1.2. Mantras (used for invoking the Buddhas)

Mantras constitute the next essential feature of tantra. They are an integral part of practice. Mantras are used for invoking the Buddhas. Tantric practitioners repeat them in order to forge karmic connections between themselves and meditational deities and to effect cognitive restructuring through internalizing the divine qualities that the mantra represents. Not all mantras, however, have such clear symbolism. Many mantras are unintelligible on the literal level, but tantric practitioners are taught the meaning by their teachers. Tantric practitioners should recognize that the conventional meanings of words are not fixed, and the meaning and significance of anything lies in the mind of the beholder. Mantras mean what they need to mean in the context of a particular practice, and so conventional usage is often irrelevant. In addition, 370 sariram danam datva ca pascac caryam samarabhet/ bhagabhagavicarna tasmad danam na diyate/19// bhaksyam bhojyam tatha panam yathapraptam tu bhaksayet/ grahanam natra kartavyam istanistavikalpatah/20// bhaksyabhaksyavicaran tu peyapeyam tathaiva ca/ gamyagamyan tatha mantri vikalpan naiva karayet/21// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.67) natra 371 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.277) - 206 -

mantras may be interpreted in innumerable ways and have no fixed significance. In some Hindu systems, mantras are said to be primordial sounds that possess power in and of themselves. In Tibetan Buddhist Tantra mantras have no such inherent power unless they are recited by a person with a focused mind, they are only sounds. For people with the proper attitude, however, they can be powerful tools that aid in the process of transformation.372 i Hevajra Tantra, mentions different kinds of mantras and vouchsafe their efficacy. There are those that help one to overcome obstacles like mortal enemies who are against the Buddha and Dharma. There are mantras for making rain, destroying army, to cause harm to enemy, to attract a woman, to find lost wealth and such others. [Hevajra Tantra] I shall expound that method of rending the enveloped [life-force], the mere concentrated visualisation of which attains his goal for the practitioner. The holder of the Vow should rend with the hand the base of the navel of the one to be destroyed, whilst assuming a nature similar to that of Heruka by being in an extremely fierce state of mind. By the mere emanation of this even a Buddha is definitely destroyed. (II.9.1-2)373 [Hevajra Tantra] After having announced the intention to the guru and accomplished beings, perform with mercy the rite of killing of one who is a non-believer of the teachings. of the Buddha and the detractors of the gurus and Buddhas. One should emanate such a person, visualising his form as being upside down, vomiting blood, trembling and with hair in disarray. Imagine a blazing needle entering his back. Then by envisioning the seed-syllable of the Fire element in his heart he is killed instantly. (11.9.3-5)374 [Hevajra Tantra] While reciting the mantra om ah phuh, make an image of a snake. Bathe the snake-image with the Five Nectars, worship it with blue black flowers, anoint it with Nagadamaraka juice and smear elephant's ichor on its head. Place the snake's image in a hollow pot and cover it with another hollow pot of a similar kind, filling [the lower] pot with milk from a black cow. Tie the pots together with rope made 372 John Powers, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, pp.230-232. 373 athatah sampravaksyami samputodghatalaksanam/ yena dhyanamatrena sadhakah siddhim apnuyat//1/ sadhyasya nabhimule tu hastenotpatayed vrati/ heruka pratirupenadhyata krura cetasa/ bhavanamatrakenaiva buddho 'pi nasyate dhruvam//2// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.275) 374 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , pp.275-276) - 207 - -

