O Bhagavati, you embrace all aspects of phenomena
With the expanse of the white parasol that is your stainless wisdom,
And you remove the tormenting diseases that are samsara and selfish peace.
Please remove all obstacles and confer the supreme and common siddhis.
This sadhana draws water from a river
That carries precious sands of siddhis;
The River Ganga, the god flowing from Mt Kailash,
Is condensed into the stage of this practice.
(There are many different traditions in the steps to the kriya tantra sadhana of Ushnisha Sitatapatra, who is of the Tathagata family. However, Chim Namka Drag of Nartang has made a compilation of a great many source materials, such as the sadhana tradition of the great and noble Atisha.
The following is the sadhana and practice of Sitatapatra with three faces and six hands which is drawn from this famous “One Hundred Root Texts of Nartang”)
I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma,
And the Supreme Assembly until enlightenment.
By the merit from my actions such as generosity
May I accomplish Buddhahood to help all sentient beings.
May all sentient beings have happiness.
May all sentient beings be free from suffering.
May all sentient beings never be without happiness.
May all sentient beings remain in equanimity, unmoved by the eight worldly concerns or by preconceptions about an object apprehended and the mind which apprehends it.
(After you have taken refuge and generated the bodhi-mind as well as the four immeasurables (as above), making sure that the meaning has suffered your mental stream, not just the words, visualize the following)
In an instant, with clarity I arise as Ushnisha Sitatapatra. Light radiates from the seed syllable at my heart. It invites Sitatapatra and all her surrounding host of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from their natural abodes and they take their places in the space before me.
(Make offerings)
OM VAJRA ARGHAM (and so on until SHABDA) ĀH HŪM
(If you are doing this more elaborately, make the seven-limb prayer according to any well-known version. Then visualize)
The figures of the merit fields depart to their natural abodes.
(And then)
OM SVABHĀVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMĀH SVABHĀVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM
Everything transforms into emptiness.
Within the state of emptiness, from a PAM, a lotus arises and from an A, a moon mandala. On top of this is my own mind, in the form of a white seed syllable OM. Light radiates from this and carries out the two purposes (my own and that of other sentient beings). This reabsorbs and transforms into myself as Arya Sitatapatra. My main face is white, the right one is blue and the left one red. Each of the three faces has three eyes. My six hands hold the following: the right three hold a wheel, an arrow and a hook (respectively); the left three hold the wrathful mudra, a bow and a sword. My hair is tied up in a top-knot and I am wearing precious ornaments and silken raiment. I sit with my feet in the Bodhisattva position in the mist of a concentration of transparent light. On the top of my head is a white OM, at my throat a red ĀH and at the heart a blue HŪM. My heart is also marked by the white seed syllable OM. Light radiates from this which invites the wisdom beings from their natural abodes. They are just like the form I am meditating on.
OM ARGHAM (and so on, until SHABDA) PRATĪCHCHHAYE SOHA
JAH HŪM BAM HOH
They become inseparable.
Then light radiates from the HŪM at my heart and invites the initiation deities. I beseech them, “All of you Tathagatas, please confer true initiation on me.” Holding vases full of nectars of transcendental wisdom, they reply,
“OM SARVA TATHĀGATA ABHISHEKATA SAMAYA SHRĪYE HŪM,”
and confer the initiation with the water in the vases. It fills my whole body dispelling all stains. The excess water overflows at the crown of my head and transforms into Vairochana adorning my head.
(The offerings. Say the following while sending away hindrances)
OM ĀH VIGHNĀNATA SHRĪ HRA HŪM
(Purify everything into emptiness:)
OM SVABHĀVA SHUDDHAH SARVA DHARMĀH SVABHĀVA SHUDDHO ‘HAM
Everything transform into emptiness.
Within the state of emptiness, there arises an OM which becomes a great, enormous, precious container. Inside it an OM melts into light which produces water to drink, water for the feet, flowers, incense, lamps, perfume, food and music. These are transparent and rapidly multiply to become as extensive as space itself.
(Bless these offerings:)
OM ARGHAM ĀH HŪM (and so on, until SHABDA)
(Offer these with:)
OM USHNĪSHA SITATĀPATRĀ ARGHAM (and so on until SHABDA) PRATĪCHCHHAYE HŪM SOHA
You were born from the compassionate Sugata’s ushnisha,
You annihilate those who would harm this doctrine, the source of bliss,
And you confer the results of health and happiness.
I prostrate and praise you, Bearer of the White Parasol of supreme bliss.
At my heart is a moon mandala. On top of it is the seed syllable OM surrounded by the recitation mantra. Light radiates from these and purifies all sickness, evil spirits and hindrances. And I obtain all siddhis of the body, speech and mind of the Bhagavati.
(Recite the following as many times as you can, not letting the mind distract to other thoughts away from anything to be found in contemplations such as the one just above:)
TADYATĀ, OM ANALE ANALE, PISHADE PISHADE, VAIRA VAIRA, VAJRADHARĪ, BANDA BANDUNĪ HŪM PHAT SOHA
(Visualize:)
The wisdom beings (invoked during) the generation of myself as the deity separate from me and take their places in the space before me.
(Make offering and praise just as before:)
OM USHNĪSHA SITATĀPATRĀ ARGHAM (and so on until SHABDA) PRATĪCHCHHAYE HŪM SOHA
You were born from the compassionate Sugata’s ushnisha,
You annihilate those who would harm this doctrine, the source of bliss,
And you confer the results of health and happiness.
I prostrate and praise you, Bearer of the White Parasol of supreme bliss.
(Beseech them to give all that you desire with the following and similar requests:)
Bhagavati Sitatapatra, please completely pacify all the sickness, evil spirits and hindrances of all sentient beings and please confer every single siddhi.
(Then recite the hundred-syllable mantra:)
OM PADMA SATTVA SAMAYA, MANU PĀLAYA, PADMA SATTVA TVENO PATISHTHA, DRIDHO ME BHĀVA, SUTOSHYO ME BHĀVA, SUPOSHYO ME BHĀVA, ANURAKTO ME BHĀVA, SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACHCHHA, SARVA KARMA SUCHA ME, CHITTAM SHRĪYAM KURU HŪM, HA HA HA HA HOH BHAGAVĀN, SARVA TATHĀGATA, PADMA MA ME MUÑCHA, PADMA BHĀVĀ MAHĀ SAMAYA SATTVA ĀH HŪM PHAT
(To beg forgiveness, recite the following:)
Please, O Protectors, be patient
With all that I have done and would have done,
But either did not carry out or in doing so, lapsed in concentration
Because of mental blindness.
(Visualize:)
The wisdom beings depart to their natural abodes and gradually the commitment being becomes unfocused emptiness.
(Then make prayer, dedicate (the merit) and extend the unfocused emptiness further:)
By this merit, when I have accomplished
The state of Ushnisha Sitatapatra,
May I lead every single
Sentient being to that state.
