Shurangama mantra practice without a living teacher.

[hengyiangsoong]

Can you do it in sanskrit?

It doesn't matter in what language if the best following the Shurangama Sutra you should learn it by listening. The Mantra will certainly plant it in your heart as if you keep listening as your popular music. If you set a vow is even better，for example* if I could chant easily the Mantra out from my heart, all the merits shall be for all the cancer patients, so that all the cancer patients in the world can be cure at the last stage!* It is preferably your vow shall be synchronized with Diamond Sutra in which your heart is tally with those Buddhas and Maha Bodhisattva. Following the Shurangama Sutra again, your physical body could not cover the entire universe. But your heart can do it; that is why we use Diamond Sutra.

[hengyiangsoong]

Remember! All the states are illusions and delusions as well. There are no demons or maras because the Shurangama Sutra mentioned just after the Mantra spoken by Buddha the advantage of someone chanting this Mantra will be free from demonic obstacles during his cultivation. One will be achieving Buddha soon is the most interesting point here. Don't Worry, be Happy! The Shurangama Sutra even mentioned, once you start chanting this Mantra, your next life will be better and better. Don't Worry, like me there are some people keep requesting to chant for them. But the moment , I chant it seems like hurting someone because the spirit behind him or her may not be practising Buddhism in a correct manner. But the Shurangama Mantra actually help them(the person and the spirit as well).

[DiamondWisdom]

Shurangama Mantra is a very heavy Mantra whereby you use a small motorbike or your small car would certainly not to run faster. In order to master it, you should set a positive vow for others. One way to in-plant this Shurangama Mantra into your heart is best solution because the Mantra is a bit long. There is an easy way to plant it into your heart, you just need to switch on the Mantra with an acceptable volume you may be listening during your sleep until tomorrow morning before you go to work. By mid night when you listen until your heart would be able to recite automatically and your ear just keep listening. CONGRATULATIONS! you are done to enlightment.

[Sila]

Hi,
After reading the commentaries to the Shurangama Sutra by Dharma Master Hsuan in 2008, I memorized and started reciting the Shurangama mantra. While memorizing it I had to struggle with many demonic obstacles, but then after a while they were all gone and I figured the demons realized that I was weak and that I really didn't know how to use the mantra so they lost interest and didn't bother to test me anymore. Because of this I started to doubt that I used the mantra correctly, thinking about the possible need to receive teachings or transmission of some sort directly from a living teacher in order for the mantra to have any positive effect. After a while those doubts made me quit using the mantra. I have taken it up again from time to time, but still have those doubts.

Do you know if it is usefull to recite the Shurangama mantra even without having received teachings or transmission on it from a living teacher?

Hi Inge, I was about to peruse the '42 Hands and Eye's sutta' I just purchased from the B.T.T.S. and went online to find a sypnosis on what I was about to consume. Just then I happened upon your post so had to join in the discussion and give my two cents for I understand how you were feeling when this was posted originally. I, too, had the same thought because I was failing miserably at keeping precepts and figured, 'Well, guess I need to stop reciting the Shurangama Mantra because of my impurities and defilements. What ended up happening to my life was pretty wretched and not only was I breaking just one precept, I went on to break all five precepts. I got into trouble with the law on top of that but it was a blessing I did, otherwise I would have fallen into states of woe that could find rest. In the meantime I am back on track. Keeping very close eye of precepts so I don't fall down so hard that I cant get up.

Before I go further, let me just state that the Shurangama Sutra was the first sutra given to me by a Tibetan monk in 2002. I cherish this Sutra and Mantra with all my heart. It went with me everywhere when I travelled. Many of times, I felt unworthy of such teaching and I many of times second guess myself from reciting the Shurangama Mantra and I should have never done that.

Now, I go into the Shurangama Mantra with heartfelt humility stating that I need the Shurangama's help in getting rid of my old bad habits and release me of my doubts and confusion. I recite it everyday. I am trying to memorize it. Its been long overdue. The Shurangama Mantra has helped me to rid myself of old habits. Going into it, I brought all my bad habits. Everyday, I lose a little dirt from my eye's and everyday, a little light of wisdom seem to open up.

So...the Shurangama Mantra is for living being's. I am a living being. I am not perfect without delusion or faults thereby I am the living being the Buddha's Dharma is meant for. If I were pure and without delusion, I would be a Buddha! The conclusion is recite it not to harm but to rid oneself of undo harm and unwholesome habits. Good at the beginning, good in the middle and good at the end. Smiles.

Sila

[JosephMiri]

I like share so my opinion regarding shurangama mantra practice without living teacher. I myself practice shurangama mantra daily and it took me a year to memorized the whole mantra. And it totally take 5 years to go through a lot of trial and determined to give up but somehow the mantra found it way back to rebuild my courage to not giveup. Probably I called it own buddha nature lives within each and everyone of us. I don't know how great is mantra but I realize it how compassionate is buddha and Bodhisattvas through out ten direction in shared us the great dharma in order to liberated all sentient beings. So keep practicing never doubted on it because it always a trial.

[Surangama]

I am learning the Sanskrit Shurangama version from YouTube version (Brother Chen)
I am having difficulties in finding out the mudras to be used when doing the Shurangama Chant in Sanskrit.
I did see the mudra pictures in the Chinese version (Master Hua) but I don’t read or speak Chinese and I’m not sure there the same for Sanskrit version anyway.
I am vegetarian and don’t take intoxicants
Hoping someone can assist me

[Sammã-sambodhi]

Hi Surangama,

I am also learning this mantra in sanskrit
This link may be of help, but the text is in Vietnamese. It demonstrates hand mudras fot the Surangama Mantra with line illustrations, only issue is translation.

https://archive.org/stream/EsotericBudd ... a#mode/2up

Hope it is of help to you