DESCRIPTION
The Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī sūtra 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經 (‘Dharani of the Victorious Buddha-Crown’) is a Mahayana sutra from India. An alternate longer Sanskrit title is the Sarvadurgatipariśodhana Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī sūtra.
This sutra was translated a total of eight times from Sanskrit to Chinese between 679-988 CE. It gained wide circulation in China, and its practices have been utilized since the Tang dynasty, from which it spread throughout East Asia. Sacred stone tablets with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya dhāraṇī carved into them have been distributed widely in some regions.
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, increasing in their prosperity and longevity, remove karmic obstacles, eliminate disasters and calamities, remove enmity and hatred, fulfill all wishes, and quickly be led to enlightenment. It is held by some that when the dhāraṇī is heard, it can imbue the alaya consciousness with pure seeds that will help to lead one to buddhahood. This mantra is also linked to Mañjuśrī and Green Tara.
TRANSLATIONS
Chinese
Buddhapālita 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經
English
D.T. Suzuki