The Tibetan Book of the Dead — ed. W. Y. Evans-Wentz

[THE NINTH DAY]

But if one flee from them, through awe and terror being begotten, then, on the Ninth Day, the blood-drinking [deities] of the Vajra Order will come to receive one. Thereupon, the setting-face-to-face is, calling the deceased by name, thus:

O nobly-born, listen undistractedly. [He] of the blooddrinking Vajra Order named the Bhagavan Vajra-Heruka, dark-blue in colour; with three faces, six hands, and four feet firmly postured; in the first right hand [holding] a dorze, in the middle [one], a [human] scalp, in the last [one], a battleaxe; in the first of the left, a bell, in the middle [one], a [human] scalp, in the last [one], a ploughshare ; his body embraced by the Mother Vajra-Krotishaurima, her right [hand] clinging to his neck, her left offering to his mouth a red shell [filled with blood], will issue from the eastern quarter of thy brain and come to shine upon thee. Fear it not. Be not terrified. Be not awed. Know it to be the embodiment of thine own intellect. As it is thine own tutelary deity, be not terrified. In reality [they are] the Bhagavan Vajra- Sattva, the Father and Mother. Believe inthem. Recognizing them, liberation will be obtained at once. By so proclaiming [them], knowing them to be tutelary deities, merging [in them] in at-one-ment, Buddhahood will be obtained.

[THE TENTH DAY]

Yet, if one do not recognize them, the obscurations of evil deeds being too great, and flee from them through terror and awe, then, on the Tenth Day, the blood-drinking [deities] of the [Precious|-Gem Order will come to receive one. Thereupon the setting-face-to-face is, calling the deceased by name, thus :

O nobly-born, listen. On the Tenth Day, the blood-drinking [deity] of the [Precious ]-Gem Order named Ratna-Heruka, yellow of colour; [having] three faces, six hands, four feet firmly postured; the right [face] white, the left, red, the central, darkish yellow; enhaloed in flames; in the first of

PART II] DAWNING OF LOTUS ORDER 139

the six hands holding a gem, in the middle [one], a tridentstaff, in the last [one], a baton; in the first of the left [hands], a bell, in the middle [one], a [human] scalp, in the last [one], a trident-staff; his body embraced by the Mother Ratna- Krotishaurima, her right [hand] clinging to his neck, her left offering to his mouth a red shell [filled with blood], will issue from the southern quarter of thy brain and come to shine upon thee. Fear not. Be not terrified. Be not awed. Know them to be the embodiment of thine own intellect. [They] being thine own tutelary deity, be not terrified. In reality [they are] the Father-Mother Bhagavan Ratna-Sambhava. Believe in them. Recognition [of them] and the obtaining of liberation will be simultaneous.

By so proclaiming [them], knowing them to be tutelary deities, merging in them in at-one-ment, Buddhahood will be obtained.

[THE ELEVENTH DAY]

Believe in them. Recognition [of them] and the obtaining of liberation will be simultaneous.

By so proclaiming [them], knowing them to be tutelary deities, merging in them in at-one-ment, Buddhahood will be obtained.

[THE ELEVENTH DAY]

Yet, though set face-to-face thus, if, through power of evil propensities, terror and awe being produced, not recognizing them to be tutelary deities, one flee from them, then, on the Eleventh Day, the blood-drinking Lotus Order will come to receive one. Thereupon the setting-face-to-face is, calling the deceased by name, thus:

O nobly-born, on the Eleventh Day, the blood-drinking [deity] of the Lotus Order, called the Bhagavan Padma- Heruka, of reddish-black colour; [having] three faces, six hands, and four feet firmly postured; the right [face] white, the left, blue, the central, darkish red; in the first of the right of the six hands holding a lotus, in the middle [one], a tridentstaff, in the last, a club; in the first of the left [hands], a bell, in the middle [one], a [human] scalp filled with blood,! in the last, a small drum; his body embraced by the Mother Padma- Krotishaurima, her right hand clinging to his neck, her left offering to his mouth a red shell [full of blood]; the Father

1 Lit., ‘ filled with red substance’ ; and likewise for parallel passages following, In Jamaic rituals a fluid red pigment is commonly used to represent blood (symbolical of renunciation of life, or of sangsdrtc existence), as red wine is by Christians in the Eucharist.

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and Mother in union ; will issue from the western quarter of thy brain and come to shine upon thee. Fear that not. Be not terrified. Be not awed. Rejoice. Recognize [them] to be the product of thine own intellect ; as [they are] thine own tutelary deity, be not afraid. In reality they are the Father- Mother Bhagavan Amitabha. Believe in them. Concomitantly with recognition, liberation will come. Through such acknowledging, recognizing them to be tutelary deities, in at-onement thou wilt merge [into them], and obtain Buddhahood.

[THE TWELFTH DAY]

Despite such setting-face-to-face, being still led backwards by evil propensities, terror and awe arising, it may be that one recognize not and flee. Thereupon, on the Twelfth Day, the blood-drinking deities of the Karmic Order, accompanied by the Kerima, Htamenma, and Wang-chugma,! will come to receive one. Not recognizing, terror may be produced. Whereupon, the setting-face-to-face is, calling the deceased by name, thus:

Thereupon, on the Twelfth Day, the blood-drinking deities of the Karmic Order, accompanied by the Kerima, Htamenma, and Wang-chugma,! will come to receive one. Not recognizing, terror may be produced. Whereupon, the setting-face-to-face is, calling the deceased by name, thus:

O nobly-born, on the Twelfth Day, the blood-drinking deity of the Karmic Order, named Karma-Heruka, dark green of colour ; [having] three faces, six hands, [and] four feet firmly postured ; the right [face] white, the left, red, the middle, dark green; majestic [of appearance]; in the first of the right of the six hands, holding a sword, in the middle [one], a tridentstaff, in the last, a club; in the first of the left [hands], a bell, in the middle [one], a [human] scalp, in the last, a ploughshare; his body embraced by the Mother Karma-Kroti-

» These three orders of deities are goddesses, Indian and Tibetan in origin, the Kevima having human shape, the Htamenma and the Wang-chugnia, like Egyptian deities (more or less totemistic), having human-like bodies and animal heads ; and each deity symbolizes some particular karmic impulse or propensity appearing as a hallucination in the Bardo consciousness of the deceased. Kerima seems to be a hybrid Sanskrit-Tibetan word (from Skt. Keyitr#), which, having become current in Tibet—like so many similar words—was incorporated into our text unchanged. Htamenma (as pronounced from Tib. Phra-men-ma) is probably the name of an order of pre-Buddhistic deities belonging to the ancient Bén religion of Tibet. Wang-chugma (as pronounced from Tib. Duang-phyugma) is the Tibetan rendering of the Sanskrit /shvari, meaning ‘ Mighty Goddesses’.

PART 11] DAWNING OF KARMIC ORDER 141