Nīlakantha dhāranī

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The Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāranī (नीलकण्ठ धारनी) also known as Mahā Karuṇā Dhāranī (महा करुणा धारनी), popularly known as the Great Compassion Mantra in English, and known as the Dàbēi Zhòu (Chinese: 大悲咒; pinyin: Dàbēi zhòu) in Mandarin Chinese, is a dharani of Mahayana Buddhist origin. It was spoken by the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara before an assembly of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, devas and kings, according to the Mahakarunikacitta Sutra. Like the now popular six-syllable mantra Om mani padme hum, it is a popular mantra synonymous with Avalokitesvara in East Asia. It is often used for protection or purification.

Origins

Twelve scrolls of Nīlakaṇṭha Lokeśvara (नीलकण्ठ लोकेश्वर) (lit. "blue-necked Lord of the world") texts were found in the Dunhuang (敦煌) stone cave along the Silk Road in today's Gansu (甘肅) province of China. The text was translated in Khotan in Tarim Basin, Central Asia by Śramaṇa Bhagavaddhrama. The text of the Nīlakaṇṭha was translated into Chinese by three masters in the seventh and early eighth centuries, first by Chih-t'ung (智通 Zhitōng) twice between 627-649 AD (T. 1057a and T. 1057b, Nj. 318), next by Bhagavaddharma between 650-660 AD (T. 1059 and T. 1060, Nj.320), and then by Bodhiruci in 709 AD (T. 1058, Nj. 319).

The Siddhaṃ script of Chinese Tripitaka (T. 1113b, 20.498-501) was corrected by a comparison with the Chih-t'ung version, which is found in the Ming Tripiṭaka. All the Sanskrit texts in the Ming Tripiṭaka were collected together by Rol-pahi Rdorje in the quadrilingual collection of dhāraṇī which bears the title: Sanskrit Texts from the Imperial Palace at Peking. The prime objective was to restore the Sanskrit text with the help of the Tibetan texts. The Rol-pahi rdorje’s reconstruction (STP. 5.1290-6.1304) of the Nīlankanthaka as transcribed by Chih-t'ung during 627-649 (T. 1057b, Nj. 318) is longer than that of Amoghavajra (不空金剛) and is a remarkable effort at textual reconstruction, undertaken as early as the first half of the 18th century. However, Chih-t'ung's version is rarely mentioned in the Mahayana tradition.

The Nīlankantha Dhāraṇī was translated into Chinese by Vajrabodhi (金剛智, worked 719-741 AD T.1112), twice by his disciple Amoghavajra (worked 723-774 AD, T. 1111, T. 1113b) and in the 14th century by Dhyānabhadra (worked 1326-1363 AD, T. 1113a). Amoghavajra's version (T. 1113b) was written in Siddhaṃ script in the Chinese Tripiṭaka (T. 1113b, 20.498-501). This version is the most widely accepted form today.

Difference between Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese versions

Hanyu Pinyin	Korean version	Japanese version	Vietnamese version
nā mò, hē lá dá nà	na-mo-ra da-na	na mu ka ra ta no	nam mô hắc ra đát na
duō lá yè yē	da-ra ya-ya	to ra ya ya	đa ra dạ da
nā mò, ā lī yē	na-mak ar-ya	na mu o ri ya	nam mô a rị da
pó lú jié dì	ba-ro-gi-je	bo ryo ki chi	bà lô yết đế
shuò bō lá yē	sae-ba-ra-ya	shi fu ra ya	thước bát ra da
pú tí sà duǒ pó yē	mo-ji sa-da-ba-ya	fu ji sa to bo ya	bồ đề tát đỏa bà da
mó hē sà duǒ pó yē	ma-ha sa-da-ba-ya	mo ko sa to bo ya	ma ha tát đỏa bà da
mó hē jiā lú ní jiā yē	ma-ha ga-ro-ni-ga-ya	mo ko kya ru ni kya ya	ma ha ca lô ni ca da
om, sà pó luó fá yè	om sal-ba-ba-ye	en sa ha ra ha ei	án tát bàn ra phạt duệ
shǔ dá nà dá xiě	su da-ra-na ga-ra-ya da-sa-myong	shu ta no ton sha	số đát na đát tỏa
nā mò, xī jí lī duǒ	na-mak-ka-ri-da-ba	na mu shi ki ri to	nam mô tất kiết lật đỏa
yī měng ā lì yē	i-mam ar-ya	i mo o ri ya	y mông a rị da
pó lú jí dì	ba-ro-gi-je	bo ryo ki chi	bà lô kiết đế
shì fó lá lèng tuó pó nā mò, nà lá jǐn chí	sae-ba-ra da-ba i-ra gan-ta na-mak	shi fu ra rin to bo na mu no ra kin ji	thất phật ra lăng đà bà nam mô na ra cẩn trì
xī lī mó hē, pó duō shā miē	ha-ri-na-ya ma-bal-ta i-sa-mi	ki ri mo ko ho do sha mi	hê rị ma ha bàn đa sa mế
sà pó ā tā, dòu shū péng	sal-bal-ta sa-da-nam su-ban	sa bo o to jo shu ben	tát bà a tha đậu du bằng
ā shì yùn	a-ye-yom	o shu in	a thệ dựng
sà pó sà duō, nā mò pó sà duō, nà mó pó jiā, mó fá tè dòu	sal-ba bo-da-nam ba-ba-mar-a mi-su-da-gam	sa bo sa to no mo bo gya mo ha te cho	tát bà tát đa (na ma bà tát đa)na ma bà dà ma phạt đạt đậu
dá shí tā	da-nya-ta	to ji to	đát điệt tha
om, ā pó lú xī, lú jiā dì	om a-ro-gye a-ro-ga ma-ji-ro-ga	en o bo ryo ki ru gya chi	án a bà lô hê lô ca đế
jiā luó dì, yí xī lī	ji-ga-ran-je hye-hye-ha-rye	kya rya chi i ki ri	ca ra đế di hê rị
mó hē pú tí sà duǒ sà pó sà pó mó lá mó lá mó xī mó sī, lī tuó yùn	ma-ha mo-ji sa-da-ba sa-ma-ra sa-ma-ra ha-ri-na-ya	mo ko fu ji sa to sa bo sa bo mo ra mo ra mo ki mo ki ri to in	ma ha bồ đề tát đỏa tát bà tát bà ma ra ma ra ma hê ma hê rị đà dựng
jù lú jù lú jié měng	gu-ro-gu-ro gal-ma sa-da-ya sa-da-ya	ku ryo ku ryo ke mo	cu lô cu lô yết mông
dù lú dù lú, fá shé yē dì	do-ro-do-ro mi-yon-je	to ryo to ryo ho ja ya chi	dộ lô đồ lô phạt xà da đế
mó hē, fá shé yē dì	ma-ha mi-yon-je	mo ko ho ja ya chi	ma ha phạt xà da đế
tuó lá tuó lá	da-ra da-ra	to ra to ra	đà ra đà ra
dì lī ní	da-rin na-rye	chi ri ni	địa rị ni
shì fó lá yē	sae-ba-ra	shi fu ra ya	thất phật ra da
zhē lá zhē lá	ja-ra-ja-ra	sha ro sha ro	giá ra giá ra
mó mó fá mó lá	ma-ra-mi-ma-ra a-ma-ra	mo mo ha mo ra	mạ mạ phạt ma ra
mù dì lì yī xī yī xī shì nà shì nà ā lá shēn, fó lá shè lì	mol-che-ye hye-hye ro-gye sae-ba-ra ra-a mi-sa-mi na-sa-ya	ho chi ri yu ki yu ki shi no shi no o ra san fu ra sha ri	mục đế lệ y hê di hê thất na thất na a ra sâm phật ra xá lợi