by a black virgin. In the north-west, making a pool, place the snake [which is within the pots] in the pool. At the edge of the pool make a mandala using the following colored powders; black powder made with charcoal from the crematory; white made from powdered human bone; yellow made from yellow orpiment; red made from crematory bricks; green made with Caurya leaves ground with human bones; and blue made from human bone ground together with charcoal from the crematory. With rope obtained from the crematory measure out a square mandala which is three cubits and three finger widths on each side. In the middle of this mandala draw an image of Hevajra with eight faces, four feet, sixteen hands and twenty-four eyes trampling and overpowering a snake. Then in a lonely place assuming an extremely wrathful mood, the accomplished practitioner must recite the following mantra: om ghuru ghuru ghudu ghudu masa masa ghata ghata ghotaya ghotaya anataksobhakaraya nagadhipataye he he ru ru ka saptapatalagatan nagan karsaya karsaya varsaya varsaya garjaya garjaya phuh phuh phuh phuh phuh phuh phuh phuh hum hum hum phat svaha. If it does not rain then recite this mantra in reverse order. It will rain. Should it still not rain, [this reverse order] will cause the heads of the Nagas to burst like bunches of jack-fruit and it will then deluge. This is the process for making it rain. (1.2.20)375 [Hevajra Tantra] I will explain the Cloud-rending ritual. In case of excess rain, sitting on an old rag from the crematory, rend the clouds by reciting the following mantra: om aryasmasanapriyaya hum hum hum phat svaha. This is the process for the Cloud-rending ritual. (1.2.21)376 [Hevajra Tantra] I will explain the Chalk ritual for destroying an enemy army. Powdering chalk, mix it into a small ball together with the Five Nectars and filings of a sword. As a preliminary propitiation in order to become proficient in the application of this rite, recite the following mantra ten million times: om vajrakartari hevajraya hum hum hum phat. For the destruction of an enemy army, recite the mantra one hundred thousand times. Mark the neck of the water pot that is used in the rite with an encircling line of the paste. Once encircled, break the neck of the water pot. This will cause all the enemy heads to be severed. This is the Vajra Knife ritual. (1.2.2 2)377 [Hevajra Tantra] Desiring to cause a burning fever, write the name of the enemy on an Arka 375 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.28) 376 meghanam sphatanam vaksye/ smasanakarpata upavisya mantrajapena sphatayet/ om aryasmasanapriyaya hum hum hum phat svaha megha sphatanavidhih//21/ (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , pp.29-30) 377 (Hevajra Tantra [F&M]., p.30) - 208 -

leaf with the mixture of the juices of Visarajika and the acidic Citraka fruit. Throw it on a chaff fire and recite the following mantra ten thousand times: om hevajra jvala jvala satrun bhrum hum hum hum phat svaha. By reciting the mantra ten thousand times the desire will be accomplished. (1.2.24)378 [Hevajra Tantra] Desiring to subdue a young woman, go to the foot of an Asoka tree on the Asoka Astami, wear a red garment and eat Madana fruit. Mark the forehead with Kamacika juice and recite the following mantra: om hribh amuki me vasibhavatu svaha. By reciting the mantra ten thousand times she will come. (1.2.26)379 [Hevajra Tantra] Desiring to control the sun and the moon, make images of the sun and the moon with the paste of ground rice and drop them into a cementing liquid. Recite the following mantra: om candrarka ma cala ma cala tistha tistha hevajraya hum hum hum phat svaha: By reciting the mantra seventy million times the sun and the moon will stop moving and the night and day of the moon and sun will become indistinguishable. This is the ritual for controlling the sun and moon. (1.2.27) 380 [Hevajra Tantra] In order to find lost wealth, at night whilst gazing into the eyes of a virgin, recite one hundred and eight times the mantra om nagra nagra. The worship her with flowers, incense, lamp and the other ingredients of the five-fold ritual offering. At dawn on the fourteenth or eighth day of the lunar cycle, placing the sacramental pot together with oil and lac, recite the same mantra one hundred and eight times. Then smear the big toe of the one who recites the mantra with empowered lac and bathing the toe with the empowered oil, show it to the virgin. [Then the supplicant should demand:] 'Speak! Who has stolen this thing of mine?' Then she will reply: 'By such and such a person'. This is the Vajra divination ritual for finding lost things. (1.2.28)381 "Hevajra Tantra, goes to the extant of stating that no other Tantric ritual is more important than Mantras. 378 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.31) 379 pramadam vasikartukamena asokastamyam asokatalam gatva raktavastram paridhaya madanaphalam bhaksayet/ kamacikarasena tilakam vandya mantram japet om hrih amuki me vasibhavatu svaha ayutajapenagacchati//26// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.32) 380 candrasutraryau vasikartukamena salipistakamayam candrakam krtva vajrodake niksipet/ mantram japet/ om candrarka macala ma cala tistha tistha hevajraya hum hum hum hum phat svaha saptakotim japet/ tistate/ candrasutraryam ratrimdivavisesakam bhavati iti candrasutraryavidharanavidhih//27// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.32) 381 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.33) - 209 -

