གསང་གས་ན་པོ་ས་་འན་པ།

Upholding the Great Secret Mantra

Mahāmantrānudhāraṇi
 གསང་གས་ན་པོ་ས་་འན་པ་མདོ།

gsang sngags chen po rjes su ’dzin pa’i mdo

The Sūtra of Upholding the Great Secret Mantra

Mahāmantrānudhāraṇisūtra
 Toh 563
Degé Kangyur, vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 150.b–156.a.

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee

under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

First published 2016

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co. CONTENTS

ti. Title
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
c. Colophon
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary
s. SUMMARY

s.1 Upholding the Great Secret Mantra is one of five texts that together constitute the
Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection, popular for centuries as an important facet of
Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhism’s traditional approach to personal and
communal misfortunes of all kinds. It addresses a range of human ailments, as
well as misfortunes such as robbery, natural disaster, and criminal punishment,
thought to be brought on especially through the animosity of non-human spirit
entities. The sūtra stipulates the invocation of these spirit entities, which it
separates into hierarchically ordered groups and thus renders subordinate to the
command of the Buddha and members of his saṅgha. The Buddha stipulates that
just “upholding” or intoning their names and the mantra formula for each will
quell the violent interventions of non-human entities and even hasten them to
provide for the pragmatic needs of the saṅgha and its surrounding communities.

ac. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ac.1 Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of

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

i.1 Upholding the Great Secret Mantra (Mahāmantrānudhāraṇi,1 Toh 563) is the fifth
scripture in a series of five; the other four texts are Destroyer of the Great
Trichiliocosm (Mahāsāhasrapramardanī, Toh 558), The Great Peahen, Queen of
Incantations (Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī, Toh 559), The Noble Great Amulet, Queen of
Incantations (Mahāpratisarāvidyārājñī, Toh 561), and The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove,
(Mahāśītavana, Toh 562).2 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 by the
moniker gzungs chen grwa lnga, the “Fivefold Great Dhāraṇī.” In the Degé
Kangyur collection these texts constitute 60, 49, 43, 25, and 12 folios, respectively,
making a total of 189 folios.
i.2 Tibetan redactors of Kangyur collections have catalogued this set of five texts
together within the final Action (kriyā) tantras section of the “tantra collection”
(rgyud ’bum) division. Indeed, these 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 Krīyayoga
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 so
typical of full-blown Buddhist tantra. A close perusal of these five texts might
then lead the reader to construe them 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 set of view, meditation,
and conduct. To complicate things further, the core of the Mahāmāyūrī, for one, is
rooted in Indian Buddhist traditions that predate even the rise of Mahāyāna.3 The
Mahāmāyūrī also appears as a remedy for snakebites in the earlier
Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinayavastu.4 This accords with Gregory Schopen’s general
 observation, based on inscriptional evidence, that “dhāraṇī texts were publically
known much earlier and more widely than texts we think of as ‘classically’
Mahāyāna”.5
i.3 Regardless of their bibliographical position in the Tibetan canon, the Five
Protectresses have been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic
purposes throughout the Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhist world. While it seems
certain that these texts each 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 (Hidas 2007: 189). In East Asia, the textual tradition associated with
the Mahāmāyūrī in particular was instrumental in integrating Buddhist and
indigenous notions of divine kingship.6 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 in 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.7 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, which, 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 Krīyatantra, and not to the Dhāraṇī or Sūtra
sections. Indeed, the Tibetan translation of the Mahāpratisarā reflects a recension
of the Sanskrit text, which, Gergely Hidas suggests, “most likely served the
better integration of this text into the Vajrayāna, changing the historical locus of
the nidāna to a mythical Vajrayānic setting.”8
i.4 The designation Five Protectresses denotes the set of five texts, the
incantations presented therein, and the goddesses presiding over each. It is
believed that all these texts, particularly 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 against 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, extends
beyond the pragmatic sphere to include the purification of negative karma,
deliverance from the lower realms, and even the attainment of buddhahood.
i.5 Upholding the Great Secret Mantra was translated into Tibetan under Tibetan
imperial patronage sometime during the early ninth century by a translation
team that included the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé (ca. late eighth to early
ninth century) and the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi, Jñānasiddhi, and
Śākyaprabha. The sūtra promises protection against a range of threats, from
illnesses, natural disasters, and dangers while traveling, to warfare, corporal
punishment, and theft. This text frames all of these perils as originating from the
animosity and ill will of human beings and spirits. The principal focus is threats
posed by the capricious spirit world of “non-humans” (mi ma yin), who feed off
the life force, vitality, flesh, and blood of humans. The negative impact of these
non-humans extends beyond the individual to include homes, villages, towns,
cities, regions, and entire countries. The text claims to be efficacious by means of
“drawing” or demarcating a “boundary” around those in need of protection,
sealing them off from the source of harm and thereby restoring health and
internal cohesion. It is through “receiving, holding, reciting, preaching, and
mastering” this scripture that such a protective boundary is formed.
i.6 The narrative of the sūtra begins with an interchange between the Buddha and
the god Brahmā. Brahmā, along with his divine retinue, visits the Blessed One at
the Jetavana hermitage and requests that he “guard, protect, look after, and bring
peace and well-being” to the entire trichiliocosm of a thousand million worlds,
just as the god himself does for the chiliocosm of a thousand worlds under his
care. The Buddha acquiesces to his request by remaining silent. He subsequently
proceeds to teach the scripture’s dhāraṇī formulas and to extol its many benefits.
Much as in the Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī, but with less elaboration, the Buddha
prescribes the invocation by name of the spirits responsible for personal and
communal misfortunes. These litanies, which the Buddha separates into groups
based on the locations and activities of these beings, hierarchically arrange the
spirits so that they are all subordinate to the Buddha’s command and to the
command of his saṅgha. The Buddha states that just “upholding” or intoning
these names along with the mantra formula that accompanies each group will
urge them to obey members of the saṅgha so that they desist from causing harm
and instead serve the pragmatic needs of the saṅgha and surrounding lay
communities.
i.7 Owing to the absence of a reliable Sanskrit edition that reflects the Tibetan
translations, this English translation is based on the Tibetan Degé edition, in
consultation with the Pedurma (dpe bsdur ma) comparative edition. Thus, rather
than adjudicate on the many variant readings of the dhāraṇī formulas found in
the different Tibetan versions of this text, we have chosen to defer this issue for
now and record only the Degé version until a Sanskrit edition is produced that
might shed further light on the matter.
tr. THE TRANSLATION

