Now Lord Śākyamuni looked again at the realm of the Pure Abode, and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, Mañjuśrī, in your ritual, a painting procedure of the medium type, a practice procedure serving as the means for accomplishing middling rites. I will teach it in brief, so please listen carefully and reflect upon it well. I will teach it now.”

Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, for his part, said this to the Blessed One:

“May the Blessed One, the teacher, full of compassion for the world and delighting in benefiting all beings, speak! Please speak, if you think that the time is right, out of compassion for us and regard for future generations.”

Having been thus addressed by Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, the Blessed One said this:

“Listen, Mañjuśrī. All the rites involved in the practice of the mantra conduct will bear fruit and not be futile for those who, first of all, are firmly established in discipline, ritual observances, purificatory acts, ritual obligations, mantra recitations, homa ritual, and the meditation methods. Then, the application of all the mantras will swiftly lead to success. Why is this so? I will explain that. Listen, O divine youth!

“To start, one should assume the disciplined conduct and observances pertaining to the practice of vidyās. First, one should take the samaya pledge according to the instructions of the maṇḍala master as clearly taught in your king of manuals. One should acquire a learned master who has received the ‘master empowerment’ (ācāryābhiṣeka) and has the acumen of a spiritual instructor. Such a master should possess the Dharma that is virtuous and clear and be truthful, diligent, grateful, steadfast, good natured, not too old and not too young, free from desire with regard to all gain and favors, and celibate. He should be compassionate, but not merely on account of desire or based on sensual pleasure or emotional attachment. He should not speak untruth out of strong delusion and greed, let alone due to trivial reasons. He should keep his promises and be equanimous toward all beings, have compassion for them, and practice generosity. He should have completed the preparatory rites and the preliminary practice that involves the recitation of your secret mantra and have gained [therefrom the requisite] knowledge. He should have entered your maṇḍala according to the right order of succession. He must understand the ways of the world and also know the ritual procedure. He should be kind, industrious, and wise. He must practice goodness and be fearless, free from hesitation or vacillation, stable, and diligent. He should not be afflicted by any disease that would render him inactive, and he should be disciplined. He should come from a great and illustrious family. These are the qualities that the maṇḍala master should be endowed with.

“The practitioner, for his part, should be either the same as him or lacking in some attributes. After worshiping such a maṇḍala master, he should supplicate him as follows:

“ ‘I would like to enter the samaya with you, master, who are identical with the great bodhisattva, the divine youth Mañjuśrī. Out of the master’s kindness, please instruct me with a benevolent and kind mind.’

“The maṇḍala master then, following the same procedure as previously explained, should examine the disciples as before and usher them in. He should give the empowerment as before and give them the mantra. He should then explain the stages of samaya and the secret tantra, mudrā, and rites. After examining them for a long time and determining their character, he teaches them the rites for all tantras, mantras, and so forth. He should not teach this to anyone else. This is the accepted procedure.

“The disciple, for his part, should gratify the maṇḍala master with anything that may be pleasing to him, and offer himself and the enjoyments.

“The maṇḍala master should then regard the disciple as his son, and treat him as such. Like a mother, he should offer him comforts and enjoyments.

“The disciple then, having obtained a particular mantra, should retire to a secluded area, to a place as previously described in more detail, and, in short, employ this mantra for the summoning, dismissing, and offering to the deities a bali consisting of lamps, perfume, and incense, following the elaborate procedure that has been taught as part of the maṇḍala instructions. He should thus summon the deity and present it with a welcome offering and a seat at the three junctions of the day. He should perform ritual ablutions three times a day, wear the three-piece apparel of an ascetic, and recite the mantra every day. Regarding the junctions of the day, the first junction is said to be from the end of the night until the sun is four angular cubits above the horizon. The second junction is said to be at midday, for as long as the center of the sun disk traverses in the sky the distance of four cubits. The third junction is said to be at sunset, for as long as it takes the sun to move the full distance of four cubits.

“One should approach a master who is learned and skilled And has taken up the vow of disciplined [conduct], One born in a great and illustrious family, Steadfast and diligent in every respect.

“He must be actively engaged in the art of mantras And be skilled and judicious in all tasks. He should be subtle, have expert knowledge of mantras, And always uphold the domain of Dharma.

“He should have great perseverance and ardor And be unconcerned about worldly affairs. He must have faith in the teachings of the Sage And shun the teachings of worldly masters.

“He must have performed the required mantra recitations, Have discernment, and have done the preliminary practice. He should understand the mantra of Mañjughoṣa And have complete confidence in it.

“He should also know the worldly magical rites That employ mantras taught by the Buddha. He should have performed the protection ritual, Have unwavering strength, and always delight in pure conduct.

“He must follow, in all respects, The path shown by the Buddha. He should be engaged in the recitation of the mantra taught here, Described by the Victorious One as perfect.

“Seeing that the fruits of one’s actions Come without fail, even in the afterlife, He would be wary of any evil, Even as small as a tiny particle. He should be pure, adroit, not lazy, Intelligent, and pleasant to behold.

“Whatever mantras have been taught by those with the ten powers And by the sons of the same, the victorious ones, And whatever worldly mantras there are, And also those in the Vajra and Lotus families, He should always exert himself in their study, Absorbing the meaning from the written treatises.

“He should not be diseased or disabled, Neither too old nor too young. He should have accomplished the mantra and be protected by it. He should operate efficiently in every respect.

“He must not procrastinate, be free of haughtiness, And specifically understand bodily expressions. Celibate and with great insight, He should be solitary and not mingle.

“He, the hero, must have obtained an initiation Into this tantra, taught by Mañjuśrī. He should have reached the end of his recitations And have gained the understanding.

“He should have great dignity, understand the ways of the world, And reflect upon the reality of the different states of rebirth. He should apply himself diligently to the practice of virtue, Be generous, and delight in benefiting beings.

“A master distinguished in this way Should always be supplicated, As the maṇḍala containing mantras written by him Will lead to accomplishment.

“An empowerment bestowed by him Will bear great fruits. Such a master should always be venerated as a sage By the disciples who desire accomplishment.

