An offering, originating in the Vedic tradition, traditionally made out of uncooked food and performed in the home prior to cooking a meal by arranging portions of the ingredients and then casting them outside or into the sacred fire.

Bharo “Maimed Hand,” the Newar master and who was one of Ra Lotsāwa’s main teachers. His work with Ra Lotsāwa, locates him in the eleventh to twelfth centuries.

Also known as Dīpaṅkaraśrī, this is another name of the Newar master Bharo Chakdum, one of Ra. Lotsāwa’s main teachers.

One of the four primary categories of ritual activities, it involves summoning and controlling a desired target.

A type of ritual activity that aims to drive someone out of an area, or to drive away non-human beings.

An oblation offered into a ritual fire; the repeated act of casting an offering into the fire, where each throw is accompanied by a single repetition of the mantra.

A common epithet of the god Śiva.

Possibly Sunucus murinus, which is also known as the Asian house shrew.

Ra Lotsāwa Dorjé Drakpa (rwa lo tsā ba rdo rje grags pa, c. 1016–1128) was an important translator and lineage holder of the Vajrabhairava teachings. He received his main tantric training (Vajrabhairava and Vajravārāhī) in Nepal under the master Bharo Chakdum (bha ro phyag rdum).

A major branch recension of the Kangyur originally based on a compilation of the Kangyur produced in 1431 in Gyantsé.

Three spicy substances of traditional South Asian medicine: black pepper, long pepper, and dry ginger.

A major branch recension of the Kangyur originally based on a compilation of the Kangyur produced at Gungthang monastery in central Tibet from 1347–51 under the sponsorship of the local ruler, Tshalpa Künga Dorjé (1309–64).

A wrathful Buddhist tantric deity with the head of a buffalo. He is the main deity of the Vajrabhairava cycle of tantras (Toh 468–472) and is considered an emanation of Mañjuśrī.

A type of incantation or spell used to accomplish a ritual goal. This can be associated with either ordinary attainments or those whose goal is awakening.

The Sanskrit literally means “enemy of Yama.

The longest unit of distance in classical India. The lack of a uniform standard for the smaller units means that there is no precise equivalent, especially as its theoretical length tended to increase over time. Therefore it can mean between four and ten miles.