Volume 2 of the One-Syllable Uṣṇīṣa-Cakravartin Sutra Spoken at the Bodhimaṇ

Translated by the State Preceptor, Tripitaka Master Amoghavajra of Daxingshan Temple, with the Titles of Kaif

At that time, the Buddha Shakyamuni, observing all realms of sentient beings with his Buddha-eye, addressed the Vajra-Holder, the Lord of Secrets, saying: “Lord of Secrets! For the benefit of all beings, I shall now proclaim the ritual of the Great King of Mantras. Among all the mantras and sacred forms spoken by all Buddhas—both worldly and transcendent—this is the supreme. The very form of the Buddha-Crown Wheel King can eradicate all transgressions, enable all beings to attain the great Nirvana, and manifest through the wondrous transformation of the Buddha’s Sambhogakaya, born from supreme samadhi. I shall now explain the method for painting the image of the World-Honored Buddha-Crown Wheel King.”

The practitioner should first enter the mandala and receive the mudra rituals from their teacher. They must have previously entered either the Buddha's Crown Wheel King altar, the Invincible Wrathful altar, or the Supreme Buddha Crown altar, witnessed the three samayas, and received the empowerment. Having obtained the master's approval, they may then enter the practice of the supreme nirvana path. They must follow the prescribed rituals to perform the preliminary practices. Only after completing these preliminaries should they proceed to create the image.

Select a young girl of pure Brahmin lineage, born into a noble family, and have her observe fasting and precepts. Give her threads to weave the cloth. According to the teachings, the cloth should be woven as instructed—or following other teachings, or as described in the Tathagata section—measuring six cubits in length and four cubits in width. If this is not feasible, five cubits will also suffice. If materials need to be purchased for the image, the practitioner should not haggle over the price.

Once the cloth is woven, wash it with fragrant water and carefully remove any stray hairs.

For creating the image, you should use the Buddha's spiritual power during the three long fasting months, in the bright half of the lunar cycle. Choose a skilled painter with all faculties intact, who has pure faith in the Three Jewels. First, have them bathe to purify themselves, put on new, clean clothes, and receive the Eight Precepts; only then let them paint.

Select an auspicious day and time, with favorable constellations and planets, when the appearance is dignified and harmonious. The painting should be done in a place such as a mountain retreat, a rock cave, a cattle pen, a Buddha hall or pure chamber, a site where sages or saints attained realization, or any location free from foul odors, insects, or stagnant water. Set up the canvas there and proceed with the painting.

First, in the center, draw the Buddha, the World-Honored One, seated on a lion throne. The throne is adorned with various precious gems. He is depicted in the posture of teaching the Dharma, surrounded by a halo of radiant light like a wheel. From the crown of his head, streams of various lights flow forth. The Buddha possesses the marks of a great being, leaning against the Bodhi tree.

The Bodhi tree is depicted with various leaves, resembling the true mani tree. Some branches are adorned with colorful silks, others with vaidurya gems, some bear fruits, some have bells, some hold celestial fruits, some bring clouds and rain, some display various flowers and fruits, some show Bodhi tree sprouts, and some are painted with pearls, vaidurya, cat's eye gems, coral, and jade. On the tree, auspicious birds perch among the branches. Some leaves are shown with clouds, lightning, and rain, their branches and leaves intertwined. In this magnificent Bodhi tree of the great kalpa, the World-Honored One leans his two shoulders against the tree.

To the right of the Buddha is the Great Wheel-Turning King, appearing in the form of a wheel-turning monarch, seated upon a white lotus, observing the majestic presence of the Buddha. His body is golden, radiating light all around, adorned with the seven treasures—only the wheel treasure is encircled by light upon the lotus. Śākyamuni Buddha then gazes upon the Crown Wheel King.

To the left of the Buddha, not far away, paint the White Canopy Crown King. He appears like a great king, his body golden in color, seated upon a lotus flower, holding a lotus in his hand, his gaze fixed upon the Wheel-Turning King.

Not far from the White Canopy Crown King, paint the High Crown King. His form is like that of a great king, seated upon a white lotus, holding a *juyuan* fruit, looking upon the Wheel-Turning King.

Not too far and not too near from the Wheel-Turning King, paint the Radiant Assembly Crown King. He sits upon a white lotus, surrounded by various lights, seated amidst blazing, brilliant radiance. His body is golden, and he holds a *cintāmaṇi* jewel.

Beneath the Radiant Assembly Buddha Crown King, paint the practitioner, kneeling and seated, gazing up at the Crown Wheel-Turning King. The Wheel-Turning King extends his hand in the gesture of granting wishes, looking upon the practitioner.

Near the Radiant Assembly Crown King, their halos not obscuring one another, paint the Victorious Buddha Crown. His form is golden, his left hand holds a jewel, his right hand grants wishes, and his eyes behold the Wheel-Turning King.

All of these are Buddha Crown Kings. Each one has the form of a great king, each is surrounded by blazing, brilliant flames of light, all are golden in color, and all are seated upon white lotus flowers.

To the right of the Buddha, one should paint Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, holding a white yak-tail whisk. To the left of the Buddha, paint Maitreya Bodhisattva, holding a white whisk. The stature of these two bodhisattvas should be slightly smaller than that of the Buddha. Before the Buddha, one should paint the noble Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva and the secret lord Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, each seated upon a precious lotus flower, with palms joined, in the posture of paying homage to the Buddha.

"Next to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, one should paint Manjushri, the Youthful Pure Bodhisattva; Bodhisattva of Unstained Wisdom; Bodhisattva of Tranquil Wisdom; Bodhisattva of Boundless Wisdom; Bodhisattva of the Vast Treasury of Space; Bodhisattva of the Pure and Unstained Void; Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom... and so on. These great bodhisattvas should be painted in sequence, each seated on a lotus flower with palms joined in reverence, in a posture of paying homage to the Buddha. Their forms should gradually diminish in size, their postures serene and tranquil. All should be painted in golden color, adorned with various ornaments, wearing skirts and robes of fine silk gauze."

Next, not far from Maitreya Bodhisattva, one should paint the Buddha-Eye Bright Consort. Her form resembles a celestial maiden, seated upon a precious lotus, adorned with various ornaments. Her body is golden in color, her gaze observing the assembly. She wears a light, sheer garment draped over her shoulders. In her right hand, she holds a wish-fulfilling jewel; her left hand bestows blessings. A perfect halo surrounds her, radiating brilliant light, while her demeanor is serene.

Not far from the Buddha-Eye Sacred One, one should paint the Buddha-Ushnisha Mark Deity. Her form is also like that of a celestial maiden. What is the difference? Her right hand holds a lotus flower, her left hand bestows blessings, and her gaze is upon the Wheel-Turning King.

Close below the Buddha-Eye Deity, one should paint the Sundari Great Bright Consort. Her form is like a celestial maiden, adorned with various jeweled ornaments. Her body is blue in color, holding a lotus flower in her hand, seated upon a precious mountain, gazing upon the Buddha, the World-Honored One.

Beside Vajrapāṇi, one should paint Amṛtakuṇḍalin. Next to that honored one, paint Vajrasena, Somāhū, and Śikhivartin. These three holy ones should each be depicted in the form of a youth, their bodies adorned with various ornaments. All of them should gaze at the Wheel-Turning King, assuming an awe-inspiring posture.

To the right of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, paint the Great Bright King Hayagrīva. His body is the color of fire, wrathful in form, with a nose like a monkey’s. He is adorned with snakes as ornaments—necklaces, armlets, and shoulder bands—and wears a lotus garland on his head, assuming the posture of the Cakravartin King. Nearby, paint Padmasundarī, who has four arms. Her first right hand holds a noose, her first left hand holds an axe, her second right hand is in the gesture of granting wishes, and her second left hand holds a fruit. She is seated upon a lotus.

"Also, near the Wheel-Turning King, depict the Unconquerable Wrathful King. His body is white, with four faces and four arms, his brows furrowed, his expression fierce and angry. He wears a tiger skin as a skirt, with a python as his earrings. The Takshaka Naga King serves as his waist cord, and the Vasuki Naga King as his sacred thread. He is draped in a net of horns, with a short and stout body. His hair is adorned with a crown of venomous snakes, biting his lower lip. His entire body is ablaze with flames, surrounded by a brilliant, radiant halo of light. In his first right hand, he holds a vajra; the second right hand makes a threatening gesture. In his first left hand, he holds a trident; the second left hand holds a battle-axe. His front face makes the sound of 'Aṭaṭa Hāsa' laughter, with flames of various colors issuing from his mouth. The face on the right side gazes upon the Wheel-Turning King; the face on the left side observes the practitioner; the face on top looks upon all the assembled beings. He stands upon a jeweled lotus flower. The Unconquerable Wrathful King should be depicted in this manner."

Beneath the honored one, paint the Earth Goddess. Her body is white, and with both hands she holds a precious flower basket, kneeling on both knees. Near the Earth Goddess, paint the Nairañjanā River Goddess. She is dark blue, shaped like a dragon maiden, with seven heads, her palms joined in a gesture of reverence toward the Buddha. Near the Nairañjanā River Goddess, close to each other, paint the Great Nāga King Vāri and the Nāga King Mucilinda. These two nāga kings have seen countless Buddhas. Both have seven heads, their palms joined, kneeling on the ground. Near the Earth Goddess, paint the Nāga Kings Ananda, Anavatapta, and Sāgara. They hold lotus garlands, bowing with palms joined.

On the right side of Bodhisattva Mahāmati, paint White-Robed Avalokiteśvara, adorned with a garland of lotus flowers, draped with a precious silk scarf. In the right hand, hold the Cintāmaṇi jewel; the second hand bestows blessings. This bodhisattva is the mother of the lotus family and should be seated upon a lotus.

The Bodhisattva Mamaki should be depicted near the Buddha's urna, with a pale purple-blue hue, adorned with various jeweled ornaments, seated upon a lotus. Her posture is serene, abiding in the intrinsic nature of Prajñāpāramitā. In her right hand, she holds a Sanskrit scripture, while in her left, she holds a cintāmaṇi jewel, forming the gesture of granting wishes. She is the great holy Prajñāpāramitā, the mother of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, manifesting in the form of Mamaki. This deity is the mother of the Vajra family, resembling a young maiden, not too tall in stature, with an exceedingly pleasing countenance. Such should be her appearance.

Paint these attendants: Vajra Hook, Vajra Fist, and Vajra Hail. These are all great wisdom consorts serving as attendants, each depicted in their own form.

Near the lay practitioner Guanyin, one should paint the venerable Tara, adorned with various ornaments, wearing a light silk garment. Her form is neither too stout nor too slender, but of moderate build. In her right hand she holds a blue lotus, and in her left hand she makes the gesture of granting wishes. She sits on a lotus flower and is depicted in a light green color. Close to that venerable figure, paint Vajravarahi, whose body is white, with three eyes and four arms. In her first right hand she holds a staff, in her first left hand a vase, in her second right hand a rosary, and in her second left hand a lotus flower. Her demeanor is serene. On the two sides of the image, depict heavenly beings playing drums and making music.

In the painting, a Pure Abode Deva appears above the Buddha, emerging from the clouds to scatter flowers as an offering.

Arrange the Four Heavenly Kings, protectors of the world, according to their respective directions: In the east, depict the Heavenly King Who Upholds the Realm; in the south, Yama, Lord of the Dead; in the west, Varuna, Lord of Waters; and in the north, Kubera, Lord of Wealth. Each should be painted on the side corresponding to his direction.

Likewise, in the four corners: In the northeast, depict Ishana; in the southeast, Agni, Lord of Fire; in the southwest, the Lord of the Rakshasas; and in the northwest, Vayu, Lord of the Wind. Each should be painted in his own form.

Below the Fierce and Invincible King, draw the practitioner in their own form, kneeling on the ground, holding an incense burner and gazing up at the Wheel-Turning King.

Vajrapani! This grand ritual for painting the image of the Cakravartin Buddha's Crown has been proclaimed by countless Buddhas. Merely seeing it causes all sins to be entirely eradicated. Vajrapani! If one fully and properly paints it according to the method, then merely seeing it enables beings to eliminate the five heinous crimes and to be freed from all offenses. If one beholds this sublime image, as spoken of by all Tathagatas, that person will receive blessings in this very life. All sins committed over countless eons, in this life and others, are completely destroyed by seeing this image. By seeing this supreme image, all accomplishments manifest; all the great mantras of the Tathagatas are effortlessly perfected; all endeavors are fulfilled by reciting as one wishes. Even mantras from other sections that are difficult to accomplish will be decisively achieved before this image.

At that time, the World-Honored One addressed Vajrapāṇi, the Lord of Secrets, saying: "Lord of Secrets! Listen once more. I shall now explain the method for painting the image of the White Canopy Crowned King, which accomplishes all activities and benefits all sentient beings who are fearful of the cycle of birth and death. This teaching has been proclaimed in unison by as many buddhas as the sands of the Ganges River."

