The Ten Small Mantras (Chinese: 十小咒; pinyin: Shíxiǎozhòu, Sanskrit: Daśa Cula Mantra), or the Ten Mantras (Chinese: 十咒, pinyin: Shízhòu, rōmaji: Jusshu, Vietnamese: Thập Chú), is a subgrouping of esoteric Buddhist mantras or dharanis in Chinese Buddhism, Japanese Ōbaku Zen Buddhism as well as Vietnamese Buddhism.
History and Practice In China, the earliest extant appearance of this specific grouping is the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) Chinese Buddhist liturgical compilations, the Zhujing Risong Jiyao (諸經日誦集要, lit: "Compilation of Essentials for the Daily Chanting of Various Sūtras"), which was critically revised and edited by the Eighth Chinese Pure Land Patriarch, Yunqi Zhuhong (雲棲袾宏, 1655-1615), and later reprinted by the Ninth Chinese Pure Land Patriarch and Thirty-First Tiantai Patriarch, Ouyi Zhixu (蕅益智旭, 1599-1655). This grouping was subsequently frequently included in most subsequent influential Buddhist liturgical compilations for daily liturgical sessions that were collated during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) and Republican (1912-1949) eras, eventually becoming standardized as part of the common repertoire chanted by monks, nuns, and laity. Two examples of such liturgical compilations that include the mantras and which are still widely used in contemporary times are the Chanmen Risong (禪門日誦; lit: "Daily Chants of the Chan Gate") and the Fomen Bibei (佛門必備課誦本, lit: "Book of Essential Chants of the Buddhist Gate"). Influential traditional commentaries on the significance of each mantra during liturgical sessions have also been written by various eminent Chinese Buddhist figures, such as the Linji Chan monk Yulin Tongxiu (玉林通琇, 1614 – 1675), who was a teacher of the Qing dynasty Shunzhi Emperor (1638 – 1661), and the Tiantai monk Guanyue Xingci (觀月興慈, 1881 – 1950). In Vietnam, the grouping was transmitted some time during the Ming or Qing dynasty. The mantras are included as part of the repertoire for liturgical services in the Thiền Môn Nhật Tụng, which is the Vietnamese adaptation of the Chinese Chanmen Risong. In Japan, this grouping was transmitted during the end of the Ming dynasty by the eminent Ming dynasty monk Yinyuan Longqi (or Ingen Ryūki), who founded the Ōbaku Zen tradition of Japanese Buddhism. The mantras are included in the Zenrin Kajū (禅林課誦, lit: "Chants of the Zen Forest"), which is a standardized Buddhist liturgical compilations that is used for daily liturgical sessions by Ōbaku monastics.
In China, Taiwan and other overseas Chinese communities, the ten mantras are regularly chanted everyday in most contemporary Chinese Buddhist temples across multiple traditions like Chan, Pure Land and Tiantai as part of standard morning liturgical services through the performance of fanbai, alongside other mantras like the Śūraṅgama mantra as well as sūtras and gathas.Buddhist Text Translation Society (2013), Daily Recitation Handbook: Sagely City of 10,000 Buddhas In Vietnam, the ten mantras are also typically chanted as part of daily liturgical services in traditions like Thiền Buddhism. In Japan, the ten mantras are chanted through the performance of bonbai (the Japanese reading of fanbai) by contemporary monastics belonging to the Ōbaku Zen tradition. Unlike other Japanese Buddhist traditions, mantras in the Ōbaku tradition are chanted in the Tō-on reading, which is a pronunciation that approximates the Nanjing dialect of Mandarin during the Ming dynasty.
The Mantras
Cintāmani Cakravartin Dhāraṇī Cintamaṇi Cakravartin Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 如意寶輪王陀羅尼, Pinyin: Rúyìbǎolúnwáng Tuóluóní; associated with Cintamanicakra): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNamo ratnatrayāya nama āryāvalokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya mahāsattvāya mahākaruṇikāya Tadyathā Oṃ cakravarti cintāmaṇi mahāpadme ru ru tiṣṭha jvala ākarṣāya hūṃ phat ̣svāhāTraditional Chinese南無佛馱耶。南無達摩耶。南無僧迦耶。南無觀自在菩薩摩訶薩。具大悲心者。怛侄他。唵。斫羯囉伐底。震多末尼。摩訶。缽蹬謎。嚕嚕嚕嚕。底瑟吒。爍囉阿羯利。沙夜吽。癹莎訶。唵。缽蹋摩。震多末尼。爍囉吽。唵跋喇陀。缽亶謎吽。PinyinNámó fótuó yé. Námó dámó yé. Námó sēngqié yé. Námó guānzìzài púsà móhēsà. Jùdà bēixīnzhě. Dázhítā. Ōng. Zhuójié làfádǐ. Zhènduō mòní. Móhē. Bōdēngmí. Lǔ lǔ lǔ lǔ. Dǐsèzhā. Shuòlà ājiélì. Shāyèhōng. Báshāhē. Ōng. Bōtàmó. Zhènduō mòní. Shuòlàhōng. Ōng bálǎtuó. Bōdǎn míhōng.Wade-GilesNa-mo fo-t'o yeh. Na-mo ta-mo yeh. Na-mo seng-ch'ieh yeh. Na-mo kuan-tzu-tsai p'u-sa mo-ho-sa. Chü-ta pei-hsin che. Ta-chih-t'a. An. Cho-chieh la-fa-ti. Chen-to mo-ni. Mo-ho po-teng-mi. Lu lu lu lu. Ti-se-cha. Shuo-la a-chieh-li. Sha-yeh-hung. Pa-sha-ho. Po-t'a-mo. Chen-to mo-ni. Shuo-la-hung. An. Pa-la-t'o. Po-tan mi-hung.VietnameseNam mô Phật-đà-da. Nam mô Đạt-ma-da. Nam mô Tăng-dà-da. Nam mô Quán Tự Tại Bồ-tát Ma-ha-tát, cụ đại bi tâm giả. Đát điệt tha. Án, chước yết ra phạt để chấn đa mạt ni, ma ha bát đẳng mế, rô rô rô rô, để sắt tra thước ra a yết rị, sa dạ hồng phấn ta ha. Án, bát đạp ma chấn đa mạt ni, thước ra hồng. Án, bát lặc đà, bát đẳng mế hồng.EnglishAdoration to the three gems. Adoration to the noble (ārya) Lord (īśvara) who gazes down (avalokita), the enlightened sentient being, the great sentient being, the great compassionate one! Like this: Oṃ! Turn the wheel, the wish-fulfilling jewel, the great lotus, (quick, quick), Flame stays firm! Calling for the holy mind to destroy obstacles, So be it!
The Mantra for Dispersing Calamities and Bringing Auspicious Good Will Jvala Mahaugra Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 消災吉祥神咒, Pinyin: Xiāozāi Jíxiáng Shénzhòu): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNAMAḤ SAMANTHA BUDDHĀNĀṂ APRATIHATA ŚĀSANANĀṂ TADYATHĀ: OṂ KHA KHA, KHĀHI KHĀHI, HŪṂ HŪṂ JVALA JVALA, PRAJVALA PRAJVALA; TIṢṬHA TIṢṬHA ṢṬRI ṢṬRI SPHOṬA SHPOṬA ŚĀNTIKA ŚRIYE SVĀHĀTraditional Chinese曩謨三滿哆。母馱喃。阿缽囉底。賀多舍。娑曩喃。怛侄他。唵。佉佉。佉呬。佉呬。吽吽。入縛囉。入縛囉。缽囉入嚩囉。缽囉入嚩囉。底瑟奼。底瑟奼。瑟致哩。瑟致哩。娑癹吒。娑癹吒。扇底迦。室哩曳。娑嚩訶。PinyinNǎngmó sānmǎnduō. Mǔtuónán. Ābōluōdǐ. Hèduōshě. Suōlángnán. Dázhítā. Ōng. Qié qié. Qié xì. Qié xì. Hōng hōng. Rùwālà. Rùwālà. Bōluō rùwālà. Bōluō rùwālà. Dǐsèchà. Dǐsèchà. Sèzhìlī. Sèzhìlī. Suōpōzhā. Suōpōzhā. Shàndǐ jiā. Shìlīyè. Suōpóhē.Wade-GilesNang-mo san-man-to. Mu-t'o-nan. A-po-lo-ti. Ho-to-she. So-lang-nan. Ta-chih-t'a. An. Ch'ieh ch'ieh. Ch'ieh hsi. Ch'ieh hsi. Hung hung. Ju-wa-la. Ju-wa-la. Po-lo ju-wa-la. Po-lo ju-wa-la. Ti-se-ch'a. Ti-se-ch'a. Se-chih-li. Se-chih-li. So-p'o-cha. So-p'o-cha. Shan-ti chia. Shih-li-yeh. So-p'o-ho.VietnameseNẳng mồ tam mãn đa, mẫu đà nẩm. A bát ra để, hạ đa xá ta nẳng nẩm. Đát điệt tha. Án, khê khê, khê hế, khê hế, hồng hồng, nhập phạ ra, nhập phạ ra, bát ra nhập phạ ra, bát ra nhập phạ ra, để sắc sá, để sắc sá, sắc trí rị, sắc trí rị, ta phấn tra, ta phấn tra, phiến để ca thất rị duệ, ta phạ ha.EnglishAdoration to the universal Buddhas (and their) unimpeded religions (śāsana)! Thus: om! in the sky (ākāśa 虛空中), in emptiness, destroy, destroy (all obstacles), the holy mind! the holy mind! Flame, light, brilliant light, brilliant light, stay, stay. Shatter, shatter, burst, burst, disperses calamities (and brings) fortune/opulence (śrī) So be it!
