The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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thornbush
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:21 am

The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

Post by thornbush »

The Mahakarunicitta Dharani or also known as 'The Great Compassion Dharani' is a famed and well beloved Dharani recited daily by those with devotion and affinity to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
Derived from the Mahakarunicitta Dharani Sutra or also Nilakantha Dharani Sutra, (Full Title: The Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva's Vast, Perfect, Unimpeded, Great-Compassionate Heart Dharani Sutra) here's some excerpts on it: (all derived from this link)
Background of the Dharani
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."
Practices of the Dharani
"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:
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
Namo Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain virtuous skillful means
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 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 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."
Conditions of the Dharani
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.
Promises of the Dharani
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."
A Gatha Summary of the Dharani's Benefits
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."
A Blessing to All
"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 Exterior-paths 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."
For swift attainment of Dharma
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 three-thousand-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 Abstinent-precepts(*) 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-and-death, 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."

(* Abstinent-precepts: The precepts of Tzie/Zhai. To observe these precepts, one must:
1. eats only vegetarian food;
2. takes only one meal before noon each day, eating after noon is prohibited;
3. also keeps the five basic precepts: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no false speech, no consumption of alcohol.)

"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 Dharma-sound 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."
The Buddha's Encouragement and Admonishment on the Dharani
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."
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
thornbush
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:21 am

Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

Post by thornbush »

There are 2 versions of this Dharani: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani and The Nilakantha Dharani.
The Mahakarunicitta Dharani:An excerpt comment from here:
Mahā-karuṇa-citta Dhāranī Sūtra 大悲心陀羅尼經 or, The Thousand-Hand-and-Thousand-Eye Kuan-yin Great-Compassionate-Heart Dhāranī Sūtra 千手千眼觀音大悲心陀羅尼經 translated by Bhagavaddhrama (伽梵達摩 worked 650-660), Taisho edition T20 no.1060
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00106a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Sūtra says that at one time, immeasurable kalpas (aeon) ago in this world, Avalokiteśvarā (Kuan-yin 觀音) was the disciple of a Buddha named 千光王靜住如來 ('Dwells in the peace of a thousand rays of light Tathagata'), this Buddha taught the Dhāranī to him by reciting it. Immediately, Kuan-yin's mind ascended from the 1st bhūmi (level of spiritual development) to the 8th bhūmi (i.e. immovable level 不動地) of Enlightenment. Filled with joy he vowed to the Buddha to benefit all beings and give them peace and joy, solemnly saying, "If I may in future existences benefit each and every sentient being through my compassion, may I immediately be perfectly adorned with a thousand hands and eyes." True enough, his vow was immediately fulfilled. The Earth shook in six ways and all the Buddhas in the 10 directions shone infinite rays of light on him in praise.

When asked by the Brahmā (one of Hindu trinity) about the characteristics of the Dhāranī, which is ineffable and only its relative aspects can be described, Kuan-yin said (Taisho 20:108a): "It is the great compassionate heart; it is the heart of non-discrimination; it is the unconditioned or spontaneous heart; it is the heart of non-attachment; it is the heart of contemplating all things as unreal; it is the heart of reverence; it is the heart of humility; it is the heart of non-confusion views and attainment; it is the heart of unexcelled perfect enlightenment (大慈悲心是平等心, 是無為心, 是無染著心, 是空觀心, 是恭敬心, 是卑下心, 是無雜亂心, 無見取心, 是無上菩提心)." The ethical, metaphysical ideal of the Mahāyāna is thus summarized. He then instructed the clergy and the laity who wanted to practice the Dhāranī, to awaken a compassionate heart toward all beings, and to concentrate on his name and the name of Amitābha (Infinite Light Buddha).

The crux of the sūtra is contemplation on the great compassionate heart, concentrating on Kuan-yin's name until Kuan-yin and I am non-differential in the 'One mind'. Hsung-chueh 玄覺 (永嘉 Yung-chia 665-713) in The Song of Enlightenment (證道歌 Taisho 48:396b): "The Dharma-body of all the Buddha enters into my own being, and my own being is in union with their (諸佛法身入我性, 我性共同如來合)". To achieve Oneness is to forget 'I', if one can really achieve non-duality, one is Kuan-yin. Zen master Fan-chi (梵琦) exhorts, "Not to be sought outside, but in the sudden awakening of your self-nature (buddha nature), Kuan-yin is you, you are Kuan-yin" (頓明自性, 不向外尋. 觀音即汝, 汝即觀音. Zokuzokyo 續藏經, pt. 2 case 29/1:106b).

In esoteric Buddhism, the great compassion and wisdom of Kuan-yin are symbolized with hands and eyes. He is represented with 1,000 hands and eye in each hand to help all, and to illuminate all with the light of wisdom. It doesn't matter if there were four hands, forty-two hands or thousand hands, images are merely concepts and principles symbolized and presented in the Hindu way. The Dharma-body of Kuanyin has no substance, the only substance is compassion, compassion is not a substance.

