The Translation

[F.165.b]

1.1Homage to blessed Vajradhara.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing at the noble Lord Avalokiteśvara’s palace at the summit of Mount Potala. That bejeweled palace was ornamented with countless jewels, pearls, and gems, the light of which filled the trichiliocosm. In that region filled with the delightful scent of all kinds of flowers, the Blessed One was seated on a lion throne that had been arranged for him, surrounded by countless bodhisattvas led by Maitreya, [F.166.a] as well as many monks led by the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra. In that assembly was the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, who rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and prostrated his head at the Blessed One’s feet.

1.2He said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in the land of Magadha there is a king named Lord of Light who has an excellent retinue, queens, and abundant wealth. But beyond this, the king is afflicted with leprosy, boils, difficulty breathing, and heart disease. How can he be healed?”

1.3The Blessed One replied, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, long ago in this very world you, Mañjuśrī, were a bodhisattva called Great Wisdom, and noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda was a bodhisattva called Supreme Compassion. Those two bodhisattvas tamed a white lion, mounted it, and rode out to help beings of the trichiliocosm. They set out adorned with precious adornments and holding a trident, sword, lotus, and an utpala flower. But when the time came to cross the great ocean, they left the lion behind, shared the load, and continued onward. You, the bodhisattva Great Wisdom, thinking to benefit your friend, took your own life with your sword. But the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion thought that you had been killed by the nāgas, gods, and the like, who dwell in the heavens, below the earth, and in the sky. He then took up a brahmin’s skull as a drinking vessel, took his trident in his hand, and mounted the white lion. In sorrow, he bound his locks upon his crown.

1.4“He threatened the gods above while brandishing his trident at them, and said, [F.166.b]

1.6“The Four Great Kings, Śakra, lord of the gods, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, and the gods of the three worlds beamed with joy. They offered divine lotuses, kumuda flowers, white lotuses, campaka flowers, and the like, filling his skull cup.

1.7“He next threatened the gods of the sky, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, asuras, kumbhāṇḍa, garuḍas, and kinnaras, brandished his trident, and said,

1.9“He then brandished his trident at the eight classes. The nāga king Jeweled Crown, the gandharva king Pañcaśikha, the yakṣa king Vaiśravaṇa, the asura king Vemacitrin, the horse-headed kinnara king Druma, the kumbhāṇḍa king Nine-Headed Snake, the garuḍa king Golden Eyes, and the rest, together with their large retinues, beamed with joy and offered jeweled ornaments to the lion.

1.10“He next threatened the nāgas who live below the earth, saying,

1.12“He then stirred the great ocean with his trident. The nāga king Anavatapta, the nāga king Varuṇa, the nāga king Takṣaka, and the other six hundred thousand nāga kings, and their servants and retinues, who have miraculous powers, are radiant, and who cause the gods and asuras to battle all gathered together, beamed with joy. [F.167.a] The nāga king Varuṇa became a single white snake, bowed down, circumambulated the bodhisattva three times, and said,

1.14“Saying this he wrapped himself around the trident three times, turned to face the bodhisattva, said, ‘phuḥ phuḥ!’ respectfully bled from his mouth, and remained there.

1.15“The other nāga kings likewise joined their palms, circumambulated him three times, and said,

1.17“Saying this, the eight great nāgas became a single white snake and bound themselves around him as a sacred thread. Those nāga kings then said, ‘We are your servants. We will listen to whatever you command.’ Then all the nāgas returned to their own places.

1.18“Mañjuśrī, that bodhisattva then became known as Compassionate Nāga Tamer, and as Heart Disease Healer. Mañjuśrī, indeed that bodhisattva Great Wisdom of former times is none other than you, Mañjuśrī Vādisiṃha. And the one who at that time was the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion is now Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, the great leader of the nāgas, himself. Mañjuśrī, for the sake of the king I will pronounce the mantra of the Great Compassionate One‍—memorize it!

1.19namo ratna­trayāya | nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhi­sattvāya mahā­sattvāya mahā­kāruṇikāya | tadyathā| oṁ akaṭe vikaṭe nikaṭe kaṭaṃkaṭe karoṭe citijvala­karoṭavīrye svāhā ||

1.20“This dhāraṇī has been taught by eight hundred million buddhas, and I myself pronounce it now. Its rite accomplishes all of the activities without need of great difficulty. Before a statue or a painting of blessed Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, make eight distinct maṇḍalas with cow dung that has not fallen to the ground. Scatter each maṇḍala with five bunches of flowers and make offerings of flowers, [F.167.b] incense, perfumes, garlands, and scented powders. Then recite the dhāraṇī thirteen times at each maṇḍala and gather the dung. Incant that resulting dung and anoint the sick person with it. All of their illnesses will be healed. All illnesses caused by the poison of gods, nāgas, and others will be healed. If it does not succeed within twenty-one days, then, Mañjuśrī, the Great Compassionate One himself, will have committed the five deeds with immediate retribution. Mañjuśrī, this is the Great Compassionate One’s own promise. Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī will free the great king from his ill health, the heart disease that afflicts him, and in his next life he will be reborn in the realm of Sukhāvatī.

1.21“Listen, Mañjuśrī! The Buddha Amitābha and the rest of the nine-hundred ninety million buddhas have taught this essence mantra, and now I teach it:

1.22oṁ aḥ hrīḥ siṃhanāda hūṁ phaṭ ||

1.23“Reciting this essence vidyāmantra just once frees the reciter from all evil deeds.

1.25“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa have all taught this mantra, and now I, Śākyamuni, teach it as well.

1.26namo ratna trayāya | namo hayagrīvāya | namo lokesvarāya |

1.27tadyathā |oṁ hrīḥ kulu yulu nīlakaṇṭha hulu hulu tiṣṭha tiṣṭha bandha bandha māraya māraya hā hā hā hā vajrakrodha hayagrīva hṛīḥ hūṁ phaṭ ||

1.28“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī is the mantra of Padma Hayagrīva, who is Avalokiteśvara himself.

1.31“Mañjuśrī, other people are afflicted by illnesses of blood or bile, sicknesses of wind or cold, or are afflicted by kṣatriya nāgas, brahmin nāgas, and outcaste or śūdra nāgas. Therefore, they have joyless, ill hearts; they have difficulty breathing, their stomachs and backs ache, their heads ache, they have headaches on one side, indigestion, swelling, crippled limbs, pregnancy-related illnesses, animal-related illnesses, fractures of their joints and skin, urinary diseases, phlegmy coughs, and fractured bones. They stoop, are crippled, have a weak appetite, have skin pustules, tumors, edema, blisters, rashes, abscesses, swollen and blocked throats, gout, persisting sensations of cold, heat, and so on. They are as if afflicted by different kinds of leprosy and boils; they are afflicted by gods, māras, brahmas, yamas, rock spirits, graha that disturb their mental state, angered hearth spirits, lake goddesses, nāgas or the like; they have been made ill by yakṣas, bhūtas, vināyakas, or flesh-eating graha; and they become ill in one of the myriad ways. All of this is suffering born from nonvirtue.”

1.32The Blessed One said, “O bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, listen!

1.36ā hrīḥ hri paṁ taṁ naṁ ||

1.38“One should exert oneself in worshiping the buddhas using offerings of flowers, incense, perfumes, flower garlands, scented unguents, parasols, banners, pendants, scented powders, and all sorts of ornaments.

1.40hrīḥ nāga lele nāga dumva lele nāga phut phut hale hale hāla hāla sphuṭa sphuṭa nāga bright flickering svāhā ||

1.41“‘May the poison from the minds of all nāgas and vināyakas, the poison from seeing them, the poison from binding them, the poison from their breath, the poison from touching them, and all poison be expelled svāhā!

1.43“Mañjuśrī, here are the initiations bestowed by the tathāgatas from their crown:

1.44hriḥ bruṁ oṁ hūṁ khaṁ ||

1.60Then the Blessed One said, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, this king is filled with nāga poison. Since the nāga king Varuṇa rules over all nāgas, he should expel it. [F.169.b]

1.62oṁ varuṇāya svāhā | oṁ anantāya svāhā | oṁ vāsūkāya svāhā | oṁ takṣakāya svāhā | oṁ karkoṭāya svāhā | oṁ padmāya svāhā | oṁ mahāpadmāya svāhā | oṁ śaṅkhapālāya svāhā | oṁ kulikāya svāhā ||

1.65“Mañjuśrī, this power does not come from somewhere else‍—it is the power of the Noble Avalokiteśvara. It is his strength. It is his blessing. The Compassionate One’s excellent qualities are inexpressible, but I will try to express some of them here.

1.77“Whoever makes this praise and recites it will purify even the karmic stains from committing the five deeds of immediate retribution. They will enter into all maṇḍalas and recite all mantras. For a thousand eons, they will never take birth in the lower realms and will never be born in a female body.

1.78“Anyone who rises early in the morning, bathes with fragrant water, observes cleanliness, and recites this dhāraṇī, writes it down, upholds it, or has others recite or chant it, or who recites the essence and dhāraṇīmantra in front of the deeply compassionate Siṃhanāda, that person will be freed from illnesses such as leprosy, ringworm, boils, swelling, skin disorders, rashes, itching, abscesses, a swollen and blocked throat, edema, consumption, ruptured kidneys, organ diseases, the various illness related to khākorḍa maṇḍalas, lung disease, difficulty breathing, and disorders caused by wind, bile, phlegm, or their combination.

1.79“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī has been blessed by all the tathāgatas. Anyone, including that great king, who writes this dhāraṇī down in a book, keeps it, recites it, masters it, worships it, puts it into writing, and keeps that book in their home, village, town, region, or kingdom, or in a temple, will be attended by the glorious Mahākāla, the Four Great Kings, the nāga king Varuṇa, and the eight great nāgas. They will conquer any hostile forces, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, malevolent grahas, [F.171.a] vināyakas, or opponents within a thousand leagues.

1.80“If one has committed any mistakes in meditation or writing, or has erred in mantra, mudrā, explanation, or listening, reciting this dhāraṇī will purify them. Whoever is protected by this dhāraṇī, rescued by it, nurtured by it, pacified by it, or made happy by it will not be harmed by weapons, poison, poisonous brews, khākorḍas and kṛtyās, fevers, or any other harm, nor will they meet with untimely death. Anyone who harms them will be annihilated.”

1.81When the Blessed One finished speaking, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra, and the whole world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.

1.82This completes “The Dhāraṇī of Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda.”