co.

Table of Contents

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa is the largest and most important single text devoted to Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom. A revealed scripture, it is, by its own classification, both a Mahāyāna sūtra and a Mantrayāna kalpa (manual of rites). Because of its ritual content, it was later classified as a Kriyā tantra and assigned, based on the hierarchy of its deities, to the Tathāgata subdivision of this class. The Sanskrit text as we know it today was probably compiled throughout the eighth century ᴄᴇ and several centuries thereafter. What makes this text special is that, unlike most other Kriyā tantras, it not only describes the ritual procedures, but also explains them in terms of general Buddhist philosophy, Mahāyāna ethics, and the esoteric principles of the early Mantrayāna (later called Vajrayāna), with an emphasis on their soteriological aims.

ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical translated the text from the Sanskrit manuscripts, prepared the Sanskrit edition, and wrote the introduction. Paul Thomas, Ryan Damron, Anna Zilman, Bruno Galasek, and Adam Krug then compared the translation draft against the Tibetan text found in the Degé and other editions of the Tibetan Kangyur. Wiesiek Mical then completed the translation by incorporating all the significant variations from the Tibetan translation either into the English translation itself or the annotations.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.


ac.­2

The generous sponsorship of 中國宗薩寺堪布彭措郎加, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.

Text Body

The Translation
The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī
14.

Chapter 14

14.­1

Then Lord Śākyamuni again directed his gaze at the realm of the Pure Abode and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“There is, O Mañjuśrī, a secret vidyā mantra of yours that accomplishes all mantras. It was granted by the tathāgatas, arose from the treasury of their teachings, belongs to the ‘Cloud of Dharma,’ and is of the essence of the sky. This vidyā is the supreme lord of all mundane and supramundane mantras, just like the divine youth is the lord of all beings. This lord is described as a tathāgata, the supreme and the most excellent. Just as Lord Buddha, O divine youth, is the most eminent person among gods and men, so he‍—this supreme vidyārāja‍—is among all the mantras. He has been formerly taught by the blessed buddhas who are equal in number to the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā and whose merits are ineffable. He has been regarded by them as the supremely secret heart mantra [F.172.b] [F.189.b] of the tathāgata Ratnaketu, auspicious in every respect. He is praised and extolled by all the buddhas, is the relief of all beings, and is the destroyer of every evil. He grants every wish and fulfills every hope. So what is this mantra?”1021 {14.1}

14.­2

While he spoke, a ray of light called arouser of all the buddhas emerged from the tuft of hair between the eyebrows of the blessed Śākyamuni. It illuminated all the buddhafields in the ten directions, above, below, and everywhere, delighting the minds of all beings. It then disappeared into Blessed Śākyamuni’s uṣṇīṣa. Subsequently, there emerged from the same uṣṇīṣa the lord of vidyās named One Syllable, as a form ablaze all around with the light that all ordinary beings find impossible to look at, or to lay hold of. Out of this great effulgence emerged his body, consisting of a halo of light, displaying multiple aspects and the great form of a cakravartin. {14.2}

14.­3

Having emerged, he illuminated the entire sky. He had a retinue of all the vidyā kings and was attended on and worshiped by many hundreds of thousands of millions of vidyās. He was praised by all the supramundane cakravartins and vidyārājas, eulogized by all the mantras,1022 and cherished by all the buddhas and the bodhisattva great beings who had attained the tenth level of realization. Together they filled the entire canopy of the sky. His body was adorned with celestial gems and bedecked with great jewels and gems, beautiful in appearance, supremely radiant, emanating hundreds of thousands of millions of magical creations in various forms,1023 pronouncing the one-syllable word of his mantra, and radiating a great mass of light. He positioned himself in midair above Lord Śākyamuni, facing and looking upon the entire realm of the Pure Abode and illuminating the circle of the great assembly. {14.3}

14.­4

Lord Śākyamuni then pronounced the One Syllable, this vidyā cakravartin, the heart essence of all the tathāgatas, the supreme secret heart essence of the tathāgata called Ratnaketu; the One Syllable that is taught and cherished by all the tathāgatas intimately connected with Lord Ratnaketu1024‍—Śālendra­rāja, [F.173.a] [F.190.a] Amitābha, Duḥprasaha, Sunetra, Suketu, Puṣpendra, and the sage Supināntaloka‍—and also by the [three] tathāgatas starting with Kanaka; the One Syllable that is taught and celebrated by all the perfectly awakened ones who have gone beyond. What is this One Syllable? {14.4} It is bhrūṁ.1025

14.­5

“This, Mañjuśrī, is the supreme essence of all the tathāgatas.1026 This is the great means of purification, One Syllable by name, the vidyādhara-cakravartin. When used along with him, all mantras will be successful.1027 He is, O divine youth, recommended as the secret, supreme mantra that accords with all the mantras in your excellent king of manuals. He is the purifier of obscurations in all rites. A practitioner must first utter this mantra three hundred thousand times, and then, O divine youth, the rites for all the mantras and all the worldly and transcendent mantra methods in your king of manuals will be accomplished.1028 When protected by One Syllable, one becomes invulnerable to attacks by any being. One will also not succumb to any obstacles, whether mundane or supramundane.” {14.5}

14.­6

As soon as the One Syllable was pronounced by Lord Śākyamuni, all the world spheres of the great trichiliocosm shook in six different ways. All the buddhafields became filled with light and all the blessed buddhas dwelling there joined the circle of the great assembly gathered in the realm of the Pure Abode. So, too, all the bodhisattvas on the tenth level of realization who were irreversibly established in perfect awakening, all the śrāvakas and pratyeka­buddhas, all the beings possessed of great powers, roused by the light from One Syllable, the vidyārāja, arrived enthralled1029 in the assembly. [F.173.b] [F.190.b] And other beings living in infinite worldly realms who followed the painful destinies of hell, the hungry ghosts, and animals, were touched by the radiance of the great light. When thus illuminated, those who were acutely suffering, immersed in their painful experience, became cheered in their minds. They entered definitively into the three vehicles. {14.6}

