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mahā-rāja-vaiśravaṇa-sādhana

The practice of the great king Vaishravana

    I prostrate before the glorious Vajrapani!
    Lord of jewels, that possesses a precious treasury! Lord of all the jewel-holders among all the Yakshas! Vaishravana, the king who protects the northern direction! I prostrate before thee that bestows supreme siddhis!
    [He] is great in the power of restoration and virtue, that abides being full on the lion's seat. In his two hands [he] holds a staff and a mongoose. Let me explain the words of his practice.
    Recite a mantra over dung with camphor, etc., and anoint the base well. Set the flowers in the form of nine heaps. Possessing the seven heart commitments, [install] the body as the three bases of the king.
    When you have completed the essence ritual, repeat three times one thousand mantras. Through this, scatter the smoke [of offerings] to all the primary and intermediate directions. Visualize a seed in your heart.
    From it, rays of light radiate forcefully in the northern direction. Invite King Vaishravanu, the chief among the hundred thousand Yakshas, and visualize that he is in front.
    For this purpose, beginning with purification and elimination, make good offerings to the king along with his retinue:
    oṁ amṛita kuṇḍali hana hana hūṁ phaṭ
    As syllables of offerings for him [use] three syllables. Possessing them, offer them up, associating in a blissful way [with everything] individually. With rays of light from the syllable oṁ on his head, neck, and heart, the king, together with his retinue, melts into light and becomes like the nature of emptiness.
    Then meditate that in the front from the syllable bhrūṁ a precious house-building appears. In the middle of the structure with four corners and three levels, three palaces are lined up. The top is decorated with a rare jewel. The whole is surrounded by nets and curtains.
    The eastern direction is adorned with ten thousand columns of crystal, lapis lazuli, lotus raga and gold. Outside of this, in the main and intermediate [directions], everything is completely adorned with a blessed vessel, a wish-fulfillment tree, jeweled ponds, a wish-fulfillment cow, [and all these are represented in number] forty times eight. Everything is completely surrounded by the blazing jewel.
    From the syllable-seed in the middle, various rays of light radiate with power. Radiating out, realize [two] purposes. When they return again, they dissolve into the syllable vai. From it [appears] the perfect great king with his retinue. On top of the lion's seat of fearlessness [within] the noble precious palace from the syllable vai appears the protector, resting, virtuous, [possessing] great power. On the right holds a victorious standard. On the left holds a mongoose from the treasury. Body indefinite, [possessing] golden light. From the mouth descends a rain of jewels. Realizes [through] compassion liberation from poverty. On the body [everything] is adorned with precious ornaments. His right and left shoulders are adorned with the Sun and the Moon. Possesses the radiance of a hundred thousand suns. On the head is adorned with precious ornaments. Imagine that the retinue of ten million Yakshas is like a cluster of clouds in the sky. He has gained power in the heavenly treasury. Sitting cross-legged like a bodhisattva.
    Then [follows] the invocation of the king:
    O protector who walks everywhere and possesses heartfelt obligations! Now, at the time of the five impurities, everyone is doing the five infinitely [bad actions]. All look up to the level of foolishness and the dross of clichéd obscurations! And even if abiding on the lowly level where they come [because of this], thou [that art] before the lion of Shakyas, think of all the heart commitments made! [When you have thought about it,] I ask for the sake of protecting the Doctrine of the Leader and the medicine for all living beings to come for the benefit of the living beings of those who abide in the places of the northern direction!
    By the rays of light that emanate from the syllable hūṁ, which is in the heart of Vajrapani, one's own nature, King Vaishravana, along with a hundred thousand yakshas, is seized. Being seized, they are in the front, in the middle of the jeweled hail, abiding as kings.
    Then, having bestowed the dedication of the jewel-Ratna and blessings, beginning with purifying water, offer up the seven jewels, the eight fortunate ones, the five desirable qualities. Offer the smoke of incense and perform a hymn.
    Then [visualize] on the moon in the heart a seed completely surrounded by the mantra. Visualize the vajra pipe as the tongue.
     [Perform] the recitation of the mantra, emanation and gathering, repeating with concentration on the individual heart [of the deity]:
    tadyathā oṁ hili maṇibhadra hili hili maṇibhadra kili maṇibhadra kili kili maṇibhadra kuru maṇibhadra kuru kuru maṇibhadra turu maṇibhadra turu turu maṇibhadra suru maṇibhadra suru suru maṇibhadra curu maṇibhadra curu curu maṇibhadra oṁ e hye hi tiṣṭha avatara tiṣṭha mecaya tadyathā buddha nisu tene sura mene supa dere su su śye hili mili svāhā hūṁ vaiśravaṇaye svāhā
    Pronounce this for approaching [in number] ten hundred thousand times. On the fifteenth [day] of the waxing moon, make a mandala of white sandalwood. Contemplating the king there, burn aloes and recite the mantra. Here repeat it one hundred and eight times.
    If you perform contemplation of the king and recite the mantra six times day and night, there will be a constant following [of you]. The Yakshas will exercise protection at a distance of up to one hundred yojanas. Completely you will complete all your plans. Food, drink, beverages, jewels, treasuries and gold will be bestowed without any delay. You will acquire immeasurable spiritual merit in the form of precious treasuries, etc. You will make everything perfect. You will realize all such things without exception, etc.
    When you are tired, [perform] the prayer of leaving. Make offerings, perform a hymn, perform the prayer of patience. When thou offerest a white torma, command [the fulfillment of] activity.
    When one conceives a vessel from the syllable bhrūṁ, etc., realize the conception of food [i.e., feast] from the syllable khaṁ.
    oṁ a kā ro mu khaṁ sarva dharmā ṇāṁ ādya nutpanna tvāta oṁ āḥ hūṁ
    When you realize increase by means of Buddhalochana, realize the recitation of the thirteen king mantras.
    hūṁ vaiśravaṇaye i daṁ baliṁ gṛihnantu samaya rakṣantu mama sidhi mme prayaccha mama sarva karma ādhu amogha svāhā
    When you associate with the individual mantras, bring it up.
    Hūṁ!
    Vaishravana, the great king who protects the northern direction! Even after accepting these gifts of torma, support us with your retinue, like [supporting] a pleasant child!
    Destroy the bosom of all living beings that abide in the perverse, thinking of harm to me! Realize the activity of their complete destruction!
    [Pronounce] thirty-two syllables of vai. Having loosened the iron hook of the heart, depart.
    oṁ!
    You realize all the purposes of living entities! You bestow the siddhis of perfect harmony! Please, even when You leave places in the northern direction, act again by coming [here]!
    Melt samayasattva in the light. When you make an image [or statue] of the king, invoke the king as your own nature and dissolve it. When you press it with your feet, gather it by subduing it.
    hūṁ vaiśravaṇāya anu raca kuru hūṁ
    When you do all such things perfectly, King Vaiśravana, together [with his retinue], will support all desires. One will attain might in the heavenly treasury.
    Thus concludes the analysis that Vaishravana's happiness creates, compiled by the great charya Gatibhadrasara.
    Translated and verified by: the Indian preceptor Pandita Tejadeva and the Tibetan translator monk Phagpa Sherab. Translated by Lama Karma Paljro (O.E. Filippov).