Namo Ratna Trayaya Namo Arya valo kitesh varaya Bodhi sattwa ya Maha sattwa ya Maha Karu ni Kaya Aum Sarva abhaya Suna dhasya Namo sukrit vé mama Arya valo kitesh vara Garbha Namo Nila kantha Vairochana Buddha Siri Maha bhadras ramé Sarv artha subham AjéyamSarva sattva Nama varga Maha dhatu Tadyata AumAva loké Lokité Kalaté Hari Maha Bodhi sattwa Sarva sarva Mala mala Mashi Maha hridayam Kuru Kuru karmam kuru kuru vijayati Maha vijayati Dhara dhara Dharin Suraya Chala chalaMa ma bhra ma ra Muktir Ehi Ehi Chinda chinda Harsam Pra Cha Li Basa Basam Pré saya Hulu hulu mala Hulu hulu hilo Sara sara Siri siri Suru suru Bodhiya bodhiya Bodhaya bodhaya Maitréya Nila kantha Dharsinina Paya mana Svaha Siddhaya Svaha Maha Siddhaya Svaha Siddha Yoge Shvaraya Svaha Nila kantha Svaha Vara hanan aya Svaha Sim hasira mukhaya Svaha Sarva maha Siddhaya Svaha Chakra siddhaya Svaha Padma hastaya Svaha Nila kantha vikaraya Svaha Maha rsis ank araya Svaha Namo Ratna Trayaya Namo Arya valo kitesh Varaya SvahaOm SiddhyantuMantra Padaye Svaha

A line-by-line, word-for-word comparison of the Siddham and the Sanskrit with some vocabulary explained with explanation.

"The great mantra of great compassionpenetrates heaven and earth.

One hundred recitations for one thousand dayscause the ten kings to rejoice.

Its great compassion and kindnesscures all disease;

And so an announcement is projected highupon the offense screen."

The Buddha told Ananda, "Accept and hold the Dharani with a profound and pure heart, propagating it widely in Jambudvipa. Do not allow it to become extinct. The Dharani brings great benefit to living beings of the three worlds. It cures disease and suffering. There is no illness it cannot cure."The great spiritual mantra can even cause withered trees to grow new branches, to bloom and bear fruit. How much more so can it cure the sicknesses and diseases of living conscious beings.

Having set forth the previous doctrines, Shakyamuni Buddha continues to address Ananda, saying, "Accept and hold the Dharani with a profound and pure heart." "Profound" means you should not be casual or careless, but should be especially attentive. "Pure" means you should not strike up false thinking or entertain thoughts of greed. Accept and maintain the mantra. Recite it with single-minded concentration and do not allow your mind to become involved with external conditions, plots, or plans. Spread the Dharani widely by telling everyone you meet about its remarkable power and effectiveness, and its ability to benefit living beings. Propagate it and make it flow, like running water, throughout the southern continent of Jambudvipa. Most importantly, whatever you do, do not allow the Great Compassion Mantra or the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra to become extinct. The Dharani brings great benefit, not only to beings in the world of desire, but to beings in the world of form and in the formless community as well. It can cure all illnesses, sores, and chronic evil diseases which continually afflict the body. There is no illness it cannot cure.The Great Compassion Mantra has the power to cause even withered trees to grow new branches, to bloom and bear fruit. So it is certainly impossible for it not to cure the sicknesses of living, conscious beings who have emotions and feelings. It is certain that they will be cured.The efficacy and powerful response gained through the recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra is inconceivable, but you must have a sincere heart and not a particle of doubt. If you have doubts, there will be no response. If you recite the mantra without doubts and without false thinking, you will certainly obtain a response.Think it over: how many people are there in the world? How many of them have heard the name "Great Compassion Mantra?" How many of them understand the Great Compassion Mantra? It should be obvious that the mantra is difficult to encounter. It's difficult even to hear its name. Even in Buddhism, at the present time, very few people know the power of the Great Compassion Mantra, and fewer still know of the Sunlight Bodhisattva and Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharanis. How much the less are these people able to recite them. In this, the Dharma-ending Age, there is virtually no one who is able to cultivate or understand a dharma like the Forty-two Hands. And yet here in the Buddhist Lecture Hall, we transmit the Dharma of the Forty-two Hands and the Sunlight and Moonlight Dharanis as well, in the hope that these Dharma-doors might be revived and flourish once more. Hopefully, in the future, everyone will understand how to cultivate these Dharmas, and day by day there will be more people who will open the Five Eyes and obtain the Six Spiritual Penetrations.The dispositions of beings in the Dharma-ending age are quite dull and stupid. The Right Dharma is difficult to encounter. Having encountered it, few wish to cultivate, and those who try don't stay with it for long. It's a most difficult situation.Therefore, in our cultivation of the Great Compassion Dharma, we should not fear hardships. We should take time from our busy schedules to listen to the lectures on the Sutras and to cultivate the Great Compassion Dharma, to recite and hold the Great Compassion Mantra, to cultivate the Shurangama Mantra, the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharanis, and to cultivate the Forty-two Hands. Once you've cultivated them for a while, you'll obtain a response and gain success. But no matter what you do, do it for a long enough time so that your skill becomes perfected. For example, if you're learning how to write Chinese characters, the first ones you scrawl won't be very good. The second try will show some improvement, and the third attempt may even be better. If you continue to practice, after a while your work will naturally improve, but if you don't practice, it won't. Cultivating

