Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra

The Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra (Sanskrit: उष्णीष विजय धारणी सूत्र; IAST: uṣṇīṣa vijaya dhāraṇī sūtra, Chinese: 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經; Pinyin: Fódǐng Zūnshèng Tuóluóní Jīng; Rōmaji: Butsuchō Sonshō Darani Kyō; Vietnamese: Kinh Phật Đảnh Tôn Thắng Đà La Ni; English: Dhāraṇī of the Victorious Buddha-Crown/The Sūtra of The Supreme Sacrosanct Dhāraṇī From The Buddha's Summit^[1]) is a Mahāyāna Sūtra from India.

An alternate longer Sanskrit title is the Sarvadurgatipariśodhana Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra (सर्वदुर्गतिपरिशोधन उष्णीष विजय धारणी सूत्र).^[2]

History

The sūtra was translated a total of eight times from Sanskrit to Chinese between 679 and 988 CE.^[2] It gained wide circulation in China, and its practices have been utilized since the Tang dynasty, from which it then spread to the rest of East Asia. The Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya dhāraṇī is associated with Mount Wutai, which in the Chinese Buddhist tradition is considered the bodhimaṇḍa of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī. Sacred stone tablets with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī carved into them have been distributed widely in some regions of the Far East.^[3]

Contents

The purpose of this sūtra is said to be to help sentient beings in a troubled and tumultuous world. According to this sūtra, beings will leave suffering and obtain happiness, increase in prosperity and longevity, remove karmic obstacles, eliminate disasters and calamities, remove enmity and hatred, fulfill all wishes, and quickly be led onto the Buddha's way.^[3]

It is held by some that when the dhāraṇī is heard, it can imbue the alaya consciousness with pure seeds that will help lead one to buddhahood. This mantra is also associated with Green Tara.

According to the text, major applications of this dhāraṇī include:^[3]

• Destroy calamities and rescue those in difficulties
• Eliminate offenses and create good deeds
• Purify all karmic obstructions
• Increase blessings and lengthen lifespan
• Attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi
• Relieve beings in the ghost realm
• Benefit birds, animals and all crawling creatures
• Increase wisdom
• Revert the fixed karma
• Eliminate various illness
• Destroy hells
• Ensure the safety of the households, and having children to inherit the family pride
• Harmonise husbands and wives
• Be able to reborn in Sukhavati or other pure lands
• Heal sickness inflicted by pretas
• Request for rain, etc.

Some quotes from the sutra text include:

Lord of Heaven, if someone hears this Dharani even for just a moment, he will not undergo karmic retribution from the evil karma and severe hindrances accumulated from thousands of kalpas ago, that would otherwise cause him to revolve in the cycles of birth and death - in all kinds of life forms in the evil paths - hell, hungry ghost, animal, realm of King Yama, Asuras, Yaksa, Raksasa, ghosts and spirits, Putana, Kataputana, Apasmara, mosquitoes, gnats, tortoises, dogs, pythons, birds, ferocious animals, crawling creatures and even ants and other life forms. Owing to the merits accrued from hearing for a moment this Dharani, once this very life is over, he will be reborn in the Buddhalands, together with all the Buddhas and Ekajati-pratibaddha Bodhisattvas, or in a distinguished Brahmin or Ksatriya family, or in some other wealthy and reputable family. Lord of Heaven, this man can be reborn in one of the above-mentioned prosperous and reputable families simply because he has heard this Dharani, and hence be reborn in a pure place.^[3]

 

Distribution of Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sacred Stone Tablets Throughout The World (1993–2007) by Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Chanting Group.^[3]

Synopsis

According to the Sūtra a devaputra by the name of Suṣṭhita (Supratiṣṭhita) was enjoying the supremely wonderful bliss of heavenly life, but then he suddenly heard a voice in space saying,

Devaputra Susthita, you have only seven days left to live. After death, you will be reborn in Jambudvīpa (Earth) as an animal for seven successive lives. Then you will fall into the hells to undergo more sufferings. Only after fulfilling your kārmic retribution will you be reborn in the human realm, but to a humble and destitute family; while in the mother’s womb you will be without eyes and be born blind.

