as space, the supreme among those possessing sound" teaches the maṇḍala of Vajra Hūṃkāra. The section ending with "the glorious one who creates all prosperity, the manifest presence of all buddhas, the brilliant light of the flames of wisdom" teaches the maṇḍala of Padmanarteśvara. The section ending with "displaying all various forms, the great jewel with the crest of precious gems" teaches the maṇḍala of Vajrasūrya. The section ending with "the glorious one who creates all prosperity, the supreme Mañjuśrī endowed with glory" teaches the maṇḍala of Hayagrīva.
Regarding that, with reference to the seed syllables for generating the lords of the maṇḍalas and their retinues, it is said: "In this way, the Buddha, the Blessed One." Just as their respective seed syllables follow the letter A, they arise from A. It is said: "A is the supreme of all syllables." The phrase "it is the great purpose, the sublime syllable" means that because it is of great purpose and a sublime syllable, the ultimate truth—which is inexpressible—is conventionally expressed.
That which arises from within is all-pervasive. Non-arising is described as emptiness. She is the completely pure Vajrasattvī, blue in color, holding a vajra and bell in her two hands. Abandoning verbal expression is the completely pure signless Vajraratnī, yellow in color, holding a jewel and a bell. The supreme cause of all speech is the supreme individual discernment of wishlessness; she is the red Vajradharmī, holding a lotus and a bell. She who accomplishes the purposeful activity makes all words perfectly clear; she is the completely pure nature of luminosity, the green Vajrakarmī, holding a crossed vajra and a bell—these are the goddesses of awareness.
Regarding the "great offering," it is the granting of relief through the great offering. Because it is the antidote to worldly attachment, it is "great attachment." Thus, because it is the cause for granting relief to sentient beings, it delights all beings; the purity of attachment is Amitābha. Because it is the antidote to worldly aversion, it is "great aversion." Regarding this, it is said: "The great enemy of all afflictions." The purity of aversion is Akṣobhya. Because it is the antidote to worldly delusion, it is "great delusion." Regarding this, it is said: "The intellect of delusion, which dispels delusion." The purity of delusion is Vairocana.
Because he is the antidote to worldly envy, he is "Great Wrath." That very [wrath] is "Great Wrath, Great Sound," which is Amoghasiddhi, the purity of envy. Because he is the antidote to worldly attachment, he is "Great Attachment." Therefore, it is said: "He dispels all attachment," which is Ratnasambhava, the purity of avarice. By this sequence of the Tathāgatas, the sequence of Vajratīkṣṇa and the others should also be understood.
Having explained the retinue of Vairocana, such as Vajrasattva and the rest, the retinue of Akṣobhya is described by the words "Great Desire" and so forth. Because he maintains the bodhicitta of the vows of ethical discipline, "Great Desire, Great Bliss" is Vajrasattva, white in color, holding a vajra and a bell. Because he brings all sentient beings to maturity through the means of attraction, he is "Great Bliss," Vajrarāja, yellow in color, holding a vajra and a hook. Because he is the mind that matures and liberates sentient beings through the immeasurables, he is "Great Joy," Vajrarāga, red in color, holding a bow and an arrow. Because he is the mind that gathers virtuous dharmas through the perfection of the pāramitās, he is "Great Delight," Vajrasādhu, blue in color, performing the gesture of the "excellent joining" with his fists.
The retinue of Ratnasambhava is described by the words "Great Form" and so forth.
This is because the result of the complete perfection of material generosity is excellence. Regarding the phrase, "Great in form and great in body," the purity of material generosity is Vajraratna, yellow in color, holding a jewel and a bell. Because the result of giving fearlessness is excellence of complexion, he is "Great in complexion and great in stature"; the purity of fearlessness is Vajrasūrya, the color of the sun, holding a sun disc in his right hand and resting his left on the seat. Because the generosity of loving-kindness results in renown everywhere, he is "Great in name and vast"; the purity of loving-kindness is Vajradhvaja, reddish-blue in color, holding a victory banner in his right hand and resting his left on the seat. Because the generosity of the Dharma results in a vast maṇḍala of followers, it is said, "The great maṇḍala is vast"; the purity of the Dharma is Vajrahāsa, white in color, holding a rosary of teeth in his right hand and his left as before. Regarding the retinue of Amitābha, it is said, "The great weapon of insight"; this refers to the insight of meditative concentration that wields the great weapon of the insight of special insight. Vajradharma is red in color, holding a lotus with both hands. The insight that cuts through afflictions is the supreme great hook for afflictions; the purity of this is Vajratīkṣṇa, blue in color, holding a volume and a sword. The insight of miraculous power is "Great fame and great renown."
Vajracakra is yellow in color; his right hand holds a wheel, and his left rests upon the seat. The analytical knowledge of phenomena and the analytical knowledge of individualities are the "Great Illumination." The analytical knowledge of definitive language and the analytical knowledge of eloquence are the "Clarity"; Vajravāc is copper-colored, his right hand holds a vajra, and his left rests upon the seat. Regarding the retinue of Amoghasiddhi, it is said: "The Wise One," and so forth. From the Vajra who holds the illusion of the diligence of application, he is green in color and holds a crossed vajra and a bell. The accomplishment of the great illusion of the diligence of achievement is the "Protection" here; Vajrarakṣa is yellow in color and holds armor in his hand. Through the joy of the diligence of discernment within the great illusion, the Joyous Vajrayakṣa is black in color and holds fangs in his two hands. Regarding the one called the "Magician who has attained mastery" within the great illusion, through the diligence of earnest practice, the Yellow Vajramuṣṭi is like a myrobalan fruit placed in the palm of the hand; with his two hands in the vajra-fist gesture, he holds a vajra. To teach the goddesses of the intermediate directions, it is said: "The Great Patron, the Principal One," and so forth. Vajralāsyā, the nature of the perfection of generosity, is white in color and holds a vajra in a graceful, swaying manner with her two hands.
The supreme holder of great ethical discipline is the yellow Mālā, the nature of ethical discipline, who holds a precious rosary with her two hands. The steadfast holder of great patience is the red Vajragītā, the nature of patience, who plays the lute with her two hands. The one who has mastered great diligence is the green Vajranṛtyā, the nature of pure diligence, who holds a vajra with her two hands and performs a dance. These reside in the intermediate directions of the inner [mandala].
Furthermore, regarding those residing in the intermediate directions of the outer [mandala], it is said: "Abiding in the samādhi of great meditative concentration," and so forth. Great meditative concentration is śamatha. Abiding in samādhi is the union of the two. The white Vajradhūpā, the nature of the perfection of meditative concentration, holds an incense burner with her two hands. The one who possesses the body of great wisdom is the one who holds a flower vessel, the nature of the perfection of wisdom. The one of great power and great skillful means is the red Vajradīpā, the nature of the perfections of power and skillful means, who holds a lamp stand with her two hands. The one who is an ocean of aspiration and wisdom is the green Gandhā, the nature of the perfections of aspiration and wisdom, who scatters perfume from a conch vessel.
Regarding the description of the Bhadrakalpa, it is said: "The nature of great loving-kindness," and so forth. Because he possesses the meaning [of the name] just as the name implies, he is Maitreya. Because he possesses the great compassion of the supreme intellect, he is Mañjuśrī.
Because his mind of great wisdom is endowed with great compassion, he is Gandhahastin. Because he possesses the great skillful means of perfect wisdom and the great activity of the learned, he is Jñānaketu. All of them are the retinue of Akṣobhya; they are all white in color and hold a vajra and a bell, and they dwell in the eastern direction.
Regarding the phrase "possessing great miraculous power and great strength": because he protects all sentient beings through the power of miracles, he is Bhadrapāla. Because his intellect is vast and his speed is great, like the force of a great ocean, he is Sāgaramati. Because the power of his great miracles is the inexhaustible and renowned perfection of wisdom, he is Akṣayamati. Because he overcomes others through the power of eloquence such that others cannot defeat him, he is Pratibhānakūṭa. All of them are yellow in color and hold a jewel and a bell; they all dwell in the southern direction. They are the retinue of Ratnasambhava.
Because he destroys the great mountain of existence by his own power, he has attained great might. Because he destroys the cage of existence that is hard and holds those going to the lower realms, it is said: "He destroys the great mountain of existence." According to some, regarding the phrase "holding the hard great vajra": because he leads those who are hard and difficult to destroy out of the lower realms, he is Sarvadurgatipariśodhana. Because he is unstained by the faults of saṃsāra, he is Mahogra; because he is the antidote to the darkness of ignorance, he is Mahābala.
The one of great ferocity is called "the certain destroyer of sorrow and darkness." Because he dispels fear with the light rays of the power of all fears, he is the "Great Terrifier who causes fear," namely Jālinīprabha. All of them are red in color, holding lotuses and bells, and reside in the western direction as the retinue of Amitābha. Because he satisfies beings through the three types of knowledge and acts as a protector for sentient beings who are like stars, he is the "Great Supreme Protector," namely Candraprabhakumāra. "The Guru, the supreme of the great Secret Mantra" refers to the Lord of Speech, Amitābha. Because he abides in and is born from the manner of the Great Vehicle, which is free from conceptual elaboration like space, he is Ākāśagarbha. Because he is the supreme one who blocks all obscurations through the manner of the Great Vehicle, he is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin. All of them are green in color, holding crossed vajras and bells, and reside in the northern direction as the retinue of Amoghasiddhi. The gatekeepers will be explained later. Thus, the fourteenth verse is the maṇḍala of the Vajradhātu, the universal monarch of Vajrasattva, whose nature is Ara-pa-ca-na.
Regarding the maṇḍala of Vairocana, it says: "The Buddha, the great Vairocana," which refers to Vairocana himself. The "Great Sage" is Vajrasattvī, the samādhi of emptiness, because she is free from the distractions of conceptualization. Possessing the great sagehood of body, speech, and mind, she is Vajraratnī, the samādhi of signlessness.
She who arises from the great system of Secret Mantra is Vajradharmā, who arises from the samādhi of analytical discernment and wishlessness. Because she brings about luminosity through the accomplishment of purposeful activity, she is the one whose nature is the system of Secret Mantra, namely Vajrakarmā. Regarding the phrase "attaining the ten perfections," Vajrasattva is surrounded by goddesses who are the purity of the ten [perfections], possessing forms, colors, and hand-symbols identical to his own; this is because he is completely encircled by the ten perfections of the excellent bodhicitta. Regarding the phrase "abiding in the ten perfections," Vajrarāja is surrounded by ten goddesses who are the purity of the path of the ten perfections; this is because the perfections themselves are the means of attraction (saṃgrahavastu) through which sentient beings are brought to maturity by the mind of the means of attraction. Regarding the phrase "the purity of the ten perfections," Vajrarāga is surrounded by ten goddesses as before; this is because, by focusing on the perfections as the purity of the immeasurables, he focuses on sentient beings, and because his mind is that which matures and liberates immeasurable sentient beings. Regarding the phrase "the manner of the ten perfections," Vajrasādhu is surrounded by ten goddesses as before; this is because his nature is the generation of the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) that gathers virtuous dharmas, and because gathering virtuous dharmas is the domain of the ten perfections. "The Protector, Lord of the Ten Grounds" refers to...
Regarding the phrase "Vajraratna surrounded by ten goddesses": because he abides in the nature of the path of the ten grounds, he is fearless, being free from the conduct of even subtle downfalls. As before, Vajrasūrya is surrounded by ten goddesses. The ten knowledges are: the knowledge of the four truths, the knowledge of phenomena and subsequent knowledge, the knowledge of the conventional and the ultimate, and the knowledge of exhaustion and non-arising. Since their purity is the nature of the loving-kindness that takes sentient beings as its object, Vajradhvaja is surrounded by ten goddesses as before. The holder of the application of the Dharma in accordance with the ten knowledges and the naturally pure nature is Vajrahāsa, surrounded by ten goddesses as before. Expertise in the aggregates, elements, sense bases, dependent origination, the possible and the impossible, the self, the three times, the four truths, the three vehicles, and the nature of the conditioned and the unconditioned constitutes the ten types of antidotes to eating and so forth. The antidote to the grasping at a self is the wisdom of meditative concentration, the branch of the antidote of calm abiding; this Vajradharma is surrounded by ten goddesses as before. The ten objects to be abandoned by the ten types of expertise are the ten graspings: grasping at [the self] as singular, as a cause, as profound, as an agent, as possessing power, as a master, as a conceptualizer, as afflicted and purified, as a meditator, and as bound and liberated.
The sharp vajra that cuts the afflictions which seek the nature of insight (vipaśyanā) that cuts those [afflictions] is surrounded by ten goddesses, as before. "Lord of Sages" (muni-indra) refers to the sense faculties; because he has attained the power of the bases of miraculous power (ṛddhipāda) through the five eyes, such as the flesh-eye, and the five faculties, such as faith, he is the Lord of Sages. His nature is the vajra wheel, and he is the speaker of the vajra speech, whose nature is the ten powers of the four analytical knowledges (pratisaṃvid), surrounded by ten goddesses, as before. The "all-pervading nature" possesses the ten bases of mastery (abhibhvāyatana)—the eight bases of mastery plus the bases of mastery over space and consciousness—and his entry into the bases of mastery through the diligence of application is the vajra activity, surrounded by ten goddesses, as before. "He accomplishes the welfare of all without exception" indicates the ten totalities (kṛtsnāyatana); the diligence that accomplishes various purposes is the protection, surrounded by ten goddesses, as before. The "ten aspects" are the ten suchnesses (tattva): the suchness of the root, the suchness of characteristics, the suchness of non-erroneousness, the suchness of cause and effect, the suchness of the subtle, the suchness of the vast, the suchness of accomplishment, the suchness of the object of accomplishment, the suchness of inclusion, the suchness of apprehension, and the suchness of expertise. Possessing these ten aspects of the application of individual investigation, he is the vajra yakṣa, surrounded by ten goddesses, as before.
The Great Powerful One is surrounded by ten goddesses, just as before, because he possesses the diligence of earnest practice through the ten masteries. As it is said: "The deities are completely surrounded by ten qualities as is appropriate; their ten goddesses sit in the half-vajra posture."
Now, the eight verses that teach the reality of Vajrasattva and the others are introduced with the words "beginningless" and so forth. The transformation of the ālaya-vijñāna is the mirror-like wisdom. The nature of non-elaboration is the absence of unequal elaboration; because there is no elaboration, it is equanimity. Suchness is naturally pure, and the pure self is the stainless nature of Vajrasattva. Speaking the truth is discerning wisdom. Unchanging words are equanimity. Acting exactly as one has spoken is the mirror-like wisdom and the wisdom of accomplishing activities; this is Vajrarāja. "Non-dual" refers to the mirror-like wisdom free from subject and object. "Non-dual conceptualization" is discerning wisdom. Abiding in the limit of reality through the wisdom of accomplishing activities is equanimity; this is Vajrarāga. Possessing the lion's roar of selflessness is the mirror-like wisdom, for the Sūtrālaṃkāra also says: "The mirror-like [wisdom] is selfless." Through discerning wisdom and the wisdom of accomplishing activities...
Vajrasādhu is the one who terrifies the wild beasts of the non-Buddhists. The "all-pervading" is the mirror-like wisdom. As it is said: "The mirror-like [wisdom] is selfless, without limitation, and always pervasive." Because it enters into equality regarding all phenomena and proceeds purposefully, it is the wisdom of equality. "Swift as the mind of a Tathāgata" refers to the wisdom of discernment and the wisdom of all-accomplishing activity; this is Vajraratna. Because it is the fruit of separation, the "Victor" is the mirror-like wisdom. "Victorious over the enemy" is the wisdom of equality by way of the fruit. By way of its own essence, it is the wisdom of discernment. "The powerful Universal Monarch" refers to the accomplishment of the wheel and the activity of its essence; this is Vajrasūrya. Because it is the support for all wisdoms, the "Master of the Assembly" and "Lord of the Assembly" is the mirror-like wisdom. The "Lord of the Assembly" is the wisdom of equality. The "Master of the Assembly" is the wisdom of discernment. "The Glorious One" is the wisdom of all-accomplishing activity; this is Vajradhvaja. "The Great Powerful One" is the mirror-like wisdom. "The Cherisher" is the wisdom of equality. "Not Dependent on Others" is the wisdom of discernment. "The Great Manner" refers to entering the three vehicles, which is the wisdom of all-accomplishing activity; this is Vajrahāsa. The "Lord of Speech" is the mirror-like wisdom. The "Master of Speech" is the wisdom of equality. "The Skilled Speaker" is the wisdom of discernment. "Mastery over Speech" is the wisdom of all-accomplishing activity. "Infinite Speech" is the wisdom of the expanse of phenomena, Vajradharma.
Truthful speech is discernment. Speaking the truth is the mirror-like [wisdom] of equality. The teacher of the four truths is the all-accomplishing [wisdom], the sharp vajra. Because of being irreversible, it is the mirror-like [wisdom]. Because of being non-returning and unimpeded, it is equality. Because of the rhinoceros-like mode being uncommon, it is discernment. Because of leading their respective retinues, it is the all-accomplishing [wisdom], the vajra wheel. Arising from various renunciations is discernment. The single cause of the great elements is the all-accomplishing [wisdom], the vajra protection. The Arhat whose outflows are exhausted is the mirror-like [wisdom] because of the exhaustion of the afflictive and cognitive obscurations. The monk is the all-accomplishing [wisdom]. Freedom from attachment is equality. Having tamed the faculties is discernment, the vajra activity. Having found bliss is equality. Having attained fearlessness is the perfection of abandonment, the mirror-like [wisdom]. Having become cool is discernment. Being unstained is making [others] unstained; it is the all-accomplishing [wisdom], the vajra protection. "Endowed with knowledge and conduct" refers to the omniscient one, the mirror-like [wisdom]. "Sugata" (Well-Gone) refers to non-abiding, thus it is equality. "Knower of the world" is discernment. "Supreme" is the vajra yakṣa, the all-accomplishing [wisdom]. Not grasping at "mine" is the mirror-like [wisdom]. Not grasping at "I" is equality. Abiding in the manner of the two truths—
This refers to the vajra-fist, which consists of the analytical discernment that abides in the ultimate and the diligent application that abides in the conventional. The sixteen lines beginning with "Having reached the far shore of saṃsāra" teach the [Bodhisattvas of the] Fortunate Aeon. Because he teaches all sentient beings of saṃsāra with love upon reaching the far shore, he is Maitreya. Because he dwells in the glorious dry land of gentleness after performing the activity of insight, he is Mañjuśrī. Because he arises from the fragrance of the exclusive wisdom of nirvāṇa, he is Mahākāruṇika. Because he is the source and pervades, he is Gandhahastin. Because he is the crest that destroys the afflictions through the nature of the wisdom of the great weapon of insight, he is Jñānaketu. Because he clearly possesses and protects the sovereignty of the sublime and excellent Dharma, he is Bhadrapāla. Because he is the supreme one who illuminates the ocean of the world of saṃsāra with his intellect, he is Sāgaramati. Because he possesses an inexhaustible sovereignty over the Dharma and a sovereign intellect, he is Akṣayamati. Because he possesses the eloquence of the excellent path exactly as intended and teaches it with a "pile" of compassion, he is Pratibhānakūṭa. Because his intention for the great accomplishment of the goal is endowed with intellect, he is Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Because he leads all away from the conceptualizations of the lower realms and does not abandon them, he is Sarvadurgatipariśodhana. Non-conceptuality is the absence of sorrow and darkness. The inexhaustible expanse is the definitive destruction [of all].
