Toh 634The Dhāraṇī-mantra of the One Hundred and Eight Names of Avalokiteśvara
Pāli / Sanskrit:Avalokiteśvarāṣṭottaraśatakanāma dhāraṇīmantrasahitam
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An Exposition of the Dhāraṇī-Mantra of the One Hundred and Eight Names of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara
Background
The Dhāraṇī-Mantra of the One Hundred and Eight Names of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (Avalokiteśvarāṣṭottaraśatakanāma dhāraṇīmantrasahitam) belongs to the Kangyur—the esoteric canon of the Vajrayāna tradition. It is a profound component of the esoteric system of practice, in which dhāraṇīs and mantras are regarded as supreme spiritual instruments for establishing a direct connection with the wisdom of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
The bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara represents the immeasurable compassion of all the Buddhas. In the esoteric tradition, he manifests in various forms, and through countless eons of practice he has acquired innumerable names corresponding to different aspects of compassion and liberation. The one hundred and eight names are not merely an ordinary number; 108 is sacred in the Buddhist tradition, symbolizing the completeness of the Dharma and transcendence of the mind’s preconceptions.
Main Content
This scripture is structured as a list of the 108 names of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, each accompanied by a mantra or dhāraṇī. In the esoteric tradition, dhāraṇīs are defined as “the self-utterances of absolute truth”—they are not ordinary symbols but linguistic forms of the Buddha’s wisdom.
These names encompass such aspects as Immeasurable Light, Immeasurable Sound, Thousand-Armed One, Thousand-Eyed One, Saviors, Protectors, Destroyers of Suffering, and so forth. Each appellation is not merely a name but an aspect of the compassionate power that he embodies to liberate sentient beings. By practicing the accompanying mantras, practitioners form a profound connection with each of these aspects of liberation.
The method of practice generally includes reciting this dhāraṇī while concentrating on the name, form, and light of Avalokiteśvara.
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