Why are Vajrasattva, Tara and Ushnisha Vijaya described as the Three Supremes or the Three Special Deities? In all lineages of Buddhism, the triad of practice represents: purifying Ignorance to attain wisdom; overcoming our fears and poisons to remove suffering; and ultimately, to triumph over death, through Enlightenment. As Dharmakaya Supreme Buddha, Vajrasattva, represents Wisdom. As Karma Mother, Green Tara is Supreme Compassionate Method and Wisdom. As the Crown of All Buddhas, Usnisha Vijaya is the Supreme Realizations overcoming Death itself.

We can describe these three as the Three Jewels, or as the Three Supremes, or the Three Great Bodhisattvas, or as the Three Roots. All of these describe the same trinity of wisdom, compassionate method, and realizations (Enlightenment.) The Three Supremes overcome the three great obstacles: Ignorance (with Wisdom), the Poisons (with Compassionate Method) and Death itself (with Enlightened Realizations.)

Three Supremes

The Triumphant Buddha Trinity, are often known as the “Three Special Deities” or the Three Supremes: Vajrasattva, Tara, and Ushnisha Vijaya, representing the rapid path to realizations and Enlightenment. Together,  they symbolize the Three Jewels, the three aspects of practice,  which are wisdom, compassionate method and activity; and also overcoming the three major obstacles of ignorance, suffering, and death.

In the practice of the Three Supremes, we have the Wisdom of Vajrasattva, who purifies the poison of ignorance;  the Enlightened Activities of Tara, which represents overcoming the eight dangers in Samsara; and the Compassionate method of Ushnisha Vijaya, which helps us overcome the obstacle of death.

Video: Ushnisha Vijaya’s Supreme Dharani from Sutra:

This is explained in the opening praises of several of Marpa Lotsawa’s practice sadhans. For exmaple, from the Sadhana of Venerable Tara:

“Arising from the Ushnisha, Namgyalma, destroying the Lord of Death ; Tara, who liberates the fears of Samsara; Lord of All Families, Vajrasattva; I bow to the wonderful and supreme deities.”

Three Supremes of Practice

The Three Supremes, or Three Aspects, complete all three areas of Practice, which are Wisdom, Compassionate Method, and Activities. The Three Supremes represent the same thing as the Three Jewels, the Three Great Bodhisattvas and the Three Roots.

• The Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, represent, respectively, Wisdom,  Compassionate Method, and activities.
• With the Three Great Ones, the Bodhisattvas:  Manjushri represents Wisdom, Avalokiteshvara represents Compassionate methods, and Vajrapani represents the power of activities.
• With the Three Roots: Guru or Teacher represents the root of Wisdom, Yidam represents the root of Compassionate method, and Dakini represents the root of activities.
• Symbolizing the Threes in Vajrayana are the practice supports of bell, vajra and mala. Bell represents Wisdom, Vajra represents compassionate means, and mala represents activities, realizations and accomplishments.

All of these are reflections of the same Three Supremes, the same practices and wisdoms, presented in various ways to convey core truths. Regardless of how you visualize or practice the three supremes, every Buddhist practice includes an equal emphasis on Wisdom, Compassionate Method and Activity.

Video: The King of Prayers (Samantabhadra’s aspiration), for example, begins with Refuge in the Three Jewels, Roots and then the Seven Limbs (the limbs of practice) — a supreme practice in Mahayana Buddhism:

You can think of it as two, plus one, in the old metaphor of the wings of a bird. Wisdom and Compassion are the two wings, but the bird only flies when both wings flap — the activities of wisdom and compassion working together.

For example, Buddha attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. If he simply wanted to help himself, we would never have heard of his triumph. Instead, he then applied his wisdom and compassion, by teaching his disciples, which became the recorded Dharma teachings. He also shared his realizations in Enlightened Activities — teaching the Dharma in such a compelling way that the Sangha community grew and spread around the world. Without the Sangha’s activity we would never have heard of the Dharma.

For this reason, we don’t only take Refuge in Buddha. We don’t only take refuge in Dharma. We take refuge in all Three: Buddha Dharma and Sangha; or Teacher, Yidam and Dakini, or Vajrasattva, Ushnisha Vijaya and Tara, or Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani.

Wisdom without Compassion is incomplete. Wisdom and Compassion without activity is a flightless bird. We have to flap our wings with Enlightened Activities, to fly to the other shore of Enlightenment.

The Three Supremes from Marpa Lotsawa

In several lineage teachings transmitted by Marpa Lotsawa, the Three Supremes are Vajrasattva, Tara and Ushnisha Vijaya, the Three Great Buddhas. Why these three? Although all Buddhas are Conquerors, these three specifically represent conquering the three largest obstacles to realizations: overcoming ignorance; the five poisons and eight dangers; and ultimately, realizations that take us to the other shore, or Enlightenment.

Together, they represent the triad of practice: purifying our ignorance and negative karmas; overcoming our fears, the poisons and our dangers; and ultimately triumph over death when we attain Enlightenment.

Among the most beautiful of practices is the Three Special Deities practices, brought from India to Tibet by the great translator hero-teacher Marpa Lotsawa.

Marpa Lotsawa and the Three Supremes

Marpa Lotsāwa (མར་པ་ལོ་ཙཱ་བ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས་, 1012–1097), sometimes fully known as Marpa Chökyi Lodrö  or more familiarly referred to as Marpa the Translator, was a pivotal figure in Buddhism. Renowned for bringing extensive Vajrayana teachings from India, he played a crucial role in the establishment of the Mahamudra teachings and lineages. In recognition of his significant impact, the lineage he founded, the Kagyu, is often called Marpa Kagyu.

The Lotsawas or great translators of Tibet were genuine Dharma heroes and treasures. They spent their entire lives in difficult journeys of months or years to India, through a landscape of perils. For this reason, Tara was their constant companion, protecting them as they journeyed. Their lives were epic in scope and scale, and their contribution to the Dharma is supreme.

Video: 100 syllable mantra of Vajrasatttva:

Of these, Marpa was the greatest. His most famous student was the great Milarepa. Yet it is Marpa who brought the teachings treasured in many lineages today.

Each journey over the mountain passes brought danger from the elements and bandits. He spent many months struggling to journey to India and Nepal, to learn from the greatest Mahasiddhas, including Naropa.

The scale of his grand journey was as epic as Xuanzang, the 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk who inspired the epic novel Journey to the West, and who heroically brought back 657 Buddhist texts from India to China.

Marpa traveled seven times from Tibet to India and four times to Nepal. On his third visit, Marpa went through another battle with the elements as he searched for the elusive Naropa, who was hidden in the wilderness in retreat. He was nowhere to be found, yet Marpa knew Naropa would be his main guru. With determination, trust, and devotion, Marpa finally found Naropa and received the ultimate teachings and instructions from him.

Tara’s mantra 108 times is part of any practice of the Three Supremes:

To Learn More about the Three Special Ones:

• Vajrasattva, the Supreme Purifier>>
• Tara, the Supreme Activity of all the Buddhas>>
• Ushnisha Vijaya, the Supreme overcoming Death>>

Merit Practice of the Three Special Deities

The cycle of teachings from Marpa on the Three Special Deities includes separate practices for each of the three, but all sadhanas start with the praise to all Three Special Deities. We might focus on our Yidam as a main practice, but start with the praise, prostration and offerings to the Three Special Deities. The following recitation is from the Sadhana of Venerable Tara called Udamvara Flower, a subsection of the Three Special Deities passed down from Master Marpa the Translator. Here we only recite the frontal generation together with the seven limbs of practice and visualized offerings, followed by the mantras.

In all Vajrayana practices of most Yidams we recite the 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva first, to purify. In this concise merit practice, we prostrate, make offerings, and perform the 7 limbs of practice as the King of Prayers. This is followed by Vajrasattva mantra, Tara mantra and Ushnisha Vijaya mantra. For a longer practice, you would include the 21 praises to Tara and the Ushnisha Vijaya Dharani. If you practice a Yidam, you might follow the merit practice with your self-generation practice.

“Arising from the Ushnisha, Namgyalma, destroying the Lord of Death ; Tara, who liberates the fears of Samsara; Lord of All Families, Vajrasattva; I bow to the wonderful and supreme deities.

In the Three Supremes Vajrasattva, Tara, and Usnihsa Vijaya, in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma, and Supreme Assembly, in the Three Roots Guru, Yidam and Dakini, I take refuge until Enlightenment. By the merit of my generosity and other deeds, may I attain Buddhahood for the sake of beings.

Instantly, The entire merit field appears before me.

I prostrate with complete purity to Three Supremes, the Three Jewels and the Three Roots and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions and three times.

I offer real and imagined flowers, incense, butter lamps, scent, food, music, and so forth. Assembly of Three Supremes, please accept it.

I confess all my faults from beginningless time until now, committed with a mind under the sway of the afflictions, such as the ten nonvirtues.

I rejoice in whatever merit has been accumulated in the three times by Hearers, Solitary Realizers, Bodhisattvas, ordinary beings, and others.

Please turn the wheel of the Dharma according to the intentions and mental dispositions of sentient beings.

Until Samsara is emptied, please do not pass into Nirvana but look with compassion upon sentient beings that are drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated become the cause of Enlightenment for the benefit of sentient beings.

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. May they be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. May they not be separated from the sublime happiness that is free from suffering. May they rest in the great equanimity that is free of the duality of attachment and aversion.

Thus one gathers the accumulations through prostrating, offering, confessing, and generating the two types of bodhichitta of the preliminaries.

Now, while holding the visualization the merit field, I recite the mantras of the three supremes. As I recite, I see green light going out from the hearts of the Three Supremes, blessing all beings in the entire universe, then returning and blessing my own body, speech and mind.

Oṃ Vajrasattva samayam anupālaya Vajrasattva tvenopatiṣṭha dṛḍho me bhava sutoṣyo me bhava supoṣyo me bhava anurakto me bhava sarva siddhiṃ me prayaccha sarva karma sucha me chittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru hūṃ ha ha ha ha ho ḥbhagavan sarva tathāgata vajra mā me muñcha vajrī bhava mahā samaya sattva āḥ

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Om Brum Svaha Om Amtrita Ayur Da Dai Svaha

By the power of praising and supplicating you, wherever I and others reside may illness, obstructive spirits, poverty, and fighting be pacified, and may the Dharma and auspiciousness flourish.

Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the Sangha, please heed me. From the great, beginningless Samsara, I and all beings have performed the virtue of cultivating generosity and ethical discipline and have rejoiced in the expression of these deeds. By the virtue practiced thus, with the mind of holy generosity, may ornaments and belongings become the host of practitioners, and for the sake of our parents, teachers, masters, and all sentient beings, may we achieve Buddhahood. By the merit arisen from this virtue, may we acquire all the perfections such as life, merit, enjoyment, a retinue, and virtuous practice, and may all obstacles be pacified without exception.

May I attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

In Buddhism, all practice can be considered purification. Whether we are practicing the Eightfold Path taught by Shakyamuni Buddha, or the five transformations of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, or a Yidam meditation in personal practice, all of these are ultimately purification of the ten poisons, our skhandas, our past negative karmas. Healing is purification. Pacification is purification, Wrathful activity in the Buddhist context is purification.

When we think of purification, the image that jumps to mind is pure, white Vajrasattva.

Chanting Vajrasattva’s 100 Syallable Mantra beautifully in Sanskrit:

Vajrasattva is the Ultimate Buddha

Vajrasattva — like all Buddhist deities — defies the notion of ego. Therefore, there is no “who” and there is no “what.” It can be said that Vajrasattva, in ultimate reality is no different from any other Buddha. It can be said, in relative reality, that Vajrasattva can purify all our defilements, obscurations and obstacles.

He is also the Sambhogakaya aspect of the ultimate Buddha, by whatever name we choose to label him. Vajrasattva, is the ultimate manifestation of Buddha, the Buddha from which the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Vajrasattva as a Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara and Tara, and every Enlightened emanation. In some lineages, he is also the label used for the Dharmakaya aspect of Buddha — while other traditions the Dharmakaya label might be Vajradhara, Samantabhadra or Mahavairochana, all names for the same essence.

It can also be said that Vajrasattva is none other than ourselves, visualized as a pure Buddha. It can be said that Vajrasattva is an emanation of Akshobya — or of Vajradhara, or of Samantabhadra. All of these are true at the same time and none of them really define Vajrasattva. In many ways, he is the ultimate expression of the idea of Yidam — a personal and effective meditational deity beyond ego, self, and illusory reality.

In Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrasattva’s role as the “great purifier” is top-of-mind — a necessary first step in Buddhist practice, working on the negative karmas and obstacles that obscure our Buddha Nature. It is one of the core “foundation” practices of Vajrayana. Yet, Vajrasattva practice is much more than this.

“Vajrasattva is a manifestation of Buddha Conquerer Vajradhara and his practice is one of the most powerful healing and purification techniques in Vajrayana Buddhism.” — Venerable Zasep Rinpoche

All Buddhist practices could ultimately be described by the goal “purification of the five aggregates” — through various forms of meditation and virtues (actions and thoughts.) Purification is a core concept.

[Several teaching and mantra videos below.]

Vajrasattva meditation and mantra is the best-known of the purification practices in Tibetan Buddhism — practices that psychologist Robert Preece in his book, The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra, demonstrated are based on sound psychological concepts:

“The primary obscuration to be purified is dualistic thinking and its consequences… Increasingly, our health, both physical and psychological, is affected by the environments in which we live and work. The intensity of emotional stress from work will invariably leave a residue within our nervous systems… Healing and purification visualizations are usually of light and blissful nectar washing through the body… this gradually cleanses, heals or purifies…”

Vajrasattva Mantra chanted 21 times in Sanskrit with visualization images:

When Shakyamuni Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, seeking Enlightenment, the sutras record the many things he visualized as he sat. Many of these, such as Mara’s “attack” can be seen as defilements being purified — a core practice in Buddhism. Foundation practice in Buddhism is generally thought of as the process of purifying obstacles and misconceptions and negative karmas, and generating merit. Ultimately, even generating merit is a purification practice itself.

Although all Buddhist practices can be thought of as “purifying”, Vajrayana visualization practices and mantra are particularly effective, incorporating meditation that fully engages all of Body (breath and posture), Speech (mantra), and Mind (visualization). [Full video teaching on Purification from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche below.]

Why do we describe purification practices as healing practices? Ultimately, the purification of negativities and obstacles is the most perfect of healing practices. It is said that our defilements and negative karmas are the cause of our suffering, including illness.

Vajrasattva, the great purifier

Vajrasattva is one of the earliest practices in Vajrayana Buddhism and is also central to Shingon Buddhism. Vajrasattva is a beautiful manifestation of Vajradhara (in the dKar-hGya-pa and DGel-lugs-pa schools of Vajrayana) or of Samantabadra (in the older schools and Shingon.). Vajradhara and Samatabadra are two names for the same concept — the ultimate Dharmakaya aspect of Buddha.

“According to Tantra, one of the most powerful purifications is meditations on Vajrasattva. Recite the mantra of Vajrasattva, the 100-syllable mantra. If you don’t have initiation, you can say the mantra, no problem, you can visualize Vajrasattva in front of you. [Or] Above your crown, as well.’ — H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche (Video teaching below.)

Purifying mental defilements and bad karma

The five aggregates [see below] are the very things that make up the sentient being. Obstacles and incorrect perceptions of the true nature of reality prevent us from wisdom — and ultimately — Enlightenment. For this reason, it could be argued that purification in all its forms is the main and most important Buddhist practice. This can take many forms: mindful meditation, insight meditation, visualized and deity meditations, mantra — or ultimately all of these, which represent Body (mindfulness), Mind (insight and visualization) and Speech (mantra.)

Purification is the “ultimate” remedy. Psychological treatments often include elements of “confronting and purifying” negative past trauma. The principle, in Buddhist terms, is similar. Our “selves” — in fact, our very existence— is thought of in terms of aggregates. To avoid the impure obstacle of “ego-clinging” we are taught that all beings are made up of “five aggregates” – none of which contain the “I” or “self.” Each of these aggregates can collect “impurities” — which can be thought of as wrong views and illusory. Purification practice helps us meditate on those impurities, and clear the incorrect perceptions from our confused mindstreams.

Those aggregates (“Skandhas” in Sanskrit) are:

1. Form: or matter (in Sanskrit “rupa” and Tibetan “gzugs”): our material form or body
2. Sensation: or feeling (Sansktrit “vedana and Tibetan “tshor-ba”): sensory experiences
3. Perceptions: or how we comprehend and process things (Sankrit “sanna” or Tibetan “du-shes”): often these perceptions lead to labels, which are an obstacle.
4. Mental Formations: conditioning and karmic activities (good or bad) (Sanskrit “samskara” and Tibetan “du-byed”): the mental imprints and reactions that cause us to act.
5. Consciousness: awareness and discrimination (avoiding the word “self-awareness” Sanskrit “Vijnana” and Tibetan “rnam-par-shes-pa”): there are six types of consciousness.

A video teaching on purification from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:

Who is Vajrasattva?

Perhaps, what defines Vajrasttva is the result. Vajrasattva, for many centuries, has been the “go-to” practice for Buddhists for purification practices. Since most of our progress in Buddhism relies on purification, it would be fair to say that in Vajrayana Buddhism, Vajrasattva practice is of pre-eminent importance. It is often the first deity practiced by students. In foundation practices, for Tibetan Buddhism, many schools have a requirement that the student performs 100,000 mantras of Vajrasattva; which is no small feat given the length of the mantra (which, of course, should be first committed to memory.)

What makes the practice so perfect?

We know we can rely on the Vajrasattva practice because of a lineage of masters who have used the practice for thousands of years — many of whom achieved great insights on the path. But what makes it so profoundly effective?

Vajrasattva Mantra

Vajasattva incorporates meditation of mind, body, and speech. Our mind is engaged by visualization of the beautiful deity Vajrasattva — the perfected ideal of an Enlightened being. If we practice deeper, we visualize Vajrasattva with his consort, the Wisdom mother. We visualize purifying light from Vajrasattva entering the crown of our heads and filling us. We engage body with mudra, posture (sitting position) and breath. We engage speech with the sacred Sanskrit 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva:

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA

VAJRASATTVA TVENOPATISHTHA

DRIDHO ME BHAVA

SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA

SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA

ANURAKTO ME BHAVA

SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA

SARVA KARMA SU CHAME

CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM

HA HA HA HA HO

BHAGAVAN SARVA TATHAGATA

VAJRA MAME MUNCHA

VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA

AH HUM PHAT

Or, we might pronounce it in the common Tibetan pronunciation (for example, Benza instead of Vajra), if our teacher gave it to us in this form:

OM BENZA SATA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA

BENZA SATA TEY NO PA TEETA DEEDO MEY BAWA

SUTO KAYO MEY BAWA

SUPO KAYO MEY BAWA

A NU RATO MEY BAWA

SARWA SIDDI MEY PRA YA TSA

SARWA KARMA SU TSA MEY

TSEE TAM SHRI YAM KURU HUNG

HA HA HA HA HO BAGAWAN

SARWA TATAGATA BENZA MA MEY MUN TSA

BENZA BAWA MAHA SAMAYA SATA AH HUNG PEY

What does the mantra mean?

The mantra has been translated in various ways, but it is more important to focus on the meaning of the mantra. In a teaching on Vajrasattva mediation and recitation, Lati Rinpoche explained the meaning this way:

OM = syllable of the vajra body (It is spelled A-U-M, which represent the body, speech and mind of the
Buddhas.)
VAJRA = indivisible nature, the inseparability of wisdom and bliss.
SATTVA = the being who has the wisdom of inseparable bliss and emptiness.
SAMAYA MANU PALAYA = sustain me by the commitment (protect my commitment)
VAJRASATTVA TVENO PATISHTA = O Vajrasattva, may I achieve you, may I become closer to you
(cause me to be supported by you)
DRIDHO ME BHAVA = may this achievement be stabilized (remain firmly with me)
SUTOSHKYO ME BHAVA = may your nature become pleased (may you be pleased with me)
SUPOSHKYO ME BHAVA = may you make me into the nature of passion (may you be happy with me)
ANURAKTO ME BHAVA = may you make me the victor (have affection for me)
SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHA = grant me all the powerful attainments
SARVA KARMA SUCHAME = grant me all the activities (make all my actions good)
CITTTAM SHRIYAM KURU = may your glory abide within my heart (make my mind most glorious)
HUM = (represents primordial awareness)
HA HA HA HA HO = I shall delight in the powerful attainments and in all the activities (the five types of
wisdom)
BHAGAVAN SARVA TATHAGATA = calling out to all the Buddhas by name
MAME MUNCHA = do not part from me (do not abandon me)
VAJRA BHAVA = make me the one who can hold a vajra
MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA = call to Vajrasattva by saying, “O One with the great commitment.” The
significance of calling out like this is to say, “Just as I have requested, may this request be granted.”
AH = syllable of the vajra speech (shows the empty nature of all phenomena. The main function of
Buddhas’ speech is to teach that phenomena lack inherent existence.)
HUM = (blissful state of Vajrasattva’s wisdom)
PHAT = destroy all the delusions and sufferings.

The mechanics of the practice

With most Buddhist meditations there is a reason for every method. This practice is profoundly effective by virtue of its complex simplicity. The complexity of memorizing a 100-syllable mantra, then reciting it with full concentration while visualizing not only a perfect Buddha but also the mantra script and purifying light — all the while keeping our body relaxed and mindful, with perfect breathing. Yet, once mastered, it is one of the simpler practices. Complex, yet simple.

Many teachers tell their students Vajrasattva practice is all they need. After all, most lay Buddhists work day jobs and have family lives, so undertaking Vajrasattva practice is already a major — yet important — undertaking. But the main reason a teacher might say “Vajrasattva is all you need” is because it can be considered a complete and profound practice.

The Four Opponent Powers

Beyond the perfection of a practice involving all three of Body, Speech and Mind, Varjasattva practice also includes the profound “Four Opponent Powers”:

• The Power of Dependence: Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

• The Power of Regret: recalling all of our negative actions in the past motivated by ignorance, attachment or aversion.

• The Power of Remedy: the mantra and visualization and mental focus on purification.

• The Power of  Restraint: or undertaking to refrain from creating negative karma (actions) in future.

When we practice Vajrasattva, as we visualize and chant mantras, we meditate on the four opponent powers. We meditate on the importance of our refuge in the Three Jewels — our true protection. We consider all the things we regret, and we focus on (visualize) our regrets being purifying by the wondrous nectar or white light of Vajrasattva. We then make a promise to ourselves to refrain from negative karmas again — because we know this opportunity to practice Dharma in this human life is so precious.

Visualizing the Remedy

When we visualize the power of Remedy — while chanting mantras and visualizing the light and deity — we focus on the light or nectar filling our bodies. Usually, the teachers instruct us to visualize. Lati Rinpoche explained it this way, in a teaching on the Vajrasattva practice:

“According to oral instructions, visualize the bodily negativities are purged during the visualization expelling downwards, the negativities of the speech while expelling upwards, the negativities of mind while expelling spontaneously. The negativities of body, speech and mind and their imprints are expelled by doing all three of the above visualization simultaneously. If you meditate like this, then divide the 21 recitations of the mantra into groups of five each: five repetitions for expelling downward, five for expelling upward, five for expelling spontaneously and five for all three simultaneously. Recite the mantra once more to make 21. Another way is to count seven each for the first three visualizations to make 21, without doing the three visualizations simultaneously.

“There are different ways to do it. You can choose. There are many visualizations that can be done during the Vajrasattva meditation and recitation. At the end of however many mantras you recite, develop the strong conviction, “I have actually purified all negativities.” It’s important to generate this conviction because having lingering doubts about whether the negativities have actually been purified is harmful.

“If this purification practice is undertaken properly, with all the four opponents powers complete, then there is no reason why you should not be able to purify the negativities.”

For a visualization intended for meditators who do not yet have Vajrasattva empowerment, see the last section with a description by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche (or watch the embedded movie above.)

Mantra chanting of 100-syllable mantra:

Is initiation necessary?

For Vajrasattva, initiation is not necessary, as long as you do not visualize yourself as Vajrasattva. Until you find a teacher who has lineage and can offer empowerment, it is quite effective and permissible to practice Vajrasattva visualization and mantra where you visualize the deity either in front of you or on top of your head, with nectar or purifying light flowing into you.”  Venerable Zasep Rinpoche explained, “According to Tantra, one of the most powerful purifications is meditations on Vajrasattva. Recite the mantra of Vajrasattva, the 100-syllable mantra [mantra below transcript]. If you don’t have initiation, you can say the mantra, no problem, you can visualize Vajrasattva in front of you. [Or] Above your crown, as well.”

Ideally, though, empowerment not only makes the practice more profound and effective, it helps with the transformative understanding of Emptiness and ego-lessness. If we have empowerment, we can visualize ourselves as a deity  — helping us understand the true nature of reality. Intellectually, we might understand the concept of Emptiness, but that’s not the same as developing a realization derived from real, empowered practice.

Teaching on the Vajrasattva Mantra at Sravasti Abbey:

Visualization for the uninitiated

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche offers this simplified visualization (or listen to the embedded video above):

“Imagine — as you say the mantra — imagine purifying nectar coming from the heart of Vajrasattva, and the nectar enters through your your crown [of your head] and enters into your body, first purifying the body. The nectar flowing down through the body. And as if flows down it purifies all the bodily karmas: disease, sickness, unwholesome karmas of the past, unwholesome karmas of the bodies are purified. Say the mantra, lets say 21 times.
Then you do the purification again, this time purifying the speech, the speech karmas. This time, the nectar comes down from the heart of Vajrasattva dissolves into you, into your body, and slowly fills up your body, and then [you visualize] the unwholesome karmas of the speech coming out from the mouth. They are expelled. Gone. Imagine your speech karma is purified.

The third time, nectar comes down from Vajrasattva’s heart, dissolving into you directly into your heart, and then you mind is purified, mental karmas such as fear, attachment, ignorance, and confusion disappear, are dispersed. Disappeared straight from your heart. This is very powerful.

Say the mantra, the 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva, and then imagine Vajrasattva becoming smaller and smaller entering through your crown and dissolving into your heart. Imagine Vajrasattva is always with you as a personal yidam deity. This is very powerful way to purify your body, speech and mind. There are other purifications, but I think this is good enough for the beginner.”

Most Buddhists know Tara, simultaneously a friend, savior, caring Bodhisattva and enlightened being.

She manifests in endless forms: she can be action-hero Green Tara who saves us from worldly harm; or blessed White Tara who heals and brings longevity, to fierce protector Palden Lhamo, and she is also the great Wisdom Mother Prajnaparamita. Even though we honor her as the Great Mother Buddha, she is, without contradiction, an intimate and treasured friend.

• For a wonderful “Song of Longing for Tara” which gathers all that is precious about Tara in one prayer, see below, Song of Longing For Tara.

The Vastness of Tara: Beyond Definition, Friend to Everyone

Do we really comprehend the vastness that is Tara? She is one of the most popular devotional and meditational deities, honored all around the world, practiced by all schools of Vajrayana Buddhism, many Mahayana Buddhists, Hindus, and others.

She is so popular, she is called “Mama Tara”—and She never takes Herself seriously. She’s a daily good friend, ready helper, saving hero, precious guide. She always has “time” for everyone—after all, time is relative. She is just as quick to help the prisoner in jail as the faithful practitioner, without discrimination. If Her name is called, She answers.

One important practice of Tara is the 21 Praises to Tara, here chanted in Sanskrit:

At the ultimate level, She was the “Non Manifested”, Prajna Paramita in Buddhism, but also the non-manifested Wisdom Mother in Hinduism. At the “intimate” relative level, She can emanate as a shepherd girl, ready to rescue a stranded traveler. Or She can incarnate as a Princess ready to help a nation—two simultaneously, in the case of Her more recent history in Tibet and China.

Yet, Tara goes beyond any constraints of conception, and even imagination: Parajnaparamita, wisdom Dakini Varjayogini, Female Buddha, Consort of great Amoghasiddhi Dhyani Buddha, Hindu great mother, angel to those in distress — all of these and thousands more. There are 21 famous Tara manifestations, one of which is the beloved White Tara. In Vajrayana’s higher tantras she is Chittimani Tara and also, Vajrayogini (Vajra Varahi).

It can be confusing, Her endless labels, but at the same time it defines Her perfectly. She is known by endless names, but consistently as Tara, Arya Tara, and, in Tibetan, Jetsun Drolma. She is simultaneously the spiritual child of Avalokiteshvara, born of tears of compassion, and the Mother of the very same Buddha. Mother and child of the same Enlightened Being. Simply meditating on the vastness of these concepts is, in itself, challenging and rewarding.

Her Practice Is as Simple or Complex as Tara

As with Her vast array of names, appearances and roles, Her practice can be simple or profound. She responds well to just the calling of Her name. Or a simple thought. Her ten-syllable mantra, chanted millions of times each day around the world, is associated with everything from rescues to achieving Enlightenment:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Simplified Sadhanas for the devout include Green Tara and White Tara practices that can be practiced with or without empowerment. As a practitioner progresses, Tara meditations can become more intense, with Highest Yoga Tantra practices such as Chittamani Tara. Even the famous 21 Taras, can be practiced simply—as a daily verse—or at the ultimate level, with 21 separate sadhanas and mantras (see below). She can be practiced in the form of the great Black Dakini, Throma Nagmo, the wrathful form of Prajnaparamita—a Highest Yoga Practice (mana annut tantra). She can be practiced even without a name, just by simply imagining Her. There is, literally, a Tara, and a Tara practice, for everyone.

For those who take a special interest in Tara, highly realized teachers can initiate practitioners into more advanced meditations.

Tara in Many Forms: Guanyin, Madonna and Others

Many gurus teach that Tara manifests to everyone, not just Buddhists. To Chinese Buddhists She is Guan Yin. Many non-Buddhist spiritual seekers—who have created their own path—have adopted Tara by name. One great Dzogchen Teacher, Chogyal Namnkai Norbu, said in his lecture on the 21 Taras that when he saw a great Madonna statue in Rome he knew it was Tara.

This is typical of the openness of Buddhists and Hindus, who have complete tolerance and acceptance for other traditions. It is also in character with Tara’s all-embracing maternal compassion. The reverse is not always true—it can unintentionally offend someone to state their beloved deity is the same as your deity—but, from a Buddhist point of view, there is generally no spiritual conflict in thinking of Tara as emanations in other traditions.

Tara of All Colours: Wrathful, Peaceful and Everything In-Between

Tara can manifest in myriad—literally endless—forms, suited to the need of the practitioner. Iconographically, She can appear in any color. Famously, She is Green Tara, the savioress—and chief manifestation of Tara. She is equally known as White Tara, the Goddess of Long Life and Healing.

She can be Ugra Tara, the Black Tara who is the secret Mantra emanation—the very source of All, since sound (or frequencies) are often considered the source of manifestation in some Budhdist and Hindu beliefs.

Red Tara enjoys much love for her passionate role as the magnetizing Tara, who attracts and who helps beings with the power of positive attraction. Yellow Tara helps those struggling with poverty, or just to help provide the resources to help other sentient beings. In higher tantric practices Tara can manifest in the body mandala as simultaneous multi-coloured Taras at each of the body’s chakras.

21 Taras: Two Systems, Same Effective Results

The 21 Taras are among the most famous forms of the great Female Buddha. The praises to 21 Taras is still practiced every morning by the devout. Buddhist farmers routinely recite the praises as they work their fields. When in trouble—in need of rescuing, in prison, facing law suit, any distress—practitioners often recite either the main ten-syllable mantra, or the praise to the 21 Taras in Sanskrit, Tibetan or English (see Praise, below).

There are literally thousands of stories of personal rescues from distress—by reliable sources—at the intervention of Tara, often precipitated by the simple calling of Her name, Her mantra or Her 21 Praises.

Confusingly, yet consistently, there are two systems of 21 Taras, known by most as the Atisha system and the more intense Surya Gupta 21 Tara system. Yet, they are all “relative” manifestations or aspects of Tara, regardless. There is no contradiction. The very vastness of Her emanations defines Her. The Surya Gupta 21 Tara tradition is very rich and itense. (One of the best books on Surya Gupta tradition 21 Taras is “Tara in the Palm of Your Hand” by Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, from Wind Horse Books, available on Amazon.com>>)

In the Atisha system, the 21 Taras are visualized as the same Tara, in different colors, with slightly different facial expressions, gestures, attributes and specialities.

In the wondrous Surya Gupta system, the 21 Taras become intense meditational visualizations, with each having different faces, some fierce, some semi fierce, some peaceful, together with a wide array of arms, implements, colors, backdrops, thrones and attributes. Each of the 21 Taras in the Surya Gupta system has its own sadhana—a ritual visualization requiring empowerment—whereas the Atisha system Taras can be visualized anywhere, quickly, and honored with a lovely, but quick verse.

(For more on the 21 Taras, see the praises at the bottom of this feature.)

Tara Does What?

Although all Buddhas and enlightened beings have the same realizations, the first question from people newly introduced to Tara, or any deity, is often “What does She do?”

What does Tara Do? “Does” is a relative term. Relatively, She is wisdom in action. She is compassion in action. Tara is the penultimate combination of both wisdom and compassion. Ultimately, She is Wisdom realizing emptiness. Relatively, She is the ultimate action hero—means and method. Her names include “Swift Heroine,” which describes Her perfectly.

In Tara, Wisdom and Compassion are perfectly combined.

She is swift like the wind. Her green color is representative of the swift, active wind element, fearlessness, and imperturbable wisdom—very much a reflection of Her male consort, Amoghasiddhi. Also, without contradiction, often Tara is seen as the consort of other male Buddhas. She can also be thought of as the female aspect of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig). She is also seen as their Mother. And, in the case of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), His spiritual daughter. Consort, mother, daughter, all at once, is a profound and thought-provoking concept. Although this all seems contradictory, that is from a narrow, relative point of view. Ultimately, there is no contradiction. Even, at a relative level, there is no contradiction. (It is important to understand Daughter and Mother do not imply physical family relationships, in the same way that sexual union of two consorts is not physical—it represents the union of Wisdom and Compassion.)

Why is She So Adored

Who doesn’t love a mother? Whether by the name of Mom, Tara, Madonna, or Mother Earth, the mother is a universally approachable concept. Like a mother, Tara doesn’t question Her children. If we need Her help, regardless of our own blemishes, we will get Her help.

Nothing can stand before a mother’s compassion. Literally, mothers have lifted cars off of trapped children. A mother would die for her family. Tara’s love goes even beyond this level. She loves all, with equanimity.

In the famous story of Jigme, an ancient Tibetan tale, She continuously rescues wretched Jigme, time after time—even after he commits crimes and goes to jail. Endlessly, again and again, She comes to his aid. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t learn his lessons. This is motherly love, for all, without discrimination.

Tara rescues all, from the destitute to the Gods. An ancient tale, thousands of years old, tells how Tara, a Hindu goddess, rescues Lord Shiva, the God.

Practicing Tara

No special initiations or practices are needed to bring Tara into your life. Simply speak Her name. Talk to Her. She’ll listen.

In more dedicated practices, Her devotees would offer Her clean water bowls each morning. Tara doesn’t need our offerings, but our giving brings us merit—beneficial karma. Precious to Her is simple water, or any offering that does not arise from greed, killing, or any negative action. Water is “free”, so that anyone from penniless to prince can make a simple offering and enjoy Her blessings equally.

Tara’s Mantra

Harmonically tuning with universal energies of compassion and wisdom, Tara’s mantra is most effective for healing, protection, or just simply building positive karma.

The Tara mantra can be spoken anytime, while walking, driving, or when in need. Or, in more formal practice, while reciting the mantra the practitioner will visualize Her beautiful form, and say Her ten syllable mantra as often as possible:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

This is pronounced Ohm tah-ray tew-tar-ray tew-rey svah ha. In Tibetan mantric recitation, svaha may be pronounced soha.

Song of Longing for Tara

One of the simplest and most elegant — and profound — daily practices is to simply recite or chant, from the heart, this famous and most profound prayer to Tara “Song of Longing for Tara” (Dung-bo-lu-me-ma) by Lozang Tanpa Gyaltsan. This remarkable enlightened Rinpoche wrote this at the age of 18, in 1852 — and it has become one of the most treasured and chanted prayers to Tara:

From my heart I bow to Divine Mother Tara, essence of love and compassion, the most precious objects of refuge gathered into one. From now until I reach enlightenment, hook me with your great love and kindness to liberate me.

By the witness of the Three Jewels, not just from my mouth but from the depths of my innermost heart and bones, I pray to you morning and evening. Show your blissful face to me, Loving One. Grant me the nectar of your speech.

Great gurus and small gurus cheat us with their made-up teachings, selling Dharma, teaching without comprehension, not observing who is qualified and who is not, being concerned about their own happiness and the eight worldly concerns. Since I can no longer trust friends of this degenerate age, you are my principal guru. Inspire me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think
of me.

I take refuge in you Tara; like you, no Buddha could ever deceive me. But understanding the odd character of these times, most Buddhas have gone into the bliss of nirvana. Even though they have great compassion, we have no connection. Since for me there are no other deities, you are my principal deity. Bestow realizations upon me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

Most Dharma protectors do not show their powers. Tired of those who invoke them, they do not act. Other protectors, lacking insight but proud of their power, may be friendly for a while but will later do me harm. Since I cannot rely on other protectors, you are my principal protector. With divine action, Wisdom Mother, essence of love, arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

To ordinary view the names of objects are the same as their meaning. Like this, they produce afflictions and bind us to samsara. When it is time to die, unless I understand the true nature, could a wish-fulfilling gem enable me to carry even a sesame seed with me? Since I do not trust in illusions, you are my real richness. Please grant my desires, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.

I cannot rely on the non-virtuous friends for even a day. They pretend to be close to me and all the while have in mind the opposite. They are friends when they wish it and enemies when they don’t. Since I cannot trust in this kind of friend, you are my best friend. Be close to me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me.
You are my guru, my yidam, my protector, my refuge, my food, my clothes, my possessions, and my friend. Since your divine quality is everything to me, let me spontaneously achieve all that I wish.

Although I am overwhelmed by my habitual, uncontrolled mind, please cut these self-centered thoughts so I will be able to give my body and my life millions of times without difficulty to each sentient being. Inspire me to be able to develop this kind of compassion to benefit all.

Empower me to cut the root of samsara, self-grasping, and to understand the pure doctrine, the most difficult middle way, free from the errors of extremes.

Inspire me to practice as a bodhisattva, turning away from what is worldly, dedicating all my virtues to teaching living beings, never for even one instant thinking of just my own happiness. Let me wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all.

Empower me to actualize as much as possible the most subtle vows and to keep them without a careless mind, thus becoming the most perfect bodhisattva.

Outwardly, let me be simple in my practice, while inwardly, actualize the depth of the diamond vehicle with the strong wish to practice the two stages. Inspire me to attain enlightenment quickly for the benefit of all.

Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, you know everything about my life — my ups and downs, my good and bad. Think lovingly of me, my only mother.

I give myself and all who trust in me to you, Divine Wisdom Mother Tara. Being completely open to you, let us be born in the highest pure land. Set me there quickly with no births in between.

May the hook of your compassion and your skillful means transform my mind into Dharma and transform the minds of all beings, whoever they are. They have all been my mother, the mother of one unable to follow the Conqueror’s teachings.

By reciting this prayer three times a day and by remembering the Divine Wisdom Mother Tara, may I and all beings who are connected to me reach whatever pure land we wish.

May the Three Jewels and especially the Divine Wisdom Mother, whose essence is compassion, hold me dear until I reach enlightenment. May I quickly conquer the four negative forces.”

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha!

Tara Visualization

The next step in visualization of Tara would be formal Vajrayana meditation—which actively uses our minds on a near epic scale, and has been proven to enhance intelligence and concentration. Research has proven the cognitive benefits of Vajrayana visualization. (Please see our feature: Science: Research Proves Vajrayana Meditation Techniques Improve Cognitive Performance.)

To benefit from visualization, while chanting the mantras, build more and more complex visualizations, beginning with Tara’s elegant beauty and important attributes, and progressively increasing the image in detail. The easiest approach is to study an image of Tara, preferably an ironically correct one—since very aspect of the visualization means something.

Your teacher, may give you a proper meditation, but if you have not yet formalized your practice you can think in these terms: Tara is a beautiful young deity, youthful, perhaps sixteen visually—certainly youthful and timeless—of emerald color. Her right hand is in the gesture of supreme generosity, hand open to give blessings, with thumb and index touching and the other three fingers outstretched. The touching fingers represent the union of Wisdom and Compassion. The three remaining fingers represent the three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In this hand She lightly holds the stem of an uptala flower, a blue Lotus.

Her left hand is at her heart, in the gesture of bestowing refuge in the three jewels. This mudra (hand gesture) also incorporates the gesture of protection, of fearlessness. This time Her thumb and ring finger are connecting in the Wisdom-Compassion loop. She is saying, “come, I’ll protect you.” In this hand, too, is the stem of an uptala flower. There are three blooms, one open, one half open, one just about to open, representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future.

She is adorned in the most precious ornaments, and seated in an aura of spectacular light. On Her head is a five-sided crown, depicting the five Dhani Buddhas. Above that, are ornaments, rainbow lights, wish-fulfilling gems. And surmounting all, is Her own Guru, Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, glowing red.

Her legs are Her most significant attributes. One is drawn in, showing her mastery and enlightenment. Her other is outstretched, in a gesture that appears to indicate She’s ready to leap up to our aid. She sits on a moon cushion, which arises on top of a Lotus.

In more advanced visualizations, at Her heart is her precious seed syllable, TAM (see below), radiating green light, sending out blessing energy to all beings in the universe.

As you build the visualization or try to mentally maintain it, it is helpful to chant, recite or even sing the Tara mantra:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Basic Practice Without Empowerment

Tara can be practiced by anyone, any time. She is all-inclusive. Although empowerments and initiations help advance our progress with Tara, none is required.

A good basic daily practice, if you are not yet being instructed by a qualified teacher, would normally include:

• Taking refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha (Enlightened one), Dharma (Enlightened teachings) and Sangha (the community supporting the Enlightened)
• An offering: water bowls, or just a mentally visualized offering, or more elaborate if preferred (provided physical offerings do not derive from theft, greed, or any negativitiy)
• Four immeasurables: wishes for all beings to be happy, not to suffer and dwell in equanimity
• Seven-limb practice: a seven limb prayer that re-affirms a good practice of praise, offering, declaration of non-virtues, request for Tara to remain as your teacher, request that Tara teach the Dharma, and a dedication of the merit to the cause for enlightenment.

These basic practices, together, take five minutes, to which you might add the above visualization and mantra practices.

Here are some basic words/thoughts that frame the above practice:

Refuge

Until I reach enlightenment, I take refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the merit of practicing generosity and other perfections, may I attain Enlightement in order to benefit all beings.

Offerings

Mentally visualize seven or eight bowls of water. Or, actually fill up seven or eight bowls of water and offer them mentally. You can supplement the blessing by reciting Tara’s mantra, or, alternately, “Om Ah Hum”. For a more elaborate offering, you could add the meditation in our feature, “Water Bowl Offerings as an Antidote to Attachment”, where the bowls are visualized as the eight traditional sense offerings: water for drinking, water for washing, flowers for the eye senses, incense for the smell sense, butter lamps for illumination, perfume, food for the taste sense, and music for the sound sense. More here>>

Four Immeasurables 

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering or its causes.

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Seven Limbs

To You Venerable Arya Tara, with my body, speech and mind, I respectfully prostrate.

I offer flowers, incense, butter lamps, perfume, food, music and a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through wisdom and imagination.

I declare all my non-virtuous acts since beginningless time.

I rejoice in the virtuous merit accumulated by Holy and ordinary beings.

I request You turn the wheel of Dharma.

I beseech You to remain until samsara ends. Please, with your boundless compassion, look upon all beings drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated be transformed into the cause for Enlightenment so that I may help all sentient beings.

21 Praises

Around the world, many people begin and end their day with Tara’s twenty-one praises. This practice has been credited with many benefits, including protection from harm, prosperity, and swift progress on the path of enlightenment.

It can be beneficial to chant this in the world’s oldest known language—Sanskrit. The nuances of this practice, the originating sounds, is similar to mantra practice. In Sanskrit:

Om namah spukasam namah Taraye mi Tara

1 Namas Tare Ture vire

kshanair dyuti nibhekshane

trailokya nat ha vaktrabja

vikasat kesharobhave

 

2 Namah shata sharac chandra

sampurna patalanane

Tara sahasra nikara

prahasat kira noj jvale

 

3 Namah kanaka nilabja

pani padma vibhu shite

dana virya tapah shanti

titik sha dhyana gochare

 

4 Namas tat hagatosh nisha

vijayananta charini

ashesha paramita prapta

jina putra nishevite

 

5 Namas Tuttara Hum kara

puritasha dig antare

sapta loka kramakranti

asheshak arshanak shame

 

6 Namah shakranala Brahma

marud vishvesh varachite

bhuta vetala gand harva

gana yaksha puras krte

 

7 Namas trad iti phat kara

para yantra pramardani

praty alid ha pada nyase

shik hi jvalakulek shane

 

8 Namas Ture maha ghore

mara vira vinashani

bhrku ti krta vaktrabja

sarva shatrum nishudani

 

9 Namas tri ratna mudranka

hrdyanguli vibhushite

bhu shitashesha dik chakra

nikara sva Karakule

 

10 Namah pramudita topa

muku ta kshipta malini

hasat prahasat Tuttare

mara loka vashamkari

 

11 Namah samanta bhu pala

patalakarshana kshame

chalat bhrku ti hum kara

sarvapada vimoch ani

 

12 Namah shikhanda kandendu

muku tabha ranojjvale

Amitabha jata bhara

bhasvare kirana dhruve

 

13 Namah kalpanta hutabhug

jvala malan Tara sthite

alidha muditabandha

ripu chakra vinashani

 

14 Namah kara talaghata

charana hata bhu tale

bhrkuti krta Hum kara

sapta patala bhedini

 

15 Namah shive shubhe shante

shanta nirvana gochare

svaha pranava samyukte

maha papaka na shani

 

16 Namah pramudi tabandha

ripu gatra vabhedini

dashakshara pada nyashe

vidya Hum kara dipite

 

17 Namas Ture pada ghata

Hum karakara bijite

meru mandara kailasa

bhuvana traya chalini

 

18 Namah sura sarakara

harinika karast hite

Tara dvir ukta Phat kara

ashesha visha nashani

 

19 Namah sura ganadh yaksha

sura kimnara sevite

abandha mudita bhoga

kali duhs vapna nashani

 

20 Namah chandrarka sampurna

nayana dyuti bhas vare

hara dvir ukta Tuttare

vishama jvara nashani

 

21 Namas tri tattva vinyasa

shiva shakti saman vite

graha vetala yakshaugha

nashani pravare Ture

 

21 Praises to Tara in English

The praises do lose some of the “mystery” and intensity and sheer sound-power in English, but the intention and praise is maintained. Many people chant the praise in English:

1 Homage to you, Tara, the swift heroine,

Whose eyes are like an instant flash of lightning,

Whose water-born face arises from the blooming lotus

Of Avalokiteshvara, protector of the three worlds.

 

2 Homage to you, Tara, whose face is like

One hundred full autumn moons gathered together,

Blazing with the expanding light

Of a thousand stars assembled.

 

3 Homage to you, Tara, born from a golden-blue lotus,

Whose hands are beautifully adorned with lotus flowers,

You who are the embodiment of giving, joyous effort, asceticism,

Pacification, patience, concentration, and all objects of practice.

 

4 Homage to you, Tara, the crown pinnacle of those thus gone,

Whose deeds overcome infinite evils,

Who have attained transcendent perfections without exception,

And upon whom the sons of the Victorious Ones rely.

 

5 Homage to you, Tara, who with the letters TUTTARA and HUM

Fill the (realms of) desire, direction, and space,

Whose feet trample on the seven worlds,

And who are able to draw all beings to you.

 

6 Homage to you, Tara, venerated by Indra,

Agni, Brahma, Vayu, and Ishvara,

And praised by the assembly of spirits,

raised corpses,
Gandharvas, and all yakshas.

 

7 Homage to you, Tara, whose TRAT and PHAT

Destroy entirely the magical wheels of others.

With your right leg bent and left outstretched and pressing,

You burn intensely within a whirl of fire.

 

8 Homage to you, Tara, the great fearful one,

Whose letter TURE destroys the mighty demons completely,

Who with a wrathful expression on your water-born face

Slay all enemies without an exception.

 

9 Homage to you, Tara, whose fingers adorn your heart

With the gesture of the sublime precious three;

Adorned with a wheel striking all directions without exception

With the totality of your own rays of light.

 

10 Homage to you, Tara, whose radiant crown ornament,

Joyful and magnificent, extends a garland of light,

And who, by your laughter of TUTTARA,

Conquer the demons and all of the worlds.

 

11 Homage to you, Tara, who are able to invoke

The entire assembly of local protectors,

Whose wrathful expression fiercely shakes,

Rescuing the impoverished through the letter HUM.

 

12 Homage to you, Tara, whose crown is adorned

With the crescent moon, wearing ornaments exceedingly bright;

From your hair knot the buddha Amitabha

Radiates eternally with great beams of light.

 

13 Homage to you, Tara, who dwell within a blazing garland

That resembles the fire at the end of this world age;

Surrounded by joy, you sit with your right leg extended

And left withdrawn, completely destroying all the masses of enemies.

 

14 Homage to you, Tara, with hand on the ground by your side,

Pressing your heel and stamping your foot on the earth;

With a wrathful glance from your eyes you subdue

All seven levels through the syllable HUM.

 

15 Homage to you, Tara, O happy, virtuous, and peaceful one,

The very object of practice, passed beyond sorrow.

You are perfectly endowed with SOHA and OM,

Overcoming completely all the great evils.

 

16 Homage to you, Tara, surrounded by the joyous ones,

You completely subdue the bodies of all enemies;

Your speech is adorned with the ten syllables,

And you rescue all through the knowledge-letter HUM.

 

17 Homage to you, Tara, stamping your feet and proclaiming TURE.

Your seed-syllable itself in the aspect of HUM

Causes Meru, Mandhara, and the Vindhya mountains

And all the three worlds to tremble and shake.

 

18 Homage to you, Tara, who hold in your hand

The hare-marked moon like the celestial ocean.

By uttering TARA twice and the letter PHAT

You dispel all poisons without an exception.

 

19 Homage to you, Tara, upon whom the kings of the assembled gods,

The gods themselves, and all kinnaras rely;

Whose magnificent armor gives joy to all,

You who dispel all disputes and bad dreams.

 

20 Homage to you, Tara, whose two eyes – the sun and the moon –

Radiate an excellent, illuminating light;

By uttering HARA twice and TUTTARA,

You dispel all violent epidemic disease.

 

21 Homage to you, Tara, adorned by the three suchnesses,

Perfectly endowed with the power of serenity,

You who destroy the host of evil spirits, raised corpses, and yakshas,

O TURE, most excellent and sublime!

 

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Heart Sutra — together with The Supreme Mantra in the Heart Sutra — is recited around the world for protection and removal of negative karma. It is the heart essence teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, as transmitted by Buddha.

Chant along (or listen) to the peerless Heart Sutra and Supreme Mantra in sacred Sanskrit, the Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya, followed by the Maha Vidya Mantra, the unsurpassed mantra: ’gate gate paragate parasamghate bodhi svaha’. Chant or listen Daily for Wisdom, Compassion, Blessings.

VIDEO:

It is both the supreme mantra and the supreme teaching in Mahayana Buddhism. In part it is an aspiration — we aspire to comprehend the true wisdom, which can take a lifetime for many of us. Meanwhile, though, as we chant, we purify our negative karma, generate merit and wisdom. In times of disasters, many practitioners ask Sangha to chant this Sutra, but it is also a daily practice for most Buddhists.