fá shā fá shēn fó lá shè yē	na-bye sa-mi sa-mi na-sa-ya mo-ha ja-ra mi-sa-mi na-sa-ya	ha za ha za fu ra sha ya	phạt sa phạt sâm phật ra xá da
hū lú hū lú mó lá hū lú hū lú xī lì	ho-ro-ho-ro ma-ra-ho-ro ha-rye ba na-ma-na-ba	ku ryo ku ryo mo ra ku ryo ku ryo ki ri	hô lô hô lô ma ra hô lô hô lô hê rị
suō lá suō lá	sa-ra sa-ra	sha ra sha ro	ta ra ta ra
xī lī xī lī	shi-ri shi-ri	shi ri shi ri	tất rị tất rị
sū lú sū lú pú tí yè, pú tí yè	so-ro so-ro mot-cha mot-cha	su ryo su ryo fu ji ya fu ji ya	tô rô tô rô bồ đề dạ bồ đề dạ
pú tuó yè, pú tuó yè	mo-da-ya mo-da-ya	fu do ya fu do ya	bồ đà dạ bồ đà dạ
mí dì lì yè	mae-da-ri-ya	mi chi ri ya	di đế rị dạ
nà lá jǐn chí	ni-ra-gan-ta	no ra kin ji	na ra cẩn trì
dì lì sè ní nà, pó yè mó nà, sā pó hē	ga-ma-sa nal-sa-nam ba-ra-ha-ra-na-ya ma-nak-sa-ba-ha	chi ri shu ni no ho ya mo no so mo ko	địa rị sắc ni na bà dạ ma na ta bà ha
xī tuó yè sā pó hē	shit-ta-ya sa-ba-ha	shi do ya so mo ko	tất đà dạ ta bà ha
mó hē xī tuó yè sā pó hē	ma-ha-shit-ta-ya sa-ba-ha	mo ko shi do ya so mo ko	ma ha tất đà dạ ta bà ha
xī tuó yù yì	shit-ta-yu-ye	shi do yu ki	tất đà dũ nghệ
shì pó lá yè sā pó hē	sae-ba-ra-ya sa-ba-ha	shi fu ra ya so mo ko	thất bàn ra dạ ta bà ha
nà lá jǐn chí sā pó hē	ni-ra-gan-ta-ya sa-ba-ha	no ra kin ji so mo ko	na ra cẩn trì ta bà ha
mó lá nà lá sā pó hē	ba-ra-ha mok-ka	mo ra no ra so mo ko	ma ra na ra ta bà ha
xī lá sēng, ā mù qū yē sā pó hē	shing-ha mok-ka-ya sa-ba-ha	shi ra su o mo gya ya so mo ko	tất ra tăng a mục khê da ta bà ha
sā pó mó hē ā sī tuó yè sā pó hē	ba-na-ma ha-ta-ya sa-ba-ha	so bo mo ko o shi do ya so mo ko	ta bà ma ha a tất đà dạ ta bà ha
shě jí lá ā xī tuó yè sā pó hē	ja-ga-ra yok-ta-ya sa-ba-ha	sha ki ra o shi do ya so mo ko	giả kiết ra a tất đà dạ ta bà ha
bō tuó mó, jié xī duō yè sā pó hē	sang-ka som-na-nye mo-da-na-ya sa-ba-ha ma-ha-ra gu-ta da-ra-ya sa-ba-ha	ho do mo gya shi do ya so mo ko	ba đà ma kiết tất đà dạ ta bà ha
nà lá jǐn chí pó jiā lá yē sā pó hē	ba-ma-sa gan-ta i-sa-shi che da ga-rin-na i-na-ya sa-ba-ha	no ra kin ji ha gya ra ya so mo ko	na ra cẩn trì bàn đà ra dạ ta bà ha
mó pó lì, shèng jié lá yè sā pó hē	mya-ga-ra jal-ma ni-ba sa-na-ya sa-ba-ha	mo ho ri shin gya ra ya so mo ko	ma bà rị thắng yết ra dạ ta bà ha
nā mò hē lá dá nà, duō lá yè yē	na-mo-ra da-na-da-ra ya-ya	na mu ka ra tan no to ra ya ya	nam mô hắc ra đát na đa ra dạ da
nā mò ā lì yē	na-mak ar-ya	na mu o ri ya	nam mô a rị da
pó luó jí dì	ba-ro gi-je	bo ryo ki chi	bà lô kiết đế
shuò pó lá yè	sae-ba-ra-ya	shi fu ra ya	thước bàn ra dạ
sā pó hē om, sī diàn dōu màn duō lá bá tuó yē		so mo ko en shi te do mo do ra ho do ya	ta bà ha án tất điện đô mạn đà ra bạt đà gia
sā pó hē	sa-ba-ha	so mo ko	ta bà ha