the Dharma is also this way.Now, in the Dharma-ending Age, we've gathered here to investigate the Buddhadharma. This is an inconceivable state and shows that you have good roots from former lives. If you didn't have good roots, you absolutely would not have encountered the Great Compassion Mantra, the Great Compassion Sutra, the Sunlight and Moonlight Dharanis, or the Forty-two Hands. To put it in even plainer terms, if you didn't have good roots, you wouldn't have been able to meet me, this left-home person who has no cultivation. But now that you've met me, you have an opportunity to go to the place where you want to go.

"Good people, the awesome spiritual power of this Dharani is inconceivable, inconceivable. One cannot finish praising it. If, from the long distant past, you had not planted extensive good roots, you wouldn't even be able to hear its name, let alone meet up with it. All of you present in this great assembly--gods, people, dragons, and spirits--upon hearing me praise the Dharani should accordingly rejoice.

"Good people," says the Buddha, "Bodhisattvas, Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas and Upasikas assembled here--you should know that this Dharani, which 'unites all dharma and holds limitless meanings,' has awesome spiritual power." "Awesome" means that one stands in awe of it. All humans and demons fear it. "Spiritual" refers to its inconceivable power; it has such strength that people are in awe of it. It cannot be thought of with the mind or spoken of with the tongue. The word "inconceivable" is said twice to double the impact."Ah! It's inconceivable, inconceivable. I could never finish praising it," says the Buddha. "Were it not the case that you had planted many good roots in many aeons past, you wouldn't even be able to hear the name, 'Great Compassion Mantra.' But, since you did, now you have.""Hearing me, Shakyamuni Buddha, praise the Great Compassion Mantra, all of you present in the great assembly--gods, people, dragons, and spirits--should also follow my example and praise the mantra and cultivate this Dharma-door."

"One who slanders the mantra is simply slandering Buddhas to the number of grains of sand in ninety-nine million Ganges Rivers. You should know that one who gives rise to doubt or disbelief with regard to the Dharani forever loses great benefit. For a billion aeons he will continually be engulfed in the evil destinies with no period of escape, never meeting the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, or seeing the Sangha."

One who slanders the mantra, saying, "It's just superstition," or this and that, is simply slandering all the Buddhas of the past, and forever loses great benefit. What is the great benefit?Cultivators of the Dharma-door of the Great Compassion Mantra can end birth and escape death; they can realize Buddhahood; they can attain the position of irreversibility. Those who don't believe in this Dharma-door do not obtain this great benefit; they do not end birth and death. For a hundred aeons, for a thousand aeons, for ten thousand aeons, for a billion aeons, they will turn in the evil destinies as beings in hell, as ghosts, as animals, as asuras--that's four evil destinies. They will never get out and will never meet the Buddha or hear the Dharma. Now, in America, we are blazing a trail in uncharted territory, and you can hear the Dharma every day. Did the generation which preceded you have this opportunity? Could they have listened to the Buddhadharma?And very few of your parents and elders ever saw members of the Sangha. Not only do you see the Buddha and hear the Dharma, but now we have genuine American Bhikshus and Bhikshunis. Because the good roots of Americans have matured, the Triple Jewel appears!

Hearing the Buddha, the Thus Come One, praise the Dharani, the entire assembly of Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas, Vajra Secret Traces, Brahma, Shakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, the gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits all rejoiced and respectfully cultivated the teaching.

Present in the assembly were the great Bodhisattvas, the Vajra Secret Traces Dharma protectors, the Great Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings, Shakra, along with all the gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits. When they heard Shakyamuni Buddha praise the Dharani, lauding the virtues of the Great Compassion Heart Dharani, they all rejoiced and respectfully cultivated. They offered up their conduct in accord with the teaching, cultivating the Great Compassion Mantra, the Forty-two Hands, and the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharanis. They practiced in accord with what they had been taught.

End of the Sutra of the Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded, Great Compassion Heart Dharani of the Thousand-handed, Thousand-eyed Bodhisattva Who Regards the Sounds of the World.

THE THOUSAND HAND THOUSAND EYED GREAT COMPASSIONATE HEART DHARANI

PRECENTOR The Dharani of the Thousand Hand, Thousand Eyed Great Compassionate Hearted One!

ALLGive Praise to the Three Treasures! Give Praise to the Great Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Kuan Yin!To the Great Compassionate One, AUM!He who has leaped beyond all fears!I take refuge, praising Him, in the sure hope that I will be taken into the Heart of

the Blue-Necked Noble, Greatly Venerated Kuan Yin!

His is the Perfect Completion; His is the Pure State that brings Victory and clears obstructions from the Path!AUM! To the Introspecting World Overcoming One! The Great Lion!

The Great Bodhisattva!All, all is defilement, defilement! The World, world!

Do, do the work! Hold, hold fast to the Great Victory!

I hold, hold on to Indra the Creator!Move, moving my defilement free one! Come and hear, hear!

Joy springs up in me! Speak, speak and direct me!Like the trampling of elephants on the earth!

Like the trampling of elephants causing it to tremble!Going, Going! Auspicious! Auspicious! The Excellent, Excellent One Is

awakened, I have awakened The Merciful One! The Blue Necked One! The Daring and Successful One! The Joyous One!He who has attained a Mastery of Discipline, Hail!

He of the Blue Neck, Hail!He the Lion Head and Faced One, Hail!He the Weapon Handed One, Hail!He the Wheel Handed One, Hail!He the Lotus Handed One, Hail!He the Blue-Necked One of Far-reaching Causes, Hail!He the Beneficent One Who Is Named in this Mystic Formula, Hail!

(a) He of the Diamond-Thunderbolt Surpassing Glory, Hail!He of the Constellation Surpassing Glory, Hail!He of the Small Vehicle Surpassing Glory, Hail! AUM!We honor the words of this Holy One Who Bestows Virtue, Hail!

I give praise to the Three Precious Ones!I give praise to Kuan Yin, Hail!May there be success from this Mystical Incantation! Svaha!

(a) This section's four lines are added so that it will be in accord wit the ancient principle as recorded in the Great Compassionate Sutra and is required

to insure success according to Great Teacher Yun Hsi (note: some of the newer versions lack this supplement and the verses)

THE TEN SMALL DHARANIS

The Precious Wheel King Dharani

PRECENTOR The Relics of the Precious Wheel King Dharani!

ALLGive Praise to the Buddha!Give Praise to the Dharma!Give Praise to the Sangha! Give Praise to the Sovereign of Introspection Bodhisattva Scriptures of the Mahayana, and the Completely Perfect Great Mercifully Hearted One Who Is Distressed for the nieces and nephews of others!

AUM! The Great Wheel King! The Great Mystical Jewel Cintamani!The Great Red Lotus! Great! Great! Great! Great!Dwelling in Tusita Heaven in Great Splendor!Hail and Give Forth Praises!

This is the fundamental mantra

AUM! The Holy Red Lotus! HUM! This is the Great Mind Mantra

AUM! The Red Lotus and the Mysterious Jewel Cintamani! HUM!

The Calamity Dispersing Mantra

PRECENTOR The Mantra for Dispersing Calamities and for Bringing Auspicious Good Will From Spirits!

ALLAdoration to all the Buddhas!Adoration and Praise to the Unhindered Dharma! AUM! Sky, sky, sky and wind, sky and wind! HUM! HUM!Blazing, flaming! Our lives are blazing, our lives are aflame! To Those dwelling in the majestic shadow, whose foundations are in the majestic shadow, to the majestic and fate decreeing, to the ones who decree the fates and the one who are able, able to cease all calamities, to the gods who bring good luck, Hail!

The Meritorious Precious Mountain Dharani

PRECENTOR

The Meritorious Precious Mountain Dharani!

ALLGive Praise to the Buddha!Give Praise to the Dharma!Give Praise to the Sangha! AUM!

To the thoroughly investigating Sovereign of Protection!Conquering, conquering the Destroyer!He of the Unique Power!The Auspicious Lantern that thoroughly penetrates all that has gone before! Hail!

