A Casket of Jewels: The Extensive Practice of The Thirteen Deity Glorious Vajrabhairava
A Casket of Jewels: The Extensive Practice of The Thirteen Deity Glorious Vajrabhairava
A Casket of Jewels
Meditation on the Thirteen Deity Glorious Vajrabhairava
by
Je Tsongkhapa
translated and formatted by Wolfgang Saumweber, using the Tibetan text of the ACIP
electronic version, Je Tsongkhapa’s Tibetan text from the Collected Works (sung bum) of
Je Tsongkhapa published by TBRC, and Sharpa Tulku’s, Richard Guard’s and Alexander
Berzin’s translation for the Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava “Victory Over Evil”.
This translation was greatly facilitated and inspired by Cornelia Weishaar-Gunter’s
German translation of the sadhana text and H.E. Dagyab Kyabgon Rinpoche’s commen-
tary on the Thirteen Deity sadhana/practice (in German, also translated by Cornelia
Weishaar-Gunter).
Whenever there were questions in the translation we used Lhundup Pandita’s commen-
taries on the Thirteen-Deity Vajrabhairava Practice, “The Jewel Treasure House of the
Three Bodies” and “The Staircase That Leads to the Three Bodies” in the Tibetan origi-
nal (published by Konchog Lhadrepa, Delhi & the TBRC edition of the Collected Works
of Lhundup Pandita) and in Sharpa Tulku and Richard Guard’s translation (Tibet
House, Delhi 2002).
Images were taken from traditional Tibetan or Mongolian woodcut prints of various
origin. The line drawings were done by Andy Weber, Robert Beer and Wolfgang Saum-
weber. The Thirteen-Deity Mandala was painted by Andy Weber.
October 2005
Version 1.6
Preliminaries
Refuge and Generating Bodhicitta
I go for refuge until I am enlightened
To the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Highest Assembly.
From the virtuous merit that I collect
By practising giving and other perfections
May I attain the state of Buddha
To benefit all sentient beings. (3x)
Your beautiful body ablaze with fame’s glory,
Your eloquent speech adorning the ear of the fortunate,
Your mind pure genius, spanning the whole of knowledge,
I bow to you so meaningful to see, hear and remember.
Various delightful offerings of flowers and perfumes,
Incense, bright lights and pure sweet waters:
This ocean of offering-clouds presented and imagined
I offer to you, O highest field of merit.
Whatever non-virtues of body, speech and mind
I have accumulated since time without beginning,
Especially transgressions of my three vows,
I confess each one with fierce remorse from the depths of my heart.
In this dark age, you strove for knowledge and realization,
Abandoned the eight worldly concerns and realized the great value
Of the human life with freedom and opportunity.
O Lord, we rejoice sincerely in your prodigious deeds.
Pray, O holy perfect lamas, in the Truth Body’s sky,
From the billowing clouds of wisdom and compassion
Pour down a rain of vast and profound Dharma
Upon the deserving disciples of this world.
By whatever virtue I have gathered here,
May the teachings and all living beings receive every benefit,
And especially may the essence of the teaching
Of holy Losang Dragpa shine forever.
(You are Avalokitshvara – a great treasure of unaimed affection,
Manjushri – a commander of flawless wisdom,
Vajrapani – a destroyer of all hordes of demonic forces,
Tsongkhapa – the crown jewel of the erudite masters of the Land of Snows,
At your feet, Losang-dragpa, we make you requests.)
Glorious, kind, precious root lama -
Please take your seat on the lotus at my crown.
Take care of me with your great kindness,
Grant me the attainments of your body, speech and mind.
Glorious, kind, precious root lama -
Please take your seat on the lotus at my heart.
Take care of me with your great kindness,
Grant me both supreme and common attainments.
Glorious, kind, precious root lama -
Please take your seat on the lotus at my heart.
Take care of me with your great kindness,
Stay firmly until I achieve the essence of enlightenment.
Je Tsongkhapa
Lalitavajra
Ra Lotsawa
To Jangchub Choephel, you have completely mastered the sutras and tan-
tras; to glorious Dragri Dorje Chang, Losang Choejor Gyatso, unequalled
in kindness - I make requests. Bestow on me please the two attainments.
At your feet, Great Tutor Lingtrul Dorje Chang, Losang Lungtog Tenzin
Trinley; to the glorious and excellent great abbot Tenpa Choephel - I make
requests. Bestow on me please the two attainments.
To Dechen Nyingpo (Phabongkha Rinpoche), unequalled in kindness, you
are the wisdom of all the infinite Victorious Buddhas arisen as a wrathful,
terrifying human dance - to you I make requests. Bestow on me please the
two attainments.
To Kyabje Ling Dorje Chang, Thubtan Lungtog Namgyal Trinley, peerless
upholder of the virtuous conduct of furthering the methods of the scrip-
tural and insight teachings of the Fully Enlightened Ones in accordance
with the pure Buddha’s wishes - to you I make requests. Bestow on me
please the two attainments.
To Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, Losang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, you are the
embodiment of all the wisdom of the Victorious Ones, chief holder of the
stainless teachings of the Conquerors, and Lord of emanating and collect-
ing the myriad oceans of mandalas, bestow on me please the two attain-
ments.
O lord of speech, mind treasure, peerless upholder of the essential teach-
ings of the supreme system of the Victor, embodying the limitless ocean
of Buddhas, Supreme lord of samsara and nirvana, Jetzun Jampal Nga-
wang Losang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama),
bestow on me please the two attainments.
