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1In the four corners are the four other Buddhas of the Six Lokas (cf. p. 121): upper left, the Buddha of the Deva Loka (white), holding a guitar, symbolizing excellence in arts and sciences and the harmony of existence in the world of the devas ; upper right, the Buddha of the Asura Loka (green), holding a sword symbolizing the warlike nature of asuras ; lower left, the Buddha of the Preta Loka (red), holding a box filled with all desirable objects to satisfy the cravings of the pretas ; lower right, the Buddha of Hell (smoke-coloured), holding fire for consuming and water for purifying. Among other embellishments added by the artist are a sacred mirror (symbolizing form or body, which it reflects) near the trees on the left, and a sacred conch-shell trumpet of victory over the Sangsāra (symbolizing sound) near the tree on the right; and, between the two Buddhas at the bottom, in two caves, yogīs , or holy men, in the Tibetan wilderness. At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole maṇḍala , Buddha Amitābha (red), on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne holding a begging-bowl, with lotuses and the moon (white) on the left and lotuses and the sun (gold) on the right.
2Innermost circle: upper centre, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and shakti , in wrathful aspect; lower centre (Centre), the Buddha Heruka (dark brown) and shakti (cf. p. 137); lower left (East), the Vajra Heruka (dark blue) and shakti (cf. p. 138); upper left (South), the Ratna Heruka (yellow) and shakti (cf. pp. 138–9); upper right (West), the Padma Heruka (reddish-brown) and shakti (cf. pp. 139–40); lower right (North), the Karma Heruka (dark green) and shakti (cf. pp. 140–1). Each pair of these deities are on a lotus and solar throne, enhaloed by flames of wisdom, and treading under foot mārā beings (i.e. human beings, whose existence, being purely phenomenal, or karmic , is illusion, or māyā ), symbolizing the treading under foot of sangsāric (i.e. worldly) existence. At the bottom are offerings of the five sangsāric senses, symbolized by (1) two eyes, (2) two ears, (3) a tongue, (4) a heart (in the centre), and (5) a nose (above the heart); also of three blood-filled human skull-cups, held in position by small human skulls, all of which symbolize renunciation of the world. Second circle: the Eight Kerimas (cf. pp. 142–3). Third circle: the Eight Htamenmas (cf. p. 143) and the Four Female Door-Keepers (cf. pp. 143–4). Outermost circle: the Twenty-Eight Various-Headed Mighty Goddesses (cf. pp. 144–5), four of whom are the Four Yoginīs of the Door (cf. pp. 145–6). At the bottom, in the centre (Centre) the supreme Knowledge-Holding Deity, the Lotus Lord of Dance (red, for the five colours of text) and shakti . In the four corners, his four companion deities: lower left (East), the Earth-Abiding Knowledge-Holder (white) and shakti ; upper left (South), the Knowledge-Holder Having Power Over Duration of Life (yellow) and shakti ; upper right (West), the Knowledge-Holding Deity of the Great Symbol (red) and shakti ; lower right (North), the Self-Evolved Knowledge-Holder (green) and shakti . Each pair of deities of this maṇḍala , that dawns intermediately (i.e. between the maṇḍalas of the Peaceful Deities and the maṇḍalas of the Wrathful Deities) on the Seventh Day (cf. pp. 126–8), are in peaceful aspect, on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne, performing a mystic dance which is Tantric. At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole greater maṇḍala , is Samanta-Bhadra (dark blue), the Ādi-Buddha, and shakti (white), in peaceful aspect, on a lotus and lunar throne, enhaloed in rainbow colours, with lotuses and the moon (white) on his right and lotuses and the sun (gold) on his left.
3A photographic reproduction (about one-fourth of the original size) of a monastic painting in colour, on heavy cotton cloth, made on the instructions of the editor, in Gangtok, Sikkim, by a Tibetan artist named Lharipa-Pempa-Tendup-La, to illustrate the Judgement (see p. 37). Occupying the central position is Dharma-Rāja, the King of Truth, or Administrator of Truth and Justice, otherwise called Yama-Rāja, the King and Judge of the Dead. He is the wrathful aspect of Chenrazee, the National Divine Protector of Tibet. The third eye of spiritual insight is in his forehead. He stands enhaloed in flames of wisdom, on a solar throne supported by a lotus throne, treading under foot a mārā form, symbolic of the māyā (i.e. illusionary) nature of human existence. His head-dress is adorned with human skulls, and a serpent forms his necklace. His necklet is a human hide, the head of which protrudes from behind his right side, and a hand and foot hang down over the centre of his breast. A girdle of human heads surrounds his waist. His pavilion and the walls of his Court are adorned with the skull-symbols of death. His sword is the sword of spiritual power. The mirror in his left hand is the Mirror of Karma , in which are reflected every good and evil act (cf. p. 166) of each of the dead who are being judged, one by one. There is written on the mirror, in Tibetan, ‘ Hri ,’ the bij , or chief, mantra of Chenrazee. Directly in front of Dharma-Rāja is the Monkey-Headed One, Sprehu-gochan (Tib. Sfre-hu-mgo-chan ), otherwise called Shinje (cf. pp. 36–7), holding the scales, on one side of which are heaped-up black pebbles, the evil deeds, and, on the other, heaped-up white pebbles, the good deeds.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
1In the four corners are the four other Buddhas of the Six Lokas (cf. p. 121): upper left, the Buddha of the Deva Loka (white), holding a guitar, symbolizing excellence in arts and sciences and the harmony of existence in the world of the devas ; upper right, the Buddha of the Asura Loka (green), holding a sword symbolizing the warlike nature of asuras ; lower left, the Buddha of the Preta Loka (red), holding a box filled with all desirable objects to satisfy the cravings of the pretas ; lower right, the Buddha of Hell (smoke-coloured), holding fire for consuming and water for purifying. Among other embellishments added by the artist are a sacred mirror (symbolizing form or body, which it reflects) near the trees on the left, and a sacred conch-shell trumpet of victory over the Sangsāra (symbolizing sound) near the tree on the right; and, between the two Buddhas at the bottom, in two caves, yogīs , or holy men, in the Tibetan wilderness. At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole maṇḍala , Buddha Amitābha (red), on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne holding a begging-bowl, with lotuses and the moon (white) on the left and lotuses and the sun (gold) on the right.
2Innermost circle: upper centre, Samanta-Bhadra (blue) and shakti , in wrathful aspect; lower centre (Centre), the Buddha Heruka (dark brown) and shakti (cf. p. 137); lower left (East), the Vajra Heruka (dark blue) and shakti (cf. p. 138); upper left (South), the Ratna Heruka (yellow) and shakti (cf. pp. 138–9); upper right (West), the Padma Heruka (reddish-brown) and shakti (cf. pp. 139–40); lower right (North), the Karma Heruka (dark green) and shakti (cf. pp. 140–1). Each pair of these deities are on a lotus and solar throne, enhaloed by flames of wisdom, and treading under foot mārā beings (i.e. human beings, whose existence, being purely phenomenal, or karmic , is illusion, or māyā ), symbolizing the treading under foot of sangsāric (i.e. worldly) existence. At the bottom are offerings of the five sangsāric senses, symbolized by (1) two eyes, (2) two ears, (3) a tongue, (4) a heart (in the centre), and (5) a nose (above the heart); also of three blood-filled human skull-cups, held in position by small human skulls, all of which symbolize renunciation of the world. Second circle: the Eight Kerimas (cf. pp. 142–3). Third circle: the Eight Htamenmas (cf. p. 143) and the Four Female Door-Keepers (cf. pp. 143–4). Outermost circle: the Twenty-Eight Various-Headed Mighty Goddesses (cf. pp. 144–5), four of whom are the Four Yoginīs of the Door (cf. pp. 145–6). At the bottom, in the centre (Centre) the supreme Knowledge-Holding Deity, the Lotus Lord of Dance (red, for the five colours of text) and shakti . In the four corners, his four companion deities: lower left (East), the Earth-Abiding Knowledge-Holder (white) and shakti ; upper left (South), the Knowledge-Holder Having Power Over Duration of Life (yellow) and shakti ; upper right (West), the Knowledge-Holding Deity of the Great Symbol (red) and shakti ; lower right (North), the Self-Evolved Knowledge-Holder (green) and shakti . Each pair of deities of this maṇḍala , that dawns intermediately (i.e. between the maṇḍalas of the Peaceful Deities and the maṇḍalas of the Wrathful Deities) on the Seventh Day (cf. pp. 126–8), are in peaceful aspect, on an enhaloed lotus and lunar throne, performing a mystic dance which is Tantric. At the top, in the centre, presiding over the whole greater maṇḍala , is Samanta-Bhadra (dark blue), the Ādi-Buddha, and shakti (white), in peaceful aspect, on a lotus and lunar throne, enhaloed in rainbow colours, with lotuses and the moon (white) on his right and lotuses and the sun (gold) on his left.
3A photographic reproduction (about one-fourth of the original size) of a monastic painting in colour, on heavy cotton cloth, made on the instructions of the editor, in Gangtok, Sikkim, by a Tibetan artist named Lharipa-Pempa-Tendup-La, to illustrate the Judgement (see p. 37). Occupying the central position is Dharma-Rāja, the King of Truth, or Administrator of Truth and Justice, otherwise called Yama-Rāja, the King and Judge of the Dead. He is the wrathful aspect of Chenrazee, the National Divine Protector of Tibet. The third eye of spiritual insight is in his forehead. He stands enhaloed in flames of wisdom, on a solar throne supported by a lotus throne, treading under foot a mārā form, symbolic of the māyā (i.e. illusionary) nature of human existence. His head-dress is adorned with human skulls, and a serpent forms his necklace. His necklet is a human hide, the head of which protrudes from behind his right side, and a hand and foot hang down over the centre of his breast. A girdle of human heads surrounds his waist. His pavilion and the walls of his Court are adorned with the skull-symbols of death. His sword is the sword of spiritual power. The mirror in his left hand is the Mirror of Karma , in which are reflected every good and evil act (cf. p. 166) of each of the dead who are being judged, one by one. There is written on the mirror, in Tibetan, ‘ Hri ,’ the bij , or chief, mantra of Chenrazee. Directly in front of Dharma-Rāja is the Monkey-Headed One, Sprehu-gochan (Tib. Sfre-hu-mgo-chan ), otherwise called Shinje (cf. pp. 36–7), holding the scales, on one side of which are heaped-up black pebbles, the evil deeds, and, on the other, heaped-up white pebbles, the good deeds.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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