Nīlakantha dhāranī

The also known as , popularly known as the Great Compassion Mantra in English, and known as the Dàbēi Zhòu () in Mandarin Chinese, is a dharani of Mahayana Buddhist origin. It was spoken by the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara before an assembly of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, devas and kings, according to the Mahakarunikacitta Sutra. Like the now popular six-syllable mantra, it is a popular mantra synonymous with Avalokitesvara in East Asia. It is often used for protection or purification. 
==Origins==
Twelve scrolls of (lit. "blue-necked Lord of the world") texts were found in the Dunhuang () stone cave along the Silk Road in today's Gansu () province of China. The text was translated in Khotan in Tarim Basin, Central Asia by Śramaṇa Bhagavaddhrama. The text of the was translated into Chinese by three masters in the seventh and early eighth centuries, first by Chih-t'ung ( Zhitōng) twice between 627-649 AD (T. 1057a and T. 1057b, Nj. 318), next by Bhagavaddharma between 650-660 AD (T. 1059 and T. 1060, Nj.320), and then by Bodhiruci in 709 AD (T. 1058, Nj. 319).
The Siddhaṃ script of Chinese Tripitaka (T. 1113b, 20.498-501) was corrected by a comparison with the Chih-t'ung version, which is found in the Ming Tripiṭaka. All the Sanskrit texts in the Ming Tripiṭaka were collected together by Rol-pahi Rdorje in the quadrilingual collection of dhāraṇī which bears the title: Sanskrit Texts from the Imperial Palace at Peking. The prime objective was to restore the Sanskrit text with the help of the Tibetan texts. The Rol-pahi rdorje's reconstruction (STP. 5.1290-6.1304) of the Nīlankanthaka as transcribed by Chih-t'ung during 627-649 (T. 1057b, Nj. 318) is longer than that of Amoghavajra () and is a remarkable effort at textual reconstruction, undertaken as early as the first half of the 18th century. However, Chih-t'ung's version is rarely mentioned in the Mahayana tradition.
The Nīlankantha Dhāraṇī was translated into Chinese by Vajrabodhi (, worked 719-741 AD T.1112), twice by his disciple Amoghavajra (worked 723-774 AD, T. 1111, T. 1113b) and in the 14th century by Dhyānabhadra (worked 1326-1363 AD, T. 1113a). Amoghavajra's version (T. 1113b) was written in Siddhaṃ script in the Chinese Tripiṭaka (T. 1113b, 20.498-501). This version is the most widely accepted form today.
==Difference between Chinese and Korean versions==
Hanyu Pinyin 	Korean version
na mo, he la da na 	na-mo-ra da-na
duo la ye ye 	da-ra ya-ya
na mo, au li ye 	na-mak ar-ya
po luo jie di 	ba-ro-gi-je
shuo bo la ye 	sae-ba-ra-ya
pu ti sa duo po ye 	mo-ji sa-da-ba-ya
mo he sa duo po ye 	ma-ha sa-da-ba-ya
mo he, jia lu ni jia ye 	ma-ha ga-ro-ni-ga-ya
an, sa bo la fa yi 	om sal-ba-ba-ye
su da na da xia 	su da-ra-na ga-ra-ya da-sa-myong
na mo, xi ji lie duo 	na-mak-ka-ri-da-ba
yi mong ou li ye 	i-mam ar-ya
po lu jie di 	ba-ro-gi-je
shi fu la leng tuo po na mo, na la jin chi 	sae-ba-ra da-ba i-ra gan-ta na-mak
shi li mo he, ba duo suo mi 	ha-ri-na-ya ma-bal-ta i-sa-mi
