法苑珠林 60.10

60.10

This mantra originated in the Western Region of the Brahmans and has long been widely transmitted. In the early Daye reign period of the Sui dynasty, the Tripiṭaka Master Dharmagupta of the Scripture Translation Bureau in the Eastern Capital, Luoyang, translated this mantra to confer it upon scholars. The Dharma Master Shi Yancong was the leader of that translation work. When this text was first obtained, it was widely distributed among Chinese and non-Chinese alike. At that time, Vinaya Master Xuanwan of Yanxing Temple and Dharma Master Jinglin of Hongfa Temple in Chang'an—both luminaries of the way under the sun whose virtue stirred all the worthy—having newly obtained and circulated it to cleanse away flaws and defilements, then constructed a place of practice in a separate courtyard. Every time early spring arrived, it was maintained without interruption for newly ordained novices and other clerics and laypersons; divine portents appeared one after another. Over fifty years have passed until now, and errors and omissions have gradually crept in over time. Fearing that later generations would not know its origin and development, I have set it forth in detail. However, the Great Collection Sūtras and the ten-fascicle Collection of Dhāraṇīs explain miscellaneous mantras extensively, so I need not record them in full. For now, I select what is essential to relieve what is needed at the time, intending to eradicate transgressions and eliminate obstacles; I have excerpted over forty of them. Among those that cure illness, relieve poverty, protect life, prolong lifespan, and miscellaneous arts, I have also briefly recorded over twenty. In some cases where there was no text here but an exemplar existed in the Western Regions, transmitted orally by Tripiṭaka masters, if they were essential mantras, I also translated three to five of them and transmitted them for circulation. For whatever remains unexhausted, I hope [practitioners] will consult the larger texts. The Buddha spoke the mantra, saying: