The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen is one of five texts that together constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection and has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. Although its incantations (vidyā) are framed specifically to counteract the deadly effects of poisonous snakebites, it also aims to address the entire range of possible human ailments and diseases contracted through the interference of animals, nonhuman beings, and humoral and environmental imbalances, along with a range of other misfortunes, such as sorcery, losing one’s way, robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment, to name but a few. In the text the Buddha Śākyamuni advocates for the invocation of a number of deities within the pantheon of Indian gods and goddesses, including numerous local deities who dwell throughout the subcontinent. He stipulates that just “upholding” or intoning these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each grouping will hasten the deities to the service of saṅgha members administering to the pragmatic medical needs of their own and surrounding communities.
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation was produced by James Gentry, who also wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of DJKR, Herlintje, Hadi Widjaja, Lina Herlintje, Ocean Widjaja, Asia Widjaja, Star Widjaja and Gold Widjaja.
The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen (Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī, Toh 559) is the second scripture in a series of five, the other four being the Mahāsāhasrapramardanī Sūtra (Toh 558),1 Mahāpratisarāvidyārājñī (Toh 561),2 Mahāśītavatī Sūtra3 (Toh 562),4 and Mahāmantrānusāriṇī5 Sūtra (Toh 563).6 Together these five texts have been apotheosized in the Mahāyāna tradition as five goddesses known collectively as the Pañcarakṣā, or the Five Protectresses. In the Tibetan tradition this collection is known as the gzungs chen grwa lnga, the Five Great Dhāraṇīs. Tibetan redactors of Kangyur collections have cataloged this set of five texts together within the final section of the Collected Tantras (rgyud ’bum) division, the Kriyā section. Indeed, these five scriptures do contain elements—powerful incantations, an emphasis on external ritual hygiene and other material details such as auspicious dates, and so forth—that resonate with standard Kriyāyoga practice as understood in Tibet. Yet missing from nearly all these texts is any extensive mention of the contemplative visualization exercises, specialized ritual gestures (mudrā), elaborate maṇḍala diagrams, and initiation ceremonies typical of full-blown Buddhist tantra. A close perusal might then lead the reader to construe these as standard Mahāyāna texts with a preponderance of elements—magical mantra formulas, ritual prescriptions, pragmatic aims, and so forth—that only later coalesced and developed into a typically tantric practice tradition with its own unique view, meditation, and conduct. To complicate things further, the core of The Great Peahen is rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that might even predate the rise of Mahāyāna.7 The Great Peahen also appears as a remedy for snakebites in the early Mūlasarvāstivādavinayavastu.8 This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “Dhāraṇī texts were publically [sic] known much earlier and much more widely than the texts we think of as ‘classically’ Mahāyāna.”9
The Five Protectresses have long been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes in the Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhist world. While it seems certain that these texts developed independently and were only later combined into a five-text corpus, their popularity is attested by their eventual spread to Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.10 In East Asia, the textual tradition associated with The Great Peahen in particular was instrumental in integrating Buddhist and indigenous notions of divine kingship.11 Moreover, the tradition of all five goddesses and their texts still occupies a place of central importance today in the Vajrayāna Buddhism practiced by the Newar population of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Newar Buddhist communities of Kathmandu have even translated the texts of the Five Protectresses into the modern vernacular, based on which they continue to stage a number of annual rites for a broad range of pragmatic purposes.12 Newars often propitiate the Five Protectresses together by means of a five-section maṇḍala and other tantric elements that do not necessarily feature in the scriptures themselves. This tradition reflects a specifically tantric ritual treatment of the texts that, judging by the presence of tantric sādhana practices associated with these five texts in the Tibetan Tengyur collections, had already developed by the time the Tibetan translations were executed. This helps account for why Tibetan redactors construed these five texts as belonging to the category of Kriyā tantra, and not to the dhāraṇī or sūtra sections.
The designation “Five Protectresses” denotes the set of five texts, the incantations presented therein, and the five goddesses presiding over each. It is believed that all these texts, specifically their incantations, provide special protection against a wide range of illnesses and misfortunes for those who memorize, recollect, read, copy, teach, wear, or otherwise come into contact with them. Each text promises protection from specific misfortunes, with considerable overlap witnessed between the texts. Despite the pragmatic thrust of these scriptures, each text also contains numerous allusions to doctrinal notions, the range of effects described therein sometimes, though rarely, extending beyond the pragmatic sphere to include the purification of negative karma, deliverance from the lower realms, and even the attainment of buddhahood.
The Great Peahen’s mention of Dravidian mantra indicates that it may have originated in South India. The text and its mantra formulas, although framed specifically to counteract the deadly effects of poisonous snakebites, appear to address the entire range of possible human ailments and diseases contracted through the interference of animals, nonhuman beings, and humoral and environmental imbalances. It also addresses a range of other misfortunes, such as sorcery, losing one’s way, robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment, to name but a few. The Buddha adopts the particular approach in The Great Peahen of stipulating the invocation by name of virtually every deity within the pantheon of South Asian gods and goddesses, including the numerous place deities who dwell throughout the subcontinent. These litanies, which the Buddha separates into groups based on the locations of the spirit entities as above, atop, or below the earth, have the effect of hierarchically ordering the hundreds of nonhuman entities and rendering them subordinate to the command of the Buddha and his saṅgha members. The Buddha stipulates that just “upholding” or intoning these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each grouping will hasten the deities to the service of saṅgha members administering to the pragmatic medical needs of their own and surrounding communities.
The dhāraṇī’s narrative unfolds in response to Ānanda’s effort to save the life of the young monk Svāti, who has suffered a dangerous snakebite while gathering wood in the forest. In the midst of dispensing the initial healing litanies, supplications, and mantras that commence The Great Peahen, the Buddha Śākyamuni tells Ānanda the narrative precedent for the great peahen’s powers. In one of his previous lifetimes, the Buddha relates, he was a peacock named Suvarṇāvabhāsa who ensured his health and good fortune by regularly chanting the great peahen during the day and night. On one occasion, he forgot to chant the incantation, and the outcome was disastrous. Intoxicated with lust, he took to cavorting throughout the mountains with countless peahens in the pursuit of pleasure. His guard let down, Suvarṇāvabhāsa was captured by a group of ill-intentioned youth—that is, until he recollected the dhāraṇī, was miraculously freed from the snare, and safely returned home to his former condition. This story sets the stage for the series of litanies, supplications, and mantras that constitute the bulk of the text.
The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen was translated into Tibetan under Tibetan imperial patronage sometime during the first half of the ninth century by the translation team that included the translator and chief editor Bandé Yeshé Dé (ca. eighth–ninth centuries) and the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha. The early date of the translation is further confirmed by the inclusion of The Great Peahen in both imperial-period catalogs, the Denkarma (ldan kar ma) and Phangthangma (’phang thang ma),13 where it is listed among the Pañcarakṣā texts. The translation made by Yeshé Dé was revised at an unknown date by an anonymous translator based on consultation with additional Sanskrit manuscripts (rgya dpe). This revised version, which is preserved in the Stok Palace Kangyur (S518),14 is more closely aligned with the extant Sanskrit witnesses than the unrevised version contained in the Degé and other Kangyurs.
There are multiple translations of The Great Peahen preserved in the Chinese canon. The earliest among them are two works attributed to Śrīmitra: the Da jinse kongque wang zhou jing (大金色孔雀王咒經, Taishō 986),15 which was likely translated in the late fourth century, and the Fo shuo da jinse kongque wang zhou jing (佛說大金色孔雀王咒經, Taishō 987),16 which dates to the early fifth century. Also among the early Chinese translations was the Kongque wang zhou jing (孔雀王咒經, Taishō 988),17 Kumārajīva’s translation that dates to the early fifth century. In the sixth century, Saṅghabhadra prepared a translation with the same title, Kongque wang zhou jing (孔雀王咒經, Taishō 984),18 which was followed historically by the Fo shuo da kongque zhou wang jing (大孔雀呪王經, Taishō 985),19 translated by Yijing in 705. Finally, the Chinese canon contains a series of works on The Great Peahen translated or compiled by Amoghavajra in the eighth century. This includes his translation, the Fomu da kongque ming wang jing (佛母大孔雀明王經, Taishō 982),20 and two appendices, the Fo shuo da kongque ming wang huaxiang tan chang yi gui (佛說大孔雀明王畫像壇場儀軌, Taishō 983a),21 a compendium of spell formulas, and the Kongque jing zhenyan deng fan ben (孔雀經真言等梵本唐, Taishō 983b),22 a set of instructions for the rite associated with the text.23
This English translation is based primarily on the Degé edition, in consultation with Shūyo Takubo’s Sanskrit edition, the version in the Stok Palace Kangyur, and the Comparative Edition of the Degé Kangyur. Because there is significant variation between the Degé version on the one hand and the Sanskrit and Stok Palace version on the other, only those variants that affected our interpretation of the Degé have been noted. The transliteration of the incantations presented particular difficulties, as there are multiple variations between the Sanskrit edition and the Tibetan versions in nearly every instance. Since the resolution of many of these complexities would require far more time and resources than this project allows, the incantations in this translation generally align with the Degé edition. We have noted the most significant variations between the Degé and the Sanskrit edition, as well as the other Tibetan versions. The incantations were edited only when evidence suggested scribal errors or other inadvertent infelicities. Minor orthographic emendations have not been noted. For interested readers, a translation into French and study of the Chinese versions of the Mahāmāyūrī was conducted by J. F. Marc DesJardins as part of his 2002 doctoral dissertation at McGill University, Montreal.
[F.87.b]I pay homage to all past, future, and present buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas!
