I pay homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus have I heard at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagṛha, on the southern slope of Vulture Peak Mountain in the luminous grove of jewel trees, the domain of the Buddha, together with a large monastic assembly of 1,250 monks. This assembly included venerable Śāriputra, venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, venerable Mahākāśyapa, venerable Gayākāśyapa, venerable Nadīkāśyapa, venerable Ājñāta­kauṇḍinya, venerable Nandika, venerable Mahākātyāyana, venerable Bakkula, venerable Vāṣpa, venerable Koṣṭhila, venerable Vāgīśa, venerable Aśvajit, venerable Subhūti, venerable Suvāhu, venerable Aniruddha, venerable Uruvilvā­kāśyapa, venerable Revata, and venerable Ānanda, among others.

At that time, the Blessed One and his monastic assembly were venerated, revered, honored, and worshipped by Ajātaśatru, king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, who offered them clothes, food, bedding, medicine, and other material necessities. Just then, the earth shook tremendously, a massive cloud formation appeared, there was an untimely wind, strong hail began to fall, and a heavy rain fell from the massive cloud. Thunder roared and lightning flashed. Chaos erupted throughout the ten directions. A thick darkness then settled, such that the stars disappeared and even the sun and moon were dimmed. No longer gleaming and luminous, they ceased to shine.

With his pristine, divine vision, superior to that of humans, the Blessed One saw those frightening things occur in the city of Vaiśālī. He saw that villages belonging to certain Licchavi people of Vaiśālī were afflicted with elemental spirits. He saw that some of the village youth, astrologers, councilors, prime ministers, court members, servant men and women, laborers, messengers, and attendants were also afflicted with elemental spirits. He saw that the monks and nuns and the men and women with lay vows throughout the entire land of Vaiśālī were all frightened, looking up to the sky, and crying out in horror. They paid homage to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. He saw that from among the brahmins and householders without particular devotion toward the Buddha’s teachings, some paid homage to Brahmā; some paid homage to Śakra; some paid homage to the guardians of the world; and still others paid homage to Maheśvara, Māṇibhadra, Pūrṇabhadra, Hārītī, the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, or those spirits that dwell in mountains, forests, thickets, trees, rivers, fountains, ponds, pools, wells, and reliquaries. He saw that everyone was sitting and wondering, “How can we be freed from the peril of such a calamity?”

The Blessed One then manifested a miraculous feat by which a sound was heard throughout all realms of the trichiliocosm, causing the world of gods, humans, and demigods to have faith and assemble.

At that point, Brahmā, master of the world; the gods of the Brahma realm; Śakra, lord of the gods; the gods of the realm of the Thirty-Three; the four great kings and the gods of their realm; the twenty-eight yakṣa generals; the thirty-two great yakṣa warriors; and Hārītī with her sons, together with their retinues, all with sublime complexions, used their respective complexions and powers to bathe Vulture Peak Mountain in bright light, like a pristine dawn once the night has passed. Approaching the Blessed One, they bowed their heads to his feet, sat to one side, then praised the Blessed One in verses of unified phrasing, cadence, and meter:

“You shine with the luster of burnished gold, Like the light of the full moon. As stable as Vaiśravaṇa, You are the source of all jewels.

Lion-Like One, with your elephant-like gait, You advance like an elephant in rut. You are like a golden mountain, Or an ornament made of gold from the Jambu River.

Like the moon in a cloudless sky Studded with stars, You are adorned with sublime characteristics In the midst of a śrāvaka assembly.

This world with its gods Comes to the Sage for refuge. The time for safeguarding The welfare of humans has neared!

This sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Disclosed by the previous buddhas, Is the supreme boundary that seals the area, All the way to the ends of the surrounding mountains.

We pay homage to you, heroic being! We pay homage to you, supreme being! To the great Sage, king of Dharma, We pay homage with palms joined!”

The Blessed One remained silent for a moment, then said to the four great kings, “Great Kings! It would be improper to think that your assembly could harm my assembly. That is because it is in this world of humans that the Buddha has appeared, the sublime Dharma has been eloquently taught, and the Saṅgha has excellently practiced it. The seed planted from this has yielded buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, arhats, and śrāvakas in the world. Based on generating the roots of virtue with respect to them, beings of the world are born into any of the thirty-two divine realms. And kings, moreover, with their four-division army, become cakra-ruling kings with dominion over the four continents. They exercise righteous rule over the entire earth all the way to the oceans. They also come to possess a thousand sons, valiant, courageous, handsome in all respects, with the impetuousness of the power of great champions, who vanquish opposing groups and take possession of the seven kinds of precious substances. Thus, you should worry little about such a thing happening in this world.”

Then, the great king Vaiśravaṇa arose from his seat, draped his upper robe on one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing to the Blessed One with palms joined, he said to him, “Blessed One, we have houses, abodes, and estates, including villages, gardens, mansions, apartments, and residences scented with incense censers and strewn with flowers, with porticos, archways, and small windows. Everywhere is festooned with beautiful and bright multi-colored silk streamers and studded with bell and pearl lattice. There we dwell, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of girls, fully embroiled in the five sense pleasures. Venerable Blessed One, since we are intoxicated and thus remain without a care, our entourages venture out everywhere throughout the ten directions in search of food and drink. They thus steal life force, harm, obstruct, murder, and take the lives of men, women, boys, girls, newborns, and animals.

“We will reveal the physical characteristics of our own respective entourages before the fourfold retinue, in the presence of the Venerable Blessed One. There should be formed a magnificent image, along with a shrine, of the great king to whom a particular graha belongs. The patient should proclaim the name of that great king and scent with his own hand the image and the shrine with various fragrances. Having strewn the earth with flower petals and offered burning butter-lamps, the patient should then perform worship at that shrine.

“The symptoms of being afflicted by a yakṣa graha belonging to my entourage, Venerable Blessed One, are as follows:

“One laughs repeatedly and trembles, Speaks incoherently, and is prone to anger. One sleeps, Or is in excruciating pain.

“One constantly looks upward, As though chasing the stars. At night one is in ecstasy, Constantly writhing and groaning.

“There are mantra syllables for this, So please listen to me, Lord of the World!

syād yathedam siddhe susiddhe satve are araṇe bale mahābale jambhe jaṭile akhane makhane khakhane kharaṭṭe kharaṅge haripiṅgale temiṅgile temiṅgile temiṅgile temiṅgile nimaṃgalye svāhā |

“May my mantra syllables be fulfilled! May the name, power, sovereignty, and might of the great king Vaiśravaṇa bring me well-being! Svāhā!”

Next, the great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra arose from his seat, draped his upper robe on one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing to the Blessed One with palms joined, he said to him, “The symptoms of being afflicted by a gandharva graha from my entourage, Blessed One, are as follows:

“One sings and dances, And also indulges in jewelry. One is without avarice and speaks profusely, Laughs, and is prone to anger.

“One is thirsty, has red eyes, And is constantly suffering with fever. Unable to open one’s eyes, One lies with face averted.

“There are mantra syllables for this, So please listen to me, Lord of the World!

syād yathedam akhe nakhe vinakhe bhandhe varāṅge capale vakhe vakhane akhiṇe nakhene vahule bhakhe bhagandale vaśe vaśavartīna svāhā |

“Through the name, power, sovereignty, and might of the great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, may I be free of all grahas and misfortunes! Svāhā!”

Then it was the great king Virūḍhaka who arose from his seat, draped his upper robe on one shoulder, and kneeled on his right knee. Bowing to the Blessed One with palms joined, he said to him, “The symptoms of being afflicted by a preta kumbhāṇḍa from my entourage, Blessed One, are as follows:

“One becomes afflicted with extreme thirst And looks about with bewilderment. One’s face turns red, And one lies curled up on the ground.

“One’s complexion becomes sickly and one’s body emaciated. One’s hair and nails grow long. One becomes filthy and malodorous. One utters falsehoods and nonsense.

“There are mantra syllables for this, So please listen to me, Lord of the World!

syād yathedam khakhakhami khalane khalami kharāli kharali karakhe kaśani karaṭe kāli kāmini vivale vidheya­śayani­samavate śama śamini svāhā |

“Through the name, power, sovereignty, and might of the great king Virūḍhaka, may all grahas and misfortunes be pacified for me! Svāhā!”

The great king Virūpākṣa now arose from his seat, draped his upper robe on one shoulder, and kneeled on his right knee . Bowing to the Blessed One with palms joined, he said to him, “The symptoms of being afflicted by a fine-winged nāga graha from my entourage, Blessed One, are as follows:

“One hiccups and pants. Likewise, one’s breath becomes cold. One perspires and drools. One falls asleep repeatedly.

“Full in complexion and strong, Accordingly, one thrashes and runs about, Bares one’s finger nails, And throws oneself on the ground wailing.

“There are mantra syllables for this, So please listen to me, Lord of the World!

syād yathedam krakami kragamaṇi kragase krugraśe krakra śami kruśrumi kruśrume krukka krukluma kruge agale nagale samagale kuhume gume alake kaluke kalamale galale kalaṭake irimire dhire arugavati svāhā |

“Through the name, power, sovereignty, and might of the great king Virūpākṣa, may I have well-being!”