The Pure Land Master Shih-hsien (實賢 1685-1733) sums up the concept of Kuan-yin in his panegyric (觀音大士像讚, Zokuzokyo 續藏經, pt. B case 14/4:302b):
The Dharma-body of the Great being (mahāsattva) is neither male or female (大士法身 非男非女)
Even the body is not a body, what attribute can there be? (身尚非身, 復何所倚.)
I tell all Buddhists: Do not cling to form; (普告佛子: 不應取相.)
The Bodhisattva is you; he and you are not two (菩薩是汝, 自他不二.)
If you can perceive this(the Buddha-nature in you), it is truly inconceivable!(能如是觀 真不思議.)
And here
The Mahā-karuṇa-citta Dhāranī 大悲心陀羅尼 (Bhagavaddhrama's version, T20 No.1060) is in the Thousand-Hand-Thousand-Eye-Kuanyin-Great Compassion Dhāranī Sūtra 千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經. A note in the beginning of Sūtra says: "translated by śramaṇa Bhagavaddhrama of western India in Tang Dynasty 唐 西天竺 沙門伽梵達摩". Here west means east, Bhagavaddhrama notably accomplished the translation of T1059 & T1060 between 650-660 CE at Khotan 于闐, this is corroborated by a note at the end of the Manuscript No. 3793 of the Stein Collection of Chinese Scrolls from Dun-huang 敦煌手寫本 in the British Library Collection. Both Bhagavaddhrama's abridged version and Chih-t'ung's 智通 long version are in the Dun-huang Manuscript, it is evident that both versions were popular in ancient time.

At least nine versions of the Dhāranī survive in Chinese. Dun-Huang Manuscript Fragment 敦煌殘卷, Amoghavara's Commentary ed.不空釋義 (No. 1111), Vajrabodhi's ed. 金剛智 (No.1112), Zhikong's ed. 指空 (No. 1113A) and the Foreign Great Compassion Mantra 番大悲 神咒 (No.1063) obviously translated from the same source. Bhagavaddhrama's abridged version (circulated ed. T20 No. 1060) is the most wide spread in exoteric Buddhism.

Mahā-karuṇa-citta Dhāranī - Great Compassion Mantra 大悲心陀羅尼 (T20 No.1060, p0107b)
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00106a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[禮請 Initial Salutation] 南無 喝囉怛那 哆囉夜耶(1) 南無 阿唎耶(2) 婆盧羯帝 爍缽囉耶(3) 菩提 薩跢婆耶(4) 摩訶 薩跢婆耶(5) 摩訶 迦盧尼迦耶(6)
[稱名 Name of Avalokite-śvarā] 唵(上聲)(7) 薩皤囉 罰曳(8) 數怛那 怛寫(9) 南無 悉吉利埵 伊 蒙 阿唎耶(10) 婆盧吉帝室佛囉楞 馱婆(11) 南無 那囉謹墀(12)
[真言功德 Śloka enunication of the merit of the hṛdaya-dhāraṇī] 醯唎摩訶 皤哆沙咩(13) 薩婆阿他 豆 輸朋 (14) 阿遊孕(15) 薩婆 薩哆那摩 縛 伽(16) 摩 罰特豆 (17)
[心咒 Hṛdaya-dhāraṇī] 怛姪他(18) 唵 阿婆盧醯(19) 盧迦帝(20) 迦羅帝(21) 夷醯唎(22) 摩訶菩提薩埵(23) 薩婆 薩婆(24) 摩羅 摩羅(25) 摩醯摩 醯唎馱孕(26)俱盧 俱盧 羯懞(27) 度盧 度盧 罰闍耶帝(28) 摩訶罰闍耶帝(29) 陀羅 陀羅(30) 地利尼(31) 室佛囉耶(32) 遮羅遮羅(33) 摩摩 罰摩囉(34) 穆帝麗(35) 伊醯移醯(36) 室那室那(37) 阿囉參 佛囉舍利(38) 罰沙 罰參(39) 佛羅舍耶(40) 呼嚧 呼嚧 摩囉(41) 呼嚧 呼嚧醯利(42) 娑囉 娑囉(43) 悉利 悉利(44) 蘇嚧 蘇嚧(45) 菩提夜 菩提夜(46) 菩馱夜 菩馱夜(47) 彌帝利夜(48) 那囉謹墀(49) 地唎瑟尼那(50) 波夜摩那(51) 娑婆訶(52) 悉陀夜(53) 娑婆訶(54) 摩訶 悉陀夜(55) 娑婆訶(56) 悉陀 喻藝(57) 室皤囉耶(58) 娑婆訶(59) 那囉謹墀(60) 娑婆訶(61) 摩囉那囉(62) 娑婆訶(63) 悉囉僧阿 穆佉耶(64) 娑婆訶(65) 娑婆摩訶 阿悉陀夜(66) 娑婆訶(67) 者吉囉 阿悉陀夜(68) 娑婆訶(69) 波陀摩 羯悉哆夜(70) 娑婆訶(71) 那囉謹墀 皤伽囉耶(72) 娑婆訶(73) 摩婆利 勝羯囉夜(74) 娑婆訶(75)
[圓滿 Final Salutation] 南無 喝囉怛那 哆囉夜耶(76) 南無 阿唎耶(77) 婆嚧吉帝(78) 爍皤囉夜(79) 娑婆訶(80)

唵 悉殿都 曼哆囉 缽默耶(81) 娑婆訶(82)
"May this mantra be successful as wished", this verse is a custom, and not a part of the Dhāraṇī.

Note:
豆(14), 'du 豆' stands for 'sādhanaṃ'. 罰特豆(17) vi-dudu, is not a word, it means viśodhakam.

