འཕགས་པ་འཇམ་དཔལ་གྱ་རྩ་བའ་རྒྱད 248

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place the painting in a caitya containing relics, offer a large pūjā, and light one hundred butter lamps. Sitting on a bundle of kuśa grass, one should grasp the vajra with both hands and recite the mantra until the vajra emits light. When one holds this vajra, one will fly up surrounded by a retinue of seven¹⁵⁶⁰ and become the monarch of vidyādharas with power and valor equal to Vajrapāṇi’s. One will live for one great eon. At the time of physical demise, one will ascend to Vajrapāṇi’s realm.

“Similarly, one can magically empower all weapons, such as spears, discuses, arrows, javelins, and so forth, as well as cloth¹⁵⁶¹ shoes, wooden staffs, and sacred threads, following other procedures. For each of them the accomplishment is threefold.

“The rite of pacifying a pestilence.

“If one wants to perform the rite of pacifying, one should construct a lotus-shaped altar,¹⁵⁶² light a fire using sticks suitable for sacrifice, and, using the small sacrificial ladle, offer one thousand and eight oblations of sweet rice pudding mixed with curds, honey, and ghee. Within three nights, the pestilence will be pacified for oneself or for one other person. Within seven nights, it will be pacified for the entire village or town. In the event of a pestilence with high mortality, one should offer oblations of sticks of the śamī tree smeared with curds, honey, and ghee. In the event of drought, one should offer oblations of sticks of the udumbara tree smeared with curds, honey, and ghee. If one offers the three sweet things, it will completely pacify any pestilence.¹⁵⁶³ In the event of famine, one should recite the mantra three million times.¹⁵⁶⁴

“[Rites for obtaining longevity.]

“On the night of the full moon of a prātihāra bright fortnight, during a lunar eclipse, having fasted for three nights, one should incant milk of a black cow one hundred and eight times and drink it, as it has now become an elixir of long life endowed with many qualities.

One should offer, over a period of ten nights, one thousand and eight oblations of panic grass sprouts smeared with curds, honey, and ghee. This will prevent untimely death and ensure long life.

“Various rites.

“One should incant a banner, a conch, or another such item. The mere sight or