“His instructions must not be disobeyed But should be followed by the disciples with diligence. He should be given objects of enjoyment, Whatever are available, according to one’s means—

“A gift big or small, Or any gift that will please the master. Just as the father’s body and mind Constitute the cause for the existence of one’s own body,

“In the same way will the disciple who knows the Dharma Obtain renown, accomplishments, Long life, and good health, If only he offers his wealth to the master.

“A disciple who reveres his master Will make excellent progress. His mantras will bring accomplishments Once the path of ritual procedures has been explained.

“All the buddhas rejoice, And so do the foremost sons of the victorious ones, When the teachers are served, adored, And worshiped respectfully.

“All the gods are pleased With any kind act done to a teacher. All this pertains to teachers Who impart the knowledge of mantras.

“If he has not done this already, The practitioner should first enter into the samaya bond, Regardless of whether he is a person of equal Or superior position to the teacher.

“Neither an ignorant nor a brilliant disciple Should ever disrespect the master. He should instead apply himself to the tantra In which he has been instructed. He should engage, for the sake of accomplishment, In the practice of the mantra that he was instructed in.

“A previously trained disciple Should harbor no jealousy toward the master, But instead should have an eye That is the embodiment of growing love.

“The master is himself the cause For the development of the disciple; A bond of love should stretch Between their two minds.

“While maintaining a loving mind He should offer the mantra to the disciple; Whenever the disciple sees the master, Or the master sees the disciple,

“They should always be joyful, Remain practicing together, And at all times focused On the path of mantric conduct.

“Both of them, the father and the son, Knowing the mantra, will reap the results. Both the disciple and the teacher Will find stability and joy.

“The son—the dear Dharma child— Should always be diligently protected. The uninterrupted condition of the buddhas Is present also in them.

“If the buddhas are absent and beings are without a protector, The mantras should be given to them just as they are taught. They should be given in particular to those beings Who are destitute or powerless. Mantra practice is excellent For all beings without exception.

“This mantra practice can be done at all times By those of the lowest, highest, and medium capacities, And can be used to bring benefit To all beings on any occasion.

“This mantra conduct should be given to those who seek it After determining their state and origin. The disciple, for his part, Should train in whatever mantra he desires.

“One who desires accomplishment should follow The path taught [here], and no other. One should travel on this path, Superior to other paths.

“One should bow to the master with one’s head As if to one’s father, and then depart, wherever one pleases. One should go to a secluded place And recite the mantra, fully focused.

“Sustained by food obtained through alms, Observing silence except for the three recitation sessions a day, One should follow the path, Just as it was previously taught.

“Then, following this conduct, One should frequent various places of abode, Such as great forests, mountaintops, And also clean riverbanks,

“Secluded cow pens and forts That are devoid of people, Empty temples, trees, Solitary lingams, mountain peaks,

“Pleasant shores of the great ocean, Sandy islands, Or various other places as previously described, Pleasing to the mind.

“One should recite the mantra in these and other places With a well-focused mind, In the company of friends endowed with auspicious marks And trained in philosophy and conduct for the sake of mantra practice.

“They ought to know the nature of gestures And be the same as or similar to Brave men victorious in battles, Who are honest and patient,

“Who have faith in the mantra practice And the related doctrine taught by the Victorious One, Who are endowed with the excellent auspicious marks, And who are patient and forbearing.

“A practitioner who has such companions Will accomplish all activities without toil. He should rise from his bed early And wash himself in clean water,

“The water from a stream or a big pond That is free of living organisms. Such a mantra adept should rub his body With powdered clay or cow dung

“And then, having purified with the mantra Some clean water free of any dirt, Should perform ritual ablutions while reciting the mantra. He should not miss the right time for these acts.

“Accordingly, after rising up [in the morning], He should stand on the bank and cleanse his hands with clay— Seven, seven, and again seven times— Twenty-one times in all.

“He should then sit down there, And clean his teeth with a tooth stick. Having spat out the washed-off matter, He should praise the Protector.

“Having praised the protector of the world, He should make offerings pleasing to the mind, Praising him, again and again, With complimentary hymns of praise.

“Also, while reciting, he should offer to the Teacher A welcome offering of fragrant flowers, Bow with his head to the buddhas And then to their disciples.

“He should confess his wrongdoings In front of these protectors of the world, And place food and refreshments In front of the painting of middling type.

“He should prepare a seat of kuśa grass And sit there with a focused mind. He should recite the mantra with keenness, Using a rosary of rudrākṣa beads.

“He should only recite the mantra that he was given, And not any other mantra, In a voice neither too low, Nor, indeed, too loud.

“In the rites of the medium type, The vow holder should always recite the mantra the ‘medium’ way. He should resolutely avoid speaking loudly, Nor should the words be too low.

“In the rites of the medium type, the ‘medium’ speech Was described by the Victorious One as the best, So one should recite not too loudly And not too low, but always in between; All the buddhas of the past Employed their voice in the best possible way.

“One should not recite the mantra near to other people, Or within their range of hearing, But in a hidden place known only to oneself, Reciting in a voice of medium volume.

“If one engages in recitation in this way, The meaning of any mantra will be clearly heard. One should keep reciting this mantra If one desires accomplishment of the medium type.

“Consequently, the reciter should chant the mantra In a secluded place where no one gathers, A place devoid of people, But where the essential meaning of the mantra can be clearly heard.

“He should recite during the second half Of the second half of the fourth division of the night, When the copper-red disk of the sun Is four angular cubits above the horizon,

“For that is how the buddhas, the best of men, Have designated the ‘first junction.’ The ‘yoke length’ is the length of four cubits, Proclaimed as the ‘medium’ [length].

“One should stop the recitation After the sun has risen up into the sky. Having stopped reciting the mantra and dismissed [the deity], The vow holder should make an offering to send [it] away.

“For the rest of the time henceforth, One should devote oneself to this expert instruction of the Sage: One should venerate the teachings, and so forth, of genuine Dharma, As found in the Prajñāpāramitā and other literature.