I pay homage to the Buddha! I pay homage to the Dharma! I pay homage to the Saṅgha!
I pay homage to the seven completely perfect buddhas, together with their saṅgha of śrāvakas! I pay homage to the arhats in the world! I pay homage to all bodhisattvas, led by Maitreya! I pay homage to the non-returners! I pay homage to the once-returners! I pay homage to the stream enterers! I pay homage to those in the world who have gone correctly! I pay homage to those who have progressed correctly! Having paid homage to them, I will now recite the great peahen, the queen of incantations.
May this incantation be successful for me! Assemblies of bhūtas, whether coursing on earth, in the sky, or in water, gods, nāgas, asuras, maruts, garuḍas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, pretas, piśācas, bhūtas, kumbhaṇḍas, pūtanas, kaṭapūtanas, skandas, unmādas, chāyās, apasmāras, and ostārakas—listen to me!
Assemblies of bhūtas who sap vitality, devour wombs, drink blood, and devour fat, flesh, grease, marrow,[F.88.a] and offspring! You who sap life force and devour oblations, flower garlands, perfumes, incense, flowers, fruits, grains, and burnt offerings! You who devour pus and feces, drink urine, devour leftovers, saliva, phlegm, snot, filth, and vomit, and drink from cesspools! All you with evil, wicked, and violent intentions, who steal the life force of others—listen to me! I will recite the great peahen, the queen of incantations! I will also give you perfume, flowers, incense, and oblations!
All you grahas with evil, wicked, and violent intentions toward me, who steal the life force of others and devour their vitality—depart!
All you with gentle, loving, and virtuous intentions—listen to me! All you with devotion the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—listen to me!
It is like this: “Kālī, Karālī, Kumbhāṇḍī, Śaṅkhinī, Kamalākṣī, Hārītī, Harikeśī, Śrīmatī, Haripiṅgalī, Lambā, Pralambā, Kālapāśā, Kalaśodarī, Yamadūtī, Yamarākṣasī,24 and Bhūtagrasanī! Accept these flowers, incense, perfumes, and oblations that I will offer you! Protect me from all perils and misfortunes![F.88.b] May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns! May the words of the incantation be fulfilled for me! Svāhā!”
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time, there was also a tender, young, a monk named Svāti staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. It had not been long since he had set forth, was ordained, and entered the teachings and monastic discipline. While he was gathering wood for the saṅgha’s steam bath–house, a large black snake emerged from the hollow of a rotten log and bit him on the big toe of his right foot. His body went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground. He lay there with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Venerable Ānanda saw the monk Svāti lying there collapsed on the ground, afflicted, suffering, and extremely ill, with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Witnessing this, he rushed to the Blessed One, bowed at his feet, and stood to one side.
Standing to one side, Venerable Ānanda asked, “Venerable Blessed One! Here in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, there is a tender, young monk named Svāti. It has not been long since he set forth, was ordained, and entered the teachings and monastic discipline. He was gathering wood for the saṅgha’s steam bath–house when a large black snake emerged from the hollow of a rotten log and bit him on the big toe of his right foot. His body went weak, he collapsed to the ground and curled up, and he is lying there with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Venerable Blessed One! How should I treat him?”[F.89.a]
The Blessed One said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda! Go and make use of the Thus-Gone One’s speech! Use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to protect the monk Svāti against gods, grahas, nāga grahas, asura grahas, marut grahas, garuḍa grahas, gandharva grahas, kinnara grahas, mahoraga grahas, yakṣa grahas, rākṣasa grahas, preta grahas, piśāca grahas, bhūta grahas, kumbhaṇḍa grahas, pūtana grahas, kaṭapūtana grahas, skanda grahas, unmāda grahas, chāyā grahas, apasmāra grahas, ostāraka grahas, nakṣatra grahas,25 kṛtyā rites,26 kākhordas, kiraṇas, vetālas, ciccakas, preṣakas, indigestible food, evil vomit, wicked chāyās, the evil eye, written hexes, traversed hexes,27 neglected spirits, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, four-day fevers, weeklong fevers, half-month fevers, month-long fevers, daily fevers, momentary fevers, chronic fevers, intermittent fevers, fevers from bhūtas, fevers from humans, fevers from nonhumans, and fevers that arise from wind disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders,28 or their combination, as well as all other fevers! Use this incantation to guard him! Conceal him! Protect him! Care for him! Nurture him! Bring about his tranquility and well-being! Keep away punishments and weapons! Counteract the poison! Neutralize the poison! Draw a boundary!29 Bind the earth!30 Remove headaches! Remove splitting headaches!31 Remove loss of appetite, eye illness, nose illness, mouth illness, throat illness,[F.89.b] heart disease, sore throat, earache, toothache, heart pain, side pain, backache, stomachache, cheek pain, urinary tract pain, male genital pain, female genital pain, hip pain, thigh pain, calf pain, hand pain, foot pain, and pain in the major and minor appendages!32 May all buddhas grant me well-being in the night, well-being in the day, well-being at midday, and well-being day and night!
Tadyathā iḍi viḍi kiḍi hiḍi miḍi niḍi33 meṭhedodumbā34 āḍe ghāḍe durgāḍe hariṇi vaguḍe pāṃśu35 piśāciṇi36 varṣaṇi ārohaṇi ārohiṇi37 ele mele tele tili38 tili39 mele mele timi40 timi41 dume dume dudume iṭṭi miṭṭi viṣṭhavande42 capale vimale hulu hulu43 aśvamukhi kāli kāli karāli mahākāli prakīrṇakeśi kulu kulu vaphulu vaphulu kolu kolu hulu hulu vahulu vahulu44 vosā45 dumbā dodumbā dumadumbā46 golāyā velāyā parivelāyā piśu piśu hili hili hili hili hili47 mili mili mili mili mili48 tili tili tili tili tili49 culu culu culu culu culu50 muhu51 muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu mulu52 mulu mulu mulu mulu mulu53 hu54 hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu vā55 vā vā vā vā vā vā vā vā vā pā56 pā pā pā pā pā pā pā pā pā jāla57 jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla dama damani tapa tapani jvala jvalani paca pacani dundubhi garjani varṣaṇi sphoṭani tapani tāpani pacani pācani hāriṇi58 kāriṇi59 kimini60 kampani mardani maṇḍikite61 kṣemaṅkari makari śākari śarkari karkari śavari śaṅkari jvala jvalani dumadumbani sukusume62 golāyā velāyā parivelāyā.
“May the god63 shower down rain everywhere! Ilikisi svāhā!
“May they protect me from all perils, misfortunes, epidemics, mental disturbances, fevers, illnesses, grahas, and poisons! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
“Long ago, Ānanda, there was a peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa who lived on the southern slope of Himavat, a king of mountains. In the morning he secured his health and good fortune through the great peahen, queen of incantations, and lived happily during the day. In the evening he used it to secure his health and good fortune, and he lived happily during the night.
Tadyathā hu hu hu hu hu hu nāga le le le dumba le le le nāga le le le66 huya huya vija vija thusu thusu67 gulu gulu68 hu cejini cejini69 agulu70 elā melā elā melā71 tilī melā ili mitte ile tili mitte72 dumbe sudumbe tosu tosu golā velā capalā vimalā iṭṭiri bhiṭṭiri riṭṭiri namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi godohikānāṃ73 namo arhatāṃ hāla hāla.
“May the god shower down rain everywhere! Homage to the buddhas! Svāhā![F.91.a]
“Once, Suvarṇāvabhāsa did not secure his protection and good fortune through the great peahen, queen of incantations, and became transfixed by pleasures. Intoxicated with lust, he was stupefied and became as though unconscious. Thus completely agitated,74 he wandered from garden to garden, park to park, and mountain slope to mountain slope with numerous young forest peahens until he unwittingly entered a mountain fissure. There, some low caste youths, pernicious foes who had been seeking an opportunity to harm him for a long time, captured him with a peacock snare. Amid these enemies he regained his memory and brought to mind the great peahen, queen of incantations.
Tadyathā hu hu hu hu hu75 nāga le le le dumba le le le nāga le le le huya huya huya vija vija thusu thusu gulu gulu hu cejini cejini76 agulu77 ilā78 melā ili melā tili melā ili mitte79 ili tili mitte dumbe sudumbe tosu tosu golā velā capalā vimalā iṭṭiri bhiṭṭiri riṭṭiri namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi godohikānāṃ80 namo arhatāṃ hāla hāla.
“May the god shower rain down everywhere! Homage to the buddhas! Svāhā!
“Then, delivered from that torment, he successfully and safely returned to his own land, where he also chanted the following secret mantra syllables:
Tadyathā siddhe susiddhe81 mocani mokṣani mukte vimukte amale vimale nirmale aṇḍare paṇḍare maṅgalye82 maṅgalye hiraṇye hiraṇyagarbhe ratne ratnagarbhe bhadre subhadre samantabhadre śrībhadre83 sarvārthasādhani paramārthasādhani sarvānarthapraśamani84 sarvamaṅgalasādhani sarvamaṅgalavādhani85[F.91.b] yaśovati86 manasi mānasi mahāmānasi acyute adbhute adbhyanabhute87 mukte vimukte88 mocani mokṣani89 brahme90 araje viraje vimale amṛte amṛtavarṣaṇi91 amare amaraṇi brahme brahmasvare pūrṇe pūrṇamanorathe amṛte amṛtasañjīvani92 śrībhadre candre candraprabhe sūrye sūryakānte vītabhaye sarvasuvarṇe93 suvarṇaprabhe94 brahmaghoṣe brahmajuṣṭhe95 sarvatrāpratihate svāhā.
“Homage to all buddhas! May I have well-being and be protected! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā huci śuci96 ghuci97 muci svāhā!