At this, the Blessed One sounded a lion’s roar before the whole assembly:

“I, replete with the ten powers and emboldened by the four types of fearlessness, will perfectly roar out a great lion’s roar like the leader of the pack amid the assembly. I will turn the wheel of Brahmā.

“Only one can defeat Māra, With his sentinels, troops, and mounts! For the sake of protecting all beings, Listen to me for all incantations!

syād yathedam asaṅge khaṅgavate balavate balanirghoṣe śūre śūravatve vajrasme vajragame vajradhare stambhe jambhe dṛḍhasāre viraje vighośe varāgraprāpte araṇe araṇe dharmmayukte diśi vighuṣṭe svāhā |

“May the name, power, sovereignty, and might of the Thus-Gone One bring me well-being! Svāhā!”

Once the guardians of the world in the four quarters Heard the Buddha’s speech, Frightened, petrified, and timid, They sat down with palms joined.

The gatherings of bhūtas that remained, Frightened, bewildered, and panicked, Fled throughout the ten directions, Crying out with loud wails.

Perceiving that, the great kings Proclaimed three secrets: “Wondrous! Incantation, great incantation, That destroys the great trichiliocosm!

“Hearing this speech of the Buddha, The bhūtas have become frightened. It is like a raging fire, Or like a sword striking sesame butter.

“The incantation disclosed by Gautama Is like a razor blade. Whoever disregards That speech of the Sage, so eloquently uttered,

“Will have his oldest son Eliminated by Brahmā’s noose. Ignite a blazing fire, Scatter the water of the burnt offering

“Above, below, and throughout the four directions, Then take barley grains and white mustard seeds, Combined with clarified butter, And pour them into the fire.

“If, upon hearing this eloquent utterance, They do not quickly exclaim it, They will be incinerated, Like butter and white mustard seeds poured into a fire.

“Threatened with the punishment of yakṣas, They will not be well— Large boils will form On the right side of the rib cage.

“Afflicted with a yakṣa illness, They will contract white leprosy, And never travel To the palace of Aḍakavatī.

“They will not see the home Of illustrious Kubera, Nor find a seat In the company of the bhūta assemblies.

“In the circle of yakṣas, They will be without food and drink.

“Any yakṣa that does not heed This sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Will incur the wrath of Vajradhara, Who will split open his forehead, Cut out his tongue With a jagged knife, Cut off his ears and nose With a sharp knife, Cut out his brains With a circular saw, And pulverize his heart With a sledgehammer. Warm pus and blood Will flow from his mouth.

“Through the punishment of the noose incantation, They will perpetually wander in saṃsāra. They will keep on cycling just there, In the cyclic existence of the yakṣa world.”

Each of the glorious great kings Then went to one of the four directions. Clad in the armor of Dharma, They sat on fine thrones.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra was in the east, Virūḍhaka in the south, Virūpākṣa in the west, And Kubera in the north.

When the great kings, Radiant with glory and splendor, had thus departed, The omniscient teacher Floated up, suspended in space.

There, on a vajra seat, In a mansion emanated by Brahmā, he took his seat. Then, Brahmā, Great Brahmā, Standing with palms joined, paid homage:

“Glorious One, you are like a golden mountain, Or a golden sacrificial post. You are like a lotus flower in full bloom, Or the king of sal trees in blossom.

“Like the sun, or the full moon, Surrounded by stars, The Sage, with his golden complexion, Is replete with sublime characteristics.”

When Brahmā, Forefather of the World, Had thus praised the Light of the World, In front of the Lord of the World, He addressed the guardians of the world:

“The entourages of the guardians of the world Have not received the instruction, Because from it emerge buddhas And pratyekabuddhas.

“Śrāvakas are born from it, And gods, too, are born from it. Brāhmans, who have mastered the six branches of Vedic learning, Are also born from it.

“So are distinguished sages And mendicant brāhmins. Humanity is being tormented From your lack of concern.”

When they heard Brahmā’s speech, The guardians of the world said: “It is so, Great Brahmā! It is so, Great Sage!

“We will purify all this, As far as the ocean, Shaking Mount Sumeru And overturning the earth!

“With lasso, tight and sturdy, We will bind The sun, the moon, the winds, And all the stars!

“We will forever eliminate Even the quarters of those Who are wicked And do the world no good.

“This world with its gods Complains on account of the bhūtas. The bhūtas harm human beings And endanger them.

“The mantra holders show That anyone who transgresses Mantras, medicines, or incantations Is defeated.

“Having threatened them thoroughly with punishment We will now speak Before the Lord of the World To our retinues that transgress the incantation.

“We will now mete out the punishment— The sūtra manifested by Brahmā— To those in the circle of bhūtas Who did not obey when it was uttered.”

They bowed to the feet of the Buddha And glanced at one another. Then, on four golden chariots, Fit for all tasks,

With wheels with a thousand spokes, And studded with the seven types of precious substances— Beryl, gold, and silver, Pearl and crystal,

Ruby and emerald— They miraculously took to the sky. The kings, seated there, Arrived within the circle of bhūtas.

They dispatched all the yakṣa generals To the four directions, saying: “Strew the ground With gold dust and flowers.

“Then, fasten sticks, cords, and nooses To the necks of all the bhūtas Present throughout the lands And bring them here!

“The sublime sūtra Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Heard as far as the Brahma worlds, Is pondered by all gods.

“Yakṣas and rākṣasas are vanquished By the body of The Great Trichiliocosm.”

When the yakṣa generals Heard Kubera’s words, They went throughout the four directions. They called out loudly to the guhyakas:

“O Sage! May the assemblies of bhūtas in the east, Twenty-eight bhūtas, Grahas born from gandharvas, Obey me! By means of the sūtra noose They are all bound by the five fetters!

“O Sage! May the assemblies of bhūtas in the south, Twenty-eight bhūtas, Grahas born from kumbhāṇḍas, Obey me! By means of the sūtra noose, They are all bound by the five fetters!

“O Sage! May the assemblies of bhūtas in the west, Twenty-eight bhūtas, Grahas born from nāgas, Obey me! By means of the sūtra noose, They are all bound by the five fetters!

“O Sage! May the assemblies of bhūtas in the north, Twenty-eight bhūtas, Grahas born from yakṣas, Obey me! By means of the sūtra noose, They are all bound by the five fetters!

“The six hundred million yakṣas In the court of Sañjaya, He Who Is Born by Men, The oldest son of Kubera, Are bound by the five fetters, And brought forth with the sūtra noose.

“The six hundred million yakṣas In the court Of Kubera’s second oldest son, Known as Janaka, Are bound by the five fetters, And brought forth with the sūtra noose.

“The six hundred million yakṣas In the court Of Kubera’s third oldest son, Whose name is Mahāgraha, Are bound by the five fetters, And brought forth with the sūtra noose.

“The six hundred million yakṣas In the court Of Kubera’s fourth oldest son, Whose name is Kalaśodara, Are bound by the five fetters, And brought forth with the sūtra noose.

“The six hundred million yakṣas In the court of the great god Maheśvara, The Four-Armed One, Mahābala, Are bound by the five fetters, And brought forth with the sūtra noose.

“Once all the bhūtas have arrived On the mountain that destroys bhūtas, They ponder this incantation, The source of all incantations.

“Since this severely strict punishment Was uttered by all buddhas, We all respectfully Go to Gautama for refuge!

“You should firmly obey this, And everything will vanish!”

Then, all of a sudden The assemblies of bhūtas arrived. Through the noose incantation Billions of yakṣas were summoned—

Those that dwell On mountains and precipices, In oceans and lakes, In rivers, cascades, and springs;

Those that dwell in parks and mansions, In gardens and forests, In shrines and towns, And at tree trunks;

Those that dwell at town gates and in villages, In cities and countries, In royal palaces and doorways, And in mansions;

Those that dwell in maṇḍalas and charnel grounds, And likewise, in temples, At borders, and in customs houses, Empty houses, and wild places;

All the yakṣas were summoned from above and below, The four directions, and all intermediate directions.

Some played clay drums, Others played gargara drums. The Mahābalas played Lutes, flutes, and small kettledrums.

As they played these instruments, Sang songs, and danced, they summoned Indra, Soma, and Varuṇa, Bharadvāja and Prajāpati,

Vikala and Lohitākṣa, Himavat and Supūrṇaka, Candana and Kāmaśreṣṭhī, Maṇikaṇṭha and Nikaṇṭhaka,

Prajāguru, The divine son Mātali, The gandharva Citrasena, Nararāj, Jinarṣabha,

Likewise the one named Pañcaśikha, Tumburu and Sūryavarcasa, Śaila and Asiputra, Viśvāmitra and Yaśodharā,

Āḍavaka and Sumanas, Śūcīkarṇa and Darīmukha, Pañcālagaṇḍa and Sumukha, All with their sentinels, troops, and mounts,

The gods, nāgas, and gandharvas, Yakṣas, rākṣasas, and asuras, The unmādas that return every third day, Fevers that recur every fourth day,

And all the wicked yakṣas and rākṣasas, Harmful to the world, Present throughout the four directions.

Bound by the five fetters, They stood with palms joined And addressed the Lord of the World:

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage to you with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!

