The Shurangama Dharani

[Will]

What commentary are you referring to?

I am just guessing, but often mantra letters are visualized while chanting, sometimes the letters are in motion, in a circle.

Sorry to be of no real help.

[remm]

If he's talking about Master Hua's commentary, then he is referring to the english translation of commentaries to the Shurangama Mantra. There is a small post about this online which I can find if I dig it up, otherwise this is a secret text that doesn't circulate outside of the circle of monastics and few laypeople who know this esoteric practice of the shurangama mantra.

And the visualization for this is picturing the letters beneath a white canopy adorned with jewels. I have the picture, if you want it, please PM me.

[Will]

The first in a series of five parts on the mantra, published in Oct. 2007, in Vajra Bodhi Sea:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 49p028.pdf

[Will]

The second in a series of five parts on the mantra, published in Nov. 2007, in Vajra Bodhi Sea:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 50p027.pdf

[Will]

Much, but not all, of Master Hua's verses on & commentary on the mantra are found online at the Vajra Bodhi Sea site. Here is the earliest article I could find. It will be followed by every other one that is online. Each article, excepting some introductory ones, will focus on one line of the Shurangama Mantra. If anyone has the missing issues of VBS and can fill in the gaps from the online versions, please add them in this thread.

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/101_132/vbs131/131_4.htm

[Will]

Then issue 132 has:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/101_132/vbs132/132_6.htm

After four missing issues, #137 (Oct. 1981) has:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 7p017e.pdf

[Will]

Issue 138 touches on the benefits of the Heart of the mantra:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 8p017e.pdf

[Will]

The first line and Master Hua's verse on it, with more commentary on both; from Vajra Bodhi Sea Dec. 1981, #139.

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 9p017e.pdf

[Will]

Line two: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 0p014e.pdf

Line three: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 016e-1.pdf

Line four: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 015e-1.pdf

Line five: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 017e-1.pdf

[Lhasa]

Do we need transmission to use this mantra?

[Will]

Do we need transmission to use this mantra?

Nope.

[Lhasa]

[Will]

Earlier in this thread I suggested this book about experiences with the mantra. BTTS, the publisher, changed their website, so that old link is dead. Try looking for this book in Chinese/English -- Cosmic Magic Syllables Save the World

The current link has Chinese characters mixed in the URL, so it does not work.

[Will]

Line six: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 4p015e.pdf

Line seven: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 016e-1.pdf

Line eight: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 018e-1.pdf

Line nine: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 7p009e.pdf

[Will]

The second in a series of five parts on the mantra, published in Nov. 2007, in Vajra Bodhi Sea:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 50p027.pdf

Here is part 3 by Wang Qingnan PhD, from January 2008 issue, #452:

http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 52p032.pdf

Now part 4: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 53p035.pdf

Part 5, section one: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 54p033.pdf

Part 5, final part - go to bottom page, 37: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 54p035.pdf

[Will]

Line 10: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 8p010e.pdf

Line 11: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 9p007e.pdf

Line 12: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 007e-1.pdf

Line 13: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 1p006e.pdf

Line 14: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 2p010e.pdf

To memorize this huge mantra of over 500 lines, Master Hua says to get one line memorized perfectly, and only then move on to the next line. Do not think of the size and sigh 'it is too vast'.

[Will]

Line 15: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 007e-1.pdf

Line 16: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 4p014e.pdf

Line 17: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 5p012e.pdf

Line 18: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 6p004e.pdf

Line 19: http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/ ... 014e-1.pdf

[Kaji]

Quick fact that I have recently come across (sorry if this has been mentioned in one of the links): practising the Shurangama Dharani is best done if you are a vegetarian who does not eat or take:
- Meat, obviously
- Eggs - even better if you are vegan
- Alcohol
- Intoxicating substances
- Parivyaya, which includes garlic, garlic chives, onion, spring onion, shallot

[Will]

Quick fact that I have recently come across (sorry if this has been mentioned in one of the links): practising the Shurangama Dharani is best done if you are a vegetarian who does not eat or take:
- Meat, obviously
- Eggs - even better if you are vegan
- Alcohol
- Intoxicating substances
- Parivyaya, which includes garlic, garlic chives, onion, spring onion, shallot

Diet is helpful, but like practicing Dharma in general, precept-based virtue is far more important.

Here is a book giving some lay folks experience with the Dharani:

http://www.bttsonline.org/chinese-and-english-books-中英文書籍/cosmic-magic-syllables-save-the-world-天地靈文救世界-english/chinese-中英雙語/

[Kaji]

Diet is helpful, but like practicing Dharma in general, precept-based virtue is far more important.

Here is a book giving some lay folks experience with the Dharani:

http://www.bttsonline.org/chinese-and-english-books-中英文書籍/cosmic-magic-syllables-save-the-world-天地靈文救世界-english/chinese-中英雙語/

I agree - precept-based virtue is extremely important. Eating vegetarian while continuing to kill lives wouldn't get one very far.

Interesting, the Cundi mantra is explicitly stated to be suitable even for people who continue to eat meat, drink alcohol and have a sexual partner. It is taught that it is a skillful means by the Bodhisattva to cater for people who are in a transitional state to become even better.