Translated by the Tang Dynasty Monk Śramaṇa Amoghavajra by Imperial Command

At that time, the World-Honored One was dwelling in the Nigrodha Monastery in the city of Kapilavastu, surrounded by countless bhikkhus and bodhisattvas, teaching the Dharma. At that time, Ananda was alone in a quiet place, contemplating the teachings he had received. Later that night, after the third watch, he saw a hungry ghost named Flaming Mouth. Its form was ugly, its body emaciated and withered, fire blazed from its mouth, its throat was as thin as a needle's point, its hair was disheveled, and its teeth and claws were long and sharp—truly terrifying. It stood before Ananda and said to him, "In three days, your life will end, and you will be reborn among the hungry ghosts."

Hearing this, Ananda was filled with terror and asked the hungry ghost, "Noble one! If after my death I am to be reborn as a hungry ghost, what can I do now to avoid this suffering?"

The hungry ghost replied to Ananda, "If tomorrow morning you can offer food and drink to hundreds of thousands of nayutas of hungry ghosts as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, and also to countless brahmin sages, the officials of Yama who oversee the paths of karma, various spirits and deities, and long-departed ancestors—each receiving seven times seven measures of food and drink using the Magadha standard—and also make offerings to the Three Jewels on our behalf, then you will increase your lifespan, and we will be freed from the suffering of hungry ghosts and be reborn in the heavens."

Ananda saw this Flaming Mouth hungry ghost—its body frail, withered, and extremely ugly, fire blazing from its mouth, its throat like a needle, hair disheveled, and claws long and sharp—and hearing these words, he was greatly terrified, his body hair standing on end. At dawn, he rose from his seat, went to the Buddha, circumambulated him three times to the right, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, and with trembling body said to the Buddha, "Greatly Compassionate World-Honored One! Please save me from suffering. Why? Last night during the third watch, while walking in meditation in a quiet place contemplating the teachings, I saw the Flaming Mouth ghost, who said to me, 'In three days, your life will surely end, and you will be reborn among the hungry ghosts.' I asked the ghost, 'What can I do to avoid this suffering?' The hungry ghost replied, 'If you can offer food and drink to hundreds of thousands of nayutas of hungry ghosts as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, to countless brahmin sages, the officials of Yama who oversee the paths of karma, various spirits and deities with their attendants and families, and long-departed ancestors—providing them all equally with food and drink—then you will increase your lifespan.'"

He then said to the World-Honored One, "How can I prepare such an immeasurable amount of food and drink to satisfy them all?"

The Buddha told Ananda, "Do not be afraid now. I recall that in the immeasurable past, when I was a brahmin, I received from the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokiteshvara a dhāraṇī called the Dhāraṇī Method of the Tathagata of Immeasurable Majesty, Self-Mastery, and Radiant Light."

The Buddha told Ananda, "If you skillfully perform this dhāraṇī method and recite it seven times with blessings, you can transform a single meal into various kinds of ambrosial food and drink, sufficient to satisfy all the hungry ghosts, brahmin sages, and various kinds of spirits—hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River—with excellent food and drink. Each of these beings will receive a measure according to the Magadha standard. This food and drink, equal in extent to the Dharma Realm, will never be exhausted, and all who partake will attain holy fruits and be liberated from suffering bodies."

