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ENT0983
The Ritual Procedure For Constructing The Mandala Of Mahamayuri Vidyarajni
佛說大孔雀明王畫像壇場儀軌
Translated into English by Cheng Yew Chung based on Amoghavajra’s Chinese Translation (Taisho Volume 19, Number 983)
The Buddha said to Ananda, “The reason that all the calamities and oppressive afflictions, wars, hunger, droughts, epidemics, diseases, sorrows, conflicts, disturbances caused by the eighty four thousand demonic ghosts, and hindrances faced by those who wish for worldly and transcendental fulfillment exist is that such adversities are attracted by lust and ignorance, mistaken discrimination, afflictions stemmed from the three poisons, a lack of understanding of true reality, and accumulation of malevolent acts since beginningless times.
“Ananda, this is why I want to mention this ritual procedure on the approach of painting and establishing a mandala for offering to those who recite the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra, and sentient beings who suffer from all forms of calamity. If you recite this sutra through this approach, all calamities shall be eliminated, and all wishes shall be fulfilled.
“Ananda, when any suffering, affliction or calamity arises, or when a ruler and his princes, officials, queen and concubines, as well as monks, nuns, good men, good women and so forth intend to eliminate disasters, they should select a site either within the palace ground, at a sacred site, within a temple ground, or around one’s residence. Purify the ground with the rite of purification, and dig a hole to an elbow length [about one foot five inches] and remove any broken bricks and impurities from the excavated earth. Refill the hole with clean soil, and ensure the excavated earth surface is leveled. If the soil is inherently clean, the soil can be used to refill the hole. If there is unused dug soil excavated from a sacred site, the earth can be cleansed and used to establish a square mandala shrine measuring the length of five elbows on its sides, with a depth of four fingers, upon which one is to measure and construct a grid layout displaying three levels [courts].
“With either colored paint or five-colored powder, you should illustrate an eight-petalled lotus in the center of the inner court. Above the lotus womb you should draw the image of Bodhisattva Mahamayuri Vidyarajni, whose head in white faces east, and is clothed in white garment. She is adorned with various adornments such as a crown, a necklace made of jade and pearls, ear pendants and bracelets, and sits in the full lotus position on a white or blue lotus throne which rests on a golden peacock. Her countenance displays a compassionate disposition, and she has four arms. Her first right hand holds a fully opened lotus flower, in the second, a fingered citron [matulunga]. Her left hand, raised to the level of her breast, holds a pomegranate, and in the other hand are three to five stems of peacock’s feather.
“Beginning from Mahamayuri’s right in a clockwise direction, upon the eight-petalled lotus that surrounds Mahamayuri, you should illustrate the seven buddhas of the past beginning with Vipasyin Buddha to Sakyamuni Buddha, followed by Maitreya, with their heads facing outward and seated in meditative absorption posture. When drawing Maitreya, who is positioned on the eighth petal at the northwest corner, he should be holding a water vase in his left hand, while his right hand extends his palm out in the bestowing of fearlessness gesture or abhaya mudra.
“Beyond the lotus petals, and within the inner court, you should illustrate the four pratyekabuddhas in the four directions, depicting them in the buddha form with a ushnisha or protrusion on top of the head, sitting in meditative absorption posture.
“Next, at the four corners you should illustrate these four sravakas, beginning with Ananda at the northeast corner, followed by Rahula at the southeast corner, Sariputra at the southwest corner, and Maudgalyayana at the northwest corner, all dressed in kasaya [a monk’s robe] with their right shoulders exposed. This configuration constitutes the central court.
“Within the second court you should illustrate heavenly lords and their retinues positioned in the eight directions. In the east you should illustrate the heavenly lord Indra holding a vajra, being surrounded by an assembly of celestial beings. On the southeast you should illustrate Agni the god of fire, whose right hand holds a water vase and right hand gesturing the abhaya mudra, surrounded by an assembly of celestial beings and ascetics who possess the five miraculous powers. Next, in the south you should illustrate Lord Yama, holding his yama danda or staff, surrounded by an assembly of ghosts from the yama realm. Next, in the southwest you should illustrate the Raksasa King holding his sword being surrounded by his entourage of raksasas. Next in the west you should illustrate Varuna the god of water, holding a lasso [pasha], surrounded by his entourage of nagas. Next, in the northwest you should illustrate Vayu the god of wind holding a banner, surrounded by an assembly of sages and rishis. Next in the north you should illustrate Lord Vaisravana holding a jeweled parasol, surrounded by his entourage of yakshas. Next in the northeast you should illustrate Isana deva holding his trident, surrounded by an assembly of bhuta spirits. This configuration constitutes the second court.
“Next, clockwise from the northeast corner of the third court, you should illustrate the Twenty-eight Yaksha Generals, together with the respective spirits, as well as the [nine] luminaries and the deities of the twelve zodiacs.
“The outer circumference of the third court should be decorated with fragrant soil, and lined with lotus leaves, and on top of the leaves you should place food for offering, such as milk gruel, cheese, rice, fruits and so forth, should be blessed by sprinkling upon them fragrant water empowered with the Aparajita Vidyaraja Mantra [om huru huru candali matangi svaha]. The food of offering should be placed on the four sides of the mandala together with the offering of various syrups, sugar, rock honey, pomegranate and honey syrup. You should scatter white flowers over the mandala, and four butter lamps should be placed at the four corners of the mandala. Place two containers of fragrant water at the four gates of the mandala.
“At the east of the mandala you should place an image of Mahamayuri Vidyarajni, whose form is drawn exactly as in the mandala illustration, except that the image is free from any framing grid. The holy assembly within the central court should be given offerings by burning aloeswood and other mixed incense. To make offering to the celestial beings in the east, you should burn resin of beautiful sweetgum. To make offering to the celestial beings in the south, you should burn a mixture of butea monosperma or palash flower, mustard and salt. To make offering to the celestial beings in the west, burn butter and benzoin resin. To make offering to the celestial beings in the north, you should burn frankincense. The practitioner should be seated at the west side of the mandala [facing east], either sitting on a straw mat, or a stool, and place a well decorated sutra table before the mandala, and give flowers as offering to the sutra. This is how it the layout should be.
“The number of practitioners reciting the sutra can be rotated between three or five persons, even up to seven, to ensure the continuity of recitation without disruption throughout day and night. However, it is important to remain silent and peaceful within, while only one person, the mantra master, who thoroughly understands the instructions, conducts the ritual by forming the respective mudras to invoke the holy sages, while the rest of the practitioners recite the sutra with the ultmost sincerity, reciting as many times as possible, and vow to repent in accordance to the Thirty-seven Deities [of the Vajradhatu Mandala] Repentance Ritual, reciting the sutra during the three daytime periods or throughout the six time periods [all hours of the day and night] for one day or two days, three days, up to seven days. All calamities shall be eradicated if one is most sincere.
“Whether layman or ordained monks, the practitioners must bathe daily and clothe themselves in new garment. Begin the practice in the initial starting period [early evening] before the mandala, and faithfully pay homage to all the holy sages. Begin by forming and chanting the respective mudras and mantra to invoke all buddhas, bodhisattvas and celestial beings as instructed, and make offerings to them according to the Dharma, beseeching them with your requests, seeking their blessings and protection. You should also make extensive vows for the good of all suffering sentient beings, after which you should sit cross-legged, and anoint the hand with fragrance.
First form the Samaya Mudra:
Hold both of your hands together to form one fist, with the fingers of both hands outwardly interlocking together. The middle fingers are extended and in contact at the tips. Place the mudra at the chest level and recite the samaya mantra seven times:
om samaya satvam
With this mudra you should empower [touch] the four positions on your body, namely, the heart, the forehead, the throat, and finally the crown, and release the mudra upon the crown.
Next, form the Vajra Hook Bodhisattva Mudra:
Based on the previously mentioned samaya mudra, you need to further bend the two index fingers slightly to form hooks, and recite this mantra continuously seven times to invoke the presence of all holy beings such as buddhas, bodhisattvas, devas and spirits. The mantra reads:
om vajrankusi akada vikada svaha
By forming this mudra and reciting this mantra, I invoke the presence of all holy beings in agreement with their original vows.
Next form the Aparajita Vidyaraja mudra:
This mudra, used for setting earth boundary and directional boundary, is formed with two hands held inwardly, extending the two middle fingers with their tips in contact, and raise the mudra above your crown and circulate it clockwise three times. By doing this, a boundary of any distance, far and near, can be configured. Recite this mantra seven times:
om huru huru candali matangi svaha
Next form the Mudra of Vast Offering to All Holy Sages:
Press the two palms together, with the distal phalanx [tip segment] of the fingers interlocked. Hold the mudra in front of the chest, and recite this mantra seven times before releasing the mudra at the crown. The mantra is:
namah samanta buddhanam. sarvatha kham udgate sphara hi mam gagana kam svaha
By forming this mudra and reciting the mantra, you can accomplish vast offerings to the respective buddhas, bodhisattvas and all holy sages in countless buddha lands.
Next, form the Mahamayuri Mudra:
Hold both of your hands together to form one fist, with the fingers of both hands interlocking inwardly together. The thumbs and little fingers are extended and held [tightly] together. Form the mudra in front of your chest area, and recite the mantra seven times, and like before, empower by touching the four positions on your body [the heart, the forehead, the throat, and finally the crown] with the mudra before releasing it at the crown. The mantra is:
om mayura krante svaha
“Next, hold the incense burner as an offering, and make a supplication, informing the holy sages of your requests. When the invocation and offerings are done in accordance to the instructions, you should have compassion, and recite this sutra for the sake of deliverance of sentient beings from their suffering. You should remove and replace all the offering before noon everyday, and you need to form the Aparajita Vidyarajni Mudra [as described earlier] and recite the respective mantra, and raise the mudra above the crown and circulate it in a counterclockwise fashion to release the boundary for the replacement of offerings. When this is done, you should follow the steps as described previously to invoke the presence of the deities and set the boundary. When the offerings and recitation of this sutra are carried out according to the teachings, all calamities, droughts, epidemics, hindrances caused by spirits, incantations, poisons, and other disasters will be eliminated, and all wishes shall be fulfilled.
“I have completed my elucidation on the ritual of constructing a mandala with the respective painting and offerings. If a mandala and its painting cannot be accomplished, or a disaster suddenly occurs, you may act within your capacity to locate a clean ground, spread gomaya [cow dung] on the ground to create a square mandala, and depending of its size, large or small, construct a round mandala with powdered sandalwood incense accordingly. Place Buddha statues on the respective nine positions, and place three to five stems of peacock feathers on the mandala. You can burn incense and scatter flowers, and offer milk-rice and cheese as offerings to the holy sages. Faithfully recite this sutra once, three times, seven times, or for one day or two days. All calamities shall be eliminated, and all wishes shall be fulfilled.”
When Ananda listened to the Buddha, the World-Honored One expounded this discourse on the recitation of the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra for the benefit of all suffering sentient beings in the future. He upheld and accepted it, bowed to the Buddha and left.
[End of The Ritual Procedure For Constructing The Mandala Of Mahamayuri Vidyarajni]
Acknowledgement:
The Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra was translated and edited against several renditions of the same sutra in Sanskrit, Chinese and French versions by Shuyo Takubo, Amoghavajra, Jian Fenqi and JF Marc DesJardins, as well as commentaries by Venerable Jianru.
I would like to express deep gratitude to Jason Yu, my proofreader, for making the translation more readable.
I would like to thank Mdm Du Weiya (老杜) for her kind assistance in clarifying many points in the Chinese text through her blog http://blog.sina.com.cn/duweiya.
Although attention was paid to the accuracy of the content in readable English, mistakes must remain considering my inadequacies in many areas. Therefore, I seek the forgiveness from the guardians of the teaching in general and of this sutra in particular. I accept all mistakes as my own.
Finally, should some merits stem from this translation, I dedicate them to all sentient beings for their swift liberation from samsara.
Last, but not least, I thank my wife, Eunice Tan See Puay for her patience and support during the course of this translation.
Cheng Yew Chung
24th May 2012
Singapore
Email: eagledesign@yahoo.com
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