The bodhisattva Youthful Mañjuśrī then asked the Blessed One, “In what way should I earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī-mantra?”

The Blessed One replied, “You should earnestly focus on this dhāraṇī while wishing to be free of suffering and pursuing the profound. You should then visualize light rays, streaming forth from the syllable tāṁ, that transform everything above and below into vajra. Next, Mañjuśrī, you should recite the mantra oṁ vajra jvala vajra tana hūṁ phaṭ. Then, visualize a white syllable e appearing from tāṁ. Above that, visualize a blue vaṁ, on top of which is a yellow laṁ, on top of which is a green yaṁ, on top of which is a red raṁ. All of these syllables emanate and reabsorb light rays.

“oṁ dharmadhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ aṃ dhātu-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ samanta-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ pakṣa-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ kṣata-vyutthāna-viśuddha hūṁ | oṁ namaḥ sarva-tathāgata-maṇḍala samanta-viśuddha hūṁ.

“Mañjuśrī, while reciting this mantra generate the maṇḍala mansion: a square building sitting on a four-petaled, multicolored lotus and encircled by a fence of vajras. It has four gateways with eight pillars and is beautified by short and long garlands, tassels of jewels, and other festooned decorations. Generate the maṇḍala mansion in this way.

“In the center of the mansion, on the anthers of the lotus, sits a moon and lotus. Atop this lotus is a green syllable tāṁ, from which appears an utpala flower marked by tāṁ. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. Tārā appears from the utpala flower, green bodied and with one face and two arms. Her right hand makes the boon-granting gesture, and her left hand holds an utpala flower by the stem. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.

“On a moon and lotus in the east, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a dark blue utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a dark blue Tārā with two arms. She holds a trident in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.

“On a moon and lotus in the south, visualize the syllable re transforming into a yellow utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. The Tārā who appears from this utpala is the color of molten gold and has two arms. She holds a sword in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.

“On a moon and lotus in the west, visualize the syllable tu transforming into a red utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a red Tārā with two arms. She holds a wheel in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, as well as many other types of ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with her legs evenly crossed.

“On a moon and lotus in the north, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into a green utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears a green Tārā with two arms. She holds a parasol in her right hand and an utpala flower, by the stem, in her left. Her gorgeous body is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a smiling face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with her legs evenly crossed.

“On a moon and lotus at the eastern gate, visualize the syllable tāṁ transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Hook Tārā, white bodied and holding hooks in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.

“On a moon and lotus at the southern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Lasso Tārā, yellow bodied, one faced, and holding lassos in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a slightly wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.

“On a moon and lotus at the western gate, visualize the syllable tu transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Shackles Tārā, red bodied and holding shackles in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus seat with one leg extended and the other drawn in.

“On a moon and lotus at the northern gate, visualize the syllable re transforming into an utpala flower marked by the seed syllable. Light rays stream forth from it, filling the entire world with multicolored light so that the whole world is seen as an apparition, an illusion, a rainbow, a mirage, a reflection in water, and an image in a mirror. From that utpala flower appears Bell Tārā, green-blue in color and holding bells in her two hands. Her wrathful form is adorned with a long necklace, earrings, and armlets, all made of jewels, and many other ornaments. She is in the prime of youth, has a wrathful face, and is seated on a moon and lotus with one leg extended and the other drawn in.

“Mañjuśrī, visualize the circle of deities in this way.”

Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, what is meant by ‘apparition’ and so forth?”

The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, being afflicted is the basic constitution of the six classes of beings. Therefore, understand them to be like apparitions, illusions, rainbows, mirages, reflections in water, and images in a mirror.”