A Golden Libation (gser skyems): A Buddhist Magical Rite To Attain One's Desire

  Preface  

This translation of A Golden Libation [To The] Eight-Grouped [Beings] attributed to gNubs sangs rgyas ye shes (9^th-10^th century C.E.) is based upon a reading of two manuscript copies. The first,  given the Library of Congress Classification BQ7699.G65 S3 1972, is an easily readable manuscript (hereafter referred to as manuscript A) . The second, given the Library of Congress Classification BQ7662.4 S26 1970, is at times difficult to read as a result of the print's visual bleed-thru due to the translucency of the rice paper used in the manuscript's printing (hereafter referred to as manuscript B).  For the most part, there is little variation among the two manuscripts. When they do diverge, it is primarily in regards to variant spellings of proper names. Rather than burden the reader with notations indicating these variant spellings, I have merely chosen to record in the translation what I believe to be the best spelling among the two manuscripts. The notation of other minor variations between the two manuscripts has been kept to a bare minimum. Despite the fact that there exist minor differences between the colophons of both manuscripts, I have chosen to ignore them for the sake of simplicity and have merely included within the translation those portions where the two manuscripts more or less agree. Finally, any insertions into the translation by myself appear in brackets while notation numbers are enclosed by parentheses. 

    A Golden Libation [To The] Eight-Grouped [Beings] (1)    

First, one should prepare whichever items are to be offered.

 

[Such items may include:]

 

[1.] A mound of food [worthy of] the deities of the [Five] Pure Abodes.

[2.] The first distillation of beer.

[3.] The first fruits of the harvest.

[4.] Various flowers.

[5.] Medicinal oils.

[6.] The Three Sweets (2)

[7.] Various meats.

[8.] Various medicines.

[9.] Various grains.

[10.] An assortment of silks.

[11.] Various foods.

 

[After the offering] materials have been blessed by the six [magical] utterances and the six [magical] gestures and [one has] visualized one’s own tutelary deity while generating the idea of seeking refuge, one should enter into concentration. 

 

HUM

 

 

[Then say:]

 

I make this holy offering to the superior objects of veneration, namely – the three bodies [of the Buddha,] the three lineages, [my] teacher, [my] tutelary deity, the peaceful and wrathful deities, the Three Jewels that are objects of refuge, the Sky-goers, the gods of wealth, and to the Doctrine Protectors.(3) Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted.

 

[Next say:]

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped exoteric [beings]: to brGya byin,(4) the ruler of the gods; to the Demi-god dBang po thag bzang; to the Probable-human lJon rta mgo; to the Dispenser of Evil Gang ba bzang po; to the Sky Glider gSer mig `khyil ba; to the Doctrine Protector Mahakala(5); to the Demon Lang ka mgrin bchu; to the Scent-eater Zur phud lnga ba. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted. 

 

[Next say:]

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped esoteric [beings]: to bTsan rgyal yam shud dmar po; to Yul lha phywa sang klu sras; to Srog bdag rgyal po snying `byin; to Chos skyong gnod sbyin dmar po; to Lha mo `jigs pa'i glog `byin; to Yab gcig bdud rje nag po; to dKar mo nyi zla`i thod `phreng. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted.

 

[Next say:] 

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped secret [beings]: to bDud po kha thun rak-sha; to gShin rje gshed po dmar po; to kLu bdud naa ga raa dza; to gNod sbyin bshan pa gri thogs; to ma mo srid pa khram 'debs; to bTsan po yam shud srog len; to bDud po re te 'go yag; to Srog bdag dung gi thor tshugs. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted. 

 

[Next say:] 

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped supreme [beings]: to Supreme Planet, Gyal po raa hu la; to Supreme Star, Khram shing kha thor; to Supreme Seducer, Ma nu raksha; to Supreme Ruler, Gri btsan `thu bo; to Supreme Mother, lCe spyang mdung `dzin; to Supreme Serpent, Klu rgyal dung skyong; to Supreme Protector, Nag po lte dkar; to Supreme King, Li byin ha ra. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted. 

 

[Next say:] 

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped apparitional [beings]: to dPung g-yas dgra lhar sprul pa; to dBung g-yon ma mo sprul pa; to Chu so bdud du sprul pa; to mGo bo srin por sprul pa; to mJug marmuru sprul pa; to Lag g-yas gshin rjer sprul pa; to Lag g-yon klu btsan sprul pa; to Mig dang snying dang mche pa gsum gza` bdud nyid du sprul pa. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted. 

 

[Next say:] 

 

I make this holy offering to the eight-grouped appearance and existence [beings]: to Sa bdag ha la khyi nag po; to Klu bdud gdol ba nag po; to Sa yi lha mo brtan ma; to Phyogs skyong rgyal chen sde bzhi; to mGon po bdun cu rtsa lnga; to Yul `di`i gzhi bdag thams cad; to Pho lha dgra lha srog lha; to Mo lha mo sman. Upon the acceptance of this pure Golden Libation [offering,] I request my desire be granted.  

 

 

[Colophon] 

 

A Golden Libation was written by gNubs sangs rgyas ye shes because any ritual action, whether it be a hail protection ritual, a step repairing ritual, a ceremonial cake tossing ritual, a cross-threaded stick ritual or a  magical weapon hurling ritual, is, without an offering made to the groups of eight beings, nothing other than the activities of a childish mind. 

 

Happiness Everywhere!

May This Be A Virtue! 

 

 

Notes 

 

1. I have retained the standard translation of  gser skyems as “golden libation” despite the fact that the offerings suggested within the manuscript include a variety of food stuff.

 

2. Namely - molasses, honey and sugar.

 

3. Manuscript A has “treasure protector” (gter srung) while manuscript B has “doctrine protector” (chos srung).

 

4. Sanskrit, Indra.

 

5. Manuscript A has “treasure protector” (gter srung) while manuscript B has “doctrine protector” (chos srung).