The Tantra of The Blue-Clad Belssed Vajrapani
The Tantra of The Blue-Clad Belssed Vajrapani
bcom ldan das phyag na rdo rje gos sngon po can gyi rgyud
ces bya ba
Bhagavannlmbaradharavajrapitantranma
Toh 498, Deg Kangyur vol. 87 (rgyud bum, da),
folios 158a167a
Contents
Summary
Acknowledgments
Introduction
THE TRANSLATION
Summary
In the Kangyur and Tengyur collections there are more than
forty titles centered on the form of Vajrapi known as the
Blue-Clad One, a measure of this figures great popularity in
both India and Tibet. This text, The Tantra of the Blue-Clad
Blessed Vajrapi, is a scripture that belongs to the carytantra
class, the second of the four categories used by the Tibetans to
organize their tantric canon. It introduces the practice of BlueClad Vajrapi, while also providing the practitioner with a
number of rituals directed at suppressing, subduing, or
eliminating ritual targets.
Acknowledgments
This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation
Committee under the supervision of Chkyi Nyima Rinpoche.
Catherine Dalton and Andreas Doctor translated the text, with
assistance from Ryan Damron and Wiesiek Mical.
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Introduction
The Tantra of the Blue-Clad Blessed Vajrapi is a scripture
that, in the fourfold classification that the Tibetans employed to
organize their tantric canon, belongs to the carytantra class.
The small number of tantras in this category were grouped
together because of their similarities in philosophical view and
ritualistic conduct. The carytantra class is the second of the
three outer tantras. It adopts features from both kriytantra
and yogatantra (the first and third, respectively), being characterized by its attention to worldly rituals (as found in
kriytantra) as well as more soteriological insights (as emphasized in yogatantra). From an historical perspective, the
carytantras can also be viewed as exemplifying the transition in
Indian tantric practice from a role of predominantly protecting
against worldly calamities to one of providing a path toward
personal awakening, as the later tantric systems promise.
Generally the texts of the carytantra class have been tentatively
dated to the early seventh century C.E. (Williams 2000, 207).
There is, however, some evidence within this tantra (which will
be discussed below) that might point to a slightly later date for
this text.
More specifically, the tantra presented in this translation
concerns a form of Vajrapi known as the Blue-Clad One. In
this form Vajrapi is dark blue, with one face, three eyes, and
two hands. His clothing is blue and his thick matted hair streams
upward. His body is adorned with eight serpents in various
places, and in his right hand he brandishes a vajra. For the
Tibetans, and no doubt for Indian tantric practitioners, this form
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THE TRANSLATION
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
The Oblation
The great bodhisattva, the great being Vajrapi, asked the
Blessed One:
Blessed One, Teacher, Vajra Holder,
Please explain the supreme ritual
For the oblation that pacifies obstacles.
Make this effort for the benefit of beings!
The Blessed One answered:
Excellent, principal Vajra Holder!
I will explain the basis of all oblations:
The ritual for pacifying obstacles,
And the ritual that is a method for gaining spiritual
accomplishment.
In a beautiful vessel,
Place many excellent articles
Such as food, drink, and so forth.
Through entering the absorption of emptiness,
From bru generate a beautiful vessel.
With kham visualize food and drink
Filling all of space, and recite this mantra:
O kro mukha sarvadharmm dyantapanna tath o
h pha svh.
7
O vairavaa karaya h ja
Is the mantra for the invitation.
O amtakual hana hana h pha
Is the mantra for dispelling obstructors.
Then with flowers and so forth,
Make pure offerings in the sky,
Offering them with joy.
O nlmbaradharavajrapi jpayati ima balighnantu
Samayarakantu
Mama sarvasiddhi me prayacchantu mama karmmogha
svh
O vairavay svh
O jambhalya svh
O pravhadrya svh
O maibhadrya svh
O kuberya svh
O samprajnya svh
O guhyasthnya svh
O pcikya svh
O bjakualine svh
These are the mantras for offering the oblation.
Then make that offering to the guests.
Hooks of light rays shine forth,
And immediately they arrive.
Perform the ritual of equal enjoyment.
This was the second chapter of The Tantra of the Vajra in the
Underworld, The Oblation.
Chapter 3
Vairavaa
For the benefit of those who wish to attain worldly
accomplishment, the Blessed One entered the absorption called
the origination of all worldly wheels [161.a] and emanated rays
of light from the pores of his body. Vairavaa and his retinue
were thus inspired and gathered around him. Vairavaa
prostrated to the Blessed One, scattered dust made from
precious gems, and made this request:
Blessed One, I am the dharma-upholding king named
Vairavaa. If I myself were to proclaim a secret in order to
protect the dharma of the pious and ensure that the dharma
abides for a long time, would the Blessed One grant me an
opportunity?
Great King, excellent! the Blessed One replied. Explain
your secret well! I rejoice and give my blessings. May all vajra
holders also bless you. Speak well!
Vairavaa got up from his seat, prostrated to the Blessed
One, and spoke his own incantation: O vairavaya h
h paca paca chinda chinda svh.
He then requested the Blessed One, O Blessed One, the
accomplishment of this, my mantra, is excellent. Whoever wants
to accomplish my state of being should arrange great offerings
in the three times. To make the offering to me and my retinue,
the practitioner should remain with one-pointed concentration in
an isolated place. A practitioner of the blessed Vajrapi must
recite my mantra ten thousand times, and then accomplish the
activities. Thus one who accomplishes my state of being and my
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14
Chapter 4
16
Chapter 5
18
Chapter 6
21
Chapter 7
23
Chapter 8
Mantra
The Blessed One, the Vajra Holder, next taught this chapter on
mantra for the sake of living beings:
O nlmbaradhara vajrapi h h pha.
The root mantra of the Blessed One accomplishes all activities;
This is the secret of the awakened mind of all buddhas.
It accomplishes all activity, even without practice;
With the vajra fists, you accomplish the binding of all mudrs.
With vajra confidence, you accomplish all samaya vows!
With the vajra smile, you are affectionate toward all sentient
beings.
By uttering the vajra h, you make everyone mute.
Through the vajra lotus, you gain the spiritual accomplishment
of traversing the sky.
With the tail of the peacock, you tame all ngas.
With the diagram, you kill all enemies.
If you wish to accomplish wealth, perform the water offering to
Jambhala.
If you wish to repel obstacle makers, do so through absorption.
With the vajra iron hook, you summon all.
Protect against epidemics with the kua grass pock.
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25
Chapter 9
27
Chapter 10
Protection
The teacher Vajradhara
Gazed at the protector of beings
And taught the ritual of protection:
Vajrapi, listen well!
Those beings who are seized by wicked ones
Should skillfully craft an image
Of an animal in pure copper
And fill its interior with silver and the like.
Once filled, it should be well concealed
In a desirable place or on ones own body.
This is the best protection.
A reliquary of the bliss-gone ones together with its relics
Should be skillfully fashioned and consecrated.
If it is concealed wherever harm might occur,
There will be peace by pronouncing the power of truth.
The buddhas, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges,
Taught these incantation mantras.
To many creatures, such as birds
All pleasant and beautiful animals.
With these mantras, one should consecrate
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This was the tenth chapter on protection from The Tantra of the
Vajra in the Underworld.
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Chapter 11
32
Chapter 12
35
Chapter 13
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Notes
1 Although the shortest of the three tantras, Toh 501 is somewhat broader in
scope as it also includes rituals to tame beings above the ground.
2 Page numbers refer to the Deg block print.
3 We are unsure of these two lines: kun rten rab tu spyad dge can / rten can
sbyor ba rab tu dben.
4 Although yang dag is normally translated as Viuddha, we have
rendered it here as Samprajna since this is the Sanskrit rendering of
this particular yakas name in the list of name mantras included below.
5 Celestial chariot renders khang brtsegs or vimna, which refers to a
celestial chariot of the gods, sometimes taking the form of a multi-storied
palace; hence the Tibetan translation, khang brtsegs, literally storied
house.
6 Translation based on the Yunglo, Peking, Narthang, and Lhasa
redactions: mer sbar. Deg: ner sba.
7 We are unsure about this line: las me gnod sbyin rdzas kyis brab.
8 Tibetan: drang bar bya.
9 Tibetan: rab snyams.
10 We are unsure of this line: glang chen g.yang ltung me chen bar.
11 Tibetan: dka thub che.
12 We are unsure of this line: g.yo chung ngang bzang byang sems thob.
39
Bibliography
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bcom ldan das phyag na rdo rje gos sngon po can gyi
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