“Ānanda, you may think that the peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa was someone else at that time. It should not be seen that way. Why is that? Well, Ānanda, at that time, I myself was the peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa. Ānanda, I, too, will now recite the essence mantra of the great peahen, queen of incantations.
Tadyathā ili mitte98 tili mitte99 tili mili mitte100 tili mili101 mili tili102 tili103 mitte104 vili105 mili mitti106 vili mili mitti107 vili mili mili108 tili mili sudumbā dumbā109 suvaca cirikisiya bhinna miṭi110 namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi prāntamūle111 itihārā112 lohitamūle dumbā sudumbā kuṭṭi kuṇaṭṭi kukunaṭṭi tili113 kuñja nāṭṭi.114
“May the god in Aḍakavatī shower down rain for nine or ten months!
Ili mili kili mili kili115 mili ketumūle dudumbe116 sudumoḍe dalimi117 sanduvaṭṭe118 busavaṭṭe vusara vusara dhanavastrake narkalā narkalime khalima119 ghoṣe rakhile iti sajjale dumbe sudumbe120 aṭṭe naṭṭe pranaṭṭe anaṇaṭṭe anamāle.121
“May the god Indra shower down fresh water everywhere!
Nārāyaṇi pārāyaṇi haritāli kuntāli kubhaṇṭi122 ili misti kili misti kili tili misti.123
“May the syllables of this Dravidian mantra be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, this was the essence of the great peahen, queen of incantations. Ānanda, this great peahen, queen of incantations, should be brought to mind when dwelling in a town. It should also be brought to mind when dwelling in the wilderness, when traveling, when lost,[F.92.a] when in the king’s court,124 when among bandits, when on fire, when submerged in water, when among enemies, when among opponents, when among those who are hostile,125 when in an assembly, when in a dispute, when bitten by a snake, after drinking poison, and when all perils converge. It should also be brought to mind when one is struck and afflicted by any illness from among the 404 types, including wind disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders, and their combination. Why is that? Well, Ānanda, even a criminal deserving execution gets off with only a severe punishment. A criminal deserving severe punishment gets off with only a beating. A criminal deserving a beating gets off with a scolding. A criminal deserving a scolding gets off with a warning. A criminal deserving a warning gets off with only having his body hairs bristle with fear. And a criminal deserving of having his body hairs bristle with fear will likewise be released. All his illnesses will be cured. Ānanda, these incantations and secret mantra syllables should also be brought to mind:
Tadyathā cili mili kili mili ketumūle vusavaṭṭe vusariṇe vudariṇi kevaṭṭe kevaṭṭeka mūle iti śavale dumba vetumbe priyaṅkare āvaṭṭe parivarṭṭe.126
“May the god shower a rain of fresh water everywhere!
Namo bhagavate iṭṭittāya indragomisikāya bhṛṅgarikāya127 āśane pāśane pāpanikūle kapilamitte ili mitte.
“Homage to the Blessed Buddha! May the secret mantra syllables be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, may this great peahen, the queen of incantations taught by the Thus-Gone One, protect me! May it guard me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns![F.92.b]
“Ānanda, nowhere in the worlds of gods, māras, Brahmā, humans who are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas,128 and asuras have I seen any god, goddess, divine son, divine daughter, male divine elder, female divine elder, male divine attendant, female divine attendant, male nāga, female nāga, nāga son, nāga daughter, male nāga elder, female nāga elder, male nāga attendant, female nāga attendant, male asura, female asura, asura son, asura daughter, male asura elder, female asura elder, male asura attendant, female asura attendant, male marut, female marut, marut son, marut daughter, male marut elder, female marut elder, male marut attendant, female marut attendant, male garuḍa, female garuḍa, garuḍa son, garuḍa daughter, male garuḍa elder, female garuḍa elder, male garuḍa attendant, female garuḍa attendant, male gandharva, female gandharva, gandharva son, gandharva daughter, male gandharva elder, female gandharva elder, male gandharva attendant, female gandharva attendant, male kinnara, female kinnara, kinnara son, kinnara daughter, male kinnara elder, female kinnara elder, male kinnara attendant, female kinnara attendant, male mahoraga, female mahoraga, mahoraga son, mahoraga daughter, male mahoraga elder, female mahoraga elder, male mahoraga attendant, female mahoraga attendant, male yakṣa, female yakṣa, yakṣa son, yakṣa daughter, male yakṣa elder, female yakṣa elder, male yakṣa attendant, female yakṣa attendant, male rākṣasa, female rākṣasa, rākṣasa son, rākṣasa daughter, male rākṣasa elder, female rākṣasa elder, male rākṣasa attendant, female rākṣasa attendant, male preta, female preta, preta son,[F.93.a] preta daughter, male preta elder, female preta elder, male preta attendant, female preta attendant, male piśāca, female piśāca, piśāca son, piśāca daughter, male piśāca elder, female piśāca elder, male piśāca attendant, female piśāca attendant, male bhūta, female bhūta, bhūta son, bhūta daughter, male bhūta elder, female bhūta elder, male bhūta attendant, female bhūta attendant, male kumbhaṇḍa, female kumbhaṇḍa, kumbhaṇḍa son, kumbhaṇḍa daughter, male kumbhaṇḍa elder, female kumbhaṇḍa elder, male kumbhaṇḍa attendant, female kumbhaṇḍa attendant, male pūtana, female pūtana, pūtana son, pūtana daughter, male pūtana elder, female pūtana elder, male pūtana attendant, female pūtana attendant, male kaṭapūtana, female kaṭapūtana, kaṭapūtana son, kaṭapūtana daughter, male kaṭapūtana elder, female kaṭapūtana elder, male kaṭapūtana attendant, female kaṭapūtana attendant, male skanda, female skanda, skanda son, skanda daughter, male skanda elder, female skanda elder, male skanda attendant, female skanda attendant, male unmāda, female unmāda, unmāda son, unmāda daughter, male unmāda elder, female unmāda elder, male unmāda attendant, female unmāda attendant, male chāyā, female chāyā, chāyā son, chāyā daughter, male chāyā elder, female chāyā elder, male chāyā attendant, female chāyā attendant, male apasmāra, female apasmāra, apasmāra son, apasmāra daughter, male apasmāra elder, female apasmāra elder, male apasmāra attendant, female apasmāra attendant, male ostāraka, female ostāraka, ostāraka son, ostāraka daughter, male ostāraka elder, female ostāraka elder, male ostāraka attendant, or female ostāraka attendant[F.93.b] who intends to harm anyone who, with the use of the great peahen, queen of incantations, is guarded, concealed, protected, cared for, and nurtured, whose tranquility and well-being is secured, who is kept safe from punishments and weapons, whose poison is counteracted, whose poison is stopped, around whom a boundary is drawn, or who has bound the earth.
“Even if one of them, wishing to find a point of entry, were to search for one, it would not be found. Gods would not find a place to assemble. Nāgas would not find a place to assemble. Asuras would not find a place to assemble. Maruts would not find a place to assemble. Garuḍas would not find a place to assemble. Gandharvas would not find a place to assemble. Kinnaras would not find a place to assemble. Mahoragas would not find a place to assemble. Yakṣas would not find a place to assemble. Rākṣasas would not find a place to assemble. Pretas would not find a place to assemble. Piśācas would not find a place to assemble. Bhūtas would not find a place to assemble. kumbhaṇḍas would not find a place to assemble. Pūtanas would not find a place to assemble. Kaṭapūtanas would not find a place to assemble. Skandas would not find a place to assemble. Unmādas would not find a place to assemble. Apasmāras would not find a place to assemble. And ostārakas would not find a place to assemble. Should anyone transgress the great peahen, queen of incantations, their head will split into seven pieces like the blossom of a basil shrub.129 These mantra syllables should also be brought to mind:
Tadyathā ili mili kili mili kiṃ dugdhe mukte sumukte āḍe nāḍe sunāḍe.130
“May the god in highest Aḍakavatī shower down rain!
Ārā pārā godohikā ili mili bhijjilikā udukā ḍunduka kāṭuṭukā131 ili mili tili mili samantataḥ kṛtvā hulu hulu hili hili mili mili132 pili pili133 kili kili śīrṣeṇa varṣaṃ cūlu cūlu134 cala cala cili cili cūlu cūlu135 ciḍi ciḍi136 śikhi śikhi śikhi śikhi iṭi viṭi khi khi khi khi137 juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu[F.94.a] hara hara haraṇe138 jambhe prajambhe sarvaduṣṭapraduṣṭānāṃ jambhemi stambhemi.139
“Guard me! Conceal me! Protect me! Care for me! Nurture me! Bring about my tranquility and well-being! Keep away punishments and weapons! Counteract poison! Neutralize poison! Draw a boundary! Bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā citre140 citramūle citre citramāle hale halamāle phale phalamāle khuru khuru141 varu varuṇe virodhaye142 suru suru muru muru.143
“May poison from the wicked and the evil, poison from bites, poison roots, and poison food be eradicated by the splendor of all buddhas!
Suru suru ke cara cara ke vara vara ke vakke piri piri.144
“May poison be counteracted by the splendor of the seven completely perfect buddhas together with their saṅgha of śrāvakas! May poison be completely eradicated. May poison cease to be!
Elā melā ili milā tili tili melā tiha duha tilimā timā dumā dhīmā dhumā dhusu kumbhā kumbhā sukumbhā sumbhā tumbā samātumbā āḍe nāḍe tila kuñjanāḍe varṣatu devaḥ ilikisi.145
“Through my love for all beings, may the god shower down rain everywhere for nine or ten months!
Vuśaḍe śavariṇi vudāriṇi146 kevaṭṭe kevaṭṭakamūle itiśabari tuṃbe tuṃbe priyaṅkare avāṭṭe parivaṭṭi.
“May the god shower down a rain of fresh water everywhere!
Namo bhagavate indragomisikāya iṭṭitāya godohikāya bhṛṅgārikāya ale tale kuntale aṭṭe naṭṭe kunaṭṭe āśane pāśane pāpanikūle pratikūle.
“Homage to the blessed buddhas! Svāhā!
Tadyathā ili mili kili mili kili cili kili voli udurā suduru sudumode busara busara hu hu karañje karañjamūle ihisa ihi sanatā kuṇḍali kuntāli nārāyaṇi pārāyaṇi pāśyani pāśya pāśyani kapilavastuni irivāsi.149
“May the Dravidian mantra syllables be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, these great remedies were uttered by Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, and by Śakra, lord of the gods, and by the Four Great Kings, and by the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals. Ānanda, should anyone approach with malice in his heart those holding the names of these great remedies, his head will split into seven pieces like the blossom of a basil shrub.
Tadyathā kīrtimūle eraṇḍamūle samantamūle naḍanāḍe aḍe nāḍe kuśanāḍe itte mitte māru araḍakā maraḍakā ilikiśi godohika uddhundhuma bhinna meḍā.150
“Homage to all buddhas!
“May the great peahen, the queen of incantations spoken by the Thus-Gone One, guard me! May it conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years![F.95.a] May I see a hundred autumns!
“Ānanda, the yakṣas, the great yakṣas, who dwell in the ocean, who dwell on Sumeru, the king of mountains, and on other kings of mountains, and who dwell in jungles and vast jungles, in rivers and great rivers, in arbors and waterfalls, in tanks, pools, and mountain caverns, at charnel grounds and great charnel grounds, at crossroads, in towns, cities, temples, gardens, groves, and forests, and on paths and wrong paths and, Ānanda, those yakṣas who dwell in the royal palace of Aḍakavatī—may they protect me with the great peahen, queen of incantations! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā hari hāriṇi cali cālini bhramaṇi bhramani151 mohani staṃbhani jaṃbhani svayaṃbhuve svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the east there lives a gandharva king named Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who, as the lord of all gandharvas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand gandharvas. May he who protects and nurtures the eastern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā jhu jhuru jhu jhuru jhu jhuru jhuru jhuru jhuru me svāhā!152
“Ānanda, in the south there lives a kumbhaṇḍa king named Virūḍhaka, who, as lord of the kumbhaṇḍas,[F.95.b] exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand kumbhaṇḍas. May he who protects and nurtures the southern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā veluke veluke amṛtaghātani varuṇavate somavate veṇumālini veluni putrike co cu ci cu svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the west there lives a king of the nāgas named Virūpākṣa, who, as lord of the nāgas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand nāgas. May he who protects and nurtures the western direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā veduri veduri vedūrī vedūrī maṭṭite maṭṭite koṭi koṭi vedyumati vedyumati153 hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu ru ru ru ru ru ru ru ru cu cu cu cu cu cu cu cu154 ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ju155 svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the north there is a yakṣa king named Vaiśravaṇa, who, as lord of the yakṣas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand yakṣas.[F.96.a] May he who protects and nurtures the northern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā sauri sauri śiri śiri mati mati tiri tiri mati kiri kiri hiri hiri pelu pelu piṅgale culu culu hataṃ viṣaṃ bandhumati nihataṃ viṣam bandhumati svāhā!156
“May they, too, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May they conceal me, protect me, envelop me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā ele mele kele tele mele śele vāśe dumbe dudumbe.
“May the god shower down rain everywhere!
Tili mili dumbe dudumbe aṭṭe vaṭṭe paramadu vatte.
The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen is one of five texts that together constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection and has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. Although its incantations (vidyā) are framed specifically to counteract the deadly effects of poisonous snakebites, it also aims to address the entire range of possible human ailments and diseases contracted through the interference of animals, nonhuman beings, and humoral and environmental imbalances, along with a range of other misfortunes, such as sorcery, losing one’s way, robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment, to name but a few. In the text the Buddha Śākyamuni advocates for the invocation of a number of deities within the pantheon of Indian gods and goddesses, including numerous local deities who dwell throughout the subcontinent. He stipulates that just “upholding” or intoning these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each grouping will hasten the deities to the service of saṅgha members administering to the pragmatic medical needs of their own and surrounding communities.
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation was produced by James Gentry, who also wrote the introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of DJKR, Herlintje, Hadi Widjaja, Lina Herlintje, Ocean Widjaja, Asia Widjaja, Star Widjaja and Gold Widjaja.
The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen (Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī, Toh 559) is the second scripture in a series of five, the other four being the Mahāsāhasrapramardanī Sūtra (Toh 558),1 Mahāpratisarāvidyārājñī (Toh 561),2 Mahāśītavatī Sūtra3 (Toh 562),4 and Mahāmantrānusāriṇī5 Sūtra (Toh 563).6 Together these five texts have been apotheosized in the Mahāyāna tradition as five goddesses known collectively as the Pañcarakṣā, or the Five Protectresses. In the Tibetan tradition this collection is known as the gzungs chen grwa lnga, the Five Great Dhāraṇīs. Tibetan redactors of Kangyur collections have cataloged this set of five texts together within the final section of the Collected Tantras (rgyud ’bum) division, the Kriyā section. Indeed, these five scriptures do contain elements—powerful incantations, an emphasis on external ritual hygiene and other material details such as auspicious dates, and so forth—that resonate with standard Kriyāyoga practice as understood in Tibet. Yet missing from nearly all these texts is any extensive mention of the contemplative visualization exercises, specialized ritual gestures (mudrā), elaborate maṇḍala diagrams, and initiation ceremonies typical of full-blown Buddhist tantra. A close perusal might then lead the reader to construe these as standard Mahāyāna texts with a preponderance of elements—magical mantra formulas, ritual prescriptions, pragmatic aims, and so forth—that only later coalesced and developed into a typically tantric practice tradition with its own unique view, meditation, and conduct. To complicate things further, the core of The Great Peahen is rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that might even predate the rise of Mahāyāna.7 The Great Peahen also appears as a remedy for snakebites in the early Mūlasarvāstivādavinayavastu.8 This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “Dhāraṇī texts were publically [sic] known much earlier and much more widely than the texts we think of as ‘classically’ Mahāyāna.”9
The Five Protectresses have long been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes in the Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhist world. While it seems certain that these texts developed independently and were only later combined into a five-text corpus, their popularity is attested by their eventual spread to Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.10 In East Asia, the textual tradition associated with The Great Peahen in particular was instrumental in integrating Buddhist and indigenous notions of divine kingship.11 Moreover, the tradition of all five goddesses and their texts still occupies a place of central importance today in the Vajrayāna Buddhism practiced by the Newar population of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Newar Buddhist communities of Kathmandu have even translated the texts of the Five Protectresses into the modern vernacular, based on which they continue to stage a number of annual rites for a broad range of pragmatic purposes.12 Newars often propitiate the Five Protectresses together by means of a five-section maṇḍala and other tantric elements that do not necessarily feature in the scriptures themselves. This tradition reflects a specifically tantric ritual treatment of the texts that, judging by the presence of tantric sādhana practices associated with these five texts in the Tibetan Tengyur collections, had already developed by the time the Tibetan translations were executed. This helps account for why Tibetan redactors construed these five texts as belonging to the category of Kriyā tantra, and not to the dhāraṇī or sūtra sections.
The designation “Five Protectresses” denotes the set of five texts, the incantations presented therein, and the five goddesses presiding over each. It is believed that all these texts, specifically their incantations, provide special protection against a wide range of illnesses and misfortunes for those who memorize, recollect, read, copy, teach, wear, or otherwise come into contact with them. Each text promises protection from specific misfortunes, with considerable overlap witnessed between the texts. Despite the pragmatic thrust of these scriptures, each text also contains numerous allusions to doctrinal notions, the range of effects described therein sometimes, though rarely, extending beyond the pragmatic sphere to include the purification of negative karma, deliverance from the lower realms, and even the attainment of buddhahood.
The Great Peahen’s mention of Dravidian mantra indicates that it may have originated in South India. The text and its mantra formulas, although framed specifically to counteract the deadly effects of poisonous snakebites, appear to address the entire range of possible human ailments and diseases contracted through the interference of animals, nonhuman beings, and humoral and environmental imbalances. It also addresses a range of other misfortunes, such as sorcery, losing one’s way, robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment, to name but a few. The Buddha adopts the particular approach in The Great Peahen of stipulating the invocation by name of virtually every deity within the pantheon of South Asian gods and goddesses, including the numerous place deities who dwell throughout the subcontinent. These litanies, which the Buddha separates into groups based on the locations of the spirit entities as above, atop, or below the earth, have the effect of hierarchically ordering the hundreds of nonhuman entities and rendering them subordinate to the command of the Buddha and his saṅgha members. The Buddha stipulates that just “upholding” or intoning these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each grouping will hasten the deities to the service of saṅgha members administering to the pragmatic medical needs of their own and surrounding communities.
The dhāraṇī’s narrative unfolds in response to Ānanda’s effort to save the life of the young monk Svāti, who has suffered a dangerous snakebite while gathering wood in the forest. In the midst of dispensing the initial healing litanies, supplications, and mantras that commence The Great Peahen, the Buddha Śākyamuni tells Ānanda the narrative precedent for the great peahen’s powers. In one of his previous lifetimes, the Buddha relates, he was a peacock named Suvarṇāvabhāsa who ensured his health and good fortune by regularly chanting the great peahen during the day and night. On one occasion, he forgot to chant the incantation, and the outcome was disastrous. Intoxicated with lust, he took to cavorting throughout the mountains with countless peahens in the pursuit of pleasure. His guard let down, Suvarṇāvabhāsa was captured by a group of ill-intentioned youth—that is, until he recollected the dhāraṇī, was miraculously freed from the snare, and safely returned home to his former condition. This story sets the stage for the series of litanies, supplications, and mantras that constitute the bulk of the text.