薩哆那摩 縛 伽 (16)摩 bhūtānāṃ bhava mārga
bhūtānāṃ (16): bhūtānāṃ is rendered as '菩'(not '薩')哆那摩 in Amoghavara's translation (No. 1113b) and Dun-Huang Manuscript fragment. 'bhū' is '菩', not '薩' in Tang 唐 dialect, it became 'pu' in Mandarin. '菩' is still pronounced as 'bu' in Japanese, where 菩薩 (boddhisattva) is 'bosatsu', Buddha is 'butsu'. Bhava is 縛'哇', 2 syllables. Mārga is 摩伽, not 伽摩, word is reversed and split into 2 verses (16-17);

悉陀 喻藝(57) 室皤囉(58) Siddhā-Yogeśhvara : 悉陀 (siddha, n.) the accomplished one 成就者. Yogeśvara 喻藝室皤囉, one word split into 2 verses, Master (īśvarā; 自在 n. 主宰; 自在 adj. free, liberated, unconstrained) of yoga meditation or God of the yogis. Siddhāyogeśvara 悉陀喻藝室皤囉, accomplished master in yoga, successful Lord of yogis, Amoghavara (No.1111) rendered as 成就喻伽自在. 勝羯囉(74) Śankarā, bringer of joy or auspicious one. Both Siddhā-Yogeśhvara (yogeswara) and Śhankarā are epithets of Śhiva.

摩囉那囉(62) 娑婆訶(63) 悉囉僧阿 穆佉耶(64) 娑婆訶(65)
varāha-mukhāya svāhā! narasimha-mukhāya svāhā!
To the boar-faced one, hail! to the man-lion faced one, hail! Viṣṇu (Hari) has 23 incarnations; here are his 2 major incarnations: Boar and Man-lion. Varāha is wild boar, '摩囉那囉' is misinterpreted as 'Man-lion' in Amoghavara Commentary (No. 1111) because the word 'boar (in Chinese)' in front of 'Man-lion (Cn.)' is missing; Man-lion is nara-siṃha 悉囉僧阿.

那囉謹墀 皤伽囉耶(72) Nīlakindi vagaraya
Nīlakindi(12, 49, 60, 72) for Nīlakaṇṭha (Blue-necked), is a Uigur 回紇 nominative singular. Amoghavara (Commentary 不空釋義 No. 1111) rendered 'vagara' as 'vyāghra 尾也伽羅', i.e. Nīlakaṇṭha in tiger [skin], Śhiva is shown wearing tiger skin. Vyāghra 尾也伽羅 is tiger in the Chinese Tripiṭake, 'deer' is a transliteration error in the Taishō Edition 大正新修大藏經 (No. 1111) and Zokuzōkyō 續藏經; deer is 'mṛga'. Indian Professor Lokesh Chandra renders as 'pāṇḍarāya' (smeared), i.e. Nīlakaṇṭha smeared [with ashes]. Legend says that Avalokiteśvara at Potala 洛迦山 sometimes takes the form of Īśvara (Śhiva) and sometimes that of a Pāśupata yogin smeared with graveyard ashes; 'pāṇḍarāya' is corroborated by 'paṇḍalaya' (Tb.) in the Tibetan version.

Khotan 于闐 (Sk. Ku-stana), is today Hetian 和田, southwest of Xinjiang 新疆 in China. Traditional accounts suggest that Indian 天竺人 colonists settled in Khotan during the reign (273 to 232 BCE) of King Aśoka. It was from there that Buddhism spread to central China 中原 not later than the middle of the 1st century CE. Khotanese is an Indo-Iranian subgroup of the Indo-European language, the script is based on the Brāhmī written in calligraphy used during the Gupta Dynasty 笈多王朝 (320-c.600 CE).

The discovery of the Caves of the Thousand Buddha at Tun-huang by Hungarian explorer Sir Marc Aurel Stein (1862-1943) in 1907 where thousands of manuscripts, paintings and a few printed items had been buried in the 9th century. The manuscripts were written in many languages including Chinese, Tibetan and Uighur 回紇. The treasure was removed by French scholar Paul Pelliot and Sir Marc Aurel Stein and divided between the British Library in London and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, with smaller holdings in Beijing and Copenhagen.