The Buddha told Ananda, "Now, uphold this dhāraṇī method. It will increase your merit and lifespan, enable hungry ghosts to be reborn in the heavens or in pure lands, and obtain human or celestial bodies. It will enable donors to transform obstacles, dispel calamities, prolong life, attract supreme blessings in the present, and ultimately realize enlightenment. With a vast mind, universally for all sentient beings—parents over many lifetimes, celestial officials, underworld judges, flaming demon realms, tiny insects, all living beings—offer a vast, unobstructed, and extensive offering, all coming to gather. Through the Buddha's majestic light, they will cleanse their bodily fields, attain these benefits, and enjoy human and celestial joys. We only pray that all Buddhas, prajñā bodhisattvas, vajra deities, and all paths of karma, immeasurable sages, with unconditioned compassion, bear witness to our practice. Therefore, to fulfill our great vows, to protect and aid sentient beings without regression, to destroy all karmic obstructions and purify them, to diligently seek the unsurpassed path and swiftly accomplish it, to rescue beings in evil paths, forever casting them from the sea of suffering to the other shore—as the sutra says, throughout boundless worlds, among the six paths and four kinds of birth, all those who are rulers, leaders, or chiefs are actually bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation, who out of compassionate vows manifest transformed bodies in the six paths, suffering together with their kind, skillfully avoiding destruction by afflictions and secondary afflictions, discerning various karmas to inspire the mind toward the path, constantly reflecting and repenting their own actions, taming and teaching all beings as great guides, destroying the three wretched paths, purifying all karmic paths, severing the stream of craving without abandoning vows and practices, dwelling in the sea of suffering as good friends, maturing and benefiting all sentient beings, leading them to realize great nirvana. If there are donors who deeply believe in the Mahayana, earnestly aspire to yoga, delight in hearing and seeing the dhāraṇī treasury, the nectar Dharma gate, who arise with a mind to rescue and aid sentient beings, earnestly praise and renounce great wealth, requesting the master three times before the altar method is permitted—equal and uniform, free from thoughts of enmity, constantly practicing giving without regret, drawing near to good friends, courageously diligent without timidity, earnestly seeking the great path, praising the Three Jewels, nurturing life, skillfully rescuing and aiding all to attain liberation, not sustaining their bodies through evil means, constantly benefiting themselves and others—such good men and women are true good friends, practicing the bodhisattva path, universally for all hungry ghosts in the three wretched paths and evil destinies, the Flaming King and others, brahmin sages, celestial beings in space, Indra, Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings, celestial officials, dragon deities and the eight kinds of beings, sun, moon, Mount Sumeru, asuras, outsiders, the six desire heavens' demon hosts, water, fire, wind, space, mountain forests, caves, dwellings, palaces, monasteries, great earth, rivers, streams, bathing pools, temples, auspicious and inauspicious wandering deities, recorders of good and evil with unobstructed spiritual powers, feathered beings flying in the sky, aquatic creatures swimming, furry and horned animals, tiny moving creatures, exposed wandering spirits, suffering corpses, many lifetimes of unresolved grudges and attachments, karmic debts over countless eons, deceased monks and nuns who have not yet attained fruition, parents and relatives over many lifetimes—all, relying on the Tathagata's teaching, escape the three wretched paths, from immeasurable hells arouse the bodhi mind, each vowing to release and resolve karmic bonds, mutually praising and remembering each other as parents, coming to this assembly place to bear witness, protect, and remember. Their hearts leap with joy like the udumbara flower, so rare and hard to encounter due to their own actions. Dwelling among humans, consciousness and emotions are hard to settle, mostly following deluded arising, accumulating as sources of suffering, not yet attaining holy fruits while quickly producing faults. Moreover, relying on the king's land and water, dwelling in the Buddha's compassionate light, constantly reflecting on past conditions, still bearing present results, day and night reproaching themselves—what retribution is like this? Or for the sake of family, relatives, parents—how often have they been overturned, inverted, clinging? Changing forms and faces, how can they be recognized? We only pray that today, relying on this Buddha's power, riding through space to this assembly place, with compassionate light brushing their bodies, each according to their form, repenting and cleansing dust and faults, arousing the bodhi mind, accepting this offering."

The Buddha said to Ananda: "If you wish to learn and uphold the method of offering food, you must follow the profound samadhi method of the Yoga Master. Those who aspire to practice this should study under a Yoga Master, arouse the supreme bodhi mind, receive the samadhi precepts, and enter the great mandala to receive empowerment—only then are they permitted to receive this teaching. One must receive the Five Wisdom empowerments of Mahavairocana Tathagata and succeed to the position of Master before being qualified to transmit the teaching. Otherwise, it is not permitted. If one practices without authorization, they will bring misfortune upon themselves, commit the offense of stealing the Dharma, and ultimately achieve no benefit. Only after receiving empowerment, following the master's instructions, practicing the rituals and dignified conduct of Yoga, and skillfully discerning and thoroughly understanding the Dharma characteristics, can one be called a Tripitaka Master and be qualified to transmit this teaching.

When preparing to perform the ritual, first protect yourself, and the disciples should do the same. Determine the date, select a pure site—such as an excellent large dwelling, a quiet garden or grove, places beloved by spirits like flowing springs, bathing pools, rivers, seas, mountains, marshes, lands of merit, or even a hall. Properly smear and plaster it with fragrant clay, according to the sponsor's capacity, whether square or round, large or small. Erect markers at the four corners, adorn them properly with five-colored silks. Place flaming pearls, and within the pearls enshrine the Buddha's Crown, Great Compassion, Following Requests, and Supreme Victory: northeast for Buddha's Crown, southeast for Great Compassion, southwest for Following Requests, northwest for Supreme Victory. Also, adorn the four pillars properly, making them uniquely splendid and excellent—these are called auspicious banners, ensuring that within a hundred yojanas there will be no misfortunes, thus establishing the boundary. Where the wind blows, shadows pass, earth is sprinkled, or water touches, offenses and obstacles will vanish, and great blessings will be obtained; all who see with their eyes or hear with their ears will universally benefit.

Next, surround the area with hanging silken banners and canopies, precious fans, white whisks, arranging the positions properly. Agarwood-scented water, wonderful flowers, lamps, incense, food, drink, broths, medicines, various fruits, flavors, and other items should all be purified according to the Dharma, not allowing them to be defiled. Once the adornments are complete, hold an incense burner and circumambulate the ritual site to the right, inspecting it thoroughly; if anything is incomplete, rearrange it properly.

When the adornments are finished, bathe with fragrant water together with the disciples, put on new clean robes, go outside to the central courtyard, sweep and sprinkle properly, smear the ground with fragrant clay, and adorn it properly—this is called the Samaya Altar. Outside the ritual site, spread clean mats and cushions, maintain dignified conduct, make three prostrations, kneel facing east, hold an incense burner, and perform the method of invocation."

Yoga Compendium: The Origin of the Flaming Mouth Food Offering Initiated by Ananda