In Monasteries and temples all over Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, China, parts of India and Nepal, the Americas and Europe the Heart Sutra is a main practice for overcoming disasters, the negative karma of people and even countries.

In Mahayana Temples, Heart Sutra is universally a daily practice, chanted in Sanskrit and dozens of other languages, although the benefits of the original Sanskrit — as transmitted by Avalokiteshvara in Sutra, and sealed by Shakyamuni Buddha — have the greatest merit and benefits.

Benefits of Recitation or Listening

• Overcomes obstacles for current and future endeavours.
• Protects from evil, spirt harm
• Purifies bad karma from your actions
• Generates “skies of merit”

Download the 21-Page PDF courtesy of Buddha Weekly with lyrics, translations, pronunciation tips and commentary here: https://buddhaweekly.com/?p=24010

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TO RECITE IN ENGLISH, watch our short English Heart Sutra recitation video which includes an introduction to the benefits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yvs8B9KQjU

Oṁ! Namo Bhagavatyai Ārya-Prajñā pāramitāyai!

Hail! Reverence to the Fortunate and Noble Perfection of Wisdom

Heart Sutra

Ārya-Avalokiteśvaro Bodhisattvo,

The Noble Buddha-to-be Avalokiteśvara,

gambhī rāṁ prajñā pāramitā caryāṁ caramāṇo,

while dwelling deep in the practice of the perfection of wisdom,

vyavalokayati sma panca-skandhā

beheld these five constituent groups (of mind and body)

tāṁś ca svabhā vaśūnyān paśyati sma.

and saw them empty of self-nature.

Iha, Śāriputra, rūpaṁ śūnyatā, śūnyata iva rūpaṁ;

Here, Śāriputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is surely form;

rūpān na pṛthak śūnyatā, śunyatāyā na pṛthag rūpaṁ;

emptiness is not different from form, form is not different from emptiness;

yad rūpaṁ, sā śūnyatā; ya śūnyatā, tad rūpaṁ;

whatever form there is, that is emptiness; whatever emptiness there is, that is form.

Evam eva vedanā-saṁjñā-saṁskāra-vijñā nāni

the same for feelings, perceptions, volitional processes and consciousness.

Iha, Śāriputra, sarva-dharmāḥ śūnyatā-lakṣaṇā,

Here, Śāriputra, all things have the characteristic of emptiness,

anut pannā, ani ruddhā; amalā, na vimalā; nūnā, na paripūrṇāḥ.

no arising, no ceasing; no purity, no impurity; no deficiency, no completeness.

Tasmāc Śāriputra, śūnyatā yāṁ

Therefore, Śāriputra, in emptiness

na rūpaṁ, na vedanā, na saṁjñā, na saṁskārāḥ, na vijñānami;

there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no volitional processes, no consciousness;

na cakṣuḥ-śrotra-ghrāna-jihvā-kāya-manāṁsi;

there are no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind;

na rūpa-śabda-gandha-rasa-spraṣ ṭavya-dharmāḥ;

no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, thoughts;

na cakṣūr-dhātur yāvan na mano vijñāna-dhātuḥ;

no eye-element (and so on) up to no mind-consciousness element;

na vidya, na avidyā, na avidyā-kṣayo, na avidyā-kṣayo, yāvan na jarā-maraṇam, na jarā-maraṇa-kṣayo;

no ignorance, no destruction of ignorance (and so on) up to no old age and death, no destruction of old age and death;

na duḥkha-samudaya-nirodha-mārgā;

no suffering, arising, cessation, path;

na jñānam, na prāptir aprāptivena.

no knowledge, no attainment, no non-attainment.

Bodhisattvasya

Therefore, Śāriputra, because of the Buddha-to-be’s non-attainments

Prajñā pāramitām āśritya, viharaty acittā varaṇaḥ,

he relies on the Perfection of Wisdom, and dwells with his mind unobstructed,

cittā varaṇa-nāstitvād atrasto,

having an unobstructed mind he does not tremble,

viparyāsa-atikrānto, niṣṭhā-Nirvāṇa.

overcoming opposition, he attains the state of Nirvāṇa.

Tryadhva-vyava sthitāḥ sarva-Buddhāḥ

All the Buddhas abiding in the three times

Prajñā pāramitām āśritya

through relying on the Perfection of Wisdom

anuttarāṁ Samyak sam bodhim abhisam buddhāḥ.

fully awaken to the unsurpassed Perfect and Complete Awakening.

Tasmāj jñāta vyo Prajñā pāramitā mahā-mantro,

Therefore one should know the Perfection of Wisdom is a great mantra,

mahā-vidyā mantro, ‘nuttara-mantro, samasama-mantraḥ,

a great scientific mantra, an unsurpassed mantra, an unmatched mantra,

sarva duḥkha praśa manaḥ, satyam, amithyatvāt.

the subduer of all suffering, the truth, not falsehood.

Prajñā pāramitā yām ukto mantraḥ tad-yathā:

In the Perfection of Wisdom the mantra has been uttered in this way:

gate, gate, pāragate, pārasaṁgate, Bodhi, svāhā!

gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, Awakening, blessings!

How do we correctly chant mantras for maximum benefit? Are the rules for guiding mantrayana practice? What are the prerequisites of mantra practice? In this presentation, we cover the prerequisites, the indispensibles, and offer 9 tips and practices for maximizing the benefit of your mantra practice.

Guru Rinpoche, the great Lotus Born Padmasambhava, advised his great disciple Lady Yeshe Tsogyal  on how to practice mantrayana:

“You must possess the key point of faith free from fluctuation, like a river.

You must possess the key point of compassion free from enmity, like the sun.

You must possess the key point of generosity free from prejudice, like a spring of drinking water.

You must possess the key point of samaya free from flaws, like a crystal ball.”

This is the foundation for practicing mantra yana. All four of these are far more important than mechanics like “proper pronunciation.”

Faith and Compassion are Indispensable

What did Guru Rinpoche mean when he talked about the key points of faith and compassion? For mantra, or any other Buddhist practice to have a profound impact in our lives, we have to start from the right place — before we even worry about how to pronounce the mantra.

For example, every location on a map needs two coordinates. For mantra, the two coordinates are faith and compassion. In Buddhism, faith arises from Wisdom, not blind adherence to doctrine. For this reason, in Mantrayana, the two wings of the bird of Enlightenment are Wisdom and Compassion.

Put another way, to practice Mantrayana, in a worthwhile way, we have to be motivated by Bodhichitta, the intention to benefit all sentient beings. Without that motivation, it is not a Mahayana Buddhist practice. Once we have the motivation, we have to have the Wisdom of Faith.

We have faith in the correctness of the teachings, the Dharma, the Budhda, and our lineages of teachers. With that faith, motivated by our compassion and Bodhichitta, we have all the qualifications we need to practice mantrayana.

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, in guidelines for mantra practice wrote said, “the main requirement for mantra chanting of any Enlightened Deity according to the teachings, is Bodhichitta intention.”

Compassion and Wisdom as Foundations

In Guru Rinpoche’s four foundations for practicing mantra effectively, he also highlighted generosity, and remaining true to the Bodhisattva vow to help all sentient beings, or keeping our Samaya.

The Lady Who Had Faith

In a lovely story on Dharma Drum Mountain’s website, they describe the famous story of the lady who had faith, a beautiful teaching story on the power of faith:

“In ancient times, there lived an old lady who diligently recited the “Brilliant Mantra of Six Words Om mani padme hum” for many years.

One day, a realized Buddhist master happened to pass by; from a distance, he saw the house enveloped in a luminous glow, and thought that there must be a practitioner with great achievements inside. Upon entering, he saw an illiterate elderly lady reciting the mantra who was even mispronouncing the last word. With good intention, the master corrected her mistake—only to find that, as he left the house and looked back, the glow from within the house had vanished.

The old lady was filled with remorse after the master corrected her pronunciation, thinking that her mistake in pronunciation had negated all those years of practice. This, in turn, caused her to lose focus in her recitation and any spiritual response from it.

“When the master realized what had happened, he went back and told the old lady that he misremembered, and she should continue her recitations as before; that is, her pronunciation was not wrong. Before the master left, he looked back to see that the house was glowing once again.”

This shows that the core of mantra recitation lies in the sincerity of our heart and the focus of our mind and our faith.

Generosity as a Foundation

Why generosity? Mantrayana is a practice within the great vehicle of Mahayana — where we generously accept our role as a Bodhisattva, with the promise to help others. This makes Bodhichitta and generosity the most important mantra qualification. This is manifested in our practice as our Samaya.

Samaya as Foundation

Why did Guru Rinpoche single out Samaya as one of the four methods? Samaya means promise or vows — in the case of Buddhists, this is primarily our Boshisattva Vows. In the case of some Vajrayana practices, that might also include our Tantric Vows.

Guru Rinpoche is emphasizing that our Bodhisattva Vows are a requirement of any practice in Mantrayana and Vajrayana. For example, chanting a mantra with the intention to destroy or harm another sentient being is simply not even possible with Buddhist Mantras. Bodhisattvas help all sentient beings and Mahayana Buddhists take the Bodhisattva vow to empower our Bodhichitta goal.

For mantra to be effective we must keep the Bodhisattva Vows. This is sometimes called the Ten Vows of Samantabadhra, which are found in the Samantabhadra-caryā-praṇidhānam:

I vow to pay homage to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to praise the virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to serve and make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

I vow to confess past misdeeds and uphold the precepts.

I vow to rejoice in the merit and virtues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and all sentient beings.

I vow to ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to teach the Dharma.

I vow to ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to refrain from entering nirvana.

I vow to always follow the Buddhas’ teachings.I vow to benefit all sentient beings.

I vow to dedicate the merit from all practices to the liberation of all beings.

Tips to Empower Your Mantras

With these four foundations of Guru Rinpoche in mind, what can we expect in terms of benefits. We covered, these in depth in another presentation (embedded below), the 9 Benefits of Mantra as taught by Guru Rinpoche:

We also covered extensively the method of using your mantra support, which is your mala:

In the rest of this presentation, we’ll focus simply on how to optimize mantra practice.

An important starting tip is: don’t let anyone tell you, that you are doing it all wrong, and your practice is worth nothing, that you’ve wasted years pronouncing it wrong — like the lovely woman who practiced in her home that glowed with the light of her faith. Even if you mispronounce, chant to fast, too loud or too frantically, it all has value; as long as you have the intention to benefit all sentient beings and aspire to the cause for Enlightenment. Even if you didn’t understand the practice instructions, you’re mantra work still has great value, planting, as Lama Zopa explained “seeds of virtue.”

If you chant mantras in your own native language, instead of the original Sanskrit, you are still practicing wonderfully.

If you chant mantra too quickly, because you only have a five minute break, you’re amazing. At least you practiced.

If you have practiced your mantra with faith for years, not realizing it is pronounced a different way, trust that you still benefitted.

In this presentation, we’re simply focused on advanced techniques to perfect your practice.

Having qualified that any practice is better than no practice, it is still valuable to practice as correctly as possible. Even though mispronouncing mantras with faith may still be quite effective, it is valuable to mindfully attempt to pronounce correctly. Even though we’re in a hurry, it’s still best to slow it down and concentrate.

This is because Mantras are effective due to all of Body, Speech and Mind. Mantras bless all three. Mantras are effective because they use the power of our minds to set intentions and to activate outcomes. Mantras have vibrational power through the qualities of sacred sound. Mantras are defined as “mind protection.” It’s not about “magic spells” it’s about the power of our minds to influence our lives, and the lives of others in a compassionate and wise way.

A Playlist of beautifully chanted Sanskrit Mantras on our Buddha Weekly Channel:

Is listening as helpful as recitation?

Although listening to mantras is not as helpful as actually participating silently our outloud, it is still valuable. You are hearing Sacred Dharma, which is always beneficial. Listening to someone chanting — especially with a beautiful voice, or tone — can be very empowering.

Ultimately, though, the goal is to particpate beyond simply listening. You can recite silently, outloud, at a whisper, or musically, as you prefer, but the idea is to bring your focus to the sacred Dharma, the benefits of Dharma and the power of Dharma, here, as expressed in mantras transmitted by the Buddha.

A “how-to” from Great Longchenpa on Supplication (or Requesting Activities) Mantras:

How to recite Mantras

In fact there is no one way to recite or practice mantras. As explained by Dr. Alexander Berzin:

“As I’ve explained, there are many different ways of reciting mantras, loud, soft, just in our mind, visualizing the letters of the mantra rather than saying the mantra in our mind or out loud. In kriya tantra, there’s imagining that the letters of the mantra themselves are inside our hearts are giving off the sounds of the mantra as opposed to imagining that we are making the sound. Then, there are meditations on the voidness of that sound of the mantra. There are many, many different types of mantra practices. But whether or not we are accompanying our recitation with a visualization, it is important to generate a special state of mind while reciting – either compassion, the understanding of voidness, and so on. ” [2]

As long as you have Bodhichitta intention, all practice has value. Ideally, bring mindfulness to your practice. Especially in the beginning, remember some basic tips — which begin with “slowing things down.”

A good guideline is to remember Buddha taught “the middle way” without extremes. In other words, in the context of mantras: not too slow, not too fast; mindful, but not obsessive over details;  quality, not quantity; anywhere is better than nowhere; a promise is a promise, but we all make mistakes.

1. Quality is Better than Quantity

Even people engaging in counting retreats, where the goal is hundreds of thousands of repetitions in a retreat format should remember that quality is better than numbers. Completing 100,000 repetitions, without mindfulness isn’t as valuable as 5,000 carefully and mindfully chanted mantras.

2. Speed is Relative

Mantras cannot be chanted too fast, or too slow as long as you are including every syllable and mindfully focused on them. As you practice, your speed may natuarally increase. If you have a teacher, always follow their advice on speed. Somet teachers say “not too slow, not too fast” but this is another way of saying “make sure you enunciate each syllable properly.

Dr. Alexander Berzin gave the best description of how to chant:

“The speed with which we recite the mantras depends on us. The point is not to leave out any syllables. If you ever hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama recite mantras, it’s faster than practically anybody I’ve ever heard in my life – the same thing for reciting a text or reciting anything – yet every syllable is distinct and clear.” [2]

In other words focus mindfully on each syllable at whatever speed is comfortable and natural.

3. Anywhere is Better than Nowhere; Some, is Better than None

Sometimes we obsess so much of perfect practice, we end up skipping today because of non perfect circusmstances. Oh, I missed the morning session, so I’ll skip for today. Or, it’s too noisy here, I’ll do it later when I’m alone. I’m too stressed out right now, I’ll do it tomorrow.  I’ve got a headache, I’ll wait. I don’t have time to do my thousand repetitions, I’ll skip today and make up tomorrow. Or, we get panicky when we realize we broke our samaya by not practicing yesterday.

Instead, just practice late, practice with a headache, do fifty instead of 1000 repetitions. If you “broke samaya by missing a day” you just it make up today. If you’re promised to do 21 mantras a day, and missed, next day, you do 42. If you wait for perfect circumstances, you’ll be a practitioner in name only. The goal of practice is to actually practice, not to be rigid or dogmatic.

4. Volume and tone

General advice from most teachers is that if you are in public or around other people, mantras should be softly chanted so that you can hear, but others cannot. The goal is not to disturb others. For example, at a counting retreat, generally low volume is desirable.

On the other hand, for celebratory mantras that express our devotion, often known as name praise mantras, a joyful tone is appropriate. For example, when starting a group practice celebrating Amitabha or Avaloktiteshvara, we may musically and joyfully chant our mantras.

For serious practice, and supplication mantras, which are mantras that request activities of Enlightened deities, these are normally outloud, but not at a disturbing volume. If you are alone, as loud as you like, but in public, or group practice with respect for others around you. Normally, these are softly spoken rather than whispered.

For highest yoga practices, where we are self generating or undertaking specific practices, it is best to strictly follow the teachers guidance.

5. Blissfully Musical versus Syllabic

Mantras chanted to a melody or musically tend to be name or praise devotional mantras, or mantras that when repeated for thousands of repetitions become sleep-inducing. Ultimately, to chant musically, or tonelessly is your own preference, unless your specific lineage advises otherwise.

One of the practice areas in Vajrayana is meditating on bliss and emptiness. Bliss and joy are important to Vajrayana meditation. Here, we’re not referring to joy that gives rise to attachment, one of the great poisons in Buddhism. This is bliss that arises naturally from wisdom and compassion. Wisdom is the understanding of Shunyata and Emptiness. When we chant mantras, we are often meditating on emptiness or self generation  followed by disssolution. We do this with blissful awareness.

Musicality of mantras can help with blissful awareness. In this case it’s not devotional joy (although it can be) but rather a mindful practice.

For example, if we are chanting healing mantras, it can help to do so melodically. For this reason, Medicine Buddha mantras, and mantras such as Om Mani Padme Hum are often musically chanted. The sense of joy and celebration reinforces the meditation.

Other times, we actually change tones deliberately. Such as, for example, Manjushri’s arapachana mantras, where when we finish our meditation and recitation we allow our voice to dwindle as we intone, over and over again, the seed syllable Dhi. These are techniques that reinforce our mindful practice of mantra.

Some people advocate specific harmonics for some yogic mantras, but these are specific practices and yogas, not general recommendations.

Musicality of mantras is a celebratory practice, and highly meritorious, benefiting all sentient beings.

With music, pronunciation is still correct, but the music adds  a rhythm and joy that makes longer-term practice easier and more blissfully energetic.

6. Making Mantra a Complete Practice

Often, whe we are busy, we ask our teachers, “what if I don’t have time for my practice commitments and sadhanas?” Many teachers simply reply, “You have time for a mantra, don’t you?”

This means we can make mantras the focus of our practice. To make it a complete practice, it is vital to always begin by taking refuge in the Three Jewels. This can be as simple as saying “I take refuge in the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha, until I reach Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.” This includes both Refuge and the all-important Bodhichitta intention.

Chanting the mantras is our complete practice, especially if you combine it with visualization of the deity, and recite clearly and with mindfulness.  The mantra itself is both a praise and and offering, as well as a supplication.

Especially important in this case, is to always dedicate the merit of your mantra recitation to the benefit of all sentient beings. This makes it a complete practice. You can dedicate by simply saying, respectfully and sincerely, “I dedicate the merit of this mantra recitation to the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

7. Chant 7, 21, 27, 108 or more Times

Repetition a certain number of times symbolizes not only sincerity, but also creates intentionality. Additional repetitions, above the “minimum” helps in case we miss syllables. The traditional number is 108, with the final making up for any mistakes in recitation, but for longer mantras, or when you are in a rush, you can chant 7, 21, or 27 times. We’ve covered this symbolism in other features.

It is helpful to use a mala for counting and as your mantra support. See our in-depth feature on Guru Rinpoche’s guide to using a mala, linked at the information icon.

8. Remain Mindful

Although you can chant mantras when walking, doing chores, driving and at other times, as a reinforcing practice, these tasks make it less meditative. Even if you’ve been chanting during rush hour on the way to work — making sure you do not take your concentration off the road — it’s ideal to set aside a few minutes for dedicated mantra practice when you can be fully mindful.

This means, starting with your breathing. Relaxing and settling into a comfortable posture. Then, reciting mindfully, enunciating each vowel carefully. As you do, if you have the concentration, you can engage in visualizations. The simplest is to visualize yourself suffused with light, blessing your body as you recite.

More intense visualizations include imagining the deity in front of you, with light going out from the deity’s heart to all sentient beings in the universe, blessing them, then returning into your own heart, blessing your own body, speech and mind.

9. Make up for Mistakes

There are three ways you can remedy your mistakes in pronunciation. One, is to recite 10 percent more than you count. The more elaborate method, especially on counting retreats, is to recite every letter of the Sanskrit alphabet. This makes up for any missing sounds. The third is to chant one of the mantras or Dharanis to repair recitation flaws.

A shorter form of “making up for mistakes” is to chant the purifying mantra at the beginning and end of your session. This can be either OM AH HUM which purifies body, speech and mind, or OM SVABHAVA SHUDDO DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM which is also called the Emptiness or Shunyata mantra. These purify the mantra sounds to essence.

In practice, if we recite several repetitions daily, we’re already symbolically making up for our mistakes by repeating.

Famous mantra for “destroying evil and curses” — this is NOT about destroying a sentient being, but rather than anger and hate within people that inspires evil:

What about all these mantras that “Destroy evil”?

Many mantras, and especially activity mantras, such as those of the 21 Taras or of various protectors, use the word “destroy” in their title. For example, “Destroys evil” or “Destroys enemies.” In the context of Buddhist mantras, it is important to understand that Bodhichitta is not “optional.” Destroying enemies” does not mean your personal enemy will drop dead the next day. Buddhist mantras destroy the enemies of anger, hate, jealousy, rage, anxiety, fear, desire, depression. By destroying the anger, we remove the incentive for people to engage in negative acts such as killing. We destroy the root causes, in Buddhism called the Ten Klesha or Ten Poisons. When all the poisons are removed, we attain, ultimately Enlightenment.

NOTES

[1] https://www.dharmadrum.org/portal_d8_cnt_page.php?folder_id=38&cnt_id=128&up_page=1

[2] https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/vajrayana/tantra-theory/recitation-of-mantras#:~:text=Most%20of%20the%20time%20when,doesn’t%20disturb%20everyone%20around.

“Of what is the body made?” asked George Leonard in The Silent Pulse. “It is made of emptiness and rhythm.” He went on to describe how science views matter: “We can see the fully crystalline structures of muscle fiber, waving like wheat in the wind, pulsing many trillions of times a second. As we move closer to the nucleus, it begins to dissolve. It too is nothing more than an oscillating field that upon our approach dissolves into pure rhythm.”

Part 1 of our Mantra Series: Healing Mantras, Setting the Mind Free>>

Part 2 of Buddha Weekly’s Special Series on Mantra: Mantras in Buddhist Practice

All matter in the universe, in some theories, are nothing but vibrations. Sounds are vibrations. Mantras are vibrations. Mantras are “made of emptiness and rhythm.” So, it seems is matter.

In the beginning

Religious traditions around the world acknowledge the power of sound, whether it be prayer, mantra, the word of Saraswati or the Biblical God, “In the beginning was the Word.” Just as vibrations are theorized by some scientists to be the underlying “structure” of the matter, it seems religions all around the world understood this aeons ago.

Mantra is universal

Mantra practice is often no more than an act of dedication. But at a practical level, mantra goes beyond devotion, and can be used in spiritual growth, healing, even worldly affairs.

Mantra is not solely a Buddhist or Hindu practice. Most religions have similar practices. Sufi master Vilayat Inayat Khan said, “The practice of mantra actually neads the body with sound. The delicate cells of the elaborate bundles of nerves are subjected to a constant hammering, a seizure of flesh by the vibrations of divine sound.”

One of the most popular Buddhist mantras brings the healing energy of Medicine Buddha, here sung beautifully by Yoko Dharma. This mantra is open to anyone who wishes to bring His energy: Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Sumundgate Soha:

What can mantra do?

According to Thomas Ashely-Farrand in his book Healing Mantras: Using Sound affirmations for Personal Power Creativity and Healing, “Mantra can help you feel more peaceful or more energized. It can help you cope with illness and it can sometimes help effect physical healing. It an help you bring your wishes to fruition and create reality from your dreams. Mantra is a dynamic, individual, nonviolent way to approach conditions you wish to change.”

How does mantra work?

Mantra is effective. Mantra practice “works.” The question is “how does mantra work?” There are many ways mantra works, according to various experts:
• the effect of sound vibrations on matter, made predictable by centuries of spiritual experimentation
• the inherent spiritual meaning of the mantra that conditions the mind
• mantras connect us to the compassion of a Buddha or enlightened being
• mantras connect us to our Buddha within
• mantas induce mindfulness
• mantras have inherent power (the supernatural meaning) — not entirely to be discounted easily, based on plenty of anecdotal evidence
• centuries or thousands of years of practice and millions of practicers have created “collective consciousness” equity (a far fetched theory that never-the-less has been demonstrated in Rupert Sheldrake’s theories and several credible studies on remote learning)
• mantras induce an altered state of mind, helpful for healing and stress reduction.
• and a long list of more esoteric reasons.

In short, after thousands of years of practice, and a heavy weight of anecdotal evidence, mantras work at one level or the other. And, for those of use who are practicing mantra out of simple devotion, none of this matters. Tradition, heritage and a “feeling of rightness” and dedication to the sacred just makes it part of practice.

Below: Play the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra chanted beautifully by Yoko Dharma. This mantra is open for anyone who wishes to bring compassion into their lives:

Om Mani Padme Hum

Arguably, Om Mani Padme Hum (Om Mani Peme Hung in Tibetan), the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin in Chinese Buddhism), is the best known Buddhist mantra. Around the world, millions chant this precious mantra, seeking to connect with the Bodhisattva of compassion. Does the mantra mean anything? There is an English translation, but the meaning is not immediately relevant. Mani means “jewel” and padme translates as “lotus,” so it can be translated as “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus.” But the true power of this jewel of mantras lies in its hidden meanings, upon which many sages have expounded. And the hidden cadence of “emptiness and rhythm.”

Chanting Om Mani Padme Hum can bring us closer to compassion and helps us find the Bodhisattva.

A video short teaching on Mantra “How to and Why to” from H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche (8 minutes):

Mantra practice principles

These practice principles are my own and teachers may ask you to practice differently. This is just what has worked for me:
1. Purpose of mantra recitation
Whether the mantra chanting is for devotion, spiritual progress, mindfulness meditation or to help with worldly issues (such as healing), it is a good practice to have a goal in mind at the beginning of a practice session.
2. Repetition of mantra
Many paths or teachers will specify the number of repetitions. This isn’t a formula necessarily, so much as a discipline. Generally, 108 is the minimum number of repetitions per practice session, although most practices call for much more than this. 108 repetitions corresponds to the 108 delusions that afflict life. There are six varieties of delusions: delusions of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Each of these is multiplied by three — past, present, future — then by the two conditions of the heart, pure and impure, and the three sentiments (like, dislike, indifference.) When multiplied, this results in 108, long held by many religious traditions (Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and others) to be significant.
3. Daily practice
Daily practice is the best approach to mantra, but often mantra can be accomplished faster in a full retreat. There will normally be a “formula” or number or repetitions, recommended by a teacher, your inner guide, or a tradition, but ultimately, more is better with mantra.
4. Place of practice
Mantra is about sound vibrations, which transcend place, but it is often helpful to practice in quiet, meditative environments, such as before your shrine, in a temple, or out doors in nature. Ultimately, though, mantra can calm the mind in any scenario. Often, people in distress chant mantras to great effect in the midst of storms, wars or disasters. A quiet space is not a requirement, only a help.
5. Chant with sincerity
Mumbling through a mantra is not a practice. It’s mumbling. Remain mindful of the mantra, and practice meditation techniques (such as detached watching, mindfulness, etc). But put your full mindful commitment to the practice. It’s not a ritual, it’s a practice that can change your life.

Amitabha’s mantra is open for all (here chanted by Yoko Dharma.) Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Light:

To Mala or not to Mala

Mala’s are an aid to counting at a very basic level. Also known as rosary, worry beads, or prayer beads, malas are not simply a “counter.” Most traditions consider malas to be a Dharma object, therefore due the respect of an ancient spiritual tool that has been used for centuries. Malas can be made of anything, and value is irrelevant. You can make them yourself or buy them. But once you begin using a mala, if you do, treat them with great respect. Use of a mala can strongly reinforce mantra practice, but is not necessary. Part 4 in this series is all about malls.

Seed Mantras

You can begin working with the “seed syllable” purification mantra Om Ah Hum (Om A Hum.) Often Om Ah Hum precedes or concludes other mantras in a practice session, with 108 or more recitations of Om Ah Hum followed by the other mantras. There are different ways to think of Om Ah Hum, such as the traditional Body, Speech and Mind. Or as the primal vibrations—Om as primal source vibration, Ah as primal speech vibration (and also the female aspect) and Hum as the mind vibration.

Lama Thubten Yeshe teaches the purification mantra this way: Purification of Body —”Concentrate on the white OM in your brain. Recognize that this white OM is the pure energy of the divine body of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.”Purification of Speech — “Concentrate on the red AH at your throat chakra, like the sun at sunset. Recognize that this red AH is the pure speech of the buddhas and bodhisattvas.”Purification of Mind — ” Your heart is pure, cool and calm, opened by the radiant light of the moon and the HUM. Infinite blue light radiates from the HUM. All narrow thoughts disappear; all indecisive minds disappear; all obsessed minds disappear.”

 

“At the heart of each of us, whatever our imperfections, there exists a silent pulse of perfect rhythm, made up of wave forms and resonances, which is absolutely individual and unique, and yet which connects us to everything in the universe.” — George Leonard, Silent Pulse [13]

Mantra is thought of as a beneficial meditative practice ­— empowered by faith, intention and concentration. Yet, there is a significant body of evidence that mantras, regardless of concentration or faith, are beneficial to health and surroundings. In other words, they may have influence over mind — and even environment (for example growth of plants) — even if the recipient of the sound has no faith in its efficacy. Expectant mothers play mantras for unborn babies. Caregivers chant mantras for pets. Neither babies nor pets have faith, but many swear by the effectiveness of mantra. Faith certainly empowers mantra further, as does intention, but some research seems to indicate benefit specifically from the sound and frequency.

• Related story: “Cognitive Research: Om Ah Ra Pa Cha Na Dhi, Manjushri’s Arapachana mantra, proven to “enhance cognitive functions to a significant degree” versus non-spiritual”tongue twisters.”>>

Some Buddhist Teachers Recommend Mantra Even Where There’s No Faith

The notion that the beneficiaries of mantra do not require faith is also supported in Buddhist thinking as well. For example, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche recommends chanting mantras around your pets for their benefit. Clearly, they don’t have faith or concentration on the mantra, but the mantra seems to have effect anyway. Two weeks ago, Zasep Rinpoche recommended I chant Hayagriva mantra around my sick, aging horse who was lame. Within two days she was up on her feet and actually trotting around. The previous year, I helped support aging relatives (non Buddhist) and a cat — in both cases with Medicine Buddha mantra. These were not miracles, but they were supportive and transformative.

Likewise, Lobsang Dhargey, resident teacher at the Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Redding advises “recite mantras and pray for animals.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche strongly advises Medicine Buddha Mantra for sick or dying animals, spoken near their ear. [For more on Animal Dharma, see this Buddha Weekly story>>]

Medicine Buddha Mantra:

Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Randza Sumundgate Soha

Sanskrit Pronunciation:

Om Bhaishagye Bhaishagye Maha Bhaishagye Raja Sumundgate Svaha

Pronounced:

Om Bye-shah-jay Bye-shah-jay Mah ha Bye-shah-jay  Rah jah Sumund gah teh Svah ha

Lovely Medicine Buddha Chanting:

Medical Treatment: Nurses and Doctors Recommend Mantra for Some Conditions

Even if the patient or person has no knowledge or faith in mantras, the Annual Review of Nursing Research (2014), suggested “Mantra repetition is a simple, quick, portable and private complementary practice that may be used as an adjunct to current treatments for PTSD.” [1] In the Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science, mantra identified research that proved the physiological benefits of mantra repetition: “lowered levels of tension; slower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, lower oxygen consumption, and increased alpha wave production. The benefits experienced in 20 minutes of meditation exceed those of deep sleep, thus indicating the regenerative power of meditation and saving of wear and tear on the body.” [2]

The Physics of Sound: A Cosmos of Rhythms

“The great rhythms of the cosmos are also revealed through modern physics,” writes Thomas Ashley Farrand in his book Healing Sounds.

In a near-Buddhist-like statement (particularly in its reference to emptiness), George Leonard writes in The Silent Pulse, about the vastness of space that composes what we call matter: “We can see the fully crystalline structure of muscle fiber, waving like wheat in the wind, pulsing many trillions of times a second… As we move closer to the nucleus, it begins to dissolve. It too is nothing more than an oscillating field [that] upon our approach dissolves into pure rhythm. Of what is the body made? It is made of emptiness and rhythm.” [13]

Synchronicity of Self-Created Sound

“It’s also been found that self created sounds such as chanting will cause the left and right hemispheres of the brain to synchronize,” said Jonathon Goldman, author of The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing. “Such chanting will also help oxygenate the brain, reduce our heart rate, blood pressure and assist in creating calm brainwave activity. In addition, listening to certain chants has great beneficial effects.” [10]

References to mantra’s benefits are common in various psychiatry and medical projects, papers and journals. In one project, they concluded through research that OM chanting calmed the stressed mind. [2] In yet another, they concluded that the Gayatri Mantra helped with tinnitus, Alzheimer’s and improving motor skills in Parkisonism. [3]

Change Molecular Structure? Can Sound Really Do That?

“There is no question that sound can alter molecular structure,” Jonathon Goldman explains  “In the 1960’s, a medical doctor named Hans Jenny conducted experiments that showed that sound was able to actually create form in various substances such as plastics, plastes, liquids and water. He would place these substances—powders, etc. on a steel plate and then using a crystal oscillator, vibrate these plates with sound. The various substances took on the most organic looking shapes—they look like microscopic organisms or underwater life. Quite astounding.” [10]

Putting aside molecular effects, the entire field of Sonochemistry is concerned with “is concerned with understanding the effect of ultrasound in forming accoustic cavitation in liquids, resulting in the initiation or enhancement of the chemical activity in the solution.” [12] For example, this method can be used to destroy pollutants in water, or even to enhance cleaning (ultransonic cleaning). Sound profoundly effects all liquids. This lends some credence to the notion that sound also effects humans, animals and plants — which are mostly water. This is not at the molecular level, but a result of cavitation. “The chemical effects of ultrasound do not come from direct interaction with molecular species. Instead, sonochemistry and sonoluminescense arises from acoustic cavitation.” [11]

The simplest and most effective mantra for daily chanting is the “Compassion Mantra” of Avalokiteshvara:

Om Mani Padme Hum

Chant Om Mani Padme Hum along with the wonderful voice of Yoko Dharma

Why Speech and Mantra Can Physically and Mentally Change Our Lives

Speech and language consume significant portions of our brain. It is reasonable to assume — and many Neuroscientists make this point — that sound and language influence the majority of aspects of our lives. In fact, Neuroscientist Mark Changizi, in his intriguing book How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape into Man, hypothesizes that when we hear certain sounds we tangibly experience those events — for example, a scream brings instant feelings of tension and fear. [5] Critiquing the book, The Scientist magazine wrote that Changizi demonstrates a “…simple but striking premise to show how language and music…harness our brains.”

When we read a novel, we ourselves become a part of that story. Language and speech has that kind of power. Hearing the sound of a coyote on a lonely, dark night can make us feel irrational fear. The sound of a car crash triggers adrenalin in our bodies. The purr of a cat soothes and relaxes us. The laugh of a baby makes us smile. Hate speech inspires hate. Kind words generate compassion. It is reasonable to propose — and some cognitive scientists have — that mantra also has physical and emotional effects on our body that can even influence our health.

Transformative Energy from Sound

“Mantra meditation is not only something one practices, but a radical re-envisioning of ourselves, our lives and our ability to create the future we desire,” writes Thomas Ashley-Farrand in his book Mantra Meditation. [6] He adds, provocatively, “Mantra meditation is not magic, but the results can be magical.”

For example, the effect of mantra on growth of crops, for example, is widely reported and backed by research from the China Agricultural University. We reported on this in Buddha Weekly: “Buddhist Mantras Help Crops Grow — Increase Output by Fifteen Percent; Studies Reveal the Power of Mantras to Help Plants — People.” >>

In this reported news story, farmers in Fujian province increased crop yield and grain size by placing loud speakers in the fields playing repetitive Buddhist mantras. Nearby crops, out of reach of the sound mantras, “struggled with pests and suffered much reduced yield.” The researchers concluded, ” Although it’s well-established that some types of music do improve plant growth, normally assumed to be a sound-wave stimulation, mantras are particularly efficacious.”

Stress reduction and healing benefits of meditation are well accepted benefits of mantra. Putting aside faith and spiritual reasons, how is it possible, that a mantra can transform energy? Ashley Farrand proposes: “Repeating any sound produces an actual physical vibration. Nowhere is this idea truer than in Sanskrit mantra. When chanted out loud or silently, mantras create a single, powerful vibration… Over time, the mantra process begins to override and absorb all the smaller vibrations, which eventually become subsumed within the mantra.

Effect of Mantras on Human Beings — US National Library of Medicine

The effect of mantra on plants, living beings and humans is well documented and supported by research. The US National Library of Medicine has a notable abstract titled, “Effect of Mantras on Human Beings and Plants” in which: “The author during his various experiments on plants found that these from the stage of seedling to the maturity are effected by certain types of sound waves, especially the Mantras. This study reveals that the plants have shown a positive response to this type of particular sound waves regarding the growth. their efficacy in curing the diseases etc.” [7]

In part, some researchers assume this benefit to be sound frequency’s effect on water. The human body, plants, and animals are mostly water. Researcher Maseru Emoto published findings in a peer reviewed journal (Journal of Scientific Exploration) containing results of experiments on water. He photographically demonstrated the effect of mantras and sound on water with striking results. Ice crystals in water exposed to negative sounds or thoughts created predictable and negative formations, while water exposed to mantra, prayer or positive thoughts rendered beautiful and striking images. While scientists are divided on support for hs work, in part due to insufficient controls, no one disputed the general conclusion that sound can negatively or positively impact humans and plants — beings made up mostly of water. [8]

Sankrit’s Unique Sound Vibration

Sanskrit language in particular has been demonstrated to be more predictably impactful on body and mind. Most mantras are Sanskrit. This may be due to the ancient roots of Sanskrit, the mother of all languages (most modern languages evolved from Sanskrit (with the exception of indigenous languages of America, Africa and Australia). [9] In part the impact of ancient Sanskrit mantras on our unconscious minds, as suggested by Carl Gustav Jung. Sanskrit is also very rhythmic and, to some extent, mimics nature’s sounds — which have been proven in numerous studies to have a profound impact on our minds. (For example, the call of a loon, or the howl of  a wolf evoke specific emotions in humans — primitive memories stored in our subconscious mind.)

“The gist of what they convey is that the universe at the physical and subtle level is composed of fifty vibrations,” writes Thomas Ashley Farrand in Mantra Meditation. “Collectively these vibrations are called the Matrika — the Mother… the spanda (vibrations) that have constucted the universe we inhabit.” Putting aside the spiritual thrust of that statement, it seems clear that Sanskrit contains within it, representative frequencies that can interact with our bodies and minds.

NOTES

[1] Annual Review of Nursing Research, Volume 32, 2014, page 80, Patricia Watts Kelley, Patricia Watts Kelley, PhD, RN, FAAN, Christine Kasper Springer Publishing Company, Sep 23, 2014

[2] The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Volume 3, edited by W. Edward Craighead, charles B. Nemeroff, John Wiley & Sons, Nov 11, 2002 – Psychology

[3] “Time-Frequency Analysis of Chanting Sanskrit Divine Sound “Om” Mantra.

[4] “Mantra, Music and Reaction Times: A study of its applied aspects.” 

[5] How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape into Man, Mark Changizi, BenBella Books (2011), 216 pages, ASIN B005ERZLE4

[6] Mantra Meditation — Change Your Karma with the Sacred Power of Sacred Sound, Thomas Ashley Farrand, Sounds True, Inc. Published 2010 ISBN 978-1-59179-783-8

[7] NCBI Resources: Us Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health 

[8] The Hidden Messages in Water, Masaru Emoto (New York Times bestseller)

[9] Professor Dean Brown.

[10] Quoted from Shift Your Life, interview with Jonathan Goldman.

[11] The Chemical and Physical Effects of Ultrasound, Kenneth S. Suslick

[12] Sonochemistry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonochemistry

[13] The Silent Pulse: A Search for the Perfect Rhythm that Exists in Each of Us, Gibbs Smith (2006), ISBN 978-1423601227

It seems almost silly to accept the notion that “sound” can change a person’s life situation. Yet research, and centuries of anecdotal evidence point to definite benefits from mantras.

[Full story on the Mantra crop here>>]

Health changes, are understandable— at least at the level of reduction of stress through mantra meditation. Obviously, with faith, there is a reasonable level of “faith healing.” And yes, plants can be shown to grow more vigorously with certain sound vibrations. Yet, in Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism, it is said that mantra is effective, even if the person chanting it does not have faith. How can a reasonable person actually believe that Mantra can trigger healing, or protect us, or bring us good fortune with or without faith?

Buddha taught that He (the Buddha) is the doctor, the Dharma is the medicine, and the Sangha is the nurse. On this level, Dharma, the spoken words of Buddha, is medicine. Mantras are Dharma distilled to a handful of words (at least, that’s one way to look at them.) Just as, with our eyes, we might gaze upon a beautiful statue of a contemplative Buddha, and feel suddenly empowered, the speech of the Buddha (mantra) has the same effect, using sound and vibration.

On more practical level — and perhaps easier to accept for the non-Buddhist — the whole concept of remaining focused on these words (and what they symbolize), brings us closer to “right conduct” in our lives, probably improving our “karmic” situation (helping us neutralize negative karma.) Removing the negatives from our lives, tend to bring the positives into our situation.

Healing Power of Sound

“It’s also been found that self created sounds such as chanting will cause the left and right hemispheres of the brain to synchronize. Such chanting will also help oxygenate the brain, reduce our heart rate, blood pressure and assist in creating calm brainwave activity. In addition, listening to certain chants has great beneficial effects.” — Johnathon Goldman Tantra Of Sound(Hampton Road)[1]

Healing Mantra of Medicine Buddha chanted in Sanskrit:

Goldman explains: “On one level, one can see that mantric chanting, as observed years ago by Dr. Herbert Benson, helps induce the “relaxation” response, causing reduction of heart beat, brain waves and respiration. On another level, as Dr. David Shananoff-Khalsa believes, mantric recitation enables the tongue to stimulate the acupuncture meridians inside the mouth (particularly on the roof), thus enhancing help. Dr. Ranjie Singe found that the chanting of specific mantras caused the release of the hormone melatonin and is investigating the importance of this in the healing process. He has found that there are many benefits including shrinkage of tumors and enhanced sleep because of this. He writes about this in his book Powerful Self Healing Techniques.”

He explained: “Everything is in a state of vibration and when we are in a natural, resonant vibration, we are in a state of health. But if some part of the body begins to vibrate at a counter frequency, the energy becomes stuck and disease sets in. Therefore, by mantric chanting, one can cause stuck energy to become released, and we can return to our natural state of resonance, effecting a cure.

“I have, incidentally, observed this phenomenon many times during workshops. We will be reciting a mantra to invoke a specific entity—perhaps Tara, Tibetan Goddess of Compassion for example, in order to better embody the energy of compassion. However, during and after the process, I’ve seen people with chronic health problems emerge from the chanting quite healthy. It’s amazing.”

Sound Symbols

Tara’s Activity Mantra brings all the activities of all the Buddhas: protective, pacifying, powerful, and wrathful into our lives:

Mantras are often considered to be “sound” icons or symbols. In the same way we visualize a Buddha with our imaginations, or visual symbols, likewise we intone mantras  as audible triggers or symbols. Both visualization and mantras, from one point of view, help us connect to the Buddha within.

Mantras are much more than just symbols. The Sanskrit root of “mantra” is “manas” which means mind combined with “trai” which means to “set free from.” The literal definition of mantra is “set free the mind.” Some interpret “trai” as protect, which made mantras somewhat synonymous with mind protection (whether yours or divine).

Longer Dharanis from Sutra are also a form of more elaborate mantra. The best of example of a Dharani, chanted by many daily, is Amitabha’s Pure Land Dharani (sometimes called the Long Life Dharani, which connects us with the mind of Compassion, and is well known for bringing joy, bliss, and peace. It is also an aspiration to purify all negative karma and help us be reborn to Amitabha’s Pureland. By purifying obstacles and negative karma, it is also known as the Dharni of Long Life

Anywhere, Anytime Mantras Help Us

Buddhists often find themselves chanting mantras all day long, when driving, working, playing. In effect, this extends mindfulness of Buddhist practice throughout our day, rather than just occasionally when we find time to formally meditate.

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche explained why it’s important to think in these terms (during an interview with Buddha Weekly): “One very famous Lama, named Sakya Pandita, wrote “Even if you are going to die tomorrow, you should start the Dharma today.” Why? Because your mind continues. Your mind doesn’t die. The body dies, the mind continues. So whatever you study in this lifetime remains with you in your mind as an imprint. Don’t think, “I’m an old man now, waiting to die, there’s no point.”

Rinpoche pointed out that mantra practice is perfect for busy, modern people, and used his own busy schedule — he teaches non stop in countries around the world: “I do my mantras when I’m on a plane. I do my mantras when I’m on the subway. I travel a lot. I sit on the plane, have a cup of tea, then do my mantras. I do my practice first, then maybe try to get some sleep.” [2]

Mantra and the “Mechanics” of Sound

In a fascinating feature on the syllable Aum (Om), Gabriel Axel in U.S.News, explained how sound can affect the brain: “A, U and M are sonorants or rings, so this particular mantra qualifies an object that inherently has no interactions (hits or slides). In terms of physics, this means our object is formless. Try resonating the mantra aloud, allowing air to flow through the nasal passage, smoothly transitioning between the three sounds.

Vajra Guru Mantra chanted in Sanskrit. Sanskrit the “mother language” has nuances of vibration and pronunciation that empower mantras. The syllables of Sanskrit, also carry multiple meanings. For example, the mantra of Guru Rinpoche can be translated twelve different ways (all powerful blessings), as described in his own teaching on the mantra (see this feature>>) It is also a very beautiful mantra that resonates with the meditative mind:

If you do not wish to disturb anyone that may be around you, you can whisper the sounds subvocally. The A (pronounced ä, as in “car”) can feel like a wide opening and has a broader vibratory effect on the physical body, approximating the gross consciousness of the waking state. The U (pronounced o͞o, as in “soup”), has a funneling effect, narrowing the consciousness into subtler sensations such as thoughts and impressions, approximating the dream state. The more nasal M sound is like the drone of a bee; it makes the cranium vibrate in a kind of undifferentiated and ubiquitous earthquake over the convolutions or valleys in the cerebral cortex, approximating the deep dreamless sleep state of consciousness. Traditionally, Aum represents and has the capacity to progressively open up the practitioner to the ever-present formless and timeless reality, the background radiation of the cosmos that echoes the Big Bang.” [3]

Mantra also means “instrument of thought”

The best dictionary definition for mantra is “instrument of thought”, a concept that nicely connects with one of the main purposes of the sounds. In both Buddhism and Hinduism, one of the many purposes of mantra is to aid in concentration, mindfulness and meditation. The repetition of a mantra — especially if intoned with rhythm in Sanskrit — is somewhat hypnotic, almost trance-inducing for some people. On one hand, mantra focuses and helps us stay mindful and in the present. On the other, it shifts us into an “altered consciousness” where concepts, visualization and meditation becomes very effective for some people.

Another way of considering this definition is as an “enabler.” Thought enables action. Mantras enable (at one level) thought. At another level mantras could be said to “alter” thought, especially where the practitioner has a “negative” habit. For example, if we lack compassion, we might chant the mantra of the Lord of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara: Om Mani Padme Hum.

Typically, for a serious student, the mantra that automatically comes to mind and lips is that of the Buddha-form you find most appealing — or most needed in your life. For people needed active protection, this might be Green Tara’s rapid-acting mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. For a student struggling with exams, they might be drawn to Manjushri’s wisdom mantra: Om Ah Ra Pa Ca Nah Dih (Ca is pronounced Tza).  For healing, Medicine Buddha comes to mind and lips: Om Bekhandze Bekhandze Maha Bekhandze Bekhandze Randza Sumudgate Svaha.

Nembutsu—or mindfulness of Buddha

One of the main purposes of mantra is mindfulness. Nembutsu literally means “to think of Buddha” which is based on the ancient teaching “Be mindful of the Buddha and the Buddha is mindful of you.” This is a practice of Pure Land Buddhism, but it does apply effectively to much of mantra practice, getting to the heart of mantra’s power — mindfulness.

The Nembutsu of Guanyin Bodhisattva:

Law of Karma: Why Mantras Can Help us Heal

Buddhists and Hindus, who both use mantras effectively, believe that a key purpose of mantra is to “set free from” karma. Since in Buddhist belief, our current conditions (and health) are caused, in part, by negative karma from earlier actions (either in this life, or in a previous life), Mantra practice becomes an important aid in healing, and stress reduction. Mantra is said to help work off negative karma through mindful practice and sacred sounds that connect with the “divine.”

“Chanting mantras works directly on all types of karma, helping to overcome what may have been created inadvertently or ignorantly in this life or some past life,” wrote Thomas Ashely-Farrand in Healing Mantras: Using Sound Affirmations for Personal Power, Creativity and Healing. “As part of this process, we can heal various physical, emotional and spiritual conditions…”

Sacred formula, Sacred Speech

A search on the word “mantra” on the internet reveals all sorts of definitions. The most exotic of these is “sacred formulas” and indeed they can be thought of as sacred speech. Sanskrit, the Mother of all tongues and a root to many languages, contains within its syllables sacred seeds, according to ancient traditions that stretch back thousands of years. Other definitions include “prayer or song of praise”, and though technically true, most practitioners believe mantra transcends simple praise.

Mantras don’t always translate into literal meanings. Syllables such as the most sacred OM, AH or HUM do not specifically mean anything and are considered sacred sounds with immense significance.

Mantras as magic? Not so Much

Less uplifting definitions on an internet search include: mystical verses, magical formula, charm, spell, incantation. These definitions do not fit the noble mantra, although there is some essential underlying truth, since mantra is often attributed with internal change, external change, wonders, marvels, even miracles. Yet, many believers describe mantra as a vehicle of transformation—not as a “spell” or formula of words. The mantra, according to many,  connects us with the divine or with the Buddha within (outward or inward) and works on the transformation of our minds.

It would be more useful to define mantra as a vehicle for illumination, clarity and removing defilements, which can have “magical effects” than to state the mantra is actually magic. Still, there are thousands upon thousands of stories of miraculous rescues for Tibetans who invoked Tara with here most popular ten syllable mantra:

OM Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Video teaching: What is Buddhist Mantra and How Can it Help Me? — a short teaching from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche:

Mantras in healing

Mantras are extremely effective for practitioners in healing. Millions of people rely on mantra to support their healthy practice. Whether because of transformation of the “mind”—the almost limitless power of the internal—or the intervention of a divine external, there is no end to the healing miracles attributed to mantra. Medicine Buddha and White Tara Mantras, in particular, if intoned with sincerity and faith—although some teachers teach that mantra is effective even in absence of belief—have been attributed with many thousands of cures, remissions of cancer, extending of lives.

For example, to increase longevity, merit, remove defilements and help heal, the White Tara mantra is used effectively by millions of practitioners:

OM Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Ye Svaha

Mantra of White Tara:

As a focus for the mind, to create the conditions for mindfulness or healing or simple meditation, the mantra should be repeated over and over, usually in a low, steady tone with the beginning of the mantra commencing right after the ending of the previous recitation. Mantra is nearly always combined with meditation and visualization to increase it’s impact on mind and health. In some lineages, empowerment and a teacher’s guidance is a must, although some mantras—such as White Tara and Medicine Buddha—do not require empowerment. Increased repetitions is credited with increased effect by many teachers. Usually, a minimum of twenty-one recitations is considered useful, but normally a minimum of 108 mantras will be voiced in a meditation session, corresponding to:

• 108 beads in a mala, which are turned with each recitation bead-by-bead
• 108 delusions (which is the basis for the 108 beads, among other 108s).

These are bare minimums. Many practitioners will meditate on thousands of mantras each day.

Please also see these features on Mantras:

• Part 2 of our series on mantra: “Good Vibrations”>>

NOTES

[1] The Science Behind Mantra

[2] Part 3: Zasep Tulku Rinpoche discusses how to find a teacher; why its important to meditate on death; how to start with Deity Yoga; how wrathful Deities can be misunderstood; and the role of internet in Dharma teachings.