14.­7

Then Lord Śākyamuni looked again at this great circle of the assembly and said this to Mañjuśrī, the divine youth:

“Listen, Mañjuśrī, as I tell about this vidyārāja! He possesses great magical power. As a maṇḍala deity, he is depicted without a retinue. He is suitable for all types of activity. He is the supreme monarch of all vidyās and fulfills the hopes of all beings. For all the profusion of rites,1030 he is present in the large body of rites of the mantra system associated with you. He accomplishes all mantras and is universally applicable. He is renowned as a great lord who is very energetic and is particularly skilled in the method and wisdom that benefit beings who practice. He clears up the entire path to awakening and establishes beings in nirvāṇa. He causes one to ascend to the seat of awakening,1031 and he [facilitates] the accumulation of virtue. {14.7}

14.­8

“It is his extensive ritual that I will now briefly teach, including the procedure of making his painting and his maṇḍala and how it is the means of accomplishment, and also how to practice the previously mentioned mantra conduct, established in which sentient beings will succeed in the practice of this great cakravartin, the marvelous vidyārāja, the supreme lord of all mantras, the illuminator, the fulfiller of all wishes, the guide, the benefactor of the whole world, who, like the Buddha, appears directly, is self-arisen, and may be employed in all activities‍—the highest, the medium, and the minor. {14.8}

