Now Lord Śākyamuni entered the samādhi called the magical display of all the tathāgatas. As soon as he entered this samādhi, rays of blue, yellow, dazzling white, red, and crystal-colored light issued from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows. They brightened the entire buddhafield and illuminated the interior of every realm of the universe, while darkening all the planets and constellations and summoning them in an instant. After summoning them, the light assigned them to their respective places and drew them, by the power of the Buddha’s blessing, into the circle of the assembly. It then disappeared into the same tuft of hair between Lord Śākyamuni’s eyebrows. All the planets, constellations, and stars, their light blocked, approached Lord Śākyamuni, pained and frightened. They stood with folded hands, trembling and prostrating themselves on the ground again and again.
EN
Lord Śākyamuni then gave the following talk For all the celestial bodies such as planets, constellations, and stars. He gave it as an act of kindness for all the beings Born with the intelligence of a child.
EN
“Listen, esteemed friends, hosts of gods along with men. The karma of individual beings causes them to experience the world differently. The way the bodies of beings manifest, whether the vajra bodies of the blessed buddhas or the various bodies of gods, asuras, and humans circling in saṃsāra, lost in its wilderness—all of this is a product of karma. This karma, whether it is good or bad, still constitutes fetters. There is no creator here who creates, nor godhead, nor the puruṣa and prakṛti as espoused in the Sāṃkhya system. Nothing of this kind exists, except for that which is produced by karma. Everything that is generated in dependence upon karma thus has a cause. This cause, in turn, depends on its own causes and conditions. In this way, everything is mutually interconnected, being generated through dependent origination. Living beings are generated from the [five] great elements that coalesce together.
EN
“These great elements exist within the five aggregates throughout the beginningless transmigrations. They manifest in the place of another birth, developing into an elaborate [whole] with all the [constituent] parts. The habitual tendencies generated by karmic actions can, however, be completely burnt by the fire of gnosis that blocks and prevents [the arising of elements] at another time. One can effectively accomplish the equality of the three vehicles and the state without conceptual elaboration. This will happen as the result of the karma produced by following the Mahāyāna for a long time. Following [the Mahāyāna] for a medium length of time will bring about the self-arising gnosis of a rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddha. Within a short time, one can attain the regal state of a śrāvaka who listens to the teachings of others. If naive and confused people do not turn to non-Buddhist doctrines, their intelligence will grow.
EN
“This world, with its different places and situations, is produced by different types of karma. Its cessation—the auspicious state without old age, sorrowless and pure—[is produced by] karma based on worldly accomplishments that are pure, [namely] the detached eightfold karma that arises out of the [eightfold] path. Karma is produced by karma and has no other basis but itself.
EN
“One who is free from dualistic thinking Will remain free from both action and inaction. Following the threefold path, one will obtain No other tranquility [but that of the path].
EN
“The mantras thus fall into three groups, And the [resulting] activity is of three kinds. The fruit [thereof] is threefold And the reflection [thereupon] is threefold too.
EN
“Inverted activity is threefold And is regarded as such. Virtue is regarded as threefold, As can be gleaned from the tantras.
EN
“The religious community is also such, And so is the entire seat of the mantras. The community of buddhas with pure minds Abides in the peace of nirvāṇa.
EN
“This karma is here taught, section by section, As part of the science of mantras. For the sake of success in the world, The discipline of astrology has also been taught. Its subdivision, [the science of] karma, Is part of the teachings on causation.
EN
“Just as [the cause in] a grain of rice Can be inferred by the sprout, So too [the cause in] the power substances Can be inferred by their effects.
EN
“Just as the color white Is imputed [to an object] based on a convention, So, too, the astrological influences Are imputed [to a person] based on conventions. However, it is only karma that is deemed Wholly responsible for all such influences.
EN
“Karma never resides in a body Without being indicated by [certain] signs, Such as marks, behavioral patterns, or a birth Into a particular category of practitioners.
EN
“Karma can always be ascertained By various omens. Karma never itself possesses a body; It is hidden and can be discerned by other [signs].
EN
“[The condition of] a person thoroughly afflicted by fever Is indicated by the alterations [in their appearance]. In exactly the same way, the karma that resides in the body Of corporeal beings can be observed by them.
EN
“The zodiacal birth-horoscopes are widely explained In terms of good or bad [karmic] results. The various omens reflect the various types of karma That beings are produced by.
EN
“One should always note the time, The [mode of] locomotion, the different voices of beings, The good and bad results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EN
“To ascertain one’s karma, one should watch For the signs of success or failure. The telltale signs, the way of acting, and the marks Have been designated as the ascertainment.
EN
“Therefore, one should take every care When observing [the signs that constitute] the ascertainment. If one is a mantra reciter, one should look For the cause of one’s success in the mantra.
EN
“One should not regard one’s own karma And the karma of others as separate. Terrible and obstructing karmas Could all go undetected. All these branches [of knowledge] are therefore The topic of the Sage’s teachings.
EN
“The omniscient Śālendrarāja Sat upon the seat of awakening And pronounced the mantra That removes all obstacles, One that removes bad dreams, Bad omens, and difficulties.