[3] “Your Brain on Om” U.S. News Gabrial Axel.

Buddhist Mantras are vital, powerful and transformative — but how do they actually work? In what ways can they help. Buddha Weekly’s editors try to answer the most common questions we receive on our contact forms, starting with:

“Do Buddhist mantras actually work?”

The second most common question is “How does it work?”

We often receive more specific questions, such as:

• “How can Medicine Buddha mantra heal me?”
• “How can Tara’s mantra protect me?”
• “Why would there be a Buddhist mantra for good fortune?”
• “Do I need special training or permission to use mantras? Which ones?”
• “Do I have to be a Buddhist to receive benefits from Buddhist mantra?”
• “Which mantras can anyone recite effectively?”
• “Is mantra some sort of mystical magic?”
• “Isn’t mantra just another form of meditation?”

We’ll try to answer all these questions in this feature, and more.

Special Feature: Included in this video are a dozen playable videos of mantras with meditative images — see the individual sections on “healing” and “protection” and so on.

The Power of Mantra

The power of mantra is not just the power of thought and sound — as powerful as that is. It’s equally the power of mind. It is connective, transformative, and enriching as a practice. The power of words is unquestioned. Although many point to the development of the “wheel” as the first great transformative development of humankind; in fact, the greatest development of all time is language and communication.

Mantras are communication. They are sounds and words. They connect us to mind and the Unverse. The power of sound is easily demonstrated. A soothing sound calm an angry person. A lullaby can put us to sleep. A diplomatic exchange can prevent a war (sometimes.) A prayer can heal. Mantras embrace all of those wondrous powers, but additionally connect us to our Buddha Nature, our own personal Buddha, the collective Buddha Mind. If that all sounds too mystical, fine, settle for they connect us to our own higher selves.

• For our previous in-depth feature drilling deep into the power of mantra, with research citations see>>

Mantras are Transformative

In his book The Power of Mantra: Vital Practices for Transformation[1], Lama Zopa Rinpoche introduces the power of mantra this way:

Since things are dependent arisings, everything depends on causes and conditions. If we think about it, we can see that the power of mantra comes from the inconceivable qualities and power of the Buddha, from his holy mind that is completely trained in compassion and embraces all sentient beings without exception. The Buddha has infinite times more compassion and love for us than we have for ourselves, and the power of the mantra comes through the power of Buddha’s omniscient mind.

The power of the mantra also comes from the power of the mind of the person who recites it. Of course, if we have some realization, there is much more power in whatever activity we do for other sentient beings; it is much more meaningful. However, even if we are still very far from attaining any realization, reciting the mantra can still be effective depending on how much compassion and love we have toward that sentient being, as well as how much devotion we have in the mantra, the guru, and the Three Rare Sublime Ones: the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.”[1]

• For an in-depth feature on the “power or mantras: healing, setting the mind free, protecting the mind…” see>>
• For a feature on the 9 benefits of mantra according to Guru Rinpoche, see>>
• Scientific Buddhist: Mantra helps crops grow

10 Ways Mantra Can Benefit Us

See Section on each below, with meditative videos for most:

1. Healing
2. Protection
3. Good Fortune
4. Obtaining Wishes
5. Purification
6. Developing Positive Qualities
7. Connecting with the Buddhas
8. Transformation of Suffering
9. Developing Samadhi (Concentration)
10. Receiving Blessings

How Mantras Work

Before discussing the actual mantras we might consider for each purpose, a good question might be “how does it work?” Is it just some kind of “magic”? Or wish fantasy? Or prayer to a higher power?

Going beyond the mechanics of language and sound (discussed above), mantra works because of the close connection between sound and mind. As Buddhist teacher Tulku Thondup explains:

“In Buddhist cosmology, everything is composed of energy, including sounds, which are just a very gross form of energy. The nature of energy is that it can influence other forms of energy. For example, if you have a piece of hot coal, its heat will make the air around it hot. Similarly, certain sounds can influence the human mind.”[2]

When we recite mantra with sincere devotion and concentration, the sound vibrations have a powerful effect on our subtle minds. These vibrations can purify negativities, plant the seeds for positive qualities to arise, and help us to develop concentration and attain higher states of consciousness. [3]

1. Healing

The first and most common way that Buddhist mantras are used is for healing, either our own or others’. If we are sick, we can recite mantras specifically for good health and healing, such as the Medicine Buddha mantra (see below). Alternatively, we can recite any mantra that we have a strong connection with or devotion to. If we are reciting for someone else’s healing, it is helpful to generate as much compassion as possible for that person while reciting.

Here are some other examples of Buddhist mantras for healing:

– The Medicine Buddha Mantra:

“Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samudgate Soha”

– The Amitabha Buddha Mantra: the Buddha of Light is affirming for every obstacle

“Om Ami Dewa Hrih”  or  “Om Amitabha Hrih”

– The Heart Sutra:

“Om Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha”

— Parnashavari Tara — Tara Dressed in Leaves

“Om Pishachi Parnashavari Sarvajora Prashamanayeh Svaha”

– Black Manjushri, recommended by teachers for extremely serious diseases such as Cancer, Aids or life-threatening diseases:

“OM PRASO CHUSO DURTASO DURMISO NYING GOLA CHO KALA DZA KAM SHAM TRAM BHE PHET SOHA”

– Hayagriva’s mantra is a powerful remedy for aggressive illness, obstacles and obstructions:

“Om Hri Padman Tatro Vajra Krodha Hayagriva Hulu Hulu Hum Pey!”

2. Protection

Another common way to use Buddhist mantras is for protection from fears, dangers, and obstacles. We can recite mantras such as the Tara mantra: Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha, or the Manjushri mantra: Om Arapacana Dhih, or any others that we feel drawn to. Again, if we are reciting on behalf of someone else, it is helpful to generate compassion for them while reciting. Here are some other examples of Buddhist mantras for protection:

– Tara’s Protective Mantra:

Tara is the Mother of the Buddhas and brings to bear the force of the Karma and “Action” Family. She is famous for rescues. Even just calling out her name “Tara!” has a history of brining rescue or relief. Her mantra is

“Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha” (Tibetan) or “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha” (Sanskrit)

— Hayagriva’s supreme mantra is called the “King of All Protections”:

Hayagriva’s mantra is especially powerful for those with the empowerment of the practice. The mantra and video are above under healing.

— Guru Rinpoche’s mantra

Padmasambhava has many forms, but the Second Buddha of our age is a valuable mantra for all activities: healing, power, attracting auspiciousness and so on. He has many mantras and forms, but his best known,  great mantra is:

“Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum”

3. Good Fortune

Another common reason to recite Buddhist mantras is to invoke good fortune, either our own or others’. For example, we might recite the mantra of White Mahakala: Om Guru Mahakala Hari Nisa Siddhi Dza, or, again, the action wish-fulfilling Green Tara mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. We can also recite any mantra that we have a strong connection with or devotion to. If we are reciting for someone else’s good fortune, it is helpful to generate as much compassion as possible for that person while reciting.

4. Obtaining Wishes

Another common reason to recite Buddhist mantras is to obtain specific wishes, such as the wish to have a baby, the wish to sell our house, or the wish to find a good job. Making wishes, or hoping for auspicious circumstances, may seem to be non-meritorious, but, as long as we wish for auspiciousness, such as success or money, for the benefit of all sentient beings — with the true aspiration to use our success to spread the Dharma and help sentient beings — then it is highly auspicious. In Buddhism, the “common Siddhis” are our wishes or aspirations for “mundane” things. The goal of these “wishes” is to remove our obstacles to practice.

— The action mantra of Green Tara:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

Or, any others that we feel drawn to. Again, if we are reciting on behalf of someone else, it is helpful to generate compassion for them while reciting.

5. Purification

Another common use of Buddhist mantras is for the purification of negative karma and negativities such as anger, attachment, and jealousy. Although ALL mantras can be considered purifying, as the merit of recitations of any Enlightened Deity mantra is purifying, the main go-to practice for Purification is always Vajrasattva:

— Vajrasattva Mantra:

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANUPALAYA
VAJRASATTVA TVENOPATISHTHA
DRIDHO ME BHAVA
SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA
SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA
ANURAKTO ME BHAVA
SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACCHA
SARVA KARMA SU CHAME
CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM
HA HA HA HA HO
BHAGAVAN SARVA TATHAGATA
VAJRA MA ME MUNCHA
VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA

The shorter version of the Vajrasttva Mantra is not a good substitution for the longer mantra, which contains statements of confession and purification, but in a “pinch” you can chant: OM VAJRASATTVA HUM

• For a full feature on Vajrasattva in Buddha Weekly, see>>

6. Developing Positive Qualities

A more important use of Buddhist mantras is to develop positive qualities such as love, compassion, and wisdom. We can recite mantras such as the Maitreya Buddha mantra: Om Maitreya Buddho Sangha Vandana, or the Compassion Mantra of Avalokiteshvara Om Mani Padme Hum or, again, the always-ready-to-help action mantra of Green Tara: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha.

7. Connecting with the Buddhas

Another important way to use Buddhist mantras is to connect with and receive blessings from the Buddhas. We can recite mantras such as the Shakyamuni Buddha mantra: Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Ye Soha, or the Guru Rinpoche mantra: Om Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum, or any others that we feel drawn to.

8. Transformation of Suffering

Another important way to use Buddhist mantras is for the transformation of our suffering into happiness and joy. We can recite mantras such as the Tara mantra: Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha, or any others that we feel drawn to. Again, if we are reciting on behalf of someone else, it is helpful to generate compassion for them while reciting.

9. Improving Relationships

Another common use of Buddhist mantras is to improve our relationships with others, whether they are family, friends, co-workers, or strangers. We can recite mantras such as the Chenrezig mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum, or any others that we feel drawn to. Again, if we are reciting on behalf of someone else, it is helpful to generate compassion for them while reciting.

10. World Peace

Finally, another important way to use Buddhist mantras is for the benefit of all beings and the world peace. We can recite mantras such as the Tara mantra: Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha, or the Chenrezig mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum, or any others that we feel drawn to. Again, if we are reciting on behalf of someone else, it is helpful to generate compassion for them while reciting.

Q & A on Mantras (Questions from our readers)

“Do I need special training or permission to use mantras? Which ones?”

No, you don’t need special training or permission to use Buddhist mantras. However, it is always best to receive teachings from a qualified teacher before using any mantras, especially if you are new to Buddhist practice. As for which mantras to use, there are many different Buddhist mantras for different purposes, so it is best to consult with a qualified teacher or Buddhist practitioner to see which ones would be most beneficial for you.

“Do I have to be a Buddhist to receive benefits from Buddhist mantra?”

No, you don’t have to be a Buddhist to receive benefits from most of the well-known Buddhist mantras, such as the Compassion Mantra Om Mani Padme Hum or the “action wish-fulfiling” mantra of Tara Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha. However, it is always best to receive teachings from a qualified teacher or Buddhist practitioner before using any mantras, especially if you are new to Buddhist practice. Generally speaking, the more you recite a mantra, the more powerful it becomes.

“How long do I need to recite a mantra for it to be effective?”

There is no set amount of time that you need to recite a Buddhist mantra for it to be effective. However, repetition is the secret to effectiveness. We recite mantras to remain mindful of the purpose — for example, compassion as a purpose, or “world peace.” Each time you recite the mantra you focus on the goal of “world peace” or compassion. The more focus and repetition, the better.

“Is mantra some sort of mystical magic?”

No, Buddhist mantras are not magic — although they do connect us to the teachings and the lineage. By connecting to both, you ensure you are practicing Dharma. There is, however, power in mantra, driven more from faith, lineage and the “connectedness” of all beings — the co-dependent nature of all beings. While they are simply words or phrases that we use as a tool to focus our mind on a particular goal or intention — if we tune our mind to that “frequency” we tap in to the power of Dharma, the teachings, the lineage and the Enlightened Mind that connects with our own Buddha Nature. As with any tool, the more you use it, the better you will become at using it. Mantra’s main “mystical aspect is putting us in touch with the Enlightened Buddhas who can help us.

“Do I need to believe in Buddhist mantras for them to work?”

No, you don’t need to believe in Buddhist mantras for them to work. However, the more you believe in them, the more powerful they will become. Buddhist mantras are like any other tool — the more you use them, the better you will become at using them.

“Do I need to recite Buddhist mantras in Tibetan or Sanskrit?”

Ideally, you should recite exactly as your teacher transmitted the mantra to you. This not only reinforces faith, it connects you to the power of the long lineage of teachers going back to the Buddha. What if you don’t pronounce correctly or don’t have a teacher? As long as you have faith in the Buddha, they should still be effective for you. What if you don’t have faith? Then, simply meditate on the sound. The ancient Sanskrit sounds are well established as beneficial through centuries of practice.

“Isn’t mantra just another form of meditation?”

Yes, Buddhist mantras can be seen as another form of meditation. In fact, they are often used in conjunction with other Buddhist meditation practices. Buddhist mantras can help to focus and calm the mind, which makes them an ideal tool for use in meditation.

“What is the difference between a Buddhist mantra and a prayer?”

A Buddhist mantra is a focused repetition of words or phrases that are used to achieve a particular goal or intention. A prayer is typically more general and does not have a specific goal or intention. Buddhist mantras are often used in conjunction with prayers and other meditations, but they are a very focused methodology.

In other words…

In conclusion, Buddhist mantras can be used for many different purposes and intentions. The most important thing is to have a pure motivation and sincere intention when reciting them. If we do that, then the mantras will be effective for us, regardless of whether or not we understand how they work. Try them out and see for yourself!

NOTES

1. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, The Power of Mantra: Vital Practices for Transformation (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 2002), 1.
2. Tulku Thondup, Buddhist Meditation: Tranquility, Imagination and Insight (Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 1986), 134.
3. Ibid., 135.

Why is the Karma family, and especially Amoghasiddhi or Green Tara, an important practice in modern-times? Why is the entire family considered “success-oriented” in inspirational modern language? Why is he, and his Mother Wisdom partner Tara, green in color? What are his praises, practices and mantras? Why is he associated with “Chi” or prana and wind in the body? We answer these questions, and more, in this presentation.

 Synonymous with Success

Amoghasiddhi’s name literally means Infallable Success or Accomplishment. Amogha means infallable and Siddhi means Accomplishment. Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche describes Amoghasiddhi this way:

“Among the victorious ones of the five families, Amoghasiddhi is the lord of the family of enlightened activities.” [3]

This is highlighted especially each time we renew our Bodhisattva Vows, when we state the Karma vow verse:

“For the great, supreme Karma family, I shall uphold purely each of vows I am endowed with, and make as many offerings as I am able.”

For this reason, the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi family of Bodhisattva realization, where Bodhisattva activities are the main practice. Since Amoghasiddhi and the karma family are all about Enlightened activity, such as right conduct, holding vows and promises, benefiting others, and making offerings these are considered the highest and best practices of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi and Mother Tara. In other words, the Dharma student who volunteers at a Dharma center or for any Dharma activity is by definition practicing the activity of Amoghasiddhi’s Karma family.

Fearless Amoghasiddhi

Amoghasiddhi also embodies the virtues of “dauntlessness” and “fearlessness.”  For this reason his family mudra is Abhaya, or the fearlessness mudra.

In the precious Shurangama Dharani, from the Sutra of the same name, the fifth section is devoted to the power of the Karma family. In line 373 Venerable Master Hsuan Hua translates as:

A canopy of incense pervades the entire great void.
Everywhere permeating the Dharma-nature of all sentient beings.
Superior strength enables us to hold the pure moral precepts.
The host of the Northern Karma Division is fair and just.

7 Limbs of Practice and the Karma Family

The practice of the seven limbs is the most important of practice for Amoghasiddhi, Tara or their wrathful aspect of Vajrakilaya Father and Mother. Each of the limbs corresponds to one of the Buddha Families, but the Bodhichitta Intention and the Dedication of Merit are considered the most important of these. Why? It is through this motivation to benefit others that we are Mahayana Buddhists, dedicated to the Bodhisattva mission.

The seventh limb is “Dedicating the merit of all devotion, offerings and practice” to the benefit of all sentient beings. This purifies the poison of jealousy.

The poison of jealousy is the specific domain of Amoghasiddhi, Tara and the Karma family. All activities, including the seven limbs prayer, are karma activities. This is Amoghasiddhi in action. This is why the name Amoghasiddhi is translated as “meaningful accomplishment.” It is meaningful accomplishment that defines the actions of a Bodhisattva hero.

For those who aspire to Amoghasiddhi, Green Tara, or Vajrakilaya practices, the 7 limbs of practice are the main practice, and dedicating the merit to the benefit of others is the most important principle.

“Whatever is meaningful is accomplished”

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche in his book The Five Buddha Families and Eight Consciousnesses describes in full Amoghasiddhi’s realizations:

“Buddha Amoghasiddhi is the realization of all -accomplishing wisdom. The Tibetan name for Buddha Amoghasiddhi is Sangye Donyodrupa. The word donyod means “meaningful” and the word trubpa means “accomplishment”.

So Buddha Ammogasiddhi means “whatever is meaningful and fruitful is accomplished. “ He is also the complete purification of jealousy, which is a hindrance for both material and spiritual success. His activity is perfect accomplishment and fulfillment of meaningful aims. Furthermore, his activity removes ordinary daily hindrances such as illness and obstacles. This is why Amoghasiddhi’s activity is meaningful accomplishment.”

Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara and their wrathful emanation Vajrakilaya Father and Mother also heroically represent fearlessness and protection in Buddhism. One of his best known title is the Buddha of Fearlessness. Likewise his co-equal Wisdom Mother Tara is famous as the hero and protector. For this reason, Amoghasiddhi’s sacred mount is a Garuda, who feeds on delusions and poisons and can only be ridden by a fearless rider. Another sacred creature is the Kinnara, who is half man or woman, half bird, who watch over humans in times of danger.

Karma Prasiddhi Pureland

Every Buddha family has a Pureland, the pristine mind-essence of the Buddha. This is the place we can aspire to be born in our next lives to receive direct instruction from the Buddha. Unlike other Purelands, Amoghasiddha and Tara’s pureland is a Turquoise Green wildland, a pristine and beautiful forest.

Vessantara, in his excellent book A Guide to the Buddhas, described an imagined, visualized encounter with Amoghasiddhi in his Pureland, which is called Karma Prasiddhi or Prakuta, and which also emphasizes the degree of “Fearlessness” we can develop as someone who practices Amoghasiddi. Vesantara wrote:

“After the last delicate rays of the setting sun have tinted the sky, night falls. You make your final journey, completing your circuit of the mandala, into the north, a country of green pine forests.

It is dark as you walk between the huge trees. In the forest you can hear rustlings and cries. It would be easy to become afraid, and turn back, but if you were to do so you would never meet Amoghasiddhi, the Buddha of the northern realm, whose name means ‘unobstructed success’.

You walk for hours, with the whispering wings of owls overhead. Finally, at midnight, you emerge from the forest into a clearing. Ahead of you is a palace made entirely of jade and emerald. It towers into the air, vertical, a mass of roofs and pinnacles.

You go forward eagerly, then stop. There is a gate to the palace, yes. It is in the shape of a great bow, string uppermost. However, the gate is set high up in the smooth wall. Only an eagle could enter such a gate. As you stand, not knowing what to do, you hear a great commotion from within the palace: rhythmic crashings.

Suddenly the bow-shaped gate lifts high and … a chariot, drawn by two strange figures. At first they look like eagles, with wings and talons. Then you see that their hands and torsos are human. In their hands they each hold a huge pair of cymbals, which they clash together as they fly.

On the chariot, seated on a green lotus seat, is a dark green Buddha, clad in scarlet robes. The light from his body transforms the midnight scene so that everything is radiant and clear. His right hand is raised in a powerful gesture, which seems to banish the darkness and fears of the night.

In his left hand sits a mysterious [Vishvavajra]: two diamond thunderbolts crossed and fused together . He hurtles effortlessly above you. As he does so, the huge pines are transformed into a forest of jewel trees. Has the green Buddha ridden out of his palace, or into it? Can you have been in his Pure Land all along, without realizing it?” [5]

Fearlessness and Protection

Their mudra is Abhaya, the mudra of fearlessness, as we saw in Vesantara’s visualization, usually the right hand held up with five fingers outreached as if to say “stop.”

This is the same gesture that Shakyamuni used to calm the anger of the charging elephant, holding up his hand calmly in a “stop” gesture. We also saw in Vesantara’s visualization, his sacred mount, the powerful Kinnara. This is more than just a sacred animal. Lama Govinda explains:

“This Inner Way leads into the mystery of Amoghasiddhi: in which the inner and the outer world, the visible and the invisible, are united; and in which the spiritual takes bodily shape, and the body becomes an exponent of the spirit. For Amoghasiddhi is the lord of the great transformation, whose vehicle is the winged man, the man in transition towards a new dimension of consciousness.” [6]

The winged man/bird is a Kinnara, the adversary of nagas and poisons. Garudas are also sacred to the north and the Karma family, and are the antagonists of the poisons that afflict us.

Amoghasiddhi as Hero-Savior

In many ways, the practice of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara is the most practical and important of the five Dhyani Buddha Families.  This is because Amogahsiddhi and Tara represent practical activity. They are also “known as the savior Buddhas.”

What enables practical activity is fearlessness and also the element of air. Wind, or air, is, in Buddhist terms, the essence of lifeforce. Both are the domains of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara, the windy Buddhas of the North.

Not only does Amoghasiddhi represent savior activities in our lives, he — and his co-equal Wisdom Buddha Green Tara — also embody Air or Wind in our bodies, also known as Chi, or Prana, making them a vital life essence practice for most of us. We work with Chi or Prana through meditation, which is symbolized by Amoghasiddhi’s left hand in the mudra of meditative equipoise on his lap, the hand turned upwards receptively.

Often the left hand holds his powerful symbol the double vajra or Vishvavajra. Meditation, symbolized by the meditative mudra of his left hand, is a very profound method for strengthening our Chi or prana in our bodies. One of the many meanings of his double vajra symbol, sometimes seen in this hand, is also a symbol of the unification of the outer and inner body, outer cosmos, and inner chakras. It also represents the five Buddha families, with center and the five spokes.

Amoghasiddhi and Tara’s Karma family element is wind, including the winds in the body, also known as Chi or Prana or Lung. These are the very essence of life. Breath is life, and as long as we are in samsaric realms, wind sustains us. For this reason, many higher yogic practices of Amoghasiddhi or Tara involve inner body meditations on chi, wind and what is called the body mandala, where we visualize Amoghasiddhi or Tara at our various chakras.

Wisdom, Poison and Symbolism

The Wisdom of Amoghasiddhi’s Karma family is “All-Accomplishing Wisdom” which is the remedy for the poisons of envy and jealousy. The Karma family is literally the compassionate and wisdom activities of all Buddha Families as action. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche describes it this way:

“All-accomplishing action is the completion of all that needs to be done. Positive passion is their power and what destroys negativity. It is the opposite of jealousy and paranoia.”

Jealousy and envy are the cause of nearly every other poison. Envy is the cause of wars on neighbors. Envy makes us angry when we can’t have what we think we want. Envy leads to attachment and clinging to our perceived treasures. Envy and jealousy is the antagonist of love and trust. Greed arises from envying what others have.

Amoghasiddhi’s fearless All-Accomplishing Wisdom overcomes this poison before it degenerates into even more potent poisons like anger and hate. It is only possible through the cultivation of fearlessness. We can overcome envy, or any poison, if we fearlessly admit it’s an issue and pursue positive actions to prevent it.

The fearless mind can accomplish anything, for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Fearlessness and Clarity

Amoghasiddhi’s fearlessness allows us to contemplate with clarity, not afraid of what might be revealed.

 His main symbol is the Double Vajra, or Vishva Vajra held in his left hand, a symbol of fearlessness and protection, and also the symbol of the mandala of the Five Buddhas. Amoghasiddhi and Tara’s karma family are best known as the “activity of all the Buddhas” and their activity manifests in the mandala of every Buddha. The VisvaVajra, appearing as two vajras crossed represents the five  directions of the mandala, and his activity in all the cosmos.

This symbol represents perfect foundation, perfect practice, perfect activity. For this reason, when teachers visit, or when we sit ourselves for retreat, we often sit on a symbolic Double Vajra symbol or Vishvavajra, just like Amoghasiddhi’s throne. Often this is a cushion with the double vajra symbol, or just a piece of paper with the image underneath our cushion. This represents our aspiration to practice with perfect activity and with fearlessness. [2]

The other symbol of the Karma family is the sword, which cuts through ignorance and obstacles, and represents fearlessness.

Color Green Symbolizes All Activities

His color is green, the color associated with nature and our samsaric world and the breath of life, or wind. When we think of living things, we think of green for growth and activity.

The Karma family is all about all-accomplishing activities in our world, represented by green nature. Green, in Tibetan Buddhism, also symbolically represents the combining of all colors.

Not all of the members of his family are green, although many are, such as Tara, Vishvapani Bodhisattva, Green Jambhala, Green Vasudhara, and many others. The wrathful heruka of the family is Karma Heruka Vajrakilaya.

Wrathful Windy Activity: Vajrakilaya

Vajrakilaya, who is the most wrathful activity of all the Buddhas, is often called the Karma Heruka, meaning Activity Hero, the wrathful form of Amoghasiddhi’s activity. He is an emanation of the Karma family of Amoghasiddhi. This was explained by Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche in a Q & A teaching on Vajrakilaya:

“In terms of the activities of the five Buddha families, their wrathful enlightened activity is mainly assigned to Amoghasiddhi. So Amoghasiddi is the crown ornament [of Vajrakilaya], while the garuda is more of an outer ornament. There is probably also a deeper meaning to the garuda, but here it is Amoghasiddhi, who represents the wrathful enlightened activity.”

Garchen Rinpoche also explained that Amoghasiddhi was the chief of the Activity mandala, in his his superb book Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions:

“Amoghasiddhi, lord of the Karma family… is the chief of this mandala. Among body, speech, mind, attributes, and activities, the accomplishment of enlightened activities is the Karma heruka’s principal purpose.” [4]

Both Amoghasiddhi and Karma are Not Subtle

The profound importance of karma in Buddhism is not subtle. It’s no less than the tempest of practice, and the inspiring practices of Amoghasiddhi Buddha and Green Tara. This is why Amoghasiddhi and Tara are associated with the element of wind.

If we seek peace from the storm of suffering, we can control the outcomes. Like global warming and other negative karmic actions, the damage is reversible, even if it might take considerable effort.

Shakyamuni Buddha taught the irresistible power of karma, in numerous Sutras, starting with the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path and the Ten Perfections of Practice, and winding through every Sutra teaching. He also gave us the remedies. To inspire the warm, nourishing winds, we rely on the Ten Perfections. To avoid the unimaginable suffering of negative karma is likewise in our control.

The Root of Negative Karma: Envy

It’s fair to say that all the poisons of Buddhism contribute to negative karma, but it is envy that inspires many of the others: anger, attachment, pride, and even delusion. We get angry because we envy what others have. We have pride in our own achievements but still want more. We become deluded, modeling our ideals of success after other people. These are forms of envy.

The remedy for the poison of envy and jealousy are Karma-family practice — or right conduct and action. These are the practices of Amoghasiddhi Buddha, or Mother Tara, or any of the Karma family.

According to Beer’s “The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols” (2003), Amoghasiddhi reigns over the Northern direction and the Father Buddha of the Karma family of deities.

“Amoghasiddhi, the All-accomplishing Wisdom Buddha, is linked with the purging of the poison of jealousy and envy, transforming these negative emotions into the wisdom of accomplishment and enlightened activity.” Beer, 2003

When someone asks, “How do I aspire to rebirth in Amoghasiddhi’s Pureland?” the answer is simple. Practice the Ten Perfections to the best of your ability, dedicating the merit for the benefit of all sentient beings. Since Amoghasiddhi’s practice is positive Enlightened Activities, the Ten Perfections become the most important.

The ten Perfections are giving and generosity, moral integrity, renouncing negative behavior, profound understanding and insight, right effort, forbearance, truthfulness, resolve, loving-kindness, and equanimity. They represent the path to complete Enlightenment, often referred to as ‘Buddhahood’, and are central to anyone seeking to follow the karma path of Amoghasiddhi.

Thich Nhat Hanh, in his book “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching” (1999), elucidates these ten perfections beautifully.

“The ten perfections provide us with the most wholesome ways to respond to any situation. They are the ten kinds of virtuous action that lead us to the ultimate goal of full enlightenment.” Thich Nhat Hanh, 1999

Connecting with Amoghasiddhi

Connecting with Amoghasiddhi, as with all Enlightened Buddha is as simple as thinking of him, Taking Refuge, and praising his name or chanting his mantra. This connects you to the fearlessness and unfailing accomplishment karma of Amoghasiddhi. Later in this presentation, we demonstrate a short practice meditation. But, anytime you want to connect to his unfailing activity, simply think of him and chant his name praise.

His Namo praise is

Namo Amoghasiddhi Buddhaya

His mantra is

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah Hum

His seed syllable or bija is AH, which is, in Sanskrit. Ah is a foundational sound in Buddhism, together with Om and Hum. The three syllables Om Ah Hum are considered a mantra, with all three syllables present in most other mantras, and represent the body, speech and mind of Buddha. Ah is Amoghasiddhi’s sacred syllable.

A Practice of Amoghasiddhi

Here is a simple practice for Amoghasiddhi which is a frontal visualization, not requiring empowerment. It is always best to receive instruction and transmission when possible, however the wholesome practice or Pujas of any of the Five Dhyani Buddhas does not require permission.

Take Refuge

Start by Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels. This is followed by the Bodhichichitta intention, stated outloud, to benefit all sentient beings. Visualize Amoghasiddhi, or Amoghasiddhi with Green Tara, in front of you with as vivid a mental picture as you can. It can help to have a picture or statue on a higher table or altar — higher than your seat — with offerings in front of the image. These can be offerings of water, incense, flowers, fruit, or any vegetarian offerings.

Offerings

As the karma Buddha, it is best to offer vegetarian to ensure your offerings have the best karmic potential.

Purification and 7 Limbs of Practice

It is best to confess your downfalls in karmic activity, now and in the past, and promise to refrain. Think of your activities through the day, especially negative ones that might imprint negative karma, and vow to yourself to refrain from such negativity in future.

If you have time, it can be helpful to chant and meditate on Vajrasattva mantra, or chant the King of Prayers with a devoted heart. Look for other presentations on Buddha Weekly for both of these practices. Otherwise, ideally, with a devoted heart, state the seven limbs if you have time. These are:

1. Prostration and devotion, which purifies the poison of our arrogance.
2. Offerings to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas without exception which purifies the poison of greed.
3. Confession of Negativity and past faults, which purifies the poison of anger.
4. Rejoicing the virtue of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which purifies the poison of wrong views.
5. Requesting the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas continue to turn the wheel of Dharma and teachings, which purifies the poison of doubt.
6. Requesting the Bodhisattvas not pass into Nirvana, asking they remain in Samsara to save all beings from suffering, which purifies the poison of ignorance.
7. Dedicating the merit of all devotion, offerings and practice to the benefit of all sentient beings, which purifies the poison of jealousy.

Visualize Amoghasiddhi and Field of Merit

With a stable image in your mind of Amoghasiddhi, chant his namo praise and mantras.

Ideally, as you chant, visualize green light emitting from his seed syllable AH at his heart and entering your heart, filling you with his karma-purifying light and his chi or life-force. A better visualization is to imagine the green light going out to the entire universe, reaching the farthest reaches of space, and then returning instantly to be absorbed into your heart.

When you have finished your empowering meditation, you dedicate the merit to the cause of Enlightenment to benefit all sentient beings.

Amoghasiddhi Short Practice

Here is a short Amoghasiddhi Practice. If you do not have Amoghasiddhi or Green Tara empowerments (either qualifies you to practice self generation), you would visualize the merit field of Amoghasiddhi and Tara in front of you as described below.

This is in English for this presentation, except for Refuge and Bodhichitta which are in Sanskrit and English and the mantras.

For the 7 Limb Practice, which includes offerings, confession, and dedication in Sanskrit, the best practice is Samantabadhra’s King of Prayers, although here we have a very short Seven Limb practice with the Four Immeasurables. See our linked video to the King of Prayers chanted in Sanskrit.

The Puja says to start by visualizing the AH syllable in front of you in the North. Even if you are facing west or south, you mentally visualize that you are facing north. The syllable and light is normally green, the color of activity, and blending of all colors.

Taking Refuge

namo amoghasiddhi buddhaya

namo buddhaya guruve

namo dharmaya tayine

namo samghaya mahate

tribhyopi satatam namah

Homage to Amoghasiddhi Buddha

Homage to the Buddha, the Teacher

Homage to the Dharma, the Protector

Homage to the Great Sangha

To all of these I continually offer homage.

Seven Limbs Including the Four Immeasurables

I go for refuge on this enlightening path

To Amoghasiddhi, the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Highest Assembly.

I declare every nonvirtuous act since beginningless time.

I rejoice in all virtues of holy and ordinary beings.

I will cultivate the Bodhichitta, to most effectively benefit all sentient beings.

Having generated the intention to take the Buddha’s path

I will care for all sentient beings as my guests.

I offer flowers, incense, light, fragrances, food, music and the like, both those actually arranged and those mentally imagined. Supreme gathering, please accept them.

For the great, supreme Karma family, I shall uphold purely each of vows I am endowed with, and make as many offering as I am able.

I will practice the ten perfections and overcome all obstacles.

And cultivate the Bodhichitta.

I wish that all beings may have happiness and its causes.

May we never have suffering nor its causes

May we constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow

May we dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Please remain in Samsara and turn the Wheel of the Dharma of the greater and lesser vehicles, to benefit all sentient beings!

Visualize the Merit Field

Appearances and existence, all phenomena of samsara and nirvana are empty by nature. Realizing this, within that state of emptiness, I visualize a glowing, illuminated Green AH syllable sitting on a shining lotus throne.

Green Light,  the activity of all the Buddhas, emanates from the AH syllable, going out as an offering to all the Enlightened Beings, and purifying the karma of all sentient beings in the universe, blessing them. The lights return and the AH syllable transforms into glorious Amoghasiddhi, Green in Color, seated upon a lotus and moon.

I see luminous Amoghasiddhi Buddha, the nature of light, peaceful and loving, the very essence of Bodhichitta activity. He is seated in the lotus posture, with his right hand up in the gesture of Fearlessless, the Mudra of Abhaya. His left hand is on his lap in the gesture of meditative equipoise, and holding an upright Vishva Vajra, a double dorje.

At his heart is a green AH syllable. From this syllable, once again lights go out to al of the universe, first out to his green Pureland, then to every Pureland of every Buddha and finally to all beings in Samsaric worlds in every dimension and universe. The sacred light of Amoghasiddhi’s blessings is an offering to all the Enlightened ones, and blesses all beings of Samsara.

Mantra

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah Hum

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah Hum

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah Hum.

Finishing and Dedication

Hold the visualization as long as you can while chanting the mantra. Finish by visualizing Amoghasiddha and the merit field dissolving into green light, and then absorbing in into your heart chakra, blessing you and staying with you at all times, protecting you from all harm. Know that you are protected by Amoghasiddhi and Tara at all times.

Then, finish with a dedication of merit. Because this is the karma family, who are responsible for all Bodhisattva Activity benefiting all beings, the dedication of merit is the most important practice.

It can be as simple as:

I dedicate the merit of this practice and offerings to the cause for Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

We dedicate the merit of this presentation to the benefit of all sentient beings.

NOTES

[1] Amoghasiddhi, the Five Buddhas, The Zen Gateway  https://www.thezengateway.com/teachings/the-five-wisdom-buddhas-amogasiddhi

[2] Amoghasiddhi http://cubuddhism.pbworks.com/w/page/24878050/Amoghasiddhi

[3] Garchen Rinpoche, Kyabje. Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions (p. 177). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

[4] Garchen Rinpoche, Kyabje. Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions (pp. 153-154). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

[5] Vessantara. A Guide to the Buddhas (Meeting the Buddhas Book 1) (pp. 111-112). Windhorse Publications. Kindle Edition.

[6] Vessantara. A Guide to the Buddhas (Meeting the Buddhas Book 1) (p. 114). Windhorse Publications. Kindle Edition.

When you visit a Mahayana Buddhist Temple, the looming and magnificent presence of the “Watchers of the World” or “Guardians of the World” — a translation of Locapala (लोकपाल ) — or the Four Heavenly Kings, is often the most striking. They tower at the entrances to the Temple, guarding the doorways or flanks the altars, usually magnificently carved and painted with fierce expressions and weapons in hand.

Although they tend to be spectacularly displayed in Chinese and Japanese Temples, they are revered in most Buddhist traditions, with practices and names in Pali, Sanskrit, Sinhala, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan Mongolian, Tai, and Pali — and English. (See Our Table inset below.)

Catur Maharaja: Four Heavenly Great Kings

Known as the “Caturmahārāja” in Sanskrit — “Maha” meaning great and “Raja” meaning king —  they have an important role within the Buddhist doctrine. Each one of these magnificent entities presides over one cardinal direction of our world.

These Four Great Kings, the “Sì Dàtiānwáng” as referred to in Chinese mythology, are not just symbols but certain embodiments of Buddhist virtues. They are venerated in the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings, a standard component of Chinese Buddhist temples. As a spiritual seeker, when you delve into the teachings of Buddhism, these figures become more than mere mythology. They become beacons of the virtues you strive to cultivate within yourself. Simultaneously, they serve as constant reminders of the universal laws which govern us all.

Guardians of the Cardinal Directions: Meet the Four Heavenly Kings

Leading these illustrious beings is none other than the chief Vaisravana, known as the “King of the North.” Vaisravana, Kubera in other Indian traditions, is considered as the patron of warriors and represents wealth, prosperity, and preservation in his role as the Guardian of the North(1). His symbolic creature, the yaksha, which can be spotted holding a mongoose spewing jewels, reaffirms his association with wealth(2).

“Vaisravana, the Guardian of the North, is the embodiment of wealth and prosperity. He serves to remind Buddhists of the blessings of abundance and the need for ethical distribution of wealth.”

The remaining three kings each carry their unique symbolism and dominion – Virudhaka, the King of the South, symbolizes growth and improvement. His blue color stands for the heaven of the south and he wields a sword that represents his authority(1). – Dhritarashtra, the King of the East, holds a lute, a symbol of harmony, peace, and equilibrium. He represents power, protection, and upholding of the law(2). – Finally, Virupaksha, the Guardian of the West, represents knowledge and oversees all actions of mankind. The divine serpent or dragon accompanying him, symbolic of rain, links him with agricultural fertility(3).

The Names in Different Regions and Languages

Protectors of the Dharma: How the Four Heavenly Kings Safeguard Buddhist Teachings

As a practitioner of Buddhism, you might be aware of the title ‘Protectors of the Dharma’ often associated with the Four Heavenly Kings. This title goes beyond mere honorifics; it symbolizes the noble mission these deities commit to – safeguarding the teachings of the Dharma.

The Four Heavenly Kings, entrusted with the sacred duty of safeguarding the Dharma and Buddhist practitioners, are believed to accomplish this mission in a two-fold way. First, they are perceived as warrior-kings, warding off any evil or distractions that might disrupt the peaceful practice of the Dharma. Secondly, they are seen as nurturing deities who promote the spread and sustenance of Dharma by means of good climate and conditions favorable for agricultural pursuits, thus ensuring the survival and stability of human societies where the Dharma can flourish.

King of the North, Vaiśravaṇa

The King of the North, Vaiśravaṇa, is the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings, and bestows wealth upon those who tread the path of Dharma. Known as the ‘Great Listener’, he listens to requests, grants gifts, and ensures that the Dharma is followed, lauded, and protected. He is a form of Jambhala.

King of the East, Dhrtarastra

The King of the East, Dhrtarastra, is celebrated for maintaining the state and preventing the Dharma from deviating. He protects the beings in his realm, encouraging harmony, understanding and respect of the Dharma, while holding a lute, symbolic of the harmony he protects.

King of the South, Virūḍhaka

The King of the South, Virūḍhaka, famous for increasing goodness, carries a sword–a symbol representing the wisdom which cuts through ignorance, fostering the growth and nurturing understanding for all beings to grow within the Dharma.

King of the West, Virūpākṣa

The King of the West, Virūpākṣa, sees all that happens in the realm, spotting and warding off any threats to the Dharma. His snake and stupa are symbols of his enduring vigilance.

All these Kings work together, preserving the sacred wheel of Dharma, ensuring its stability and propagation throughout the world. For Buddhist practitioners like you, they embody protection, immense support and constant encouragement on your path of Dharma. They are not only guardians of the Dharma teachings but also defenders of your journey towards enlightenment and liberation. [4]

Mantras of the Four Great Kings

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Spotlighting the East is King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, clothed in radiant white and clutching a lute. He presides over the Gandharvas, who are celestial musicians. His name translates to “guardian of lands”.

Interestingly, the lore of the Mahābhārata speaks of a King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the main action of the epic revolves around a war fought between the King’s progeny and their cousins, the children of his younger brother Pāndhu. This fight for the Kuru throne sparked heated conflict between the Kauravas and the Pāndavas. While this tale is widely thought to depict a real war, its historical timing continues to be a topic of debate among scholars.

oṃ dhṛ ta rā ṣṭra ra lā pra vā dha na svā hā

oṃ dhṛtarāṣṭra ralāpravādhana svāhā

Virūḍhaka

The Southern King, appearing in verdant hues, clutching a sword. A ruler of the Kumbhāṇḍas, his name translates to “constantly expanding”.

The term Kumbhāṇḍas refers to a fantastical group of demons imagined with oversized bellies and testicles shaped like a kumbha or pot, as indicated in the Sutherland’s interpretation. The Pāli commentaries further amplify this image, asserting that their stomachs were extraordinarily large and their genitalia alike pots, earning them their peculiar name. (DA.iii.964)

oṃ vi rū ḍha ka kuṃ bhāṃ ḍā dhi pa ta ye svā hā

oṃ virūḍhaka kumbhāṇḍādhipataye svāhā

Virūpākṣa

The Western direction is ruled by Virūpākṣa. Often depicted in a vibrant shade of red, he is recognized by the stūpa he carries and a snake, or nāga, symbolizing his status as the King of the Nāgas. His name loosely translates to “the one who sees all”.

A deeper exploration of Virūpākṣa’s symbolisms leads one to a parallel with the Vedic god Varuṇa. Originally worshipped as a sun god and often linked with Mitra, Varuṇa stood for the guardian of ṛta, the cosmic pattern. His significance evolved in the Hindu Epics, where he was designated the guardian of waters and began to share an association with aquatic beings such as the nāgas. Some experts even draw similarities between Virūpākṣa and the Greek Titan Uranus, owing to the phonetic similarity in their names.

oṃ vi rū pā kṣa nā gā dhi pa ta ye svā hā

oṃ virūpākṣa nāgādhipataye svāhā

“Virūpākṣa nāgādhipataye” can be translated as Virūpākṣa Lord of the Nāgas.

Vaiśravaṇa

Colored yellow, lauded as the King of the North, Vaiśravaṇa reigns. Often depicted clutching a victory banner and a mongoose bursting forth with jewels, he is regarded as the monarch of the Yakṣas.

Delving deeper into his origins, Vaiśravaṇa wears many titles. Among them is ‘Kubera’, a name referenced in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. Elsewhere, in the great epic, the Mahābharata, he is christened as Vaiśravaṇa, the offspring of Pulstya and half sibling to the formidable Rāvaṇa. Kubera is a bearer of wealth and fortune – symbolism drawn from the imagery of the jewel-spitting mongoose. Over the city of Khotan, Vaiśravaṇa watches, its patron deity.

oṃ vai śra va ṇa ye svā hā

oṃ vaiśravaṇaye svāhā

Sì Dàtiānwáng: The Stories of the Four Heavenly Kings

Beginning our exploration into the world of “Sì Dàtiānwáng,” the Four Heavenly Kings occupy an eminent position. As protectors of the world, these kings, each watching over a cardinal direction, play a crucial role in the cosmological blueprint of Buddhist cosmos These divine entities encompass complexities beyond our mortal understanding. But don’t worry, we’re here to make sense of this profound mythology, together.

In the rich tapestry of Buddhist lore, the Four Heavenly Kings are known as Dhṛtarāṣṭra (east), Virūḍhaka (south), Virūpākṣa (west), and Vaiśravaṇa (north). Epitomizing authority and auspice provide protection against resentful spirits and promote the Dharma among humans. But remember, their influence is not merely an earthly matter. They also safeguard the Trāyastriṃśa, the second heaven where the former humans reside after rebirth.

Delving a bit deeper, we find fascinating aspects about each king.

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the King of the East, boasts a profound ability to transform liabilities into assets.
• Virūḍhaka, the King of the South, has the potential to proliferate the virtuous traits within us.
• Virūpākṣa, the King of the West, keeps an ever-watchful eye on us, ensuring we do not stray from the righteous path.
• Vaiśravaṇa, the King of the North, proves as a bountiful sponsor of wealth and prosperity.

From improving our strengths to taming our weaknesses, these kings function as an ethereal task force to help humans achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Sources

1. Buswell, Robert Jr; Lopez, Donald S. Jr., eds. (2014). “Four Heavenly Kings”. Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. p. 315.
2. Ury, Marian. (1977). “Mañjuśrī Rides Again: Tales of the Holy Monks of Mt. Shigi”. The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese. 12 (2): 103–128.
3. Malalasekera, G. P. (1937). “Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names”. Asian Educational Services. p. 720.
4. Hodge, Stephen (2003). The Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra: With Buddhaguhya’s Commentary. RoutledgeCurzon.
   Matics, Marion L. (1977). “Entrance to the Dharmadhātu”. In Anthony Kennedy Warder (ed.).A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy.
5. Gathered from various Buddhist texts such as the Chinet Classics, Da zhidu lun, and Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, as well as academic scholars like Zürcher (2007) and Bingenheimer (2013).
6. Visible Mantra: https://www.visiblemantra.org/kings.html

Mother Tara, as the Enlightened Activity of all the Buddhas, manifests in countless forms. The best known of these are the 21 Taras, celebrated in a Dharani Sanskrit Praise and teaching, in Sutra and also in Mantras.

Among the 21 in the Atisha lineage of teachings, there are six White Taras.  (For the mantras see below for text.)

White Tara’s pacify. They pacify illness, the five poisons, external dangers, warfare and more. Each of these six White Taras has a specialty and her own mantra. These are called “supplicating mantras” as instructed by the great Longchenpa. The “ask” for and request Tara’s pacifying activity to suppress disease, violence, anger, and so on. (See our short description of each below.)

Buddha Weekly created a beautiful collection of six mantras, each time reciting 108 times, in our new Album called “White Tara Mantra Collection.” You can play here, or on your favorite streaming service (mantra text below):

MUSIC RELEASE

• On Youtube>>
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• Or search your favoite Streamer: Apple Music, iTunes, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok & other ByteDance stores, YouTube Music, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Claro Música, Saavn, Boomplay, Anghami, NetEase, Tencent, Qobuz, Joox, Kuack Media, Adaptr, Flo, MediaNet

We, as aspiring Bodhisattvas, call on Tara’s help as well, sometimes for more mundane things. The practice of 21 Taras is there to help us with her four types of activity, removing our obstacles to life and practice

These 21 Taras, each have a name, a color, a praise and a mantra. They appear as White, Yellow, Red, and Blue Black. Green Tara combines all of these colors and activities.

White Taras are for Pacifying activities, as she performed for Shakyamuni Buddha, pacifying the demons that assaulted him under the Bodhi Tree. Yellow Taras are for Enriching and Growing. Red Taras are for Magnetizing and Enchanting. Black or Blue Tara is for Wrathful Activity.

In this video, we work with the White Pacifying Taras. In the Atisha lineage of 21 Taras there are six White Taras. In The Nyingma Terma lineage there are usually five.

Here, we present the powerful mantras as transmitted by Lord Atisha.

These are, in the order presented

The Second Tara of the twenty-one, known as Lady of Supreme Peace, pacifies all diseases.

The Ninth Tara of the twenty-one, known as Tara Who Protects From All Fears, pacifies all 8 fears and dangers.

The Fifteenth Tara of the twenty-one, known as Tara of Surpreme Peacefulness, pacifies and purifies all negative karma, obstacles, and harm from spirits, evil intentions of others, and illness.

The Eighteenth Tara of the twenty-one, known as Tara Who Neutralizes Poison, eliminates not only physical poisons but the internal poisons of anger, hate and attachment.

The Nineteenth Tara of the twenty-one, known as Sitatapatra, Tara Who Eliminates All Suffering,, pacifies and helps overcome war, strife, arguments, conflict, disputes, bad dreams and all other suffering.

The Twenty-First Tara of the twenty-one, known as Tara Who Completely Perfects All Enlightened Activities is none other than Marichi, and she perfects all pacifying activities and completes all siddhis, common and supreme, including various magical attainments, into the cause for final Enlightenment.

FOR MORE ON WHAT THE MANTRAS MEAN AND HOW TO PRACTICE SEE OUR VIDEO ON SUPPLICATION ACTIVITY MANTRAS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSTZHJ_hjZY&t

2. Tara of Supreme Peace  (Sarasvati)

om tare tuttare ture shatim kuru svaha

ॐतरेतुत्तरेतुरेशतिमकुरुस्वहा

9. Tara Who Protects from All Fears

om tare tuttare ture mama upakrama raksha raksha svaha

ॐतरेतुत्तरेतुरेममउपक्रमारक्षारक्षास्वहा

15. Tara of Supreme Peacefulness

om tare tuttare ture sarva papam prashamanaya svaha

ॐतरेतुत्तरेतुरेसर्वपपमप्रशमनयस्वहा

18. Tara Who Neutralizes Poison

om tare tuttare ture naga visha shantim kuru svaha

ॐतरेतुत्तरेतुरेनगाविशशन्तिमकुरुस्वहा

19. Tara Who Alleviates All Suffering (Sitatapatra)

om tare tuttare ture mochana svaha     (pronounced mochana with a soft ch )

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे मोचन स्वहा

21. Tara Who Completely Perfects All Enlightened Activities  (Marici)

om tare tuttare ture sarva siddhi sadhanam svaha

ॐ तरे तुत्तरे तुरे सर्व सिद्धी सधनम स्वहा

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Avalokitesvara is the metaphorical rock star of the Bodhisattvas. “Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, is one of the most important and popular Buddhist deities,” writes Karen Andres in Tibetan Contemplative Traditions. [1] “Avalokitesvara is the personification of compassion… Even the Buddhas cannot estimate Avalokitesvara’s merit. It is said that just thinking of him garners more merit than honoring a thousand Buddhas.”

Now, aside from his sheer popularity, some scientists and scholars believe the practices of Buddhist compassion, and particularly of Avalokitesvara, may help in clinical work with depression and trauma.

• Related Story: “Putting Compassion on the Scientific Map”: Compassion Boosts Happiness/Health; and Research Indicates That Practicing Buddhists Are Happier than Average.” [ Story here>>]

Two Wings of a Bird: Compassion and Wisdom

“Buddhist traditions see wisdom and Compassion as interrelated—two wings of a bird,” writes Christer Germer and Ronald Siegel in an unlikely source—a psychotherapy-medical text. [3] In the book, various scholars, scientists and clinicians describe how Buddhist compassionate practices can “enhance the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, suicidal behaviour, couple conflict and parenting stress.”

In other words, the practice of Compassion and Wisdom can change lives. Nor is this a lightweight study on this topic. One reviewer, a PhD at the University or Kentucky reviewed this illuminating book:

“This book examines the nature of wisdom and compassion in psychotherapy from every conceivable perspective. Buddhist psychology, neurobiological foundations, psychological research, and clinical applications all receive thoughtful and comprehensive treatment. Clinicians, scholars, teachers, and students

interested in the alleviation of human suffering will appreciate this volume, especially its emphasis on the cultivation of mindfulness and loving-kindness skills as paths toward the wisdom and compassion that are so essential to effective psychotherapy.”–Ruth A. Baer, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky.