[Hevajra Tantra] In this tantric practice there is no need for fire-sacrifices and the performance of hand-gestures. This great tantric technique is effective on just being recited and one can accomplish merely by concentrated visualisation. (II.9.6)382 Not only what mantra is to be recited for the achievement of a particular purpose is given in "Hevajra Tantra, but also the way to do it is mentioned [Hevajra Tantra] The recitation of the mantra for the rite of Paralysing should be performed by using crystal beads; for Subduing red sandalwood beads; for Mesmerising soap-tree wood beads; for Causing hatred human bone beads; for Driving away horse bone beads; for Attracting beads of Brahmin's bone; for Causing Rain elephant bone beads and for Killing buffalo bone beads. (II.10.2-3)383 [Hevajra Tantra] Whilst performing the rite of Paralysing milk is drunk; whilst Subduing use the sacrament of one's own desire; whilst Killing, female sexual fluids; whilst Attracting, the excrements; whilst Causing hatred, human flesh and whilst Driving away urine. Or else use [the flesh of] horse, dog, man, ox and elephant. (II.10.2-3)384 Besides recommending mantras for the eradication of specific obstacles "Hevajra Tantra, also elaborates on the mantras that a practitioner must chant to attain the state of Hevajra. The mantras for the main deity as well as the consorts are codified in the text. There is a mantra for the Five Buddha families as well. Each form of Hevajra has a specific mantra-that of two-armed Hevajra is different from that of four armed and so forth. what feats are accomplished by the recitation of each mantra is also revealed. [Hevajra Tantra] The Mantra for the sacrificial offering to all the demigods: om akaro mukham sarvadharmanam adyanutpannatvat om ah hum phat svaha. (1.2.1) [Hevajra Tantra] The seed-syllables of the Five Buddhas are: bum, am, jrim, kham and hum. (1.2.2)385 382 asmin tantre na hotavyam mudrabandhakriya na ca/ pathitasiddham maha tantram dhyanamatrena sidhyate//6// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.276) 383 sphatikena stambhanam japyam vasye ca raktacandanam/ ristikayabhicarukam vidvesam niramsukais tatha//2/ uccatanam asvahaddenakarsanam brahmasthina/ varsapanam gajasthikaih maranam mahisasya ca//3// (Hevajra Tantra [F&M]., p.287) 384 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.288) 385 sarvabhautikabalimantrah/ om akaro mukham sarvadharmanam adyanutpannatvat - 210 -

[Hevajra Tantra] The Heart Mantra of Hevajra is: om deva picu vajra hum hum hum phat svaha. (1.2.3) [Hevajra Tantra] The basic structure of all mantras is: om at the beginning, svaha at the end adorned with hum phat. (1.2.4) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra for causing a city to tremble is: om a ka ca ta ta pa ya sa svaha. (1.2.5) [Hevajra Tantra] The seed-syllables of the Yoginis are: a aiiuurrlle ai o au am ah. (1.2.6) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra of two-armed Hevajra is: om trailokyaksepa hum hum hum phat svaha. (1.2.7) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra of the four-armed Hevajra is: om jvalajvalabhyo hum hum hum phat svaha. (1.2.8) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra of the six-armed Hevajra is: om kiti kiti vajra hum hum hum phat svaha. (1.2.9)386 The mantra for Empowering the Body, Speech and Mind for Purifying the site of worship, Paralyzing, Subduing, Driving-Away, Mesmerising, Killing etc. are mentioned in "Hevajra Tantras. (1.2.10-19)387 The order of the seed-syllables of these mantras by means of which men attain accomplishment of the various rites, are also explained in this Tantric text. Along with the seed-syllable of a mantra, the feat attained on its recitation is also mentioned. [Hevajra Tantra] Bhagavan, the great Admantine One, the great one whose body is the essence of the Vajra, replied: Listen O auspicious Goddess, I shall tell you the mantra. (II.9.15) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra is composed of the Vairocana seed-syllable first, then the fourth sibilant with Pukkasi and the white Sunya and svaha at the end. By reciting this one hundred thousand times the world is paralysed. (II.9.16) [Hevajra Tantra] First the Chief of Letters, then Khecari and Svaha at the end. This subdues even Buddhas. (11.9.17) 388 om ah hum phat svaha//1/ tathagatanam bijam/ bum am jrim kham hum//2// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.25) 386 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.26) 387 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.27) 388 bhagavan aha mahavajri vajrasaravapur mahan/ srnu devi mahabhage mantram te kathayamy aham//15// adau vairocanam dattva usmanan ca caturthakam/ pukkasisobhanam divyam sunyakrantam suklavarnam svahantam niyojayet/ anena laksajapena stambhayej jagat sarvgada//16/ adau varnadhipam dattva tadanu - 211

[Hevajra Tantra] The first of the Vedas, then the second of the first [group of consonants] with a Sunya and svaha at the end. This drives away even Buddhas. (II.9.18) [Hevajra Tantra] First Vairocana, then the third of the second along with ra, Vari and sunya and svaha at the end. This causes hatred in all men. (II.9.19) [Hevajra Tantra] First the Chief of Letters, then the third of the fifth with Sunya and Takini and svaha at the end. This is the mantra for Mesmerising. (11.9.20) [Hevajra Tantra] First the eldest of the letters, then the red hum followed by svaha at the end. This instantly attracts Rambha, Tilottama and the other [celestial maidens]. (11.9.2 1)389 ; [Hevajra Tantra] First the Mohakula, then ghu and svaha at the end. This kills gods and men. (II.9.22) [Hevajra Tantra] At the beginning Vairocana, then the first of the first with Vajradakini, then second of the semi-vowels with Vajradakini, then the first of the first with Vajradakini, then the third of the semi-vowels with Vajradakini, then the third of the semi-vowels with Caur, then hrih and svaha at the end. This is the Kurukulla mantra. (11.9.23-25)390 [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra for the purification of the site is: Vairocana at the beginning, then twice the second semi-vowel with ksa, then hum thrice, then phat and svaha at the end. (II.9.33) [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra for the empowerment of food and drink is: Vairocana at the beginning, the vajra and hum at the end. (II.9.34)391 [Hevajra Tantra] The mantra for all the demi-gods is: Vairocana at the beginning, then akaro mukham, then the third sibilant, then the fourth semi-vowel with Vahni above it, then dharmanam, then Vajra followed by adyanutpannatvat om ah hum phat svaha. (II.9.35)392 After citing the mantras of the different deities the significance of the deity forms is clarified. khecarim tatah/ svahantam yojitam krtva buddhan api vasikaret//7// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.279) 389 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.280) 390 (Hevajra Tantra [F&M]., p.281) 391 antasthanam dvitiyan tu ksakaradvayam/ madhye punar dvitiyakam/ humkaratrayam vairocanadi phatkaravidarbhitam bhumisodhanamantrah//33/ vairocanadi khanapanadhisthanamantrah//34// (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.284) tadanu vajra 392 (Hevajra Tantra (Commentary) , p.285) - 212 antasthanam svahantam/ hunkarantam

[Hevajra Tantra] Listen, I shall speak of how the phenomenal manifests as aspects of the form of Heruka, the Lord who is the saviour of the world. The blood-shot eyes are because of mercy; the black body is from the attitude of friendliness; the four feet are from the four methods of conversion; the eight faces are the eight Vimoksas; the sixteen arms are the sixteen Voidnesses; the Five Symbolic Ornaments are the Five Buddhas and Wrath is for the subduing of the wicked. The meat is Pukkasi, blood Savari, semen Candali, fat and marrow Dombi, skin the seven limbs of Enlightenment and bones the Four Noble Truths. (II.9.10-13)393 In Hevajra Tantra two whole chapters have been devoted to mantras and their significance. Only with the incantation of proper mantras that one can purify the site for spiritual practice. in an unempowered and defiled site progress is impossible hence even to start on spiritual path one must chant mantras.