Bắc Đẩu Thất Tinh Niệm Tụng Nghi Quỹ

At that time the Blessed One, for all beings of meager merit in the Dharma-ending age, taught the True Word teaching. Then all the suns, moons, and constellations gathered like clouds, surrounding him before and behind, and with different mouths but one voice said: “We pray that the Blessed One will teach us the divine mantra.”

At that time the Blessed One spoke the Mantra of the Eight Stars (? the Mantra of the Seven Stars), saying:

Án, táp đá nhi nẵng dã, bán nhạ, mật nhạ dã, nhiễm phổ tha ma, sa-phộc nhĩ nẵng, la khất-sơn, bà phộc đổ, sa ha

OM SAPTA JINÀYA BHANÕJA VIJAYA JAMÏPUTHAMA SVÀMINA (Name and position... ) RAKSÏA BHAVATU SVÀHÀ

This mudra and vidya are extracted from the Vajrashekhara Sutra, the Chapter on the Seven Stars.

The Buddha said to the groups of Tan Lang and Po Jun: “If there are good men and good women who receive and uphold this divine mantra, will you protect them?”

At that time the Eight Women said to the Blessed One: “If anyone recites this divine mantra every day, he will certainly extinguish all sinful karma and accomplish all that he seeks. Suppose again that there is a person who can recite this divine mantra 108 times every day; he himself and all his retinue will then be protected. If he can recite it 500 times, he will have the power of great awe-inspiring spirit.

Within a circumference of 500 yojanas, all Mara kings and Mara hosts, all beings that create obstacles, and immeasurable evil spirits will not dare approach him, and he will constantly be protected. The Eight Women of the Northern Dipper, all suns, moons, and stars, the devas, dragons, yakshas, and beings that cause obstacles and calamities will all be destroyed and cut off at one time.

If someone wishes to make offerings, he should first arouse the mind of rescue and relief. In a quiet and pure place he should use incense, flowers, food, and drink as offerings, recite and uphold the divine mantra, and form the mudra-seal. When offerings are made in this way, the Eight Women and all their retinues will manifest their bodies and serve the practitioner according to his wishes, accomplishing immeasurable prayers. Those of the rank of raja (king or ruler) will at once obtain royal position, to say nothing of lesser offices and honors in the world.

If one seeks long life, the records of fixed karma will be removed and returned to the register of life.

If kings, princes, great ministers, queens, and those of the inner palace make a mandala in their own palace, perform homa according to the Dharma, worship, and make offerings, then the Eight Women of the Northern Dipper will all be greatly pleased. Therefore they will remain long in their exalted positions and will always receive peace and happiness. All officials, high and low, will be harmonious and will not act unlawfully. The people will be strong, grain will be abundant, the country will be peaceful and free of calamities, strange portents will not appear, and disease and death will not arise. Within the borders, enemies and bands of robbers will naturally retreat and disperse.

Therefore this Dharma is exceedingly secret. Do not recklessly transmit it to those without faith or to the ignorant, for ignorant people do not have a clearly discriminating mind, and doubts and slander arise in their thoughts. Although they may be ignorant, vajra-born sons of vajra who constantly recite and uphold the Vidya of the Buddha-Eye Mother are suitable recipients. Though a vajra son may be without wisdom, he does not give rise to doubt or slander, and therefore he accomplishes the Dharma. Though the practitioner may delight in worldly happiness, in the depths of his mind he still turns toward unsurpassed bodhi.