“Also the books, such as the one called , Should always be venerated and read aloud. When the prescribed time has arrived, One should bow to the buddhas, the best of men,

“And to one’s mantra, the lord of mantras, And then depart for the sake of sustenance. Observing thus the prescribed regimen, Eating at the appointed time, and controlling one’s senses,

“A Dharma practitioner should always exert himself In the pure training as taught by the Buddha. Observing silence, one should go to another village, Always delighting in pure conduct.

“The mantra reciter should seek alms Only in houses where Dharma is followed, Where the water is filtered and free of living organisms And the food is known to be pure.

“A house where the housewife has correct views And where there is faith in the Buddha’s teachings— It is in such a household that a mendicant Should always seek and receive alms.

“Just like a well-equipped warrior Would enter the heat of a battle And destroy his opponents without fail, Without himself being harmed by the enemy,

“So should a mantra practitioner, Who lives on alms, always enter a village. When seeing pleasing forms, Or hearing pleasant sounds,

“One should, in order to appease the passions, Contemplate that which is pleasant as unpleasant. Seeing a female body Adorned with the gracefulness of youth,

“One should contemplate it being impure and smelly, Disgusting with its pus, urine, and so forth, Deposited in a cemetery and slimed over by worms— A body that is impermanent and a source of suffering.

“The childish, ignorant of mantra, Cycle through the five destinies; Strung upon the thread of karma, They wallow in misery for a long time.

“Such fools, steeped in ignorance And blind from birth, create for themselves causes of suffering. Beings with warped minds sink in dejection Because of things they are attached to.

“Dressed in the costumes of different types of karma, Excited in many different ways, For a long time they are mounted upon swings And pushed back and forth.

“Engaged in their dance, They are impelled to follow its steps. Addicted to what is impure, Beings remain despondent for long periods of time.

“Being born in the waters of the ocean of existence, There is no end to their births, Which are awash with the water of suffering, Like a well bucket is awash with the water from the well.

“For women have been declared by the buddhas To be nothing but the root of suffering. So also said the śrāvakas, the bodhisattvas, The pratyeka­buddhas, and the sages.

“Their minds led astray by women, Beings drown in the ocean of cyclic existence That cannot be disturbed And is impossible to dry up.

“They then wander through the six realms: The hells and animal realms, The realms of hungry ghosts and of the asuras, And the realms of gods and of men.

“Men wander throughout all these destinies, Powerless and deluded on account of women, Sinking in the great mire— This prison of the ocean of saṃsāra.

“Men fooled by craving for women Are like jackals fooled by rotten flesh. Beings suffer acute pain Because of things they are addicted to.

“If they take up the Buddha’s teaching, Even those who previously corrupted the virtuous Dharma Will stop all suffering And be no more in the ocean of saṃsāra.

“Those who are keen on and enjoy mantra recitation Know great renown, are free of craving, Are majestic, are a friend to the downtrodden, And are free from all suffering.

“Self-controlled and knowing the great truth, They worship the master and the deities. They are devoted to their mother and father And do not suffer on the account of women.

“Those who apply the teachings on the absolute truth Perceive that which is impermanent to be empty and fraught with suffering. Such mantra reciters regard the female body The same as goiter.

“Naive sensualists, though, who are of little intelligence, Are unable to escape saṃsāra. One who is consistently attached to women Will not gain accomplishment.

“Such a person’s conduct will be undistinguished; It will not even be mediocre. A reciter without discipline Will not gain even the smallest accomplishment.

“The lord of sages did not prescribe mantra practice For the ill disciplined, As it would not lead to the city, Land, or even the direction of nirvāṇa.

“For a debased fool such as this, How could his mantra succeed? For a person fickle in his discipline, What pleasant state could be found?

“Heaven is not for him, Nor a happy departure from this world, Let alone an accomplishment Of mantras taught by the Victorious One.

“When the crown of a palmyra tree Has been cut off, How will fresh green shoots arise When the tree has no greenery?

“So have been described the prospects of Accomplishing the mantra for those who are foolish in this life— The ill-disciplined evildoers Who develop attachment to women again and again. How could the king of mantras bring success When one is associating with a nonvirtuous teacher?

“A mantra reciter should therefore always be self-controlled And never stray into vice. Those who avoid contact with women Will gain accomplishment.

“No accomplishment is described for the others— The childish ones smitten by women. On the other hand, the wise ones who dislike schisms, Who are pure and associate with skillful friends,

“The steadfast heroes of the noble family, Who are kind hearted and pleasant to behold, Who understand the distinction between right and wrong, Will gain accomplishment without difficulty.

“A mantra adept, conducting himself as described, Should enter a village in order to seek alms. He should go to a place as previously described That is pleasing to him.

“Having gone there, He should eat proper . . . Once he has settled in a clean place, Living on alms and keeping his thoughts pure,

“He should wipe his feet And go out of his dwelling once again. Using water free of living organisms, He should place his right hand on his right calf

“And his left hand on his left calf, And rub them. To prepare his right hand, He should cleanse it by wiping it

“Seven times with pure and clean clay That has been prepared before. Then he should place, In a clean and stainless pot,

“Some fresh cow dung excreted from a brown cow And purified by the mantra. He should add to it water that is free of living organisms And draw with this mixture the maṇḍala of the Teacher.

“Thus, one should first draw the maṇḍala of the best of sages, Which should be, preferably, one cubit in diameter; Then second, the maṇḍala of the lord of one’s own mantra; And third, of one’s family deity.

“The mantra practitioner should always draw the maṇḍala Of that deity whose mantra he is reciting. The fourth maṇḍala is said to be For the enjoyment of all sentient beings.

“On the right, one should always draw The maṇḍala of the lord of the world, Which is for all the Three Jewels, And should be square in shape.

“Second is the maṇḍala for pratyeka­buddhas, And the third for the sons of those endowed with the ten powers. These seven maṇḍalas Should all have four corners.

“One should draw them either one cubit, Or half a cubit in diameter, every single day, In a secret place. Then, reciting every day, One will be able to purify one’s sins.

“When rising after the ritual, The mantra practitioner should wash his hands carefully. He should perform ritual ablutions in clean and pure water, Free of living organisms.