Having praised you like this, may I in all my lifetimes be cared for by
Gurus of the supreme vehicle and may I be sustained by a festive feast of
profound and extensive Dharma.
May I triumph in the battle with the four demons who make conditions
adverse for my attaining perfection for the sake of all mothers.
May my wealth of all attainments such as peace, increase, power, wrath
and the eight supreme siddhis, increase and may I become the supreme
upholder of the essence of the Buddha’s teachings.
Short Supplication to the Lineage Gurus
O pervading Lord Manjushri-vajra, the Opponent of Yama,
O Lama Je Tsongkhapa, the Father who embodies all Conquerors,
And your Sons together with the lamas of the lineage,
Please bestow the two kinds of siddhi.
Specific Preliminaries
Instantaneous Self-generation
Instantaneously I arise in the form of glorious Vajrabhairava with one face
and two arms holding a curved knife and skull-cup. I am embraced by my
consort Vajravetali (Dorje Ralangma).
Out of ignorance and delusion I have transgressed my words of honor and let
them degenerate. O Lama, lord master, lord of beings with a nature of great
compassion, to you I turn for refuge.
Vajrasattva replies, “O son of the family, you are cleansed and purified of all
your downfalls and obstacles, as well as your degenerated and broken words
of honor.” Then he dissolves into me and my body, speech and mind become
inseparable from the body, speech and mind of Vajrasattva.
12
Actual Session
Inviting the Field of Merit
Radiant as Vajrabhairava with one face and two arms, I
have in my heart, on an 8-petalled lotus and sun-disc a
HUM from which light rays (emanate) illuminating the
boundless realms of the universe and bringing forth in the
space before me Vajrabhairava together with the Gurus,
encircled by a host of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Wrathful
Deities and Wisdom Dakinis residing therein. The light
rays dissolve back into my heart.
Offerings
From light rays of the seed syllable at my heart come white Carcika, blue
Varahi, red Saraswati and green Gauri, who hold various offerings in their
hands and make the offerings.
OM HRIH SHTRIH HAH (libation)
OM HUM HUM PHAT (water for the feet)
OM VIKRTANANA DUSHTAM SATTVA DAMAKA GAH GAH (per-
fume)
OM KUMAHA RUPINE JAH JAH HUM PHAT (flowers)
OM HRIH HAH HAI PHAT (incense)
OM DIPTA LOCHANA VIKRTANANA MAHA ATTATTA HASA NA
DINT DIPTA YE SVAHA (light)
OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM (divine food)
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM (music)
(As this is a mental offering, the mudras are not done and the bell and damaru
are not rung.)
The goddesses are re-absorbed.
13
Seven Limb Practice
I confess all my downfalls.
I shall eradicate those produced or arising
And, before your eyes, I give you my word not to do them again.
I likewise rejoice in everyone’s merits
And dedicate them fully to that which proceeds to bliss.
I go for refuge to the Triple Gem.
I shall liberate all sentient beings and place them in the state
of enlightenment.
I shall generate purely the bodhicitta.
I offer my body to you who are an ocean of excellent qualities.
In order to attain the three Bodies and wisdom,
I shall devote myself with extremely pure faith
To the methods of generating and so forth
Which are the path for the Enlightened Buddhas and their offspring.
Tantric Vows
All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, please give me your attention.
I who am called (...), from this time onwards until my enlightenment,
Shall develop a pure and peerless bodhicitta
Just as all the protecting Buddhas of the three times
Have done to ensure their enlightenment.
I shall uphold all the general and specific (tantric) vows
And commitments of the five Buddha families, without exception.
I shall deliver those not yet delivered,
I shall liberate those not yet liberated
And I shall give breath to those unable to breathe.
I shall place all sentient beings in the state beyond sorrow.
Four Immeasurables
May all sentient beings be endowed with bliss.
May all sentient beings be parted from suffering.
May all sentient beings never be parted from bliss.
May all sentient beings be placed in a state of equanimity unperturbed by
superstitious conceptions about grasping consciousness and the objects it
grasps or by the eight worldly feelings.
(This completes the methods of accumulating physical merit.)
14
Taking the Three Kayas as the Path
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA
SHUDDHO HAM
OM SHUNYATA JNANA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM
Because I myself, the deities, the field of merit and all other phenomena are
imputations on dependent arisings, everything becomes emptiness having
the true nature of identitylessness and devoid of the four extremes such as
eternalism, nihilism and so forth.
(Through the meditation on self-lessness one gains freedom from common
appearances.)
16
White Aparajita with an Akshobhya crown-
ing his head and with three faces - white, dark
blue and red - and six arms - the first two
embracing a consort similar to himself, the
other right holding a jewel and a club (with a
wrathful vajra-like top), the other two left a
lotus and a sword.
HUM! He is born from the lotus-womb of
the mother and takes his place with left leg
extended on the seat above the southern
spoke.
Yellowish-green Ushnishachakravartin
with an Akshobhya crowning his head and
with three faces yellowish-green, white and
red - and six arms - the first two embracing
a consort similar to himself, the other two
right holding a jewel and a wheel, the other
two left a lotus and a sword.
HUM! He is born from the lotus-womb
of the mother and takes his place with left
leg extended on the seat above and slightly
before myself, the main figure.
18
Dark-blue Vajrapatala with an Akshobhya
crowning his head and with three faces -
dark blue, white and red - and six arms - the
first two embracing a consort similar to him-
self, the other two right holding a jewel and a
vajra, the other two left a lotus and a sword.
