Toh 2051Personal Instructions on Summoning a Nāgī By Reciting “Aphūḥ”

Exposition of the Nāgyaphūnāmopadeśa

Personal Instructions on Summoning a Nāgī Through Recitation of the Syllable “Aphūḥ”

Background

This scripture belongs to the Tengyur, the Tibetan Treatise Canon, a collection of auxiliary teachings and specialized practice instructions in the Tibetan Buddhist Mahayana tradition. It is not one of the principal scriptures in the collection of the Buddha’s Word (Kangyur), but rather a commentary or distinct method of practice originating from highly accomplished masters.

In the context of Tibetan Buddhism, Nāgīs, female nāgas, are regarded as bodhisattvas or divine beings who protect the Dharma, possessing supernatural powers and knowledge of natural treasures. Summoning these beings through devoted practice is not for the purpose of greed, but in order to gather forces that protect the Buddhist Dharma and living beings. The syllable “Aphūḥ,” a bija mantra, is considered a sound that resonates directly with the nature of these female nāgas.

This practice comes from the Tantra and Tibetan Vajrayana tradition, where secret language, mantras, and visualized imagery are used to connect the practitioner’s mind with cosmic powers and spiritual forces.

Main Content

This instruction presents a specific method for contacting the energy of the female nāgas through correctly reciting the syllable “Aphūḥ.” The practice begins by establishing a pure mind: the practitioner must have the clear intention that they are not influencing spiritual beings through greedy desire, but with reverence and a noble purpose.

The syllable “Aphūḥ” is recited not as an ordinary summons, but as the manifestation in sound of the nature of dharmata that the female nāgas themselves contain. With each recitation, this sound is emitted from the practitioner’s spiritual center, forming a wave of causes and conditions that connects with them.