The commentaries on Tun-huang Manuscript Fragment of Comparison between Brāhmī and Sogdian script 敦煌波羅米/康居文殘卷 in French, were written by Belgium Buddhist scholar L. Poussin and French Professor S. Levi, in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain, publiee par Louis de la Vallée Poussin, édité par Sylvain Lévi, 1921.
The Dharani: Versions 1 - 3 (By Esoteric Ven Master Amoghavajra & Sanskrit reconstructions by Prof Lokesh Chandra)here and most commonly used by the Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Tradition.
namo ratnatrayāya
nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya
oṁ sarvabhayaśodhanāya tasya namaskṛtvā imu āryāvalokiteśvara tava
namo nīlakaṇṭha hṛdayaṁ vartayisyāmi sarvārthasādhanaṁ śubham ajeyaṁ
sarvabhūtānāṁ bhavamārgaviśodhakam
tadyathā oṁ ālokādhipati lokātikrānta
ehi mahābodhisattva sarpa sarpa smara smara hṛdayam
kuru kuru karma
dhuru dhuru vijayate mahāvijayate
dhara dhara dhāraṇīrāja cala cala mama vimalāmūrtte
ehi ehi
cinda cinda
araspracali
vaśavaśam pranāśaya
hulu hulu smara hulu hulu
sara sara siri siri suru suru
bodhiya bodhiya bodhaya bodhaya
maitriya nīlakaṇṭha dehi me darśanam
praharāyamānāya svāhā
siddhāya svāhā
mahāsiddhāya svāhā
siddhayogiśvarāya svāhā
nīlakaṇṭhāya svāhā
varāhamukhāya svāhā
narasiṁhamukhāya svāhā
gadāhastāya svāhā
cakrahastāya svāhā
padmahastāya svāhā
nīlakaṇṭhapāndarāya svāhā
mahātali śankarāya svāhā
namo ratnatrayāya svāhā
oṁ siddhyantu mantrapadāya svāhā
nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya
Second popular Sanskrit version here
1. Namo ratnatrayaya.
2. Namo aryavalokitesvaraya.
3. Bodhisattvaya.
4. Mahasattvaya.
5. Mahakarunikaya.
6. Om.
7. Sarva abhayah.
8. Sunadhasya.
9. Namo sukrtvemama.
10. Aryavalokitesvaragarbha.
11. Namo nilakantha.
12. [Siri] mahabhadrasrame.
13. Sarvarthasubham.
14. Ajeyam.
15. Sarvasattvanamavarga.
16. Mahadhatu.
17. Tadyatha.
18. Om avaloke.
19. Lokite.
20. Kalate.
21. Hari.
22. Mahabodhisattva.
23. Sarva sarva.
24. Mala mala.
25. [Masi] Mahahrdayam.
26. Kuru kuru karmam.
27. [Kuru] Kuruvijayati
28. Mahavijayati.
29. Dharadhara.
30. Dharin suraya.
31. Chala chala.
32. Mama bhramara.
33. Muktir.
34. Ehi ehi.
35. Chinda chinda.
36. Harsam prachali.
37. Basa basam presaya.
38. Hulu hulu mala.
39. Hulu hulu hilo.
40. Sara sara.
41. Siri siri.
42. Suru suru.
43. Bodhiya bodhiya.
44. Bodhaya bodhaya.
45. Maitreya.
46. Nilakantha.
47. Dharsinina.
48. Payamana svaha.
49. Siddhaya svaha.
50. Mahasiddhaya svaha.
51. Siddhayogesvaraya svaha.
52. Nilakanthasvaha.
53. Varahananaya svaha.
54. Simhasiramukhaya svaha.
55. Sarvamahasiddhaya svaha.
56. Cakrasiddhaya svaha.
57. Padmahastaya svaha.
58. Nilakanthavikaraya svaha.
59. Maharsisankaraya svaha.
60. Namo ratnatrayaya.
61. Namo aryavalokitesvaraya svaha.
62. Om siddhyantu.
63. Mantrapadaya svaha.
And a third version from here:
Namo ratna-trayāya
Namo āriyā-valokite-śvarāya
Bodhi-sattvāya Maha-sattvāya Mahā-kārunikāya
Om sarva rabhaye sudhanadasya
Namo skritva imam
āryā-valokite-śvara ramdhava
Namo narakindi hrih Mahā-vadha-svā-me
Sarva-arthato-śubham ajeyam
Sarva-sata Namo-vasat Namo-vāka mavitāto
Tadyathā
Om avaloki-lokate-karate-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.
Audio:
http://dharmasound.net/Chanting/Sanskri ... Mantra.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.adidaphat.biz/chudaibi/dabei_sk.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Chinese/Pin Yin Transliteration/English version:(Derived from Fo Guang Shan Liturgy:)
無 喝 囉 怛 娜 哆 囉 夜 耶 南 無 阿 唎 耶 婆 盧 羯 帝 爍 缽 囉 耶
NA MO HE LA DA NA DO LA YE YE NA MO O LI YE BO LU JIE DI SHI PO LA YE
Adoration to the Triple Treasure! Adoration to the Holy Avalokitesvara
菩 提 薩 埵 婆 耶 摩 訶 薩 埵 婆 耶 摩 訶 迦 盧 尼 迦 耶
PU TI SA TO PO YE MO HE SA TO PO YE MO HE JIA LU NI JIA YE
Bodhisattva Mahasattva the Great Compassionate One!
唵 薩 皤 囉 罰 曳 數 怛 那 怛 寫 南 無 悉 吉 栗 埵 伊 蒙 阿 唎 耶
AN SA PO LA FA YI SHU DAN NA DAN XIA NA MO XI JI LI DO YI MUNG A LI YE
Aum! He who has leaped Beyond all fears! Having adored him,
婆 盧 吉 帝 室 佛 羅 楞 馱 婆 南 無 那 囉 謹 墀 醯 唎 摩 訶 皤 哆 沙 咩
BO LU JIE DI SHI FO LA LUNG TO PO NA MO NA LA JIN CHI XI LI MO HE BAN TO SA MIE
May I enter into the heart of the Blue-necked one known as the holy adorable Avalokitesvara!