In the foreword, the Dalai Lama was equally enthusiastic:

“I am very happy to see that ancient teachings and practices from the Buddhist tradition can be of benefit today when they are employed by Western scientists and therapists. In today’s world, many people turn to psychotherapy to understand what is making them unhappy, and to discover how to live a more meaningful life. I believe that as they come to understand compassion and wisdom more deeply, psychotherapists will be better able to help their patients and so contribute to greater peace and happiness in the world.”

Compassion Flowing into the Self

In Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy, an entire section on clinical applications is dedicated to visualizing compassionate Buddha images (normally Avalokitesvara). It is noted that the visualization should be of a compassionate figure “who embodies the qualities of unconditional acceptance, quiet strength and wisdom… beyond human fallibility.” The example they used was Avalokitesvara or Guanyin (the female Chinese form). [3, page 262]

Compassion is One of the Defining Practices

Putting aside clinical benefits in medicine and psychotherapy, compassion is one of the defining practices of Buddhism (see Karaniya Metta Sutta at the end of this feature.) All schools of Buddhism emphasize compassion, although “in Mahayana traditions from India, practitioners train extensively in meditations of compassion to empower their minds to realize nonconceptual wisdom, and as nonconceptual wisdom emerges, it is harnessed to strengthen compassion.” This famous Buddhist tradition is idealized and perfected in the living essence of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokitesvara.

Avalokitesvara, the Top-of-Mind Bodhisattva

For most people, if you asked them to name only one Bodhisattva, the majority would inevitably identify Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig). The great Bodhisattva is the metaphorical rock star of the Buddhist world because he literally embodies Compassion (with a capital “C”). His popularity is easy to understand in the context of his unlimited, unending compassion.

“Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and mercy, is possibly the most popular of all Buddhist deities, beloved throughout the Buddhist world. He supremely exemplifies the bodhisattva,” write the Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. [2]

Avalokitesvara Synonymous with Compassion

For Mahayana Buddhists, one name is virtually synonymous with the practice of compassion: “Avalokitesvara could be described as the quintessential Bodhisattva, for he is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and compassion is the distinguishing mark of the Bodhisattva,” writes Vessantara in his book, A Guide to the Bodhisattvas.[4] Perhaps the most beloved meditation deity amongst Mahayana Buddhists, Avalokitesvara (pronounced Avah-low-key-tesh-vah-ra) is also known as Guan Yin (Kuan Shi Yin) in China, Kanon in Japan, Chenrezig in Tibet, Natha in Sri Lanka, Lokanat in Burma, Lokesvara in Thailand, and by many other names. There are at least 108 forms of Avalokitesvara.

“Avalokitesvara is the figure who embodies this compassion raised the highest power,” Vessantara continues. “As the family protector, the chief Bodhisattva of the Lotus family, he represents the active manifestation in the world of the boundless love and compassion of Buddha Amitabha.”

For many people, who first get to know Mahayana Buddhism, Avalokitesvara is often the first meditation they practice. His mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, is often the first mantra people think of. In meditating on the Lord of Compassion, we meditate directly on the nature and importance of compassion.

It’s important to understand that Avalokitesvara’s compassion is equally the nature of Wisdom. It is compassionate Avaolokitesvara who expounds in that most important Mahayana Sutra, the Heart Sutra:

“Avalokiteshvara

while practicing deeply with

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,

suddenly discovered that

all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,

and with this realisation

he overcame all Ill-being.”

[Full Heart Sutra in End Thoughts]

Famous Mantras

Om Mani Padme Hum is one of the best known mantras, chanted daily by millions around the world. This famous mantra is also simply called “the six-syllable mantra.” In Shinon Buddhism his mantra is On Arurikya Sowaka.

Another important mantra of Avalokitesvara is the Mahakaruna Dharani, the Great Compassion mantra in 82-syllables, which is a treasured mantra chanted in different languages.

Avalokitesvara’s six qualities, which are said to break the hindrances in the six realms of existence are:

1. Great compassion
2. Great loving-kindness (metta)
3. Universal light
4. Leader of all humans and devas
5. Courage of a lion
6. Omniscience.

Avalokitesvara, Like Tara, Considered a Savior         

Nearly as popular as Avalokitesvara is Tara, who is the embodiment of the activity of compassion, and who manifested—in one lovely origin story—from his tears. In fact, most of the activities we now tend equate to Tara, are also performed by Avaolokitesvara. Or, we can think of Avalokitesvara as the “dynamic duo super heroes” of Compassion.

“As compassionate action is Avalokitesvara’s essence, he is supremely helpful,” writes Karen Andrews in Tibetan Contemplative Traditions. “He can assume any form in order to help sentient beings, and there are descriptions of him appearing as buddhas, brahmanic gods, humans, and animals. In all these forms he does wonderful things to help alleviate the suffering of beings and bring them towards enlightenment. He rescues his followers from fires, from drowning, from bandits, from murder, from prisons. He gives children to female followers who want children. He helps release beings from the three mental poisons of passion, hatred, and delusion. He helpful both on the physical, worldly plain, and on a more psychological or spiritual level.” [1]

Avalokitesvara Embodies Light

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are typically visualized during sadhanas as beautiful “bodies of light”, glowing and radiant and often emanating rays of healing or protective or wisdom light. Avalokitesvara, even more so embodies the true, ultimate nature of this compassionate light. This connection is emphasized in his own origin story, as “a ray of light which emanated from Amitabha Buddha.” [1]

Even today, when there are power failures in urban centres, the fear of the dark rises up unconciouslessly for most people. Walking down a dark alley automatically generates a rise in heart rate, a feeling of imminent danger. It’s the “prey” instinct.

In this context, it is natural that Avalokitesvara would be characterized as light. Light brings safety, comfort, nourishes plants, gives us growth, heat and prosperity.

“Avalokitesvara is a luminous being of light, and is repeatedly described as radiating light which shines over all sentient beings and over all corners of the universe, explains Karen Andrews. [1] “Similarly, he sees everything and everyone in all corners of the universe, a fact that is emphasized by his name.” The root meaning of Avaloki is “to see all, to see, to be seen.” Vara means lord.

His ability to be everywhere in the nature of light, allows him to instantly manifest compassionate activity. 

Sutra References to the Compassionate Bodhisattva

Avalokitesvara is a prominent and key character in many sutras, including, importantly, the Prajnaparamita Hrdaya, or Heart Sutra. It is He who expounds the Perfection of Wisdom in its most concise and profound way: “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form…”

One of the earliest sutras translated in to Tibetan, the Karanda Vyuha Sutra, is focused on Avalokiesvara, and his mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. He is found in the following Sutras:

• Saddharma Pandarikia (Lotus Sutra)
• Karandavyuha Sutra
• Prajnaparamita Hrdaya Sutra (Heart Sutra)
• Avaolokitesvara Ekadasamukha Dharani Sutra
• Cundi Dharani Sutra   (18-armed Avalokitesvara)

Popularity of Compassion

In China, Avalokitesvara (known there as Guan Yin or Kuanyin) is, perhaps, by the numbers, the most popular deity in all of Asia. In Tibet, devotion to Chenrezig is so deep that he is considered to be the guardian of the whole country. The Dalai Lama is considered to be one of his many incarnations. “A Tibetan,” Vesantara explains in A Guide to Bodhisattvas, “upon meeting His Holiness [the Dalai Lama], feels himself to be in the presence of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.”

In keeping with the relative nature of form, as expressed in the Heart Sutra, Avalokitesvara can appear in countless forms: male, female, and wrathful. In most of China and Japan Guanyin manifests clearly as a female deity. In Tantric Buddhism he appears in many fierce and wrathful forms, notably Sita Mahakala (White Mahakala).

1000-Armed Chenrezig

The most “famous” form of Avalokitesvara is his 1000-armed form, symbolic of his vast compassion, so immense that he needs a 1000 arms to reach out and care for sentient beings (symbolic of unlimited compassion). His visualization is very powerful, as streams of healing and compassionate light flow from the thousand arms, reaching out to all sentient beings everywhere—in every world and realm.

He is “one of the most extraordinary figures in the whole field of Buddhist meditation practice,” writes Vessantara. “The form we see emerging from the blue sky of sunyata is brilliant white, standing erect on a white lotus and a moon mat, and holding to his heart the wish-fulfilling gem of the Bodhicitta. As we look, we see that the figure is surrounded by a vast aura of what appears to be white light. Looking more closely, however, it dawns on us that we are really gazing at a figure with a great many arms which form a tremendous white circle as they stretch out in all directions.”

Importantly, Vessantara adds, “Each of the arms is reaching out to help suffering beings, and from the palm of each hand a beautiful eye gazes down compassionately.”

Although we visualize 1000 arms, we really mean unlimited caring arms reaching out to sentient beings. He also has eleven heads, various forms and colors that symbolize he can manifest in endless forms to suit our needs. There is even a wrathful face at the top, surmounted only by the serenity of his spiritual guru Amitabha Buddha, symbolizing the totality of his compassionate actions, and hinting at his many forms.

The Vow of Avalokitesvara

The 1000 arms, and the many other forms of Chenrezig all came about because of a great vow the Compassionate Buddha made to deliver all beings from suffering. The origin of the arms and heads is explained in an origin story. Avalokitesvara strived for aeons to free sentient beings from suffering. After aeons of freeing sentient beings, he found the realms were still full of endless suffering. His compassion was so great that his peaceful form was symbolically torn apart, transforming into thousands of arms and many heads and eyes.

In another symbolic story, his tears spontaneously gave rise to Tara, the Mother of Compassionate Action. Together with their spiritual guru Buddha Amitabha, they work tirelessly to benefit all beings.

Practicing Avalokitesvara: Universally Approachable          

Kindness is by nature, approachable. Avalokitesvara’s compassion is available to anyone who suffers, even those who are not his followers. It is said that Avalokitesvara cares for all equally, and that he can manifest instantly to anyone in a form they can understand. This may be in the form of an inspirational thought, or as a vivid dream. Or, as a nagging worry in your mind warning you to “turn around it’s not safe.” Or, as a neighbor who sees your house on fire and calls emergency. Or, literally as anything, anywhere, anytime.

Meditating on, or visualizing Avalokitesvara can bring compassion into your life: compassion for others, but equally, compassion for you from others. No special empowerment is required to visualize and meditate on this spectacular being, although it is always useful to obtain meditational instructions from someone who as “realized” the practice. This is normally a qualified teacher, or guru.

In Tibetan Buddhism, empowerment or initiation is often offered “to one and all.” The entirely benign and wondrous loving energy of Avalokesvara carries no risk, even in Tantric practice. Since it is often available, meditators truly interested in bringing the power of compassion into their practice and lives — and, after all, compassion is one of the “two wings of Buddhism” — are encouraged to seek out empowerment from a qualified guru with a proven lineage. (For example, this Tuesday is a rare opportunity to take initiation from the most Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche if you’re near Toronto>>)

Preparations to Practice

In absence of instructions from a qualified teacher, here is one of the simpler, visualized meditations (sadhana) — a nice visualization only loosely based on formal Tibetan sadhanas.

Note: The visualization of Chenrezig is “in front” of you, and very basic, thus not requiring empowerment. Someone who is initiated might visualize themselves as Chenrezig, or other variations as instructed by their qualified teacher.

It is helpful to undertake some preliminaries to set your frame of mind, and to build a little merit. This would normally include:

• Taking of Refuge in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
• The Four Immeasurables prayer to establish Bodhichitta
• Some kind of offering, either a stick of incense, a candle, fruit offerings or mentally transformed (imagined) offerings you visualize. (NOTE: it is NOT appropriate to offer meats to the Lord of Compassion, who values all life.)
• It is helpful to recite the Seven Limbs as well, as within that prayer is contained the “entire path.”
• At this point you would begin your visualization and meditation, usually accompanied by mantra recitation. Some people recite the visualization, then close their eyes and imagine it while reciting the mantras. Other people mentally note the visualization, then half close their eyes and visualize. Some people I know even record the guided visualization and allow it to play while they meditate.
• It’s important at the end to “dedicate the merit from the meditation to the benefit of all sentient beings.

Preliminaries

Refuge

Until I reach enlightenment I take refuge in the Three Jewels: The Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. By the virtues of practicing generosities and other perfections, may I attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Four Immeasurables

(Note: some people substitute “they” for “we” but usually we are instructed that we must also have compassion on ourselves. We covers both others and ourselves.)

May all beings have happiness and its causes.

May we never have suffering nor its causes,

May we constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow,

May we dwell in equal love for both near or far.

Offerings

I like to place out seven bowls of clean water, symbolic of purity and compasion as an offering. Otherwise, mentally visualize offerings at the feet of Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara).

Seven Limbs

I prostrate in faith with body, speech and mind;

I make each and every offering, both those actually performed and those mentally transformed;

I declare every non virtuous act since beginningless time;

I rejoice in the virtues of all Holy and Ordinary beings;

Please, Avalokitesvara, remain as our guide through samasara;

Please turn the wheel of Dharma for all sentient beings;

I dedicate my own virtues to cultivate Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Visualization and Meditation

This is a visualization of the four-armed Avalokitesvara. Try to visualize as realistically and three dimensionally as possible. However, the deity is always visualized as “the nature of light”.

NOTE: If you have trouble visualizing, just “know” that he is there as described—and see as much as you can, even if it’s only a fleeting glimpse. If all you can see is a glow of white light, this is already a glimpse of the Bodhisattva of Infinite Light. Feel his presence rather than see him if you are not yet able to vividly visualize.

Here, the visualization is written in the first person. If you are pre-recording and playing back, or doing group practice out loud, you could change the “I” to “you.” You can read aloud, or silently, then visualize:

I am floating in an area with nothing but a vast blue sky, spanning all directions, unnaturally clear and vibrant and radiant. Intuitively, I feel this is symbolic of the emptiness of self-nature.

I enjoy the blue sky, allowing my non-senses to reach out to infinity—vast, unending, and horizonless. It is comforting in this non-place— empty of self nature. In this empty, serene sky we can let go of the nightmare of samsara and suffering, for here there is nothing fixed or limited, and nothing to grasp.

Then, in the nature of numinous light, and area in front of me glows brighter and brighter, but it doesn’t hurt to stare at it. The light begins to take form, and I see that it is a stunningly beautiful lotus flower, absolutely perfect in every way, pure white and glowing with unnaturally beautiful light. I can see, as I adjust to the new image, a glowing circular area of white, that seems as luminous and wondrous as an autumn moon. The glow of the moon intensifies again, and in the bright light I see the shape of an even brighter form. This blossoms into the shape of a perfectly-shaped man — a being so beautiful I feel instant and radiant joy.

I know that this is Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. His body resolves, sharper and sharper, the glow fading to reveal a splendid being made entirely of brilliant white light, different shades of white that define a beautiful youthful man, ageless rather than young, of perfect appearance. He has long tresses of blue black hair that cascade over his wide shoulders, although even this glows with light. He has four arms which only add to his appearance of perfection. Brilliant jewels and silks adorn his perfect body.

His two inner hands are clasped near his heart, grasping a astonishing jewel, vast and glowing with it’s own light. I know this is the wish-fulfilling gem. The outer left hand holds a perfect lotus, an achingly beautiful blossom. His outer right hand holds a glowing white crystal mala.

Light is all around the Bodhisattva, beautiful light that heals and reassures everyone it reaches. Nowhere in the universe is out of range of this wondrous light.

Most captivating of all are his eyes. I have never seen more caring eyes. They are eyes that laugh and cry at the same time. His smile is as radiant as the sun.

Then, over his head, I see another figure. A glowing red Buddha. I know this is Amitabha, his spiritual guru-father, the Buddha of Infinite Light. His light is warmer, like a setting sun, but in the nature of boundless love.

As I penetrate the light, at Avalokitesvara’s heart, I see a hotly glowing red light, the red of his father Amitabha. On a lotus and moon throne, is a syllable. A single syllable, representing the essence of Avalokitesvara. This bija mantra is also glowing from Amitabha’s heart. It’s penetrating ruby light shoots out in gentle rays in all directions. Around this seed syllable I can see more letters. It is the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, each syllable of a different colour, representing the six realms.

Comforting light rays project out from his heart, from the shining syllables and bija letter, and penetrate to all of the six realms. Nothing can escape this compassionate light. I can hear a sound. Om Mani Padme Hum, over an dover. I begin to chant along.

The light and the sound go out to every sentient being in all the universes. The light warms me, empties me of tensions and feelings of negativity. I feel lighter. I know instinctively that all my past negative karma has been extinguished by this nectar light. I am filled with a blissful feeling.

Ending the Meditation

You should hold this meditation in bliss and visualize the cleansing light blessing all beings continuously. Allow your mind to stay in this place free of suffering, free of attachment, free of samsara.

When you are ready to end your meditation, you can visualize making another offering to Avalokitesvara. Most people absorb Avalokitesvara back into themselves. Since this visualization was the nature of your own mind, this peaceful being stays with you, a reassuring, calming, loving, compassionate presence.

End Thoughts: The Heart Sutra

This is my favorite translation of the Heart Sutra, by the most Emminent Thich Nhat Hanh:

Avalokiteshvara

while practicing deeply with

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,

suddenly discovered that

all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,

and with this realisation

he overcame all Ill-being.

“Listen Sariputra,

this Body itself is Emptiness

and Emptiness itself is this Body.

This Body is not other than Emptiness

and Emptiness is not other than this Body.

The same is true of Feelings,

Perceptions, Mental Formations,

and Consciousness.

“Listen Sariputra,

all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;

their true nature is the nature of

no Birth no Death,

no Being no Non-being,

no Defilement no Purity,

no Increasing no Decreasing.

“That is why in Emptiness,

Body, Feelings, Perceptions,

Mental Formations and Consciousness

are not separate self entities.

The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena

which are the six Sense Organs,

the six Sense Objects,

and the six Consciousnesses

are also not separate self entities.

The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising

and their Extinction

are also not separate self entities.

Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,

the End of Ill-being, the Path,

insight and attainment,

are also not separate self entities.

Whoever can see this

no longer needs anything to attain.

Bodhisattvas who practice

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

see no more obstacles in their mind,

and because there

are no more obstacles in their mind,

they can overcome all fear,

destroy all wrong perceptions

and realize Perfect Nirvana.

“All Buddhas in the past, present and future

by practicing

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

are all capable of attaining

Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.

“Therefore Sariputra,

it should be known that

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore

is a Great Mantra,

the most illuminating mantra,

the highest mantra,

a mantra beyond compare,

the True Wisdom that has the power

to put an end to all kinds of suffering.

Therefore let us proclaim

a mantra to praise

the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!

Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!”

 

End Thoughts: Compassion is Universal

One of the early Pali Sutta’s, the Karaniya Metta Sutta, expounds concisely on the Buddha Shakyamuni’s words on Loving-Kindness (Metta)—thoughts which are universal to all schools of Buddhism (and to many non-Buddhists):

This is what should be done

By one who is skilled in goodness,

And who knows the path of peace:

Let them be able and upright,

Straightforward and gentle in speech,

Humble and not conceited,

Contented and easily satisfied,

Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.

Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,

Not proud or demanding in nature.

Let them not do the slightest thing

That the wise would later reprove.

Wishing: In gladness and in safety,

May all beings be at ease.

Whatever living beings there may be;

Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,

The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,

The seen and the unseen,

Those living near and far away,

Those born and to-be-born —

May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,

Or despise any being in any state.

Let none through anger or ill-will

Wish harm upon another.

Even as a mother protects with her life

Her child, her only child,

So with a boundless heart

Should one cherish all living beings;

Radiating kindness over the entire world:

Spreading upwards to the skies,

And downwards to the depths;

Outwards and unbounded,

Freed from hatred and ill-will.

Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down

Free from drowsiness,

One should sustain this recollection.

This is said to be the sublime abiding.

By not holding to fixed views,

The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,

Being freed from all sense desires,

Is not born again into this world.

NOTES

[1] Avalokitesvara and the Tibetan Contemplation of Compassion, Karen M. Andrews, May 1993

[2] Avalokiteshvara, Encyclopedia Britannica

[3]Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy: Deepening Mindfulness in Clinical Practice, Christopher K. Germer and Ronald D. Siegel (Guilford Publications)

[4] A Guide to the Bodhisattvas (Meeting the Buddhas) by Vedssantara (Windhorse Publications)

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According to Sutra, chanting this great Heart Dharani of Avalokiteśvara ekadaśamukha,1000-armed, 11-faced Chenrezig Guanyin brings benefits of health, blessings, wealth, no fear, compassion, protection and boundless love. The Benefits of the Dharani in Avalokiteshvara’s words from Sutra:

“Bhagavan, I have a mantra of Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani and now wish to proclaim it, for comforting and pleasing all living beings; for healing all illness; for living beings to attain additional lifespan; for living beings to gain wealth; for extinguishing all evil karma and weighty sins; for keeping away from hindrance and disasters; for producing merits of all Pure Dharmas; for maturing all virtuous-roots; for overcoming all fears; for fulfilling all good wishes.” — Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani Sutra

Video:

Chant along with the great Dharani of the compassionate savior Bodhisattva, whose 1000-loving arms reach out with boundless love and compassion (video is hard-subbed for convenience for chant-along.

For translation see description below):

NAMO RATNA TRAYĀYA / NAMA ĀRYA JÑĀNA SĀGARA VAIROCANA VYŪHA RĀJĀYA / TATHĀGATĀYA / ARHATE / SAMYAKSAṂ BUDDHĀYA / NAMAḤ SARVA TATHĀGATEVYAḤ / ARHATEVYAḤ SAMYAKSAM BUDDHEVYAḤ / NAMA ĀRYA AVALOKITEŚVARĀYA / BODHISATVĀYA / MAHĀSATVĀYA / MAHĀKĀRUṆIKĀYA / TADYATHĀ / OṂ DHARA DHARA / DHIRI DHIRI / DHURU DHURU / IṬṬI VAṬṬI / JVALE JVALE / PRAJVALE PRAJVALE / KUSUME / KUSUMA / DHARE / ILI MILI / CHITRE CHITE JVALAMAPANAYA / PARAMA SUDDHA SATTVA MAHAKARUNIKA SVAHA

नमो रतनत्रयाय, नमो आर्य ज्ञाना, सागरा, वैरोचना, व्यूहाराजय, तथागताय, अर्हते ,सम्यक सम् बुद्धाया।। नमो सर्व ताथगतेभ्य, अरहतेभ्य, सम्यक सम् बोधिभ्य। नमो आर्य अवलोखितेश्वराय,बोधिसत्वाय, महासत्तवाय महाकरुणिकाय। तद्यथा, ॐ धरा,धरा, धीरी, धिरी, धुरू धुरु, इतिवित्वी, ज्वले ज्वले, प्राजवले , प्राजवले कुसुमे कुसुमः धरे, इरि मिरी, चित्रेछ्ते चरम अपनाय, परमांसुत्त सत्व महाकरुणिका स्वाहा।। TRANSLATION OF

MANTRA:

• Namo Ratna Trayāya (Homage to the Triple Gem)
• Namaḥ Ārya Jñāna Sāgara (Homage to the ocean of noble wisdom)
• Vairocana (The Luminous One or The Illuminator)
• Vyūha Rājāya (To the King of the Manifestations.)
• Tathāgatāya (To the Tathāgata) Arhate (To the Arhat)
• Samyaksam Buddhāya (To the perfectly awakened one)
• Namo Sarva Tathāgatevyah (Homage to all Tathāgatas)
• Arahatevyah (To the Arhats)
• Samyaksam Buddhevyaḥ (To the fully and perfectly awakened ones )
• Namo Arya Avalokiteśvarāya (Homage to Noble Avalokiteśvara )
• Bodhisattvāya (To the Bodhisattva)
• Mahasattvāya (To the Great)
• Mahakarunikāya (To the Greatly Compassionate one)
• Tadyathā. Ōṃ (Thus. Om)
• Dhara Dhara, Dhiri Dhiri, Dhuru Dhuru (Sustain us , Sustain us, Sustain us )
• Iṭṭe vatti ( May we have the strength )
• Jvale Jvale (or some transliterate cale cale or Itte cale) ( To move forward, to move forward)
• Prajvale Prajvala (some transliterate Prachale) ( To move forward further, to move further along the path)
• Kusumē, Kusuma Dhare ( Where to pick the fruits)
• Ili Mili Chitre Chite Jvalamapanaya. (Who bring the blazing understanding).
• Parama Suddha Sattva (Pure Wholesome Perfection)
• Mahakarunikāya Svaha (To the Greatly Compassionate one I prostrate. Well said.)

MUSIC AVAILABLE from your favorite streaming music service TRACK 9 of MANTRA COLLECTION 1 by BUDDHA WEEKLY (Record Label: Buddha Weekly Mantras): Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok & other ByteDance stores, YouTube Music, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Claro Música, Saavn, Boomplay, Anghami, KKBox, NetEase, Tencent, Qobuz, Joox, Kuack Media, Yandex Music (beta), Adaptr, Flo, MediaNet

ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/0tvJoEF3wOIZvEdfv6GIo0

ON APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mantra-collection-1/1691809507

DEEZER: https://www.deezer.com/us/album/451236095

Benefits

The benefits of reciting this mantra (from the Chinese translation of the Sutra) are:一、

• 身常无病 Your body has no sickness and you will be healthy二、
• 诸佛摄受 You will be blessed from all Buddhas三、
• 财宝衣食受用无尽 You will possess wealth and never lack of food and clothes.
• 四、能伏怨敌而无所畏 You can subdue enemies without fear.
• 五、能令众生皆生慈心 You can cause compassion to arise in all sentient beings.
• 六、蛊毒鬼魅不能中伤 You cannot be harmed by curses, poison, ghosts, or spirits.
• 七、一切刀杖所不能害 You cannot be harmed by weapons.
• 八、水不能溺 You cannot be harmed by water.
• 九、火不能烧 You cannot be harmed by fire.
• 十、不受一切横死 You won’t die of an untimely accident.

He is the most powerful aspect of Guanyin Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig, compassion with 1000 arms and 11 faces. In detailed visualizations he has 1000 eyes in each hand as well — eyes and hands that reach out with compassion to save sentient beings from suffering.

#Avalokiteshvara #Guanyin #Guanshiyin #Chenrezig #Chenrezi #GreatCompassionmantra #BuddhaWeekly #MantraCollection1

Sweeping away the obstacles, bad karma, bad luck and negativities of the old year, going into a new year with a purified “clean slate”, is an important lunar New Year practice in Buddhism. (This Year Losar falls on Feb 10. Purification practices ideally should be performed Feb 3-9.)

It’s also an important practice before formal retreats, important ventures and dedications, or any important “launch” of something new. Or, just anytime. It is critical to purify negative karma endlessly, since our lives are impermanent.

Vajrasattva practice is certainly the most popular purification and renewal process for “year-end.” Prior to Losar or Lunar New Year, it is important to do a de-clutter and cleanse. Starting off the New Year with blessings and offerings to the Three Jewels is important, but first, we try to purify the stains from the previous year.

Vajrasattva, which combines all the principles of karmic purification, is the ultimate Buddhist practice for clearing obstacles, negativities, curses, evil intentions of others, and our own internal demons. Simply reciting his 100-syllable mantra while visualizing white cleansing light filling our bodies — when combined with the four powers of Refuge or dependence on the Three Jewels, Regret and of our past negative actions, the Remedy of the mantra and visualization, and the intention to Refrain in future.

These are called the four Rs in short:

• Refuge (or Rely, if you prefer)
• Regret
• Remedy
• Refrain.

By setting our minds and intentions to the remedies at the end of the year, we start the new year off fresh and clean, ready to accumulate Dharma merit through virtuous practices, giving, and compassion.

Related

• For a feature on the different “New Years” in different traditions, see>>

Beautiful Chanting of Vajrasattva’s 100-Syllable Mantra in Sacred Sanskrit:

Understanding the Significance of Lunar Year End in Buddhism

Being attuned to the cyclical flow of time, Tibetan Buddhists attach profound significance to the end of the lunar year. It is seen not just as a temporal conclusion but as a pivotal period of purification, preparation, and transition — to be followed by renewal and new, pure beginnings in the new year.

The end of the lunar year, seen as a symbolic dissolution of the old, allows individuals to cleanse their spiritual slate of negative karma accumulated over the year. But, this is more than “cleaning the slate” for an individual. In Buddhist belief, groups, social groups, countries, and worlds all have their own accumulative karma. This manifests as turmoil, war, epidemic, strife, poverty, environmental instability and other ways. The goal of our practice is always to benefit all sentient beings, not just ourselves. We set out to do our part in deploying the four Rs for our wider group of regions, countries, cultures. We collectively take Refuge in the Three Jewels, regret our actions as a group, agree to remedy our bad behaviors, and Refrain from them in the future.

Vajrasattva’s 100-Syllable Purifying Mantra in Sanskrit (see video below for pronunciation and chanting!)

Oṃ Vajrasattva
samayam anupālaya
Vajrasattva tvenopatiṣṭha
dṛḍho me bhava
sutoṣyo me bhava
supoṣyo me bhava
anurakto me bhava
sarva siddhiṃ me prayaccha
sarva karma sucha me
chittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru hūṃ
ha ha ha ha ho
ḥbhagavan
sarva tathāgata vajra
mā me muñcha
vajrī bhava
mahā samaya sattva āḥ

Purifying Practices is the Main Symbolic Activity

In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this is done primarily through a series of purifying practices and rituals which aim to clear emotional, mental, and spiritual obstacles. As a group we do temple or town-wide practices. As an individual we might practice alone, or join purication mantras and chanting online for live events, or even pre-recorded events.

These preparations before the Lunar New Year, known as ‘Losar’, target the resolution of negative patterns, attitudes, and actions. This aids in fostering a conducive environment for spiritual growth in the upcoming year. Central to this process is the usage of purification practices, which the Vajrasattva practice epitomizes.

The Vajrasattva practice, a well-respected purification ritual in the Vajrayana tradition, utilizes visualization, mantra recitation, and meditation to clear karmic imprints. It’s recommended that committed practitioners engage in such rituals with sincere intent, helping to expunge not only the root of negative karma, but its prospective recurrence.¹

Additional activities incorporated during this time include making and consuming special foods, lighting butter lamps, and offering donations to monks or spiritual centers. These deeds are believed to generate positive karma and set a positive foundation for the approaching lunar year.²

Therefore, the advent of Losar in Tibetan Buddhism is not just about welcoming the new, but also addressing and clearing the old effectively. The process of renewal involves sincere introspection, purging harmful patterns, and setting intentions for the path ahead, fostering a holistic transition into the new year.

Vajrasattva Practice: Purification before the Lunar New Year

Even if Vajrasattva is not your Yidam, he is always the main go-to purification practice. Before starting anything new — even mundane things, such as projects at work, or moving to a new home — it is traditional to purify the old before taking on the new.

• For an in-deth feature on Vajrasattva practice see>>

In the case of the New Year, that’s the entire year. For samaller projects and ambitions, the same principle applies: Refuge (or Rely), Regret, Remedy, Refrain.

Refuge

This practice is ultimately simple. First, as with any Buddhist practice, we take Refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, the Three Jewels. This can be as simple as:

I take Refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha until I reach Enlightenment.

Usually, you state your refuge three times to set your intention clearly.

It is best to make offerings, even if they just mental offerings, to signify sincerity, but also to generate merit. The act of giving at any time of the year, is aupsicious and good karma. If you’d like your year end purification to be symbolized by a real action, rather than a visualized offering, this is the time of year to make extra donations to your favorite Dharma charity or other types of compassionate activity or charity. If you cannot donate money, you donate time. The idea is to make offerings in the spirit of your Dharma practice.

Regret

Now, for the remaining Rs: Regret, Remedy, and Refrain.

Meditate for a moment on what you regret. What, over the last year, do you regret the most. Especially focus not on guilt, which is not the point, but on recognizing it was negative so that you can move on to remedy and refrain. After you’ve meditated (short or long) on your shortcomings over the last year, you move on to remedy.

Remedy

Remedy in meditation takes symbolic and tangible forms. With most Buddhist practices it is important to involve the Body, Speech and Mind. You are here in Body, and you visualize the “body” of Vajrasattva. Speech is the mantra, which is more than a collection of sounds. It’s a centuries-proven method of focusing the mind on purification. You invoke the help of Vajrasattva and supplicate purification. The sound of the mantra is sound.

Your visualization is light. You visualize Vajrasattva as clearly as you can in front of you (or in whatever method was taught by your teacher.) Purifying white light, peaceful, pacifying light emits from the heart of Vajrasattva and enters the crown of your head. The light floods down from your crown chakra at the top of your head, from chakra to chakra until your entire body is fight with purifying radiance. The light is so intense and warm and comforting.

Mind is your regret and your refrain promise. No one is going to police you, but yourself. Your mind is the the karma police. Set your mind on your regret and your promise to refrain from the negative conduct in future.

Keep reciting over and over, until you everything but the sound of the mantra and your visualization fades away. You focus only on Vajrasattva and the sound of the mantra.

Refrain and the Eight Rights

Now, with the New Year, this year starting February 10, 2024, work on the Refrain aspects. The main teachings of Buddha, the Eightfold Path, is a conduct practice. He taught in terms of the the Eight Rights (Buddha didn’t teach “don’t do this” he taught “do this”) Specifically, he taught, at Deer Park in his first teaching:

“This is the noble eightfold way, namely, right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right attention, right concentration, and right meditation.” — Shakyamuni Buddha at Deerpark

Refraining is as simple — or not so simple as — following Buddha’s teaching on conduct: the Eightfold Path.

Of course, we all slip. Ideally, rather than wait until the end of your next year, you can remember to do a short, daily Vajrasattva session to purify as you go forward. Why take so much baggage into a lucky New Year?

Key Practices in the Last Week of the Lunar Year in Buddhism

Aside from Purification practices, what else is customer before the Lunar New Year?

Before Tibetan New Year, or Loosar, arrives it’s important to prepare! To mark the end of the old year and beginning of the new one, it is important to clean the home and create a relaxed environment. Shopping for food, clothes and traditional decor also sets tibetan households into a festive spirit.

Families often buy special cuisine like momos or sel roti for celebration treats! People decorate their yards with colorful prayer flags and hang garlands made from wildflowers. On New Year’s Eve there is even more hustle as family members finish (or start!) preparations for big feasts and gatherings. With good tidings and wishes of joy by candlelight, it’s time to count down until Tibetan New Year though we are never done with preparing… Losar is made up of fifteen days of celebrations after all!

 

Happy Losar 2024 on Feb 10 this year!

15 Days Before New Year

Preparing for the actual day is often more involved than the celebrations! (For preparations, see below.)

Running up to New Year, Tibetan Buddhists especially, undertake purification practices, especially Vajrasattva and other practices in the last 5 days of the old year — that help us remove obstacles, negative karmas, and situations going into the New Year.

Traditionally, celebrants will prepare for Losar by

• Cleaning their houses (sweeping away the misfortunes of the previous year) — before New Year. It is not considered lucky to sweep for the first few days of the actual New Year as you might (sweep away the new good luck.)
• Buddhist monasteries and gompas will perform rituals on this last day, the famous mask dances, which symbolically drive away the negative forces of the old year.
• Traditionally, a person should not clean their house for the first few days of Losar to symbolically preserve the luck.
• Serious Buddhists might spend the last five or more days on purification practices such as Vajrasattva and Vajrakilaya. There will often be protector pujas, for example to Palden Lhamo, the great protectress of Tibet and the Dalai Lama. [More about Palden Lhamo here>>]
• In monasteries and traditional Tibetan Buddhist areas, Cham Dance is typically performed during Losar — a special Buddhist ritual dance that is performed in order to drive away evil spirits. See our feature on Cham Dance>>

What are some of the traditions associated with LOSAR, and how can you participate even if you’re not Tibetan Buddhist yourself?

If you’re feeling a bit left out when it comes to celebrating traditional Tibetan Buddhist festivities, then Losar is the perfect celebration to get involved in!

Everyone can participate in this exciting event. It’s the traditional New Year for Tibetans and marks the beginning of their new year. It also marks 15 sacred days — but even if you’re not Buddhist, you can enjoy the festivities which range from traditional ceremonies to feasting to music, concerts and dance celebrations. If you have an opportunity to watch a traditional Cham Dance, don’t miss it!

Many celebrants share food with their friends and family or indulge in the ceremonial tsampa, an average dish of roasted barley flour mixed with butter and tea.

Astronomical observations act as a common tradition throughout LOSAR as well, which involve looking at the first sunrise, and often checking out your lunar horoscope for the year ahead.

Tashi Delek! “Auspicious Wishes!”

Other traditions include exchanging gifts and wishing loved ones good luck during this time, offering khatas to older relatives, phoning all your family and friends even if you can’t see them to wish them well, with a hearty “Tashi Delek” (བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས) — which can translate as “auspicious wishes.”

What are some of the best ways to celebrate LOSAR 2023, whether you’re in Tibet or elsewhere in the world?

Celebrating Losar 2023 can be a blast, no matter where you are in the world! Think of Losar 2023 as an occasion to celebrate friendships and come together as one no matter which corner of the world you reside in!

On New Year’s Day, people usually wake up early and take a bath before donning new clothes. Afterward, they traditionally place offerings of dough called Torma on the family shrines to begin their annual praying ceremony. The creative designs created from this special pastry make for an exciting experience!

Usually, the family will come together to enjoy a celebration dinner, offering presents and tokens of appreciation. In Tibetan households, Kapse cake and Chang alcoholic drink are customary items served during this meal.

Traditionally, everything should be symbolically new — new clothes, new food (no leftovers!), new enthusiasm for the year ahead.

On the second day of Gutor, a multitude of religious rituals take place — the first day of the year is mostly family, the second day is for Dharma practice and to honor the Sangha. People are encouraged to honor and respect their teachers, Rinpoches, guides, and the monk and nun community by making donations to local monasteries, Dharma centers are other groups that help propagate Dharma.

LOSAR Shrine Offerings

If you have a shrine, replace all offerings with fresh and elaborate new offerings.

The most iconic culinary item featured during Losar is the scrumptious New Year deep-fried cookies known as khapse — which make ideal shrine offerings as well! For offering, you will usually find piles of different types of khapse and often multi-colored candies. To make a stunning display for their shrines, we often adorn them with an abundance of cookies, candies, fresh fruit, and dried fruits to create aesthetically pleasing arrangements that are teeming with freshness.

All the “sensory” offerings should be as elaborate and fresh as possible to signify your generous offerings and help bring in an auspicious year, especially

• tea
• flowers
• beautiful objects
• sounds (try looping some celebratory music or mantras on a player)
• light — plenty of bright lights and cheeriness
• khatas (white scarves) which can be placed around statues or other objects on your shrine.
• seven (or eight) bowls of water to symbolize the sensory offerings (or, ideally, multiple rows of water bowls!) Waters represent purity and blessings.

Seven (or eight) bowls of water represent the seven sensory offerings (or eight if you include “sound”) which reflect how we welcome guests to a dinner:

• Argam: water for drinking
• Padyam: water for washing
• Pushpe: flowers
• Dhupe: scents or incense
• Aloke (or Dipe): lights or butter lamps
• Ghande: scented water or perfume
• Naividya: food
• Shabda: sound (this one is isn’t always a bowl, since we make sounds when we pray, celebrate and recite mantras.

The ultimate offering is your own Dharma practice and activities.

Frequently referred to as Chintachakra White Wish-Granting Wheel Tara or simply White Tara, this embodiment of sublime enlightenment beautifully encapsulates all five key activities and wisdoms of the Buddha Families: pacifying, magnetizing, enriching and wrathful actions, plus all-activities of protection – blending in her practice as a comprehensive activity practice.

With other Taras, or other practices, we typically focus on one activity. For example, with a Red Tara we might meditate on magnetizing. For Yellow Tara, we emphasize enriching. Black Taras bring their wrath. With other White Taras, several of which appear in the 21 Taras, for example, we expect Pacifying activities. But, with White Chintachakra Wish-Granting Tara, we practice all of the activities.

The Wish-Granting Wheel Tara

Chintachakra White Wish-Granting Wheel Tara, unique among the other White Taras found in the 21 Taras, is a combination of all the activities. Imagine white light exiting a prism and separating into the primary colors. White Tara does this.

She is the prism, and as we practice her meditation, and her mantra, we rays of colored lights emitting from her prism — not just white, but altogether a prism of six lights:

• First is white, purifying light and intention.
• Then yellow enriching light and intention.
• Third, red magnetizing light and intention.
• Fourth is bright sky blue fierce and wrathful light and intention.
• Fifth is pervasive green light, the light of Mother Samaya Tara, which is the synthesis of infinite activities.
• Last, a startling magenta purple light (some translations call it brown), surrounds us in an impenetrable field of protection.

This is the stunning Wheel of Wish-Granting Tara, the shining light of unlimited powerful activities.

The Fusion of All Buddha Families: The Uniqueness of Chintachakra White Tara

Supreme Chintachakra White Tara encompasses a very unique blend of visualizations. After our initial preliminary practices of Taking Refuge, Purification and Making Offerings, and our initial mantra chanting, we then, one by one,  visualize all of the activities of the Buddha Families as emanated rays of lights of different colors (along with one additional protective color). As we do, we visualize her activities blessing all the realms and all sentient beings.

Even though she is a “so-called” White Pacifying Tara, her distinct meditation fuses all the Buddha families – the five categories that represent the different aspects of the enlightened mind. We consciously meditate on each of the activities of each of the Buddha families in the nature of blessings of empowered light

White Tara is really an All-Tara All-Colour Tara

In some Buddhist practices you hear the term “Rainbow” — referring to a number of things, but in terms of deity colors often meaning the combination of all activities and colors. For example, the Rainbow Padmasambhava. White Chintachakra is actually a White Tara, but this is the prism before it breaks into a rainbow of lights. As we chant her mantra, the prism sends out powerful laser-precise beams of all colors, to perform all the activities. White Tara, in essence, is also a Rainbow Tara, at least in this context.

This embodiment of collective activities transforms White Tara into a comprehensive Buddhist practice. As a practitioner, you engage with all forms of enlightened action, encapsulated in one deity.

This is not just the five activities, but the five wisdoms, as Tara is a Wisdom Mother. Even though we visualize White Tara as White, we see rainbows of colors emitting from her heart. So as we visualize the various colors of light, we also meditate on the wisdom of each Buddha Family:

• First is the White Buddha Family, the light of White Tara, which sends out pacifying activities, pacifying illness, dons and obstacles. This activity helps us overcome the poisons of ignorance and delusion as we meditate on the Wisdom of the Dharma essence, the Perfection of Wisdom.
• Second is the Yellow Gold light of Yellow Tara, the activities of enriching, which overcomes the obstacles of poverty and lack of bounty both in riches and in life-force. This overcomes the poisons of pride and greed with the wisdom of equanimity.
• Third is the Red Light of Red Tara, the activities of enchanting and magnetizing, which overcomes the obstacles of lust and clinging. This overcomes the poison of attachment with the Wisdom of Discernment.
• Fourth is the Blue Light of Black or Blue Tara (they are the same, the color of “space”) , the activities of wrath and power that destroy or nulify agression. This overcomes the poisons of aversion and hate with the Wisdom of Reflection.
• Fifth is the Green Light of Green Samaya Tara, the collective activities of all the Buddha Families in their most “windy” active form. Green Tara is the hurricane of activities, the Super Hero who flies to the aid of people. Her green light emits now from Mother White Tara in this practice, completing all the activities, and overcoming all dangers. This light is supresses the poisons of envy and jealousy and becomes the Wisdom of Perfect Practice.
• Last is the Magenta Purple Light which becomes a “tent of protection” around the practitioner.

While visualizing the different colors of lights as described in your Sadhana (or in the guided meditation below), you chant the White Tara mantra. Here is a 2 hour mantra chanting session:

Through her embodiment of multifaceted activities and the incorporation of these elements in sadhana meditation, Chintachakra White Tara practice sets itself  apart from other practices. While there are other practices that visualize all five activities on the inner body  — in Body Mandala practices — White Chintachakra Tara’s meditation visualizes the activity lights emiting outwards to all sentient beings, engaging in benefiting activities for all beings.

Deciphering the Symbolism of Supreme White Tara’s Seven Eyes

When we envision Supreme White Tara, one of the most striking features is her seven eyes. But what do these eyes mean? In Buddhist symbology, each eye of White Tara is representative of her omnipresent compassion and vigilance in protecting living beings from physical and spiritual harm. They symbolize her ability to see suffering in all realms of existence and her willingness to provide help wherever it’s needed.

Going beyond the basic symbolism of eyes, Tara’s Seven eyes carry special signficance, as explained by Robert Beer:

 “She is adorned with seven bow-shaped eyes, with her three facial eyes representing the perfection of her body, speech and mind, and the four eyes in her palms and soles symbolizing the “Four Immeasurables” of her loving kindness, boundless compassion, sympathetic joy, and perfect equanimity.”

In details, Supreme White Tara has one eye on her forehead, one on each palm of her hands, one on each sole of her feet, and the traditional two on the face. These eyes reflect her omniscient view. The eye on her forehead indicates her ability to see the divine truth, while the eyes on her palms and soles represent her ability to help beings in the human all the realms of existence. They are also symbolic of her attentiveness to those who faithfully practice her teachings and of her readiness to respond to their prayers.

This understanding of White Tara’s seven eyes can be traced back to sutras and commentaries in the Buddhist canon such as The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, The Sutra of Golden Light and Jetsun Taranatha’s “The Origin of the Tara Tantra.”

By understanding the symbolism of White Tara’s seven eyes, practitioners can deepen their connection with her and cultivate an increased appreciation for her boundless compassion. They can recognize White Tara’s dedication to alleviating suffering in all realms of existence and feel comforted knowing that, like a mother for her children, White Tara is always keeping a watchful eye over them.

In essence, the seven eyes of Supreme White Tara are not just physical features; they are potent symbols of her divine qualities of omniscience, compassion, and vigilance. They serve as reminders of her transformative teachings, her loving-kindness, and her ceaseless commitment to the welfare of all sentient beings.

Chintatakra White Tara’s Other Symbols

Robert Beer, the expert on Buddhist deity symbolism desscribes the rest of her attributes and symbols:

“White Tara sits in vajra-posture upon a white moon disc on the golden centre or sun-disc of an immaculate pinkish-white lotus. She is beautiful, peaceful, graceful and youthful like a sixteen-year-old, with full breasts, a narrow waist, and a sweetly smiling face. Her complexion is radiant and white like a full autumnal moon. In this composition the aureole disc of a full autumnal moon forms both her aura and her backrest, which is encircled by rainbows and radiates beams of pure light throughout the ten directions. ..With her lowered right hand she makes the open-palmed boon-granting varada-mudra of supreme generosity. And with her left hand she makes the abhaya-mudra of protection or giving refuge, as she holds the stem of an immaculate bluish-white utpala lotus blossom in front of her heart. This lotus blossoms at the level of her ear and bears a fruit, an open blossom and a bud, representing the Buddhas of the three times – past, present, and future.

She wears the five divine silk garments and eight jeweled ornaments of a sambhogakaya goddess, with these being her golden tiara; earrings; bracelets, armlets and anklets; and short, medium and long necklaces. Half of her long sapphire-black hair is bound up into a topknot, while the other half hangs freely behind her back. Her golden tiara is adorned with little flowers and five jewels, and from the crown of her head emerge two entwining rainbows that embrace the halo-like sphere or tigle of rainbow light that encircles the form of red Amitabha Buddha, the “Lord of the Padma or Lotus Family” to which White Tara belongs. Amitabha wears the three orange-red robes of an ordained bhikshu or Buddhist monk, and with his two hands joined upon his lap in the dhyana-mudra of meditative equipoise he holds his nectar-filled blue alms-bowl.

In front of Tara’s lotus-seat is a convoluted lotus leaf bearing the five sensory objects of a golden mirror (sight), a pair of cymbals (sound), a conch full of perfume (smell), fruits (taste), and a red silk cloth (touch). On either side of these are two stacks of precious jewels, along with the “seven precious insignia of the chakravartin or universal monarch” – white tusks (elephant); rhinoceros horn (horse); triple-eyed gem (jewel); crossed white lozenges (general) on the left. And coral (wheel); square earrings (minister); round earrings (queen), and tusks on the right. A fruit-laden tree, rainbow, water and clouds appear in the background landscape.”

“White Tara practice for compassion, long life and peace is an equally widespread Tara practice in Tibet and the Himalaya region,” wrote Venerable Zasep Rinpoche in his new book Tara at your Lotus Heart, a sequel to his popular Tara in the Palm of Your Hand.

 

White Tara and Yanfen

A recent, typical anecdote of White Tara’s activity — typical, because you’ll find thousands of these true stories — is a recent Facebook post by Amrita Nadi.

Amrita Nadi posted, with a picture of Yanfen and Garchen Rinpoche:

“There is a story behind this picture that HE Garchen Rinpoche wanted shared with everyone.

Yanfen, the lady in the photo was very ill 28 years ago and her doctor told her and her family that they should prepare for her death. She came to see Rinpoche and Rinpoche instructed her to visualize White Tara and do her mantra everyday.

She is shown here greeting Rinpoche on his recent trip to Tibet at age 88. HE Garchen Rinpoche told Yanfen that she should share this story so that people understand the result of White Tara practice and if you supplicate White Tara she will help and protect you.

Om Tare Tutare Mama Ayu Punya Jhana Puktrim Kuru Svaha!”

Tara as the Mother of All Buddhas

Tara is often called the Mother of all the Buddhas. She represents the wisdom of the Buddhas. It is wisdom that is the mother of Enlightenment.

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche explains: “Prajnaparamita or Mahamata, the great mother, manifested as Tara; almost all female deities are emanations of Tara, the most beloved and best known of them. Emanations of Tara include the powerful female deities, Vajrayogini, Kurukulla, Sarasvati, Machig Labdron, and Palden Lhamo.”

The Power of Tara

In his new book, Tara At Your Lotus Heart, Zasep Rinpoche, describes many of his own experiences with Tara throughout his life:

“I myself have had many experiences of the power of Tara, starting from when I was a boy in Tibet. When I was six or so, my grandmother and I, along with an attendant, were riding on a mountain path. Suddenly we came across a mother bear with three cubs. She turned on us as if to attack. My grandmother quickly recited Tara’s mantra. Instantly the bear turned her back on us and ambled off, following her three cubs, which were wandering away. Just to be on the safe side, my grandmother continued reciting Tara’s mantras all afternoon.”

The practice of White Tara is widespread among Tibetans and Himalayan Buddhists. White Tara is also known as Sitala (“the cool one”), due to her power to heal fevers. White Tara is perhaps the most popular Tara among Western practitioners.

White Tara for Healing

“White Tara is particularly associated with healing, protecting and stabilizing your life-force.” Gelek Rimpoche

White Tara is as much the “swift heroine” as Green Tara—since they’re both aspects of Tara, who is known as the “swift savior.”

How fast is she?

In Tibet, there’s a saying, “For protection, call on your protector if you have time—but call on Tara if you have no time.”

A prayer from the fifth Dalai Lama puts it this way: “Merely by remembering Her feet one is protected.”

Is White Tara the Same as Tara?

“The main characteristic of Arya Tara— Noble Tara— is that she is a Buddha who in earlier times promised to always be born in the pure form of a female body in order to help living beings reach enlightenment. There are many outer and inner impediments that practitioners encounter, so Arya Tara manifests in order to eliminate hindrances and obstacles one runs in to while on the path to liberation from suffering.”

—Venerable Chöje Lama Phuntsok

White Tara is one of the main 21 manifestations of Arya Tara—which means, yes, She is Tara. In Venerable Choje Lama Phuntsok’s words: [White] “Tara protects disciples from one of the main outer hindrances, which is death – she helps practitioners live a long life.”

