Kong tse bla glud

1. rinoe’i (rin po che’i) rgyang bu bcuum (bcu gsum) / gsol pa la / pho thong bcuum (bcu gsum) / mo thong bcuum (bcu gsum) / ’bru sogs la / ngar mi bcuum (bcu gsum)

2. chang zan | ’theb kyu | gtorṃ (gtor ma) | bshos bu | skyogs | khaṃs sogs la / ri rabs bang rim gsuṃ la cig byas / de la yas

3. rnaṃs bkod / pho la g.yas / mo la g.yon / sha brla blu ma nyaṃs pa cig / de la khaṃs gang yin gyis kha dog srin /

4. rta lug sha ba ra srogs chag gang yin gyi gzugs byas / phugsu (phugs su) bla rten bzhog (bzhag go) / sngags drug phyag drugis (drug gis)

5. byinlibs (byin gyis rlabs) / spyenngs (spyen drangs) pa ni / kyai / kong rtse phrul gyi gto / lha yang gson la mi yang nyon /

and thirteen splints.^[1] The offerings should consist of thirteen male and thirteen female effigies. With the grain and so forth there should be 13 ngar mi;^[2] 13 chang zan;^[3] 13 theb kyu;^[4] tormas, dough food-offerings (bshos bu) and dough cups.^[5]

To represent the realms, make a three-tiered Mt Meru and arrange the offerings on it. [If the patient is] male, it should be to his right, and if female, to her left. There should also be an unblemished foreleg [of a sheep or a goat], daubed with the colour of whatever happens to be the element [of the year of the patient’s birth]. An effigy should be made of an animal – a horse, a sheep, a deer or a goat – and placed in the innermost part of the room as the “soul support”. It should be blessed with the six-fold set of mantras and hand-gestures. The invitation: Kyai! The gto ceremony of Kong rtse ’phrul [rgyal]: Gods hear me, and men, too, listen

Footnotes

1. ^{^} According to Lessing, byang bu are “decorated wooden tablets resembling arrows of the type called in Ch[inese] ling-chen”. A footnote at this point adds that “The ling-chien ‘commanding arrow’ is an arrow with a triangular flag attached to it. It was used in China as an identification for messengers conveying orders or reports between the armies” (Lessing 1951: 267, 283, n. 18). Blondeau refers to them as “tree symbols” (200: 254). The translation “splint” employed here is intended to represented their appearance in this performance – thin pieces of bamboo partly wrapped in coloured wool – rather than any ritual function they may have.
2. ^{^} Ngar mi: Human figurines made by pressing dough into the appropriate mould of a carved woodblock (zan par). Painted images may also be used. Lessing states that the ngar mi are intended to appease “a special class of malignant spirit called bla-gçed, ‘soul-killers’” (1951: 267).
3. ^{^} Lumps of dough that are squeezed into a roughly cylindrical shape in the palm of the hand. According to Lessing, these “are moulded by pressing the knuckles of the fist into the dough” (ibid.: 267).
4. ^{^} Lumps of dough that are pinched to a sharp apex between the thumb and first two fingers. Lessing describes these as “a food offering made of tsam-pa and resembling small tetrahedron” (ibid.: 267).
5. ^{^} The rendering of the term skyogs as “cup” is questionable. The usual word for the moulded dough receptacles that often accompany these arrangements is gzhong bu.

1. pa’i thu par bla lu bcug la / yon+gi (yon bdag gi) mi nas bos / steng lha / ’og klu / bar btsan / lag nas khug / lhrin (lha ’dre srin) sdyed (sde brgyad) lag

2. nas khug / khug cig lan mang du byas / thu khud daṃ(?) la nang log / bla glud ras dkar la dril la / mchan khung g.yon du cug / bla chung [for chu?]

3. dang bla chang thung / bla g.yu skyed la rtags / bla nas phu dung g.yasu (g.yasu) blug / kyai stong gsuṃ stong gis ’jieg (’jig rten) nang / naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) stong gi ’jieg (’jig rten)

4. nang / ’dus pa dang po sems klud [= kyi?] glud / ’byung pa cheno (chen po) mkha’ la stong / mkha’ la gnas pa’i lhrien (lha ’dre srin) rnaṃs / de ring yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u

5. rien (rin chen) la / snga phyis lan+gs (lan chags) ’dres pa yi // bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) bzhoṃs srid na // bla glud gser skyem gtorṃ (gtor ma) ’di bzhes la / bzung ba thong la bcings pa khrol // mnan pa theg la bsdam pa slod / zhi ba cheo’i (chen po’i) ngang la bzhugs / kyai stong gsum stong gi ’jieg (’jig rten)

worn by a man who should [go outside and] call out the patron’s name (mi = ming), together with the words “Bring her back from the grasp of the gods on high, the serpent-spirits beneath, the btsan in the middle! Bring her back from the clutches of the eight categories of gods and demons! Bring her back!” After repeating this numerous times, he should bundle up the hem of the chuba and tie it tightly, and then return inside.

Wrap the ransom-effigy of the soul in a white cloth and place it in the left armpit [of the patron]. She should drink the soul-water and the soul-beer, tie the soul turquoise around her neck and put the soul barley into her right sleeve.

Kyai!

In the thousand million worlds, in the world fo the thousand skies, send this first accumulation, the ransom for the mind, to the great element in the sky. Gods and demons who dwell in the sky, today, concerning this precious little one, our patron: if as a result of the confluence of the ripening of her ancient and more recent karma, you have stolen or harmed her soul, accept these tormas and libations as a ransom for her soul; free your captive, release the one who is bound, let the downtrodden one rise, unbind your prisoner, and abide in great peace.

1. rgya mtsho stong gi ’jigen (’jig rten) na / ’byung ba cheno (chen po) khragi (khrag gi) glud / chu la gnas pa’i lha ma srin / sngon gyi lan+gs (lan chags)

2. ’brel pa’i / de ring yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u rien (rin chen) | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud gser skyem | bzung ba thong la | mnan pa theg la |

3. zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai stong gsuṃ stong gi ’jieg (’jig rten) na / ’dus pa dang po drod kyis glud / ’byung ba cheno (chen po) me la st[o]ng / drod la gnas

4. pa’i lha mi srin / sngon gyi lan+gs (lan chags) ’brel pa yi / de ring yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u rien (rin chen) | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud gser skyem gtorṃ (gtor ma)

5. ’di | bzung ba thong la bcings | mnan pa theg la bsdaṃ | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) ngang | kyai stong gsum stong gi ’jigen (’jig rten) na / rlung

6. phyogs stong gi ’jigen (’jig rten) na / ’dus pa cheno (chen po) rlung gi glud / ’byung ba cheno (chen po) rlung la stang / rlung la gnas pa’i lhrien (lha ’dre srin) rnams

In the realm of a thousand oceans, demigods who dwell in the water accept this great element (1) of blood and...free your captive! (etc.)

In the thousand-times-three thousand worlds, send this first (sic) accumulation, this ransom for bodily warmth, the great element of fire. Demigods who dwell in bodily warmth (2)...free your captive! (etc)

In the realm of the wind with the thousand directions, send this great accumulation, this substitute for vital air, to the great element of wind. (3) Demigods who dwell in the wind

Notes

1. Sic; but ’byung ba chen po (“this great element”) here is surely an error for ’dus pa chen po, “this great accumulation”

2. drod (bodily warmth) here is almost certainly an error for me, fire.

3. In texts where analogies are drawn between natural elements and bodily components, the corresponding component for the element of wind, rlung, is not usually vital air (also rlung) as here, but breath (dbugs). ggg

1. yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u rien (rin chen) | trial bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rgyan dang ldan / rgyang phu rien (rin chen) ’phan bzang dang / pho thong

2. dang ni mo | chang zan ’theb kyu rnams ni glud du ’bul / bzung ba thong ma | mnan pa theg la | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) ngang |

3. kyai byangb (byang nub?) spar kha khen thog na / rgyal ’gong thel rang bsdong pa yi / mi gtsang nal gyis nyen bslang nas / stod/rtod cig

4. ri sngo lung sngo la / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u rien (rin chen) | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) dpaldn dang / rien (rin chen) rgyang bu phan bzang dang / ngar gyi

5. mi mo rgyan dang bcas / pho thong dang ni mo | zan chang theb kyu rnaṃs ni glud du | bzung ba thong la | mnan pa theg la |

6. zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) ngang | kyai byang pyogs spar kha khaṃs thog na / klu dang ma mo bsdong pa yi / nal dang yug la snyad brtag

you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! Upon the Khen trigram in the northwest, if you, rGyal ’gong demons and thel rang acting in union, accused her (nyen blangs) of being unclean due to fratricide and, as she sat on a green hill or in a green valley, you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! Upon the Khams trigram in the north, if you, serpent spirits and ma mo acting in unison, accused her of [being polluted by] fratricide and widowhood

1. pa yi / thing gtsod ’thab rtsod snyad bslangs nas / rtod (?) cig ni sing kha bus la / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u

2. rien (rin chen) | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) dang | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu ’phan bzang | pho thong mo bshos | {’theb rkyu | ngar gyi} ngar gyi mi