14.­9
“He is blissful, auspicious,
Tranquil, and destroys all evil.1032 [F.174.a] [F.191.a]
He is the god of the gods
And the most eminent among sages. {14.9}
14.­10
“He is a buddha, a sun, and a kinsman,1033
Completely pure and renowned in the world.
He knows the nature of all dharmas,1034
Belongs to the peak of existence, and is not sullied. {14.10}
14.­11
“I will now teach his best ritual,
So please listen, if you desire prosperity.
To start, one should prepare a high-quality canvas,
Free of hair or any adhering dirt, {14.11}
14.­12
“New, especially white, and with a fringe.
On it, one should paint as described below.
The canvas should be two cubits in height
And one cubit across. {14.12}
14.­13
“It should be as described‍—bright,
Spotless, pleasant in appearance,
Of pure white color,1035
Well washed, and free of rough patches.1036 {14.13}
14.­14
“One can use a white and dust-free
Cloth of dukūla bark,
Flaxen cloth, or cloth of any bark,
Pure and free of fibers. {14.14}
14.­15
“It should not be produced by worms,
Or received from people as a gift.
Thus it should not be silken,
But any other kind described as suitable.1037 {14.15}
14.­16
“On such a superior cloth
One should draw the palace.
One should draw the likeness of the Teacher
Garlanded by a circle of light. {14.16}
14.­17
“He should be painted a golden color,
Haloed by light, sage-like,1038
Alone, sheltered inside a cave
On a mountain, in all his splendor.1039 {14.17}
14.­18
“One should draw a silken canopy
Strung with garlands of jewels.
Behind it are two gods
Who are supporting it. {14.18}
14.­19
“Above the mountain
One should draw a jewel garland
And, around the canopy,
Decorations made of strings of pearls. {14.19}
14.­20
“Having carefully painted all this
Above the king of mountains,
At the foot of the mountain
One should draw the waters of the great ocean. {14.20}
14.­21
“Around the edges of the canvas,
One should draw flowers, such as
The blossoms of the ironwood tree, pannay tree,
Bulletwood tree, juhi jasmine, {14.21}
14.­22
“Royal jasmine, and beautyberry.
Always include red amaranth,
Fragrant blue lotuses,
And, further, white lotuses. {14.22}
14.­23
“One should draw these different varieties
And other fragrant species of flowers. [F.174.b] [F.191.b]
One should always draw
Only flowers of the species as described.1040 {14.23}
14.­24
“One should make offerings pleasing to the Teacher
In order to worship him.1041
Following the previously described procedure
In regard to the superior painting, or the others, {14.24}
14.­25
“And having ensured that the skein, the weaver,
And the painter are as desired,
One should do the painting during the prātihāra fortnight,
On an especially auspicious day. {14.25}
14.­26
“When such a time has arrived
One should do the prescribed mantra recitation.
One should execute everything, in every detail,1042
Just as previously explained. {14.26}
14.­27
“One should paint the complete figure of the Teacher
Using paints of bright and vivid colors.
He should be fully endowed with his many aspects,
Equal in splendor to the karnikara flower. {14.27}
14.­28
“One should paint this sage, born into the Jewel family,
In golden color,
With the same hue as the champak flowers
And possessing all the features as described. {14.28}
14.­29
“He is the highly illustrious1043 Ratnaketu,
The most eminent and best of sages.
One should paint this jewel among buddhas
Who has control over all phenomena. {14.29}
14.­30
“He sits on a jewel mountain,
Adorned with jewel caves,
In a cross-legged posture,
Delivering a Dharma discourse. {14.30}
14.­31
“With a gentle smile on his face,
This hero’s mind is steeped in concentration.
One should also paint whatever is
On the outside of his cave, below, and around it. {14.31}
14.­32
“In the corner at the end of the canvas one should paint
The practitioner, kneeling down.
In his extended hand he holds incense,
And his body is slightly bent forward. {14.32}
14.­33
“One should paint him as wearing an upper garment
And other clothes just as in real life,
Above the great ocean that is
To the lower right of the Blessed One. {14.33}
14.­34
“One should draw him‍—the practitioner of mantra who aspires for perfection‍—
Wholly applying oneself to the task.
This is the procedure of doing the painting,
As has been taught by those venerated by the world;
Now will be taught
The maṇḍala of the deity.1044 {14.34}
14.­35
“The mantra practitioner should really understand
The mantra at the time of employing it
And always use it to do the preliminary practice,
Training thus for success in recitation.1045 {14.35}
14.­36
“For this reason he should be initiated into the mantra
From this manual, so beautifully1046 taught‍—
The mantra that is associated with the maṇḍala conduct
And always requires initiation.1047 {14.36} [F.175.a] [F.192.a]
14.­37
“He1048 should have confidence in the maṇḍala,
Be initiated into all its mantras,
Always apply himself to the tantra,
And be able to perform the rite of self-protection.1049 {14.37}
14.­38
“The master, possessed of great splendor, should also protect
His assistants with demon-slaying [mantras] and examine them carefully.1050
He should be well established as a spiritual master
And keep his observances. {14.38}
14.­39
“He should have profound insight, be always gentle,
Noble, and compassionate,
And look for the same characteristics
In all his assistants. {14.39}
14.­40
“One should accept as disciples those who are well qualified‍—
One, two, or three,
Or perhaps eight or more of them‍—
But avoid [accepting too] many. {14.40}
14.­41
“One should always follow, for this maṇḍala,
The procedure as previously explained.
Those possessing the ten powers declared
This to be the best of maṇḍalas.
One should therefore draw no other maṇḍala,
And follow no other rite but Mañjughoṣa’s.1051 {14.41}
14.­42
“I will now give the measurements
Of this very magnificent maṇḍala.
It should be four cubits, two cubits,
Or perhaps eight, or more, in diameter. {14.42}
14.­43
“One should draw it in a clean place,
Especially a riverbank or a mountaintop.
One should use powders of five colors
And follow the previously taught procedure. {14.43}
14.­44
“The maṇḍala should have four corners, four doors,
And be adorned with four gateways.
Its four sides should be of equal length,
And its splendor should equal a divine enclosure. {14.44}
14.­45
“The paints should be of bright, vivid colors,
Pure and beautiful,
With a nice fragrance and other aspects.
One should start painting it with the help of a companion, {14.45}
14.­46
“While observing silence and one’s temporary vows,
As well as the eight [precepts].1052
One should be untroubled in mind, moderate in eating,
And virtuous; continually recite the mantra; {14.46}
14.­47
“And refrain from evil activities,
Performing only those of pacifying and enriching.
One should start in the center
And draw the Teacher using paints.1053 {14.47}
14.­48
“First, one should paint Tathāgata Ratnaketu,
Complete with adornments of various jewels,
Sitting inside a cave,
And of great splendor.1054 {14.48}
14.­49
“He sits in a cross-legged posture
And turns the wheel of Dharma.
One should draw on the canvas
Everything that is normally offered to the Teacher.1055 {14.49}
14.­50
“It should be adorned with mudrā symbols
Arranged in three rows. [F.175.b] [F.192.b]
One should paint all that is offered,1056
Arranged in rows all around.1057 {14.50}
14.­51
“They should be densely packed together,
Arranged in order without mixing them up.1058
In their center should be painted
The wheel-turning lord of great power. {14.51}
14.­52
“He has the color of the rising sun
And the radiant form of a divine youth.1059