“The water should be taken, carefully, From a spotlessly clean and pure dish, From a big lake, a stream, A pond, a spring, or a river.

“The water must come from a clean place And be drawn by a pure being. The mantra practitioner should touch it Always two or three times.

“He should then wash his mouth, And likewise both his ear lobes, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . His eyes, the cavities of his nose, and his arms.

“He should sprinkle the pure water On his head and his navel Five or seven times, Doing everything according to procedure.

“Following a ritually pure regimen, The mantra practitioner, himself purified, Should take his alms bowl And go to a natural receptacle of water

“Where a stream of water is dammed, Or at the water’s spring. He should always wash the alms In the current of a flowing river.

“After that, he should get up And go back to his monastery or dwelling. Whichever dwelling he had stayed at, There he should go.

“Having reached that place, The reciter should put down his alms bowl. He should then quickly perform the ritual ablutions, And take hold of his bowl once again—

“A bowl that may be made of clay, Leaves, silver, gold, Copper, or cassia bark— And offer food to his teacher.

“Offering the food to one’s teacher, One should utter either one’s own mantra or the king of mantras. Welcoming a lone visitor, one should also offer to him Or to the poor, according to one’s means.

“Whenever one offers food, One does not need to give an excessive amount. A mantra adept should not do what is damaging to himself, But always act sensibly.

“He should set aside what will fill his stomach; The rest should always be offered away. One who is afflicted by hunger and thirst Will not be able to accomplish his mantra practice.

“On the other hand, one who does not eat too much Or too little will be able to attend to his mantra practice. The lord of the victorious ones therefore said About all beings that possess a body,

“And who find sustenance in food— Food that gives life to humans, Gods, asuras, gandharvas, Nāgas, yakṣas, or kinnaras,

“Rākṣasas, pretas, piśācas, Bhūtas, utsārakas, and grahas— That there is not a single one of them That would not depend on the content of his food bowl.

“The Tathāgata has proclaimed That some beings live on material foods That are taken by mouth, While others depend on subtle foods.

“Deities who inhabit the form realm Live on the food of dhyāna; Gods in the formless realm Are nourished by the fruits of samādhi.

“Beings in the intermediate state Are said to depend on food too. Beings in the desire realm Are nourished by a wide variety of foods. Gods of the desire realm, asuras, and humans Live on foods that are taken by mouth.

“It has been taught therefore by the victorious lords That based upon karmic causes, Sentient beings are sustained by food; This is well known to all.

“For someone who always engages in mantra recitation The act of eating is a matter of necessity. One who relies on food Will be able to practice the mantras.

“If one’s conduct is completely pure, And one is competent and lives a celibate life, Such a mantra adept, relying on food, Will attain accomplishment without difficulty.

“He is then like a carter of a cart Who has oiled the axles well, Because he can [travel] for a long time And is able to convey heavy loads.

“So, too, a mantra adept with knowledge of mantras Should use food for sustenance. A mantra reciter should always take nourishment For the upkeep and sustenance of his body,

“As this is necessary for the accomplishment of mantras And also constitutes a cause for the two provisions for awakening. Consequently, one should recite the mantras, As this benefits beings in this world of mortals.

“For this reason the supreme sage, The previous buddha known as Kāśyapa, One of great splendor, taught At that time, on that occasion, upon the earth.

“He taught the following mantra For the well-being of living beings— All those afflicted by suffering, Miserable, stricken with poverty,

“Weary, resigned, and oppressed; For their sake he spoke this mantra. He taught it for the welfare of beings Who keep circling in saṃsāra. He taught this best of all mantras So that beings may find nourishment.

“He said, ‘May all the śrāvakas and all the bodhisattvas, Who reside in awakening, listen. Please receive from me the words of this mantra, The mantra that removes all ailments.

“ ‘Those of you who are oppressed by the scourge of hunger, And those who are thirsty, Hear [this mantra] to have all your suffering pacified; Those desiring prosperity, listen well!’

“At these words of the supreme sage, Kāśyapa of great splendor, All the śrāvakas, their hearts full of joy, Supplicated the Sage thus:

“ ‘Please tell us this mantra, O great sage, O Dharma king who knows Dharma! You care for living beings in the utmost. The time has now arrived.’

“Having been thus addressed, the best of sages Taught the mantra in full. With the sound of his voice, sweet as a cuckoo bird’s And as powerful as a drum or a thunderclap,

“This great, valiant man with the voice of Brahmā, The Victorious One, the foremost of brahmins, said, ‘Please listen, O hosts of beings Who have assembled here.

“ ‘I will now say, for the sake of all beings, Whether they are legless, many legged, Two legged, or four legged, The mantra that brings happiness.

“ ‘I will say it for the sake of past and future beings, And also beings of the present time who have assembled here. I will speak briefly, so please listen If you desire prosperity.

“ ‘Homage to all the buddhas, the perfect teachers. The mantra is:

“ ‘ Oṁ, bring everyone to your celestial palace in the sky, quick, quick! Remember your samaya pledge! O summoner, do not tarry, do not tarry! Give me good fortune’

“Having said this, Lord Kāśyapa remained silent.

“As soon as Lord Kāśyapa, the perfectly awakened one, spoke the words of this mantra in full, the entire sky appeared filled with a cloud consisting of choicest foodstuffs. The entire great trichiliocosm appeared to have its sky canopied with a cloud consisting of food. Whatever food the beings desired to satisfy their individual needs, whatever food they wished for, that had manifested for them. Whatever food preparations the beings desired to appease the pains of hunger, whatever drinks the thirsty ones wanted to drink, a stream of water along with the eight articles of offering, [all this] fell down exactly wherever it was wished for.

“All the beings, for their part, had on that occasion, at that particular time, the suffering of their hunger completely pacified and all their thirst completely removed. The entire assembly became greatly amazed and elated and rejoiced at the Blessed One’s words. Joyfully they bowed their heads to his feet and disappeared at that very moment. Lord Kāśyapa, for his part, said, ‘Lord Śākyamuni and I sojourned on earth as tathāgatas. At that time this mantra was taught in this king of manuals and celebrated.’

“This mantra ought to be accomplished for the benefit of all beings, in particular the mantra reciters, to remove their hunger and thirst, just as it was previously accomplished by the reciter [Kāśyapa]. If one does not feel up to wandering around for the sake of alms, one should climb to a mountaintop and recite that mantra six hundred thousand times, living on the three pure food products or milk dishes.

“There, on the mountaintop, one should install the medium painting of Noble Mañjuśrī and, as before, offer a big pūjā [followed] by a big bali offering of food. Employing the mantra taught by Kāśyapa and other perfectly awakened buddhas, one should make a fire of cutch tree sticks and offer into it, [while reciting the mantra], one thousand and eight sticks of either the cluster fig or bilva tree, nine inches long, [moist with sap], and smeared with curds, honey, and ghee.

“Then, at the midnight hour, a great whirlwind will arrive in the form of a black cloud. One should not be afraid, nor should one get up or approach it. Just as before, one should effect protection for oneself and the protective binding of the maṇḍala for one’s companions by means of the eight-syllable heart mantra of Noble Mañjuśrī. The black whirlwind will subsequently disappear, and in front of the practitioner will appear women adorned with all types of jewelry. One of them, with a halo of light illuminating the space around her, will say, ‘Rise up, O great being! You have reached accomplishment.’

“The practitioner should then give her a welcome offering of water with floating jasmine flowers. At that very moment she will disappear. On that very day, she will give to the practitioner and twenty-five of his companions, or whomever the practitioner fancies, foodstuffs and any useful objects that they may want. At that point the practitioner should give a farewell offering and circumambulate the painting clockwise three times. He should then take the painting, bow to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas three times, and go to a place of his choice that is conducive to sādhana practice as previously described, such as a big forest, a mountaintop, or any uninhabited place. There, he should build a hut and live there alone or with companions. While living there, he should do the rites that involve sky travel, and so forth.

“As before, the practitioner should sit on a bundle of kuśa grass, place the medium painting before himself, and, as before, light a fire of cutch tree sticks. He should offer one thousand and eight oblations of white flowers smeared with curds, honey, and ghee, three times a day for twenty-one days.

“Then, at the end of the homa ritual, at the midnight hour, one will see Noble Mañjuśrī in person. He will grant a desired boon, such as the ability to fly, become invisible, an attainment of a bodhisattva level, the state of a pratyeka­buddha or a śrāvaka, the five superknowledges, long life, a great kingdom with its many pleasures, the affection of a king, or the ability to commune with Noble Mañjuśrī himself. In short, he will grant whatever one may wish for. Or whatever one may ask for, that he will give. One may obtain all the power substances or be able to magically summon great beings. In short, he will do anything the way it is described to him. He may also purify one’s former transgressions. This was taught by Lord Śākyamuni.

“Another practice procedure that constitutes the means of accomplishing medium rites will now be taught. To start, one should select a place in a clean area or a sandy bank of a river, distinguished by the necessary qualities, and do everything as before. One should position the painting to face west, with oneself facing east. Sitting on a bundle of kuśa grass, one should repeat in full the same procedure as before. One should recite the mantra at the three junctions of the day six hundred thousand times. At the end of the recitation, one should offer into the fire, prepared exactly as before, one hundred thousand blossoms of the bayur tree mixed with white sandalwood or saffron.

“If the painting trembles violently at the conclusion of the homa ritual, it is a sign that one will become a minister. If the painting becomes luminous with light and rays of light issue forth from it, one will obtain a kingship. If the painting is completely enveloped in a halo of light, one will obtain the kingship over the realm of the four great kings. If the painting speaks, one will obtain the position of Śakra—dominion over the realm of the Thirty-Three. If the painting delivers Dharma instructions, one will attain lordship of the [first] three bodhisattva levels. If one touches one’s head and arms with the painting, one will obtain the five superknowledges, the seventh bodhisattva level, and the ten powers. One will certainly obtain them one after the other.

“When one has accomplished the mantra taught by Lord Kāśyapa and achieved the goal of removing hunger and thirst, one should practice the teachings on the method for accomplishing the goal of mantra activity, strictly following the procedure and using the specified implements. Otherwise one will not succeed.

“In brief, one should follow the mantra practice step by step in this way, and one will certainly succeed. One will definitely obtain all the power substances, special implements, and medicines, as well as jewels and gems as previously described.

“A mantra reciter skilled in the art of mantra, Who is familiar with the ritual procedure, Staying in a place as described above, Should eat pure and ‘white’ foods.

“Having eaten, happy at heart, With his sense organs always well nourished, He should take his bowl with the remaining food And go to a river with clean water.

“The vow holder should throw the food in an isolated place And leave it for animals. Having given it to them, He should wash his bowl thoroughly.

“The bowl should be made of clay And carefully fired. After using it, one should remove from the bowl All traces of grease or meat

“And ensure there is no residual smell— The supreme sage said this about the bowl when it is not used. One should never eat from the bowl That one uses for doing alms rounds.

“One should never eat solid foods from it, Nor fruits, or liquids. One should not eat from a lotus leaf Or leaves produced by water lilies.

“One should avoid leaves of fragrant plants— A mantra practitioner should not use them, Nor the leaves of water lilies Or those that grow on the waved-leaf fig or cluster fig tree.

“Nor should one use banyan leaves, Or those from karṇa, śāka, or gulmin trees, And neither the leaves that grow on mango trees Nor leaves from the dhak tree.

“Nor should one use leaves from the sal tree, flea tree, Or those that grow on bodhi trees— This is because the blessed Buddha Śākyamuni Used to sit on them.

“One should carefully avoid these trees, And never fell them for timber. One should not pluck leaves From ironwood trees.

“One should never eat from any of them, As they are all avoided by the wise. Sages who dwell in huts of leaves Must never step over [such leaves].

“A mantra practitioner would break his samaya Should he eat from the leaves of these trees. He should also not eat From the leaves of other trees.

“One can always take food from dishes As recommended, made of clay, copper, Silver, gold-based materials, And also quartz or stone.

“One should not eat from the backside of a leaf, Nor from the surface of the hand. Those leaves that may serve as an offering For the sons of the possessors of the ten powers, the enemies of Māra,

“Or those that may be offered to the rhinoceros-like pratyeka­buddhas, Or, indeed, to the śrāvaka followers Should be avoided by a mantra reciter, And never trampled underfoot.

“As for the different bakery items, And food and drink in general, A mantra practitioner should not appropriate Anything that has been duly offered.

“A reciter should always avoid What has been given to the victorious ones, To their followers, the śrāvakas, And to the Three Jewels.

“For those ordinary beings for whom this is even slightly the case, The mantras will accomplish nothing; What need then to speak of high qualities, Or those who desire every fortune?

“The mantras of those who eat food offered as bali Will not be successful, Whether in the rites of enriching or pacifying, Or having any hopes fulfilled.

“The mantras, on the other hand, of pure, skilled, disciplined, And tenderhearted followers of the Dharma Will be successful in every respect, If they take joy in their pure conduct.

“A reciter should not eat food Already given by him to anyone else, Nor should he eat the food Given by others to someone else.

“One should eat little, and only that Which has been given to oneself. A mantra adept who lives in this way Already has an accomplishment in his hand.

“The mantrin, the keeper of vows, Should receive food following this procedure And should practice all the mantras Commended by the sages.

“Furthermore, I will now explain in brief The rules pertaining to rites For using all types of food, And I will also teach a mantra that purifies everything.

“When a reciter has done his ritual ablutions, He should always recite the following mantra. Having recited it seven times, This mantra practitioner will have purified his body.

“Hear it and learn its full meaning, O assembly of spirits and deities! Having rubbed his entire body, A sage should recite the following mantra.

“Homage to all the buddhas, the perfect teachers! The mantra is as follows:

“ Oṁ, you who remove all faults, destroy, destroy all those who engage in evil! Remember your samaya! Hūṁ jaḥ, svāhā!

“Whatever rice dishes one has obtained through alms, or any other food that one is going to eat, one should eat it after incanting it with the above mantra. Having eaten and ritually rinsed one’s mouth, one should wash the whole body as before, in the direction toward the head, and then take rest. Having rested for three quarters of an hour, or half of a half of one night-watch, one should respectfully salute the painting and recite genuine Dharma texts taught by all the buddhas.

“The texts to be recited are the noble Prajñāpāramitā , Candra­pradīpa­samādhi, Daśabhūmika, Suvarṇa­prabhāsottama, Mahā­māyūrī, or Ratna­ketu­dhāraṇī. One should recite them in turns, until the sun has risen one angular cubit above the horizon. Then, when one has finished reading and bowed down to one’s ability, one should put the books aside and cover them with a clean cloth. Having bowed to this work of Dharma, one should descend to a riverbank or a big pond in order to bathe. There, one should take some clay that is free of living organisms, incant it seven times with the following mantra, and throw it into the water. What mantra?

“Homage to all the buddhas, the perfect teachers. The mantra is:

“ Oṁ, paralyze all evildoers, hūṁ! You who hold a blue lotus and possess the graceful form of a divine youth, bind them, bind! Remember your samaya! Phaṭ phaṭ, svāhā!

“One should use this mantra to effect protection [for oneself], bind the directions, form a protective circle for one’s companions, bind the fire pit, and summon all the wicked and utterly wicked beings. With this mantra one can also arrest semen. One should roam everywhere with a cord tied around one’s waist and incanted seven times. One should recite this mantra one hundred thousand times in order to destroy or appease the evil obstacle makers, reciting both during recitation sessions and the time of ritual bathing. In this way one will be able to accomplish all activities. When performing any ritual, one should put on the great fivefold seal [of Mañjuśrī]. One will be able to accomplish everything; it cannot be otherwise.

“The practitioner should take some powder consisting of dried clay and cow dung and do the ritual ablutions as he pleases. He should bathe in water that is free of living organisms. In all the rites, one should always use only water that is free of living organisms. Having bathed, one should smear oneself with a paste of clay and cow dung, or other fragrant unguents that are especially helpful. One must not release into the water any phlegm, urine, or feces. One should not splash in the water or engage in play. One should compassionately reflect on oneself and others and on the absence of self, emptiness, and the pain of experiencing pervasive suffering, which is like the pain experienced by someone separated from their mother. A mantra adept should thus imagine himself to be a being without a practice to follow, one subject to ruin, fall, decay, and destruction, all of which are attended by suffering. He should think of himself as sinking deep into the ocean of saṃsāra, without a place to rest, protection, or refuge, and miserable. He should thus meditate, focusing his mind one-pointedly, while standing right there surrounded by water, submerged up to his neck or his waist.

“First one should visualize a huge lotus stalk supporting a big lotus flower. It is adorned with big petals and made of beautiful-looking jewels. Its pericarp is of beryl, its petals of emerald, and its stamens of crystal. It has one thousand petals and is in full bloom. It is adorned with flowers made of crystal and ruby. On this lotus there is a lotus throne made of precious stone, adorned with many gems, and shaded by a pair of cloth canopies. On the throne, one should visualize Lord Buddha expounding the Dharma. He is of pure golden color, surrounded by bright light, and adorned with a halo one fathom wide. He is large in size, appearing as if painted in the sky, and sitting in a cross-legged posture.

“To his right, on a lotus seat, one should visualize Noble Mañjuśrī, adorned with all the superb ornaments. He is not sitting but standing, and holding, in his extended hand, a yak-tail whisk to fan the Blessed One. He is of light red hue or the color of ground saffron. To the left of the Blessed One, there is the noble Avalokiteśvara, the color of a full autumn moon, with a yak-tail whisk in his hand. Similarly, the eight bodhisattvas—the noble Maitreya, Samantabhadra, Kṣitigarbha, Gaganagañja, Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin, Apāyajaha, the noble Vajrapāṇi, and Sudhana—should be visualized. These are the ten bodhisattvas.