EN
“While the mind of the omniscient great being Was thus steeped in awakening, Māra, with his evil mind, Created very frightening obstacles.
EN
“Śālendrarāja, [sitting at] the root of the tree, Saw that all this great terror was baseless; The many frightening forms Were, for him, without any basis.
EN
“Having made aspirations over a long period of time, He accumulated merit and power; Consequently, by the power of his mantra, Namuci was defeated.
EN
“Śālendrarāja is endowed with magical powers and great energy. Being restrained, he possesses great splendor. One should strive to obtain the supreme awakening, Using the power of his mantra.
EN
“This mantra, which obliterates bad omens, Will now by revealed. It removes bad dreams and difficulties, And wards off evil beings.
EN
“Please hear it, O hosts of gods; This king of mantras [controls] Planets, constellations, and other celestial entities. It was formerly taught by the victorious Śālendrarāja.
EN
“It is used in order to suppress the wicked Planets, constellations, and stars, And to awaken gentle thoughts In all beings.
EN
“Please hear it, O hosts of spirits, All of you who roam the earth! Those without legs, with many legs, Or with two or four legs! In short, all the beings and inanimate objects Present in the three worlds.
“This mantra is known by the name of Jvāloṣṇīṣa, Its dazzling white light coming from the Buddha.
EN
“There are thousands of rites— Eighty, nine and five. One who performs various rites With his thoughts completely attuned to virtue Can destroy bad dreams and omens With a single repetition [of the Jvāloṣṇīṣa].
EN
“One may perform other rites, Having mastered all the mantras; This mantra[, however, the Jvāloṣṇīṣa,] is a buddha, A powerful master who enthralls sentient beings.
EN
“Through merely calling this mantra to mind, All the obstacles will be destroyed, And one will become a perfect buddha superior to the gods.” Having spoken this, the supreme among sages
EN
Remained silent for a while, And looked on. The hosts of gods, too, Waited above the Pure Abode.
EN
All the chief deities [Who personify] the constellations, planets, and stars, Frightened, took their samaya vows As they were told the mantra of Uṣṇīṣa.
EN
The lords called uṣṇīṣa are capable, Very diligent, and of great brilliance. They are said to be four or five hundred in number, Or seven, eight, ninety,
EN
One hundred and twenty, thirty-five, or another— So it has been proclaimed. The number of these auspicious kings That are born from the [Buddha’s] head is incalculable. The aforementioned mantra is identical with them, As explained by the victors in the past.
Now Lord Śākyamuni entered the samādhi called the magical display of all the tathāgatas. As soon as he entered this samādhi, rays of blue, yellow, dazzling white, red, and crystal-colored light issued from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows. They brightened the entire buddhafield and illuminated the interior of every realm of the universe, while darkening all the planets and constellations and summoning them in an instant. After summoning them, the light assigned them to their respective places and drew them, by the power of the Buddha’s blessing, into the circle of the assembly. It then disappeared into the same tuft of hair between Lord Śākyamuni’s eyebrows. All the planets, constellations, and stars, their light blocked, approached Lord Śākyamuni, pained and frightened. They stood with folded hands, trembling and prostrating themselves on the ground again and again.
EN
Lord Śākyamuni then gave the following talk For all the celestial bodies such as planets, constellations, and stars. He gave it as an act of kindness for all the beings Born with the intelligence of a child.
EN
“Listen, esteemed friends, hosts of gods along with men. The karma of individual beings causes them to experience the world differently. The way the bodies of beings manifest, whether the vajra bodies of the blessed buddhas or the various bodies of gods, asuras, and humans circling in saṃsāra, lost in its wilderness—all of this is a product of karma. This karma, whether it is good or bad, still constitutes fetters. There is no creator here who creates, nor godhead, nor the puruṣa and prakṛti as espoused in the Sāṃkhya system. Nothing of this kind exists, except for that which is produced by karma. Everything that is generated in dependence upon karma thus has a cause. This cause, in turn, depends on its own causes and conditions. In this way, everything is mutually interconnected, being generated through dependent origination. Living beings are generated from the [five] great elements that coalesce together.
EN
“These great elements exist within the five aggregates throughout the beginningless transmigrations. They manifest in the place of another birth, developing into an elaborate [whole] with all the [constituent] parts. The habitual tendencies generated by karmic actions can, however, be completely burnt by the fire of gnosis that blocks and prevents [the arising of elements] at another time. One can effectively accomplish the equality of the three vehicles and the state without conceptual elaboration. This will happen as the result of the karma produced by following the Mahāyāna for a long time. Following [the Mahāyāna] for a medium length of time will bring about the self-arising gnosis of a rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddha. Within a short time, one can attain the regal state of a śrāvaka who listens to the teachings of others. If naive and confused people do not turn to non-Buddhist doctrines, their intelligence will grow.
EN
“This world, with its different places and situations, is produced by different types of karma. Its cessation—the auspicious state without old age, sorrowless and pure—[is produced by] karma based on worldly accomplishments that are pure, [namely] the detached eightfold karma that arises out of the [eightfold] path. Karma is produced by karma and has no other basis but itself.
EN
“One who is free from dualistic thinking Will remain free from both action and inaction. Following the threefold path, one will obtain No other tranquility [but that of the path].
EN
“The mantras thus fall into three groups, And the [resulting] activity is of three kinds. The fruit [thereof] is threefold And the reflection [thereupon] is threefold too.
EN
“Inverted activity is threefold And is regarded as such. Virtue is regarded as threefold, As can be gleaned from the tantras.
EN
“The religious community is also such, And so is the entire seat of the mantras. The community of buddhas with pure minds Abides in the peace of nirvāṇa.
EN
“This karma is here taught, section by section, As part of the science of mantras. For the sake of success in the world, The discipline of astrology has also been taught. Its subdivision, [the science of] karma, Is part of the teachings on causation.
EN
“Just as [the cause in] a grain of rice Can be inferred by the sprout, So too [the cause in] the power substances Can be inferred by their effects.
EN
“Just as the color white Is imputed [to an object] based on a convention, So, too, the astrological influences Are imputed [to a person] based on conventions. However, it is only karma that is deemed Wholly responsible for all such influences.
EN
“Karma never resides in a body Without being indicated by [certain] signs, Such as marks, behavioral patterns, or a birth Into a particular category of practitioners.
EN
“Karma can always be ascertained By various omens. Karma never itself possesses a body; It is hidden and can be discerned by other [signs].
EN
“[The condition of] a person thoroughly afflicted by fever Is indicated by the alterations [in their appearance]. In exactly the same way, the karma that resides in the body Of corporeal beings can be observed by them.
EN
“The zodiacal birth-horoscopes are widely explained In terms of good or bad [karmic] results. The various omens reflect the various types of karma That beings are produced by.
EN
“One should always note the time, The [mode of] locomotion, the different voices of beings, The good and bad results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EN
“To ascertain one’s karma, one should watch For the signs of success or failure. The telltale signs, the way of acting, and the marks Have been designated as the ascertainment.
EN
“Therefore, one should take every care When observing [the signs that constitute] the ascertainment. If one is a mantra reciter, one should look For the cause of one’s success in the mantra.
EN
“One should not regard one’s own karma And the karma of others as separate. Terrible and obstructing karmas Could all go undetected. All these branches [of knowledge] are therefore The topic of the Sage’s teachings.
EN
“The omniscient Śālendrarāja Sat upon the seat of awakening And pronounced the mantra That removes all obstacles, One that removes bad dreams, Bad omens, and difficulties.
EN
“While the mind of the omniscient great being Was thus steeped in awakening, Māra, with his evil mind, Created very frightening obstacles.
EN
“Śālendrarāja, [sitting at] the root of the tree, Saw that all this great terror was baseless; The many frightening forms Were, for him, without any basis.
EN
“Having made aspirations over a long period of time, He accumulated merit and power; Consequently, by the power of his mantra, Namuci was defeated.
EN
“Śālendrarāja is endowed with magical powers and great energy. Being restrained, he possesses great splendor. One should strive to obtain the supreme awakening, Using the power of his mantra.
EN
“This mantra, which obliterates bad omens, Will now by revealed. It removes bad dreams and difficulties, And wards off evil beings.
EN
“Please hear it, O hosts of gods; This king of mantras [controls] Planets, constellations, and other celestial entities. It was formerly taught by the victorious Śālendrarāja.
EN
“It is used in order to suppress the wicked Planets, constellations, and stars, And to awaken gentle thoughts In all beings.
EN
“Please hear it, O hosts of spirits, All of you who roam the earth! Those without legs, with many legs, Or with two or four legs! In short, all the beings and inanimate objects Present in the three worlds.
“This mantra is known by the name of Jvāloṣṇīṣa, Its dazzling white light coming from the Buddha.
EN
“There are thousands of rites— Eighty, nine and five. One who performs various rites With his thoughts completely attuned to virtue Can destroy bad dreams and omens With a single repetition [of the Jvāloṣṇīṣa].
EN
“One may perform other rites, Having mastered all the mantras; This mantra[, however, the Jvāloṣṇīṣa,] is a buddha, A powerful master who enthralls sentient beings.
EN
“Through merely calling this mantra to mind, All the obstacles will be destroyed, And one will become a perfect buddha superior to the gods.” Having spoken this, the supreme among sages
EN
Remained silent for a while, And looked on. The hosts of gods, too, Waited above the Pure Abode.
EN
All the chief deities [Who personify] the constellations, planets, and stars, Frightened, took their samaya vows As they were told the mantra of Uṣṇīṣa.
EN
The lords called uṣṇīṣa are capable, Very diligent, and of great brilliance. They are said to be four or five hundred in number, Or seven, eight, ninety,
EN
One hundred and twenty, thirty-five, or another— So it has been proclaimed. The number of these auspicious kings That are born from the [Buddha’s] head is incalculable. The aforementioned mantra is identical with them, As explained by the victors in the past.
Sutraya