No. 1163 [Nos. 1162, 1164, 1165]
Translator’s Note:
This sutra contains mantras and stories related to the acquisition of wealth. Its narrative framework is basically the same as those recorded in T1162 and T1164, while T1165 focuses on the method of using the mantras.
As for the name of the mantra, the other three versions of the sutra render it as “Hold the World” (持世), whereas this version calls it “Rain of Treasures” (雨宝). This discrepancy may stem from a difference in long and short vowels in Sanskrit:
- vasu – treasure
- dhārā – rain
However, if dhārā is changed to a short vowel a, the resulting dhara means to hold. And if a nasal sound is added to vasu, while retaining the long vowel at the end of dhārā, then vasuṃdharā takes on the meaning of soil, ground, earth.
The semantic difference between “Rain of Treasures” and “Hold the World” may not be due to mispronunciation as the mantra was passed down, but rather may have been a deliberate pun from the outset. In Xuanzang’s translation (T1162 持世陀羅尼經), although he still translated the name of the mantra as “Hold the World”, he explicitly rendered a line in the sutra as “spontaneous rain the needed wealth and grains secretly,” which seems to hint at the pun.
As for the main deity associated with this mantra, T1162 and 1163 do not clearly identify one. However, in the later translation, T1165, a “Hold-the-World Bodhisattva ” is clearly designated as the main deity. This appears to be an extension of the earth goddess tradition. In Buddhism, the earth goddess holds a relatively exalted status because she assisted the Buddha in subduing demons on the night of his enlightenment. The wishes for wealth and health are also traditionally functions of the earth goddess. Moreover, in other sutras, the short mantra from this sutra—“om vasudhare svāhā”—also appears in texts describing 堅牢地神 (Pṛthvī). This further confirms the meaning of the mantra as “Hold the World.”
Translated by the Tripiṭaka Śramaṇa the Great Vast Wisdom Amoghavajra of the Tang Dynasty by Imperial Command
Thus I have heard:
At one time, the Bhagavān was residing in the Kaṇṭhaka forest of the country Kauśāmbī, together with five hundred great bhikṣus, and also together with many great Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas.
At that time, in the country of Kauśāmbī, there was a certain elder named Wondrous Moon. His faculties were calm and quiet, and his mind was tranquil and still. He had many male and female relatives, as well as many servants, and possessed pure and complete faith. He went to the place where the Buddha was, placed his head on the Buddha’s feet in homage, circumambulated him hundreds and thousands of times, and then stood to one side, with palms joined respectfully, and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I wish to ask the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, about some minor doubts and questions. May the one who is greatly compassionate and merciful kindly listen to my request and give me permission to ask.”
At that time, the World-Honored One said to the elder: “Ask according to your intention, and I will explain for you, so that your mind may rejoice.”
Then the elder, hearing these words, was delighted and elated, and said: “World-Honored One! How can impoverished and destitute virtuous men and virtuous women obtain abundance? How can those who are ill be free from sickness?”
At that time, the World-Honored One said to the elder Wondrous Moon: “For what reason do you ask such a question?”
The elder again said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! We householders have many dependents, but our wealth and resources are lacking and insufficient, making it hard to support and provide for them, and we also suffer many illnesses. May the Bhagavān expound the essential meaning of the Dharma, so that poor people may forever be free from poverty, and storehouses of treasures may all be filled to sustain the wives, sons, daughters, and male and female dependents in the household. When people come seeking, the mind should surely give rise to joy and become a great benefactor. Let the gold and silver treasures, wish-fulfilling maṇi jewels, vajra jewels, and various precious things such as śaṅkha, śilā, red pearls, agates, vajra-gems, and the like in the storehouses be abundant and inexhaustible, capable of supporting relatives and widely cultivating generosity to benefit sentient beings.”
At that time, the World-Honored One said to the elder Wondrous Moon: “Virtuous man! In the past, countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, I encountered a Buddha, a World-Honored One, named Vajra-holding Ocean Sound Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One. From that Tathāgata I received this ‘Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī’. I upheld it, recited it, contemplated it, remembered it, rejoiced in it, and widely proclaimed and spread it to others. Due to the majestic spiritual power of this dhāraṇī, if any person, non-human, yakṣa, rākṣasa, preta, piśāca, kumbhāṇḍa, ustraka, pūtana, katabhūtana, and so on, give rise to evil intentions toward this virtuous man, they will not be able to inflict harm. Those ghosts who feed on human fats, marrow, pus and blood, snot and saliva, excrement and urine, and wish to cause harm — they will not be able to create any obstacles.”
The Buddha said to Wondrous Moon: “If there is a virtuous man who recollects in his heart, holds in his hand, writes down this mantra, or merely hears its name, receives and upholds it, rejoices in it, and widely expounds and explains it to others, then such virtuous men and virtuous women will be at peace throughout the long night, enjoying various kinds of happiness, accumulating the requisites for yogic cultivation, and attaining stability and abundance. If someone wishes to uphold this ‘Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī’, they should make offerings to all Tathāgatas, and during one night, two nights, or three nights, recite and uphold it with concentrated focus and a mind of loving devotion and pure faith toward the Three Jewels. The gods will then rejoice and immediately rain down treasures and grains for the sake of that Dharma master who recites this Dharma.” Then, the following dhāraṇī was spoken:
namo bhāgavate vajradhara sāgara nirghoṣāya tathāgatāya, tadyathā: oṃ surupe, bhandravati, maṇgale, acale, acapale, ughātani ubhedani sasyavati dhanyavati dhanavati śrīmati prabhavati, amale vimale ruru surubhe vimale adataste vidataste viśvakeśi, aṅkule maṅkule dhidhime dhudhume tatale tara tara vajre āvarttani bhukke ukke ṭake ṭake varṣaṅi niṣpādani, bhagavaṃ vajradharta sāgara nirghoṣaṃ tathāgata manusmara, smara smara, sarva tathāgata satya manusmara, dharma satya manusmara, saṃgha satya manusmara, taṭa taṭa pūra pūra pūraya pūraya bhara bhara bharaṅi, sumaṅgale śāntamati maṅgalamati prabhāmati mahāmati subhadravati āgacchā āgacchā, samaya manusmara svāhā, ādhāraṅa manusmara svāhā, prabhāva manusmara svāhā, dhṛti manusmara svāhā, vijaya manusmara svāhā, sarva satva vijaya manusmara svāhā.
The Buddha said to the elder Wondrous Moon: “This is called the Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī. By the power of this dhāraṇī, illnesses, famine, pestilence, karmic obstructions—all will be eliminated. If there are virtuous men or virtuous women, they should first make offerings to all Tathāgatas, and continuously recite and uphold this dhāraṇī without interruption for one day and one night—then treasures will rain to their household, accumulating as high as a grown adult, and all disasters will be eradicated. Therefore, virtuous man! One should uphold this Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī, and widely and thoroughly explain it for the sake of others.”
“Excellent, World-Honored One!” The elder Wondrous Moon, upon hearing what the Buddha had said, was joyful and elated: “Now I receive this Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī from the Buddha. I shall uphold, recite, and widely explain it thoroughly for the sake of others.”
At that time, after receiving the Buddha’s teaching, the elder Wondrous Moon circumambulated the World-Honored One hundreds and thousands of times to the right, then respectfully joined his palms, placed his head in reverent homage at the Buddha’s feet, and joyfully departed.
Then the Buddha said to the venerable Ānanda: “Go to the house of the elder Wondrous Moon and see the elder’s various storehouses are now all filled with wealth, grains, various precious treasures, and all the necessities for sustaining life.”
At that time, the venerable Ānanda received the Buddha’s instruction and went to the great city of Kauśāmbī, arriving at the home of the elder Wondrous Moon. After entering, he saw that all the various storehouses were completely filled with treasures. Having seen this, his heart was extremely delighted and joyous, and he returned.
At that time, the venerable Ānanda, feeling this was an unprecedented event and full of great joy in his heart, said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! For what causes and conditions have the storehouses of the elder Wondrous Moon been filled?”
The Buddha said: “Virtuous man! The elder Wondrous Moon gave rise to pure faith in me, upheld this Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī, and proclaimed it for the benefit of all sentient beings. Therefore, Ānanda! One should uphold this dhāraṇī and widely proclaim it for others. Using the Buddha-eye, I observe all the world—gods, humans, māras, Brahmās, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas—none of them can create any obstruction for those who uphold this Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī. Why is this? Because the Tathāgata does not speak falsehood, and this mantra is indestructible. Those sentient beings who lack wholesome roots cannot even hear This dhāraṇī, much less write it down, uphold it, or recite it. Why is this? Because it is spoken with true words by all Tathāgatas, rejoiced in by all Tathāgatas, praised by all Tathāgatas, proclaimed by all Tathāgatas, and planted by all Tathāgatas.”
Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Excellent, World-Honored One!” and then spoke this beautiful verse:
“The Buddhas are inconceivable, and the Dharma is likewise inconceivable;
Pure faith is inconceivable, and its fruits are likewise inconceivable.
The all-knowing, silent sages of wisdom, the Dharma King is free from birth and death.
He has already reached the supreme far shore. I bow in reverence to the valiant Buddha.”
At that time, the venerable Ānanda, having heard the Buddha speak this Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī Sūtra, was joyful and elated. He said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! What should this Dharma teaching be named now? How should we uphold this sūtra?”
The Buddha said to Ānanda: “This sūtra is called The Inquiry of the Elder Wondrous Moon; you should uphold it. It is also called Obtain All Treasures and Hidden Wealth. It is also called The Rain of Treasures Dhāraṇī Praised by All Tathāgatas; you should uphold it.”
At that time, when the Bhagavān had finished speaking this sūtra, the innumerable bhikṣus, all the bodhisattvas, along with gods, humans, asuras, and the entire great assembly, having heard the Buddha’s words, were all greatly rejoiced, faithfully accepted, and respectfully practiced them.
The Heart Mantra is:
om vasudhare svāhā
The Heart of the Heart Mantra is:
om śri vasu svāhā
The Small Heart Mantra is:
om vasu svāhā
Dharma Torch 