Shurangama Mantra with Verses and Commentary
by Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua
554. TA BÀ HA.
莎婆訶.
Công
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Quả
chướng tiêu diệt thiện nghiệp toàn
Trực
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Cao
đăng Chánh Giác đại bảo liên.
功無不集德將圓
果障消滅善業全
直至菩提常抖擻
高登正覺大寶蓮
544. ĐÁC ĐIỆC THA
跢姪他
545. ÁN
唵
546. A NA LỆ
阿那隸
547. TỲ XÁ ĐỀ
毗舍提
548. BỆ RA
鞞囉
549. BẠT XÀ RA
跋闍囉
550. ĐÀ RỊ
陀唎
551. BÀN ĐÀ BÀN ĐÀ NỂ
槃陀槃陀你
跋闍囉謗尼泮
虎 𤙖 都 嚧 甕 泮
554. TA BÀ HA.
莎婆訶.
MA HA TẤT ĐÁT ĐA BÁT ĐÁT RA
ĐÀ RA NI CHÚ
ĐÁC ĐIỆC THA.
ÁN, A NA LỆ, TỲ XÁ ĐỀ, BỆ RA, BẠT XÀ-RA, ĐÀ RỊ, BÀN ĐÀ BÀN ĐÀ NỂ, BẠT XÀ-RA BÁN NI PHẤN. HỔ HỒNG ĐÔ LÔ UNG PHẤN, TA BÀ-HA.
Shurangama Mantra
Original verses and commentary by
Venerable Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua
Translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society:
For list of credits see Issue #131
As to the interaction of the Three
Secret Practices: the first is the syllables of the mantra. I) THE PLATFORM OF
SYLLABLES OF THE MANTRA: when you hold the mantra, you'll naturally have a platform. EACH TIME, ONE SHOULD HOLD THE ENTIRE MANTRA ONCE, AND THEN HOLD THE HEART OF THE
MANTRA ONE HUNDRED EIGHT TIMES. Perhaps you do this practice early each day.
Or, you do it several times a day. In any case, you first recite the entire
mantra once, then the heart of the mantra one hundred eight times. The heart of
the mantra begins with "DWO JR TWO NAN"--it is the last few lines of
the last section:
DWO JR TWO
NAN
E NA LI
PI SHE TI
PI LA BA SHE LA
TWO LI
PAN TWO PAN TWO NI
BA SHE LA BANG NI PAN
HU SYIN DU LU YUNG PAN
SWO PE HE
This forms the platform of syllables of the mantra. The heart of
the mantra is ineffably wonderful. If no one in this world is able to recite the
Shurangama Mantra, the hordes of demons and weird beings will appear and make trouble.
But, because there are people who are able to recite the Shurangama Mantra,
especially the heart of the mantra, these troublemakers will run away. Within
the heart of the mantra, the two lines:
E NA LI
PI SHE TI
are extremely wonderful. One line extends vertically, the other
horizontally. The vertical one pervades the ten directions. When the two lines
are recited, they cause heavenly demons and those of outside ways to have no
place to run, and they become very obedient. The power of just these two
lines alone is inconceivable. OR ONE CAN HOLD THE ENTIRE MANTRA ONCE IN THE
MORNING OR SIMPLY HOLD THE MANTRA HEART ONE HUNDRED EIGHT TIMES. IN THIS WAY
ONE CAN STILL ATTAIN IMMEASURABLE BLESSINGS.
When you recite the entire
Shurangama Mantra once and the heart one hundred eight times, you will be able to obtain blessings that are measureless
and boundless. That's why it's said, if you are able to recite the Shurangama
Mantra, then in seven lives to come you'll have a reward of massive blessings
and honor. That's if you're seeking blessings. If you want to seek to transcend
the world, then you will also be able to obtain your aim. If you wish to seek
these blessings of humans and gods, you will be able to obtain them. If you
don't wish to seek for them, then you don't have to. This is the first part of
the platform which consists of the syllables of the mantra.
II) THE PLATFORM OF MENTAL
CONSIDERATION: When you recite the heart of the mantra, you visualize the
Sanskrit syllables.
There are things that you don't need to understand. If you were to understand, then you would lose interest. If you don't understand, then you have a feeling there's some meaning in it, there's something you don't know yet. It's just like before we eat something, we always anticipate that it will taste good. But, after we've eaten it, we say, "Oh, it's just like that, and we lose interest. Cultivating the Way is also like this. If you do not know the meaning of the mantra--you do not know the meaning of the sy11ab1es--you always feel it's ineffably wonderful. If you recognize these words, you're apt not to pay attention to them anymore.
Visualizing the Sanskrit syllables is like this as well, because
we do not know what they mean. It's not like with your own native language,
where you know that the word "big" just means big; the word
"Bodhisattva" just means Bodhisattva. Of course, those who know
Sanskrit will understand what these syllables mean, but those who have not
studied Sanskrit will want to contemplate them.
By contemplating these Sanskrit
syllables you can obtain the five eyes and the six spiritual penetrations. You
are able to contemplate these Sanskrit syllables one-by-one clearly, whether
your eyes are open or closed. After some time, although you don't understand,
the wonder of them will manifest, and you'll open your five eyes and obtain the
six spiritual penetrations. Once you do this, you will understand causes and
fathom effects. This is one of the methods of cultivating your mind. When you
contemplate the Sanskrit syllables, your mind will not have any false thinking.
You put each syllable in your heart and then with your eyes open and with your
eyes closed you will see them clearly. After doing this for some time, you will
have concentration, the power of Samadhi. ONLY THEN CAN ONE ACCOMPLISH SAMADHI.
Text:
III. THE PLATFORM OF THE MUDRAS:
AFTER THE CONTEMPLATION, ONE SHOULD BE CLEAR ABOUT THE MUDRAS. ACCORDING TO THE
"RECITATION CEREMONIES OF THE ONE-WORD BUDDHA-SUMMIT WHEEL-KING," THE
WHITE CANOPY BUDDHA-SUMMIT MUDRA IS MADE BY PLACING THE PADS OF THE THUMBS OVER
THE NAILS OF THE RING FINGERS AND THEN PLACING YOUR HANDS TOGETHER WITH PALMS
FACING.
THE FIRST TWO FINGERS WILL BE
SLIGHTLY BENT WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER: THE LITTLE FINGERS WILL COME TOGETHER
VERTICALLY, AND THIS MAKES THE APPEARANCE OF THE MUDRA. MOREOVER, THE MANTRA OF
THE WHITE-CANOPY-SUMMIT-WHEEL-KING MUDRA IS THE SAME AS THE FIVE-BUDDHAS-SUMMIT
MUDRA, IN WHICH THE TWO PALMS ARE HOLLOW. THE VAJRA PALMS MUDRA IS LIKE FLOWER
PETALS ON THE PALM. ONE NEED ONLY MAKE ANY ONE OF THESE THREE MURAS, AND IN
THIS WAY ONE ACCOMPLISHES THE SHURANGAMA KING-WHITE-CANOPY BUDDHA-SUMMIT-HEART
MANTRA MUDRA.
UPON COMPLETING THIS MUDRA, ONE
SHOULD RECITE THE MANTRA. TOGETHER THIS FORMS THE INTERACTION OF THE THREE
SECRET PRACTICES. ONE WILL THEN BE ABLE TO ATTAIN THE THREE WHEELS, THE
INCONCEIVABLE TRANSFORMATION OF ALL BUDDHAS. WHATEVER YOU SEEK, WHETHER WORLDLY
OR TRANSCENDENTAL, WILL BE AS-YOU-WILL.
The Three Mantras of the Secret
Division: UPON RECITING THESE MANTRAS, A PLATFORM IS SET UP:
1) FIRST RECITE THE TRUE WORDS OF THE DHARMA REALM:
Commentary:
III. THE PLATFORM OF THE MUDRAS:
AFTER THE CONTEMPLATION, ONE SHOULD BE CLEAR ABOUT THE MUDRAS. After you know the platform of language and the
platform of contemplation, you should understand the platform of the mudra.
ACCORDING TO THE "RECITATION CEREMONIES OF THE ONE-WORD BUDDHA-SUMMIT
WHEEL-KING," THE WHITE CANOPY BUDDHA-SUMMIT MUDRA IS MADE BY PLACING THE
PADS OF THE THUMBS OVER THE NAILS OF THE RING FINGERS AND THEN PLACING YOUR
HANDS TOGETHER WITH PALMS FACING. The pads of your two thumbs (above the first
joint) are placed over the nails of your two ring fingers. The ring finger is
also known as the "no-name finger." Then you put your hands together
with palms facing, so the tips of your first, second, and little fingers touch
each other. That's called "making the gesture of the mudra and reciting
the mantra." What's it for? I'll te11 you something very important: it's
just to make you pay attention. You're so involved in the logistics of it, you
don't have any other false thoughts. There's no other meaning to it. It does
not mean that once you strike this mudra, it will become efficacious. It is
just to cause you not to have any other false thinking. If you do not have any
false thinking, then even if you don't hold the mudra position, the Three
Secret Practices will interact nonetheless. You should know the truth behind
this. Why do we speak of the interaction of the Three Secret Practices--the
"Platform of the Syllables of the Mantra, the Platform of the Mental
Consideration, and the Platform of the Mudras"? It's all to keep you from
having any other false thoughts.
When you are single-minded, it is
efficacious.
When you are scattered, then you lose it.
If you have one intention, then there can be a response.
YOUR FIRST TWO FINGERS WILL BE
SLIGHTLY BENT WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER. YOUR LITTLE FINGERS WILL COME TOGETHER VERTICALLY, AND THIS MAKES THE
APPEARANCE OF THE MUDRA. After you place your thumb on your ring finger, your
middle finger will join the middle finger on your hand, and your index finger
joins the index finger on the other hand, and they will be slightly bent. The
little finger joins together with the little finger of the other hand in a
straight-up-and-down, vertical, position. This is the White-Canopy
Buddha-Summit Mudra. There is another mudra called the Vajra Fist Mudra, which
is quite simple. This is much easier, not as difficult as the last one. You
place your thumb on the base of your ring finger, and then you close your fist.
That's the Vajra Fist. All these samadhis arise from the Vajra Fist, the Vajra
Palm, or the Varja Tying-up Hand. You can use either the Vajra Fist, or the
Vajra Palm, or the Vajra Tying-up Hand. These three are very easy. You can use
the Vajra Fist, but you should not glare at the same time. You can clench your
fists together, but if you glare, then you'll be taken for "Ferocious
Vajra Eyes!"
MOREOVER, THE MANTRA OF THE
WHITE-CANOPY-SUMMIT-WHEEL KING MUDRA IS THE SAME AS THE FIVE-BUDDHAS-SUMMIT MUDRA, IN WHICH THE TWO PALMS ARE HOLLOW. THE
VAJRA PALMS IS LIKE FLOWER PETALS ON THE PALM. ONE NEED ONLY MAKE ANY ONE OF THESE
THREE MUDRAS. Vajra Palm is made by entwining your fingers inside on your
palms--spreading them out so they curl upward like the petals of a flower. By
keeping your fingers intertwined and turning your palms down, you make the
Vajra Typing-up Hand. These are three mudras; you can use any one you please.
When you recite the mantra, contemplate the Sanskrit words and assume the
posture of the mudra--then the Three Platforms are in accord.
IN THIS WAY ONE ACCOMPLISHES THE
SHURANGAMA KING-WHITE CANOPY-BUDDHA SUMMIT-HEART MANTRA MUDRA. UPON COMPLETING THIS MUDRA, ONE SHOULD RECITE THE
MANTRA. TOGETHER THIS FORMS THE INTERACTION OF THE THREE SECRET PRACTICES. ONE
WILL THEN BE ABLE TO ATTAIN THE THREE WHEELS, THE INCONCEIVABLE TRANSFORMATIONS
OF ALL BUDDHAS. The Three Wheels are your body, mouth, and mind, and they take on the inconceivable
transformations of the Buddhas. WHATEVER YOU SEEK, WHETHER WORLDLY OR
TRANSCENDENTAL, WILL BE AS-YOU-WILL. No matter what you seek, whether it's worldly or world transcending, you will be
able to obtain it. But, the best is not to seek. If you are seeking something,
then you have a mind of greed. If you are greedy, you may get some apparent
results, but you won't obtain limitless merit and virtue. If you do not seek,
then your merit and virtue will be extremely great.
THE THREE MANTRAS OF THE SECRET
DIVISION: If you do not know what's just been explained, then as an
alternative, you could use the Three Mantras of the Secret School. Reciting
this, you will also be able to establish a platform. 1) FIRST RECITE THE TRUE
WORDS OF THE DHARMA REALM: NAN. WA DZ LA TOU DU WAN. 2) NEXT. RECITE THE TRUE WORDS OF PURIFICATION: NAN. LAN SWO HE. 3) LAST, RECITE THE TRUE WORDS OF THE THREE
PLATFORMS: NAN. YA HUNG. These three platforms are the Buddha Platform, the
Dharma Platform, and the Sangha Platform. This mantra is recited in the
"ceremony for liberating lone or homeless spirits and demons."
"NAN" represents Vairochana atop the crown of the head and is the
Buddha Platform. "YA" is Amitabha Buddha. "HUNG" is
Akshobhya Buddha. Amitabha Buddha is the Dharma Platform, and Akshobhya is the
Sangha Platform. These are the Three Platforms. Once you recite these mantras,
the Three Platforms are in accord. So, another good method is to recite these
three mantras prior to reciting the Shurangama Mantra. The first one is
purifying the Dharma realm True Words, and it clears up the Dharma realm. It
is: NAN. WA DZ LA TOU DU WAN. You recite it seven times. The second is NAN
LAN SO HE. You also recite it seven times. The third is NAN YA HUNG. You also
recite this one seven times. When you recite these three mantras seven times
each, there will be an interaction of the Three Secret Practices.
Text:
NAMO SHURANGAMA ASSEMBLY OF BUDDHAS
AND BODHISATTVAS.
Commentary:
Before you recite the Mantra, you
should return your life to the Shurangama Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
by reciting this line three times.
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