大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Shubhakarasimha & Yixing 724) 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

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Translated by the Indian Tripiṭaka Master Śubhakarasiṃha together with the monk Yixing of the Great Tang.

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Chapter 1: Entering the Mantra-Naya and Abiding of the Mind

At one time, the Bhagavat was dwelling in the vast vajra dharmadhātu palace through the adhiṣṭhāna of the Tathāgata, where all vajradharas had assembled. Through the adhimukti-sport and supernatural transformations of the Tathāgata, a great jewel-king tower had been produced, boundless in height and breadth, decorated with all kinds of great wonderful jewel-kings, with the bodies of bodhisattvas serving as lion thrones. The names of those vajradharas were: the vajradhara Space-Immaculate, the vajradhara Space-Stride, the vajradhara Space-Born, the vajradhara Clothed in Variegated Colors, the vajradhara Well-Stepping, the vajradhara Abiding in the Equality of All Dharmas, the vajradhara Compassionate to the Boundless Realm of Sentient Beings, the vajradhara Nārāyaṇa-Strength, the vajradhara Great Nārāyaṇa-Strength, the vajradhara Wonderful, the vajradhara Exalted-Swift, the vajradhara Immaculate, the vajradhara Blade-Swift, the vajradhara Tathāgata-Armor, the vajradhara Born from the Words of the Tathāgata, the vajradhara Abiding in the Non-Conceptual, the vajradhara Born from the Ten Powers of the Tathāgata, the vajradhara Immaculate-Eye, and the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati Vajrapāṇi. With these as their leaders, there gathered a host of vajradharas equal in number to the dust motes of ten Buddha-fields, together with great bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, and Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin Bodhisattva, who surrounded him before and behind as he expounded the Dharma—namely, through the adhiṣṭhāna of the sun of the Tathāgata transcending the three times, the Dharma gate of the equality of kāyavākcitta. At that time, among those bodhisattvas Samantabhadra was the leader; among the vajradharas, Guhyakādhipati was the leader. Through the adhiṣṭhāna of Vairocana Tathāgata, he displayed with swift vigor the inexhaustible adornment treasury of body; likewise, he displayed with swift vigor the inexhaustible adornment treasury of equality of voice and mind. They were not produced from the body, voice, or mind of the Buddha Vairocana, and in all places the limits of their arising and ceasing could not be found. Yet Vairocana's every bodily action, every verbal action, and every mental action, in all places and at all times, proclaimed the words and phrases of the path of mantra in the realm of sentient beings. Moreover, he manifested the bodily forms of the vajradharas, Samantabhadra, Padmapāṇi Bodhisattva, and others, universally expounding the pure words and phrases of the path of mantra throughout the ten directions—namely, fulfillment in this lifetime in progressive stages from the first aspiration to the tenth stage, wherein the karma and lifespan seeds of sentient beings born and increased through karma are eliminated, and fresh seed-sprouts arise.

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At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, seated among that assembly, said to the Buddha: "Lord! How does the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha attain sarvajñajñāna? Having attained sarvajñajñāna, how does he expound and distribute it extensively for boundless sentient beings, proclaiming sarvajñajñāna in accordance with their various destinies, various dispositions and desires, and various paths of upāya—whether as the path of the Śrāvaka Vehicle, or the path of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, or the path of the Great Vehicle, or the path of the five superknowledges; or wishing to be born in heaven, or born among humans, or among nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, up to expounding the method to be born as mahoragas? If there are sentient beings who should be saved by a Buddha, he manifests the body of a Buddha; or manifests the body of a śrāvaka; or manifests the body of a pratyekabuddha; or the body of a bodhisattva; or the body of Brahmā; or the body of Nārāyaṇa or Vaiśravaṇa; up to the bodies of mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and so forth, speaking respectively in their languages and abiding in various deportments. Yet this path of sarvajñajñāna is of one taste, namely, the taste of the Tathāgata's liberation. Lord! Just as the realm of space is free from all conceptual differentiation, being neither conceptual nor non-conceptual, so is sarvajñajñāna free from all conceptual differentiation, being neither conceptual nor non-conceptual. Lord! Just as the great earth is that upon which all sentient beings rely, so is sarvajñajñāna that upon which devas, humans, and asuras rely. Lord! Just as the fire element burns all firewood without satiety, so does sarvajñajñāna burn all firewood of ignorance without satiety. Lord! Just as the wind element removes all dust, so does sarvajñajñāna remove all the dust of the defilements. Lord! Just as the water element is relied upon by all sentient beings for joy, so does sarvajñajñāna bring benefit and joy to devas and humans. Lord, what is the cause of such wisdom? What is its root? What is its culmination?" When this had been said, Vairocana Buddha said to the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati: "Good, good, vajradhara! Good, Vajrapāṇi! You have questioned me on such a meaning. Listen attentively and consider it extremely well; I shall now explain it." Vajrapāṇi said: "It is so, Lord. I wish with joy to hear it." The Buddha said: "Bodhicitta is the cause, karuṇā is the root, and upāya is the culmination. Guhyakādhipati! What is bodhi? It is yathābhūtaṃ svacitta-parijñāna. Guhyakādhipati, as for this anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, even the slightest part of that dharma cannot be apprehended. Why is this? The characteristic of space is bodhi; there is neither one who understands it nor one who discloses it. Why is this? Because bodhi has no characteristics. Guhyakādhipati! All dharmas are without characteristics, which is to say, they have the characteristic of space."

