The Tantra of Siddhaikavīra
Toh 544
Degé Kangyur, vol. 89 (rgyud ’bum, pa), folios 1.b–13.a.
Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
First published 2016
Current version v 1.17.8 (2021)
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Tantra of Siddhaikavīra is a tantra of ritual and magic. It is a relatively short text extant in numerous Sanskrit manuscripts and in Tibetan translation. Although its precise date is difficult to establish, it is arguably the first text to introduce into the Buddhist pantheon the deity Siddhaikavīra—a white, two-armed form of Mañjuśrī. The tantra is primarily structured around fifty-five mantras, which are collectively introduced by a statement promising all mundane and supramundane attainments, including the ten bodhisattva levels, to a devotee who employs the Siddhaikavīra and, presumably, other Mañjuśrī mantras. Such a devotee is said to become a wish-fulfilling gem, constantly engaged in benefitting beings. Most of the mantras have their own section that includes a description of the rituals for which the mantra is prescribed and a brief description of their effects. This being a tantra of the Kriyā class, the overwhelming majority of its mantras are meant for use in rites of prosperity and wellbeing.
Acknowledgements
This translation was produced by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. Wiesiek Mical translated the text from the Sanskrit, and Andreas Doctor compared the translation against the Tibetan translation contained in the Degé Kangyur and edited the text.
This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
Colophon
Translated by the great Indian preceptor Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna and the translator monk Géwai Lodrö, and finalized by the monk Tsultrim Gyalwa.
Bibliography
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