Because he possesses the mindfulness of the sublime dharmadhātu and possesses inexhaustible light, he is Jālinīprabha. Because he satisfies sentient beings with the moon of merit and possesses the youthful body of supreme merit, he is Candraprabhakumāra. The pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna is light. The great source of wisdom is Amitābha. Regarding the phrase "possessing wisdom, he knows existence and non-existence," because he possesses the source of wisdom that pervades existence and non-existence, he is Ākāśagarbha. Because he clears away all obscurations through the power of the two accumulations gathered on the two stages, he is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin. With the two verses beginning with "The eternal, the all-conquering," the five tathāgatas are shown: the eternal is Vairocana; the all-conquering is the mirror-like wisdom; the yogic is the wisdom of equality; the object of meditation for the meditator is the all-accomplishing wisdom; and the supreme intelligent one is the discerning wisdom. Regarding "self-cognizing, immovable, the supreme first," this is the Ādibuddha. Because the Ādibuddha exists in the sixth maṇḍala, he is immovable. That itself is the Ādibuddha, the supreme first. "Self-cognizing" refers to the wisdom body (jñānakāya); since he holds the three bodies—the dharmakāya, saṃbhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya—which are the nature of Vairocana, the Ādibuddha, and the wisdom body, he is the holder of the three bodies. The nature of the five Buddha bodies is, in terms of its aspect, the mirror-like wisdom, which is Akṣobhya.
The pervasive lord, the nature of the five wisdoms, is Amitābha because of the discerning wisdom of the wisdom-being (jñānasattva). The one with the crown of the five buddhas is Ratnasambhava, who wears a crown of the five buddhas. Amoghasiddhi is so called because he is without attachment to having completed what was to be done.
The Tathāgatas have five faces and eight arms, with body colors of white, blue, red, yellow, and green. All of them hold a wheel, a vajra, a lotus, a jewel, and a crossed vajra in their first hands; all hold a sword in the last three right hands; all hold their respective insignia and a bell in the first left hands; and all hold a scripture in the remaining three left hands. Vairocana has a blue face to the right, a red face at the back, a green face to the left, and a yellow face above. Akṣobhya has a white face to the right, a red face at the back, and a green face to the left, as before. Amitābha has a white face to the right, a blue face at the back, and a green face to the left, as before. Ratnasambhava has a white face to the right, a red face at the back, and a green face to the left, as before. Amoghasiddhi has a white face to the right, a red face at the back, and a blue face to the left, while the central face is yellow.
With the two verses beginning "The progenitor of all buddhas," the eight wheel-turning kings are shown. All are golden in color, holding a wheel in their right hands and resting their left hands upon their seats. They sit in the vajra posture upon sun disks atop lions, wearing jeweled crowns.
Because right view gives birth to all buddhas, the first is the Vajra Universal Monarch. Because right thought gives birth to the sublime sons of the buddhas, the supreme second is the Jewel Universal Monarch. Because right speech is the birthless source from which the craving for the wisdom of non-abiding arises, the third is the Lotus Universal Monarch. Because right action eliminates cyclic existence through the nirvāṇa of the path arising from the dharma, the fourth is the Action Universal Monarch. Because right livelihood is the vajra nature of śamatha and vipaśyanā, which are singularly firm in emptiness, the fifth is the Mahāmudrā Universal Monarch. Because right effort is the lord of beings who accomplishes activities in a single instant immediately upon arising, the sixth is the Samayamudrā Universal Monarch. Because right mindfulness abides in the signless arising from space, the seventh is the Dharmamudrā Universal Monarch, arising from the fire of natural luminosity. Because right samādhi is the meditative equipoise in the great fire of the wisdom of vipaśyanā and primordial wisdom (jñāna), which burns away the obscurations of afflictions and the knowable, the eighth is the Karmamudrā Universal Monarch. These eight universal monarchs reside in pairs in the four directions of Vairocana, and the four consorts, Locanā and the others, should be placed in the intermediate directions. Great light, which makes all things manifest...
With these two verses beginning with "Thus," the eight offering goddesses are shown: Lāsyā is she who illuminates the perfect radiance of the great form. Mālā is she who makes [the world] resplendent through the light of the wisdom of ethical discipline, which is pure in the three spheres. Gītā is the lamp of wisdom, the light of patience that is undisturbed by wandering beings. Nṛtyā is she who, through the power of diligence—the armor of great majesty—acts as the antidote to laziness by means of luminosity. Dhūpā is the queen of vidyā-mantras who pacifies the poison of the afflictions through the mantra of calm abiding. Puṣpā is she who accomplishes the great purpose of nirvāṇa through the insight of the king of mantras. Gandhā is she who possesses the uṣṇīṣa of the five marvelous, uncontaminated aggregates through the methods and powers of the Great Uṣṇīṣa. Dīpā is she who displays various forms through the power of aspiration and acts as the sovereign of the space of wisdom.
The supreme faith that meditates on the bodies of all Buddhas is the white Vajrāṅkuśa, who holds a vajra hook. The eye of the diligence of universal joy is the yellow Vajrapāśa, who holds a lasso. The faculty of mindfulness that produces benefit for wandering beings in their various forms is the Vajrasphoṭa, who holds a chain. The one who is honored and praised by the faculty of insight and becomes a great sage through the faculty of meditative concentration is the green Vajrāveśa, who holds a bell.
The maṇḍala of Vairocana is taught by twenty-three verses. One who possesses the body of insight-wisdom is the Universal Monarch Vairocana. Now, wishing to offer praise by way of the maṇḍala of Vajra-Hūṃkāra, the text says "Holder of the three families" and so forth. Regarding the first verse which teaches Vairocana: "Holder of the three families" refers to the qualities of Ratnasambhava. "Possessor of secret mantra" refers to the qualities of Amoghasiddhi. "Great samaya" refers to Akṣobhya. "Holder of secret mantra" refers to Amitābha. The "Principal One" is Vairocana, who upholds the Three Jewels as the nature of the primordial Buddha and the wisdom body. The "three supreme vehicles" teach the three levels: small, medium, and great.
Regarding Vajra-Hūṃkāra: "Amoghapāśa" is the one who holds a bow and arrow. "Vijaya" is the one who holds a vajra and bell with the mudrā of victory over the three worlds. "Mahādhara" is the one who wields a sword, as he holds the hilt of a sword. "Vajrapāśa" is the noose itself. "Vajrāṅkuśa" is the hook itself. "Mahāpāśa" is the chain. "Vajrabhairava" is the one who terrifies Maheśvara and Umā.
As for the explanation of Ratna-Hūṃkāra: the "terrifying six-faced king of wrathful ones" is yellow in color; "six eyes" refers to three sets of two eyes.
The six arms endowed with power are the six preceding mudrās that conquer the three worlds. Regarding the explanation of Padma Hūṃkāra: he is the one with bared fangs of skeletons, meaning his fangs are bared like those of a skeleton. Hala-hala refers to the blue throat formed by the accumulation of black poison. The hundred-faced one emanates a hundred transformed faces; he is red in color and holds a bell and a lotus with the mudrā of Vijaya. Regarding the explanation of Karma Hūṃkāra: he is Yamāntaka, the king of obstructors, green in body color, holding a crossed vajra and a bell, with his remaining four hands similar to Yamāntaka, holding a sword, a pestle, a hook, and a noose. He terrifies others through the four types of enlightened activity of the Vajra-Forceful One. Regarding the explanation of Vajrasattvī: "Vajra" is emptiness, and "Sattvī" is renowned for being famous; thus, she is Vajrasattvī. "Vajra" is the signless. "Essence" is the source of birth; thus, she is Vajraratnī. The magical display of wishlessness is Vajradharmī. Because the great belly of "Vajra" is pervaded by luminosity, she is Vajrakarmī. Regarding the explanation concerning the retinue of Ratna Hūṃkāra: "Born from the Vajra" is equanimity; the vajra-nature is Vajraratna. "Vajra-essence like space" means that because he possesses light like space, he is Vajrasūrya. Because he is adorned with the single lock of hair of the wrathful one of great, immovable love, he is Vajradhvaja.
Because the gift of Dharma is moistened by compassion, like the hide of an elephant, he wears the garment of a sense of shame and bears a row of teeth.
The explanation of the retinue of Karmahūṃkāra: He who proclaims "Ha Ha" through the diligence of application is Vajrakarma. He who proclaims "Hi Hi" and terrifies, wearing the armor of diligence, is Vajrarakṣa. He who possesses the great laughter of the diligence of discernment is Vajrayakṣa. He who proclaims the great vajra laughter through the diligence of accomplishment is Vajramuṣṭi.
The explanation of the retinue of Vajrahūṃkāra: "Vajrasattva, the Great Being" refers to Vajrasattva himself. "Vajrarāja, the Great Bliss" refers to Vajrarāja himself. "Vajracaṇḍa, the Great Joy" is passion, and thus he is Vajrarāga. "Vajrasādhu" is the syllable Hūṃ; he who proclaims the sound of Hūṃ is Vajrasādhu.
The explanation of the retinue of Dharmahūṃkāra: He who holds the vajra arrow as a weapon is Vajradharma, who holds the lotus bow and arrow. He who cuts everything without exception with the vajra sword is Vajratīkṣṇa. He who holds the vajra of all is Vajracakra, because he holds the vajra that emanates everywhere through miraculous power. He who is marked on the tongue by the single vajra and dispels the armies of others through the four types of perfect analytical knowledge is Vajrabhāṣa. He who holds the blazing vajra hook and the fierce eye is Vajrāṅkuśa. His hair is also a lasso of blazing vajras.
Because he possesses the hundred eyes of meditative concentration and the vajra eyes of the six superknowledges, he is the "Iron Chain." "The Great Vajra Descent, the Descent" refers to the Vajra Descent. The two verses beginning with "The body has vajra body-hairs" indicate the offering goddesses. Through the teaching on the application of generosity, the body having vajra body-hairs is Lāsyā (the Graceful One). Because the application to ethical discipline is indivisible, the vajra body-hairs are Mālyā (the Garland of the Body). Because patience is indivisible, the vajra-like nails are Gītā (the Vajra Songstress). The application to diligence is the vajra essence, the firm skin, which is Nṛtyā (the Vajra Dancer). Holding the vajra garland of the meditative concentration of calm abiding and possessing the glory of union, she is Dhūpā (the Incense Goddess). Adorned with the ornament of exclusive special insight, she is Puṣpā (the Flower Goddess). Proclaiming the roar that demonstrates power, she is Dīpā (the Vajra Lamp Goddess). Producing the sound of the indivisible vajra aspiration, "Oṃ Vāgīśvari Muṃ," and thus uttering the vajra sound, she is Gandhā (the Vajra Perfume Goddess). The characteristics of the Fortunate Aeon are described: "The Great Mañjughoṣa, the Great Sound," which indicates the eastern direction. "Proclaiming a single sound throughout the three worlds through eloquence," where the "pile of eloquence" indicates the southern direction. "Proclaiming sound as limitless as the expanse of space" is the Vajra Essence itself, which indicates the northern direction.
The supreme among those possessing sound is the supreme vanquisher of the enemy of sorrow and darkness, which means it destroys and dispels sorrow and darkness; this indicates the western direction. Thus, by these twelve verses, the universal monarch of the maṇḍala of the Victory over the Three Realms is shown together with the severing of suffering.
Now, regarding the entry into the maṇḍala of Padmanarteśvara, the praise of the knowledge goddesses is spoken: "Perfect selflessness" is suchness, the selflessness of phenomena; and the "perfect limit" is the selflessness of the person. That which is inexpressible by syllables is the Vajrasattvī of the Lotus family. The "bull of speakers" who proclaims the emptiness of signlessness, sounding the profound and vast through compassion, is the Great Lady of the Lotus family. Possessing the great sound of the conch of virtuous phenomena at the beginning of the wishless, and possessing the great sound of virtue at the end, she is the Vajradharmī. Because she beats the great drum of the dharma of diligence throughout the ten directions of the luminous non-abiding nirvāṇa, she is the Dharmakarmī.
The explanation of the offering goddesses follows: In the ultimate sense, she is formless, yet conventionally she is the supreme form of generosity. Because she possesses various forms born of the mind, she is the Lotus Lāsyā. Because she has become the glory of the appearance of the form that gathers virtuous phenomena and holds the reflection of the garland form without exception, she is the Lotus Mālā.
Through the light rays of fearlessness in the benefit of others, she is unassailable by anger and is surrounded by a retinue of the three realms; because she is the greatest of the great, she is Padma Gītamā (Lotus Songstress). Abiding on the exceedingly high path of the bodhisattvas and possessing the pride of the power of great, flourishing diligence, she is Padma Nṛtyamā (Lotus Danceress). Having assumed a youthful body in the world, she is the Lord of Beings who is the antidote for the long-term cultivation of meditative concentration endowed with perfect qualities; she is Padma Dhūpamā (Lotus Incense Lady). Because she is unstained by the faults of saṃsāra through the power of insight and is inexhaustible through special insight (vipaśyanā), she bears the thirty-two marks; she is Padma Puṣpamā (Lotus Flower Lady). Through the power of primordial wisdom (jñāna) and aspiration prayers, she is the teacher who well instructs the world; the fearless teacher who possesses the four fearlessnesses is Padma Dīpamā (Lotus Lamp Lady). As the protector of all, she is dear to the three worlds; having protected the past, protecting the present, and protecting the future, she is unsurpassed; she is Padma Gandhamā (Lotus Fragrance Lady). With Vairocana as her sovereign, she is without attachment or obstruction regarding the various wisdoms; she is the ocean of stainless omniscient wisdom that breaks the shell of the egg of ignorance of suffering. Having destroyed the net of existence for all, she pacifies the afflictions in the continuums of others without exception. Having reached the far shore of the ocean of saṃsāra, the crown of the empowerment of wisdom that perfects the welfare of self and others is the one who wears the precious crown.
The one who wears the ornaments of the perfect buddhas is Vairocana, who possesses a necklace of twenty-one buddhas. Through compassion, he pacifies the suffering of conditioning, the suffering of change, and the suffering of suffering; and through loving-kindness, he clears away the obscurations of the three realms, causing the attainment of liberation through the three vehicles—he who holds the nāga-tree is Maitreya. Holding the sword that is certain liberation from all obscurations and the volume that is equal to space, he is Mañjuśrī. Holding the conch that has transcended all afflictive obscurations and the water that realizes the three times of the relative as being timeless in the ultimate, he is Gandhahastin. Holding the flower garland and crown of the qualities of the foremost wisdom among sentient beings, he is Jñānaketu. Completely liberated from the body of all afflictions and holding a treasury of jewels that abides in space, he is Bhadrapāla. Holding the wish-fulfilling gem and bestowing a treasury of jewels that pervades all sentient beings, he is Sāgaramati. Holding the wish-granting tree and the excellent vase, he is Akṣayamati. Through the activity of individual discernment, he acts for the benefit of all sentient beings; holding the lotus and the beneficial volume, he is the spiritual friend of sentient beings, Pratibhānakūṭa.
One who understands the good and bad causes and effects of karma, knows the proper time to discipline sentient beings, and possesses the samaya of the sword held in hand to signify the samaya of non-retrogression, is Mahāsthāmaprāpta. One who knows the three times, understands the superior and middling faculties of sentient beings to be disciplined, and holds the victory banner of skill in liberation through the three vehicles, is Sarvadurgatipariśodhana. One who possesses qualities oneself, knows the qualities of others, and holds the endless knot of glorious fortune arising from the knowledge of the Dharma free from sorrow, is Sughosakṣema. One who holds the swastika, the auspiciousness of all auspiciousness, is Jālinīprabha. Because he brings benefit to sentient beings, he is the assembly of fame; because he has perfected the two accumulations, he is auspicious; and because he has abandoned the two obscurations, his renown is virtuous. One who holds the great musical umbrella marked by the moon, signifying the great relief of non-retrogression and the great festival that delights sentient beings, is Candraprabhakumāra. One who possesses the immeasurable light of individual discernment, honor, and perfect service, and holds the glorious sword of his own renown upon a lotus of supreme joy, is Amitābha. One who possesses the supreme treasury of space and holds the supreme treasury of jewels in hand is the Lord Ākāśagarbha, the supreme refuge. The eight great fears are the enemies.
Holding in his hands the supreme, various vajras that protect and the sword that dispels all fears without exception is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin. Regarding Akṣobhya together with his retinue, there are six verses. In that regard: his hair is bound in locks like the eye of a peacock, with topknots and tufts. The crown of matted locks bound with muñja grass means that the five-faced one possesses twenty crowns upon his five topknots. The five-crested flower-turban means a garland of flowers between the crowns. He maintains the great ascetic vow of the shaven head; the supreme vow of celibacy means the upper face has the appearance of one who has gone forth. Thus, the five faces are the purity of the five wisdoms. Because he has perfected the aspirations to benefit sentient beings and has vowed to remain as long as saṃsāra lasts, he possesses great austerity. If one asks what that upper face is like: he was born into the lineage of Gautama, the supreme pure abode. The Brahmin Brahmā is praised as being superior to other paths. Knowing Brahmā means knowing the path. Attaining nirvāṇa means attaining the mirror-like wisdom of the path of learning. "Liberated" refers to the obscuration of the afflictions. "Fully liberated body" refers to the obscuration of meditative absorption. "Liberated" refers to the Śrāvakas. "Peace" is the Mahāyāna, the nature of which is Vajrasattva. Nirvāṇa is from the obscuration of the afflictions. Nirvāṇa is from the obscuration of the knowable. "Well" refers to compassion. Nirvāṇa is through insight.
"Near" means being close to the non-abiding. "Having reached the end of the removal of pleasure and pain" means not abiding in either cyclic existence or peace. "Free from attachment" means [free] from obscurations. "Transcending the body" means having abandoned the latent tendencies; he is the Vajra King. "Unconquerable" means having abandoned avarice. "Peerless" means having abandoned immoral conduct. "Invisible" means having abandoned anger. "Unmanifest" means being free from laziness. "Non-illuminating" means being without distraction. "Unchanging" means being free from corrupted insight. He is the one who ripens beings through the three vehicles and pervades their liberation; by the nature of the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu), his radiance is subtle and free from the seeds of defilements—he is the Vajra Attachment. "Dustless" is generosity. "Free from dust" is ethical discipline. "Stainless" is patience. "Faultless, having abandoned faults" is diligence. Because the sound of the vajra-snap awakens the Tathāgatas thoroughly, it is meditative concentration. Possessing the knowledge of the full extent of phenomena and the realization of the mode of being is the supreme insight; this is the conduct of the perfections—he is the Vajra Excellence. Regarding the Jewel Uṣṇīṣa, it is said: "Transcending the nature of consciousness" refers to the luminosity of the transformation of the basis of consciousness. "Holding the manner of non-dual wisdom" refers to the union. "Non-conceptual and spontaneously present" refers to the Jewel Uṣṇīṣa, who is yellow in color and has five faces. "Performing the activities of the Buddhas of the three times" refers to the Jewel Uṣṇīṣa, who is the nature of the present Buddha, and—
The Primordial Buddha resides in the heart, and the future Buddha is Vāgīśvara. "The Buddha without beginning or end, the Primordial Buddha without cause," refers to the one with five faces and eight arms residing in the heart. "The single eye of wisdom, stainless, the Tathāgata with a body of wisdom," refers to Vāgīśvara, who possesses the single eye of non-duality.
With reference to Vajrahasa (Vajra Laughter), "Lord of Speech" is right view; "Great Speaker" is right thought; "Supreme among Speakers" is right speech; "King of Speakers" is right action; "Holy among Speakers" is right livelihood; "Supreme Abode" is right effort; "Lion of Speakers" is right mindfulness; and "Unassailable" is right samādhi. This is Vajrahasa with eleven faces.
"Beholding everywhere" protects from the fear of lions. "Supreme Joy" protects from the fear of elephants. "Garland of Splendor" protects from the fear of fire. "Beautiful to Behold" protects from the fear of snakes. "Blazing Light" protects from the fear of weapons. "Śrīvatsa" protects from the fear of thieves. "Light Blazing in Hand" protects from the fear of flesh-eaters. "The Illuminator" protects from the fear of ocean waves; thus, he protects from the eight worldly fears.
As for protection from supramundane fears: "The Great Physician, the Supreme Lord" heals the obscurations to the knowable.
It is unsurpassed, for it extracts the thorns of the afflictions. Because it destroys all latent tendencies of the afflictions and the knowable without exception, it is the tree that is the entirety of all medicines. Because it abandons all afflictions of the five paths without exception, it is the great enemy of every disease, the deity in the form of the Sun. It is beautiful, the perfection that is lovely within the three worlds. The glorious one possessing the maṇḍala of constellations is surrounded by the twenty-eight constellations. The excellent hoisting of the victory banner of Dharma throughout the ten directions to the ends of space is the fruit of loving-kindness. It is the single wide parasol for all beings; the one whose nature is love and compassion is the essence of compassion and love. The glorious one in the form of the Moon dances above the lotus, which here is the kumuda lily. The great pervasive lord’s precious parasol is the hand-symbol, the victory banner of the Moon. The great majesty of all Buddhas is the possession of the crown of the five Buddhas. Holding the bodies of all Buddhas is by way of the body. The great yogi is by way of the mind. The single teaching is by way of the speech. The glorious empowerment of the Vajra Jewel is by way of the name empowerment. The lord of all jewel masters is by way of being a universal monarch of the Jewel family. The lord of all worldly lords is the one who empowers all sentient beings. The sovereign of all Vajra-holders is the master who empowers all Tathāgatas; he is the Vajra Jewel.
With reference to the meditative absorption of Amitābha Padma, [it is said]: "The greatness of the mind of all buddhas abides in the mind of the Primordial Buddha. He is the greatness of the body of all buddhas, and he is also the speech of all buddhas; he is the Vajratīkṣṇa at the heart. The Great Radiance of Vajrasūrya possesses the light of the sun itself. The Stainless Vajracandra possesses the light of the moon of the Primordial Buddha. 'Free from attachment' refers to nirvāṇa. By the word 'and so forth,' 'attachment' is included, which is saṃsāra. 'Neither abiding in either' refers to attachment. 'Blazing with various colors' refers to the red body color and red light rays. 'Vajra posture' refers to the manner of sitting. 'Upholder of the dharma of beings' refers to holding a lotus, which is the Amitābha that focuses upon sentient beings. 'Expounding the Vajra Dharma,' 'Born from the Buddha Amitābha,' and 'Upholder of the treasury of omniscient wisdom' refers to holding the stem of the lotus with the left hand and opening it with the right. 'King who holds various magical illusions' refers to the forms that subdue all beings. The greatness of the Buddha Amitābha is the Mistress of Secret Mantra, Padma Tārā, who wears [him] upon her head. The single verse of the Sharp Vajra is easy to understand. The one with the form of Viṣṇu is the profound Vajra Jinajik, the Victorious One who is unsurpassed. The Vajra Intelligence who knows the meaning as it is, knows the miraculous manifestations. 'Complete in all perfections' means that because the ten grounds are completed through the completion of the ten perfections, he is endowed with ornaments; he is Vajracakra."
The dharma of pure selflessness is the correct analytical knowledge of phenomena. The excellent moonlight of authentic wisdom is eloquence. The great diligence of the Net of Magical Illusion is definitive terminology. The supreme lord of all tantras is the correct analytical knowledge of meaning, spoken by the one in the form of Brahmā.
With reference to the lotus of Amoghasiddhi, the sovereign of definitive power: the Vajra Seat, possessing everything without exception, is the vajra posture. Holding all the bodies of wisdom without exception is the Jñānakāya. Samantabhadra, the excellent intelligence, is the primordial Buddha because he pervades all. Kṣitigarbha, the sustainer of beings, is Amoghasiddhi because he does not abandon beings through the diligence of purposeful activity.
The great essence of all Buddhas is the nature of the diligence of application; thus, he holds the various wheels of emanation, meaning he holds the various wheels of pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and wrathful activity, which is Vajrakarma. Holding the nature of all things is the diligence of accomplishment, the protection that maintains the nature of all enlightened activities. The yakṣa is the one who, having realized the dharma of non-arising through discerning wisdom, holds the essence of all dharmas sought for the benefit of diverse beings. The fist is the great wisdom of purposeful application that, in a single instant, realizes the luminosity of all dharmas. The supreme intellect of the Sage is the hook, for through the faculty of faith, all dharmas are comprehended.
Because one enters and maintains the awakening of a buddha through the power of diligence without wavering, it is the "lasso." Because one brings all buddhas into direct perception through the power of mindfulness, it is the "iron chain." Because the blazing light of the flames of wisdom descends, it is the "bell." Thus, by these forty-two verses, there is the wheel-turner endowed with Vajratīkṣṇa, the maṇḍala of Padmanarteśvara.
With reference to the maṇḍala of Amoghasiddhi, it is said, "Accomplishing the desired aim," and so forth. Because he is the supreme means for accomplishing the common and supreme siddhis of the world, he is the "Sublime One," Vairocana. "Purifying all lower realms" refers to the mudrā of turning the wheel of Dharma in the guise of one who has gone forth. "The Protector, the supreme of all sentient beings" is the Primordial Buddha at the heart. "The one who thoroughly liberates all sentient beings" is Prajñājñānamūrti atop the two wheels.
With reference to Akṣobhya, the "hero alone in the battle against afflictions" means that within the battle incited by the afflictions, he alone is the hero wielding the vajra; he subdues the afflictions, the pride of the cognitive obscurations, and arrogance with the earth-pressing mudrā. "Glorious" refers to the union. "Intellect" is the mirror-like wisdom. "Possessing the grace arising from that" means having a face with a wrathful smile.
With his fangs slightly bared, he is a wrathful deity of terrifying form, steadfast and unshakable by Māra. With reference to Ratnaśikhin, his hundred emanated arms are moved in all directions, and he performs a dance through the power of his strides, with the right leg extended and the left leg extended. The Glorious One is the essence of the Blessed One Ratna-uṣṇīṣa; with his hundred emanated hands, he enjoys the empowerment of sentient beings pervading space, and his dancing is a play of delight as he pleases.
With reference to the Jewel Samādhi, he stands upon a maṇḍala of earth completely transformed from the syllable laṃ. Upon the center of a lotus, he treads with the sole of his right foot and presses down upon the realm of Brahmā of the first dhyāna from its peak with the span of the toenails of his left foot; he holds a lotus with his two hands.
With reference to the Rain of Jewels, it is said: "The single meaning," and so forth. The single meaning is emptiness (śūnyatā). Non-duality is the signless (animitta). The meaning of phenomena (dharma) is the wishless (apraṇihita). The ultimate meaning is clear light (prabhāsvara). Fearlessness is the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu). The object of various cognitions is the mirror-like wisdom (ādarśajñāna). Mind is the transformation of the ālayavijñāna. Possessing the continuum of consciousness is the discriminating wisdom (pratyavekṣaṇājñāna), which is the transformation of the mental consciousness (manovijñāna). The entirety of the actual meaning is emptiness. Joy is Vajrasattvī. Joy of emptiness is the signless. The mind of passion is Ratnī.
The abandonment of attachment to existence and so forth is the wishless, the Dharma Consort. The great joy of the three realms is the clear light, the Action Consort. White like a pure white cloud, she is Gaurī because she is white through the purity of her ethical discipline. Although her body color is yellow, she is Ratnacittā because she possesses the light of the autumn moon. Because the King is described as possessing the light of the sun, he is as beautiful as the center of the rising sun. The light of his fingernails is intensely red, symbolizing the thirty-two major marks. Regarding the description of Ratnarāga: he has a fine crown of the five Buddhas, with the tips of his topknots the color of sapphire. Thus, it is said: "With the tips of his supreme hair like sapphire." Regarding the description of the jewel: he is the great jewel, radiant and glorious, possessing five-colored light rays, and adorned with the head-ornaments of the five emanation Buddhas. Regarding the description of Ratnakrodha: with his left leg extended, he moves throughout all world systems, and with his right leg, through the power of the bases of miraculous power, he treads upon the realm of form. Regarding the description of Ratnaprabha: "He who holds the great mindfulness," meaning he holds the mindfulness of body, feeling, mind, and phenomena; thus he is the Great Mindfulness, the King of the Samādhi of Emptiness. Regarding the description of Ratnaśrī: "The flowers and incense of the branches of enlightenment," meaning the branches of enlightenment are mindfulness, the discernment of phenomena, diligence, joy, meditative concentration, pliancy, and equanimity.