sa po ou ta, dou shu peng 	sal-bal-ta sa-da-nam su-ban
ou shiyun 	a-ye-yom
sa po sa duo, na mo po sa duo na mo po qie, mo fa te dou 	sal-ba bo-da-nam ba-ba-mar-a mi-su-da-gam
da zhi ta 	da-nya-ta
an, ou po lu xi, lu jia di 	om a-ro-gye a-ro-ga ma-ji-ro-ga
jia lu di, yi xi li 	ji-ga-ran-je hye-hye-ha-rye
mo he pu ti sa duo sa po sa po mo la mo la mo xi mo xi, lie tuo yun	ma-ha mo-ji sa-da-ba sa-ma-ra sa-ma-ra ha-ri-na-ya
ju lu ju lu jie mong 	gu-ro-gu-ro gal-ma sa-da-ya sa-da-ya
du lu du lu, fa she ye di 	do-ro-do-ro mi-yon-je
mo he, fa she ye di 	ma-ha mi-yon-je
tuo la tuo la 	da-ra da-ra
di li ni 	da-rin na-rye
shi fu la ye 	sae-ba-ra
zhe la zhe la 	ja-ra-ja-ra
mo mo fa mo la 	ma-ra-mi-ma-ra a-ma-ra
mo die lie yi xi yi xi shi na shi na ou la sen, fu la she li 	mol-che-ye hye-hye ro-gye sae-ba-ra ra-a mi-sa-mi na-sa-ya
fa suo fa seng fu la she ye 	na-bye sa-mi sa-mi na-sa-ya mo-ha ja-ra mi-sa-mi na-sa-ya
hu lu hu lu mo la hu lu hu lu xi li 	ho-ro-ho-ro ma-ra-ho-ro ha-rye ba na-ma-na-ba
suo la suo la 	sa-ra sa-ra
xi li xi li 	shi-ri shi-ri
su lu su lu pu ti ye, pu ti ye 	so-ro so-ro mot-cha mot-cha
pu tuo ye, pu tuo ye 	mo-da-ya mo-da-ya
mi di li ye 	mae-da-ri-ya
nuo la jin chi 	ni-ra-gan-ta
di li se ni na, poye mo na, suo po he 	ga-ma-sa nal-sa-nam ba-ra-ha-ra-na-ya ma-nak-sa-ba-ha
xi tuo ye suo po he 	shit-ta-ya sa-ba-ha
mo he xi tuo ye suo po he 	ma-ha-shit-ta-ya sa-ba-ha
xi tuo yu yi 	shit-ta-yu-ye
shi bo la ya suo po he 	sae-ba-ra-ya sa-ba-ha
nuo la jin chi suo po he 	ni-ra-gan-ta-ya sa-ba-ha
mo na nuo la suo po he 	ba-ra-ha mok-ka
xi la sen, ou mu qie ye suo po he 	shing-ha mok-ka-ya sa-ba-ha
suo po mo he ou xi tuo ye suo po he 	ba-na-ma ha-ta-ya sa-ba-ha
zhe ji la, ou xi tuo ye suo po he 	ja-ga-ra yok-ta-ya sa-ba-ha
bo tuo mo, ji xi tuo ye suo po he 	sang-ka som-na-nye mo-da-na-ya sa-ba-ha ma-ha-ra gu-ta da-ra-ya sa-ba-ha
nuo la jin chi bu qie la ye suo po he 	ba-ma-sa gan-ta i-sa-shi che da ga-rin-na i-na-ya sa-ba-ha
mo po lie, sen ji la ye suo po he 	mya-ga-ra jal-ma ni-ba sa-na-ya sa-ba-ha
na mo he la da na, duo la ye ye 	na-mo-ra da-na-da-ra ya-ya
na mo ou li ye 	na-mak ar-ya
po lu jie di 	ba-ro gi-je
suo bo la ye 	sae-ba-ra-ya
suo po he anxi dian du man duo la ba tuo ye 	
suo po he 	sa-ba-ha
==Sanskrit versions ==
Nīlakantha Dhāranī from STP (5.1290-6.1304) by Chih-t'ung (worked 627-649 A.D.), Ming edition of the Chinese Tripitaka. (Lokesh Chandra, Sanskrit Texts from the Imperial Palace at Peking [STP] Parts 1-22, New Delhi 1968-1977, International Academy of Indian Culture)}}
{{quote|oṃ namo ratnatrayaya. namah arya avalokitesvaraya bodhisattvaya mahasattvaya mahakarunikaya sarva bandhana chedana karaya. sarva bhava samudram sosana karana. sarva vyadhi prasamana karaya. sarva mrtyu upa-drava viansana karana. sarva bhaye su trana karaya. tasmat namas – krtva idam arya avalokitesvara bhastinam nilakantha pi nama hrdayam avarta isyami sarvartha-sadhanam subham ajeyam sarva bhutanam bhava marga visuddhakam tadyatha, om aloke aloka-mati lokati krante. he hare arya