The Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī (Sanskrit IAST; English: Dhāraṇī of the Victorious Uṣṇīṣa, Chinese: 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經; Pinyin: Fódǐng Zūnshèng Tuóluóní Jīng; Rōmaji: Butsuchō Sonshō Darani Kyō; Vietnamese: Kinh Phật Đảnh Tôn Thắng Đà La Ni) is a Dhāraṇī (a Buddhist mantric chant, incantation or magical spell) which is popular throughout Mahayana Buddhism. The Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī is considered a magical incantation in Mahayana Buddhism and esoteric sects of Theravada, seen having the power to destroying delusions, prevent lower rebirths, promoting long life, and promoting rebirth in the pure land of Sukhavati.
The dhāraṇī is found in various translations and sources, including in the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra, an Indian Mahāyāna Sūtra, specifically a Dhāraṇī Sūtra. The Dhāraṇī is also personified as a goddess called Uṣṇīṣavijaya, a female Buddhist deity associated with the Buddha's Uṣṇīṣa (a magical topknot or supernatural dome on top of the Buddha's head).
Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra
The sūtra was translated a total of eight times from Sanskrit to Chinese between 679 and 988 CE. According to one scholar of Esoteric Buddhism (Sorensen), it was the most important esoteric sutra translated in China in the seventh century. The sutra gained wide circulation in China, and its practices have been utilized since the Tang dynasty, from which it then spread to the rest of East Asia. It was also popular in Dunhuang and Tibetan Buddhism. An alternate longer Sanskrit title for the sūtra is the Sarvadurgatipariśodhana Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra.
In Chinese Buddhism, the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya dhāraṇī is associated with Mount Wutai, which in the Chinese Buddhist tradition is considered the bodhimaṇḍa of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī. Sacred stone tablets with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī carved into them have been distributed widely in some regions of the Far East. The dhāraṇī is still widely used in various rituals that involve esoteric or tantric elements.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the dhāraṇī, often alternatively entitled the Namgyälma mantra, is considered to be one of the five powerful purifying mantras and is sometimes used in rituals for the deceased.Bettina Torgersen. Enlightenment for the Dear Animals: Tibetan Buddhist Animal Liberation Practices at the Kopan Monastery in Nepal. M.A. Thesis. Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages University of Oslo. Retrieved: 2024-05-24.
In Nepalese Newar Buddhism, Uṣṇīṣavijayā dhāraṇī rites are still important and are widely performed.
Contents The purpose of this sūtra is said to be to help sentient beings in a troubled and tumultuous world. According to this sūtra, beings will leave suffering and obtain happiness, increase in prosperity and longevity, remove karmic obstacles, eliminate disasters and calamities, remove enmity and hatred, fulfill all wishes, and quickly be led onto the Buddha's way.
It is held by some that when the dhāraṇī is heard, it can imbue the alaya consciousness with pure seeds that will help lead one to buddhahood. This mantra is also associated with Green Tara.
According to the text, major applications of this dhāraṇī include: Destroy calamities and rescue those in difficulties Eliminate offenses and create good deeds Purify all karmic obstructions Increase blessings and lengthen lifespan Attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi Relieve beings in the ghost realm Benefit birds, animals and all crawling creatures Increase wisdom Revert the fixed karma Eliminate various illness Destroy hells Ensure the safety of the households, and having children to inherit the family pride Harmonise husbands and wives Be able to reborn in Sukhavati or other pure lands Heal sickness inflicted by pretas Request for rain, etc.
Some quotes from the sutra text include:
Synopsis
According to the Sūtra a devaputra by the name of Suṣṭhita (Supratiṣṭhita) was enjoying the supremely wonderful bliss of heavenly life, but then he suddenly heard a voice in space saying,
On hearing this, Devaputra Suṣṭhita was so terrified and rushed over to the Heavenly Palace of Lord Śakra. Bursting into tears, he prostrated himself and revealed what had happened to Lord Śakra. Lord Śakra immediately calmed his mind and entered into samādhi. Instantly, he saw that Suṣṭhita would undergo seven successive lives in the forms of a pig, dog, jackal, monkey, python, crow and vulture, all feeding on filth and putrescence. Lord Śakra could not think of any way to help Suṣṭhita. He felt that only the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha could save Suṣṭhita from falling into the great suffering of the evil destinies.
Soon after nightfall, Lord Śakra made preparations and headed to the garden of Anāthapiṇḍada. Upon arrival, Lord Śakra prostrated himself at the Buddha's feet, and circumambulated the Buddha seven times clockwise in worship, before laying out his great Pūjā (offerings/obeisances). Kneeling in front of the Buddha, Lord Śakra described the future destiny of Devaputra Suṣṭhita.
Instantly, the uṣṇīṣa (crown of the head) of the Tathāgata radiated multiple rays of light, illuminating the world in all ten directions before returning to the top of the Buddha's head. The Buddha smiled and said to Lord Śakra, “Lord of Heaven, there is a Dhāraṇī known as the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī. It can purify all evil paths, eliminate all sufferings of beings in the realms of hell, King Yama and animals, destroy all the hells, and transfer sentient beings onto the virtuous path.”
After hearing this, Lord Śakra appealed to the Buddha to give a discourse on this great Dhāraṇī. The Buddha, aware of Lord Śakra's intention and his eagerness to hear His discourse of this Dhāraṇī, immediately proclaimed the Mantra. Then the Buddha told Lord Śakra, “The Mantra is known as the ‘Purifying All Evil Path Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī’. It can eliminate all evil karmic hindrances and eradicate the suffering of all evil paths.” Again the Buddha told Lord Śakra that this great Dhāraṇī is proclaimed together by Buddhas as numerous as grains of sand in eighty-eight koṭis (hundred million) Ganges Rivers. All Buddhas rejoice and uphold this Dhāraṇī that is verified by the wisdom seal of Vairocana Tathāgata.
Again the Buddha reminded Lord Śakra to transmit it to Devaputra Suṣṭhita and that he himself should receive and uphold it, recite, contemplate and treasure it, memorize and preserve it. He preached that this Dhāraṇī should be widely proclaimed to all beings in Jambudvīpa and entrusted him to this task for the benefit of all heavenly beings. The Buddha also reminded Lord Śakra that he should diligently uphold and protect it, and never allow it to be forgotten or lost.
After Lord Śakra received this Dhāraṇī practice from the Buddha, he returned to his heavenly palace to convey it to Devaputra Suṣṭhita. Having received this Dhāraṇī, Devaputra Suṣṭhita kept the practice as instructed for six days and six nights, after which all his wishes were completely fulfilled.
When seven days had passed, Lord Śakra and Devaputra Suṣṭhita, together with other heavenly beings, respectfully approached the Buddha and presented their grand offerings. Once they had respectfully circumambulated the Buddha a hundred thousand times and paid homage, then happily took their seats and listened to the Buddha preach the Dharma.
The World Honoured One then extended his golden arm and touched Devaputra Suṣṭhita on the head to bestow a prediction of Devaputra Suṣṭhita's attainment of Bodhi.
Dhāraṇī text
Tang China edition The most popular and widespread edition was the one found in the Sūtra on the Superlative Dhāraṇī of the Buddha’s Crown (Foding zunsheng tuoluoni jing 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經, T 967), translated by *Buddhapālita (Fotuoboli 佛陁波利, fl. late seventh century) a learned scholar monk from Kaśmir. This edition of the dhāraṇī became highly influential, with a significant number of stone and mortuary pillars in China engraved with its text.
The Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī was initially brought to China in the late sixth century, with additional Sanskrit manuscripts arriving during the seventh century. A series of translations were produced in the late 670s and 680s, motivated in part by attempts to address the health issues of Emperor Gaozong. Notable translators included Divākara and Yijing, with Buddhapālita's translation becoming the most iconic. His version’s popularity is often attributed to a legend where he met the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī disguised as an old man on Mt. Wutai, who urged him to bring the Sanskrit text to China. This narrative, depicted in Dunhuang murals, contributed to the widespread use of Buddhapālita’s version on dhāraṇī-pillars across China.