On hearing this, Devaputra Suṣṭhita was so terrified and rushed over to the Heavenly Palace of Lord Śakra. Bursting into tears, he prostrated himself and revealed what had happened to Lord Śakra. Lord Śakra immediately calmed his mind and entered into samādhi. Instantly, he saw that Suṣṭhita would undergo seven successive lives in the forms of a pig, dog, jackal, monkey, python, crow and vulture, all feeding on filth and putrescence. Lord Śakra could not think of any way to help Suṣṭhita. He felt that only the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha could save Suṣṭhita from falling into the great suffering of the evil destinies.

Soon after nightfall, Lord Śakra made preparations and headed to the garden of Anāthapiṇḍada. Upon arrival, Lord Śakra prostrated himself at the Buddha's feet, and circumambulated the Buddha seven times clockwise in worship, before laying out his great Pūjā (offerings/obeisances). Kneeling in front of the Buddha, Lord Śakra described the future destiny of Devaputra Suṣṭhita.

 

A stone inscription of the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra at Asakusa Temple in Tokyo. Note the use of Sanskrit Siddhaṃ script.

Instantly, the uṣṇīṣa (crown of the head) of the Tathāgata radiated multiple rays of light, illuminating the world in all ten directions before returning to the top of the Buddha's head. The Buddha smiled and said to Lord Śakra, “Lord of Heaven, there is a Dhāraṇī known as the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī. It can purify all evil paths, completely eliminate all sufferings of beings in the realms of hell, King Yama and animals, destroy all the hells, and transfer sentient beings onto the virtuous path.”

After hearing this, Lord Śakra appealed to the Buddha to give a discourse on this great Dhāraṇī. The Buddha, aware of Lord Śakra's intention and his eagerness to hear His discourse of this Dhāraṇī, immediately proclaimed the Mantra. Then the Buddha told Lord Śakra, “The Mantra is known as the ‘Purifying All Evil Path Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī’. It can eliminate all evil karmic hindrances and eradicate the suffering of all evil paths.” Again the Buddha told Lord Śakra that this great Dhāraṇī is proclaimed together by Buddhas as numerous as grains of sand in eighty-eight koṭis (hundred million) Ganges Rivers. All Buddhas rejoice and uphold this Dhāraṇī that is verified by the wisdom seal of Vairocana Tathāgata.

Again the Buddha reminded Lord Śakra to transmit it to Devaputra Suṣṭhita and that he himself should receive and uphold it, recite, contemplate and treasure it, memorize and preserve it. He preached that this Dhāraṇī should be widely proclaimed to all beings in Jambudvīpa and entrusted him to this task for the benefit of all heavenly beings. The Buddha also reminded Lord Śakra that he should diligently uphold and protect it, and never allow it to be forgotten or lost.

After Lord Śakra received this Dhāraṇī practice from the Buddha, he returned to his heavenly palace to convey it to Devaputra Suṣṭhita. Having received this Dhāraṇī, Devaputra Suṣṭhita kept the practice as instructed for six days and six nights, after which all his wishes were completely fulfilled.

When seven days had passed, Lord Śakra and Devaputra Suṣṭhita, together with other heavenly beings, respectfully approached the Buddha and presented their grand offerings. Once they had respectfully circumambulated the Buddha a hundred thousand times and paid homage, then happily took their seats and listened to the Buddha preach the Dharma.

The World Honoured One then extended his golden arm and touched Devaputra Suṣṭhita on the head to bestow a prediction of Devaputra Suṣṭhita's attainment of Bodhi.^[3]

Dharani

Sanskrit

The following Sanskrit version is derived from the Tibetan Canon (Toh 597 Degé Kangyur, vol. 90, folios 243.b–248.a):^[4]

namo ratna trayāya | oṁ namo bhagavate sarvatrailokyaprativiśiṣṭāya buddhāya te namaḥ | tadyathā | oṁ bhrūṃ bhrūṃ bhrūṃ | śodhaya śodhaya | viśodhaya viśodhaya | asamasamantāvabhāsaspharaṇagatigagane svabhāvaviśuddhe | abhiṣiñcantu māṃ sarvatathāgatāḥ sugatavaravacanāmṛtābhiṣekair mahā­mudrā­mantrapadaiḥ | āhara āhara mama āyuḥ­sandhāraṇi śodhaya śodhaya | viśodhaya viśodhaya | gaganasvabhāvaviśuddhe | uṣṇīṣavijayā­pariśuddhe | sahasraraśmisaṃcodite | sarvatathāgatāvalokini | ṣaṭ­pāramitā­paripūraṇi | sarvatathāgatamāte daśabhūmipratiṣṭhite | sarvatathāgatahṛdayādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | mudre mudre mahā­mudre | vajrakāyasaṃhatanapariśuddhe | sarvakarmāvaraṇaviśuddhe | pratinivartaya mama āyurviśuddhe | sarvatathāgatasamayādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | oṁ muni muni mahāmuni | vimuni vimuni mahāvimuni | mati mati mahāmati mamati sumati | tathatābhūtakoṭipari­śuddhe | visphuṭabuddhi­śuddhe | he he | jaya jaya | vijaya vijaya | smara smara sphara sphara | sphāraya sphāraya | sarvabuddhādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | śuddhe śuddhe | buddhe buddhe | vajre vajre mahā­vajre suvajre| vajragarbhe | jayagarbhe | vijayagarbhe | vajrajvālāgarbhe | vajrodbhave | vajrasaṃbhave | vajre | vajriṇi | vajraṃ bhavatu mama śarīraṃ sarvasattvānāñ ca kāyapari­śuddhir bhavatu | sadā me sarvagatipari­śuddhiś ca | samantān mocaya mocaya | ādhiṣṭhāna | sarvatathāgatāś ca mām36 | samāśvāsayantu | budhya budhya | sidhya sidhya | bodhaya bodhaya | vibodhaya vibodhaya | mocaya mocaya | vimocaya vimocaya | śodhaya śodhaya | viśodhaya viśodhaya | samantaraśmipari­śuddhe | sarvatathāgatahṛdayādhiṣṭhānādhiṣṭhite | mudre mudre mahā­mudre mahā­mudrā­mantrapade svāhā

Translation of the Sanskrit Dharani:^[5]

Oṁ veneration to the glorious Buddha distinguished in all the Three Worlds. Namely, oṁ bhrūṃ bhrūṃ bhrūṃ, purge, purge, purify, purify, O Unequalled Enveloping Splendor Sparkle Destiny Sky, O the One of Purified Nature, O the One Purified by the Topknot Victory, let all Tathāgatas consecrate me with consecrations of the nectar of the excellent Sugata’s words along with great seals and mantrapadas, oṁ bring, bring, O the One who Nourishes Life, purge, purge, purify, purify, O the One Purified by Sky Nature, O the One Purified by the Topknot Victory, O the One Impelled by Thousand Rays, O the One Beholding all Tathāgatas, O the One Fulfilling the Six Perfections, O Mother of all Tathāgatas, O the One Established in the Ten Stages, O the One Empowered by the Empowerment of the Heart of all Tathāgatas, oṁ O Seal, O Seal, O Great Seal, O the One Purified by the Firmness of the Vajra Body, O the One Purged of all Obscurations Resulting from Actions, turn back for me O Life-purged One, O the One Empowered by the Empowerment of the Vow of all Tathāgatas, oṁ muni muni, mahāmuni, vimuni vimuni, mahāvimuni, mati mati, mahāmati, mamati, sumati, O the One Purified by Truth and the True Goal, O the One Purged by a Burst Open Mind, oṁ he he, triumph triumph, succeed succeed, recollect recollect, manifest manifest, expand expand, O the One Empowered by the Empowerment of all Buddhas, oṁ O Pure One, O Pure One, O Awakened One, O Awakened One, O Vajra, O Vajra, O Great Vajra, O Vajra-essence, O Victory-essence, O Triumph-essence, O Vajra-flame-essence, O Vajra-born, O Vajra-produced, O Vajra, O the One with a Vajra, let my body become a vajra and that of all beings, let there be body-purification for me and purification of all destinies, O the One Empowered by the Empowerment of the Heart of all Tathāgatas, let all Tathāgatas provide encouragement, oṁ awake awake, succeed succeed, awaken awaken, wake up, wake up, liberate liberate, release release, purge purge, purify purify, liberate completely, O the One Purified by an Enveloping Ray, O the One Empowered by the Empowerment of the Heart of all Tathāgatas, oṁ O Seal O Seal, O Great Seal, O Great Seal and Mantrapada svāhā