“To the right, one should visualize the eight pratyeka­buddhas—Candana, Gandhamādana, Ketu, Suketu, Sitaketu, Riṣṭa, Upāriṣṭa, and Nemi. In the same place there are also the eight great śrāvakas—the noble Mahā­maudgalyāyana, Śāriputra, Gavāmpati, Piṇḍola­bhara­dvāja, Pilindavatsa, the noble Rāhula, Mahākāśyapa, and the noble Ānanda.

“Next to these eight great śrāvakas, one should visualize an infinite assembly of monks; next to the pratyeka­buddhas, an infinite numbers of other pratyeka­buddhas; and in the eight places of the eight great bodhisattvas, infinite assemblies of other bodhisattvas. In this auspicious way should one visualize the canopy of the sky filled with this great assembly.

“Still standing in water reaching up to one’s navel, one should perform a big pūjā, offering flowers of many types, earthly and celestial, including māndarava and great māndarava, lotuses and great lotuses, or, according to season, blue lotuses—different flowers of great size, baskets with flowers, and flowers piled as high as a mountain. Also, one should perform a pūjā, pleasing to the mind, for all the śrāvakas, pratyeka­buddhas, and bodhisattvas, offering fragrant powders, parasols, flags, and banners—both earthly and celestial, in great numbers—including thousands of millions of billions of bright lamps. One should offer, in the same manner, requisites and articles used for a bali offering, such as incense and food.

“One should then visualize oneself and everything illumined by the light issuing forth from the tuft of hair between Lord Śākyamuni’s eyebrows. Immediately entering samādhi while reciting the mantra, one will obtain fruits of the accumulated great merit and will certainly become destined for awakening.

“This and similar meditations Were taught by the best of men For the sake of all beings’ welfare And for the benefit of mantra practitioners.

“The supreme seventh sage Taught at that time the most important meditation, For the benefit of all mantra practitioners And for all sentient beings.

“He taught the features and appearance Of the first, the second, And the third maṇḍalas, And after that, he taught the mantra.

“The best of men declared that With the first type of painting, the accomplishment will be supreme; With the second, it will be inferior to that; And with the smallest, the accomplishment will be very small.

“Just as with the form of the painting, so too Can the meditation be supreme, medium, or smallest. In short, though, this meditation Will remove all of one’s faults.

“There is nothing else to rely on Than the mode of meditation the wise one uses; His mantras will be successful, And he will be stable in his meditation.

“When the reciter has finished his chosen meditation That has been taught according to its procedure, He should request the mantra deity to depart, Using whatever offering he finds pleasing.

“He should then come out of the water stream And go, as he pleases, To a place as described before, Applying self-control according to rules.

“A mantra practitioner should recite the mantra As prescribed for the previous rite. He should then request the mantra deity, And whatever deities had been summoned, to depart.

“Next, the skilled practitioner should perform The protection rite for himself and his friends, While knowing the true nature of the ritual And taking pleasure in following its procedure.

“One should praise the best of beings By offering various eulogies, And thus supplicating one’s mantra deity, the lord of mantras, The śrāvakas, the rhinoceros-like pratyeka­buddhas,

“And the bodhisattvas, these great beings Who are forbearingly kind toward the three realms. A mantra reciter should then Get up from his seat once again

“And, having gone some distance from his dwelling, Should expel his breath completely, Discharge mucous and spittle, And void his bladder.

“During the daytime one should face north, And at nighttime, south. A mantra reciter should never Wish for material benefits.

“He should not recite, for this purpose, the mantra, Nor should he talk about his family and its activities. A practitioner of impeccable conduct, Adorned with auspicious marks, should sit on the ground.

“He should perform ablutions in pure water That reaches up to the hem of his robe, And thoroughly wash his feet, Wiping them seven times with clay.

“After urinating, he should use seven handfuls, After passing stool, use thirty handfuls, And clean his hands afterward. When clearing phlegm or snot, He should take two handfuls of clay.

“One should perform one’s toilet carefully, In a place far from one’s dwelling. One should go to where no sound is heard, And where all paths disappear.

“There, at one’s pleasure, Outside the southern boundary, In a pit submerged in saline water And covered over with sand,

“But not on a riverbank— One should avoid polluting them with feces— In a covered and secret place where one feels at ease, In a wilderness devoid of people,

“Can a mantra practitioner go to the toilet To void his body of impurities. A mantra reciter should know the right time And not hold in feces for too long.

“One should therefore go, whenever one feels like it, To a clean and deserted spot as prescribed And build there a toilet-cabin The way one wants.

“One should always relieve oneself In silence, without any company, In a secret and hidden hut, Or a place concealed by the terrain.

“When urine and stool have been evacuated, A vow holder should always clean himself Using soft and well-kneaded clay, Free of living organisms.

“One should divide the clay into three lumps and always use one To clean one’s anus and the remaining two to clean each hand. A mantra practitioner should always collect the clay From the ground as described before

“And thoroughly wash his feet, First the right, then the left. A mantra reciter should ensure That the feet do not touch each other.

“The personal hygiene of mantra reciters Has been taught at length before. The pure beings have formerly taught The purificatory toilet involving perfume and unguents. This purification procedure will now be summarized For the sake of those who follow the rules of mantra.

“The lord of sages has said That one should always stay pure Through a toilet involving perfume and unguents, As has been indicated in this entire tantra.

“One should perform ablutions while reciting the mantra, Delighting, like a devotee, in the rites that are successful, Following the method as previously taught, With one’s mind inwardly pure.

“In all the tantras the purity Of mantra practitioners is taught to be fivefold. Purity of the body, purity of speech, And purity of mind are taught as three; Fourth is the purity of truth, And fifth is the purity of water.

“One needs to abide by the law of truth, control one’s anger, Understand the teachings of the tantras, know the śāstras, Be proficient in understanding the significance of the subtle nature, Understand the mantras, and know the rituals.

“For those with both inner and outer skills, Accomplishment will not be difficult to find. One should not utter false and disrespectful words That are devoid of the quality of truth;

“Words that are cruel, cruel in the extreme, Or devoid of any truth; Words that sow mutual hatred and anger; Harsh words that attack someone’s weaknesses;

“Words devoid of truth or justice That hurt other beings; Or slanderous words born out of an afflicted mind That have no virtue in them at all.