薩 婆 阿 他 豆 輸 朋 阿 逝 孕 薩 婆 薩 哆 那 摩 婆 伽
SA PO A TA DO SHU PENG A SHI YUNG SA PO SA DO NA MO PO CHIE
It means the completing of all meaning, It is pure, It is that which makes all beings victorious
摩 罰 恃 豆 怛 姪 他 唵 阿 婆 盧 醯 盧 迦 帝 迦 羅 帝
MO FA TER DO DAN ZHI TA AN A PO LU XI LU JIA DI JIA LA DI
And cleanses the path of the existence. Thus: Aum! The seer, the world-transcending one!
夷 醯 唎 摩 訶 菩 提 薩 埵 薩 婆 薩 婆 摩 羅 摩 羅
YI XI LI MO HE PU TI SA TO SA PO SA PO MO LA MO LA
O Hari The Mahabodhisattva! All, all! Defilements, defilement!
摩 醯 摩 醯 唎 馱 孕 俱 盧 俱 盧 羯 懞 度 盧 度 盧 罰 闍 耶 帝
MO XI MO XI LI TO YUN JU LU JU LU JIE MUNG DU LU DU LU FA SHE YE DI
The earth, the earth! It is the heart. Do, do the work! Hold fast, hold fast!
摩 訶 罰 闍 耶 帝 陀 羅 陀 羅 地 唎 尼 室 佛 羅 娜
MO HER FA SHER YE DI TO LA TO LA DI LI NI SHI FO LA NA
O great victor! Hold on, hold on! I hold on To Indra the creator!.
遮 囉 遮 囉 摩 摩 罰 摩 囉 穆 帝 麗 伊 醯 伊 醯 室 那 室 那
ZHE LA ZHE LA MO MO FA MO LA MU DI LI YI XI YI XI SHI NA SHI NA
Move, move, My defilement-free seal! Come, come! Hear, hear!
阿 囉 參 佛 囉 舍 利 罰 沙 罰 參 佛 囉 舍 耶 呼 盧 呼 盧 摩 羅
A LA SEN FO LA SHE LI FA SHA FA SHA FO LA SHE YE HU LU HU LU MO LA
A joy springs up in me! Speak, speak! Directing! Like the trampling of elephants on the earth!
呼 盧 呼 盧 醯 唎 娑 囉 娑 囉 悉 唎 悉 唎
HU LU HU LU XI LI SHA LA SHA LA XI LI XI LI
Like the trampling of elephants causing it to tremble! Going, Going! Auspicious! Auspicious!
蘇 嚧 蘇 嚧 菩 提 夜 菩 提 夜 菩馱夜菩馱夜
SU LU SU LU PU TI YE PU TI YE PU TO YE PU TO YE
The Excellent, Excellent One! Be awakened, be awakened! Have awakened, have awakened!
彌帝唎夜 那囉謹墀 他唎瑟尼那 波夜摩那 娑婆訶
MI DI LI YE NA LA JIN CHI TA LI SER NI NA BO YE MO NA SA PO HE
O merciful one, Blue-necked one! Of daring ones, To the joyous, Hail!
悉陀夜 娑婆訶 摩訶悉陀夜 娑婆訶
XI TO YE SA PO HE MO HE XI TO YE SA PO HE
To the successful one, Hail! To the great successful one, Hail!
悉陀喻藝室皤囉夜 娑婆訶 那羅謹墀 娑婆訶摩羅那羅 娑婆訶
XI TO YU YI SHI BO LA YE SA PO HE NA LA JIN CHI SA PO HE MO LA NA LA SA PO HE
To the one who has attained mastery in the discipline, Hail! To the boar-faced one, Hail! To the one with a lion’s head and face, Hail!
悉囉僧阿穆佉耶 娑婆訶 娑婆摩訶阿悉陀耶 娑婆訶
XI LA SENG A MU CHIEHH YE SA PO HE SA PO MO HE A XI TO YE SA PO HE
To the one holding a weapon in his hand, Hail! To the blue-necked one, Hail!
者吉囉阿悉陀夜 娑婆訶 波陀摩羯悉哆夜 娑婆訶
ZHE JI LA A XI TO YE SA PO HE BO TO MO JIE XI DO YE SA PO HE
To the one holding a chakra in his hand, Hail! To the one holding a lotus in his hand, Hail!
那囉謹墀皤伽囉耶 娑婆訶 摩婆利勝羯囉夜 娑婆訶
NA LA JIN CHI BO CHIEHH LA YE SA PO HE MO BO LI SENG JIE LA YE SA PO HE
To the blue-necked far causing one, Hail! To the beneficent one referred to in this Dharani, Hail!
南無喝囉怛那哆囉夜耶 南無阿唎耶 婆盧吉帝爍皤囉夜
NA MO HE LA DAN NA DO LA YE YE NA MO A LI YE BO LU JI DI SHI BO LA YE
Adoration to the Triple Treasure! Adoration to Avalokitesvara!
娑婆訶 唵悉殿都 漫哆羅跋馱耶 娑婆訶
SA PO HE AN XI DIAN DU MAN DO LA BA TO YE SA PO HE
Hail! Om! May this succeed! To this mantra, Hail!
Addendum links:
http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi ... /dabei.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://dharmasound.net/?type=photo&path ... ode=folder" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Click on each figure to get the explanation)
http://www.drbachinese.org/online_readi ... page29.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Click on above right '下一頁' until the end)
Audio/Video:
http://www.immmusic.com/product/eng/mpl ... mm1004.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://audio.buddhistdoor.com/eng/play/894" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Choice #3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LICRjvpO-Y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moIYbdYa ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (An old video commentary on the Dharani by the late Ven Master Hsuan Hua)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX9O1s9c ... annel_page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CMqMLV2 ... annel_page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHHabAAJ ... annel_page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by thornbush on Sat May 16, 2009 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
thornbush
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:21 am

Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

Post by thornbush »

The Nilakantha Dharani: The Vast, Perfect & Limitless Great Compassionate Heart Dharani of Thousand Hand Thousand Eye Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. - Translated by Tripitaka Master Vajrabodhi of the Tang Dynasty
or also "Nīlakaṇṭha Mahā-karuṇa-citta Dhāranī 大慈大悲救苦觀世音自在王菩薩廣大圓滿無礙自在青頸大悲心陀羅尼" [Amoghavajra's translation ed. 大廣智不空譯 (Taisho No. 1113b)]
The Dharani Text here

Comments from here
The Origin of Nilakantha (Blue-necked Avalokiteśvara 青頸觀音)
Because of his great compassion to suffer for all beings, the merciful Avalokitaśvara logically became the maitriya (merciful) Nīlakaṇṭha. Lotus Sūtra (Saddharama-puṇḍarīka Sūtra 妙法蓮花經) says: "If they must be saved (度 carried across or beyond) by someone in the body of Maheśvara 大自在天 (great god 天人, maha iśvara), he (Kuan-yin) will manifest in the body of the Maheśvara and speak Dharma for them (Chapter 25 Universal Door 普門品 Taisho No. 262, Vol. 9)". Maheśvara is an epithet of Śhiva.

In the Japanese Mikkyo Daijiten (Encyclopedia of Buddhist esotericism 密教大辭典), it says that 1000-hand-1000-eye Avalokiteśvara originated in the great god Śhiva and his variant, Nīlakaṇṭha (Jp. 彌羅犍他) is Blue-necked Avalokitaśvara 青頸觀音. Two translated texts are: Recitation Tantra from the Vajraśekhara Yoga of Nīlakaṇṭha, the Great Compassionate King Avalokiteśvara 金剛頂瑜伽青頸大悲王觀自在念誦儀 by Vajrabodhi (c.669-741 金剛智 Taisho Tripiṭaka Vol. 20, No. 1112), and the Nīlakaṇṭha Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Heart Dhāraṇī Sūtra 青頸觀自在菩薩心陀羅尼經 (Taisho No. 1111) by Amoghavajra 不空三藏. Nīlakaṇṭha, Arya-valokiteśvara or 1000-hand-1000-eye Avalokiteśvara is of the same body. The origin of Nīlakaṇṭha according to the Purāṇa 古史: the great God Śhiva, the devil conqueror, who swallowed the poison from the milky ocean while it was churned. The poison took effect in his throat and made his neck blue. Nīlakaṇṭha originally meant Śhiva, the interpretation later was strained and varied through stages and became the legend of Avalokiteśvara. It says that Avalokiteśvara who overpowered the devil, and drank the poison in order to save all beings (p. 1125-1126, MKDJT, Tokyo 1931).

In the Sūtra of Nīlakaṇṭha Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva's Heart Dhāraṇī 青頸觀自在菩薩心陀羅尼經, the syncretism of Nīlakaṇṭha image is described as: "The image of Nīlakaṇṭha has three faces, a face with pleasant and kind expression in the center, lion-faced on the right which symbolizes the attainment of Bodhicitta (thought of awakening), and boar-faced on the left which symbolizes the ignorant one clinging to life and death. He wears a jewelry crown with an image of the Amitāyus (Infinite Life) Buddha in the center. He has 4 arms; he holds a mace and a lotus in his right, a wheel (discus, a small weapon) and a conch in his left. He wears tiger skin and a scared-thread 神線 (Yagño Pavitha) made of black snake, hangs a black deer skin on his left elbow, and stands on a eight pedals lotus (Taisho No. 1111, T20, p0490b)". In the Thousand-Hand-and-Thousand-Eye Kuan-yin Dhāraṇī Sūtra 千手千眼觀音大悲心陀羅尼經 (Taisho No. 1060), with the exception of the jewelry crown, Kuin-yin is the syncretic divinity combining the attributes of Viṣhṇu and Śhiva, Nīlakaṇṭha is a symbol of compassion, and a manifestation of Bodhicitta. Together with his discourse to Brahmā 大梵天, noble Kuan-yin is an agglomeration of Hindu trinity.

There're two versions of the Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī (Great Compassion Mantra).
Full versions include the Foreign Great Compassion Mantra 番大悲神咒 (Taisho T20 No.1063), one in the Dun-Huang (Tun-huang) Fragment of Comparison between Brāhmī and Sogdian (Indo-Iranian language) script 敦煌 波羅米/康居文殘卷, Amoghavara's Commentary (不空釋義 c.723 CE Taisho No. 1111), and versions translated by Bodhiruci (菩提流支 709 CE), Chih-t'ung 智通 (with Sanskrit c.627 CE), Vajrabodhi 金剛智 (with Sanskrit c.719 CE), and Zhikong (指空 Dhyānabhadra c.1326). Abridged versions include the Amoghavara's translation 不空譯本 (c.774 CE Taisho Vol. 1113b), and circulated version by Bhagavaddharma 伽範達摩 (c.650 CE Taisho No. 1060). The term 'Nīlakaṇṭha' used in the full versions obviously came from Sanskrit. 'Nīlakindi' 那囉謹墀 for 'Nīlakaṇṭha" in the abridged versions, as Indian professor Lokesh Chandra 錢德拉 points out that it is the central Asia form: Uigur 回紇 nominative singular ending in 'i' instead of ‘a’.

Note:
Uigur, Uygur, Uighur, Uyghur 回紇/回鶻/維吾爾: a Indo-European (Centum group) language based on the Brāhmī script (Indian script 3rd century BCE) and used in ancient Kingdom Kuci 龜茲, Kutsi, Qiuci, Kucina (Sk.), or Kuca which existed from 272 BCE to 14th century CE. It was situated in today Kucha 庫車 in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region 新疆維吾爾自治區 of China. Dun-Huang 敦煌 and Kuci is the outpost of China and India along the Silk Road. In 272 BCE (Chinese 東周赧王43年), the first Indian Buddhist Emperor King Aśoka 阿育王 (reigned 273 to 232 BCE) expanded the Maūryan Empire 孔雀王國 to Kucina, and granted his son Dharmavarddhana 法益, the feudal Lord of this vassal state. Uigur became the median between India and China since the 1st century CE; Chinese got most of their Buddhist texts from Kuchi in the 2nd century. In fact some common Chinese Buddhist terms such as 沙門 (Sk. sramana, Ug. samane), and 沙彌 (Sk. sramenera, Ug. sanmir), the resemblances are found in Uigur instead of Sanskrit.
In 1927 an old manuscript found around this area which is dated to the end of the 5th century in which the name Avalokita-svara, 'perceive -sound 觀音' occurs five times on an incomplete leaf. Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什 344-413), the National Master 國師 of Kuci, and a great translator who came to China in 401 CE, in his translation of the Lotus Sūtra 法華經 and the Heart Sūtra 心經, had already noted that "Kuan-shih-yin 觀世音 Avalokitasvara" was also called "Kuan-tzu-tsai 觀自在 Avalokiteśvarā" (Taisho Vol.38 p0331a).

Source in Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka 大正藏:
the Foreign Great Compassion Mantra 番大悲神咒,Taisho T20 No.1063, p0114c
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00114c.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Amoghavara's translation 不空譯本 of 觀自在菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼 Taisho T20 No. 1113b, p0498c
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00498c.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
青頸觀自在菩薩心陀羅尼經 in Amoghavara's Commentary (不空釋義), Taisho T20 No. 1111, p0489a
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00489a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
金剛頂瑜伽青頸大悲王觀自在念誦儀 by Vajrabodhi 金剛智 Taisho T20, No.1112, p0490b
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00490b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
觀自在菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心大陀羅尼 by Zhikong 指空, Taisho T20, No. 1113A, p0497c
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00497c.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經 by Bhagavaddharma 伽範達摩, Taisho T20, No. 1060, p0106a
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00106a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
千手千眼觀世音菩薩姥陀羅尼身經 by Bodhiruci 菩提流支, Taisho T20, No. 1058, p0096b
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00096b.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
千眼千臂觀世音菩薩陀羅尼神咒經 by Chih-t'ung 智通 Taisho T20 No. 1057a, p0083c
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/JMi ... 00083c.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Chapter of Universal Door (Sk. Samanta-mukha) of Avalokiteśvarā, 添品妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品第二十四, Taisho T09, No. 262
http://www.buddhist-canon.com/SUTRA/DCX ... 90192a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And here
At least seven long versions of the Dhāranī are in Chinese, others are in Siddham, Sogdian 康居, Tibetan, Japanese, and Korean. The Dhāranī was translated twice by Amoghavara 不空 (worked 723-774), namely, the long version in the Amoghavara's Commentary ed. 不空釋義 (No. 1111), and the abridged version in Amoghavara's Translation ed. 不空譯本 (No.1113b). The abridged version is practically identical to the Bhagavaddhrama's circulated ed. 伽梵達摩流通本 (No.1060, worked 650-660). The abridged or vulgate version is geared to Mahayana philosophy and is the one recited in exoteric Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan.

In accordance with custom of Vedic mantra, the Dhāranī is divided into five sections, the 3rd section, Śloka, is a stanza of verse comprising 32 syllables, used as a unit of measurement for the length of prose texts.

III.[真言功德 Śloka] - enunciation of the merit of the hṛdaya-dhāraṇī

醯唎摩 皤哆沙咩(13) 薩婆阿他 豆 輸朋 (14)
hṛdayaṃ vartayisyāmi sarvātha sādhanaṃ śubham - (3+5+3+3+2= 16)
Hṛdayaṃ 醯唎摩 ; sarvātha (薩*婆)阿他, 3 syllables; 豆 (du) stands for 'sādhanaṃ'.

阿遊孕(15) 薩婆 菩哆那摩 縛 伽(16)摩 罰特豆 (17)
ajeyam sarva bhūtānām bhava mārga viśodhakam - (3+2+3+2+2+4=16)
Bhūtānāṃ '菩'哆那摩, bhava 縛'哇', 2 syllables; mārga 伽摩, splits into 2 verses; 特豆 (dudu) stands for śodhakam, i.e. 罰特豆 vi-śodhakam.

While Buddhist texts were transmitted orally in ancient time, the word 豆, 特豆 'du' or 'dudu' is an expletive to slur over lacunae when words were forgotten.

A few notes:
室那室那 (35) 阿[羅*參] [佛*羅]舍利(36)
ṣṇa sarṣam pracali
室那室那 is [訖*哩][史*拏] krṣṇa, 2 syllables, means black, ṣṇa 室那 is not a word, 'sina' was further supplanted by 'cinda' in 1977. Sarṣam 阿[羅*參] is Sarpa, means snake. Pracali [佛*羅]舍利 means pavīta.