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At that time, Vajrapāṇi again said to the Buddha: "Lord! Who seeks sarvajña? Who is the one who realizes perfect awakening for the sake of bodhi? Who gives rise to that sarvajñajñāna?" The Buddha said: "Guhyakādhipati! Svacitta seeks bodhi and sarvajña. Why is this? Because its original nature is pure. Mind is not within, not without, nor in between both; mind cannot be apprehended. Guhyakādhipati! The Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha is neither blue nor yellow, neither red nor white, neither crimson nor purple, nor the color of crystal; neither long nor short, neither round nor square; neither bright nor dark; neither male nor female, nor neither-male-nor-female. Guhyakādhipati! Mind is not of the same nature as the desire realm, nor of the same nature as the form realm, nor of the same nature as the formless realm; nor is it of the same nature as the destinies of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, or non-humans. Guhyakādhipati! Mind does not abide in the visual realm, nor in the realms of ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; it is neither seen nor manifested. Why is this? The space-characteristic mind is free from all conceptual differentiation; it is without conceptual differentiation. Why is that? What is of the same nature as space is of the same nature as the mind; what is of the same nature as the mind is of the same nature as bodhi. Thus, Guhyakādhipati! Mind, the realm of space, and bodhi—these three are non-dual. They have karuṇā as their root and are perfected through the upāya-pāramitā. Therefore, Guhyakādhipati! I explain the dharmas in this way so that the hosts of bodhisattvas may purify their bodhicitta and know their own minds. Guhyakādhipati! If a son or daughter of good family wishes to know bodhi, they should know their own minds in this way. Guhyakādhipati! How does one know one's own mind? That is to say, whether in distinct sections, or manifest colors, or shapes, or sense spheres; whether in form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; whether in self or belonging to a self; whether in grasper or grasped; whether in purity, elements, or sense fields—up to seeking it in all distinct sections, it cannot be apprehended. Guhyakādhipati! This gateway of the bodhisattva's pure bodhicitta is called the first path of Dharma illumination. When a bodhisattva abides in this training, without toiling for long, he immediately attains the Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin samādhi. If one attains this, one abides as equal to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas; one will give rise to the five superknowledges, obtain the dhāraṇī of boundless speech and sound, know the mental conduct of sentient beings, and be protected by all Buddhas. Although residing in birth-and-death, one is free from defilement; one does not shrink from weariness for the sake of sentient beings of the dharmadhātu; one accomplishes and abides in unconditioned morality; and, freed from wrong views, one thoroughly penetrates right view. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati! A bodhisattva who abides in this Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin [samādhi], through the power of adhimukti, without practicing arduously for long, fulfills all Buddha-dharmas. Guhyakādhipati! In brief, this good man or good woman will accomplish boundless meritorious qualities."

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At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati questioned the Buddha again in verse:

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"How does the Lord say / that bodhi arises from this mind? / By what characteristics / is the generation of bodhicitta known? / Pray explain the mind of minds, the most supreme, / where spontaneous wisdom arises! / How many stages of great effort, / and how does the mental continuum arise in sequence? / The various characteristics and times of the mind— / pray may the Buddha explain them extensively! / So too the heap of meritorious qualities, / and the cultivation of those practices; / the minds have distinctions— / may the Great Muni alone explain them!"

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When this had been spoken, the Lord Mahāvairocana said to Vajrapāṇi:

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"Excellent, true son of the Buddha, / vast is the benefit of your mind! / The supreme phrases of the Great Vehicle, / the characteristics of the arising of the mental continuum, / the great secret of all Buddhas, / which outsiders cannot know— / I shall now disclose it all; / listen attentively with single mind! / Transcending one hundred and sixty minds, / vast meritorious qualities are produced; / its nature is ever firm— / know that as the arising of bodhi! / Boundless like space, / undefiled and eternal, / unmoved by any dharma, / originally quiescent and without characteristics, / accomplished in boundless wisdom, / fully awakened, it manifests; / practicing the cultivation of offerings— / from this is the initial aspiration."

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"Guhyakādhipati, from beginningless saṃsāra, foolish, childish ordinary beings cling to 'I' and 'mine', conceptualizing boundless divisions of the self. Guhyakādhipati, if they do not contemplate the intrinsic nature of the self, then 'I' and 'mine' arise. Furthermore, others assert transformations of time, earth, and so on; that the self in yoga posits purity, and that not positing it means there is no purity; or [they assert] Īśvara; or emanations along with time; or the Pre-eminent; or Nature (svabhāva); or the inner self; or the measure of a human (puruṣa); or the all-adorning; or the soul (jīva); or the person (pudgala); or consciousness; or the ālaya; the knower and the seer; the grasper and the grasped; internal knower and external knower; the jantu; the mind-made (manomaya); the youth (māṇava); that which is eternally and surely born; sound and non-sound. Guhyakādhipati, such divisions of the self have from of old been associated with conceptualization, seeking liberation in accordance with their theories. Guhyakādhipati, foolish, childish ordinary beings are like rams. Sometimes the thought of a single dharma arises in them, namely observing the fast (upavāsa). Contemplating this small portion, they give rise to joy and practice it repeatedly. Guhyakādhipati, this is the arising of the initial seed of wholesome karma. Furthermore, with this as a cause, giving to parents, sons, daughters, and relatives on the six fast days is the second, the seed of the sprout. Furthermore, bestowing this gift upon those who are not relatives or acquaintances is the third, the seed of the shoot. Furthermore, bestowing this gift upon those of high virtue and capability is the fourth, the seed of the leaf. Furthermore, with joy bestowing this gift upon musicians and the like and offering it to elders is the fifth, the blossoming of the flower. Furthermore, bestowing this gift with a loving heart and making offerings therewith is the sixth, the maturing of the fruit. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, that their guarding of the precepts brings birth in heaven is the seventh, the seed of enjoyment. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, as they transmigrate through birth and death with this mind, they hear from a good friend the following words: 'This is the god of great gods, the giver of all joy. If you make offerings with sincere devotion, all your wishes will be fulfilled. Namely, Īśvara, Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, Śaṅkara, Kāla, Īśvaraputra, the Sun god, the Moon god, the Dragon Lords, and so forth, as well as Kubera, Vaiśravaṇa, Śakra, Virūpākṣa, Viśvakarman; Yama and Yama's queen; Brahmā's queen; Agni, who is revered by the world; Garuḍaputra; Īśvara's queen; the nāgas Padma, Takṣaka, Vāsuki, Śaṅkha, Karkoṭaka, Mahāpadma, Kulika, Mahāphaṇin, Adideva, Saṃdhānanda, and so on; or the divine ṛṣis, or the great masters of Vedic treatises—to each one, good offerings should be made.' Hearing this, their minds are filled with celebration and joy, and with deep respect and reverent obedience they practice accordingly. Guhyakādhipati, this is called the eighth, the mind of the infant, the fearless refuge for foolish, childish ordinary beings transmigrating through birth and death. Guhyakādhipati, furthermore, regarding superior practice: dwelling in the superior among what is taught by them, the wisdom seeking liberation arises, namely the teaching of permanence, impermanence, and emptiness, following along with such teachings. Guhyakādhipati, it is not that they understand emptiness and non-emptiness, permanence and annihilation, or non-existence and non-non-existence; all of those are their conceptual constructions. How could non-conceptual emptiness be conceptually constructed? Not knowing the various emptinesses, they cannot know nirvāṇa. Therefore, one should thoroughly know that emptiness is free from annihilation and permanence."