avalokitesvara maha bodhisattva, he boddhisattva, he maha bodhisattva, he virya bodhisttva he mahakarunika smara hradayam. hi hi, hare arya avalokitesvara mahesvara parama maitra-citta mahakarunika. kuru kuru karman sadhaya sadhaya vidyam. ni hi, ni hi varnam kamam-game. vitta-kama vigama. siddha yogesvara. dhuru dhuru viryanti, maha viryanti. dhara dhara dharendresvara. cala cala vimala amala murte arya avalokitesvara jina krsna jata-makutavalam ma pra-lamba maha siddha vidya dhara. vara vara maha vara. bala bala maha bala. cala cala maha cala krsna-varna nigha krsna – paksa nirghatana. he padma-hasta cara cara desa caresvara krsna – sarpa krta yajnopavita ehyehi maha varaha-mukha, tripura-dahanesvaranarayana va rupa vara marga ari. he nilakantha, he mahakara, hala hala visa nir-jita lokasya. raga visa vinasana. dvesa visa vinasana. moha visa vinasana huru huru mala, huru huru hare, maha padmanabha sara sara, sri sri, suru suru, bhu ruc bhu ruc buddhaya buddhaya, boddhaya boddhaya maitri nilakantha ehyehi vama shitha simha-mukha hasa hasa, munca munca mahattahasam ehiyehi pa maha siddha yogesvara bhana bhana vaco sadhaya sadhaya vidyam. smara smaratam bhagavantam lokita vilokitam lokesvaram tathagatam dadahi me drasana kamasya darsanam pra-hia daya mana svaha. siddhaya svaha. maha siddhaya svaha siddha yogesvaraya svaha nilakanthaya svaha varaha-mukhaya svaha maha-dara simha-mukhaya svaha siddha vidyadharaya svaha padma-hastaya svaha krsna-sarpa krta yajno pavitaya svaha maha lakuta daharaya svaha cakra yuddhaya svaha sankha-sabdani bodhanaya svaha vama skandha desa shitha krsna jinaya svaha vyaghra-carma nivasa naya svaha lokesvaraya svaha sarva siddhesvaraya svaha namo bhagavate arya avalokitesvaraya bodhisattvaya maha sattvaya mahakarunikaya. sidhyanthu me mantra-padaya svaha
===Nīlakantha Dhāranī (The Blue Necked Dhāranī)===
====I. Initial Salutation====
====II. Name of Avalokiteśvarā====
====III. śloka enunication of the merit of the hrdaya-dhāranī====
====IV. Dhāranī====
====V. Final Salutation====
=== Amoghavajra's 大廣智不空 Transliteration===
Amoghavajra's 大廣智不空 Transliteration (worked 723-774 AD) in Siddham script from Chinese Tripitake (大正新修大藏經 Taisho Edition T.1113b, 20.498-501 cf.1111-1113A) is transcribed below. Nīlakantha (Blue-Necked), the title of Avalokitesvara is substiuted by Nīlakandi in Amoghavajra's translation (T. 1113b). It is a central Asian form: Uigur nominative singular ending in i. and has come to mean the virtuous one.
'''
Mahā Karuna Dhāranī (The Great Compassion Mantra 大悲咒)'''
(Reconstructed Sanskrit text)
[I. 前行 Initial Salutation]
Namo ratna-trayāya namo āryāvalokiteśvarāya 1
Adoration to the Three Gems, adoration to the noble Avalokiteśvarā 
皈依 三寶, 皈依 聖 觀音,
bodhisattvāya mahāsatvāya mahākārunikāya 2
the enlightened sentient being, the great being, the merciful (one)!
覺有情, 大士, 大悲心(者)!
[II. 觀音名 Name of Avalokite-śvarā]
Om sarva rabhaya sudhanadasye 3
Oneness with all saints (and their) righteous doctrine (righteous-joyous language)
皈依 一切 聖眾 (及) 正教(喜悅的正語).