Sanskrit versions

^[1]

oṃ namo ratnatrayaya. 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 bodhisttva 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-makutavalam 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-dahanesvaranarayana 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 buddhaya buddhaya, 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-hia daya 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 yajno pavitaya svaha maha lakuta daharaya svaha cakra yuddhaya svaha sankha-sabdani bodhanaya svaha vama skandha desa shitha krsna jinaya svaha vyaghra-carma nivasa naya svaha lokesvaraya svaha sarva siddhesvaraya svaha namo bhagavate arya avalokitesvaraya bodhisattvaya maha sattvaya mahakarunikaya. sidhyanthu me mantra-padaya svaha.

Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāranī (The Blue Necked Dhāranī)

Namo ratna-trayāya
(Adoration of the triple Gem)

I. Initial Salutation

Nama āryāvalokite-śvarāya bodhisattvāya mahā-sattvāya mahā-kārunikāya
(Adoration to the noble Lord who looks down, the enlightened sentient being, the great being, the merciful one!)

II. Name of Avalokiteśvarā

Om sarva-bhaya-śodhanāya tasya namaskrtvā imu Ārya-valokite-śvarā tava namo Nīlakantha 2
(Om! Having paid adoration to One who dispels all fears, the noble Avalokiteśvarā, adoration to the blue-necked one!)

III. śloka enunication of the merit of the hrdaya-dhāranī

Hrdayam vartayisyāmi sarvārtha-sādhanam śubham 3 ajeyam sarva-bhūtānām bhava-mārga-viśodhakam 4
(I shall enunciate the heart dharani which ensures all purpose, is pure and invincible for all beings, and which purifies the path of existence.)

IV. Dhāranī

Tadyathā: Om Ālokādhipati lokātikrānta
(Like this: Om! Lord of Effulgence, the World-Transcending One.)

Ehy mahā-bodhisattva sarpa-sarpa smara smara hrdayam
(Come, great bodhisattva, descend, descend. Please remember (smara) my heart dharani.)

Kuru-kuru karma dhuru-dhuru vijayate mahā-vijayate
(Do, do the work. Hold fast, hold fast, Victor, the great Victor)

Dhara-dhara dhārinī-rāja cala-cala mama vimalā-mūrtte
(Hold on, hold on, King of the Dharani. Move, move onto my spotless image.)

Ehi ehi chinda chinda aras pracali vaśa-vaśam pranāśaya
(Come, come, the vow, the vow of the admantine king, destroy, destroy every poison.)

Hulu-hulu smara hulu-hulu sara-sara siri-siri suru-suru
(Quick-quick, please remember, quick-quick. Descend-descend, descend-descend, descend-descend)

Bodhiya-bodhiya bodhaya-bodhaya maitriya Nīlakantha [dehi me] darsanam
(Being enlightened, being enlightened; enlighten me, enlighten me. Merciful Blue-necked One appear [unto me].)

Praharāyamānāya svāhā siddhāya svāhā mahā-siddhāya svāhā siddhayogīśvarāya svāhā
(To you who sees us, hail! To the Successful one hail! To the Great Successful one hail! To the Successful Lord of the yogis, hail!)

Nīlakanthāya svāhā varāha-mukhāya svāhā narasimha-mukhāya svāha
(To the Blue-necked one (Nīlakantha) hail! To the Boar-faced One hail! To Man-Lion faced One hail!)

Gadā-hastāya svāhā cakra-hastāya svāhā padma-hastāya svāhā
(To one who bears the mace (gadā) in his hand, hail! To the holder of discus in his hand, hail! To One who sports a lotus (padma) in his hand, hail!)

Nīlakantha-pāndarāya svāhā Mahātali Śankaraya svāhā
(To Blue-necked One smeared (with holy ashes), hail! To the mighty auspicious one, hail!)

V. Final Salutation

Namo ratna-trayāya Nama āryāvalokite-śvarāya bodhisattvāya svāhā
(Adoration to the Triple Gem, adoration to the noble Āvalokiteśvarā (Lord who looks down), the enlightened being, hail!)

Mahā Karuna Dhāranī (大悲咒)

Worked from 723-774 AD, Amoghavajra (大廣智不空) transliterates Siddham’s script from Chinese Tripitake (大正新修大藏經 Taisho Edition T.1113b, 20.498-501 cf.1111-1113A), as transcribed below (a reconstructed Sanskrit text). Nīlakantha (Blue-Necked), the title of Avalokitesvara is substituted by Nīlakandi in Amoghavajra's translation (T. 1113b). It is a central Asian form: Uigur nominative singular ending in “-i” and has come to mean the virtuous one.

I. Initial Salutation (前行)

Namo ratna-trayāya Namo āryāvalokite-śvarāya¹ bodhisattvāya mahā-sattvāya mahā-kārunikāya²
(Adoration to the Three Gems, adoration to the noble Avalokiteśvarā, the enlightened sentient being, the great being, the merciful (one)!)
(皈依 三寶，皈依 聖 觀音，覺有情，大士，大悲心 (者)！)

II. Name of Avalokite-śvarā (觀音名)

Om sarva rabhaya sudhanadasye³ namaskṛtvā imaṃ Āryā-valokite-śvaraṃ dhava namo Narakindhi haraye⁴
(Oneness with all saints (and their) righteous doctrine (righteous-joyous language). After the adoration to that noble(arya) Avalokiteśvarā of the Mercy (Fragrant) Land, I offer my respectful obeisances to the virtuous supreme lord)
(皈依 一切 聖眾 (及) 正教(喜悅的正語)。頂禮 完畢 彼 洛迦山 (慈悲地/香山) 之聖 觀音, 頂禮 (彼) 賢善尊。)

III. Śloka Enunication of the Merit of the Hrdaya-Dhāranī (功德迴向)

Mahā-vadhasame⁵ sarva-āthaduh śubhaṃ ajeyaṃ sarva-satva⁶
((Who emits) great brilliance light, all sentient beings (sarva-satva) are without attachment (āthaduh) and in undefeatable(ajeyam) purity (śubhum) in all things.)
((放)大光明，(令)一切 眾生 在 一切 無比 無貪 妙 淨。皈依 大樂有情，皈依 大樂童子 (他受)天人所親近。)

Nama vasatva Namo vaga mavadudhu⁷
Adoration to the joyful being, adoration to the joyful virgin who served by all heavenly beings;)
(皈依 大樂有情，皈依 大樂童子 (他受)天人所親近。)

IV. Dhāranī (咒文)

Tadyathā: Oṃ avaloke lokāte⁸
(Like this: Oneness with/adoration to the seer (avalokite) of the world (loka) - (Avalokiteśvarā),)
(咒曰：合一/皈依 觀世 (者)，)

Karāte e-hre mahābodhisatva⁹ sarva sarva mālā mālā¹⁰ mahe māhredayam¹¹
(whose (ye) compassionate heart (hrdayam). The great sentient enlightened being; all, all, are garland (immaculate), garland (immaculate), great liberated heart)
((他)大悲。心大覺有情 一切一切 (的) 花蔓 (清淨)花蔓 (清淨)，大 自在心，)

Kuru kuru karmum¹² dhuru dhuru vijayate maha-vijayate¹³
(Accomplish, accomplish the task (karma). Liberate, liberate, the victorious one, the great victorious one.)
(作(此)，作(此) 義業。度脫，度脫，的勝者，大勝者。)

Dhara dhara dhirini śvarāya¹⁴ cala cala mama vamara muktele¹⁵
(Hold on, hold on the brave freedom (īśvara). Lead, lead to my immaculate liberation)
((他) 能持，能持 勇猛 自在。(令) 動(變化)，動(變化) 我所 離垢 解脫。)

Ehe ehe cinda cinda arasam pracali¹⁶ vaśa-vaśam prasaya¹⁷
((Please) come, come; (fulfil) the pledge, the pledge; the admantine king of awakening (who) rules, rules the peace (prasada).)
(順召，順召，弘誓，弘誓，法王，法王子 (覺身之子)，(他)統治，統治 和平 [統治和平的法王，法王子 請來完我弘誓]。)

Huru-huru mārā¹⁸ huru-huru hrīh¹⁹ sārā-sārā siri-siri suru-suru²⁰
(Purify, purify personification of delusions; purify, purify the heart (hrdayam). Firm, firm; brave, brave; wonder form (being), wonder form (being).)
(行，行無垢；行，行隨心。堅固，堅固；勇猛，勇猛；妙色，妙色。)

Bodhiyā-bodhiyā bodhaya-bodhaya²¹ maitrīya Nārakindi²²
(Enlightenment, enlightenment, the enlightened one, the enlightened one. The benevolent, virtuous one,)
(覺道(罷)，覺道(罷)；覺者，覺者 [覺者 - 堅定 勇猛 的 妙者, 覺道了]。大慈 大賢(悲)者，)

Dharsininā pāyamānā svāhā²³ siddhāya svāhā²⁴ mahā-siddhāya svāhā²⁵ siddha-yoge-śvarāya svāhā²⁶
(Success in power and fame, success in benevolence, success in great benevolence, success in achieving freedom (īśvara) through union (with dharma),)
((他) 堅利名聞 成就，義利 成就，大義利 成就，相應而得 自在 成就，)

Nārakindi svāhā²⁷ māranāra svāhā²⁸ śīrasam āmukhaya svāhā²⁹ sarva mahā-asiddhāya svāhā³⁰
(Success in virtues, Success in immaculate joy, incomparable success in ultima convincing speech, incomparable success in all profound meaning)
(賢愛 成就，無垢妙樂 成就，愛攝語 究竟無比 成就，一切 大義無比 成就，)

Cakra-asiddhāya svāhā³¹ padmaka-stāya svāhā³²
(Incomparable success in (turning) the wheel, success in the red lotus (immaculate) deed,)
((轉)法輪 無比 成就，紅蓮 (妙 淨) 義業 成就，)

Nārakindi-vagarāya svāhā³³ Mavari sankharaya svāhā³⁴
(Success in (becoming a) virtuous Bhagavan (blessed one), success in own prestige nature.)
(賢愛 尊 成就，(具)威德 自性 成就。)

V. Final Salutation (結分)

Nama ratna-trayāya Nama ārya-valokite-śvarāya svāhā³⁵
(Refuge in the Triple Gem, take refuge in the success of noble Avalokite (look upon) śvarā (sound)
(皈依 三寶，皈依 聖 觀音 (之)圓滿。) Om siddhyantu mantra padāya svāhā³⁶
(Oneness (om) with the success (svaha) of achieving (sidhyantu) these invocation (mantra) verses (pada)!
((天人)合一 令成就 咒句 圓滿 [令(我)圓滿 成就(此)真言句] ！)

Avalokiteśvaraikadaśamukha Dhāraṇī (Eleven Faced Avalokitesvara Dhāranī)

This dharani stems from the Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara Heart Dharani Sutra and is often somewhat incorrectly referred to as the Great Compassion Mantra, e.g. in popular recordings by Imee Ooi and Ani Choying Dolma. More specific denominations of this dharani are Avalokiteśvaraikadaśamukhadhāraṇī or Ārya Ekādaśa-mukha Dhāraṇī in Sanskrit, and Eleven Faced Avalokitesvara Dharani in English.

Namo Ratna Trayāya Namaḥ Ārya Jñāna Sāgara Vairocana Vyūha Rājāya Tathāgatāya Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya Namah Sarva Tathagatebyah Arhatebyaḥ Samyaksaṃbuddhe Byaḥ Namaḥ Arya Avalokite Śvarāya Boddhisattvāya Mahāsattvāya Mahākāruṇikāya Tadyathā Oṃ Dhara Dhara Dhiri Dhiri Dhuru Dhuru Ite Vatte Cale Cale Pra Cale Pra Cale Kusume Kusume Vare Ili Mili Citijvala māpanāye Svāhā

Great Compassion Mantra in Chinese

In Mandarin (Hanyi pinyin), transliterated from Siddham text. The Great compassion mantra (大悲咒) is a Siddham-Sanskrit mantra. It is a mantra uttered by Arya Avalokiteśvarā (the noble Kuan Yin Pu Sa in Chinese) in the Sutra of the Dharani of Great Compassion Mantra. The Chinese version is transliterated from a Siddham script in the Chinese Tripitaka (T. 1113b).

Namo Ha La Da Nuo Duo La Ya Ye namo ah li yeh po lu jie di shwo bo la ye pu ti sa tuo po ye, mo he sa tuo po ye mo he jia lu ni jia ye. OM! Sa pan na fa ye, xu da nan da xie namo xi ji li tuo, yi meng a li ye po lu jie di, shi fo la leng tuo po Namo nuo la kin ji. xi li mo he pan dwo sa mie sa po a tuo do shu peng, oh shi yun sa po sa duo namo po sa duo namo po qie, mo fa de dou dan chi dha OM! o po lu xi lu jia di jia lou di yi xi li mo he pu ti sa duo sapo sapo mola mola moxi moxi li tuo yun jilu jilu jie meng, dulu dulu fa she ye di mo he fa she ye di, tuo la tuo la di li ni shi fo nai ye, che la che la mo mo fa mo la mudili yi xi yi xi, se nuo se nuo oh la shen fa she fa shen fo lai she ye Hulu hulu mola, hulu hulu xili, sala sala xili xili, sulu sulu, putiye putiye potuoye potuo ye midiliye nolakinji dilisherninuo poyemono sapohe xiduoye sapohe, mohexiduoye sapohe, xiduoyuyishipan na ye sapohe, nolakinji sopohe, molanola sopohe, xilasengomoquye sapohe sapomo oh shituoye sapohe jejina oshi tuoye sapohe botuomoye sapohe nolakinji pan qi laye sapohe, mo po sheng qi la ye sapohe Namo ha la da na tuo la ya yeh namo ohliye poluji shwo pan la ye sa pohe. OM! xidantuo man tuo la patuo ye sapohe.

In Sanskrit:

Namo ratna-trayāya Namo āriyā-valokite-śvarāya Bodhi-sattvāya Maha-sattvāya Mahā-kārunikāya Om sarva-raviye sudhanadasya Namo skritvā imam āryā-valotite-śvara ramdhava Namo narakindi hrih Mahā-vat-svāme Sarva-arthato-śubham ajeyam Sarva-sat Namo-vasat Namo-vāka mavitāto Tadyathā Om avaloki-lokate-krate-e-hrih Mahā-bodhisattva Sarva sarva Mala mala Mahi Mahi ridayam Kuru kuru karmam Dhuru dhuru vijayate Mahā-vijayati Dhara dhara dhrini śvarāya cala cala Mama vimala muktele Ehi ehi śina śina ārsam prasari viśva viśvam prasaya Hulu hulu mara Hulu hulu hrih Sara sara siri siri suru suru Bodhiya Bodhiya Bodhaya Bodhaya Maitreya narakindi dhrish-nina bhayamana svāhā Siddhāya svāhā Maha siddhāya svāhā Siddha-yoge-śvaraya svāhā Narakindi svāhā Māranara svāhā śira simha-mukhāya svāhā Sarva mahā-asiddhaya svāhā Cakra-asiddhāya svāhā Padma-kastāya svāhā Narakindi-vagalāya svaha Mavari-śankharāya svāhā Namo ratna-trāyāya Namo āryā-valokite-śvaraya svāhā Om Sidhyantu mantra padāya svāhā

Glossary

• Avalokiteśvarā: Avalokita (ava+lokita: 'ava' preverb meaning down, upon; lokita a past-participle of lok 'to see') observed, looking [down] upon) + īśvara (Lord) i.e. Lord of the Observed World. (with sandhi a + ī > e) Chinese 觀自在 (Kwan tzu-tsai). The Tibetan translation སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག་ pronounced chenrezig wangchug, where chenrezig refers watching out over, and wangchug is the translation for ishvara, Lord. In early texts also Avalokitasvara where svara means sounds: Chinese 觀音 (Kwan Yin, also spelt Guān Yīn, and in Japanese: Kannon). The latter is the name more commonly used in China.

• cakra: pronounced 'chakra', means wheel, as in wheel of life (bhava-cakra) or wheel of law.

• mahāsiddha: the attainment of extraordinary abilities (siddhi).
• maitri: kindness, benevolence.

• mālā: (lit.) "garland", symbolize "immaculate".

• Māra: death, the devil. Embodiment of the selfish attachments and temptations that bind one to the cycle of birth and death.

• namo, namah, namas (variations caused by [sandhi]: homage, salutation, adoration, greeting!

• [oṃ]: means oneness with the Supreme, the merging of the physical being with the spiritual. The most sacred syllable, the first sound of Almighty. This sacred syllable appears as a mystic sound, regarded as the basis of every other mantra. It is the sound not only of origination but also for dissolution.

Nīlakandi: nominative singular of 'Nīlakantha' in Uigur, a central Asian form.

See also

• Dharani
• Mahayana sutras
• Mantra
• Shurangama Mantra - Expanded Protective Power of Om Mani Padma Hum
• Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra - Eliminate all the evil karma of sentient beings

References

1. ^ Nīlakantha Dhāranī from STP (5.1290-6.1304) by Chih-t'ung (worked 627-649 A.D.), Ming edition of the Chinese Tripitaka. (Lokesh Chandra, Sanskrit Texts from the Imperial Palace at Peking [STP] Parts 1-22, New Delhi 1968-1977, International Academy of Indian Culture)

External links

• [1] A Line by Line Commentary on the Great Compassion Mantra and its 42 Hands and Eyes Mantras of the "Sutra of the Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded Great Compassion Heart Dharani of the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Who Regards the World’s Sounds"
• Text online^{[dead link]}
• Mandarin Chinese text online
• The English translation of Great Compassion Dharani Sutra
• Dharma Sound: Nīlakaņţha Dhāraņī - 7,02 Mb