This is corroborated by Amoghavara's Commentary Edition 不空釋義 (No. 1111):
krṣṇa sarpa kṛta yajño-pavīta
[訖*哩][史*拏] 薩跛 [訖*哩]多(上) [演*女](呢庾反)-跛尾多
black snake used as scared-thread (黑蛇 作 神線)

Nīlakaṇṭha [寧*頁]羅蹇[女*宅] in the Commentary (No. 1111), 青頸者 (nīla, blue; kaṇṭha, neck; the Blue-necked one) , is an epithet of Śhiva. Nīlakaṇṭha is supplanted by "Nīlakindi" (Narakindi) 那囉謹墀 in Uighur 回紇 form in the Translation (No. 1113b); it occurs 4 times in 12, 46, 55, and 67.

摩羅 is rendered as 'mālā' (garland) in Amoghavara's Commentary 不空釋義 (No. 1111), this is corroborated by the Dunhuang manuscript fragment 敦煌波羅米康居文對照殘卷 with the cross reference of Brāhmī and Sogdian script. 摩羅 'mālā' is later supplanted by 麼囉 (38) 'mara' in the Amoghavara's Translation 不空譯本 (No. 1113b) and in the Vajrabodhi's Recitation Tantra 金剛智念誦儀 (No.1112).
沙囉 沙囉(40) 悉唎 悉唎(41) 蘇嚧 蘇嚧(42), sara, siri, and suru is not a Sanskrit word. Amoghavara rendered as lotus which symbolizes immaculate and auspicious. Avalokiteśvara 觀自在 also called 覺花 Bodhi flower or 佛蓮花 Buddha lotus, so it is logical to address Avalokiteśvara 'garland' or 'lotus'.

呼嚧 呼嚧 麼囉(38) 呼嚧呼嚧 醯唎(39) 沙囉 沙囉(40) 悉唎 悉唎(41) 蘇嚧 蘇嚧(42)
huru huru mālā, huru huru Hare, sara sara, siri siri, suru suru
Quick, qucik, the garland, quick, quick, Hare, lotus, lotus, lotus stem.
速疾, 速疾, 花鬘, 速疾, 速疾, 師子王, 蓮花, 蓮花, 蓮花, 蓮花, 蓮花頸, 蓮花頸.

It corresponds to the verse in Amoghavara's Commentary (No. 1111):
huru Hare Mahā-padmanābba
戶嚕賀 摩賀 缽納-摩曩(引)婆
Quick, Hare (Lion), the great lotus one. 速疾, 師子王, 大蓮花者.
Hare, Hari, 醯利, 摩賀, means Lion 師子王, is another name of Viṣhṇu. The sidham word 'Hare' is missing in the Translation (No. 1113b).

Śankarā 勝羯囉, auspicious one 吉祥者, or Giver of joy, an epithet of Śhiva. 勝羯 śaṃkha, in the Translation ed. (No.1113b) means conch.
Śaṃkha (69) corresponds to Śankarā (74) in Bhagavaddhrama's circulated ed. 伽梵達摩流通本 (No. 1060):
摩婆利 勝羯囉夜 (74) 娑婆訶
Mahātali Śankarāya svāhā
To the mighty Auspicious one, Hail!
Audio/Video Link:
http://www.immmusic.com/product/eng/1003.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiAT07i_lus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Aemilius
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

Post by Aemilius »

A great mantra, Imee Ooi's musical version is also very good.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

Post by Thug4lyfe »

Aemilius wrote:A great mantra, Imee Ooi's musical version is also very good.
I've been singing along to her version almost everyday while driving to work. Will it have the same benefit without me making all the vows before hand?
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Aemilius
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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Food_Eatah wrote:
Aemilius wrote:A great mantra, Imee Ooi's musical version is also very good.
I've been singing along to her version almost everyday while driving to work. Will it have the same benefit without me making all the vows before hand?
You expect me to know that?? I'm sure you will know it yourself. I'm not going to roll out the correct fundamentalist buddhist answer for You.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Thug4lyfe
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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You can roll out fundie stuff for me! I can handle it homes! :)
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Aemilius
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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Om mani padme hung
Om mani padme hung
Om mani padme hung
Om mani padme hung hrih
Om mani padme hung hrih
Om mani padme hung hrih

the four brahma vihara, four apramana: maitri, karuna, mudita, & upeksha
two-fold bodhicitta
seven limbs of awakening, sapta bodhyanga
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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Re: The Mahakarunicitta Dharani

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I chant this mantra every day along with Imee Ooi on youtube:)

Even without vows it is a great thing to do as you are making a karmic connection. If you continue you will develop faith in Guanyin and then reap all the wonderful benefits of this mantra. I started years ago without any faith but an aspiration, now I have plenty, Guanyin has helped me many times in my life and I have made a vow to be reborn in her pure land of Mt. Potalaka.

So please chant with vows, without vows Guanyin will give you great benefit!
gassho
Rory
Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu
Chih-I:
The Tai-ching states "the women in the realms of Mara, Sakra and Brahma all neither abandoned ( their old) bodies nor received (new) bodies. They all received buddhahood with their current bodies (genshin)" Thus these verses state that the dharma nature is like a great ocean. No right or wrong is preached (within it) Ordinary people and sages are equal, without superiority or inferiority
Paul, Groner "The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture"eds. Tanabe p. 58
https://www.tendai-usa.org/
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