HUM! He is born from the lotus-womb
of the mother and takes his place with left
leg extended on the seat below and slightly
behind myself, the main figure.
All eleven have bared fangs and each of their faces has three round, blood-
shot eyes. Their orange hair and moustaches blaze and swirl upwards, and
each is adorned with wheel-shaped (crowns), earrings and so forth, and have
as ornaments the (eight) various snakes. They have the power to eradicate all
demons and interferers. Standing in the midst of a blazing mass of wisdom
fire arising from their bodies, they emanate into the ten directions cloud-like
formations of flaming, fearsome vajras, annihilating all evil ones.
(* If abbreviated, recite:)
HUM! The ten Wrathful Ones are all born from the lotus of the mother,
and take their respective seats on the ten spokes, in the manner of
destroying.
22
Description of Vajrabhairava
With the ability to devour the lords of the Three Realms, I chortle “HA-HA”,
with my tongue darting, my fangs bared, my mouth having wrinkles of anger,
my brow also wrinkled in anger, with- my eyes and eyebrows ablaze like the
eon of destruction and my orange hair bristling upward. I make threatening
mudras at both the worldly and transcendental gods, frightening even the
frightful ones, and thunder the sound “PHAIM” like a dragon. I eat human
blood, grease, marrow and fat, and have five dried fearsome skulls crown-
ing (each of) my heads. Adorned with a skull-rosary of fifty moist (human)
heads, I wear (two) black snakes as Brahmin threads. I am also adorned with
ornaments made of human bones, such as wheel shaped crowns, earrings and
so forth. My belly is bulging, my body is naked; my phallus stands erect. My
eyelashes, eyebrows, moustache and body hairs blaze like the fire of the eon
of destruction.
My main face is that of a black buffalo, extremely furious and having two
sharp horns. On top of it and between my horns is a red face, extremely hor-
rific with blood dripping from its mouth. On top of that is a yellow face of
Manjushri with a slightly wrathful expression. Adorned with the (flower)
ornaments of youth, his hair is tied in five knots on the crown of his head. As
for my faces to the right of the base of my horns, the first (or central) face is
blue, the face to its right is red and the face to its left is yellow. As for my faces
to the left of the base of my horns, the first (or central) face is white, the face
to its right is gray and the face to its left is black. These faces are very wrathful
and each of my nine faces has three eyes.
With my first right and left hands I hold the moist skin of an elephant
stretched open by the skin of its left front and hind legs, with its head to my
right and its hairy back facing outward. As for my other right hands, I hold in
the first a curved knife, in the second a dart, in the third a wooden pestle, in
the fourth a fish-knife, in the fifth a harpoon, in the sixth an axe, in the sev-
enth a spear and in the eighth an arrow. (In the back row) in my ninth (hand
I hold) an iron hook, in the tenth a skull club, in the eleventh a khatvanga, in
the twelfth a wheel (of sharp weapons), in the thirteenth a five-spoked vajra,
in the fourteenth a vajra-hammer, in the fifteenth a sword and in the six-
teenth a chang-teu hand-drum.
As for my other left hands, in the first I hold a skull-cup filled with blood, in
the second a (four-faced, yellow) head of Brahma, in the third a shield, in the
fourth a leg, in the fifth a lasso, in the sixth a bow, in the seventh intestines
and in the eighth a bell. (In the back row) in my ninth (hand I hold) a hand,
in the tenth a cloth shroud, in the eleventh a person impaled on a stick, in
the twelfth (a triangular) brazier, in the thirteenth a scalp, in the fourteenth
a (hand in the) threatening mudra, in the fifteenth a trident with a three-
curved banner, and in the sixteenth a homa-fire fan.
23
As for my right feet, the first treads on a human, the second a buffalo, the
third a bull, the fourth a donkey, the fifth a camel, the sixth a dog, the seventh
a sheep and the eighth a fox.
As for my left feet, the first treads on a vulture, the second an owl, the third
a crow, the fourth a parrot, the fifth a hawk, the sixth a kite, the seventh a
mynah bird and the eighth a swan.
Also being trampled upon are Brahma, Indra, Vishnu and Rudra, as well as
the Six-headed Kumara, Ganesh, and the Gods of the Moon (Chandra) and
Sun (Surya) who are all faced downwards.
26
7. Club Yamantaka at the southern gate of the celestial mansion. He is
white and has three faces: white , blue and red. The first pair of his six
arms, holding a curved knife and a skullcup, embraces a consort similar
to himself; the two lower hands on the right hold a club and a sword,
the two lower left ones a lotus and a wheel.
8. Lotus Yamantaka at the western gate of the celestial mansion. He is red
and has three faces: red, blue and white. The first pair of his six arms,
holding a curved knife and a skullcup, embraces a consort similar to
himself; the two lower hands on the right hold a lotus and a sword, the
two lower left ones a wheel and a jewel.
9. Sword Yamantaka at the northern gate of the celestial mansion. He is
green and has three faces: green, blue and white. The first pair of his six
arms, holding a curved knife and a skullcup, embraces a consort similar
to himself; the two lower hands on the right hold a sword and a wheel,
the two lower left ones a jewel and a lotus.
