At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove,īDhāraṇīSū in Anāthapiṇḍada’s park. At that time, the Lord was contemplating and observing the sentient beings of the future. Out of pity for them, he spoke the teaching of the Great Cundī Dhāraṇī, the heart-mother of seven koṭīs of perfectly enlightened buddhas. Thus he spoke the mantra:
namaḥ saptānāṃ samyaksaṃbuddha koṭīnāṃ tadyathā
oṃ cale cule cunde svāhā
“If there are bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, or upāsikās who memorize and recite this dhāraṇī 800,000 times, their deadly karma in every place, created over innumerable eons, will be completely annihilated. In every place where they are born or reside, they will always meet buddhas and bodhisattvas. They will always have adequate resources and abilities to do as they wish. In any birth, they will always be able to leave the home life, and will have the ability to maintain the pure precepts of a bodhisattva. They will be born in human or heavenly realms, they will not fall into evil destinies, and they will always be protected by all the heavenly guardians. If there are virtuous house-holding men or women who recite and maintain it, their households will not encounter harm caused by disasters or suffering caused by unexpected illness. Everything spoken to others will be truthful and accepted by them.
“If the dhāraṇī mantra has been recited a total of 100,000 times, you will see buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas in a dream, and see a dark substance vomited from your mouth. If you have committed serious offenses, you should recite it a total of 200,000 times. Then in a dream you too will see buddhas and bodhisattvas, and also see a dark substance vomited from your mouth. If you have committed any of the five cardinal sins, you may still not yet have this auspicious dream. Then you should then recite more, a total of 700,000 times to attain such a sign. In a dream you may even see a white substance vomited from your mouth, like rice paste, in the similar way. These are signs of purity and cleanliness indicating that the karma has been extinguished.
“Moreover, I will now teach what may be accomplished with this great dhāraṇī. Standing before an image of the Buddha, or on clean ground before a stūpa, spread gomaya on the ground to create a square maṇḍala, large or small. Set up offerings of flowers, incense, banners, canopies, food, drinks, lamps, and candles, according to your abilities. While reciting the mantra, spray perfume in the four directions, and in the Zenith and Nadir, to seal the boundary of the maṇḍala. In the four corners of the maṇḍala and in the center, place one perfume bottle. You, the mantrin, should be at the center of the maṇḍala, facing East, and kneeling on your right knee. Recite the mantra 1080 times, and the perfume bottles will automatically rotate. Holding a bunch of various flowers as an offering, recite the mantra 1080 times, and then scatter the flowers over the surface of a mirror. Looking straight at the mirror, recite the mantra 1080 times, and you will see images of buddhas and bodhisattvas. You should then mantra with flowers 108 times, and then scatter them as offerings, and the questions you ask will be answered.
“If there is an illness caused by a ghost, mantra with kuśa grass, and then brush the sick person with it, and he or she will be healed. If there are young children possessed by ghosts, have a maiden twist together a multi-colored string using five threads. Then mantra one time for each knot you tie, for total of 21 knots, and fasten the knotted string around the neck of the child. Mantra with mustard seeds a total of seven times, and then scatter them over the face of the child, and it will be removed. Moreover, there is a method in which you stand before a sick person with an ink drawing of him or her. Mantra with a neem branch and strike the drawing, and the illness will be easily removed. There is also a method if there is a sick person who is affected by ghosts, but is in a distant place. You should mantra with a neem branch a total of seven times, and then send another person with the stick, and the illness may also be removed.
“Moreover, there is a method when one is traveling. Recite this mantra, and you will have no fear of meeting thieves, bandits, wild beasts, and so on. Moreover, there is a method for disputes. If you always maintain this mantra, you will never be without victory. If you wish to sail across great rivers and oceans, recite this mantra, and you will not have difficulties with wild sea creatures. Moreover, there is a method if your body is has been bound and imprisoned. Recite this mantra, and you will be liberated.