The Cult of Tara

206
MAGIC AND RITUAL IN TIBET
OM ARYA-TARA-GURU-SARVA-BUDDHA-BODHISATTVA-
NAM SA-MATA-PITRNAM SOPASTHAYIKANAM SA-PARI-
VARANAM IDAM RATNA-MANDALAKAM NIRYATA-
YAMII
And as before the monks take some rice from the piles before them
and on the last word of the mantra fling it into the air as a token of
offering. Then, resuming the mandala gesture, they recite:
Born from the ocean of our pure intentions,
full-blown with petals of the continents,
beautiful with the anthers of Mount Meru,
having the color of sunlight and moonlight,
radiating the fragrance of all desired possessions,
pervading all like the circle of the sky:
this most excellent flower of the precious mandala
I offer to the Conquerors and their hosts.
And once again all the monks throw a handful of rice in the air.
The author of the ritual text mentions in another long note that
he has derived this version of the mandala with seven piles instead
of the usual thirty-seven (there being here only Mount Meru, the
four continents, and the sun and moon) from the old writings, which
"all agree in speaking of it in that way." Here, however, the visualization
itself is not abbreviated, for "the realm of the mandala and
the hosts of ^possessions must be visualized as greatly expanded and
filling the sky." On this basis, he says, the symbolism is as follows:
when generating Mount Meru and the sun and moon, there is vividly
visualized all the glorious possessions of the gods; when generating
the four continents, all the glorious possessions of men, headed by
the "seven precious gems of sovereignty"; at the summit of Mount
Meru, all the glorious possessions of the demigods; and in the oceans
between the continents, all the glorious possessions of the serpent
kings. In general, he says, this mandala is offered filled up with the
hosts of the sublime and glorious possessions of the entire world,
though there is certainly nothing wrong with using instead the expanded
version of thirty-seven piles of grain.
2.2221.5 Flowers
As before, the monks take some flowers from the piles before them,
reciting the mantra that multiplies their offering:
OM NAMO BHAGAVATE PUSPA-KETU-RAJAYA TATHA-
GATAYA ARHATE SAMYAKSAMBUDDHAYA TADYATHA
PUSPE PUSPE MAHAPUSPE PUSPODBHAVA PUSPA-
SAMBHAVE PUSPAVAKlRNE SVAHA!