Ananda! As you have asked me as to the best method for concentrating the mind of those who have difficulty in following the common methods, I will now reveal to you the Lord Buddha’s Secret Method for the attainment of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvahood.
But you must remember that it is of first importance to fully observe the Four Precepts as explained above. To become a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, one must have a nature as pure and clear and repellent as frost and ice, so that no false growths of leaves and branches shall sprout out from the true Mind, such as the three poisons of lust, hatred and infatuation; or the four wickednesses of the mouth: falsehood, slander, obscene words, and flattery.
Ananda! If any of the disciples in the last kalpa should be unable to overcome their old habits, you may teach them to recite this Dharani of mine. It is called, The Supreme Dharani of the Radiating Brightness of the Lord Buddha’s Crowning Experience. It is the invisible transcendental power that rays out from the Tathagata’s Wisdom Eye manifesting the unconditioned Essential Mind of the Lord Buddha. It is the transcendental radio-activity of Power and Glory that was revealed in me at the time of my Highest Samadhi, at the hour of my Perfect Enlightenment, as I sat amid the marvelous Lotus Blossoms under the Bodhi-tree.
Listen, Ananda! At the time you were helpless under the magic charm of the maiden Pchiti, what was it that released you and restored your control of mind? Your coming under her control was not a chance happening of this life, or of this kalpa alone: you had been in affinity with her for many a kalpa. Suddenly, when Manjusri repeated this Dharani, the bonds that bound you to her were destroyed, her passion for you was ended, and by once listening to my teaching she became enlightened. Although she was a prostitute and apparently had no interest in the Dharma, by the invisible power of my transcendental Dharani, she immediately attained to the perfection of all dhyana practice. What this Dharani did for her and for you, it can do for all others. Rest assured all my Bhikshu Brothers in this great assembly, you who are earnestly seeking Supreme Attainment, rest assured that, by the power of this Great Dharani, you will attain Buddhahood.
Then Ananda bowed down to the feet of the Lord Buddha and said: My Noble Lord! The reason I have not yet attained perfect Emancipation from arbitrary conceptions of phenomena, since becoming thy disciple, is because of my pride in being known as your favorite cousin and because of my exceptional learning, so when I was brought under the spell of the old woman’s magic, in spite of the conscious purpose of my mind, I was unable to free myself from it. Fortunately my Lord sent Brother Manjusri to deliver me by means of the spiritual power of my Lord’s Great Crown Dharani. Unfortunately I had not mastered it and now pray, My Lord, to kindly repeat it again so that I and all the other practicing disciples in this assembly and, through us, all the disciples of the future who are still in the cycle of deaths and rebirths, shall all become free in both mind and body in the time of danger.
The whole audience having heard Ananda’s sincere plea to the Lord, rose from their seats and made obeisance to the Lord and then waited attentively to hear the Lord’s sacred Dharani. As they waited in solemn silence there appeared a most wonderful sight. From the crown of the Blessed One’s head there streamed forth a glorious splendor in the likeness of a wonderful lotus blossom, and in the midst of the abundant foliage and seated in the cup of the blossom was the Lord Tathagata’s Nirmanakaya (appearance body). From the crown of the Lord’s head there radiated outward uncounted beams of light that shot outward in all the ten directions, and in each of the bright beams of light were figures of transcendently mysterious Vajra-gods permeating everywhere in the open spaces of the universes and suggesting the lightning-like potencies of all the transcendental powers. Each of the Vajra-gods was standing upright and alert with his symbol in his hand, ready and waiting but already victorious.
The assembly was transported with awe and fear and admiration. With one spontaneous movement their hearts went forth in an adoring prayer for its blessed, compassionate, and protective Providence to guard them from its awful but Beneficent Power.
As the vision faded away, the great assembly remained in solemn silence waiting to hear the Lord’s Transcendental Dharani. The Lord Buddha standing in their midst, Brightness and Power radiating from the crown of his head, uttered the Great Crown Dharani.
Note: At this point, the original editor, Dwight Goddard, chose to not include the full Dharani in translation, but only a select few stanzas of it, pointing out:
Then follows several pages of the long and mysterious Dharani made up of Sanskrit words, Chinese paraphrases, names of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Deva-gods, etc., more or less of obscure meaning, all of which but the opening and closing lines are omitted. The lines in capital letters is considered the “heart” of the long Dharani and is commonly the part that is remembered and recited by those who cannot remember the whole.
Instead of giving those few lines in translation, the phonetic content of each line of the full Dharani is now given:
Surangama Dharani
Section I
1. na mo sa dan tuo
2. su qie duo ye
3. e la he di
4. san miao san pu tuo xie
5. na mo sa dan tuo
6. fo tuo ju zhi shai ni shan
7. na mo sa po
8. bo tuo bo di
9. sa duo pi bi
10. na mo sa duo nan
11. san miao san pu tuo
12. ju zhi nan
13. suo she la po jia
14. seng qie nan
15. na mo lu ji e luo han duo nan
16. na mo su lu duo bo nuo nan
17. na mo suo jie li tuo qie mi nan
18. na mo lu ji san miao qie duo nan
19. san miao qie bo la
20. di bo duo nuo nan
21. na mo ti po li shai nan
22. na mo xi tuo ye
23. pi di ye
24. tuo la li shai nan
25. she po nu
26. jie la he
27. suo he suo la mo tuo nan
28. na mo ba la he mo ni
29. na mo yin tuo la ye
30. na mo po qie po di
31. lu tuo la ye
32. wu mo bo di
33. suo xi ye ye
34. na mo po qie po di
35. nuo la ye
36. na ye
37. pan zhe mo he san mu tuo la
38. na mo xi jie li duo ye
39. na mo po qie po di
40. mo he jia la ye
41. di li bo la na
42. qie la pi tuo la
43. bo na jia la ye
44. e di mu di
45. shi mo she nuo ni
46. po xi ni
47. mo dan li qie na
48. na mo xi jie li duo ye
49. na mo po qie po di
50. duo tuo qie duo ju la ye
51. na mo bo tou mo ju la ye
52. na mo ba she la ju la ye
53. na mo mo ni ju la ye
54. na mo qie she ju la ye
55. na mo po qie po di
56. di li cha
57. shu la xi na
58. bo la he la na la she ye
59. duo tuo qie duo ye
60. na mo po qie po di
61. na mo e mi duo po ye
62. duo tuo qie duo ye
63. e la he di
64. san miao san pu tuo ye
65. na mo po qie po di
66. e chu pi ye
67. duo tuo qie duo ye
68. e la he di
69. san miao san pu tuo ye
70. na mo po qie po di
71. bi sha she ye
72. ju lu fei zhu li ye
73. bo la po la she ye
74. duo tuo qie duo ye
75. na mo po qie po di
76. san bu shi bi duo
77. sa lian nai la la she ye
78. duo tuo qie duo ye
79. e la he di
80. san miao san pu tuo ye
81. na mo po qie po di
82. she ji ye mu nuo ye
83. duo tuo qie duo ye
84. e la he di
85. san miao san pu tuo ye
86. na mo po qie po di
87. la dan na ji du la she ye
88. duo tuo qie duo ye
89. e la he di
90. san miao san pu tuo ye
91. di piao
92. na mo sa jie li duo
93. yi tan po qie po duo
94. sa dan tuo qie du shai ni shan
95. sa dan duo bo da lan
96. na mo e po la shi dan
97. bo la di
98. yang qi la
99. sa la po
100. bo duo jie la he
101. ni jie la he
102. jie jia la he ni
103. ba la bi di ye
104. chi tuo ni
105. e jia la
106. mi li zhu
107. bo li dan la ye
108. ning jie li
109. sa la po
110. pan tuo nuo
111. mu cha ni
112. sa la po
113. tu shai jia
114. tu xi fa
115. bo na ni
116. fa la ni
117. zhe du la
118. shi di nan
119. jie la he
120. suo he sa la ruo she
121. pi duo beng suo na jie li
122. e shai zha bing she di nan
123. na cha cha dan la ruo she
124. bo la sa tuo na jie li
125. shai zha nan
126. mo he jie la he ruo she
127. pi duo beng sa na jie li
128. sa po she du lu
129. ni po la ruo she
130. hu lan tu xi fa
131. nan zhe na she ni
132. bi sha she
133. xi dan la
134. e ji ni
135. wu tuo jia la ruo she
136. e bo la shi duo ju la
137. mo he bo la zhan chi
138. mo he die duo
139. mo he di she
140. mo he shui duo she po la
141. mo he ba la pan tuo la
142. po xi ni
143. e li ye duo la
144. pi li ju zhi
145. shi po pi she ye
146. ba she la mo li di
147. pi she lu duo
148. bo teng wang jia
149. ba she la zhi he nuo e zhe
150. mo la zhi po
151. bo la zhi duo
152. ba she la shan chi
153. pi she la zhe
154. shan duo she
155. pi ti po
156. bu shi duo
157. su mo lu bo
158. mo he shui duo
159. e li ye duo la
160. mo he po la e bo la
161. ba she la shang jie la zhi po
162. ba she la ju mo li
163. ju lan tuo li
164. ba she la he sa duo zhe
165. pi di ye
166. qian zhe nuo
167. mo li jia
168. ku su mu
169. po jie la duo nuo
170. pi lu zhe na
171. ju li ye
172. ye la tu
173. shai ni shan
174. pi zhe lan po mo ni zhe
175. ba she la jia na jia bo la po
176. lu she na
177. ba she la dun zhi zhe
178. shui duo zhe
179. jia mo la
180. cha che shi
181. bo la po
182. yi di yi di
183. mu tuo la
184. jie na
185. suo pi la chan
186. jue fan du
187. yin tu na mo mo xie
Section II
188. wu xin
189. li shai jie na
190. bo la she xi duo
191. sa dan tuo
192. qie du shai ni shan
193. hu xin du lu yong
194. zhan po na
195. hu xin du lu yong
196. xi dan po na
197. hu xin du lu yong
198. bo la shai di ye
199. san bo cha
200. na jie la
201. hu xin du lu yong
202. sa po yao cha
203. he la cha suo
204. jie la he ruo she
205. pi teng beng sa na jie la
206. hu xin du lu yong
207. zhe du la
208. shi di nan
209. jie la he
210. suo he sa la nan
211. pi teng beng sa na la
212. hu xin du lu yong
213. la cha
214. po qie fan
215. sa dan tuo
216. qie du shai ni shan
217. bo la dian
218. she ji li
219. mo he suo he sa la
220. bo shu suo he sa la
221. shi li sha
222. ju zhi suo he sa ni
223. di li e bi ti shi po li duo
224. zha zha ying jia
225. mo he ba she lu tuo la
226. di li pu po na
227. man cha la
228. wu xin
229. suo xi di
230. bo po du
231. mo mo
232. yin tu na mo mo xie
Section III
233. la she po ye
234. zhu la ba ye
235. e qi ni po ye
236. wu tuo jia po ye
237. pi sha po ye
238. she sa duo la po ye
239. po la zhao jie la po ye
240. tu shai cha po ye
241. e she ni po ye
242. e jia la
243. mi li zhu po ye
244. tuo la ni bu mi jian
245. bo qie bo tuo po ye
246. wu la jia po duo po ye
247. la she tan cha po ye
248. nuo qie po ye
249. pi tiao dan po ye
250. su bo la na po ye
251. yao cha jie la he
252. la cha si jie la he
253. bi li duo jie la he
254. pi she zhe jie la he
255. bu duo jie la he
256. jiu pan cha jie la he
257. bu dan na jie la he
258. jia zha bu dan na jie la he
259. xi qian du jie la he
260. e bo xi mo la jie la he
261. wu tan mo tuo jie la he
262. che ye jie la he
263. xi li po di jie la he
264. she duo he li nan
265. jie po he li nan
266. lu di la he li nan
267. mang suo he li nan
268. mi tuo he li nan
269. mo she he li nan
270. she duo he li nu
271. shi bi duo he li nan
272. pi duo he li nan
273. po duo he li nan
274. e shu zhe he li nu
275. zhi duo he li nu
276. di shan sa pi shan
277. sa po jie la he nan
278. pi tuo ye she
279. chen tuo ye mi
280. ji la ye mi
281. bo li ba la zhe jia
282. qi li dan
283. pi tuo ye she
284. chen tuo ye mi
285. ji la ye mi
286. cha yan ni
287. qi li dan
288. pi tuo ye she
289. chen tuo ye mi
290. ji la ye mi
291. mo he bo shu bo dan ye
292. lu tuo la
293. qi li dan
294. pi tuo ye she
295. chen tuo ye mi
296. ji la ye mi
297. nuo la ye na
298. qi li dan
299. pi tuo ye she
300. chen tuo ye mi
301. ji la ye mi
302. dan tuo qie lu cha xi
303. qi li dan
304. pi tuo ye she
305. chen tuo ye mi
306. ji la ye mi
307. mo he jia la
308. mo dan li qie na
309. qi li dan
310. pi tuo ye she
311. chen tuo ye mi
312. ji la ye mi
313. jia bo li jia
314. qi li dan
315. pi tuo ye she
316. chen tuo ye mi
317. ji la ye mi
318. she ye jie la
319. mo du jie la
320. sa po la tuo suo da na
321. qi li dan
322. pi tuo ye she
323. chen tuo ye mi
324. ji la ye mi
325. zhe du la
326. po qi ni
327. qi li dan
328. pi tuo ye she
329. chen tuo ye mi
330. ji la ye mi
331. pi li yang qi li zhi
332. nan tuo ji sha la
333. qie na bo di
334. suo xi ye
335. qi li dan
336. pi tuo ye she
337. chen tuo ye mi
338. ji la ye mi
339. na jie na she la po na
340. qi li dan
341. pi tuo ye she
342. chen tuo ye mi
343. ji la ye mi
344. e luo han
345. qi li dan
346. pi tuo ye she
347. chen tuo ye mi
348. ji la ye mi
349. pi duo la qie
350. qi li dan
351. pi tuo ye she
352. chen tuo ye mi
353. ji la ye mi
354. ba she la bo ni
355. ju xi ye ju xi ye
356. jia di bo di
357. qi li dan
358. pi tuo ye she
359. chen tuo ye mi
360. ji la ye mi
361. la cha wang
362. po qie fan
363. yin tu na mo mo xie
Section IV
364. po qie fan
365. sa dan duo bo da la
366. na mo cui du di
367. e xi duo na la la jia
368. bo la po
369. xi pu zha
370. pi jia sa dan duo bo de li
371. shi fo la shi fo la
372. tuo la tuo la
373. pin tuo la pin tuo la
374. chen tuo chen tuo
375. hu xin hu xin
376. pan zha pan zha pan zha pan zha pan zha
377. suo he
378. xi xi pan
379. e mu jia ye pan
380. e bo la ti he duo pan
381. po la bo la tuo pan
382. e su la
383. pi tuo la
384. bo jia pan
385. sa po ti pi bi pan
386. sa po na qie bi pan
387. sa po yao cha bi pan
388. sa po qian ta po bi pan
389. sa po bu dan na bi pan
390. jia zha bu dan na bi pan
391. sa po tu lang zhi di bi pan
392. sa po tu si bi li
393. qi shai di bi pan
394. sa po shi po li bi pan
395. sa po e bo xi mo li bi pan
396. sa po she la po na bi pan
397. sa po di di ji bi pan
398. sa po dan mo tuo ji bi pan
399. sa po pi tuo ye
400. la shi zhe li bi pan
401. she ye jie la
402. mo du jie la
403. sa po la tuo suo tuo ji bi pan
404. pi di ye
405. zhe li bi pan
406. zhe du la
407. fu qi ni bi pan
408. ba she la
409. ju mo li
410. pi tuo ye
411. la shi bi pan
412. mo he bo la ding yang
413. yi qi li bi pan
414. ba she la shang jie la ye
415. bo la zhang qi la she ye pan
416. mo he jia la ye
417. mo he mo dan li jia na
418. na mo suo jie li duo ye pan
419. bi shai na bei ye pan
420. bo la he mo ni ye pan
421. e qi ni ye pan
422. mo he jie li ye pan
423. jie la tan chi ye pan
424. mie dan li ye pan
425. lao dan li ye pan
426. zhe wen cha ye pan
427. jie luo la dan li ye pan
428. jia bo li ye pan
429. e di mu zhi duo
430. jia shi mo she nuo
431. po si ni ye pan
432. yan ji zhi
433. sa tuo po xie
434. mo mo yin tu na mo mo xie
Section V
435. tu shai zha zhi duo
436. e mo dan li zhi duo
437. wu she he la
438. qie po he la
439. lu di la he la
440. po suo he la
441. mo she he la
442. she duo he la
443. shi bi duo he la
444. ba liao ye he la
445. qian tuo he la
446. bu shi bo he la
447. po la he la
448. po xie he la
449. bo bo zhi duo
450. tu shai zha zhi duo
451. lao tuo la zhi duo
452. yao cha jie la he
453. la cha suo jie la he
454. bi li duo jie la he
455. pi she zhe jie la he
456. bu duo jie la he
457. jiu pan cha jie la he
458. xi qian tuo jie la he
459. wu dan mo tuo jie la he
460. che ye jie la he
461. e bo sa mo la jie la he
462. zhai que ge
463. cha qi ni jie la he
464. li fo di jie la he
465. she mi jia jie la he
466. she ju ni jie la he
467. mu tuo la
468. nan di jia jie la he
469. e lan po jie la he
470. qian du bo ni jie la he
471. shi fa la
472. yin jia xi jia
473. zhui di yao jia
474. dan li di yao jia
475. zhe tu tuo jia
476. ni ti shi fa la
477. bi shan mo shi fa la
478. bo di jia
479. bi di jia
480. shi li shai mi jia
481. suo ni bo di jia
482. sa po shi fa la
483. shi lu ji di
484. mo tuo pi da lu zhi qian
485. e qi lu qian
486. mu que lu qian
487. jie li tu lu qian
488. jie la he
489. jie lan jie na shu lan
490. dan duo shu lan
491. qi li ye shu lan
492. mo mo shu lan
493. ba li shi po shu lan
494. bi li shai zha shu lan
495. wu tuo la shu lan
496. jie zhi shu lan
497. ba xi di shu lan
498. wu lu shu lan
499. chang qie shu lan
500. he xi duo shu lan
501. ba tuo shu lan
502. suo fang ang qie
503. bo la zhang qie shu lan
504. bu duo bi duo cha
505. cha qi ni
506. shi po la
507. tuo tu lu jia
508. jian du lu ji zhi
509. po lu duo pi
510. sa bo lu
511. he ling qie
512. shu sha dan la
513. suo na jie la
514. pi sha yu jia
515. e qi ni
516. wu tuo jia
517. mo la pi la
518. jian duo la
519. e jia la
520. mi li du
521. da lian bu jia
522. di li la zha
523. bi li shai zhi jia
524. sa po na ju la
525. si yin qie bi
526. jie la li yao cha
527. dan la chu
528. mo la shi
529. fei di shan
530. suo pi shan
531. xi dan duo bo da la
532. mo he ba she lu
533. shai ni shan
534. mo he bo lai zhang qi lan
535. ye bo tu tuo
536. she yu she nuo
537. bian da li na
538. pi tuo ye
539. pan tan jia lu mi
540. di shu
541. pan tan jia lu mi
542. bo la pi tuo
543. pan tan jia lu mi
544. da zhi tuo
545. nan
546. e na li
547. pi she ti
548. pi la
549. ba she la
550. tuo li
551. pan tuo pan tuo ni
552. ba she la bang ni pan
553. hu xin du lu yong pan
554. suo po he