The Queen of Incantations: The Great Peahen was translated into Tibetan under Tibetan imperial patronage sometime during the first half of the ninth century by the translation team that included the translator and chief editor Bandé Yeshé Dé (ca. eighth–ninth centuries) and the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha. The early date of the translation is further confirmed by the inclusion of The Great Peahen in both imperial-period catalogs, the Denkarma (ldan kar ma) and Phangthangma (’phang thang ma),13 where it is listed among the Pañcarakṣā texts. The translation made by Yeshé Dé was revised at an unknown date by an anonymous translator based on consultation with additional Sanskrit manuscripts (rgya dpe). This revised version, which is preserved in the Stok Palace Kangyur (S518),14 is more closely aligned with the extant Sanskrit witnesses than the unrevised version contained in the Degé and other Kangyurs.
There are multiple translations of The Great Peahen preserved in the Chinese canon. The earliest among them are two works attributed to Śrīmitra: the Da jinse kongque wang zhou jing (大金色孔雀王咒經, Taishō 986),15 which was likely translated in the late fourth century, and the Fo shuo da jinse kongque wang zhou jing (佛說大金色孔雀王咒經, Taishō 987),16 which dates to the early fifth century. Also among the early Chinese translations was the Kongque wang zhou jing (孔雀王咒經, Taishō 988),17 Kumārajīva’s translation that dates to the early fifth century. In the sixth century, Saṅghabhadra prepared a translation with the same title, Kongque wang zhou jing (孔雀王咒經, Taishō 984),18 which was followed historically by the Fo shuo da kongque zhou wang jing (大孔雀呪王經, Taishō 985),19 translated by Yijing in 705. Finally, the Chinese canon contains a series of works on The Great Peahen translated or compiled by Amoghavajra in the eighth century. This includes his translation, the Fomu da kongque ming wang jing (佛母大孔雀明王經, Taishō 982),20 and two appendices, the Fo shuo da kongque ming wang huaxiang tan chang yi gui (佛說大孔雀明王畫像壇場儀軌, Taishō 983a),21 a compendium of spell formulas, and the Kongque jing zhenyan deng fan ben (孔雀經真言等梵本唐, Taishō 983b),22 a set of instructions for the rite associated with the text.23
This English translation is based primarily on the Degé edition, in consultation with Shūyo Takubo’s Sanskrit edition, the version in the Stok Palace Kangyur, and the Comparative Edition of the Degé Kangyur. Because there is significant variation between the Degé version on the one hand and the Sanskrit and Stok Palace version on the other, only those variants that affected our interpretation of the Degé have been noted. The transliteration of the incantations presented particular difficulties, as there are multiple variations between the Sanskrit edition and the Tibetan versions in nearly every instance. Since the resolution of many of these complexities would require far more time and resources than this project allows, the incantations in this translation generally align with the Degé edition. We have noted the most significant variations between the Degé and the Sanskrit edition, as well as the other Tibetan versions. The incantations were edited only when evidence suggested scribal errors or other inadvertent infelicities. Minor orthographic emendations have not been noted. For interested readers, a translation into French and study of the Chinese versions of the Mahāmāyūrī was conducted by J. F. Marc DesJardins as part of his 2002 doctoral dissertation at McGill University, Montreal.
[F.87.b]I pay homage to all past, future, and present buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas!
I pay homage to the Buddha! I pay homage to the Dharma! I pay homage to the Saṅgha!
I pay homage to the seven completely perfect buddhas, together with their saṅgha of śrāvakas! I pay homage to the arhats in the world! I pay homage to all bodhisattvas, led by Maitreya! I pay homage to the non-returners! I pay homage to the once-returners! I pay homage to the stream enterers! I pay homage to those in the world who have gone correctly! I pay homage to those who have progressed correctly! Having paid homage to them, I will now recite the great peahen, the queen of incantations.
May this incantation be successful for me! Assemblies of bhūtas, whether coursing on earth, in the sky, or in water, gods, nāgas, asuras, maruts, garuḍas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, pretas, piśācas, bhūtas, kumbhaṇḍas, pūtanas, kaṭapūtanas, skandas, unmādas, chāyās, apasmāras, and ostārakas—listen to me!
Assemblies of bhūtas who sap vitality, devour wombs, drink blood, and devour fat, flesh, grease, marrow,[F.88.a] and offspring! You who sap life force and devour oblations, flower garlands, perfumes, incense, flowers, fruits, grains, and burnt offerings! You who devour pus and feces, drink urine, devour leftovers, saliva, phlegm, snot, filth, and vomit, and drink from cesspools! All you with evil, wicked, and violent intentions, who steal the life force of others—listen to me! I will recite the great peahen, the queen of incantations! I will also give you perfume, flowers, incense, and oblations!
All you grahas with evil, wicked, and violent intentions toward me, who steal the life force of others and devour their vitality—depart!
All you with gentle, loving, and virtuous intentions—listen to me! All you with devotion the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—listen to me!
It is like this: “Kālī, Karālī, Kumbhāṇḍī, Śaṅkhinī, Kamalākṣī, Hārītī, Harikeśī, Śrīmatī, Haripiṅgalī, Lambā, Pralambā, Kālapāśā, Kalaśodarī, Yamadūtī, Yamarākṣasī,24 and Bhūtagrasanī! Accept these flowers, incense, perfumes, and oblations that I will offer you! Protect me from all perils and misfortunes![F.88.b] May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns! May the words of the incantation be fulfilled for me! Svāhā!”
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time, there was also a tender, young, a monk named Svāti staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. It had not been long since he had set forth, was ordained, and entered the teachings and monastic discipline. While he was gathering wood for the saṅgha’s steam bath–house, a large black snake emerged from the hollow of a rotten log and bit him on the big toe of his right foot. His body went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground. He lay there with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Venerable Ānanda saw the monk Svāti lying there collapsed on the ground, afflicted, suffering, and extremely ill, with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Witnessing this, he rushed to the Blessed One, bowed at his feet, and stood to one side.
Standing to one side, Venerable Ānanda asked, “Venerable Blessed One! Here in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, there is a tender, young monk named Svāti. It has not been long since he set forth, was ordained, and entered the teachings and monastic discipline. He was gathering wood for the saṅgha’s steam bath–house when a large black snake emerged from the hollow of a rotten log and bit him on the big toe of his right foot. His body went weak, he collapsed to the ground and curled up, and he is lying there with his eyes rolled back, vomiting foam. Venerable Blessed One! How should I treat him?”[F.89.a]
The Blessed One said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda! Go and make use of the Thus-Gone One’s speech! Use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to protect the monk Svāti against gods, grahas, nāga grahas, asura grahas, marut grahas, garuḍa grahas, gandharva grahas, kinnara grahas, mahoraga grahas, yakṣa grahas, rākṣasa grahas, preta grahas, piśāca grahas, bhūta grahas, kumbhaṇḍa grahas, pūtana grahas, kaṭapūtana grahas, skanda grahas, unmāda grahas, chāyā grahas, apasmāra grahas, ostāraka grahas, nakṣatra grahas,25 kṛtyā rites,26 kākhordas, kiraṇas, vetālas, ciccakas, preṣakas, indigestible food, evil vomit, wicked chāyās, the evil eye, written hexes, traversed hexes,27 neglected spirits, one-day fevers, two-day fevers, three-day fevers, four-day fevers, weeklong fevers, half-month fevers, month-long fevers, daily fevers, momentary fevers, chronic fevers, intermittent fevers, fevers from bhūtas, fevers from humans, fevers from nonhumans, and fevers that arise from wind disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders,28 or their combination, as well as all other fevers! Use this incantation to guard him! Conceal him! Protect him! Care for him! Nurture him! Bring about his tranquility and well-being! Keep away punishments and weapons! Counteract the poison! Neutralize the poison! Draw a boundary!29 Bind the earth!30 Remove headaches! Remove splitting headaches!31 Remove loss of appetite, eye illness, nose illness, mouth illness, throat illness,[F.89.b] heart disease, sore throat, earache, toothache, heart pain, side pain, backache, stomachache, cheek pain, urinary tract pain, male genital pain, female genital pain, hip pain, thigh pain, calf pain, hand pain, foot pain, and pain in the major and minor appendages!32 May all buddhas grant me well-being in the night, well-being in the day, well-being at midday, and well-being day and night!
Tadyathā iḍi viḍi kiḍi hiḍi miḍi niḍi33 meṭhedodumbā34 āḍe ghāḍe durgāḍe hariṇi vaguḍe pāṃśu35 piśāciṇi36 varṣaṇi ārohaṇi ārohiṇi37 ele mele tele tili38 tili39 mele mele timi40 timi41 dume dume dudume iṭṭi miṭṭi viṣṭhavande42 capale vimale hulu hulu43 aśvamukhi kāli kāli karāli mahākāli prakīrṇakeśi kulu kulu vaphulu vaphulu kolu kolu hulu hulu vahulu vahulu44 vosā45 dumbā dodumbā dumadumbā46 golāyā velāyā parivelāyā piśu piśu hili hili hili hili hili47 mili mili mili mili mili48 tili tili tili tili tili49 culu culu culu culu culu50 muhu51 muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu muhu mulu52 mulu mulu mulu mulu mulu53 hu54 hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu vā55 vā vā vā vā vā vā vā vā vā pā56 pā pā pā pā pā pā pā pā pā jāla57 jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla jāla dama damani tapa tapani jvala jvalani paca pacani dundubhi garjani varṣaṇi sphoṭani tapani tāpani pacani pācani hāriṇi58 kāriṇi59 kimini60 kampani mardani maṇḍikite61 kṣemaṅkari makari śākari śarkari karkari śavari śaṅkari jvala jvalani dumadumbani sukusume62 golāyā velāyā parivelāyā.
“May the god63 shower down rain everywhere! Ilikisi svāhā!
“May they protect me from all perils, misfortunes, epidemics, mental disturbances, fevers, illnesses, grahas, and poisons! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
“Long ago, Ānanda, there was a peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa who lived on the southern slope of Himavat, a king of mountains. In the morning he secured his health and good fortune through the great peahen, queen of incantations, and lived happily during the day. In the evening he used it to secure his health and good fortune, and he lived happily during the night.
Tadyathā hu hu hu hu hu hu nāga le le le dumba le le le nāga le le le66 huya huya vija vija thusu thusu67 gulu gulu68 hu cejini cejini69 agulu70 elā melā elā melā71 tilī melā ili mitte ile tili mitte72 dumbe sudumbe tosu tosu golā velā capalā vimalā iṭṭiri bhiṭṭiri riṭṭiri namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi godohikānāṃ73 namo arhatāṃ hāla hāla.
“May the god shower down rain everywhere! Homage to the buddhas! Svāhā![F.91.a]
“Once, Suvarṇāvabhāsa did not secure his protection and good fortune through the great peahen, queen of incantations, and became transfixed by pleasures. Intoxicated with lust, he was stupefied and became as though unconscious. Thus completely agitated,74 he wandered from garden to garden, park to park, and mountain slope to mountain slope with numerous young forest peahens until he unwittingly entered a mountain fissure. There, some low caste youths, pernicious foes who had been seeking an opportunity to harm him for a long time, captured him with a peacock snare. Amid these enemies he regained his memory and brought to mind the great peahen, queen of incantations.
Tadyathā hu hu hu hu hu75 nāga le le le dumba le le le nāga le le le huya huya huya vija vija thusu thusu gulu gulu hu cejini cejini76 agulu77 ilā78 melā ili melā tili melā ili mitte79 ili tili mitte dumbe sudumbe tosu tosu golā velā capalā vimalā iṭṭiri bhiṭṭiri riṭṭiri namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi godohikānāṃ80 namo arhatāṃ hāla hāla.
“May the god shower rain down everywhere! Homage to the buddhas! Svāhā!
“Then, delivered from that torment, he successfully and safely returned to his own land, where he also chanted the following secret mantra syllables:
Tadyathā siddhe susiddhe81 mocani mokṣani mukte vimukte amale vimale nirmale aṇḍare paṇḍare maṅgalye82 maṅgalye hiraṇye hiraṇyagarbhe ratne ratnagarbhe bhadre subhadre samantabhadre śrībhadre83 sarvārthasādhani paramārthasādhani sarvānarthapraśamani84 sarvamaṅgalasādhani sarvamaṅgalavādhani85[F.91.b] yaśovati86 manasi mānasi mahāmānasi acyute adbhute adbhyanabhute87 mukte vimukte88 mocani mokṣani89 brahme90 araje viraje vimale amṛte amṛtavarṣaṇi91 amare amaraṇi brahme brahmasvare pūrṇe pūrṇamanorathe amṛte amṛtasañjīvani92 śrībhadre candre candraprabhe sūrye sūryakānte vītabhaye sarvasuvarṇe93 suvarṇaprabhe94 brahmaghoṣe brahmajuṣṭhe95 sarvatrāpratihate svāhā.
“Homage to all buddhas! May I have well-being and be protected! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā huci śuci96 ghuci97 muci svāhā!
“Ānanda, you may think that the peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa was someone else at that time. It should not be seen that way. Why is that? Well, Ānanda, at that time, I myself was the peacock king named Suvarṇāvabhāsa. Ānanda, I, too, will now recite the essence mantra of the great peahen, queen of incantations.
Tadyathā ili mitte98 tili mitte99 tili mili mitte100 tili mili101 mili tili102 tili103 mitte104 vili105 mili mitti106 vili mili mitti107 vili mili mili108 tili mili sudumbā dumbā109 suvaca cirikisiya bhinna miṭi110 namo buddhānāṃ cilikisi prāntamūle111 itihārā112 lohitamūle dumbā sudumbā kuṭṭi kuṇaṭṭi kukunaṭṭi tili113 kuñja nāṭṭi.114
“May the god in Aḍakavatī shower down rain for nine or ten months!
Ili mili kili mili kili115 mili ketumūle dudumbe116 sudumoḍe dalimi117 sanduvaṭṭe118 busavaṭṭe vusara vusara dhanavastrake narkalā narkalime khalima119 ghoṣe rakhile iti sajjale dumbe sudumbe120 aṭṭe naṭṭe pranaṭṭe anaṇaṭṭe anamāle.121
“May the god Indra shower down fresh water everywhere!
Nārāyaṇi pārāyaṇi haritāli kuntāli kubhaṇṭi122 ili misti kili misti kili tili misti.123
“May the syllables of this Dravidian mantra be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, this was the essence of the great peahen, queen of incantations. Ānanda, this great peahen, queen of incantations, should be brought to mind when dwelling in a town. It should also be brought to mind when dwelling in the wilderness, when traveling, when lost,[F.92.a] when in the king’s court,124 when among bandits, when on fire, when submerged in water, when among enemies, when among opponents, when among those who are hostile,125 when in an assembly, when in a dispute, when bitten by a snake, after drinking poison, and when all perils converge. It should also be brought to mind when one is struck and afflicted by any illness from among the 404 types, including wind disorders, bile disorders, phlegm disorders, and their combination. Why is that? Well, Ānanda, even a criminal deserving execution gets off with only a severe punishment. A criminal deserving severe punishment gets off with only a beating. A criminal deserving a beating gets off with a scolding. A criminal deserving a scolding gets off with a warning. A criminal deserving a warning gets off with only having his body hairs bristle with fear. And a criminal deserving of having his body hairs bristle with fear will likewise be released. All his illnesses will be cured. Ānanda, these incantations and secret mantra syllables should also be brought to mind:
Tadyathā cili mili kili mili ketumūle vusavaṭṭe vusariṇe vudariṇi kevaṭṭe kevaṭṭeka mūle iti śavale dumba vetumbe priyaṅkare āvaṭṭe parivarṭṭe.126
“May the god shower a rain of fresh water everywhere!
Namo bhagavate iṭṭittāya indragomisikāya bhṛṅgarikāya127 āśane pāśane pāpanikūle kapilamitte ili mitte.
“Homage to the Blessed Buddha! May the secret mantra syllables be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, may this great peahen, the queen of incantations taught by the Thus-Gone One, protect me! May it guard me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns![F.92.b]
“Ānanda, nowhere in the worlds of gods, māras, Brahmā, humans who are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas,128 and asuras have I seen any god, goddess, divine son, divine daughter, male divine elder, female divine elder, male divine attendant, female divine attendant, male nāga, female nāga, nāga son, nāga daughter, male nāga elder, female nāga elder, male nāga attendant, female nāga attendant, male asura, female asura, asura son, asura daughter, male asura elder, female asura elder, male asura attendant, female asura attendant, male marut, female marut, marut son, marut daughter, male marut elder, female marut elder, male marut attendant, female marut attendant, male garuḍa, female garuḍa, garuḍa son, garuḍa daughter, male garuḍa elder, female garuḍa elder, male garuḍa attendant, female garuḍa attendant, male gandharva, female gandharva, gandharva son, gandharva daughter, male gandharva elder, female gandharva elder, male gandharva attendant, female gandharva attendant, male kinnara, female kinnara, kinnara son, kinnara daughter, male kinnara elder, female kinnara elder, male kinnara attendant, female kinnara attendant, male mahoraga, female mahoraga, mahoraga son, mahoraga daughter, male mahoraga elder, female mahoraga elder, male mahoraga attendant, female mahoraga attendant, male yakṣa, female yakṣa, yakṣa son, yakṣa daughter, male yakṣa elder, female yakṣa elder, male yakṣa attendant, female yakṣa attendant, male rākṣasa, female rākṣasa, rākṣasa son, rākṣasa daughter, male rākṣasa elder, female rākṣasa elder, male rākṣasa attendant, female rākṣasa attendant, male preta, female preta, preta son,[F.93.a] preta daughter, male preta elder, female preta elder, male preta attendant, female preta attendant, male piśāca, female piśāca, piśāca son, piśāca daughter, male piśāca elder, female piśāca elder, male piśāca attendant, female piśāca attendant, male bhūta, female bhūta, bhūta son, bhūta daughter, male bhūta elder, female bhūta elder, male bhūta attendant, female bhūta attendant, male kumbhaṇḍa, female kumbhaṇḍa, kumbhaṇḍa son, kumbhaṇḍa daughter, male kumbhaṇḍa elder, female kumbhaṇḍa elder, male kumbhaṇḍa attendant, female kumbhaṇḍa attendant, male pūtana, female pūtana, pūtana son, pūtana daughter, male pūtana elder, female pūtana elder, male pūtana attendant, female pūtana attendant, male kaṭapūtana, female kaṭapūtana, kaṭapūtana son, kaṭapūtana daughter, male kaṭapūtana elder, female kaṭapūtana elder, male kaṭapūtana attendant, female kaṭapūtana attendant, male skanda, female skanda, skanda son, skanda daughter, male skanda elder, female skanda elder, male skanda attendant, female skanda attendant, male unmāda, female unmāda, unmāda son, unmāda daughter, male unmāda elder, female unmāda elder, male unmāda attendant, female unmāda attendant, male chāyā, female chāyā, chāyā son, chāyā daughter, male chāyā elder, female chāyā elder, male chāyā attendant, female chāyā attendant, male apasmāra, female apasmāra, apasmāra son, apasmāra daughter, male apasmāra elder, female apasmāra elder, male apasmāra attendant, female apasmāra attendant, male ostāraka, female ostāraka, ostāraka son, ostāraka daughter, male ostāraka elder, female ostāraka elder, male ostāraka attendant, or female ostāraka attendant[F.93.b] who intends to harm anyone who, with the use of the great peahen, queen of incantations, is guarded, concealed, protected, cared for, and nurtured, whose tranquility and well-being is secured, who is kept safe from punishments and weapons, whose poison is counteracted, whose poison is stopped, around whom a boundary is drawn, or who has bound the earth.
“Even if one of them, wishing to find a point of entry, were to search for one, it would not be found. Gods would not find a place to assemble. Nāgas would not find a place to assemble. Asuras would not find a place to assemble. Maruts would not find a place to assemble. Garuḍas would not find a place to assemble. Gandharvas would not find a place to assemble. Kinnaras would not find a place to assemble. Mahoragas would not find a place to assemble. Yakṣas would not find a place to assemble. Rākṣasas would not find a place to assemble. Pretas would not find a place to assemble. Piśācas would not find a place to assemble. Bhūtas would not find a place to assemble. kumbhaṇḍas would not find a place to assemble. Pūtanas would not find a place to assemble. Kaṭapūtanas would not find a place to assemble. Skandas would not find a place to assemble. Unmādas would not find a place to assemble. Apasmāras would not find a place to assemble. And ostārakas would not find a place to assemble. Should anyone transgress the great peahen, queen of incantations, their head will split into seven pieces like the blossom of a basil shrub.129 These mantra syllables should also be brought to mind:
Tadyathā ili mili kili mili kiṃ dugdhe mukte sumukte āḍe nāḍe sunāḍe.130
“May the god in highest Aḍakavatī shower down rain!
Ārā pārā godohikā ili mili bhijjilikā udukā ḍunduka kāṭuṭukā131 ili mili tili mili samantataḥ kṛtvā hulu hulu hili hili mili mili132 pili pili133 kili kili śīrṣeṇa varṣaṃ cūlu cūlu134 cala cala cili cili cūlu cūlu135 ciḍi ciḍi136 śikhi śikhi śikhi śikhi iṭi viṭi khi khi khi khi137 juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu juhu[F.94.a] hara hara haraṇe138 jambhe prajambhe sarvaduṣṭapraduṣṭānāṃ jambhemi stambhemi.139
“Guard me! Conceal me! Protect me! Care for me! Nurture me! Bring about my tranquility and well-being! Keep away punishments and weapons! Counteract poison! Neutralize poison! Draw a boundary! Bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā citre140 citramūle citre citramāle hale halamāle phale phalamāle khuru khuru141 varu varuṇe virodhaye142 suru suru muru muru.143
“May poison from the wicked and the evil, poison from bites, poison roots, and poison food be eradicated by the splendor of all buddhas!
Suru suru ke cara cara ke vara vara ke vakke piri piri.144
“May poison be counteracted by the splendor of the seven completely perfect buddhas together with their saṅgha of śrāvakas! May poison be completely eradicated. May poison cease to be!
Elā melā ili milā tili tili melā tiha duha tilimā timā dumā dhīmā dhumā dhusu kumbhā kumbhā sukumbhā sumbhā tumbā samātumbā āḍe nāḍe tila kuñjanāḍe varṣatu devaḥ ilikisi.145
“Through my love for all beings, may the god shower down rain everywhere for nine or ten months!
Vuśaḍe śavariṇi vudāriṇi146 kevaṭṭe kevaṭṭakamūle itiśabari tuṃbe tuṃbe priyaṅkare avāṭṭe parivaṭṭi.
“May the god shower down a rain of fresh water everywhere!
Namo bhagavate indragomisikāya iṭṭitāya godohikāya bhṛṅgārikāya ale tale kuntale aṭṭe naṭṭe kunaṭṭe āśane pāśane pāpanikūle pratikūle.
“Homage to the blessed buddhas! Svāhā!
Tadyathā ili mili kili mili kili cili kili voli udurā suduru sudumode busara busara hu hu karañje karañjamūle ihisa ihi sanatā kuṇḍali kuntāli nārāyaṇi pārāyaṇi pāśyani pāśya pāśyani kapilavastuni irivāsi.149
“May the Dravidian mantra syllables be fulfilled! Svāhā!
“Ānanda, these great remedies were uttered by Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, and by Śakra, lord of the gods, and by the Four Great Kings, and by the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals. Ānanda, should anyone approach with malice in his heart those holding the names of these great remedies, his head will split into seven pieces like the blossom of a basil shrub.
Tadyathā kīrtimūle eraṇḍamūle samantamūle naḍanāḍe aḍe nāḍe kuśanāḍe itte mitte māru araḍakā maraḍakā ilikiśi godohika uddhundhuma bhinna meḍā.150
“Homage to all buddhas!
“May the great peahen, the queen of incantations spoken by the Thus-Gone One, guard me! May it conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years![F.95.a] May I see a hundred autumns!
“Ānanda, the yakṣas, the great yakṣas, who dwell in the ocean, who dwell on Sumeru, the king of mountains, and on other kings of mountains, and who dwell in jungles and vast jungles, in rivers and great rivers, in arbors and waterfalls, in tanks, pools, and mountain caverns, at charnel grounds and great charnel grounds, at crossroads, in towns, cities, temples, gardens, groves, and forests, and on paths and wrong paths and, Ānanda, those yakṣas who dwell in the royal palace of Aḍakavatī—may they protect me with the great peahen, queen of incantations! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā hari hāriṇi cali cālini bhramaṇi bhramani151 mohani staṃbhani jaṃbhani svayaṃbhuve svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the east there lives a gandharva king named Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who, as the lord of all gandharvas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand gandharvas. May he who protects and nurtures the eastern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā jhu jhuru jhu jhuru jhu jhuru jhuru jhuru jhuru me svāhā!152
“Ānanda, in the south there lives a kumbhaṇḍa king named Virūḍhaka, who, as lord of the kumbhaṇḍas,[F.95.b] exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand kumbhaṇḍas. May he who protects and nurtures the southern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā veluke veluke amṛtaghātani varuṇavate somavate veṇumālini veluni putrike co cu ci cu svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the west there lives a king of the nāgas named Virūpākṣa, who, as lord of the nāgas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand nāgas. May he who protects and nurtures the western direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā veduri veduri vedūrī vedūrī maṭṭite maṭṭite koṭi koṭi vedyumati vedyumati153 hu hu hu hu hu hu hu hu ru ru ru ru ru ru ru ru cu cu cu cu cu cu cu cu154 ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ca ju155 svāhā!
“Ānanda, in the north there is a yakṣa king named Vaiśravaṇa, who, as lord of the yakṣas, exercises control over a retinue of several hundred thousand yakṣas.[F.96.a] May he who protects and nurtures the northern direction, together with his son, grandson, brother, minister, general, messenger, envoy, servant, and assembly, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May he conceal me, protect me, care for me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā sauri sauri śiri śiri mati mati tiri tiri mati kiri kiri hiri hiri pelu pelu piṅgale culu culu hataṃ viṣaṃ bandhumati nihataṃ viṣam bandhumati svāhā!156
“May they, too, use the great peahen, queen of incantations, to guard me! May they conceal me, protect me, envelop me, nurture me, bring about my tranquility and well-being, keep away punishments and weapons, counteract poison, neutralize poison, draw a boundary, and bind the earth! May I live a hundred years! May I see a hundred autumns!
Tadyathā ele mele kele tele mele śele vāśe dumbe dudumbe.
“May the god shower down rain everywhere!
Tili mili dumbe dudumbe aṭṭe vaṭṭe paramadu vatte.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm, Toh 558 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2016).
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Great Amulet, Toh 561 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023).
Here we follow the most popular Sanskrit rendering of the goddess’ name. The Tibetan translations of the text provide the title Mahāśītavaṇīsūtra (bsil ba’i tshal chen mo’i mdo), which means The Sūtra of the Great Cool Forest. About this shifting morphology, see Hidas 2017, p. 452, note 20 and Skilling 1992, pp. 141–42.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Great Cool Grove, Toh 562 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023).
As above, we have provided the most popular Sanskrit name for the text and the Pañcarakṣā goddess it invokes. The Tibetan translation provides the title Mahāmantrānudhārī (gsang sngags chen po rjes su ’dzin pa’i mdo), which is essentially synonymous with Mahāmantrānusāriṇī.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Great Upholder of the Secret Mantra, Toh 563 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2016).
Pathak 1989, p. 32. The story comes at the very end of the Bhaiṣajyavastu (Toh 1, chap. 6); see Bhaiṣajyavastu Translation Team, trans., The Chapter on Medicines (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021), 11.217–11.234.
The colophon reads, “The blessed queen of incantations, the dhāraṇī of The Great Peahen, is complete. It was translated and edited by the Indian preceptors Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, Śākyaprabha, and the chief editor and translator Bandé Yeshé Dé. It was then revised and finalized based on the new lexicon. [The translation] was compared and edited in consultation with Sanskrit manuscripts, and the mantras were aligned with those in the Sanskrit manuscripts” (bcom ldan ’das ma rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo rma bya chen mo’i gzungs rdzogs so/ rgya gar gyi mkhan po shI len+dra bo d+hi dang / dz+nyA sid+d+hi dang / shAkya pra b+ha dang / zhu chen gyi lo tsa ba ban d+he ye shes sdes bsgyur cing zhus te skad gsar bcad kyis kyang bcos nas gtan la phab pa/ rgya dpe la gtugs nas zhus dag byas shing sngags rnams rgya dpe dang mthun par bcos pa’o).
The relationship between these translations has been discussed in Sørensen 2006 and Overbey 2016.
The reading of Yamarākṣasī follows the Sanskrit edition. The Degé edition reads “Yama’s sister” (gshin rje’i sring mo), which is perhaps a scribal error for gshin rje’i srin mo.
In the “science of beings” (bhūtavidyā) elucidated in Indic medical literature, grahas are treated as a broad class that is further subdivided into an array of beings, such as are listed here, that are believed to possesses people and trigger physical and mental illnesses.
The Sanskrit term given here is kṛtyākarmaṇa, which is parsed into two terms in the Tibetan, gshed byed dang sgyur ba’i las. The term kṛtyākarmaṇa refers to violent rites that employ a class of beings known as kṛtyās as harmful magical agents.
Skt. durlaṅghita; Tib. bsgom nyes. Judging by the Sanskrit term laṅghita (“overstepped, transgressed”) and its rendering into Tibetan as bsgom, which might be derived from gom (“to step or walk”), the meaning may be connected with a hex whose negative effects are felt if stepped over or on.
These three categories refer to fevers caused by imbalances in one of the three humors—vāta (“wind”), pitta (“bile”), and śleṣma/kapha (“phlegm”)—in Āyurvedic medicine.
The *Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñīsūtraśatasahasraṭīkā (folios 100.a–100.b) states, “ ‘To draw a boundary’ means that a boundary is drawn around the perimeter, and through its power it is not possible to approach.”
The *Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñīsūtraśatasahasraṭīkā (folio 100.b) states, “‘To ‘bind the earth’ means that the cardinal directions, intermediate directions, and the area above one are sealed, such that no opportunity for harm can be sought from any of one’s sides.”
This translation follows the attested Sanskrit term ardhāvabhedaka. The Tibetan term, gzhogs phyed na ba, could also be interpreted as a translation of pakṣavadha, referring to hemiplegia.
The “major” appendages would include the head, arms, legs, etc. The “minor” appendages include the nose, ears, fingers, and toes.
Sanskrit repeats mili ten times, rather than five as in the Degé, and precedes these with oṁ.
Sanskrit repeats tili ten times, rather than five as in the Degé, and precedes these with oṁ.
Sanskrit repeats culu ten times, rather than five as in the Degé, and precedes these with oṁ.
This spelling is according to the Sanskrit, K, Y, H, and N. The Degé has sukusukume (su ku su ku me).
It is not clear which god is being referred to here and in similar statements throughout the text.
Instead of tilī melā ili mitte ile tili mitte, the Sanskrit reads ili melā tili melā ili tili melā ili mitte tili mitte ili tili mitte. H and N read tili melā ili mitte ili tili mitte.
“Agitated” here reflects the Sanskrit praluḍita, rather than the usual meaning of the Tibetan zhan pa, “feeble/weakened.”
K and Y have six repetitions of hu, H and N have four, and the Sanskrit has six, followed by hulu hulu hulu.
This spelling is in accord with the Sanskrit version. Degé reads godehikā (go de hi kA). C, H, K, Y, and N all have do instead of de.
This spelling accords with the Sanskrit versions as well as H, K, Y, and N. Degé has instead sarvānarthapravādhani (sar+b+ba a nar+tha pra bA d+ha ni).
This spelling is in accord with the Sanskrit version as well as C, K, and Y. Degé has instead sarvāmaṅgalasādhani (sar+ba a maM ga la sA d+ha ni).
The Sanskrit version has adbhute atyabhute instead of acyute adbhute adbhyanabhute. C, K, and Y are all missing acyute.
This spelling accords with the Sanskrit as well as H and N. Degé reads mośakṣani (mo sha k+Sha ni).
The Sanskrit version and K, Y, and N instead read suvarṇe. The Sanskrit and H, K, Y, and N end with –varṇe, as opposed to the Degé, which incorrectly reads –varṇa.
A mountain king.
A lunar mansion in the west.
A nāga king.
A rākṣasī.
A nāga king.
The main palace of the abode of the yakṣas on Mount Sumeru. It is ruled by the Great King Vaiśravaṇa, also known as Kubera.
A nāga king.
A great mātṛkā.
Classified as a “lord of beings” (prajāpati).
A yakṣa general classified as dwelling in the sky.
The Vedic deity associated with fire.
A great piśācī.
A great piśācī.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A great mātṛkā.
A nāga king.
A river queen.
A river queen.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A nāga king.
A yakṣa general.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A nāga king.
A nāga king.
A great rākṣasī.
A nāga king.
A river queen.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A geographical location in this sūtra.
A nāga king.
A being mentioned in this sūtra.
A yakṣa general.
A great rākṣasī.
A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).
Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.
A yakṣa general.
A nāga king.
A great rākṣasī.
A nāga king.
A yakṣa general.
A yakṣa general.
A great ṛṣi.
A yakṣa general.
A mountain king.
A lunar mansion in the west.
A nāga king.
A yakṣa general.
A nāga king.
Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī (rig sngags kyi rgyal mo rma bya chen mo). Toh 559, Degé Kangyur vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 87.b–117.a.
Mahāmāyūrīvidyāvrājñī (rig sngags kyi rgyal mo rma bya chen mo). bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–9, vol. 90, pp. 254–351.
Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī (rig sngags kyi rgyal mo rma bya chen mo). Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 103 (rgyud na), folios 467.a–515.b.
Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī. GRETIL edition input by Klaus Wille, based on the edition by Shūyo Takubo: Ārya-Mahā-Māyūrī Vidyā-Rājñī. Tokyo: Sankibo, 1972. Accessed August 18, 2022.
Karmavajra. *Mahāmayūrīvidyārājñīsūtraśatasahasraṭīkā. (rigs sngags kyi rgyal mo rma bya chen mo’i mdo’i ’bum ’grel). Toh 2691, Degé Kangyur vol. 72 (rgyud ’grel, du), folios 93.b–241.a..
sman gyi gzhi (Bhaiṣajyavastu). Toh 1-6, Degé Kangyur vol. 1 (’dul ba, ka), folios 277.b–311.a; vol. 2 (’dul ba, kha), folios 1.a–317.a; vol. 3 (’dul ba, ga), folios 1.a–50.a. English translation in Bhaiṣajyavastu Translation Team 2021.
Trikamji, Acharya Jadavji, ed. Carakasaṃhitā śrīcakrapāṇidattaviracitā āyurvedadīpikāvyākhyayā saṃvalitā. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, 2009.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
Bhaiṣajyavastu Translation Team, trans. The Chapter on Medicines (Bhaiṣajyavastu, Toh 1-6). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.
DesJardins, J. F. Marc. “Mahāmāyūrī: explorations sur la création d’une écriture prototantrique.” PhD diss., McGill University, 2002.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. (2023a) The Great Amulet (Mahāpratisarāvidyārājñī, Toh 561). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.
Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. (2023b). Great Cool Grove (Toh 562). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Hidas, Gergely (2012). Mahāpratisarā-Mahāvidyārājñī: The Great Amulet, Great Queen of Spells; Introduction, Critical Editions and Annotated Translation. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 2012.
Hidas, Gergely (2017). “Mahā-Daṇḍadhāraṇī-Śītavatī: A Buddhist Apotropaic Scripture.” In Indic Manuscript Cultures through the Ages: Material, Textual, and Historical Investigations, edited by Vincenzo Vergiani, Daniele Cuneo, and Camillo Alessio Formigatti, 449–86. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2017.
Kawagoe, Eishin. dKar chag ’Phang thang ma. Sendai: Tohoku Society for Indo-Tibetan Studies, 2005.
Lévi, Sylvain. “Le catalogue géographique des Yakṣa dans le Mahāmāyūrī.” Journal Asiatique 11, no. 5 (1915): 19–138.
Lewis, Todd. Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism. Albany: SUNY Press, 2000.
Orzech, Charles D. “Metaphor, Translation, and the Construction of Kingship in The Scripture for Humane Kings and the Mahāmāyūrī Vidyārājñī Sūtra.” Cahiers d’Extreme-Asie 13 (2002): 55–83.
Overbey, Ryan Richard. “Vicissitudes of Text and Rite in the Great Peahen Queen of Spells.” In Tantric Traditions in Transmission and Translation, edited by David Gray and Ryan Richard Overbey, 257–83. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.
Pathak, Suniti K. “A Dharani-mantra in the Vinaya-vastu.” Bulletin of Tibetology 25, no. 2 (1989): 31–39.
Schopen, Gregory. “A Verse from the Bhadracarīpraṇidhāna in a 10th Century Inscription Found at Nālandā.” Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 12, no. 1 (1989): 149–57.
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Sørensen, Henrik H. “The Spell of the Great, Golden Peacock Queen: The Origin, Practices, and Lore of an Early Esoteric Buddhist Tradition in China.” Pacific World 8 (Fall 2006): 89–123.
C Choné Kangyur
F Phukdrak Kangyur
H Lhasa (Zhol) Kangyur
J Lithang Kangyur
K Peking Kangxi Kangyur
L London (Shelkar) Kangyur
N Narthang Kangyur
S Stok Palace Kangyur
Y Peking Yongle Kangyur
