Lodro Tulku Rinpoche (Ed.

A Short Sadhana of the

Lion-Headed Wisdom
Dakini Simhamukha
from the Anuttarayoga Tantra Tradition
with Self-Generation

Bhikshu Mati Foundation

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Simhamukha Initiation, September 2021

Ganden Chokhor, Chod and Meditation Centre

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Bhikshu Mati Foundation, Pradaschier 20, 7075 Churwalden, Switzerland

A Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed
Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha
NAMO GURU SIMHAMUKHA YE

Taking Refuge and Generating the Mind of Enlightenment

In Buddha, Dharma and Sangha I take refuge until my enlightenment. I generate the
mind of enlightenment for my own benefit and the benefit of all living beings. 3x

The Four Immeasurables

May all beings be happy and adorned with the causes of happiness.
May all beings be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all beings never be separated from the happiness that is free of suffering.
May all beings abide in equanimity, free of attachment to those close and aversion to
those distant.

Quick Self-Generation
Instantly, I become the lion-headed Wisdom Dakini.

Blessing the Inner Offering

OM VAJRA AMRITA KUNDALI HANA HANA HUM PHAT
OM SOBHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHUDDO HAM

Everything becomes empty. Out of emptiness a syllable A appears. It transforms into

a large and spacious skull cup. Within it the five kinds of flesh and the five kinds of
nectar melt into a great ocean of wisdom nectar.

OM AH HUM HA HO HRI 3x

Blessing the Outer Offerings

OM VAJRA AMRITA KUNDALI HANA HANA HUM PHAT
OM SOBHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHUDDO HAM

Everything becomes empty. Out of emptiness A syllables appear, from which great
and spacious skull cups are generated. Within these appear the substances1 with the
three qualities.

OM AH HUM 3x

OM ARGHAM, PADYAM, VAJRA PUPE, VAJRA DUPE, VAJRA ALOKE, VAJRA

GHENDE, VAJRA NEVIDYE, VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM

Self-Generation
OM SOBHAVA SHUDDA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHUDDO HAM

Everything becomes empty. Out of emptiness the syllable PAM appears and
transforms into a lotus. Upon it, a sun disk appears from the syllable RAM. On this a
blue syllable HUM appears and transforms into a double vajra, ornamented with
HUM. The double vajra becomes the stable vajra ground, surrounded in all directions
by a vajra wall. It is without any cracks or gaps and is all of one piece. Over it is spread
 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

a vajra roof, extremely hard and indestructible. This is decorated inside with a vajra
canopy. Outside the wisdom fire is blazing. Thus, a great and spacious protection
chakra is created.

Within this protection chakra a cemetery is generated. In its centre, a dark blue
triangle appears from the syllable EH. This triangle has a wide opening on the top and
the tip is pointing downwards. In its centre, a multicoloured lotus appears from the
syllable PAM. On it, a sun disk appears from the syllable RAM and on this, radiant and
full of light, is a dark blue HUM. The HUM radiates light. It destroys all negative
powers and absorbs the positive energies and powers of the buddhas, bodhisattvas,
viras and dakinis.

Out of HUM I appear as the Wisdom Dakini Simhmukha with a dark blue body, a
white head and two arms. My lion’s head is extremely wrathful. My three eyes are wide
open, round and red. My mane, eyebrows, moustache and chin hairs are orange in
colour and fall partly up and partly down with flames of fire darting out of them.

In my right hand I hold a very sharp curved knife adorned with a vajra handle. It
points heavenwards. In my left hand I hold a blood-filled skull cup in front of my
heart. In the crook of my left arm lies a khatvanga. The crown on my head is made of
five dried skulls with fang teeth. I am wearing a long necklace made of fifty fresh heads.
I have ample and full breasts.

My ornaments are the five mudras of jewels and bones. My skirt is a fresh tiger skin.
My right leg is bent, and the left leg stretched out. I am standing in the dancing posture
on a fresh corpse that symbolises all the negative powers.2 To my right is the Tiger-
Headed Wisdom Dakini und to my left, the Bear-Headed Wisdom Dakini.

I am standing in the midst of the wisdom fire emanating from my body. On my

forehead is a white OM, at my throat a red AH and in my heart a blue HUM.

Inviting the Wisdom Beings

The HUM in my heart radiates light, invoking the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini
surrounded by buddhas, bodhisattvas, viras and dakinis from the Akanishta realm,
the land of the dakinis and Udhiyana.

OM VAJRA SAMANDSA

Absorbing the Wisdom Beings

DSA HUM BAM HO

Calling on the Initiation Deities

The syllable HUM in my heart radiates light again, invoking the five groups of
empowerment deities into the space above me.
OM VAJRA SAMANDSA

The Empowerment is Bestowed

The tathagatas are requested to give an abhisheka and the empowerment goddesses
sprinkle me with the vase water and speak:

OM VAJRI BHAVA ABHISHETSA HUM

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

The empowerment is bestowed, and all the stains are purified. The overflowing drops
become a five-pointed blue vajra in the nature of buddha Akshobhya.

Making the Outer Offerings

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA ARGHAM, PADYAM, VAJRA PUPE,
VAJRA DUPE, VAJRA ALOKE, VAJRA GHENDE, VAJRA NEVIDYE, VAJRA SHAPTA
PRATITSA HUM SVAHA

Making the Inner Offering

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA OM AH HUM

Praises
O glorious Vajra Dakini,
ruler of all the dakinis,
you have realised the five wisdoms and the three bodies.
I bow down before you, my saviour.

Out of the sphere of emptiness that is pure from the beginning,

You appear in your impressive, wrathful form,
and reduce the ignorance of negatively minded maras to dust.
I bow down before you, ruler of the dakinis of the three realms.

Visualisation during the Mantra Recitation

On a sun disk in my heart is a dark blue HUM surrounded by a dark blue mantra. The
mantra emanates many flames that overcome all obstacles.

The entire blessings of the gurus, yidams and dakinis are invoked in the form of lights
that enter the seed syllable and the mantra. I am blessed by these.

Mantra Recitation3
AH KA SA MA RA TSA – SHA DA RA SA – MA RA YA PHAT

Vajrasattva Heruka Mantra

OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA HERUKA TENOPA TISHTA DRIDHO
MEBHAVA SUTOKHAYO MEBHAVA SUPOKHAYO MEBHAVA ANURAKTO
MEBHAVA SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYATSA SARVA KARMA SUTSAME TSITAM
SCHRIYAM KURU HUM HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAVAN VAJRA HERUKA MA ME
MUNTSA HERUKA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT 1x

Making Outer Offerings to the Self-Generation

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA ARGHAM, PADYAM, VAJRA PUPE, VAJRA
DUPE, VAJRA ALOKE, VAJRA GHENDE, VAJRA NEVIDYE, VAJRA SHAPTA PRATITSA
HUM SVAHA

Making the Inner Offering to the Self-Generation

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA OM AH HUM

Praises
O glorious Vajra Dakini,
ruler of all the dakinis,
you have realised the five wisdoms and the three bodies.
I bow down before you, my saviour.

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

Out of the sphere of emptiness that is pure from the beginning,

You appear in your impressive, wrathful form,
and reduce the ignorance of negatively minded maras to dust.
I bow down before you, ruler of the dakinis of the three realms.

You come from the sacred and supreme dakini realm.

You possess clairvoyance, miracle powers and vitality.
You protect practitioners like a mother protects her child.
Queen of the Dakinis of the three realms, I bow down in praise before you.

Request
O Bhagavati, Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha with all your retinue, please avert all the
negative thoughts and actions of human or non-human origin that disturb me and
my followers and grant all the ordinary and extraordinary siddhis.

Here, one has the choice to offer tormas and a tsog. If not, you may proceed to the
concluding section of the sadhana.

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

Offering the Tormas

Torma Blessing
OM VAJRA AMRITA KUNDALI HANA HANA HUM PHAT
OM SOBHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHUDDO HAM

Everything becomes empty. Out of emptiness a syllable A appears. It transforms into

a large and spacious skull cup. Within it the five kinds of flesh and the five kinds of
nectar melt into a great ocean of wisdom nectar.
OM AH HUM HA HO HRI 3x

Invoking the Torma Guests

The syllable HUM in my heart radiates light and invites the lion-headed Wisdom
Dakini from the dakini realm together with buddhas, bodhisattvas, viras and dakinis.
VAJRA SAMANDSA

Offering the Tormas

The guests ingest the essence of the tormas by means of light rays from their vajra
shaped tongues.
OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA IDAM BALIMTA KHA KHA KAHI KAHI
3 or 7x

Making the Outer Offerings

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA ARGHAM, PADYAM, VAJRA PUPE,
VAJRA DUPE, VAJRA ALOKE, VAJRA GHENDE, VAJRA NEVIDYE, VAJRA SHAPTA
PRATITSA HUM SVAHA

Making the Inner Offerings

OM DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SAPARIVARA OM AH HUM

Short Praise
You are endowed with an impressive lion’s head and large eyes
that radiate thousands of blue lights.
You generate tones and sounds to the delight of the Courageous Ones.
O Wisdom Dakini, I bow down before you.

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

Tsog Offering to Dakini Simhamukha

Blessings the Tsog Substances
OM VAJRA AMRITA KUNDALI HANA HANA HUM PHAT
OM SOBHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SOBHAVA SHUDDHO HAM

Everything becomes empty. Out of emptiness a syllable A appears. It transforms into

a large and spacious skull cup. Within it the five kinds of flesh and the five kinds of
nectar melt into a great ocean of wisdom nectar.
OM AH HUM 3x

Offering the Tsog

HO! I offer these five-fold tsog offerings
to the root and lineage gurus, the mandala deities, the protectors,
and especially to the three-fold Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha and her retinue.
Please accept these offerings and grant us the ordinary
and extraordinary siddhis.
OM GURU DEVA DAKINI SIMHAMUKHA SHRI DHARMAPALA SAPARIVARA
GHANACHAKRA SARVA PUJA KHAHI 3 or 7x

Here enjoy the tsog. At the end, the leftovers are gathered.

Blessings the Leftovers

OM AH HUM 3x

Invoking the Guests for the Offering of the Leftovers

PHEM

Offering the Leftovers

OM UTSISHTA BALIM BHAKSHA SVAHA

May those beings who are qualified to receive these leftovers be satisfied and may seeds
be sown whereby they become suitable vessels for the vajrayana vehicle.
Here, the leftovers are carried out.
Vajra songs may be performed at this point.

Colophon
This tsog offering was composed by Master Damtzig Dorje (1781 – 1855) and
translated by Lodro Tulku Rinpoche. German editing by Sonam Palmo and Ulrike
Koch. English Translation by Mary O’Beirne

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

Conclusion of the Sadhana

Praise
You come from the sacred and supreme dakini realm.
You possess clairvoyance, miracle powers and vitality.
You protect the practitioners like a mother protects her child.
Queen of the Dakinis of the three realms, I bow down in praise before you.

Wishing Prayer
Noble Bhagavati, ruler of the dakinis,
pacify and avert all the negative intentions
that could harm me, the community, and others.

Vajrasattva Heruka Mantra

(to purify any errors in the practice)
OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA HERUKA TENOPA TISHTA DRIDHO
MEBHAVA SUTOKHAYO MEBHAVA SUPOKHAYO MEBHAVA ANURAKTO
MEBHAVA SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYATSA SARVA KARMA SUTSAME TSITAM
SCHRIYAM KURU HUM HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAVAN VAJRA HERUKA MA ME
MUNTSA HERUKA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA AH HUM PHAT 3x

Request for Forgiveness

For not having found the correct materials,
for any lack of knowledge or abilities
and for all the errors I have committed,
I ask your forgiveness.

Bidding Farewell to the Guests

VAJRA MU

All the invited guests return to their own realms.4

Dissolution
Lights radiate out from the syllables in my heart dissolving the surroundings, my two
companions and my three seats5 into light, which then dissolve into me. [I dissolve
into the clear light.]

Reappearance
One visualises oneself as the deity within the protection chakra. After completing the sadhana one
carries out all daily activities between practice sessions in this form.

Dedication Prayer
Through these merits, may I
soon become the Wisdom Dakini
And lead all living beings without exception
into this state.

Auspicious Prayer
May all the auspicious prayers
to the dakinis and the five families
with their retinues be fulfilled.
May they bless us with joy and increase our vitality.

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 Short Sadhana of the Lion-Headed Wisdom Dakini Simhamukha

Colophon
This short sadhana was composed by Lodro Tulku Rinpoche on the basis of the longer
sadhana ‘Diamond of the Wisdom Dakini,’ and complemented by the Tiger-Headed
and Bear-Headed Wisdom Dakinis in Erlenbach, Switzerland, July 2021.

Edited by Sonam Palmo, Yeshe Wangmo and Claudia Webinger.

Translated into English by Mary O’Beirne, July 2021

May it bring about victory over ignorance!

Explanatory Notes
1
The substances are generated from HUM syllables.
2
It is a symbolic corpse.
3
The hyphens indicate short pauses between the mantra syllable groups. There are no specific mantras
for the companion dakinis.
4
or: “...they all dissolve into me.”
5
Lotus, sun disk, corpse