འཕགས་པ་འཇམ་དཔལ་གྱ་རྩ་བའ་རྒྱད 109

109

rises from Anavatapta Lake, which is covered in lotus buds with leaves, half-opened lotuses, and lotuses in full bloom. This lotus stalk is supported by two nāga kings, Nanda and Upananda.

“These two nāga kings should be painted as white, each of them adorned with seven hoods. Their bodies, adorned with all types of jewelry, are half human, and the other half is distinguished by the coils of a snake. With their [lower] bodies submerged in water, they direct their gaze at Noble Mañjuśrī. They are shaded with parasols decorated with jewels.

“In the right corner of the cloth, on the margins below the great lake, the practitioner should be painted looking at the orb of Noble Mañjuśrī’s face. He holds an incense holder in his hand and inclines his head toward his knee. He should be depicted with all the respective details of dress and colors.⁶⁵³

“Above Noble Mañjuśrī, in the two corners at the edge of the cloth, two divine sons wearing garlands⁶⁵⁴ and holding garlands of flowers should be painted. They float nestled within clouds and release a great flood of flowers. Both are very beautiful. Blossoms of the ironwood tree and so forth should be painted strewn all around the cloth. One may create this painting, presided over by the three forms,⁶⁵⁵ however one desires.⁶⁵⁶

“They may be painted as the practitioner pleases, but these three figures must be included—the noble Mañjuśrī expounding the Dharma and the noble Samantabhadra and Avalokiteśvara, both of whom are painted with yak-tail whisks in their hands. Optionally, other forms may be added as desired, arranged according to their respective places. Whatever forms the practitioner finds agreeable, these forms may be painted.

“Noble Mañjuśrī should always be painted in the middle, with the noble Avalokiteśvara and Samantabhadra on either side. The other forms, however, can be painted as preferred.⁶⁵⁷ One can also use any piece of cloth as available, which could be one vitasti or one cubit in size and either do the painting oneself or have it done by any painter whether he observes the fast or not, has faith or not, is pure or impure, or of good or bad morals.