Toh 696The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara

Explanation of the Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva

Background

The Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvaradhāraṇī) is one of the most sacred esoteric formulas in the Vajrayāna tradition and is recorded in the Kangyur—the collection of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures. This scripture originates with Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, the embodiment of boundless compassion in Mahāyāna Buddhism, particularly as developed in esoteric Buddhism.

Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva is an exalted bodhisattva capable of delivering sentient beings through the all-embracing power of compassion. In Vajrayāna, he is not only a revered figure but is also regarded as a manifestation of wisdom expressed as compassion (karuṇā), one of the three fundamental qualities of buddha-nature. Dhāraṇīs (陀羅尼, sacred incantations) are extraordinary verbal formulas containing profound spiritual energy, used to focus the mind and activate the supportive power of sacred deities.

Main Content

Although the specific contents of this scripture have not yet been fully translated from the original source, within the context of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara dhāraṇīs commonly include sacred syllables (bīja-mantras) such as “OM,” “HŪṂ,” and “PHAṬ,” as well as other extended formulas. These syllables are not ordinary speech but absolute expressions of vital sound, each possessing its own spiritual frequency and vibration.

In esoteric Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara’s mantra is commonly associated with visualizations. Practitioners visualize Avalokiteśvara in the form of Avalokiteśvara or Mahākāruṇika—with eighteen arms, each holding a different symbol that expresses a distinct aspect of liberating compassion. When practicing the dhāraṇī, practitioners unite the sound of the mantra, the sacred form, and the intention to liberate beings into a single whole—this is Vajrayāna’s distinctive method of the “three secrets,” the integration of body, speech, and mind.