Toh 2615A Sādhana of “The Recitation of the Names of Mañjuśrī”

Explanation of the Foreign Sadhana: The Practice of Vocal Recitation of the Names of Manjusri

Context

Namasamgiti-sadhana, the Practice of Vocal Recitation of the Names of Manjusri, is a tantric work belonging to the Tibetan Northern Transmission of the Buddha Dharma, compiled in the Tengyur, the Tibetan Treatise Collection. This is a sadhana, that is, a complete method of practice, based on the Namasamgiti, the Scripture of the Recitation of the Names, a splendid scripture praising the bodhisattva Manjusri through countless names and qualities.

Manjusri (Văn Thù) is the bodhisattva who symbolizes transcendent wisdom (prajna), the light that illumines the darkness of ignorance and discrimination. In the Tibetan Northern Transmission of the Buddha Dharma, especially the Nyingma and Gelug traditions, the practice of Manjusri is regarded as a path to awakening through developing wisdom and purifying the mind. This sadhana combines the vocal recitation of the names with visualization and profound meditation.

The vocal recitation of the names of Manjusri is not mechanical repetition, but a purposeful practice: to purify ignorance, activate innate wisdom, and establish a direct relationship with Manjusri as an inner guru.

Main Content

This sadhana guides the practitioner through the classical stages: mental preparation, visualization of Manjusri with transcendent qualities, and finally the vocal recitation of his names.

The stage of mental preparation includes creating a space of Dharma bliss, a conceived mandala, establishing the intention to practice for the benefit of beings, and requesting permission from the protective buddhas and deities. The practitioner needs to understand clearly the principle of “non-arising” (sunyata), that all phenomena lack a fixed independent nature; this provides the mental foundation for visualization without attachment.