Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, again looked at the realm of the Pure Abode and, bowing to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas gathered together in that great assembly, pronounced the most secret single-syllable mantra, which removes all poisons and can be employed in all rites the mantra that is effective in the practices of his maṇḍala and which can also be used in all minor ritual activities. What is that mantra?
“After cleaning an area on the ground either eight or four cubits in size, it should be delimited using five-colored powder by oneself, not by anyone else. No matter where this is done, there is no fault. The area should be four sided, with sides of equal length, and should include the triple maṇḍala. First one should draw the great five-crested mudrā, the utpala mudrā of Lord Mañjuśrī, and the mudrās the fangs, the mouth, and the stick. These mudrās should be drawn in the eastern quarter of the inner maṇḍala.
“Next, outside the door base should be drawn a red lotus, a vajra, a blue lotus, a banner, a flag, a parasol, a doorway, a chariot, an elephant, a horse, a bull, a buffalo, a swastika, a peacock, a goat, a ram, and a man of youthful appearance. They should be arranged in successive rows fitting in with the threefold maṇḍala.
“Then, in the southeastern direction, one should perform the fire kindling ritual using the one-syllable mantra and offer one hundred and eight oblations with sticks of the devil’s horsewhip plant smeared with curds, honey, and ghee. Then a welcome offering of flowers should be presented. Using the one-syllable mantra, one may also offer, whenever desired, a bali, sacrificial food, lamps, or incense or perform the summoning and the dismissing.
“One should usher the supplicant into the maṇḍala. If he wants royal power, the maṇḍala should be drawn in the middle of a city; if he wishes for enjoyments, then near a banyan tree; if he wants a son, then near a lucky bean tree. If he desires a wife, horses, or elephants, then inside an elephant stable or a horse stable; if he has been bitten [by a snake], then at a pond or a place where nāgas live; if he is afflicted with a quartan, chronic, or any other fever, then near a solitary liṅga or to the south of a village; if he is possessed by rākṣasas, then in a cemetery or in an empty house; if he is possessed by piśācas, then near a beleric myrobalan tree or a castor oil plant; if he is possessed by any of the mātṛs, then at a crossroad or near a house where a male offspring has died; if he is possessed by brahmarākṣasas, then under a palm tree or a large sebesten tree. If he was fed poison, he should be given water incanted seven times with the one-syllable mantra and made to lie down in the middle of the maṇḍala—he will be released from the effects of the poison.
“Similarly, in the case of a woman or a man who seeks fame, one should draw the maṇḍala at a crossroad or on brahmins’ land. If it is a woman whose child has died, then it should be drawn near a fruit-bearing tree or a sap-filled tree. In the case of a childless woman, it should be drawn in the middle of a field of rice ready to harvest. For those who have contracted the three diseases or have been afflicted by others, it should be drawn at a crossing point or a similar place. In the case of severe illness, a maṇḍala that destroys rākṣasas should be drawn on a river island or a riverbank. Drawn on a mountaintop, the maṇḍala counters all diseases, in whatever form they may be. For the diseases caused by ḍākinīs, it should be drawn in a brahmin’s garden, an empty house, a lonely spot, or a depression in the terrain.
“In all rituals such as these, the maṇḍala should be drawn at midnight, or midday, or otherwise at any time. Employing this very one-syllable mantra, one should present a welcome offering of flowers to the deity and then dismiss him. Having done so, one should inundate the maṇḍala with water. This will provide strong protection to all those who are weary.
“They will be freed from all illnesses And will attain their desired goals. One without a son will obtain a son, And the unfortunate will meet with good fortune.
“The destitute will obtain wealth Through merely seeing the maṇḍala. Anyone with faith in the ritual, Whether it is a woman or a man, Will meet, every time, With whatever kind of good fortune they wish for.”
Mañjuśrī, the divine youth, again looked at the realm of the Pure Abode and, bowing to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas gathered together in that great assembly, pronounced the most secret single-syllable mantra, which removes all poisons and can be employed in all rites the mantra that is effective in the practices of his maṇḍala and which can also be used in all minor ritual activities. What is that mantra?
“After cleaning an area on the ground either eight or four cubits in size, it should be delimited using five-colored powder by oneself, not by anyone else. No matter where this is done, there is no fault. The area should be four sided, with sides of equal length, and should include the triple maṇḍala. First one should draw the great five-crested mudrā, the utpala mudrā of Lord Mañjuśrī, and the mudrās the fangs, the mouth, and the stick. These mudrās should be drawn in the eastern quarter of the inner maṇḍala.
“Next, outside the door base should be drawn a red lotus, a vajra, a blue lotus, a banner, a flag, a parasol, a doorway, a chariot, an elephant, a horse, a bull, a buffalo, a swastika, a peacock, a goat, a ram, and a man of youthful appearance. They should be arranged in successive rows fitting in with the threefold maṇḍala.
“Then, in the southeastern direction, one should perform the fire kindling ritual using the one-syllable mantra and offer one hundred and eight oblations with sticks of the devil’s horsewhip plant smeared with curds, honey, and ghee. Then a welcome offering of flowers should be presented. Using the one-syllable mantra, one may also offer, whenever desired, a bali, sacrificial food, lamps, or incense or perform the summoning and the dismissing.
“One should usher the supplicant into the maṇḍala. If he wants royal power, the maṇḍala should be drawn in the middle of a city; if he wishes for enjoyments, then near a banyan tree; if he wants a son, then near a lucky bean tree. If he desires a wife, horses, or elephants, then inside an elephant stable or a horse stable; if he has been bitten [by a snake], then at a pond or a place where nāgas live; if he is afflicted with a quartan, chronic, or any other fever, then near a solitary liṅga or to the south of a village; if he is possessed by rākṣasas, then in a cemetery or in an empty house; if he is possessed by piśācas, then near a beleric myrobalan tree or a castor oil plant; if he is possessed by any of the mātṛs, then at a crossroad or near a house where a male offspring has died; if he is possessed by brahmarākṣasas, then under a palm tree or a large sebesten tree. If he was fed poison, he should be given water incanted seven times with the one-syllable mantra and made to lie down in the middle of the maṇḍala—he will be released from the effects of the poison.
“Similarly, in the case of a woman or a man who seeks fame, one should draw the maṇḍala at a crossroad or on brahmins’ land. If it is a woman whose child has died, then it should be drawn near a fruit-bearing tree or a sap-filled tree. In the case of a childless woman, it should be drawn in the middle of a field of rice ready to harvest. For those who have contracted the three diseases or have been afflicted by others, it should be drawn at a crossing point or a similar place. In the case of severe illness, a maṇḍala that destroys rākṣasas should be drawn on a river island or a riverbank. Drawn on a mountaintop, the maṇḍala counters all diseases, in whatever form they may be. For the diseases caused by ḍākinīs, it should be drawn in a brahmin’s garden, an empty house, a lonely spot, or a depression in the terrain.
“In all rituals such as these, the maṇḍala should be drawn at midnight, or midday, or otherwise at any time. Employing this very one-syllable mantra, one should present a welcome offering of flowers to the deity and then dismiss him. Having done so, one should inundate the maṇḍala with water. This will provide strong protection to all those who are weary.
“They will be freed from all illnesses And will attain their desired goals. One without a son will obtain a son, And the unfortunate will meet with good fortune.
“The destitute will obtain wealth Through merely seeing the maṇḍala. Anyone with faith in the ritual, Whether it is a woman or a man, Will meet, every time, With whatever kind of good fortune they wish for.”
Sutraya