One should paint him with care
As turning the great wheel. {14.52}
14.­53
“He is in his form of a great king,
Invested with a crown and other adornments,
Wearing a diadem of a great being,
And adorned with every ornament.1060 {14.53}
14.­54
“He wears a fine silken sash around his waist
And brightly colored silk garments.
He is garlanded and adorned
With garlands and clothes with a gentle, soft glow. {14.54}
14.­55
“He inhales the fragrance of a cluster of bulletwood blossoms,
Which he holds in his right hand.1061
He is a deity with a gentle smile on his face,
Of great valor and power. {14.55}
14.­56
“He is of beautiful physique,
Neither too young nor too old.
In his left hand he always holds a wheel
Enveloped in a garland of light. {14.56}
14.­57
“One should paint him sitting with one leg tucked in and the other extended,
His arms close to his torso.1062
He is radiant with a divine glow,
Well formed and beautiful.1063 {14.57}
14.­58
“He sits on a heap of jewels,
With his whole body emitting a great radiance.1064
He grants boons, always becoming active
In response to any propitious mantra. {14.58}
14.­59
“Blazing like fire,
He is adorned with a halo of light1065
And surrounded by flames
Fanned by the wind. {14.59}
14.­60
“If they apply the mantra,
People on the earth will blaze with light the same way.1066
A Dharma follower who visualizes
Such a great hero {14.60}
14.­61
“Will cause all mantras to take effect
And will be freed from all his faults,
Even if he has committed the five acts of immediate retribution,
Is undisciplined or indolent. {14.61}
14.­62
“All such negativity will be appeased,
And he will be liberated by seeing the Lord.
Merely by seeing the maṇḍala
Of the lord of deities, the wheel holder,
Other known types of negativity
Will depart too, at that very moment. {14.62}
14.­63
“Next, one should purify the eastern door
With the mantra of the Lord.1067
The maṇḍala should be clearly visualized,
Surrounded by gateways,
Adorned with plantain trees,1068
And thoroughly elegant in form. {14.63} [F.176.a] [F.193.a]
14.­64
“One should offer bali, always including
Incense, lamps,1069 perfume, and beautiful garlands.
One should do everything respectfully,
Following the previously described procedure. {14.64}
14.­65
“In front of the wheel-holding monarch,
In the center, one should place a full jar.
A mantra adept should not allow this jar,
Which is called ‘victory,’ to be moved. {14.65}
14.­66
“One should then dig the fire pit,
Following the right procedure,
And commence the homa rite,
Employing none other than the mantra of the Lord. {14.66}
14.­67
“One should offer into the fire of cutch tree sticks
One thousand and eight oblations
Consisting of sticks of the dhak, sandalwood,
Bilva, cluster fig, or sandan tree. {14.67}
14.­68
“One can likewise offer devil’s horsewhip1070
In all types of activity, applying care.
Alternatively, one can offer sesame seeds smeared with ghee
And mixed with burnt gandha.1071 {14.68}
14.­69
“In all types of activity,
One should always offer one thousand and eight oblations
At the three junctions of the day as previously described.
As taught by the sages,1072 {14.69}
14.­70
“One should bathe, put on clean clothes,
Eat the three ‘white foods,’1073 choose an auspicious nakṣatra,
And perform the previously described rituals,
Including recitation, homa, and others. {14.70}
14.­71
“One should perform all of [the above]
Employing One Syllable, who is like1074
The [entire] family of Cakravartin employed as a mantra.
One should employ him in all rites.1075 {14.71}
14.­72
“This sole hero, always without maṇḍala companions,1076
Applies himself to his tasks with great power.
One should perform the rites for all mantras
Always reciting him during the performance. {14.72}
14.­73
“Every rite will then be accomplished‍—
The rites for the mundane mantras, preferred by the world;
And for the supramundane, of great valor;
And for the vidyārājas possessed of intense ascetic ‘heat.’1077 {14.73}
14.­74
“All the mantras taught in this manual,
And other mantras, will be successful1078‍—
Those taught by the sages;
By their sons possessed of the ten powers; {14.74}
14.­75
“By Śakra and other world protectors;
By Viṣṇu, Śiva, and Brahmā;
By Sun, Moon, or other [luminaries];
By the kings of yakṣas or the rākṣasas; {14.75}
14.­76
“By mahoragas, or kinnaras,
Or by the best of terrestrial sages;
And by garuḍas, mātṛs,1079
Humans, or other beings. {14.76}
14.­77
“All the mantras that have ever been taught
Will reach accomplishment here,
As One Syllable gathers in himself all mantras
And is the leader in all rites. {14.77}
14.­78
“He is the leader in all rites
As he controls all mantras.1080
He is the enthraller of all beings, [F.176.b] [F.193.b]
And the full extent of the tantras and mantras.1081 {14.78}
14.­79
“This mantra, One Syllable, makes the rites
Of all mantra reciters bear fruit.
By merely reciting it,
One can attract all deities. {14.79}
14.­80
“He, the great lord One Syllable,
Is the master of all rites.
He produces various wonderful results
That are praised by the good. {14.80}
14.­81
“If employed correctly, he will accomplish
Both mundane and transcendent mantras.1082
Having completed the painting,
Entirely pleasant to look at, {14.81}
14.­82
“One should place it in a clean location,
On a riverbank or the top of a mountain.
One should always do this facing west,
Following the previously described method. {14.82}
14.­83
“The practitioner should then turn eastward and,
Following the correct procedure,
Sit of a bundle of darbha grass
And recite the mantra in an orderly way‍— {14.83}
14.­84
“Not too loud and not too low,
Wholly focusing on bodhicitta.
If one does not hate any being,
One will attain accomplishment swiftly, in this life.1083 {14.84}
14.­85
“One should always cultivate the mind of loving kindness
Toward beings who are suffering and miserable;
Who are without a protector, forlorn,
Afflicted with pain, and weak; {14.85}
14.­86
“And who are fallen into this terrible saṃsāra.
One who thus feels compassion will be successful.
One should always place, in front of the painting,
Many offerings, with great care, {14.86}
14.­87
“Including a visualized, celestial woman
Emerging from one’s heart.
One should either visualize or physically present these offerings
To the completed painting of the victorious lord.1084 {14.87}
14.­88
“One should dig the fire pit at the same location,
Following the procedure according to the nature of the rite.
When the fire is fully ablaze,
The practitioner should offer the oblations: {14.88}
14.­89
“White sandalwood and camphor
Should be offered in combination with saffron.
A mantra adept should offer
Into the burning fire one hundred and eight oblations. {14.89}
14.­90
“One should always use the wood of
The cutch, waved-leaf fig, banyan, or dhak tree.
One should energetically light the fire
Using sticks from any of the trees just mentioned. {14.90}
14.­91
“If sticks from these trees are unavailable,
One should procure other sticks,
Perhaps from a neem or a mango tree,
Or a thorn-apple bush. {14.91}
14.­92
“The ones to be avoided, known to be used in evil rites,
Are sticks from any plant that has thorns.
Employing the One Syllable,
One should perform the rites of pacifying and enriching;
Accomplishment will come swiftly.
Evil rites should not be performed. {14.92}
14.­93
“These extensive ritual instructions
That include all the mantras and the rites
Will always lead to accomplishment
If applied without concepts.
The mantra deities will then be summoned1085 [F.177.a] [F.194.a]
And the boons will be granted. {14.93}
14.­94
“The mantra practitioner who desires a kingdom on the earth
Should offer into the fire, in a complete homa rite,
The sticks of the waved-leaf fig, cluster fig,
Dhak, or banyan tree, {14.94}
14.­95
“Smeared with ghee and curds,
With the addition of honey.
If he desires the queen along with the kingdom,1086
He should offer saffron and sandalwood. {14.95}
14.­96
“If he desires lordship
Over vidyādhara gods,
He should offer 3,600,000 lotus flowers
With attached filaments. {14.96}
14.­97
“At the end of the homa,
One should give a welcome offering to the Teacher.1087
A supreme painting will, at this moment, emit light,
Being, [in this way], marked by the victorious ones.1088 {14.97}
14.­98
“Upon merely touching it,
One will ascend to the realm of Brahmā,
Or as far as the realm of the Akaniṣṭha gods,
Or perhaps all the subterranean paradises. {14.98}
14.­99
“When obtaining any of these accomplishments,
One will certainly become a king [in the respective realm].
Firm in one’s vows and valorous,1089
One will make the spirits flee. {14.99}
14.­100
“In due order, one can always become,
Upon completing the rite, the king of vidyādharas.
Furthermore, one can live a long time,
Equal to an eon, {14.100}
14.­101
“And when one dies, after all this time,
One will certainly progress toward awakening.
There is also another rite,
Whose details, in a condensed form, are as follows. {14.101}
14.­102
“One should procure white lotus flowers
And combine them with white sandalwood.
If one offers them in ten million oblations,
One will be able to see Ratnaketu. {14.102}
14.­103
“Upon seeing this supreme victor,
One will obtain the five superknowledges.
One will live for a long, great eon,
And will be a follower of the Buddha. {14.103}
14.­104
“One will be able to see infinite buddhas,
Located throughout the quarters of the universe.
One should always worship them,
And will dwell together with them. {14.104}
14.­105
“The realm called Ratnāvatī
Is the one where the Blessed One lives,
The supreme and most excellent sage,
The most eminent tathāgata Ratnaketu. {14.105}
14.­106
“One will always dwell there,
Purified by the mantra; there is no doubt.
The following is another cherished rite,
Which has been taught by the most eminent of men. {14.106}
14.­107
“A mantra practitioner should blend together
The blossoms of the ironwood tree,
Camphor, sandalwood, and saffron.
He should then offer them into the fire 7,800,000 times. {14.107}
14.­108
“At the conclusion of the homa,
The deity will arrive along with his retinue. [F.177.b] [F.194.b]
Pleased, he will definitely grant a boon,
Touching the practitioner on the head. {14.108}
14.­109
“As soon as the practitioner has been touched,
He will become the master of the seventh level of realization.
He will be called ‘bodhisattva,’
A true son of the victorious ones. {14.109}
14.­110
“Always dedicated to awakening,
He will be prophesied to attain it,
And from then on, he, the son of the victorious ones,
Will know whatever is to be known. {14.110}
14.­111
“He will know all the mantras,
And will happily follow his exalted destiny.1090
By merely seeing Ratnaketu1091
He will obtain the five superknowledges and become the king of mantras. {14.111}
14.­112
“He will always be able to assume different forms
And different identities at any time.1092
He will always delight in the act of worshiping
Those who are endowed with all the best attributes. {14.112}
14.­113
“In an instant, he will become eager
Only to perform activities of awakening.
He will be able to visit, instantaneously,
Different worlds and buddhafields. {14.113}
14.­114
“He will roam everywhere
In thousands of world spheres
And be able to see the good deeds
Of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. {14.114}
14.­115
“He will hear their Dharma teachings
And will eagerly worship them.
There are also other rites
That originate from the victorious wheel turner.1093 {14.115}
14.­116
“One should offer one hundred thousand lamps1094
With wicks fed with pure ghee,1095
Set in golden or silver dishes,
Or perhaps copper or clay. {14.116}
14.­117
“When these have been lit
By one hundred thousand men
And placed by this whole group
On one hundred thousand floats,1096 {14.117}
14.­118
“And only men, without women,
Stand around with lamps in their hands,1097
They should make an offering to the Teacher in the painting
In an act of worship. {14.118}
14.­119
“With all of them simultaneously engaged,
If each one recites the mantra
And makes offerings to the Teacher while reciting,
Accomplishment will manifest instantly.1098 {14.119}
14.­120
“All around the sound of thunder will be heard,
And the drumming of drums.
Many hosts of gods
Will exclaim, ‘Good!’ {14.120}
14.­121
“The buddhas and bodhisattvas
Will appear in the sky and say,
‘Good, O wise being!
You have made your ritual performance work! {14.121}
14.­122
“ ‘You will not experience again
The suffering that saturates saṃsāra.
You will remain in the state of a buddha,
In safe, happy, and fearless nirvāṇa. {14.122} [F.178.a] [F.195.a]
14.­123
“ ‘You have embarked upon
The path that is auspicious and pure,
Eight branched, based on the right livelihood,
And guarded by the wheel-holding One Syllable in his mantra form.’1099 {14.123}
14.­124
“There is yet another rite,
Which leads to the highest birth;
It has been taught by all the buddhas
And is known to confer great powers. {14.124}
14.­125
“One should take a piece of neem tree wood
And make from it a vajra scepter
With three prongs at either end.
The middle part should represent the buddha of the Vajra family.1100 {14.125}
14.­126
“One should then purify the vajra with the mantra
And place it in front of the painting.
The practitioner should then recite the mantra,
Fully concentrated, while touching the vajra. {14.126}
14.­127
“After completing 12,800,000 recitations
What is desired will be accomplished.
The vajra will then emit a single flame
And illuminate everything all around. {14.127}
14.­128
“Then, by picking up the vajra,1101
One will thus ascend upward.
One will visit the world of Brahmā,
Or any other celestial realm equal to it.1102 {14.128}
14.­129
“One will travel through space
As the foremost of siddhas.
One will become the master
Of siddhas, vidyādharas, and so forth. {14.129}
14.­130
“One will become a wheel-turning monarch
Reigning among a host of gods.
One will be able to assume different forms,
Based on the correct ascertainment of the nature of the body. {14.130}
14.­131
“One will be able to remain in this condition
For ten intermediate eons, without deviating from it,
Always enjoying pleasures and venerated,
Always endowed with a beautiful form and qualities. {14.131}
14.­132
“One will follow the conduct of bodhicitta,
Free from the sufferings of repeated birth.
One will become a celestial siddha,1103
Free from all negativity. {14.132}
14.­133
“Passing on from there, one will be born a human
Destined for a life of many pleasures.
Not straying toward any other destiny,
One will wholly pursue the goal of awakening. {14.133}
14.­134
“One’s activities will be diverse and infinite,
And one will be venerated, bringing benefit to many.
When this king of mantras is recited
As part of the full ritual, {14.134}
14.­135
“One will obtain a suzerainty over the earth,
A state of Śakra, or that of a universal emperor.
One may also assume the condition
Of a vidyādhara or a god, {14.135}
14.­136
“Or any other numerous forms,
And perform the types of activities here described.1104
If a mantra practitioner applies himself to the task thoroughly,
He will attain every accomplishment. {14.136}
14.­137
“At night, seated with crossed legs,
