The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda recounts the story of how Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda tamed the nāgas and gained curative powers. The text teaches his dhāraṇī, along with several others, and gives ritual instructions for how to use these for healing and protection.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Catherine Dalton produced the translation and wrote the introduction. Ryan Damron edited the translation and the introduction, and Dawn Collins copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.
The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda recounts the story of how Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda gained the power to tame nāgas and heal affliction, and how he came to take his present form. The text opens in Avalokiteśvara’s palace on Mount Potala where the Buddha Śākyamuni is surrounded by a retinue of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. Mañjuśrī requests the Buddha to give a remedy for the many diseases that afflict a king named Lord of Light. The Buddha responds to this request with a story about the previous lives of Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, in which we learn how Siṃhanāda came to obtain his power to tame the nāgas and his curative powers. Śākyamuni then teaches Siṃhanāda’s dhāraṇī, along with the ritual instructions for using it to heal illness, stating that it can be used to heal King Lord of Light and bring him rebirth in Sukhāvatī. The Buddha goes on to teach a vidyāmantra for Siṃhanāda and several other mantras and dhāraṇīs for other forms of Avalokiteśvara, along with ritual instructions for using these to heal illnesses, especially those caused by nāgas and other malevolent beings. There are also remedies for other types of afflictions, including difficulties with rain, hail, and the like. Śākyamuni then teaches a praise to Avalokiteśvara, followed by short verses of praise to Tārā, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, Hayagrīva, and the bodhisattva nāga king Varuṇa. He explains that the praises and the mantras connected with them will heal and protect anyone who recites them from malevolent influence.
Siṃhanāda, “Lion’s Roar,” also sometimes called Lokeśvara Siṃhanāda, is a form of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara. There are nine Siṃhanāda sādhanas and several other Siṃhanāda praises and ritual texts preserved in the Tibetan Tengyur, attesting to his importance in India. Images of Siṃhanāda have been found at the Mahābodhi temple in Bodh Gaya prior to the temple’s nineteenth-century renovation,1 and in Sri Lanka where it seems Siṃhanāda was especially popular.2 The association of Siṃhanāda with curative properties that we find in the present text appears to be quite an old one. A tenth-century Nepalese miniature painting depicting Siṃhanāda, which is kept at Cambridge, includes a caption reading, “Lokeśvara of the hospital on the island of Siṃhala.”3 While Avalokiteśvara in general has a close iconographical association with the deity Śiva, this is even more clear in the case of Siṃhanāda. In The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, Siṃhanāda—just like Śiva—holds a brahmin’s skull and a snake-wrapped trident, and wears a sacred thread made of a snake.
Siṃhanāda’s iconography is generally consistent across textual and artistic sources, though many of the details are not clearly elaborated in this text. In the descriptions found in his many sādhanas and praises, Siṃhanāda is white in color, has two legs and two arms, is dressed as an ascetic (tapasvin, dka’ thub ldan pa), and sits on a lion. In most descriptions, a skull-adorned trident rests at his right side, but in some, he holds it in his right hand. This trident is also frequently depicted with a white snake coiled around the shaft. With his left hand, he holds the end of a lotus stalk that rises upwards and has a sword standing upon the open lotus blossom. Nearby and to the left sits what is variously described as a cup (karoṭaka), pot (bhājana, snod), or skull cup (kapāla, thod pa) filled with fragrant flowers. This vessel often sits on a lotus or water lily.4
The Siṃhanāda form of Avalokiteśvara continues to be practiced in contemporary Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Two arrangements of practices centered on Lokeśvara Siṃhanāda are found in the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus) compiled by Jamyang Loter Wangpo,5 and the nineteenth-century scholar Mipham Gyatso wrote a short summary of the story of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda.6
The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda does not appear to be extant in Sanskrit or Chinese translation and is not found at Dunhuang or listed in any of the imperial-period catalogs. However, the very concise Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda, (Toh 704/912/3156),7 which parallels a short section of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, is extant in Sanskrit in the Sādhanamālā8 and as part of the dhāraṇī collection published by Gergely Hidas.9
The colophon of the present text states that the Tibetan translation of this work was produced by “the noble Lady Vajrasattvī, who had attained accomplishment, and the translator Gar Sherab Jungne.” While we are unable to identify either of these figures, the translation of the shorter Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda, which parallels a portion of this text, was translated into Tibetan twice, both times by eleventh-century translators. This fact, along with the contents of the present text and its absence in imperial period catalogs or at Dunhuang, suggests that it was also very likely translated in the later translation period (phyi dar), after the tenth century. It is specifically notable that one of the translators of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda is a woman. While many accomplished female practitioners from both India and Tibet are mentioned in histories of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, and a smaller number of women have authored Buddhist texts, reference to women as translators of canonical texts is extremely uncommon. We are, at present, unaware of any other such reference. The name listed here, “the noble Lady Vajrasattvī,” is unambiguously feminine in all recensions of the text consulted, as it includes two feminine particles (rje btsun ma rdo rje sems ma).10 This Vajrasattvī, whose position in the colophon is where we would typically find the name of the male Indian scholar who supervised the translation, is usually referred to as a preceptor (mkhan po). Vajrasattvī is instead here described as someone “who had attained accomplishment” (dngos grub brnyed pa). This unique colophon also mentions that the translation, editing, and finalizing of the text took place at a caitya at a charnel ground in Kashmir.
This English translation of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda was made on the basis of the Degé Kangyur recension of this work, with additional reference to the notes from the Comparative Edition (dpe sdur ma) of the Kangyur, and the Stok Palace (stog pho brang) Kangyur and Phugdrak (phug brag) Kangyur recensions of the text. We also consulted the Sanskrit Siṃhanādadhāraṇī from the Sādhanamālā. The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda is stable across all recensions consulted, with only minor variants. We edited the dhāraṇī itself very slightly on the basis of the Sanskrit text from the Sādhanamālā and have noted all instances where this varies from the dhāraṇī as presented in the Degé recension.
