Toh 641The Dhāraṇī-mantra of the One Hundred and Eight Names of Kṣitigarbha

An Exposition of the Sutra of the Dhāraṇī-mantra of the 108 Names of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha

Context

The Sutra of the Dhāraṇī-mantra of the 108 Names of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha (Kṣitigarbhāṣṭottaraśatakanāma-dhāraṇīmantrasahitam) belongs to the esoteric Vajrayana tradition and is an important canonical work in the Tibetan Kangyur. This sutra focuses on the mighty power of the dhāraṇī—potent esoteric formulas combined with the 108 names of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha Mahāpraṇidhāna, the bodhisattva who vowed to rescue sentient beings in hell.

In the esoteric tradition, a dhāraṇī is not merely an ordinary prayer but a manifestation of the binding language of mantra, endowed with spiritually transformative power. The Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, a disciple of Buddha Śākyamuni, is renowned for the vow, “Until the hells are empty, I shall not attain buddhahood.” This sutra inherits and strengthens the power of the Buddha family (Buddha-kula) through the supreme esoteric formula.

Main Content

The sutra records the 108 names of the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, each signifying a different aspect of awakening or salvific power. These names are not superficial appellations, but “esoteric names” (nāma)—Hiragana/Tibetan characters containing the bodhisattva’s entire dharmakaya.

This dhāraṇī-mantra is structured according to esoteric principles: it begins with seed syllables such as “OṂ” or “HŪṂ,” expands through the names, and finally concludes with sealing mantras such as “SVĀHĀ” or “HŪṂ PhaṬ.” This structure forms a circle of protective and liberating energy.

Each time practitioners recite this dhāraṇī, they not only recollect the 108 names but also activate the entirety of Kṣitigarbha’s mighty power—the capacity to perceive all suffering sentient beings, the capacity to manifest boundless deliverance, and the power to eradicate even the gravest transgressions.