The vow holder should recite the mantra uninterruptedly.1105
The reciter will attain accomplishment by the next morning[F.178.b] [F.195.b]
And will obtain the five superknowledges. {14.137}
14.­138
“Stepping upon a corpse in a cemetery,
The vow holder should recite the mantra without moving.
The One Syllable being able to accomplish great aims,
One can expect accomplishment by morning. {14.138}
14.­139
“If this lord of vidyās, of great power,
Is recited in a cemetery,
The reciter will attain accomplishment within six months
And obtain the desired result. {14.139}
14.­140
“At whatever place the One Syllable,
Of great power, is recited,
At that place will the reciter attain accomplishment,
If he employs the mantra in the right way. {14.140}
14.­141
“A white parasol, a sword,
A jewel, a pair of shoes,1106 earrings,
A garlands of pearls, an armlet, a banner,1107
A bracelet,1108 a ring, {14.141}
14.­142
“A girdle, clothes,
Tooth sticks, a water pitcher,
A sacred cord, a turban,
A coat of mail, leather armor, {14.142}
14.­143
“An antelope skin, a water pot,
A rosary, a pair of shoes,
All the best adornments
To be desired in both worlds, {14.143}
14.­144
“The adornments worn
By the gods, men, or others‍—
All of them will be accomplished
If one recites in front of the painting. {14.144}
14.­145
“All the substances, minerals,
Adornments, jewels,
And the different kinds of weapons,
If placed in front of the painting {14.145}
14.­146
“And incanted once, will become pure.
If incanted eight hundred thousand times,
They will all emit light together.
The reciter will rise1109 upon being touched by them. {14.146}
14.­147
“Different types of beings
With different features and forms,
Adornments, and weapons,
Whether made of clay or real, {14.147}
14.­148
“Either self-animated or fabricated,1110
And different types of birds‍—
All entities that are described
As artificial or natural, {14.148}
14.­149
“Beings that have names, and those that do not‍—
Will be accomplished when purified by the mantra.1111
Beings that live in different mediums
And are composed of different elements1112 {14.149}
14.­150
“Will have the courses of their births
Purified by the mantra,
If they are placed in front of this painting,
Following the procedure as previously described. {14.150}
14.­151
“Touching them,1113 a mantra practitioner should recite
The mantra six or seven times one hundred thousand.1114
If, at the end of the recitation, [F.179.a] [F.196.a] they emit light,
One will attain full accomplishment. {14.151}
14.­152
“Upon merely touching them,
One will be able to fly throughout the four directions.
One will live happily for a long time
And obtain, in this life, the status of a god. {14.152}
14.­153
“Reflecting the manner in which
This very powerful vidyārāja is employed,
He will become pleased
And will always grant boons. {14.153}
14.­154
“When employed in other rites
Whose ritual instructions are very extensive,1115
This very powerful vidyārāja
Will swiftly accomplish them. {14.154}
14.­155
“A mantra adept pure in mind and activities,
Who always delights in purity
And stays in a pure place,
Will attain a pure accomplishment. {14.155}
14.­156
“One will reap the fruit according to the activity:
From the highest comes the highest;
For activities of medium type, the fruit will be medium;
If it is of the lowest type, the fruit will correspond in nature. {14.156}
14.­157
“A rite, if performed properly,
Will yield great wealth.1116
However, if the rite is not accomplished properly,
It will yield only a small result. {14.157}
14.­158
“Merely by reciting continually,
One will attain great prosperity and power.
A reciter will invariably obtain
A king’s affection and ministerial office. {14.158}
14.­159
“If this king of mantras is recited but once,
He will destroy all negativity.
If recited twice or seven times,
He will provide a powerful protection for oneself. {14.159}
14.­160
“If he is recited eight times,
One’s companions will be protected in all respects.
Furthermore, a mantra practitioner
Should incant both his garments.1117 {14.160}
14.­161
“When both garments are incanted,
He will have removed all disease.
Touching these garments, after the mantra was recited,
Will destroy all bodily fever. {14.161}
14.­162
“If mantra practitioners carefully incant
Their face or eyes, or both the face and the eyes,
They will destroy the anger of the angry
Merely by being looked at. {14.162}
14.­163
“For any host of evil spirits,
Violent and engaged in negative actions,
The practitioner should look them in the face
[With his eyes] incanted thirty times with the king of mantras. {14.163}
14.­164
“Also, if he incants
His own hand repeatedly
And delivers with it a blow,
He will liberate any embodied being. {14.164}
14.­165
“Regarding children, he should always
Bathe them and give them food and drink,
Having incanted these articles sixty times
With this exalted mantra, worshiped by the gods. {14.165} [F.179.b] [F.196.b]
14.­166
“All evildoers will then depart‍—
The mātṛs, the kravyādas, and the grahas;
Frightened by the mantra they will perish,
And certainly abandon the children. {14.166}
14.­167
“There are many rites of this kind;
If they target [troublesome] humans on earth,
They will, likewise,
Swiftly repel them. {14.167}
14.­168
“Whatever beings swim in rivers,
And the different species that roam the dry land,
Be they venomous or not,
Will perish, burst by the mantra.1118 {14.168}
14.­169
“Whatever types of suffering
And whatever unpleasant experiences beings may have
Will be repelled by this king of mantras
And swiftly become pacified. {14.169}
14.­170
“Whatever kinds of terrible pestilence there are,
Which are attended upon by suffering,
Will swiftly vanish away
If this mantra1119 is recited six hundred times. {14.170}
14.­171
“One should perform the rites of homa
Offering one thousand and eight
Fragrant blue lotus flowers
Smeared with honey, curds, and ghee,1120 mixed together. {14.171}
14.­172
“Offering sesame will bring peace to spirits
And well-being to human beings.1121
The mantra practitioner will thus be able to swiftly accomplish
All these different types of activities, {14.172}
14.­173
“Brought forth by many different rites,
If he applies himself well.
Through merely reciting the mantra
One will be able to appease the anger of one’s enemies. {14.173}
14.­174
“There are many extensive rites
Connected with the meaning of this mantra;
It is said that if one follows the prescribed procedure,
One will here obtain success in them. {14.174}
14.­175
“The mantra that is recited
Will certainly effect the minor activities here.
When recited, it will always swiftly fulfill
The aims of all ritual activities. {14.175}
14.­176
“In order to enthrall all beings,
It is necessary to recite the mantra at the three junctions of the day.
One should always perform the rite of homa
Using the blossoms of royal jasmine. {14.176}
14.­177
“Prescribed also are white sandalwood,
Camphor, and saffron.
The mantra will always bring results
For superior reciters.1122 {14.177}
14.­178
“One will accomplish desired aims
If one recites along with the indispensable homa.
The required homa should be prepared
With the proper ingredients such as camphor and so forth. {14.178}
14.­179
“One should perform various rites,
Prepared the way one desires‍—
If the homa is small, the rite’s success will be minimal;
If it is big, the results will likewise be significant. {14.179}
14.­180
“If it is medium, the result will be middling;
The success of the rite is always explained in this way.
One should therefore take special care to include [F.180.a] [F.197.a]
Homa in all ritual activities.” {14.180}
14.­181

This concludes the chapter that provides the details of the practice of the cakravartin, including the painting procedure and the maṇḍala, fourteenth in “The Root Manual of Noble Mañjuśrī,” an extensive Mahāyāna sūtra that forms a garland-like basket of bodhisattva teachings.

c.

Colophon

c.­1

By order of the glorious ruler and renunciant king Jangchub O, this text was translated, edited, and finalized by the great Indian preceptor and spiritual teacher Kumārakalaśa and the translator Lotsawa and monk Śākya Lodrö.3397

ab.

Abbreviations

Abbreviations Used in the Introduction and Translation

C Choné Kangyur
D Degé Kangyur
H Lhasa Kangyur
J Lithang Kangyur
K Kangxi Kangyur
L Shelkar Kangyur
MMK Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa
N Narthang Kangyur
Skt. Sanskrit text of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa as it is represented in the appendix
TMK Tārāmūlakalpa
Tib. Tibetan text of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa as witnessed in the Pedurma Kangyur
Y Yongle Kangyur

Abbreviations Used in the Appendix‍—Sources for the Sanskrit text of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa (MMK)

Published editions
M Martin Delhey 2008
S Śāstrī 1920–25
V Vaidya 1964
Y Jayaswal 1934 (the section containing chapter 53 from Śāstrī’s edition of the MMK corrected by Rāhula Saṅkṛtyāyana)
Manuscripts
A NAK (National Archives, Kathmandu) accession no. 5/814
B NAK accession no. 3/303
MSS all manuscripts (as used for any given section of text)
R NAK accession no. 3/645
T manuscript accession no. C-2388 (Thiruvanantha­puram)
Tibetan sources
C Choné (co ne) Kangyur
D Degé (sde dge) Kangyur
H Lhasa (lha sa/zhol) Kangyur
J Lithang (li thang) Kangyur
K Kangxi (khang shi) Kangyur
N Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur
TMK Tibetan translation of the Tārāmūlakalpa (Toh 724)
Tib. Tibetan translation (supported by all recensions in the Pedurma Kangyur)
U Urga (phyi sog khu re) Kangyur
Y Yongle (g.yung lo) Kangyur
Critical apparatus
* text illegible (in a manuscript)
+ text reported as illegible in S, or in Delhey’s transcript of manuscript A
? text illegible (in a printed edition)
[] (square brackets) text hard to decipher (in a manuscript)
] right square bracket marks the lemma quoted from the root text
a.c. ante correctionem
conj. conjectured
em. emended
lac. lacunae in the text (physical damage to the manuscript)
m.c. metri causa
om. omitted
p.c. post correctionem
r recto
v verso
† (dagger) text unintelligible
• (middle dot) lack of sandhi or partial sandhi
b.

Bibliography

Source Texts (Sanskrit)

Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu (Bir 157), accession no. 3/303. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 136/11. Bears the title Mañjuśrī­jñāna­tantra.

Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu, accession no. 5/814. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 39/04.

Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Manuscript in the National Archives, Kathmandu (Bir 45), accession no. 3/645. Microfilmed by NGMPP, reel A 124/14.

Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Manuscript in the Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, Thiruvanantha­puram, accession no. C-2388.

Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Manuscript in Tokyo University Library, no. 275 in Matsunami’s catalog (Matsunami 1965).

Śāstrī, T. Gaṇapati, ed. The Āryamañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Vols 1–3. Trivandrum Sanskrit Series 70, 76, and 84. Trivandrum: Superintendent Government Press, 1920–25.

Vaidya, P. L., ed. Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Mahāyāna­sūtra­saṃgraha, Part II. Buddhist Sanskrit Texts 18. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1964.

Source Texts (Tibetan)

’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrī­mūla­tantra). Toh. 543, Degé Kangyur vol. 88 (rgyud ’bum, na), folios 105.a–351.a.

’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrī­mūla­tantra). bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–2009. vol. 88, pp. 354–1051.

ral pa gyen brdzes kyi rtog pa chen po (Tārāmūlakalpa). Toh. 724, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud ’bum, tsa), folios 205.b–311.a, continued in vol. 94 (rgyud ’bum, tsha), folios 1.b–200.a.

Secondary Sources

Agrawala, V. S. “The meaning of Kumārī Dvīpa.” Sārdha-Śatābdī: Special Volume of Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay (June 1959): 1–5.

Bunce, Fredrick W. Mudrās in Buddhist and Hindu Practices: An Iconographic Consideration. New Delhi: D. K. Printworld, 2005.

Delhey, Martin. (forthcoming). Early Buddhist Tantra: New Light on the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa from Manuscript Evidence. (forthcoming).

‍—‍—‍—(2008). Three unpublished handouts made for the First International Workshop on Early Tantra, Kathmandu, 2008, containing editions of chapters 12, 13, and 51 of the MMK, based on the NAK manuscript accession no. 5/814, reel A 39/04.

‍—‍—‍—(2012). “The Textual Sources of the Mañjuśriya­mūla­kalpa (Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa), With Special Reference to Its Early Nepalese Witness NGMPP A39/4.” Journal of the Nepal Research Centre Vol. XIV (2012): 55–75.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī (Ratna­ketu­dhāraṇī, Toh 138). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020.

‍—‍—‍—(2023). trans. The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen (Toh 559). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.

Edgerton, Franklin. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar and Dictionary. 2 vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1970.

Gray, David B. The Cakrasaṃvara Tantra (The Discourse of Śrī Heruka). A Study and Annotated Translation. New York: American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Columbia University, 2007.

Hartzell, James F. “The Buddhist Sanskrit Tantras: ‘The Samādhi of the Plowed Row.’ ” Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies 14 (Fall 2012): 63–178.

Jayaswal, K. P. An Imperial History of India in a Sanskrit Text (c. 700 B.C.–c. 770 A.D.) with a Special Commentary on Later Gupta Period. Lahore: Motilal Banarsidass, 1934.

Matsunaga, Yūkei. “On the date of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa.” In Tantric and Taoist Studies in Honour of R. A. Stein, edited by M. Strickmann. Vol. 3: Mélanges chinois et bouddhiques 22, 882–894. Brussels: Institut belge des hautes études chinoises, 1985.

Matsunami, Seiren. A Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Tokyo University Library. Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1965.

Mical, Wiesiek, and Paul Thomas. “Do Kriyā Tantras Have a Doctrine? ‍— The Case of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa.” Unpublished manuscipt, 2017. https://ku-np.academia.edu/wiesiekmical.

Przyluski, Jean. “Les Vidyārāja, contribution à l’histoire de la magie dans les sectes Mahāyānistes.” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Extrême-Orient 23 (1923): 301–18.

Roberts, Peter Alan (2018), trans. The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Samādhi­rāja­sūtra, Toh 127). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—(2021a), trans. The Stem Array (Gaṇḍavyūha, chapter 45 of the Avataṃsakasūtra, Toh 44). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—(2021b), trans. The Ten Bhūmis (Daśabhūmika, Toh 44-31). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

‍—‍—‍—(2023), trans. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1) (Suvarṇa­prabhāsottama­sūtra, Toh 555). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.

Saṅkṛtyāyana, Rāhula. “The text of the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa, corrected with the help of the Tibetan text.” In An Imperial History of India in a Sanskrit Text (c. 700 B.C.–c. 770 A.D.) with a Special Commentary on Later Gupta Period by K. P. Jayasawal, addendum 1–75. Lahore: Motilal Banarsidass, 1934.

Wallis, G. Mediating the Power of Buddhas: Ritual in the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2002.

Table of Contents

Search this text

Spotted a mistake?

Please use the contact form provided to suggest a correction.

How to cite this text

The following are examples of how to correctly cite this publication. Links to specific passages can be derived by right-clicking on the milestones markers in the left-hand margin (e.g. s.1). The copied link address can replace the url below.

84000. The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī (Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa, ’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud, Toh 543). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024. https://84000.co/translation/toh543/UT22084-088-038-chapter-14.Copy
84000. The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī (Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa, ’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud, Toh 543). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee, online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024, 84000.co/translation/toh543/UT22084-088-038-chapter-14.Copy
84000. (2024) The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī (Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa, ’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud, Toh 543). (Dharmachakra Translation Committee, Trans.). Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. https://84000.co/translation/toh543/UT22084-088-038-chapter-14.Copy
Sponsor Translation