“Running before them Are bhūta yakṣas with large bodies, Terrible ones with four arms, With many feet, or one foot, With four feet, or two feet, With feet above and face below,

“With many bodies and one head, With one body and four heads, With many eyes and half a body, With one eye and twelve stomachs,

“With the heads of ass, camel, and elephant, With arms above and head hanging, With weapons for teeth, arms, and feet,

“Rākṣasas with copper hair and teeth, Copper eyes and arms, Copper hammers for feet, Copper noses and mouths, With hands and feet ablaze,

“Ones that dwell inside the bodies of humans, Hunchbacked, one eyed, and with boils, With disfigured eyes and yawning mouths, With bodies of sea monsters and tigers, Monstrous, with gaping mouths, Dangling lips, and curled fangs, Wicked faces, wrinkled with wrath,

“With swollen bellies and vase-shaped ears, With hanging ears, or no ears, With long arms and long ears, Long noses and long hands,

“With wizened bodies, long bodies, And long hair, well adorned, With thin feet and necks, Malodorous, and with gourd-shaped bellies,

“With limbs like a sea monster’s, Bellies like wooden pestles and hammers, Eyes cocked up, big noses, And bright red hair sticking straight up,

“With big heads, necks like bows, Wizened, hunchbacked, and with gourd-shaped bellies—

“They poured down a rain of flaming sparks, Shaking the peak of Mount Sumeru.

“With complexions like trees, mountains, stones, Or cloud masses, The kumbhāṇḍas let out the horrific sounds Of percussion music With conch shells, kettledrums, clay drums, and large kettledrums.

“With large throats, they brayed like donkeys. They were black, yellow, and blue, Or orange, as orange as fire, With body hairs like needles and head hairs like swords.

“Smeared red with blood, They ran around, Seizing and devouring Human corpses.

“With sharp teeth, red hands, And lips spattered with blood, They filled their hands With half-eaten bodies, And with kidneys, hearts, and other internal organs.

“While devouring children, They robbed embryos and creatures Of the strength of their limbs. With the bodies of skeletons, They terrorized many people.

“Carrying human skins, Filled with blood, And smeared with potent poison, They ran all around.

“They scattered to the gates of the cities, From house to house, And disturbed the humors of wind, bile, and phlegm Throughout the four directions.

“All such graha kings And terrifying beings Assembled there Are bound by the noose incantation.

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!

“Coursing throughout cities, towns, countries, And the courts of royal palaces, The horrible yakṣas steal luster. Devoid of compassion, they drink blood.

“They are large bodied and terrible, Mighty and loud, With ten necks and a thousand eyes, Great grahas with red eyes.

“Dispatching their retainers, They are terrifying, with weapons in their hands. Some are carrying serpent nooses;

“Those with four arms carry torches, Knives, sticks, And vajra spears. Vanquishing fierce armies, They bring terror everywhere.

“Even all the gracious guhyakas Dwelling in the locale of the wicked Seize men, women, and others In these worlds of humans.

“Reveling in warm flesh and blood, they are protean— Humans see the yakṣas In the form of lions, tigers, or horses, Buffaloes, cows, asses, camels, Or elephants,

“Bears, leopards, or jackals, Dogs, foxes, or goats,

“In the form of cats, rats, or monkeys, In the form of rhinoceroses, boars, mongooses, Fish, or turtles.

“Some are seen in the form of otters; Others are seen in the form of crows, owls, or cuckoos, Vultures, falcons, or timitimiṅgila fish;

“Still others are seen In the form of peacocks, or swans, Swans, curlews, Or wild cocks.

“Even as birds They terrorize many people. Some have the heads of humans And the bodies of wild cocks, or asses.

“Some attack with weapons; Others manifest as disembodied. Disturbed and driven by their wants, They are draped in intestine garlands.

“Stabbing with tridents, They injure creatures. Exclaiming horrid sounds, Beings are tormented.

“They manifest in various forms, As many as there are types of creatures. Some even hold mountains, While others hold swords and disks.

“Numbering in the hundreds of thousands, Rākṣasas are threatened with clubs and abuse, Their eyes are plucked out, their faces disfigured, And their teeth are broken.

“Rākṣasas have their noses and ears severed, Their tongues severed, and their faces wrinkled. Their hands and feet are chopped off, And their heads are cut off.

“Seeking an opportunity, They steal the luster of the wicked. They manifest as microscopic grahas In the bodies of humans.

“All those assembled Between body hairs, in the body’s vital spots, Or at the openings of wounds Are also brought forth by the noose incantation.

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!

“Those that dwell on Sumeru, the king of mountains, And likewise on the surrounding mountain range, Those that dwell on Vulture Peak, Iśādhāra, Gandhamādana, and Himavat,

“Those that dwell on Pāṇḍava, Citrakūṭa, And on the twin peaks of Nārada, Those on the peak of Śrīparvata, Risen to lofty summits,

“All the gods and sages Dwelling on all those mountains Are displeased And cry out with anguish.

“Billions of gods And trillions of gods With fortunate, divine maidens Join their palms.

“Vemacitrin, Rāhula, And Prahlāda have also assembled; The trillions of asuras And billions of asuras, Along with their many daughters with supernatural powers, All join their palms.

“Supratiṣṭha, Sāgara, And the nāga king Manasvin, The nāga king Anavatapta, And the pair Nanda and Upanandaka,

“Vajramati, Vakṣunanda, Gaṅgā, Nanda, Sindhu, Sāgara, And Suparṇī, king of birds—

“Who with millions And billions of nāgas Churn up the ocean— They and their fortunate daughters Join their palms.

“Even the sun and the moon, Surrounded by the stars, Suvarṇavarṇa in Puṣpa, Rabheyaka in Magadha, Kāpili in Bharukaccha, Prapuṇḍaka in Kośala,

“Śūcīlomā in Bhadra, Yaśodharā in Malla, Vibhīṣaṇa in Pāñcāla, And Lohitākṣa in Aśvaja,

“Piṅgala in Avanta, Kapilākṣa in Vaidiśa, Kumbhodara in Matsa, And Dīrghila in Sūrata,

“Pramardana in Gāndhāra, Sūryamitra in Kambu, And the sixteen ukta yakṣas In the great countries.

“The great yakṣa Vajrapāṇi, The Dharma protector Prapuṇḍara, Kapila, Sudarśana, Viṣṇu, Piṇḍāra, and Karaśodara,

“Kumbhīra, Sātyaki, Pāñcika, and Jinarṣabha, The great yakṣa Maheśvara, Four armed and mighty,

“Pramardana Śūrasena, Powerful and mighty, Yama and his servants, And Māra with his army,

“The yakṣa named Hari Retaining an entourage of ten million yakṣas, Śarita with her army, And the yakṣiṇī Giridāri With her army,

“The majestic, terrific form Known as Hārītī, And Caṇḍā Caṇḍālikā Surrounded by her five hundred sons,

“Ākoṭā, Karkaṭī, Kālī, Padumā, Padumāvatī, Puṣpadantī, Viśālā, And the rākṣasī Kharakarṇa,

“Candana, Viṣṇula, Haripiṅgalapiṅgala, Kuñjara, Nāgadanta, Girimitra, and Agradaṃṣṭraka,

“The rākṣasī Bhadradantā, Brahmilā, Viṣṇulā, The yakṣa Hālāhala, And the rākṣasa Vituṇḍaka—

“Carrying spears, bows, and arrows, They run around everywhere, Harming and devouring People, horses, cows, and deer.

“Shaking the earth, They dry up the groves; Shaking the mountains, They harm these beings.

“Assembling from far and near, They converged, summoned by the incantation.

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

When they had thus assembled Before the Lord of the World, King Vaiśravaṇa then said this To the Lord of the World:

“The royal palace manifested To the north of me Is beautiful Aḍakavatī; Thus I am its lord. All the gods marvel over The royal palace of Aḍakavatī.

“Its high surrounding wall Is studded with all precious materials. It is sixteen leagues in height And made out of gold.

“Each of its four directional turrets Is inhabited all around By vajra-holding yakṣas, With weapons manifested in their hands.

“The royal palace Is equipped with four gates: The first gate is made of gold. The second is made of silver.

“The third is a crystal gate. The fourth is adorned with gold. Inside the city Is a garden with flowers in full bloom.

“Inside the city are various mansions Made of the seven types of precious substances, With trees of various jewels, And the symphonic warbling of birds.

“It is strewn with various flowers And anointed with various perfumes. It is adorned with the yakṣiṇī Vidhvaṃsaṇī And with song and music.

“I experience the most sublime happiness There, in that circle of bhūtas. My attendants there, moreover, Are endowed with all the best attributes.

“As beings that seek the Dharma and practice the Dharma, They do not harm creatures.

“Deprived of food and drink, Other dreadful beings Search about for the best sense pleasures, And look everywhere throughout the four directions.

“I will destroy All of those hundreds of billions Of yakṣas, rākṣasas, and bhūtas That dwell at the city gates, In gardens and forests, Summoning them with the sūtra noose!

“At the center of the royal palace Is the dwelling place of the Dharma King, Encircled by a cool pond And shaded by sandal trees.

