(Mahakala’s 7-Syllable Mantra):

OM MAHAKALA HUM PHAT

Sharing Merits and Dedication

Through the power of my practice, respect and praise
May all sentient beings benefit, where ever they may be,
Causing sickness, violence, and poverty to subside,
And may Dharma and good omens ever increase.

During this life and in all times,

May I have a clear mind, and good traits without pride.
Respecting the teachings and having great compassion,
May my bond with the glorious Lama continue.

During all lifetimes, may I not be separated from the Lama,

And may I enjoy the glory of the Dharma,
Having completed the path and stages of wisdom,
May I quickly attain the stage of Dorje Chang.

The Meditation
of
Mahakala of the Tent
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 Whoever directs toward our venerable, holy Gurus and ourselves, the yogis,
a mind of hatred, a mind of anger, a mind of violence, bad intentions and
actions—may the bad intentions and actions of those enemies and demons be
pacified. If not pacified, then do whatever is necessary to bind the bodies of all
of them, bind their voices , bind their minds, and let them shrink with fear!
May their abilities be destroyed! May their magic powers be destroyed! May
their power be destroyed! May their recitation of mantras destroy them! May
their flesh be eaten by the gods and evil spirits they have propitiated!
Clap your hands three times.
Mantra Recitation
Then recite Mahakala’s long mantra (Shasani Dharani):

OM SHRI MAHAKALAYA / SHASANA UPAHARINI / ESHA PACIMAK-

ALO / AYAM IDAM RATNA TRAYAYA /APAKARINAM / YADI PRATIJAH
SMARASI TADAM / IDAM DUSHTAM KHA KHA / KHAHI KHAHI
MARA MARA / GRIHANA GRIHANA / BANDHA BANDHA / HANA
HANA / DAHA DAHA / PACA PACA / DINAM-EKENA-MARAYA / HUM
HUM PHAT PHAT SVAHA.

(Ekajati’s and Palden Lhamo’s Mantra)

OM RORU RORU VITISHTA BATHOSI KAMALA RAKSASI
HUM BHYOH HUM

(Mahakala’s 10-Syllable Mantra)

OM MAHAKALAYA HUM HUM PHAT SVAHA
From Drub Thab Kun Du (collected sadhanas) v.9 p.431 (This sadhana is from the Vajra
Tent commentary of the Hevajra Tantra. The Great Black Tent Mahakala is mentioned in the
fifth chapter.). Translated by Lama Kunga Thartse Rinpoche.
Formatted by Wolfgang Saumweber 2/2004.
© 2001 by Ewam Choden Buddhist Center, Kensington, California
(11/18/01)

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After bowing say: Refuge
OM PADME KAMA LA YA TOM M (Repeat three times)

In the Supreme Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,

Until enlightenment, I take refuge.
(Offer the Lotus seed: palms together, then open with three fingers up like a lotus Through perfected wisdom may I attain Buddhahood
petal, right thumb over left.) For the sake of all sentient beings.
Then one makes the sense offerings:
Enlightenment Thought
Offerings (Repeat three times)
(offer with the mudras)
OM SHRI MAHAKALA GIRHANEDAM MAHAKALI ARGHAM SVAHA, For the sake of liberating from existence all beings, once mothers;
OM SHRI MAHAKALA GIRHANEDAM MAHAKALI PADYAM SVAHA, I must obtain complete buddhahood.
OM VAJRA PUSHPE AH HUM SVAHA, For that purpose I practice this sadhana of Mahakala.
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SVAHA,
OMVAJRA ALOKE AH HUM SVAHA, Four Immeasurables
OM VAJRA GANDHE AH HUM SVAHA, May all beings have happiness and the cause of happiness;
OM VAJRA NAIVIDYE AH HUM SVAHA, May all beings be free of suffering and the cause of suffering;
OM VAJRA SHABDA AH HUM SVAHA. B May all beings not be separated from happiness that is without suffering;
Thus offer. May all beings be free of attachment and aversion, to near and far, by rest-
ing in equanimity.
Samaya Mantra & Dogpa
Svabhava Mantra
Then recite with a sure firm visualization of one’s own yidam:
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO
OM SHRI MAHAKALA YA SAMAYA SMARA / SAMAYA MATIKRAMA
‘HAM.
(This clears the mind of all preconceptions.)