The Dharani to Cundi-Durgha

PRECENTOR

The Buddha's Teaching of the Cundi Dharani!

ALLMaking full prostration, I place my reliance in the Excellent Essence and I bow my head at the feet of Sakti!I now praise the Great Cundi, Mother of Buddhas and reflect on Her

Compassionate and Merciful Vow to send down Her Divine Aid!Give Praise to the Hundred Named One! Universally Enlightened!

Who is called Excellent! The Terrible One! AUM!

The Moving and Destroying Cundi! Hail!

The Holy and Infinite Life Illuminating King Dharani

PRECENTOR

The Holy and Infinite Life Illuminating King Dharani!

ALLAUM! Give Praise to the Unhindered Sovereign! Whose Wisdom Carries to the Other Shore!Master of the Science of Longevity! You who have the power to resurrect those who uphold the faith!You of the Collected Brilliance who is sealed with authority!Tathagata! Arhat! Completely Enlightened One!Mystically Contemplating! AUM!Wrathful Guardian of the Enchanted! Dharma Sovereign and Lord of the Sky and All Below!The Well Come One!Sovereign of the Monks and the Great Principle! Guardian of the Ignorant! Hail!

The Teacher of Medicine's Pure Words of Consecration

PRECENTOR

The Pure Words of Consecration of the Teacher of Medicine!

ALLGive Praise to the World Honored Sovereign! The Healing Bhaisajya!Guru of the Lapis Lazuli Radiance of Compassion! Tathagata! Arhat!Completely Enlightened One who is distressed for the sickness of others! AUM!To the Healing, Healing Sovereign of all the monks. Hail!

The Pure Words to Bring a Response From Kuan Yin

PRECENTOR Kuan: Yin's Pure Inspired Words!

ALLAUM! MANI PADME, HUM!The Great Vehicle that reaches every where!Distant! Beautiful! Eminent! His Open Hands Reach Everywhere!Excellent and Eminent! From His slight distance, He investigates those who call out!Lord of Receiving and Replenishing!Investing and Selecting the Sweet Dew Water!Give Praise to the Lord of the Worlds!And to the Lord who expounded these words, Hail!

The Blame Dispersing Words of the Seven Buddhas

PRECENTOR

The Blame Dispersing Pure Words of the Seven Buddhas!

ALLCalling, Calling Out!Revealing, Revealing All!Making Heartfelt Prayers!Dissolving, Disappearing Blame!Vanishing, vanished Blame!Eminent Virtues Appear, and,All Blame is Truly Buried and Gone by this Power, Svaha!

The Pure Words that Release Oppression

PRECENTOR The Pure Words that Release Oppression and Set Free Bonds!

ALLAUM! Age approaches! The Precious Trust, precious trust, the Sangha's Precious Trust! Death can not cause thee to bind up this Precious Trust! AUM! Strength within strength! Auspicious among good fortune! The Salvation of the Superior Assembly that has this extreme advantage! All Enemies: Leave My Body! This is the Great Wisdom that Carries to the Other Shore!

This Mantra is, in fact, number ELEVEN in this section. It does not appear in the newer texts, but is found in the oldest versions, even though it has clearly been added to them after their original carving. The reasons for its addition are not clear-Editor

The Future Rebirth Mantra

PRECENTOR

The Future Rebirth in the Pure Land Mystical Mantra!

ALLGive Praise to Amitabha Buddha! Tathagata! He Who Calls Out!Amitabha Who Benefits! All That Exists! Amitabha Benefits Everywhere! One Hundred Existences!Amitabha Benefits Everywhere! The Prophesied Sovereign!Amitabha Benefits Everywhere! The Prophesied Sovereign!One Who Benefits All! The Firmament and Sky Benefiting! Hail!

The Mantra of the Virtuous Goddess

PRECENTOR The Mantra of the Virtuous Goddess!

ALLGive Praise to the Buddha!Give Praise to the Dharma!Give Praise to the Sangha!Give Praise to the Beautiful One! The Great Devi!She who is Completely Fulfilled and Whose Activities can be seen everywhere like mountain peaks! Who arrives at Great Temples Everywhere and banishes the Great Black Devi!Protector, the Surpassing Protector, Whose Wishes are Accomplished Everywhere, Wondrous Guardian and Ancient Destroyer of the Enemies of the Dharma!

Greatly Devoted and Greatly Benevolent One Who Guards Against Those Who Would Violate the Sangha or Monasteries Everywhere by the Use of Her Surpassing Supernatural Powers!