Horary and electional astrology of the five components

Introduction

There is no great distinction made in Tibetan texts between the information given for electional and horary astrology. Most of the information given is in terms of

electional astrology – for example, is a particular lunar day favorable for a certain activity, or not? The same basic symbolism would also be applied to horary astrology, when a person asks a question of an astrologer. The nature of the question will usually be related to some activity as defined in the categories for electional astrology.

There are two ways in which the information on electional astrology is given in Tibetan texts. First is a listing of, say, the lunar days or rising signs, with the activities described for which each is favourable or unfavourable. The information given is usually very brief. For example, in the listings given below, some foods are associatd with the lunar mansions. The original Tibetan text these are taken from (baiḍūrya dkar po, by sde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho) gives no more information than this, and does not say how this information is to be used.

Clearly, the intention is to build up by means of what is essentially a set of keywords, a picture of the meaning of each factor: each lunar mansion, lunar day, and so forth. This is very similar to the manner in which western astrology is often taught, albeit with much less explanation!

The second way in which this information is presented is by means of a listing of various activities, together with the auspicious and inauspicious factors for each: good and bad lunar mansions, good and bad rising signs, and so forth.

The Tibetans inherited most of their electional astrology from India, and these lists go into surprisingly pedantic detail. It is understandable that such activities as marriage and moving house would be included, but many are surprised to find needlework and the cutting of hair and fingernails in such lists. A selection of these activities is given below, after some of the most important characteristics of the lunar mansions, perhaps the most important of all the factors that are considered. More information will be added to this page at a later date.

The Lunar Mansions and activities

The following information on the lunar mansions is mainly based on two Tibetan sources, the "White Beryl" (baiḍūrya dkar po, mentioned above, and the "Treasury of Jewels" (rin po che'i gter mdzod) by Pawo Tsuklag Threngwa. However, both classical and modern texts on Indian systems give almost identical material. See, for example, the "Brihat Samhita" of Varaha Mihira, and the modern work "The Nakshatras" by Dennis M. Harness.

0. Aśvinī. Trade, fine arts, etc. Learning astrology or astronomy. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

1. Bharaṇī. Destruction, deceit, etc.

2. Kṛittikā. Mixed type of work.

3. Rohiṇī. Coronation, sowing of seeds, and other permanent things. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Laying the foundation of a home. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment.

4. Mṛigaśiras. Sex, making friends, ornaments, marriage, etc. Buying a home. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Laying the foundation of a home. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

5. Ārdrā. Attacks, incantations, murders, separation of friends. Surgical treatment.

6. Punarvasu. Temporary works. Buying a home. Installing a deity or building a temple. Learning astrology or astronomy. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

7. Puṣya. Trade, sex, fine arts, etc. Installing a deity or building a temple. Learning astrology or astronomy. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Studying the Vedas or the Shastras. Travel, setting out on a journey. Making a will.

8. Āśleṣā. Incantations, attacks, etc. Buying a home. Surgical treatment.

9. Maghā. Destruction, deceit, etc. Buying a home. Planting and sowing.

10. Pūrvaphalgunī. Destruction, deceit, etc. Buying a home. Learning music or dance.

11. Uttaraphalgunī. Coronation, sowing of seeds and other permanent things. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Laying the foundation of a home. Planting and sowing.

12. Hastā. Trade, sex, fine arts, etc. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Laying the foundation of a home. Learning astrology or astronomy. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

13. Citrā. Marriage, ornaments, sex, etc. Laying the foundation of a home. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment.

14. Svātī. Temporary work. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Learning astrology or astronomy. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Studying the Vedas or the Shastras.

15. Viśākhā. Mixed type of work. Buying a home.

16. Anurādhā. Sex, making friends, ornaments, marriage, etc. Marriage. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

17. Jyeṣṭha. Incantations, attacks, etc. Laying the foundation of a home. Learning music or dance. Surgical treatment.

18. Mūla. Incantations, attacks, etc. Buying a home. Learning astrology or astronomy. Planting and sowing. Surgical treatment (Tue&Sat). Travel, setting out on a journey.

19. Pūrvāṣhāḍhā. Destruction, deceit, etc.

20. Uttarāṣāḍhā. Coronation, sowing of seeds and other permanent works. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Laying the foundation of a home. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment.

21. Śravaṇa. Temporary works. Laying the foundation of a home. Medical treatment. Studying the Vedas or the Shastras. Travel, setting out on a journey.

21. Abhijit. Trade, fine arts, sex, etc.

22. Dhaniṣṭhā. Temporary works. Learning music or dance. Medical treatment. Studying medicine. Travel, setting out on a journey.

