Mahāpratisarā Vidyarajni Sutra

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A Chinese illustration of the Mahāpratisarā-dhāraṇī, in Sanskrit and Siddhaṃ script, Later Tang, 927 CE

Mahāpratisarā Vidyarajni Sutra. One of five texts of the Pañcarakṣā collection found in the Tibetan Canon and the Chinese Canon. This text found in the Kriya tantra section of the Tibetan Kangyur (Toh 561).

James Gentry states:

The Noble Queen of Incantations: The Great Amulet, one of five texts that constitute the Pañcarakṣā scriptural collection, has been among the most popular texts used for pragmatic purposes throughout the Mahāyāna Buddhist world. As its title suggests, The Great Amulet prescribes the use of amulets into which the incantation is physically incorporated. These devices are then worn around the neck or arm, attached to flags, interred in stūpas and funeral pyres, or otherwise used anywhere their presence is deemed beneficial. Wearing or encountering the incantation promises a range of effects, including the prevention and healing of illness, the conception and birth of male offspring, and control over the world of nonhuman spirit entities. The text also protects against consequences of negative deeds, delivering evildoers from negative rebirths and ensuring their place among the gods. The promise of augmenting merit even extends in one passage to an increase of mindfulness and liberation from saṃsāra.[1]

Title variations

Short title:

  • Sanskrit: Mahāpratisarā
  • Tibetan: so sor ’brang ba chen mo
  • English: The Great Amulet

Full title:

  • Sanskrit: Ārya-mahāpratisarā-vidyārājñī
  • Tibetan: ’phags pa rig pa’i rgyal mo so sor ’brang ba chen mo
  • English: The Noble Queen of Incantations: The Great Amulet

Chinese titles:

  • Foshuo suiqiu jide dazizai tuoluoni shenzhou jing (佛說隨求即得大自在陀羅尼神呪經, Taishō 1154)
  • Pubian guangming qingjing chicheng ruyibao yinxin wunengsheng damingwang dasuiqui tuoluoni jing (普遍光明淸淨熾盛如意寶印心無能勝大明王大隨求陀羅尼經, Taishō 1153) ("Dhāraṇī of the Great Protectress who is Universally Radiant, Pure, Incandescent, a Wish-granting Gem, and the Sealed Essence of the Invincible King of Mantras")

Translations

Tibetan translations

James Gentry states:

The Great Amulet was first translated into Tibetan under Tibetan imperial patronage sometime during the early ninth century by a team that included the translator-editor Bandé Yeshé Dé (ban+de ye shes sde, ca. late eighth–early ninth centuries) and the Indian scholars Jinamitra and Dānaśīla. Their translation is listed in the Denkarma (ldan kar ma) catalog, along with the other Pañcarakṣā texts, under the category “the Five Great Dhāraṇīs” (gzungs chen po lnga).
The translation was revised several centuries later by Gö Lotsāwa Shönu Pal (’gos lo tsA ba gzhon nu dpal, 1392–1481), who based his work on a Sanskrit manuscript that had been in the possession of Chak Lotsāwa Chöjé Pal (chag lo tsA ba chos rje dpal, 1197–1263/64). The Stok Palace Kangyur contains another recension of Yeshé Dé’s translation that was revised by Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290–1364) based on two Sanskrit manuscripts from India.[1]

Chinese translations

James Gentry states:

The Great Amulet was translated into Chinese twice. The earlier of the two translations is the Foshuo suiqiu jide dazizai tuoluoni shenzhou jing (佛說隨求即得大自在陀羅尼神呪經, Taishō 1154), which was translated by Ratnacinta (Baosiwei 宝思惟, ca. seventh–eighth centuries) in 693. The second, the Pubian guangming qingjing chicheng ruyibao yinxin wunengsheng damingwang dasuiqui tuoluoni jing (普遍光明淸淨熾盛如意寶印心無能勝大明王大隨求陀羅尼經, Taishō 1153), was prepared in the eighth century by Amoghavajra (Bukong 不空, 705–74). Hidas notes evidence that a third translation was made by Vajrabodhi (Jingang zhi 金刚智, ca. seventh–eight centuries) but is now lost.[1]

English translation

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 James Gentry (2023), The Great Amulet (Toh 561), 84000 Collection

Further reading

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