[Extremely Abbreviated Sadhana of the Vanquishing Master Surpassing All, the Glorious Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava (bCom-ldan-’das dpal rdo-rje ‘jigs-byed dpa’-bo gcig-pa’i sgrub-thabs shin-tu mdor-bdus), compiled by Pabongka Rinpoche (Pha-bong-kha bDe-chen snying-po), translated by Dr. Alexander Berzin, 1975, revised 2003, 2010, based on discourses given by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey, 1975 and 1979, orally translated by Sharpa Rinpoche and Lozang Gyeltsen, and on two discourses given by Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche I, 1976 and 1980, orally translated by Dr. Berzin]
Request to the Lineage for Inspiration
To the ruler pervading (all Buddha-families), Manjushri-vajra Yamantaka; to the ennobling, impeccable fatherly Tsongkhapa, an actual example of all the Triumphant, together with your spiritual sons and your lineage, to all of you, I make requests: direct me please to the two actual attainments.
Preparation before Starting the Main Body of the Practice
Safe Direction (Refuge) and Reaffirming a Bodhichitta Aim
I take safe direction from the Three Supreme Gems. I shall liberate all limited beings and lead them to a purified state. I reaffirm purely my bodhichitta aim. (3x)
Instantaneous Arising
Instantaneously, I arise in the bodily form of a glorious Vajrabhairava, the Vajra Terrifier, with one face and two arms, holding a cleaver and skullcup.
Ennobling Consecration of the Inner Offering
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITA-NANA HUM PHAT.
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH, SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.
(Everything) becomes devoid.
Within a state of voidness, from YAM comes wind, from RAM comes fire, from AH’s, a grate of three human heads, on top of which, from AH, comes a white skullcup: inside of it, sit five meats and (five) nectars, and above it, stand an OM AH HUM.
From the HUM at my heart, light-rays go forth, whereby the wind blows, the fire blazes, the substances inside the skullcup melt and boil.
From the three syllables, light-rays go forth, hooking back the three Vajras, which dissolve into them. These fall into the skullcup and melt, whereby, by means of the HUM, the faults of color, odor and potential are cleansed. By means of the AH, it transforms into nectar. By means of the OM, it increases, becoming huge.
OM AH HUM. (3x)
Consecration of the Outer Offerings to Yourself Generated as Vajrabhairava
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITA-NANA HUM PHAT.
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH, SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.
(Everything) becomes devoid.
Within a state of voidness, from AH’s, come (eight) skullcups, broad and expansive; inside (each of them) is a HUM. The HUM’s melt and become the offerings, having, by nature, the three special features.
OM ARGHAM AH HUM. OM PADYAM AH HUM. OM GANDHE AH HUM. OM PUSHPE AH HUM. OM DHUPE AH HUM. OM ALOKE AH HUM. OM NAIVIDYE AH HUM. OM SHABDA AH HUM.
Primary Main Body of the Practice:
Taking the Three Pathways for the Three Buddha-Bodies
Taking Death as a Pathway for Dharmakaya
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH, SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.
(Everything) becomes devoid.
Common Protection Wheel
Within a state of voidness, is a vajra-base, a (round vajra) barrier wall, a (conical) tent-top (of vajras), with a (flat vajra) canopy (beneath), (and all encircled by) a mountain of flames (and eight charnel grounds).
The Supporting Mandala
Inside it is an immeasurably magnificent palace, square, with four portals. In its center is a seat of variegated lotus and symbolic disks of a moon and a sun.
Taking Bardo (the Interim State) as a Pathway for Sambhogakaya
On it, I arise in the bodily form of a causal Vajra-Holder, Manjushri.
Taking Birth as a Pathway for Nirmanakaya
Arising in the Form of a Resultant Vajrabhairava
From my heart, as a clearly (appearing) Hero Manjushri, light-rays emanate and bring back before me all the Blissfully Gone Buddhas in the aspect of glorious Vajrabhairavas. They dissolve into me.