Guna Ratna Sila Dhāraṇī Guna Ratna Sila Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 功德寶山神咒, Pinyin: Gōngdé Bǎoshān Shénzhòu; The Meritorious Precious Mountain Dhāraṇī): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNamo buddhāya namo dharmāya namaḥ saṃghāya (om ̣) siddhe huru huru sidhuru kṛpā kṛpā siddhāṇi puruṇi svāhāTraditional Chinese南無佛馱耶。南無達摩耶。南無僧伽耶。唵。悉帝護嚕嚕。悉都嚕。只利波。吉利婆。悉達哩。布嚕哩。娑嚩訶。PinyinNámó fótuó yé. Námó dámó yé. Námó sēngqié yé. Ōng. Xīdì hùlǔlǔ. Xīdōulǔ. Zhǐlìbō. Jílìpó. Xīdálī. Bùlǔlī. Suōpóhē.Wade-GilesNa-mo fo-t'o yeh. Na-mo ta-mo yeh. Na-mo seng-ch'ieh yeh. Hsi-ti hu-lu-lu. Hsi-tou-lu. Chih-li-po. Chi-li-p'o. Hsi-ta-li. Pu-lu-li. So-p'o-ho.VietnameseNam mô Phật-đà-da. Nam mô Đạt-ma-da. Nam mô Tăng-dà-da. Án, tất đế hộ rô rô, tất đô rô, chỉ rị ba, kiết rị bà tất đạt rị, bố rô rị, ta phạ ha.EnglishAdoration to the Buddha! adoration to the Buddhist teaching! adoration to the Buddhist community! Accomplished one, quick, quick, accomplishes quick, be merciful, be compassionate, accomplishes perfectly. So be it!
Mahācundi Dhāraṇī Mahācundi Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 準提神咒, Pinyin: Zhǔntí Shénzhòu; associated with Cundi): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNamaḥ saptānām samyak-saṃbuddha koṭinām. Tadyathā: Oṃ cale cule Cunde svāhā.Traditional Chinese稽首皈依蘇悉帝。頭面頂禮七俱胝。我今稱讚大準提。惟願慈悲垂加護。南無颯哆喃。三藐三菩陀。俱胝喃。怛侄他。唵。折戾主戾。準提娑婆訶。PinyinQǐshǒu guīyī sūxīdì. Tóumiàn dǐnglǐ qī jù zhī. Wǒ jīn chēngzàn dà zhǔntí. Wéiyuàn cíbēi chuí jiāhù. Námó sàduōnán. Sānmiǎo sānpútuó. Jùzhīnán. Dázhítā. Ōng. Zhélì zhǔlì. Zhǔntí suōpóhē.Wade-GilesCh'i-shou kuei-i su-hsi-ti. T'ou-mien ting-li ch'i-chü-chih. Wo chin ch'eng-tsan ta chunt'i. Wei-yüan tz'u-pei ch'ui chia-hu. Na-mo sa-to-nan. San-miao san-p'u-t'o. Chü-chih-nan. Ta-chih-t'a. Che-li chu-li. Chun-t'i so-p'o-ho.VietnameseKhể thủ quy y Tô tất đế, đầu diện đảnh lễ Thất câu chi. Ngã kim xưng tán Đại Chuẩn Đề, duy nguyện từ bi thùy gia hộ. Nam mô tát đa nẩm, tam miệu tam bồ đề, câu chi nẩm, đát điệt tha. Án, chiết lệ chủ lệ Chuẩn Đề, ta bà ha.EnglishI bow in reverence and take refuge in Susiddhi. I prostrate myself before the Seventy Million (Buddhas). I now praise the Great Cundi. Only wishing for the compassionate bestowal of (Cundi's) protection. Adoration to 'seven billions perfect status, perfect enlightened beings', like this: om cha'le chu'le Chundi (the Extreme purity), All hail!