[F.165.b]Homage to blessed Vajradhara.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing at the noble Lord Avalokiteśvara’s palace at the summit of Mount Potala. That bejeweled palace was ornamented with countless jewels, pearls, and gems, the light of which filled the trichiliocosm. In that region filled with the delightful scent of all kinds of flowers, the Blessed One was seated on a lion throne that had been arranged for him, surrounded by countless bodhisattvas led by Maitreya,[F.166.a] as well as many monks led by the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra. In that assembly was the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, who rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and prostrated his head at the Blessed One’s feet.
He said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in the land of Magadha there is a king named Lord of Light who has an excellent retinue, queens, and abundant wealth. But beyond this, the king is afflicted with leprosy, boils, difficulty breathing, and heart disease. How can he be healed?”
The Blessed One replied, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, long ago in this very world you, Mañjuśrī, were a bodhisattva called Great Wisdom, and noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda was a bodhisattva called Supreme Compassion. Those two bodhisattvas tamed a white lion, mounted it, and rode out to help beings of the trichiliocosm. They set out adorned with precious adornments and holding a trident, sword, lotus, and an utpala flower. But when the time came to cross the great ocean, they left the lion behind, shared the load, and continued onward. You, the bodhisattva Great Wisdom, thinking to benefit your friend, took your own life with your sword. But the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion thought that you had been killed by the nāgas, gods, and the like, who dwell in the heavens, below the earth, and in the sky. He then took up a brahmin’s skull as a drinking vessel, took his trident in his hand, and mounted the white lion. In sorrow, he bound his locks upon his crown.
“He threatened the gods above while brandishing his trident at them, and said,[F.166.b]
“The Four Great Kings, Śakra, lord of the gods, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, and the gods of the three worlds beamed with joy. They offered divine lotuses, kumuda flowers, white lotuses, campaka flowers, and the like, filling his skull cup.
“He next threatened the gods of the sky, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, asuras, kumbhāṇḍa, garuḍas, and kinnaras, brandished his trident, and said,
“He then brandished his trident at the eight classes. The nāga king Jeweled Crown, the gandharva king Pañcaśikha, the yakṣa king Vaiśravaṇa, the asura king Vemacitrin, the horse-headed kinnara king Druma, the kumbhāṇḍa king Nine-Headed Snake, the garuḍa king Golden Eyes, and the rest, together with their large retinues, beamed with joy and offered jeweled ornaments to the lion.
“He next threatened the nāgas who live below the earth, saying,
“He then stirred the great ocean with his trident. The nāga king Anavatapta, the nāga king Varuṇa, the nāga king Takṣaka, and the other six hundred thousand nāga kings, and their servants and retinues, who have miraculous powers, are radiant, and who cause the gods and asuras to battle all gathered together, beamed with joy.[F.167.a] The nāga king Varuṇa became a single white snake, bowed down, circumambulated the bodhisattva three times, and said,
“Saying this he wrapped himself around the trident three times, turned to face the bodhisattva, said, ‘phuḥ phuḥ!’ respectfully bled from his mouth, and remained there.
“The other nāga kings likewise joined their palms, circumambulated him three times, and said,
“Saying this, the eight great nāgas became a single white snake and bound themselves around him as a sacred thread. Those nāga kings then said, ‘We are your servants. We will listen to whatever you command.’ Then all the nāgas returned to their own places.
“Mañjuśrī, that bodhisattva then became known as Compassionate Nāga Tamer, and as Heart Disease Healer. Mañjuśrī, indeed that bodhisattva Great Wisdom of former times is none other than you, Mañjuśrī Vādisiṃha. And the one who at that time was the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion is now Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, the great leader of the nāgas, himself. Mañjuśrī, for the sake of the king I will pronounce the mantra of the Great Compassionate One—memorize it!
namo ratnatrayāya | nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya | tadyathā| oṁ akaṭe vikaṭe nikaṭe kaṭaṃkaṭe karoṭe citijvalakaroṭa11 vīrye12 svāhā ||
“This dhāraṇī has been taught by eight hundred million buddhas, and I myself pronounce it now. Its rite accomplishes all of the activities without need of great difficulty.13 Before a statue or a painting of blessed Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, make eight distinct maṇḍalas with cow dung that has not fallen to the ground. Scatter each maṇḍala with five bunches of flowers and make offerings of flowers,[F.167.b] incense, perfumes, garlands, and scented powders. Then recite the dhāraṇī thirteen times at each maṇḍala and gather the dung. Incant14 that resulting15 dung and anoint the sick person with it. All of their illnesses will be healed. All illnesses caused by the poison of gods, nāgas, and others will be healed. If it does not succeed within twenty-one days, then, Mañjuśrī, the Great Compassionate One himself, will have committed the five deeds with immediate retribution.16 Mañjuśrī, this is the Great Compassionate One’s own promise. Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī will free the great king from his ill health, the heart disease that afflicts him, and in his next life he will be reborn in the realm of Sukhāvatī.
“Listen, Mañjuśrī! The Buddha Amitābha and the rest of the nine-hundred ninety million buddhas have taught this essence mantra, and now I teach it:
oṁ aḥ hrīḥ siṃhanāda hūṁ phaṭ ||
“Reciting this essence vidyāmantra just once frees the reciter from all evil deeds.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa have all taught this mantra, and now I, Śākyamuni, teach it as well.
namo ratna trayāya | namo hayagrīvāya | namo lokesvarāya |
tadyathā |oṁ hrīḥ kulu yulu nīlakaṇṭha hulu hulu tiṣṭha tiṣṭha bandha bandha māraya māraya hā hā hā hā vajrakrodha hayagrīva hṛīḥ hūṁ phaṭ ||
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī is the mantra of Padma Hayagrīva, who is Avalokiteśvara himself.