I completely transform into a Resultant Vajra-Holder, a glorious and mighty Vajrabhairava. My body is dark blue-black in color, with nine faces, thirty-four arms and sixteen legs standing in the pose of right ones bent and left outstretched.
In my heart is a being for deep awareness, a Manjushri changed to a youth, marked in his heart with a being for absorbed concentration, a syllable HUM.
At the crown of my head is an OM, at my throat an AH, at my heart a HUM.
Merging the Deep Awareness Ones and Receiving Empowerment
From the HUM at my heart, light-rays emanate and bring forth before me, from their natural abodes, deep-awareness beings and empowering deities.
The awareness ones dissolve into me; the empowering deities confer the empowerments; I come to have an Akshobhya as an adornment for the crown of my head.
Outer and Inner Offerings and Praises to Yourself as Vajrabhairava
OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM, PADYAM, GANDHE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIVIDYA, SHABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA.
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT – OM AH HUM.
I prostrate to you, O Vajrabhairava, Supreme Form, Supremely Magnificent Ferocious One, hero having supreme objects of experience, you act to tame those difficult to subdue.
Main Body of the Practice:
Recitation of the Mantras
Upon the symbolic disc of a sun at my heart, around the syllable HUM, are coiled the garlands of mantras.
OM ARA-PATSANA DHIH (21x)
OM YAMA-RAJA SADO-MEYA, YAME-DORU NAYO-DAYA, YADA-YONI RAYA-KSHAYA, YAKSHE YACCHA NIRAMAYA, HUM HUM PHAT PHAT SVAHA (21x)
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITANA-NANA HUM PHAT (100x or 21x)
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT (21x)
Purification of Mistakes in the Mantra Recitation
OM YAMANTAKA SAMAYAM ANU-PALAYA, YAMANTAKA TVENO-PATISHTA, DRIDHO ME BHAVA, SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA, SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA, ANURAKTO ME BHAVA, SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA, SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME, CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM, HA HA HA HA HOH BHAGAVAN, YAMANTAKA MA ME MUNCHA, YAMANTAKA BHAVA, MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA, AH HUM PHAT (1x)
Offerings of Thanksgiving and Praise to Yourself as Vajrabhairava
OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM, PADYAM, GANDHE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIVIDYA, SHABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA.
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT – OM AH HUM.
I prostrate to you, O Vajrabhairava, supreme Form, Supremely Magnificent Ferocious One, hero having supreme objects of experience, you act to tame those difficult to subdue.
Concluding Practices
Offering Torma-Cakes
Ennobling Consecration of the Tormas for the Transworldly Deity (Vajrabhairava) and the Worldly Deities (the Fifteen Directional Protectors), Both at Once
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITA-NANA HUM PHAT.
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHAH, SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM.
(Everything) becomes devoid.
Within a state of voidness, from YAM comes wind, from RAM comes fire, from AH’s, a grate of three human heads. On top of which, from AH, comes a white skullcup: inside of it, sit five meats and (five) nectars, and above it, stand an OM AH HUM.
From the HUM at my heart, light-rays go forth, whereby the wind blows, the fire blazes, the substances inside the skullcup melt and boil.
From the three syllables, light-rays go forth, hooking back the three From the three syllables, light-rays go forth, hooking back the three Vajras, which dissolve into them. These fall into the skullcup and melt, whereby
By means of the HUM, the faults of color, odor, and potential are cleansed. By means of the AH, it transforms into nectar. By means of the OM, it increases, becoming huge.
OM AH HUM. (3x)
Generation of the Guests for the Torma-Cakes
Instantaneously, there appear before me, in full, the supporting mandala and its supported figure, Glorious Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava.
From the HUM at my heart, light-rays emanate and bring back before me deep-awareness mandalas of the Glorious Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava, together with the (fifteen) directional protectors.
JAH HUM BAM HOH
The deep-awareness ones become nondual with the close-bonding one.
From HUM’s on the tongues of the guests come white single-spoked vajras with tubes of light, through which to draw up the essence of the torma-cakes and partake of them.
Offering Vajrabhairava the Torma-Cake
OM HRIH SHTRIH VIKRITA-NANA HUM PHAT, VAJRA BHAIRAVA ATIPADHI, IMAM BALINTA, KHA-KHA KHAHI KHAHI, HUM PHAT SVAHA (3x or 7x)
Offering Him Outer Offerings
OM YAMANTAKA ARGHAM, PADYAM, GANDHE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIVIDYA, SHABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA.
Offering Him an Inner Offering
OM YAMANTAKA HUM PHAT – OM AH HUM.
Offering Him Praise
As nonduality, you are an uncommon, pervading body (of deep awareness); as (compassion) extending equally to all, you are the father of all the Triumphant; as the sphere of reality, you are the mother of all the Triumphant; as a deep-awareness being, you are the son of all the Triumphant; I prostrate to you, Manjushri, in whom everything glorious is complete.
Your Dharmakaya possesses neither love nor hate, yet to tame all those with vicious intent in the three planes of existence, you display the body of a King of Fury as a compassionate means. I prostrate to you, terrifying Bhairava Yamantaka.
Offering the Torma-Cake to the Fifteen Directional Protectors
OM YAMA-RAJA SADO-MEYA, YAME-DORU NAYO-DAYA, YADA-YONI RAYA-KSHAYA, YAKSHE-YACCHA NIRAMAYA, HUM HUM PHAT PHAT SVAHA. (3x)
OM – BHU CHARANAM, YA – PATALA CHARAYA, MAN – KHE CHARAYA, TA – PURVA NIGANAM, KA – DAKSHINA DIGAYA, HUM – PASCHI MANAM, PHAT – UTTARA TIGAYA, OM – I, HRIH – YA, SHTRIH – VA, VI – KSHI, KRI – KO, TA – E, NA – A, NA – DE, HUM – BHYOH, PHAT – SARVA BHUTE BHYAH. (1x)
Offering Them the Outer Offerings
OM DASHA-DIKA LOKA-PALA SAPARI-WARA ARGHAM, PADYAM, GANDHE, PUSHPE, DHUPE, ALOKE, NAIVIDYA, SHABDA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA.
Offering Them an Inner Offering
OM DASHA-DIKA LOKA-PALA SAPARI-WARA – OM AH HUM.
Offering Them Praise
O Karma-Yama, ogresses, dakini-witches, victim ghosts, zombies, and hordes of those who obey what you tell them: in the presence of the Vanquishing Master, the Dharma-Ennobler Manjushri, you pledged to tame the mara-demons and safeguard the teachings. To all you, sworn as outer and inner protectors, without an exception, I bow and turn with a wishful mind.
Requesting Their Special Actions
Directional protectors, with entourage, extend your influence for me to complete my constructive acts and to still interferences to them.
Requesting the Guests to Return to Their Respective Abodes
The guests for the torma-cakes, together with entourage, return to their natural abodes.
Final Dissolution and Arising as a Simple Vajrabhairava
The charnel grounds dissolve into the immeasurably magnificent palace; the immeasurably magnificent palace dissolves into me; as the closely-bonding being, I dissolve into the deep-awareness being. He dissolves into HUM, the being for absorbed concentration; that too dissolves into clear-light voidness.
Within a state of voidness, I clearly appear as a Vajrabhairava, with one face and two arms, and my three spots marked with three syllables.
Abbreviated Prayer
By the constructive force arising from my efforts in this method with pure resolve, may all wandering beings, beyond any number, never be parted, but always be cared for, in birth after birth, by the peaceful and furious Manjushris.
Having manifested a supreme state of a united couple with seven features, having a nature of the five Buddha-Bodies lasting as long as space, may I lead, in an instant, all endless wandering beings quickly and easily to this very state.
Verse for Propitious Conditions
May propitious conditions flow from the root and lineage gurus. May propitious conditions flow from the yidams and their hosts of deities. May propitious conditions flow from the dakinis and dakas, may propitious conditions flow from the Dharma-protectors and safeguarding figures.