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Table of Contents

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Tantra of Siddhaikavīra is a tantra of ritual and magic. It is a relatively short text extant in numerous Sanskrit manuscripts and in Tibetan translation. Although its precise date is difficult to establish, it is arguably the first text to introduce into the Buddhist pantheon the deity Siddhaikavīra‍—a white, two-armed form of Mañjuśrī. The tantra is primarily structured around fifty-five mantras, which are collectively introduced by a statement promising all mundane and supramundane attainments, including the ten bodhisattva levels, to a devotee who employs the Siddhaikavīra and, presumably, other Mañjuśrī mantras. Such a devotee is said to become a wish-fulfilling gem, constantly engaged in benefitting beings. Most of the mantras have their own section that includes a description of the rituals for which the mantra is prescribed and a brief description of their effects. This being a tantra of the Kriyā class, the overwhelming majority of its mantras are meant for use in rites of prosperity and wellbeing.

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Acknowledgements

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This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical translated the text from the Sanskrit, and Andreas Doctor compared the translation against the Tibetan translation contained in the Degé Kangyur and edited the text.

This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Text Body

The Translation
The Great Sovereign Tantra of Siddhaikavīra
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Colophon

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Translated by the great Indian preceptor Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna and the translator monk Géwai Lodrö, and finalized by the monk Tsultrim Gyalwa.

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Notes

n.­1
For more on these two deities, see Dharmachakra (2016) and (2011), respectively.
n.­2
See bibliography, Khyentse (1970).
n.­3
Pandey (1998), p 9.
n.­4
Tib.: oṁ kālumelu kālume stambhaya śilāvarṣaṃ tuṣāranya ca lucca i lucca i svāhā |
n.­5
Tib.: “a hailstorm or a snowfall.”
n.­6
In the Tibetan the mantra ends: nirundha nirundha chegemo* ūrṇāmaṇe svāhā.
n.­7
Tib. omits the three sentences starting with “One should write…” and ending with “evil designs, etc.”
n.­8
In the Tibetan, the sentence “One will also stop torrential rain” appears in the next paragraph.
n.­9
Tib.: “with water and milk.”
n.­10
Tib.: “on birchbark, cloth, or leaves.”
n.­11
Tib.: “an effigy in the form of Bhairava.”
n.­12
Skt.: “bury it right there.”
n.­13
Tib.: “one should incant seven thorns and stick them in the tongue of the effigy.”
n.­14
Except for the beeswax, the Tibetan omits the details of how the mantra should be written and wrapped.
n.­15
Tib.: “That will paralyze the mouths of any aggressors.”
n.­16
Tib. omits “written with saffron.”
n.­17
Tib. omits “cool.”
n.­18
Tib.: “animals with horns, such as the gaur.”
n.­19
Tib. omits “double.”
n.­20
Translation based on the Tibetan. The Sanskrit reads, “The mantra should then be adorned with the double vajra and placed in the abdomen of a Gaṇapati made of beeswax.”
n.­21
Tib. adds “or burn it in a homa of chaff.”
n.­22
Translation based on the Tibetan. The Sanskrit reads, “one will arrest vision,” possibly meaning, “one will stabilize vision.”
n.­23
A kind of weapon (Monier-Williams).
n.­24
Skt. omits “on a piece of cloth.”
n.­25
Tib. reflects the reading adṛśyo (“invisible”).
n.­26
Tib. omits “humans” and “nāgas,” but adds “mahoragas.”
n.­27
Tib. omits “eight.”
n.­28
Tib. omits “by the mantrin.”
n.­29
Tib. omits “by making a tika on one’s forehead.”
n.­30
Tib. omits “just once.”
n.­31
Tib. has instead, “one will pacify the teeth of bipeds and quadrupeds,” which makes little sense, as the teeth of bipeds seldom constitute a cause of fear.
n.­32
The Sanskrit sentence begins with “this king of mantras,” which does not fit the context.
n.­33
Tib. omits “making a dressing.”
n.­34
Tib. omits “in the case of a man.”
n.­35
Skt. omits “and the name”; Tib. omits “birchbark.”
n.­36
Tib. omits “spider” but adds “snake.”
n.­37
According to the Tibetan, it is the incense that should be incanted 108 times.
n.­38
Based on the Tibetan (the Sanskrit is unclear).
n.­39
Tib.: “on a leaf or parchment.”
n.­40
Tib. omits “meditation.”
n.­41
Tib.: “disputes.”
n.­42
The Devanāgarī letter ṭha has the shape of a circle, and it can therefore be drawn around objects or shapes.
n.­43
Tib.: “possession by.”
n.­44
Tib.: “mustard seeds.”
n.­45
This clause is unclear both in the Sanskrit and the Tibetan.
n.­46
Tib. omits “wanton.”
n.­47
Tib.: “who has the potential for good qualities.”
n.­48
In the Tibetan, this verse and the next are transcribed in Sanskrit, like a mantra.
n.­49
We have a play on words here, as darpaṇa can mean “mirror” as well as be the name of the mountain of Kubera. Both of these meanings are required for the context that follows.
n.­50
In the Tibetan, this verse is transcribed, like a mantra.
n.­51
Skt. omits “to the god Vimalacandra.”
n.­52
According to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s commentary, “well washed” means “washed with water from the jar.”
n.­53
Tib.: “to the Blessed One and the god Vimalacandra.”
n.­54
Tib. omits “Muṇḍā, whispering in one’s ear.”
n.­55
Tib.: “secret mantra.”
n.­56
Tib.: “venerable youthful Mañjuśrī.”
n.­57
The Tib. adds “human flesh.”
n.­58
Tib.: “one week.”
n.­59
The translation is based on the Tibetan. The Sanskrit suggests that, rather than the head, one will not see the neck.
n.­60
Tib.: “This king of Nandinī mantras accomplishes all…”
n.­61
Skt. omits “sweet-smelling.”
n.­62
Tib. omits “observing one’s minor vows.”
n.­63
According to the Tibetan, the ghee, honey, and sugar are inside the two leaves. The Sanskrit, however, seems to reflect the standard way of placing the yantra between the three sweet things.
n.­64
Skt. omits “kings.”
n.­65
Tib.: “serve.”
n.­66
In the Tibetan the last sentence is transcribed as a Sanskrit mantra. In the Sanskrit, however, it is impossible to take it as such.
n.­67
The translation “the speech of Sarasvatī” is based on emended Sanskrit reading (sarasvatīṃ vāṇīm to sarasvatī­vāṇīm).
n.­68
Tib. omits “dullness.”
n.­69
“Cat’s paw” is a particular measure of weight. The Tibetan suggests “four karṣas.”
n.­70
Skt. omits “Vāgīśvara.”
n.­71
Tib.: “if they are swallowed.”
n.­72
Tib. omits “400,000.”
n.­73
Skt.: oṁ prakṛti­pari­śuddhāḥ sarva­dharmāḥ prakṛti­pari­śuddho ’haṃ sabāhyābhyantaram  |
n.­74
Skt. omits “anointed with cream of white sandalwood, and beautifully adorned with flowers.”
n.­75
Tib. omits “white, and so forth.”
n.­76
Tib. omits “in an unbroken stream.”
n.­77
Instead of “in the center of a sun disk of the color of red lotus,” the Tibetan has “in the navel of the goddess.”
n.­78
Instead of “well prepared Sarasvatī’s…” the Tibetan seems to be saying, “in order to accomplish Sarasvatī.” The epithet sārasvata is again used to qualify ghee in the section of the forty-sixth mantra below.
n.­79
Tib.: “goat’s milk.”
n.­80
The translation “born from a lotus” is based on the Tibetan and on the emended Sanskrit reading (°āmbujāyāḥ to °āmbujajāyāḥ).
n.­81
Skt. omits “that embodies all statements.”
n.­82
Tib. omits “adorned with every ornament.”
n.­83
Tib. omits the sentence “One should add… powders:
n.­84
Skt.: oṁ svabhāva­śuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ svabhāva­śuddho ’ham  |
n.­85
The Tibetan reflects the reading “Sūryaprabha,” which is another name for Jālinīprabha.
n.­86
Tib. omits “astride.”
n.­87
Tib. omits “astride.”
n.­88
Tib. omits “or an eight-spoked wheel.”
n.­89
Tib. omits “red garlands.”
n.­90
Translation based on the Tibetan. The Sanskrit suggests “figurines made of salt.”
n.­91
Tib. only mentions the name of the target.
n.­92
Skt. omits “only.”
n.­93
The Sanskrit word is piṇḍa, which means a lump of any solid material. Tib. says “the sky.”
n.­94
Tib.: “in a cemetery.”
n.­95
Grahaṇāyāgama­nāyākramaṇāya is a conjectured reading. In the manuscripts we have grahaṇīyāgama­nāyākramaṇīya.
n.­96
Perhaps a metaphor is intended here: it is the function of the god of comets and planets to control the seizing (i.e., eclipsing), coming, and traversing of heavenly bodies, but here he is meant to apply this function to the “movements” of happiness. The grammar, however, is not very clear.
n.­97
Instead of “delineate an altar,” Tib. has “shape it into a square.”
n.­98
Based on the Tibetan, which is glossed by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo: “An intelligent person who takes pleasure in benefitting others, knowing merely from reading [this text] the mantras that are to be found in it, should practice them with respect.” The Sanskrit could be interpreted as, “When they see things accomplished, skillful ones should feel respect.”
b.

Bibliography

dpa’ bo gcig pu grub pa zhes bya ba’i rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po (Siddhaika­vīra­mahā­tantra­rāja). Toh 544, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud ’bum, pa), folios 1b–13a.

dpa’ bo gcig pu grub pa zhes bya ba’i rgyud kyi rgyal po chen po. 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), 2006-2009, vol. 89, pp 3-44.

Bhattacharyya, Benoytosh, ed. Sādhanamālā. 2nd edition. Gaekwad’s Oriental Series, nos. 26, 41. Baroda: Oriental Institute, 1968.

Otsuka, Nobuo (Mikkyo Seiten Kyekyūkai), ed. “Siddhaikavīratantra.” In Taisho Daigaku Sogo-Bukkyo-Kenkyujo-Kiyo, vol. 15, pp (1)–(18). Tokyo: Taisho University Press, 1995.

Pandey, Janardan, ed. Siddhaikavīra­mahā­tantram. Rare Buddhist Texts Series, no. 20. Sarnath: Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies, 1998.

Khyentse, Jamyang ‍— Wangpo (’jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse’i dbang po). “sna tshogs pa’i las rab tu ’byung ba ’jam dpal dpa’ bo gcig pu grub pa’i rgyud ’grel man ngag dang bcas pa.” In Compendium of Methods for Accomplishment (sgrub pa’i thabs kun las btus pa dngos grub rin po che’i ’dod ’jo), vol. 7, folios 1.a–39.a (pp 1–77). Edited by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Loter Wangpo (blo gter dbang po). Dehra Dun: G. Loday, N. Gyaltsen and N. Lungtok, 1970.

Dharmachakra Translation Committee (tr.). The Practice Manual of Kurukullā (Toh 437). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2011-2016. (read.84000.co).

Dharmachakra Translation Committee (tr.). The Tantra of Caṇḍa­mahā­roṣaṇa (Toh 431). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2016. (read.84000.co).

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84000. The Tantra of Siddhaikavīra (Siddhaika­vīra­tantram, dpa’ bo gcig pu grub pa’i rgyud, Toh 544). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023. https://84000.co/translation/toh544/UT22084-089-001-end-notes.Copy
84000. The Tantra of Siddhaikavīra (Siddhaika­vīra­tantram, dpa’ bo gcig pu grub pa’i rgyud, Toh 544). Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee, online publication, 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023, 84000.co/translation/toh544/UT22084-089-001-end-notes.Copy
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