འཕགས་པ་རག་པའ་རྒྱལ་མ་ས་སར་འབྲང་བ་ཆན་མ་སངས་རྒྱས་དང intro.5

intro.5

The designation “Five Protectresses” denotes the set of texts, the incantations presented therein, and the five goddesses presiding over each. It is believed that all these texts, specifically their incantations, provide special protection from a wide range of illnesses and misfortunes for those who memorize, recollect, read, copy, teach, wear, or otherwise come into contact with them. Each text promises protection from specific misfortunes, with considerable overlap witnessed between the texts. Despite the pragmatic thrust of these scriptures, each text also contains numerous allusions to doctrinal notions, the range of effects described therein sometimes, though rarely, extending beyond the pragmatic sphere to include the purification of negative karma, deliverance from the lower realms, and even the attainment of buddhahood.