Alternate version

Another Sanskrit version is:

namo bhagavate trailokya prativiśiṣṭāya buddhāya bhagavate
tadyathā oṃ viśodhaya viśodhaya
asamasama samanta avabhāsa spharaṇa gati gahana svabhāva viśuddhe
abhiṣiñcatu māṃ
sugata vara vacana
amṛta abhiṣeke mahāmantra pāne
āhara āhara āyuḥ sandhāraṇi
śodhaya śodhaya gagana viśuddhe
uṣṇīṣa vijaya viśuddhe
sahasraraśmi sañcodite
sarva tathāgata avalokana ṣaṭpāramitā paripūraṇi
sarva tathāgata mati daśa-bhūmi prati-ṣṭhite
sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre
vajrakāya saharaṇa viśuddhe
sarva āvaraṇa apāya durgati pariviśuddhe
pratinirvartaya āyuḥ śuddhe
samaya adhiṣṭhite maṇi maṇi mahāmaṇi
tathātā bhūta koṭi pariśuddhe
visphuṭa buddhi śuddhe
jaya jaya vijaya vijaya smara smara
sarva buddha adhiṣṭhita śuddhe
vajre vajra garbhe vajraṃ bhavatu mama śarīraṁ
sarva sattvānāṁ ca kāya pariviśuddhe
sarva gati pariśuddhe
sarva tathāgatāśca me sama āśvāsayantu
sarva tathāgata sama āśvāsa adhiṣṭhite
budhya budhya vibudhya vibudhya
bodhaya bodhaya vibodhaya vibodhaya
samanta pariśuddhe
sarva tathāgata hṛdaya adhiṣṭhāna adhiṣṭhita mahāmudre svāhā

In Devanāgarī Script:-

नमो भगवते त्रैलोक्य प्रतिविशिष्टाय बुद्धाय भगवते
तद्यथा ॐ विशोधय विशोधय
असमसम समन्त अवभास स्फरण गति गहन स्वभाव विशुद्धे
अभिषिञ्चतु मां
सुगत वर वचन
अमृत अभिषेके महामन्त्र पाने
आहर आहर आयुः सन्धारणि
शोधय शोधय गगन विशुद्धे
उष्णीष विजय विशुद्धे
सहस्ररश्मि सञ्चोदिते
सर्व तथागत अवलोकन षट्पारमिता परिपूरणि
सर्व तथागत हृदय अधिष्ठान अधिष्ठित महामुद्रे
वज्रकाय सहरण विशुद्धे
सर्व आवरण अपाय दुर्गति परिविशुद्धे
प्रतिनिर्वर्तय आयुः शुद्धे
समय अधिष्ठिते मणि मणि महामणि
तथाता भूत कोटि परिशुद्धे
विस्फुट बुद्धि शुद्धे
जय जय विजय विजय स्मर स्मर
सर्व बुद्ध अधिष्ठित शुद्धे
वज्रे वज्र गर्भे वज्रं भवतु मम शरीरं
सर्व सत्त्वानां च काय परिविशुद्धे
सर्व गति परिशुद्धे
सर्व तथागताश्च मे सम आश्वासयन्तु
सर्व तथागत सम आश्वास अधिष्ठिते
बुध्य बुध्य विबुध्य विबुध्य
बोधय बोधय विबोधय विबोधय
समन्त परिशुद्धे
सर्व तथागत हृदय अधिष्ठान अधिष्ठित महामुद्रे स्वाहा

