A human skull is only considered a
"Jewel bowl" (rin chen thod pa) or a "Whishfulfilling Gem" (yid bzhin nor bu)
when it bears specific marks and is found in positive circumstances. It is
possible to determine the qualities of a skull on a living person; people with
big, sharp and pointed noses, thin necks, a high forehead, pronounced eyebrows
and stained teeth have suitable skulls. The sex of the person is immaterial.
Should one come across a skull still attached to a corpse, it is important to
take account of the direction the head is turned towards. If it is bent
backwards for instance, the skull will give power, if it is bent downwards it
will bestow wealth, and so forth. The location of the skull is also of
consequence; if it is found on a mountain peak the bearer will obtain dominance,
if found near a village or city his followers will increase. Should it be
discovered in springtime early in the morning, illness and suffering will
overcome by its aid. Found in summer at noon, it will give wealth and so on. If
a head is found which is already detached from the body it will bring good luck,
a happy life without enemies, and one will not be affected by leprosy and
leukemia. A human head found near a water course due to an accident or murder is
only favorable if death had occurred quickly.
Although, as mentioned above both male and female skulls are utilized, it is
important to be aware of the original owner's gender. In order to determine the
sex of a decomposed skull the texture and sutures are examined (female skulls
have a thinner texture near the ear and the vein imprints are deeper). If that
will not yield a positive result a curious practice is reported: only a female
skull will produce a special "tinkling sound" when the examiner urinates into
it.
Before embarking on a detailed examination of the physical features of the
skull, the Tantric practitioner has to check the "Feel of it". Does it feel
heavier than it looks? Has his emotional pattern changed since he handled the
skull? If he should feel 'overwhelming joy, loving kindness and relief of burden
then the skull may be considered a "Precious palace" and no father examinations
are necessary.
The next investigations concern the skull's shape since it is related to the
four kinds of activities which can be preformed with the aid of the skull. An
oval shape is useful for pacifying activities, a square one is enriching, if the
shape is triangular, it is destructive, if simi-circular, it is controlling. If
the shape is undefined, it is completely neutral. If it is distorted, one should
get rid of the skull. The gTer ma text by Sangs rgyas gLing pa contains
additional classifications. It mentions skulls formed like a barley grain, a
belly-shaped skull, a jewel-like skull, a Vajra-shaped (useful to increase one's
lineage), a lotus and an elephant shape which are said to be able to fulfill
particular desires for wealth, power, love ect.
Also of importance for the ritualistic value of a skull is its colour. All five
types of colour are found and they can have a variety of faults, such as bluish
tings or frostiness. Yellow is like gold, varying to gold-nugget and to
pinchbeck. Brown is like garnet, varying to gem-like and to coral. White is
similar to conch, varying to swallow grey and to ashen colours. But only a
proper skull will "gleam and sparkle brightly" if viewed from a distance. As to
touch, the surface must be smooth and soft. It should not be pale nor rough and
grainy. All convex bumps should be on the outside and all concave crevices on
the inside, so that the skull looks like "an elephant's back". It should have
lines on the outside at the height of the ears which resemble an elephant's
trunk and the cutting line around the skull should be demonstrate a bone texture
of even thickness. Highly estimated is a skull with a "Brahma hole", the
physical sign of yogic attainment achieved by transference of consciousness at
the moment of death (pho ba). If no perforation is clearly visible a water test
may be preformed. If water is poured into the skull bubbles, the "Brahma hole"
is considered to be present. Such skulls are believed to contain the yogic
powers of the deceased which will transmit to the skull holder.
Of immediate interest to the examiner is also the number of sections. Skulls
with one to six and nine sections are mentioned but it is the one-sectioned
skull which is considered the most valuable because of its great rarity. It is
also said that one-sectioned skulls are those of highly realized persons, of
Bodhisattvas, whose sainthood remains in the skull as a living inspiring force.
Therefore one-sectioned skulls are the most suitable offering vessels for
Tantric cults. If one comes across such a skull, one should not keep it for
oneself, but should offer it a saint like teacher who will make the best use of
the skull for the welfare of all sentient beings. By the merit of such an
offering, the blessings of the skull will thus return to oneself. In such a way
one avoids harm caused by mishandling the skull due to lack of personal power.
To qualify as a dum pu gcig pa a skull must show one of two characteristics: a)
it must show no visible suture lines at all or b) have a small gap (the length
of at least one barley corn) between the suture lines thus uniting the two
halves. The teeth of the sutures which are called "pearl teeth" must be fine and
well fitting. Translated into western understanding of anatomy, these "sections"
of skulls are enclosed "Knocheninseln" (bone islands), usually considered as a
normal kind of variation. However concerning the capacity of its personality
bearer no research has been done so far in Western medical science. According to
Grags pa rGyal mtshan a skull deteriorates with its growing number of sections,
a circumstance which he connects to the Indian cast system: a one piece skull is
a ksaitreya who controls all people, land and property. A two-sectioned skull is
a vaishya, it works for the king and knows how to amass food. A three-sectioned
skull is a brahmin, it stimulates the realization of Mantra. A four-sectioned
skull is a shudra and thus amasses an entourage. A five-sectioned skull is an
outcast, it is a skull cup suitable for a fierce person as it wins disputes. Six
or more sections stimulate illness. They are known to be inauspicious and should
be abandoned. However, for destruction Mantras, for causing hail, for causing
enemies, obstacles and inauspicious demons, one uses the ill-omened
six-sectioned, seven-, eight- or nine section skull cup.
The Tibetan manuscript Thod pa'i lo rgyu mentions strange encounters with skulls
in ancient India where the particular value of the skull with one, two, three or
more sections was mainly communicated in dreams. In such a way a herdsman gained
control over the country and turned into a Bodhisattva with the help of a
one-piece skull; the possession of a two-piece skull made a beggar king, a
three-piece skull stopped a famine, a four-piece skull turned a sinful man into
a practitioner of Dharma and so forth.
But let us return to the description of the skull's features. Inside at the
front it should have a sharp ridge like a Garuda's peak or a tiger claw which
will enable one to pick up the skull at this point on one finger. The vein
imprints on the surface should be deep and shaped like a "blossoming tree". Much
emphasis is laid on the distinction between one's own place and the enemy's
place. For this one divides the skull-cup in the middle crosswise, half way from
the front to the back, across the line of pearl teeth. On the outside, the
frontal line of pearl teeth is considered as the division. On the inside, the
division is considered from the supra-oracular plates. The side of the rang sa
should be smooth and full of auspicious signs, such as swastikas for attaining
realization, a mongoose for increasing the heads, an umbrella for associates, a
throne for respect and so forth. Worm holes, burn marks and the like are
considered bad if situated in one's own place and good if they are in the
enemy's.
The left side of the skull is called the "human side" (mi sa), the right side is
the "possessions" (nor sa). Grags pa rGyal mtshan subdivides each side into many
small sections of a finger's length (sor). They stand for the owners life force,
wealth, magic power, personality and so forth respectively. At the "place of
descendants" one may recognize the quality of wives, sons, pupils ect. In the
same manner the enemy's side is examined where all positive marks are of dire
consequence for the bearer. (FIG
1)