The fragrance of those [qualities] pervades the ocean of the Tathāgata’s virtues; this is loving-kindness. Regarding the "Precious One": knowing the way of the eight branches of the path—right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right concentration, and right mindfulness—is the gift of the Dharma of the authentic path of the Buddha. Regarding the "Precious Dharma": because he is intensely attached to all sentient beings and brings them the bliss of the meditative concentration of loving-kindness, he is "attached." Through the insight that realizes emptiness like space, he is "attached." Regarding the "Precious Sharp One": it is said, "He enters the minds of all sentient beings." Because he enters sentient beings through compassion and cuts through their afflictions with insight, moving as swiftly as the mind, he is "sharp." Regarding the "Precious Wheel": knowing the faculties and purposes of all sentient beings, he understands the welfare of all beings through miraculous displays. Because he captivates the minds of all sentient beings through the power of joy, he is the "wheel." Regarding the "Precious Speaker": the meaning of the five aggregates is the analytical knowledge of meaning (artha-pratisaṃvid). Knowing that very [meaning] is the analytical knowledge of eloquence (pratibhāna-pratisaṃvid). The five aggregates are the analytical knowledge of phenomena (dharma-pratisaṃvid). Holding the purity is the analytical knowledge of definitive expression (nirukti-pratisaṃvid), which is the tongue of great equanimity. Regarding the "Precious Activity," with respect to the result, it is said: "He abides at the limit of all renunciations."
"Skilled in all forms of renunciation" refers to being skilled in the causes of the three vehicles, and thus he holds the crossed vajra (viśvavajra). Regarding the explanation of Ratnarakṣa: "Abiding on the path of all renunciations," this means the cause for protecting and remaining [on the path] from the discordant factors of the three vehicles of renunciation; the result is teaching all forms of renunciation to sentient beings, and thus he holds the armor. Regarding the explanation of Ratnayakṣa: "The twelve links of existence, the root, are uprooted," this refers to having abandoned the twelve links of dependent origination in forward order along with their habitual tendencies. Because he maintains the twelve aspects of purity in reverse order, he holds the fangs. Regarding the explanation of Ratnamuṣṭi: "Possessing the aspects of the four truths," this refers to the eight cognitions—the four types of knowledge (jñāna) and the four types of subsequent knowledge (anvaya-jñāna)—which have the very aspects of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. These eight conceptualizations are unified and held as a single fist. With reference to the Fortunate Aeon (bhadrakalpa), it is said: "Possessing the twelve aspects of the meaning of the truths." These are: knowing suffering, abandoning the origin, manifesting cessation, and cultivating the path; knowing suffering is to be known, the origin is to be abandoned, cessation is to be manifested, and the path is to be cultivated; and knowing that suffering is no longer to be known, the origin no longer to be abandoned, cessation no longer to be manifested, and the path no longer to be cultivated—maintaining these as the object is Maitreya. "Knowing the sixteen aspects of reality" refers to Mañjuśrī, who knows the sixteen moments of knowledge and forbearance regarding the four truths.
Awakening through twenty aspects consists of the eight patiences, the eight knowledges, and the four wisdoms; awakening through these twenty is Gandhahastin. Having realized the five wisdoms of all the Buddhas and having become supreme, he is the "Crest," namely Jñānaketu. He is the emanation body (nirmāṇakāya) of all the Buddhas; because he radiates and sustains infinite, boundless, and immeasurable emanations, he is Bhadrapāla. Because he realizes all moments of existence with an ocean-like intellect, he is Sāgaramati. Because he knows all the inexhaustible meanings of the momentary luminosity of the mind, he is Akṣayamati. Because he possesses eloquence through the methods of the various vehicles and contemplates the welfare of beings in terms of higher rebirth and definite excellence, he is the "Mound," namely Pratibhānakūṭa. Because he possesses the great power to deliver beings from the three realms by means of the three vehicles and has attained the great power of abiding in the fruit of the single vehicle, he is Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Because he is the self that purifies the realms of the afflictions, he is Sarvadurgatipariśodhana. Because he eliminates the suffering of the realms of karma and brings one free from sorrow, he is Śokavigatāndhakāranirghātana. Because he possesses the net of wisdom that crosses over the entire ocean of the waters of attachment, aversion, and ignorance, he is Jālinīprabha. Because he has emerged from the wilderness of application—like the waxing moon of the yoga of the antidotes—and has rescued all beings from the wilderness of saṃsāra by stirring the youth of wisdom, he is Candraprabhakumāra. [The afflictions of] immeasurable light-wisdom...
Because he has abandoned the habitual tendencies of the secondary afflictions, he is Amitābha. Because he makes the three siddhis meaningful through the space-like means of great compassion and insight, he is Ākāśagarbha. Because he has abandoned the conceptualization of the obscurations of viewing things as "I" and "mine," and because he clears away and ceases the grasping at the forms of consciousness, he is Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin.
With reference to the eight goddesses: because she holds a precious wish-fulfilling jewel in her two hands, she is Ratnamālā, who possesses the objects of the minds of all sentient beings. Because she holds a precious garland in her two hands, she is Mālā, who knows and delights the mind of the Buddha. Because she holds the bow for playing the precious lute, she is Gītā, who dwells in the minds of all sentient beings. Because she holds a single-pointed precious [object] and performs a dance, she is Nṛtyā, who engages in accordance with the minds of those sentient beings. Because she satisfies all sentient beings with precious incense, she is Dhūpā. Because she holds a precious casket of flowers, she is Puṣpā, who gladdens the minds of all sentient beings. Because she holds a lamp-stand and dispels the darkness of delusion, she is Dīpā. Because she holds a precious conch of perfume and abandons all errors of grasping at forms, she is Gandhā. Because she is without doubt regarding the meaning of pleasure, suffering, and equanimity, and because she is the embodiment of the qualities of body, speech, and mind regarding the meaning of all that is to be known, she is Ratnāṅkuśā.
The five aggregates and the three times are, in every instant, ultimately distinguished as the dharmadhātu; thus she is Pāśī. Bound by the iron chain of recollecting the perfect Buddha in a single instant, and holding the nature of all Buddhas within one’s own body, she is Ratnāṅkuśī. The bodyless body is the mind of all Buddhas. The supreme body is the various speech-syllables. Since the limit of the body is the support, it is the kāya; because it brings about a single descent through conceptualization, she is Ratnaghaṇṭā. If one asks what the body color, ornaments, and hand-symbols of all of them are: she displays all various forms and possesses manifold shapes. The great jewel is yellow in color. The jewel crest refers to the hand-symbols and the jewel crest upon the diadem. Thus, by these twenty-four verses, the sovereign of the maṇḍala circle of Amoghasiddhi, together with Vāgīśvara, is established in all his meanings.
Regarding the maṇḍala of Hayagrīva, the explanation of the result through the first five lines is as follows: "To be realized by all Buddhas" means to be known by other Buddhas. "The unsurpassed awakening of the Buddhas" is the dharmakāya. With respect to the saṃbhogakāya, it is ultimately without syllables.
Conventionally, both the Action and Performance Tantras, as well as the Yoga and Yoginī Tantras, manifest the deities of the maṇḍala of the ultimate secret mantra for the sake of the emanation bodies (nirmāṇakāya) of the bodhisattvas who have arisen from the Secret Mantra and who uphold the three families of body, speech, and mind. The method for accomplishing that is as follows: "The great drop" (mahābindu) and so forth. The "great drop" is the life-sustaining wind (prāṇavāyu). Because the meaning of "without syllables" is its own defining characteristic, it is free from conceptual construction. The "great emptiness" is the expanse of phenomena (dharmadhātu). Because its syllables are unchanging, they are the five primordial wisdoms (jñāna). The "empty drop" is the realization of the emptiness that relies upon the winds; thus, it is the hundred syllables, the hundred unchanging syllables. For example, because each of the five elements, the five aggregates, the five faculties, and the five objects is the nature of the five primordial wisdoms, there are one hundred families. Thus, free from external elaborations, it is the nature of calm abiding (śamatha) endowed with all aspects, and the phenomena of special insight (vipaśyanā) are ultimately without entity. For that very reason, it is "possessing the half of the half of sixteen." Conventionally, for each of the four great elements, there are the four: yoga, subsequent yoga, supreme yoga, and great yoga. These constitute the sixteen divisions. Furthermore, regarding the four meditative concentrations of appearance, increase, attainment, and clear light, there are emptiness, very emptiness, and great emptiness.
There are eight types of emptiness of all aspects; having meditated on the four types of emptiness that abandon the four conventional aspects—half of those—one possesses the bindu of the natural union of these. Its body, speech, and mind are without parts, transcending the calculation of enumeration. It is the pinnacle of the four meditative concentrations of appearance, increase, attainment, and clear light. By that very fact, one fully knows the branches of calm abiding and special insight, and through awareness, one knows all types of meditative absorption and the entire continuum of the ten grounds. Thus, it is said: "The embodiment of meditative absorption, the supreme body." Having attained the dharmakāya, one also attains the saṃbhogakāya and the nirmāṇakāya. From these three bodies, through the very continuum of the Buddha’s emanations, one acts for the benefit of beings in the ten directions according to their inclinations.
With reference to the solitary hero Hayagrīva, it is said: "Lord of the gods," and so forth. The Lord of the gods is Śakra. The God of gods is Brahmā. The Master of the gods is the god of the desire realm. The Lord of the asuras is Viṣṇu. The Immortal is the Sun. The God of gods is Venus. The Destroyer is the six-faced Youth (Kārttikeya). The Lord Destroyer is Maheśvara. Having crossed the wilderness of existence means that after abducting the eight goddesses such as Śacī and the others, the eight gods are laid out as a seat. For that very reason, it is said: "The sole teacher, the supreme among beings."
With reference to the maṇḍala of the supreme horse of the five tathāgatas, the text states "the ten directions of the world" and so forth. In the ten directions is Akṣobhya, renowned as the great patron of the dharma who has triumphed over the four māras; he is white in color and holds a vajra. With the mudrā of supreme generosity, he is armored in the mail of loving-kindness and clad in the cuirass of compassion; he is yellow in color and holds a jewel. With four hands, he holds the volume of insight, a sword, and a bow and arrow; he is red in color and is Amitābha, who dispels the battlefield of the afflictions and ignorance. Amoghasiddhi is green in color and holds a crossed vajra; having himself subdued the enemies of the four māras—the māras of the afflictions, the aggregates, the lord of death, and the son of the gods—he dispels the fear of the four māras for others and performs the gesture of granting refuge. He is white in color and holds the mudrā of supreme awakening, having subdued the four māras at dusk and attained manifest, perfect buddhahood at dawn; he is the leader of the world. Surrounding these are the goddesses of offering, the goddesses of praise, the goddesses of homage, the goddesses of service, the goddesses of veneration, the goddesses of remembrance, the goddesses of respectful prostration, and the goddesses of honoring as a guru—these eight, such as Lāsyā and the rest. With reference to the supreme horse of the three families, the text states "the three worlds" and so forth.
Taking a single step to the east across as many worlds as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River of the three realms, he traverses to the west with a single step, overpowering them like the infinite sky. The "Threefold Knowledge" (trividyā) refers to the knowledge of himself and his two consorts: the goddess Śuddhā (Pure), white in color, holding a blue lotus and a crossed vajra; and Śuddhā (Pure), red in color, holding a white lotus and a crossed vajra. The "Possessor of the Six Superknowledges" (ṣaḍabhijña) is blessed by the six bodhisattvas of the six faculties, knowing the divine eye, the divine ear, the domain of miraculous powers, death, birth, the minds of others, and the exhaustion of contaminants. The "Six Recollections" (ṣaḍanusmṛti) are blessed by the six goddesses of the six objects. The "Bodhisattva, Great Being, Great Miraculous Power, Transcendent" is green in color, holding a sword, a lotus, and a bow and arrow. He has reached the fourth meditative concentration (dhyāna).
Explained according to the tenets of the philosophical schools: it is said, "The limit of the perfection of insight." "Limit" refers to nirvāṇa with and without remainder of the aggregates; those who assert this are the Vaibhāṣikas. Those who attain the dharma of consciousness that realizes the suchness (tattva) of insight are the Sautrāntikas. Since he is himself knowledge and knowledge of others, and knows the three realms, he is the Cittamātra (Mind-Only). Because he is the supreme benefit for all sentient beings through compassion, and because he transcends the two extremes of all examples, he is the Madhyamaka (Middle Way). When knowledge is the primary activity, it is the Kriyā Tantra.
Because the conduct of body and speech is the primary or supreme factor, it is the Conduct Tantra (Caryātantra). Because the dual tantra is emphasized and acts as the patron of the Dharma, the Dual Tantra (Ubhayatantra) is taught. The Yoga Tantra is that which attains nirvāṇa—the supreme state of service through the qualities of sensory desire for beings who demonstrate the meaning of the Great Seal (Mahāmudrā), the commitment (samaya), the Dharma, and the activity. The profound and vast path of deliverance of the three vehicles is the ultimate profound completion stage, which is the union of supreme bliss. It is the glorious purity of the ultimate meaning, and it is the glorious wealth that produces all mundane and supramundane accomplishments for those of great fortune and excellence within the world. If one asks who that is, it is Mañjuśrī, the supreme possessor of glory. Thus, with these fifteen verses, there is the Universal Monarch Amoghasiddhi together with Jñānakāya. Having thus meditated on the six wheels and having caused the wisdom beings (jñānasattva) to enter the six maṇḍalas, and having performed the empowerment, one should bless the body, speech, and mind with the three suchnesses and perform the offering of oneself as all things. In that regard, there is the fourth type of person who practices: first, those who are inclined to meditate on the Tathāgata family should construct the six maṇḍalas, and when they wish to empower disciples, they should also perform the empowerment.
One should meditate on the maṇḍala concordant with the pratyekabuddha family and perform the fire offerings (homa) concordant with the activities of pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and subjugating. A person concordant with the śrāvaka family should meditate on the six maṇḍalas and, within the heart of whichever deity they have devotion for in their respective maṇḍala, arrange the syllables in the center of a wheel to exhaust their misdeeds. Those of the bodhisattva family should meditate on the six wheels and, for the sake of benefiting sentient beings, perform the approach, the preparation, and the consecration of the maṇḍala according to the rituals of the maṇḍala with its retinue or the solitary hero. Seeking siddhi through the four mudrās, they should act for the benefit of all sentient beings in accordance with the advantages.
Regarding the explanation based on the four aspects of the concluding phase: after completing the meditation and recitation, one should perform offerings and praises. Among these, the praise is as follows: the half-verse beginning with "Supreme Giver, Supreme Vajra" is the praise to the maṇḍala of Vajrasattva; the half-verse beginning with "Arisen from Emptiness" is the praise to Vairocana; the single verse beginning with "Buddha of Attachment" is the praise to Akṣobhya; the single verse beginning with "Buddha’s Smile" is the praise to the maṇḍala of Amitābha; and the single verse beginning with "Arisen from Non-existence" is the praise to the maṇḍala of Ratnasambhava.
The single verse beginning with "The Net of Magical Illusion" (māyājāla) is a praise to the maṇḍala of Hayagrīva. Alternatively, the master Jñānakīrti maintains that these five verses are a praise to the visualization of Mañjuśrī, the supreme glorious one, surrounded by the four Tathāgatas and the sixteen Bodhisattvas, as described in the Vimśatividhabodhi.
Regarding the benefits, the text addresses the compiler, Vajrapāṇi, saying, "O Vajradhara!" The phrase "this is" refers to the maṇḍala of Vairocana. The "wisdom body" (jñānakāya) of the Blessed One is the fourth Buddha. The "wisdom body of all Tathāgatas" is the first Heroic Buddha. Mañjuśrī Jñānasattva is Arapacana. If one recites the names of these three after meditating upon them, the result is the generation of joy, clarity, and satisfaction, as well as the common and supreme siddhis of the world.
The section from "Vajradhara" to "completely purified" explains the benefits of Akṣobhya’s abandonment and wisdom. The phrase "unsurpassed" and so forth shows the benefits of Ratnasambhava. "Attaining what was not attained" is the benefit of Amitābha. "Of all Tathāgatas" shows the benefits of Amoghasiddhi. Thus, the qualities of Vairocana are explained, and Akṣobhya is also correctly presented.
Having unraveled the [qualities of] Ratnasambhava and distinguished the aspects of Amitābha, one clarifies the qualities of Amoghasiddhi; I shall bestow my blessings upon those sentient beings who remember and recite this. "Blessing the nature of all phenomena" means that from the compiler down to future sentient beings, the wisdom-being (jñānasattva) is inserted and thus blessed.
With reference to the second maṇḍala, he addressed Vajrapāṇi and said: "Furthermore, this is the meditation on the second maṇḍala and the perfect recitation of its name."
The wisdom of omniscience is the Ground Buddha. "Pure" refers to the Primordial Buddha. "Buddha and Awakening" is Prajñājñānamūrti. "Manifest Realization" is Akṣobhya. "Unsurpassed" is Ratnasambhava. "Realization" is Amitābha. "Benefiting" is Amoghasiddhi. "The power of the ten powers" is Vajrasattvī. "Omniscience" is Ratnī. "Scripture" is Dharmī. "Accomplishment" is Karmī. "Utterly pure" is Vajrasattvī. "Source of birth" is the King. "Field" is Attachment. "Foundation" is Excellence. "Source" is the Jewel. "Limit" is the Sun. "Examination" is the Victory Banner. "Source of birth" is the Laughter. "The teaching that dispels torment" is the Dharma. "The thorough increase of the tantra" is the Sharp One. "Subduing" is the Wheel. "Crushing" is the Speech. "Defeating" is the Action. "Gathering" is the Speech.
Complete maturation is the yakṣa. Meditative concentration is the fist. Dhyāna is Lāsyā. Yoga is Mālā. Separation is Gītā. Abandonment is Nṛtyā. Pacification is Dhūpā. Complete liberation is Puṣpā. Freedom is Dīpā. Peace is Gandhā. The source is Aṅkuśā. Dispelling is Pāśā. Cutting is Śṛṅkhalā. The excellent path is Ghaṇṭā. Fearlessness is the Vajra Cakravartin. Raising the banner is the Padma Cakravartin. Teaching the Dharma is the Karma Cakravartin. Swift accomplishment is the Mahāmudrā Cakravartin. Conceptualization is the samaya. Individual investigation is the Dharma Cakravartin. Perfection is the Karma-mudrā Cakravartin. Complete purity is the benefit of the four in the eastern direction. Complete fulfillment is the benefit of those in the southern direction. Individual investigation is the benefit of those in the western direction. Realization by one is the benefit of those in the northern direction. Bringing to complete fulfillment is the blessing of reciting from memory.
With reference to the benefits of the third maṇḍala, from the words "O Vajrapāṇi, Vajradhara" up to "Furthermore, this correct recitation of the names while remembering the meaning of the maṇḍala of Padmanarteśvara as it has been explained, brings about pacification," is the benefit of Padma-Vairocana.
Complete purification is the benefit of Padma Akṣobhya. Averting is that of Padma Cūḍa. Perfectly severing is that of Padma Samādhi. Causing non-arising is that of Padma Niścita-īśvara. Pacifying is that of Padma Citta. Terrifying is that of Padma Ratnā. Dispelling is that of Padma Dharma. Quelling is that of Padma Karma. Abandoning is that of Padma Sattva. Increasing is that of Padma Rāja. Causing birth is that of Padma Rāga. Frightening is that of Padma Śobhana. Causing non-arising is that of Padma Bhṛkuṭī. Becoming the essence is that of Padma Sūrya. Becoming the secret is that of Candra Dhvaja. Becoming the great secret is that of the Eleven-Faced One. Becoming all-pervasive is that of Padma Tārā. Perfectly generating introspection is that of Padma Tīkṣṇa. Making the mind sharp is that of Padma Cakrin Viṣṇurūpa. Making [qualities] perfect is that of Padma Vāc Brahmārūpa. Greatly increasing is that of Padma Karma. Bringing fame is that of Padma Rakṣa. Pacifying is that of Padma Yakṣa. Fully awakening is that of Padma Muṣṭi. Purifying is that of Padma Lāsyā. Being endowed with wealth is that of Mālā. Auspiciousness is that of Gītā. Refuge is that of Nṛtyā. The dwelling is that of Padma Dhūpā. Protection is that of Padma Puṣpā.
The refuge is that of Padma-dīpā. The island is that of Padma-gandhodakā. The support is that of Padma-aṅkuśa Hayagrīva. The boat is that of Padma-pāśā. The great king is that of Padma-śṛṅkhalā. Insight itself is that of Padma-ghaṇṭā. By explaining the four outer gatekeepers, the appearance of wisdom is the hook. That which is like a jewel is the noose. The wisdom of omniscience is the chain. Total purity is the bell. For those of good fortune in the eastern direction, it extends up to "complete perfection." For those in the southern direction, it extends up to "attaining the ten grounds." For those in the western direction, it extends up to "the nature of phenomena." For those in the northern direction, it extends up to "the non-other nature of phenomena." Regarding the common activity for the practitioner of the Tathāgata, it extends up to "the nature of the limit of reality." Regarding the practitioner of the Bodhisattva, it extends up to "the nature of emptiness itself." This "Perfect Expression of Names" refers to the mindfulness and recitation; when the wisdom-being enters and bestows blessings, it is taught as the meaning of the non-dual nature of phenomena. Regarding the maṇḍala of Vajra-Hūṃkāra, he calls out, "O Vajrapāṇi!" For the individual who is the support, the "Mañjuśrī Wisdom-Being" is the foundational Buddha. The "wisdom body" is the primordial Buddha. "Non-dual" is the ultimate Duḥkhaccheda.
"This crest jewel is the Tathāgata-śrī-parama-saṃbhava-nāma-dhāraṇī." Up to the words "it also reveals his body," the qualities of the Tathāgata Hūṃkāra are shown. By the section ending with "blessed," the benefits of Vajra-Hūṃkāra are shown. By the section ending with "beneficial," those of Ratna-Hūṃkāra are shown. By the section ending with "accomplishes," those of Dharma-Hūṃkāra are shown. "Causes to manifest" refers to the qualities of Karma-Hūṃkāra. From "subdues the wicked" up to "accomplishes," the qualities of the four wrathful bodhisattvas of the eastern direction are shown. Up to "conceals," the qualities of the four wrathful bodhisattvas of the southern direction are shown. Regarding Brahmā, the protection, guardianship, and concealment provided by the twenty-four guardians of the directions of the northern direction are the qualities of the four wrathful bodhisattvas of the western direction. The protection, guardianship, and concealment at the twenty-five sites are the qualities of the four bodily wrathful bodhisattvas of the northern direction. By the single line "it shall become auspicious," the qualities of Vajrasattvī, Lāsyā, Dhūpā, and the Eastern Aṅkuśī are shown. The protection, guardianship, and concealment by the eighteen [deities] such as the gods are the qualities of Ratnasattvī, Mālā, Puṣpā, and the four [deities of the] Pāśā. Up to the words "it enters the body," the qualities of Dharmasattvī, Gītā, Dīpā, and the four [deities of the] Śṛṅkhalā are shown.
The section ending with "one accomplishes" teaches the qualities of the Action Family goddesses: Lāsyā, Nṛtyā, Gandhā, and Ghaṇṭā. With reference to the maṇḍala of Amoghasiddhi, the address "O Vajrapāṇi" is a call. Furthermore, from "this crest jewel" up to "recollection and recitation" describe the qualities of the Jewel Family. "Visualizing the form of the Blessed One Mañjuśrī-Jñānasattva in the mind" means that one will see the forms of the three: the foundational body, the Primordial Buddha, and Vāgīśvara. "One will also see those dwelling in the center of space" is due to the meditation and recitation of Akṣobhya, the Accomplishment Family. "One will not fall [into lower realms]" is due to Ratnaśikhin. "One will not be born into a low caste" is due to the Lotus Samādhi. "One will not be born in a frontier land" is due to Padmaniyāmīśvara. "One will not be born with impaired faculties" is due to Ratnacittā. "One will not be born into a family of wrong views" is due to Ratnarāja. "One will not be born in a land where no Buddha resides" is due to Padmarāga. "One will not be born in hell" is due to Ratnasādhu. "One will not become a long-lived god" is due to Ratnabhṛkuṭī. "One will not be born during an eon of famine and so forth" is due to Ratnasūrya. "One will not be born during the time of the five degenerations" is due to Ratnadhvaja.
The absence of fear of robbers is the quality of Ratnahāsa. The absence of fear of poverty is the quality of Dharmā. The phrase "fear will not arise" is the quality of Tīkṣṇā. The phrase "one will become endowed with" is the quality of Cakrī. Up to the phrase "one will become endowed with color" is the quality of Vāgīśvarī. "One will become pure" is the quality of Karmā. "One's words will be authoritative" is the quality of Rakṣā. "One will remember past lives" is the quality of Yakṣī. "One's retinue will be inexhaustible" is the quality of Muṣṭi. "One will be endowed with supreme qualities" is the quality of Vajrasattvī. "One will be endowed with the six perfections" is the quality of Ratnī. "The four divine abodes" are the quality of Dharmī. "One will be endowed with the six [faculties] such as mindfulness" is the quality of Karmī. "One will be skilled in speech" is the quality of Lāsyā and Dhūpā. "One will become clever" is the quality of Mālā and Puṣpā. "One will become free from craving" is the quality of Gītā and Dīpā. "One will also be honored" is the quality of Nṛtyā and Gandhā. "One will become wise" is the quality of Ratnāṅkuśī. "One will become perfected" is the quality of Ratnapāśī. "One will not forget" is the quality of Ratnasphoṭā. "One will not be entered [by obstacles]" is the quality of Ratnaghaṇṭā.
With reference to the maṇḍala of Hayagrīva, having addressed him as "O Vajrapāṇidhara," the phrase "one will thus be endowed with immeasurable qualities" teaches the qualities of the three: the foundational Amoghasiddhi and the first Buddha, Jñānakāya. The phrase "one will be endowed with others" teaches the qualities of the solitary hero Hayagrīva.
By the phrase "will become perfectly awakened," the qualities of Hayagrīva, who is the nature of the five families, are shown. By the passage ending with "will become a great king of Dharma," the qualities of Hayagrīva of the three families are shown. With reference to the near-essence mantras: from "Oṃ sarvadharmā" up to "a ā aṃ aḥ," the near-essence of Vajratīkṣṇa is shown. From "prakṛtipariśuddha" up to "mupādāye ti a," the near-essence of Duḥkhaccheda is shown. From "sarvatathāgata" up to "oṃ hūṃ hrīḥ," the near-essence of Prajñājñāna is shown. By "bhagavān jñānamūrti," the near-essence of Jñānakāya is shown. By "vāgīśvara mahāpaṭa," the near-essence of Vāgīśvara is shown. From "sarvadharmā gagaṇa" up to "jñānagarbha āḥ," the near-essence of Arapacana is shown. By this mantra, the recitation of the common near-essence of the six maṇḍalas is shown. Now, with reference to the visualization by both and the conclusion, the words "Then," and so forth, are spoken. "The glorious Vajradhara" is the Victor over the Three Realms. "Joyful and delighted, with palms joined" means with devotion. "To the Protector, the Blessed One, the Tathāgata, the Perfect Buddha" refers to Vairocana. "Having prostrated" means with body, speech, and mind. "That Protector, the Lord of Secrets,"...
"Vajrapāṇi, the King of Wrathful Ones" refers to the compiler, Vajrapāṇi. "And various others" refers to the twenty-one [deities] such as Vajroṣṇīṣa, including Bhṛkuṭīkrama and so forth. "Together" means together with the King of Wrathful Ones. "Having praised in secret" means with the Brahma-voice endowed with the eight qualities. "These words were requested" refers to the words of rejoicing to be explained: "Excellent, excellent, well spoken!" This is the expression of rejoicing.
Regarding the explanation of the result: "By those who seek the fruit of liberation" refers to individuals who strive for the fruit of complete liberation. The Protector of Beings has performed a great deed for us, Vajrapāṇi and the others, by bringing about the attainment of the fruit of perfectly complete enlightenment; this is the rejoicing. If one asks what the meaning of that is: it is the teaching of the manner of the Māyājāla (Net of Illusion), from the Māyājāla Tantra. "This" refers to the Mañjuśrīnāmasaṃgīti (Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī). "Pure" means virtuous in the beginning. "The excellent path" means virtuous in the middle. "Profound" means virtuous in the end. "Vast and extensive" refers to insight and compassion, which are the means. "The great purpose and the benefit of beings" refers to the fruits of higher status and definite goodness. "This is the domain of the Buddhas, taught by the Perfect Buddhas" refers to the singing of the Māyājāla song. Now, with reference to the presentation of the title:
Mañjuśrī is the ground body of the six families. The wisdom beings are the six primordial buddhas. The ultimate is the six wisdom bodies. The Chanting of the Names is the expression of the meaning of meditating on the names of those six maṇḍalas. The Blessed One Śākyamuni is Vairocana; because he emanated as Śākyamuni in the future, he is called Śākyamuni. "Spoken" means explained. "Complete" refers to the conclusion of the chapter on the Net of Samādhi.
Mañjuśrī Buddha-wisdom,
Padma Ananga,
Lalita Hasavajra,
Vāgankura Trigriva,
Indrabodhi Legsung,
Dharmapāla and Śrīgupta,
Jñānamitra and Jñānakīrti,
Trivikrama Dharmeśvara,
Bhavyeśvara and Sucandraśrī.
Through this sequence of the oral lineage,
by composing this commentary,
may I attain the state of Mañjuśrī.
This concludes the work composed by the great master Sucandraśrīkīrti. It was translated and finalized by the Indian abbot, the great paṇḍita Śrī Mahājana, and the great translator-monk, the noble Śes-rab (Prajñā).
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.