The Sūtra of

Upholding the Great Secret Mantra

1.1 [F.150.b] Homage to the Three Jewels!

Homage to the Buddha!
Homage to the Dharma!
Homage to the Saṅgha!
Homage to the seven perfectly and completely awakened buddhas, along with
their śrāvakas—those who have perfectly gone, and those who have perfectly
entered!

1.2 Following this homage:

May these incantations be practiced for a purpose!

May these incantations be accomplished!
May their purpose—the goal for which they are practiced—
Be accomplished!

1.3 Thus have I heard at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the Jetavana,
Anāthapiṇḍada’s grove in Śrāvastī. At that time, Brahmā, master of the Sahā
world, with the gods of the Brahmā realm; Śakra, lord of the gods, with the gods
of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; the four great kings, with the gods of their
realm; the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals; and Hārītī with her children and
retinue of servants went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet,
and stood to one side.
1.4 Standing there, Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, bowed toward the Blessed
One with palms joined, and said, “Venerable Blessed One, I rule as lord over the
realms of the chiliocosm. [F.151.a] Venerable Blessed One, when needed I guard,
 protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the realms in the
chiliocosm. Venerable Bliss-Gone Dharma Sovereign, Blessed One, you rule as
lord over the realms of the great trichiliocosm. Blessed One, when you see fit
you, too, guard, protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the realms
of the great trichiliocosm. So, Venerable Blessed One, I request you to guard,
protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the realms of the
trichiliocosm!”
1.5 The Blessed One acquiesced by remaining silent. Brahmā, master of the Sahā
world, understood that the Buddha had acquiesced by his silence, and at that
moment he vanished.

1.6 Subsequently, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, last night I was
approached by Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, along with the gods of the
Brahmā realm; Śakra, lord of the gods, with the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-
Three; the four great kings, with the gods of the realm of the four great kings;
and the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals; and Hārītī with her children and
retinue of servants also came.
1.7 “Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, said to me, ‘Venerable Blessed One, I rule
as lord over the realms of the chiliocosm. Venerable Blessed One, when needed, I
guard, protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the realms in the
chiliocosm. [F.151.b] Venerable Bliss-Gone Dharma Sovereign, Blessed One, you
rule as lord over the realms of the great trichiliocosm. Blessed One, when you see
fit, you also guard, protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the
realms of the great trichiliocosm. So, Venerable Blessed One, I request you to
guard, protect, look after, and bring peace and well-being to the realms of the
trichiliocosm!’
1.8 “Monks, I acquiesced by not responding to Brahmā, master of the Sahā world.
Then Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, knowing that I had acquiesced by
remaining silent, disappeared at that moment.
1.9 “Monks, this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great Secret Mantra, was
taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone arhats of the past. It
will be taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone arhats in the
future. And likewise, right now in the present, I will also teach it as an aid for the
awakening of buddhahood.”
1.10 Then the Blessed One said to venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, you are to receive,
hold, recite, preach, and master this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great
Secret Mantra! Ānanda, this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great Secret
Mantra, will bring welfare, benefit, happiness, and comfort to the four
assemblies.
1.11 tadyathā ubuddhe nibuddhe vibuddhe saṃbuddhe viśvaṣṭabuddhe īhabuddhe tattra-
buddhe niyaṃgame chavila apula tapula [F.152.a] tāle māle maṅgagamaṅga manana
imam vidyā hudume huhume pūrvaprahare |

1.12 “Ānanda, this strong and powerful secret mantra, which has been practiced for a
long time, was taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone
arhats of the past. It will be taught by the perfectly and completely awakened
thus-gone arhats in the future. And such is also the case at present, as I now
teach it to aid in the awakening of buddhahood. With this queen of incantations,
Upholding the Great Secret Mantra, I will protect and form a boundary around the
person named such-and-such. I will form a boundary one league to the east. I
will form a boundary one league in all the cardinal and intermediate directions.

1.13 tadyathā samuca vimuca palamuca jagadhara madasṭhala nalakamaga samuḥśvavāti

vimukti yoga hinasagama aradamula vihaṃgami idiciri vitalākhayo makhayo lagabhi-
dharaṇi pratiprāyogi aḥcakrapati samasraḥvati ilāya milāya bahusaddhya anatama
arthavati garavati tikhinitive akanati sakanati samidima vasuvaṭe aṭe aṭe taṭṭa
kharusmin kharusmin lahataṃ lahutaṃ sambhara sambhara vatiranataṃ nirutaṃ ila
taila saraphala bahuphala satamata daṃṣṭrimata |

1.14 “Ānanda, this strong and powerful secret mantra, which has been practiced for a
long time, was taught by the perfectly and completely awakened thus-gone
arhats of the past. It will be taught by the perfectly and completely awakened
thus-gone arhats in the future. And such is also the case at present, for I too teach
it. Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world, teaches it. Śakra, lord of the gods, also teaches
it. The four great kings also teach it. The twenty-eight great yakṣa generals also
teach it. [F.152.b] And Hārītī, with her children and retinue of servants, also
teaches it.
1.15 “Ānanda, any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman who receives this queen of
incantations, Upholding the Great Secret Mantra, and understands, sees, or
performs it, precisely as it has been taught and mastered, will be guarded,
protected, looked after, and brought peace and well-being for as long as he or
she shall live.
1.16 “Ānanda, by the command of the perfectly and completely awakened thus-
gone arhats of the past, future, and present, this queen of incantations, Upholding
the Great Secret Mantra, shall guard, protect, look after, and bring peace and well-
being to the person named such-and-such. It will form a boundary. It will form a
boundary one league to the east. Likewise, it will form a boundary one league to
the west. It will form a boundary one league to the south. It will form a
boundary one league to the north. It will form a boundary one league in all the
cardinal and intermediate directions.
1.17 “Ānanda, there are four who dwell on and off the path of the four great
kings.9 Who are they? They are Auspicious, Friend to All, Complete, and Glory
of Joy. Whoever knows their names and families will not be in danger of the
great kings, nor will he be in danger of robbers, fire, water, humans, or non-
humans.
1.18 “Ānanda, Vajrapāṇi’s older brother called Swift Hand resides in the city
known as Cakravālapur. Whoever knows his name and family will be guarded,
protected, looked after, pardoned, [F.153.a] and brought peace and well-being by
him. On behalf of the person named such-and-such, I beseech and supplicate
Vajrapāṇi’s older brother Swift Hand! By the command of the blessed buddhas
of the past, future, and present, all yakṣas, rākṣasas, pretas, piśācas,
kumbhāṇḍas, pūtanas, and kaṭapūtanas who seek an occasion and look for an
opportunity to harm the person named such-and-such will not find any such
opportunity, nor will they be able to quarrel with him!
1.19 “Ānanda, there are fourteen great rākṣasīs. They protected the Bodhisattva
while he was in his mother’s womb. They also protected him during his birth, as
a newborn, and while he was being reared. Who are they? They are Powerful,
Stainless, Tumult, Supple, Terrifying Lady, Voice of Jambū, Supreme Seizer,
Master, Renowned Female, Amazing Renown, Conflict Lover, Playful Lady,
Earth Supporter, and Conflict Engager. Whoever knows their names and families
will be guarded, protected, looked after, and brought peace and well-being by
them!
1.20 “Ānanda, there are eight rākṣasīs who steal the vitality of men or women
regardless of whether they are asleep or not. Who are they? They are Horn,
Unassailable, Instigator of Evil, Slanderous, Red Female Servant, Greatest,
Excellent Eyes, and Terrifying. Whoever knows their names and families will be
guarded, protected, looked after, and brought peace and well-being by them!
1.21 “Ānanda, there are seven rākṣasīs who travel as far as one hundred miles
when they smell the scent of blood. Who are they? They are Excellent Splendor,
Layered Joy, Giver of Various Things, [F.153.b] Excellent White Female Servant,
Desiring Engagement, Surrounding City, and Mountain Protector. Whoever
knows their names and families will be guarded, protected, looked after, brought
peace and well-being, and granted pardon!
1.22 “Ānanda, there is a rākṣasī called Mahākālī with one thousand sons who lives
at the seashore and travels 80,000 miles in a single night. Whoever knows her
name and family will be guarded, protected, looked after, brought peace and
well-being, and granted pardon by her!
1.23 “Ānanda, there are five rākṣasīs who, along with 7,700,000 yakṣas, guard and
protect the humans in the Jambu continent. Who are they? They are Always
Insane, Further Insane, Bloated with Power, Bamboo Stick, and Wealthy.
 Whoever knows their names and families will be guarded, protected, looked
after, brought peace and well-being, and granted pardon by them!
1.24 “Therefore, on behalf of the person named such-and-such, I beseech and
supplicate those five rākṣasīs, along with the 7,700,000 yakṣas! By the command
of the blessed buddhas of the past, future, and present, may the person named
such-and-such be guarded, protected, looked after, brought peace and well-
being, and granted pardon!

