The Cult of Tara

74 MA GIC A ND RITUA L. IN TIBET
divine pavilion of radiance" the syllables transform into the twentyfour
deities of the outer circles of the mandala, each visualized
separately and completely in the appropriate part of the body, and
each part of the body identified with a great site of Tantric pilgrimage.
And the yogin further visualizes the female guardians of
the gates and intermediate directions of the mandala guarding the
bodily orifices of his mouth, nose, penis, anus, left ear, eyes and
right ear, "and his whole body is filled with the mandala." Then
his "empowered" body is further "armored" with more deities:
OM HAH ! On the heart of the Lord is Vajrasattva: white, having
three heads (white, yellow, red), having six arms (in the three
right ones grasping vajra, drum, and head of Brahma, in the
three left ones bell, skull bowl, and skull staff).
NAMA HI! On his forehead is yellow Vairocana.
SO HA HU ! On the top of his head is red Ratnasambhava.
BAU SA TA HE ! On his two shoulders is black Heruka.
HUM HUM HOH ! On his three eyes is blue Amitabha.
PHAT HAM ! On all his limbs is green Amoghasiddhi. All these
have one head and four arms (the first two crossed upon their
breasts, holding a bell and, respectively, wheel, jewel, vajra,
lotus, and crossed vajra, the remaining two grasping a drum
and a skull bowl), are adorned with the accoutrements of a
daka, and stand with their right legs stretched out.
OM BAM! On the navel of the Mother is Diamond Sow: red,
having three heads (red, green, yellow), having six arms (in the
three right ones grasping chopper, skull staff, and iron hook, in
the three left ones skull bowl, head of Brahma, and noose).
HA YOM ! On her heart is blue Lady Slayer-of-Death.
HRIM MOM ! On her throat is white Lady Infatuation.
HREM HRIM ! On her hair is yellow Lady Agitation.
HUM HUM! On her crest is green Lady Terror.
PHAT PHAT ! On all her limbs is green Candika. All these have
one head and four arms (in the first two chopper and skull bowl,
in the remaining two skull staff and drum), are adorned with
the accoutrements of a dakini, and stand with their left
legs stretched out.
This, again, is visualized as fast as it is read aloud; and when the
practitioner is able to visualize in all their detail all these subtli
deities which are placed in the body of the rough deity, and when he
is able to "make them manifest in only a minute," he has reached th"
third level of competence and is called "one who has gained a littl
power in knowledge."