ritual manual

This manuscript is a compilation of instructions for the tantric master on the construction ofmaṇḍalas and the performance of initiation rites. It is written in an crude hand, with great variation in orthography, suggesting an oral teaching transcribed by a person not well-versed in the Tibetan language.

The manuscript (a concertina) is incomplete at the beginning, so that themaṇḍaladescribed in this first item is not identified. We join the text in the middle of detailed instructions on setting out a physical representation of amaṇḍalaon the ground. This is to be done using a variety of ritual props including streamers and pearls for delineating the circumference of themaṇḍala, arrows orphur bus for marking the edges, and knives for marking the gates. Five kinds of precious object (Rf.1v.1 rin po che sna lnga) and five kinds of grain (Rf.1v.1 'bru sna lnga) are used as offerings to the five gates. The master is then to teach the history of themaṇḍalawhile holding a splint (Rf.2r.4 chag shing). There follows a shortgtor maritual in three parts. Then a lion throne is set up at the eastern side of themaṇḍala. The person being initiated, here referred to repeatedly as the patron (yon bdag), is then given permission to remain. Another person involved in the initiation ritual is referred to as the "ritual expert" (cho ga mkhan); it is unclear whether this is the tantric master or an assistant.

The main part of the initiation (Rf.3r.4) consists of offering various auspicious objects to the extended hand ofŚākyamuni. This is perhaps a statue, but it is impossible to tell due to the incompleteness of the manuscript. The following objects are offered: the precious householder, the precious queen, the precious horse, the precious general, the precious wheel, the precious jewel, the mirror of wisdom and the conch shell. The foodstuffs fish and yoghurt are offered. Finally, a crown with silk banners is placed on the head, and a garland of flowers around the neck.

The concluding activities (Rf.5r.2) include bathing (the statue?) prayers, and finally, clearing away themaṇḍalaas a demonstration of the way of impermanence. Thismaṇḍalashares several features with themaṇḍalas described in theSarvadurgatipariśodana-tantrawhich is mentioned by name in item 4. The physical setting-out of themaṇḍalahere may serve for the other rituals described below.

ritual manual

This text desribes amaṇḍalawhich is referred to by the name of the country from which it is supposed to have originated, variously spelt as'dra byi'i dra,tra byid tra, anddra byid tra. These are probably attempts at transcribing the Indian place nameDraviḍa. The first part of the text provides the background to the ritual of themaṇḍala. The story describes howVajrapaṇisent a bodhisattva (Rf.6r.1 bo de swat twa) to defeat eighteen great obstructors (Rf.5v.5 bgegs chen po) who were afflicting the people ofDraviḍa. Having completed his task, the bodhisattva displays themaṇḍala. The central figure of themaṇḍalais named only as "the vajra sentry" (rdo rje bya ra). The cardinal directions are occupied byVajrapaṇi,Vajraratna,VajrapadmaandVajrayakṣa. The intermediate directions are occupied by other forms ofVajrapaṇi. The description omits the nortwest direction. The mantras accompanying these deities invoke a different series of deities in wrathful form: 1.Aparājitā; 2.Yamāntaka; 3.Hayagrīva; 4.Amṛtakuṇḍali; 5.Acala; 6. [missing]; 7.Mahābala; 8.Nīlakaṇṭha.

The text then briefly describes the physical actviites for setting up of themaṇḍala. These are brief and seem to assume that themaṇḍalahas already been set up, possibly in accordance with the instructions in Item 1. There is no description of an initiation ritual.

ritual manual

This section of the manuscript offers instructions on displaying themaṇḍalaofAmoghapāśa. There is a brief description of the physical setting up of themaṇḍala, and the text appears to assume that themaṇḍalahas already been set up as described in Item 1. The main difference in this ritual is that a vase is placed at the centre of themaṇḍala. Note that in the illustrated mandala Ch.00379 (National Museum, New Delhi, reproduced inp.147) a healing ritual is depicted in which the centre of themaṇḍalais occupied by a vase. The text goes on to list themantras for the deities at the centre and the eight directions, and in additional, themantras for the eight bodhisattvas.

ritual manual

The text now turns to themaṇḍalaof the*Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāśi(ngan song thams cad rnam par sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi phung po;116). Note that this differs slightly from the usual name of the tantraSarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāja(ngan song thams cad rnam par sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi rgyal po).

The text begins with instructions to supplicate the deity at the centre (unnamed), the eightuṣṇīśa(gtsug tor), the four offering goddesses, the eight bodhisattvas, the ten protectors and the four gate guardians. These can be identified with figures from theSarvadurgatipariśodhana-tantra. Then the text gives the instructions for supplicating the deities of theDraviḍa maṇḍala(see Item 2), followed by the instructions for supplicating theAmoghapāśa maṇḍala(see Item 3).

The text now returns to an exposition of the*Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāśi maṇḍala. The background to the ritual is provided in two stories. The first is the story ofLha Nor bu dri ma myed pa'i 'od(Deva Maṇivimalaprabha), a god who falls from heaven into the hells.VajrapāṇisendsŚākyamunito save the god by reciting amantra. The second story concerns a figure calledDgra myi skye("unborn enemy," a name possibly related toMa skyes dgra; Skt.Ajātaśatru) who having killed his fatherLus myi bde("unhappy body") is subjected to rebirth among the six classes of beings. Subsequently remembering his crime,Dgra myi skyeasks for help fromŚākyamuni, who reveals the*Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāśi maṇḍala. Compare these stories with the version in theSarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorāja-tantraandIOL Tib J 712.

Themaṇḍalaitself is very similar to theŚākyamuni maṇḍalawhich appears at the beginning of chapter 2 of theSarvadurgatipariśodhana-tantra.Śākyamuniappears at the centre surrounded by eight deities of theuṣṇīśa(gtsug tor) type. Also appearing are four offering goddesses, eight bodhisattvas and four Indian gods. At this point we come to the end of the manuscript, so we do not have the complete description of thismaṇḍala