All the eight fathers have a crown of five dry skulls and a garland of fifty
human heads dripping blood. Each face has three red round eyes and four
blazing bared fangs, the tongues dart and light rays radiate vastly. Blue
Sankapalaka binds the hair, red Taksaka forms the earrings, Kulika forms the
armbands and yellow Hulu-hula the bracelets. White Lotus forms the neck-
lace and green Karkotaka the brahma thread. Vasuki, colored like nectar,
forms the apron and Mahapadma forms the anklets. Those eight Nagas make
the sound “PHAT” and their forked tongues garland their poisonous fangs.
Inside, in the south-east is white Carcika, very skinny and fiercely angry,
with three faces, white, blue and red. The first pair of her six hands, hold-
ing a curved knife and skull, embraces the father similar to herself. The two
remaining right hands hold a wheel and a sword, and the left two a jewel and
lotus.
In the south-west is blue Varahi with a sow’s face, fat and short with a sag-
ging belly and three faces, blue, white and red. The first pair of her six hands,
holding a curved knife and skull, embraces the father similar to herself. The
two remaining right hands hold a vajra and sword, and the left two a wheel
and lotus.
In the north-west is red Saraswati, peaceful, with three faces, red, blue and
white. The first pair of her six hands, holding a curved knife, and skull,
embraces the father similar to herself. The two remaining right hands hold a
lotus and a sword, and the left two a jewel and a wheel.
In the north-east is green Gauri, fat and short with a sagging belly, three
faces, green, blue and white. The first pair of her six hands, holding a curved
knife and skull, embraces the father similar to herself. The two remaining
right hands hold a sword and wheel, and the left two a jewel and a lotus.
27
The four mothers also have a crown of five dry skulls and a garland of fifty
dry skulls, are adorned by the five mudras and stand with right leg bent and
left extended.
At the four outer corners the syllables transform into four human skulls
filled with nectar.
28
OM DANDA DHRK:
The attention of Club Yamantaka father and mother is drawn. Innumer-
able alike deities issue forth from every pore of the mother consort into
the ten directions to overcome the klesha mara in all beings and to bestow
upon them the power of effort. Then they take their seat at the southern
gate (of the mandala).
OM PADMA DHRK:
The attention of Lotus Yamantaka father and mother is drawn. Innumer-
able alike deities issue forth from every pore of the mother consort into
the ten directions to overcome the yama mara in all beings and to bestow
upon them the power of diligence. Then they take their seat at the west-
ern gate (of the mandala).
OM KHANGA DHRK:
The attention of Sword Yamantaka father and mother is drawn. Innumer-
able alike deities issue forth from every pore of the mother consort into
the ten directions to overcome the son-of-god mara in all beings and to
bestow upon them the power of concentration. Then they take their seat
at the northern gate (of the mandala).
OM MOHA RATI:
The attention of Carcika is drawn. Innumerable alike deities issue forth
from every pore of the mother consort into the ten directions to purify
the earth element in all beings and to assure them of the infiniteness of
love. Then she takes her seat in the south-eastern corner (of the man-
dala).
OM DWESA RATI:
The attention of Varahi is drawn. Innumerable alike deities issue forth
from every pore of the mother consort into the ten directions to purify
the water element in all beings and to assure them of the infiniteness of
compassion. Then she takes her seat in the south-western corner (of the
mandala).
OM RAGA RATI:
The attention of Sarasvati is drawn. Innumerable alike deities issue forth
from every pore of the mother consort into the ten directions to purify
the fire element in all beings and to assure them of the infiniteness of joy.
Then she takes her seat in the north-western corner (of the mandala).
OM VAJRA RATI:
The attention of Gauri is drawn. Innumerable alike deities issue forth
from every pore of the mother consort into the ten directions to purify
the wind element in all beings and to assure them of the infiniteness of
equanimity. Then she takes her seat in the north-eastern corner (of the
mandala).
29
OM AH HUM:
The four skullcups come forth to purify the faults of the six objects. They
take their seats in the four outer corners (of the mandala).
OM AH HUM:
The celestial mansion comes forth to purify the faults of the environment
and to affirm all who dwell in bliss. The palace becomes one with the
(imagined) commitment palace.
30
From light rays of the seed syllable at my heart come white Carcika, blue
Varahi, red Sarasvati and green Gauri, who hold various offerings in their
hands and make the offerings.
OM HRIH SHTRIH HAH (libation)
OM HUM HUM PHAT (water for the feet)
OM VIKRTANANA DUSHTAM SATTVA DAMAKA GAH GAH (per-
fume)
OM KUMAHA RUPINE JAH JAH HUM PHAT (flowers)
OM HRIH HAH HAI PHAT (incense)
OM DIPTA LOCHANA VIKRTANANA MAHA ATTATTA HASA NA
DINT DIPTA YE SVAHA (light)
OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM (divine food)
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM (music)
(As this is a mental offering, the mudras are not done and the bell and damaru
are not rung.)
The goddesses are re-absorbed.
Through the light rays the deities of the Three Vajras are hooked and then
become one with the imagined Three Vajras.
Mind:
OM SARVA TATHGATA CITTA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM
Speech:
OM SARVA TATHGATA WAKA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM
Body:
OM SARVA TATHGATA KAYA VAJRA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM
I am the essence of the Three Vajras of all tathagatas.
