1The Sarvadurgatipariśodhana Tantra (hereafter SDP), or Purification of All Negative Rebirths, is a Buddhist yoga tantra that has long been associated with funerary practices in multiple Buddhist cultures. However, when it comes to ritual practice, the tantra itself, as with most canonical tantras, gives no practical guidance. Instead, this task falls to the genres of local ritual manuals and handbooks that have emerged around the text and evolved over the centuries. This dissertation examines several such manuals drawn from two separate traditions where the SDP has proved important: Tibetan texts from Dunhuang and bilingual Newari-Sanskrit texts from the Kathmandu Valley. Since they originate from very different historical contexts, the aim is not to compare them with one another but rather to consider the diverse range of ritual traditions that have developed based on the SDP. In taking this into account, the dissertation shows that, rather than drawing on funerary elements alone, Buddhist tantric funerary rites in these traditions make use of the same basic tantric technology central to yoga tantra in general, including initiation and sādhana techniques. It also argues that the adaptability of the text relates to its capacity to combine with other types of Buddhist tantric ritual technology, a quality that may also contribute to its widespread popularity and remarkable longevity.

2Part one focuses on a Tibetan initiation manual from Dunhuang that may be used for the living or the dead. It proposes a re-ordering of the manuscript and a reading of the text as a coherent whole centring on the SDP maṇḍala and incorporating two others. Notable in particular is the relative lack of customisation in the text and the absence of any particular focus on the consciousness of the deceased. Part two examines 19th-century Newari-Sanskrit manuals, and in particular ones that combine the SDP tradition with the practice of utkrānti, an advanced technique that involves recalling the consciousness of the deceased to their body, performing initiations and finally directing the consciousness to depart again via the crown of the head in order to ensure a good rebirth. Finally, part two provides new material for the study of Newar Buddhism, an area that has received comparatively little attention. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of the SDP tradition and addresses different regional Buddhist tantric funerary practices based on it. It also takes a close look at the genre of ritual manuals and considers the relationship between localisation, levels of detail and the pragmatic needs of ritualists.