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At that time Vajrapāṇi again requested the Buddha, saying: "I only wish the Lord would speak of those minds." When he had spoken thus, the Buddha told Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati: "Guhyakādhipati, listen attentively to the characteristics of the minds. They are: the greedy mind, the non-greedy mind, the angry mind, the benevolent mind, the deluded mind, the wise mind, the determined mind, the doubting mind, the dark mind, the bright mind, the accumulating mind, the fighting mind, the contentious mind, the non-contentious mind, the god mind, the asura mind, the nāga mind, the human mind, the woman mind, the sovereign mind, the merchant mind, the farmer mind, the river mind, the pond mind, the well mind, the guarding mind, the stingy mind, the dog mind, the wildcat mind, the garuḍa mind, the mouse mind, the singing mind, the dancing mind, the drumming mind, the house mind, the lion mind, the owl mind, the crow mind, the rākṣasa mind, the thorn mind, the cave mind, the wind mind, the water mind, the fire mind, the mud mind, the color mind, the board mind, the confused mind, the poison mind, the snare mind, the shackle mind, the cloud mind, the field mind, the salt mind, the razor mind, the Meru-like mind, the ocean-like mind, the pit-like mind, and the rebirth-taking mind. Guhyakādhipati, what is that greedy mind? It means following along with defiled dharmas. What is the non-greedy mind? It means following along with undefiled dharmas. What is the angry mind? It means following along with wrathful dharmas. What is the benevolent mind? It means following along with cultivating benevolent dharmas. What is the deluded mind? It means following along with cultivating non-investigative dharmas. What is the wise mind? It means following along with cultivating superior and excellent dharmas. What is the determined mind? It means practicing in accordance with the venerated teaching. What is the doubting mind? It means constantly holding onto uncertain matters. What is the dark mind? It means generating doubt regarding dharmas that have no doubt. What is the bright mind? It means cultivating without doubt regarding dharmas that have no doubt. What is the accumulating mind? It has taking the immeasurable as one for its nature. What is the fighting mind? It has mutual right and wrong for its nature. What is the contentious mind? It means generating right and wrong within oneself. What is the non-contentious mind? It means relinquishing both right and wrong. What is the god mind? It means thoughts accomplishing whatever is wished. What is the asura mind? It means delighting in dwelling in saṃsāra. What is the nāga mind? It means thinking of vast wealth. What is the human mind? It means thinking of benefiting others. What is the woman mind? It means following along with dharmas of desire. What is the sovereign mind? It means thinking 'I desire everything to be as I wish.' What is the merchant mind? It means following along with the dharma of first gathering and later distributing. What is the farmer mind? It means following along with first hearing widely and later seeking the dharma. What is the river mind? It means following along with cultivating dharmas relying on the two extremes. What is the pond mind? It means following along with the dharma of insatiable thirst. What is the well mind? It means thinking that it is deep and yet deeper. What is the guarding mind? It means that only this mind is real and other minds are unreal. What is the stingy mind? It means following along with the dharma of taking for oneself and not giving to others. What is the wildcat mind? It means following along with cultivating the dharma of slow advancement. What is the dog mind? It means rejoicing and being content with obtaining a small portion. What is the garuḍa mind? It means following along with the dharma of factions and wings. What is the mouse mind? It means thinking of severing all bonds. What is the dancing mind? It means cultivating such dharmas with the thought, 'I shall ascend to diverse supernatural transformations.' What is the drumming mind? It means cultivating such dharmas with the thought, 'I shall beat the drum of the Dharma.' What is the house mind? It means following along with cultivating the dharma of protecting one's own body. What is the lion mind? It means cultivating all dharmas free of cowardice. What is the owl mind? It means constantly thinking in the dark night. What is the crow mind? It means anxious thoughts everywhere. What is the rākṣasa mind? It means giving rise to unwholesomeness amidst the wholesome. What is the thorn mind? It has giving rise to evil deeds everywhere for its nature. What is the cave mind? It means following along with cultivating the dharma of entering a cave. What is the wind mind? It has arising everywhere for its nature. What is the water mind? It means following along with cultivating the dharma of washing away all unwholesome dharmas. What is the fire mind? It has the nature of blazing heat. What is the color mind? It has resembling others for its nature. What is the board mind? It means following along with cultivating dharmas according to limited measure, thereby discarding remaining wholesome roots. What is the confused mind? It means what is grasped differs from what is thought. What is the poison mind? It means following along with cultivating dharmas devoid of life. What is the snare mind? It has dwelling everywhere in the bondage of self for its nature. What is the shackle mind? It has the halting of both feet for its nature. What is the cloud mind? It means constantly thinking of making rain fall. What is the field mind? It means constantly cultivating and attending to one's own body in this way. What is the salt mind? It means what is thought of is further increased in thought. What is the razor mind? It means relying solely on the dharma of shaving away in this way. What is the Meru-like mind? It has constant thinking with an elevated mind for its nature. What is the ocean-like mind? It means constantly dwelling in and using one's own body in this way. What is the pit-like mind? It has first deciding on that and later changing it for its nature. What is the rebirth-taking mind? It means whatever actions one cultivates, the mind taking rebirth has that same nature. Guhyakādhipati, counting one, two, three, four, and five again, altogether there are one hundred and sixty minds. Transcending the three worldly delusions, the supramundane mind arises. This refers to understanding that there are only the skandhas, the absence of self, sense-faculties, and sense-objects; dwelling long in cultivation, pulling up the stumps of karma and defilements and the seeds of ignorance; the cessation of the twelve links of dependent origination; and establishing tenets and so forth. Such deep tranquility cannot be known by any non-Buddhists. Expounded by the previous Buddhas, it is free from all faults. Guhyakādhipati, when that supramundane mind abides in the skandhas, such wisdom arises following it. If one gives rise to non-attachment toward the skandhas and so forth, one should contemplate them as a mass of foam, floating bubbles, a plantain tree, a mirage, an illusion, and so forth, thereby attaining liberation. That is, the skandhas, dhātus, and āyatanas, grasper and grasped, are all devoid of intrinsic nature; thus realizing the tranquil realm is called the supramundane mind. Guhyakādhipati, being free from the net of karma and defilements of the continuum of the eight minds of agreement and disagreement is the yogin's practice transcending one kalpa. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, the Mahāyāna practice generates the mind of the vehicle without objective support and the nature of the selflessness of dharmas. Why? Because when practitioners who cultivated in this way in the past contemplated the skandhas and the ālaya, they knew their intrinsic nature to be like an illusion, a mirage, an echo, a whirling firebrand, or a gandharva city. Guhyakādhipati, relinquishing in this way, the master of the selfless mind awakens sovereignly to their own mind as originally unborn. Why? Guhyakādhipati, because the prior and subsequent limits of the mind cannot be found. Knowing the nature of one's own mind in this way is the yogin's practice transcending two kalpas. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, when bodhisattvas practicing the bodhisattva conduct of the mantra-naya accumulate immeasurable merit and wisdom throughout immeasurable, incalculable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas, fully cultivate all practices, completely accomplish immeasurable wisdom and skillful means, are taken as a refuge by gods, humans, and the world, surpass all grounds of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and are approached and revered by Śakra Devānām Indra and others—the so-called emptiness free from faculties and objects, signless and without realm, transcending all conceptual proliferations, equal to space, upon which all boundless Buddha-dharmas arise continuously, free from the conditioned and unconditioned realms, free from all fabrications, free from eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—the utterly natureless mind arises. Guhyakādhipati, because the Buddha spoke of such an initial mind as the cause of attaining Buddhahood, it is liberated from karma and defilements, yet it serves as the support for karma and defilements; the world venerates it and should always make offerings to it. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, the stage of practicing with resolute faith contemplates the three minds, and with the wisdom of the immeasurable pāramitās contemplates the four means of embracing. The stage of resolute faith is peerless, immeasurable, and inconceivable; attaining the ten minds, boundless wisdom arises, and all that I have expounded is obtained relying on this. Therefore, the wise should contemplate this stage of resolute faith in omniscience; transcending yet another kalpa, they ascend and abide in this stage, one fourth of which crosses over resolute faith."

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At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One! May the Savior of the World explain the characteristics of the mind: in how many places does a bodhisattva attain fearlessness?" When he had spoken thus, the Lord Mahāvairocana said to Vajrapāṇi: "Listen attentively, and reflect extremely well! Guhyakādhipati, when those foolish worldlings cultivate wholesome karma and destroy unwholesome karma, they will attain wholesome fearlessness. If they know the self as it truly is, they will attain bodily fearlessness. If, with respect to the body of self accumulated by the grasping aggregates, they relinquish the contemplation of their own form, they will attain the fearlessness of selflessness. If they destroy the aggregates and abide in taking phenomena as objects, they will attain the fearlessness of phenomena. If they destroy phenomena and abide in non-objectification, they will attain the fearlessness of the selflessness of phenomena. If, furthermore, regarding all aggregates, elements, sense bases, grasping and grasped, self, life, and so forth, as well as the non-objective emptiness of phenomena, of self-nature and lack of nature—when this wisdom of emptiness arises, they will attain the fearlessness of the equality of the self-nature of all phenomena. Guhyakādhipati, if bodhisattvas who cultivate bodhisattva practice in the mantra-naya deeply cultivate and contemplate the ten phrases of arising from conditions, they will penetrate and realize the mantra practice. What are the ten? They are: like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, a shadow, a gandharva city, an echo, the moon in the water, floating bubbles, flowers in empty space, and a whirling wheel of fire. Guhyakādhipati, those bodhisattvas who cultivate bodhisattva practice in the mantra-naya should contemplate in this way. What is an illusion? It is like how, through the power of magical arts and medicinal herbs, various forms created and capable of being created deceive one's own eyes, so that one sees wondrous things mutually arising, coming and going throughout the ten directions, yet they neither go nor do not go. Why is this? Because their original nature is pure. In this way, when the mantra illusion is accomplished through recitation, it can produce everything. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, a mirage is empty by nature; established based on the false thoughts of worldly people, it is spoken of and discussed. In this way, mantra concepts are merely conventional designations. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, just as what is seen in a dream—abiding through daytime, muhūrtas, kṣaṇas, years, and seasons, undergoing various different kinds of suffering and pleasure—upon waking, there is nothing seen at all. In this way, the mantra practice of dreams should also be known to be like this. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, by the metaphor of a shadow, one understands that mantras can bring forth siddhi; just as a face conditioned by a mirror manifests the image of a face, that mantra siddhi should be known in this way. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, by the metaphor of a gandharva city, one understands the accomplishment of the palace of siddhi. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, by the metaphor of an echo, one understands the sound of mantras; just as conditioned by sound there is an echo, the mantra practitioner should understand in this way. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, just as because the moon rises it shines upon pure water and the reflection of the moon appears, such is the metaphor of the moon in the water for mantras; the vidyādhara should explain it in this way. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, just as when rain falls from the sky bubbles are produced, the various transformations of mantra siddhi should also be known to be like this. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, just as in empty space there are no sentient beings and no life, and their creator cannot be found, yet because the mind is deluded, such various false views arise. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, it is like an ember of fire: if a person holds it in hand and rotates it in empty space, the image of a wheel arises. Guhyakādhipati, one should thus understand the phrase of the Great Vehicle, the phrase of mind, the unequaled phrase, the determined phrase, the phrase of complete awakening, and the phrase of the gradual arising of the Great Vehicle; then one will attain the complete endowment of Dharma wealth, give rise to great wisdom of various crafts, and truly and completely know all mental concepts."

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Chapter 2: Entering the Maṇḍala with Prerequisite Mantras, Part 1

1.15

At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati addressed the Buddha, saying: "How extraordinary, World-Honoured One! You have spoken of this inconceivable dharmadhātu of the self-realized saṃbodhi of all Buddhas that transcends the stage of mind, preaching the Dharma for all classes of sentient beings according to their original nature and adhimukti by means of various paths of upāya. May the World-Honoured One next speak of the great maṇḍala king born of the great compassion womb-treasury for the cultivation of mantra practice, in order to fulfill the needs of those immeasurable sentient beings of future eras, for their protection and well-being." At that time, the Bhagavat Vairocana, having thoroughly surveyed the great assembly, addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Listen attentively! Vajrapāṇi, I will now explain the Dharma-gate of cultivating the maṇḍala practice to fulfill sarvajñajñāna." At that time, because the Lord Vairocana's past original vows accomplished the inexhaustible dharmadhātu and the deliverance of the entire realm of sentient beings without remainder, all Tathāgatas assembled together and gradually realized and entered the samādhi of the arising of the great compassion womb. From all the limbs of the World-Honoured One, the bodies of Tathāgatas all emerged; for the sake of those sentient beings from their first resolve up to the tenth stage, they reached everywhere throughout the ten directions, returned to their original position in the Buddha's body, stayed in their original position, and entered back again. Then the Bhagavat again addressed the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati, saying: "Listen attentively! Vajrapāṇi, for the maṇḍala stage, the initial ācārya should give rise to the bodhicitta, have wondrous wisdom and karuṇā, integrate various arts, be skillful in cultivating the perfection of wisdom, thoroughly penetrate the three vehicles, understand well the real meaning of mantras, know the minds of sentient beings, have faith in the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, have received the transmission of teachings and abhiṣeka, and possess wondrous understanding of drawing maṇḍalas; his nature should be gentle and pliant, free from self-grasping, well-determined in mantra practice, thoroughly trained in yoga, and abiding in a courageous bodhicitta. Guhyakādhipati, an ācārya with such qualities is praised by the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, if that ācārya sees a sentient being who is fit to be a vessel of the Dharma, free from defilements, possessing great adhimukti, diligent and deeply faithful, and always mindful of benefiting others—if a disciple is endowed with such characteristics, the ācārya should personally approach and encourage him, speaking thus:

1.16

“‘Son of the Buddha, this path and practice
Of the Great Vehicle's mantra practice,
I will now properly expound
For the sake of that vessel of the Great Vehicle.
Equally Awakened Ones of the past,
And those of the future,
And all the present Lords,
Abide in benefiting sentient beings.
Such worthy beings,
Understanding the wondrous Dharma of mantras,
Diligent, attain all-knowledge
And sit in signless bodhi.
Incomparable is the power of mantras,
Able to crush that mighty
And extremely furious army of Māra—
The Lion of the Śākyas, Savior of the World!
Therefore, you, son of the Buddha,
Should with such wisdom
And upāya accomplish it,
And you will attain sarvajña.
The practitioner arouses the compassionate mind
And causes it to increase and expand;
When he firmly abides and receives the teaching,
One should select level ground for him:
Forests rich with flowers and fruits,
Pleasing pure springs,
Praised by all the Buddhas,
Where the work of the circular altar should be made;
Or in places by rivers
Adorned with geese and the like,
There one of wise understanding should make
The compassion-born maṇḍala;
Where Fully Awakened Ones, Solitary Guides,
And the holy assembly of disciples
Have once traveled,
Grounds constantly praised by the Buddhas;
And other localities:
Monasteries and āraṇyas,
Flower pavilions and tall upper stories,
Excellently wondrous ponds and gardens;
Caityas and fire-god shrines,
Cattle pens and river sandbars,
Temples of the gods and empty rooms,
Places where ṛṣis attained the Way.
In places such as those spoken of above,
Or in a place pleasing to the mind,
For the benefit of the disciples,
One should draw the maṇḍala.’”

1.17

"Guhyakādhipati, in selecting that ground, one removes gravel, broken tiles, broken vessels, skulls, hair, chaff, dregs, ashes, charcoal, thorns, bones, rotten wood, and the like, as well as insects, ants, dung beetles, venomous stinging creatures, and such classes, freeing it from such defects. Meeting an auspicious day and morning, a fixed day, the time division, lunar mansion, and planetary conjunctions all being in harmony, at the time before eating, encountering auspicious signs, one should first make obeisance to all Tathāgatas, and with such verses alert and invoke the earth deity:

1.18

“‘You, divine protector of kin,
Before all Buddha guides
Cultivated supreme practices—
The perfection of purifying the earth.
Just as he crushed the hosts of Māra's army,
That Lion of the Śākyas, Savior of the World,
I too shall conquer Māra;
I shall draw the maṇḍala.’”

1.19

"He should kneel with extended knees, stretch out his hand to press the ground, repeatedly chant this verse, and make offerings with paste incense, flowers, and the like. Having made offerings, the mantra practitioner should again take refuge in all Tathāgatas, and thereafter prepare the ground. In proper sequence, it will become endowed with all virtues." At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati bowed his head and face to the World-Honoured One's feet, and spoke verses, saying:

1.20

"The Buddha-Dharma is free from all characteristics;
Phenomena abide in the state of phenomena.
What is expounded is beyond comparison,
Signless, unconditioned, without activity.
For what reason, O Greatly Diligent One,
Do you speak of these characteristics
And the mantra practice,
Not conforming to the way of phenomena as they are?"
At that time, the Bhagavat,
Vairocana Buddha,
Addressed the vajradhara Vajrapāṇi:
"Listen well to the characteristics of phenomena!
Phenomena are free from discrimination
And all false conceptualizations.
If one purifies false conceptualizations
And all mental activities and arisings,
I attain the supreme right awakening,
Ultimately like empty space.
What the foolish and ignorant do not know
Are wrongly grasped objects:
Time, direction, characteristics, and so forth,
Desires covered by ignorance;
In order to deliver them,
I speak in accordance with upāya,
Yet in reality there is neither time nor direction,
No action and no agent;
All those phenomena
Abide solely in the true characteristic.
Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati,
In the times of the future,
Sentient beings of inferior wisdom,
Blindfolded by ignorance and craving,
Will rely only on attachment to existence,
Always taking pleasure in annihilation and permanence,
Karma created according to time and place,
Wholesome and unwholesome characteristics,
Blind and dark, delighting in seeking fruits,
Not knowing or understanding this path;
For the sake of delivering them,
I speak this Dharma in accordance with [their capacities]."

1.21

"Guhyakādhipati, in a place spoken of as such, prepare whichever ground to make it firm, take gomaya (cow dung) and gomūtra (cow urine) that have not touched the ground, mix them together, and smear it. Next, purify it by sprinkling with scented water and mantras, and then utter the mantra, saying:

1.23

"The practitioner next within it
With concentrated mind contemplates Mahāvairocana,
Dwelling upon a white lotus seat,
With a hair topknot as a crown,
Emitting light of various colors
Radiating throughout his entire body.
Furthermore, in correct absorption,
He should next imagine the Buddhas of the four directions:
In the east, named Ratnaketu,
His body color like the sunlight;
In the south, the Great Diligent One,
Saṃkusumitarāja,
Golden in color, radiating bright light,
His samādhi free from all defilements;
In the north, Akṣobhya Buddha,
Free from affliction in cooling samādhi;
In the west, the Benevolent and Victorious One,
Named Amitāyus.
The reciter meditates
And abides in the Buddha room;
He should receive and uphold this ground
By the great name of Acala,
Or using Trailokyavijaya,
All benefits will be accomplished.
Smearing and drawing with white sandalwood
A circular, wondrous maṇḍala:
In the center, first is my own body;
Second are all the Saviors of the World;
Third, equal to them,
The Buddha-mother Gaganalocanā;
Fourth is Padmapāṇi;
Fifth is Vajradhara;
Sixth, the Venerable Acala,
Mentally placed beneath them.
Offering paste incense, flowers, and the like,
Mindful of all Tathāgatas,
With utter sincerity and deep devotion,
Recite a verse such as this:
‘May the Buddhas, the compassionate ones,
Keep us in their mindful care:
Tomorrow we shall receive and hold the ground;
Together with the sons of the Buddha, pray descend!’"

1.24

"Having spoken thus, one should further recite this mantra, saying:

1.26

"Next, the mantra practitioner, giving rise to compassion,
lying down in the west with concentrated mindfulness,
should contemplate the bodhicitta as pure and without self.
Or in a dream he may see bodhisattvas of great renown,
immeasurable buddhas displaying various deeds,
or with words of comfort admonishing and encouraging the practitioner:
'Because you are mindful of sentient beings, you construct the maṇḍala.
Well done, mahāsattva! What you delineate is exceedingly sublime.'
Furthermore, on the following day, he should accept those who are to be delivered.
If a disciple has faith, is of pure lineage and birth,
reverent toward the Three Jewels, adorned with profound wisdom,
patient, without sloth, pure and unblemished in śīla,
forbearing, ungrudging, vigorous, and firm in conduct and vows—
such a person should be accepted; no others are to be considered.
Whether ten, or eight, or seven, or five, two, one, or four—
he should perform the abhiseka for them, but not if the number exceeds this."

1.27

At that time, Vajrapāṇi Guhyakādhipati again addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, how should this maṇḍala be named? What is the meaning of 'maṇḍala'?"
The Buddha said: "This is called the Maṇḍala That Generates the Buddhas, of supremely incomparable essence, having no surpassing essence; therefore it is called a maṇḍala. Furthermore, Guhyakādhipati, because it pities the boundless realm of sentient beings, this is the broad meaning of the Great Compassion Womb-born Maṇḍala. Guhyakādhipati, it is empowered by the Tathāgata's accumulation of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi over immeasurable kalpas; therefore, know that it possesses immeasurable virtues. Guhyakādhipati, the Tathāgata did not attain fully perfect awakening for the sake of just one sentient being, nor for two, nor for many; rather, out of pity for the realm of all sentient beings—both those without prediction and those with prediction—the Tathāgata attained fully perfect awakening and, through the power of his great compassionate vows, expounds the Dharma to the immeasurable realms of sentient beings according to their original nature. Guhyakādhipati, without past habituation in the Mahāyāna, never having contemplated the practice of the mantrayāna, one cannot hear, see, rejoice in, or faithfully accept even a fraction of it. Furthermore, Vajrasattva, if those sentient beings formerly advanced through immeasurable gateways on the path of the Mahāyāna mantrayāna and have already practiced it, it is for their sake that this limit of names and numbers is established. That ācārya should also establish such a vow with a heart of great compassion: in order to deliver the realm of all sentient beings without remainder, he should take those immeasurable sentient beings and make them the causal condition for the seed of bodhi."

1.28

"The mantra practitioner, having accepted them in this way,
shall have them take the three refuges and make them confess their past transgressions.
Presenting perfume, flowers, and the like, he makes offerings to the holy deities,
and should bestow on them the unimpeded knowledge precepts of the three times.
Next he should give them a tooth-stick, of udumbara,
or aśvattha and the like, sanctifying and purifying it with protective binding.
Adorned with perfume and flowers, straight and true from base to tip,
facing east or north, after chewing it they cast it down;
one should thereby know the signs of whether that being is a fit vessel or not.
Binding three knots in a thread, he next ties it to the arm of the concentrated one;
in this way he receives the disciple, far removed from all defilements.
To increase their faith, he should preach the Dharma in accordance with their capacity,
comforting them and strengthening their resolve, speaking this verse:
'You have gained incomparable benefit; your status is equal to the Great Self.
All the Tathāgatas and the assembly of bodhisattvas of this teaching
have all accepted you to accomplish the great matter.
Tomorrow you shall attain birth in the Mahāyāna.'
Having thus instructed them, or in their dreams
they may behold the dwellings of the Saṅgha, with groves and parks completely adorned,
halls and chambers of extraordinary aspect, spacious and bright multi-storied towers,
banners, parasols, maṇi jewels, precious swords, delightful flowers;
women in pure white garments, upright, elegant, and beauteous,
close kin or good friends, men like devas in appearance;
herds of cows rich in milk, and scripture rolls pure and without defilement;
the all-knowing pratyekabuddhas, along with the Buddha's assembly of śrāvakas,
and the great-self bodhisattvas, appearing before them to bestow fruits;
crossing the great ocean, rivers, and ponds, and hearing delightful sounds,
or voices in the sky saying 'Auspiciousness!' and promising to grant the desired fruit.
Such auspicious signs should be carefully discerned;
those that are contrary to these, know to be inauspicious dreams.
Those who abide well in the precepts, rising in the morning and informing their master,
the master speaks this Dharma verse to exhort and inspire the practitioners:
'This supreme path of vows, the Mahāyāna of the Great Mind—
now that you are able to seek it with aspiration, you shall accomplish the Tathāgata,
the great nāga of spontaneous wisdom, revered by the world like a stūpa,
transcending both existence and non-existence, stainless like space.
All dharmas are profoundly deep, hard to understand, without storage,
free from all conceptual elaboration, for prapañca is originally non-existent.
Its activity is wondrous and incomparable, constantly relying on the two truths;
this vehicle is the supreme vow; you should abide on this path.'"

1.29

At that time, the vajradhara Abiding in Non-conceptual Elaboration addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, please speak of the unimpeded knowledge precepts of the three times. If a bodhisattva abides in these, it will cause all buddhas and bodhisattvas to rejoice." When this was said, the Buddha addressed the vajradhara Abiding in Non-conceptual Elaboration and the others, saying: "Sons of the Buddha, listen attentively! If a son of good family abides in this precept, uniting body, speech, and mind as one, he does not perform any conditioned phenomena. What is the precept? It is what is called contemplating the relinquishment of one's own body and offering it to the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Why is this? If one relinquishes one's own body, one thereby relinquishes those three things. What are the three? They are called body, speech, and mind. Therefore, son of good family, by receiving the precept of body, speech, and mind, one receives the name of bodhisattva. Why is that? Because one is free from that body, speech, and mind. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should train in this way. Next, on the following day, empowering his own body through Vajrasattva, he pays homage to the World-Honored One Vairocana, and should take a pure vase filled with perfumed water, empower it by reciting the mantra of Trailokyavijaya, place it outside the first gate, and use it to sprinkle these people. That ācārya bestows the pure perfumed water and has them drink it, so that their minds may be purified."

1.30

At that time, the vajradhara Guhyakādhipati questioned the Buddha in verse:

1.31

"Supreme Speaker among those of all-knowing wisdom,
pray explain that proper time.
At what time should the great assembly
gather completely and auspicious omens appear,
so that the maṇḍala ācārya
may diligently uphold the mantras?"
Thereupon the Bhagavat
spoke to the Holder of the Vajra of Wisdom:
"One should always, during that night,
construct the maṇḍala.
The Dharma-transmitting ācārya
should next take in this manner
the five-coloured thread (sūtra),
and bow his head to all the Buddhas.
Great Vairocana
himself will grant adhiṣṭhāna.
Beginning with the eastern direction,
[the master and student] hold the thread facing each other,
raising it to the navel in the air,
gradually circumambulating to the right;
in this way to the south and the west,
finishing in the northern direction.
To establish the boundaries a second time,
also start from the first direction,
recollecting all the Tathāgatas,
proceeding as described above:
to the right direction (south) and the rear direction (west),
and again completing in the supreme direction (north).
The ācārya next turns,
and stations himself in the Nairṛta (southwest);
the disciple holding opposite him
gradually proceeds southward,
circumambulating to the right from there,
and turns to station himself in the wind direction (northwest);
the master moves from his original place
and resides in the fire direction (southeast).
The practitioner of mantras
again performs the rite in this way:
the disciple is in the southwest,
the master resides in the Īśāna (northeast);
the student again circumambulates,
and turns to station himself in the fire direction,
while the master moves from his original place
and resides in the wind direction.
In this way, the mantrin
fully marks out the square form;
gradually entering within it,
he divides it into three sections.
Having marked out the three sections,
whose ground-aspects are completely even,
he again divides each individual section
into three.
Therein, the first section
is the path traversed for ritual actions;
the remaining middle and outer sections
are the dwelling places of the holy deities.
The square has four gates;
one should know their measurements.
With a sincere and reverent mind,
he arranges the holy deities.
Drawing the various forms in this manner,
evenly balanced and well distinguished,
at the inner heart is an exquisite white lotus,
its womb-matrix exactly symmetrical.
Within the womb-matrix he constructs
the entire Karuṇā-garbha (Compassion-born) maṇḍala,
sixteen aṅgulis,
or exceeding this in measurement.
Its eight petals are fully perfected,
with stamens and pistils all beautifully adorned;
the wisdom seals of the vajra
emerge throughout between the petals.
From the center of this flower-dais,
the supreme Lord Mahāvairocana appears,
golden-hued and endowed with brilliance,
upon his head bearing a crown with a topknot,
with the perfected radiance that saves the world,
freed from affliction and dwelling in samādhi.
To the east of him one should paint
the seal of the All-Knowing One,
upon a triangular lotus;
its color is pure white,
encircled all around with blazing light,
pure and brilliant everywhere.
Next, in the northern intermediate direction (northeast),
is the mother of the Buddhas, the Guide;
shining with genuine golden color,
she wears garments of plain white,
shining everywhere like sunlight,
dwelling in samādhi with correct contemplation.
Again, in the southern direction of him,
is the seal of the virtuous Holy Deity,
the Buddha-bodhisattva who saves the world,
named Fulfiller of All Vows (Cintāmaṇi),
a wish-fulfilling jewel,
dwelling upon a white lotus.
In the northern direction is the Greatly Energetic One,
Avalokiteśvara,
whose radiant color is like the bright moon,
or a śaṅkha shell or kunda flower;
smiling, seated on a white lotus,
his topknot displaying Amitāyus.
To his right is the greatly renowned
holy venerable Tārā,
blended of blue and white colors,
in the form of a woman in middle age;
with palms joined, holding a blue lotus (utpala),
her halo extending everywhere,
her brilliance shining like pure gold,
smiling, in pure white garments.
To the right side is Bhṛkuṭī,
her hand letting fall a rosary of beads;
with three eyes and wearing a topknot,
the venerable form is like pure white;
her halo's color has no single ruler,
yellow, red, and white blending together.
Next, near Bhṛkuṭī,
paint the venerable Mahāsthāmaprāpta;
his robe is of śaṅkha color,
his hand holding a great-compassion lotus,
flourishing yet not fully blossomed,
surrounded by a circular halo.
A vidyārājñī dwells at his side,
named Possessor of Renown (Yaśodharā);
all kinds of exquisite necklaces
adorn her golden body;
she holds a fresh and exquisite flower branch,
and in her left holds a priyaṅgu.
Near the holy Tārā
dwells the venerable Pāṇḍaravāsinī,
her hair-crown draped in pure silk,
her hand holding a padma lotus.
In front of the Holy One depict
the mighty Vidyārāja,
colored like the morning sun's rays,
adorned with a white lotus;
radiantly bright, forming a garland of flames,
his fangs appearing in roaring wrath,
with sharp claws and hair like a beast-king's:
Hayagrīva.
Such are the retinues of Avalokiteśvara
in samādhi.
Furthermore, outside the flower-dais,
to the right of Vairocana,
is the Vajradhara of Wisdom
who can fulfill all wishes;
colored like the priyaṅgu flower,
or like an emerald;
upon his head he wears a crown of many jewels,
and necklaces adorn his body,
intertwined and mutually adorning,
vast and countless in number;
in his left hand he holds a vajra,
and all around him radiant flames arise.
To the right of Vajragarbha
is the one called Māmakī,
also holding a firm wisdom vajra,
her body adorned with necklaces.
Next, to the right of her, should be placed
the mighty Vajrasūci (Diamond Needle),
surrounded by an assembly of messengers,
all smiling and gazing reverently at her.
To the left of the Holy One
is Vajraśṛṅkhalā (Diamond Chain),
holding a diamond lock,
together with the messengers of her own division;
her body is light yellow,
with the wisdom-vajra as her emblem.
Below the vajradhara
is the wrathful Trailokyavijaya,
who subdues great obstacles,
named Candratilaka;
three-eyed, displaying four fangs,
colored like a summer rain-cloud,
with a roar of 'aṭṭahāsa' laughter,
adorned with vajra and gem necklaces;
for the sake of gathering and protecting sentient beings,
he is surrounded by an immeasurable retinue,
with up to a hundred thousand hands,
holding various weapons.
Such wrathful ones and others
all dwell in lotuses.
Next, going to the western direction, paint
countless vajradharas,
with various vajra seals,
each different in form and color,
everywhere emitting perfected radiance
for the sake of all sentient beings.
Beneath the Lord of Mantras,
relying on the Nairṛta (southwest) direction,
is Acala, the messenger of the Tathāgata,
holding the sword of wisdom and a lasso;
his crown-hair hangs over his left shoulder;
with one eye he gazes attentively;
his body of majestic wrath has fierce flames,
and he sits steadily upon a boulder;
his mouth has the appearance of water waves,
and he is filled with the form of a youth.
In this way, the one endowed with wisdom
should next go to the wind direction (northwest).
Again paint a wrathful deity,
the so-called Conqueror of the Three Worlds (Trailokyavijaya),
surrounded by fierce flames,
wearing a jeweled crown and holding a vajra,
disregarding his own body and life,
sincerely supplicating to receive instruction.
The first court
with the directions of all the deities has been explained.
The mantrayāna practitioner
next proceeds to the second court.
In the first gate in the eastern direction,
paint Śākyamuni,
surrounded by purple-golden light,
endowed with the thirty-two marks;
wearing the kāṣāya robe,
he sits on a white lotus-dais;
in order to cause the teaching to spread,
he dwells there and expounds the Dharma.
Next, to the right of the Lord,
depict the All-Knowing Eye (Locanā),
smiling with an expression of joy and peace,
her entire body surrounded by pure light,
with an incomparably pleasing appearance;
she is named the Mother of the Sākyamuni.
Again, to the right of that venerable one,
paint the Vidyā of the Ūrṇā-mark,
dwelling on a padma lotus,
shining completely with the color of a śaṅkha shell,
holding a wish-fulfilling gem,
fulfilling the hopes and wishes of all,
of radiant light and great vigor,
the Śākya-lion who saves the world.
To the left of the Holy Deity
are the five uṣṇīṣas of the Tathāgata:
the first is named Sitātapatroṣṇīṣa (White Parasol),
then Jayoṣṇīṣa (Victorious Uṣṇīṣa) and Vijayoṣṇīṣa (Most Victorious Uṣṇīṣa),
Tejorāśyuṣṇīṣa (Fire-Light Heap of Virtues),
and Vikiranoṣṇīṣa (Dispelling Uṣṇīṣa);
these are called the Five Great Uṣṇīṣas,
the Śākyan kin of the Great Self;
one should rely upon this place
to craft their various forms with focused mind.
Next, in the northern direction,
arrange the host of the Śuddhāvāsa heaven:
Īśvara and Samantakusuma,
Prabhāmālin and Manomaya,
Yaśoviśruta and the others,
each in their proper sequence.
To the right of the Ūrṇā,
paint again the three Buddha-uṣṇīṣas:
the first is named Mahodgatoṣṇīṣa (Vast Uṣṇīṣa),
next Atimahodgatoṣṇīṣa (Extremely Vast Uṣṇīṣa),
and Anantasvaraghoṣoṣṇīṣa (Boundless Sound Uṣṇīṣa);
all should be properly established.
The five kinds of Tathāgata-uṣṇīṣas
are white, yellow, and genuine golden in color;
furthermore, the three Buddha-uṣṇīṣas
combine white, yellow, and red;
their light is everywhere deep and vast,
adorned with various necklaces;
by the power of their great vows,
all wishes are fulfilled.
The practitioner, in the eastern corner (southeast),
should make the image of the Fire Ṛṣi (Agni),
dwelling amid blazing flames,
marked with three dots of ash;
his body color is deep red throughout,
with a triangular seal set at his heart;
and within the circle of flames,
he holds beads and a water pitcher.
In the right direction (south) is King Yama,
his hand holding the daṇḍa seal;
the water buffalo is his seat;
colored like dark thunderclouds and lightning;
surrounded by the seven mothers, Kālarātrī,
and his queen-consorts.
In the Nairṛta (southwest) is the Rakṣasa King (Nirṛti),
holding a sword, terrifying in form;
Varuṇa, the Dragon King,
has the lasso as his seal.
In the first direction (east) is King Indra,
dwelling upon Mount Sumeru,
with a jeweled crown and wearing necklaces,
holding the vajra seal;
together with his other retinues,
the wise one properly distributes them.
To his left place the host of the Sun Deity (Sūrya),
seated in a chariot,
with queens Jayā and Vijayā
escorting and attending him.
Great Brahmā is to his right,
four-faced, wearing a hair-crown,
with the character OṂ as his seal,
holding a lotus and seated on a swan (haṃsa).
In the western direction are the earth deities (Pṛthivī),
Sarasvatī and Viṣṇu,
Skanda, the Wind Deity (Vāyu),
Śaṅkara and the Moon Deity (Candra);
these rely on the dragon direction (west);
paint them without omission or error.
The mantrayāna practitioner,
with a mind free from confusion,
and the Buddha-sons next should make
the great wrathful Vidyārājas:
to the right is the one named Aparājita,
to the left is Aparājitā;
the earth-holding deity offers a vase,
reverently kneeling for a long time;
and the two great dragon kings,
Nanda and Upananda,
facing each other in the wing alcoves,
great guardians opening the gates.
The remaining deities of the Śākya clan,
their mantras and mudrā-maṇḍalas,
and all the dharmas taught:
the master should reveal them completely.
The mantrayāna practitioner
next arrives at the third court;
first, depict Mañjuśrī,
his body of saffron-gold color,
with five topknots crowning his head,
just like the form of a youth;
in his left hand he holds a blue lotus,
which displays a vajra seal atop it;
his compassionate face smiles everywhere,
seated upon a white lotus-dais;
his wondrous marks of perfected and universal light
shine brightly all around in mutual radiance.
To his right should next be painted
the youth Jālinīprabha;
holding a net of various jewels,
with various exquisite necklaces,
dwelling upon a jeweled lotus seat,
he gazes at the Buddha's eldest son.
To the left paint the five kinds
of wish-granting vajra messengers:
namely Keśinī,
Upakeśinī,
as well as Citrā,
Vasumatī and Ākarṣaṇī;
such are the five messengers
and the five servants of instruction;
both retinues encircle together,
attending upon the Unsurpassed Wisdom.
The practitioner, in the right direction (south),
next depicts the greatly renowned
Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin,
holding a wish-fulfilling gem.
Setting aside two sections,
one should paint eight bodhisattvas:
namely, Kautūhalaviṣkambhin (Removing Doubts and Wonders),
Abhayamdada (Bestower of All Fearlessness),
Sarvāpāyajaha (Remover of All Evil Destinies),
Paritrāṇāśayamati (Protective Mind and Wisdom),
Karunamṛdita (Compassionate Mind of Wisdom),
Maitryabhyudgata (Uprising Love for Great Beings),
Sarvadāhapraśamin (Quencher of All Torments),
and Acintyamati (Inconceivable Wisdom).
Next, setting aside this position again,
arriving at the supreme northern direction,
the practitioner with single mind,
recollecting and spreading various pigments,
paints the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva Kṣitigarbha,
who is endowed with excellent patience.
His seat is exquisitely adorned,
his body situated in a womb of flames;
the ground is adorned with varied gems,
gorgeously patterned and interwoven;
a lotus of four gems
is the holy one's abode.
Along with the greatly renowned
countless bodhisattvas,
namely Ratnapāṇi, Ratnahasta,
Dharaṇīṃdhara, and others;
Ratnamudrāhasta and Dṛḍhamati,
these foremost holy ones,
each with countless retinues,
surround him before and behind.
Next, in the dragon direction (west),
one should paint Ākāśagarbha,
diligent and energetic, clad in white garments,
holding a sword emitting radiant flames,
together with his retinues,
sons born of the Fully Enlightened One,
each according to their sequence,
seated in rows upon upright lotuses.
Now I speak of his retinue,
the host of great-self bodhisattvas;
one should skillfully paint their variegated forms,
with truth and sincerity, without error or forgetfulness:
namely Gaganāmala (Sky-Immaculate),
next named Gaganamati (Sky-Wisdom),
as well as Viśuddhamati (Pure Wisdom) and others,
Caritamati (Active Wisdom), Sthiramati (Stable Wisdom), and others;
such bodhisattvas,
who are constantly diligent and energetic,
each according to their order,
shall have their adorned bodies painted.
The summary exposition of the stations of the Mahākaruṇāgarbha
maṇḍala is finished."

First 29 of 37 passages. Read on

Translations (1)

The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra — Rolf W. Giebel 2005, English

Linked texts (1)

大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 (Śubhakarasiṃha & Yixing 724) — Classical Chinese