31
(Make offerings with:)
OM HRIH SHTRIH HAH (libation)
OM HUM HUM PHAT (water for the feet)
OM VIKRTANANA DUSHTAM SATTVA DAMAKA GAH GAH (per-
fume)
OM KUMAHA RUPINE JAH JAH HUM PHAT (flowers)
OM HRIH HAH HAI PHAT (incense)
OM DIPTA LOCHANA VIKRTANANA MAHA ATTATTA HASA NA
DINT DIPTA YE SVAHA (light)
OM VAJRA NAIVIDYA AH HUM (divine food)
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM (music - no bell and damaru)
(Invitation of the wisdom beings above to appear above the crown of the com-
mitment beings:)
OM MUNGARA JAH
(Becoming one with the respective commitment being:)
OM DANDA HUM
(Inseparable union with the respective commitment being:)
OM PADMA BAM
(Empowerment:)
OM KHANGA HOH
32
Initiating and Sealing by the Empowering Deities
“O Tathagata Buddhas, I request you to confer empowerment on me.”
Having thus been requested, they emanate goddesses such as Charchika and
so forth, who first proclaim auspicious verses and then hold up moonlight-
white vases filled with the five nectars, with the words:
“Just as all the Buddhas received empowerment as soon as they were born,
likewise do we now confer this empowerment with pure heavenly water.”
Speaking thusly, they confer the empowerment upon the crown of my head,
whereby my entire body becomes filled with the empowering water, purifying
me of all my stains. The excess water that stays on the crown of my head as a
protrusion is transformed: The main face of the principal deity is crowned by
Akshobhya; the faces of the deities in the east and south-east by Vairochana;
in the south and south-west by Ratnasambhava; in the west and north-west
by Amitabha; in the north and north-east by Amoghasiddhi.
The empowering deities dissolve into me.
34
To the mouth of the Sun of the Teachings, Khedrub Geleg Palzangpo -
OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the Venerable Sherab Senge - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the Vinaya-holder Paldan Zangpo - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of Jamyang Gedun Phelwa - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tantric abbot Tashi Phagpa - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tantric abbot Samdrub Gyatso - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tantric abbot Tzondru Phagpa - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tantric abbot Dorje Zangpo - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tantric abbot Sangye Gyatso - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the omniscient (First) Panchen Lama Losang Choekyi
Gyaltsan - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the Vajra-holder Konchog Gyaltsan - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the (Second) Panchen Lama Losang Yeshe - OM AH
HUM.
To the mouth of His Holiness (the Seventh Dalai Lama) Losang Kalsang
Gyatso - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the lord of the realized ones, Rolpai Dorje - OM AH
HUM.
To the mouth of the great throne-holder Ngawang Tsultrim - OM AH
HUM.
To the mouth of the great throne-holder Jangchub Choephel - OM AH
HUM.
To the mouth of Dragri Losang Choejor Gyatso - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great tutor Lingtrul Losang Lungtog Tenzin Trinley
- OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the great abbot Khyenrab Tenpa Choephel, the glorious
excellent one - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of the kind root Guru Vajradhara (Phabongkha Rinpoche)
Dechen Nyingpo, the glorious excellent one - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of my all-kind root Guru Vajradhara Kyabje Yongdzin Ling
Rinpoche, Jetzun Thubten Lungtog Namgyal Trinley, the glorious
excellent one - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of Kyabje Yongdzin Trijang Rinpoche, Jetzun Losang Yeshe
Tenzin Gyatso, the glorious excellent one - OM AH HUM.
To the mouth of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Jetzun Jampal
Ngawang Losang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso - OM AH HUM.
(Short version:)
To the lineage gurus - OM AH HUM.
(Continuation for both versions:)
Furthermore, to the mouths of the Gurus together with their lineage, who
have conferred empowerments on me, explained the tantras and given
the oral teachings - OM AH HUM.
35
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT / OM AH HUM
Furthermore, to the mouths of the yidams of the four great classes of tantra
and to the mouths of the hosts of deities related to their mandalas - OM
AH HUM.
To the mouth of Dharmaraja together with his entourage - OM AH HUM.
Furthermore, to the mouths of the oath-bound protectors, who, having
first seen the Buddhas, heard the holy Dharma teachings and relied
upon the Sangha community of Arya Noble Ones, then promised to
protect the teachings and the four sections (of ordained ones), and
upon whom the former Gurus have relied and practised - OM AH
HUM.
To the mouths of the vira-heroes, yoginis, directional protectors, realm
protectors, nagas and so forth of the twenty-four sacred lands, thirty-
two sacred sites and eight great charnel grounds - OM AH HUM.
To the mouths of the local deities of the natural sites and to the mouths of
all sentient beings as deities - OM AH HUM.
All the Buddhas of the ten directions are brought forth and dissolve into
my body.
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRTANANA HUM PHAT
OM AH HUM
OM AMRITA SVADANA SVABHAVA ATMAKO HAM
All the guests are delighted and satiated by this wisdom nectar.
Praise
(Ring B bell while reciting this verse of praise.)
Non-dual, exclusive, pervasive body,
With equanimity to all-the father of all Victors
Having become the sphere of reality-the mother of all Victors
The wisdom of the heroic mind-the son of all Victors
Prostrations to Manjushri, who is complete in glory.
Though the Truth Body has neither love nor hate
For the purpose of taming the malignant ones of the three worlds,
By compassionate method emanates the body of the King of Fury.
Prostrations to Bhairava Yamantaka.
(Praise of the Principal Deity with Retinue:)
Yamantaka, the complete destroyer,
You the essence of Vajra Ignorance,
The nature of the teacher of all the Buddhas,
Prostrations and praise to the Vajra Body.
