Toh 893 intro.5

intro.5

As indicated by the title, Mañjuśrī then swears an oath to assure the vidyā’s efficacy, pledging to take on the karmic burden of the five misdeeds with immediate retribution should its stated benefits fail to ensue. This oath resembles the “promise” (dam bcas pa) sworn by bodhisattvas in other, similar texts.¹ A more complete expression of this vow also appears in a handful of Sanskrit practice manuals in the Sādhanamālā. ²