Namas kṛtva imaṃ āryāvalokiteśvaraṃ dhava namo narakindhi haraye 4
After the adoration to that noble(arya) Avalokiteśvarā of the Mercy (Fragrant) Land, I Offer my respectful obeisances to the virtuous supreme lord.
頂禮 完畢 彼 洛迦山 (慈悲地/香山) 之聖 觀音, 頂禮 (彼) 賢善尊.
[III. 功德迴向 śloka enunication of the merit of the hrdaya-dhāranī]
mahā-vadhasame 5
(Who emits) great brilliance light
(放)大光明,
sarva āthaduh śubhaṃ ajeyaṃ sarva-satva 6
all sentient beings (sarva-satva) are without attachment (āthaduh) and in undefeatable(ajeyam) purity (śubhum) in all things.
(令)一切 眾生 在 一切 無比 無貪 妙 淨.
Nama vasatva namo vaga mavadudhu 7
Adoration to the joyful being, adoration to the joyful virgin who served by all heavenly beings;
皈依 大樂有情, 皈依 大樂童子 (他受)天人所親近.
[IV. 咒文 Dhāranī]
Tadyathā: oṃ avaloke lokāte 8
Like this: Oneness with/adoration to the seer (avalokite) of the world (loka)- (Avalokiteśvarā)
咒曰: 合一/皈依 觀世 (者)
karāte e-hre mahābodhisatva 9 sarva sarva mālā mālā 10
whose(ye) compassionate heart(hrdayam). The great sentient enlightened being; all, all, are garland (immaculate), garland (immaculate),
(他)大悲心. 大覺有情 一切一切 (的) 花蔓 (清淨 ), 花蔓 (清淨 )
mahe māhredayam 11 kuru kuru karmum 12
great liberated heart, accomplish, accomplish the task (karma),
大 自在心, 作(此),作(此) 義業.
dhuru dhuru vijayate maha-vijayate 13 dhara dhara dhirini śvarāya 14
(who)liberate, liberate; the victorious one, the great victorious one (who) hold on, hold on the brave freedom (īśvara)
度脫,度脫, 的勝者, 大勝者, (他) 能持,能持 勇猛 自在,
cala cala mama vamara muktele 15
lead, lead to my immaculate liberation
(令) 動(變化) 動(變化) 我所 離垢 解脫.
ehe ehe cinda cinda arasam pracali 16 vaśa-vaśam prasaya 17
(Please) come, come; (fulfil) the pledge, the pledge; the admantine king of awakening (who) rules, rules the peace (prasada).
順召,順召, 弘誓, 弘誓, 法王, 法王子 (覺身之子), (他)統治, 統治 和平. [統治和平的法王, 法王子 請來完我弘誓].
huru huru mārā 18 huru huru hrīh 19
purify, purify personification of delusions, purify, purify the heart(hrdayam)
行, 行無垢; 行, 行隨心;.
sārā sārā siri siri suru suru 20 bodhiyā bodhiyā bodhaya bodhaya 21
firm, firm ; brave, brave ; wonder form(being), wonder form(being). Enlightenment, enlightenment, the enlightened one, the enlightened one.
堅固, 堅固; 勇猛, 勇猛; 妙色, 妙色. 覺道(罷), 覺道(罷); 覺者,覺者 [覺者- 堅定 勇猛 的 妙者, 覺道了]
Maitrīya nārakindi 22 dharsininā pāyamānā svāhā 23 siddhāya svāhā 24
The benevolent, virtuous one, success in power and fame, success in benevolence,
大慈 大賢(悲)者 , (他) 堅利名聞 成就, 義利 成就,
mahā-siddhāya svāhā 25 siddha-yoge śvarāya svāhā 26 nārakindi svāhā 27
success in great benevolence, success in achieving freedom (īśvara) through union (with dharma), success in virtures
大義利 成就, 相應而得 自在 成就, 賢愛 成就,
māranāra svāhā 28 śīrasam āmukhaya svāhā 29 sarva mahā-asiddhāya svāhā 30
success in immaculate joy, incomparable success in ultima convincing speech, incomparable success in all profound meaning
無垢妙樂 成就, 愛攝語 究竟無比 成就, 一切 大義無比 成就,
cakra asiddhāya svāhā 31 padmaka stāya svāhā 32
incomparable success in (turning) the wheel, success in the red lotus (immaculate) deed,
(轉)法輪 無比 成就, 紅蓮 (妙 淨 ) 義業 成就,
nārakidi vagarāya svāhā 33 mavari sankharaya svāhā 34
success in (becoming a) virtuous Bhagavan (blessed one), success in own prestige nature
賢愛 尊 成就, (具)威德 自性 成就.