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Yamantaka, the complete destroyer,
You the essence of Vajra Slander
Identical with the Vajra Heart-mind,
Prostrations and praise to Ratnavajra.
You the essence of Vajra Attachment,
Yamantaka the complete destroyer
Identical with the Vajra Speech,
Prostrations and praise to the Vajra Speech.
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JAH HUM BAM HOH.
The empowering deities confer the empowerment, whereby the (Vajrabhaira-
vas) acquire Amitabhas crowning their heads.
OM ARO LIK HUM PHAT
(Do not do the mudras, and do not ring the bell and damaru.)
The Attachment Yamantakas melt and take on the form of a mala made from
blood-dripping human heads.
Mantra Recitation
(For the principal deity) the root mantra and the other mantras are arranged
clockwise around the concentration being. The other deities have at their heart
a sun disc with the respective attribute marked with the seed syllable around
which the respective mantra is arranged clockwise. All mantra syllables are
standing upright.
For the combination of peace and wrath, the mantra of Manjushri:
OM ARAPA TZANA DHIH
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The Mantra of the Mother Consort:
OM VAJRA VETTALI AGACCHA HUM JAH SVAHA
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Recite each of these as much as possible. They dissolve into one’s heart. Think
that one’s mind is blessed.
Then, during the hundred-syllable mantra, think that a stream of nectar flows
from the letter HUM surrounded by the hundred syllables at the heart of the
respective lord of the family, and think that all downfalls are eliminated. Recite
the hundred-syllable mantra while ringing bell B:
OM YAMANTAKA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA / YAMANTAKA TENO
PATISHTA / DRIDHO ME BHAVA / SUTO KAYO ME BHAVA / SUTO
KAYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA / SARVA SIDDHIM ME
PRAYACCHA / SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME / CHITAM SHRIYAM
KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HOH / BHAGAVAN / YAMANTAKA
MA ME MUNCHA/ YAMANTAKA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA
/ AH HUM PHAT
Making Offerings and Praise
OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM / PADYAM / GANDHE / PUSHPE /
DRUPE / ALOKE / NAIVIDYA / SHABDA PRATICCHA HUM
SVAHA
(Do the mudras and while saying SHABDA, ring B D.)
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT / OM AH HUM
(Make the inner offering.)
While ringing B D say the praise:
Supreme form, extremely great fury,
Intrepid one, enjoyer of supreme objects,
Who acts to tame those hard to tame,
To Vajrabhairava I bow down.
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Conclusion of the Session
Torma Offering
Generation of the Torma Guests
In front of me instantly arises the mandala of Vajrabhairava.
From the HUM at my heart light rays come forth inviting the wisdom man-
dala which then melts into the imagined mandala.
From my heart come wrathful ones holding lassos and hooks. They hook
the (fifteen) directional protectors at their hearts, bind their necks with the
lassos, and pull them in:
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRTANANA HUM HUM PHAT PHAT /
SARVA DUTRAM INDRA ANDINA /
SAPARIVARA AKARKAYA JAH SVAHA.
They are then placed as follows:
In the east is orange Indra riding an elephant. He
has thousand eyes; holding a vajra in his right hand
and with his left showing a threatening gesture.
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In the west is white (Water God) Varuna riding a
serpent holding a snake lasso.
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In the south-west is blue Raksha wrathfully riding a
human corpse. His right hand holds a drigug and his
left a skullcup.
Above are:
White (Moon God) Chandra resting on a Kumata
flower and holding Kumata flowers in both hands.
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Below are:
Yellow (Earth Goddess) Vasuma resting on a lotus.
Her right hand shows the witnessing mudra and her
left holds a vase.
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Consecration of the Tormas
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRTANANA HUM PHAT
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUD-
DHO HAM
Everything becomes empty.
From within a state of emptiness, from a YAM, comes a blue bow-shaped
wind mandala marked with banners, on top of which from a RAM comes a
red triangular fire mandala. On top of that, from AH’s comes a grate of three
human heads, on top of which from an AH comes a white skull-cup. Inside it,
in the east from BHRUM comes the flesh of a bull marked with a GO. In the
south from an AM comes the flesh of a dog marked with a KU. In the west
from a JRIM comes the flesh of an elephant marked with a DA. In the north
from a KHAM comes the flesh of a horse marked with a HA, and in the
center from a HUM comes the- flesh of a human marked with a NA. In the
southeast from a LAM comes feces marked with a BI. In the southwest from
a MAM comes blood marked with a RA. In the northwest from a PAM comes
white Bodhicitta marked with a SHU. In the northeast from TAM comes
marrow marked with a MA. And in the center from a BAM comes urine
marked with a MU. On top of this are a white OM, a red AH and a blue HUM
stacked one atop the other. From the HUM at my heart light rays emanate,
striking the wind, whereby the wind moves, the fire blazes and the substances
inside the skull-cup melt and boil. From the three syllables, light rays emanate
successively, hooking back the vajra body, vajra speech and vajra mind, which
dissolve successively into the three syllables. These then fall into the skull-cup
and melt. By means of the HUM, the faults of color, odor and potential are
cleansed. By means of the AH, it is transformed into nectar. By means of the
OM, it increases and becomes huge.
OM AH HUM (3x)
The tongues of these guests transform from HUM’s into white single-spoked
vajras with tubes of light.
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(Imagine that the deities partake in the essence of the torma through their vajra
tongues. This first torma is offered to the supramundane deities.)
Brief Praise
(Ring B bell while reciting this verse of praise.)