Visualization
SAMAYA RAKSHENDU From empty space there appears a beautiful palace built of bones and
skeletons. In the center of the palace appears a lotus seat covered by an
orange cushion or sun disc. On top of this is a corpse, yellow reddish
in color with the head turned to the right side. Place yourself as a dark-
OM MAHAKALI DEVI SAMAYA SMARA / SAMAYA MATIKRAMA blue syllable HUM on top of the corpse. From this HUM extend rays
SAMAYA RAKSHENDU of light with the intention to conquer and subdue all evils. The light
If you want do the dogpa: then re-absorbs into the HUM and you visualize yourself as Shri Vajra
Mahakala forcefully exuding and gushing red-orange flames like the
Shri Makala, Brother ans Sister, together with your retinue please accept this sun.
vast offering of tormas!
Mahakala is black and has one face and two arms. In his right hand he is holding
a crooked knife (drigug) and in his left hand a blood-filled skull cup. Both are
held at his heart, the knife on top of the skull cup as if cutting the top of the skull
cup, right hand over left. Across his arms is a gandhri (wooden gong used to call

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the monks to prayer) with jewels on both ends having magical implications. His Invocation
hair is yellow and flows upwards and he has three eyes. The third eye, the wisdom
Say:
eye, is the left eye turned on its side and placed in the middle of the forehead. He
has a crown of five skulls (denoting the Five Wisdoms). He wears a necklace of OM VAJRA SAMAJAH M
fifty freshly cut heads still dripping blood (denoting the emptiness and imperma- (snap the fingers and cross the right hand over left, and visualize Mahakali in her
nence of life), six bone ornaments decorating his body, snake belts and bracelets natural dwelling place of ultimate space.)
(signifying having conquered the Naga realm of the subconscious). He wears a tiger-
skin loincloth (representing the ancient idea of a warrior costume and having the Take the vajra and bell and in praise of Mahakala - Mahakali say:
strength of an animal able to survive in a jungle or forest) and fluttering garments
of all kinds hanging from his waist. He has a dwarfish quality, like a wrathful HUM GOMPO KUN SHIG DENLAG SHENG
midget sitting on top of the corpse (the corpse denotes the death of some mental DATA NGYINGMA NGAYAI DU
state or interior obstacle). SHIGSHING SHUPAY NE NGAN YANG
SHUCKYA TENPA SUNGWA TANG
He is surrounded by his retinue of messengers and helpers. On the right side are DAG CHAG NALA PANDAG CHYIR
black birds, on his left black dogs, and in front a black man; above his head, eagles NEDI NGYIDU SHIG SU SO
are soaring. His head is crowned with a vajra, the wisdom of Akshobya—the clear
mirror-like wisdom. A fire of wisdom surrounds him, his own manifestation of BYO GOMPO KUN SHIG DENLAG SHENG
wisdom purifying everything. DATA NGYINGMA NGAYAI DU
SHIGSHING SHUPAY NE NGAN YANG
To the left of Mahakala is Ekajati, the wisdom aspect of the wrathful SHUCKYA TENPA SUNGWA TANG
Buddha. Her seed syllable is TRAM. The color of her body is blue, with DAG CHAG NALA PANDAG CHYIR
one face and two arms, both holding a vase filled with nectar at her NEDI NGYIDU SHIG SU SO
heart. She is wearing a white shawl and a tiger-skin loincloth. Her long
dark hair is tied up on the left side. She has a wrathful expression. Her [Come Protector, arise from the seed.
eyes are almost completely closed—the emphasis is on the third eye (the Now in this degenerate time,
wisdom eye) which is open. Even though this place is not
Good for you to come and stay.
Inside her vast belly, from TRAK, comes an ocean of
blood, in the center of which, from BHYOH, comes But for the sake of protecting
Palden Lhamo, the Victorious Goddess, dark-blue The teachings of the Buddha,
in color, riding a donkey, with one face, three eyes, And in order to help us,
and four arms. The first right hand holds a sword, the Please come to this place.]
second a blood-filled skull cup, her first left a spear and the second (perform the vajra mudra with vajra and bell: ringing the bell in the left hand; hold
left a trident (trishula). She wears a crown of five skulls, a necklace of the vajra in the right hand straight up and move in a circle to the left gracefully. At
fifty freshly cut skulls, the six bone ornaments decorating her body, OM SHRI, bow the head.) B M
an elephant-skin shawl, a cow-hide skirt, a petticoat woven of human
hair, and a girdle made of a snake-skins. She has a human corpse between her OM SHRI MAHAKALA E HYE HI NYE / DZA HUM BAM HO
teeth, and her right ear is adorned with a poisonous snake, her left with a lion. Her
body is strong and thin and is decorated with blood spots painted in circles with
surrounding designs made of grease or fat. Human ash from the cemetery is pow-
dered all over her body. From her navel shine the sun and the moon surrounded
by female beasts, dakinis, flesh-eaters who are her retinue of helpers. She is sing-
ing a joyful song: HUM BHYOH. At her forehead is the syllable OM, at her throat
AH, at her heart HUM. From this HUM light rays invoke Mahakala who is in the
heart of Vairochana dwelling in Wogim (the Tushita Heaven).

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