1.25 tadyathā vīmude vītide picarite pigarite karaṭi karavīra swāri madhuraghoṣe śatahanita
bhaṣitaghe akke nakke vika ḍitā vikuṭite viraje vighaṣṭavāte |

1.26 “Ānanda, nowhere in the worlds of gods, demons, Brahmā, mendicants, priests,
humans, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas have I seen anyone—whether human, non-
human, yakṣa, rākṣasa, asura, gandharva, nāga, garuḍa, guhyaka, preta, piśāca,
vetāla, kākhorda, kṛtya, pūtana, kaṭapūtana, unmāda, or apasmāra—[F.154.a]
who, seeking an opportunity to hurt and looking for conflict, was ever able to
harm a person guarded, shielded, protected, looked after, brought peace and
well-being, and granted pardon by this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great
Secret Mantra—unless, that is, the ripening of their karma precludes it.
1.27 “Therefore, by the command of the blessed buddhas of the past, future, and
present, I will use this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great Secret Mantra, to
guard the person named such-and-such from humans, non-humans, yakṣas,
rākṣasas, piśācas, asuras, gandharvas, nāgas, garuḍas, guhyakas, pretas, vetālas,
kākhordas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, kaṭapūtanas, unmadas, and apasmāras. He will be
protected, shielded, brought peace and well-being, granted pardon, and purged
of poison.
1.28 “This queen of incantations, Upholding the Great Secret Mantra, will intoxicate
all those with hostile intentions, ill will, animosity, and rage, as well as all
demons, [F.154.b] trail guards, fort guards, and customs guards. It will intoxicate
them, cause paralysis and stupefaction, and seize their hands, feet, minds, and
tongues. Through this queen of incantations, Upholding the Great Secret Mantra,
the person will escape on each and every occasion.

1.29 “Oh wonder! Brahmin! You transcended anguish,

Crossed over existence within the world,
And finally, after so long,
Saw the transcendence of all resentment and fear!

1.30 “Patience is the supreme austerity;

Patience is the supreme nirvāṇa—so proclaims the Buddha.
As for the ordained who harm others,
One who is violent toward others is not a proper renunciant.
1.31 “On the other hand, just as those with eyesight
Also have capabilities,
The wise, in this world of the living,
Avoid misdeeds.

1.32 “To all the buddhas

Of present, future, and past
I pay homage!
To all of them I go for refuge!

1.33 “Since in the world it is the bliss-gone arhats

To whom the moon goes for refuge,
Buddhas, with compassion for the world,
Free the moon from Rāhu!

1.34 “ ‘Rāhu! The moon dispels darkness.

Illuminating the sky,
It shines with white
And pristine light.
Instead of seizing it in the sky,
Instantly release the lantern of creatures!’

1.35 “Then, suddenly,

Rāhu, with his body trembling and in a sweat
Like a sick person,
Abruptly released the moon.

1.36 “ ‘Rāhu, why did you,

Trembling and in a sweat
Like a sick person,
Suddenly release the moon?’

1.37 “ ‘If, upon uttering these verses of the Buddha,

The moon were not released,
My head would crack into seven pieces,
And even while alive, I would be unhappy.’10

1.38 “Oh wonder! Amazing is the emergence of buddhas

Who see the truth!
If one recites these verses,
Rāhu will release the moon.
1.39 “By such truth and true words, as follows: [F.155.a] one who is unforgettable to
beings appearing in the world is a ‘thus-gone one;’ that he speaks by speaking
truly means he speaks by speaking truly at the appropriate time. Furthermore,
Ānanda, those verses were spoken by the Thus-Gone One to assist in the
observation of pure conduct. And what is more, Ānanda, the following words
will secure the purpose, as well as further assist and ease, whatever function
those verses are set to perform:

1.40 syād athedana svasti mati vilumati praharati kaśumadchi nanda mati vihagrahe
vidumati edakṛta ārtha sudṛśabuddhi bodhimati suhudume alakhūme alamite
higaraśara āśuha pragaśini |

1.41 “Ānanda, the ten roots of seeds and the ten root words of seeds have been
spoken by the Thus-Gone One. Ānanda, these words will be spoken by Thus-
Gone Ones, and will be taught by them; so if people who dwell in their teaching
utter them, yakṣas and rākṣasas will perform activities for them like slaves.
1.42 “By such truth and true words, as follows: true words at the irreversible level
are called the ‘words that are supreme in the world.’ Those who, of all
renunciants, are ‘the most joyful renunciants,’ the perfectly and completely
awakened, thus-gone arhats, who have neither fear nor terror, who, neither
cowering nor fleeing, lack fear, and who, having abandoned fear and its impetus,
are called ‘free of anything that causes one to cry out in hair-raising panic’—
these are what is meant by ‘those who speak by speaking truly, those who speak
by speaking truly at the appropriate time.’ By their truth and those true words,
may the person named such-and-such have well-being!
1.43 “By such truth and true words, as follows: of all those who observe ethical
discipline, controlled conduct, austerities, or pure conduct, those who are known
as ‘supreme in the discipline that pleases the noble ones’—by their truth and
their true words, may the person named such-and-such have well-being!
1.44 “Of the elders, Ājñātakauṇḍinya, like the eldest of a king’s sons, foremost
among those practicing pure conduct, [F.155.b] for a long time has passed since
his ordination; Mahākāśyapa, supreme among those with few desires who
adhere to the qualities from training and have contentment; Śāradvatīputra,
supreme among those with great wisdom and eloquence; Mahāmaudgalyāyana,
supreme among those with great miraculous powers and great magical abilities;
Aniruddha, supreme among those with the divine eye; Ānanda, supreme among
the learned; Upālī, supreme among holders of discipline; Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra,
supreme among Dharma preachers; Rāhula, supreme among those with respect
for the trainings; Vasumallaputra, supreme among those who distribute bedding
and cushions; Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, supreme among those who proclaim the
lion’s roar; Kālodāyin, supreme among those who inspire householders; and
Sudarśana, supreme among those who are venerated by gods and men—by the
 truth and true words of these elders, may the person named such-and-such be
guarded, protected, looked after, brought peace and well-being, and granted
pardon. He shall be protected from kings, ministers, robbers, fire, water,
enemies, and adversaries, and when traveling, lost, asleep, drunk, or careless!
1.45 “By such truth and true words, as follows: among all possible beings—those
without feet, with two feet, with four feet, or with many feet; those with form or
without form; those with perception, without perception, or neither with nor
without perception—the Thus-Gone One is called ‘supreme.’ By his truth and his
true words, may the person person named such-and-such be guarded, protected,
looked after, brought peace and well-being, and granted pardon!
1.46 “By such truth and true words, as follows: in the entire range of conditioned
and unconditioned phenomena, freedom from attachment is called ‘supreme.’
By that truth and those true words, [F.156.a] may the person person named such-
and-such be guarded, protected, embraced, brought peace and well-being, and
granted pardon.
1.47 “By such truth and true words, as follows: of all kinds of assemblies,
gatherings, multitudes, and retinues, the saṅgha of the Thus-Gone One’s
śrāvakas is called ‘supreme.’ By their truth and their true words, may countries,
regions, cities, towns, villages, houses, abodes, fields, and this sick patient be
guarded, protected, looked after, and brought peace and well-being. Boundaries
will be formed around them. All bhūtas will be turned back. Those who steal
vitality will be turned back.
1.48 “By such truth and true words, as follows: in order that I—a blessed, perfectly
and completely awakened, thus-gone arhat—may end this person’s desire,
anger, and ignorance, by the truth and true words of the teaching, explanation,
and enunciation of the 84,000 sections of teachings, may the 404 sicknesses of the
person named such-and-such come to an end! May they be eliminated! May they
cease! May they cease completely!”
1.49 When the Blessed One had spoken, the world, including venerable Ānanda,
Brahmā, master of the Sahā world, and all gods, humans, asuras, and
gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.

1.50 This completes “The Sūtra of Upholding the Great Secret Mantra.”

c. COLOPHON

c.1 This was translated and edited by the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi,
Jñānasiddhi, and Śākyaprabha, along with the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé,
who then revised it according to the new lexicon and finalized it.
n. NOTES

1 The Sanskrit title in the Degé Kangyur is Mahāmantranudhāraṇisūtra, and the

same title (with variations in the diacritical marks) is found in the Lithang, Cone
and Lhasa Kangyurs. The Yongle, Narthang, and Stok Palace Kangyurs,
however, have Mahāmantranudhārisūtra (again, with variations in the exact
spelling), and this latter alternative was preferred by the compilers of the
Tōhoku catalogue. However, the entry in Edgerton’s Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit
Dictionary for Mahāmantrānusāriṇī suggests that this, instead, may be the original
Sanskrit name of the goddess concerned.

2 For all four, see bibliography under Dharmachakra (2016) and (forthcoming).

3 Sørensen (2006), p 90.

4 Pathak (1989), p 32. The story comes at the very end of the Bhaiṣajyavastu (Toh 1
ch. 6); see Yao (forthcoming).

5 Schopen (1989), p 157.

6 Orzech (2002), p 58.

7 Lewis (2000), pp 119–164.

8 Hidas (2007), p 188.

9 The commentary (gsang sngags chen mo rjes su ’dzin ma’i mdo’i ’bum ’grel, 263b–
264a) reads: “The ‘path of the four great kings’ is the four great kings
themselves…and those guarded by the four great kings. ‘Those not on the path”
refers to the sons of the great kings. These four entities garner petty lords and
retinues, enacting violence against beings. Who are they? They cause harm in the
east, south, west, and north, such that the 80,000 types of obstructers are also
included within these four.”

10 The commentary (gsang sngags chen mo rjes su ’dzin ma’i mdo’i ’bum ’grel, 274a7)
explains this in terms of the next life. It states: “Even after dying, one will be
reborn in the hell of Endless Torment.”
b. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Tibetan and Sanskrit Texts

gsang sngags chen po rjes su ’dzin pa’i mdo (Mahāmantrānudhāraṇisūtra). Toh 563,
Degé Kangyur vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 150b–156a.

gsang sngags chen po rjes su ’dzin pa’i mdo (Mahāmantrānudhāraṇisūtra). 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. 90, pp. 457–476.

gsang sngags chen mo rjes su ’dzin ma’i mdo’i ’bum ’grel (Mahāmantrānudhāraṇīsūtra-
śatasahasraṭīkā). Toh 2692, Degé Tengyur vol. 72 (rgyud, du), folios 241b–282b.

Secondary Sources

Dharmachakra Translation Committee (tr.). Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm

(Mahāsāhasrapramardanī, Toh 558). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha,
2016. (read.84000.co (http://read.84000.co/translation/UT22084-090-
002.html))

——— (tr.). The Great Peahen, Queen of Incantations (Mahāmāyūrīvidyārājñī, Toh

559). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, (forthcoming).

——— (tr.). The Noble Great Amulet, Queen of Incantations (Mahāpratisāravidyārājñī,

Toh 561). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, (forthcoming).

——— (tr.). The Sūtra of Great Cool Grove, (Mahāśītavana, Toh 562). 84000:
Translating the Words of the Buddha, (forthcoming).

Hidas, Gergely (2012). Mahāpratisarā-Mahāvidyārājñī, The Great Amulet, Great

Queen of Spells: Introduction, Critical Editions and Annotated Translation. Sata-
pitaka Series: Indo-Asian Literatures Vol. 636. New Delhi: International
Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 2012.
——— (2010). “Mahāpratisarāvidyāvidhi: The Spell-Manual of the Great Amulet.”
Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hung, vol. 63(4) (2010): 473–484.

——— (2007). “Remarks on the Use of the Dhāraṇīs and Mantras of the Mahā-
pratisarā-Mahāvidyārājñī.” In Indian Languages and Texts Through the Ages:
Essays of Hungarian Indologists in Honour of Prof. Csaba Töttössy. Edited by Csaba
Dezsö, pp. 185–208. New Delhi: Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2007.

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, vol. 13 (2002): 55–83.

Pathak, Suniti K. “A Dharani-mantra in the Vinaya-vastu.” Bulletin of Tibetology,

vol. 25, no. 2 (1989).

Schopen, Gregory. “A Verse from the Bhadracaripranidhana in a 10th Century

Inscription found at Nalanda.” Journal of the International Association of Buddhist
Studies, 12(1) (1989): 149–57.

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 Journal, Fall (8) (2006): 89–123.

Yao, Fumi (tr.). On Medicinal Materials (Bhaiṣajyavastu, Toh 1, ch. 6). 84000:
Translating the Words of the Buddha (forthcoming).
g. GLOSSARY

g.1 Ājñātakauṇḍinya
kun shes kauN+Din+ya

ན་ས་ །
Ājñātakauṇḍinya

g.2 Always Insane

rtag tu myos

ག་་ོས།

g.3 Amazing Renown

rmad grags

ད་གས།

g.4 Ānanda
kun dga’ bo

ན་དགའ་བོ།

Ānanda

g.5 Anāthapiṇḍada
mgon med zas sbyin

མན་ད་ཟས་ན།

Anāthapiṇḍada

g.6 Aniruddha
ma ’gags pa

མ་འགགས་པ།

Aniruddha

g.7 Apasmāra
brjed byed

བད་ད།
apasmāra

g.8 Asura
lha ma yin
 ་མ་ན།

asura

g.9 Auspicious
bkra shis ldan

བ་ས་ན།

Svastika

g.10 Bamboo Stick

’od ma’i sbubs

འོད་མ་བས།

g.11 Bhūta
’byung po

འང་པོ།

bhūta

g.12 Bloated with Power

stobs kyis rgyags

ོབས་ས་གས།

g.13 Brahmā
tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།
Brahmā

g.14 Cakravālapur
grong khyer khor yug

ང་ར་ར་ག
cakravālapur

g.15 Chiliocosm
stong gi ’jig rten gyi khams

ོང་་འག་ན་་ཁམས།

sāhasralokadhātu
A universe in Buddhist cosmology consisting of one thousand smaller world systems.

g.16 Complete
gang po

གང་པོ།
Pūrṇa

g.17 Conflict Engager

’thab ’jug

འཐབ་འག

g.18 Conflict Lover

 ’thab dga’

འཐབ་དགའ།

Kalahapriya?

g.19 Desiring Engagement

’jug ’dod

འག་འདོད།

g.20 Earth Supporter

sa ’dzin

ས་འན།

Bhūmidhāra

g.21 Excellent Eyes

mig bzang

ག་བཟང་།

g.22 Excellent Splendor

gzi brjid mchog

ག་བད་མག

g.23 Excellent White Female Servant

bran mo dkar mo bzang

ན་མོ་དཀར་མོ་བཟང་།

g.24 Friend to All

kun bshes

ན་བས།

Viśvāmitra

g.25 Further Insane

rjes su myos

ས་་ོས།

g.26 Gandharva
dri za

་ཟ།

gandharva

g.27 Garuḍa
nam mkha’ lding

ནམ་མཁའ་ང་།
garuḍa

g.28 Giver of Various Things

sna tshog sbyin sbong

་ཚོག་ན་ོང་།
 Citra?

g.29 Glory of Joy

dga’ ba’i dpal

དགའ་བ་དཔལ།
Śrīharṣa

g.30 Great trichiliocosm

stong gsum gyi stong chen po

ོང་གམ་་ོང་ན་པོ།

trisāhasramahāsāhasralokadhātu
The largest universe spoken of in Buddhist cosmology, consisting of one billion smaller world systems.

g.31 Greatest
rab chen

རབ་ན།

g.32 Guhyaka
gsang ba pa

གསང་བ་པ།
guhyaka

g.33 Hārītī
’phrog ma

འོག་མ།

Hārītī

g.34 Horn
rwa

།

g.35 Instigator of Evil

ngan slob

ངན་ོབ།

g.36 Jetavana
rgyal bu rgyal byed kyi tshal

ལ་་ལ་ད་་ཚལ།
jetavana

g.37 Jñānasiddhi
dz+nyA na sid+dhi

་ན་།

Jñānasiddhi

g.38 Kākhorda
byad stems
 ད་མས།
kākhorda

g.39 Kālodāyin
nag po ’char ka

ནག་པོ་འཆར་ཀ
Kālodāyin

g.40 Kaṭapūtana
lus srul po

ས་ལ་པོ།
kaṭapūtana

g.41 Kiṃnara
mi’am ci

འམ་།
kiṃnara

g.42 Kṛtya
gshed byed

གད་ད།

kṛtya

g.43 Kumbhāṇḍa
grul bum

ལ་མ།
kumbhāṇḍa

g.44 Layered Joy

dga’ brtsegs

དགའ་བགས།

g.45 League
rgyang grags

ང་གས།
krośa
A measure of distance, one quarter of a yojana; supposedly the distance within which a cry can be heard.

g.46 Mahākālī
nag mo chen mo

ནག་མོ་ན་མོ།
Mahākālī

g.47 Mahākāśyapa
’od srung chen po

འོད་ང་ན་པོ།

Mahākāśyapa
g.48 Mahāmaudgalyāyana
maud gal gyi bu chen po

ད་གལ་་་ན་པོ།
Mahāmaudgalyāyana

g.49 Mahoraga
lto ’phye chen po

ོ་འ་ན་པོ།

mahoraga

g.50 Master
bla ma

་མ།
Prabhu · Guru

g.51 Mountain Protector

ri srung

་ང་།

g.52 Nāga
klu

།
nāga

g.53 Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja

bha ra dwa dza bsod snyoms len

བྷ་ར་་ཛ་བསོད་མས་ན།
Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja

g.54 Piśāca
sha za

ཤ་ཟ།
piśāca

g.55 Playful Lady

rtsed mo

ད་མོ།
—

g.56 Powerful
stobs ldan

ོབས་ན།

Balī

g.57 Preta
yi dags

་དགས།
 preta

g.58 Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra
byams ma’i bu gang po

མས་མ་་གང་པོ།

Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra

g.59 Pūtana
srul po

ལ་པོ།
pūtana

g.60 Rāhu
sgra gcan

་གཅན།

Rāhu

g.61 Rāhula
sgra gcan zin

་གཅན་ན།
Rāhula

g.62 Rākṣasa
srin po

ན་པོ།
rākṣasa

g.63 Rākṣasī
srin mo

ན་མོ།

rākṣasī

g.64 Red Female Servant

bran mo dmar mo

ན་མོ་དམར་མོ།

g.65 Renowned Female

grags ma

གས་མ།

Kīrtī

g.66 Sahā world

mi mjed

་མད།
sahā
A name for the “world” in which we live.

g.67 Śakra
 brgya byin

བ་ན།

Śakra

g.68 Śākyaprabha
shAkya pra bha ba

་་བྷ་བ།
Śākyaprabha

g.69 Śāradvatīputra
sha ra dwa t’i bu

ཤ་ར་་ཏ་།
Śāradvatīputra

g.70 Śīlendrabodhi
shrI len+dra bo dhi

་་བོ་།

Śīlendrabodhi

g.71 Slanderous
phra ma can

་མ་ཅན།
—

g.72 Śrāvastī
mnyan yod

མཉན་ཡོད།
śrāvastī

g.73 Stainless
dri med

་ད།
Vimalā

g.74 Sudarśana
legs mthong

གས་མཐོང་།
Sudarśana

g.75 Supple
rab mnyen

རབ་མན།

Pramṛdū

g.76 Supreme Seizer

mchog len

མག་ན།
 Paramalabhā

g.77 Surrounding City

grong khyer ’khor yug

ང་ར་འར་ག

Cakravālapur

g.78 Swift Hand

lag myur

ལག་ར།
Laghupāṇi

g.79 Terrifying
’jigs byed

འགས་ད།

g.80 Terrifying Lady

’jigs byed ma

འགས་ད་མ།
Bhairavā

g.81 Tumult
sgra chen

་ན།

Ghoṣā

g.82 Unassailable
thub med

བ་ད།

g.83 Unmāda
smyo byed

ོ་ད།
unmāda

g.84 Upālī
nye bar ’khor

་བར་འར།

Upālī

g.85 Vasumallaputra
gyad bu nor

ད་་ནོར།
Vasumallaputra

g.86 Vetāla
ro langs
 རོ་ལངས།

vetāla

g.87 Voice of Jambū

’dzam bu’i mgrin

འཛམ་་མན།

g.88 Wealthy
’byor ldan

འོར་ན།

g.89 Yakṣa
gnod sbyin

གནོད་ན།
yakṣa