Non-dual, exclusive, pervasive body,
With equanimity to all-the father of all Victors
Having become the sphere of reality-the mother of all Victors
The wisdom of the heroic mind-the son of all Victors
Prostrations to Manjushri, who is complete in glory.
Though the Truth Body has neither love nor hate
For the purpose of taming the malignant ones of the three worlds,
By compassionate method emanates the body of the King of Fury.
Prostrations to Bhairava Yamantaka.
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Offering:
OM BHUCHARANA / YA PATALA CHARAYA / MAN KHECHA-
RAYA /TA PURVA NIGANAM / KA DAKSHINA DIGAYA / HUM
PASHCHMI MANAM PHAT / UTTARA TIGAYA OM-I / HRIH-YA
SHTRI-VA / VI-KSHI / KRI-KO / TA-E / NA-A / NA-DE / HUM
BHYOH PHAT SARVA BHUTE BHYAH (3x)
Outer Offerings:
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA ARGHAM PRATIC-
CHA HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA PADYAM PRATIC-
CHA HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA GANDHE PRATIC-
CHA HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA PUSHPE PRATICCHA
HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA DHUPE PRATICCHA
HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA ALOKE PRATICCHA
HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA NAIVIDYA PRATIC-
CHA HUM SVAHA
OM DASHADIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA SHABDA PRATIC-
CHA HUM SVAHA
(M B D Do the mudras and while saying SHABDA, ring bell and play
damaru)
Inner Offering:
OM DASHAKIKA LOKAPALA SAPARIWARA OM AH HUM
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Brief Praise
Ring bell B and play damaru while reciting the praise and exhortation.
O Karmayama, ogresses, dakinis, evil spirits and zombies,
All of whom are sworn as outer and inner protectors,
Who in the presence of the Subduer and Dharma Lord Manjushri,
Pledged to tame the demons and protect the teachings -
O with a wishful mind I bow and turn to you.
O directional protectors, with your entourage,
Please bring to completion my virtuous deeds
And act with virtuous conduct to pacify all interferers.
Requesting Forbearance
OM YAMANTAKA SAMAYA / MANU-PALAYA / YAMANTAKA
TENO PATISHTA / DRIDHO ME BHAVA / SUTO KAYO ME BHAVA
/ SUPO KAYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA / SARVA
SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA / SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME / CHIT-
TAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAVAN /
YAMANTAKA MA ME MUNCHA / YAMANTAKA BHAVA MAHA
SAMAYA SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT
(B Ring bell while reciting the hundred-syllable mantra.)
Whatever I have done incorrectly because of not finding the proper materials,
or not fully knowing or lack of ability, please be patient with all of these.
(B Ring bell and play while reciting this verse.)
Requesting to Depart
OM AH VAJRA MUH M
The directional protectors together with their entourage return to their natu-
ral abodes.
Extensive Prayer
(If abbreviated, proceed to Short Prayer.)
By the force of such things as my mantra recitation and single-minded con-
centration like this on the circle of the wrathful Lord Yamantaka’s mandala
- which is the play of emptiness and bliss appearing clearly like a rainbow on
the face of a stainless mirror - a Ganges-like river of virtue has been gathered.
By this, combined with a host of streams of all beings’ good deeds, and by my
having trained in the common paths to liberation as well as in the conduct of
the Bodhisattva vows, may my mind become filled with a treasury of nectar
of (having traveled) the common paths to their end.
By the divine waters of the vase empowerment, may all ordinary appearance
49
and attitude be purified. And by the higher, supreme empowerments, may the
speech of the Conquerors, the sphere of the clear light, and the state of union
be actualized.
May I protect, even at the cost of my life, all the pure vows and commitments,
without exception, that I have promised to keep at that time before the eyes of
the Gurus and deities. They are the supreme root of all attainments.
By devoting myself to striving in four (daily) sessions, like the flow of a river,
on the coarse and subtle yogas of the first stage (of practice) which is the rip-
ening path that produces success on the completing stage, may I completely
cut off ordinary appearance and attitudes.
By pleasing - with offerings, praises and my supreme practice - the field of
merit pervading all space which I have invoked with an orb of light from my
heart as the Supreme Vira-Hero, may I complete the great collection of merit.
Having established the pride of the Truth Body through the discriminating
wisdom that has ascertained the profound emptiness which is the meaning
of mantra, through having analyzed with stainless reasoning, may I acquaint
myself fully with peerless wisdom.
By single-minded concentration on the ten furiously Wrathful Ones who
abide in the fiercely blazing (command) wheel, may I gain the power to pull
out from their root the black forces of evil, as well as all demons.
In the hub of this wrathful and mighty wheel, the celestial mansion of jewel-
like light with a nature of pristine awareness is everything beautiful con-
densed into one. By meditating on this nectar for the eyes, may I establish a
supreme Buddha-field.
By constantly meditating upon Manjushri whose radiant feet are on a full
moon disc on a mandala of wind in the center of the mansion, may I attain
an Enjoyment Body free from the stains of the intermediate state.
Through the rough and fine yogas done with a complete, full body of Vajrab-
hairava which I have attained from a wrathful vajra and a seed syllable
coming from a Sun that burns away masses of conceptions, may I sport the
dance of a Supreme Emanation Body that has abandoned all the stains of
rebirth.
May I develop the supreme insights of the completion stage in conjunction
with the thirty-seven limbs of enlightenment, which are the main points of
the nine categories that condense all the Buddha’s scriptural texts without
exception.
May I completely master single-minded concentration on the sixteen types of
emptiness in union with the simultaneously-born great bliss that comes from
the emanating and collecting of the white and red bodhicitta from penetrat-
ing the vital point of the vajra body.
The supreme method for this is the glorious illusory body which is attained
50
from dissolving the energy winds into the central energy-channel induced by
the three aspects of emptiness. May faultless signs of this appear, such as the
mirage and so forth.
By (meditating) in accordance with the yoga of pure wisdom, may I then, in
accordance with the yoga of shape, arise in the bodily form of a deity, beauti-
fully adorned with the major marks and minor signs of a Buddha, arising like
a bubble in an ocean of water.
From entering with a beautiful illusory body over and over again into the
clear light and thus manifesting the meaning (clear light of) simultaneous
(emptiness and bliss), may I attain a state of union on the pure paths of learn-
ing in which I have abandoned the obstacles of delusions preventing libera-
tion.
By totally familiarizing myself with this supreme simultaneously-born bliss, I
shall abandon without exception all instincts of delusions through vajra-like
single-minded concentration. In this way may I attain in this very lifetime the
state of Vajradhara.
May I myself, even alone, cause this wondrous path to flourish and never to
set in any direction or at any time. And may I lead all beings without excep-
tion quickly and easily along this path to the enlightened state of Vajradhara.
Short Prayer
By the virtues of arising from my effort in this method and by my pure self-
less wish, may all limitless sentient beings never be parted from but always be
cared for in birth after birth by the peaceful and wrathful Manjushris.
Having actualized the enlightened state with the seven features of union and
the nature of the five Buddha Bodies, which lasts as long as space endures,
may I instantaneously lead all the infinite beings quickly and easily to this
very state.
Dissolution
The charnel grounds along with the protection wheels dissolve into the celes-
tial mansion. The celestial mansion dissolves into myself. As the commitment
being, I myself dissolve into the wisdom-being. The wisdom being dissolves
into the concentration being, the letter HUM. The U of the HUM dissolves
into the HA, the HA dissolves into its head, this into the crescent moon; that
into the drop and that dissolves into the nada. This too turns into inconceiv-
able emptiness. From within the state of emptiness, I arise in the aspect of
glorious Vajrabhairava with one face and two arms, marked at the crown of
my head with an OM, at my throat with an AH and at my heart with a HUM.
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Extensive Verses of Auspiciousness
(If abbreviated, proceed to the end of this section.)
The expanse of space and the surface of the earth become completely filled,
without any obstruction or space in between, with all the hosts of deities
related to Yamantaka without an exception. Even merely remembering them
destroys all demons and interferers and effortlessly fulfills all hopes.
(They say to me,) “With a deep voice and the auspicious melodies of Brahma,
we shall proclaim these songs and verses to you so that all may be auspicious
and your joy may be enhanced. Knowing this, may you always bring favorable
conditions by letting a rain of flower (-like teachings) fall concealing the sky.
We prostrate to you, Vajrabhairava, King of Fury who, out of great compas-
sion, plays a wrathful role in order to tame those not fit to be tamed by Man-
jushri who is the wisdom of the Buddhas of the three times all condensed
into one.
By the auspiciousness of whatever signs of virtue exist in the dakini who fully
enhances the joy of this protector, and in the supreme root and lineage Gurus
such as Lalita who has found supreme realization, may everything be auspi-
cious for the supreme and glorious Vajrayana teachings to spread without
exception in all directions through the virtuous conduct of these Vajradhara-
Gurus entering your heart.
By the auspiciousness of whatever mass of goodness exists in the father and
mother, all-pervading lords of the mandala who, with bodies terrifying infi-
nite fearsome ones, remain absorbed in single-minded concentration on the
simultaneously-born great bliss of the supreme mahamudra, may everything
be auspicious for not even the word “interferers” to exist for you, and for you
to master (the single-minded concentration of) the treasury of space, which
is the Dharma treasure of uncontaminated bliss.
By the auspiciousness of whatever mass of goodness exists in the Kingly
Tantra of Glorious Vajrabhairava, the singular jewel for the world containing
the essence of all Buddha-fields, may everything be auspicious for the vase
of your heart to be filled with the supreme nectar of the profound meaning
of the (two stages), for you to enjoy this undiminishing glory and Or you to
spread it throughout the world.
By the auspiciousness of whatever mass of goodness exists in the assembly of
hosts of vira-heroes and yoginis in realms throughout the ten directions who
have grasped and found supreme realization of even one part of this tantra,
may everything be auspicious for you to ignite the festive feast of bliss from
having assembled and kept the company of messenger (dakinis) of body,
speech and mind, born from fields, born from mantras and simultaneously
born, who provide the favorable conditions for accomplishing this supreme
path.
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By the auspiciousness of whatever signs of virtue exist in the supreme palace
(celestial mansion) vast as the expanse of the sky, beautiful with countless
jewelled ornaments and emanating light equal to the brilliance of the sun and
the moon, may everything be auspicious for there never to be any inauspi-
cious signs wherever you may live and for there to be the unbroken goodness,
bliss and bountiful riches there of a Buddha-field.”
If abbreviated, say:
May there be the auspiciousness of the root and lineage Gurus. May there be
the auspiciousness of the yidams and hosts of deities. May there be the auspi-
ciousness of the mothers and dakinis; and may there be the auspiciousness of
the Dharma protectors and guardians of the teachings.
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