TILOPĀ PROJECT

Vajraḍākinīniṣkāya-
dharma
FABRIZIO TORRICELLI

2019
 THE TILOPĀ PROJECT

Omnia sunt communia (Thomas Müntzer)

Seventeen titles extant in Indic and Tibetan sources can be ascribed to the
tenth-century Bengali yogin Tilopā―

1. Tillopādasya Dohākoṣa,
2. *Tilatailavajragīti,
3. *Śrī-Sahajaśaṃvarasvādhiṣṭhāna,
4. Vajraḍākinīniṣkāyadharma,
5. *Vajraḍākinībhāvanādṛṣṭicaryātrayasaṃketanirdeśa,
6. Saṃvaropadeśamukhakarṇaparamparācintāmaṇi,
7. Tattvacaturupadeśaprasannadīpa,
8. Mahāmudropadeśa,
9. Karuṇābhāvanādhiṣṭāna,
10. Viṣāntarabāhyanivṛttibhāvanākrama,
11. *Nimittasūcanāvyākaraṇa,
12. Ṣaḍdharmopadeśa,
13. Acintyamahāmudrā,
14. *Aṣṭaguhyārthāvavāda,
15. *Sekagranthamocanāvavāda,
16. *Nijadharmatāgīti,
17. Gurusādhana.

Their Tibetan translations can be found in the bsTan ’gyur, the bDe mchog
snyan brgyud plus related hagiographic material, and in the gDams ngag
mdzod. Since the arrangement of the above texts differs in the three
collections, they have an arbitrary order also here.
The virtual papers I want to share are parts of an ongoing project. Each
issue consists of the edition of a Tilopan text with parallel English
translation, critical notes, and glosses. Although imperfect, I wish the semi-
finished material of this construction site could be of some use to the
student.
Fabrizio Torricelli
 Vajraḍākinīniṣkāyadharma

dPal rDo rje mkha’ ’gro ma lus med pa’i chos

Doctrines of the Incorporeal Adamantine Ḍākinīs

Preserved in the sDe dge (D) and Co ne (C) xylograph editions of the
bsTan ’gyur (Tō. 1527), the Tibetan text of the Vajraḍākinīniṣkāyadharma
(VḌNDh) or ‘Doctrines of the Incorporeal Adamantine Ḍākinīs’ can be
read also in the bDe mchog snyan brgyud (bD) as it has been arranged and
edited by Pad ma dkar po in the sixteenth century, and the gDams ngag
mdzod (gD) edited by Kong sprul Blo gros mtha’ yas in the nineteenth.
The nine root verses interspersed in VḌNDh are widely documented in
the bKa’ brgyud hagiographic literature, to begin with Tilopā’s earliest
account (lo rgyus), composed by Mar pa Chos kyi blo gros in the eleventh
century (β). The other hagiographies (rnam thar) here examined have been
written by rGyal thang pa (η), rDo rje mdzes ’od (θ) and U rgyan pa (ι) in
the thirteenth century; by Mon rtse pa (κ) and gTsang smyon He ru ka (λ)
in the fifteenth century; by dBang phyug rgyal mtshan (ν) and lHa btsun (ξ)
in the sixteenth century. The biographical circumstances are celebrated in
those sources at the end of a chapter narrating how Tilopā went to
Uḍḍiyāna, overpowered (zil gyis mnan) the ḍākinīs and received the
doctrine (chos zhus).1
Uḍḍiyāna, the upper valley of the Swat River, is not far from the
present Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It is described by the Chinese pilgrim
monk Faxian at the beginning of the fifth century as a region where
monastic Buddhism was thriving (Fo guo ji T.2085.858a20; Legge 1886:
28). Another Chinese pilgrim monk, Xuanzang, reports a couple of

1
The sigla of the relevant hagiographic material (β, η, θ, ι, κ, λ, ν, ξ) correspond to
those described, discussed and used in Torricelli 2019: for a discussion on the
authorship of the rNal ’byor gyi dbang phyug ti lo pa’i lo rgyus and the dPal na ro
paṇ chen gyi lo rgyus, see pp. 66–76.

3
centuries later that most of the old monasteries on both sides of the Swat
River were in ruins (Da tang xi yu ji T.2087.882b17; Beal 1884, 1: 120). In
point of fact, not many years after Faxian’s time until the first quarter of the
sixth century, the northwestern frontier of the Gupta empire suffered the
military pressure of the central Asian Hūṇas: reasonably, the demise of the
Buddhist monasteries in the area can be counted among the side effects of
that severe crisis. More to the point, it is possible to conjecture that the
Buddhist order in Uḍḍiyāna, far from the control of any central orthodoxy
since that time, must have been destabilized in such a way that a number of
communities of ascetics ended up developing independent forms of
Buddhism. Gradually, Buddhist monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, at
the outset yogins and yoginīs strongly permeated with Śaiva elements,
transfigured into ḍākas and ḍākinīs.
If we follow Mar pa’s account (β 5a6–b1, pp. 15–16), Tilopā is
commanded by a revelation (lung bstan : vyākaraṇa) to get the three wish-
fulfilling gems (yid bzhin nor bu : cintāmaṇi) of the aural transmission
(snyan rgyud : karṇatantra) from the ḍākinīs of Uḍḍiyāna. A sort of
mandalic depiction follows this revelation in the text (β 5b1–4, p. 16): the
Jñānaḍākinī of the dharmakāya (chos sku ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma) dwells
in Uḍḍiyāna as the queen (rgyal mo : rājñī) in the pavilion (gtsug lag khang
: vihāra) of the Fragrant Shelter (gan dho la : gandhālaya, gandhakūṭa,
°kūṭī); next to her are the pañcakulaḍākinīs of the sambhogakāya (longs sku
rigs lnga’i mkha’ ’gro ma) as the ministers (blon po : āmātya) who keep
the wish-fulfilling gems hidden; next to them, the devouring karmaḍākinīs
of the nirmāṇakāya (sprul sku za byed las kyi mkha’ ’gro ma) as
gatekeepers (sgo ma : dauvārikī). Once in Uḍḍiyāna, we read (β 5b4–7a7,
pp. 16–19), Tilopā overpowers both gatekeepers and ministers. Finally
admitted to the queen’s presence, in a dramatic dispute Tilopā requests the
three wish-fulfilling gems, viz. the common one (thun mong : sādhāraṇa),
the gem of commitments (dam tshig : samaya), and the gem of reality (gnas
lugs : prakṛtistha, cf. Ō. 3142, Tō. 2294). As he recognises three symbols
(brda’ : saṃketāḥ) shown by Jñānaḍākinī, the court of ḍākinīs bestows
upon him the three wish-fulfilling gems of the aural transmission, the root
tantra of Cakrasaṃvara in fifty-one chapters (Ō. 16, Tō. 368) and the
relevant aural transmission.
When about to leave, Tilopā hears around him (bar snang stong las ’di
ltar thos) a sort of melodious singing of gandharvas (dri za’i glu dbyangs
snyan pa ltar): the sound he senses is from incorporeal ḍākinīs singing their
final instruction in nine points (lus med mkha’ ’gro’i chos dgu). The

4
ḍākinīs’ final instruction, a significant legacy in the bKa’ brgyud tradition,
are the nine root verses of the present text. They concern as many topics,
namely, (1) ripening and liberation (smin grol : *vipākamukti), (2)
commitments (dam tshig : samayāḥ), (3) sacred substances (dam rdzas :
saddravyāḥ), (4) ascetic practice (spyod pa : caryā), (5) self-liberation
(rang grol : svayaṃmukti), (6) energy channels and vital air (rtsa rlung :
nāḍīvāyu), (7) awareness (rig pa : vidyā), (8) equalization of flavour (ro
snyoms : samarasa), and (9) great bliss (bde chen : mahāsukha). We can
notice in the following table that the arrangement of the root verses of
VḌNDh as it occurs in the three collections―bsTan ’gyur, bDe mchog
snyan brgyud and gDams ngag mdzod―does not match with the text in the
hagiographic sources—

VḌNDh hagiographic sources

chos dgu
D C bD gD β η θ ι κ λ ν ξ
smin grol 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 2 2 1 1
dam tshig 2 2 2 2 1 4 1 1 1 2 2
dam rdzas 3 3 3 7 4 3 4 4 4 4 4
spyod pa 4 4 4 8 2 2 3 3 3 3 3
rang grol 5 5 5 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
rtsa rlung 6 6 6 3 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
rig pa 7 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
ro snyoms 8 8 8 9 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
bde chen 9 9 9 4 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

With regard to the rest of VḌNDh, the witness in the gDams ngag
mdzod deserves particular attention in view of the fact that it is reproduced
together with other relevant texts of the bKa’ brgyud tradition. The general
title is ‘Lord Ras chung pa’s Special Doctrines: The Root Text of the Nine
Doctrines of the Incorporeal Ḍākinīs with Esoteric Instructions’ (rJe btsun
ras chung pa’i khyad chos lus med mkha’ ’gro’i chos skor dgu’i gzhung
man ngag dang bcas pa). What the colophons of those pertinent texts
declare can help us to get an idea of the problems that any question on
‘authorship’ and ‘transmission’ implies in that kind of literature. The whole
complex is arranged according to the following outline and headings:

gD1 the above described root text of the nine doctrines (fol. 1b2–
3, p. 166) consisting of nine lines of seven syllables each.

5
gD2 Kāyanāstijñāḍākinīguhyopadeśa (Lus med ye shes kyi mkha’
’gro ma’i gsang ba’i man ngag, fols 1b3–2a4, pp. 166–167), which tallies
with ll. 5–22 of VḌNDh. In the colophon we read that it has been translated
by Mar pa from the mouth of Nāropā, here called Jñānasiddhi. In point of
fact, we read in the hagiography of Nāropā composed by Mar pa (β 17b1,
p. 31) that Nāropā received the name Jñānasiddhi when he was ordained
novice (śramaṇera). Interestingly, Nāropā is styled here lord of yogins
(yogīśvara) ‘from Kashmir in India’ as Mar pa (β) inaccurately does.1

gD3 Vajraḍākinīkāyanāstidharma (rDo rje mkha’ ’gro lus med

ma’i chos, fols 2a4–3a4, pp. 167–169), tallying with ll. 1–4, 23–62, 76–111
of VḌNDh. The text has no colophon.

gD4 *Vajraḍākinībhāvanādṛṣṭicaryātrayasaṃketanirdeśa (rDo

rje mkha’ ’gro ma lta sgom spyod gsum gyi brda bstan pa, fol. 3a4–b5, pp.
169–170). The former part of gD4 is in prose and corresponds with the text
(Tō. 1528) studied in the next chapter. The latter part is in poetry and tallies
with ll. 63–74 of VḌNDh. The colophon declares that the text, composed
by Tilopā, was translated by Mar pa from the mouth of the ‘Kashmirian’
scholar Nāropā Jñānasiddhi. What follows is possibly a further editorial
gloss, possibly by Kong sprul himself: later in India, Ras chung rDo rje
grags would have received and translated the esoteric description (sbas
bshad) of the four, energy channels and vital air, awareness, equalization of
flavour, and great bliss from Te pu pa (Ti phu pa), a disciple of Nāropā’s
disciple Kanakaśrī.2

gD5 Ḍakinī-atanusādhanopāyikaṃ nāma (Lus med mkha’ ’gro

zhes bya ba’i sgrub thabs, fols 3b5–5a, pp. 170–174), composed by Ras
1
gD2 colophon: ...dpal lus med ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma’i rdo rje’i tshig rkang
gsang ba gnad kyi man ngag bla na med pa rdzogs so // rgya gar kha che’i rnal
’byor dbang phyug dpal ye shes dngos grub chen po’i zhal snga nas / mar pa chos
kyi blo gros kyis zhus shing gtugs te bsgyur pa’o // i thi / sa ma ya.
2
gD4 colophon: ...gsang ba rdo rje’i sbas bshad dpal te lo pas mdzad pa rdzogs so
// kha che’i paṇḍi ta nā ro ye shes dngos grub chen po’i zhal snga nas / lo tsā ba
mar pa chos kyi blo gros kyis bsgyur ba’o // // rtsa rlung drwa mig / rig pa ye shes
/ ro snyoms phyi / bde chen gsung / ’di bzhi’i sbas bshad dus phyis rgya gar du nā
ro pa’i slob ma / ka na ka shrī / de’i slob ma te pu pa’i drung du ras chung rdo rje
grags kyis zhus shing bsgyur ba’o. For a thorough discussion of Ras chung pa’s
quest of the missing intructions, see Roberts 2007, chapters 6 and 7.

6
chung pa.1

In a traditional context based on personal ‘aural’ transmission, it is

extremely problematic to establish who said what, who transmitted what,
who composed or reported which verses. As a matter of fact, at least four
‘authors’ are responsible of the text of VḌNDh, viz. the ḍākinīs of
Uḍḍiyāna, Tilopā, Nāropā, and Mar pa: at least four ‘authors’ for three
transmissions―

1 2 3
Ḍākinīs → Tilopā → Nāropā → Mar pa

Logically, the first transmission is what Tilopā would have heard from the
incorporeal ḍākinīs/yoginīs in Uḍḍiyāna, namely the nine root verses at ll.
23, 29, 37, 45, 55, 76, 86, 92, 103 (bold lettering in the edition). The second
transmission consists in what Naropā would have heard from Tilopā, as it is
testified at ll. 71–75 and 112–113. Eventually, the third transmission is
what Mar pa would have received from Nāropā, including the allegedly
reported prophecy at ll. 118–122.2
At any rate, we can try to figure out whose hands are those behind the
work on the basis of some markers in VḌNDh:

VḌNDh 1–22 (gang zhig ’jigs rung dur khrod chen por phaṭ phaṭ
rngam pa’i sgra sgrogs shing → dam pa bde chen mgon po skye med rang
byung sangs rgyas yin): the one concluding with ‘Holy one, the lord am I

1
The Skt title (ḍa ki nī a ta nu no pi kaṃ nā ma) could be emended to Ḍakinī-
atanu-sādhanopāyikaṃ nāma on the basis of the bsTan ’gyur title Śrī-catuḥpīṭha-
yogatantra-sādhanopāyikā (rNal ’byor gyi rgyud dpal gdan bzhi pa’i sgrub thabs,
Ō. 2481, Tō. 1610); cf. also °maṇḍalopāyikā in Ō. 2369, Tō. 1240). gD5 colophon:
...lus med mkha’ ’gro’i sgrub thabs rdzogs so // ras chung pas bkod pa’o // shu
bham astu sarba dza ga taṃ.
2
VḌNDh 71–75: ...blo ldan dri med gzi brjid khyod // phu la ha ri’i dgon pa ru //
bho ṭa’i ma rig mun sel la // ye shes snang bas khyab par gyis // rje te lo chen pos
nā ro pa la gsungs pa’o. VḌNDh 112–113: ...rnal ’byor dbang phyug te lo chen po
yis // rgyan gyi ri zhes grags par bdag la gnang. VḌNDh 118–122: ...zab mo’i man
ngag nā ros bdag la gnang // lnga brgya’i tha mar gyur te sa steng du // snod ldan
rnams kyi blo yi padmo de // kha ba can ljongs khyed kyi slob ma yis // ’dul bar
gyur zhes bla ma’i gsung las thos.

7
of great bliss, unoriginated self-born Buddha!’ seems to be Tilopā himself
and the previous lines appear clearly autobiographical.

VḌNDh 23–62 (smin grol → bde chen dri bral ngang du ltos): the
first five root verses of the incorporeal ḍākinīs presented with their
consistent explicatory verses should be ascribed to Tilopā.

VḌNDh 63–75 (e ma ho → rje te lo chen pos nā ro pa la gsungs

pa’o): ll. 63–74 tally with the part in poetry of the *Vajraḍākinībhāvanā-
dṛṣṭicaryātrayasaṃketanirdeśa (gD4), ascribed to Tilopā in the colophon.
Its transmission would have passed from Tilopā to Nāropā/Jñānasiddhi;
then, from Nāropā to Mar pa, who would have translated it into Tibetan.
Given that l. 75 excludes Tilopā and Nāropā as authors, the one who reports
the prophecy of Mar pa at ll. 71–74 is most probably Mar pa himself.

VḌNDh 76–113 (dpal ’khor lo sdom pa la phyag ’tshal lo → rgyan

gyi ri zhes grags par bdag la gnang): the last four root verses of the
incorporeal ḍākinīs with consistent explicatory verses, like the first five,
should be by Tilopā; realistically, the one who concludes with ‘The great
lord of yoga Tilopā gave it to me on the Mount Ornament’ cannot but be
Nāropā.

VḌNDh 114–123 (gsang sngags snying po lus med mkha’ ’gro yis →
’gro rnams bde mchog ’bras bu rgyas gyur cig): the one who declares
‘Nāropā gave this profound esoteric instruction to me’ is Mar pa, with
reported prophecy included.

A semantic gloss to end this preamble. The sources of VḌNDh have

two alternative synonymous readings at l. 52, bhu su ku in the bsTan ’gyur
and the gDams ngag mdzod, and ku su lu in the bDe mchog snyan brgyud.
Both terms denote an ascetic attending to a radical observance (vrata).
Associated with Śāntideva, the term bhusuku is a Sanskrit acronym for
eating (bhuñjāna), sleeping (supta) and strolling around (kuṭiṃ gata), to
mean a kind of ecstatic concentration (samādhi) styled ‘bhusuku’: so does
Vibhūticandra explain the term at the beginning of the thirteenth century in
his autotranslated commentary on Śāntideva’s Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra, the
Bodhicaryāvatāratātparyapañjikāviśeṣadyotanī (Byang chub kyi spyod pa
la ’jug pa’i dgongs pa’i ’grel pa khyad par gsal byed, Ō. 5282, Tō. 3880):

8
 He [Śāntideva] meditated continuously on luminosity, no matter if eating,
sleeping, or moving around: since he dwelt in the ‘bhu-su-ku’ samādhi, he
was named Bhusuku by all.1

About one century later, Bu ston confirms this view in his Chos ’byung.2
As to the meaning of the term kusulu, the Sa skya Paṇḍita Kun dga’
rgyal mtshan (1182–1251) sheds some light on this topic in his sNyi mo
sgom chen gyi dris lan, preserved in the Sa skya bka’ ’bum. At the
question, which path to awakening (buddhamārga) is shorter, if that of a
learned scholar (paṇḍita) or that of a kusulu, the Sa skya Paṇḍita answers
that the term kusulu is incorrect and emends it to kusali (kuśalin) which
means virtuous (dge ba can). Moreover, he observes that whereas ‘paṇḍita’
is said of a scholar (mkhas pa) in the outer and inner objects of knowledge
(shes bya’i gnas), the one called ‘kuśalin’ has eliminated all outer
multifarious activities and constructs and is supremely absorbed within.3

1
Vibhūticandra, Byang chub kyi spyod pa la ’jug pa’i dgongs pa’i ’grel pa khyad
par gsal byed, bsTan ’gyur D mDo SHA 194a2–3: ...za rung nyal rung ’chag rung
rgyun du ’od gsal bsgoms pas bhu su ku zhes ting nge ’dzin la gnas pa’i phyir bhu
su ku zhes ming yongs su grags so (Shastri 1914: 30; Pezzali 1968: 30; Jong 1974:
170–171; Saitō 2018: 162–163). Vibhūticandra’s autotranslation of Skt kuṭiṃ gata
into Tib. ’chag ‘move around’ should remove all doubt about a more popular
interpretation of kuṭi as ‘loo’.
2
Bu ston Rin chen grub, bDe bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung
gnas gsung rab rin po che’i mdzod, gSung ’bum YA 113b7–114a1: ...phyi'i spyod
lam za nyal ’gro ba ma gtogs pa gzhan gyis ma rig pas bhu su ku.
3
Sa skya paṇḍi ta Kun dga’ rgyal mtshan, sNyi mo sgom chen gyi dris lan, in Sa
skya bka’ ’bum NA 248b2–5, p. 496: ...mkhas pa paṇḍi ta dang / ku su lu gnyis
sangs rgyas la lam thag gang nye zer ba la / spyir ku su lu bya ba de ma dag pa yin
/ ku sa li zhes pa dge ba can zhes bya ba yin / [...] de’ang paṇḍi ta bya ba phyi
nang gi shes bya’i gnas la mkhas pa la zer / ku sa li zhes bya ba phyi’i spros pa
thams cad bcad nas / nang la mchog tu gzhol ba la zer... See Tseten 2008: 126–27.

9
 rDo rje mkha’ ’gro ma lus med pa’i chos
bsTan ’gyur D (Tō. 1527) rGyud ZA 84b3–85b7
C rGyud ZA 85a7–86b4
bDe mchog snyan brgyud bD NGE 1b1–4a5 (2: 270–275)
gDams ngag mdzod gD gD1―NYA 1b1–2a4 (8: 166–167)
gD2―NYA 2a4–3a4 (8: 167–169)
rNam thar β 7a7–b1
η 9a2–3
θ 33a2–4
ι 11a4–5
κ 16a7–b2
λA 13a7–b1
λB 13a2–4
ν 21a5–b2
rNam mgur ξ 11a3–5

rgya gar skad du | shrī ba dzra ḍā ki nī ni kā ya dhar ma nā ma | bod

skad du | dpal rdo rje mkha’ ’gro ma lus / med pa’i chos zhes bya ba | C 85b

ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma la phyag ’tshal lo ||

gang zhig ’jigs rung dur khrod chen por phaṭ phaṭ rngam pa’i sgra
sgrogs shing || 1
mkha’ ’gro za byed mun pa’i nang na zla shar lta bur / rab tu ’bar || 2 gD 2b
hūṃ hūṃ zhes brjod sha za ro langs ma mo’i tshogs rnams skrag mdzad
pa || 3
gsang sngags gsang mdzod mnga’ bdag bde chen rgyal mo’i sku la
’dud|| 4

• Skt tit. ḍā ki nī ni kā ya] em. : ḍā ki nī kā ya ṇi D C bD : ḍā kī nī kā ya nā sti

gD • Tib. tit. mkha’ ’gro ma] bD : mkha’ ’gro D C gD • lus med pa’i] D C bD
: lus med ma’i gD • 1 rngam] D C bD : rngams gD • 2 na] D C bD : du gD • 3
hūṃ hūṃ] D C bD : huṃ hūṃ gD • 4 mdzod] D C gD : mdzad bD • mo’i] D C :
ba’i yum gyi bD gD • ’dud] D C bD : phyag ’tshal lo gD

10
 Doctrines of the Incorporeal Adamantine Ḍākinīs

In the language of India, Śrī-Vajraḍākinīniṣkāyadharma; in Tibetan,

Doctrines of the Incorporeal Adamantine Ḍākinīs.

Homage to Jñānaḍākinī!

1 The one who modulates the panting sound PHAṬ PHAṬ in fearful great
charnel grounds while
2 Devouring ḍākinīs blaze as the moon shines in the dark,
3 [The one who] utters HŪṂ HŪṂ [while] hosts of flesh-eaters (piśācāḥ),
corpse-raisers (vetālāḥ) and mothers (mātṛkāḥ) are terrifying,
4 He bows down to the body of the Queen of great bliss, the Lady over
secret spells and secret treasuries.

11
 / e ma ho || gD 1b3

padma rin chen chu bo’i gzhung || 5

seng ge glang chen ri dags ltar || 6
nyi ma me dang shel dang mtshungs || 7
skal ldan rnams kyis rtogs par gyis || 8

e ma ho ||

rang bzhin / chos dbyings rnam dag dbyer med bde ba chen po’i bD 2a
klong || 9
dag pa’i gzhal yas chos kyi ’byung gnas rdo rje’i btsun mo ste || 10

e ma ho ||

sha za smyon pa bu chung bzhin || 11

sprin dang nam mkha’ glog bzhin du || 12
ce spyang ro langs sa ra sa || 13
skal ldan rnams kyis nyams su longs || 14

e ma ho ||

/rgyal ba rnams kyi rtag tu mnyam gzhag ’od gsal bde ba chen po’i gD 2a
ngang || 15
dus gsum dag tu rgyun mi ’chad pas sangs rgyas sku gsum de rang
bzhin || 16
bdag gzhan dbyer med ngo bo nyid dpal lhun grub dbyer med spros
dang bral || 17

• 5–22 e ma ho // padma rin chen → rang byung sangs rgyas yin] D C bD : in

gD1 • 7 nyi ma me dang] D C bD : me dang nyi ma gD • 8 skal ldan → e ma
ho] gD : e ma ho → rtogs par gyis D C bD • 9 med] D C bD : om. gD • 10–11
ste // e ma ho] bD gD : ste D C • 11 bu chung] D C : lce spyang bD gD • 12
du] D C bD : no gD • 13 ce spyang ro langs sa ra sa] D C gD (lce spyang) : ro
langs sa ra sa bu chung bD • 14 skal ldan → e ma ho] gD : e ma ho → longs
D C bD • skal] D C : bskal bD • kyis] D C : kyi bD • longs] gD : long D C bD •
15 kyi] D C gD : kyis bD • gzhag] D C : bzhag bD gD • bde ba chen po’i
ngang] gD m.c. : chen po’i ngang D C : chen po dang bD • 16 dag] D C gD :
rtag bD • 17 dbyer med D C bD : phun tshogs gD

12
 How wonderful!

5 The course of the rivers Padmā and Ratnā,1

6 Like the lion, the elephant and the deer,
7 Is comparable to the sun, a fire and a mirror.
8 The worthy ones have to understand!

How wonderful!

9 Intrinsic being (svabhāva), not different from the pure expanse of

phenomena (dharmadhātu), is the sphere of great bliss (mahāsukha).
10 The pure source of immeasurable phenomena is the Adamantine Lady.

How wonderful!

11 Flesh-eaters are lunatic, similar to small children:

12 Like clouds, the sky and lightning,
13 [They are] jackals, corpse-raisers and passionate ones (sarasāḥ).
14 The worthy ones have to practise!

How wonderful!

15 Continually fixed in the meditative equipoise (samāhita) of the Victors

(jināḥ), luminosity (prabhāsvara) is the dimension of great bliss;
16 Unceasing in the three times, the Buddhas’ three bodies are intrinsic
being;2
17 Self and other as not different, being in itself is glorious spontaneous
presence (anābhoga) without differentiation, simplicity.

1
The Padmā and the Ratnā can be identified as two rivers of Tilopā’s landscape:
both in current Bangladesh, the former is the downstream portion of the Ganges
(Gaṅgā-Padmā) and the latter flows in the Sylhet Division (Śrīhaṭṭa).
2
The three Buddha bodies (trikāya) are the body of absolute reality (dharmakāya),
the body of enjoyment (sambhogakāya), and the manifestation body
(nirmāṇakāya).

13
 e ma ho ||
sa ma ya | e ma ho ||

gcer bu gling pa rgyal po blangs || 18

blon po sna bsgyur rta mchog ste || 19
/ bran dang lam chen btsun mo’o || 20 D 85a
skal ldan rnams kyis / rtogs par gyis || 21 bD 2b

sa ma ya ||

dam pa bde chen mgon po skye med rang byung sangs rgyas yin || 22

/ e ma ho || gD 2b1

1 smin grol sems kyi rgya mdud shig || 23

phyi nang gsang ba mthar thug pas || 24

dbang gis rnam par rtog pa’i rgya || 25
mdud pa sems nyid rang grol du || 26
rtog pa’i dra ba bshig pa yin || 27
rang bzhin med pa’i ngang la bzhag || 28

• 18 sa ma ya / e ma ho] D C : om. bD gD • 18–21 gcer bu → rtogs par gyis]

D C : rgyal po blon po ’bangs dang ni // btsun mo sna bsgyur zer ba’ang ’dug
// bran dang rta mchog dang // gcer bu gling pa lam chen te // bskal ldan
rnams kyis [2b] thob par gyis bD : gcer bu lhing pa rgyal po ’dra // blon po
sna sgyur rta mchog dang // bran dang lam chen btsun mo ste // skal ldan
rnams kyis rtogs par gyis gD • 22 sa ma ya] D C : om. bD : e ma ho gD • 23
shig] D C ι κ λ ν ξ : gzhig bD : shigs gD : bzhig β θ : ching η • 24 phyi nang →
pas D C bD : re re la ’ang bzhi bzhi’o add. gD2 • pas] D C : pa’i bD : pa gD •
25 gis] D C gD : gi bD • 27 bzhig] D C bD : bzhigs gD • pa yin] D C gD : par
bya bD • 28 bzhag] bD gD : gzhag par bya D C

14
 How wonderful!
I swear! How wonderful!

18 Naked, the king has been received [into] the sanctuary:

19 The ministers as excellent horses accomplishing different things,
20 The servants, and the Lady as great path (mahāmārga).
21 The worthy ones have to understand!

I swear!

22 Holy one, the lord (nātha) am I of great bliss, unoriginated, self-born

(svayambhū) Buddha!

How wonderful!

23 Ripening and liberation: sever net and knots of thinking activity! 1

24 Outer, inner, secret, and ultimate:1

25 Due to the [four] consecrations, a net of notions (vikalpa) [is formed].
26 Its knots: in self-liberation (svayaṃmukti), in thinking as such (cittatā),
27 The notional latticework (*kalpajāla) will be severed.
28 One settles in a condition devoid of intrinsic being.

1
In this context, ripening (smin : vipāka) is by way of the four consecrations,
namely kalaśābhiṣeka, guhyābhiṣeka, prajñājñānābhiṣeka and caturthābhiṣeka,
here styled ‘outer’, ‘inner’, ‘secret’ and ‘ultimate’ respectively; liberation (grol :
mukti) is the actual result.

15
2 dam tshig rang sems me long ltos || 29

a haṃ srog rtsol sam bhū ta || 30

sems nyid rang gsal me long la || 31
dbang gi ’bras bur mthar phyin pas || 32
log rtog ’khor ba’i dri ma phyis || 33
gdod nas dag pa kun gzhi’i rgyud || 34
mi med rig la dag pa la || 35
snang med rig tsam rgyun du ltos || 36

3 dam rdzas rtogs pa’i nyi ma lde || 37

bde chen rang sems spros dang bral || 38

rtsa rlung / byang sems mi ’gyur ba’i || 39 C 86a
gnyis med rdo rje gang gis rtogs || 40
de ni rdzas kyi dam pa mchog || 41
phyi ltar snang ba sna tshogs pa || 42
rtogs pa’i nyi ma gcig la lde || 43
de la gsal ’grib med pa yin || 44

• 29 ltos] codd. : ltas C • 30 srog rtsol sam bhū ta] em. : srog gtsol saṃ bu ṭa
bD : srog rtsol saṃ bha ta gD : srog rtsa ba saṃ ta D C • 32 bur] D C : bu bD
gD • 34 kun gzhi’i] D C gD : sku bzhi’i bD : • 35 mi med rig la] D C : dri ma’i
rigs la bD : dri med rig gsal gD • dag pa la] D C gD : dag pa las bD. • 36 ltos]
D C gD : bltos bD • 37 rdzas] codd. : tshig κ • lde] bD β : ’de η κ ξ : ’de’ θ λ :
’des gD ι : ’di ν : ni D C • 39 ba’i] D C : bas bD • 40 rtogs] D C bD : rtog gD •
41 pa] D C : pa’i bD • 42 tshogs pa] D C bD : tshogs la gD • 43 rtogs] bD :
rtog D C • gcig la] D C bD : gcig tu gD • lde] bD : ’de D gD : ’di C

16
29 Commitments: look into the mirror of thinking activity in itself! 2

30 A and HAṂ merge (sambhūta) [by way of] breath-control (prāṇāyāma).

31 In the mirror inherently clear of thinking as such,
32 Once come to perfection, to the fruit of consecrations,
33 Misconceptions [and] defilements of saṃsāra are wiped off.
34 Pure from the beginning is the continuum of the basis of all (ālaya):
35 [When] secluded, as to the ritual consort (vidyā), as to the pure one,
36 Rely continuously on a merely invisible consort.

37 Sacred substances: warm yourself at the sun of comprehension! 3

38 Great bliss as thinking in itself (svacitta), beyond any elaboration.

39 Energy channels, vital air and immutable seminal essence of awakening:
40 How to understand their non-dual indestructible reality (vajra)?
41 That is indeed the sublime sacredness of substances (dravya).
42 Outwardly, [there are] all kinds of appearances:
43 Warm yourself at the unique sun of comprehension,
44 Neither bright nor dim is there in that.

17
4 spyod pa chu la ral gri rgyob || 45

gang dang gang snang de dag la || 46

spyod du med pa’i ngang nyid las || 47
spyad par gyis shig rnal / ’byor pa || 48 bD 3a
chu la ral gris gang btab pa || 49
rjes med dag tu ’gro ba bzhin || 50
nyam nga med pa’i ral gri yis || 51
sbas dang brtul zhugs bhu su ku || 52
mnyam rjes med par spyod par bya || 53
rig pa sems kyi spyod pa gyis || 54

5 rang grol phyag rgya chen po ltos || 55

rang sems gnyis med phyag rgya che || 56

rang grol sems kyi ngang du grol || 57
phyag ni stong pa’i ye shes yin || 58
rgya ni ’khor ba’i rgya dang bral || 59
chen po zung du ’jug pa yin || 60
ngo bo rang bzhin mtshan nyid de || 61
bde chen dri bral ngang du ltos || 62

• 45 chu la ral gri] codd. : ral gri chu la bD • 47 spyod] D C : spyad bD gD •

ngang] C bD gD : rang D • las] D C : la bD gD • 48 spyad] D C bD : spyod
gD • 49 gris] D C : gri bD gD • btab pa] D C bD : btab pas gD • 50 rjes] D C
gD : rmeg bD • 51 pa’i] D C gD : par bD • yis] D C gD : yi bD • 52 sbas] D
bD gD : sgras C • bhu su ku] D C gD : ku su lu bD • 53 spyod par] bD gD :
spyod pa D C • 54 rig pa] D C bD : rang rig gD • spyod] D C gD : dpyad bD •
55 rang grol → ltos] D C bD β : rang grol → chongs gD ι κ : rang grol →
sgoms λ : rang grol → bsgoms ν : rang grol → bsgom ξ : rang byung →
chongs η • rgya] codd. : om. gD • 57 rang grol] D C : grol ba bD gD • sems
kyi] D C bD : sems nyid gD • 59 rgya] D C gD : rgyu bD • 61 de] D C bD :
gsum gD • 62 bral] bD gD : med D C • ltos] D C bD : ’chang gD

18
45 Ascetic practice: strike the water with a sword! 4

46 As to appearances, no matter which,

47 From the very condition of nothing to be involved with,
48 Enjoy them o yogin!
49 One hits the water with a sword:
50 It passes through leaving no trace. Likewise,
51 With the sword of the brave,
52 The meditator attending to secret and ascetic observance
53 Has to practise meditation leaving no trace:
54 He must do the practice of thinking activity [as] awareness.

55 Self-liberation: look at the great seal! 5

56 Thinking in itself (svacitta) is the non-dual great seal (mahāmudrā);

57 Self-liberation (svayaṃmukti) is liberation in the sphere of thinking.
58 DRĀ is void gnosis (śūnyajñāna);
59 MU, beyond the net of cyclic existence (saṃsāra),
60 MAHAT is union (yuganaddha).1
61 Existent (bhāva), intrinsic being (svabhāva) and attributes (lakṣaṇa):
62 Look at the undefiled sphere of great bliss.

1
The pseudo-etymology of ‘mahāmudrā’ at ll. 58–60 has been quoted by later
Tibetan authors as from the Mahāmudrātilaka (phyag chen thig le las...), but the
passage does not occur in the bKa’ ’gyur text of the Śrī-mahāmudrātilakaṃ-nāma-
yoginītantrarājādhipati : dPal phyag rgya chen po’i thig le zhes bya ba rnal ’byor
ma chen mo’i rgyud kyi rgyal po’i mnga’ bdag, Ō. 12, Tō. 420). Possibly, this
confusion is due to the fact that the ninth chapter of that explanatory tantra in the
Hevajra tradition deals with the meaning of the term ‘mudrā’ (...dpal phyag rgya
chen po’i thig le las phyag rgya’i brda dang mchod pa’i cho ga zhes bya ba’i le’u
ste dgu pa’o, D bKa’ ’gyur, rgyud NGA 72b2–73a4; see Gray 2012: 472).

19
 e ma ho ||

dpal ldan rdo rje mkha’ ’gro ma || 63

nam mkha’ stong pa’i ngang las ni || 64
brda skad brag ca ji bzhin du || 65
stong pa’i ngang las snying rje’i sgra || 66

dbyer med bde chen ngang du rdzogs || 67

skal ldan blo yi padma de || 68
ye shes nyi ma shar ba yis || 69
rang grol shugs ’byung kha ’dzum ’byed || 70

blo ldan dri med gzi brjid khyod || 71

phu la ha ri’i dgon pa ru || 72
bho ṭa’i ma rig mun / sel la || 73 D 85b
ye shes snang bas khyab par gyis || 74

rje te lo chen pos / nā ro pa la gsungs pa’o || 75 bD 3b

• 63–75 e ma ho // dpal ldan rdo rje mkha’ ’gro ma → rje te lo chen pos nā ro
pa la gsungs pa’o] D C bD : om. gD • 63 ldan] D C : chen bD • ma] D C : las
bD • 65 brda] D C : brda’ bD • ca] D C : cha bD • 66 las] D C : la bD • 67
rdzogs] D C : sgra bD • 68 ma] D : mo bD C • 70 ’dzum] bD : zum D C • 73
bho ṭa’i] D C : bhu ti’i bD • 75 rje te lo chen pos] D C : de skad tai lo pas bD •
nā] bD : na D C

20
 How wonderful!

63 The glorious Vajraḍākinī

64 From the sphere of void space:
65 Just like echoes is [her] language of symbols (saṃketa),
66 A voice of compassion (karuṇā) from the sphere of voidness.

67 Complete in the sphere of great bliss as without any differentiation,

68 Is that worthy one, a lotus of the intellect (mati):
69 As the sun of gnosis dawns,
70 Self-liberation arises spontaneously, the closed is disclosed.

71 You, intelligent one, undefiled brightness,

72 In the seclusion of Phullahari,
73 Dispel the darkness of ignorance of Tibet. Then,
74 As the gnosis appears, make it pervade.1

75 Thus spoke the great lord Tilopā to Nāropā.

1
In view of the above mentioned text of gD4 in the ‘Ras chung pa’s Special
Doctrines’, we will see in the next chapter that the verses at ll. 63–74 of VḌNDh
should be appended to the text of the *Vajraḍākinībhāvanādṛṣṭicaryātraya-
saṃketanirdeśa (Tō. 1528).

21
 dpal ’khor lo sdom pa la phyag ’tshal lo ||

6 / rtsa rlung dra ba’i ’khor lo skor || 76 gD 2b7

rtsa ni lus la gnas pa ste || 77

a ba dhū tī la la nā || 78
ra sa nā ste dbye ba yang || 79
’khor lo bzhi ru gnas pa’o || 80
dra ba zhes / bya ba ’brel te || 81 gD 3a
rlung ni las kun byed pa can || 82
lnga yi bdag nyid bcu ming ste || 83
rlung sems gnyis su med par ni || 84
mi rtog ’khor lo bskor bar bya || 85

7 rig pa ye shes sgron me sgom || 86

rig pa sems kyi rgyal po ste || 87

lhun grub ngang du ye shes kyi || 88
sgron me gnyis su med par ’bar || 89
ma rig pa yi mun bsal nas || 90
ye shes dri bral snang bas khyab || 91

• 76 dpal ’khor lo sdom pa la phyag ’tshal lo] D C bD : om. gD • dra mig

codd. (dmyig θ) : dra ba’i D C • skor] gD η ι κ : bskor codd.. • 78 a ba dhū tī]
D C : a wa dhu tī bD : a wa dhū ti gD • 79 ra sa nā] D C gD : ra sā na bD • 81
dra ba] D C bD : dra mig gD • zhes bya ba ’brel te] D C : zhes bya ’brel ba ste
gD : zhes bya ’brel ba te bD • 84 med par] D C bD : med pa gD • 85 rtog] C
bD gD : rtogs D • 86 me] codd. : ma η ι • sgom] D C : gtams bD : bltams gD :
ltos β η θ κ ξ : ltoms λ : bltoms ν • 87 ste] D C gD : de bD • 89 ’bar] D C bD :
sbar gD

22
 Homage to the glorious Cakrasaṃvara!

76 Channels and vital airs: move through the cakras of the lattice! 6

77 As for the energy channels (nāḍyaḥ), they abide in the organismic body:
78 Avadhūtī, lalanā,
79 And rasanā; albeit distinguished,
80 They abide in the four energy wheels (cakra);
81 What is called ‘lattice’(jāla) is their interconnection.
82 As for the vital airs (vāyavaḥ), performers of all functions,
83 Lords of the five, ten are their names;1
84 As for the vital air inseparable from thinking activity,
85 Beyond notions, you have to move through the energy wheels.

86 Awareness: look with the torch of gnosis! 7

87 Awareness is the king of thinking activity:

88 In the sphere of spontaneous presence (anābhoga), the gnostic
89 Torch (jñānolkā) burns as non-dual;
90 Having dispelled the darkness of ignorance (avidyā),
91 As the unsullied gnosis appears, it pervades.

1
The vital airs, or winds are distiguished into five root (mūla) and five branch
ones (aṅga). Each mūlavāyu is associated with a buddha family, a colour, an
element, a seat, and it regulates a particular bodily function: (1) apāna;
Amoghasiddhi; green; vāyu; anus and sex; defecation and reproduction; (2)
samāna; Ratnasambhava; yellow; pṛthivī; navel; digestion; (3) prāṇa; Akṣobhya;
blue; ap; heart; breathing; (4) udāna; Amithābha; red; tejas; throat; salivating,
etc.; (5) vyāpaka; Vairocana; white; ākāśa; head and limbs; movement. As to the
five aṅgavāyus, (1) caraṇa in the eyes is responsible for sight; (2) samudācāra in
the ears for hearing; (3) avicārata in the nose for smelling; (4) upacāra in the
tongue for tasting; (5) vicaraṇa in the skin and the sex organs for sensitivity.

23
8 ro snyoms phyi yi / me long ltos || 92 C 86b

’byung ba bzhi po ro snyoms dang || 93

shes pa ting ’dzin ro snyoms te || 94
nyams ni bde gsal rnam pa bzhi || 95

skye ba med pa’i me long la || 96

dran pa’i rdul gyis bkab pa ste || 97
dran med rig pa’i nyams kyis phye || 98

sems kyi me long dag pa la || 99

snang ba gnyis med lta ba la || 100
rnam rtog shugs ’byung dri ma phyis || 101

9 bde chen gsung / gi rin chen chongs || 102 bD 4a

bde ba rang rig gsal ba ste || 103

chen po bla ma dam pa’i gsung || 104
zag bcas lus kyi bde ba las || 105
zag med sems kyi bde ba ’char || 106

bde stong ro mnyam dbyer med pa || 107

gsang ba mchog gi dbyer med pa || 108
bdud rtsi zhal rnyed snying po ’di || 109
rin chen lta bur rang gzhan don || 110
’byung bas skal ldan dam pas chongs || 111

• 92 phyi yi] D C gD θ : phyi’i codd. • 93 bzhi po] D C gD : phyi’i bD • 94 ting

’dzin ro snyoms] D C : ro snyoms ting ’dzin gD : nang gi ting ’dzin bD • 95
gsal] D C gD : sdug bD • 96 med pa’i] D C gD : med pas bD • 97 gyis ] D C
gD : gyi bD • bkab] D C gD : skab bD • ste] bD gD : de D C • 98 phye] D C :
phyis bD gD • 99 la] D C gD : las bD • 100 la] D C bD : yi gD • 101 rnam rtog
→ phyis] D C gD : rnam rtog → phyis // rang gsal dri med me long ltos add.
bD • 102 rin chen] codd. : rang bzhin ι • chongs] D C bD : zung gD β θ ι λ ν ξ :
bzung η κ • 105–108 zag bcas → dbyer med pa] D C bD : om. gD • 105 las] D
C : la bD • 106 sems kyi bde ba ’char // bde stong] bD : om. D C • mnyam] D
C : snyoms bD • pa] D C : pas bD • 108 gsang ba mchog gi dbyer med pa] D C
: om. bD • 109 rnyed] D C gD : brnyes bD • 110 lta bur] D C bD : lta bu gD •
111 chongs] D C bD : zung gD

24
 92 Equalization of flavour: look at the external mirror! 8

93 Equalizing the flavour of the four elements,1 and

94 Equalizing the flavour as the union of cognitions:
95 The experiences, [those of] bliss and clarity, are four.2

96 As to the unoriginated mirror,

97 It is covered by the dust of recollection:
98 The experience of awareness beyond recollecting has to uncover it.

99 As to the clean mirror of thinking activity,

100 When appearances are viewed as non-dual,
101 Cleanse the defilements of spontaneous notions (vikalpa).

102 Great bliss: retain the jewel of the word! 9

103 ‘Bliss’ is the clarity of intrinsic awareness (svasaṃvedana);

104 ‘Great’, the word of the excellent guru:
105 From the bliss of a body with outflows (sāsrava),
106 The bliss of thinking activity without outflows (anāsrava) shines.

107 Bliss and voidness (*sukhaśūnya): same flavour, not different,

108 Not different from the sublime secret.
119 The ambrosia (amṛta) received in the mouth, this essence
110 Similar to a jewel, the goal of [the union of] oneself with the other
111 Gushes forth, but the excellent worthy one has to retain it.3

1
The four elements: earth (pṛthiv), water (ap), fire (tejas), and air (vāyu).
2
The four experiences of bliss and clarity, i.e. the four joys (caturānanda): joy
(ānanda), perfect joy (paramānanda), joy of cessation (viramānanda), and co-
emergent joy (sahajānanda).
3
Reference to the three higher consecrations of the Yoginītantras: secret
consecration (guhyābhiṣeka), the consecration of the knowledge of the ritual
partner under the name of prajñā (prajñājñānābhiṣeka), and the fourth
consecration (caturthābhiṣeka), also known as the consecration of the word
(śabdābhiṣeka).

25
rnal ’byor dbang phyug te lo chen po yis || 112
rgyan gyi ri zhes grags par bdag la gnang || 113

gsang sngags snying po lus med mkha’ ’gro yis || 114

chos ’khor ma lus de ru rdzogs par gnas || 115
nam mkha’i khams nas sku lus mi snang bar || 116
mkha’ la rang sgra bzhin du rdo rje’i tshig || 117

zab mo’i man ngag nā ros bdag la gnang || 118

lnga brgya’i tha mar gyur te sa steng du || 119

snod ldan rnams kyi blo yi pad mo de || 120
kha ba can ljongs khyed kyi slob ma yis || 121
’dul bar gyur zhes bla ma’i gsung las thos || 122
’gro rnams bde mchog ’bras bu rgyas gyur cig || 123

dpal rdo rje mkha’ ’gro lus med pa’i chos zhes bya ba rdzogs so ||

• 112–123 rnal ’byor → rgyas gyur cig] D C bD : om. gD • 112 te] D C : tai
bD • 113 rgyan] D C : rgyal bD • 117 mkha’ ’gro yis → sgra bzhin du] bD :
om. D C • 118 mo’i] D C : chos bD • ros] D C : ro bD • 119 tha] D : mtha’ bD
: om. C • te] D C : tshe bD • du] D C : su bD • 120 blo yi padmo] D C : padma
dam pa bD • 122 las thos] bD : pas thob D C • 123 rgyas] D C : rgyal bD • col.
’gro] D C : ’gro ma bD • rdzogs so] D C : i thi bD

26
112 The great lord of yogins Tilopā
113 gave it to me on what is known as Mount Ornament.1

114 The essence of secret spells, thanks to the incorporeal ḍākinīs,

115 Abides completely in all those promulgated doctrines.
116 From the element of space, invisible the bodies,
117 Their adamantine words [were] like a self-resounding in the sky.

118 Nāropā gave the[se] profound esoteric instruction to me.

119 ‘After the last five hundred [years], on the earth

120 Is that Lotus of Intellect among the worthy vessels:
121 The Land of Snow (himavat), thanks to your disciple,
122 Will be converted’, thus I listened from the words of the guru.
123 The fruit of sublime pleasure (śaṃvara) of beings has to thrive.

This completes the Doctrines of the Glorious Incorporeal Vajraḍākinī.

1
The place where Tilopā would have transmitted the nine dharmas to Nāropā is a
mount styled ‘Ornament’ at l. 113 (rgyan gyi ri). Tib. rgyan translates Skt
alaṃkāra (MVy 6000), but also ābharaṇa in compounds for anklet, necklace, head
ornament and bracelet (MVy 6001, 6039–6042). It is worth speculating that the
compound mgo rgyan (mūrdhābharaṇa, MVy 6041) for a head ornament could be
related to a synonymous place name occurring in the hagiographies. Saying
farewell to the ḍākinīs, Tilopā mentions as his destination the seclusion (dgon pa)
of gTsug gi nor bu, gTsug phud spra ba, or simply gTsug. Tib. gtsug, like gtsug
phud, corresponds to Skt cūḍā ‘crown, crest, head, summit’ (MVy 658, 1363,
3331, 3353, 3362, 3405, 3410, 3428, 5675); nor bu (Skt maṇi), like spra ba,
would refer to an ornament: therefore both gtsug gi nor bu and gtsug phud spra ba
could be for cūḍāmaṇi (Mvy 3362) or maṇicūḍā (MVy 3331, 3353). A clue to
locate that seclusion, sited in Sahor, i.e. the region of Harikela in Ancient Bengal
(η 21a4: shar za hor gtsug gi dgon pa), can be found in the sixth-century
Gunaighar copperplate grant of Vainyagupta issued from Krīpura, in the current
Comilla District of Bangladesh. We read in it of a town Cūḍāmaṇi (Bhattacharyya
1930; R.C. Majumdar 1971: 340): the inscription, demarcating the granted lands,
refers to a channel between the seaport and Cūḍāmaṇi as their eastern limit
(cūḍāmaṇi-nagaraśrīnauyogayor maddhye jolā, l. 28). Not only Krīpura, but also
the granted lands and Cūḍāmaṇi were situated near the find place of the
copperplate, that is in Comilla District (Bhattacharyya 1930: 52–53).

27
 Abbreviations and Sigla
bD bDe mchog snyan brgyud
C Co ne xylograph bsTan ’gyur
codd. (codices) all other manuscripts / sources
D sDe dge xylograph bsTan ’gyur
em. (emendavi) I have emended
gD gDams ngag mdzod
l./ll. line/lines
m.c. (metri causa) for the sake of the meter
MVy Mahāvyutpatti
Ō. Ōtani Catalogue
om. (omisit) omitted
Skt Sanskrit
T. Taishō
TBRC Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, Cambridge, Ma.
Tib. Tibetan
Tō. Tōhoku Catalogue
VḌNDh Tilopā’s Vajraḍākinīniṣkāyadharma

Tibetan Sources
Kun dga’ rgyal mtshan ― Chos rje Sa skya
paṇḍi ta Kun dga’ rgyal mtshan (1182–1251). sNyi mo sgom chen gyi dris lan.
In Sa skya bka’ ’bum vol. 12 (NA).
 Photostat: Dpal ldan Sa skya bka’ ’bum. The Works of the Founding
Masters of Sa-skya. Reproduced from the 1736 Derge Edition.
Scanned from the Khams reprint of the Sde dge edition of the
collected works of the first great Sa skya masters. Sakya Center,
Dehra Dun. New Delhi: Jayyed Press, Ballimaran, Delhi 1992–1993
 TBRC W22271.
rGyal thang pa (hagiographic source η) ― rGyal thang pa bDe
chen rdo rje. bKa’ brgyud yid bzhin nor bu yi ’phreng ba.
 Photostat: Dkar brgyud gser ’phreṅ. A thirteenth century collection of
verse hagiographies of the succession of eminent masters of the
’Brug-pa Dkar-brgyud-pa tradition by Rgyal-thaṅ-pa Bde-chen-rdo-
rje. Reproduced from a rare manuscript from the library of the Hemis
Monastery by the 8th Khams-sprul Don-brgyud-ñi-ma. Tashijong,

28
 Palampur: Sungrab Nyamso Gyunphel Parkhang 1973, pp. 16–57, 59–
135.
 TBRC W23436.
gDams ngag mdzod ― ’Jam mgon Kong
sprul Blo gros mtha’ yas. gDams ngag mdzod.
 Photostat: Gdams ṅag mdzod. A treasury of precious methods and
instructions of all of the major and minor Buddhist traditions of Tibet,
brought together and structured into a coherent system. Edited from a
set of the dPal-spungs prints and published at the order of H.H. Dingo
Chhentse Rimpoche. 18 vols. Paro: Lama Ngodrup and Sherab
Drimey 1979–1981.
 TBRC W20877.
bDe mchog snyan brgyud ― bDe mchog snyan
brgyud nor bu skor gsum.
 Photostat: Bde mchog sñan brgyud nor bu skor gsum. Collected
ancient instructions for the practice of the orally transmitted
teachings focussing upon Cakrasamvara by various masters of the
tradition. Arranged and edited by the Fourth ’Brug-chen Padma-
dkar-po (1527–1592). Reproduced from a manuscript collection from
Bhutan. 2 vols. Tashijong (Palampur, H.P.): Sungrab Nyamso
Gyunphel Parkhang, Tibetan Craft Community 1985.
 TBRC W23155.
rDo rje mdzes ’od (hagiographic source θ) ― rDo rje mdzes ’od.
bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter mdzod dgos ’dod ’byung
gnas.
 Photostat: bKa’ brgyud kyi rnam thar chen mo rin po che’i gter
mdzod dgos ’dod ’byuṅ gnas. A collection of lives of the successive
masters in the transmission lineage of the ’Bri-guṅ Bka’-brgyud-pa
tradition in the Nepal-Tibet borderlands by Rdo-rje-mdzes-’od.
Reproduced from a rare manuscript from Limi Dzing Pegyeling. Bir,
Kangra: D. Tsondu Senghe 1985.
 TBRC W27600.
Chos ’byung ― Bu ston rin chen grub.
bDe bar gshegs pa’i bstan pa’i gsal byed chos kyi ’byung gnas gsung rab rin
po che’i mdzod. In gSung ’bum, vol. 24 (YA).
 Photostat: The Collected Works of Bu-ston. Edited by Lokesh
Chandra. Śata-piṭaka Series, Indo Asian Literatures. New Delhi:
International Academy of Indian Culture 1965–1971.
 TBRC W22106.
dBang phyug rgyal mtshan (hagiographic source ν) ― dBang phyug rgyal
mtshan. rJe btsun ti lo pa dang nā ro pa’i rnam thar rin po che.
 Photostat: The Biographies of Tilopā and Naropa by Dbaṅ-phyug-

29
 rgyal-mtshan. Rje btsun Ti lo pa’i rnam par thar pa zab gsal rin chen
gter mdzod bskal bzaṅ yid ’phrog. Mkhas mchog Nā ro Paṇ chen gyi
rnam par thar pa dri med legs bśad bde chen ’brug sgra. Reproduced
from a manuscript from Dzongkhul Monastery in Zangskar.
Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang 1976, 1–157, 159–311.
 TBRC W1KG8722.
Mar pa (hagiographic source β) ― Mar pa Lo tsā ba
Chos kyi blo gros. rNal ’byor gyi dbang phyug ti lo pa’i lo rgyus; dPal na ro
paṇ chen gyi lo rgyus. In Byang chub bzang po, ed. bDe mchog mkha’ ’gro
snyan brgyud, KHA: brGyud pa yid bzhin nor bu’i rnam par thar pa.
 Photostat: Bde mchog mkha’ ’gro sñan rgyud (Ras chuṅ sñan rgyud).
A manuscript collection of orally transmitted precepts focussing upon
the tutelaries Cakrasamvara and Vajravārāhī, representing the yig-
cha compiled by Byaṅ-chub-bzaṅ-po. Reproduced from a rare
manuscript in the library of Apho Rimpoche. Vol. I. New Delhi 1973,
8–28, 29–62.
 TBRC W24891.
Mahāvyutpatti ― Bye brag tu rtogs par
byed pa chen po. Ogiwara Unrai. 荻原雲來, ed. 1915. Bon-Wa daijiten
梵和大辭典. Tokyo. Rep. 1959. Tokyo: Sankibō. Revised ed. 1934–1974.
Tokyo: Suzuki Gakujutsu Zaidan.
Mon rtse pa (hagiographic source κ) ― Mon rtse pa Kun dga’
dpal ldan. dKar brgyud gser ’phreng.
 Photostat: Dkar brgyud gser ’phreng. A golden rosary of lives of
eminent gurus. Compiled by Mon-rtse-pa Kun-dga’-dpal-ldan and
edited by Kun-dga’-’brug-dpal. Reproduced photographically from
the original Bhotia manuscript with an English introduction.
Smanrtsis Shesrig Spendzod, vol. 3. Leh: Sonam W. Tashigang 1970,
2–23 (κ1), 23–47 (κ2).
 TBRC W30123.
gTsang smyon He ru ka (hagiographic source λ) ― bDe mchog mkha’
’gro snyan brgyud kyi gzhung ’brel sa bcad dang sbrags pa (bDe mchog
mkha’ ’gro snyan rgyud kyi gdams pa yid bzhin nor bu skor gsum).
 Photostat: Bde mchog mkha’ ’gro sñan rgyud (Ras chuṅ sñan rgyud).
Two manuscript collections of texts from the yig cha of Gtsang-smyon
He-ru-ka. Reproduced from 16th and 17th century manuscripts
belonging to the Venerable Dookpa Thoosay Rimpoche. Vol. I: The
Biography of Gtsang-smyon by Lha-btsun Rin-chen-rnam-rgyal. The
Bya-btang ’Phrin-las-dpal-’bar Manuscript. Vol. II: The Gra-dkar
Rab-’jam-pa Manuscript. Smanrtsis Shesrig Spendzod, vols 11–12.
Leh: S.W. Tashigangpa 1971. Ms. A: vol. 1, 22–43. Ms. B: vol. 2, 97–
118.

30
  TBRC W30124.
lHa btsun (hagiographic source ξ) ― lHa btsun Rin chen
rnam rgyal. Sangs rgyas thams cad kyi rnam ’phrul rje btsun ti lo pa’i rnam
mgur.
 Photostat: bKa’ brgyud pa Hagiographies. A collection of rnam thar
of eminent masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Compiled and edited by
Khams sprul Don brgyud Nyi ma. Tashijong (Palampur, H.P.):
Sungrab Nyamso Gyunphel Parkhang, 1972, vol. I, 1–75.
 TBRC W20499.
Vibhūticandra ― Byang chub kyi spyod
pa la ’jug pa’i dgongs pa’i ’grel pa khyad par gsal byed (Bodhicaryāvatāra-
tātparyapañjikāviśeṣadyotanī): In bsTan ’gyur, mDo, Ō. 5282, Tō. 3880.
U rgyan pa (hagiographic source ι) ― U rgyan pa Rin chen
dpal / Seng ge dpal. bKa’ brgyud yid bzhin nor bu yi ’phreng ba.
 Photostat: Bka’ brgyud yid b in nor bu yi ’phreṅ ba. A precious rosary
of lives of eminent masters of the ’Bri-guṅ-pa Dkar-brgyud-pa
tradition by Grub-thob O-rgyan-pa Rin-chen-dpal. Reproduced from
a rare manuscript containing three supplemental biographies of
teachers of the Smar-pa Dkar-brgyud-pa tradition from the library of
the Ven. Kangyur Rimpoche. Smanrtsis Shesrig Spendzod, vol. 38.
Leh: S.W. Tashigangpa 1972, 14–52.
 TBRC W23181.

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Bhattacharyya, Dinesh Chandra. 1930. A Newly Discovered Copperplate from
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Gray, David Barton. 2012. Imprints of the “Great Seal”: On the expanding
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Studies 34(1–2), 421–481.

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Jong, J. W. de. 1974. La Légende de Śāntideva. Indo-Iranian Journal 16(3), 161–
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Legge, James, transl. 1886. A Record of Buddhist Kingsdoms. Being an Account
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