3. pho rgyan bzang | ’theb rkyu chang zan rnams ni glud du | bzung ba thong la | mnan pa theg la | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai

4. lhogs (lho phyogs) spar kha zon steng na / rgyal ’gong bsnyo ’dre bsdong pa yin / ’jigs par nyal ba snyad btags nas / rdod cig nyi

5. ma log ’tshaṃs na / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la bskums | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) dang rien (rin chen) rgyang bu ’phan bzang dang / ngar

6. gyi mi mo rgyan dang / pho tho mo thong bshos | ’thib brkyu chang zan rnaṃs ni glud du | bzung ba thong la | mnan

accused her of being quarrelsome (? thing gtsod ’thab rtsod) and, while she was seated on a meadow where [flowers?] were opening (?),you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! Upon the Zon trigram of the southeast, if you, rGyal ’gong demons and demons of madness acting in unison, accused her of sleeping in a frightening place and, at the time of the solstice, when the sun had reached its limit and was turning back, you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

1. ning nyi mo la / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu ’phan | gser bskyem

2. ngar mi rgyan dang bcas / phoong (pho thong) moong (mo thong) glud du ’bul / bzung ba thong la | mnan pa theg la | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai

3. stong gsum stong gi ’jigsen (’jig rten) na / lho phyogs stong gi ’jigten (’jig rten) na / lho phyogs grul ’buṃ gshien’i (gshin rje’i) gdon / mi yang ser la

4. rta yang ser / ber yang ser la thod yang ser / khyi yang ser la bya ser lding / dar mdung ser po phyag na rnaṃs / mda’ dang

5. zhags pa ser po ’phen / khyed ni lho phyogs lha ma srin / lho phyogs khaṃs la dbang sgyur ba’i / kha tsang kha nyin nyin mo

6. kun / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu ’phan | mnan pa theg la | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) |

you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! In the thousand-times-three thousand worlds, in the thousand worlds of the south, you malign grul ’bum, demons of the lords of the dead, where both the riders and their mounts are yellow, their cloaks and their turbans are yellow, and their dogs are yellow and their yellow birds soar; holding spears with yellow silks, loosing yellow arrows and casting yellow nooses: O demigods of the south, who rule over the southern realm, if, a few days ago, you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

1. bcing / dar mdung ljang khu phyag na rnaṃs / khyi yang ljang la bya ljang lding / mda’ dang zhags

2. pa ljang khu ’phen / khyed byang gi phyogs kyi lha ma srin // byang phyogs khaṃs la dbang brgyur ma / kha tsang kha nyin

3. nyi mo kun / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu ’phen | gser skyeṃs ngar mi

4. rgyan dan bcas / bzung pa thong la | mnan pa theg la | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) / kyai stong gsuṃ stong gi ’jigen (’jig rten) na / shar

5. phyogs stong gi ’jigen (’jig rten) na / dri’ za’i gdon ni dkar po cig / mi yang dkar la rta yang dkar / ber yang

6. dkar la thod dkar bcing / dar mdung dkar po phyag na snaṃs / khyi yang dkar la bya dkar lding / mda’ dang zhags

and he holds a green lance in his hand. His dog is green, and his green bird soars. He looses green arrows and casts a green lasso. Demigod of the north, ruler of the realm of the north, if a few days ago or on any other day you stole or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! In the thousand-times-three thousand worlds, in the thousand worlds of the east, is a malign white fragrance-eater. Both rider and horse are white. He wears a white cloak and a white turban, and holds a white lance. His dog is white, and his white bird soars. He looses white arrows and casts a white noose.

1. bzung ba thong | mnan pa theg | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai ’og phyogs sa bdag nag po’i gdon /

2. mi ni khaṃs nag rta nag cig / rta ni khaṃs nag ral chen zhon / ber yang khaṃs nag lus la gon / dur

3. kha’i thod khyer gho la bcings / khyi dang bya yang du kha lding / mda’ dang zhags pa dud kha ’phen / khyed ’og gi

4. phyogs kyi lha ma srin / ’ogi (’og gi) phyogs la dbang sgyur bas / kha tsang kha ring nyin mo kun / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla

5. la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) | gser skyeṃs ngar mi rgyan | bzung ba thong la | mnan pa

6. theg | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai bdud kyi rgyal po tri ti ghong yag dang / ye zluṃ thang po dang | (?) bdud rje rmang khug dang /

Kye kye! ṃalign one of the black earth-lords of the underworld, a dark brown rider mounted on a dark brown horse, a horse with a tangled dark brown mane; wearing a dark brown cloak, and on his head an orange turban. He has an orange dog, and his orange bird soars. He looses orange arrows and casts an orange lasso. Demigod of the underworld, ruling over the underworld, if you have stolen or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! Demon king Ri (text erroneously has Tri ti) ti ghong yag, Ye zlum [2S], bDud rje rmang khug,

1. kyai drag po btsan gyi sde tshogs kyi / spyi btsan kha zhi dmig brgyad dang / lha bcan drag

2. btsan gang btsan klu btsan gangs btsan dang / nag btsan spang btsan g.ya’ btsan dang / kun kyang

3. naṃza’ (nam bza’) sn^ogs (sna tshogs) gsol / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la brkusṃ (brkus sam) | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu | gseerṃs (gser skyems) ngar mi | bzung

4. ba thong | mnan pa theg | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | kyai ya cho rgyal po’i sde tshogs ni / gnaṃ lha dkar po dang / ding gung

5. dkor (dkar po) dang / ’ur gyung dkor (dkar po) dang / khu le lag dgu dang / yab zhur dmor (dmar po) dang / lag pa spa gu dang / ’gying chen

6. rdoer (rdo rje) legs pa dang / rgyalo’i (rgyal po’i) sde tshogs thaṃd (thams cad) kyi / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u | bla la brkugs | bla glud naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) | rien (rin chen) rgyang bu |

Kye kye! Host of ferocious btsan: foremost btsan with the four faces and eight eyes; Divine btsan, btsan of the crags (drag for brag), btsan of the glaciers (gang for gangs), btsan of the serpent-spirits, btsan of the glaciers; (Note 1) btsan of the forests, btsan of the meadows, btsan of the slate hills, don these various garments! if you have stolen or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Kye kye! Host of the ya cho (?) rgyal po! gNam lha dkar po, Ding gung dkar po, ’Ur gyur dkar po, Khu la lag dgu, Yab zhur dmar po, Lag pa spu gu, ’Gying chen rDo rje legs pa and all the hosts of the rgyal po, if you have stolen or harmed the soul of this little one, our precious patron, I offer you this soul-ransom...(etc.)

Notes

1 The repetition of gang/gangs may be an error, or else one of the two may be meant to represent sgang, “ridge” or “hill”. In any event, in a topographic sequence of this sort gangs would usually come first, followed by brag.

1. bcuum (bcu gsum) dang / naṃkha’ (nam mkha’) rien (rin chen) | rgyang bu ’phan bzang | ngar mi brgyan can | ’bru’i chang zas | ’theb

2. skyu | rgyan mdzes zhin du smra khas pa | phoong (pho thong) moong (mo thong) | bshos bu gtorṃ (gtor ma) dang / bla glud ngo chen bcuum (bcu gsum) ’di / lha bu bcuis (bcu gnyis)

3. mgo dang bcuum (bcu gsum) gyi / glud du ’bul / lus ngag yid gsum gyi | rnaṃs shes tshogs brgyad kyi | bzung ba | bcing ba | mnan

4. ba theg | zhi ba cheno’i (chen po’i) | ma yaṃ chud kyi sde tshogs ni / steng bdud rgyolṃ (rgyal mo) dang / bar gyi bran mo dang / mkha’i blon mo

5. dang / yang g.yog khyo ’khor dgu / ’tshaṃs kyi blon mo dang / steng bdud ma mo’i sde^ogs (sde tshogs) kyis / yon+g (yon bdag) mi’u rien (rin chen)

6. gyi / bla la rkuṃs (rkus sam) zhoms srid na / bla glud bcuum (bcu gsum) ’di ’bul gyis / bzung ba thong la bcings ba khrol / mnan ba

these thirteen precious thread crosses; these thirteen beneficial splints, these thirteen ornamented ngar mi; these thirteen chang zan; these thirteen theb kyu; these thirteen male and female effigies, beautifully adorned and well-spoken; these thirteen tormas as your food. I offer you this thirteen-fold patrician soul-ransom in exchange for the twelve princes, thirteen with their leader (?); for the body, speech and mind [of our patron], and her eight consciousnesses. Free your captive, release the one who is bound, let the downtrodden one rise, unbind your prisoner, and abide in great peace.

Host of ma yam goddesses among the chud class: demon-queens above; slaves in the middle; female ministers in the sky; the servants of your servants, a company of nine men; female ministers of the interstices; host of demoness-ma mo above, if you have stolen or harmed her soul, accept these tormas and libations as a ransom for her soul; free your captive, release the one who is bound, let the downtrodden one rise, unbind your prisoner, and abide in great peace.