Dhāraṇī of the Holy Tathāgata of Immeasurable Lifespan, King of Determined Radiance Aparimitāyur-jñāna-suviniścita-tejo-rājāya Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 大乘無量壽決定光明王陀羅尼, Pinyin: Dàchéng Wúliàngshòu Juédìng Guāngmíngwáng Tuóluóní; associated with Amitābha): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNamo Bhagavate Aparimitāyurjñānasuviniścitatejorājāya Tathāgatāya, Arhate, Samyaksaṃbuddhāya. Tadyathā: Oṃ sarva saṃskāra pariśuddha, dharmate gagana samudgate, svabhāva viśuddhe, mahānaya, parivarī svāhā.Traditional Chinese唵。捺摩巴葛瓦帝。阿巴囉密沓。阿優哩阿納。蘇必你。實執沓。牒左囉宰也。怛塔哿達也。阿囉訶帝。三藥三不達也。怛你也塔。唵。薩哩巴。桑斯葛哩。叭哩述沓。達囉馬帝。哿哿捺。桑馬兀哿帝。莎巴瓦比述帝。馬喝捺也。叭哩瓦哩娑訶。PinyinŌng. Nàmó bāgéwǎdì. Ābāluōmìdá. Āyōulī ānà. Sūbìnǐ. Shízhídá. Diézuǒ luōzǎi yě. Dátǎgědá yě. Āluōhēdì. Sānyào sānbùdá yě. Dánǐyětǎ. Ōng. Sàlībā. Sāngsīgélī. Bālīshùdá. Dáluōmǎdì. Gěgěnà. Sāngmǎwù gědì. Shābāwǎ bǐshùdì. Mǎhē nàyě. Bālīwǎlī suōhē.Wade-GilesAn. Na-mo pa-ko-wa-ti. A-pa-lo-mi-ta. A-yu-li a-na. Su-pi-ni. Shih-chih-ta. Tieh-tso. lo-tsai yeh. Ta-t'a-ko-ta yeh. A-lo-ho-ti. San-yao san-pu-ta yeh. Tan-ni-yeh-t'a. Sa-li-pa. Sang-ssu-ko-li. Pa-li-shu-ta. Ta-lo-ma-ti. Ko-ke-na. Sang-ma-wu ko-ti. Sha-pa-wa pi-shu-ti. Ma-ho na-yeh. Pa-li-wa-li so-ho.VietnameseÁn, nại ma ba cát ngỏa đế, a ba ra mật đạp, a ưu rị a nạp, tô tất nể, thiệt chấp đạt, điệp tá ra tể dã, đát tháp cả đạt dã, a ra ha đế, tam dược tam bất đạt dã, đát nể dã tháp. Án, tát rị ba, tang tư cát rị, bót rị thuật đạp, đạt ra mã đế, cả cả nại, tang mã ngột cả đế, ta ba ngỏa, tỷ thuật đế, mã hắt nại dã, bát rị ngỏa rị tá hắt.EnglishAdoration to the Honourable, Highest(pari)-Infinite(amita)-life(ayus)- insight(jnna) -decisive-light(tejo)-king(raja), Exalted-one (Tathagata, thus come), perfect disciple (Arahat), completely, perfectly enlightened one (Samyak-sambuddha). Like this: Om! all (sarva) righteous behaviour are in highest purity, reality of phenomena enters into emptiness, intrinsic nature are completely purified. Family of Great School have auspiciously completed.
Bhaiṣajyaguru Vaiḍūrya Prabhasa Tathāgatā Abhisecani Dhāraṇī Bhaiṣajyaguru Vaiḍūrya Prabhasa Tathāgatā Abhisecani Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 藥師灌頂真言, Pinyin: Yàoshī Guàndǐng Zhēnyán; associated with Bhaiṣajyaguru): +Language and RomanizationTranscriptions and TranslationSanskritNamo Bhagavate Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabha-rājāya Tathāgatāya Arhate Samyak-saṃbuddhāya. Tadyathā: