Ārolik mantra
Ārolik mantra. A mantra of Avalokiteśvara commonly recited in East Asian Buddhism. This mantra is found (in various forms, such as ārolika, arulika, etc.) in numerous pre-tenth-century Indian texts, including the 7th century Chinese translation of the Dhāraṇīsaṁgraha, as well as the Susiddhikarasūtra, the Mañjuśriyamūlakalpa, and the Guhyasamājatantra.[1]
The basic form of the mantra in Sanskrit is: oṃ ārolik svāha
Name variations
Name variations for this mantra include:
- "three and a half syllables" (ardhacaturthākṣara)
- ārolik
- oṁ ārolik
- ārolika
- arulika
- etc.
Mantra variations
- In Sanskrit: oṃ ārolik svāha
- In Chinese: Ǎn ālǔlēi jì suōpóhē (唵 阿嚕勒繼 娑婆訶)
- In Korean: Om aroreuk Ge Sabaha (옴 아로늑계 사바하)
- In Japanese: On arori kya sowa ka (おん あろりきゃ そわか).
In North India
The Ārolik mantra has been found engraved on a few sculptures found in North India. One of these begins with "ārolik oṁ hrīḥ".[1]
A sculpture of a bodhisattva in Bihar is was engraved with the following inscription:[1]
- (1) ye dharmmā hetuprabhavā hetuṁ teṣāṁ tathāgatohy avadat teṣāṁ ca yo nirodha evamvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ
- (2) namo ratnatrayāya namo Āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisatvāya mahāsatvāya mahākāruṇikāya
- (3) Ārolok
- (4) Oṁ hriḥ hriḥ
In East Asia
In Chinese Buddhism, this mantra is known as "Avalokiteśvara's mantra for eradicating karmic obstructions" (Chinese: 觀世音菩薩滅業障真言, pinyin: Guānshìyīn púsà miè yèzhàng zhēnyán) and is typically recited everyday as part of the standard liturgy during the daily Mengshan Shishi ritual (Chinese: 蒙山施食; pinyin: Méngshān shīshí; literally: "Mengshan food-bestowal") carried out in all Chinese Buddhist monasteries.[2][3][4]
In Shingon Buddhism, this mantra is the main mantra for Avalokiteśvara, and it is also considered to be the main mantra of the Lotus Buddha family.[5][6][7][8]
One text (Taisho Tripitaka no. 1031) describes a visualization practice done after reciting oṁ ārolik svāhā seven times which includes meditating on the meanings of the four letters of ārolik which are:[1]
- a: all dharmas are originally unborn (ādyanutpanna);
- ra: all dharmas are dissociated from defilement (rajas);
- la: characteristics (lakṣaṇa) are inapprehensible in all dharmas;
- ka: all dharmas are without action (kārya).
Another longer mantra appears in a translation by Amoghavajra (T. 1033, 20: 9b1–7):[1]
namoratnatrayāya | nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākāruṇikāya | tadyathā padmapāṇi sara sara ehy ehi bhagavann āryāvalokiteśvara ārolik |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Nicolas Revire, Rajat Sanyal, Rolf Giebel. Avalokiteśvara of the “Three and a Half Syllables”: A Note on the Heart-Mantra Ārolik in India. Arts Asiatiques, 2021, Arts Asiatiques, 76, pp.5–30. ⟨10.3406/arasi.2021.2095⟩. ⟨halshs-04142356⟩. PDF version
- ↑ 安賽平; An, Saiping (2021). 明末清初僧俗對密教咒語的詮釋與應用 [Interpretation and usage of mantras of "esoteric teaching" in late Ming and early Qing Buddhist community]. Department of Chinese Culture (Ph.D. thesis) (in Chinese). Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
- ↑ "蒙山施食研究-歷史發展與當代台灣的實踐." PhD diss., 2016. https://nhuir.nhu.edu.tw/ir/handle/987654321/24451
- ↑ "大蒙山施食儀規-數位法寶-數位圖書館". 華藏淨宗弘化網. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ↑ Kannon Bosatsu, Shingon Buddhist International Institute
- ↑ Shingon Buddhist International Institute. "Jusan Butsu – The Thirteen Buddhas of the Shingon School". Archived from the original on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 8 Mar 2026.
- ↑ Hutchins, Steven J (2015). Thirteen Buddhas: Tracing the Roots of the Thirteen Buddha Rites, Introduction. Vivlia Limited
- ↑ The Koyasan Shingon-shu Lay Practitioner's Daily Service Archived 2 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine., Shingon Buddhist International Institute (1999)