“All around, for sixteen leagues, Mansions are formed. The first is made of gold. The second is made of silver.

“The third is made of beryl. The fourth is made of pure crystal. The fifth is made of red pearl. The sixth is made of emerald. The seventh is made of ruby. The eighth is made of all seven precious substances.

“Hundreds of thousands of women Adorned with many various pieces of jewelry And garments Inhabit each one of them.

“They are learned in singing and playing musical instruments And in artistic skills. Enthralled and satiated With such delights,

“I am intoxicated there With sweet drink and pleasures. Thus, my attendants wander off And wreak havoc throughout the ten directions.

“Women and men, And likewise boys and girls, And infants in the womb are terrorized. Those in the animal realms are also harmed.

“The stars, the sun, and the moon, And the terrible planets are harmed. They steal grain, seeds, and fruit, Flowers, medicine, food, and drink.

“Stealing the splendor of human beings, They make high beings low.

“Whatever wars, fights, and strife There are in the world, All that is scorched, destroyed, slain, or split Is an expression of bhūtas.

“They conceal and reveal, Turn back and confront, Frighten and seek out, And show hostility.

“They cause nightmares And cause harm to the slumbering. Projecting clicking sounds from doorways, They screech and devour.

“They appear in the form of friends and relatives And begin conversation. They appear in the form of beautiful girls And indulge their desires.

“They appear in the form of the sun and stars, And in the form of the moon. Those detrimental to life Appear in the form of wind and shooting stars.

“They appear as frightening jackals and dogs, As many as the host of stars, At the locales of trees And shrines.

“In the beautiful form of young men, They shine and make the sounds of carriages. At locations and on roads They manifest various forms. These yakṣas open the entrances To cities and homes.

“Seizing life force and body, They gravitate toward bad pathways.

“In various forms, With various sounds And various diseases, They manifest illnesses in the body. They falsely present the symptoms Of all diseases.

“They distort everything— The nature of all that appears in the world Is twisted by them. Led forth by the sūtra noose, They are all present here.”

Then, Vaiśravaṇa arose, And with palms joined said:

“You with designs of wheels on your feet, You are like a shining golden sacrificial post. Illuminator of the world, Great Sage, you are like fire!

“Sixty-four thousand yakṣas With terrible secret mantras Dwell in the north And perpetrate harm in the north.

“In the presence of the Lord of the World, I will pronounce their punishment:

syād yathedam khaṅge khaṅge khaṅga garbhe vicakṣaṇe cakra rājane candre capale pātāle bhīmavadavati kharāgre bhṛikuṭimukhe kuṭila­karāgre ekākṣi vargavati sāraṅgavati mārgavati gargavate citravati citrakānti |

“May I have well-being in the north! Svāha!

“May Brahmā and Śakra, The guardians of the world and Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Accept from me these flowers, incense, And burnt offerings!

“Through their vigor, Brilliance, majesty, and might, May all illnesses be vanquished And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes!

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

The great king Dhṛtarāṣṭra arose, And with palms joined said:

“You who are in full bloom, like a bouquet of flowers, You with the voice of a kalaviṅka bird’s call, Who resound with the sound like that of kokila birds and peacocks, And like the roar of kettledrums and thunder,

“Great Sage, Sixty-four thousand yakṣas, rākṣasas, and gandharvas Dwell in the east And perpetrate harm in the east.

“In the presence of the Lord of the World I will pronounce their punishment:

syād yathedam dhāraṇi dhāraṇi pradhvaṃsani bhañjani prabhañjani vidhamaṇi kiṃpuruṣe śakale sārethe sāravati śūladhare śūladhāriṇi śuddhacaraṇe ghoṣavati śārāgre śānte |

“May I have well-being in the east! Svāha!

“May Brahmā and Śakra, The guardians of the world and Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Accept from me these flowers, incense, And burnt offerings!

“Through their vigor, Brilliance, majesty, and might, May all illnesses be vanquished And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes!

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

King Virūḍhaka then arose, And with palms joined said:

“All-knower, all-seer, Defeater of all proponents, Dispeller of all doubts, Leader of all worlds,

“Sixty-four thousand Kumbhāṇḍa pretapūtanas Dwell in the south And perpetrate harm Against those who appear there.

“In the presence of the Lord of the World, I will pronounce their punishment:

syād yathedam śānti śāravati kānti kāravati kiṃkarasi kiṃkarati kiṃkasikiriṇṭi kiṃrate kiṃvate dharaṇi dhavani bhūmi dhāriṇi himavati jyotiścaraṇe gālāgre |

“May I have well-being in the south! Svāha!

“May Brahmā and Śakra, The world protectors and Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Accept from me these flowers, incense, And burnt offerings!

“Through their vigor, Brilliance, majesty, and might, May all illnesses be vanquished And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes!

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

King Virūpākṣa then arose, And with palms joined said:

“Great Cloud, Great Lion, Greatest of the Great, Great Ocean, Great Proponent, Great Hero, Vanquisher of Great Armies,

“Sixty-four thousand Fine-winged nāga guhyakas Dwell in the west And perpetrate harm against those who appear there.

“In the presence of the Lord of the World, I will pronounce their punishment:

syād yathedam dharmivarāgre balavate balini viśāṅge vicaśi sāgare khārī kapali caṇḍāli kiriṇi nīrañjane vidhāriṇi vallamati avarṇavati acale |

“May I have well-being in the west! Svāha!

“May Brahmā and Śakra, The guardians of the world and Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Accept from me these flowers, incense, And burnt offerings!

“Through their vigor, Brilliance, majesty, and might, May all illnesses be vanquished And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes! Svāhā!

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

Then, Brahmā, Great Brahmā, arose, And with palms joined said:

“Pristine One, purified by Brahmā, Master of all forms of knowledge, Delighter of beings, king of physicians, Healer of all worlds,

“In the presence of the Lord of the World, I will pronounce the punishment For the yakṣas and rākṣasas That dwell throughout the cardinal and intermediate directions, And for the grahas that dwell Deep underground, on the earth, In between, and in the sky:

syād yathedam brahme brahma ghoṣe brahmasvare vajre vajraghoṣe vajradhare sthite sāre acale araṇe iṣaṇe arāṇete śūre varāgra prāpte sāgaravate |

“May I have well-being in all directions! Svāha!

“May Brahmā and Śakra, The guardians of the world and Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Accept from me these flowers, incense, And burnt offerings!

“Through their vigor, Brilliance, majesty, and might, May all illnesses be vanquished And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes! Svāhā!

“May all illnesses from wind, bile, Phlegm, and their combination Be quelled, And may I be safe From all perils and misfortunes! Svāhā!

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being! We pay homage with palms joined! Homage to you, king of Dharma!”

At this point, the Blessed One thought, “The blessed buddhas have not come into the world for the sake of a single kingdom. The blessed buddhas have not come into the world for a single city, township, province, town, home, or being. Rather, blessed buddhas have come into the world for the sake of the whole world, with its gods, Māra, and Brahmā; and for the sake of creatures, including mendicants and priests, gods, humans, and asuras—in the same way that a master physician, a healer learned in the field of medicine, appears in the world neither for a single kingdom, nor for a single land or being. Why so? It is thought that humans and non-humans could not be harmed wherever blessed buddhas were dwelling. Thus, I too should venture out to the big city of Vaiśālī. I will then secure the welfare of the populace in the big city of Vaiśālī and there perform buddha activities on their behalf.”

So, sure enough, in the morning the Blessed One donned his robes, picked up his alms bowl, and came down from Vulture Peak Mountain together with 1,250 monks.

Brahmā, master of the world, took five hundred divine parasols and offered them to the Blessed One on his right. Having made the offering, Brahmā sat, fanning the Blessed One with a chowrie.

Śakra, lord of the gods, took five hundred divine parasols and offered them to the Blessed One on his left. Having made the offering, he sat, fanning the Blessed One with a chowrie.

Each of the four great kings then took five hundred divine parasols and offered them to the Blessed One from behind. Having made the offering, they sat, fanning the Blessed One with a chowrie.

Finally, the divine son Maheśvara, the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals, the thirty-two great yakṣa warriors, and Hārītī with her sons, all with their entourages, each took a divine parasol, offered it to the śrāvakas, then sat, fanning them with chowries.

Having received such accolades, respect, and reverence, the Blessed One came down from Vulture Peak Mountain together with the saṅgha of monks and set out for the city of Vaiśālī. From a distance the Licchavi people of Vaiśālī saw the Blessed One coming. He was handsome and inspiring, and his senses were stilled. His mind was serene, his sense faculties were restrained, his mind was temperate, and he had attained the perfection of sublime tranquility. His sense faculties were isolated and withdrawn. He was as well trained as an elephant, and as lucid, limpid, and clear as a lake. His body was adorned with the thirty-two characteristics of a great being, and he was ornamented with the eighty fine marks. He had the body of a thus-gone one, bedecked like the king of sal trees. Like the sun, he emitted a profusion of light rays everywhere. He was like a conflagration raging atop a mountain peak in the middle of a dark night, and brilliant and shining like a golden mountain.

