A String of Pearls
Muktāvalī
“Indestructible,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vajrā.
Toh 4089. An important treatise on Buddhist metaphysics composed by Vasubandhu in the fourth century ce.
The “truth of the highest meaning” that can only be directly realized, but not grasped conceptually.
The negative states of mind that bind to saṃsāra. The main three are delusion, anger, and desire.
The five aggregates of individual existence are form (
This seems to be a Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit version of the name Adhomukhā, one of the Buddhist goddesses.
One of the five tathāgatas, he is located in the eastern quarter of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the vajra family.
A posture where the right foot is extended forward, and the left knee slightly bent.
The eleventh bodhisattva level.
A system of code words and terms with symbolic meaning that are used in the higher tantras.
One of the five tathāgatas, he is located in the western quarter of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the lotus family.
Another name for Amitābha.
In the context of the five lords of the families, this is another name of Amitābha.
One of the five tathāgatas, he is located in the western quarter of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the lotus family. An alternate name of Amitābha.
One of the five tathāgatas, he is located in the southern quarter of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the karma family.
Another name for Amoghasiddhi.
One of the eight nāga kings. He is also the cosmic serpent that Viṣṇu sleeps upon.
Another name of Yama.
Another name of Yama.
One of the secondary kṣetras.
There are two types of
An offering that consists primarily of water, which is made ritually to the deity as an act of welcome and to bid farewell. The ritual act is based on the similar practice of receiving a guest in the home.
According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.
Another name for Amitābha.
A very broad term referring to both mental and physical forms, qualities, and aspects that, in the Yogācāra system, lack objective reality.
standard
A class of powerful beings, often equated to or on the level of asuras or devas. In the
A proponent of philosophical views that assert the primacy of enduring self. The various schools of Vedānta would fall into this category.
The ninth bodhisattva level.
Literally meaning “heat,” the term refers to intense, austere practices intended to generate yogic energy.
One of the three main subtle channels associated with the experience of emptiness; it is located in the center of the body. In the Hevajra system, this channel is identified with Nairātmyā.
The worst of all hells, where the suffering is most intense.
An offering to the deity or spirits that consists chiefly of food.
The ritual activity of banishing or exorcising hostile forces. A type of hostile rite (
There are four bases of confidence possessed by realized beings, beginning with the confidence of having realized phenomena as they are.
When used as an abstract noun, the term can refer to the nondual aspect of the experience of phenomena.
A polyvalent term that refers in tantric scriptures to the
“Generating,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vajraḍākī.
One of the five Pāṇḍava brothers. Son of Vāyu.
A Buddhist goddess.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.
Another name of Śiva, possibly reflecting his being the lord of bhūtas.
Another name of Śiva.
One of the main gods of the Brahmanical tradition.
Also called
In the general Mahāyāna teachings, the “mind of awakening” (
A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
The levels or stages through which a bodhisattva progresses before becoming fully awakened. There are between ten and thirteen levels, depending on the traditions of explanation.
The levels or stages through which a bodhisattva progresses before becoming fully awakened. There are between ten and thirteen levels, depending on the traditions of explanation.
Unidentified.
The “enjoyment body,” one of the two form bodies (
A code word for male genitalia.
One of the primary deities of the Brahmanical pantheon in which he is considered a creator god. Brahmā occupies an important place in Buddhism as one of two deities (the other being Śakra) who are said to have first exhorted Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. He is also considered to be the “Lord of the Sahā world” (our universe).
The absolute reality. The timeless and unconditioned ground of being, first taught in the Upaniṣads.
“Brahmin woman,” one of the five mudrās, representing the activity family in the Hevajra system.
A unit of time equal to the duration of an exhalation and inhalation.
Literally “wheel,” cakra is an energy center in the subtle body where subtle channels converge. In tantric Buddhism there are either four or five main cakras. The
An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.
Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel (rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel (tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit themselves after brandishing weapons.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. She is roused as a mystic heat or fire during a yoga practice of the same name. She is also one of the five mudrās, representing the tathāgata family in the Hevajra system. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
“Fierce one,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Khecarī.
The god of the moon, or the moon personified.
One of the pīlavas.
A class of tantra that is typically listed second in traditional doxographies. Classified between Kriyā and Yoga tantra, these tantras include features of deity yoga that are not present in the Kriyā Tantras, but that are not as fully evolved as in the Yoga tantras.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
The “enabling” cause directly responsible for producing the result.
“Place of delight.” A type of a sacred site.
The defining quality of a thing. When used in the plural the term can denote the thirty-two physical characteristics of a buddha.
In a Yogācāra context, this term can refer to a perceived image of an object that functions as a deceptive token or sign of that object’s being real (when in fact it is not) or having an existence extrinsic to the mind.
A place for the disposal or cremation of corpses, counted among the six types of sacred site.
The deity with whom one has a special karmic or astrological connection.
Citta (“Thought”) or Citteśa (“Lord of Thoughts”) is, in the context of the five lords of the families, another name of Akṣobha.
The tenth bodhisattva level.
Obscurations caused by conceptuality and dualistic thinking.
A Yogācāra technical term referring to phenomena as they truly are, perfect and pure. One of the “three natures” (
A technical term in the Yoginī tantras that refers to categories that are concealed or hidden because of their highly esoteric implications. The esoteric category is said to be “concealed” within an exoteric one. The concealed content and its container are regarded as indivisible. In the context of pledges and vows,
Similar in meaning to the “relative truth” (
The circumstances that allow the generative cause to become operational.
A specific mode of prescribed tantric conduct that is accepted as a formal commitment (
Samaya-based conduct that relies on
One of the five aggregates. In its technical Yogācāra meaning, the term refers to the six dualistic consciousnesses that comprise the five sensory consciousnesses and the consciousness that perceives mental events.
Resolving certain ordinary categories as being or having the nature of sacred categories, for example
A symbol or implement derived from two vajras crossed at their hub.
A very general term referring to a broad range of meditative techniques that may involve visualization, contemplation, generation of deities, engendering particular mental states, cultivating particular types of experience, etc.
A Buddhist goddess.
This term covers a wide range of meanings—in general a female being, not necessarily benevolent, ranging from a powerful spirit to a retinue deity in a maṇḍala. In the sūtras and Kriyā tantras, they are typically female spirits of a lower order. In the higher tantras they are powerful, realized deities linked to the channels within the subtle body.
A small, hourglass-shaped hand drum played by being twisted with one hand, causing the swinging weights to strike the two opposite-facing drumheads. In some cases, it is made from two human skulls covered in human skin.
The duration of a single breath, from the moment of inhalation until the moment of the next inhalation.
Literally “outflow.” These are negative traits resulting from the past karma.
Deity yoga consists in visualizing oneself in the form of the deity, and identifying with that.
A Yogācāra technical term referring to phenomena arising in dependence on causes and conditions. One of the “three natures” (
In the most general sense the devas—the term is cognate with the English divine—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.
One of the kṣetras.
“Wealth Giver,” another name of Kubera/Vaiśravaṇa.
It is uncertain which deity this name refers to; possibly to Kubera.
A term describing the totality of phenomena as they truly are, without being distorted by dualistic conceptualization.
The “body of qualities,” one of the three bodies of a buddha, acquired when the ultimate reality is realized and actualized. The other two bodies are sambhogakāya (“enjoyment body”) and nirmāṇakāya (“creation body”).
Literally “source of phenomena.” this refers to the principle of creation represented, in its simplest form, by a (white) triangle pointing down. It is equated with the triangular area of the vagina. It can also have the form of two intersecting triangles and other more elaborate forms.
The fifth bodhisattva level.
One of the two main divisions of Jainism, the other one being the Śvetāmbara. As their names suggest, the Digāmbaras (“dressed in the directions”) go naked and the Śvetambāras (“attired in white”) wear white robes.
The third moment in sexual yoga, corresponding to the moment when pleasure subsides. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this moment corresponds to the joy of cessation.
The pride associated with confidently identifying oneself with the deity.
“Divine,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Gaurī.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
“Hateful,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Pukkasī.
“Vajra Hatred,” one of the six emanations of Nairātmyā that correspond to the six sense faculties and the six mental poisons.
The states or conditions of a buddha: deportment (
The eight charnel grounds or cemeteries associated with eight geographic locations in India, and, esoterically, with particular locations in the human body.
Standard def
Toh 381. A Buddhist tantra belonging to the class of Unexcelled
One of the four main ritual activities, this involves bringing a target under one’s influence.
The way phenomena are experienced indivisibly on the level of absolute truth.
In a Yogācāra context, this term denotes the incorrect ascertainment of objects as external to consciousness.
The state of buddhahood itself exemplified by the innate state experienced during the sexual yoga.
The innate state experienced during sexual yoga that exemplifies the innate state that is buddhahood. When the former state is recognized as the natural nonconceptual state of mind, the latter state is attained.
A Yogācāra technical term referring to erroneous concepts and notions that arise in the mind based on an incorrect perception of reality. One of the “three natures” (
This term seems to be synonymous with “tathāgata family” (
In the Yoginī tantras, such as the
The seventh bodhisattva level.
The first of the
The first of the three yogas of the stage of arising. Generally, the
These are typically milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar, but they also have their “impure” counterparts. The list of these varies, but typically includes urine, feces, blood, semen, and flesh.
Vairocana, Akṣobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha, and Amoghasiddhi. They are the heads of the tathāgata, vajra, jewel, lotus, and karma families, respectively.
See the entry for “five buddhas.”
Also called the “five great elements” (
The five are faith (
The five types of attire that distinguish the deities that are associated with charnel grounds. The five, all made of human bone, are a circlet, earrings, necklace, bracelets, and girdle. In some cases they are listed as six, including ashes from a funeral pyre.
These comprise (1) the power of faith, (2) the power of perseverance, (3) the power of recollection, (4) the power of meditative stability, and (5) the power of wisdom.
The five types of wisdom, or knowledge, associated with awakening: mirror-like wisdom, the wisdom of equanimity, the wisdom of discrimination, the wisdom of accomplishing activities, and the wisdom of the (perfectly pure) dharmadhātu.
An early sequence of yogas for generating the deity, they are particularly well developed in Yoga tantras. This procedure, as indicated by its name, entails the visualization of five aspects: (1) the row of vowels transforming into the moon; (2) the row of consonants transforming into the sun; (3) the seed syllable in between these transforming into the features of the deity; (4) the emanation of the mantra deities and reabsorption into the seed syllable; and (5) the full manifestation of the deity by means of the transformation of everything into one.
The school of Buddhism comprising, according to some, the earliest and most orthodox Buddhist sects. The term was coined only after the advent of the Great Vehicle (
The four applications of mindfulness are (1) the application of mindfulness which observes the physical body; (2) the application of mindfulness which observes feelings; (3) the application of mindfulness which observes the mind; and (4) the application of mindfulness which observes phenomena
Intention, diligence, attention, and discernment.
Loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. In other texts, the four immeasurables are also referred to as the four “abodes of brahmā” (
The deities ruled over by Māra are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. These four personifications are (1) the divine māra (
The qualities of teachers that enable them to gather disciples, namely, that they should be generous, their language should be pleasant, they should teach each individual according to that person’s needs, and they should act in conformity with what they teach.
The four right exertions are (1) preventing negative states of mind from arising, (2) removing those that have already arisen, (3) giving rise to positive states that have not yet arisen, and (4) maintaining those that have already arisen.
The first teaching of the Buddha, covering suffering, the arising of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering.
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”
The River Ganges.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, one of the yoginīs in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels.
Four types of gaze—leftward, rightward, upward, and downward—that are used, respectively, in the activities of enthralling, summoning, killing, and banishing. Their descriptions vary according to source; the four gazes described in the
“Dwelling,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Khecarī.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
A unit of time equal to one
According to the Ratnākaraśāṇti, this is a unit of time equal to 1/32 of one day-and-night period. This differs from the definition in the Kālacakra system, where a
A unit of time equal to about three hours. Day and night are each divided into four
One quarter of the day or night.
Gö Khukpa Lhetse (’gos khug pa lhas btsas), a Tibetan translator active in the eleventh century. He was a student, and eventual critic, of Drokmi Śākya Yeshé (’grog mi shAkya ye shes).
One of the secondary kṣetras.
Normally a title of respect for a bodhisattva or other realized being, it has a range of esoteric meanings in the
In its esoteric meaning, this term refers to the innate state in which realized beings, such as Hevajra, abide. In
One of the epithets of Hevajra. The
Any of the principal five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.
This term may refer to the realized state of mind where wisdom and
The second of the three vehicles in the scheme of Foundational Vehicle (
Literally “being suffused with a particular smell,” in its technical meaning the term implies a karmically determined habit or tendency.
One of the chandohas.
A wrathful counterpart of an awakened deity that is closely associated with charnel grounds. Hevajra and Cakrasaṃvara are examples of herukas.
This epithet refers to some wrathful deities with the status of a buddha, such as Hevajra or Cakrasamvara.
“Providing the cause,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Caurī.
A wrathful deity representing buddhahood itself, one of the most prominent in the system of the Yoginī tantras. According to the
One of the secondary kṣetras.
A fire offering, usually repetitive, where each oblation is accompanied by a single recitation of the mantra while being cast into the fire. A wide variety of substances and materials can be offered during a homa.
One of the four primary categories of ritual activities, it includes rites for aggressively overcoming adversarial influences, both human and nonhuman.
“Happy countenance,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Ḍombinī.
The eighth bodhisattva level.
One of the principal Vedic gods who also appears frequently in Buddhist literature, often under the name Śakra. In Buddhist cosmology he rules over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.
The ritual process of being introduced to and authorized in the practice of specific deities, maṇḍalas, and yogas. The process is modeled on rites of royal investiture.
The fourth of the
The “innate” or natural state of mind that is always there but remains unrecognized for as long as duality prevails. This state can be recognized during the innate joy (
As one of the fifteen yoginīs, she seems to be identical with Gaurī.
An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility” (
The period between death and rebirth.
“Vajra Envy,” one of the six emanations of Nairātmyā that correspond to the six sense faculties and the six mental poisons.
The proponents of an enduring, superintending god.
One of the pīṭhas.
In the Jaina philosophy, jīva is an independently existing individual being.
The third of the
Also called
A code word for female genitalia.
One of the secondary chandohas.
The name of a country or a mountain.
One of the pīṭhas.
“Lover,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Bhūcarī.
One of the chandohas.
One of the eight nāga kings.
One of the kṣetras.
One of the kṣetras.
One of the pīlavas, better known as Kumārapura.
A staff or spear with skulls or human heads impaled on its shaft. It is typically wielded by deities in their more fearsome aspects. In the Hevajra practice of the
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
The ritual act of taking life. It falls under the category of hostile rites (
A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name—which means “is that human?”—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.
In a general sense, this term refers to the cognitive process of knowing, with all its associated connotations. In a technical sense, the term refers to direct cognition or knowledge that is free from sensory distortions or dualistic concepts.
A term describing omniscience that emphasizes the capacity to know all aspects of existence, including one’s own and everyone else’s past existences.
One of the secondary chandohas.
One of the pīṭhas.
One of the pīlavas.
A class of Buddhist tantric scripture that is typically listed first in traditional doxographies. Kriyā tantras are primarily concerned with mantra-based rituals that achieve both mundane and soteriological goals.
“Field.” A type of a sacred place.
A yakṣa who is regarded as the lord of wealth and the guardian of the northern quarter.
Another name of Kubera.
One of the secondary kṣetras.
One of the eight nāga kings.
A code word for sexual intercourse.
“Born from a tortoise,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with Vāriyoginī.
A female Buddhist deity with the specific power to enthrall. She is typically portrayed shooting the arrows of love from a bow made of flowers. She is also popular in some Śākta cults.
One of the three main subtle channels that carries female energy; it is located on the left side of the body. In the Hevajra system, this channel is identified with Nairātmyā.
One of the chandohas.
A set of secret gestures used by practitioners of tantra to identify and communicate with one another.
This term has three meanings: (1) the ultimate nature, (2) the experience of the ultimate nature, and (3) the quiescent state of a worthy one (
The consort of the tathāgata Akṣobhya.
The radiant state of awareness that is free from duality. The term seems to be synonymous with
The third bodhisattva level.
A variation of the name of the Mahāsāṅghika, one of the four main congregations. They split from the Sthaviravāda during the Second Council.
One of the eight nāga kings.
Hevajra in his form of
“Great filled one,” one of the subtle channels in the body. This channel is alternately called
“Filled.” One of the subtle channels in the body. This channel is alternately called
The thirty-two (
One of the secondary pīṭhas.
The consort of the tathāgata Ratneśa.
The sixth bodhisattva level.
The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening; any demonic force; the personification of conceptual and emotional obstacles.
“Destroyer of Māra,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Khecarī.
The sun, or the god of the sun.
“Mother,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Śabarī.
The “mothers,” a class of powerful female spirits associated with charnel grounds who are venerated in both the Brahmanical and Buddhist traditions.
“Vajra Jealousy,” one of the six emanations of Nairātmyā that correspond to the six sense faculties and the six mental poisons.
The skillful means employed to guide and liberate beings. Also a technical term for the male partner in sexual yoga.
“Meeting place.” A type of a sacred site.
This term also implies intention or acts of will.
The way objects appear to consciousness.
These constitute a subdivision of the aggregate of mental formations, namely those mental formations that are dependent on the faculty of mind.
The term refers to mental images of objects arising in consciousness. Used adjectively, the term often describes the relative aspect of phenomena.
According to Yogācāra Abhidharma, this category comprises the mind (
A concept in the Yogācāra system indicating their position that perceived phenomena do not exist independently of the mind that perceives them.
One of the eighteen bases (
The view that presumes that nothing is external to consciousness in the ontological sense.
This term refers to the mindfulness of breathing during the practice with the internal winds and serves to stabilize the mind. The
The eighty-four (
Supernatural powers such as flying through the air, passing through solid objects, walking on water, etc.
One of the
“Ignorance” (the wrathful counterpart of Ratneśa).
“Vajra Delusion,” one of the six emanations of Nairātmyā that correspond to the six sense faculties and the six mental poisons.
The four moments of sexual yoga: varied, ripe, dissolving, and without characteristic. They are correlated with the
Standard def.
A “seal” in a literal and a metaphoric sense. In the latter usage it can mean a hand gesture that expresses a certain principle or activates a certain power, or to a concept or principle that applies to and defines another referent. The term also can refer to a female partner in a ritual or sexual yoga, in which sense the term is interchangeable with
One of the kṣetras.
The channels in the body, imperceptible to ordinary senses, that conduct various types of vital energy.
One of the secondary pīṭhas, said to be the same as Pāṭaliputra.
The central female deity of the Hevajra Tantra, typically depicted in sexual union with Hevajra. Nairātmyā is also one of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels.
A prominent rākṣasa who is the guardian of the southwestern direction.
“Dancing Woman,” she is one the five mudrās, associated with the lotus family in the Hevajra system.
The body that buddhas create that is accessible to ordinary sense perception. It is one of the two “form bodies,” the other being the sambhogakāya.
Literally “extinguishing,” this is a state of liberation in which the afflictions (
A concept of Great Vehicle Buddhism referring to the state of nirvāṇa that can be attained while still in the physical body. The implication is that this type of nirvāṇa is not a fixed (
One of the four ritual activities, featuring rites that nourish life or promote prosperity.
Mental obscurations caused by the afflictive emotions.
The obscurations to awakening, which are of two main types: the obscuration of the afflictions (
One of the pīṭhas.
The person who recites the content of a Buddhist sūtra, tantra, or other scriptural work, thereby recounting the event for later audiences. Typically, they do so with the rejoinder that is being recited just as it was originally heard.
As one of the fifteen yoginīs, she seems to be identical with Gaurī the doorkeeper.
One of the four ritual activities, featuring rites for pacifying malevolent influences and agents.
One of the eight nāga kings.
“Lotus Lord of the Dance,” Avalokiteśvara in the form of a heruka.
The “lotus type” of woman, one of four types of ideal women who can be partners in sexual yoga, the other three being
“White One,” also called Pāṇḍuravāsinī (“Clad in White”), is the consort of the tathāgata Amitāyus or Amitābha.
A ritual activity falling under the category of hostile rites (
One of the names of Ādibuddha, the primordial buddha.
A Buddhist goddess who typically takes the form of a piśācī.
A city in ancient India (modern Patna, the capital of Bihar).
The second of the five paths (
The third of the five paths, the other four being the path of accumulation (
One of the pīṭhas, also called Pullīramalaya.
“Purifier,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Ghasmarī.
There are six, “perfections,” namely, the perfections of generosity, of morality, of forbearance, of energy, of meditative concentration, and of wisdom.
A name of Hevajra.
A type of a sacred place. The name, derived from
A class of nonhuman beings that, like several other classes of nonhuman beings, take spontaneous birth. Ranking below rākṣasas, they are less powerful and more akin to pretas. They are said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh. This could account for the name piśāca, which possibly derives from √piś, to carve or chop meat, as reflected also in the Tibetan sha za, “meat eater.” They are often described as having an unpleasant appearance, and at times they appear with animal bodies. Some possess the ability to enter the dead bodies of humans, thereby becoming so-called vetāla, to touch whom is fatal.
“Vajra Spite,” one of the six emanations of Hevajra that correspond to the five mental poisons.
A type of a sacred place.
A set of temporary precepts taken by lay people, either on specific days of the month or in a preparation for ritual or meditative practice. Generally, they consist of abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, using intoxicants, eating after noon, wearing adornments, and sleeping on high beds.
This term, in its technical sense, refers to the ten powers of a realized being, nine of which are different types of clairvoyant power.
The technical term
Another name of Nairātmyā.
“Sloping,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Ḍombinī.
“Loving,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vetālī.
One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, into which beings are born as the karmic fruition of past miserliness. As the term in Sanskrit means “the departed,” they are analogous to the ancestral spirits of Vedic tradition, the pitṛs, who starve without the offerings of descendants. It is also commonly translated as “hungry ghost” or “starving spirit,” as in the Chinese 餓鬼 e gui.
They are sometimes said to reside in the realm of Yama, but are also frequently described as roaming charnel grounds and other inhospitable or frightening places along with piśācas and other such beings. They are particularly known to suffer from great hunger and thirst and the inability to acquire sustenance. Detailed descriptions of their realm and experience, including a list of the thirty-six classes of pretas, can be found in The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Toh 287, 2.1281– 2.1482.
The goddess Earth.
In Buddhism,
Another name for the Sammatīya school. The name
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
The “pure” correlate of a feature of dualistic reality. This term is used to associate a characteristic of the awakened experience with conceptual phenomena..
In Sāṅkhya philosophy, a concept denoting consciousness as separate and independent from matter.
One of the twenty-eight lunar mansions (
The fourth bodhisattva level.
“Desire” (the wrathful counterpart of Amitābha).
“Vajra Desire” one of the six emanations of Nairātmyā that correspond to the six sense faculties and the six mental poisons.
“Washerwoman,” she is one the five mudrās, representing the activity family in the Hevajra system.
Another name of Nairṛti.
One of the apsarases.
Normally one of the two wives of Kāmadeva, here the name is used as an epithet (meaning “Pleasure”) of Nairātmyā.
One of the three main subtle channels, located on the right side of the body. In the Hevajra system, this channel is identified with Nairātmyā.
A short form of Ratnasambhava, one of the five tathāgatas.
One of the five tathāgatas, he is located in the southern quarter of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the jewel family.
Another name of Ratnasambhava, one of the five tathāgatas.
One of the eight hot hells.
Literally, “the state of being that.” The nature of things or their actual state, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. The term can also be used more generally to refer to a basic principle or fact about a given referent.
The “relative truth” is a truth that is distorted, or concealed, through sensory perception and conceptuality.
The twofold requisites for awakening—the accumulation of merit (
Similar in meaning to “absolute truth” (
The second moment in sexual yoga when pleasure climaxes. This moment is associated with supreme joy.
Originally the god of tempests, he later became regarded as a wrathful form of Śiva.
One of the offering goddesses.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
Derived from the Sanskrit verb √sādh, “to accomplish,” the term sādhana most generically refers to any method that brings about the accomplishment of a desired goal. In Buddhist literature, the term is often specifically applied to tantric practices that involve ritual engagement with deities, mantra recitation, the visualized creation and dissolution of deity maṇḍalas, etc. Sādhanas are aimed at both actualizing spiritual attainments (siddhi) and reaching liberation. The Tibetan translation sgrub thabs means “method of accomplishment.”
An alternative name for Indra, lord of the gods, who appears frequently in Buddhist literature. According to Buddhist cosmology, he resides in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.
In a general sense, samādhi can describe a number of different meditative states. In the Mahāyāna literature, in particular in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, we find extensive lists of different samādhis, numbering over one hundred.
In a more restricted sense, and when understood as a mental state, samādhi is defined as the one-pointedness of the mind (cittaikāgratā), the ability to remain on the same object over long periods of time. The Drajor Bamponyipa (sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa) commentary on the Mahāvyutpatti explains the term samādhi as referring to the instrument through which mind and mental states “get collected,” i.e., it is by the force of samādhi that the continuum of mind and mental states becomes collected on a single point of reference without getting distracted.
The ultimate nonexistence of phenomena. One of the three gateways to liberation; the other two are wishlessness and signlessness.
The ultimate absence of marks and signs in perceived objects. One of the three gateways to liberation; the other two are emptiness and wishlessness.
The ultimate absence of any wish, desire, or aspiration, even those directed toward buddhahood. One of the three gateways to liberation; the other two are emptiness and signlessness.
“Shared,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Gaurī (the second).
Literally “coming together,” in its technical meaning the term refers to the bond that the practitioner has with the deity or the master; it also means the pledge or commitment that they both share. The term
The visualized form of the deity cultivated in meditative practice sessions. The notion of the samaya being presupposes the notion of the wisdom being (
A unit of time related to breathing.
When the word
A variation of the name of the Sammitīyas, one of the four main congregations. One of the offshoots of the Vātsīputrīya.
Though often specifically reserved for the monastic community, this term can be applied to any of the four Buddhist communities—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—as well as to identify the different groups of practitioners, like the community of bodhisattvas or the community of śrāvakas. It is also the third of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community.
One of the eight nāga kings.
One of the six main philosophical systems of India whose main doctrine is that of
An Indian paṇḍita active in the eleventh century. He was teacher to the Tibetan translator Gö Khukpa Lhetse.
“Variegated,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Śabarī.
One of the four main congregations. One of the later subdivisions of the Sthaviravāda.
The expression
A short form of Vajrasattva.
Another name of Vajrasattva.
The archetypal deity of the vajra family from whom Hevajra emanates. When used as an epithet of Hevajra, it is interchangeable with “Vajradhara.” In systems of six buddha families, Vajrasattva/Vajradhara presides over the sixth family.
One of the chandohas.
A term denoting the distinct Buddhist ordination lineages, and by extension the Vinaya, Abhidhārma, and Sūtra collections central to them. Traditionally there were said to be as many as eighteen separate
A visualized syllable or (if it is just a vowel) a letter that serves as the “seed” for generating the deity form, or any other manifestation.
“Sprinkling,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vajraḍākī.
A mode of internal awareness or cognition where the dualistic distinction between subject and object, self and other, does not operate. It is sometimes described as the experience of equal taste.
The eternal principle of individual self, taught in the Brahmanical Upaniṣads and espoused by the Vedānta tradition. It is a concept rejected by Buddhism.
There are eighteen bases, arranged into three groups of six bases—the first group (
The objects of the six senses, including those of the five physical senses (visual forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations), plus the object of the mental faculty, mental phenomena (
An term denoting the “gateway” or “entrance point” for the arrival of mind and mental factors. There are twelve entrances: six external ones, beginning with form, and six internal ones, beginning with the eye. In addition to the sense sources of the five sensory objects and five corresponding sensory faculties, they include the internal sense of perceiving mental phenomena.
The set of seven factors that characteristically manifest on the path of seeing. The seven are: mindfulness, investigation of reality, energy, contentment, relaxation of body and mind, samādhi, and equanimity.
“Accomplished,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vetālī.
One of the secondary pīṭhas.
The way phenomena are experienced indivisibly on the level of absolute truth.
“Cooling,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Caṇḍālī.
The various aspects of emptiness. The lists of these sixteen types of emptiness often differ in the various sources. In the
The smallest unit of matter. Their ontological status was a matter of significant debate among Indian philosophical traditions. The Yogācāra school, represented here by Ratnākaraśānti, generally rejects the idea that the smallest particles are indivisible and therefore existent.
A type of tantric maṇḍala in which only the central deity and their consort are visualized without a circle of surrounding deities. Also the term applied to a deity appearing as such.
A type of hostile rite (
The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing, followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”
A stage of meditation in which the meditator generates themself as the deity and performs various actions as such.
A stage in the meditative process that follows after the stage of arising, when the innate is actualized.
The second bodhisattva level.
The opening formula of the sūtras and tantras that typically begins with
A variation of the name of the Sthaviravādins (Theravādins), one of the four main congregations. They split from the Mahāsaṅghika during the Second Council.
The level of consciousness where karmic imprints and traits are stored, becoming seeds of future activity and experience.
One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa (“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su).
The pure realm where Buddha Śākyamuni dwells.
“Subtle form,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Vajrā.
“Benevolent,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Ghasmarī.
A ritual activity related to enthralling (
Generally, a term for the maṇḍala wherein the deities, as the “supported maṇḍala” (
This term refers to the circle of the deities abiding in the “support maṇḍala.” In the visualization process, this term can also refer to the subtle channels in one’s own body personified as deities.
The second of the
The third of the three yogas of the stage of arising. The
The second of the three yogas of the generation stage. The
“Having own form,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Gaurī (the second).
“Having own form”; one of the subtle channels in the body.
“Beautiful”; one of the subtle channels in the body.
The god of the sun, or the sun personified.
One of the secondary chandohas.
The “body of true nature,” a mode of embodiment of awakened beings, this is understood to represent the inseparable union of the other three buddha bodies: the nirmāṇakāya, sambhogakāya, and dharmakāya.
One of the eight nāga kings.
A goddess whose name can be translated as “Savior.” She is known for giving protection and is variously presented in Buddhist literature as a great bodhisattva or a fully awakened buddha. An alternate name of Samayatārā in the
A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.
Commonly known as “buddha nature,” this is the innate potential to become a tathāgata.
In a maṇḍala, this is the temple in the center that houses the deity. In an ordinary sense, the term refers to the top terrace of a palace.
Acts of restraint in terms of body (not to kill, steal, or engage in sexual misconduct), of speech (not to lie, slander, use harsh words, or gossip), and of mind (not to be covetousness, have harmful intent, or hold wrong views).
Toh 141. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 250. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 324. A text that Kāṇha lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 95. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 1095. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 323. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 44-31. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
Toh 143. A text that Ratnākaraśānti lists among works associated with the Sautrāntika tradition.
The dharmakāya, sambhogakāya, and nirmāṇakāya.
The three phases of the
The three are the world of desire (
Generally, this term denotes the realms of desire, form, and formlessness. In
Literally, “the state of being like this.” The state or condition of things as they really are. It is referred to as “thusness” because no words can adequately describe it.
One of the apsarases.
A type of meditation practice in which one cultivates a calm mind free from discursive thoughts. Often presented as one of a pair of meditation techniques, with the other technique being “insight” (
This term denotes the transformation (lit. “overturning”), or undoing (
“Thrice-turning,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Bhūcarī.
The nature of phenomena as they truly are, free of conceptual distortion.
The absolute truth that can only be directly realized, and the relative truth that is subject to conceptual distortions.
A set of important Brahmanical texts that focus on more esoteric reflections on reality and selfhood. The core Upaniṣads were composed in the closing centuries bce, and are often described as the final section of the early Vedic corpus.
Another name of the Brahmanical god Viṣṇu.
“Hot,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Caṇḍālī.
Another name of Agni, the god of fire.
Another name of Vairocana, one of the five tathāgatas.
One of the five tathāgatas. In the Hevajra cycle he is located in the center of tantric maṇḍalas and presides over the buddha family.
Literally “diamond” or “lightning,” in its technical meaning the term refers to the indestructible nature of emptiness and nonduality.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, one of the yoginīs in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, one of the yoginīs in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
Vajradhara is the deity who delivers the
The bodhisattva present at the original delivery of the Hevajra Tantra. He is the main interlocutor in the
“Vajra Chain,” the consort of the six-armed form of Hevajra.
A female Buddhist deity; the consort of some forms of Hevajra
Generically, the term refers to yoginīs populating Buddhist maṇḍalas such as the Hevajra maṇḍala. “Vajra” marks these yoginīs as distinct from the broader category of yoginīs, who are not specifically associated with the Buddhist tradition or in possession of the qualities of realization. The term is also the proper name of the central female deity in the Cakrasaṃvara system.
“Vajra holder,” often used as an epithet of Hevajra, or a heruka of the vajra family.
The means, such as syllogism, of establishing correct knowledge.
“Beautiful,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Gaurī.
“Dwarfish,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with Vāriyoginī.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, another name of Vāriyoginī.
The first moment in sexual yoga that consists in embracing, kissing, etc. This moment is associated with the first joy.
One of the yoginīs in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā.
One of the eight nāga kings.
The god of wind.
The textual bases for the Brahmanical tradition, and subsequently Hinduism. There are four Vedas: (1) Ṛgveda, (2) Yajurveda, (3) Sāmaveda, and (4) Atharvaveda.
The name of an asura king.
One of the fifteen yoginīs that inhabit the thirty-two subtle channels. Also, the name of a yoginī in the maṇḍala of Nairātmyā. This name can also be spelled Vetālī.
Literally “knowledge,” in a ritual context the term refers to women indispensable in the performance of the rite. Also, a mantra with magical power.
A broad term referring to nonhuman beings that cause obstructions. The term is often used as part of the stock phrase “vighnas and vināyakas.”
A class of nonhuman beings that cause obstructions. The term is often used as part of the stock phrase “vighnas and vināyakas.”
One of the pīlavas, and a mountain range in central India.
A unit of time equal to the time it takes to take six breaths.
“Wealth Bringer,” another name of Kubera.
“Separated,” one of the subtle channels in the body. According to Ratnākaraśānti, this channel is associated with the yoginī Caurī.
Also called
The deity in its true nature, indistinct from the dharmakāya. This term is used in contradistinction to the “samaya being,” which is the visualized form of the deity.
The name of the third of the four initiations, this involves union with a consort, who is identified by the term
One of the
One of the
One of the
One of the
Nondual wisdom or insight obtained through realization. In its tantric Buddhist usage, the term can refer to the consort of a male deity or a male practitioner identifying with the deity.
The fourth moment is the moment of recognition of the
The term lokadhātu refers to a single four continent world-system illumined by a sun and moon, with a Mount Meru at its center and an encircling ring of mountains at its periphery, and with the various god realms above, thus including the desire, form, and formless realms.
The term can also refer to groups of such world-systems in multiples of thousands. A universe of one thousand such world-systems is called a chiliocosm (sāhasralokadhātu, stong gi ’jig rten gyi khams); one thousand such chiliocosms is called a dichiliocosm (dvisāhasralokadhātu, stong gnyis kyi ’jig rten gyi khams); and one thousand such dichiliocosms is called a trichiliocosm (trisāhasralokadhātu, stong gsum gyi 'jig rten gyi khams). A trichiliocosm is the largest universe described in Buddhist cosmology.
A class of nonhuman beings who inhabit forests, mountainous areas, and other natural spaces, or serve as guardians of villages and towns, and may be propitiated for health, wealth, protection, and other boons, or controlled through magic. According to tradition, their homeland is in the north, where they live under the rule of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa.
Several members of this class have been deified as gods of wealth (these include the just-mentioned Vaiśravaṇa) or as bodhisattva generals of yakṣa armies, and have entered the Buddhist pantheon in a variety of forms, including, in tantric Buddhism, those of wrathful deities.
Literally meaning “union” or “application,” the term may refer to any practice that brings about mastery of a given goal. In tantric contexts,
The practice of sexual yoga that leads to the realization of reality.
A class of tantra scripture that is typically listed as fourth in traditional doxographies. This class of tantra is the first among the “inner” tantras, and utilizes the stage of arising and deity yoga.
The highest class of tantra in many traditional doxographies, this class of tantric scripture includes the tantras also known as Yoginī tantras, such as the
This term applies to (1) various groups of female deities that appear in tantric maṇḍalas such as are found in the
A class of Buddhist tantra focused upon the figure of the yoginī and the meditative manipulation of the subtle energetic anatomy of the physical body. This genre is typified by the
The penultimate class of tantra in many traditional doxographies, this class of tantric scripture includes the tantras also known as Mahāyoga tantras, such as the
Cambridge University Library MS Add. 1697.2.
National Archives Kathmandu (NAK) MS 5-93 (= NGMPP A 48-8).
National Archives Kathmandu (NAK) MS 4-19 (= NGMPP A 1267-7).
University of Tokyo, General Library, MS New 513.
Kaiser Library MS no. 231 (= NGMPP C 26-4/2).
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Tripathi, Ram Shankar, and T. S. Negi, eds. (2001). Hevajratantram with Muktāvalī Pañjikā of Mahāpaṇḍitācārya Ratnākaraśānti. Sarnath: Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, 2001.
Tripathi, Ram Shankar, ed. (2006). Hevajratantram with Yogaratnamālāpañjikā of Mahāpaṇḍitācārya Kṛṣṇapāda. Sarnath: Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, 2006.
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kye’i rdo rje zhes bya ba rgyud kyi rgyal po (Hevajratantra). Toh 417–418, Degé Kangyur vol. 80 (rgyud, nga), folios 1.a–30.a.
kye’i rdo rje zhes bya ba rgyud kyi rgyal po (Hevajratantra) bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 80, pp. 3–92.
Ratnākaraśānti. dpal dgyes pa rdo rje’i dka’ ’grel mu tig phreng ba zhes bya ba (Śrīhevajrapañjikā nāma muktikāvalī). Toh 1189, Degé Tengyur vol. 4 (ga), folios 221.a–297.a.
Ratnākaraśānti. dpal dgyes pa’i rdo rje’i dka’ ’grel mu tig phreng ba zhes bya ba (Śrīhevajrapañjikā nāma muktikāvalī). Q 2319, Peking Tengyur vol. 54 (tsa), folios 262.a–349.a.
84000. Emergence from Sampuṭa (Sampuṭodbhava, yang dag par sbyor ba, Toh 381). Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Four Factors (Caturdharmaka, chos bzhi pa, Toh 250). Translated by Adam Pearcey. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Four Stanzas (Caturgāthā, tshigs su bcad pa bzhi pa, Toh 324). Translated by the Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Play in Full (Lalitavistara, rgya cher rol pa, Toh 95). Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Prayer of Good Conduct (Bhadracaryāpraṇidhāna, bzang spyod smon lam, Toh 1095). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Single Stanza (Ekagāthā, tshigs su bcad pa gcig pa, Toh 323). Translated by the Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Team. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2025.
84000. The Ten Bhūmis (Daśabhūmika, sa bcu pa, Toh 44-31). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.
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