Twenty-four great sacred places

Twenty-four great sacred places (Wyl. gnas chen nyer bzhi)

According to the Hevajra Tantra these are:

1. Jalandhara
2. Oddiyana
3. Paurnagiri
4. Kamarupa
5. Malaya
6. Sindhu
7. Nagara
8. Munmuni
9. Karunyapataka
10. Kulata
11. Arbuta
12. Godavari
13. Himadri
14. Harikela
15. Lampaka
16. Kani
17. Saurasta
18. Kalinga
19. Kokana
20. Caritra
21. Kosala, and
22. Vindhyakaumarapaurika

Other Traditions

Other sources, such as the sadhana of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo from the Longchen Nyingtik, give a different enumeration of these twenty-four sacred places. They abide on the vajra-body inherent in every sentient being, which is symbolized here by the body of Vajrayogini. These twenty-four are divided in three groups:

a) Eight celestial abodes (Skt. - khagacharya, Wyl. mkha' spyod): 1) The crown of the head is Jalandhara, 2) in between the eyebrows is Pulliramalaya, 3) the nape is Arbuta, 4) the urna (the hair at the center of the forehead) is Rameshvara, 5) the right ear is Oddiyana, 6) the left ear is Godavari, 7) the eyes are Devikota, and 8) the shoulders are Malava.

b) Eight earthly abodes (Skt. gocharya, Wyl. sa spyod: 9) the throat is Lampaka, 10) the underarms and kidneys are Kamarupa, 11) the two breasts are Odra, 12) the navel is Trishanku, 13) the nose-tip is Koshala, 14) the palate is Kalinga, 15) the heart is both Kanchika and 16) Himalaya (Himavat).

c) Eight undergound abodes (Skt. bhugarbha, Wyl. sa 'og gi gnas brgyad): 17) the genitals are Pretapuri, 18) the anus is Grihadeva, 19) the thumbs and the big toes are Maru, 20) the thighs are Saurashtra, 21) the calves are Suvarnadvipa, 22) the sixteen other fingers and toes are Nagara, 23) the knees are Kulata, and 24) the ankles are Sindhu.