In Bengali Script:-

নমো ভগবতে ত্রৈলোক্য প্রতিবিশিষ্টায় বুদ্ধায় ভগবতে
তদ্যথা ওঁ বিশোধয় বিশোধয়
অসমসম সমন্ত অবভাস স্ফরণ গতি গহন স্বভাব বিশুদ্ধে
অভিষিঞ্চতু মাং
সুগত বর বচন
অমৃত অভিষেকে মহামন্ত্র পানে
আহর আহর আয়ুঃ সন্ধারণি
শোধয় শোধয় গগন বিশুদ্ধে
উষ্ণীষ বিজয় বিশুদ্ধে
সহস্ররশ্মি সঞ্চোদিতে
সর্ব তথাগত অবলোকন ষট্পারমিতা পরিপূরণি
সর্ব তথাগত হৃদয় অধিষ্ঠান অধিষ্ঠিত মহামুদ্রে
বজ্রকায় সহরণ বিশুদ্ধে
সর্ব আবরণ অপায় দুর্গতি পরিবিশুদ্ধে
প্রতিনির্বর্তয় আয়ুঃ শুদ্ধে
সময় অধিষ্ঠিতে মণি মণি মহামণি
তথাতা ভূত কোটি পরিশুদ্ধে
বিস্ফুট বুদ্ধি শুদ্ধে
জয় জয় বিজয় বিজয় স্মর স্মর
সর্ব বুদ্ধ অধিষ্ঠিত শুদ্ধে
বজ্রে বজ্র গর্ভে বজ্রং ভবতু মম শরীরং
সর্ব সত্ত্বানাং চ কায় পরিবিশুদ্ধে
সর্ব গতি পরিশুদ্ধে
সর্ব তথাগতাশ্চ মে সম আশ্বাসয়ন্তু
সর্ব তথাগত সম আশ্বাস অধিষ্ঠিতে
বুধ্য বুধ্য বিবুধ্য বিবুধ্য
বোধয় বোধয় বিবোধয় বিবোধয়
সমন্ত পরিশুদ্ধে
সর্ব তথাগত হৃদয় অধিষ্ঠান অধিষ্ঠিত মহামুদ্রে স্বাহা^[6]

This Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī includes several additions to the original Sanskrit transliteration, for completeness, and in light of other versions.

In addition to the long dhāraṇī, there is the much shorter Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya heart-mantra:

oṃ amṛta-tejavati svāhā

ॐ अमृत-तेजवति स्वाहा

oṁ amṛta tejovati svāhā

ॐ अमृत तेजोवति स्वाहा^[7]

Translation

D.T. Suzuki translated the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī into the English language and this was included in the Manual of Zen Buddhism.^[1]

Ten doors

According to the Records of the Teaching of Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra by Great Dharma Master Fa Chong (法崇, of the Tang dynasty),^[3] the great and unsurpassed merits of this Dharani can be categorised into ten doors as follows:

1. The door of taking refuge under the sages (歸敬尊德門)
2. The door of revealing the Dharma Body (章表法身門)
3. The door of purifying evil paths (淨除惡趣門)
4. The door of good and brightness initiation (善明灌頂門)
5. The door of spiritual power protection (神力加持門)
6. The door of lengthening the lifespan (壽命增長門)
7. The door of integrating concentration and wisdom (定慧相應門)
8. The door of Vajra offering (金剛供養門)
9. The door of universally attaining purity (普証清淨門)
10. The door of accomplishing Nirvana (成就涅架門)

See also

• Uṣṇīṣavijayā
• Dharani pillar

Further reading

• F. Max Müller, Bunyiu Nanjio (1884). The ancient palm-leaves: containing the Pragna-paramita-hridaya-sutra and the Ushnisha-vigaya-dharani. Sanskrit and Japanese texts, edited and translated, with an appendix by G. Bühler, Anecdota Oxoniensia, Aryan series, III. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Reprint 1972
• Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sutra Chinese/English/Malay Translation. by Malaysia Usnisa Vijaya Buddhist Association (Malay: Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Usnisa Vijaya Malaysia)
• Chandra, Lokesh (1980). Iconography of the Goddess Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya, Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 34 (1/3), 125-137

References

1. Suzuki, Daisetz (1935). Manual of Zen Buddhism. Rider & Company.
2. "The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalog (K 319)".
3. "Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra (Chinese/English/Malay)".
4. "The Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī / 84000 Reading Room". 84000 Translating The Words of The Buddha. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
5. "The Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī / 84000 Reading Room". 84000 Translating The Words of The Buddha. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
6. "Buddha-Crown Superb Victory Dharani, 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼".
7. "Buddha-Crown Superb Victory Dharani, 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼".

External links

 

Sanskrit Wikisource has original text related to this article:

ऊष्णीष विजय ढारणी

• The Noble Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī That Purifies All Lower Rebirths - Translation at 84,000
• Recording of the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani