Description
The manuscript contains two Upoṣatha rituals dedicated to Vasundharā and Lokeśvara. Vasundharā is a well-known Bodhisattva associated with wealth and prosperity. Lokeśvara is a well-known Bodhisattva of compassion and, among the Newars, is closely associated with rainfall and the prosperity of crops. The Upoṣatha rituals encompass taking refuge in the Triple Gem and the observance of the Ten Precepts by lay devotees, together with contemplation on the virtues of the respective Bodhisattva, with the noble aim of accumulating merit. One important feature of the manuscript is that, in the Aṣṭamī Vrata dedicated to Lokeśvara, the Dharma Maṇḍala incorporates two texts, the Nāmasaṅgīti and the Pañcarakṣā, into the traditional collection of the Nine Sūtras. Although the principal mantras and prayers are in Sanskrit, Nepalbhasha is used throughout the manuscript as the language of ritual instructions. Both Upoṣatha rituals continue to be widely practiced in Newar Buddhism.
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