“So, too, one should always avoid intrinsically harmful words That spring from wrong morality and do not accord with the Dharma. A mantra reciter should likewise always avoid The vulgar pursuits of common people.

“All the buddhas, bodhisattvas, And other wise beings condemn The misguided ire of Those who fear the next world.

“Certainly, too, the rhinoceros-like pratyeka­buddhas And the śrāvakas, time and again, Condemn false speech for those people Who desire accomplishment in this world.

“One who speaks false words Will go to a most terrible hell, Then to the animal realm, And after that to Yama’s world of hungry ghosts.

“One who makes one’s living by telling lies Will have to stay there continually. Such a feeble-minded being will go to the terrible Kālasūtra or Pratāpana hell,

“Or Sañjīva, Asipattra, Or perhaps Śālmalīvana, Where a person who speaks untruth Will remain for many eons.

“How could the mantras of a liar Ever bring accomplishment? One who deceives beings with false words Only brings them distress. One whose actions are so deluded Is therefore not going to see mantra accomplishment.

“There will be no accomplishment for the followers of mantra Who utter words in the manner just described. How could they win accomplishment, Even after many eons—tens of millions?

“One who rejects, on this earth, The teaching of the buddhas Will fall into the terrible And very frightening Avīci hell.

“In the Sañjīva, Kālasūtra, Or Pratāpana hell One will remain for one great eon, If one shuns these genuine instructions of mine.

“Foolish people will be cooked In a frighteningly dark hell, If, blind and veiled by darkness, They disdain the genuine teachings.

“Because of their ignorance and childish nature, They are deluded by their false pride. Slighting the vidyārāja, They will fall into a terrible hell.

“One should therefore refrain from committing evil, Or any contemptible falsehood. Genuine Dharma must not be despised, And wrong views must be rejected.

“Consequently, one should always have faith And always follow the mantra procedure. One who knows the mantra should speak the truth, Always for the good of sentient beings. If such a one resorts to the mantra, He will certainly obtain accomplishment.

“The (ritual) performance makes for the (ritual) activity; Such activity would not happen without the performance. One thus performs various activities (and creates various karmas) Of the sublime, medium, and lower types. One who thus engages in ritual activity Will always obtain accomplishment.

“In terms of purpose, the only purpose of ritual performance Is always for the sake of aim-oriented activity. Ritual performance without a motive is a kriyā (mere performance), Whereas ritual performance with a motive is a karman (retributive activity). As activity that relies on ritual bears results, One should always perform rituals.

“First the required procedure, then the activity, and then the result— This is always the order in which these three occur. That which bears no result (that is, the procedure on its own) becomes that which Produces the result (the activity), thus always ending with the result.

“With results or without them— These are the only possible outcomes. A mantra is accomplished through union; This union is what brings the accomplishment of mantra. The absence of union is separation, And separation, unlike union, is not effective.

“Accomplishment—the accomplishing of what is to be accomplished— Will not be won in that case. The power substances—the causes of accomplishment— Will be blocked in every respect.

“For those, however, who have accomplished their mantra, Even the mantras they have not previously accomplished bring results. The activity primarily intended by the performer Is the result of the procedure enacted for the purpose of this activity.

“In all activities one should not perform that which is ineffectual. Since the [effective] activity has its causes, Which are the mantra, the tantra, and the intention, One should always commence an activity employing [these causes].

“One should perform activities that are viable (ārabhya); One should not undertake activities that are ineffectual. Mantras that are not part of a ritual performance Will not bring accomplishment to anyone.

“The samaya, formerly taught by the supreme sages— The teachers of the true Dharma— Has been explained by the victorious ones In the teachings of the Mantra Vehicle.

“The practitioner who knows the complete doctrine of the mantra Has been shown, in this matchless king of manuals, The path that results in awakening— The path whose nature (rūpa) is mantra.

“All mantras for which the lineage connection Is always present will be successful. One will accomplish[, in such a case,] what one desires Within a short period of time.

“For the sake of pacifying every being, The perfect buddhas taught The path that consists of mantra, Which leads to the city of nirvāṇa.

“Thus, the path to awakening Always fulfills the purpose of all activities. Buddhahood is its place of origin And its ultimate and final aim.

“If effected through mantra recitation, This path will be accomplished without effort, And its results will be obtained Along with the knowledge of various karmic predispositions.

“In brief, this attainment will come To those with discipline, meditation, and [the three] liberations, And it will fulfill for them all aims— This has been taught by the chief among the victors.

“One will obtain an increase in riches, Reside in the ultimate realm, Or be the leader, in any event, of the yakṣas And the sovereign of gods and men.

“One who [knows] all mantras Will obtain supremacy Over men, gods, and asuras, And will make his rites bear fruit.

“One should always practice pure conduct And take joy in discipline and meditation. A mantra practitioner should recite the mantra That has been taught in all the tantras.

“The mantra practitioner may perform the various types of rites, Such as those of the highest or middling type. If, however, he desires riches, He should perform those of the lowest type.

“The lowest rites will bring an increase of pleasures; The middling will bring a superior body. The reciter will, however, attain the highest state Only through the supreme rites.

“At the end of recitation, the practitioner should rest, For as long as necessary; He should do his formal practice When the time for it has arrived.

“Even though all his rites have succeeded, the mantra practitioner Should keep reciting in order to exhaust all the evil of human beings. What is normally done through successive rites, He can accomplish through a single rite performed according to procedure.

“His accomplishment will become stable When he has acquired all that is possible for human beings to acquire. Such a mantra reciter should nevertheless continue to recite the mantra In order to exhaust evil, and then, to remove the karma of beings.

“May the mantras revered by the world That are supreme, middling, or inferior be successful! When recited they will exhaust all karma That has been accumulated throughout the succession of births.

“The evil of all the embodied beings will then be destroyed. One will obtain various body ornaments, Pleasing to the mind and possessed of all good qualities. One will obtain a place in the Yakṣa, with the permanent position of a king. Those who recite the mantra of the tathāgatas Will obtain every accomplishment.”