23. Śatabhiṣaj. Temporary works. Learning music or dance. Medical treatment. Studying medicine.

24. Pūrvabhādrapāda. Destruction, deceit, etc.

25. Uttarābhādrapāda. Coronation, sowing of seeds and other permanent things. Marriage. Installing a deity or building a temple. Learning music or dance. Medical treatment.

26. Revatī. Sex, making friends, ornaments, marriage, etc. Buying a home. Marriage. Learning astrology or astronomy. Learning music or dance. Planting and sowing. Medical treatment. Travel, setting out on a journey.

Nature of the Lunar mansions

The following is a list of keywords associated with the lunar mansions. Notice that the categories given here also relate to the activities given in the list above. For example, the four lunar mansions given in the list above as suitable for trade are categorised in the list below as "unstable". The planetary rulers are also given

0. Aśvinī (tha skar). Unstable, light and swift, enemies. Meat, honey. Sun.

1. Bharaṇī (bra nye). Success in stable aims, severe, pollution. Sesame, rice. Moon.

2. Kṛittikā (smin drug). Balanced, mixed, repetition. Curd. Mars.

3. Rohiṇī (snar ma). Very stable, permanent, good fortune. Yoghurt/honey. Mercury.

4. Mṛigaśiras (mgo). Quickly good, mild and tender, pollution. Game (wild) meat. Jupiter.

5. Ārdrā (lag). Bad, dreadful, traveller. Blood, water. Venus.

6. Punarvasu (nabs so). Quick change, ephemeral, good fortune. Pastry. Saturn.

7. Puṣya (rgyal). Unstable, light and swift, accomplishment. Honey, rabbit. Sun.

8. Āśleṣā (skag). Bad, dreadful, traveller. Snake meat. Moon.

9. Maghā (mchu). Success in stable aims, severe, enemies. Sesame soup. Mars.

10. Pūrvaphalgunī (gre). Success in stable aims, severe, pollution. Rice and roasted sesame. Mercury.

11. Uttaraphalgunī (dbo). Very stable, permanent, enemies. Millet. Jupiter.

12. Hastā (me bzhi). Unstable, light and swift, death. Bird meat, grain ears. Venus.

13. Citrā (nag pa). Quickly good, mild and tender, repetition. Fruit. Saturn.

14. Svātī (sa ri). Quick change, ephemeral, accomplishment. Flour, sesame soup, Nepalese dal. Sun.

15. Viśākhā (sa ga). Balanced, mixed, enemies. Sesame, flowers, Indian dal. Moon.

16. Anurādhā (lha mtshams). Quickly good, mild and tender, repetition. Alcohol, small pulses, honey. Mars.

17. Jyeṣṭha (snron). Bad, dreadful, traveller. Red rice, rice soup. Mercury.

18. Mūla (snrubs). Bad, dreadful, pollution. Milk, "nag rtsa", tree fruit? Jupiter.

19. Pūrvāṣhāḍhā (chu stod/bre). Success in stable aims, severe, good fortune. Banyan. Venus.

20. Uttarāṣāḍhā (chu smad). Very stable, permanent, accomplishment. Honey, rabbit. Saturn.

21. Śravaṇa (gro bzhin). Quick change, ephemeral, repetition. Fresh butter, bird meat. Sun.

21. Abhijit (byi bzhin). Unstable, light and swift, repetition. Wind. Moon.

22. Dhaniṣṭhā (mon gre). Quick change, ephemeral, traveller. Indian dāl, mouse meat. Mars.

23. Śatabhiṣaj (mon gru). Very stable, ephemeral, good fortune. Goat meat. Mercury.

24. Pūrvabhādrapāda (khrums stod). Success in stable aims, severe, death. Bloody mutton. Jupiter.

25. Uttarābhādrapāda (khrums smad). Quick change, permanent, death. Nepali dāl. Venus.

26. Revatī (nam gru). Quickly good, mild and tender, accomplishment. Mince. Saturn

Activities

The following is a selection from one of the major lists of activities and their associated astrology – which factors are auspicious and which are not. Any that are not mentioned are considered neutral. The numbers associated with the activities are those from the original list. Others will be added later once they have been translated and checked.

The original lists give information from both Indian and Chinese astrology together, and although the purpose here is to cover Indian astrology, the Chinese material has also been included. All of this information comes from a small (but very legible) text which follows the methods of the "White Beryl". This text is the 'bras rtsis bai dkar dgongs don kun phan me long.