As soon as the Licchavi people of Vaiśālī saw the Blessed One, they gained faith in him. With faith they swept, anointed, cleansed, and strewed with flowers the path on which the Blessed One was traveling to the great city of Vaiśālī. Having decorated the road with various silk wreaths, bells, parasols, standards, and banners, and having scented it with various incenses and perfumes, they approached the Blessed One and bowed at his feet.

Then, with his stainless hand, radiating hundreds of light rays, tender and smooth, shining brighter than the rays of the sun, adorned with the signs of past virtuous conduct, as soft as the bulb of a lotus flower, and whose palm had the design of a thousand-spoked wheel, the Blessed One stroked the heads of the Licchavi people and instructed them.

Reaching the great city of Vaiśālī, the Blessed One stepped across the city threshold at midday. Looking throughout the four directions, he extended his golden arm, adjusted his upper garment, and said, “This queen of all incantations, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, is a Dharma teaching that liberates from all grahas. It is the seal of many buddhas, as many perfectly awakened, thus-gone arhats as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. Any monk or nun, or any man or woman with lay vows, who in the future worships the physical relics of the Thus-Gone One, even those as small as a mustard grain, and who receives, holds, reads aloud, teaches, and masters this teaching will never be afflicted by any fever, peril, harm, epidemic, assault, strife, fight, bondage, argument, dispute, or slander. Such a person will be unaffected by the painful karma arising from non-virtuous, evil deeds. Such a person will be unaffected by any harm doers.”

Then, Brahmā, master of the world, asked the Blessed One, “Venerable Blessed One, what is the queen of secret mantras called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, the Dharma teaching that liberates from all grahas, the seal of the buddhas, as many perfectly awakened, thus-gone arhats as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges?”

The Blessed One answered Brahmā, master of the world, “Brahmā, listen well and keep in mind what I am going to tell you!”

“As you say, Venerable One,” responded Brahmā, master of the world, to the Blessed One, and he paid attention as the Blessed One had instructed.

The Blessed One then said to him:

syād yathedaṃ acale macale sāramacale prakṛtivarṇe pra­kṛti­nirghoṣe samantamukhe sthire sthāvare vighuṣṭe vighuṣṭaśabde pragalani sāraṅgame sārāsute sāraṅgavate bale mahābale mahā­nirbhāse svāhā |”

Concerning this he continued, “Bodily mindfulness, tranquility and insight, the three absorptions, the four bases of supernatural power, the four thorough relinquishments, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four concentrations, the four truths of the noble ones, the five faculties, the five powers, the six kinds of mindfulness, the seven aspects of awakening, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the nine successive stages of meditative equipoise, the ten powers of a thus-gone one, the eleven liberated sense fields, the twelve links of dependent origination, the twelvefold wheel of Dharma, the sixteen recollections of inhaling and exhaling the breath, the eighteen unique attributes of a buddha, and the forty-two letters—all this, Brahmā, is in the queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm. This is the sūtra that delivers from all grahas, the buddha seal of as many perfectly awakened, thus-gone arhats as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. It is the accomplishment of the Buddha, the accomplishment of the Dharma, and the accomplishment of the Saṅgha. It is the accomplishment of Brahmā, the accomplishment of Indra, the accomplishment of the guardians of the world, and the accomplishment of Īśvara. It is the accomplishment of the truth, the accomplishment of the path, and the accomplishment of dependent origination. It is the accomplishment of the moon, the sun, the planets, and the stars.

syād yathedam sāle kasine vidharaṇi varāgra sāre āmarṣaṇi amoghavati secanakāli nakāli kāśikavati bharaṇi bharakaśakhe samanta­prāpte sāraprāpte stambhani stambhana­prāpte vajradhare svāhā |”

Then, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“In this world or beyond there is nothing— Not even a precious gem in the higher realms— That equals the Thus-Gone One, the god of gods, The supreme among humans. Thus, he is called the most precious gem. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“There is nothing at all comparable to the Dharma Of uncompounded, quiescent ambrosia— The uncompounded ambrosia of extinction and dispassion Discerned by the Sage of the Śākyas through his knowledge. Thus, it is called the most precious gem. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“There is nothing comparable to the absorption That perceives the vajra-like, non-dual path— The manifestation, in due order, of what is most desired, The permanent accomplishment of the teacher’s absolute practice. Thus, it is called the most precious gem. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“The eight great kinds of person praised And called the four pairs, Extolled as ‘venerable’ by the Thus-Gone One, The incomparable person, the Great Sage, Yield great fruits when offered to, Like seeds planted in a fertile field— This is called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“Since those who strive with firm resolve And enter Gautama’s teaching Gain access to ambrosia, Remove darkness, and attain nirvāṇa, They are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“As soon as they connect with this vision, Belief in the transitory collection, Ethical discipline in the form of extreme austerity, And doubt are simultaneously cast off, And they see the truths of the noble ones. Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“With body, speech, or mind They never produce the threefold evil deeds, And even when they suddenly do, they do not conceal them, And in that way, their view is not tainted with grasping. Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“Just as a threshold beam planted in the ground Is unmoved by winds from the four directions, So are the members of the saṅgha of noble ones, Who have insight into the highest path of the noble ones. Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“Those who cultivate with profound wisdom The eloquently taught truths of the noble ones And consider giving away even their own bodies Never encounter the eight perils. Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“Just as a flame extinguished by the wind Cannot be taken up and counted, So do the offspring of the buddhas Become indemonstrable Once they have discarded all fetters. Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha. By this truth may there be well-being here!

“May all sentient beings, moving or still, be well here! And may they pay homage to the Buddha, The supreme teacher, venerated by gods and men! May there be well-being here today!

“May all sentient beings, moving or still, be well here! May they pay homage to the Dharma, The peaceful dispassion venerated by gods and men! May there be well-being here today!

“May all sentient beings, animate and inanimate, be well here! May they pay homage to the Saṅgha, The supreme assembly venerated by gods and men! May there be well-being here today!

“May all sentient beings, moving or still, Be well here!

“May whatever bhūtas are assembled here, All those that dwell upon the earth or in the sky, Act always lovingly toward all creatures And practice Dharma day and night!

“By the truth that the Victorious One, having vanquished his foes, Spoke truthfully, without falsehood, May there be well-being here, And may all be delivered from grave perils! Svāhā!

syād yathedam dhire dhidhire bali­nirghoṣe balisvare sāravate stuti prastuti­prāpte ārave aranirghoṣe āravati acyute balavate śūraprāpte sāraṃgame sūryavale sūrya­nirghoṣe svāhā |

“Brahmā, this queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, which delivers from all grahas, is the buddha seal of as many perfectly awakened, thus-gone arhats as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. It is the abode of the Buddha, the abode of the Dharma, and the abode of the Saṅgha. It is the abode of Brahmā, the abode of Indra, the abode of the guardians of the world, and the abode of Īśvara. It is the abode of great sages, the abode of the elements, the abode of the eyes, the abode of causes, the abode of spatial extension, and the abode of the teachings. It is the complete and perfect awakening of all buddhas. It is touched by śrāvakas, blessed by Brahmā, praised by Indra, revered by the world protectors, worshipped by Īśvara, extolled by the gods, and saluted by yoga practitioners. It delights scholars. It is praised by sages. It is adorned by priests. It is praised by the gods. It is cleansed by those who perform ritual ablutions. It is delighted in by the world of the four castes. It is the domain of all buddhas, the garden of pratyekabuddhas, the abode of sages, the nirvāṇa of śrāvakas, the abode of yoga practitioners, and the source of the qualities of awakening. It is the destroyer of afflictions. It uproots latent pains. It fully teaches the path of the noble ones. It opens the gates to liberation. It eradicates all beliefs in the transitory collection. It demolishes the mountain of pride. It dries the ocean of saṃsāra. It liberates all sentient beings who have fallen into the ocean of saṃsāra. It severs Māra’s noose. It frightens Māra’s entourage. It scatters Māra’s spit. It overcomes the army of afflictions. It inducts one into the city of nirvāṇa.

syād yathedam khaṅge khaṅge khaṅgeghoṣe uṣodhane sārathi prabhede vipulaprabhe saṃkarṭhaṇi vikarṭhaṇi viśagravate śuddhasādhani varuṇavate vāsa vibhūṣeṇe vesaṃgame paśupati puspagarbhe |

“May I and all sentient beings be safe from all perils, calamities, and misfortunes! Svāha!

“This queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm is the sūtra that delivers from all grahas. It is the buddha seal of as many perfectly awakened, thus-gone arhats as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. It seals the world with its gods, humans, and asuras and poises it for the supreme city of nirvāṇa. For its sake, the previous perfect and complete buddhas—the fully awakened ones—as well as the pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas are honored like parents, objects of veneration, and gurus. For its sake, chastity is practiced, discipline is observed, generosity is enacted, and the perfection of compassion is fulfilled. The attainment of awakening is accomplished. Māra is vanquished.”

Then, paying homage to the Blessed One, Brahmā, master of the world, Śakra, lord of the gods, and the four great kings simultaneously, with a single thought and in the same cadence, said to the Blessed One:

“Ah! Incantation, great incantation, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm. This buddha seal Protects all sentient beings throughout the four directions.

“We will impart the seal— The sūtra Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm— The seal that frightens all bhūtas When stamped.

“To humans who are hostile And lack faith in this teaching We will pronounce the punishment— The incantation manifested by Brahmā, Revered by Śakra, And sealed by the guardians of the world:

syād yathedam kaliṅge bharade jautāgre jāmani siṃhavade sārāgraprāpte haṃsagāmini malini hule sihule sihuli sihuleme haham haham sudani varāgravati hastini nevaramita caṇḍale carame carāme carā carāre svāhā |”

When this queen of incantations called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm was being expounded, this great trichiliocosm shook, rumbled, trembled, and quaked in six ways. The yakṣas and flesh-eating rākṣasas throughout the four directions loudly proclaimed:

“Alas, great suffering! Alas, calamity! We assemblies of bhūtas are ruined! We assemblies of bhūtas are totally ruined! We are forever led by force!

All the bhūta creatures, Powerless, are today confronted. Sitting on the ground, Cowering and discouraged, They toss and turn.”

Then, the Blessed One transformed the ground into vajra, and the bhūtas fled throughout the four directions.

The four great kings then manifested a great conflagration of flames throughout the four directions, and the bhūtas ran off into the sky.

Brahmā, master of the world, then transformed the sky into metal, and the bhūtas ran off farther into the sky, suspended in the air at the height of seven palm trees.

Śakra, lord of the gods, then brought down a rain of swords, arrows, spears, lances, javelins, trees, and mountains.

At that time, the five thousand yakṣas who had assembled from everywhere in the universe, vanquished by the curse of the incantation, crazed and weakened by fever, fell to the Blessed One’s feet exhausted and said:

“Mendicant Gautama, benevolent And compassionate toward all beings! Mendicant Gautama, please protect us!”

The Blessed One then embraced those guhyaka lords with love, and induced them to take up the bases of training.

[They said:] “Were we to disregard the seal, We would travel the same course As those who have killed their mother, Killed their father,

“Killed an arhat, Divided the saṅgha, Or hatefully Drawn the blood of a perfected buddha.

“Our heads would split into seven pieces, Like the blossom of a basil shrub, And afflicted with a yakṣa illness, Our bodies would contract white leprosy.

“Were we to transgress the queen of incantations, The sūtra Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Uttered by the victorious ones, Things would not go according to our wishes.”

Just then all the illnesses, perils, calamities, diseases, and disturbances raging throughout the city of Vaiśālī ceased. The yakṣas, rākṣasas, humans, and non-humans ventured out from their respective domains. Swans, parrots, myna birds, kokila cuckoos, peacocks, wild geese, jīvañjīva pheasants, and flocks of other birds all melodiously warbled. The kinnaras became free of physical ailments, like divine daughters. Jeweled utensils clanged without being touched. Kettledrums, conch shells, clay drums, small kettledrums, lutes, and flutes sounded right where they stood. Pomegranate trees, wood-apple trees, āmalakī trees, banyan trees, bodhi trees, plakṣa trees, kapittha trees, udumbara trees, sal trees, and tamāla trees all released their fragrances. A hundred thousand gods exclaimed, “Ah, Ah!” A rain of flowers fell from the sky, and the fragrances of non-humans manifested in the world.

Then, with palms joined, the four great kings said to the Blessed One, “Venerable Blessed One! This Dharma teaching, the king of sūtras, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, is the buddha seal that delivers from all grahas. Whoever observes the bases of training, dons the saffron-colored robes, and receives, holds, recites aloud, explains, masters, writes out, binds into a book, and wears it will be unaffected by any inauspicious phenomena, ranging from illness, peril, misfortune, disease, disturbance, fighting, contention, bondage, argument and dissension, and slander. They will overcome all harm.

“Villages, towns, regions, the kingdom, crossroads, and homes should be cleansed of heaps of rubbish by one seeking to demarcate the kingdom’s borders, who has performed his ablutions, seeks the three white foods, abstains from the five impure foods, observes the bases of human training, possesses equanimity for all beings, and is adorned with fine garments and jewelry. The ground at the center of the king’s palace should be strewn with flower petals and scented with various fragrances. In the four directions should be placed four girls who have performed their ablutions. They should be well adorned and hold weapons in their hands. Each of them should also have a bell, and a jewel vessel. In the morning, when the sun has risen, the incantation should be read out loud, and the sūtra should be recited and chanted. It should be written out and fastened to the tops of large shrines, tall trees, and tall standards, and then worshipped for up to half a lunar month with various flowers and fragrances. It should be chanted once each day. Thus, the kingdom will be delivered. Thus, the villages, cities, regions, country, kingdom, palaces, sacred sites, temples, homes, fields, government offices, trees, orchards, meadows, gardens, cowsheds, and stables will be divested of heaps of rubbish.

“Khadira and jujube woods should be lit, the ground should be strewn with flower petals, and the porticos should be scented with various fragrances to the right and left. All seeds should be smeared with clarified butter and scattered to the four directions. Threads of various colors should be tied to the passageways. All the animals should be released and then rounded up again. The incantation should be chanted. It should be written out or bound into a book, fastened to some high place, and then worshipped. In front of the patient a buddha image, a buddha reliquary, or an image of Brahmā, Śakra, or the four great kings should be placed on a stool or on a casket and marked with the four seals. The three jewels should be worshipped with various flowers and fragrances, and in the names of Brahmā, Śakra, the four great kings, Maheśvara, the yakṣa generals, the yakṣa warriors, Hārītī, and so forth. ‘By their power, majesty, and might may I have well-being! May I be protected! May I be delivered from all illnesses!’ All of the patient’s food, drink, and medicine should be bestowed enchanted with this incantation.

“When he attained perfect awakening, The guardians of the world Took four vessels from the four directions And offered them to the Bliss-Gone One.

“Having transformed them into one with his miraculous powers, The teacher took into his hand Ambrosia-like medicines With that supreme divine vessel.

“By these words of truth May medicines be transformed into ambrosia!

“The goddess Hārītī, too, Took the auspicious divine substance of harītakī wood, And offered to the teacher Ambrosia-like medicines.

“By these words of truth, May the illnesses of the afflicted be removed! May all their hardships be taken away! May their medicines be transformed into ambrosia!

“By the majesty of the Buddha Vipaśyin, The power of Śikhin, The true words of Viśvabhū, And the absorption of Krakucchanda,

“By the wisdom of he who is known as Kanaka, The supernatural power of Kāśyapa, And the might of the Lion of the Śākyas, May the medicines transform into ambrosia!

“The medicines should be given To the patient while he is facing east. At that time, the following incantation Should be placed in the palm of his hand and chanted:

syād yathedam khaṭe khaṭe khaṭe khaṭevikhaṭi vimale vilambe bale balavati candre caraṇe amṛta­nirghoṣe svāhā |

“ ‘May all illnesses—those born from wind, Those born from bile, those born from phlegm, And those from their combination—be destroyed! May I always be well!’

“As counteraction to interferences devised by kākhordas or vetāḍas, a man or a woman who has fasted for a single day and night and been ritually cleansed and well adorned should strew the ground with flower petals, scent it with various fragrances, light a fire from khadira and jujube woods, and scatter seeds throughout the four directions. The seeds should also be scattered into the fire. All roots and flowers should be wound into cords of various colors and fastened to swords, tridents, spears, and arrows. Many varieties of perfumed water should be mixed together and then poured into a large pot. The one who is afflicted by the kākhorda should be tied up with the cord and cleansed with the liquid from the pot. The cord should then be cut with a sword and tossed into the fire. This sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, should then be uttered:

“ ‘By the power and majesty Of the buddhas and pratyekabuddhas, The śrāvakas of the buddhas, Brahmā, Indra, and the guardians of the world,

“ ‘The yakṣa generals and Īśvara, The yakṣa warriors, And Hārītī with her sons, May the vetāḍa action be interrupted!

“ ‘Gems are pierced by vajra, Firewood is burned by fire, Clouds are scattered by wind, And forests are dried up by the sun.

“ ‘By the truth of these words May the kākhorda actions be scorched! With various fragrances and flowers All evil is surely vanquished!

tadyathā hume hume kakhali kakhali kharale juhvini javale harāgre hariṇi śāvari śānti prasānti svāhā dhāvani svāhā pradhāvani svāhā gāndharve svāhā pralaṅgani svāhā sarvakākhordakṛtavetāḍacchedani svāhā |

“ ‘These mantra syllables cause all the deities to shear, eliminate, vanquish, and overcome all kākhordas, vetāḍas, medicinal herbs, mantras, poisons, and potions. Svāha!’

“One who endeavors to be free of goiters, herpes, insanity, boils, blisters, rashes, and the drinking of poison should be ritually cleansed and well adorned, and say the following incantation while sitting on a fine seat:

“ ‘By the majesty of all the buddhas, The majesty of the pratyekabuddhas, The power of the arhats And of all secret mantra holders;

“ ‘By the wisdom of Śāriputra, The supernatural power of Maudgalyāyana, The vision of Aniruddha, And the ascetic practices of Kāśyapa;

“ ‘By the previous attainments of Kauṇḍinya, The learning of Ānanda, The benevolence of Brahmā, And the supremacy of Śatakratu;

“ ‘By the territories of the guardians of the world, The power of Maheśvara, The might of the generals, And the supernatural splendor of Hārītī—

“ ‘Through their might and majesty, May poison be removed from me! These are the secret mantra syllables That remove and counteract poison:

syād yathedam harigiśinakili ehere amare aṇḍare paṇḍare kaṭake keyūre hase hase hase khase khase khase kharaṅge marugahaṇe svāhā mumukṣa svāhā hile svāhā mile svāhā |

“ ‘Boils, white leprosy, herpes, Itches, blisters, Blood blisters, and rashes— All seven are cured!

“ ‘Desire, anger, and delusion: These are the three poisons in the world. The Blessed Awakened One is free of poisons. Poison is eradicated by the majesty of the Awakened One!

“ ‘Desire, anger, and delusion: These are the three poisons in the world. The Blessed One’s Dharma is free of poisons. Poison is eradicated by the majesty of the Dharma!

“ ‘Desire, anger, and delusion: These are the three poisons in the world. The Blessed One’s Saṅgha is free of poisons. Poison is neutralized by the majesty of the Saṅgha!

“ ‘Earth is the mother of poison. Earth is the father of poison. By these words of truth, May my poison disappear!

“ ‘May poison sink into the earth! May poison return to the full vessel! Svāha!’

“Then, one who wishes to be victorious in all skirmishes, fights, arguments, dissensions, and battles against opposing armies and enemies should first worship a large shrine. Then, he should recite the following queen of incantations, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm:

“ ‘Buddha defeated Māra, And so the Dharma does to unrighteousness. The Saṅgha defeats the non-Buddhists, And Indra defeats the asuras. The asuras defeat the moon, And Vainateya the ocean.

“ ‘Fire overcomes wood, And water overcomes fire. Wind overcomes clouds, And vajra pierces gems.

“ ‘The gods speak truthfully. The earth abides truthfully. The Buddha and the Dharma too are true. May truth reign! Not deception!

syād yathedam amṛte agrapuṣpe bahuphale nivāriṇi sarvārthasādhani aparājite varaṭe dharaṇi guhyāvarte gautame guptamati jambhani svāhā prajambhani svāha bala­prabhañjani svāhā jaye svāhā vijaye svāhā jaye vijaye svāhā |

“ ‘All opponents are defeated! All evil is vanquished!’”

Then the omniscient teacher uttered these verses:

“Akṣobhya, Vairocana, Avalokiteśvara, Ratna, Arci, Meru, Nemi, and Amitābha— When the names of these vajra beings are continually upheld, One will neither incur peril, nor be overcome.

“Whoever recites the names of these eight powerful beings For the sake of being safeguarded, And thereby affords protection, Will be physically unaffected by fire, poison, or weapon.

“If the wicked should approach one, Threatening to attack with weapons, like butchers, If one recalls Lord Avalokiteśvara The weapons will shatter to pieces and fall.

“Even if they were to continue holding weapons, Their arms would break and fall to the ground. Nothing at all would happen to one’s body, Aside from the effects of previous actions.”

In unison, the gods then proclaimed this verse:

“Homage to you, the infinite experience of the awakened ones! Homage to you, the sage who reveals the truth! We will proceed henceforth, adhering to truth! May all our actions bear fruit!”

Then, Brahmā, Great Brahmā, arose, and bowing with palms joined said:

“I will pronounce the incantation That benefits children— This eloquently uttered incantation, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm.

“I pay homage to the splendorous Buddha, The king of Dharma, the illuminator, Who first taught the incantation In the world, And to the exalted Dharma, And the Saṅgha, the supreme assembly!”

Having thus bowed down to the feet of the Buddha, Brahmā said:

“Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, The Buddha’s śrāvakas, Sages, the guardians of the world, All the varieties of gods— All of them have only appeared In this human world from this!

“Great sage! There are yakṣas and rākṣasas here That crave wombs, But kings can neither see them, Nor even describe them.

“They cause the senses Of those who have not given birth to a child Or those who are not pregnant To become mad as man and woman unite.

“They destroy the embryos of children In the first week, or the first trimester. They cause miscarriage, And ensure that no placenta grows.

“I will pronounce their names, So please listen to me, Lord of the World!

“Mañjuka, Mṛgarāja, Skanda, Apasmāra, Muṣṭikā, Mātṛkā, Jāmika, Kāminī, and Revatī,

“Pūtanā, Mātṛnandā, Śakuni, Kaṇṭhapāṇinī, Mukhamaṇḍiti, and Kālambā— All of them course on the earth.

“These fifteen grahas Threaten children. The signs and symptoms Of how they possess children should also be described:

“When a child is seized by Mañjuka, The eyes roll back.

“When a child is seized by Mṛgarāja, There is severe vomiting. When seized by Skanda, A child moves by hopping (skanda).

“When a child is seized by Apasmāra, There are convulsions and groaning, Frothing and drooling.

“When seized by Muṣṭikā, A child locks fists (muṣṭi) and fights. When a child is seized by Mātṛkā, There is laughing and moaning.

“When a child is seized by Jāmika, There is no interest in breastfeeding. When seized by Kāminī, A child lies sleepless in bed.

“When a child is seized by Revatī, The tongue is chewed with the teeth. When a child is seized by Pūtanā, There is coughing and crying.

“When a child is seized by Mātṛnandā, A variety of physical symptoms occur. When seized by Śakuni, A child becomes malodorous.

“When a child is seized by Kaṇṭhapāṇinī, The throat (kaṇṭha) is obstructed. When seized by Mukhamaṇḍiti, A child is afflicted with fever and diarrhea.

“When a child is seized by Kālambā, There are hiccups and panting.

“I should now describe the forms In which they frighten children:

“Mañjuka is in the form of a cow. Mṛgarāja resembles a deer. Skanda is in the form of a young boy. Apasmāra resembles a jackal.

“Muṣṭikā is in the form of a crow. Mātṛkā is in the form of a mother.

“Jāmika is in the form of a horse. Kāminī is in the form of thunder. Revatī is in the form of a dog. Pūtanā is in the form of a pig.

“Mātṛnandā is in the form of a cat. Śakuni is in the form of a bird. Kaṇṭhapāṇinī is in the form of a cock. Mukhamaṇḍikā is in the form of an owl. Kālambā is in the form of a bat.

“They terrorize children, These wicked thieves of seminal fluid, Threatening children.

“Led forth by the sūtra noose, They are summoned.”

The great yakṣa general, The gandharva called Candana, Gave his letter and seal. He sent these with a messenger, telling him: “Go and summon Those fifteen ferocious grahas!”

Bound by the five fetters, They were all instantly summoned.

Then, with palms joined, Great Brahmā said to the Lord of the World:

“These bhūtas, Destroyers of the seminal fluids of creatures, have come. In the presence of the Lord of the World, I will pronounce their punishment!

“A woman who is childless, Or pregnant, Should, on the eighth and fourteenth days, Observe the trainings, go for refuge in the sublime Dharma, And worship well a reliquary.

“Ritually cleansed and well adorned, She should scatter mustard seeds on the ground, And decorate the ground with flowers and fragrances. She should surround the area With threads of five different colors.

“Waiting until midnight, With mustard seeds placed on the top of her head, Inspired by Brahmā, she should recite, ‘What was manifested by Brahmā.’

“The head of whoever transgresses this incantation— The sūtra manifested by Brahmā, Which brings benefit to young people Up to twelve years of age— Will split into seven pieces, Like the blossom of a basil shrub.

syād yathedam aṅge vaṅge bhaṅgini bhavane inande vinande sarali girigiri śavari garuṇi śaruṇi giri gavare locani roṣaṇi lasani rocane alabhe agane alabhe talabhe prakarṣaṇe svāhā |

“May there be well-being in the womb! May the sense faculties develop perfectly! May there be well-being while inside the womb! May newborns not perish! May there be well-being in the womb! May there be timely birth!

“It is said that multi-colored cords And unbroken white mustard grains Will protect them— Long live the children!”

Then, the omniscient teacher expressed these incantations:

“May those in the womb be protected! May children have well-being!

syād yathedaṃ bodhi bodhi mahābodhi bodhanumate phalini bahuphale śikṣa śikṣa sāravate sāgali durāsade dūrāgame śūraprāpte śūravate bhage bhagavate bhāgini nivāriṇi svāhā |”

Then, the fifteen grahas, Perpetual drinkers of blood, Paid homage to the Lord of the World, And with palms joined said:

“Wherever this sūtra, So eloquently spoken, happens to be— Whether it be in villages, homes, or towns— Children will not perish!

“Obeying you, Great Sage, We will follow accordingly! Homage to the Blessed Buddha! Homage to Brahmā!

“May the mantra syllables be fulfilled! May they be fulfilled! May beings be delivered through the incantation! May they be considered by Brahmā! Svāha!”

The great king Vaiśravaṇa now draped his upper robe on one shoulder and, paying homage to the Blessed One with palms joined, said to him, “Venerable Blessed One, certain śrāvakas ought to receive, hold, teach, recite, and master this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, and thereby strive to learn it well and strive in the worship of reliquaries with it. On the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth lunar days, they should perform elaborate worship at a reliquary and recite the incantation there. . On the eighth lunar day people of the four great kings should reflect on that sūtra in the presence of the four kings. They should also recite the names of the four great kings. On the fourteenth lunar day they should reflect on it in the presence of the four great kings and recite their names. And on the fifteenth lunar day, they should reflect on the four great kings and recite their names.

“The Blessed One’s śrāvaka who takes up, holds, teaches, recites, and masters this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, benefits and cares for all creatures. Venerable Blessed One, we four great kings will ensure that he has no worries about procuring monk’s robes, alms, bedding, cushions, medicines for illness, and other necessary utensils. He will be honored by all beings. He will be venerated, revered, and worshipped by kings and ministers. He will be worshipped, moreover, by non-Buddhists, ascetics, priests, practitioners, mendicants, and among friends and foes alike. He will become a pure, faithful son or daughter of noble family. He will have a pure body, and pure food, adornments, bedding, cushions, and utensils. He will not meet with unfortunate states. He will not associate with bad companions. He will not encounter those who dwell in bad states. Whoever recollects this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, before someone who has been seized by a bhūta graha ensures that the four great kings themselves guard, protect, and conceal him.

“Venerable Blessed One, such is the great power of this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, that whoever genuinely contemplates it inside their home for either a single night, or a single day, ensures that non-humans will not enter there for up to a single year. He will be worthy of veneration by all assemblies of bhūtas. If even the four great kings show their faces when one holds this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, how much more so will yakṣas, rākṣasas, and other ordinary beings? Why is that? It is because those who perform incantations in the world for the sake of healing sentient beings render these secret mantra syllables supreme, principal, exalted, sublime, profound, vast, authentic, impenetrable, and unique—it is the seal of the Dharma.”

Then, Indra, The Thousand-Eyed One, King of the Gods, Śacipati, Paid homage with palms joined, And said to the Lord of the World:

“This incantation, Which benefits all worlds, was eloquently spoken. I will describe the incantation, the secret mantra, In conjunction with medicinal substances.

“Take śirīṣa flowers, the apāmārga plant, Kaṭaka fruit, aloeswood, Śaileya, eḍamañjiṣṭhā, Sūkarī, markaṭī, and jayā,

“Paripelava, rasa, vīrā, Sāmaka, busā, tagara, Sandalwood paste, costus root, Nakha, kata leaves, marā,

“Priyaṅgu, spṛkkā, rocanā, Mustard seeds, red arsenic, Cinnamon, vacā, saffron, And an unguent of asafetida mixed with leaves.

“Mixing these together and making them into an ointment Delivers one from all harms. When it is rubbed on the eyes Of those afflicted with bhūtas, It delivers those seized By the vajra and thunderbolt arrows of bhūtas.

“When it is smeared on a large tree, Or on a large shrine, Then whoever sees that spot Will not be threatened by bhūtas, and Bhūtas will not dwell there, Nor will any other harm doer.

“When it is applied To kettledrums, conch shells, Clay drums, and small kettledrums, Then, wherever their sounds are heard, The circles of bhūtas will be frightened.

“It should also be applied To the wings of birds that circulate through villages. Then, whatever place or direction Those birds travel, Bhūtas will not dwell there, Nor will any other harm doers.

“It should be tossed into springs, lakes, tanks, Or anywhere else, And there will be well-being and peace there, For the distance of a league all around.

“When one is in the midst of an enemy army And weapons are falling, It should be smeared on the vital points, And one will easily escape.

“When they drink or smear it on, Those with goiters, hemorrhoids, Rashes, or blisters, those with poisonous bites, Or who drank poison will be delivered.

“Should the body be smeared with it, All kākhorda will be severed.

“One will be free from all conflicts. One will be delivered from contention with kings. The unsuccessful will be successful. The impoverished will become rich.

“People without a son will acquire sons. The poor will gain wealth. One will accomplish the secret mantra For as long as one continues to wear the incantation.

“It produces the auspiciousness of peace For those born as animals, The fruits of trees, Or anything else that bears the incantation.

“Here are the secret mantra syllables, Like the words of Indra:

syād yathedam akrame vikrame bhūtaghoṣe bhūtaṃgame dahani dhadhare dharavare dadhini nikhume khukhume khakha khakha sāraṃgame candre capale halime hale hāriṇi svāhā |

“May all my misfortunes from every quarter be pacified! Svāhā!”

Then, Brahmā, Indra, The guardians of the world, Maheśvara, All the yakṣa generals, And Hārītī with her sons Joined their palms, And said in one voice:

“You radiate like a thousand suns. You are as luminous as a full moon. There has never been one like you In this world of gods and men!

“The destroyer of yakṣas and rākṣasas, When well contemplated and well applied, The incantation that guards kingdoms, Called Liberator of Kingdoms, Is the most sublime sūtra for protection In the entire great trichiliocosm.

“Homage to you, heroic being! Homage to you, supreme being!”

Paying homage with palms joined, They vanished right there.

Then, at dusk, the Blessed One emerged from his meditative composure and said to the monks,

“Monks! Receive, hold, recite, teach, and master the sūtra called Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm! It will be for the long-term welfare, benefit, happiness, and comfort of the world with its gods!

“Monks! If any of my monks were to tie a cord to a barren tree with this sūtra, Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, then leaves, flowers, and fruits would grow on it. So it goes without saying what it can do for a body endowed with consciousness—unless, that is, the ripening of prior karma precludes it.”

When the Blessed One had spoken, the monks then asked him, “The five great sūtras taught by the Venerable Blessed One are Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Great Peahen, Great Cool Grove, Great Amulet, and Great Application of Secret Mantra. Venerable Blessed One, you have instructed that these sūtras should be upheld by those who refrain from the five kinds of impure food. You have also said that we should take ordination and live on alms. However, Blessed One, there are very few alms that are unmixed with the five kinds of impure food. In this way, since there are many more that are mixed with the five kinds of impure food, how, Venerable Blessed One, should we conduct ourselves in this regard?”

The Blessed One answered the monks, “Monks, it is precisely for this reason that, in order to protect oneself, one who holds the sūtra Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm should also hold the Dhāraṇī of the Unblemished Gem. In this way one should think of food as being agreeable when taking alms. One should even consider food mixed with the five kinds of impure food as being unmixed with the five kinds of impure food. One should also consider all compounded phenomena as impermanent, impermanence as suffering, and suffering as selfless. Where are the five kinds of impure food? Who has the five kinds of impure food? Who eats the five kinds of impure food? No sentient being is perceived.

“If alms are adulterated with the five kinds of impure foods, one should protect oneself on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth lunar days. On those days, a girl of royal caste, who has been well cleansed, well adorned, and who has fasted for a day and taken the five precepts, should wind four red strings into a cord. Then, while the incantation is being recollected by a holder of the secret mantra, a knot should be tied in the cord. Next the cord should be cut with a new knife and burned. Then, the cord should be laid in a jewel or metal vessel filled with water, covered with flowers, and scented with various fragrances. This incantation should then be recited until the cord surfaces inside the vessel. The cord should then be tied to the wrist and the following should be recited:

“ ‘Deceived by his priests, Śrīgupta made an offering Of poisonous alms To the protector, the Lion of the Śākyas.

“ ‘Accepting it from him, The teacher removed the poison and ate the alms. Through these words of truth, May food be transformed into ambrosia!

“ ‘May Brahmā and Indra— Lord of the gods and sovereign over the realm of the Thirty-Three— The four guardians of the world, Māṇibhadra, Maheśvara, The rākṣasī Mahākālī, And likewise Caṇḍa Caṇḍālinī—

“ ‘All with fierce devotion For Vipaśyin in his divinity, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Powerful in his divinity, Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, And the Lion of the Śākyas—

“ ‘Accept these flowers, fragrances, And burnt offerings!

“ ‘Thus satiated and revered, May they purify my food! May they ensure that even food mixed with the five impure foods Is unadulterated for me!

“ ‘I will eat all the food, Even what is mixed with the five impure foods!

“ ‘May all adulterated foods From all the collections of seeds Enclosing the essential nutrients of the soil Be unadulterated for me!

“ ‘Just as the cord, cut and burned, Was restored once more, May adulterated foods likewise Be made unadulterated for me!

syād yathedam khakhame khakha khakha khukhume śime śime śihume śime śime svasti svasti svasti svasti mama śānte sārāgre |

“ ‘Just as what is mixed with the five impure foods Is eaten without being adulterated— Just like the burned cord— May this truth manifest!

syād yathedam kalake kalale balani karuḍa ālāye agne saṃkrāmane svāhā |

“ ‘I go for refuge to Buddha Vipaśyin, Śikhin, The Thus-Gone One Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, And fearless Gautama!

“ ‘I worship the bodies of those seven supreme humans With flowers and fragrances! With body, speech, and devout mind, I go to them for refuge!

“ ‘May the gods who have special devotion For those buddhas replete with supernatural powers Be elated and joyous, And with devout minds protect me!’ ”

At these words from the Blessed One, the monks rejoiced, and praised what the Blessed One had said.

This was translated and edited by the Indian preceptors Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha, along with the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé who edited and finalized the translation. Later still, the translator Zhönnu Pal edited it by comparing it with the Sanskrit edition that had been in the possession of Chojé Chaglo.