There’s an old unattributed Buddhist saying—which is my way of demonstrating why White Tara is for healing practice:

“Good Health is the simply the slowest way for a human to die.”— Unknown

Explaining from the point of view of the Kagyu lineage, Venerable Lama Phuntsok said: ” …White Arya Tara, from among the 21 Taras, frees practitioners from untimely death. It is truly possible to extend the span of one’s life by practicing White Tara and this will be very beneficial for one’s Dharma practice.”

Short 30 minute White Tara teaching and guided visualization with animated graphics and beautiful images of White Tara, taught by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche:

How Does Tara Heal?

Again, drawing on the teachings of Venerable Lama Phuntsok, White Tara overcomes the impediment to long life and long Dharma practice: “All problems—sufferings, sicknesses, and diseases arise from thoughts that are based upon attachment, aversion, and ignorance as to the way things really are. It is said again and again that the worst obstacle is the third—concepts and thoughts. We continually think that we want to be happy and be free from suffering; we therefore never stop wanting more and more and as a result increase our attachment and aversion.”

Buddhism teaches that “we are the creators of our own suffering,” said Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche at a recent Lojong Seven-Point Mind Training retreat at Gaden Choling Toronto. “Everything depends on mind.”

From this point of view, all of our problems, including health issues, arise from our mind and concepts. Tara helps us to overcome the obstacles of mind and body. At a relative level, Tara rescues from disease, illness and apparently “external” health factors. At an ultimate level, Tara protects our mind, preventing the rising of attachments, aversion and ignorance.

Famously, Tara protects from the eight fears—fear of fire, lions elephants, snakes, imprisonment, floods, demons, robbers—but these eight fears are also “metaphors” for the cause of our obstacles leading to suffering. The fifth great Dalai Lama wrote a magnificent praise for Green Tara where he illustrated the metaphors of the eight great internal fears: anger (fire), pride (lions), ignorance (elephants), snakes (envy), imprisonment (avarice), floods (attachment), demons (doubt) and robbers (wrong views.)

Practicing White Tara

Sita Tara rescues all, and requires no special permissions or initiations to practice at a basic level. Advanced practices, some sadhanas and advanced healing certainly require a teacher’s guidance and permission, but the meditations and practices I’m discussing here are for anyone.

Meditating on Sita Tara is a good place to start. If you have time, take a half hour and meditate along with Gelek Rimpoche of Jewel Heart—a well-known and highly realized teacher of the Gelugpa tradition.

Gelek Rimpoche of Jewel Heart “White Tara Guided Meditation”:

Mantra and Meditation

Mantra is very effective for protection and healing both. Simply repeating the mantra with focus is enough to bring healing. Visualizing Tara’s blessings entering into your body as purifying light, purging illness and pushing out negativities as black smoke or sludge, is even more affirming, strengthening the blessing.

According to the FPMT Education Department, “This meditation can be done on behalf of oneself or others. It is frequently done to remove the obstacles to our gurus’ long lives and health. If one has experienced many health problems, accidents, depression, or a loss of “lust for life,” the practice of White Tara can be especially powerful.”

Tara Mantra

Tara’s mantra, chanted by millions daily around the world connects with Tara, including the White aspect—since all Tara’s are ultimately one:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Pronounced Aum Tah-ray Tew-tah-ray Tew-ray Svah-ha. Svaha is sometimes pronounced Soha in Tibetan traditions.

The root Tara mantra (above) is as effective as the more specialized White Tara mantra (see White Tara Mantra below)—which adds more specific requests and intentions.

Mantras were given by the Buddhas via Sutra or transmission of lineage, and carry great cumulative, power. Mantra literally can translate as “mind protection.” Since the mind affects health, a Sanskrit mantra dedicated specifically to healing is very effective.

The meaning of the mantra is explained in numerous ways by many great teachers, all of which are complimentary and correct. Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught [2]:

• “TARE shows that Mother Tara liberates living beings from samsara”
• “TUTTARE liberates you from the eight fears related to the external dangers from fire, water, air, earth and also from such things as thieves and dangerous animals. However the main dangers come from ignorance, attachment, anger, pride, jealousy, miserliness, doubt and wrong views.”
• “TURE liberates you from disease”—so Green Tara is equally the Healer as White.

One reason Tara’s mantra is especially meaningful is that it contains within it the entire teachings on the Four Noble Truths. See our previous stories on Tara in Buddha Weekly for more on this:

• Limitless Tara, Beyond the Green
• Mama Buddha Tara: Compassionate Action

Here is one of the most beautiful sung versions of Tara’s mantra by the Internationally famous Ani Choying Dolma at the Rigpa Center Berlin:

Lung or Empowerment

Although Tara mantras can be practiced by anyone—they are more effective when transmitted by a teacher. If you are in need of healing, it would be ideal to seek out a qualified lineage teacher and ask for either lung or initiation. Lung is, broadly speaking, transmission of the mantra itself (or permission to use the mantra), whereas initiation (also known as empowerment) can involve complete deity practice and commitments.

According to the highly realized teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the FPMT, “empowerment of Tara is needed to practice [Tara’s] sadhana in full. However, one can do this practice without such an empowerment as long as one does not generate oneself as the deity. If one does not have the empowerment, one can do the self-generation practice at the crown of one’s head.” Basically, visualize Tara and meditate on her, and receive blessings from her, but do not absorb or merge with Tara—a more advance practice.

With or without empowerment, all mantras carry the blessings of the deity—connecting us with our inner Buddha or Tara (Buddhanature). Mantas are quite powerful in meditation and active healing. If empowerment or lung is impossible, the mantras are less powerful, but still effective. I chanted Tara’s mantra for eight years before a teacher came into my life to guide me and empower my practice of Tara. I believe, in some ways, chanting the mantra for those years created the conditions for me to find my teacher.

Anyone can chant Tara’s mantra. The visualizations and certain other practices are different if you receive teachings from a qualified teacher. In Tibet, some of the first words children learn to speak are mantras, particularly “Om Mani Padme Hum” and “Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.”

White Tara Mantra

White Tara mantra is Tara’s root mantra, but energized with additional intentions and “words of power.” After Om Tare Tuttare Ture—and before the final Svaha—the mantra adds “Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha, thus becoming:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Pronounced: oṃ tā re tu ttā re tu re ma ma ā yuḥ pu ṇya jñā na pu ṣṭiṃ ku ru svā hā

In Tibetan pronunciation this might sound like:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayur Puney Gyana Puntin Kuru Soha

The three extra words do have multiple meanings, but are generally translated as:

• Mama — “mine” or “I would like to possess these qualities”
• Ayuh —”long life” — for which White Tara is famous
• Punya ­— “merit” — to live ethically
• Jnana — “wisdom”
• Pushtim — “increase”

When added to the root Tara Mantra, the mantra is basically drawing on Tara’s power to increase my long life, merit and wisdom and blessings.

For main healing practice, normally the mantra is recited with visualizations of Tara, however singing or chanting is a very beautiful and effective way to receive the blessings.

Here’s one of the most beautiful “chanted” versions.

Versatility of the White Tara Mantra

Healing and helping others is something we all should all wish to accomplish. Aside from the selfish goal of increasing our own merit and good karma, we engage our compassion as humans and Buddhists when we think of others.

The White Tara mantra can be modified from a “personal” affirmation to one targeted at someone else. “Mama” in the mantra means “mine”, or “I” or “me” meant for self healing. Simply replacing “Mama” with the name of another person sends Tara’s healing power and blessings to someone else.

For instance, if we wanted to practice White Tara for the long life of my teacher or parents, we would substitute Mama:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture [person’s name] Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Wishing your teacher long life would become

Om Tare Tuttare Ture [Your teacher’s name] Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Wishing the Dalai Lama long life would become

Om Tare Tuttare Ture His Holiness the Dalai Lama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

There are also forms of White Tara’s mantra for subduing or pacifying, with somewhat different wording, meant for subjugating fevers, viruses, evil spirits and so on, but those are more advanced practices that should be guided by a teacher. Fevers, evil spirits and viruses are equally subdued by the main White Tara mantra, or even the root mantra of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha.

More Advanced White Tara Healing

Tibetan medicine often makes use of “mantra-blessed water or medicines.” At a basic level, after performing a twenty or thirty minute mantra recitation-meditation, preferably visualizing Tara, blow on your medicine or a glass of water and visualize the mantra’s “power of Tara’s speech” as light coming from your mouth and being absorbed. Then, consume the medicine.

In more intense practices, or when the medicine is for someone else, you can place a week’s supply of medicine on a table or shrine dedicated to Tara with Her Image, some water bowl offerings, perhaps Her mantra written out, and other meaningful objects. Chant the mantra for a week, then use/dispense the blessed medicine.

Finally, mantra’s fullest ripening comes from full performance of a sadhana. These are passed down through the centuries by direct transmission of teacher to teacher, right back to the Buddha or Enlightened Being. These normally require a teacher’s transmission, lung or empowerment. Some sadhanas, such as White Tara’s sadhana written by the fifth Great Dalai Lama can be performed by anyone, provided the uninitiated do not generate themselves as the deity. In other words, substitute simple visualization for generation of oneself as Tara.

White Tara’s Visualization

Visualizing Tara is an important part of mantra recitation when possible. Although the mantra can be recited while walking, cooking, etc, when engaging in a highly focused healing practice, sitting with eyes closed (or half closed) in meditation is best.

“Visualization isn’t the best translation for what we do,” explained Venerable Jigme in her talk during a White Tara Retreat (see video below). “We’re actually working with our imagination. Visualization implies that we’re working with a visual image, and then using our eyes. So, we’re working with our imagination… not only are we working with imagined sights, but we’re working with imagined touch and smells and sounds, physical sensations and feelings.”

“We use our imaginations in a very practical manner to develop the potential we all have to transform ourselves,” Venerable Jigme continued. “So, it’s quite an important piece of our practice! It’s a very creative process.”

Tara’s Image

When you have a teacher’s guidance—the visualization would be as he or she instructs. There are generation practices associated with some initiations, but none of that should be contemplated without a teacher.

For someone without a teacher’s guidance, a basic visualization of Tara in front of you—generally involving healing white light flowing from Tara into you or the person being healed—is simplest. Sometimes you visualize Tara on top of your head, arising from your crown chakra sitting on a lotus throne with 1000 petals.

You can make the visualization simple or complex. More complex and detailed visualizations engage the mind to a higher level, and tend to be more effective for that reason. Visualize what you can of the following details.

White Tara is shining white, the nature of light, a glowing beacon of healing, vitality and perfection. We wouldn’t think of Tara as flesh and bone, but as glorious, spectacular, awe-inspiring (and at the same time) soothing light. Sometimes, what is meant by “body of light” is “uncontaminated body.”

In the same way Tara is visualized uncontaminated and spectacular, we should see Her arrayed in gorgeous silks and shining jewels like stars. Tara, Her name, literally translates as “star.” The beautiful ornaments are not meant to show attachment, but are symbolic of Her transcendence. On the crown of Her head is a crown of five sides representing the five Dhyani Buddhas and on top of Her hair knot is Amitayas Buddha, the Buddha of Long Life. Amitayus is the Long Life emanation of Amitabha. With other Taras we visualize Amitabha as her hair ornament. Amitabha and Amitayus are the same Buddha, different manifestations (similar to Green and White Tara). Amitayas and Amitabha are both red in colour.

We visualize Tara sitting on a thousand-petal white lotus. She is sitting in a position of meditative equipoise in the vajra (full lotus) position. The glorious lotus signifies renunciation, the spontaneous wish to be free from samsara, or cyclic existence. From Geshe Wangdu’s White Tara Commentary: ” So the manner in which the lotus signifies renunciation is that, even though the lotus itself was born out of a pond, what we call a swamp, or a muddy pond, even though it grows out of that, when it blooms on top of the water, there’s not even a bit of mud on its’ petals, and it is free of the mud itself. That is how it resembles renunciation.”

The Lotus and Moon Disc

On the lotus is a moon-disc, representing all-important bodhicitta, and the wish to achieve enlightenment. The deity sits on both a lotus and moon-disc, indicating Tara has achieved enlightenment through renunciation and bodhicitta.

Beautiful Tara Herself has one face, two arms, but—importantly—seven eyes. An eye appears on each of Her hand palms, Her feet and three on Her face (two “regular” eyes and the wisdom eye on the forehead chakra). The eyes represent how the Mother of the Buddhas sees all our suffering.

Seven Eyes of White Tara

Very strikingly, the position of the seven eyes create the shape of the sankrit letter TAM which is Tara’s mantra when you connect the eyes with lines), according to Visible Mantra[3]. Also, they symbolize the special relationship between the five “extra” eyes of White Tara and the five Dhyani Buddhas: Akshobya, Amitabha, Amoghisiddhi, Vairochana and Ratnasambhava.

The right hand of Tara is in the “mudra” (hand gesture representing) Supreme Generosity—the mudra that signifies Tara is ready and willing to grant us the state of Enlightenment.

The left hand of Tara holds a white lotus flower or uptala. Uptala is really a different flower from the lotus, but most people are content with visualizing a lotus. The uptala stems out in three branches, each with a different flower, one in full bloom, one about to open, one just a bud. These represent the Buddhas of the three times: past, present and future.

In advanced visualizations, we’d see a white syllable TAM—Tara’s seed syllable mantra. If you don’t know what that is, it’s best to wait for a teacher. The Tam is normally at her heart. Often, visualizations would—as with other Buddhas—visualize shining seed syllables OM, AH and HUM at her crown, throat and heart respectively. These represent the Holy body (OM), speech (AH) and mind (HUM) of Tara Buddha.

Healing Light Visualization

You might visualize (imagine) white healing light flowing from Tara into your crown chakra (top of your head) or heart chakra, or all of your chakras. The energy fills you as you chant the mantra, displacing negativities, bad karma, disease and other impurities—often visualized as black smoke or sludge dispelled violently from your body. For advanced practices, your teacher would guide your visualization, but for simple practices, the healing light is a safe, effective image.

As a final note, try to imagine Tara as a real, three dimensional being of light, who can move, speak, gesture, transmit—Tara is above all “activity” of the Buddhas and definitely not a static two-dimensional picture.

For a better description on how to visualize during Tara Deity Practice, please refer to Venerable Jigme (Sravasti Abbey’s” teaching video, part of a White Tara retreat (7 minute video):

Simple White Tara Practice

A simple daily practice, or a practice that you could use when you are ill, would normally include some basic fundamentals, such as going for refuge. Many teachers say that Refuge is the first healing. When you take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, that refuge will help you in all your difficulties, including illness. To the practice of refuge, you might add a simple offering of water bowls, in front of an image of White Tara. Basically, a simple practice, not requiring empowerments, would be:

1. Take refuge and dedicate.
2. The four immeasurables: This prayer affirms your wishes that all beings not suffer and be happy—important to generate loving kindness and Bodhicitta.
3. Make an offering (for example, a water bowl offering—see our article “Buddhist Water Bowl Offerings as an Antidote to Attachment”)
4. Preferably recite the Seven Limbs practice (seven short lines that contain the essence of good practice).
5. Visualize Tara as described above or as indicated by your teacher. Normally you visualize Tara in front of you when you do not have teacher instructions.
6. Recite the mantra (either Tara’s root mantra, or the full White Tara mantra, optionally with the name of the person who is ill replacing “mama” in the mantra. As you recite, visualize white healing light and energy transmitting from Tara to you or the person. In advanced visualizations this might emit from Tara’s heart chakra and absorb into your heart chakra, or as advised by your teacher.
7. Affirmation prayers (optional)
8. Dedicate the merit. (This is generally very important).

Typical Refuge Prayer (normally 3 times)

I go for refuge until I am enlightened.

To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.

By my practice of giving and other perfections,

May I become a buddha to benefit all sentient beings.

Four Immeasurables

May all beings have happiness and its causes,

May they never have suffering or its causes.

May they constantly dwell in joy transcending sorrow;

May they dwell in equal love for both near and far.

Offering

You can visualize mental offerings if you don’t have bowls of water. Buddhas do not need your offering. You are generating merit by this practice.

Seven Limbs

To You Venerable Tara, with my body, speech and mind, I respectfully prostrate.

I offer flowers, incense, butter lamps, perfume, food, music and a vast collection of offerings, both actually set out and emanated through wisdom and imagination.

I declare all my non-virtuous acts since beginningless time.

I rejoice in the virtuous merit accumulated by Holy and ordinary beings.

I request You turn the wheel of Dharma.

I beseech You to remain until samsara ends. Please, with your boundless compassion, look upon all beings drowning in the ocean of suffering.

May whatever merit I have accumulated be transformed into the cause for Enlightenment so that I may help all sentient beings.

Mantra and Visualization

Visualize Tara and healing energy and recite one of the mantras:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

or

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

or, if healing or doing long life practice for another person such as your teacher, substitute person’s name for “Mama”

Om Tare Tuttare Ture PERSON’S NAME Ayuh Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha

Dedication

By this merit may I quickly reach

The enlightened state,

So that I may lead all living beings without exception

To the same Enlightenment.

A Praise to White Tara by the First Dalai Lama

Another healing practice is to recite sutras or texts, or to pray to Tara daily. The First Dalai Lama Gyalwa Gendun Drub’s “A Praise of White Tara” is especially powerful—written centuries ago:

Homage to the Female Buddha beautiful with youth

Who sits on seats of white lotus and moon in nature

Spreading with stainless compassion and knowledge,

Who captures the radiance of snow mountains.

Homage to the Youthful One with budding breasts,

Who has one face and two arms, sits in the vajra posture,

Is bold with grace and calm, has a full moon as backrest

And is filled with great bliss.

Homage to the Ultimately Generous One whose right hand,

Showing the mudra Supreme Giving

Easily releases boundless karmas of peace, increase, power and wrath

As well as the eight siddhis and even supreme Buddhahood.

Homage to the Spiritual Mother who gives birth to Buddhas

Past, present and future; whose left hand

Supporting a blue lotus, grants protection

From lions, elephants, fires and all eight terrors.

Homage to the Refuge of the World, who has eyes

In hands and feet gazing at the four doors of freedom

And who leads all living creatures

Toward the isle of blissful liberation.

Homage to she whose face unites

The beauty of a million autumn moons,

Whose wide eyes gaze with compassion

Whose Joyous mouth smiles equally on all.

Homage to she with head adorned by Amitayus, boundless Life,

The mere thought of whom grants life and wisdom,

Whose hand, in the contemplative mudra,

Hold a vase filled with ambrosia of immortality.

Homage to the All-Beautified One whose crown

Steals the light of sun and moon,

Whose sapphire hair is half knotted on top

And half falling freely over her shoulders.

Homage to the Majestic One of precious ornament blazing,

Whose crown, earrings, necklaces, arm-bands,

Bracelets, anklets and belt so elegantly arranged

Surpass the ornaments of men and gods.

Homage to she of celestial raiment,

Whose shoulder-sash and skirt

Hug her body like rainbows

Hug the crystal mountains.

Homage to the goddess before whose lotus feet

Vishnu, Indra, Shiva, Brahma, the antigods, spirits,

Men, semi-humans and all the world

Submit themselves in devotion.

Merely by reciting your mantra,

Those who make offerings at your lotus feet

Gain immortality, wisdom and merit

And attain all desired siddhis; to you I bow down.

The knowledge, compassion and perfect actions of all Buddhas

Appear in the form of the beautiful goddess

I take refuge in you and offer you my prayers;

Pray eliminate all my obstacles and fulfill all my aims.

Quickly release your perfect action of peace,

Calming all interferences to my practices for enlightenment;

Interferences such as the eight terrors,

Sickness, demons and other harmful agents, inner and outer.

Quickly release your perfect action of increase which multiplies

All good qualities, such as life, merit, unapprehending compassion,

The stainless wisdoms of learning, contemplation and meditation,

And the three higher trainings.

Quickly release your perfect action of power,

Which causes gods, men and spirits

To humbly bow before you

And which fulfils all wishes of the mind.

Quickly release your perfect action of wrath,

Which with punishments befitting the evils done

Destroys demons, interferences and hindrances

Hateful opposing Buddhadharma and its holders.

Pray, bestow quick and easy attainment of siddhis

Such as the magic sword, mystic eye-medicine, fast-walking,

The food pill and the precious vase,

And even mahamudra, the highest siddhi.

In brief, from now until enlightenment

I respectfully make offerings at your lotus feet

I need seek no other refuge

Out of compassion gaze upon me and quickly grant protection.

By the meritorious energy of this practice

May the transcended, perfect Tara

Look upon me forever with pleasure

And never leave me, even for a moment.

May all sentient beings after death take rebirth

Before Amitayus in Sukavati, Land of Pure Joy,

May they live in the ways of the great Bodhisattvas

And come to equal Avalokiteshvara, Lord of Compassion.

May I realise the oceans of Sutras and Tantras

To be able to pass them on to others;

And until samsara be emptied may I strive

To uphold the victory banner of practicing exactly as taught.

Mantra: OM TAREE TU-TAREE TUREE MAMA AYU-PUNYE-JANA PUTIM KURU SOHA

The Colophon: This praise of exalted White Tara, supreme mother of all Buddhas, was written by the monk Gyalwa Gendun Drub while he was residing in the Hermitage of Great Awakening at the Tegchen Potreng.

NOTES
[1] Presented at the Kamalashila Institute in Germany, 2005 https://www.rinpoche.com/teachings/whitetara.htm

[2] Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche speaking at Nepal, May 1987. https://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=357

[3] White Tara, Tam and the Mandala, Visible Mantra https://www.visiblemantra.org/whitetara-mandala.html

Why are Mantras important in Mahayana and Vajrayana practice, especially in modern, busy times? What are the nine benefits of mantra as taught by Buddha and lineage teachers? How do mantras actually work? What is transmission from Sutra or lineage? Why and how do we accumulate mantras in our lifetime?

We answer these questions and more in this in-depth how-to feature on the benefits and practice of reciting or meditating with mantras.

Why Mantra is the Enlightened Speech of the Buddhas

In Buddhism, a mantra represents the essence of the Enlightened Speech of the Buddha. The teachings say that the mantra is not separate from the Deity.

Each time we praise or prostrate to our Yidam or Buddha, we are honoring the Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind. To support our practice, we often display a statue or picture representing the Enlightened Body, and we may display either a Stupa or Bell to represent the Enlightened Mind. The most important of the three, the Enlightened Speech, representing Dharma, is supported by Mantras.

As Mahayana Buddhists we aspire to achieve the Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind for the benefit of all sentient beings. Until we attain Enlightenment, our tangible supports are usually a statue or visualization of the Buddha’s body in the form of the Yidam we aspire to, the bell for Mind and our Mala to represent the Speech and Mantras.

Of the three, the most important support in busy times, when we have no time for extensive practice, is our Mantras. Dharma and speech are the most important elements of Buddhist practice. The Enlightened Body of the Buddhas have gone beyond Samsara, and the mind or teachings are now preserved as Dharma and Dharma Speech. This is why we strive to preserve and spread the Dharma.

Dharma Teachings as Mantra

This concept is grounded in the Buddha Dharma, which holds that enlightened beings, or Buddhas, have achieved a profound understanding of reality and communicate this wisdom through mantras (Harvey, 2013).

The vibration produced by reciting a mantra can profoundly affect the practitioner’s state of mind, promoting focus and calm. It is this power of sound vibration that is central to the mantra practice. Renowned Buddhist teacher, Pema Chodron explains,

“When you say your mantra, as with all practices, you have to bring your full attention… You become the words… It’s like eating, you don’t just swallow without chewing; You chew and savour every word of your mantra” (Chodron, 2001).

From a scientific perspective, mantra recitation and the associated sound vibration have been shown to change the waveforms emitted by the brain, leading to increased concentration and mental clarity (Lutz et al., 2004). (This study is here>>) This physiological response can crucially support individuals in our fast-paced modern society, where distractions and stressors are abundant – a clear justification for mantra practice in these busy times.

As Buddhists, the goal is not just to mindlessly recite mantras, but to thoroughly understand the profound meaning and conduct intention setting with every recitation.

It can be beneficial to receive transmission from the Sutra or lineage teachers who have been trained in the proper pronunciation and rhythmic recitation of the mantras in Sanskrit – the language in which they were originally composed. This is thought to maximize the power of the mantras (Cüppers, 2012). (More on transmission in section below.)

Sutra-transmitted Dharani and mantra of Amitabha:

However, for any Sutra-transmitted mantras or Dharanis, no transmission is needed for benefits. The transmission and the accompanying teaching is already made from Buddha to Sutra to you through the Holy Dharma teachings.

Another Sutra transmitted mantra and Dharani, of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of Compassion:

What is Mantra? Protection for the Mind? Essence of Dharma?

Mantra literally translates from Sanskrit as “Mind Protection.” What does this mean? Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained Nyungna Teachings at Lawudo:

“The meaning of mantra is “guarding the mind.” Guarding it from what? From clinging, or attachment, and the view of this life.
“It means guarding the mind from attachment, the view of this life, and the three lower realms. It means guarding the mind from the whole suffering realm of samsara, which means all six realms, and from seeking and being bound to the blissful state of peace for self. It guards the mind, or in other words, it guards oneself.  It means the same thing. It is related to guarding the mind but it means guarding you from all these problems and from binding yourself to the blissful state of peace. It also guards your mind from the impression of the subtle dualistic view.”

Mantra is also an essence practice. When you chant Om at the beginning of most mantras, this is paying homage to, taking refuge in, and invoking the Enlightened Body, Speech, and Mind of the Buddha in whatever form you visualize as your Yidam or meditational deity.

This is why when teachers hear their students say: “I have no time to practice” they often reply:

“You have time to say a mantra don’t you?”

Vajrasattva mantra is one of the first mantras taught to serious Buddhist students in Vajrayana:

This means, the mantra itself is a complete and essential practice, especially for busy people. This is why mantra is the most effective practice for modern people leading busy, stressful lives. It’s not a magic spell. It’s a focus for the mind. As soon as we say the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum” we are invoking the Body Speech and Mind of the Compassionate Lotus Avalokiteshvara Guanyin Chenrezig.

In fact, in Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche’s explanation of the nine benefits of mantra, which we’ll cover in a moment, the first benefit stated was “Mantra can be understood as the Deity.”

Nine Benefits of Mantra According to the Teachings

According to Garchen Rinpoche, in his superb book Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions [1] the great teacher mapped out the nine benefits of Buddhist Mantra of Enlightened Deities, especially when combined with the visualizations:

Mantra can be understood as The deity. Every mantra we recite emanates one deity. These deities then work for the benefit of beings.

Mantra can be understood as Offerings to the Buddha.

Mantra can be understood as Purification of Obstacles.

Mantra can be understood as Siddhis, in the form of  Blessings.

Mantra brings about loving-kindness and compassion in the practitioner.

Mantra, when one has fully trained in the creation stage, invokes the entire mandala. One no longer needs an entire sadhana text.

Mantra brings about all of the four activities — peaceful, increasing, powerful and wrathful.

Mantra is a wish-fulfilling jewel.

Mantra cuts conceptual thought because it is sound-emptiness. Other sounds produce the graspings of attachment and aversion.

Mantra Repetition and Accumulation

Almost by definition mantra is meant to be recited and repeated. Contrary to mantra myth, mantras do not have to be tonelessly spoken. They can certainly be chanted. If music and chanting make the repetition of the mantra easier, this actually increases its effectiveness. Chanting is often used in formal teachings to inspire long sessions of repetition. For this reason, our practice supports for mantra are Malas for counting and Prayer Wheels for added accumulations.

Devotional chants and prayers are commonly sung in many temples, together with mantras. Sutras are often chanted musically, as well, such as the precious Heart Sutra, which is musically chanted around the world. Chanting with drums is also helpful. Many Tibtean teachers, including Garchen Rinpoche encourage chanting or musical mantras. Om Mani Padme Hum is usually chanted musically in most group sessions, for example.

Video: Chanting 100,000 Mani Mantras for World Peace is virtuous for everyone. The accumulations of your mantras, especially as a accumulation mantra group, benefits many sentient beings.

What about Accumulation? When a teacher or Sutra or Tantra advises accumulations of Vajrasattva’s mantra for purification, or Om Mani Padme Hum for World Peace, what does this really mean?

Accumulations of mantras are common Yidam practices, especially in what is often called the Mantra Counting Retreat. We are asked, for example, to accomplish 100,000 mantras using our malas to count. Each mala is 108 mantras, but counted as 100 due to “mistakes.”

Yidam and Mantra

The concept of accumulation is to focus the mind on the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Buddha, or our chosen meditational form of the Buddha, known as the Yidam. During informal retreats, these are accumulated over time, not all in one session, necessarily, which would be impossible for most modern lay people. As long we chant some every day, after having taken Refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and as long as we dedicate our mantra practice at the end of each session, then this is considered accumulative. 30 today, 100 tomorrow, 20 the day after, 50 the day after, and 800 on the weekend — as long as we’ve dedicated the merit to the benefit of all sentient beings, this is an accumulation of 1,000. We continue daily until we reach 100,000.

Video: Accumulating 100,000 mantras of a Higher Yoga Tantra Buddha like Hayagriva would normally only be understaken by a serious student, guided by a teacher. The mantra can be beneficial to chant for “even the insects” according to the Origination Sutra, but a retreat on a Deity is normally a serious commitment:

What happens then? We keep going, but if we’re doing a formal retreat, our teacher will advise us to seal or dedicate the accumulated merit and purify any mistakes we’ve made with either a Fire Puja or with another purification practice such as Vajrasattva.

Once we accomplish this, the merit is fully accumulated. This bonds us forever to the Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha, in the form of Yidam we practice. This might be Tara, or Vajrasattva, or Vajrakilaya, or Hayagriva, or Medicine Buddha — whichever mantra we’ve have practiced.

Transmission is Beneficial, Not Usually Required

A lot of mythology has arisen around the concepts of permissions and mantras. With the proviso that we should be guided by our own teachers on this, the main requirement for mantra chanting of any Enlightened Deity according to the teachings, is Bodhichitta intention. This, in concise terms, is the intention to become Enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings.

One of the eloquent teachers on this topic is Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche. For a recent retreat, he published this on the Garchen Institute website:

“There are no restrictions. Why? For the Buddha, there was no difference between nationality or religions because all sentient beings are really Buddhas; they are only obscured by temporary stains. When these temporary stains are removed then beings are actual Buddhas. It just depends on whether or not we have fixating thoughts in our mind.

Lord Jigten Sumgon had said that whoever grasps at any philosophical school is an ordinary person. Actually, any philosophical school is just illusory because whoever has a mind has the Buddha within them. Therefore all sentient beings possess the cause of awakening and if they want to become a Buddha, they can. For this reason, whatever is online or on livestream, is not restricted. Anybody can take whatever they want and look at whatever they want and for however long they want. I encourage you to do this. This is the Buddha’s instruction.”

In fact, the “temporary stains” His Eminence referred to are one of the reasons we chant mantras. By staying focused on the precious Enlightened Speech of the Buddhas, we help to remove our obstacles, negativities and stains.

The Vajra Guru mantra of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava have countless benefits. If you have time for only one mantra, this one is the same as practicing all five Buddha Families:

Sources and Citations

[1] Vajrakilaya: A Complete Guide with Experiential Instructions, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche  (https://amzn.to/48V9svg affiliate link to this book on Amazon)

Harvey, P. (2013). An introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, history and practices. Cambridge University Press.

Chodron, P. (2001). The wisdom of no escape and the path of loving-kindness.  Shambhala Publications.

Lutz, A.,  Greischar, L. L.,  Rawlings, N. B.,  Ricard, M., & Davidson, R. J. (2004). Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,   101(46), 16369-16373.

Dalai Lama. (2006). The universe in a single atom: The convergence of science and spirituality. Harmony Books.

Cüppers, CH. (2012). The sound of the Dalai Lama’s voice: an ethnomusicology of Tibetan Buddhist chant. PhD thesis. Royal Holloway University.

Why are mantras so popular? What are the nine benefits of mantras? Why are mantras considered a complete practice? How do they work? What are they? This is a lot to cover, but with the help of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen we’ll try to unpack the gist.

Before hitting the hows and whys, it’s important to understand the benefits of mantra. They aren’t simply “stand-ins” for practice, for busy people who have no time for more elaborate meditations. They aren’t simply aspirations or wishes. Although it will require some unpacking — especially for those new to mantras — the essence of mantras is framed around nine benefits.

At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised people to chant the Green Tara mantra because he said it would be “beneficial for effectively containing the spread of the virus.” He has asked people suffering from the disease to chant the Tara mantra, Om tare tuttare ture svaha, to maintain peace of mind and remain free from worries.

Dalai Lama chants Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha:

We previously covered the “light-weight” benefits, such as concentration, proven health benefits, psychology, and even the effect of mantras on plant growth [Links below in “Mantra Resources”.] In this feature, we’re diving deeper into actual practice benefits to a Vajrayana practitioner, especially someone who engages in any form of Generation of a Deity visualization practice. With that in mind, let’s start with the top nine practice benefits of mantra in this context.

Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche: the nine benefits of mantras

The most eminent Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche explained the nine benefits in teaching on Vajrakilaya. To some extent, this relates specifically to the Vajrakilaya practice, but those who are familiar with deity-yoga practices (creation-stage visualization) — where you choose an aspect of Buddha to visualize in an enlightened form to represent “enlightened body”, chant the mantra to represent “enlightened speech”— will know that these nine benefits are universal. The language is highly visual since the mantras are normally chanted with an imagined visualization (healing light, offerings, and so on) to reinforce the illusory nature of phenomena.

In this context, Rinpoche explains:

“Mantra can be understood as:

1. The deity. Every mantra we recite emanates one deity. These deities then work for the benefit of beings.

2. Offerings. When the light rays radiate out from the mantra rosary during creation-stage visualization, each ray of light bears an offering goddess. Each of these hundreds of thousands of offering goddesses further emanates five goddesses who emanate still five more, and so forth, until space is completely filled with goddesses. All of these make offerings to the Buddhas.

3. Purification of obscuration. When the light rays radiate out a second time and touch all sentient beings, they purify beings’ obscurations. These obscurations are self-grasping, and the light rays are rays of compassion. The rays of love melt self-grasping like a hot sun melting snow.

4. Siddhi. When the light rays return and reabsorb to the deity, they bear siddhis in the form of blessings of the Buddhas/ enlightened body, speech and mind.

5. Blessings. Mantra brings about loving-kindness and compassion in the practitioner due to the blessings of the deity’s mindstream.

6. Mandala. When one has fully trained in the creation stage, reciting the mantra once will invoke the entire mandala. One no longer needs an entire sadhana text.

7. Enlightened activity. All of the four activities — peaceful, increasing, powerful and wrathful — are performed and accomplished through mantra.

8. A wish-fulfilling jewel. Whatever we need to accomplish, mantra will bring about.

9. Dharmata. When we meditate while reciting the mantra, conceptual thoughts are cut, and free from conceptual thoughts, we see the nature of the mind as emptiness. Since it allows us to see the nature of mind to be dharmata, mantra can be considered to be dharmata. Mantra cuts conceptual thought because it is sound-emptiness. Other sounds produce the graspings of attachment and aversion.

These nine benefits occur whenever you recite mantra. They apply equally to the mantras of all deities. This is the speech of Guru Rinpoche and is also found in the tantras.” [5]

The big question then becomes — when do we have time for mantras? We lead such busy lives, don’t we?

Mantra Resources on Buddha Weekly

• Our full special section on Mantras, over 40 features and videos.
• Theta brainwaves in meditation for health and cognition benefits, and how to achieve through mindfulness, repetition, sound, visualization, mantra
• How does Buddhist mantra actually work? Ten ways Mantra can tangibly transform our lives and our practice.
• Scientific Buddhist: Healing meditation, prayer and mantras? Do they work — according to research? Can we turn to mantras for help?
• Theta brainwaves in meditation for health and cognition benefits, and how to achieve through mindfulness, repetition, sound, visualization, mantra
• Mantra Part 2: Good Vibrations — Mantras in Buddhist Practice “Of what is the body made? Of emptiness and rhythm.” How does mantra work?

Chant mantras during daily activities

Bringing the mantras into your “daily life” is especially powerful. Mingyur Rinpoche, in a talk “I’m too lazy to start a meditation practice,” said [See Mingyur Rinpoche’s short teaching video below.][3],

“Try to join your spiritual life and your daily life together. That’s the best!” Chanting mantras during  daily activities is one way to do this.  He also coaches us to meditate and do mantras anywhere, while watching TV, standing up, sitting down, driving to work. “For example, if you are in the train, subway, you can meditate while you’re standing up!”

Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche — mantra wheel in hand

Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the example of Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche. He is rarely seen without a mantra wheel in his hand, spinning constantly even as he teaches, walks, travels, chats. A mantra wheel, or mani wheel, is a prayer wheel containing millions of mantas. You spin the wheel to symbolically send millions of mantras out to the world to benefit all sentient beings. His Eminence, at the age of 22, was imprisoned for 20 years after the Cultural Revolution. In the labor camp, one had to practice secretly, or face punishment — and mantra is ready-made for secret and silent practice. He is known for his vast compassion.

“There are some practitioners who have a strong aspiration to engage in practice and although they really want to practice, due to some karmas they have accumulated in the past, they did not have the opportunity to practice and they are under the power of someone else and so they cannot practice. For them, it becomes very important to look for skillful means to engage in practices.”

He gives the example of mantra and prayer wheels. [2] [For a feature story on Prayer Wheels see “Wheel of Dharma: Why Prayer Wheels May be the Ideal Buddhist Practice for Busy People”>>]

Mantra — “mind method”

Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen wrote, in a commentary on Heart Sutra [1]:

“In both sutra and tantra, the word mantra has the same connotation  — protecting the mind.”

Mantra literally translates “mind vehicle” — “man” meaning mind and “tra” meaning method or instrument. It is, literally, “mind instrument” or “mind method.” Some teachers translate “Man” as mind and “tra” as protection. The way of mantra is called Mantrayana; “Yana” means vehicle. In Buddhism, vehicles are “methods” and practices: sutra vehicle, tantra vehicle, mantra vehicle (mind method vehicle.)

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained the meaning of mantra in Nyung-na Teachings at Lawudo:

“The meaning of mantra is “guarding the mind.” Guarding it from what? From clinging, or attachment, and the view of this life.

“It means guarding the mind from attachment, the view of this life, and the three lower realms. It means guarding the mind from the whole suffering realm of samsara, which means all six realms, and from seeking and being bound to the blissful state of peace for self. It guards the mind, or in other words, it guards oneself. It means the same thing. It is related to guarding the mind but it means guarding you from all these problems and from binding yourself to the blissful state of peace. It also guards your mind from the impression of the subtle dualistic view, or she-drib, which is another name for obscurations to the objects of knowledge. The ignorance that believes in self-existence causes things to appear as truly existent.”

Aside from protection, it can be said that mantra also “fortifies” our mind.  How? It helps us purify our minds by focusing on pure Dharma. It helps us remain mindful (right concentration) —in this case, mindful of the sounds of the mantra, and any visualization that goes along with it. It engages our mind at a profound level — its effect well supported in peer-reviewed study after study. (In some studies, for example, mantra and visualization practices are beneficial to people suffering from cognitive decline. See “Science of Medication: Peer reviewed studies prove…”)

Mantra: essence practice

It is taught that mantra is the “essence of the Enlightened Body, Speech, and Mind.” When we chant the Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin) mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, we are invoking the compassionate energy — Enlightened Body, Speech, and Mind — of Chenrezig. Even if we don’t speak the mantra — for example if we spin a prayer wheel with the mantra, or simply mentally chant the mantra — the essence is the same.

This concept of “sound essence” is not unique to Buddhism. Mantra began with ancient Vedic beliefs, widened expansively in Hinduism and Buddhism, and is also found in other spiritual paths; for example, a Catholic, chanting “Hail Mary” with a rosary might invoke a similar effect — focusing the mind on what Holy Mary represents.

Mantra — not an excuse for laziness

It is this “essence” that makes mantra a valid “stand in” for daily Buddhist practice. No teacher advocates laziness, or “skipping practice” by simply chanting a few mantras. But, in those times where you genuinely have no time or alternative, mantra is the go-to practice for many of us.

Mingyur Rinpoche on “I’m too lazy to start a meditation practice”:

Brand mantra — a stolen concept is a good one

This “essence” idea is, conceptually, why marketers use the term “Brand Mantra.” I don’t point this out to diminish the value of  spiritual mantra, but simply to illustrate “essence.” Marketing and advertising tend to borrow spiritual terms a lot; in co-opting the spiritual term, they are saying “the essence of the brand, it’s Brand Mantra, is X.” Usually, this is five words or less, a slogan: “The Real Thing” for Coke, “Ultimate Driving Machine” for BMW, “Homemade Made Easy” for Betty Crocker.

Mantra, in Buddhist practice, is far more profound. It literally empowers and impacts the mind at a far deeper level than even the catchiest marketing slogan. It literally is the essence of the deities essence. The essence of the essence? Literally. Om Mani Padme Hum is the essence of Avalokiteshvara; the essence of Avalokiteshvara is compassion for all sentient beings. By chanting “Om Mani Padme Hum” we are using our mind vehicle to activate compassion for all sentient beings.

Mantra is a complete practice?

So, one all-embracing definition of mantra is “essence of…” Essence of what? In various commentaries on the Heart Sutra, it is stated that the mantra Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha is “the essence of the entire Heart Sutra.” [For a teacher commentary on Heart Sutra, please see “Video: Commentary on Heart Sutra”  and this written commentary on Heart Sutra.  ]

In the Heart Sutra is written:

“Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, should be known as truth since it is not false. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is declared:

TADYATHA [OM] GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

“Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like that.”

Mantra — the simplest of practices, the most complete of practices

Mantra is — at the same time —the simplest essence of practices and the most complete of practices. Whether we treat mantra as a meditation practice, a commitment practice, a prayer, an aspiration, a purifying phrase, a mindfulness exercise, a healing wish, a desperate call for protection, or even as a lucky chant, it is clear that mantra is all things. It is, in essence, the complete package.

Mantra is said to be the Enlightened Mind and Body, as Enlightened Speech. Speech always has that “power.” We can visualize and comprehend all things from words.

Dharma and “words” most important Jewel?

Of the three Jewels in Buddhism — Buddha, Dharma and Sangha — the Dharma is always considered the most important. Why? Buddha taught the Dharma, and is world-honoured and respected for that. In the Buddhist analogy, Buddha is the Doctor who prescribed the cure for our suffering.

The Dharma, however, is the actual cure. Long after Buddha has “gone beyond” — “gone beyond is the literal translation of “Paragate” in the Heart Sutra — he left behind the universal cure to our suffering: the eight noble truths and his other teachings. The Dharma in all its wondrous forms: Sutra, Tantra and Commentary. And, Dharma are “words” just as Mantra are sounds. Mantra (sounds) are the essence of Dharma (words.

The final Jewel, the Sangha, is the “nurse” in our cure analogy. The Sangha are our supportive network of Bodhisattvas who help us on our quest to free all sentient beings from suffering. Vital support, wonderful support, but the Dharma is still the essence of the path. It is the Dharma that Buddha (the first Jewel) proclaimed, and it is the Dharma that the Sangha (the third Jewel) try to practice.

Mantra and words capture the essence of all

Aum (OM) is the most famous of mantras, and it forms the root of all mantras. It comes from ancient pre-Hindu spirituality, and is now common to many faiths.

So, it can be said, that mantra, even the simplest mantra, contains the essence of all Dharma.

Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche explains mantra as Dharma:

“Secret mantra is not only to guard your mind; it has many functions and benefits. Even the three-syllable mantra, OM AH HUM, or just one syllable has all these powers. For instance, the six-syllable mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, contains the whole path, the whole Dharma. There is not a single Dharma that is not contained in that mantra. MANI is method and PADME is wisdom.

“The whole path to enlightenment is divided into method and wisdom, so that is contained within this mantra. MANI refers to all the method and PADME to all the wisdom that enable you to achieve enlightenment. Somebody who knows the meaning of the mantra can recite this mantra one time and remember the whole path. In the short time it takes to hear this mantra you are reminded of the whole path to enlightenment and all the qualities of a buddha. It is said in the teachings to recite the six-syllable mantra, which is the essence of the whole Dharma.”

NOTES:
[1]  Mirror of Wisdom by Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen.
[2] H.E. Garchen Rinpoche Guru Yoga Teachings 2009 at Garchen Institute.
[3] “I’m too lazy to start a meditation practice” video teaching with Mingyur Rinpoche (video above.)
[4] Nyung-na Teachings at Lawudo by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

[5] Translated by Meghan Howard, November 2005, for the Vajrakilaya Drupchen at GBI.

In important cognitive research led by Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi, Manjushri’s essence mantra — Om Ah Ra Pa Cha Na Dhi — enhanced “cognitive functions to a signicant degree.” Although regular cognitive tongue twister practice also sharpened cognitive function in the study, Manjushri’s mantra, often described as the Arapanacha essence mantra, displayed “significantly” enhanced cognition as measured by well-accepted intelligence and cognitive processing tests. [For a full story on Manjushri and the Arapachana mantra, see>>]  [Visit Dr. Deepika Chamoli’s website Mindsira here>>]

The final conclusion from the “Summary of thesis”:

 

This research has proven that the orange Manjushree mantra is able to enhance various cognitive functions like concrete performance task, originality in creativity and perceptual reasoning to a much greater extent than the non-spiritual tongue twister.

Manjushri is the Buddha of wisdom and has long been associated with memory, speech and wisdom. The Fifth Dalai Lama recommended the practice, and His Holiness wrote the practice sadhana “Practice to Receive the Seven Types of Wisdom.”

This remarkable study from researcher Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi is published by the Amity University. The author is widely published in research publications and books.  We include the research summary findings by Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi. (Please see a biography at the end of this feature.) His Holiness Drikyung Kyabgong Chetsang Rinpoche helped with the data collection for this research.

The mantra, chanted by Buddha Weekly:

Summary of thesis

Spiritual and Non Spiritual Tongue Twister Practice Enhances Cognitive Functioning in Relation to Altitude

Researcher: Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi

                     Clinical Training And Research Lead

                     Mom’s Belief, India

The present research aims to study and compare the effectiveness of spiritual (Manjushree mantra) and non-spiritual tongue twister(non sensical) technique at four different altitudes (100 ft.-169ft., 1457 – 2200ft, 11000ft – 12500ft and 14000ft – 17000ft) above sea level. The purpose of the study is to authenticate the importance of age old Buddhist saraswati mantra (Manjushree (also known as vakeshwar) mantra) which is used by the Buddhist monks to purify mind with the help of purification of speech.

180 subjects (falling in the age group of 8-13 years) are studied and assessed (45 subjects at each altitude).

Research design

Mixed method sequential explanatory design is utilized for the study (pre-post experimental research design is seconded by the qualitative data collected at every altitude).

MAIN PRE POST EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOLLOWED AT EVERY ALTITUDE (A1, A2, A3, A4)

Four subtests of Malin’s intelligence battery for children (coding, mazes, block design and picture completion) and Baqer Mehdi non-verbal tool for creativity are utilized to assess the cognitive abilities of processing speed index, perceptual reasoning and originality and elaboration in creativity.

Group 1 consists of school students who chanted non spiritual tongue twister as intervention, group 2 consists of school children who chanted spiritual tongue twister as intervention whereas third group, group 3 is monk group who are already practicing the spiritual tongue twister (Manjushree mantra) for past 1 year. Pre assessment is done for both group 1and group2 and after intervention of 30 days in which they have chanted the tongue twister daily for 15 minutes post assessment was conducted. The group 3 is experimental group (monks who are chanting the spiritual tongue twister with understanding of meaning) and tested only once on the same parameters.

This experiment is conducted at four different altitudes

1. Delhi NCR- 100-169ft. above sea level
2. Dehradun-1457 – 2200ft above sea level
3. Leh- 1100ft. -12500ft. above sea level
4. Sachukul Ladakh- 14000ft. – 17000ft.

Summary

It has been found that at low altitude processing speed index (reaction time) is higher than the high altitudes children. It is because of the excess of information from the surroundings due to mass media whereas at high altitudes children are close to nature and exposure is very less, due to which they are focused.

The statistics reveals higher level cognitive functions (bloom’s taxonomy) are enhanced more with tongue twister practice as compared to lower altitudes. Also spiritual tongue twister (Orange Manjushree mantra) is able to enhance cognitive functions to significant level. Spiritual tongue twister (Orange Manjushree mantra) practice with understanding of the meaning is more effective than the spiritual tongue twister (mantra) practice without understanding of meaning.  Non spiritual tongue twister has also enhanced the cognitive functions but lesser than the spiritual tongue twister or (Orange Manjushree mantra). It has also been noticed that processing speed index at higher altitudes is low.

Orange Manjushri Mantra

According to Abhidharma Pitak and Manjugosha and many other scriptures OM ARA PA CHA NA DHII is considered the magic sylabarry. It is known as a tongue exercise and used to purify tongue by continuous repetition for 15 minutes daily. It is the routine in Buddhist monasteries that when a monk is admitted, the first type of chanting utilized by him is this mantra chanting. The name of Manjushree is Vakeshwar which means lord of speech. Manjushree is also called lord of wisdom and male form of Vedic Saraswati in Buddhism.  The old scriptures have mentioned the importance of orange Manjushree in enhancing cognition and it quotes that chanting of this mantra is able to purify mind with the purification of speech.

This research has proven that the orange Manjushree mantra is able to enhance various cognitive functions like concrete performance task, originality in creativity and perceptual reasoning to a much greater extent than the non-spiritual tongue twister.

The recommendation of this research is that it should be utilized by children in school to enhance the higher level cognitive skills.

SOURCES

The full research project and abstract are published by Amity University, and subject to copyright. We have a copy of the abstract and research for this article at Buddha Weekly, which is very technical. When/if a public link to the research becomes available we’ll update here.

The summary above is from the research, and authored personally by Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi, PhD for Buddha Weekly.

To read an excerpt of a related research article, “The Effect of Mantra Chanting on the Performance IQ of Children, it is available to subscribers on Questia. [There is a published free preview here>>] The authors on this article are: Chamoli, Deepika; Kumar, Rita; Singh, Abha; Kobrin, Neil.

Short Biography of Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi, PhD

Buddha Weekly contributing writer Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi is a Psychologist, currently a clinical training and research lead at Mom’s Belief, with a PhD in Psychology from Amity University Noida Campus. Dr. Deepika Chomoli worked with His Holiness Drikyung Kyabgong Chetsang Rinpoche on the Manjushri mantra cognitive research. Dr. Deepika Chamoli is a practicing Buddhist, author of several books and research papers, and a volunteer reviewer for ayur gyan nyas. [Visit Dr. Deepika Chamoli’s website Mindsira here>>]

Chant along with Buddha Weekly:

“Believing in inner truth means having deep faith that the ten billions Buddha-lands (worlds) are in reality not outside our Mind.” — Patriarch Ou-I

To the newcomer to Mahayana Buddhism, or particularly Pure Land Buddhism, Amitabha (Amita or Amida) and his Pure Land of Sakhavati can be confusing. What do we mean by Pure Land? Is it a metaphor? Or, is this like the Christian heaven? Isn’t Buddhism supposed to be a logical, self-directed path to Enlightenment? Understanding Amitabha Sutra requires an understanding of “absolute reality” and “Buddha Nature.” [Note: full Amitabha Sutra in English at end of this feature.]

Not inside, not outside

Patriarch Ou-I wrote:

“The true essence of all the Great Vehicle (Mahayana) scriptures is Absolute Reality itself. What is Absolute Reality? It is the Pure Mind of sentient Beings. This mind is not inside, not outside, and not in between. It is not past, not present, and not future.”

In the same way, we could say Amitabha and Sukhavati Pure Land are “not inside, not outside, and not in between… not past, not present… not future.” Modern Buddhists tend to say, not a place out there” but rather, a place “within.”  Since we all have “Buddha Nature” within, we all have Amitabha and His Pure Land within.

There is a saying: “If you are looking for the Pure Land, don’t look for it out there. You’ll find it in your heart.” — paraphrasing Professor Takamaro Shigaraki. (Note: heart equates to “Mind” in Buddhism, generally) [1]

One important method for drawing closer to Amitabha’s Pureland is chanting his Dharani and mantras. Chant along with Buddha Weekly:

Patriarch Ou-I concluded:

“Thus the one who speaks the sutra and the one who is spoken of, the Buddhas that can deliver sentient beings and the sentient beings who are delivered, the ability to believe and that which is believed in, the ability to take vows and that which is vowed, the ability to concentrate on the Buddha-name and the Buddha-name which is concentrated upon, the ability to be born in the Pure Land and birth in the Pure Land itself, the ability to praise the Buddhas and the Buddhas who are praised – all of these are the imprint of the “true seal” of Absolute Reality. In other words, the True Mind (Bodhi Mind) sentient beings is the essence of all Mahayana sutras.”

Different understandings, skillful means

It is probably because all students have different understandings, different capabilities ­and karmic imprints that Buddha taught many paths to ultimate realizations.

If one wishes to believe in the Pure Land as a paradise in the West where we go after death, this is not wrong. If one wishes to believe the Pure Land is a metaphor and that it exists only in the mind, this is also not wrong.

In his commentary on the Amitabha Sutra, Patriarch Ou-I wrote:

“Since there is really nothing outside of this Mind, we have deep certainty that the whole assembly of beings and surroundings in the Western Paradise is a set of reflections appearing in our mind. All phenomena are merged with inner truth, all falsity is merged with truth. All practices are merged with True Nature. All others are merged with oneself. Our own inherent mind is all-pervasive, and the Buddha- mind is also all-pervasive, and the true nature of the minds of sentient beings is also all-pervasive.”

What are the ten protections of Amitabha?

Video documentary on the Amitabha’s protection from the 10 dangers:

Who is Amitabha, the Limitless?

“…why is this Buddha called Amitabha?  The light of this Buddha is infinite, and shines on all lands throughout the universe without obstruction. Thus this Buddha is called Amitabha.  Also, the life span of this Buddha and his people is an infinite number of immeasurable eons, and so he is called Amitabha.  Amitabha Buddha attained enlightenment ten eons ago.” — Shakyamuni Buddha from the Amitabha Sutra

Amitabha — the most beloved of Buddhas after Shakyamuni Himself — is equally both difficult and easy to comprehend. Easy to practice, certainly. Simply chant his mantra, his name or his praise. Shakyamuni Buddha, in the Amitabha Sutra, taught that single-pointed contemplation on Amitabha, chanting his name at the moment of death, is the sure path to the Pure Land, the Western Paradise. Why then do we say “difficult?” Because faith is required; not blind faith, but faith in the skillful methods and teachings of the Buddha.

A lovely animated 20 minute film with the full Amitabha Sutra (English subtitles):

“If there are good men or good women who hear of Amitabha Buddha, and recite his name single mindedly and without confusion, for one day or two days or three days or four days or five days or six days or seven days, then when these people are about to die, Amitabha Buddha and all the sages who are with him will appear before them. When these people die, their minds will not fall into delusion, and they will attain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have seen this benefit, and so I speak these words. If sentient beings hear what I say, they must make a vow to be born in that land.” — Shakyamuni Buddha in the Amitabha Sutra.

Amitabha’s powerful mantra:

Magic or Metaphor or Neither?

What did Shakyamuni Buddha mean when he taught we could obtain the Pure Lands after death? That we’d be magically swept up in the shining hand of the great and glorious Amitabha and whisked off to Paradise? Or, that, our single-pointed contemplation and visualization would help us overcome the obstacles, obscurations and karmic imprints of our troubled minds? Or somewhere in between?

It doesn’t matter, which extreme you believe with regard to Pure Land — actual paradise, metaphor, mind, or something else — the point is to single-pointedly concentrate on the ideal perfection of Amitabha. Ultimatley, this perfection is also within us, since Shakyamuni Buddha taught us that all sentient beings have Buddha Nature within.

Does that mean that we shouldn’t believe in a substantial place, Sukhavati, the glorious Pure Land? The best answer is, we shouldn’t overthink it, because ultimately it doesn’t actually matter. At the level of ultimate reality, all things are Oneness or Emptiness, therefore even what we perceive to be our ordinary world is not a “substantial” reality either. It is dependent on other — dependent arising. At the level of mind, all things are possible and real. If all things are dependent on mind, so too, is the Pure Land. So, if the Pure Land is not objectively real, in the sense of jeweled mountains and birds who proclaim the Dharma, it makes no difference. If it was objectively real at the relative level, at the ultimate level it still would make no difference.

The point of this practice is to fully engage body, mind and speech in Dharma, and thus purify our minds of obscurations and leave no room for obstacles and cravings. Then, we approach paradise. Peace. Stillness. And, the opportunity to develop realizations.

Why recite the name of Amitabha?

There are many methods taught by Shakyamuni Buddha to attain realizations. Many are difficult and take a lifetime (or lifetimes) to attain. All require we remove our cravings and attachments and obstacles. And, arguably, the simplest one is the recitation of Amitabha’s name or mantra. Why?

Patriarch Ou-i explains:

“If a purifying pearl is put into dirty water, the dirty water cannot but be purified. If the Buddha-name is put into a chaotic mind, even that chaotic mind cannot fail to become enlightened… Reciting the Buddha-name with faith and vows is a true cause for the Supreme Vehicle.”

Just, as we focus on breath in mindfulness practice to help develop realizations, here, in Amitabha pratice, we focus one-pointedly on the magnificence of Amitabha Buddha and the Pureland — and especially His name. When we do, all doubts, pains, fears, illnesses, cravings and attachments disappear — there is no room for them at all. It’s not necessarily magic (although it can be magical) but simply that all these sufferings of samsara have no room to arise when we are focused on this one, magnificent meditation.

Body, Speech and Mind

In Amitabha practice we typically engage in “speech” practice” — focusing one-pointedly on the name or mantra. But, at another level we also engage body, speech and mind:

• Body: we sit in contemplation, we might count our recitations on a mala, or we might engage in prostrations, drumming on a fish drum or other “body” repetitive actions.
• Mind: we one-pointedly contemplate the stunning glorious visualization of Amitabha and Western Paradise.
• Speech: we normally chant the name of Amitabha. In Pureland Buddhism, “Namo Amitabha” (Sanskrit), “Namo Amitofu” (Chinese) or “Om Ami De Wa Hrih” (mantra of Amitabha.)

Mantra of Amitabha chanted:

In the Amitabha Sutra, Shakyamuni teaches there are countless Pure Lands, and names many of the Buddhas and their Pure Lands. Ultimately, he concludes:

“Why do you think this is called the sutra that is protected and kept in mind by all the Buddhas? If there are good men and good women who hear this scripture, accept it, and uphold it, and they hear the names of all these Buddhas, all these good men and good women will be protected and kept in mind by all these Buddhas, and all of them will reach the level where they do not turn back from complete, unexcelled, correct enlightenment. Therefore, all of you should faithfully accept what I say and what all the Buddhas have said.”

Amitabha Sutra 

Translated into Chinese by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva

Translated from Chinese into English by J.C. Cleary 

Thus have I heard:

Once Buddha was in the land of Shravasti, in the garden of Jeta and Anathapindika. He was accompanied by twelve hundred and fifty great Bhikshus, all of them great Arhats, well known to the assembly. Among them were his leading disciples, such figures as the Elders Shariputra, Maudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa, Maha Katyayana, and Mahakausthila, Revata, Suddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ánanda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakapphina, Vakula, and Aniruddha, etc., all great disciples. Also present were the Bodhisattvas Mahasattva: Manjushri, Prince of the Dharma, the Bodhisattva Ajita the Invincible, and the Bodhisattva of Constant Progress, Gandhahastin, Nityodyukta, and other such great enlightening beings. Also present was Shakra, the king of the gods, along with countless numbers of heavenly beings, making up a great assembly.

At that time Buddha said to the Elder Shariputra: “West of here, past a hundred billion Buddha-lands, there exists a world called “Ultimate Bliss”. In this land there exists a Buddha called Amitabha, who is expounding the Dharma right now.

[Buddha says to Shariputra:] “Why is this land called Ultimate Bliss”? It is called “Ultimate Bliss” because the sentient beings in this land are free from the myriad sufferings, and only know every kind of joy.
Furthermore, this land is called “Ultimate Bliss” because it is surrounded by seven rings of railings, and seven layers of nets, and seven rows of trees, all made of the four precious jewels.

Moreover, the Land of Ultimate Bliss has many jeweled ponds filled with the waters of eight virtues. The bottom of each of the ponds is pure golden sand, and the stepped walkways that lead up from all four sides of each of the ponds are made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli and crystal. Above the ponds there are towers which are adorned with silver and gold and lapis lazuli and crystal and mother of pearl and red agate. In the ponds there are lotus flowers as big as cart wheels: blue ones shining with blue light, yellow ones shining with yellow light, red ones shining with red light, and white ones shining with white light, each emitting a subtle pure fragrance.

The Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these merits and adornments.

And there is more — celestial music is constantly playing in this Buddha-land, and the ground is made of tawny gold. Flowers in the shape of heavenly orbs rain down at all hours of the day and night. Every morning the sentient beings of this land decorate their garments with multitudes of wondrous flowers and make offerings to hundreds of billions of Buddhas in other worlds. When it is meal time, they return to their own lands, to eat and circumambulate [the teaching assembly].

The Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these merits and adornments.

And there is more still — in this land there are birds of all sorts of wondrous variegated colors: white cranes, peacocks, orioles, myna birds, cuckoos. All these birds bring forth harmonious songs day and night. Their songs communicate such Buddhist teachings as the five roots, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold path, as well as other teachings. When the sentient beings in this land hear the voices of the birds, they are mindful of the Buddhas, mindful of the Dharma [Buddha’s teachings], and mindful of the Sangha [Community of Seekers of Enlightenment].

Do not think that these birds were born as birds due to karmic retribution for past misdeeds. Why not? In this Buddha-land, the three evil planes of existence (as animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings) do not exist.

In this Buddha-land even the names of the evil planes of existence do not exist, much less the realities. All these birds are the creations of Amitabha Buddha, fashioned in order to broadcast the sounds of the Dharma.

In this Buddha-land, there is a slight breeze that stirs the rows of jewel trees and jewel nets, so that they emit subtle wondrous sounds, like hundreds and thousands of melodies playing all at once. All those who hear these sounds spontaneously develop the intention to be mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha.

This Buddha-land is complete with all these merits and adornments.

What do you think: why is this Buddha called Amitabha?

The light of this Buddha is infinite, and shines on all lands throughout the universe without obstruction. Thus this Buddha is called Amitabha.

Also, the life span of this Buddha and his people is an infinite number of immeasurable eons, and so he is called Amitabha.

Amitabha Buddha attained enlightenment ten eons ago.

Moreover, this Buddha has innumerable disciples, all of whom are Arhats, and whose numbers are incalculable. Amitabha also has a following of innumerable Bodhisattvas.

The Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these merits and adornments.

None of the sentient beings who are born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss ever fall back into a lower realm [i.e., they are avaivartika]. Many among them have only one more lifetime [to go before enlightenment]. These beings are very numerous, and their number is incalculable: they can be spoken of as innumerable.
When sentient beings hear [of the Land of Ultimate Bliss], they must take a vow to be born in this land. Why so? So that they can be together with all these beings of superior goodness.

One cannot be born in this land through minor good roots, blessings, virtues and causal connections.
If there are good men or good women who hear of Amitabha Buddha, and recite his name single mindedly and without confusion, for one day or two days or three days or four days or five days or six days or seven days, then when these people are about to die, Amitabha Buddha and all the sages who are with him will appear before them. When these people die, their minds will not fall into delusion, and they will attain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.

I have seen this benefit, and so I speak these words. If sentient beings hear what I say, they must make a vow to be born in that land.

Right now I am extolling the benefits of the inconceivable merits of Amitabha Buddha. But in the eastern direction there are also countless other Buddhas, like Akshobhya Buddha, and the Buddha “Marks of the Polar Mountain”, and the Buddha “Great Polar Mountain”, and the Buddha “Light of the Polar Mountain”, and the Buddha “Wondrous Voice”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth. All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, and which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

In the worlds of the southern direction there are countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha “Lamp of the Sun and Moon”, and the Buddha “Light of Renown”, and the Buddha “Great Flaming Shoulders”, and the Buddha “Lamp of the Polar Mountain”, and the Buddha “Infinite Progress”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth. All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, and which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

In the worlds of the western direction there are countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha “Infinite Life”, and the Buddha “Innumerable Characteristics”, and the Buddha “Innumerable Banners”, and the Buddha “Great Light”, and the Buddha “Great Illumination”, and the Buddha “Mark of Reality”, and the Buddha “Light of Purity”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth, All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, and which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

In the worlds of the northern direction there are countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha “Flaming Shoulders”, and the Buddha “Supreme Voice”, and the Buddha “Unstoppable”, and the Buddha “Born of the Sun”, and the Buddha “Netted Light”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth. All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, and which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

In the worlds of the nadir there are countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha “Lion”, and the Buddha “Repute”, and the Buddha “Light”, and the Buddha “Dharma Banner”, and the Buddha “Upholding the Dharma”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth. All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, and which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

In the worlds of the zenith there are countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha “Pure Voice”, and the Buddha “Sojourner King”, and the Buddha “Incense Fragrance”, and the Buddha “Fragrant Light”, and the Buddha “Great Blazing Shoulders”, and the Buddha “Body of Multicolored Jewel Flower Garlands”, and the Buddha “Sala Tree King”, and the Buddha “Precious Flower Virtue”, and the Buddha “Sees All Truths”, and the Buddha “Like the Polar Mountain”. Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a Buddha, and covers a whole cosmos, speaking the truth. All of you sentient beings should believe this scripture extolling their inconceivable merits, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.

Why do you think this is called the sutra that is protected and kept in mind by all the Buddhas?

If there are good men and good women who hear this scripture, accept it, and uphold it, and they hear the names of all these Buddhas, all these good men and good women will be protected and kept in mind by all these Buddhas, and all of them will reach the level where they do not turn back from complete, unexcelled, correct enlightenment. Therefore, all of you should faithfully accept what I say and what all the Buddhas have said.

All those people who have vowed, or are vowing, or will vow to be born in the land of Amitabha Buddha reach the level where they do not turn back from complete, unexcelled enlightenment, whether in their past lives, their present lives, or their future lives. Therefore; all good men and good women, if they have faith, must make a vow to be born in that land.

Just as I am now extolling the inconceivable merits of all the Buddhas, all those Buddhas are likewise extolling my inconceivable merits, with these words: “Shakyamuni Buddha is able to carry out a most difficult and rare task. In the world “Endurance” [this world], in an evil world of the Five Corruptions -the corruption of the age, the corruption of views, the corruption of afflictions, the corruption of sentient beings, and the corruption of life — he is able to achieve complete, unexcelled enlightenment, and to expound the Truth which all beings in all worlds find hard to believe.”

Know then that in the midst of this evil world of the Five Corruptions, I am able to carry out this difficult task, attain complete, unexcelled enlightenment, and expound the Truth which is so hard to believe for beings in all worlds. This is indeed most difficult!

When Buddha had finished preaching this scripture, Shariputra and all the monks and all the other gods and humans and asuras and the rest who had been listening, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and faithfully accepted it. They all bowed in homage and departed.

NOTES

[1] ” My understanding of the Pure Land comes primarily from what I learned from the late Professor Takamaro Shigaraki. In one of his essays, titled simply, Jodo (The Pure Land), he explains that the Pure Land has the following meanings for us today.

1. It is a symbol for the world of enlightenment.
2. It is a manifestation of the world of enlightenment.
3. It is established in the “now.”
4. It exists “here.”
5. The Pure Land is a symbol for the world of enlightenment” Source>> 

Video:

NOTE: This is a slightly revised version with an editorial fix, thank you.

Don’t let the serene look of white Sitatapatra confuse you; Sitatapatra is the ultimate protective form of Mother Tara.
She can be as simple as a beautiful white goddess carrying a parasol umbrella, or as ferocious as a towering deity with 1,000 heads, 1,000 arms, and countless all-seeing eyes!

Regardless of her emanation — 2 arms or 1000 — she always holds her vast protective Parasol, a symbol of impenetrable protection — and a Dharma Wheel in her right hand, to show us that the eightfold path of the Buddha is all the protection anyone would need.

She is also Tara, a form of Sita Tara (White Tara).
Among the 21 Taras, in the Nyingma Terma tradition, she is the 19th Tara, Tara who is unconquerable and victorious.

She is a Mahayana Bodhisattva from Sutra, as well as a Vajrayana deity, and is the ultimate protection against any form of danger, obstruction and especially any super normal or supernatural threats.

Whether she is visualized in her form with 1000 arms and heads, or 2 arms, she is known as the “undefeatable one”.

VIDEO footage of two of the statues courtesy of Terma Tree. Their beautiful Sitatapatra statues can be found here>>

As a sutra practice — a teaching spoken by the Buddha — these powerful protective mantras and practices are suitable for everyone, and are very popular in many traditions of Mahayana Buddhism.
In the root Sutra, the vastly profound Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Sitatapatra originates as an emanation from Shakyamuni Buddha’s divine Ushnisha protuberance — born from the profound samadhi of the Buddha himself.

According to the root Sutra, her practice, and especially her mantra, will protect us from all harm, including supernatural threats, and ensures we will be born in Sukhavati, the Western Pureland of Amitabha.
Her Sutra practice is also for “healing illness, dispelling interferences and spirit possession, quelling disasters, and bringing auspiciousness” according to the late great teacher Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.

Her practice is considered a complete practice, because of the emphasis on Samadhi, or meditation, and on embracing the Noble Eightfold Path of Shakyamuni Buddha, and the conduct of virtuous living.

Her benefits are summarized in her praise:

I salute you, exalted one!
Only mother of all the Buddhas, past, present, and future,
Your glory pervades the three worlds.
Homage to you, savioress from the evil influence of demons
and planets, obstacles and negativities
From untimely death and evil dreams,
From the dangers of poison, arms, fire, and water.
The mandala of your being is exceedingly vast.
You have a thousand heads full of innumerable mindstates,
A thousand hands holding flaming attributes.
Queen of all the mandalas of the three worlds,
Ever-present taming the evil ones,
I salute you, goddess of protection and magic, turning demons into dust!

In addition to various Sutras, Sitatapatra appears in some of Buddha’s previous life tales, known as Jatakas: The Mahaunmagga Jataka, or the life of Shakyamuni as Prince Mahosadha; and the Mugapakkha Jataka.
The easiest way to practice and invoke her protection is to chant her mantras. There is a short “heart” mantra, a medium size Dharani, a Longer Dharani and a full Heart Dharani. There is also the mantra of the 19th Tara of the 21 Taras.

Her mantra is especially powerful for protection, healing and blessings.
Sutra mantras require no empowerments, since the empowerment comes directly from Shakyamuni Buddha to us — directly into our hearts.
Her simplest mantra, according to the Sūtra is simply:

Hum ma ma hum ni svaha

The most common mantra, slightly longer, here repeated three times, is:

Om Sarva Tathagata Usnisha Sitatapatra Hum Phat Hum Ma Ma Hum Ni Svaha

OTHER VERSIONS OF MANTRA, see BuddhaWeekly.com feature: https://buddhaweekly.com/sitatapatra-or-dukkar-the-ultimate-protective-bodhisattva-goddess-form-of-mother-tara-1000-arms-or-2-arms-she-is-aparajita-the-undefeatable-one/

NOTE: There are slightly different mantras from various lineages of practices. Be guided by your own lineage and teachings. The above is the Sanskrit version from the Sutra. For example, in version written by Lobsang Dragpa at the re- quest of the renunciate Sherab Gyältsen it is written
OM SARVA TATHAGATOSHNISHA SITATAPATRE HUM PHAT HUM MAMA HUM NI SVAHA
There are other variants in other lineages, although the essence is the same.

“Homage to her, the great enemy of the māras!

Utterly invincible, vanquisher of all!”

Marici’s most popular praise, written by the great Vidyadhara Jigdral Lingpa, states her most important role is  “to bring protection from fear in these turbulent times.”[1]

Video documentary on Marichi (with three mantras):

The turbulent times referred to was centuries ago, and sadly, we still need the powerful protection of Marici, the emanation of Tara. Her Dharani, most effective in these difficult times, was proclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha [full text below “Dharani of Marica, spoken by the Buddha”] [2]

Marici, the ray of light, the glorious Bodhisattva Goddess of compassion who rides a boar, is an aspect of Tara in most Tibetan traditions. She is revealed as the 21st Tara in some Nyingma traditions. In the Surya Gupta tradition she is the attendant of the 9th Tara along with Ekajati (in this context they are considered aspects of Tara.)

Great enemy of the Maras

She is called the “great enemy of the Maras” — due to her well-known protective role. In this beautiful Tibetan praise, her protective aspects are acclaimed — by the vidyādhara Jigdral Lingpa:

ཨོཾ་ལྷ་མོ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

om, lhamo özer chenma la chaktsal lo

Oṃ! Homage to the goddess Mārīcī!

ཕྱག་འཚལ་བདུད་ཀྱི་བདུད་དགྲ་ཆེན་མོ། །

chaktsal dü kyi dü dra chenmo

Homage to her, the great enemy of the māras!

གཞན་གྱིས་མི་ཐུབ་རྣམ་པར་འཇོམས་མ། །

zhen gyi mitub nampar jomma

Utterly invincible, vanquisher of all,

ཉི་མ་ཟླ་བའི་མདུན་ནས་འགྲོ་ཞིང༌། །

nyima dawé dün né dro zhing

She who travels before the sun and moon,

ཆུ་སྲིན་རྒྱལ་མཚན་རྣམ་པར་སྐྲོད་མ། །

chusin gyaltsen nampar tröma

And drives away Makaradhvaja, God of Desire—

ཁྱོད་ལ་གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་པ་ཙམ་གྱིས། །

khyö la solwa tabpa tsam gyi

Simply by praying to you,

དགྲ་ཡི་དཔུང་ནི་རྣམ་པར་ཆོམས་ཤིག །

dra yi pung ni nampar chom shik

May the hosts of opposing forces be destroyed!

བསད་དང་དབྱེ་དང་བསྐྲད་རྨོངས་བྱེར་བས། །

sé dang yé dang tré mong jerwé

Slay them, divide them, drive them away, confuse them and disperse them,

ཕྱོགས་ལས་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ་ཅིག །

chok lé namgyal ngödrub tsol chik

And grant us the siddhi of total victory over all adversity!

Ray of Light — shining light of protection

Mārīcī (Sanskrit: मारीची, lit. “Ray of Light”; Chinese: 摩利支天; pinyin: Mólìzhītiān; Japanese: Marishiten), is a Buddhist Devi or Enlightened goddess, as well as a bodhisattva associated with light and the Sun. She is typically depicted with multiple arms and riding a charging boar or sow, or on a fiery chariot pulled by seven horses or seven boars. She has either one head, or between three to six with one shaped like a boar. In parts of East Asia, in her fiercest forms, she may wear a necklace of skulls. In some representations, she sits upon a lotus flower.

Mārīcī is popular in Japan, China, Korea, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. In Japan she is also known as Bari Kannon (摩利観音). In China she is also known as Moli Tian or Boli Tian. In Korea she is also known as Bulmujongwon-bosal.

In the Dharani sutra of Marici, her benefits are recited by the Buddha [for the full text, including Sanskrit of this Dharani, see section below]:

“Oṃ, goddess Mārīcī, please protect me on the road!

Please protect me from taking wrong paths!

Please protect me from dangerous beings!

Please protect me from the danger of tyrants!

Please protect me from the danger of elephants!

Please protect me from the danger of thieves!

Please protect me from the danger of nāgas!

Please protect me from the danger of lions!

Please protect me from the danger of tigers!

Please protect me from the danger of fire!

Please protect me from the danger of water!

Please protect me from the danger of snakes!

Please protect me from the danger of poison!

Please protect me from the danger of opponents and adversaries!”

This is followed by her special Dharani of protection, spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha:

tadyathā | oṃ vattālī vadālī varālī varāha-mukhī | sarva-duṣṭa-pra-duṣṭānāṃ cakṣur-mukhaṃ bandha bandha | bandha mukhaṃ jambhaya stambhaya mohaya svāhā | oṃ mārīcyai svāhā | oṃ varālī vadālī vattālī varāha-mukhī sarva-duṣṭa-pra-duṣṭānāṃ cakṣur-mukhaṃ bandha bandha svāhā ||

Marici’s Special Place in the Shingon School

Mārīcī has a special place in the Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism, which arose during the Heian period (794–1185). This was due to the efforts of Kūkai, who brought back teachings and artifacts from his travels to China. The school sees her as a manifestation of Dainichi Nyorai, the central Buddha in their belief system. In this tradition, Mārīcī is seen as a saviouress who can save beings from the sufferings of illness, old age, and death.

The Shingon school also teaches that reciting her mantra can help one be reborn in her Pure Land.

Marici’s many stories

There are many famous stories about Mārīcī in both China and Japan. One story tells of how she saved the life of a drowning child. Another tells of how she helped a poor man find a precious jewel.

Mārīcī is also known as the Goddess of the Harvest in some parts of Asia. In this role, she is said to bring good luck to farmers and to ensure a bountiful harvest.

Mārīcī is also worshipped as a goddess of love and beauty. In this capacity, she is said to bestow upon her worshippers the gift of attractiveness and charm.

Mārīcī is also known as the Goddess of Mercy in some parts of Asia. In this role, she is said to have the power to save beings from suffering and misfortune.

There are many temples and shrines dedicated to Mārīcī in Asia. Some of the most famous are the Marici Shrine in Kyoto, Japan; the Daiju-ji Temple in Nara, Japan; the Zu Lai Temple in Brazil; and the Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Thailand.

Mārīcī is also a popular figure in Buddhist art. She is often depicted riding a boar or a sow, or on a fiery chariot pulled by seven horses or seven boars. She may also be shown with multiple arms, and sometimes she is depicted sitting on a lotus flower.

Mantras associated with Mārīcī

Om mārī ci padme hūṃ (Tibetan)

Om mārī ci namah ( Sanskrit)

Namu mārīcīye ( Japanese)

Homage to Mārīcī ( English)

The Tibetan Marici mantra is: om mare ci padme hung. This translates to “homage to the bestower of rays of light and lotuses.”

Mantras are sacred sounds that are believed to have spiritual power. They are often used in meditation and prayer.

The Marici mantra is used for protection, success, and prosperity. It is also said to grant beauty, charm, and magnetism. The mantra can be recited 108 times per day.

There are many different spellings of Mārīcī, including: Mari, Marici, Mari-ji, Marie-ji, Matangi, and Matangi-ji.

Bari Gyatsa — Five descriptions of Marici

In Tibetan literature, the Bari Gyatsa contains five different descriptions of Mārīcī:

• Oḍḍiyāna Mārīcī
• Kalpa Ukta Mārīcī
• Kalpa Ukta Vidhinā Sita Mārīcī
• Aśokakāntā Mārīcī
• Oḍḍiyāna Krama Mārīcī

The Bari Gyatsa is a collection of songs and prayers dedicated to Mārīcī. It was composed by the Tibetan Buddhist master Padmasambhava, who is also known as the Guru Rinpoche.

Mārīcī is also one of the Twenty-One Taras, a popular form of the goddess in Tibetan Buddhism.

Video: Himalayan Art Project’s Documentary on Marici

(Some images in this feature are from this video)

Descriptions of Marici

The Drub Tab Gyatso has six descriptions:

• White with five faces and ten hands
• Yellow with three faces and eight hands
• Yellow with three faces and eight hands
• Dharmadhātu Īśvarī, red with six faces and twelve hands
• Picumī, yellow with three faces and eight hands
• Red with three faces and twelve hands

This is not a complete list. Marici has many forms.

Mari means “ray of light.” Ci can mean “bestowal,” “emanation,” or “radiance.” Padme means “lotus flower.” Hum is a seed syllable.

Video: Beautiful chanting of Marici’s Dharani:

Dharani of Marici, spoken by the Buddha

༄༅། །འཕགས་མ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས་བཞུགས་སོ། །

The Noble Mārīcī Dhāraṇī

from the Words of the Buddha

རྒྱ་གར་སྐད་དུ། ཨཱཪྻ་མཱ་རཱི་ཙྱེ་ནཱ་མ་དྷཱ་ར་ཎཱི།gyagar ké du arya maritsyé nama dharani

In the language of India: Āryamārīcī-nāma-dhāraṇī

བོད་སྐད་དུ། འཕགས་མ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་གཟུངས།

böké du pakma özer chen zhejawé zung

In the language of Tibet: Pakma özer chen shé chawé zung (‘phags ma ‘od zer can zhes bya ba’i gzungs)

In the English language: The Noble Incantation of Mārīcī

སངས་རྒྱས་དང་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ། །

sangye dang changchub sempa tamché la chaktsal lo

Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas!

འདི་སྐད་བདག་གིས་ཐོས་པ་དུས་གཅིག་ན།

diké dak gi töpa dü chik na

Thus have I heard.

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་མཉན་དུ་ཡོད་པ་ན་རྒྱལ་བུ་རྒྱལ་བྱེད་ཀྱི་ཚལ་མགོན་མེད་ཟས་སྦྱིན་གྱི་ཀུན་དགའ་ར་བ་ན།

chomdendé nyen du yöpa na gyalbu gyal jé kyi tsal gönmé zé jin gyi kün ga rawa na

Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s garden in the Jetavana grove,

དགེ་སློང་གི་དགེ་འདུན་ཆེན་པོ་བརྒྱ་ཕྲག་ཕྱེད་དང་བཅུ་གསུམ་དང༌།

gelong gi gendün chenpo gyatrak ché dang chusum dang

Together with a great gathering of twelve hundred and fifty monks,

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་སེམས་དཔའ་ཆེན་པོ་མང་པོ་དག་དང་ཐབས་ཅིག་ཏུ་བཞུགས་ཏེ།

changchub sempa sempa chenpo mangpo dak dang tab chik tu zhuk té

And a great gathering of many bodhisattva mahāsattvas.

དེ་ནས་བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས་ཀྱིས་དགེ་སློང་རྣམས་ལ་བཀའ་སྩལ་པ།

dené chomdendé kyi gelong nam la katsal pa

At that time, the Blessed One said to the monks:

དགེ་སློང་དག །ལྷ་མོ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་མ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཞིག་ཡོད་དེ།

gelong dak lhamo özer chen ma zhejawa zhik yö dé

“Monks, there is a goddess called Mārīcī.

དེ་ཉི་མ་དང་ཟླ་བའི་མདུན་དང་མདུན་ནས་འགྲོ་སྟེ།

dé nyima dang dawé dün dang dün né dro té

She travels before the sun and moon.

དེ་བལྟར་མེད། གཟུང་དུ་མེད། བཅིང་དུ་མེད། དགག་ཏུ་མེད། བརྒལ་དུ་མེད། རྨོངས་པར་བྱར་མེད། ཆད་པས་གཅད་དུ་མེད། མགོ་འབྲེག་ཏུ་མེད། བཞུར་མེད། ཚིག་པར་བྱར་མེད། དགྲའི་དབང་དུ་མི་འགྲོའོ། །

dé tarmé zung du mé ching du mé gak tumé gal du mé mongpar jarmé chepé ché du mé go drek tumé zhurmé tsikpar jarmé dré wang du mi dro o

She is invisible, ungraspable, unstoppable, insuperable, indomitable, unsurpassable, unassailable, invulnerable, unconquerable, imperishable, and invincible.

དགེ་སློང་དག །གང་གིས་ལྷ་མོ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་མ་དེའི་མིང་ཤེས་པ་དེ་ཡང་བལྟར་མེད། གཟུང་དུ་མེད། བཅིང་དུ་མེད། དགག་ཏུ་མེད། བརྒལ་དུ་མེད། རྨོངས་པར་བྱར་མེད། ཆད་པས་གཅད་དུ་མེད། མགོ་འབྲེག་ཏུ་མེད། བཞུར་མེད། ཚིག་པར་བྱར་མེད། དེ་དགྲའི་དབང་དུ་འགྲོ་བར་མི་འགྱུར་རོ། །

gelong dak gang gi lhamo özer chen ma dé ming shepa deyang tarmé zung du mé ching du mé gak tumé gal du mé mongpar jarmé chepé ché du mé go drek tumé zhurmé tsikpar jarmé dé dré wang du drowar mingyur ro

Monks, whoever recalls the goddess Mārīcī’s name likewise will become invisible, ungraspable, unstoppable, insuperable, indomitable, unsurpassable, unassailable, invulnerable, unconquerable, imperishable, and invincible.

དེ་ལྟར་བདག་གིས་ཀྱང་ལྷ་མོ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་མའི་མིང་ཤེས་ཀྱིས་བདག་ཀྱང་བལྟར་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །གཟུང་དུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །བཅིང་དུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །དགག་ཏུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །བརྒལ་དུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །རྨོངས་པར་བྱར་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །ཆད་པས་གཅད་དུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །མགོ་འབྲེག་ཏུ་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །བཞུར་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །ཚིག་པར་བྱར་མེད་པར་གྱུར་ཅིག །དགྲའི་དབང་དུ་མི་འགྲོ་བར་གྱུར་ཅིག །

detar dak gi kyang lhamo özer chen mé ming shé kyi dak kyang tar mepar gyur chik zung du mé par gyur chik ching du mé par gyur chik gak tu mepar gyur chik gal du mé par gyur chik mongpar jarmé par gyur chik chepé ché du mé par gyur chik go drek tu mepar gyur chik zhur mepar gyur chik tsikpar jarmé par gyur chik dré wang du mi drowar gyur chik

Thus, I myself, by recalling the goddess Mārīcī’s name, have become invisible, ungraspable, unstoppable, insuperable, indomitable, unsurpassable, unassailable, invulnerable, unconquerable, imperishable, and invincible.

དེ་ལ་གསང་སྔགས་ཀྱི་ཚིག་ནི་འདི་རྣམས་ཡིན་ནོ། །

dé la sang ngak kyi tsik ni dinam yin no

The sacred mantra is as follows:

ཏདྱ་ཐཱ། ཨོཾ་པ་ཏཱ་གྲ་མ་སི། པ་རཱ་ཀྲ་མ་སི། ཨུ་ད་ཡ་མ་སི། ནཻ་ར་མ་སི། ཨརྐྐ་མ་སི། མརྐྐ་མ་སི། ཨུ་ར་མ་མ་སི། བ་ན་མ་སི། གུ་ལ་མ་མ་སི། ཙཱི་བ་ར་མ་སི། མཧཱ་ཙཱི་བ་ར་མ་སི། ཨན་ཏར་དྷྭཾ་ནཱ་མ་སི་སྭཱཧཱ།teyata | om patakra masi paratra masi udaya masi naira masi arka masi marka masi urama masi vana masi gulma masi civara masi maha civara masi antar dhana masi soha ||

tadyathā | oṃ padākramasi parākramasi udayamasi nairamasi arkamasi markamasi uramamasi¹ vanamasi gulmamasi cīvaramasi mahā-cīvaramasi antardhānamasi svāhā ||

ཨོཾ་ལྷ་མོ་འོད་ཟེར་ཅན་བདག་ལམ་དུ་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་ལམ་ལོག་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་སྐྱེ་བོའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་རྒྱལ་པོའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་གླང་པོའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་ཆོམ་རྐུན་གྱི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་ཀླུའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་སེངྒེའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་སྟག་གི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་མེའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་ཆུའི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་སྦྲུལ་གྱི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་དུག་གི་འཇིགས་པ་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །བདག་ཕྱིར་རྒོལ་བ་དང་དགྲ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལས་སྐྱོབས་ཤིག །

om lhamo özer chen dak lam du kyob shik | dak lam lokpa lé kyob shik | dak kyewö jikpa lé kyob shik | dak gyalpö jikpa lé kyob shik | dak langpö jikpa lé kyob shik | dak chomkün gyi jikpa lé kyob shik | dak lü jikpa lé kyob shik | dak sengé jikpa lé kyob shik | dak tak gi jikpa lé kyob shik | dak mé jikpa lé kyob shik | dak chü jikpa lé kyob shik | dak drul gyi jikpa lé kyob shik | dak duk gi jikpa lé kyob shik | dak chirgol ba dang dra tamché lé kyob shik |

oṃ, goddess Mārīcī, please protect me on the road! Please protect me from taking wrong paths! Please protect me from dangerous beings! Please protect me from the danger of tyrants! Please protect me from the danger of elephants! Please protect me from the danger of thieves! Please protect me from the danger of nāgas! Please protect me from the danger of lions! Please protect me from the danger of tigers! Please protect me from the danger of fire! Please protect me from the danger of water! Please protect me from the danger of snakes! Please protect me from the danger of poison! Please protect me from the danger of opponents and adversaries!

འཁྲུགས་པ་དང༌། མ་འཁྲུགས་པ་དང༌། ཉམས་པ་དང༌། མ་ཉམས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་དུ་སེངྒེ་ལས་སྲུངས་ཤིག །བདག་སྟག་ལས་སྲུང་ཤིག །བདག་ཀླུ་ལས་སྲུངས་ཤིག །བདག་སྦྲུལ་ལས་སྲུངས་ཤིག །བདག་འཇིགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་དང༌། གནོད་པ་དང༌། ནད་འགོ་བ་དང༌། འཁྲུག་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལས་སྲུངས་ཤིག་སྲུངས་ཤིག །

trukpa dang matrukpa dang nyampa dang manyampa tamché du sengé lé sung shik | dak tak lé sung shik | dak lu lé sung shik | dak drul lé sung shik | dak jikpa tamché dang nöpa dang né gowa dang trukpa tamché lé sung shik sung shik ||

In all instances, disturbed or undisturbed, weakened or not,² please protect me from lions! Please protect me from tigers! Please protect me from nāgas! Please protect me from snakes! Svāhā! Please protect me from all dangers, harm, infectious disease and adversity! Protect! Protect!

ན་མོ་རཏྣ་ཏྲ་ཡཱ་ཡ། ཏདྱ་ཐཱ། ཨོཾ་ཨཱ་ལོ། ཏཱ་ལོ། ཀཱ་ལོ། སཙྪ་ལོ། སཾ་བྷ་མཱུར་དྷ་ཊི་རཀྵ་རཀྵ་མཾ།

Video: Sutra of Marici (subtitled)

Tibetan Texts

Marici is found as the major deity or topic in at least three Kriya Tantra texts of the Tibetan Kangyur

• The Incantation of Mārīcī (Skt. ārya mārīcī nāma dhāraṇī, Wyl. ‘phags ma ‘od zer can zhes bya ba’i gzungs, D 564)
• The Sovereign Practices Extracted from the Tantra of Māyāmārīcī (Skt. Māyāmārīcījāta tantrād uddhitaṃ kalparājā, Wyl. sgyu ma’i ‘od zer can ‘byung ba’i rgyud las phyung ba’i rtog pa’i rgyal po’’, D 565)
• The Seven Hundred Practices of Mārīcī from the Tantras (Skt. ārya mārīcī maṇḍalavidhi mārīcījāta dvādaśasahasra uddhitaṃ kalpa hṛdaya saptaśata, Wyl. ‘phags ma ‘od zer can gyi dkyil ‘khor gyi cho ga ‘od zer can ‘byung ba’i rgyud stong phrag bcu gnyis pa las phyung ba’i rtog pa’i snying po bdun brgya pa’’, D 566)

There are also several additional texts found in the Dergé Tengyur commentaries.

In the Nyingma tradition of the 21 Taras, she is the 21st Tara.

A “modern” take on the classic mantra (a little beat:-)

NOTES

[1] https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/jigme-lingpa/praise-of-marichi

[2] https://www.lotsawahouse.org/words-of-the-buddha/marici-dharani

Around the world, millions of Mahayana Buddhists chant the Maha Karuna Dharani, the Great Compassion Mantra of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin) — famous for its benefits of healing, protection and purification.

It is probably the second most chanted mantra, after Om Mani Padme Hum — which is a short mantra of Avalokitesvara. It is also among the most beautiful to listen to both in tonality and expression. Despite its intimidating length of 84 lines (there’s also a short version), which is long in terms of a Dharani or mantra, it is sung daily by many devoted followers of the Compassionate Buddha.

[Four video chanted versions of the Great Compassion Mantra in this feature.]

A Dharani is generally held to contain the essence of the entire Sutra in which it is cited, in this case the sutra of the Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra, but is not meant to be literally translated (even though we do so below.) It is meant to transform us at a more profound level than can be conveyed with simple words.

[For a feature story on the “The many faces of Compassionate Avalokiteshvara”, see here>>

Popular due to immeasurable benefits

Why is it so popular, aside from intrinsically lovely lyrics and beautiful musicality. For one, it is of immeasurable benefit to all sentient beings. It is the very core of Avalokiteshvara’s compassionate mission. The immediate benefits, as taught in sutra and commentaries, are: purification of negative karmas, protection and healing.

Aside from these immediate benefits, there are also unique benefits as taught in the sutra, which are equally immeasurable:

”Those who recite and hold the Mantra of Great Compassion (Da Bei Zhou) will not suffer any of these 15 kinds of bad death and will obtain the following 15 kinds of good birth:

1. They will always meet good friends.
2. They will always be born in a good country.
3. They will always be born at a good time.
4. Their place of birth will always have a good king.
5. Their family will be kind and harmonious.
6. Their heart will be pure and full in the way.
7. They will not violate the prohibitive precepts.
8. The organs of their body will always be complete.
9. They will obtain everything they seek.
10. They will always obtain the help and respect of others.
11. Their riches will not be plundered.
12. They will always have the necessary goods and wealth in abundance.
13. In the place where they are born, they will see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.
14. Dragons, gods, and good spirits will always protect them.
15. They will awaken to the profound meaning of that Proper Dharma which they hear.

“Those who chant and hold the Great Compassion Mantra will obtain these 15 kinds of good birth. All people and gods should constantly chant and hold it, without carelessness.” – Great Compassion Dharani Sutra.”

The Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra

The source of the mantra is the Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra. Shakyamui Buddha was at Potala mountain, when Avalokiteshvara rose from his seat, joined his palms and said:

“Bhagavan, I have a mantra of Great –compassionate Heart Dharani and now wish to proclaim it, for comforting and pleasing all living beings; for healing all illness; for living beings to attain additional lifespan; for living beings to gain wealth; for extinguishing all evil karma and weighty sins; for keeping away from hindrance and disasters; for producing merits of all pure Dharmas; for maturing all virtuous roots; for overcoming all fears; for fulfilling all good wished. Bhagavan, please be merciful and allow me to speak ”

[Full Sutra at the end of this feature.]

Different versions, languages and translations

It is most often sung or spoken in the original Sanskrit, rather than the available English, Thai, Vietnamese,  or Chinese translations.

The translations tend to be for those compelled to delve into the “word meanings”, but as always with mantra, the word meanings are not that important. Sankrit is a language of Holy syllables, where not just words are formed, but sacred sounds that have layers of meaning. For this reason, the Great Dharani Mantra should be chanted in Sanskrit.

Important Note: As pointed out by a diligent reader, the mantra often referred to as the Great Compassion Mantra (in popular videos and so on) is actually the Heart-dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara-ekadaśamukha — a very profoundly powerful and moving mantra. This is NOT the actual Great Compassion Mantra per the Sutras, but it is a great mantra of the Lord of Compassion Avalokiteshvara.

The “popular” but incorrectly named Dharani — usually labled Great Compassion Mantra , but actually the Heart-dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara-ekadaśamukha is:

नमो रतनत्रयाय, नमो आर्य ज्ञाना, सागरा, वैरोचना, व्यूहाराजय, तथागताय, अर्हते ,सम्यक सम् बुद्धाया।। नमो सर्व ताथगतेभ्य, अरहतेभ्य, सम्यक सम् बोधिभ्य। नमो आर्य अवलोखितेश्वराय,बोधिसत्वाय, महासत्तवाय महाकरुणिकाय। तद्यथा, ॐ धरा,धरा, धीरी, धिरी, धुरू धुरु, इतिवित्वी, ज्वले ज्वले, प्राजवले , प्राजवले कुसुमे कुसुमः धरे, इरि मिरी, चित्रेछ्ते चरम अपनाय, परमांसुत्त सत्व महाकरुणिका स्वाहा।।

The “actual” Great Compassion Mantra is cited from a different Sutra: Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra, which is available at the bottom of this feature in English.

The Great Compassion Dharani is significantly longer than the Heart-dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara-ekadaśamukha most often incorrectly labeled. Never-the-less the benefits of both Dharnis are significant and similar and they are both Dharanis of the Lord of Compassion Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan.)

Animated Great Compassion Mantra with English translation:

The Great Compassion Mantra in transliterated Sanskrit

Namo Ratna Trayaya.

Namah Arya Avalokitesvaraya

Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya

Sarva Bandhana Chedana Karaya .

Sarva Bhava Samudram Sosana Karana.

Sarva Vyadhi Prasamana Karaya.

Sarva Mrtyu Upa-Drava Viansana Karana .

Sarva Bhaye Su Trana Karaya.

Tasmat Namas – Krtva Idam

Arya Avalokitesvara Bhastinam Nilakantha

Pi Nama Hrdayam Avarta Isyami

Sarvartha-sadhanam Subham Ajeyam

Sarva Bhutanam Bhava Marga Visuddhakam

Tadyatha, Om Aloke Aloka-mati Lokati Krante.

He Hare Arya Avalokitesvara

Maha bodhisattva , He Boddhisattva , He

Maha bodhisattva , He Virya Bodhisattva

He Mahakarunika Smara Hradayam.

Hi Hi , Hare Arya Avalokitesvara Mahesvara Parama

Maitra-Citta Mahakarunika.

Kuru Kuru Karman

Sadhaya Sadhaya Vidyam.

Ni Hi , Ni Hi Varnam Kamam-Game .

Vitta-Kama Vigama.

Siddha Yogesvara .

Dhuru Dhuru Viryanti, Maha Viryanti .

Dhara Dhara Dharendresvara.

Cala Cala Vimala Amala Murte

Arya Avalokitesvara Jina Krsna Jata-Makuta

Valam Ma Pra-Lamba Maha Siddha

Vidya dhara.Vara Vara Maha Vara .

Bala Bala Maha Bala.

Cala Cala Maha Cala

Krsna-Varna Nigha Krsna – Paksa Nirghatana.

He Padma-Hasta Cara Cara Desa

Caresvara Krsna –Sarpa Krta Yajnopavita

Ehyehi Maha Varaha-Mukha,Tripura-Dahanesvara

Narayana Va Rupa Vara Marga Ari .

He Nilakantha , He Mahakara ,

Hala hala Visa Nir-jita Lokasya.

Raga Visa Vinasana.

Dvesa Visa Vinasana.

Moha Visa Vinasana

Huru Huru Mala, Huru Huru Hare, Maha Padmanabha

Sara Sara , Sri Sri , Suru Suru ,

Bhu ruc Bhu ruc

Buddhiya Buddhiya , Boddhaya Boddhaya

Maitri Nilakantha Ehyehi Vama

Shitha Simha-Mukha Hasa Hasa,

Munca Munca Mahattahasam Ehiyehi Pa

Maha Siddha Yogesvara

Bhana Bhana Vaco

Sadhaya Sadhaya Vidyam.

Smara Smaratam Bhagavantam Lokita

Vilokitam Lokesvaram Tathagatam Dadahi

Me Drasana Kamasya Darsanam

Pra-Hiadaya Mana Svaha.

Siddhaya Svaha.

Maha Siddhaya Svaha

Siddha Yogesvaraya Svaha

Nilakanthaya Svaha

Varaha-Mukhaya Svaha

Maha-dara Simha-Mukhaya Svaha

Siddha Vidyadharaya Svaha

Padma-Hastaya Svaha

Krsna-Sarpa Krta Yajnopavitaya Svaha

Maha Lakutadaharaya Svaha

Cakrayuddhaya Svaha

Sankha-Sabdani Bodhanaya Svaha

Vama Skandhadesa Shitha Krsnajinaya Svaha

Vyaghra-Carma Nivasanaya Svaha

Lokesvaraya Svaha

Sarva Siddhesvaraya Svaha

Namo Bhagavate Arya Avalokitesvaraya Bodhisattvaya

Maha Sattvaya Mahakarunikaya

Sidhyanthu Me Mantra-Padaya Svaha

Translation in English (See caution about translations above)

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly know all Dharmas;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain the Wisdom Eye;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly ferry all living beings (to the

shore of liberation);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain virtuous skillful means (to enlighten various living beings);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly board the Prajna (wisdom) Boat;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon transcend the ocean of suffering;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly achieve precepts, Samadhi and the Way;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon ascend the mountain of Nirvana;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly dwell in the house of non-action;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon unite with the Dharma-Nature Body.

If I go towards the mountain of knives, the mountain of knives of itself breaks up;

If I go towards the boiling oil, the boiling oil of itself dries up;

If I go towards the hells, the hells of themselves disappear;

If I go towards the hungry ghosts, the hungry ghosts of themselves become full.

If I go towards the demons, their evil thoughts of themselves are tamed.

If I go towards the animals, they themselves attain great wisdom.

Direct Translation of the Great Compassion Mantra

Adoration to the Almighty One.

Adoration to the noble Avalokitesvara, bodhisattva, the Great Compassionate One.

I continually adore the One who Dispels all Fears,

O noble Avalokitesvara, to You adoration, O Nilakantha.

I shall clearly sing the ‘heart’ dharani for the sake of all beings, for it is pure and serves all purposes for all beings, as it purifies the path of soul existence.

Therefore, Lord of Radiance, World-Transcending One.

Come, come, great bodhisattva, descend, descend. Bear in mind my heart-dharani.

Do, do the work in our souls.

Hold fast, oh Victor, oh Great Victorious One.

Hold on, hold on, oh Lord of the Dharani.

Move, move oh my immaculate image, come, come.

Destroy every poison.

Quick, bear in mind, quick, quick, descend, descend.

Enlightened being, O enlightened being, enlighten me, enlighten me. Oh merciful

My Lord, appear unto me. To You who sees our all, Namo. To the Great Lord, Namo. To the Great Lord in Yoga, Namo. To my Lord, Namo. To the Varaha*, Namo.

Adoration to the Triple Gem. Adoration to the noble Avalokitesvara bodhisattva, Namo.

Traditional chanting of Great Compassion Mantra:

FULL STURA BELOW

Great Compassion Dharani Sutra

(Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra)

Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Vast, Perfect,

Unimpeded, Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani Sutra

(Tripitaka No. 1060)

Thus I have heard, once Sakyamuni Buddha was at Potalaka Mountain, in the treasureadorned

Way-place in Avalokitesvara’s palace, sitting on a precious Lion-Throne adorned

in purity with countless multifarious Mani-jewels. Hundreds of precious streamers and

banners were hanging all around.

At that time, the Tathagata, who was sitting on his throne, intending to explain a teaching

of the Total-Retention Dharani, was along with innumerable Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas,

whose names are: Dharani King Bodhisattva, Treasure King Bodhisattva, Bhaisajya-

Raja(Medicine King) Bodhisattva, Bhaisajya-Samudgata(Medicine Superior) Bodhisattva,

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Maha-stamaprapta(Great Strength) Bodhisattva,

Avatamsaka Bodhisattva, Great Sublime Bodhisattva, Precious Deposits Bodhisattva,

Virtue Store Bodhisattva, Vajragarbha Bodhisattva, Akasagarbha(Space Store)

Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra(Universal Goodness) Bodhisattva,

Manjusri Bodhisattva, and so on. Such Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas are all great Dharma-

Princes who had been empowered through their crowns (Abhiseka).

The Buddha was also along with innumerable great Voice-Hearers (Sravakas), all of whom

were practicing the tenth stage of Arhat, headed by Maha-Kasyapa;

He was also along with innumerable gods of Brahma-Heaven, headed by Sinza-Brahma;

Also along with Him were innumerable Gods of heavens of the desire realm, headed by

Gopaka-God;

Also along with Him were innumerable four-guardian-gods, headed by Dhritarastra;

Also along with Him were innumerable gods, dragons, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras,

Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, human beings, Amanusyas, headed by Heavenly Virtue

great dragon king;

Also along with Him were innumerable goddesses of heavens of the desire realm, headed

by Virginal Eye goddesses;

Also along with Him were innumerable Sunyatas(Gods of spaces), gods of rivers and

oceans, gods of fountains and spring, gods of stream and pond, gods of herb, gods of

forest, gods of houses, gods of water, gods of fire, gods of earth, gods of wind, gods of

ground, gods of mountains, gods of rocks, gods of palaces, and so on.

They all came and gathered in the congregation.

At that time in the congregation, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva secretly emitted his

sacrosanct light, thereupon, the worlds in the ten directions, along with this threethousand-

great-thousand worlds system, were all illuminated and became golden.

Heavenly palaces, palaces of dragons, and palaces of all gods were all shaken. Rivers,

oceans, Iron-Ring Mountains (Cakravada-parvata), Sumeru Mountains, Earth Mountains,

and black mountains were also shaken. The light of suns, moons, pearls, fire, and

constellations all disappeared.

Witnessing this rare scene, Dharani King Bodhisattva was more surprised than ever

before, so he arose from his seat, joined his palms and asked the Buddha with a

Gatha(verse):

“Who achieved the Correct-Awakening today,

emitting such great bright light universally?

The worlds of the ten directions are all golden,

so do these three-thousand-great-thousand worlds.

Who attained the ultimate freedom today,

manifesting the rare great holy power?

Innumerable Buddha-Worlds are shaken,

so do palaces of dragons and gods.

Now the entire congregation is wondering,

not knowing whose power caused these.

Is he a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or great Voice-Hearer,

or a Brahman, demon, heavenly god, or Sakra?

We pray for the Bhagavan (World Honored One)’s Great Compassion,

to tell us the source of this great supernatural power.”

The Buddha told Dharani King Bodhisattva: “Virtuous man, you all should know that in

this congregation there is a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva named Avalokitesvara, the

Unrestricted One. He had achieved the Great Kindness and Great Compassion since

uncountable Kalpas before, and he excels at practicing countless Dharani-Gates. In order

to comfort and please all living-beings, he secretly emits such great sacrosanct power.

After the Buddha said that, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva arose from his seat, tidied up his

clothes, joined his palms towards the Buddha and said:

“Bhagavan, I have a mantra of Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani and now wish to

proclaim it, for comforting and pleasing all living beings; for healing all illness; for living

beings to attain additional lifespan; for living beings to gain wealth; for extinguishing all

evil karma and weighty sins; for keeping away from hindrance and disasters; for

producing merits of all White (pure) Dharmas; for maturing all virtuous-roots; for

overcoming all fears; for fulfilling all good wishes. Bhagavan, please be merciful and allow

me to speak.”

The Buddha said: “Virtuous man, you have great kindness and great compassion, in order

to comfort and please all living beings, you wish to speak the holy mantra, it is the proper

time now, please speak it soon, the Tathagata approves and rejoices it, and so do all

Buddhas.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva then said to the Buddha: “Bhagavan, I remember that

countless billions of kalpas ago, a Buddha, whose name was Thousand Rays King

Stillness Thus Come One, appeared in the world. Because of his mercy and mindfulness

towards me and all living beings, that Buddha, the World Honored One spoke this Vast,

Perfect, Unimpeded, Great Compassionate Heart Dharani, rubbed my crown with his

golden hand and said: ‘Virtuous man, you should hold this heart-mantra to give great

benefit and happiness to all living beings in the future evil age.’ At that time I was just at

the first Bhumi(stage of Bodhisattva), right after hearing this mantra, I exceeded the eighth

Bhumi. At that time, as my heart was joyful, I vowed: ‘If I will be able to give benefit and

happiness to all living beings in the future, let me have one thousand hands and one

thousand eyes immediately.’ Instantly after the vow, I got fully one thousand hands and

one thousand eyes on my body, then, the grounds of the worlds of the ten directions

quaked in six ways, thousands of Buddhas of the ten directions emitted their light to my

body and illuminated boundless worlds of the ten directions. From then on, from

countless Buddhas and congregations, I have repeatedly heard, accepted and held this

Dharani, and the joys were also repeatedly aroused from my heart, and made me greatly

enthusiastic. Therefore, I transcended imperceptible births and deaths of countless

billions of kalpas. Since then, I have always been reciting and holding this mantra, and

have never forgotten it. Because of holding this mantra, I was always born by miraculous

creation (nirmana) from lotuses in front of Buddhas, and have never been born from any

womb.”

“If there are monks(Bhikshus), nuns(Bhikshunis), laymen(Upasakas),

laywomen(Upasikas), pure youth and maidens who wish to recite and hold(keep reciting)

this mantra, they should first arouse heir great merciful and compassionate hearts for all

living beings, and follow me in making these vows:

(* The pronunciation of “Namo” is [na:mo:] in international phonetic symbols)

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly know all Dharmas;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain the Wisdom Eye;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly ferry all living beings (to the

shore of liberation);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain virtuous skillful means (to

enlighten various living beings);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly board the Prajna Boat;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon transcend the ocean of suffering;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly achieve precepts, Samadhi and

the Way;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon ascend the mountain of Nirvana;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly dwell in the house of nonaction;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon unite with the Dharma-Nature

Body.

If I go towards the mountain of knives, the mountain of knives of itself breaks up;

If I go towards the boiling oil, the boiling oil of itself dries up;

If I go towards the hells, the hells of themselves disappear;

If I go towards the hungry ghosts, the hungry ghosts of themselves become full.

If I go towards the Asuras, their evil thoughts of themselves are tamed.

If I go towards the animals, they themselves attain great wisdom.”

“After making these vows, recite my name(Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) with the

deep-felt sincere heart, also recite single-mindedly the name of my teacher — Amitabha

Tathagata(Namo Amitabha), then recite this mantra, 5 times or more in a day, to remove

from the body the weighty sins of births and deaths accumulated in hundreds of

thousands of billions of kalpas.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva then said to the Buddha: “Bhagavan, if humans or gods recite

and hold the phrases of the Great Compassion Dharani, when they are about to die, all

the Buddhas of the ten directions will come to receive them with their hands, and they

will be reborn in whichever Buddha-World according to their wishes.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to say to the Buddha: “Bhagavan, Should any

living being who recites and holds the holy mantra of Great Compassion fall into the three

evil paths, I vow not to achieved the Correct-Awakening.

Should any living being who recites and holds the holy mantra of Great Compassion not

be reborn in any Buddha-World, I vow not to achieve the Correct-Awakening.

Should any living being who recites and holds the holy mantra of Great Compassion not

obtain unlimited Samadhis and eloquence, I vow not to achieve the Correct-Awakening.

Should any living being who recites and holds the holy mantra of Great Compassion not

obtain whatever he seeks in his present life, then it cannot be called the Dharani of the

Great Compassionate Heart, unless it is used by those who are not virtuous or not

completely sincere.

If a woman dislikes her female body and wishes to become a male, if she recites the

phrases of the Great Compassion Dharani but can not change from a female to a male, I

vow not to achieve the Correct-Awakening. However, if she arouses even a slightest

doubt, her wish will not be satisfied.

If any living being usurps the drinks, foods, or possessions of Sanghas (group of monks),

even though one thousand Buddhas appear in the world, he will not get to repent and

reform. Even if he repents, his sins will not be eliminated. But now, by reciting this Great

Compassion holy mantra, his sins will be eliminated. If anyone usurps, eats, or uses the

drinks, foods, or possessions of Sanghas, he must repent to teachers of the ten directions

to eliminate his sins. Now, when he reties this Great Compassion Dharani, the teachers of

the ten directions will come to bear witness, and then all his weighty sins and hindrances

will be eliminated.

All evil karma and weighty sins such as the ten evil deeds, the five rebellious sins,

slandering people, slandering the Dharmas, breaking the Abstinent-precepts (*), breaking

other precepts, destroying stupas (holy towers), wrecking temples, stealing properties of

Sanghas, and profaning Brahma (pure) practices, can be completely eliminated (by reciting

this Dharani), except this: if one has doubts about this Dharani, then even his small sins

and light karma cannot be eliminated, not to mention the weighty sins. Although the

weighty sins do not disappear immediately, the reciting can still be the cause of Bodhi in

the future.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva continued to say to the Buddha:

“People and gods who recite and hold the Great Compassionate Heart Dharani will obtain

fifteen kinds of good birth and will not suffer fifteen kinds of bad death. The bad deaths

are:

1. They will not die of starvation or poverty;
2. They will not die from having been yoked, imprisoned, caned or otherwise beaten;
3. They will not die at the hands of hostile enemies;
4. They will not be killed in military battle;
5. They will not be killed by tigers, wolves, or other fierce beasts;
6. They will not die from the venom of poisonous snakes, black serpents, or scorpions;
7. They will not drown or be burned to death;
8. They will not be poisoned to death;
9. They will not be killed by mediumistic insects;
10. They will not die of madness or insanity;
11. They will not be killed by landslides or falling trees;
12. They will not die of nightmares sent by evil people;
13. They will not be killed by deviant spirits or evil ghosts;
14. They will not die of evil illnesses that bind the body;
15. They will not commit suicide;

Those who recite and hold the Great Compassion Holy Mantra will not suffer any of

these fifteen kinds of bad death and will obtain the following fifteen kinds of good birth:

1. Their place of birth will always have a good king;
2. They will always be born in a good country;
3. They will always be born at a good time;
4. They will always meet virtuous friends;
5. The organs of their body will always be complete;
6. Their hearts of Way(Bodhi) will be pure and mature;
7. They will not violate the prohibitive precepts;
8. All their relatives will be kind and harmonious;
9. They will always have the necessary wealth and goods in abundance;
10. They will always obtain the respect and help of others;
11. Their possessions will not be plundered;
12. They will obtain everything they seek;
13. Dragons, gods, and good spirits will always protect them;
14. In the place where they are born they will see the Buddha and hear the Dharma;
15. They will awaken to the profound meaning of that Proper Dharma which they hear.

Those who recite and hold the Great Compassionate Heart Dharani will obtain these

fifteen kinds of good birth. All gods and people should constantly recite and hold it

without laziness.”

After saying that, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva joined his palms and stood upright in front

of the congregation, aroused his great compassionate heart for all living beings, smiled and

in this way spoke the Sacrosanct Wonderful Phrases of the Vast, Perfect, Unimpeded,

Great Compassionate Heart Great Dharani. The Dharani is:

Namo Ratna Trayaya.

Namah Arya Avalokitesvaraya

Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya

Sarva Bandhana Chedana Karaya .

Sarva Bhava Samudram Sosana Karana.

Sarva Vyadhi Prasamana Karaya.

Sarva Mrtyu Upa-Drava Viansana Karana .

Sarva Bhaye Su Trana Karaya.

Tasmat Namas – Krtva Idam

Arya Avalokitesvara Bhastinam Nilakantha

Pi Nama Hrdayam Avarta Isyami

Sarvartha-sadhanam Subham Ajeyam

Sarva Bhutanam Bhava Marga Visuddhakam

Tadyatha, Om Aloke Aloka-mati Lokati Krante.

He Hare Arya Avalokitesvara

Maha bodhisattva , He Boddhisattva , He

Maha bodhisattva , He Virya Bodhisattva

He Mahakarunika Smara Hradayam.

Hi Hi , Hare Arya Avalokitesvara Mahesvara Parama

Maitra-Citta Mahakarunika.

Kuru Kuru Karman

Sadhaya Sadhaya Vidyam.

Ni Hi , Ni Hi Varnam Kamam-Game .

Vitta-Kama Vigama.

Siddha Yogesvara .

Dhuru Dhuru Viryanti, Maha Viryanti .

Dhara Dhara Dharendresvara.

Cala Cala Vimala Amala Murte

Arya Avalokitesvara Jina Krsna Jata-Makuta

Valam Ma Pra-Lamba Maha Siddha

Vidya dhara.Vara Vara Maha Vara .

Bala Bala Maha Bala.

Cala Cala Maha Cala

Krsna-Varna Nigha Krsna – Paksa Nirghatana.

He Padma-Hasta Cara Cara Desa

Caresvara Krsna –Sarpa Krta Yajnopavita

Ehyehi Maha Varaha-Mukha,Tripura-Dahanesvara

Narayana Va Rupa Vara Marga Ari .

He Nilakantha , He Mahakara ,

Hala hala Visa Nir-jita Lokasya.

Raga Visa Vinasana.

Dvesa Visa Vinasana.

Moha Visa Vinasana

Huru Huru Mala, Huru Huru Hare, Maha Padmanabha

Sara Sara , Sri Sri , Suru Suru ,

Bhu ruc Bhu ruc

Buddhiya Buddhiya , Boddhaya Boddhaya

Maitri Nilakantha Ehyehi Vama

Shitha Simha-Mukha Hasa Hasa,

Munca Munca Mahattahasam Ehiyehi Pa

Maha Siddha Yogesvara

Bhana Bhana Vaco

Sadhaya Sadhaya Vidyam.

Smara Smaratam Bhagavantam Lokita

Vilokitam Lokesvaram Tathagatam Dadahi

Me Drasana Kamasya Darsanam

Pra-Hiadaya Mana Svaha.

Siddhaya Svaha.

Maha Siddhaya Svaha

Siddha Yogesvaraya Svaha

Nilakanthaya Svaha

Varaha-Mukhaya Svaha

Maha-dara Simha-Mukhaya Svaha

Siddha Vidyadharaya Svaha

Padma-Hastaya Svaha

Krsna-Sarpa Krta Yajnopavitaya Svaha

Maha Lakutadaharaya Svaha

Cakrayuddhaya Svaha

Sankha-Sabdani Bodhanaya Svaha

Vama Skandhadesa Shitha Krsnajinaya Svaha

Vyaghra-Carma Nivasanaya Svaha

Lokesvaraya Svaha

Sarva Siddhesvaraya Svaha

Namo Bhagavate Arya Avalokitesvaraya Bodhisattvaya

Maha Sattvaya Mahakarunikaya

Sidhyanthu Me Mantra-Padaya Svaha

When Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva finished speaking this mantra, the earth shook in six

ways. The heavens rained down precious flowers, which fell in colorful profusion. All the

Buddhas of the ten directions were delighted, while the heavenly demons and Exteriorpaths

practitioners were so frightened that their hair stood on end. Everyone in the

congregation achieved different fruitions, including the fruitions of stream-enterer (srotaapanna),

once-returner (sakrd-agamin), non-returner (Anagamin), and Arhat; others

achieved the first Bhumi(stage of Bodhisattva), the second Bhumi, the third, fourth, fifth

…… up to the tenth Bhumi. Innumerable living beings aroused the Bodhi-Heart (The

resolve to save all living beings and help them to achieve the Correct Awakening).

Then the great Brahma heavenly king arose from his seat, tidied up his clothes, joined his

palms respectfully, and said to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva: “How virtuous, Mahasattva!

I had attended innumerable Buddha-Congregations and heard myriads of Dharmas and

Dharanis, but never before had I heard such Sacrosanct Wonderful Phrases of the

Unimpeded Great Compassionate Heart’s Great Compassion Dharani. Mahasattva,

please tell us the feature and characteristics of this Dharani, all of us will be pleased to

know that.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva told the Brahma king: “For the convenience of benefiting all

living beings, you have asked me this question. Now you listen carefully, and I will tell

you in brief.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said: “It is the great merciful and compassionate heart, the

impartial heart, the motionless heart, the unpolluted and unattached heart, the emptinessobserving

heart, the respectful heart, the humble heart, the uncluttered heart, the non-view

and non-grasping heart, and the uppermost Bodhi-Heart. You should know that such

hearts are the feature and characteristics of this Dharani, you should practice according to

them.”

Then the great Brahma king said: “We now know the feature and characteristics of this

Dharani, from now on, we will recite and hold it and will never dare to forget or loss it.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said: “If any virtuous men or virtuous women, who recite and

hold this holy Dharani, can arouse the vast Bodhi-Heart that vow to ferry all living beings

to the shore of liberation, keep the Abstinent-precepts(*) bodily, arouse the heart of

equality towards all living beings, keep reciting this Dharani without interruption, reside

in a clean room, wash themselves clean, wear clean clothes, hang up streamers and light up

lamps, make offerings with fragrances, flowers, vegetable foods of hundreds of tastes,

make their hearts stay still at one place, do not think about others, and recite and hold this

Dharani according to the Dharma, then, Sunlight Bodhisattva, Moonlight Bodhisattva and

innumerable gods and immortals will come to bear witness and enhance the efficacy of

their recitation.”

“At that time, I will illuminate them with a thousand eyes, and protect and support them

with a thousand hands. From then on, they will be able to master all worldly literature,

and will perfectly understand all Exterior-paths’ theories and sorceries, as well as the Veda

Scriptures.”

“One who recites and holds this holy mantra can heal all the 84000 kinds of diseases of

the world, without exception. He also can command all ghosts and spirits, vanquish

heavenly demons, and tame all Exterior-paths practitioners.”

“If one is reading Sutras or practicing Dhyana (Zen) in a mountain or a wild field, and

some mountain-spirits, various ghosts, demons, monsters or Devas come to disturb and

make him unable to concentrate, recite this mantra once, then all those ghosts and spirits

will be tied up.”

“If one can recites this Mantra in accord with Dharma and arouse merciful and

compassionate heart towards all living beings, I will then command all virtuous gods,

dragon kings, and Vajra Secret-Traces Divinities to always follow and guard him, never

leaving his side, guarding him as their own eyes and lives.”

Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva said the Gatha:

“I command the Vajra Secret-Traces Knights: Ucchusma, Kundalin, Ankusa, and the eight

clans’ powerful knight Shankara,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Mahesvaras, Narayana, Kumbhiraba and Kapila,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Pajis, Sahassakkhas, perfect-virtuous chebuds and Kimnaras,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Sajamahoras, Kumbhandas, Katabhutanas, and Banjras,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Bhipagara kings, and morality Vitasaharas,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Brahma king Sambra, the five clans of pure-abode heavens and Yamarajas,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Sakra Devanam indra, the Lord of the thirty-three heavens, Sarasvatis, and

Vardhanas,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Dhritarastra king, Haritis, goddess and great strength gods,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Virudhaka king, Virupaksa king and Vaisravana king,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command the Golden Peacock King, and the twenty-eight clans of great immortals,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Manibhadra, and Pancika-imperator Phalava,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command Nanda, Upandanda, and the Sagara dragon-king Ibhra,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command the Asuras, Gandharvas, Karunas, Kimnaras, and Mahoragas,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

I command the gods of water, fire, thunder, lightning, Kumbhanda king and Pisacas,

to guard the Mantra-holders constantly;

“Those virtuous gods, dragon-kings and goddess, each along with 500 retinues of greatstrength

Yaksas, will always follow and guard the holders of the Great Compassion Holy

Mantra. If the Mantra-holder dwells and sleeps alone in an uninhabited mountain or

wilderness, those virtuous gods will guard him by turns to eliminate misfortunes. If the

Mantra-holder loses his way deep in the mountain, because of reciting this Mantra, the

virtuous gods and dragon-kings will transform themselves into virtuous people and tell

him the correct way. If the Mantra-holder lacks water or requires fire in a mountain,

forest, or wilderness, the dragon-kings will protect him by miraculously creating water

and fire for him.”

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva then said a misfortune-eliminating and refreshingly cool

Gatha(verse):

“When walking in wilderness, mountain or marsh,

if encountering tigers, wolves, or other fierce beasts,

or snakes, spirits, demons, monsters, ghosts,

they will be unable to harm the Mantra-holder when they hear this Mantra;

When voyaging on river or sea,

poisoned dragons, flood dragons and Makaras,

Yaksas, Rakshas, fishes, and soft-shelled turtles,

will dodge when they hear this Mantra;

If besieged by battle arrays or robbers,

or being robbed by villains,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

those villains will show mercy and go back;

If one is imprisoned by government official,

jailed, chained and locked,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

the officer will show mercy and set him free;

If entered a house of a poisonous insects raising family in a wild way,

the family purpose to venom with drinks, foods or medicines,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

the poison will turn to nectar;

When a woman is giving birth to a child,

evil demons comes to obstruct the birth and causing suffering and oppressive pain,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

the demons will disperse, leaving a safe and comfortable birth;

If evil dragons or pestilence ghosts spread poison,

people are infected by pyrexia and about to die,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

diseases will be healed and lives of people will be lengthen;

If evil dragons or ghosts spread the tumescent diseases,

people suffer from carbuncles, sore, abscess, ulcer and bleeding,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

then spit three times to the abscesses and it will be cured.

If there are muddled and wicked living beings who aroused immoral minds,

causing hatred by sending nightmares, ghosts and curses to you,

recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

then the hexes and evil spells will return to its original senders.

When Dharma is about to disappear,

the world is evil, feculent and disordered,

poeple’s sexual desire are like raging fire,

their hearts are deluded and they confuse right and wrong.

They have adulteries behind their spouses,

and think of lust days and nights ceaselessly.

If they can recite the Great Compassion Dharani sincerely,

the fire of sexual desire will quench and the evil minds will extinguish.

If I glorify the effect and power of this Mantra in detail,

even one kalpa is not enough for the glorification.”

Then Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva told the Brahmas: “Recite this Mantra 5 times, use

threads of 5 colors to tie knots, then recite the Dharani 21 times, tie 21 knots, wear it on

neck. This Mantra has been spoken by previous 9.9 billions Ganges-river-sands Buddhas.

Those Buddhas spoke this Mantra for the practitioners who practice the six Perfections

(Paramita) but have not yet fulfilled them, to make them succeed quickly;

For those who have not yet aroused Bodhi-Heart, to make them arouse their Bodhi-Heart

quickly;

For Sravakas who have not yet achieved fruitions, to make them achieve fruitions quickly;

For all gods and supernatural persons in the three-thousand-great-thousand worlds, who

have not yet aroused the unsurpassed Bodhi-Heart, to make them arouse the Bodhi-Heart

quickly;

For all living beings who have not yet gained the root of faith in Mahayana, with the

mighty holy power of this Dharani, their seeds of Mahayana and Dharma-buds will grow

quickly; with the power of my expedients, mercy and compassion, all of their needs will

be supplied.

For those living beings of the three evil paths, who live in the gloomy regions of the threethousand-

great-thousand worlds, when they hear this Mantra, they will all be free from

suffering;

For Bodhisattvas who have not yet achieved the first Bhumi, to make them achieve

quickly, and make them achieve even up to the tenth Bhumi, and even up to the

Buddhahood, with the thirty-two marks and the eighty minor marks achieved naturally.

If a Voice-Hearer (Sravaka) once hears this Dharani pass by his ears, if he practices and

writes this Dharani, and if he settles down with straightforward heart in accord with

Dharma, then he will naturally achieve the four Sramana-fruits even if he does not seek for

the fruitions.

Suppose all the mountains, rivers, cliffs, and oceans in the three-thousand-great-thousand

worlds can be boiled; the Sumeru mountains and Cakravada-parvata mountains can be

shaken, and grinded to dust, all living beings of that magnitude will arouse the

unsurpassed Bodhi-Hearts [by the power of this Dharani].

If anyone prays for any wish in his present life, he should keep the Abstinentprecepts(*)

and keep reciting this Dharani for 21 days, then his wishes will certainly be

fulfilled. From the verge of the previous birth-and-death to the verge of the next birth-anddeath,

all his evil karmas will be cleaned up. In the three-thousand-great-thousand worlds,

all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Brahmas, Sakra Devanam-Indra (heavenly lord), the four

guardian gods, divinities, immortals, and dragon-kings, will bear witness.”

“If a human or heavenly being, who recites and holds this Dharani, baths in a river or a

sea, the nearby living beings wet by his bath-water will have all their weighty sins cleaned

and be reborn in pure-lands of other directions. They will be born through miraculous

creation from lotuses, and will not undergo birth from wombs, moistures, or eggs. How

much more so, for those who recite and hold this Dharani themselves!”

“If one who recites and holds this Dharani is walking, a wind blows his hair and clothes,

then the living beings blown by the wind that previously touched the Mantra-holder will

have all their heavy obstructions and evil karmas cleansed, will not continue to suffer

from karmas of the three evil paths, and often be born in front of Buddhas. It should be

known that the Mantra-holder’s blessings, virtues, and fruit-repayments will be

unimaginable.”

“If the Mantra-holder says anything, no matter good or bad, it sounds like pure Dharmasound

to all heavenly demons, Exterior-paths practitioners, gods, dragons, ghosts, and

spirits, thus they will respect the Mantra-holder as if he were a Buddha.”

“As to one who recites and holds this Dharani, we should know that he is a store of

Buddha-bodies, because he is cherished by 9.9 billions Ganges-river-sands Buddhas;

We should know that he is a brilliant light store, because he is illuminated by the light of

all Tathagatas;

We should know that he is a store of mercies and compassions, because he constantly

saves living beings with this Dharani;

We should know that he is a wonderful-Dharmas store, because this Dharani includes all

Dharani-Gates;

We should know that the he is a store of Dhyana and Samadhi, because hundreds of

thousands of Samadhis often appear in front of him;

We should know that the he is an Empty Spaces store, because he constantly observes

living beings with wisdom of emptiness;

We should know that the he is a store of intrepidities, because he is constantly guarded

by dragons, gods, and virtuous gods;

We should know that the he is a Wonderful Language store, because the Dharani-Sound

come from his mouth is uninterrupted;

We should know that the he is an Eternally-Abiding store, because the three-disasters and

evil-kalpas cannot harm him;

We should know that the he is a Liberation store, because heavenly demons and Exteriorpaths

practitioners cannot detain him;

We should know that the he is a Medicine-King store, because he constantly heals living

beings with this Dharani;

We should know that the he is a supernatural power store, because he can freely travel

round the Buddha-Worlds.

The glorifications for the merits and virtues of the Mantra-holder are endless.”

“Virtuous men, if one tires of the sufferings of the world and seeks for happiness of long

life, he should settle down in an unoccupied and clean place, make a pure Secure

Boundary, recite this Dharani towards his clothing, water, foods, fragrances, or medicines

for 108 times and then use them, then he will certainly gain a long life. If he can make a

Secure Boundary, accept and hold the Dharani in accord with Dharma, then all things will

be achievable.”

“The method of making a Secure Boundary is:

Recite the Dharani 21 times towards a knife, and then countermark the ground with the

knife to make a boundary;

or recite the Dharani 21 times towards some clean water, and then sprinkle it around as

the boundary;

or recite the Dharani 21 times towards some white mustard seeds, and then scatter them

around to mark a boundary,;

or make a boundary by mental visualisation;

or recite the Dharani 21 times towards some clean ashes(of Incense) and use them to mark

a boundary;

or recite the Dharani 21 times towards a five-colored thread and then make a closed circle

on the ground with the threads as a boundary.

All of these will do.

If one can accept and hold the Dharani in accord with the Dharma, he will achieve the fruit

naturally.”

“If anyone just hears the name of this Dharani, his weighty sins of births and deaths of

countless kalpas will be eliminated, how much more so, of those who recite and hold this

Mantra themselves! If anyone can know and recite this holy Mantra, we should know

that he has already offered and sustained innumerable Buddhas and have widely planted

his virtuous roots. If he can recite and hold the Dharani in accord with Dharma to relieve

all living beings from sufferings, we should know that he is the one with the great

compassionate heart, and will become a Buddha soon.”

“If he recites the Dharani for all living beings that he sees, make them hear the Dharani and

make it become a cause of their achievement of Bodhi, then, his merits and virtues are

immeasurable, boundless, and cannot be praised completely.”

“If he can, with pure sincerity, apply his heart to keep the Abstinent-precepts, repent the

previous sins on behalf of all living beings, also repent his own various sins accumulated

in countless past kalpas, keep reciting this Dharani and never allow the sound of

recitation to be interrupted, then he will achieve the four Sramana-fruits in his present life;

if he has excellent talent for Dharma (literally: sharp root) and masters the skillful means

of Wisdom-Observing, then achieving the fruits of ten Bhumis is not difficult for him, not

to mention those small worldly blessings. All his wishes will be fulfilled.”

“If he wishes to command ghosts, he should find a skull in the wild, wash it clean, set up

a Mandala(altar) in front of a statue of Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and make offerings of multifarious fragrances, flowers,

drinks, and vegetable foods. Do this day after day, then 7 days later, the ghost will appear

and obey his orders.”

“If he wish to command the four guardian gods, he should recite towards a sandalwood

and burn it, then he will achieve the goal – because the power of the Bodhisattva’s great

compassionate vows are deep and weighty, and the power of this holy Dharani is mighty

and vast.”

The Buddha told Ananda: “When there are catastrophes in a country, if the king of the

country can manage state affairs according to correct laws, be liberal toward people and

animals, not to do anybody an injustice, absolve people from blames, and for 7 days and

7 nights, keep both his body and his mind sincere and diligent, and in this way recite and

hold this Great Compassionate Heart Dharani Holy Mantra, then all the catastrophes of

his country will disappear, the five kinds of crops will be abundant and his people will

live in peace and happiness.”

“If a country is being frequently invaded by enemies from other countries, people are

unsafe and ministers are traitorous, pestilences are spreading everywhere, the rains and

the droughts are unbalanced and unseasonable, or even the sun and the moon lost their

accuracy, when such disasters come, the people should make a statue of Thousand

Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and set it facing the west, make

offerings to it sincerely with fragrances, flowers, streamers, precious canopies, or

vegetable foods and drinks of hundreds of tastes, and, for 7 days and 7 nights, if the king

of the country can keep both his body and mind sincere and diligent, and in this way

recite and hold the Sacrosanct Wonderful Phrases of this Dharani, then the foreign

enemies will be tamed of themselves, they will return to their own countries and make no

further disturbance. These countries will be in communication and will have friendly

relations, the princes and officers will be loyal, the queen, the prince’s wife, and the maids

will also be loyal to the king. Dragons, ghosts and spirits will protect this country, the

rains will be seasonal, the fruits will be abundant, and the people will be happy.”

“If anyone in a family gets a serious evil disease, or if hundreds of monsters appear, or if

ghosts, spirits, and demons deplete and demolish the family; or if some villains malign the

family and plot to harm them; or if the members of the family are disharmonious, they

should set up a Mandala(altar) in front of a statue of Thousand-Handed and Thousand-

Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the name of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with

their deep-felt sincere heart, and then recite this Dharani fully 1000 times, then all those

misfortunes will disappear, the family will be peaceful forever.”

Ananda asked the Buddha: “Bhagavan, what is the name of this Mantra? How should we

accept and hold it?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “This holy Mantra has many names, one of them is Vast,

Great, Perfect, another is Unimpeded Great Compassion, another is Relieving Sufferings

Dharani, another is Lengthening Life Dharani, another is Extinguishing Evil Destinies

Dharani, another is Breaking Evil Karma Hindrances Dharani, another is Wish-Fulfilling

Dharani, another is The Dharani Of The Freedom In Accord With The Heart, another is

Quickly Exceeding The Upper Stages Dharani. Thus should you accept and hold it.”

Then Ananda asked the Buddha: “Bhagavan, what is the name of this Bodhisattva-

Mahasattva, who is so good to teach us this Dharani?”

The Buddha said: “This Bodhisattva is called Avalokitesvara, the Unrestricted One, also

called Nipping a Lariat, also called A Thousand Bright Eyes. Virtuous man, this

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has unimaginable mighty and holy powers. Uncountable

kalpas before, he had already been a Buddha named True Dharma Brightness Tathagata.

Because of the power of his great compassionate vows, and in order to call upon all

Bodhisattvas to comfort and please all living beings, he appears as a Bodhisattva. All of

you, including the Bodhisattvas, Brahmas, Gods of the 33 heavens, dragons, and

divinities, should show respect to him, do not despise him. All heavenly and human

beings should constantly make offerings to him and recite his name absorbedly, then they

will get infinite blessings and eliminate countless sins, and at the end of their lives, they

will be reborn in the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.”

The Buddha told Ananda: “This holy Mantra spoken by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is

true, real, and not false. If you wish to invite this Bodhisattva to come, recite the Mantra

21 times towards a Guggula Incense and burn it, then this Bodhisattva will come.”

“If being possessed by a soul of cat, find a dead cat’s skull, burn it to ashes, mix the ashes

with clean soil, and then use them to shape a cat. In front of a statue of Thousand-Handed

and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the Dharani 108 times towards a

wrought iron knife, and then cut the model into 108 pieces with the knife. Recite once, cut

once, and say his name once, then the cat’s soul will leave and never return.”

“If harmed by mediumistic insects(Gu), mix Karpura(Dragon Brain Incense) with a same

bulk of Guggula Incense, add 1 bowl of Well-flower-water and decoct them into 1 bowl of

decoction; when done, recite the Dharani 108 times towards the decoction in front of a

statue of Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, then take

the decoction, the illness will be healed.”

“If bitten by fierce snakes or scorpions, recite the Dharani 7 times towards some powder

of dry gingers, apply the powder on the bite and they will be healed.”

“If someone plots to harm you because of hatred and resentment, you should find some

clean soil, or flour, or wax, to shape the enemy’s body. In front of a statue of Thousand-

Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the Dharani 108 times

towards a wrought iron knife, then cut the model into 108 pieces with the knife. Recite

once and cut once and say his name once, and then burn up all 108 pieces. After that, the

enemy will be happy, will respect you and will like to befriend you for his entire life.”

“If you have the eye-diseases of dimmed vision or blindness, or if your eyes are covered

by a white haze or a red film, you should find a Haritaki fruit, an Amala fruit, and a

Vihetaki fruit, and grind them into powder. During the grinding, you must guard their

purity: do not be seen by women who have just given birth, or by pigs or dogs, and you

should keep reciting a Buddha’s name, mix the powder with white honey or human milk.

The human milk must be from a mother of a boy, not from mothers of girls. When the

medicine is done, in front of a statue of Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the Dharani 1008 times towards the medicine, then

apply it on the sick eyes for fully 7 days, stay in a quite room and do not be exposed to

wind, then the eyes will recover, the white haze and red film will disappear, and the

eyesight will be very clear.”

“If you are afflicted by recurrent fevers, recite the Dharani 21 times towards the skin of a

tiger, panther, or a wolf, place the skin on your body and the fever will be healed. The

skin of a lion is best.”

“If someone is bitten by a snake, get some earwax of that person, recite the Dharani 21

times towards the earwax, apply them on his sore, then it will be healed.”

“If an evil fever enters your heart, and it is so oppressive that makes you even wish to

die, in this case, you should find a peach-glue as big as a normal peach, add 1 bowl of

clean water and decoct them into a half bowl of decoction. When done, recite the Dharani

7 times towards the decoction, take them all, than the disease will be healed. The medicine

should not be decocted by a woman.”

“If you are possessed by a ghost, recite the Dharani 21 times towards a Guggula incense

and burn it to fume the nostrils, further, make 7 pills of Guggula each as big as a rabbit

dung, recite the Dharani 21 times towards them and take them, then you will be cured. Be

careful: do not drink alcohol, do not eat meat or the five-pungencies, and do not abuse

others. If you find some Manahsila (realgar), mix it with white mustard seeds and

YanSheng-salt, then recite the Dharani 21 times towards the mixture and burn it under the

bed of the patient, then the possessing ghost will run away and not dare to stay.

(*[Note] The five-pungencies are: onions, leeks, garlic, chives or shallots)

“For deafness, recite the Dharani towards some sesame oil and drop the oil into ears, then

the disease will be healed.”

“If someone is suffering from hemiplegias, his nose is blocked and his hands and feet

cannot move because of apoplexy, you should mix some sesame oil with Green-woodspice

and decoct them, recite the Dharani 21 times towards the mixture, and rub it on the

body, then the diseases will forever be healed. Another prescription: recite the Dharani 21

times towards some pure cow ghee, and rub it on the body, then the diseases will also be

healed.”

“For dystocias, recite the Dharani 21 times towards sesame oil and apply on both the

navel and the jade-gate of the woman who is giving birth, then there will be an easy birth.”

“If a baby dies in a pregnant woman’s womb, find one large Lerng(*) of hyssops, mix it

with 2 bowls of clean water, and decoct them into 1 bowl of decoction. Recite the Dharani

21 times towards the decoction and let the woman take it, then the dead baby will come

out, and the woman will not be in pain. If the placenta does not come out, let her take this

medicine again and it will be fine.”

“If you have a disease that your heart is often attacked by an unbearable pain, this is

called Hidden Corpse Disease. Find a Fume-Land Incense with mature nipples, recite the

Dharani 21 times towards it, chew and swallow it – no matter more or less. After some

time, it will cause vomiting or diarrhoea, then the disease will be healed. Do not eat any of

the five-pungencies, do not eat meat, and do not drink alcohol.”

“If burned by a fire, recite the Dharani 21 times towards some dung of black cows, apply

them on the sores, the pain will be healed.”

“If one’s heart is being attacked by ascarids, recite the Dharani 21 times towards a half

bowl of urine of a white horse and take it, then the disease will be healed. If the disease is

serious, take more medicine up to 1 bowl, then the ascarids will come out like a linked

rope.”

“For a Nail-sore, find some Ling-Sil-leaves, grind them and get the juice, recite the Dharani

21 times towards the juice, apply the juice to the sore, pull the sore out by the root and it

will be healed immediately.”

“If one’s eyes were bitten by flies, find some new dung of donkey, filter it and get the

liquid, recite the Dharani 21 times towards the liquid, drop it into the eyes when lying on

the bed at night, then the disease will be healed.”

“For bellyaches, mix Well-flower-water with YanSheng-salt to make 21 pellets, recite the

Dharani 21 times towards them, take half a bowl of the medicine, then the disease will be

healed.”

“For red-eyed diseases, or neoplasms in eyes, or cataracts, find some leaves of Chinesewolfberry

(Gau-Gey), grind them and get their juice, recite the Dharani 21 times towards

the juice, soak a bronze copper coin in the juice overnight, recite the Dharani towards it 7

more times, drop the juice into the eyes, then the disease will be healed.”

“If someone is afraid and not peaceful at night, and he may even be frightened when

entering or leaving a house, he should make a rope with white threads, recite the Dharani

21 times towards it, tie it into 21 knots, and wear it on his neck, then the fear will

disappear. Not only will his fear disappear, his sins will also be eliminated.”

“If some unexpected calamities come to your household, find a guava branch, cut it into

1008 segments, smear some ghee and honey on both ends of them, recite the Dharani once

and burn one segment, burn up all 1008 segments in this way, then all calamities will

disappear. This must be done in front of a Buddha.”

“If you recite the Dharani 21 times towards a white flagleaf and tie it to your right arm,

you will always win others in all fighting places and debating places.”

“If you find some leaves and branches of Sami(*), cut them into 1008 segments, smear

some true-cow-ghee and white-honey-cow-ghee on both ends of them, recite the Dharani

once towards each segment and burn it, and burn up all 1008 segments in this way. Do

this 3 times each day, 1008 times each time, for 7 days, then you, as a Mantra-master,

will realize the Through-Wisdom of yourself.”

“If you wish to tame powerful ghosts or spirits, find some Wood-Wan-Tzee, recite the

Dharani 49 times towards them, smear some ghee and honey on them, and burn them up.

This must be done in front of a statue of Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara

Bodhisattva.”

“If you put 1 large Lerng of bezoar(Cow yellow) into a lapis-lazuli bottle, then put the

bottle in front of a statue of Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the

Dharani 108 times toward it, apply the bezoar on your body and dot it on your forehead,

then all gods, dragons, ghosts, spirits, human and non-human beings will be pleased.”

“If being chained and locked, find some dung of white pigeons, recite the Dharani 108

times towards them, smear them on your hands and rub the chains and locks, then the

chains and locks will open of themselves.”

“If a husband and wife have a disharmonious relationship and their situation is like that of

water and fire, find some feathers of the tail of mandarin ducks, in front of a statue of

Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, recite the Dharani 1008 times towards

the feathers and let the couple wear them, then the couple will be delightful, and will love

and respect each other unto the end of their lives.”

“If the seeds and fruits in your farm are being eaten by insects, find some clean ashes, or

clean sands, or clean water, recite the Dharani 21 times towards them, sprinkle them

around the farm and the seedlings, then the insects will quit. If you sprinkle some

Mantra-water on the fruit trees, the insects will not dare to eat the fruits.”

The Buddha told Ananda: ”

For richness, treasures, or various valuables and necessities, use the Wish-Fulfilling Pearl

Mudra(gesture).

For seeking stable life in various unstable situations, use the Pasa(lasso / lariat) Mudra.

For various diseases in abdomen, use the Precious Bowl Mudra.

For vanquishing all demons, monsters, ghosts, and spirits, use the Precious Glave(double

edge sword) Mudra.

For vanquishing all heavenly demons and deities, use the Vajra Mudra.

For taming all enemies, use the Vajra Pestle Mudra.

For eliminating all fears in any situation, use the Fearless-Giving (Abhayam-dada) Mudra.

For healing dim eyes, use the Sun-Quintessence Mani Mudra.

If one has a disease caused by the poison of heat and seeks for refreshing coolness, he

should use the Moon-Quintessence Mani Mudra.

For high positions and promotions, use the Precious Bow Mudra.

For meeting all virtuous friends as soon as possible, use the Precious Arrow Mudra.

For healing various diseases on one’s body, use the Willow Branch Mudra.

For eliminating evil obstacles and misfortunes of one’s body, use the White Whisk Mudra.

For good harmony among all relatives, use the Precious Vase Mudra.

For evading all tigers, wolves, jackals, panthers, and other fierce beasts, use the Shield

Mudra.

For always resting in peace and avoiding being imprisoned, use the Axe-Tomahawk

Mudra.

For commanding men and women, use the Jade Bracelet Mudra.

For various merits and virtues, use the White Lotus Mudra.

For rebirth in pure lands of the ten directions, use the Blue Lotus Mudra.

For great wisdom, use the Precious Mirror Mudra.

For personally meeting all Buddhas of the ten directions, use the Purple Lotus Mudra.

For underground precious deposits, use the Precious Box Mudra.

For achieving the Way(Tao) of immortals, use the Five Colored Cloud Mudra.

For rebirth in Brahma heaven, use the Bath Bottle Mudra.

For rebirth in heavenly palaces, use the Red Lotus Mudra.

For vanquishing traitors of other places, use the Precious Halberd Mudra.

For summoning all virtuous heavenly gods, use the Precious Trumpet Shell Mudra.

For commanding all ghosts and spirits, use the Skull Staff Mudra.

For the Buddhas of the ten directions coming to receive you with their hands quickly, use

the Prayer Beads Mudra.

For achieving all superior wonderful Brahma sounds, use the Precious Bell Mudra.

For the ability of eloquent, clever, and wonderful speech (mouth karma), use the Precious

Seal Mudra.

To be constantly guarded by virtuous gods and dragon kings, use the Kusinagara Iron

Hook Mudra.

For mercifully sheltering and protecting all living beings, use the Tin Staff Mudra.

For making all living beings always respect and love each others, use the Joining Palms

Mudra.

For always being reborn beside Buddhas for all lifetimes, use the Nirmana(Miraculously

Created) Buddha Mudra.

To be always reborn in the palaces of Buddhas for all lifetimes, and never be born from a

womb, use the Nirmana-Palace Mudra.

For eruditeness, use the Precious Sutra Mudra.

If you wish that from your current incarnation(lifetime) to the incarnation that you are a

Buddha, you will never retrogress from or lose the Bodhi-Heart, use the Nonretrogression

Gold Wheel Mudra.

If you wish that the Buddhas of the ten directions will come quickly to rub your summit

and award you the mark of future Buddhahood, use the Summit Nirmana Buddha Mudra.

For fruits, melons, and various crops, use the Grape Mudra.

There are thousands of such requesting Mudras, now I have just briefly said some of

them.”

Sunlight Bodhisattva then spoke a great holy Mantra for those who accept and hold the

Great Compassionate Heart Dharani to protect them:

“Namo Buddha Kunami, Namo Dharma Mahadi, Namo Sangha Tayeni, DhriBhuBhi

Sattva Yam Namo”

“This Mantra can extinguish all sins, and can evade demons and natural disasters. If one

can recite the Dharani once and bow to the Buddhas once, 3 times daily, recite the

Dharani and bow to the Buddhas, then in his next lifetime, he will gain the delightful fruitrepayment

that all of his facial features are handsome.”

Moonlight Bodhisattva also spoke a Dharani to protect practitioners:

“Sumdhidi Tusuza Ahjamidi Uduza SumKiza Bolaidi Yemijaza Uduza Kuladiza Kimoza

Svaha”

“Recite this Mantra five times, making a Mantra-Rope with five colored threads, and

wear it on where it is sore. This Mantra had been spoken by the previous 40 Gangesriver-

sands Buddhas, now I also speak it, for supporting all practitioners, for eliminating

all obstacles and calamities, for healing all serious diseases and relieving all sufferings, for

accomplishing all virtuous Dharmas, for eliminating all fears.”

The Buddha told Ananda: “You should accept and uphold this Great Compassion

Dharani with a deeply pure heart, spread it abroad widely throughout Jambudvipa and

never allow it to be lost. This Dharani can greatly benefit all living beings of the Three

Realms of Transmigrations, all living beings suffering from diseases can use this Dharani

to heal their diseases. Even a withered tree can grow new branches, flowers and fruits

when someone recites this great holy Dharani towards it. Thus, it is impossible that any

diseases of sentient and conscious beings cannot be healed by this Dharani.”

“Virtuous man, the mighty and sacrosanct power of this Dharani is unimaginable, is

unimaginable, and one will never be able to fully praise it. If one has not extensively

planted virtuous roots since the long distant past, he is not able to hear even the name of

this Dharani, much less that he could see it. All of you in this congregation — the gods,

human beings, dragons, spirits, should accordingly rejoice when hearing my praise.

Slandering this Dharani is equal to slandering those 9.9 billion Ganges-river-sands

Buddhas.

If anyone doubts, or disbelieves this Dharani, we should know that he loses great benefits

forever. For billions of kalpas, he will constantly fall into the evil categories (of hell

beings, hungry ghosts, and animals) and unable to escape; he will always be unable to see

the Buddhas, unable to hear the Dharmas, and unable to see the Sanghas.”

After hearing the Buddha praise this Dharani, the whole congregation — the Bodhisattva-

Mahasattvas, Vajra Secret-Traces Divinities, Brahmas, Sakra, gods, the four heavenly

kings, dragons, ghosts, and spirits, were all delighted, they accepted the teaching

respectfully and started practicing it.

“When I have attained Buddhahood, if those beings who are in the ten quarters should believe in me with serene thoughts, and should wish to be born in my country, and should have, say, ten times thought of me (or repeated my name) – if they should not be born there, may I not obtain the perfect knowledge; – barring only those who have committed the five heinous crimes, and those who have spoken ill of the good Dharma.”

— Amitabha Sutra

“Namo Amitabha” is a praise chanted in different forms by millions — as a complete practice in itself. He is best known as the Buddha of Compassion. Sometimes he is called the “Buddha of infinite merits” and also “Buddha of Infinite Light.” Amitabha fulfils the “savior” role amongst the Buddhas (together with his spiritual children Avaolokiteshvara and Tara) — this because of his “great vow” in 48 points (see sutra below.) His actual name praise is, in full: “Om Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya” in Sanskrit. (In Japanese, Namu Amida Butsu)

It is this role, as savior, and the simplicity of his vow and practice that empowers Pure Land practitioners. Pure Land Buddhism takes full refuge in Buddha Amitabha, and a primary practice is to praise his name. Some traditions, such as Jodo-shinshu have Amitabha as the sole deity. Yet, Amitabha is a major aspect of all traditions of Mahayana, loved by millions because of his vow and his limitless compassion.

One of his popular labels is is just “Western Buddha.” Amitabha is the warmth of the western red, setting sun — his name literally means “infinite light” — and he is the refuge of many millions of Buddhists. Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is also associated with the west; some scholars directly relate Shakyamuni to Amitabha. [Note: the full shorter verison of the Amitabha Sutra is at the end of this feature.]

Amitabha: merits so vast, all can benefit

Not only is he practiced by nearly all Mahayana Buddhists, he is the most approachable Buddha for a new Buddhist to practice. In this life, we are conditioned to respond in kind to love and compassion — and Amitabha is the highest form of both. This is why his practitioners tend to display so much love and compassion and faith in Amitabha. Who doesn’t welcome compassion and love in their lives? Other Buddha forms might represent “wisdom” or “healing” or “protection”, but Amitabha is best known as “compassion” and “love.” Of course, Amitabha stands for wisdom, heals and protects — and other Buddhas are equally compassionate — but his “label” is defined by compassion. This was established in his great sutra vows.

His practice is easy and welcoming, and his merits are so vast that all beings can benefit. Everyone can identify with his role as the embodiment of “compassionate love.”

He is synonymous with Pure Land Buddhism, because, through his efforts (practice of eons) he created this happy pure land called Sukhavati (literally

meaning “possessing happiness.”) Because of his meritorious vow, anyone who calls out his name will be reborn into this happy paradise. In modern context, many people think of the pure land as a “mind state” — the peaceful mind of a realized being — rather than as a remote place.

The vow he made, in front of his own Guru (before he was Enlightened) — according to the Larger Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra — was:

“When I have attained Buddhahood, if those beings who are in the ten quarters should believe in me with serene thoughts, and should wish to be born in my country, and should have, say, ten times thought of me (or repeated my name) – if they should not be born there, may I not obtain the perfect knowledge; – barring only those who have committed the five heinous crimes, and those who have spoken ill of the good Dharma.”

The five heinous crimes that would exclude one from Amitabha’s pureland Sukhavati are:

1. Intenionally killing one’s own father.
2. Intentionally killing one’s own mother.
3. Killing an Arhat or Bodhisattva.
4. Shedding the blood of a Buddha.
5. Creating a schism within the Sangha (the community of Buddhists).

Otherwise, the practice of calling out Amitabha Buddha’s name at least ten times (especially when dying) is a practice that helps lift our minds to the pure land of Sukhavati.

Amitabha, Lord of the Lotus Family

Amitabha (aka Amita, Amida, Amitayus) is Lord of the Lotus Family and the Sukhavati Pure Land — which literally can mean “happy land”. He is probably the best known of the Enlightened manifestations in Mahayana — aside from Shakyamuni Buddha himself. Amitabha is the primary Buddha in many Pure Land Buddhism schools, and is very important in Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism. Second only to Amitabha in popularity would be his spiritual son in the Lotus (Padma) family, Avalokiteshvara (or Guan Yin, Kuanyin, Kannon).

The Lotus (Padma in Sanskrit)  family is associated with: west, red, magnetizing, lotus, the “wisdom of discernment”, overcoming the poison of desire and the skanda of perception, Dharma and speech, and fire.

The deities of the Padma family (also known as “magnetizing deities), under Amitabha’s gentle care are (with links to more detailed stories):

• Amitayus (a form of Amitabha) “Infinite life” and long life instead of “infinite light”
• Pandaravasini (Amitabha’s precious wisdom consort)
• Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Kuanyin, Guan Yin, Kannon) (More details on Avalokiteshvara here>>)
• White Tara (More details on White Tara here>>)
• Manjushri (the Buddha of Wisdom) is normally associated with Padma family
• Heruka Hayagriva (heroic or wrathful form of Amitabha) (More details on wrathful Hayagriva here>>)
• Vajrayayogini / Guhyajnana, the Secret Wisdom Deity (More details on Vajrayogini here>>)
• Vajradharma (a highest yoga Tantra deity representing Enlightened Speech)
• Padmasambhava (according to Tantra, he is an emanation of Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara) (See this story with teachings from the Lotus Born>>)
• Vajravarahi (Red Dakini queen)
• Kurukulla (sometimes spelled Kurukulle): an enlightened form of discerning wisdom, a fierce form of Tara
• Green Tara (She is actually part of Amoghisiddi’s Karma (action) family as consort, but she is an aspect/emanation of Avaolokiteshvara and her teacher is Amitabha, making her a member of “both” families: Padma and Karma). (More details on Green Tara here>>)

Most of the red deities in Tantra are “magnetizing” deities and would be considered, at least, connected to the Padma Lotus family of Amitabha. For example, the practice of the Great Cloud of Blessings composed by Jamgön Mipham Gyatso in 1879 supplicates and honours most of the Buddhas listed above, specifically: Dharmakaya Amitabha, Vajradharma, Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, Heruka Hayagriva, Guhyajnana (Vajrayogini), Vajravarahi, Mahadeva, and Kurukulla.

What’s in a name?: compassion and Dharma

Although all Buddhas have the same realizations and essence, the Padma family — the Lotus deities of the west — represent the speech and Dharma, and also the compassion of all the Buddhas. Of the three jewels — Buddha, Dharma and Sangha — the sutras indicate Dharma is the most important. The teachings help us progress on the Bodhisattva’s compassionate path to Enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Because of Amitabha’s infinite merits and compassion, simply calling out his name is enough to draw his infinite life. Repeated recitation of his name praise (known as nianfo in Chinese and nembutsu in Japanese) — or his mantras — can help his devotee be reborn in Sukhavati Pure Land. In different languages, these name praises (Romanized) are:

• Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya (pronounced Ah-me-tah-byah-ya) in Sanskrit
• Namo Emituofo in Mandarin Chinese
• Namo Amituofo in Cantonese Chinese
• Namu Amida Butsu in Japanese (in Jodo Shinzu, sometimes Na man da bu)
• Namu Amita Bul in Korean

Why do some schools consider the name praise repetition a complete practice (aside from sutra instructions)? To get to the essence of why requires a full discussion of Emptiness and Dependent Origination and labels, which is fundamental Mahayana Buddhist understanding. For simplicity, until we Enlightenment, labels define qualities and have significant power (imprints) on our minds. If we label a car a Toyota, it becomes a Toyota; otherwise it is just a few thousand auto parts.

Calling out Amitabha’s name is to identify with and call out for the blessings of what that label signifies — Compassion, Infinite Merit, Virtue, Infinite Light, Dharma, Happiness in Sukhavati, Long life, and so on. But, not just “small c” compassion; Amitabha literally IS the Compassion of all the Buddhas — in essence, the compassion of the universe. We are connecting with universal Compassion, Happiness, and so on, not just a little one-on-one compassion.

What’s in an appearance?

Amitabha’s appearance, as we visualize him, reveals 84,000 auspicious marks and virtues — symbolic of his infinite virtues. He is among the most recognizable, similar to Shakyamuni in many aspects. He appears as a monk (in his main form) with huis hands in the meditation mudra: thumbs touching, fingers laid on top of each other. (Shakyamuni Buddha is normally similar, but normally shown with the “earth touching mudra”.)

In Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhism, Amitabha’s relationship with speech (Dharma), the west, and compassion are symbolized by the colour red. We would visualize this as a “body of red light” — not of flesh and bone. He can be visualized with or without his Wisdom Consort Pandaravasini. He is often visualized with hit two main disciples: Avalokiteshvara to the right (Buddha of Compassion) and Vajrapani to the left (Buddha of Power). The Panchen Lamas and the Shamarpas are considered to be emanations of Amitabha, in the same way the Dalai Lama is considered to be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara.

Why Western Buddha?

Direction is typically a symbol, since Buddha’s do not exist singularly in a specific direction or place. As a symbol, Amitabha is associated with the West in all traditions. This is because his pure land is symbolically placed in the West — the land of happiness (Western Pureland named Sukhavati). Ancient tradition associated the passing of life into the west. Traditionally, when we die, if we practiced Amitabha, we would, depending on our karma, be born into this happy Western Pureland to continue our practice and receive teachings — or, we would be reborn. Also significant are the red colour of the western setting sun and other factors.

Mantra of Amitabha

His mantra is particularly effective — and those of any Lotus family deity — because they literally embody the “speech of all the Buddhas.” No initiation or empowerment or permission is needed to chant or benefit from this all-encompassing compassionate Buddha.

Beautiful chanting of Om Ami Dewa Hrih, the mantra of Amitabha:

His simple is often the first one given by Buddhist teachers. His main mantra, in Sanskrit, is:

Om Amitabha Hrih

Pronounced: Ohm Ah-me-tah-bah Hree  (with the H “aspirated”)

In Tibetan this is often modified as:

Om Ami Deva Hrih

or

Om Ami Dewa Hrih

In Shingon Buddhism, the mantra is often chanted as:

On amirita teizei kara un

Also, the name praises, listed above, are mantric in nature, and can be chanted repetitively to invite the merit of Amitabha into your life.

Practicing Amitabha

Although the name praise alone is a complete practice, if you wish to seriously engage in meditating on this meritorious and compassionate Buddha, a simple practice would include the necessary elements of Mahayana practice:

• Refuge, stated out loud, such as: “I take refuge in the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha”
• Bodhichitta aspiration, such as “I will attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.”
• (Optionally) the Four Immeasurables: “ May all beings have happiness and the cause of happiness. May they be free of suffering and the cause of suffering. May they never be disassociated from the supreme happiness which is without suffering. May they remain in the boundless equanimity, free from both attachment to close ones and rejection of others.”
• Offering (not necessarily physical — your practice is an offering: or a simple candle, or bowl of water) (For more elaborate offerings see our story on Water Bowl offerings>> https://buddhaweekly.com/buddhist-water-bowl-offerings-as-an-antidote-to-attachment/
• Visualize the Buddha as described above (or as given by your teacher) normally as a monk, seated in meditation, a body of red light.
• Chant the mantra (108 times is traditional)
• Dedicate the merit: “I dedicate the merit of this practice to the cause for enlightenment for all beings.” (For a video on why “dedicating merit” is critical, see>>)

There are also very advanced practices, such as Powa, and Amitayus long-life practices, which do require guidance of a teacher and initiation.

Dhyani Buddhas

In the cosmic world of deities, there are five Dhyani Buddhas, heading up five Buddha families (we’ve covered this in separate stories). The colour of the Buddhas is significant: white (body), red (speech), blue (mind), green (action or karma) — Amitabha and his family are red. Amitabha known as the Buddha of Discriminating Awareness Wisdoms. Amitabha is always associated with the west in all schools, although some of the other Dhyani Buddhas transpose from school-to-school based on symbolism and teachings. The five Dhyani Buddhas are:

• Vairochana
• Amitabha
• Akshobhya
• Amoghisiddhi
• Ratnasambhava

Meanwhile, in the more intensely visualized Vajrayana schools, Amitabha has countless manifestations, peaceful and wrathful. All of the “red” deities (the symbolic colour of the Lotus/Padma family) could be thought of as manifestations or emanations of Amitabha, including: Amitayas (Buddha of Infinite Life), Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) and all his emanations, Hayagriva (the most wrathful manifestation) and countless others. All of these emanations represent the compassion of the Lotus family, and also the Speech of the Buddhas (Dharma).

Sutra teachings

There are many sutras that mention Amitabha, and three canonical Mahayana sutras that focus on his doctrines and practice:

• Infinite Life Sutra
• Amitabha Sutra (short version in full below)
• Amitayurdhyana Sutra

Video animation of Buddha speaking the Amitabha Sutra with subtitles in English:

Amitabha Sutra

The smaller Sukhavati-Vyuha

1. Thus have I heard: Once the Buddha was dwelling in the Anathapindada Garden of Jetavana in the country of Shravasti together with a large company of Bhikshus of twelve hundred and fifty members. They were all great Arhats, well known among people, (to wit): Shariputra the elder, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakaushthila, Revata, Shuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-Bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakapphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha, etc., all great Shravakas [lit. disciples]; and with many Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, (such as), Manjushri, Prince of the Lord of Truth, Bodhisattva Ajita, Bodhisattva Gandhahastin, Bodhisattva Nityodyukta, etc., all great Bodhisattvas; and also with a large company of innumerable devas, (such as) Shakrodevanam-Indra, etc.
2. Then the Buddha addressed Shariputra, the elder, and said, ‘Beyond a hundred thousand kotis of Buddha-lands westwards from here, there is a world named Sukhavati. In that world there is a Buddha, Amita(-ayus) by name, now dwelling and preaching the law. Shariputra, why is that country named Sukhavati? The living beings in that country have no pains, but receive pleasures only. Therefore, it is called Sukhavati.
3. ‘Again, Shariputra, in the land Sukhavati (there are) seven rows of balustrades, seven rows of fine nets, and seven rows of arrayed trees; they are all of four gems and surround and enclose (the land). For this reason the land is called Sukhavati.
4. ‘Again, Shariputra, in the land Sukhavati there are lakes of the seven gems, in which is filled water with the eight meritorious qualities. The lake-bases are strewn with golden sand, and the stairs of the four sides are made of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. On land there are stories and galleries adorned with gold, silver, beryl, crystal, white coral, red pearl and diamond [lit. agate]. The lotus-flowers in the lakes, large as chariot wheels, are blue-colored with blue splendor, yellow-colored with yellow splendor, red-colored with red splendor, white-colored with white splendor, and (they are all) the most exquisite and purely fragrant. Shariputra, the land Sukhavati is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.

5. ‘Again, Shariputra, in that Buddha-land there are heavenly musical instruments always played on; gold is spread on the ground; and six times every day and night it showers Mandarava blossoms. Usually in the serene morning lit. dawn] all of those who live in that land fill their plates with those wonderful blossoms, and (go to) make offering to a hundred thousand kotis of Buddhas of other regions; and at the time of the meal they come back to their own country, and take their meal and have a walk. Shariputra, the Sukhavati land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.
6. ‘And again, Shariputra, in that country there are always various wonderful birds of different colors, — swan, peacock, parrot, Chari, Kalavinka and the bird of double-heads [lit. double-lives]. Six times every day and night all those birds sing in melodious tune, and that tune proclaims the Five Virtues [lit. organs], the Five powers, the Seven Bodhi-paths, the Eight Noble Truths, and other laws of the kind. The living beings in that land, having heard that singing, all invoke the Buddha, invoke the Dharma, and invoke the Sangha. Shariputra, you should not think that these birds are in fact born as punishment for sin. What is the reason? (Because), in that Buddha-land there exist not the Three Evil Realms. Shariputra, in that Buddha-land there are not (to be heard) even the names of the Three Evil Realms. How could there be the realms themselves! All those birds are what Buddha Amitayus miraculously created with the desire to let them spread the voice of the Law. Shariputra, (when) in that Buddha-land a gentle breeze happens to blow, the precious trees in rows and the begemmed nets emit a delicate enrapturing tune, and it is just as if a hundred thousand musical instruments played at the same time. Everybody who hears that music naturally conceives the thought to invoke the Buddha, to invoke the Dharma, and to invoke the Sangha. Shariputra, that Buddha-land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.
7. ‘Shariputra, what do you think in your mind, for what reason that Buddha is called Amita(-abha)? Shariputra, the light of that Buddha is boundless and shining without impediments all over the countries of the ten quarters. Therefore he is called Amita(-abha). Again, Shariputra, the life of that Buddha and of his people is endless and boundless in Asamkhya-kalpas, so he is named Amita(-ayus). Shariputra, since Buddha Amitayus attained Buddhahood, (it has passed) now ten Kalpas. Again, Shariputra, that Buddha has numerous Shravakas or disciples, who are all Arhats and whose number cannot be known by (ordinary) calculation. (The number of) Bodhisattvas (cannot be known) also. Shariputra, that Buddha-land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.
8. ‘Again, Shariputra, the beings born in the land Sukhavati are all Avinivartaniya. Among them is a multitude of beings bound to one birth only; and their number, being extremely large, cannot be expressed by (ordinary) calculation. Only can it be mentioned in boundless Asamkhya-kalpas. Shariputra, the sentient beings who hear (this account) ought to put up their prayer that they may be born into that country; for they will be able to be in the same place together with those noble personages. Shariputra, by means of small good works [lit. roots] or virtues no one can be born in that country.
9. ‘Shariputra, if there be a good man or a good woman, who, on hearing of Buddha Amitayus, keeps his name (in mind) with thoughts undisturbed for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, that person, when about to die, (will see) Amitayus Buddha accompanied by his holy host appear before him; and immediately after his death, he with his mind undisturbed can be born into the Sukhavati land of Buddha Amitayus. Shariputra, as I witness this benefit, I say these words; Every being who listens to this preaching ought to offer up prayer with the desire to be born into that country.
10. ‘Shariputra, as I now glorify the inconceivable excellences of Amitayus Buddha, there are also in the Eastern quarters Buddha Akshobhya, Buddha Merudhvaja, Buddha Mahameru, Buddha Meruprabhasa, Buddha Manjughosha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words; All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
11. ‘Shariputra, in the Southern worlds there are Buddha Candrasuryapradipa, Buddha Yacahprabha, Buddha Maharciskandha, Buddha Merupradipa, Buddha Anantavirya, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
12. ‘Shariputra, in the Western worlds there are Buddha Amitayus, Buddha Amitalakshana, Buddha Amitadhvaja, Buddha Mahaprabha, Buddha Mahanirbhasa, Buddha Ratnala kshana, Buddha Shuddharashmiprabha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
13. ‘Shariputra, in the Northern worlds there are Buddha Arciskandha, Buddha Vaishvanaranirghosha, Buddha Dushpradharsha, Buddha Adityasambhava, Buddha Jaliniprabha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
14. ‘Shariputra, in the Nadir worlds there are Buddha Simha, Buddha Yacas, Buddha Yashaprabhava, Buddha Dharma, Buddha Dharmadhvaja, Buddha Dharmadhara, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
15. ‘Shariputra, in the Zenith words there are Buddha Brahmaghosha, Buddha Nakshatraraja, Buddha Gandhottama, Buddha Gandhaprabhasa, Buddha Maharciskandha, Buddha Ratnakusumasampushpitagatra, Buddha Salendraraja, Buddha Ratnotpalashri, Buddha Sarvarthadarsha, Buddha Sumerukalpa, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganges^1, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).
16. ‘Shariputra, what do you think in your mind, why it is called the Sutra approved and protected by all the Buddhas? Shariputra, if there be a good man or a good woman who listens to those Buddhas’ invocation of the name (of Buddha Amitayus) and the name of this Sutra, that good man or woman will be protected by all the Buddhas and never fail to attain Anuttara-samyaksambodhi. For this reason, Shariputra, all of you should believe in my words and in what all the Buddhas proclaim. Shariputra, if there are men who have already made, are now making, or shall make, prayer with the desire to be born in the land of Buddha Amitayus, they never fail to attain Anuttara-samyaksambodhi, and have been born, are now being born, or shall be born in that country. Therefore, Shariputra, a good man or good woman who has the faith ought to offer up prayers to be born in that land.
17. ‘Shariputra, as I am now praising the inconceivable excellences of those Buddhas, so all those Buddhas are magnifying the inconceivable excellences of myself, saying these words: Shakyamuni, the Buddha, has successfully achieved a rare thing of extreme difficulty; he has attained Anuttara-samyaksambodhi in the Saha world in the evil period of five corruptions — Corruption of Kalpa, Corruption of Belief, Corruption of Passions, Corruption of Living Beings, and Corruption of Life; and for the sake of all the sentient beings he is preaching the Law which is not easy to accept. Shariputra, you must see that in the midst of this evil world of five corruptions I have achieved this difficult thing of attaining Anuttara-samyaksambodhi, and for the benefit of all the beings I am preaching the Law which is difficult to be accepted. This is how it is esteemed as (a thing of) extreme difficulty.’

The Buddha having preached this Sutra, Shariputra and Bhikshus, and Devas, men, Asuras, etc., of all the worlds, who have listened to the Buddha’s preaching, believed and accepted with joy, made worship, and went away.

He said, simply, “You have time for a mantra, don’t you?” He laughed and went on to explain how he’s always on an airplane headed to some teaching engagement or another, but he is able to do his practices from the uncomfortable economy-class seat.

Mingyur Rinpoche: “Join your spiritual life and daily life together”

Prayer Wheels and H.E. Garchen Rinpoche

“There are some practitioners who have a strong aspiration to engage in practice and although they really want to practice, due to some karmas they have accumulated in the past, they have not the opportunity to practice and they are under the power of someone else and so they cannot practice. For them it becomes very important to look for skillful means to engage in practices.”

• For a feature story on Prayer Wheels see “Wheel of Dharma: Why Prayer Wheels May be the Ideal Buddhist Practice for Busy People>>]

Mantra — “mind method”

“In both sutra and tantra, the word mantra has the same connotation  — protecting the mind.” [1]

“The meaning of mantra is “guarding the mind.” Guarding it from what? From clinging, or attachment, and the view of this life.

• Buddha Weekly’s video playlist with dozens of mantra videos, from Tara to Vajrakilaya to Hayagriva to Shakyamuni Buddha>>

Guru Rinpoche’s famously effective mantra:

Mantra “fortifies” our mind

• See “Science of Medication: Peer reviewed studies”>>

Mantra and physiotherapy

Mantra: essence of Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind

“Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of wisdom, the mantra of great knowledge, the unsurpassed mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled, the mantra that thoroughly pacifies all suffering, should be known as truth since it is not false. The mantra of the perfection of wisdom is declared:

TADYATHA GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

“Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like that.”

Mantra — the simplest of practices, the most complete of practices

Dharma and “words” most important Jewel?

Mantra and words capture essence of all

“Secret mantra is not only to guard your mind; it has many functions and benefits. Even the three-syllable mantra, OM AH HUM, or just one syllable has all these powers. For instance, the six-syllable mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, contains the whole path, the whole Dharma. There is not a single Dharma that is not contained in that mantra. MANI is method and PADME is wisdom.

NOTES

“Manjushri is the father and mother of the Bodhissatvas, and their spiritual child.” [3]

Manjushri’s numerous faces, personas, and complexities only hint at the completeness of Buddha Manjushri  — father, mother and child at the same time!  We see Manjushri, the “child” Bodhisattva, sitting at the side of Shakyamuni in the Sutras, asking profound questions. [Child here means “Bodhisattva” or spiritual child of the Buddha.] At the same time, we meditate on the fully enlightened Buddha Manjushri, the perfect representation of Wisdom. As Orange Manjushri, his best-known form, we see “youthful” Manjushri. As Black Manjushri, the healer. As Yamantaka the ferocious, unbeatable foe of death! No Buddha has as many emanations and faces as Noble Manjushri.

Whit

Special Manjushri Event: Empowerment of White Manjushri!

Note: A short daily Orange Manjushri Sadhana from the fifth Dalai Lama is at the end of this feature. This practice is open to anyone as praise and meditation (assuming you visualize Manjushri in front of you.)

Mother and Father and Child Manjushri?

Since Wisdom — specifically the Enlightened understanding of Shunyata — is the Mother of Buddhas, Manjushri the Buddha of Wisdom is Mother. Why is Wisdom the Mother? Without Wisdom, no Buddha can be Enlightened.

Buddha Enlightenment is born from two “equal wings”: Wisdom and Compassion. Wisdom is Mother. Compassion is Father. Since Manjushri embodies both, he is both Father and Mother.

Of course, all Buddhas embody both — but Manjushri’s forms and appearance focus on both at the same time in terms of visual symbolism:

• In his right hand the Prajna Kudga, the flaming sword of wisdom — which represents the activity of “cutting through delusions” — compassionate action, and therefore “Father”

• In his left hand he holds the stem of a Lotus, upon which is the Prajnaparamita sutra. Prajnaparamita is Mother, which he fully embodies

• He manifests also as a youthful Bodhisattva — the “child” of the Buddhas.

Glorious youthful Manjushri, with his iconic sword of active wisdom, is just one of his many forms of wisdom. To fulfill this mission, as teacher, guide and protector, Manjushri manifests with many faces. Traditionally, in Mahayana Buddhism, each Buddha manifests in up to “eleven forms, expressions of “skillful means” — and each deity form is profound and popular for different reasons. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Manjushri, the Buddha who embodies Father, Mother, Bodhisattva Child, peaceful, wrathful, and even beastly. Why so many faces? Manjushri’s mission of “Compassionate Wisdom” demands “skillful means.”

Peaceful, Wrathful, Semi-wrathful, Animal Aspect, and more

People who do not understand the profound “method” of deity visualization may think of the many forms of Buddha as superstitious. They are, in fact, deeply profound, incorporating universal archetypal symbolism and visual triggers to our own innate wisdom process.

Why would Manjushri manifest with an “animal head? His “Highest Form” Yamantaka has nine heads, one of which is a Buffalo head. Why do we sometimes meditate on a ferocious Black Manjushri? Why is Manjushri sometimes a youthful sixteen-year-old holding a flaming Wisdom Sword (“Prajna Kudga”) and the Prajnaparamita Sutra? In between those extremes is semi-fierce Black Manjushri.

Dharma as Medicine, Buddha forms as Doctors

The great teachers often present Dharma as analogous to medicine — Dharma as medicine, Buddha as “doctor” and Sangha as “supporting care givers.” Manjushri practice is Dharma (medicine), his forms are “doctors” — some forms are specialists, such as surgeons, other viral experts — and his Entourage are the “supporting Sangha.”

In previous features, we’ve used the analogy of the parent to describe wrathful deities; in the same way a father might take on the “persona” of “kind” or “sympathetic” or “fierce” parent, depending on the needs of a child, Manjushri — and all Buddha’s — manifest in various forms to teach or guide us. Which father would you rather have at your side if you are bullied at school? Probably the fierce and protective father. When you are struggling great tragedy? Probably the kindly, hand-holding father. [For more on this, see this feature on Wrathful deities>>]

Doctor, Specialist and Surgeon

In other words, if you grouped the Buddha “emanation” forms by wrathfulness and compared to “doctor” function you might see this analogy:

• Peaceful form of Manjushri — Family Doctor
• Semi-wrathful form of Manjushri, such as Black Manjushri— surgeon or specialist
• Wrathful form of Manjushri, such as Yamantaka — Specialist surgeon (neurosurgery, for example.)

In the more common metaphor of “father” personality:

• Peaceful form of Manjushri — kindly father who listens to your problems
• Semi-wrathful form of Manjushri — father ready to defend or discipline his child (for their own good.)
• Wrathful form of Manjushri — the enraged protective father who would do anything to protect his child — in the case of the “Vajra Terrifier” Yamantaka, he protects from death.

Mantra as Medicine

Since Manjushri encompasses Mother, Father and Child aspects, his core mantra is likewise all-encompassing. If Manjushri can be thought of as Doctor, his mantra is the medicine:

Om A Ra Pa Cha Na Dhi

Om starts all mantras, and Dhi is Manjushri’s “seed syllable.” For this reason his mantra is often called the ARAPACHANA mantra. Its effect on mind and body has actually been studied. Here is a full feature on a Cognitive Study of ARAPACHANA by Dr. Deepika Chamoli Shahi, PhD>>

Manjushri’s powerful mantra is open to anyone to chant:

Why is Black Manjushri associated with healing?

Black and wrathful symbolize ferocious energy. While we may wish for a “peaceful” state of mind when contemplating mindfulness or Dharma, when we have need of healing it is more important to “activate” mind-over-body. Contemplating and visualizing Black Manjushri — in front of you if you don’t have initiation — and chanting his mantra is a famous healing practice. While it certainly does NOT replace advice from your physician, there is no doubt that — with faith — Black Manjushri’s healing energy can be helpful. Hundreds of lineage teachers through many generations have relied on the practice. For a story on Black Manjushri, see>>

Black Manjushri’s Mantra is acceptable to chant without empowerment as long as you visualize the Buddha in front of you:

The mantra is:

OM PRASO CHUSO DURTASO DURMISO NYING GOLA CHO KALA DZA KAM SHAM TRAM BHE PHET SOHA

It is also helpful to chant Manjushri’s mantra:

Om Ah Rah Pah Chah Na Dih

Black Manjushri for healing: a guided visualization:

Five key forms of any Buddha

People new to Mahayana Buddhism often wonder at Sutra references such as “hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhalands to the West, there is a world called Ultimate Bliss.” [1]

References to millions of Buddhas or Purelands are reasonable, given that the Universe is Infinite — and if you understand that all sentient beings have “Buddha Nature.” [For a feature on Buddha Nature, see>>]

Colour is often used to symbolize the five key aspects that focus on the five poisons (skandhas): White, Blue, Red, Yellow (Gold), and Green. There is also “Black” for wrathful forms. For example, there are white, yellow, or orange and black Manjushris.

How we meditate on a Buddha varies. Not only do we have the many Buddhas — Manjushri, Shakyamuni (who manifested in our time), Amitabha, Tara, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrasattva — each of these Buddhas emanate in numerous forms.

These key forms then can manifest with different levels of “energy” or “activity” (wrathfulness) or archetype (such as kingly, monastic.)

Emanations as layers?

You can think of these aspects of emanations of Buddhas as layers of symbolism. For example, in the advanced practice of Vajrabhairava (Yamantaka), the serious practitioner visualizes Yamantaka’s external form — which is vastly complicated, with nine faces, 34 arms, and 16 legs. But, at his heart, Yamantaka has youthful Manjushri. Then, at Manjushri’s heart, we visualize the seed syllable HUM. These “layers” are another way to understand the deities — who are none other than your own Buddha Nature manifesting outwardly.

It starts with the seed syllable Hum (then, sometimes, from Hum, a further emanation to the seed syllable Dhi) — seed syllables are the first emanation from the Emptiness or Oneness of Shunyata. From the seed syllable, we manifest outward to Manjushri in his youthful, popular form, then further outward to two-armed, one faced Yamantaka — and finally to the great Vajra Terrifier Yamantaka with nine faces, 34 arms, and 16 legs. [This is over-simplified, of course! The actual description in the Sadhana is many pages long!]

An all-encompassing practice: Yamantaka

Yamantaka practice — celebrating the most ferocious aspect of Manjushri — in particular, includes every form of sadhana practice:

• Refuge and Bodhichitta
• Lineage Guru Yoga
• Vows
• Complete Lama Tsongkhapa practice: “The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land” (Gaden Lha Gyai Ma)
• Seven Limb Practice
• Complete Vajrasattva practice — not just the mantra, but a complete purification sadhana
• Outer and inner mandala offerings
• Inner Offerings (multiple)
• Outer Sense Offerings (multiple offerings)
• Common Protection Wheel
• Uncommon Protection Wheel
• Three Kaya Practice: transforming ordinary death into Dharmakaya; transforming the intermediate (Bhardo) state into the Sambogakkaya; transforming rebirth into the Nirmanakaya
• Preliminary and Concluding Torma offerings
• Complete practice of the entire mandala, including the wrathful protectors
• Blessing of all the organs and senses — a form of Body Mandala
• Empowerment and initiation
• Consecrating the mala
• Mantra recitations, including Manjushri’s core mantra OM A RA PA TZA NA DHI, the great Root Mantra Dharani, the Action Mantra and Essence Mantras
• Generation of Karmayama and other wrathful members of the great mandala and Torma offerings — and the request for actions and activities to benefit all beings
• Extensive praises
• The Yoga of Daily Activities

There is no practice missing here.

For more on Yamantaka practice — which, of course, requires permission and initiation — see our earlier feature>> “Angry Wisdom: Yamantaka, the Destroyer off Death…”

Eleven iconic forms — to tap our visual imagination

If you look at the different styles of meditation, various Buddhas emanate as remedies (medicine) for the Five Poisons — hence the Five Buddha Families. [For more on the Five Buddha families, see>>] Then, each of these Five Buddhas — who can be considered emanations of Shakyamuni — manifest in various forms, which tend to fall into the “eleven iconic aspects” — here presented in the order of “peaceful” to “wrathful”:

1 – Buddha appearance
2 – Monastic appearance
3 – Lay figure appearance
4 – Elder appearance
5 – Mahasiddha appearance
6 – Kingly appearance
7 – Peaceful Deva or Bodhisattva appearance
8 – Semi-wrathful
9 – Warrior appearance
10 – Wrathful or “Angry” appearance
11 – Animal-headed (or featured) deities

You could simplify this list down by the “energy” level aspect to Peaceful, Semi-Wrathful, Wrathful. For example, under various types of “wrathful energy,” you might have “Warrior”, “Angry” or “Animal Headed.”

Many forms of Manjushri

There are countless forms from sutra and tantra, including Manjushri the Bodhisattva who appears often in the teaching sutras, Manjushri the Peaceful Buddha, various semi-wrathful forms, and — without contradiction — the most wrathful form of any meditation deity — Vajrabhairva, the Vajra Terrifier. There are also some lesser-known aspects. (See photos in this feature for some images).

Manjushri-Ghosha (Tibetan: jam pal yang)

The Glorious One with a Melodious Voice, the Bodhisattva we see as the heart-son of the Buddha Shakyamuni in sutra.

“Possessing a youthful body and fully extending wisdoms lamp, you clear away the darkness of the three worlds; to you, Manjushri, I bow.” from a Sakya liturgical verse.

This emanation is described as: “youthful in appearance, orange in colour like the rising sun, the right hand loosely extended across the knee holds the stem of a blue utpala flower blossoming above the shoulder supporting a blue upright sword of wisdom giving forth licks of flame from the tip. Cradled to the heart with the left hand is a folio text of the Prajnaparamita sutra. At the top of the head beneath a gemstone blazing with orange fire the blue hair is piled in a topknot, some falling loose across the shoulders, tied with golden flowers. A thin areola, reddish and ethereal, surrounds the head. Lightly adorned with gold earrings and a choker necklace, he wears a blue-green scarf and a lower garment with even-folds of red and pink covering the legs. In a relaxed posture of royal ease atop a large pink lotus blossom with lush green foliage rising on thin stems from a pond of blue rippling water below, he sits against an open background and vast clear sky.” [4]

Namasangiti four-armed Manjushri

From Himilayan Art:
“In a peaceful manner, yellow in colour, with one face and four hands Manjushri holds in the first right a blue sword of wisdom wrapped with licks of flame and in the left held to the heart the stem of a pink utpala flower blossoming at the left ear supporting the Prajnaparamita text. In the lower two hands are an arrow and a bow. Adorned with fine ornaments of gold and jewels as a crown, earrings, necklaces and bracelets he is draped in a variety of scarves, silks and a lower garment of rainbow colours. Seated atop a moon and multi-coloured lotus seat he emanates a pale yellow nimbus of fine light rays and a green areola completely enclosed by dark green leaves and lotus blossoms.
In front, from a dark blue pool with water fowl sporting rises a pink lotus as a foundation for an array of rich offerings of a golden Dharma Wheel, wishing jewels, auspicious emblems, vases and delicious foods offered to the noble Manjushri.”

A Meditation On Orange Manjushri

by the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682)

NAMO GURUJA VAGIH SHARAHYA
I make humble obeisance to you, great Tsongkhapa, Personification of Manjushri in human form with all the marks and signs of perfection.
Your magnificent attainments were nurtured in the matrix of motherly method and wisdom combined
Of which the vibrant syllable DHI is an embodiment.

Sipping the nectars of the profound teachings, Directly from Manjushri’s masterly eloquence, You realized the heart of wisdom.
 Inspired by your example, I will now set out a description of the steps for actualization Of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, In accord with your realization.

Begin the session with the general preliminaries of taking refuge and generating the altruistic thought of enlightenment. Then con- template the four immeasurable thoughts of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

Taking Refuge and Generating Bodhichitta

I go for refuge until I am enlightened
To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly.
By my practice of giving and other perfections,
May I become a buddha to benefit all sentient beings. (3x)

The Four Immeasurables

May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all sentient beings be inseparable from the happiness that is free from suffering.
May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from desire for friends and hatred for enemies.1
Recite the SVABHAVA mantra to purify perception in emptiness and then proceed:
OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMAH SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM

Visualization

At my heart is my mind in the shape of an egg, its point upwards. Inside the egg, on a full moon disc, is an orange letter DHI, from which an infinite amount of light emits. It fills the whole of my body, purifying all my negativities and removing all my obscura- tions accumulated since beginingless time. The light rays leave through my pores and become offerings to the buddhas and bo- dhisattvas, thereby delighting them. This causes the blessings of the body, speech, and mind of these holy beings to dissolve into light that destroys the darkness of ignorance of all sentient be- ings, thus placing them in wisdom’s illumination.

The rays then recollect into the syllable DHI. It transforms into light, my ordinary perception and my clinging thereto vanish, and I emerge as Venerable Manjushri, orange in color, with one face and two arms. My right hand brandishes a sword of wisdom in the space above me. At my heart between the thumb and ring finger of my left hand, I hold the stem of an utpala lotus. Upon its petals in full bloom, by my left ear, rests a volume of the Perfec- tion of Wisdom Sutra.

I sit in full lotus posture and am adorned with precious ornaments for my head, ears, throat, and shoulders, as well as bracelets and anklets. Draped in a flowing mantle and skirt of exquisite silks, my hair is tied up in five knots and coils counter-clockwise. Bearing an entrancing and serene smile, I sit amidst a mass of light radiat- ing from my body. The letter OM marks the crown of my head, AH my throat and HUM my heart.

HUM emits rays of light that invite the wisdom beings from the inconceivable mansion of their own pure lands. They resemble Manjushri as described above and are surrounded by hosts of buddhas and bodhisattvas.

JAH HUM BAM HOH

They absorb into me and thus we become one.

Offerings and Praise

One then makes offerings and praise.
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA ARGHAM PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (water for the face)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA PADYAM PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (water for the feet)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA PUSHPE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (flowers)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA DHUPE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (incense)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA ALOKE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (lights/lamps)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA GANDHE PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (scented water or perfume)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA NAIVIDYA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (food)
OM ARYA VAGIH SHARA SAPARIVARA SHAPTA PRATICCHA HUM SVAHA (music)

Praise

I make obeisance to your youthful form, O Manjushri. Like that of a dynamic and graceful sixteen year old, You repose upon the full moon as your cushion
At the center of an expansive, milk-white lotus.

I make obeisance to your speech, O mighty fulfiller of wishes, So mellifluent to the minds of countless sentient beings,
A lucent euphony to accord with each listener’s capacity,
Its multiplicity embellishing the hearing of all unfortunate ones.

O Manjushri, I make obeisance to your mind
Wherein is illuminated the entire tapestry of the myriad objects
of knowledge.
It is a tranquil ocean of unfathomable profundity
Of immeasurable breadth, boundless like space itself.

Mantra Recitation

At my heart upon a moon disc is an orange syllable DHI. Encircling it at the disc’s periphery stands the rosary-like mantra of:

OM AH RA PA CHA NA DHI

All the syllables radiate light, which gathers both the wisdoms of exposition, dialectics and composition and the wisdoms of hear- ing, contemplation and meditation, which are possessed by the buddhas, bodhisattvas, sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, and the wise and learned masters of all the Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions.

One contemplates the fusion of such wisdom within one’s mindstream and recites the mantra accordingly. See pages 9-11 for a more elaborate explanation and practice of receiving the seven types of wisdom.

Conclude the session with the hundred-syllable Vajrasat- tva mantra to purify excesses, omissions and mistakes. Then end with some prayers and auspicious verses.

OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANU PALAYA / VAJRASATTVA TVENO PATISHTA / DRIDHO MAY BHAVA / SUTOSHYO ME BHAVA / SUPOSHYO ME BHAVA / ANURAKTO ME BHAVA / SARVA SIDDHIM ME PRAYACHHA / SARVA KARMA SU CHAME / CHITTAM SHRIYAM KURU HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAVAN / SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MAME MUNCHA / VAJRA BHAVA MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT

Dedication

By virtue of this practice may I quickly
Accomplish the powerful attainments of Manjushri; And then may I lead all beings without exception To that supreme state.

[5]

NOTES
[1] Amitabha Sutra
[2] 11 Iconic Forms of Buddhas
[3] Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī: The Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti
[4] Manjushri gosha page on Himilayan art
[5] Orange Manjushri Sadhana by the Fifth Dalai Lama, translated by FPMT.

When chanted in the original Sanskrit, the 21 Praises to Tara are 21 potent and powerful Dharanis (long-form mantras).

Although popularized as both a Tibetan and English 21 Praise chant, in its Sanskrit Holy syllable form, it is an original Dharani (or series of 21 Dharanis) as taught by the Buddha in Sanskrit Sutra. In its Tibetan or English form (translated in the Kangyur), it loses its sacred vibrational sound and the actual “meaning” (translation) is significantly more simplified. The Dharani, in original Sanskrit, is nuanced and profound.

21 Praises to Tara are Powerful Dharanis

The 21 Praises to Tara are famous for blessing activity, protection, healing, long-life practice, and wish-fulfillment —but these stated benefits are actually in reference to the original Sanskrit sounds.

Hrishikesh Sonar correctly pronounces the Sanskrit Dharanis for us in a beautiful chant, with captions for chant-along:

NOTE: the principle of Sanskrit Dharani applies to all lineages of 21 Taras: Surya Gupta lineage, Atisha lineage or Nyingma lineages. Although the video below, which is correct Sanskrit pronunciation, visualizes with the ancient Surya Gupta lineage (paintings by Niels Petersen) the same Dharanis and pronunciation are correct for all visualization systems. In future, we’ll produce separate videos for these lineages.

Mantras and Dharanis should not be translated

In the same way a mantra, such as Om Mani Padme Hum loses most nuance and “potency” if translated for chanting to English — literally this translates, according to scholars as praise to the jewel in the lotus — in its Sanskrit form it is empowered by Sanskrit’s sacred mother syllables. In other languages, a mantra or Dharani simply becomes more of a “chanted prayer or praise” or hymn.

Likewise, the powerful mantra of Tara, in sacred sound form Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha, becomes in English: I prostrate to Tara the liberator, mother of all the victorious ones. While this is a lovely praise, it no longer has the essence of sacred syllable and nuanced meaning.

Enlightened Deities will respond to anyone, regardless of language. The question of translation and language relates to “mantras” and Dharanis both.

For example, Om is a short form of AUM, which are the seed syllables of Body, Speech and Mind. As such, it represents the body, speech, and mind of all the Buddhas — in that simple Sanskrit Syllable Om. So, to do justice to a translation, we’d have to translate Om not as “I prostrate” but instead as “I prostrate to the body, speech and mind of Tara, the liberator.” Then, when you start to translate Tare (the next two syllables of Tara’s mantra), we find it has many meanings. Tare can mean “freeing from samsara,” but it can also mean “liberation from suffering” and “protection from fear” and about twelve other wonderful nuances, all in those two little syllables.

Mantras, like Poetry, are difficult to translate without losing something. Dharanis are even more challenging (the 21 Praises are actually 21 Dharanis.) In English, we call it “Praise,” but Dharani means much more than praise. It means “essence” and “sound essence” and “empowered vibration” and “homage,” and another thirty or forty things. Any one of them alone, as a single English word, is misleading. This is why teachers often recommend students chant in Sanskrit and their native language both. (Sanskrit and English or Sanskrit and Tibetan, and so on.)

The benefits of the Dharanis are fully stated in the final verses of the sacred texts, which outline the specific benefits to devout practitioners. The benefits, however, are for the Dharanis as transmitted by Buddha, in the original Sanskrit.

The benefits (if you translate them to English) are stated in the text as (here translated to English for clarity):

“Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess and recites this with supreme faith,

Remembering it at dawn upon waking and in the evenings,

Will be granted all fearlessness, will perfectly pacify all negativities,

And will eliminate all unfortunate migrations.

The multitudes of conquerors will quickly grant initiation:

Thus, endowed with this greatness, one will eventually reach the state of a buddha.

If affected by the most terrible poison,

Whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being,

Just by remembering, will one be thoroughly cleansed.

If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times,

It will alleviate all the sufferings of torments

They are caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons, and by other beings as well.

If you wish for a child, you will get a child;

If you want to for wealth, you will receive wealth.

All your wishes will be fulfilled

And all obstacles pacified.

Why 21 Dharanis?

Tara, the Mother of the Buddhas, emanates in countless forms to help suffering beings in our troubled world. Each of these forms specializes in one of these Enlightened activities: the various White Taras for peaceful activity, the Red Taras for magnetizing and enchanting, the Yellow Taras for auspiciousness and wish-fulfillment, and the Black Taras for wrathful power to overcome evil or negative forces and obstacles.

Chanting Tara’s Praises daily — especially in the original Sanskrit — is a practice recommended by countless Buddhist teachers. Shakyamuni Buddha taught the 21 Praises originally in Sacred Sanskrit. Chanting the praise with the original Sanskrit vowels of Buddha is important as an empowering method, energizing the sounds with mantra and seed syllable vibrations.

NOTE: In the featured video, Hrishikesh Sonar demonstrates the correct Sanskrit pronunciation, here beautifully chanted. Many people do not chant musically — but the pronunciation is the same. Note: in the English lettered Sanskrit below, any time you see an s or a c with a special accent — such as ś or ṣ — it is usually pronounced soft-style as is “sh” or “ch.”

Bring the blessings and protection of Mother Tara into your life with this sacred and profound praise sung in the Mother language Sanskrit.  Visualize the 21 Taras — here presented through the art of Niels Petersen, according to the ancient lineage of Surya Gupta, as taught in the books Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, and Tara at Your Lotus Heart by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche.

To learn more about the 21 Taras we strongly recommend Tara in the Palm of Your Hand. Even more in-depth is the new book from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, Tara at Your Lotus Heart.

Sanskrit Dharani of the 21 Taras

With descriptions of the names, colors and powers of each Tara according to the book Tara in the Palm of Your Hand (found on Amazon here>>)

Although the tradition is that you chant the entire 21 Dharanis plus the introductory Dharani daily or three times daily, if you have a specific issue or problem — if you need Tara’s help with a specific activity — you can look at the “Power or Rite” description below. The Color also indicates the type of activity

• Red: Power and magnetizing or enchanting
• White: Pacifying or calming and long-life
• Blue or Black: Wrathful power to turn back obstacles, negative karmas, evil forces
• Yellow: Auspiciousness and attracting good fortune.
• Green: Combines all the colors and activities.

Introductory Dharani

om namo bhagavatyai āryaśrī ekaviṃśati tārāyai

namastāre ture vīre

tuttāre bhayanāśini

ture sarvārthade tāre

svāhākāre namo’stute

1st Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Pravita Tara

Tibetan: Rabtupa We Drolma

English: Heroic Red Tara

• Power or Rite: turning back the power of others.
• Seed syllable OM
• Colour: red
• Arms: 8
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namas tāre ture vīre

kṣaṇa dyuti nibhekṣaṇe

trailokya nātha vaktrābja

vikasat kesarodbhave

2nd Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Chandra Kanti Tara

Tibetan: Karmo a Dang Ge Drolma

English: Moonlight White Tara

• Power or Rite: calming infectious disease.
• Seed syllable TAM
• Colour: white
• Number of arms: twelve
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ śata śaraccandra

sampūrṇa paṭalānane

tārā sahasra nikara prahasat

kiraṇojjvale

3rd Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Kanaka Vana Tara

Tibetan: Ser Mo Serdok Chen Ge Drolma

English: Golden Color Tara

• Power or Rite: calming infectious disease.
• Seed syllable TAM
• Colour: white
• Number of arms: twelve
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ kanaka nīlābja-pāṇi

padma vibhūṣite

dāna vīrya tapaḥ śānti titikṣā

dhyāna gocare

4th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Usnisa Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Tsug Tor Nam Pal Gyal We Drolma

English: Golden Tara of Crown Victorious

• Power or Rite: neutralizing lethal poisons.
• Seed syllable TUTA
• Colour: golden
• Number of arms: four
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastathāgatoṣṇīṣa

vijayānantacāriṇi

aśeṣapāramitāprāpta

jinaputraniṣevite

5th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Hum Svara Nadini Tara

Tibetan: HUM Dra Dolpi Drolma

English: Tara Proclaiming the Sound of HUM

• Power or Rite: subjugating.
• Seed syllable TA
• Colour: yellow
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastuttāra huṅkāra

pūritāśā digantare

saptaloka kramākrānt niḥśeṣ

ākarṣaṇa kṣame

6th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Trai Lokya Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Jig Ten Sum Lay Nam Par Gyal We Drolma

English: Tara Victorious over the Three Levels of the World

• Power or Rite: purification of all obscurations and negativities.
• Seed syllable RE
• Colour: ruby red
• Number of arms: four
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namah śakrā nala brahma

marud viśveśvar ārcite,

bhūta vetāla gandharva gaṇa

yakṣa puraskṛte

7th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Vadi Pramardani Tara

Tibetan: Golwa Jompi Drolma

English: Tara Who Crushes Adversaries

• Power or Rite: Destroyer of adversaries (adversaries means obstacles and obscurations).
• Seed syllable TU
• Colour: ruby black
• Number of arms: four
• Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namas triḍiti phaṭkāra

parayantra pramardini

pratyālīḍha padanyāse

śikhi jvālā kulojjvale

8th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Mara Sudana Vasitottama Da Tara

Tibetan: Wang Chug Terwe Drolma

English: Tara Who Gives Supreme Spiritual Power

• Power or Rite: completion stage practices; destroyer of Maras (demons) and the two obstructions
• Seed syllable TU
• Colour: ruby black
• Number of arms: four
• Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namasture mahāghore

māra vīra vināśini

bhṛkuṭī kṛta vaktrābja

sarva śatru niṣūdini

9th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Khadiravana Tara

Tibetan: Seng Ding Nag Che Drolma

English: Tara of the Khadira Fragrant Forest (Principle Green Tara)

• Power or Rite: Principle Green Tara: all activities
• Seed syllable TAM
• Colour: green
• Number of arms: 2
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastrīratna mudrāṅka

hṛdayāṅguli vibhūṣite

bhūṣitā śeṣa dikcakra

nikara-sva-karākule

10th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Soka Vinodana Tara

Tibetan: Na Nyen Me Pi Drolma

English: Tara Who Dispels All Suffering

• Power or Rite: Her rite is entering the mandala
• Seed syllable SA
• Colour: red
• Number of arms: 4
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ pramuditoddīpta

mukuṭākṣipta mālini

hasat prahasat tuttāre

māra loka vaśaṅkari

11th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Jag Vasi Vipan Nirbarhana Tara

Tibetan: Dro Wa Gug Pa Am Pungpa Sel We Drolma

English: Tara Who Summons All Beings and Dispels Misfortune

• Power or Rite: Increasing enjoyments and accomplishing activities through the ten guardians
• Seed syllable HA
• Colour: black
• Number of arms: 2
• Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ samasta bhūpāla

patal ākarṣaṇa kṣame

calada bhṛkuṭi hūṃkāra

sarvāpada vimocini

12th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Kalyana Da Tara or Manga Laloka Tara

Tibetan: Tashi Nang We Drolma

English: Tara Who Grants Prosperity and Brings about Auspicious Circumstances

• Power or Rite: Her rite is the fire offering
• Seed syllable AH
• Colour: yellow
• Number of arms: 8
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ śīkhaṇḍa-khaṇḍendu

mukuṭā bharaṇoj-jvale

amitābha-jaṭā-bhāra

bhāsvara-kiraṇa-dhruve

13th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Pari Pacaka Tara

Tibetan: Young Su Min Par Zed Pi Drolma

English: Tara the Complete Ripener

• Power or Rite: Her rite is for subduing hindrances
• Seed syllable DRUM
• Colour: red
• Number of arms: 4
• Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ kalpānta huta bhuga

jvālā mālāntara sthite

ālīḍha muditābaddha

ripu cakra vināśini

14th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Bhrkuti Tara

Tibetan: Tro Nyer Yo We Drolma

English: Wrathful, Shaking and Frowning Tara

• Power or Rite: Her rite is the protective circle
• Seed syllable AH TA
• Colour: black
• Number of arms: 6
• Number of faces: 3 (central black, Tara’s right white, Tara’s left red)
• Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ karatalā ghāta

ćaraṇa hatabhūtale

bhṛkuṭī kṛta hūṃkāra

sapta pātāla bhedini

15th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Maha Shanti Tara

Tibetan: She Wa Chen Mo Am Gelek Ter Wi Drolma

English: Tara the Great Peaceful One Who Provides Virtues and Goodness

namaḥ śive śubhe śānte

śānta nirvāṇa gocare,

svāhā praṇava saṃyukte

mahā pātaka nāśini

16th Tara Dharani

• Power or Rite: cleansing, purification, praised in terms of her Dharmakaya aspect
• Seed syllable A (red)
• Colour: coral red
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: slightly wrathful

namaḥ pramuditābaddha

ripu-gātra prabhedini

daśākṣara pada-nyāse

vidyā-hūṃkāra-dīpite

17th Tara Dharani

• Power or Rite: Binding thieves, praised for wrathful activity of shaking the three worlds.
• Seed syllable SHA
• Colour: orange
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namas ture pādaghāta

hūṃkārākāra bījite

meru mandharva vindhyaśca

bhuvana trayacālini

18th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Sita Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Rab Tu Gye Pi Drolma

English: Victorious Tara Who Increases Realizations

• Power or Rite: Curing leprosy and Naga diseases (as Tara cured Surya Gupta.) Praised for dispelling poisons of all kinds.
• Seed syllable KE
• Colour: white
• Number of arms: four
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ sureśarākāra

hariṇāṅka kara sthite

tārā_dvirukta phaṭkāra

aśeṣa viṣa nāśini

19th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Dukha Dahana Tara

Tibetan: Duk Ngal Sek Pi Drolma

English: Tara, Extinguisher of All Suffering

• Power or Rite: Curing leprosy and Naga diseases (as Tara cured Surya Gupta.) Praised for dispelling poisons of all kinds.
• Seed syllable ZA
• Colour: white
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ sura gaṇā dhyakṣa

sura kinnara sevite

ābaddha muditābhoga

kari duḥ svapna nāśini

20th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Sidhi Sambhava Tara

Tibetan: Ngyu Drob Jung Pi Drolma

English: Tara, Source of All Powerful Attainments

• Power or Rite: Dispelling fevers and epidemics.
• Seed syllable TSE
• Colour: orange
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaś candrārka sampūrṇa

nayana dyuti bhāsvare

hara dvirukta tut-tāre

viṣama jvara nāśini

21st Tara Dharani

• Power or Rite: Rite is for “sky going” to the Akanishtha Pureland in this very life; praised for subduing evil spirits and zombies.
• Seed syllable PHE
• Colour: white
• Number of arms: two
• Peaceful or wrathful: slightly wrathful

nama stritat tvavi nyāse

śiva-śakti samanvite

graha vetāla yakṣa gaṇa

nāśini pravare ture

• Source: Tara in the Palm of Your Hand by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, (found on Amazon here>>)

Chanting in English

Chanting the 21 Praises in English may not have the same profound vibrational intensity as the Sanskrit, but it is a popular way to honor  Tara, the Mother of the Buddhas. If you prefer to chant in English, here’s our previous video version also beautifully chanted by Hrishikesh Sonar (in this version, with Surya Gupta lineage paintings by the well-known artist V.V. Sapar, used with permission):

When you do translate the praise, you can see how many of the nuances are missing. English, typically, doesn’t carry as many layered meanings. This is the English translation used in chanting:

PRAISE OF TARA’S MANTRA:

Homage to Tara the Swift and Courageous,

You drive away all our fears with TUTTARE,

Saviouress fulfilling all aims with TURE,

With syllables SVAHA, we offer homage.

21 TARAS PRAISE IN ENGLISH:

1. Heroic Red Tara

Homage to You, the Swift One, the Heroine,

Your gaze is as quick as flashes of lightning

Who arose from the majestic carolla

From the Lotus face of the Lord of Three Worlds.

2. Moonlight White Tara

Homage to You with a face that resembles

The gathering of one hundred autumn full moons

And who with the brightness of stars by the thousands

Shines in a vast perfect light of resplendence.

3. Golden Color Tara

Homage to You divine golden-blue Goddess

Whose hands are adorned by water-born lotus.

Embody Six Perfections: Giving, Patience

Ethics, Concentration, Vigor, and Wisdom

4. Golden Tara of Crown Victorious

Homage to You who crowns Buddha’s ushnishas,

Whose victorious actions have no limit.