“Mañjuśrī, other people are afflicted by illnesses of blood or bile, sicknesses of wind or cold, or are afflicted18 by kṣatriya nāgas, brahmin nāgas, and outcaste or śūdra nāgas. Therefore, they have joyless, ill hearts; they have difficulty breathing, their stomachs and backs ache, their heads ache, they have headaches on one side, indigestion, swelling, crippled limbs, pregnancy-related illnesses, animal-related illnesses, fractures of their joints and skin, urinary diseases, phlegmy coughs, and fractured bones. They stoop, are crippled, have a weak appetite, have skin pustules, tumors, edema, blisters, rashes, abscesses, swollen and blocked throats, gout, persisting sensations of cold, heat, and so on. They are as if afflicted by different kinds of leprosy and boils;19 they are afflicted by gods, māras, brahmas, yamas, rock spirits, graha that disturb their mental state, angered hearth spirits, lake goddesses, nāgas or the like; they have been made ill by yakṣas, bhūtas, vināyakas, or flesh-eating graha; and they become ill in one of the myriad ways. All of this is suffering born from nonvirtue.”
The Blessed One said, “O bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, listen!
ā hrīḥ hri paṁ taṁ naṁ ||
“One should exert oneself in worshiping the buddhas using offerings of flowers, incense, perfumes, flower garlands, scented unguents, parasols, banners, pendants, scented powders, and all sorts of ornaments.
hrīḥ nāga lele nāga dumva lele nāga phut phut hale hale hāla hāla sphuṭa sphuṭa nāga bright flickering22 svāhā ||
“‘May the poison from the minds of all nāgas and vināyakas, the poison from seeing them, the poison from binding them, the poison from their breath, the poison from touching them, and all poison be expelled svāhā!
“Mañjuśrī, here are the initiations bestowed by the tathāgatas from their crown:
hriḥ bruṁ oṁ hūṁ khaṁ ||
Then the Blessed One said, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, this king is filled with nāga poison. Since the nāga king Varuṇa rules over all nāgas, he should expel it.[F.169.b]
oṁ varuṇāya svāhā | oṁ anantāya svāhā | oṁ vāsūkāya svāhā | oṁ takṣakāya svāhā | oṁ karkoṭāya svāhā | oṁ padmāya svāhā | oṁ mahāpadmāya svāhā | oṁ śaṅkhapālāya svāhā | oṁ kulikāya svāhā ||26
“Mañjuśrī, this power does not come from somewhere else—it is the power of the Noble Avalokiteśvara. It is his strength. It is his blessing. The Compassionate One’s excellent qualities are inexpressible, but I will try to express some of them here.
“Whoever makes this praise and recites it will purify even the karmic stains from committing the five deeds of immediate retribution. They will enter into all maṇḍalas and recite all mantras. For a thousand eons, they will never take birth in the lower realms and will never be born in a female body.
“Anyone who rises early in the morning, bathes with fragrant water, observes cleanliness, and recites this dhāraṇī, writes it down, upholds it, or has others recite or chant it, or who recites the essence and dhāraṇīmantra in front of the deeply compassionate Siṃhanāda, that person will be freed from illnesses such as leprosy, ringworm, boils, swelling, skin disorders, rashes, itching, abscesses, a swollen and blocked throat, edema, consumption, ruptured kidneys, organ diseases, the various illness related to khākorḍa maṇḍalas, lung disease, difficulty breathing, and disorders caused by wind, bile, phlegm, or their combination.
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī has been blessed by all the tathāgatas. Anyone, including that great king, who writes this dhāraṇī down in a book, keeps it, recites it, masters it, worships it, puts it into writing, and keeps that book in their home, village, town, region, or kingdom, or in a temple, will be attended by the glorious Mahākāla, the Four Great Kings, the nāga king Varuṇa, and the eight great nāgas. They will conquer any hostile forces, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, malevolent grahas,[F.171.a] vināyakas, or opponents within a thousand leagues.
“If one has committed any mistakes in meditation or writing, or has erred in mantra, mudrā, explanation, or listening, reciting this dhāraṇī will purify them. Whoever is protected by this dhāraṇī, rescued by it, nurtured by it, pacified by it, or made happy by it will not be harmed by weapons, poison, poisonous brews, khākorḍas and kṛtyās, fevers, or any other harm, nor will they meet with untimely death. Anyone who harms them will be annihilated.”
When the Blessed One finished speaking, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra, and the whole world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
This completes “The Dhāraṇī of Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda.”
It was translated, edited, and finalized at the self-arisen caitya at the Drika charnel ground in Kashmir by the Noble Lady Vajrasattvī, who had attained accomplishment, and the translator Gar Sherab Jungne.
The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda recounts the story of how Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda tamed the nāgas and gained curative powers. The text teaches his dhāraṇī, along with several others, and gives ritual instructions for how to use these for healing and protection.
This publication was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
The text was translated, edited, and introduced by the 84000 translation team. Catherine Dalton produced the translation and wrote the introduction. Ryan Damron edited the translation and the introduction, and Dawn Collins copyedited the text. Martina Cotter was in charge of the digital publication process.
The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda recounts the story of how Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda gained the power to tame nāgas and heal affliction, and how he came to take his present form. The text opens in Avalokiteśvara’s palace on Mount Potala where the Buddha Śākyamuni is surrounded by a retinue of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. Mañjuśrī requests the Buddha to give a remedy for the many diseases that afflict a king named Lord of Light. The Buddha responds to this request with a story about the previous lives of Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, in which we learn how Siṃhanāda came to obtain his power to tame the nāgas and his curative powers. Śākyamuni then teaches Siṃhanāda’s dhāraṇī, along with the ritual instructions for using it to heal illness, stating that it can be used to heal King Lord of Light and bring him rebirth in Sukhāvatī. The Buddha goes on to teach a vidyāmantra for Siṃhanāda and several other mantras and dhāraṇīs for other forms of Avalokiteśvara, along with ritual instructions for using these to heal illnesses, especially those caused by nāgas and other malevolent beings. There are also remedies for other types of afflictions, including difficulties with rain, hail, and the like. Śākyamuni then teaches a praise to Avalokiteśvara, followed by short verses of praise to Tārā, Pāṇḍaravāsinī, Hayagrīva, and the bodhisattva nāga king Varuṇa. He explains that the praises and the mantras connected with them will heal and protect anyone who recites them from malevolent influence.
Siṃhanāda, “Lion’s Roar,” also sometimes called Lokeśvara Siṃhanāda, is a form of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara. There are nine Siṃhanāda sādhanas and several other Siṃhanāda praises and ritual texts preserved in the Tibetan Tengyur, attesting to his importance in India. Images of Siṃhanāda have been found at the Mahābodhi temple in Bodh Gaya prior to the temple’s nineteenth-century renovation,1 and in Sri Lanka where it seems Siṃhanāda was especially popular.2 The association of Siṃhanāda with curative properties that we find in the present text appears to be quite an old one. A tenth-century Nepalese miniature painting depicting Siṃhanāda, which is kept at Cambridge, includes a caption reading, “Lokeśvara of the hospital on the island of Siṃhala.”3 While Avalokiteśvara in general has a close iconographical association with the deity Śiva, this is even more clear in the case of Siṃhanāda. In The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, Siṃhanāda—just like Śiva—holds a brahmin’s skull and a snake-wrapped trident, and wears a sacred thread made of a snake.
Siṃhanāda’s iconography is generally consistent across textual and artistic sources, though many of the details are not clearly elaborated in this text. In the descriptions found in his many sādhanas and praises, Siṃhanāda is white in color, has two legs and two arms, is dressed as an ascetic (tapasvin, dka’ thub ldan pa), and sits on a lion. In most descriptions, a skull-adorned trident rests at his right side, but in some, he holds it in his right hand. This trident is also frequently depicted with a white snake coiled around the shaft. With his left hand, he holds the end of a lotus stalk that rises upwards and has a sword standing upon the open lotus blossom. Nearby and to the left sits what is variously described as a cup (karoṭaka), pot (bhājana, snod), or skull cup (kapāla, thod pa) filled with fragrant flowers. This vessel often sits on a lotus or water lily.4
The Siṃhanāda form of Avalokiteśvara continues to be practiced in contemporary Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Two arrangements of practices centered on Lokeśvara Siṃhanāda are found in the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus) compiled by Jamyang Loter Wangpo,5 and the nineteenth-century scholar Mipham Gyatso wrote a short summary of the story of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda.6
The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda does not appear to be extant in Sanskrit or Chinese translation and is not found at Dunhuang or listed in any of the imperial-period catalogs. However, the very concise Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda, (Toh 704/912/3156),7 which parallels a short section of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, is extant in Sanskrit in the Sādhanamālā8 and as part of the dhāraṇī collection published by Gergely Hidas.9
The colophon of the present text states that the Tibetan translation of this work was produced by “the noble Lady Vajrasattvī, who had attained accomplishment, and the translator Gar Sherab Jungne.” While we are unable to identify either of these figures, the translation of the shorter Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda, which parallels a portion of this text, was translated into Tibetan twice, both times by eleventh-century translators. This fact, along with the contents of the present text and its absence in imperial period catalogs or at Dunhuang, suggests that it was also very likely translated in the later translation period (phyi dar), after the tenth century. It is specifically notable that one of the translators of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda is a woman. While many accomplished female practitioners from both India and Tibet are mentioned in histories of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, and a smaller number of women have authored Buddhist texts, reference to women as translators of canonical texts is extremely uncommon. We are, at present, unaware of any other such reference. The name listed here, “the noble Lady Vajrasattvī,” is unambiguously feminine in all recensions of the text consulted, as it includes two feminine particles (rje btsun ma rdo rje sems ma).10 This Vajrasattvī, whose position in the colophon is where we would typically find the name of the male Indian scholar who supervised the translation, is usually referred to as a preceptor (mkhan po). Vajrasattvī is instead here described as someone “who had attained accomplishment” (dngos grub brnyed pa). This unique colophon also mentions that the translation, editing, and finalizing of the text took place at a caitya at a charnel ground in Kashmir.
This English translation of The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda was made on the basis of the Degé Kangyur recension of this work, with additional reference to the notes from the Comparative Edition (dpe sdur ma) of the Kangyur, and the Stok Palace (stog pho brang) Kangyur and Phugdrak (phug brag) Kangyur recensions of the text. We also consulted the Sanskrit Siṃhanādadhāraṇī from the Sādhanamālā. The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda is stable across all recensions consulted, with only minor variants. We edited the dhāraṇī itself very slightly on the basis of the Sanskrit text from the Sādhanamālā and have noted all instances where this varies from the dhāraṇī as presented in the Degé recension.
[F.165.b]Homage to blessed Vajradhara.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing at the noble Lord Avalokiteśvara’s palace at the summit of Mount Potala. That bejeweled palace was ornamented with countless jewels, pearls, and gems, the light of which filled the trichiliocosm. In that region filled with the delightful scent of all kinds of flowers, the Blessed One was seated on a lion throne that had been arranged for him, surrounded by countless bodhisattvas led by Maitreya,[F.166.a] as well as many monks led by the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra. In that assembly was the bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, who rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and prostrated his head at the Blessed One’s feet.
He said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, in the land of Magadha there is a king named Lord of Light who has an excellent retinue, queens, and abundant wealth. But beyond this, the king is afflicted with leprosy, boils, difficulty breathing, and heart disease. How can he be healed?”
The Blessed One replied, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, long ago in this very world you, Mañjuśrī, were a bodhisattva called Great Wisdom, and noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda was a bodhisattva called Supreme Compassion. Those two bodhisattvas tamed a white lion, mounted it, and rode out to help beings of the trichiliocosm. They set out adorned with precious adornments and holding a trident, sword, lotus, and an utpala flower. But when the time came to cross the great ocean, they left the lion behind, shared the load, and continued onward. You, the bodhisattva Great Wisdom, thinking to benefit your friend, took your own life with your sword. But the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion thought that you had been killed by the nāgas, gods, and the like, who dwell in the heavens, below the earth, and in the sky. He then took up a brahmin’s skull as a drinking vessel, took his trident in his hand, and mounted the white lion. In sorrow, he bound his locks upon his crown.
“He threatened the gods above while brandishing his trident at them, and said,[F.166.b]
“The Four Great Kings, Śakra, lord of the gods, Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, and the gods of the three worlds beamed with joy. They offered divine lotuses, kumuda flowers, white lotuses, campaka flowers, and the like, filling his skull cup.
“He next threatened the gods of the sky, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, asuras, kumbhāṇḍa, garuḍas, and kinnaras, brandished his trident, and said,
“He then brandished his trident at the eight classes. The nāga king Jeweled Crown, the gandharva king Pañcaśikha, the yakṣa king Vaiśravaṇa, the asura king Vemacitrin, the horse-headed kinnara king Druma, the kumbhāṇḍa king Nine-Headed Snake, the garuḍa king Golden Eyes, and the rest, together with their large retinues, beamed with joy and offered jeweled ornaments to the lion.
“He next threatened the nāgas who live below the earth, saying,
“He then stirred the great ocean with his trident. The nāga king Anavatapta, the nāga king Varuṇa, the nāga king Takṣaka, and the other six hundred thousand nāga kings, and their servants and retinues, who have miraculous powers, are radiant, and who cause the gods and asuras to battle all gathered together, beamed with joy.[F.167.a] The nāga king Varuṇa became a single white snake, bowed down, circumambulated the bodhisattva three times, and said,
“Saying this he wrapped himself around the trident three times, turned to face the bodhisattva, said, ‘phuḥ phuḥ!’ respectfully bled from his mouth, and remained there.
“The other nāga kings likewise joined their palms, circumambulated him three times, and said,
“Saying this, the eight great nāgas became a single white snake and bound themselves around him as a sacred thread. Those nāga kings then said, ‘We are your servants. We will listen to whatever you command.’ Then all the nāgas returned to their own places.
“Mañjuśrī, that bodhisattva then became known as Compassionate Nāga Tamer, and as Heart Disease Healer. Mañjuśrī, indeed that bodhisattva Great Wisdom of former times is none other than you, Mañjuśrī Vādisiṃha. And the one who at that time was the bodhisattva Supreme Compassion is now Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, the great leader of the nāgas, himself. Mañjuśrī, for the sake of the king I will pronounce the mantra of the Great Compassionate One—memorize it!
namo ratnatrayāya | nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya | tadyathā| oṁ akaṭe vikaṭe nikaṭe kaṭaṃkaṭe karoṭe citijvalakaroṭa11 vīrye12 svāhā ||
“This dhāraṇī has been taught by eight hundred million buddhas, and I myself pronounce it now. Its rite accomplishes all of the activities without need of great difficulty.13 Before a statue or a painting of blessed Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda, make eight distinct maṇḍalas with cow dung that has not fallen to the ground. Scatter each maṇḍala with five bunches of flowers and make offerings of flowers,[F.167.b] incense, perfumes, garlands, and scented powders. Then recite the dhāraṇī thirteen times at each maṇḍala and gather the dung. Incant14 that resulting15 dung and anoint the sick person with it. All of their illnesses will be healed. All illnesses caused by the poison of gods, nāgas, and others will be healed. If it does not succeed within twenty-one days, then, Mañjuśrī, the Great Compassionate One himself, will have committed the five deeds with immediate retribution.16 Mañjuśrī, this is the Great Compassionate One’s own promise. Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī will free the great king from his ill health, the heart disease that afflicts him, and in his next life he will be reborn in the realm of Sukhāvatī.
“Listen, Mañjuśrī! The Buddha Amitābha and the rest of the nine-hundred ninety million buddhas have taught this essence mantra, and now I teach it:
oṁ aḥ hrīḥ siṃhanāda hūṁ phaṭ ||
“Reciting this essence vidyāmantra just once frees the reciter from all evil deeds.
“Mañjuśrī, the tathāgatas Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa have all taught this mantra, and now I, Śākyamuni, teach it as well.
namo ratna trayāya | namo hayagrīvāya | namo lokesvarāya |
tadyathā |oṁ hrīḥ kulu yulu nīlakaṇṭha hulu hulu tiṣṭha tiṣṭha bandha bandha māraya māraya hā hā hā hā vajrakrodha hayagrīva hṛīḥ hūṁ phaṭ ||
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī is the mantra of Padma Hayagrīva, who is Avalokiteśvara himself.
“Mañjuśrī, other people are afflicted by illnesses of blood or bile, sicknesses of wind or cold, or are afflicted18 by kṣatriya nāgas, brahmin nāgas, and outcaste or śūdra nāgas. Therefore, they have joyless, ill hearts; they have difficulty breathing, their stomachs and backs ache, their heads ache, they have headaches on one side, indigestion, swelling, crippled limbs, pregnancy-related illnesses, animal-related illnesses, fractures of their joints and skin, urinary diseases, phlegmy coughs, and fractured bones. They stoop, are crippled, have a weak appetite, have skin pustules, tumors, edema, blisters, rashes, abscesses, swollen and blocked throats, gout, persisting sensations of cold, heat, and so on. They are as if afflicted by different kinds of leprosy and boils;19 they are afflicted by gods, māras, brahmas, yamas, rock spirits, graha that disturb their mental state, angered hearth spirits, lake goddesses, nāgas or the like; they have been made ill by yakṣas, bhūtas, vināyakas, or flesh-eating graha; and they become ill in one of the myriad ways. All of this is suffering born from nonvirtue.”
The Blessed One said, “O bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, listen!
ā hrīḥ hri paṁ taṁ naṁ ||
“One should exert oneself in worshiping the buddhas using offerings of flowers, incense, perfumes, flower garlands, scented unguents, parasols, banners, pendants, scented powders, and all sorts of ornaments.
hrīḥ nāga lele nāga dumva lele nāga phut phut hale hale hāla hāla sphuṭa sphuṭa nāga bright flickering22 svāhā ||
“‘May the poison from the minds of all nāgas and vināyakas, the poison from seeing them, the poison from binding them, the poison from their breath, the poison from touching them, and all poison be expelled svāhā!
“Mañjuśrī, here are the initiations bestowed by the tathāgatas from their crown:
hriḥ bruṁ oṁ hūṁ khaṁ ||
Then the Blessed One said, “Bodhisattva great being Mañjuśrī, this king is filled with nāga poison. Since the nāga king Varuṇa rules over all nāgas, he should expel it.[F.169.b]
oṁ varuṇāya svāhā | oṁ anantāya svāhā | oṁ vāsūkāya svāhā | oṁ takṣakāya svāhā | oṁ karkoṭāya svāhā | oṁ padmāya svāhā | oṁ mahāpadmāya svāhā | oṁ śaṅkhapālāya svāhā | oṁ kulikāya svāhā ||26
“Mañjuśrī, this power does not come from somewhere else—it is the power of the Noble Avalokiteśvara. It is his strength. It is his blessing. The Compassionate One’s excellent qualities are inexpressible, but I will try to express some of them here.
“Whoever makes this praise and recites it will purify even the karmic stains from committing the five deeds of immediate retribution. They will enter into all maṇḍalas and recite all mantras. For a thousand eons, they will never take birth in the lower realms and will never be born in a female body.
“Anyone who rises early in the morning, bathes with fragrant water, observes cleanliness, and recites this dhāraṇī, writes it down, upholds it, or has others recite or chant it, or who recites the essence and dhāraṇīmantra in front of the deeply compassionate Siṃhanāda, that person will be freed from illnesses such as leprosy, ringworm, boils, swelling, skin disorders, rashes, itching, abscesses, a swollen and blocked throat, edema, consumption, ruptured kidneys, organ diseases, the various illness related to khākorḍa maṇḍalas, lung disease, difficulty breathing, and disorders caused by wind, bile, phlegm, or their combination.
“Mañjuśrī, this dhāraṇī has been blessed by all the tathāgatas. Anyone, including that great king, who writes this dhāraṇī down in a book, keeps it, recites it, masters it, worships it, puts it into writing, and keeps that book in their home, village, town, region, or kingdom, or in a temple, will be attended by the glorious Mahākāla, the Four Great Kings, the nāga king Varuṇa, and the eight great nāgas. They will conquer any hostile forces, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, malevolent grahas,[F.171.a] vināyakas, or opponents within a thousand leagues.
“If one has committed any mistakes in meditation or writing, or has erred in mantra, mudrā, explanation, or listening, reciting this dhāraṇī will purify them. Whoever is protected by this dhāraṇī, rescued by it, nurtured by it, pacified by it, or made happy by it will not be harmed by weapons, poison, poisonous brews, khākorḍas and kṛtyās, fevers, or any other harm, nor will they meet with untimely death. Anyone who harms them will be annihilated.”
When the Blessed One finished speaking, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the great śrāvaka Śāradvatīputra, and the whole world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
This completes “The Dhāraṇī of Noble Avalokiteśvara Siṃhanāda.”
It was translated, edited, and finalized at the self-arisen caitya at the Drika charnel ground in Kashmir by the Noble Lady Vajrasattvī, who had attained accomplishment, and the translator Gar Sherab Jungne.
The iconographic details of Siṃhanāda are described with some variation and differing degrees of detail in Toh 2858, 2859, 3155, 3157, 3329, 3414, 3417, 3418, 3419, and 3650. Descriptions in Sanskrit can be found in sādhana nos. 17, 20, 22, and 25 in volume one of the Sādhanamālā. For a survey of Indo-Tibetan artistic depictions of Siṃhanāda, see the deity’s main page at Himalayan Art Resources: https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=472&page=1.
The two versions of this text preserved in the Degé Kangyur have identical textual content but different titles. Toh 704 is The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda (seng ge sgra’i gzungs), while Toh 912 is The Dhāraṇī of the Promise Made by Siṃhanāda (seng ge sgras dam bcas pa’i gzungs). The Kangyur and Tengyur recensions of the work were translated by different translators and transmitted separately. They also differ with respect to several minor variants that suggest that in addition to being translated by different translators, they were also derived from different Sanskrit recensions of the text. Although the differences are minor, the Tengyur recension stands closer to the extant Sanskrit text as preserved in the Sādhanamālā than the Kangyur recensions do. A different translation of The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda is also found in the Tengyur, The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda (Toh 3156). The Kangyur and Tengyur versions differ with respect to several minor variants, suggesting that they were derived from different Sanskrit recensions of the text. Although the differences are minor, the Tengyur recension stands closer to the extant Sanskrit text as preserved in the Sādhanamālā than the Kangyur recensions do.
The title jetsunma, translated here as “noble lady,” can sometimes refer to a nun, but does not necessarily do so.
This transliteration follows C, L, and K, as well as the Sanskrit reported in the Siṃhanādadhāraṇī from the Sādhanamālā in reading karoṭa. D reads karoti.
The term citijvala º appears to be unique to this text. The Sanskrit and Tibetan version of the shorter Siṃhanādadhāraṇī omit it to read only karoṭavīrye here.
This translation follows F in reading tshegs chen po mi dgos pa (em., F: tshegs cho no mi dgos pa). D reads mi dgos pa “without need,” which does not make sense in this context. Though the reading in F requires minor emendation, it conveys an overall meaning that makes clear contextual sense.
Here we prefer the Choné and Stok Palace Kangyurs in reading sngags, “incant,” rather than the Degé which reads bsngags, “praise.” The reading we have chosen is also corroborated in Toh 912 where the parallel passage reads, even more clearly, sngag bzlas, “incant.”
lhag ma. While lhag ma in and of itself might be more literally translated as “remaining” rather than “resulting,” in the parallel passage in the version of the dhāraṇī published by Hidas (2021, p. 138) this cow dung is described as pratimaṇḍalalekhitaśeṣagomaya, which could be interpreted to mean “the cow dung that remains after inscribing the individual maṇḍalas.” The implication seems to be that this “remaining” dung is the same dung that was first inscribed with maṇḍalas and incanted before being collected together, incanted a second time, and applied to the patient. This would make logical sense insofar as this process would infuse the dung with healing potency, and in order to convey this in the translation, we have translated lhag ma here as “resulting.” This interpretation is nonetheless tentative.
The preceding passage, beginning with nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya, corresponds (with some significant variation) to the Siṃhanādadhāraṇī recorded in the Sādhanamālā and Hidas 2021.
zin. This literally translates as “grasped” or “possessed” and refers to affliction—usually in the form of an illness—that is understood to be caused by entities that “grasp” or “possess” an individual. We have translated it here as “afflicted by” since the range of affliction and illness caused by this type of possession includes, in addition to mental instability, things like skin rashes, which do not fit into the typical way in which “possession” by an outside entity is understood in English. We refer the interested reader to Smith 2006 for a study of possession in South Asia, including the type of disease-causing possession referenced here (see especially his chapter on “The Medicalization of Possession in Āyurveda and Tantra”), as well as Tidwell et al. 2022 for a study of possession-related illness in modern Tibetan medicine.
We have done our best to translate the list of illnesses here as accurately as possible, and have relied on Jan Meulenbeld’s A History of Indian Medical Literature for more precise terminology when reasonably certain of a Tibetan term’s Sanskrit equivalent. Some of the terms given in this text could not be confidently correlated with either Sanskrit or Tibetan medical terminology, in which case more descriptive, and tentative, translations are proposed. The medical terminology used here seems intended to primarily communicate the ritual’s efficacy in eradicating nearly any kind of illness that might afflict a person.
Unlike the rest of the mantra, this phrase is in Tibetan rather than transliterated Sanskrit.
This translation follows F in reading lcug ma la / thum po btag. D reads lcug ma dang/ lcum po btags.
Here we follow C, F, J, K, N, S, and Y which read asmrari. D reads a mra ri. The meaning of this term is uncertain.
No sense can be made of the text as given in the Degé and most other Kangyurs consulted. Thus we have adopted the reading from F, a sma ra, which we understand as equivalent to the Sanskrit term asmaraṇa. However, the Phugdrak reading, while much better than that in other Kangyurs, is unmetrical as well as ungrammatical, so we have made a small emendation, changing the genitive particle ’i after a sma ra into ni, the topical particle, to create a metrical and grammatical phrase that also conveys meaning: the word dhāraṇī means “retention,” or “memory” and indeed is often understood as a remedy to “not remembering.”
All of the names from the homage above match the names in these mantras except for Nanda. Karkoṭaka, another well-known nāga king not in the homage above, appears in the mantra.
This refers to a being who has laid down the burden of the aggregates, signifying that they are no longer karmically compelled to take bodily rebirth.
Here we have followed Y in omitting dpa’ so that this line reads sems [kyi] dbang bsgyur tams cad kyi. Though this results in an unmetrical line, this brings the reading in this text in line with what is a stock formula for describing highly advanced beings in Buddhist literature. See, for example, The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines (Toh 9, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group, 2023), 1.2.
This reading follows D and S in reading nya gro bu. C, J, K, and Y read nya grol bu and F reads bya grol mtshungs. We suspect the text may be corrupt here.
The mantric syllable tā is omitted in F, N, and S. One might expect the Sanskrit syllable da here, as this is the only syllable from Siṃhanāda’s essence mantra not otherwise represented in this passage. The full essence mantra, as given above, is oṁ āḥ hrīḥ siṃhanāda hūṁ phaṭ. If we read tā as da, then this passage includes the same set of syllables, albeit in a different order: oṁ āḥ hrīḥ siṃha da hūṁ phaṭ nā.
A nāga king.
A nāga king.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.
This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).
A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.
A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).
The term dhāraṇī has the sense of something that “holds” or “retains,” and so it can refer to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings. It can also refer to a verbal expression of the teachings—an incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula—that distills and “holds” essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. The same term is also used to denote texts that contain such formulas.
A charnel ground in Kashmir.
The kinnara king Druma is a well-known figure in canonical Buddhist literature, where he frequently appears, mostly in minor roles. For example, King Druma appears in The White Lotus of the Good Dharma (Toh 113), where he is one of the four kinnara kings attending the Buddha’s teaching. He is also included in The King of Samādhis Sūtra (Toh 127), where he arrives with his queens to make an offering of his music to the Buddha. He is also a bodhisattva who teaches and displays a profound understanding of the doctrine of emptiness in The Questions of the Kinnara King Druma (Toh 157), where his future awakening is also prophesied by the Buddha.
(His name has been translated into Tibetan both as “sdong po” and “ljon pa.”)
A set of eight types of supernatural beings. The list varies from text to text, but almost always includes devas, yakṣas, nāgas, gandharvas, and asuras among the eight. This text lists them as devas, nāgas, gandharvas, yakṣas, asuras, kumbhāṇḍas, garuḍas, and kinnaras.
A set of eighty bodily characteristics borne by buddhas and universal emperors. They are considered “minor” in terms of being secondary to the thirty-two major marks of a great being.
Five acts said to lead to immediate and unavoidable birth in the hell realms: killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, sowing discord within the saṅgha, and drawing the blood of a tathāgata with ill intent.
Four gods who live on the lower slopes (fourth level) of Mount Meru in the eponymous Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahārājika, rgyal chen bzhi’i ris) and guard the four cardinal directions. Each is the leader of a nonhuman class of beings living in his realm. They are Dhṛtarāṣṭra, ruling the gandharvas in the east; Virūḍhaka, ruling over the kumbhāṇḍas in the south; Virūpākṣa, ruling the nāgas in the west; and Vaiśravaṇa (also known as Kubera) ruling the yakṣas in the north. Also referred to as Guardians of the World or World Protectors (lokapāla, ’jig rten skyong ba).
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”
The Tibetan translator credited with translating this Dhāraṇī along with the female Indian master Vajrasattvī.
In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.
In the most general sense the devas—the term is cognate with the English divine—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.
A garuḍa king.
A class of nonhuman being known to exert a harmful influence on the human body and mind, they are thought to be responsible for epilepsy and seizures.
An epithet of Avalokiteśvara.
The name of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī in a former life.
An important wrathful deity of the lotus (padma) family and thus closely associated with Avalokiteśvara. Hayagrīva is also a deity in the Brahmanical pantheon.
1847-1914. A master of the Sakya tradition.
A nāga king.
A term used in hostile magical rites that can alternatively refer a class of nonhuman being or type of magical device employed against the target of the rite. They are often mentioned together with kṛtyās, who serve a similar function.
One of the seven buddhas of the Fortunate Eon.
One of the seven buddhas of the Fortunate Eon.
A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name—which means “is that human?”—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.
One of the seven buddhas of the Fortunate Eon.
A class of nonhuman being, often female, who are ritually summoned to perform injurious acts against the target of the rite. They are often mentioned together with khākorḍas, who serve a similar function.
A nāga king.
A class of dwarf beings subordinate to Virūḍhaka, one of the Four Great Kings, associated with the southern direction. The name uses a play on the word aṇḍa, which means “egg” but is also a euphemism for a testicle. Thus, they are often depicted as having testicles as big as pots (from kumbha, or “pot”).
A name of Avalokiteśvara.
The name of a king.
An ancient Indian kingdom that lay to the south of the Ganges River in what today is the state of Bihar. Magadha was the largest of the sixteen “great states” (mahājanapada) that flourished between the sixth and third centuries ʙᴄᴇ in northern India. During the life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it was ruled by King Bimbisāra and later by Bimbisāra's son, Ajātaśatru. Its capital was initially Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir) but was later moved to Pāṭaliputra (modern-day Patna). Over the centuries, with the expansion of the Magadha’s might, it became the capital of the vast Mauryan empire and seat of the great King Aśoka.
This region is home to many of the most important Buddhist sites, including Bodh Gayā, where the Buddha attained awakening; Vulture Peak (Gṛdhrakūṭa), where the Buddha bestowed many well-known Mahāyāna sūtras; and the Buddhist university of Nālandā that flourished between the fifth and twelfth centuries ᴄᴇ, among many others.
A nāga king.
The bodhisattva Maitreya is an important figure in many Buddhist traditions, where he is unanimously regarded as the buddha of the future era. He is said to currently reside in the heaven of Tuṣita, as Śākyamuni’s regent, where he awaits the proper time to take his final rebirth and become the fifth buddha in the Fortunate Eon, reestablishing the Dharma in this world after the teachings of the current buddha have disappeared. Within the Mahāyāna sūtras, Maitreya is elevated to the same status as other central bodhisattvas such as Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara, and his name appears frequently in sūtras, either as the Buddha’s interlocutor or as a teacher of the Dharma. Maitreya literally means “Loving One.” He is also known as Ajita, meaning “Invincible.”
For more information on Maitreya, see, for example, the introduction to Maitreya’s Setting Out (Toh 198).
Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñāpāramitāsūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.
The thirty-two physical characteristics that identify both buddhas and universal monarchs. This set is often combined with the eighty excellent signs.
1846–1912. A well-known polymath of the Nyingma (rnying ma) tradition.
The mountain in Avalokiteśvara’s pure realm.
A class of nonhuman beings who live in subterranean aquatic environments, where they guard wealth and sometimes also teachings. Nāgas are associated with serpents and have a snakelike appearance. In Buddhist art and in written accounts, they are regularly portrayed as half human and half snake, and they are also said to have the ability to change into human form. Some nāgas are Dharma protectors, but they can also bring retribution if they are disturbed. They may likewise fight one another, wage war, and destroy the lands of others by causing lightning, hail, and flooding.
A nāga king.
A kumbhāṇḍa king.
A nāga king.
A gandharva king.
The name of a female Buddhist deity of the lotus family that means “White-Clothed One.”
The sacred thread worn by a member of the so-called “twice-born” higher castes in India.
’phags pa spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug seng ge sgra’i gzungs (Āvalokiteśvarasiṃhanādadhāraṇī). Toh 703, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud, rtsa), folios 165.b–171.a.
seng ge sgra’i gzungs. Toh 704, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud, rtsa), folios 171.a–171.b. English translation The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda 2024
seng ge sgras dam bcas pa’i gzungs. Toh 912, Degé Kangyur vol. 101 (gzungs ’dus, e), folios 242.a–242.b. English translation The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda’s Promise 2024
seng ge sgra’i gzungs. Toh 3156, Degé Tengyur vol. 75 (rgyud ’grel, phu), folio 178.a.
’phags pa spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug seng ge sgra’i gzungs. 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. 93, pp. 483–500.
’phags pa spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug seng ge sgra’i gzungs. Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 107 (rgyud, ma), folios 38.a–45.b.
’phags pa spyan ras gzigs dbang phyug seng ge sgra’i gzungs. Phugdrak Kangyur vol. 114 (rgyud, ma), folios 89.b–90.a.
Siṃhanādadhāraṇī. In Sādhanamālā vol. 1, edited by Benoytosh Bhattacharyya, 52. Baroda: Central Library, 1925.
sgrub thabs kun btus [Compendium of Sādhanas]. Reproduced from the sde dge xylograph edition 1902. Dehra Dun: G.T.K. Lodoy, N. Gyaltsen, N. Lungtok, 1970. [BDRC W23681].
Mipham Gyatso (mi pham rgya mtsho). seng ge sgra’i gzungs kyi lo rgyus. In Mipham Gyatso’s Collected Works (gsung ’bum/ mi pham rgya mtsho), Chengdu: gangs can rig gzhung dpe rnying myur skyobs lhan tshogs, 2007, vol. 25 (ra), folios 51.a–51.b.
84000. The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda (seng ge sgra’i gzungs, Toh 704). Translated by Catherine Dalton. Online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024.
84000. The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda (seng ge sgra’i gzungs, Toh 3156). Translated by Catherine Dalton. Online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024.
84000. The Dhāraṇī of Siṃhanāda’s Promise (seng ge sgras dam bcas pa’i gzungs, Toh 912). Translated by Catherine Dalton. Online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024.
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