"First, according to the method described for a Wheel-Turning King, the cloth should be square, three cubits in size, without folds, and no animal glue or colors should be used. The painter must be given the Eight Precepts. In the center of the cloth, paint the image of the Buddha, with a golden-white complexion, seated on a lion throne, adorned with all the auspicious marks. To the left of the Buddha, paint Vajrapani Bodhisattva, holding a white whisk in his left hand and a vajra in his right hand. To the left of Vajrapani, paint the assembly of Pure Abode Devas, wearing heavenly garments. In front of the Buddha, paint the Buddha-Crown King, with a golden body like a cast-gold statue, adorned with all the auspicious marks, holding a lotus flower. Below the Buddha, paint the practitioner, holding an incense burner. Around the image, paint various flowers. O Vajrapani! This method of painting the White Parasol Buddha-Crown King was taught by the Buddha in the past."

At that time, the World-Honored One again addressed Vajrapāṇi, saying: "Vajrapāṇi, listen carefully, listen attentively, with utmost mindfulness. I shall now explain to you the method for painting the majestic image of the Buddha’s Crown of Radiant Light, supreme among all worldly and transcendental mantra teachings.

The Crown of Radiant Light follows the royal ceremonial method. The cloth should be washed with fragrant water, measuring three cubits or one cubit. In the pigments, hide glue should not be used. The painter should observe the eight precepts while painting.

The Buddha should be painted seated on a white lotus, in the posture of teaching the Dharma, with all marks complete. Above the image, mountain peaks should be painted; below the image, a lotus pond should be painted. From the crown of the Buddha’s head, various rays of light emanate.

To the right below the Buddha, the practitioner should be painted, kneeling, holding an incense burner, depicted in his own form.

O Secret Lord! This ceremonial method of the Buddha’s Crown of Radiant Light has been proclaimed by all Tathāgatas. It is for the purpose of subduing sentient beings. This painting method of the Buddha’s Crown of Radiant Light accomplishes all activities most excellently."

At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha again addressed the Secret Lord, saying: “Secret Lord! I shall now explain the method for painting the image of the High Buddha-Crown King. According to the Wheel-Turning King’s ritual, on a new cloth of three cubits or one cubit, free of stray threads, a painter who observes the precepts and maintains purity should be commissioned to paint. He should paint the World-Honored One seated upon a seven-jeweled lotus flower, in full lotus posture, with all marks perfected. His right hand grants blessings, and his left hand rests below the navel, palm upturned. From the crown of the Buddha’s head radiate various beams of light. In the two upper corners of the image, paint the hands of the Pure Abode Devas. To the right of the Buddha, paint the practitioner gazing reverently upon the Tathagata. Secret Lord! This is the method for painting the image of the High Buddha-Crown King. It has been spoken by all Buddhas, praised by all Buddhas, and is taught out of compassion for all sentient beings.”

At that time, Shakyamuni Buddha again addressed Vajrapani, the Lord of Secrets, saying: "Lord of Secrets! I will now explain the superior ritual for creating an image of the Buddha-Crown King, praised by the Buddhas of the past.

According to the ritual of the Wheel-Turning Buddha-Crown, prepare a canvas—either three cubits or one cubit in size. The painter must abstain from impure foods and observe the precepts.

The image should depict the Buddha’s form, radiant with a golden hue, seated on a lion throne, displaying the teaching mudra, endowed with the marks of a great being, with streams of light flowing from the crown of his head.

Below the image, paint the practitioner in their own likeness, kneeling respectfully, holding an incense burner, gazing up at the Tathagata.

Vajrapani! This superior ritual for creating the image of the Buddha-Crown King has been proclaimed by all the Buddhas."

Vajrapani! If one paints the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, or the great and mighty bodhisattvas in countless forms and colors, whether on silk, on plain cloth, on wooden boards, on walls, or on partitions, there is no fault. Whether one employs a painter or paints oneself, or whether a skilled painter follows his own inspiration in depicting the forms—whether painting the figure of a bodhisattva or painting a sacred deity of mantra—even if painted on a sutra cover, on birch bark, or as a supreme image, whether one span in size, one small span, one thumb’s length, or painted wherever one wishes, there is no fault.

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke these verses: