Purple Lotus Publisher > Journal > Volumn NO. 5

Vajrasattva's 100-Syllable Mantra

Compiled by Yuan Zheng Tang [1]

The Power of the 100-syllable Mantra

The 100-syllable mantra is a mandatory practice for every Vajrayana practitioner. The Vajrasattva Practice of the Four Preliminary Practices is the root tool for the eradication of bad karma. Vajrasattva is the prince of all Buddhas, whose 100-syllable mantra can dissolve all the bad karma which one has accumulated throughout all time.

The Living Buddha once taught us, "By reciting the 100-syllable mantra at the end of each practice, all mistakes or omissions made during the practice will be corrected and brought to perfection, like the brilliance radiating from a full moon. One will be forgiven by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. A regular recitation of this mantra gives the significance of repentance, eradication of karmic obscurations, curbing the numerous evil thoughts and nipping evil thoughts in the bud, destroying all worries, subduing all maras and evils and causing all maras and evils to flee, and increasing one's merits and virtue."

The 100-syllable Repentance Practice of Vajrasattva is the greatest amongst all repentance practices, such as the Water Repentance, the Emperor Liang Repentance, the Great Compassion Repentance, and the Lotus Sutra Repentance - all of which are methods of "causal" significance. Only the 100-syllable Repentance Practice is of "fruitional" significance. By chanting the 100-syllable mantra, you will achieve three types of fruition, namely that you will know your self-nature is pure, that your self-nature is truth, and that your self-nature is vast. By these fruitions, you will undo the causes of your negative karma.

It was mentioned in Torch of Certainty, "The 100-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva is praiseworthy for its greatness, the best amongst all remedies for eradicating the unwholesome karma. By chanting the mantra, one will reap the countless instant and substantial benefits."

Allusion to the 100-syllable Mantra

Prior to this present age (kalpa), a Brahmin, Conch-pearl, was an adept in the Five Sciences. One of his disciples, a prince, had mastered everything Conch-pearl taught him, and his achievement was the same as his teacher's. Out of jealousy, the prince set out to harm his teacher, Conch-pearl.

On knowing the intention of his disciple and his impending betrayal, hatred arose from within the heart of Conch-pearl, and he cast an extremely vicious vow. Eventually, Conch-pearl was killed by the prince and, as a result, the prince fell into the realm of hell. Due to his hatred and his vicious vow, Conch-pearl also fell into the realm of hell. Thus, both of them endured the great sufferings of the vajra hell.

Transforming Himself into the form of Vajrasattva, Samantabhadra Buddha descended to the realm of hell and taught both the teacher and the disciple the 100-syllable mantra, freeing them both from the sufferings of hell.

the 100-syllable Mantra

Om, be-dza-sah-do-sa-ma-ya, ma-nu-bah-la-ya,
be-dza sah-do deh-nu-bah-de h-cha, zhe-jo-mi-bah-wa,
soo-do-ka-yu-mi bah-wa,
soo-poo-ka-yu mi-bah-wa,
an-nu-la-do-mi-bah-wa,
sa-er-wa, sid-di, mi-bu-la-ya-cha,
sa-er-wa, ka-er-ma, soo-cha-mi, ji-ta-moo, see-li-yam, gu-ru-hum, ha ha ha ha hoh,
bah-ga-wan, sa-er-wa, da-ta-ga-ta,
be-dza-ma-mee-mun-cha, be-ji-ba-wa,
ma-ha-sa-ma-ya, sah-do-ah, hum-pei.

Translation:

Om Vajrasattva, please keep your vows!
Vajrasattva, empower (reside in) me and make me firm [in my Buddha nature]!
Make me satisfied [via the bliss of the Dharma Realm],
Be favorable,
Be nourishing for me!
Grant me all the magical attainments!
Indicator of all karma :
Make glorious my mind.
Hum! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hoh!
Blessed One, Diamond of all the Tathagatas:
Do not forsake me; make me as a diamond!
Great being of the vow AH!

Meanings:

1. Self-nature is pure: one's own Buddha nature is essentially pure, which is the fruit of cultivation.
2. Self-nature is truth: the most important point in the 100-syllable mantra states that one's own true self-nature is eternally pure.
3. Self-nature is vast: one's own Buddha nature is essentially vast and immaculate.

As with any mantra there are many levels to the meaning of this mantra. As a result, one should not become fixated upon any one translation of the mantra. For example, each of the syllables in the 100-Syllable Mantra also represents the One Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities in the Bardo State. By practicing with an open mind, the deeper levels of the mantra will be revealed.

In Praise of the 100-syllable Mantra Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra Will have all sicknesses cured,
His sufferings ended,
And his mind and body will rest in ease.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
Will be free from poverty,
Will have his bad luck turn into good,
And all his wishes fulfilled.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
All lands and substances,
Are offerings,
Following him, their master.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
When his life is spent,
It shall extend,
And finally, in the Pure Land,will he be reborn.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
Maras will take refuge in him,
Their evil troops will flee,
And all will be tamed.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
Even the most wicked,
Who committed the Five Major Transgressions,
Will repent with honesty.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
Will be a king in this life and in the next life,
Will also become a Dharma King,
And will finally be emancipated from the fetters of cyclic existence.

Although the practice of dharani, mantra, mudra, stupa and mandala,
Will result in the five transcending wisdoms,
The merits so accumulated,
Are far less than one recitation of the 100-syllable mantra.

Whoever chants the 100-syllable mantra
Amasses merits equivalent to
Adorning the countless Buddhas,
As numerous as the grains of sands and particles of dust.

Footnotes
[1] This article is adapted from pgs. 16-17 of the Perfect Enlightenment Journal No. 2, published in April, 1992 by Yuan Zheng Tang in Singapore.
[2] Grand Master Lu's pronunciation of the mantra.