[V. 結分 Final Salutation]
Nama ratna-trayāya, nama ārya-valokite-śvarāya svāhā 35
Refuge in the Triple Gem, take refuge in the success of noble Avalokite (look upon) śvarā(sound)
皈依 三寶, 皈依 聖 觀音 (之)圓滿.
om siddhyantu mantra padāya svāhā 36
oneness (om) with the success (svaha) of achieving (sidhyantu) these invocation (mantra) verses (pada)!
(天人)合一 令成就 咒句 圓滿. [令(我)圓滿 成就(此)真言句]!
==Glossary==
*Avalokiteśvarā: Avalokita (ava+lokita: 'ava' preverb meaning down, upon; lokita a past-participle of lok 'to see') observed, looking [down] upon) + īśvara (Lord) i.e. Lord of the Observed World. (with sandhi a + ī > e) Chinese 觀自在 (Kwan tzu-tsai). The Tibetan translation སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས་དབང་ཕྱུག་ pronounced chenrezig wangchug, where chenrezig refers watching out over, and wangchug is the translation for ishvara, Lord. In early texts also Avalokitasvara where svara means sounds: Chinese 觀音 (Kwan Yin, also spelt Guān Yīn, and in Japanese: Kannon). The latter is the name more commonly used in China.
*cakra: pronounced 'chakra', means wheel, as in wheel of life (bhava-cakra) or wheel of law.
*mahāsiddha: the attainment of extraordinary abilities (siddhi). 
*maitri: kindness, benevolence.
*mālā: (lit.) "garland", symbolize "immaculate".
*Māra: death, the devil. Embodiment of the selfish attachments and temptations that bind one to the cycle of birth and death.
*namo, namah, namas (variations caused by [sandhi]: homage, salutation, adoration, greeting!
*[oṃ]: means oneness with the Supreme, the merging of the physical being with the spiritual. The most sacred syllable, the first sound of Almighty. This sacred syllable appears as a mystic sound, regarded as the basis of every other mantra. It is the sound not only of origination but also for dissolution.
Nīlakandi: nominative singular of 'Nīlakantha' in Uigur, a central Asian form.
== Great Compassion Mantra in Chinese==
In Mandarin (Hanyi pinyin), transliterated from Siddham text.
The Great compassion mantra (大悲咒) is a Siddham-Sanskrit mantra. It is an efficicious mantra uttered by Arya Avalokiteśvarā (the noble Kuan Yin Pu Sa in Chinese) in the Sutra of the Dharani of Great Compassion Mantra. The Chinese version which is transliterated from Siddham script in the Chinese Tripitaka (T. 1113b). It has missed not only many words of the Dharani in the Sanskrit version but also its five-parts structure that make reconstruction of the meaning impossible.
Namo Ha La Da Nuo Duo La Ya Ye namo ah li yeh po lu jie di shwo bo la ye pu ti sa tuo po ye, mo he sa tuo po ye mo he jia lu ni jia ye.
