Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary

by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua

533. SẮC NI SAM

瑟尼釤

 

 

Khải Hỏa Kim Cang Tạng Vương chúng

Hóa hung vi cát ma thủ củng

Quán đảnh bảo quang trừ ách nạn

Kết giới thành tựu quy Bất Động.

 

啟火金剛藏王眾

化凶為吉魔手拱

灌頂寶光除厄難

結界成就皈不動

 

English Translated by the International Translation Institute

Revised by Bhikshu Heng Shun

 

533. Se Ni Shan

 

Verse:

 

The multitudes are led by the Vajra Treasury King, Lighting-Fire.

Ominous events are transformed into fortunate events and the demons bow in submission.

The precious light of the Anointment of the Crown eradicates calamities and difficulties.

With the boundary established, all take refuge with the Buddha, Unmoving.

 

Commentary:

 

After the Buddha spoke the Shurangama Mantra, it assumed a very important position within Buddhism. However, from ancient times until the present, not very many explanations on the Mantra have been written because mantras in general cannot really be explained with commentaries. Annotations on the Anointment of the Crown gives a brief explanation, but it is too general. I have now written four-line verses for each line of the Mantra to describe its powers. These can be said to be descriptive verses, not commentaries. Since the principles contained with the Mantra are limitless and boundless, they cannot be thoroughly explained with mere phrases. Hence, using four-line verses to describe the Mantra is unprecedented. It has never been done before.

 

The Shurangama Mantra has a total of 554 lines, and I have composed a four-line verse for each line. Perhaps I composed these five hundred-odd verses because I had nothing to do and needed to find something to occupy my time. Or maybe it was done in the hope that someone in the future would awaken to and enter the inconceivable states of the Shurangama Mantra through these verses.

 

The multitudes are led by the Vajra Treasury King, Lighting-Fire.

 

Within the boundary of the Shurangama Mantra, everyone must conform to proper behavior and etiquette. Regardless of whether you are a celestial demon, follower of an unorthodox paths, a “chi mei” ghost or a “wang liang” ghost, everyone must be well behaved and follow the rules. One cannot misbehave again. Otherwise, one will be punished. In the East is the world of the Buddha, Unmoving, the Land of Pure Lapis Lazuli. The Vajra King, Lighting-Fire belongs to the Eastern Vajra Division. He is the Vajra Treasury King and leads eighty-four thousand Vajra warriors. In fact, there are more Vajra warriors than that. In brief summation, they are extremely powerful.

 

 

Ominous events are transformed into fortunate events and the demons bow in submission.

 

The Vajra King, Lighting-Fire can reduce big matters to small ones and cause small matters to disappear altogether. He can transform calamities into auspicious events and turn the tide on various matters. Why is that? He uses the Dharma-door of “taming and subduing” as well as his virtuous conduct, to cause the demon kings to join their hands and bow in submission.

 

The precious light of the Anointment of the Crown eradicates calamities and difficulties.

 

The light dispels all the hardships and difficulties experienced by humans as well as the demon kings. The demon kings suffer greatly from their intense hatred, but they are now able to leave suffering and attain bliss.

 

With the boundary established, all take refuge with the Buddha, Unmoving.

 

We are now at the stage of closing the boundary. All the celestial demons and followers of unorthodox paths take refuge with the Three Jewels and the World Honored One, Unmoving in the East.