OM! Sa pan na fa ye, xu da nan da xie namo xi ji li tuo, yi meng a li ye po lu jie di, shi fo la leng tuo po Namo nuo la kin ji.
xi li mo he pan dwo sa mie sa po a tuo do shu peng, oh shi yun sa po sa duo namo po sa duo namo po qie, mo fa de dou dan chi dha
OM! o po lu xi lu jia di jia lou di yi xi li mo he pu ti sa duo sapo sapo mola mola moxi moxi li tuo yun jilu jilu jie meng, dulu dulu fa she ye di mo he fa she ye di, tuo la tuo la di li ni shi fo nai ye, che la che la mo mo fa mo la mudili yi xi yi xi, se nuo se nuo oh la shen fa she fa shen fo lai she ye Hulu hulu mola, hulu hulu xili, sala sala xili xili, sulu sulu, putiye putiye potuoye potuo ye midiliye nolakinji dilisherninuo poyemono sapohe xiduoye sapohe, mohexiduoye sapohe, xiduoyuyishipan na ye sapohe, nolakinji sopohe, molanola sopohe, xilasengomoquye sapohe sapomo oh shituoye sapohe jejina oshi tuoye sapohe botuomoye sapohe nolakinji pan qi laye sapohe, mo po sheng qi la ye sapohe
Namo ha la da na tuo la ya yeh namo ohliye poluji shwo pan la ye sa pohe. OM! xidantuo man tuo la patuo ye sapohe.'''
2) Version number 2
Namo ratna-trayāya
Namo āriyā-valokite-śvarāya
Bodhi-sattvāya Maha-sattvāya Mahā-kārunikāya
Om sarva-raviye sudhanadasya
Namo skritvā imam
āryā-valotite-śvara ramdhava
Namo narakindi hrih Mahā-vat-svāme
Sarva-arthato-śubham ajeyam
Sarva-sat Namo-vasat Namo-vāka mavitāto
Tadyathā
Om avaloki-lokate-krate-e-hrih Mahā-bodhisattva
Sarva sarva
Mala mala
Mahi Mahi ridayam
Kuru kuru karmam
Dhuru dhuru
vijayate Mahā-vijayati
Dhara dhara dhrini
śvarāya cala cala
Mama vimala muktele
Ehi ehi śina śina
ārsam prasari
viśva viśvam prasaya
Hulu hulu mara
Hulu hulu hrih
Sara sara siri siri suru suru
Bodhiya Bodhiya Bodhaya Bodhaya
Maitreya narakindi dhrish-nina bhayamana svāhā
Siddhāya svāhā
Maha siddhāya svāhā
Siddha-yoge-śvaraya svāhā
Narakindi svāhā
Māranara svāhā
śira simha-mukhāya svāhā
Sarva mahā-asiddhaya svāhā
Cakra-asiddhāya svāhā
Padma-kastāya svāhā
Narakindi-vagalāya svaha
Mavari-śankharāya svāhā
Namo ratna-trāyāya
Namo āryā-valokite-śvaraya svāhā
Om Sidhyantu mantra padāya svāhā
3) Version number 3
Namo Ratna Trayaya
Namo Arya Jyana
Sagara Vairochana
Vyuha Rajaya
Tathagataya 
Arhate 
Samyak Sambuddhaya
Namah Sarva Tathagatebyah
Arhatebyah
Samyak Sambuddhe Byah
Namo Arya Avalokite Svaraya
Boddhisattvaya
Mahasattvaya 
Mahakarunikaya
Tadyatha
Om
Dhara Dhara
Dhiri Dhiri 
Dhuru Dhuru
Iti Vaitte Chale Chale
Pra Chale Pra Chale 
Kusume Kusuma Vare
Ili Mili Chitiwala mapanaya Svaha
== See also ==
* Shurangama Mantra - Expanded Protective Power of Om Mani Padma Hum
* Mantra
* Dharani Sutra
== References ==
==External links==
* A Line by Line Commentary on the Great Compassion Mantra and its 42 Hands and Eyes Mantras of the "Sutra of the Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded Great Compassion Heart Dharani of the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Who Regards the World’s Sounds"
*Text online
*Mandarin Chinese text online
*The English translation of Great Compassion Dharani Sutra
*Dharma Sound: Nīlakaņţha Dhāraņī - 7,02 Mb
Category:Buddhist mantras
Category:Buddhist tantras
es:Nilakantha dharani
zh-classical:大悲咒
nl:Nilakantha dharani
ja:大悲心陀羅尼
ru:Нилакантха-дхарани
ta:நீலகண்ட தாரணி
vi:Chú đại bi
zh:大悲咒